Parenthood

On Friday, May 3, at 5:01pm

most of you know that the Valverde family grew

by 2 precious feet

as welcomed Piper Annette into the world.

For the past 7 weeks,

life has been a whirlwind of 

wonderful, 

exhausting,

insanity.

No one can prepare you for motherhood,

but something happens

the moment they place your precious child in your arms.

You change instantly.

For 49+ days I have been adjusting to this change,

and coming into my own as Piper's momma.

For 49+ days we have been embracing our new family dynamic.

So many changes.

So much "new".

(shockingly, this OCD girl has made it through totally unmedicated and with only one glass of wine)

Hopefully 

(with some cooperation from Piper)

the year hiatus I took from blogging is over,

and will be filled with many stories, lessons, & memories 

made through this journey they call parenthood.

The wild ride for us it just beginning...

XOXO

And the chaos continues...

And once again,

I have turned into a terrible blogger...

BUT,

 this time,

I have much more of an excuse!

A few days after my last post in April,

I made a little career transition.

Some of you know this,

most of you don't,

and very few of you can understand

the chaos that followed.

As of May 2,

I left my job

as WAFB's National Sales Assistant...

and became an Account Executive.

Same station (duh),

but a whooooole different ballgame.

To explain this to people

who have no understanding of television...

basically I have gone from inside sales,

to outside sales.

Soooo,

after 5 years of being FANTASTIC at my job

(not to toot my own horn or anything...),

I am a baby once more,

and somewhat starting over

if you will.

With that being said,

the calm,

collected,

and insanely organized girl that I am...

has been running around frantically,

for the past month,

trying to quickly learn

how to be as awesome at this position,

as I was my last...

because for those of you who know me,

know that I MUST excel at what I do.

Fingers crossed.

Wish me luck.

And secondly,

Sorority Sally is baaaaaack...

in adult form,

and is now a Provisional Member

of the Junior League of Baton Rouge.

Whoop Whoop.

"Super Saturday" was last weekend,

where we learned about

all of the philanthropic opportunities

the League offers.

And this past Tuesday,

we selected our (volunteer) placements.

I know this too is another language to most of you,

but essentially,

the Valverde's are busier then usual.

Especially Mrs.Valverde

(how that is even possible, is BEYOND me).

Wine donations

to help cope with the added stress

are appreciated.

Happy (almost) Summer Y'all!

A little blogging renovation...

For the past few weeks

I have been brainstorming on new blog titles.

Bayou Bliss was fiiiiiine

when I entered this little world of blogging...

but this blog was ready for something new,

something that told more of our story.

Something...

that resembled more of a tag line for this family,

if you will...

for our journey through life.

Cocktails and Confetti

Some of you may be thinking,

"Michelle has officially lost it,

OR she has become quite the lush..."

But let me explain...

Back in my New Year's post,

I mentioned how much I LOVED this quote...



I went on to mention

how I hoped this would be everyone's goal

for the New Year.

Literally if you wish...

but more so metaphorically.

That we would all strive to live

each and every day,

like it was the most amazing day,

at the most fabulous party,

in our best dressed,

with our favorite people.

Living life to the fullest.

With that being said,

welcome to

Cocktails and Confetti.

The Valverde's blog

about our crazy but amazing life,

that we endeavor to live to fullest,

savoring each and every moment.

(actually it's more Michelle's blog,

and kind of Annabelle's...

you all know Kody would rather

buy another Yorkie then blog...

BUT who needs details)

XOXO



Our Darling Tuscaloosa...

365 days ago,

on what had been an ordinary Wednesday,

my heart was broken at 5:47pm.

This image flashed across my television screen moments later,

...and my world was changed forever.

A knot still forms in my throat when I talk about that day.

Perhaps it will never go away,

perhaps that knot

serves as my scar,

my reminder.

As if we really need to be reminded.

We were all changed that day.

Those of us who sat terrified,

desperate,

all across the country,

the world even.

Waiting to hear from our families,

our friends,

our city.

Those of you who lived through the terror first hand,

who took cover and prayed,

who blew those sirens and warnings off,

like so many times before.

We were all,

forever changed.

Today,

365 days later

we remember.

 We remember,

 all of those who lost their lives far too soon.

We remember,

 our beloved Tuscaloosa.

We remember,

because each and every one of us carry our own scars.

We will never forget,

because we can never forget.

Our first true love.

Our darling Tuscaloosa.

Georgia On My Mind...

Life never seems to slow down for us.

We were on vacation for a bit,

then I needed a minute to recover from vacation

(isn't that irritating?),

and now Kody is sick sick sick.

So we've been non stop,

with a combination of down for the count...

which somehow still feels like we are going non stop.

Ohhhh, the life of an adult...

Anyways,

we spent part of last week and the week before,

on a little Spring time family vacay

in Savannah, Georgia.

As advertised,

Savannah is a Southern Belle's dreaaaaaam...

BUUUUUUUUUT,

could use a BIT better shopping to TRULY be a dream

for THIS girl.



A vacation is not a successful vacation for me,

unless I come home with some sort of amazing find.

Savannah didn't fail me,

in spite of its mediocre shopping,

and I managed to

pick up a CLUTCH beauty gem.

This stuff is FANTASTIC.

I have allllll sorts of problems with dry, chapped lips...

and this stuff,

hands down,

is the best chapstick I have used.

(you can find online at http://www.savannahbee.com/)

And if you are thinking that this is along the same line as Burt's Bees...

you are mistaken,

because this is WAY WAY better.

You. Are. Welcome.

Flower Power

In my hustle and bustle to get out of my house

and to work this morning,

a glimpse of purple caught my eye.

I rushed over to the flower bed,

and

tadaaaaaa

I BEGGED Kody to plant these for me last year.

The Iris is my Kappa flower and I just LOVE them.

They make me want to go all Sorority Sally on everyone,

but I will refrain,

for all of our sake.

I have seen these in full glorious flower mode,

EVERYWHERE,

and I was feeling a little bummed

that my own hadn't made their appearance.

But nooooow they have,

and it makes my heart happy.

So,

 yay!!!

The Hardest Good Bye on Good Friday



I blogged last year about losing my grandaddy around Easter.

We found out he was going to meet Jesus on Palm Sunday.

We buried him on Good Friday.

Around this time of year,

he always makes his presence known...

through a rainbow,

a song,

a sunset,

a memory.

I cherish those moments,

because I MISS my grandaddy.

I was on the phone with my mom

on the way home from work Tuesday,

discussing life...

nothing serious,

just future plans and goals...

different things on my mind here of late,

when she says to me

"You know, your grandaddy is looking down at you from Heaven right now,  and he is SO proud of you..."

BOOM.
Tears filled my eyes.
I quickly hung up the phone.
And once more,
 Grandaddy and I had our time,

my precious moment.

Happy Happy Easter Grandaddy.

I bet the dogwoods,

and sunsets on the bay

are even more amazing this time of year

from where you are.
We miss you,
and love you so...