Got blogs?

Come on people! There are so many of you who aren't updating regularly..... I want something to read. Get blogging!!

My Thanksgiving...

Turkey day has come and gone. Oh my heck did we have some good food! It was a wonderful day, spent with wonderful people.

As I posted before, I'm grateful for many things in this life. I'm blessed every single day. I was able to spend today with my family and I know there are some who weren't as lucky. I feel so bad for anyone working retail today. Or any "emergency" type positions as well. Our neighbors had a visit from Roter Rooter plumbing....bummer. There really are so many people who were unable to be with their families today and I feel for them. How hard must it be to work on a holiday that should be filled with visiting and eating with family? I honestly try to NOT make them work; by getting all my grocery shopping done the day before. Getting last minute odds and ends at Wal-Mart at 11pm last night. However, I had to make a run to the gas station for ice today. Thank you Holiday Oil for being open!! And we all ended up seeing a movie today - bless all the employees at The District - it was PACKED and I'm sure it had been all day long! I tried to avoid it, but something always comes up. Thank you to anyone and everyone that had to work today and sacrifice their time with family and loved ones. I was thinking of you today.

I hope everyone was able to take a moment and reflect on what's most important today - and to realize just how much we should all be thankful for.

I know I am blessed. I never take any of this for granted. Thank you to all - I love you!!!

It finally arrived!!!

I ordered this kick-butt cake pan well over a month ago. We held a party for Kalie's 30th birthday and I wanted to make a cake, just for her - from scratch!! But I wanted to find a really different pan to bake it in and make it just that much more unique. Enter www.bigtopcupcake.com! I saw this on The View and I knew in a second it would be a great idea!

The party was on Oct 23rd, so I ordered it around the 1st, so it would arrive on time........well it didn't. 3 days before the party I checked my bank account and there wasn't even a transaction for it. Of course I assumed the order didn't go through correctly and I was s.o.l. on making something creative. I opted for purchasing a cake instead - red velvet - her favorite. It went over well, but I was still bummed.

Well here is, over a month later. I was looking at my bank account online and on the 12th of November, sure enough, a charge went through from the website. Gee, like its useful now!!!

I received the package today with the intent on just shipping it back and getting a refund. But then I remembered what drew me to the product in the first place. Then I got all excited again and decided tonight was the night to back my Big Top Cupcake. Silly to pick today, of all days. (Joe's grandpa passed away last night, so we're kinda in mourning.) But what better way to cheer us up!

I ran to the store for some eggs and I baked it all by myself - ok, not from scratch. I wasn't feeling as ambitious as I was for Kalie's party. Plus, this cake is just for me and Joe. He doesn't care if it comes from a box!! ;)

Here are a few pictures. The pan comes with an insert, so you can "fill" it with something. I decided to fill it will banana creme pudding. It turned out amazing and I just can't stop smiling!!

Sorry I couldn't make this for you Kalie. I really tried. Maybe I'll surprise you with a random cake day!! But enjoy the pictures and know this creative idea came from the heart. I LOVE YOU!

Don't you just love when something so simple can turn your attitude completely around? This just made the day. YAY!!

November

I am thankful.

This is a month to reflect all the things

and people in this world that we are

thankful for. There are so

many things going on in my life that I

am truly and completely thankful for.

First and foremost, is my family.

My family is my life.

Not only my wonderful husband

(that I am most thankful for)

but my sisters, my brothers,

my parents and everyone else.

I have such a huge, blended

family and I'm so grateful for

all of them. There are always

there when I need them. They

are there to laugh with, cry with,

tell stories and gossip. Anything

and everything, they are always

there for me.

And of course I am thankful for

my extended family and my

friends. Honestly, you are ALL

family to me. There are so many

of you that I wish I saw more

often or had a closer relationship

with. But the fact that there is still

communication, no matter the

distance or frequency, is awesome!

I'm thankful for my job as well. Some

days being a manager tests every bit

of my being, but I really enjoy what

I do. Making people feel beautiful and

happy with themselves is truly

rewarding. Plus I have some amazing

stylists. Ones that have come and gone

and some that continue to flourish. All

of them have been so supportive and

cooperative; I am lucky to have a job at

all in this day and age. I'm so blessed.

And last, but certainly no least - I am

extremely thankful for this life. Every

day is a new adventure. Sure, some

are a little mundane, but the fact that I'm

able to get up every morning and breathe

that fresh air, is perfection in my mind.

