High five for Friday!

Out with the old, in with the new! I'm saying sayonara to my horrible week and welcoming the weekend with open arms. TGIF!



Happy thoughts...

1. "It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday!" he he he he...
2. Cheered myself up last night with dinner out with the fam followed by a trip to the Apple store where we purchased the new iPad. I lurve it! (But of course, with the way my week has been going the one we purchased was slightly defective, so it will be exchanged today.)
3. The kiddos & I are over our colds! Bout dang time!
4. Leaving for Vegas 2 weeks from today! And ya know what I'm most excited for? Getting 2 solid, no-baby-waking-me-up nights of sleep. 
5. Gonna get my craft on this weekend. Stay tuned for my March DIY project. I'm cutting it close, right?
6. Jenna posted a recipe for Coconut Almond Butter and I am so making it tonight. Yummo!
7. I think we're booking our family trip to Maui tonight. Sun, sand, pina coladas... oh yeah!
8. My girl scout cookies were delivered today! (& I've already eaten half a box!) 
9. Landon finally gave me a good chunk of sleep last night - 6 hours straight. It felt SO good & as a result, I feel GREAT.
10. It's almost the weekend, need I say more?

What are you high-fiving Friday for?

I'm linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk today. 

Wise Words Wednesday: This Too Shall Pass

"This too shall pass." - medieval proverb, exact source unknown

This week has been "one of those weeks." Nothing seems to be in my favor and I find myself continually telling myself "this too shall pass." The saying has always brought me peace in knowing that life is ever changing and nothing is permanent. I guess that's a little bit frightening at the same time.

Interestingly, I always assumed this saying came from the Bible. According to all of my googling, it does not. Good to know, I guess.

Sorry, I don't have much to say today. Sleep deprivation and the-cold-from-hell are getting the best of me. I will try my hardest to get back to happy-shiny-rainbows-&-sunshine-Ariel as soon as possible. :-)

My Boys

I am grateful to have some fabulous gentlemen in my life. Boys, here's what I have to say to you...



To my wonderful Hubby...
Thank you for loving me unconditionally - for accepting my controlling tendencies, my mood swings, & my laziness. Thanks for cooking delicious food for me, for helping to keep the house clean, & for bringing home the bacon. You rock my world. I love that you are the best daddy I could have ever imagined to our children. I love EVERY thing about you.



To my darling Landon Drew...
My little chubby-wubkins! You make mommy so proud. I've only really known you for 5 months, but I can't imagine life without you. I love your smell, your rolls, your giggles, your snuggles, and the way your ENTIRE face lights up when you smile. You are my little ray of light in a sometimes very dark world. And if you figure out how to sleep better, I'll love you even more!



My first born, my Billy dog...
I love you Billy Dee! I'm sorry that your life has changed so much since Leila & Landon came along. You are the BEST dog in the world. But, you are more than just a dog to me. I love how you keep my feet warm at night. I love how you can sense when I'm sad and you smother me in kisses. I love your playful behavior...how it comes out once the kiddos go to bed. I hope you can always feel my love, even if I don't always have the time to show it.

LOVE,

Wifey/Mommy Ariel

The calm AFTER the storm.

This past weekend started off to a rocky start for me. On Friday I woke up feeling like death. I had been struggling with a nasty cold all week and on Friday, after Landon was up all night coughing with the same cold, I woke up feeling worse than ever. Since both kiddos were also in rough shape I called in sick to work. Friday tested my patience to the max. I won't go into details, I'll I will say is that there was a steady pattern of crying throughout the day - me included.

BUT, my Saturday & Sunday? They were relaxing & fabulous! The hubby was home and I was SO grateful to have his help! I still feel pretty crappy, but I'm getting better and so are the kids. Here is our weekend in bullets & photos...

...Leila had her 1st real gymnastics class. She did SO good & loved every second of it. And the nap she took that followed was heavenly for me. :-)

A couple of the pics are Leila loving the foam pit at gymnastics!


...I found this recipe for Strawberry Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting on Pinterest. It seriously looked so delicious to me that I ended up going to three grocery stores just to find strawberry cake mix (seriously, what is up with that? I thought it was common!). Needless to say, they were NOT good. WAY too sweet and sickening for me.

So pretty and easy to make, but not my cup of tea (Leila liked them though - hubby did NOT)...


...The rest of my weekend was spent deep in family time. Mainly we enjoyed the return of Spring weather with long walks out in the sun.

My bright pants from Target make me so happy! (& OMG, Leila needs new clothes!)


