:: pool time ::

We have been walking to the pool when Iz wakes up from her nap and she just loves to play in the water!  We have gone down this swan slide a million times already!  She loves it!

 Playing some b-ball.

 She also loves to play in these mini fountains and has learned quickly that you can stop one side up with your foot to make the other one shoot up higher.

Oh and she thinks it's a water fountain...

:: veggie gravy ::

I would have put 'biscuits + veggie gravy', but I didn't actually make the biscuits this time, just the gravy.  I have been missing and wanting to duplicate this veggie gravy that I love from one of my fav breakfasts spots in Lawrence, 'The Mirth Cafe'.  I have to say I got pretty close this time :)!

{adapted from soursaltybittersweet- she included biscuits if you need a recipe} 

2 T butter {I used coconut oil}

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

a pinch of dried thyme and/or parsley

1 1/2 C + 2 T milk

1/2 C veggie broth

2-3 T cornstarch

salt to taste

*melt your butter/coconut oil in a large skillet

*add your spices

*add milk {except for the 2 T} and veggie broth, stirring constantly

*make a slurry of cornstarch and the remaining 2 T milk.  make sure the mixture is smooth, then add it to the gravy, still stirring constantly.. it will start to thicken.  Cook for 5 minutes or until thick enough for your liking.

*after tasting, I added some wonderful spices from Penzey's- Arizona Dreaming {one of my favs, for everything!} and Hot Curry Powder {also pretty awesome}... they both helped make the gravy delicious, highly recommend those spices!

i can eat by myself, mom!

love. this. child.

:: my garden ::

One of my new loves.  my pseudo garden.  I am growing everything in pots this season, as we don't have our planters yet.. I'm hoping to be growing everything next year!  I planted a couple types of tomatoes, peppers, basil {that tiny plant on the end}, thyme, oregano, mint.. I think that's it.  So the pics below are from May 21st, when I moved them from their little starter pots to the bigger pots...

 Look at them a couple weeks ago on the 11th {I will have to put a more updated pic because they are even bigger now}!!

 Ready for my tomatoes to popping out of those flowers!

Oh my beautiful basil :)

:: the salina river festival ::

The Salina River Festival is kind of a big deal in these parts!  We were there first thing Friday morning with Kellie + Henry and Kelly + Rowan {you can kind of see them at the top of the picture} and it was perfect, not too crazy or hot yet.  Izzy girl loved walking all around, checking things out.

 The kid station at the festival was really nice, it was huge and had a lot things for the littles to do.  It was so fun to watch Isabelle just walk right in and help herself to a craft table... I was a proud mom :).

 Izzy girl went to have lunch and hang with Henry and Kellie while I hosted a luncheon for Juice Plus+ and Kel sent me this cutest picture- I just love it!  She said they were laughing so hard!

 I got to meet them when I was done and we had some fun pool time after they woke up from their naps.

I got up Saturday morning for the 'Festival Fitness Five' and made the paper!  I am kind of fuzzy, but if you look in the top left corner in the grey tee, with the pony tail flying to the side- that's me :)!

 Oh and about this... it was a huge homemade ice cream bar that I kept staring at {at the festival} and finally caved.  I wish I had gotten a better picture, but let me just tell you, it was a red velvet cake ice cream sandwich dipped in dark chocolate... gross, I know.

We had such a fun weekend at the festival and hanging with friends, can't wait for it again next year!

Our first little trim!!

So, not that Isabelle has much hair {still}, she did have some kind of long stragglers that were contributing to her 'mullet' look {thank you aunts Ashley and Courtney ;)}, so we just trimmed off those random long strands.  It wasn't enough to keep, but it did help make it look better and healthier.  I am also hoping it helps it grow a little bit.

before: lookin' scraggly... 

Entertaining Iz while she got a little snip. 

lookin' pretty! 

 After: it's straight!

Thank you Gigi for helping us and the use of your hair cutting scissors!

:: berry mint smoothie ::

My friend Runge recommended I 'like', 'Incredible Smoothies' on Facebook because she posts a new smoothie everyday - such a great way to expand my smoothie making horizons!

We have so much mint growing in our back yard {yay}, so I was excited when I saw mint was part of this smoothie.  I did adapt it a little bit from her recipe {posted on June 6 and below}...

"2 small frozen bananas, 10 mint leaves, 4 apricots, 4 tablespoons goji berries, 3 cups baby spinach and 8 ounces filtered water"

1 small banana

about 10 mint leaves

handful of mixed berries

handful of baby spinach

1 scoop  {1/4 C} vanilla JP+ protein powder

8 oz filtered water

Loved the hint of mint.. ha, that rhymes!