Tap Out - Day 81

Yep, I have been gone a long long time. Life with 3 boys 7 and under is busy and hectic and sometimes at the end of the day you just have nothing left for anything else.

I see this sign everytime I go to Zumba and I LOVE IT.

I refuse to tap out. Life is going to hit me with blow after blow but Jesus is in my corner and in the end I will win with Him.

Day 80, 4/3/12

I am SOOOO Excited!! Today I drove up to the house and had a Thirty-One package waiting at the door for me.  My Early Bird Registration Amenity for National Conference arrived.  WOOHOO.  It's a Double Zip Cosmetic Case with the logo embroidered on it.

Day 79, 4/2/12

Look at my silly monkeys. Sitting in the closet.  Kids do the funniest, weirdest things.  But wow, cute anyway.

Day 78, 4/1/12

We went to that little carnival at the front of the fairgrounds. All the kids had so much fun.  Travis was riding the little roller coaster in this pic.  I love the look on his face.

Day 77, 3/30/12

I went to a friend's house to pick up some 2T baby clothes for Ethan. These sunglasses were in the bag. He was in love with them.  It was cute.

Day 76, 3/29/12

Ethan was watching cartoons and i just loved the look on his face. He was mesmerized.  Pardon the huge pile of clothes in the back ground.  It is half winter clothes to be put up and half clothes that I bought from a friend for travis that i have to hang up.  Laundry. NEVERENDING

Day 75, 3/28/12

Ya'll are going to get tired of seeing my posts about my smoothies.  I don't care. I am in love.  Yummm so good.  Right now my favorite is Blueberry/Cherry.  I have started mixing Almond milk w/skim milk.  Yeehaw. LOL

Day 74, 3/27/2012

I was trying to get a picture of Ethan's wild hair but with the sun behind him it did not show up too well. He is in need of his first hair cut but I just can't bring myself to do it.  He is my baby. Maybe soon, or maybe we will just have a little hippie.

Day 73, 3/26/12

I made this recipe from Pinterest tonight. Can I just say, OH MY GOSH! It was one of the yummiest things I have ever eaten.

For those of you that want to know, here is the recipe.

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili & Sour Cream Sauce
Adapted from Joyful Momma's Kitchen

8 soft flour tortillas

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

1 tsp dried cilantro

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Chili powder (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan using non-stick cooking spray.

2. Mix cooked chicken, chili powder (optional) and 1 cup of cheese together. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

3. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

4. Stir in sour cream, can of chilies, cilantro, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Make sure that you don't bring this to a boil- you don't want to have curdled sour cream!

5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake 20-22 minutes and then place under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

*I also added a little bit of medium cheddar cheese to the top of my enchiladas.

This recipe came from Six Sister's Stuff

Day 72, 3/25/12

I snagged this picture from facebook. A friend of mine from back home (Josh Trillizio) took it. I just thought it was too cool. He takes phenomenal pictures. This picture makes every part of me want to jump in the car and head for North Carolina. I love it here but as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz says, "There's no place like home."

Day 71, 3/24/12

Tonight after I got in from Tia's Thirty-One Party I got Ethan a sippy cup and he laid down on the floor trying to be like his brothers. Well, he had to pause to drink. So cute.

Day 70, 3/23/12

I always picked on my husband for playing games on facebook. He would get so into them and I could not understand. Ha Ha, that is what I get. I have been playing Gardens of Time. Oh my. I am hooked. I am justifying it because I have to search for hidden objects. I am just exercising my brain.. ;)

Day 69, 3/22/12

Jacob is my sticky fingers. He stalks the kitchen all the time. He does not necessarily want anything in particular. He just likes to touch everything. He likes to take things off the counter and play with it. It drives me up the wall. I took this picture to show him and see if we can talk about changing his habit. Wish me luck.

I missed some days

We all got sick and things got crazy and I missed some days. Life happens. I am not going to beat myself up for it. It will still be my 365 day photo project. It just will have some holes in it.

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

The other day I had Veggie Tales on while I was doing housework. The kids were sort of watching it. I heard bits and pieces. And then all of a sudden i am on the couch sobbing my eyes out. The movie is all about how we see ourselves (what others tell us about ourselves) and how God sees us. If you are struggling with anything involving how others see you and how they make you feel watch this. I know it is just a children's show but the message is still true.

