My baby is 2!

My sweet little Ashlan just had a birthday and my baby girl is a big TWO years old now! We are having a princess themed family party in June for both girls so Ashlan's actual birthday was low-key but still special. She had a Cinderella ("rella") cake celebration at her school to celebrate with her little friends. She was so excited when I showed up with a cake and was all smiles as she kept repeating " rella, rella..." She dressed in her oh so cute Birthday Girl outfit on her special day. Her sister wore the same outfit almost two years ago so it was neat to pass down that tradition. She looked so precious in her tutu and pigtails. Later that day we took the girls fishing and Ashlan caught 3 fish! She absolutely loved it and Josh & I realized that it was time to get her her own Barbie pole. Mady is an 'ol pro and wasn't too excited about sharing her fishing pole. She was a good sport though and got used to the idea. Both girls caught several fish and had a great time. We all did. Daddy was so glad to be home on her actual birthday so we had rella cake later that night too. Our little family sang Happy Birthday to our sweet girl and she blew out the candles like a big girl! She has been asking for a "Lalaloopy" (Lalaloopsy) for a while now so she got to open that gift from mom, dad, and sissy. She was excited! Both girls now have a Lalaloopsy and were playing with them all night. Both of her sweet grandmas stopped by for a visit and surprised her with a darling Hello Kitty dress and a very cool Leapfrog read along book. I would say that Ashlan had a great day and a very special birthday. Josh and I now have a two year old and a three year old!! Man does time fly!!

Soakin' up the Sunshine

Yesterday was a hot day but we waited until late afternoon and really enjoyed the sunshine! The girls played in their kiddie pool and spilled some water for a little mud fun! We found a wild blackberry patch beside our house and had fun filling up a mason jar. Then we planted some herbs. I planted cilantro, dill, basil, and spearmint, while the girls planted their "basil greenhouse" ($1 spot at Target!). I also planted my marigold that Mady gave me for Mother's Day (thank you CCC). Of course we had help planting.....Josh got to come home for a few days while his company does local work. Yay! He is really the one with the "green thumb!" A few grilled steaks and veggies later and we were happy with full bellies. Just enjoyed our Friday :)

Vanilla Almond Butter & Banana Sandwich

1 cup roasted almond butter
1 Tbs agave nectar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
About 1/4 banana thinly sliced
2 slices whole grain bread

1. Combine almond butter, nectar, vanilla and salt.
2. Stir ingredients until well combined.
3. Spread onto toasted bread and top with banana. Store leftover butter in fridge. Makes 1 cup.

Ashlan loooooves bananas so she loved it!! Mady isn't a big fan of bananas so I replaced her bananas with raspberry jam & she was a happy girl! Homerun! ;)

The Dirty Dozen

So in my "about me" I promised posts about nutrition. That is what this post is all about. I have a huge passion for all things healthy! I love natural remedies, teas, herbs, and of course, all things organic!! If I could afford it, everything we eat would be organic........but I cant. I dont know many people who can! So I am thankful for the USDA's list of top fruits and veggies to buy organic. This helps the cost-conscious person to know when to splurge on the organic produce (The Dirty Dozen) and when its not absolutely necessary (The Clean Fifteen) Below is the list.............enjoy :)

The Dirty Dozen
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach (and the like.....kale, collard greens)
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce

The Clean Fifteen
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions

So you might be asking yourself, why are some produce more prone to sucking up pesticides? The answer is simple. Some produce have protection in their outer layer, such as pineapple, or corn. Others dont have this defense such as strawberries and peaches.
I hope I have educated you a bit on organic :). Eating organic can reduce the amount of toxins you consume on a daily basis by as much as 80%!

** more to come on my nutrition obsession soon! Including my back-story on why I'm so in love with all things healthy!!!!! :)

Starting Tradition

Mom and I have decided to start an Easter tradition with the kids! The plan was to meet at her house for some egg decorating fun and then have an egg hunt! Well mom really got into it and when we arrived, the house was covered in Easter decor! It looked awesome and the girls loved it!! We made some fun glitter eggs and then had friends over for the hunt!! There were tons of eggs!!! ReeRee did an awesome job!

There were even pink glitter bunnies that were so cute!! Here the girls are giving the bunnies kisses ;)

More beautiful decor.......

Egg decorating mess fun!!!

And then it was time for the hunt!! My cousin's kids came over for the fun, and also a few neighbors!

My girls!!!!!!

Raising your kids to love the Lord

I picked up this book a few weeks ago and apparently its a great seller, as I have friends reading it as well (Katie!). Its an easy read but I stay pretty busy with my kiddos so its taking me longer than most to get through it. I'm about half way through and thought I would share some inspiration from inside about raising Christian kids today.
* Peer pressure is a powerful force in a young persons life. Pray that God will bring friends into their lives who will be their partners on a spiritual journey.
*"One of the greatest uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from a lack of time. "
*If you believe in the power of prayer, nothing is important enough to get in the way. You'll find the time. You'll make the investment. You'll bring to God your fears, hopes, and dreams for your children, and you'll commit your kids into His care.
*You want your daughter not just to know the story of Esther, but to become an Esther! You want your son to know about the life of Samuel, but more importantly, to become a Samuel.
*Facilitate connections between their life stories and stories of the Bible.
*Let my family see my love for scripture.
*Passion for scripture can plant seeds.
*How do we turn out kids who will encourage the handicapped rather than make fun of them; who graffiti their Bibles with insights rather than bathroom stalls with profanity? It is possible, but the process isnt short, and certainly not simple.
*UNITED FRONT= a couple committed to reflecting godly values through their parenting. That front is higher, more powerful, stronger.
*God sent Jesus to show us the way, so that we could follow in His steps.
*Kids inherently want and need boundaries.
*It is easier to have that united front with your children when both parents are getting their instructions from the same Book.
*Motherhood is a marathon, not a sprint.
*You are pumping spiritual lifeblood into your kids everyday with love, discipline, and an example of Christlikeness.
*Motherhood is more than a list of chores or a distraction from the "real" work of a career. It is a high and holy calling, the most important job you'll ever have. "A complex, beautiful, challenge worthy of everything."
*You are valuable to the Lord, and so are the chores and challenges of motherhood. You are the heart of the home. The mother's role is incalculable.
(Part II of this post coming soon......when I finish the book)

Laneybugs Easter baskets

Just a few buckets I spiced up with a little personalization. Pink ones for my girls and camo for my nephew Haiden! :-)