Leila likes to walk Billy...


First Spring flowers!


...Landon had his first food this weekend! Avocado! We aren't really going to start feeding him until he's 6 months old, but we had this beautiful avocado with dinner, so I decided to mash a little up for him. Leila fed him and he seemed pretty interested in it. :-)

...More big Landon news... he's starting to sit up all by himself! He lasted about 2 minutes today. Still wobbly, though.

Mmmmmmmm...avocado...


Not so sure about this, Ma...


How was your weekend? Here's to a productive week ahead!

To be a kid again...

I often find myself daydreaming about my childhood. I try to remember what it felt like to have not a care in the world. No bills. No work. No stress. Growing up out in the boonies, my weekends were usually spent exploring the woods around my house; building forts with fallen branches, making mud pies, and just plain getting down and dirty. Life was simple and oh so good.

When I watch my kiddos play I try my hardest to live vicariously through them. To return to the days of "not a care in the world." Ah, to be a kid again...







My childhood was wonderful. It was full of imaginative play. There were no computers, no cable TV. My media interaction consisted of Saturday morning cartoons, which were such a treat! Sometimes I wonder and worry about my kiddos' childhood. I really can't relate to how they are going to grow up in this world where screens surround them constantly... the TV, the computer, cell phones, tablets. How will this affect their future?

I just hope they will always appreciate the simple things in life. Turning the pages of a favorite book. Rolling down a grassy hill. Pretending a broom is their trusty steed. I hope they learn to let their imaginations run wild, like I did.... & sometimes still do.

5 Months

Landon Drew turned 5 months old yesterday and in a month he'll be half a year old! Wowzer!





All about my Lando at 5 months...

• Not sure what he weighs now, but he's wearing 6-12 month clothes (it depends on the brand). I usually have to put him in 12 month pants when he's wearing a cloth diaper because his fluffy butt is so big!
• He has rolled over a few times, but he's not doing it consistently. Mainly because he hates being left laying down anywhere. He would much rather be upright, either in his bumbo or bouncer or being held. Also, it's probably some serious hard work with his size. :-)
• Speaking of his bouncer/jumper thingy... he LOVES that thing. He will play contentedly in it for up to an hour - no joke!
• Still waking up at night to chow down. Shortly after he turned 4 months old he started sleeping REALLY poorly, waking up 2-3 times to eat at night (growth spurt?). Now he's back to waking once, usually around midnight, and then going back down until 6. I'll take it.
• He trys to grab for everything now - and put it in his mouth, of course. And he still loves to suck on his fingers.
• Landon refuses to take a binky. He's probably refused it for over a month now. It's nice because I don't have to stress about taking it from him later (like I did with Leila), but it's painful because he's still learning how to soothe himself. Sometimes it's nice to just put a plug in it, ya know what I mean?
• My boy LOVES his big sis. She walks into the room and his eyes just light up. And it totally melts my heart.
• One of my favorite Landonisms? When you're holding him and he gets SO excited to see someone else, he'll smile SO big and then turn away and nuzzle his face into you. Cutest thing ever.

Now do you want to know something that has been weighing on me lately? Ever heard of plagiocephaly? Well, it's pretty much a fancy word for the flat spot babies can get on the back of their heads from laying down so much. It's most common in preemies, or babies who are great sleepers, or babies who are big and grow really fast (like my Lando). In Landon's case, around 3 months we noticed that he had a preference for turning his head to the left. Even if he was sleeping and I turned his head to the right, he would soon turn it right back to the left. He may have had what's called torticollis (recently he seems to be much better about turning his head, though). Over time this caused flattening of the back left side of his head. Since realizing this was happening, we've been repositioning his head a lot, propping him up on his right side, and avoiding laying him on his back as much as possible. But, it doesn't seem to be getting much better.

It looks like there's a chance that our little Landon may get to wear a really cool helmet for a few months to re-shape his head. We took him to an orthotist and they took all sorts of measurements of his head and recommended it, but we've decided to re-evaluate at 6 months to make a final decision. There is always a chance that his head will shape out nicely as he continues to grow, but there is also a chance that it won't. And the chance that he'll come to me years from now in tears because his football helmet doesn't fit right kills me. So, I'd rather fix the issue now than take any chances. On the flip side, I'm stressed about the cost. And the fact that it's a friggin helmet!

I will definitely keep ya posted on what we decide to do in a few weeks.

Other than that, our little man is just a ball of happiness!



Sissy always wants in on the photo-taking action...

