My First Giveaway...

Everyone pass on the word, I am having my first giveaway today on my photo blog! Head on over to enter the giveaway and to see some amazing headbands handmade by Wendy from Between Linnet and Linen. I promise that you don't want to miss this!

I took photos for Wendy and Kiah was my *willing* model for the little girl's headbands. I was lucky to get a smile out of her!!

I need a new 'do...

and I just found exactly what I want... can I pull THIS off?? Your honest opinion please... bangs?? Yes or No? Could I do this style without the bangs? I am thinking I need the bangs because I had a horrible experience with my hair dryer (at least that is where I am putting the blame) and my hair has broken off on one side. Oh and for those of you who live around here... where should I go for this style... any hairstylist recommendations?

My second idea is to grow it out for a while longer (to help the hair that broke away) and go back to something like THIS (the mom, not the bald baby :)).

What do you think??

When I am feeling lazy... um like today maybe....

I have talked about my lack of cooking before.... on days that I don't feel like cooking (oh wait... I think that might be everyday...) THIS is what I make. Healthy? No. Good? Yes. Try it... you will like it. In fact you could probably run and throw it all into your crock pot now and have it ready for dinner tonight. That is the beauty of it, it is soooo easy to make (and it has cream cheese in it :)).

For those of you who don't want to click on the link I'll fill you in. Chicken, black beans, corn, salsa layered in a Crockpot. Cook on high for an hour and on low for ummmm well... until it's done. Shred the chicken and throw in some cream cheese. Cook through and voila! There you have it... the best nachos EVER. Serve with green onions and lettuce on top of chips. Yum.

On my mind...

• I really wish I had photoshop right now... This is a photo I took of Kiah this morning. She actually looked at the camera, held still long enough for me to snap 3 shots and smiled. Rare... very rare. She usually glares... you know the look. I should be getting photoshop later this week, WAHOO :) I have been using a trial and yesterday was my last day. Finally, I will own it for myself.
• This past week I got a Scentsy. Love it. Dallas even loves it. I can't wait till I can get more scents :) Now we can enjoy our apartment for the last 5 weeks that we will be living here, without the stuffy smell from the humid weather. I am tempted to get another for my bedroom, and a plug in for my bathroom, and an air freshener for the car. Love it.
• Craigslist. I really shouldn't be allowed to use this site anymore. I think I'll have to band myself from it for awhile.... honestly I love to shop online :) I have found some great deals on Craigslist... more to come of this later :)
• I took some photos for a friend this week. Not the usual portraits... come back later this week and you will see :) I'll clue you in with out too many details yet... I might possibly be having a giveaway on my photo blog this week... I'll let you know when it happens for sure....
• Evan. He is simply adorable. This past week I couldn't have asked for a better kid. He is so so so sweet to Kiah and he always wants to help me. 
• Kiah. I do love her. Lots. I just wish that she hasn't been so sad and whiny as of late. I can see the 2 year old attitude kicking in... basically, she loves to hit and whine. I try to stay patient... I'll just have to look at the photo above whenever I feel like I might loose it and all will be well. She sure is a cutie!
• My husband is amazing and I love him lots... it's true, enough said :)

Our Song

For some reason I've been missing Dallas today... I just have that weird feeling in the pit of my stomach... you know like that homesick feeling? Anyway... I am so glad that it's Friday and that I get him all to myself this weekend. Thank goodness for weekends! Here is one of my favorite songs to help you get through the rest of the day... It's mine and Dallas' song :)

The scoop

We've had a lot going on lately... and I haven't posted on a majority of it. For those of you who don't know yet, here is the scoop on our lives as of now....

Dallas has a job :) It originally was supposed to be a temporary job that we were using as a "backup plan" if Dallas didn't get a job. I guess you could have called it and internship. Then as you all know, Dallas didn't get a job and so this was a huge blessing for us. Then to make a long story short this temporary job changed to a full time position (wahoo!!) I can't even tell you how relived and happy this has made me! Dallas started almost two weeks ago and that's that. He is adjusting to his new job and work schedule. He enjoys it for the most part (work is work). He too is very happy to have such a great job. We don't know how long we will be here... at least a year, if not longer.

We are moving :) Now that Dallas is working we had to find a new place to live (we've been living in a subsidized apartment complex). We found a cute two bedroom duplex just west of where we are now. I am so excited for so many reasons (garage, dishwasher, fireplace, master bathroom, walk in closet, one level... no stairs, cute neighborhood....). We are moving next month and so we have some time left here with our friends (we love where we live and it will be sad to move!). 

It is just crazy how life changes so fast. I would have never imagined us moving to Indiana and now here we are, sticking around for who knows how long! I am excited to see where life takes us but for now I am so happy to be where we are.

Cooking.

Cooking. It's not really my thing. I haven't decided why and I haven't decided if it is a permanent thing or just temporary. Let me explain. I LOVE food, LOVE it. I love eating, yum. Cooking.... not so much. But I am curious.... will I enjoy it more maybe one day... when I have a bigger kitchen.... when I have room for my kids to help rather than just get in the way.... when I have the money to buy all the random ingredients I need for something yummy... when I have all the cooking tools and appliances needed to make something fabulous? Who knows... for now I will leave it open. Maybe one day I will not only love to eat but I will also love to cook. We'll see. For now I will move on with life... and eat out as much as Dallas will let me :)

Speaking of food and cooking.... here is what I made with some of the strawberries we picked yesterday... (I will admit, cooking this weekend has been pretty fun.)

Last night we had these German Pancakes for dinner... mine didn't work out as well though. I don't know how she kept hers from sinking in as soon as she took them out of the oven... (personally, I won't waste my time making them in muffin tin again. To much of a mess and they don't hold their shape.)

This morning I made these. I am in love. Oh dear, try them and you will love them. I can't wait to make them with blueberries, and streusel on top :) I think I will go and eat the last one now... before Dallas gets to it first.

And this is what we had for dessert. Yum. Though, I am not a cook (as said above) and I need to improve what ever I did wrong... it was far from perfect. I did make it with the cream cheese spread on the crust and we loved that.... yum!

I have to throw in these two pictures of Kiah... she is just too cute! I love this cheesy smile she always gives me...

And she looked absolutely beautiful today for church. This picture doesn't do her justice. I will have to take some better photos of her in this dress, I love it....

Mmmmm

We had a few different things we wanted to do this weekend but then I remembered that it was the week to pick strawberries at Annie's Orchard. I am so glad we went! The kids loved it of course and I was surprised at how much Dallas enjoyed himself. He would have picked all day if I would have let him :)

These are the best tasting strawberries that I have ever had....

This picture reminds me of the children's book:

The Little Mouse,

The Big Ripe Strawberry, and

The Big Hungry Bear

I told you that he loved it!

Now, what to do with all of those yummy strawberries.....?