tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36647779565742937322023-12-25T03:19:40.849-05:00Our Own Kind of ParadiseMerehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-22360360228843584712017-05-09T21:23:00.000-04:002017-05-09T21:23:05.635-04:00New domain---come visit!Hello friends! I've decided to upgrade my blog to my own domain. I have a new look and hopefully better room for growth in the future. I would be trilled if you would stop by and stay a while. I'm still learning the ropes over there but I hope to have it all figured out soon.<br />
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<a href="https://meredithgadoury.com/">https://meredithgadoury.com/</a><br />
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Add me to your feeds and RSS so you don't miss a post. I'm working to have more structured and planned posts for you guys going forward. I hope you like it over there!<br />
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See you soon.<br />
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xoxo<br />
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-33777354457947152042017-05-02T21:14:00.000-04:002017-05-02T21:14:06.211-04:00Cinco de Mayo Recipe!!<div style="text-align: left;">
This past weekend we hosted our second annual pool party with a bunch of friends and their kids. It is such a great way to get together and have a blast. Everyone has fun including the adults and since everyone that came lives in our neighborhood, it's just a quick walk home.</div>
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Both years we've hosted this party we did a taco bar for the food. It's easy and quick to prepare and everyone can customize it for their preferences. I wanted to share with you this recipe that is such a winner and would be great for Cinco de Mayo this Friday.</div>
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The recipe is from allrecipes.com and is called <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/16995/charleys-slow-cooker-mexican-style-meat/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringContentType=search%20results&clickId=cardslot%201" target="_blank">Charley's Slow Cooker Mexican Meat</a>. You can use a few different kinds of meat but our favorite is pork. We use a 4-5 lbs bone-in Boston butt and follow the recipe exactly. We remove the fatty parts before shredding and throw it in a pan before eating to crisp it up some. You can make burritos, tacos, or even tostones with it. My favorite is topped with cheese, lettuce, black beans, tomato, and fresh avocado---sprinkle with salt and it's amazing!</div>
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Of course I was too busy having fun to take pictures of the food and decorations but here are some of the super cute kiddos having a blast!</div>
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I also can't pass up an opportunity to share this picture--I love when everyone is actually looking at the camera!!</div>
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Let me know if you try this recipe---like I said, you won't regret it. Add some fresh margaritas and you've got a party!</div>
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Happy May everyone!</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-49584654166673853942017-04-06T20:13:00.003-04:002017-04-06T20:13:47.016-04:00March Monthly Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello April! I’m glad to see you. As I’ve mentioned a ton, I love the start of a new year for a chance to get a fresh start. In a way I also think the start of a new month is an opportunity for a reset. March was a tough month in some ways but great in others. Regardless I am looking forward to April, it’s one of my favorite months in Florida, the weather is gorgeous and it’s really the kick-start of the Florida fun that this Florida girl loves.<br /><br />But first a recap of all things March!<br /><br />Financially March was great. I got my bonus at work and sent the entire check (minus the cost of a watch and a Kate Spade purse) to credit card debt. We are not free of debt but it’s great to see that number going down!<br /><br />We also have been working on getting better with our budgets. We have been using Mint.com and since it links every account it’s so helpful in seeing where our money is going. <br /><br />We haven’t really put much into savings but we are getting to a point where we should be able to start that soon. I am focusing pretty heavily on debt at the moment and I feel I can’t do both well. Something has to give and so far for this year, that has been savings.<br /><br />Health was pretty lackluster in March. Over the month I worked out only eleven times. I have been battling some things with my body and getting back to a new post-partum norm which was holding me back physically and emotionally. It seems that’s all in check so I am hoping for a stronger April in this area. <br /><br />As far as Family goals go we did a decent job. We went to Disney for Macie’s birthday, had a date night with me and the hubs, I had a date with Henley to see Beauty and the Beast while Dad had some alone time with Macie. Overall a great month in this area.<br /><br />Personally I did ok. It was review time at work and being a manager and having people to deliver reviews to is so mentally and emotionally exhausting. I am not confrontational and I do not like delivering negative reviews, even when deserved, so the last two weeks here were rough. I didn’t post much on my blog and I didn’t stay on top of my Writing Course either. April will be better, it has to be right!<br /><br />Looking forward to this month I am embarking on the <a href="https://the100dayproject.org/" target="_blank">#the100dayproject</a> and am focusing on lettering, I’m planning to start there anyways----we will see where this leads me. I love having something creative (and managable) to focus on for 100 days. Follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meredithng/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to stay in the loop with my daily posts.<br /><br />Tomorrow is Friday and I’ve really had a great week. I will be sharing some things I’ve been loving this week either tomorrow or Saturday, stay tuned!!!<br /><br /><div>
xoxo</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-53614956339120492962017-03-10T21:41:00.003-05:002017-03-10T21:41:41.545-05:00Friday FavesHappy Friday Friends! This week was long. We went to Disney last weekend and having no days off to wind down made this week feel like an extension of last week. I'm looking forward to this weekend full of nothing to do.<br />
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I thought I'd share some things I'm loving lately.<br />
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This picture from last weekend in Disney.<br />
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I just finished Jodi Picoult's latest book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28765613-small-great-things" target="_blank">Small Great Things</a> It was such a great book. It was tough to read at times but I think it was an important read, very relevant to our current times. </div>
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The <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast/" target="_blank">Coffee + Crumbs podcast</a> is back!!! I was so excited to see this pop up on my feed this week.</div>
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I signed up for <a href="https://amandaarneill.com/" target="_blank">Amanda Arneill</a>'s free Watercolor Lettering course this week and while I haven't had an opportunity to complete all five lessons I have done three and I look forward to the other two. I enjoyed using the practice sheets and hearing her tips was really helpful. She offers a few courses and lots of resources on her <a href="https://amandaarneill.com/" target="_blank">site</a>. Check it out if you are interested in lettering. </div>
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I purchased a set of Mad Hatter Tea in Disney World with a mug that actually looks like the cups from the ride (swoon!) I've only tried the Mad Tea Party blend but it is great, a blend of ginger, apricots, and peaches in a black tea. I'm such a fan. It is available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disney-Parks-Wonderland-Flavor-Variety/dp/B004EI25WU/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1489197213&sr=8-3&keywords=mad+hatter+tea" target="_blank">Amazon</a> if you'd like to snatch one up for yourself. </div>
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Lastly, this <a href="http://www.sephora.com/detox-dry-shampoo-P378169?skuId=1589555&gclid=Cj0KEQiAuonGBRCaotXoycysvIMBEiQAcxV0nFy1g5twV8dpIaVBPxE0H0O7NhJr1HpQuZEmLizeF2AaAs5h8P8HAQ" target="_blank">Detox dry shampoo</a> is amazing! Just ordered another bottle of it and I highly recommend. I can usually go up to four days between washings with it! I also just ordered the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/detox-dry-conditioner-P406254?skuId=1785773&icid2=use%20it%20with:P406254" target="_blank">dry conditioner</a> to try out. I've never heard of anyone using dry conditioner before but it has amazing reviews so we shall see.</div>
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I hope you all have a great weekend ahead full of relaxation. </div>
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-69297909800563645872017-03-02T21:19:00.000-05:002017-03-02T21:19:06.334-05:00March 2017 Goals Update<div style="text-align: center;">
