The Walk

The Walk, originally uploaded by stephenhunton.com.

I'm currently editing through a bunch of new pictures and just wanted to share one of my favorites from the e-session I did with my sister-in-law Shelley and her fiance, Brandon. As part of a wedding/engagement present I figured I'd shoot some fun shots for them. We had a blast and did 4 locations in literally half an hour. It was super fast, but we had some fun stuff come out pretty cool. More later!

Sweet Moment With Adler

I had the sweetest moment with Adler tonight. Each night we pray for God to bless our family members, friends, and any special circumstances. Tonight, we were praying for Daddy while he is on his business trip. I asked Adler if there was anyone else he wanted to pray for and he said "Mama". (insert heart melting here) It was then that I realized we rarely pray for Mommy together. I thought it was so sweet of him to point that out to me. He is such a special little boy!

HELP!!

Any suggestions for a hungry mama? I'm having this major problem of suddenly becoming ravenously hungry.....then eating the first thing I can grab....which is usually a carb or sugar/fruit.....and then I feel crappy. I need something I can eat right away, that's high in protein, and I'm really tired of cheese. Nuts sound gross. I can only eat so much yogurt. Eggs stink. Edamame is getting old. I had tuna at 9:30 am this morning and don't think I can do that again. I'm seriously hungry like the wolf.....HELP!

And while we are on the topic, here's what would make my life really great right now:
A personal dietitian
A personal chef
A house cleaner
A personal laundry folder and putter awayer
A dog groomer
A dog obedience trainer
A toddler obedience trainer
A masseuse
A dog poop scooper
A silent, continuous robotic vacuum cleaner and hard wood floor cleaner
A robotic magnetic invisible mini crane-toy-picker-upper
A dust fairy
The Dust Fairy's sister, Dog Hair Fairy
Lightning McQeen in the backyard for Adler
And heck, while we're in the back yard...a money tree!!

Did I miss anything?

First Day of School Thoughts

I'll have to say, on Monday morning, I was so glad have Adler at home with me and not having to get him ready for school. I really am cherishing this short time with him....I know before long, he will be headed off to school FOR-EV-ER (sandlot style). Do you remember your first day of school? I actually do remember my first day of kindergarten. I went to Hewitt Elementary. My teacher was Mrs. MacMan. I remember walking into the room and seeing some girls (Morgan McKibben and Heather Whatshername) hanging out by the big plastic puzzle cube. (Do you remember that thing? It was kind of like a playground, each side was a different color and the corners fit together to make this big cube thing?) Anyways, I remember them asking my name. I don't really remember being nervous. I've always loved trying new things, meeting new people, being out of my element.

I had a parent/teacher meeting last week for Adler's Mother's Morning Out. He will start the week after Labor Day weekend. He will go Tuesday and Thursdays from 9am - 1pm. I had to try really hard to keep it together. When I walked into Adler's class room, he had his name on the door. Then, I noticed he had his assigned chair, cubby, and name on his birthday month on the craft board. The teacher was introducing herself, going over some class rules, and things the kids were going to learn in the month of September (The letters A,B,&C, the color 'yellow', the shape 'rectangle', and a Bible verse)....Oh man, I was really fighting back the tears now. Please don't cry....please don't cry.....

Each child has an assigned "animal". Adler's is a turtle. His name is on his turtle where his assigned seat is. They also are going to have the kids learn how to line up, so these animals are also on the floor to teach the kids to stand in a line on their animal. As she was explaining this...I was biting my lip to keep it from shaking....but I also thought it was a bit funny...Adler, a turtle? Adler, stand in a line?? I'm sure he'll do it, it's just hard to imagine!

These past couple of days, I've been trying to get something together for him...he needed a backpack, Size 8 WW (that's Double Wide) close toed shoes (they don't recommend Crocs because of wood chips on the play ground), and I'm looking for a cute outfit for his fall class picture....will probably have to go to Janie and Jack since other stores sell 3T clothes that look like your son is about to join a fraternity. (Stephen would argue that Adler is cool enough to wear these clothes, while I agree, I still like to sometimes dress him like the little baby he is still to me)

I know this is just Mother's Morning Out and I can't imagine the wreck I will be when he starts kindergarten. They asked for a Room Mom Volunteer and guess who couldn't help herself even with a baby on the way......so I'll be in charge organizing the class parties...the Fall Festival, Christmas, Valentines Day, and Easter parties. Grandparents, if you can get away, you are welcome to come/help to any of these! :)

Any first day of school stories to share?

