little happies

Marriage

Little Happies: Pupcakes, Babymoons, and Blogging, Oh My!

October 13, 2014

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Little Happies, the happiest little link up around! 🙂

It’s been a busy week and a half around the Teixeira home. This past Friday and Saturday we completed our adoption training classes…meaning we’re approved to adopt and officially just WAITING for Baby Girl’s grand appearance into this world. We still have a good amount to get done around the house before her arrival but the time can’t pass quickly enough!

With that, let’s check out some recent Little Happies.

–one–

We took a very cheap Babymoon/Anniversary getaway, thanks to Airbnb.com! They make it easy to take trips on a dime.

We won’t be going on any vacations or romantic getaways anytime soon after Baby Girl Tex comes on the scene so we took 36 hours and ran up to Glenwood Springs, CO.

They are known for their Hot Spring pools, which we basically sat in for an entire day. Besides feeling like we were going to pass out half the time, it was amazing. It was cold and snowy, which created a foggy mist above the springs water. Eerie and really cool. On our way back to Denver we stopped in Vail to see the Aspens changing.

Colorado is simply beautiful.

–two–

When I was in Omaha for the baby shower, I dropped into a dog shop and bought Wrigley this little pupcake made specially for dogs. I know, I’m turning into a sappy dog owner but I thought he would be so cute with a little pupcake.

He knows sit and stay, so he was a good little boy and let me set the temptation in front of him while I snapped pics.

But as soon as I gave the word…he was on that pupcake in seconds. It was gone even quicker. I don’t think he chewed….just inhaled.

And yup, it was adorable. I especially love at how he came in with such force that his ears flopped straight up.

–three–

We updated out latest adoption puzzle progress last week. Hasn’t it come so far?!

It makes me so happy to look at the names on the back and feel the love of so many others in a tangible way I’ve never experienced before. It’s been such a blessing to bring others into our adoption story and I am so glad we did. For anyone who wants to “get in” last minute on the puzzle, click here, we’d love to have you!

–four–

Jonathan and I have the chance to tell our Loooove Story over at the FOCUS blog!

It’s going to be a 3-part series and so far Part One is published. Stay tuned this week for the upcoming posts!

We also both posed in Jonathan’s latest FOCUS blog post on how to take your favorite martyrs and turn them into Halloween costumes. 🙂

–five–

Remember our Debt Free Story?

Well after we ran it here on the blog, I had someone from THE DAVE RAMSEY BLOG email me and ask if I would like to be one of their guest posts around the upcoming holidays!!!

If you know how big of Dave Ramsey fans we are…you know that I did a happy dance and email back with a resounding “YESSSSS!!!!” Now I just need to come up with a financial holiday blog topic…brainstorm with me down in the comments! 🙂

That’s a Little Happy Wrap!

Uncategorized

Little Happies: Musical Memories

September 15, 2014

Last week was a sad and tragic week in our family.

A beloved member was taken from this life and welcomed into the next…sooner than anyone would’ve expected. Thank you all for your prayers for Caitlin’s family and especially my cousin Jeff at this time. Please keep lifting them up in prayer since it will be a long road ahead.

On that somber note, I am jumping back into the Little Happies Monday posts.

This week, I am drawing from music that has made me happy or was tied to a season/memory in my life. These by no means are my favorite songs now so don’t judge me. 🙂

–one–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT6T-a9Dl28

Let’s travel back to 1988 when I was three years old and THIS song came on the radio.

An instant classic, I’d say.

Why at three years old was I listening to and loving a song about a romantic getaway? Who knows but it was sure fun to dance to.

–two–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgImcqpOyt8

I used to lock myself in my bedroom during middle school and BLARE this song.

Why?

Because it was in the movie Man Of The House and I was OBSESSED with Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Like, two entire bedroom walls covered in posters of JTT’s face from Teen Beat Magazine obsessed.

So, as I lay there I would think about how cool JTT was and how much I liked his long hair. (Currently I am married to another Jonathan who had long hair at one point…hmmm)

–three–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNyKDI9pn0Q

Let’s just get it out there.

I am dramatic.

OK, it’s been said.

Remember this song? After I saw Titanic three times in theaters, I had to get the soundtrack ASAP.

