No Bake Energy Bites

Thank You pinterest for helping me find this recipe!

This recipe is literally the best thing ever! I usually eat one for breakfast and it lasts! They are not that big, but they are filling. The recipe can easily be altered to have whatever you want in it to make it healthier or more candybar-esque!

Here is the Ingredients:
1 Cup (dry) Oatmeal (I use Oatbran for added nutrition)
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Ground Flax seed or Wheat germ (or ground Chia)
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips (optional, though really, you can add or subtract most things)
1/3 Cup Honey (I prefer the homemade honey from local bees!)
1 Tsp. Vanilla

Method:
Stir all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once chilled, roll into balls of any size (mine are about 1" in diameter). Store in airtight container and keep refridgerated for up to 1 week.

Makes about 20-25 balls.

My Man

So, I just want everyone to take a good look at my man. Strong. Handsome. Wise. Brilliant. Masculine. (I could go on, but this is a family blog and want to keep it PG.)

I love this man so much! I am so excited to be celebrating our 2 year anniversary with him on Tuesday!
God has blessed me in so many ways and Stephen is one MAJOR blessing!

He keeps me in check and doesn't judge when I am silly and allows me to truly express myself and be myself. He is the perfect fit with my crazy personality! :) I am constantly falling in love with him over and over. He never ceases to amaze me!

Lake Olmstead Park

We started our walk at about 8:30am. It was perfect weather, slight breeze and mild temperatures. By the time we ended our walk it was hot and humid. We still had fun though! It wasn't until Stephen came home and we told him about our walk that he mentioned we had to watch out for alligators. Kinda forgot those were around down south.

Always nice to have a casino at the park.

What a lovely day for a walk!

The view at the start of the path. It was wonderful and even had a disc golf course! I couldn't help but think of my little brother, Joel, who taught Stephen and I disc golf a couple summers ago. I don't think that I'd want to play during the summer months though; it is hot!

What a truly beautiful view!

I kept looking for a beach or something, but there was none. It was still pretty! Well, if it did have alligators, I guess a beach wouldn't be a good idea. There was a BBQ Pit building located right in the middle of the park. That's always fun! I love the south and their love for Barbeque!

Alright, this just looked so "south" to me :D

For some reason I keep thinking of "Gone With the Wind" in this picture. I think I will need to watch that movie while I am down here. I suddenly had a huge desire to dress is 10 layers and ride side saddle. "I do declare!"

Pretty flowers! They were huge!

Lily Pads! Love it!

Ned was not to happy we met him.

As we were walking back to our car I spotted a moving rock in the path. Realizing it was a turtle we sped up until we came upon him. NED! He was just running across the path, minding his own business. Hey, I put him back the same way we found him. No harm done. Maybe an accelerated heart rate for Ned, but nothing else :D.

Ned meet Adalynn, Adalynn meet Ned.

I didn't want Ned to close to baby girl because he was a snapper and well, he could probably snap off one of her fingers. I did not like that idea. (Note: Adalynn's colorful outfit. Thought it was fun!)

The ugliest birds ever - I think it's a mix of a vulture/swan

This creature proves that God has a funny bone. I looked out onto the lake on our walk back, and these red dots, connnected to a duck like bodies were swimming towards shore. Having never seen anything like this I chose to go investigate. Yes, that meant off-roading it a bit with Adalynn. As you can tell, (picture below) she didn't seem to mind.

I thought they would swim away as I walked closer, they didn't. They kept coming and came up shore too! Even the ducks on shore didn't seem to flinch at my arrival. Hah! Well, HAH until the vulture-swan's started to hiss at me and flap their feathers. I backed off. :P 

*cough* I mean, I went to protect Adalynn. I didn't want them hurting her! hehe

Ummmm, what?

It was a fun day at the park, regardless of mean angry birds. Hey - Angry Birds!

Need an easy/cheap Ironing Board?

Just a boring TV tray... 

I found this idea on Pinterest. Here is a link to how to do this :D

Loved this idea and have used it already! It's perfect!

