Why Didn't I Think of This?

Sometimes I just have a "duh" moment. Honestly, over the last few months, they're happening more and more. I know!! I'm just going to blame it on, adjusting to life with 3 precious girls.

Over the weekend, we had lots of time with our family. Which was heaven! My BIL and SIL have the most amazing Ranch. And they hosted our Labor Day events. Fun times people! Our big girls, got to have lots of pony rides. The guys played a game of baseball. And we ate. Boy did we eat!

Another thing that I enjoy, is that my in-laws always invite, all sides of the family. It's not just Mark's HUGE family. They invite my family, and all the other "in-laws." I'm telling you, we're just one HUGE and HAPPY family. It makes life so incredibly nice, and enjoyable. :)

Yes, this family has been a complete blessing. They haven't just taken me in, but my entire family. Then they spoil us all! Let me tell you, my SIL did not need any help with the food. She had a HUGE spread of amazing food. But we all still took some treats. I'm telling you, we're "trained." Family "get-togethers" just mean, bring family, food, and love.

My favorite treat though, were these little cookie bowls that my SIL made. Then she filled them with fresh fruit, and a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Perfect to beat the heat!!



Just look at how she made them. Well, that's how my SIL told me she made them. She rolled out some dough, them placed it on a tin. On the "wrong side." And baked until golden. My SIL did say, if you're making chocolate chip, use the mini chips. And place your muffin tin, on a baking sheet.

She also made her fancy "cheesy bowls." I've seen her do this before. Essentially, she uses a small skillet. Melts cheesy in there, then lays it on a small bowl. Again, on the "wrong side." They harden as they cool. Then she usually uses them for salads.

Yes, my SIL is super creative when it comes to food. That's probably because of my nephew. When he was little, he didn't like to eat. So his momma would try and make it fun. It worked! Now he's a champ, at eating his veggies. I think a lot of that has to do with the training he does, for rodeo and baseball. But it definitely started with his momma.

So do you have any fun food tricks? I'm always looking for ways to make our food interesting. I'm always picking my friend and SIL's brains. Hoping to learn something new. A

Mommy's Reading Again

Now that we're getting used to our new schedule, I've started to get back into things I enjoy. Mark and I have been tackling our yard and garden again. Which feels so good! There is just something, about digging in the dirt, that heals the soul!

And during the day, I'm finding a lot of "down time." Probably because I'm getting up earlier. Much earlier. And I get so much housework done. By the time I get Elena to school, I'm usually completely caught up with the cleaning. OK, there is still laundry to do. But that just kind of does itself. You know, throw it in the machine, and it washes.

When the girls go down for their naps, I'm sorta without anything to do. I mean, there is always something to do, but I actually have some free time. Well, I'm working on this project for me. Which makes me so happy! And I've started reading again.

With that, I've leaned on some friends for book suggestions. Things that will interest me. And aren't too crazy. I've also been reading my Bible a lot more. Which really heals my soul!! But recently, I've really gotten into this book.



Now I've read other books by Jennifer Weiner. They really are good. But I'd never read this one before. Which is about the "suburbs." And a murder. Which has had me completely "hooked," all week long!

I have Lola to thank for introducing me to Jennifer's books. And Cam to thank for this book. So around 11AM, I've probably got this book in my hand. Oh, and a sweet treat in the other! A

Hiccup in Our Plan

Over the weekend, Mark and I decided, that we needed to start our Christmas shopping. This whole "3 girls to look after," has really pushed us to plan ahead. We know that our days of "last minute shopping," are well behind us.

I've had some toys in mind. And books. That I know the girls will enjoy. We don't just give our girls toys, we also give them items that they can use to learn with. And some useful items. We like to keep it well rounded.

Along with this, I've been leaning towards giving the girls more thoughtful gifts. Handmade items. Just one of kind things. Not only do I think it's more meaningful. But I want to support local, and handmade shops.

So I took to our computer last night. And I started to order various things. Let me tell you, that little "Christmas for the Girls" folder, really came in handy! I got about half of the items order. Thank you Mark, for thinking ahead! We'd been saving money. And it just all sorta lined up last night.

