#9.

mango-sausamole. easy. yummy. winner.
3 avocados
1 mango chopped
1 c salsa verde
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt
smash avocados and mix with mango, salsa verde, and lime juice; season with salt. makes about 3 cups.

picture from rachel ray

i added wayyyy more lime juice because i have a borderline addiction to citrus. and next time i might also add a little more mango because that was the b-to-the-est part. 

#13.

so I have finally stopped being the girl who finds a recipe in a magazine and rips out the entire page. sure that is a perfectly acceptable method if it is your own magazine, but that usually was not the case. Think dr. office, dentist, hair salon. you name the place and i have vandalized their magazines. eek so sorry. however, i have turned a new leaf.  being so mature in my old age, i am now the girl who whips out her phone in the middle of said place and takes a picture of the page. i pride myself in this new method even though I look ridiculous I am sure, but at least the page stays put for all to enjoy. you are welcome peoples. my latest and greatest find thanks to gettin' my hair did...a breakfast creamsicle smoothie. yum-to-the-o. light and frothy. only 284 calories. score. 
1/2 medium banana 
3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt 
1 cup fresh orange juice 
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1/2 tsp orange zest 
1/4 cup ice 
 *Side note: I used cup of ice or more if the spirit moved me and a whole banana. With these changes, this recipe made enough for 2 servings.

and i'm off to the races in my bucket list saga. one number down. 24 to go. 

♥

summer 2012 bucket list.

i am a dreamer. a come-up-with-stuff-always-and-never-complete-any-of-it dreamer. ok, that was a little dramatic... maybe i accomplish a few of the things, but i never put my full plan into action. walk the talk i suppose. this is my summer bucket list. the must-dos of the season. i love a good list that i get to check off. the feeling of accomplishment is second to none. today's the day. the day of the bucket list kick off. let the fun begin. 
1. go to the ocean.
2. go to monterey bay aquarium.
3. go to the fair.
4. take pictures in a photo booth.
5. take ella to the movies.
6. go for a picnic.
7. take a bead class.
8. have lunch at picasso's.
9. make mango-sausamole.
10. make snicker doodle cupcakes.
11. go on a real date.
12. plan a home date.
13. find fun new recipes for smoothies and popsicles and MAKE them.
14. go to the riverbank park.
15. get creative at color me mine.
16. plan family nights.
17. finish abc cut outs for school and cut more cute stuff out.
18. take ella to funworks.
19. make a friendship bracelet.
20. get a henna tattoo. 
21. make strawberry jam. 
22. go to the zoo.
23. make cut out cookies with ella.
24. take a mini road trip.
andddd...
25. get crafty and bring a pin to life. 

swim lessons.

if you couldn't already guess by the perma-grin plastered on her face, she loved swim lessons. in fact, since going on monday she has not stopped talking about them. she had no fear, while i had plenty. i was extremely nervous, stomach in knots, paranoid she was going to drown. she didn't. she had no fear of anything. they started off with a warm up, followed by blowing bubbles, leg kicks and jumping in...heads submerged no less. she did everything willingly, no hesitation, with a huge smile. you go girl was all i kept thinking as i sat there nervously waiting for the half hour to come to an end. after going to another lesson last night, my fears have slowly eased. her two teachers keep an eye on them at all times (like they wouldn't for some reason??), and ella loves it so much...i too will learn to love it as well. 
♥

a look inside.

most days are filled with smiles sprinkled with a few tongues sticking out, reality tv, captain's gut laughs, running errands, picking up random sisters that finally fly in from a ridiculously far away place!, and joy. it's funny how one smile from the captain can brighten my day. or one unexpected and unprompted thank you from ella helps me remember why all the stress of parenthood is worth it. swim lessons just began, along with ella's munchkinland performance tonight. ridiculously cute pictures are just on the horizon!
♥

american graffiti.

this past sunday, ella got her inner american graffiti on and headed to the car show with her daddy. she was spoiled with kettle corn, a snow cone, and bites of a deep fried twinkie. she fell hardcore in love with a mini mcqueen that was her size---> direct quote. she came back home with dirt covered salt waters and with the sugar-high of a lifetime. safe to say she had more than a great time.
♥

genius in training.

my dude and his head haha what a difference 4 months makes. if head size is any indication for how many brains this boy is packin', people better check themselves!
♥

lavender farm.

it was breezy, but not too breezy. it was yummy food, lots of pictures, a happy cappy, and an ella who listened. it was the first visit to the lavender farm  2012.

                             
                             
                             
                             
                             

♥

bed bugs.

ella woke up this morning with her usual groan of 'mommmma.' captain was done eating, she was still groggy, so i figured i'd snap some pics of my bed bugs. captain is a great sleeper. she...not so much. but i love them both the same. i mean, who wouldn't love a girl in snowman pj's in the middle of june, who can't go to sleep without being surrounded by 10 possibly 11 stuffed animals, and who will throw a complete knock down, tears-for-days fit if her star night light isn't turned on? i for sure, couldn't live without her :)
♥

bringing singing back.

and to add to the fun-ness. cause that's exactly what i'm having here, the fun-ness. my first instagrams and it's instal♥ve at first sight. why has it taken me so long to find this? high five on suggesting the iPad,  you're my favorite sister. piecesofbree. follow me. ♥

peanut butter, rice cereal time.

for some reason that song kept replaying in my head as i fed my dude. peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly, peanut butter jelly, peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat. that song is so redonkulous, yet so addicting. curse you peanut butter jelly. 
today was d-day. literally i think. but also doctor day for the cappy cap. captain is 26 inches long and 13 lbs 14 oz. translation...long skinny dude. he is actually a little too skinny which is where the rice cereal comes into play. i was planning on starting him on rice cereal anyway since he turned 4 months, but now it is an immediate necessary since my dude needs to gain a few l-b's. he ate more than i thought he would. ella almost whined herself to death since she couldn't feed him herself. and we all had a grand ol time. 

♥

cuatro.

cuatro, as in four. as in my dude is four months old! he is talking up a storm, laughing like it is nobodies business, chompin' on his hands, burp rag, whatever is available, rolling from his stomach to his back and dying to roll from his back to his stomach (so close!), sleeping like a champ, putting up with sister's constant prodding, loving softball, about to embark on the journey that is eating food, and waiting patiently to meet his aunt e. so much stuff for such a little boy.

♥

f to the r-e-e fonts.

google miss tiina fonts. you won't be disappointed. more awesomely free fonts. 

life lately.

color me a scally-wag, fake pops and a par-tay.

 *i mentioned that ella should give emma a hug for a picture...well the above pic is ella reaching over a little too aggressively and body slamming emma to the ground. a hug was attempted, it was just a gritted teeth 'come here emma' type of hug. even though it was her party and she could've cried if she wanted to, she didn't. tough points for the em-ster.

♥