Vegmom Moments

Swimming and the Magic Goggles

My son is the type of kid that will do things when HE is ready... there is no forcing, telling, even bribing...when my kid wants to do something, he will.  And when he doesn't, he won't... it is really quite simple.

Started with birth, I thought his due date was a great day for him to come out, but NO, he thought 2 weeks later was a better moment to greet the world... ..

Some things he wanted to do very early in life...others, he waited... Swimming was one of those things...

First he refused completely, eventually with the help of floating devices, and at some point switched to a life jacket..  He would ONLY go near water if he had that jacket, and he would not dare go under.  Never ever Never ever, would he consider going UNDER the water! 

His fear of water concerned me, because in my world, I thought it was a safety issue. Even with lessons, we didn't get too far.  In the real world, you won't always have flotation devices.  But when I enrolled him in lessons, they gave back floats... which didn't really fix the issue.

That is until this past weekend, my new little Fish, decided he needed new goggles.... the kind that covered his nose would fix his swimming problems...or so he said!

I introduce you to the Magic Goggles:

Yes they are bigger than his head.  But they worked... within minutes he was under water.. within hours he was diving for coins on the bottom of the pool... soon he was doing somersaults, double flips, hand stands, and swimming the length of the pool with no help.

You see, the Vegman does things when HE is ready and ONLY when HE is ready, but when he is ready, it is full speed ahead.  There is no partial attempt... it is all or nothing!

Next thing I knew, he was doing cannonballs off the side of the pool, swimming in the 8 feet... under, over, every which way.

He was SOoooo proud of himself... but the absolute best moment was when he jumped in and forgot to put the magic goggles on... I had a momentary panic attack wondering what he would do...

But he got himself to the surface and then squealed.... "Mom Mom Mom, I forgot to put on the goggles and I lived"

Yes, Yes, you did!!!

And so now my kiddo is officially one of the swimming kind.  No longer afraid of water, and can get himself to the surface in a bind.

The Magic Goggles were a wonderful find....

 

The Determined Little Sunflower

This guy has survived, Flooding Rains, Tornado style winds, Hail the size of golf balls, a crack down his middle, and drought..

But no matter what happens, he keeps on trucking... He is a Determined Little Sunflower, determined to show his goodness no matter what hard things come his way.

He just turns a different direction and gives that a try.  He reaches for the sun, and if the sun moves, he changes direction...  So much can be learned from this Sunflower friend!

I can't wait to see him blossom... after all he's been through, it will be wonderful to see his goodness shine!

And I will be posting that photo to my wall at work (if I ever print photos again) because, things happen.. life happens, but you just move around them and you let your goodness come out!

Who knew a sunflower could provide so much wisdom?  *smile*

Vegmom in Hiding

Don't have time to post a real post, but I'm back from a wonderful unplugged short but sweet vacation....Here are some hints about where we went:

 

Sunshine

Rain---Sun---Rain--Sun..Rain....

Hello Sun!!

Garden is liking the Rain

I have more colorful green stuff in the garden this year then the past 3 combined.

Big giant happy leaves.  Now I don't have any veggies yet.. I do have some beans (just a few) and I've already been able to pluck some herbs which is fun, especially since I grew those from seeds.  But everything is growing so happily.

Taking Hubbies hair the last time he shaved his head and sprinkling that around the garden has really helped to keep the critters away.  And I have a few bugs trying to get my kale and chard so I sprayed some natural soap/water on them.

I think this just might be the year for garden goodies.. even if I have to wait a long time to get anything good.

Patience... I-MUST-HAVE-PATIENCE!!!!! 

Spunk in the MIni

So the Dog is Lovin' the Mini...

 He couldn't decide which window to look out first! 

Fridge Pic

Ask and you shall receive Annie *smile*  Phone pics will have to do...

Here are two shelves plus drawer...

