THE MOMMY CHRONICLES

What 2 looks like

2010-11-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

We have a 2nd birthday coming up this weekend.

just the thought of you makes me smile, laugh hysterically and sometimes cry because of the joy you bring to my world daily.

Happy 2nd Birthday Dylan!!!

A Poem

2010-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

My Name is Pride,

I am a Cheater

I cheat you on your God given destiny....because

you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment...because you

"deserve better than this."

I cheat you of knowledge...because you already

know it all.

I cheat you of holiness...because you refuse to

admit when your wrong.

I cheat you of vision...because you would rather look

in the mirror than out the window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship...because

nobody is going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love...because real romance

demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you

refuse to wash another's feet on earth.

I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince

you to seek your own.

My name is Pride, I am a cheater.

You like me because you think I'm always looking

out for you. Untrue.

I'm looking to make a fool of you,

God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...

If you stick with me

You'll never know.

Some Starter Tips

2010-09-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I last posted. As the girls are getting older it seems like finding time is getting a little harder. Or maybe that's just an excuse and really I just need to get more organized and focused.

I'm not sure about you, but as soon as I eat or drink something that isn't good for me I don't feel as sharp. But when I am eating clean and staying active I feel amazing. Sometimes I need to remind myself of a few things.

Here are some exercise and nutrition tips to start out with: ( and a note to self)

Keep a food journal. In the past when I really am trying to lose some weight I write down everything I eat for the day
Do not eat a heavy dinner. I would rather see you eat a bigger lunch or breakfast, but at night stick with something light. Maybe grilled fish and salad. I will be posting some healthy recipes in the near future
If you are busy all day running around town make sure to pack some healthy snacks in your purse. Such as almonds, an apple, rice cakes or even a Lara Bar. Do not wait until you are starving I have made this mistake and end up overeating.
I am still a coffee LOVER, so I'm not asking anyone to give it up, but PLEASE drink more water throughout the day and less of all the other bad drinks out there.
Try to do something active every day. Walking, biking, swimming, dancing with your kids. The more active you are the better you will feel
Don't obsess with the scale. As long as you feel good and healthy that is all that matters.

Starting this week I will be starting up a fitness boot camp with some other girlfriends. Not only will this keep me accountable to working out, but I can hang out with some friends and maybe make some new ones too. Grab a friend and go running or if you are in my neck of the woods come join us.

The Truth on Milk

2010-07-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

We have an ongoing debate in my household on milk. Yes, Milk. I know growing up we all drank milk and most of us turned out ok, but there is so much information out there that kind of scares me. Check out this article I found.

Sevi

2010-07-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

Mimi came back from Italy with some fun gifts for the girls. I had to share with you these cute toothbrush holders from this Italian company

They both have a little timer for the girls to know how long to brush.

Home Again, Home Again

2010-07-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

There is so much going on, I do not know where to start. We just got back into town from a long summer vacation. One that included long bike rides, horse back riding, boating, kayaking, hiking, waterfalls, golf, tennis, spa trips (for mommy), family, friends, tubing, skiing the list goes on and on. Needless to say we had a fabulous time. And to top it all off the last week of our vacation my baby girl turned 3 years old. We are in the process of throwing her a birthday party I will share that for another post. Thank goodness for the iphone camera, I am horrible about taking pictures and forgot my camera but the iphone took some pretty good shots and video.

Marmol-Radznir

2010-06-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I might add certain posts to my blog just so I have them for a future reference. Marmol-Radznir is an architect and design firm based in LA. In my dream world I would like to build this house one day. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the stone work.

First Night in Big Girl Bed

2010-06-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

We spent weeks getting our little girl excited about the BIG transition from crib to "BIG GIRL BED". This is an email we sent out to our family and I thought I would share it with you. (Jim is our handyman, my husband is awesome but not very handy sometimes)

EMAIL:
So court had Jim come over and set up camryn's big girl bed today and that's all we talked about all day was how she was going to stay all night in her very own bed. So we tucked her in and went downstairs to watch tv and figured maybe she was really liking her new big girl bed because it was pretty quiet- Then we went to go to bed and look what we found on the stairs.........fast asleep

Fun with iMovie

2010-06-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

okay, maybe a couple of words,, This is 18 months old. Very kissable and those cheeks just might be edible.

