Recipe, Green and Mean Smoothie.

Happy Friday y'all, cheers to the weekend!  For all my Super Bowl Sunday fans, Go Hawks!  Beast Mode!  Skittles! Lol, did I miss any Washington lingo?  I am so not athletic, that was my brother! 

 

So I'm back with another tasty libation!  This one is mainly green,  It doesn't have any pretty berries combined with it.  It's smooth and perks me up with the energy I need to start my day.  I'm pleased to say I bought my first bag of Organic Chia Seeds.  I was eager to try them and see if they had a funny taste.  After all they are the seedlings of Cha Cha Chia Pets!  Thankfully I don't taste them at all.  So thumbs up, keepers!  I'll be purchasing the big Costco bag next time.

I do like my smoothies to be creamy and sweet, I'm not on the juicing train yet.  So that's why my recipes have Almond Milk and Greek yogurt in them all the time.  You could also substitute the ingredients to your own liking. 

Green & Mean Smoothie

8 oz. of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon or so of Chia Seeds
1/3 cup Greek Honey Yogurt
1/3 cup fresh Pineapple
1/3 cup Mango
1 cup of Kale
1 Banana
3 ice cubes
Blend & Enjoy, serves about 2

I'm going to start my mornings now with a tall glass of water with lemon.  Instead of my usual coffee first thing.  Well see how that goes.  Water does wonders for the skin and rehydrates your body after you've been sleeping. 

Thank you for reading :) Much love, Linzi

January Favorites!

Well its that time of the month again. I totally just laughed out loud!  The first month of 2014 is coming to its end!  Bring on February, I'm ready for my littles to make heart shaped valentines, and start our baking sessions of pink cookies and candies! 

I'm happy to report I've stuck with my healthier eating habits. It feels good to eat more veggies and fruit.  I still love my sweets and goodies but I'm being more conscious about it.  Which sort of leads me into my first January favorite.

1.) Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.  For my lifestyle and taste I love coconut oil.  Not only is it amazing for skin, but also for eating.  I love adding a melted tablespoon or so into my smoothies.  It adds a wonderful flavor but the main thing is that its so good for your body. I highly recommend reading up on the benefits of organic virgin coconut oil!

2.)  Alba Botanica Good & Clean Toxin Release Scrub,  I am loving this light exfoliating scrub.  It smells wonderful, like orange zest, which you can actually see.  I also feel like its helping  my skin look fresh and bright.  I probably use this every other day.  Another thing I love about it is there is no parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfates.  This brand is also cruelty free :)

3.)  Too Faced Romantic Eye Pallete,  I have been using this on the daily.  The colors are very wearable for everyday or even for a night out.  All nine shades are beautiful and have high color payoff.  The color combinations they have set out for you look great on and are easy to replicate with the makeup diagram cards that come with it.  I'm really glad I bought this pallete!

4.)  Batiste Dry Shampoo in the scent Blush, if you're not into floral scents than don't try this one.  I'm sure all the Batiste Dry Shampoo's are awesome!  I however am loving this one.  It totally sucks up the second day hair oil and grease, eww!  I spray this on when I'm doing my makeup and let it work its magic. When I'm done with my face, I run my brush or fingers through my hair to make sure its all disappeared.  Gives a clean look, smell and a nice boost!

  5.)  Coffee Mate Natural Bliss Creamer. I love me some creamer! The Sweet Cream is my favorite.  They are made with only all natural cream, sugar and flavorings.  I was always getting the flavored creamers with more chemicals and not so great for you additives. Only thing I wish they'd do differently is make them in larger bottles.  I go thru this stuff pretty fast. This is just one small thing I'm doing for myself to be healthier, even though its cream and sugar ;)

6.) My little gems favorite!  Cupcake Legos by Duplo.  What can I say?  Amira and Gia are loving these.  We found them at Tarjay and they play with them on the daily!  They are super cute and not the teeny tiny kind that the older kids play with.  We all love anything sweet shop and frosting related!

Thanks so much for reading, and I'd love to hear your favorites!  Much love, Linzi

Take Over Tuesday with Brittany!

Today I'm participating in my girl Brittany's Take Over Tuesday! I have to admit I felt pretty special she thought of me.  Her blog is Fabulously Faint and every time she post something new I am sure to head over and check it out, you all should too!  Her posts are honest and pull you in.  She wears many hats, ranging from foodie, DIY, fashion, and a nurse!  There is something about her sweet face that could put any patient at ease.   

