Five Years Ago….

Today Tyler and I are celebrating our five year wedding anniversary, wow, sometimes I just can't believe how fast time really goes. Wasn't I a bride like yesterday? Where the hell did these two children come from? Surely we are NOT OLD ENOUGH to have two children. I means seriously, I've never looked younger, I…cannot….possibly…..have…..two…..children……..eeek!

Our first five years could surely be classified under "roller coaster." After five years of four moves, three new jobs (his), three remodels,  loss of a pet, loss of loved ones, family explosions, two pregnancies. two babies, postpartum, etc. etc. etc. I think it's safe to say we've gone through more in five years that some go though in a lifetime. We never really had a "newlywed" year, we were sort of just thrown into the "thick" of it, but you know, looking back, I think it just made us that much stronger.

I spend a lot of time as a Mom of two itty bitties, feeling like I'm being pulled in five hundred directions, running around like a chicken with my head cut off----tired is an understatement. Most of the time when the hubs and I get a free second and we start to talk, inevitably I've got things to say or suggest like, "I wish you'd make the kids breakfast more, or, would you mind pitching in with bath time, and hey, since your going to be out of town all next week, would you mind taking the night shift a few times this week, etc" You might say, I tend to nag a little, ok, maybe alot (Yes honey, I am admitting this publicly). So in honor of our anniversary I'd like to not only admit that I nag my husband on occasion :), but I'd like to celebrate and recognize the top ten things that I admire and/or love the most about him as a spouse and as a Dad. So here we go…..

1. He can fix/build ANYTHING!!! Tim Taylor has nothing on Tyler Deneault. He puts up with all my grandiose ideas and lovingly fixes whatever needs fixing and makes whatever Pinterest project I'm eyeing that week. He is MR. HANDYMAN. (Hahah, I know Tyler is reading this right now and going, really honey, this is your number one, wow (let it be known these are not ranked in importance!))

2. He is the best Dada around. They say you start to love your husband more when you see him with your kids…. Wow. Isn't that the truth? I thought I loved my husband before kids, but watching him with Ford and Marcelle- well there's not a word in the English Dictionary that could properly explain how those feelings have grown. Parenthood changes everything. In a good way.

3. He makes the best chicken noodle soup, EVER. (of course this makes the list! It would be my last meal, it's THAT good.)

4. He brings me Advil when I really need it bc I'm too stubborn to take a pill and he knows I won't take one on my own, I'm weird like that. He just knows all of my weird, quirky, makes absolutely no sense, habits of mine, and he accepts them. (well, let's be honest he'll tease me tip hell freezes over about them, but still, he deals :)).

5. Every day Tyler makes me want to be a better person. Corny? Yes. True? ABSOLUTELY. He is just so darn good. And I'm serious people, I'd say this even if he wasn't my main squeeze. He is the MOST honest and good person I have ever met. If someone dropped a dollar, he would chase them for MILES to return it, he's just that kind of guy.

6. He's not the kind to hold a boom box over his head and declare his undying love for me, BUT he makes it crystal clear that I'm the peanut butter to his jelly. I don't worry about us, AT ALL, bc I know with all my heart and soul, that despite our ability to have some of the biggest knock down drag out fights, that once it's over, we'll still be together. He's my rock and I know he's not going anywhere. (and neither am I :))

7. This isn't really Tyler, but it's part of what he brings to the table :)---- His Family--- they're a crazy bunch and all totally different, but I honestly love them all (I know, weird right?! Great in-laws- WHAT?). They welcomed me with open arms, and treat me like I'm one of theirs. They have been there for me in ways I never expected and pulled through for me, when they didn't need to. Tyler tells me all the time, "This is what family does, it's normal." But to me, it's so, so, special, and so appreciated.

8. Tyler is the best night time story reader. I love eavesdropping on the monitor when it's his night to read Ford books. He does different voices and he's so animated. He even sings the "Barnyard Dance." People, he sings, I'm serious. I melt. When I've had a long day with the kids this is THE BEST medicine.

9. He makes me laugh, no, he makes me gutturally laugh. He can diffuse any situation with a joke or with a side story. He's so quick, with a joke. I'm the kind of girl that twelve hours later thinks, "OOO I should have said this!" but Tyler, he's quick and oh so funny. He's the one you want in a crisis not only bc he's good at fixing problems, but bc he's great at reminding you NOT to take things so seriously. Hah, he has to do this with me--- a lot :).

