Our Stinker's First Halloween!

We celebrated our little stinker's first Halloween! I started thinking about Halloween months ago, and as soon as I saw this little skunk costume on the Pottery Barn Kids website, I knew Mac had to be a skunk! Let's be real, this is the only year I'll be able to get away with it. ;) He was the cutest little stinker out Halloween night!

We went over to our cousin's house for a little Halloween party. It was a good time for everyone! Mac got to go trick or treating with his cousins, Anna and Batman! He loved the all the bright colors in the candy bowl, and enjoyed walking around (on mommy & daddy hips) with the kids. He even got lots of treats in his bag! 

It was a fun evening having our first Halloween with our little stinker. We can mark it down in the baby book as a success! Hope you and your family had a fun and Happy Halloween too! 

Our Trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

Last weekend we took Mac on his first trip to the pumpkin patch! On Sunday afternoon we ventured down to the Orr Family Farm and had such a fun day with our little man. I knew going to the pumpkin patch was a new tradition I wanted to start this year with him, and it's something I think we'll continue to do for years to come. Next year, Mac will enjoy it even more because he'll be bigger and able to participate more in all the activities.

My parents, and sister & brother in-law drove down for the day and went with us. Mac had an exciting day and got to do lots of fun things! He had his first merry go'round ride with Queenie, Poppie, and Aunt KK. He went to the petting zoo and Poppie let him pet a goat. Daddy and Mac went down a slide for the first time. We played tick tack toe with tiny pumpkins, and went through a corn maze. Mac had his first hayride, and picked out his first little pumpkin. It was a fun filled day!  

6 months old

Today our sweet baby boy turns a 1/2 year old! I'm not sure how time if going by so quickly, but it is and it's very bittersweet for this momma.  I cannot believe it's been 6 whole months since we welcomed Mac into this world.

Mac is rolling, rolling, rolling! He loves to lay on a blanket in the floor sometimes to just kick and roll. He's now sitting up on his own like a big boy! He still loves bath time. He adores his daddy. He has really gained interest in his furry sister, and has even started to "pet" her when she's close. They are the best of friends these days! He loves to bounce! It's one of the many things that makes him have happy giggles. He loves playing in his bouncy saucer, and has started to play and interact more with the toys around it. He still loves to watch TV, just like his daddy! Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is his favorite show, but Jake and the Neverland Pirates is a close second. He also likes sitting in the floor and playing with toys. He enjoys things that make noise, and of course likes anything he can get in his mouth! Mac is holding his bottle and reaching for things. He's been eating baby food regularly for a few weeks now. He loves green beans, squash, and peaches! He likes sweet potatoes and apples okay, but is not a fan of bananas or peas. He's a messy lil' eater, and would like to be able to feed himself. He always grabs for the spoon to put it in his mouth himself. He's started to teethe this past week, and that has not been fun. His first lil' tooth is starting to come through his bottom gum! He has quite the personality, but at times will play bashful. He loves to talk and laugh! He's sleeping 10-11 hours at night, with mostly only cat naps during the day. He's wearing 6-12 mos clothes, size 3 diapers, and is taking a 6 ounce bottle.

I know I say this over and over, but time is really going by way too fast. Everyone warns of how fast it'll go by, and they're not exaggerating! It really does go by so fast. However, Mac is at such a fun age right now so the time going by is bittersweet. Each month it keeps getting better and better! It's so much fun to watch him grow, develop, and change.

Mac,
You are the little light of our world! It's hard to believe you're already a 1/2 year old. Mommy and daddy love you so much, and now couldn't imagine our life without you. We feel extremely blessed that you're ours, and we thank God for giving you to us. You are growing and changing right before our eyes, and we love watching every minute of it! We love you more than you know baby boy!
XOXO,
Mommy

"You don't do Facebook?"

The question above is one I feel like I've gotten a lot the past 6+ months. No, I don't do Facebook. I was a member of the social network for about 10 years, but earlier this year we parted ways for multiple reasons.

image source
I came across this on Pinterest and thought it was a perfect fit for this post!

#1 DRAMA. There IS way too much drama on Facebook. And too many people use FB for the wrong reasons. Some use it solely for drama IMO. You know, the person who posts their whole life story on your newsfeed about how their cheating spouse did this now, or how she's done with that no good for nothing baby daddy... Blah! That isn't what Facebook is for, or what anyone wants to see blowing up their newsfeed. Facebook also brought way too much drama to my life. I don't do drama well, and I really don't do it well when others create it with me. Especially because of a social network. It's those people that like to live in constant drama, they're part of the reason I broke off my 10 year relationship with FB.

#2 CONTROL. It was getting to the point that Facebook was controlling me. You might chuckle, or roll your eyes but ask yourself is it controlling you? FB was the first thing I check when I woke up in the mornings, and the last thing I looked at before going to bed. It's an obsession that way too many people have now days. I was tired of being controlled by some stupid ap on my iPhone that's a social network. Some of you probably need to stop letting it control you too. Just sayin.

#3 PROOF. I needed to be able to prove to myself that I could live without Facebook. It sounds so silly and almost stupid to say that, but it's the truth. It was an obsession and I needed to break away. When I first deactivated my account, I didn't know what to do with the extra time on my hands. There are many people out there that think the world wouldn't function without FB, but I'm here to tell you that life still goes on.

#4 TIME. When I broke it off with Facebook, it was days before my baby boy was born. I want to be able to give him all my attention and time when he needs it, and not be too interested in my newsfeed for him. I've often seen parents plugged way too deep in their phones instead of spending quality time with their children. (I'm not judging, only observing.) Remember your children are only little once. Don't miss out on things you should be present for.