Name: Brittany

Blog name: Fabulously Faint

Where are you from? I am lucky enough to live in the beautiful state of California! Yes, I’m a Cali girl through and through.

Favorite Quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”-Maya Angelou

How did you pick your blog title? Fabulously Faint was derived from my main symptom ….and what girl doesn’t want to be fabulous?

Why did you start a blog? I suffered a stroke in 2012 and was diagnosed with a chronic illness in March 2013. I had a lot of friends and family mention the idea of blogging but I wasn’t quite ready to expose myself. Finally I decided that it would be a good way to bring awareness and share my story in a positive light. I wanted to show that it is possible to enjoy life even if it isn’t the same life you once lived.

Where do you finding inspiration for blogging? I love fashion, cooking, and crafting. I follow other bloggers with similar stories and interests. Also, Pinterest pretty much completes me! In regards to my "lifestyle" portion , everyday life and conversation with family and friends definitely have a lot of influence on what I write.

Do you have any special weekly posts? This post is part of a blog swap that I do every week called Take-over Tuesdays. I love it because it allows me to share bloggers that I love! Let me know if you’re interested in participating! I also have a post called Foodie Fridays which is a collection of favorite recipes and new recipes that I have tried out.

What is your current favorite post? Definitely the Beauty Bag Goodie Swap that I am hosting . It's a nail polish swap between a bunch of great bloggers! Click here to join in on the fun! Sign ups close on Jan 31 st so hurry!

Why do you read Little Gem ? I love love love Linzi ! She is super genuine and I love that she blogs about her two beautiful girls, has awesome makeup tutorials and I can always count on her delicious recipes!

Three blogs you love to read?
. Luck Fupus- Marla is a fellow chronically ill blogger that shares her inspiring story with the help of her genuine spirit and hilariously sarcastic writing style.

 

Venus Trapped In Mars – I love that Sarah is a girly girl with a passion for sports! I have totally taken advantage of tutorials for new bloggers .

. I wore yoga pants to work- Besides the fact that we share a love for inappropriate humor, Whitney's Back That Azz Up Friday is my favorite link up of the entire week. Its a place where everyone links up their fav songs of the week which essentially creates a killer playlist to listen to...besides it's called back that azz up ...hellllllo of course I love it!

5 random facts about you:
1. Being a nurse completes me! ( even though I'm currently on a break from work trying to get my health back in order)

2. I hate pretty much all breakfast food...eggs,cereal,toast...weird I know
3. Dance is my passion I've been dancing since the age of 3 .Just by looking at me people assume I'm a ballerina...nope,I'm a hard hitting hip hopper. looks can be deceiving folks ;)
4. I’m a tattoo addict 

5. None of my brothers have kids yet but thanks to my cousins and friends I’m the Auntie to a gang of the smartest, sweetest, cutest, most talented kids. I may be a little bit biased, but seriously, if you met them you’d fall in love too!

Thank you Linzi for participating in this week's Takeover Tuesday! If you would like to meet the other Take Over Tuesday girls, Read Linzi’s answers, learn more about Take Over Tuesday, or participate in a Takeover Tuesday CLICK HERE.  Feel free to follow me on Bloglovin and Google+.  I love meeting and connecting with new people and making new blog friends :)

Recipe, Cheesy Chicken and Pepper Soup.

This has got to be one of the best soups I think I've ever made.  I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but this really was so delicious.  I could of kept eating bowl after bowl.  It has a slightly spicy flavor from the yellow pepper and jalapenos.  There is cheddar and cream cheese, so who wouldn't love that.  The soup is full of chicken and white beans so it is filling but doesn't make you feel like ate a big cheeseburger and fries.  Which I might add is also one of my favorite meals ;)

Washington is still cold and brisk, so warm you up meals are still on the rotation.  I'm also loving this soup because it has flavors of my beloved grandma's casserole "Viva La Chicken"  I also tried this new to me product called Greek Cream Cheese, its cream cheese & Greek yogurt mix.  It was perfect for the soup and has half the calories than regular cream cheese, yass!  I would even use this on my bagels from now on.  That says a lot!

