A juicy treat ♥

My sister has been telling me about this smoothie recipe she saw in 

an article in Shape magazine, and we finally got around to making it last night

Its so simple and so good!

It is definitely a pick me up and if you are a fan of lemons,

well you just might love it!

Now for some reason I can't find the recipe on the web site and she has since misplaced the article

so Im just going to show you how we made it. Im pretty sure its the same thing 

but possibly a hint or two off. But hey it tastes amazing either way :)

I used the bullet for this smoothie but a blender will work just as well. 

Sidenote: If you have never tried the bullet you most definitely should! I use it for almost everything, there is barely anything to clean up, and you can drink out of the cup you mixed it in. And it is small so you don;t have to worry about storage. Ok enough of that.

Ingredients:

-ice

-fresh mint leaves

-1 lemon

-1 can guava nectar

(you can get the nectar at any grocery store, 1 can was $.44 @ jewel)

First slice the lemon into four, that way you can squeeze out as much juice as possible. And then squeeze the lemon into your cup/blender. Make sure to use some sort of strainer so the seeds don't get in your smoothie.

Then you want to add about a little over a cup of ice.

And then add about 3/4 can of the guava nectar

Next you will add about 4 fresh mint leaves. If you want it more minty, then by all means add more!

Then blend your beautiful drink together and you've got your self a little minty fresh yet zesty lemony wake me up kind of smoothie. Pretty sweet.

Guess whats cookin?

Me!

(This photo was from our "Mock Thanksgiving" we had last year. I made aprons that said Real Housewives of Cook county. But that's another story in and of itself. I thought the picture fit well with the post)

Or I have been cooking. I guess thats more appropriate.

I come from a father who is a master in the kitchen.

 “Lenny Flay” anyone??

My sisters and brother can all cook up a mean meal and they know all of those tedious rules that come along with cooking.

(put oil in my noodle water?)

I guess I was too busy learning dribbling techniques to make time for the kitchen.

And look where that got me. I don’t even own a basketball hoop now, but I have an intimidating kitchen.

For many years I would sit alone in the corner and cry over my culinary skills.

Then one day, I got excited at the pretty pictures in my magazines and decided to make a recipe book. And now I can’t stop! I love it!!!!

Im always looking for new veggie meals (and some not so veggie for the hubbs)

And I actually love to cook now.

Its so satisfying once your finished and I can’t get enough of it.

I still have a lot to learn and there will still be many more phone calls to my dad, but I think im getting the hang of it. Im even picking up on some of those dumb cooking secrets like how to press the flat of the knife on a clove of garlic to peel off the skin.

So I’m hoping to have some fun recipes for you guys on here. And I hope you’ll share some with me as well!

Tonight my husband is working an overnight L

So im working on my quilt J

I just spent $12 on tons of vintage fabric at the thrift store and I can’t wait.

We got a queen bed last night from my parents to go in our guest room so Im making a little lovely quilt for it.

Hope you all have a wonderful night!!! 

Where do you end up.......

When you still have no internet and apparently you just can't go 2 weeks without it??

Well, drinking an unsweetened iced green tea because you aren't really thirsty but its the cheapest thing you can buy at Starbucks in order to sit there for a few hours and feed off if their internet, of course.....

oh lord im pathetic. 

Im ok with that though, I missed this little world.

Anyway, I wanted to share my little family reunion that we had last weekend. Sooo much fun!

This beautiful creek next to the pavillion came in quite handy all night. 

Mini sister beautiful as always....

cousins lounging in the creek. 

And the little munch-kins were at the fish alll day. Don't worry he put him back ;)

Adult Egg toss!!!

This game was my moms Idea of course. Pelt uncle and cousin with water balloons. Hahah!

My sister and Eric ♥

My dad after he won split the pot.... Baller ! ;)

My mom and uncle. Everytime they are together something like this happens. Previous events include whip cream and shaving cream...hahah

The girl cousins......

We had such a good time. All week I was worried about the weather because it was supposed to storm, but we left it in Gods hands and we ended up with a gorgeous day for this wonderful time with family.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekends. :)

Internet fail

It's kind of funny/sad when you realize how much you

can get done without the internet and its constant temptation to hold you down for hours at a time.

(who does that? :)

We haven't had internet all week and this is my story......

Somehow the sink has remained dish free :)

The pile of laundry sitting on the couch has thus disappeared

I've been running every night

I have started, if not completed, a few projects that I have been meaning to

start for a while now.

We have cooked a good healthy dinner every night

And the hubbs and I have spent a few nights together watching movies

Hmmmmmmm. I think I need to  prioritize myself better and make sure I can keep up with these things.

But Any way, I know everyone is talking about Elsies 4 Simple goals Challenge and Im about to as well because I love a challenge and I think its the best way to get things done. Plus you get to reward yourself at the end!

My 4 Simple Goals

1) Get on a morning running schedule.
I have realized over the years that I am so inconsistant with running/working out when I try to squeeze it in after work. Im home and 5:30 and then have about 4 hours to complete everything I need to do that day. If that includes shopping cleaning dinner projects etc. I feel like there isn't enough time. Then I find myself running at night when it is dark and thats not the safest thing to do. I feel so good all day when I get a workout in the morning so that is one thing I am going to really try for. ;)

2) Explore Cooking More.....
Lately I have been trying new recipes and I can totally understand how people fall in love with cooking. I want to try new things and find a way to cater to my husband and I at the same time. This has been a challenge so far as I do not eat meat and my husband does so you can see the obstacle there. So far we have been ok but I would like to learn more for my husbands benefit so he isn't living on spinach and chickpeas. ;)

3) Weekly Date Nights
With busy schedules, home repairs, house cleaning, the time we have together is usually spent running around doing work. I want to make it a point to go on a little date once a week. We both love to read so a coffe/reading date would be wonderful. Time to catch up and relax with each other. ♥

4) Create More....
Lately I have been so busy on weekends and haven't had time to just sit down and do what I love most. Create ♥ I want to sew more, paint more, and just be creative!

