Vintage Pearl Giveaway...

Be sure to go check out the Vintage Pearl! I love their jewelry. They are having a giveaway so be sure to check it out. :o)

http://www.thevintagepearl.com/blog/2011/12/last-minute-giveaway/#comment-50688

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Weekend Blog Hop :o)

Heavenly Broccoli & Cheese Soup

I made some homemade Broccoli & Cheese Soup this morning and I must say, it was HEAVENLY!! :o)

Below is the recipe so enjoy!

4 servings (I doubled my recipe)


Ingredients

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium onion ~ chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Directions

1) Saute inion in 1 tablespoon butter. Set Aside.

2) Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half-and-half

3) Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

4) Add the broccoli, carrots, garlic, and onions. Cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes.

5) Add salt and pepper. Can be pureed in a blender but I like the chunkier broccoli. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

Annnndddd viola!! :o)

Enjoy!!

Did you know?

Cleaning the bathroom has never been fun, but it does not have to be dangerous. Did you know that when bleach comes into contact with stains it only destroys the molecules' ability to reflect light? So it's not getting rid of the dirt - it only turns it white. I stopped using bleach a long time ago, and wouldn't turn back. Wouldn't you rather use a product that is powered by 20 lemons to safely clean? Every family should know about it. In fact, if every family in North America that uses Lime-A-Way would switch to Tub & Tile we would also save 325,544 pounds of plastic every year!

No more opening the windows and having the vents going while cleaning. I don't miss those days at all! ;o)

If you are interested in switching to healthier and safer products that are not toxic to your home and family, head on over to www.4TheLoveOfMyFamily.com. I would LOVE to help you transform your home into a healthier place to live. :o)

Waking up on Tuesday....

And feeling good!! :o)

The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live. ~ Flora Whittemore

With that being said, don't be afraid to open that door and see what's behind there. I took a chance and opened that door 2 1/2 years ago and found some AMAZING friends and an AWESOME Team. I was scared to death to see what was behind there but I am ever so thankful that I did!! :o)Are you going to open that door?

I hope y'all have an awesome Tuesday! :o)

Recession-Proof Your Business

With the economy in the way it is, we really do need to take precautions and have a backup plan. Our family has had our fair share of economy woes. We were prepared for emergencies, but that runs out. I now work from home and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what I do. I am creating my "Plan B" and I think it's smart that we all create one. :o)

Here is an awesome Video by Robin Sharma!!

The 5 Fastest Ways To Recession-Proof Your Business - Robin Sharma

Have a great Hump Day!

Everything you know...

Everything you know is based on what has already happened in your life. And yet, your only influence right now is over things that have not yet happened. The things that have already happened have gotten you to where you are right now. What you need to be concerned with, however, is where to go from here.

Because you're so intimately familiar with your own past, it may seem that you have no choice but to continue moving in the same direction as before. But that is not true. Your future does not equal your past. Right now, there are an infinite number of paths which you can take. The one you're currently on is only one of them. Any of the rest are available to you.

If you're completely satisfied with where you're going, then by all means keep on going that way. But there is no reason in the world why you have to keep following that same path if it is not bringing you full and lasting fulfillment.

Every moment you have a choice, regardless of what has happened before. Choose right now to move forward, positively and confidently into your incredible future.

~ Author Unknown

Giveaway Corner: Giveaway Gala: $1,000 in cash prizes!

Giveaway Corner: Giveaway Gala: $1,000 in cash prizes!: Hello and Welcome to Giveaway Corner's first Giveaway Gala! Giveaway Corner has teamed up with many awesome blogs to present this event. T...

Don't forget to Enter!! :o)

Giveaway Corner: Giveaway Gala: $1,000 in cash prizes!

There are still several days left!! Go enter :o)

Giveaway Corner: Giveaway Gala: $1,000 in cash prizes!: Hello and Welcome to Giveaway Corner's first Giveaway Gala! Giveaway Corner has teamed up with many awesome blogs to present this event. T...

Who would like a Spa Kit?

What mom, or even if you aren't a mom, wouldn't LOVE to have her own SPA products to use at home? I know I would for those stressful days, I could treat myself. ;o)

Enter this giveaway for a chance to win your own Spa!!!

http://networkedblogs.com/lPzyz

I am having my Wisdom Teeth out today so I am taking a small hiatus.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

~Alyssa

Have you...

Have you gone by my page yet and "Like"d it?

https://www.facebook.com/CEOMomAlyssa

Head on over and simply click "Like" please :o)

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!!

~Alyssa

Saturday Blog Hop

Be sure to follow some blogs!! :o)

Leave your link and I would love to follow your blog!!

Have a great weekend!

Mark your calendars!!!

