Pay It Forward

This past Saturday on our way to the race track, my son and I stopped at our local Starbucks as we always do. When we reached the cashier window the barista informed us the car ahead of us paid our order. First thought that ran through my head was "do I know them?" No, I did not know them. The barista further explained that someone did the same for them and he wanted to extend that to someone else. This is something I have read about but never seen or been a part of. I was so thrilled with the kind gesture I passed it along and paid for the car behind us.

I am committed to do the same thing monthly. Maybe if someone did something nice for someone else for no reason, that will make that day better for someone. Who knows, maybe we can keep that going all day.

Its been awhile

With the blessing of my niece's birth in July (4 weeks early), her being in the hospital twice since her birth (the most recent this past week with a 8 day stay), school ending for my husband and getting ready to start again in a week or so, my son going back to school, business and just every day life, I have not found much time to stop in and update.

I took over my husbands laptop this past week and a half so I can get some work done. Without it I would have had to spend less time at the hospital with my brother and sister-in-law.

With the baby shower last month and another coming in November, I forgot how much I love making certain gifts and crafts. I love making diaper cakes. There is just something special about them. I am going to start making them for local sales. I am not interested at this time in online sales. With local sales I can get a good sense of the shower theme and the guest of honor. Something that is very important to me and why each cake is custom and unique. I may venture to smaller cakes but we will see. I have a few other items I love to make for baby showers. How knows, maybe I have the start to a special local boutique.

Tart Warmer/Oil Burner Sale

Blue Moon Warmer

This midnight-blue moon sculpture sparkles with the mysteries of the night. Can be used with oil or wax tarts.

Glazed porcelain. Uses tealights (not included). 5" x 2 5/8" x 6 1/2" high.

$10 includes shipping






Country Kitchen Warmer


This mini replica of a country kitchen a match for any decor.
Mini kettle is removable and includes a removable lid. Mini pan holds your tea light. Can be used for oil or wax tarts.

Tea lights only (not included). 4 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" high.


$10 includes shipping


All payments processed through PayPal (you do not need a paypal account to process payment through PayPal).

Contact Olivia at disneyandmickeyfan@yahoo.com to order yours!

Very Proud

For my brother and his wife's baby shower I made several of the decorations to include centerpieces, baby sock corsages, and a diaper cake.

The diaper cake is a 3 tier cake decorated with a floral theme.

The centerpieces were custom baby sock topiary.

Continuing the Disney theme I created a kiss jar topped with Disney Princesses. I made a matching smaller jar with a single princess for mom as a keepsake.

While mom and dad were unable to attend the baby shower due to the early arrival of their daughter, they still received a baby sock corsage and matching boutonniere.

My newest precious angel

My newest niece, Elizabeth, born July 25 weighing in at 5lbs 5oz 18in. 4 weeks early but she is doing fantastic and will go home when mom is discharged.

Understanding Lupus

On Sunday July 19 our family loss a beautiful and wonderful family member to Lupus. She was funny, beautiful, carefree, caring, loving. She never sweat the small stuff. She was full of life and if that is what we all learned from her we need to enjoy every moment and leave behind the negative.

Lupus us very much alive today. As women we are more likely to be stricken with this terrible disease than men. There are more than 1 type of lupus. Our family member had systemic lupus which is the worst kind but she lived with this from age 17 until her passing just shy of 40.

Please take a moment to understand what lupus is and spread the awareness. Visit http://www.lupus.org to learn more.

Who am I?

I think we all wonder who we are at some point in time. I have even been asked if I personally know who I am. My answer to that is yes. I know who I am.

So who am I?
I am Olivia Jeannette Vidal born in December 1974 in a West Covina hospital to a beautiful mother whom I talk to almost everyday and a father I almost never speak of.

I am a daughter. I am a daughter who gets mad at her mother for trying to take care of her. I am a daughter looking at her mother wishing I could be half the mother she is. I am the daughter to a man who loves me; blood or not. I am a daughter who drove my parents to the brink of insanity rebelling against all I was taught. I am the daughter who was secretly happy when I wasn't allowed to date certain boys even when I protested. I am a daddy's girl. I am a mommy's girl.

I am a mother. I am a mother of a handsome young man who will be 16 in March. I am a mother who was scared the moment she discovered she was pregnant. I am the mother who made mistakes along the way. I am the mother who stayed at the hospital 3 days while her child was admitted for severe mono. I am the mother who cheered her son on at the football games. I am proud he is who he is no matter what I do. I am disappointed he can't see why I hate his room a mess. I am sad he won't need me in a couple years as he ventures off to be the man I raised.

I am a wife. I am a wife to a man I didn't want to date. I am the wife to a man who let me love on my terms. I am a wife to a man who showed me I can be loved unconditionally and I can love back in the same manner. I am a wife is gets frustrated when her husband doesn't wash clothes the way I think they should be. I am the wife of a man who won't argue when I need a good argument. I am a wife who is thrilled her husband understands her disgust for wet and dirty hands therefore taking on the dishes even after a long day. I am the wife of a man who is proud to watch her husband enjoy his passions. I am the proud wife of a full-time college student. I am the wife who loves her husband dearly.

