Ladybugs Butterflies and Boxing

Book: Water For Elephants

2012-01-26T16:38:00.000-06:00

This book was, well...rude, vulgar and at times plain awful. However there was something that compelled me to read to the end and honestly I am glad that I finished it.

This was actually my second attempt at this book. I checked it out from the library several months ago and didn't make it past the second chapter before having to take it back even though I had it for a month before needing to return it. I just couldn't get into it. But since I hate starting a book and not finishishing it, I checked it out again. And still this time it took me a few days to get into the book. I was a quarter of the way through before I found myself actually wanting to finish it.

I was engrossed with the story line between Jacob and Marlena and pained at the fact Jacob was telling the story from his dementia dreams. It was very sad to me that he was in a nursing home and was starting to lose it even though he could completely recall every event from his years on the circus with perfect detail.

The whole scene of the traveling circus was both incredible as it was crude. I really like the scene that was set and the detail of the events but the language was a bit much for me.

Overall it was a nice twist on a love story. Very untraditional but compelling all at the same time.

Happy 4th Birthday Lauren

2012-01-25T08:03:00.000-06:00

Four years ago today our beautiful little Lauren decided it was the perfect day to make her appearance into this world.
After 18 and a half hours of labor we were finally able to meet our sweet girl.

It’s been an amazing ride!
I love watching you grow.

I love watching you learn.

and I love how you have turned into such a little lady.

Daddy and I are taking you out for a special day today. We are going to see “Beauty and the Beast” in 3D.

When Daddy told you we had a surprise for you, you said “Are we going shoe shopping?”

Princess Pledge

2012-01-22T10:27:00.000-06:00

A princess

promises to be pretty,

peppy,

smell nice,

sparkle a lot,

sing happy songs very loudly,

and never,

ever be mean.

Princess Pledge - Olivia

Cooking With Kids {Individual Meatball Sub Recipe}

2012-01-21T07:42:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday I took Lauren to a cooking with kids class at the grocery store my work is in.

She fell asleep on the way there so she looks a little cranky!

But as soon as the class started she perked up. She loves to help me in the kitchen so taking her to these classes is a no brainer.

Roll up the sleeves and dive in.

Squish the meat, parmesan cheese, onion soup mix, egg and water all together.

Roll into one inch balls

Put them all in a pan.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs.

Put onto your bread, top with sauce and cheese and enjoy!

Easy Individual Meatball Subs

Ingredients
1/4 lb ground beef
1/4 egg
2 tsp water
3 tbl Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 envelope onion soup mix
dash salt
dash pepper
1/4 cup marinara
1 or 2 slices of mozzarella or provolone cheese
1 hoagie

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bown combine egg, water, bread crumbs, paremesan cheese, onion soup mix, salt and pepper and stir until mixed well. Add ground beef, broken into chunks and smash with your hands until thoroughly combined. Form into 1" meatballs and place on a broiler pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until meatballs are no longer pink in the center. Let cool for a couple of minutes and add the meatballs to the hoagie. Top with cheese and marinara sauce. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Jewelry Organization

2012-01-20T11:14:00.001-06:00

I have declared 2012 to be the year of organization and clutter clearing. I have lots and lots of ideas of what I want to do to my house and a lot of them I have been getting from pinterest. When I saw this way of organizing necklaces I knew I wanted it somewhere in my room!

Source: laurenzietsman.wordpress.com via Sonya on Pinterest

I normally have a few necklaces hanging from this thing in my bathroom.

Or haphazardly all over my dresser!

So the other day I was at my favorite shopping place ever looking around at different storage ideas, towel racks and curtain rods and I came across this.

I thought it would fit perfectly on the wall by my mirror in the bathroom. Then I found these shower hooks. I wanted some to match the hook rail but these are just slightly darker. They were the only ones I could find that didn’t have some sort of decorative piece on it.

So here is the wall before.

I had my wonderful husband hang the hook rail.

and voila!!!!!!!!!! I really like it. I bet this will encourage me to accessorize more.

Kettle Corn

2012-01-19T11:31:00.000-06:00

I love me some kettle corn! Every time we go anywhere that sells it I always have to buy a bag. I love fairs and festivals for just that reason. Pop Corn in general is a favorite snack of mine so it is only natural that I love kettle corn too. Now I have figured out how to make it at home it can be dangerous!!

Today just so happens to be National Popcorn Day.

There are several different types of kernels. These just so happen to be blue. They start out blue and when they pop the inside is blue. It makes pretty popcorn! I often use the off brand at the store or even the kind that the boyscouts sell. {The bottom picture is from that kind.}

To make my kettle corn I always combine my kernels, sugar and salt in a measuring cup or bowl while my oil is heating.

I then dump the mixture into my popcorn maker. I have the kind that has a rotating arm but when I am making kettle corn I still stand there and give it a few shakes every couple of seconds so that the sugar doesn’t burn.

MMM!!!

Homemade Kettle Corn

recipe adapted from Savory Sweet Life

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients above in a measuring cup and give a quick stir. Heat oil in your popcorn maker. Test the oil by adding a few kernels and waiting until they pop. Then add popcorn, sugar and salt mixture giving it a quick stir and then cover with lid. My pop corn popper rotates the stuff in the bottom but I help it along by giving it a little shake several times. I want the sugar and the salt to start dissolving in the oil before the corn starts popping. When the popping slows down, {after about 3-4 minutes} remove immediately from heat and pour into a large bowl. Watch out because the sugar stays on the popped corn and is HOT!! Serve immediately and ENJOY!!

Communication

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000-06:00

I know my posts about marriage a few and far between. I really would like post them on a more consistent basis; however I want to make sure that I'm practicing what I'm preaching. It would be so easy for me to just tell you what Brian I learned at the marriage conference but I want you to know from my experience, not just what we were told to do. So in order to do that I need to make sure I'm sharing what's really going on in our lives and how we are managing it and experiencing it.

I post when we are putting something we learned into practice. This takes time and commitment!

Lately Brian and I have been focusing on communication, really talking to one another with stuff that is more than just normal day to day stuff.

Did you know that 86% of divorced couples say it was due to defective communication? {quote from The Marriage You've Always Wanted Seminar with Gary Chapman}

Communication is absolutely necessary for any relationship to continue. When we were at the conference Dr. Chapman gave us several tools to use for more effective communication. The most important being is that YOU must choose to communicate with your spouse...You must choose to reveal what is going on inside of you. YOU must choose to listen...REALLY listen to your spouse. This one is a big thing for me. I often find myself hoping that Brian can read my mind. I want him to know how I am feeling with me having to tell him, but seriously how realistic is that? I think we all know that is not humanly possible. I need to open up to him and tell him how things make me feel. What has caused me to react a certain way or why I am upset at any particular time.

One of the biggest things that Dr. Chapman suggested doing is the daily 3 rule. Talk about three things that happened to you throughout your day and how you FEEL about those 3 things. At first this seemed almost like a chore to Brian and me. We would lie in bed and I would say okay tell me your three things and he would groan but we kept at it and now it just flows freely between us and we really don’t even have to throw the “three things” out there. We try to discuss our day at the dinner table and we even are practicing this with Lauren. It is fun and it gets her talking. We have discovered that she has a very vivid imagination and a knack for story telling!! I know that some of the things she comes up with are so farfetched they simply cannot be true but I still listen, ask questions and play along.

I find that by discussing our “three things” it has opened up all the lines of communication and we find ourselves talking about more than just the three things and the dialog that has come out of these conversations has been great and is helping to bring us closer!

Book: Picture Perfect

2012-01-16T16:48:00.000-06:00

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult

I had a hard time making it through this book. At first I thought the book started out kind of slow. I would read a chapter and then put it down and come back to it a few days later. Once I finally got into it I just wanted to throw it up against the wall and scream at Cassie "how incredibly stupid can you be!!??" "why are you staying?" "why are you justifying him beating you?" But of course I couldn't help but get caught up in it. This book honestly affected my thoughts for a few days, putting me in a bad mood! I had to know how it ended. I had to know if Cassie stays with an abusive husband.

Cassie is an anthropologist married to movie star Alex Rivers. Her life seems like a fairy tale until Alex starts physically abusing her. Believing him over and over again when he says this time will be the last, she stays because she doesn't want to hurt him.

I certainly emphasized with Cassie yet I was mad at her for not leaving sooner. Then again I was routing for Alex to change and for them to stay together and be a family. I am sure this is how a woman in this situation might feel. "He'll change." "He loves me." "This hurts him more than it hurts me."

When I finished this book the night before last I couldn't get it out of my head. I even dreamt about it. Least to say it touched a nerve. I know many women stay in this cycle of abusive relationships either believing that they "deserve" it or that their husbands don't really mean to do it, or other reasons. It breaks my heart.

I think Picoult did a really good job handling this story line and while this was not my favorite book written by her it was still a good read.

If You Could...

2012-01-14T10:39:00.000-06:00

Rename my blog

Tell me what to post

Tell me what kind of picture to take

Have me post a recipe{s} for you

Ask me any question

Here's your chance!

Leave me a comment!

Clear the Clutter

2012-01-11T19:21:00.000-06:00

I find that as I set out on the task of completing my goals for 2012 that I am getting more than I bargained for. I feel as if I am getting a brand new house! Along with cleaning and reorganizing we are rearranging and doing some updates to the house.

Over the past couple of weeks I have spent the majority of my time off cleaning out clutter in my house. My kitchen was overflowing with STUFF, my basement held a collection of my children's things we have accumulated over the past 4 years and closets are bursting at the seams. It is so funny how when we bought this house almost 6 years ago it seemed so big and we barely had anything to fill it with.

Brian and I had a day off together last week and my sister in law came over to help us clear out a big portion of the stuff in the basement. We moved our living room from upstairs to downstairs in our newly cleaned out basement and are preparing to have laminate floors installed in our upstairs living room next week! I am super excited. This is a long time coming. Brian and I have been looking and looking at flooring since September. We finally figured out what we wanted and where we were going to purchase it from and it is finally going to happen! We are going to use that area as an office/sitting room.

I cleaned out my kitchen as well. I got rid of some of the things I no longer or never use and put the rest of it stuff where it really belonged and not in my kitchen! My counter tops are finally cleared and it feels wonderful.

