TRIP TO TEXAS

Never have I ever been on such a long trip with the kids and I have to tell you it was a success! Ben has to do a lot of traveling for his job right now and that means staying in hotels, driving rental cars, and eating out. I didn't want to be home without him, so we tagged along and got to enjoy all that traveling has to offer. 

We started off in Dallas for a few days and got to delight in some food that you all saw me post on my Instagram; Hopdoddy, SouthPaw, and Cafe Express. We also got to swim at the hotel and play at an outdoor splash pad at one of the nearby parks. Riley had a ball and so did we! After just a few days in Dallas we headed over to Houston where we hotel hopped from one Marriott Spring Hill to a Marriott Residence Inn right in the heart of Houston. It was the best decision. We were in walking distance to so many neat shops and great food places. We also got to enjoy leisurely walks inside the Galleria Mall and their little play gym for Riley to climb all over. 

In between our trip, Riley turned two! We took her to Sea World in San Antonio on her birthday and ended it with dinner at Olive Garden. It was such a treat to see the look on her face when she saw the whales and dolphins jumping out of the water. She was so happy and I could see that we made her day!

How did we travel from city to city you might ask? In a little sedan! It wasn't the nicest car I have ever been in, but we made it work. We brought Riley's iPad with us, so she could watch movies, and we made sure to have lots of snack for her to choose from like: popcorn, chips, apples, gummies, pretzels, and cookies (we have experienced healthier road trips). I definitely recommend going on a trip or many trips for that matter with kids. The experiences and memories are ones that will last forever. Don't wait. Get out there and start living! Your kids will adjust. 

LESS IS MORE

My favorite beauty products right now

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    Contouring, fake lashes, and hair extensions are all the craze these days. It is becoming the norm for people to be done up and it makes me sad. I think wearing a lot of make-up does an injustice to woman all over. We are raising the bar for what men think is pretty. This bar is unrealistic and as far from natural as we could possibly be. I don’t want my little brother getting the idea that make-up is supposed to be on a woman’s face. What happens when it all comes off? What happens when he thought a high cheekbone existed when it doesn’t? What happens when he finds out that the lashes he loves so dearly are glued on?

     I feel like these three things: contouring, lashes, and hair extensions are deceiving men. Just the other day I was talking to my husband about a few women and asked him if he thought each item was real or fake and he got every answer wrong. He can no longer tell the difference between real and fake. It concerns me that we have put such a heavy emphasis on being made up. What does this mean? How should I feel with my not so thick head of hair, my blonde eyelashes, and my porous skin? I thought I was supposed to love me for me. I AM supposed to love me for me and I do, but all these things are making it hard for me to do just that!

     I can appreciate subtle contouring that is on the natural side. It is an art and I admire skilled artists, but I don’t think looking like a tiger before you blend your make-up is necessary. An alternative to changing your look can be picking out a darker lip color or dying your hair. I am nervous for my little brother's view on what women should look like. I want my brother to grow up finding women beautiful in their natural state with nothing on their skin. I want him to see that pimple on a girl’s face and see it as normal and a passing thing. I want my brother to see that ‘shrimpy’ braid on a girl and say “Wow, what pretty hair she has!” I want my brother to see the girl with shorter, stubbier lashes and know that she is fearfully and wonderfully made, because God made her.

     I think there is a difference between enhancing our features and creating ones that don’t really exist. Make-up can be a lot of fun to wear, but we have to know that we are beautiful and believe it with every fiber in our bodies. Love you for you!

5 MIN BURRITO BOWL

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Ingredients:

• Avocado
• Tomato
• Romaine lettuce
• Onion
• Pinto beans
• Shredded cheese
• Flour tortilla
• Sour cream
• Sriracha

Directions:

1. Cut tortilla up and place on the bottom of the bowl
2. Place beans over the tortilla
3. Sprinkle cheese over the beans
4. Place dish in microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute
5. Cut lettuce and place on top of beans
6. Cut tomato and place on top of lettuce
7. Cut avocado and place on top of lettuce
8. Plop a dollop of sour cream on top 
9. Squirt Sriracha over the bowl sparingly