The idea of a blog fascinates me, I would love to actually ''blog" daily, but I just don't have the time. I have been thinking lately, I have got to make time in my schedule to make my schedule. Yep, I am one of those List people you hear about all the time. I make lists to make lists. I have quite a few ideas rolling around in my head for this blog and actually another one. I want to start writing about all of the memories of my life, if I die tomorrow, I want my children to know that there was more to mommy than just laundry and dishes. The downfall of being a stay at home mom is that Intelligent individuals are hard to come by when you are always doing something for some one else. I seriously need conversation with a few intellectual without having to say, "stay out of that", "no, don't do that" or "let me call you right back, they are doing SOMETHING wrong again!"

Is anyone out there?

Vacation time is upon us!

I am unbelievably over -due for a vacation. Although this trip is not all fun and games,my husbands grandfather is having half of his lung removed and hopefully all the cancer, we are going to make the best out of it. Letting the kids spend some much needed time with their cousins, who do such an amazing job at keeping them occupied while Mommy gets some adult time, and us spending some time with some positive adult friends is exactly what this family needs. Since it is so close to the kids' birthdays, we are going to try to make this trip as fun as possible, minus the hospital visits and all. Hoping to see a wonderful friend while I am down there Hollie "Hotstuff" Dunaway, and also, looking at going to Dukes Creek or maybe even Stone Mountain Park for the laser light show. There are so many things to do in bigger cities, I am just really looking forward to having more entertainment opportunities that what is normally available here in Arkansas! Now, I must finish packing and go get the famous road trip snack BEEF JERKY AND MOUNTAIN DEW! I am eager to share with you all of the fun, and maybe not fun, that we have over the next four days.
Oh, did I mention this is also the first road trip in the new van..this should be interesting!

I feel like a broken carousel!

 You know, the kind that you see in horror films that never stops and spins wildly fast and out of control. Yep, that is my life. I keep catching glimpses of things that I want to do, or something that I find interesting that I would love to learn more about, but somehow,I can never stop long enough to do any of these things.

  I want to write, I want to get back on the Healthy Train, I want to look Smokin' Hot for summer, I want to learn more about jewelry making, I want to make my daughter all sorts of one-of-a-kind treasures, I want to get more time to teach my son before he starts school, I want to balance my checkbook, I want more sleep...I WANT, I WANT, I WANT!!

  Do I get anything I want? NOPE! I know it sound like I am being whiny, that's because I AM! But seriously people, How many of the above thing that I listed are really ALL about ME? So, ultimately, if you broke it down into one thing, I suppose it would be, I WANT TO BE SUPERMOM!!

  I guess my best bet is to get back to the routine of Planning our Routine. My husband makes fun of me because I have to schedule in time to make a schedule, just like I have lists that say "Make a list for..."! Yes, I am one of those people. Laugh at me all you want, it works, when I can remember to do it!

  Okay, I could keep going but, I have  4 minutes to straighten up the kitchen, 5 minutes to get prepped for bed, and 5 minutes for my shower. Then it's 1 hour of lounge time! So, I will skip straight to the point.
How do you manage to get everything you Want out of your day?
 

Also, if you are a PLANNER, like myself, you really have to check out this site Kristen's Guide! It really is PERFECT!
 

Bombtastic Berry Blast.

This recipe calls for:

2 cups red cabbage

2 stalks asparagus

1/2 peeled cucumber

2 peeled/cored apples

1 dozen fresh strawberries

splash of agave nectar

handful of ice

If you haven't already guessed, I mixed all my greens together first with a little bit of filtered water.

I peeled my cucumber, only because I have a digestion problem when it comes to cucumber peel. The problem is, it won't digest, it makes me really sick. So unless you have that same problem, I don't see any  reason why you couldn't leave the peel on. Then of course, I add my fruit and at the end I add just a splash of agave nectar to give it a little extra sweetness.

Asparagus and cucumber both have a high water content, which make them a great Natural diuretic. Try drinking this if you have mild/moderate bloating associated with P.M.S. instead of taking a water pill.

Banana Nectarberry

The banana takes center stage in this one.

 

This recipe calls for:

3 cups baby spinach

2 cups strawberries

1 nectarine

1 whole banana 

1 cup cherries 

 

This time I blended the spinach and nectarine together because I left the skin on the nectarine. Next time, I think that I will remove at least a little bit of the peel.  Even though there are more strawberries than cherries, the cherry flavor really over powers the strawberry, so if you are looking for more of a strawberry flavor then I would cut the cherry measurement down and just add more strawberry.

