March in Pictures

we've had a fun month! i tried to snap as many pics as possible, but i do need to get better about that! looking forward to a fun April together!

here a few fun photos from the random things we did this month!

and this is why we call her "sassy"

so much drama

and such a sweet little smile

its so hard to get Jack to look at the camera w/o putting his hands in his mouth!

Ben surprised us with some Muddy's!

she has NO fear

so proud of herself!

riding the horsey at the mall

and of course, Jack doesn't look at the camera!

one saturday night i was painting my toenails for church the next morning. Jovie was so infatuated. she sat in my lap & let me paint her little toenails hot pink!! so cute!

playing with Woody! (we had to buy 2 b/c it caused soo much trouble to just have one. ha!)

we've made a few trips to yogurt mountain & yolo. Jack loves chocolate yogurt the most.

i bought Jovie this hat at target for $1. she loves to play with hats. but Jack wanted to wear it all through the store! ha!

he got a little embarrassed when i told him it was just for girls!

Jovie always falls asleep in the car

Jack, not so much. he loves to watch Toy Story while we ride.

we've been to Grace Playce at Bellevue, several times. Jack & Jovie love it!

we're sad that its taking a break for summer! it starts back up in the fall & if we have moved by then, i will make the drive for this. such a good outlet for Jack.

sweet girl loves to play with all the big bouncy balls

and Jack loves the easter eggs!

somedays i just can not believe that everyday i get to wake up & take care of my kids. such a dream come true. i realize i am very blessed to be able to do this & it is worth every single sacrifice we are making. so thankful for my children.

Tomato Blue Cheese Pasta

oh. my. word. this is SO good. seriously, good. creamy, tomatoey pasta goodness. this is also a pretty easy recipe & i've made my modifications to make it a little more calorie friendly!!

if you like blue cheese, you will love this recipe. if you don't like blue cheese, shame on you. and try this recipe anyway b/c it does not give an overwhelming blue cheese taste, its just very creamy with tons o' flavor. trust me.

ben loves this pasta dish. i think its his new favorite that i make at home. and my kids even gobble it up.

try this tonight. for reals. and then go give Pioneer Woman some love. because she is a pasta genius.

ingredients:

1 box pasta ( i use whole wheat or healthy harvest. i like penne or bow tie pasta the best with this dish)

olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic, or garlic powder/garlic salt

1 28 oz can (or 2 14 oz cans) diced tomatoes, mostly drained.

dash of sugar, salt & pepper

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste. and optional. ( i don't use very much if i know my kids will eat this too)

3/4 cups (6 0z) crumbled blue cheese

3/4 cups heavy cream. ( i substitute & use the Philadelphia cooking cream, 1 container of the original flavor)

4 cups baby spinach

half and half (for thinning, you could also use milk)

extra blue cheese crumbles, for garnish. (i don't always do this)

( forgive me for the picture overload. normally, i place all the ingredients together & take one picture. but i forgot, so i had to go back & do it later.)

normally, i use organic diced tomatoes. but i already had these in the pantry. the original calls for you to drain them but i've found that if you don't, you will be able to use little/no half & half which will cut down on calories

this cooking cream is SO much better than heavy cream. much more flavor!

love fresh garlic. but you can use garlic salt.

yum. love spinach.

notice this cheese is reduced fat. it really helps cut down on the calories. i use 1.5 of these containers of cheese. you could also substitute milk for half & half.

cook pasta according to package instructions.

drizzle olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add minced garlic & cook for a minute. add tomatoes. add sugar, salt, pepper & crushed red pepper flakes to taste. simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

reduce heat to low. stir in crumbled blue cheese & allow it to melt.

so cheesy. yummo.

add in the philadelphia cooking cream (or heavy cream, if you prefer). allow it to melt into the sauce. if sauce is too thick, stir in a little half & half or milk. or you can reserve the juice from the diced tomatoes & use that. whatever you like! i've done all 3 & it tastes about the same.

the original recipe says to add the spinach at the VERY last minute of cooking the sauce. but, i've found that it actually takes the spinach several minutes to cook down. so, i add the spinach to my boiling pasta water at the last couple minutes. it cooks down much faster.

give the spinach about 2-3 minutes in the pasta water, stirring occasionally. once it has started to shrink down, drain the pasta & the spinach together.

can you see the spinach?!

add the spinach & pasta to the tomato sauce.

stir it all together! and, voila! so so so yummy.

doesn't this look so good?! it is so rich & creamy. you will love it. trust me!

