Sew Fun

I had been wanting to take a sewing class for a while, but kept putting it off.  I have a machine, can set it up, sew some basic stitches, that sort of thing, but I really needed to take a class to learn proper technique.  Enter CityCraft, the cutest little sewing studio and fabric store around.  They sell many of my favorite fabric designers' collections that you generally have to order online.  It is so nice to be able to see these fun fabrics in person.  My friend Jessica and I took the class together and we had a great time learning to make a tote bag.  I already have my eye on a couple of projects that I think I can tackle next.

The light in the sewing studio is beautiful.

 My fun little bag that I made.

 A small sampling of the awesome fabric selections.

Jessica modeling her new cute bag!

Sunset

On Valentine's Day I was preparing Lily's dinner and I happened to look up and see these gorgeous colors out the window.  I ran and grabbed my camera, opened the window and took this shot. It was just beautiful, and it was gone within a couple of minutes.  I have always loved the light the last few hours of the day.  The sun's rays filtering through the trees as it makes it's way towards the horizon, ending in a spectacular show like this.  It is quite the reminder of the beauty that God blessed our world with.  I love that no matter how rich or how poor you are, the sunset is for everyone to enjoy.

Sweet Valentine

We ♥ this girl so much.

Just like Daddy

The bug loves to drink out of cups these days.  Stealing daddy's [empty] coffee cup is the best.

Easy Peasy Brownie Pie

This is my super easy go to dessert when I don't have a lot of time and we need to bring dessert to dinner with friends.  We had a fun dinner with our Sunday school supper club and I needed something to bring and didn't have the time to make my favorite carrot cake recipe or something else time intensive.  So brownie pie it was.  This is also really good with cookie dough instead of brownie.

First you will take a box of Ghirardelli brownie mix of the flavor of your choosing, and make the mix according to the directions.

Put on some sort of entertainment for the baby.  Otherwise your house may be destroyed.  In this case we're watching Yo Gabba Gabba.

 For the pie crust the oreo brand is my favorite.  The chocolate graham cracker crusts don't come close.  So don't chance it. :)  Pour the mix into the pie crust.  Bake at 325.  It is going to take about an hour and 5-10 minutes to bake.  Check for doneness with a toothpick.

Make sure the baby is still in sight and a happy camper.

Tada.  You now have a delicious brownie pie.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream (of course!)

Cabin Fever

Wow, this week has been quite the challenge!  We normally have jam packed weeks filled with activities, play dates, mother's day out, Bible study, walks, trips to the park and grocery shopping.  All of that came to a grinding halt on Tuesday.  I've always thought myself somewhat of a homebody, but I'm beginning to rethink that position.  It is really hard to entertain a toddler with her same old toys and books all day for four days straight!  Fortunately we were able to get out a couple of times this week.  We went a couple of streets over to play with Campbell and Ellis and got the kiddos good and tired out two mornings this week. On Thursday things appeared to be getting better so we went to the gym and met our trusty comrades at the mall for lunch.  Then today we found ourselves snowed in, but we got out as a family and enjoyed the snow for a bit.  Phil was home with us a couple of days this week but he had to lock himself away in the guest bedroom.  Too bad Lily knew he was home and was constantly trying to get back there and sit in his lap.  This girl is a daddy's girl, that is for sure.  On the flip side, it was nice having Phil around for a little more family time than we usually get.  He loves playing with Lily, and he even bundled her up and took her for a hike one day.

Setting off for an arctic hike

 Family play time.  Lily decided hangers were fun to play with.

The Texas Half

Usually every post on our blog is about Lily.  She has definitely taken over life and my day and schedule revolve around her for the most part.  That said, I've tried to maintain my own identity and not lose myself to motherhood.  I've been running since high school and I love how good I feel after a long run.  I started running long distance races in 2006 when I ran the DRC Half.  That lead to the Austin Marathon, then as time passed, three more halfs.  I don't always love running, but I enjoy having a goal to work towards and sometimes that is the only thing that will get me out there on a dreary day when I would rather stay inside than put my running shoes on.  I've never run the same half twice, which is kind of fun.  On Saturday I ran the Texas Half, which was my first long race since having Lily.  It was such a well organized event and they really did a fabulous job putting it on.  I remember thinking at some point after having Lily that I would truly never get back in shape again, so what a great feeling it was to not only finish this half but to have a PR.  I'm not that fast of a runner, but I did take about 9 minutes off of my previous PR, and I was pretty pumped about that!  If you've ever thought about doing a half marathon or a full marathon, I highly encourage you to do so.  It is a fun and challenging undertaking, and it is definitely more of a mental challenge than it is physical.  If I can do it, I promise that you can do it too.