Wise Words Wednesday: My Fave

A friend of mine shared this book exerpt with me a while back when I was going through a serious case of battling the "what ifs" and ever since I have been obsessed with it. It is from Marianne Williamson's book, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles". I have not read the book yet, but I will definitely read it some day.

Lately I find myself reverting back to old ways...holding myself back from just "going for it." I know a lot of this has to do with the issue of time - I never seem to have enough of it - but, I think it is more about my fear.

So I've decided it is time to do something and I'm starting with the wise words above. I decided to make a little poster to hang in my office at work for daily inspiration. And guess what? I've decided to share it with you!

I also made this shortened version:



You can download the full version HERE.
You can download the shortened version HERE.

Print it out on a piece of 8.5x11 paper and you are good to go!

Oh, the irony.

So, ya know how in yesterday's post I was gushing about how I excited I am that Spring is here? Well, after an AWFUL night of tossing and turning with a killer sore throat and stuffy nose, I woke up to this...



I think I spoke too soon.

Spring Sprang Sprung

Spring is here! (Well, technically it's here tomorrow, but I'm feeling it today!)
Things I heart about Spring...

...flip flops, even if it is still a little too chilly to wear them
...bright toenails
...green grass



...sunshine
...more daylight
...playing outside



...the anticipation of Summer
...happier, perkier people
...growth



...the smell of fresh air
...switching from hot to iced coffees
...blue skies



...busting out the BBQ
...all things Easter
...more daylight = evening walks with the fam





What's your favorite thing about Spring?

"Hand" Photo Challenge

When I saw this week's photo challenge on The Paper Mama, I just had to link up. I took this one in Jan. 2011 on Leila's first trip to Hawaii.



Oh man, I wish I were on a beach somewhere soooo BAD right now!

Products on my mind...

While there may be a couple of heavy things in my heart right now, I'm happy to say that there are simple things in my head. Like the following products for example...



From left to right...

Skin29 Super Plus Beblesh Balm: Okay, apparently I am completely out-of-the-loop on the whole BB cream trend. Have you heard of BB cream? Have you used it? Honestly, I never knew such a thing existed until yesterday. Kate at The Small Things had a post about it and I was like, "what the heck is that?" And then I did some googling and discovered that it is supposedly the greatest makeup invention ever. I guess BB Cream (short for Blemish Balm) is all the rage in Asia - it acts as a wrinkle reducer, moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation all in one... an amped up tinted moisturizer I guess. I was very intrigued by this product, so I did a little bit of research, read some reviews, and decided to order the Skin29 version (I found it on Amazon for $10 and it's coming straight from Asia - seller seems reputable). Exciting!!! I will keep ya posted.

Tiny TOMS: I have an admission to make. I have always thought TOMS shoes were ugly. And I never really understood why people were so into them. But then I found out that TOMS gives a pair of shoes to someone in need for each pair bought and it all made sense. And then I saw their kid shoes and I was like, "OMG, the cuteness is killing me!" So now I'm pretty sure I HAVE TO own these shoes for Leila. HAVE TO.

Knotted Hair Ties (these are from Anthropologie): Apparently these silly little knotted hair ties are all the rage. I keep seeing them all over the web. What's up with this? Is it just me or am I completely missing what's so special about them? Sure, they are cuter than a plain ole black hair tie, but I would NEVER pay $12 for this set. It's just cut up elastic tied in a knot, right? I'm thinking I should go to the craft store, buy some pretty elastic, and make my own. Then would I be cool? I'll keep ya posted on this one, too.

So, these are my deep thoughts for today. :-)

Wise Words Wednesday: Turn that frown upside down

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

My revocation tools...


So, life is good. I'm all happy-shiny and all that, but sleep sucks. Still. And when sleep sucks, my brain gets all foggy and I get irritable and yes, this causes me a little bit of distress. And what's silly is that the cause of my distress (my babies) is also what helps to dissipate the distress. Life is funny like that.

I love my kiddos. And in this moment I am making a conscious effort to embrace everything about this moment in my life - even the sleep deprivation. I know it will not last forever. Before I know it they'll both be teenagers and will want nothing to do with me. So it's ok if they want me at all hours of the night.

Okay, maybe that's a stretch, but saying that does help me feel a little bit better. :-)

Just Write {Decompress}

I pass through the kitchen with a big bag slung over my shoulder like Santa Claus, pausing at the base of the stairs for a listen.

Silence.

