Wow.  Does anyone actually read blogs anymore?  Is it all instant satisfaction on the Gram and Tiktok?  I look back over the lifetime of this little blog of mine and I enjoy seeing all the memories that were captured.  It’s nice to look back and remember what I wrote and pictures of Connor.  Speaking of Connor- who is in middle school now and not a baby anymore.  When your kids get to the age they start to notice you are posting about them on the world wide web-they have opinions.  So, now Connor is not on the blog as much, because his friends also have social media and if he wants to be on here or have his photo taken I ask him and it’s his choice.

Heidi, however, I’ll still keep taking baby pics of her until she grows of age and has her own opinions as well.  I shall cherish those just as much!

Raising kids sure is different the second time around (and almost 10 years later….sigh).  I feel old and tired…but also thankful for the opportunity to raise this beautiful girl.  I was thinking the other day that when my Mom had my sister and I she was 22.  I’m glad that she’s still at a young enough age to enjoy her grandchildren.  Then I started thinking OMG when Heidi is my age I’ll be almost 80!!!!  Aaaaahhh…and then I start to freak out and think of all the what ifs and what I won’t see.  But then I started to think of how lucky I am that I get this time on Earth with both of my kids anyway-no matter what age- and to enjoy it.  ENJOY IT.  Savor it.  Cherish the small moments.  Also, not everything has to be documented because it will live on in their hearts and minds.

I remember moving to Texas in 2007 and being extremely scared.  I didn’t know a single soul except for my husband and his family.  I am thankful how God has grown those relationships with extended family.  We may never have had the opportunity to do that unless we moved to Texas.  Although I miss my family back home terribly, I know this is where I am supposed to be.  This feels like home now.

One of the reasons it feels like home is because of this blog.  Way back before Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok- we had blogs.  And I met SO many beautiful and wonderful “internet friends” that became real life friends and God has also used that to enrich my life in so many ways.

My blogging led to me picking up a camera.  Documenting little moments of our life.  I got my first camera over 10 years ago and my sweet husband sold his watch he got for graduation (a very nice watch that hopefully I can repay him for someday!) to buy me my first camera.  Over the last decade I’ve grown and honed in on that creative outlet and have enjoyed photography even more so!  So, right now I’m working on setting up a more all encompassing website for my photo biz and hoping to grow that in the coming years.  Also, a lot of my clients are my beloved friends I’ve met through blogging and as we all know it’s word of mouth that sells!  I’m forever grateful and thankful for these relationships.  It’s amazing how God works in you and leads you in different paths.

For instance- the last couple of years have been HARD.  Right after Heidi was born I felt like the walls were closing in on my life and didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.  I was stuck.  I was scared of starting all over.  And I was very very alone. Praying for God to restore me and bring me out of the trenches of what the Devil was whispering in my ear.  Of course I know the last couple of years have been so hard on everyone.  So SO hard.  I pray every day that God would give us peace and understanding to know his plan for the course of what is going on in the world.

So, long story short, the office I was working for previously was sold- therefore I needed to find something else to do.  I took a job in Dallas with a horrible commute and doing something I really didn’t enjoy and people that were not nice- just because it was a “job“. I was there for about a year, but I’m thankful I was able to get my feet wet again after working part time for the prior 5 years. In the end I found an amazing job right down the street from my house with people I love and where I fit in perfectly.   I’ve been at my new job for about 7 months and loving it. I’m much happier now.  A lot of Moms question whether or not they should go back to work after a baby- but for me I needed the structure, the social aspect, and something for me to do.  If I sit at home I get depressed and don’t function well.  And that’s okay- at least I know that now.  My goal is to grow my photography into something bigger and of course have more family time.  With the unprecedented times we are in I think it’s always good to have something to fall back on.  So, that’s my goal.  I’m coming for you 2022!

