2014 New Years Resolutions....

I have decided to do a few New Year resolutions most of which I have been doing for about a week when I was thinking them up....

I need to prioritize my life so I have decided in the new year I want to get myself into a healthier lifestyle so No more pop, way less junk food (lets face it, I am female I will need chocolate from time to time) and become way more active... I need to just get out and go walking... It is a little more difficult in the winter because I have my daughter all day so I don't want to take her out when its so cold but I need to make it a priority to just go on a 30 minute walk when James gets home every day and if its raining then go to the stores near by and walk... I probably would benefit and way more was than one from getting out and walking alone every day....

Along with that I want to treat myself better, Less stress and with that comes no nail biting... I want to stop wasting so much time online... I am so involved in silly online time consuming games and pinterest just takes always days of my life each week... so I am going to set a timer and enjoy it before the timer runs out...

Also each day I have a short, very achievable "to do" list consisting of 5-7 things and I am making it my goal to not "log on" until my list is complete... its just so hard to do when you wake up and grab your phone every morning and its all right there....

I'd also like to save some cash this year... I say that every year and something always comes up... but one way or another I am making it happen this year!

A few more Items on my list is to do more craft projects, write more, blog more, try new recipes and  purge the house and be clutter free, catch up on projects I have already started (scrapbooks and picture organization)-- Take more pictures (to give myself even more work) but honestly I'd like to really do the 365 challenge, which sorry Instagram followers I may just use it to document something from each day!

Last but not least LOVE LIFE MORE. Get out and have fun, I want to be way more involved as a mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend. I hope for lots of family get togethers  just because its not christmas shouldn't mean we can't get together for a fun family time. -Have some game nights with the bff and her family-start a family movie night with james and Nora - and try to have a monthly date night just me and james... a few hours of getting out!

I have high hopes for 2014! I am looking forward to many things, new places, trips and experiencing life.

I am going to be a matron of honor this October in my little sister's wedding which I'm super excited about and Nora will get to be the flower girl! (PS court I don't care what dress you have me wear... I'm just looking forward to your wedding :) )

Also super excited to be ringing in 2014 with my best friend and her family:)


So I wish you all a very happy, healthy and safe New year!!!

Happy Birthday Best Friend!

So today is my best friends birthday!!! Happy Birthday Jess! I love you bunches.....

we have been such great friends for so long! I remember when we were "knee high to grasshoppers" playing softball up at the Milan park...I remember getting through high school and all that comes with it together... Boys, mean girls the whole nine! I remember being devastated because you were a grade older than me and got to graduate, leaving me behind...

I can remember places we've gone and people we've met... Parties and Thompson brothers ;) I remember a few things that I know I haven't let you forget but I wont mention them here! I remember sitting under the DQ counter hugging you and letting you know you deserved better when a certain someone named matt broke your heart!

I remember being there when you had my first niece Brettlyn and then I know I moved away but we made it through and you even visited when I lived in Florida.... and again when we came back I was there when you had Remi and I asked you to be in my wedding and Brett was my little flower girl... although we moved away not long after the wedding we still stayed true to being friends.... and now I finally live 20 minutes away!!! I have loved the last few months and seeing you often!!

I am excited that I am getting ready to pick you up to continue our birthday traditions we started SO very long ago.... Just you and me, no kids, no husbands! I nice afternoon out!!! :) I love you Jess! You are the very best friend a girl could ask for!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Our Year....

SO as most of you know tomorrow (Dec 10) is my baby girl's first birthday... I know I know, its impossible but I have consulted many calendars and even some Mayans and it has actually been 365 days since I gave birth to the most beautiful, smartest baby girl ever!

