For the past two weeks my mom and dad have been in (not so sunny) Florida visiting my dad's family, while I watched our large amounts of animals. Each day consisted of me waking up to barking dogs, forgetting to water my mom's prized plants (oops), spoiling my horses, and not packing for my month long trip to Botswana (oops again). Surprisingly the time flew by really fast, as I highly anticipated my parents home coming.
Every time my mom and dad go to Florida they get the blessed opportunity to catch up with my dad's family and do grown up stuff. My dad and uncle jam on their guitars, while my mom and aunt do water aerobics and shop. This most recent Florida adventure, my mom became obsessed with a store called World Market. The store exists to sell pretty much everything you could want, from suppliers all around the world. It really promotes bringing different cultures into every day life.
Well, today is a good day, because my parents finally came home! It's bittersweet though, because I'm leaving tomorrow! I've spent very little time with them this year and it breaks my heart. As I get older, I'm really learning to value my time just being their little girl. I have to keep reminding myself not to grow up too fast, not yet anyway. So with that being said, I was very excited to have them back. Plus, to thank me for toiling away during the heat wave of 2012, they showered me with gifts. My mom got me stunning sarongs and scarves from World Market, that I appreciate so much! Something else they brought back were fresh mangoes, that I decided to make a smoothie with.
Without further ado: Banana Mango Smoothie:
I started with a ripe banana and a large ripe mango.
Next, I got my blender together with two cups of ice in it and a splash of skim milk.
Then, I peeled my banana and mango.
The way I peel mangoes is to start cutting along the top until I go all the way around the mango and then I repeat the process, but the second time I turn the mango so when I make the cut it'll form an x on top. Once I've made my cuts I take the edge of my knife and pull up the corner of one of the pieces of mango skin and pull it toward me. That may not be the correct way and I'm pretty sure you're never supposed to pull a knife toward yourself, but that's the way I have had the most success.
Once, you've peeled your fruit drop the banana into the blender and start cutting pieces of mango off of the core. Get as much of the fruit off as you can so you don't waste any.
Finally, put the lid on and blend up the contents.
If your fruit is ripe it shouldn't require any sweetener at all.
Put it in a pretty cup to pretend it's fancier than it is.
Oh and it should make about two cups of smoothie so you can share!
Well, I hope you can use this and enjoy it!
One last thing!!
I'm going to Africa and will be out of touch for five weeks as of Sunday!
My team and I would really appreciate your prayers throughout that time. When we get back I will be sharing every bit of what God did through us in Africa! I'm so excited that I have the opportunity to be taking the Good News of Christ to Botswana! It's going to be an incredible journey filled with challenges and growth. I know God has big plans for our team and the people we'll be working with and I can't wait to see it all unfold!!
Acts 13:47For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