For weeks I had a routine of, yet again, locking myself in my bedroom with the lights out and dozens of candles lit as I would blare this song and sing into a hairbrush while looking into a mirror and bawling my eyes out as I sang….pretending to be Celine Dion or Rose Dawson depending on the day.

Those were glorious moments for a twelve year old.

–four–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZi_7t__cJk

And then NSYNC happened.

I loved ALL their songs so really there wasn’t one particular favorite.

But this song had a really cool music video that I loved so much I taped it on VHS during TRL (Total Request Live on MTV for you youngings). I watched it daily for weeks after school, thinking about how someday maybe I could meet J.C. (Weirdly enough Jonathan actually has met and talked to J.C. from NSYNC. First JTT and now J.C. Chasez? I was meant to be with this guy!)

NSYNC jams basically dominated the rest of my High School years but I won’t torture you all with more of their hits.

–five–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fFn2LZGnMM

I am not sure exactly when I heard this song but it simply reminds me of college and being in Alpha Phi. There must have been several spontaneous dance parties to this hit. It’s just so fun! 🙂

–six–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iopkKJJr-xw

College is also when I started listening to Christian music for the first time.

I love good and well done Christian music but you have to sort through a LOT of fluff and cheesy songs.

This song was one I loved from the get go. I heard it my freshman year of college and it reminds me of a summer program I experienced with a non-denominational ministry in Jacksonville, FL for ten weeks one summer with nearly 100 other college students. That summer was INCREDIBLE and really helped me set a foundation of daily prayer in my life. I will never forget it.

–seven–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE

I hear this song and I think of Fall 2008.

It was my first year as a missionary with FOCUS – Fellowship of Catholic University Students and I was placed at University of Illinois. All the students were listening to it that Fall. It was my first time living away from Nebraska…totally on my own. I really grew up that Fall and this song just represents that time for me.

–eight–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgyJY9yndv4

Summer 2010 and The World Cup!

I was at a FOCUS New Staff Training that summer and due to the World Cup everyone had soccer fever. I played dozens of pickup soccer games. And along with about a hundred other women on staff, we learned a coordinated dance to this song. It was a blast.

It also was the summer Jonathan and I began dating 🙂

–nine–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nQy-aP_Koo

This is a song that reminds me of dating and marrying Jonathan.

We had a few rocky patches while dating and this song always spoke to me and filled me with profound peace that we would make it through…with God’s love.

Well we got engaged and on October 22, 2011 we got married and this was the song we danced to at our wedding.

–ten–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7TSGptd3Y

Oh the waiting.

This song reminds me of two periods of my life – singleness and infertility.

I used to go on long runs and have this song play on repeat as I tried to absorb the lyrics and instill an attitude of patiently waiting within my heart and mind. Usually I just ended up crying as I ran for miles.

–eleven–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFy0hQ3lY-w

This song isn’t related to a specific season of life…rather a specific night.

We were out cruising Denver on a Friday night and we pulled up to a red stop light. There was a car on our right-hand side, windows down, blaring this song. They were jamming out to it. Hard. Their car was shaking they were dancing so hard. Jonathan rolled our windows down and began dancing and screaming along with them. They noticed and we all started hysterically laughing. We were then informed that one of the guys was getting married the next day. We cheered him on gladly. Then the light turned green and we were off.

–twelve–

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVHU_YWV3e4

This song was one that Caitlin loved.

It was played at her Celebration of Life service.

I will always think of her when I hear it for the rest of my life. It’s really a peaceful song and it makes me want to tell her “Yes. We love you…and you will always be beautiful.”

May the light and life of Christ shine within you, dear Caitlin, making you radiantly beautiful and more alive than ever. We love you!

Well that’s a Little Happy wrap!

What songs remind you all of certain memories or seasons in your life? Let me know in the comments!

Catholicism, Uncategorized

Little Happies: A Friend Entered Religious Life

August 11, 2014

Welcome to the twenty-third edition of the Little Happies link-up here at True Good and Beautiful.

Here is what’s been going on in our world.

{one}

Brother Pio Mary!!!!!

Our dear friend Jeff entered the Dominicans a couple weeks back and just this past week he received his habit and religious name.