This is going to be an AWESOME Giveaway Happening on August 22nd!! I LOVE this site. She gives stuff away everyday so be sure to join up :o)

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!! :o)

~Alyssa

Pictures are below the post below...

Hey there everyone! Some of our family pictures are below the post below. For some reason, I couldn't load more then that. It kept coming up as an error. ;o)

Enjoy!

I haven't forgotten...

I haven't forgotten about posting!!! ;o) I have been trying to upload the family pics for almost a week and for some reason, they just aren't uploading. I may have to make a collage or something and do it that way. ;o)

I won't make this a totally pointless post so here is a little Friday Inspiration:

It's good to have dreams. God wants us to realize all of our dreams; however, dreams remain just that until we take steps towards making them a reality. It's time to get moving towards what you want to achieve in life! :o)

Hope everyone has a great weekend and be watching for the Family Pics Post soon.

~Alyssa

Family Pictures...

Here are our Family Pictures that we took back at the beginning of May! I LOVE them :o)

This is all it will let me upload. :o( Hope you enjoyed!! :o)

Happy Daddy's Day...

Happy Daddy's Day to my hubby! :o) You are an awesome Daddy and Kylan couldn't agree more ;o) Happy Father's Day to all the other Dads out there as well! :o)

This has been Scott and Kylan's song ever since we found out he was a boy. It's funny how we picked out this song before we knew how Kylan was going to be and every bit of it is true now ;o)

Happy Father's Day Scott, Love you!

Written By A 90 Year Old...

I read this that came from a friend the other day. I LOVE it!! :o) I hope you enjoy it as well!

Written by a 90 year old

This is something we should all read at least once a week... Make sure you read to the end!!!

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My Odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1) Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2) When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4) Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5) Pay off your credit cards every month.

6) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7) Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8) It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9) Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10) When it come to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11) Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12) It's OK to let you children see you cry.

13) Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14) If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15) Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16) Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18) Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19) It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20) When it comes to going after what you live in life, don't take no for an answer.

21) Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22) Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23) Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24) The most important sex organ is the brain.

25) No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26) Frame every so-called disaster with these fords 'In five years, will this matter?'

27)Always choose life.

28) Forgive everyone everything.

29) What other people think of you is none of your business.

30) Time heals almost everything. Give it time.

31) However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33) Believe in miracles.

34) God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35) Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36) Growing old beats the alternative, dying young.

37) Your children get only one childhood.

38) All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39) Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40) If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42) The best is yet to come...

43) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44) Yield.

45) Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

I absolutely LOVE this! It made me think about some of them and look at things a little differently. Please read this and take it to heart because sometimes, we go through things in life and we need to remember, it could be a lot worse and be thankful for what we have.

Hope everyone is having a great Thursday!! :o)

Family Photo Preview...

Happy Sunday!! :o) Below is a preview of our family photos. I have them all in but I just need to update all the pics everywhere.

2 years ago today...

I joined the most AWESOMEST Team of Moms!! The past 2 years has been such a huge blessing in my life and I couldn't be more thankful for Internet CEO Moms. I have made some of my greatest friends on this team and I love you all! (You know who y'all are Lovelies!)

I can't wait until August when so I can hug every one of your necks! :o)

Check out my website if you want to experience the same :o)

www.4theLoveofMyFamily.com

~Alyssa

Study Finds Toxic or Untested Chemicals in Baby Products | ModernMom.com

I always hear and read about toxic chemicals in our everyday bath & body and cleaning products but studies are now finding it in stuff I never would have imagined it to be in. Kind of scary and sad!! :o(

Study Finds Toxic or Untested Chemicals in Baby Products ModernMom.com

Wordless Wednesday...

Another round of Recalls...

I always keep up with the current recalls going on!! You can join this website http://www.modernmom.com/recalls and they send emails with all of the recalls. It's not just limited to kids stuff so take a looksy ;o) In this issue, there are some recalls for light bulbs, chives, a stroller, MORE Johnson & Johnson Meds (Thankfully I just try not to use ANYTHING FROM J&J anymore), and slipper socks.

I found out through here that Kylan's stroller was recalled due to strangulation. They sent out a kit to fix it BUT you won't catch me using that stroller ever again!!

Hope everyone is having a great Monday!! :o)

~Alyssa

~~The Victor~~

I LOVE this poem!!

The Victor

by C. W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you like to win but think you can't,

It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost.

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a fellow's will.

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are out classed, you are.

You've got to think high to rise.

You've got to be sure of your-self before

You can ever win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man.

But sooner or later, the man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can.

Have a great Wednesday Everyone!

Happy 6 Year Annniversary...

I want to wish my lovely husband Happy 6 Year Anniversary! (Tomorrow)

We have been through A LOT these last couple years and I love you just as much as I did before. It says a lot that our marriage survived everything and I think it's stronger then ever. I am so luck to have a husband that is an awesome husband and wonderful daddy!

