The joys of pregnancy

I was pretty thrilled when 5 months had passed and my pregnancy was relatively mild, but I guess no momma gets off Scott free, and I found out first hand by getting probably one of THE worst pregnancy symptoms EVER!! I won't bore you with the gory details, but all I can say is I doubt child labor is worse than my experience this weekend (let's just say I woke up more than one night sobbing in pain), lucky for me my sweet husband took great care of me and did anything he could to help me feel better. I'm a lucky girl. I def can't wait for baby O to get here (for more reasons than one :) haha)

I guess I'll post some preggo belly pictures soon...

Baby "O" update

We had our 20 week appointment today (although I'm 21 weeks), and everything looks great. Measurements are right on track, estimated due date is right on and no cleft palate! Its so fun to get to see him in there and know everything is ok with his developments, It's also fun to see their movements and personalities emerge a bit. Today he was really stubborn and it was difficult to get the views we needed to take his measurements but it was funny when the ultra sound tech would put the wand on the top of his head he would pull his hand up and swipe at where the pressure was, as if saying " get this thing off my head!".
My sister came to the ultra sound appointment with us today, it was nice to have her experience it with us.
We are so excited for him to get here, and I can't wait to see what the little man looks like!

Movements

I can't decide if it's weird or not that I can't feel baby move yet... I'll be 20 weeks this sunday and I don't know if I haven't actually felt him move or if I just don't know how to identify the things I'm feeling anyway? All the articles I read say you should start feeling them by now or soon, but the way they describe the movements as a fluttering feeling don't ring a bell to anything I feel on the daily. This baby business can be confusing! Thank goodness for google.
Next ultra sound will be December 7th about a month since we found out our little one is a boy, I can't wait to see him again and how much he has grown!

O B G

Hello everyone who might read this blog! It has been quite sometime since I have posted anything to my blog and for that I am sorry and have somewhat of an excuse, Darin and I are expecting our first non k9 child! We found out back in august and I am now 18 weeks pregnant and it's already been determined it is a little boy!
Baby was not planned or expected but we are so excited and couldn't feel more blessed!
I'll try to get back into the blogging groove and keep everyone posted on his progress, but for now here is your update!

P.s. O. B. G isn't supposed to be an abbreviation for OBGYN , it's baby boys initials. ;)

918 east

Hello Blog dogs, I have finally taken a few pictures of our new place (only of the outside, the kitchen and the bathroom)I will take more later and post them for you.

We are all moved in. The new place is great. Love the area.

will post pictures when we get everything hung up and what not.

Hope everyone had a great 4Th of July.
God bless America.

tomorrow is ...


MOVING DAY!

awakening

hello blogger.com , It's been a little bit since my last post ( I'm sure you missed me).
Lately I have been doing a lot of soul searching and working a lot on my individual growth, as I've gotten older I've realized how much I enjoy reading books (and not your typical fictional novels, I'm talking NON fiction, i know right, BIG GIRL books) I like informing myself,opening and expanding my mind. It really feels good to be able to take control of your life and figure out what direction you wanna take it. I have come to realize something about myself, I thoroughly enjoy stimulating conversation and unfortunately I don't have too many friends I can chat with on a regular basis, but I do have one (you know who you are) who when I do talk to her it's so nice and refreshing to share opinions and information with one another, I sure do miss having her so close.
I don't know if it's just me or if there comes a time in most peoples' life where you crave more depth in things. I'm really not trying to sound like a pompous twit, But I really cannot explain it any other way, I love poetry. I crave music with lyrical dexterity. And I love knowledge that I can take and mold myself into the best version OF myself i can hopefully be.

sorry to bore you on my path to self discovery, maybe you can relate maybe not. either way this is what I felt like saying tonight.

She's a brick and I'm drownin slowly

In about a week I will be 24, holy hell 24! I feel like an old maid, I feel like a crazy Mormon, I'm 24 and I'm not a mommy of like 3 and who really knows when I will be a mommer but yeah that's a WHOLE different topic I'm not quite ready to delve into, this blog post (pretty much like every other one I write) is about.. nothing. SERPRIIIIZE.

