Take me out to the ball game

Tristan and I attended a minor league game with my work on Saturday night. It was Star Wars night and we had a blast!

How amazing is this

Sky! Tristan is becoming a pro at snapping iPhone pics.

Happy Thursday. It's going to be 100 in Washington DC with a much higher heat index. Hello summer. Coming in like a lion. Hopefully going out like a lamb.

Father's Day 2012

I will have to add a few pictures of Rick and Tristan I took. But I don't have them right now. It was a fantastic weekend.


Tristan dressed himself. I think he did great.

We had the first local peaches of the summer. They were juicy and delish!

Chilling in his carseat waiting for the train to pass.

The Train

Taking a 3 hour nap.

I love living in Amish Country.

Sleeping before school on the steps this morning. He was so worn out.

 

Tristan got a library card..

His first. It was so exciting to him.

Taking a walk before going to the library for story time.

Being goofy at story time at the library.

 Tristan's first library card.

 So excited he has his own library card.

 Tristan signed his own name. He can write it better but he was super excited.

Pirates.

 After Library Snack

 We had a great time. I will post about the books we rented. Kind of a review. 

Simple Steps to Healthy Living Linky Party

Kristina at From City Corporate To Suburb Mama is having a new linky party called Simple Steps to Healthy Living. Check her blog out and the rest of the co-hosts. I am sure you will find wonderful tips. Have a great day!

We try to be green in all aspects. Sometimes it may seem more expensive but let me tell you, over time the money and earth resources saved it worth it. I am going to share some of my favorite products. I have used them all and recommend them 1000%. 

I cloth diapered Tristan as a baby. It was easy and the prints were so fun!

We used Happy Heiny. I had lots of cute prints and bright solids. 

They have great starter kits. I ordered the all for ones but found as a little bitty the sized pockets were better. Here is Tristan in a few. How cute are they? I love that it keeps the chemicals off my baby. Plus I have them all washed and stored for the next baby. So I am not buying disposables over and over and filling land fills. 

Another amazing change I made was switching from paper towels to cloth towels. It saves so much waste since our recycling doesn't take paper towels. Then I just got a cute wet bag (a bag that is lined and waterproof to put dirty towels in until laundry day.)

Wet Bag (Sorry its dark and a cell phone pic I snapped for this)

I ordered my bag, towels, reusable snack bags and more from MamaMade on ETSY.

The best part is the towels can be put on a regular towel holder. Plus once again tons of cute prints are available.

 MamaMade also makes great place settings that come with a cloth napkin that teaches Tristan how to set the table.

A Note from out host:
Welcome to my first ever linky party! I'm so excited you're here and I cannot wait to see what you have to share with us.

If you're a regular on my blog, you know that I'm passionate about making things easy, especially if I'm really committed to it. I rarely follow a recipe if it has more than 5-6 steps and I'll rarely make something a habit if it seems to hard or overwhelming!

One of my goals when I first started blogging was to show that it's possible to overhaul your lifestyle, one  step at a time so that it doesn't seem too overwhelming. I hope that I accomplish this when I do my simple steps to healthy living! 

I'm so excited to share this journey with you! And have you share what you've learned as well! And I'm thrilled to have some wonderful ladies with me today co-hosting! 

Laura @ Our Reflection

Kim @ Singledou[b]t

Pamela @ Our Heavenly Treats

Diana @ Diana Meredith Designs

Chrystal @  Barefoot Blue Jean Life

Of course, there must be a few rules...but I'll try to keep them simple :)

1. Follow me and all my co-hostesses

2. You can post about anything you want, as long as it's a simple step towards a healthier lifestyle including tips for "green" living. I will ask that you avoid the following:

no processed foods

no artificial ingredients

nothing from a box

3. Share the love. Check out at least 3-4 other posts and introduce yourselves. The thing I love most about linky parties is that you get to meet so many amazing people! 

4. Have fun!! 

And thank you so much for participating!! I'm thrilled that you're hear and sharing with the rest of us! 

Summertime Living is Easy Party Post

Some of our wonderful friends are moving back to the East End on Grand Cayman Islands. We are so going to miss them. They leave the 20th of June. We just spent a wonderful day with them. It was one of the best days ever. Good food, good drinks, great company.

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

If I had to sum these up in one word it would be AMAZING. The flavors just melded and the color was perfect. Tristan and I decorated them. I can't say it enough. Get your children in the kitchen. It is the best way to make memories. Messes may be made too. But who cares?

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Makes: 24 servings
Serving size: 1 cupcake
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep: 45 mins  

Stand: 30 mins  

Bake: 350°F 15 mins to 18 mins  

Cool: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 12 maraschino cherries, halved
• 1 recipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting
• Maraschino cherries with stems (optional)

 Directions

 

1. Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups (or coat with cooking spray). In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

 

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.

4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting over tops of cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting

Yield: 2 cups

Start to Finish: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice or milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Milk

Directions
 

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in maraschino cherry juice and almond extract. Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

Tristan and some of the cupcakes he decorated. Yes he is always either wearing his goggles or helmet. Odd kid sometimes. I let him fill his cupcakes and he went a little light. But hey they were his to make, one thing I don't do is correct him unless he is going to hurt himself or someone else. I want it to be an enjoyable experience. Not stressful.

Summertime Living is Easy

I love this season. Fresh fruit, beautiful flowers, cook outs, great weather!

Bible Study Thursday Day 1

I'm starting a new feature. Please feel free to join in and link up at the bottom. Give your thoughts on my post or even write one of your own about whichever part of the bible you're reading now. Join late if you wish.

I'm starting at the beginning. I often think we get so busy. But even if you devote 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes of your day at least one day a week I want to hear about it.

I find myself more grounded and calmer when I devote my time and life to studying my faith. I read the New International Version of the bible. Feel free to read whichever you're most comfortable with.

<center><a href="http://www.barefootbluejeanlife.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Faith" src="http://i1014.photobucket.com/albums/af270/SoMdGirl83/6f9cd58a.jpg" /></a></center>

You can choose or choose not to grab the logo above to link here. It's up to you. Also feel free to throw my link in or not. I don't have any rules. But if you comment with a link of your own or link with the linky I'll come visit and follow and comment on your blog. I love meeting and following new people.

Today I'm going to talk about the Creator.

"In the begging God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

God created everything, he spoke and our world came into existence. He used his imagination to create the heavens and the earth and all that they contain. Stars, planets, mountains, lakes, streams, oceans and so much more. Everything came together and formed what we the people now live in. He created us with the ability to wonder at the world around us. We need to praise him and his imagination and be thankful!

As we go about our daily lives it is so easy to forget that everything around us all came from somewhere and belongs to someone. All of it the air we breathe, the fruit we eat, the beauty we see. It all came from God. He created this amazing place for us.

Let's be thankful and rejoice.

Remember to reflect and pray. Think of the things you have been involved in creating. Your home, your family, and everyday things like a project at work.

How do you feel about it?

How do you think God feels about it?

What different do these creations make in the way you feel about God?

Who is god to me. If I had to pick words to describe him. I would say he is-

Compassionate

Psalm 103:8-18

Defender

Exodus 14:14

Encourager

Psalm 10:17

Faithful

2 Samuel 22:21-27

Forgiving

Psalm 130:3-4

Love

1 John 4:16

Provider

Matthew 6:8

Sustainer

Psalm 55:22

I hope you'll join along and I look forward to reading your posts and hearing from you.

Always with love and faith in my heart. Until we meet again,

Chrystal