Cleaning 101

You know how to make cleaning fun? Get really dirty first.

Alright alright, get your head out of the gutter! This is about some good news and some bad news.

The good news: My bestie in the whole wide world Jenny and her beau Adam are coming down tomorrow! 

Besties for almost a decade :)

The bad news: My house/room is a disaster!!!! (My mom is reading this shaking her head at me).

SO, I decided to clean clean clean! But, what this story really begins with is a cake. Or what should have been a cake....

As I have told you many times before, I love to cook but things NEVER turn out how they are supposed to. They taste good, but look just god-awful! So I was all jazzed about making a yummy cake for dessert today. (The out of the box kind. Don't judge me)

It baked beautifully, and then I had the genius idea to take the cake out of the pan to frost the whole thing! Then began my eight steps to cake disaster recovery.

Step 1: Disaster. As I attempted to flip-twist that sucker out of it's glass prison, it began to crumble right before my eyes. My heart dropped. 

Step 2: Denial. No no, it is fine, I thought, I can just smoosh it all back together. Good as new! 

Step 3: Heartbreak. While Nick was laughing at me, because he told me I shouldn't flip it over in the first place, I was near tears. Sigh. Yet another failed attempt at baking beauty.

Step 4: Anger. I am pretty sure this was the point where I yelled at Nick to STOP laughing! and I might of thrown it that he was a stupid head or poop face, or some benign jab....

Step 5: Mending. Have you ever heard of the expression "Putting a band-aid over a bullet wound"? This was played out in real life as I attempted to frost my crumbly mess of a cake. At this point I knew there was no hope, but I was willing to try anything to make my special little cake shine a wee bit brighter.

Step 6: Laughter. I think around the point where the frosting knife began to take more cake with it than leave actual frosting on the cake was the moment that I burst out into uncontrolable laughter.

Step 7: Hiding the Evidence. I then begin to just cut the crumbly pieces completely away from the cake. But where to put it? Oh yeah, in my belly! Nick and I stuffed our mouthes with all worst-looking bits in order to hide any evidence of a cake disaster from others.

Step 8. Battle Royale. In the midst of dipping chunks of cake straight into our frosting container, I devised a plan. I stuck a finger in and got a big glob of frosting out and slammed it right into Nicks face! MUAHAHAHA! Then the fun began. 

Nick and I, both armed with ample frosting chased each other around the whole house. And let me tell you, if there is one thing I am good at, it is food fighting. While I did walk away with a little frosting here and there, I am proud to say I won the war. Nick was covered in frosting, fully equipped with a frosting mustache. 

I do not remember the last time I got in a food fight, or the last time I laughed so hard. After that, cleaning didn't so bad....

I am beyond blessed to be with someone who can make me laugh and who doesn't mind acting like a five year old sometimes with me.  And I am beyond excited for Jenny and Adam to come down, and to spend the New Years with great people. How lucky am I? And my house is even clean now!

If you learn anything from this post it is this. Here is a little advice, from me to you. 

In order to clean, sometimes you gotta get a little dirty. :)

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Hey all! Merry Christmas Eve!!!! I hope you guys are all having a great holiday! I finally got a chance to record a video and choose a winner for my first ever Complicated Giveaway!! Watch and Enjoy:

Yay! Yours Truly, MJ! Congrats! I am so happy you won! Please email me at kmercado988@Yahoo.com and I will get your Love Necklace out to yoU! 

This is going to be a short post. I am going to spend some time with the family! Love you all! Hope you have a great Christmas weekend!

Christmas Love

Today, I am driving home to Bakersfield to spend Christmas with my whole family (including the little Mercado on the way)! I have thought about what Christmas means to me, and the one word that comes to mind is...love.

Christmas love! From me, to you.

I think I have said my piece about my love for this holiday. And not to get all preachy, but I just want to make sure I get a chance to appreciate the true reason for the season! I know this isn't politically correct, but for me personally, I celebrate Christmas because of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is what Christmas really means to me. His love shines down upon us every Christmas, and brings true meaning to the holiday!


My biggest hope is not to offend any of you by saying this, because I love you all so! And if you love me at all, you will respect me for being strong enough to put my beliefs out there!


