Love yourself first

I absolutely love the saying, "Love yourself first" because it is so true. You need to learn how to love yourself before you can fully love anybody else. My entire life I've struggled with the accepting and loving myself and it always brings struggle into my relationship with my husband and others close to me.The root of this problem goes so deep into my past that it's a constant battle inside my soul to accept myself and all of my flaws. The foundation of my recovery starts with my relationship with Jesus.
Through Him, I'm finding peace with my past, healing of my scars, proud of my present and hope for my future. I trust in Him and put it all in His hands. His acceptance of me is not based on my perfection. My value and worth is not based upon what I think of myself, its based on the value He put on me by what he has done for me. Jesus grounds me with his overwhelming love for me even through all my scars and every wrong I've committed in my life.
Through Him I am free to be myself and love myself, through Him I can love others.
I definitely have not mastered this concept. There are days where I find myself back to square one, where I'm feeling like nothing I'm doing is right, being attacked with my own anxiety, but I turn to Him and He brings me peace with myself. Through Him, I am on the road to recovery.  I'm slowly becoming a better mother to my daughter and a better wife to my husband from his restoration of my self worth.
              To wrap things up, if you're seeing that you aren't being the person you want to be, feeling broken, or at constant battle with yourself to the point it effects your relationships with others, don't be afraid to turn to Him. You will find healing, peace, love and self-restoration with Him. 

Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea Lattes!

I got sick and tired of paying 4 dollars for a Vanilla Chai Tea latte from Starbucks, so  I went on a hunt to create my own at home. I found something at Publix that is awesome! It's not quite as sweet as the Starbucks version, but just add some sweetener or more vanilla simple syrup and cinnamon and its pretty dang close.

Here is what I used...

This stuff is awesome and organic, which I love! It was only $4.99 at Publix and makes about 8 lattes. Just pour a half and cup and add equal parts milk. Sweeten and play with the spices until you get your perfect tasting vanilla chai tea latte!

Back from a break

   Its been over a month since my last post, unfortunately. November was a crazy busy month for me. My best friend Jackie had flown down from California and visited for a week. It was so nice to just hang out and feel like a "normal" 20 year old. I enjoyed the deep girly talks you can only have with your best girlfriend. We laughed our butts off, cried, and watched a whole season of American Horror Story. Everyone needs that one friend to do that with, besides your significant other. It went by way to fast. It's amazing having someone who your so close to live across the country, and go for a year not seeing them then when you finally see them again it's like they were never even gone.

It was also my 20th birthday! My husband took me to breakfast, then we went to get my tattoo done. I had lost my ID so I ended up not getting it done until about two weeks later. After not getting my tattoo done we thought we would take the baby to the mall with us and go shopping, then drop her off at my mother-in-laws job in Tampa so we could go to dinner. We had driven the hour drive to Tampa to find out she got off of work early and was all the way back by our house. We then had to turn around and drive almost all the way back with a screaming baby who wanted out of the carseat. We then drove all the way back to Tampa yet again finally went shopping at the mall and went to a romantic dinner. We finished the night off by be the seeing the new Hunger Games movie. The day started out a bit stressful but it ended up being a great birthday.

Then the next day was Thanksgiving. We woke up early and picked up Emerie from my mother-in-laws house and headed to Walmart to get ingredients to make sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie (procrastinators, I know).  They both came out great, so I'll post the recipes below. It was also Emerie's first Thanksgiving. We got her all dressed up in a sweater and leggings. She looked so adorable. I'm so thankful for my happy and healthy baby.  She has changed my life for the better in so many ways. I never knew truly knew how to be self-less until I became a mother. It's the most beautiful thing in the world. I thank the Lord everyday for her and my Husband.

Well, my break is over and I'm ready to get back on my blogging grind!

Sweet Potato Yam Casserole Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Recipe