Generations of Friendship...

One of my absolute dearest childhood friends, Jessica, and I have known each other from birth. We grew up playing together, graduated together, were in each others weddings, etc... The Lord has graciously allowed us to walk through life together. However, after I moved to Kentucky, soon she and her husband joined the military and they have been stationed in New Mexico. So, because we live in different states now, our trips home to Texas to see our families do not usually coincide. Because of this, we have not seen each other since I was 20 weeks pregnant and she had just found out that she was pregnant with twins. We gave birth in separate states and have been raising our children for the past year, apart from each other. While this is the Lord's will for this season of life, we so look forward to the hopeful day when we will once again live near each other and our kids can enjoy frequently playing together, like we did!

One of the most exciting parts of our trip to Texas last week was that Jessica and her little family were also in town visiting their families, so we actually got to meet up for a short visit and allow our children to meet (and here I was, 16 weeks pregnant again!!! haha...). It was such a sweet, sweet time! We chatted and laughed while we watched our kids play together. SO CUTE! It's crazy to realize that there will be four children between us the next time we see each other!

 Our two families!
(Kyle, Michelle, Abigail, and Baby Roland. Mark, Jessica, Aksil and Avery.)

 Aksil showing Abigail how to ride his super cool toy!

 Abigail loved their ball toy! It shoots the balls up in the air...

 Avery... so cute!

 Our girls!

 Avery and Abigail playing together.

 I love Avery's enthusiasm for life!

 Trying our best to take a group photo! (Notice they each have toys! haha)

 *Cheese*

 Abigail thought she'd surprise Aksil with a kiss... Avery thinks it's pretty funny! (Aunt Jessica, we've got our work cut our for us with these kiddos!)

 Abigail is acting like the big sister... haha...

 This is a more "natural" shot of our kids! haha...

Abigail being Abigail... haha... she loves to touch other kids! Avery's like... "Uhh... Mom!!! What's she doing?"

I am so incredibly thankful for the short time that we had to visit with these dear friends! I look forward to many more playdates in the future, Lord-willing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So I know this is late and that while in Texas I dropped the ball on my "thankfulness" posts. I'm so sorry! I would like to extend a late "Happy Thanksgiving" to everyone from our family and share a few photo highlights from our trip to Texas to see my side of the family. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed making many wonderful memories.

 Our wonderful extended family... Four Generations... So thankful for this heritage!

The Oliver/Roland side of the family.

Our little Roland Family

 Us with my Grandparents... We are so blessed with every opportunity we have to spend with these two godly, dear people!

Abigail sitting on the little couch her Grammie recovered for her. So cute!

 I love seeing all the little great-grandchildren playing with my grandparents! Such a sweet time!

Banana Bread Muffins

So, over the last couple of years I have tried multiple coconut flour muffin recipes and none of them have been my favorite and certainly none of them have made me say "Wow!"... until today! I found The Spunky Coconut's Banana Bread recipe this morning and I decided to brave it. I had to change it up a bit though due to being out of a few ingredients she calls for and due to our taste preferences. So, this is what I came up with:

Banana Bread Muffins

3 small mashed bananas
4 beaten eggs
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. coconut milk
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup raw sugar (I'd prefer to use coconut sugar but I'm all out)
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Combine wet ingredients in mixer. Blend. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl then add to wet ingredients. Mix until combined. Add walnuts. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Makes 11 muffins.

A Side-Note Word Of Encouragement

I read this article tonight and found it so encouraging! It is a mom (who is a wonderful blogger) and she writes a post about how we are all a mess... meaning, none of us wives and mothers are perfect! None of our homes and cars are perfectly clean all the time. Our kids don't get baths every night. Our meals are sometimes scraped together instead of intentionally thought out, etc...

I needed to read this post! I struggle so much with comparing myself and our home to other women/moms and their homes; their schedules; and their seemingly "perfect life"... Yet, in all actuality, we're all a mess in our own ways!

Moms/Wives, read this and be encouraged!

We're All Just A Lovely Mess

A Month Of Thankfulness - Post #16

Tonight, I am thankful for God's gracious forgiveness when my heart, mind, and mouth struggle to put to death sin. I am also thankful for my incredible husband who loves me no matter what I say and who offers godly forgiveness even when I mess up. :-)

It is good to have evenings when I am humbled by my sin because it shows me my great need daily for a Savior!

A Month Of Thankfulness - Post #15

Tonight I am so thankful for a husband who puts up with all of my desires to fulfill family holiday traditions! :-) We put up our Christmas tree tonight and started decorating the house. While we still have much more to do, it was so much fun to work together as a family to decorate!

I absolutely LOVE Christmas and the holiday seasons in November and December! I am also a very sentimental person and traditions are a HUGE deal to me. Not only do I love starting new traditions as the Kyle Roland Family, I also love keeping a few traditions that I grew up with. Tonight, Kyle graciously went along with one. :-)

You see, growing up, one of my favorite nights all year long was the night (usually after my brother Michael's birthday in early December) that our family would decorate for Christmas. But, what would add a special hint of holiday cheer was that every year my sweet Dad would go to Braums (for those of you who don't know, it's a great ice cream place in Ft. Worth) and buy egg nog for us to sip while decorating. Then after we were finished we would sit around and enjoy the lights and decorations while enjoying our drinks.

Sure, egg nog is a small thing, but it's part of what made that night so special for me as a kid and teenager! So tonight, although this tradition is foreign to him, Kyle graciously stopped by Kroger on his way home from work so that I could have my egg nog as we decorated. We then enjoyed continuing this tradition in our new little family. I can't wait to share it with Abigail and the rest of our kids as they grow up!

I am so blessed by my hubby and so thankful that he loves me for who I am... quirks and all! :-)

Abigail's 1st Birthday Party!

What a joy it is to celebrate our baby girl's first birthday! Even though her "big day" isn't until November 25th, we celebrated here in Kentucky with our friends a little early because we will be out of town on her actual birthday. Abigail loved having some of her sweet little friends over to enjoy celebrating with her. They were so cute playing around together.

We were blessed to be able to use our apartment's community room to host everyone. They have been adding tables, chairs, and such to help build community as well as they have a great little kids play corner that Abigail loves to go play in!

Here is a picture overview of her party. Enjoy!

 Our big birthday girl!

The table all set with strawberry cupcakes, strawberry ice cream, red punch, and hot cider.

 A picture progression of her as she has grown month-by-month. So glad we took these each month!

 Her little gift table. Balloons inspired by Pinterest (of course!).

Excited about her party!

 Singing "Happy Birthday!" to Abigail! She was so cute as she just stared at everyone singing to her.

 She liked her pretty cupcake!

 "Ooo... what's that white stuff, Mommy?"

"Oh, yummy!"

 "Maybe this is how you eat a cupcake?"

 "Or, maybe this way?"

"This is so yummy, Mommy!"

 Present time...

 Opening her gifts

 "Ooo... I like this!"

 Her little buddy Laedin decided to help too! So cute!

 Her first real baby doll! She loves this and carts it around all the time now at home! I am so grateful!

 

She enjoys her little stroller too and pushing her baby in it.

 Playing with her friend, David.

 Playing with her friend, Laedin.