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I <a href="https://ourownkindofparadise.blogspot.com/2017/01/one-little-word-intention.html" target="_blank">posted</a> at the beginning of the year that this year for me would be <a href="https://ourownkindofparadise.blogspot.com/2017/01/one-little-word-intention.html" target="_blank">intentional</a>. Intentional in time with my family, intentional in spending money, intentional in what I did with my free time, and intentional with where my life is taking me.<br /><br />I laid out some <a href="https://ourownkindofparadise.blogspot.com/2016/12/new-year-new-restart.html" target="_blank">goals</a> and since today it's the beginning of March, I thought it’d be a great time to check in.<br /><br /><b><u><br />Financial Goals:</u></b><br /><br />We created budgets on Mint.com and have been diligent about checking them weekly. Every Monday morning I have a reminder on my calendar to log in and see where we are. This has help bring perspective to what we are spending and also helping to hold us accountable. <br /><br />To be honest we’ve gone over in budgets both months but mostly due to things like unexpected increases in daycare costs, adding Macie to the weekend gymnastics fun, Macie’s birthday that I didn’t budget for, and finance charges on credit card debt that we are paying off soon. I am planning to reassess our budget this month to account for these increases and also to account for the bonus I’m getting which will be going straight to debt! (Adulting is hard)<br /><br />Started college funds for the girls which will kick in this April, another budget adjustment.<br /><br />Still need to work on savings but that will get easier once some debt is paid down this month. I want to focus on debt paydown and then we will have funds freed up for savings.<br /><br /><br /><b><u>Family Goals:</u></b><br /><br />Disney Trips for the girls’ birthdays - Since we have annual passes I want to ensure we are getting ours money’s worth. We are planning a trip Friday for Macie’s birthday. All of the reservations and FastPasses are made and ready to go.<br /><br />Weekly lunch dates with the hubs - I’ve been slacking on lunch dates with the hubs since I’ve been working out on lunch. I need to get better about carving out at least one day a week for him and me. I love getting out of the office and having alone time with him, even if just for an hour.<br /><br />Monthly date nights with hubs. We haven’t had any date nights either, add to the list for March.<br /><br />Monthly dates with the girls alone. I had a few lunch dates with Henley during the week since I am trying to get her to not nap at school, that battle deserves its own post. Husband had a day alone with Macie picking strawberries and playing with the ponies at his dad’s house too. <br /><br /><br /><u><b>Health Goals:</b></u><br /><br />Workout 3-4 times a week - I’ve been working out more than my goal, six days a week all month! YaY! I’ve been doing Hammer and Chisel this month and loving it. Four weeks to go. I've been a little off this week and with Disney Friday through Sunday I imagine I'll be redoing week five next week.<br /><br />I've been drinking my Shakeology daily and have been meal planning and prepping which has been huge for ensuring I have a healthy lunch.<br /><br />I’ve been hitting my step goal most days, 24 days this month to be exact!!<br /><br /><br /><b><u>Personal Goals:</u></b><br /><br />Blog twice a week - January was a good month but February was a little sparse. I chose working on other creative outlets over writing this month but I am planning to get some more out there in the next few weeks.<br /><br />Monthly updates to photo book----total fail. Haven’t started this at all for 2017.<br /><br />Reading challenge of 35 books this year - I am on book five so a little behind. I’ve tried to read two different books this year that are nonfiction, more focused on self-improvement and I lost interest after much forceful reading. I think for me reading is a relaxing, fun way to wrap up my day and those books didn’t do it for me. I found myself preferring to scroll through Facebook or Pinterest instead. Two of the books I’ve read so far:<br /><br />Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner: This was one book that wasn’t a fiction but I loved it and would highly recommend. This book isn’t full of how-to’s or tips on becoming a minimalist but instead packed with experiences and overall enlightening. I found myself constantly reassessing my priorities and looking at where I spend efforts in my day to day. <br /><br />I also read Truly, Madly, Guilty from Liane Moriarty. I typically love her books but this was one overall frustrating. “Just get to the point!” was something I found myself thinking constantly through this book.<br /><br />Stay creative - I’ve definitely been excelling in this area between the blog, writing with the Year of Creativity, photography, and lettering. Check out my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ-y2KnhAsS/?taken-by=teds1chic&hl=en" target="_blank">latest watercolor/lettering</a> I posted to Instagram.<br /><br />Stay above the Bullshit! I’ve been doing relatively well here also. See my post on <a href="https://ourownkindofparadise.blogspot.com/2017/01/maintaining-balance.html" target="_blank">Maintaining the Balance.</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Intention---just calling it out as something I needed in my life has been huge for me so far this year. I love the awareness it’s created with my life. I feel much more in control. I also think being out of the baby stages with the girls has been a huge help. I’m not nursing or pumping and the girls sleep through the night most nights. We are still up early but at least the 2am wake ups are a thing of the past (knock on wood). I’m feeling more human every day. <br /><br />How are you doing on any goals you set for the year? Keep going! I know you’ve got this!<br /><div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-89994389985516600612017-03-01T20:34:00.000-05:002017-05-03T08:56:27.030-04:00Macie is TWO!I cannot believe it but today is Macie's second birthday! These last two years have flow by but in the same breath it feels like Macie has always been a part of our family. We've been doing a lot of celebrating this week for her, I like to make their birthdays special and this one was no exception.<br />
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We hosted a farm party this past weekend with some neighborhood friends and a friend from school. I found a place that will bring a petting zoo to you. It was great. They came and set up, provided food for the children to feed the animals throughout the hour, and cleaned up when they left. I was worried about only getting the animals for an hour but the kids were about done around the 45 minute mark. It was a huge hit and the kids love it.<br />
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I planned this party coming down from the peak holiday season and truthfully didn't want to host anything. Because of that, I was determined for the food to be either store-bought or catered. Between this and Amazon, this was by far the easiest party I've ever hosted, I'm not sure I'll ever go back!<br />
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I used a cut file from the Silhouette Design Store to make these super cute hats. The girls loved them. They were relatively easy and took about an hour and a half to make over the course of a few days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/152581" target="_blank">Silhouette Hat File</a></td></tr>
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Favor boxes were filled with all kinds of farm themed goodies (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TYEVS8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRFXHMI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0189JBWEG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K5CQ3V2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">here</a>)</div>
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Now for the best part, the animals! The kids were so excited it was virtually impossible to get good pictures but them having fun really is the point, not perfect pictures right!?<br />
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I am so excited for what this year is to bring us and Macie. She is learning so much---counting, sentences, and even potty training this week (day four today and almost no accidents). She is so spunky and tough but sweet on the inside. She will pull your hair and run away laughing but if you cough she is right there to pat your back. This year has been great and I love having this special little person in our family. She completes us!</div>
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Happy March everyone!</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-14165315761889185912017-02-08T20:06:00.001-05:002017-05-03T08:56:54.781-04:00When I Was a Little Girl...<br />
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I’m sitting at my computer, Henley looks over my shoulder and sees an advertisement for an animated unicorn toy. Unicorns are all the rage for four year olds if you didn’t know. It’s $79 and she immediately says she needs it so much, like right now! I start trying to figure out for which occasion I could get this for her---Easter is all I got. We don’t typically get them gifts like this for Easter but if not then, when, her birthday and Christmas just passed. <br />
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A few days pass by. She hasn’t mentioned the unicorn but I’m still thinking of it, thinking of how excited she would be if I got it for her. She doesn’t need a unicorn. Why do I feel the need to get this for her? On Easter morning if she awakes to a basket full of candy-filled eggs and sidewalk chalk she will be just as thrilled. Will she look back and think of the unicorn toy she never got? What do I remember from being a little girl myself?<br />
