I woke up before my alarm went off. I attribute this to a good night’s sleep, which I am in turn attributing to the delicious and healthy juice I opted for instead of dessert last night. Kale, Carrot, Beet, Celery, and Apple in case you were wondering.

I was able to enjoy a cozy cup of coffee and play fetch with Muffin doggy for a bit before it was time to wake the kids up. Happy, happy puppy.

When I woke up the boys they were both super happy and ready to face the day. This I attribute to the ice cream party Mack was headed to first thing in the morning at kindergarten. Ummm… yeah you read that right. An ice cream party at 10 in the morning. I’m not in love with it either but trust me, it gets worse. The PTA had requested all the students to take home a box of 60 chocolate bars and sell them for a $1 each in order to raise money for next year’s events. I didn’t really want to deal with selling the chocolate bars (and also they were really not good), but I also don’t want to own the chocolate, but I still want to support the PTA. So… we haven’t sold a single chocolate bar and we simply wrote a check to the PTA for $60. Could we have just skipped the whole chocolate fiasco? Ugh.. So now Mack gets to attend an ice cream party for having sold all 60 bars – which he in fact did not do but whatever. Wouldn’t it be waaaaay more awesome if we had to sell locally made goodies/crafts or even had a sponsored hike or something along those lines instead?

When I was in elementary school we had a Roll-a-Thon and went around collecting sponsors for skating laps on roller skates. 5, 10 cents a lap, some folks as much as $1.00 a lap. Anyway, we’d all go on a set day and skate as many laps as possible. Then the school would contact our sponsors with our official lap # and we’d get the $/lap. For instance a sponsorship of 5 cents a lap, 50 laps = $25.00. It was always a lot of fun and every one looked forward to it year after year. Plus, it got us out there being active – not eating chocolate

Anyway, I dropped off two very happy children and headed up to meet a friend on the trail. See my photo on instagram?

I just got instagram by the way so you should probably start following me @fampracticeblog

I didn’t wear my Garmin or anything so I have no idea how far we went but it was just about 45 minutes of hiking around Taylor’s Canyon on the Bonneville Shoreline. Now guys, I always have about an hour and a half between dropping the kids off at school and heading to the office. I typically spend that time at the coffee shop writing but here’s an idea! Why not go on a hike a couple times a week?! Why have I never thought of this before?! Add it to my list of ways to fly in 2013.

I’ve had meetings pretty much all morning since that hike and I’m still riding the high from getting out in nature for a bit. Hooked on that Vitamin D

T-Ball League and Being “That” Mom

Last night was Mackenzie’s first T-Ball game. Woo!!!

And I’m totally “that mom” – I couldn’t wait to put together a fun little snack bar after the game. Nick was also apparently excited to be “that dad” so he bough granola bars and capri sun. Still, I wanted to contribute so I got some Chobani Champions and plastic spoons for the kids as well.

They swooped in after the game and demolished the snacks! A good sign!

Also, my little man graduated kindergarten yesterday! Eeee how does time go by so fast?

Question of the Day:

What part of your morning routine makes you happy all day long?

My kids are five and one – both have birthdays coming up and today Mack is graduating kindergarten. Nick and I have know each other for 9 years. It all seems surreal. Like Rumplestiltskin I came home from the BLEND Conference to find that my children are so grown up and myself, also, is a different person that I sometimes imagine in my head.

I still see myself as a young adult, breaking out in the world and figuring out my place. I see myself as a little bird still learning to flap its wings in shaky hopefulness. In a way this is a good thing because I’m not approaching my life with the fears and anxiety that older folks can sometimes feel after experiencing failure – though failure I have in fact experienced. But to look myself in the eye, look in the mirror after coming home from BLEND I realize that I’m really not that little bird stretching its tiny wings for the first time. I’m a strong, grown adult. My wingspan is large and dramatic. I need to stretch those wings in confidence and take flight.

This past year with the Junior League, the group had coined the “Year of the Fork” as a remembrance of what we were working for: slow, thoughtful, sustainable food for our families and communities.

Ringing in the “new year” with this birthday, I’m coining this “My Year of Flight.” Preparing for take off…

Impossible is nothing.

