Garbanzo Beans

Have you seen these fresh Garbanzo beans in your store's produce section? Try them out!

I have eaten them at my mother-in-law's house but have never noticed them in the supermarket. Well, the other day I did notice them at Whole Foods Market and got a big bag. I put them in a pot filled with a couple inches of salted water and cooked for a while...maybe 10-15 minutes? Then you just take them out and open the outer shell and eat the inside bean....SO good. They were gone in no time. Healthy snack too and way better than potato chips.

Our happenings

I have been busier then ever and desperately trying to hang on to sanity. Some days are really great and others are equally awful. I don't recommend having a toddler and a teenager at the same time. I don't recommend having a teenager at all. Just skip that stage. Wishful thinking. The positive part of all this stress is that I have been able to release it in my running. And I am running more then ever. I did my first ever 10 mile run last Saturday and it felt great and not even a little bit sore the next day. It helps to run beautiful 17 mile drive. The following Monday Micah and I ran 7 miles. I just love losing myself in my running. Anyhow, on to the pics...

Do you see the excitement! He found powdered sugar. Great.

I really don't give my children boxes of sugar to eat! Micah found this and thought he was in heaven for a few seconds until I could get it from him.

Celebrated Grama Shirley's birthday but she and Grampa got sick and it was too late to cancel the cake so we celebrated with out her. We later had another celebration with her and some cupcakes. Lots of cake!

We've been playing with puppies! They are so much bigger though than this picture shows.
Lots of work... but fun.

Doesn't this face just break your heart?
We have lots of emotions around our house with an almost 2 year old and a 15 year old both trying to figure out their emotions in a similar way. Not fun.

Here Micah and Linnea were fake crying.

Back

I guess I didn't need a very long Hiatus. I guess it doesn't really help to be away. Blogging helps beat away the tumdrums anyhow.

General Conference was really great. It helps lift my spirits so much. I always feel like a few points are directed just. to. me.
And in between sessions (after the huge fight with Jacen) we went across the street and blew bubbles, threw frisbees, picked daisies and made bracelets with them, swung in tree swings, soaked in some warm sun and walked with the dog.

So today I started the cleanse diet that I mentioned a few posts ago. My sister is going to do it with me but she is starting tomorrow. Today I can only eat fruit, but no bananas. I made a huge fruit salad to have for breakfast and it was really yummy. It contained raspberries, cantaloupe, strawberries, apples, pineapple, and oranges. For lunch I had a fruit smoothie of strawberries and pineapple and melon. Then this afternoon I had another bowl of fruit salad. I've been drinking lots of water. This morning I had water in which I squeezed a lemon. I'm a little hungry and a little tired. It's kind of hard watching the kids eat taquitos and cookies. I'm making a recipe for dinner from an Iranian friend of mine that is soooo good. But I won't eat any. I'll have to make it again when I can. I'll post the recipe sometime. I wonder how I will feel running tomorrow. I'll post and let you know how things go on this cleanse diet. I'm determined to finish.

Hiatus

Do you ever just feel like you're hanging by a thread and one more push will send you flying somewhere that you don't want to be? I'm having one of those periods of my life. And I so badly need a break but can't get one. I feel like I'm on the verge of something not good... I may need a hiatus from blogging until I get a grip on my situation. I don't want to bog anyone else down.

One Week Cleanse Diet

Well, I am thinking of doing this cleanse diet. It doesn't seem too hard or too weird.
I feel like it may do some good spring cleaning of my body.
Take a look here and let me know what you think? Any one want to do it with me?

Linnea Interview A-Z

Age: 10 years, almost 11
Bed: twin, top bunk
Chore you dislike: taking out the trash (she told me earlier that it was a boy's job)
Dinner dislike: anything with tomatos
Essential start to your day: watch Franklin with Micah
Favorite colors: white and turquoise
Greatest vacation you'd like to go on: to ride dolphins
Height: 53 inches
Instruments: piano and cello
jelly bean flavor: doesn't like them
kids (how many to have someday): no more then 3
lucky number: 2 and 5
month: April because it's Spring and July because it's my birthday month
Nicknames: Naya, Nay Nay, Miss America, teacher calls her Linneakins
Overnight Hospital stays: 2 nights when I was born
Pet Peeves: brothers, brothers, dogs, teachers, 5th grade boys, any kind of boys, neighbors...
Quote from me: "I love to wear black sweatpants!"
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Siblings: 3 brothers, would love a sister
Time you Wake up: 7-7:10
Underwear?: Yes, of course
Vegetables you don't like: all but corn
What makes you sad: fighting
X rays: teeth x rays
Yummy foods: chocolate mostly, strawberries dipped in chocolate, apples
Zoo animal favorites: Lions, giraffes, elephants, monkeys

