The cutest pumpkin in the patch...

Love this baby boy!

And his mischievious big brother :)


Both boys are dressed in Pj's (or "nonnies" as Christian calls them) given to them by their grandmother, my mother-in-law . We love you Momo!

I also visited my cute new niece today (and my sister Nadia!) and couldn't resist snapping a few (or 15) pictures of sweet Sofia.

Pumpkin Carving Fun

...More pumpkins! I love this season. For me, fall officially begins September 1 (my way of prolonging the autumn season, ha!) Last night we went to carve pumpkins with some friends. For me, this was the very first year of pumpkin carving. This mostly has to do with my family not celebrating Halloween growing up. Now that I have my own family, there are certain traditions that I like to adopt from my childhood, but some (not celebrating Halloween for instance) that I do not. So for me, I am like a child when it comes to this "holiday". It amuses Mark to no end when, with child like wonder I embrace new things that may be to most to be routine. This is something that I can also experience with my own children for the first time. Their experiences are mine...through a more mature (but no more sophisticated) lens :).


Elias and Amy playing on the very cool gym mat that was brought out for his use.


Elias loved his baby pumpkin.


Mother and daughter carving away.


Mark and I took turns at the marking, then carving of the pumpkins. In the span of time it took us to carve just one pumpkin, our friends and their kids were on their third! :)


The finished product of the big pumpkins. Can you guess which one is ours? :)


Christian and Elias with their little initial carved pumpkins. Christian was very awed by his the look of his.

Happy pumpkin carving!!

Birthday Happenings

Mark's birthday is today, and poor guy had to wait it out until the end of the work day to open any gifts. I gave him the option of giving him his gifts before work, but because I leave so early (5:45am), he chose to wait. :)

Christian and one of the girls who watches him and Elias made him a sweet birthday card.


I adore this picture.


He loved the Cowboys tickets I got him


Today I have loved you for 2,189 days

I also made him an alphabet of love book. I bought a plain sketchbook from Barnes and Noble and went through the alphabet to tell him how much I love him.

Christian and I then made Mark his favorite cupcakes, Red Velvet. He could hardly wait until his favorite dinner (Pot Roast) was finished so he could devour a cupcake or two. Ha!


Happy Birthday to my spectacular husband. I truly am the luckiest because of him.

The Luckiest

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns
The stumbles and falls brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it every day

And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born 50 years before you
In a house on the street where you live?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?

And in a wide sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize

And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have
Ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his 90s
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife, she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's
A strange way to tell you
That I know we belong

That I know
That I am
The luckiest

Lyrics and music by Ben Folds

Healthy Eating

I have been trying to make healthier foods for us as a family. This can be quite a monumental task. Not only do I need to research the best types of foods, but I also need to grocery shop better. What I usually do is make out a list of dinners and light lunches for two weeks (as I try to go to the grocery as little as possible. I hate grocery shopping with a passion), then underneath the list, I make the actual grocery list. Usually this is the same day (or the night before) that I go.

We have been trying to save money on grocery shopping, but that can be quite a feat when trying to eat healthier. I used to grocery shop at Tom Thumb (I still go on some occasions) but their prices are higher than most grocery stores. I love their variety though. If I need something very specific that I know I will have a hard time finding elsewhere, I go there. I tried Aldi, but after being put out that they charge for their carts and getting frustrated that I couldn't even find half of what was on my list, I decided that Aldi and I would need to part ways and discontinue our short acquaintance. For now I am shopping at the Wal-Mart Market. I dislike the crowds, but the prices are much better, and their selection is actually pretty good. Any suggestions for reasonably priced grocery stores, anyone?

I credit my research on healthier dinners and snacks to Pinterest. I have found so many amazingly healthy and tasty dinners through Pinterest, and Mark actually eats them! He is not known for his healthy eating, or his variety in foods :). One big reason for wanting to eat healthier (besides the obvious) is because I need to keep up my strength and energy due to breastfeeding. Plus, I want my milk to be rich in vitamins for Elias. I must be doing something right because he is growing so fast, and I am hardly ever run down and exhausted. He eats on demand, no set schedule. I like it better that way, but he is still waking up a few times a night to snack...and that gets a little tiring...but, I digress.

