Playing in the Snow

Our one and only snow, that actually stuck, was a few weeks ago. It has been a really mild winter here compared to last year!

We wanted to take Josey out to play in the snow. It took longer to put all her snow gear on than she was actually outside :) But, we had fun!

Josey was so excited to see everything white!

And, as you can see she dove right in! :)

Aw! My little girl!!

Josey's little trail is so cute! She actually walked most of the way to that spot.

After rolling around for a bit trying to get up, Daddy came to the rescue!

Josey needed to be rescued again, she wasn't liking to learn how cold snow is on your fingers. She had originally started with gloves, but they came off as soon as we went outside. That's how it goes..

Josey and me!

I loved seeing her little boots next to ours after we came in. Funny little side note: I bought these baby boots right before Casey and I got married. I knew how much Casey likes hunting and thought they were appropriate. It's crazy to see them being used now :)

Grocery Store Exploring

I have been having a little fun grocery shopping lately, and I've been trying some new products. Some we approve of, some not to good. Let's focus on the good ones!

On our good, oh so yummy, lets buy it forever and ever list is:

Strawberry Fig Newtons- These are yummy! A nice break from the regular Fig Newtons, we've been buying those for a long time. Josey loves these strawberry ones too! Kid tested, mother approved in this house.

Noosa Yogurt- I can't say enough about this yogurt. It is SO creamy and delicious! It also has the good for you live bacteria in it, which is something I look for when I buy yogurt. I think everyone has been kind of on a yogurt trend lately, this kind should be here to stay! It isn't Greek yogurt, it's Australian, and it's lovely! We have tried almost all the flavors, all are good, but the honey is our favorite. 

Crumpets- Reminds me tea parties with my sisters growing up. We had such horrible British accents! But, oh so much fun. When I saw these in the store I HAD to get them. These are pretty much the same thing as English Muffins, except the bread has even more tiny holes that butter and jam can sink into. YUM. 

Flax Seed Cookies- These are a great healthy snack. You should try them! I'm weird about what ingredients are in the packaged food that I buy. The ingredients have to be familiar to me. For example, if I was making these cookies myself I would use the same ingredients as listed on the package. I'm so sorry high fructose corn syrup! (and all you other weird made up ingredients!)

The whole ingredients thing just reminded me of juice. If the front label says pomegranate cherry juice, the ingredients should start off with pomegranate, right? Nope, it's almost always apple. Then maybe the 6th or 7th ingredient down, the label will finally say pomegranate. Same with so many other juices! Sneaky sneaky!

Take and Bake Bread- SO delicious! Light and fluffy loaves of bread that come in so handy. These loaves can add that last special touch to make an ordinary dinner extraordinary.


What fun new grocery products have you found lately??

Jamaica Mon

We went to Jamaica for our honeymoon the first week of January. We will be married 3 years in March, so I don't know if you call it a vacation or honeymoon, but that's besides the point... Casey and I went away and did NOTHING for 5 days. It was awesome!

If you are curious, we went to an all inclusive resort called Couples Sans Souci, in Ocho Rios Jamaica. I would definitely recommend this resort! Everything is included in the price, even room service! The food was awesome too!

View from our room. This picture does not do it justice! We were over looking lush gardens and just beyond that was a "cliff", for lack of a better word, to the ocean. 

This is the same tower from the picture above. The water was right next to me :)

Gorgeous!

The one and only picture of ourselves, of course.

Beach Time. You put up a flag for your next drink. Awesome, huh?

Got my toes done, much better ;-)

It was cloudy on and off throughout our stay, but it didn't both us at all, the temperature was low 80s the whole time, and the clouds kept Casey on the beach longer :)

Loved everything about our trip!

And now I'm home with my baby again!!!!

Christmas was here, FA LA LA LA!

We had a great Christmas weekend with lots of family! We go to see my husbands family in Quincy every year on Christmas Eve.

Then we had the McCausland Family Christmas at my house! Yahoo! It was my first time hosting Christmas. I had a good time doing it! We had so much amazing food! And we all had a great time together. Later that evening, we went over to the Green's house and ate again. Josey had a little pot belly that night. You could see it so pronounced through her one piece pajamas!

I didn't take too many pictures but I have a sweet one of Josey holding her new doll.

She was trying to put the little ribbon on the dolls head. Funny how she wants to do that to the doll, and I can't put anything on her head anymore. Also notice, there is only one shoe on Josey. Ha! Little girl!

Through all of the excitement and the "hoopla", let's all remember why we even have Christmas. We have been given the ultimate gift in Jesus coming, taking our sin, and placing it ALL on His own shoulders. For you, for me :) I hope you and your families had a Merry Christmas!

Josey's First Birthday

We had Josey's birthday party almost 2 weeks ago now. It was a very fun PINK event with family and friends.

I discovered Pinterest.com a few months ago and got some great party ideas from there! If you don't know what Pinterest is, I would encourage you to check it out!! But, please don't hold me entirely responsible for your new "pinning" obession ;-)

We had a Pink Ruffle Cake

I found a pan at Kohls that makes three big sized cupcakes. I really love it! I made those with strawberry boxed cake mix. I used the leftover cake mix for regular sized cupcakes. Topped all my cupcakes with a ready made (I know) french vanilla frosting. There was a princess pack of sprinkles in the cake aisle, I used the little round white sprinkles on the big cupcakes and I used little yellow crowns on the regular cupcakes. I found a free printable for the cupcake toppers and taped them to toothpicks. 

Here's a close up of the cupcakes!

