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.