Our current favorite smoothie

What's this interesting concoction, you ask? Well, it's our new favorite smoothie around our house. I mix almond milk, a dab of plain yogurt, a little honey, ground flaxseed, spinach (I pureed some leftover fresh leaves and poured them into ice cube trays... brought me back to my baby food-makin' days), frozen berries, frozen mango, and perhaps a banana. The kids and myself love it equally, and Daddy tolerates it beautifully. Upon first sight a few weeks ago, he did comment that it looked like blended gallbladder, but I digress.

Healthy eats to you and yours!

B-Ball video

Just try to watch this without crying at the end. Impossible. This video is from last year, but I just saw it on Dooce's site this week.

Birth according to Emerson

This is what Emerson brought to me last week. She said, "Mommy, look. I drew a baby coming out of you." When I asked her what all of the purple stuff surrounding the baby was, she answered that it was the baby's food.

A few thoughts on this... 1) the image of me quite resembles a four-armed Humpty Dumpty, and I have a sweet afro going on. 2) I love how she's using the arrow to show downward motion and some sort of coil... perhaps the baby springs when it hits the ground? 3) This is what pregnancy looks and feels like to me. She nailed it.

Mascara #1

So I've begun my inaugural mascara testing experiment. Because of the Sephora mascara sampler box that Lisa bought me for Christmas, I have been charged with reporting my findings.

The past 30 days I have been using Buxom by Bare Minerals. The wand is made of some type of silicone or rubbery-type material, which is a strange sensation to the lashes. The mascara doesn't clump on the wand, which is nice, but I felt like the largest amount of mascara ended up on the base of my lashes versus the tips. I would describe it as lengthening but not volumizing. The color is a very dark black. Another positive is that it didn't smudge at all. I would consider this a great day mascara but probably wouldn't choose it for a night out.

Grade: C+

Happy 2nd birthday, Hayden Reece!

Little Hot Sauce, you have officially entered the world of two! What a bundle of joy you are to our family. I can't imagine life without you... you brighten each day with your zest and energy and passion. I am so thankful we didn't stop with two. You are precious, sweet girl.

A few of my favorite things about you right now:

• When asked if your name is Hayden, you reply in a low, husky, Eastwood-esque voice, "No.... name's Hot Toss."
• When I try to sing along with you in the car, you holler, "Mommy, leh me ting!"
• You have my hyper side... it usually comes out when you hug one of us. Teeth clenched, shaking, squealing, the whole bit. It's so awesome.
• Your gallop. More often than not, you go from room to room with the cutest little horsey gallop.
• You adore your brother and sister. And you can argue/fight with them so well already. 

Your big day was capped off with a little party at Mazzio's with our family/godfamily.

* Her stitches came out on Saturday! The scar looks really good... I'm gonna start her on Mederma this week and see if we can't make it look even better.

Cavetime.org

These two videos are from Cavetime, the ministry of our pastor Jeff Voth. We have been so blessed to be able to help support this ministry and watch first-hand how it has changed so many men's lives. Do yourself a favor and watch them. Then have your husband watch them. Check out the website, Cavetime.org, and buy the book. Have Jeff come speak to the men of your church. I can vouch for him. He's awesome. And that's his voice on the videos.





Here's the 2nd Video


Speaking of manly things... my poor husband is snowed in in the city of Green Bay tonight. He's been gone since Sunday afternoon, and he was supposed to get back late tonight, but the 8 inches that fell today put a stop to all departing flights. He's been going stir-crazy in his hotel room, and the kids and I are missing him terribly. He had incredible client meetings the last few days, so that's the silver lining.

Hayden's forehead is healing nicely. I've been keeping that thing bandaged and slathered with Neosporin. I read an article recently that looked at wounds that were allowed to 'air out' versus wounds that were kept covered and moist. They found that there was less scarring with the covered wounds. So there you have it, folks. Compelling scientific data reported to you live from Dr. V.V., She Who is Currently Obsessed with Neosporin. Hot Sauce is hilarious when I put the band-aid on. She'll say, "Touch Eye, Touch Head, No Touch Here" while pointing to her owie. That child just needs to know her boundaries at all times. Stitches come out on Saturday!

I have one last day with her before she turns 2. Insane! I truly can't believe it's been two years since I gave birth to her. The whirlwind that has been our life during these past two years has often reminded me to slow down and enjoy each day because it flies by so stinkin' quickly.

Update on Emerson... she was accepted to the private school we applied to, but there is a possibility she could be wait-listed. So we have to just hang out and wait for a month or so until they let us know. Ugh.