Mall of America!!!!

Woooh! What a roller coaster this vacation has been. 2 days at the Mall of America was a lot to digest but boy was it fun. Amaya had a blast but not without a few tantrums to help us out. She is like any other kid in the fact that she just loves to play and has not learned how to say bye-bye. And I think it will be a while before she does. She's just a girl that knows what she wants to do.

So on Monday after we checked in at our hotel that was super close to the MOA, we went right over to the MOA and slightly enjoyed Sea Life. We enjoyed it as much as Amaya allowed us too. She just zoomed through most of Sea Life besides the Shark area. And she was scared of the Octopus and never wanted to get too close to the sharks and sea turtles. I have to admit that the octopus was a little freaky looking, so I can sympathize with her, but still cool. Lol. Amaya also found the Easter Bunny and couldn't wait to say Hi and take a picture with the Bunny. of course she wasn't as bold when she went up to the bunny but we'll work on that. Then we just walked around the MOA and came back to the hotel to go swimming. Of course Amaya just wanted to sit in the jacuzzi but she definitely enjoyed herself in the water...calm waters of course.

On our second day we went back to the MOA and sang & dance at the Toddler Tuesdays event they have every Tuesday at the MOA. It was very cool, lots of people and I was just proud that Amaya wasn't scared to dance in front of people. It solidified to me just how much she is going to LOVE Dance! And that she can follow directions and will definitely be ready by the time she is 3.
Once Nickelodeon Universe opened (@11) we went straight over there and began enjoying the rides and arcade areas. And by the time we called it quits and grabbed a bite to eat Amaya was wiped and ready to go.

All in all the trip was a success and the Mall of America definitely lives up to the hype! It is one hell of a mall! Fun for everyone! (Literally)

                                                 Just checked into our hotel...seconds away from the MOA

(A father and daughter's relationship can never be replaced!)

The 3 of Us!

@ SeaLife looking at stingrays :)

My favorite: spotted stingray (I think)

My future hubby's future aquarium...He fell in love at first sight.

Amaya found Nemo!!!

The infamous struggle to get a good picture with Amaya when she is having fun!  She did not want anyone to ruin her time.  lol

Amaya:  let's go Mommmy!  Now!  

"Follow Me"

so thankful we didn't go into LegoLand or else that would have been terrible.  But she loved the play area they had for kids.  Great idea!  

Love this place!  Nickelodeon Universe is pretty amazing.  well use of space.  but too much walking.

@ Toddler Tuesdays (at the MOA) dancing away.  Mall of America is such a kid friendly place.

On one of the many coasters we rode on!  So much fun with her.  She was such a big girl and had so much fun.

She was clearly unhappy having to wait to get into the 'bikini bottom' jumper but she didn't cry so that was a plus.  

I was so proud of her that she got on this ride and not only once but 2X.

She was waving hi to all her peeps!

And she was out like a light as soon as she got into the car.  She was wiped.

And out of all of the shopping we did for her and practically only for her, the IKEA Easel for $14.99 was theee best buy!  She is already going to town on this easel and we've only been home for an hour!  Great buy.  But we forgot to get a smock so no painting until then.  

70/30

This will be a quick update.  I thought I was on a bit of a weight loss plateau for a couple of weeks and before the third week was up I put my weight-loss into 3rd gear and started focusing more on what I am eating.  I changed my calorie intake from 1400-1600 calories to 1200-1399 calories via jillianmichaels.com (which I love) but for myself my goal is to eat between 1200-1300 calories.  And it's been paying off.  Of course not without working out and pushing myself little by little at the gym.  I've also been focusing more on running and I love it.  I have always hated running, especially for long periods of time, but I love the way I feel afterwards.

The things i've been living by to help me with my weight-loss goal:

1.)  Fitbook (getfitbook.com) - you can also buy it through Amazon.  It is small and convenient, comes with a pen and although it is small it allows you to pack a lot of information in it.  It is well worth the money and I won't be buying anything else ever.

2.)  Zella gathered tote (in blue).  I use it as my fitness/gym bag and I love it.  i needed an upgrade from the lame duffle bag and it works perfect.  There is so much space and pockets at such a great price.  And it is meant for women.

3.)  Good workout clothes is a must...I like the nike dri-fit stuff and they always have pretty good deals at JcPenney!

4.) The Color Run (thecolorrun.com) - I have been following their '8 weeks to a 5k' running plan and boy has it been amazing.

All of the things I have listed have been so helpful for me and I would recommend to anyone else in a heartbeat.  Just remember: it's all mental!