We are so happy for him! 🙂

{two}

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw

This song came out over a year ago and I’ve loved it since the first time I heard it.

Why it’s on the Little Happies list this week is because we sang it at Mass on Sunday. Between the Gospel reading (about Peter walking on water/doubting/Jesus saving him) and this song…my soul was resting in total peace. Thankfully that is more common these days. I won’t say my darkest days of infertility are gone forever but I think a majority of them are behind me and for that I am so grateful.

God’s is truly changing me through this. I cried during these lyrics of the song, since I know that through infertility God is answering this prayer of my heart:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

{three}

I was afraid this would end up going down in history as a Pintrest-fail…and my first attempt was.

But then I found a great tutorial on YouTube on how to make burlap bows and everything was made right in the world.

{four}

Can’t be a Little Happies without Wrigley making an appearance!

I really don’t know how he gets into half the sleeping positions he does.

He’s such a good pup and we just started Puppy Kindergarten Class for some basic training and socialization. Seeing fifteen puppies all meeting one another in a class setting had to be the most adorable thing I saw all week.

{five}

We saw Guardians of The Galaxy and it was awesome.

Best character ever?

Groot.

We saw it at an AMC in town that only has lounging recliner seats (awesome!) and brought along sushi and candy to complete our “dinner and a movie” night out.

I totally recommend the movie. And sushi. And candy. 🙂

That’s a wrap for this week. Catch ya later!

Infertility

Little Happies: BABY REGISTRY!!

August 4, 2014

Hello!

Welcome back to the littlest happy link-up on the planet! 🙂

Here are some of the happy things going on in our neck of the woods:

{one}

We had a bottle of whipped cream in our fridge I had completely forgotten about!

Well last week I re-discovered it as I was pouring my morning cup o joe and had a moment of inspiration. Yes, it was delicious.

Double little happy since that is the mug I hand-painted with Jonathan for a Valentine’s Day date three years ago.

{two}

Have you heard about Us The Duo yet???

They are a talented married couple who make and sing music together.

I am hooked for good and have been listening to them non-stop since the concert.

{three}

The most surreal part of our week…we started a Baby Registry! (Amazon, Babies R US, and Pottery Barn)

For most of you out there, that truly would be a Little Happy since it’s a relatively small task on the journey to parenthood.

If I am being honest though? It was a HUGE HAPPY!

I’ve guarded my heart something fierce through infertility – meaning that I have NEVER done/thought of/looked at anything relating to Baby Registries.

Doing this simple act with Jonathan was like a breath of fresh air. It was like the shackles of infertility that have held us stagnant for so long began to fall away. It felt like there is a baby out there for our family and we are looking at items for them. We had so much joy doing the registering because it meant that the next time we see these items, it means that Baby Teixeira is coming home too.

{four}

I got invited to this by a friend of mine. She thought I might want to join her in attending this sale and even said that expecting moms can come arrive at 8 am for a pre-sale.

Then I cried a little happy tear.

For so long I have been afraid of moms.

I fear they won’t accept me or treat me like a “real” mom since I can’t talk about pregnancy, labor, cracked nipples, or the return of my cycle post pregnancy…as if those things are what make a mom or something.

I am sure some women will simply treat me as lesser and I am prepared for that.

But not this friend of mine. She treats me like I am expecting like any other momma out there. No, I don’t have all the details but that’s alright. She asks about the adoption regularly, like anyone would ask about how a pregnancy is going. She’s made me feel like a mother-to-be and I simply can’t express my gratitude for that.

That’s a Little Happy Wrap! Have a great week!

Uncategorized

Little Happies: A Birthday and Home Study

July 28, 2014

Welcome back to another round of Little Happies!

Want to join in the fun? Head over to Blessed to Be to check out what it’s all about and then start posting away.

This week’s posts may or may include many photos of a little lab puppy named Wrigley.

Sorry, not sorry.

Without further ado, here’s what made us smile this week:

{one}

Wrigley meets William (our friends’ little guy).

I would say they were mutually fascinated with one another and it was too cute.

{two}

When Wrigley is awake, he likes to…

Play!

Or eat his tail.