10. Because I just couldn't imagine my life without him. He knows me, knows the good, the bad and the ugly and he just gets it. Five years married, seven years together and HE STILL loves me?! I'm one lucky chick and I'm reminded of that every day. :).

My little family is very blessed to call Tyler the leader of our pack; he is the glue that holds us all together. I could list about a gazillion more reasons why he's so special to me, but the most truthful and the most honest is that Tyler has given me the greatest gift anyone could ever give someone (in my opinion) and that's---our family. That might sound simple and even cliche, but when you grow up in the environment I grew up in and you have some of the life experiences I've had, a family, a good family, seems very, very out of reach. None of this deterred my husband and I love him for being able to see me, love me, and in some sense, save me. He's my everything. And with every hurdle, every bump, every smile, every laugh, every tear, I continue to love him a little bit more, he is simply- amazing.

you are my heart. 

happy five year anniversary. 

Blink....

It's been a rough month. The terrible two's and a newborn are KICKING my butt! how did I ever complain about ONE child!? The blessing is NOT knowing folks--- ignorance IS bliss! Seriously. Holy smokes! That said, today was PARTICULARLY rough. Without going into too much detail, let me define the day like this--- poop on the couch and the car seat and pink eye folks-----Yah, it sucked. Oooooo and of course the hubs was out of town, Isn't that always how it works for every Mom--- grrrrr!?!?!? That said, I was about to claw my eyes out and then I went to put M to sleep this evening..... Seriously people I was about to throw my screaming, teething, child in her crib, but then as I rocked her, she touched my face and gave the biggest sigh and  as she did it, seemed like" Ahhhhhh, now I have your attention."  I couldn't help but just breathe... smile. regroup. love. feel blessed. She's my girl, my baby..... 

Maybe it's the wine (it was a ROUGH day), maybe it's my adorable baby girl, but suddenly all I can think about is how FAST it's going. Ford is still my main squeeze, seriously, can he be any cuter? But honestly there is something about the bond btw a mother and daughter. God, I just want her to succeed. And by succeed I mean I want the world for her and by world, I mean however SHE defines it. I want her to smile every day of her life. I want her to know how special she is to me and to EVERYONE.  

She's my gift from God, but also my Grandpa. Marcelle wasn't planned and in fact, she wasn't even on our radar. My Grandfather passed away while "I was pregnant."  I flew home and was fortunate enough to say my goodbyes before he left this world, still totally oblivious that I was carrying our sweet Marcelle.  

(I'm convinced he played a part in this, in her, bc honestly, truthfully, I wasn't ready for a second baby yet and I don't know that I ever wouldv'e been.... I think my Grandpa knew I could handle it, handle her, knew I needed her, subconsciously wanted her, bc two weeks after his death, we found out we were blessed with another child and then that October, as if my Grandpa touched my heart, we found out it was a girl......). I have never cried so uncontrollably from happiness in my life.... my baby girl, my world. As the anniversary of her gender reveal approaches, I just feel thankful. Thankful for BOTH of these "little blessings" in my life. And thankful to my Granpdpa for putting a "good word" in about the "girl."  Lately we've been listening to a lot of  Plumb--- ladies, she wrote a whole album about the birth of her child---- AMAZING---- anyways, the other night, I "REALLY" heard this song and it just brought tears to my eyes. I know my baby girl and I will go through a rollercoaster of feelings for one another, but gosh, I hope and I pray she never doubts my love for her. EVER. 

I just love these lyrics...

I'd like to remember, I'd like to know all you are

I'd like to know everything you'll be

Where will you go? What will you do?

When the world's right in front of you

When I think of how slowly life passes by

Then I'll blink and you're growing

No longer a child

What I can do, to capture this moment in time

Is to sing you a lullaby

I like to watch you dream

I like to touch your face 

I like to hold you in a sweet embrace

When will you laugh? When will you cry?

When you need a special place to hide

When I think of how slowly life passes by

Then I'll blink and you're growing

No longer a child
What I can do, to capture this moment in time
Is to sing you a lullaby

I love you you sweet girl. My girl, baby Marcelle. 

Smoothie Time!

