What a weekend!!!

I feel like I have been the energizer bunny since Friday, I just keep going and going and going and goi...

you get the point. 

Friday, Baja and Bobby came to visit! Not only was she comic relief BUT also a HUGE help keeping Amelia occupied while I cleaned my house for a few gals to come over. 

Leave it to grandmas to give babies candy :) This was Amelia's very first lollipop. She LOVED it...who wouldn't? After entertaining us with her sticky ways, we gave her a bath and Baja offered to take her for the night so I could finish cleaning and get some alone time. As much as we all want to be supermom and never give ourselves a break, it is so healthy and rejuvenating to pass the kiddos onto to someone else for a night...or two. 

Every month my "moreno girls" and I have dinner together alternating houses. They are sisters who I have known since I was in 4th grade and interestingly enough, met over walkie talkies only living a few houses apart. Our dads became BEST FRIENDS and are tight as ever to this very day (it is the only "bromance" I have ever witnessed my father having..he loves his David.) I love them to death. I would do ANYTHING for these two and I know they would do the same for me. Come December, there will be no "Moreno" left because the last sister, Rebekah, is getting married...it makes me so sad, I don't like talking about it hahah!

I documented our night below...

uh... caught Elizabeth taking photos of herself...toot toot ;)

We tried really hard to make this work...

And we concluded the night with good old fashioned "beauty salon". Come on, you know you played this when you were younger. I am going to attempt to do Elizabeths hair for Bekah's wedding and we were just practicing....

I made a pretty cute arrangement for the dinner too...

And I got to use my new napkin rings!!

Saturday night, I put on my high school jeans and my "I don't give a sh*t attitude" and went to see a band I use to listen to "Between the Buried and Me." I had fun pretending to be the girl I pretended to be in high school. It was fun for a night, but three hours of screaming metal is enough for me this year...

next.

So. My best friend is getting married :) I am so excited and honored to be part of their special day next July and can't wait to see sweet Amelia in a flower girl dress!! I remember when Chelsea told me about Clint and I remember how they were SO serious, SO fast. I never questioned if they would make it or not...before even meeting Clint, I knew Chelsea has such a level head on her shoulders that I never questioned her judgement. Fast forward almost 2 years and I will be the first one to tell anyone how much I LOVE Clint. I love the kid. He is perfect for her and he makes her so happy. Their love is so genuine and playful, it is hard not to be in a good mood around them. 

Today, I was blessed to shoot their engagement shoot! Now...I usually leave the shooting up to Travis but since this is my best friend, I wanted to take the reigns! I didn't let the fact that I literally hadn't shot in  months and months scare me...I was PUMPED about this session! We went with a 1930's theme because it truly fits miss Chelsea to a tea and she ROCKED IT. I was SO surprised with Clint...he is a model in the making! He was telling Chelsea where and when to look away/down/straight and made it so easy on me. He also had some amazing ideas for some photos and I love when people bring that to a shoot. I love you Chelsea and Clint and can't wait for little Carr babies :) Here are a few of my favorites from today....I will dedicate an entire post to them when I am done editing!

Hope you had a blessed weekend!

NTC: Thanksgiving Paper Towel Napkin Rings!

 

Does anyone remember making these stylish hats in elementary school? They were totally my inspiration for my next craft! I came across this adorable blog a few weeks back and thought "what a clever idea to use toilet paper rolls for napkin rings!" I knew I wanted to do something along these lines for Thanksgiving. 

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year under ONE condition: I don't have to cook the ham or turkey HAH! I am not ready to ruin a holiday in my own home yet...maybe next year ;) Since we have remodeled our home, I have been an eager beaver to have a party at our house! I really want to impress everyone with the decorations, even though it is just our families. I LOVE when Baja compliments on all my efforts, she notices every tiny detail which leads to stories of when she was younger. 

I present to you this weeks N.T.C: 

Paper Towel Roll Napkin Rings

Materials you will need:

-Paper towel roll (makes about twelve 1in. napkin rings)

-felt (I know I always use felt but you can't beat 4/$1)

-Bling

-Feathers

-Scissors

-Glue gun/glue

First, cut your paper towel roll into equal rings. I just eyeballed it :)

 

Next, cut your felt into strips large enough to cover your paper towel ring. They can be larger than the ring, the paper towel is just being used as the structure. Glue the strip directly onto the paper towel ring. 

 

Next, glue on your feathers and bling or anything you want to use as decoration! This is the fun part, be creative!! I put the feathers on the seam of the felt so it hides it completely.

see my killer rash that is taking over my hand?? :(

I went with two different colors for the large feather, orange and brown to give it that Thanksgiving feel.

 

Using the feathers makes every one unique and different and makes it impossible for mistakes. If my dad taught me anything about art it was "There are no mistakes." Any time I would paint the wrong color, he would always remind me to just paint over it....easier said than done to a 6 year old. 

 

Did a practice setting and I think they look so good! Don't judge my etiquette, I have no idea where the silverware goes. 

 

It took me about 20 minutes to do 6 and I have 6 more to go....that will have to wait for another nap time :)

Since this is the time for ThanksGIVING, please read my husbands blog on his mission trip next August! He is GIVING his time and talent to Ghana Christian Missions to do a documentary and needs YOUR help! TravisTank.com

Do you have any other fun crafts using paper towel rolls?! Please share!

Caramel Apple Stuffed Biscuit: A perfectly easy dessert!

