the beach these days

The beach these days...

• My bag:
• You will no longer find Elle or In Style in my tote. 
• It's overflowing with sand buckets, boats & water guns. 
• There's various SPF's with all different types of applications (foam, spray lotion, sunblock, bars of sunblock, sticks of sunblock)...I am obsessed. 
• 4 towels
• An extra sunhat for Addison
• A beach coverup for myself & Addison
• My phone
• My camera (I brought it this time but left the battery charging in the charger...figures)
• Diapers/Wipes
• Change of clothes for Addison
•  I have an ice cold cooler packed to the brim...a kid friendly cooler
• water
• 2 sippy cups
• grapes & cherries
• grilled chicken, sugar snap peas
• What little laying out there is consists of being hand-printed with sandy palms
• I find myself constantly saying "no, Addison. Don't put that in your mouth, that is yucky"
• Rather than a jog, I am chasing her up & down the beach
• Rather than being approached by "dudes" (lol, it's been a long time for that one anyway) I am being approached by random strangers so they can talk to Addison
• There isn't any longer a need for lounge chairs. I do just fine sitting in the sand, making water holes & sand castles
• I am constantly looking at my phone to make sure it hasn't exceeded 45 minutes & it isn't time to reapply sunscreen on Addison's sandy body
• My heart melts listening to her roars of laughter & squeals of delight when the waves crash into her knees

Despite how much the beach has changed it is still my favorite place to be.

happy place

{our view for the week}

There is nothing more relaxing to me than the sound of crashing waves, lounging in the sand, blanketed by sunny skies, salt air with each breath, surrounded by footprints & broken castles in the sand, the sun glowing on my skin. There are no two people I'd rather share my "happy place" with than Philip & Addison. It's so easy to relax at the beach...beach in Australia, beach in Hawaii, beach in South Carolina...ANY beach.  By far one of the best perks of Philip's job are conventions at nice resorts.  Now that Addison is older we get to hit the road with him.  While Daddy works, she & I get to take afternoon naps in the hammock, bury our toes in the sand & splash in the pool. 

birthday party fun

Giggles & squeals of excitement rung throughout the Kids Clubhouse this afternoon.  Tomorrow is sweet Emma's 2nd birthday & her Momma & Daddy celebrated it in the most fun way!  Bounce houses, giant slides, pizza, balloons & cupcakes...what's not to love?! It was adorable to watch them all bouncing around with nervous excitement! Addison absolutely LOVES Emma so I am not sure what she like more, actually bouncing in the bounce houses or bouncing with Emma. Speaking of loving Emma, she learned to say Emma this week.  A very long drawn out "Emmmmmmm-ma", slightly sing song-y.  She did try pizza for the first time & was HUGE fan, so that could have also been a highlight. I am pretty sure she could have eaten multiple slices if we let her.   She also had a taste of a delicious homemade vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting.  No doubt she LOVED that as well. She giggled & squealed the entire time we were there.

 All I kept thinking is how fast time flies & how grown up she feels! We were at a birthday party that she was invited to.  While this is the 2nd birthday party Addison has been to, this is the first she was old enough to really play at.  It was the first time she had dairy & grains (gasp) & sugar.  I am slightly obsessed with documenting these moments...they are little milestones & happy times. It's kind of a big deal.  Emma is her first little friend. 

this week

This week...

• We had CRAZY storms!?!
• I recieved the most beautiful birth announcement in the mail
• We had a fabulous lunch date with a dear friend
• We caught the sun for some brief moments & Addison played at the park
• I worked a day shift
• The UPS man delivered some goodies
• I listed a TON of things on ebay to sell 
• Addison wore pigtails with pride
• My brother came home 
• I conquered my laundry once again (maybe if I didn't wait for it to pile up so much, it wouldn't be so daunting)
• Addison was giving away lots of kisses :)
• I nearly broke my middle finger trying to do a handstand pushup
• We celebrated the birthday of one of our absolute favorite people
• We had a date night