If that isn't what you believe, at least do me a little itty bitty favor. Take a second this Christmas, before you open presents, and be thankful for every single little thing you have! Love can be shown so many different ways, not just with presents. So many times we get wrapped up (literally ha) in all the gifts, and expecting presents. And trust me when I say, I love presents just as much as the next person.


I never said I was perfect, or selfless, but I sure as heck will try a little harder to be this holiday. Because when we sacrifice our selfish wants, and put others before ourselves, that is when we truly will experience the warmth of love. And something I have really come to learn is that love is the glue that holds this big bad world together. Surround yourself with the people you love, and make sure you let them know how you feel every day. Life is too short to not fill each day with lots of love!

Who spreads love more than Mickey and Minnie?

Okay, I'm done! Back to getting present. Tomorrow the winner of my Giveaway will be announced!!!!! I recorded a video, in which I am super awkward. So, get excited! Stay tuned...
No Complications when it comes to Love

Hump Day Ramblings...

It's the middle of the week. Who can really keep their mind on one solid thing right now? That is why I have dedicated today to being undedicated, and rambling instead. Rambling is an amazing thing, if you let it happen. Some think of it as bad and inconcise, but I think of it as a way to be organic and creative! You never know what brilliant thoughts you might stumble upon while rambling away...

Okay so first of all, have any of you ever played Mad Gab? That game where you sound random words out until it sounds like a sentence that makes sense?

"A Practical Joke" Get it??

Well...I don't know if it is just me but EVERY time I look at those word verification things you must enter before you leave a comment I play Mad Gabs with myself. Seriously though. Sometimes these combinations of letters are so bizarre and actually do sound out to be something funny! Or maybe it is just in my head? I dunno...let's play together!!

Anything yet? OKAY these might not be the best examples. But that is why it is a game! You win some, you lose some. But next time you are filling out a word verification, see if there is a Mad Gab in there for me...moving on...

If this isn't cute, I don't know what is....

I captured this moment of my two men taking a nap together. I mean, are there even words to describe how cute this is? I don't think so. It warms my heart to see them all cuddled up together. Also, if Hudson is sleeping, it means he's not chewing something to pieces in my room, which is a plus. So, cute annnd convenient!

Reindeer Blake reminded me that Christmas is THIS WEEKEND!!! Did you guys know that? I have been so wrapped in work that I haven't even gotten to be super stoked about Saturday. I am going home for the holidays and spending some time with family! 

Not only that, but there is a special Christmas wager going on! SO, as you know my brother Shea and his wife Sarah are expecting a little one! You remember these two right? They are kind of a beautiful couple...well Sarah is gorgeous and Shea is a Mercado (we are kind of a big deal).

Anyways, they recently found out if they are having a boy or a girl!! And the verdict is.....yeah I wish I knew too. They aren't telling us until Christmas. Yeah, yeah, a Christmas surprise is great and all, but I think they are underestimating my impatience. I need to know NOW. 

To distract me from me NOT knowing, Bryney (broseph number two) and I have a little wager going on. A Battle Royale, where only one can come out a winner...

You see, Bryn thinks they are going to have a girl, and I think it is going to be a boy. (And the fact that Shea and Sarah are probably reading this right now and snickering is driving me INSANE!) If I win, Bryn has to wear my sparkly Minnie Mouse ear on Christmas and serve me dinner. If Bryn wins, I have to wear his Darth Vadar Mask while opening presents. 

My Minnie Mouse ears are all ready for him!

I can hear the deep looming breaths from here...

A Few Complicated Ramblings from Me to You!

Tales of a melodramatic

Before I begin, let me start by saying it has been raining three days straight in SD! While some see this as a bad thing, I see it as an opportunity to bundle up to the 10th degree! 

Hoodie? Check. Coat? Check. 

Alight. Whoever said that I was an emotional wreck was absolutely, ridiculously, absurdly, sadly.....right.


Today was a perfect example of my emotionalism at it's best...worst? I dunno. 


As you all know, I just started my new big kid job a few weeks ago. But today was my first full day of work. On top of that, I made a vow to myself to go to the gym down the street from work at least three times a week. So, I get off of work and drive to the gym to meet my gym buddy(a.k.a my love Nick).


I get dressed in the car, put my hair up, and then take a second to breathe. And then comes the freak out...