Cheesy Chicken and Peppers Soup

1.5 pounds of cooked and Shredded Chicken
1 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 package of Cream Cheese
1 medium chopped Onion
4 small diced Jalapenos, I did remove the seeds
3 cloves of minced Garlic
1 diced Yellow Pepper
4 cups of Chicken Broth
1 can of drained White Beans
1 can of Corn
1 Teaspoon of Salt and Pepper, or to your liking

First off I cooked my chicken breasts and shredded them.  You could also use rotisserie.  Then in a large Dutch Oven I sautéed my yellow pepper, onion, and jalapenos for about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Then I added my garlic and cooked for about 5 more minutes.  Next add in the chicken broth, beans, corn, and chicken and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Then add in your cream cheese and whisk slowly so it melts. Add your salt and pepper to taste. Lastly add your cheddar cheese.  I let my soup meld together for at least an hour.  I garnished with more cheese and some sliced jalapenos.

Thank you all for reading and I hope that you enjoy my recipes.  Much love, Linzi

Todays Recipe, Aloha Smoothie!

I don't know about you, but I could use a tropical vacation.  Some where in warm 80's with fresh ocean air and clean turquoise waves lapping in the near distance.  The sweet scent of passion fruit and coconut in your long beachy hair after a day at the sandy beach.  Quenching your thirst for Pina Coladas and pink Mai Tais.  How amazing would that be?  Is it in my near future?  No, boo!

Being a big fan of tropical fruits and smoothies I wanted to whip a sunny dream vacation in a glass. The weather is still cold with a few sun breaks here and there.  At least I can close my eyes and take a drink and the taste will bring me back to my last trip to Hawaii.  Which was for my 20th birthday, and about a hundred years ago!

Aloha Smoothie

8 oz of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon melted Organic Coconut Oil
1/3 cup of Honey Greek Yogurt
1/3 cup of fresh or frozen Mango
1/2 cup of fresh Pineapple
1 Banana
Some ice cubes

Blend away and enjoy!  Hope you love this smoothie as much as I do <3

Much love, Linzi

Day Date with Amira!

When you've got more than one babe its a nice treat to get them out alone for a while.  Today was just an Amira and mommy afternoon.  She loves getting some one on one time with me and I cherish these moments too.  Having a serious convo with a 4 year old girl is so much fun, I can see how much she's grown over the last 6 months, and how closely she pays attention to EVERYTHING.  She makes my heart so full its crazy.

Our day started out at the Arlington Hospital for a field trip with her class mates.  I was pleasantly surprised to see how up to date the hospital was.  I hadn't been to this one in years and back then it was pretty ancient looking.  This month at her pre-school they are learning about community helpers, that's why the hospital was chosen.  The kids were able to tour around, see how xrays were taken and even got to see an adorable newborn baby girl.  We all learned a fun fact that I had admittedly forgotten that the human body has 206 bones!  The highlight of the trip for me was when the entire class sat down for snack time and said grace.  All these hyper 4 and 5 years olds actually calming down and thanking Jesus at the same time made me tear up!  Talk about ball-bag, I swear I cry at everything these days!  

When everything was over, Amira and I headed down to downtown, small country town Arlington.  We walked around and looked in shops.  Wandered into the Blue Bird Café for a late lunch.  I let Amira choose her meal and she went with a ham and cheese sammy, plain.  No condiments for this little mama. Then for dessert a big bowl of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.  She ate every bite. (she got that from me)

She kept saying how we were on a little date together, I just love her voice.  She cant say her g's perfectly and sometimes people are like what did she say??  It is small details like this that make parents fall in love with their children more and more everyday.

Thank you for reading our date day story.  Much love, Linzi 

Beauty, Favorite Drugstore Nude Lip.

Hello friends, today I'm doing a mini makeup post.  As you may already know love makeup and beauty products.  Wandering around the drugstore looking for new treasures is so much fun for me.  When new products come out at the places I visit they seem put them on the front of the isles, so they scream at me "Come check us out!"