Over the course of the year I have caught myself on more than a few occasions saying "wow! I really am a mom!" and then thinking yes, this time last year i was so uncomfortable because a human was growing inside me which still I don't believe! Anyway, this year has been one of the most amazing years in my life! I have watched this perfect little baby grow into a beautiful little girl... I have been amazed on a daily basis some days hourly! I remember the first time she smiled at me and the first laugh she shared- the first time she rolled over I remember thinking we had better baby proof now because she will be getting into things soon, little did I know it would months before she could really get to anything... I remember her not being able to really move around at all and we would strap her into everything and our parents would laugh because they knew she wasn't going anywhere but still we were scared! I remember when she started teething and didn't get a tooth until 7 months of teething had gone by (when I say teething i'm talking, red gums, flushed cheeks, drool city) so of course we had a few sleepless nights however our little angel was a natural sleeper we were getting a full nights sleep 7 hours when she was about 2 months old and getting 10 hours at night out of her by the time she was 4.5 months... for the most part she has been giving us 12 hours at night since she was about 6 months.... I know we've been blessed by the sleep fairy this time around which makes me a little apprehensive to go for a second kid...

When Nora first started saying mama and dada it made me excited at everything we get to teach her! She has added to her vocabulary and her personality is pretty feisty.... I can't think of anything she has done that hasn't amazed me! I have been so blessed to be there to see her crawl, pull up, take her first steps without holding on to anything and just take off walking (and then fall down-we are close to mastering it though).... watching her eat is even amazing... She calls my mom nana and has for some time but now when we offer her a banana she calls that a nana too lol.... She makes me laugh everyday.

She recently has found her best friend... It is an Alvin that sings a christmas song (from alvin and the chipmunks) it is so cute, she just holds him, rocks him, kisses and dances with him. Speaking of dancing, the girl is a natural born dancer! She loves all types of music as long as it has a good beat, she really likes hip-hop and rap thanks to her daddy! She will stop and dance to almost everything as soon as she hears it!

This year has been wonderful and tonight I have found myself thinking back on the year past and what I like to call the "last 48" leading up to our new life with our beautiful baby....

In the last 48 I was miserable.... I had been having contractions but not dilating for weeks at this point, I was over due and more than ready to get the show on the road! I had been basically sleeping in a reclining chair because it hurt so bad to sleep laying down, so I really wasn't sleeping at all.... I was up most of the night Saturday Dec 8, playing on pintrest, candy crush, the usual suspects. I had already packed our bags and they were in the car because we had already done a trip to the hospital for false labor... That night I tried to sleep which I failed at, and into the next morning we made sure dishes were done, the house was picked up and the baby stuff was ready for when we came home. I was supposed to go into the hospital to induce labor at 9pm Sunday Dec 9th... All day was a blur, we were way too excited to get going. We met my parents in Middletown (where the hospital was) at applebees for my last meal before having a baby... Since I only craved Applebee's spicy cheese and BBQ that is where we went! My parents got a room in town so they would be close by when the baby was ready...

I was so silly, I thought I would be induced at 9pm and have the baby by about noon the next day... WRONG! By about 10 am the next day nothing was happening,(I was having contractions, they were hurting but not dilating much) so they tried something different... Later that afternoon I was getting my epidural and they broke my water... That evening my epidural was wearing off and I my friends was still stuck at about 3.5-4cm(where I had been since before 10am).... by 7pm(Still stuck at 4cm) on the Dec 10th I was begging for a c-section which they ended up giving me! She was delivered at 9:16PM (Just over 24 hours) So finally me all doped up, barely seeing my baby (they wont let your hold the baby til you're all sewn back up) and only knowing the baby was a girl (we waited til she came to find out) I got to hold my baby at around 11pm on Dec 10th.....

I was so blessed to have family there... That night Nora Jane Steele got to meet her Aunts Courtney & Jessica, Nana & Papa Crabtree, Great Grandpa Jones, and Uncle Ryan! The very next day she seen even more family(Aunt Bree, Sissy and Pops) and the next few weeks she was meeting most of her family(Grandma Barbara and Auntie Erika got to fly in and then Cousin Ali)...She still has a few uncles to meet, a grandpa and a couple great grandparents that she hasn't met yet....

I am so excited to see where the rest of her life will take us.... I still wish time would stop and let me hold her a bit longer but I am just so very blessed to spend what time we do have, together....

Living Life on the Fly!

OK! I understand I have neglected my readers! I hope you haven't given up on me yet:) I have been pretty busy! We got moved in and unpacked! I love our apartment by the way!!! and After we moved in we have had visitors galore! My mother in law, sister in law and beautiful nieces came for a week- we had an awesome Halloween party (even though I was so sick)! Nora went trick or treating for the first time! She went as a monster which was so cute... I am so happy my best friend and one of her beautiful daughters were there with us!

