Easy Homemade Banana Strawberry Ice Cream

Banana Strawberry Ice Cream This is delicious and CHEAP versus your normal DQ Blizzard or tub of ice cream. Homemade ice cream is the best! I froze two and a half bananas in the freezer (it's easier to peel and chop up when they are all mushy and then put in a freezer bag) I then put the chunks of bananas in our Ninja I cut up some fresh strawberries I poured in Jackson's organic whole milk - maybe a 1/2 cup Added 1 tsp...

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Skin Check - You Are Your Best Advocate for Your Health

Don't Ignore Your Moles For the past four years I’ve been getting my skin looked over. Why? Well, I think it all started when I read an article in Glamour about a 26 year old who faced melanoma. Her story shook me to my core.  She died. She never experienced love, marriage, being a mom or traveling the world. She wasn’t going to Happy Hours or running outside or joining volleyball leagues. Instead she was trying to survive another...

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FREE Friday Night Fun in Minnesota

A Fun FREE Friday Night Activity Now, I probably wouldn't categorize this as a FAMILY event, but our favorite liquors (Marketplace Liquors) store offers FREE wine and beer/liquor tastings on Friday and Saturday nights. Pretty awesome if you ask me. I know it won't be like this for long for us, but for now, we're enjoying! Leinie Lounger Chair Leinenkugel's was on tap for tasting Friday. ALL FLAVORS (even the Big Eddy). What fun!!! Delicious....

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Our Sports-Minded Action Jackson - 14 months

Finding Room in a Townhome with an Active Toddler It's hard not to want to live in an actual house versus a town home with a postage stamp as a yard, but I'm trying to find the positives. One being that we have a roof over our heads, a huge bonus!! Secondly, we don't have to shovel our driveway out or have to buy a snow blower in the never ending winter months. Thirdly, we don't have to mow our lawn or go out and buy a lawn...

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower Pizza Crust (Gluten Free) OK...this is GOOOOOOOOD! Cauliflower as pizza crust? I know what you're thinking. Seriously, though...can't tell. I found a bunch of recipes on Pinterest and made it our own. Looks like your normal pizza, doesn't it? Tastes like it too! Goes like this: A head of cauliflower, rinsed and pulled apart into smaller pieces Throw pieces of cauliflower into Ninja and chop until cauliflower looks like rice...

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Our Favorite Family Activity - 14 Months

Bike Riding So I've totally gotten use out of our BOB stroller. From running to trekking through the snow to taking it in the terrain to even traveling by plane with it, I ADORE OUR BOB. I try to find all kind of fun ways to be active with it. Bike riding fun!! Yes, we do have helmets. Last winter Karl bought a bike trailer off of Craigslist. AND, right around that time one of my awesome co-workers gave me a SWEET Trek bike because...

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Done Done Done with Breastfeeding - 14 Months

Done Nursing - Bittersweet I am done with nursing. I quit at 14 months. Why am I so bummed? I mean, nursing is a LOT of work. A lot. I won't sugarcoat it. I will also tell you it's the most amazing bonding experience. I'm still happy:) P.S. One of my daddy's patients made this train for me. The first time I experienced nursing I spent several LONG minutes, sometimes HOURS trying to figure it out each and EVERY time...and...

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Father's Day Fun! - 14 months

Celebrating Father's Day OK, getting back on track here with the blog. Father's Day. A GREAT weekend. The weather was ridiculous. As in AWESOME. Daddy and Jackson. Buddies for life. Dad is my hero... My parents came up Friday. I know, you're probably wondering what are they doing up again!?!? Karl's dad has been going through a few surgeries on his knee and is unable to watch Jackson, so my parents have been coming up lots to help....

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My Birthday and the Horsetrack - 13.5 Months

Horsetrack Fun Ask Jackson what a horse says, and he’ll tell you. He makes me laugh. He’s way too cute. He’s been to Canterbury twice in his young life and loves watching the horses and the tractors spray down and till the dirt after each race, and he loves watching and playing with all the kids. And of course, his favorite thing in the world – he gets to be outside. At the horsetrack for mommy's bday!   I figured out a system...

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Mother's Day - 13.5 Months

Mother's Day Weekend (a month after the fact...) Super fun weekend!!! Anything beats last year when Karl had to leave for his orthotics exam on Mother’s Day - leaving me with a three week old - like I knew what I was doing… I have a better grasp on things this year, that's for sure. Mom thinks I'm awesome.   I was excited we were able to spend time together as a family this year. Sure, it was a little cool and cloudy but...

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Going to the Park in Minnesota - 13.5 Months

We’ve been busy over here at The Koester household. All good fun though. See below:) Park Fun! So as Jackson’s mom, my goal is to introduce Jackson to lots of parks for as long as I can. Karl says Jackson will be burned out on them by the time he is five. Hey, they are free. And FUN. They are fun for me too :). I do push ups, pull ups, squats, lunges...all kind of fun things. There are tons of parks all over. Another reason I love Minnesota. Below...

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I'm 34, Now What?

I’m 34 now. Yowza. When did that happen? Wasn’t I just 24? Where did the last ten years go?? Kenny Chesney is on to something with his song, Don’t Blink. Thankfully I've had toothpicks in my eyes this past year due to all the sleep I didn't get. Not a whole lot of blinking going on here. Anyway, another year older means time to set some resolutions. I know this is more of a New Year thing but I like to do it around my birthday to keep...

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Is a Gym Membership Worth It?

OK. I can’t even believe I’m asking this question. But I have to. Do I really need my gym membership? I’ve now been a mom for a year and in a year’s time a LOT in my life has changed. One of those big changes? I barely EVER get to the gym. Why? 1.       I’m dying to see Jackson as soon as work is over. By the time I see him, it’s 4:30. We get home around 5. And he starts getting ready for bed...

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