My New Favorite Treat

I love cooking. Love love love it.

However, I do not love baking so much. I dont know why, I guess its maybe because Im not a huge sweets person so its not as fun for me. BUT I have a husband who LOVES treats. So I have decided it was important to make some easy sweets.

Last week I focused on different kinds of banana bread and muffins. www.VegWeb.com is the BEST website and it is my favorite place to get new ideas for meals. So I went on there and looked up different kinds of breads and muffins and found an awesome recipe that I have used 3 times in the last week! Its delicious.

It is definitely called Superfantastical Banana Carrot Zucchini Muffins for a reason because that is exactly what it is.

Getting Skinny

If you know me (or have ever seen a picture of me) you would know that I would not be (and have ever been) considered skinny. My weight has been a battle for my entire life and I have done very unhealthy things trying to fit the mold of someone who I am just not.

I am sad that I spent so much time obsessed with my weight and my heart goes out to every young girl who hates her body because I know what it feels like. I think that the important thing is that you are healthy, you love yourself (because you were created for a plan and purpose and God thinks you are absolutely beautiful the way you are) and you take care of yourself.

I will admit this is a daily struggle and I hope that one day I will feel this way about myself. I think that recently I got to a point where I felt like "I will never be thin or fit. This is just how I am I guess Ill deal with it". Now you may think that is a good thing and that I was "coming to terms" with the truth. But I am not content with that attitude. I CAN be healthy and I honestly believe I can be thinner and I want to at least try.

I already eat healthy and have cut out most junk in my life (I will admit, I ate the most delicious vegan brownie yesterday and it was amazing) and I have lost weight slowly and definitely feel better but I know there is more I can do. I have always always always hated working out. I hate jogging and running more than anything BUT I believe working out is very important for your body and for your mind so I am committing to having more cardio in my life. I have been jogging at least once a day and have started the 30 Day Shred again (which I have never made past day 4 due to laziness).

Now, I do have an addictive, over the top personality (if you havent figured out yet) which is why I went from a junk food addict to a vegan in less than a year and why I went from eating out multiple times a day (places like: Mcdonalds and Taco Bell) to only eating out a couple times a month (at a healthy restaurant) and I cook every night.

So I am hoping that I will really get into working out and make it a habit and love it but I am also going to try to not become to obsessed (but really, that wouldnt be the worst thing either).

Here is the bottom line (since I have rambled too much).

I want to be healthy.

I want to be active.

I want to be confident.

I want to feel beautiful.

And I want to fit in the clothes I want and feel good.

P.S

Its really not about being "skinny". Its about feeling good and being healthy.

(But it would be kinda nice to be skinny too).

Getting back to photography

If you have looked through my blog, you probably know that I am a sucker for photography. I would love to do it as a job on the side and I suppose that is my goal... For now, I am just building my portfolio, learning as I go and having fun. But here are some of my more recent photos.

Maternity Shoot

Engagement Session:

Random:

You can become my fan on my FaceBook Page!

And, one more thing... I would love your feedback on my "company name".

I just cant decide if I want to stick with Sons & Daughters Photography... if you have any input, I'd really appreciate it.

Let me know if you like it or think I should take a different route... maybe something with my name AlisaMarie...

You can email me at alisamariehanks@gmail.com

My Newest Love- Babyhawk's Oh Mei! Half Buckle

My Babyhawk Mei Tai was my first real carrier ( I had used a hotsling a few times but it didnt fit me and then I made a stretchy wrap) and I absolutely loved it and wore it everywhere I went. As Levi got bigger, I didnt like the waist strap as much and I tried a Beco and some other carriers and my babyhawk sat on the shelf. But it was still my first love and I missed it.

So, imagine how excited I was to hear BabyHawk was releasing a new, Oh Mei! half buckle! I was thrilled. I LOVE SSC waist straps, but I like being able to tie the top.

When my Oh Mei! arrived, I fell in love with babywearing all over again.

It is so comfortable and I wear it everywhere I go. The back carry is so high and definitely one of the most comfortable carriers I have ever tried. I wish BabyHawk still had them for sale because I would definitely buy another one! My husband wore it a couple nights ago and couldn't believe how comfortable it was. He loved it too.

So thank you BabyHawk! Thank you for putting out another wonderful, amazing carrier.

Thank you for being so helpful and nice.

And thank you for allowing my to fall in love with babywearing all over again.

I will be a BabyHawk fan for life.

And I will definitely be ordering an Oh Snap! soon!

Babywearing at the State Fair

And just for fun, this is the State Fair last year right after I got my Mei Tai

Goodbye Gemini

Well, I did say goodbye to the beautiful, purplelicious Gemini. I wont lie, I loved the color and the Natalie print is much cuter in real life.

BUT....

I just couldnt do it. I am way to disappointed in Beco right now. I am a huge Beco Butterfly II fan and probably always will be but I am so sad at the Gemini and how they are marketing in. We have been taught that forward facing is not good up until this point... and even in all the adds (when the baby is facing in) they use the narrow base so it looks just like the Bjorn... hmmmm.

So, although I love Beco and am still a BBII user... I had to say goodbye to Gemini.