Hanging In There

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In just 11 days, my little man will be 11 months. One month away from his very first birthday. 

Late at night, when I open my laptop in attempt to get some work done, I more and more often find myself opening the "Jackson" folder, and then the "0 Month" folder. 

I not only have my photos and videos organized by month, but by day as well. I'm so thankful for my extreme craziness of not letting one day go by without capturing the little moments of the day- which have (quickly) accumulated to thousands and thousands of pictures. 

I am struggling so, so much with accepting just how fast Jackson is growing up. 

I want time to stop, but I'd happily settle for it slowing down. 

I know one day, I will get to the point where I will look at pictures from when he was born, without a tear in my eye. Actually... maybe I won't... but I can't let it get in the way of cherishing all the new moments and memories to come. 

Simple Things Sunday #4

I can not even believe my last post was two weeks ago!

I felt so overwhelmed and busy with Halloween, so I'm pretty sure I'm not even remotely prepared for the craziness of Thanksgiving and Christmas, with a 1st Birthday inbetween.

Anyways. I'm back at it.

Moments from this week.

11/03/13

I'm backdating a little to Jackson's first pumpkin patch and first Halloween. Both events I know he will never remember. However, my husband and I will, so we wanted to make sure to make it a special one! We took him to his first fall fest, first pumpkin patch, got him his first pumpkin- and decorated it, and dressed him up and took him trick-or-treating. We had the best time, and made so many new memories!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Simple Things Sunday #3

Moments from this week.

10/20/13

I'm sure I've written once or twice about what an amazing husband I have. 
He is the best of the best. 

He has THE biggest heart and ALWAYS thinks of his family first. 
He is beyond thoughtful, and always tries to make each and every little thing we do special. 

This weekend we celebrated his very first birthday as a Daddy. There is so much I wish I could of done for him, but we kept it simple. We spent Saturday taking a mini road trip up to Payson, AZ to cool off and find some fall colors (something I'm a little obsessed with).

There is not a whole lot to do in Payson, but it was spending time alone with my family, doing something we love to do (mini road trips!), that made it such a perfect day.

How did I know it was a perfect day? My husband and I talked about how perfect it was a million times today. It really is the simple things. 

Plus we found the most beautiful spot where I set up the tripod and took some of the most perfect family photos! 

Here are just a few! 

Thanks for stopping by this week, Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Simple Things Sunday

Thursday's Thought... One Day Late

via pinterest

My family is everything to me. And I am blessed with the best. 

So because this post is so late, and because my brain is scattered with a million thoughts, and I can't seem to focus, this will be short and sweet. 

In my 29 years of life, this year has been by far, the hardest. Without the love and support of my family, I'm not sure where I would be today. I could not be more thankful for each and every one of them. My parents. My sisters. My husband and son. They are the reason I wake up and give each day 100%. They are the reason I don't let negativity take over me, which is so easy for me to do. I fight to be positive when sometimes it's the last thing I want to do. They are the reason I am who I am today, and that makes me so happy. 

__________

This weekend we will be celebrating my husband's very first birthday as a Daddy. I am beyond excited. It's going to be the best! 

Ten

This morning I woke up, and had a TEN month old next to me. If I knew where to begin, I'd try to explain how fast the time is going, but I seriously have no idea.

It was ten months ago today, that I became a mommy. 

Ten months ago, when I held my son for the very first time.

I feel so blessed, and am so thankful for each and every day I get to wake up to this amazing life my husband and I have created together. 

Happy ten months little man, I love you to the moon and back, forever and ever. 

Fun On A Budget : Reading & The Library

We are currently a one income family. I will be forever grateful that my husband busts his butt Monday-Friday so that I can stay at home and raise our little man. 

Since my job only pays in high fives, gummy smiles, snuggles, and drool-y kisses, I am always on the search for cheap and / or free activities to do with my little man. 

Sadly, I always forget about the library in today's "digital world". So I am here today, to remind you all that the library is AMAZING. 

After a family trip a couple months ago, I started taking my reading buddy to the library during the week. He absolutely loves books, so I can't think of a better place to be! Not to mention, unless you are like me and always find a way to occur late fees, the library is free! 

