Breakfast Smoothie

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day - it starts you off with the right energy level to tackle whatever comes your way. This is especially true for kids. They really need a good breakfast to fuel their brains and prepare their bodies for school. It would be difficult to concentrate in class if you were hungry. Breakfast also needs to be balanced - not all sugary foods - it is best to provide a decent breakfast that will last all the way through to lunch time.

I know, it's the time factor. We are all time pressed in the morning, so quick easy breakfasts are a must. We like to do eggs, waffles (wholegrain), cereal, but after a while we need something to jazz our mornings up a bit. So what about a smoothie!

So this morning we tested a new smoothie recipe to add to our weekly meal list, just in time to be ready for our new school year. Smoothies are quick, easy and nutritious - the perfect breakfast. And what a great way to start the day with a "milkshake".

Here is the recipe we tried this morning, but I think I will add some honey next time:

(makes 3 glasses)

8oz coconut water (I found this in the fruit and veg section of the grocery store)
1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed berries
1 scoop of whey protein powder
1 cup plain organic yoghurt
1/2 cup milk

I used the Ninja to mix it all up. Delicious!

You can also add banana, 1 tsp peanut butter, honey, other frozen fruit (strawberries, mango), fresh kale, or spinach, etc. I'm sure there are lots of ideas out there on the internet to pick from, so you would be able to come up with your own favorite combination. Have fun with it!

New Look...

I'm all rested and revived after our wonderful summer vacation, so I am testing out a new look for the blog. Please be patient with me - I have no idea how to get posts onto the tabs (anyone know??? - please let me know if you do). Slowly and surely...

Please let me know what you think. It is nothing drastic, but it did take most of my day to figure it out ;)

Black, white and a pop of color

Love this dress, purse combo from Anthropologie:

Wonder if I can find a little less expensive version?

Photo of the day...

We absolutely loved our beach vacation this year. Only thing wrong was it was too short. By Thursday you just start to relax, then it's time to head home again. But it was wonderful, especially since we got to spend it with both sets of grandparents (for the kids). This is one to remember...

In love...

I am in love...with these pants! {from J. Crew}

Café capri in kaleidoscope dot 

I am SO tempted...

Barn Light Electric Giveaway

OH, this is fabulous! Drinking my coffee this morning, I see this on my Facebook feed (from Urban Farmgirl) and I know straight away I'm definitely entering this giveaway!

Barn Light Electric $1000 GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Winner gets a $1000 Barn Light Electric gift certificate! 

2nd place - $500 gift certificate

3rd place - $250 gift certificate

We have (very) very outdated light fixtures in our home. Now, not very very very, making them cool antiques or anything. Just about "very 80's", and maybe some 90's, oh, and the ONE my husband and FIL picked out (a fan light) that is so brassed up you have to remember to NEVER look at directly, or you will go blind!

So this giveaway is just what I need :)

Here is how to enter this awesomeness:

1. Visit Barn Light Electric's awesome website, and pick out a few of your favorite things that you would love to replace your outdated/boring/crappy/non-existent light fixtures

2. Feature your fantastic choices on your personal blog.

3. At the bottom of the post, include directions for entering

so your followers can enter, too

(you can just copy and past the instructions below to make it easier!)

So here are my selections (drum roll please)! 
{You can click on the pictures to take you directly to the Barn Light website to view more details about the lights}

For above the kitchen sink:

To replace my brass goddess:

And the perfect one to finish off the back patio area:

It was very difficult even choosing my favorites. I think I could have kept going and added ones for my "dream house", or the lake house, or the "future ranch house". But the more I look the more favorites I see, and I must do things...like cook dinner...and get the kids to bed :)

So here is how to enter - this is the section you can copy and paste into your blog for a chance to win! Good Luck!!

How to Enter:

1. Look around online at Barn Light Electric and pick lights you’d love to own
2. Feature your lighting picks on your personal blog, and link to the lights if you can!
3. Copy/Paste these rules at the bottom of your blog article so others can enter
4. Once your personal article is up, you must email your blog link to:marketing@barnlightelectric.com to be qualified to win. The contest ends Monday, July 2nd, 2012
5. Don’t have a blog? Find out how you can enter by reading the Official Rules

 

  

Master Bathroom - Redecorated

I still have a few little bits and pieces to complete on the master bathroom renovation - just need to get it done!! MUST get it done before my Mum and Dad get here :) But, you know the impatient me, decided to do a little redecorating instead. I haven't really been sure what direction to go with until now. I originally had all my Japanese artwork up in there, but decided it wasn't really working and moved it all to the bedroom to the gallery wall (looks fantastic!). So I decided to go the beach theme - the colors are perfect for it (a sandy yellow with sea blue accessories). So here it is:

Most of the accessories come from Target, TJ Maxx or Marshalls. A few are from Pottery Barn (the blue jars near the bath tub). Picture frames are from Hobby Lobby. And the rest are antiques from local Antique Malls. The prints are printed from the New York Public Library Digital Gallery - what a great resource!

I would love to paint the cupboards white, but that gets vetoed by the husband...everytime - what's up with that?? :) But with the new decor it really lightens it up in there, so I can live with it now.

I cleaned out all my cupboards and drawers - WOWZA! I got rid of a lot of junk! Feels wonderful. The closet is now done, the bathroom done, bedroom close, laundry done, kitchen organized, girls room done, office/playroom getting close, spare room no where near done - it is next ;)

I love how it turned out - it makes me happy :)