Here is Josey's cake with her 1 on top!

Josey's Grandma made Chocolate Covered Oreos! She put them on lollipop sticks, and decorated them all cute. Look at them in that cool box too!

We had the rest of the kitchen decked out with pink balloons and pom poms taped to Josey's chair. Those pom poms are surprisingly easy to make!

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Josey wasn't sure about what to do with her cake.

Here we go! She actually ate quite a bit! Let's just say she played hard after her cake, and she slept so good that night! Josey has been playing with her toys almost non-stop since!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!! 

Tomorrow

Josey will be one tomorrow.

This year went by so fast!

I so look forward to all the days God will give us together.

I hope that Casey and I can grow old watching our children grow up.

I hope so many great things for her, like any parent would for their child.
To be confident in who she is, confident in her relationship with the Lord. To smile, laugh, be goofy, and never think she's too good to say "Hello", "I'm sorry", or "I forgive you". I hope Josey realizes early on that life is not about herself. I hope she can be a good friend, listener, and a strong woman .... Just to name a few :)

Casey and I are so proud of Josey, we love being parents. She is such a fun, giggly, determined, crazy little girl.

One day old

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

Six Months

Seven Months

Eight Months

Nine Months

Ten Months

Eleven Months

Two weeks ago.. this melts my heart :)

Cheese Cranberry Bread

There are certain things that really remind me of Christmas. Forget the tree, decorations, and hot chocolate, this bread is IT for me. It's worth baking for the smell in your kitchen alone. All the different flavors are delicious! So here it is:

Cheese Cranberry Bread
1 1/2 cups cranberries, halved
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped (I used walnuts)
2 teaspoons orange peel, freshly grated
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

(1) Mix cranberries and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl.
(2) In a separate bowl blend together the next four ingredients flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
(3) Mix in sugared cranberries, nuts, orange peel, and cheese.
(4) Beat eggs, milk, and butter together in a separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir just until ingredients are moist.
(5) Turn batter into buttered (bottom only) 9 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 2 3/4 loaf pan. Spread evenly into corners (can use wax paper)
(6) Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour or till toothpick comes out clean. Cool loaf on cooling rack. Refrigerate.

Mmm! This was breakfast this morning. I almost put butter on it, but then you wouldn't be able to see the great colors this bread has. Hope you bake this! And if you do, hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

A Hymn

1. It Is Well with My Soul
   When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
   When sorrows like sea billows roll;
   Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
   It is well, it is well, with my soul.
   • Refrain:
     It is well, with my soul,
     It is well, it is well, with my soul.
2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
   Let this blest assurance control,
   That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
   And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
   My sin, not in part but the whole,
   Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
   Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
   If Jordan above me shall roll,
   No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
   Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
5. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
   The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
   Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
   Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
6. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
   The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
   The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
   Even so, it is well with my soul.
   
   
   
   

   "It Is Well with My Soul" is a very influential hymn penned by hymnist Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss.

   
   

   This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871 at the age of four, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone . . .". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

   
   

   Bliss called his tune Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.

   
   

   The Spaffords later had three more children, one of whom (a son) died in infancy. In 1881 the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Israel. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony; its mission was to serve the poor. The colony later became the subject of the Noble Prize winning Jerusalem, by Swedish novelist Selma Lageroff. (from wikipedia)

   
   

   In old and new sorrows, even in joy, this song is running through my head. The story of the writer, Spafford, is heartbreaking. I always like knowing the story behind hymns and songs. What a testimony this song is to so many people, including me. Sometimes it's hard to sing without crying, and other times I can sing it on the top of my lungs. 

   "Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, 

   It is well, it is well with my soul."

   
   

   Beautiful, beautiful, song! Have a great day!

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

Baby Steps

Josey started taking steps and walking this past weekend! She falls A LOT, but is getting better and better each day.

I took the video today, she suddenly started walking to me from the living room. She always does great when she's focused on where she's going.

Casey and I agree that it looks strange to see her upright moving around! We're so used to her speed crawling by our feet, that Josey looks so tall wobbling through the house!

What a big girl!! I used to never be able to imagine her doing these things, and here she is walking through the house! I want to hold on so tight to her!

Josey's Favorite Things

Josey loves laundry! I know where she is going when she crawls out of the living room, she is going to check if the laundry room door is open. Josey is just fascinated by the whole process of doing laundry. I don't know where she gets that from, because it is not one of my favorite things to do.

I put Josey on this little footstool so she can watch me sort clothes and switch loads of laundry.

Ahhh! Nothing like jumping onto clothes fresh from the dryer!

Here's Josey and me in the reflection of the wash machine. She could sit here watching the machine for HOURS!

Folding laundry is pretty cool too! Josey's way of "helping" me is to try to empty the basket before I can fold the clothes. Putting laundry away is fun for Josey too. She rides on my back in her baby carrier as I go up and down the stairs. Josey loves watching me open and close the drawers and hang stuff up. This girl just loves the whole process!

Another thing that Josey really enjoys is putting hats on, or anything on her head.

Love the look on her face! Daddy is letting her wear his hat!

Showing me how cool she looks!

Josey got a hold of another hat last night... She showed off her crawling skills with her hat on backwards.

We had family visit recently, and Josey got to get some good cousin bonding time in. 

There was also some much needed sharing time for Josey too!

Both the babies did really good with eachother! It was so fun to watch them play and crawl, and holler back and forth at eachother. I think they both grew up a bit during their time together. 

Josey is such a fun crazy little girl, who is full of new noises, facial expressions, and favorite things every day!