Connecting the Dots

My momma's birthday was yesterday, February 10th, and I truly wish I could have been there to celebrate it with her and tell her in person how much I love and appreciate her.  Truly, I do not know where I would be without the consistent support from my mother.  Although I haven't lived in California for 5 years nowI have always spoke with my mother and she always gives a listening ear and advice when needed.  And she always keeps the conversations lively and funny!  So I cant wait to move closer to home at the end of this summer.  Not only to be closer to family but to see my baby brother play football at San Jose State University.  I miss him dearly and am so pumped to see him debut in his college football career.  And the closer I am, the easier it will be to see him play and have Amaya grow up with her other cousins.  Our family has grown and my older brother, Kellen, has 3 beautiful kids that I miss and who I want to see grow up.  But another person that means a lot to me, that is an understatement by the way, is my dad.  My dad is amazing and gets me like no other.  I miss him and our conversations and just chillin at the house with him.  After speaking with him today he let me know how proud he is of me and that I finally "Connected the Dots".  After high school I had absolutely no idea what the heck I was going to do.  I was too busy living in the moment and such a black-and-white thinker that I was "lost" in a way.  I joined the Navy, met the love of my life, gave birth to the other love of my life and am constantly doing things I never thought I would do and maturing everyday.  I just couldn't be more blessed to have a family that cares about me unconditionally and be a mother to the most beautiful and funniest little girl and be getting married in the near future (hopeful wedding date of July 12, 2013).

Love is in the Air...

Almost two weeks into February 2013 and still going good...My weight loss stalled last week but hey, i didn't gain anything and Im still motivated and working out is becoming habit which is what I want.  But so far I have lost 11 pounds and I now weigh 166.  But I cant and wont give up now.  I have a 90 day rule where I have to continually put in the work and sacrifices of working out and eating healthy for 90 days.  90 days will be when I actually start to see the results.  So thats what im looking forward to:  March 27, 2013.
**Inspirational Quote for the Month:  "He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality!"  So True...It is Mind over Matter!

But on the the celebration of Valentines Day.  I went to Michaels and spent about $50.  Definitely more than necessary but we got a lot of good stuff as you can see.  Im learning, Im learning!!
So for both sets of grandparents Amaya and I painted and customized wooden frames that only costs $1.  Considering i'm not the creative type, with Amaya's help :), we made some very pretty frames!!!  Now all thats left is a recent picture of her and we're good to go!  I will definitely have to post with the ultimate finished product.  But right now Amaya is such the arts & crafts kid (her daycare teachers rave about her abilities all the time).  I just havent done much with her but the generic lame stuff such as: color and draw.  So this is definitely perfect timing (since she will be 3 in May..tear, but so exciting) to let her run wild with arts & crafts and be able to spend valuable time doing things with her that she loves to do.  Which brings me to another activity that we have been doing together and that Amaya enjoys.  Since the New Year we have been bringing Amaya to an indoor waterpark at the amazing gym Choice Health & Fitness and she just loves it.  Today, we were just chillin in the lazy river, she was straight up relaxing while I was holding her like a football hoping she would kick her legs or something.  But I got nothing.  Nonetheless, Amaya loves going to the waterpark...lets hope she can have the same enthusiasm if we go to the Lake this summer!  Doubtful though. :)

                                              Getting ready to swim in my new bathing suit!

My $50.00 shopping spree @Michaels!

 
                                              "Put me to work Mom....This is my calling"

          The one on the left is hard to read, but it says "I Love You". plus some Mardi Gras flavor!

                                                     

To wrap up, We had fun at the super bowl party we attended.  There were 2 other kids there and Amaya really enjoyed herself.  It was very hard to leave her alone with the other kids but she handled herself very well.  I was definitely the mother holding her hand EVERYtime she had to walk downstairs to the basement.  I had to make sure my baby didn't get seriously hurt!                            
                                                                                                        ^^ Before the party
   ^ After (look at her with all of that makeup on..oh goodness me!)                                          


                                    Always rockin the sunglasses every single time the sun comes out!

                                                            I Love my Little Family!


                                        Last but not least Miss Mimi is working the runway.  She's got her heels on, her purse, and mommys sunglasses! Work it Work it!  She dont know it, but shes missing pants...the concept of wearing pants in the house is a lost cause with her!  I dont know why, but she loves to NOT wear pants, but she's getting better though.

Wedding Location...dun dun dun

So this wedding process has been soo exciting and complicated.  There are so many things to worry about.  From reception to dj to bouquet, it can be overwhelming.  But for me and Eric, it has been a little more hectic because location is key.  Our current location, North Dakota, is never an option for our wedding location.  So picking a location has been bittersweet.   Of course, we would love to have a Destination Wedding in the Bahamas, but I have come to the conclusion that it is way too expensive for our family and friends.  Then I was thinking California.  Let's cut to the chase....San Francisco is the Wedding location!  Hopefully come this August, after I graduate, I will be planning my wonderful summer wedding!  I dont know how ive been so patient...oh yeah, thats right, im a poor college student!  But not after this summer!  Im so pumped.

New Year, New Me!

