Moore Stew

Time Flies!

2010-10-07T11:32:00.004-04:00

Five years ago my life changed and since then it has only gotten better. My oldest Alexander Gabriel turned 5, it was a very bitter sweet moment for me. Lets rewind 5 years, September 23, 2005, 5:33 pm, my little 8 lbs, 1 oz 21 1/2 in long baby was born. It was one of the happiest days in my life (since my wedding day). So many emotions go through your head at that moment, I created this little being and now he is here, I have no idea what I am doing, and will I survive every 3 hour feedings? After those first few weeks of sleepless nights the only thing you can think of is....oh I wish he would just sleep through the night, then you start saying I can't wait until he can roll over, sit up, walk, talk, and BAM....we just fast forwarded 5 years and we are waving goodbye and watching him walk into his first day of Kindergarten! Yup, that is exactly how it felt, wam bam thank you mam. In the moment of those first few months it really doesn't seem to go that fast but when I look back on it, it sure did just fly by. All I wish I could do is just freeze time, but alas that I cannot do. It really is a wake up call that I really shouldn't take for granted, I am very excited to see what the next 5 years bring, but I am no hurry to rush it! ;)

Our Adoption

2010-09-15T10:19:00.003-04:00

As most of you know Jeremy and I are in the process of adopting a child from Ethiopia. And I am sure most of you know the process is very expensive. We currently have three wonderful ways that you can help us bring home our baby. Please visit http://www.yourethepoint.com/ we are currently raising funds for our adoption and to build 2 wells in Ethiopia so families will have healthy drinking water. Are you a big coffee drinker? I have the website for you, for every bag of coffee you purchase $5 will go towards our adoption... www.justlovecoffee.com/moores Now for all you women out there that love earrings. I have a shop on etsy and right now if you purchase 2 pairs of earring you get the 3rd free. Also, if you book a party you will receive 20% off your entire purchase and a free pair of earrings, so please visit JewelsforOrphans.etsy.com Thank you in advance for helping us bring home baby Moore!

Shopping Carts

2010-08-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Have you ever read the warning signs on a shopping cart? I have but I never actually followed them. Most people have the thought oh that will never happen to me until it actually happens, well today was one of those days for the Moore's. We went shopping today because it was tax free, really do you need a reason to shop? I had gotten to the check out line cleaned out the buggie and decided to put Ben in the cart part just to contain him while I paid (you can see where I am going with this). I got distracted by something and next thing I know Ben is flipping over the front of the buggie head first....my reaction....I caught one of his legs and I for sure thought I saved him from any damage, well when I brought him back up to me he was gushing blood from his head and screaming. All the people in the store stopped what they were doing and helped us try to get the bleeding taken care of. Then a nurse walked in slapped some gauze and tape on him and told us he probably needed 3 stitches. So off to the ER went the Moore's. They took us back immediately thank goodness, I know how long that can take uh hmmm Jeremy's finger 2 1/2 hours....anyhoo we saw the doctor right away and then I left the room because what they had to do to Ben was not going to pleasant and I was already crying feeling horrible about what happened. But Jeremy told me they wrapped him in a blanket to keep him from moving held his head still and sewed him up. It took like 15 minutes but he was not happy, it was pitiful to see when I came back in the room. So after that we went home and Bennie just crashed so traumatizing for him, he is fine and was playing around this evening as if nothing ever happened. I hope I don't see the ER for a very long time!

My Thoughts

2010-08-06T09:43:00.003-04:00

So I recently have been thinking about our adoption quite a bit. Jeremy and I have some friends that are right now in India picking up there precious son. I have been watching (ok let me rephrase stalking) her blog and facebook page for the past week, so it has made me think about our little one. The coolest part of this is that the Lord knew way before Jeremy and I decided to adopt who are child was. Actually what really blows my mind is that God knew while creating this precious baby that she/he was going to be ours, he already knew what she/he story was going to be way before anyone. Which in some ways is so very sad but so uplifting at the same time because this child in his eyes was going to be loved. I know this is such a random post but those are the thoughts that have been floating around in my head. We received our paper work and contract this week. Our family is wanting a girl and the wait time for a girl is very long so prayers would be wonderful. Since Benjamin my youngest is under the age of 2 we have to be open to adopt a boy or girl, and really the only way we might be guaranteed a girl is if we want siblings, I am praying through this and if this is what the Lord wants from us then I am more then willing to accept it, it is just a little scary going from 2 children to 4 in a minute. Anyhoo, so I just thought I would share all the craziness going on inside my head right now. Thanks for your prayers and keep us in your thoughts.

It's Official

2010-08-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Well folks, it's official.....we have been accepted into the Ethiopia program. YEA!! We received our phone call on Tuesday afternoon. The next step in this amazing process is getting our home study in order. We get all of our paperwork in this week to let us know more. This is going to be a great journey for the Moore family. Will keep you posted on all the wonderful details of this awesome process.

4th of July

2010-07-17T10:00:00.005-04:00

We spent our 4Th at the Outer Banks, which we do every year. In the past we have actually gone out to see fireworks, but after years of fighting the traffic we have stayed in and watched from our deck. It has actually worked out well and when they are over guess what no traffic. So this year we had your all American dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs, corn on the cob and slaw. Jeremy had gone out and bought Alex some fireworks, which were not all that great but I did get some pictures of the awesomeness of it all. So for your entertainment here are a few photos!

More Vacation

2010-07-16T09:37:00.011-04:00

I didn't realize I had taken so many photos at the beach this year, I guess I was making up for the last year I took none!! Here are few more from our wonderful OBX vacation.....

Vacation Over

2010-07-13T14:19:00.010-04:00

We are finally home from vacation, it sucks to leave but man does it feel good to be home. It was such a great time in the Outer Banks, NC with family. The weather was beautiful the entire time we were there. Our schedule was so relaxed, beach, pool, lunch, drinks, dinner. What more could you have asked for? Here are few photos from our trip....