And if you’re wondering how I celebrated my big day… here’s a sneak peek! More on the BLEND retreat tomorrow

…that was all before picking the kids up from school and going to little man Mack’s first T-ball practice.

We met the team and passed out the shirts and hats. Spencer really wanted to be a part of the action…

I wish that photo wasn’t so blurry because I just love it. I took Spencer to go play on the playground while the big kids practiced running the bases and playing the field positions.

This morning is off to anything but a blissful start. The kids were total Grumpy McGees and I barely got out the door dressed and ready for work before leaving to get Mack to kindergarten on time. Luckily, Mack was dressed and ready. Spencer was not so lucky. He’s at preschool now wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday. He was a grump when he went to bed so there was no change to PJs and he was a grump when he got up this morning. Screaming and throwing himself around when I tried to change his clothes.

I managed to get us all into the car and drop Mack off at school, taking a bag of fresh clothes to get Spencer changed into once we got to school.

Except that the bag I packed is still at home. I forgot it in the hubbub.

Don’t worry I’ve already turned down my nomination for mom-of-the-year.

Meanwhile, my hair is not dry and my pants are wrinkled.

I still need to head into the office and work a few hours before heading up to Park City for the blogger conference I’m attending this weekend. Oh and stop by the marathon expo and write up a post about what’s going on there… and submit a freelance article that’s due this weekend. Oh and pack for this trip. All that by noon. Yeah, sure Kim… If my morning so far is any sign of things to come I’ll be lucky to get up to Park City by midnight.

But once I’m there… ahhhhh! I can’t wait

As if that is not exciting enough, when I get back to Ogden I have a massage with Ogden Organix which was a gift from Nick I’ve been holding on to. Basically, I’m spoiling myself today since I’ll be out of town for my actual birthday. . I’m sooooo ready for that massage!

Then it’s the first day of Mackenzie’s T-ball league, which Nick is coaching.

Ahhhh! I can’t wait to wrap up my computer work and start the fun! It’s a beautiful day in Ogden!

Speaking of, there’s a ton of events going on this weekend because of the marathon – check out my post for Historic 25th to see what specials are available to runners, spectators and volunteers.

Another birthday present – Zevia Soda

You might remember a while back I mentioned that Zevia had sent me an early birthday present. Well, what they sent was a case of their sugar-free sodas in a variety of flavors. Grapefruit, Grape Soda, Strawberry, Cola, Cherry Cola, Ginger Ale, Ginger Root Beer, Cream Soda.. to name a few.

Now when I first mentioned Zevia to you guys, I admitted that I was leery of anything with a sugar free endorsement. I hate aspartame and all the rest of the fake sugar substitutes and I think, in general, we still don’t really know about a lot of these newer sweeteners like Stevia and Splenda.

This particular soda is made with Stevia, which has been signed off by the American Diabetes Association as a safe alternative to sugar because it doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels. I’m not diabetic but this is still something to be happy about – it means no sugar high and therefore no sugar crash.

When the company offered to send me the sodas I also gave them fair warning that “we aren’t big soda drinkers” here in the BangBow household. They were very kind and basically told me to try ‘em out, if I didn’t like them just pass them on to my soda-drinking pals instead.

That was nearly a month ago, so what do I think now?

Well, I can honestly tell you that I am still not a huge soda fan. But, I do like the flavor and bubbly-ness of the Zevia sodas. I like them enough that I will probably keep a few on hand for those times when I really just want something with fizz and pop. I like them enough that I have packed them around in a cooler on various car rides – I feel fine letting Mackenzie have one and he feels like it’s a special treat. (Though, it does come in a regular soda can and I had to tell him that he still isn’t allowed to have regular soda so don’t get any crazy ideas there boy…)

All in all, I think its a nice option. I like the grape soda and the grapefruit flavors the best. But since I’m really not a big soda drinker, I had to enlist the help of a few friends to feel confident providing a legitimate product review.

The two friends I chose to help me out are both avid diet soda drinkers. They’ve told their stories of “bad breakups” with Coke and how they never seem to really break it off clean. The lingering bad boyfriend that you know is wrong for you but you can’t quite break free of…

The Diet Coke drinker told me that she prefers the taste of Zevia over Diet Coke and that she would be willing to make the switch for the “happy factor” knowing she was making a healthier choice. The Coke Zero drinker, however, said that she still prefers the taste of Coke Zero more than Zevia though she would be willing to change over for that same “happy factor.” They both admitted that they had always preferred regular Coke and that the change to the diet versions was something they had “grown accustomed to.” I find this part especially funny – the “acquired taste” for a product you now feel addicted to.

