Today I am at the cabin and finally have a chance to breathe. There is nothing like not having any responsibilities and just enjoying some time off in the fall leaves. So I am catching up on blogging. There is a lot to tell…I feel like I haven’t had the chance to just blog like I used to all summer long.
On July 23rd I joined my family for a day at the lake.
Max even came and wore her bathing suit.
We played on the “beach”, my nieces and nephews play Pretty Pretty Princess with Josh,
we went tubbing,
and I attempted to water ski. That didn’t work. The dead fish scared me and I wasn’t strong enough to get up. I have only got up wake boarding once, at Lake Powell, and have never had luck again. BUMMER!
The next day we went to the 24th of July parade. Max loved it…as seen by barking at EVERY horse walking by. Tell me how embarrassing that was to try to keep her from barking when the parade paused with all the horses in front of us. 
That night we all went to the Emerson Drive concert at the SCERA. It was great!
Look how cute my mom was wearing a cowboy hat!
I love when my parents come out to visit! Sure wish they would just move out to Utah.
Next up…Girls Camp! Throughout all my teenage years I never once attended a full year of Girls Camp. Frankly, I was petrified. I had no clue what to expect. Oddly enough…it was so much fun, despite it raining each day.
I love working with the Young Women. They are such great girls!
We spent every night around the camp fire. We sang songs, we laughed, we cooked, we cried…
We even had girl day! We did facials, made a wedding dress from tissue paper, and painted our nails. Hey! Camping isn’t too bad!
The best thing that came out of it is watching the girls become better friends.
July was a great month…it is always nice to think back at all the fun and memories we make.
Jamba Juice is the most delicious smoothie to have ever been sipped into my mouth. I have been a fan since it was called Zuka Juice. In fact, I even bought a mug that said Zuka Juice on it when I was in high school because I loved it so much Kind of lame, but hey! it was high school!
Here is a coupon for a Buy One Get One Free!
Don’t know what to get? May I suggest on of my favorites:
Aloha Pineapple
Caribbean Passion
Strawberry Surf Rider
Berry Fulfilling…for the days I want to watch calories
Peanut Butter Moo’d….for the days I don’t care at all about calories
My ALL TIME FAVORITE is the Pumpkin Smash! If you haven’t tried it, I dare you to! It is AWESOME! It is like a piece of pumpkin pie fell into the blender. YUMMY!
PS. I was not paid for this post…I am just passing along this inform cause I LOVE JAMBA JUICE!
Remember my post about the cute little Alivia? If not, read Answer for Alivia.
Today Kyla’s Kreations is hosting a giveaway in behalf of Alivia. Kyla’s Kreations is a Utah based business that sells cute hair accessories for little cuties at affordable prices.
From now until the night of Sunday August 22nd, Kyla is giving away a whole heap of her creations. $50 worth! Because her things are so affordable the winner will get tons! Look at the winning lot:
There are tons of great things up for grabs! Simply donate at least $5 to Alivia’s medical fund and you are entered in the drawing to win. Go to Kyla’s Kreations giveaway blog, donate, and cross your fingers! PLUS! If you donate and enter to win, you will receive 5 bonus entries in the Herman T’s BBQ Sauce giveaway here at Craving Chocolate And Lazy Days.
Don’t forget to check out Kyla’s Kreations on her blog, at her ebay store, at her Etsy shop, and her giveaway blog. Grab a button and become a follower!
Invite your friends to donate and have the chance to win. Hey! Maybe if they win they will share the love
Thoughts and prayers with The Montoya’s!
Look at this glorious product I just discovered!
PINTS OF ICE CREAM WITH ONLY 150 CALORIES!
SHUT UP!
I am a ice cream-aholic so this is perfect!! Look at the nutritional facts and flavors!
Arctic Zero ice cream is essentially a frozen protein shake. (from their website) They have produced the world’s first “super dessert”–a product that provides top nutrition, has no drawbacks, and appeals to everyone who wants a frozen dessert experience that’s actually good for them. But as they say on TV, wait there’s more: Arctic Zero also targets the childhood obesity epidemic that has become a major health concern among U.S. kids. Doctors praise it. Celebrities love it. [The creators] don’t claim it can make the blind see and the lame walk, but they’ll certainly be able to eat healthier while enjoying a sweeter life.
In my area they sell it at Harmons and Good Earth. Where do they sell it in your area? You better believe I am going to the store to buy it right after work!
As Patty Simcocx says in Grease, “Isn’t the the most!?”
Today ONLY you can get a $50 GAP Gift Card for $25!!! 50% off! That is a shopper’s dream! Plus, it is good at GAP, BABYGAP, KIDSGAP, and BODYGAP.
I bought one. I am hoping to find some cute dress pants. Hey! If I can find them on sale maybe I can get a shirt too!!
If you want to cash in on this deal go HERE. Limit one per person. Get one for each kid and got back to school shopping!!
There are some things in life that you are never too old for.
- peanut butter and jelly sandwiches minus the crust
- Disneyland
- running through the sprinklers
- making silly faces
- coloring
- chewing bubble yum
- dressing up like a princess!
Costume SuperCenter sent me this super cute Snow White costume to review! It is an officially licensed Disney costume so you know it is great quality and looks wonderful. The skirt is yellow with a shear yellow overlay. The overlay has dots of gold glitter on it. The body is a blue velvet with gold piping accenting the bodice. The sleeves are light blue with pieces of red ribbon top, giving it great dimension. There is also a white collar and detachable red cape.
This costume is oh so cute and would make the perfect Halloween costume. I like that it looks like the Disney character and not a fake knock off. I like that it isn’t “Sexy Snow White.” Which, by the way, when did Halloween equal dressy like a tramp?
