Caroline 13 & 14 Month Update!

So by the way, we have a 14 1/2 month old. Somehow month 13 and 14 just flew by in a blur. Maybe it has something to do with how delightfully busy Miss Caroline has become. She is the definition of fun. And learning things so quickly. Never a dull moment!

Anyway, I have been taking pictures of her, and I added some updates. I have been jotting down things that just describe her loves and learnings.

Caroline, you remain our JOY! Thank you sweet girl for your sweet spirit and cute personality! Mama and Da Da adore you to the moon and back :)

Pineapple Chicken Verde

Hello there!

I've been busy chasing a toddler and enjoying summer... and making quick suppers. Here is a yummy one we had earlier this week:

Pineapple Chicken Verde

It was based on this recipe from The Gracious Pantry, and I just made a few adjustments. It was SO easy, and yummy, and very healthy.

Jay and I have been doing a month of clean(er) eating and gluten free. And when I say "we" I mean I have been doing it, and Jay has been supportive and trying really hard. Bless his heart. But seriously the boy's life is utter chaos most of the time, and he eats fairly well for it to be so. Still working on that...

Anyway, I have actually loved eating gluten free. Well, kinda loved it... basically it has been wayyyy easier than I expected, and I really do feel better. I decided that I consume too much junk in the form of granola bars and crackers, and claim to be "eating healthy" just because I didn't eat a cookie or a bag of chips. All that flour tt still turns right to sugar in my body, and the more I would eat, the more I would crave bread! Its been a detox month I guess. Anyway, I have been taking the time to choose fruits and veggies as snacks... and lots corn tortilla chips. This girl can't live without her chips and salsa! A tiny step in moving towards an unprocessed lifestyle....

SO, this recipe fit the bill, and was just a dump everything in the crock pot lifesaver! My adorable toddler likes to hit-the-wall around 5:30 when its time to fix dinner, and demands an abundance of books be read to her in the 30 minutes it takes to make dinner. Enter the crock pot! WOO HOO!

Now for this recipe...

3 Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Verde (Green) Salsa (mine was from Trader Joes)
1 Cup Crushed Pineapple (in real fruit juice!)
1 Red Bell Pepper (Sliced up thin)
Diced Jalapeno
Quinoa

Now for the hard part... dump everything into the crock pot, except the quinoa, and cook on low for 4 hours! Perfect thing to get started during nap time!

 Shred the chicken with two forks after about 4 hours and make your quinoa based on package directions.

Serve chicken mix over quinoa. We also had a yummy summer salad.

It was great re-heated for lunch the next day too. Hope y'all love a quick, healthy meal as much as we do!

AND, if anyone has an gluten free, easy recipes they love... please share!

Our Little Beach Bum

Caroline and I had the chance to go to the beach with my mom for 5 days last week. It was Caroline's first beach experience, and such a fun girls trip! Girlfriend loved the sand and the water, but picking up shells was definitely her favorite. One of the best mom perks is getting to watch her see and do things for the first time. It's the best!

 Blueberry eating machine!

 I adore my girls!

We spent a rainy day at the aquarium. Caroline was fearless and stuck her hand right into the touch tank to feel a horseshoe crab and a starfish!

Captain Caroline loved "driving" Gram's car while riding the ferry back from the aquarium. 

3rd Generation Beach Bum!

 So glad summer is here! 

10,000 Reasons {to Choose Joy}

Four Years ago today there was this awful, terrible day sandwiched right between two equally as terrible days. Dad left us on May 10th, and actually died officially on May 12th. Anyway, May 11th was spent filled with hope, yet also the sinking feeling of knowing there was none. No hope for the prayers I was screaming to be answered in that moment, or in the way that I would have written the story. 

But there is a song on my heart, and I am clinging to it this week. 

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I worship Your holy name

You see, God was with me that hopeful/hopeless day, and the terrible awful day before, and the gut-wrenchingly painful day after, and all the days since.

The sun comes up; it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

The sun does come up. And there is a song to sing. Because our God is Great. He is present no matter what. Whatever happened on that horrible mountain on the worst ever Mother's Day, and whatever is to come, God remains Holy, and loving, and present. 

You're rich in love and You're slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing
10,000 reasons for my heart to find

So today, I CHOOSE to sing. To sing God's song of pure joy. Even in the pain, there is the ability to choose Joy and to keep on singing to my good God. The 10,000 reasons are there, you just have to look harder to find them some days. 


And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
10,000 years and then forever more

And the thing about choosing to sing is that hope returns. Because God is Hope, and worshiping our Holy Father blesses even through tears and heart ache. He turns that pain into joy and blesses our willing souls.

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I worship Your holy name

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name

God, even today, when the pain feels new again, I choose to worship your Holy Name. 

Love Bug Party: Caroline Edition!

 

How cute my little one year old!? Oh my, I could just eat her up. 

 Caroline really had fun at her party, and we enjoyed seeing her take it all in.

 Lunch with cousin Katie. So blessed to have sweet family come up to help us celebrate our girl. 

Love our Mrs. Joyce!

 Girlfriend was so sweet opening her gifts. She stood for several minutes just taking everything in, and then spent time looking at each one after we opened. It was precious. 

A little smash cake with lady-bug strawberries... hoping to entice Caroline with the berries {she LOVES strawberries!} to dig right in. It worked, but she definitely took her time figuring it all out!

Bella was ready to help :)

Starting to get curious...

And then there was no turning back! Lots of surgery goodness, and no mommy attempting to wipe her mouth or wipe up crumbs.

Sharing cake with friends... and Bella 

So much fun to watch the joy!

Caroline - We had an absolute blast celebrating you and your first year! We love you little lady!