#5 TOO MUCH. Facebook is not today what it was 10 years ago. It now can be so overwhelming. When I first joined I was a senior about to graduate high school and had just gotten my new college email address. You had to have a college email address to get a profile. It was a tool to connect with people at college. It was simple. Yes, I do realize it's now a public company and is a great tool for businesses and all the other great mumbo jumbo... but like I said, it's different now which is to be expected.

LIFE DOES GO ON WITHOUT FACEBOOK! Actually, my life has been grand without it.

Maybe you've been contemplating getting offline, but you're nervous about it...I know that feeling all too well. Always go with your gut! If something's telling you that you need a break then do it. Life will go on, and your true friends will still be there for you. It's important to remember that you might have 1,200 friends on Facebook but you're extremely blessed if you have 5 true friends in reality. The people who really care will be there with or without Facebook.

I've actually sit down to write this post multiple times in the past 6 months, but for some reason it hasn't felt right until now. I feel like it's so important to be real with you all, so this is one of those "real talk" posts. I am not anti-Facebook. Let me get that clear. I'm just telling why I felt like it was time for me to part ways. I've actually contemplated getting back on a few different times, but for some reason it hasn't felt right. I'm not saying I'll never be back on, I'm just sharing because I feel like there are so many people that are "trapped" by Facebook (social media) and might need to hear this. I do encourage everyone to take a break every once in a while just to refresh yourself. It's good to take some time to rest, even from social media.

Tasty Tuesday | Clean Turkey Tacos

The best thing about Tuesday is that it's no longer Monday, and that it's Tasty Tuesday here on the blog!  I've got a yummy clean recipe to share today! 

These clean turkey tacos have become a new favorite at our house. We love Mexican food! 8 times out of 10 if we're going out for dinner, we're going out for Mexican. This recipe is an easy week night dinner, and perfect clean alternative for taco night.  

ingredients

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

6- 8 slices iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup avocado

1/2 cup reduced fat cheese

instructions

1. Brown ground turkey with taco seasoning.

2. Once cooked, drain and let cool.

3. Mix in salsa with cooked turkey.

4. Lay lettuce out of plates.

5. Fill lettuce with turkey mixture then top 

with avocado, Greek yogurt, and cheese.

6. Serve and enjoy!

Fall Outfit Inspiration + Friday Favorites Link Up

It's officially my favorite season of the year, fall! It's the season of cooler temperatures, football, soup, leggings, boots, light sweaters, thanksgiving, and pumpkin spice everything. These are just some of the many reasons I love this time of the year. 

I do not consider myself a fashion expert by any means, but I do like to think I have a good sense of style. I try to stay "savvy" on what's in and always make a few purchases to keep my wardrobe updated. Fall is not only my favorite season, but fall clothes are my favorite too! I love pulling out my boots, light sweaters, and jackets. Recently, I've purchased some pieces similar to the ones below that I love for this coming fall. 

 

necklace | kimono | booties | skinny jeans

• Fringe Necklace. Every time I look at fashion inspiration in Pinterest , I am seeing fringe jewelry. It's cute, simple and totally in! Every girl needs a piece or two of fringe jewelry for fall. 
• Kimono. I have been loving these since the spring, and finally just bought one for fall. It's a very versatile piece of clothing to have in your closet. You can dress them up, or simply put it on over a tshirt for a more casual look. 
• Booties. I am seeing booties everywhere! I bought these TOMS booties last year in two different colors and I love them. You can find cute booties in all different kinds of styles, and they're a MUST HAVE this fall!
• Skinny jeans. Every girl needs a pair of good skinny jeans. You can find a pair at any retailer that carries jeans. My personal favorites are GAP and LOFT, but that's a personal preference for me. I bought this pair a few weeks ago and I love them! I am waiting out for another good sale to snatch up another pair or two!

<a border="0" href="http://alittlejoyblog.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s372/lyndigriffith1/Blog%20Design/Link-Up-button-200_zpsb0a76f6c.png" /></a>

It's Friday, and that means it's time for the Friday Favorites link up party! I'm teaming up with my friend Shannon from One Stylish Mom, and we hope you'll join us here on Fridays for our weekly link up- all the details are below! 

An InLinkz Link-up

October Goals

Last Friday while working at my desk, some goals for the new month that was quickly approaching came to mind. I actually jotted them down on a lime green post-it, and put it in my purse. I've since thought about the goals several times and I wanted to share them here on the blog. I feel like there could be someone else out there that might need to hear these things. 

• Pray more, worry less. And spend more time in devotion. This is something I feel like I struggle with, especially lately. I am a woman of faith, but I am also a worrier. It's gotten even worse since I've become a mother. I know I need to spend more time in prayer, and in the word. If you have any good devotions, I would love for you to share them with me. 

• Take better care of ME. eat healthy + exercise regularly. My 24 day challenge in September turned out to be a complete bust. I'm actually starting over again tomorrow, and this time I must stay on track. I'm tired of what I see when I look in the mirror, and in reality I'm the only one who can actually change that. I need to focus on making healthier choices, and stay in the gym on a regular basis.  

•  Blog regularly. I love to write! That's one of the main reasons why I blog. I feel like it's an easy way for me to express myself. If there's something you're wanting to read, please let me know. I sometimes need inspiration for new posts.

Today started a new month. It's kind of like a new, fresh, clean slate. Cheers! to making this October the best days yet!

So, let's chat... What are your goals?