Grapes, celery, Peaches, Pears, Avocados, Cucumbers, Apples, Pineapple, Dates and Kiwi...

FYI - These are all out of their bags/bowls because I'm washing and cutting in preparation for our lunches/snacks/smoothies/and juice for tomorrow and Friday.. When I saw Annie's comment on the other post, I stopped and took a pic.  haha...

How is that for service??  So normally, I wouldn't have them sitting like that.

Romaine, more celery, carrots, Onion on the bottom shelf.

Potatoes, more carrots, Kale and chard in the drawer.

 

Much More Prepared for Loss of Power

This sure is a Stormy Spring/Summer... My goodness!!!  Well after the last doozy and my total unpreparedness, I ran out and got a cool lantern flashlight thing, lots of extra batteries, a regular radio and a little weather radio..

Additionally, my young spoiled lad can not sleep without a fan on a freezing cold day, let alone on a 90 degree day with no electricity.  SO I found him a battery operated fan.

Last night when the storm struck, he and I went downstairs, grabbed our "Power Out" kit, and sure enough... Blink, Blink.. fizzle.... Buzzzzzzzzzz... then out went the power.

But we had our kit.. so nice!  Veg grabbed a blanket (after a tiny panic attack) and laid down on the floor.  With the fan on him and the radio playing, plus the lantern night light.. and he was OUT!!

Not sure where he gets that from <NeeNee>....  But yes, he was OUT!  When the storms passed he went up to his room with all his battery contraptions and drifted back off to sleep.  No drama.. no tears... no fighting... Just OUT! 

I was sooo thankful for that little kit...Until.. I'm sitting in the dark dark family room, hot (because I didn't have a fan) and no sound (because I didn't have a radio) and no light (because HE had the lantern)... And I realized, I may need to extend the size of my kit!!!

We were without power all night and it flipped back on around 8:30ish.... I think I was the only person in this house that didn't sleep a wink.  

Some one asked me if everything in my fridge/freezer rotted, and I was happy to report that since 80% of my fridge is filled with fresh fruit/veggies, I didn't have to worry about that!  *smile*

Another reason to love those greens! 

Raw Cauliflower Popcorn

Thank you soooo Much Annie for leaving this link in the comments:

http://www.youtube.com/user/daradubinet#p/u/28/ZjHI0wQUuFk

I tried the Cauliflower Popcorn today, and OH MY YUM!!!   I'm not much of a cauliflower fan and actually I'm just learning to fall for Nutritional yeast, so I was very surprised at the taste when all these ingredients were put together in a bowl...

In fact I started with just 1/2 the Cauliflower and after tasting, put the whole thing in there:

It was buttery but no butter, it was cheesy but no cheese, it was crunchy, but no popcorn... IT WAS Cauliflower, chopped tiny with an amazing sauce...

So I ate and ate and ate... until Veg came up to me and knowing he didn't like Cauliflower, he said "What are you eating?"

I said "Fake Popcorn"... 

"Oh Cool, can I have some" he asks?

"Sure" was my reply!

To my surprise, he ate and ate and ate... "MOM, THIS IS GOOD"...

Next thing I know he was on his third helping, and grabbed a little glass bowl.  I said "What are you doing?"

He says "Putting the rest of this in my lunch for tomorrow before you eat it all"

S-L-L-A-A-M!  He told me!!

Me thinks I need to purchase some more cauliflower!

Juicing Love

I use this stuff:

And some garden Goodies:

To make this, with frothy heart on top:

And with the left overs, I made these:

Which became the Best ice cubes ever.. (I mean juice cubes)

Then today I had to go buy more... All Organic Goodness... I do love shopping in the summer!

Hello Yummies, welcome to my home!!!

Kale, Chard, 12 Apples, 5lbs of Carrots, 3 bags of Celery, 3 Pears, Strawberries, cabbage, cauliflower, lots of grapes, 3 kiwis, cherries, bananas...OH MY!!!

