Under the Yellow Umbrella

Under the yellow umbrella
Our faces have a golden glow
The sky is the perfect blue,
The clouds have blown away
We all sit down and share
We drink to our health
Pass the bowl around
Make sure our friend has had his fill
Make sure our friend has a chair
Under the yellow umbrella
What your last name is, no one cares
Who you are, matters most
Under the yellow umbrella
We are shaded from the world
From the harmful rays of the sun
We are cool and relaxed
We see each other eye to eye
We are all sitting in a circle
Getting to know our neighbors
Getting to see who they are
Getting to see who we are
Under the yellow umbrella
We feel safe
We feel secure
We can see out
They can see in
But we have a yellow shade
It seems to say that everything is okay
That we can just be
Not to worry
To enjoy and let it go
Take in life
In the golden glow

The Crocodile Went to the Dentist

I made the trip to the dentist the other week, and for those of you who are familiar with Shel Silverstein’s poem, I didn’t exactly eat her, but I did get pretty darn close!

It started off innocently enough as I slid into the big vinyl chair, and got ready for my tooth cleaning and whitening consultation. I quickly noticed that the dentist seemed to be lacking an assistant as she came into the room and introduced herself.

I hadn’t gotten my teeth cleaned; I am ashamed to say, in a really long time. I know. People like me should be punished, or at least come up with a bunch of cavities or something right? Well, besides for some embarrassing discoloring that I needed to treat, my teeth were really not in such bad shape… and the dentist let me know that she was ready to begin the cleaning process.

She attaches the bib to my shirt and gets her utensils lined up on the tray in front of her. She takes out her anesthetic spray that I assume is meant for my teeth. Although, I never knew my previous dentists to numb my gums before cleaning them. “Hmmm. Something new” I assume.

Disappearing Blueberry Muffins

These muffins go really fast in my house, so I always double the recipe. Sometimes triple. I am always focused on making food that not just tastes good, but is also good for you. Therefore I use a healthier oil, and some applesauce for added moisture. Whole wheat or spelt flour is always used so that I can cut back on the white flour.

For the taste, the vanilla extract really makes the flavor pop, and I always use the real vanilla. No fake stuff for me! Fresh blueberries are also better than frozen, but only when they are really fresh and available...

Also, don’t forget to use muffin liners, because you do not want to spend half your day cleaning up the crusty mess on the bottom of the tin!. An even more efficient, super easy way to clean up is to line a large cookie sheet with a sheet of foil and place sturdy liners (double them up) on top. When you are done baking, you simply pick up the muffins and toss out the foil, and Voila! A super clean baking pan!

Eight Cool Beauty Tips From Eva

Eight Cool Beauty Tips To Try Now!!

These tips are hot off the press from Eva’s new book “Eva Scrivo on Beauty”.
Come and get em while they’re still fresh!

1)To create a smooth surface for your lipstick use a natural lip balm after exfoliating your lips with a soft bristle toothbrush. I personally love Alba Un-petroleum lip balm in tangerine. It is natural, smells sooo delicious (not overpowering) and has an SPF of18. http://albabotanica.com/

Spring Fling

What is it about shoes dangling high above my head, flung casually over power lines that makes me wonder and wonder…
Firstly, how did they get there, and how come I can never catch these guys in the act? How many tries does it take to make a perfect landing, and is it technically legal to dispose of your personal affects in this manner?
Also, what exactly happened to the guy who was wearing those shoes? Was he some unfortunate victim of the mafia or of some vicious street gang, who before meeting his untimely death had his shoes removed , shoelaces methodically tied together and then flung up there as a cryptic way of warning others “don’t mess, or this is what will happen to you.”

Super Sweet Potato Bars

This sweet potato recipe was inspired and influenced by two things ; my super picky two year old eater, and a recipe from the book “No Whine With Dinner”.
In an effort to please my child’s finicky taste buds, I have been working on perfecting this recipe. These bars include veggies, protein and carbs. So far it has been a hit in my house. We ate more than half the pan by the second day. Now I have to start rationing it!
The recipe found in the cook book “No Whine With Dinner” Gave me the idea of adding more flour and ground nuts for more texture and less mush. The original on page 163 is called Chocolaty Pumpkin Bars.