Books For Easter

Jack-Jack last Easter

This Easter all the boys are getting candy (of course) but they are also getting some new books. I don't know about you but our boys love books. I don't know if it's because Michael and I love to do voices or if it is because they know they stay up later if we keep reading -- either way I don't care. I love that they love books. So for this Easter Doc (the endless lover of Jake and the Neverland Pirates) is getting Pirate Boy . This book is so sweet. Actually,  I can do better than that. If you you are a mom who has a son who loves pirates...then I NEED you to buy this book. It is all about a little boy who wants to sail away on a pirate ship but then decides he wants to come home so his mom has to save him. I love it. It is a wonderful book that illustrates how much a mother would do for her son. Buddy, always bated by Batman, is getting Batman is Brave! This is another cool way to show bravery for a young boy. I find it hard to teach the boys how to be brave and when I saw this I could not resist. Lastly, Jackie Jack is getting the infamous, Chicka Chicka ABC. Our Jack, so motorically advanced is a tad expressively behind. This book is a fun way to encourage speech in a rhythmic pattern. I really hope they like them! Just in case the Easter bunny is also bringing them race cars made out of chocolate and a million other candies!

Last Easter the Easter Bunny Left Paw Prints Up Our Walk Way!

Doc was so excited to get a "tar" 

The boys have a pattern of receiving books as presents. When I was pregnant, at my baby shower instead of cards, on the invitations it said to sign your favorite book for the Manzi's growing library. From holiday to holiday it seems that idea has kept on in our family's hearts. This Christmas my  super duper sweet lil' sissy- in- law started the twins on the Magic Tree House Series. She gave us a pirate and dinosaur book. I have to say, initially I was scared that the twins wouldn't like it because there were not pictures on every page but instead it was amazing. Buddy sat so close to Michael as he read. He was on the end of his bed waiting to hear what came next. We read about 3 chapters a night. The books were truly a gift that kept giving. We just started re-reading them to the boys and now even Jack-Jack has become captive of what adventures Jack and his little sister Annie await. If you have 3.5-4 year olds (who love books) I would give them a try. What is the harm? If they aren't ready for them at least you know in a few years they will be, right?

Want to know some of our favorite books? Well, here they are...
Mo Williams  every book ever written! I love him! His books are great for encouraging children to respond and also for parents to take on parts while reading especially in Today I Will Fly
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Brown Bear
From Head to Toe
The Day the Crayons Quit
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Boys Love Belts

The twins are very into what they wear. Does it match what "Daddy" wears? Does "Daddy" have it... etc...etc... Last summer they became obsessed with wearing belts on their shorts and pants. I blame Michael. They see that he wears a belt to work everyday so of course they want to copy him. Actually it is very sweet when you think about it. Never the less, I found the belts annoying for little boys. They are hard to undo when your son tells you has to use the potty. They are hard for a child to buckle and un-buckle independently. Also they do not really come in a variety of colors or patterns unless you want to spend $30 plus dollars on an accessory that they will grow out of almost immediately.
Fast forward to this past November. The twins needed a new belt for holiday parties and everyday life. I had been looking around and found a little brown faux leather one at Carters (which is a brand I love!) It was a good price and I am sure I used a coupon, then later that night we took the boys to Dicks Sporting Goods to look at basketballs. Well, low and behold I found these: Adidas Youth Baseball Belts. I absolutely love them! The twins were able to pick out their own favorite color (Red for Buddy and Blue for Doc). They are only $6. They are fully adjustable so they will grow with the boys and they are stretchy so in a pinch it is easy to do their business quickly. Now I know they are not Vineyard vines with their super cute preppy patterns but they still add a bit of flare.
All I am saying.... if you are a mom who is looking for a boys belt, give this a try. I am sure your son would love to pick out his favorite color!

Did You Eat?

Good morning! Ah breakfast, the most important meal of the day, oh how I love breakfast.