roasted strawberry & coconut milk popsicle

The title had me at hello {drool}. Strawberries...yes please (roasted at that). Coconut...um double yes! I saw the recipe for this DE-LICIOUS popsicle on Pinterest & pinned it some time ago.  I had been dying to make them & several others that I have pinned but didn't have "the tools". I have read a thousand awesome reviews on the Zoku popsicle maker & various others but still hadn't bought one (my Amazon order for my Zoku & regular popsicle mold has now been placed). The other day I was craving a cold treat & had coconut milk in the fridge that needed to be used & a pint of strawberries & figured what the heck, I have silicone cube trays & craft popsicle sticks.  Oh boy...I am SO GLAD that I did because these bad boys are AH-MAZING! 

The recipe was adapted from TheYearInFood (awesome food blog). 

{they may not look pretty but they tasted amazing}

What you need:
8 ounces small strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 (15) ounce can coconut milk (full fat)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon stevia
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toss strawberries in one tablespoon stevia. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the strawberries on paper. Roast until tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm the coconut milk in a small pan over a low heat. Add the 1/4 cup stevia and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and stir until stevia is just dissolved. Remove from heat.
When the strawberries are ready, remove from heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes.
Combine the strawberries with the coconut milk.
Using a glass measure with lip, carefully pour the strawberry coconut milk mix into popsicle molds (or silicone tray like I used). You may need to stir them just a little so that the fruit is distributed.
Chill for a minimum of four hours.

Addison was a super fan. 

{she didn't want to share}

uncle jeffrey

My baby brother is home!! EIIIIIK! I am blessed with a younger brother & sister.  Jeffrey is 23 & Paige is soon to be 21.  My brother joined the Air Force after high school, went to basic training in Texas & then was stationed in FL.  Last November he was deployed to Afghanistan & returned in May.  It had been a year since we'd seen him & yesterday was the first time Addison & Jeffrey met.  As you can see, they hit it off immediately.  I am so looking forward to him being home the next month & looking forward to Addison getting to know him a little bit. 

Addison pulled out her pig tail & has bozo hair

world breastdfeeding week

National Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7th.  It's celebrated to facilitate awareness & support to breastfeeding.

{SOURCE}

I think this picture says it all.  People are often more shocked to find out that I am still breastfeeding my 11 month old then they would be to see a 1/2 naked women walking down the beach.

Women are uninformed, poorly educated & have so many misconceptions when it comes to breastfeeding.  Some people physically cannot do it but most think they can't & it's largely because of lack of support.

I am definitely "shy" when it comes to feeding Addison in public. In fact there has never been an "in public" for us. I have never felt comfortable doing it, even with my nursing cover.  I usually would go my car or find a place where I could be alone.  Part of it was being creeped out with people knowing that is what I was doing & the other part was the looks & stares that it brought. It's sad that we have set up a society that makes women feel embarrassed or ashamed for breastfeeding our children.

We certainly don't make it easy for breastfeeding moms, especially in the work place.  We have designated smoking areas but don't provide women a sanitary environment to pump while we are at work.  Not everyone has the luxury of an office with a door that locks so we often have to resort to pumping in a bathroom (if we are even allowed to pump). I am lucky to even get a 45 min meal break at work, let alone a 15 min break to pump. That alone is enough to make somebody not even give it a shot from the get go.

There are so many benefits of breastfeeding: nutritional benefits for baby,  cost, bonding between mom & baby, immunity support, it's natural, it's great for mom....I could go on & on.

In no way is this meant to knock those that formula fed. I am not passing judgement. Breastfeeding came easily for me but that isn't the case for anybody.  This whole last week is designed to educate.

If you’re a new mom or a mom to be educate yourself & find support. Seek out help, there are tons of local & national organizations for breastfeeding support. Don’t be afraid & don't. Know that a lot of doctors and hospitals push formula....in fact, everything pushes formula. Push through it & try to stay positive.