A look into the past....

Here is a little look into the past. Okay grab a box of tissues, Nicole. 


   This verse has so much significance to me. When I found out I was going to be a mother at the ripe old age of seventeen, this is what I held in my heart.


    "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11


    And God fulfilled that promise to me. My boys are my life. They are my little blessings (tear). I told you I would need a box of tissues!

   
If you are wondering why Kevin has a pacifier in his mouth and why Caleb is reaching down his throat to retrieve that pacifier. Well, it was a little game Daddy used to play with Caleb's "Dee Dee." Kevin would steal it, hide it in his mouth and spit it up in the air. Caleb would crack up, big ole belly laughs! Okay, I guess it does sound a little gross now that I am typing it out. 

   
    Caleb and his very, very best friend Dog. And by the way Dog still resides in Caleb's bed to this day. Dog has been to Idaho numerous times, Disneyland and even Hawaii. If you ask Caleb, Dog is going to college with him and will be his best man at his wedding. His wife will just need to except the fact she must share her bed with two guys.

  And then there were two. My little Deacon was born. He was so little and sweet. Well, not so little at almost 9 lbs. but sweet none the less.

 

  

    One word to describe Deacon? SMILES! Of course that would not be my description of him these days. I would have to say the word STINKER best describes him now.

  I am so blessed! Thanks for looking!

Things I Love

I am in love with this cleansing conditioner called Wen. It is a shampoo, conditioner, and leave in conditioner all in one. Its one of those things you try and you don't know how you lived with out it. Like when I tried Bare Essentuals for the first time. I couldn't even imagine putting on another foundation. My hair is so soft and full of body. My dry damaged ends are so much better. I got mine from QVC. I love it! Just wanted to share. 

gluten free, diary free, egg free, but oh so delish, peanut butter cookies

I could have thought of a shorter title like vegan peanut butter cookies I guess. But vegan never sounds appetizing to me. For health reasons I am not eating gluten, eggs, dairy and a few other things right now. But gosh darn it I want a good cookie!! So I looked around on the internet for some recipes. I tweaked this recipe to what I thought was edible. But to my surprise they turned out great and I am kind of known for making cookies, so trust me they are good!

Preheat oven 350 degrees

4 Tbls. ground flax seeds

1 Tbls. water

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 a mashed banana (very ripe)

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. natural peanut butter 

1 tsp. baking soda

Add all ingredients in mixer. Mix till combined. I used a tablespoon, made balls, and pushed them down on the baking sheet. Bake on parchment paper for 10-15 minutes. Let cool before eating. Enjoy!

Our Home Sweet Home.

Even though we have been living in our house a few years now, I thought it would be fun to show some before and after pictures. We put some hard man (and woman) hours into this  little labor of love. Just to list a few things we did. We refinished all the hardwood floors. We remodeled the kitchen and both bathrooms, painted the inside and the outside of the house. We put in new lighting. We put in landscaping, garden and chicken coop. I am so grateful for the help from friends, family and neighbors. Its been a long process and we are still not quite done. But here is some of the results.

Kitchen before. 

Kitchen after. New cabinets, counters, appliances... everything new.

The dinning room. Yes that is a ceiling fan.

Dinning room after. Bye bye ceiling fan!

Living room before. I have never repaired more nail holes in my life.

Living room after.

Fire place before. Awe, Deacon was so little!

I still need to work on some mantle decorations, but a lot better.

The other angle of the living room if you were on the couch.

I just got this beautiful rug on sale at Target. The chocolate lab was not on sale. But I love her all the same!! That's Abby, my little (big) girl.

Here is a "before" picture of Abby when she was really my little girl.

Our bedroom before. I am not sure what stye the previous owners were going for. But the sponge painting with green and yellow was BAD!

Bedroom after. Much better and no sponge painting to be seen.

Our bathroom before. 

Wa la!! After.

Thanks for taking a peek into our little home sweet home!

Honey Wheat Bread

I love my bread machine! I just a throw a few ingredients in my bread machine and in a few hours something amazing happens. Out comes a perfect loaf of warm bread. And I love the fact I can actually pronounce all the ingredients. This is a recipe the whole family will love. 


1 1/8 c. warm water
3 tbls. honey                      
1/3 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour                       
1 1/2 c. bread flour
2 tbls. olive oil                           
1 1/2 tsp. yeast


Add all ingredients in your bread machine as listed. Set to light for cooking.

vanilla and orange body scrub

In the winter time I love take baths a few times a week. I like to read a good magazine (or a celebrity gossip mag), maybe drink some wine or tea, and of course use my homemade body scrub. I mix it up just before my soak. It makes my skin silky smooth. Most the time I have all the ingredients on hand and not to mention its cheap!!

1 cup white sugar or sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon orange zest

the juice of the same orange you zested

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix sugar or salt with oil. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. This will be enough scrub for at least two uses. 

You can get really creative and use essential oils, herbs and other fruits. Lavender essential oil is also divine, just omit the orange and you have a vanilla lavender scrub. You can also replace the orange for lemon and add some rosemary for a lemon and rosemary scrub. Have fun with it!! 

Oh and p.s don't use it on your face unless you want to look like you are going through puberty all over agin!!