Or jump on dandelions.

Or crawl all over us.

Or chew his Kong intensely.

But he’s only 8 weeks old so very much still a babe.

His playing lasts about 30 minutes max until….

He passes out cold.

This guy can sleep anywhere but usually chooses dark areas such as under beds, under couches, under pillows, etc.

I’ll find him fast asleep in the absolute most random spaces.

Always makes me smile.

{three}

Our beloved friend Jeff Stephens entered the Dominicans this past Friday, July 25th, the Feast of St. James the Apostle.

We already miss him greatly and look forward to when we will see him again in God’s time.

Above is one (of the mannnny) Vine’s that Jeff and Jonathan filmed together.

{four}

I had my first Stitch Fix!

It was a ton of fun and I am glad I tried it out.

I ended up keeping the white blouse and scarf and am very happy with those decisions! 🙂

{five}

I had a birthday!

We had a great time celebrating that day but the Little Happy lies in the cupcakes Jonathan made.

I just thought they were so pretty! 🙂

And you couldn’t even tell they were gluten free, thanks to America’s Test Kitchen!

{six}

Friday we were in Downtown Denver on set for a FOCUS video shoot.

While meeting people and asking them to be in our video, Jonathan met a nice family visiting Denver. They happened to have two extra tickets to the Rockies game that night and wanted us to have them!

Hours later, we settled into our seats and watched a great baseball game thanks to these kind souls.

{seven}

Our first Home Study meeting is TONIGHT!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

It’s the first of three meetings with our social worker at our agency and officially the LAST LEG in getting approved as an adoptive family!

As the meetings progress and more details unfold, I promise to do a big adoption update on the process, puzzle, and next steps.

Have a great week!

Uncategorized

Little Happies: A Visit From A Friend

July 21, 2014

I am back on the Monday Little Happies track, linking up over at Blessed to Be!

It’s been a packed week with many happy memories I am glad to capture here so I can’t forget!

–one–

Don’t get mad at me Collin…

I found this note saved on my computer. It was saved under a folder entitled “random” which indeed this document was.

A great random, since it put a smile on my face that I have such a thoughtful and sneaky little brother.

–two–

I attended my very first concert at Red Rocks!

I had a friend in town and she invited me to come see Gregory Alan Isakov and a few other bands. The venue was awesome and the concert was a good time. I hope we go back someday!

–three–

Got this baby for $12.99 at Costco.

I love Orchids and had one in the past but killed it off. I really hope I care for this one well since it’s beautiful and abundantly flowering!

–four–

The left photo is Jonathan attempting to “wear” Wrigley. I think both of them enjoyed it.

The top right-hand side was Wrigley after I began to sing “Let it Go” from Frozen. He hid. I had no idea I could be so scary!

The bottom right is after I quieted down. Wrigley turned around and slowly began to poke back through to see if I was done singing.

–five–

I got to visit the Celestial Seasons Factory with my friend Katy, who was in town visiting. Free tea!!

If you are ever in Boulder, CO I highly recommend this Factory Tour – especially the Mint Room! 🙂

–six–

Katy and I had all sorts of adventures this week! 🙂

We hiked St. Mary’s Glacier and the last 200 yards to the top was all snow. We got nearly to the summit when we saw some potentially evil clouds brewing nearby and since two people have been killed in Colorado by lightening this past week, we opted to descend.

We used our tennis shoes as skis and more or less surfed down the mountain. There is likely a technical term for that…anyone know?

–seven–

This weekend we had company over and they brought us this sweet house-warming gift along with these phrases:

“Bread… that this house may never know hunger. Salt… that life may always have flavor. And wine… that joy and prosperity may reign forever.”

How clever and kind! I was very touched and am grateful for their thoughtfulness – especially for that Cinnimon Raisin GF bread…since 1. It’s hard to remember who’s GF anymore these days, and 2. I have always wanted to get that flavor but couldn”t get myself to splurge for it!)

–UPDATE–

THAT CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD THO!

Just devoured two slices and can’t wait for more.

–eight–

Another evening this weekend we had friends over to play the Dominion Hinterlands expansion game.

Nerds to the core.

Not ashamed.

It was an awesome expansion!

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