2013 Holidays

I've slacked the past weeks with so much going on but I don't regret being in the moments and soaking up the holidays with Jonathan and Denson. We traveled to Birmingham for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, though we woke up at our house Christmas morning which was special. This is mostly a picture update to document our 2013 holidays.

Christmas morning 

Sorry it's blurry but this is Christmas Day when we arrived at mom's.

We all had colds New Years so we stayed bundled up at home and watched movies.

Loves wrestling with Jonathan

We cheered on Auburn in the national championship game

Denson didn't quite make it to kick off but he didn't know :)

He turned 11 months old on January 7 

Hard to believe he will be one next month and there is so much to be thankful for. Parenting has taught Jonathan and I so much about ourselves and strengthened our marriage...not all days are easy around here, though you would probably think that by reading Facebook statuses or seeing Instagram photos. It's challenging and exhausting but a reward of love that is endless. Denson loves looking at pictures and his favorite thing to do is take a bath. He has taken some steps but prefers crawling. He has at least 9 teeth that we can see and loves drinking out of our cups. He does not like diaper changes and wiggles so much we've started helping him sit on the potty in hopes on warming him to the idea of potty training :) wishful thinking probably. What a great sleeper he is and doesn't like to be held once he's tired...he's ready to just lay down. He cuddles, gives hugs and THE best sugar. 

We are looking forward to his birthday week because we will be home for the week to celebrate with family and friends but also Jonathan and I get to take our first trip as a couple while Beebee keeps Denson. 

Family road trips...from November

This post didn't publish in November as it was supposed to. 

I made my first solo trip to Birmingham with Denson last week and it was great. He slept most of the way and only got antsy right as we arrived. We made a few stops, one being our traditional Cracker Barrel lunch date. We had an early Thanksgiving with my mom, step dad and grandparents which was nice because there was no timeline of rushing to visit anyone else and squeeze in time. We missed Jonathan being with us :( it's the longest we've been away from him, but he was able to study and work a little extra on the projects he has going on. It worked out well that my dad, step mom and other grandparents planned to visit us in Georgia because we were able to make the trip back together. They stayed with us for the long Veterans weekend and we are thankful we got to share our little community with them. They helped us discover a delicious country cookin' restaurant that's actually open on Sunday. We boiled peanuts, watched football, watched Denson and the deer families that frequent our backyard. It was sad to see them go but the holidays will bring us all together again. I hope Denson remembers his great grandparents; I know I feel so blessed to have known and remember mine [except pappy who passed away before I was born :( ]. It is such joy to see them hold and interact with Denson and I can't imagine what it feels to have children, grand children and greats.

Halloween (owl costume, provided by abut lacy...thank you!)

Golfing trip with dad before we headed out of town

Denson giving me funny looks after his morning bottle 

Grammy loving on Denson 

Our pit stop at Lanes on our way back

Memaw reading books 

Packing up and heading out

He insisted on having some of my smoothie

Love how he crosses his little feet all the time

Bundled up and getting ready to go

Friday chick fil a date with Jonathan on his day off...he had the place all to himself

October

There is a magical feeling when seasons change, the leaves turn and the temperature cools. We have been taking full advantage of our cozy porch and time outdoors now that the love bugs have finally subsided. We just put up a swing for Denson and it's an understatement to say he loves it. I can't believe he is almost 9 months old and has four teeth, crawls, pulls up and is eager to take a first step. On October 9 I walked in his room to get him for his morning bottle and I was shocked to see him standing in his crib holding on the side. Lately, he's been standing up and not able to figure out how to sit back down...I can't help but laugh partially because it's so cute. Denson loves bath time and regardless of how tired he is, he immediately starts jumping and squealing when we run his bath water. He has been eating all types of fruits and veggies and I'm so thankful he hasn't been sick at all.

I recently tried a few new recipes. I made a Cuban soup which was tasty with just enough spice. We've also been having avacado with eggs and tomoato salad for breakfast...and don't forget the bacon! Last weekend I made a quinoa granola which is tastier than expected. 