Now that the sun is coming up earlier it has been much easier to get out and run in the morning. For the record I must state in no way am I running marathons, just a simple 2 mile course, but there are some hills and at the end of it I always feel better about myself and the day ahead. Do you work out in the mornings or at night? I used to be an evening type of gal but after I had Jack I started going out first thing in the morning. It is an adjustment to get up and out of a cozy bed with a snuggly husband but I do it and I recommend you try the same. For me working out is always, "the worst" as you start but it always gets better after about 5 minutes. As an added bonus I find I am not as hungry throughout the day. Also I am not anxious throughout the day thinking about a looming work out. "...it's  agony to wait! Tell the guards to open up the gate!"- totally watched frozen all weekend, can you tell! If you aren't a person who does morning workouts I want you to try it. Give it a week and then judge.

Okay back to breakfast, the last song on my playlist this morning as I finished up was Hunger by Zola Jesus and it was so funny because I was actually so ready for breakfast! I pictured myself running through fields of bagels and rain showers of cereal!
This morning I had to skip my smoothie (out of all essentials, grocery store in near future) and I went right for the cereal. I swear it's just cereal but after a morning work out I act as if it's the lobster from Barclay Prime. Hope you all have a happy Monday!

Family Friday Fun! Best Friday at Home!

First we dyed 25 eggs...

Then we played "Get the Egg in the Cup"...

Then we decorated and ate some delicious sugar cookies! Hope you all have a great Friday! 

Easter Bunny Countdown Sweet Treat!

The countdown begins! The Easter Bunny is coming! Each day the boys get to eat three jelly beans from the eggs. They all have to eat the candy from the same colored egg otherwise a war would break out! This is just a glimpse into a real live candy land house! We heart sugar (as I stay strong and sip my green smoothie for lunch...wah wah way...).

Baking With Kids

When I became a mom I was most excited to bake with the boys. I had this picturesqu idea of what it would be like making cookies and cakes. I thought we would laugh and have a "non-messy" flour fight. You know, we would all have our matching aprons on and we would make these big beautiful cookies. Can you see us? Super cute right?
Back to reality- I have tried baking with the boys many many many times. I have tried giving them easy - to more complex tasks. No matter what without fail the kitchen is a disaster, salt is mistaken for sugar and the cookies are either under baked or over done. I know moms who have told me "that's the good the stuff, those are the memories..." blah blah blah. I kept trying...I see you Pintrest Moms,  I see you...so I kept trying, left with a huge mess and children who really only want to eat the finished product. Then a miracle happened. My wonderful and amazing husband took us to a hotel in the city for  night "out of town." At this particular hotel they are extremely accommodating to families and especially children. They have movies on a projector every night. A game room where children can play or color. But this is what really got me- on holidays they have baked sugar cookies in different shapes on a table and they fill ziplock bags with all different colored icings. There are jimmies or candies to decorate with or you can just gobble up the scrumptious plain cookies! They nailed it! That is exactly what MY children would love! I bake the cookies and all they have to do is decorate them! BRILLIANT! The mess is minimal. Actually they even make edible markers now--they sell them in Michaels arts and crafts. I use a cookie cutter every day when I pack the boys sandwiches (because they do not like crust so a big cookie cutter totally gets rid of crust and the sandwich is in a fun shape!)
So for tonights fun Easter inspired dessert I pre - made the sugar cookies in the shapes of carrots and bunnies after I dropped them off at school. I will let them squeeze a few drops of food coloring in the pre-made white icing I whipped up this am. Done and Fun!    

                                

Easter Fun Begins!

Let the Easter fun begin! It has finally come time to start playing home made Easter games, decorating eggs, and bake bunny cookies! I am so excited! I did not want to use another's images so please check back for the Manzi'd From Scratch Fun Family Easter Kickoff!

Tonights Agenda:

1. Dye Eggs
2. Play an Easter Egg addition of making the Egg in Cup
3. Decorate bunny cookies
4. Egg and Spoon Race
5. Finish the evening with Happy Easter Curious George

Ya'll Come Back Now Y' Hear! 

We Got The Beet! Did You Eat?