Jovie @ 14 Months

my little love, you are 14 months old. part of me hates that you are growing so quickly. we are enjoying you so much right now & i just want you to be little forever. i feel like i say this in every single one of your monthly posts. but its so true!! you are my baby!

you are such a little smarty pants. it is amazing how many things you learn & pick up on just by watching Jack, me or dada. you copy so much of Jack's behavior, especially when it comes to get angry. you even throw a fit the same way he does, which is hilarious, but we still have to discipline you. but, praise the Lord, you respond well to discipline. which seems to be another thing you get from your brother! we are thankful for your tender heart & sweet spirit.

you are still a really great eater. some of your recent favorite foods are: yogurt, pasta, pizza crust with sauce, chicken nuggets, peanut butter, goldfish crackers, pasta salad, scrambled eggs and macaroni and cheese. so far the only food that you aren't crazy about is strawberries.

you are still in a size 4 diaper, size 12 month clothes & size 4 shoe. you weigh about 22 lbs.

you have so much personality. you "talk" all day long. you love to run from one side of the room to the other just giggling & grinning. you squeal whenever you play with Jack! you are definitely a sassy girl, always giving dramatic looks, sounds or movements. you are assertive & take what you want, sharing is definitely a learning process! ha! but you are also very loving, cuddly & affectionate. you love to give kisses & hugs to your baby dolls, then you bring them to us so we will love on them too! you are always giving kisses to me & dada. so sweet.

you are still a mama's girl. big time. i'm pretty sure that everyone has noticed it by now. and let me just say, that i'm loving it. it does get difficult sometimes when i need to leave you with someone but, you are doing better. i love that you want to be with me all the time and that you prefer me to everyone else. its such a sweet blessing. i pray that we always have a sweet relationship. lately, i've been leaving you twice a week with dada, for a couple hours, so i can go to Zumba. we can tell that you are really benefiting from this time. it has really helped you to bond with dada, you have always loved him, but now you even reach for him, run to him & treat him the way you treat me! ha!

Jovie. you are so precious. cutest little girl i've ever known. and so sweet. being your mama has been the most wonderful blessing. i love spending each day with you. i hope you know that you are a joy, and never an obligation or burden.

happy 14 months to my sweet baby. i love you.

Home Made Salsa

ok people. do you love salsa?! maybe. but not as much as me. i kid you not, i could eat it every single day. just give me a good salty tortilla chip, some salsa & i'm a happy girl. no sweet tooth around here.

i love, love, love this salsa recipe. from pioneer woman, duh. its so yummy, so easy, so cheap to make & very calorie friendly. i throw it together pretty often to take to small group, family functions, or just to munch on at home!

Enjoy!!!

ingredients:

28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice

2 cans rotel

1/4 cup (or more/less if you like) chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic salt/garlic powder)

1 jalapeno, sliced thin. (you want to de-seed this!)

1/4 tsp (or a pinch) sugar

1/4 tsp (or a pinch) salt

1/4 tsp (or a pinch) ground cumin

1/2 cup fresh cilantro (i just toss it in by the handful, add more if you like cilantro!)

juice from 1/2 a lime

i love fresh cilantro!!

almost forgot to include this little guy in the picture! i love the smoky flavor of cumin!

you will also need a blender or large food processor. you may have to make it in batches & then combine it all in one container when you are done.

place all ingredients in blender. pulse until you get the salsa to the texture & consistency you like. (about 10 pulses).

*when cutting up the jalapeno. MAKE SURE you get the seeds out. then add a few seeds at a time to make the salsa more spicy. i usually add about 5-8 seeds. taste the salsa & then add more if you want more of a kick. also, be sure to wash your hands well after touching the pepper!!

also, for the spices, sugar & pepper i just sprinkle some into the blender, i don’t measure it out. and i just tear some cilantro off into my palm, i don’t measure it either. those are more of a suggestion! play around & find out what you like!

ENJOY!!!

it is SOO tasty, i love that it has such a fresh taste!! now if i could just find the perfect white cheese dip recipe?!

Special Birthdays

i love birthdays. they are just fun. no matter how old, or young you are, celebrating a birthday is a blessing.

March is fun in our family b/c there are 3 birthdays in my family. my grandmother, turned 78 on March 4. she is such a blessing. and such an inspiration. she is healthy as a horse, still working part-time, driving her own car everywhere, cooks delicious made from scratch meals & her mind is sharp as a tac. she loves the Lord, honors Him & has given us a godly example of how to follow Jesus, even when things are hard, desperate & gray. she is a beautiful lady & i'm so proud to be her granddaughter. i'm named after her (we share the same middle name, Ramell) and i hope to honor her by loving the Lord as faithfully as she does. my Nanny rocks. just trust me.

here is Nanny with 4 of her 6 great grandkids. Jovie Claire & Luke have been added since this photo! (Jack is the teeny baby on the right, i miss those days!) but i love this picture, b/c she is SO proud of her babies!

