Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz

Now that school is about finished (just waiting on the actual graduation ceremony) I've had some extra time for leisure reading. I was in Corpus this last weekend to visit my husband's family, and had a free afternoon to lay out on the beach and decided to take something to read. I was looking through my mother-in-law's library of books and she recommended "Esperanza Rising". She said it was a great book they had used in her graduate studies (education) and that she got the chance to get her copy signed by the author. She also mentioned that it was a favorite among her students. I was skeptical, her students are fourth graders....I wasn't sure if something a fourth grader was reading would really appeal to me, but i gave it a chance and was hooked immediately, I was half-way through it by the time we left the beach. I finally finished the last chapter less than an hour ago and have ordered my own copy in English and Spanish and an extra copy for my grandma. I totally recommend it.

Summary
A Tragedy strikes a wealthy young girl and her family in Mexico and forces them to flee to California where they settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. She isn't use to the new life she now has but finds a way to rise above her difficult circumstances. It's a beautiful story of family and friends sticking together and being there for each other through hard times and finding the true things that bring satisfaction in this life.

So many people have similar stories to this, I admire their
courage and the hope they cling to during difficult situations to provide a better life for their families.

read it.

egg-cellent

I saw this idea on one of the blogs I read and I quickly fell in love with the idea. I finally found the perfect ceramic egg crate to use as a jewelry holder.

Before:
An old TOMS box

Now:
It keeps it neatly seperated.

I still need a solution for chunky jewelry. I think I may do some kind of hook type thing.

I had been eying this head piece to use as a necklace holder, Eli got it for me last year on our anniversary. It didn't hold necklaces quite the way I thought it would so it found a new home in the living room.

:)

restaurant review ....... Tacos El Guero A+

Tacos El Guero serves some of the best tacos in the Houston Area. Authentic regular or red tacos made Dr. Gonzalez (a town in Mexico) Nuevo Leon style! No, seriously you guys don't understand, I would have to wait til we had the chance to go to Mexico (months, sometimes years!) to get a chance to eat tacos of this caliber..... GO! try it, and don't be afraid of all the Mexicans you see chillin outside on a Saturday night, it's my family!!! Hahahaha :)

The owner is my uncle Rafael Paez!

love the Carta Blanca tables and chairs, reminds me of Mexico

The line on a Saturday night

The red tacos baby! con cebolla y papas!

Family night!

Tacos El Guero
7508 North Hwy 6
Houston, TX 77095


Grade A+
Price $

I love these!

These are adorable and I want them! haha

These would be perfect for a bridal/baby shower, mothers day brunch or just a girly conversation over coffee or tea :)

Or at a wedding with cake!

and I love the packaging

Yedi Housewares...check it out

en español por favor

i love these commercials :)

>

I'm hideous in the face!




hah!

I WON!!!!

February Giveaway at Brynalexandra.blogspot.com!!!!
This is a fun blog to read if you're into DIY projects/Interior Design/Decor. There are soo many good ideas, it's full of beautiful things and it's very inspiring! She has a monthly giveaway, this is the first time I entered and I WON!!! WOOOHOOO!

Isn't this stuff beautiful!!! I absolutely love the feather photo and can't wait to frame it and display it!

1. Red Damask Fabric - Two Yards
Could easily make two pillows. It has a lot of heft to it and would be perfect if you have any red in your home. The damask pattern is brown.

2. Zebra Print Pink Box
This box could have a million and one uses. I personally would use it in a closet holding fun costume jewelry.

3. Bone Mini Frames
Hard to see in the picture, but these are really sweet scalloped edge mini frames made out of bone. They'd be great on a bedside table!

4. Ruby Press Letterpress Scarlet Dot Notecards
Ruby Press is a letterpress Etsy shop that offers really great stationary, calling cards and even wedding invitations!

5. Miles Of Light 8 x 10 Feather Print
What a beautiful print. The light is fantastic, I love it! Miles Of Light is a photography print studio on Etsy that offers beautiful nature inspired prints.