Big Girl Bed

2010-05-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

I remember when friends of mine would tell me their children would climb out of their cribs and into bed with them. I thought it was so cute and couldn't wait to experience it someday. Well, the time has arrived. For the past several months I wake up with this little blondie next to me

Some nights it's really cute and other's not so much. Sometimes after we bring her back into her room she decides to climb out again and go visit her little sister. There is nothing like some jumping and giggling at 2am.

We decided it's time for the transition. I have to admit I am a little apprehensive about moving my 2 1/2 year old into a big girl bed. I love her room the way it is. It is my favorite room in my home. I will have to do a proper farewell to her nursery in another post. For now we are waiting for her new "Big Girl Bed".

Pottery Barn Kids

So my question to you is, what do you think is the appropriate age to make the switch to a BIG KID bed?

Maybe I was a little harsh

2010-05-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

With my experience at Costco that is. I'm all about learning from my past mistakes and becoming more efficient. You see, when we decided to head to Costco one late weekday afternoon we didn't have a gameplan= MISTAKE #1. If you have even been to Costco you know how overwhelming it can be and how easily one mom me can lose her family (husband had the babies with the cart of course) holding juggling a 50 Gallon bottle of laundry detergent and about 16 other items. Ok, enough of that so here is my Costco Gameplan I got most of this list from here

What to buy:

Organic spinach (1 lb): This is the number one “best buy” for us at Costco. It ranges in price from $2.99 – $3.99….which is a far cry from $6.99-$7.99 at Whole Foods.
Romaine lettuce: Who can beat that deal? 6 pack for $2.99. They are the BEST. Perfect for salads and juicing.
Avocados: Costco has the best. Hands down. The biggest, creamiest, yummiest…at a good price.
Watermelon:
Broccoli/Brussels/Asparagus: Yum.
Medjool dates: Again, best quality I’ve found…but WAY cheaper than other places.
Blueberries/Strawberries/Raspberries: We buy blueberries on a regular basis and the others once in a while.
Oranges: We buy the 25 lbs.box for $8.99.
Grape tomatoes – “Cherubs”: These are pesticide-free and delicious.
Bananas: $1.29 per bunch.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and pine nuts. These are priced VERY competitively. This is the only place I will buy nuts.
Pineapples: Not too much cheaper, but they are always big and ripe.
Frozen fruit: Their Spectrum Blend is my favorite smoothie mix….you get double the amount that you can get anywhere else for the same price.
Pure maple syrup: Great price/large container.
Agave Nectar
Organic corn chips: Big cheap bag.
And all my paper goods and maybe a few bottles of wine

17 Months Old

2010-04-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

So in love with this 17 month old

Confessions

2010-04-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

1. I hate potty training
2. I yell at my kids ..sometimes ,,, ok alot
3. I try to act all healthy, but ate an entire bag of M&M's the other night at the movies
4. I gave you one last try cosco, but now I'm done. I thought you are supposed to be SUCH a $$$ saver, so why did my receipt say $470. I didn't even get everything I needed.

ok, I feel better. anyone else??

Iced Coffee

2010-04-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't tried this yet, but will let you know how it turns out. Since having my 2 daughter I have become a little too dependent on my large iced coffee in the morning. This is a recipe for a perfect ICED COFFEE you know the cup that doesn't taste like old tires..

It’s super-easy to make in the French press, but you could also use a glass jar and sieve.

The night before, start with 1/4 cup of coarse ground coffee, and add 1 cup of cold filtered water.
The next morning add 1 more cup of water.
Strain and pour into a chilled glass over ice (makes two glasses)

via Small Notebook

Fabric Patterns

2010-04-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

One of my things on my to-do list for 2010 is learning to sew. I would love to make some new pillows, curtains, dresses for my girls and maybe some handmade gifts. There are so many fun fabrics out there. Here are a few places to find them online:
Sew Mama Sew

Pixie Dust

Flexa Studio, Very Cool

2010-04-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Check out Flexa Studio. What a great idea for additional space. A home office, playroom, or maybe a guest house. I love it!!! Now, if I could only fit this in our tiny backyard.