I'll be back soon. Have a wonderful Day!!

County Fairs ♥

This is a video I took from last year of My husband and I and our friend Tim on a some crazy spinning ride at the Will county fair.

We had so much fun and the ride was so fast that all we could do was laugh and scream.

Watch the boys scream like girls. 

he-he

us on another carnival ride.......

Love me some action shots ♥
Don't carnivals just make you want to smile?
(aside from the ticket prices ;)

Dear Lyserbith

They say its your birthday

duh nu nu nu nuh.......

The big and extremely old 23.

I am an entire year older than you and I will always be more wrinklier :(

We've been friends since we met at Hilda Walker school in the 5th grade.

Remember when we used to run to Fleckensteins Bakery on the weekends to eat amazingly fresh donuts, and then we would run back so we didn't feel so fat afterwards. hahaha

Remember how we used to eat cotton candy from Clark..............like a lot

And everyday we spent with "Hoopty" as she safely got us to and from school

(Hoopty had a pull string door handle she was one of a kind)

Remember the time I beat you in a race! yes!!!! and then I fell trying to hurdle a pvc pipe :( nooo

And remember when we thought we were pool deck super models....? ahhh haha

And why did we think it was so cool to call each other by our backward names for like a whole year?

Then you were my Maid of Honor

You went above and beyond with everything for the wedding.

You would drop everything just to come help me tie 230 bows or cut out 5 billion circles the night before the wedding. And you never complained.

Oh.....and you held up my dress when I had to use the little girls room.

(trooper)

And you had to put on my garter for me because thats a pretty challenging task when you are wearing a 100 lb dress.

So I guess I just wanted to say Happy Birthday Bestie ♥

Thanks for all the amazing memories 

and thanks for always being there for me. 

I hope you know that I think of you as one of the most amazing people I know.

You are so ambitious! (um straight A's in college and now on to your masters)

And you are the strongest most responsible and beautiful person I know!

Happy Birthday

Love you Lys

Steph

(Ahhhh and I get to see you in 23 days!!!!!!!!!!)

Veggie Fest

Pretty much just lots of yummy food.....

and some good old useful information

just how I like it ♥

Falafel Pita....mmmmmmm

And my husband had the veggie chicken....mmmmmmmm

Although he said it tasted nothing like chicken, he still liked it. 

That made me happy :)

I am loving how he has opened up to eating new foods these days. Up until a few months ago he was basing his likes and dislikes on his childhood appetite and didn't realize that his taste bud had changed from that long ago.And I don't blame him. Being a once picky eater myself, I hated trying new things, until one day it clicked and I love so many new vegetables and foods that I never thought I would even try. Im so proud of him for being so brave and trying pretty much anything I throw his way. And he may not completely agree with how I eat but he has been so supportive of me and for that I cannot thank him enough. I know he didn't want to be at veggie fest this weekend but he came for me and that makes me smile more than he knows. I love you honey ♥

 

I heart It ♥

A few things I fancy.......

Sisters Bed jumping in hotels with dogs

When Dad makes veggie meals just for me ♥

And fun painted but creepy toes

Beauty

"Discovering this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a 

     yearning to linger here, where time stands still and beauty 

     overwhelms." - Anonymous 

[Photo taken at Mt. Evans in Colorado 2008

Our trip when my husband proposed ♥]

Formspring and things

So I got one of these Formspring things
Im not too sure how I feel about it but I
thought why not give it a shot.
Please no rude comments
If you don't like me don't read ;)

http://www.formspring.me/LittleMrsCaruso

Today is a good day.
I called off work so that the Hubbs and I can finish tearing out our broken bathroom
before his boss comes to help with the pluming.
It feels good to have a day off other that the constant running around
that the weekend always seems to bring.
Even though we will be doing manual labor :)

Im also FINALLY organizing my craft room today!!!!
Yesterday we went and bought new shelves for my closet and
a bunch of cute little organizers.

I can't wait to finally be able to work in my room again.
I had no storage so everything ended up on the floor
(good excuse)

I feel like this is finally going to get me out of this craftless slump I've been in
and Im more than excited.

This morning we took Lt. Whitey for a walk up to the oasis for some coffee.
Completely Illegal but that just how we roll.
Good start to a good day. Im off to get started!!!

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." - John 14:27

My parents Garden

Ever since I was little my parents have had a beautiful garden.

And I never really appreciated it until I got older

I would love to do the same at my house some day

Veggie Shish kabobs ♥
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Pierogi!! Pierogi!!

My husband and I are both Polish

we share an Italian last name

(long story)

He is also Mexican

This has nothing to do with this post.......?

Last weekend we went to Pierogi Fest!

Oh yum, these are cheese and potato pirogies

The lines were sooo long so I didn't get to try a blueberry one :(

Attention: We are sitting on the steps of the middle school where "A Christmas Story" was filmed!

How sweet is that??

The fest was also filled with over 80 craft vendors! Ohhh Heavens!

Lots of food and shaved ice too ;)

A wonderful ending to a wonderful weekend with wonderful people ♥

Do you have any unique festivals near your house?