Green (or purple) smoothies

We love green smoothies! For those of you who do not know what they are or have never had one. You need to try one. They are YUMMMMMYYYYY! A green smoothie, is just a smoothie is a fruit smoothie with spinach, chard, kale or other green veggies. You do not taste the veggies, but you are getting all the good nutrients from them!

We have not had smoothies for about 5 months so when I suggested smoothies as a treat the other night, everyone was excited. We make them different every time. It just depends on what is in season and what we have frozen. This day, we had blueberries and blackberries with spinach. We also add a little milk, yogurt and sunbutter. We usually add flax seed, but I forgot to put it in. The kids love them.

Leaf asking for more. We have to be careful with him because any citrus gives him blisters in his diaper area. He got a "watered down" version, but still loved it.

Everest was so excited for the smoothie he wanted to skip the playground so we could have them earlier. (Not Leaf's best picture, but Everest is cute.)

Basic recipe:

flax seed (ground, our blender works great)

spinach, kale, or chard

yogurt

milk (if needed)

peanut butter (or sun butter, almond butter, etc)

fruit

ice (if you don't have any frozen fruit)
There are all kinds of things you can add, play around with it and have fun!

A friends birthday party

We went to one of Everest's friend birthday party on Sunday. It was at Monkey Joes. If you have never been to one (like us), it is a kids dream when it comes to bouncing. It was a big room full of blow up bounce things. It was hard keeping track of Everest, he was running around having fun. Check out his red face in the pictures.

Everest going down the big slide. You can see Courtney taking Leaf up the steps (at the bottom right hand corner). Leaf really wanted to go down, so I let him. We were not allowed to go with them, so Courtney helped him up and I caught him. We only did it 3 times, because he flipped and started rolling the third time.

Meredith is almost 2 and has no fear at all. This slide was really fast, but she got right up and did it again and again. Poor Leaf, he loves playing with her, and he tried so hard to keep up with her.

Leaf taking a break in one of the bounce houses, and of course, sucking his fingers.

Leaf and Meredith getting ready to go down the slide. Leaf was just a little too short to get his leg up onto the step. There was nothing above for him to grab and pull himself up, so I had to go in and help him.

Monkey Joe came to visit while we were having cake. The kids all got up and did the chicken dance with him...well most of them, Everest wasn't sure what to think of everything. He kept asking me afterwords if Monkey Joe was real or just someone dressed up.

This picture is amazing. I did not take it. Ali (Morgan's mom) is a photographer and take wonderful pictures. We have the same camera, but as you can see she has the skill. This was after the party. The boys were saying goodbye and thanks to Morgan. (Morgan, Nolan, Everest and Roman). Notice how red Everest's face is...might be because he had on a long sleeve shirt and he never stopped running. That is what happens when they turn 4 and want to dress themselves.

Thanks Matt, Ali, Matthew, Morgan and Mason. We had a great time. Happy Birthday Morgan!

Painting a picture

Everest imagination into arts and crafts has sparked this year. Since he started Montessori, he wants to paint and draw more often. It might also be because I finally organized all our craft stuff. It is conveniently and easily (for a 4 year old) located in the dining room.

When I suggested painting the other day, he and Leaf were all for it.
This was Leaf's paper and paint tray. He has as much fun painting the paint tray and paintbrush as he does his picture. (We use lids of plastic containers for our paint trays, they work great and clean up easily.)

Everest enjoyed mixing all the colors. He painted the entire paper and it turned out beautiful. He was talking the whole time about what he was painting and how each part worked together, and what its purpose was. I think this was his rocket ship painting.(I know, shame on me, it was just a few days ago and I can't remember...how am I going to remember anything with 3????!!!!)

Leaf was so funny, Everest and I could not stop laughing at him. I had to shake the paint before we opened them. Leaf thought this was a great idea. He would pick up the paints and shake them, but he would make the funniest sound while he was shaking them. The more Everest and I laughed, the more he did it.