I have done so many projects since we've moved in and I haven't really documented them... but I made trick or treat bags, a trick or treat cake, crock pot cheesy potato soup which was ok... home made honey french bread which was amazing! I also have about a million things to start for christmas.... which I wont be able to post until after christmas but I will set them up on here to post after the fact because some are going to be pretty cool (I hope)!

Update on nora... well besides being the most beautiful girl in the world and so incredibly smart-she is 11 months old (I don't know what happened the last time I checked she was 6 months) she is still speed crawling but getting more adventurous and has taken a few steps but not quite there with walking.... she now has two teeth (she was late with the teeth) and has the vocabulary of : Mom, Dad, Nana (my mom), Papa (my dad), bob bob(my grandpa lol), yeah, no (not as often as I would think), something that sounds like "thank you" when you hand her something-  & blah blah when she is tired :) Also sometimes it sounds like she says "done" when she is finished eating but I'm not sure if its a coincidence or if she means it...

Upcoming Events:

Nora's First thanksgiving
BLACK FRIDAY (I missed last year because I was so big preggo)
Nora's first birthday
Festival of Lights at the zoo (Fingers crossed it wont be too cold for Nora, if it is- Fingers crossed my mom will keep her so James and I can go)
Nora's second Christmas but really the first one that she will get to enjoy since she was 2 weeks last year! it didn't count!!

in between all that I have all my Christmas projects to get on!


Lets get the Holidays started!!! I'M STOKED!

The big changes...

So, the big news is we are moving yet again.... The husband got a fabulous job that we can't pass on!!! The move will be October 14!!! So soon, I know.....

So the pros:                                                                              Cons:

1. Amazing job for James.                                                         1. Selling our first home

2. Closer to family and my BFF.                                                  2. Having to live in an apartment

3. Better pay, vacation time & benefits.                                       3. Freedom of owning a home

4. Not having to pay if major things in home breaks.                    4. Smaller space

5. Not having to take care of lawn(we both hate to mow).            5. Costs a little more to rent

6. Taking only what we use is reducing clutter.                             6. No basement

7. We will have a larger living room.                                               7. Farther from an airport

8. Larger bedrooms and an extra bathroom

9. Possibly a garage

10. Larger closets!!!

These were the first things that came to mind... Good thing the pro list is longer!! We have decided to

Rent for a few years until his schooling is done to make sure that is where we will stay! Selling a house is so stressful and the up keep on a house would be difficult raising a family and James working and doing schooling, so I think it would be best for us to rent for a while...

So anyway the next few weeks will be a little nuts as we drive back and fourth moving things and trying to find a place... I will keep you updated an another pro and conn list will come out while I try to figure out what apartment to get out of the two we look at this Saturday!!!!

Big Changes coming soon....I think:)

Ok so this is just a tease post... NO DETAILS yet... but just know that I have not forgotten my blog!! There will be some big changes in the near future... We hope... Nothing definite yet that is why I'm not sharing details... however I will tell you what I have been up to recently... Operation Declutter the home... I mean a total clean sweep!!!

I have gone through and touched almost everything we own and have purged the majority.. I'm starting to feel better... now I just need to get the things we don't need out of the house! It has been a little crazy and the house may be a little upside down but at least we are going in the right direction... there were things I have had for years, Moved to so many different apartments, houses and states that we haven't used... Just taking up space everywhere we go and making my basement here a hot mess!

I am hoping to be able to post this coming Friday all the new and exciting details that is our crazy life! Just know we are very excited to see what the future holds for our family!

Challenge for my readers.....
Grab a grocery bag, I know you all have one laying around... and go through and fill it up with things you honestly haven't used in a while and THROW IT AWAY... you will feel so much better seeing just one bag go away!

Words to live by

So,this could not have come at a better time! Just as I was getting frustrated by Nora's teething and her needing to cling to me all night long,I read this! I thought, this wont last...I better get all the night time cuddles I can because before I know it she will be a teenager who won't want to snuggle her mommy & I will be the one begging for hugs and kisses! 