I posted a picture a few days ago on FB of the newest addition to my family smoothie regiment and some of you lovely ladies requested a smoothie post, so here goes..... Keep in mind, I am NO expert. In fact any "healthy" information I learn usually comes from one of my super healthy, in the know mom friends OR my sister in law who is BIG into nutrition. Usually they tell me things they've bought into and then I go and do some more research to decide if I'm going to jump on the bus or not. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't....  but here are a few things that I find beneficial to sneak into our smoothies especially since my son basically only consistently eats broccoli for a vegetable, I have to find other ways to get this boy his vitamins. Plus, truth be told, my husband could honestly take or leave a veggie, he's a meat and potato kind a guy. So smoothies are essential in keeping my family heathy! So here goes.... as far as sneaky ingredients, here are the basics----

1. Chia Seeds- from what I've read these little suckers are ridiculously nutritious. Packed full of nutrients and antioxidants and even better? they can be digested whole (unlike a flaxseed). They also help to fill you up. So,  while the smoothie is a "snack" for my kiddo, it's my breakfast and keeps me full until lunchtime. TIP- do not use more than a tablespoon of them in your smoothie or the consistency will get a little gooey. 

2. Flaxseed- contains a boat load of omega-3 essential fatty acids, often found in fish. Since we now live in TX, we don't eat seafood nearly as much as we did when we lived in Florida, so an extra boost of this? Why not? TIP- You've got to buy the "cold milled" otherwise the seed isn't broken down and your body will not be able to break down the nutrients (meaning it's of no use to you at all).

3. Blue Agave- this naturally sweetens up your smoothie, which for a picky toddler, works wonders. I alternate between this and Raw Local Honey. I tend to use more Raw Local Honey during allergy season bc it really seems to help reduce the sneezing and itchy eyes. Seriously! TIP- Agave goes a long way! You don't need nearly as much agave as you would honey. 

4.) Coconut Oil- I could go on and on about this. My friend Debbie is in love with this stuff and I learned quite a bit about this on our beach trip, if your friends with me on FB, you saw we dubbed it the "Eighth Winder of the World," because it's THAT good. There's a great article about the health benefits of coconut oil, here. TIP- The hotter the temp in your house the "soupier," more "oil-like" it gets. Which will dictate how much you use in your smoothie. When we were at the beach, the temp in the house must have been cooler bc it was sort of the texture of yogurt, but in my house in TX, it's very similar to oil. 

Alright enough about the vitamins, supplements, and oils, now on to the good stuff.... My basic smoothie ingredients are kale/spinach (one every other day), strawberries (the whole deal, stem included) , a whole banana, greek yogurt, and frozen blueberries. I usually always buy frozen blueberries bc its typically a better buy. you can get a huge bag of organic blueberries at Costco for 12 bucks! The bag pictured is only half full, so, in my opinion, that's a pretty good buy. Everything else is fresh.

What you don't see pictured are my "cast offs," which are any veggies or fruit that look like their going to turn before we get around to eating them,  so I'll just toss whatever in the smoothie. This could be a carrot, some leftover broccoli, a pear, a red apple (tried a green one and it didn't really jive well). etc. I haven't met a veggie or a fruit that I haven't liked in a smoothie, so I saw try whatever you've got! But there's my "go to" smoothie recipe. I'll give you an estimate of measurements below but keep in mind I make my batch for three people and honestly it's more of an eyeball thing, but this morning I tried to be more aware of how much of what I was putting in the blender, so here goes.....

1 Tbs. Chia Seeds
1Tbs. Flaxseed
1Tbs Agave
1 heaping Tbs. of Coconut Oil (if it's the consistency of yogurt) or if it's runny just fo 2 Tbs.
1 C. Greek Yogurt
3/4C Blueberries
3-4 Strawberries
1 Banana
2 Large handfuls of either Kale or Spinach
1 Cast off
1 12 oz. cup of water
1 12 oz. cup of ice

Enjoy!

Ok, ok, I cannot wait.....

So remember when I posted earlier this week about the "piece," Dada was still working on for Miss Marcelle's room, the one waiting to be hung above her rocker? 

Well, my plan was to wait until we had it professionally framed and hung to show you, but I just CAN'T WAIT! It's too cute and too sweet not to share, right now! He finished it a few weeks ago, we've just been taking our sweet time to have it pressed and framed. 

Tyler cross stitched this adorable sketch of a little girl. You probably can't make it out but on the bottom beneath the frog it says, "Love Dad '13." I die.... This is seriously too cute for words and something Marcelle will have from her Dad for the rest of her life. Such a keepsake. Even more swoon worthy? All Tyler's idea. The Deneault men all know how to cross stitch, something they learned as children. Tyler hadn't done it in years, but when we found out we were having a sweet baby girl, he asked if I thought it was something she'd like and if I'd hang it in the nursery. Um.... duh. 