In between shaking (one gets tired from all that shaking and needs a break), he would stack and re-stack the paints. It was a lot cleaner than him painting!
Thank you again Aunt Teresa for the apron from Etsy. Leaf loves it, he carries it around and gives it to me to put on him. I need to make him another one. I put all of our aprons in the wash after painting. Leaf cried for 30 minutes. He kept pulling his out of the basket and trying to put it on.

This is Everest's train painting. Again, he told me about all the parts of the train he was painting. His love for learning and imagination are so fun to experience.

Homemade wipes

If you have kids (or not), these wipes are great for cleaning bums, counters, floors, toys and many other things. When we had Everest we started out using soft wash cloths as wipes. I just put them into the diaper pail and washed them with the diapers. This worked great for about 2 months or so, then we got yeast. Everest and I both had a yeast infection off and on for 4 months! The first thing we got rid of was the wash cloths. We wanted a cheaper and more sensitive alternative to store bought wipes. I searched the internet and found a million different recipes. I have tried a few, but over the years I have made it as simple as possible. They work great for us.

We use bounty select a size (the regular ones make the wipes too big). We have tried other brands of paper towels, but none are as soft or hold up as well.

Recipe:

A container big enough to hold half a roll of paper towels. We use a Rubbermaid #6

Paper towels (select a size)

1 Tbsp Liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronners tea tree oil castile soap, but you can use any type of

liquid baby soap or baby shampoo)

1 tsp. oil (I use soap with tea tree oil in it, so I skip this step) This helps easily clean bottoms.

In the past, I have used tea tree oil or baby oil.

scents- if you are using non-scented soap and baby oil, you can also add a drop of lavender or other essential oils.

1. Cut the paper towels in half. Use a non serrated knife and make sure it is sharp.

2. Pull out the cardboard center. (in my opinion, this is the hardest part)

3. Add a little less than 1 TBS of liquid soap to 2 cups of water. If you are adding oil or essential oils add those now.

4. Put paper towels in container. I get one side wet then flip the paper towels and put them in again. Or you can just put them in, put the lid on and turn the container upside down to get the wipes all wet.

Wipes are usually ready with a half hour. Pull from the center, this is easy, until your children start helping. Everest tends to grab a handful and rip them out. They still work though. I make 2 batches at a time, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. I also have a small cylinder shaped container (from store bought wipes). I pull out the center of one of the wipes once they are ready and put them into that container for the diaper bag.
The other great thing about these wipes, is when we go away for a few days. We put them in the freezer so they do not mold. We have left them in there for 3 weeks at a time. Just unthaw them completely before you use them or you will have a little one who is not very happy.

Playtime with Doug and Lisa

The other day Lisa suggested we all go to the park together. We were all thinking the neighborhood park that is a few blocks away. Everest obviously had other ideas. He asked if he could go tell Doug and Lisa we were ready. He came back over with Doug a few minutes later. Doug said "Everest really wants to go to Happy Hollow playground". (He knows how to get his way). So the boys and I packed some snacks, got on our train bike and headed to Happy Hollow. Lisa and Doug met us there, and Nathan met us about 45 minutes later. (For those who do not live or know West Lafayette- Happy Hollow is down a steep hill-one of the few hills Indiana actually has. Being 6 months pregnant, I can not tow the kids back up the hill. It is amazing how much Everest helps, but it is hard for me to get myself back up so Nathan meets us on the days we go to that park.)

Everest and daddy swinging together. 

Leaf looks like he is going really fast down the slide. They were actually stopped, but there was so much static his hair was standing up. 

There was another 18 month old boy at the playground, dressed in orange and had the exact same hair as Leaf. At some point, we all thought it was Leaf. (Nathan started to walk over to him when he came, that is how much they looked alike). The little boy had blond hair, and it was a little thicker, but even his face resembled Leaf. 

Doug and Everest raced down the slide. Everest made Doug wait at the top until he started going, not really a fair race. 

 This can be dangerous. Nathan did the same thing to me the first time I got on it. Lisa went flying int he air. Doug and Nathan thought it was funny.

