Who Needs a Few Thousand $ Camera?

Um.... Me!

In my head, I'd love to be a photographer. Yes, I think I have way too many ambitions! Wife, mother, SLP, designer, interior decorated, party planner, and photographer. I know that I won't accomplish all of them any time soon, but a girl can dream!
I had the camera out today, so I attempted a few shots today. The one above is blurry though...
I've been reading about aperture (?) and other things and I realize that my $200.00+ Nikon camera just won't cut it. So, one day, when I have a ton of money just sitting around with nothing else to spend it on. I'm going to purchase one heck of a camera!
And photoshop. I don't have that either. All of these images were unedited. But, I did set my camera to it's black/white option.
I could probably crop. I could try to add some neat affects, but I don't know how. One day, i'll learn. When, I have a ton of time and when I have a super amazing camera and photoshop program!

Girls Re-Sell

Does your little one need new fall clothes at very affordable prices? If so, then head on over to my Facebook page, and you'll find a ton of re-sell clothes for CHEAP! I'm talking less than $5.00 an item!
These black shoes are still available and look adorable with fall and winter dresses! They have velcro sides, so they're easy for your little girl to put on all by herself!
This shirt dress was made by GG and is a size 3T. It's monogrammed with the letter G and has light pink, green, and blue monogrammed polk a dots.
Planning a trip to Disney World this fall? Your little girl will love this funky Mickey zebra shirt, size 3T.
Need a baby gift? This onesie is brand new without tags and is a size 3 months. It would work for a boy or a girl!
This Circo brand green with pink apple dress is also available! It was one of my favorites that G wore last fall, and your little girl can wear it too!

There is a lot more available in the album, so head on over!

Chicken Nachos

This recipe is perfect for a busy evening where you need a fast dinner! It's also great if your tortilla chips are starting to get stale and you need to use them, or it's perfect for a family night of snacks while you're watching a movie!

I've made this a few times for my family and we all love it every time! Especially, G, because it has 'chips'.
You'll want to start by browning chicken strips. I used a chicken breast and just cut it into strips. Season with fajita seasoning.
While the chicken is cooking, spray a cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Layer the cookie sheet with tortilla chips, a can of corn (drained), and chopped bell peppers. You can also add a can of drained beans, or refried beans.
Add your cooked chicken.
Layer with tons of shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Top with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or your other favorite toppings and enjoy!

HPA: A Few New Products

Being off over the last few weeks has allowed me some time to create new products and custom orders. I've enjoyed the time spent sewing and crafting, and I wish that i'll have more of it! Sadly, I'll be going back to work in the next two weeks, but I won't be going back full time (You can't see me, but i'm doing a happy dance right now!)MC will be wearing the above TU shirt for football games, and as soon as I can find a shirt for G in the right size, she'll have a matching one! To be honest, it's not my favorite. The blue isn't exactly right, and the stitching didn't come out as I had planned, but it'll work.
Miss S. will be showing off this anchor appliqué at her first birthday party in October and she has a bow to match! I can't wait to see birthday pictures!
I've been working on this bib for a few months now! Ha- it's about time I finally get it done! The wipe case was for an auction winner who requested the material, and I took the liberty to add in the fabric rosette to give it an extra pop of color! (I hope she doesn't mind!) But, I took the photo of them together, because something like these would make a fabulous baby gift!
This caterpillar clip pie was also created for Miss S. Her mom requested primary colors, and let's face it- it'll match so many outfits!
This turquoise ribbon wrapped headband is ready to ship! The hair bow also comes with it, and will easily clip onto the headband, or you can wear them separate for different looks. G is really starting to love headbands, and I don't have to stress over getting her to sit still for me to brush and stye her hair while we're running late for preschool (practically, every morning!)

To check out these items and more, please visit my Facebook page!

MC is 3 months!