The last time I was there I picked up a schedule for story time. I was surprise to see a variety of choices. The second I saw "Lap Sit" story time for babies ages 0-2, I knew we needed 

a mommy / son date. 

We went for the first time today, and had the best time. Most story time's that I've encountered are all ages, and Jackson always wants to play with the big kids instead of sitting and listening to a story. So, this was perfect. Especially with babies his age, it was so much fun to sit back and watch his little personality come out as he interacted with them. There were songs, stories, and even some play time after. Not only did Jackson make a new friend, but we even got a couple little bugs to take home with us. :)

I highly recommend looking into your local library, it's never too early to start reading with your little ones, and let's face it, it's always great to get out of the house 

without having to spend any money! 

Zesty Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Happy Monday!

Today I want to share one of my favorite go to recipes: Zesty Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken.

 I love anything you can cook in a slow cooker, and add a huge bonus when you can make two different meals out of one recipe. I use my slow cooker at least once a week. It's so great for days where you have a ton of errands to do, or days where you just don't feel like spending your evening in the kitchen making dinner.

allrecipes.com

Seriously. This is SO simple. And SO delicious. 

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breast

(I plan for leftovers so for a family of two "eaters" I usually use 4 chicken breasts)

1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

*I highly recommend using Famous Dave's Sweet & Zesty BBQ Sauce*

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken.

Cover, and cook 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.

I usually cook mine for about 6 hours.

With about an hour left, I shred the chicken, re-cover and then let it finish cooking.

Lately, we've been making mini sandwiches by serving them on Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and of course, some homemade french fries!

THEN. With the leftovers, which we always have a lot of since Jackson can't dig in just yet... I make a BBQ chicken pizza!

To. Die. For.

picture via: food.com

All you will need for that is your leftover shredded BBQ chicken, pizza crust, some mozzarella cheese, and I top ours with some onion and tomato. 

It literally takes me about 10 minutes. 

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend, and thanks for stopping by! 

Simple Things Sunday #2

Moments from this week.

10/13/13

This was a big moment for me. The first time since I was about seven months pregnant, I was able to get my wedding ring on! I was heartbroken when I was pregnant and had to take it off. I am proud to be married to the most amazing man, and missed wearing it every day. I know every girl says the same thing, but I do believe my wedding ring is by far the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. It's absolutely perfect, and I am beyond thrilled to be wearing it again! 

I already know moments, and pictures like this, are ones that I will cherish for the rest of my life. My little man cried and cried, overtired and teething are not a good mix. The feeling I get once I calm him down, and once he finally falls asleep with his arms wrapped around me is truly priceless. 

Speaking of teething. My little man officially has TWO little teeth. As much as I already miss that little gummy smile, these little two teeth make him even cuter... and I'm not sure how that is even possible! 

 This weekend we went to a fall league baseball game with my parents to watch some of the young Cubs prospects. The best part about fall league games. Tickets are dirt cheep ($6) the stadiums are empty, and you can sit wherever you want. We had an amazing time, and my husband even caught a ball for Jackson! After the game, Ryan took Jackson to the dugout, and all the Cubs players signed the ball for him. I will never forget the huge smile on my husband's face. He was SO excited to not only catch a ball for our little man, but then getting it autographed too!

Best. Daddy. Ever.  

Jackson LOVES the outdoors. Saturday we took a drive to the park to enjoy the gorgeous morning, and let Jackson hang out in the grass. The weather could not have been better, and it was so relaxing to just hang out the three of us. 

If you want to join along, a few quick and simple rules:

1. Grab a "Simple Things Sunday" button and include it in your simple things post.

2. Link back directly to your Simple Things post not your blog/website.

No links to other linky parties, giveaways or craft projects pretty please. 

This linky is all about the photos.

3. Be sure to pop by and visit at least 3 other links and leave a comment.

Leave as many as you can!

Trick-Or-Treat

Fact: I get my love of ALL holidays from my mom. 

