For Lito & Lita 2014

I have COMPLETELY neglected my blog for MONTHS. I find documenting almost daily on Instagram much easier and has left me forgetting I even have this as a memory keeper. It is in major need of some TLC and a face lift so please ignore.

On another note, this video cant go without being posted so we can never forget this memory we have made. My in-laws are very special people. My mother in law moved to the United States from Chile during her senior year of high school. My father in law proposed to her over the phone and she went back for him in Chile, they married there and moved to Las Vegas with all of her family. They now have fulfilled the American Dream. They came here with nothing and now are rich in love and life. Shayna & Indy are their only grand-daughters and you will see the love they have for them.

This year Will & I decided to put something special together for them. Something they can always cherish and be reminded of these precious moments in their life. The girls are just crazy about their grandparents, they love them so very much and so do we. 

Forever Farias

Vegan, Gluten Free, Zucchini, Carrot & Banana Muffins

We call these "Shayna Muffins" because our little three year old toddler is CRAZY over these....

Vegan. Gluten Free. Organic. Sugar Cane Free. Zucchini. Carrot. Banana. Flax Seed Muffins

(Excuse the lack of process photos)

Everything I used can be purchased at your local grocery store, no extra expensive ingredients here.

Ingredients: (Makes 24 muffins)

• 3 cups your choice of Gluten Free Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour)
• 1 cup organic blue agave nectar (the best sugar replacement ever)
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 1/4 baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups organic carrots, granted and drained of excess liquid
• 3 cups organic zucchini, granted and drained of excess liquid
• 3 ripe organic bananas, mashed
• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla

To make any recipe vegan (egg free) here is how you do it.:

For every egg you mix together 1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp water for every egg replacement. This recipe I timed this by 4. So...

• 4 tbsp ground flax seed, stirred to mix with 12 tbsp of water. (in place of 4 eggs)

Directions:

• In medium bowl, mix together GF flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt & baking powder. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl, mix together agave, flax seed and water mix, coconut oil, vanilla. Set aside.
• In mixer or large bowl toss together the zucchini, carrots & bananas. Pour liquid mixture over the grated veggies & bananas, mix until gently combined. Add dry flour mix to the wet and mix until just combined.
• Scoop into desired cupcake or mini bread pans
• Bake at 400* for 8 minutes
• Rotate pan & reduce heat to 350*. Bake for additonal 8-10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Leave muffins in pan for 5 minutes then remove to cool on wire rack.

Then ENJOY a delicious, healthy snack or breakfast on the go!

 Kid Loving & Mama Approved.

Indy even got a piece & I wasn't stressing because there isn't anything harmful to her!

 Forever Farias.

While they Sleep

One of my most favorite things about being a mother is the marvel over the little ones while they sleep. It doesn't matter the age or size, I do not think it ever get's old. I find it to be one of Heavenly Father's most beautiful tender mercies to all mother's.

This past week I lost my phone to water damage (it is officially a goner), won't be able to get another until we can afford, Shayna had a HUGE eczema break out, we have had issues with our insurance company so have had to postpone girls well check visits, piles of laundry just waiting to be folded, Willie started up full time school and work again so we are really missing daddy. All these things I have decided are what I call "real life". All but the laundry of course are things out of our control. This trying week has made me so much more grateful for the little things.

I have loved not having a phone! Minus the constant pictures I take of my girls but it has been so nice to be able to not have any distraction but them. I have opened up my scriptures, we were able to teach some investigators with the missionaries last week and it was such an amazing experience. We attended the temple as a couple last week as well, it was a long time overdue. I am so extremely grateful for the love and happiness felt there. It truly is heaven on earth! 

We have so much in our lives that we are blessed with, our two beautiful, healthy daughters and our eternal marriage is our most glorious. So while the girls napped today, watching them cuddle I got to ponder and thank my Heavenly Father for them. Their love for me, for daddy and for each other.

The girls have to always sleep together. No matter how apart of the bed I start them at nap time as they sleep, they always find each other. It has been such an amazing thing for me to see. It has also been such a special part of their relationship since Indy joined our family. My heart is so full and I am so grateful for some much especially the little moments to watch my babies sleep, their peace, their chest moving up and down is such a testimony to me that I am doing exactly what I was meant to do, be their mom.

