Bye Bye Daddy

After watching daddy drive off for work one morning Braden decided he wanted to get in his car and go too. With a very sad face he would tell me "bye bye, mama" "work" and then put his cell phone in the holder and close his car door. Then he would grab his cell phone, open his car door and say "home" and run over to me and give me a big hug. He did this so many times that I had time enough to go and grab my camera to take a few pictures.

2010 Garden

One of the lessons that I learned from my garden this year is, don't put corn next to vines. I could see right away that was going to be a disaster as the vine quickly took the corn in a strangle hold. Once again I say, good thing we don't have to live off our crop. Another lesson learned is pick harvest right away, don't let the veggies get too ripe or too big.

Birthday Boy

It's all about Thomas the Train this year. I made Braden a Thomas blanket, his friend Nathan got him a Thomas book and Nanny and Julie got him a few trains. Let's see how long this will last.

Healthy Cold Cereal

My first attempt at making homemade cold cereal. Braden took a bite and to my surprise he went for a second one, I thought maybe we have something here. I eagerly watched for him to swallow and take a third bite. After several seconds in his mouth I realized that he wasn't chewing anymore. It was just sitting there and then, plop out of the mouth. It was very hard and crunchy, I even had difficulty chewing it. I'll be trying it again as soon as I get my shipment of coconut oil and this time not so long in the oven. UPDATE -- Recipe is posted on Healthy Cold Cereal Second Attempt dated 10/28/2010 -- and turned out MUCH better. It's worth trying, we love it.

California Aug 2010

One hot muggy day, as they all were this summer in Georgia, I decided I've got to get out of here. So we went, and I'm so glad we did. We had so much fun visiting our family and friends in California and Braden still talks about his cousins, Aunt Julie and Nanny and Papa.... oh and the fish.

Car Ride

We spent the last few hours driving back and forth to Fayettville to pick up Hannah and take her home. I (being a first time mom) was expecting the worst I suppose as I imagine a screaming child who could not be consoled in the backseat. To my pleasant surprise Braden sat quietly without a peep for the entire ride. He was happy to have Hannah in the car, he kept smiling at her and dancing with her to the music. What a little cutie with an infectious laugh. I hope that never changes and I will do everything I know of to help him stay positive and love life.

Food Wise

Have wisdom in the process,
with wisdom in your heart,
Have wisdom in the choice you make,
each time you take a part.
Have wisdom for the lame,
who without you have no voice.
Have wisdom of the suffering,
Their life left to exploit.
Have wisdom in the money,
changing people into slaves.
Is convenience really worth it,
do we know the price we pay.
To live the Word of Wisdom,
there's a promise for our day.
When we live with Wise Traditions
healthy livings here to stay.

Kristen Davis 9/3/2010

I recently watched "Food Inc." which is a documentary about our food industry in America. I saw chickens in dark filthy chicken houses that completely lacked the strength to stand up due to the hormones they are given to speed up the growth of their breast meat. These hormones leave their other organs including their lungs underdeveloped. Most of the chickens only have energy to sit in their poop and struggle to breath. I know it's easy to say, "it's just a chicken" but I believe that everything on this earth was created by God and that we should have thanksgiving in all that we are given and treat everything with respect! I also saw cows being bull dosed with a tractor because their legs were so maimed from standing in one place they could no longer walk. I can help right now is to support the local farmers in our area and have started buying raw milk and eggs from this farmer. Since then I have also come across an organization called Weston A Price Foundation. I'm learning how to bring back the wise traditions of cooking the way our ancestors did, before all the industrialization and money became the driving force in our American food. I'm not going to change everything overnight and I know it's going to take time for me to break old habits. I'm taking it one step at a time and looking forward to being healthier and healing my body from chronic pain.

Food Production in America

I was introduced to raw milk by a friend in my ward at church. I never realized how bad the U.S food production methods are. The way we make food now is driven by money and doesn't consider the long term effects it has on our health. On the Oprah show recently she went to several farmers to ask if she could film their chicken farm. None of the farmers let her in except for one lady who said that she feels bad about how they are raised and wants to make a change. The scene was so horrible and sad, the poor chickens are fed so many steroids to make their breast bigger.. (because we all like to eat chicken breast) that they can't hold up their bodies. Their bones and other internal organs are under grown and so these chickens just sit there and struggle to breath! Over the past few months I have felt very compelled to eat better and to stay away from all this over produced, chemically enhanced junk that we call food in America. The Word of Wisdom is a food guideline for this very reason. Meat has become so cheap that we can eat it everyday, and we do. Chicken used to be a meal that one would have on Sunday or on a special occasion. The Word of Wisdom states that we should eat meat sparingly in times of famine. This makes more sense to me now, knowing how the meat is made. I read an article in the news paper yesterday about the city of Suwanee having a community organic garden. You can buy a plot of land for your garden for only $50-$100 a year depending on the size. Yeah.... I shouted, that's going to be awesome... then I read further which said all the plots of land are taken right now and there is a waiting list. :(( What a great idea though and I really want to grow my own food. There are a few organic farmers in the area that I'm going to visit, they say that when you drink raw milk and purchase direct from the farmers that you should visit the farm and make sure things look clean to your standards. Of course there are risk of raw milk but the benefits far out weigh the risk to your health. More on this topic as I learn more.

