Thought Bubbles 3102016

Something is happening with my milk production and it's making me sad and scared...

Savannah loves walking home from school. Mainly so she can do this...

I have a new love affair with Costco. Sorry Target, I've been cheating on you in bulk...

 Today I managed to go in there and not buy any chocolate chip cookies from the deli...

Why are bell peppers so pricey?...

Pretty sure I should've put another bunch of mustard greens in tonight's soup...

All of your thought bubbles are about food when you're hungry...

I recently decided that I like wearing my haircut more straight and less curled....

But when I wear it that way I look like I stole Kris Jenner's haircut, the struggle...

The trees on my workout route are so pretty...

Potty training is killing me. Buying diapers for two is killing me....

Mikey does have a hot potty success song though...

I talked to a lady that I didn't know for ten minutes about Hunter rain boots today...

This is what happens to all of my drinks lately....

But catch Moses mean mugging behind Mikey though...

I'm watching a grocery haul on periscope and it's so real...

Her house sounds just like mine when I try to record something...

Thank you for supporting the sponsored content that you see here...

Looking forward to some fun stuff coming up soon, stay tuned....

Moses just woke up for a feeding. That's my cue...

Disney Princess Inspired Cake Pops

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #InspireBigDreams #DreamBigPrincess #CollectiveBias

The day Savannah was born was the day that my life changed forever. She immediately made me want to be a better woman. Even though she was just a baby there was something about her that inspired me to pursue my goals and live my best life.

Savannah is full of dreams too. When she grows up she wants to own a bakery. These days she's into soccer and baking. Savannah has the most kind loving spirit. She has a whimsical imagination and she loves to talk. I hope she keeps the heart she has her whole life. It's so caring. She's an excellent big sister and friend. I'm so glad that she's my daughter. 

Like most little girls Savannah enjoys watching Disney Princess movies. Her favorite is The Princess and the Frog. She loves the fact that Princess Tiana has her own restaurant. I often remind Savannah of Princess Tiana's determination and work ethic when she's learning something new or overcoming an obstacle. When she's working hard to achieve a goal we sing, "Almost There" from the movie. Singing that song encourages Savannah to keep trying even when she feels like giving up.

Savannah has used that strong willed determination to become a pretty good soccer player. We are so proud of her.

At home Savannah enjoys cooking with me. Any time she gets a chance to get in the kitchen she's happy. Last week her goal was to become better at cracking eggs so she practiced every morning to get it right. The look on her face when she cracked the first one without getting shell in the bowl was priceless.

She knew she was ready to move on to bigger and better things. We decided to make cake pops to celebrate her knew skill.

Her cake pops turned out so good. I was very impressed. She accomplishes everything she sets her mind to, my girl. You can make these cake pops by following Savannah's tutorial.

First she baked a cake by following the directions on the box. She is very excited about working her way up to baking from scratch.

Once the cake is done you'll need to crumble it up. It was hard for me to watch a perfectly good cake get broken into pieces but the outcome was so worth it.

Next you'll want to add some icing and roll the cake into a loaf. I don't have an exact measurement for the icing. It will look like a ball of dough when you've mixed in enough.

Now you can begin making the balls for the cake pops. Savannah used a cookie dough scoop to make sure her pops were all the same size. Roll the balls, dip the sticks in chocolate (Sav used candy melts that she popped in the microwave) and insert the stick about halfway into the mini cake ball. Place the cake pops in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Now it's time to decorate your cake pops! Use candy melts, sprinkles and whatever else you'd like to cover the outside of your pops. Savannah wanted to make pops to match her favorite Disney Princess gowns and that's exactly what she did.

The Disney Princess Royal Shimmer Dolls are available at Toys "R" Us. All eleven Disney Princesses are available for your little Princess to choose from. Savannah loved the removable shoes, ombré colored gowns and the sparkling glitter on each doll. She also loves that Rapunzel sings "I See the Light" when her jewel necklace is pressed.

Savannah has had a blast playing with Little Kingdom Ariel's Sea Castle. She's had Ariel sliding and swinging, so cute. This set is compatible with the entire Little Kingdom line. Savannah is already asking to add to her collection. 

I am so proud of the little girl that she is and the woman I know she'll become. We will continue to help her explore and pursue her dreams. I am learning so much from her.

How do you help your little one dream big? Will you be giving these cake pops a try?

Army Wife Life: Planning Our Move

When March greets us tomorrow that will officially give my little family 90 days (or less) in our house. We are in the beginning phases of planning our move and it's making me that much more excited.

