Healthy Avocado Chocolate Cookies 02.03.16 // personal

I am a girl who loves sugar. Especially chocolate. Sweets have always been my weakness, and an enormous enemy of mine because in the past I had control problems. There were times when I'd make chocolate chip cookies that I'd eat so much dough (and not to mention the baked cookies as well) that I'd feel sick. True, it was a lack of self-control on my part, but gosh, they're just so good. Anyway, lately I've been experimenting with some "healthy" dessert recipes so I don't feel so bad when I eat three cookies. Or five. Or ten. Okay, so maybe not ten, because I am trying to practice self-control here. There have been a lot of flops, because let's face it, a lot of so-called "healthy" sweets are just plain nasty. At least in my opinion. But every now and then I've stumbled across a recipe that I actually like, and actually tastes sweet and delicious! A few months ago I made black bean brownies for the first time, and even though I was skeptical (and the batter smelled so bad), they were actually quite good! So good in fact, I've made them several times since! 

Until today I had only found one cookie recipe I liked, which was simply made out of oatmeal and bananas, and of course dark chocolate chips, but every now and then I crave something chocolate, decadently, deliciously chocolate. I bought a few avocados the other day at Aldi and couldn't decide how to use them, so I searched avocado recipes on Pinterest until I found these "healthy avocado chocolate cookies." I always check the ingredients list first, to make sure I have everything that I'll need on hand, and thankfully I did (except I substituted the half cup of coconut sugar for a tablespoon of honey and added dark chocolate chips for a nice sweetness). Once again the batter smelled terrible, and even with my first nibble I wasn't quite convinced. But then I let them cool, and even put a few in the freezer to cool off quickly, and let's just say I ate several. I'm hard to please when it comes to healthy desserts, because of my love history with all things super sweet and yummy and loaded with calories and sugars and carbs. Ha. Yet I can say these cookies are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I'll definitely be making these again. And again. And again.

Even Eva liked them. She tried to help me with these picture arrangements by eating my dark chocolate chips...the little stinker.

Newborn session // Olivia Christine Maddox

This was my first newborn session, so needless to say I still have a lot of things to learn regarding newborn photography.  But on the other hand, I'm so pleased with how the pictures turned out, considering my first experience!  I couldn't be more in love with this precious baby cousin of mine, and sixth child born to the Maddox family.  Seriously, y'all,  there is nothing sweeter or more precious than a newborn baby.  Who couldn't fall in love instantly just at the sight of one?!  It's a beautiful feeling, when you take a baby in your arms- such a tiny little person, completely dependent for everything, and in need of so much love- how could we not give them all the love we can possibly fathom?  Life in of itself is miraculous, simply because as sinners we don't deserve any of God's grace, but the fact that He is constantly giving life in the form of a baby, whether they be first conceived in the womb, or six days old like little Olivia, it is a marvelous gift.

I feel like I didn't quite do this darling little baby the justice she deserves, perhaps because of my small skill as a photographer.  It doesn't take much to see how wonderfully shaped a newborn's ears and nose and fingers and toes are, yet at the same time it takes so much to correctly show it in pictures.  Nevertheless, my poor skill aside, I hope you appreciate the beauty of life, young or old.  May these pictures be a reminder of just how truly precious life is.

Eva Rose // 09.18.2014

Okay, here are the photos from yesterday's sneak peak.  There are going to be several pictures that are very similar, but when they're all so cute it's hard to choose between them!  Seriously though, this kid...I really don't have the words.  She is such a ham.  Like I said yesterday, it's getting so much harder to get her to look at the camera when there are so many interesting things to discover in the great outdoors, so we kinda had to bribe her with chocolate.  I take full responsibility for making her crazy.