The one down fall about this costume is: it doesn’t fit me like it does the model. I hoped that by ordering one size up I would be safe. Unfortunately, I am a chesty Snow White which then makes the bodice of the dress short, pulling the yellow shirt up. That is when I looked in the mirror and realized, “I look like a pregnant Snow White.” The skirt literally started right below my boobs rather than in the middle of waist. BUMMER! I was so excited too! I will just have to find some one just as excited to be Snow White for Halloween as I was.
{All opinions are 100% mine. I was not compensated for this review. Thank you Costume SuperCenter for providing me a costume to review. Thank you Family Review Network for letting me be a member of such a great product reviewing network!}
I am posting this in behalf of a dear friend of mine. Lillian, my thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and your little cutie Alivia. LOVE YA!
We took Alivia in for her 2 month appointment and the week before then we were up at the cabin with my family. My mother was playing with Alivia’s hair (what she has) and noticed a bump on the top of her head- we decided to ask the doctor at her appointment and he quickly examined her and told us he feared her skull had fused too early. He sent us over to UVRMC to get x-rays and we waited while they were read by a radiologist up at Primary Children’s. We waited half the day before getting the call from the doctor confirming what he told us. Her Sagittal Suture had closed. The next step was a CT Scan at Primary Children’s and to meet with the Plastic Surgeon as a second opinion. We spent all day up at PC and got the news that we didn’t want to hear. She was diagnosed with Sagittal Synostosis. She will now have to undergo Surgery on the skull to correct the closure and to allow her brain to grow in a healthy/normal way. Here is a little information on her diagnosis:It is a condition in which there is premature closure of one or more of the normally present bony gaps between the different bones of the skull. Closure of a suture prematurely will stop growth of the skull in the direction perpendicular to that suture; However, growth of the brain will continue in the direction parallel to the affected suture. The result of abnormal early suture fusion is an alternation of the shape of the skull in a predictable manner with recognizable patterns. Approx. one in every 1,000 births will have a premature closure of a cranial suture associated with skull deformity . Premature closure of the Sagittal Suture , the longitudinal suture on the top of the head, stops growth laterally, producing a narrow head. There is a compensatory growth in the anteroposterior direction resulting in an elongated head with bulging of the forehead and the back of the head.
The Treatment
We have a scheduled surgery for October 4th. We are waiting a few months for Alivia to gain a little more weight, with her being so small still, the doctor wants her to have a little more weight to be able to sustain the anesthesia and the medication after the surgery and forego other complications from surgery. The surgery will be performed at Primary Childrens Hospital by 3 different doctors, the plastic surgeon, the neurosurgeon and a pediatrican. They say she will be in surgery for 4-5 hours and they will cut her scalp from ear to ear in a zig-zag/wavy pattern. This allows her hair to grow normal and over the scars so it will essentially be unnoticable, unless she plans on going bald. They will remove a section of the skull that is fused and will put in a dissolvable plate to allow the skull to grow back in a normal shape. After her surgery she will be admitted in the NICU for a day. As long as her status is in good standing the day after the surgery, she will be moved to a room for 3-4 days for observation.
We are so relieved that we were able to catch this so early and that she hasn’t shown any signs of major problems, other than the bump on her head, the doctor said she shouldnt be in any pain and most signals usually start around 6 months in most cases. I’m so thankful my mom recognized something that didn’t seem right and was quick to let me know. We are glad we have Primary Childrens Hospital that is close to us and have one of the best Doctors/Care in the West. Its been an emotional rollercoaster, cause one day I am fine and am coping with it, while other days I just look at her and break down. I hate to see my little baby have to go under the knife and I’m so nervous of the surgery itself and having my baby be in pain. I wish I could take the pain away from her. The anxiety of not knowing what’s to come has me dreaming about it at night. We have a great family/friend support and I’m so thankful for those of you that have reached out to us in support and help and offered to do whatever is needed.
They are asking for any help you could give them. They are asking for donations of any value to help assist us with the medical costs. Due to the OUTRAGEOUS Health Premiums, they were unable to have health insurance through the Mr’s work. They have applied for many state and federal programs but have been denied due to our income. They make too much to get help from the state/federal and don’t make enough to pay their premiums for insurance that is provided through the Mr’s work. (Just to tell you, the insurance for a family is… $858.00 a month!!) Shortly after they found out Alivia’s diagnosis they started to put together a fundraising softball tournament, but haven’t been to successful in getting the help and/or fields donated to them. So, they have lowered their pride and decided to ask for help. It’s an astronomical amount that they are needing to pay for her surgery and hospital stay. The ballpark figure they received was $120,000!! Any dent in the bills will help along the long road of medical bills.
Thanks in advance for your support!! It is truly appreciated.
On Behalf of Mike & Lillian Montoya
www.leaveittothemontoyas.blogspot.com
To make a donation please click on the picture below:
My niece Kylie entered a picture to win a trip for 4 to Disneyland. If you have a second RIGHT NOW, or anytime between now (Monday 7:15 AM) and 10:00 PM (MST) tonight, will you please click on the link below and vote for her picture? (Voting is tallied up daily and one winner is picked per day). It is picture #119. You don’t have to scroll through all the pictures to vote though. Just click on “Vote for your favorite” and select #119. (Only name, birth date, and zip code is required to vote.)
http://www.todays1065.com/pages/disneyland/
How fun would it be for my niece to say SHE won a trip for her family!?
Thanks for your help!
Today Craving Chocolate and Lazy Days is featured on Let’s Just Give It Away!
Stop by their blog, check them out, enter their giveaways, and become a follower.
Thanks for spotlighting me Let’s Just Give It Away!!
