My birthday!

The night of my birthday, my dear sweet friend Elizabeth watched all three of the kids (you read that right, all three). We went to dinner, Starbucks and a movie! Then on Sunday evening when I got home from the ladies get together at church I was surprised with brownies from the cutest sweetest family ever. Oh I wish I had a picture. Nothing was cuter than Chase holding the baby with one hand and the video camera with the other and the kids huge smile. All three of the kids made me a giant card with their hand prints and Brenna made streamers out of painters tape. Fast forward to yesterday and Elizabeth brought me the most beautiful necklace!

Trying new recipes..

This pasta salad was super yummy and the kids gobbled it down. The pic is pretty much explanatory. I just cut everything up the same size and mixed it with the cooked pasta, then poured half the bottle of dressing on top, mixed it up and refrigerated it. The sausage is precooked so I didn't even have to cook that and it makes a ton. This was a lunch and dinner. I love a big easy meal! I made this one up myself, but have been googling some healthy recipes to change things up a bit. I swear I gained five lbs my birthday weekend.

I bought a new lense......sort of.....Sigma 30 mm 1.4

Who doesn't love a good cry baby face?

Coffee time! 

Taylor loves his dsi and Brenna loves her popsicle creation.

Every night I put a glass of water on my bedside table, because I get thirsty in the middle of the night and every morning Liam goes to it and drinks the rest or some and spills the rest.

Still his favorite food!

On to the lens review.





I bought this lens for it's low light capabilities and it's mid-point price range. I read tons of reviews on it and knew that some people had mis-focus issues and some did not. I decided to take my chances and see if I got a good copy. I didn't......it was slow focus and mis-focus. Now many people say that you can send it in and get it calibrated, but it can take a few tries and I'm just not willing to do that so I sent it back. On top of all the focus issues it was way soft wide open. It didn't show sharpness until it was stopped down to f2 and the focus was still an issue....so bye, bye Sigma! A couple of the pics above were taken with dialed down, bounced flash but that defeats the purpose of why I bought the lens. And a couple are available light. Out of all the pics I got from this lens I kept maybe 5% if that.

My blurb book is here!!

I'm so excited about my book! Blurb did a great job!

On his birthday....

 Poor baby

 I love his hair!

 So sweet.

 Bath time makes everyone feel better.

He was sick.....like really yucky cold kind of sick. So we chilled and took a blue bath and played.
At one year he's walking and talking a little (mama, dada, bye bye, and nite nite) he nods his head for yes and gives lots of love. He's more excited by the presence of big brother and sister than anyone else and he loves to go outside! We are cherishing every minute of this little guy. Just the other day Brenna said "Liam you brought so much joy to our lives". No joke, I have the most precious kiddo's.

Happy Birthday Nella.......Thank you Lord for giving us a heart for unexpected blessings!

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Read Nella's birth story here.

Rain......we miss you!!