From Marriage to Motherhood

Bidding Farewell To Blogging

2014-07-23T22:03:00.000-04:00

Hey All!

As you've noticed, there hasn't been much writing/posting going on here for the past year and a half. There was a time when I made blogging a priority, but those times are no more.

I'm bidding farewell to tending to this tiny space on the web.

I'm going to leave my blog up until Monday, to give you some time to grab some recipes, pin some things if you'd like, revisit any DIY stuff that I've done, etc. After Monday, I'll be setting this blog to "private" just for the sake of not wanting to keep my personal photos/information open on the internet, and as to also keep my content privately online until I can create a special keepsake for my girls by turning my blog into a book. I feel like I'm giving them something they will cherish oh so much when they are older, for this blog has 7 years of content that recounts their Mommy and Daddy's engagement, all of the planning that I did for our wedding, tales of our honeymoon, the excitement of building our first home, my pregnancy announcements, my transition into motherhood, stories of our life as a growing family, highlights of our travel adventures...and everything in-between.

While I may be unplugging from blogging, I'm on Instagram. If you're on Instagram too, then this really isn't a goodbye! Hop on over and find me under: jessicaatl. My account is private; send me a request and I will add you :) If you already follow me, than you may have seen the latest news: We sold our home and signed the contract on our new one...last week, on the same day! Aside from engaging in a bidding war {that we are so happy to have won!}, the process is going smooth and things are perfectly moving right along. Help us pray it continues to stay that way! We are set to close in August.

I know that some of you have been around since the very early years of this blog. Some of you may have just found it. To all of you....thank you for coming to my home on the web. I hope it's been an inviting space for you to visit. This surely has been a great place to pour my heart into over the years.

Jessica

First Family Vacation of the Summer!

2014-05-29T12:31:00.002-04:00

This blog of mine has definitely been on the back burner. The way, way, way back burner. I've simply been immersed in my girls and all that every day life entails.

Can I just say....I LOVE HAVING TWO KIDS!! I love seeing my girls, those two sisters, interact everyday and be so enamored with each other! I am SO blessed to have them. In case you're wondering....we're capping at two ;)

I wanted to come back to at least post about our first family vacation of the summer, since this blog - for me - highlights much of our family happenings throughout the years. Luisa hasn't made much of an appearance on here so these current pictures will allow you to see just how fast our little baby is growing! 8 months old already!

The week after Ilah got out of school, we headed to Naples, Florida for an amazing family vacation......

Both girls are great little travelers and did awesome on the plane! I packed a large ziplock bag of things to keep Ilah occupied, but do you know what happened? BOTH of the girls SLEPT the whole way! We had to wake them up when we landed.

Oh ocean. How I've missed you. It felt so great to be reunited!....

When looking for where to spend our first family vacation of the summer, at the top of the list was that we had to get to a beach! A NICE BEACH. And I wanted a true getaway. I wanted a fabulous resort that catered to both adults and children, and provided a list of great amenities. I wanted to be in a place that felt we were a world away, but wasn't too long of a plane ride away. I'm always on the hunt for a deal...to amazing places. And once again, I scored. As you'll see in the pictures, this truly was a wonderful vacation!

We were greeted with champagne upon check-in, dropped our luggage in our room and then headed to lunch....

Am I the only one that loves REAL hand "towels" in a bathroom!?...

These two melt my heart!...

Luisa started workin' on her tan right away ; ) ....

Part of the vacation fun, is staying up late!....

Our resort had a private beach. It was SOOOOO NICE!!!!!!....

To get there, you take a boat about 10-15 minutes out. We saw two dolphins, and a manatee, on the way!....

When we returned to the resort, we grabbed lunch. Dele got the paella and said it was SO GOOD! I took his word for it, since I don't eat things that swim in the sea! Ha!....

Right after lunch, we hit up the lazy river! That was SO MUCH FUN!!! I thought it was just a little thing that went in a circle. But it kept going and going and going...and going. It prob took 20 minutes to go around it once. It was awesome! Full of waterfalls, dips, rapids....we LOVED it.....

After full, fun days, the girls slept like logs! We usually were up early in the mornings and got our day started around 7:30 a.m./8:00 a.m. which meant that we packed a lot into a day; it made our vacation feel long! Perfect!.....

One night we ate dinner outside of the hotel at an AMAZING restaurant I found, just 5-7 minutes away. Each bite was worth every penny!!! Oh my word. It was DELICIOUS!!!....

My new pretty bracelet....

We love our travels as a family of four!....

Look at that sweet face!.....

Ilah loves dogs. Here she is with the hotel mascot....

I have water babies! My girls LOVE being in the water!....

Here's a video of Ilah taking on the big slide at the pool! The first time she walked up the stairs to do it, she walked right back down! She quickly went from "No, no, no!!" to "Again, again, again!!"....

After spending probably half a day in the pool, we got out of the sun and got some ice-cream from the hotel's shop....

Speaking of the hotel....

They have a kids camp that you can put your kids in if you wanted to be "kid free". It was tempting {lol!} but we kept our littles with us. They have bicycle rentals, a rock wall, a fire pit for making s'mores, a putting green, hammocks, a ping pong table, a game room full of arcade games, and all sorts of on site games. There are three different pools, one is "adults only", then there's that private beach I mentioned {!}, free DVD rentals for your in-room DVD player {we rented one for Ilah}, a lot of on-site restaurants, a spa, a nail salon, various shops to buy clothing and jewelry....the list goes on. This place was just amazing!

We drove around one day and came across some BEAUTIFUL homes. If you can even call them "homes"?! And when situated right next to the water....wow!! I was trying to be happy for the people living in those homes instead of being jealous. Ha!....

The day rolled around for us to pack up our rental car and head to the airport to go home....

But not before stopping at the famous Royal Scoops Ice-Cream!!...

I think these two were the cutest passengers aboard our flight.....

Ilah earned her wings {!} and this plastic cup kept Luisa occupied during half of the flight! It really is the littlest of things that entertain kids!

We had the best time away!

We're all looking forward to our next family vacation in July to St. Simon's/Jekyll Island!

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On another note: I discovered that Twitter really isn't my thing, but have taken up Instagram and am starting to really get into it! My account is private; request a follow and I will add you! You can find me @jessicaatl

A Letter To My 4 Year Old

2014-01-30T21:11:00.003-05:00

Dear Ilah,

This month you turned 4! You are growing and changing – rapidly – right before my very eyes. And as you change, I change too – adjusting my parenting style with your ever changing ways. A few months before we bid farewell to your 3’s, you matured in what seemed like overnight. As your mom, I always see the best in you, as there is so much to love about you, but it seems we have finally turned a corner in your *ahem* “spirited” ways ; )

Ilah, you are a happy little girl. You are SO funny. You love to help mommy cook and clean. You are a morning person and wake up happy EVERY single day excited for what the day will bring. It amazes me.

You are so sweet. You love to share. You have great manners. You love going to restaurants…and you LOVE going on vacations! You are so smart and oh so entertaining! You love to paint. You love to sing and dance! Your favorite color is red. You love preschool! You love crafts. You also love to go shopping. Daddy is already preparing himself! Ha!

When you say your prayers at night, you include every single person you can think of. You love to be outside. You love playing with your friends. I think you truly believe you are a princess...and I mean, aren’t you? ; ) You say the funniest things and make me laugh EVERY single day! Sometimes you use the excuse that you’re still hungry to stretch your bedtime out!

You love playing on your iPad. You’re a whiz on that thing!! You are warm-blooded. You ALWAYS insist on taking off your pajama bottoms when you get in bed every night. Ha! Your teachers say that you are so mature for your age! You are also headstrong. And with as independent as you are outside of home, you stay tucked under me all day long when we are home together…following me around the house with every step I take.

Ilah, I try to pour the best of myself into you each and every day. I try to be conscious to teach you by example, and not just by telling you what to do. I feel that it’s important to give you my undivided attention and listen to you when you speak so that you know you are being heard - and so that you know that your feelings are important to me. I try to be the best “me” every day because you, my dear, imitate momma’s ways.

I often say to your dad that at just 4 years old, you won’t even remember all that I’m doing for you right now – the special lunches that I stay up late to make for you every night, the spontaneous outings I take you on, the special treats that I make sure to have for you when I pick you up from preschool, how I always make sure that we have paint in the house because I know how much you love it, how I bring home something special just for you when I return home from being out somewhere, how I go on ahead and bake cookies with you even though I’m tired, know it will be a total mess and take ten times as long then if I were to do them on my own…how I sent your daddy to your preschool two hours before your Christmas play started to ensure we got front row seats so you could see us beaming with pride as we watched you! And you may remember some of these special moments, and maybe you won’t. But I still do them because in the “now” – when your face lights up and you utter the words, “Thank you SO MUCH Momma!!!” in your precious 4 year old voice….my heart swells. It matters not that you know of the sacrifices that I make for you – it matters to me that you feel, and know, just how special you are!!!

Every day isn’t grand. Some days are hard, long and rough. But we get through them. And we focus on the good of the day when at night we ask each other, “What was the best part of your day?!” I started doing this with you when you were 2, and we still do it. It’s just our little thing and I cherish that time together before tucking you in for bed. I hope that in those minutes before closing your eyes to go to sleep at night that you feel IMMENSELY loved. Because no matter what kind of day we had – whether it was incredibly fun or whether we barely got through it – I’m in the next room missing you while you sleep.

Ilah, it is a joy to see you grow up and evolve into the person that God created you to be. I pray that we will always have as close of a bond as we do now, and that you and your sister will be the best of friends throughout your lives. You just ADORE her now and it just melts my heart to see what an AMAZING big sister you are. I had NO doubt.

