For the love of all things orange....



My friend Keleigh knows how much I love orange.  For crying out loud, the woman created a custom Orange Sherbet scented tart for me to burn in my warmer.  (LOVE her tarts and all the products she sells, check them out at www.keleighbellecreations.com).

Anyway, she texted me the other day with a recipe for an orange push-up smoothie. You can find the recipe here (I don't know how to do the fancy hyperlink attached to "here")

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/01/orange-pushup-smoothie.html

I don't necessarly like to eat an orange, but I love the smell and taste of orange stuff....pop, muffins, sherbet, pancakes, desert breads, frosting, sugar scrubs, chapstick....you name it.  It was one of my biggest cravings when I was pregnant with Clayton.  Apparently after 3 years it hasn't gone away.

I whipped up a batch the other night and almost died.  SO good.  I made it with 1 cup of sugar, but thought it could've used a little more.  I vowed next time, I was going to add some vanilla ice cream to make it even more awesome and push-up like.  Well, I never made it to the store, but made another blender full tonight.  I added about 1 1/4c of sugar this time and thought it turned out a lot better.  I had a glass for dinner.  *Please note, I didn't have it WITH dinner, I had it FOR dinner. 

Keleigh also sent me a link to a 3 ingredient orange cake....that will probably be on the menu this weekend.  She blames Pinterest....I haven't taken a peek myself to see all the delicious orange stuff that's probably on there.  Maybe that will happen this weekend too!!

Everyone should try these smoothies....for your weekly sugar consumption in a glass if for nothing else.  :o)

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I have a 3 year old!!!

I was going to write this up yesterday when Clayton actually turned 3, but I got busy and didn't have a chance until now. I don't have the computer either, so it's a mobile post for now.

We woke up and the first thing out of his mouth was "I'm 3 today!!"!! I sang him Happy Birthday and cried at the end. Part of it is because I remember being in the hospital getting ready to have him like it was yesterday, and the other part was because his dad was missing it. Brendan is out in FL for a softball tournament and has missed the last 2 birthday's, and will miss a lot more.

Anyway, after a very rebellious morning, my mom came down and per the birthday boy's request, we went and had McNuggets and played. He was very spoiled at Toys R Us and possibly emptied out their Jake and the Neverland Pirates merchandise. My livingroom looks like Pirate Island vomited everywhere. Whatever makes him happy.

Today the festivities continued with a visit to the fire truck parade that was going on as part of Burnsville Fire Munster days. He wants to be a fireman now....even though he covered his ears every time one of the trucks sounded their sirens.

We tried big boy undies today....that will be a post for another day. It was an epic failure and I think he's going to be in diapers until he starts high school. I'm sick of buying diapers.

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The art of possession

The actual definition of possession is this:
Main Entry: pos·ses·sion
Pronunciation: \-ˈze-shən also -ˈse-\
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1 a : the act of having or taking into control b : control or occupancy of property without regard to ownership c : ownership d : control of the ball or puck; also : an instance of having such control (as in football)
2 : something owned, occupied, or controlled : property
3 a : domination by something (as an evil spirit, a passion, or an idea) b : a psychological state in which an individual's normal personality is replaced by another c : self-possession

In my house, it means the following:
1) Touch MY stuff, I'm going to push you over.
2) Touch YOUR stuff, I'm going to push you over and take it.
3) Touch ANYTHING, I'm going to push you over, take it and make you cry.

I was really hoping and optimistic that as the boys got older, something would change and it would get better. Sadly, it's been 14.5 months and it's only gotten worse. I probably say "Leave your brother alone" at least 284949 times a night. It drives me crazy and results in a very angry child. Then, Clayton will put his arm around Ashton and say "We're best friends", and all the scolding is forgotten.

No matter how rough the day is, something like that makes me think that the future will be brighter and sharing will happen...what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours.

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Clayton's 3rd Birthday Party!

It was finally the day....we celebrated Clayton turning 3 yesterday.
Talk about an anticipated day....he's been talking about his birthday since Ashton's at the end of June. It's been a LONG 2.5 months.

We decided to just have this one be a "family only" party. Next year we'll do other children. The thought of that scares me....I can barely handle 2 kids running around!

As he was eating his pizza at Godfather's, I had a moment of reflection. I can't believe it's been almost 3 years. I know everyone always says "Where has the time gone ", heck, I've asked that exact same question myself. But seriously, how has it been 3??

After pizza we all ventured to the park so everyone could get out of their pizza coma. We did cake, snacks and presets there so I didn't have to clean my house, and Clayton is always asking to go to the park. It was a win/win.

After we finally got back home, the children were bathed, the gifts opened and packaging was tossed all over my livingroom, the favorites emerged. Buzz and Woody. I wish they had volume controls, especially when Ashton is trying to sleep. The only problem with him getting them is now he also wants Jesse, Bullseye and Rex. Oh joy. I told him to wait until Christmas, which may not have been the best idea, because now I'm hearing "it's almost Christmas and I'm going to get....yadda yadda yadda".

I've created a monster.

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