I finally worked on Denson's Christmas ornament for his first Christmas. Cross stitching is fun and therapeutic for me in the evening. After he goes to bed, Jonathan usually studies and I catch up on my favorite shows and stitch away :)

Excited for the cool weather and making a trip to Birmingham soon! Thankful it's Friday and happy weekend to everyone!

Friday favorites

Christmas pajamas

I had to get cute pjs for Denson for the holidays and did a little research online. Carters has some precious Thanksgiving and Christmas pajamas on sale for $9.99. This is my favorite and can't wait for Denson to wear them in a couple of months. They arrived yesterday, woo hoo! 

Faux Fur throw

I've been eyeing fur throws for a while to add texture and comfort to our living room but couldn't bring myself to spend $50 plus on one (ie restoration hardware). Last weekend we made a little trip to the nearest TJ Maxx and I found exactly what I've been looking for. And guess how much it was?? $19.99 people! It is the softest blanket ever and I look forward to cuddling on the couch with Jonathan, a cup of coffee and watching our shows.

(Not a great picture but you get the idea)

Breaking Bad

Jonathan and I watch most shows together and after hearing a lot of discussion about Breaking Bad, I decided I wanted to check it out for myself. Well I was hooked so here we are recording every season and episode as they play the marathon...hopefully we will be able to watch the finale next week.

The Chew 

This is one of my favorite shows to catch during the day, usually while Denson is napping. Yesterday, Michael Symon put together a quick, easy and nutritious breakfast that I made for us this morning before we head out of town (War Eagle!!). I happened to have all the ingredients so I whipped it up in about ten minutes. It's Eggs in Avocado with Tomato and Basil..it was yummy! Enjoy and have a great weekend! 

Michael Symon's Eggs in Avocado with Tomato and Basil

Contributed by : Michael Symon

Ingredients

2 Avocados

Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 large Eggs

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

1/2 cup fresh Basil leaves (torn)

1 Lime (grated zest and juice)

  step by step

• step 1
  instructionsPut a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• step 2
  ingredients2 Avocados
  Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
  instructionsHalve each avocado lengthwise. Peel and pit the halves. Using a spoon, scoop out some of the avocado where the pits were to form a donut hole that goes clear through each half. Lay the avocados out on a cutting board, top with plastic wrap, and gently press down to slightly flatten the pieces. The idea is to make thick but flat slices, each with a hole in the center. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
• step 3
  ingredients4 tablespoons Olive Oil
  4 large Eggs
  instructionsTo the preheated pan, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the avocado slices cut-sides down and cook until they begin to brown, about 1 minute. Flip the avocados and carefully crack 1 egg into each hole. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the egg whites have set up but the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
• step 4
  ingredients1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
  1/2 cup fresh Basil leaves (torn)
  1 Lime (grated zest and juice)
  instructionsMeanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, basil, lime zest and juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 
• step 5
  instructionsTop each avocado and egg with some tomato salad and serve. 
  
  Helpful Tip:
  1. Cooking an avocado that’s slightly under-ripe makes it more flavorful.

Foodie

One of the many things I miss about Birmingham is the food scene. With only a dozen restaurants to choose from here in our little community, ten of those would be fast food joints. I am grateful for the chick-fil-a that was recently opened but six out of seven nights I'm cooking a homemade meal. This has become a hobby rather than a chore and a little "alone" time while Jonathan has his evening routine with Denson. I continue to work on shedding baby weight and regain strength and Jonathan has been coping with his narcolepsy by trying to "fix it with food" as they say on The Chew. So we have been cooking gluten-free meals as a first attempt to feel better and for Jonathan to feel more energy throughout the day. We are not strict so some snacks and breakfasts items contain gluten but so far, we both feel better as well as enjoy the variety of fresh food at dinner. After months of taking a medicine for narcolepsy, Jonathan noticed strong side effects and decided to stop taking it to see how he felt. I immediately noticed a difference and realized how much the meds effected him. Having a baby obviously rocked our lives in multiple ways so I think the side effects were masked by change in sleep habits, schedules and of course moving inbetween. Now he has decided to be med free, and we are seeing if foods will help combat his sleepiness. All of these factors led me to signing up for e-meals. 

