One Year Birthday

My little angel is one year old! We had a week long celebration in her honor. It was filled with food, shopping and fun. All leading up to her birthday party where friends and family got to join in this celebration! We celebrated in Arizona and I am so thankful my friends and family were able to be a part of this moment. 

On her actual birthday, the family got together and went out to dinner at one of our favorite local places.

Her smile? I die, sooo cute!

Her first cake didnt turn out so hot but I was in a rush... The cupcakes for her actual party were much better!

 Her first birthday present from her Auntie Cayla! A super fun horse that talks and sings. Lindsey lovees it.

Funfetti cupcakes with a homemade buttercream. The birthday girl got an extra large cupcake :)

We had a veggie tray, a fruit tray with lemon yogurt, pesto pasta salad, and turkey hummus wraps. As well as chips and dip. The food turned out so well and I dont know how I would I have done any of it without my mom :)

Birthday girl ready to party!

What a goofball :)

"Mom stop Im trying to open my presents"

My child is such a princess. She really hates touching her own food. She doesnt want to make a mess on her party clothes I guess ;)

When all else fails, pick it up and let her at it!

Lindseys first birthday was a memory I will have forever. I cannot believe my princess is growing up so fast. I wish I could slow time down. I always remember my mom saying "Once that moment is gone, it is nothing but a memory." Those words could not be more true. I try and enjoy every minute I have with my little girl. 

Mommy loves you so much Lindsey Elizabeth. You will never find another soul on earth that loves you more than I. Happy birthday sweet girl <3

Pictures Galore!

Seriously where has the time gone? I feel like just yesterday I was being wheeled into the hospital and here I am with a one year old! I havent done any month posts on Lindsey since she was 8 months! Bad momma I am... Well here is a big ol picture dump of the past 4 months... Get ready..

My sneaky 9 month old got ahold of the toilet paper and loved every minute of it!

9 month checkup

Messy girl 

My pretty 10 month old on christmas :)

Princess enjoying her cherrios as a snack 

babygirl loves her snack and disney time

Shopping in Arizona with her Grammy 

Can she be more adorable? I dont think so.

11 months swinging for the first time

someone's learning their eyebrows...

11 months at the zoo for the first time!

3 days before her first birthday :)

In the past 4 months so much has happened! Here are some that I remember:

- you celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas!

- you started holding onto the tables and couch and walking along

- you now have a total of 10 teeth! youre ready for a steak :)

- you eat mainly table food and have tried all sorts of things

- favorite foods are: crackers, cheese, peaches, turkey and chocolate (you are your mommas girl :)

- finally you are only waking up once a night and sleep about 10 hours!! 

- when asked where your nose is your reach up and touch it (soo cute)

- Officially said momma! that word never sounded so sweet

- shake your head no if asked any question

- went to the zoo with your bestie baby C! you had so much fun.

So much has happened in the past 4 months. You have grown right before my eyes in the past year and I would not change anything for the world. I love you more than life itself and am so blessed God chose me to be your momma <3 I love you Lindsey Elizabeth

Baby its cold outside

I hate the cold. I guess hate is really strong but being from the desert I do not know how to survive in the cold. The only plus is I love soup. And soup is great for the frigid blizzard weather out here in the midwest. I have made quite a few soups in my day but boy this one takes the cake. It is just pure comfort and you feel good eating it. 

Sweet Potato and Meatball soup

Makes a bunch ( me and the baby ate off it for a week and had enough to freeze)

10 oz baby spinach roughly chopped

32 oz chicken broth

1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 sweet potatoes, diced and peeled

1/2 cup of mini shell noodles

1 lb ground beef

spices (oregano, parsely, garlic, onion and basil)

1 tbls oat bran

Mix your beef, spices and oat bran together and roll into small meatballs. Place in a 400 degree oven for 20 min. Next throw everything else into a big pot and bring to a boil. Add your meat balls, reduce and cover for one hour until the potatoes are nice and tender. 

Thats it. Seriously. Easy peasy and way yum. I would say it was pretty healthy too.

Baby approved :)

Lets be honest

I am a terrible blogger. I really am. I go weeks without posting. But thats not to say I dont love it because I do. I truly love the idea of having a journal of my life and the growth of my daughter documented as well as all my cooking endeavors. Im just busy. Im a mom, a student, a girlfriend and a daughter of Jesus. All of those require my time and my effort. They are rewarding in their own right but it is a day to day journey to be all those things. Lindsey is at the stage where she is incredibly mobile and such a joy to play with that I hate wasting any time I have with her. She is learning so much every day and amazes me constantly. I love her more and more every day I have with her. I made the deans list this semester. That in itself soaks up the majority of my free time. But to say I am proud of myself would be the biggest understatement of the year. I am more than proud because it has been challenging but will be incredibly worth it when I am finished. My relationship with my Creator is one that I thirst for more of. I sit down for my bible study in the morning and I take in as much as I can. I crave for more of Him and His presence in my life because since I have fully given my life to Him, words cannot express the feelings of joy and peace that surround me.

