This sweet little blog began as a way to write my little thoughts. I never thought someone would read it or care. After a few years of blogging I am in love. I love sharing what I have learned and what I am learning. After many mommy questions, cloth diaper questions and coupon question I decided that I need a new blog. One with organized thought and one that could help out my family and friends. With that being sad I give you...

http://learningtobeblog.blogspot.com/

I hope you will join me there. Please click the follow me button and let me know that you have visited my blog. I cant wait to see what others think thru comments. Blog, you have been a blessing and I am sad to say goodbye but excited for blog 2.0

BYE BYE FRIENDS

Note before you continue: You may or may not know that Josh and I have been together since we were 16.

Tonight we were cleaning out the office closet. I came across a few boxes that had our note, pictures, emails all that jazz from the start of our friendship until now. It was crazy going thru that stuff. One thing that was funny was seeing a) how the thing you use to adore about your spouse is the thing you fight about now. b) how some of our problems now where the same as back then (maybe not problems but some personality traits) It was sweet to see how crazy in love we were and defiantly makes me want to get back there, to an extent, there is also this sweetness to the security and passion and life we have now. I guess what I am saying is I am thankful for the journey. I cant believe 1) How we use to question if we were the one and now we are married and have a baby and a mortgage. 2) how quickly we moved. We were telling each other we loved one another before we said we were bf and gf out loud. But I remember this... it was true. I loved that man since the first day I saw him, that has not changed. BUT let me say Copeland may not fall in love that young. Mommy is going to guard that heart with all she has bc it usually does not end the way it did for us.

Another sweet thing about tonight- Copeland is teething so sleep is a little tricky. So he was awake for some of this and I let him play with a old photo of us. I told Josh "wow it is kinda crazy how I am looking at this stuff and "our" son is sitting here playing with stuff of ours from high school. Things really have come full circle."

I will say this, in reading some of the letter we were 2 teenagers on fire for God and really encouraged and prayed for one another. I hope we can get back to the young innocent faith.

It was a great night looking back, I am thankful for it all but mostly thankful for where I am today. I have a beautiful family but mostly I have a wonderful husband, whose smile still melts my heart like a 16 year old girl. I would not change a day with him and would not pick another man. Josh is everything the Lord has for me and I rest in the fact that he has us together for his kingdom. I pray that we grow in that role so that he can use us.

I dont have a scanner to get old old pictures so one of us from 2005 will have to do.

I LOve You JOShua PauL HeNLey

-The Mrs.

A few blogs in one...

1) Can you transfer your mood to your baby?? The last few days I have been in a mellow, lay in bed, do nothing mood. Copeland, who is not a snuggler at all, the last few days is so clingy and just wants to lay with me. I know he is at the age where he get separation anxiety but I cant help but wonder if he is just in the same mood as me.

2) I need your help friends. I want to do a ball pit for C's first birthday. I was going to get a little pool that we could keep up all the time for him but then only maybe 2 kids could be in there. Since we have have a few kids at the party I need something bigger for just the day. This is where you can help... do you have something I can use for a ball pit?? If so please contact me I just need it for the one day and will return it to you. THanks

3) You blogger experts... I recently changed my email and would like to change it on my blog sign-in but I dont know how. They said I cant... do you know how to change it?

Look at this lil bug... I cant believe he is 10 months old. What an amazing gift he has been to Josh and I. MOnth 10 has brought new things in little life. Copeland has started pulling up on things but does not know how to get back down so he gets real concerned and then just falls. He has started separation anxiety but just with mommy. With daddy he is a cool big boy. He loves to watch older kids (like 3-5 year olds) it is so cute. C loves to wave bye- bye. He does not chew his food just swallows it which makes mommy a little nervous. He still only has 2 teeth but he is growing some hair. He has started making the funniest faces and tell us stories. I dont think he will be a big talker. I am having so much fun teaching him things, we do flash cards and go over body parts and practice words. I love you so much lil man. Thank you for your sweet smile and the joy you give our family.

New recipe. So easy and so good. No really, I love it and the hubs liked it too. You will be surprised, try it!

Zucchini Muffins Recipe

For those of you who prefer to use oil over butter, be my guest (use 1 cup vegetable oil instead of the butter) but I have to tell you, I've made these both ways, and the butter version just tastes better.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini
• 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

METHOD

You don't need a mixer for this recipe.

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using.

2 Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.

Note, if you are including walnuts and dried fruit, you will likely have more batter than is needed for 12 muffins. I got about 14 muffins from this batch, and that included filling the muffin cups up as far as they could possibly go (above the surface of the muffin tin).