For as long as I can remember, my house was one of the "cool" houses to trick-or-treat at. At times, kids would even come by more than once, as if we wouldn't notice. :)

 I will always remember sitting at the kitchen table with my mom, emptying the big bags of candy, and sorting it into two piles: chocolate and non chocolate. There were months we would even have non-food items such as Halloween pencils, erasers, and stickers. We would sit there and make little goodie bags for each and every little (and not so little) trick or treater that rang our doorbell. 

So... I can't  help myself when I find the most adorable ideas for "treat bags" on pinterest. Below are some of my favorites, and if we didn't live in an apartment where we literally get NO trick-or-treaters (I don't get it!) I would try  my hardest to *persuade* my husband into letting me make at least one of these!

Coffin Treat Boxes

Via: Martha Stewart

Bugs & Kisses (Free Printable!)

Via: Tammy Mitchell Designs

Pumpkin "Poo"

Via: eighteen25

Paper Ghost Bags

Via: Crafy-O-Maniac

Halloween "Lunch Bags"

Via: Maddycakes Muse

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend!

Thursday's Thought

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This really touched my heart.  

In just one short week, my little man will be ten months old. Ten. Months. As my husband likes to say, 'he will officially be out of your belly, longer than he was in it'.

It's so bittersweet.

Jackson has truly been a blessing in our lives. He has changed my life, for the better in so many ways. He gives a whole new meaning to everything I do.

With his one year approaching, I find myself getting more and more crazy about trying to capture each and every little moment, so when I came across this photo,

 I knew it was perfect and that I had to share.

"You will never have this day with your children again."

Hug your little ones a little longer.

Give them a few extra kisses. 

Tell them you love them a million times, and then a couple more.

Take the time to sit back, and just watch them. It's one of the sweetest things.

Make them giggle like crazy- at least once a day.

Take a nap and snuggle with them. You will cherish those moments.

Photograph the little details, and write the memories down.

And remember to enjoy today, mama. 

Citrus Lane : September

A look into my Citrus Lane box for September!

Skip Hop | Hug & Hide Stroller Toy: $10.00

AMMO Books | Charley Harper 123s: $9.95

Episencial | 3.4 Ounce Playful Wash: $4.00

NurturME | NurturMeals: About $2.50 (Target)

Julep | Nail Color: $14.00 (Non Member)

I have a month to month subscription to Citrus Lane which runs me just $25.00 a month (with free shipping), and my box for September was valued at approximately $40.45. 

I am always excited to see what the new month will bring, and this month did not disappoint.

The breakdown:

I absolutely loved the Charley Harper book. The artwork was beautiful, and Jackson does not have a counting book yet so I, as a mommy, was so happy to see this. Also, my little man LOVES books, and is a pro at turning pages these days, so he was very excited for this as well. 

The Hug & Hide Stroller Toy from Skip Hop is another one of those toys that is great for on the go! The clip on the owl is great, and Jackson has yet to find a way to unhook it, and throw it on the floor while out and about running errands with me. It also comes with a teether attached. A definite win in my book.

I have yet to use the Playful Wash from Episencial and I also haven't tried the NurturMeals just yet. As soon as I am done with the shampoo & body wash from The Honest Company that I received in a previous box, the Playful Wash will be next on my list. I love that it is pH-balanced, so it is safe for the eyes, and it is completely organic and safe for all ages. 

 NurturMeals from NurturMe is very different from any baby food I have tried to date. I normally make my little mans food, however I always have a stash of "packets" for quick and easy on the go feeding. With NurturMeals, you simply add milk, formula, or water to make purees. You can even mix them into food for an added boost of nutrients. NurturMeals are organic, gluten-free, dried fruit and veggie meals for your little ones 6 months- 4 years. Although they are not as easy as "packets" for on the go, I am looking forward to giving these a try! 

Last but not least. I saw quite a few complaints from Citrus Lane members who got the Nail Color from Julep in their September box, stating that they did not want  anything for themselves, and would rather have had another item for there little ones. I'm not sure if this makes me a bad mommy or not, but I was so excited to see a full size nail polish in a beautiful color for myself. I'm sure there are many mommy's like me out there, living on a budget, and I very rarely, if ever spend money on myself anymore. 99.9% of the time, I'd much rather get something for Jackson than for myself. SO this was a pleasant surprise that I am not complaining about. :)

*If you missed my first post / review on Citrus Lane, you can see it here*

If you haven't signed up for Citrus Lane yet, and want to try it out, copy and paste the link below to receive $10.00 off your first order! 

https://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/citrus.lane.1564

Every Week

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Yup. Every Week.