I’m not perfect and God is working on my heart daily.  But the one thing I want to do in 2022 is wake up and think of one thing I am thankful for and wholeheartedly thank God for it.  Give praise for it and rejoice in that thankfulness.

Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams.
Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential.
Concern not yourself with what you tried and failed in, but what it is still possible to do.
Now is the time to put aside past and present setbacks and failures and look with confidence to the new day called tomorrow.

I hope you all have a wonderful, healthy, and blessed 2022!  Yes-I’ll be doing a fall/Christmas recap on the blog soon!

xoxo- Becky

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY ONE OF OUR FAVORITE FOODS- LITTLE BITES®

It’s finally here- the Christmas season and aka my favorite time of year.  I haven’t watched a single Hallmark movie fully through yet and I’m hoping I get a weekend to just “Hallmark and chill“.  Between work and being booked solid with photo sessions on the weekends, life is a bit cray cray right now.  In a good way…and it’s a blessing to watch my photography business grow.

I got the tree up this past weekend and now I’m enjoying all the ambiance and twinkle in the house along with all the HOLIDAY FOODS!!!  YUM.  I love my eggnog, gingerbread cookies, and any soup or chili in a bowl right now.  The kids are always eating us out of house and home, especially the tweenager and Heidi bug loves to snack all day too.

We love that Little Bites® Butter Cookie Muffins are back!  Both of my kiddos can’t wait for these and I love them just as much.  Actually I pretty much like anything with cookie butter in the title.   Little Bites Cookie Butter Muffins are made with real butter in perfect pouches for snacking or lunches.  

This girl LOVES these muffins so much she asks for them every day.  As a parent who is always watching what goes into my kid’s food -there’s no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors or colors.  These muffins are also a yummy snack at holiday parties for your little ones and friends to enjoy.

Cheers to the holiday season and we have another fun giveaway for you along with Little Bites too! 
Enter Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Show Little Bites some love by following on their Website Facebook Instagram & YouTube

Oh look….I even caught Connor sneaking some muffins 😉

This post is sponsored by L’OR all thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you have read this blog anytime during the last 15 years then you know how it all started…The Java Mama and my love for all things caffeinated and coffee!  I love to try out all kinds of coffees and espressos.  That includes visiting different coffee shops and trying all kinds of coffee from all over the world.  I can’t survive a day without coffee and I take my caffeine very seriously folks!  I recently had the joy of trying L’OR espresso and here are my thoughts on these delectable espresso pods.

With fall here and cooler temps, nothing is better than a warm cup of espresso in the morning.  The L’OR coffee was so smooth and rich, and there was no bitterness at all. That is my way of judging whether or not espresso is up to par in my book.  And L’OR was definitely on par! L’OR Espresso’s coffee capsules come in 8 signature flavors: Papua New Guinea, Colombia, Onyx, Or Absolu, Profondo Lungo, Estremo Lungo, Ristretto, and Ristretto Decaffeinato and are Nespresso®* Original compatible.

If you are always in a hurry in the morning like me then a coffee is always a godsend. Just insert the L’OR Espresso pods and within minutes you have a steaming cup of espresso.  I like to froth some flavored half and half on mine.  Right now I’m using THIS pumpkin spice syrup in my coffee. I save time in the morning and enjoy a yummy cup of espresso- without sacrificing quality or flavor! 

There’s nothing better than GOOD. QUALITY. COFFEE.I’ll leave you with one of my favorite coffee recipes, especially with the holidays right around the corner.

EGGNOG LATTE

This post is sponsored by one of our favorite foods- Little Bites®

It’s spooky season and we are ready with one of our favorite snacks Little Bites®!!!  Both of my kids love these and beg for the chocolate chip muffins every time we go to the grocery store.  They have more than just muffins…all kinds of yummy snacks to flavor your fall.  You all know we are big fans of Little Bites and love to spread a little bit of Little Bite love with YOU too!

Here is Heidi’s Halloween costume this year:

Do you think the big bad wolf likes Little Bites?

