Chocolate is like my love language. In typical girl fashion most anything in my life can be fixed with some sort of chocolate. That said, in attempts at healthy lifestyle my chocolate consumption has drastically lessened. Don't get me wrong there are days where I snag twelve two pieces but I'm trying....

 

I'm a work in progress. What else can I say?

 

I am though, a firm believer that parties and special occasions are the perfect time to splurge. So, if you see me at a party going a bit crazy on sweets... don't ask questions. I deserve it. (Or at least that's what I tell myself) When I was hunting for cupcake recipes for my sister's bridal shower I stumbled upon this one. And I knew it was a match made in heaven.

 

These homemade cupcakes are divine! They taste like a fluffy little truffle topped in the most creamy raspberry frosting I've ever had. Seriously, it's thick, it's fruity, super creamy and just the right amount of sweet tartness! There's no chance you'll be able to stop at one! I can't be to blame for that!  

Ingredients:

 

Cupcakes

1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil (melted coconut oil works too)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

 

Raspberry Frosting

3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

1/2 cup thick raspberry preserves or jam

raspberries for garnish

 

Directions:

 

 Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside

 

To Make the cupcakes: In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently stir - about 5 stirs. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until just combined; do not overmix. The batter won't be very thick.

 

Pour/spoon the batter into the liners - fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake in batches for 18-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 10 minutes, same oven temperature.

 

To Make the frosting: Beat softened butter on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until completely smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running. Increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Add the raspberry preserves and beat until thick and creamy, about 2 full minutes. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin, is separating (due to the fruity jam) or looks too wet. And then add more salt to offset added sweetness.

 

Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like. Top with fresh raspberries if desired.

 

Make ahead tip: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Decorate/assemble cupcakes immediately before serving. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 days. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

 

Enjoy!

 

What We Mean When We Say We Need A Break...

I stumbled upon this article last week and couldn't help but breaking into tears as I read it. I'm not a stay at home mom but I am a mom that works 12+ hour days, being gone from home for 15 hours on work days. I am a mom who writes a blog and runs two businesses on top of all of that. On top of that I'm also a wife, sister, daughter and friends. I love every single minute I get to spend with Garrett...even the crazy days. But there are so many times that I have these feelings:

As a stay-at-home mom of two small children, when I say that I need a break, I'm not talking about wanting a vacation or a treat as a reward for doing my job. Needing a break doesn't mean that I'm seeking a respite from my responsibilities or that I want to put my feet up. It means that I need a moment to feel like a human being in the midst of a relentless life where I don't belong to myself anymore; where I give my love and energy away, every moment of my existence, and can't figure out how to keep any for myself.

We're all very aware of men who don't understand the point of giving the mother of his children a break. They go to work all day and they don't have fun at work, do they? When they come home and their wives say, "I need a break," they think, When do I get a break? I just worked all day and now I have to come home and give my wife a break?

The point of a break, when you're a stay-at-home parent, isn't fun, or excitement or relaxation, although breaks that contain those things are great, and we absolutely totally deserve them, because everybody does. When a stay-at-home parent says, "I need a break from being a mommy for an hour or two," they aren't trying to swindle you into doing the work of caring for the house and children so that they can get out for some fun and letting loose. Needing a break isn't the same thing as wanting a vacation.

When you're a father, caring for your kids doesn't count as work. It counts as something you promised to do when you created a life. It isn't the same thing as going to a job. Caring for your children means that you're teaching them how to be people and giving them the chance to be happy. Taking time out of your life every single day to care for your children is absolutely vital to their growth as people. It's not something you grace them -- or your wife -- with. It's not a favor. It's not extra work at the end of a long day. It's part of who you are, because you're daddy. You are absolutely required, by the fact that you made a baby, to spend all of your time and energy being a father to that baby, for the rest of your life, and that isn't bad news. Fathering is about your kids deserving a parent who is engaged and who demonstrates that he loves them, because that is what will help them become happy, healthy, successful people.

When I get a break at the end of my day, I don't use it to have fun. I don't need a break so that I can unwind and have a blast being me, all on my own, finally, without the kids. I go to the gym. I go grocery shopping. I might take a walk or ride my bike. I garden. I might write or read for a while. I do yard work.

