The Little Green Drink

I have this absolutely fabulous way of getting more green into you and your little one's diets! I started making this drink about three years ago after reading an article in my Above Rubies magazine. At first the kids balked a little at the sight of it (it usually turns out slightly greyish!) but after a time of two of "forced drinkings" they have come to truly enjoy and look forward to their green shakes! I encourage you to experiment and use whatever your family enjoys. My shakes vary depending on what I have on hand and what mood I am in but here are the basics:

* load a blender with berries (about a cup (?) of fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or a combination)
* put in a banana or two or three(now is the time to use up those almost rotten ones no one will touch-- I usually freeze them when they get to the point of no return and then use the frozen ones in my shakes--p.s. if you have never frozen bananas before, I strongly recommend peeling them first!)
* fill the blender with spinach, kale, parsley or whatever other greens you have on hand
* use milk, water, orange juice, pineapple juice (I used canned pineapple juice and the pineapple chunks) or whatever flavor you want for some added liquid
* add 1 TBSP or so of flax meal
* add a bit of spirulina powder (go easy at first--I started with 1/2 tsp.!)
* add plain or flavored yogourt
Blend until smooth adding liquid until it is the consistency you like-- spoonable or drinkable or (my kids favorite) drink thru a straw-able!

I usually don't have to add any sweetener at all...it is usually plenty sweet with the bananas and juice but I have added honey or stevia if I think it needs a little more sweetening.

Also, it you haven't yet been introduced to the wonderful stevia and spirulina and flax-- don't let that prevent you from making a shake with berries and spinach...you will still be leaps and bounds of nutrients ahead of where you were yesterday.

This is super-yummy and you can feel oh so good about feeding it to your little ones and they will love it! We usually have it with our breakfast or as an afternoon snack. You will be amazed at how filling this little drink is! If you are excited about it they will be too (with older ones it may take a little more convincing when they see the greyish color but I PROMISE they will be smiling with little greyish-green shake mustaches before long!) I even mix up Boden's baby cereal with this in it most mornings!

Happy Experimenting!

Just asking...

Warning!!!
If you are a grandparent of one of my children, you may not want to read this!!!

We were in the kitchen this afternoon making a home-made pizza for lunch. I was telling the children this story of when Ryan and I were newly-weds living in an apartment-- I accidentally flopped a whole pizza upside down on the hot oven and had to cook my pizza at a neighbor's house because all our toppings were burning onto the oven at our apartment.

Benjamin: Were you a Mother then?
Me: Nope, just a Wife.
Benjamin: Were you a virgin?
Me:





No, Ben I wasn't a virgin. You aren't a virgin anymore after you become a wife.

Ben: Was it exciting to not be a virgin anymore?
Me: Yes Ben, it was exciting.
Ben: Like when I got my new pocket knife for my birthday?
Me: Yep, kinda like that.


Now, of course I feel like I have to justify this in some way only....I can't think of HOW he thought to ask a question like that!!! Could it be that we recently read the book of Luke (ok it was Christmas) and that Mary was a virgin... or more recently, read that Rebekah was a virgin when Abraham's servant went to choose her for Isaac? I have NO IDEA where he came up with that one but it makes me think maybe I should start editing our bible reading...only G-rated stuff around my little sponge-boy!