Beets, beets, beets, and more beets! I love them and can not get enough of em'! Have you tried them lately. Stores have been making them very easy to purchase already cooked and ready to go. 

Trader Joes Beets are super inexpensive and so tasty however they are small in size. Although you can find them pre-steamed and packaged, I love to make them at home. Beets are one of the easiest things to make. 

Here is what I do: 

I take my bunch o' beets

I cut the top green stems off

I wash the beets very well

I take a piece of tin foil large enough to fit the beets and wrap them up

I pour 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in the tin foil

I rub the oil on beets

wrap the beets in foil

put them right in a 400 degree oven

let them cook between 40 minutes to 1 hour

remove tin foil bundle and place on the counter

when cooled I unwrap and trim top and bottom of the beets

the skin peels right off

YOUR HANDS WILL TURN PINK you can wear plastic gloves but it washes right off

Beets are so good for you in so many ways. The are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They provide natural energy. They are low in calories and although they are high in sugars the sugar is released gradually into your system to keep the natural energy going. They aid in digestion. I can not say enough great things about them! To confirm I contact my BFF nutrition expert and she absolutely agreed! 

I usually make around 6 good sized beets and keep them in a plastic bag in my fridge. Since I am crushing salads lately for lunch or dinner I chop one up in the mix and it adds a great meaty texture. I love them alone also with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. I want you to try them. (I am shaking my head right now in a yes motion...) You should really try them. 

Has anyone else started getting ready for summer? Getting in shape and such? It's exhausting, right! Every night I look at Mike and say "are we skinny yet?" Well I hope you are doing well. Anyone try the Matcha Tea? It has a dirt taste (for reference I am using my baby mama impression when they go to the vegan raw food restaurant and they ask the waiter how some of the apps taste.) Health. 

(and I drop the mic - exit stage left)

If You Eat Rice, Please Read This... Cut the Calories in Rice

So Michael's college roomate came to visit last week. He is one of these guys who has traveled everywhere, knows a lot about various cultures, is very bright and an all around good person. Our Babak he is just so "Current." He's awesome. Anyway, when he was here he asked if we had any lotion or moisturizer. I said of course but then immediatley realized we actually only had coconut oil. I gave him a brief run down as to why we switched and handed him the jar.

Today he sent me this Washington Post article. In the article it talks about how adding coconut oil to boiling water before you add the rice it can actually change the nutritional value for the BETTER!  This is amazing news! We make white rice all the time, especially when we make Asian inspired dishes.

Please read this article.
Cut the calories in rice

Posted is a picture of Michael and Babak. Too cute!

My Five Favorite Lipsticks!

Okay so lipsticks are something I started loving about five years ago. I find myself constantly searching blogs or magazines for the most perfect colors. Looking at these four I am clearly a "pink" type of gal (keeping in mind my 5th fav is not pictured because it's in my car!) I am always looking at the model's skin tone and coloring to see if it is similar to mine. I have definitely fallen victim of buying a color, getting it home, and hating it! What a waste. So I thought I would share my favs just in case your color matches mine :)

Red: This red is my favorite "rocking a red lip" look. I have had girlfriends try it on and it looks good on everyone. This lipstick stays on all day too!

MAKE UP FOR EVER PROFESSIONAL
Rouge Artist Intense 44

Hot Pink: I love this pop of rosy pink. This summer I wanted a fresh pop of color and this lipstick has been a go to for almost a year!

Urban Decay Cosmetics Lipstick
Turn On

Sheer Pink: This is the color pink I wore on my wedding day so of course it is one of my favorites. I love how sheer it goes on and it leaves a tiny bit of pink sparkle.

Chanel
Montego 70

Fun Sweet Pink: I found this on a blog and through numerous pintrest pins. I find it so fun and modern. It is a little more bright than I would have expected but it always seems to work. I love it for a night out or a day to night transition.

