No pants week

I'm going to do it.

I just have to do it.

I think about it.

I do.

I just haven't acted.

But now is the time! I am going to do it! Let no pants week begin! I will post my progress along the way! Join me for some fun, trust me, with 3 kids, all skirts/dresses, and 7 days, it could be fun! =o

Mark it on the calendars and join in! Follow me, and comment to let me know if you're participating!

April 30th-May 6th

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Another clean eating recipe coming right at you!

One of my favorites - Pancakes!

I love pancakes! I cannot explain why I just do! Nuts, fruit, maple syrup, whipped cream, honey, I honestly don't care what you put on it (save chocolate) and I am a goner!

Lately I've been discovering new ways of making them!

This is my current obsession! Greek Yogurt Pancakes!

1.5 cups Greek Yogurt

1.5 cups of flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour and/oat flour...my favorite is a combination of both! Oh. SO. Yum!)

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

.5 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon sweeter of your choice (to keep it clean, go with honey, agave nectar, or raw sugar)

1 egg

Mix. Cook on a greased pan over medium heat. Enjoy!

A variation I tried last week was awesome - mash a banana and add yogurt to make 1.5 cups! Amazing! Throw in a teaspoon of cinnamon for some added flavor!

Enjoy!

Birthday of a Hero

Many people think it's sappy to label their father's a "hero." However, I don't think I'm so far off my rocker.

he·ro

 [hee-roh]

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

I may be a bit on the biased side but I don't really think so...you see I am daughter to a hero as in this definition. He hasn't braved the front lines to defend our country, and I am thankful for these men. He hasn't stormed flame-engulfed buildings pulling people to safety, I sleep well as nights knowing these men exist.

No, the hero in my story hasn't done any of these things. But he has braved the front lines of culture, influences, and surroundings to defend our freedom and secure our purity for the years ahead. He has faced flame-filled people to protect us from the things words can destroy.

See, I view heroes in the way this definition does. That doesn't exclude the men I listed above. But for me it very much so encompasses everything I see in him.

So, today I celebrate the life of my hero, my dad!

Happy Birthday Dad! I hope you have a very blessed day! I love you!

$10 ball pit!

We are starting to enter into one of my favorite ages with these guys! 1 is awesome and they have this sense of discovery that makes everything fun! Lately I have been trying to be creative with time outside! Walking is a new found (and not so found) talent that makes outdoor play kind of a bust. However this nanny is NOT about to stay inside when this beautiful weather we've been having is making itself VERY known!

So, solution #1 - Ball pit!

I already owned the pool so that expense was taken care of but the price isn't that great, $10 or so!

Bags of plastic balls from Wal*Mart are $10 a piece!

Super easy and super fun! It provided hours of entertainment for my little ones 12 months - 2.5 years!

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

I have been playing around with some clean eating foods. I will do a post on that later. As for know, I wanted to post one my favorites!

It does take a bit of time to complete but it is oh so tasty and fairly quick considering that it is good for you!

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

1/2 cup of oats

3/4 cup of milk

1/4 cup of water

5-6 strawberries diced

2 Tablespoons of sweetener of your choice. I use evaporated cane sugar or demerara sugar. Basically fancy ways to say raw sugar or unprocessed sugar which I prefer and goes along well with the clean eating! I tried honey but I prefer the taste of this sugar in this. I hear agave nectar is a good choice too but I haven't used it...yet! =)

In a medium to small saucepan mix strawberries, water, and sugar. Over medium heat bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low until mixture thickens. Add milk and bring to a boil. Add oats stir and cook on low until oatmeal thickens and the oats plump up a bit! Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes then enjoy!

I have played around with a few variations too!

Peaches and Cream

Same recipe. Substitute Chopped fresh peaches. Canned peaches work too but fresh tastes better!

Apple Cinnamon

1 cup of milk

1/2 apple diced or shredded (I like it shredded)

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 Tablespoons of sweetener

1/2 cup of oats

Boil milk with sugar and Cinnamon over medium heat. Reduce heat and add oats. Stir over low heat until oats plump and it thickens. Remove from heat and sit for few minutes.

Enjoy!

Changes

I blinked...

I swear that was all it took. Blinking.

I blinked and then it was April!

Being self-employed I always DREAD April...especially mid-April and this year didn't disappoint. Thanks to our very helpful tax guy (I don't know what you call them!) I have a plan for 2012 that will ease the blow to the account next year!

Enough about my tax woes! There are some changes happening around here!

Most of my days are filled with potty runs, diaper changes, snack dispensing, bandaid giving, battle scar kissing, kids song singing, 100,000,000,000 question answering, moments. I wouldn't trade these moments of hand's on training! Lately these kids have given me a run for my money! More on that later but I have seriously considered a change in profession...until I get them up from naps and their sticky hands wrap around my neck in the tightest hug! They know how to get me where it hurts!

These 2 princesses are actually leaving my care in June..ish. Baby brother is on his way and mommy has decided to stay home with them! Ultimately this is what I would love for them, to be with their mommy, but there is a part of me that feels sad that they are leaving! I have had little miss (above) since she was 6 weeks old! She celebrated her 2nd birthday in December and Beatle (below) just turned 1 in March.