At some point during my pregnancy I started to get that ready to move itch that military families get. It may have been the hormones but I was so over this current duty station and ready to experience something new.

This is our fifth move in 11 years, not too bad. Now that I'm a bit more seasoned with how the process works I have figured out a few things that make the transition easier on all of us. I think moving in general can be hard on a family. It doesn't matter if you're moving across the street or to a new time zone like we are.

Now that we are three kids deep I am going to be proactive, organized and down right militant to make sure this move goes off without a hitch. Here is my plan to make sure we have the best move possible this Summer...

Celebrate where we are - I plan to have the family make a list of all the places they want to visit again before our time here is up. I feel that this helps us deal with saying goodbye a bit better. We'll check out all of our favorite places one last time before we chuck the deuces...

The logistics - When are the movers coming? Are we driving? Are we flying? How long will we be in a hotel? How much stuff will we need while in limbo?

Purge, Purge, Purge - I have already started getting rid of anything I don't want to see or deal with when that moving truck pulls up at our new house. Toys, clothes, shoes, baby gear, unused furniture - you name it. Everything that has not served a purpose must go.

Organize, Organize, Organize - When the movers arrive to pack everything it helps to have things as organized as possible. When like items are together when they arrive you have a better chance of them ending up in the same box and labeled for the same room. This is how I avoid having a flat iron boxed up with a blender.

If you need it while in limbo... - PUT IT IN YOUR CAR! Do not leave it in a room or closet. Do not think that labeling a room or closet will keep them from boxing that stuff up. Whatever we need to make it until our things are delivered to us always goes in the car.

Plan activities for packing day - There is no way I'm going to have all these kids running around while movers are here. The movers tackle your entire house in a day. Having kids running around doesn't sound like the best idea so I plan to leave my husband here to deal with the movers while the kids and I go play.

Focus on the future - Research schools, neighborhoods and fun activities in your new area. Plan some activities for the few days that you'll be living in the hotel. It's kind of like a built in vacation so take advantage of this time to become familiar with your new surroundings before your service member returns to work.

I have the next three months to get us ready to go. We have already decided what fun things we want to do again before leaving. This week I am going to start the purge process. With soccer season starting back up it will probably take me a while to get things thrown out or donated.

Tis' the season for new beginnings - let's get moving! Anyone else moving soon? How are you preparing?

Healthy Snack: Zucchini Chips

While I'm waiting on my gym motivation to strike I have been making sure that I'm eating right. One way that I avoid eating junk food during the day is by having healthy snack options readily available. My favorite snack of the moment is zucchini chips. They are tasty, easy to make and inexpensive.

These chips are addictive. You will not be able to eat just one. Whenever I make them I find myself getting full on them before the rest of my meal is even ready. These chips are a great alternative to fries and potato chips. 

The key here is to not over cook them. I cook my zucchini chips on low for about 5-10 minutes. The firmness is what makes them like chips. Of course you could cook them more but a softer chip won't pair with sandwiches that well.

Place your chips into a frying pan, drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with creole seasoning. Toss them frequently and continue seasoning them to taste. I like mine spicy so I tend to lay on the seasoning.

On Saturday I made pulled pork sandwiches for dinner with coleslaw. The kids and my husband had fries and I had these. (with a few stolen fries, not gonna lie) They are so good. 

I could literally eat these all day. My fitness goal for this week is to wake up before my family and head to the gym. I really want that to happen. There is a running challenge starting soon on Operation Snap Back™ that I'm participating in. That should kick start my love for working out again. 

All it takes is a couple of trips to the gym and I'm normally hooked. These zucchini chips with a tuna sandwich or chicken wrap make a great post workout meal. 

Will you be trying these zucchini chips? Pin this idea to try later!

32 Before 33: Nail Polish Haul

Today I was out with the boys while Savannah was in school running errands. We had to hit up a few stores to find what I was looking for. Normally that irritates me but today I found each stop to be a win for different reasons.

During our first stop I received a manufacturer's coupon for the item I was looking for. At 2.00 off that coupon was worth the hassle of getting the boys in and out of the car. My next stop was at Target where I found one out of the two items I was looking for and I used one of the coupons. Walked out of there feeling like a winner.

My last stop was at HEB (a grocery store that has a monopoly on Texas it seems - but it's a great store so it's all good) and not only did I find the other item that I was looking for but as I was walking to the register I saw a Wet n Wild clearance display. All items were forty-nine cents a piece. Again. A winner - cue the DJ Khaled...