Then I thought when was the last time I snuggled with my parents and how they must feel seeing my sisters and me grow up- I look back and realize my childhood FLEW by so to them it must have been a blink of an eye! So please if you still have your parents next time you see them pop in a movie and snuggle on the couch! You will create a new memory and your parents will love it!

Thinking of those who have passed...

So today would have been my mama crabtree's 75 birthday... She passed away in 2008 a year after my papa crabtree almost to the day... There has not been one day that has gone by that I haven't thought of them and some days are better than others. I have a picture of them on my fridge so that I see them every morning when I wake up. Their love for each other and family is what I try to model my own life after. They were two of the best people to have roam this earth and I know that they are watching down on me. I look at my daughter and I feel sadness because she had never had the opportunity to know them. I think of what they would say when she does certain things and they would have just kissed her face off by now!

I want everyone to take time and remember your loved ones who have passed and try to find a happy moment and enjoy that today, share it with someone!

Too much fun and I'm so Lame...

So, for those of you that follow me I apologize that I have not been posting all summer... I have been one BUSY mommy! with a baby who is needing to play all day and cuddle all evening I rarely have time to do laundry let alone blog... however I am working on a few things to get me back into the swing of things. I have been sewing like crazy, I've made a taggie blanket, a few tote bags, a couple baby blankets and have started coming up with some cute crafts to do with all the baby food jars I have started to accumulate! Think Spice rack!! I also have a really long list of recipes to try and I have tried so many over the summer but didn't think they were blog worthy....

As for life outside the pinterest world we have been to the Zoo a few times and we have been on family over load all summer which to me beats anything! in two weeks Nora will be on her way to Cleveland, OH for the first time with me and my mom "Nana"....and since June we have seen so much family and Nora has met so many new friends and family! We have been to one birthday party and another one soon for my babies Remi and Brett... they are growing up way too fast by the way Jess (I know you're reading this).....

We got another niece this summer, Josephine Ivy "Jojo Bee" is what I am calling her! she is so beautiful and looks alot like her older sister Ali bug.... Both so pretty! Nora enjoyed playing with them!!

This summer James and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary (Aug 6 is our anniversary) and Nora stayed the night with my parents "nana & papa" without mommy and daddy.... she loved it, they loved it, mommy and daddy not so much! Who knew you could miss someone who cries, poops and spits up on you so much!

My sister Courtney got engaged to her high school sweetheart this summer, they have been dating since 2005! They have set their date for October 4,2014 and I am the matron of honor & our little Nora is flower girl! we are so very excited!!!

I think that recap was pretty good.... so much to do for fall so I will be posting that along with some updates on the house I think, and the first annual Steele Kid Halloween party will be this fall! Lots of fun things to do and make....

I hope everyone else had a wonderful summer and I hope it was as full as ours!

Summer is here

Well the heat of summer has arrived and I am not excited.... As a child I loved summertime, the softball season started and school ended. Who didn't love summer as a child? However,as an adult I have realized summer in the Midwest is only a time of year in which you sweat miserably just walking to your car or to get the mail. Let me just say I am beyond excited about the season to come,fall. Who doesn't love fall? It is beautiful out with leaves changing color, air cool and crisp,beautiful colors of deep reds,oranges,browns and yellow associated with fall...pumpkin in everything, apple cider,hot chocolate,fires in the backyard....it's the most amazing season really.... So we all just need to get through summer best we can in order to get to fall:)

Pizza pizza

Ok so I know I changed up the way the blog was going but I had to share... Flatouts pizza so yummy and the crust only 100 calories!!!!!

Our yummy meat lovers pizzas.... Heat oven to 425.... Cook for about 9 minutes

The best pizza crust ever!!!!! Thanks for the idea mom.....

Rainy Days....

So of course it has been rainy the last few days and I don't like to get the baby out when its rainy so we haven't explored much... I have however spent some time with one of my sisters which is always fun and my husband and I have been spending more time together in the evenings... we compete against each other in Jeopardy every night which is a blast and I have also made a "monthly meal plan" and have actually stuck to it for 4 days, (3 days longer than ever before).... I know its not much but these things have made me incredibly happy.