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When I was a little girl I had a best friend that I was inseparable from. We had sleepovers and made friendship bracelets. We went to church together and even lived in the same neighborhood. <br />
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When I was a little girl I loved being outside. I would “paint” on the driveway at my papa’s house with water. I’d help him around the yard and pick oranges from the orange trees. I would make stinky mud pies with my brother. I would give concerts in my backyard, singing whatever tune was blaring from my mini cassette tape player, most likely Manic Monday.<br />
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When I was a little girl I remember being so excited to open a brand new box of crayons and a pack of colorful construction paper. I would make paper chains and color for hours with my mom and siblings.<br />
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When I was a little girl I remember having homemade cakes, made by my mom every year on my birthday, my favorite was a chocolate one that had pink ballet slippers on it. <br />
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When I was a little girl I remember eating pink heart shaped waffles with strawberries on Valentine’s morning and green shamrock waffles on St. Patrick's day. <br />
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When I was a little girl I loved writing in my journal or diary. I loved creating stories with illustrations. My characters usually were named Tiffany or Stacy and always had great friends, sometimes they even had a little sister just like me. <br />
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When I was a little girl I felt loved and taken care of. I was happy. I don’t remember if I had the latest and greatest toys, I assume not since we weren’t the most well off. I don’t remember taking elaborate trips or expensive vacations. I didn’t have the latest name brand shoes or clothes. I look back and remember being happy. I remember fighting with my siblings on long road trips to Georgia or North Carolina, taking special care to annoy my older brother. I remember stopping at rest stops to eat food my mother had packed, typically sandwiches or fried chicken. I remember rolling down small hills outside of our hotel room and catching fireflies. <br />
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In this world we live in, this world of more, we can easily get caught up with always wanting more. I myself am extremely guilty of this and have been working on it lately. I could go through the trouble to get this unicorn for her that would quickly start collecting dust in the corner in hopes of seeing my little girl light up, of winning the title of “best mom” in her mind. But honestly at the end of the day all I want is for my girls to feel more loved today than they did yesterday, to know that happiness doesn’t come in a box. I want them to look back at this time and remember dance parties in the living room, making cupcakes and messes in the kitchen, and an occasional skip out of school for a lunch date. I need to keep reminding myself of this, in the rush of life and the hustle of tomorrow we must always live in today, relish in sticky kisses and stinky feet, dirty floors and handprints on windows. Who knows, in December when her birthday rolls back around I might end up getting the unicorn but for today, I am just going to snuggle with my girls and enjoy this moment and keep creating memories for them to look back on. Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-11588634000739200542017-02-04T20:51:00.004-05:002017-02-04T20:51:52.749-05:00Valentine CutiesIn an effort to keep working on being more creative this year, I decided to have a little photoshoot with the girls. I found <a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=425530002&cvosrc=cse.google.PLA_Brand&cvo_campaign=690748441&cvo_adgroup=35201331985&cvo_crid=155158479490&Matchtype=&tid=onpl000000&kwid=1&ap=7&gclid=CjwKEAiAlNbEBRCv9uy4j4SWrgwSJAB5MqJFLMPSodW73D-QdgbEp8mxIzFNhzTvwI66RcPcQRmauxoCQ-vw_wcB" target="_blank">these adorable dresses</a> at Old Navy and thought they would be perfect for Valentine pictures. My plan was to take the girls to the park with a few Valentine props to get some cute pictures. After nap we loaded everyone up and headed to the place I was thinking. This spot is at a small community center with great tree coverage and a playset. We go to pull in and see there is an event there, bummer but not terrible. We decide to head downtown for the park that is on the river---perfect scenery and the girls would have a nice playset to play on when we finished! We get to the first block of the downtown area and realize there is a Art Festival this weekend. Traffic, both car and foot, was terrible. We didn't even get near the park and I already knew it would be busy. We kept driving through and stopped at a little fountain in front of our hospital. The girls were not at all cooperative, upset there was no playground after all of this driving. I got a few but we decide to call it quits head back home to the playground by our house for the girls.<br />
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We pull in and there is a Lacrosse tournament of some sort happening, cars parked everywhere, games going on and big kids all over the park. We let the kids play for a bit but the older kids were just being too rough. I was annoyed, no pictures after an hour and a half, the girls were upset that they didn't get to play in the park, everyone was grumpy on the way home--myself included.<br />
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When we got home I decided to give the girls their much deserved lollipops and then try to see if I could snap a few cute pictures. The girls mostly cooperated and I got some cute pictures after all of that. Success finally!!!<br />
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In summary, we loaded everyone up, drove for an hour and a half around town and ended up getting pictures in our backyard. Such is life! At least I got some pictures to play with and had an opportunity to play around some more with Lightroom.<br />
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Enjoy some of my favorites!<br />
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I hope you are having a great weekend so far! </div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-42738419843699692522017-01-30T20:53:00.000-05:002017-05-03T08:57:11.004-04:00The Season of Colic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I sat in my hospital bed, sore and lonely. I was nursing my beautiful new baby, yet again, through the pain. I have been here before, I shouldn't have been surprised by the pain. She was crying and inconsolable and I was overwhelmed. My eyes were puffy from crying, I could feel it. <br />
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Maternity leave is a blur for the most part. There are things that stick out such as some sort of white noise in every room because that is the only sound that would quiet her cries. Bouncing, lots of bouncing, bouncing in the bathroom because the fan was running, bouncing in the kitchen in front of the running stove vent, bouncing outside to keep her from waking the toddler. Walks in the stroller with people looking as I tried so hard to find the perfect white noise for her on my cell phone. Google at 5pm and 7pm and 3am. Venting to my mom friends and the godsend that is Amazon Prime. Receiving shipments daily that contained colic calm, gas drops, gripe water, baby heating pads, probiotic drops, and even the Windi (just google it, it's not a moment I am proud of). Desperation, that is a clear feeling I remember along with helplessness. My baby was miserable, if she was awake and not crying it was a good day. I had no answers but I tried everything I possibly could to figure it out. I never stopped trying. I blamed my diet, my oversupply, I thought she had reflux, I think somewhere between the oversupply and reflux I landed on "it's just colic". <br />
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"Just colic" are two words that should not ever be said together. Colic is life changing. Colic feels defeating. Colic makes you feel like a failure. Colic makes you doubt every decision you make, from your breakfast choices to how you hold you child. Colic is maddening. Colic makes you angry and then guilty for being angry at this little helpless child and then sad for this child, she must be in so much pain. I clearly remember crying right along with her many nights. She would be crying, I would be bouncing her and crying myself.<br />
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There was one night I remember in particular, seven weeks into this new life of ours. I walked out of her room, tears in my eyes. I needed to step away and tag in my husband. He looked at me and said "Well that's not too bad, it took seven weeks for you to get to this point". I looked at him and said "Not quite, I cry almost every night". He's not at all to blame for not being as involved in this process as I was. He was taking care of our oldest and since I was nursing and not pumping, he couldn't really take over the feedings. During those nights I felt very alone. I felt alone even though I read post after post about other moms experiencing this same thing and despite everyone giving me a time frame where it would likely get better, it felt like I'd never get there. <br />
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Most people said by twelve weeks, all of this would go away. This felt like unattainable. I wasn't sure how much more I could take. It made me extremely sad to know that the only twelve weeks I would get alone with her would be spent in this state. It felt impossible.<br />
