easy as pie!

i took on a new challenge this thanksgiving. i decided i wanted to learn how to make homemade pies from scratch. and i mean completely from scratch. so i hunkered down in the kitchen with my mother-in-law the day before thanksgiving to learn how to make homemade pies. it took us all day, and i made quite a mess...but the outcome was well worth it! i was so impressed with the finished products. one perfect pumpkin pie and one absolutely the best you will ever taste apple pie...which my hubby has already requested i make for Christmas as well. i can't even begin to tell you how happy it made me to see how much my family enjoyed the pie. and i had such a great time bonding with my mother-in-law while cooking. it was such a great experience and now i can say i know how to make homemade pie!

we made these out of leftover pie crust dough

my two finished products!

and i said i'd never do that...

a few years ago when i found out i was having a girl, i made one promise to myself...i said, and i quote, "oh, i will never be one of those mommies that matches her daughter...not happening." well...let me tell you... my daughter is 3 years old now and i have to say, i have a bit of an obsession with matching her. i'm not talking whole outfits here people...more like accessories and shoes...okay, a pair of shorts too. but my daughter loves it! she tells people, "look! my mommy has the same shoes i have!" or "look we have same jacket!"...it's fun, i shouldn't have knocked it before i tried it. if anyone reading this has a girl, i highly recommend matching with her here and there, it's quite enjoyable. these are a couple of the matching shoes we have...

winter

summer

sometimes it's the little things that bond you to your children the most. for me and my daughter this is one of those little things that makes us both smile.

baby update

i have been switched to doctor appointments every two weeks now! home stretch people. we'll be meeting our sweet little Jacob before we know it. in the meantime though, i am measuring 30 weeks, i passed my glucose test, thank God! i did not want to endure another 3 hour glucose test, those are awful. and i've only gained 21 pounds this pregnancy thus far, which is a huge success considering i had already gained 40+ pounds by this point with my last pregnancy (which can be attributed to my lack of self control when it came to sweets). i am feeling really good this time around! lots of healthy food, limited sweets, and exercise really make a difference. i am so excited that my baby shower and due date are just around the corner! it kind of takes the edge off of having to say goodbye to my hubby for 6 months around the same time...i'll have a 3 year old and a new little bundle of joy to keep me busy while he's gone. i'm so thankful for the support and love that surrounds me. God has blessed me in so many ways, but i consider my relatives and church family to be the biggest blessing, i don't know what i would do without them.

cucumber + lime + water = YUMMY!

i have become quite fond of this thing called "spa water" lately. basically it's fruit/citrus/veggie infused water. my favorite so far is cucumber and lime infused water. its amazing! who would have thought, cucumber + lime + water = amazing! i put a couple slices of lime and a couple slices of cucumber in a glass, i fill the cup with ice and water...i let it sit for a few minutes, then i stir it up. it's such a refreshing drink. it makes me feel like i'm in meadow with the wind blowing in my hair or something, with every sip i inhale and exhale and feel so much more relaxed. even my 3 year old likes it and she's pretty picky. there are so many varieties, like strawberry mint, pear lime, peach mint, even lemon raspberry. it's a whole new way to enjoy water!

cucumber lime mint water