I do whatever I need to do, in that moment, to feel like I deserve to exist. I do what I need to do to feel sane and stable and capable of keeping up with the never-ending needs of my beautiful children. My breaks might allow me to think my own thoughts for a few moments. They might allow me to drive a car without being tense and distracted. I might need a break because I want to use the bathroom without someone watching me, or without worrying what might be happening downstairs and yelling, "Mommy is almost done! Are you guys OK?" 
 
I want a break, not because I'm bored or restless or craving some fun, (although I am probably feeling those things a lot of the time.) I want a break because I put absolutely everything I have into staying at home with my kids. From the moment I open my eyes in the morning, there isn't a single second of my day where I'm not engaged and on call. There isn't a single moment where I am alone with my thoughts, where I'm not being touched and needed and where demands aren't being made of me. Not a single moment. Not when I'm brushing my teeth or showering or trying to find something clean to wear. Not even in the bathroom.

As stay-at-home parents, we understand that going to work all day isn't fun, and it isn't easy. We get that we're lucky to spend our days with our children. We've had responsibilities and stresses outside of motherhood, and we understand that life is challenging for you, and for everyone. We know that commuting to and from work and sitting in a cubical all day is not how you would choose to spend your time, if you had a choice. We know that going to work is not a personal break where you can unwind and put your feet up. We totally get that, and we love you and appreciate you for all you do to keep our families safe and cared for. We would be better at saying thank you if we had even a single ounce of energy or sanity left over at the end of the day. We love you. We do. And, thank you.

We still need a break, though.

Not because we work harder than you or deserve something you don't. We just need a few minutes to not be on edge, working our nerves and spirits raw for the safety and happiness and health of our kids. We just need a moment to remember who we are, to not feel worried and harried and invisible. We need a second to catch our breath, to make our own choices, to try to love ourselves, for a moment. We need the opportunity to exist, as a human being with a name and thoughts and ideas; as a person who is allowed to complete a thought. We need to be allowed to drive a car and use the bathroom without being pulled away and pressured. We just need a moment, or we're going to fall apart.
 
We love you, daddies. We aren't trying to get anything over on you. We're not trying to say that we don't think you work hard. We aren't trying to weasel some fun or excitement out of life, by denying you yours. We just need a second to try to remember who we are.

Five On Friday

Friday already huh? This week went speeding by and I'm still trying to grasp the fact that it's soon going to be May...MAY! Where oh where has this year gone?! Looking at my calendar for May and we're literally booked every single Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month! Whoa baby! I'm clinging tight to my iced coffees and En-R-Gee oil to get me through this one!

Here's a little Five On Friday action to catch up up on the M family happenings!

- One - I think the only good things that the previous owners left behind here at this ole' house is the landscaping and plants. Seriously, everything else needs replacing but I'm loving seeing all the pretty plants popping up from the ground. I've been stalking the four sets of tulips everyday in hopes that they'll soon blossom and to see what colors they'll be. The rose bushes are covered in new leaves and growth and there's little green sprouts everywhere.

- Two - Fruit infused water has become quite the obsession around here lately! Strawberries, lemons, peaches, cucumbers...doesn't matter what it is we're dumping it into water! My favorite as of lately is frozen strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries with tons of ice and a drop of Young Living's Citrus Fresh! So incredible tasting! I chug that pretty much all day, everyday!

 - Three - This new house is about 1,000 square feet bigger than our old and while that's all fine and wonderful with a growing family let me tell you one thing. More space = more junk. Our kitchen counters are constantly the landing space for so much stuff and I feel like I attempt to clean them off every single day and every single day they end up heaped right back up. Anyone else have this problem? Like right now. There's a whole random-ness on the counter...empty picture frames, cupcakes, coffee filters, a party sized box of plastic silverware, multiple camera lens, a giant bottle of castile soap, the jewelry I wore at my wedding, pens...it's a mess. And it sickens me to say that today is a good day in regards to the kitchen counter disaster.

- Four - I'm obsessing over dresses lately. Last year I wore far more dresses than I have in the past and I'm thinking I'd really like to add to my collection again this year! Pinterest of course doesn't help this obsession one bit! Here's some I'd like to add to my cart:

 Clearly I have a stripes addiction this spring too...