I feel as though being a stay at home mom does NOT make the whole "Monday" thing any worse. 

The beginning of a new week. Husband back to work. A long list of to-do's, while trying to make the most of the days for my little man. 

Monday's are usually a twomugsofcoffee kinda day for me. 

Looking forward to sharing some posts this week including a new Citrus Lane review, an amazing go-to crock pot recipe for my family, and some festive Halloween themed backing recipes I'm dying to make!

Sign up for updates via email to right so you don't miss out!

I hope everyone had an amazing weekend. And if you missed it, be sure to check out my very first Simple Things Sunday post. I'm so excited to be joining in! 

Simple Things Sunday #1

I've been following one of the most adorable blogs, Simple As That, for some time now and finally decided to join in on "Simple Things Sunday."

So, what exactly is Simple Things Sunday?

"This weekly photo share is all about taking time to photograph the everyday details that make your life unique, beautiful, and special. Each Sunday we gather here to share our photos with each other. To enjoy the beauty that can be found in the ordinary and to be reminded of just how important the simple things are." 

I think this is such a beautiful idea, and I can't wait to share with you each Sunday!

If you want to join along, a few quick and simple rules:

1. Grab a "Simple Things Sunday" button and include it in your simple things post.

2. Link back directly to your Simple Things post not your blog/website.

No links to other linky parties, giveaways or craft projects pretty please. 

This linky is all about the photos.

3. Be sure to pop by and visit at least 3 other links and leave a comment.

Leave as many as you can!

And that is it! So, today I am excited to bring you my very first Simple Things Sunday!

Moments from this week.

10|06|13

While on a walk this weekend with my family, my little man (with help from his Daddy) picked these BEAUTIFUL flowers for me. Made me smile so big! I wish there would of been a way to keep them forever.

This week, with the weather cooling off in Arizona, I took multiple walks to the park with my little man. He absolutely loves the park, where we enjoy our walk around a lake and feed the ducks! Seeing the excitement on his face and his eyes light up, is priceless.

I never want to forget the look on my little man's face, when we let him do something he is not supposed to be doing, just yet. This morning, my husband was "sharing" his breakfast, and Jackson could not get enough of "eating" off of Daddy's spoon. 

My baby sister moved to California about a month ago. She means the world to me, and I miss her so much, so I was crazy excited when she came home for the week. Family is by far the most important thing to me, and I absolutely LOVE seeing my family with my little man. He is the most precious little boy, and loved like no other. 

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend! 

Skinny Taco Dip

Over the past few months I have found some amazing quick, easy, and absolutely delicious recipes that I am dying to share!

(All recipes found via Pinterest)

Today I want to share one of my husbands absolute favorite dishes for a relaxing football Sunday. 

I'm warning you now. This dip is seriously amazing. So I'm not quite sure how "skinny" it is when you eat half of what you make! 

Enjoy, and I hope everyone has an amazing weekend! 

Skinny Taco Dip

via: pinterest and skinnytaste.com

picture via: pinterest and skinnytaste.com

8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese

8 oz reduced fat sour cream

16 oz jar mild salsa

(I drain the salsa, otherwise your dip while become runny)

1/2 packet taco seasoning

combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning

mix well with an electric mixer

 spread on to the bottom of a 8x8in baking pan

top with any veggies you want, I use shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and shredded cheese

"Nurses are angels in comfortable shoes."

I was so excited when I got a request to make a nurse themed frame the other day from MGA Home Healthcare.

I took my little man to the craft stores, and was so excited to see some of the cutest nursing related stickers! 

Once my little man went to bed, and the house was finally quiet, I turned on some Kings of Leon, and got to work. 

I am very excited to share the final product!

To see more custom frames, head on over to my Etsy shop Little Bug Frames!