Seriously, it's true what they say, watching your husband love on your kids, makes you love 'em even more. He's a keeper, a definite keeper. 

If You Make One More Summer Salad......

It should be this one....

Grilled Ginger Sesame Chicken Salad

yum. yum. yum 

You can find the recipe here. Super simple, super yummy, and super filling. 

your welcome. 

Marcelle's Nursery Reveal

Welcome to Miss Marcelle's nursery.... 

Someone once told me, "If your going to go girly..... go GIRLY....."

Well, I took their advice to heart, what do you think?

When I found out I was having a girl, like most women, my heart skipped a beat. Not bc I love sweet Marcelle anymore than my wild man Ford but bc I think, like Dad's feel about their son's, it gave me the opportunity to love on a "mini me," to share in all things "girly," and to have a little human that I knew a thing or two about. And ladies, let's face it! To have a girl, is like getting to play dress up everyday! Who doesn't like dressing a sweet baby girl?

That said, once I knew I was having a baby girl, my wheels started spinning over her nursery. I didn't want something that looked like it came out of PBK, but I also didn't want something that looked like an homage to interior design. I wanted her nursery to be unique, fun, young, and playful, like I hope she'll be one day.

Her room is a complete mish mash of old and new, hand me downs, gifts, keep sakes, and trinkets given to her by some completely AMAZING women. Everything in it has a special meaning that as she grows I hope she'll appreciate even more.

1.)The blanket resting on the back of her rocker was her sweet Meme's as a baby. Such a keepsake.
2.)The ballerina bunny was from her adopted Grandmother Paula, one of the strongest women I know.
3) The silver cup, rattle, and brush were gifts given to me when I was a baby by various family.
4.) The Madame Alexandra doll was a gift to me, from Tyler's Mom (Marcelle's Nani) bc she knows my affinity for antique Madame Alexandra Dolls, something I hope to pass on to Little Bug.
5.) The painting hanging above Marcelle's crib! Ahhh!!! Cannot say enough about this painting. It was a labor of love made by a woman I grew up hoping to be like, the woman I babysat for as a kid. She's amazing and EXTREMLY talented, I love, love, love it!
6.) The adorable doll in Marcelle's crib (her FIRST doll, believe it or not!) From none other than my best friend Brooke's Mom. Who in my opinion is a world class Mother, who raised two extremely ambitious, go get 'em daughters. Marcelle could only be so lucky.

And in case you were wondering here's where you can pick up some of my other finds.....

1.) Large wooden monogram, A League of Letters
2.) Crib sheet and Changing pad sheet, Soren by Angelique
3.) Marcelle Pillow on rocker, Ted and Lucy
4.) Bunting above changing table, FawSewLa Stitches
5.) Chandelier, Overstock
6.) Bumper and Crib Skirt, PBK

I still have a few things to do in here, but it's more or less complete. I'm still waiting on one piece of art for above Marcelle's rocker; a handmade piece that her Dada's been working on for her. I cannot wait to hang it and of course show you, it is the sweetest thing..... ever.

So anyways, thanks for stopping by. I know how much I liked looking at other people's nurseries for ideas when I was planning for both my kiddos; so hopefully these pics may inspire a few of you!

I love a good schedule.....

Let's just say the last two weeks of August have had me all over the place. Schedule? What schedule? Like most Mom's I'm sure, come August I start itching for a routine, for some order.... a schedule!!!

And it's not just the "back to school routine" I love. I love the fact that we have three holidays slammed back to back, it keeps me in motion, keeps me planning; planning keeps this Mama happy! It's because we're so busy that it gets me itching to organize. Organize our weekly meals, organize our bags, organize our days, organize our lives. It just feels.... good.

 Hubs will be smirking as he reads this post and thinking, "Oh your sooooooo not type A." (sarcastically of course). 

That said, what better way to stay organized than with the PERFECT agenda? Now ladies, let's be clear I am NOT tech savvy. I own an iPhone and I couldn't even begin to tell you all the nifty things I'm sure it can do. I am just not that girl. Call me old fashioned but I LOVE writing stuff down. So at this stage in my life, I think it's safe to call myself an agenda connoisseur of sorts----I've used them all. To list just a few,  I've tried the basic MEAD organizer, the Lilly Pulitzer organizer, the Erin Condren organizer, the Momagenda, etc. While some were better than others, I never found one that covered it all. They were either too big and bulky, the layout didn't work for me, it didn't have something I wanted, etc. etc. Until now.... 

