Pool LOVE!

I posted a couple months ago that we had decided to put a pool in our backyard and it is finally complete. I am so excited to show the before and after! It was a much bigger project than I ever expected [don't know why I thought it was going to be simple :) ] and took up a ton of my time but now that we are enjoying it I couldn't imagine our backyard without it!

Here is our backyard before and right after they finished the pool and filling it up with water

And here is the after ...

Looking at all my inspiration pictures together I love the way everything came out..  I love the steps across the whole pool for B to sit on.  Its also probably hard to see in the pic but there is a 5 foot sun ledge on the far side of the pool with an umbrella hole in the middle so we can have plenty of shade in the pool. I was so torn over the fence but in the end knew I had to do it for safety for B. I was going to do a hedge fence but ended up planting pink knock out roses all the way down a rod iron fence. They will be perfect when they are fully grown and blooming. We can' wait to have our first party on Friday!!

Toddler Nibbler Tray

I think all parents struggle to make sure that their kids get enough fruits and veggies in their diet. Lately I have seen this idea of a toddler niblbler tray everyone.  Dr Sears suggests it in his 9 Steps to a Healthier Family video and flipping through Parenting magazine last month I also saw it as a way to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies. 

Photo credit http://www.ontobaby.com/2012/03/easy-diy-nibble-tray-for-your-picky-toddler-eater/

So what exactly is a nibbler tray? Find any type of tray you have your house like an ice tray or muffin tin and fill with yummy veggies, fruit, and cereal.  Add peanut butter, hummus or yogurt and you have a fun colorful snack tray to set out during play time for your kiddos to eat. Get them involved in making it and they are more likely to eat it!

I can't wait to make these for B when he gets a little older. He isn't quite old enough to eat completely solid food yet and has been super picky to rough textures but I make sure I pick all colors of baby food so he gets all types of fruits and veggies and I also make him shakes with fruit, cocunut milk, yobaby yogurt and the Juice Plus shake mix to make sure he gets all the nurtients he needs!  He loves it as you can see below :)