Join me for some crap eradication. Heh.

Well I don't know if you've heard, but refined sugar is like, real bad for you. Personally, it makes me lethargic and moody. Have you ever paid attention to what it does to you?
I want my tiny human to have truly healthy eating habits come naturally to her so I have started phasing the fake, sugary food out of my kitchen. Here are some magical suggestions that have kept her oblivious to my sneakiness and have kept my sweet tooth satisfied.

Frozen Yogurt Bites
This one is simple. Put some wax paper on a cookie sheet. Then, spoon some yogurt (read the label - make sure it's "crap" free yogurt) into a ziploc baggie and snip off a bottom corner. Pipe little dallops onto the wax paper and pop it into the freezer for an hour.

Ava looooooves these. She thinks the are candy! Yay mom's letting me eat a bunch of candy!!! Maybe because they are in the shape of a chocolate chip?

 Idea taken from http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com

 Fudgesicles
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
2 small, very-ripe bananas
scant 1/16 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
optional: feel free to add peanut butter!

Combine all items in a blender. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

These are so. good.

Idea taken from Pinterest - link to original source not working

German Chocolate Fudge Bites

3/4 cup pitted dates
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/16 tsp salt
2 T cocoa powder
2 T shredded coconut
1/3 to 1/2 cup raw pecans
optional: feel free to add some chocolate chips

Throw everything in a food processor and form into bars, balls, or whatever you want.

These have been a LIFESAVER for me. They are seriously so good - they taste like brownies.

Recipe from www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com - check out the rest of her desserts.

I will also direct you to some other raw and refined sugar-free recipes that I looooove.
http://gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/ (I change up the ingredients in this one a little bit to keep it raw)
http://www.adashofcompassion.com/2011/01/raw-cookie-dough-bites/ - I replace the chocolate chips with goji berries (see below)

I love all these new flavors I am experiencing.

I have a few other things up my sleeves to try - chocolate pudding made from coconut milk, beet chips, and some fruit leather. I'll let you know how they go!

the babes

So here's a list of current cute Ava things so that I can say that I remember her childhood:
- Ava always reminds us to pray. Always.
- She potty trained herself some weeks ago. When she has to go potty she just starts stripping off her clothes and saying "yucky yucky" - doesn't matter if we're at home or Ace Hardware. I think it's hilarious but I have to be all serious and remind her about modesty or something, right? Whatevs.
- If I ask her to do something she really doesn't want to do she sigh-growls (just like a teenager), slumps her shoulders, and does the absolute minimum of what I asked..........really.
- She still has the cutest blond curls.
- Potty training has suddenly brought on an independent streak so now she wants to do everything herself. She's all, "I can make these scrambled eggs completely by myself, mom. Now hand my the spatula and get out of here."
- Her toilet mounting form is awesome.
- Everything can be categorized as a "mommy" or a "baby". Mostly it's just how she differentiates between big and small but she tells me I'm wrong every time I point this out to her.
- Hand her your iphone - she totally knows how to work it and how to find her favorite apps.
- She's still a big fan of the group hug and can frequently be caught singing at the top of her lungs and dancing around.

Last night, after we put her to bed, Danny went into the kitchen and happened to notice that she had knocked a half-full gallon of paint over onto our wood floor. So glad we discovered that last night and not in the morning because I probably would have sobbed or broke things. She always keeps life interesting, even when she's asleep.

Question

I've noticed that the better life is, the less I post. The less I feel the need to post.

Why is that?

Famiry

Shannon came to visit for her spring break last week. It's always amazing when Shannon is here - it's like having a cuter, awesomer, more efficient clone of me running around doing good deeds and saying witty things. I came downstairs after showering (by myself!) one morning and my entire 1st floor was clean. And then we spent the day giggling and eating too much chocolate. Naturally, her visit included a trip to the beach. I have the best sister ever.

Ava was in heaven alllll week.

Notice the cute little underwear? No more diapers for this girl...although I kind of miss the saggy diaper bum.

Practicing her letters, "o" "o" "a" "e" and "o".

"Ava, can you smile for mommy?"

This summer is going to be magical.

The only bad thing about a Shannon visit is the Shannon-hangover we all have afterward.

And a few more sprinkles

Also, this:

A sprinkle of happiness

I know it's been a while since I've written anything. Real post to come soon. For now, watch this. It made me laugh and then it made my heart smile.