Memphis Zoo

We were able to head to the Memphis Zoo on Labor Day.  Joe had school off so he was able to come with us.  It was nice to all go as a family.  We have a pass but we don't use it nearly as much as we should!  But the kids had so much fun.  I was surprised how much Jake enjoyed it.  But then again, he's really into animals right now!

Jake's First Year

So i'm going down memory with this kid.  As of right now, every day it's just Jake and me.  I love it.  It's been so fun being with him.  And I just happened to finally come around to finishing this project....don't worry that he's going to be 2 in Nov.
I'm glad I did this every month, to see the changes and growth.  That first year is a doosy but there are times that I miss it!  Miss those baby stages!

Some things I would have done differently:
-Made sure it was the SAME place, SAME position, SAME lighting each month.  Would have looked more unified.
-Written down more info about him.  I did write more detailed posts each month but didn't write down like height like I did for his weight.  Not a big deal but still would have been fun to see.

Family Finest: Bake-N-Make Cookies

What Back to School traditions to you have in your house?

I love spending time with the kids when they come home from school.  It's when they are excited about their day and want to share it.  So what better way to do that than over some decorating cookies?

Introducing Family Finest Bake-N-Make Cookies Decorating Kit.

It's a complete kit that has everything  you need!  It comes with 4 cookies, cookie trays, 4 colors of icing & sprinkles.

They bake for about 20 minutes and then you are ready to decorate!

I was surprised at how big these cookies were!  Lots of room to do lots of decorating, which the girls loved.

 

They are found at Walmart in the Dairy section.  For only $5, this is a great kit to have on hand when the kids are coming home from school!
Honestly, my kids had so much fun.  And these cookies are really good.  Made it hard to stick with my "no sugar" diet!  Aaaand my house still smells delicious.  Defintely a fun addition to the menu when looking for a great family activity!

And this is all my own opinion.  I was not given this product to do a review.  I wrote this on my own accord!

I blinked...

And summer was over!

I swear the TN summers are too short.  Because we were in UT for so long, we didn't get much of a summer here.  But that's okay.  The kids had a lot of fun there with family.  I'll get to that soon.  But since I took pictures of Michael's wedding, there are SO many of them.

But this is more about the First Day of School.  So crazy that my girls are in 3rd & 2nd grade.  They just keeping getting so big!
Emma has Mrs. Black & Kate has Ms. Maynard.  I really love this school and I love the faculty.  We were truly blessed to have found a great home, neighborhood, town and school.  I am going to miss it next year!

Jamberry Nails

Ok if you've known me for ever, you know I've had my fair share of in-home sales and consulting with products and companies.  I'm not the most suave salesman.  I let go of that part of me when I realized I just couldn't cut it.  Photography has always been my passion and I am so grateful for being able to do something that I love to do.
But wouldn't you know, I have been sucked into the consulting world again.  But this time it's different!

If you haven't heard of Jamberry Nails, now is the time!  This product is amazing.  And let me tell you why.
For those of you who are incapable of keeping nails kept and cute due to small kids, cleaning etc etc and didn't want to deal with chipped or scratched nail polish, I have found a solution.

Jamberry Nails are like tough stickers that go on your nail for the long haul.  Like "2 weeks on your finger nails and 6 weeks on your toe nail" Long.    Applying them on your nails is very easy to do and there are lots of resources to help you out.

They are affordable!  Seeing how they lost so long, a sheet can last you a while.

I mentioned they are durable and they are!  And the best part is that your nails look fabulous the whole time!  No chipping or scratches.  They remain in full and glossy.

Oh and I did I mention the styles that they come in?  There is a style for every kind of personality!  They even have a line for little girls!

So I definitely recommend just checking it out!  There are fun Hostess parties too where you can earn free Jamberry nails!

www.lyssabeth.jamberrynails.net

1 more year!

As of next week, Joe is officially a 2nd year Endo student...which means we have 1 more year of school.  It's amazing the road we've traveled on to get here.  We are approaching 10 years of marriage and most of it has been in school.

I am so proud of Joe and his accomplishments!  Last night was the Endo Graduation dinner for the 2nd years.  I was able to go along, as long as I brought my camera and took pictures.  We went to McEwen's downtown and it was amazing.  Best cheat meal ever.  It was a nice night out without the kids & to get dressed up.

Results are In...

After doing the 7-Day Detox with LeanMoms.com, I am just amazed at my body and the changes that can happen in such a short amount of time.  So I measured myself today, after 7 days of eating smoothies full of natural oils, fruits and veggies and lean meats here are my results:

I lost 7 lbs!
I lost 8 inches in total body!
That, to me, is amazing.  Seriously.  Now, I'm not going to post any pictures just yet.  My journey isn't over.  This is the hard part now.  Being loosed into the wild to make sure I make the right choices.  But luckily they have a Hormone Balance Diet that I'll be doing now.  Similar to what I just did but more foods!

Seriously check out LeanMoms.com if you are ready for some changes in your life for the better!