I have several rooms left in the house to purge and I will get there. It will take time to go through and organize and purge all the areas of our house. We just have way too much stuff. I am hoping to simplify our lives a little bit!

Lightened Up Bang Bang Shrimp

2012-01-08T12:49:00.000-06:00

There is a restaurant near my work called Bonefish. They have this wonderful appetizer called Bang Bang Shrimp! It is so incredibly delicious. However I am certain that it is not good for you what so ever. Brian and I have made this recipe over and over and it gets better and better every time. You can totally customize how spicy {or not} that you want it.

Lightenend Up Bang Bang Shrimp
recipe heavily adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients
Sauce:
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
3 tbsp Thai Sweet Chili sauce
2 tsp Siracha {or to taste}

Shrimp:

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons wheat flour {or all purpose}
1 tsp canola oil
1 bag coleslaw mix
For Garnish:
4 tbsp green onions, chopped

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. Set aside.

Coat shrimp with cornstarch and flour, mixing well with your hands. I like to put them in a ziploc bag and put in a little bit of the shrimp at a time and shake to coat them.

Heat a large skillet on high heat, when hot add oil. When oil is hot add the shrimp to hot pan and cook tossing a few times until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and combine with the sauce coating well. You will want to cook your shrimp in batches so that you don't overload the skillet and cause the oil to not be hot enough to crisp your shrimp.

Place shrimp on coleslaw mix and top with green onions and enjoy!

Book: Harvesting The Heart

2012-01-07T22:19:00.000-06:00

I am already getting a jump on 2012. I started this book last Thursday and I couldn't get enough of it. I ended up finishing it on New Year's Day.

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

This book is about a girl named Paige and her struggle throughout her life without her mother. Her mother left when she was five and all her life she dreamed she would come back. When Paige became a mother herself she knew she was destined to repeat the cycle set in motion by her mother. When her baby was only 3 months old she set out to get some answers and search for her mother.

From the minute I read the synopsis on the back I knew this was a book I was going to like. Then when I read the first page I was hooked for sure. Any spare time that I had I was reading this book. I just had to know how it ended. Did Paige find her mother? Did she settle into her role as a mother? Did she work things out with the men in her life? So many questions that I wanted answered and while I got most of the answers I felt the ending of the book to be a little sudden. It seemed to just stop. It was wrapped up in a nice way and it led me to believe what I thought should happen, happened but it wasn't clear. At least I didn't think so.

Even so this book spoke to me. I love how Picoult is so open and honest about motherhood! I saw alot of myself in Paige. It is so hard being a new mother even when you have had one your whole life to show you how. No one can really explain to you what it is going to be like. As if pregnancy wasn't bad enough, the lack of sleep and postpartum hormones do weird things to your mind and your body. I remember the nights when we first brought Lauren home. How we would both be sitting in the rocking chair in the middle of the night crying. Her I have no idea why and me because I just wanted her to sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time. Some nights I would throw my hands up in the air and march into the bedroom where Brian was sleeping and beg him to take her.

The book briefly mentions the Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression and insinuates this is part of why Paige does what she does. These are things that aren't discussed enough with other women. We are so judgmental of each other that if we are struggling we don't want to share or seek help. We don't want to admit that our "motherly instinct" doesn't come as natural as we thought it would. We don't want other people, especially other mothers, to know the thoughts that are going on in our heads. I have a feeling that lots of mothers consider running away from it all. It is not easy! My goal is to encourage and support all my friends that are having babies after me so that they will not feel so alone. As women we should stick together and support one another instead of comparing ourselves and our children to one another. We shouldn't judge each other but yet lend a hand or an ear and be there when they need us.

OK enough soap boxes for one week! Really this is a good book to read. I enjoyed it which is why I read it so quickly. I have since started another book and am only on the third chapter after starting it five days ago.

Rant

2012-01-06T12:45:00.000-06:00

I got my hair cut the other day and I was trying out a new stylist. I just can't seem to find one that I like and want to stick with. I had a girl who has cut my hair three or four times and I liked her but she was just OK, not great. I want to connect with this person who has her shears so close to my head.

Anyways back to the new lady. I walk into the salon and the lady behind the desk takes my name and tells me to have a seat. Low and behold 25 minutes later she calls me over to her chair. What really gets me is that she already had someone in her chair and was sitting at the desk making phone calls. I didn't realize she was going to be cutting my hair so I didn't pay much attention to the lady who was already there so I have no idea what exactly she was letting her sit there for. STRIKE ONE!

So I tell her how I want my hair cut, show her the pictures and tell her a little bit about my hair. I have VERY thick and crazy textured hair and it really needs to be cut a certain way. She gets started and then she just walks away to the back. I think she is going to get some sort of tool or special product but NOPE she comes back with her cell phone and answers a text message. STRIKE TWO!

So she continues to make small talk with me and is about in the middle of my hair cut when her cell phone starts ringning. She stops and answers it! Seriously people what happened to customer service? STRIKE THREE!

Finally after she has my hair cut she blow dries it and starts straigtening it, but she only straightens part of it. She would pick up a piece here and there and straighten only those pieces. I left the salon with half straigtened hair that wasn't laying right! I was so miffed. STRIKE FOUR!!

Luckily when I washed and straigtened ALL of my hair it lays right and the cut looks like it is supposed to.

I don't think I will be going back to that lady!

Lauren-isms

2012-01-05T20:03:00.002-06:00

Lauren: “ I have four days until my birthday!!”

Me: “No honey you have 20 days until your birthday.”

Lauren: “AHHHH! That’s even worser!”

Sleeping In Beds With Kids

2012-01-04T06:14:00.000-06:00

Brian usually leaves for work somewhere between 4 and 5 in the morning. Ever since Lauren was born when she would wake up anytime after that I would always put her in bed with me to try and salvage any amount of sleep I had left until my alarm went off. Now days she will just come in on her own rarely waking me up. Occasionally she will snuggle up close to me and say "Momma can we cuddle? Hold me tight!" Which is so incredibly sweet and makes my heart melt until she falls back asleep and rolls over and smacks me in the face with her arm.

Then we have Colton, "Mr. I like to be wide awake at 4:30 most days" He went through a VERY LONG stage of waking up in the middle of the night and not going back to sleep for hours. This tired and exhausted momma would bring him to bed with me in hopes that holding him close would lull him back to sleep. It works most of the time for him but not for me. See he likes to be touching me/laying on me when he sleeps. Trying to get comfortable he will bury his head in my neck, then he will lift up and slam it down on my chest, then roll over, then lift up his head and smack it on my chin. This goes on and on until he finally finds some soft of comfortable spot which usually leaves me bruised and half hanging off the bed.

So in cases like today, my day off from work, a day that I can sleep in, both of the kids are sprawled across MY bed while I am blogging {with my coffee in hand} because there is no more room left! I know I am going to miss these days when they are gone, lack of sleep or not!

2012 Goals

2012-01-03T12:23:00.000-06:00

It seems to me that alot of my goals overlap from year to year and it isn't because I didn't accomplish them but rather because I like to build on them. Alot of my past goals have been almost habits that I want to create. Paying off debt, building savings, spending time reading and blogging, eating healthier, exercising and losing weight. All of these things I want to keep in my day to day basis and shouldn't end just because the year is over.

1.} Operation De-Clutter {and organize our house}

Sometimes I feel as if the walls in my house are closing in around me. We just have way too much stuff. So with that being said I have already starting clearing out the kitchen. I have moved a bunch of stuff that was sitting on the countertops and put it away, threw it away or gave it away. That will be my first order of business then onto the basement that we will be converting to a living room/playroom, then the living room because our floors will be installed this month. Timeframe is within the next couple weeks. After that I will move onto the bedrooms and finally the garage. You should see the list that I have made. It is extensive and very specific. I printed it out and shared it with Brian so we are both on the same page. He even said he would help! We are going to take a day that we both have off together here and there and work on each project until we are done. It may take a while but it will be so worth it.

Keep the kitchen table cleared by making sure to clean it off each and every night and put things in their respective places. No more dumping and leaving it until we have dinner guests.

2.} Read more. Again this includes the Bible, books and blogs. I have signed up for some Scripture reading plans that send me reminders and I know that is going to be so helpful. I want to spend some sort of devotion time each and every day. I have a Bible app on my phone and my Kindle so I have no excuse! Last year I read several books and this year I want to do the same. I am working my way through the pile of Jodi Picoult books and finished one of them on New Year's Day!

3.} Continue building savings and paying off debt by putting extra money towards those things. I have been lucky enough to do several photo shoots throughout 2011 and that has allowed me to purchase a couple of fun things for myself and stock away some in savings. I want our personal loan paid off by the end of 2012.
4.} Reach my goal weight. I talked enough about that in yesterday's post so I will leave it at that!

5.} Continue to enrich our marriage by reading together, devotionals, and attend some sort of marriage conference. I would love to do a weekend retreat!

Goal Setting

2012-01-02T13:33:00.000-06:00

Setting goals is something I do at work on a regular basis. Every Monday morning I head to work an hour early to meet with my team. We sit around the table and discuss what happened over the last week. We share ideas. What went well. What didn't go so well. How we can improve for next time. And we set goals for the upcoming week. We have been using an acronym to help us set these goals and since my boss and I implemented this goal setting strategy the goals have more often than not been achieved.

So with this in mind, I am going to set my goals for 2012 by using the SMART technique

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

Specific - what you want to accomplish and how you are going to do it. Example one of my goals for 2012 is to reach my goal weight so instead of simply saying “reach my goal weight” I put some action behind it, “Reach my goal weight by meal planning, staying within my calorie limit and doing 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week.”

Measurable – How will I know that I am on track to reach my goal? Going along with my weight loss goal above I will obviously know that I am losing weight by the number on the scale and the way my clothes fit. But to be more specific I am going to set small goals along the way. My first measure is that I want to reach the weight that I was before I was pregnant with Lauren and I want to do this by the end of the month. This means I need to lose about 7 pounds. Small goal but it is in the direction that I am heading. After that I want to be the weight I was when Brian and I got married and then so on and so on. Small goals along the way that will in the end get me to my overall goal.

Attainable – Planning accordingly and setting a reasonable amount of time to set myself up for success. I can’t say that I want to reach my goal weight in a couple of weeks because that isn’t ideal. Instead I am giving myself a good 6 months to reach my goal weight. With hard work and determination I know that it is possible. If I were to say that I want to lose that much weight in a short amount of time I would get discouraged and probably lose focus and not reach my goal at all.