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Despite all of my doubt and dread, she did get better. Around ten weeks she stopped crying as much and we even had a nice ending to my maternity leave. Those ten weeks were some of the hardest times in my life. I felt like a bad mother for not being able to fix her, not even mentioning the lack of time I was spending with my oldest. <br />
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In the end this is all a distant memory. I now have a spunky almost two year old that is still a lot of work but it's a much easier type of work in comparison. Our nights are now spent reading her favorite books, which lately has been "all of them", instead of bouncing and crying together. Our days together are full of painting and bubbles and dress-up. It gets better. <br />
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If you are in this season of life, I see you. I see your tears and I see your frustration. Focus on the end, have hope for the end. It will end. Your little baby will get bigger and grow out of this phase. You will become a normal, functioning member of your community again. You are doing everything right. You are a great mom even though I know at time it doesn't feel like it. Pretty soon you will be worrying about teething and crawling and introducing new foods. Motherhood is never void of opportunities for worry but this specific season of worry will end, I promise.<br />
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-87280680003538204892017-01-28T19:36:00.000-05:002017-01-28T19:36:11.595-05:00All In A TouchWhen my husband and I were engaged to be married, a family friend who would be our wedding officiant recommended a book for us to read titled "<a href="http://www.5lovelanguages.com/resources/books/" target="_blank">The 5 Love Language</a>s". This book started out by explaining how everyone gives and receives love in different ways such as personal touch or quality time. The author then described the different love languages and there was a quiz in the back to see which love language we each had.<br />
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We've referred to the book many times, seeing how not only our love language affected our relationship but how our own love languages changed over time as our priorities changed. We came quite versed in these, taking the quiz a few times throughout our marriage. We also began recognizing and understanding others love languages through everyday interactions. When Henley was born she always needed us close by, even just to touch us with one hand. I knew from the start her love language was personal touch.</div>
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There were many, many hours spent driving around with my arm stretched into the backseat to hold her hand as she was rear-facing, even as young as two months old. Up until about a year ago, she would always have her fingers in her mouth and would pinch our hands or elbows with her other hand, sometimes causing pain with those tiny little nails. Hanging out before bed on the couch is typically spent touching side-by-side. Even now, when I lay with her to go to sleep she is rubbing my arm or pinching my elbow.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fell asleep at 17 months holding my hand through the crib</td></tr>
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In the moment this can get tiring. My arm would ache on long drives being stretched towards the back of the car. After a long day of work I just wanted to be left alone, not constantly touching or being pinched. I may have snapped a time or two that I just need space, immediately feeling bad. Thinking back now, this little person was comforted just by touching our hand, all fears and concerns melted away. Her pinching your elbow became a great compliment, if she felt comfortable and trusted you, she would melt into you and would start pinching. </div>
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Now that Macie is getting older we are already starting to see what we think her love language is, Word of Affirmation. Macie loves hearing she's done a good job. When she goes on the potty she pops up (before even wiping at times) and runs into the other room to tell Daddy "pee pee!!!" with so much excitement. She loves getting a rise and making people laugh, sometimes being a little mischievous but even then it's pretty cute. </div>
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I'm not sure if these perceived love languages will continue as they get older but I love feeling like I have a one-up on them, knowing how they feel love and being conscious to let them be loved that way. If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it. It's interesting to see things you never really put into words describing exactly how you feel. </div>
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Hope you guys are having a good weekend. I am glad for the weekend to be here, this Tuesday alone felt like two days long. </div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-3357829497927649552017-01-27T21:04:00.001-05:002017-01-27T21:38:14.991-05:00Friday FindsFriday! I had a decent week although long. We are at the end of our fiscal year so for an accountant, this is where all of the fun begins---closing out the year and being audited. It will be a busy few weeks but shouldn't be too bad overall.<br />
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I have stumbled across some really great things lately so I thought I'd share.<br />
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First is this bag. I want <a href="https://www.katespade.com/products/healy-lane-jayne/PXRU7305.html" target="_blank">this bag</a> reeeeeaallly bad. The grey is a perfect color for me, the size, the inside, the slouchiness (probably not an actual word) is so perfect. We started 2017 with Mint budgets to keep us on track for our savings and debt paying goals so I will need to save my budget for two months in order to afford it, I think it will be worth it. I actually have a tab of this purse up on my work computer right next to my inbox so I see it and don't forget to not spend on other things.<br />
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I'm not a huge Valentine's Day fan, I think it's a cute holiday but we usually just exchange candy and cards---no real gifts or expensive dates. With this said, I think the idea of "Galentine's Day" for your girlfriends is so cute. Elisabeth Ashlie has a <a href="http://www.elisabethashlie.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/limited-edition-galentines-day-box" target="_blank">Galentine's box</a> you can send your bestie to show some love. I just love this idea and the goods are adorable and practical! I saw this referral on one of my favorite blogs---<a href="https://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/" target="_blank">The Small Things.</a><br />
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The book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Slow-Courage-Journey-Beaten/dp/0310345677/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485569376&sr=8-1&keywords=chasing+slow" target="_blank">Chasing Slow</a> by Erin Loechner. She speaks in this book of just having and needing and chasing less. She doesn't have any unheard of ideas but just hearing her approach and how she got there is very easy to relate to. I also love that she isn't perfect. Since Christmas I've really been struggling with how much "stuff" we have. This was a refreshing read.<br />
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I've been working out on lunch the last few weeks here and there which seems to be the best option for my work schedule. My biggest complaint is the hair situation. If my hair is flat ironed I get an indention for the hair tie that I need to iron out. I saw <a href="http://www.sephora.com/original-the-traceless-hair-ring-P405036?skuId=1781327&publisher_id=255779&sub_publisher=g&is_mobile=&sub1=&sub_keyword=&sub_campaign=378477159&sub_placement=&gdevice=c&gclid=Cj0KEQiA_KvEBRCtzNil4-KR-LIBEiQAmgekF9aKsd7kgeyDd_zUwhWYnxUlMQmZJOYOWM-EtIREyfIaAqmZ8P8HAQ&site=_search&om_mmc=ppc-GG_378477159_27752557839_pla-56128534817_1781327_95787538359_9012209_c&gmodel=&country_switch=&lang=en&sub_ad=95787538359" target="_blank">these</a> online at Sephora and they have pretty good reviews. They are <a href="http://www.sephora.com/original-the-traceless-hair-ring-P405036?skuId=1781327&publisher_id=255779&sub_publisher=g&is_mobile=&sub1=&sub_keyword=&sub_campaign=378477159&sub_placement=&gdevice=c&gclid=Cj0KEQiA_KvEBRCtzNil4-KR-LIBEiQAmgekF9aKsd7kgeyDd_zUwhWYnxUlMQmZJOYOWM-EtIREyfIaAqmZ8P8HAQ&site=_search&om_mmc=ppc-GG_378477159_27752557839_pla-56128534817_1781327_95787538359_9012209_c&gmodel=&country_switch=&lang=en&sub_ad=95787538359" target="_blank">hair ties</a> that resemble the curly shoelaces from the 80's with the promise to not leave an indention. For $8 I think I am going to have to try it out---a small investment if it ends up working. [side note for the hair situation: <a href="http://www.sephora.com/detox-dry-shampoo-P378169?skuId=1506468&icid2=products%20grid:p378169" target="_blank">Dry Bar Detox</a> is THE BEST dry shampoo I have found and I've tried probably close to twenty different ones].<br />
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This <a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Far-Ill-Go/dp/B01MG626DO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485568604&sr=8-1&keywords=moana+how+far+ill+go" target="_blank">song</a> from the Moana soundtrack. I'm not sure if it's the tune or the words that sit with me but it is so beautiful and I love the meaning.<br />
