Smoothie Queen

To the neighborhood girls, I'm not only Caroline's mom, giver of drinks and snacks and keeper of all their junk until I finally remember to make them bring it home, but I'm also known as the "Smoothie Queen." They actually don't call me the Smoothie Queen, but every time I make them a smoothie they tell me I should open my own shop. With such a glowing critique of my work, it would only be natural to start calling myself the "Smoothie Queen."
It all started when Caroline busted her front teeth at her very first slumber party and found herself limited to a soft foods diet for several weeks while her teeth healed. Smoothies are soft; they're also a great vehicle for incorporating healthy foods into the diet of a Dorito loving seven year old. I've told you about my love for green smoothies and while I'd love to stuff some spinach into Caroline's smoothie, I'm not sure how well that would go over. Actually, Caroline is a veggie lover and would probably enjoy a green monster. Her friends, however, wouldn't be down with that, whatsoever. They're a bit more typical in their veggie hating kid ways.

So instead, they discuss the combination of flavors they're fancying on any particular day, and place their order. It's quite hot out today, so I wasn't surprised when Caroline and her friends trudged up the stairs muttering something about "peach, banana, strawberry....chocolate chip." I put the kibosh on chocolate chip smoothies; that sort of defeats the purpose of a "healthy" drink. Strawberry was out, as well. Can't make a strawberry smoothie without strawberries. It came down to banana/peach. And that's what we made. The girls tried to convince me that chocolate would taste really great in their smoothies. I told them they were nuts, but allowed them to put a squirt of chocolate syrup in their drink. Caroline, in her usual first taste fashion, grimaced but said "mmm, it's really good." I didn't quite believe her, but she's drinking it, so it couldn't be all bad.

I could really use a green smoothie right now, but the blender is dirty and I'm not really feeling like washing it out. Besides, it's almost lunch time; I'll eat my greens then.

I played hooky from the gym again this morning. My favorite instructor is out of town; her substitute is adequate, but it's hard to get motivated when you're not sure what the workout will entail. Instead, I woke early and went for a 4+ mile run. Hills and all.
It has been another productive morning: run, water plants, shower, library, bake cookie bars for Craig's work, laundry, smoothie making.

As I sit in my favorite chair, sharing the minute, mind numbing details of my life, Caroline and her friends are laying on the living room carpet intently building their Lego ships. Let me tell you, they take this constructing business quite seriously. I can't help but chuckle on the inside when they have serious conversations in which they weigh the merits of rocket launchers and power boosters. Many tears have been shed over Legos. Territory disputes. Destruction of property. The proper amount of weaponry. Emergency attack mode strategies.

No one plays house anymore.

If they did, mom and dad would surely be packing some sort of ammo while they push their baby in a jet propelled rocket launcher/baby carriage.

And continuing on with this random post of everyday happenings, I made myself an iced coffee this morning, saving myself time, money and gas. I don't get iced coffees all that regularly, due to the expense, but I've been craving them like mad lately. Must be the heat.
I went to the library this morning while Caroline stayed and played with her pals, Sarah and Rachel. If there had been a coffee shop in close proximity to the library, I would have stopped and purchased one to calm my craving. However, my options were limited; there is a bbq restaurant and a senior citizens center next to the library. Neither sell iced coffee.
I mulled over the idea of driving to the nearest Starbucks, but opted to go home and make some at home. I had baking to do and didn't want to waste any extra time.

I have a love hate relationship with coffee; I'll love it for awhile and then suddenly find myself repulsed by it. Therefore, I do not own a coffee maker. I do, however, have a package of instant coffee that I purchased to use in a recipe. Even though instant coffee isn't the greatest stuff on earth, I'm happy to report that iced instant coffee is indeed quite tasty.

I sat down to write this post before 11 and it's now 12:12. Needless to say I've been interrupted by phone calls, cookie bars in need of attention, dishes in the sink and smoothie craving kids.
But, all is well. Caroline will be having lunch with her partners in crime this afternoon, leaving me ample time to finish the laundry and wash the floors.

22 days!