The First Year Happens in A Flash

Okay so this is 6 months overdue, so I am finally publishing this. I was waiting for more pictures, but I will just do a part 2 later with more pictures. This was so fun!!! A great theme for sure! - Carrie

Caleb's party was completely fabulous! I had a lot of fun with the photo themed party! I loved the "It Happens in a Flash" launch to a photorific party. I must say while I added my own touches, I definitely benefitted from the fabulous ideas of other bloggers. Hostess with the Mostess and Pennies on the Platter aided me with their parties of the same theme.




The photo backdrop was almost identical to that of Pennies on a Platter, but it came in a three pack at Target and was a great match to our color scheme.




The theme was seen on the self made labels for the water bottles & in labeling the food.







The kids loved Pixie Sticks and I loved the play on words, "MegaPixies."

The rest of the menu included popcorn, fruit, dips, pizza bagels and a few other things. I also placed food on picture frames to go with the theme.





The one deviation from the theme was a family tradition being passed down, the cake. It was the Kaleidoscope Cake, which was a cake I had as a child and once my mom did it, became my cake every year. The colors of the cake was what decided the color scheme of the party.

We had a kiddie corral with toys for little ones, a bounce house, and a kid table covered in butcher paper with crayons.







The tables were decorated with pictures of Caleb and photofetti




I made some collages of Caleb and put them around the room. It was easy with Costco Photo - you could add up to 30 pictures on one 8x10 or larger size picture so I made 4 - Sir Smiles A Lot, Sleeping Prince, Silly Caleb, & Family Photos. They made great keepsakes for the grandmothers.

I made a timeline of birth to 12 months, month by month that hung over the food table and had a time capsule for people to write notes for Caleb to open on his 18th birthday.



Though the most fun was the photobooth. It was a blast. The best was my dad with my mom and step mom.

Our Family!

Carrie in the Kitchen

I typically cook most nights of the week. I usually plan meals for an entire 2 week pay period, I don't always stick with it, but it makes it easier if I have a plan even when I deviate. Here are a few of my deviations this past week. Monday was Memorial Day. My husband said he would barbeque some tri tip and make twice baked mashed potatoes (delicious by the way) if I would take care of the vegetable. I chose to make a garden salad and my Aunt Julia's bean salad (black & pinto beans, cilantro, green onions, frozen corn, red bell pepper tossed in a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper, & oregano), and an old favorite of mine - Chocolate Zucchini Cake (orginally from Saveur Magazine)! So here's the cake recipe: 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and grated, then wrung out in a cheese cloth

Then Preheat oven to 325. Use a tbsp of butter to grease a 9" cake pan. Sift 2 3/4 c flour, 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa, 1 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt Set aside Beat 8 tbsp of butter (at room temperature) and 1 1/2 cups sugar with electric mixer until fluffy, add 1/2 cup corn oil, and 2 eggs - 1 at a time, add in 2 3/4 cups flour and 1/2 cup buttermilk (in 3 alternating batches), then stir in zucchini.

Pour batter into pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes clean (1 hour, 20 minutes).

Remove from oven and set aside to let cool. Invert onto a plate and dust with confectioners' sugar. Eat!

The other deviation was to my mom's quiche lorraine recipe. I didn't have all the ingredients so instead of swiss cheese and bacon it was bacon, mozzerella, brie cheese and artichoke hearts with fresh thyme. It was fabulous!

Pinterest project

I saw the post tutorial of how to turn a v neck t shirt into a one shoulder shirt. I tried it with a scoop neck, but I think it turned out okay! Check it out!

My Latest Project - Garage Mudroom

I've wanted an area for all our incoming junk for a long time. We enter the kitchen through the garage and there is really no place to put stuff aside from the floor and kitchen countertops which ends up getting cluttered, fast! My neighbor gave us a bench toy box for Caleb that we really don't have a place for just yet (he still have a nursery, not a big boy room), so I thought why not use it for my entry station for now. So I set out on my plan. Here's all the before shots:

I first painted the bench with a combo of black spray paint and chalk board paint (had some leftover from another project).

