Georgia in February

I decided at the last minute to take a trip home to Georgia! Boy does it feel good to be able to do that! Texas was 15 hours from home, so a trip had to be planned. Weston was going to be in the field for 10 days and about 3 days before he left, I decided to pack for Georgia:) JUST what I needed! Although I missed my sweet husband, I was able to spend quality time with friends and family! I also was able to meet up with two very dear friends of mine for 2 days in the ATL!!! We had a blast!! We went to a spa downtown, had an amazing dinner at "Seasons 52", stayed up well into 3 am (we were quite slap happy), had brunch at "The Flying Biscuit", went to Margaret MItchell's home, and enjoyed the beautiful weather!!! I am so thankful to be closer to home-especially with all of the schools and training duties Weston will be doing this coming year! And for those of you who know us, know we MUST be with our family as much as possible!! Here are some pictures from my trip!
Bridal Shower for Whitters:)
Winery and Shopping with My Sisties!

ATL with some best friends!!

My next post will be of the boys lately, some new projects, and my first "Foodie Pen Pal" Exchange!!
Happy Wednesday!
RL

Baby Food

I have many "Momma" friends and some that have babies so I thought I would share some of my baby food recipes! It really is an easy process! Although this is a great way to feed your baby, which ever way you choose is great, too! I am not a supporter of making a mom feel guilty for the way she chooses to feed her baby! I am pro breastfeeding and making my own baby food, however, that's me!:) I would love to hear about what you do with your baby/toddler:)
I have been making baby food since my first son, Wyatt, started eating solid foods! He is now a thriving 3 year old..yikes:( I aim to blend food groups together so that when I go to prepare a meal, I can just get a few cubes and I am giving my boys a complete meal! I have made many blends of food, which I will list below! For those of you who want a guide, I LOVE and use "Super Baby Foods" by Ruth Yaron. This book was written by a mom and is full of how to's, recipes, and more! It is your complete guide to feeding your "Super" baby:) I highly recommend it! my mom used it with my little sisters, and then passed it down to me!! So, Thanks Mom for setting the standard of feeding for my children:)
I like to make a fruit blend to add to yogurt and oatmeal for breakfast, and then I make a veggie, meat, and grain mix for lunch and dinner. I usually have three different blends to choose from. If you don't have a food processor and can get one, I highly recommend it! I have a Cuisinart and what I like about mine is it has different settings. This comes in handy from first solids to later eating chunkier, heartier foods. Mine has a "food processor" mode that gives you the consistency of store bought baby food. Some processors just have one setting, and those you can monitor the consistency as it blends. It is nice to be able to hit which button I want, and let it go:) Again, this works for me, everyone has their own way!:) All ways are great! the fresh fruit you can just blend. The veggies, grains, and meats you cook before and then blend! I steam my veggies, roast my meats, and cook my grains! If you need a smoother consistency, I sometimes add some of the leftover "veggie water" from when I steamed them!




I ordered the OXO baby food trays! I do love the baby food cups and accessories that come with the "Beaba", "Magic Bullet", etc. However, I make a lot of food at one time-enough for 2-3 weeks, so I find that the trays work best! You can freeze in these trays and then take out what you need when you need it! I hope this helps you and maybe even encourages you to try! Its a great feeling knowing you are giving your children fresh food without anything else added:) Below I will list some of my favorite baby food combinations!
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Breakfast
*Strawberry, Blueberry, and Banana
*Apple, Strawberry, and Peach
*Mango, Blueberry, and Strawberry
**I also just mash them fresh into oatmeal or yogurt!

Lunch/Dinner
*Squash, Zucchini, and Broccoli
*Green beans, Broccoli, and Apple
*Carrot, Potato, and Brown Rice
*Spinach, Peas, and Pear
*Edamame, Brown Rice, and Apple
*Peas and Carrots, Spaghetti Squash, and Whole Wheat Pasta
*Ground Turkey, Spinach, and Apple
*Ground Chicken, Broccoli, and Sweet Potato
**I like to mix in a fruit so the veggies are more appealing;) When you are just starting out, start with one and work up to the combinations!
Enjoy:)
RL

Traditional Love Story..With a twist of God!