Except, there is that 1 item that I really wanted. I've wanted it for Elena, for probably over a year. And I ALWAYS have my fingers crossed, that it's "in stock." Until last night. When it wasn't!!



I was crushed!! Probably more so, because there is nothing left in this cute, little Etsy shop. And that just makes me so sad. I'm going to contact Mrs. Ruby Ellen. Hopefully, we can get this dollhouse, and doll made. You know, before Christmas. Now that I really have my heart set on it. Is anyone else thinking about Christmas? Or is it just us? A

Our Home Smells Like Heaven!!

I'm pretty sure that I've mentioned our weekly "Family Dinners" before. Mark's family has always had "Family Dinners." Always! I'm pretty sure it was his abuelita that started them. The entire family meets on Friday nights. Everyone pitches in, and we enjoy a meal together.

When Mark's abuelita was alive, they were always at her house. Well, almost always. It didn't matter that you had to drive an hour out of town. That's where we went. And even when we were teens, it was a fun place to be.

The guys would practice baseball or their roping. Yes, it was a family activity. They'd also help out with the Ranch. Cleaning, and feeding the animals. Whatever needed to be done. Us gals, we'd cook. And we'd help clean the house. Anything we could do.

These days, the dinners are usually at my in-laws' house. Which is another fun place to be. Again, everyone goes over. Aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, and tons of kids! From time to time, we also have friends like Lola and her parents there. :)

And every week, we all have a different responsibility. Some to bring the meat for the main dish, some for desserts, maybe a side dish. My MIL likes to do lots of cooking. She usually handles the main dish. And we all help with everything else.

This week, I'm supposed to be taking a dessert. First of all, until an hour ago, I forgot it was Friday. Can we say "Mommy Brain?" Mark sent me a text, "Do we need to take some dessert plates too?" Good thing he remembered!

So I headed to one of my new favorite food blogs. And the first thing I saw, was this Banana Nut Cake. Um, ya! This is what I'm baking.



Beyond the comment, "That cake is just stupid good," I was sold at Banana Nut. Banana Nut Bread was the food I craved the most while pregnant. All 3 times! Heck, who am I fooling, Banana Nut Bread is just a favorite of mine.

A total bonus, I had everything on hand. Being that our family of 5, eats 2+ bundles of bananas a week, I knew I could make this right away. As I type, this cake is baking away. And our home smells amazing! I just hope I don't eat it, before we get to our dinner tonight! :) A

A Cute Twist

Our oldest niece is a doll! She just graduated from high school in May. And her idol, is Taylor Swift. Well, the rest of us don't understand it, she likes Miss Swift and her music. Not really our idea of Country Music. But well, she adores her music.

The one thing I can understand, is this dress! Our niece was showing me some pictures last week, and this one caught my eye. It's just so fresh, and classy. Something that I just adore!



Let's just say, I've got this on my radar now. This tangerine color is just amazing! And the cut of the dress, is perfection! Classic. And well, we've got some events to go to soon. This would be something I could wear. Now where do I find a reasonably priced version? A

Something for Mommy

I had a lot of fun, participating in this Crochet Along. I actually finished my owl bag on time! And now, I need to make another 2. :) My 1st one was for Elena. But Ofelia just adores it too! My niece, who is a bit older, also asked me to make her one. I'm going to be a little busy. But it really is a fun and easy pattern to work with.

Just as I was finishing up, I noticed that Lola was hosting another Crochet Along. With her mom. And this one, is for a beautiful shawl. Something I could definitely use! So I signed up. :)



Mark just laughs. But I do think I'm "hooked" on crochet! Like I've said before, I don't have a lot of time to crochet. But when the girls are napping, and I'm all caught up on "house stuff," I like to sit and relax. Crocheting is helping me to do just that. Relax.

I'm really excited about this project. Because this is something I could use. In more ways than one. Yes, after 3 girls, I'm starting to realize even I need a break. At least for a few minutes every day. And this momma, could really use a few more additions to her closet. A

Our School Girl

Today, Miss Elena started Pre-K. Wow! My baby is in school. She wasn't nervous at all. I think I had enough nerves for the both of us! She was so excited when we dropped her off. "Mommy and Daddy I'm going to big girl school. Where grammy works."

