Yay!!!

Guys. This is how I feel today.

I am going to Malibu today for the three-day weekend and I am STOKED. 

Sorry I postponed this weeks features I promised you. They will be here next weekend. Hope you guys all have amazing fun-filled weekends. 

Hey it's Thursday so Why Not?

Awkward

- The lady at the make-up counter telling me I had fair skin. Say whaaaaaaaaat? You must be mistaken lady. I am half Mexican, therefore half tan. Right???

- The fact that I keep a notepad on my phone labeled "Awkward" to classify the awkward things happen to me on a daily basis. This means when awkwardness attacks, my first thought is "Oh that would be funny to write about in my Awkward and Awesome post" I think I have a problem.

- Someone from high school asked if I remembered them, and for the life of me I COULD'T. Then I realized high school was almost SIX friggin years ago. I am getting old, and I apparently am losing my memory. Fantastic.

- I speak pretty fast. A lot of the times my mind works faster then my mouth, and I literally stumble over my words. It sounds like I am speaking a different language. Nick then proceeds to look at my like I am crazy and says "Babe. I literally have absolutely no idea what you just said." Oh, you don't speak jibberish? My bad.

- My dog. He is the most awkward thing on the face of this planet. I can not tell you how many times he has made me hysterically laugh at his awkward antics. Another awkward thing is that I now call him Goober McGroober, and I have no idea why. I think it suits him. 

Awesome

- Justin Timberlake on SNL. If you didn't watch it, do yourself a favor and hop on over to Hulu and do so now! The man can sing, act, and is hilarious. It is hard not to like him. Even Nick has a man crush on him. 

- As you saw in the last post I bought the shoes that I have been drooling over for the last couple weeks! Is there anything better than giving into buying that item you have been wanting for the longest time??? This means that I am finally outfit ready for Vegas in June!!!!

- They renewed Happy Endings! With all the cut-throat networks canceling all these shows lately, I was worried about the fate of one of my new faves. Luckily, they came through for me and renewed the show! Happy dance for Happy Endings!

- 3 Day Weekend in Malibu. That sentence gets me so excited! I am visiting my friend Jenn, who is finally back in the states (yay!!), at her family's ranch in Malibu. AND it is supposed to be 70's all weekend. Hello, paradise. 

- My Nephew. Seriously, he is so awesome/cute/perfect/great/amazing/adorable (are you getting bored yet?) I am so happy I get to see him again this weekend!!

BIG News!

So something really amazing happened....

I finally gave in and bought these shoes!! 

OKAY. That is good news, but it's not amazing...

I won these rings over at Fashion Indie Love Affair!!'

OKAY. Getting warmer, but still not the amazing news. What was it again? Oh yeah...

The arrival of my beautiful baby Nephew, Parker!

Parker Rhodes Mercado. May 22, 2011. 7 lbs. 14 oz. 

Absolute Perfection.

What could be more amazing then this little slice of heaven being born??? Our family has been truly been blessed with a healthy baby boy. It brings great joy to my heart to say that both baby and mom are healthy and happy! Sarah was a real trooper throughout the whole thing, and her strength is inspiring. 

It has been a long time waiting, but Parker is finally with us. The most amazing thing was seeing the joy and love on Shea and Sarah's face when they look at their little son. That love is truly beautiful. and cannot be replaced. God has truly blessed our family with an amazing boy, and I couldn't be more grateful. He is absolutely, 100% perfect. I am so excited to see him grow, and to watch Shea and Sarah be the great parents I know they will be. 

Let me tell you, he is just too perfect for words. I love him so much. For someone who loves to write more than anything, I am truly speechless. 

 I don't know your stance on newborns, you might think they all look weird. I thought so too, until I met this little angel. He is so beautiful. Everytime I even think about him I smile!

{Gigi Becky}

{Grandpa Julio}

{Tio Bryn!}

{Tia Kai!}

I have more to say, but I just can't put it all in to words. So for right now, I just want to say how happy I am...

I am happy for Shea and Sarah, and the joy that this brings them.

I am happy for our family coming together to celebrate this little angel.

I am happy I get to be an auntie (a.k.a Tia)!

I am happy that there is so much love surrounding this little boy.

I am happy for Parker who basically has the most awesome family in the world.

It brings me to tears when I think about how much I love this little baby I barely even know. But what can I say....the first time I met him, he stole my heart. 

I am sure once I gather my thoughts I will have more eloquent things to say. But right now all I can do is look at these pictures and smile, and count the seconds until the next time I get to see him! (This weekend!)

Filling You In!

Hey lovelies! I am sorry for the lack of posts. My mind is in other places, like the arrival of my baby nephew this weekend. I am so excited to meet little Parker, I can hardly concentrate on anything else!!

Don't worry though because my blog posts next week are going to be AWESOMENESS. If I were a talk show host (p.s. how fun of a job would that be) I would say that we have an "exciting musical guest for next week's show". No but seriously, you guys get to meet a great new band! Yay! Also, I will be introducing a new fabulous brand of clothing to you. And last but not least a....

