BEST green smoothie EVER!

Seriously, it really is the best green smoothie recipe EVER!

I've never been big into drinking vegetables. Blech! I've never been able to choke down a glass of V8 or the carrot juice my mom used to make.

But...

I created my most favorite way to consume vegetables. After a little trial and error, I got it. The BEST tasting green smoothie I have ever had. So fresh and tasty!

2 Cups Kale

1/2 Cup fresh pineapple

1/2 Banana

2 frozen strawberries

1/2 Cup water

1/2 Cup ice

Blend this all together until smooth and devour! Not only are you drinking 2 servings of vegetables and fruits, there is the benefit of no added sugars and it really is delicious! I tried a few different green smoothie recipes with spinach, but this is SO much better! The kale has a milder flavor and it doesn't taste like I am drinking a salad.

Now, go make it! Drink your way healthy!

This could change my life

Could this be it? The delicious drink that changes my life? I was browsing around on Pinterest last night, (after a long break...I'm not addicted, I'm not addicted, I'm not addicted) and found this:

Source: nestofposies-blog.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

I HAD to try it out, these drinks look delicious! And coconut flavored tonic water? Yum! I haven't ever been able to choke down tonic water on it's own, it tastes like Alkaseltzer, which is a nasty heartburn medicine.

I am starting Lifetime Wellness next Monday and have been looking for alternatives to the Dr. Pepper I am going to miss dearly. I love coconut, so I thought I would try this cute little drink out. Just the coconut water is nasty, but once I added fresh squeezed orange juice, chopped strawberries, a drop of lime essential oil, and (of course) a pinch of raw sugar, it is DELICIOUS!!!! Here is my creation:

And yes, you must drink it out of a mason jar. That makes it cooler.

Cousins

My kids with their cousins! Awe, so stinkin' cute! Brad's boy, Gabe, turns 2 at the end of the month, and Jaycie's baby boy, Cole, is almost 3 months old.

This is a personality picture for sure.

Syd is the oldest and has sure acted the part since she turned 8. Suddenly she is so responsible and helpful! She is holding Cole, who is the most adorable little baby ever! He is so handsome and so mellow. Then there's Kayman, always making a silly face or being goofy, he is our clown. Gabe is such a ham, he is always flashing that gorgeous smile of his and has every one of us at his beckon call. Then you've got Jess, smiling just long enough to get the picture over with so she can get back to whatever she was doing...yet refusing to look at the camera.

These kids are all so amazing in their own way. I love them so much! What a precious picture this is!

Just in time

Just when I think I'm going to lose it, when I've had it with the disrespect of the kids, I get something that makes me realize they really do care...deep down. We have had quite the issues lately with lack of respect for each other and for me. Today I did not put up with it, and it paid off. I got this sweet letter from Syd!

Syd turns 8!!!

My oldest child is 8 years old, that is so weird. It makes me feel slightly old, yet it also makes me look back on the past 8 years with a lot of love and pride (the good kind). I am so proud of my little girl. She has become such a pretty little gem. She is always so helpful and sweet. I love her so much!

I took her to get her ears pierced on her birthday. She was looking forward to this for nearly two years, so we did it right on her birthday. She was so brave. She didn't make a sound or even flinch!

We went to lunch afterwards and it was so fun to spend the morning together, just the two of us. Me and my big girl. When we got home, she helped me get ready for her party. She had an "ice cream" theme, so the plan was to make ice cream cone cupcakes! I made them, but they were a disaster. I filled the cones up just a little too much and they spilled out all over the place. Syd was so nice and lovingly just helped me make regular cupcakes instead. We frosted them in these bright colors that she just loved!

She invited a ton of friends from school, her cousin, and her long time best friend, Samantha.

They made ice cream sundae's and loved putting on their own toppings!

Syd with her best friend. These two have been very close since they were both babies.

The proud birthday girl!

Syd turned 8, and 8 is the age we decided to have the "big talk" with her. Andy, Syd, and I all got dressed up and went out to dinner at Tuscany. (The photo above is the chandelier at Tuscany.) We told her all about the beauty of how life is created, and it was fabulous! The idea behind telling her so young is this: If she hears the truth about everything before she starts to hear the wrong/distorted/worldly views on sex, she will have the confidence to ask us questions, know she can talk to us about it, and realize that she knows the truth. Because she knows how beautiful it is, she has the respect for it that it deserves.

Turning 8 is such a big age! In addition to all of this, Syd will be getting baptized later this month. She is very excited. We are proud of her for making this decision, as it begins her journey back to God. We have been teaching her what it means to be baptized. She is ready, and we are all so excited! Pics to come.