Interior Designer Mary McGee

2010-03-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

Check out her website

Lessons Learned for next Disney trip

2010-03-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend my husband and I decided last minute "let's take the girls to Disney World". We live in Florida so it wasn't to far a hike. Also my sister would be at Sea World on Sunday with one of my nephews, so that was incentive enough to hop in the car and go. We left Saturday morning got to Orlando checked into our hotel and decided to put both girls down for a nap. Now, I have a 2 1/2 year old and 16 month old who have separate rooms at home. So when they got the chance to sleep together in the same room they laughed and talked to each other and decided they didn't want to nap.

MISTAKE #1: No Naps and going late in the day. Really late, we didn't get to Magic Kingdom until 5pm

Lesson Learned: Go first thing in the morning with two toddlers.

      MISTAKE #2: We went during SPRING BREAK. I thought I was a "people person" until I experienced Disney World with a double stroller. Way too many people for me.
   Lesson Learned: Pick a date that might be less crowded than going during Spring Break weekend. I heard October is good or maybe a week before Christmas and maybe go on a weekday.
   MISTAKE #3: BRING MY OWN FOOD. Disney food is GROSS!!!
   Lesson Learned: Traveling in general can be tough to find healthy food. Usually when we take road trips I always bring a cooler filled with healthy snacks. A friend of mine told me you are allowed to bring your own food into the park. I will definitely make sure to do this next time. Also I just found another great application for the iphone or blackberry (see below after the pictures)

My girls with their cutie pie cousin at a show in Sea World

Waiting in line at "it's a small world" our favorite ride only ride without 1hr wait

Ok so the new iphone application I found and love is

GoodFoodNearYou helps you find the best food options at the most common restaurants near you.

In one simple search, you get instant access to the menus and nutrition information for popular casual dining restaurants, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores near your location.

Make smart, fast, and healthy dining decisions, wherever you are – at work, at home or in your car, traveling on business or vacation.

Roller Skates

2010-03-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ever since we watched the movie "Roller Derby" I have been wanting to get some of these

and maybe my girls could wear these

Also, when did target get makeup specialist? I swear there was an angel looking over me today. I had both babies with me and decided to hit target. I got a little anxiety pulling into the parking lot thinking how am I going to put both girls into the cart. As I pulled into a great parking space I saw a cart that looked almost like a train, it was that long. But it had seating for two littles. I got so excited.

I have been searching for a new skincare regimen and as I walked by the beauty aisle in Target an angel asked if I needed help. She was so helpful, it was awesome. I ended getting this and I love it.

Paddleboarding

2010-03-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

We just love paddleboarding and when the ocean looks like this we grab our board and go

Moments

2010-03-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

Today I am feeling a bit nostalgic and came across these

Now she is 2 1/2 years old, takes dance classes, can say her "ABC's", can count to 25, and last night after putting both girls to bed my husband and I were relaxing down stairs on our couch when we heard her singing "head, shoulder knees and toes" at the top of her voice along with a few other songs. She makes me laugh everyday and I can't help but stare at her in disbelief that this precious little girl is my daughter, how did I get so lucky.

Sometimes we need to take a moment to remember all the moments in our day. There are so many little blessings that we might miss. Especially when we are in a rush. Which I feel like most of the time. Finally the other day while in the midst of my daily rush I stopped myself and thought, what am I rushing for.

Some recent photos really recent, like last Sunday, the most beautiful day ever. I just love March where we live. It's still cool enough to enjoy being outside. (Please excuse my daughters hair, I think we may need a haircut)

watching her crazy sister do this

watch out "DEE DEE"

Kid's Room Decor

2010-03-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

I love finding unique and fun things for my children online. Here are a few things that caught my eye

How cute are these bookends, I actually like these better

My girls love squirrels. I also have been on the search for some cool wall hooks for my older daughter's bedroom and we got ourself a winner ..