Yes, she was over the moon! Weeks ago, we started buying her school supplies. And her little uniforms. But I do say, Elena was most excited over her new backpack and lunchbox. Last night, we packed up her supplies. Making sure her name was on everything. School rules. And we talked about lunch.

My sweet girl asked me to pack a lunch for her, and grammy. Oh, and a little snack for her teacher. Yes, it was quite cute. And this morning, before the girls woke up, and Mark was showering, I started those lunches. I couldn't help myself, I cried. Just a little. Because my baby is not a baby anymore! She's a big girl.

This mommy, might have also packed a little card and some stickers. Elena might have gotten fruit, and a pudding. And I might still have this ache in my heart. But this is a big step for all of us. A big deal!

To celebrate tonight, Mark is grilling up some ribs. And we're having a special "School Dinner." I can't wait, to hear all about my little girl's first day of school! And mommy just might be baking up some sweet treats, for our new school girl.



I'd probably be at the school. Right this minute. If my MIL didn't work there. Along with Mark's aunt. I know that our girl is in good hands. And that we have family members there, if she needs them. I'd probably just make the whole thing, a lot harder. I know that Elena is having a great time. And making lots of good friends. But it still doesn't make this day any easier.

I know this is a necessary step. But this is also the first real big step, to our daughter really growing her "own wings." And that, makes me a little nervous. Because I want to be there, to always protect her. I know, she's only in Pre-K. And is just 4 years old. But I feel like she's grown up too fast for my tastes. A

Now That There's 3...

I LOVE my girls. But now that there are 3, life is just a bit more complicated. I turned to Mindy for some help. Sunday mornings have always been a bit stressful. We're trying to get to church on time. With kids, it gets a bit more complicated. But with 3, I'm finding, it's a little overwhelming.

My big girls, don't like Mark to comb their hair. They'll let him, get them dressed. Even fed. But I have to comb their hair. And Sofia, she's got to eat. Something else, that Mark can't help with.

All of this, has led to me, throwing on a maxi dress, sandals, and putting my wet hair, in a bun. I've got a cardigan in the car, at all times, for just this reason. And we still get to church, as the bells begin to ring. :(



This week, I found this video. Watched it 5 times. Laid out everyone's clothes. Saturday afternoon. And set the alarm. 2 things happened Sunday morning. One, we got to church with 5 minutes to spare. Two, I felt better. My hair was combed. I had a chance to throw on some lipgloss. And I felt confident. Put together. Thank you Mindy, for the idea. It may not seem like a lot, but it definitely changed, my now crazy Sunday mornings! A

You Made What??

I recently found a new blog, that I'm in love with! If by now, you haven't noticed, I've got a serious sweet tooth! Oh boy do I!! I remember when Mark and I first started dating, my MIL was very concerned about this. Because I'd show up for dinner, and I wouldn't really eat. Then I'd see dessert, and I'd eat everyone under the table!!

Little has changed really. Except now, I really do try, to have a more balanced diet. I promise myself, that if I eat a salad, then I can have some cookies. I have to. Or else, I'd try and live off of sugar!! :)



But recently, I've been wanting salty and sweet, at the same time. And Grateful Belly is helping, in that way! It's a little crazy. Last night, after Elena and Ofelia went to bed, I got one of those cravings. It was consuming my entire thoughts!! That's when I turned to this inspiration.

I know. It sounds odd. Fritos dipped in chocolate. Then dipped in sprinkles. Oh boy it was a treat! A party in my mouth!! Mark looked at me a little strange. But he tried them too. And he really enjoyed this treat. Now I'm feeling a little guilty. Because we finished them off. Last night. Without sharing with our girls. Maybe that's an excuse, to whip up another batch!! A

Perfect for My Daughters!!!

I'm not going to lie, life has been so crazy!! But I'm still wanting to make time, for all my girls. I want our older girls, to feel special. And not left out. Because, let's be honest, Sofia needs me 24/7!!!

