Puzzle Project

Puzzle Project

Believe it or not, I have been working on a LOT of projects! My main problem is, actually completing all of these wonderful plans and schemes I've got swirling around in my head, at any given time. I more or less jumped the gun on this one. Sarah's birthday isn't until the end of the the month but at least I got a head start. A few weeks ago, I sent her a "thinking of you" card just because I miss her and I wanted her to know. She e-mailed me back and said that it was the only decoration she had on her wall. Unbeknownst to her, I accepted that challenge! What challenge you might ask? The challenge to adorn her sparsely decorated new home. The primary challenge was to create something that would fit in a bubble envelope and not cost an arm and a leg to send all the way out to Australia. This was the result:

I created this entire project in less than a day and it was constructed out of a single 11x14 sheet of light weight chipboard. I roughly sketched the puzzle pieces, cut them apart, sanded the edges and then decorated each individual piece. I inked the sides, nailed holes into the edges and linked them all with jump rings. I really enjoyed working on this project and truly hope that she loves the finished project. I know I do.

xxbesos

j.leija

25th Birthday

So it's birthday time again. I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of birthdays but so far, the last few have been really amazing. While this year's wasn't a booze cruise down the Thames nor a night of Cosmic Bowling in Bangkok, it was however, exactly how I wanted to spend my day, with friends and family.

Straight off a plane from Ohio, Matt and I met up with Mama and Papi and headed down to the Riverwalk for a steak lunch. The prime rib was awesome and the strawberry white chocolate cheesecake divine. We spent a bit of time after dinner, walking along the river in an attempt to walk off all of the yummy food. It was a nice, relaxing, albeit hot walk along the riverbank.

After a bit of a refresher, Matt and I started the drive up to Austin to meet up with the girls. It was the first time my boyfriend would be meeting my two best friends and I didn't quite know what to expect. None the less, they hit it off smashingly and we had a really amazing dinner, out on the lake at the popular Austin haunt, the Oasis. Seeing the sun set over the lake was such an amazing end to an already amazingly pleasant birthday celebration.

A note on the presents :) Mom and Dad gave me some cash to put towards my new photo printer, a must have for any true scrapbooker. Kimbo got me a cute teal plaid scarf just in time for fall. T$ had her mom draw a poster of me, her and Kim. The first time anyone has ever drawn me! I was really flattered and totally blown away by my one of a kind present.

Matt perhaps, did the best of them all. My darling uber male boyfriend actually braved Hobby Lobby and even a Michael's in order to purchase a few scrapbook supplies and a rubber stamp I'd mentioned in passing some weeks before. I couldn't believe that he'd actually remembered. It was totally unexpected and completely appreciated. To top it off, he got me a sweet book of quotes, a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble and a vintage Scrabble board. All in all, I totally swept house and am so appreciative of all of the wonderful presents I received and even more blessed to have these amazing people in my life.

xxbesos

j.leija

Family

RIP Tio

Joe Leija, Jr.

March 11, 1960-September 10, 2009

When you think of Mexicans, you think of family. It's something so ingrained in our culture, its hard to live down that stereotype. Honestly though, we really don't want to live down that stereotype. My family has been a constant source of unconditional love and never ending support. Whatever hare brained scheme I've conjured up, such as, I don't know, moving across the world (twice), they've been there with me through it all. Never doubting me and always so proud. And even though I was away from them for so long, we still pick up like we never left off. I hate to paint an idyllic picture, because we are far from it. But no one can say that we aren't close.

This week has tested the limits of our family, probably as far as they will ever go. While three truly significant events transpired this week, the most significant was the lose of an uncle. After 8 months of battling a truly horrendous breed of cancer, Uncle Joe finally found peace. Its hard to believe that he's actually gone. It's hard to believe that he won't come through the door, exclaiming "My Mamies!" and giving cariños. Or that I won't be going there, to sit with him, to talk to him, and to pray with him. I'm thankful that he's no longer suffering. But I mourn for him. I mourn for my grandparents. And I mourn for my father. My pain is nothing compared to theirs.

I'm grateful for the time I did get to spend with him, especially these last few months. Funny how being unemployed does have its perks. I never would have been able to spend the time I was able to, with him. I'll never forget the loving advice and kind words he imparted. He will be dearly missed.

xxbesos

j.leija