With a long white mirror I bought at Marshall's and this wall hook next to the mirror should be the perfect little dress up area for my little girls. You can find all of these fun things here

Anniversary Trip Part 1

2010-03-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

Warning: This might be a long post. ( really long,,, don't know why the spaces are so big,, sorry)

My husband and I just got back from celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary cruising up and down the California coast. Doesn't that sound amazing, and it was just that,,, AMAZING!!

We flew into LA, rented a car and drove about 40 miles to Santa Barbara. We both were craving some Mexican food and found this hole-in-the-wall dive that served THE BEST Mexican food. I am bummed I didn't take pictures of this place. But if you are ever in Santa Barbara you must go to La Super -Rica Taqueria.

Then we went and checked into the most amazing Bed in Breakfast. (am I saying amazing too much)

The Simpson House Inn was so romantic, I would highly recommend it to any of you couples out there. I wish I could have captured the scents of the gardens and brought them home with me. It smelled like heaven. They served us gourmet vegetarian breakfast every morning on our private veranda.

When I tell you this place had the best breakfast, I am not lying. Did you see the little menu's they gave us with our names on it. Now that is what I call excellent service. I really could get use to this kind of treatment.

We went on some great runs on the beaches

Yes, I am kind of a geek, but an active one.

Next we got ready for our driver to take us on a tour of some vineyards.

Next stop was another vineyard and afterwards our driver set up a delicious picnic overlooking wine country.

Our teeth are red by this point...

After all this great food we ended up here later that night,

so gross, but my husband loves this place and we don't have one on the east coast.
I plan on writing a separate post on THE HIKE, because it deserves it's own post. Coming soon.

California Love

2010-03-03T12:56:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow this time I will be cruising, sipping, lounging, more importantly RELAXING ...ahhhh, with the BEST HUSBAND in the entire universe. I married my dream man and I thank GOD for him everyday.

California Dreaming...

Some West Coast Interior Design I am Loving....

Jill Johnson from Coastal Living

A fun table and an Escapade

2010-03-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

I have been on the hunt for a cute toddler table my girls can both sit at. I found this one at Genuis Jones , but really didn't want to spend that much for a kid's table. So I went searching and found this table at Target.

If you take a look at the table from Genius Jones and the one from Target they are almost identical.

What is the difference between the two??
About $240.

What is the lesson learned??
   If you see something you like at an expensive store always check Target or Homegoods to see if they have a less expensive version. My kids love it and so do I.

   My new nickname??
   Mrs. Frugalista

On another note, my husband and I are about to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. He has surprised me with a fabulous trip to Santa Barbara. I am SO excited to get away and have been listening to "Escapade" by Janet on my iphone like everyday. This is a much needed vacation. Got me thinking about what to pack, maybe this

Need to bring one of these

and maybe but praying I will not need these

and of course one of these

Great Coupon Sites

2010-02-23T05:42:00.000-08:00

I have never really been a coupon clipper. But lately things have changed and I'm always looking for a deal.

Here are a few websites to help find them:

My Frugal Adventures

The Frugal Girls

Deal Seeking Mom

Baby Cheapskate

Kitchens and Cookie Monster

2010-02-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

Some Pretty Kitchens

Also, a quick report card on DAY 1 of the 7 DAY DIET CHALLENGE

     Breakfast : Oatmeal with some fruit and flaxseed = A+
   Snack : Ezekiel Bread with Almond Butter some fruit = B-
   Lunch: I don't think I had any = C
   Dinner : Made homemade Pizza from fresh ground whole wheat flour with fresh veggies and arugula salad with a dressing that is super easy and delicious =A-
   After Dinner Snack: I had some cookies left over that I could not waste soooo ....= F F F
   Extra Credit: Throughout the day I drank tons of purified water with fresh lemons.