Realistic – This goes right along with the point before. I must set a reasonable amount of time for me to reach my goal in. Set the goal as high as you are willing and able to achieve it!

Timely – You should always have a timeframe for your goal, a deadline to work towards. With no timeframe in mind you won’t be as motivated to accomplish your goal.

One other thing is to make sure that you write your goals down. I usually just post them on my blog and refer to them from time to time when I think about them or have done something that I remember being one of my goals. Sonya - from A Day In The Life posted how she sets her goals and she said that she always prints them and keeps them with her. I am going to do this as well this year along with posting them on the refrigerator or somewhere else where Brian can see them.

Tomorrow I will post all my 2012 goals!

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T19:40:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!!

I hope that 2012 is all you ever hoped it would be!

They say eating black eye peas on New Year's Day will bring you luck and prosperity throughout the year. I am not usually one for superstitions but I figured it couldn't hurt. :) So I made Tex Mex Black Eye Pea Casserole from Recipe Girl. I hope it brings us lots of good things in 2012!

2011 Goal Update

2011-12-31T09:35:00.002-06:00

I don't set resolutions for the new year, I always set goals. I feel that resolutions are often made to be broken but goals are set to be achieved!

In my post about my goals for 2011 I was quite ambitious. While I accomplished several of them, there were a few that went to the wayside and some that I had to do more than once.

Financially we didn't quite hit them all.

I had hoped to pay off the small personal loan that we have and while we didn't do that, we made great strides to getting it paid off. Things just got in the way. We bought a van and sold Brian's car and while we didn't have to finance a whole lot on the new vehichle it did take away from the extra money I was applying to the loan.

We did continue to grow our savings account and I am pleased to say that we will be having laminate flooring installed in our living room and hallway next month and will be paying for this IN CASH!!!!!

Spiritually we are on the right track but there is always room for improvement. Brian and I attended a marriage conference in November and have been reading a book together at night before bed. {something that we will continue on through 2012 and start a new book when we have finished the one we are currently on}

Personally I think that I have suceeded. Of course I have new goals for 2012 and many of them are the same as 2011 but continuing to grow as a person is an ongoing challenge.

I lost 40 pounds last year and have about 30 more to go. I am looking to get physically fit and healthy in the upcoming year.

I think I have read more in 2011 than I ever have before. AND I plan to continue. I love reading, it is so thereaputic and helps me escape.

In 2011 I read

1} The Lovely Bones
2} The Memory Keeper's Daughter
3} The Pact
4} Love The One You're With
5} Heart of the Matter
6} Baby Proof
7} Love and Logic, Magic for Early Childhood
8} The Four Seasons of Marriage
9} Made To Crave
10} Sing You Home
11} Black Heels to Tractor Wheels
12} Something Blue
13} Something Borrowed

See what I mean?! that is alot of books. Plus I have started several that I have yet to finish and I have plans to re read a couple of the self help books. :)

My blogging goal for 2011 was to blog more than I did in 2010. I almost made it. In 2010 I had 161 blog posts and in 2011 I have 159. OH SO CLOSE!!!

On my organization goals I failed big time.

I had really good intentions! I cleaned out the pantry several times only for it to get wrecked again.

I have cleaned off the kitchen counters numerous times but this last time I am determined to make it stick. My kitchen looks amazing if I do say so myself.

I did however clean out the junk drawer and junk cabinet and purge a ton of stuff. I even turned the junk cabinet into Lauren's personal space. Her crayons and coloring books and other misc stuff are all in one spot for her.

I didn't even touch my cookbook cabinet. As a matter of fact I accumulated more!

I did a pretty good job of backing up my photos however I still would like to do better and do more. {Which reminds me, I need to copy December to my external hard drive.}

I have so much to be thankful for over the last year and I know that 2012 is going to be even better. I will have my goals for 2012 up next week. I have a feeling they will look pretty similar to 2011, I am a work in progress!

2011 Recap

2011-12-30T09:35:00.000-06:00

Wow what a year it has been! I can't believe that it is going to be 2012 in just a couple of days. I have high hopes for this upcoming year but for now I want to take a look back at 2011.

I set my goals for 2011 and while I accomplished some and not others I am pretty pleased with the progress I made in 2011 and look forward to continuing in 2012. I lost a total of 40 pounds this year and have about 30 more that I want to lose in 2012.

Lauren turned 3 in January and we are getting ready to celebrate her fourth birthday next month! She is getting so big and continues to surprise me with all the funny and clever things that she says.

Colton hit several milestones including rolling over and walking. A huge accomplishment due to his hip dysplasia that has not slowed him down one bit!! He also turned one this year and found a passion for playing the drums.

I cooked and baked alot and posted several of my favorite recipes including Cookies and Cream Oreo Dream Brownies, Pulled Pork Tacos, Red Velvet Pancakes, Banana Bread Cupcakes, O'Lucky Cupcakes, and Chocolate Stout Donuts.

Thanks for sharing 2011, I will see you in 2012!

Words Of Wisdom {In the Most Random Place}

2011-12-29T10:35:00.000-06:00

A month or so ago my mom rented the movie Barbie Princess Charm School for Lauren from Red Box. She watched it twice before we had to return it and then proceeded to ask that we rent it every single time we drove by the local Red Box! :) I thought it would be a good purchase for Christmas.

So the other night we were watching it and even though I had seen it a couple of times before something really jumped out at me. The movie is about a girl named Blair who was raised in a not so affluent area who gets the chance to go to Princess Charm School. She feels out of place and the instructor tells her

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"

This quote has stuck with me for the last several days and turns out it is a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt!

I am all the time wondering what kind of things Lauren is picking up from the radio and TV shows. I know she listens to things because she will randomly start repeating something that she just heard even when I think she wasn't paying attention. She has been watching a lot of princess shows and movies and her manners have greatly improved!

I can't believe that I myself got inspiration from a Barbie movie!

Smiling's My Favorite

2011-12-22T16:22:00.000-06:00

I think that Elf has got to me one of my all time favorite Christmas movies EVER!

It cracks me up each and every time I watch it!

There are so many good quotes so enjoy!!

Source: meghanbrindley.com via Sonya on Pinterest

You did it! Congratulations! World's best cup of coffee!

Sounds like somebody needs to sing a Christmas Carol.

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

Source: clawsondesigns.com via Sonya on Pinterest

I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite.

Source: kanakukashley.com via Sonya on Pinterest

I'm a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.

Buddy the Elf! What's your favorite color?

We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.

Source: txstateu.wordpress.com via Sonya on Pinterest

Buddy: "Can you pass the maple syrup please?"
Emily: "I... I didn't put... It's spagetti."
Buddy: "Oh, you know what? I think I have some. Yes."
Emily: "You like sugar, huh?"
Buddy: "Is there sugar in syrup?"
Emily: "Yes."
Buddy: "Then yes!"

SAAAANTA. He's coming here. I know him!

I thought maybe we could make ginger bread houses, and eat cookie dough, and go ice skating and maybe even hold hands.

You smell like beef and cheese, you don't smell like Santa.

He's an angry elf!

What's a Christmas Gram? I want one!!

Have you seen these toilets? They're GINORMOUS!

I'm sorry I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies into the VCR.

Are You On The Naughty List? {Oreo Coal Recipe}

2011-12-19T21:41:00.000-06:00

I love to bake and when the holidays roll around my kitchen sees all kind of yummy goodness!

This year I thought it would be fun to shake things up a bit. Lauren has been talking about Santa and the “naughty and nice list” a lot so when I came across this recipe I knew that it would work perfect for some “coal”

When I decided to make this recipe into Coal, I knew I wanted to dress it up a bit so I set out a search on pinterest. I came across this pin and it couldn’t be cuter!

See what I mean absolutely adorable! I downloaded the tag and printed it on a brown paper sack. What I did was take an ordinary bag from the grocery store and cut it so that it was a standard size piece of paper. I put that into the printer and printed the tag out on it.

Oreo Coal
recipe from Picky Palate

Ingredients:
One 16 oz package of Oreo
5 cups Large Marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Line a 8x8 square pan with foil. Place Oreos in food processor and pulse until ground. In a heavy pot melt marshmallows and butter until puffed. Remove from heat and pour in ground Oreo Cookies. Stir to combine then transfer to pan. Let set up for 10 minutes. Remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares. Place in a plastic bag and tie it up with a ribbon and Lump of Coal tag! Merry Christmas or rather Bah-Hum-Bug!! :)

Rock Star in the Making

2011-12-18T09:21:00.000-06:00

I know that I already posted a video of Colton playing the drum but this video is just too cute not to share. A daily occurrence around our household is Colton beating on anything and everything with wooden spoons. He recently has discovered a Christmas tin that makes a great noise!!

HAHA! I love it!!

Honest to Goodness

2011-12-14T08:45:00.000-06:00

Brian and I are still working through and trying to process all the amazing things we heard at the marriage conference we attended last month. We are trying things out to see what is going to with for us and our marriage. Let me tell you...it has not been easy. When you have held things in for so long sometimes letting go of those feelings is not pretty!

I want to be very respectful to my husband in my posts about marriage. However I also want to be honest. So I'm going to focus on my side of the story... what I have done wrong... how I have failed in my marriage. I can only control my thoughts and my feelings and so that is what I am going to share. My intention is not to make my husband out to be the bad guy, or tell you all of his shortcomings. However it is my intention to share our story so that it might help someone in a similar situation.

My husband is a great guy. He is very hard working and is an amazing father.

But marriage is hard work, plain and simple. There are days I don't want to be around my husband and I KNOW there are lots of days he doesn't want to be around me.

I will admit that their times I've not been the best wife. I like to yell and scream. I like to get my way. I can be inconsiderate. Occasionally manipulative. Those are not qualities my husband deserves in a wife. Nor are they qualities I want to instill in my children.

In order for me to change I must be honest, admit my wrong doings and where I fall short. Admitting this to my husband and here publicly is the first step towards any kind of progress.

Baby Jack

2011-12-12T11:29:00.000-06:00

Newborns are so soft and snuggly!

I just love to photograph them! This is Jack. Isn’t he handsome!!??

I couldn’t have asked for a better model. When he was awake he was so alert and cooperative.