March 18 is my momma's birthday. and March 25 is my daddy's birthday. i can't say enough wonderful things about my parents. they aren't perfect, i know that. but they are perfect parents for me.

my momma is nutty, loving, loyal, concerned, strong, full of conviction, determined, stubborn (i get this from her! ha!), godly, fun, self sacrificing & creative. she is a fantastic cook, wonderful home maker, faithful mother, submissive wife & prayer warrior. she loves Jesus. we don't always agree & we have had hard days. but now that i am married with my own children, i have a new appreciation for her job in raising me & my 7 siblings. i genuinely respect her & i am so thankful my kids have such a precious Lolli.

my daddy is everything a man should be. if you know him, you love him. and you respect him. growing up i knew i wanted to marry a man that possessed many of the same characteristics as he does. and i am so thankful the Lord gave me Ben. he reminds me of my dad b/c he is gentle & humble just like my dad. my dad is: sweet, funny, determined, a perfectionist, loyal, strong, faithful, tender hearted, gentle spirit, slow to anger, quick to forgive, apologizes when he is wrong, he can fix anything, works hard with his hands, provides for his family & follows his Lord. he is a hard worker. he never complains, he trusts the Lord & leads by example. i really could go on forever. i am one of those girls who adores her daddy. i am so thrilled that Jovie will have the same type of precious father. my dad loves my mom & i have never seen him treat her with disrespect or harshness. he loves his kids. and he goes out of his way to do things for us. and good grief does he love his grandkids. Jack & Jovie are so blessed to have such a sweet, sweet Poppa. can't wait for my siblings to have babies so they can love their poppa too!!

i am so thankful for my parents. so thankful to come from a godly home, that is full of love & fun. i had the best childhood. i look back on it fondly. i love my siblings & treasure their friendship. and i know its because of the way my parents raised us. i pray that i love Jack & Jovie in the same way.

my adorable parents. love them to pieces.

after 30 years of love & marriage, this is their reward. love it!

Happy Birthday to my Nanny, mom & dad! love you so much!

Skin Deep

i realize this post is shallow & most people could care less about reading it, but i thought it was fun to share! i am about a month late posting this, from Kelly's Korner, but i really enjoyed reading everyone else's posts, so i decided to do my own. i am the last person that should be giving this type of advice. i am pretty boring when it comes to this stuff. BUT i can share my staples; the things i refuse to live without.

first, i ALWAYS use face moisturizer. i apply it before i put on any make up & through out the day if i notice my face is looking dry. my favorite is this Pond's Dry Skin Cream. i love this stuff.



i definitely believe in a good face wash. it really makes a difference in my skin. i use L'Oreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizing Gel Cleaner. fancy name, great product. its mild, so its perfect for sensitive skin. it has a great scent & it really leaves my skin feeling fresh. i found it at Kroger, on sale, and decided to give it a whirl. love it.

when it comes to make-up, MAC is my very fave. but let's be honest, i'm a pastor's wife. we aren't exactly rolling in the dough, so i make do with products from Target. (i have made the decision that once i reach my first weight loss goal, i will treat myself to a couple of MAC products!) but i do love a good mascara. i've tried several different types & i keep coming back to this one. its Maybelline Lash Blast. it gives you volume, doesn't clump & its easy to wash off when you clean your face. i use the Black Brown color.

Christmas 2008, my MIL bought me a CHI hair straightener. and let me just say that i adore it. seriously, best thing ever for my hair. i can curl & straighten with it, my hair doesn't get fried & its a quality product that will last. BUT if you use a CHI or any good straightener you NEED and i repeat NEED the CHI hair serum, Silk Infusion. it is pricey but worth ever single penny. and you only use a drop at a time, so it will last you forever. i've been using the same bottle for about a year. the best part about it is that it protects your hair from the heat & leaves it feeling soft & shiny. i will never not use it.

i also LOVE this product. Dove Heat Defense & Shine Mist. i have been using it for about a year, and i can tell a major difference in the health of my hair. seriously. after i shower, while my hair is still wet, i spray this all over my head (even flipping my head over & spraying underneath). it protects your hair from the hair dryer & straightener. even when i don't use my CHI to straighten my hair, i still use this mist. it really protects my hair from split ends & drying out. its worth every single penny. i get it from Kroger b/c i can't always find it at Target.

this is probably my favorite beauty product. love me some Burt's Bees. i use it every single day. it really keeps my lips from being chapped & cracked. i even put a little on my fingers when i get minor cuts & it heals it better than any neosporin. i love that i can go with a plain or colored chapstick. i even put some on my eyelids to help hold my eye shadow in place. santa puts some in my stocking every year!

i am all about some quick & easy products. i don't have a ton of time to spend on getting ready each morning. i'm usually racing the clock or chasing toddlers as i'm trying to get dressed, put on make up or find my shoes. so, i'm all about convenience these days. i'm lucky if i even get to shower without my kids in the bathroom with me! ha!