 

Red Tropic with Protein

This had a great Pineapple flavor and smooth texture.

This recipe calls for:

2 cups red cabbage

2 cups Strawberries

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 cup frozen mango

1 peeled/cored apple

1/2 cup chopped tofu

splash of agave nectar

As always, I blend the cabbage first to make sure it is good and chopped.

Then just add your fruit, blend well, and enjoy!

It's a bird, It's a plane, No, It's SuperMOM!

 A dear friend informed me yesterday that she was in a conversation about how women lived their lives "back in the day" and she said that I immediately came to her mind. I cook,clean, craft, do the bills, do All school functions, stay at home with my son and try to teach him, and so on. She told me I was the ultimate SUPERMOM! I tell you what, I was almost in tears, we Stay at home Moms don't get much credit these days so it meant a lot to me that she said this.
  Now it's time for me to honor that title. Today I am going to be an aunt again, so I have to be there for that special moment.
 But wait, that's not all over the next few days I will be: being mommy to Buster and Sleepin Beauty , go to the candy store and get candy for a Tackle Box cake that I am making for my nephew,Meals, Bills, Preparing for Gamer Goob(my hubby) to come home, make a cake for Lance Corporal's (my brother) birthday, not to mention meet with the EASTER BUNNY, Easter Sunday church, and our traditional Easter egg cake decorating!
Wow, I know that there is more that I have to do, but after looking at all that I am wondering when I am going to have time to shower! Whew! Well, I guess there is no time like the present..Up,UP and AWAY!

The CrapRoller 3000 is on the loose again!

 It was such a beautiful weekend that I really hated it to end, especially since it is being followed by rain, heavy winds, cold temperatures and,get this, they will up date us on the chance of snow! Seriously! I have so many things to do this week to get prepared for my daughter's first pageant that I cannot afford for this week to start out terrible.

Still yet,the rain has brought with it a steam roller of setbacks, 

The CrapRoller 3000.

The sound was faint when it started it's engine at 3:30 am. My son climbed into my bed wanting to cuddle, but he refused to sleep, he was too busy watching the t.v.,with no noise so of course he complained about that, and right before I turned it off(which I sleep with on, for comfort) I noticed some red on his cheeks and mouth, but he told me it was nothing and I believed him.

 Ha,What a Fool I am! 

  The engine blaired it's loud ugly horn at me when my daughter woke me up at 6:30 saying that she tried to cuddle her brother in my bed and she thinks he drooled on her butt( okay, stop laughing because here comes the crappy part) He had peed himself all in my bed!
  Wait, we are not stopping there. After I have cleaned him up,and attempted to get started on cleaning my bed and getting my daughter started on her morning routine, I look in the fridge to realize that there is an EMPTY box of strawberries staring back at me,and we are talking the BIG box that you get from Sam's Club. The CrapRoller3000 has just turned on it's headlights preparing for a long, dark drive!
  Now, I know you all are remembering back to what I had said about my son having red on his cheeks and mouth, and if you haven't already figured it out, My 3 year old son got up sometime around 3am and ate approximately 1 lb of fresh strawberries! I have to say this though, when he sneaks into the kitchen for a snack, I am glad what he chooses is healthy. He could have opted to do some more investigating in the kitchen which would have resulted in finding my own secret stash of Oreo cookie icing!

What I don't understand is how a child that small can eat that much,

when I get full after just a few!

 So, morning routine is done, my daughter is safe at school and on time, so I am thinking that maybe today won't be so bad,  there have been a few setbacks but nothing I can't handle.
  I send my son to go play while I try to finish cleaning up my bed and get the ball rolling on the house work,what I didn't know is there was a lonely bottle of Gummy Vitamins sitting on the counter with the lid off, Thank You SleepinBeauty!
My  son caming walking into my room staring at the floor saying,my belly hurts I wanna lay in your bed. "why does your belly hurt?" I ask, and just then an image of a gas tank with the arrow on Full pops into my head. He says " MOM, I'm sorry I ate all the vitamins." Here folks, is where neighbors were probably covering their ears either from the sound of me freaking out or the obnoxious blairing of the horn because the CrapRoller 3000 is letting everyone know " My tank is full,my lights are on, I am sure you can hear me coming, so don't act surprised when I Roll my Crap your way!"
  As I am sure you figured out, I had to make a call to Poison Control, he had eaten a good 10-15 gummy viatimins. They informed me that as long as the vitamins do not have Iron or Flouride in them,then there is not a huge concern. Do Not induce vomiting. Just let nature run it's course and if he does start vomiting or getting dizzy or any other notable changes in behavior then I need to call them back. Whew, I thought we were gonna be rushing to the ER!
  So, now that I feel a little more at ease about my son's health and I have had a long discussion about this type of behavior being UNACCEPTABLE,now it's on to punishment. Grounded for the remainder of the day; that includes not being able to play with his sister, something that he thinks is worse than ANY  punishment.
But wait, my nerves are still shaky,and my belly is cramping. Oh H*LL NO, This CrapRoller 3000 Will NOT ruin my breakfast,over my dead body! Where is my sledge hammer,we have got to nip this in the bud? I am going to town ladies! Everyone get your game face on and your swinging arm ready, it's gonna take a lot of perseverance because I hear the CrapRoller 3000 was made in mass quantities and not one of them has fixed the "sticking accelerator pedal" recall!

