Santa!

Presley is the baby who smiles ALL the time but I didn't know how he would react to Santa. Well, he LOVED Santa!!!! It's his first Christmas so of course I had to go to more than one place, haha. My favorite is the little house at Utica Square. So cute! Santa and Mrs. Claus gave Presley a cookie when he left that I ended up eating, haha. We also went to Promenade but goodness the picture packages are OUTRAGEOUS. Here's some pics!

It's only $8 at Utica Square and I heard lots of people say you only get one picture and how unhappy they were. If you ask them to use your own camera they let you! Presley's first trip(s) to Santa were a success. I wonder how he will do next year?!

Presley is on the "Good List" and yes, we will be leaving cookies out for Santa and his elves :)

On another note, have I said how excited I am about doing photography?!?! Oh my gosh, it's all been unexpected but I am loving it so much! I definitely don't have a desire to do weddings or anything like that but I love doing babies, kids and families. I think sometimes I'm probably too excited when I'm at a shoot but it's just so exciting! My next shoot is Thursday and once again...I can't wait!

Cleveland Family Pictures

A friend from high school asked me to do her family holiday pictures. I was SO excited but also slightly nervous because she wanted to do them in her house. This was a first for me but they are SO cute! I have been busy lately taking lots of pictures and I am LOVING every minute of it! I have a blog for just my photos HERE but I haven't done much with it yet. Can't decide if I really want two blogs or just one. Anyway, back to this ADORABLE family. Take a look!

CUTEST brothers

These faces are just preshy!

I will be posting other sessions tonight! Stay tuned :)

Snugs n Love

Just Another Idea

Yesterday I took some family pictures for a friend Katy from highschool. I am the first to admit, I'm not a "professional" photographer but what really makes you one? Sure the website and obviously the clients you get but I just love taking pictures. It all started when I had Presley and I know several other friends that really got into it after they had a baby. I know that professional photogs charge a lot and also don't usually give you the CD of all of your images after the session. This is the main reason I started taking pictures when P was born. I didn't want to pay an extra $300 for all my images! Don't get me wrong, they are amazing at what they do and that's how they get their business but maybe I will do it for fun if people ask and charge like $50 and give the cd with all the images. It's not like I'm trying to do weddings or be a full-time photographer. I do know that I have SO many ideas for pictures of P and I know other moms out there would love them just as much! I have ideas brewing as we speak :) Here's a few of my favorite images I captured yesterday!

So there ya have it. My first official "photo shoot" other than Presley of course :) 

Snugs n Love

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Wow, it's been FOREVER since I did a post. I always say I will get better at updating on a regular basis, so this time if I don't say that, maybe it will happen. I'm VERY excited because it's officially my favorite time of year (even though I started decorating several weeks ago)!!!!!! I love everything about Christmas. The reason for the season, the glitter, the lights, the garland, the smell of all my candles burning, I just love it all! This year we moved and thankfully have a lot more space and room for our big Christmas Tree! We decorated it in red, purple and a hint of pink. At first, Shane was skeptical, BUT I proved him wrong which in his book never happens, lol. Here's a few pics :)

I also saw these painting of Santa about a month ago and the problem was the painter wanted $100 for a painting. I thought hmmmmmmm, I can do that and voila! I took a picture of it and spent $7 total. I'm not a freelance painter but if I have a picture, I think I can paint okay :) You can't really tell in the picture but its silver with a light purple glitter layer on top. It's really pretty in person! I can do red, green and any other color really but I wanted it to go with my purple and silver Christmas decor.

I also made a Cream Cheese Pound Cake on Thanksgiving that was yummy! It's super easy here's the recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened at room temp
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

PreparationBeat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy (do not over beat);

gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Crack eggs into a bowl first before adding to the mixture to make sure you avoid shells in the cake mix. Sift 3 cups of flour. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition and stir in Vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack. My pound cake had a crazy crusty layer on the bottom that I just peeled off. It was like candy, it was so sweet and crunchy but it wasn't pretty so I just threw it away.

Voila!

Snugs n Love

Fun Cake To Make and Other Ramblings...

The past few weeks have been full of FUN! We went to an OU game (Presley's first of millions) and we've been to Dallas twice. I'll be doing posts on different things over the past few weeks, this week. Make sense?

So this weekend while daddy was away Pres and I had lots of fun. We mainly just played and played :) Last night Aunt Sami came over to see us and we did a DIY project for her office. She's not quit done with it but we had fun starting the project! We also made THIS Rainbow Cake.

If you didn't know you can ALWAYS use a can of SPRITE with any light colored cake mix instead of all the wet ingredients (egg, water, oil etc) and you can use DIET COKE for dark mixes. I had no idea until Sami told me and this recipe does the same thing. The cake was SO much better this way! So here's what I did:

Ingredients:
1 Box of White Cake mix
Box of Gel Food Coloring
12 oz. Can of Sprite
Frosting of your choice
( I doubled the recipe)

Mix 2 White Cake mixes together

Divide cake mix into 6 different sections and use food coloring to color them any way that you want

Pour the mixes in any order you want starting with the most batter on the bottom color and work your way up the pan!

