Can Someone Tell Me How?!

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I am in the midst of planning a girls' weekender with a couple of great gals. The only thing that has me anxious (besides the 5k I'll be participating in while severely out of shape) is leaving G for the first time overnight. Well, two nights if we're getting technical. I know this sounds stupid. She will be left in my husband's very capable hands and I'll only be about 3 hours or so away, but still. I'm really struggling with how I'm going to do this and not allow my worry and the fact that I know I'll miss her like crazy ruin the weekend. I adore the ladies I'll be going with and I know it will be fun. I'm just worried that this mommy will have a really tough time not tucking her little one in at night.

I'll be honest, this anxiety has been coming from some personal things I've been dealing with. We continue our battle with infertility and the reality that she may be the only little one we're ever blessed with makes my heart both rejoice (for at least being blessed with her) and grieve. It makes me want to cling to every single moment I have with her, but in reality I know that I can't lose who I am either. She needs to see her mom as a woman as well. ::sigh:: While I know these are personal issues I'll continue to bathe in prayer, I'm still in need of something, anything that will help this go smoothly.

So, my question to all of you with more experience and/or advice is, how do I do it?! I am in serious need of some insight. Thanks in advance!

You, Me and G in DC

This past weekend was an exhausting amount of fun. G and I road tripped to D.C. to visit my best friend...here are a few of my favorite moments from the weekend.

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[Cupcakes]
Cupcakes hold a special place in my heart and I believe there is a special dessert compartment in my stomach that is always on standby. We visited 3 bakeries while in D.C. My favorite was Georgetown Cupcakes. I visited there in 2012, which was my last visit to the nation's capital, and I must say, they were just as good as they were two years ago. G enjoyed her experience as well.

 

G and Aunt LaLa waiting on our cupcakes

 

 

[The Zoo]

We love zoos. I know you are probably thinking I'm crazy but I can't help myself! The DC Zoo was on my list of to-do's during our stay. We had so much fun despite the ridiculously hot weather and humidity.

 

 

 

Zoo Exhaustion

 

[Good Eats]

After the zoo, we realized we were super hungry. We couldn't decide where to eat so we just began walking towards the cupcake shop. We ended up stopping at J. Pauls. Delish!

 



 

 

 

[The Outlets]

We took some time to do a little shopping. I've been looking for some fall/winter clothes for my little one, but I hate to pay full price for anything that she's going to grow out of in days, weeks, months, etc. We did find some pretty good deals...and my bestie realized that my owl obsession is fo' real.

 

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[Words]

The one thing that has stuck with me most from the visit was a simple wooden sign sitting upon her bedroom dresser. The message struck a chord in my soul that I've been carrying with me since. The words have always been fitting but I feel that they ring particularly true for the circumstances we currently face. It's a great way to think about what life throws at us. I LOVE this quote and will carry it with me always...

 

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Linking up with The Farmer's Wife for OHF!



Mama Mondays: A New Link-up

I was invited by Les to join this adorable link-up and I've finally got a quick moment to get some blogging done. While it's no secret that I've struggled with infertility in the past and that I am once again facing the same issues, I find comfort among friends. Les knows the same ache and now she knows the joy. God's goodness abounds. I'm joining her for Mama Mondays to celebrate the blessings (and yes, even the mommy fails can lead to blessings) we have in this life.

Seeing as I have several blog posts that I hope to accomplish this week, I'll keep this first new link-up post short as to not give too much away for upcoming posts.

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I visited my best friend in D.C. this weekend. It was the first trip G and I have taken on our own (as in vacation) without my hubby. It was a success. I wanted to share a couple of my favorite pictures from the weekend (you'll be able to read more about our trip soon).

G and her Aunt LaLa enjoyed some girl time while walking through the zoo.

This picture makes my heart just melt. She was captivated by the animals and look at her stance...it's possible she's taking after the flamingos that she has seen in other exhibits...

I hope you'll join the link-up.

Virginia Living Museum...Family Fun!

We recently took a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia. We had a blast! Aside from less than restful sleep, the trip was absolutely wonderful. One of our favorite outings was our trip to the Virginia Living Museum.

If you've read anything about our prior trips, you'll know that we scope out zoos, aquariums and cupcake shops whenever we travel. While the VLM is not an official "zoo" or "aquarium" it is a great little mix of both. If you are in the area, I hope you'll take advantage of this family friendly gem. Here are a few highlights.

Digging for Fossils

This exhibit was so much fun! It has an area that caters to both younger and then to older children. The older kids dig through the dirt to unearth fossils. They then take them to the identification station where they can identify the fossils they've found. They get to take these home. For the younger kids, they have a sand pit that contains real whale bones. The bones are covered in sand and the little ones get to brush away the sand to uncover the bones. G loved it!

Animal Wellness Play Center

This was one of my favorite parts of the museum. The kids get to come in and either put on an Animal Keeper or Vet vest. There are different stations that they can freely play in. There is an adult worker that helps with any questions the kids have. Otherwise, they have full reign and can explore at will.