AH! Just breathtaking!!

And then he fell asleep and let me capture lots more good shots of him!

I even caught him smiling!

Love!!

Silver Dollar City Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-11T14:13:00.000-06:00

When we went to Branson over the Thanksgiving weekend we visited Silver Dollar City. I love that place. During Christmas it is spectacular {sorry been reading Fancy Nancy with Lauren a bit much} It is decorated to the hill! Lights every where and beautiful Christmas decor to purchase in the shops. The shop that I bought the ornament for my ornament exchange partner was no exception. I could have spent all day in there looking at all the different decorations. Too bad I had the kids with me or I might have!!! I snapped a few photos of some of them.

They had several trees that were decorated completely with cupcakes! I really wish that I had bought a couple of them for our tree.

This one was my favorite one I saw. It reminds me of cotton candy!

Lauren wanted her picture taken in front of the beautiful trees. She was in love with the shop about as much as I was. I had to get her out of there though, I was afraid she would break something. All those pretty colors are too much for a kid to resist.

Little Drummer Boy

2011-12-10T08:00:00.001-06:00

Colton is my little drummer boy. :) I came home from work one day to this horrific sound coming from the living room. My mom had given Colton one of my pots and two of my wooden spoons and he was beating away. This has been going on ever since! He is constantly going to the kitchen and pointing to where I usually keep the wooden spoons. {he has since broken every one of my cheap wooden spoons and I refuse to give him my Pampered Chef ones} I think Santa is going to put a cheap package of wooden spoons in his stocking!

When we were over at my grandma's for Thanksgiving he spotted a wooden spoon on the table, grabbed it and started beating on a chair. His great papa and great Gigi thought it was wonderful so my grandpa went and dug a drum out of the basement for him. OH MY GOSH! When Colton first hit that drum with the spoon...you should have seen his face...it was priceless!! Such wonder, such joy, such excitement! For the rest of the afternoon he beat away on that drum.
I took a video of him on my phone. Let me warn you it is a bit rough. I forgot the correct way to hold my phone so the video is sideways and then there seems to be a glitch in it. The sound doesn’t quite match up to his actions…BUT you get the idea.

Cookies and Cream Oreo Dream Brownies

2011-12-09T15:07:00.000-06:00

Let me just preface this recipe by saying that these brownies are AHHHHMAZING!!!

I first saw these brownies on pinterest and after making them for a coworkers birthday I decided I wanted to kick them up a notch, which was almost difficult because the orignal recipe was genius.

You use a boxed brownie mix for this recipe and make it as usual only don't add the water that it calls for on the box. Once you have all those ingredients combined then you add cookies and cream ice cream, hot fudge and crushed Oreos.

After mixing in the hot fudge and ice cream stir in the crushed Oreos

Once you have the batter made you are ready to assemble the brownies. Pour half of your brownie batter into your prepared pan.

Then take your Oreos and layer them all accross the brownie batter.

Top with the remaining brownie batter.

Bake in your preheated oven, let cool and top with the Oreo Buttercream Frosting

Cookies and Cream Oreo Dream Brownies
recipe adapted from Kevin & Amanda

Ingredients
1 box Brownie Mix {family size for a 9x13 pan}
eggs & oil {as called for by the brownie mix}
11/2 heaping cups Cookies & Cream ice cream
1/2 Cup hot fudge topping
1 package Oreo Double Stuf Cookies
Directions:
Preheat oven & spray an 8×11 for thicker brownie or 9x13 baking dish generously with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine. Crush up about 10-15 Oreos and stir those into the batter. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, {side by side covering the entire pan} then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.

Oreo Buttercream Frosting
recipe adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Ingredients:
2 sticks salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
15 Oreos, crushed VERY FINELY

Directions:
In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream, and vanilla on medium-low until smooth and well-combined. Slowly add powdered sugar. Once powdered sugar is barely mixed in, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed Oreos {I used my food processor to crush the Oreos into almost a powder}

These are so super yummy! I took them to our family gathering on Thanksgiving and everyone raved about them!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-12-07T21:40:00.000-06:00

Or not! The holidays are very busy and extremely stressful for alot of people and I have to admit at the beginning of November I'm a little bit of a scrooge about the start of the Christmas season. I think the stores start putting out stuff way too early and radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, which I think is absurd! I want to celebrate Thanksgiving first!

Soooo...every year it seems like it takes for ever to get into the Christmas spirit. I'm really not a big fan of the holidays. They are stressful, busy and I have to spend a ton of money. I hate that Christmas has become so commercialized. What happened to spending time with family celebrating the birth of our savior?

We haven't even put our tree up yet. I'm not looking forward she constantly making sure the kids, mainly Colton, are leaving it alone. All the bright pretty ornaments are impossible for Colton to resist. They are like magnets to that kid! He is drawn in by the pretty lights and colors of the tree and can't keep his hands off of the ornaments. This year I think we are going to keep it simple. I plan on buying a small tree to sit on top of a cabinet and letting Lauren pick out which ornaments she would like to put on it and then it will be done and out of reach of Colton.

The song says it's the most wonderful time of the year but I disagree. I think the holidays bring out the worst in people. Customers at my job are cranky and just hateful. Customers in the stores I am shopping are inconsiderate and rude. And if you ever lost a loved one this can be a lonely and heartbreaking time of year. Christmas was one of Paul's favorite holidays and it pains me every year that we are celebrating with out him. There is always that piece of my heart that is missing during the festivities.

With all that being said, I'm doing my best to get into the Christmas spirit. It starts out slow for me. After Thanksgiving I start listening to Christmas music at work and that helps a little bit. Then the radio starts sneaking in a Christmas tune every once in a while, that helps a little bit more. The Christmas cards are start rolling in, that puts me in the mood for sure! I love seeing cards from all my friends and family. But you know what gets me in the mood the most is my children. I love watching Lauren get so excited for Jesus' birthday. She ask me everyday when is Jesus is birthday. We started counting down! I also love watching how excited she gets when she meets Santa. In fact the other day she said "I wanna stay in bed until Santa comes."

Santa of course is not what Christmas is all about and she knows that. I just love her imagination and her excitement. That makes me excited for Christmas morning when she opens her presents. Which will mostly be shoes, because she is constantly telling me a new pair of shoes that she wants. I am in so much trouble!!!!!

So here it is less than 20 days till Christmas.... and I am finally getting in the Christmas Spirit and only saying bah humbug on occasion.

Ornaments

2011-12-04T21:11:00.001-06:00

The ornament exchange I co hosted wrapped up last week. I mailed out my ornament to my partner on Monday and I received mine from her later in the week. The one she got me was so incredibly perfect! I love anything to do with snowmen, snowflakes and all that jazz. This is the one she got me.

It is a metal 3D snowflake!!!

Whittney, my partner, said that she likes rustic ornaments. We went to Silver Dollar City in Branson over Thanksgiving weekend so I figured that was the best place to find something rustic. This is what I picked out.

It is a nativity scene carved into a thin piece of wood.

I thought it was super cute! I almost bought one for us too.

MeRrY ChRiStMaS

2011-12-04T20:53:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas! I thought it would be fun if I showed you what our Christmas cards looked like this year since I shared them last year too. It is amazing how different we all look in just a years time!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

I hope that you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Aubrey–Newborn

2011-12-01T23:46:00.001-06:00

I have to say that this little lady has got to be one of the prettiest baby girls I have ever seen. I could hardly take pictures of her because I just wanted to stare at her and cuddle with her. {I love taking pictures for friends because I get to do that!}

Seriously these pictures do not do her justice.

Anywho…this is Aubrey. I did her parents maternity shoot back in early November

And I mentioned that she was born with SVT. And I am happy to report that she is doing great!

I just love how she seems to be staring directly at me in this one!

Ah! Such a beautiful baby!

Whew!

2011-11-30T09:13:00.001-06:00

What a week! I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. I even typed up several marriage posts last week...however I don't want to post them all right away. I am going to spread them out over several weeks.

Things have been crazy lately. Last week I took some time off work which was so nice! {and needed} Wednesday I baked the most amazing brownies. I hope to get the recipe posted soon. They were such a huge hit at our Thanksgiving dinner. I also took newborn photos of Aubrey. I can't tell you how beautiful she is! I will do a post on her as soon as they are finished.

Over the weekend we took a trip to Branson. Did a little Black Friday shopping, went to Silver Dollar City and all came home with colds. :) It was a good trip, the kids did so well in the car, I was pleased.

Monday I had the pleasure of doing another newborn photoshoot. I have so much editing to do. These babies are so incredibly adorable.

The Marriage You've Always Wanted

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

On Saturday Brian and I attended Gary Chapman's "The Marriage You've Always Wanted Seminar" It was absolutely wonderful. I learned so much and found myself constantly wanting more. I was really sad to see the day end. Some of the topics he talked about were

- Communication
- Understanding and Expressing Love
- Initiating Positive Change
- How To Share Things That Bug You

I came home encouraged and inspired.

Brian and I certainly have our fair share of struggles as most married couples do. We fight, we bicker, we disagree and occasionally we are just down right mean and nasty to one another. Sometimes it seems worse than others like we just can't catch a break. There are constantly other things for us to be doing and we have lost the focus on us. By attending this conference together we have taken the first step to put back together what has seemed broken for so long.

I want to share what I learned at this conference, what spoke to my heart and what I am doing to honor my marriage and my husband. I hope to write a series of posts over the next several weeks to months. This is something that has been working up inside of me for sometime now. It wasn't an easy decision to attend this conference and take the initial steps towards "the marriage we've always wanted"

Lauren-isms

2011-11-20T21:45:00.000-06:00

"You can bounce your favorite ball on your head but it might hurt."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"I was about to say no because my brain didn't know the right thing."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"I'll have a taco with no carrots"

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"The dish ran away with the spoon? That's awful!"

The closer that she gets to 4 the more and more that she amazes me. She is getting taller and smarter by the day!

Silhouette II

2011-11-18T17:57:00.000-06:00

Now while I wouldn’t classify the first three photos in this post to be true silhouettes the last one certainly is, I still like them!

My mom looked at these and wasn’t really a fan. She said they were too dark to see anything…I said mom that is how they are supposed to look!

I think they look romantic.

