A walk in the park

Friday I took Emerson to the park. We needed some time outside to have some fun.

Little did I know she thought it was the perfect time to start full on walking!

On pavement none the less.

She would fall after about 10 steps but, got right back up to try again.

I could not believe how persistent she was. The same little girl who just yesterday would cry if I asked her to walk was acting like she had been doing it all along.

I was so proud of her and she was so excited on her new development.

I guess it finally clicked!

We have a few scraps from the falls but all in all she did well.

Since we were so excited I took her on a Mother/Daughter shoe shopping trip and we got new walking shoes!

Wow, now she is really a toddler!

Just another manic....everyday

It's been a little "manic" around here lately. To say Emerson has had a rough couple of days would be an understatement. The arrival of first year molars, and perhaps a little bug has been all too much for this little girl to handle.

A fever on Sunday followed by several nights of poor sleeping has left us tired and cranky.

Of course this results in Mommy guilt and feelings of failure. It got me thinking with the coming up of Mother's Day how many women have gone through this. Sleepless nights aren't anything new or specific to just our household. Even though sometimes it can feel like that.

So even though it's been rough I try to focus on that it's not just me, and "this too shall pass." Today I will get rid of my poor me feelings and be thankful for this beautiful baby.

The sweet baby that even kisses her baby.

That scrunches up her nose when she is thrilled.

That gives me sweet looks while turning her head.

The little one who burst in sweet laughter and makes my day.

The view from the porch

Last weekend I enjoyed being outside.

On the porch taking in the view...

of Carolina Blue skies

and of birds flying through the air. Some more life like than this guy.

Gorgeous Blooms...

in vibrant colors.

It's good for the soul.

How to make a killer pizza

Emerson is getting molars and we've had a rough couple nights of sleep or lack there of. So instead of a baby update filled with whining I thought I would share some pizza secrets. I'm by no means a great cook. But, I do love food. Healthy, easy, and flavorful food. One of my favorite things to make is homemade pizza. So much so that we rarely order pizza take-out since mine tastes so much better! Not bragging, it's just the truth. Last night I added a few new ingredients in to my concoction and I must say it was awesome. First thing is first though I start out with a store bought crust. One that is already baked is easier in my opinion and we don't have a rolling pin so it works out. Next, is the sauce. Pasta sauce is so much better than the "pizza sauce." It's filled with herbs and flavor that add so much to the pizza. For an alternative to red sauce sometimes I use pesto, or Neufeutchel cheese for a white pizza. Next is the cheese. I don't really think this one out too much. Basically whatever I have in the fridge. So here is what I made last night. Started off with pizza crust.

• Brushed with some olive oil
• I used some Muir Glen tomato and basil pasta sauce
• Next I chopped up some fresh spring onions finally and added them to the sauce.
• I added a little bit of Mexican cheese. Sounds weird with my other toppings but it worked.
• Next I chopped up some organic mushrooms, threw them on.
• I added some fresh spinach, that I happened to have on hand. I usually use frozen spinach that works perfectly too.
• I then added some feta cheese, and Parmesan.
• I walked out to my new herb garden and picked some fresh basil, and something else I'm not sure what it was but it was unusually fragrant. Perhaps sage? One thing is for sure I should have had labels.
• I then added just a touch of dry parsley. If you don't have fresh herbs lots of dried herbs work too. Herbs are the key to killer pizza.
• I baked it in the oven at 425 F on a pizza stone for 7-9 minutes. This is based off my particular crust. You can do more or less depending on your preference. Mark likes crispy pizza so I do a little extra watching carefully not to burn.

So voila! A homemade pizza that is awesome. I had never used spring onions before but I must say it added a wonderful flavor to the pizza. Here are some combinations I frequent

Mexican pizza

-Refried black beans

-Spices (cumin, chili powder)

-Mexican cheese

- Rotel

-Black Olives

- Hot sauce sprinkled

- Sour Cream to garnish

Pesto pizza

- Pesto as sauce

- Mozzarella/Parm cheese

-Roasted Red peppers

-Artichoke hearts

-Frozen or fresh spinach

-A few slices of tomato

- Herbs ( Basil, Oregano)

The great thing is you can change up any ingredient. I make it up as I go and it's always good. Some fun ingredients include roasted vegetables, broccoli, pineapple, chicken, and anything in your imagination! So go make some pizza tonight!

Thursday Five

Hey Y'all..

Welcome to Thursday Five..

Wanna play?

Just post 5 things that have made you..

Happy

Giddy

Grateful

Joyful

Gleelful

or all of the above..

I love it cause it makes me think of all the positives that have

happened throughout my week..

My Five..