Just as when you were a baby, I often just stare at you. And when I do, I see not only your beauty but I see a little girl who has big things on the inside of her. It’s amazing to think that God formed every part of you….and that He gave you to me.

Sometimes I think ahead to you no longer being my little girl – but a teenager…and then a grown woman. But my thoughts don’t stay there. I’m enjoying the now…soaking up this sweet stage, not wanting to get ahead of myself. Just as you are enjoying your childhood, I want to enjoy it too. There’s no do-overs. Your younger years only happen once.

Today I randomly asked you, “What makes you happy?” and you said, “Laughing!”…followed by “meatballs”. You crack me up Ilah!

Every day YOU make me happy!

I’ll love you forever and ever….and past forever.

Momma

3 Year Old Letter

2 Year Old Letter

Ilah is 1!

Our December!

2013-12-30T09:03:00.000-05:00

December has come to an end. It was a great, busy and fun-filled, month.....

Here's a bit of a recap highlighting some of the things we did!.....

I'm by no means a Starbucks addict, but in the spirit of the season, I felt like I should have a red cup in hand every now and then, so I indulged here and there. That mostly happened while strolling through Target. I love that my local store has a Starbucks inside!

I finally - FINALLY - purchased some new makeup for myself. I can't tell you how long overdue that was. I was "managing" with a compact that was dropped by my 3 year old; my foundation was in tiny bits and pieces but I refused to toss it. I used up every last remnant of my MAC studio fix foundation before buying a new one - along with some bronzing powder, blush, eye shadow, and lip gloss. Merry Christmas to me!

Literally right after returning from Savannah, where we spent Thanksgiving and welcomed in the Christmas holiday, I hung up this cute Christmas Countdown calendar {that I bought from Marshalls for $12.99}....

Ilah dived right into the fun of Christmas!.....

And I dived right into the fun of making her cute little Christmas theme lunches.....

We watched Christmas movies....

Ate sweet treats....

And Dele and I made time for date nights.

The girls saw Santa!....

And Ilah's days were filled with lots of fun.

And these two sisters couldn't wait to see each other every morning!....

We went to the Global Winter Wonderland in downtown....

I made cookies for the annual cookie grab for the staff at Ilah's preschool.....

And Ilah had her first Christmas program!

{Here she is talking up a storm to her sweet - tired - best friend at school, trying to keep her awake! Ha!}

I was in charge of a part of Ilah's class Christmas party and came up with these little treats....

Her very FIRST class Christmas party was so sentimental for me. It was such a fun day!....

And God bless her teachers, who work with 3 & 4 year olds all day! We contributed to the group gift by buying gift cards for the teachers to their favorite stores, but I also got them each a little something extra. They deserve it!...

Ilah brought home A LOT of fun & sweet December crafts and projects from preschool - and I've been collecting box tops for her school...

We did a lot of fun crafts at home too....

And I got ALL of my wrapping completely done 3 days before Christmas!.....

Of course Ilah's was hidden away until Christmas morning! ; )

On Christmas Eve, Ilah put out milk & cookies for Santa!....

And when she woke up on Christmas morning, she saw that he had come!....

I saw these cute felt bags at Michaels and bought each of the girls one for just $1.50 with a coupon!!!!.....

This year Ilah REALLY wanted "Skate & Spin Dora and Boots". And Santa "delivered" it to her in her special bag!....

I made breakfast Christmas morning, and after cleaning up and relaxing for a bit, started preparing Christmas dinner! I spent the entire day being so, so thankful for my little family!

One of Dele's best friends was in town over Christmas; we loved getting together with him and his girlfriend while they were here!....

A homemade, hot from the oven, apple crisp is always a request from the husband this time of year!....

And yesterday, we went to see the movie FROZEN! We Loved it!!!!.....

December also brought about spontaneous drives to go see Christmas lights. We read Christmas books, and Ilah told ME the story about Jesus' birth - and, well....that just about made me cry. Luisa started sleeping through the night! We spent many mornings snuggled in bed, and some evenings were spent with grandparents. I enjoyed a few nights out with my girlfriends, and Dele started a new job with an awesome company who sought him out. And while his advancement is wonderful, yes - I'm foremost, so proud to be the wife of a man who carries God on the inside of Him & that his light shines in such an undeniable way everywhere he goes.

Farewell December! I'm sure you will roll around again just as fast in 2014 as you did this year!

Oh How We Love Savannah!

2013-12-11T14:57:00.001-05:00

This recap comes a little late, but since I mostly use my blog to document our family happenings, I wanted to recount what we did this year for Thanksgiving. I also linked to a lot of the places we went to/things we did for those who plan on visiting Savannah some day and would love some recommendations!

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we went to Savannah and let me just tell you....we had THE BEST time. We were supposed to stay for 4 days/3 nights, but ended up staying an extra day/night because we just didn't want to leave yet! Visiting that charming city never gets old!

The morning that we were leaving, I checked the weather in Savannah. I was surprised to see how drastically it compared to the bleak weather that was hitting Atlanta!....

We were up and out and on the road by 8 am. Luisa slept the entire way to Savannah {4 hours!} - and after Ilah watched a movie in the car after initially leaving home, she passed out too. The car ride was smooth sailing...it was lovely!

I posted here, that this time around, we rented the second story of a beautiful home right in the heart of the historic district, that also happened to be in one of my favorite squares. Obviously, when traveling with children, you take a lot of "stuff" so it was GREAT to stay in a place that had the comforts of home.

When we got into town, we headed to the visitor center to pay for our 3 day parking pass....just to find out that since it was Thanksgiving, parking on the streets was FREE during the entire time we were there! Whoohoo! It was around lunchtime by then, so we headed to our FAVORITE hole-in-the-wall...Zunzi's!!! We never miss going there when we are in Savannah. Ever! In-fact, we had it TWICE while we were there! After our belly's were full, we dropped off our luggage and things, and vacation officially started! I think I ate my weight in pralines while we were there. Yep, lots of return visits to River Street Sweets!

Before having kids, Dele and I used to always have dinner at Vicks on the River when visiting Savannah {think quiet atmosphere, white fine line table cloths, an incredible view, lit candles & flowers on your table, a delicious dinner menu, piano music playing and a highly attentive wait staff}. Now cue our new reality...Ha!...

For dinner that night we grabbed a quick bite at Tequila's Town Mexican Restaurant - a quaint, relaxed {yet lively!} new spot where the staff is so, so friendly. Afterwards we stopped into Starbucks to get Ilah a hot chocolate before strolling home - and we also bought another one {and a pastry} for a homeless man that was outside. While still inside Starbucks, we let Ilah know why we bought the "extras" and asked if she {with us by her side of course} would like to give it to the man and say Happy Thanksgiving. Never one to be shy, Ilah was excited to do this sweet act of kindness and she was so precious in her "delivery" to the very thankful man.

The next day, we enjoyed Thanksgiving brunch at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. And OH MY WORD. It was 5 stars!!!!! Amazing I tell you. The best brunch that Dele & I have ever, ever, ever been to. We couldn't believe how many different things they were offering. Everything that you could think of was there for you to enjoy. I should have taken a picture...they had TWO large trees full of chocolate covered strawberries!!! I was trying to figure out how I was going to leave with one of them without the hotel staff noticing ; ) I wanted to eat just about everything in sight, but naturally your stomach can't hold that much food. I had one plate and was done. Wish I could have taken a to-go box ; ) We talked about that brunch for days!!!! The hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas and we saw all of the gingerbread houses that were on display for their Annual Gingerbread House Competition. {You can get to the Westin by boat - for free - from River Street, or you can drive over the bridge, where you'll have to pay to park}.

The next day, we went to The Savannah Children's Museum! Which wasn't really a "museum" per-say...more of a really cool outdoor play place for children. I nabbed a 50% off deal on Living Social before our trip....

The weather was about 60 degrees by the time we wrapped up at the museum, so we headed over to the famous Leopold's Ice-Cream shop. Although they are known to have invented the Tutti Fruity ice-cream, we all opted for Chocolate Chip. And I gotta say...it was THE BEST that I've ever had!....

Afterwards, we strolled down Broughton Street, where boutique shops - and some big name ones - are beckoning you to come inside from the sidewalk. Especially at Christmastime, I love strolling down Broughton just to look at the window displays!

That night, with taffy in hand, we went to The Festival of Lights - a "drive through in your car" experience where you see a ton of light displays! At the end, you park your car and there's a lot of stuff for the little ones...a petting zoo {Ilah even fed some of the animals!}, a train ride, a fire pit for making s'mores...and we got to see lots of monkeys VERY up close at a cute little outdoor show. Ilah had such a great time. This was our first night welcoming in Christmas!....

Sidenote: This little cutie started sleeping through the night while we were in Savannah. She was such a great little traveler. In fact, if it wasn't for actually seeing her, we wouldn't even know she was there!....

On day 4, as we were having lunch at Tondee's Tavern on E. Bay Street {Dele would recommend the beef ribs that are not on the menu - just ask for them!}, we decided to stay an extra night in Savannah. I got an amazing deal at the Hyatt right on W. Bay Street. We continued to take in the beautiful city by foot, walk through the gorgeous squares {here is the layout & some history on them}, and enjoy the rest of the day...

After we checked into the Hyatt, we booked a horse carriage ride with Carriage Tours of Savannah in City Market. Everytime we passed a horse, Ilah kept asking, with a lot of "pleases's" if she could go on one so Daddy granted his little girls wish : ) Dele and I have done about 3 or 4 horse carriage tours and we love them each time. This was also my first time wearing my Ergo carrier ; ) We passed the beautiful Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Juliette Gordon Lowe Birthplace {Founder of the Girl Scouts}, and the Owens Thomas House {those two are highly recommended to tour! If you only have time to go to one, go to the Owen's Thomas. house Rich in history!}.

