If you’re looking for the perfect dessert that’s easy to make, doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, and just tastes like sweet summertime… you need to make these bad boys TONIGHT! You’ll be so glad you did!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we found the most darling little peach stand right across the border in Filbert, SC. Since then, we’ve made several more trips there to get peaches, produce, and ice cream!

Ingredients:

• 1 large peach
• Sugar
• 1 can of crescent rolls
• Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Milk, water, or liquid coffee creamer

Instructions:

• First, preheat your oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with tin foil.
• Spray the tin foil with cooking spray (these will stick if you leave out this step!).
• Peel and slice your peach into small pieces and sprinkle with sugar (as much as you like).

• Lay out your crescent rolls flat and put a small piece of butter on the large end of each one.

• Next, spoon a few of the sugary peach slices onto each one, right on top of the butter.

• Roll them up, sealing any openings as best as you can and place on prepared baking sheet.

• Bake for 10-12 minutes, until crescents are golden brown.
• Make a glaze of powdered sugar and either milk, water, or (if you’re feeling spunky) flavored liquid coffee creamer. I used vanilla caramel creamer and it was DELICIOUS (it gave just a hint of flavor that complimented the peaches really well).
• After the turnovers have cooled completely, drizzle glaze over them and enjoy!

“God, when You choose to leave mountains unmoveable, give me the strength to be able to sing it is well with my soul.”

I sat in the congregation yesterday with tears rolling down my cheeks listening to Grayson sing those words. You see, for the last 10 weeks, we’ve been waiting for an answer, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that our God is able, but having to trust His perfect plan and His timing more than ever before. There’s more to this story than even we can see, and we are confident that no matter the outcome of this trial we’re in the midst of, our Savior will be glorified in the end.

Thanks to my friend Jessica over at Grace While We Wait for this sweet reminder on my arm (from Daniel 3), it means more now than ever. You can check out her Etsy shop to see more beautiful, meaningful pieces.

What says SUMMER better than a big bowl of sugary peaches and cream with butter toast and coffee every morning? Not much, if ya ask me.

Needless to say, I was THRILLED when we stumbled across this darling little peach stand (while on our our way to get gas just over the South Carolina border, where it’s cheaper… and only about 8 miles from our house).

Peaches and cream, peach cobbler, peach smoothies… coming right up!

Well, another beach trip is in the books and it was so much fun! You might remember this post about Landon’s first ever beach trip last summer. This year, we went back to Morehead City again with our friends, Kayla and Jeremy, and their little boy, Berkley. Berkley is almost two years old, and Landon turned 13 months while we were there. Looking back at the pictures from last year’s trip makes me want to cry because our boys were so little! Babies don’t keep, ya’ll.

This year, Kayla and I went down on Monday and Gray and Jeremy came down later in the week. We stayed at her aunt’s house, cooked almost every meal, packed picnic lunches, and had so much fun watching our boys play together. I was surprised at how restful the week was, even with two toddlers!

I was afraid that Landon would hate the sand but he had the time of his life! He played with sand toys and had a great time at the pool. He took naps and ate peanut butter sandwiches on the beach. We took a little blow up pool for the boys to play in, and that helped too. Every stage is so sweet, so even though it hurts my Mama heart for him to be getting so big, I love watching his little personality!

We are so thankful for our friends and a great week at the beach!

Ok, you guys. I know I’ve said it before butttt this time, it’s for real. I have found the BEST chocolate chip recipe EVER (thanks, Pinterest). I mean it, I’m never making another chocolate chip cookie recipe ever again. This is BY FAR the best recipe I’ve found (and, just ask my husband, I’ve tried literally hundreds in the last 4 or 5 years).

I am so excited to share it with ya’ll, I can hardly stand it. You need to run to your kitchen and whip these up TONIGHT. They’re that good.

What makes these cookies the “best,” you wonder? Well, they aren’t “cakey,” they are full of chocolate chips, just chewy enough, and they are so buttery!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bag of chocolate chips

Instructions:

There’s nothing better than an easy, comfortable dress that you can just throw on. You know, the kind you can wear with dressy wedges, simple sandals, or even a little pair of keds?

Your “go-to” dress. Your “effortlessly put together” dress. Your dress that’s appropriate whether you’re at the park with the kiddos, running errands, or out to dinner.

If you’re looking for a dress that fits this description, look no further, because I’ve found it!

I first discovered PinkBlush when I was expecting and instantly fell in love with their beautiful maternity clothes. You may remember this post (from when I was VERY pregnant). But, they offer much, much more than just maternity clothes! Their wide range of styles and sizes, excellent quality, and fast, free shipping make PinkBlush stand out as one of my favorite companies.

