Labor Day weekend Christian Concert

I am extremely proud to say that my husband organized a Christian Concert with chart topping artist Sidewalk Prophets and Among the Thirsty! We had the amazing opportunity to share the day with these guys and get to know them a little bit "outside" of their job. All of the gentlemen were extremely humble and a pleasure to be around. The kiddos had a great time and thought that they were top dogs for getting to hang out "with those band guys" as Harper kept calling them.

Among the Thirsty went on first after a long hot day of "Battle for Christ" with bands from all over the country. Below are a few shots of them performing and the hubs and I later that night.

Sidewalk Prophets Followed Among the Thirsty and let me say My babies have made a few new friends. Harper was super excited that someone knew her Noah's Ark songs and would get "awkward" with her! Thanks to Dave and Ben for being so awesome with the kiddos. Dave also became Marshall's new favorite person that day as well!

We would personally like to thank both Bands for coming out on such a hot and windy day to help spread God's word to the community. I know everyone who was in attendance took something more from that day than they came with.

School is Out!

Summer has begun and the kids already "bored" with nothing to do. We have created "activity jars" to pull from each week. Everyday we will pull 1 thing (note this is only the days braydon is with us <everyother 4 days>)

We have a jar full of FREE things to do around town, a jar for places to eat, and a jar of places to go that cost money. We have the pool here at home and passes to Legoland so we will be able to go do those whenever but we thought of adding in a sixflaggs/hurricane harbor combo to add into the "free things to give us more options!

Taking a few short road trips to the beach, friends in Alexandria, and as always Frankston! I hope to be able to post our outings and adventures as well as our projects we will do over the summer! Im starting with my office upstairs in which i have all of my crafting supplies and storage sitting everywhere. I will put together the storage units that Ive had since 2010 and get everything organized! 

HOpe everyone is having a great summer! Stay cool!

L

Easy Baked Salmon with Roasted veggies

Here is a great easy recipe that also happens to be extremely healthy!


Salmon filets
1/2 cup honey (we buy local)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 olive oil
salt and pepper


2 large zuchinni
2 large yellow squash
1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 bunch shallots

1 lemon juiced
2tbsp  dijion mustard
olive oil
salt and pepper


Make the marinade for fish first
Wisk all ingredients into a bowl and then place the fish in a ziplock bag and pour mixture into bag. Set inside fridge for 45min-1hr (all day if you want a strong flavor-less time if your in a hurry)

Cut veggies into bite size chunks, onions and pepper can be sliced. shallots you can cut ends and tops off and slice the "whiter part" into slices
take the liquid ingredients and and stir together. Pour over veggies
Place in a baking dish and cook on 375 for 20-45 min (depends on oven type and your desired texture

In a hot pan add a little olive oil and pan sear the salmon on both sides. lower heat to low and cover. Cook for about 4-5 minutes pending thickness

Serve with a slice of lemon and the veggies.. Taste great with brown rice as well!

<3 to all~~

Its baseball season in Texas!!

There is one thing, well a few things really, that we look forward to in April and that is Opening day of the Rangers ball season. Brent and I have attended the last 2 years but unfortunately could not make it today. Next year we WILL attend! Great game to the Rangers they played hard! We are looking forward to taking the kids plus 2 of Bray's friends for his birthday to Saturday's game. Its the ALCS Ring ceremony tomorrow as well!

This past season we were extremely fortunate to be able to attend MULTIPLE games with our kiddos and just the 2 of us. I was pregnant with Marshall for most of the season BUT while in the hospital I bought 2 tickets the the game that was 2 weeks away :) Marshall attended his first major league baseball game at the ripe ol' age of 2 weeks (WIN)! Youngest baseball fan in the ballpark! We followed that game up with the ALCS playoff game (WIN) and then with an ALCS championship game (WIN). Then for the FIRST time in franchise history we were able to take all of the kids plus my father and grandfather to a World Series game (WIN). It was the most amazing things I have ever experienced. The ambiance was unbelievable. The fans were loud and proud. They guys took their only win of the series that night and we were there.