From the Farmer's Market, 3 of the best cucumbers and a very yummy looking garlic are also present in my veggie bounty!!

This is going to be a GOOooood Food/Juice week... I can feel the Juice Love... Can you?

20 Years.. Goodness!

Stepping away from food and kid for a moment to chat about the thing called Wedded Bliss.. Or should I say, Wedded "Not always" Bliss!  I think the biggest mistake people make is thinking of the fairytale marriage.

The wedding, the riding off in to the sunset, the big rock on the finger to show friends, the mansion or the white picket fence.... Well let me tell ya...

I got married, drove off in a ford escort (that broke down) to a 1 bedroom $265 rent duplex, and was greeted by a Roach the size of my hand on the family room wall.... Paradise?  Not so much!

So why the reflecting???

Vegan Choco covered Apple

I'm sitting here working late and needing dessert!  Something fruity yet chocolaty is what my mouth was feeling like...

So I grabbed a little pinch bowl (that doesn't pinch - why do they call it that anyway?) and put a tiny dash of Cacao Powder, A tiny dash of Agave, and a little clump of Coconut oil. 

Mixed it all together, dunked in my apple slice and stuck it in the fridge... The choco sauce hardened, and biff bam boom... a coconut choco covered apple piece.

Now I want more!

I learned this little trick from one of the Ani Phyo books

Oh My Yum!

What happened to Water?

Image of the gym floor upon Camp Pick up!  Now multiply this by about 30!!

Sigh, what happened with providing water for your Children?  And maybe non-plastic bottles??

Just sayin!!

Cucumber Avo Mush

Kristen posted this amazing recipe a few weeks ago on her blog.. Easy, Light, Refreshing.. and perfect for summer:

Cucumber Avocado Boats

I have made those boats many times since.. Then I got lazy!!  Insert Mr. Vita-Mix.. Dropped in all the ingredients, used setting of 2 or 3... mush mush mash!

Voila!!  I nixed the boats, and just went straight for the mush!

Don't get me wrong, the boats are still great when the feeling of crunch is necessary... But sometimes, I just want to go straight for the mush!

And so I did!  A WHOLE bowl worth!  YUM!!!

 

The Driveway

Driveway needed replacing....Really Really Bad... as in so bad, that we had Erosion to the yard, garage and sidewalk...

We called, we signed contract... we waited... 45 days later.. they don't come.. I used the saved money to put down payment on car and vacation.. Figuring we nix the driveway!

Tuesday, they show up!  GREAT!  So much for 3 day notice!  *SIGH*

They demolish, carry off the bad stuff, and start filling!

One side done:

Spunk watches... Who are those people Mom?

And eventually they finish:

Now, I have to figure out how to pay for it... hmmmm!

Sometimes, I am thankful to have a long driveway!  This, is NOT one of those times....

 

 

 

Mini Cooper my new Friend

If there is one thing I got from my Dad, it is this...  "Just do, when something feels right! "

The other thing I learned from my Dad is when dealing with Car People..  YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER!  Hubs and I have a history of dealing with car people, and I can tell you, I like it about as much as going to the dentist.

So Whhyyyyyy, would I get a new car, especially when I've only seen it once, had no intention of buying, and frankly do NOT have the cash to support such an endeavor.

Well... that is where my Dad's Genes come in... You see.. A week ago while filling my car with another $60 worth of gas for the second time in one week, I told Veg that if they ever came out with a 4 Door Mini, that I would be getting one.  This gas guzzler needs to go, and I want something small.  With space in the back, but one that "Fits" me!

A week later, I was at a store and parked next to me is a 4 Door Mini... OMG!!!  Really... a 4 Door Mini?????  Could it be so????   I immediately look online, and sure enough it wasn't a mirage.  There is such a thing.

Next day... Little Cooper became mine!

A Mini-Car with 4 doors! 

And a Happy Smile!