MC turned 3 months old last week! I feel extremely blessed to have her in our family and that I've had the privilege to watch her grow and be home with her, especially over the last few weeks, while G has been at preschool.MC finally started to sleep through the night about two weeks ago. She'll go a few nights without waking, and then might have one or two nights of getting up around 4 am. She wakes up for the day around 7 am, but sometimes, she'll sleep until 8 or 8:30, if she had a 4-5 am feeding. I can tell that she's not going to like getting up in the mornings! She's okay when I pick her up, but as soon as I lay her down to change her diaper, she starts to whimper and cry. It's very pathetic!
On a typical day that she is up around 7, she's back to sleep around 8:30. She eats around every 3 hours. Sometimes 30 minutes earlier or 30 minutes later. And she naps fairly consistently around 11, and then again around 2. It feels so good to have her own a schedule, so we all know what to expect during the day!
She's sleeping in her crib at night and for at least two naps during the day.

Her favorite toys are her swing, musical seahorse, and she's enjoying the bouncy seat more- so long as she can see the lights from the t.v.
G has decided that MC's nickname should be "Meggie", and we'll catch her calling her by that name several times a day! I'm interested to see if G decides to keep it around.

MC isn't rolling over, but she is able to tolerate tummy time for 7-10 minutes at a time and I do let her sleep on her tummy during the day. At night though, she's swaddled and on her back!

She has a fun personality and loves to smile when you're talking to her. She also makes a 'k' sound and we'll make the sound to each other back and forth, and she thinks it's pretty funny! We've also started playing peek-a-boo and she enjoys that game as well!

I'm just so thankful for how we're all finally adjusting and getting into a great routine and that God has blessed us with MC!

Phew, What a Week!

Last week was busy, well, that may even be an understatement, see how tuckered out MC is! She's been so tired, that she started sleeping through the night last weekend! And, it's continued almost every single night this past week. Thank goodness, because this mama needs her beauty rest!

G went to preschool 4 days this week. She loves going. People don't believe me, but she literally cries when I pick her up. I'm lucky if I get a hug and a kiss goodbye from her in the mornings, and I have to somewhat battle a three year old that does not want to leave school!

I've also realized that my dream of her looking like a fabulous three year old diva has gone out the window. She comes home an absolute mess every day! On Thursday, she had woodchips and dirt all over her face from the playground. Thank goodness for spray and wash and bath time!

G also had her second week of dance class last week. I have to confess, that I was unable to sneak a peek at her through those tiny little windows. One, because I don't want to be, 'that parent'. But, also because it was hot and I was just trying to keep MC happy.

On the bright side, there is a little girl in her class that also goes to her preschool, and her mom and I have chatted both weeks. They also don't live far from us, so i'm hoping that I may have met my first friend here in Oklahoma! (That sounds completly depressing.)

(You can see that I have way more pictures of MC this week, since I've been home with her, and not G.)

On Monday, I scoured the phone book for every speech therapy place listed begging them for a job! I had had an interview with the school district the week before, but I just felt that I needed to turn down the position, and did that Monday afternoon. After feeling like I shot myself in the foot, because it didn't appear that anyone in the phone book was hiring, and none of the staffing agencies had called me back, I went to the football office to email my resume' to two places who said they'd keep it on file.

Thankfully, one company I called, knew of another company that was hiring and gave me their number. By Tuesday, I had scheduled two interviews for Wednesday!

On Wednesday, I took G to preschool, dropped off a deposit at MC's daycare, and then headed to the football office, so DJ could watch MC while I went on my first interview. It went well, and I hope to work with this company starting two afternoons a week and building up as needed.

After my morning interview, DJ and I, along with MC, headed to Abolini's for pizza- um, it was the most spectacular pizza ever! Maybe, because we're finally getting out of our box of just pepporoni and sausage!

After pizza, I headed off to my afternoon interview, and I was blessed that MC could tag along! With this company, I'll be doing contract work and seeing 2-5 year olds at local headstarts, and a few kiddos in their home. Which, is an amazing opportunity! It gives me the flexibility to be home and off when I need to, and to go into work as I please. Friday's will be my flex day, where I can stay home with one or both girls, or I can go in for a few hours and make up any kiddos that I missed during the week.

I should start at least one of these positions right after labor day weekend!