When we checked into the Hyatt, we got upgraded to a river view room that couldn't have been any better for seeing the Savannah Harbor Festival of Lights Parade that night, followed by a firework show! We got to take it all in from the comfort of our hotel room - lights out - while eating burgers! {which I did while wearing the hotel's plush comfy robe!}.

Ilah LOVED Savannah!!!!!!.....

My absolute favorite street to stroll down is Jones Street. Southern Living Magazine called it the "Prettiest Street in America" and indeed it's lovely. It was just one block over from where we stayed. The last thing we did before departing Savannah was take a leisurely walk down Jones Street, which is just a few blocks from beautiful Forsyth Park.

All of the above photos were taken on our phones, but I did capture some photos on our actual camera that I plan to blow up and frame.

When we came home, I hit the ground running and Christmas got into full swing! We've been enjoying December to the fullest - hope you have to!

Thanksgiving Reflection

2013-11-26T10:54:00.002-05:00

This year, it appears that people are so eager for Christmas to get here! So much so, that it seems that some just want Thanksgiving to “hurry up and get here already so that it can be done with”. The poor turkey isn’t gettin’ much lovin’ this year.

For many reasons, Christmas is indeed a beautiful time of the year. And admittedly, I too, have been itching – for about a month – to get the Christmas decor out of the garage and dive into decorating our home. I swear I’ve heard the ornaments beckon me from their bins. But I’ve resisted decking the halls just yet. My Christmas shopping, however, is nearly all done. I aim to wrap up by the end of the summer. I love Christmas just as much as the next person – but the Christmas lines…the parking lot mayhem, the crowds/chaos in the stores…I just can’t. My nerves get shot.

For weeks now, my Facebook feed has been filled with posts of people talking about getting their first Peppermint Mocha of the “Christmas season” {even though it isn't even officially Christmas season yet}, and showcasing their trees that have already gone up. Yesterday morning I drove past a car that had reindeer antlers, and a red nose, on it. My next door neighbor put up their Christmas lights the day after Halloween; they went from pumpkins to wreaths in 0.5 seconds. This year, people seem to be getting a WAY early start. Not that that’s bad – people being excited about the impending Christmas holiday is a wonderful thing! It’s just surprised me how, this year, people can’t seem to wait – and they’re not! While, I too, have planned out the month of December in my head, I've refrained from bringing my plans to life just yet. I’m resisting the urge to mentally flip the month to December and have decided to keep with family tradition and put up our tree after Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow we are headed to Savannah, where we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, and then ushering in Christmas. In that order. And we’re excited to do both.

This Thanksgiving, with two beautiful girls to love, my heart is full. There’s so much to be immensely thankful for. God has been so good to us, as a family, in so many ways. His favor, His covering, His grace, His provision, His love towards us…it’s so evident. I don’t take God’s blessings for granted. I recognize the ways that He moves in our lives and I’m so very thankful.

This year God blessed us with a second baby…our heaven-sent Luisa. I’m thankful that, while although being incredibly sick throughout my pregnancy, I carried her without any complications. And we are so thankful that the initial scare we had with her after she was born, turned out to be nothing.

I’m so thankful that I can stay home with my girls. Some days are full of fun and ongoing laughter and endless hugs and sweet moments – and other days are challenging and I wonder how I’m going to survive! Ha! But time flies. My babies won’t be “babies” forever and so I’m conscious to savor these early years.

I'm thankful for this man. Man, am I thankful for him. For so, so, so many reasons. He loves me just as I am, without trying to change one thing about me - some days he likely wants to put me on mute though ; ) I'm thankful that out of all the women in the world that he could have chosen to be his wife, he chose me. I love how he loves me. There are so many things that I adore and admire about him. He is a wonderful friend (to me, and to others), an amazing provider, an incredible dad and a five star husband. I'm so thankful that God uses him to speak to me, add to me, challenge me, and grow me.

I'm thankful that Ilah took on her BIG SISTER role so effortlessly and just loves and adores Luisa. She is SO good with her. She dotes on her all day long without an ounce of jealousy. The other day I heard her tell Luisa, "You're going to be my best friend forever". My heart, and my eyes, swelled. That's my prayer for my girls...that they will always be this close.

I'm so thankful for Ilah's cute little self and all the ways in which she makes us laugh. She continues to blossom into an all-around amazing little girl and I am so, so proud to be her mommy.

I'm thankful that my mom's health is coming back to 100%. I'm thankful for quality friends. I'm thankful that I've been saved by grace. I'm thankful for what many of us perceive to be necessities, but what others view as a luxuries...like heat and running water and a washing machine. Having been to some third world countries, I don't take these things for granted. I'm thankful that Ilah loves her teachers and that her first experience with school has been so wonderful. I'm thankful that we're retreating to Savannah this Thanksgiving so that I can exhale in my favorite in the south! There's really so much to be thankful for.

Psalm 138:1

"I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart".

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

What We've Been Up To

2013-11-04T08:34:00.000-05:00

Aside from being sleep deprived, I’m relishing in this newborn stage – which is slowly, but surely {and sadly} coming to an end. With Luisa being a little over 6 weeks old, perhaps the newborn stage is already over and I’m just in denial? I’ll formally bit farewell to the newborn stage when we hit double digit week numbers {10 weeks and up} - it will help me savor these last few weeks before I have to put them in the past forever. Ahh, I just love the newborn stage.

I’m still finding my groove with two but I think I’m managing pretty well. There have been a few times when I’ve eaten chocolate in secret, while hiding in the closet {as to not have to share with my 3 year old} - but hey, whatever gets you through the day, right? I remember a friend telling me, “There will be a lot of times when both of your children will need/want something at the same time. You are only one person, which means…one of them will have to wait”. Seems obvious, but that was good for me to hear before Luisa was born. It’s allowed me to take things in stride.

So what have we been up to the past several weeks?

Luisa is growing, growing, growing....

And Ilah continues to be her fun, silly little self....

She LOVES to help me bake and cook {two things that I am back at, after a long hiatus!}.....

We did some crafts for Halloween....

And thankfully Ilah's preschool fall party was the week before Halloween and that we had some Halloween fun that weekend at a local fall festival...because our poor girl got sick. She was fighting a bad cold and an ear infection. She's on the mend now!

Best friends have lunched together....

And Ilah has been THE BEST big sister and has adjusted to having a sibling so, so well. I am IMMENSELY proud of her. Can you tell how much she loves her little sister?! Melts my heart....

And this little one....she is being doted on endlessly......

And the second floor of this Savannah charmer will be ours the week of Thanksgiving....

I can't wait to retreat to my favorite city in all the south - Savannah! I've always admired the large, historic homes while walking the streets of this enchanting city. This one is right in the heart of the Historic District in Monterey Square. So pretty inside & out. I negotiated a heck of a deal and booked it last week!!! Looking forward to our family getaway for Thanksgiving and ushering in Christmas while we're there!

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For snippets of what's happening on our end, follow me on Twitter @jessolowoyo

The Time That I Had Faith As Small as a Mustard Seed

2013-10-10T08:39:00.000-04:00

The day that Luisa was born, our pediatrician’s office routinely sent out one of their Doctors to evaluate their newborns. We were happy to hear that our new bundle of joy passed her hearing test and that her apgar scores were all high. I already felt like a proud momma.

On the second morning of being in the hospital, a different Doctor - from the same practice - came out to conduct the rest of the standard newborn screenings. Following her time spent with Luisa, she met with us to relay that everything checked out wonderfully. I was so grateful that our sweet Luisa was born healthy and perfect in every way.

And then that night, in the early evening, we got a call.

That same Doctor, who met with us that morning, phoned our room to relay something to us that she failed to mention when she came to visit us earlier in the day. As a precaution, she wanted Luisa to have an ultrasound done on a particular area of her back, where her birthmark was. Something appeared to be "ever so slightly" less than normal and having an ultrasound would allow a closer at the area in question...to rule out spinal cord tethering.

I heard those words and felt myself deflate.

I was so upset that this Doctor “forgot” to relay this to us when we met with her earlier, as I wanted answers to the thousands of questions that were already going through my head of something that my child may possibly - not yet certainly - have. And I wanted this conversation in person. The Doctor said that she was really hesitant to even go forward with the ordering of the ultrasound because she felt everything was fine, but she said that these days they are overly cautious with newborns. Her “optimistic guess” didn't make me feel any better.

Within thirty minutes of hanging up the phone, a nurse was in our room to wheel Luisa to the nursery where they would prep her to be taken to another wing of the hospital to get the ultrasound done on her. Everything was moving so fast.

My husband's family was visiting while all this was happening. I excused myself from the room, took my phone, walked down the hall...and fixated my eyes on my precious newborn who was inside of the nursery being put in an incubator for transportation. I called my mom crying. She calmed me down, lifted our sweet girl immediately up in prayer, and assured me that everything would be ok.

I wiped my eyes with my robe and exhaled. And I hoped that she was right. Dele found where I was sitting out in the hall and put his arms around me, while confidently telling me that everything would be just fine and echoing what the Doctor had said – “these days they are just overly cautious with newborns”.

I didn't understand how this could be happening – how anything would even need a closer look. All of the ultrasounds and tests that I had done while I was pregnant with Luisa, nothing showed that there could possibly be anything wrong with her spine – or any other part of her, for that matter.

It wasn’t long before my sweet newborn was returned to my room, and back into my arms. The ultrasound was done. I called every hour, on the hour, to see if they had received the results. As the hours continued to pass, it was obvious that we wouldn't know anything that night – that we would have to wait until morning.