Tropical Mint Surprise!!

Great Tropical flavor with a hint of mint after every swallow!

This recipe calls for:

 About 3 leaves of Raw Cabbage

1 cup frozen pineapple

1/2 cup frozen peaches

about 6 fresh strawberries

small handful of cherries(for color)

1 sprig mint

Take me to RedHeaven!

 A Berry Lovers Heaven!

This recipe calls for:

1 handful Baby spinach

1 cup whole frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup frozen blackberries

2 Tbsp vanilla yogurt

As always, I like to blend the greens first to ensure optimum creaminess.

Then you just throw in your fruit and yogurt. 

Blend to desired consistency.

This has a Great Berry flavor and a good balance between tart and sweet.

You can definitely taste the raspberry and strawberry.

Definitely on my top favorites list!

Thanks to Shannon Slaughter for naming this one!

Day 10 - Love is Unconditional.

 The book says:

 " If someone were to ask you, 'Why do you love your wife?' or 'Why do you love your husband?' --what would you say?
  Most men mention their wife's beauty, her sense of humore, her kindness, her inner strength. They might talk about her cooking, her knack for decorating, or what a good mother she is.
 Women would probably say something about their husband's good looks or his personality. They'd commend him for his steadiness and consistent character. They'd say they love him because he's always there for them. He's generous. He's helpful.
But what if over the course of years, your wife or husband stopped being every one of these things. Would you still love them? Based on your answers above, the only logical response would be 'no'. If your reasons for loving your spouse all have something to do with his or her qualities-and then those same qualities suddenly or gradually disappear-your basis for love is over.
  The only way love can last a lifetime is if it's unconditional.

Smooth Operator-YUM!

My son "Buster" (his dad gave him that Nickname) decided that he wanted to make his own Green Smoothie for his snack today. He says "They are healthy cuz they have SALAD!" I let him choose what ingredients he wanted and let him help through the whole process, and I have to say, I think this will be our thing. My daughter likes to bake with me and my son, likes to make smoothies and I am completely okay with that. I have to admit that I really liked the taste of this one, good banana flavor with just a hint of cherry, and the honey adds a little sweetness but not too much.

So here are the ingredients and a few photos of "Buster" showing the step by step:

I'll have my salad in a cup Please!

 So, my friend keeps posting Notes about new Green Smoothie Recipes. Me being the curious kitten I am decided that this is my new,"Must Try" project. I went online and looked at probably the top 50 sites that came up when I typed in Green Smoothies into Google.

Wow, I have to tell you, there is so much information out there that I am still processing it all. I have read so much that I can't even begin to decide where to start a more informative note. So until I do so, here are three sites that I have bookmarked to share with others.

The thorns don't seem too big..

So far, I have not gotten any sort of Q&A going for this series but I believe it is going quite well. She has got almost a full month of stickers built up, which she is very happy about because she knows that means she gets to have a friend sleep over.  Surprisingly, there has only been one night were she came to my bed and was successful, it was on a night after her father went back out of town for work. I gave in at about 4 a.m., but made her do extra chores the next day to earn her sticker.
Wait, this is not true, she was successful another night, just last week.
  She was sneaky about it though.
 Here's the deal. I have been having trouble sleeping with her father being gone during the week, and the most sleep I get is when he is home for the weekend and I get to fall asleep in his lap around 9 p.m. but this last weekend we had family in from out of town, so I didn't get those extra hours of sleep because we were visiting with them. So by nearly the end of the week I was running on E! My son wasn't feeling good and he went to sleep around 5:30, and well as awful as I feel about it, I turned on some cartoons for Sleepin Beauty and I crashed on the couch around 7pm. I vaguely remember her asking to wear one of my shirts to bed, in which I responded "sure, let me turn on my light" which I did, but immediately fell back asleep in my bed. I wake up to her turning off the light and climbing in bed with me at around 11pm, I look at her puzzled and say " What are you doing in my bed?" Her response " You told me that if I cleaned my room all up then I could sleep with you just this ONE time!" I said, "When did I say THAT?" " When you were sleeping of course." she says...I got up and locked the house up and checked her room, and Yes she did clean it, even made the bed. But I went to back to bed amazed at how I had been taken advantage of in a very weak state by a 5 YEAR OLD!!