- Five - My love for baking is back and boy is it strong! I handmade the cupcakes for my sister's bridal shower and boy, oh boy does that have my thighs worried these days! All I want to do is bake, bake, bake! I frosted another round of cupcakes yesterday with my homemade buttercreams (almond, strawberry and raspberry) and took a plate to my mom yesterday as a surprise. Also, because I don't dare have 2 dozen cupcakes sitting in the house. Too dangerous. Today's baking agenda?? I'm thinking 7 layer bars. Those are one of my favorites and they don't last long around here! Of course, lemon bars sound pretty dang delicious too!

Happy weekend-ing folks! I'm headed to work for the weekend!

These Moments, These Memories

Every now and then I come back to this space without a brilliant idea for a blog post. I come back tired, un-inspired and feeling dragged down.

It's in those moments that I find myself going back to the beginning. When my posts where random ramblings that sometimes made no sense. When this little ole' blog was a place I came to vent, to clear my mind. When this was a private space...full of private thoughts, hopes, and wishes.

I didn't have a clue what I was doing when I started blogging but I felt a strong urge to be here. Like the pages of white with tiny black letters where meant for me.

I'll spend some time reading through the words I've typed, the memories.

Through my nursing school graduation, through the Christmas post where I announced our engagement, through the wedding planning, diy's, and various other posts scattered in there. I'll re-read some of my favorite posts of all times: announcing our pregnancy, finding out about baby, weeks 0-12 and all of Garrett's adorable monthly updates. I read through the struggles and joys of my first year as a mother. And these moments, these memories bring tears to my eyes. 

This little space is more than just a "blog". It's more than a space I cherish because of the friendships that I've made. These words, the photos are little bits and pieces of me. These are my memories. My finest moments and my lowest moments.

This little space, this is my life.

Garrett: 19 Months

I've said it before and I'm bound to say it 7 million more times yet this year but where in the heck is time going? I always have these perfect intentions of having Garrett's monthly post (or any post for that matter) ready to rumble and here I am just a few days before the next monthly update is due typing the one from last month...

Stats & Recent Appointment: He doesn't see the pedi again until he's two (is my baby really going to be two soon?!?) so we won't have measurements from there for quite some time. An attempt on the home scale went South real fast so we'll just stick with saying that he's big for his age. Whew! That was so much easier! ;)

Features: Brown eyes, brown hair. For awhile there he was such a chunky little guy and while he certainly still tops the weight chart he is definitely more on the tall and thin side. He's quickly outgrowing some of his 24month and 2T clothing and while the 3T shirts fit alright the pants fall off his little butt real quick. Luckily there was  a genius somewhere out there that invented elastic waistbands! I'm beyond grateful for those!  

Teeth: We've got all but the upper and lower cuspid on the right side (though they are both about to make their way in) and the second molars! And let me tell you...he loves to use them from time to time! There have been times he'll run up behind me and bury his little head in my legs, put his arms around me so sweet and then bite me. Back of the thighs bites hurt & I screamed so hard the first time he did it that he was in tears. Poor little guy. And poor momma's thigh! 

Sleep: We just went though a solid week of being up between 12:30am and 2:00am. Talk about a tired, stressed out momma! Most nights I'm at my whits end as I'll literally try everything and Garrett still does not want to sleep. We've tried the cry it out method (hours later he'll still be crying), I'll try rocking with him for awhile (he FREAKS the minute I put him down) and eventually he ends up in bed with us. None of us sleep then as Garrett is surely the more restless sleeper in all the land and his favorite place to lay is horizontally over my neck but it keeps him quite at least...He has been fairly good about nap times. 1-2 hours around 9am and then about an hour around 3:30pm.

Eating: It's really a hit or miss these days! I usually can get him to eat great for two meals but some days everything gets thrown on the floor. He's definitely FAR more picky these days then say a year ago and he'll just throw a fit if you try to feed him something he doesn't like. His favorites as of late include: turkey hotdogs, turkey meatballs, applesauce, yogurt, whole wheat breaded chicken fries, vanilla granola, granola bars, fruit & grain bars, milk, strawberries, grapes, hashbrowns. Veggies are pretty much a no-go though I keep trying.

Diapering: Holding strong in size five's.