Alright, so here goes:

February is approaching and so far 2013 is being good to me.  My precious babygirl is not a baby anymore.  She is getting bigger and bigger every time I look at her!  And I am that much closer to finishing my Bachelor's degree in Social Work at the University of North Dakota.  I also got a 4.0 gpa fall semester!  woot woot!  So hopefully I can continue that this semester and my final, summer, semester.  But the biggest change of all, so far this year, has been my #lifestyle change.  I have lost 10 LBS.  But I am not done yet.  My goal is to lose a total of 40 LBS to be at a weight of 137.0 LBS.  The best piece of advice I can give anyone is:  "It doesn't get easier, you get better".  And that has been true in so many parts of my life, mainly motherhood, school and weight loss.  I don't know it all, but I strive to learn each day and I am proud of myself for that.  

But 2013 is a also a big year for me because I turn 25!!!!  I have mixed feelings about turning 25.  I feel like i've done pretty good for myself up until now but that I haven't done enough.  My goal for this year and beyond is to do the things that I want to do.  To Make it Happen.  So first things first is:  Lose Weight.  Im doing that, so i will just keep it going and stay motivated.  But #2 is to Travel to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN).  My little family and I moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota in June of 2011 and we have always said that we must get to the cities but have yet to do it.  So we're gonna go sometime in March and I cant wait.  I have already made our schedule, lets just hope we can stick to it.  Must see places are: Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe, Sea Life Aquarium, and the Albertsville Premium Outlets.  Who doesnt love the outlets?  But our trip is definitely based all around our soon-to-be 3 year-old princess.  She's gonna love it and have a Blast!  

Another hope for this year is to have my daughter, fiancee and myself take professional pictures this spring.  I always try to have my daughter take, so to speak, "Birthday Pictures" professionally, and with my upcoming graduation I also want to have a few pictures on hand for the scrapbook, invitations, etcetera.  And for all 3 of us to take family pictures just because.  I think pictures are a great way to remember stuff  and now, after going through one my daughters baby books, Writing is also essential.  So I plan to dedicate some more time to my Blog.  I used to think because I dont have many friends using a blog that I shouldn't care too much about it.  But that is not why I started a blog.  I started a blog to be able to write freely about the happenings in my family's life and be able to look back and reflect on all the good times.  I sometimes get caught up in life and sometimes I dont remember all the things I would like to.  So being consistent on my blog will help me to always remember and never forget!!

But lets not forget 2012 and a little bit of 2013...Here are some of my favorite pictures of 2012:::::

                 Amaya always putting my stuff of (sunglasses, which are upside down, and my purse)  :)

The Three of us @ Santa's Village with the Hochhalters and Morgans!

Jaxon, Amaya's little cousin, is such a good picture taker!  Every time the camera comes out he knows to smile!  Whereas the girls just pay no mind and want to keep playing!

Uncle Eric was playing hide and seek with the kiddos!  they loved it! Great picture

             Father & Daughter enjoying their unhealthy breakfast @, the one and only, Perkins!

Happy New Year!

Red Velvet!  My Fave...

The Beginning...

Hello everyone,

I have decided to start a blog so that I can keep my family and friends up to date with me and my family's new beginnings.  I hope you enjoy! 

On May 24, 2012 (on my birthday) my boyfriend Eric Morgan asked me to marry him.  I always knew he would ask me but I never knew how amazing I would feel when he finally decided to pop the question and after!  I thought I would cry, which I did, and laugh and smile all day long, which I did as well.  But I thought it would return to the same ol' same ol' within a few days.  Well that has yet to happen. I mean, for goodness sake, I have started a blog.  I am so ecstatic and cannot wait until I start planning our wedding.  We do not want a big wedding, but we do want a wedding and a nice wedding at that.  Before we get talking about the wedding, I want to fill you in on how we met and fell in love.  It was march/april of 2008 when I was statione in Washington state that I met Eric.  He was a new check in and a co-worker of mine.  We didnt instantly hit it off; we got to know each other slowly.  A few of us from work hung out a lot and I seen how nice he was.  He was outspoken, loved his movies, and enjoyed the outdoors.  Before I knew it, we had hit it off and started getting serious.  We became a couple on July 11, 2008.  The only reason we remember the date, lol, is because we went to see The Dark Knight the day it came out in theaters.  We stayed in the Military a few more years and chose not to reenlist so that I could attend school and we did not have to move around every few years.  But before we separated from the Navy, we gave birth a beautiful, funny 8 lb. baby girl and we named her Amaya Denise Morgan.  And the rest is history.  We are now residing in Grand Forks, North Dakota (his hometown) and I was blessed with a good opportunity to finish school in a timely manner.  I will be working my butt off to finish with my Bachelors degree in Social Work in August 2013.  My plan is to continue on and earn my Masters Degre in Social Work.  I think that is enough for today.    but I have posted some pictures from our trip to California!!!  Enjoy!