Good-Bye 2012, Welcome 2013!

I've had me ups and downs this year but I have to say it was a pretty great one!
I have so much to be thankful for and I am truly blessed!

I have enjoyed watching my little one learn as he discovers and explores as he grows.
I've enjoyed growing even closer with the love of my life.
My family and I have made mistakes from which we have learned from.
We have made new memories which will now turn into old memories as we start this new year of 2013 and start making new ones.
Here's to looking forward with no regrets.
Opening new doors and closing old ones and
staying positive for a happy and bright year! 

I've been on a positivity kick lately and I have the goal of sticking to it.
I don't find the need to make resolutions if I stay positive because I believe when you give good actions, thoughts and words.  You will receive good actions, thoughts and words in return.

I hope you all have a very safe and Happy New Year!

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!

Pre Christmas Post...

So Sorry for the lack of updates.
I will post shortly.

This Christmas has sure given me a dizzy head, lack of breath and many, many set backs.

That all sounds very negative so I would like to clarify that I had the best Christmas of my life!
I cannot wait to post pictures and possibly videos....  I'm not sure about that one yet...  And also talk about the amazing joy of Christmas with an adorable 1 1/2 year old boy.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

God Bless!

Christmas Lights and Milo's 1st Hair Cut

I have really been enjoying this Christmas season.  I've had quite the scattered brain though.  Every single project I've worked on is still in progress and I keep forgetting to take step by step pictures for tutorials.  I decided this year that I wasn't going to stress out about anything because I realize there seriously isn't any point in that so even though I'm completely scattered all over the place I'm still loving life and enjoying spending this Christmas season with my family.
So far I've started making, Gingerbread ornaments (which I have stated already), crochet Christmas lights, a rag quilt for my love.  I can't believe I've been able to keep that a secret so far.  I still want to make a wreath for my front door, candles covered in salt to look like icy snow (that probably won't happen), I have made little Christmas tree decorations that actually are finished.  haha Those are the only things that I've followed through with.  I want to make homemade sugar and gingerbread cookies.  I think I'm going to make cookies and some other kind of sweet treat for my adult family members again this year.  Last year I made gingerbread cookies and peppermint bark.  I'm thinking I want to change it up this year.  We'll see.

I know one reason I've been so scattered brained and haven't finished a lot of my projects is because I've been sick with an ugly cold that won't quite go away for the past week or so.  (Here I am losing track of time now.) haha
My son is right at 20 months old so he doesn't get that the tree is a pretty decoration that can be dangerous.
He listens pretty well when it comes to not touching the tree...  When I catch him in the act that is.  He's also tried opening one of his gifts already.
My David and I drove around with him Friday evening to look at Christmas lights and as we would come up to a house that was fully decked out in lights our son would get very quiet and then let out a little, "Owww.......  Purr-ty." <---(pretty)  It was so cute and fun for all of us.  We drove through the Sonic Drive-In and got a Peppermint milk shake and we all shared it as we drove around enjoying the holiday season.  The a house down the road from a place we use to live that seriously was built to look like a doll house and every year the elderly woman has her home decorated from top to bottom and even has Christmas music playing, It's beautiful!  We drove by the "doll house" and stopped the car and got out with our son to look at all of the lights.  No, we are not crazy people.  People stop at her place all of the time to look and oww and aww at all of the lights and decorations.  Anyways...  Milo absolutely loved it!  He was so excited and kept bouncing up and down in our arms, clapping his hands, talking gibberish in the most excited voice and of course made his Oww's and Aww's.  As we were getting ready to leave and start putting him back into his car seat he started throwing a fit!  It was pretty extreme but I couldn't help but to laugh and think it to be the cutest thing ever.  Normally, I wouldn't have laughed but I couldn't help it.  He was just so excited and happy and didn't want to leave and that was the first time EVER that he through a fix because we were leaving somewhere.
Here's a picture of the "doll house" that I found here on online and yes, it's a day time picture but just look at how pretty it is during the day and just imagine it at night! I'm going to try to drive back over that way and take my own picture when it's dark out.

Shouldn't be to hard because I want to drive around one more time before Christmas is over to look at more lights.  It's definitely one of my favorite things to do.  When I was a teenager, my best friend Sammy and I use to do that together every year.  I miss those past times but it's amazing having a child and getting to share that enjoyment with him now.


Saturday, 12/8/12
We got our son's hair cut for the first time ever!
I loved, loved, loved, LOVED his long hair with curling ends but it was always in his eyes (I hate that) and I finally got tired of people calling my handsome son a girl.
It was time, so David got his hair cut and after he was through we got Milo's hair cut.  I was so excited and when the lady cut that first clip....  I wanted to cry.  Of course, sentimental Momma wanted to cry.  I got a little pony tail with his curls and a few stray clippings in an envelope.  The lady that cut his hair also gave me a "My First Hair Cut Certificate".  So cute and perfect for his baby book.  Speaking of which...  I really need to break that out and go through and add more stuff.  There is so many different things in that book to add and write down it's really hard to keep up with it.
Back to Milo's hair cut.
He started out with that cover to keep the hair off of him but he didn't like his arms not being free so we just took it off of him and took his shirt off so it wouldn't get hair all over it.
He wanted to touch and figure out what was going on with his hair so it was a little hard to get him to sit still so we gave him his first sucker and that kept him quite pleased and calm.
He did so well.  I am so proud of him!  I am truly blessed.
This is his Before and After pictures.  Everyone keeps telling us how he looks like a completely different kid now and I would have to agree.

