Etsy SHOP!!!

I am so excited that I finally opened an etsy shop! Right now, I have hair clips and tote bags. But I have just ordered the supplies to begin making hand stamped jewelry! I plan to start out with necklaces and bracelets then eventually add rings and earrings. So stay tuned for new things to come and I would welcome and appreciate input.

Here's the link:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilitruwest

GO CHECK IT OUT!!!!

Big Boys

Truett is now 4 1/2 months old and loves sitting in his bumbo seat. He is cooing and laughing and trying to sit up, though he still isn't crazy about rolling over! He likes to sit in his little seat while I cook dinner and wash dishes, etc. He is happy as long as he can see somebody and does not like to lay down. He doesn't nap a whole lot, especially for a 4 month old. Though I can't complain b/c he does sleep through the night. He is a smiley little baby and as my cousin said "he smiles with his hole body!)

Weston the Messton(LOL)is sweet and a little booger. He is the one that will always tell me he loves me then turns around and slaps me or says I am mean (that line he learned from his sissy ;). He completed his very first year of preschool, though it nearly broke my heart to send him. He used to cry everyday, but in the end he really enjoyed school. He loved his teachers too. I hope that he will learn to swim this summer (he is a fearless boy who makes me nervous at the pool, even with his float). He will be 3 in August... my how time flies!


Cousin Anna came to hang out and help me take all the kids to the Botanical Gardens (Max, Lili, Ty, Weston and Truett). She is such a big help! And just look at the special things (pig faces) she teaches the kids:) LOL! JK, she really is a great helper and a sweet "young lady". The kids just loved having her around! I told her she should just move in:)

Lili's Last Day of School

Lili-Grace had a great first grade year! She had a wonderful teacher. I cannot believe that she will be in 2nd grade next year! It is bittersweet. I love to watch her grow, but it truly goes too fast and I find myself missing her younger years too. I have been needing and meaning to get rid of her little clothes, but I keep hanging on to them... I just can't bring myself to part with all of them.
We also love Mrs. Phillips, Lili-Grace's principal. She is a special lady who definitely found her calling. We are truly blessed to have such a great school for our kids.
This was the gift we made for Mrs. Young. I got the idea out of Family Fun Magazine. Inside the little flower envelopes are giftcards to various places.

Time to catch up!

The end of the school year was insane with trying to get ready for, school play field trips, field day, dance recital, etc! Busy, busy, busy! I am so glad summer is here! I like having Lili home everyday instead of having to go to school! We have 2 extras with us this summer... Max and Ty! They get to come hang out with us during the day while Missy is at work. Lili-Grace and Weston love having some buddies to play with throughout the day.

We also went to see Thomas and the aquarium in Chattanooga!

Needless to say, we were tired afterwards!

Spider Bite... EEK!

So the hubs starts getting sick on Friday and then Saturday morning there was a mysterious bump. After some internet research, we concluded it was a brown recluse spider bite... yuck! So I continued to research for a concoction to stop the venom as it was the weekend and the Terry wasn't to into going to the walk in clinic or hospital(go figure!). This is what I came up with after my "research":

Activated charcoal ( a staple, it to adsorbs things)
baking soda (dunno why, but that's what it said)
tea tree oil
lavender oil (both oils are antibiotic, antiviral and antimicrobial to prevent infection)
Unpetroleum jelly (or vaseline/vaseline alt for a base)

Lay it on thick and change out every couple of hours. I also read that basil oil worked well to!

After applying this, the sore seemed to stop growing. He went to the doctor today (Monday), the doctor said that what we did really helped. It was starting to get into his blood stream (he was getting a rash as well). This stopped that spread and also made a scab form, which is apparently what they want to see happen! Would you believe that my husband found the dead spider under his desk at work this morning ( I was so relieved b/c I was worried about the kids but I hadn't seen any BR around our house).

So, I hope that this can help someone! I would imagine that it could work with many different bug bites, especially venomous. Hopefully you'll never have to use this, but just in case, it really worked.....

Try These... Yum!

Southwest Chicken Salad

4 c. cubed rotisserie chicken ( I used the Oscar Mayer strips from the deli meat section- Southwest)
2 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 c. chopped roasted sweet red peppers (I used green bell pepper)
1 c. chopped red onion
1 c. (or bunch) minced cilantro (the best part:)

dressing:
3 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 tsp. honey
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp . chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix top 5 ingredients ( I sauteed onion and pepper first).
Mix dressing ingredients together and coat over chicken mixture. So very yummy!

I served this on pita. You could do salads or wraps too!

I also made Guacamole too!

Guacamole

2-3 ripe avocados
onion
garlic salt
lime juice
salt
cilantro ( I like alot)

Mix/process all together to desired taste!
This is my new favorite meal.

And if you don't know about this quick fabulous desert, this is a good one:

Oreo Truffles (so easy)

1 pkg. oreos
1 pkg (box) cream cheese, softened (let sit out of the fridge)
milk chocolate
white chocolate

process/blend together. Form into balls. Dip in chocolate/white chocolate.

Happy Cookin'!

Poor Little Brother!

Check out what Lili-Grace did to her poor little brother! Daddy wasn't too happy! But Lili-GRace thought it was so hilarious so Weston thought so too!