Ah! so beautiful! I love the sun setting behind their heads. :)

Ornament Exchange Matchup

2011-11-16T10:26:00.000-06:00

It's MATCHUP DAY!!

We had 144 people sign up! I think that is so amazing! Jenn divided the entries among the 10 hosts and each host is matching up her participants with their partners. She broke down the list alphabetically, by first name so if you signed up through my blog you may not necessarily be in my group. Check the list to see where your name is at and visit that host's blog to find your ornament exchange partner.

A - Ashely: Addie's blog, Just Another Day in The Life
Ashleigh - Be: Ashleigh's blog, This Lil Heart of Mine
Br - Co: Ashley's blog, Ashley's Carnival Ride
Cr - H: Faith's blog, Walk With Me By Faith
J - Joa: Jenn's blog, Knee-Deep in Munchkin Land
Jod - Kil: Kerbi's blog, So Are You to Me
Kim - Len: Leah's blog, The Imperfect Momma
Les - Mol: Emily's blog, A Beautiful Beginning
Mon - Sonja: Karah's blog, Chateau Stracener
Sonya - W: Sonya's blog, Ladybugs, Butterflies, and Boxing

******

Victoria - Stephanie
Summer - Timmarie
Wendy - Sonya
Whitney- Sonya K
Terri Lynn - Stephanie
Timsha - Teddie
Stormy - Terin
******
I will email each person in my group later today with their partner's information they provided on the form. If for some reason you can't find your name and you are sure you signed up please feel free to leave me a comment or visit Jenn's blog and leave her a comment. Thanks for playing!

Please remember the $10 limit and to mail your ornament to your partner by November 30th.

Close Call

2011-11-15T17:15:00.001-06:00

Today I am thankful for my Dad.

Today I am thankful that he drives a big tank of an SUV.

Today I am thankful for God doing what he does best!

You see, last night my dad was on his way home from work...and well he didn't quite make it home in the SUV. He hit a cow...yes I said a cow. Crazy country folk I tell you trying to tenderize a beef. All joking aside my Dad is lucky to be alive today. He was supposed to have driven my step mom's Civic home from work last night but "accidentally" left the keys locked inside his shop so he decided to take his truck home instead of going back in to get the keys. {isn't God amazing}

Now you may be thinking how can I praise God when his truck is totaled. Well I know that God let him forget the keys on purpose so he would be in the Suburban and not the Civic. My dad was telling me this morning that during his prayer time he was asking God why if he let him drive the SUV home instead of the car did he let it happen at all? My dad said that he heard God tell him that he let him hit the cow in the SUV so that someone driving a much smaller car wouldn't hit the cow. You see we have many friends and family member's that do not drive SUVs that drive that road around the same time that my dad hit the cow. One of their lives was possibly saved. My Dad walked away from the accident sore but alive!Today I am thankful!

Fall Family Photo Fun

2011-11-13T18:38:00.000-06:00

It’s not very often that I get in front of the camera! When Mollie asked me to take pictures of her and Aaron my trade off was that she take some family pictures for us as well. We have waited way too long to have any sort of family picture taken!!

I just love this next picture of Colton. He was having so much fun in the leaves and clapping his hands every time he would throw them up in the air.

I think this next one is my favorite picture of Brian and I.

And just to keep it real…Colton trying to get away. He was hungry and tired and this was the very last shot of the day. LOL!

I am so glad we were able to do this! It was nice to get out in front of the camera for a few shots.

A Couple Of Things

2011-11-12T14:59:00.000-06:00

Monday is the last day for the ornament exchange! If you haven't entered yet there is still time!

Here are the details.

Anyone can enter. You don't have to have a blog or a twitter account.

There is a $10 limit.

We are accepting entries starting today until Monday November 14th. If you would like to participate click this link to take you to a form, fill it out and someone will contact you by Wednesday November 16th with your match up for the exchange. Once you get your match up go shopping and make sure to mail out your package to your partner no later than November 30th. :) Sounds like fun doesn't it!!

This couple's baby girl was born on Thursday and is in need of some prayers.

Shortly after she was born her heart started racing and they have since diagnosed her with Supraventricular tachycardia or SVT. She is at the local children's hospital at least through the weekend. I know that this sweet family has got a long road ahead of them and they would appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks

Aaron and Mollie Fall 2011

2011-11-10T07:02:00.000-06:00

Fall is always such a pretty time to take photos! I just love the leaves changing and all the colors. This year I have really paid closer attention to the whole process. Some of the leaves start to change, then more and then the ones that changed before seem to change again and then yet again! So beautiful!

Mollie wanted to get some family photos in the leaves and we couldn’t make it happen until the last weekend in October. I was for sure the leaves would all be gone but look how pretty they were!

I love that my brother is such a good sport and a willing participant. We went all over town taking pictures!

This is one of my favorites. Mollie likes the antique looking photos so I put a texture on it. I just love the feeling it gives me when I look at it.

I was so pleased how the shots turned out. I got so many good ones.

Birthday Recap

2011-11-09T09:37:00.000-06:00

Sunday started off to be a grand day. Colton woke me up right before midnight. He wanted to make sure that I experienced my birthday to the fullest this year, INCLUDING the extra hour that I got due to daylight savings time. The poor little guy is teething something fierce. He has molars coming in on the left side on both the TOP and the BOTTOM! It took me about 2 hours to get him settled and back asleep for the night.

Later on the kids and I were eating breakfast and Lauren was talking about my birthday coming up. She asked me when it was and I asked her if she remembered what day of the week we said it was on. She said “Sunday, church day.” Then it hit her that it was Sunday. She got up from her chair ran over to me and SCREAMED “IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY” and gave me the biggest hug ever! Gotta love that. :)

That night Brian, the kids, my mom and my brother and sister in law all went out for dinner. Since this was a special occasion I picked PF Changs, not somewhere we go on a regular basis. {please excuse the awful cell phone pics} The food was of course delicious and I was in some of the best company I know. At one point the waitress comes over to fill our water glasses and Lauren says…”EXCUSE me miss waitress. Today is my mommy’s birthday” Again so adorably cute and I have a feeling that she will never forget my birthday!

Aaron and Mollie got me a whoopie pie pan and a whoopie pie cook book! Coincidentally Brian also got me a whoopie pie pan. Oh well now I have two and can make lots of whoopie pies. Brian also got me the Chicago Surprise Cupcake Pan. {picture from amazon} I can’t wait to use this baby. I have got big plans for it. :) I also will be preordering my Kindle Fire! I am super excited.

My mom got me the yummiest ice cream cake ever! Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

It was a good birthday!

Silhouettes

2011-11-08T10:30:00.001-06:00

These are pics from the same maternity shoot that I posted about yesterday. I have to say that I am a bit obsessed with silhouettes lately! I have lots of fun photos to share with you all this week.

Caution: Baby Bump

2011-11-07T10:25:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of doing maternity photos for a friend a few weeks ago. Their little girl should be here any day! I can’t wait to meet her!

10 Days 10 Things - Day Ten

2011-11-06T09:44:00.000-06:00

Today is my birthday! I know you are surprised aren’t you? You had no idea it was coming. :) Well that is ok. I forgive you. Of course I am kidding. The last 9 days have been leading up to my birthday, this last post in my 10 days 10 things series. I have enjoyed doing these posts and spending time putting them together.

Today is about pictures. Not just any pictures, pictures of me. I want to show you what I looked like at 10 different points in my life.

Oh Lord! Look at my hair!!

Brian and I on the last night of our honeymoon!

Christmas last year

This one was just taken last week! WOW!! :)

10 Days 10 Things - Day Nine

2011-11-05T11:06:00.002-05:00

Alright well since my birthday is tomorrow and all, I put together a wish list in case you wanted to get me a present. :) HA! Just kidding. But these are somethings that are on my want list.

1. Laptop bag. I recently got my first laptop EVER! I am so super excited. I have been saving up for over a year and finally made the big purchase. I got a great deal and spent much less than I had saved. Now I need something to carry it around it. I like to take it to work occasionally so that I can blog on my lunch.

Source: etsy.com via Sonya on Pinterest

2. Kindle Fire. Brian is actually getting this for my birthday but it doesn't come out until November 15th but I have already preordered it. I can't wait. I debated back and forth between a Kindle or a Nook and had all but decided on the Nook Color BUT then right before I was going to order it I heard about the new Kindle Fire coming out. I read a bunch of reviews and comparasons and decided on the Kindle Fire.

Source: amazon.com via Sonya on Pinterest

3. Bowflex Treadclimber. I am trying to lose weight and get healthy and this looks better than the regular boring old treadmill.

Source: treadclimber.com via Sonya on Pinterest

4. This new beautiful little number.

Source: coach.com via Sonya on Pinterest

5. Magnetic Spice Rack. I am always looking for ways to improve organization in the kitchen. I would love to free up some cabinet space and use empty space on the door.

Source: containerstore.com via Sonya on Pinterest

6. These storage containers are amazing. I have two of them now for white sugar and flour but I would like to add more for other perishable items in the kitchen.

Source: bedbathandbeyond.com via Sonya on Pinterest

7. Giant Muffin Pan. I love to eat muffins and jumbo size cupcakes. I need a pan to match that!

Source: amazon.com via Sonya on Pinterest

8. Muffin Top Pan. This cracks me up. I have seen so many things made with this pan, not just muffin tops. Whoopie Pies, Big Giant Cookies!! :)

Source: chicagometallicbakeware.com via Sonya on Pinterest

9. One of these days I would like to upgrade my camera. I have an amazing one now that has served me very well but I have had it for almost 3 years. It is already outdated and has two newer models of the type I have. Technology is ever changing!

Source: amazon.com via Sonya on Pinterest

10. A negative scanner of some sort. I have so many pictures from when I shot with film that I would love to have as digital files. All of the pictures I shot when I went to Europe in 2002 are on film. I would love to be able to edit them and share them.

Source: amazon.com via Sonya on Pinterest

Christmas Ornament Exchange

2011-11-04T14:23:00.000-05:00

Normally I don't like to talk about Christmas until after Thanksgiving and I certainly don't talk about it before my birthday! But this year is an exception. I am co-hosting an ornament exchange! Jenn from Knee-Deep In Munchkin Land tweeted a few weeks back about someone co-hosting an ornament exchange with her this year. Christmas ornaments are one of my favorite things so I replied and a bunch of us ladies have teamed up.