If you sign up (click here to create an account) you will receive coupons frequently through your email, and believe me, there’s always a good sale going on at PinkBlush!

This dress also comes in black, navy, and lavender and is the softest material. The criss cross neckline is so fun and really kicks it up a notch from your basic tshirt dress, and my favorite part? It has pockets! Ahhh!

There are so many pretty things on their website right now. This dress would be perfect for dancing the night away at summer weddings, this dress would be so cute at the beach, and this dress is another super comfortable everyday dress (that I might just have to add to my cart).

This dress was provided to me by the PinkBlush Style Ambassador program, but as always, all opinions are my own. 

My little Landon,

I’ve been to some really beautiful places in my 24 years of life. I’ve seen the snow-capped Swiss Alps, watched the sun go down over Florence, hiked to the top of Mount Vesuvius, and swam in the waters off the Amalfi Coast. I’ve fallen in love with the changing of the leaves in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I’ve snorkeled in Jamaica, and I’ve prayed on the beaches of Haiti. But you, my dear, really do surpass them all. When I looked into your sweet face for the first time one year ago today, my heart was wrecked forever.

It’s hard to put into words exactly what this past year has been like. When I think about the fears your Daddy and I have had to face and the uncertainty we’ve had to walk through, I’m reminded, once again of our Savior’s unwavering protection and provision. I have learned so much in this process of becoming your Mama (and have so, so much more to learn). Jesus has redeemed parts of my brokenness that I never thought was possible. Just saying the word “Daddy” out loud used to feel like a knife cutting right through me, even when I did my best job pretending that it didn’t, and now? Seeing the way your Daddy loves you has healed that wound in my heart, replaced my hurt with gratitude, and allowed me to see just a glimpse of our Heavenly Father’s faithfulness. This year has been a year of hard changes, big sacrifices, and growth. There have been tears and frustrations, times that we’ve lost sight of how immensely blessed we are, and times that I’ve felt I will never be enough. But, oh my goodness, sweet boy… the joy you’ve brought outweighs it all. You light up a room. You giggle all the time. You wake up smiling every day. Your sweet voice plays over and over in my mind, even when you’re asleep. There is nothing I cherish more than spending every day with you. Learning more about you, watching you discover new things, and praying for you is the delight of a lifetime.

At my second ultrasound, they discovered that you had a calcium deposit on your heart. That led to many more ultrasounds and tests and I was really unsure of what it would mean for your development and health. Then, right after you were born, you wouldn’t cry like you were supposed to and they rushed you to the NICU to get your lungs cleared, leaving me there panicked, just wanting to hold you and know you were okay. To a lot of people, those are just small things that, in the scheme of things (compared to what some families have had to go through) seem really trivial. But, for me, they were huge, scary things… things that made me totally and completely surrender myself and your little life to Jesus. You see, as selfish as I am as your Mama, you don’t belong to me. You belong to Jesus. Him entrusting you to me to nurture and raise up in a home where you’re pointed towards Jesus and a love for Him is cultivated from an early age is my greatest honor. But, you’re His, sweet boy. Never, ever forget that.

When I said earlier that there were times during this last year when I felt that I will never be enough, I mean in little tiny ways, and also in big, important ways. Did I hold you enough? Did I hold you to much? Did I make your rice cereal too thick? Are you ruined forever because I give you apple juice? Is it my fault that you got pink eye that one time? Do I wash your hands enough? Do I wash my hands enough? Am I teaching you enough? What am I doing that I shouldn’t be doing? What am I not doing that I should be doing? The what-if’s, the not-sure’s, the I-worry-about’s… they would completely consume me if it wasn’t for my Father’s promises. You see, without Him, I really can’t do this. I can’t be a good Mama to you at all. In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” That’s exactly how being your Mama is. Praying everyday that He’ll give me the wisdom, the grace, and the strength to be a good Mama is what gets me through. And His mercies are new every morning.

I never, ever want to forget the little quirks about you that I’ve fallen deeply in love with this year. The way you cross your ankles. The way your white-blonde hair flips out in little curls behind your ears. The way your blue eyes sparkle. The way you look just like my Paw. The way you get so excited when you see food (especially Krispy Kreme doughnuts) and airplanes and say “ooohh oohh oohhhh!” The way you look taking a bath in our kitchen sink with the morning light streaming through the window. The way you turn and look at me over your shoulder with that mischievous grin on your face when you discover something new. The way you reach up and tug on the belt of my robe in the mornings while I make my coffee. The way you take my face in your fat little hands. The way it sounds when you say “Mama.”