Clothing: I think I weeded all but a few 18m items out and packed them away. As I mentioned above the pile of 24m and 2T stuff he's outgrown is slowly getting larger and larger as well. I've been thrifting for 3T stuff for this spring and summer. I did buy about 30 pairs of 3T shorts on super clearance last year so I'm hoping we'll have a nice long, hot summer and he can get some good wear out of them. He's wearing size 8-9 shoes right now though they also seem to be getting a bit snug. My boy has huge feet!

Social: You know that episode of South Park? That "momma, momma, mom, momma, mommmma" one? That is how our house has been lately! It doesn't matter if I'm sitting right next to him he's constantly saying "momma. momma. mmoommmma!" I love hearing it but some days it gets to be a bit much. His vocabulary has gone through the roof though this month!

dada

 

momma

uh-oh

baby

 

waw-werr = water

 

ma-wilk = milk

i don't see it

i go find it

tickle, tickle, tickle

one!

granpa = grandpa

granma = grandma

go bye

noah (my brother, Noah)

kay kay (my sister, Kaitlyn)

 

buppies = puppies

 

mill = Millie (our dog)

wowww (when he finds something amazing)

ouch (when he falls/trips)

Hot Dog! = when he wants to watch Mickey Mouse

 

Guppies = when he wants to watch Bubble Guppies

baayyy = play

bus

wiggle

away

mine

no

get out!

wwaaaiiitt = wait

bus

peeassee = please

He's able to tell us the noises that a chicken, duck, cow, kitten, dog, pig (that one is freaking cute because he scrunches up his little nose!) & horse make. One day we where outside and he was running around saying "I don't see it. I don't see it." When asked what he was looking for he turned around and said "I don't see moooo, moooo". I busted out laughing, too cute! If you ask him to show you one he'll hold up one finger...we've been working on two. 

Likes: Music. Running! It's hard to get him to walk and/or sit still as he is always running. He certainly loves being outside and we love that we now have plenty of room for him to run and play! He love, loves to climb and there has been a few times we turn away for 1 minute and find him standing on the counters, digging though the cupboards. Talk about a heart attack! He loves doing things for himself and gets a bit frustrated when he's not able to do something independently. We try to always let him do it himself and it he's unable offer help and praise him for accepting the help. He loves to wash his hands and after meals he'll run to the bathroom saying "wash, wash!" He also loves to help out. It doesn't much matter what it is I'm doing - laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, dusting - he'll be right there with him helping out. Once praised he'll get a big smile on his face and clap his hands. It's pretty cute.  

Dislikes: Being told "no". Having to stay out of the fridge. Coming in the house after being outside. Sitting in his car seat.

  

 

  

Hey There!

Holy bananas! Where has this last week gone?? I've been buried under a pile of lace, burlap, wooden décor, buttercream and all things rustic. In other words, planning and hosting my sister's bridal shower. It was this past Saturday and things went off without a hitch. I think that she had a lovely time and I certainly loved seeing all my creations and visions come to life. It was nice to catch up with family I haven't seen in awhile as well.

I'll likely share some more photos sometime later this week but here's a little sneaky peaky:

Other than that our weekend was mellow. Couch cuddles, soaking up sunshine and doing some yard work. It's crazy how much more of that we have now that our yard is something like 20x the size of our old one. Regardless though, it's work we're happy to do. The rain and sunshine lately really have it looking a lot more like spring too. The tulips are sending up little shoots, the trees are busting with leaf buds and the grass is turning a lovely shade of green. I really love sitting on our deck and enjoying the view. Here's a couple of snapshots:

Oh Weekend, How I Love Thee

Holy glorious weekend! Sunshine, grilling out, laughs with good friends, movie night cuddles, iced coffee, splashes in the water table, momma time, new appliances installed, shopping, bridal shower crafting & kisses from my boys about sums it up. I could go on and on but figured some photos might make it more entertaining huh? Here's our weekend recap, snapshot style ;)

Sunday morning shopping sans the boys. Hubby let me out alone for a little momma time...so grateful! Did some serious damage to the bank account, drank a few too many iced coffees and cruised the aisles of Target.

Life of a boy momma. Piles of muddy clothes on the deck after some little dude sat himself right down in a big ole puddle. Cue mid day baths and extra loads of laundry.

 Grilled parmesan potato wedges! When it's nice we keep our grill busy.

