Somebody turned 1

Skip Halloween and Thanksgiving and go straight to THIS

 I can't wait to make these guys. My crafty friend and I will have a lovely day of snacks, singing, project making and baby holding.
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Uh huh... I got it.

The Great Showdown

"Oh there you are!"

"Noooooooo!"

Yes, Let Us.

Image found here

Summertime at Grandma's House

My mom has a great yard. So much space and the pool is fun. Actually everyone loves it. Booey gets to bark at the neighbors, Lucy gets to run like mad all over the place and that day C walked up and down the long driveway. He would be pushing his toy and all of the sudden next thing I know he's walking next to me holding nothing. That day, Dan had a practice course for his bike on the driveway. What a nerd.

One of These Everyday

 

I'm trying to eat better, I know it's the just the way that normal people eat all of the time but I'm trying to convert from eating Jack in the Box and McDonalds every day to eating more whole foods. It was hard at first because I've always sworn that I was born with a "hunger" gene. I've found that if I eat spinach in the morning in my shakes it helps curb my craving for "disgusting food." I got these books by Dr Fuhrman and his whole philosophy is the more nutrients your body gets, the more your brain will know that you are getting what you need and you will be less hungry. I think it's working, I've lost about 10 pounds, but I'll update you in a month. (I don't follow his whole vegan thing, but I've been cutting back.)

Anyways, the point of this post is these smoothies are actually REALLY good! Here's a recipe for the one that I created. I've been using a magic bullet but my Vitamix gets here today!! Yipeeeeeeeeee!

Purple Smoothie

1.5 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed

1 Cup of Frozen Blueberries or Frozen Mixed Berries

1 Whole Green Apple

1&1/2 Cups Baby Spinach

Half Frozen Banana

A Few Pieces of Frozen Pineapple or Frozen Mango

Some Almond Milk to help Smooth it Out

(You can also add some plain yogurt)

Another One I Love 

The Green Mango Smoothie

1.5 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed 

Fill your Blender with Half Spinach and Half Frozen Mango

Use your Liquid of Choice or Yogurt of Choice

Blend until Smooth. Yum.

Yo Yo Yo Yogurt

We bought a yogurt maker a few weeks ago and I make a fresh batch every week. Nothing like some good organic, fresh yogi. I usually make plain but Dan hates it that way so this time I used vanilla and a little Stevia. Mmmm. All you do is boil a quart of organic milk, let it get back down to lukewarm, add 5 tablespoons of your favorite plain organic yogurt to a few oz of the cooled down milk (or buy yogurt starter) and mix that back into the original batch. Put it in the little jars and it does all of the work overnight for you. You can also make cheese from yogurt, that is my next adventure.

Hello.

Counting Down the Days Until September 13th.......

Yes please... saw a preview of some luggage I already know that I want. 400 other items are coming along with that. Yummmm.

Daily Affirmation

No Seriously, Listen.

I realized today that I am surrounded by living things that have no idea what I am saying, yet I expect them to understand.

This is what was happening when I gave up and realized that they could care less.

"Charlie, no no, don't grab Booey okay?" "
"Boo, NO! (while he stays in the same spot and grumples non-stop) just run away if you don't like it."

They both ignored me and kept doing what they were doing. I'm tired.

Pipe Dreams

That we could live by the ocean
but also in the woods
on a large piece of property
with perfect weather year round
in a house like this, (but the larger version).
I'm pretty sure there isn't a place like that but if there was it would cost gazillions I'm sure.

This is actually the 250sf modular home by l41. They make different connecting pieces to "grow your home". They're made in VC and approved to put on teeny tiny lots so anyone can get a home.
Cool idea.

On a lighter note...

I pirated this pic off Susan's (married to my cousin, Ryan) cake decorating blog. I never knew she was a cake decorator and I am trying to figure out an excuse to have her make me one of these....  YUM!

A BATHTIME SCARE: Every Father, Mother or Future Parent Needs to Read THIS

A week and a half ago when I was still at work doing one of my monthly 12 hour days....baby was taking his nightly bath and Dan was holding his arm when he went after a toy head first, with his mouth open (to grab it with his mouth of course). Dan grabbed him up right away but he was just in a staring spell, not breathing. He ran with him to look at the first aid chart that I got one day in the mail and decided to put up in our pantry. He gave him 5 back blows and it did nothing, he still wasn't breathing, considered calling 911 but wasn't giving up so he gave him chest compressions and snot and flem came up and eventually, water, then a breath.
When I got home Dan told me all about it and of course I was a wreck. The baby was already asleep and I just wanted to see him so badly that I couldn't wait until he woke up and wanted to get in our bed (which we are trying to break his habit of but not that night). I waited to hear his little cry and grew more and more anxious thinking about what could have happened so I took a shower and bawled my eyes out for 20 minutes. An hour later I snatched him out of bed and laid down with him and of course didn't sleep all night. I was so glad to have my little baby safe and sound.

