Hardy Moments in January

I love to look back through all the pictures of my little guy at the end of the month! This was a big month for Hardy. He started to sit up by himself this month which was a huge accomplishment! So much of his personality is beginning to show too! As you will see, he has a big smile on his sweet face in most of these pictures. Hope you enjoy a glimpse of what our little man has been up to lately!

Playing in the exersaucer

Just Chillin

Moments like these just melt my heart!

Pappaw had Hardy all tickled

while I was shooting these pics!

First time to sit up by himself!!

First time in the shopping cart...

Hardy loved the ride!

We caught Hardy underneath his crib!

Watching Baby Noah, of course!

First time in a high chair

at a restaurant. We were at a hibachi

grill and it thoroughly entertained him!

This smile is so precious to me!

An Answered Prayer

Staying in Oxford upon graduating college was definitely what I desired, but saying goodbye to all the friends I had made was not easy at all! That first year I was very lonely, and longed for my sister and my 4 best friends from college to move back. After coming to the realization that was most likely not going to happen, I began to pray for the Lord to bring me a new friends. Actually, I begged the Lord to bring me a friend! Over the past eight years, I have had many friends come into my life and I am beyond grateful for them, but then again most of them always leave. This past year the Lord brought a friend into my life and He far exceeded my expectations! He answered my prayer and then some! Shannon and I had our first "date" a few months before Hardy was born and we just hit it off! She is very honest and real, and is so funny--I always find myself laughing when we are together. In the pictures below, we are celebrating Shannon's birthday. I am so grateful for both of these friends, Shannon and Corrie. The Lord has given me a gift through their friendship. They both have brought me closer to the Lord, and given me great encouragement in being a wife and mom. While I certainly still miss my friends from college, I give praise to the Father for these beautiful friendships.

Me, Hardy, Shannon, Corrie, and Audrey

Shannon with her birthday McCarty bowl!

Corn and Chicken Chowder

Yet, another Pinterest recipe. This hearty and tasty soup came from Buns in My Oven. This is a very yummy soup, and I would like to try some of her other recipes too. Like most soups, I think this one was even better the next day. Better hurry up and try this one before it gets too warm outside!

Ingredients:

6 ears of fresh corn, husked and silks removed (or 1-30 ounce can corn and 1-15 ounce can cream corn)

6 slices bacon, chopped

8 scallions

3 medium potatoes (I use Idaho potatoes)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

2 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 small can (4 ounces, I believe) chopped green chiles

2 cups roasted chicken, shredded (a Rotisserie chicken from the deli works great for this!)

Salt and pepper, to taste

handful of grated cheddar, for garnish

Directions:

In a large stock pot, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove from the pan, leaving the drippings, and set aside.

Peel and chop the potatoes into bite sized chunks. Slice the scallions very thin and separate the greens from the whites.

Place the potatoes and white scallion pieces into the stock pot and cook over medium heat until the scallions have softened, 2 or 3 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

Pour in the milk, chicken stock, Old Bay, thyme, parsley, cayenne, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add corn (If using fresh corn, cut from the cob with a sharp knife. Use the back of your knife to release the pulp from the cob.), chicken, and green chiles.

Cook over low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with scallion greens, bacon, and cheddar cheese.

Lauren's ENGAGED!!!

Yes, Ben liked it, and he put a ring on it! Lauren Sandifer, one of my co-workers, got engaged on Saturday night on the back porch of Kyle's grandparents house. It took a little bit of work from all of us, but he surprised her and had a huge party afterwards to celebrate. We are so tickled for them, and look forward to the wedding in August! Congrats Lauren and Ben!

Penne Pasta Pie

In an attempt to conquer my goal of cooking more, I am making my menu for the week on Sunday night. I have decided that Monday will be the day I try out new recipes (mostly Pinterest recipes). Seriously, what did we do before Pinterest? This was a recipe that I pinned and my sister tried it first. Upon her recommendation, I decided to give it a whirl. It was fairly simple to make, looks really pretty, and Kyle actually ate the leftovers which he hardly ever does. It's safe to say it was a hit in our home!

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon dry italian seasoning
2 cups of spaghetti sauce (left over or store-bought)
1 cup of heavy cream
3/4 pound of penne pasta (or other tube pasta), cooked
8 oz. of fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Place chicken breast on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and italian seasoning. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. When the chicken has cooled, cut it into 1-inch cubes.

In the meantime, prepare penne pasta according to the directions on the box, less 2 minutes. I like to cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than instructions to make sure it doesn't get over done.

