Your name is WHAT????

Love these adverts that are all over the city.  I think this one is my favourite ;)  So funny!  Ben Dover is funny too :)  

Oh the little things that make me laugh!!

Crochet update...

I'm making granny squares for a blanket similar to one I had when I was little.  

This is an iphone picture and the colours aren't quite right in it...I'm really happy with my progress and how fast I can get a granny square done now.  When I think how long it has taken me to learn THIS much crochet - I am thrilled :)  

Impressive spud!

Abby was impressed with this potato this afternoon - she thought it was almost as big as her head :)  Potato peeling is one of her favourite chores ;)

White Spruce...

One of our activities today was to plant the little Spruce Tree seeds in the starter kits we were given at the show on Saturday.  They're now in the warm cupboard for a couple of weeks until they sprout!!  

Green Monster update!!

I am not posting on my blog about my green monsters - I'm listing them all in a special notebook (yes, one of my fabby little notebooks that I am a little obsessed with - and this one is GREEN (completely coincidental actually as it's actually in the back of my fitness journal, but I think it's funny that it's green lol)

Anyway, Tara was asking what I was putting in them, so I thought I'd list two of the green monsters I've had since I started.

I write them down every time I make one and I write little notes in the margin to say whether I liked it or not - what I should change etc etc.

I've ordered a Magic Bullet from Airmiles but for now I'm using our big blender - and this means I make quite big quantities.  I end up sharing my green monsters with one of the children.  Susannah loves them.  Abby is quite keen too - depending on what I put in them!!  We have learned that we don't like them too thick!  If it's too thick we add extra ice.  I don't note down quantity - just what goes in.  Although I do remember that yesterday I threw in two bananas because they needed to be eaten!

Yesterday morning I made this one:

Flax seed
oats
sunflower seeds
low fat whey protein (vanilla creme)
grapes
strawberries
raspberries
cucumber
spinach
2 x bananas
almond milk
ice

This green monster was LOVELY!!  Both Susannah and I really enjoyed this!  I had a big glass for breakfast.  Then when I got home from running some errands I had another glass.  It was delicious and filling.  It kept me going almost all day.  Late afternoon I had a slice of Apricot flapjack.  Then for supper I had a baked potato and salad.

I'm finding that these smoothies fill me up and also because they're sweet they are like a treat - like a milkshake!!  Also I feel like I don't want to undo all the good I am doing with them by eating or drinking junk!!!  Mind you - I'm not even craving junk!!  Which is weird because I have pms!!!  It hasn't eased any of my pms symptoms though - but then I wouldn't have expected it to this month as it hasn't even been a week yet of drinking them - maybe next month!  Although I haven't had a migraine yet.  Thats unusual!!

I actually look forward to making my next one.

Ok so here is another blend I did:

flax seed
spinach
whey protein
cucumber
banana
ice

I also have this one listed as LOVELY.  This was very cooling and refreshing but delicious!  Susie really LOVED this!!!  You can taste the cucumber in it but it's delicious!!!  Really yummy!!!!

I tried one with a yogurt in it but wasn't that keen.  I'd like to try pumpkin.

Most days I have two green monsters - one with whey protein in the morning and one without about 30 minutes before supper.  Maybe not what you're supposed to do - I have no clue but I find it works for me and is helping with portion control!  It's a kick-ass way to get your fruit and veg portions in for the day too!

Anyone going to join me?

(image from google images)

D.E.A.R Day!!!

We're joining in with Drop Everything and Read Day today!!!  Yep!!  We're going to spend the day reading and doing activities and crafts linked with the books we'll read.  Any excuse to spend the day snuggled up reading books together :)  

I think we'll take a break after lunch for a nature walk.

What are YOU up to today?

New tractors, old tractors, stables and cutting horses.....

I liked this new tractor that is designed to look old:

Sam loved this old tractor because it had won a lot of rosettes - he seemed to think it had won a lot of races ;) 

Lloyd loved this barn/ stable - the big brother of the stable we saw at the auction house last year.   They are made in Red Deer and delivered in three pieces - put together on your property in about 6 hours!!!!  Built of pine/ and spruce for the most part (steps are pressure treated) it needs to be treated approximately every five years.  I have to admit this is a lovely stable - much nicer than the smaller one we saw last year - the room upstairs was a lovely size!!!  Would make a great office space!!