So Darin got this awesome job that he absolutely LOVES and will hopefully propel his career as a chef onward BUT on the down side having one car IS NOT WORKING (whose idea was it to sell Darin's car when we moved out here anyway?)
so there are options ya know, like A. get a new car :( or B. get a bus pass (even BIGGER :( because guess who would be using that bus pass, that's right, yours truly and the types of people that ride the bus around these parts are... questionable) and then there is C. (I thought of this one today) A VESPA! :) i like this idea ALOT.
I could totally see myself scooting (or should I say scootering) around Salt Lake in one of these bad boys.


I think this weekend we shall go look at some, yeyaa.



Then there is this little thought I had today, I used to be a total concert junkie I knew all the concerts coming to town and I went, and now.. now I never know when a band I like is coming not until it is too late. Like today I heard on the news the Moody Blues will be in SLC this weekend. WTF i totally wanna go. The MOODY BLUES!
annnnd, I'm quite ashamed to admit Darin and I have NEVER gone to a concert together.

And then there is this.. so you know how people, women in particular, plan for things IE: how they want their house to look when they get one, or how many kids they want or their kids names for that matter, well is it weird that I plan for future dogs I want? So don't get me wrong I LOVE my dogs they are my children of sorts, but I already know what kind of dogs we are gunna get when (heaven forbid) these 2 pass. for instance, Darin wants a Boston terrier and I want a french bulldogger and he will have a name like Gizmo or papa smurf, yeaaaa, something like that! I know weird right? What is wrong with me?

Oh Oh and lastly my friends, has anyone seen the previews for "The new girl" a new television series with Zooey Deschanel! It looks stinkin cute.
Look it up.


well Dears, have a faaabulous memorial day weekend!
I'm off to clean the house.
yeah it's 11 pm.

glassies

I think I love Darin's glasses more than he does, I like to sneak them on when he isn't wearing them to see how I would look wearing glasses (unfortunately I cannot see myself because I am blind with glasses on) sooo, I have to take a picture to see how they look on. mehhh, I dunno if glasses suit me, maybe because I've never worn any but I sure do wish my eyes allowed me to wear glasses from time to time. I want some BIG, bulky, thick rimmed, tortoise shell nerd glasses right now!

but.. they sure do look cute on Darin, I wish he would wear them everyday. He's a sexy nerd.

ABC

It's really late and I should be sleeping, but instead what do I do? I write A blog post of course (since it has been a little minute since the last post). this post will be brief I can assure you since I really do need to go to sleep.

A. this is a little shout out to my hubby (who doesn't even read my blog) for getting the job at Mona Vie, you will be splendid and moving your way up to a head chef in no time.
B. To celebrate the hubs new job we went to the movies today and saw INSIDIOUS, mmm hmm that's right... pretty creepy. kinda makes me NOT wanna go to sleep right now.
C. I keep finding myself looking in the mirror and admiring my hair's length ( I can't imagine what I will do when it is actually long)
and well I don't really have anymore things to write for a letter D... I told you this post would be short.

good night

This Blog is dedicated to the short haired loves of my life... If I hadn't come this far in my hair growth experience I'd turn back and follow in your footsteps. oh how I miss your trendiness and spunk ... you complete me, short pixie cuts...

list number 2

This is the continuation from the first post a did 'A little music for your soul' , I'm sure no one read it but it don't bother me none, It's mostly actually a post for me to remember songs I really like so I can reference back and buy them on itunes if I don't already own them ( And before someone comes along and tells me that it's free to just download them on limewire or Napster or whatever the latest free music downloading site is now, let me just say... A. I don't want to because it makes my computer all buggy and B. ... A. is a good enough reason. So I will just stick to purchasing them.. the legal way thanks) So with all that sturfff being said, here is my second list of music that I particularly like some old some new and some in between.



