Sprouted Grains = Consume Promptly

After you defrost your Ezekiel tortillas, they need to be consumed straight off.  When Food for Life says, "No preservatives" they mean, "Don't put them in your bread drawer for a few days!"

Totseat....The Portable Travel Chair

I was asked to tryout and review Totseat and it arrived at my door this week in a very small box.  Hmmmm, good first impression.

My youngest is 21 months so he's at the high end of the age range for this item.....8-30 months, but we tore open the package and got right to work.  When I first went to strap him in he started screaming, but I'm sure it was because he's in a screamer phase he was hungry.  I grabbed some raisins and he jumped right in.

What I loved right off?  It was super easy to use.  I am very baby contraption challenged.  Very.  Think: trying to figure out the Baby Bjorn in 2001....I think I ended up in the Bjorn with Madeline wearing it.  No joke.  I didn't even have to whip out the manual for the Totseat -- which is good because who has time for that?  I also loved how easy it was to pack up.  Cramming it back in the (small) matching bag was a snap.  Very important because when you're out at a restaurant and the baby is done?  He's d.o.n.e.

I tried it on a variety of chairs and it adjusted well.  It has adjustments in the back and sides to fit all types of chairs.

Here's what I didn't love.  It sits too low for most chair/table combinations.  Since the baby is sitting on an adult seat, they are seated too low to reach the table for eating/playing.  I did find one chair in our home that sat high enough but I'm guessing that's an anomaly.

I'm giving the Totseat a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.  My recommendation:  adjust this product to double as a highchair cover for restaurants that do offer a highchair.  This way, you have a way to cover the filthy, dirty highchair and you have an option for places that don't offer one.  Bonus!

Easter Part 2

The kids put together an Easter egg hunt for Lincoln today.  It was so stinkin' cute.  

Mary Poppins!

I got to take the girls to opening night of Mary Poppins last week.  It has amazing.  Amazing.  I felt very blessed that night with my girls all sitting around me, watching their sweet faces was most definitely my favorite scene!  Grandma C. came along and so did Aunt Jen (thanks for taking this picture, Aunt Jen! :))

Here's a preview of one of our favorite moments. And yes, the rumors are true. Bert does walk on the ceiling during the performance.

When we all woke up the next morning the girls said, "I wish we could see it again."  Me too.

Happy Easter!

Academics Fair

The girls participated in an Academics Fair last week.  I'm a huge fan of letting them author these projects 100%.  I love listening as they explain their thought processes and ideas to their peers. 

 Could they really have completed this, with no parameters, and actually learned something?

What else did you suppose Madeline would have presented?

So the story goes, we were sent a YouTube back in the Fall where a woman in NYC purchased a Happy Meal and let it sit on her coffee table for 6 months.  Madeline, of course, wanted to try it so she purchased a burger and fries from 2 fast food joints and began her own experiment.

And yes, they have been sitting on our bookshelf for 6 months and look the same as the day we purchased them.  No rotting.  No mold.  No bugs.  Seriously.

Abigail chose Africa and talked about our friend "Jungle Man" John (a.k.a. "Uganda John") who is working on building an orphanage in Uganda.  She also discussed our dear friends, Shawn & Joy, who are headed to Mozambique this summer for mission work.  Fantastic job, Love!

I've Got Mail!

I received the following letter as I jumped in the car to head to Whole Foods with GLLAM yesterday.
As Madeline handed it to me she said, "Mom, don't answer right away.  Please read the entire letter and then let me tell you about 'my opportunity'....."

Dear Mom, 
Guess what?  There is a website where you can foster a dog for free.  Do not say no yet I know you will say there is a catch but I have taken many interviews and it is true. No catch.  Talk to me and in the car and I will tell you more about it.


PS. I interviewed someone that does it all the time.  Please don't tell me the anser (sic) yet.




Oh.My.Goodness...................
(it doesn't help matters that I was also on the way to take her to donate her hair to Locks for Love....for the 2nd time)

Spring Has Arrived!

As Madeline announced through a poem she wrote this morning:

Soft wind blowing by
Passing through the trees
Right up to my door
In my house it goes
Never, ever going out
Good Night, I say

Apparently Big Brother is More Than Just a T.V. Show

School Bans Homemade Lunches

How generous of them to have thrown a few carrots on the tray.
Rest of lunch = Healthy?

More pictures to come but suffice it to say, Abigail had a fantastic 8th birthday.

We love you, dear.

Lemony Cabbage Avocado Slaw

6 cups finely shredded purple and green cabbage 
1 small red, orange or yellow pepper, chopped 
1 ripe avocado, diced 
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 
3 tablespoons lemon juice 
1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds (I used chia seeds)
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt


Toss until avocado is creamy throughout.


This is our new favorite salad.  Compliments of Whole Foods.  I've whipped it up 3 times in the past week.  Divine.

Happy 6th Birthday Lauren!

We surprised her with a trip to get her ears pierced!

Here we are afterwards, celebrating with a Girls & Dolls tea party.  

At least the top of my head isn't cut off.

We love you Ellie-Bug!!!

Hair Ragging

After a night of reading American Girl books, the girls decided to give hair ragging a try.

Step 1: Cut up a pillowcase (or any fabric?) into very small strips.
Step 2: Wet hair down and wrap & tie sections all over your head.
(I was just trying to keep a straight face at this point)
Step 3: Head to Dream Land......

Good morning!

I snapped a quick picture of them as they were tearing them out.

(Lauren had no desire as she prefers "straight hair!")

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually works.  Who knew?

I do remember my grandmother mentioning it once, years ago................