OBX

2010-06-27T21:19:00.002-04:00

Today was our first official day at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The weather was absolutely perfect. We were very lazy getting out to the beach, but when we finally arrived it was so wonderful. My father always sets up camp early before any of us get down there so he always has an awesome spot. So once we get down there we drop our load of junk (everything but the kitchen sink seems to go down to the shore), we lather up with suntan lotion and head for the water. The water was in the 70's, just perfect for 90 degree weather. This was Bennie's first time at the beach and he was not liking it at all. He wouldn't walk on the sand or go in the water, it took him about an hour to get used to the sand and he still wasn't too sure about it. I also love to people watch, and at the beach is the best place to do it. Always some interesting characters at the beach, but I will save that for another post. Today was a great day, and I am pretty excited about the rest of our vacation. Sooo stay tuned......

Happy 4th of July

2010-06-16T19:52:00.004-04:00

Happy 4th of July....What better way to celebrate FREEdom then with FREE earrings. That's right all you blogger fans, when you purchase 3 pairs of earrings you get the 4th free. Your free pair will come from our discontinued or overstock items. So please visit jewelsfororphans.etsy.com. You won't want to miss this awesome opportunity to help those in need. And remember 100% of the profits go to Hannah's Hope in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Father's Day Gift

2010-06-12T22:00:00.002-04:00

Father's Day is just around the corner, and I was reading this wonderful blog abirdandabean@blogspot.com you should go and check out these really wonderfully handmade pens, they are fabulous.

Eczema

2010-06-11T15:43:00.003-04:00

My youngest son Bennie has the worst case of eczema I have ever seen. I have done all of the over the counter products and really good lotion. Nothing has worked for him. He continues to scratch and make it worse, he makes it so bad we get open wounds and bleeding. Finally on this last visit to the doctor it was so bad on his hands and feet that he gave me a prescription for hydrocortizone 2.5%. And that seems to help if he doesn't scratch which is not easy to do with a 15 month old. Well the pool recently opened and the very first day Bennie was in the water his eczema cleared right up. I mean the chlorine just sucked it all dry. With all this wonderful medicine that we have in this world, the only thing I really need is a pool. I said to myself there has to be a way to market this I can't put chlorine in a bottle??....SO my question to all you mom's out there what has worked for you? Thanks!

Zumba Craze

2010-06-09T22:04:00.002-04:00

Ok, ladies so I have finally jumped on the Zumba craze. It all started a month ago when Jeremy and I were watching an infomercial on Zumba. It really looked awesome and Jeremy got hooked when they were giving away weights that are maracas, oh and they took a payment off so we were sold!! So I decided to start it today, they have this guarantee that you can lose a pant or dress size in 10 days, THAT'S RIGHT LADIES A PANT OR DRESS SIZE IN 10 DAYS!!! I really didn't think it was going to be much of a workout. Well as it turns out I worked my butt off, I was sweating like I had just ran 5 miles when I was finished. It was so much fun, it was a great 50 minute workout. If you do not have a class near you I highly recommend getting the DVDs. You will not be disappointed, I will have another post in 10 days to let you know how well it worked!!! Here is the website if you are interested.... www.zumba.com

Free Pair of Earrings!

2010-06-03T11:06:00.003-04:00

I know everyone loves free.....I know I do. So here is all you have to do, become the 200th person to like the jewelsfororphans facebook page and you WIN. That's it.....pretty easy huh? So whatcha waiting for, go become a fan!

Party with Purpose

2010-06-02T09:55:00.003-04:00

I am very excited to announce the very first ever Party with Purpose. This will be a fabulous night of food, drinks, and conversation. I'll be introducing new styles, giving away several pairs of wonderful earrings and sharing more about how you can help orphans and even make money while you party with purpose. If you would like to attend the event will be held on Monday, June 21st @ 6:30 pm. You can email me at jewelsfororphans@gmail.com to RSVP for the event and get directions to my house. If you bring a friend you will receive 20% off your order and entered in a drawing for a free pair of earrings. Hope to see you there.

Africa!

2010-05-31T10:41:00.005-04:00

Look out, JewelsforOrphans is coming out with some new beads and they are all from AFRICA! Fitting isn't it? I got a great variety of beads and I am very excited to get started on making some new earrings. This is all part of the process to ensure that every step of our process is making a difference. These beads are all hand made by women in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana. Here is a break down of what I got......

Green and Clear Recycled Glass Beads, made in Ghana, Africa:

They crush the glass together to make a fine powder and then heat it so that it is fused together. After being fused together they are put in clay molds, where they are baked in an oven and the glass fuses thus making the bead, this technique has been used for centuries in Africa and produces a unique bead that is both beautiful and GREEN.

Swirl Batik Bone Beads (black and white): made in Ghana, Africa

The design is created by dying method called "batik" which is a wax relief process, a very unique looking bead, will make some great jewelry.

White Bone Beads and Natural Wood beads:

Made in Kenya, Africa, by a women owned co-op. Another couple of great options to look great and be green.

I also received beautiful handmade paper beads in pink and purple from Uganda, Africa, made by hand rolling old magazines, absolutely stunning. There are so many awesome things that are about to take place, I can not wait to share them with you.

Grand Opening

2010-05-11T14:00:00.000-04:00

Well folks its official JewelsforOrphans.etsy.com is open for business. JewelsforOrphans is a non profit organization that is helping Hannah's Hope an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Hannah's Hope is a transitional home meant to provide love, shelter, safety, and medical care to orphans waiting to be placed with their forever families. The best thing is for every pair of earring that you purchase 100% of the profits will go to Hannah's Hope. Each hand crafted piece of jewelry is the result of many hours of pain staking attention to detail. You will look good, doing good. I am so very excited about our grand opening that if you buy 3 the shipping is free. Come check out JewelsforOrphans.etsy.com.