We are looking forward to another amazing season of Texas baseball. Will be posting lots of pics throughout the season of our mini baseball fans~

Love to all~

Bugaboo Bliss

While searching throughout the Etsy817 Facebook page in search of vendors for the Spring Carnival I came across Bugaboo Bliss. I remembered seeing her shop in Etsy a few months back and marking a "bottle prop" as a favorite... I sent her a message on her fan page and asked about a few custom items to get made for the LO's.
She was very speedy in her response and we settled on a few items for Marshall for Valentine's day first.
I ordered an OWL  and  Vintage Valentine  onsies from her first.. Her turn around time was great and I was able to pick and chose whatever fabrics to go in the applique.
Next I ordered Custom Cookie Monster and Elmo shirts for the LO's and a stuffed buckle OWL (for Harper's bday) THe kids wore their shirts to see Elmo Live "Healthy Eating Habit's"
                                  

Please ignore the Hubs closed eyes.. Photographer I am not ;)

THe OWL pics will be added after I can bring it out without spoiling one of Harper's presents!

I also ordered 3 diaper covers (the red fuzzy one above and blue below) and 2 bibs. They all are so cute and soak up all of Mr M's drool!

                                                Guitar Shirt made by my friend Kristie!

A skirt and shirt set for Harper and her bff's Bday party is in the process of being made. They will have matching outfits to coordinate with all their decorations! As well as a PEACE, LOVE, TEXAS shirt for our upcoming TEXAS RANGERS games! (you will soon find out that I am a DIE HARD Rangers fan and so is my husband and the children will eventually get there too! :0)


I would highly suggest to everyone to check out all of Sara's awesome creations at Bugaboo Bliss either on her FB page or Etsy page. She is another S@HM who is super talented and has great products!

Im eating what?

Our oldest is quite the picky eater. For the last 5 years I have been trying to make him eat what I cook for the entire family. Momma always said "I;m not a short order cook, IF you dont eat it. You dont eat at all."

Well with him that could mean numerous things. For one he would eat it and just work himself up that is hated it so much that he would gag until he vomited. This happened pretty much every time he was at the house.. THis set me on a mission to fugure out how to get him to eat something other than chicken nuggets, pizza, mac n cheese, and ranch.. Yes I said ranch.. he could and would drink it. (GROSS)

Since he is not my own and I cannot force feed him the way I probably would mine (if they were picky) I just started hiding veggies in food using Deceptively Delicious. Then I decided if i really wanted him to expand his pallet he needed to know what he was eating and truly like or not like the item.

With Vomiting a thing of the past I have decided to assist other MOPE's (Mom of picky eaters) with how I did this.

I for one DO NOT let them not try something.. A 2 bite minimum is required for all foods. IF they do not like it the first time (you can really tell in their faces on our kids) then be done with it that day and week. Try again the next week. Doctors say that it takes up to 14 times of trying something to officially like it. Hoping no one has to wait that long..

1. I try to season all of my foods so that its not to spicy or salty.
2. I try to only have 1 new thing per meal
3. FRESH is BEST
4. Expand your horizons
5. have many options. 
6. you must eat it!
7. plan WAY ahead!
8. bake,saute, fry, broil, steam, simmer, toast DONT MICROWAVE new items...

 The Following is a FAVORITE in our household. #1 Dreaded dinner the entire day (You start before school) and the he ate 3 bowls of it once it was served!

Real Beef Stroganoff
this feeds our family of 4 eaters with 2nds

• 1lb  beef stew chunks (or beef roast cut into cubes
• 1 white onion diced 
• 1 package mushrooms sliced thick (can use 1 8oz drained can)
• 1 can cream of onion
• 1 can cream of mushroom (I use 98%fat free)
• 1 package cream cheese (I use fat free)
• 1 8oz tub of SourCream (i use fat free)
• 1 package No yoke Noodles or 3 cups Brown rice
• Beef stock as needed

In a Crock pot mix cream of onion and cream of  mushrooms. I add a little garlic salt and pepper.

Dump diced onion, mushrooms, and meat into mixture and stir it up so meat is coated. I add about 1/4 cup of beef stock to help it not stick to sides at first.

Cook on high heat if you are making it within 4 hrs of eating Cook on Low if you will be cooking all day.

Once meat is cooked and u are within 1hr of eating set cream cheese out to soften. Add Sour cream to crock and stir gently. 

Once Cream cheese is softened add in small chunks and stir to melt. 

Add more salt and pepper to your likeness.

I always make noodles and rice. Kids like noodles and Hubs and I like rice.. 

Spoon mixture over either and serve with a fresh veggie!

Party pooper or princess?

