Cheesecake Fantasy

Have you ever been to Cold Stone Creamery? Well I have, like twice. I think "creamery" is code for, "Our ice cream is insanely expensive because we have a highly scientific way of making a stirred up sundae."

For Christmas Spencer and I got three gift cards to Cold Stone and were on a date night last week and decided to use one. Let me just take a moment to say that gift cards to restaurants are our favorite, favorite, favorite gift. Nothing beats a free date! We try so hard to make them last that we will actually have a snack before we go out to eat and then share a meal so we don't use up the gift cards so fast! ha!

So back to my story. We went to Cold Stone and for the first time in my whole life I didn't want chocolate ice cream. I would usually pick a chocolate and peanut butter concoction but on this particular night I was in the mood for something fruity. I think I was hoping that eating fruit ice cream would balance the monster burrito that we had just eaten! Spencer will almost always pick fruit over chocolate so it worked out for us to share...the smallest serving they make of course!

We picked the "Cheesecake Fantasy" creation. It was cheesecake ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, strawberries and blueberries. As we were eating we thought to ourselves, "We could make this at home!" Which leads me to the purpose of this post!

Homemade Cheesecake Fantasy

Step # 1 - Smash up some strawberries (I used frozen strawberries and smashed them with a Slap Chop!)

Step # 2 - Smash up some graham crackers (I smashed them with a wooden spoon) :)

Step # 3 - Scoop up some vanilla ice cream

Step # 4 - Nuke the ice cream to make it soft

Step # 5 - Mix it all up

Step # 6 - Split into two bowls (if you're feeling nice)

Step # 7 - Put it back in the freezer to firm

Step # 8 - Find the cutest guy around to share it with!

Step # 9 - Enjoy your very cheap, but very tasty version of homemade Cheesecake Fantasy!

*I don't think I have ever served ice cream as dessert for guests, but I think that this could be company worthy! Enjoy!

Life's a Beach

This past Saturday we decided that the boys needed some fresh salt water air :-) We went to the beach and let Andrew play and run to his heart's desire. Whenever we drive to the beach I am reminded to be thankful for living in such a beautiful place!

Do you have girls?

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Georgia Trip in Pictures

Our camera is home! I never realized how often I took pictures until I didn't have a camera. So here are some pictures from our trip!

Andrew practicing to me the next Mac Specialist!

Our first trip to Monkey Joe's

Don't let this picture fool you, Andrew couldn't quite climb the obstacle courses by himself. Therefore, mama had to help the boy out. Have you ever scaled a wall with one hand while shoving a 30 pound toddler with the other all while trying to hold your balance on slippery little blocks with socks on? Yea, it's not easy!

(Please excuse the lump in my shirt, I had to tuck my scarf in so I wouldn't strangle myself by stepping on it! ha)

Who needs big bounce houses when you can just run up and down the ramps?

Checking out the "pishies!"

Joshua LOVED these penguins, it was the hi-light of his day!

After seeing the penguins Andrew thought he needed to take some home....

On our last day in GA we went back to Monkey Joe's, Andrew knew exactly what to do.

But what's a good jump without a good fall?

"I'm ok!"

Hope you enjoyed our trip through pictures! Happy Monday!

All Over

This post is going to be a little random. I have been a terrible, terrible blogger these last what, two weeks? I know that all three of you that read this blog have been worried sick over me :-)

Worry no more.

I'm back.

There are about three reasons for my absence. The first being, we were out of town! The first week of February we drove up to Georgia to be at the Grand Opening of Computer Advantage, Newnan. Spencer works with his dad, who re-located a new store in Newnan, GA. The new store is in a very fun outdoor mall where there is lots to do...unless it's 40 degrees and raining all week. Which is was. We tried to entertain ourselves at the hotel for awhile, but you can only ride the elevator and walk the halls so much before the housekeeping ladies start to get annoyed. So we discovered Monkey Joe's. It's an indoor playplace that my boys loved! It was two doors down from CA and was nice because we could let the boys play, go eat lunch and then take them back to the hotel to crash!

We also took a trip to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Andrew loved the "pishies" and Joshua cracked up at the penguins. I have so many good pictures to share but that will have to wait, which leads me to the second reason I have been absent.