This weekend is going to be an amazing weekend rain or shine, it is my husband's first father's day... We are going to head to Indiana to see my daddy Saturday and then we will be home for James' fathers day.... He won't get on here before the weekend so I can say my plans... It would be wonderful if Nora would go along with the plans and sleep until 7.... but we shall see, anyway, I want to get up and make James a nice breakfast and then take him to dinner at Ocharley's.... in between just spend time together here at the house, if weather is nice then we can go to one of the 50 metro parks in the area and enjoy the day as a family....

I am just so excited for him to have his first father's day, he really has been an amazing father... Seeing him and Nora together is one of the best things in the world. He plays with her and she just adores him!

James and Nora at the hospital 

My daddy holding me as a tiny baby

My dad holding his first granddaughter (nora)

I hope everyone has a wonderful fathers day weekend and i can't wait to tell you all how ours goes! Enoy

Live Simply, Simply Live

A*Leigh!

Blog Overhaul...

So I know I haven't been on here but honestly I got burned out on recipes and such for the blog it felt more of a burden than something fun to do.... I would get so upset if I had not done something for the blog... so Here is the end of the "living the DIY life" and the beginning of "simply live"...

I have recently reevaluated life and taken a step back to really take a look at what is going on in my life... I have once again got my priorities back in line... While it would be great to have a picture perfect clean home, create lavish meals and craft looking similar to that of hobby lobby art however, I have realized that happiness, messy home and all is so much more enjoyable. I have gotten back to my faith by devoting a little more time to God and thanking him more for all the wonderful things in my life... My wonderful daughter, amazing husband, awesome family and friends....I can't even start to think of that magazine home, cooking like chef anne, or crafting like martha until I have bettered myself. I need to make sure I am happy in order to enjoy life to its fullest... I need to live life a little more and enjoy everything God gives me. I need to set good examples for my beautiful daughter by getting myself healthy, I have a lot of extra pounds to lose and I hope to get fit in the next two years before she can really remember, I don't want her to have memories of me being lazy, unfit eating junk food.... I am going to start enjoying and living a more simplistic life. I will be doing a few things for myself to make myself more happy like writing I have always loved to write and do more photography. I want to start enjoying the city in which we live and try to have some kind of experience every day... Even if it is something small like walking into a new store or meeting a new person.

I think back to the happiest most loving people I have ever known, my grandparents. Papa was a preacher and mama was a housewife-they didn't have much in the bank but man they were rich with love and they would give you the clothes off their backs if you would have asked.

Honestly money just causes problems... just live simply....

So the new blog is Simply Live... a constant reminder to myself to live and enjoy life to its fullest.... you may get a random life update, something we have done, an occasional recipe or craft but this blog is going to be my story... my tell all if you will... Since it will be my life, raw, it will get personal and things will be real... most important I will be happy and celebrating the days God gives me...


Live Simply, Simply Live.....
A*Leigh

May....

So far this month has been BUSY.... every weekend we have either had company or have gone somewhere to visit, with that being said we have had a heck of time here at the house too.... James's work car broke down so we got that fixed, then our AC went out and had that fixed (that was just the first week of May while we had company) It started to get "nicer" outside which means all of our allergies started to kick in full swing, then I realized we had to do something in the front yard so we have been working on that *Pictures to come soon I hope! also realized that we had too much stuff laying around so i have been working like crazy to get yard sale things together... *pictures of an organized home to come one day as well.... we have rearranged the living room once again and Nora also had her first trip to the zoo...plus my first Mother's day!!! On top of all that I've still managed to keep up on house work and fixing food but I have not taken pictures to blog any new recipes this month at all....

So Sorry to have abandoned you for so long.... Reality just smacked us in the face! With a teething child at the end of the day I am just ready for bed, not blogging! But more to come soon!

Nora Jane Teething now and getting TOO big!!

These are from our zoo trip....

Love her to pieces

A big real version of her favorite teether sophie

so sweet having a great time at the zoo...

My cousin is in a photo contest!

Hey everyone my cousin is in a photo contest and could use some votes, it is on Facebook so If you wouldn't mind going to this link:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1741441709328086&set=a.1740358919436365.1073741831.1699228420216082&type=1&theater

It would be greatly appreciated...  here is the picture by the way...

you can visit her tumblr at http://thecaphotography.tumblr.com/

also her website...http://www.thecaphotography.com/ and if you are in the Baltimore MD, Washington DC, or Huntington WV area look her up for your family, maternity, wedding, newborn or senior pictures!!!