 I am a huge fan of nude lips.  So I wanted to share with you my favorite one.  I'm more of a pinky nude girl myself, over the real concealer looking nudes.  Those ones seem to really wash me out.  I don't want to look dead! Ha.  I hate to admit that I've bought so many pinks and pinky nude lippies.  I just cant help myself.  As of now I really do take my time and go over in my head how many I have at home similar to this.  It actually works and I'm putting lots of crap back ;)

Currently I am loving this combo.  It is a fairly new (I think) Covergirl Lipstick in the shade Honeyed 258.  The lipstick is a beautiful pink/mauve nude color.  The lipliner is Rimmel in the shade Tiramisu 050.  These two products compliment each other perfectly.  If your lips are on the dry side you could even add a nude gloss on top.  NYX has some gorgeous ones, I'm not wearing any in these pictures though.  These two products are a lot more friendlier on your budget than MAC nudes too!

Mine was 4.99 but I've seen it at 7.99

This pencil liner stays around 3.99

 

Be sure to exfoliate your lips to get any dry and flaky skin off, or else nude lipsticks will just intensify the chapped skin.  Then line your lips, I sort of blend the liner out a little.  Then top it with the Covergirl Honeyed Lipstick.  I think this look is so sweet and pretty, also this would look good on any skin tone.

Thank you so much for reading.  Also everyone who sent me kind words on Sundays post, thank you!  Totally brightened my day!  Much love, Linzi

Married, Single Mom.

Lets just say this post isn't my finest.  I'm already feeling kind of blue and its the first thing in the morning.  My husband woke me up to say he was leaving to unload hay for the day.  I rather him just let me sleep since I feel like I barely get any at all and I cant go back to bed after tells me that it'll just be a girls day, again.  Girls Day is what I tell the girls so that it sounds extra fun and exciting.

How much sleep do my other mommy friends get?  I'm at about 5 hours total.  Partly my fault since I am such a light sleeper.  Other part is because my littles fight bedtime, especially Gia.  They also NEED mommy to lay down with them until they fall asleep.  This process seems to take forever.  I sort of wish the girls shared a room now since they both only want me laying with them, can you say difficult?  Also this does make my husband sad, but at least he gets to rest.

It may sound selfish to say, but sometimes I just wish my husband were here a bit more to help me out.  He works a lot, like I barely have even seen him this weekend. Friday he worked a normal day, then came home for a few hours and went back to work at 9 pm till 6 am the next day, so all he did yesterday was sleep.  We are use to not seeing him during the week except about two hours before bedtime. I know its great for the family and he needs to work so he can provide for us, but let me say, it does take its toll. 

Raising two girls keep you young, but I guess this week is catching up to me. Maybe I shouldn't be such a freak about tidy rooms and having everything look put together (including me).  Or maybe I should order take out sometimes instead of feeling like I need to make a homemade food all the time.  I feel like a just need a good cry.  Boy I sound pathetic.  I'm sorry for complaining so much.  Today just isn't sparkles and fairy dust!

I can honestly say that my sweet girls are my best friends.  I spend all of my time with them and I wouldn't have it any other way. They are both my pride and joy.

I just needed to vent.

Much love, Linzi

What I've been doing lately!

It goes without being said I've been busy with family life.  Taxing around Amira for school and play dates is the reason I get ready in the morning. Gia and I usually hit up the grocery market for dinner fixings or little odds and ends after we drop her off.  Our favorite stores to frequent are Target and Marshalls, they're also close by which is a bonus.  With Valentines Day coming up I've been looking around seeing what catches my eye.  I love to decorate for just about any holiday. I don't go over the top like Christmas, but its nice to have pink and red hearts strung about.  It also gives me a chance to integrate different books out for the babes.  Here are some of the love day touches I've done in our home.

My family lives in a modest three bedroom rambler.  It is perfect for us, but I'd love to expand and have our dream home someday.  This mama can dream!  Like I mentioned in my 2014 goals, painting was on the list.  I'm happy to say my handy husband has been painting his heart out.  We have fresh white coats almost everywhere we wanted.

I tapped into my inner craftiness one nap time and finally painted our couch side table.  I've had plans for this to happen for months, I just never found the right alone time for it.  I'm so happy with the way it turned out.  My husband actually thought I went out and bought a new one!  I am obsessed with white and bright furnishings. If I had the freedom to decorate anyway I wanted so much would be white and linen looking. Lets get real here though, I have 2 messy toddlers and a heavy roadway construction working husband.  My heart yearns for white marble and a white cabinet kitchen! 

