perfect summer tea

I love drinking iced tea in the summer time. It is such a nice way to cool down and  if you aren't a huge fan of just drinking water tea is a healthy alternative to soda. I love green tea but find it can be a little bland and watery when iced. To combat this I combine a darker tea with the green tea. This summer I think I have finally found the perfect combination of teas!  The fruit flavored green tea I use adds a nice summery vibe to normally plain tea. Here is what I have discovered

Salada Peach and Nectarine Green Tea- I found this at bi-lo in family size tea bags but it is also on their website here: http://www.greentea.com/tropicalfruitgreenteaforicedtea-1-1.aspx

Trader Joe's Decaffinated Irish Breakfast Tea: I use this because I don't like a ton of caffeine but they also have a regular version as well. It is a strong and dark tea that helps give some body to the green tea. Here is a link on Amazon if you don't have a Trader Joe's in your area: http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Breakfast-Traditional-Strong/dp/B003UTJEPU

To make half a gallon this is what you will need:

2  family size green tea bags
2 irish breakfast tea bags
1/4 cup sugar (I don't like mine super sweet)

Whats for Lunch?

Salad, salad, and more salad! I have been on a mission since January to eat a salad every day of the work week for lunch. I have been doing pretty well until this past week and I felt terrible after just one week of eating junk at lunch. Now, you may be thinking "wow its too expensive to eat salad every day" or "I would get so tired of  salad".  This is what I thought as well before actually committing to eat a salad for lunch five days a week. The thing is salad is really inexpensive if you do it correctly and there are SO many variations you can do that you should never get tired of eating salad! Here are a few tips:

Inexpensive salad making:

1. buy whole heads of romaine or leafy lettuce. By  cutting up your own lettuce instead of buying the bagged kind you will save a ton of money.

2. Buy ingredients at discount stores such as Costco or Trader Joe's. The lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and nuts are a lot cheaper at these places.


Salad add on's:

Keep your salad from being boring! Try a few of my fav's and mix and match until you have the salad you love. My favorite right now is lettuce, cucumber, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, tomatoes and chick peas. I have been using hidden valley light ranch dressing.

1. Sunflower seeds: adds some protein and salt. Trader Joe's has these at great prices and you can buy them raw, salted, roasted, and unsalted. They also have great deals on Almonds and other nuts.

2. Chick Peas: Adds protein and keeps you fuller longer

3. Cottage Cheese: Again this adds protein and is a great way to get your dairy and the creaminess is great with the ranch dressing. Daisy brand cottage cheese is by far my favorite.

4. Cucumbers, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, shredded carrots: add some crunch and color to your salad!

5. Dried Cranberries and Almonds: Great for a sweeter salad with a nice vinaigrette. 


So, Get out there and find your favorite salad and commit to eating your vegi's at lunch! You will save money because you will not be eating out and you will feel better because you are eating a healthy and natural lunch full of vitamins!

Tristan's favorite things : 2 1/2 year edition

1. Mickey Mouse and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
I'm not sure where this one came from, but Tristan loves Mickey Mouse.

2. Eric Carle books and Pete the Cat

Tristan is in love with "Brown Bear" and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by EricCarle and he also loves anything "Pete the Cat"



3. Cars & Dinosaurs

he is such a boy

4. Playing outside

ie: helping mommy water the plants and making mud puddles to stomp in

5. His Superman hat from Old Navy

6. Any shirt with Elmo, Grover, Cars or Thomas

7. Chocolate Milk

Oh well, at least it gets him to drink something other than apple juice! 

8. Apple Juice, Apple Slices, Apple Sauce & even whole apples

But as his Grandma Lorri (nunu) reminds him "Man cannot live by Apples alone"

Long Time, No Posts

Yes it is true; I pretty much gave up on my blog. Not that I wanted to but just because we have been so busy! No telling where the time goes when you are a mommy, wife, and full time at work. Our newest adventure is buying a home! Our offer was accepted on the cutest little house and we are now working on financing and inspections. God has blessed us in so many ways here in South Carolina that I can not doubt that this is where we are supposed to be at this time in our lives. I hate being far away from my parents but I am learning to do better with not being able to see them for holidays , etc. If everything goes well then we will be in our new home by the end of July and starting on our new adventure there!