With the kiddos asleep all snug in their beds I proceed on to the living room, dropping the sack at the foot of the couch, as I collapse onto the feather-soft cushions.

Exhale.

Grabbing the remote that's stuck down between the cushions, I subconsciously maneuver to the DVR listings and press "Play" on my favorite show. Topping off my moment of relaxation and bliss, I reach into the front pocket on my grey hoodie and pull out a Cadbury mini egg (not to be confused with the larger, not nearly as delightful, Cadbury cream eggs) - one of my all time favorite treats. The hard sugar shell is smooth on my tongue and I let it sit there a moment before biting into the chocolatey goodness.

Bliss.

After a few moments of completely zoning out in a zombie-like state, I sit up and reach down to the bag on the floor. Pulling out some freshly washed diapers I can't resist burying my nose in their cleanliness. Considering they were once covered in poo, the freshness always amazes me.

I proceed to decompress. Stuffing and folding the fluffy pocket diapers, stacking them in colorful towers on the couch next to me. I alternate between getting lost in reality TV and getting lost in the thoughts in my head.

Did I remember to respond to that email today? Oh man, I can't forget to switch the laundry. Hmmmm...what should I have for lunch tomorrow? I really hope Landon isn't getting sick again.

This is my time. Some people go for a run. Some people bake a cake. I like to let my mind run wild and soak up some junk TV while folding laundry. It is my daily dose of decompressing.



"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! "

Uh oh, some one is awake. Welcome to my life.




PS - Any Bachelor fans out there? What did ya think of the finale last night?

Journal 10+ {a super cool product review}

Journaling has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I'm pretty sure my first entry went something like this...

Dear Diary,
Hi, my name is Ariel. I'm excited to write in you. My best friend is Jessica. My favorite food is pizza. I like school. I like to have fun.
Talk to you later!

The reason I say this is because I actually remember writing something like that. I was probably around 8 years old when I got my first diary, lock and all (& I actually thought that if I hid the key NO ONE could ever read the contents). I remember not knowing what I should write about, but thinking I was pretty dang cool. Later on as I aged, I kept it up. By the time high school came around, my journal was a critical part of my sanity. It was where I let all of my crazy teenage hormones and emotions run wild. (I still have all my journals and looking back on some of the things I wrote back in high school flat out scares me!) I probably kept a consistent journal for over 10 years...

And then I had kids.

Pretty sure my last journal entry (besides this here blog which is my new way of journaling) was when I was pregnant with Leila.

This is where my new favorite thing comes in! Meet Journal 10+...

Just scribble down a few sentences each day and, before you know it, you have a decade of memories and observations at your fingertips! Each "daily page" of the Journal 10+ offers room to write about one day - March 6th, say - every time it comes around from 2012 to 2022 (start any time in 2012). What fun to compare what was happening in your life on any given day as the years go by. The subject matter is totally up to you...record what you do or how you feel, what you eat or what you read, financial data or medical notes, local weather or world events - be creative! This convenient personal volume also offers sections for long-range planning, monthly overviews, addresses and phone numbers, and special dates. Bound in a durable leatherette cover, this unique diary will quickly become a treasured possession. (from the Journal 10+ website)

This bad-ass journal is right up my alley. Seriously, all it takes is 2 minutes a day to write down whatever you want about that day. Then, as the years go by, those few words you wrote will bring back a flood of memories - LOVE it! Here's what I wrote yesterday...


Yep, I cut a little bit of my Lando-pie's hair!

Ya see how it works? Each day of the year has it's own page with entries for 2012 through 2022. So, on March 10, 2022 I'll be able to look back on all my March 10th entries and reminisce about Landon's 1st hair cut way back in 2012! Sure, I didn't write down all the details, but I don't need to. I'm sure that just this little tid-bit will be enough to bring me right back to the moment in our kitchen when Andy held him really still and I used plain old paper scissors to snip an extra long chunk of his hair off. :-)

Besides these cool daily entry pages, the Journal 10+ also has calendars, a special dates section, monthly overview pages, and my fave part... the goals/accomplishments section.


Seriously, why can't I ever spell exercise correctly?!

Since I obviously like goal-setting/dream-doing I'm excited about writing down my Dreams To Do each year and seeing what I actually accomplish. And then 10 years from now I'll be able to look back over all the years and hopefully see how far I've come! Love it!

I plan on keeping my Journal 10+ either right on my kitchen table or bedside so that I'll remember to jot a little note in it each day. I think it'll be fun to see how things progress over the next 10 years... especially since I know there will be a lot of changes going on around here. Man, I wish I would have started one of these back in high school!

