Show Us Your Life ~ Toddler Food

It's been awhile since I've participated in Kelly's "Show Us Your Life" blog linkup...but what better way to start back up than with food!!

Miss E is a little bit picky. By that I mean she usually eats pretty well, there are just days when she's not "feelin'" something in particular. Like chicken...sometimes she'll eat it, sometimes she won't. We usually have pretty good luck when we give her some ketchup to dip it in...she's just like her daddy, she thinks everything is better with ketchup!!

Breakfast...this is pretty standard (though she'd already eaten half of her fruit and toast). We go with fruit (usually strawberries, blueberries, or bananas), a 1/2 piece of toast (dry, most of the time), and some type of cereal (she loves oatmeal). On the weekends, or whenever I feel like cooking in the morning, we'll give her a plain waffle and let her dip it in syrup, or a biscuit with a little bit of jelly. She eats A LOT in the mornings...more than any other time of the day.

Lunch varies from day to day. Sometimes she'll have 1/2 of a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, sometimes just lunch meat & some cheese. She loves quesadillas, & ham/cheese/tortilla roll-ups. We do applesauce, ritz crackers, grapes, goldfish, or pretzels for her "side"...just depends on what we have and what she's in the mood for.

Snacks vary as well. Jello is a big hit, as are Nilla Wafers (mmm, yummy!). Goldfish and Multi-Grain Cheerios are easiest, and I like to put those in little containers that have the plastic "vent" type things on the top. You know the ones...they keep stuff from spilling out, but make it easy for toddler hands to reach in and grab a handful. We've done graham crackers, and I just got a box of Annie's Organic Bunny Grahams. Those suckers are tasty! Fruit always goes over well, and so does cheese. Basically, she likes what I like...makes it pretty easy!

This is a E's typical dinner. We like for her to try whatever it is that we're eating, and provide her with enough sides to keep her from being hungry if she doesn't like it. She's a big fan of tomatoes, and will eat just about any fruit that we put in front of her. Peas, broccoli and green beans are okay if they are mixed with something (like spaghetti sauce...or ketchup!). Asparagus is iffy, and zucchini & squash are no-go's. Basically, she's not a big fan of veggies. Sadly, I think she gets that from me! But I keep trying, and that's what counts right? Right?!

Hope you got some good ideas...and I'd love to hear some of y'alls! I'm not very good at branching out, so I'm totally open to suggestions! Oh, and be on the look-out for the recipe for the pasta dish above. It's one of my favorites, and is oh-so-easy! I'll be sharing that soon :)

Show Us Your Life....Master Bedrooms

YAY!! Show Us Your Life is back at Kelly's Korner, and this week it is all about Master Bedrooms!! Hop on over to her blog and take a look at all the other gorgeous bedrooms, and then add yours in as well :)

The thing that's great about our Master Bedroom is that if you had asked to see it a little over a year ago, you would have laughed!! To say it has merely changed is a HUGE understatement! While living in England we literally had NO furniture. Our bed was a mattress on the ground, and used those 3 drawer plastic bins as a dresser. No nightstands, no lamps, no bookcase. Nothing! Needless to say, when we got back to the States we had to do some major furniture shopping :)

Here is what our room looks like from the hallway...

And from the window side of the room...

Our dresser & book case, or the"family shrine" as Chris calls it :)

And looking towards the hall from my side of the bed...

One of my favorite pictures, painted by my sister-in-law. I'll be framing it soon, and hanging it by our bed. You can't see the details, but in the awnings, the steps, the door and the siding of the house are words like "honor, unity, covenant, respect & love". You see, that's what makes this painting so special. When Chris & I went through our required pre-marital counseling, our pastor drew us a pencil sketch of a house, and wrote words all over it that symbolized what our marriage "home" should look like over the years as it weathers the ups & downs of life. We loved it so much that we asked Stephanie to paint us a picture of her interpretation...and I think she did a fabulous job!