I LOVE YOU!

~Alyssa

Licorice, Anyone???

I was just reading a report on how licorice can be good for you. Now, don't just hop up and go run to the store to get you some. It's not just any licorice, it's just the black licorice. Blugghhhh I personally am not a fan of the black licorice. But reading how it can help you, I might just have to grow a taste for it.

Black licorice has dated back all the way to the ancient Greeks, to the Chinese Emperors and to Egypt's King Tutankhamen. Hundreds of years ago, it was used as an antiviral medicine, has tons of antioxidants and estrogen. WHAT?? ESTROGEN??? Yep, estrogen.

It can help with:

PMS:

Believe it or not, you can treat menstrual problems and PMS with this. I wonder if this works on men for PMS?? Ha!! Anyway, it has a mild estrogenic effect. Because estrogen can cause many menstrual problems, licorice has been known to balance estrogen levels in the body and by reducing estrogen, which in turn helps with bloating, irritability, and tenderness.

Peptic Ulcers:

If you have an ulcer or an upset tummy, Europe has used licorice for many years to help people with their ulcers. It's know to lower the acid in your stomach and help relieve heartburn as well. Studies have shown that it is just as effective as a pharmaceutical drug.

Respiratory System:

Having trouble kicking that cough? Licorice has been known to help with respiratory problems such as coughing, sore throats, bronchitis, or asthma. It gives you an immunity boost! :o)

Cholesterol:

This appealed to me because I recently went to the doctor for a checkup. He wanted to check my cholesterol levels and well, I got a call saying that it was a little high. On a study of about 20 students, it showed that licorice made their LDL (bad) cholesterol resistant to oxidation!

Now with that being said, there are some downfalls. Experts say you are not supposed to consume more then 50 grams of real licorice a day and you shouldn't use it long term. It can cause water retention and high blood pressure. Also, if you are pregnant, you are advised to NOT eat licorice. Eating licorice while pregnant has been link to premature births.

Look for the REAL licorice. Not the stuff that has tons of sugar and artificial sweeteners in it. You should look for Licorice Root or Glycyrrhizin.

Now I know I am going to have to try and develop a taste for real licorice. We shall see ;o)

Wordless Wednesday!

Monster Trucks Are A Boy's Best Friend!

Well, it's probably been a good month since we went to see the monster trucks! It's just been one crazy household lately ;o) I'm going to get straight to the point and start posting pics!

The new Cowboys Stadium! It's HUGE!

Getting excited to see these monster trucks! ;o)

Too Cute!! :o)

I have TONS of pictures but I am going to skip to the end. This one below was the last one of the show. We were the last show of the weekend so I guess he want to get crazy. It made for an interesting end though! ;o)

This is what he started out looking like:

And this was the end result! It crashed and the front end blew up. You could hear the whole crowd grasp!! We then had to explain to Kylan how that was "supposed" to happen!! Thankfully, the guy got and and walked away. He was just fine!! :o)

Anyway, that's all for tonight folks! I am beat and ready to do a little relaxing. Can't wait for this weekend! First Monday Trade Days (Canton) and a baby shower on Sunday! Everyone have a great evening! :o)

Baby Scared When Mom Blows Her Nose (Too Cute)

I'm sure most people have seen this but it is too cute!! I miss that stage ;o) Maybe I can find a way to shrink my little man back down!

I haven't left...

I promise!! It know it's been a while since I have posted but I have to download all my pics from my camera ;o)

Soooooo pics from the Monster Truck show will be posted soon!

Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper

I laughed so hard at this video! I just love the deep down gut laughs from babies ;o)

Hoppin Weekend...

Feel free to follow and leave me a comment and I will follow you back ;o)

Our week and a half of snow and ice...

This past week and a half of snow and ice has been LOOONNNGGGG! At the beginning of last week, we got some ice and a little snow. It got better but schools were still out due to the frigid temps and "rolling blackouts" happening. Then on Friday, we got around 7 inches of snow, which really is starting to become the norm in Texas. It made me really want to go skiing again!! Well, sledding down a hill had to do ;o)

And yes, that is a float!! Bahahaha I think we need to invest in some actual sleds since we have gotten snow the past couple of years :o)

Below is some of Kylan playing in the snow! Take note in the hat!! A childhood friend of mine made that and he LOVES it :o) If you are interested in getting in contact with the girl, let me know and I will give you her info :o)

Kylan's Snow Angel :o)

My snow angel :o)

Now bring on the warm weather!! ;o) It's supposed to be absolutely gorgeous this next week!! In the 70's!! WoooooHooooo, open window weather is here!

More pictures coming soon of the pretty weather :o)