All About Me from A to Z

A. Age: 32
B. Bed Size: Recently upgraded from a Full to a California King. BIG difference! At first I felt like I needed a walkie talkie to same good night to my husband.
C. Chore you dislike: cleaning the bath tub and shower
D. Dogs: one black lab and one yellow lab and currently ten puppies.
E. Essential start to your day: run, shower, check email, muesli for breakfast
F. Favorite colors: This is so hard. I love them all. Favorites.... white, navy, black, sky blue, for my house.... red and yellow
G. Gold or Silver jewelry: gold
H. Height: 5'4.5"
I. Instruments: piano, flute, used to play clarinet in high school but I can't really play well anymore.
J. Jelly bean flavor: I don't like jelly beans at all.
K. Kids: 3 boys, 1 girl, I would have lots more if I had the time/money/energy
L. Live: California
M. Month: October because the air turns cool (except where I live now where it gets hot finally), February
N. Nicknames: when I was in 5th grade the boys would tease me and call me "Ant Bite" or "It's a Small Jaime After All". When I was little my brother called me James Monraya. My husband calls me "Hun"
O. Overnight hospital stays: With each of my children's births...7 nights total, and when I had a tubal pregnancy surgery...one night.
P. Pet peeves: I don't get annoyed much. Maybe at my husband when he leaves his stuff everywhere.
Q. quote from movie or book: "Do or Do not, there is no try." --Yoda
R. Righty or Lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: 2 sisters, 3 brothers
T. Time you Wake Up: Usually 5:30 a.m.
U. Underwear?: of course except sometimes when I go running, but y running clothes kind of have them built in. weird I know.
V. Vegetables: I like all of them.
W. What makes you run late?: My kids
X. X rays you've had: dental, I don't know what else.
Yummy foods: fresh pasta with pesto, bananas dipped in chocolate fondue
Z. Zoo animals: monkeys, giraffe, lion or tiger, elephant

Tag You're It!

I may come back and interview some of my kids with these same questions.

Our Early Morning

Darby's water broke last night so we knew she would begin labor soon. All night she was pacing and rearranging her blankets. She was trying to make a little nest in our closet. Finally Albert moved her into the kitchen at 3 a.m. At 5:30 a.m. I heard puppy squeals. So far, ten have been born. I think she's done but we'll see...

Our Saint Patricks Day

I always like St. Patrick's day for some reason. I'm not Irish but its a fun holiday for me. No pressure for me, whatever I do is appreciated, an easy Irish dinner that everyone likes. Way different than Christmas. I enjoyed playing Celtic music on my flute in Gavin's class and making fun green treats for the kids in his class.

Cute picture of Albert and Micah...too bad Micah's shirt is a mess.

Irish soda bread, corned beef and steamed cabbage. Clover shaped, green cookies made with my cookie press and Swedish (ahem) cookie recipe.

Happy Birthday Gavin!

Gavin is 7!!
The day started with Rainforest Monkey Cupcakes.
Gavin is studying the rainforest in school so we made these cupcakes.
Inside each one is a little rainforest fact on a rolled up piece of paper.
Here, Linnea is helping put on the chocolate monkeys.

That night we went out to dinner with Great Grampa
and Tera and Jared and their family.
Lala Grill was Gavin's choice restaurant.
Here, Gavin and Maila are reading the card sent by Grama and Grampa Sirman.

Gavin ready to blow out his candles of his Oreo cake. Seriously, Layers in Monterey make the best cake. I ate more then I should have and subsequently went on a 6 mile run to try to repair the damage. But it was worth it.

Carter and Gavin

The next day Gavin had another party with a few friends from church and school.
One of the boys' Mom made and brought this awesome lightsaber cake!

Micah was a little too interested in the cake...

"Look Mom!"

The boys played musical present while listening to Star Wars music.
I'll never forget Gavin being just two years old and every Sunday he'd sing the Darth Vader theme song during church, and most noticeably during the sacrament. He has liked Star Wars for a while!

My sweet boy on his 7th birthday!
I am so grateful to have Gavin in our family. He's a joy to be around. He's full of energy and joy!

Gavin and Jacen playing around. Scary of Jacen, huh?!