4 LBS of Cajun Delight!

2010-04-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

So I have been spending the last week in Baton Rouge, LA. For those of you that do not know that is the capital of Louisiana. Anyhoo, we have been doing a lot of wonderful sight seeing and most of all enjoying all the food. Louisiana is known for there wonderful Cajun cuisine, and I haven't had one day were the food wasn't fabulous. Tonight we decided to dine at a local place called Boutin's. Well for a wonderful price they had all you can eat craw fish. The first batch they brought you was a total of 4 LBS!!!! I was a craw fish virgin before tonight, and believe it or not there is a secret to eating them. First you twist off the head to separate it from the tail, then you pinch the tail and the meat just falls out. Now if you are really brave which I am not you can suck out the head, but NO THANK YOU!!! My father-in-law and I decided to make the evening a little more interesting by seeing who could eat the most. Well drum roll please the total number of craw fish eaten by me was.......6 LBS, my father-in-law was 5 LBS. He bought me a T-shirt for winning. I recommend craw fish the next time you are visiting Cajun country!

Anniversary

2010-04-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Recently I celebrated my 7th year anniversary to my wonderful, awesome, loving husband. Every year we make it a point to go on vacation by ourselves, there have been a few that we have shared with the kids but most of them have been by ourselves and this year was no exception. This year we decided to take a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. We rode on the Sapphire Princess, and it was 7 days long. It was the most glorious vacation. We stopped in 3 ports in Mexico....Puerta Vallerta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. Every single port was absolutely gorgeous, did a lot of shopping, eating, drinking (beer is insanely cheap), and sightseeing. Our room was a mini suite with a balcony, it was soo wonderful to have our balcony door open and listening to the sound of the ocean while we were sleeping. The food was wonderful, and we enjoyed our dinners every night with our awesome table mates. The evening entertainment was fun, and during the day just lounging by the pool was fabulous. Here are just a few pictures of our wonderful trip......

On our Balcony

Puerta Vallarta beachfront

Mexican singers

Mountaintop in Mazatlan

Our Anniversary dessert

Our tablemates for the week!

A Few More Earring Options

2010-04-09T20:36:00.014-04:00

I made a few more earrings, so here are few more options...enjoy!

My New Hobby!

2010-04-08T14:04:00.011-04:00

Ok, so I am a stay at home mom and recently my husband has been out of town a lot. It can get pretty boring around the house after the kids go to bed, so I decided to try my talent at making earrings. First of all let me just tell you I have no idea how to be creative, or make anything. Unfortunately I was a little skeptical of how this would event turn out. But it actually turned out really well. I've made a few pairs and in my opinion I believe they have turned out pretty darn good. I am going to be putting them up for sale on Etsy here in a few days....if you are interested in any of them just let me know. Enjoy!

World of Coca Cola

2010-04-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday we decided to take a trip down to Atlanta, GA and visit the World or Coca Cola. In the last couple of years they have built a new location, which is bigger and better. Alex absolutely loved it. There were over 50 different kinds of coke to try from Asia, Latin America, and Europe. It was definitely a wonderful day, and then we got to end the day with a great dinner at Taco Mac with great friends. Thanks Kathy and Paul!

Spring Time in East Tennessee!

2010-04-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung. It is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love the warm weather, the robins, rabbits, and most of all the blooming flowers and trees. It puts me in a great mood when you can just head out with your favorite pair of jeans, flip flops and a T-shirt. I took some photos of this tree that is in my yard and every year it is so pretty to see blossom when spring comes....

Mi Familia at Easter

2010-04-04T21:22:00.009-04:00

Well I hope that everyone had a wonderful and blessed Easter!! We had a wonderful day of church, lunch with some wonderful friends, egg hunt, and to finish it with a great walk on the green way and perkits yogurt after. It was a great day with the family! Here are some photos of us in our Easter best.

Happy Easter!

2010-03-31T20:33:00.006-04:00

Spring time brings one of my favorite holidays, EASTER! So I thought I would pass on some information on what is going on this weekend courtesy of http://www.chattanoogahasfun.com/

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Easter Bunny Cruise on the Southern Belle Riverboat

Starts: 9:30 AM

Pancake breakfast on Pier 2. Kiddie tunes by the Riverboat Ramblers. Our grand chandelier breakfast will start with hippiety-hoppiety eggs, apple wood smoked and canadian bacon, Peter Cottontail Buttermilk Biscuits and sawmill gravy, silver dollar pancakes, french toast sticks with maple syrup and whipped butter, miniature bagels with plain, lemon, and chive cream cheese, scones, muffins, pastries, honey and spice granola, seasonal fruit, and bunny trail mix. Chilled orange, apple, cranberry juice, coffee and tea. Also kids will be able to decorate there own sugar cookie. Breakfast will be served from 9:30-11, cruise from 11-12. For more information and tickets please visit http://www.chattanoogariverboat.com/

Hug a Bunny Day at the Chattanooga Zoo
Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park

Start: 10:00 AM

Annual spring event for kids to have photos taken with the Easter Bunny, enjoy crafts, entertainment, and educational fun. Activities are included in the cost of admission. Call 423-697-1319 for more information.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter at Coolidge
Coolidge Park and Carousel

Start: 9:00 AM

Stuart Heights Baptist Church is once again hosting an Easter at Coolidge event. EAC will feature 50,000 egg Easter egg hunt for children 0-11 years at 9 AM and worship at 10 AM at the park with a 100 voice choir. This free event is open to everyone in the Chattanooga Community and our surrounding areas-bring your friends. Visit http://www.stuartheights.org/ or call 423-877-2643 for more information!