In a saute pan, reheat left over or store-bought tomato sauce for 3-5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in heavy cream. Cook for 2-4 more minutes, just until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, chicken, cheeses (reserving 1/2 cup of cheese for the top), tomato cream sauce, and basil. Pour into a pie dish and top with cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let it set for 5 minutes before serving.

Here is a link to the blog of the original recipe along with lots of pictures.

Book List 2012

Here is my 2012 reading list. My goal for 2011 was 20 books. I way overestimated the amount of time I would have to read once becoming a mom. I only read 11 books last year, but I still think 11 is good and having a published list definitely kept me motivated. Now that I am aware that reading is a luxury for mothers, I am drastically cutting my list for 2012. My goal is to read 12 books in 2012. I will continue to post a review after each one. Hope you enjoying some good reads in 2012 too, and if you have any suggestions please share!

Spiritual Growth:

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster

Death by Love: Letters from The Cross by Mark Driscoll

Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian

Radical by David Platt

The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling by John Stott

Marriage:

Becoming Parents: How to Strengthen Your Marriage as Your Family Grows by Jordan, Stanley, and Markman

Children Change a Marriage by Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall

Sacred Influence: How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of Their Husbands by Gary Thomas

Parenting:

Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent and Barbara Hughes

Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman

The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

Homemaking:

Heaven at Home: Establishing and Enjoying a Peaceful Home by Ginger Plowman

Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others by Patricia Ennis and Lisa Tatlock

Fiction:

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield

The Big Stone Gap Series by Adriana Trigiani

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

Learning by Karen Kingsbury

Longing by Karen Kingsbury
Loving by Karen Kingsbury

Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos

Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin

Road to Eden's Ridge by M.L. Rose

Run by Ann Patchett

This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Yankee Doodle Dixie by Lisa Patton

Other:

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

7 MONTHS

7 Month Stats

Weight: 16 lbs. 10 oz.

Height: 27 1/2 inches

Diaper Size: Size 2 (almost 3)

Clothes Size: Size 6 to 12 months,

9 months in footed pajamas

What Hardy Likes: Hardy loves Peek-A-Boo!

He will start laughing so hard sometimes

that he has to catch his breath. You can

play this game over and over, and he

just keeps laughing. It's adorable!

What Hardy Dislikes:

Waiting on his food to be made.

Hardy can be quite the impatient fellow

when he is hungry. He wants to eat and eat now!

Best Moment of the Month: Hardy's First Christmas!

What a special day! I loved all his different

facial expressions as we showed him his new toys.

7 Month Highlights:

You have become incredibly active in your crib.

You roll from one end to the other. Rolling

has definitely become your mode of transportation.

You slept on your tummy for the first

time on December 14th. You often sleep

on your tummy with your little booty up and

your feet tucked underneath.

It is so cute, and I have taken tons of pictures

of you sleeping.

You have developed a fond affection for you lovey

whom we have named Bobo the Hippo. You sleep

with Bobo every night now and snuggle up with him.

You have become a social butterfly. You are

very aware of other people in public, and you

will blow bubbles and grin to get their attention.

You started eating bananas and sweet

potatoes this month, and you are a fan of both.

You sometimes get teased and it is so precious.

You will give a big grin and then hide

your sweet face in my shoulder.

You have started to reach for us

and put up your arms when

you want to be picked up.

You always play with your foot when

I am feeding your bottle to you. Those little

toes are still fascinating to you today.

You are becoming more independent,

and sometimes you try to

hold the bottle yourself.

After I feed you at bedtime and lay you

in your crib, you poke out your tummy

and do a big stretch. I think it's a sign

of complete satisfaction.

Your biggest accomplishment this month

was you learned to wave! You waved for

the first time on December 29th as were

leaving CC and Papaw's house. When you

waved on command for Dr. Sanford he was so

impressed and we sure were proud parents!

Dreams for 2012

I was never one who was big on making New Year's resolutions, until I read an article by CRU's national director in 2012. He used Philippians 3:13-14 to emphasize not only being thankful for what the Lord has done in your life in the past, but to also have dreams, plans, and resolutions for the future. It was in 2010 that I made my first "dream" list. By no means did I conquer everything on this list, but it did serve as a guideline for the year, and it was helpful to refer back to throughout the year. I seem to be one of those people who stays on track far better when things are written down. So, here is my "dream" list for 2012 (in no particular order)!

1. Spend more time with Kyle, especially doing things he enjoys. This seemed to be much easier before Hardy arrived, but I do enjoy going to ball games and the likes, and I want to make time for these things.