Forever Farias.

About Time Us

Saturday Night. 

Car Rock Out Sessions.

Cafe Rio.

Strip Cruisin.

Ice Skating.

Car Make Out in Driveway when got home.

 It has been a LONG time coming that we have gotten a fun filled date just the TWO of us!!!

We love family dates so most of our free time we enjoy a family activity and Indy still nursing like a champ we cannot leave her for more than 2-3 hours so a full on dinner and activity hasn't happened in forever.

I bought a Groupon for Ice Skating a few months ago so Saturday we went for it after putting the kids to bed and set out for a themed "Back to High School" date!

We took a ton of cheesy selfies trying to find a keeper. Obviously they all were!

Oh man was it a BLAST!

Dating for two years in High School we have experienced numerous dates like that and we have so many date memories together in those fresh innocent years of our lives. 

This date we jammed all night to our favorite soundtracks in High School (back then Willie was known for making the BEST mixes) I am so glad I held onto those mix CDs to this day.

We rocked out in the car to some good old Weezer, Saves the Day, The Get up Kids and Dashboard. We had dinner at our favorite spot in town Cafe Rio of course and then went sailing down the strip to the main event Ice Skating at the Cosmo.

 Ice Skating!!!!!!!! We both had only been once and it was like 12 years ago so we were so nervous the minute we got to the rink and saw the ice! It took us forever to get off the wall (both of us so scared to fall) we finally did and no falls just tons of laughs.

 It was the funnest thing to experience together. Sometimes when you have kids you don't get to feel the silly innocent things together anymore. So it was so refreshing and FUN! 

I am reminded numerous times a day why I married this incredible, lovable, fun man. I am so in love with US! Now the goal to not wait 6 months until we get out for an entire night just us again!

Forever Farias.

A Nose Full of Christmas

One of my very favorite things as a kid at Christmas time was my mom's simmering Christmas in a pot on the stove.

I've come up with my own this year and oh man, love it!!!

Here's how I made it:

1 whole sliced naval orange

1 cup of fresh cranberries

4 fresh cinnamon sticks (snapped in half)

2 teaspoons ground cloves

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 strand of fresh pine needles (I tore off a live wreath we had because we have artificial trees)

Add about 1 1/2 cups of water, apple juice or apple cider.

Let simmer. 

You control how strong or mild you want the smell by how high or low your heat!

Enjoy!!

Forever Farias.

Christmas Happenings

Christmas time is here!!!!

The day after Thanksgiving we put up Christmas! I couldn't wait. This year we have started some super fun traditions now that Shayna is older and it being Indy's 1st Christmas!!! So much excitement from this mama! 

Our elf on the shelf, we named Dotty, has made her presence. 

Willie and I have had so much fun with her! Shayna anticipates every morning to go find Dotty or see what she has done while she slept. She knows not to touch her or her "MAGIC" will go away and Santa will be really mad at you.

This is one of my favorites so far that Dotty has done!

We started a Book Advent this year.
We won "Best Trunk" this Halloween at our Ward's Truck or Treat in October (we did an Addams Family Fear Factor thing). The prize was a $60 gift card to Seagull Books. We used that to get all the Christmas books we could. So this activity came out free and has been so 

much fun.

Every night before bed we open a new book and that is our bedtime book for the night. We love our new collection and I have no idea what book is what (except the last one, the scriptures to read story of Christs birth). So it is such a fun surprise every night!

We were able to get a very good variety of nativity books and fun Christmas books. By far has been a new tradition we will continue for years as our children get older.

Of course a ton of baking is going on!!!! 

Shayna lovessss making cookies! We have a ball!

So much more fun to come in the Farias Home. 

Is really is the most wonderful time of year!

Forever Farias.

Tis' the Season for Family Pics

This year I dropped the ball on our Christmas Card pictures so we finally did a little mini session with the help of my awesome sister! It is always such a hassle and cold :) but I am so grateful we did it! Hubs is such a trooper when it comes to me and pics! 

So in love with my gorgeous little family. These 3 babes are my everything! Heart full mama!

Forever Farias.