Detriot Tigers vs Toronto Blue Jays

2010-03-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

Today could not have been any more perfect. It was 80 degrees and sunny perfect day for a baseball game. And that is just what we did. We went to Lakeland to see the Detroit Tigers play the Toronto Blue Jays. It was AWESOME!!! We got there early to check everything out. We had great seats right behind the Tigers dugout. So before the game started we decided to get the essentials before we sat down. We needed gear, we got hats, bibs, shirts, bats, baseballs (for autographs), then we got food hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, soda's, lemonade. While we were lugging all of our stuff back to our seats Alex got stopped by a PR lady asking him if he would like to announce the start of the game? He said heck yea!! Of course she said only one parent could bring him down....well we can all guess who won that one NOT MOM!! Anyhoo, he went out on the field and got his directions on what he was going to do while he was out there. He got his picture taken with Daddy and Jim Leyland (Tigers Head Coach). He was eating it up....and I was in the stands taking pictures with a fussy 1 yr old who hates the heat. So after the National Anthem they introduced Alex Moore, and he said really loud into the microphone "Play Ball"! It was so awesome, he high fived dad afterwards and waved to Mama in the stands!!! I was so proud of him.

Later in the game after the seventh inning stretch Bennie made his appearance on the big jumbo screen. He at the time was clapping and smiling, and everyone in the stands were oohhhing and awwwing at him. Both of my kids were superstars at the game today. It was a wonderful day, something that our whole family needed!! P.S we did win the game 5-1! Here are a few pictures from our day! Enjoy!

Alex saying Play Ball

Bennie Cheering on the Tigers

The Tigers!

Extreme Tigers Fan!

Florida Day 1

2010-03-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

So today was a wonderful day in Florida. I got to spend the day with my great friend Alicia in her hometown of Winter Haven, Florida. She just happens to be down here spending time with her wonderful family and we are down here too. Well today Jeremy had to visit some ministries and so instead of hanging at the boring hotel all day we went with Alicia. We had some breakfast and then went to this great part in Lake Land. And I wish I would have gotten pictures I am sure she will post some I didn't have my camera and my phone was out of order so I was stuck with nothing. The kids had a blast and Bennie just loved trying to keep up with brother and Isaac. After our wonderful adventure at the "theme" park we went to Alicia's father in law's restaurant, Country Chicken and Fish. This is southern food with attitude, folks it is sooo good and definitely tickles the soul. I had my first gizzard and it was yum-o. You get the greatest chicken and like a 1/2 pound of fries and the best southern sweet tea EVER! I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area. After our wonderful meal we took our full stomachs back to Alicia's childhood home. The kids played on the juggle gym her and Alicia and I just hung out by the pool. I couldn't have asked for a better day.
Thank you Alicia for a wonderful day and putting up with us. Your the best!!!

Florida Here We Come!

2010-03-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow officially starts our family vacation. We are Florida bound early in the morning and headed for Orlando/Lakeland area for Baseball Spring Training. We are going to go see the Detroit Tigers play. We are lucky to see them play against the Toronto Blue Jays, and the New York Yankees. Detroit Tigers you ask? Well I married into it, my husbands family is from Detroit. Hopefully while we are down there we will be able to go to the pool and enjoy fun in the sun and just relax. Something I very seriously need.
I love everything that has to do with baseball. The stadium, hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, and don't forget the beer. Can't go to a baseball game and not get a beer. And come on ladies those players aren't that bad to look at either. And of course how can you forget the seventh inning stretch and singing "Take Me Out to The Ball Game". You gotta love it. Just thinking about it is making me even more excited about seeing the games. Since it is spring training most of the players take time before the game to sign autographs and pictures, so Alex is really excited about meeting a tiger any tiger actually!! Well folks I will try and post pictures along the way and blog about the awesome weather and fun or should I say brag?

From Blah to Shabby

2010-03-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

I redid my blog, and finally I feel like this is MY BLOG!!! So take a look and enjoy!! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

My Awesome Weekend

2010-03-21T15:13:00.004-04:00

Well for those of you that don't know my husband he travels quite a bit for work. He has always traveled, but just in the last few months it has been consistently every week. Well this past week he was in NYC and just got back Friday night. So the family was much looking forward to hanging out this weekend. So yesterday (Saturday) we got up hung around the house for a bit, and then headed out for sunshine and fun. It was beautiful outside, actually it was the first real gorgeous day in over a week so I was so excited to take advantage of the nice weather. We headed to Wendy's to get lunch together and then after that we were going to head to the greenway for some much needed exercise and let Alex ride his bike. We get to the greenway, and I am getting all the kids out of the car and my wonderful husband is getting the bike and the stroller out of the back of the car. Well as I was getting Alex's helmet on him (safety first) Jeremy comes strolling around to the passenger side of the car and says "Erika I think we need to leave", I was like we just got here what is the problem, I thought maybe he had to use the bathroom or something, then I just happen to look down at his hand that he is holding in the air and there is blood gushing from it. Ummmxmm I said, ok lets get in the car and I'll try to figure something out as I was gagging from the sight of blood everywhere. So we get the kids back in the car calmly, actually me not so calm Jeremy surprisingly calm for just tearing his fingernail off his finger......(I'll get to that). So I decided to call my mom who is a nurse so I could have some guidance on what to do here. She just told me to get some gauze and such to take care of the wound, if it wasn't gushing blood then he should be ok and you shouldn't have to take him to the ER. Ok so off to Walgreens it was, went inside got all my first aid gear and headed for the car only to see Jeremy white as a sheet and about to pass out. So at that moment we changed gears and off to the ER where we waited to 3 hours. Unbelievable health care system we have but that's for a different post. Anyways they did X-Rays on him and cleaned the wound up, and eventually his color returned. Once they got the X-Rays back they told him that he broke the tip of his finger and completely ripped the nail right out of the nail bed. And he may or may not get a nail back (disgusting right?). Soooo a couple thousand dollars later they slapped a band aid on his finger (yes a band aid, might I add its still bleeding pretty bad) gave him a splint and sent him on his way.....that Saturday will go down in the history books for memories to make fun of dad!

