Thank You

My father-in-law showed this video to me today, and I thought I'd share it with all of you as well. It captures the very raw and real emotions of those who patiently wait for their loved ones to return home from war.

Thank you, brave servicemen, for your commitment & sacrifice. Thank you for your dedication to this great country, and for your unwavering faith in our flag. Thank you for defending our freedoms, honoring our Constitution, and pledging your lives for America & all that she stands for.

I am proud to be a soldiers wife. I am proud that we are a military family. And I am so very, very proud that my husband serves this nation that we love so dearly. Exercise your freedoms...speak out for what you believe in!! Men & women fight every single day so that you are able to do so.

Happy Memorial Day from our family to yours! Now go out and hug a soldier :)

Remember...

Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Week of Firsts!!

Miss E has hit some incredible milestones this week! We're having so much fun watching her learn new things, and get bolder in her endeavors. She was still pretty much content to just sit and watch the world around her when we headed back to Texas...not so anymore!! She's into everything, and it cracks me up!

Here are some of the things that she's learned this week:

May 21st ~ First Word "Dada"

She said it during the day while she was babbling, but later that night she said it more clearly while looking at Daddy's picture! She also says "buh-buh" (bye-bye) and attempts to wave. Pretty cute!!

May 22 ~ Learned to Clap!

She does it ALL the time now :)

May 23 ~ Learned to go to sitting position from her belly.

This is how we usually find her now...sorry for the poor iPhone quality!

May 25 ~ Stands Without Our Help

(Though, as you can see, I can't quite take my hands away yet!!)

May 26 ~ Crawls Backwards (still hasn't mastered frontwards yet!)

She's been scooting backwards for some time now, but she's finally up on all fours...she's just moving the wrong way. Ha!

I can't wait to see what she does next week...we're likely to have a walker on our hands by then! Well, maybe not quite yet, but soon I tell ya!! And it's already getting harder to keep up with her...wonder what it's going to be like in a few months. Oh my gosh, it makes me tired just thinking about it :)

Goin' to the Chapel!!

The reason for our recent trip back to Texas was so that we could attend my older brother's wedding. His fiance', Jessi, chose a gorgeous outdoor venue on a ranch, and handmade almost all of the decorations....and you know how much I like handmade!! The bridesmaids wore summery white dresses with pretty green sashes, and the tables were lined w/ burlap runners & adorned with huge bouquets of white flowers in mason jar vases. The bride and groom were married next to a still pond, in front of a beautiful white alter that my brother made. It was so touching to see their love for each other, and to witness their vows. I am incredibly happy for them, and so very glad that I was able to attend.

Casey & I at the Rehearsal Dinner

My family: Michael, Me, Casey, Amy & Dad

Alter that Casey built

Our entire family w/ the groom :)

Reciting the vows

The Ceremony

Bride & Groom

First Dance

And they lived happily ever after.....

Recipe Hop ~ Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ever done a Recipe Hop? Me neither! But, I thought it would be fun to browse some blogs...and we'll get some great recipes out of it too :) Hop on over HERE and see how to participate. You'll be entered to win a fun prize as well, as if all the delicious recipes weren't enough! So, on to one of my most favorite "go to" recipes (it tastes so good, you'll never believe that it's pretty good for you, too!)...

Chicken Tortilla Soup

You'll need:

1 tsp Olive Oil

2 cups Cooked & Shredded Chicken

1 cup Chopped Onion

2 Garlic Cloves (minced)

1 Tbsp Seeded and Chopped Jalapenos

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Chili Powder (I sometimes use more)

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 box of Low Sodium Chicken Broth (or 2x 14 1/4 oz cans)

1 cup Frozen Kernel Corn

1 can 98% Fat Free Condensed Tomato Soup

1/4 cup Dry White Wine (or one can of water)

1 can of Rotel (I use medium or hot)

Tortilla Chips & Shredded Cheese for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or a dutch oven. Add onion & garlic and saute for 2 min (or until soft). Add chicken, and then stir in all other ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for about 45 minutes.

Fill bowls w/ tortilla chips and ladle the hot soup on top. Garnish w/ cheese and enjoy!!

Whirlwind of Fun!

What a trip! Literally :) Elli & I had a great time in Texas visiting friends & family, soaking up the sun, and eating plenty of Mexican food (well, I did that...not so much Elli!).

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

Landry & Elli chillin' before the wedding! Elli is digging for a tooth (which she has yet to find!).

Papa & E dancing at Casey's wedding. Notice Elli is in her jammies...it was a late night :)

Grandma Donna, Grandad Mike & Miss E

Grandma Donna & Elli LOVING the Carousel!

Checking out Lucky Dog!

With Uncle Trav & Aunt Stephie on the Forest Park Miniature Train

Nana, Elli & I on the Train

Meeting her Great-Great Aunt Lee

Elli Hearts Scout :)

E & Grandaddy Mike...looking for that Scout doggie!

Meeting Emme & Whitney for the first time. Don't you love how they are all looking at the camera!! Ha!

Hello from Tejas!!

Hey friends! Well, we made it to Texas!! I was shocked by how well Miss E did, she was a trooper :) We stopped in Louisiana on the way here, and had a our first "girls night" in a hotel. To all of you single moms out there...wow!! You guys rock! It's tough getting all that baby gear (not to mention the baby herself!) into a hotel by yourself. I looked like the bag lady when I checked in...you could barely see E under the mountain of stuff that I had piled on top of her stroller visor. It was insane, but fun at the same time! Definitely an adventure :)

My brother's wedding was beautiful. It was out in Corsicana, and we were a little afraid that we'd all be washed away in a flood before they even got married, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day (much to the bride's relief, I'm sure!). I'll post pics just as soon as I get back. Wait 'til you see my brother's face in them, oh my gosh is he happy!

Since we've been back, E & I have made sure to hit all the places in town that we long for back in Mississippi. Getting some Tex-Mex was one our first priorities, and it didn't disappoint :) She rode her first carousel yesterday, and it was just priceless! And we've discovered that she LOVES dogs. If I can ever figure out how to work the video thing on here, I'll post the clip that I took of her with my little brother's dog, Charli. SO funny!! At one point she looked up with me and literally had tears running down her cheeks because she was laughing so hard! I'm thinking we'll be dog owners before the year is up!! We're just soaking up our time with family now, as we only have a few more days here before we head back to MS.

Hope y'all are all having a great week :)