Tonight, I made a meal that I have only made once before. Mark specifically requested it to make this week's rotation of meals. It is a chicken, veggie, avocado, and rice bowl. This is saying a lot because Mark used to say he disliked chicken, rice, and vegetables!

A brief recipe for your cooking pleasure:

Several pieces of chicken breasts
1/4 cup of Olive Oil
Several gloves of garlic
1/2 tsp of onion powder
A smattering of pepper
1/3 cup of fresh basil
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp of paprika
Jasmine rice (however much your family would consume)
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 zucchini
1/2 cup of grape tomatoes halved
3 mashed avocados
lemon juice (one lemon and rind)


How I start is by mixing together the olive oil, garlic, onion powder, basil, pepper, cayenne, and paprika together. Brush the mixture onto the thawed chicken breasts and put aside. They will need to be grilled. Mark does this while I am chopping all the vegetables. I halve the tomatoes and place back in the refrigerator, then chop the peppers and zucchini and place them into a Ziplock bag. I pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in the bag, along with salt and pepper and shake thoroughly. They will be grilled as well. I then make the rice over the stove.

Next, I mash the avocados and add the lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic, and salt to make a guacamole like mixture. After the chicken and veggies are done, I chop the chicken, then start mixing everything together for a tasty, yet healthy meal.

Like I said, this has become a favorite. Happy eating!

Pumpkins in the Park

Yesterday we made a day of fall fun for the kids (or tried to at least!). We started the day by going to the Turtle Creek Park where they were hosting a small autumn festival called Pumpkins in the Park . It was a deliciously cool day with a nice breeze.

It was a small event, but nice. They had some free activities, such as animal balloons and face/arm painting (airbrush tattoos). They had a hay maze set up for the kids (as evidenced above) which Christian enjoyed. They had a cute pumpkin patch and an area where you could purchase pumpkins in the patch. There was music and two DJ's giving out prizes.

Baby wearing again! Elias was such a good sport :)

Elias liked to sit and take in all the noises and sights around him.

Chewing on some hay :)

With my sweet boys.

Finally a bit of a smile from Baby Boy! He is usually so joyful until the camera gets whipped out.

Christian was captivated by the food trucks, especially the one that had a bubble machine. Ah, the little pleasures in life :)

Christian chose a dolphin as his airbrush tattoo. He is now insisting we not wash that particular arm so he can keep it. We indulged him last night, but I anticipate a fit tonight when he gets his bath!

After the park we went to Uncle Julio's for some Mexican food. Both boys were very well behaved. Elias was content to sit in a high chair with a spoon...until the waiter wanted to take our order, then he developed a bit of stranger anxiety. Then a woman came up to him and was trying to play with him and he wasn't happy with that either. It was funny because every time the woman asked a question about Elias, Christian answered it.

Reality check

Sometimes the timing of different events in our lives is perfect. The event that happened to me today was so perfectly orchestrated it is hard for me to believe. So ironic. Yet, I believe it was God giving me a gentle reminder not to take anything for granted.

While I was driving from work to the grocery store to do my grocery shopping for the next two weeks I was talking to Mark on the phone, something we do everyday. Today I was discouraged because I had done a quick budget of expenses for this pay period and did not like the end result, so, I was feeling upset and more discouraged than usual.

