Lets Go For a Walk...

Sophia always amazes me by her interpretation of things that I say. Yesterday was no exception. After several cold and rainy days, the sun was finally out so I thought it would be a great day for a walk. I asked Sophia if she wanted to go for a walk with the stroller. Her interpretation of this was not quite what I had in mind, but we had fun taking her bear for a walk nonetheless!

A Mother's Love

I am filled with an overwhelming love of my daughter right now. I am filled with such joy and I feel so truly blessed to be the mother of such a sweet and beautiful girl. As I laid her in her crib tonight, I prayed over her like I always do, but I prayed especially hard tonight. I prayed that nothing of this world will ever take away her kind heart or her purity. I prayed that she will always know that she is loved and I prayed that her dad and I will always have the strength to raise her in truth and holiness. Being a mother has given me more joy and more purpose than I can comprehend. I am constantly exhausted because of it, and yet God also allows me to be constantly overflowing with happiness and grace. I have such a desire for more children. I know God is calling me to this and I am so eager to await how many beautiful children he will allow me to love.

When I Go to the Park

When did Sophia become big enough to play on the playground? Why does it feel like she is transitioning from being a baby to being a little girl faster than I can keep up with? This is such a bitter sweet concept for a mother. I definitely do not miss those late night feedings that come with having an infant, but there is a small part of me that just wants life to slow down. I want to take it all in and not feel like time is moving faster than I can catch up with. Sophia is slowly becoming independent. She has a personality and it is such a joy to watch her as she tries to do things on her own. My favorite thing about her right now is that everyone is her best friend. We go to the park and she waves and says hi to everyone whether it is a child or an old man walking his dog. James and I were just talking tonight about what a kind heart our little girl has. I was washing dishes tonight and she came over to me, kissed and hugged my leg, and walked away. It was her simple way of showing her love for me and it just about makes me cry. Watching your child grow up before your eyes has to be one of the most bittersweet things that exist. I know that life will not slow down, it will probably only get busier. All I can do is capture every moment in the best possible way.

The Loaded Bowl!

I came across this recipe from a girl at school. She was having a dinner party and described this recipe that she was making. It sounded delicious, so I of course had to look it up. I am all about making new recipes, especially ones that contain quinoa. Quinoa is one of my favorite "superfoods". Along with being high in fiber, it is also high in protein and unlike other grains, it supplies all 9 essential amino acids which means its a great protein source for vegetarians. There is quite a bit of chopping involved, but other than that, this recipe is quick and easy. I served it at room temperature and it was perfect! If you want to add a kick to it, add some cayenne pepper or tabasco. ENJOY!

Recipe:
2 avocados diced
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 lemons
3 limes
1-2 cans black beans rinsed
1 cup cilantro
1 pint grape tomatoes halved

Dressing:
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup white vinegar
2-3 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Cook quinoa according to directions. Set aside
2. Dice avocados, squeeze with lemon juice to prevent browning. set aside
3. In a large bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, cilantro, juice of lemon and lime.
4. In food processor combine EVOO, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Mixture should become creamy.
5. Add quinoa to bean mixture. Drizzle with dressing. Garnish with avocado.

Bon Apetit!

I am Blogging About Not Having Time to Blog

I am in a terrible funk right now. I hate being busy. I am not one of those people who thrives on staying busy and yet I am very very busy! I wish I could stay home and capture every moment of life on my camera and blog about it, but I am too busy right now. Being a stay at home blogging mama would be my ultimate [sweet] simplicity but its not happening anytime soon. I started school two weeks ago and I am in over my head. I already feel like giving up. I am in class Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then on my off days I pretty much study whenever possible. This degree aint easy! I am trying to stay positive, but I have moments of doubt so often. I am in a constant state of stress. Instead of giving up, I think I'll offer it up.

First Braids

The best part of having a little girl is the fun that comes from dressing her up in cute little outfits and trying different hairstyles. Sophia's hair is a little wild right now, but I am working very hard at trying styles that work and keep it out of her face. I have tried bows, clips, pigtails, ponytails, and she seems to find a way to pull everything out, leaving her hair a disaster! This is my attempt at a braid. I'm surprised she sat still long enough to let me braid her hair! I look forward to lots of braids as her hair continues to grow.

Fit Mama!

Let me start this post by giving you a brief description of my pregnancy with my daughter Sophia. I had really severe nausea pretty much the entire pregnancy. It was constant and I pretty much just learned to deal with it. Despite the nausea, I managed to exercise pretty frequently. I walked at least 20 minutes everyday and tried to do light strength training when I could. On the day of my delivery, I had gained 19 pounds of baby weight. When the day came to deliver, I didn't realize I was in labor until my husband finally convinced me that we needed to go to the hospital and they told me I was 9cm! After I was admitted, it took a few hours for my water to break, but once it did, I only pushed for 20 minutes and out came my new bundle of joy. A week after she was born, I was back in my jeans. They were snug, but at least I could button them! I tell this story not to make all you moms hate me, but as motivation about the benefits of being healthy and fit during pregnancy. I don't want to make it seem like I never felt any pain during my labor, but I think I had a lot more stamina to push and deliver because I had exercised and prepared my body for labor. After Sophia was born, I slowly began exercising again and have gradually built up to doing strength training most days of the week. Going to the gym has become a priority in my day and it is honestly the best way that I know how to relieve stress. My biggest motivation for continuing to exercise is my incredible desire to get pregnant again soon. I am hoping that by getting into good shape now, I can have another great pregnancy soon!