Keeper Kitchen (where the animals' meals are prepared)

The Lab (animals are weighed and an electronic magnifying glass can be used to see the details of fur and feathers)

Care Station (animals can be checked out and treated)

X-Ray Department

Animal Housing (animals are kept here to get well)
Each cage has a label identifying the type of animal and a label with the type of food each animal needs to eat. Stuffed animals are housed in the cages.

The Animals

They had multiple outdoor and indoor exhibits. The animals appeared to be well cared for. The exhibits were clean and the outdoor boardwalk was very stroller friendly. All of the exhibits are reflective of the various environments found in Virginia.

The otter loved showing off for us and according to our daughter, an otter says "meow".

A view of the museum from the boardwalk

The Dinosaur Exhibit

The museum currently has a dinosaur exhibit. It houses robotic dinosaurs with facts about each dinosaur displayed. There was also a fossil dig in the exhibit but the fossils had to remain at the station.

She was not a fan of the T-Rex

I was not compensated in anyway to share my opinions of this establishment but I do encourage you to visit if you get a chance. More to come on our trip soon!

Toddler Snacks for the Road

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I'm slowly wrapping my brain around the idea of having a toddler. A toddler! Our beautiful babe is 15 months old and counting. When did this happen?! I think I ask myself that question with every milestone.

She's made multiple road trips during her short little life and with each trip new issues arise. Gone are the days when she would sleep almost the entire car ride. Now she wants to be entertained for the majority of the trip. Thank goodness for board books, a backseat mirror and the Frozen movie soundtrack.

She also likes to snack and I'm personally not a huge fan of passing food off to the backseat. That paranoid part of me fears her choking and me not being able to get to her soon enough. However, the more teeth she gets the less stressed I become over the matter.

Our road trip essentials generally include (but not limited to) a first aid kit, water (generally in a small cooler), a blanket and of course some snacks. You never know what the open road will bring.

Our upcoming family road trip will be no exception. I always debate what snacks to bring for G. Of course goldfish and animal crackers make their way into the bag for hotel munchies (and on those rare occasions when she'll eat nothing else). For our upcoming trip I opted for the following*:

GoGo Squeez Applesauce On The Go pouches-These healthy snacks are one of G's favorites. Unless she gets a wild hair and decides to squeeze before the spout hits her mouth, there is no mess. She's been enjoying these for several months and was an instant pro. They come in a variety of flavors. (I want to invest in some reusable pouches but have yet to decide which brand I want, so for now, these will do.)

Organic Teensy Fruits from Plum Organic- While I'm not personally obsessed with buying organic, I did run across these awesome toddler snacks. They are similar to fruit leather but softer and more toddler friendly. I only buy these on occasion but I feel comfortable passing back a pouch without any major choking worries.

Sun-Maid Raisins- G was recently introduced to raisins...and she loves them! I bought a box of them and keep them in the fridge. According to package directions they can last up to two years if kept in the refrigerator after opening...granted I know ours will not last that long. It is generally more cost effective to buy a regular box and bag your own for the sitter or car trips. I just happened upon a good deal on the mini-snack boxes and thought they'd be perfect for our trip.

Of course there are tons! of other snacks you could bring along for your little one. These just happen to be a few that our little one enjoys.

What road trip snacks to you bring along for your itty bitty?

*I was not compensated in any to offer my opinions of these products.

A Little Southern Comfort...coming to an end

Our trip to see my family was such a blessing and while the time passed far to quickly,  I've treasured every moment. To a lot of you I'm sure these last few posts have been mundane, after all our trip wasn't to Paris or Africa or Disney World...but to me, going home to see those I love and haven't seen in such a long time is far better.

Our last day was filled celebrating Father's Day.

We began the morning with one of my hubby's favorite breakfasts. He has a major thing for my mom's breakfast casserole and of course, what her favorite (only) son - in- law wants, he gets.

Later that day I snagged my little sister and we ran to the store to by the ingredients for C's Father's Day dessert...More on that later.

After making the dessert we all sat down and went through some old photos from my childhood.  It was fun to see how G is finally starting to look a little like me. Mom gave me some more info about our family and for the first time I got to see what my biological grandmother and great grandmother looked like (my mom was adopted). It was such a neat experience.

We also reflected on fond memories of my dad and grandpa. Dad passed very unexpectedly on my birthday in April 2012. His dad, my grandpa, passed later that year in October.  Needless to say they are loved and missed every day.

It is with great joy however that I get to celebrate my husband.  Not only is he a wonderful blessing and one of the most humble and Christ-centered men you'll ever meet, he is also a phenomenal dad. He loves our little girl with such a  fierceness.  He is protective, playful and provides so much love to our precious miracle. My heart melts every time I see them interacting. God has blessed G with such an amazing daddy.

April 20 1-3 catching a nap on the afternoon she was born

We ended our day of celebrating with dinner at his favorite restaurant and some family pictures.

We then came home to enjoy my Snickers version of this Ice Cream Sandwich Cake. Yum!

(I used fudge, Caramel, peanuts and chopped up Snicker bars in the middle layer and on top.)

Bright and early the next morning we headed back. We did the full trip and, with much rejoicing,  arrived home without incident. The Lord has been good indeed.

If you missed any part of this road trip adventure,  you can get caught up here.