 Prepping for my sister's bridal shower which is this coming weekend!

Target dollar spot got me again! Thankfully half of this rang up at 50% off when I checked out...now about the other $150 worth of stuff in my cart... #donttellhusband

Water, ice, frozen fruit and a drop of Young Living Citrus Fresh is my jam lately! It's so tasty and refreshing! Plus, you get mega vitamins and nutrients from the fruit! Win-win!

Currently...

Happy hump day loves! I can't believe this week is already nearly half over! Cheers to the weekend am I right?!

I'm currently... 

Watching l The letters pop up on the front of the screen. No tv for this girl. The silence during nap time is rejuvenating.  

Eating  l Vanilla Greek yogurt topped with fresh strawberries & chia seeds. Addicted, so addicted!

Forgetting l What life felt like before I was a momma. There are some days I think I'd love to go back to the times when I could do whatever I wanted. The days when I could sleep in, lounge around in the sunshine and watch something other than cartoon characters singing about shapes and colors. At the end of every day though I am entirely content with life. I am so blessed to have a great new home, a husband who laughs at my jokes and the cutest boy I ever did see.

Craving l  I'm also craving a "me" day. I just want a day to wander about my favorite stores, grab an iced coffee and wander through the park & taking a steaming bubble bath. I'm also craving a pedi, a good massage, summer and an ocean side vacation.

Excited For l The next coming months. My sister's bridal shower is in just a few weeks and I'm excited to put all my "visions" to use and make them come true! I've been holding off on sharing anything here on the blog because I want it to be a surprise for her. No fear though, I'll be sure to share pictures! May will bring her bachelorette party & wedding. June brings our seven year date-versary. July brings summer and sunshine! August brings Garrett's 2nd birthday (cue tears). September brings our 3 year (wedding) anniversary. October is Steve's birthday. November is mine. And then of course you have various holidays scattered in there as well. The year really starts to get busy for us come April.

Loving l Our new house. With the warm weather here I'm just so glad we decided to jump on this house, on country living more specifically! I love being able to bring Garrett outside and just let him run! I can't wait to get the pool cleaned out and for all the nap time floating I intend to do in there come summer!  

Drinking l My new favorite! Water with frozen fruits (strawberries, raspberries & peaches) with one drop of Citrus Fresh oil in there. Top with ice. Holy amazeballs! Seriously, the perfect drink for summer! Refreshing, easy & no calories!

DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent

I'm a frugal person by nature. And since having Garrett even more so. I mean let's face it, someday I'd like to have more children and college certainly isn't getting any cheaper these days! I've also grown quite concerned about trying to live life a bit more naturally. Take a look at your cleaning products, it's incredible the amount of chemicals that are in them! So, I've been on the hunt for simple ways to lessen the chemical exposure, while saving money. One way I found to save HUGE dollars is through making your own laundry detergent. I was previously a Tide snob. I couldn't use anything but. Some of the cheaper stuff made me itch and none of it seemed to smell as good. That was until I sat down and thought...now that smell that I love so much? That's all chemicals, artificial scents. And suddenly I wasn't so fond. I'd found this simple idea on Pinterest for homemade laundry detergent. It sounded like a good idea. It was simple to make, contained no chemicals and made a whole crap ton. But then I saw this:

 

 Store bought Tide Liquid Detergent (150 oz) = $18

DIY Liquid Detergent (150 oz) = $3.50

 

We’re talking $0.04 per load…YES…4 CENTS! We’re talking $10 or $15 for detergent for the YEAR!

 And from there I knew it was something I had to do. A years worth of detergent for less than one jug of Tide?!? Sign me up! I ran to our local home improvement store, found all the ingredients with ease and headed home to give it a shot!

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

-Water

 

-1 /4 of a bar of FELS NAPTHA SOAP

 

- 2 T. BORAX POWDER

 

- 1/4 cup ARM & HAMMER WASHING SODA (not baking soda)

 

- 20 drops Young Living (I suggest lavender, purification or citrus fresh)*

 

- Empty jug or container to store detergent in

(you can use your old detergent container)

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

- Using a cheese grater, grate the Fels Naptha soap and add to one cup of water in a pot over medium heat.

 

- Melt the soap while stirring constantly until the soap is dissolved.