The colors are from left to right...

Grasping at Strawberries

Do Pass Go

She Sells

Yo Soy

D'Oh

Which color is your favorite? I think I'm going to try Yo Soy first.

32 Before 33: Learn Photography & Valentine's Day Recap (Sort of)

I've never been the type of girl that was overly excited about Valentine's Day. Even when I was younger I thought it was silly for girls to walk around school with all that crap. I mean, what do you do with a teddy bear that has "Valentine's Day 2002" sewn into the foot years after the fact?

Or even in 2003? Do you throw it away? Where does little teddy end up? So I was never a teddy bear or candy girl but I have always loved beautiful red roses. I also really love the inexpensive carnation daisy bouquets you can get at Walmart and the grocery store. They really make my one hundred year old military base housing kitchen look so much better.

Because my husband was sweet enough to buy me a camera for my birthday last week and roses this week for Valentine's Day I thought I'd put the two together. I was initially shooting in auto then I fumbled my way to a menu that allowed you to select some advanced auto options. For these photos I used the "bright photo" setting in my camera and I altered the setting just a tad. (I do realize that photographers will want to know all the numbers behind my pics - I'll start jotting them down to get some feedback from you all.)

I took these pictures in my somewhat dark but bright at the same time kitchen. For the background I used two white poster boards that were positioned in an "L" shape.

I also played around with another setting that allowed the camera to blur the background. The shot below ended up being one of my favorites.

The rest of these pictures have what I assume photogs refer to as noise? (Cause that was a question...) I can't remember what setting these were done on or what I may have done differently but they came out like they had been filtered.

Over the weekend I picked up a tripod. I'm still on the hunt for a wireless shutter. They have been sold out every where that I'm willing to drive to. I may have to break down and order it one on Amazon but I kinda want it right now so I'll try one or two more places before Amazon gets me for $35. 

My ultimate goal is to be shooting in manual mode so I'm trying to ease my way into that from the beginning. I actually took pics of the Valentine's Day dinner I made but I wasn't happy with how they turned out. I made garlic butter salmon, steak and salad. It looked delicious in real life but not in my pics. Any tips for me? 

32 Before 33: Learn Photography

Today was so busy. I chaperoned a field trip for Savannah's class. It was our first field trip. I think she had a blast. We both did.

After the field trip was over I came home to pump, eat lunch and take a break before school pick up. During my break I decided to research cameras. Something about having another baby made me feel like it was time to invest in a grown up camera. I also want to be able to create pretty pictures for this blog.

I took a photography class my senior year of high school. The only thing I remember from that class was struggling to develop film in the dark room. We did some pretty cool lessons in that class though. We once made a camera out of a box. I recall being impressed.

After going back and forth between Nikon and Canon I decided to go with Nikon. My budget for a camera was pretty modest. Like with anything else I wanted to get the most for my money so I decided to get a bundle that included the camera, a bag and two lenses. (As I'm writing this I realize that Best Buy didn't give me my free Shutterfly 8x8 book. They will see me tomorrow.)

At my price point I feel that this was a great choice for a beginner. 

The camera also came with access to the Nikon School and image editing software. I plan to get a tripod and a shutter remote soon. One of my goals for 2016 is to send out Christmas cards so I need to perfect the whole tripod, distance and remote use thing. 

It took me some time to get the courage to spend this much money on myself. I'm looking forward to learning a new hobby. Hopefully the images will get a lot prettier around here.

Have you invested in yourself lately? Know of any photography groups I should look into?

Army Wife Life: Things To Do Around JBSA (San Antonio)

Our time in San Antonio is coming to an end. I can't say that I'm sad about it either. I was starting to get that itch to move again. We've been stationed in San Antonio for almost four years and it has seemed like a lifetime.

I'm not even about to sit here and make it seem like this duty station has been one of my favorites. It hasn't been. I have talked about my love of Texas (or lack thereof) before. Military families normally love San Antonio. Many couples come back here to retire. Good for them. We won't be retiring here.

The one thing that I do love about San Antonio is that our time here resulted in three beautiful babies. Because of them, San Antonio will always have a special place in my heart.

Whenever you move to a new place it takes time to create your own sense of community. As soon as we get to a new place I immediately try to find a hair salon, Chinese restaurant, church and activities for us to enjoy regularly as a family. 