I started to cry! It seems so silly to think about it now. I was crying because as much as I feel like I am desperate to get into shape, I am too tired to move. Even though I was literally in the parking lot, I couldn't walk into the gym because the thought was too exhausting than I could handle. Isn't that ridiculous?

This was me. 

Then it got me thinking about how busy I am going to be, for a long long time. I know I should be excited, and trust me when I say I am grateful. But sometimes its overhwhelming to think about such a big step in my life. 


Luckily, when life gets a little heavy for me to handle, I have someone to help carry the load. Nick held me and calmed me down. He made me realize that I need to take things step by step. I love that he always know what to say to cheer me up and make me smile. 

I know I can make it through this big change in my life, because I have someone cheering me on every step of the way. And for that, I am truly happy. Look at that, you weren't expecting a happy ending were you?


Complicated Changes with Comfort from Nick. :) 

Died and gone to antique heaven...

My first ever Complicated Giveaway is now OFFICIALLY over! Thanks for all the comments on what you love, I figured filling the blogosphere with more love couldn't hurt anyone. I will let you guys know the winner this week, when I get a second to breathe.


Today, I thought I would catch up on some events from weeks where I was m.i.a. from the blogging world (sorry). I'm also sorry for being lazy with my blogging recently, I will make it up to you I promise! 


Anyways, when I was home for Thanksgiving, yes I know this was a month ago, my family (+ Nicholas) went antique shopping! One of the many things I love about Nick is he loves going thrifting and antiquing just as much as I do. And mother dearest loves roaming through the countless isles of old stuff to find that one special treasure with me. And boy did we! 

This little baby was the first thing I saw walking into the store. I have ALWAYS wanted my own juke box!

How cute is this for a little bambino? Who cares if it was probably painted with lead paint right?

I want each and every one of these to go on my wall right about NOW.

This teapot can even make Elvis smile!

How cute are these? I can see them filled with bright colored candy! But, that's not very practical for my room, so maybe like jewelry or scarves instead?

I might faint from the loveliness of these hats. Especially the black and white one! So Audrey!

I have always LOVED brass kitchenware....How cute would these be in a kitchen...maybe hanging above the stove? Yet another thing I must have!

I would like to thank whoever put this on display for adding a bow! It just makes me want it that much more!

I have a secret....I have an obsession with hat boxes. Just the concept is so ladylike and vintage it makes me smile. Women would buy such elegant hats that they must have an equally elegant hat box to accompany it. And to think, I just throw my hats in my closet....

And finally...the creme de la creme of all antiques in this wonderful mall! An old typewriter!!! Not only is it a typewriter, but it is a GREY typewriter. For those of you who don't remember my room color scheme is grey and yellow. Um, hello gorgeous you would go perfectly in my room!

Unfortunately, because it is Christmas time I didn't buy anything for myself. But, I am sure my mom got some pretty sweet ideas for me. Right, mom? 

I could literally scour this place for hours looking at all the amazing details at all the amazing things. But alas, we had to leave...but as Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, I'll be back!

Goodbye antique heaven, we'll miss you!

Complicated AND antiqueless...sad day

A Reluctant Post

I have been blogging for a while now, and am pretty comfortable telling you guys a lot about me. So I suppose the time has come for me to tell you one of my LEAST favorite holiday stories. Just to let you know, this is extremely embarrassing. I am a bit reluctant to expose just how much of a clumsy unfortunate fool I am, but if you can't do it here, where can you? So here you have it....

The Story of the Sled

Twas the day of New Years Eve, at my friend Danielle's(a.k.a. Dirwin) cabin in Tahoe. It had been a successful trip thus far, lots of games and intense snow ball fights! Since we were on of the first ones there, we made sure to hide and ambush whoever was next to join us with snowballs. We prepared mountains of snowballs and waited for the cars to pull up. 

Then one of my friends, I don't remember who (lucky for them) decided it would be a great idea to go sledding! Woo! "What a great idea!", i thought to myself. "The others are going to kill themselves snowboarding on the mountain, but I am gonna have good safe old-fashioned fun sledding!" Right? Wrong!

Some of The Sledding Crew.