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Lastly, I just read <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/24/amazon-launches-a-subscription-service-for-stem-toys/" target="_blank">an article</a> that Amazon is offering a monthly subscription for $19.99 for STEM toys called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7UAJJI" target="_blank">STEM Club</a>. Parents select an appropriate age group and Amazon will ship an age-appropriate new or Amazon exclusive toy that focuses on the areas of science, technology, engineering, or math. I think this is awesome. I love that more and more companies and individuals are focusing on the importance of STEM, especially for little girls!<br />
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I am heading off to get Henley asleep after a 30 minutes crying battle with Macie then it's Grey's catch up from last night. Happy Friday friends!!<br />
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-43732691145916922952017-01-22T12:41:00.000-05:002017-05-03T08:58:06.518-04:00Maintaining the BalanceI am currently reading a <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/12/ambition-interview/486479/" target="_blank">series of essays</a> posted by the Atlantic about women’s ambition, specifically what happens to it after we leave college. The essays are enlightening and I see hints of myself peppered all throughout. The basis of the series focuses on a group of 37 women that went to college together and graduated in 1993. Two of the women have interviewed the others to see where they are in life and in their careers over twenty years later, how did they get there, and what drove their decisions. The entire time I’m reading this I am thinking of my own journey. Here I am, over ten years post-college, how did I get here? How much of my decisions were need-based versus what I truly wanted. <br />
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Recently I’ve been working to be more tuned into my life, both professionally and personally, trying to be very cognizant of all of my roles and operating at levels in these roles that I am proud of while making decisions that are best for me and my family.<br />
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I graduated college in 2006 with a Bachelor’s of Accounting degree. I was hired by Deloitte and Touche right out of college. I wasn’t fully sure what I was getting into but I knew this was a highly coveted career path so I jumped in with all that I could give. I started working in September and got married in November. I was working 40-50 miles from my home and putting in at least 60-70 hours a week, weekends included often. I started my Master’s and was studying for the CPA exam. I was doing well, I understood the work and I was good at it but once 6pm rolled around, I was miserable. I liked the work, just not enough to miss out on everything else I really loved. I was a newlywed in a new stage of life---adulthood---working and only working. After about a year, my husband and I decided this lifestyle was not a fit for us. At this point we had been together ten years but for the first time ever, we were living in our own place and entering this new season together. My career was not jiving with my personal life.<br />
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We moved from Miami and I got a job with a smaller CPA firm doing the same thing but on a much smaller scale, working between 50-60 hours a week, home most nights by six, but with the added complication of more travel. This job worked out for us better. I was able to graduate from my Master’s program and obtain my CPA License. I had more free time and I was still doing something I liked and was good at, we managed the travel time well. However around the four year mark, I was tired. I was tired of not being able to make plans between January and April. I was tired of traveling over 60% of the time. My last straw was walking into my hotel room in a very small town after a long day with takeout, greeted by flowers for my anniversary. I wasn’t even present to celebrate my anniversary with my husband, my number one. This was no longer what I wanted.<br />
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I started looking for jobs the next week. I interviewed for a large public company right before Thanksgiving and luckily was hired mid-December, starting January 4th----no more busy season for me. I was elated. This was a perfect fit for me and I knew this would be somewhere I would be challenged but yet could maintain a work/life balance. I have been here six years now.<br />
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Throughout my time here I have openly put my family first. Most nights I am out of the office by 5:15 but willing to work late when needed. I spend my lunch break at the gym or running errands. My boss is aware that for me, my family is number one. All of this works, my boss has three girls and even though they are now grown, he gets it and hasn’t put me in a position that I will be unhappy.<br />
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Even though this is what I want for myself, I at times feel the struggle with it, maybe it's a fear of failure, fear of being looked at differently from my peers. With this article, I now see I’m what the essay refers to as the “Scale Backers”. This group wants to still have a career while being present at home. I relate to this. This struggle I had been having at work, wondering if I should have more responsibility even though deep down I knew I didn’t want it. I love being able to be home and cook dinner. I love having the weekends to go to gymnastics or swim lessons but in the bustle of it all, I wasn’t seeing it. Luckily I have an amazing husband that not only helps a ton around the house but is also amazing at talking me off of the ledge. I’ve started seeing my career in a different light.<br />
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Every person is different and everyone finds rewards in different ways. For me personally, I am rewarded by both my professional and personal life. I look forward to this newfound internal freedom, to love the days I’m mentally challenged at work and also to love when I am home at 5:30 chasing toddlers outside. Not every day is perfect, sure there are days I cry dropping the girls off at daycare or days when I have to leave work despite being in the middle of something big but that’s life. We can’t have it all and I will work to keep reminding myself of that. I am enough and I am doing enough.Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-6779686962055329142017-01-15T13:32:00.001-05:002017-01-15T13:32:26.266-05:00First SnowI've mentioned that we are in Virginia this weekend visiting family. We really hoped we would get to see snow since the girls have never seen it being from Florida and all. It doesn't look like we are going to see snow falling but we were able to go to a mountain and play in it. We went to Whitetail Resort in Mercersburg, PA, about an hour from my in-laws and the girls did some tubing. <div>
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She kept eating the snow, I normally wouldn't have cared but it was dirty!</div>
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The snow pants were almost too much for me to bear, almost feel the need to plan something else cold so the girls have an opportunity to wear it again. </div>
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Hope you are having a nice, relaxing Sunday. We definitely are.</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-60144334785066582832017-01-14T20:54:00.001-05:002017-01-14T20:54:52.025-05:00Happenings Right NowHappenings in my life...<div>
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Reading <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Chasing-Slow-Courage-Journey-Beaten/dp/0310345677/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_g2609328962?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0&ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner</a></div>
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<li>I've just started this book recently, I'm not too far into it just yet but I've already highlighted some great passages. This is the line of the summary of the book that really hit home:</li>
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<li>In Chasing Slow, Erin turns away from fast and fame and frenzy. Follow along as she blazes the trail toward a new-fashioned lifestyle—one that will refresh your perspective, renew your priorities, and shift your focus to the journey that matters most.</li>
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Catching up on <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast/" target="_blank">Coffee + Crumbs Podcasts</a></div>
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<li>I have been obsessed with all thing Coffee + Crumbs lately--the <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/" target="_blank">blog</a>, the <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast/" target="_blank">Year of Creativity</a> course, and the <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast/" target="_blank">podcasts</a>. Their podcasts are very relevant to the season I am in, touching on topics such as parenting, being a working moms, and life in general. The guests on the podcasts have all been great, the recommendations have all been things I have loved so far. My reading list is growing and growing, mostly from their recommendations. </li>
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Loving <a href="http://www.sephora.com/b6-vitamin-infused-complexion-prep-spray-P381169" target="_blank">Urban Decay B6 Complexion Spray</a></div>
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<li>This spray promises to help with prep and prime and is an overall complexion spray. I love the way this makes my skin feel and I can actually see complexion improvement. Honestly I'm not sure if it's a coincidence that my skin has been great lately but either way I love the way this makes my face feel. I spray it on my face morning and night. </li>