During that same week I even pulled out my trusty screw driver and changed a few light switch plates.  I was going to attempt hanging this big mirror but I was intimidated and waited on Mario to help. Can you say Honey Do List ;)  I found this one at Lowes and was happily surprised with their mirror selection. We replaced a very "vintage 90's" looking one for it.

So those were just a few ramblings about what I've been doing lately.  I love little home projects.  What have you been up to lately?

Thank you so much for reading.  Much love, Linzi

Todays Recipe, Amira's Favorite Chicken Nuggets.

If your kiddos are anything like mine then they might love chicken nuggets.  Specifically the ones from the golden arches.  I wish that I could say I never feed my girls Happy Meals, but who am I kidding?  I do treat them once and a while, shoot me.  Last week for the first time ever I let Amira and Gia play inside the toy tubes and slides they have there. (Gia's 1st time) I hate thinking about the germs and icky shoe debris but I have to let them go wild and be kids! Nothing a little Wet Wipe and a new pair of socks cant fix.  Plus the rosy cheeks and laughter they come out with are priceless. 

At home I'm not just feeding my easy to please husband, I have two girls that can be some what picky.  Since I knew they liked chicken nuggets I decided I would start making them at home.  That way I know their eating good quality ingredients.  Let me tell you, my minis gobble these things up like they're going out of style.  They like to dip them in ranch dressing, I like mine with a side of sweet chili sauce. Normally when I make them Amira spouts out that this is the best holiday dinner ever.  I know its not a holiday, its just cute! 

I also know frying food isn't the healthiest way of cooking, but for these golden gems, I let it slide.  I don't fry up food everyday like Paula Deen so its ok once in a while.  However, you could bake these completely in the oven and they would still be family pleasing.  Tweak away friends!

Chicken Nugget Recipe

3-4 Skinless Chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 cup Milk
1 egg
Seasoning Salt
Pepper to taste

Firstly you want to cut the chicken breasts into pieces.  Then pre heat your convection oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a large frying pan with the entire cup of oil on medium to medium high.  Next set out 3 bowls, one for your flour, one for egg wash, and lastly the Panko.  Inside the bowl of flour I add a 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt and some pepper.  I also add that same amount to the Panko.  I usually just use my hands for the dipping and breading, its messy but just easier than forks and tongs.  First bowl you will cover chicken pieces in flour.  Second bowl dip them in the egg and milk wash.  Last bowl cover them in Panko.  Gently place them in the hot oil and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.  Just making sure they are a lovely golden brown.  Then place them on a wire rack cookie sheet.  After you're done coating and frying all the chicken nuggets I put the baking sheet inside the oven to cook for an additional 20-25 minutes.  The nuggets will be moist, I hate that word, but super yummy!

I hope that you like the recipe and don't hold it against me that I fry chicken! 

Much love, Linzi

Todays Recipe, Feel Good Smoothie #2

So I'm continuing with my healthier life style, lol.  My smoothie making is going strong and I have been experimenting with different produce and its been very satisfying.  My littles have even been tasting mommy's creations and I'm getting a thumbs up!  Maybe they just don't want to hurt my feelings?  I haven't been riding my bike with the trailer yet because its been raining cats and dogs, but being more active is very high on my priority list. 

I finally went shopping for a new blender, I was using a dinosaur one with not much power. The Wham Bam thank you ma'am ones are like 3-4 hundo!  Ah ya no, not affording that right now.  I went with the Kitchen Aid 5 Speed Blender and I absolutely love it so far!  I can definitely tell the difference between it and my oldie.  I must say the oldie did do its job, loudly, but his mama needed an upgrade.

Here is another recipe for a healthful and filling smoothie.  I hope you enjoy it!

Orange Feel Good Smoothie

1 Tablespoon melted Organic Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Honey Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup frozen Strawberries
2 medium sized Carrots
1/2 cup fresh Pineapple
1 Banana
1/2 cup water
Few ice cubes

Blend away, you could also substitute orange juice for the water if you wanted.

Thanks so much for reading. Much Love, Linzi

Sippy Cup Blues.

It is safe to say this past weekend was about Gia.  My little olive skined gem turned 2 last month, which meant I had to pull the plug on her bottle drinking.  My husband and I have been dreading the day we had to do this because she is attached to those Dr. Browns bottle like nothing else!  Believe me, I have tried numerous times to ween her off them before but it didn't work.  Mostly, I am to blame because I didn't stick with it and when her elephant sized tears came down I gave in and hurried to fill her bottle.