350 for 25 minutes and Voila!

Frost and enjoy! The 11lb tub of Frosting is Sami's lol. She has the biggest container of frosting I've ever seen. Thanks to Cherry Berry :)

It was SO good. One whole cake is almost gone because Shane got home and loved it. 

If you have kids, they will definitely think it's neat! If not, you will still have fun making it!

Of course before I go I have to share a pic of Presley.

He's scooting around and will be crawling ANY MINUTE! Can't wait :)

Snugs n Love

Great Recipe!

I have been going to this bootcamp I bought on Living Social and it's really been fun! Some of the perks are that I have lost 9 pounds and I now weigh less than I did before I got pregnant! It's really helping to get my butt back in shape! I don't have much longer until the month runs out but I will definitely stay active everyday. Walking, doing cardio etc... I have been finding some great recipes too that are low fat and yummy. Today I made this Low Fat Taco Soup!

Taco Soup (But it reminds me of chili)

• 1 lb ground turkey breast or lean ground beef
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package hidden valley ranch dressing mix
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can hot chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (Mexican flavor)
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (any flavor)

Brown the meat and onions and drain.

Mix ranch dressing mix and taco seasoning mix into the meat.

Without draining, add all other ingredients.

Simmer 1 hour and enjoy!

It makes enough for several days!

Boot Camp!

Boot Camp. Two words but MAN are they powerful. I was a sceptic when it came to it. I didn't know if it would work. or if I would even like it. Let me tell you, it is the BEST workout I have ever had! I've always been one that just goes to the gym and heads straight for the elliptical. This is so much more than that. I bought a Groupon and I have two weeks left. I went this morning and I'm already so sore. I've been following the diet and I've lost 9 pounds in no time! I'm down to a weight I haven't been in several years! Baby weight is gone and now I'm ready to get toned! I love how I feel after these great workouts and even though I go at 5:30am. I'm done before Shane even leaves for work. If you're thinking about doing a boot camp...DO IT!! You won't regret it :) Off to bed for this sleepy head. The boys have been asleep for a while now...story of my life, lol.

Snugs n Love

Presley's Year of Firsts!

Okay, I know I have been horrible the last few weeks. I haven't blogged and I swear the time just flies by. Presley will be 7 months on the 12th and I can't believe it! He learns new things every day and right now his new thing is growling. He knows he can do it so if you growl at him, he growls back, lol. 

 I have been enjoying the nice weather with P lately and we have started going on daily walks and just enjoying outside! I'm SO glad the 100 degree days are gone (hopefully). Today we played with some chalk too, well, I did haha. I just can't ever seem to take enough pics of my little man. He's stole my heart that's for sure!

Okay so now to the fun DIY project I just did yesterday! I know, I love them and I can't help it. I know some of you like them too! Like the title of this post says, it's Presley's "Year of Firsts" and I want to have cute memories that I can keep and use each year. I started bringing out the fall and Halloween decor yesterday. Yes, I know it's a little soon for some, but not at The Robertson Household! I think this is a super cute idea for a new baby like P, or even for little kids. It doesn't have to be his/her first Halloween. I spent $2 total and this is what I came up with...

I might be partial but I LOVE it! All you need to make it is the following:

A Black Plate ($1 store)

A Sharpie (We have them scattered around the house so it was free)

White Apple Barrel Paint from Hobby Lobby (.99)

The paint washed right off of his feet :)

After I did this with P, I decided I should just go ahead and decorate the shelves in the kitchen. I played around on the computer and made a fun Chevron Print Pumpkin. I think it's my new favorite thing to do when P is napping. 

We're probably having a halloween party this year so bring on the decorating!

Now light those pumpkin candles and break out the decorations :)

Snugs n Love

Old Window Jewelry Holder

Today it got SO HOT 115 degrees hot. Ugh. I'm so over it. I didn't want to take the bambino out in it so we just stayed home and played :) He loves his jumper and today was no exception! I know people always tell me, but he really is the happiest baby. He smiles so much. Here's a taste.

Shane always laughs and thinks I'm obsessed with making things. The truth is I am haha :) I guess it's from being a mom and staying home with him. I mean don't get me wrong, I have always made things but now I think of new things daily. Today I made a jewelry holder with an old window. All you need is an old window, chicken wire and a few nails! That's it. 

If you're like me, you have TONS of jewelry stuffed in drawers and just scattered everywhere. This makes it so nice. Now I will be able to see all my earrings! Theres really only 2 steps.

Get the window ready how you want it. I chose to keep the old vintage feel and not repaint. I like the look :) I had to glue a piece back on but that was easy and you can't even tell.

Next all you do is nail the chicken wire in on the edge of the frame. 

Then VOILA! I just started putting my earrings on here but you will get the idea :)

Close up

I just love how the paint is weathered!

I LOVE making things. I am obsessed and proud of it ha!

I'm also going to make one with tree branches for necklaces soon. Excited about it. I'm ready to get all my jewelry organized once and for all. What are some of your favorite blogs with DIY projects? I'm always looking for new ways to get inspired...

Snugs n Love

JRo