Do you get caught up with the gazillion things on your to-do list and forget to just kick back and relax every now and then? We do, and it ends up consuming our weekend to where it’s Monday and the past two days are just a blur. This happens all too often, but this past weekend actually turned out to be a fun family weekend.
Every Friday, we kick off the weekend with a chocolate green smoothie. It used to be just for Kelley and I, but now Avery demands a daily green smoothie to be like Mommy and Daddy. How can I refuse when she’s begging for a drink that is full of healthy, whole foods?
I never follow a recipe, but the ingredients I have on hand are mixed berries, green banana, citrus, kale and other mixed greens, peanut flour, hemp protein, hemp seeds, plant protein powder, Great Lakes gelatin, raw cocoa powder, coconut, carrots, beets, spirulina, NuttZo, sea salt, stevia, homemade kefir, unsweetened coconut or almond milk, and a husband/father’s love.
Phew, now I’m out of breath. Maybe I shouldn’t talk out loud when typing…..
Anyway, not all of those go in at once, that’s just the typical list of things we keep around and I will use. Back to Friday and chocolate smoothies; Avery quickly and happily downed hers as a pre-dinner drink and then went to bug Going Mom as she wash her face and got comfortable before dinner.
While she was behaving being a toddler in the bathroom, Avery got into the cabinets where we keep the toilet paper and proceeded to take all of the rolls out. This is nothing new, and that’s all we keep in the cabinet just to give her something to keep “occupied”. But, afterward, when Kelley was picking up the rolls, she spotted something…..
Green smoothie bite marks. I guess the smoothie didn’t have enough fiber for her, so she found a way to supplement. At least she didn’t unravel the whole thing all over the house. Silver lining?
I made the usual grocery store trips to Costco and Sprouts on Saturday while Kelley and Avery stayed home. While out, I had a couple free birthday coffee offers to use, so I got a black iced coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts (the only time I’d ever go there) and a Trenta iced Americano with 8 shots of espresso at Starbucks.
I’m just now finishing the Americano, and even what’s left is hitting me with a good buzz. I couldn’t imagine if I drank it all in one day!
Later in the day, we took Avery to the neighborhood pool and had a blast playing with her. We started with her in the floating canopy she has, but eventually took her out to hold her.
We threw her in the air a few times, but she keeps a tight grip on our thumbs so it makes it very difficult to get her airborne. Then she found a new activity, kicking her feet and making big splashes.
No pictures or videos of her in action, but Going Mom and I took turns holding her in front of us with her legs out and kicking as fast as they could go. I’m pretty sure her goal was to splash water into her mouth since she kept it open the entire time. Whatever the case, Kelley and I both had the same thing in mind…..naptime success!!
And she slept pretty well as we figured hoped. Which led us to the obvious choice of doing the same thing on Sunday.
We started Sunday with coffee, as usual, but it was with a new French Press we ordered since the other one broke. Love the new press and know it was a great investment in our morning happiness!
Kelley spent most of the morning reading and playing with Avery as I prepped a few meals for the week ahead and our dinner that night; taco chili!! She spent a good amount of time with Avery on her training potty while reading almost every book we own until she pooped or peed. Finally, she peed, and we praised her for the tinkle. This is where the experience of owning a pet before kids pays off!
We eventually made it down to the pool for another kicking and splashing session, but Avery didn’t get into as much as the day before. She still kicked and splashed around, just not with as much vigor. Either because it was no longer new, or she was just tired from all of that potty training, but it was another fun family time at the pool regardless.
The rest of Sunday was spent flipping Avery on the pillow and blanket pallet I made in the living room along with doing a few household chores. Avery relaxed next to the pallet with a book and leftover green smoothie as we finished up.
This past weekend ended up being an awesome time spent as a family and I look forward to many more as Avery gets older. Not that I’d ever rush her growing up, she’s done enough of that already!
Have you ever had an “eating toilet paper” experience?
Do your kids love or hate the pool?
Potty training Sloane was a breeze, she was into stickers really hot and heavy then so I made her a chart and every time she “pottied” in the correct receptacle she got to place a sticker on the chart, if she had an “accident” she lost a sticker. Sloane hated losing stickers so you can see where this is going! Good luck! Sounds like a kicking it kind of weekend though.
Avery hasn’t caught on to stickers yet, but maybe I need to start introducing her. Good idea, Gary, thanks!