Addie from Just Another Day In The Life, Ashley from Ashley's Carnival Ride, Emily from A Beautiful Beginning, Kerbi from So Are You To Me, Leah from The Imperfect Momma, Ashleigh from This Lil Heart Of Mine, Karah from Chateau Stracener, Faith from Walk With Me By Faith, Jenn from Knee-Deep In Munchkin Land.

Here are the details.

Anyone can enter. You don't have to have a blog or a twitter account.

There is a $10 limit.

We are accepting entries starting today until Monday November 14th. If you would like to participate click this link to take you to a form, fill it out and someone will contact you by Wednesday November 16th with your match up for the exchange. Once you get your match up go shopping and make sure to mail out your package to your partner no later than November 30th. :) Sounds like fun doesn't it!!

If you want the button to spread the word on your own blog feel free to grab it from my sidebar.

I would love it if you leave me a comment to let me know that you signed up. Since there are so many blogs hosting this we will have lots of entries!!!

Have Fun!

10 Days 10 Things - Day Eight

2011-11-04T11:27:00.001-05:00

I love music. I listen to the radio and CDs for close to two hours every single day. I have a fairly long commute to work and then I also listen to songs on my phone when I am working out.

1. I Lift My Hands - Chris Tomlin I love all of Chris Tomlin's music. He is so incredibly talented. This is one of my absolute favorites from him. This song speaks volume to my soul. It is so easy to praise the Lord in the good times but a true test of faith is if you can praise him in the not so good times.

2. I Need A Savior - Among The Thirsty This is a very special song for me. I listened to it so many times before I got pregnant with Colton and it came on the radio just when I needed it to. One day I was praying about having another baby, Brian and I so badly. This song had been on my heart during my prayer and as soon as I said Amen this song came on the radio. It was a confirmation to me that we were going to have another baby and it would be a boy.

3. Before the Morning - Josh Wilson My favorite quote from this song is "Life is not a snapshot, it may take a little time but you'll see the bigger picture"

4. The Dance - Garth Brooks Antyhing Garth Brooks is my favorite! I own every single one of his CDs and have seen him in concert. He was here in 2007 and did several shows. I would have went every single night if I could have gotten tickets.

5. Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts Brian and I's song.

6. Hold Me - Jamie Grace I love the beat

7. Stand Still Look Pretty - The Wreckers This is an emotional song for me.

8. You Raise Me Up - Selah

9. Amazed - Lonestar This is the song that Brian and I danced to at our wedding.

10. Love Without End Amen - George Strait. This is the song that I danced with my dad at my wedding. My brother Paul loved to sing. I get much of my music interest from him. We both shared a love for Garth Brooks and George Strait! Anyways Paul sung this song for my dad on Father's day one year. I wanted to honor my brother in several ways for my wedding. Since he died just over one year before hand it was a very bittersweet time for my entire family. I picked this song as a memory of Paul and a new beginning in my life.

10 Days 10 Things - Day Seven

2011-11-03T11:06:00.001-05:00

I have had the privilege of traveling out of the country a few times and even going to Europe. It was amazing and I have wanted to go back since the minute my plane landed to come home! Brian and I are saving up and hope to be able to go together for our 10 year wedding anniversary.

Places I have been
1. England

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2. Ireland

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3. France

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4. Jamaica

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Places I want to go

5. Greece

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6. Italy

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7. Australia

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8. Russia

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9. Thahiti

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10. New Zealand

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Don't all these places look divine?!?!?!

10 Days 10 Things - Day Six

2011-11-02T11:26:00.000-05:00

I am having fun sharing all these thing with you. Today is all about movies. I enjoy a good movie. One that can make me laugh, cry, jump, laugh out loud. They are a nice escape and a relaxing way to spend an evening cuddled up on the couch.

1. Beaches. I remember this movie from way back in the day. I love it even though it makes me cry every single time I watch it!!

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2. The Harry Potter Movies. Yes that is a total of eight movies all on one line and I like some more than others but it just wouldn't be right to separate them.

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3. Dirty Dancing. No explanation needed here.

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4. Grease. I can't help but love this movie!

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5. Singin' In The Rain. My all time favorite musical/movie. Everytime it comes to town we go and see it!

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6. 10 Things I Hate About You. I probably should consider this one a guilty pleasure!

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7. Now and Then

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8. Happy Gilmore. I love Adam Sandler. He cracks me up and I pretty much always enjoy one of his movies.

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9. The Wizard Of Oz. Such a timeless classic.

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10. Top Gun. Ah Tom Cruise back in the day before he got all weird and nutty.

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10 Days 10 Things–Day Five

2011-11-01T14:27:00.000-05:00

Things I Love

1. My family. I am so truly blessed by the wonderful family that God has given me. I couldn't ask for a better husband or better children.

2. Baking. It is no secret around here that I love to cook and bake.

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3. Photography

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4. Patrick Dempsey. I tease Brian all the time that Patrick Dempsey is going to be my second husband. Hey if a man can have sister wives then I can have a brother husband.

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5. Gilmore Girls. My all time favorite television show EVER.

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6. Cadbury Eggs. I live for Easter to roll around so I can stock up on these bad boys.

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7. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I love to eat them and to bake with them. There are all kinds of things to add them to.

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8. Purple. My all time favorite color. I have everything in purple. Purple cell phone case, purple wallet, purple purse, even purple shoes.

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9. Shoes. I have tons and tons of shoes!

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10. Purses...specifically Coach Purses!

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10 Days 10 Things - Day Four

2011-11-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

I forgot to schedule this to post yesterday and was so busy with all things Halloween that I forgot to publish it. So to catch up I will post twice today. The kids had so much fun trick or treating. Lauren was Cinderella and Colton was a jester. The two cutest little goblins if I do say so myself.

This post is about Authors. I was going to do one about my favorite books since I have been reading so much this year, however I couldn't narrow it down to just ten books so I thought I would highlight the authors instead.

1. Emily Giffin. I have read every single one of her books and LOVED them all!!

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2. Gary Chapman. I have read several of his books and Brian and I are going to one of his marriage conferences this month! I am super excited. He is also the author of The Five Love Languages.

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3. Lysa TerKeurst. I have read a couple of her books, Made To Crave by far being my favorite. I have also listened to her share her story on the radio several times. She is real and so down to earth. I would love to hear her speak in person.

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4. Gary Thomas. He is the author of Sacred Marriage and Sacred Parenting. Both amazing books.

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5. Jodi Picoult. While I haven't read all of her books yet I certainly have liked the ones that I have read. And if you remember I have them all so I can read them at my leisure.

6. Jim Fay and Charles Fay Authors of the love and logic books. These books have revolutionized my parenting skills.

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7. J K Rowling because well...who doesn't love Harry Potter?!!??

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Next I wanted to share three of my favorite bloggers. Yesterday I highlighted food bloggers but these are three personal bloggers.

8. Sonya from A Day In The Life. I have met Sonya in person several times and we even went on a family vacation this past summer. She is such a sweet person and I am proud to be able to call her my friend.

9. Laura from The Bignell Family. I cannot tell you enough about Laura. Even though I only know her through blogging and twitter I know she is amazing. She is such an encouragement and an amazing friend.

10. Ashley from be love. This girl has a lot going for her. She is adorable and has a sense of humor to boot. Visit her blog and give her some love.

10 Days 10 Things - Day Three

2011-10-30T21:38:00.000-05:00

10 of my favorite Food Blogs

If you have read my blog for any length of time you know that I love to cook and bake. Well I also love to read food blogs and get inspiration, recipes and ideas from them. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Confessions Of A Cookbook Queen. I love Kristan's sense of humor and mad skills. She combines humor with some pretty kick butt recipes! She makes her food look and sound delicious and always has some story to tell.

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2. How Sweet It Is. Jessica and I share a love...the love of all things cake batter!

3. Recipe Girl

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4. Picky Palate One of my ALL TIME favorites. Every recipe that I have tried from Jenny has been amazing. I love her creativity

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5. I am Baker What can I say about Amanda the brains behind this site? Well she is crazy talented and such a sweet lady. I can tell from her site and interacting with her on twitter that she is one amazing lady.

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6. Skinnytaste This has been a go to site for low fat dinners during my weight loss journey. Not only are they fairly easy to prepare but they taste good too. I love how she includes calorie content and portion sizes.

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7. Add A Pinch

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8. brown eyed baker

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9. Dine and Dish

10. My Kitchen Addiction

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10 Days 10 Things - Day Two

2011-10-29T15:05:00.000-05:00

Day Two is about the TV shows that I like to watch. This was a hard one for me to narrow down to just 10. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to do my all time favorite shows or the current shows or what so I just did a mixture of shows I watched now and shows I watched back in the day.

1. Gilmore Girls is my top number 1 all time favorite show EVER. I love love LOVE this show! I was so sad to see it end. I watch the episodes on DVD repeatedly!!

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2. Desperate Housewives. I love the intensity and twists and turns that this show throws out. I am so sad that this is going to be the last season.

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3. Grey's Anatomy. This has been a favorite of mine since it very first started. I love that my second husband, Patrick Dempsey, is one of the main characters!

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4. Parenthood. This is a new favorite of mine. It is a fairly new show and I started watching it solely because Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls is in it, so I was very pleased that I actually like watching the show!

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5. The Biggest Loser. This show is so inspiring and I can’t believe that I used to sit on the couch and eat while I would watch it!

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6. Felicity. One of the shows from the good old days!

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7. The King of Queens. This show makes me laugh…enough said.

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8. America’s Next Top Model. Brian and I have been watching this show since the very beginning. I remember sitting in our very first apartment together glued to the TV! Don’t judge. This show makes me laugh and I love the photography aspect and just watching the crazy girl drama that there is EVERY season.

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9. That 70’s Show. Reruns of never get old.

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10. Food Network. I love pretty much every single show on this station!

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10 Days 10 Things - Day One

2011-10-28T11:06:00.001-05:00

Erin over at Bless This Nest did this series called 10 Day You Challenge and I thought it was a wonferful idea so I wanted to do it too. I decided to change it up a bit though. Instead of a countdown I will pick a topic each day for 10 days and list 10 things about that topic. I have been crazy busy lately and in kind of a blogging rut. Well not exactly a rut. I have tons of things I want to blog about just no time to actually write a post. My birthday is coming up so I thought no better time than now to do this!

