My Girl

My daughter rarely lets me get pictures of her.  When I call her name to even look at me for a split second she has her eyes closed or something.  She usually just totally ignores me or looks down.  Soooo I was very happy when she let me put her in her new dress and go outside in the morning for a pic or two.  I didn't know what shoes to pair with the dress, but she did!  And I love the outcome :)

Lil Miss H and R

I had the pleasure of photographing two of the happiest smiliest little girls this afternoon.  Little Miss H and Miss R were absolute joys to move around today and I'm so glad that her mommy asked me to capture them at such precious ages.  Thank you again for the opportunity!

Miss H got some 'pictures' of me too!

and i know this will be one for the walls.....

she was such a ham!

edit to add...

sick baby...

my sick baby boy has kept me busy for the last day or two so i haven't grabbed too many pics but i did manage to spike his hair last Sunday and showcase it for ya!
 :)

he is getting so big and independant, though still a momma's boy.  I haven't been able to really hold him while he slept in months...so it was sorta nice while he was sick that he did that all day long.  But now his fever is gone, and things are back to normal...as i type this he is probably eating dog food, or eating a small toy, or dumping the dog's water dish on the floor, or in the bathroom,  or playing in spit up, or eating bugs....

Another zoo outing....

As a new stay at home mommy, having an entire Friday off to be at home together was amazing.  It was beautiful weather so we headed to the zoo with the kiddos.  Both of them had a great time and were so well behaved.

Soup Recipe

Alright I know this isn't a cooking blog or anything but I made an attempt at some chicken tortilla soup today and it turned out pretty well so I thought i'd snap a pic and share it with you.

Cooking for my husband and I is more of a trial and error process.  We rarely use real recipes but rather opt to look through a series of different takes on the same thing (through the help of google) and then pick and choose for what we have and like.  This is what I ended up with for my soup.  I don't have exact measurements so it's really more of an idea for you to follow along with...

3 boneless skinless chicken strips; season with desired amounts of paprika, chili powder, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder.  Add your favorite hot sauce on the top, cover with foil and bake at 350F for 30 mins.

Coat 1 corn cob with salt and pepper and top with 1/2 tbsp of butter.  Wrap in tin foil and bake with chicken, switching to a high broil after the chicken is done for an additional 8 mins.

Cook 1 cup of rice as directed on rice of preference

In a pot saute 1/2 onion in olive oil until browned.  Add 1 qt. chicken broth with 1/2 qt water.  Add 1tsp each of cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Adjust to your preferences for spice/zest.  Cook on med/high for a low rolling boil.

In a seperate small bowl, mix about 1/4 cup hot water with 1 tbsp corn starch. and add to pot to thicken

Add 3/4 can of rotel (or the whole thing is you like lotsa maters!)

Once chicken is cooked, shred it up and add to pot. 

When corn is lightly browned cut the kernels off the cob and add to pot.  Add cooked rice to pot

Allow to cook on med for an additional 5-10 mins

I chose to brown up a tortilla with olive oil in a skillet and then slice it into strips but reserved it for a topping so it didn't get soggy in the leftovers.

Top with your choice of toppings, fresh tomato, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, or guac, and tortilla strips!  It has a lot of steps but everything is pretty easy to do.  You can choose to add beans with/instead of the corn if you'd like as well.  This would be a lot easier if you used canned veggies and canned chicken, but i like things fresh so i go the hard way!

Ok so that's my gourmet side....aaaaaaand done.

this post brought to you by...

Today's post has been brought to you by the letter "S." First...because I am Sore all over after hauling buckets of water out of my front yard to evade the flood.  It's also for Spiders....because I found THIS monstrosity in my house today...

That is a 'helicopter' leaf beside him for some perspective.  I intend to leave him in the tupperware until my husband comes home lest he not believe me.

And lastly....becasuse I was super mom and saved the household from the attack of the 8ft spider...I purchased these....SHOES

Because every mommy needs a pair of shoes that makes her feel beautiful.  Even if I am wearing them around the house with sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Happy Easter!

We had a fantastic Easter day...besides Kenzie's absolute and complete meltdown inside of Walmart.  I became 'that parent' for 15 minutes as Kenzie screamed bloody murder until i could grab what i needed and vacate.  But anyways....Easter itself was great.  We went to church in the morning and then gathered at the family house for Easter and hung out with everyone for lunch and an Easter egg hunt.

This one is so somber but she rarely looks at me and smiles...but i have to say that i LOVE her eyes here....

 Egg Hunt....

Oh 'dere she is!  HAHA! 

I can't 'each it!!

raindrops...

life's hardest question....candy or money?