 

- Pour 10 cups water into a large container or bucket and add the melted soap mixture.

 

- Add Borax, Washing Soda, and Young Living essential oil and stir.

 

- Add 10 more cups water and stir.

 

- Let it set overnight. The detergent will thicken and become

more gel-like.

 

- Stir again to mix it well and pour into desired container to store.

 

- Shake/stir to mix before each use.

 

*Use 1/4 cup per load of laundry* (makes 1.25 gallons)

 

*Essential oil can be omitted, but it makes for great smelling

detergent and fresh scented clothes.

Easter 2015

Heart so full. I feel like that sums up this past weekend. And much to my surprise it was so wonderful despite being my weekend to work...when does that happen?! Today is all about Easter and trust me, this is just a sample of the photos I took!

I went easy with the décor this year. I used many things that we already had because let's face it money is tight after buying this big ole house :) I picked up some adorable little place card holders from Target because I just couldn't say no and also sprung for a couple bouquets of fresh tulips from the store as they just added a lovely touch. I love tulips so was quite pleased when I saw some coming up in our flower beds. I'm looking forward to seeing what else pops up out of the ground. The mantel was a mix of things I already had in the house. The screen in the background is one I salvaged from a junk pile while thrifting with my dad.  It's a cruddy old screen really, falling apart in one corner but once I saw it I knew I had to take it home. When I was trying to come up with ideas for the mantel the thought of that old screen popped into my mind. I made a quick run to my parents, dug it from the back of one of the sheds and dusted it off. Perfecto!

The table was also decorated with stuff I'd already had on hand. The wooden box is one I thrifted while with a good friends. The white vases are also thrifted and used for my bridal shower. The eggs I'd had on hand but where purchased at Target last year for $1 for about six eggs.

I knew I wouldn't really be able to partake in many Easter festivities over the weekend due to being at work so I set out to make Friday be a day full of Easter! Steve had off that day as well and it was nice to spend it together, just the three of us. We started the day bright and early, complete with Easter pancakes of course.

Between nap times and playing outside we managed to dye some eggs and decorate some cookies. I let Garrett help decorate cookies as well but I found that he'd get them all full of sprinkles and then lick the sprinkles and frosting off. He'd then want to start all over, frosting and putting sprinkles on that same cookie. I managed to grab a few cookies he'd sprinkled though, before they ended up in that belly of his.

Decorating eggs was a slight bit more messy. Garrett attempted eating a few of the eggs with the shells still on which resulted in him tossing them back onto the counter and saying "bleh!" He really, really wanted to help put them in the glasses of dye and I ended up letting him which left most of our eggs with cracks in them. Oh well, it's the memories that count right?

 I thought an Easter egg hunt would be fun for Garrett so Steve hid some eggs for him. At the end of the hunt was his Easter basket as well Steve's. I can tell you that seeing him hunt for eggs brought such joy to me! His little face would just light up when he saw one and he truck off across the lawn huffing, puffing and squealing! So cute!

 This one is super blurry but I couldn't resist sharing...egg hunting is just so joyful!

I love putting together Easter baskets I'm finding. Well actually, I love putting together any sort of basket...Easter is no different! This year I went a bit simple with them. Garrett got a small stack of new books, a few for spring as he really only had a couple. I also picked up some egg shaped sidewalk chalk, treats, a pair of sunglasses and I tucked the little bunny crayons I created in there too. Steve's basket was beer (what else?!), a couple treats and some mason jar coaster for his bar/theater here in the new house.

Steve took Garrett to my grandparents house then on Sunday, along with my family. I can't tell you how grateful I am, that he's willing to make the travel on his own with Garrett to see my extended family. The last I saw my grandparents was Thanksgiving and that seems like light years ago. It means a lot to me that they where able to see Garrett again. Garrett was pretty pumped about it too because it meant another egg hunt (!) and two more Easter baskets! My parents put together an adorable basket for him full of his favorite treats! And my aunt put together a little bucket for him as well, which was waiting for him at the end of the hunt.
 
Needless to say it was a great Easter. Work even went well and I was sent home both Saturday and Sunday on standby about four hours early. Reminds me how great 8 hour shifts are compared to 12's!  
 
 
 *Reminder: my photos are NOT to be used without my knowledge and permission!