Far from perfect I know. I realize I probably need more protein and missed lunch,, not great. Cookie monster doesn't have anymore cookies left in the house so no more excuses. I've realized if it's in the house I'll eat them. I just don't have the willpower. I will not buy them anymore. So if you see me in the cookie isle of the grocery store arguing with myself just pray for me.

7 Day Diet Challenge

2010-02-18T06:14:00.000-08:00

Starting today I am setting some diet goals for myself. I am researching and studying some of the best diet tips for good health. Here are a few that I am going to focus on doing the next 7 days.

7 Day Diet Challenge

Eat mostly green vegetables, raw tomatoes, sprouted grains and raw nuts
Use good oils in salads with stir-fried and lightly steamed veggies (ex. avocado, coconut, olive or flaxseed oil)
Drink more filtered water with fresh lemon or lime
Reduce intake of processed foods or anything white (no cookies!!!) that is going to be hard for me

I'll post later on how I did for the day.

It's so Good I wanted to share

2010-02-17T06:18:00.000-08:00

I have already posted about my husband's blog All Pro Parenting. But I just love this last post. Check it out.

Mommy's don't get sick days

2010-02-17T06:13:00.000-08:00

Wow, I am finally feeling better. I rarely ever get sick, but I could feel something coming on the last few weeks and ignored it. After several late nights and going non-stop it finally hit me, actually felt like I got knocked over by a semi. For almost a week too.

I am so thankful for my health. And want to get back on track eating healthier and maybe doing some type of cleanse. I will save that for a different post. I hate taking any type of medications, but admit in desperation and total mental fogginess took some Nyquil. What exactly are the ingredients in Nyquil? Check it out here. It might have helped me sleep a little better that one night, but I felt worse the next morning.

I wanted to take a more holistic approach. Here are some more old school natural things to try if you get a bad headcold.

gargle with warm salt water
Try a Neti Pot for sinus congestion
Drink some hot tea with lemon and honey
Take a warm bath add some Eucalyptus Essential Oil
When all that doesn't really work ..SLEEP, SLEEP and more SLEEP

Valentine's Breakfast

2010-02-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!!! We woke up this morning and I decided to make some heart -shaped french toast. This is another easy and healthy recipe.

Start with this

What you will need:

3 eggs
ground cinnamon
vanilla
cinnamon raisin bread ( I use ezekiel bread)

Mix the first three ingredients together in a big enough bowl to place bread in.

Then I take this

Then take the bread and let it soak in bowl with egg mixture. Throw some butter in a hot pan and place heart in pan let cook a couple minutes on each side.

My husband asked what about all the left over bread? Well no worries it didn't go to waste. We have a little mouse that I gave it to

Such an easy and yummy breakfast

you could add some powdered sugar ... and of course some Maple Syrup

It was a hit!!!!

Vintage Valentine's

2010-02-10T12:54:00.001-08:00

These are too cute.

Fit Mommy Mondays

2010-02-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

I have VERY EXCITING NEWS from my friend Maria. She just found out she is expecting and we all are so happy for her and her family. So it looks like the 6 week fitness challenge is going to turn into a Prenatal series of workouts.

Both of my pregnancies I worked out the entire time. I felt great, had more energy and lost the weight quicker afterwards. One resource I used was Gabrielle Reece's Fit and Healthy Prenatal Workouts.

Also, Heidi Klum always looks even more gorgeous and stylish when she is pregnant and now you can too. Check out her new maternity line here.

Hmmmmm...

Easy and Healthy Crockpot Recipe

2010-02-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

I've been known to burn meals, set my oven on fire and add a cup too much salt. yes a cup. So when I decided to make a meal for a friend and her family I wanted to make sure it was edible good. Now I feel comfortable cooking for my own family they are kind of like my guinea pigs. But I get a little nervous cooking for friends so I decided to stick to the easiest and tastiest meal I know. This is my husband's favorite. His mom makes a great version of this as well.