We went along to watch the auction of the performance horses - we were really surprised at how little the horses went for.  Some were going for under $2,000 and many for around $5,000.  I thought they would be going for around MUCH more than that for breeding purposes at least!!  They kept mentioning that many were from the same line as Peppy San Badger  which I thought would have mattered more but I lol I know NOTHING about horses really...but looking at pedigrees online it looks like Peppy San's parents were Leo san and Peppy Belle - and they were Peppy San Badgers Grand Parents!!

Ok - I know there is a cutting Horse expert around here somewhere who might be able to explain further..... ;)  There is a statue of Peppy San in Millwoods Mall.

Fishing at the show!!

Susannah also caught a fish but it broke free - and even snapped the line - and it was so fast that I didn't get a picture!!

The children were given a certificate each for catching their fish :)  I think they deserved them for having the patience to stand there that long and wait for the fish to bite!!

Off to the Farm and Ranch Show...

Relaxing Saturday afternoon....

The 'boys' playing games.....kitty sleeping on my leg and keeping my foot warm...and me reading

 Ariel Gore's Blog.  Waiting for the lasagna to be done....

Private again...for a while.

Now that all of my online classes are finished, I have made my blog private again.  I am so much happier and feel safer when it is private - I've now had it open since the beginning of December - which is a long time for me, and while it was nice to share a little with a few new people, I did feel very 'open'.  I know that making it private doesn't make it totally safe - but it makes me feel safer ;)

Anyway, sorry if you've had any problems signing in.

x

In love with the Green Monster....

Mel over at Cheerios Addict blog recently mentioned The Green Monster Movement.  If you don't know   about green monsters then I really suggest heading over there to check the website out - and then heading over to Angelas blog Oh She Glows!  Both are sooo inspiring and full of wonderful advice and inspiration about healthy living and recipes!!  

The actual 'green monster' is a a basic smoothie recipe - that is then adapted into a BILLION different recipes....from what I have read, if you drink them regularly you can expect amazing benefits to your hair, nails, skin, weight, energy levels......health and vitality in general!!!

I've been looking for something like this for a while - something to add to my diet without too many pills and supplements - something natural, filling, healthy....that actually really does make me feel like I am doing my body GOOD!!  That helps towards my detox.  

We've been really working on our health here lately - our fitness room has been finished for a while now and so we have started a regular fitness program.  It's really fun to work out as a family in the evenings - Laurence is doing strength training ready for Cheer try-outs/ Spring training...Lloyd is doing some cardio and weight training and I am doing cardio and weights - but just toning.  Chris is working out on the treadmill when he can and Susannah likes the treadmill and the eliptical.  

With that, and swimming twice a week as well as walking (the dogs and out and about on the trails or wherever at weekends when we can)  it feels good to be getting more in shape again.  I think I just needed the motivation - and someone to do it with - and it's so much better doing this as a family.

Lloyd used to do weight training before I met him - when I see pictures of what he used to look like it's hard to believe - he used to be HUGE lol - but then life/ work got too busy and he moved away from his work out buddies...I think he's enjoying doing it all again now - and Laurence is enjoying training with him!!  

Anyway - back to the green monsters....I have one tall glass in the morning for breakfast.  I have another glass about half an hour before supper.   I add low fat whey protein to mine and almond milk...as well as flax seed.  I'm ordering some wheat grass online because I can't seem to find any locally.  I've tried a few different recipes already.  

I think next week I'll wander around the health stores and get some more ideas for things to add.  I know for sure I'm already eating a lot more fruit than I was - I have always loved my vegetables but I've never been a huge fruit eater - but you can throw anything in a smoothie!

The main thing I have noticed is that they are filling and my appetite is reduced already.  I no longer crave junk or get hungry......they really do fill you up and keep you full!  

So I'm going to give it a few weeks - and write down each day what I put in them....keep a journal of my diet and everything and then assess how I feel - how my skin and hair and energy is etc etc - and I had already decided not to weigh myself until April 30th anyway - and then i'll see what I think of this whole 'green monster' thing ;)  

I wonder if they are really as good as they say...and have all the benefits they say......

Laurence..

Laurence was sat at the island after school today and I snapped a picture of him - he tried to tell me not to but he had a mouthful of tea....so he couldn't ;)  

It was funny :)  

Abigails mini cupcakes...

Apricot Flapjacks...mmmmmmm

I've just taken this tray of Apricot Flapjacks out of the oven....Mmmmm they smell good.  They are from Lucy's recipe for 'fruity flapjacks' over at the wonderful Attic 24  I'm waiting for them to cool so I can try them :)  YUM!!!