A useful Ironing Board

Wonderful!

Happy Father's Day!

To the most incredible man I know and the most caring and proud Father.
Love you so much and love watching you on this journey as a Dad!

From the first moments...

... to the down times at home;

you will always be Adalynn's protector ...

Her comedian...

her stronghold...

her hero!

Love you always and forever!

A Day In the Life (Adalynn's prospective)

My animal friends

My name is Adalynn, I am almost 5 months old. Today was a busy day. After waking up, eating, changing and making unusual sounds I found myself on the floor... again. Yes, again - for some reason my Mother seems to think I enjoy the floor. Well, I may let her think this at times, occasionally giving smiles, playing with my toys...

Sleeping is important for proper brain development

I have found that if I put enough energy into momentum into it, I can turn myself over! Incredible,
I do it all the time! What a thrill... though once on my tummy I can't seem to figure out how to get back... *sigh*

This exhausts me, after trying to tell my Mom and Dad how tired I was they finally put my in my swing! Thank you Nonna for the swing!







My Mommy and Daddy seem to think that they can manipulate me into taking pictures... It may work sometimes, but I do my best to ignore them and try to continue playing...  

Help Me!

Again with that camera! Mommy cannot put it away. Always in my face, click click... Ug. Fortunately Daddy saves me from this as much as he can.

Back off Amaya, they are mine!

Alright, this was cool. Mommy brought home these magical, clear balls that disappear in thin air! I wanted to keep one for myself, but couldn't get it. Next time, next time I WILL get one of those balls!

Ah, they finally understand my needs...

Mommy and Daddy tried to take me to the big pool. It was cold and so sunshiney bright. I did my best to enjoy it, even smiled once for Daddy... thankfully we left and I found myself surrounded by wonderfully warm water and Mommy!

Now Dad has a camera issue...

What the heck, I just ate Mommy!

Alright, by this time in the evening it's been hours and hours of that camera in my face. I cannot even seem to get away from it when I'm eating! I have enjoyed this food thing more than I thought I would. Plus, I tried apples... little sweet for me, but I think I may like them!

What a truly tiring day

It's 6:30pm. I'm tired. I cannot even whimper, that's how tired I am. Mom, Dad... can I go to bed?

Brookfield Park

Today we took off at 8:15am; one, we were up, dressed and fed and two, it is going to get into the 90's and humid today, so we wanted to walk when it was cooler! It was perfect outside! I found this little park while driving home from the store the other day. It's super cute, small... and has a paved path that goes around it, I'd say about 1/4 a mile around. (of course we walked it a few times :P).

Tall trees - They were really cool!

It was such a beautiful park! Had two different play areas, one for big kids and one for toddlers! Plus picnic areas and grills! In BHBC's Spice email they talked about taking "prayer walks" - as we were walking we did this! Praying for friends and family and just Praising God for all He's given us and provided for!

Putt Putt Green?

So, I have noticed that putt putt green's are very common in Augusta, maybe because of the Augusta National golf course. We even have one at our apartment complex, just so odd to see them in random places. :P

And a fountain coming up from the earth!

If I was 8 I would be all over this! :P (or when Adalynn gets older, we will both be all over those fountains!) I love how Augusta has fountains around town too, there was one at the farmer's market we went to on Saturday!

Pretty flowers in the fence.

There was also a little crick that we saw too. Plus we met the cutest older couple. They walked the circle only once, stopping three times for breathers, which added to the cuteness. I imagine Stephen and I will do that when we are old and wrinkly; take walks and when one of us tuckers out after a few feet, we sit.
There's something about and elderly, southern woman with that accent - to sweet!

She tried out the swing.

Had to try this out! She was not to sure about it, but we did swing a little bit. Look how small she looks in it! I love this picture!