I could go on forever, but there would never be enough words to describe the insurmountable joy that being your Mama has brought me. Your Daddy and I love you so much, Landon. Happy First Birthday!

I’ll love you forever, and always more than the day before.

Love,

Mama

*Photos by the one and only Meredith Fields

Yesterday, we celebrated Landon’s 1st birthday with (almost) all of our family and friends and it was the sweetest, most special day. When we first started planning, we considered having his party at the park, but we ended up being so thankful that we didn’t do that because it rained almost all day. The party was travel and adventure themed, just like his nursery, and there were maps, globes, hot air balloons, airplanes, suitcases, and sailboats everywhere! There was all kinds of food (thank you to my aunt Rhonda for making the delicious punch and little sausage party pizzas, my Mother-in-law for the chicken nuggets, fruit and dip, and chips and dip, Sherry for the cannolis, my friend Meredith for helping me make the cake pops, and to my Momma for the amazing cake).

Landon had so much fun opening presents (although I think he liked the wrapping paper and boxes just as much as he liked the presents) and he ate until his little heart was content. He was so funny during the cake smash, he eventually just stuck his whole face into the cake! He was absolutely worn out by the end of the afternoon, and was asleep in the car before we even made it out of the parking lot!

It was a fun day that we’ll remember forever! Thank you so much to everyone who came to help us celebrate. We are so thankful that our sweet boy is so loved by so many!

My little Landon,

We are getting ready to celebrate Mother’s Day! I would say it’s my first Mother’s Day, but I believe life begins at conception, and so we celebrated my first Mother’s Day last year, when you were still inside my belly. Last year, your Daddy gave me a beautiful Bible and I had your footprints stamped over the passage in 1 Samuel that says, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him” right after you were born.

It’s funny to me that last year, as I celebrated Mother’s Day, I thought I knew what it was going to be like to be your Mom. I knew I would love you, I already did. I knew I would pray for you, I had been praying for you long before I even found out that we were expecting or I knew you were a boy. I knew I would do everything in my power to protect you and nurture you, but I didn’t realize I’m not capable of that at all without Jesus.

No one could have ever prepared me for what it’s like to be your Momma and there are so many things that I realize about my own Momma and the way she loves me now that I have you. It’s the honor of a lifetime to have carried you, to watch you grow, and you shepherd your little heart. You have a smile that lights up a room, a sweet, gentle spirit, and you are developing a sense of humor and mischief that just blesses my Mama heart!

There aren’t enough words to say how thankful I am that God chose me to be your Mom.

I’ll love you forever, and always more than the day before.

Love,

Momma

I had been hearing about Lipsense for quite a while when Alex from Lipstick and Grace reached out to me, and I was so excited to give it a try. Lipsense is a long lasting lip color that doesn’t budge! Its water-proof, kiss-proof, smudge-proof and comes in over 36 shades! Much like Younique or Mary Kay, it’s sold by consultants who are happy to help you find the right match for your skin tone.

It’s perfect for Mamas because you don’t have to worry about leaving kissy marks all over those squishy cheeks and you only have to apply once a day!

Alex has a Facebook group that you can join to see all the colors available. She does videos from time to time demonstrating tips and tricks for application and showing the colors in “real life,” and she also does fun giveaways!

I had a really hard time choosing a color, so I just told her the three I liked best and she chose for me. Sometimes, you just have to trust the experts’ opinion! I ended up with a pink color called “Kiss For a Cause” and I think it’s perfect for Spring and Summer. There’s a color called Mulled Wine that I have my eye on for Fall, though!

The “Starter Collection,” which is a color, glossy gloss, and remover is the best place to start. Then, you can add other colors to your collection! Lipsense also makes a Matte Gloss, which I would love to try!

You can do as many layers as you like to achieve the color you like best. The instructions say to do three layers of color, letting each layer dry for at least 15 seconds between applications, but I have found that one or two layers of “Kiss For a Cause” looks best on me, especially for just day to day wear. Here’s an example I found on her facebook page that shows a few different colors with layers of different shades:

Because I have to be totally honest, I will say that it took me several times to get the application process downpat. It’s harder than I thought to just swipe on in the car… instead, it requires my complete attention and focus. I am thankful for the remover, though! When they say this stuff doesn’t budge, they aren’t kidding!

Because the product is in such high demand right now, the best way to shop is directly from her facebook page – that’s where she shows what is currently in stock. There are instructions for how to order pinned at the top of the page. If you have any questions, she’s happy to help you, just email her at Alex.lipstickandgrace@gmail.com and be sure to find her on instagram: @lipstick.and.grace!

My Lipsense “Starter Collection” was gifted to me c/o Lipstick + Grace, but all opinions are my own, as always.