I think I literally watched the sun rise that day. I was up most of the night. I knew that a new on-call Doctor from our pediatrician’s office would be coming to see Luisa that morning and I wanted to know the findings of the ultrasound. Finally she came in around 12 noon. She said that the ultrasound came back inconclusive. She relayed that newborn organs are so small, and that sometimes it’s hard to see anything on the screen as being normal, or abnormal, and told us that she would be ordering an MRI to have a closer look.

As if an ultrasound didn't cause me to worry enough, now we needed to have an MRI done.

The Doctor said that there wasn't cause for immediate alarm and that there was no need to keep Luisa in the hospital for further observation and not discharge her, so we packed up and checked out a few hours later, as originally planned.

Two days later we were at the Pediatrician’s office for Luisa’s newborn visit…this time seeing our Doctor. The Doctor who we love, who has been seeing Ilah since she was born.

After having a look at Luisa’s birthmark on her back, our Doctor felt confident that it was "nothing" and said that if her birthmark was located anywhere else on her back, other than along her spine, there wouldn't even be a reason to have a closer look. She said this is fairly common - the need to 100% rule out any spinal defects when they see an infant with a mark of any sort that aligns along the spine, and she agreed with other Doctor’s recommendation of having an MRI done. I understood them being overly cautious...and I was thankful that they were checking my baby out so closely and not missing a single, tiny thing...but my worry just wouldn't subside. She told me that Children’s Hospital of Atlanta would be calling me to set the MRI appointment within a few days. And she wasn't sure if Luisa would need to be sedated or not. Oh God, no. Please, no.

When our office visit concluded, the Doctor could tell Luisa was hungry and told me I could stay in the room and take however much time I needed to feed her. After the Doctor left, I laid my hands on my baby girl and prayed for her right then and there in the room. Pushing through my fear, I claimed that she was perfect and whole - from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.

I knew that I needed to replace my worry with faith. I knew that I needed to believe that this was just a precaution, and that everything would come back normal. But that “what if” was ringing so loud in my mind. I began to prepare myself for the worst case scenario, and went online to research spinal cord tethering and everything associated with it. I absolutely shouldn't have done it, but I couldn't help it. I knew that instead of turning to google, I needed to turn to the scriptures to find peace. But can I be honest? I was struggling with giving this to God. I afraid that He would fail me. I wanted to speak to this situation with authority and then immediately feel that all was well. I wanted to believe that God’s promises would prevail over my child. But my faith was weak. I wanted it to be as big as a mountain, but it was as small as a mustard seed.

Luke 17:6 "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you”.

This past Saturday was the day that we had Luisa’s MRI done. I was thankful that we would be going the route of a “wrap and bundle” rather than sedating her {a “wrap and bundle” is where you bring your baby in very tired and hungry, and then she is wrapped up in several warm swaddling blankets and you feed her right before she gets put inside of the MRI machine so that she is nice and full and tired, and hopefully stays still}. I was told there was a 50/50 chance of newborn MRI’s being a success. If they weren't able to successfully do it as a result of her moving, we would have to wait until she was about 6 months old, at which time they would sedate her. But I felt confident that Luisa would do well. I just knew it.

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted and everything went smoothly, without zero wait. We proceeded with the “wrap and bundle” procedure and were thankful that we could both be in the room with Luisa while she was inside of the MRI machine. There was nothing about this day that I wanted to remember so I didn't take one single picture. The entire process of obtaining images lasted about 45 minutes, and Luisa did AMAZING. We were told that the pictures came out great. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was SO thankful that we didn't have to prolong getting this MRI done at a later date.

I called my pediatrician’s office on Monday to see if they had received the results. I received a call back later in the day, after they had been reviewed. We were told that everything came back NORMAL! Praise God!

When we walked into Children’s Hospital for simply an MRI, I knew that many hopeful moms and dads walked through those same doors with their beautiful little babies at their side. We had a scare with Luisa, but thankfully nothing ended up being wrong. My heart goes out to those who routinely visit there for ongoing check-ups, longing for positive words spoken at their appointments, believing for good test results at every turn.

When I was younger, I saw that my mom was concerned about every little thing when it came to me. She told me that I wouldn't understand why until I became a mother myself. I've come to realize that no matter how young, or old, your “baby” is, you can’t go against your natural desire to always want the best for your child.

Every day I find myself staring at both of my girls. I savor every stage, as I know all too well how quickly time flies. God has blessed us with these two girls, who we just adore. We look forward to nothing but the best ahead.

Luisa's Birth Story

2013-10-04T21:23:00.003-04:00

I was somewhat surprised, but very happy, that our sweet Luisa didn’t come before her due date of September 19^th. While I had a planned c-section, all signs were beginning to point to “go time” a week before this date, and while I was prepared and couldn’t wait to meet our newest little girl, the “planner” in me was crossing my fingers that our sweet girl would stay comfortably put. And she did.

My c-section was scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 19^th. We needed to arrive 2 hours earlier, at 10 a.m. The timing was perfect, as it allowed us to drop Ilah off at preschool {she was picked up that day by my close friend, and spent the rest of the day/early evening having a fun-filled day with her son – Ilah’s little BFF!}. Right after we dropped Ilah off at school, I balled my eyes out. And couldn't stop. For an hour. I was overcome with various emotions.

We returned home to grab our hospital bags and the car seat. Before heading out, I quickly washed my face {it was utterly pointless to have done even a little bit of makeup that morning} and then I made a phone call to my mom when we got in the car…in which I cried some more. We were about to create a new chapter in our family book - and while exciting, I was processing it all in so many different ways.

I couldn't eat or drink anything past 12 midnight the night before, and I woke up terribly nauseous. And I couldn't take my meds. Just grand.

Dele prayed over me and the baby on the drive to the hospital. It was a sweet moment. Right after the “amen”…I vomited. I knew it was coming - and thank goodness I decided to grab a tupperware bowl on the way out the door.

We arrived at the hospital, had a smooth check-in, and moments later were shown to the room where the prep for my c-section would begin. In no time, I had the hospital gown on, was hooked up to monitors, was chatting it up with my wonderful nurse, was able to take something for the nausea, got hooked up to a leg compression machine {to help prevent blood clots}, and waited for the anesthesiologist to come in.

My husband was handed his surgery room attire and when he laid it out, I took a pic and sent it to my friends jokingly saying, “Well, looks like the second coming came…Dele’s been swept up, and I’ve been left behind. Just lovely”.

All this time later, I was still throwing up - even after getting the meds. And it was at this point that I couldn't decipher if it was my nerves that were getting the best of me, or if the nausea was hitting an all-time high. I could tell I was anxious. I kept looking up at the clock. Time was flying....

Moments later, in walked my Doctor, with his humorous self and it was just about “go time”.

I was trying to rid my mind of the angst I was feeling, but I couldn’t block it out and it was obvious even to the nurse that was assigned to be at my side in the operating room. When I started to cry, she told me to take some deep breaths and asked why I was so nervous. I didn’t have an answer for her. Because really, I myself didn’t have all my emotions figured out. She handed me a tissue that I continued to wipe my eyes with, and cling to, as I started being wheeled into the surgery room.

Before beginning, my Doctor noticed that my nurse was tending to my crying, anxious self and asked if I was ok. I said yes, just because that was the simplest response I could muster up. I started to vomit again. They waited a few moments to let me get past it, but eventually had to proceed…as I ended up continuing to vomit throughout the ENTIRE procedure.

While on the operating table, I remembered the familiarity of having been there once before – and was reacquainted with having the shakes kicks in from the anesthesia {I’m skipping over the part where I nearly lost my Christianity from all the internal cursing I was doing when I received my epidural prior to surgery. Wowza, the experience this time around was a doozy!}.

Dele was at my side, telling me I was doing great. All I was doing was laying there – it was the people on the other end of the blue curtain doing all the work {ha!}, but he saw that I was vomiting, crying, shaking, and he was offering up loving, encouraging words as he was rubbing my hand. Moments later, they tell Dele to get the camera ready because here she comes!!!....

Luisa Rielle Abiola was born at 12:32 pm, weighing 7 lbs, 9 oz – 19.5” long.

She was perfection.

Daddy and baby went to the recovery area where I joined them minutes later.

Dele was over the moon....

While I was pregnant, and even up until going through delivery, I was trying to predict what "that moment" would be like...the moment when I would see my second daughter for the first time.

And I can very happily tell you....

I am completely enamored with the second little miracle that God has blessed me with. Luisa made me feel like a mother for the first time all over again, as I experienced all the same emotional highs the second time around. Her birth, and entrance into our family, did something indescribable in me. My love for her just naturally seeps out and runs over. I can't get enough of her.

You know who else can't get enough of her? Big sister!....

Luisa, just hours old, meeting her big sister.

Ilah has responded to Luisa's arrival just as I thought she would - with sheer excitement. She always wants to be our little helper and responds to Luisa's every little coo. She lovingly, and genuinely, dotes on her with such great love and it's so endearing to see. Ilah is always giving her gentle hugs, sweet kisses, and tender head rubs. She sings her sweet lullabies and runs to her side when she's crying...saying, "Don't worry. Your big sister is here". The other night Ilah whispered to Luisa, "I'm so glad that you're here with us". My heart melted. I pray that my girls grow into an amazing relationship with each other.

Recovering from my c-section has gone nearly as exact as my first. The first few days are p-a-i-n-f-u-l but then things start to ease up. I was managing my pain pretty well so I opted to check out of the hospital a day early. While the hospital stay felt like a vacation in a sense {it truly did!}, I couldn't wait to get home to Ilah and settle in as a family of 4.