Eat your heart out Grand Rapids

Remember these Kent County?! Trash cans?! Oh yes.. remember the good old days when there was enough money to have trash cans at city parks? Well, Augusta has them! There was like 5 trash cans here! Seems odd to notice, but when they are taken away from you, you forget how useful it is to have trash cans around! :D

That's our walk this week! It's nice to have a car somedays now, Stephen found someone who lives a mile away so he carpools now! YAY to transportation! :D  Now Addie is exhausted and napping in her swing - guess all that excitement tired her out. (SCORE!) hehe

Weekly Video's

Monday it was down pouring outside! So cool... so obviously Adalynn and I could not just sit inside; we needed to venture out and watch this magnificent rain. Everything looked so different, puddles forming and waterfalls forming. Incredible! What's truly amazing is the fact that after the rain stopped, within a few hours, all the water was gone. The ground was a bit damp, but the puddles and waterfalls dried up the grass was up and happy. Love the southern rain! :)

I couldn't resist taking a video. She was so happy, just playing in her crib after her nap. Super cute (well, at least I think so, and I will admit, I am very partial. I do think I have the best and smartest kid. lol). Then, the video of my 4 month old baby rolling over... she's so strong!

I'm not a nurse...

... I say this because I just don't know what to do when someone is sick. I try to stay away in all honesty. it's not that I don't care, it's that I don't know what to do and don't want to get sick. Ask anyone in my family. My sister will be coughing and I dash to the other side of the room; my brother will be sick in the restroom and I leave the house! I'll start Lysoling every surface and washing all the clothes and bed sheets.

Well, Stephen is typically a very healthy man. He got sick once while we were dating, and I tried to be the supportive girlfriend... getting him ice chips and sitting on the other side of the room (hey, at least I stayed in the house with him). Now he got sick from Adalynn; very bad cold, coughing and sniffling, etc...

I wish I could say that I made him soup and bundled him up in a blanket and sent him to bed. Sadly, my 'nursing' ability did not involve that. I set out all the medicine we had for colds on the counter for him. I did pick up soup from the store for him, which he heated up. I would gently touch his head or pat his back, trying to let him know I love him dearly, but still not wanting to get to close for fear of those germs. By day three of his illness, I was trying to get him to take his medicine, bring him water and yes, clean those sheets :P (but by his suggestion).

I was also taking vitamins and drinking water myself, trying to stay healthy :).

When Adalynn was sick, I did much better though! Maybe it's a mom thing to let your kid puke on you and cuddle them when they have that fever. I wish I could do the same for my husband... well, I am working on it!

So, there it is. I am not a nurse. Frankly, I would rather put those who get sick in a plastic bubble until they are healthy, but I think that is frowned upon.

Anyone else have trouble when those around them start ailing? I do care! Just at a loss as to what to do :P.  At least we are all healthy again! YAY! 

DIY - Outfit Transformation

So, I had bought a very cute outfit for Adalynn. It was on clearance and so cute! Well, it was long sleeves and long pants, much to 'wintery' for Georgia. I had a free moment and decided to make it into a cute spring outfit! Then I even had enough leftover fabric to make a cute headband and extra flower! I love how it turned out too! Actually like it better than the winter look! Cut the sleeves at an angle so they puffed out a bit more :D

Winter

Spring

Headband

She's truly not as disgusted as she looks :D

Happy Adalynn!

Rice Cereal with Milk - "Mmmm"

"I want to hold my own cup!"

Mmmm, so good!

Ok, not so good

Ok good

The stages of food intake are so priceless, even though the pictures are fuzzy :D 

Adalynn was so funny because she was trying to grab at the cup. After about 15 minutes of this though, she had enough and wanted just straight milk again. :D Praying this will hold her through the night tonight so I can get a whole nights sleep again!

Adalynn Ruth!

Here is her room!

Very simple right now, but we like it!

She's only 4 months, I suppose she doesn't really need much in there :P

It's been a fun time - finally having a room for her.

We found that great tree at Target!

We JUST found a consignment shop for her too!

From clothes to toys! Very exciting!

All ready for church!

Well, gotta start the love for cardboard boxes early!

"I'm Sick" :( 

Adalynn had her first illness. Fever, stuffy nose, fluids coming out of all ends. It was sad :(

Fortunately, she is much better; though Stephen is now down.