Today, when Sofia went down for a nap, I wanted to work on a special project. Just for Elena and Ofelia!! It's been a little hit or miss, whether all my girls will nap at the same time. But today, they all did. I swear, I heard angeles singing. :)



I remembered this project. I seen it, a few weeks ago. Before Sofia was born. And I "favorited it." Knowing, that I'd come back to it. Eventually! Today was the day. I've cut out, all the bunting pieces. I've got some sticks. And now, I just need to start tying. :) Hopefully by tomorrow, we'll have 3 buntings. For 3 perfect little girls!!! I can't wait. A

Happy Easter!!

I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Easter!! From our house to yours. We're happy to be home. Enjoying our new family of 4!! The Easter Bunny made his way to our house. And we're all happy. :)



Elena, Ofelia, and Mark are reading from the girls' new Easter books. Learning about Jesus. The entire sight, makes me happy! While Sofia and I, are just relaxing. Wishing that we had made this sign. For our house!! Have a wonderful and blessed Easter!! A

So Sweet!!!

It's no secret, that this is our 3rd baby. In our family, we have 1 baby shower. For the first baby. After that, people are still happy for you. With each additional baby. But everyone feels like, now you know what to expect. You should have things from your previous babies to use. A little more on your feet. And your now a mommy, and know a little more about what's ahead.

I think this is a good thing. You celebrate with family, and get advise, the 1st time around. After that, people still bring gifts by. But it's a little more low key. I really like that. Our other babies are not loved less. It's just more low key.

So what happened yesterday, really surprised me! Lola has been in town. Her uncle past away over the weekend. But while the family has been trying to make arrangements, I've gotten to spend some much needed time, with my friend. Who has also been working on baby girl's nursery. :)

Yesterday, I had already agreed to be out of the house. So Lola could finish the nursery. I figured that, as a family, we'd get to see it complete after dinner. The girls and I, left early in the morning. Met my FIL for breakfast. And then we went shopping. About an hour into shopping, Lola called me. And asked if I could come home. I thought, oh no! What happened?

We headed home.When we got here, I was shocked! Lola and Lorenzo planned a "Baby Tea Party" for us! I'm pretty sure that I've said it before, but Mark's family owns a business. Lorenzo runs it. Mark, his brothers, and cousins all work for it. So they got to take the day off, with no problems. My MIL took the day off of work. As did Mr. and Mrs. S, lots of friends, and more family!

This was such a nice and unexpected surprise. It wasn't about the presents. But we really did appreciate those! All of them. :) It was about getting time with our family and friends. Seeing how happy they are, for us. Starting this new chapter, in our lives.



The food was plentiful. Something tells me, Lola spent all night cooking! This was definitely my favorite! If you haven't made it yet, run out and buy all the ingredients. It's super simple. And so delicious!

The day was perfect! Lots of food, friends, and family. An easy going day. Nothing too complicated. Lots of celebrating our baby girl. And our big girls too! And to top it all off, Lola and Lorenzo finished the nursery. Little did I know, it was finished the other night. When they came over, with a few friends. And let me tell you, it's beautiful!

Now I really can't wait for our baby girl to come! This is such a special time in our lives. And we have so many wonderful people, in our lives. We are blessed! Yesterday showed Mark and I, that we picked the perfect Godparents for our daughter. It was not about the gifts or party, but about the love, that they showered our family with! A

Lamb of God

I recently came across the blog, Dreams into Plans. Jen's blog is just amazing!! She shares such nice things. Things, that make my heart sing. And bring a smile to my lips. Like this printable.



The second I seen this, I knew that I had to print it out!!! Not only is it my style. With all the fun colors. But it speaks to my soul. Makes me think of my religion. And I just knew, we had to add it to our Easter decorations.

I printed this out out last night. And happened to have a pretty, Spring frame. A pink one!! That I put it in. And added this beauty, to our mantel. Go visit Jen. I promise you, you won't be disappointed!!! A

Sweet Owls

I don't belong to Facebook. I don't have any intention, of ever signing up. OK, I had a page, a few years ago. For about a week. Then I deleted it. Years ago, I signed up for MySpace. And rarely, ever used it too. And that was before I had kids! As you can tell, my Twitter page, rarely gets used either. Let's be honest, I can barely handle my blog. :)



But I was reading Ana's blog. And she's hosting a Crochet Along. Now, just for a second, she tempted me with Facebook. Because that's where she's hosting her Crochet Along. Then I thought better. But I'd still like to make these beauties, for Elena and Ofelia. Something sweet to give them, when their little sister arrives. Um, I'm not sure if I can crochet that fast. But maybe, they'd be a nice Spring present. A

Yum!