As to be expected, sleep with a newborn is sparse, but these early days are the best days. The newborn stage really only lasts for a handful of weeks and then the months start passing right on by.

I've been savoring the last 3 weeks, having Dele at my side 24/7. I'm so fortunate that he was home with me my last week of pregnancy and that he has been able to work from home for a few weeks following Luisa's birth {he has another full week home with us and then goes back to work}. I've loved having him by my side through the initial adjustment period of going from 1 to 2. And while he's appreciating this time also, he didn't accept my offer to quit his job and become my personal assistant ; )

Thank you all for your sweet words, and well wishes, throughout my pregnancy - and at the announcement of Luisa's arrival. It's been a joy sharing such special moments of my life with you!

Welcome to the World....

2013-09-24T20:48:00.000-04:00

Luisa Rielle Abiola

Born September 19, 2013

12:32 pm . 7 lbs, 9 ounces . 19.5" long

More pictures, and details to come!

Both mom and baby are doing well!

My Last Night Being a Mother To Just One

2013-09-18T15:45:00.004-04:00

Tonight will be my last night being a mother to just one child.

I'm prepared in the sense that the nursery is done, my hospital bag is packed, and there is a space in my heart that joyfully, and proudly, already belongs to this second little one.

But there are some things you just can't prepare for. No doubt, changes are on the horizon. What kind, and to what degree, remains to be seen. We are going from a family of 3 to 4. And with that, comes the uncertainty as to how we will balance the newness of it all. I know we will eventually slip into our grove just fine. For now, I just try to breathe easy and not allow the anxious thoughts to overwhelm me.

Last night I got emotional at the thought of Ilah no longer being my only child. I cried as I told my husband that ever since she came into our life, I have poured my all into just her. And now, my attention will need to be divided…my time will need to be shared. My love will need to pour over into another little one, who I need to make certain will feel no less special than her sister.

There’s just something about your first born that just captures your heart in such a profound way.

I've tried to block out the thoughts that I know sometimes also crosses the minds of other mothers who are having a second child. Questions of: "Will I love this one as much as my first?"...."When I lay eyes on my second child, will I experience all the same beautiful feelings that I did with their sibling?" My prayer, above all else, has always been that Luisa is healthy is every way. I try not to resurrect the comparison questions that admittedly have crossed my mind several times over while being pregnant: "Will Luisa and Ilah look alike?"...."Will Luisa be as smart?"...."Will she be just as good of a sleeper as Ilah was?"…."Will she have a more laid back personality or have one that matches her sisters?" She remains a special surprise waiting to be adored.

Tomorrow is THE day. It feels like it took forever to get here. To me, 9 months of carrying a child is a great amount of time that never just “flies by”. I have felt every second of every minute, of each and every uncomfortable/exhausting day. Pregnancy has never been easy-breezy for me. It’s been something that I have had to endure through. And yes, making – and growing – our family has 100% been worth it all.

I’m looking forward to much of what tomorrow will entail, but I'm not looking forward to reacquainting myself with having a c-section and going through the post-surgery healing period. I've read that planned cesareans result in a much easy recovery, as your body didn't absorb the stress of "laboring" beforehand. We shall see.

Despite that, however, there are so many things about the day that I am looking forward to - none more greater than finally laying eyes on my second child and being immensely overwhelmed by the miracle of her life. I hope that I will be all consumed with seeing her as a tiny piece of perfection.

Tonight Ilah will fall asleep as my only little girl. Tomorrow when she wakes, she will be excited for what the day will bring…her little sister. And she will rest her head that night…as a big sister. And I will have two precious babies – two girls – to love for the rest of my life.

Pregnancy Update {The Latest!}

2013-09-12T20:28:00.004-04:00

A visit to my Doctor on Tuesday confirmed what I've been feeling....I'm in the early stages of labor. He thinks that our little Luisa just may come before her due date of next Thursday. This excites me...and makes me nervous. Every time I go to sleep, I think that I'm going to wake up to discover that my water broke!

I can't really just "sit still" and "relax" as I know I should, especially in this last week. Trying to keep a house immaculately clean while a 3 year old resides in it is seemingly impossible, yet I'm still trying. It could be "go time" at any minute and I don't want to leave for the hospital knowing that I'll return to an untidy house. Yes, clearly I'm type A. Having things clean & fresh make me feel good! What can I say.

My hospital bag is packed, and so is Ilah's bag {of clothes, snacks and toys} for when she transitions from being with the grandparents to spending time at my girlfriends house, where she will be having a good 'ol time with her sweet little best friend! And that type A personality of mine? It has written out a very detailed schedule for Ilah for while we're in the hospital. It doesn't need to be followed to a "t", but it gives me peace of mind and keeps all of us on the same page.

The husband? He hasn't packed a thing for the hospital. He better get with it soon or he'll be wearing the same clothes for days! He asked me today what he should bring. Ummm...did he forget that we've been through this before? ; )

Today I am 1 week away from Luisa's official due date and I've gained just 13 pounds this pregnancy. The lack of weight gain has really, really surprised me. Goes to show you just how sick I've been throughout this pregnancy with not really being able to keep things down until really the past 8 weeks or so.

The emails from the room mom{s} at Ilah's preschool have started to roll in, with reminders about things coming up. As I'm preparing to have a baby next week, it's also Ilah's teachers birthday. They are asking the kids to wear the teachers favorite color {green}, make her a homemade card, and bring a single stem flower {preferably her favorite - a sunflower}. The following week it's "Fun Week" at school...Silly Sock Day, Favorite Sports Team Day, etc. So I've been organizing/shopping/getting all these things ready ahead of time knowing that just days after having a c-section, it will be impossible! This week I picked up this University of Georgia shirt for Ilah to wear on "Sports Day" and made her a matching bow. Pairing it with some cute little necklaces, I think she'll look cute on Sports Day! : )

I toss and turn, and am up and down, all throughout the night. My hips kill. And my back aches terribly. Throw in some heart burn, a husband who snores, and bouts of insomnia...and I am one woman who is looking forward to not being pregnant anymore. I cannot wait to see a chiropractor for a full body adjustment after the baby comes and I'm healed up from my c-section.

Admittedly, I'm hell on wheels lately. Case in point: I went to a fast food drive-thru this week and before driving off, I noticed that they didn't fill the french fries up to the top. It irked me. So I handed them back to the girl at the window and said, "If I'm paying for a large french fry, I would like to get my money's worth. I need these filled, please". The girl leaned in and asked me to repeat myself. And then I was perturbed that I had to. I mean, how ridiculous....I was shorted some fries, so what. But I wouldn't let it slide. See....hell on wheels. I would normally never do something like that.

There's no more room in the Inn for this baby. My belly has reached full capacity and the new stretch marks that continue to show up, is proof. Not that I have ambitions to ever wear a bikini again, but my stomach has expanded to the point where - 2 kids later - no doubt it's not ever going to look as it did pre-baby. Oh well.

We've been spending an astronomical amount of money on eating out. You would think I love the break from cooking, but really, I can't wait to get back in the kitchen. Even this late in pregnancy, smells still get to me and I just can't be on my feet too long before they start to hurt and begin to swell.

My husband has been so, so great. And so, so good to me. I would count the ways, but there's way too many to list. I married God's best.

Lastly, I've been eating 1 too many cupcakes.

A Little Bit of "This & That"

2013-09-08T20:57:00.001-04:00

It's almost go time!! Luisa will be here in just a week and a half!! I told my husband the other night, "Can you believe we're having another baby?!". It seems a bit surreal...even still. I'm so used to just having Ilah. There are so many things that I'm wondering about, that I will only come into knowing, once our second little girl arrives. Our hospital bags are packed, and everything is prepped and ready for Luisa's arrival! I've been staring at this bassinet in our room for nearly a month and a half now, envisioning our baby girl in it. So much anticipation is building as we approach delivery day! Ilah also CANNOT WAIT for her little sister to arrive!

Ilah is LOVING preschool {I had no doubt she would!}. And I am loving making cute little lunches for her!....

I love hearing all about Ilah's day when I pick her up from school. Kid's say the funniest things! The way she explains certain things, crack me UP!

I gotta admit, I've been a little over the top with placing surprises on Ilah's bed for her to come home to every day after school. I told my girlfriend the other day that I wonder if I'm doing it subconsciously, knowing that Luisa is coming soon and I want Ilah to feel extra loved before my attention will need to be shared. My 3 year old could really care less about the breakdown of "why" - she's just happy to be getting Play-Doh, Hello Kitty Pez Dispensers w/candy, bubbles, stickers, and yummy treats!

Last weekend was blazing hot {95 degrees!}, so we took to the pool! We're still enjoying the summer days!....

I found some cute items at Target last week to pack in my hospital bag. I wanted to take a pair of slippers with me, but I knew I would toss them after {nasty, grimy hospital floors! Eww!} so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something that I knew I would be trashing afterwards. I found these cute slippers, with grips on the bottom, on clearance for just $3! And the socks were just $1 each!....

I really should be slowing down and relaxing as I'm nearing delivery day, but I still feel the need to "keep up with it all". I still feel the need to go-go-go and do-do-do. I've been in total nesting mode so I've been cleaning out closets, organizing the pantry, wiping down toys, making sure laundry is all caught up, making sure our house is stocked with food...the list goes on. And I've loved having lunch dates with this cutie {she just LOVES going out to eat at restaurants! Wonder where she gets it from?!}....

I really, really need to stay off of Etsy and refrain from looking at Zulily EVERY DAY. I don't "need" anything but certain things are just too cute to pass up and I've been hitting the "buy now" button too many times lately! I ordered this custom layette {and a few others} for Luisa that just arrived; it is SO stinkin' cute!!...

