Buddies

Yesterday the kids both had dentist appointments, so I needed to pick them up from school early. While Aubree and I were waiting for Alex to come down to the lobby, his best bud at school comes walking out of the nurses office with his Mom. We said hello and then his Mom says "I had to come pick him up because he hit his head hard while playing outside at recess" I was a bit concerned, but he seemed fine. The first thing his little friend says to me is "where's Alex?" I told him we were waiting for him to come down.

Just then, Alex cam around the corner, and when the two boys saw each other, they started running and hugged. The first thing Alex says is "Oh, are you alright? What happened?" I thought this was one of the cutest things I have ever seen. At seven years old they still hug each other and are genuinley worried about their friends. I love this, and I hope Alex will always be so kind and thoughful to others.

My heart is warmed by my amazing children again =)

My Morning Smoothie

Hiya and happy Monday...ugh I hate that expression! How about, Happy let's not get out of bed day!

Any way, I've been wanting to post my tried and true green smoothie recipe that I've been making for about a year now. It may sound gross, but trust me, its not. It is FABULOUS! The kids like to call it the incredible hulk because well, its green and I tell them that it will make them strong just like the hulk. Of course Alex won't try it, but Aubree LOVES it! I just bought some flax seed that I need to grind up, so I can add it too.

Here it is:

The Incredible Hulk

1 banana (I keep some unpeeled and frozen, but fresh works too)
1 cup of frozen tropical fruit (I like Dole mango, pineapple, strawberry, peaches mix)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Stoneyfield plain fat free yogurt
1/2 cup Stoneyfield vanilla fat free yogurt
2 hand fulls of organic fresh baby spinach
1 squirt of honey (optional, but I like it sweet =)

Add to the blender in this order, banana, water, frozen fruit, spinach, yogurt, honey

Blend till completely smooth (my blender has the frappe setting, so I like to do that at the end so its thick!)

Additional Notes:

When you use a frozen banana, you may need to add more water, but if you use fresh, then you may need less. Also, if you choose to use all plain yogurt then you may need more honey or agave syrup. If you use all vanilla, then you will not need honey at all. You can tailor the smoothie to be as sweet as you like it!

I am going to throw in the ground flax tomorrow =)

Hope you like it!

A Mother's Interview

This was interesting and kind if funny!

1. What is something Mom always says to you?
Alex: Clean your room
Aubree: How was your day when i get off the bus

2. What makes mom happy?
Alex: When I clean my room without any problems
Aubree: When I give you hugs

3. What makes mom sad?
Alex: WHen you don't see me and Aubree
Aubree: When you miss your mom and dad

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Alex: When you dance funny
Aubree: When you tickle me

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Alex: You played soccer
Aubree: silly

6. How old is your mom?
Alex: 35
Aubree: 35?

7. How tall is your mom?
Alex: tall
Aubree: big

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Alex: Drink her coffee
Aubree: play with me

9. What does your mom do when you are not home?
Alex: Go to work
Aubree: work

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Alex: Great singer
Aubree: singing

11. What is your mom really good at?
Alex: Loving
Aubree: making me laugh

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Alex: Playing my Wii games
Aubree:

13. What does your mom do for a job?
Alex: Go to work?
Aubree:

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Alex: salad? pasta?
Aubree: Getting wine open

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Alex: When you hug me
Aubree: cause you read good

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Alex: Bugs Bunny
Aubree: Dora

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Alex: Go to the store
Aubree: play

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Alex: Both llike to listen to music
Aubree: cause we have the same skin color

19. How are you and your mom different?
Alex: I'm a boy and you are a girl
Aubree: our hair is not the same color

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Alex: Cause she hugs me a lot
Aubree: cause you give me hugs

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Alex: to Kohls
Aubree: to a restaurant

22. What do you like most of all about your mom?
Alex: That she let me have a ipod
Aubree: she gives me hugs and kisses

I had no idea I was such a good singer! haha!

Lemony Yumminess!

Ok... so I actually did some cooking this week! Yey!

Here is an AWESOME recipe that I used from the Pioneer Woman. It is super simple and so good.

Warning: If you do not like lemon then skip it, because its full of fresh lemon and garlic flavor!

Baked Lemon Pasta
1 pound pasta (I used campanelle)
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1 whole lemon, juiced and zested
2 cups sour cream
kosher salt
parmesan cheese
parsley

• Cook pasta in salted water and drain.
• In a skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together on LOW heat.
• Add lemon juice and garlic, then turn off the heat.
• Add in the sour cream and lemon peel and mix to combine and smooth out the cream
• Taste and add salt and pepper if desired
• Add the sauce to the pasta and mix.
• Transfer to a greased baking dish and cover with foil
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes at 350, then remove foil and bake 10 minutes more.
• Remove and sprinkle with cheese, parsley, and more lemon juice.

Notes - I did not have parsley so left it out, also I think this pasta would be great with peas added in. I made this as a side to go with baked lemon Tilapia and it was great. Next time I would like to try and use reduced fat sour cream to see how it tastes

Things have been crazy!

I can't believe its been so long since I've posted anything! Life has been busy, and when I say busy I mean INSANE! I just can't keep up with it sometimes. The kids have had lots of extra school projects and things on top of the daily homework, so my weekdays have been flying by! The sad thing is that I have not had much time to clean, do laundry, or cook. The cleaning and laundry I can do without, but the cooking I have missed. I have been trying to re-focus lately. In my mind body and soul. I have been trying to make some small changes in order to nurture those things. Here are some things I have been trying to do to help me reach a better place:

1. Spend more quality time with the kids
2. Make that time fun and enjoyable
3. Stop focusing on my house being dirty, I cannot help this, and to be honest I'd rather do #1 then clean!
4. Eat better, and I do not mean diet! I mean eat more wholesome natural foods, and cook things myself from scratch when I have the time.
5. Relax! I always need to try and do this more.

So, this past weekend I tried to make some of these things happen. On Friday, I surprised Alex with a sleepover! He has been asking to have a sleepover for months, and with everything that's been going on in out lives, it has just fallen on deaf ears, and I felt bad about that. I realized that its important for him to have play dates and sleepovers with friends. Its the fun part of being a kid! Let me tell you it was hilarious! Now, I did not grow up with around too many boys, so it was interesting to watch them interact. They played rescue heroes, X-men, and star wars. There was also a lot of burping and farting..haha. I may never get used to that!

On Saturday, I took the kids to the Zoo and did the Critter Challenge. It was so much fun and the kids and I really had a great time exploring all the animal artifacts and learning interesting things about snakes and sea lions. For the first time ever, the kids actually wanted me to read the fact boards at each exhibit because they were curious about the animals, now this is new to me, and may be this is reflection of them growing up? In the past they just ran around looking and pointing, but would not stay still long enough to actually chat about anything. I think this is awesome!

All in all it was a great weekend, with no cleaning at all =)

These days...

I feel sad more often lately than feeling happy, or not so much happy, but just content. I think its just all the remains of betrayal. Not being able to trust is a horrible feeling.

I read something today that helped me put things into perspective:

"You are just as vulnerable to deceit as the next person, even if it flies in the face of thinking you're special or so special to that other person they wouldn't decieve you. The fact is: it was never about you. Your behavior, whatever it was, didn't make someone lie. That was their choice" From the website - www.holisticdivorcecounseling.com

Wow...well said! I think I need to keep reminding myself that I am not responsible for someone lying to me. I could not have done anything different to make them be truthful.

Some days are just hard.