The Jayhawks - I'm gonna make you love me

Thao & Mirah - Hallelujah
Lucenda Williamsc-Born to be loved
The Mighty Sequoyas - Lighthouse & Don't wait for me
Broken Social Scene - Sweetest Kill
Modest Mouse - pretty much every song from the album "we were dead before the ship even sank"
Arcade Fire - Ready to start & Wake up
The Shins - Caring is Creepy, Pink Bullets, Phantom Limb, Sea Legs, Turn on Me and Girl Sailor
Simon and Garfunkel - Sparrow
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Home
The Pierces - We are Stars
Wye Oak - Fish

my new found hobby whilst at work.watch pigeons waddle around. feed waddling wigeons. see waddling pigeons mate. very exciting stuff. I wish I had a trendy phone with a hipstomatic camera app. to photo document my day, because as you can see it is pretty thrilling.

but all things aside my mind has been pretty preoccupied at the moment, lots to think about and pray about and FIGURE out.

It can be difficult if you stop and try to think about it all at one time, so typically I try to avoid that or else I'll just end up with a giant migraine and lots of stress, but then again there are tons of people around me going through stuff, BIG stuff and small stuff and just... STUFF, and I know we're all not as alone as we think we are.

Luckily my heavenly father knew exactly what I would need when he created this beautiful world we live on, he knew that when things get really hard and really stressful if I would just STOP and take a minute and look out the window to see all the beautiful creatures that inhabit it I would just stop thinking and stop worrying and smile.

So might I suggest (even if you think it sounds lame) stop and watch the pigeons.

I suppose I will leave you with this little tune that makes my heart happy.

Videos alert

Video Uno: Great song

Video Dos: Cute bulldog snuggling with her baby

Lookie, Lookie me want cookie.. or cupcake.. or whatever.

City Cakes and Cafe... So yummy, its a vegan and traditional bakery in SLC (although most of their goodies are vegan) and man oh man are they good!def. a tasty little surprise, and it is close to our abode!

Last night we got a cpl cupcakes (Darin also go some snicker doodles, his favorite), bought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part I ,went to Whole foods and got some dinner and headed home for some cuddle time in front of the tube.

If it's the beaches' sands you want, you will have them

can't wait.

3 good years

So, I am a very very veryyy non gooey kinda person, no pda for this girl (unless you are an animal, then i will show you affection in public) in fact my husband had to force me to kiss him outside the temple in front of everyone on our wedding day, I know kinda sad.. but the point is I don't like mushy gushy unless I'm watching it on a movie! With that being said this little shout out is to my hubster, we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on tuesday,3 WHOLE YEARS (and we're still alive) that is insane, the time has flown by and I can't wait for the next 3 years.

Darin makes me laugh everyday, is a hard worker and always makes me feel loved, I cannot imagine life without him and I don't want to.

who is this beardless man?

happy anniversary stankness, I do Lurve yew!

hello blog.

I guess i will update you in my life as of lately.

March 11-21st we went to NC, it was better than I could even describe being able to see my parents after so long.

We also saw Darin's ENTIRE family including the new bebe twins Nathan and Eleanor.

we got to travel to the beach and we got to see my grandparents as well. all in a ll a very good 10 days.

While visiting NC my little snuggle boi, Chance ate a sock and it had to be surgically removed... costing us a small fortune.... which may postpone our move back east a little longer, but that's what happens I suppose.

I did NOT want to come home from our trip however. I wanted to teleport our furniture clothes dogs etc etc and never come back. but unfortunately no one has invented anything to allow me to do that yet.

I got my hair.. fixed and when I got home from NC i couldn't take it anymore so I chopped myself some bangseys.

March madness seems to have taken over the TV, but sadly My beloved Tar Heels lost to Kentucky (boooo..) but at least they lasted longer than the Dukey Blue devs. ( ha ha Darin did not like that... We are a house divided). Darin and I do agree that this years tournament has been an interesting one, LOTS of upsets, which is just as fun as having your team win.

being home with the pups is nice.. and getting back into the swing of things as well, back to my smoothies and my P90X.

not too much is new as you can see... it feels like things are new but when I sit and try to write it all out it really doesn't add up to much of anything. Ahh, oh well. Nothing life changing has happened to these here Georges as of yet, but I will inform you when the time comes.

well that's another another random blabble for me.

cheesey song alert

I was sitting at work today and this lovely came on the radio, and it reminded me how much I lurve cheesey 80s songs.

such a good tune, just what I needed today.