2. Be intentional in relationships, especially with other young moms. Once you become a mom, it requires a good deal of planning to just grab lunch with a friend. But, I do value this time and I know I really need it too!

3. Be a better long distance friend. I have been TERRIBLE in this area of my life lately! It is so easy to just shoot a text and say hi, but I want to give more. I want to have good conversations with these friends that I treasure so much. Maybe I can find some more hours in the day?!?

4. Exercise more regularly....I should just say exercise period. I am such a nicer person to be around when I exercise regularly. It does my soul some good, but it is often something that gets pushed to the side when life gets hectic. My goal is 3 to 4 times a week.

5. Eat healthier. Is this not on everyone's list? I eat way too much processed food and just junk.

6. Focus more on OTHERS. It is so easy to just be consumed with myself and my needs. I really want to be intentional in serving others. Whether that's taking time to listen to a friend going through a difficult time, taking dinner to a family in need, or keeping another families children so they can have some time together, I want to serve others!

7. Have another child. Did I just write that? Yikes! Yes, I know it seems rather soon, but being that it took us 18 months to conceive Hardy, we decided to start trying again soon. If our children end up close together, we will just count that as a big blessing from the Lord and move on!

8. Create a mission statement for my life. This was inspired by my friend Kitty. I feel this could take me a few weeks, maybe months, but it is something I want to do.

9. Eat at home more, which means cook more often. It would be nice if our jobs were 9 to 5 and Kyle was home every evening, but there are bible studies, the weekly meeting, and various other activities. I hate to make a nice meal for just me. However, Kyle is aiming to be home most nights for dinner this semester, so I need to get my behind in that kitchen!

10. Date night every other week. This should not be too hard. We have so many sweet girls that offer to watch Hardy. We just need to make the time!

11. Read a book each month. Since Hardy was born I have not done any reading! I really enjoy reading, fiction and non-fiction. Hope to cross more books off the list this year.

12. Finish Hardy's baby book. Ha! Begin and finish Hardy's baby book. I have everything gathered. I just need to start it. Maybe this can be a Spring Break project.

13. Blog more regularly. By the time I get to the computer at night, I just want to go to bed. I keep falling behind and have to play catch up. I would like to blog at least 2 to 3 times a week.

14. Bake bread from scratch. This is always something I have wanted to do. I bought a book at Barnes and Noble back in August and I really want to attempt this one day.

15. Find a bible study to get involved in. One would think that the campus minister would already be in a bible study, but I'm not! I used to be a part of one in our church, and I loved learning from woman who are older and wiser than me. Praying I may find a study to be a part of because not only do I enjoy the fellowship, but it also encourages me to study the word.

16. Pray more often. It is so easy to turn the light off and drift to sleep, but I really desire for Kyle and I to pray together every night. I also would like to make a list of people to pray for weekly and divided those people into days of the week.

17. Hospitality--it is one of my spiritual gifts but I feel that I do not use it often enough. I would really like to have people over more often. I need to not worry if the house is clean, and just invite them to come. I also want to find ways to reach out to our neighbors.

18. Discipleship is another gift of mine and I absolutely love it! Most of my girls are getting older, and I would love to find a group of freshman to invest in. My time is more limited now, but I would certainly make time for this...it gets my heart beating!

19. Take time to just relax. Kyle says I never sit down, and it is probably true. There is always another load of laundry to be done, bills to be paid, or bottles to be washed. I just need to take time each day, even if it is just 20 minutes to read a book, listen to some music, or shut my eyes.

20. Be a better steward of my money. Only buy things I really NEED, not just WANT. The Lord has been so faithful to us in always supplying us with what we need, and I want to be a good steward of what He gives us.

This list could probably go on and on, but these are the "dreams" that came to my mind first! I am definitely a realist, and I realize that I will not accomplish all of these things. The achiever in me would really really like to, but I also know it is unrealistic. It certainly does not hurt to DREAM though!

Reflections of 2011

In 2009, I was inspired by a friend to record memories from each month so we would be able to reflect upon that year in the years to come. I somehow missed capturing 2010, but I'm not letting 2011 slip by me. 2011 was an eventful year!! Baby showers, trips to the beach, 5 years of marriage, and we became PARENTS!!! Wow!! So thankful we have so many memories to cherish, and even more grateful for the many blessings our Father has bestowed upon us. "You are good, and what you do is good."