My Little Cowboy

2010-03-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday we had Benjamin's first birthday party. It was a cowboy theme. I'm not gonna lie my boy was so cute. Here are a few pictures from the party.....YEE-HAW!

Happy St. Pat's Day!

2010-03-17T12:15:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day...I love this holiday, when I was a kid it was a big deal my household. My great grandparents were from Ireland. When my mom was a kid she would get all dressed up in dresses and white knit gloves and head into NYC and watch the parade. So every year in our house to honor my great grandmother we would eat and Irish meal of cornbeef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Actually I found out later that they don't eat that in Ireland but that is what my great grandmother used to eat. Every year without a doubt my mother would make it for us and for dessert a four leaf clover cake with green icing. Unfortunately in my household nobody likes cornbeef and cabbage so I haven't had it sometime, but I try to eat it when I can. What are some of your St. Patrick Day traditions?

My Baby is 1!

2010-03-16T13:41:00.003-04:00

Boy, time sure does fly by....it was just a year ago today I was sitting in a hospital room holding my precious newborn son Benjamin Claude. Now today I celebrate his first Birthday., I knew from the quick simple labor and 4 pushes this boy was going to be easy like Sunday morning. Where does the time go....it all seems to go in slow motion in the beginning and then all of sudden they are walking (not so much) and talking. Benjamin has such a wonderful personality, very laid back, quite and at times can be a little stubborn. He has such a wonderful smile he can light up any room and instantly puts you in a good mood. I adore every moment that I am with him and thank god everyday for bringing him into our lives.....Happy Birthday Benjamin!

Sunday Funday!!

2010-03-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

There aren't many Sunday's that we just do absolutely nothing....but we were in a crazy mood teaching our kids that jumping on the bed was OK, just for today...I don't recommend trying this at home, all stunts were done by professionals!!!

Chattanooga Aquarium

2010-03-08T21:34:00.007-05:00

Today was a gorgeous day in East Tennessee....so to celebrate the Moore's and our dear friends the Klepper's spent the day in downtown Chattanooga at the Aquarium. Here are a some photos from our wonderful outing....

10 Weight Loss Tips that Work in One Minute or Less

2010-03-06T16:45:00.002-05:00

I found this interesting article in Prevention Magazine on Weight Loss and I thought that I would share.....

There is nothing like a weight loss strategy that takes no effort-but still works like a charm. Here are 10 successful strategies to cut calories and burn fat that literally take 60 seconds or less.

health.yahoo.com/featured/83/10-weight-loss-tips-that-work-in-one-minute-or-less/

I plan on trying these out, at this rate anything will help......

Happy New Year....a Little Late

2010-03-03T14:51:00.003-05:00

Ok, so it is March and I am a little late on the New Year. Well I didn't do a very good job of blogging in 2009 and the start of 2010 hasn't been good either. So this year I am making it a point to be better at blogging. I don't particularly have anything big to blog about but I will just fill ya in on some of things we have done. Jeremy has been traveling quite a bit this year, he has been to Maine, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, DC, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, California, and Florida, and that was just in one month. Wow that wore me out just listing it. Spent the holidays half here in TN and VA, got to visit the grandparents so that was fun. My sister got married in November and that was a big highlight, also the fact that she changed her name was pretty crazy too....her maiden name was Tiedemann and she changed it to Limpawuchara, it is longer and harder to pronounce then her maiden name. We are currently getting ready to celebrate Bennie's first birthday on March 13. I can't believe that my baby is going to be 1. We are having the whole family come and help us celebrate, the theme is a cowboy party. Then we have a lot of traveling coming up in the next few months which I will post at a later date. Ok so that's about it so far.......stay tuned.

Air and Space Museum

2009-10-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

Our last trip to Virginia we went to Washington, DC and went to the Air and Space Museum. So again here are a few photos from our great family trip to the nation's capitol....

Alexander in front of spaceship

Me and Bennie and Russian Astronaut

Alex and I with a US Astronaut

Battleship

Alex with the Wright Brothers

World War II Memorial

Washington Monument

Bennie climbing the Monument

Ending the night with the Washington Nationals

Catch Up

2009-10-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

So clearly I have been crazy busy....there has been a lot going on with family. My sister is getting married in November and I am the Matron of Honor. So I have been busy organizing bachlorette parties, and bridal showers. Also my son turned 4 at the end of September. So instead of writing all about the great activities I will just let you see for yourself.....

The Cake it was Yummy Table Setting Party Favors

Bride to Be with Bennie Me, Mom, Renee

Alexander's Transformers Cake Present time Blowing out the candles

Bennie was excited

September = New Fall TV Schedule

2009-09-08T15:49:00.005-04:00

If any of you are like me, I do like to watch TV. And I love September because all the new shows and series premieres. Most if not all the series premieres will begin on Monday, September 21st.