Alrighty so day 1 is about secrets. This is a tough one for me. If I tell you 10 of my secrets then...well they won't be secrets anymore. Oh well here it goes!

1. I hate getting my hands dirty, wet or really anything on them. I cannot stand getting any sort of liquid on my hands whether it is hot, cold, wet, sticky, you name it...it gives me the willies. I wash my hands a ton! But here is the weird thing...Lotion doesn't bother me and in fact I have to use alot of it because of all the hand washing.

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2. I like to rock out to the song "Pocket Full of Sunshine" Easy A style. I know it's embarassing right?!?!?!

3. As much as I hate playing second fiddle to my husband I find it completely endearing the way that Lauren loves him so much. I am so glad that they have that father/daughter relationship that so many young girls get deprived of. She is the apple of his eye as he is hers.

4. Sometimes I feel like I have no direction for my life at all. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up! I have worked for the same company for 9 years and have moved around and up a little bit but I know that it is not what I want to spend my life doing.

5. I really love photography but I don't think that it will ever be more than a hobby. I do not have the luxury of extra time to take classes and hone my skills. I have had to cut back on the number of photoshoots that I can do because editing the pictures takes too much time from my family. Also if I were a professional I am not willing to give up my nights and weekends to photoshoots and I know that it is a big part of the business. Every once in a while is one thing but all the time is completely another. But maybe one day.

6. I LOVE Oreos. If you follow me on Pinterest I have a board dedicated just to them. So many recipes to try, too many calories to consume!

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7. I wish that I had learned to sew and crochet or knit. My mom tried to teach me several times and I never could get the hang of it so I didn't keep on trying. I should have been more persistent and I am really kicking myself now!

8. Despite my lack of sewing abilities I know how to cross stitch.

9. I used to play the piano and the trumpet. I however am not very musically inclined so I was pretty awful at both!

10. 4 of my front teeth are fake. They got knocked out in a bicycle accident when I was just starting my 6th grade year. I was riding a bike, hit some gravel and went flying over the handle bars. I broke off parts of the 4 top front teeth and had gravel lodged in my gums. I had to have surgery to repair my gums not once but twice and had to have porcelain composites done on my teeth to fix them.

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Only this wasn't the first time one of my front teeth had gotten knocked out. When I was in fourth grade we were doing our tumbling section in gym glass. I was running on the gym floor with just my socks on, slipped, fell and hit my mouth knocking out one of my front teeth. My dentist loves the work I give him!

Make This Tonight

2011-10-27T11:02:00.000-05:00

You will thank me...I promise.

Sorry for my lack of posting lately. I have been busy and uninspired. So I am reposting this recipe. Fall is in the air! I love all things soups, chilis, chowders. :) This recipe really should be chowder because it is so lick and DELICIOUS!!

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients

1 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
2 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley flake
8 tbs butter
6 cups chicken broth
8 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup flour
16 oz velveeta cubed
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Brown the meat, drain and set aside

In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat: saute the onions until clear.

Add the carrots and the meat

Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender.

Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.

Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Something Borrowed

2011-10-19T04:22:00.000-05:00

I finally got to check out Something Borrowed from the library after being on the waiting list forever! I refuse to see the movie until I have read the book even though I am sure that I will be disappointed by the movie since books are usually always better! But I am going to watch it anyways. I like Kate Hudson so I know it will be worth it.

Anyways if you remember I have already read Something Blue that is the sequel/sister book of Something Borrowed.

Something Borrowed is told from Rachel's perspective. {Something Blue is from Darcy's} She is a lawyer in New York, a self sacrificing friend who suddenly finds herself in love with her best friend's finance and to make matters worse he reciprocates those feelings! Parts of the book had me shaking my head, other parts had me biting my nails in suspense. In some ways I see alot of myself in Rachel, not the cheating with my best friend's soon to be husband part, but the part about her turning 30, always being the good girl and always doing the right thing. Even though Darcy was Rachel's best friend she was always living in her shadow. They are always competing with one another and Darcy always has to upstage Rachel so I found myself cheering for her when she finally stood up for herself in numerous instances but I was a little sad that it took having an affair to bring that out in her. But I do think that Emily Giffin brought this very sensitive subject to a whole new light, makes you think that sometimes people really aren't who you thought they were. I love how the two books together explore the unique relationship between two women who have known each other their entire lives and how growing up together can sometimes give people different notion of who each other are. You still see them as how they were when you were younger in middle school or high school and not for who they have become.

I will say though that I think I like Something Blue better and I am not 100% sure as to why that is. Maybe because Something Borrowed delves more into the infedelity than Something Blue does and Darcy really turns her life around in Something Blue. In the end I did enjoy this book as I have all of Emily Giffin's.

Plan Of Attack

2011-10-18T16:13:00.000-05:00

Along this road to a healthy weight I am learning so many things.
How many calories are in what food.
How many calories can I burn doing which exercises.
When I eat better I FEEL better.

And so on and so on. I try one thing, it doesn't work as well as I would like, so I try something else and I lose weight so I stick to that. Sometimes I get bored and like to change it up but overall what I have found is that
- Exercise is key
- Counting my calories is key.
- Cutting portion size is key
- Limiting sweets, potatoes, cheese and all the stuff that I love to bake and therefore love to eat is key.

The main thing is that along this journey I am learning things about myself. When I first started out to lose weight I made excuses. I hated....HATED to exercise. Sometimes even the thought of going on a walk with the kids was too much for me. So when I now am able to say that I am exercising and AH! I ENJOY IT!!! I can hardly believe that I am the same person. When I exercise I can almost feel the weight melting off. I don't know how to explain it. I wake up in the morning feeling lighter and relieved. I can tell when I have slacked off on the new healthy eating habits that I have adapted and when I haven't exercised. I feel sluggish, tired and well just plain fat, then I get back to the exercising routine, eat better and I feel amazing. I have more energy, I feel more confident and better about myself.

As I mentioned above it is not all sunshine and roses. I have days that I want to eat everything in sight. Days that I can't say no to the most random foods that are calling my name. Chex Mix...seriously...why do I want to eat you? Red Velvet Cake Donuts in the store bakery, you are killing me!
The last week or so was very hard for me. I had several of the days where I wanted to eat everything and I didn't do as well on my calorie goal as I should have. I went over several days and was disappointed in myself. However this past week I had an epiphany or two and this has led me to my plan of attack!!

- if I am hungry I will eat so that I am not so completely starving that I eat things that I shouldn't because they are easily accessible.
- Breakfast is important and I should eat it BEFORE I leave the house. It is far too easy for me to want to pick up breakfast on my way to work and I may not always make the wisest choice. However if I eat before I leave the house or at least grab something to eat on the way I am less tempted to get something else and I for sure will not eat anything extra if I have already eaten breakfast.
- I have stocked a few low calorie meals in the freezer for those days when I don't have left overs. I take those to work with me so that I will not be tempted to eat out.
- Some sort of daily exercise for me is important. It keeps me in the routine. It is so easy to slack off for one day and then the next and the next. If I am consistent about doing something on a daily basis I have been more likely to stick with it. Plus it is easier for me to do it day after day rather than start back up after missing a few days.

Even though last week I had some not so good days I stuck with it and got back on the horse even though I didn't exercise as much as I should have. So when I stepped on the scale yesterday and was just TWO pounds shy of having lost 40 pounds I was least to say ecstatic. What made it even better was putting on a pair of pants this morning that are two sizes smaller than what I have been wearing and I have room to spare! I haven't worn these pants since before I was pregnant with Lauren. I love being able to sit down in a pair of pants and not see my stomach bulge or fear that I am going to bust the button off!

I still have a long way to go but I am over HALF WAY to my total weight loss goal and with the way that I feel mentally and physically right now I know that I can make it!

Wedding Bells

2011-10-15T15:16:00.001-05:00

I am no longer drowning in the sea of wedding photos! That’s right I am done editing and the CD has been delivered!

I think I did pretty good. The wedding was three weeks ago today and I was done on Wednesday. That is definitely the fastest I have ever turned out a wedding.

Here are a few of my favorite shots.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

Last week we went on our annual visit to the pumpkin patch. It was 80 degrees the day we went! That just doesn’t seem right. We may have to go back once more during some real Fall weather.

We fed some goats and other animals.

I shot this picture of Colton and I think it is my new favorite.

We played on the playground

We fed some ducks.

We took a family picture.

And finally we picked some pumpkins!

Lauren-isms

2011-10-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

"Dad, you know what? The law says no drinks in the living room."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Lauren: "Momma my head hurts?"

Me: "Why do you think that is?"

Lauren: "Because I picked the wrong shoes to wear"

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"Sun, come here Sun, where are you?"
"Child! Come here"

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

“My car is taking a nap, that’s why I pushed it over”

Something Blue

2011-10-01T09:35:00.000-05:00

Something Blue is the second book in the Darcy and Rachel saga. I like to be a rebel so I read it first. No actually I checked it out from the library and it became available before Something Borrowed.

Anyways its another book that I have read by Emily Giffin. Can I tell you again how much I love her writing? LOVE IT! I am sad that once I read Something Borrowed I will have read all of her books.

Love The One You're With

Heart of the Matter

Baby Proof

I hope she has another one come out soon!

Ok so back to Something Blue it is a story about 2 best friends, Rachel and Darcy, who suddenly find themselves not best friends anymore. The main character for this book, Darcy, sets out on a journey of self discovery and learns so much and grows as a person over the course of the book.

I couldn't wait to get to the end to find out how it all worked out for her. But the main thing that I liked about the book is that I could relate to the characters. Giffin tells the story so wonderfully that you are almost able to transport yourself right there into the situation. I said that once before when I read Love The One You're With that I felt like I was chatting with a girlfriend instead of reading a book; I felt the same way about this one. They are such easy reads but they always make me take a step back and think about things in my own life. I love how her writing does that without me really noticing. I am really looking forward to reading Something Borrowed that is told from Rachel's perspective. It has also been made into a movie but I am waiting to watch it until after I have read the book!

Flower Girls

2011-09-30T21:52:00.001-05:00

I have to work all weekend so I was off today. I took the opportunity to hit the wedding photos pretty hard and am very pleased to say that I am half way finished! :) This makes me happy…very…very happy!

So I mentioned that the wedding party had 7 children in it. Cute Cute CUTE children!