John Mark McMillian's "How He Loves"

I thought this was appropriate especially in lieu of the 2008 Olympics


He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

Pre-Chorus:
And oh, how He loves us all,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Chorus 1:
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Verse 2:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And the heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain this regrets,
When I think about, the way…

Chorus 2:
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Old pics meaning to share

Nothing says RED NECK like Crystal Beach, Texas on the Fourth of July. These pics were from Stephen's phone, so they are probably hard to see, but if you look close in the second picture, you will find the "flag shack" where you can buy confederate flag anything....bikinis, shirts, signs that say "show me your tits"......or if you're really having a bad day....a flag flicking off the rest of the world. In the third picture, you'll see a confederate flag painted truck, pulling a confederate flag, and they were blasting some Ludacris as they drove by....hmmmmmmm........ We decided Adler would not be allowed at the beach house on the 4th weekend when he's in high school!

Happy Sunday

Hope you are enjoying a relaxing Sunday. We took some pictures in the front yard after church this morning. This is the outfit my mom helped me sew in Texas. We're about to put Adler down for a nap and I think I'm going to take one too....talk about Sabbath! 

Please keep praying for the Larsens! Check out the latest pic on their blog of their daughter. I couldn't even count the number of wires that were attached to her, but sounds like she is a fighter and the doctors are doing a great job. God is faithful!

I tried the pot

The Neti Pot, that is. Ohh...I bet that got you reading!

So, I've been having this annoying post nasal drip stuff, and was looking for something natural to use. I'm kind of weird about using medications while pregnant, even the over the counter stuff my doctor says is fine....if I can find a natural solution, I would rather try that first!

In my google search, I found the Neti Pot, which I have seen on Oprah, at Whole Foods, etc. Always curious but not willing to buy.... I saw a couple "jimmy rigging" ideas in place of the $20 Neti Pot.....a syringe....a bulb.....a decorative tea pot I never use!! Perfect! Ok, so you'll probably never want to drink anything I serve out of that tea pot, but that's fine because I use it for cinnamon storage for my coffee pot (always add a dash or two with the beans) anyways. 

So, I would have to say it's pretty cool and I feel much clearer in the head...which is probably a good thing for me...and can breathe easier. Anyone else tried this? May be worth buying the real thing?

Who Should Win?

So I might be painting myself as super "lame" (as Roy would say), but Stephen and I have loved this season's So You Think You Can Dance. I literally had tears in my eyes after their final group dance. These four dancers are amazing and inspiring. It has been fun to watch them grow on the show. The finale is tonight....so the big question is, Who do YOU think can dance? Twitch, Katee, Courtney or Joshua?

Tilapia Tacos with Peach Salsa

If you are looking for a new, healthy, and yummy dish to make tonight, try these Tilapia Tacos with peach salsa! I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website. I paired this dish with black beans (if you can plan ahead, make them from the bag, not canned-it takes more time (about 10 hours) but so worth it!) and Uncle Ben's Natural Long Grain rice. I also added sliced avocado. 

Our friend, Roy, was over for dinner, and there were literally high-fives over this meal! I think Stephen was proud of his non-casserole cooking wife (which is what I'm most comfortable cooking)! What he didn't know was that it really was the most simple meal...the hardest part is chopping the salsa, which I could have done ahead of time. Let me know if you try it! 

I bought a pound of fish and between the 3 of us, there were no leftovers!

Ingredients

SALSA: 
2 cups finely chopped peeled peach (about 2 medium) 
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped 
1 garlic clove, minced 

REMAINING INGREDIENTS: 
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 
1 pound tilapia, cut into 2-inch strips 
Cooking spray 
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas 

Preparation

To prepare salsa, combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add fish to bowl, tossing to coat. Place fish in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish and salsa evenly among tortillas.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos and about 1/2 cup salsa). (this fed 2 hungry boys and one prego girl at my house!)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 250(15% from fat); FAT 4.1g (sat 1g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.9g); IRON 0.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.6g; SODIUM 533mg; PROTEIN 25.8g; FIBER 3.5g

Been busy...

So if you are having a baby, don't be surprised if this is all you get from me! This has been my latest sewing adventure, making these burp cloths! Here is some pics of a couple I made for an old co-worker who had baby Jake in June. Yes, I know I'm a little behind, but I figured you can never have too many of these things. Let me know what you think!

And don't worry, Stephen has already come up with my business plan, website (because everyone needs at least 5), and has a few suggestions for a company name :) (my favorite is Burp Cloths by Boo)

Front side

close-up
   back-side

Please pray!

Please pray for our friends The Larsens. They delivered a beautiful baby girl on Thursday despite a long pregnancy with some complications. Baby Larsen needs your prayers this very minute. She is fighting for her life through an infection amongst other things. The latest update on the blog said the doctors were not hopeful. But we are hopeful in Christ! Please pray for this precious family and for her parents, Matt and Lauren. Thanks!