This year I bought myself a May Book. Have you heard of these nifty little babies? 

Let me count the ways I love this thing..... 

1.) It's small and skinny enough to fit inside my purse. 

2.) It's bound like a book so there's no chance of thing's getting caught in a spiral binding!

  (this is important as I tend to plunk jewelry in my purse to throw on when I'm not carrying a "grabby" baby!)

3. You can design your own AND monogram it! 

4.) The pages contain a monthly calendar and weekly pages, large enough to fit everything

5. The pages make Saturday and Sunday just as big as the week days

(which is nice when your weekends are filled with kiddie parties, dinner dates, barbecues etc.) 

6.) Starting at $15, you cannot beat the cost or the quality! 

So any who, I thought I'd share this little lovely with you as it has quickly become my favorite agenda to date! Check them out! So fun! 

Par-TAY in Marcelle's crib, 4AM!

So, let me first start out by saying I am a huge advocate and fan of "Babywise." It worked like a charm with my first. Ford was sleeping twelve hours a night by the time he was two months old. Naps were a litttttttle trickier but eventually, we got him hooked on two consistent naps a day, one cat nap in the AM  and a longer siesta in the afternoon. He was the perfect Babywise kid and I was one happy, well-rested Mama.

Fast forward to my little bug Marcelle and well, this Babywise thing just isn't working out..... First, could someone please explain to me HOW your supposed to do the Babywise method when you've got a thirty pound ball of energy running a muck in your house demanding your attention 24/7? I mean seriously?!? I have to admit, this time around we've been less than structured and well it shows. Right now the bug generally takes one long three/four hour nap smack dab in the middle of the day, in her swing (worst mother ever), then goes down for the night around 630/7PM, waking again at midnight(ish) and then again at 4AM!!!! And the worst part?!?!? Sometimes when she wakes up at 4AM, she is wide awake and READY to par-TAY! You know what this creates????? Two EXTREMELY grumpy parents! Argh....

She's taking in about 6 ounces of formula in one sitting about every four hours so I'm pretty sure my little piggy isn't hungry. And we definitely have a night time routine down pat. Argh. Is she ready for solids? Am I putting her down too early (she is whiney and fussy starting at about 6PM every night) or is this just typical for a poor ole' second child who sometimes isn't given as much "structure" as the first?

I mean, I love the little stinker, she's a cutie isn't she?

BUT this Mama (hah and Dada!) need their sleep. 

I can't F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N!!!!! So all you parents of two, three, and four (gulp!) help this Mama out- ALL suggestions welcome! 

It finally happened....

I've been on a blogging hiatus for more reasons then I could fully explain in one blog entry. Maybe it was the move, the birth of our new baby girl, the remodel of our new home, a gazillion vacations thrown in there, etc. etc. Or if I'm being brutally honest, my inability to blog positively while dealing with some heart wrenching personal drama in 2012.

But I'm back and ready to share my life with ya'll again--- hah, for the two people that may be interested, since I've left everyone hanging for close to a year :)

But all that said, this morning, while perusing the internet, sipping on my morning coffee, and enjoying this few minutes of solitude, I came across this bible verse and it literally stopped me in my tracks. I am living the exact life I have always dreamed and prayed for, it's here, I'm living it. It's been a long road, so long, and so filled with obstacles, drama and heart ache, that it took a bible verse this morning to say- WOW..... I'm here, HELLO, wake up, enjoy it!

My life is not always perfect, in fact, more times often then not, it's utter chaos, but I have what I've worked so hard to achieve- a loving husband, a working marriage, two beautiful kiddos etc. etc.  To date, they are my greatest accomplishment. God is good.

So, without further ado I hope you'll rejoin me as I talk about our REAL lives, the great, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. This blog isn't meant to become a part time job, or to chronicle our photoshopped lives. This blog is my way of sharing my family stories, my take on motherhood, kids, and this crazy thing called life. I hope you'll follow along..... again :).

-Crispin

Like eggnog? Go make this now.... like RIGHT now!