Both of my girls never wanted a pacifier, which was great!  One less thing to try and break.  Gia has never been attached to a baby doll or blankie either, so that is why her yearning for the bottle was so strong in my eyes. When I switched Amira to the sippy cup it was easiest thing I've done.  I did it right when she turned one and we never looked back.  Imagine that, I actually thought it would be done that easy with Gia. Haha!  So through out this last year we have purchased many, many sippy cups to try.  I asked for advice on the best ones and a lot of moms said Nuk and the ones with straws.  All of these I had already tried.

So GG and I went shopping together and she was able to pick out her own this time.  We did go with the Nuk ones and she has been "liking" them.  I made her a little sticker chart and reward system but she hasn't been to interested in that.  Although she has drastically cut down on her milk intake.  This is going to sound insane to most people, but Gia was drinking up to three 8 oz. bottles during the night and quite a few during the daytime!  Being a big 2 year old I know that wasn't good.  She has kind of boycotted drinking milk out her cup, she is insisting on water.  She will take little sips of the milk but just pushes it back saying "no mommy."  One good thing is her appetite has increased and she saying "eaty" more often.

Sometimes in motherhood you just have to roll with waves.  It is not always smooth sailing.  I don't feel like a failure because it has taken us so long to do this.  I'm proud that we actually did it, and saw the process through.  Gia is no longer asking for the bottle and I'm sure her taste for milk will come back.  That is, after she sets her stubbornness aside.  She didn't inherit that from me ;)

Thank you for reading, and if any of you were ones with advice on this, I sooo appreciated it!
Much love, Linzi

Today's Recipe, Gooey Chocolate Cookies!

So even though one of my goals is to start eating healthier, I couldn't cut out all sweet treats.  Like hello, I still have a family to please.  Ones that love Gooey Chocolate Cookies.  I am going to force myself to limit my intake to one of these soft, chocolaty pillows of goodness!  I have been doing pretty good on eating more veggies and fruit, so that's something to be proud of!

 

My mom so kindly shared this recipe with me.  She's been making these cookies for years and I had no idea that they were so simple.  The only thing you have to do is chill the dough before you start scooping out your cookies. 

 

Ingredients
1 box Chocolate Fudge Cake mix
1 softened package of cream cheese
1 softened stick of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup of powdered sugar for rolling the dough balls in
350* preheated convection oven
Made exactly 2 dozen cookies

 In a large bowl cream your butter and cream cheese together first. Then add in your egg, vanilla and box mix until well combined.  Cover and set inside fridge to chill for a good 2 hours. Put the powdered sugar in smaller bowl to drudge your dough balls in. Remove dough and scoop 2 inch to golf ball size dough balls.  Roll them in your hands for a nice shape.  Then plop them into the powdered sugar.  Place on Silpat and cookie sheet, bake for 12-14 minutes.  You don't want to overcook the cookies or they wont be too gooey, ya know?

Moderation is key.  These are perfect for an after school snack or dessert if you're craving something indulgent.  I hope that you enjoyed this recipe.  Thank you so much for reading and  have great weekend!

Much love, Linzi

Today's Recipe, Feelin' Good Smoothie & some gross random chatter.

There are so many smoothie concoctions out there these days.  I have tried a few specific recipes, but I always end up winging it.  Having fresh fruit on hand and frozen bagged ones help especially when berries are out of season.  I use to strictly stick to spinach in mine but recently, this year I've broadened my palate with super healthy and nutritious kale! 

Being that I wanted to make 2014 a healthier one, I have started making smoothies a daily ritual.  About two Summers ago after Baby Gia arrived I was blending my heart out. Eating right, biking, and even jogging!  Where did that girl go?!  I guess I have just gotten lazy and comfortable in not trying to better myself.  I honestly have gained a lot of weight!  I hate looking at myself naked, so I don't.  If I think about it too much I just get depressed and eat.  Seriously I am one of those people who eat my feelings.  Happy or sad, I celebrate with food.  So now I am celebrating myself by making a few better choices on what I put in my body on a daily basis. 