Check out her blog brynalexandra.blogspot.com

resturant review "Artista"

Dining romantico
Located in downtown Houston’s Hobby Center theatre, Artista is chef/owner Michael Cordua’s opus. With breathtaking views of the downtown skyline and Tranquility park the show begins at dinner.
If you get the chance to go I totally recommend it
especially if you're looking for a place to eat before a show.

We went to Artista for the first time a couple of weeks ago before we saw "West Side Story" at the Hobby center. If you are a Houstonian then you are probably familiar with Michael Cordua's restuarants here in Houston. They include Churrascos, Americas, and Amazon Grill . And they all are great (well I've never been to Amazon Grill but I'm assuming it's great) and Artista is the same, it's great!
Usually I order the Churrasco steak but since I was on the detox at the time, I had to go with the pan seared chicken and Eli went with the Salmon, of course it was delish :)
Great place!

Balcony

Cost:$$$
dress: business casual
Grade: A

The Necklush!

My new favorite accessory...The Necklush. I've been wanting one of these since last winter season but never got around to ordering one before it got warm again, Luckily I have an awesome husband that remembered that I wanted one and purchased one for me as one of my b-day gifts :) I absolutely love it, I get tons of compliments on it and thought I would share! Got it from Necklush.com



The librarian at work took a look at it and came up with her own version of the necklush, here are some of her pieces

love this one, I bought and gave it to friend, perfect for the holidays :)

and here's a How To video, I wish I would have seen earlier

enjoy!


http://shop.necklush.com/

trade ya

So I'm on day 9 of the yearly detox and I've had to trade the

for:

and I've actually been having fun trying to figure out some new foods to make.

*Lettuce/avocado tacos
*Spaghetti Squash
*New homemade salad dressing
*Lentil soups
*vegetable stirfry
*eggplant patties
these are just some of the things we've been eating here at the Cumming's home and it's not too bad :) It also helps when others are doing it along with ya!

Can't wait to have a burger though! haha! jk but seriously

Goodnight Houston

So I heard about a new book coming out called Goodnight Houston, that mimicked the popular children's book Goodnight Moon. Of course, I had to get one for myself and for my little niece and nephew, Elly and Caleb. I got it on the day it came out and was privileged to meet the authors, hear a reading of the book, and have them sign my copies. The pages go on to say goodnight to highlighted spots in houston. Some of my faves include: House of Pies, the train at Herman park/zoo, and the waterwall (where eli proposed). I recommend it, it's a beautiful book about our city and would make a wonderful addition to your personal library.

who are we fooling....

Love this song and wanted to start the first blog of the year saying, " I love you Eli"



So we're back here again
Tip toeing round the edge of the end
Wondering who will be last to admit
That we're finally over

Turned twenty one on the day that we met
Terrible shoes and plausible dress
It's funny how sad the funny things get as you grow older

Better or worse
But what else can we do?
And better or worse
I am tethered to you
If it's not either of us
Tell me who are we fooling?

I love the art of biting my tongue
I'm tired of trying to guess what was wrong
Both agreed on where we should go
But not how to get there

We tried and tried to loosen the knots
Thinking once we're untangled we'll be better off
But it's these failures and faults that hold us together

Better or worse
But what else can we do?
And better or worse
I am tethered to you
If it's not either of us
Tell me who are we fooling?

This beautiful tangle that's bruising us blue
It's a beautiful knot that we just can't undo
Together we're one but apart tell me
Who are we fooling?

Cause real love
Is hard love
It's all we have
It's a break-neck
Train wreck
It's all we have

So we're back here again
Turning away from the edge of the end
Arm in arm

Better or worse
But what else can we do?
And better or worse
I am tethered to you
If it's not either of us
Tell me who are we fooling?

This beautiful tangle that's bruising us blue
It's a beautiful knot we just can't undo
If it's not either of us, tell me who are we fooling?

Together we're one, but apart tell me
Who are we fooling?

Marriage is work, but worth it...together we're one but apart? who are we fooling? :) This song brings inspiration. Praying for all the couples out there this 2011 year.