the "ME TIME" myth

You know how sometimes you have been thinking on something for weeks, maybe months but don't seem to be able to put it into words and then one day...there it is! In print...exactly what you would have said, it you could have found the right way to express what you have been thinking? Well, that is what happened the other day with this article I read in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I have been wanting to express to some of my younger Mommy friends this understanding I have come to as I have "grown up" some in the past few years but never could find the exact way to express it...so, I have decided I will just let Amy Roberts, who wrote the article, say it for me (my comments are in parenthesis):
I once heard a talk show host give a very compelling argument for why moms need time away. He said mothers give and give to the point of empty. They must refuel themselves so they can continue to give. (Sound familiar to anyone?) It sounded familiar to me. Then why did my search for this hallowed "ME TIME" always leave me feeling as though I needed more? While taking time for myself, I definitely felt refreshed, but the moment I got home and realized the sink was still full of dirty dishes and I would still have to give baths to all the children before the night would be over, I wanted to head right back out the door. This left me feeling sorry for myself. Why couldn't I have one night where I wouldn't have to do the same things I do every night? Why couldn't I come home to a spotless and trouble-free place where dishes were washed and children were in bed? Why did I have to go back to those duties so soon? To punish those who were making my life so difficult, I would loudly sling dishes and be curt and hurried with everyone until I could get children into bed and escape to the sewing room or the computer for the remainder of the evening. The next morning, feeling dissatisfied with the amount of ME TIME from the evening prior, I would take my coffee, sit at the computer, and completely ignore my daily duties. I would get irritated with the children because their antics were cutting into MY TIME I was stressed and edgy and desperate for more. My children would call out for me and I would answer, "she's not here right now."
Then, I began staying up much too late in order to squeeze in more alone time. I dreaded going to bed because it meant waking up to children's needs and a disaster of a house. I became increasingly upset by my husband's time off from work, along with the business lunches and business trips. To compensate for the perceived unfairness of the situation, I chose to do nothing on weekends: no laundry, no dishes, no parenting. Soon, my weekends were spilling over both ends and into the weekdays. All of this only served to overwhelm me even more and feed into my desire to escape.
In a moment of clarity, as only the Lord can offer, I saw my behavior for what it truly was: selfishness. Along with this epiphany came the conviction to quit seeking ME TIME.
ME TIME is a myth. It is an unattainable, always interruptable, never satisfying piece of junk psychology. ME TIME, by its very name, suggests that who we are during the daily grind is not who we truly are. It begs us to search for fulfillment outside of the titles of "wife" and "mother". It accuses precious little ones and God-given spouses for suppressing us. It reduces motherhood to a disease in which little dirty faces and endless monotonous tasks slowly suck the life out of us. It says we can never be refreshed by spending time in the presence of those we care for day in and day out. It points out a perceived hole in our world that needs to be filled, a tank that must be refueled, a monster that will swallow us if we neglect to feed it ME TIME. The more we indulge the thought that we are somehow owed this time away, the more we will seek after it. The more we seek after it, the more every little opportunity afforded us to take a break will seemingly end too quickly. The everyday life of being a mother will become drudgery. We will dread every aspect of this role. We will snap at out children any time they try to draw us out of our precious time alone. Not getting this time will ruin our day, and if we do manage some time away, we will despise the re-entry.
However, with any lie, there is a certain amount of truth hidden within. There is an emptiness within us that needs to be filled, but only God can fill what you are aching for. "The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. (Lamentations 3:24-25)
Our time away should be spent seeking Him. Anything else we try to fill that emptiness with will fall miserable short. Likewise, the company we seek during our time away should be spent with people who are about the business of edifying and strengthening us in our role as wife and mother, not tearing at the very foundation of our home. We will never gain anything but resentment from the counsel of those who encourage us to seek self.
We must cease to see the role of wife and mother as a job we put aside at the end of the day. We must do our daily tasks cheerfully, as unto the Lord. We must learn to enjoy being home with our families. We must find contentment in serving others. We should spend more time drinking in the beauty of our children, searching their eyes, holding their hands, being their Mom. When we do feel neglected or overworked, we must immediately seek the Lord to refresh us and keep us from sin. There will be days when we are afforded opportunities to do things alone or with other women, but if we are content in our God-given role, we will no longer cling so tightly to these moments as the only way to save our sanity. Our need for ME TIME will fade as we begin to see motherhood as a blessing not to be escaped (or endured) but embraced.


I just wanted to add a personal note to this:

I could relate so very personally to so many things in this article. It touched me deeply that Ms. Roberts was so willing to be so vulnerable and at the same time shed light on an issue I believe we have allowed to grow like weeds in our lives. Even as sisters in Christ, we encourage one another to "take time for yourself" or "look after yourself first". It is a paradox that the more we love others (through the ACTION of the word not the lovey-feely word) the less we feel a need to escape or fulfill our own longings for ME TIME. I can say with all truthfulness that God has taught me this lesson over the past few years ...the more I embrace and serve my family and the more I look to HIM to meet all my needs, the more I am able to give without begrudging.