Other than that, I am pleased to announce that Sleepin Beauty has stayed in her bed almost 1 full month now, and besides been sneaky the only obstacle I have observed is that she has bad dreams and says that she needs a "Bad Dream Catcher" like mommy has so she won't need to send her dreams to my room!

Also, her rewards have been: Baking Cookies, Decorating cupcakes for our family and friends for V-Day, and staying up 30 minutes late to play a few rounds of Dominoes with Mom, Dad, and little brother.

Day 9 - Love makes good impressions.

The book says:

"Learning to demonstrate aspects of love like patience, kindness, and encouragement are not always easy but are certainly crucial to a healthy relationship. So dealing with the way you greet your spouse each day may seem inconsequential, but this small issue carries surprising significance.
You can tell a lot about the state of a couple's relationship from the way they greet one another. It's probably something you don't think about very often-the first thing you say to him/her when you wake up in the morning,the look on your face when you get in the car,the energy in your voice when you speak on the telephone. But here's something else you probably don't stop to consider-the difference it would make in your spouse's day if everything about you expressed the fact that you were really, really glad to see them.
  When someone communicates that they are glad to see you, your personal sense of self-worth increases. You feel more important and valued.
 That's because a good greeting sets the stage for positive and healthy interaction. Like love, it puts wind in your sails. A loving greeting can bless your spouse through what they see,hear,and feel. Think of the opportunities you have to greet each other on a regular basis.
  It doesn't have to be bold and dramatic every time. But adding warmth and enthusiasm gives you the chance to touch your mate's heart in subtle,unspoken ways. Even when you're not getting along too well, you can lessen the tension and give them value by the way you greet them.
  Remember, love is a choice. So choose to change your greeting. Choose to love.

Today's Dare

Think of a specific way you'd like to greet your spouse today.

Do it with a smile and with enthusiasm. 

Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for them

Day 8- Love Is Not Jealous.

The book says:

"Jealousy is one of the strongest drives known to man.
There are actually two forms: a legitimate jealousy based upon love and an illegitimate jealousy based upon envy.
Legitimate jealousy sparks when someone you love, who belongs to you, turns his or her heart away and replaces you with someone else...
.we will shift our focus to the illegitimate kind of jealous that is in opposition to love, the one that is rooted in selfishness. This is to be jealous of someone to be 'moved with envy.'
It has been said that people are fine with your succeeding, just as long as it is not more than theirs. Jealousy is a common struggle. If you're not careful, jealousy slithers like a viper into your heart and strikes your motivations and relationships.
When you were married, you were given the role of becoming your spouse's biggest cheerleader and the captain of his/her fan club. Both of you became one and were to share in the enjoyment of the other. But if selfishness rules, any good thing happening to only one of you can be a catalyst for envy rather than congratulations.
  A loving husband doesn't mind his wife being better at something, having more fun, or getting more applause. He sees her as completing him, not competing him.
  A loving wife will be the first to cheer for her man when he wins. She does not compare her weaknesses to his strengths.
It is time to let love, humility, and gratefulness destroy any jealousy that springs up in your heart. It's time to let your mate's successes draw you closer together and give you greater opportunities to show genuine love.

Today's Dare

Determine to become your spouse's biggest fan and to reject any thoughts of jealousy.

To help you set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements,

take yesterday's list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it. 

Then share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he/she recently enjoyed.

Day 7 - Love believes the best.

 The book says:

"In the deep and private corridors of your heart, there is a room. It's called the Appreciation Room. It's where your thoughts go when you encounter positive and encouraging things about your spouse. On the walls are written kind words or phrases describing the good attributes of your mate.
 But you may have found that you don't visit this special room as often as you once did.
 Down another darker corridor of your heart lies the Depreciation Room, and unfortunately you visit there as well. On it's walls are written the things that bother and irritate you about your spouse. It's where ammunition is kept for the next big fight and bitterness is allowed to spread like a disease. People fall out of love here.

