Peachy King, Tiny Jelly Bean – Peach Avocado Smoothie

My daughter Emery is 10 months old. She is my second baby. Ainsley, my oldest, is 4. When Ainsley was Emery’s age, I threw myself into making homemade, organic baby food. Seriously. I could have fed 10 babies for the amount of tasty, organic, baby friendly concoctions I made for sweet baby Ainsley. Ainsley was happy…she’d eat anything. No fuss, no muss.

Fast forward to today. My desire to create tasty baby treats has waned…and I have embraced jarred baby food. I was proud of my open mind. Look at all the flavors and meals! And it only takes 2 seconds to open up the jar…score! Emery wanted no part of this crazy idea! She had already tasted some of my initial homemade baby food efforts right off the bat and nothing. else. will. do. Oh crap. She takes after me rather than her laid back father.

So, under her watchful eye, I slowly put back the jarred baby food and picked up my hand blender. She’d won this round, but next time….who am I kidding? Her will is stronger than mine! Luckily we both enjoy this peach avocado smoothie enough to call a truce.

Peach Avocado Smoothie

1 cup frozen peach slices

1/2 Avocado

1/2 cup plain full fat Greek yogurt (I prefer Fage)

Place the peaches, avocado and yogurt into a glass and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Using a regular blender works too. Spoon feed this yummy goodness to baby or put into a glass and slurp to your heart’s content. If the consistency is too thick for your taste thin with water. Enjoy!

Scones and Snowstorms

Last night a snowstorm had us in her sights. Rather than tough out what would’ve been a nasty rush hour home I left work a bit early. With my unexpected hour at home I was inspired to bake. I stopped at the store to get some potatoes for the homemade gnocchi I was planning which led me inevitably to the vodka aisle….of course. Potatoes, vodka…what else? Butter! Confident in my now well stocked pantry I headed home. 60 whole extra minutes to my day! I spent it making gnocchi and blueberry maple scones. My gnocchi turned out blah. So lets not talk about them. But my scones! Holy Moses were they good. I was inspired by this recipe from Joy The Baker. I didn’t have buttermilk (so much for my well stocked pantry) so I used 2% milk. I thought it still worked very well. It was the perfect compliment to my after dinner coffee curled up next to the fire.

Small Things

Most of each day I solve problems. Usually small, “here’s your sock”, “I picked up the milk”, “hang on, I’ll get a towel”…. for the spilled milk. Sometimes, I solve big problems.  I’m an attorney and its in the job description.  Solving problems isn’t always easy or fun.  But, what is fun is to see the faces of those you do help.  It’s a type of therapy that you won’t get from a couch.  Its knowing that you did something, anything to help someone else that needed it, at that moment in time.  Now that 2013 is well under way, I want to encourage all of my readers to take a minute out of your hectic day to help in some small way.  Here are some ideas:

1.  Make and deliver dinner for a neighbor

2.  Run errands or shop for an elderly friend/neighbor

3.  Leave a note of thanks for your mail carrier

4.  Volunteer…anywhere

5.  Have a book or toy drive for your local library, children’s charity or children’s hospital

6.  Ask your child if he or she needs help…with school, friends, cleaning their room, etc.

7.  If you see trash…pick it up

8.  Offer new parents…or any parent really…a date night.  Offer to watch the kids while they take time to spend some quality time together

9.   Support local businesses…they bring the community together.  Get to know the owner on a first name basis

10.  Help yourself…take care of yourself.  Eat well, exercise and take the time to dress nicely each and every day.  You will thank yourself one day

Can you think of other ways to help?

“Many small people, in many small places, do many small things, that can alter the face of the world.”                         -Anonymous