My silly geese...

The kids had fun with accessories over the past week...Andrew loves hats... or anything that can be worn as a hat. This is the brick house in their Three Little Pigs set.He's a brick... house... He's mighty mighty...Isabella hid under her covers waiting for her goodnight kiss like this! She loved when I pulled the blankets off and saw her!!

100 Day

The girls' school celebrated their 100th day of school this year recently. It was very much looked forward to at our house. I took these pictures after school. They had a parade that G. got to lead since she was student teacher that week. She played jingle bells and I. played the maracas!

Book Cloth Tape

I am a big fan of mini scrapbooks in scrapbooks, and have been forever trying to figure out the simplest, least bulky way to make them. Finally, I remembered this idea in Martha Stewart and tried it out. Simply take your photos/papers that you want bound and put binder clips on them to hold them in place. Use glue on the edge you want bound. Let it dry overnight. Put the book cloth tape over it and voila! You have a cute little bound book!

I thought today would be a good day to post this since I have given some to a friend for her birthday that happens to be today! (Happy birthday, Melissa!) She is much more crafty than me though, so I wouldn't be surprised if none of this is new to her!

Bacon and Cheese!

How could I forget these on the favorite vegan things list?

Honestly, what is most surprising to me is that over the last 9 months or so, I rarely want or need cheese anymore. I was a BIG cheese lover too! But this vegan cheese tastes good, seems very versatile, and melts nicely, so it deserves a mention!I have used it on vegan pizza, and keep meaning to make daiya cheese enchiladas with it.

And I never liked pork, but since trying smart bacon for this salad, I love it! I also make "blts" with it.

These are a few of my favorite (vegan) things...

If there is any interest to anyone reading this in becoming a vegan (or maybe "veganish" as they discussed on Oprah last week), I thought I'd share some of my favorite things that eased my transition from vegetarian to vegan.

Veganaise is like my drug. I have to have Mike get it when he goes to Chicago for work, so I'm like a druggie, always making sure I have enough to get me through till the next trip! It tastes delicious, and it's so much more enjoyable to me knowing there isn't nasty raw egg in it. I've tried the regular and the grapeseed oil versions, and they're both delicious. I imagine the whole line is.

Field Roast Grain Meat is hard to come by here also, but this sausage is such a treat! This, mixed with a tofu scramble, is a super filling breakfast, lunch, or dinner.And this is even more of a treat! Look here for all of the Field Roast Grain Meat products. My mouth waters looking at them!

I don't use Earth Balance all that much, but sometimes put a dab of it on the kids' veggies when they need a little something to get them to eat them. It's made with expeller-pressed oils, so it's miles above butter and most margarines. And the most amazing thing is that it works great for baking. It comes in stick form too. Oh, and it's actually easy to find!

Good vegan substitutes for sour cream and cream cheese:

The following are just a few more of my favorite things lately, so I thought I'd share them too.

I'm soooo loving this right now. I put it on everything, especially brown rice, quinoa, or avocado. It adds flavor without adding as much sodium as salt. And it's tastier than salt. I have the garlic gomasio also (a happy mistake, Mike thought it was the seaweed kind), and it's really good too.
I don't know why, but ever since I was pregnant with Andrew and couldn't keep anything down except iced tea (not even water), I don't drink anything except tea. But now I always drink it hot again. It's very rare that I have plain water. My standard is Yogi Organic Decaf Green Tea, but I have started to mix it up with these:


I found this on teabenefits.com:
The health benefits of kukicha tea are thought to be primarily anchored in its ability to help alkalize the system. Excess acidity is thought to be an important enabling factor for the growth of many diseases. Alkalizing the system has been thought to help reduce the conduciveness of the body for the growth of these ailments.

A cup of kukicha tea packs an abundance of the following mineral nutrients: calcium, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B-complex, vitamin C and A, and EGCG polyphenols.

The following are the health benefits attributed to kukicha tea:
Kukicha tea may help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Kukicha tea may help strengthen the immune system.
Kukicha tea may help prevent the development of cancer and tumors.
Kukicha tea may help delay the onset of symptoms associated with aging.
Kukicha tea may help build-up energy levels and keep fatigue at bay.
Kukicha tea may help in weight loss.

Makes you want to drink it, doesn't it?!? It may be an acquired taste, but I love it. I think it might be described as "earthy".

I don't know the specific benefits of this green tea, but it's so hearty, I love it first thing on a cold morning!
It's gorgeous, made with toasted and popped brown rice, which I suppose is what makes it so good!
And I always love spring jasmine tea mixed in with my regular green tea. Isabella is into peppermint tea lately too. No surprise, she is my very healthy eater!

Well, I'm off to brew a pot of tea!