Tastefully Simple Excitement

Many of you who would follow my blog know that I host monthly meal making parties where tyipcally 30-40 people come over during the month and we assemble 8 meals for our freezers. Over the past two years, I have been using the company Homemade Gourmet for my seasonings, spices, dips, desserts, etc. Recently, they have gone out of business and merged with another company, Tastefully Simple. I was initially skeptical because I had very much enjoyed being a consultant for Homemade Gourmet and was unsure how my customers would react to the products they had grown to love now no longer being available.

However, after much research, I am now thrilled about how this merger is going to benefit our monthly meal parties. Tastefully Simple has a wide array of unique sauces and seasonings that will be a welcome and exciting addition to our monthly parties. I cannot wait to introduce my monthly meal-makers to some great new meals and products in the upcoming months.

If you aren't on my monthly invitation email and would like to be, leave me a comment, or send me an email, and I'll be sure and put you on the email list.

My Love of all things ALDI

If you know me well at all, you know I love shopping at Aldi. For years I drove right by and never stopped in. But these days, I try to make it once a week and it saves me tons of money. If you haven't given it a try, please do. (now I did recently have a friend tell me she doesn't like Aldi because it smells like a Dollar Store!- love you Lauren) But to me, it's a complete rush when I see how much I get for the small amount of $$.

My favorite things...

1. My weekly Produce purchases - Strawberries and Blueberries (only $0.99 this summer), canteloupes, bell peppers, lettuce, grape tomatoes, grapes, and corn on the cobb.

Most of these fruits and vegetables are at least 1/2 the cost of Kroger and are so fresh.

2. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Meal Bars- I eat these most mornings for breakfast. They are yummy and very filling.

3. All of my toddler friendly foods (cereal, chicken nuggets, fruit, fish sticks, string cheese, crackers, etc)

4. Smoothie ingredients- Light Vanilla Yogurt, frozen fruit (the mixed berries and pineapples are my favorite), honey, fresh spinach, and milk.

5. Frozen Veggies (asparagus, green beans)

6. Fusia Asian Cuisine Mandarin Orange Chicken- this find has quickly become a staple at our house. We used to get chinese take-out at least once a month, but this has quickly replaced that. This was our dinner tonight. Serve it over rice with some green beans, delish! We have determined that the entire meal comes out to less than $2 a person. $5 a bag, and we eat it for 2 meals. Add the rice and green beans, and that's a pretty cheap meal for something so yummy!

7. Random things: each week they have various RANDOM items in the center of the store. The prices are great and are things I would never expect to find at a grocery store.

Last weeks purchase: 2 really sturdy pool floats (the lounge chair kind with armrests for $5 a piece. If you have priced these before, you know that is a STEAL.

Today's purchase: 2 nice pillows (2 for $8) Our guest room needed new pillows, so now we have them!

I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. But, if you love a deal like me, and like stress free grocery shopping, stop by Aldi.

Our Gift from God

We had the opportunity to dedicate Graham to the Lord on Sunday morning, July 3rd. While we do not believe this dedication imparted any form of salvation or grace upon Graham, we believe it was our chance, as parents, to commit to raise him in a home where God is glorified and the scriptures are taught. This was a time for us to give our sweet gift back to the One who first gave him to us.

Nicholas Graham Pearson

The sweetest little 5 month old I know!

Unbelievable Sight!

My wedding rings and my glasses are the two accessories I wear every day. So, needless to say, my glasses are important to me. My last pair costs me about $350 and broke a year later. I fixed them for $50 and a short month later, they were broken again. So, I've been wearing old, flimsy, frames for a while now trying to get up the nerve to spend that much money again.

I had heard about Zenni Optical and their amazingly priced glasses about a year ago, but hadn't yet found the courage to order glasses online without the ability to try them on. But, OH MY GOODNESS!!! My order came today, and I'm amazed!

I spent $54 and got 3 pairs! Two regular glasses, and one pair of prescription sunglasses (which I have wanted for years, but didn't want to spend the high price)

Two of the pairs are perfect! One frame is a bit flimsier, but similar to the pair I had bought several years ago at one of the 2 for $99 sales at one of the mall stores. So, still a great deal.

PLEASE check out zennioptical.com for your next pair!

**you do have to know one measurement - the distance between pupils. I had them measure me when I went to get my latest prescription. But, you can measure this yourself with the help of a friend.

It's About Time...

Molly has been acting like a two year old for about a year now! Finally we can embrace it because on June 29th she turned 2 years old. Wow, what a two years it has been. It has been amazing to watch her grow and leave her baby days behind and officially become a little girl.

Newborn days...

1 year old...

Finally 2!

A Few of Her Favorite Things...

Green Monkey

"Princess" (little keychain she sleeps with)

Barney

Chips

Fish Sticks

"Dobidos"- aka Strawberries

swimming

markers

A Few of Her Favorite Phrases...

"My Goodness"

"No, Mama"- my least favorite

"Gam's crying now, Mommy!"

"Dank you much" (thank you much)

"more nak-naks" (fruit snacks)

"eat now"

"aw...princess ban-baid"- this follows any kind of injury

We officially celebrated her birthday on Sunday, July 3rd by having both families over for lunch. We had a great time spending time together, and she definitely loved the presents she opened.

lunch at the kid table

Her new princess piggy bank

her new Dora umbrella and princess back pack

What an adorable mess!

Gulf Shores- we more than survived!

Part of us thought we were CRAZY to attempt a beach trip with a not-quite 2 year old and a 4 month old with no grandparent help. Molly had a miserable time last year at the beach, and the girl can't ride to church without asking 10 times to get "OUT!". So, an 8 hour car ride seemed a bit far-fetched. However, we booked a great condo online, got in the car, hooked up a portable DVD player, and headed to Gulf Shores anyway. And we are sure glad we did. The only bad part was thinking 4 days was long enough!

Here are some pictures from our AMAZING vacation as a family of four. We will definitely be making this a yearly tradition.

We didn't get many picture of the condo, but this was our bedroom looking out at the beach.

Great way to wake up each morning!

The very early mornings were some of my favorite times. I would head outside with Graham, a cup of coffee, and a good book. He'd usually drift off for a morning nap.

When he'd wake up, sometime he'd enjoy some snuggle time.

Molly LOVED eating her meals out on the balcony. She was always so messy when she was finished.

This picture was taken right before we headed to the beach for the first time.

Molly was really excited to get out there to the water.

Graham was trying on his new hat to make sure it fits.

Molly with her Daddy. She thinks he hung the moon!

Graham wasn't impressed at all with the beach. He hung out for the most part, and took a few little naps, but was a bit eager to get back inside.

It took some definite coercing to get Molly to go near the water. The sand was a bit much for her. She learned to enjoy it by the end of the trip though.

We had a little photo shoot before dinner the last night. I love these little outfits I bought the kids. I thought they looked so cute in them!

Bathtime Babies

Part of my goal for this blog is to capture the joy in the mundane. So, here ya go. This is where we are. Life these days isn't always glamourous, often times frustrating, but almost always filled with a little blessing if I just look for the bright spots in the day-to-day activities.

Molly has become quite the helper with Graham- washing his hair, holding his bottle, bringing me his diaper, etc.

We keep an old full length mirror in the bathroom so the kids can admire themselves :) It's the only way Molly will sit still long enough to let me dry or cut her hair.

CHEESE!

Me and Graham