Information about Little Bites® snacks:

• Little Bites® snacks are baked soft and moist
• With a wide variety of options to choose from, Little Bites® snacks feature real ingredients such as chocolate chips, blueberries, and strawberries, and are perfectly portioned and portable
• Little Bites® snacks contain no high fructose corn syrup and zero grams of trans fat per serving
• For more information about Little Bites® snacks, please visit www.littlebites.com

Little Bites is doing a really fun Halloween contest right now.  Just head on over to INSTAGRAM and enter to win!  Fans can visit Little Bites® official Instagram page daily to locate an image of Muffin the dog on Instagram Stories and take a screenshot to use as a blank canvas to create your unique Halloween costume by drawing/dressing him with various gifs, emojis and coloring using Instagram drawing tools.

After you’re done customizing the dog post the design to your Instagram Story and tag the brand @LittleBitesSnacks as your official entry, and include #contest

Each Friday, four winners will be chosen based on creativity and originality to win exciting prizes, including a year’s supply of Little Bites® product (52 coupons) and a $250 gift card for Halloween supplies

• Entry Period 1: October 4 – October 7 (Winners selected: Friday, October 8)
• Entry Period 2: October 11- October 14 (Winners selected: Friday, October 15)

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeen Everyone!!!

Little Bites has allowed us to do a fun Halloween giveaway with y’all for a $25 virtual gift card and three (3) coupons for up to $5.29 off the purchase of Little Bites® products.

JUST ENTER BELOW:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s pumpkin season y’all and I’m HERE FOR IT!  October kicks off my favorite time of year with all the trick or treating, pumpkins, pumpkin patch, and fall-ish weather. Let’s light a fall candle and make sparkly pumpkins shall we?

Next comes Thanksgiving and turkey and gathering with family, football, and parades.  THEN- Christmas my FAVORITE!  I’m ready to put my tree up now, but I’m afraid it’s too early according to others in my household. Lol!

Hallmark starts airing their Christmas films at the end of October though and what is a Hallmark Christmas movie without a little twinkle in the background?  Another thing I love is soup.  And soup season is here too!  If you have any good soup recipes to share please do!

I recently had the opportunity to work with Poster Store and they let me pick out some fun pictures for our home.  It was super easy and they have frames in all different colors and more photos and drawings than you could ever imagine.

I chose this pretty fall landscape for our front entry.

I can’t wait to put this one up for Christmas.

This cute little tree house for Heidi’s room.  

And this “Dream” photo for the kids bathroom.

Poster Store was kind enough to give a discount code for my readers: 35java for 35% off posters (not including selection posters).

This is how everyone in Texas is like right now.  I’m sitting here typing in my sweater and sweating…but mentally it’s FALL…so it’s worth it!

All the Halloween candy has me like….

I’m also wearing my cute Brianna Cannon earrings and headband for fall too!  Don’t forget my discount code: BECKY10 and shop all her cute fall goodies HERE.

One of our favorite places to eat is Rise Soufflé.  We went out with Ellen a few weeks ago and had a girls day out.  The soufflés are SO GOOD!

Heidi looking so cute with her pumpkin!  We can’t wait to go to the pumpkin patch soon. We also took the kids to the zoo and they had a great time.  The Fort Worth Zoo is definitely one of the best.  

My curly headed baby boo- She does great at taking photos.  Remember how many photos I used to take of Connor when he was little?  Now he basically runs from me and hides- middles schoolers right?

Heidi also loves to help in the kitchen so we usually let her stir and things like that.  Here is is waiting on her pizza to cook in the oven. My forever Starbucks date.  I love you Connor and your lil hoodie wearing self.  Mama is so proud of you and your kind heart 🙂

School picture 2021- 6th grade.  How is this possible???

Okay, well I hope you enjoyed my little fall recap and I’ll be back Soooooooooooooooooooooooooon!!!! xo Becky