If you're interested, you can buy Journal 10+ on their website OR from Amazon. This would seriously make a GREAT wedding or baby shower gift.

Leila Jade likes it, too!


The kind folks at Journal 10 sent me the Journal 10+ in return for this here review. All of the opinions contained within are truly my own.

Lately...

...I've been exhausted. Sickness is once again creeping up on me and I'm fighting my eyelids open as soon as the kiddos are in bed. I eventually just give in the the sleepiness and have been conking out around 9pm the last couple of nights. I'm a rock star!

...I've decided to buy myself the new iPad. Do I need it? That's a big NO. Do I want it? That's a big YES. It will be a frivolous purchase, but I work my bum off and I deserve it. So I'm telling myself.

...The weather has been teasing me. A warm, sunny day here and there (interspersed with freezing temps, of course). It is making me SERIOUSLY crave summertime. I can't wait for the days when I can get home from work and head outside with the kiddos to sit on the deck and relax in the sun. Ahhhhhhhhh.

...I've been reading Water For Elephants. I started it way back before Landon was born and then life got in the way, ya know? But now that we've finally got our evening routine down, I have been reading it before bed each night. That means I usually only knock out 2 pages/ day, but that's ok. No hurry here. I'm REALLY enjoying it so far and can't wait to finish so I can watch the movie. Yeah, in like a year.

..I've been counting down the days until The Hunger Games premieres (March 23rd). YAY! YAY! YAY! If you haven't read the books yet - DO IT! I swear, they totally sounded unappealing to me, but they are SO good. I read all of them in under 2 weeks which is CrAzY for me. CrAZy I say!

...I haven't been BodyRocking. I know I posted this just a few days ago, but I have to admit that I haven't worked out once since then. I just haven't felt very good. Excuses, excuses.


Happy Weekending All!

KONY 2012

I'm sure by now you've probably seen this video circling the internet. Well, if you haven't watched it yet, set aside a half an hour out of your busy day and just do it. This is a MUST SEE.



It brought me to tears in both a sad way and a happy way. Sad because of the evil that exists in our world and how hard it is to eradicate it. Happy because the creator of this video makes such a valid point - that we, the people all over this planet, have the power to come together and make change happen. We have the power to persuade our government to do the right things.

Even if you don't watch this video, please share the link via email, facebook, whatever. It's pretty amazing.

Wise Words Wednesday: Travel

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Leila Jade in Hawaii, Jan. 2011...


One thing I am positive of in this life is that I LOVE to travel. If I could do ANYTHING, I would see the world... I would spend 50% of my time at home and 50% of my time traveling to new, exotic places. If only money wasn't an issue.

I posted on facebook yesterday that we were getting our taxes done and if we came out with any sort of return, we would go to Hawaii this year. Well, we did! So I'm pretty sure we'll be heading back to Hawaii in June. Why Hawaii? Because the hubby & I both have a soft spot for the closest-to-us tropical islands... our wedding, no international travel required, perfect weather - need I say more?

My only reservation about going? The 5+ hour flight with 2 little kiddos. That kinda kills the excitement a little. BUT, I can't imagine taking a trip without them. Am I crazy? Maybe a little, but I just want them to experience the world as much as they can. I want to see their eyes light up with excitement when a plane lands in a new place. I know they are both still so little, but I lay in bed at night and I dream about the days when they are a little older and we can take extended family trips to explore Europe, to volunteer in Africa (one of my biggest Dreams To Do), & to hit up Disney World.

Traveling is expensive, but it is SO worth it. I am obsessed with the Mark Twain quote above... life really is too dang short to NOT just go for it... to spend time in other parts of the world... to EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. Pretty much sums up my mission in life, right there.

I finished the BodyRock 30 day challenge!

And I'm feeling pretty dang good about it!

Over a month ago I got going on BodyRock.tv's 30 day January challenge. But that was near the end of January and with the start of February, BodyRock.tv started a brand new monthly challenge. So, I ditched the Jan challenge and started up with Feb. Since then, I have pretty much been working out at least 5 days a week. This is a BIG DEAL for me... a person who never used to exercise.

40 weeks preggo with Landon VS. holding 4 month old Landon :-)


Yes, I realize I am a twig of a person to begin with, but I know bodyrocking is helping to "tighten" everything up just a little bit better. And most importantly, it's helping me feel better about myself. Instead of putting the kiddos to sleep and then plopping my ass on the couch while stuffing my face with junk, I put the kiddos to sleep and then work out for 15-20 minutes and THEN I plop myself on the couch and stuff my face with junk. :-) And I don't feel as guilty about it! (Still working on the whole eating healthy thing.)

