The Newest Little Abear is...

A GIRL!!!!!

There are a million emotions running through our home since last Friday, all anticipating the arrival of our sweet little one. The next step is for CARA to specifically approve our match with her... 

we are anxiously waiting!

One Less T-Shirts, Now Available!

Our "One Less" t-shirts were picked up today, I'm so excited!!! If you're interested in purchasing a shirt to help bring little one #2 home, leave a comment and we'll get you one! I'm planning to post photos of them being worn next week, but we do have teal and tri-blend black graphic tank tops with the words "One Less" and "Psalm 27:10", as well as a men's tri-blend grey and we can order children's in light blue as well. More details to come by (hopefully) late next week! :)

Flood Relief

Americans are suffering today from loss of life, home and health due to severe flooding.

Please consider donating through Samaritan's Purse, where volunteers will be accumulating to help minister to those in need by love through acts of service.

Thank you saints, for your prayers and gifts!

Please click here to donate, and learn about many other ways to give back to a hurting world.

Fit Body Boot Camp

Fit Body Boot Camp brought me on recently to capture a 1920's themed celebration for members of two of their local fitness clubs. They met at a beautiful venue, provided delicious (and healthy!) food, and celebrated the accomplishments of all of their hard working members.

If you attended this event and would like digital files/prints of your photos,
please email me at tamararose@hotmail.com and a gallery will be sent to you this week :)

Matched!

Yesterday, 5/22 at 12:26 pm, we were matched with Little Abear #2!!! We are thrilled and so full of joy to finally know who our child is. Praise The Lord Who made all this possible. 

DIY Cheesy Potato Soup

A couple of weeks ago I spent the afternoon with a friend who prepared an absolutely delicious homemade dish for lunch, which inspired me to go home and create a healthy and filling dinner from scratch. I had been in the mood for some potato soup, so I gathered together some supplies and made this Cheesy Potato Soup, filling and simple!

You'll Need:

• 6 small Potatoes (or the equivalent)
• 4 cups of Vegetable Broth
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 Tablespoon of Ground Black Pepper
• Salt to taste
• 3 Sprigs of Rosemary, finely chopped
• 3 leaves of Swiss Chard, chopped
• 1 cup of cheese (I used mozzarella, but a sharp variety might be nice, also)

Go Ahead And...

• Peel and thinly chop the potatoes, place them in a pot, add in two cups of vegetable broth and cook until soft (set aside the other two cups of broth for later)
• Once the potatoes are soft, take the pot off of the stove and mash them with a potato masher by hand, or blend them until your desired consistency is reached 
• Put the potatoes back on the stove top on a low heat, and stir in the remaining two cups of vegetable broth
• Add in the finely minced garlic, ground black pepper, salt and rosemary, stir until well blended
• Add in the swiss chard, and stir until softened and well blended
• Finally, stir in the cup of cheese, adding it in roughly 1/4 cup increments

Feel free to garnish with a bit of extra rosemary, serve with a toasted slice of baguette with butter and garlic, or serve in cups for a pre-meal starter.

Have you crafted/discovered/tried any delicious new recipes as of late? Leave a comment below, I would love to know! 

Baby Scarlett

Approved

Yesterday we were told that we've been approved by CARA to adopt from India -

This means we are now able to be matched with a child... Praise The Lord. 

Out of This World

Recently we celebrated the birthday of our knightninjasuperheropirateexplorer,
 and precious little son. 

We were so thankful for the family and friends able to celebrate with us, it was a beautiful day full of dearly loved ones at his "Outer Space" themed party - we had a blast! ;)

Straws and treat bags from Petite Party Studio


A special thanks to:

My mama for the cake recipes, and my Teta Magda for helping make the desserts
My precious friend "E" for coming early and staying late to make sure we pulled it off well
and my sweet husband for putting in some fun added touches :)

DIY Simple, Affordable + Fun Confetti

A star hole punch, which I already had, came in quite handy for some diy confetti for a very special party -- for a very special little person (stay tuned for photos:) 

Supplies

- Hole Punch

- Cardstock (I opted for textured + plain)

- Little hands to help

We just kept hole punching around the outer edges of the paper, cutting away the punched edges, and repeating to use as much of the paper as possible

Not only was this a super simple diy, but also an enjoyable time spent creating with Little Abear :)

Baby Lincoln

My Little Graduates

Today we joyfully celebrated our semester end for Tot Art. We started off our small ceremony by reading the collaborative book that the kids created using characters they crafted, each character having their own special talent. 

These little world changers sat quietly, clapping after each classmate was awarded their certificate, and we ended our precious ceremony with a two song recital by my little piano student. 

Following the formalities, we let loose with treats, instax pictures and play time.

 I have been blessed and overjoyed to be able to work with such talented little artists. I pray that The Lord uses these talents for their good and His glory. I cannot wait for another semester with these precious kiddos!

For All the Mothers

Thanks be to the God that gave me the title of being a mother, I don't take it lightly -

it is a fragile gift I am eternally thankful for.

Thanks be to the gracious Lord who allowed me the mother that I have,

she is not taken for granted but deeply treasured.

Thanks be to my Father who gave my husband a kind mother to teach him with all patience,

so that in this journey of motherhood I would not be alone.

Praise be to the One who works all things together for good,

Who gave me women to inspire me through their triumphs and losses,

and others to rejoice with, learn from and lean on.

Glory to the Lord that gave me my little boy, each dawn is full of blessings new.

NuTransform Nutrition by Lauren

I am super thankful for this long list of creative and talented people in my life.

Last Saturday I got to hang out with my friend Lauren while she crafted a homemade protein bar recipe,
of which I was a happy benefactor of the byproduct - it was delicious.

Lauren has her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition (Dietetics), and is interested in helping those around her achieve their health goals. She longs to live a God honoring life, which I think is essential to any wholly healthy lifestyle.

Her story is inspiring, her personality uplifting. 

Not only do these bars taste delicious, but they are a good source of protein, too. 

Fruit, nuts, chocolate... and so much more. They were crafted with care, quality, and health in mind.

Lauren is kind, knowledgeable, attentive, and ever-learning. To see what she's up to, learn more about her services, ask her how to get a hold of these delicious protein bars, and make an inspiring new friend, check out her website by clicking here.