Mt Lemmon Day in Pictures

Mt Lemmon in Pictures

Quick catch up..

Moving, packing, it all sucks

   Guys, I'm tired. Bone deep, my body aches like it's been run over by I don't know what. I'm not physically tired, well I am but in a way that reflects the extreme weariness in my mind. Mentally checking and going through the list of things that need to be accomplished in a certain span of time. Trying not to hyperventilate on finding the kids decent breastfeeding friendly, not gonna call dfac on me because my daughter has low growth hormone pediatrician , that does take tricare. And finding myself a regular doctor. Avoiding the thought of my husband leaving for half a year and his potential life risks. Pysching myself up for the move across country to stay with family.

    I'm finding myself struggling with change, which back in the day before kids was something I longed for and welcomed and now I'm surprised by the reluctance I feel. Or maybe it's just all the work that needs to go in to accomplish the change. Or maybe I have become even more of a bum/lazy than before kids.

   To top it off my lovely Mommy boy son has yet to night wean... and I need that to happen. Both my husband and myself are slowly dying. My daughter night weaned on her own no problem in 3 days. Boy... not so much. He needs that nurse session to calm down if not he just screams and cries and squalls and nothing but it will calm him. And the teething... no joke guys... no joke that teething. Terrible twos as well! My strong willed daughter is amazing and lovable, hilarious and ornery but that also evolves into a battle of wills and right now my will is depleted haha.

   I know I'm rambling, in part due to exhaustion but to say I'm with you. I know that my struggle isn't as hard as others and vice versa but they are each others struggles and I know God will not give me more than I can handle. I have slacked in seeking Him lately and seeing His will. But I know HE is with me. And I will start to seek and find Him. I want to encourage you fellow Mommy that you are not alone in those struggles.   

    To add some expectation and excitement lol I have almost finished the kids dress up clothes for the fall festival and will be posting that fun event probably Saturday sometime! Crazy excited for you to see it and them and ... my dogs hahahahaha. Anyway I leave you a picture of this past weekends excursion to some fall leaves and cooler weather.

What? I'm going to miss this place?

Moving On

     I sit here with walls once littered with pictures, canvases, verses, and odd and ends. There's already a slight echoing around the room if someone talks too loud (or squeals like our daughter). It's the only thing we've done in our operation pack the house, but I feel like it's probably the biggest step. This is real... it's actually going to happen. We are moving out of this house. 

     I've kind of been avoiding this step and I'll avoid the next steps too. And I've avoided writing this because I remember everything that's happened in this house. 

    

     Funnily enough I couldn't wait to leave. Absolutely despise this desert and it's dirt and "dry" heat. Even with the amazing and inspiring friends that we've come to think of as family I wanted to leave. But now it's becoming more of a reality. And some fear. Do I really want to live? Or am I afraid?

     We've brought 2 babies home to this house. Our children have had their first baths, first laughs, their first bumped noggin. Eva took her first steps in this very room I'm sitting in, on the very carpet she is now playing on. 

    

      So many firsts have happened in this house for Josh and I too. We've grown so much as a married couple and as individuals. And fought and had terrible fights. We've overcome so much. Struggling to eat when we first arrived here and no money to being able to financially afford a brand new couch and van! 

       Though I still am so excited to move, I find myself incredibly sad and so thankful. I will miss so many people in this place. They were and are lights in a dark place and made living here the best thing ever. I've come in the last few months to even appreciate the beauty of the desert.  And I think that though I have never been a fan of here we sufficiently explored and conquered this part of the country and milked everything it had to offer us. That we could at least physically and financially accomplish ha!

    I'm being to finally find that contentment in everyday life, and it's quite soothing to the soul.

 "I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Philippians 4:11 

       

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake that's Magic!

Magic Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

    Being that I'm obsessed with all things pumpkin and pumpkin spice this fall, I have turned to pinterest to help me... expand on my pumpkin addiction and I came across this lovely dream! I found it on the blog I wash, You dry and decided to give it a whirl and heck yea it was worth it! The awesomeness about this cake is the fact that you start out with the chocolate devils food cake on the bottom and pour the pumpkin pie mix on top and while baking the density of the pie slowly settles to the bottom. Something about giving it a chance to cook longer or something. Who cares it works and it's cool beans!