I ordered custom made burp cloths while I was pregnant with Ilah and ended up not needing to use any of them! She was a baby that never, ever spit up. Logic would say that there's no need the second time around to buy burp cloths early, because Luisa may also not be a baby that spits up much - but I saw these and couldn't resist....

Speaking of not being able to resist things....my favorite local cupcakery just came out with a new flavor of the month. Hello Caramel Apple Cupcake.....

Lately I feel like the week just drags, and it seems that the hours in the day are sooo long...probably because Ilah rarely naps these days. And on the days that she doesn't, it feels that my husband is at work for way longer than his usual 8-10 hours. He always checks in with us throughout the day, giving me an opportunity to vent if needed ; ) .....

Over the weekend, I started making some Halloween hair bows that I'll be adding to my Etsy Shop this week! This will be the last week that I'll be shipping out orders before putting my shop "on vacation" until after Luisa comes and we're all settled in a bit, so if you'd like some bows, place your order this week : )

Hope you had a great weekend!!

1st Day of Preschool!

2013-08-27T19:41:00.002-04:00

The BIG day came! Ilah started Preschool today!....

Sunday night, Ilah was exhausted from a packed, fun-filled day - and went to bed just minutes after her head hit the pillow {that's pretty rare!}. She loves us staying in her room with her for just a little while after a book has been read, a song has been sung, and prayers have been said. We oblige because....we savor these precious moments with our girl who won't be little forever. And during those sweet moments before she drifts off to sleep, she always asks, "What was the best part of your day Mommy/Daddy?" My goodness....sometimes I'm unsure if my heart can hold all the love in it that I have for our girl. Sunday night, Ilah fell asleep while I happened to be laying next to her. And while even though school didn't start until today {Tuesday}, I prayed over my sweet girl as she prepared to enter into Preschool.

I prayed God's protection over her....I prayed that her light would shine bright...that she would be a good example....that she would grow deeper in the understanding of who Jesus is and who He made her to be. I prayed that this first year of school would be a fun and exciting one....that she would continue to have a love for learning new things....and that she is full of joy each and every day.....

I packed Ilah's lunch late last night to make our morning a smooth one, allotting time to take some pictures before heading out for school. This was her first lunch of the school year!.....

Instead of backpacks, the students take tote bags to school. This is Ilah's; I bought for her right after we enrolled her....

Ilah gave her daddy and I a quick hug & a kiss goodbye and darted right into her classroom. She was like, "See ya!!". Ha!! Clearly she was excited about her first day of school!

When I came home, I put together this fun bucket of special treats and laid it on Ilah's bed....

Basket of surprises after the 1st Day of School!!!....

She has named her Kangaroo "Hoppy". And she slept with her tonight ; )

It was a bit surreal dropping Ilah off and coming home to a quiet house. But while she was in school today, I hung out with my mom and we went to lunch at a place we haven't been to in years.

After picking Ilah up from school, she talked all about her day - and we called Daddy on speakerphone in the car so he could hear too! A few hours after school ended, Ilah's teacher sent out an email to all the parents in the class letting us know the first day went great, shared what the day entailed, and sent some pictures too! I loved getting to see a little glimpse into Ilah's day...seeing her play with the other kids, seeing her at the table eating her lunch, and seeing her have fun in music class!

We got through day 1....and it was a great one for the both of us!

Preschool Meet & Greet!

2013-08-26T11:36:00.000-04:00

Ilah begins preschool tomorrow! She is SO excited! We went to "Meet & Greet" on Friday where she met her teachers and saw her classroom for the first time! She woke up on Saturday and said, "Oh no Momma. I forgot to go to school today!". Can you tell she isn't apprehensive about the big day? ; )

I have a great feeling about Ilah's teachers - I want to already say that I just love them! But Dele says the school year hasn't even started yet ; ) But between the "Meet & Greet" on Friday and Parent Orientation on Sunday, it just confirmed all the more that Ilah is placed in GREAT hands at this school and it makes me all the more confident that her experience there will be a wonderful one. Everything from the curriculum, to the Christian influence, to all the fun things that they have lined up for the kids for the year...and seeing how Ilah dived right in, without any reluctance on Friday - when walking into her classroom & meeting her sweet teachers for the first time - makes me just as ready for this milestone as Ilah!....

This pose that Ilah did outside of her classroom door just cracks me up! See those goody bags in the tray behind her? She is all about a surprise treat! Her teachers already know the way to her heart! Ha!

I didn't cry when I stepped into Ilah's classroom, but I did do a sweet sigh and take a small deep breath when I saw her little cubby....

Ilah sat down to color a picture nearly right away. Daddy happened to take this photo while she was licking her lips. She wasn't sticking out her tongue ; ) Ha!

The teacher laid out coloring pages, but Ilah just flipped it over to the back. She loves drawing "freehand". Ha! For 3 1/2 years old, she does pretty good : ) Here is some of her latest work....

She insists on capitalizing the "l" when writing her name. We're still working on that ; )

This is our neighborhood scene! Ha! A house, a fence in front of the house, some trees, the sun and the clouds. The scribble below the trees? Ilah says that's her "signature"!! Ha!!...

She has started drawing flowers...and how about that "lady bug"?! Ha! Too cute!....

Ilah got to making friends right away at "Meet & Greet" on Friday I was happily surprised to see how nearly all the kids were very social with one another! I saw only one little boy holding onto his mommy's leg, and one little girl staying very close to her mom. Us parents were commenting on how kids just take to one another so easy when they are little!....

Dele was just as social as Ilah, going around and meeting the parents, shaking hands and introducing himself! Ha! He's normally the observant type, and I'm more of the talkative one - but he trumped me on Friday as we were in a total role reversal!

There are so many cute stations set up in Ilah's classroom! We watch Veggie Tales at home, so she recognized a Veggie Tale book on the shelf and took a seat and got to "reading"!...

Ilah's preschool has a pretty large playground that was revamped just last year {below is just a section of it}; the flooring is made of rubber. I love that the kiddos don't have to walk over wood chips {and get annoyed at them getting in their shoes} or run through sand, or on hard asphalt....

This weekend was a great introduction for both the kids, and the parents, preparing us for what the year will hold!

We celebrated the beginning of preschool by going out for a big 'ol happy face pancake after Friday mornings "Meet & Greet"!....

Today is all about labeling Ilah's lunchbox and back pack, ironing her "First Day of School" dress {and making a matching hair bow}, having fun play times together, going somewhere fun for lunch today, and watching The Little Mermaid when Daddy gets home from work!

Tomorrow is the BIG day!!

Oatmeal Creme Pies {Recipe!}

2013-08-22T12:54:00.000-04:00

I've never been an Oatmeal Cookie kinda girl...until I had a "made from scratch" Oatmeal Creme Pie. It had me at first bite. I quickly ate my way through a few...savoring every delectable morsel of goodness. While I've never had a "Little Debbie's Oatmeal Creme Pie" that are sold in boxes in most stores, I'm sure that this cookie trumps the manufactured kind. There's just nothing like a homemade treat!

This recipe was shared with me, and it's too good to keep all to myself - so I'm in-turn, sharing it with all of you! These make for a great cookie to whip up with fall quickly approaching! They require a lot of ingredients {not all are pictured below}, but don't let that keep you from making them! I have found that it's always a tad bit time consuming making something new for the first time - by the second time, it's familiar ground and the process goes rather quickly.

Oatmeal Creme Pies

Recipe Adapted from A Spicy Perspective

Ingredients:
For the Oatmeal Cookies:
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup rolled oats

For the Cream Filling:
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1- 7.5 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.

Use an electric mixer to cream the brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Once smooth, slowly add the dry mixture to the wet until well combined. Stir in the oats.

Use a tablespoon-sized scoop to form equal dough balls. Allow them plenty of space to spread. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely before moving off the parchment paper.

Cream the shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Mix in the marshmallow fluff.

To assemble: Match up two cookies that are of equal size and shape. Turn the bottom cookies over. Use a piping bag (or zip-bag with the corner cut off) to pipe the filling onto the bottom cookie. This is much easier than trying to spread it.Then add the top cookie of each cream pie and press down.

I like a thin layer of cream filling better than a thick layer - the hubby likes more. You will have plenty of filling for either way you prefer!.....

To simplify this recipe/have the process(es) move along faster, I broke down the order of steps, which are as follows:

OATMEAL CREME PIES

Makes approximately 10 cream pies (20 cookies)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside:

1 cup flour
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Use an electric mixer to cream the brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla:

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Once smooth, slowly add the dry mixture to the wet until well combined. Stir in the oats:

1 cup rolled oats

Use a tablespoon-sized scoop to form equal dough balls. Allow them plenty of space to spread.

Bake for 7-9 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely before moving off the parchment paper.

------------------------------------------------

For the Cream Filling:

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1- 7.5 oz. jar of marshmallow fluff

Cream the shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Mix in the marshmallow fluff.

------------------------------------------------

And then you have these!!......

ENJOY!

Preparing for Ilah's Preschool Days!

2013-08-20T19:45:00.000-04:00

Ilah starts pre-school next week! It's a bit surreal that the time has already come, but I truly take delight in all the new stages that my little girl is entering into. With this new adventure on the horizon, the one thing that I have prayed for the most is that Ilah will have a GREAT teacher! Today she called to introduce herself! We had a really nice chat and she sounded so enthusiastic about making this school year a great one for her kids! We go for the "meet & greet" on Friday, where Ilah will meet her teacher(s) and see her classroom!