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Planning Macie's 2nd Birthday Party (Seriously?!)</div>
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<li>I cannot fathom that Macie is almost two. I started planning her birthday party last week. I am a little "partied out" from the holidays and was considering not hosting a party for her but I know I will regret it if I decide to forego a party. We are planning a farm theme since she is obsessed with all sorts of animals.</li>
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Watching This is Us</div>
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<li>When the trailer for This is Us was circulating around the internet I was very interested, I had high expectations for this show, expecting something comparable to Parenthood.The first few episodes were great but not quite the emotional, gut-wrenching show I was hoping for. I do still like it, I just wish is was one step further, one more level of emotionally raw. Despite this, I am still enjoying it and I'm glad it's back from holiday break. </li>
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Wearing my <a href="http://lovedbyhannahandeli.com/" target="_blank">Mama Bear</a> Shirts</div>
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<li>The <a href="http://lovedbyhannahandeli.com/collections/frontpage/products/mama-bear-red-plaid-grey-v-neck-tee" target="_blank">buffalo plaid</a> one is my current favorite but these shirts are so cute and comfy. Perfect for a casual day with some distressed jeans and Toms. </li>
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We are hanging out in Virigina, trying to stay warm. Tonight we attempted to go see Sing with the family. The girls did pretty well for a little over an hour but the night ended with tears and meltdowns. I think Henley might be getting a cold, she's pretty congested and was very emotional leaving the theater. </div>
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Still trying to decide what to do tomorrow but for now I'll leave you with this, hope you are enjoying your weekend.</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-16565673917417736162017-01-13T11:53:00.001-05:002017-01-13T11:53:50.497-05:00Our Little GymnastLast August we started Henley in gymnastics classes. About a year earlier, when Henley was 2.5, we tried ballet classes and she hated it. It was a fight each week to get her to go into the class. She cried and fought until we finally decided it was not something she was interested in, or simply she was too young. A year later we did a free gymnastics class and she has loved it ever since. She runs right to the class each week without even looking back. She really enjoys the movements and activities they do and I have already noticed improvement in her flipping and balance beams. Last week she even did the high balance beam with some assistance.<br />
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My mom joined us last week for her class and I tried out the 25mm lens with my camera. I recently got an adapter for my Olympus to be able to use my husband's lenses on my camera and I'm having a blast so far.<br />
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It's so fun watching her get into something she likes. I'm torn between hoping she wants to develop her skill and praying we aren't spending every weekend in ten years traveling for gymnastic competitions. </div>
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We are in Virginia this weekend for five days visiting my husband's mom and family. It's nice and cool here so we are going to enjoy some snow play today. My Florida girls have never seen snow so I am pretty excited to see them playing in it. Hope you are enjoying your Friday.</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-16733786100027541142017-01-09T22:26:00.002-05:002017-05-03T08:58:41.740-04:00Me Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you ever feel like your mind is in a thousand different places? I usually enjoy multitasking. I love being busy and I love having a lot going on around me. On the flip side though I've learn that I need time to myself to unwind, to feel human.<br />
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Lately I have made an effort to be more conscious of setting aside time for me, whether that time is spent relaxing or working on something creative. Often times these things are opposites and I feel the pull when it comes time to me to decide how to spend my free time.<br />
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During the day my mind is mostly busy with work. Of course there are times when I will get an email or hear a song that will remind me of something I want to do or something I need jot down but overall, I am set with my tasks at hand until I leave there for the day. From the time I get home until Macie's bedtime around 7:30, we are busy with dinner, baths, playtime, reading books, and bedtime. Once Macie is in bed sleeping, I am available for a little me time, sometimes however this is where the struggle begins.<br />
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Something along these lines is a familiar internal battle I have....<br />
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Should I take a relaxing bath and read?<br />
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Should I work on my Year of Creativity, I want to blog, improve my writing, and connect with the awesome group of women on this journey with me.<br />
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I could always grab my markers and spend some time lettering, or coloring and wind down for a bit with a glass of wine.<br />
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Do I go sit with Henley for an hour of snuggles, playtime, or TV with just her?<br />
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Should I start a movie with my husband to spend some time with him?<br />
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And as always, I <i>could</i> work on something around the house --- laundry, bathroom cleaning, picking up, etc.<br />
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It never ends. I want to do it all---I want to read all 27 notifications on Facebook and I want to read all of the unread blogs in my feed. I want to take a long, hot bath while reading a few chapters of my book. I want to close out the night with an awesome blog post that you all will love to read but realistically, that can't happen.<br />
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My mind is this open browser with a million tabs open and sometimes I feel like a toddler haphazardly clicking the mouse, opening and closing them all at random. Most nights I can successfully choose one of these options but sometimes I can't decide and end up being sucked into my phone by default and waste the whole night away, leaving me frustrated with myself.<br />
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I am glad I took the time to decide what I want to work on for me for this year because I feel now at least I am aware of the struggle. Before I wasn't even aware of these internal struggles I was having. I would just end up in bed dissatisfied at the end of the night because I didn't actually <i>do</i> anything, even becoming bitter at times.<br />
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I'm not perfect and I am still working to find the right balance for me but I'm getting there. I've had some great nights lately, even if it's just two hours of doing something that I want to do. I feel like acknowledging things I want to work on or things I want to do helps me to focus and not feel overwhelmed, therefore making me a happier, more relaxed, wife and mother.<br />
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Tonight was spent working on some watercolor hand lettering and finishing this blog along with some tickle time with Henley. I am not one to believe it's possible to have it all but sometimes it can feel pretty damn close.<br />
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-66763873220690800982017-01-04T09:41:00.002-05:002017-01-05T19:07:42.271-05:00Where the Comfort Zone Ends...I started my first blog in 2009, <a href="http://beancounteridlechatter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Idle Banter</a> (it's still out there, check it out if you dare!). At the time I was a part of an online community of mostly newlyweds, all embarking on a similar journey, an exciting time in our lives, in love and relatively unencumbered. I was working as an auditor, typically between 40 and 60 hours a week and traveling for work often. I have always been a creative person, my mother is very creative and her influence has had a great impact of my own creative nature. My career at that time did not provide me much opportunity for the creative outlets I had come to love: sewing, scrapbooking and baking. Many of the women in my online community were bloggers or had recently become bloggers and it seemed like a great way to do something outside of my everyday work. I had never been a writer, I still don't consider myself a writer, so I wasn't sure if this is something I was capable of but I was intrigued, could this be the creative outlet I was so badly missing? I really felt out of my league at the time, but thought 'why not'. I focused on things I could blog about while traveling or working long hours like fashion, makeup, trends, foods, etc. My blog did pretty well considering it really had no vision and I essentially just flew by the seat of my pants.<br />