I have a busy schedule, filled with

appointments and gatherings with friends

and family. I get to spend EVERY Monday

with my favorite little nephew. I have weekly

dinner with my dad & Nancy. I have

everything I could ever ask for.

This is such a wonderful month. I am thankful all year, but I'm going to make sure to let everyone know this month. I couldn't be more lucky.

Make sure you take some time this month

and reflect on all the wonderful things in

your life. We are all blessed in one way or

another.

Thank YOU for reading this. Whether

we're close or even if we know each other,

I am thankful for you. I love having this blog

and I wouldn't have it if someone wasn't

reading it. So thank you for taking time out of

your day to read what I am most thankful for.

Love to all - ERICA

Just a lil bit

This picture just sums up my whole California vacation.

It was an amazing week. So wonderful to get away and relax & enjoy time with my sisters and my nephew. Seriously, Jesse is amazing. I can't express how much I love this little guy. He just gets cuter and cuter. The things he says, the looks he gives me and every time he wants to hold my hand. I'm such a lucky aunt.

I'll post more photos soon. I'll try and figure our some kind of slide show to make it easier to see.

Thank you Kalie & Andee (and the husbands) for such an awesome week. So many laughs and memories. You're the greatest.

Ahh....vacation!!!

Most people who read this are also reading my facebook...so it may sound repetitive...sorry.

I just have to say how much I love Disneyland and California. I am currently sitting on our Newport Coast resort balcony, surrounded by a cloud of mist thinking about the awesome day I just had in Disneyland.

We arrived in California yesterday morning. I'm traveling with Joe, my 2 sisters, their husbands and 1 little nephew. The trip started out awful and frustrating. We booked our flights back in the wonderful days of summer and apparently the flight departure time had changed and the email alert was over looked. In normal preparation, we arrived at the airport an hour and 10 minutes before what we thought was the correct time. ****Thank you to my Dad & Nancy for taking us all and sparing us the Park-n-Jet fee. They got up before 5:30am!!!**** Once we checked in, we were told that our 8:10 flight had changed to 11:30!! Well since our ride had left and we were already there, we decided to just hang out by our terminal for 4 hours. (Luckily we did score some breakfast vouchers for the inconvenience - gee thanks!)

We finally arrived in California around 12:30 (Pacific Time). And not only did we go back an hour with the time zone, we just HAD to fly out on the day of daylight savings. What frustration! We all thought our cell phones would automatically change - but when a few of ours didn't, we ended up being WAY ahead of schedule. We did some grocery shopping before checking in to the resort and needless to say we realized we were an hour off after the shopping...so we had to sit out in the heat, with groceries melting in the car, while we waiting for our room to get ready. Seriously, the best 1st day ever! ;) All we did was wait - wait for the plane, wait for the rental car, wait for the room....errrr.....

However the day did redeem itself when we opened the door to our 2 bedroom villa. We had an OCEAN VIEW ROOM!!! (pics to come) Oh my gosh this place is beautiful. Andee was in charge of Sunday dinner, so we all ate on the balcony and watched the sun set over the ocean. All our aggravation and stress from the hours earlier, had disappeared.

To top off the "actual" start to our vacation, we got to sleep in this morning and spent the entire day at Disneyland in 85 degree weather. No lines, good attitudes, slight breeze and a happy 3 year old. Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth.

We are here the rest of the week. Flying home late Friday night - our flight for that night also changed, but luckily we got a call yesterday afternoon reminding us. Thank you Jet Blue. We are doing a lounge day tomorrow. Maybe hit the beach, wax museum or just hang out at the resort pool. Then its Disneyland Wed, Thurs & Fri.

So far we're all getting along, even though we're sharing a villa and a van - plus we are all experiencing Disneyland as a group. Andee & I aren't fighting - yay!! (well we still have 4 more days....) But its been exciting and I just love it here. I could never live here, but it makes for a primo vacation spot. (Or I'm sorry Kalie, a PRY-MO vacation spot!)

This blog turned out longer than I expected, but thanks for reading. I've got a new phone right before the trip and I have EASY access to facebook, so I'm sure I'm annoying almost everyone already!!!

I can't wait to add photos. Cheers to 2 wonderful days and 4 unexpected ones to come.