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.

Banana Pumpkin Muffins!

Banana Pumpkin Muffins!

   

   So tomorrow is the first day of fall and so happens to be my wedding anniversary! And being so I've been a tad obsessed with pumpkin. Like quite a bit. And so with extra ripened bananas sitting on the counter and 3 cans of pumpkin puree just waiting to be used I went to pinterest! Duh. And gathered a mash of recipes and blended them somewhat. 

2 very ripe bananas

1 cup of pumpkin

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1.5 tsp of vanilla

2 tsp of pumpkin spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 3/4 cup flour 

pinch of salt

pinch of baking soda

Muffin tin or a bread pan

    

   Honestly most of these measurements, especially the spices and such were just winging it. Whatever looked good. 

       Preheat that oven to 335-350

      So lets mashed those bananas people and add pumpkin. Next soften the butter and add that and the egg and mix it up!

       And add those dry ingredients. Go slow or that flour is just going to poof everywhere. 

       Now you just spoon them into a muffin tin or loaf pan.

     

        I baked mine on 340 for 16-20 mins in a muffin tin.

        For a bread pan bake 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

 Seriously the bomb

Toddler approved!

DIY Bandana Bib

Making your own bandana bibs!

  What you'll need:

1.2 yd of whatever fabric you want

1.2 yd of fleece or terry cloth-something absorbent

scissors

sewing pins

sewing machine

snaps from wally world or 

just make tails longer to tie

  So I got my son this super adorbs bandana bid from a really cute, unique toy store. And I will go back to buy more and support small businesses! But being we are pretty much on a tight budget always, and I had a bunch of fabric left over from a failed crazy pregnant idea,  I figured hey why not? So first I traced around the other bib. If you don't have a bib make a triangle! The top part that would go around their neck about 17 inches and each side 13 inches.

    So then after you trace it with extreme care you do it again! I used a some kind of stretchy fabric and the back was a pale grey fleece to help absorb and all that good stuff. Once both are traced and cut out, stick back to back. With the back of the fabric facing out. Like so. And pin together.

     I, also, put two pins close together so I know where to stop and to leave an opening so we can turn it right side out? Inside out? Ehh...

     Tada! Now you can either iron this baby out or be lazy and not like me and you'll see where that got me momentarily.  And I sewed around the edge to try and give it a trim look, little bit crooked but it works! So there is that.

 I pinned the opening that I used to 

turn it right side and sewed it closed while

sewing around the edge.

Almost done 

oops!

      I got these snaps at Walmart with a cool little helper tool. And I put two female snaps for a different size options. You can always measure your little first, buuutttt that's not how I roll.

 The hubs hammering for me 

Look at that sew job! Wooo!!!

Anyway, my finished, if not rough, product and the cutest little baby ever!

Donut Ever Grow Up!

Donut and Pyjamas! 

Why I Deleted My Facebook & Super Ok with that

"I have exercised the demons....this house is cleear-uh."

    So about 6 weeks ago I deleted Facebook. Not just the app but the whole THING! It was a beautiful liberating experience. 

     If you are like me, if it's in easy access I have very little control. None. Zero. And being a Mom I found it to be the easiest, quickest way to just zone out. But I kept finding myself "zoning" out every chance I got. If a sat down, in the car (husband driving), dinner, at Bible studies... there wasn't a time the phone wasn't in my hand; so as soon as I had a free moment BAM Facebook. And not only was I consumed with what was on the interwebs, but I was taking away so much needed and desired face to face interaction with my kids. And sadly, I've noticed a difference with my daughter. :( She was already a great kid but now she listens better, picking up her toys! It's been eye opening.

    I'm also not constantly comparing myself and "competing" with everyone elses lives. Who's living better? Going places? Traveling? Constant onslaught of who's better than who. And I was just so sick and mind sick. And golly, I feel so much lighter. I'm not constantly worrying about what everyone else is doing. Who's child is potty trained. Who got a new car or house or whatever (I'm just throwing out ideas here, no offense to anyone haha) I'm not in an imaginary competition with someone who isn't even aware. I'm just doing me and this house hold and it's been amazing! I love it!

Proverbs 31:25-31

25She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

26She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29“Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.”

30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lordis to be praised.

31Honor her for all that her hands have done,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

     I do use Facebook about once a day to check my photography page Selah Photography. But that is it! Promise! 

Lets Be Real

Gettin Honest

    So as I've written before I had a large baby... 11 lbs of awesome baby chubby fat love, but things went awry bringing him earthside. A c-section and a very long recovery... which resulted in *gasp* post-partum anxiety! Did you know that 10-15% of women suffer from post partum in some form. Honestly, in my opinion, it would be way higher but woman feel it is somehow shameful. And I get it. I thought so to... before kids.

    There's just so much going on with healing, and all those emotions and hormones going crazy! Seriously it was awful and I was loosing my mind. Still am loosing my mind, but I'm dealing and coping. 

    I even have broken down and finally went for help and was prescribed Zoloft. A very low dose and just something to help regulate my emotions until these hormones can calm the heck down. But it has been such a subtle but noticeable impact. The frustration and anxiety of the day had eased to a degree that I'm capable in properly managing it. I've laughed and joked with my husband more the last 5 weeks than in a long time.

    I have also been properly digging into my Bible and the study my women of PWOC are studying right now. I wake up with a goal to somewhere in my day sit down in delve into the word. Ideally while both heathens nap, but lets be honest, how often does that happen? So at least when heathen number 2 naps.

Fundamentals of Faith-very, very good study.

Check it out.

    And I've been making a point to at least keep the kitchen, table and living room picked up and vacuumed, wiped down at least once a day. I mean if you fellow readers have a child from the age 4 months to....say 18+ then you know.... that living room rug gets "crumby" quick.

    I'm ashamed to say but happy at the same time to enjoy and pay attention better to our 3 critters. It was a sad state I was in that I could barely pet them, show any affection and it was showing in their behavior too *sad face*

Simon the Weim

Leo the Cat 

and not pictured 

Pippin the Yorkie