I somehow convinced G to stay home from preschool on Friday. With a promised trip to the library, it wasn't too difficult! Although, she did miss water day at preschool, we decided we could have our own water day at home (although, SSSHHH! we haven't done that yet, and it's now Sunday!)

But, we headed off to the library to pick up some books and a DVD, and then to a local boutique to pick up a football onesie for MC- you'll have to wait and see what i'm going to do with it!

MC was in a good mood on Friday, so I put on her flower-butt onesie and took the opportunity to snap some photo's, because I also wanted a new photo for Honey Pie Accessories facebook page.

Friday afternoon, I kept G busy with stickers. I did give her some paper, but she decided that her face (and legs) were a better spot for them!

I really hope this upcoming week isn't as busy, but I'm afraid it will be. So, i'm going to take today easy, and be a pretty worthless bum!

Recipe: Fried Apple Pies

I love my grandmother's fried pies! When we were visiting her a few weeks ago, I insisted that she taught me how to make them. So, here's her recipe- you must try them for yourself!

First you'll need to stir together 1 can of canned apples, brown sugar, butter, and about a tablespoon of flour in a sauce pan. Cook everyting together to make it thick and then refrigerate for 24 hours. (I apologize for the lack of measurements, my grandmother doesn't really measure anything!)

Next, you'll mix together 4c of flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 to 1 1/4 c. of crisco with a pastry mixer. Once mixed, add in 1-2 cups of very cold water. My grandmother actually added ice to a cup of water, and then strained just the water out. Continue to mix in with your pastry mixer. Once it's mixed, you'll knead the dough, and then pinch into balls. Roll out each ball, place in a heaping spoonful of the apple mixture fold over and pinch together. Fry each pie in crisco oil until golden brown on each side. If you have some pies where the apple mixture is leaking out, fry those last or your oil will burn.

For the icing, mix powder sugar, vanilla, and hot water.

Lay cooked pies onto an old towel, and spoon the icing over each one.

Seriously, these are amazing! I hope you'll try it out for yourself.

Sibling Shirts

My friend Lydgia, is welcoming a little boy in October, and I was thrilled when she asked if I would create Big Sister and Lil Brother shirts for her kids.

Her daughter, L, is 1 day older than G, and it was perfect timing when last summer and early fall that we were both trying to get pregnant again. I was heartbroken for her family when Lydgia had to have a D&C, especially when I found out I was pregnant with MC a few weeks later. It was because of their story that we waited a few weeks before telling the world about MC. Their loss reminded us of the reality of how precious life truely is.

But, I'm super excited that she will be welcoming baby P in just a few weeks, and that they'll L will have an amazing little brother!

Lydgia gave me full creative abilities with her sibling shirts, so I chose a turquoise and green polk a dot fabric. I decided that I would stitch L's big sister shirt in pink, since she would also have a pink big sister hair bow, and that P's shirt would be stitched in the green.

I'm shipping these shirts out to my mom to monogram "Sister" and "Brother" underneath the applique's and Lydgia and I are in the process of deciding if they should be monogrammed in different colors or both in turquoise? Regardless, I can't wait to see baby P welcomed into such an amazing family that is full of fun and tons of love!

Infant Gift Sets

HPA can offer you amazing gift sets for your own infant or they'd make a fabulous baby shower gift!

Pair a fabric paci clip with a matching burpie.

Or pair a bib with a wipe case!

To place an order, please visit our facebook page.

Picnic and TU Fountains

TU had a scrimage game this morning, so I packed up the girls and we went. We had a fabulous time getting to know the coaches wives and kids!

And afterwards, we were able to have a picnic with DJ and let G play in the TU fountains. Lunch consisted of pb&j, grapes, and chips, but since it was TUs move-in weekend, there were ice-cream trucks driving through campus offering free ice cream, so we all had a treat!

MC spent the picnic chillin' on the towel.

It was so nice to spend some time with DJ this afternoon! He's been going in to work around 5:30 am and not getting home until 8:30. We miss him! G had a fabulous time running through the fountains, playing with her bucket in the water, and walking along the outside tiny wall, practicing her "balance beam" act.

I even took MC over to the puddles and let her stick her feet in the water; she loved it!