OHHHH the irony

So, If you didn't already know Darin and I are moving back east in June annnnd we are headed to NC for a visit this Friday, so other than bills that need to be paid and groceries that need to be bought... our money goes into a lovely little thing called savings... BUT I needed my hair done, so in a gesture to save money and be frugal I decide to give back to the educational community of hair I was once a part of and go to the Aveda institute in Provo to get my hair highlighted ... no big deal considering a don't have a SET stylist and usually bounce around as it is ( I just haven't found someone who does it for me 100% out here ... picky, picky,picky...)! Well, I distinctly remember telling the future professional ( stylist) and the Learning leader ( teacher) That I wanted "A cool/ beigey blond" and proceeded to show them pictures of hair I liked. I also said "No Gold, golden blond = BAD for my complexion" .. well friends, to make a LONG ( 5 hours long to be exact) story short, I got a glorified version of what I already had and nothing close to what I asked for. So the joke was on me that day instead of being frugal and getting a good deal on a usually expensive venture I now have to get my hair redone and it will end up costing me MORE than what I would have paid to begin with had I gone to a non school salon. what a bust.

disclosure:

The girl who did my hair at the school was very sweet and did a good job, I fully blame the learning leader for choosing to tell the student to use a color that lifts and deposits instead of using lightener... you just cant get that to that level of a cool Blondy blond without it... you suck learning leader!

What I had when I went to Salon

What I had when I left salon

picture of What I had asked for

hmm... hopefully the next person gets it right...

A little music for your soul

Currently listening to/ loving at this juncture in time.

here is a list, I don't expect you to rush out and listen to these songs, but I rather enjoy them and most can be found on my playlist bellow

Deer Hunter - Desire Lines

Fleet Foxes - Mykonos

The Avett Brothers - Murder in the City

Rogue wave - We will make a song destroy

The Drifters - There goes my baby (you gotta throw a little oldies into the mix from time to time)

The Hold Steady - we can get together

Cat Power - Shaking paper

Iron and Wine - Your fake name is good enough for me

The National - A little faith

Adele - rolling in the deep

The Veils - Vicious Traditions ( heard this song on a movie a long time ago, still a good one!)

Andrew Bird - Anoanimal

Tom Petty and the heartbreakers - It'll all work out

Tom Petty and the heartbreakers - Wildflowers (I will always love me some Tom Petty)

Neil Young - Old Man

Wolfmother - New moon rising

Bear in Heaven - Love Sick Teenager

... and if you're REALLY adventurous give this one a listen ( I love it but most ppl I encounter don't, personal preference I suppose)

Melpo Mene - Snakes and Lions

Well thats all for now, but these are all great songs! enjoy.

Oscars 2011

ok, so although I am not super celebrity savvy and have not been since I stopped wasting money on tabloid magz from the grocery line, I still watch the Oscars and usually only to see the beautiful gowns (In my opinion, the Oscars have not had a funny host in years, is just an excuse for celebs to kiss each others asses all night, and are far too political for my taste.. but I still watch them, why am I so drawn to the little windows of the lives of the beautiful people?I love fashion, it's pathetic really) but on that note here are my top picks for stunning dresses on the red carpet and had this been an event to judge their style, and not their acting in movies from 2010 these three ladies would have won as ranked on my list...

-enjoy -

3rd place

Michelle Williams:

2nd place (this one was a little more tricky for me bc both of these dresses are beautiful and ironically similar colors)

Cate Blanchett:

and 1st place goes to ...

Mila Kunis:

lovely little sparrow

gwahh, I adore this song, so amazing.

pissing the night away - CHUMBA WUMBA

I like my house to be clean, but ironically I HATE to be told to clean my house, and although I wasn't "told" per se to clean my house, I still feel the need when someone comes over (no matter who it is, a homeless stinky could come to my home and I would still feel I had to straighten up) to clean. where is this going you may ask? well, I will tell you, THIS apartment complex conducts more "home inspections" than any place on the planet, we have been visited by the apartment managers 3 times already this year and it is only February, that's INSANE! I just don't get it, our apartment is always nice and sparkly when they come to inspect and yet they never stop coming. So to pass the time while cleaning, I like to play my music and sing to my dogs... I know kind crazy (trust me they agree) because when I sing along to the song lyrics and even try to dance them out the dogs look at me quizzically like I'm a fool... which I am, but it is fun you should try it!

happy cleaning.

p.s this video is so cute, reminds me of Faye! I love bull doggers!

