Happy Mothers Day 2014!

This was our first Mothers Day in NC. Another first celebration in this state we now call home :) My parents are in Iowa with Richards mom so sadly i did not spend the day with her. However, I am so thankful they could be with his mom right now. She's very sick and its important he has as much time with her as possible. 

Y'all Im not going to lie. Being a mom is hard. Whats even harder? Being a single mom. But I would not change my life or any part of it! I love my baby girl with every ounce I have in me. Im so thankful the Lord chose me to be her mama. She challenges me, teaches me, and loves me unconditionally. There is not a job in the world that pays more than those things. 

We celebrated last weekend with brunch while my parents were still here. They got me an adorable card from Loo and drew her hand inside. I literally teared up. They also gave her some money to give to me and she came in saying "mommy paint a nails." Her little vocab is so cute right now.

 

This Sunday was pretty low key. We spent the morning at church. Then we came home and I made a delicious brunch full of potatoes, danishes, and little egg muffins full of a chorizo and ground turkey mix (to keep it light), some spinach and green chiles. I was very happy to cook rather than going out. It would've been like a mad house and since I just finished a cleanse (more not that later) I wanted to be abel to watch what I ate better. 

The rest of the day was very relaxing. Lindsey laid down for a nap and this mama did too. Then we played for a while and talked with Grammy and Pappy. Her saying Happy Mothers Day is too stinkin cute! That evening we went and had froyo at TCBY. Holy yum! They were giving free yogurt to moms and had SO many healthy and unhealthy ;) options. 

After yogurt we came home and played outside until it was time to start winding down for bed. Me and loo read a new book and snuggled until she was a sleep. I couldn't think of a better way to spend mothers day.

I had a very relaxing day and it was really nice to just enjoy being who God has called me to be. I never thought I would be a mom this young in life but I am SO glad God had different plans for me. My baby has changed my life in ways I would have never dreamed. During the difficult days thats what I need to remember. God chose me to do this. He trusted me to raise his little girl and bring her to Him. Its a big job but with Him by my side, I know it will work out to His glory. Everything always does :) 

I hope everyone had a very blessed Mothers day 

xoxo

Happy Easter 2014

This easter season has been one for the memory books. We had an amazing time celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. North Carolina has proved to be making wonderful memories for our family! There were many firsts for my little one this year from her first egg hunt, to her first time dying eggs. It has been an amazing time of year.

She hated her hands getting dirty :)

Showing impressive motor skills with the little spoon

Easter baskets from great-grandma, grammy & pappy, and mommy

Egg hunt at church

I loved her dress this year. Im trying to think of any other day she can wear it!

My heart and soul

The REAL reason we celebrate this glorious holiday. He is risen indeed! How amazing is it to know that our God conquered death and the devil. He sacrificed his only Son that we may no longer be enslaved by our own sin and selfishness. By His wounds we are healed and can now spend eternity with Him. Amazing grace <3

Christmas in North Carolina

This Christmas was wonderful. I was unable to spend last year with my family so being here with them this year was truly a joy. Seeing them take part in Lindsey's excitement just warmed my heart. I love how much they love her and her them.

We spent most of December in a whirlwind of busyness. My parents returned from Iowa the second week of December and Lindsey's grandma and aunt visited from Ohio that same weekend. We did little decorating until mid December. Although, I think that actually helped remind us of what Christmas is all about.

I participated in a bible study with the women's ministry in my church this past november and it was solely focused on keeping Christ in Christmas. In the busy season of the holidays it is so easy to become stressed out and forget about what truly matters. For me and my family it is all about the birth of Christ. It is about the amazing day God became fully human to live his life as man to save us from our sins. The amount of love that takes is incomprehensible to me. But I am so grateful for it for now I have eternity with him in heaven. To me there is no gift worth that price and it is definitely not found in a store.

We baked cookies, sang carols, and just enjoyed the magic of Christmas together. What could be better?

The weather here has been absolutely beautiful this time of year

She had an early Christmas with her Ohio family. They got her some super fun toys including this minnie mouse big wheel. 

Such a focused little thing.

My mom has made the same sugar cookies every year since I can remember. They are absolutely delicious and totally addicting. She also whips up her own frosting that Lindsey obviously enjoys. 

Soo many cookies! We made plates and took them to our neighbors :)

Cranberry almond biscotti. These little bad boys are so good with a up of coffee in the morning. 

Soda Cracker toffee. So easy to make and even easier to enjoy.

We decorated cookies twice. Once with her family from Ohio and again with my brother and his girlfriend from Arizona. 

We spent Christmas Eve at Church like every year. Its usually my favorite service. So many amazing songs of praise. 

Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner minus tamales this year. Smoked sausage, Assorted crackers & cheese, olive tapenade, brie with pears & apples and petit fours. Of course wine and spiked egg nog are a must. 

She loves this little people nativity from my parents. She names all the people and animals. 

We always open presents on Christmas Eve in my family. This year with Lindsey we let her open her quiet gifts, clothes & books, on christmas eve and saved the noisy stuff for the next morning. 

No Christmas brunch is complete without a mimosa. That Cupcake Prosecco is amaze. 

I hope you all had a very blessed Christmas and New Years. 

XOXO

Mr. and Mrs.

This past Thanksgiving, my mom and Richard finally said I DO. After being together for 5 years, they tied the knot in Eldora, Iowa where he is from. We went with a fall theme. Warm colors, sunflowers, leaves, and lots of candles. It was absolutely beautiful. Even though the weather was frigid, our adrenaline kept us going. My parents drove from Tucson with the RV and truck to Iowa and my brother, the baby and I flew into Des Moines. With many delays we were left with one day to decorate. Luckily it was a very intimate ceremony and my OCD was in overdrive. As maid-of-honor, makeup artist, decorator, and photographer I had my hands full! My mom and I began decorating at 7 am the day of the wedding and didnt stop until 330. The wedding was at 5. Needless to say were were a tad late...okay like 20 minutes. But it was worth the wait. My mom was stunning in her dress and tiara. She finally got to have her happy ever after and I could not be happier for her.

 My Speech:

I want to start by saying congratulations to my mom and Richard and a big thank you to the rest of you for joining us on this special day. For those of you who don’t know me I am Arielle, Darlene’s daughter. My mom and I have always had a special bond. Our relationship is more like best friends than mother and daughter. Although she has had to pull the mother card more than once. For as long as I can remember my mom has been the most stable part of my life. I watched her struggle as a single mom and raise us with as much love and energy she could muster. Which wasn’t a lot sometimes. She has always been strong and independent. Two characteristics I really look up to. Most of all she has always been there to support us and be our biggest fan whether it was in theatre, cheerleading or any one of my extracurricular. She put everything in her own life on hold to make sure our lives never felt empty. 5 years ago my mom met Richard and she’s told me that right from the start she knew he was something special.  He is of course in order to put up with our dysfunctional family. Richard has placed a piece of our family back together that I never knew was missing. He has loved my mom fiercely and took me and my brother in, as we were one of his own. I never knew the love of an earthly father until Richard. He is everything I have always hoped my mom would find. Together they balance each other with a love I can only hope to find one day. As you begin your new life together as a married unit under God I hope you keep this verse in mind. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, 
two can defend themselves. 
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” I wish nothing but love and happiness for you two and pray that God blesses your marriage and y’all always remember that a marriage founded on faith is not quickly broken.