Source: starsflourpower.blogspot.com via Crispin on Pinterest

We had dinner with some friends this weekend and I made this YUMMY Spiced Eggnog Bundt. I am telling you people, it was shear deliciousness! Christen Crum--- RIGHT up your alley! It was mmm...mm....good and as far as baking recipes go--- pretty easy. If your looking for a holiday dessert I highly recommend this baby! 

Baby Number Two Finally Has a Name!

Marcelle Claire Deneault 

Well, the Christmas cards went out yesterday and with them, the declaration of our name choice for our sweet baby girl! Tyler and I have decided on Marcelle Claire. Marcel is Tyler's Dads' middle name-- following French protocol, we're going with the feminine version- Marcelle. And Claire is Tyler's Grandmother's middle name. I absolutely ADORE the two names together, they remind me of Mary Claire, which I deem as one of the most southern names, EVER. So don't be surprised if we (hahah, I ) stick with the double name, I just can't stop saying them together :) Absolutely love it. 

For those of you that know Tyler's Dad, Connie, I know, I know, I'm playing with fire by naming my sweet, innocent little babe after him. I've already relented that this child will be much like her brother-- one stubborn, strong-willed, adventurous kiddo, but with Connie's strong masculine points also come some very soft and wonderful points. I hope Marcelle is as kind as him and as good to strangers as he. I hope she is gregarious and confident like him. If she inherits any of these traits from her namesake, she will be one lucky kiddo and this Mama will be one very proud Mother. 

So that being said we are very excited to be welcoming sweet little Marcelle Claire this March and cannot wait to be a little family of FOUR!!

Mommy Tricks!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE a good Mommy tip or trick every now and then! I love it when my girlfriends' tell me about something their doing differently with their kiddo(s) and it's WORKING! Bc let's face it, as cute as they can be they can also be stubborn little tyrants (hah! or at least mine can be!). So with that said, I'm not claiming these tips as "my own," per se, but no one told me these, so I thought I'd share them with you bc they really seem to be doing the trick lately!

1. Deli American cheese melted on veggies! Um, hello, I could put styrofoam under melted cheese and I think my kiddo would eat it. Homeboy loves some American Cheese. I buy frozen organic veggies at Costco- broccoli, Veggie medley, Cauliflower etc. When it's time for lunch/dinner I throw some in a bowl, dash of water, microwave for a minute, take out, strain, throw a slice of cheese on top, put back in the microwave for fifteen seconds, stir and WA-LA.... the kiddo eats ALL of his veggies! It's a miracle. Can't get this kid to eat a chicken nugget to save his life, but veggies--- we got that down!

2. Socks on the hands when I'm changing a poopy diaper! Who knew?! The " Squirmy Baby" commercial has NOTHING on my child when it comes to squirming on the changing table, to the point where I DREADED changing a poopy diaper, but recently when I occupy his hands with something he can't immediately chuck off the table, it works magic. Enter socks-- when you put one on each hand, they totally can't figure out what to do, they work diligently to get them off! While you do a quick change-er-roo, your child is completely side tracked. I'm telling you- easy peasy. Try it.

So, no ridiculously interesting blog post here my friends, but I thought for you Mommies, you might like to hear a few things that have been " working," in the Deneault household recently! What about you, got any great tricks worth sharing?!!?

Weekend Recap and YUM Recipes!

Whew! I don't know about you, but weekends during the Fall seem to FLY! This past weekend on the eve of my thirtieth the hubs organized a little dinner party for mwah! Of course, in true Crispin fashion, I took absolutely ZERO pictures. Grrr, my resolution for 2013---- take pictures! But, none the less, it was incredibly sweet of the hubs and super fun to get together with some of my nearest and dearest! Truly luck to have met such sweet, wonderful women!

Then on Saturday we trekked to New Braunfels for WurstFest! We met up with our friends from Dallas, went to the festival and hung out at their campsite! Ford had a BLAST "attempting" to ride on this scooter-- over and over and over again....

That night, once we got home, we tried a new baked Mac N Cheese Recipe that we found on Pinterest. Folks.... TO DIE FOR..... 

It's adapted from a 2004 Southern Living, so if that tells you anything.... You can find the recipe here. 

On Sunday, we had a "catch up day," meaning, we rand errands, played outside and had an extremely early visit from Santa, thank you to our local grocery store, HEB. 

What's funny is how unafraid of everyone Ford is.... He walked straight up to Santa, said, "Hi!" and crawled into his lap. Not sure how safe this is, but hey-- it was darn cute at the moment :)  

And then, last but not least, T made these YUMMY beef enchiladas last night. Also DELISH! And the lady snuck zucchini in them for a bit of added nutrition, which is always a plus in my book. 