ABC:
Mon: 8-10 Dancing with the Stars (DWTS)
10-11 Castle
Tues: 8-9 Sharktank-NEW
9-10 DWTS results show
10-11 the forgotten-NEW
Wed: 8-9 Hank the middle- NEW
9-9:30 Modern Family- NEW
9:30-10 Cougar Town- NEW
10-11 Eastwick-NEW
Thurs: 8-9 flashforward-NEW
9-10 Grey's Anatomy
10-11 Private Practice
Fri: 8-9 Super Nanny
9-10 Ugly Betty
10-11 20/20
Sun: 7-8 America's Funny Home Videos
8-9 Extreme Makeover Home Edition
9-10 Desperate Housewives
10-11 Brothers and Sisters

CBS:
Mon: 8-8:30 How I met your Mother
8:30-9 Accidentally on Purpose-NEW
9-9:30 2 1/2 Men
9:30-10 Big Bang Theory
10-11 CSI Miami
Tues: 8-9 NCIS
9-10 NCIS Los Angeles- NEW
10-11 The Good Wife- NEW
Wed: 8-8:30 The New Adventures of Old Christine
8:30-9 Gary Unmarried
9-10 Criminal Minds
10-11 CSI-NY
Thurs: 8-9 Survivor- Samoa
9-10 CSI-Crime Scene Investigation
10-11 The Mentalist
Fri: 8-9 Ghost Whisperer
9-10 Medium- NEW
10-11 Numbers
Sun: 7-8 60 Minutes
8-9 Amazing Race
9-10 Three Rivers- NEW (October)
10-11 Cold Case

NBC:
Mon: 8-9 Heroes
9-10 Trauma- NEW
10-11 Jay Leno (M-F)
Tues: 8-10 Biggest Loser
Wed: 8-9 Mercy-NEW
9-10 Law & Order SVU
Thurs: 8-8:30 SNL Thurs Community-NEW
8:30-9 Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 The Office
9:30-10 30 Rock (October)
Fri: 8-9 Law & Order
9-10 Southland

FOX:
Mon: 8-9 House
9-10 Lie to Me
Tues: 8-10 So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD)
Wed: 8-9 SYTYCD Result Show
9-10 GLEE
Thurs: 8-9 Bones
9-10 Fringe
Fri: 8-8:30 Brothers
8:30-9 Til Death
9-10 Dollhouse

So there you have it folks....this fall looks to be jammed packed with a lot of good shows, can't wait!!!

It's Football Time in Tennessee!!!

2009-09-05T14:19:00.004-04:00

Wish that I was on old Rocky Top down in the Tennessee hills

Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top ain't no telephone bills

Once I had a girl on Rocky Top

half bear the other half cat

Wild as a mink and sweet as soda pop
I still dream about that

Rocky Top you'll always be home sweet home to me

Good ole Rocky Top Rocky Top

Rocky Top Tennessee

Once two strangers climbed old Rocky Top

a lookin' for a moonshine still

Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top

reckon they never will

Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top dirt's too rocky by far

That's why all the folks on Rocky Top get their licks from a jar

Rocky Top you'll always be...

Yeah I've had years of cramped up city life

trapped like a duck in a pen

And all I know is it's a pity life can't be simple again

Rocky Top you'll always be...

Yummy Cozy Bread Pudding

2009-09-02T21:49:00.002-04:00

15 Slices white texas toast (half cut crusts off, leave half on)

1/4 Cup and 2 tbl butter melted

3/4 Cup raisins (soak in boiling water for 10 min)

1-1/2 tsp Cinnamon

9 Eggs

1 Cup and 2 tbl white sugar

1 Tbl vanilla

3/4 Tsp salt

2-1/2 Cups hot milk and 2 cups of 1/2 n 1/2 (don't bring to boil just heat enough to make hot)

1-1/2 Pinches of nutmeg

*Heat oven to 375 degrees

*In a large bowl combine bread cubes, raisins, and cinnamon, mix well and transfer to 3 quart baking dish

*Use same bowl and beat eggs. Stir in sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in hot milk. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes, sprinkle with nutmeg, set aside and let soak for 5 minutes.

*Bake for 45-55 minutes or until no liquid can be seen

Vanilla Sauce:

1/2 Cups Milk and 1/2 cups of Water

1/2 cup of sugar

1 Tbl Cornstarch

2 Tbl butter

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 pinch of salt

*Bring water and milk to a boil

*Combine sugar and cornstarch

*Stir well

*Add sugar mixture to boiling water

*Reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly or until mixture thickens.

* Remove from heat

*Add butter, vanilla, and salt

*Stir until butter melts

Pour over warm bread pudding yummo!

Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever and I Have Tried Alot!

2009-09-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

2 lbs Ground Beef (I use Turkey)
3/4 Cups uncooked Quick Oats
1 Onion ( I just minced onion 1/3 cup)
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp Salt

Mix all together with hands and place in a casserole dish and form into a loaf.

Bake at 350 Degrees for 40 minutes

Topping:
1/2 Cup Ketchup
3 TBL Brown Sugar
1 TBL Horseradish

After 40 minutes add topping to the top of meatloaf and cook for another 15 more minutes, leave some left over sauce for dipping.

Bon Appetit!

Top Ten Ways Motherhood Makes You a Celebrity!

2009-08-31T16:06:00.003-04:00

1. Someone's always hounding you for your autograph. Even it its just on a permission slip for the class trip to the recycling center.

2. You travel with an entourage. Okay, so two of them are fighting over a bag of Doritos and one of them has a crusty nose, but STILL.

3. You spend your days club-hopping. How else would your kids get to Brownies?

4. You're front and center at every awards show. Because your 10 yr old would never forgive you for being absent when he wins the school carnival karaoke contest.

5. You change your clothes three times a day. And it's much more fun if you pretend it's because you're being stalked by the paparazzi, not a messy toddler.

6. You're on a spa diet. Your kids only leave broccoli on their plates for you.

7. You've flashed your boobs in public. Hey, it's not easy to juggle a hungry baby in one hand and unhook a nursing bra with the other.

8. People beg to sleep with you. Well, only because there's a monster under their bed.

9. You're covered in tattoos that your kid got in a birthday-party goody bag and plastered on you when you were too pooped to resist.

10. Hassled as you feel right now, in 20 yrs you'll miss all the chaos.

Parenting Magazine, September 2009

Twilight Series

2009-08-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

I just recently finished the Twilight series and let me tell you I wish it didn't have to end. I felt like I just lost my best friend (ok so that was a little dramatic). All four books were well written and sucked you in quickly. I was a little skeptical at the beginning when I first decided to start reading them. So I asked for the entire series for Christmas cause I began to get curious about all the hype. Well now that I have read them I totally understand all the craziness. From the first page of the first book it totally sucked me in and I was puddy in Stephenie Meyers hands. I do believe though she definitely could have gone further then just the 4 books, cause in my personal opinion she just got started in the 4th book (Breaking Dawn).