Show Us Your Life....Children's Names

I haven't done a "Show Us Your Life" in awhile, and I thought this was a great topic to jump back in on! I'm sure I've told most of you this story (I might have even blogged about it!), but I LOVE the way that I found/chose Elliana's name. So, if you've heard this one before...well, you might want to skip on down to the Boy Name part :)

Let me set the stage: I was totally depressed, and drowning my sorrows in a caramel frappacino @ Barnes & Noble. Chris and I were having issues getting pregnant, I was very unhappy with my OB, and it seemed that every single friend I had was already a mommy, or was expecting their first baby. I was in a sad place; a place that too many women seem to find themselves in! I don't know why I thought that surrounding myself with Baby Name books was going to make me feel better, but there I was...completely up to my eyeballs in just that. A few days earlier, a dear fried of mine had prayed with me about letting go of my NEED to get pregnant, and for the strength to trust God's plan. I was desperately clinging to her words, but still hoping that God's will, and my hearts desire, would someday be one and the same. So there I was, flipping through books and searching for that perfect name. The first book that I picked up just randomly opened to the "E's". And there it was, at the top of the page, the very first name that I saw...

ELLIANA : God Has Answered, or God's Answer

And I just knew. It was as easy as that. If we had a girl, her name would be Elliana. A few people weren't too thrilled with it at first, and some (Chris) thought it sounded too Italian/Spanish & fancy for a daughter of a Chris & an Amy. But in my heart, I knew it was perfect for our future daughter. And about a year later, our very own Elliana Grace was born!!

If we have another little girl, I really like the names: Kate, Caitlyn, Avery, or Claire, and I her middle name will be the same as mine...Danielle.

As far as boy names, Chris is as 4th generation "James" (James Christian), so if we ever have a little boy I think James will definitely make an appearance in his name somewhere, we just haven't decided on whether it will be the first or the middle. I LOVE the name Caden (Cade for short), and Jackson.

What do y'all think? Any unique favorites out there? A good friend of mine named her sweet little girl, Emmeline (Emme) Hart and I just LOVE how unique and pretty that is.

Things That Make You Happy

What makes you happy? REALLY, REALLY happy?

Here's a few things that are on my list...

~ My family

~ Traveling (This is us in Venice)

~ Christmas Cards...well, Christmas in general, really!

~ Spending time w/ friends...preferably while traveling at Christmastime!

This picture is of Wendy & I at the Christmas Market in Hamburg, Germany :)

Also:

Sundays ~ Church, Fellowship, & Lunch @ Cafe' on Main :)

Hot Chocolate on a cold day

A book that I just can't put down

A good lap dog

Swimming

Getting a card from an old friend

Anything crafty

Watching the birds in my backyard every morning

What about you? I'd love to hear about all the little things that make you smile :)

A Typical Duncan Day

Long story short, I was confused about the "Show Us Your Life" topic for today, and it turns out this is a week early :) Oops!! But, I thought I'd post it anyway...hope you enjoy!!

My day usually starts out with a smile from my sweet girl.

We then eat some breakfast,

and play for awhile.

Soon, it's nap-time.

Sometimes we make it to the crib, other times...

Most days, we'll eat lunch and then go for a little walk.

Then it's time for some Jump-A-Roo action!

I usually tackle some chores, too. Elli loves to help w/ the laundry!

Playing usually leads to another nap...

Of course we'll eat again, but then it's on to bathtime,

story time,

snuggle & prayer time, and then bedtime.

Elli is usually down by 7:30, so Chris & I get to enjoy a couple hours of time to ourselves in the evenings...that is, of course, when he's not studying :) And, Elli & I are pretty good about filling up our week w/ outings & friend visits too. We have Taco Tuesdays at the squadron each week, Bible Study on Thursdays, lunch w/ the ladies on Fridays, and I've been known to throw in a day of shopping here and there!! Elli is such a good little girl, and just sits back and enjoys wherever it is that I take her each day. I know I've said it a million times, but she truly brings so much joy to my life :)

And that's a day in the life of a Duncan!! Might not seem like much, but it's an absolute dream for me... & I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Show Us Your Life...Valentine's Edition!!

