Shake it!

The other day I was asked to go to a friends' house to learn about a "90 Day Challenge". She had asked about some of my recipes and about my green shakes, so I thought it was more about getting people together to swap some healthy recipes and to encourage each other to eat healthy for 90 days. When I got there I actually kinda felt ambushed. It was my friends and two others that were "higher up" in the company. It was for the "Body by VI" shakes. They gave their shpeal and I listened. I had actually heard it before and had even tried them. 

They said their part and I just listened... more just to my heart. It just felt wrong for my family. Besides the synthetic taste {which I tried to explain and they just didn't get it} I kept seeing flashes of WALL-E, you know when they are on the ship and all the meals come in a cup. I have a problem with my kids thinking that a meal is two scoops out of a bag. I told them that and the two other guys just looked at ME like I was crazy!

There was a lot of other things that where said and other things about the company that I wasn't feeling great about, and in the past I may have.... actually I did cave to what was said. And I have to admit, people have learned to sell their stuff well. It all sounds so appealing on the surface.

They kept coming back to weight loss and more energy. Which yes, we can all use! But I kept listening to my heart, and if I want weight loss and energy gain all I need to do is follow the Word of Wisdom. With what Steve is learning I am also learning just how amazing our bodies are if we give them the chance to work properly. 

I have a stronger testimony now of the Word of Wisdom. I need to stay close to the Lord and I need to pray about the needs for my family. The more I learn the more I change. I know it's not an over night thing and that is what these "food replacement" shake sell. "If you commit to 2 weeks you'll see changes" But it just can't be healthy for our bodies. The whole "if it's too good to be true it probably is" thing is so true in this case. I wish people could see the flip side of just putting in the effort to eating healthy. It really isn't that hard.... it's just doing it.  

After all of that.... it was suppose to take 45 minutes... it was over 2 hours!!! We came home and had shakes... Green Shakes, and I had a request from one little boy to put beets in it. Then I had to break up a fight and redistribute the cups with exactly the same about in each cup so everyone got the same. I listen to Benji squeal at me for drinking out of our cup to fast until I finally gave up and gave him my straw so he now had two and could drink it faster. It made me happy to know exactly what was put in our shakes, that it was fresh and that other than blending it there was no processing.

My Good for Nothing

"What are you good for my brave little man?

Answer that question for me if you can-

You with your fingers white as a nun-

You with your ringlets as bright as the sun.

All the day long with your busy contriving,

Into all mischief and fun you are driving;

See if you wise little noodle can tell,

What are you good for? Now ponder it well."

Over the carpet the dear little feet

Came with a patter to climb on my seat.

Two merry eyes full of frolic and glee,

Under their lashes looked up unto me;

Two little hands pressing soft on my face,

Drew me down close in a loving embrace;

Two rosy lips gave an answer so true;

"Good to love you momma, good to love you."

~Emily Huntington Miller

Climber

Thanks to a little friend of Benji's little friends, he is now a great climber. He will move buckets... chairs... stools.... whatever it takes to get what he wants.

Today it is raisins...

He is so proud of himself....

In other news Benji has a new favorite place to eat his snacks....

In the cupboard under the sink.

James' GQ Moment

It's not often that I can get James to look at me while I am trying to take his picture, and even less often that I can get him to give me a real expression.

But when he does.... he can look straight into you. My little boy is growing up, and I like being able to catch these moments that are so raw.

{love you, my james!}

Tommy and Tim Can

They did it!!

We got this puzzle from a friend, and there are only two possible ways that it will fit together. Well Tommy and Tim got it. After we have worked on it on and off for over a year, and they finally got it!! Tim sat down to work on it, and then Tommy sat down to help him. !0 minutes later they had it completed!

I was pretty impressed. It is a lot harder than it looks!

It is NOT a skirt!!

We Steve has Scottish blood. So when a Scottish Festival comes around we haul the boys out to see men being really proud to walk around in the open wearing skirts.... KILTS!!

I heard an advertisement for the Scottish festival on the radio, and almost missed it because I missed an entire week!! I mean really, forgetting what day it is, is one thing... I really was in a totally different week!! Anyway, once I realized what day it was we packed up the boys and their friend C. It was a beautiful day to go and I am so glad we did!

We pulled up and the very observant boys notice the obvious that there were a lot of boys wearing skirts. "Why are they wearing skirts?" "Why do they all look the same?" "Do they have to wear shorts under their skirts like my sister do?" {that one was from C} "Do you think their legs get cold?"

Steve and I had to explain that the men are not wear skirts, and they will not appreciate the term skirt, nor will they find it funny. They understood and off we went.

All the boys got to try on some helmets, they were really heavy. And most complained about one of two things while their head was in a bucket... that they couldn't see very well, and that it smelt funny. We later learned that the makers of the helmet actually use them to fight and joust in.... I will trust the boys in the fact that they smelt funny.

Steve went in one direction and went to find his Clan. The way they had that area set up did not allow for a huge stroller and 4 extras that wander easily to safely make it from one end of the tents to the other, so we did something else.

We went and participated in our own Scottish games!
Here we have the Haggis Toss.

You do just as it says.... Toss some Haggis.

You pick up some haggis and throw it.... I'm not sure but I don't think there is to much to this event...

Next up... the Caber Toss

 This time you pick up a log and toss it. C was able to get it.

Tommy's just tipped his log out of his hands.

And Tim didn't let go. He ran to the end and dropped it there... Then he declared himself the winner.

 James had the best form and with no training, I figured it must be the Scottish blood coming through.

On to the Sheep Toss.... I'm starting the thing that the Scottish have no other forms of entertainment than to toss things.

Pick a sheep, and see who can toss it the farthest 

I don't remember what this one was called but can you guess what they are doing, I'm sensing a pattern are you?? Go on take a wild guess...

More tossing.... although this doesn't look like it's going to end well for Tommy.

C was actually able to do it and make it over most of the bars!!!

It took James a couple tries to get it over.

It was a lot more coordination than he thought.

In the end though he finally made it over the bar.

Tim had a hard time and I was just happy that he didn't wap anyone in the face with the shovel.

Benji needed to try too and he can grunt and growl with the best of them... those are his Scottish genes coming through!

Anyway, once the boys were done tossing things we headed over to have lunch. We found a quiet place... right next to where all the bagpipes were practicing.

Honestly I do find it funny that men, on any normal day would not ever be caught near a skirt, but one day a year they don a kilt and walk around a park praying that they wind doesn't blow to hard.

Now I'm not a total expert, but I think the Scottish days are to celebrate the way it use to be in not so modern times... I don't think people had cell phones way back when... I'm not buying that this guy is Scottish... the outfit isn't right and the phone just throws the whole thing off.

The boys were getting board watching everyone else fight... and be allowed to, so we bought them swords and found them an area where they couldn't hurt anyone else.

They are having an "All for one and one for all" moment here.

I thought this was a good picture of C and Tommy. They look fierce don't they??

{Clearly Tommy forgot "All for one, one for all"...}

It was a fun day. It was a lot of walking and pushing of a stroller. Benji wasn't allowed out much because he's cute... and people like cute babies... and Benji would probably go with them.... I like him to much to let him wonder off.

Steve reconnected with his Clan members. I am going to join the DAR. The boys did not injure themselves or each other. So I would say it was a success!!

SWAP!!!

It's official... I am Addicted! I tried not to enter this one. I tried to look the other way.






But really... who doesn't like to get presents in the mail?!

You know I totally do!

I'm signed up.... are you??