Beneath the dance hall lights you seem a girl so south

So in 3 weeks, away I go ... for a week, but a week is better than nothing when it comes to visiting my family!

I am so ready to see my parents and my grandparents, it has been way too long for my liking. Although I am not one of those people who hate flying (because I don't) I do however not like traveling long distances in general, I hate worrying I forgot something and I hate worrying about my doggers but that being said I am still excited to go back to NC and see the fam damily.

We'll start our trip in the Charlotte area, visit Darin's family my grandparents and hopefully some friends. Then we will head to the coast of NC and visit my parents at the beach, then head back to Charlotte so we can fly back to Utah land.

All travel fretting aside, I am still counting the days until I can hug my parents!

my home away from home

Bye Bye kitty

so, today kitty left us! I was definitely not ready for another pet (since i have 2 dogs as it is) but it was sad letting the little guy go. I am super pumped he found a good and loving home and I think he will adjust OK, I just hope everything goes well. He was a sweet little dude and I'll miss him hangin' around.

Steelers vs Green Bay

Not a fan of either team... BUT if I must choose, my choice team will be ....

Please let the commercials be good this year!

Babies, Babies, BABIES! Everyone is having babies, it's all you ever hear about... People having babies, people wanting babies, people getting pregnant with babies, and people complaining when they can't get pregnant with babies! Although this topic is sometimes annoying for me and hard for me to understand considering I do not have babies and up until this year have really had no desire for babies any time soon, I get rather excited when people have these wiggly little creatures that are so foreign to me. My sister in law whom I love dearly just had TWO of these, a little boy and a little girl, Nathan and Eleanor and they are some cute little monkeys let me tell you. I can't wait till my own sister has one (I'm not giving up hope on her).I guess being a woman the maternal instinct and the desire for children hits you at some point or another, I guess that's why babies are the topic of everything at this stage in life ... but I'll let you in on a little secret that I don't particularly want to admit just yet ... I don't seem to mind .

Besides my initial reaction to think all babies look like little old men/aliens, I also like to try to figure out who they most resemble (mommy or daddy, or if I know the extended family members if they resemble one of them more), So I will attempt to do so here and give my opinion as to who these little ones look like as far as these pictures go. The picture directly bellow is Nathan, and from the angle this photo is take (because I have not seen him in person) I think he resembles his aunt Jessica!

And here, we have Eleanor, who I think STRONGLY resembles her adorable big sister Susie!

But of course, you really don't know who a baby looks like until they get a little bigger and develop their cute little personalities!

Welcome to the world cute little rice babies.

So long, Farewell

So the time has come that our four closest friends have moved (and all in one week)! Husband and wife Emma and Dustin packed up and moved to McKinney Texas and our other friends Anna and Stratton moved to Charlotte North Carolina, both for job opportunities, so naturally we are very excited and happy for them but we are also pretty bumbed! Luckily we won't be left behind for too long, in June we will be headed back to the good ole south ourselves and we couldn't be more thrilled!

Good Luck on your new adventure Taylors and Allens, you will be missed here in Utah!

If there is one thing I could learn to do and do well it would be knitting! I am obsessed with anything yarn, wool, chunky and warm! which is why I am a HUGE fan of ETSY and this little shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveandKnit?ref=top_trail, her stuff in my opinion is SO adorable! so my friends, add that on my list of things to do, and maybe one day I will sell knitted things on etsy.com , or maybe I'll just knit things for myself, my family, my dogs and my future children all day long, either way I will know how to Knit one day.

A typical day off

day: was productive/ unproductive.

Productively I went grocery shopping, and bought lots of yummy and healthy things, watched a new episode of Law and Order SVU (i love this show, it's ok if you don't) and did my P90X.