January: We had a HUGE snow in Oxford, as in we could barely get out of our neighborhood it was so thick! Of course, Kyle gathered all the students we knew in town to go sledding. At the end of the month, we hosted a Gender Reveal Party and announced that we were having a BOY!!

Oh, and we also went to a Huey Lewis concert. Good times!

February: This month was kind of slow, but there was definitely a highlight. My sweet friends from home (Brandon) hosted my first baby shower. A very special time and surreal moment. I also officially became an adult by hosting Bunco!

March: My dear friends and co-workers in Oxford hosted a baby shower for me. It was a wonderful time celebrating with family, friends, and college students. So much excitement over our baby boy! Kyle and I took a trip to Aruba at the end of March in celebration of our 5th Anniversary! We thoroughly enjoyed getting away, and of course relaxing on the beautiful beach!

April: Lots of baby showers! Our friends in Memphis hosted a couples shower for us. What a fun night! We celebrated Easter at the beach with my family. It was a bit chilly, but we still soaked up the sun.

May: Kyle and I celebrated 5 YEARS together on May 6th! Amazing how fast those years went by! So many memories made and so thankful for the time we have spent together! I'm extremely grateful for my better half, and he truly is the better half! We also anxiously awaited the arrival of our baby boy. Yes, I was counting down the days!

June: June 3, 2011...a day I will never forget! At 10:14 AM Hardy James Cole arrived weighing 8 pounds and 2 ounces and I was instantly in love with every single ounce! We spent the entire month showering him with love and taking thousands of pictures. It was complete bliss! Kyle celebrated his first Father's Day too!

July: We took our first road trip with Hardy. We spent one night with my parents in Brandon, and then drove to Blue Mountain Beach to spend a week with Kyle's family. Hardy was a great passenger as he slept most of the trip. Kyle celebrated his 30th Birthday on July 21st. I threw a surprise party for him at The Shak with friends and family! I spent a week in Brandon near the end of the month and Hardy got to meet my Granny, lots of Aunts, and many of my dear friends!

August: This month was busy! It began with Carmen Rae and Ian's wedding, and I had the honor of being a bridesmaid! A beautiful ceremony and beautiful people! Hardy got to meet some very special people this month. Kyle and I made a quick trip over to Atlanta, and Hardy met my former disciple and sweet friend Sarah Murphy. Hardy also met my best friend since childhood, Katie, when she made a day visit to Oxford. We ended the month with a visit to Louisville to see my sister and her family.

September: Football season began and Hardy quickly became a Rebel. He went to 5 of the 7 games this season. I'd say that is pretty darn good! The staff girls hosted our 3rd Annual Progressive Dinner and once again it was a success. Hardy was dedicated at Grace Bible on September 24th and both of our families came to celebrate with us.

October: Wow! Another busy month! Hardy and I went to the beach one last time with all my family before the condo sold. Good times, but sad to say goodbye. Kyle was the best man in Thomas Wiggin's wedding. The only other wedding we have ever attended in the Grove! Very special and Kelly is perfect for him! We also took pictures in the pumpkin patch (something I have always wanted to do) and last but not least, the Cardinals won the World Series!!! Oh, and Hardy was a Landshark for Halloween...cutest shark I've ever seen!

November: I spent a lot of time in Brandon this month. I went home the first weekend to attend Mistletoe Marketplace with my Mom. This has been a tradition of ours since I was in grade school and one of my favorite events during the holiday season! We spent Thanksgiving with my family. That happens to be our Fall Break with Ole Miss, and Kyle had to attend a conference in Orlando. Hardy and I spent the entire week in Brandon, and then Kyle joined us for Thanksgiving weekend. I LOVED all the time I was able to spend with my parents, my sister, and my niece and nephews--and my best friends from college stopped by for a quick visit and Valerie announced she was pregnant!!

December: Hardy celebrated his 1/2 birthday! I cannot believe my precious baby boy is already 6 months! The time is flying by, and I am falling more in love with him each and every day! His personality is starting to come out, and we find ourselves laughing at him all the time. This was also Hardy's First Christmas. We spent a few days celebrating in Brandon with my family, and then we spent Christmas in Germantown.

What a year! There were certainly some rough moments in 2010 where I wondered if the sun was going to shine again, and what joy the Lord brought us in 2011! My heart had longed for a child, and the Lord blessed me with the desire of my heart by giving me Hardy James Cole. It has only been six months and my heart is overflowing with love for him. I am so thankful that the Lord chose me to be his Mommy, and I look forward to all the memories Kyle and I will share with him in the years to come! Here's to 2012!