One more thing...

One of the dearest friends God has put in my life since moving us down here to the desert is a gal by the name of Michelle. She and I have found great fulfillment and joy in getting together occasionally to visit but we also try to make our time worthwhile for our families... we visit while we bake, or encourage one another while cleaning house or doing the dishes...we spend quality God-glorifying time together while also serving our families. We both leave feeling encouraged and refreshed and have a sense of shared accomplishment.

Loving YOU!

The Starting Point

Thought I'd try my hand at a little poetry:

It's Seven A.M., after a night of rest
I've got a sleeping baby on my chest
I hear the kids moving round downstairs
Before I move a muscle, I better say my prayers:

"Lord," I begin, "I'm about to start another day
I need your help in a real bad way.
There's laundry to do and floors to be swept,
There's meals to prepare and appointments to be kept,
There's dishes, and mopping, and dusting to do
But more than all that there's the children I'm training for YOU.

"Lord, help me to show them in a very real way
The love YOU show me every day.
My heart's desire is for them to know
You are the reason I love them so.

You have so much to teach us about so many things
Give us hearts of wisdom and voices to sing
Your praises as we go through our day
And seek to glorify YOU all along the way.
Teach us to serve and to share and obey
And Lord teach us to trust YOU completely today."

Did you know?

1. Did you know rain is pretty cold on bare feet this time of year? We got stuck out in the rain while walking...which was wonderful except it was SO cold! Poor Boden wasn't dressed for the occasion but I did manage to pull down the rain guard on the stroller before he melted away...

2. Did you know chicks can be put into "time-out"? The kids made a chicken city in the chicken coop for their chicks. It is so cute! They made a whole village outlined with rocks and sticks and have a play area and different houses and buildings...and the chicks have to go to time-out when they don't mind! (at least they haven't tried to spank them yet!)

3. Did you know egg, banana, cereal, and sweet potatoes actually taste pretty good mixed together?

4. Did you know giraffes only need a maximum of 2 hours of sleep per 24 hour period? They must be great moms and get lots done! We actually got to see a video of a live giraffe birth on youtube too! Whatever did they do before computers? We spent the day researching animals after reading the Genesis account of the flood...Maya chose the giraffe, Sarah chose the red fox and Benjamin chose the jaguar. Boden was just interested in the mammary glands...(OMG...did I just say that out loud?)

5. Did you know life is always a lot more fun after Dad gets home for the day :)

I could just cry...

Ryan has been working so hard on his new tool shed...well originally it was going to be the chicken house but it was more like a chicken PALACE and I convinced him the chickens could just house themselves in the old shed with a few remodifications and he should use the new chicken house as a badly needed store room for his tools, etc. So, he agreed and the chicken house became the work shop/tool shed/whatever you want to call it...and it was really cool because it has this inventive feature where the part that was originally gonna be the nesting boxes got turned into this cool place to store more tools...kinda like nail bins in the old lumber yard...oh maybe no one has ever been into an old lumber yard...my dad is a contractor so if you know what I mean great, if not...imagine...so anyway, he has these cool bins for tools and we chose the right place to set it up and leveled the floor and spent a weekend cutting the boards to fit exactly right because the roof has to slant so that the chickens (now the tools) don't have a chance of getting wet AND THEN...it rained and hailed and blew wind like you wouldn't believe and KNOCKED THE WHOLE THING DOWN (thank goodness there were no chickens or tools in it yet!)
Anyway, I felt so bad for my hard-working hubby who didn't even plan on building himself a tool shed and then got all excited that he was getting one after all and then had to see it laying in pieces this morning and now has to go rip out all the bent over nails and refigure where all the boards go so that the roof slants just right so that the chickens, I mean tools, don't get all wet when it rains...