Hmmmmmm............

That's right!!! If you haven't already heard, we are expecting another baby!! Our official due date is February 15, 2009! We couldn't be more excited or feel more blessed to have this child in our lives! We've seen one sonogram (got to hear the beautiful sound of that heart beat!), but won't know whether it's a boy or girl until the end of September. Boy or girl, we are so grateful!

I am 12 weeks today...and am thrilled to have completed my first trimester! I have definitely been more sick with this baby than I was with Adler. But it has been such a fun pregnancy! I have two of my closest friends also expecting...one is 3 weeks head of me and the other is 6, so it has been fun to watch our tummies grow together. Adler is getting ready to teach baby brother/sister all he knows!

We of course would appreciate your prayers for this baby...to know Christ, for health, happiness and a good sleeper :)

Berry Patch Farms

On Friday morning, Adler and I met some friends at Berry Patch Farms in Woodstock, Georgia. It was about a 45 minute drive north on 75 from our house. In the fall, the farm is a great place to pick out a pumpkin. They provide hayrides and a barn yard with farm animals. At Christmas, go there to pick out your Christmas tree. However, the summer is the season for blueberries. 

When you first arrive, you'll find the perfect playground. Someone built it by hand (not your "in a box" type) and secured it under this beautiful shady oak tree. We let the kids play there for a while until we had all gathered. We each got a bucket and the farm was ours! Adler stood at a blueberry bush for who knows how long and just ate to his little blue berry desire! I would put a handful of berries in my bucket, he would take a handful out....he loved it! (until it started getting hot that is)

We ended up with about a pound and a half of blueberries. I got a coke and a bottled water and my total including the berries was $4 something. When I got home, I made the most wonderful blueberry cobbler we've ever had. (recipe below) I don't think I got any shots of Adler picking berries (I was too busy picking them), but here are a few from the farm. We can't wait to go in the fall!

Blueberry Cobbler

Preheat oven to 350

Melt a stick of butter in a 8x8 pan

Mix 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup SELF RISING flour

Pour batter into melted buttered pan

Pour blueberries on top. I used about 2 1/2 cups and it was PERFECT!!

Bake for 50 minutes 

Top with ice cream!

memories

Texture, originally uploaded by Stevo28andgrowing.

Can you believe that this was Adler, 7 months ago??? Time has flown so much. He's so big. Someone slow down time!

Sadie

Sometimes I cannot believe what Sadie, the dog, will tolerate from Adler. Today, it was bouncing on Sadie's back. She was totally fine with it....and Adler was having a blast! She really has surprised me with how great she is with kids. She has always had a very high energy personality and I had worried it would be too much...but looks like she and Adler are a perfect match! As much as I complain about this dog, I do appreciate how much love and entertainment she provides to Adler. Not to mention the vacuum cleaner this dog is for Adler's messes! He LOVES her so very much and calls every dog "Sadie" (even Tristan our other dog). 

Chewing out Macs and relaxing all cool....

Mac-n-cheese that is......This is how Adler ate his lunch today. I fixed him Mac-n-cheese and tried to sneak in some green peas. As you can see, he ate completely around them....and had his leg propped up on the table the whole time. Guess we should start some table manners practice.....

Fixin' our Eyes on Jesus

Adler and I did a short craft project today. We took two empty toilet paper rolls, covered them in duct tape, then taped them together to make binoculars. I had stickers for Adler to decorate with, but I guess he is a minimalist and didn't want to put them on. 

We talked about Hebrews 12:2 which says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ". We shortened this verse to "Fix your eyes on Jesus", which was the theme of our craft project. I tried to get him to say the verse, but it sounded more like "fish your eye juice". 

Right now, Adler is trying to get the dogs to look through his binoculars.....anyways, we had fun, just wanted to share our afternoon craft!

PS> note Adler's most favorite shirt he is wearing......

Community Group Camp Out

Last night was Adler's first "camp out". Our community group got together and the Dad's kept the kids at The Huff's house for a night of camping in the back yard. There were tents, bug spray, a camp fire pit, smores, hot dogs, fireworks, and tons of play time. Adler definitely isn't quite old enough for the over-nighter, but he did have a good time running around and drinking as many other kids' juice boxes as he could find. Here's to next year, when Adler will be ready for the all night...

side note: the other dads/kids were up until 1:30am and woke up at 6:30am...thinking that I'm okay with not being there all night. ;)

Funky Friday

If it smells like funk it must be ME! I tried this new deodorant to try to be more organic...and more organic is what I got. I smell like I've been living in the woods for a week right now. Good thing Adler loves me anyways. Looks like I need a shower pronto!! Any suggestions on something that is organic and works??