Seriously, we devoured them. They have a bit of spice, so be careful if that's not your thing, but gosh they sure are good! You can find this recipe here. They make a TON, so next time the hubs and I will make two dishes out of it and freeze one for later (FYI).

Hope you all had good weekends! We are getting a cold front today, which has this Mama jumping for joy! Me and the Little will be spending some extra time outdoors, getting lots of energy out!! Little is REALLY into discovering rocks lately, so I'm sure we'll be doing lots of this....

Have a great week! 

It's a GIRL!

That's right folks, this Mama got her dream come true! To say I am thrilled, elated, excited, flabbergasted, etc. don't seem to cover the emotions, I'm feeling--- I'm just.... happy. I would've loved my child--- boy OR girl, but gosh to be blessed with one of EACH?! I just feel truly---- lucky. 

When the Nurse said, "It's a girl," I literally broke down and cried. Cried right there in front of the nurse, the hubs, and Ford. After the year I've had, I think God knew I needed this kind of news. I think he knew, I needed a little girl to love unconditionally, remind everyday how much she is loved and how special she truly is. I needed to be a mother to a little girl; needed it from the depths of my soul and the core of my heart. God granted this prayer and I just can't find the words to express how deeply thankful I am for his blessing. 

I walked out of that doctor's office, looked up at the sky and said a little thank you, not only to God, but to my Grandpa, who in my heart of hearts I believe must have put that little bird in God's ear. Or at least that's what I'm going to believe :). After all, Grandpa's do know best. 

Forever....

"Forever could never be long enough for me, to feel like I've had long enough with you...."

I cannot believe four years of marriage and two years of dating, have passed already. It seems like yesterday you walked into Harvey's and changed my life forever. 

You are my heart. 

Happy Anniversary Hubs 

love, me 

Best date night idea..... ever.

So, hubs and I have recently started to plan, "date night meals," which means we switch off who gets to pick the meal, but then we work together to make it! We originally got this idea from the movie, Julie and Julia--thinking it would be cool to work through Julia Child's famous cook book; BUT, when we bought Julia's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, we found it was more of a teaching cookbook than a really GREAT recipe cookbook, so we more or less decided that we could pull the recipe from anywhere as long as the meal was something we deemed worthy of a five star meal :)

So for our first attempt, I choose something I KNEW would be yum, but took a ton of prep work, Oxtail Soup. Which I know sounds disgusting, but I SWEAR it is the most decadent, amazing soup you will EVER taste. My Mom made it every Fall growing up and it's something that conjures happy thoughts. You can find this recipe in the Joy of Cooking (which if you don't have this staple cook book you should buy, immediately). If you don't have this book, you can find a prettttty close version of the recipe here. This was AH-MAZ-ING!!! 

Then we made Braised Beef Short Ribs (Tyler's choice). Ummmmm, DELISH! I had never had a short rib and honestly when we bought them in the store I thought they looked kinda fatty, BUT holy smokes these things are awesome! Simply put, this recipe makes them taste like a SUPER decked out version of pot roast.... they are divine. In fact, since we made them we've been hankering for them again and again.... so yummy! And I'm not going to lie, the Swiss Chard, makes the meal, so don't skip this step! You can find the recipe we used over at Smitten Kitchen or you can just click here. You can thank me later folks--- yummy! 

This weekend Hubs and I have been toying with the idea of either trying our hand at gnocchi or risotto. Anyone have any KILLER recipes for either of the two? We'd love your suggestions!

What about ya'll? Do you have any fun date night traditions?

Ford digs the park!

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous in South Texas so we took Senor Ford to the park! He's getting to be such a wild man and we NEEDED to release some energy! Here are a few shots of my cutie patootie! I cannot believe how fast he's grown--- it's WILD!

Hasn't he become such a big kid!?!? Where'd my baby go? I guess it's a good thing I've got another on the way, pretty soon this little one won't let me snuggle him up, like he does now! 

So What Wednesday!

