Portland...and beyond...

Last week the kiddos and I decided to head south to Portland to hang out with our amazing neighbor...who was in Portland hanging with her mom.
It was exactly what we needed. To get out of the house, be spontaneous and go for it!
The kiddos loved every minute of it. The new parks, a new grandma, sleepovers and new toys( or at least new to them)
Even the Popsicle truck was better. I think everything is better when you are with your friends.

We went into the city to play in the amazing Portland fountains

Colin's favorite part was riding the trolley to the other fountain

they even have cool signs

Molly went on her first hike (using her own feet and not riding on my back)and did great. She kept up with the big kids and smiled the whole way. With a stop every once in awhile to check out a cool bird. Here she is chatting it up with an owl.

We even had a crazy, weird drive home. Our 3 hour drive ended up taking 6 hours because the freeway was shut down due to a 7 semi-truck accident and a women going into labor. I would still go back!

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Once we finally got home we  got to see Doug who was gone all week.

Once we all rolled out of bed Sunday morning we headed out to the city to the Museum of flight.
Where else can you hitch a ride on the Concorde and...

Air Force one...so cool

I let Molly out of the stroller a couple of times when I was feeling brave. I love this picture because it shows how she goes, goes, and goes...

Emilie's favorite part of the whole museum...

After walking what felt like a ton of miles we sat down for some lunch and watched airplanes takeoff and land from Boeing field

I love this (mine) little boy sooooo much...

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the next day we ventured out to the aquarium and I just can't bring myself to post those pictures (they were taken on my iphone) but here is some photos of our after aquarium dinning at Red Robin.

Emilie fell in love with this little crown while we where at Pike's Market

then she wanted to dance, dance, dance

Colin got to pick out a wooden model

And I once again followed my taste buds to something I saw on the Food Network Channel

Phew....What a crazy weekend....But a TON of fun

Agave sweetened chocolate chip cookies

Things You'll Need:

•1 and 1/2 Cups Agave Nectar

•3 Cups whole wheat pastry flour (or regular flour)

•1/2 Cup  Butter (1 stick)

•2  Eggs

•1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

•1/4 tsp. Salt

•1 tsp. Baking Soda

•1 tsp. Baking Powder

•1 pkg.Chocolate Chips milk or semi-sweet 

•Preheat the oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter with Agave and mix well with a hand mixer. When combined, add in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the vanilla and mix well.

•Step 2
3 Cups Flour In the same bowl, mix in the baking soda, baking flour, and salt with your hand mixture. Add in the flour, one cup at a time, and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips until combined.


•Step 3
2 inches apart With a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out the cookies onto a cookie sheet, leaving them about 2 inches apart in all directions. Bake until golden, about 10-12 minutes.

I've wanted to make these for a long time but always put it off because of the possibility of the cookies tasting nasty and then I would be bitter because I waisted an hour.
But...These tasted really good. Not your normal cookie. More like little cakes.

My inspiration to make these is Colin. When he eats sugar he spazes out and then crashes pretty hard. So for the last year I've been working really hard to find ways to stay away from sugar but still let him have fun things to eat.

I'm really glad this one worked out..phew...

In a yellow house challenge...

...Urban

we have success!

For months I have been working on getting my kitchen purged of all that is bad. Processed food, etc.

 I think we are finally there...

Colin has always been a great eater. And since the kitchen makeover he has become even better. Today for lunch I made Lentil burritos and he LOVED them.

Colin loves anything that "fuels his fire" and helps him run farther, ride faster and jump higher.

Emilie also tryed them and ate quite a bit. But she said next time she wants just the tortilla. No beans, cheese, lettuce or carrots.

Molly ate all of it minus the tortilla but with a side of avocado.

If you also would like to try these yummy burritos here is the receipt:

{saute}

1 cup onion

2 carrots (chopped)

3 cloves of garlic (diced)

{stir in}

1 cup lentils

1 to 2 TB. Chile powder

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

mix and cook for 1 min.

add 1 1/2 cup veg. stock

& 1 cup water

(or all water or all stock)

bring to a boil then simmer covered for 20 min

remove lid and continue to simmer for 10 min.

stir in salsa or a can of diced tomatoes

I then served it on a whole grain tortilla with white Cheddar cheese and lettuce.

Next time I will add avocado to the top.

~Enjoy!

and for the first time I am joining in on the fun

summer fun...

 ...back yard style

 Lots of laying in the grass looking for clouds...

today was a beautiful cloudless day...finally...

at the end of the day we curl up outside with popcorn and a movie....summer is awesome

music

I promised you the world again

Everything within my hands
All the riches one could dream
They will come from me

I hoped that you could understand
That this is not what I had planned
Please don’t worry now
It will turn around

Cause I need more time
Just a few more months and we’ll be fine
So say what’s on your mind
Cause I can’t figure out just what’s inside
    -from more time by Needtobreath

I love music! Like the lyrics to the song above, they hit me right in my heart every time
I hear them, and no mater what situation I am in they fit perfectly.

For me the 90's was the Dave Mathews Band. I fought wild land fires for the Forest Service those 10 years and all of their song worked for me. Got me through all of the tough times. well, and a little Alanis Morissette. To this day if I hear a certain Dave song I am sent back to that day that the song got me through.

now that I am a lot older and I have three kiddos songs mean so much more to me. when my dad died I stoped listening to music. Every song made me cry.

Now music is back and on almost 24 hours a day. Even my blog has tunes.  I am very sorry to those of you that hate music on blogs but I LOVE IT! I love visiting someones blog and hearing the music they love. To me it really says something about that person. I keep my little play list up high on the right so you can pause it. But my music is awesome! and you should turn in up :-)

I also love visiting all of your blogs while listening to my music. Its like having a soundtrack to all of my favorite stops. To the right of my post are my favorite blogs. Every morning I wake up and the first thing I do is see who up dated. I get so excited to sit down and read them with my coffee. Its like getting a people magazine delivered to my door every morning. So THANK YOU beautiful ladies that up date daily!!

I'm off to go run and listen to my awesome running play list and then come home and listen to some more Pandora radio...What would I do with out music? Oh shit..I would have to listen to my own thoughts...

puzzles...

Little miss is finally getting the hang of the puzzle thing...

Well..Almost...

Congratulations on making it to thursday! Friday is just around the corner.

This picture reminds me of the realxing and fun days we had in Montana. I love how on the "after" it really feels like day turning into night.

Taking pictures is such an amazing thing. They can bring you right back to a moment in time. Good or bad.

SOOC

 After....and have a fantastic Thursday!

Now go get inspired my all of the amazing before and afters over here

she is...

such a girly, girl!

And I love it!

It has been so much fun watching her figure out who she is

 

sometimes I'm a little scared

 then she reminds me that she is still 3

“Life is full of beauty.
Notice it.
Notice the bumble bee,
the small child,
and the smiling faces.
Smell the rain, and feel the wind.”



                                   ― Ashley Smith