Anyway, they both agreed the Zevia was a good option with good flavor, healthier ingredients, and that “feel good something or other,” as they called it.

The only real drawback of Zevia is that it is more expensive than our typical soda/cola options. At $5.99 for a six-pack, it’s not really competing. Personally, I think they should change up the packaging and put it in line with the more specialty-looking beverages for which their price point is far more competitive. I also think that as a country we should stop making our nutrition choices based on what’s cheapest, but that is a whole separate story.

Zevia is available at several large retailers nationwide, including Target and Kroger as well as several local grocers across the country.

What do you guys think? Will you try a Zevia in place of your standard soda? 

I know one thing, I’m cracking open an ice cold Grapefruit Zevia right now…

* I was not paid to write this post. I did receive free product which I sampled and then reviewed. Opinions are entirely my own, or that of the friends I enlisted to help sample soda flavors.

I spent the rest of my day working out of the coffee shop and was able to cross loads off my to do list.

It was the last day of baseball for Mackenzie and we had a really fun last practice. We had a kids vs parents mock game which was a total blast.

Immediately after baseball I headed over to Ben Lomond Suites for the Junior League annual dinner which is sort of the “passing of the torch” ceremony. We celebrated all that JLO accomplished in the past year and inducted the new president and board.

It was a super fun night and so nice to hang out with all the ladies and not work on a project.

Shoes for South Africa

My friend Emily, who is also in Junior League, is heading to South Africa next week with her husband and their five kids! They are doing a very cool service project together as a family – providing shoes for the kids in a small village.

Emily and her husband adopted a boy from South Africa several years ago, a boy they met on a college service trip.

You can read all about their Shoes for South Africa project on Emily’s blog.

And because it is my birthday on Saturday and I get to ask for things, I’m asking that you all click through and read Emily’s post and consider pitching in, either a pair of shoes or money via the PayPal account. Remember they are leaving next week so please act fast. Can’t support them financially? Then I ask you’ll keep the Ballard family in your thoughts and prayers during their three week travels.

Spread the love!

We’re a real classy bunch with our fancy games and toys. Spencer’s new bed arrived in the wrong color and had to go back – meanwhile, the mattress for it has become the greatest toy of all time. The boys have taken that spring mattress and paired it with a twin sized memory foam pad to create a slide/fort from the stairs to the basement. They’ll play in that heaping mess for hours if you let them.

Once it had cooled down, the boys headed outside to help water the veggie garden and came up with another super advanced game.

Bicycle kicking! Kick, laugh, repeat.

Just goes to show, the best things (even games) in life are free

I do remember that Saturday was craaaaaaazzzaaayyy in the best way possible. Nick had ordered his first “real” mountain bike and we found out it was ready a week early. Boo ya! I had already made plans with Jack from 3 Squares Produce to help get some planting done so the boys dropped me off for my farm duties while they headed down to Provo to pick up the bike.

I had a great time farming with Jack and his father-in-law Ralph who is really quiet and then says the most funny things. What a charming life… this farm, an adorable grandma and grandpa. I was quite lucky to be a part of their Saturday afternoon.

You guys know we wouldn’t just get a new bike and take it straight home right? Oh no. Nick picked me up from the farm and we immediately headed over to Lagoon for a ride on the trail. We rode the Lagoon Trail behind the park, which is fun for the kids because there are buffalo and reindeer back there. Then we hopped on the Farmington Creek Trail and headed south.

Tired kids and a hot day… we didn’t get too far down that trail. But I’m glad we got out for a little bit at least.

A quick shower and change of clothes…

Best of State Awards! Quite literally, from the farm to a very fancy table.

I was so incredibly honored to have been invited to the Best of State Awards by Tina, of Tona Sushi here in Ogden. Tona won an award for best sushi and Tina was also receiving an award on behalf of the 25th Street Association (which I just started blogging for). You can see my post about the awards ceremony here.

It was a really fun event and we had a great group at our table.