I'm hopeful that the money we save in gas and maintenance will compensate for the payments.

In the mean time, I really really really like this little car!!!  IT FITS ME!  It was seriously made for me.

I can reach the pedals, see over the dashboard, reach the controls, view everything, park straight, and there are pockets.  Places to put EVERYTHING.. and buttons, lots of buttons.. it lights up in very pretty colors and it talks to me with little pictures. 

Oh Oh OH.. AND it FITS IN MY GARAGE, to the point that I can walk on either side with arms of groceries and not get stuck between the mirror and a shelf.  (not saying that happened with my other car or anything)...I can also reach the hatchback with it open ALL the way, AND it opens all the way in the garage WITH the garage door closed..  (sorry, little things amuse me)

So, that's the story of Me and my Mini....

Did i mention, this has been an expensive week??

 

 

Veg HH Chickpea Wrap

I was accused of not posting a food picture lately... Sorry bout that!!

Well tonight I made a strange Happy Herbivore Concoction, and had to share...

1st - Hawaiian Teriyaki Chickpeas of which Hubby ate plain, and I was needing some more goodness.

2nd - I was craving the Smoked Black bean wrap, but wanted to use the chickpeas that I already made, AND felt like Avocado as my "mayo".

So this my friends is a Smoked Avocado Kale Hawaiian Teriyaki Chickpea Spelt wrap....  Now say that real fast 20 times:

The Smoked Avocado spread is on the bottom, Kale on the sides, and those yummy chickpeas in the middle... all rolled up in a spelt wrap, and my Tummy was quite happy!

We also made the HH Braised Asparagus, and had blueberries on the side... If your one of those food combining folks, this is a really bad combo.  But the variety of flavors for this non-food combiner was just perfect!  Sweet, salty, smokey, spicy and GOOD all in one bite!!

And Hubby already has leftovers in his lunch for tomorrow!  That is success there!

Some Green on Top

My Juicer has this cool handy dandy de-frothing pitcher.  I poor juice in to the cup and froth stays in the pitcher.

But sometimes, I like a little green froth thrown in!!    After all, a little more Chlorophyll can't hurt, right?

Besides, its pretty, in a green sort of way!

 

Sports Camps - Why Candy and Fast Food???

This is a Rant, so be warned!!!  Read if you dare, and move on if you please!

I enrolled Veg in to a Sports Camp.  The venue is nice, the "coaches" are all Adults or older Teens.. and the program has a LOT of kids.  Veg asked for this particular program, and so we signed him up.  It is all about keeping kids active, and enjoying sports.  Perfect right?

Within the first 10 minutes of the very first day, the leader of the camp whom EVERYONE looks up to, goes on to talk about his favorite Fast Food Restaurant.  And then proceeds to have every counselor share their favorite big fatty dead animal saturated pile of Yuck at each of their favorite fast food restaurants.

The kids were all sitting down oogling over all these foods that these people were sharing.  Their Favorite, what they eat all the time foods!!!

First of all, even if you choose to eat that junk, an athletic camp is NO place to share that info with kids.  And Even if you DO share the info with kids, why oh why would you make it Cool, to eat that artery clogging, heart stopping crud, by the very people that these kids are supposed to look up to for the next 7 days!

But it didn't stop there....NOOOooo,   Their snacks?  Candy... Their awards and prizes?  Yeah, Candy!!!  ALL CANDY... and I'm not talkin' a Vegan Lollipop, I'm talking the dye filled, artificial, sugary pieces of nonsense in a wrapper...

I would expect this from other programs.  I may not like it, but hey, to each their own.. I don't sign him up for Robot camp to learn about nutrition.  But when it comes to an athletic sports camp, the people the kids look up to should be role models.  I'm just sayin'!!!

<<<<RANT ADJOURNED>>>>

FYI - He had a GREAT time, the kids were great, he had fun, and the coaches definitely left an impression.