I even added some visuals

Taco Soup

What you will need:

1 LB of dark ground turkey
1 can of kidney beans
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 packet of Taco Seasoning (I like McCormick, but didn't have it)
2 cups of Vegetable Broth
2 cups of corn
1 diced jalapeno pepper (from our vegetable garden)

warning: I really don't use measuring cups I just kind of eyeball the amount and that has got me in trouble in the past. But with this recipe it works and is good everytime

You will also need a :

Crockpot (thanks Mom) and just for kicks a

Brown the turkey meat first then throw it in the crockpot with ALL the ingredients. Give it a good stir and cook on HIGH for about 3 Hours.

I would serve this with some shredded cheese, hot sauce and sour cream. ENJOY!!!

I hope it's a hit over at my friend's new house.

Some Eye Candy

2010-02-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is absolutely one of my favorite design websites. Even the music is quite lovely to listen to. I am really wanting to redesign my entire townhouse after looking at these beautiful rooms.

All PRO Everything

2010-02-03T18:25:00.000-08:00

Take a look at my husbands parenting blog All Pro Parenting .

Fit Mommy Mondays

2010-02-01T18:01:00.000-08:00

One of my girlfriends, Maria, was complaining to me about some extra weight she can't seem to lose. She loves to workout but lately she seems to be in a workout rut. We've all been there. Sometimes to see results you need to bring it up a notch and switch things up.

After both of my pregnancies (and doctor's go ahead) I got a group of other mommy friends together for an hour of "bootcamp". It was great motivation to be with other women and to really sweat and work out hard. Especially after waddling around for 9 months.

My passion, besides my kiddies, is fitness and nutrition. So I asked my friend if she would like to workout with me every Monday. We would do a 6 week challenge. Meeting every Monday Morning for a 1 hour workout. Today was Week 1 of this challenge. We had a great workout, reviewed our goals and diets.

Every Monday I will be posting our workouts, results, and throughout the week I will add some healthy recipes and tips.

WEEK ONE WORKOUT

Cardio: 10 minutes on bike (warmup)
   10 minutes on stairs ( high levels)
   10 minutes treadmill (sprints) totally sweating at this point

Kickboxing: 20 high-kicks into bag each side (3 reps) alternate with jump-rope
   20 core pivots with medicine ball
   20 side lunges
Abs: 30 crunches
   30 bicycles kicks
   20 reps on ball working core/ straight into 10 pushups
   30 seconds of holding plank

STRETCH

How I Spend my Days or I'm Spent in a Daze

2010-01-29T11:50:00.000-08:00

Please tell me I'm not the only one who sometimes feels plainly, spent. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade one thing. except for a cook and live in maid. After a week of chasing after babies, laundry, cleaning up after everyone just to get dirty again to clean up again, blah blah blah you know how it goes.

How I Spend my Day (grandma this one's for you)

I guess I'm pretty lucky afterall

A Clean Feeling

2010-01-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

We all suffer from at least one ailment. Whether it be a cold, restless nights, anxiety or frequent fatigue (that's me lately). Most likely if you were to go to a doctor for one of these they would most likely prescribe pills. Although this might help short term it's really not addressing the root of the problem. TOXIC BUILDUP. Toxic buildup comes from the food we eat, our chemical -filled environments, and just going about our daily lives. I highly recommend reading Clean by Dr. Junger. It gives some great information on re-examining our health care, tips on doing a cleanse, what foods to eat and what foods to eliminate. It can be a bit overwhelming, but for starters here are some tips we should all incorporate into our daily lives:

REMOVE from your diet packaged and processed foods
Instead of sugar or splenda try Agave Nectar to sweeten drinks or food.
Become conscious of the amount of unnecessary info that may be in your life. Reduce whatever is superflous
Exercise daily and commit to a regular routine. (even if it's just getting outside for a brisk walk)

After reading Clean and several other books like it I truly have become a believer that healthy food = good medicine. The food we put into our bodies can either put us into a good mood with tons of energy and clear thinking or make us want to take a nap and get moody.

Resolution

2010-01-26T05:54:00.000-08:00

I do like to set some goals for myself every year and it's fun to look back at the end of the year to see if I've accomplished any of them. One of my goals for 2010 was to read 1 book per month. I already finished my first book for January. A Million Miles in a thousand Years by Donald Miller.