I saw this on a friends blog and loved the idea! It is Valentine's Day after all:) The Day of LOVE.....So, I thought I would share our love story with you. I can take a few minutes to reminisce.....
Weston and I met in the Summer of 2001 at our church's annual beach trip. We were at Panama City Beach where we had gone many times before. Weston and I had known of each other for some time, just never really crossed paths or gave much thought to each other. He was in a different "group" than I was and until this beach trip, we had never spoken. We had been at the beach a couple of days when I noticed this guy following me around and glancing my way;) After a couple days, he came up to me and my friends at dinner and sat down. He started right in on his cute little jokes and immediately I LOVED his personality. He was confident, determined, funny, smart, yet tender, compassionate, and romantic. I was a little thrown off as to why he was sitting at our table, and who he was sitting there for...couldn't be me? Well, yes, it was. The next day we had sand fights at the beach (yes sand fights..we were 15 after all:)) with our friends Lauren and Mark. I remember it like it was yesterday. I instantly liked him and wondered if he liked me too. The rest of the week he stayed with me. We ate together, worshiped together, hung out at the beach, and had a blast. I remember being so excited to walk out of bible study, or out of my room, with pure anticipation of seeing "HIM".
The final day of our trip came, and as we were leaving breakfast Weston said, "I bet I can hold candy in my mouth longer than you can chew gum." "Okay"? I said. That would entail us having to sit together on the bus for the 6 hour ride home. I wasn't going to argue, and little did I know, that was his plot all along!;) He was a clever little thing...well, 6'4 thing. That was the best ride home ever. After that, we were inseparable! We had a few weeks of summer left so we saw each other at church a few times a week, and then school time came. Weston and I went to different high schools, so we wouldn't cross paths anywhere but at church. Looking back, there is nothing I can do but give God the credit for his beautiful plan.
When I got home from my first day of 10th grade, Weston called and asked me "to be his girlfriend!" Deep down I was terrified-he was popular, outgoing, the guy other girls wanted, and completely opposite of me. He made me nervous:) I was/am still weak in the knees when he comes into the room. Our first date was to the Varisty and the Georgia Dome where Dacula High School was playing the High School Football opening game. We went with our friend Mark, and my future Mother in Law:) Not only did I fall in love with Weston, but I loved his Mom from day one. There isn't a sweeter woman, and boy did she do a good job raising a sweet, affectionate, romantic, respectful boy. I enjoyed my time with her as much as I did with Weston. She was always driving us around, taking us to so many amazing places, and was always willing to drive us home before curfew. She never said no to going somewhere for us.
High school was a blast, and we have so many amazing memories. Trips to the beach, church activities, Homecoming, Prom, football games on Friday nights, off-roading with friends, and so so much more! We were CRAZY about each other. We are both Christians and decided from day one to remain physically pure until we were married. We strived to do God's will and wanted to please him in the choices we made. Junior year of HS, my family moved to Dacula, and Weston and I were able to ride to school together and enjoy the best part of HS at the same school! We prepared for college, and once again, we were at different schools. Although only about 30 minutes apart, Weston was a cadet at NGCSU and I was at a private Baptist college. For those of you who went to college, you can imagine how different of lives we were living. We continued dating the first semester of college, and broke up for about 5 months. During that time, God grew us, and shaped us into who he wanted us to be for HIM. That was one thing I never grasped was "what does GOD have planned for me", not just "what do I have planned for ME"?
We didn't even speak during those few months, and I will never forget exactly where I was and what I was doing when he called me for the first time in 5 months!:) It was like we never broke up and I had butterflies like you wouldn't believe. Weston had just left to hike the Appalacian Trail in Maine so I wasn't expecting to see him for about 6 months. He hiked about 2 weeks, and on the highest point of a mountain he met with God and got the things he had been searching for:) He hiked as fast as he could to the next town, hitch-hiked with two different families, and made it back to ATL in time for us a to take a Sanibel trip-last minute. Little did I know, he was buying a ring and planning our engagement!
We went to Sanibel, and on June 26, 2005 as we walked down our perfect beach, he took me to a private board walk and got down on one knee...10 years later, here we are! 5 years of a BEAUTIFUL marriage and 2 precious sons later! God is given the glory EVERY day for EVERY bit of our lives.
Happy Valentine's Day! Would love to read your story:)
RL

11 Things

I am really enjoying blogging, and although some days I can't get around to it, the more I blog the more I love it! I was tagged in Madeline's 11 Things today so I am jumping on the band-wagon!
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Rules:
1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you’ve tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.



11 Things About Me:
What's your current fitness goal?
Determine what I can fit in to my schedule with two kids! There is plenty I can do at home!
iPhone or Android?
IPHONE!!!:) I am obsessed with it! The first phone that I've had that I am not looking for what's new!
Favorite healthy snack?
Peanut Butter and Apples and Smoothies
How much sleep do you get?
It's different every night:) Wyatt sleeps perfectly every night. Eli...not so much. I am usually up at least once:) Average 7 hours.
Favorite HS/college memory?
I met my husband in 9 grade. I have many memories with him:) Our annual trips to Sanibel Island were some beautiful ones!
Did you play sports?
I played Softball and did a short stent on the Dive Team! I won First place in my first small meet!
What's worse: wearing socks with sandals or wearing black with navy?
By FAR wearing socks with Sandals. Oh my!!!
Have you ever broken anything?
I have never broken anything. Up until having my babies, I had never been in the hospital!
Have you traveled outside the US?
I have been to the US Virgin Islands, Victoria Island and Canada.
If you have pets, do you talk to them like they're humans?
I have two dogs and yes I do. I am constantly getting "eye rolls" from my husband;)
Patriots or Giants?
GIANTS! I am not that fond of Tom Brady...he's thinks too highly of himself.

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My 11 Questions for You:
1. Do you enjoy cooking?
2. How many kids do you want?
3. Are you a College Football Fan? SEC, ACC, PAC 10, etc?
4. Do you live where you want to raise your kids?
5. What is your favorite "Me time" thing to do?
6. Who will you vote for in the 2012 Election?
7. What is your favorite show?
8. Are you a Twilight fan?
9. What is your biggest challenge?
10. Do you know your "Love Language"
11. What was your childhood dream?
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I am Tagging:
Amanda Rachael Anna Brittany Mandy Laura Nicole

Thanks for including me Maddy! I enjoy the small things like this!:)
Hope you all have a blessed Sunday at Church and fun with friends tonight!
RL