Currently I am taking antibiotics for a nasty sinus infection.  Sadly, some of the side affects are running to the bathroom randomly and a girls best friend, the yeast infection.  Hopefully no males are reading this and gagging.  Luckily, I haven't gotten one but I'm trying to avoid it all costs by upping my intake of probiotics and yogurt! Phew, are you still with me?  I just wanted to share with you one of my favorite smoothie recipes.  I am going to invest in some Chia seeds, since I hear they are wonderful for the body too.

Feel good smoothie:

3/4 Cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon of melted Organic Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup of Honey Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup of frozen Blueberries
1 Cup of Kale
1 Banana

Thank you for reading!  Much love, Linzi

January, Weekend at my Parents.

Is it me, or does it seem like your on a vacation when you visit your parents?  Well, not a Bahamas type vaca, but one where you feel like you can really put your feet up and relax.  That is how I feel when I visit my folks.  They are so welcoming, and warm and fuzzy.  My mom has the bedrooms set up so perfectly cozy.  Her spare bathroom has everything a girl could need.  Or if you're like me and forget things, like deodorant or toothpaste.  Not to mention she has the best Bath and Body Works candles and soaps! 

Being around them for three days really perks this mama up.  They sure light up my little mamas faces too!  The girls adore grandma and grandpa.  I cant help but have my heart burst with love when I see my dad coloring and playing with Amira and Gia.  They're like mini shadows of my mom when we go visit them in Vancouver.  On a normal basis we don't see my folks that often.  So that is why these visits are such a big deal for my family and I.

While we were there we had the chance visit with family from Portland.  Meet new babies, and eat a lot of good food!  We love are extended family in Oregon, they are super fun to be around.  Being part Cambodian means I know how to put it down!  By that I mean get my grub on.  The "Asian" way is to eat, and then eat again.  At least that's how we do it.  My mom made her famous eggrolls.  Which I'm so happy to say I got the recipe written down now and hope to make in the near future!  My dad made his amazeballs rice noodles with shrimp, Mario's favorite.  He also made homemade pho and fried rice.  These are pretty much my comfort and feel good meals.

The girls were mesmerized by grandma as they helped bake up sweet treats.  That is a win win for everyone, my mom makes the best lemon bars!  They whipped up chocolate chip cookies and ooey gooey chocolate ones too.  Ok, so seriously I am going on my healthy kick this week, haha.  Oh, and I ended up with my first sinus infection, no fun at all. 

Being with my folks for the weekend was an awesome start for the new year.  I hope that we can visit them more and more as my girls get older and can handle longer car rides.  This time we packed the truck the night before and woke the girls up at the crack of dawn.  In hopes they would sleep the majority of the ride.  Which they did, so I think we'll be doing that again.  Now its back to work for my husband, it has been dreamy having him off for a couple weeks!  Amira goes back to school, which she is elated about. Gia and I are back to the routine.  I am so grateful for my family, they are my life!

Thank you for reading my little blog, I appreciate it so much!  Much love, Linzi

Happy 2014!

It is a beautiful day to start fresh.  I never really have put much thought into making a new year resolution list.  Crazy, because I love lists.  Since I just started blogging last Fall, so weird to type that, I will share my list of goals with you.

1.) Reading. I would love to find the time to read more books, I don't care if there cook books, or the Twilight series.  I love getting into a good book! 

2.) Get healthier, probably on a lot of others lists.  For me this means walking with my girls more, riding my bike with them in the trailer.  Even dare I say, getting on the treadmill, I dislike our treadmill.  Also, try to not to indulge in so many sweets.  Food is a big down fall of mine, I love it so.

3.) Teaching my daughters.  So for Amira I mean, wiping her own bottom.  TMI, gross I know but I'm serious in this goal!  Eventually get her training wheels off her princess bike.  For my little Gia, get her off this darn Dr. Brown bottle.  It has been a nightmare, but I'm making it a goal now to get her to drink only from a sippy cup soon!  Swimming lessons again, for both of my little mamas!

4.) Home stuff.  Painting the walls and making them look fresh again.  So excited because we started painting today!  Keeping things tidy, even behind closed doors.  I seriously hate messes.  Redo our front porch.  This will be in Summer and I cant wait to get it done!

5.) Lastly, try to be a better mommy and wife.  In all aspects, I can always do better.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. I love your support!  Much love, Linzi