H2O

Add one more goal to the list: drink more water! Yes, I've decided that I don't drink enough water so I'm trying to start a new habit....I bought one of those cheesy water jugs and am gonna try to drink one a day....maybe.

water facts

1. Roughly 70 percent of an adult’s body is made up of water.
2. At birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infant’s body weight.
3. A healthy person can drink about three gallons (48 cups) of water per day.
4. Drinking too much water too quickly can lead to water intoxication. Water intoxication occurs when water dilutes the sodium level in the bloodstream and causes an imbalance of water in the brain.
5. Water intoxication is most likely to occur during periods of intense athletic performance.
6. While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some water to the body.
7. Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body.
8. Pure water (solely hydrogen and oxygen atoms) has a neutral pH of 7, which is neither acidic nor basic.
9. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it.
10. Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water.
11. Much more fresh water is stored under the ground in aquifers than on the earth’s surface.
12. The earth is a closed system, similar to a terrarium, meaning that it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed at the beginning of the earth is still present today.
13. The total amount of water on the earth is about 326 million cubic miles of water.
14. Of all the water on the earth, humans can use only about three tenths of a percent of this water. Such usable water is found in groundwater aquifers, rivers, and freshwater lakes.
15. The United States uses about 346,000 million gallons of fresh water every day.
16. The United States uses nearly 80 percent of its water for irrigation and thermoelectric power.
17. The average person in the United States uses anywhere from 80-100 gallons of water per day. Flushing the toilet actually takes up the largest amount of this water.
18. Approximately 85 percent of U.S. residents receive their water from public water facilities. The remaining 15 percent supply their own water from private wells or other sources.
19. By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over 1 percent of its total water amount.
20. The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

And since we're talking about water here's an organization I became familiar with a couple of years ago thanks to josh :)
Visit the wbsite and help :)

The Hydrate Hope Project from IAmChange on Vimeo.

please take a seat

oh, well don't mind if I do....thanks

I love this chair


eli on the other hand would prefer this one


yes I am obsessed with furniture...heehee

Acupuncture

So about a month ago I got sick and couldn't breath...of course I was getting pretty whiny, Eli was dealing with it pretty well until one night before bed....He finally said, "Erica, I can help you, please let me do acuncture on you." Yes, Eli practices acupuncture, and yes, I have a fear of needles. Eli stopped asking me a couple of years ago, I guess he got tired of the resounding NO I would always answer, but that night was different, I wanted relief and was willing to try it.





I had three different sessions and must admit, I felt instant relief and relaxation :)

I Know, I know, people have mixed feelings about alternative healthcare especially acupuncture and the origins of it but this post is not really about that...it's just to say, "hey it worked for me." I know Eli and what he believes so I trust him. So if you have questions about acupuncture and what exactly it's all about.....ummm I can't really help with that, but Eli can...so ask him :)

Be my guest :)

This is the plan I came up with for the guest bedroom, not quite there yet...but making progress....So yea if your in town and need a place to stay be my guest...even though the room doesn't really look like this....yet ha!

Japanese soda

My successful attempt at opening a Japanese Soda...try one they are super good!



So the last couple of weeks or so I have been trying different sodas at work...almost like wine tasting but instead with sodas. This one was one of the most interesting ones because of the way you have to open it. I can't really explain much except that you push down on a marble that falls into your drink which opens the bottle....yea I know it sounds a little weird I thought so too when I first heard of it.

I am now a fan of the Japanese soda!


Video and drink courtesy of Mr.Lam

Eli the handyman

one of Eli's weekend projects.....




I must admit, I freaked out a little when I walked in and saw the big hole in the door, heh

let them eat cake

Restaurant Review Grade: A
Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique
3310 S. Shepherd
Houston, TX 77098
www.ilovesugarbabys.com

This is a neat little place we went to for dessert, mainly cupcakes and some miniature desserts.
$2.75 a cupcake :)






















Love that they have a private little party room, I can imagine a little girls birthday (or big girls birthday...me!), baby shower, or a bridal shower.....it's such a cute place :)