Unproductively: I slept in far too late, didn't take little tycoon kitty to the clinic to see about getting his little ballses removed and I ate some coldstone creamery (it was delicious, but it was far too sugary especially when i have been cutting refined sugars out of my diet and it gave me a headache because i hadn't eaten anything all day, I think it also upset my tummy...)

Also today I have been thinking about things that I want, and depressingly I have WAY too many things in my head that I want right now.

don't you love how as being a girl we constantly have thing swirling around in our little heads. One time I asked Darin what he was thinking and he said "nothing" and I said "nothing? How can you be thinking about nothing, I am ALWAYS thinking about

something"

also I tried to buy a song on my Ipod but it wouldn't pull up the internet, WHAT THE CRAP! i never buy songs and i really wanted this song, can a girl not buy one thing now and again? Gees, and the stupid playlist I have on here doesn't have this song on it, I did find it on youtube. I think you should listen to it, here you go:

I am so ready for March, I finally get to go see my family. I miss those crazy parents of mine. I haven't seen my mom in a year and I haven't seen my dad in about a year and a half... wow writing that out REALLY makes me realize how long it has been!

So, once again I realize this entry has been quite random. but this is supposed to be like a digital journal right? and guys, lets face it my journal is pretttttyyy random, like I said, LOTS of thoughts.

so one more story before I end this post, The other night Darin and I were flipping through the channels and that stupid show BIG LOVE was on, we have heard about it of course but never watched it (being LDS it just seems like one of those things you JUST DONT DO, but at the same time you are curious kinda like a car crash and you tell your self your not gunna sit there and stare but you can't help it) well we watched it, and WOW, I was shocked it was like all those stereotypical questions you get ie: "so I hear ya'll don't drink caffeine how come?" or "Don't ya'll have like multiple wives or something" some of the questions are true and some are wayyy off, well the show was kind of like that. It was pretty weird to watch, The show takes place in Utah and refers to different things and places around the state often, while watching it Darin was like "yeah, it's about time we leave this state" ha ha I thought that was pretty funny.

well friends I think i am done with this random post. good night.

P.S. kittykins still needs a home! Please help if you know anyone who would want him (It's hard work finding a pet a home)

Homeless, please help!

If anyone in Utah reads my blog, and loves cats please help out and give this cutie a loving home!

I found her, no collar tried to ask around in my apartment and put up flyers no one is claiming her.She is so sweet, and I would keep her but my apartment is small as it is, and we have two dogs who just wanna play with her. contact me if you want her or know of someone who does! You won't regret it!

thanks a million.

Love

I know, I know... I'm obsessed.

But I LOVE these guys!

Say Hello to Green.

So... Going green? No? How about Green Smoothies? What's a Green Smoothie you ask, well first off, it's yummy and secondly It's good for you, that's right, you heard me correctly.My good friend Anna first introduced me to them and a friend of hers introduced them to her before that, and NOW I'm introducing them to you. if you have not heard of them yet, they are a wonderful little creation and if you start to love them as much as I have, you will want to spread the word as well.First off what is a "Green Smoothie"? well, I will give a brief over view of what a green smoothie is, but if you are interested in them I highly recommend reading "The Green Smoothies Diet" by Robyn Openshaw , It is a quick and easy read and packed with lots of great information.

A Green smoothie is just like any other smoothie you might consume except it isn't full of refined sugars and you add in greens IE: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce, arugula, collards etc etc the possibilities are endless! Then you also add fruit to this little mixture, any fruit your little heart desires will work. Then to sweeten 'er up a bit maybe add some stevia, agave, raw honey or maple syrup, then any superfoods you might have been wanting to add to your other recipes can easily be added to the smoothies. Blend it all together and BAM you have a nutrient packed power snack (well more like a meal!).

whats so special about that? Well most Americans do not eat as many fruits and veggies as are needed, many of us are constantly on the go and don't really stop to look at what we are consuming, we eat fast food weekly, we eat crackers, breads, and meats as our main food groups and those of us that do try to eat vegetables usually don't eat them raw, we cook the vegetables and in doing so we cook out many of the nutrients these foods offer us! By drinking a quart of green smoothie daily we are consuming 15 full servings of raw greens and fruit and 12 or more grams fiber (depending on the ingredients). As I have read in The Green Smoothies Diet book, that is 150 percent of the USRDA's suggested fruit and veggie intake for an entire day!