So one thing I LOVE to do is plan a good shindig.... The thing I love the most is when its all over and everyone has had a great time....The thing i hate the most is the 2 days prior. Always running here and there, not finding what you originally planned, waiting on someone else to move on to the next step...

Tomorrow is Bray's end of season basketball party. It will be at It'z pizza in Euless (not so sure about that place yet) and I have done whatever possible to insure that these boys will have a great time and their parents will ge tthe most for their buck... THat being said.. Thinking 25 per kid would cover food and gift costs...it didnt so even though i do not mind about the cost I am a little worried that "my personal budget" will not give ME the outcome I yearn for. Og, why cannot i not be a bazillionair?
Oh yeah.. BC i stay home with my kiddos...

Needless to say my 3 bags of stuff from HobLob will be put to use late this evening and in the AM before Harper's dreaded dentist appt.. (she is having sealants put on 2 back teeth that she has started to grind on at night!)



Pics to come soon plus my review of Bugaboo Bliss!

My baby Girl!

Marshall's New Gig

Marshall got a call after his picture was asked to be sent in. Kim Dawson Agency met with him and I for a preliminary interview last Wednesday. After seeing him for about 2 minutes we were informed that we could skip a step and go ahead and start filling out the paper work for him to be an official Model for the Kim Dawson Agency! How amazing! I know that we all think our kids are cute and all but to actually have someone say that your child is a "cut above the rest" is awesome. To top it off they asked for Harper's pics to be sent in as well. Since she is a little "bigger than normal" she said to try and get her involved in acting classes (which she was already signed up for at the DCT for this spring)  to help her with a "stage presence"(like she needs much help;-)  and to get her measurements in to see when she will be able to do print for the next age group.

:UPDATE:

 the below pic is the one that  will be used for a "card" it was taken on March 3rd

What means the most?

I have been asking myself lately, "what matter's the most?" So really What matter's? Who give's? Is life really about all this he said she said crap that some people dwell on? Is what other people say about you really that important? Does anything really concern you if its not your home? Is your day filled with being concerned with other people? Are you stepping over the imaginary line of whats "to far"?

All of these questions really were playing over and over in my head at my churches women's conference Delight a few weeks ago. I got so much out of it I felt it was necessary to devulge into it a little deeper.

There is a certain boundary in each and every single relationship,  marriage , friendship, parents, children, siblings, ex spouses, and bosses. There is a healthy understanding that under God's authority EACH person is responsible for their OWN thoughts, feelings and actions, and that this same GOD has called to love one another. Galatians 6: 2;5 and Psalm 16: 5-7 are great places to see this.
NO ONE should be putting their input into someone else's business. Its unhealthy to do this whether its beckoned or not. It creates an animosity of such between the relationship where one person is always the carrier and the other is the passer (Rescuer/dependent).
Its says in Matthew 11: 28-30 and Romans 12:15 that we should have healthy boundaries.
The main thing the teacher taught was to understand what role you typically take, such as the passer or the carrier. Then to set up a boundary in the relationship. Give your burdens to God. CHECK YOUR MOTIVES. are you giving your input or advise because you feel that your opinion should be heard, or are you giving it because GOD has called you to do so. Are you passing your problem because you dont want to deal with it, or because GOd has told you to seek help?
Next step is to learn to Say NO!. That being to say no to someones constant need for help, or say no to frantic emotions regarding something that has nothing to do with you or your business.
Be honest and have that conversation with someone, Set the limits in your relationships.

I for one think that I took a lot from this lesson. I have learned that I am a rescuer/carrier in a lot of ways. I feel like I am always the one that has to be strong and work through things with people. I also know that because I have dealt with a lot in my life that I tend to embrace that role good and bad. I tend to give advice when its asked and when it is not. I also have a few times that i am the passer.

I feel that in order to have a healty relationship you need to understand your boundaries. Dont cross the line were your opinion or need invades the other person too far!

Love to all
L

Back in Blog-Land

Hello to all! I am pleased to say that I am back in the blogging world (only bc I am TIRED of FB)
I post thoughts, ideas,and opinions there and feel that it is only right to start doing this. I have taken a few weeks to create the blog the way I see fits me best and NO MATTER what someone else thinks about it I really do not care! I am just sad to say I thought I would have it up sooner rather than later

Enough of that.. Back in a little while to get to my first real post!