I've Moved

I did it! I made the big move.  After keeping up with this blog for several months I decided to take the plunge.  You can now find me at www.spottedsmiles.com

I haven't had a post in awhile and it is because I was busy with my beautiful family for the Thanksgiving weekend and I didn't spend hardly anytime on the computer.  And then there was this I was busy working on getting my own domain and getting it set up.   It was super easy and now it is even easier to find your favorite blog (ok...maybe just one of your favorites.)

Making Infant Cereal

Today was my first time making homemade infant cereal for little Miss Taylor.  It turned out to be a success.  It is so super duper easy to do.  

I found some great information on making your own baby cereal here.

I used a mix of brown rice and jasmine rice.  

I put 1 Cup of water on the stove to boil.  

Then I added 1/4 Cup of each rice to my Magic Bullet and I ground up the rice.

  After the water was boiling I added  1/4 Cup of the ground rice to the water.  Then I turned the heat down so it was just simmering and I stirred it constantly.  After about 10 minutes I had some great baby cereal packed with all its natural nutrients.

The great site I listed above also has recipes for Oatmeal, Barley, and a Mixed Grain Cereals.

I will be trying the other recipes in the future but for now this cereal recipe is a hit!

Classic Toy Still a Hit

Over the summer I stopped at many garage sales.  At one of the largest sales I found an old, classic Teddy Ruxpin with several books and tapes.  He was in good condition except for his nose which looked like it had been chewed on by a dog.  I didn't know if he worked but I took a chance.  I bought him and his books for $2.  

 Little did I know it would soon become one of Zoie's favorite toys.  When I first put batteries in I thought he was broken but I messed with it for a bit and soon the tapes were playing and his eyes were moving but his mouth didn't.  Zoie didn't mind a bit.  She asks me every day where Teddy Ruxpin is and if she can play with him.  By now I am wanting to find some new books for him because I have listened to the ones we have for hours and through many sets of batteries.  The ironic thing about it is that when my husband was a child he just loved playing with Teddy Ruxpin too (or so I am told).  It was one of his favorite toys and now Zoie gets to enjoy this classic toy. 

I just have to hope that he keeps working because at this point I don't know what my daughter would do without him.

Sharing Holidays

Let me start by saying that my husband and I have been married for 7 years and we have been together for a total of 10 years.  We definitely don't have it all figured out and I don't think that we ever will, but as Thanksgiving and Christmas near the same issue comes up...

Where and when will we be spending the holidays?  We both have family within a 5 mile radius so to go and see either side of the family is no great task.  It is already difficult for us to choose between them but they don't make it any easier.  Everyone wants us to come over to their house so that they can see our kids and they want us to be there almost all day...basically leaving no other time for the other side of the family.  We are pressured into pleasing everyone else and doing it their way that it is often times hardly enjoyable for us.  And don't get me wrong it is not all about us.

We have tried to set up that we will spend Thanksgiving day with one family and the day after with the other and then flip it for Christmas.  Unfortunately that doesn't make everyone happy and someone will be upset that we didn't spend that day with them or they will be upset when we aren't coming on the exact day of the next holiday.  Because of the spot we are put in to choose who we will satisfy...generally a wedge is driven between Rob and I.  Our family doesn't realize the hardship this creates for our marriage and family.  There have even been times when Rob and I split up for a holiday just to be able to see and please both sides.  This is not an ideal situation for us because I want to spend time with my husband on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Most of the time I don't want to go anywhere...just to make it easier.  I figure that the family can come see us at our house...my husband doesn't agree.  The dilemma continues yet another year.  Can't they just be happy that we are spending time with them?  Not put all the pressure to spend the entire holiday with them?

Just for the record...just because we don't eat with you on the day of the holiday doesn't mean we don't love you.

The family also doesn't take into account that our 2 year old daughter needs a nap so that she is a happy person to be around.  When you plan to eat dinner at 2 or 3 in the afternoon...that is during her nap time.  Another thing...if we spend both holidays entirely with my husband's family...what does my mom do?  She has no one else in this state but me and my family to do things with.  They should be a little more forgiving if we can't always do it their way.

How do you share your holidays?  Does it work?  

If you have adult children...consider how it might be affecting them if they feel like they have to always choose sides.

I am usually not a stressed person but if there is one thing about the Holidays that causes me stress...this would be it.

I'm So Thankful!

Shortly after writing my post about my attitude of gratitude jar I found a blog that was starting a blog hop about being thankful.  You can check it out here or click on the button at the bottom of this post.

Here is my list of 5 things I am thankful for:

1.  My best friend.  She is there to listen, encourage, and love me no matter what I am going through.  She brings so much joy to my life and she is an answered prayer.  She is a gorgeous person on the inside and out and she is a blessing beyond words to me.

2.  I have been working to loose weight and it is working.  I am counting calories and doing Zumba and other exercises.  I have been able to stick to it for over a week now.  

3.  This weekend I got another chance to spend with my dad (he lives about 2200 miles away).  It was even his birthday so we were able to celebrate with him.  

4.  The great Oktoberfest service at church this morning.  It was an awesome time of worship with friends and family.  I am so grateful that we could willingly give our all to God.

5.  My baby's smiles.  When I see her smile it makes me smile back.  She is happy most of the time and her giggles just make me melt.

What are you thankful for this week?

Attitude of Gratitude Jar Tutorial

During this Thanksgiving (and shortly after Christmas) Season I am encouraging my family to have an Attitude of Gratitude.  There are so many things to be thankful for and my family and I need to dwell on those things more often.  As a way to help I created a Blessings jar or Attitude of Gratitude jar.  There are cute slips of designer series paper for people to write down their blessings and what they are thankful or grateful for. Throughout the season I will not only encourage my family to write things down but anyone who comes through the door.  On Thanksgiving I plan to read all the messages aloud.

Here is what you need:
A glass apothecary jar (really any cute jar will work)
Some designer series paper
Some sort of adhesives
Cricut Vinyl
Various Ribbon

I put a strip of designer series paper (DSP) around the inside.  It took me a bit to get it right because my glass apothecary jar was not straight up and down.  I had to create a template that would work at an angle.  It would be much easier to do if you had a jar that was just straight.
After I got that figured out I got out my Cricut and I cut some vinyl letters out in different sizes and fonts to put on my jar.  I used the words thanks, blessings, and grateful.

After that I cut lots of 1 inch by 6 inch strips of DSP.  All of my paper was double sided and I used several that coordinated with each other.

And as a finishing touch I added ribbon to the stem of the jar and to the lid.
Now it sits right on the island in the kitchen so that it won't be forgotten and people will be reminded to have an attitude of gratitude during the holidays.

 I conveniently located a vase with all the unused strips of DSP and a pen next to the attitude of gratitude jar.  I look forward to seeing the jar get filled up.

I got this idea from Little Birdie Secrets.

I posted over at:

Costumes this Year!

This year costumes were difficult to decide on...well except for Zoie.  I had bought her a Tinker Bell costume last year after Halloween and it has been in the closet waiting for her...she asks me about it at least once a week. The dress is so cute...it even lights up.  So here is my little princess.  And yes...Tinkerbell is a princess in our house.

  

My husband and I finally decided on Ghostbusters.  Taylor was going to be a bumblebee because that was a costume Zoie had used her first Halloween.  At the last minute my mom and I decided it would be cuter if she was a ghost to go along with the Ghostbusters.   We quickly created a costume for her out of a pillow case.  It even had some lace detail at the end because...of course...she was a girl ghost.

Here we are:

Here is my husband being silly:

Well, we only caught one ghost that night and she was a keeper!

Joining the Halloween Parade over at The Sits Girls.