Monday, March 30, 2009

Snow Days & Smoothie Days


Snow Days, once a longed for pinnacle of our scholastic career, have taken on a whole new meaning as an adult. And, now that we live in South Dakota, they have become yet another thing entirely.

The children had 2 snow days last week, and now another 2 this week. If this doesn't stop they will have to go to school a lot in the summer. Of course on the first snow day it is so exciting, but by now I know they actually miss school!

The thing about snow in South Dakota is that it is unpredictable. Last Sunday, March 22 it was a record-high, balmy 77 degrees. The next day it snowed a record blizzard of 19 inches. Yet the next day, I could see most of the grass in my yard, but with 6 foot drifts randomly scattered throughout.

You see, it because it is windy here. Very windy. In fact, South Dakota is not a skirt friendly state, I have discovered the hard way over the last 9 months. I also have a picture of the stop sign near us that it literally bent into an almost 45 degree angle from wind (I can only assume.) I will get a picture.

In all this wind and snow, we still garden. We have planted over 200 flower bulbs which are coming up (through the intermittent snow), and we have grandiose plans for an organic garden that we can't wait to start. The asparagus plants are on their way, and we are shaping the beds. I am teaching my kids how to use the freshest ingredients they can to make healthy snacks for themselves. So in summer, I imagine they will pick organic cherry tomatoes and peas and radishes to make salads. For now, we have to be grateful for the shipped-in organic peaches and strawberries from California that we use to make amazing smoothies for after-school snacks. My 8 year old Lily loves to make that her job, every day when she gets home, she creates a custom organic smoothie for the whole family!

I like teaching her that taking care of yourself can be fun and makes you feel great. It all starts with food. What we put in ourselves is so important. What we put on ourselves is important too. I have taught her to treat her skin, (since it is our bodies largest organ) with respect and she loves the Organic Peach Body Scrub, Organic Vanilla Bean Lotion. I think her new favorite- I can't wait for it to arrive- will be the Organic Chocolate Mint Bubble Bath!