I've mentioned it before, and I'll mention it again...Cousins are great. I didn't experience the fun of cousins growing up because my mom was an only child, and my Dad's brothers didn't have their children until we were older. I am truly thankful that Molly and Graham are surrounded by cousins on both sides, and they are loving every minute of it (well, Graham isn't quite into it yet, but I know he will be soon). Here are a few pictures from the weekend...

The Kelly Grandkids

(Taken Saturday night when we went out to eat Mexican food for Dad's 60th Birthday!)

I love this little guy, Owen!

My little MC!

Ainsley

Molly absolutely LOVES these two! She thinks she's as old as they are.

Molly and Own are quite the little pair!

The Pearson Grandkids

(These were taken at Nana and Poppa's after church on Sunday morning)

I think this is the first picture of everyone since Graham was born since he wasn't here for Christmas. I can't believe we got a decent picture of everyone.

Amy and Gracie (I think they look more like mother and daughter than aunt and niece in this picture)

The two newest little ones- Graham and Tyler

Gracie

Savannah

Emily

Maggie- looks like she was up to something.

A New kind of Fulfilling

I have always been a "get-it-done" kind of girl. Laziness drives me CRAZY! However, I'm trying to make a conscious effort to stop, rest, and enjoy the daily joys (and struggles) of being a mom at home. Sometimes that will mean leaving dishes in the sink to read a few books. Using jarred spaghetti sauce rather than spending more time making it from scratch so we can play outside. Or, being okay with our den looking like Toys R Us after a tornado. Here are a few pictures of what a fulfilling day now looks like...

Highlights

We have had a busy week around our house. 10 years ago, a busy week would have meant something completely different- late night dinners with friends, concerts, road trips to visit friends, etc. But, this kind of busyness is the most fulfilling and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

A few highlights from the week...

1. My first attempt at making Chicken and Dumplings from scratch. Nick's mom and dad make the best ones, and Nick loves them. I have been a bit intimidated to try them, but decided to try Wednesday night, and they turned out great! Sometimes supper time is a little challenging since that is Graham's only fussy time of the day. But, usually when I put him in my sling, he calms right down, and is my cooking buddy.

2. Back to Work! I know for many people their jobs are simply a means to a paycheck. I, however, absolutely love my part-time job teaching music at PDS, and loved going back for a few mornings a week. I will be working about 10-15 hours a week until summer break. I actually find that I leave work a little more refreshed than when I went in. I don't have the words to express what an awesome school PDS is. If anyone is looking for an excellent school for their son, PDS is amazing!

www.pdsmemphis.org

3. Playtime for Owen's 2nd Birthday. Owen (nephew) officially celebrated his birthday last Saturday, but yesterday was his birthday, so we had a little play date yesterday at our house. Mom/Honey brought a little Elmo cake for the two of them to share. They always have so much fun together.

3. My FAVORITE new purchase! I've been wanting to buy a good camera for a while now, and we finally did! We bought a Nikon D3100. It's pretty awesome. Mom watched the kids on Friday afternoon so Nick and I could meet to go camera shopping. WooHoo!

New Grocery Discoveries!

A few recent discoveries worth checking out...

Dunkin Donuts Strawberry Shortcake Coffee

I love coffee! Although I worked for a few years off and on at Starbucks, I prefer just a plain cup of coffee with sweetener and a little...or a lot of cream. Nothing too sweet, and rarely flavored. However, this yummy coffee is perfect for an afternoon pick-up. Just a hint of strawberry with none of the extra sugar and calories of added syrups.

Plum Organic Baby/Tot foods

This was actually my mom's pick when we were shopping at Babies R Us. Molly LOVES them, and I feel good about giving this too her since it is organic and a perfect snack or an addition to breakfast. I'm looking for ways to eliminate some of the processed foods that are so convenient for toddlers. These aren't cheap, but I'm going to be ordering a case from Amazon for about half the price.

Carving Board Turkey

I really hate packaged deli meat. The sliminess grosses me out, and I just think it's pretty yucky. Even as a kid, I didn't like for my mom to pack me a typical turkey sandwich for lunch. They have always been hard to stomach. However, this turkey is wonderful! Think Thanksgiving leftovers anytime you want them. Well, not quite that good, but MUCH better than the typical lunch meat.

Jello Temptations- French Silk Pie

I got into a really bad habit while pregnant of eating dessert every night after dinner. It's actually a hard habit to break, especially when Nick asks every night what I'm having for dessert. So, instead of cutting sweets out completely, I've decided to find some better treats that won't cost me hundreds of calories. So a couple nights a week, this is my new indulgence. Pretty much tastes like a piece of pie minus the crust.

Fresh Green Beans

I realize this is nothing new to most people, but I have always been a canned green bean person. I know, I know... lots of sodium, and not near as healthy. So, I'm going to limit use of canned green beans, and stick with fresh for a while. Here's my new favorite way to prepare them.

Roasted Green Beans Recipe

Take fresh green beans, snap off the ends, lightly coat with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Preat oven to 400 and roast for 25 minutes, turning once. YUMMY!