The first part of the book is a little slow, but quite entertaining. As I finished the last few chapters I kept telling my husband "this is my favorite book" this book is awesome" so on and so forth.

Are you living a great story? If people went to watch a movie of your life would they walk out of the theater and ask for their money back or would they leave the movie inspired??

Try this Recipe

2010-01-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

Goop is an online newsletter by actress Gwen Paltrow. I am a fan. Goop has had some fantastic articles from detox tips to tons of healthy and delicious recipes. I can't wait to try this one. I love Vietnamese food.

Vietnamese Salad
Serves: 4
Time: 15 minutes
Toss the bok choy, cabbage, watercress, carrot, herbs, cucumber, chili
and 1/4 cup of the peanuts together with enough dressing to
coat. Serve sprinkled with the remaining peanuts
4 large bok choy leaves, rough bottoms discarded,
stems cut into 1/4” bias and leaves shredded
4 big leaves Napa cabbage, shredded
1 bunch watercress (discard thick stems), roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
the leaves from about 8 stems each basil, mint, cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 small cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias
1 red Thai chili (or more…or less), thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
Vietnamese Dressing (see recipe below)
grilled fish, shrimp, tuna, chicken, or tofu for serving (optional)

Vietnamese Dressing
Serves: 4
Time: 5 minutes
Mix everything together.
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion or shallot

My Heart Hurts

2010-01-21T12:08:00.000-08:00

It has been over a week now since the devastating Earthquake hit Haiti. So many lives were lost and from the images I have seen it seems like HELL on EARTH. I want to help someway somehow. You can always donate money, goods or clothes, but just make sure you research the organization you are donating to. My family is involved with Compassion International and I feel like they are a great organization to give to.

4Kids of South Florida is another ministry that we believe in and support. You can go to their website and check out what they are all about. My family is praying about taking in a young girl or boy from Haiti through 4kids Safe Families program.

We are to imitate GOD in caring for those who have less than we do. "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me into your home." (Matthew 25:35)

Posterbrain

2010-01-20T14:05:00.000-08:00

I just love when friends of mine ask me about these pictures of my girls. Usually they want to know the photographer and of course I jump at the chance to give myself some props "I did it". But really I can't take all the credit. I wanted to enlarge the photos so I looked for a company online and found Posterbrain. I can't say enough about the EXCELLENT customer service I received. Not only did I get my order back quickly, but they followed up with the sweetest email thanking me for their business. I will use you again Posterbrain. May more businesses follow your customer service etiquette.

For the frames I simply used some old frames and spray painted them with a high gloss black spray. Then sent them off to the framer.

Chalkboard Paint from Hudson Paint

2010-01-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

Little by little my house is becoming more child-friendly fun for my children. I found this and thought it would be neat to paint a door or wall in my home for my kiddies to draw on. Check it out. It is chalkboard paint from Hudson Paint and comes in several different colors. I have been wanting to add a little pop of color to my laundry room and decided to give it a try. This is Bakery Green.

What do you think?? I really like it. Now I have to get some white chalk.

Daydreamer

2010-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

Some images I found by one of favorite Architects, Christian Rice. I love this man's work!!!

The Perfect Snack

2010-01-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a healthy post workout snack for yourself and for the kiddies, look no further this is not only healthy but Delicious!!! And you can't even taste the spinach...that's right SPINACH

A Purple and GREEN Smoothie Recipe

1 handful of ice cubes
2 cups rice milk (almond or organic milk is fine)
1 banana
2 cups frozen blueberries
2 heaping scoops of vanilla flavored soy protein powder (whole foods 365 brand)
1 cup of spinach
1/2 Cup Water
Blend Well in a Blender

Just Getting Started

2010-01-15T06:01:00.000-08:00

As one of my 2010 Goal's I decided to document my days. As a young mother of two precious baby girls I figured starting a blog would remind me to take pictures of them and record our daily adventures.

The 2 3 reasons for starting a blog.