Find Your Happiness

We went to the Abilene Zoo over the Fourth of July weekend. It was a very small zoo---we visited the entire place in less than three hours! But I loved how close we were able to get to the animals. I also didn't take very much photos because it was bright and I still have yet to learn the proper camera settings for this lighting. But mainly, because it was super hot. This is probably common knowledge to most people but I didn't know Flamingos get their pink feathers from their diet: shrimp. That's a lot of shrimp eatin'! Oh, and Hubby spent five minutes "talking" to one of the flamingos. Dean mimicked the sound and the flamingo kept responding back. What's really awesome about this zoo is we were able to feed the giraffes. I've fed giraffes before at the Indianapolis Zoo but not like this! We were soooo close and you can pretty much feed them as long as you don't run out of crackers and they are willing to eat. Nathaniel onl...

For Today (July 5, 2011) Outside my window... dark 97 degrees I am thinking... about how uninspired I am with blogging and photography recently :( I hope to get out of this state soon since there are quite a few events I want/need to document (as far as May!) and my P365 is starting to suffer. I am thankful for... our freedom. And being part of the people that gives just a little bit more than others to keep that freedom. From the kitchen... Homemade Peach Pie. It was a last minute decision to add it to the 4th of July festivities and also my first attempt at fruit pies. I don't really like fruit pies but this was sooo delicious. I am wearing... tank top, shorts I am going... to sleep! I am reading... One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp I am hoping... Nathaniel is officially back to his awesome nighttime sleeping habits. Since moving to our new place, it's been quite a task putting him to bed: rocking to sleep, constant consoling, crying in the middl...

Here are my top five favorite photos of Nathaniel from April to June in no particular order: Kissy Face   I was trying to capture Nathaniel's natural highlights and he looked up to give me this kissy face :) "Asilomar Beach"   Enjoying God's beautiful creation with my earthly blessings Chubby Feet  Nathaniel looks very much like a toddler but his hands and feet are still remnants of his babyhood. "Bubbles" Nathaniel enjoying huge(!) bubbles with a friend "Pescetarian" Nathaniel only eats veggies, fruit, pasta, dairy, eggs, nuts, grains, beans and fish. Linking up to:  

Week 26: June 25th to July 1st 176  Turkey Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Sauce served " bánh mì " style; it would have tasted really well with the veggies! 177  My engagement and wedding rings 178  I was trying to capture Nathaniel's natural highlights and he looked up to give me this kissy face :) 179  Chubby fingers 180  Chubby feet 181  Hubby and Baby playing Little Big Planet. Nathaniel thinks he's playing, too; His controller is actually broken. 182  Garlic Pot Roast. One would think I would not choose to cook recipes that requires the oven to be turn on for hours because of this Texas heat. Ha! It was worth it! Linking up to: Inspire Happiness Daily NapTimeMomTog: Project 365 The Mom Creative: Project Life

Welcome to our 365 Project! Each week, Audrey ( The Daily Wyatt ), Tracey ( Inspire Me Photography ) and Diana ( Find Your Happiness ) will be picking our Top 5 Photos to highlight on our blogs. In order to be a winner, you must add your photo(s) from the week (not a collage) to our Flickr! group: 365 Days in Pictures . We are choosing our winners based on entries that week, not where you are in your 365. For more information, go here .  Top 5 this week: Through the Photographer's Eye   OH MY Look at all that bohkeh. I just love it! What a great capture. Anne U What a great firework shot! It's so clear! Great job! Valentina *Mantovani* Photography I just love shots like these! Its always cool to see what you get after and always makes me wonder what it was in the first place. My (boy)sterious life I LOOOVE this photo and I totally want to steal the idea! I love how the water looks... well just everything about it! runner girl 44 What a great...

For Today (June 28, 2011) Outside my window... 99 degrees and dark I am thinking... about our upcoming trip to Indiana. Nathaniel was quite a handful last time we flew (teething, wanting to walk, etc.) and Hubby was with us. However, it will just be us this time and I hope he behaves! I am thankful for... air conditioners. It's hot in Texas! I mean it's almost midnight and the temperature is still in the 90s. From the kitchen... leftover Orange Chicken from dinner this evening. It is soooo good and taste very authentic! I'm sure it's a lot better for you too since you control the ingredients. I am wearing... tank top, shorts I am going... to sleep! I am reading... One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp I am hoping... our BAH pay gets resolved soon. We're still getting California BAH instead of Texas. Essentially, we are getting more housing allowance at the moment and we know they will want their money back! I am hearing...   the air condition...

There is just something so delicious about roasted vegetables especially when they are in season. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables and intensifies the flavors without adding a lot of fat and calories---can't beat that! In fact, I love roasted vegetables so much that not even the three-digit Texas heat can prevent me from cranking up my oven just to have a taste of this yummyness. This recipe is so easy to prepare and is very versatile when it comes to the ingredients. I actually substituted the red bell pepper with eggplant. I also opted to use panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs for the added crunch. Adapted from Parenting Magazine July 2009 Serves 8 Ingredients: 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 zucchini, sliced 1 eggplant, sliced 2 tbsps olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 lb ziti pasta 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1/4 cup parmesan, plus 1/2 cup Pinch of nutmeg 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped 1 ...