There are bench swings at a lot of the playgrounds in West Lafayette. They are really cool, until you try to get off. You end up banging your alkalies on the bottom part. Leaf had a good time on the swing.

Everest wanted to get in on the action. He and Lisa tried to bounce Doug.

We all had a great time. Thanks, Lisa and Doug, for hanging out at the park with us.

This and That

I thought I would post about some of the things we have been doing lately. The weather has been wonderful here, but tomorrow the rain starts. I don't mind rain, but it seems like Indiana gets a lot of rain and cloudy days. The boys and I went to a local green house today. Everest helped pick out some flowers for a hanging basket. Leaf just kept picking up pots and putting them on our cart. The flowers we bought do not necessarily match in color, shape or style, but the boys had fun picking them. And isn't that what life is all about? I may not always match or sometimes have funny clips in my hair or a random assortment of things around my neck, but it is worth it to see them smile.

Leaf has had the pumpkin toy since Halloween. You blow through it and it makes a winding sound. He loves it.

Leaf and daddy on the alligator.

 Look at my big boy going down the slide!

Nathan built me a new laundry line!!!!! I love it. Before we had the line strung all over the back yard. Our yard is not that big, and it took up all the open space we had. It is now, nicely tucked in the back of our yard. I can't see all the beautiful landscaping at the edge of the yard when the laundry is up, but the kids have space to run. Now that it is moved, it also opened up space for Nathan to plant hops by the fence. He is very excited about growing hops for his beer. Hops are one of the most expensive things in brewing. To top it all off, Nathan and Everest have been teaming up and hanging laundry together! 

Leaf has learned to climb onto the horse by himself. He gets stuck sometimes and screams until someone rescues him. He loves riding the horse. Nathan and I both had ones as kids. I rode mine so much (and until I was too old to ride it), I broke the neck off the horse. I would ride so hard the head and tail would touch the ground. Hopefully the boys will not be that rough with it, I would love to pass this one on to their kids.

My little Leaf is going through a chubby phase. My kids seem to store up before a growth spurt. They remind me of puppies growing, when they are in the awkward stage and their feet are too big for their bodies.

Hope you are enjoying some sunshine in your area.

Spring flowers and other things

We are doing a little planting and changing in our yard this year. Nothing major, at least not this year, but we do have some plans for next year.

Here are some of my flowers that are already blooming. It is fun to see all the Spring plants that have come up. We were not here last year at this time, it has been a surprise everyday to see new flowers blooming.

 A beautiful red bush. I have no idea what the name of it is, but it is very pretty all Spring and Summer.


Hyacinth my favorite flower!                                                                Tiny blue flowers all around my house.

Tulips are always beautiful!

We got a bird feeder so the boys can see the birds up close. Papa and Everest filled the feeder and hung it outside our front window. The birds have not found it yet. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to attract the birds? Our neighbor has about 10 feeders in her back yard, I just assumed with so many birds around, they would find the feeder.

A small thank you for our Mother Earth

There is a small ravine we walk past on our three block walk to preschool. It is always filled with paper, can, an assortment of plastic and garbage. Everytime we pass by, Everest says, "lets pick up all that garbage." I have been telling him for months we would do it. It has been cold, snowy or wet and the ravine is a little steep. It has finally warmed up and when I asked Everest what he wanted to do one evening he replied "go for a walk and pick up trash". (That is my little earth loving boy!). My parents were here, so we all got on an apron and gloves, loaded Everest's wagon with some paper bags and set off for the ravine.

My mom and Leaf were picking up trash together.  

Everest found a Styrofoam cooler and filled it at least four times.

We sorted all the things we found into recyclable and non-recyclable. Leaf got a little bored picking up the garbage, but had fun helping sort it once we got it out of the ravine.

It goes in this bag Nonnie.

We met the neighbor who's property borders the ravine (he was tilling his garden, but stopped to help us clean up). He and Everest worked together and picked up a lot of trash.