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In 2012, my husband and I decided to start trying for a family. My blog was tired and I felt I had outgrown it. I decided to start a new blog that would mostly be all of the things I loved (and would soon come to love) like traveling, running, and eventually babies, Our Own Kind of Paradise was born. I did weekly pregnancy updates that in the end were probably mostly viewed by family, I'm sure of it. I have posted things we've done, places we've traveled, recipes, and a DIY craft here and there. During this time I also started an Etsy shop creating clothing and accessories for kids. I was busy, working every night from Henley's bedtime to 10pm making headbands and leggings or embroidering shirts. My blog accumulated dust and eventually went months without posts. I ran my shop for about two years before life just got larger than the amount of free time I had.<br />
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Fast forward to 2017. I have two girls and work a full-time job as an Accounting Director. I have learned so much about myself in the last four years. I have learned that I am an introvert in almost every sense of the word. I have learned that I love my family more than life and would give anything for them. I have learned that giving myself time alone helps me be a better wife and mother. I have learned that I need to be creative to be me, to be happy.<br />
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I resurrected the blog about two months ago and it finally clicked that this is a perfect creative outlet for me at the moment. I can put all of the words and thoughts rushing around inside me into print (type?) and hopefully share it with you all. I've been enjoying it more than I really ever have before but I want more. I want to be better.<br />
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I came across the <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/creativity/" target="_blank">Year of Creativity</a> from <a href="https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/" target="_blank">Coffee + Crumbs</a> which is a year long online course of monthly lessons themed and designed to inspire your creative side. From their site:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-size: 14.6667px;">The Year of Creativity is for the woman who is uninspired, disconnected from her creative self, longing for something more. This program is for the woman who wants to dedicate this year to rediscovering inspiration in order to make beautiful things.</span><br />
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When I initially read about it, I was interested but I wasn't sure it would be a good fit for me. I was intrigued and kept coming back to the website. I was reading more and more about it and before I could talk myself out of it I signed up. I've been a fan of C+C for a while, their essays are so inspiring and real. I immediately thought how much I would love to be able to create like that.<br />
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The first lesson started January 1 and I am so excited to get started working with all of these amazing women but mostly, in this moment, I am scared. I am a CPA, I am not a writer. These people are real writers and bloggers. I am majorly out of my comfort zone and while I'm mostly excited about it, I am still nervous and feeling vulnerable. I'm confident I will embrace this journey and get the most out of it that I can and this is the last moment that I am going to let myself feel undeserving to be included. Tomorrow I will log in to my lesson and write as if I have been writing my whole life, because in my heart, I believe I have been. </div>
Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-92056800008715841862017-01-02T12:40:00.000-05:002017-01-03T21:46:03.268-05:00One Little Word: Intention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday, New Year's Day, I started looking around Facebook, Instagram, and the Blog World at various posts and hashtags and ended up down quite an enlightening rabbit hole. I came across the hashtag #onelittleword and fell completely in love. I have heard of people picking a "word" for their year but when I sat down to think through what I wanted for 2017, I couldn't really choose a word that I thought fit me so I didn't.</div>
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Well a few weeks and tons of great posts later, I have chosen my word. I was in the shower and it clicked. Everything on my list really comes down to one word. Intention. I want to be intentional this year. I don't want to be that person that just rides through and ends up four months down the road off track from where I want to be. I've been excited about my lists of goals and to-do's but this clarity has me so pumped! Intention!! So easy but it just took me some time to get there. </div>
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As with everything in my life, to the planner I went. I setup a #onelittleword page in my notes section and went to town with some lettering, definition, and quotes that really capture what I want to see for myself this year. </div>
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Today is my last day of my twelve day streak so I am going to go soak up every minute of it. </div>
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Have a good day!</div>
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-22354065251835885802017-01-01T12:00:00.000-05:002017-01-01T12:00:08.873-05:00Happy New Year'sWe spent the night evening with the girls and my mom. A little Target decor and brownies made for a great little night. The girls loved sparklers and throwing confetti.<br />
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I hope you had a great 2016 and if you didn't, good news---it's over!! Cheers to 2017, may your year be filled with hope, love, and anything else you desire.<br />
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-21614959429407419572016-12-29T11:37:00.000-05:002016-12-29T11:37:39.190-05:00New Year, New Restart<div style="text-align: center;">
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I mentioned the other day how much I enjoy the new start that the New Year brings and this year is so exception. I have my 2017 Planner ready to go and I've already sat down and laid out my 2017 Goals and Plans. I noted all of my plans in the first section of the planner so I am able to refer back often and see my progress.</div>
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I separated my goals into four categories and thought I'd share with you are few of them.</div>
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Financial - </div>
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<ul>
<li>Reach my yearly goal for our savings account through set weekly deposits</li>
<li>Retirement account setup for my husband</li>
<li>Setup college accounts for the girls</li>
<li>Payoff our main credit card balance</li>
<li>Stick to Mint.com budget and check progress weekly</li>
</ul>
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Health - </div>
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<ul>
<li>Visit the dentist twice for cleanings</li>
<li>Workout consistently three to four times a week</li>
<li>Drink Shakeology daily</li>
<li>Meet daily step goals</li>
<li>Reach weight goal and maintain it</li>
</ul>
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Family - </div>
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<ul>
<li>Disney trips for girls' birthdays</li>
<li>Schedule dates with the husband monthly</li>
<li>Take the girls out on one-on-one dates</li>
<li>Swim lessons for March for Macie</li>
<li>Weekly lunch dates with husband</li>
</ul>
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Personal - </div>
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<ul>
<li>Keep up on blogging at least twice weekly</li>
<li>Monthly updates to my photobook</li>
<li>Reading challenge 40 books</li>
<li>Stay positive and above the B.S.</li>
<li>Continue working on my creativity (hand lettering, calligraphy, and most recently photography)</li>
</ul>
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Do you guys like setting goals at the start of the new year? What are some that you are working on this year? </div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-72230868115497626902016-12-27T21:05:00.000-05:002016-12-27T21:05:27.714-05:00Christmas RecapAnother Christmas has came and gone and it was a great weekend of family, friends, and fun. We are Christmas'ed out over here.<div>
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Christmas Eve started with breakfast out with the family. We have a daytime cafe down the street called First Watch that is amazing. I had a hard time choosing what to get because everything is so good. If you ever near one you've got to try it.<br />
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After breakfast we hung out and started to get ready for dinner while the girls played with our neighbors, cleaning the house and making dessert.<br />
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I made a conscious effort to not go overboard with dinner and therefore only had to make mashed potatoes, rolls, and a dessert. See here for my <a href="https://ourownkindofparadise.blogspot.com/2016/12/christmas-eve-menu.html" target="_blank">Christmas Eve Menu</a>. I ended up choosing creme brulee for dessert, which I've made a handful of times, but it was a total flop. I tempered the eggs just right but when they came out of the oven it looked very yellow, like scrambled eggs and had shrunk way down into the dish. To make up for the flop, I ended up making chocolate cake balls---equally as good, just not as "fancy".<br />
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My family arrived around four and the festivities began. We attempted some family pictures and got a few cute ones.<br />