I'm sure, that you know about my love of Nate Berkus!! He hangs the moon for me. :) I know, that if we were to meet in real life, we'd be immediate BFFs!!

I've never missed a day of his show. Ever!! That's why, this news, saddens my heart!! But we must go on. And I hope Nate, will find a new home, on TV. Very soon!!

But back to his show. I've seen Katie Lee make French Onion Soup. 3 times!! And you know what, I finally buckled to the pressure. It just looks so good. And come on, if they've showed this particular show 3 times, it must be delicious!

I searched high and low for the recipe. And could not find it!! Not anywhere. But the video, is right here. I watched it. Three times, and scribbled out some notes. That's what we had for dinner. Tonight. And my family soaked it up!! There is not a drop left. And I made a HUGE pot. There's only Mark, our 2 daughters, and me. I don't know who ate the most. :)

This is definitely one of our new favorite recipes. I'll be making it, many times in our future!! What an easy, and delicious meal this was. Now, I must confess something. I knew, Mark would want a little something more. So I warmed him up, some leftover pot roast. Again, this meal, was a home run! In our house, that's a great thing!!



Between, I just adore Katie!! She is so cute. And all her recipes are yummy. I picked up her cookbook one day. I found it at Dollar General. And I said, what the heck. The best $5 I've spent!! I've made almost everything in this cookbook. And I haven't been disappointed. A

My Gardening Girls

I've said it many times on here, we're a gardening family. Through and through. My husband and his brothers, spent a lot of time, last summer helping my FIL, with his garden. He has a hurt back. And last year, was just tough!!

But Mark and I, have also had a garden. For a handful of years. Elena and Ofelia are growing up, with this same love. Not long ago, they helped us pick out flower seeds, veggie plants, and a tree. We're proud that they are growing up, with this love. And knowledge. That hard work, produces good stuff. :)

So it shouldn't surprise me, that when Elena read "garden" and "doll," that she was totally into it! What were we doing? I was looking over Crochet Pattern Central's updates. Where the new patterns are posted. That's when we first spotted, the "Garden Lily Doll!"



I've never made anything, this complicated!! It's an intermediate pattern. And honestly, I'm a little worried. I think it's going to take me a while. I talked to my girls. And told them, that I'm going to start the dolls. But it's going to take a little while, for mommy to finish their dolls. And more than likely, they won't get them until, after our new baby girl is here. Both Elena and Ofelia, seem to be OK with that.

Honestly, I'm trying to get the garden dolls done before that. Because, I don't know what life as a "Mommy of 3," is going to be like. And my girls, are so in love with these dolls!! I think, these dolls are a good way of linking their play, to our gardening. Today, while Mark is at work, the girls and I are heading to Hobby Lobby. For supplies. We're also working on a project, for their baby sister. :) A

What to Plant????

Recently, the girls and I went to Family Dollar. They were having a "Baby Sale." And I wanted to pick up some baby washcloths, look for some headbands, and maybe look through the garden section.

Well, we left with quite of big bunch of stuff. And I thought, well, we'd be set for planting. After I picked up 4 packs of baby washcloths, 2 bundles of headbands, and a necklace for me, we headed to the garden stuff.

By the way, the necklace wouldn't ring up. And it was super cute!! A chunky beaded necklace. Usually, they'll sell it for a quarter or so. Sometimes a dollar. Because it's usually "out of season." And they're trying to get rid of the stock. But this time, they threw it in the trash!!! Really, I was just shocked!!! Family Dollar, did you read that??? The lady in front of me, they must of thrown away 10 pieces of jewelry, and 5 pieces of clothing. CRAZINESS!!! And she was not too happy. She left the $100 worth stuff, that they had rung up to that point, and left the store!!!