I have loved the time I had with them and thankful that God has given me such awesome situations with work in! They have been awesome!

But the adventures God has for me aren't over. Little man's cousins are joining the crazies around here in August! Unfortunately one cousin will be in school until 3 everyday so she won't be able to join us until after noon. However, little man and *ta da* Monkey and I are planning some fun together! I am so looking forward to having him back! We are even planning on doing some preschool stuff! It will be fun to try my hand at preschool teacher to add to my list of areas of practice!

Mom and I are even mulling over planning an area homeschool group for field trips and such! Looking forward to getting these boys to local farms, grocery stores, the postal service, etc! Should be a lot of fun!
Looks like life this year won't disappoint in the area of fun! I am really looking forward to all the changes that are coming up and praying that the Father uses them for His glory! I'm excited to see what He has in mind!

5 girls, no boys!

This is a dual meaning post. Kelly's Korner has a linked in this weekend about moms of all girls and the mom I choose to display is my very own! Who also happens to be celebrating a birthday this week! The fact that my mom is a mom of "all" girls isn't entirely true. She is a mom to all girls who are here with her on earth. In actuality she was given some boys too but God decided He wanted them to meet Him first! We still look forward to the day when we will have that pleasure!

As for the children mom was given the opportunity to raise they were all girls! Of those girls I occupy 3rd place! Our ages span quite a few years and yet we all find very few and minimal reasons to not get along!

I am thankful for so many of the things my parents have worked hard to enforce in us. But out of the many, one of the ones I am most thankful for is how they have asked us to treat each other. By no means does that mean that we have it all together. On the contrary! However, I value and hold my relationships with these girls far above any others in my life! Even with the changes with marriages, graduations, birthdays, jobs, etc. we love to be together. The older we get the more and more we realize that holds so true. We love to ride for hours to spend a few days with a sister that has moved out of state! We love to cram 4 people into a bed made for 1 so that we can spend the night together Christmas Eve! We love to sit in a hospital waiting room for 6 hours while one sister gave birth to a nephew! We love to come out in a damp cold day to cheer siblings along in a 10k race!

I attribute our sincere love of one another to the very fact that my mom has worked so hard to teach us to value one another!

To my teacher, wise councilor, giver of life, friend, and mom, I hope you have the happiest birthday! I am so thankful for you and the fact that you are my mom! Praying the Father's blessings over you today and the year ahead! Please enjoy celebrating you!

I love you!

Counting the Cost

He rode in and heard countless shouts of praise from lips that would turn to hurling hatred in a matter of days.
He sat down to eat and recline at the passover dinner with friends who would, "run away", sell him, and deny knowing of His existence.
He washed the feet of said "friends" not only as an example to us, but a gift to them.
He prayed with such intensity that blood mingled with sweat as He pleaded with the Father...as again said "friends" slept.
He, with a troubled heart, calmed an impulsive Peter, healed a severed ear, and walked away to His death.
He answered honestly with kindness to the questions being thrown around Him.
He looked into the faces of the men who mangled His body and knew He was doing it for them.
He carried His cross knowing that He was carrying that burden to bring us to the Father.
He was pierced, stabbed, mocked, taunted, murdered for me and you and everyone else.
He cried, "My God, why have you forsaken me?" so that we don't have to.

To me, the costs seem huge. But, He paid them all. I can't deny the love of my Savior.

...

Banana Whip reloaded!

A few weeks ago I posted about a new fun treat I've been enjoying!

Banana Whip!

This time I took pictures and I have spent some time really mastering this art of this amazing stuff!

Here are some pointers that I have come to know about!

#1 Make sure you peel, slice, and freeze your banana. The smaller you make the pieces the quicker it whips!

#2 I have found that about 1.5 bananas make a good portion that I eat for a snack or a cool treat on some of these warm spring days! #3 When you start processing your banana, take it slow. I like to pulse it. Once it's starts breaking up and then you can begin to process consistently.

#4 Once it gets to be a gravely consistency throw in your milk. It takes a very little bit! I have never poured more than a 1/4 cup.
# 5 Once the milk is in whip away! Watch the magic happen! I don't know what combination these blades, bananas, and milk have but it makes for something awesome!
AAaaannnndddd! Viola! Banana Whip! I love, LOVE, LOVE this stuff! I seriously like it more than ice cream! It has the perfect amount of sweet and not so strong a flavor that it's over whelming.

I'm not going to lie to you. It does taste like banana! But, have no fear, I have found a solution! I have tried cantaloupe and mango! Both are awesome! It takes a little longer to process and the texture is more of a sorbet than a whip but amazing never the less!

Enjoying trying some good combinations! This one has some finely crushed choc chips! Fantastic!

Oh, and let me add that there are NO added sugars! The only sugar that is in there is from the fruit itself! Perfect!

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Total side note from bananas: One of my sister's photogs put up some of her pics from the wedding! Yeah! Super fun stuff! Check out some of the fun here! She did a fantastic job and I enjoyed reliving some of the fun memories!