Pretty :) and look at those cool layers!

I was in a crazy hurry to get it made before Bible study this morning 

and didnt get any pictures of in the process making lol

Ingredients

For the Cake:
1 box of devil's food cake mix PLUS ingredients needed to make (eggs, water, oil)

For the Pumpkin Pie:
1 (15oz) can Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used 2% milk and it came out just fine)
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

For the Frosting
1 (4 serving size) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup cold milk
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
4 to 5 gingersnap cookies, crushed into crumbs (I dont like these, so I sprinkled dark chocolate powder on the top)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare box of cake mix according to package instructions, then pour into a lightly greased 9"x13" cake pan. DO NOT BAKE. Set aside. (I seperated mine in half to do 2 cake pans. One for for Bible study and one for us at home!)
In another bowl whisk together the ingredients for the Pumpkin Pie (pumpkin, evaporated milk, cream, eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice), until smooth. Slowly pour the pumpkin pie mixture all over the cake mix.
Carefully place cake into the oven and bake for 50-60 (mine cooked about 40 mins in two 8x8 pans) minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly, and a toothpick inserted into cake mix comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature.

For the Frosting:
Place the vanilla pudding mix into a large bowl and pour in the cold milk. Whisk until combined and starting to thicken. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until it's completely combined. Spread on top of the cooled cake then sprinkle with the crushed gingersnap cookies.
You can serve now, or chill the cake, and serve when chilled. Either way tastes great. Enjoy! So much better if chilled a few hours! In my humble opinion of course!

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

Marana Pumpkin Patch

      So this past weekend was the opening of the pumpkin patch. I wanted to start October off with a fall bang, so away we went. Other than it being little bit warm... quite a bit warm, we had a great time and got our money's worth that's for sure! We have gone to Marana Pumpkin Patch for the past 3 years and they just keep adding more and more! Extremely kid friendly with a couple play grounds with slides and climbing what nots. A train! Tractor rides shaped in pumpkins, peddle carts, pumpkin cannons, petting zoo, pig racing, zip line, and more. Overall it was a great and successful day! 

 I really loved that this year they had a huge set up of places you can take pictures

all in place with multiple little sets.

 He is just too cute!

 Jumping pillows! Evas wasn't quite a fan.

Probably because Daddy was bouncing too

enthusiastically.

 The train!!!!!

 Eva was so excited for the "choo choo" train

 Pumpkin train

 Daddy being a great daddy , doing the peddle carts 

 This was a new addition a giant blow up jumping pillow

shaped as a pumpkin

Shooting little pumpkins at an old truck!

 Tractor ride to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins!

 Beautiful scenery

 Our bounty! 

 I don't know if you can tell but this is her after picture 

and how filthy and covered in 

dirt she got

A Great Date!

Date Night!

    Josh and I recently celebrated our four year anniversary. And it was the first time we had been on a date alone in forever! Much needed and so fun a fairly cheap! To make it even better, Josh planned it himself, which meant a crazy a lot to me. We started off on kind of a fail ha! We were going to go to a creative photography museum, but was closed due to them setting up a new exhibit, instead we crossed the street literally to the art museum and was awesome! So much fun! And only $8! Whaaa?!

 A Picasso

 A Georgia O'Keefe

And a Warhol!

    Yes they aren't the most famous pieces by these artists but hey amazing pieces none-the-less. We spent maybe an hour and half in there just meandering, talking, exploring. Something I enjoyed so much!

     And dinner at The Hub. Not crazy expensive, but amazing atmosphere and quality food. 

     And a local ice cream shop that was quite literally the best I have EVER had! And talk about some fun and interesting conversation with the two employees there. 

Peach and basil sorbet and Mississippi 

Mudpie! YUM!!!

   And maybe spent a total of $50. Not crazy expensive, but great quality fun! And will do again sooner than later.