Smile dammit!

Every year at this time I start obsessing about the Christmas card photo.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to this yearly ritual.  Do I want just the kids in the photo or the whole family?  Should it be a beach shot or a "Fall in New England" shot?  Should they wear matching clothes?  Yes, I am that person.

You should also know that I am a wannabe photographer.  I dabble, I take classes, I ponder about whether anyone would ever want to pay me to take their picture.  And my poor kids are always my guinea pigs.  My brother likes to say that Primo and Segundo "are the most photographed kids in the world."  I would beg to differ, I'm quite sure that little Suri Cruise or the Brangelina six are the most photographed kids in the world.  But anyway...

So this year I decided that only the kids will be on the card and we're going with a "I live in the middle of nowhere and my kids are on a farm" theme.  Truth be told, we are very lucky to have the most amazing local farm that provides a beautiful backdrop for photos right here in the center of Anytown.  So I dressed the kids in coordinating colors (not matching) and headed to the farm with my camera and two assistants (my mom and aunt).  You can never have enough help when trying to get a good shot of your kids!

It was a beautiful Indian Summer day, not a cloud in the sky, simply spectacular.  When we got to the farm, I let the kids run around and look at the animals for a while while I plotted my attack on the children.  They knew we were there to take the Christmas card picture, and with the promise of a Starbucks run afterwards, they begrudgingly agreed.

I began snapping pictures of them, by the tree, next to the pumpkins, by a row of mums, nothing. All I kept hearing was, "Mom the sun's in our eyes."  "We're bored."  "When are we going to Starbucks?"

They climbed on hay bails, playing king of the mountain, snap, snap, snap.  They jumped off fences, snap, snap, snap.  They laughed, screamed, hugged and shoved each other, all while I'm trying to get the perfect shot.  I yelled at them, "Can't you just smile and stop acting goofy??"  To which they did this:

And then, this:

And finally after snapping about 250 photos, we left, and went to Starbucks, where Segundo preceded to explode his entire hot chocolate all over Primo.  A perfect end to a perfect morning.

And if you're wondering if I ever got that Christmas card shot...well, I did.  But you'll just have to wait until December to see it!

Peace and love.

A Pot Full of Vitamins

Last week I tried a new recipe that I found somewhere on Facebook.  It was chock full of all kinds of veggies that I love, plus a little pasta to really make this meal a complete protein.  And the best part is that it took about 30 minutes total, which is great for a busy school night.  This would be a great recipe to try on the next Meatless Monday!  Enjoy!

One-Pot Powerhouse Chickpeas!
1 onion, cut in large pieces
6 large button mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. hot curry powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups water
2 can chick peas, drained
1 sweet potato, cut into small pieces (keep skin on for added fiber)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 cup brown rice pasta shells or any other pasta you like (the rice pasta makes it gluten-free)
2-3 cups of chopped kale (or spinach or any other leafy greens you have around)

In a large soup pot, add olive oil, onion, mushrooms, spices and sea salt and saute 4 - 5 minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil and simmer. Add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and pasta. Simmer and cover until potatoes are done (about 10 - 12 minutes).  Stir in kale and simmer a few more minutes.

DONE!

I served it with a simple green salad on the side.  It was hearty, delicious and very nutritious.  Plus it's packed with fiber so you won't be hungry an hour later.

Let me know how you like it, I promise you will!

Peace and love.