So, in honor of completing the 30 day challenge, I wanted to post my before and after fit test stats and then treat myself to a hot fudge sundae (okay, maybe the sundae would have happened no matter what).

Here are my reps for the first fit test followed by the final fit test (8 rounds of 50 seconds followed by 10 second rest)...

1. Squat Jumps------------------ 31 ----- 48
2. Push Ups (on my knees)----- 29 ----- 27
3. Burpees------------------------ 11 ----- 15
4. High Knees------------------- 90 ----- 109
5. Switch Lunges--------------- 20 ----- 25
6. Tuck Jumps------------------- 15 ----- 19
7. Tricep Dips------------------- 20 ----- 35
8. Straight Abs------------------ 42 ----- 37 (excuse: Leila decided to jump on me during these tonight)

I improved in some areas and weakened a little (just barely) in others. Overall, I am very impressed with myself!

Okay, enough gloating on my part. Maybe my lazy ass actually getting up and doing something will inspire someone out there to do the same. I just love this because it costs NOTHING and doesn't require putting on fancy gym clothes and driving somewhere.

For those interested... I didn't buy a special interval timer or anything - I downloaded a free interval timer app on my iPhone (it's called IntervalTimer). Works like a charm!

Some kick arse quinoa...

Me weekend was spent in a hot and heavy relationship with about 20 bowls of this...



I'm pretty much obsessed with quinoa lately. I love the texture, taste, and especially the nutritional value. According to good ole Wikipedia...

In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

My mother-in-law gave us her AMAZING sundried tomato & mushroom quinoa salad recipe, so the hubby & I (okay, maybe not I) cooked up a batch and I have been so obsessed with it that I wanted to share it with you. The hubby also took the liberty of adding a couple twists of his own which sent this salad over the top...

Ingredients:

• 2 cups quinoa (rinsed thoroughly... although we forgot to do this, but ate it anyway... and we're still alive)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or just water if you're a veg)
• 1 package of sundried tomatoes (not in a can... in a bag)
• 1/2 cup minced garlic
• 3 small lemons (zest & juice)
• A bunch of chopped green onion 
• A bunch of chopped cilantro 
• Big-o pile of chopped fresh basil
• 8-10 chopped medium sized crimini mushrooms (or whatever kind you like)
• Splash of olive oil
• Splash of white wine (optional)
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

(Sorry I don't have exact measurements for the herbs... just use as much as your heart desires.)

What ya do:

Bring chicken broth to boil, add quinoa, reduce to simmer, cover & cook for 20 minutes. Set aside. Heat olive oil in skillet. Add green onions, garlic, mushrooms & sundried tomatoes. Throw in a splash of white wine (if ya have it on hand). Cook about 5 minutes. Mix in basil, cilantro, lemon, salt & pepper. Toss with cooked quinoa. Chill (or don't) and dig in!

This recipe can serve like 25 people, but Andy and I devoured it in 2 days. It's pretty dang healthy, so no guilt here!

My next goal is to figure out a way to get Leila to eat some quinoa. She continues to be a crazy-picky eater and since she pretty much won't touch meat, quinoa would be a good way for her to get some healthy protein. I'm thinking it may be good prepared like oatmeal... some cinnamon, a little maple syrup and some milk. Maybe she'll go for that. I'll keep ya posted.

Social media is cool, right?

I've been debating with myself lately over whether or not I should start a Facebook page for my little old blog. I didn't really want to do it because I feel weird telling people to "like" me and I didn't want to risk feeling insignificant because people don't "like" me. BUT, I've wanted to do it as a way to connect with some of you who may read my blog, but don't want to comment (or are just too dang lazy, like me). And most of the good mommy bloggers out there are using a TON of social media. So today I decided to just bite the bullet and do it.
You can find me on Facebook here ------------->
(Let's hang out in cyberspace!)

As for Twitter... I have a confession to make. I have never tweeted in my life. Honestly I don't have any close friends in real life who are on Twitter, so I've just always stuck with FB. But, I think I wanna give it a try. I planned on getting started today, but all of the usernames I wanted are already taken... boo. So, I'll have to think about it and get it going soon. I hate feeling like I'm behind on this whole social media thing! Especially since it's a big part of my work life!

At least I'm on Pinterest, I guess. :-)