Veggie Tales: A Snoodle's Tale

Day 67, 03/09/12

Today was animal day. Or it just was a fun coincidence. Coming out of the Coffee Break put on by FBC DeRidder I got to see a 6 day old baby goat. OH- MY-GOSH!!!! So cute. I was in love. I could have grabbed that little fellow and run fast with him. And then I got to see a baby squirrel and hold him when I dropped a friend off at her house. I love baby animals!

Day 66, 03/08/12

Mark likes to read in bed most every night before we go to sleep. I snapped a picture of him enthralled in his current book.

Day 65, 03/07/12

A friend's father got a terrible diagnosis. He has Stage 4 Glioblastoma. He has been given 3-6 months to live depending on treatment.

Life is so short. We are here and then we are gone. Love everyone while you can. Stop being angry with people. Quit yelling at cars that cut you off or people who cut in front of you in lines. When compared to eternity do these things matter. We are here and then we are gone. Make the most of your time while you are here. Make disciples to spread the word of God. That is what you were put here for anyway. Love. It's what we are meant to do. Love everyone, even the people you can't stand.

Day 64, 03/06/12

After having a gardening workshop with Master Gardener, Hope Meaux, I have decided to re-try composting again. I hate that I am going to have to go empty out the one I abandoned. There is no telling what is in that thing. But it must be done. This is my cute little compost pail that I keep in my kitchen and put my veggie/fruit scraps in. It has a charcoal filter so that you don't smell the funk coming from it.

Day 63, 03/05/12

My garden (which is in desperate need of weeding, etc) is now growing blackberries. In fact, it is invaded by them. I can't decide, do I pull it all up or do I harvest me some blackberries when it is time :)

Day 62, 03/04/12

My two monkeys goofing off in the car. Travis loves to make Ethan laugh. And boy are they loud :)

Day 61, 03/03/12

My Director sent me an apron for selling a certain amount (oh gosh, I forgot what it was for really). But yay!!! I love getting free stuff. And it's kinda cute.

Day 60, 030212

We had such a fun day at my inlaws house today.  So fun.  The kids played and played.  I love being out at my inlaws.  They have a lot of land that the kids can explore, 4 wheelers that we can ride. It is just peaceful.

Day 59, 03/01/12

I sure hope you can read this.   Enlarge your screen.  I read this and it really spoke to me.  Its hard to find a devotional that speaks to you and I am not sure every day will but this day did for sure.

Day 58, 2/29/12

So this isn't the most original post but this is the only picture I took today. I was showing a customer the different rosette clips that Thirty-One had that might match a product she was buying. She chose the small black rosette clip. Good choice I must say :)

Day 57, 2/28/12

At PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) we had Workshop Day. We got to take two classes and they fed us lunch. It was fantastic. I took Gardening with Master Gardener, Hope Meaux and Cupcake Decorating with Heidi Pingleton. This is one of the cupcakes I made. LOVED IT!

Day 56, 2/27/12

This is what happens when you let your kids put make up on you. I don't mind it. It's fun, it washes off, they aren't getting into trouble, and for just a bit they are relatively quiet. Win, Win all around.

Day 55, 2/26/12

My sweet boy was a tired little man. He was in the church nursery and just laid down on the floor and fell asleep. They laid him in the crib and covered him up all in pink. Probably the most pink I will ever see on one of my kids since they are all boys.

Day 54, 2.25.12

What an exciting day. My First Child's First Tooth came out today. He was so proud and excited. I normally would not ever give so much for a tooth ( I think I only got 25 cents a tooth) but I decided to give him 5 for his first tooth. I can't wait until the morning when he realizes the Tooth Fairy has come. His tooth pillow is the one I used when I was little.

Day 53, 2/24/12

Fluffy Mail, Fluffy Mail, I got Fluffy Mail!  Today I got Ethan's St. Patrick's Day diaper from EcoBloomers 
It is so cute. I love it. I can't wait to order some more diapers from her. FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC!!

Day 52, 2/23/12

So we just traded in my Nissan Quest for a Nissan Xterra.  I LOVE it.  And it has this fun spot to put my glasses. Problem was, my glasses (sun and seeing) were sliding all over the place. So what better solution than to purchase a Thirty-One Gifts hardcase glasses holder.  It fits both pairs.. Wow!

Day 51, 2/22/12

Yep, another sky pic.  I will never get tired of posting them.  I love how each one is different.  God paints such pretty skies for us.