Well, it's Friday and everyone knows what that means!! Or, maybe you don't...hmmm, probably should have thought of a different opener! Anyway, it's "Show Us Your Life" day at Kelly's Korner, and today is all about your favorite Valentine's Day date or gift!!

Many of you may know this, but Valentine's Day marks the 14th Anniversary of my first date w/ my husband. Now I'd be lying if I said that the past 14 years have been smooth sailing! Wait, that sounded bad...let me start over. Fourteen years ago I was a freshman in High School and my hubs was a sophomore (he was the studly older guy!). Like *most* high-school relationships, we broke up & got back together about a bazillion times. We FINALLY got it together after college, and realized how much we truly loved each other, and decided to get married in 2006. But let's rewind back to that first date...let me set the scene...

I spent what seemed like forever getting "primped" for my very first date...ever! Oh the amount of hairspray I used was a sin! I remember meticulously looking through my closet for the perfect outfit, and you know what I chose? Jeans, a Nautica polo shirt, a braided brown leather belt, and loafers! Eek!! I cringe just thinking about it! Chris picked me up at my moms house donning flowers and a HUGE card. He was wearing pleated khaki pants, a button-up shirt, and lots 'o hair gel...I thought he was simply dreamy! We went to eat at On The Border & to see Mr. Holland's Opus...ummm, hello 90's!!

That date 14 years ago, with that super cute sophomore, is (and always will be) my favorite Valentine's Day ever. I still have the cheesy card, and the dried flowers from the bouquet that he brought me. Why? Because the moment I opened my front door, I knew that I loved that khaki pant wearing guy standing on my porch. Something in me changed, something ignited...as corny as that may sound. We were a FAR cry from the perfect couple back then, believe me! But still, through the many years of ups and downs, the way I felt about him never changed. He captured my heart that night, and he's held it ever since. I'm so happy to call him my husband, and my forever Valentine.

I thought I'd give you all a little blast from the past...hope you enjoy the pictures :)

Valentine's Day 2005

4 Days after Valentine's Day 2006

Valentine's Day 2008...in Vegas!!

Show Us Your Life...Shopping!!

Now this is a "Show Us Your Life" that I can really get into...SHOPPING!! If you don't know what "SUYL" is, then hop on over to Kelly's Korner to find out. I think you'll love her :) Anyway, back to the task at hand...picking out my favorite stores!!

For Children:

Etsy and a one of my favorite stores there is: Little House Tees

And, of course, Gymboree

And then there is Ella Bella of Southlake (though I can't afford it...no, not even one thing!)

Oh, and "Kid to Kid" Consignment in Arlington...it's like a wonderland in there!!

And in England I LOVED "Next Baby", "Matalans", and "Boots"

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE "The Carousel" in downtown Columbus, and the "Reeds" childrens department...super cute!!

For Women:

The Loft

Zappos for shoes

I'm learning to love Belk too, since we're in Mississippi :)

James Avery for jewelry

Hmm, I'm drawing a blank!! Can you tell that my shopping interests have shifted from myself to my daughter??!! Such is mommy-hood I guess :)

For The Home:

Of course, I love Pottery Barn, & Williams Sonoma; however, I frequent them a lot less often now that we're buying formula & diapers instead of housewares & knives!!

I'm a BIG fan of Target, and I can't ever get out of that place w/o dropping at least $50...it's like a time warp in there! Good thing that the closest one is an hour away!

I've recently discovered my love of all things Hobby Lobby, too! And, the best thing is, if you click in the link you can print out a 40% off coupon.

Apple Annies in Hurst

Sample House in Southlake

And almost ANY booth in Canton on First Monday!!

I hope this list makes it easy to browse some of my favorite stores!! I'd love to hear about some of yours!!