After finishing the grocery shopping and loading everything into my car, I was approached by a woman who had noticeably been crying. She asked me if I had any money to spare to help get her family something to eat. I did not have any cash, but I offered to buy a meal for her family of her choosing. She named a local restaurant, and I followed her in my car there. I had purposed within myself not to question anything. This was someone who I could help. Sometimes it makes me very upset to hear people speak of the homeless or those down on their luck with cynicism. I know for a factthere are some people who just want to scam, or use money for other purposes. I have fallen prey to people like this before, however, who am I to judge? If you think about it, if you agree to give someone money, why does it matter if theymight be lying about it? You can always say no. It is my belief (at least for me) that if I agree to help someone, that help should be given free of charge; without me judging or questioning them to make sure their motives are pure. Sure, I would rather someone tell me the truth and I would rather not be taken advantage of, but in the end it is my call in whether I will help them or not. To me it is like when I give someone a gift for their birthday, or Christmas, or just because, I don't follow up to make sure they are using the gift the way I think they should be. Or get upset if they gave it away or never use it. It is a gift. It ceases to be mine, and becomes theirs.

Anyway. Once inside the restaurant, she told me a bit of her story, and it is very sad. A local church is helping her family by paying for them to stay in a motel for the week, and they have a vehicle paid off and that is it. Her husband has been laid off, so she has had to go to work to provide for their family while he looks for a job. They were kicked out of their rent home a few months ago because there was another person who could pay higher rent. That coincided with her husband losing his job. With the economy being so bad, she could only find work at a fast food restaurant and had not gotten her first paycheck yet, but it would not be enough to pay even half the bills, much less food. They have 3 children. I told her about my church and the different ministries they have in place to help her family get back on their feet and even help with a job search. I wish i could have done more. In hindsight, maybe I could have.

After paying for their meal, telling her goodbye, and leaving, I immediately began to think about my previous discouragement and complaints. I felt very ashamed. I can afford to pay my bills. I know where I will sleep every night. I know if anyone in my family has a medical emergency we will be ok because of the wonderful insurance my husband's job provides. I can afford to grocery shop for my family. She and her family cannot do any of those things right now. Her reality could be mine at any given time if Mark and I were to lose our jobs. It makes me think of how selfish I have been without knowing it...there are people in this world really struggling. Not just overseas, but right down the street. You never know someone's story, so it is never right to judge. If I can help in any way, I am glad to, and consider it a privilege.

This was such a glaringly obvious reminder to be thankful for everything I do have, and stop focusing and the things that I don't.

Autumn Fun

I am so glad that the weather is starting to get a little cooler (if you can call 70 degrees f "cool", but compared to the 100+ degree weather this is a nice change!) and about time too, its the middle of October! I love the fall. It is my favorite season. The beautifully warm colors, cool weather, falling leaves...college football... :)

Because Mark and I love the months of October and November so much, we have planned things to do with the boys practically every Saturday that has to do with fall. Last Sunday (we skipped going Saturday because the weather was so warm and humid), we went to a pumpkin patch near where we live. It was perfect weather. Not hot, but not too cold either. They had a play set for the kids, some animals such as pigs, roosters, llamas, goats and rabbits; a corn maze, and a hayride. It is your small, quaint farm that gives off a distinctly "country autumn" atmosphere.


Despite the expression on his face, Elias loved the pumpkin patch. He would not crack a smile though.


At first Christian wanted to behave like Elias and keep looking away and not smiling, but it didn't last long. He is such a ham :)





Love my boys.


At one point Christian ran around the farm pretending to be an airplane.


Elias and I watching Christian play.

This weekend it is Pumpkins in the Park at Turtle Creek in Dallas. I am sure Christian will want to pick out a few more pumpkins. Our house is slowly being filled with pumpkins of all sizes. Happy fall!

State Fair

Yesterday Mark, Christian, and I went to the State Fair of Texas. It was both Mark and Christian's first time to go. Well, technically Mark had been to the fair back in October 2008 when we attended the Texas/OU game with friends, but all we really did was a walkthrough after the game. Yesterday, we walked the entire fair and tried to do everything there was to do. We got back home exhausted, legs aching, but having had an awesome time. We now plan to go twice next year!


Iconic symbol of the State Fair (besides Big Tex)



Start of the day.


Having fun on a ride. Christian loved to scream his approval on all 3 of the rides he was on :)


Captivated by the dog show.






Although we tried a lot of the fried food the Fair boasts of, the hit of the day remained the cheapest food item. Popcorn :) Such a fun day.