Sadly the first thing he said when he got in the car was:

"Mom, if sports is supposed to be healthy, than why were all the snack bins full of candy?"

Hmmm... Good Question young man!

Eventually he told me the good stuff of his day, and that he really wants to go back tomorrow.  He decided that if he won any candy, he would either give it to someone else, or bring it home and make a "Winners Circle" activity with it. 

I thought that was a pretty good idea!  But also quite a shame that the biggest thing he remembered about his coaches was what they eat for fast food and how much candy they dished out.

OK.. Rant Really Adjourned,

Signed,

Disappointed Mom

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Smoothie Day

Smoothie One (good morning)

Coconut Water
Banana
Coffee
Choco chips
Spinach
Ice

Smoothie Two (after a Run, turned out more like an icy)

Entire container of fresh blue berries
Ice
Filtered water

Smoothie Three (night time treat):

Coconut water
Pineapple
Apple
Banana
Celery
Spinach
Ice

So if your counting, I have consumed the following whole mostly organic fruits and Veggies in a single day:

1/4 Pineapple, 2 bananas, 1 apple, 2 Celery chunks, bag of spinach, container of blueberries and that was only liquid form!

Doesn't include the very large salad with sprouts, carrots, cabbage, romaine, mushrooms, and more. Nor does it include my fresh cold fruit snacks on a hot day..Or my yummy "creamy" avo-cucumber salad.

Someone asked me recently what I meant by eating "clean".... the list above is an example of what I consider a "clean food day".

No animal products, Very little processed, no chemicals, additives or preservatives. Nothing artificial..and mostly uncooked!!

It was a good food day... A 3 smoothie day!!(Thank you Mr. Vita-mix), A feel good day!!!

Do you eat "clean"? What do you consider a good food day?

My New Mini Friend

I shall call you Cooper and you shall be mine!!

A Mexi Adventure Day

Veg spun the globe and our next adventure was Mexico.  We are still working on some of those activities but first up was a Yummy Mex- Restaurant for Vegan goodness. 

Then we came home and decided to make pottery.  Sadly his Clay was all dried up from years of sitting in the garage and no matter how much water we added, it stayed a Rock of clay.

But no need to get upset... I have a yard, and it has clay... See:

So we dug up some "clay" added water, filtered out the rocks and moss... And created this Beautiful Heart bowl:

Of course it is not quite like the amazing pots that come from Mexico and it looks more like a mudpie, but Hey.. we can pretend right?

We let our nice little "Bowl" bake in the sun, and now it is in the house waiting to be glazed.  I'm hopeful it will stay for a while without crumbling.

Now back to the food... I wanted to create a Yummy Mexican style dessert without the animal products, so did a quick web search and found this Cinco De Mayo Post from She Knows...

I didn't have the choco syrup and veg was too impatient for me to make some... so we just went with Choco chips.. But here is our version of a very yummy Vegan Ice Cream and Crunchy dessert!

We used Coconut Ice Cream, Spelt tortilla and Vegan Choco Chips.   Veg's bowl had carob chips.

To save on too much junk food, I only used one tortilla vs. 4 and made just enough cinnamon crunch strips for a family of 3 to have one helping.

Sooo Good!  Both Hubby and Veg asked that I make that again soon.  And it was soo easy, that I probably will.

This Around the World stuff has been quite a pleasure.

 

Why I Love Macadamias

Sure, I liked a White Chocolate macadamia nut cookie in my past life.. but never did I really KNOW the goodness of the Macadamia nut until I went on a search for raw foods a couple years ago and started taste testing new foods.

Sadly I don't like the flavor of Brazil Nut and Peanuts can only take me so far... But we found that my Vegman can't have Almonds, Cashews or Pistachios because they upset his stomach.

Pecans and Walnuts he doesn't like... but Macadamias... Raw Macadamias... Now they can do so much.

Not only are they high in good fats, carry some protein, good carbs, calcium, magnesium and potassium along with many other minerals..but they taste good, satisfy my crunch and they are so versatile.