(what a bad selfie!) Mac Cosmetics
Snob Satin 

Nude: This is my favorite, favorite, favorite nude lipstick. It evens out my lips perfectly. I like it most because I can throw it on even with sweats and my face looks presentable. Bonus is that is in every drugstore.  (Sorry but I do not have a picture!!! Blogger Fail!)
The name is Revlon Honey Bare 840.

Two Must Have Cheeses for Any Cheese Plate

I am a cheese addict! For dinner I would love nothing more than to just indulge in cheese and olives and crackers and more cheese! A few months back a very good family friend recommended this "Castello Havarti" and we have never stopped buying it. It has a salty bite which I find most Havarti's don't have. It also is the perfect size: half for cocktails on a Saturday night and the other half for cocktails on a Wednesday! It pairs so nicely with honey or something as simple as sweet grapes. My second favorite is this Gouda! I like to cut it in large thin triangles. It is such a perfect cheese.

Fun Dance Music

Are you into music? I never have been and I still do not claim to be... but when I hear a catchy up-beat jam, I just love to dance! These are some fun weekend songs I can not get enough of!

Walk The Moon - Shut up and Dance

Jason Derulo - Want To Want Me

Natalie La Rose- Somebody

Zac Brown Band - Homegrown


Have a great weekend!

Spring Diet Begins

I seriously can not believe it is snowing outside, again! Tonight officially marks the first day of spring and I can not wait! In preperation for spring Michael and I started our "spring into shape" transformation. I was going to start on Monday but I figured why wait? Let's do this (I have the home depot voice in my head.) What does all this mean? Well, my "did you eat" posts will be few. When we get ready for summer I basically restrict Michael and I from food. I am joking of course, but we will live on grilled fish or chicken over salads for dinner regularly. Today I had a decent lunch so I will probably make us green smoothies for dinner. Nutrition is 80% of weight loss my trainer once told me. Why would he lie about fitness being 20% when I was paying him money to work out. Last spring when I was still taking off my Jack baby weight I followed the eat breakfast like a king and dinner like a pauper approach and I truly felt better. I woke excited to eat breakfast and get my metabolism started. Every morning I would go for a run, drink a glass of lemon water, and have a big breakfast. I would drink a green smoothie and have a bowl of kashi or steel cut oatmeal.  But with this ugly winter and lack of cardio I really need to push myself and get these 10-15lbs off before summer.

My goal: 8 weeks good nutrition and exersise. Hope to lose 10lbs.

New additions to my weight loss journey: Matcha Tea --- After my lemon water I am going to add a cup of Matcha green to help kick start my metabolism. Matcha tea is like the super man of the green teas. Matcha benefits.
I am also going to try ( I will update on whether this is worth it or not) drinking an 8oz cup of decaf green tea before bed. I had read somewhere this will help cleanse the body during sleep. This might have been a Dr. Oz thing, I am really not positive. I have no idea if this is true or not. Also I have a hard enough time falling asleep so with even decaf I am not sure I will be able to do this.

Diet Plan: Breakfast like king, lunch like a queen, dinner like a pauper. Absolutely NO eating after 7pm. Who am I kidding, but there will be cocktails! (please save all judgement... )

Exercise: I am going to commit to 3x/week. For right now that is all I can do. I am hoping to bump that up to 4x/week after I get a good handle on eating better.

I really would like to wear this Trina Turk one piece .

Best summer color... Summer Blues

This summer I can not get enough blue and white! Every summer I fall in love with one color and I can not get enough of it! Last summer I wore out the color "grey." I thought this year would have been pink but Boden just threw me a change-up first time at bat and now here I come "blue."
I need to add a disclaimer here: "Hi, my name is Barbara and I am addicted to stripes."
Jacks new summer bathing suit
blue and white top
blue pants
blue tunic
blue and white stripe dress
I am addicted to stripes
another tunic
and these super cute shorts in a neutral tone to round out all my blues

Boy has Style...