Day 50, 2/21/12

It's February yall.  Look at the temp.   C-R-A-Z-Y

Day 49, 2/20/12

Travis' tooth is getting so close to coming out.  It wiggles back and forth like crazy. He will not let us pull it for anything.  We have offered him $10 for his DS fund to let us pull it and he is not interested.  He says he wants it to come out on his own.  So he had been messing with it and it was bleeding. I thought we were going to have a visit from the Tooth Fairy that night.  No such luck. 

Day 48, 02/19/12

I am sure you guys know by now I love sunsets and skies. On the way to Bible study tonight this is the sky I saw. Beautiful. We have been having so much rain lately. It was so nice to see some blue behind those clouds.

Day 47, 02/18/12

Saturday I went to Lake Charles with Lizzie Schetter to do some grocery shopping and to pick up some other things. I bought my second pair of running shoes at Academy. I never ever thought I would be buying running shoes. I was not a runner, never wanted to be. Some how I tried it and I love it. I just wish I could get a chance to run more. I admire moms who can run w/a jogging stroller. I have tried. I am awkward at it and can't seem to get it right. Its like I need to have my arms flailing to get a good run in.

Day 46, 02/17/12

Friday night I went to our monthly Girls Night Out Bunco Game. SOOO much fun, but that is besides the point. Lacey Porter babysat Ethan at her house. When I got there to pick him up he was asleep on their couch. I hated to wake him up. Such a sweet little angel.

Day 45, 02/16/12

Oh Ben and Jerry!  You guys are some bad dudes.  I bought Mark this as a treat the other night. He ate most of it but left a serving or so.. He said I could finish it and OH BOY!  It was so good.  This is totally why I need to stay away from Ice Cream and Sugar.  I have no willpower. Its like a drug  :(

Day 44, 2/15/12

This is my homemade smoothie. yum, yum, yummy! I used 1 cup of blueberries, 1/2 cup of cherries, 1/2 banana, 1 cup of greek yogurt, 1 cup of milk, and 1 packet of stevia. FANTASTIC!!

Day 43, 2/14/12

This is the view for the pickup line. I decided to pick up Travis from school on Valentines Day (he usually rides the bus) The line goes all the way around the street. Once it gets going it moves pretty fast though.

Day 42, 2/13/12

I am back on it! I am determined to not regain all the weight I lost so I was back at Curves today. Anna kicked my rear w/Strength Training and then since the treadmills were taken I rode the bike.  It's not spectacular but like I saw on Pinterest, at least I am lapping the people on the couch.

Day 41, 2/12/12

Because you needed another picture of me.. Lol, no. Basically this shows what a difference one day makes. You may be feeling awful.  You may be feeling like nothing you do is right.  You may feel like giving up.  But tomorrow is a new day.  It's a chance for new beginnings, a new perspective.  It's a chance for new blessings to pop up.

Day 40, 2/11/12

I think I may have messed up my days somehow so from now on I am going to put the date  next to the date number to help me keep track.

Saturday was a bad day.  Blessed yes, but we can still have bad days.  So here is a pic of me at the end of the day. I look worn out and run over.

Day 39

We had a lot to do today. Meeting at 10, etc... So I gave Ethan a bath and put him in his cute Bathrobe that Linda Auge made him. He looked like a cutie pie walking around in it. Oh, I could just squeeze him!

Day 37

I found some old pictures and I was looking through them. I came across this one of Jakey. This was Travis' Kindergarten Orientation and Jakey was so teeny tiney. Time flies so fast. :(

Day 38

I went to a Bible Study today. James - Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore. It was at a lady's house across from the Country Club. I was blown away by this woman's house. The guest bathroom was phenomenal. I could not help it, I snapped a picture. Wait till you see the rest of the house. Maybe next time I will snap a pic from somewhere else in the house. ;)

Day 36

Today I made my own laundry soap for the first time ever. Lots of fun and a gigantic mess.

Here is the recipe I followed:

1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap grated

1 cup washing powder

1 cup Borax

Utensils needed:

Large pot (must hold more than 2 gallons)

Long Spoon

Grater

Two Gallon Jugs

Funnel

1. Grate soap in pot and pour 1 gallon cold water. Turn on burner to medium and stir occasionally while soap is dissolving.

2. Add borax and washing powder. Bring to a boil.

** Note: Pay attention here. The soap will boil over if you are not watching carefully and make a gigantic mess.

3. Add 1 gallon cold water and remove from heat.

4. Funnel into your gallon jugs and you are done.

The soap will coagulate (thicken) over a 24 hour period. If it is too thick you can use one more gallon jug and water it down a bit.

I plan on going to the local health food store and buying some essential oils to give it more of a scent (it already smells good on its own though)