GIVEAWAY!!

Yup ladies and gentlemen, the time has come for another great giveaway. Get excited!

But thankfully for today Jenna from That's What She Said provided me with a great idea for a post. 

1. People always tell me I look like.... I dunno. I never found my celebritydoppleganger. I have gotten Selena Gomez a few times, and Rachel Bilson (I WISH)...but I don't really see a connection. Maybe I just look like myself.

2. Friends don't let friends Drink and Drive. EVER. But on a lighter note, friends don't let friends wear jeans with no back pockets. That isn't a good look for anyone. 

3. A sunny day is perfect for going to the dog beach or dog park with Hudson and Nick. I know that sounds lame, but I love being around dogs and playing in the sunshine!

4. My favorite accessory is My oversized vintage aviators, or my studded gold cuff. I don't have pictures of either of these things for some reason?

5. If I could afford it I would purchase my dream closet. And buy a nice new house, because I am beyond tired of living in cruddy apartments that are falling apart.

6. The cure for boredom is StumbleUpon.com+Pinterest. Seriously I will be entertained for HOURS! (if you want to check out my Pinterest, head on over HERE.)

7. I am currently "in like" with These shoes. Actually it is more like LOVE. I must have them!!

{via}

Undone.

{via}

Dear Fashion World,

I would personally like to thank you for the undone hair trend going on now. Everywhere I look, I see beachy waves our tousled bed head, and I am smitten. This look is beyond chic. It puts forth a confident but relaxed attitude, that you can't help but love. These girls just have a look to them, like you would want to be their friends. SO if you want to be a coolest kid on the block (or at least look like you are) embrace the messy hair!

But more importantly to me, it is easy! As much as I love fashion, and try and follow trends, I am also pretty lazy, especially when it comes to my hair.

You see, fashion gods, I have a ton of hair and it's a hassle to deal with.  Don't get me wrong, I love to have my hair stick straight from time to time, but good Lord it takes days! Don't even get me started on blow-drying, before I am even able to straighten! But now, there are so many options. I can wear a chic braid, undone curls, or even (my personal favorite) a messy bun! Even the fabulous ombre hair color requires very little upkeep. It is a lazy girl's heaven!

What I am trying to say here is that I am beyond grateful for a trend that requires me to put minimal, if any, effort into my hair and still be fabulous. 

Love,

My Hair is in a Messy Bun Right Now

{Images Via}

The Detox that Never Was

Ha. This weekend was a learning weekend to say the least.

On Friday I looked at Nick and said Hey Babe. Do you want to a detox with me? He then laughed, looked at me like I am crazy, and turned back to what he was doing. After I assured him that I was absolutely serious, he took interest in finding a detox that we could do together. After a few hours of research, we found one that was doable (or so we thought). It is called the Fruit Flush.

{via}

For the purposes of my story, I suppose I only need to describe to you the first day of the Fruit Flush. Every two hours, starting at 8 a.m., you have a protein drink. Then, at 6 p.m., you are allowed one salad with lots of raw veggies and an option of lean chicken.

I was determined to be hard core. Unfortunately, I woke up with deadly cramps, but decided to persevere anyway. The shakes were abysmal, to say the least, but we got through them together. 

There I was lying in bed, writhing in pain. At this point I wasn't sure if it was cramps or hunger pains that were making me so miserable, but I was sure that it sucked. Needless to say I did not move from my bed all day, because my delicate weak frame was much to tired to get up. (or at least that is what I told Nick so he would bring me the shakes).

We finally got to the salad portion of the day. And boy, let me tell you, I don't think I have ever been more excited for a salad in my entire life. It took every fiber of my being not to scarf the whole thing down. But unfortunately, it was not neverending pasta and breadsticks from Olive Garden, and I finally reached the empty plate. 

The next two hours went a little something like this.

Me: I am Hunnnnnggrrrryyyy

Nick: We need to stay strong. But so am I.

Nick: I need fooooodd

Me: So do I! Let's just give up.

Nick: Okay...NO.....okay....NO!

By 9 o'clock we were blissfully eating strawberry pancakes in my bedroom, watching a movie. Epic FAIL. We did make a resolution to be healthier from that day forward, but not to that extreme. 

{via}

Although we both felt like failures, with little to none will power, we did learn something about ourselves.

We learned that we want to get healthy, and in shape. (Hello gym 5 days a week, and fruit salad for lunch!)

We learned that we actually do want a lot more fruit and veggies in our diet.

We learned that we are not extreme health nuts, and we shouldn't pretend to be.

We learned that not everything is possible, even if we do it together.

But most importantly we learned how to laugh when life hands us fruit, and we said Can I get pancakes with that?

Holy Shmoley!

After having my little pity party yesterday on here, I realized I forgot about a whole different party!!!

