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I meant to blog all week, but here comes Thursday. The days keep getting away from me lately! One of the things I want to get better about, is hanging out with friends more often. I am totally that meme that goes around…

I can’t help it! But I am always glad when I actually get there and am participating in those plans. So anyways, Laura has the same goals in mind and we decided to book our first family outing of the year! We ended up at Back Forty for some beers and burgers. The kids had a blast running around inside the brewery, and we even let them play outside for awhile in the cold too. Zoe says the cold never bothered her anyways. Literally. That kid must have gotten some of my northern blood, she always runs hot and didn’t seemed bothered in the least with the wind blowing us away out there.

Do these two get any cuter??? I took a picture of my burger too, but forgot to download it. A crime really, because it was a work of art!!!

One thing I wanted to share with you all is this delicious new snack that I discovered while walking around Target. There is an older woman who works the free sample table there every Sunday. She is so funny, and she just loves Zoe. She always gives Zoe extra of whatever she is giving out. One day we were there before Christmas, she was sampling some things from the Wonderland line that they carry for the holidays. It was a raspberry mustard spread on crackers with cheese. It was so damn good!!! I immediately went to get all the ingredients around the store. Come to find out that she did her job so well, that they were completely sold out of the mustard.

No need to fear, because she went and got someone to check in back for me, and they came up empty handed. So he flat out told me how to create it myself! You just need a jar of jelly and some honey mustard! DONE! It tastes just as good and Chris and I have been eating these all week for snacks. Zoe loves it too.

You just mix up some honey mustard and a spoon full of the jelly and spread it on these specific crackers (Honey and Flax) with that Parmesan Cheddar cheese you can find near the deli. AMAZING combination!!! These crackers are so good that I can think of about a million ways to serve them, but I am stuck on this for right now. Just do it and thank me later.

Other than that, I am just plugging away at life. Work has been a little hectic since it is a new year and new goals and all that business. I am still trying to clean up some stuff the person who left made a mess of. And my co-worker in my department is going out on maternity leave soon, so I must absorb all her knowledge before then! She is good and knows everything and has been such a resource for me since I have started. I hope I can fill half her shoes while she is out!

The major interstate system that runs through Birmingham’s Central Business District is being torn down next week. That means EVERY single car that has to go through Birmingham will have to reroute on I-459 (the interstate that loops outside of the city) or drive the back roads/service streets through downtown. Lord help us! This is going to be going on for at least over a year, maybe longer. I just dont even know how I am going to deal. I can barely make it to daycare to get Zoe on time without this mess!! Send me all the good car vibes. I have major anxiety about this!

Hope you all have a great week! You know, the last two days of it 😉

Book day!!! I only have three this month, but they deserve a look! Linking up with Steph and Jana.

Puddin’ by Julie Murphy

I loved Dumplin, so I had to check out Puddin! Spoiler alert: I loved it too! I loved Millie’s character and you really get to see her and Callie’s characters develop. This book had me smiling and laughing a lot. It was such a cute read, and definitely a few good life lessons thrown in! You have to love a book where you don’t care for one of the characters through most of the book, but love them in the end.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand

This is everything you expect from Elin. A Nantucket beach setting, with lots of characters who all twist together. I will be honest, this wasn’t my favorite from her…but still a good read!

Bottom Line: If you are a Hilderbrand fan, it is worth the read!

A Grown- Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

I didn’t read what this one was about before I started it. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a mystery of sorts. This story is told from three points of view, the grandmother, mother and daughter. I liked that it alternated between the three and you get glimpses of the past thrown in. It still has all of Joshilyn’s messed up southern family touches to it, and just a super interesting story about baby bones found in a backyard.

Bottom Line: Read it!

Currently Reading:

The Lies We Told by Camilla Way

I made the mistake of updating WordPress this morning, and everything looks different. It has been the same since I made the switch several years ago and I feel so lost! Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! I wanted to link up with Kristen last Thursday for What’s New With You, but life happens and it didn’t work out. So here I am a few days later.

Reading: I have been reading The Lies We Told for the last month. It isn’t the books fault, but rather adulting. I have spent every free moment before Zoe wakes up and during nap time painting and setting back up our spare room. When I do pick it up, I am enjoying it.

Listening: I am almost done with Grown Up Kind of Pretty on audiobook, and hope to have it ready to go for the book link up tomorrow!

Watching: Blacklist!!! We started binging this last week and we cant stop wont stop!

Enjoying: The weather!!! It has basically rained here for a month straight, but this weekend was sunny and in the 60s! We made the most of it, and played outside for quite awhile Saturday.

Eating: We are still going strong on Whole 30. Honestly, I am not enjoying it at all this time around. It isn’t even hard for me anymore…which is nice. But it is bringing me no joy. I am mainly pissed off that I cant have my one joy in the mornings, my creamer. And I still feel bloated and gross and see much faster results when I am tracking points with Weight Watchers. I am not sure if I am going to continue on past this week. I have done this enough times now to know what makes me feel like shit and what doesn’t, and I know it isn’t a lifestyle I want to maintain.