Our camera is still in Georgia. I feel like a post is incomplete with no pictures, so I have hesitated to post because I didn't figure anyone cared to read my random ramblings! But, my father-in-law is returning next week and with him will return my camera and my frequent posts! I know, you can hardly wait :-)

And my last very valid excuse for not posting.....we have been sick sick sick! Last Friday when we were at a friend's house playing Joshua vomited on me....three times in a row. I was mortified because it went everywhere! I was trying to clean up and not gag, while falling all over myself apologizing to my friend. It was gross. The rest of the day he had some yucky diapers but I didn't really think of it. Well, Saturday I started to feel crummy and the next 12 hours were pure misery as the stomach bug bit me, then Andrew and finally Spencer. By Monday morning we were all feeling better except for Andrew. He has continued to have EXTREMELY yucky diapers all week long. His doctor said that it could go on for up to a week and I think we are finally starting to move on.

Since I hate a blog post with no pictures I will leave you with some pictures from the few days before our GA trip,

This is what happens when you leave your nail polish box unattended on your bathroom counter and let a 20 month old wander around.

I was a little disappointed that this is the only nail polish that broke, I got this when we were on our honeymoon and it just happened to be named after me. Oh well!

Have a wonderful weekend! I will return soon with a little more substance!

Show Us Your Life - Beauty Tips

I love this topic! I have some products that I use and I love and I am excited to share them with you! I have very oily skin and somewhat dry hair, and these are the products that work for me.

1. For everyday face washing I use Equate Deep Cleanse Daily face wash. Fancy, I know. Spencer and I both use it and it costs about $2.50 a bottle. (Sorry for the bad picture!)

2. To wash my face I use the Clarisonic Mia skin care brush. This was one of the biggest splurges of my life. I have been using it for about 4 months and I love it. When I get ready in the morning I like my face to feel really clean before I put my makeup on and this does that for me!

3. When I have a blemish I love Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish stick. If I feel a blemish coming I apply this stuff about every 20 minutes through the day and it will dry it right up!

4. Just this week I went and bought my first ever MAC makeup. I have fallen in love with their Studio Finish concealer, it covers my dark eye circles and makes me look like I've gotten 12 hours of sleep!

5. For color I use Milani eye liner and mineral blush. I have only ever found this brand at CVS. I have been fairly happy with this brand, although I feel like I have to use a lot of blush to get the color I want. Once I'm out of my current colors, I might splurge on MAC colors!

6. For my lips I like Victorias Secret Beauty Rush Lip gloss, it's inexpensive so I carry one in the car, in my purse and in my makeup bag!

7. For my hair I have to use a root lifter. I use Big Sexy Hair Root Pump. Let's just say that I've got "Skinny Thin hair" and this stuff makes it a little more manageable. I spray it on my roots and dry my hair with a round brush and it helps my hair not look quite so pathetic.

8. After I dry my "Skinny Thin hair" and tease it to death I use my favorite hair product, Tresemme Ultra Fine Mist hairspray. I spray my hair A LOT to get it to stay they way I want. My routine goes something like this, tease, spray, comb, straighten, spray, tease, spray, spray, comb, spray, spray, spray! Using this hairspray I can do all that and it won't be sticky or wet. Trust me, it's good stuff!

Well there you have it for my beauty products. I like to think that all the items I listed are fairly affordable but work as good as anything else out there! If I had one tip to share I think it would be to always wash your face and remove makeup before bed! I use eye makeup remover to get my mascara and eyeliner off every night. I don't have a 12 step program for facial cleansing or makeup application but with two boys running/crawling around I have time to do this every morning.

As I shared last week with the fashion tips, I love to shop. I love to be "in style." I love to wear makeup and spray my hair. But more than anything I hope that people see past my teased hair and mascaraed lashed to see that I love the Lord and I rely on Him for true beauty.

Proverbs 31:30 - Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

I'm Leaving...

in a red mini-van! Tomorrow I am leaving with my MIL and two little boys on a road trip to GA to join my husband and FIL! I am so excited to reunite with my man but I am very apprehensive about the drive. It is an 8 hour trip, although I am sure it will take us a little longer. We took Andrew on a road trip when he was 6 months old, but we left at bedtime and he slept for 12 hours through the night. This time we are leaving first thing in the morning, so hopes of sleepy boys are probably unrealistic!

Part of me wants to chicken out and not go for fear of a terrible trip! Joshua is still facing backwards in his car seat which could prove to be problematic! (I seriously considered purchasing earplugs)

Prayers for safe travels, alertness, our sanity and happy boys would be appreciated!

I will let everyone know *if* when we arrive!

*Please keep the Jackson family in your prayers tonight, Joe, the dad was taken to the hospital and was believed to have a stroke. I am close friends with his daughters and I am sure that they would appreciate your prayers on their behalf.

2/4 Update : We made it safe and sound! It was an 8 hour drive and we made it in 9, not too bad with little ones! Both boys were wonderful travelers, the Lord protected us and blessed us!

Sweet Memory

I stumbled across this picture today, hadn't seen it in awhile and it just brought back some sweet memories