Doc has always had a very unique sense of style. He has been choosing his own outfits since he was 20 months. He becomes very attached to certain T-shirts, certain mesh, and he currently LOVES these snow leggings! The sunglasses are always his finishing touch. He even wears them to school. As the teacher is getting him out of the car during morning drop off, she laughs every time "those sunglasses!" Yesterday we had to take advantage of the warm sunshine so we headed to the park. Of course he dressed himself, I mean look at this kid. I can not help but smile. As a parent I always want the boys to look their best but most days what I pick out for them just is not their vision. I hate to influence their individuality, especially with the twins. I want them to be their own person and I want to highlight their differences. In a society where conforming is the norm I think it's better to let him fly his crazy wild freak flag.

"Hot Dog Shirt" He wore this shirt every other day for a year.
I still have it, the plastic of the hot dog is ripped but it is still good old
hot dog. 

Happy St. Patty's Day! Did You Eat?

Green, green, green... We need to eat some green!
For dessert tonight I am going to make Key Lime Pie (yum yum yum). I have to admit I was never a huge fan but ever since I have tried this version I am hooked!
You will need:
I take a much needed short cut by buying a graham cracker crust.
4 teaspoon of grated lime zest
1/2 cup of lime juice
4 large (or extra large) egg yolks
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

That's It! Talk about easy breezy

So now lets make it.....
325 degree oven

whisk zest and yolks until a light green color
whisk in milk and juice
set aside at room temp
let thicken about 5 mins
pour filling into pie crust

Bake at 325 for 15-17 minutes
take out and let it cool for about 30 mins
then refrigerate until chilled

Enjoy!

Party was a Total Success!

Batman meets Jake

We are finally ready to celebrate these two amazing characters! Michael and I are finishing up some last minute touches (he is doing the chalk board art as I type...) I figured pictures will show off the room better than I could describe so here are a few quick pics of what the kids have in store!

Well, first you get to see this guy! Goggles check! Big cheese smile check! Ready to party tomorrow check!

This is my best attempt for you to see both sides of the party in one room. To the left Batman saves Gotham and to the right Jake saves Pirate Island!








First we have Gotham! So I found these amazing poster packs on Amazon. They included two 6ft by 2.5ft. posters. I found them in both themes so these were a must have item. In the pack were also happy birthday banners and smaller character pictures. I picked up some black craft paper at Michaels and using yellow chalk and yellow masking tape, I was able to cover our liquor cabinet with a simple cityscape.

These are the felt capes the class will decorate.

I am going to use these Batman and Jake rings to decorate the cupcakes, then after everyone eats their cupcakes (or just crumples it all up) they will have some treasure!

On the backs of each of the folding chairs I wrote the kids names. My sister in law is helping me tomorrow so this will be a helpful guide to me, her and Michael as to where each child should initially sit and where they should sit for the other craft.

Now to Jake and The Neverland Pirates!The balloon columns were the most difficult because my dollar store pump didn't work! Go figure! So I blew up 56 balloons. I was so dizzy but they came out exactly how I wanted! Have you ever read "Caps for Sale" well that is all I kept saying the boys thought I was crazy! "Balloons! Balloons for sale!" Anyway....back to Jake...the brown plastic piece is our ottoman. I covered it and put the kids names on it with masking tape so we would have a place for everything to dry. Man am I happy we do not have living room furniture yet! 

I found these great pirate hats and Batman masks for the kiddies to wear instead of party hats. I found them on Amazon. I used the boys own toys as decorations, why not? It is a Jake party!

These are the adorable treasure boxes the children will be able to paint! I found these plastic palates with room for 6 colors so I picked up one for each child and I was able to grab a paint brush for each child. Inside I wrote the child'd first name and I also wrote it on the bottom of the box. 

This is a full length view of both tables set up and ready to go! Ahoy! I double plastic clothed all both tables so after the kids paint and decorate, while they are washing their hands me or Michael can easily clean up and get ready for pizza. I will just lift off the first cloth and magically I will have a clean table cloth underneath! 

After cupcakes and pizza I have special superhero tattoos for everyone to put on. I am really hoping it will be a great close to a wonderful party! The treat bags will be the capes, treasure boxes, plastic rings and I have some lollipops for everyone.