Gross!

Now, normally I am not one to get grossed out by much. I can clean up vomit, poopy diapers, blood, spit, watch live births, butcher a deer, etc. But THIS takes the cake for me...

Maya, Benjamin and Boden were in the living room looking at books. Ryan asked me to stop cleaning the diaper I was cleaning out in the toilet and to follow him into the office for a second so he could show me something on the computer (I bet you know where this is going--too bad I didn't!) I was literally gone for less than two minutes. When I went back into the living room to check on the kids they were all three still sitting there in the exact positions I had left them still looking at books. So I went into the bathroom to resume diaper duty. When what to my wondering eyes did appear...a toilet literally PAINTED in poop--smeared across the top, down the side, onto the floor, across the rug...and of course a horrendous smell to go along with it! I could not figure out what had happened! All possible culprits were still sitting nicely where I had left them only minutes earlier! I yelled something like, "OH MY GOSH!" and ran to Boden, sure enough he had poop all over his little hands, his clothes, and across his face. Apparently he had stopped book reading long enough to crawl into the bathroom, have a snack, paint the toilet and resume reading in the amount of time I was preoccupied.

Have you ever been in a situation so disgusting you couldn't figure out where to start. Here's the dialog I had with myself: "OK now Annette. You're the mother here. You are going to have to be the one to clean this up. Yes you." So I wrangled the poopy breath into the bathtub, clothes and all and after assigning Maya to watch him I began the task of unpainting the bathroom. (Ryan did help clean up the spot on the carpet...thanks hon!)

I never can figure out why we mothers love to share stories like this!?!

Five plus Four on Friday

I know some of you have done this before-- clever things like Five on Friday or Six on Saturday or Wordless Wednesday or whatever-- I'm going with my friend Beverly's method of assigning random numbers to random days so here's to Five plus Four on Friday...(I just couldn't help myself! :)

1. What a wake-up call I had the other night! Boden, who was nursing beside me as I lay peacefully sleeping, apparently was having some kind of dream in which he was a dog and I was a bone....or something to that manner...I have been sore for over a week now and literally fight back tears every time he nurses on my right side...owwww!

2. What a precious help my children are to me. I put out the directions for breakfast in the evenings and my Sarah starts breakfast around 7:00 every morning! When I come downstairs, the oatmeal is simmering away or the toast is buttered and bananas cut up or whatever...what a blessing!

3. Benjamin comes up with the funniest things to say...he was explaining to his dad about his robot he wants to build:
"...and Dad, I'm gonna make it 50 leopard power."
"Leopard power? is that like horse power?" asked Ryan.
"Yeah, only lots faster!"

and another one:

Ryan and Benjamin were talking about getting to heaven and seeing God.
"So, Benjamin, what will you say when God asks you WHY he should let you in heaven?"
(after a really long pause)"Do you think He will give us time to think about it?"

4. My Maya is such a precious jewel. She is kind and super funny. She is always doing silly things to keep us laughing. She is also the self-appointed "brother's keeper". "Ben say thank you, Ben pull your pants up, Ben--you're smacking again."
What's so funny is that he never objects...just does whatever his "little mama" tells him to do.

5. We just got our new order of Sonlight so we are about to start another school year (uh...yes I know it's MARCH...but that's one of the perks of homeschooling right?) This is one of the most exciting events of the year for all of us...I can't wait to dig into all those new yummy books!

6. We currently have 21 baby chicks we've taken under our "wings". Did you know you can order them and they will come right to the post office?

7. We also have a crawdad Maya caught and named, "Mr. Shelley". The Mr. is in case he's a boy and the Shelley is in case she's a girl. (Cause Momma can't tell crawdad boys from crawdad girls--crawdads and crawmoms?)

8. We are about to attempt to start our garden. We have all these small plants on our kitchen table that we started from seeds about 3 weeks ago and they are begging for a new home.

9. and last but not least...Ryan gets a three day weekend and we are actually going to stay home and get stuff done around here!!! yay!!!