WHAT WE DIDN'T DO THAT WE SHOULD HAVE........(This is the part you HAVE to read)

I thought that we were just lucky and that it was a scare but that everything was fine. It was. BUT...did you know that you are supposed to keep a VERY close watch on a child that had lung trauma like an "almost" drowning episode? They can still drown within 24 hours of the trauma from water that stayed trapped in the lungs. You are to immediately get chest x-rays and an exam to be sure that your child isn't susceptible to "dry drown." I heard this a week later and obviously it didn't happen to C but I had no idea that it could have. When I took him to the doctor for an ear infection yesterday, I told her what happened and that I didn't know that I was supposed to do anything about it, she gave me a very serious look with eyebrows raised and confirmed that we should have gone to the ER. She also said, "Dan did the right thing and acted quickly, that saved his life."
This wasn't something I was going to blog about because it is so personal but I felt like I should share it to educate parents and caretakers on...
A: Just how quickly something bad really can happen in the bath even when you are right there so you should NEVER EVER leave for "just a second"
B: Knowing about the close monitoring after lung trauma
C: It's so important to take safety classes for children. Dan and I are looking to get certified right away.

PS, I took this picture while my mom was sitting right next to the bath!

Wasaaaaaaaabi

I put this trail mix on every salad I eat. It's the perfect blend of sweet, salty and spicy. I'm so addicted!

Wall Mounted Terrarium

I was saving this post for a different blog but I wanted to share it anyways. I have had many posts talking about terrariums but now I can brag a little bit because I finally did my own.....and, it's been alive for 3 weeks. I think that's a record for me.

I really wanted something that would hang or be up high and although I LOVE the glass hanging terrariums, I am a weirdo about safety with the little one around. Instead I found this acrylic wall mounted fish bowl...it's perfect!

 

You have to use a soft surface for the acrylic while you are making these because it scratches easily

Added my plants, then my soil and watered it. 

PS...bottom right picture has a little man in it (and a chihuahua). See him?

Poor chap was in the bouncer staring longingly at the porch where I was working.

The only sad thing was that I broke off tons of leaves :(

I chose not to add anything to the soil like shells or rocks because I liked the organic look of it. 

Finito!

Thanks Mo

Picked this up for the babe today from my friend, Mo, on her Etsy page. She's good. I've had my eye on it and finally bit the bullet. Buy similar items here.

Mason Jar Lights

Soooooo Pretty. You can get them here.

One Sunday Afternoon...

Some of the Nephews

Cottage Flowers

Our once Mid-Century Home (rock yard, desert landscape ranch house built in 1964) is now more of a cottage style, but only on the outside. I am slowly becoming obsessed with plants and flowers. It all started last year when we took out the rock yard, planted grass and created planters. We went to this giant nursery where you have to drive around to see all of the different plants. Endless possibilities. Also we fixed the outside of our house, painted and added more river rock. One day I will show you before and afters, but only when my flowers are all in bloom. I hope to show you all of these plants in my yard by the end of summer, so far we have 3 out of 4 and are waiting on a bid for our white picket fence...ah the American Dream. Now......how do I fit succulents into all of this??

Don't Walk.....Run

... and get THIS mask

while it is on sale. I have no idea what inspired me to buy this today at Costco, not that I need inspiration to buy much of anything. It said "Mud" instead of "Masque" and I think I instantly went back to Glen Ivy and the great Mud Bath they have there. It's my favorite part about going there because my skin always looks so much better after "Club Mud." It used to be $61.00 from Borghese but now you can get it for $22 with this weeks coupons for Costco. Anyways, I tried it just now and it is AMAZING. My skin feels tight and toned and super soft.
 Here is the rest of my regimen tonight.
                                     

   This Before the Mud

Then after I took the mud off with a damp washcloth, I sprayed this. It smells like the earth, I love it.

 After the Toner I put cow booby juice on my face. Gross huh.

I love this.

I just stumbled upon this blog, Grizzly Bear Modern, when I was looking for inspiration for a succulent terrarium. Obviously, this isn't a terrarium, but it's lovely!!

Lashes

Need I say more?

Where did our last blog posts go??? Anyone know?

Accomplishments so far today

Change a Stinky Diaper and take the "peed on" PJ's off Baby (every morning!)- Check
Baby's Bath- Check
Feed Baby- Check
Dress Baby- Check
Change another Stinky Diaper- Check
Kill 2 Flys- Check
Eat Half of a Banana (That's all I had time for)- Check

AND FINALLY..... Baby's Nap. Oh it has been DAYS since he took a nap!
Off to eat the rest of my breakfast and clean out my closet. Goodbye tiny jeans that I wore 3 years ago. My lovely bones have spread and are never going to fit in a 26 or 27 again.

Someone Thinks He's a Big Boy at 7 Months

Seriously.

Hooooooooray for Sunshine!!!

I am so happy I am so happy I am so happy I am so happy I am so happy I am so happy.

One Reason I'm Glad He Can Crawl

No more pictures of the "rug", I'm so over that rug being in every picture I take.

C at 6 Months

Crawling all over the house, bottom teeth and eating solids are all things that happened by 6 months. And some more stuff....

LOTS OF BLOGGING

HANGING WITH BOO

THE BEACH

TEETH (SO HE FEELS THEM WITH HIS TONGUE)

EATING

LOTS OF WALKS