1. Emerson started walking on Friday! She walked about 15 feet. We haven't made much progress since then but the fact that she can do it is exciting! It was one of the best moments to see her take off!

2. Spring Daze

Saturday we headed to the Spring Daze Festival. I love festivals. I could have spent a ridiculous amount of money on all the beautiful crafts. I grabbed a bunch of cards in case I ever run into a huge amount of money! Haha.

3. Fresh Strawberries- I had the first round of freshly picked NC strawberries and they were some of the best I've ever had!

4. Breakfast- Mark made me two incredible breakfasts this past w.e. Chocolate chip pancakes with strawberry topping. Omelet with spring onions, avocado, and tomato. Be jealous!

5. Date night. Mark and I went to see How to train a dragon in 3D. It was a really cute movie! We hadn't been to a movie in forever so it was very nice.

14 months

Here are some pictures from our 14 month shoot. This red romper was mine as a little girl.

This boho chic (dress or top??) of course was not mine but a wonderful consignment find.

I found that getting eye contact while there are flowers, grass, and birds is near impossible.

But, she was all about telling me about what she saw.

And eating the local vegetation

Concealing her happiness

Proof that she is an emerging toddler

Complete meltdown because she couldn't have my camera. Looks traumatic doesn't it???

14 months

Emerson is 14 months today! Can I still tell her Happy Birthday each month even though she is 1? I think I will.

She woke in a fabulous mood today. She knows she is becoming a more mature lady! Emerson is rapidly changing now. Super chatty and attempting to repeat words everyday. Her words include Mama, Dada, Hi, Hey, Bye, Baby, Ball, Dog, No, Go, and Whoa. No is by far the favorite word of the moment much to our delight. She is always on the move now. Even though she can walk she prefers the speedy crawling way of travel. She loves to do handstands all day long. Which in my opinion resembles downward facing down pretty closely. Her favorite activity is holding our finger while walking. I think she would do it all day if she could. Although sometimes I trick her and she is walking by herself for awhile before she realizes it. Emerson has a combination of being social and anxiety. She waves at everyone whether she knows them or not. But, if they acknowledge her cuteness and get too close she'll freak out. This stranger anxiety is all a little new but I'm sure she will work through it soon enough. The toy of the moment is a shape sorter. She tries so hard to get the shapes in the right slot but still has a tough time matching it up. When we work together and it goes in she is so proud of herself and claps with excitement. Which brings me to her favorite song, "If you're happy and you know it." She loves it! It's guaranteed to bring a smile to her face and a clap on cue. We also sing a version in Mommy and Baby swim class which she really enjoys. I predict a summer full of fun at the pool! Happy Birthday Little E.!

If you're happy and you know it Part 2

So finally the second part of my blog post. I wasn't meaning to be cryptic. I was just having technical difficulties. Ha! Emerson is happy because she is now a walker! Part-time at least. I'm glad I had my flip video ready!

If you're happy and you know it

Although Emerson has been expressing her opinion a lot lately...

Her opposition to us not doing exactly what she wants...

This weekend she has a very good reason to be....

Happy

Giggly

and Proud.

to be continued....

Show us your life- How you met your husband!

This is the story of how I Mark and I met.

I grew up in a small town in the foothills of NC where I enjoyed dancing around as a mouse.

Mark grew up in the capital of North Carolina and was just plain goofy!

But, one thing is for sure we both had an amazing sense of style....

As you can see here. :)

I started Appalachian in the Fall of 2001 as a freshman, the same school Mark was attending. The first couple weeks of school I joined a sorority and soon had a big sister. She invited me over to go to a rodeo! I showed up thinking I was at the wrong apartment when there was a guy standing over the balcony. It turned out to be her cousin/roommate Mark. We attended the rodeo, where Mark was the only guy wearing khacki shorts and sperrys, and we had an instant spark. I invited Mark to my first grab-a-date which is the picture you see above. You think the story would end there but it doesn't! I was nervous and Mark wasn't very nice. Ha! So the relationship didn't go anywhere. After a year and a half of a love/hate relationship and lots of jealousy Mark finally asked me on a real date after some much needed guidance from Kara in March 2003.

Mark graduated that following December and we continued to date long distance until I graduated in May 2005. Then I packed up my bags and moved to Raleigh.

On October 16th, 2005 Mark proposed and I said, "Yes."

A year later we were married in the very place our relationship began.

A year and a half later we learned we were expecting our first child, a girl, in March. Emerson Kaye arrived in February and has been the most wonderful daughter in the world.

A year later we are loving this sweet baby and the direction our life has taken us. If you had asked me in 2001 if I would have had a beautiful little girl and be married to Mark in 8 years I would have never believed it! I just think about all the possible ways we could have never have met or just went our separate ways but God had a plan for us!

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