If you haven't read any of these books, they are definitely worth sitting down and doing so. It really only took me about 2 weeks go get through the first 3 books and it took me longer to read the 4th cause I just didn't want them to end. I just recently started reading Midnight Sun her unfinished version of Twilight from Edward Cullen's point of view. I am not that far along but it is very well written and can I tell you very interesting to read it again from his pov. I wish she could have been able to finish it, would have been another best seller in my opinion.

So now that you have read my review without giving away too many details please go out and get the books, sit down with a cup of coffee and a blanket, and take the weekend to read these. Happy reading!

Sleep...must have more!

2009-08-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

Alright so most of us moms out there know that it is hard to get a full nights sleep, I know that I do and by mid afternoon I am dragging. A new slew of studies show why it might be a good idea to bump up "sleep" on your to do list. 42% of women say they'd sleep better if your hubby were relegated to the couch for the rest of your married life.

1. You'll be Slimmer: previous studies have linked a lack of sleep with obesity, but exactly why was a mystery until now: Not getting enough shut-eye significantly lowers nighttime levels of Grehlin, a hormone involved in appetite control, say UCLA researchers. Grehlin levels may rebound , and then some, during the day-making you even more hungry.

2. You'll be nearly Sniffle-free: Routinely logging fewer than seven hours a night makes people almost three times more likely to catch a cold than those who get eight hours, according to a new Carnegie Mellon University study. Restless sleepers have it worse: They're nearly six times more prone to coming down with a cold.

3. You'll be Smarter: when you're on pillow time, proteins build up in your brain, giving you that thick, fuzzy-headed feeling the next morning, say researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine. These proteins also interfere with how the brain processes information, and affect your ability to learn the next day.

4. You'll be Heart-Healthier: If you spend fewer hours in bed than you ought to-and toss and turn once you're under the covers-you could be at risk for high blood pressure, reports a new study from Penn State College of Medicine. Insomnia paired with short sleep duration increased cortisol levels and upped heart rates, both of which can lead to cardiovascular problems. The good news? We've got you covered with mom friendly sleep strategies a Parenting.com/sleep

Sweat dreams!

Stress

2009-08-28T16:28:00.003-04:00

I was reading an article today in my Parenting magazine that I found quite interesting. Being a stay at home mom, working full time can bring a lot of stress. I didn't know this but 83% of women say their relationships with their spouse, kids, and family are their top sources of stress (ya think). So here are 5 super stress relievers that can help calm you down and let you find your way back to your happy place....

1. SMOOCH: Kissing unleashes chemicals that lower anxiety and encourage feeling of euphoria, reports a new study from Lafayette College. Researchers found that levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, dropped dramatically post-lip-lock in the couples studied.

2. SQUEEZE A LEMON: A good whiff of lemon (particularly oils found in the peel) may be an effective - and fresh smelling tool in the mood-boosting department, according to recent research published in the journal Physiology and Behavior.

3. GRAB A BOOK: A new British study found that even six minutes of reading can lower stress levels by 68%. Doesn't matter what you read from a novel to a magazine as long as it lets you lose your worries in the words, says study author David Lewis, Ph.D.

4. GET YOUR GAME ON: Take a cue from your kids and play a video game for a few minutes (on your console, computer or iPhone). Scientists at East Carolina University looked at how adults' levels of tension, depression, and anger were affected by gaming and saw vast improvements among the study participants.

5. SNIFF SOME FLOWERS: Mother Nature has serious calming powers: Hospital patients who had potted flowers in their rooms felt less pain and fatigue and were more relaxed than those with no greenery around, found a recent Kansas State University study. The best part: you don't need to be sick to get the benefits.

So I hope that this five little things will make you stress and worry free. Enjoy and relax!

2009-08-26T20:15:00.002-04:00

OK, so I haven't been blogging for a whole week, I have been extremely busy. We left last Sunday for Orlando, FL and we were there for a whole week. Had a ton of fun at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. It was so much fun to be with my whole family and enjoy the time we had together. On Thursday, I left for northern VA to celebrate with my sister's bachlorette party in Ocean City, MD. My boys and husband went off with his parents to Gulf Shores, AL. This was the first time I had been away from Benjamin...it was very hard, but all at the same time very much needed. After a long weekend it is very nice to finally be home. Unfortunately the rest of the year is crazy busy, but I won't go into that. But anyways, I will have some great blogs coming soon....to be continued!!!!

My Boys!

2009-08-13T16:39:00.005-04:00

I have 2 sons, and they are my world. I just recently became a stay at home mom so that I could spend more time with them both. I love being with them they are both such a joy to be around. Alexander is 3 1/2, he will be 4 in September. He is a kind, caring, energetic boy who loves to wrestle with his dad, and pretend to be every action hero ever created. He is definitely all boy. My other son Benjamin is 5 months old and is the complete opposite of his brother. He is calm, laid back, and goes with the flow. Of course right now he is a complete Mommy's boy and I enjoy every moment of that. My boys are my world and I am so very blessed!!!

Diapers

2009-08-12T10:00:00.003-04:00

Like I've mentioned before I have a 5 month old son, and of course we go through diapers like they are going out of style. Unfortunately diapers are essential, and if you are like me trying to stay within a reasonable budget you want a great diaper that won't break the bank. I have 3 money saving diapers that you will want to try......

Number 1: Targets new Up and Up Brand, for an average of 48 diapers (size 2) you will spend $6.34. They are leak proof, get the stamp of approval for all nighter and overall a great diaper.