I did make some yummy spicy chicken stuffed sweet peppers and loaded sweet potato fries this weekend. Honestly, most of our weeknight meals are Whole 30 compliant anyways.

Excited: I scooped up some Valentine’s day treats for Zoe’s friends at school at Target yesterday while the getting was still good! She will be giving them heart bracelets, bubble wands and she picked out Vamparina cards to go in heart treat bags. I think I am going to get some fruit snacks too. She is already excited for their Valentine’s Day party since she missed the Christmas party last month due to a fever. The holidays are a million times better with her, even the little ones like this that I don’t really care about.

We are ready for the Championship game tonight!!! Roll Tide!

Hey there, 2019!!! Not really sure where December went, but she ran out the door real quick! I woke up this morning and had to think what day it was and where I was supposed to be for a few minutes. It doesn’t help that I wasn’t looking forward to my coffee this morning. Black, no cream. Yup, I am doing Whole 30 this month. I wasn’t going to, but Chris said he wanted to so it is just easier that way. I am actually, mostly, looking forward to it. I have been eating like garbage the last month and I feel horrible. All puffy and bloated, face broken out like crazy. It will be good to get back to a routine and clean up my eating!

Of course, Christmas happened. It is so magical to see it through Zoe’s eyes!!! She loved every minute of it. We got to spend some great time with family and kept it pretty low key. We are usually in Gatlinburg right now, but I have no vacation time due to my new job…so back to reality it is! Hoping that we can start making it annually again next year.

Santa spoiled Zoe, and me! There were lots of cookies and treats to be had. We made a little dent in the Christmas movie list. There were so many we didn’t watch this year.

And of course, there was lots of good eats….

I normally wake up totally depressed to go back to work after the holidays. But not this year. This year I am thankful to have a job. One that doesn’t crush my soul and make me hate life. Sure, I would rather be home with my family…but since I have to adult….at least I can do it with a smile!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!!! I hope to be around this space on the regular again, and look forward to catching up with you all! How was your holiday? Do you have any resolutions or goals this year?

Dear Zoe,

Happy Birthday, Zoe Jane!!! I cannot believe you are two! This past year has been so incredible. You went from just learning to walk before your first birthday, to full out running and dancing and climbing stairs this year. You come home with about five new words per day from school the last few months. Your personality is bigger than life. You are so funny! You crack us up and always know how to make me smile. Even your teachers call you miss congeniality at school and talk about your personality and the funny things you do.

You are such a good eater! There aren’t many things that you refuse. Your favorites are fruit, cheese, broccoli, beans, chicken and mini meatballs. You love your snacks and can now ask for most of them and tell me to put it in a bowl for you. One of your favorite things to do is go out to eat. You love sitting in the booth like a big girl and trying all the appetizers and food on my plate.

This year you have really made friends at school. Whenever I ask you if you had fun at school, you scream yes!!! And then start talking about Vera or KiKi. It makes me feel so much better knowing that you are having fun and developing relationships with others while I am at work.

You love to go outside and do bubbles. And bubbles always turns in to a walk around the neighborhood. And of course, climbing the front porch stairs. Your favorite movies are Secret Life of Pets, Moana and Frozen. You also like to watch Boss Baby, Vamparina, Puppy Dog Pals and Sofia the First. You get obsessed with things easily, we watched each of those movies for at least a month straight several times per day. And listen to their soundtracks in the car. Speaking of the car, whenever I know we are going to go over something bumpy, I usually say “bump bump”. And now you ask me to do “bump bump” and squeal in delight. I love the little moments like that.

You have been running up and hugging my legs at daycare since you learned to walk. But just in the last month, you have started giving the best random, real hugs. When I am holding you, you will grab my face in both your hands and just smile and stare in my eyes. And sometimes you will throw your arms around me and put your face against mine and give the tightest squeeze. It is the sweetest thing ever!!! 

This year has been an interesting one in general. Daddy changed jobs a few months into the year so that he could spend more time with us. And then back in September, I lost my job and was out of work for several weeks. We have had some ups and downs this year, but through it all, I can honestly say that you have brought joy in to my life every single day. No matter what is going on outside our home, inside is filled with love, and joy and giggles. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Happy Birthday, Zoe!!! I cant wait to see what year three brings us! 

I am still trying to get adjusted to my new job, schedule, etc. My comments on my last three posts still haven’t found their way to my email so I can respond. I am not sure if I have it fixed for this post or not, I suppose we will see! This past weekend we had our family and a few friends over to celebrate Zoe’s second birthday, which is today!!! We went with a Frozen theme, Zoe’s latest obsession. It was so nice to have both sides of the family under the same roof. I am always happy to see my parents in the same room. Even though they are divorced, I appreciate that they make the effort to show up to events like this, knowing the other is going to be there. They never make a scene, and are pleasant to each other with small chit chat. I know that we are blessed to have that.

Laura and her crew came over, and it made me realize we haven’t hung out with them since September. Soooo a weekend with them needs to happen ASAP! I also invited two friends from Zoe’s class, whose parents I talk to outside of daycare. It was so nice for Zoe to have three kids here her own age. She had so much fun playing with them! I will drop some photos here, and hopefully be back later in the week to catch up with you all!