6 Things About Me...
(I was tagged, so here you go Danielle! I tag Jamie, Krista, and Jennifer.)

1. When I was 16 years old, I got a tattoo. And yes it's visible....it's my eyeliner! YES, it hurt and YES I would definitely do it again... in fact I need to go in for a touch-up.

2. I'm an exercise FREAK! If I miss a day, I think the world will end and that I'll somehow gain 5 pounds overnight. I'm currently taking a break with so much running - my knees were yelling at me; so I've taken up spinning and I LOVE it.

3. I recently got scuba certified - and it was really scary! We got certified for our latest cruise to the Carribean. And in true drama queen style - I had a panic attack every time! Hey, with 5 foot waves and a back drop into the ocean, what would you do? At least my wet suit stayed dry inside!:-) And yes, I'll try and get organized enough to post our pics.

4. I am really quite silly. Joe and I will dance around the house, like total idiots, or we'll have a contest who can do the most obnoxious thing -- really whatever makes us laugh. Once Annalise looked at us with this disgusted face and said, "you guys are scaring me!". Too funny. I hope we act silly till the day we die.

5. I'm really impatient and a bit of a control freak. I always want to take over a project, just so I can do it my way.......yeah, I know I need to work on this one! But until I get it figured out, the remote is mine!!!

6. I'm totally in love with my husband! I love him more and more every year. He really knows how to make me fall in love with him over and over again. I am so lucky. Hands off ladies, I've been known to get a little jealous! :-)

Here's a typical day...

Well, lots of things happen from minute to minute when you have kids around. Here are some fun things that have happened lately.

1. My kids (especially Annalise) love to pretend they are animals - usually a kitty cat! So here is Annalise being a kitty on a leash (yes I know usually dogs are on leashes, but don't tell Annalise - it keeps her really busy) and Ava taking her on a walk throughout the house. They can play this game for a good half hour.

2. It's definatly a kodac moment when your first born gets her first bloody nose! She was playing with her good friend Ella, when they somehow hit noses. Annalise comes screaming down the halls with blood dripping everywhere - and poor Ella is crying b/c Annalise is bleeding. So I settle Lisee on the couch with a cool rag for her nose and Ella climbs up next to her and sweetly says she's "sorry". Annalise tells her "it'll be okay, I'll just hold the rag and it will stop bleeding". It was so sweet that she recognized that her little friend was scared. Anyway, I'm just glad I kept my cool with it all!

3. Ava occasionally enjoys a little ghetto apparel. Just kidding, I just thought she looked cute with her hat to the side. She refused to keep it straight; every time I put it on, she'd just pull it over to the side. So of course I taught her to say, "Yo!". It was very cute.

4. Camels at the Phoenix zoo give a pretty smooth ride! What a fun thing to ride a camel. I hope she apprecitates that $10 we spent! :-)

5. And lastly, it's always more fun to play ball with lots of "friends"! What a great daddy Joe is to our girls!

For my fellow health-nut friends!

YUMMY!!

Don't these cookies look like the normal american chocolate chip cookie? Well, they taste like it, but they are actually pretty darn good for you and a much better alternative to the normal chocolate chip cookie! Substitute butter for SmartBalance (trans fat free) spread, reduce the sugar by half, and add a whole can of chickpeas (also known as garbonza beans), use healthy dark chocolate chips, and you have a delicious and moist cookie - guilt free! Now, I don't want to get in trouble for "sharing" this recipe, so I won't name the new cookbook it comes from - email me if you want the name. I call these cookies "The Smart Chocolate Chip Cookie". Enjoy and let me know if you like them! And don't be afraid to make them, I promise they really are good!

The Smart Chocolate Chip Cookie
1 c. brown sugar; 3/4 c trans-fat free spread (like SmartBalance); 2 large egg whites; 2 tsp vanilla; 1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed & mashed a little w/a fork (I use a can that's 15.5oz & it's fine); 1-2 c. dark chocolate chips - depending on how much you like (Ghiradellis 60% cocoa); 3/4 c chopped walnuts; 2 c flour (try 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour); 1/2 c old fashioned oats; 1 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt.
Okay, beat the sugar and margarine at med speed until smooth. Next, beat in egg whites and vanilla. Then mix in chickpeas. It will look a little "oily" from the beans - don't be scared! Then, mix the rest of the ingredients in a seperate bowl first, then add to wet mixture until a thick dough forms. Spoon the dough onto a sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Don't overbake, and remember they will continue to cook a bit after you remove them from the oven so really watch them close. Enjoy!

I LOVE MY GIRLS

Okay, so being a mom is a lot of work......but I really just love my girls to pieces! They both have so much personality and know how to light up the room. And they already play "hard to get"; not just anyone can have their affection. :-) And even though some days I long to be a career woman again, I simply can't deny that being there for them is truly what it's all about!

Annalise - Dance and Soccer

We are so proud of you Lisee!! When Annalise turned three this year, we decided to put her in dance first, then soccer. We wanted her to figure out the type of activites she likes best. She did great at both and she loved her "outfits" to go with each activity. She's decided that dance is more her style because "Soccer is too much running!". I think we'll sign her up for horseback riding next - she's totally obsessed with horses (like her mama), and then probably back to dance again!

Meal Time Madness!

Well, I'm sure I'm not the only mother to relate to meal time messes! I despise my floors and counters to be dirty - and yet here I am, two kids later - cleaning up the kitchen at least 4 times a day! Yuck - but you gotta love the cute, messy faces that come alone with the territory!