I've taken those sweet little yummy things and made raw cookies, raw cupcakes, dips, sauces, dressings, cheezes, nut butters, toppings,  trail mixes, raw macaroons, raw mayo, raw pies, raw brownie bites, raw cookie dough, granola bars, AH the list goes on!  Eating a couple just plain for quick hunger fix makes me happy too.

Now granted, where I live, they are VERY Expensive.  And, every last little piece is used wisely for that reason.  But I shop the bulk section and always try to stay filled up. 

They may not be good for everyone but they sure do make our tummies happy in the Veg house!

**Note, dogs should NOT eat macadamias.. we learned this the hard way and ended up with a tummy pumped puppy in the ER when he climbed up and grabbed the container...so beware of doggy thieves!**

Rainbow over the Garden

Looking for my Pot of Veggies on the other side:

Parenting, Isn't it Great?

Top 10 Things I've sacrificed since becoming a parent:

1. Sleep
2. My Sanity
3. Ability to eat a full meal
4. Money
5. Body Elasticity
6. Quiet Time
7. Sitting Still
8. Going to the bathroom ALONE
9. Long Showers
10. Walking without stepping on a lego

Top 10 Things I've gained since becoming a parent:

1. Watching him sleep with that little bottom in the air (how do they sleep like that anyway)
2. Tons of Fun and Multi-tasking...Who needs sanity??.. 
3. Eating partial meals.. saves on calories
4. Spending money for a smile on that little face.. Priceless
5. A Body that bounces, really helped when I bit it on an ice patch last winter
6. Kid words and songs and laughter... Why would I want quiet?
7. Running around.. Sitting still is boring
8. Always having company in the bathroom... Never gets lonely, that's for sure!
9. Short Showers... the long ones are a waste of water and electricity
10. OK, nothing good about stepping on a lego, but the wonderful creations before you step on them are so much fun!

Granted life was much different before child, but so much better after child!

Bunnies are Every Where

I'm not sure if I just didn't notice in years past, or not having my Yappy Canine this summer is making a difference, but we have so many more Bunnies bouncing around.

We've always had a few, but this year, you can't turn a corner near my house without seeing another.

I love watching them, we even got to see a Mama nursing her tiny babies last week...  

This cutie was watching me check on the bird's nest, and didn't even flinch at my presence.

So So cute!

Bird's nest is still good by the way:

Ah, Nature!!!  Such a beautiful thing!

A Camaro Adventure Day

This Morning, I woke up with the need for an Adventure Day.. Veg and I were going on an adventure.. Didn't know if Hubby was coming, but we were ready to do something fun!! 

What that was??? Well, I hadn't planned that far!

Soooo Then Hubby says "Where are you going?"

<Where ever the wind takes us>  Was my reply

"Well I don't like surprises"

<Then don't come...>  Ok yes,, I was a little crabby, hence the reason for adventure day!

"So where are you going"

<Don't know, haven't thought that far ahead... was thinking of renting you a Camaro and driving in to the mountains>

The hubs has wanted to drive a Camaro for as long as I can remember....  But he thought I was kidding!

I said nothing more... Packed up the cooler with Veggie snacks and some water..  A kid, My phone and Camera... and off to the car we went!!

Down comes Hubby "I Guess I'll Go"... Gee, don't sound so enthused!

30 minutes later we were pulling in to the Airport Parking Garage...  Hubby, not remembering the whole Camaro comment... says "What are we doing here?"

<Getting you a Camaro>

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!"

<YESSSS WAyyyyyyyyyyyyy"

Needless to say, Hubby had a very Nice Adventure day.. As did the rest of us.

We stopped for Veggie Lunch, munched on Veggie Snacks, drove through the mountains, stopped at some of my favorite stores along the way, played Miniature Golf and hopped in some go-karts.