Then I decided to use the rest of the chalkboard paint to do the wall behind the bench. I bought a 1" foam pad and got a cute gray and white chevron fabric and made a bench pad. Since it opens at the time, I attached the pad to the bench with velcro and because its in the garage, I made the cover like a pillow sham so that I can slip it off and wash it. Next I got a wall letter hanger (great deal at Marshall's) and some cute paper I had and labelled each slot, then used a old creamer container, cut it down, washed it out and painted it to use for chalk holder. I got some hooks and two cute cabinet knobs to hang stuff up on the wall. There you have it.

Listening

Today a good friend told me, "God is talking, are you listening?" For someone like myself, who talks a lot, its easy to forget to listen. Listening is an important part of communication, in fact in my study of Communications at TCU, I took a class solely on listening. The bible even tells us, be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19). I guess I've got a lot of learning to do in that area. So God here I am closing my mouth and silencing my chatty thoughts and asking you to speak. I'm listening.

Walking It Out

The past few weeks have been exceedingly hard on me. I desire to share my struggles and the journey I take through life with others who may be facing challenges but often find it difficult to share the process without giving out all the details - details that often include others. I want to respect everyone in my life as I walk out the steps that lay before me. That is a difficult balance to attain. So here I am just saying life is hard.

A little over a week ago my mom was hit by a car - not in a vehicular accident, but she was walking and was struck by an SUV. She lives on the other side of the country so to be so far away, I found this news debilitating. Later that day I received news that left my heart feeling like it had also been hit by a car. I felt frozen in a state of semi-consciousness. Two days later my husband left for Kenya for two weeks, and now I was on double duty in life with some extra work responsibilities, two kids on my own and an emotional state that rendered me helpless. How does one proceed? The days the followed brought more bomb shells and emotional instability with more information that rocked me to my core.

I had to find the strength just to do life - take out the trash, go to work, cook meals, do laundry, change diapers, give baths, etc. I would find myself break down without warning in at times very inconvenient moments. I was broken, heck, I am broken. You see I just completed week one and now face week two. The trials don't go away when my husband returns, but bring a new aspect of the journey, but all I can see now is making it first to that two week "mile" marker. Then I will re-evaluate and see what lies ahead.

When I think about where I was and where I am, I know what has gotten me through it thus far has been a great group of girlfriends and family and my relationship with God. I have been a Christian since I was a little girl, but my journey with Jesus has had its own struggles along the way. The difference this time is that I never questioned him, I just leaned into him. When my heart feels like an crater that was just blasted open by some celestial phenomenon I cry out, "God fill it" before I have a chance to try to fill it with something that won't do the job or heal the wound. I often preach at the church I youth pastor and I find I must live out the words I preach. I have to mind my words, speak with faith and trust that God will do the job. When I find myself trying to take control of the situation, I must let go, and read the Bible for grounding words.

I don't know what lays ahead of me but I am encouraged by Isaiah 50:10-11 that tells me when life is dark, I can trust God and follow his voice because if I don't, I will "lie down in a place of pain." When I feel the need to go defend myself, I stand by Exodus 14:14 that tells me the Lord will fight for me, all I must do is BE STILL. I have to surround myself with voices of truth and encouragement so that when lies hit me in the face, I know to wipe it off and move on.

The truth is I have good days and days when getting dressed is a major challenge. I am working on feeling my emotions and owning them but not reacting out of them. That is hard. I request your prayers as I walk out this scary time in life, and ask that if you need prayer that you send a request my way, so that I may pray for you. Let's walk together.

Religious Freedom

Sometimes I think I would have been a much better Old Testament Jew than New Testament Gentile Christ follower. I know that may sound bizarre, but as I read through the Bible and see the straightforward rules and regulations put on the people in Levitcus, despite the cumbersome ritual of it all, it seems easier. You know when you're on or off course.

Religion is easier than relationship, but relationship is more fulfilling and rewarding. Relationship meets our needs where religion can't. I often struggle in my relationship with God because it requires me to be present. Religion or ritual is easier on days when I just want to go through the motions. Christ offered us so much more than a "Get out of Hell" free card when he died on the cross.

Navigating through life to find Christ-centered balance isn't always straightforward it takes trust, faith, wisdom, and humility. Meeting the letter of the law is mundane and burdensome, but takes little emotional energy. At the end of it all I'd much rather put the work into a relationship and accept the gift of Christ than constantly be on point, sure it's scary, but rewarding with an eternal connection.