Just another reason I love this time of year...

 Yesterday was Go Texan day at Jaxson's school - so we put on our boots and our best western shirt!

We also got a hair cut. And Oh My Goodness! Somebody replaced by baby boy with a little boy who talks like crazy. It was like as soon as they cut that hair off his vocabulary expanded like crazy. He has been talking nonstop since Thursday night.

He is using complete sentences and I am so proud and so sad at the same time. You better believe I'm definitely slowing down and cuddling whenever this guy will let me. He'll be going on his first date before I know it!

  Until the cold weather returns, you are pretty much guaranteed to find to a group of kids 5 and under playing up and down our street. We absolutely love it!

They especially enjoy playing in the back of the trucks...

 Jax trying hard to push a grape through a hole in Corey's Truck

 This is Langston, He has one of my favorite smiles in the whole world! His laugh is absolutely contagious!

 And this is Dash, treating the bed of the truck like a Trampoline.

Okay - I'm switching gears...

 Touching on something from yesterday's post - I thought I'd elaborate on the whole smoothie thing. I think there is a misconception that smoothie making has to be a hassle. 

I have a smoothie almost every day and I do not own a blender. No gigantic mess - I promise.

I have a Magic Bullet that has lasted 5 years and counting. There are similar contraptions made by other companies. My friend has a Cuisinart and says it works great.

For this morning's smoothie: I filled the cup halfway up with ice, added a handful of spinach, and then topped it off with whatever fruit mix I have. Sometimes I use frozen that I have defrosted and sometimes I use fresh. I always have some frozen in the freezer on standby in case I want something different or run out of fresh fruit.

Today was actually the first day I've ever put spinach in my smoothies. I was inspired by a friend's post here. After reading her post, I though, "If she can get her picky kids to eat a smoothie with spinach, I can at least give it a try." And guess what folks - I couldn't taste it at all. The only texture difference was the same texture as fresh blueberries in a smoothie. So, really not a big deal.

The fabulous thing about the bullet is that you attach the blade to the glass, blend it, remove the blade (I wash it right away and set it aside for the next day), and put a rim on the glass (if you like). I usually drink mine through a straw, so a rim doesn't matter to me.

 Finished product! I usually drink mine on the way to work and bring it back in to be washed after work. It comes with enough glasses to get through several days.

This smoothie doesn't look quite as delicious as they usually do (because of the spinach color), but it still tastes fabulous. 

Not to mention, its a fabulous way to eat your fruits and veggies. I usually end up with a cup and a half to two cups of fruit in the smoothie - not a bad way to start your day.

One last thing - I don't add any artificial sweeteners or sugar. I used to add splenda or sugar. However, a funny thing has happened. A few weeks ago I decided to stop drinking sodas. Something about drinking chemicals started freaking me out. After I adjusted to the lack of Diet DP in my life, I realized things tasted more. Does that make since, if they tasted good - they tasted really good. If they tasted bad, well, you get it. 

So, I decided to do a little experiment. I stopped putting splenda in my coffee. I just put in a teaspoon of sugar. The real stuff. Just a few calories for again, no chemicals.

I'm telling you the truth here folks - my taste buds are freaking out since then. Everything tastes so different. So, now the natural sweetness of the fruit in the smoothie is plenty of sweet for me.

Scary what all those chemicals (designed to make you want more of whatever their in) have done to me.

Okay, well - I hope you guys don't mind the added craftiness and health business on the blog. I just feel the need to share what I learn as I go on this mission of being healthier and doing the things that I enjoy.

Have a great weekend!