Before

During

After



We had more stuff to do in town but we definitely had to go home and gave him a bath to get all of the hairs off of him.  hahaha  It was really bad because he made such a sticky mess with that sucker.

Not much happened Sunday, we stayed home and worked on house work and David has been building a shed out back for his tools and such.  Man, I can not wait for the day that we move into a house with TONS of storage and closets!  We are so space deprived where we live right now.


I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season and are making the best of any and all situations.  Don't forget to take a few minutes out to help a loved one, neighbor and/or even a stranger out this holiday season.  We are not alone in hard times and everyone deserves a helping hand and to feel loved. 
I would like to also encourage you to donate to your local toy drive this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas and God bless!

Out with a cold

I've wanted to post for so long but with getting ready for my most favorite holiday CHRISTMAS and coming down with a cold I've found myself to be M.I.A.
I've worked on a few different projects as of lately, and yes they have to do with Christmas.  Psh, of course they do.  I'm "hoping" after this weekend I'll be able to post some more detailed events and projects.

I hope you all are well and healthy.  Take your vitamins, drink tons of water, wash your hands and for the love of God...  Stay home if you're sick.  (I couldn't sound more like a mom right now.)  hahaha

No, but seriously.

I have to go blow my nose now, then WASH my hands and make myself some soothing hot tea with honey.

We made ornaments tonight

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I know I sure did!  I made the best turkey.  I do have to say I am awful proud of myself for hosting my family this year for the first time.  Everything turned out so well and the food was A-MAZING!

Tonight the family sat at the kitchen table and made gingerbread ornaments together.
I wish I could share pictures with you all but of course I was at my Dad's and forgot my camera a few days ago.  I'm terrible at keeping track of that thing!
We made a few gingerbread people, 1 for each member of our household and a few others that I cut bite marks into like somebody had been eating on him.  It's really super cute.  Stockings, Candy canes, our Son's little hand print, a heart with our finger prints inside of it.  That one didn't turn out so well.  I think Salt Dough would work better for that idea.
Maybe I'll do a few of those this year as well.

Lastly, I would like to share that this is my favorite time of year.
I love the spirit of Christmas, all the beautiful Christmas music, Christmas lights that people use to decorate their homes, hot cocoa, peppermints, cookies, CHRISTMAS SHOWS like How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Peanuts, Frosty, Rudolph, etc. etc.
I've already started a little bit of my Christmas shopping and my tree is up and decorated, now I just have a little house decorating to do and I'll be finished with that.  Everything makes me so happy this time of year!


I would also like to encourage you to buy a toy and donate it to your local toy drive.
We all know there are to many kids in this country that won't have a Christmas and it's the least we can do to help a family out.  I know a lot of people are broke in general and especially this time of year but just remember you don't have to spend a lot of money to show a child love and make them feel special.

When I was a child the place of employment my mom worked at burnt down a few weeks before Christmas and the community we lived in at the time donated items to the families that were effected.  My siblings and I received 2 gifts each and we all were more grateful that there were people (total strangers) out there that cared enough to share their love with us.
Be a blessing and give a little to someone that's in need more then you, your friends, family and even your children.

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Apple Cider Rosemary Pork Chops.

While thinking of what to fix for dinner, I knew I was going to make pork chops.  I figured I would bread and fry them like I normally do but after opening the fridge and seeing the apple cider on the top shelf I had an amazing idea.  Why don't I fix baked apple pork chops?  Sounds pretty good eh?  Well, just so you know...  It really was.  You can't beat that it's so much more healthier then breading and frying them, too.  Win, win!

Ingredients:
4 thin pork chops,
2 small apples cut and cored into quarters,
(I think I used Gala, they aren't "baking" apples because they're soft but my family and I enjoyed them.)
1 medium onion peeled and cut into quarters,
2 Teaspoons of dried rosemary pitched and crumbled,
1 cup apple cider,
Salt and pepper.

You'll also need:
Baking dish and foil.

Directions:
Line your baking dish with foil so your food doesn't stick to the edges and for an easy clean up.
Place all 4 pork chops into baking dish, sprinkle salt and pepper and pitch and crumb dried rosemary over the top of them.  (Side Notes:  When using dried herbs you should always pitch and crumble them because it releases the aromatics and that's whats going to give you flavor.  You can use fresh rosemary if you prefer.)
Cut and core 2 apples and cut each apple into 4 quarter pieces.
Peel and cut the onion into 4 quarter pieces as well.
Place apples and onions on top and along the sides of the baking dish.
I stated 1 cup of apple cider but I didn't really measure it so I'm guessing 1 cup.
I poured the cider into the bottom of the dish until the bottom of the dish was covered.
Place baking dish into a preheated oven set at 400 degrees F, uncovered and for about 30-45 minutes.  Again, I'm guessing because I forgot to look at the clock when I put mine into the oven but if you're a freak about under cooked meat then I highly suggest you insert a meat thermometer into the middle of a pork chop and look for a temperature of 160 degrees F.
After your meat is fully cooked, take them out of the oven and let them set for about 5 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy!

Next time I'm going to mix the apple cider with apple cider vinegar.  I felt like they needed a little more pizazz, not much, just a little.
If you try this recipe and you add a splash of apple cider vinegar, please let me know how it turns out.  I would love to hear your feed back.

Harvest Photos Of My Baby Boy

I went to a corn maze down the road from my sister's place and the lady that ran the place let me and my son in for free so I could take these amazing photos!

I'm head over heels in love with all of these pictures.