This blurb is not endorsed or advertised by e-meals; these are my own opinions. E-meals has made cooking dinner and grocery shopping exciting and adventuresome...and so very s i m p l e. Trying to meal plan while making sure to use every last ounce of ingredients is a full time job. Also, I am not a fan of most leftovers and instead of eating the same meal for three days, e-meals plans for however many members are in your family so the portions are exact. I think that's my favorite benefit. The last BIG benefit is you save money. E-meals works with most major grocery stores and plans meals based on their current sales so you can save $$$. I live in a tiny community so they aren't partnered with my grocery but because they use all ingredients, i'm still saving. Anyway, you simply sign up, select your meal plan, and pay either $7, $6 or $5 per month depending on how many months you choose. You will then receive your nifty email with your entire grocery list for the week (organized by produce, canned foods, frozen foods and meats) as well as your cooking instructions for each meal.  

I have an extremely impressed husband who has loved every single dinner I've prepared! 

www.emeals.com 

Happy cooking!

Happy Six Months

Today Denson is six months old and boy are we thankful for an incredibly happy and healthy baby. I enjoy staying at home with him and seeing each developmental stage. A few favorites include when he learned he has a voice which he can use loudly, sitting up (mostly unassisted), holding his sippy cup and putting his paci in his mouth. He is most definitely our inquisitive child, which most people agree babies are curious but he has to be looking around and involved in the action or he gets flustered. As we are settling in our new home here in Georgia, Jonathan and I delight in our special bond with him as a family of three and how we are blessed with extra, uninterrupted time. We go to our new pediatrician tomorrow and get another round of shots. I'll be going solo which will be fun trying to fill out new paper work and transfer medical records. Hey, single moms do it all the time and with multiple kids so I can't complain, right? :/

As Denson becomes more aware of the world, I am encouraged to pray for him and with him. Jonathan and I say a little prayer with him at night and thanks to sweet friends from church in Bham, we have a great guide, the book Praying the Scriptures for Your Children. As we worry about our kids growing up and experiencing difficulties in life, we have to equip them with courage and confidence. Prayer is a powerful tool which I hope Denson will use not only in the early years but as he becomes a young adult. His little mind is soaking up every emotion, picture and word that surrounds him which is powerful; and because we are far from perfect, we have to be intentional in our efforts. 

Side note: I just cleaned the fourth blow-out diaper for today...Solids are too much fun! ;) Thank you Dreft Stain Remover. 

We're here

House closing complete

Movers packed us up

Headed to the beach

Packed everything that would fit 

Tears driving away

Smiled as we laid on the beach

Baby got a cold

Enjoyed late night dinners

Drove to Auburn

Spent the night with the uncles 

Dinner date with hubby

Saw a best friend

Drove to Vidalia

Swam in hotel pool

Ate fast food 

Went to Lowes

Closed on new house

Carpet installed

Appliances delivered

Watched bachelorette

Hubby started work

Hung out in hotel with baby

Two more nights in hotel...

Waiting for movers to deliver furniture

So instead of including many boring details, this documents the past two weeks of our lives. It has been challenging and fun...Jonathan has been with us for two solid weeks and we have loved sharing nap time moments and cuddly mornings with him. Yet I can agree that we are better together after spending individual time during the day. Stay at home parents is too much... especially in a hotel room. We laughed about it though so all the nitpicking subsided.

This is a small town with charm that I believe grows on you the longer you stay. I have to say everyone here adores Denson. And when I say everyone I mean everyone... these people are so sweet and how they delight in Denson is a great lesson in how they treasure their own families. I have to brag that he is the best child who greets each person he sees with a grin, happy shouting and lots of kicking and waving. A baby's smile can brighten anyone's day and I am thankful for that joy. I've walked through the hotel a couple of times with him in the bjorn and it's like he knows all eyes are on him. I am grateful he has been sleeping well and we have a comfortable place to be while we wait to move in our house. Pictures from the past weeks...will post about the new house soon! 

                    Excuse my eyes