I woke up Sunday morning to these two little hooligans. They made me breakfast in bed…. and then ate it themselves. Thanks guys – it’s the thought that counts

What I really wanted for mother’s day was to get the dry river bed I’ve been picturing in my head to become a reality.

We got quite a bit done – the trench dug out and then lined with the small pebbles. Planted a few perennials and some fun annuals to add some color. We’ll fill in the trench with larger river rocks which I can pick up on Tuesday. I’ll be sure to post more photos as the project comes together more. I know it doesn’t look like much yet, but it will!

Special thanks to Nick for putting up with me even though I was a grumpy banana on Sunday. He loves me. A lot. And I’m so grateful that he’s willing to put up with me through thick and thin.

What were you guys up to this weekend?

Mack and Spencer exchanging hugs as they part ways between kindergarten and preschool.

Working in the community garden in the sunshine surrounded by smiling, hard working volunteers.

Helping a little girl plant her very own garden for the first time. Her smile will light up a room for days and days.

Donating blood without getting whoozy.

Family bike ride into the sunset.

Wasting away hours into the evening listen to little boy giggles until their eyelids could no longer stay open.

Happiness is….

A Thursday well spent.

Happy Friday friends!

Now tell me, what is happiness for you?

Nope, today is Make a Difference Day and the street is a buzz with people helping out.

General street cleaning and beautification is just one of the many projects going on around town today.

I’m actually headed up to the Oasis Community Garden as soon as I shut down this laptop. I’ll be one of about 100 people working at the garden today. We’re making our difference by weeding, cleaning and helping the gardens get set up for a successful season.

What are you doing to make a difference today?

Snuggles and early morning cartoons? That’s the life.

When it was time for me to get up and shower, the boys went downstairs together – Mack made both himself and Spencer a bowl of cheerios and I hopped in the shower. Whenever I have to shower and the kids are home I always rush through washing my hair and turn the water off as quickly as possible, often to the sounds of screaming or whining about this or that. Not this time, I turned off the water and heard a ruckus but what’s that sound? Perk my ears up and what is that I’m hearing? Laughing. I went downstairs to find the boys careening themselves off the couch and onto the floor repeatedly. Fall then laugh, repeat.

I love those boys.

Because they had woken up so early and had been so easy peasy for me to get ready, I decided to treat them to a “coffee date” before school.

Did I say I love those boys? Grins for days.

Once I got Mack off to kindergarten and Spencer off to preschool, I dropped by the blood bank to donate again and then headed home to work on some freelance projects.

I can’t have coffee before giving plasma so when I picked up Mack for our pre-baseball snack, I headed straight to the coffee shop. Iced latte for me and a healthy snack for the little man.

Remember a couple weeks ago when Mack was being a spaz at baseball and I asked him what he needed to focus in and pay attention? Remember his response? That he needs a healthy breakfast and a good snack… Yeah he’s FIVE, but he knows what’s up.

Except…

I asked him what kind of sandwich: “Turkey and avocado, Ham, Chicken, Bacon Lettuce Tomato.”

His response: “just bacon.”

He ordered a bacon sandwich.

Apparently in the mind of a five year old, bacon means healthy.

I made him get some chicken in there to round things out a bit. Gotta pick your battles.

Oh and his seating choice (in the window sill) was totally a spy move. He has a major crush on his yoga instructor and we had seen her sitting outside the coffee shop on our way in. I’m guessing that picking the seat as close to her as possible was….just a coincidence? Right…keep telling yourself that.

Nick and I managed to get in a decent bike ride on the river parkway after baseball practice. I need to get out on that trail more! I need to get on my bike more!

After giving blood, I really wanted a big hunk of steak for dinner. Grilled steaks it was. But I also threw together a really light and refreshing salad.

It’s rather pretty isn’t it? Just a little chopped cabbage, sliced zucchini, diced tomatoes and avocado topped with some slivered almonds and fresh lime juice (I used key limes which I think are just way more fun than the regular limes).

The zucchini is a bit unexpected, I suppose, but it really brought everything together quite nicely.

Hope you all had a good day too!

Question of the day:

What are the sounds of happiness in your life?

Obviously I love the boys laughing but I also really enjoy falling asleep to the sound of rain and waking up to the sound of birds chirping – two things I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing the last two days.