Thankful (no pictures, copied from fb)

I am thankful for the values my parents gave me and my sister, and the fact that my husband shares those values - values of giving and welcoming. 

I am thankful for my best friends and the laughter they bring me. 

I am thankful for the iron dome. 

I am thankful for my allergy medicine that allows me to live with my

 dogs.

I am thankful for the Union for Reform Judaism that led us to go to a gay Jewish wedding last night - "she-hechyanu at a whole new level".

I am thankful for the fact that my family is healthy and safe, for the love they give me, and for all my new family that I gained this year.

At this very moment, I am thankful for the healthy cooking habits my mother taught me, and that I was able to evade them today and put an entire stick of brown butter in the stuffing!

Menu and pictures another time. 

Creative things to do with kids (for the future) and a meager catch up

I just saw this pin on pinterest:

Source: simplekids.net via Allison on Pinterest

I remember my mother was SO creative with us. I need to ask her for ideas. I hope that when we have babies I won't just get so completely overwhelmed and forget these ideas by the time our kids are old enough for them.


Some I am adding:
-surprise them with an indoor picnic
-send them on a scavenger hunt
-cut their food into fun shapes
-put all toys in storage except 10, cover the rest in wrapping paper, and once a month they get "present day", plus they can earn extra present days. Don't forget to put the old toys back into the rotation!
-have a s'more night
-go camping in the living room (my sister and I used to love doing this!)

In other news, I haven't posted in over a month. I've been really bad since summer. Stupid military base with poor internet got me into some poor blogging habits.

Lots of recipes and wedding details coming soon!

Also - look at this amazing website my sister-in-law Sarah sent me! I want to make a million, or one for each season, or at least just one iPhone 5 cover.

New How I Met Your Mother in 2 minutes.

I leave you with a few of my favorite pictures from lately: (ps, I decided to only post 10, but I have so much to catch you all up on, not even including the wedding!)

This morning - how could I drag myself out with these two cuddle bugs? Yes, I did get in trouble by Charlie for having the dogs upstairs.


Charlie in Baghdad in 2007 - Happy Veterans Day to my favorite Veteran!


Dinner the other night - I love our wedding serve ware!!!! The chicken is a pomegranate chicken that I tried to copy from Market Grille Cafe - it was pretty good but not yet perfect.




Clara playing with the "Daddy Bear" at our house. She said "the bear is going to work", how cute.


I'm wearing a Lee scarf! So warm and stylish


Katy and her bff Maya Marie (Katy gave my dog a middle name)


Shredded brussel sprouts salad, recipe to come!


Charlie and Jeff with Grant and Todd (Charlie had just shaved his head)


Texting Sarah (my gym buddy) during balletone, such a good class.



AH there is another one I want to post but that's enough.

HIMYM wooo!

Why do I love my doggies?

Because they protect Els-bels!

Green smoothie - weight loss trick

Disclaimer! Does not taste green! Even Charlie drank one yesterday!!!!



Hello. Do you love my no make up puffy eyed look? Gotta love allergy season.

On a non-sarcastic note do you like my pink polka dot straw???? Aunt Nancy got them for me from Sur La Table!

Every day I've been eating one of these for lunch. They're always a little different. For example, I used canned pineapple today but yesterday I used a tropical frozen fruit mix from Costco. You can really use anything.

Basic Recipe:
-1 cup of canned pineapple chunks with juice (not syrups) *note* you can really use 1 cup of frozen, canned, or fresh fruit of any kind.
-1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk or coconut milk (the carton not the can)
-1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (greek or regular)
-1 frozen banana, cut into slices (tip, peel and slice your bananas before freezing them in ziplock bags)
-2 cups fresh spinach

Directions:
1. Blend everything.
2. Put in a cute straw
3. Drink!

Sometimes I'll add a tbs or so of chia seeds. Today I didn't.

Enjoy!


(ps - that's the same picture, I just took out my make-up-less puffy eyed face!)

Some wedding preparations

We are taking dance lessons. Of course Charlie wants to learn how to throw me in the air. We settled for dirty dancing at the end of the lesson.

I'm also losing weight. How, you ask? Well, I don't eat breakfast, and I have a green smoothie (will post recipe next) for lunch, and then a big dinner. Yes, I know, you're not supposed to do that, I have it opposite. I've tried that. Doesn't work for me. But I've lost weight! Woooo! 

In the mail today was my PJ library book of the month "Room for the baby". I think PJ Library is giving me a hint.

Look what Birdie "scent" me!!!! She's the best, miss you and baby!

Oh what's that? a scentsy BRICK the size of my computer. In love.