And so it was a Camaro Adventure day.. sure, it was a total waste of money, but the look on Hubby's face was PRICELESS!!!

 

Bday Recap Part 2

I redid my Birthday.  Not sure it is allowed in the life handbook, but I did it anyway...

THIS, My friends is the perfect (minus the plastic) Bday Meal:

Gigantic salad that I didn't have to prepare, and a SINGLE Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake.

 

Granted the Cupcake is huge, but better than having a full batch at home to eat.   

And then I went shopping... SO THERE!  *smile*

 

 

Birthday Recap

Sunday I came home from a run and hubs surprised me with early Birthday presents. The table looked so pretty with store wrapped gifts and 2 of the sweetest cards. I thought..."wow, look at them, they did something amazing all on their own" I was so impressed.

Then I removed the wrapping...In the boxes were two puzzles that I wouldn't pick for myself and one mosquito net.

Yes, a MOSQUITO net, you know the kind that you wear over your rainforest hat, that covers your face and protects you from malaria kind of net.

Last time I looked we didn't live in the Amazon, and I have no intention of wearing it in the garden... So I kind of looked at this odd gift and he says..."it was just a joke, I'm taking it back". Hmmm ok..

So he takes it back and uses the money to buy himself something for work.. No worries, it's the thought that counts.

They start to eat their vegan peanut butter cups saying, they were going to buy me one but forgot, and so they were going to get a choco covered strawberry but didn't think the chocolate was vegan. And how it is the thought that counts.

Then comes the day of my real Birthday...veg kid says, I was going to make you a bookmark but didn't finish.... I know, thought that counts..no worries..

I came home to a sink full of dishes.. But planned to go out to dinner. I just didnt feel like cooking. Hubby arrives and says:

"we went out on Sunday, do you get two birthday dinners?" oh never mind that we went to the place of HIS choosing on Sunday.
I'm just sayin!

So I do the dishes, catch up on work work, tend to the garden, take care of the dog, make dinner and hubby asked for one of my special delicious smoothies... I thought about telling him where he could put the smoothie, but it's the thought that counts right :-). So I thought about it....

Ok ok...I'm Not THAT mean.. I made him the smoothie... He went off to bed...Early..

Vegkid and I played board games and he went off to bed too...

So it was just me and the sweet pup....question being, do I make my own vegan cupcakes then eat them all? Do I go for a run even though it was getting dark. Should I go shopping and buy myself a REAL present?

Nope, None of the above..plopped down with some vegan snacks and some Netflix.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Don't get me wrong, I dont expect gifts or cards or calls, even though I get all of the above from family and friends... Lord knows I miss a lot of Birthdays these days..and they still contact me on mine which I'm grateful for.

I also know that hubby isn't so good at the gift giving and I married him anyway...

Yeah, he seriously GOT me a mosquito net, I think that tops them all. I couldn't make that up!

But for some reason each year I'm more surprised at the sheer lack of consideration on his part that maybe one day I would like to do nothing. Or SOMETHING but as a family..And if I have to make that day be my Birthday then so be it...but not this one!

Maybe next year....

Signed,
The Party Pooper!

Veg Food - Ethiopian Style

As part of our African Adventure Week, I took Veg to a local Ethiopian Restaurant.. You use the bread and eat with your hands... No silverware... And it is a community plate.  

All food options are on one plate to be shared.. with my Germie and space bubble issues, I likely would have heart failure if eating with a group of people in this setting.  But with just the veg kid, we did very well sharing.

Everything from Cabbage to carrots, to split peas, salad, and collard greens... I thought it was quite tasty.

Veg only had a couple that he really liked and left the rest for me.. but he did munch on a lot of the bread, and thought it was pretty cool that you could eat your plate.

I think I would go back with Hubby to share some of the veggie goodness.. but it was a great experience for the Vegman and a great week to make it happen!

A few more things to do on our list, and then we spin the globe toward our next country.