Number 2: Walmarts Parent's Choice Brand diapers. They have 48 diapers in a pack (size 2), they run $5.96. These are also leak proof and can hold up to all night sleepers as well.

Number 3: Luvs diapers, these diapers I used to buy religiously before I decided to try the top 2. For 42 diapers (size 2) they will run you $6.99. They are a very good diaper, and of course they pass the leak proof test. Luvs is also backed by there Ultra Leakguard Guarantee, if you aren't satisfied you get your money back.

There have been other diapers I have tried that were supposed to be eco-friendly I just found them less unfriendly and I wouldn't use them again:

Seventh Generation

Tushies
Nature Babycare

Earth's Best are great diapers but they do run on the expensive side, so I do not get those often. Also I have bought the starter pack for the G diaper, I haven't used it yet cause my son isn't big enough to fit in them, but when I do try them that will be a whole other post.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

2009-08-11T13:00:00.000-04:00

I just recently became a stay at home mom, so I have taken over the cooking duties. So I have been trying to find different recipes to jazz up dinner time, I came across this recipe one night and it has been a hit ever since.....

Oven Roasted Potatoes:

Ingredients: 4-6 servings

4-5 Medium-Large potatoes
Garlic sea salt
Pepper
Dried parsley flakes
Olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
Cut up potatoes into cubes
Spread in a medium sized baking dish
Pour olive oil all over potatoes
Garlic sea salt (I just eyeball about 1/4 tsp)
Pepper I just eyeball
Sprinkle parsley flakes all over potatoes about 1/4 tsp
Now mix it all up together with your hands

Place in the oven for about 40-45 min or until golden crispy brown.

This is definitely a hit if you have a picky eater which I do and he begs me to make these for him all the time. Enjoy!

Must Haves for the First Year!

2009-08-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

So I have a 5 month old son, and well let me tell you there are certain toys in my opinion that are essential to everyday living and peace.

My number 1 would be the bouncy seat (from about birth until they can sit up), now a days the bouncy can do just about anything, light up, vibrate, rock and so on and so on.....my son loves his.

My number 2 would be the Johnny Jump Up,(the stationary one or the one that hangs in the doorway) my son favors the one that attaches inside doorways.....he will stay in it for a very long time entertaining himself.

My number 3 would be the bumbo, if you have not tried this product I highly recommend it...I bought mine on eBay and it was the best purchase I ever made. My son loves it because it gives him a different perspective other then staring at the ceiling.....

My number 4 pick would have to be an activity mat, these also come with so many options to entertain it is unreal, I bought mine at a consignment shop because they can be a little expensive.....

Of course I could go on and on with my list but in my opinion I think these are must haves to get through the first year.....would love to hear from other moms on what they think are the best must haves.

To Buy Brand Name or Not?

2009-08-09T15:00:00.001-04:00

This post will be for all those mothers out there trying to save money on formula. We all know how much they jack the price up for a can (25 oz) of formula. If your baby eats like mine you can go through one of those in about a week...so $25 times 4 weeks starts to burn a whole in your pocket fast. So the question is.... is name brand really that much better? My 5 month old is a bit picky with his formula, so I was a little hesitant to go with the off brand, but he hasn't been able to tell a difference. When I receive coupons in the mail for the name brand formula I will buy it but I try to keep the budget reasonable.

My number 1 off brand formula to me that compares equally in quality to the two name brands is Walmart's Parents Choice brand....it costs nearly half $11.99 then the name brand.

Number 2 would be the Up and Up brand from Target, they just recently started carrying there own brand and again it is for half the cost $11.99.

My number 3 might not be considered off brand but a little bit more in price is Nestle Goodstart....they run about $20 which is about $5-10 less then Similac and Enfamil.

Good Luck!

Zucchini Madness

2009-08-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

So about a few months ago we decided to join this CSA farm (Clover Wreath) and get fresh organic vegetables and eggs. So every week I go and get our veggies. Well this season has been big with Zucchini, I love it but there are only so many ways to make it....well I found this recipe that not only will adults enjoy but your children will eat there veggies as well.....

Easy Cheesy Baked Zucchini

Ingrediants:

2 Large Zucchini
1 Pound Ground Turkey
1 Half of white Onion
3 cups of Spaghetti sauce (1 Jar)
1 Can Corn
Mozzarella and Colby Jack Cheese

To Prepare:

Cut Zucchini long ways and sauteed in butter until slightly brown, put in baking dish
Sauteed onion in butter
Brown turkey, and combine with Onion and season with garlic powder
Pour turkey and onion mixture on top of Zucchini
Pour spaghetti sauce on top and also the corn
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 or until zucchini is tender

When zucchini is tender uncover and spread cheese all over dish put back in oven uncovered for about 5 minutes......when done it will be a cheesy wonderful meal everyone will enjoy...

When I made it I served it over rice, but you could easily do pasta. Also I did cut the zucchini long ways and it to me took longer to cook I think slicing the zucchini about an inch thick and laying it out would be better.....well hopefully some of you will try this wonderful recipe leave me your feed back....Bon appetit!

Hello Blog World

2009-08-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

Well, let me see here, this is my first time blogging...so let me introduce myself. My name is Erika Moore and I currently live in Cleveland, TN. I was born in Red Bank, New Jersey and lived there until I was 8, then moved to Lovettsville, VA. I have a 1 sister (27) and 1 brother (19). After high school I went to the University of Tennessee and graduated there in '02 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology concentration in Criminal Justice. I was married in 2003 to a wonderful man named Jeremy. We have been blessed with 2 wonderful children Alexander 3 and Benjamin 5 months. I was working at Lee University for almost 2 years and have just recently decided to stay at home with both of my children, which some days is a challenge. Hopefully I haven't bored anyone too badly, but I look forward to more blogging and meeting new people.