I have been drinking green smoothies for a short time now,but I have already felt the difference these things can make. They give you more energy, they offer proteins , vitamins, minerals and other nutrients meat and carbs can't, they clean out your body and make you "regular" and they are a great aid in weight loss! I even have Darin drinking them and he likes them a lot. Darin works night shifts at his hard labor job, working the late hours and having to do manual labor can be very exhausting and in the short time we have been drinking these, he has told me that if he doesn't get a smoothie that day (sometimes i only make them for my self.. my bad) he can feel a difference in his energy level!

I strongly suggest reading the book or visiting her website for more information (her web

site link is on my blog page under "Foods") or looking up her videos on you tube!

here is a template recipe if this post has peaked your interest at all, and some pictures too!

Robyn Openshaw's Green Smoothie Template Recipe:

(straight from her book)

makes 8 cups of 100% raw smoothie

Tips: for beginners and those trying to convert small children consider using less greens and more fruit (especially berries and bananas) in the beginning gradually work up to 50/50 ratio. In this transition phase, try using the mild flavors like spinach, kale, collards, and chard. With kids consider using only spinach the first few days, then sneak in chard, collard and kale gradually.Add other savory or bitter greens only when your family is "expert" in green smoothies!

Add a bit more water if you feel the smoothie is too thick.

put 2 1/2 cups filtered water in a high power blender

Optionally add:

1/2 tsp stevia (herbal sweetener) or 1/4 cup Agave nectar

1/4 whole lemon, including the peel! (anti skin cancer, high in flavonoids)

2-3 TBSP fresh refrigerated flax oil (omega-3 rich)

Gradually add until, briefly pureed, the mixture comes to the 5 cup line (or less if you are converting):

3/4 to 1 lb raw, washed greens added up to the 5 1/2 cup line:

spinach, chard, kale,collards are your main stays

turnips,mustard, dandelion greens, arugula - use more sparingly, as they're spicy or bitter

lettuces and beat greens are also good.

also try avocado or cabbage or 1-2 celery stalks

puree the greens mixture for 90 seconds, until very smooth.

gradually add fruit to taste: favorites are pears and peaches, but also apples, oranges, apricots, cantaloupes (with seeds - very high in antioxidants!) mangos, pineapples, anything!

The more frozen fruit you add the tastier your smoothie will be, and a high-power blender can handle it! you can save your smoothie in the fridge for up to two days- just shake it well before drinking!

Here are some photos of a smoothie I made:

I added Broccoli,chard and spinach for my greens

The Superfoods I add to all my Green Smoothies are:

Brewer's "nutritional" yeast, coconut oil, flax seed oil, chia seeds, and raw wheat germ.

(Robyn Openshaw's book as well as google can inform you about the various superfoods and the many extra nutrient additives they provide)

for example:

Brewer's is high in protein and and extremely rich in B vitamins. It has also been linked to reduce symptoms of diabetes,eczema, constipation and hypoglycemia. and for all you nursing mothers out there, it helps increase milk supply!

Chia seeds give you a sense of fullness, a great aid in weight loss. they also slow the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars helping maintain a stable blood sugar level, especially great for diabetics.

Flax Oil is great in your green smoothies because the minerals from the greens are absorbed better with some fats. Flax oil protects healthy cell membranes we need to keep toxins out and allow in the nutrients.

Wheat Germ is high in vitamins E and B, great for PMS or menopausal symptoms, it also helps you to achieve glossy hair, strong nails and nice skin. Also eating it prevents some birth defects!

Before blending the greens and superfoods

after

Although I have no pictures, the fruits I added are:

1 bag frozen black berries, 2 bananas (if smaller), 1/4 of a lemon, and a handful of frozen peaches

The finished product!

(see, if you add darker fruits, they aren't even green!)

Even men and babies like them

Bull dogger

And the cutest dog award goes to...

FAYE