Here are a few of my favorites of the flower girls.

Aren’t they adorable!?!?!

Wedding Party

2011-09-27T18:08:00.001-05:00

I might be a little MIA over the next few weeks. If you are looking for me I have probably drowned in the sea of editing wedding photos or I am on the elliptical. I shot a wedding this past weekend and so I now set off to edit the photos in a timely manner while still holding down the fort at home, working a full time job, tending to two kids, my husband and myself and still making sure I fit in time to exercise on a daily basis! WOW that was a mouthful.

Anywho…here are some of my favorite shots from the day so far.

There were a ton of kids at this wedding and by a ton I mean that there were SEVEN in the wedding party alone! Most bride and grooms may choose to exclude children from the invites but not this fun loving couple. They embraced the children, even setting up a special area for them and there were almost more children than adults, so it is only natural that most of my favorite photos involve children.

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

2011-09-24T08:10:00.000-05:00

I finished Ree Drummond's (aka The Pioneer Woman) book earlier this week. I loved it, wanted more, and was so sad to see it end!

Ree is such a talented writer so it is no surprise that her very popular blog is award winning and her books have done so well.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl

Charlie The Ranch Dog

This book is about how she met, fell in love with and married her cowboy husband whom she refers to as Marlboro Man. The way that she tells the story is so captivating. It draws you in and makes you laugh and cry right along with her. If I didn't know better I could have fallen in love with her cowboy myself.
She had to have kept a journal throughout their courtship to have remembered their love story with such colorful detail.

This book was definitely a delight to read and I am looking forward you reading her next book.

I frequent her website, own her cookbook and love making recipes of hers. A couple of weeks ago we had friends over for dinner. On the menu was the Marlboro Man Sandwich. Here is {my link} from another time I made it. I was talking to my friend about how much butter the recipe calls for and that I didn't even use half of it seeing as I am trying to lose weight. Lauren, my butter loving child, couldn't believe her ears. She started calling her the "butter lady" and all through dinner kept talking about how she wants to meet her since they both love butter so much. I tried to get her on video but of course it is never as good the second time around or when you have a camera in their face. But here it is.

She loved the "meat and butter sandwich" and was still talking about it and the butter lady days later!

Lauren mentions a movie because we had been talking about how the book is going to be made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon!

It’s All About the Outfit

2011-09-23T05:07:00.000-05:00

At any point in time you may have a chance to do something really special. And of course you must be dressed for the occasion.

Even if that occasion is practicing riding your bike.

A girl still needs to look her best.

And a Fancy Nancy sequined tulle tutu dress is perfect for an occasion such as this!

Wouldn’t you say?

I thought so!

Too Cute

2011-09-22T16:51:00.001-05:00

Lauren-isms

2011-09-19T18:04:00.001-05:00

"The sky made me a birthday cake. It {the clouds} are all pink, purple and gray."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"Can I have some chewing gum so I can stick it on my plate while we eat?"

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Lauren: "Can I kiss you on the junk eye?"

Me: "what is the junk eye?"

Lauren points to my face

Me: "That is your cheek, not a junk eye!"

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Row Row Row your boat careful down the stream. Mary Mary Mary life is a bought dream

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2011-09-16T09:05:00.000-05:00

It was no where near Pumpkin Spice Latte "season" and I found myself jonesing for a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. Too bad it was March and they had long been done with the seasonal flavor and I would have to wait 6 months for it to return. Then I remembered that a while back I saw a recipe for one on Eat Live Run. I tweaked it just a bit to get it just the way I like it. :) I also use almond milk because I have a sensitivity to milk AND almond milk is WAY lower in calories than cow’s milk!
Lucky for me, canned pumpkin is available year round! It has become a staple at my house. I seem to be having a love affair with it. I have been making lots of things with pumpkin.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients:

1 cup strongly brewed coffee
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 pumpkin pie spice plus more for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Brew your coffee and make it strong. The directions on the bag of coffee that I have say 1 tablespoon of coffee to 6 ounces of water so I usually do 2 tablespoons.
On the stovetop {microwave directions below} in a small saucepan combine the almond milk and the canned pumpkin. Cook over medium heat until steaming, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice {don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand. That's ok just combine 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 ground ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg to make 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice}

Pour mixture into your blender and blend on high until mixture is nice and foamy

Pour pumpkin milk into a very large coffee cup.

Top with your cup coffee and stir gently and top with more pumpkin pie spice if desired! MMM! Delicious!

*****In a hurry??? Want to make this recipe quicker and more on the way out the door morning friendly? Do it in the microwave. In a glass bowl or large cup that has a lid combine all the ingredients except for the coffee. Whisk or still to combine and break up the pumpkin a little bit, then put the lid on and here is where I get super high tech, baristas everywhere are probably going to stone me for this one. SHAKE that bowl like your life depended on it. Shake shake and shake some more. You want the milk to get nice and foamy and almost double in size. Then stick it in the microwave for about 1:30 depending on how hot you like your milk. Just make sure that you don't over heat it. Pour in your very large cup and top with the coffee.

Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze

2011-09-15T16:01:00.000-05:00

Like I mentioned in my first post of the day…today is my brother’s birthday. He is a lover of all things red velvet and lets me experiment new recipes on him! I have been eyeing these Red Velvet Pancakes ever since I saw them on I am mommy but I wasn’t sold on the recipe that she used. I wanted to use whole wheat flour so I scoured the internet, found two recipes that I liked, picked out the ingredients I wanted and waala! my Red Velvet Pancakes!

I mixed up the batter and the glaze at home, loaded the griddle up in my car and headed to my brother’s work to surprise him. It was awesome!!
He loved them and declared them better than regular pancakes! If that isn’t success then I don’t know what is.

Red Velvet Pancakes

Ingredients
1½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

2 tbsp melted butter

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tablespoons red food coloring

Directions

Whisk together milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle.

In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, all purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Make a well in the center, and pour in milk mixture, eggs, melted butter, the vanilla and food coloring. Mix until combined.

Preheat griddle on medium heat. Using a

1/4 to 1/3 cup measuring spoon pour the batter onto the griddle. Once bubbles form, gently flip and cook for a few more minutes.

Top with cream cheese glaze.

For Cream Cheese Glaze:

Ingredients
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon almond milk

Directions
In a medium sized bowl mix whisk the cream cheese, vanilla and almond milk together and then add powdered sugar. If the glaze is too thick you can add a bit more milk. It will thin out/melt a bit when you put it on the hot pancake.

Makes 12-15 pancakes.

You will enjoy these pancakes. I promise! {yes I served them on paper plates and yes they are not as pretty as I could have made them but they are delicious!}

Happy Birthday Aaron

2011-09-15T07:14:00.000-05:00

A very happy birthday to my big brother! We Love You!!

Music Therapy

2011-09-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how a song can transport you back in time. When you hear a certain song it sometimes feels as if I are right back in that moment... the moment you first heard it; a first kiss with a new boyfriend; a time in your life.

In the book Sing You Home that I blogged about earlier this week, Zoe, one of the main characters is a music therapist. She used music to help kids undergoing chemotherapy, Autistic children, Alzheimer patients, a depressed adolescent and many other patients. This was very interesting to me. I have always realized the connection between music and emotions, songs and memories but I never knew there was a profession based on all that.

picture credit

This picture of the babies popped up when I googled Music Therapy and I just thought it was too cute not to share.

Often when I hear certain songs I feel very emotional, does that ever happen to you? A song will just come on the radio and instantly transform my mood. Sometimes they make me want to dance and sometimes I even cry!

On my way to work the other day I popped in a mixed CD that I made over 10 years ago. It was so funny to hear the songs I listened to in high school. oh the memories that came back to me. The places I went, the friends I had, the boys I was convinced I was in love with! I have realized how my taste in music has changed since then but it didn't stop me from singing along with every song and thinking back on the person I was when I made that CD. And I would say that YES it was theraputic for me to take a walk down memory lane even though that was not my intention when I put the CD in.

This Little Man

2011-09-13T08:34:00.000-05:00

Makes My Heart Sing

This little man has been sick. He started running a fever last Thursday and it lasted all the way until Sunday afternoon. When I took him to the doctor they said it was a sinus infection. Oh how miserable he must have felt. He was totally not himself. He would just cry and cry and break his momma’s heart. I felt so bad for him! I of all people know how bad sinus infections suck and I just wanted to take it away from him and make him better.

Luckily we caught it early enough and the doctor had us start him on antibiotics right away. He is finally starting to act like his normal happy go lucky self!

I’ve Got Work To Do

2011-09-12T12:54:00.001-05:00

Well actually I have some reading to do. One of my goals for 2011 was to read more. It is a nice quiet hobby that I can do in a variety of places. I often read on my lunch break, in the doctor’s office waiting room, before bed instead of watching TV or any other time I can find to squeeze in reading. So far this year I have already read

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood by Jim Fay and Charles Fay

Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin

Heart Of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Baby Proof by Emily Giffin

Made To Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

The Four Seasons of Marriage by Gary Chapman

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

I think that I am doing a fairly good job at reading more! Last year I can only think of 4 books that I read and I only blogged about two of them!

While I am checking most of the books out from the library, Sonya, thought she would help me along. When we went on vacation in August she brought along with her, ALL of her Jodi Picoult books except for the ones that I have already read!

So it looks as though I have some reading to do…A LOT of reading! I know that I won’t get them all read before the end of the year. I hope she isn’t expecting them back anytime soon!!

Sing You Home

2011-09-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

A book about unexpected love and ultimate forgiveness.

Source: jodipicoult.com via Sonya on Pinterest

This is the second book that I have read by Jodi Picoult. When I first read the synopsis on the cover of the book I knew I had to read it. It had reeled me in already and I got way more than I was expecting! It deals with such issues as infertility, gay rights, parenthood, and religious beliefs.

After being married for 10 years and dealing with heartbreaking infertility two of the main characters divorced and then they each fall in love to some very unexpected people. I love how Picoult takes you through through so many twists and turns although I thought that many of the outcomes were predictable.

While I may not totally agree with the opinions and events that happened in the book I did walk away from it feeling like I had done a little soul searching as well as learned a little something. I have realized, in just the two books that I have read from Picoult, that she researches her books very well. I love that she includes real places and real events that happened around the time that she wrote the book.