Boogie Time

Another indoor day due to icy roads and cold weather, I've had cabin fever for a week now. Braden and I danced around the upstairs while I was getting laundry done and cleaning the bedrooms. Braden LOVES to play vacuum. So much that I cringe when he walks over and points to the bedroom where the vacuum is. I guess there are worse things in life and at least the dog hair is not a problem anymore. He's really starting to communicate with me and I've been around him enough to know what he is saying even if it's bbllliiigggrrr llaaggeerr ggllluurrbb. I just love our conversations right now, he really thinks he is talking and he'll just go on and on.

Hannah Turns 17

Hannah (in the middle) on her 17th Birthday. We finally have a picture with Rachel in it too. She's back from school and will be leaving again in April.

Christmas 2009

This may have been the only picture I took this year with the Christmas tree. Camerone, Connor and Katelyn live dow the street and come over frequently to play with Braden. He has really grown to like them and is always so happy when them come to the door.

I had to act quick to get this photo and luckly I caught Braden with a bit of a smile.

Thanksgiving in North Carolina

We had a great time in North Carolina at the Zellers. Good to see Mom Davis too, she flew down from Mass. We were also able to see Gabe and Alejandras' new baby Gabriella.
I'm picking up tips from Susan on her table decorating skills... very nice!

trying to keep warm on the sideline, with a soccer ball. Braden, wishing he was big enough to play football with daddy

Time to burn off those Thanksgiving calories!

Halloween 2009

Nice Job!! and so scary

Carving the pumkin version of Harry Potters "lord Voldemort"

Braden as Winnie the Pooh 2009

Nathan, Seth and Braden. How cute can three boys be.

Rainy Visit

A break in the rain gave us a chance to visit the

home of "Gone With The Wind" Author Margrett Mitchell

Last year the news reporters spoke of a 3 year drought that had the lakes in Georgia all but dried up. After last week I'd say, "thank goodness". Georgia had more rain than I have witnessed in all my 37 years of life. Sadly 8 people lost their lives by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was also a good time to survey the leaks in the basement, which took me by surprise when I spotted not only water dripping through but an entire branch of a tree. "What"! I say, it even had leaves on it. "How is this possible"?? "A tree growing through my basement wall, this can't be good". Turns out, it was part of the ivy that's growing up the house and one of the vines found it's way into a crack in the wall. Sneaky little suckers!Mom just missed the flood but she had plenty of rain while she was here. How much fun can one have with buckets of rain and a tight budget. That leaves us with the Margret Mitchell House (author of Gone with The Wind) and the Cyclorama. The Cyclorama is a gy-normus painting of the civil war. Pretty awesome really but I did get dizzy on the turn about. Not sure if anyone else did and I didn't want to be a damper so I didn't say anything. Not to mention my little bundle of energy who has now mastered his outside voice in quiet settings. Now I know what it's like to be gawked at by piercing eyes who haven't been there and sympathised by those who know what I'm going through.

Bradens 1st Birthday / Part One

Just a little spoiled this day but that's what birthdays are for.

Someday you will love all this attention!!

Greg's brother Gerald and family came over to have a family birthday party for Braden. It's so great to have them close by for all the holidays!

Mommy and Braden admiring Nanny's one cake.

Braden with sister Emma

Bradens 1st Birthday / Part Two

We tried to get the boys to sit in front of the picture.... yeah right!

Two of Bradens best friends Seth and Nathan were at his birthday party.

Happy 1st Birthday boogie man. We love you so much!

Precious Moments

It used to be so easy
I’d get all that I need.

I didn’t have to wake up
until I felt complete.

Now is a different story,
there’s reason to arise.
He wakes me every morning,
with a sparkle in his eyes.

How can I be so grumpy
when I see his shining face.
A smile that melts my heart,
and puts me in my place.

So wipe away the sleepers,
this time is not my own.
These are the precious moments,
before my boy is grown.

By: Kristen Lorraine Davis
7/17/2009
I wrote this one morning as I was laying in bed trying to get a few more winks of sleep, while Braden was playing on the bedroom floor. Watching him play and roll around my heart melted knowing this is for such a limited time and soon he will grow and be on his way. We are truly blessed to have him in our home!

Fine Words

Hearing what sounds good,
where fine words take me away
will I still remember
when sorrow comes my way.

Give me hope … give me faith
just let me stay here in this place.
Tell me fine words that wont go away
So I can remember to act and to pray.

I have a dream of what I may be,
though who can say what His will is for me.
To know the end is not in the plan
to help me learn patience and know that He can.

So give me hope … give me faith
Life… will sure be better that way.
No matter what the end may be,
to know that He loves me is all that I need

Fine words I seek to lead the way …
and bring me through a sorrowful day.


By: Kristen Lorraine Davis
1/20/2008

I had just confirmed that I was pregnant when I wrote this. I was filled with worry because of my previous complication with getting pregnant and keeping the pregnancy. My greatest desire was to be a mother but time was slipping by and hope was hard to hold on to. For a week I had the impression to call brother Johnston in our ward for a Priesthood blessing. Finally I made the call and when I hung up the phone it was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders and that everything was going to be all right. He came over and gave me a blessing that told me that I would carry this baby to full term. Looking back I should have been more at peace and had faith in the blessing but I was still very worried for the next few months.