Cake, cake, I'm reading/baby's reading, violence, and cake

1.

I wasn't planning on doing one of these this week, but...I just couldn't help myself. Lists? Blurbs? Writing down the random ideas floating in my head? Cake, please. I mean--yes, please.

2.

Sometimes you come across something you could've written yourself. This is one of those times:

"I used to have an answer for most problems in life. I had a lot to say on almost any subject. I now have fewer answers, and they might be reduced to the simple phrase, God is faithful. I don't say that lightly or without thought; I say it because I know it is true, and i have discovered that it is true no matter what is happening in my life...I don't mean that he will wave a magic wand and everything will fall into place; far from it. What i mean is that if in the darkest times in our lives we will learn to keep turning our face toward him, he is faithful. Faithful to be with us, faithful to watch over us, faithful to work in us to make us the men and women we are called to be. "

-Sheila Walsh

3. 

I've been trying to eat more dark, leafy greens, and more walnuts (DHA for the win!), so I threw together a cup of baby spinach (yucky stems carefully removed), about 3oz of walnut halves and pieces, a few sliced strawberries, and a vinaigrette with half raspberry balsamic vinegar (that's been hiding in my pantry since forever) and half olive oil. It was fantastic. I've had it everyday for the last three days--minus the strawberries today, because we ate them all for breakfast.

4. 

I signed up for Spain in Iowa's Menu Plan (which I found here). I've been trying so hard to find meal ideas that are delicious and healthy AND affordable. AND easy. AND cheap. Oh--did I already mention affordable? The other resource I want to check out is this book:

5. 

If Rachel and I can ever get our pregnant mommy-brains to cooperate, we will be swapping posts soon on preparing for baby #2. My post might or might not include something about Brazil Butt Lift, so I can only hope Rachel's will be a tad more...not about Brazilian butts. Basically, prepare to be amazed. Either way.

6. 

I'm reading/baby's reading:

I love, love, LOVE Usborne books, and I got this one for LL for his first birthday. Since then, it's been of one his top favorites. It's a big 'ol book with tons of flaps (many of which have been ripped off at this point), and he loves both lifting the flaps and looking at the detailed panoramas on each page. Sometimes he "reads" it on his own, but I'll also sit with him and we'll go through animal sounds and body parts, or we'll talk about what the kids are doing in the book (throwing, jumping, etc.) or count the cars or find the bees...all around the best $11 I've spent.

I'm reading book #2 in Tom Rob Smith's series about Leo:

I'm about 40 pages in. It starts off fast and interesting--and violent. I'm an emotional basketcase right now thanks to pregnancy hormones, so you can take this with a grain of salt, but violence is just...well, it feels like it's everywhere right now. My book began with a man smothering his wife and daughters with a pillow (ek), and then last night we watched part of the Bourne Legacy (spoiler alert: crazy coworker shoots up office!), and then I had an intense dream about some other crazy man doing violent things...I feel like I need to take a break from the violence. Anybody know what I mean?

7.

On a lighter note...Cake? Did somebody mention cake? I had a cupcake from here once, and all I really want in life is another one. Or a heart-shaped iced cookie. Or a cake pop, cake ball, the whole cake...whatever. Just...somebody feed me some cake. Please.

Oh cake.
(via)

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