So Im not the best blogger. But that is one of my goals for the new year. To squeeze it into my hectic life and enjoy it. Because what is life if its not enjoyed? And with that I give you...

Oh Rachel Ray you are a woman after my own heart with this recipe. I kid you not if sexy were a dish this would be it. The feta and cherry tomatoes compliment each other beautifully with the combination of salty and sweet. Then you add the sweet shrimp cooked in hot chili that is balanced with velvety butter and the acid of lemon just pops at your taste buds in all the right ways. The picture does less than justice on how beautiful and satisfying this meal was. 

GARLIC CHILI SHRIMP AND GREEK SPAGHETTI

adapted from Rachel Ray

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided

6 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped, divided

2 tablespoons chili flake, divided

1 pound jumbo sweet shrimp, deveined

Sea salt and pepper and/or Rachael’s seafood seasoning

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 cup feta cheese crumbles

1 pound bowtie pasta

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

Juice of 1 lemon

Place 1/4 cup EVOO in a shallow dish with half the garlic and the chili pepper. Add the shrimp and season with seafood seasoning; add salt and pepper if not included in the blend. Marinate and chill for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water.

Heat a skillet with a tight-fitting lid with the remaining 1/4 cup EVOO over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and chili; stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and oregano; cover the pan and raise the heat a bit. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes burst, 10-12 minutes. Mash up the tomatoes a bit and add the feta; stir to combine and reduce the heat to low. Season with black pepper, to taste.

Cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water just before draining.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and firm and brown at the edges. Douse the pan with vermouth; add the butter and melt. Add the lemon juice and turn off the heat.

Toss the pasta with the starchy cooking water and sauce for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a platter, Top with the shrimp and the remaining sauce.

Good and good for you

I love a meal that leaves me totally satisfied without feeling like Im about to be induced into a food coma. This meal hit every delicious spot and gave me energy to go about my mommy duties. Lately I've been really careful about what I have been eating. Lindsey has been up all night and my food needs to give me energy, not drain me. I love a greasy bacon burger with the rest of America but this momma needs a little more good for you food. The squash in this dish is to die for good.

Let me introduce balsamic herb chicken and butternut squash with brown butter... You're welcome :)

Balsamic Herb Chicken

serves 2

-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

- salt and pepper

- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

- 1/3 cup Olive oil

- 1 Tbls rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley

- 1 tsp honey

Mix the last 5 ingredients together and let chicken marinate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 and cook for 25-30 minutes until the juices run clear. This all varies depending on thickness of the chicken breast.

Butternut Squash with Brown Butter

via Martha Stewart

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar

Directions

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add squash; saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, about 16 minutes.

Add chicken broth, the water, and brown sugar; cook until liquid has evaporated and squash is nicely caramelized, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Babys First Christmas

This Christmas was one filled with joy. Watching lindsey open all of her gifts was priceless! She seriously got every toy imaginable and now my living room looks like toys r us exploded...

Pretty princess after church on Christmas Eve

Im so thankful for skype. Eventhough my parents a thousands of miles away, they were able to watch baby girl open the presents they sent.

This dog takes up practically our entire living room. But princess loves it :)

We hope your Christmas was filled with joy and love and always remember the real reason for the season <3

Hope for the Hurting

Today my heart hurts. The mass shooting in Connecticut is weighing heavy on my heart. Hearing about how so many innocent lives, lives of mere babies, were taken shakes me to the core. While I was rocking my angel to bed last night, I cried. Cried for all those mommy's who are mourning the loss of their babies. Cried for the families who are now experiencing tragedy at what is supposed to be a joyful time of year. Parents who sent their children to school to not only not have them return, but to have to now buy caskets that should not be made that small. 

What happened in Connecticut is tragic. When grief like that is experienced the only thing to do is pray. Pray for those families who have lost a loved one. Pray that the Lord surrounds them with his love and brings them peace. Pray that they turn to Him as they attempt to make sense of this horrendous act. The Lord will never leave you. If we put our faith in Him, especially in the most dire of circumstances, it is possible to find peace. Peace that those babies are now in a place that does not know the pain of the world we live in. Their lives were cut short and that is nothing to take lightly. But the Lord is a merciful God who begs us to let Him heal that pain. And He will if we let Him.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" Psalm 147:3

This past week has been full of pain and heartache for my boyfriends family. His Uncle Mike had a triple bypass and two days later his Uncle Greg passed away from a heart attack. Both have families and children. I pray the Lord heals the Williams family and comforts their hearts. 

This world is a world full of sadness, pain, anger and tragedy. If we were to go day to day on our own, it would swallow us whole. But those who walk in the light will never be left to walk alone. 

"Your sun will never set again and your moon will wane no more; The Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of sorrow will end." Isaiah 60:20