It was going relatively well so far. She happened to live on a ginormous hill, built for optimum sledding capacity. Unfortunately, I realized too late that I am not a huge fan of the point where you realized you are going WAY too fast down a huge hill and there is nothing you can do to stop!

Way. Too. Fast.

Then, one of the last rounds of the day, my two friends and I decided to go on our own, without a boy to lead. Big mistake. Huge. 

We all look so happy and excited to go down The Hill of Doom. Having survived my first few trips down, I began to grow confidence. I totally owned that hill, or at least I thought I did...

We hop on the sled and push ourselves to get started. That is when about halfway down, I realized we had to be going at least 700 miles per hour, AT LEAST! Oh no! Too fast! Unfortunately, there was no turning back now, we were committed to the ride. It isn't like you can hope off a sled going 700 mph anyways. 

Then, destruction! We slammed into the snowbank at the bottom of the hill! It's funny how snow seems so soft and fluffy, until you face plant into it. In the FACE! (The Hangover, anyone?) So, while this was going on, my body was getting pulled forward and my leg got pulled backwards and then...Pop! I am not doctor, but a pop noise followed by throbbing pain can't be good. So naturally I start bawling my eyes out and couldn't walk. Luckily, we had boys to help me out.

Carrying me up The Hill of Doom. 

I spent the entire day moping and crying in bed, convinced I would never be able to walk again. Of course all the boys had to say was "You're fine" or "Walk it off", or whatever else boys say to act tough. But I knew something was seriously wrong. My friends finally convinced me to get dressed and celebrate New Years Eve. Since it hurt to walk, I spent most of the night like this...

Celebrating alone. On a chair. Sweet.

When I got home, my parents took me to a doctor, still in disbelief that I actually hurt myself sledding. Little did I know that I had torn my ACL!!! Not only that, but I had to get surgery on it too! 

You know the first thing I did? Called all the boys the made me feel like a wimpy girl for complaining that I actually did hurt myself! 

So there you have it, The Story of the Sled. To this day, I will never ever go sledding EVER again. How many people do you know who actually have to get surgery after a really bad SLEDDING accident?    Yeah, hence why I was the butt of ridicule to everyone who I explained my story to....

So you guys can make fun of me if you want. I would point and laugh at you if it were the other way around don't worry!

Major Sledding Complications.

Two days left in my Complicated Giveaway! Enter HERE!!!

This is NOT One of Those!

tYou know those posts you see on people's blogs? "A majestic centerpiece made out of duct tape" or "A homemade Wedding Dress in Just 3 easy steps"....


This is NOT one of those!


I have always been an admirer of those who had a beautiful singing voice, or could paint a masterpiece, or could compose a song just from their mind. There is one common thread between all of these. I can't do any of them! I was never a skilled singer or artist, but most of all I was NEVER ever a skilled crafter.


I always longed to be the kid in class with the best arts & crafts for the day. But instead I would come home with some mutilated version of what we were supposed to make. My loving parents would always tell me they loved the "special-looking turkey hand" or the "drawing of a...rainbow?". But as I have learned over the years, they were most definitely lying.


I suck at crafts! If there is a picture of how something should turn out, no matter how hard I tried, it will look nothing like it. Whether I be cursed, or impatient, or have an extremely unsteady hand, I just CAN'T do it! In that my mother and I are complete opposites. If there were a crafting queen, it would be her. She is artistic and handy, and can make almost anything. She even made my bed! 

Yup, she made this whole thing! Even the headboard! Simply amazing! Why didn't I get the gene?

I love Christmas time, and have recently had the hankering to have a cookie decorating contest with my beau Nicholas. My mom had decided to make me morbidly obese by sending me home with 139287943 packs of cookie and cake mix, so I thought I would put them to use! We then hustled to the store and picked up a few things to decorate (more on that later). Also, I left my camera in my mom's purse and she is now back in Bakersfield, so these were taken on a phone. My apologies! I must warn you, what you are about to see might be unsuitable for extremely crafty people's eyes

I know what you're thinking. What a sad looking star, it is neither joyful nor bright. Well, Nick and I starred at the decorating stuff at Vons for hours and finally decided on a few different colors, but they turned out to not be very Christmasy, and we ran out of most everything almost immediately. I told you, not crafty.

Nick managed to make a cute little house, and I think he might have beat the only cookie I was even somewhat proud of.... 