PB Cheerio treats

You will need:

1cup Corn syrup

1cup sugar

1cup Peanut butter

1Tbsp vanilla

5cups cheerios

In a sauce pan add corn syrup and sugar... stir heat on high til smooth bring to boil for a minute

In the mean time get your other ingredients ready

add peanut butter stir until smooth turn heat to low

add in cheerios... I recommend to add little by little to coat them all and you may have to scoop some out before you finish adding all the cheerios

Spoon out onto wax paper into "treat"size blobs, let cool on counter for an hour or so and then there you go fast easy and yummy treats! 

Jalapeno snacks

You will need Jalapenos, cream cheese, ranch season and bacon

First mix ranch season and cream cheese... I used a whole pack of ranch season for one block of cream cheese... DO NOT DO THAT.... way too salty use a 1/4 the pack taste and if you think it needs more add a little more... 

cut the jalapenos in half and get the seeds out... 

Cut bacon strips into thirds

Fill each half with cream cheese mix...

wrap with bacon

Cook on 350 for about 15 -20 minutes or until bacon is cooked.... 

I've made these before and they have turned out great... I don't know what I was thinking adding so much ranch season but this batch turned out bad.. James also likes the ready bacon instead of the real stuff because it always turns out more crispy, its hard to get this bacon crispy when wrapped around a pepper...

Side Dishes....

First up No peek Popovers....

You'll need:

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Mix all together, spoon into muffin tin

Place in a cold oven, then heat to 400 bake 30 minutes... remember DON'T peek...

Here we go... seeing them for the first time... 

NEXT Sassy Green beans!

You'll need:

Can of green beans

I used about 3 Tbsp of onion soup mix

1 Tbsp olive oil

Mix all contents of green bean can *do not drain the water*

Mix in onion soup mix and oil

 Heat on med. until warm 

Apple glazed meatballs....

You will need Meatballs ( I used frozen) and make them like package says...

for the apple glaze you'll need:

1 cup apple juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

and some chopped green onions to top

For the glaze place all ingredients except onion in a sauce pan and cook to a boil, let boil 1 minute and then stir in cooked meatballs add green onions as garnish

we made sandwiches... So good!!!

Baby Diaper Gifts....

For the 3 things I am making here you will need a bag of diapers, pipe cleaners, ribbon, rubber bands, a onsie, another article of clothing, a hat, wash cloth and plastic cup....

First up the diaper butterfly... would have been cuter if I would have had plain white diapers but I didn't.... what you do is you put a rubber band around the center of the diaper and spread the ends out to look similar to wings, then place a rolled wash cloth in the center and tie with pipe cleaner

Then I wrapped another pipe cleaner around to give a more 'pretty" look and there you have a butterfly :) Would be perfect for decorations at a baby shower

The second item is a diaper baby.... I rolled up and banded 5 diapers and I put a travel size baby wash in the center for support.... 

Here is how it should look....

Then I put a baby hat over the diapers and I secured it with a piece of mesh

Then I decorated the top of the "head" with pipe cleaners to look like cute colorful hair

Then I picked out my onsie for the body of the baby

I rolled and banded four diapers to make legs and arms and then I just placed more diapers in the onsie to fill out the body.... 

Third item is a "sunday" Roll up an article of clothing or blanket into a cup and stick a pipe cleaner in to look like a straw.... easy ideas...

Here are the finished products... fun to make and very easy! great gift ideas or shower decorations that mommy to be can take home 

Pudding Pops

You will need pudding of your choice and some sort of Popsicle maker 

make Pudding as directed

Pour into pop molds and freeze... then enjoy!!!

You can basically make a Popsicle out of anything 

Strawberry cheesecake bites

These are so great!

You will need cheesecake ( again I went the lazy route and bought the ready made), you'll need strawberries and graham crackers...

Cut the center out of the strawberries 

Fill with cheesecake mix

Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top and there you have bite sized strawberry cheesecake! SO GOOD

Enjoy!