Today I'm linking with Life After I "Dew" to tell you about some of the things going on around here in the Deneault household, but like most of my posts I've just got to be down right honest.... so here goes..
So what if...... I crawled into bed last night at 6:30, I'm pregnant, I'm allowed. Right?
So what if....I've had to give Ford benadryl the last couple of days due to mosquito/spider bites and I've been praying LOUDLY that it makes his naps longer.... 
So what if.....I was patting myself on the back a few weeks ago for getting my Christmas shopping on early, but now I'm REALLY wanting to just go ahead and give Ford the toys now... oops. 
So what if......I've got my baby girl name picked out and have been calling baby number two by "her" name for almost a week now.... Hah, better be a girl! 
Speaking of gender reveal, we scheduled our gender sono with our doctor  (they make you wait until 19 weeks!)  for Halloween, grrr.  So what, if I'm seriously considering going to one of those boutique sonogram places next week (15weeks) so I can find out.... I'm ANXIOUS people....
So what if.... I walked into Ford's closet yesterday and noticed that my baby keepsake pile was getting obnoxiously large and actually considered throwing it in a box and maybe just decoupaging it or something (to make it look cute) as opposed to creating a baby book (worst mother of the year, I know...) I mean a baby "box" could be "pin" worthy----- maybe, hmmmm?????
So what if I turn THIRTY in exactly one month and ELEVEN days...... I'm still young, right??? 
Hmmm, I could go on and on, but Senor Ford just finished breakfast and this Mama's gotta clean up one big ole mess, have a good day! 

What happened to my sweet little angel??

Yikes, Senor Ford has gone from cute to trouble in a matter of days! Geesh! Suddenly, I no longer have an innocent and obedient child; now I've got a fearless RASCAL on my hands..... So far this week he's tried to shove a knife in an electrical outlet, thrown everything but the kitchen sink into various toilets throughout our house, and climbed on top of our coffee table and decided to stand up.... Yep, I see many trips to the emergency room in the near future... If I didn't color my hair I'm SURE you'd see the arrival of MULTIPLE grey's, after the last seven days I've had with Ford....Wow..... 

And as for the word, "No," well, let's just say Ford is none to pleased with this word. We're talking full blown, bang your head on the ground ( doesn't matter if we're in public or not) temper tantrums. This Mommy is laying on some tough love this week folks bc seriously, that's just not ok in our household! Thank goodness Daddy has a better poker face then me bc most of the time when I try to tell my child no, he's just so stinkin' cute that I flat out cave.... Dadda is definetly the disciplinarian in this household, for sure, but like I said- I'm working on it!

I swear I'll be happy whether number two is a boy or a girl, but gosh.... if it is a boy.... is it bad that I kinda hope he's a little "nerdy," and NOT as rough and tough as my existent child??? Hah! One can dream, right???

Weekend Recap

It poured cats and dogs in San Antonio this past weekend! So we spent a lot of time indoors, just relaxing! However, the rain held out for a bit Saturday morning and we were able to swing by the Farmer's Market downtown at the Pearl Brewery. Every time we make the thirty minute trek downtown Tyler and I inevitably decide we're moving...... like tomorrow. We just LOVVVVVVEEEE older homes and the city feel. We love the weird people a downtown attracts and the eclectic nature a city creates. Sounds weird when I'm married to THE most conservative person I know,  but what can I say, we like people--- different people, and the interesting conversations you can have when you surround yourself with people who have different beliefs, upbringing's, backgrounds etc. Not to mention, T and I love a good " fixer-upper!"But, as usual, as we wrapped up our tour of all our favorite areas downtown we decided we'd be buying more lottery tickets bc that's what it would take to get into that zip code! Grrr. One can dream, right??? 

Anyway, here's a cute pic of the boys, walking around the farmer's market, so cute!

We also stopped off at a local fish market bc they were having a helluva sale on Maine lobster, It just so happened, two weeks ago Goop sent an email regarding the perfect "Lobster Roll," and this former Northerner has been craving this delicacy EVER since. It's tragically unfair that I have an allergy to this yummy crustacean, but I admit, I sneak a few bites here and there whenever it's available :)So we met up with our neighbors and in true Deneault fashion, we bought WAY more than we needed and hubs froze a bunch. When I say "a lot," I'm not kidding, here's proof as the boys clean 'em (slightly ridiculous I totally agree).... 

And finally, if your interested and like oatmeal, I made this yummy oatmeal bake from pinterest for Ford and I to eat on all week- it's yummy! Probably wouldn't serve it while entertaining bc I don't think there's a pretty way to serve it, but it's perfect for me and the Little! 

Source: sohowsittaste.com via Crispin on Pinterest