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Dinner was great, the girls played so well with their cousins, and of course the opening of presents was a huge hit.<br />
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Christmas morning was amazing. The girls came out of the rooms excited and hopeful. Seeing their excitement was infectious. Being a parent on Christmas morning is way better than being a kid. Seeing the pure joy on their faces makes every bit of effort worth it.</div>
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The Owlette Costume, the Frozen Jeep, and the makeup kits have been the biggest hits. Christmas was really great. It one of the few holidays that I love every aspect of---love prepping, love the actualy holiday and love to see it go. </div>
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The last two days have been spent purging and organizing. There really are more toys than we have room for so we have had to donate tons. I refuse to have stuff just to have it so we are donating tons that the girls just don't use. I am working on a post for our organization that I should have up this week. </div>
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I'm really looking forward to 2017 and a fresh, new start. I really enjoy the reset that comes with the new year. I have a few goals and resolutions that I'll be sharing shortly.</div>
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I hope your holiday weekend was amazing and hopefully you have a few days off to recover. </div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-56223448371666151262016-12-25T20:18:00.002-05:002016-12-25T20:18:37.379-05:00Merry Christmas!Merry Christmas from my family to yours. I hope you had a great day and are relaxing as I type.<br />
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Love,</div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-78547380867861096402016-12-23T21:06:00.000-05:002016-12-23T21:06:02.776-05:00Santa Claus is coming to town...Let's hope what he brings the girls isn't based on Macie's interaction with him. This picture cracks me up every time I look at it.<br />
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Merry Christmas to you and your families. I hope you have a great holiday and get in some much deserved rest and relaxation.<br />
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-72226471249916180592016-12-22T15:00:00.000-05:002016-12-22T15:00:36.015-05:00Christmas Eve Menu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas Eve was always a bigger day for celebrating with my family as a kid. We used to go to my grandparents house with my dad’s family & all of our cousins, it really was a great time. Once that tradition ended due to life circumstances, my parents kept it going at our house with my siblings and Christmas Eve really became such an amazing day for us all.<br /><br />As an adult, I’ve hosted my mom and siblings for Christmas Eve for about four years now. Picking the menu is always fun because we aren’t committed to a set menu like we are for Thanksgiving, seriously my siblings would cut me if I altered our traditional Thanksgiving lunch -- ever. <br /><br />Last year I did a fun Grinch theme complete with “roast beast” and “who hash”. This year I wanted to do something a little different so we are planning to get a ham.<br /><br />This is our menu so far, complete with appetizers and desserts. <br /><br />My mom makes a sausage bread every year and has been making this for as long as I can remember. Of course, as is the case for most moms, she has no recipe but I asked her for a high-level summary:<div>
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Take two loaves of frozen bread, let thaw and rise.</div>
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Take two "tubes" of breakfast sausage, diced onions, and diced green peppers and brown all together. Take it off of the heat and let cool. Once cool add in shredded mozzerella cheese and two beaten eggs. Roll out the thawed dough and put the mixture on the dough. Roll up and brush with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees until brown and the bread is cooked through. Let rest and then dig in!</div>
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It’s really tasty and the whole family devours it within minutes. This recipe would also be great for a breakfast bread for Christmas morning.<br /><br />I love making<a href="http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/06/cranberry-baked-brie/" target="_blank"> brie topped with cranberries, brown sugar and pecans</a>. <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84231455506420491/" target="_blank">This recipe</a> with puff pastry is great but brie is also good with a topping of cranberries and brown sugar alone. We usually eat this with crackers or little toasts. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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My most favorite appetizer of all time are these <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe.html" target="_blank">stuffed mushrooms</a> from Ina Garten. They have sausage and mascarpone cheese and are a hit everytime I serve them. These can be made a few hours in advance and then just popped in the oven an hour before serving. They do taste the best served hot but I have reheated them for leftovers and they are still pretty good.<br /><br />For our ham we are cheating a bit and ordering it from <a href="http://www.honeybaked.com/" target="_blank">Honey Baked Ham</a>. They are just so amazing and with one less thing to make, my husband is as happy as a clam. Everytime I think about getting a ham from there I think of that scene in ‘Christmas with the Kranks’ where Nora is chasing her Hickory Honey Ham into oncoming traffic, I just love that movie! (Side note if you are getting one of these hams I highly recommend reserving online picking up first thing Friday morning, they get so crazy!)<br /><br />My mom is bringing <a href="http://www.pauladeen.com/green-beans-with-new-potatoes" target="_blank">green beans</a> that are packed with flavor. They are cooked in chicken broth and have red potatoes and bacon in them----seriously, who doesn’t like bacon! The recipe is from Paula Deen so don’t be surprised by the lack of nutrients.<br /><br />The next side we are making is going to be some sort of mashed potatoes. I will probably end up jazzing it up with sour cream, bacon, and chives. I love mashed potatoes with the skins on but my brother can’t stand it so peeled it will be. <br /><br />We will have rolls too that I planning to buy frozen and just bake, I’m not motivated enough to make some from scratch but if you have an awesome recipe to share I’d love to see it.<br /><br />I’m still undecided on dessert. I have a few options but I just can’t quite decide. I love Giada de Laurentis’ recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/panna-cotta-with-fresh-berries-recipe.html" target="_blank">Panna Cotta with Berries</a>, that’s usually a hit and the honey in this recipe gives it such an interesting taste. I was also considering creme brulee or a family favorite, banana pudding. My mom will also bring a dessert of some kind so I’m thinking something opposite of hers. <br /><br />With dessert the options are endless really, and with that they are also overwhelming. I’m also planning to make something the kids will enjoy as well such as cake pops or rice krispie treats.<br /><br />Last but not least are the drinks. I am planning to try this recipe for <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84231455510884160/" target="_blank">Santa Claus-mopolitans</a> (love that name!) and we will have both red and white wine on hand. <br /><br />I am looking forward to Christmas Eve so much, from the dinner with family and friends and the kids opening presents, it’s such a fun time. And let’s not forget the guaranteed easy bedtime---”if you don’t go to bed, Santa won’t come!” Ha the perks this time of year. <br /><br />What does your family plan to do on Christmas Eve? Any fun traditions to share?<div>
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Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664777956574293732.post-12684545567273725222016-12-21T17:00:00.000-05:002016-12-21T17:00:22.140-05:00Disney World---Happiest Place on EarthWe are annual passholders as of recently to Disney World. In order to make these worth their while we are planning to go up to Disney three or four times in the next year. We went last week for Henley's birthday for about two days.<br />
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While I was watching Henley on a little train ride at Disney Springs, I was looking around at all of the kids faces, it's so amazing the joy. For the most part, the kids are so enamored with the characters and the rides and the parents are thrilled watching the joy on their kids' faces. Of course there was the overtired toddler and annoyed parent here and there but really for the most part it was pleasant. I really enjoyed watching the kids as much as their parents, especially during the Character meet and greets.<br />
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Even though we went just two months ago, I feel Macie has opened up even more to the rides and characters. She loved the Ariel ride and the Carousel, even saying "more horsey" over and over again. I mean, look at this face! Pure joy.<br />
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Henley of course was just as excited...<br />
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Happiest place on Earth....see you again real soon.<br />
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<br />Merehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11450018427454931229noreply@blogger.com0