   But know this. Spending time in the Depreciation Room kills marriages. The more time you spend in this place, the more your heart devalues your spouse. You may say, 'But these things are true!' Yes, but so are the things in the Appreciation Room. Everyone fails and has areas that need growth.This is a sad aspect of being human. But we have this unfortunate tendency to downplay our own negative attributes while putting our partner's failures under a magnifying glass.

Day 5- Love is not rude.

The book says:

  "Rudeness is unnecessarily saying or doing things that are unpleasant for another person to be around.
As always, love has something to say about this. When a man is driven by love, he intentionally behaves in a way that's more pleasant for his wife to be around. If she desires to love him, she purposefully avoids things that frustrate him or cause him discomfort.
The bottom line is that genuine love minds it's manners.
Good manners express to your wife or husband 'I value you enough to exercise some self-control around you. I want to be a person who's a pleasure to be with.'
 If you don't let love motivate you to make needed changes in your behavior,the quality of your marriage relationship will suffer for it.
  There are two main reasons why people are rude: ignorance and selfishness."

Yoga is for wimps.

Ya, Smokin Hot Wimps, Right?

There was a point in my life when I thought Yoga was just some sort of meditation/stretching exercise.
I laughed at the thought of doing those crazy poses.
Not that I had anything against it, or the people who practiced it,I just wasn't that interested. Honestly, I was intimidated. I mean come one, a mother of two should not be putting on tight clothes like that and bending in weird ways like that.

Okay, now is the time where I apologize for my ignorance.

I am sorry!

Day 4-Love is thoughtful!

The book says;

"Love thinks. It's not a mindless feeling that rides on waves of emotion and falls asleep mentally. It keeps busy in thought, knowing that loving thoughts precede loving actions. If you don't learn to be thoughtful,you end up regretting missed opportunities to demonstrate love. Thoughtlessness is a silent enemy to a loving relationship.
Love requires thoughtfulness-on both sides- the kind that builds bridges through the constructive combination of patience,kindness,and selflessness. Love teaches you how to meet in the middle, to respect and appreciate how your spouse uniquely thinks.
A husband should listen to his wife and learn to be considerate of her unspoken messages. A wife should learn to communicate truthfully and not say one thing while meaning another."

Day 3- Love is not Selfish.

 The book says:

" If there were ever a word that basically means the opposite of love,it is selfishness.
 Loving couples-the ones who are enjoying the full purpose of marriage-are bent on taking good care of the other flawed human they get to share life with.
Love is never satisfied except in the welfare of others.
Love also leads to inner joy. When you prioritize the well being of your mate, there is a resulting fulfillment that cannot be duplicated by selfish actions. The truth, when you relinquish your rights for the sake of your mate, you get a chance to lose yourself to the greater purpose of marriage."

Battling the thorns...

..to get SleepinBeauty BACK in her bed!

  After many failed attempts, here I am again. I feel as though I am watching the rerun of a movie; mother squats down to meet eye to eye with a beautiful curly haired petite blond girl that is crying so hard she is trembling. She promises said little girl every reward imaginable if she will just, sleep in her own bed!!
 Yep, that's me.

Day 2-- Love is kind!

The book says:
 " Kindness is love in action. If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how love acts to maximize a positive circumstance."
 " One is preventive, the other proactive. But 'kindness' can feel a little generic when you try defining it, much less living it."

They go on to break kindness down into four "basic core ingredients."

Day 1 -- Love is patient!

The book says:
 "Love is built on two pillars that best define what it is. Those pillars are patience and kindness. All other characteristics of love are extensions of these two attributes."

"When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation.You are slow to anger. Rather than being restless and demanding, love helps you settle down and begin extending mercy to those around you. Patience is where love meets wisdom. And every marriage needs that combination to stay healthy.
 Few of us do patience very well, and none of us do it naturally. But wise men and women will pursue it as an essential ingredient to their marriage relationships."

I resolve, to be better than before.

I have recently decided that above all else, I have to fix my marriage. I have attempted doing The Love Dare Book before, but outside obstacles always deter me from the task at hand.

 My husband and I used to flow very well, picking up where the other left off. He knew what his responsibilities were as I did mine, and then we had children! I became a full time mother and he became the sole provider. We have both grown a lot over the years, he is a very hard worker and I struggle every day to become a better mother and wife than the day before.
 But, somewhere along the way we lost sight of the fact that this marriage is still new and needs a lot of tending to. Before we knew it we were both living different lives, his was work where he got to meet new people on a daily basis, and mine was cleaning one mess just to find another, and meeting new people meant going to the grocery store just to get out of the house.