With school back in session in our county, and surrounding counties, there have been a lot of sweet "Back to School" posts on social media over the past few weeks, of parents posting pictures of their child{ren} and the new grade they were entering into. Many commented on how sad they were - either about summer being over, how their children were growing so fast, how they were feeling nervous about their children starting a new school/getting a new teacher, etc.

When my husband and I set out to do pre-school tours in search of where we wanted Ilah to go - and then eventually visiting - I never shed a tear walking through the school, as some of my friends said they had. I totally get why it would be a sentimental moment...the realization that your "baby" is growing up and becoming independent of you...but I never felt sad about that {being pregnant and hormonal, you would think I would be!}. Instead, I was/am so happy and excited for Ilah, and was/am confident in my little girl - that she will love the school that we chose for her and that it will be a great, Christian environment for her to thrive in, in her early years.

But when I began seeing all the sentimental posts on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram from parents, I started to wonder if I should be following suit? Am I supposed to be emotional in sending Ilah to school {especially for the first time}, or is it more than ok to be a confident parent that is looking forward to the day with excitement, in lieu of being nervous?

My child is an extrovert - a total social butterfly. She isn't clingy or shy - in any way {believe me! Ha!}. She loves being around other children and is very friendly, takes well to new environments, has an expressed love for learning, is excited to try new things and I know she will love partaking in all the other fun things that being at school will bring - arts & crafts, music, chapel, computers, science lab, playground fun, school plays, etc. Ilah always wakes up cheerful in the morning, excited for what her day will entail. I think that because she exudes such traits, it allows me not to have much angst as her big day approaches. And as to not rave solely of my child's great qualities, let me just say...she can be quite "spirited" at times! That cute, fun-loving personality of hers has another side that is very headstrong, sassy and defiant at times - and she definitely has her share of uncivilized moments when out in public (cue HUGE pockets of sweat forming under my arms during those times). Just as I'm not perfect, neither is my child. And just as God extends grace to me, I have learned to pass that onto my child too.

For several weeks, Ilah has asked to go to school "TODAY!". She is SO eager to begin preschool - and that makes my heart happy! Being as this is my first rodeo at preparing for school, I've "pinned" several "Back to School" ideas, "Teacher Appreciation Gift" ideas, and "Treats for the Kiddos" ideas, to Pinterest {you can find me here}.

This week I've been looking up cute {yet easy!} lunch ideas for Ilah. If it wasn't for reading a great article a while back on "preparing lunch for your preschooler" I would have just thrown things, in their original packaging, in Ilah's lunch box and called it a day. I didn't even think about the fact that she couldn't actually open up the tightly sealed apple sauce, cheese-stick, etc. Those likely struggles didn't even cross my mind. Thank the Lord for all those moms who have gone before me, and have written advice articles for a rookie like me! So for kicks, I did a practice run with Ilah a few weeks ago to see how she would do with opening up a packaged, single serving size of Teddy Grahams. The package itself was easy to open, as she just ripped it down the middle with her two little hands....but the Teddy Grahams literally went flying across the room and onto the floor. My next experiment was with a box of raisins. She was doing fine until she couldn't get the ones out towards the bottom, and she asked for my help. I could see her having a minor meltdown if she were at school and these food mishaps happened. So, lesson learned...pack items that don’t need to be opened to be eaten!

These lunches gave me a variety of healthy, and cute, ideas!....

You can find all of these on my Pinterest page under "Lunch Box Ideas" where the original source is credited and linked to.

I can't wait to put my cookie cutters to use and make some of Ilah's lunch food fun!....

I'll be going the route of packing Ilah's lunches using these divided plastic Ziploc containers {pack of 2 for $1.99 in most stores}. If you want to pay a little more, and spice up the plastic container with some colored lids, I've read great reviews about these {I'm still debating on buying them}.

I'll also be using silicon cupcake liners as food separators, as shown in many of the lunch ideas. You can get the ones below on Amazon here {set of 6 for $11.20}. But I've seen them for way cheaper at my local Ross, Marshalls, HomeGoods.

I also love the idea of using plastic stirrers {with round ends} to make fun "food skewers". The ones below can be found on Amazon, here. 100 count for $14.58. Party City has similiar ones; seen here. 100 count for just $7.99 - and you can usually always find a coupon to get them for even cheaper! : )

Bento sells these adorable plastic ones, 15 pieces for $2.50 {plus shipping}.

And you can usually find these in your local grocery store, a little more than $1 for 25.

Ilah's big day is just around corner!! I'm happily looking forward to her first school year just as much as she is...and I can't wait for those moments when my sweet girl hops in the car after school and tells me all about her day!!

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For snippets of what's happening on our end, follow me on Twitter @jessolowoyo

New Books For Ilah!

2013-08-14T10:15:00.000-04:00

With Ilah getting ready to start preschool, and with a little sister on the way, I wanted to get her some books that happily prepared her for both of these big milestones - books that would excite her, and ones that were at her age level, so that she could comprehend the stories being told.

I browsed online for a week or so, looking for great books - and then read reviews on my choices. If I couldn't see inside of the pages of some of the books {in case Amazon didn't give a sneak peek} I googled and came across other sites that allowed me a glimpse inside. For the few that didn't, I visited our local Barnes & Noble to view the books in person to make sure they were all that I wanted them to be. Some I crossed off my list after viewing them in person - and others, that I hadn't previously considered, were added.

I've loved filling Ilah's library with all kinds of books over the years. And now, the below books grace her bookshelf as well. I thought I would share my recent purchases here on my blog in case you too, are looking for books similar in topic....

GOD GAVE US TWO

"Now that Mama polar bear has another baby in her tummy, Little Cub is bursting with curiosity. Why do we need a new baby? If we don't like the new baby, can we send it back? Will you forget me when the new baby comes? Gently and lovingly, Mama and Papa assure their firstborn that the new baby is a gift from God they want very much, just as Little Cub was and still is. God gave us you. Now he's given us two!".

BIG SISTERS ARE THE BEST

Helping young children adjust to a new member of the family, the story is told from the point-of-view of the big sister and conveys all the excitement that comes from having a new baby in the house and gives suggestions for how the big sister can help out!

I LOVE SCHOOL

"It's school time around the world! From China to South Africa, this book allows little ones to discover the fun and fascinating ways that other children around the world learn and play at school".

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

This was the best book that I found that gave a WONDERFUL overview to a child beginning school for the first time!

"With story time and sign-alongs, arts and crafts, and more...the first day of school is filled with fun! In this charming story, the excitement for learning and new friendships that unfold will delight kids and parents alike as they learn what to expect together".

MY MANNERS MATTER

This is an excellent book on helping your child to understand what manners are, and how to practice them at all times.

"Boys and girls learn that good manners are a simple way of showing kindness and respect to people they know - and to people they don't know. They are shown that being polite makes working and playing together more enjoyable for everyone".

WHOEVER YOU ARE

For me, it's important to teach my child the beauty of different cultures at a very young age. Knowing that her first constant encounters with kids of varying ethnicities will come when she starts school, I wanted a book on this topic. 'Whoever You Are' urges little ones to accept differences, recognize similarities, and — most important — rejoice in both! I just LOVE this book!

I LOVE YOU WHEN

This book is adorable. It sends the message that you love your child when it's warm outside, or cold outside - when they are funny, or when they are grumpy....conveying that you love them, all the time, unconditionally!

I found "I Love You When" at ROSS for just $2.99! All others were purchased through Amazon.

There are so many great books out there for little ones. I'm sure you have your favorites too! I love that Ilah is now at an age where I can instill little life lessons into her, through reading, and she grasps them.

I love these quotes:

"Encourage your children to read. Reading can unlock the keys to a whole world of information. Parents are teachers, both by example and by conversation".

So true!

Baby Luisa's Baby Shower!

2013-08-12T12:56:00.000-04:00

In case you missed it, I revealed Baby #2's name {in the post below this one}!

Last weekend I was honored with a baby shower given by two of my very sweet friends who poured a lot of love into making this day a very special one for me! I didn't have a baby shower with Ilah, so having one to celebrate the impending arrival of our sweet Luisa meant so much to me! I literally cried on the phone when my friend Heather told me that she, and our friend Rhonda, wanted to celebrate this special time in my life and honor me with a shower. The entire day was just so great - an afternoon spent with a close number of friends {20 of us}...laughing, having "girl time", and of course, eating! My hostesses planned a menu of some of my favorite foods, and they put so many sweet elements & special touches in place {and coordinated the color scheme around baby Luisa's nurser y colors}. Here are some pictures of the day....

8 months pregnant!!!....

Cupcakes from my FAVORITE bakery!!!....

Some of the delicious food....

Ribbon wrapped around mason jars! Love this idea!....

With a cute chevron straw in place!....

Yummy!!!....

Double yummy!!! Salted Caramel & Red Velvet cupcakes!!!....

Everyone who attended my baby shower filled out a sweet little "Wishes For Baby" card. I just LOVED these. Essentially, they are sweet love notes to my baby, that I will cherish forever. My hostesses gave them to me in a beautiful keepsake box. Gotta love the funny one {on the right!}.....

I was so blessed with an abundant amount of gifts for baby Luisa. Here are just a few....

My trunk was FULL of presents!!! I wish I had taken a picture.

And so that Big Sister didn't feel left out when I brought home a ton of gifts for her little sister, Rhonda & Heather bought a special present just for Ilah! So thoughtful of them to think of her!....

These two friends {who hosted my Baby Shower} hold a special place in my heart for many reasons. They are such compassionate, Godly women with such big hearts and give their all when it comes to being a friend....