Oh who am I kidding? I totally win! This is about the extent of my crafting/cookie decorating abilities go. And even though it might look like a 2nd grader made it to you, I am actually quite proud of this little man.(He was also delicious f.y.i)

It turns out the colors we selected were good for one thing. We couldn't quite decide what this shape was supposed to be, so Nick went with ghost? What? They can celebrate Christmas too!

So then, we ran out of most everything we had in our cookie decorating supplies, so I had to improvise a little. Let me tell you, I do not recommend improvisation for an unexperienced crafter. These were the only two cookies that I would even allowed to be photographed. 

I had these grand plans on leaving adorable decorated cookies out for my roommates to put them in the holiday spirit. But, as you can see I threw in the towel, frustrated by my disappointing lack of skills. But at least they have sprinkles on them! That counts for something right? I also left a note saying "Have a cookie! Merry Christmas!" 

So what about you guys? I know there are people out there like me. It is time to rise out of the shadows and be proud of who you are!

My name is Kai, and crafting complicates things.

It feels good to finally say it out loud!

OH! And I have decided to extend my giveaway until Wednesday 12/15 at 12:00 a.m! The winner will be announced a few days after that! I am so excited to pick someone! Make sure to enter HERE!

Christmas came early!

So Santa (a.k.a Sandy at Sandy a la Mode) came early and sent me a beautiful surprise yesterday! Well, I guess it wasn't entirely a surprise because I knew it was coming, but still! I came home tired and defeated from my long day of work, and what is in my mailbox but my winnings from The Sweetest Petunia's giveaway! And let me tell you, if winning wasn't enough, the cute packaging made it even better!

I am? Thanks Sandy!

Before I even get to the loot, I see this darling tag packed in there! Um, hello! How freaking cute is this?? Not only does it make me feel like she especially sent this just for little ol' me, but what does it have on it? That's right, a bow! A girl after my own heart. We are two kindred spirits, Sandy! But wait, there's more!

A fabulous and beautiful ring, and what is it sitting on? A bow!

As much as I loved the presentation, I just had to take it out of the box and put it right on my hand. Just to make sure I loved it as much as I did in the pretty little box.

Yup, love it! Moving on.

I am absolutely smitten with this bobby-pin. Sometimes I am just so bored with my hair, and I never know what I could do to it that would add some pizzazz. Well look no further, pizzazz galore! And, how dainty and cute are those earrings? In one of my favorite colors of the moment no doubt. Again Sandy, you get me, you really do. Nothing makes me believe this more then the final item I received in my package...are you ready....

A BOW!!!!!! Can you see the shock and awe in my face???

You best believe that bows are coming back in style because I am never taking this bad boy off every again. I am in love, no I am obsessed with it. I want one in every color! Christmas anyone? I will be accepting Sandy a la Mode bows as gifts for any readers that just feel like buying me a present. Thanks! :) Photoshoot in 3, 2, 1.

As if this wonderful bow-filled night could get any better me and my love Nicholas made a scrumdidlyuptious meal! Salmon, with rice pilaf and fresh French bread. Is your mouth watering? Mine is, and I already ate it! 

Mr. Handsome cooking in the kitchen. I told him to stand up because he was slouching and this is what her gave me:

This was his "I'm serious and standing up straight" face. I just about died of laughter, but luckily I got the shot. He will probably not speak to me after showing this to you. Totally worth it.

This is the extent of my cooking skills in the kitchen. Nick lets me cut the bread, and I even suck at that. It is too soft and I always smoosh it into oblivion. I tend to just stick to baking....

Then attack of the food-sniffing missle that is Hudson! If he smells food, he is there! I know he looks like a starving child, but I swear I feed him everyday! Don't call animal services on me!

Hudson's though process: "I'm sitting nicely, now where is my food?" (He is so much cuter without creepy devil eyes. Darn camera)

And then, we ate. Boy did we eat. It was salmony and delicious. Also, is there anything better then freshly made bread and butter? Literally, I could eat that everyday. Just that. I would probably be 392364847687263 pounds, but it would be worth it. 

Don't forget, you still have time to enter my A Complicated Giveaway!!! The name is deceiving, it is super easy to enter. Good luck!

No complications, just food and prizes!