Here are my favorite spots for military families (and everyone else too):

San Antonio Zoo - It's small but it does the job. There's a carousel and a train ride. Your ticket to the zoo does not cover these rides. They offer a military discount for the zoo.

Sea World San Antonio - The splash pad is awesome. If you live close to Sea World consider getting a pass for your family. Aquatica and the splash pad will be worth your money. Military discount available.

McKenna Children's Museum in New Braunfels -  Lots to do and it's not overwhelming large. We've been many times and my kids have loved every trip.

San Antonio Rodeo - Every February the Rodeo comes to town and it's pretty fun. It's a fair like atmosphere with tons to do and see. Kids will love it. We always go during the day on $1 Fridays. There are some good musical acts at night, don't miss out. This is one of things about San Antonio that I truly enjoy. It reminds me of the county and state fairs that are all over the East coast in the Fall.

Downtown San Antonio - There's a mall, tons of restaurants, The Alamo, a movie theatre, souvenir shops etc... Be prepared for lots of walking. The riverwalk itself isn't that stroller friendly but it's doable. You'll have to pay to park. Try to go during the holiday season to see the Christmas lights, it's beautiful.

Phil Hardberger Park - We had a play date here once and it was perfect. Playgrounds, walking trails and plenty of shade...

JBSA - Ft. Sam Houston Quadrangle - Admission is FREE and you can feed deer, peacocks and chickens. There might be other animals too. The animals roam freely so be prepared for that if your little ones don't like being up close to animals.

JBSA - Ft. Sam Houston Splash Pad - Call before you go to make sure the splash pad is open and operating.

Splashtown San Antonio - Military discount available. I wasn't expecting much from this water park right off the interstate but it was lots of fun. We were exhausted after a few hours. I would absolutely go back.

Wu's Chinese Restaurant - New York style Chinese food located off Judson. It's the best near Ft. Sam and Randolph. I have tried every Chinese place around the bases so please don't waste your time going any where else.

Maven Hair Studio - Ask for Tamika - She does every thing from relaxers to color to natural hair. She's responsible for my natural hair pixie.

San Antonio Botanical Garden - Kind of pricey for what you get but it's pretty. We went during their Lego exhibit and the kids enjoyed it.

Mi Tierra & Bakery Decorated beautifully and the food is amazing. I get the enchiladas. All the shops on Produce Row are fun to check out too.

I'll continue to add to this list as I go through our pictures and remember our time here. This is a great start for military families arriving to the area. Have you visited San Antonio? What was your favorite thing about this city?

Oh. And be sure to check out San Antonio Mom Blogs for ALL things San Antonio. Every month she shares a list of things to do in the city. You'll find everything from free nights at the museum to festivals in the surrounding areas.

Thought Bubbles 2052016

The Carolina Panthers are going to the SUPER BOWL!!!....

When they win I hope Cam dances ALL up in the camera...

I finally saw The People v. O.J. Simpson and it was really good...

I still need to watch Lila & Eve...

My little NICU Grad is growing up so fast...

Lately I've been listening to a lot of Anita Baker and Big Tymers...

Everybody get your roll on... Caught up in the Rapture of you...

My Birthday is on Sunday and all I want to do so far is eat Chinese food on Saturday and watch the game on Sunday (with nachos and wings)...

Chuck E. Cheese was at school pick up yesterday and it caused quite the cluster...

Kids were screaming and begging parents to take them to see the mouse at his house...

Well played PTO...

I was recently presented with an award from the United States Army for being an awesome wife...

They also gave me a tote bag. I think I'll regift that to my husband to use as a diaper bag though...

I really hate that Periscope has turned into such a big classroom...

I miss interacting with people without it being a lesson...

Looking forward to receiving a Calphalon Dutch Oven in the mail soon...

Blogging has its perks...

Watching them play gives me the most overwhelming feeling of happiness...

My goal for the day is to sanitize the floors and paint my nails...

Beyoncé is back in the halftime show. Wonder how many people are hating that...

I'm here for it. Make that money Bey...

Grown Woman is pretty much my anthem for the year...

Watching that video makes me feel like the gym is a necessity...

A new blog series all about me getting in shape after #grandfinalebaby will be starting soon...

Join the Operation Snap Back™ community on Facebook to stay motivated about your own fitness journey...

I may pop up on Periscope later on today to lighten up the mood over there...

No expert advice. Just me and these kids...

Who do you have winning the Super Bowl? It better be the Panthers...