That's right! This little blog of mine turned 1 year old this week! I hope you all can join me in saying...

Happy Birthday All Kinds of Complicated!!

Woah that is a mouthful. Maybe I should have chosen a shorter name. Anyway I seriously cannot believe a year has gone by since I started this blog of mine. It seems like just yesterday I was graduating school, and trying to figure out what I am going to do with my life. I still haven't figured everything out, but I think I have a great start and a bright future ahead of me!

Instead of telling everything that has changed me this year, I thought I would show you. The best pat of having this blog is that it is a documentation of my life, that I have the ability to look back on it whenever I want. 

If you are anything like me, you like to find the beginning of blogs, and see how they progressed. Well I thought I would show you how I have changed over the past year with a few of my (and my family's) favorite posts. 

This is an Important One (May 2010)

The New Man in My Life (October 2010)

La Jolla Cove (October 2010)

Simplify and Smile (October 2010)

I Love Breakfast! (November 2010)

Christmas Redemption (November 2010)

Missing Home (December 2010)

Cleaning 101 (December 2010)

Cooking Catastrophe (January 2011)

Hi. I'm 5.  (February 2011)

Rain Rain Go Away! (February 2011)

Awkward AND Awesome (February 2011)

How Do I Love Thee? (March 2011)

Man of the Hour (March 2011)

Dodger Disasters (April 2011)

Look Book Comin' Atcha! (April 2011)

Thank you guys so much for all your support the last year! Blogging has become a part of who I am, and  I am so grateful for what it has done for me. Not only that, but I have also met some pretty amazing people through this community of ours. I love you all so much!!!

Around the Web and Back!

There are two words that can describe me this week. Uninspired & Tired.

I have been particularly run down all week, and can't seem to stop yawning. Not only that, but I have had NO idea what I should write about on this little blog of mine. Luckily, one thing I always make time for is mindlessly trolling around the web. Whether it be online window shopping, or stumbling to millions of websites, the internet always finds ways to occupy my time. 

Hope you got your travelin' pants on because here are some fun new places I found this past week!

-This little boy's first kiss was all caught on film. And let me tell you, he is a ladies man in the making. And wastes no time proclaiming to all of his friends about how awesome he is.

 - I first spotted these shoes at I Spy DIY and fell in love. I then discovered that they are by a designer called Kurt Geiger, and (shocking) I LOVE him!!! But I still can't find those wedges ANYWHERE in the U.S. Depression. If you find them, or have them, or know where I can buy them on the black market. I will.  (I suppose I would settle for these though.)

- 33 Movies to Watch When you are Sad, Glum, or Bummed Out. I would have to agree. I love almost every one of these movies. If you haven't made your way through the list, then you should try!

-Love the Beyonce "Let's Move" video that is a part of Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign. She is taking steps (literally) to inspire children everywhere to get up and move around a little bit! Way to help our kids work up a sweat, and shake their tail feather. You go Beyonce!

- If I had an extra thousand dollars laying around, I would buy the BHLD Dress. I then would be forced to wear it every day for the rest of my life to get it's money's worth, but I am totally okay with that. 

-This lamp is amazing! I can see it hanging in my room. I hereby call upon my unbelievable crafty mother to help me with this DIY project. Yeah mom, I called you out in public. You can't say no now!

What cool things do you guys discover on the web? Give me ideas, and I will give you a shout out!

To My Mom.

You deserve more than one day to celebrate how amazing you are. But today is your special day, and I want everyone to know how amazing you are, and how much I love you. You have been a perfect guide throughout my life, and have always been there with the perfect advice. You have given me a spiritual life, and led me along a path with God. You were there at all my matches, near are far. You are basically the best mother anyone could ask for.

I love you.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

The Three Amigos

Life isn't about what you do, it's about who you spend it with.

I think that I have built up a pretty great group of people to spend my time with, but none more important than my two men. Hudson, Nick, and I make one little happy family. I know I have done something right when I would rather hang out with these two, then do anything else. They make me happy every single day. 

Love is a funny thing. You don't realize what you are missing out on when you don't have it. But once you do have it, you pray to God that you never lose that feeling. 

These pictures make me so happy. There is a comfort in knowing that Nick and I have started building a little life together. Hudson is the icing on the delicious cake that is Nick and I's love story. He makes us smile, laugh, and go a little bit crazy sometimes, but he is ours. That little goober belongs to nobody but us, and that means the world to me.

 The most important thing is that our love is growing together. We are working through this crazy world together, hand in hand. It's not always easy, but it is definitely worth it. He is my strength, and I am so thankful for him.

Dear Nick,

I love you. This life throws us curve balls, but together we can hit them out of the park. Thank you for never doubting what we have, and always being there for me. Thank you for being the stern one with Hudson, when I couldn't. And finally, thank you for being you, because you are perfect. 

p.s. Did you like my baseball analogy? :)

Love,

Kai