Heather is that friend that despite having 100 things going on, always has time for you. She is that person that listens when you need a safe place to vent. She is so fun to be around and is real in every sense of the word. We all need a friend like that! Heather {and her husband} are the Youth Pastors at our church. I love doing life with such a passionate person who is in pursuit of every single call of God on her life. She is so inspiring, and really - is one of a kind!

Rhonda makes me roll with laughter! I'm talkin' to where your belly aches, tears are coming down your eyes, you can't contain the snorting that is happening, and you can barely catch your breathe! Her son Riley, and my daughter Ilah, are best friends! We just love their entire family! With me being SO pregnant, Rhonda is always offering to do anything for me, at any time. She is a worship leader at our church and her voice literally ushers in the presence of heaven. We've been friends for nearly 3 years now; there are so many things I appreciate, and admire, about her.

I could go on and on about these two AMAZING friends of mine that I am so very blessed to have in my life. I am so thankful for their friendship and I value them so much.

Not wasting any time, I finished up my thank you cards to everyone who came to my shower! I was a busy girl, taking pen to paper this weekend! And yes, my awesome hostesses each received a gift and a special thank you card too : )

I will always remember being showered with love during such a special time in my life. God has placed some great friends in my path!

Baby Name Reveal!

2013-08-10T17:32:00.000-04:00

In just a little over 5 weeks, our second daughter will be born! I cannot wait until this little girl is on the outside so that I can begin loving on her! Ilah is SO in love with her little sister already and seeing her hug on my tummy and talk to her baby sister through my belly button is just so precious! She's always wanting to include "her baby" in family conversations, always wanting to buy her little sister something everywhere we go, and takes her favorite baby doll and puts her to sleep in the bassinet that have set up in our room. It just melts my heart. I have no doubt that Ilah is going to be a GREAT big sister!

So....I revealed months ago that we are having another little girl, and I've been referring to her a lot as "baby #2" here on this blog. I think it's time to start calling her by name and share with you all what we are naming our sweet little one....

NAME MEANINGS:

Luisa (pronounced Loo-ee-sa): "Glorious Warrior". It was my great-grandmother's name {my Mother's grandmother}. I love that it's a family name, and that it honors my Latin heritage. I never met my great-grandmother but I heard so many wonderful things about her. My mother adored her.

Rielle (pronounced ree-El): Feminine form of Gabriel, which is derived from the Hebrew meaning "God is my strength". I love the femininity of the name, how unique it is, and most importantly, its meaning.

Abiola (pronounced Ah-bee-o-lah): Nigerian (Yoruba). Honoring my husband's ethnicity, our second daughter will also have a Nigerian middle name. Abiola means "Wealth is Born".

_________________________________

Next month is THE month that our family will go from 3 to 4. I'm nervous, and excited, all at the same time! I'm finding myself constantly wondering what Luisa will look like, what kind of personality she will have, will she be an easy baby or not so much, etc.

I pray every day that she is healthy in every way when she enters the world, and that my delivery day will be just as smooth, and as wonderful, as my experience with Ilah was.

It's not too much longer now....we can't wait to meet you Luisa!

My Etsy Shop {Morgan Lane Boutique} Has Reopened! Bows, Bows, Bows!!!

2013-08-05T14:39:00.002-04:00

With Ilah getting ready to start preschool at the end of the month, I started making hair bows to match her cute little outfits. Sitting down to make a few bows quickly turned into making many, and I found myself coming up with all different styles and creations and loving it.

My Etsy shop has been closed for quite some time, but I thought I would reopen it - this time, filling it with boutique style hair bows!...

If your little one is getting ready to start school soon, I have a few cute Back to School bows in my shop!

Also in my shop are nylon interchangeable headbands, that fit newborns to toddlers. You can attach any one of my bows to them and create your own cute, custom look to perfectly match your little ones outfit{s}!

You can find my shop on Etsy here: www.etsy.com/shop/MorganLaneBoutique.

I'll be adding new bows all the time so keep visiting!

Slowly, But Surely...

2013-07-26T13:29:00.002-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter, than you probably saw this...

People mean well when they say I am in the home stretch and that this pregnancy has "seemed to fly by", but I still feel quite a ways a way from delivery day. If my due date was in 2 weeks, then I would feel the anticipation building...but for now, I'm just tolerating all the uncomfortable things that being in your 3rd trimester brings. I am over the moon excited to be having another baby, I'm just ready for the pregnancy portion to be over with! Sidenote: I had a Dr. visit yesterday and both me and baby are doing great!

Today I was filling out both preschool paperwork, and hospital pre-registration forms. We have two big changes that will pretty much be happening simultaneously over here towards the end of summer - Ilah starting preschool and baby #2 entering the world. Given Ilah's personality and her expressed excitement for both of these things being on the horizon, I feel that she will adjust wonderfully, but obviously there's no 100% certainty. This too will be my first rodeo at undertaking such changes all at once. So I'm kinda going on a hope and a prayer that our transition to a family of 4 will be smooth, that we take all the new adjustments in stride and that things won't be as chaotic as I'm playing them out in my head.

Slowly, but surely, I am making some good progress on the girls rooms. I've written out a list of what to pack in my hospital bag. Baby essentials that once were Ilah's have been cleaned and are ready for baby #2. And my baby shower is next weekend!

This week I took to the internet, and to Pinterest {you can find me here} to look up Freezer Meals that I could prepare before Baby #2 arrives. But I'm kinda hung up on....well...."freezer" meals. I love fresh, not frozen, food. But I know that preparing meals in advance is a wise thing to do, especially since I'll be recovering from a c-section. If you have any yummy frozen meal ideas to share, please send them my way! {you can email me at: MarriageToMotherhood@yahoo.com}.

I can't believe that my first baby has gone from this....

To This....

Now a Big Girl, about to become a Big Sister!!

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For snippets of what's happening on our end, follow me on Twitter @jessolowoyo

White Chocolate, Toffee, Coconut & Macadamia Nut Cookies

2013-07-18T10:59:00.005-04:00

Two Christmas' ago, I hosted a party at our home. I made a variety of desserts, and tried out some new recipes for the first time. One hit was a cookie that has become a go-to of mine when I want to bake something up besides the regular ol' Chocolate Chip Cookie. I most recently made these for Father's Day, as you may recall from this post.

White Chocolate, Toffee, Coconut & Macadamia Nut Cookies

I should have never been drawn to this recipe because I don't particularly care for white chocolate or coconut. But when they are combined with heath toffee bits and macadamia nuts, the blend produces a scrumptious, hearty cookie that is simply delicious - crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside! And I just love a cookie that has pretty folds to it!

Tip: Use a mini scoop {I have this one from Bed, Bath and Beyond} to get all your cookies the same size.

White Chocolate, Toffee, Coconut & Macadamia Nut Cookies

Adapted from Lick the Bowl Good

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup toffee bits
1/2 pkg (6 oz.) white chocolate chips {add more if you desire}
3/4 cup shredded coconut {*I toast it before hand}
3/4 cup of macadamia nuts {add more/less if you desire; leave them whole, or chop - whichever you prefer}

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter and both sugars together, then add egg and vanilla, stir.

Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt just til combined. Stir in toffee bits, white chocolate, coconut and macadamia nuts.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool for a couple minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

* How to toast coconut: {Oven Method} Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut flakes on a baking sheet in a thin layer and bake in preheated oven. The flakes will toast very quickly and won't take more than 5-10 minutes. After a few minutes stir the coconut to help ensure even color. Sweetened flakes will take less time because sugar speeds the toasting process.

Enjoy!!

Countdown!

2013-07-10T18:44:00.002-04:00

Friends, I am on the 10 week countdown until we meet our second lil' princess. I haven't done a good job documenting this pregnancy like I did with Ilah. My life is just more full this time around, which has also meant that I am way behind on getting things in place for baby #2. I joked to my friends the other day that we may just go old school and stick lil' sweet pea in a dresser drawer like they did in 1910.

On the Hubby's to-do list this weekend is to take our bassinet back out of the box and get it set up. Ilah slept in it for the first 3 months and took so well to it. I loved having her right next to me in our room. I'm hoping that baby #2 will love being in it just as much....

If you follow me on Twitter {@jessolowoyo} than you know that I've purchased some things for Baby #2's nursery - slowly but surely, I am making a bit of progress. But in order to make a whole lot of progress, I need to get Ilah fully transferred to her Big Girl room. Baby #2 will get Ilah's old room. I was somewhat reluctant to switch Ilah to another room, not knowing how she would take to it - but to my surprise, she is excited and is more than happy to give her little sister her "baby room".

Baby #2's room will have a different color scheme and feel to it than Ilah's original nursery. Whereas Ilah's nursery was more neutral in tones, this time around, I'm going with more richer colors that will be drawn out from this canvas painting that will be the focal point in the room....

The mini starburst decor pieces below are made of very light-weight plastic resin, not metal. The drapes going in the room are made of linen and I just love the branch pattern - it ties in nicely with the bird. The fabric in the lower right corner is what the crib bedding will be made out of....

I found this 2 shelf bookcase with storage baskets that I just love! It would be a splurge to buy it. And it can only be purchased online, which I'm not too keen about. But I think it would look just lovely in the room. I'm an organization nut so I love the storage baskets - it keeps all the "stuff" out of sight!....

I still need to get some decor for one of the walls and I was thinking of framing 4 - 6 pieces of words/scriptures/quotes to go on it. I came across a shop on Etsy and these are just a few of the ones that I thought were so cute. Everything can be customized, so I can tweak the printable art to match the color scheme in the nursery....

It won't be too much longer before we become a family of four. I am so excited for the day!

It's Independence Day!

2013-07-04T18:26:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July from our little firecracker!!!