Spring Break in Texas

We flew into Austin to rendezvous with my good friends, then drove out to the lake house to see family, then drove to Houston for the long journey home.  Whew!  How do I only have two pictures to show for it?  Well anyway, this first one will make you jealous.

 

Smoothie Project

In an effort to put more plants in my diet, I've pulled out my blender to join my "vitamix" happy friends in some smoothie experimentation.  Surprisingly, even my run-of-the-mill-Osterizer blender can turn a jar full of healthy stuff into something that tastes like dessert.  I am up to two cups of kale, and we just can't taste anything but the fruit.  Next week I'll try adding in shredded carrots or maybe some parsnips to see how that works.  I had been trying to add an extra side dish to each dinner, but for all that work I was only getting one more serving into my day so it hardly seems worth it.  With 7 minutes, a smoothie gets me 3-4 more plant servings each day (and Eleanor too, she loves them).  So, I'm feeling like I've found something that works!

Each smoothie has the same base (per person):

• 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt (Trader Joes has best fat to protein ratio)
• 1/2 banana
• 1 peeled clementine
• 2 teaspoons flax meal
• splash of juice or water
• 1-2 cups torn up kale (just leaves, no big stem)
• fruit - whatever we have around, fresh or frozen

Happy Birthday Eleanor!

The day she was born the world was celebrating both Ash Wednesday and Chinese Lunar New Year.  We were in Disneyland for her birthday this week, and they were celebrating Lunar New Year too!

Not so long ago!

Disneyland!

Ok.  We might be addicted.  But, we really do like the Disney parks and what better way to celebrate two big birthdays than with a little magic?  As an added bonus, we met up with some friends who were also in The Land.

Kindergarten Class Reunion

Sabina's impending family move to Israel inspired a class reunion for all of Eleanor's Kindergarten friends.  They jumped back into playing together like they'd never skipped a beat.  We are a lucky group.

Sabina and Eleanor, still "Besties"

 

Birthday Week!

Two of us, 3 days apart, for a total of 48 years this time around!  We often make it a whole birthday month, just so we each get our own chance in the candle-light.  More festivities to come!

Eleanor's gift opening night

Lazy daze

What better?  It is sooooo nice that she reads!