 Our neighbor took all the garbage and we took the recycling (it was too much for us to take all of it in one trip!) For the most part the stuff we picked up was blown into the ravine, mostly from windy garbage and recycling days. It is everyone's duty to pick up trash and help keep the earth clean. For all we know, some of the garbage we picked up may have blown away from our recycling bin.
Heading home, everyone was proud of the work we did. As we were leaving, Everest said "You're welcome earth, I hope you feel better now, we love you!"

 Look at all we picked up in 30-45 minutes!

The next time we walked to school, Everest notice that there was already a newspaper in the ravine. As we walked by he yelled down into the ravine "Don't worry Earth, we will come back and clean you up again soon."
Next time you go for a walk, take a plastic bag with you and see how much you can pick up! But don't forget  your gloves!

Painting with Doug and Lisa

Our wonderful neighbors (Lisa and Doug) are moving!!!!!! We have known this since we moved here, but it doesn't make it any easier. We are going to miss them a lot. Not only have they been great neighbors, but they have also become our good friends. They love our kids and play with them often. During my really bad times with morning sickness, they invited us over Friday nights during lent for a vegetarian dinner. It was so nice, not only, not to have to cook or think about food, but Doug is a great cook and gave me some good ideas for when I feel better and get back into cooking.

So the time has come for them to get ready to put their house on the market. (For all you West Lafayetters, it is a big house with a nice fenced in yard, hardwood floors in the downstairs, basement and newly painted outside, plus it comes with the best neighbors you can find!). My parents bought us a paint sprayer to use on our house in Logan. On Saturday, we broke it out and helped Doug and Lisa paint their house. They had to rent a ladder because the house is tall.

Lisa giving the shutters a fresh new look!

Nathan and Doug working together to paint the porch. Doug held a thick piece of cardboard while Nathan sprayed. The house looks great. The whole thing was prepped, taped and painted in one day.

Now, if we can just figure out a way for them to stay in that nice, newly painted house.

Life Changes

When I was pregnant with Leaf, we decided it was time for Everest to have his own room. He had been in our room either in our bed or in his crib, beside the bed.
Nathan made a firetruck loft bed for him, so he could have room on the top to play (without baby interference). We figured when the baby was old enough, Everest would move to the top bunk and the baby on the bottom. Everest loved his new bed. He got to help daddy and I make and paint it. His room was attached to our room , so it wasn't as hard to move him.
Due to outside circumstances, we did not get Everest into his own room and bed until September. By the time Leaf arrived, the novelty of his own room and bed wore off, and he was jealous that the baby was sleeping with us. This time around we decided to move Leaf early, so he is used to sleeping with Everest. When Leaf was a year old, Everest started begging us to let Leaf sleep in his room.
Everest helped Nathan move the crib into his room. He was so excited for Leaf to sleep in his room.

 All put together and ready for Leaf. I must admit, I had a hard time with this decision. Although my bedroom is much quieter, I miss having my baby close to me. Leaf seems to enjoy being a big boy with Everest. We read all together before bed. Leaf is still learning to sit still and not constantly turn the pages, but it may have to do with the fact that Everest usually picks the book. Lately it has been Magic School Bus books, which are a little over Leaf's head and attention span.

He looks pretty content in there. I usually lay down with them for a little bit at night. I can lay at the bottom of Everest's bed and be with both of them, instead of choosing one to lay down with.

We are having a little bit of trouble some nights. Leaf SCREAMS when he wants a drink or just wants to hold my hand to fall back asleep. So far, Everest hasn't completely woke up yet. But if he is not asleep, he has a very hard time falling asleep. For those of you who have not heard my determined little boy scream, count yourself lucky. He has a very LOUD voice and he is NOT afraid to use it, no matter what time.

We have plans to paint the room soon. Everest picked this room when we moved in (it is the smallest and darkest bedroom, but it was painted green and he loved it). Only one wall is painted. We are going to pain 2 of the walls green on the bottom, blue on top and a curvy black boarder with yellow dotted lines in the middle. My parents have bought the stick on trucks so we will put those on the road, along with hanging up his many photos and paintings of vehicles.