Truth be told: I was so excited to blog about this dessert that I totally made up all by myself (if it exists, its news to me) but had a raging head ache and fell asleep early.

On a happier note, there is NOTHING better than the feel of holidays in the air! I see people complaining on facebook about Christmas decorations being out in stores already and I am so eager to say "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!? I wish they kept them up all year round!" Yes, I am one of those that could jam Christmas tunes in July and watch  "Christmas Vacation" year round.

 I took a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday and suddenly had a craving for something along the lines of apple pie. I only had one apple and thought...biscuits? Why the hell not...

I'm calling these Caramel Apple stuffed Biscuits!

You will need:

-Biscuits (I used butter flavored)

- Apple (1 med. sized apple made 4)

-Brown sugar

-Butter

-Heavy cream

-Water

-Cinnamon

-Ground nutmeg

 -Turn oven on to 400º (I followed my biscuit can)

-Tear biscuit dough in half and mold to a cupcake holder (you will use the other half of the biscuit later) bake for 10 minutes, take out of oven.

 -Peel and dice apple into larger chunks

-Start cooking in skillet with 1.5 tablespoons of butter and about 3.5 tablespoons of brown sugar. *I kept adding the cream and some water (little bits at a time) to help the apples cook and also to prevent the sauce from getting to thick*

-Add your spices to taste and let simmer until apples are about 3/4 way cooked. 

-While the biscuit cups are still warm, remold them to the shape of the bowl so you have room for your apples.

-Spoon cooked apples into your biscuit cups and top with the other half of your biscuit (I flattened mine in my hand) Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the top is browned. There should be some glazing juice left behind...this is perfect to top your dish! I will strain my apples better next time, the dough did get just a little soggy. 

I topped it with some greek yogurt and it was AMAZING. I loved it, Travis loved it and I am hoping YOU will love it :)

Below, I documented this recipe step by step!

Enjoy!!!

OH, AND your parents are right, tupperware really does occupy babies. Success...

Side note: 

 I feel like a walking health problem lately...On Friday I woke up with a cold sore AND a canker sore on my lip, I have a mysterious rash all over my left and and arm that I am praying is not what I think it is (eczema), I have an enormous blister on my left foot and with this stormy weather my back and pelvis are equal to a 90 year olds. 

*Just keep swimming, just keep swimming*

25 years and counting: an accidental love story.

My parents met at a red light. No really...my parents met at a red light in 1985.



You know when you're young and you think you are SO mature and you're cruising in your car and can't help but sneak a peak at the potential hottie in the car next to you? That's what happened. With both their windows rolled down, they started talking to one another at a red light down town Austin. My dad was with a friend, my mom was ridin' solo. After a brief head nod, my mom (like an idiot) followed them to a local bar at the ripe age of 16. My dad was 22.

My mom actually started dating the friend in the car and a few months in she answered his phone and the other line happened to be his fiance. Whoops.... He apologized for days and told her that his friend "Nuno" really liked her and to give him a shot. She did.

Little did she know, my dad was living in his friends closet and the last few years of his life had been consumed with the Army and a year in a coma (his story is for another post!). He had nothing....and it took time to figure out why he wore the same button down shirt to every one of their dates. About 6 months into their relationship they got into an argument and my dad gave my mom an ultimatum. She showed up at his closet doorstep with her suit case.

At 17 my mom got preggy and she told my dad they were getting married, ha! They married in a courthouse November 12, 1986, my mom dawning a yellow sweat suit, 6 months pregnant. Nuno was born the following February and on the day of his first birthday, my mom found out she was...GASP!...pregnant again

and our family of four was complete ;)




We didn't have much when I was little, but my parents gave us EVERYTHING. I had the most amazing childhood. My mom was a stay at home mom and there is no doubt that is why my brother and I have good heads on our shoulders. She would spend all day just playing with us, coloring on the floor, making homemade play-dough...ahhh I still remember tasting the play-dough every single time. My dad is the most hard working man I have ever met. He spent 10 years of working 15 hour days to live the American dream with his family. He can and WILL fix anything. He knows everything about everything, at least he thinks he does. As many of you would, I will argue I have the best parents in the world. They supported us in everything we could ever dream of doing and I have tears welling up in my eyes thinking about our good times.

Because of society now..."baby mamas", 72 day marriages, it is pretty often that people ask me "wow your mom had your brother at 18? So who is his dad?" I always find this sad. Long and strong marriages are becoming a thing of the past, which is why I am so honored to wish my parents a

HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY! 


 I am so proud to be your daughter! In honor of this special day, here are some pictures from their visit a few weeks back!

My dad calls me smoogie woogie, my mom calls me weenie. 

Mom & Dad: (mom, I know you are reading this) I love you more than any words or actions could prove. You were and are the most amazing parents who always gave the perfect amounts of disipline and comfort. You let me spread my wings but only when you knew I had a parachute. You let me fail classes and didn't even blink because you know I was giving it my all. Thank you for never pressuring me to do sports, have the cool friends or do the things YOU wanted me to do. Thank you for letting me be an artist and being my biggest cheerleaders- even if it is (STILL) annoying at times. Thank you for always telling me I was beautiful because I NEVER had to go searching for someone else to tell me. Thank you for everything you have and will do for me, Travis, Amelia and Nuno. But I will not thank you for giving me ridiculous nick names (I will never forgive you mom...it's not cool to be called a genital in 6th grade. or ever).

Everyone tells me I am identical to my mother, but act exactly like my father....and that is the best compliment I could have.