The Fruit of Her Hands: January 2014

Friday, January 24, 2014

Breakfast Made Simple

I have a new favorite breakfast meal. And for only 171 calories it is so good and filling!
My mom had gone to the store last weekend for some ingredients for me so I could make some Pioneer Woman Guacamole. She came back with 2 separate containers of Pico De Gallo. I used the spicy for the guac. and took the mild back home with me.

Monday morning I was scrambling some egg whites and thought to put some of that Gallo in there with it. O My. What a treat!

Ingredients:
1 Tbls of fresh Pico De Gallo
3 egg whites
1 pinch of 2% cheddar
1 pinch of salt ( love the pink Himalayan)
Splash of water/milk

Simple Simple Simple
I put in between a 100 Calorie breakfast roll and am good to go till lunch!

Also, don't y'all love my little fox cup?
It makes me smile :)

I hope everyone has a great Friday! I know I will. Jake will be landing soon and can't wait to see him!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

The Shock

Wow what a Thursday! Besides being absolutely freezing outside it is the day before Jake gets back!!! He has been gone at Sniper School in El Paso for the past couple of weeks and this girl is super excited to bring him home.
I wanted to really work hard while Jake was away on training Copper. I had actually looked into sending him to a local hunting obedience school in Greenwood where my sweet friend and her husband bought their precious puppy. After looking at the prices and thought it would be worth it if it would mean him not running off into moving traffic and coming to me. I would pay whatever for that! Well, Jake politely said 'NO' to the school and told me to work with him. I called the man in charge and talked with him about what I should do with Copper. He informed me about how smart Golden's are and to give it two weeks. He also told me to buy a shock collar.

A Shock Collar.

I hate those words. Jake and I use a 'command' collar and we have for the past two years. It is an excellent on the leash tool and probley used properly would get great results but Copper is a stubborn 100 lb creature!

So I bought one.

And I read up on how to use it.

And I used it.

And now I believe I have the most perfect dog ever! I only used it a few times and Copper is like a completely different dog. He obeys me so well. I cry every morning after working with him because of the pure joy it brings to me when I throw the stick and he actually brings it back to me and drops it! Then his tail is going crazy happy and those eyes want me to throw it again. Y'all it is life altering. He stays, waits, sits, walks with me-without a leash mind you-(that was taught with the command collar). I love it. We are still in the beginning stages but I am not giving up. What a present to give to Jake!
Copper is so happy. I am so thrilled!
It's the little things y'all!
Enjoy your freezing cold day!

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Copper's First Year

While looking through some pictures on Instagram I wanted to do a post on Coppers first year!
Wow. What a year with our Copper. I cannot even begin to write and express the joy and love he has brought to Jake and I.

Copper loves his tennis balls.

Seriously. So loving.

Our movie buddy.

Best passenger ever!

Shooting days out at the farm.

Copper loves our morning walks!

This is the first day we brought our Copper home

Loving our Jake while he was away.

His 'toddler' stage.

No way did he use to fit into this tiny toy basket!

Yes, we did have to buy him a horse trough for his swimming area.

Us camping on our anniversary. Best little Camper I know.

Still believes he is a puppy.

Precious.

He still loves that place next to the fire.

Woah what a year. If you are considering buying a dog I highly recommend it! However, if you are unable to give them lots and lots of love and time then please reconsider. It absolutely breaks my heart when I see dogs chained outside or being left outside and never ever seeing their owners. Never being loved on and held.

Sorry pictures aren't in order!
I cannot wait to make more memories with him in 2014!

Goodbye 2013!

Omygoodness! It is 2014!

Wow 2013 brought a lot of different opportunities and blessings for our little family.
The greatest blessing that was brought to our family is my new little nephew Forrest Martyn!

Brent, Sarah, and Forrest

He is absolutely beautiful. Forrest is so calm and peaceful, loving and comforting and not to mention so darn cute!

2013 also brought new jobs to both Jake and I!

I was just realizing all the different places I have been this year:

Feb-Bahamas with my uncle and aunt, Sarah and Brent, mom and dad, and Aubree

March- weekend trip to New Mexico

July- San Antonio to see my sweet husband

November- Branson with our sweet friends Adam and Jessica

Each year brings some type of challenge to our little family. One great challenge was Jake leaving for school for 3 months. I hate when he leaves. Each time he leaves is so hard but this one was so very hard. The months were made easier with my sweet Copper keeping me company at home but it was still so hard. The greatest challenge 2013 brought to our family happened actually on Dec. 27th. Many of my family and friends know how much Jake and I love our Copper. I mean we LOVE HIM. Copper was hit by a car last Friday afternoon and afterwards ran off to hide in the woods. I usually take him out to my parents house because he loves it so much there with all the countryside and his friends(the cows). It broke my spirit that night. I don't want to go much into that evening but I do want to make known how much God does love us. He was looking after Copper and he brought him back to us. My sweet sweet friend Jessica came to see me after finding out and he showed up afterwards. My family was overjoyed and our AMAZING veterinarian took extraordinary care of him! After that evening so many things have been put in perspective to me!

We have moved into a new Sunday School class at church and are making new friends and memories!

I chopped off all my hair off this year and have no regrets!!

I rekindled some sweet friendships and could not be any happier.

Read some good book series! And fell in love with some old ones all over again. Maybe I'll do a post on that later!

I'm not much into making new year resolutions but I want to purposefully healthy in my life. I look back to my life in Hawaii and was the healthiest I had ever been. I want to be back to that place in life and hope to go back this year.

I hope everyone has a great 2014!!!

Here are some pictures to leave you all with!