I am a sister. I am the sister to 2 younger brothers. I am the proud sister of 2 men with their own wives and children and thrilled all my tormenting as kids didn't harm them. I am the sister who beat up her brothers as children. I am the sister who cried at their weddings looking on proudly. I am a sister to 2 women who have joined our family the last few years.

I am an aunt. I am the aunt of a beautiful little girl and soon to be aunt for the 2nd and 3rd time within the next 6 months. I am the aunt to 3 children I never thought I could love as much as the child I gave birth to.

I am a godmother to an unborn child that almost brings tears to my eyes thinking how honored I am to take part in the growth of another human being.

I am the friend who wants you to be happy, wants to hear how your kids are doing, about your date last night, brings the ice cream when you are sad, and expects all the same in return.

I am the business owner who takes pride in the fact she is allowed to do something great with her knowledge and learning experiences. I am the business owner who fumbles from time to time on a gamble that didn't work. I am the business owner how is not ashamed of the success and making that success known. I am the business owner who will take a pay cut just to bring in something new.

I am a woman. I like to look good, feel good. I am selfish, giving, sensitive, aggressive, crazy, shy, outgoing, unsure, confident, mean, kind, intelligent, ignorant, well educated, under educated. I want to be desired, admired, appreciated. Some days I want to be ignored while other days I want to be the center of attention. I am misunderstood, miscalculated, underestimated. I am not the thinnest, tallest, most beautiful. One moment I am serious as can be and the next as immature as a 2 yr old.

I am an animal lover who can't bare to let her dogs sleep in the dog house on a cold winter night. I am the animal lover who lets her dogs sleep in her bed and lay on the couch. I am the pet lover who cries when her loved pet dies. I am the pet lover who wants to dress up her dogs for no reason.

I like happy meal toys, pens, shoes, Disney, cooking, crafting, cleaning, being lazy, taking pictures, taking a walk, shopping, taking part in charities, texting, online games, watching chick flicks, doing what others would never dream I would do. What I like today may not be what I like tomorrow. I can and will change my mind often.

I don't strive to be someone else. I strive to be a better me. Who I was 10 yrs ago is not who I am today. In 10 years I will not be the same as I am currently.

If I want to have breast implants tomorrow that doesn't mean I think less of myself. I don't need to explain it. If you don't understand it, don't try to. I diet to look better, color my hair to brighten my face, wear makeup so I don't scare the children, wear uncomfortable shoes because they look great on my feet, carry a cute purse because it matches my outfit.

I don't need to make excuses for who I am. I don't make excuses for why I am ever changing. I like that. I am who I am and I love that about me.

I know who I am. Maybe I don't always like what I see. The beautiful thing about that is I can change anything I want at anytime. I have that power because I never doubt that I can.

So next time someone asks me if I know who I am I proudly state yes I do. Maybe I can never fully explain who I am as I am different to different people. Maybe I will never understand why I am who I am but I am who I am regardless

Relay For Life

Last year was my first year starting and heading a team. I stumbled through it but we did our best. this year I am far better prepared after going through it once. The preparation itself has been hard.

This years theme is movies. Since this is an overnight event and we are a football family, I have chosen to go with Friday Night Lights. We have a football themed campsite with football themed items for sale and we will sell glow items. I am also giving away 100 reusable totes with fillers and samples from WAHMs.

Today is the final meeting and will be picking up the team t-shirts. I have not received the theme lap list just yet but will at the meeting. Every hour there is a different lap theme. Last year lap themes ranged from walking backwards, blowing bubbles, dribbling a basketball. Just some really fun things to do to keep things interesting during the 13hr walk.

I think the truly spectacular thing you will see at relay is the luminarias lining the track. They look beautiful with their candle flickering honoring or in memory of those who have fought against cancer.

I really enjoy this event. I get to be truly thankful to see my father walk the survivor lap and share with others. I do wish I had more support in the preparations but through the years maybe that will change. For now I am able to take care of all the needs to be done.

Learn more about Relay for Life and how you can help
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/SoChicBagBoutique.com

He's almost home!

How can it be so hard to let your child go off to camp. I know it was compounded by the fact that my brothers and their wives took a last minute vacation so it seemed as though everyone was gone. He called the other day and as soon as he said hi I started to cry. I miss him so much. If I miss him now what will it be like in 3 yrs when he graduates high school and goes off to college or the military. He may decide to do neither but I have to let go sometime.

I have found several things to do this week business wise since I didn't have to worry about making lunch or worrying where he is. That is the one benefit to being a WAHM. You eventually have your child going off to school, social event, or simply outside to play giving you some quiet time for work.

My son comes home tomorrow and I am very excited. I plan to take him to lunch and spend the afternoon hearing all about his week. With Sunday being father's day tomorrow is my big chance to snag him. The hardest part of being a parent I think is the part where you let go. That time is coming closer and closer. Knowing you have done your best in raising him to be the best person he can be is not good enough. You have been taking care of them for so long its hard to think they don't need you to raise them. They still need you but it changes.

I can define it anyway I want but it is still letting go.

Dress up those meals

This was shared on another site and just had to keep passing it on. These are fun and creative ways to get your kids to eat. These mural meals are incredibly artful as well as delicious and nutritious to boot.

Visit http://www.lilsugar.com/3169975 and take a look at the slide show. Your kids will love these! Parents will love these!