So… Patrick is so funny! He is always trying to come up with new ideas, whether it be a new recipe, a new way to build a castle, new games and stories… he has a big imagination and I try (best I can) to let him explore these ideas and CREATE!!

He started getting this idea about creating his own juice and some day sell the flavours… (i know… he is 4!!) So after about two weeks of him talking about different flavour combinations and how he was gonna save his money and buy a juice maker… I decided to let him EXPLORE his idea!

So under his direction we all began… I told him we could use the Magic Bullet to try out this experiment and see how it works! How eyeopening it was for me to actually sit back and watch these two children be free with their imaginations… actually getting to put their thoughts to action!! They were so excited. They opened the fridge and started rambling different instructions of how this would pair well with this and we need to add some of this… When I looked at the counter he had mangos, strawberries, and raspberries taken out. I was impressed with his ability to think of the flavour combinations! Patrick comes up with so many recipes like his “Raisin French Toast” to his “Carmel Apple Pecan Pie”!!

He put all the ingredients in and I helped with the blending!! He only wanted to put fruit in first because he told me “it has to be natural” and “healthy”… AGAIN I KNOW HE IS 4!!! But when he checked to see if it was blended enough he thought that it was too thick and that it needed some orange juice…. So we blended it up again!!! This time he tasted it, “it needs something” he told me! I asked him what it needed and he hopped off his stool and went to the fridge. To my surprise he said “Coconut Milk!” … Now at this point I am really looking forward to tasting this amazing creation!!

IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!

This was a moment where I became the student and once again my Little Monsters taught me a few things! One… just relax! and let them be kids!! It could actually be fun. Two… They has great ideas… just listen!

and Three… Let go of so much CONTROL and STRUCTURE!! As parents we get caught up in schedules and perfection and rules… we get so much into routine we forget that kids need FREEDOM to be KIDS! Imagination is the basis of development and for some reason we don’t take the time to let it come to light. It was during this moment that I looked at my kids and their smiles and realized from now on… we need to Listen… Observe… Support… and have Fun more often!!

Here is Patrick’s “EPIC SMOOTHIE” (named by Patrick)

2 Mangos – Peeled and chopped up
1 cup of raspberries
1 cup of Strawberries
1/2 Orange Juice
1/2 Coconut Milk

After they drank there smoothies Patrick had another great idea to make the left over smoothie into popsicles…. Enjoy Everyone!! AND REMEMBER SOMETIMES WE ALL NEED TO LIGHTEN UP!!!