Ayurveda

I have been so sick that I recently took a class in Ayurveda. Healing your body by what you eat. Which totally fits with my attempts at eating "real food".

So... I've been cooking.

Last night, my parents got to try my quinoa and black bean chili. (Organic, no cans!)

Tonight, we had a caprese salad with homemade pesto sauce. (Did you know mozzarella balls come in their own water?) I didn't even know what the ingredients inside pesto was until today! So yummy. (Did you know that pine nuts are $19/ pound?)

And...

Because I wanted to have my own baked good to eat and freeze. I made a loaf of bread, 12 zucchini muffins, 25 banana pancakes, 25 blueberry pancakes, and 60 heart shaped biscuits. My fat was coconut oil; my sweetener was honey.

I could get used to this... If it didn't take up so much time.

St. George

They are all there.

Happy Birthday

No one like birthdays more than this girl, maybe that is why it was so fun watching her open her presents and enjoying the day.

She can now start the countdown for next year.

It's such a fun treat to open up the photos on my phone and find a 100 new pictures from this gal.

Love is spoken here

My homemade snack by complete surprise during nap/ reading time.

Everyone should have a five year old like this.

Art-- in the unlikeliest of places

As much as I love technology, I may be the last one to convert my calendar.

(It didn't go over well last month when I lost my iCal information.)

I brought my old calendar to work to update birthdays and started walking down memory lane.

This was my life. Every month detailed. Color coded.

I even have the address for when I got a new passport.

This is art. I can't throw it away.

Raise your glass

Every 3-6 months for the past four years, we have taken Herston to the hospital to have his swallowing checked.

The therapist thickens the fluids on levels: half-nectar, nectar, honey, and pudding. Herston has been on honey in a sippy cup most of his life. (There was a small time when we tried to wean him to nectar, but it didn't last very long).

Today we tried testing with an open cup. HE PASSED NECTAR! We are so excited.

He can't use straws, and we will (finally) have to tell the four year old no more sippy cups. If he does not choke in the next 2-3 weeks, we have permission to move him to half-nectar.

There has been ups and downs during this journey; I know we are not at the end.

May our challenges always be blessings.

Hold my hand

"When I squeeze your hand, it means I love you."

My kids know this by heart; I repeat it often.

My kids don't like to hold my hand, but this usually buys me some time to walk safely across the street or move quickly through a store.

Tonight, Herston asked for my hand; he held my hand until he fell asleep.

He squeezed my poor hand as hard as he could while he simultaneously kissed it.

I rejoice in my sore fingers because it means my four year old loves me.

Enjoying the view

Blessed, or something like that

Fighting a kidney infection and peptic ulcers, among other things, has left me nearly bed bound for 2 weeks. It brings tears to my eyes when I realize how little I can accomplish right now.

And then I hear the dishwasher. And a faint spinning of the clothes dryer. Both started without me.

And I know, we were meant to have families.

And somehow, we all get through.

Snowflake Temple

This is another reason why I love my husband.

I have been sick, really sick. I hate healthcare (and yes, I realize the irony of my statement). Grant decided to give me a "healing break" and took the kids up north.

He followed our family tradition and took family pictures by the temple. The last time Grant and I were there was for the temple dedication. Raea was in my tummy. I can't believe it's been almost 10 years!

Herston is there; you just have to look for him. Oh, sweet four year olds.