Back to the garden stuff. Sorry about that mini rant. I just had to get it off my chest. :) I decided to let the girls help out. Since they already knew, they weren't going to get any toys. Ofelia was definitely excited about all the "Garden Animals." Especially the bunnies!! We came home with about 12 different animals. For under $20. We also picked up some metal hanging things. To put in the yard, and then hang flower baskets from.

Elena was definitely into the seeds. I'm a little embarrassed to say this, we left with $15 worth of seeds. I know!! And they're either 4 or 5 packs for $1. Can you just imagine how many packs of seeds we have. :) Maybe I should have been paying better attention to Elena. But she was pretty excited. And this purchase, should be bringing us happiness, for a long time!!

I was going through all these seeds earlier. And what did I notice? Only 5 packs of those seeds, are for food!! The rest are flowers. I guess my girl, wants lots of pretty flowers. We now have seeds for watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, and jalapenos. Can you tell what Elena likes to eat?? :)



Well, this leads to a little dilemma. What should we plant this year? Since we pretty much have to do all our garden shopping still, I need to make a plan. We have garden boxes. :) It makes things a little easier for us. I'm thinking squash, plenty of tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, lots of herbs, pumpkins, watermelons, strawberries, and maybe some eggplant. I wonder how hard, it is to grow sweet potatoes....

Do you have any other ideas, of what I should buy? What we should plant? What are some of your favorite things? It doesn't have to be seeds. We'd be happy to buy plants. We can even talk about flowers, bushes, and trees. Because we want to add some more color to our yard. I'd love to hear your thoughts!! A

We Finally Picked One!!!!

A name!! Mark and I finally agreed on a name. With only a month before her arrival, it's nice to have a name picked for our baby girl! We decided to follow our past behavior, and to not tell anyone. :) Except Lola and Lorenzo. Because they are going to be our baby girl's Godparents. And well, they need to come up with a middle name! But we're excited!!!

And a little sad at the same time. Since we're 99% sure, that this is going to be our last pregnancy. We're trying to soak up all the little things. To not anticipate them. Rather, live in the moment. And enjoy everything! But in one month, at least our daughter will have a name!!! A

Making Memories

I'm a really big fan of Rice Krispies Treats!!! My mom can attest to that. I remember one day, hearing about them. And making her go to the grocery store. For all the supplies. I think I was in elementary school. :)

We made them that afternoon. And ever since, it's been one of those treats, that I just love! Since I've been married, I've varied my Rice Krispies Treats. Added things to them, like candy, nuts, dried fruit,various marshmallows. Lots of things!! And they are just too darn good!

At one point, I wouldn't allow Rice Krispies, marshmallows, or anything to do with my favorite treats, in our home. At the time, I needed to lose 10 lbs. And it just wasn't happening, with these bad boys in the house!!

I think last year, was the first year, that I heard about these eggs. It might have been 2 years ago. I can't remember. But I saw the commercial on TV. I kept saying, I'm going to try those. Well, it never happened. :(



Last week, I saw that commercial again. And I got an idea. Over the weekend, I just knew, that we had to at least try these. I picked up the supplies on last Friday. While grocery shopping. Yum! I was so excited!! And last Saturday, after nap time, we went all out!

Two hours later, we had a nice stack of eggs. I'll be it, Mark and I, made 99% of them. But that's our job. :) Elena and Ofelia were so excited, with all their hard work!! It was such a fun project. One that I hope, becomes a tradition in our family. :)

And all those Rice Krispies eggs, were happily eaten!! Not all by us. Although, we did have our fair share. But I took them with us, to my parents' house Sunday. They had us all over, including my siblings and their families, for dinner. It was super yummy!!

I'm hoping, to make these one more time. For Easter. But with my due date so close to Easter, I'm just not sure. We'll have to play it by ear. Maybe instead, I should whip some up today, during nap time. For our weekly Family Dinner. :) A

Oh Baby!

Ofelia saw this doll. Friday morning. While I was reading Hart + Sew. And has been asking for this baby ever since! Mark tried to buy her, a doll at the store. But that's just not, what Ofelia wants. She wants this cute doll. I can't blame her! This doll is 100X's cuter, than those at the store. And so much softer! I'm hoping that Sam or Lola, can help me sew one up. Maybe Mrs. S. I definitely want to make, each of my little girls, there own special baby doll. A