Fresh Lime “Gritzer”-No Calorie

All summer, I’ve been trying to find alternatives to soda to beat the heat. I wanted these beverages to contain no sugar, be low cost and easy to make by the glass or an entire pitcher.
Here are a few that I’ve shared with you:
No Calorie Sweet Green Tea
No Calorie Sweet Iced Coffee
Skinny Orange Julius

Today, I am going to show you how to make a “Gritzer”, thus named by Biceps by combining Spritzer with our last name Greiman. He’s an inventive little bugger, isn’t he?
This drink is sweet, fresh, crisp and transports you to an island oasis with its limey-ness. (Yes, that’s a word.) So, throw on your flip flops, turn on some Beach Boy’s music and have a Gritzer.

Here’s all that you’ll need to make a Gritzer (makes 1 Liter):
1 Liter of Diet Tonic Water (sweetened with Splenda)*
1 Lime
1/4 tsp Liquid Stevia
*here’s my disclaimer, Tonic Water contains quinine. Some people cannot consume this product. I have yet to find an alternative.

Fill a pitcher with the Diet Tonic Water.

Wash one whole lime first, then cut into wedges and squeeze into pitcher. Throw the limes into the liquid if desired.

Add 1/4 tsp of Liquid Stevia (more or less depending upon your sweet needs).

Stir a couple of times, pour into your favorite “fancy glass” and garnish with another lime wedge. Now, let’s partake of your Fresh Lime Gritzer.

Sit back, take a sip and let yourself be transported to Aruba, Jamaica, ooh they want to take you to Bermuda, Bahamas, come on pretty Momma….

Enjoy!

Sometimes, I link up to these parties (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: The Girl Creative, Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Lolly Jane, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

Maxwell’s New Friend

A new dog moved into the neighborhood. He is big and black and a little rough around the edges. Let’s just say, you don’t win me over Mr. New Dog when you dig underneath the fence and into my squash plants. You are on a slippery slope, New Dog.

For some reason, New Dog and Max have seemed to come to an agreement that they like each other. After a few hours of hissing, arched backs and fluffy tails, I finally calmed down and let the two be.

They will spend hours, paws outstretched, touching each other through the chain link fence.

New dog has no idea he’s not supposed to be friends with kitty cats.

They pay no mind to the mocking squirrels. They do what’s in their heart. They follow their heart.

And, they love. My mind is singing, “Ebony and Ivory” all the while. It’s a beautiful moment. *Sniff.

Sweet Baby No Likey

Our family (on both sides) do not like to produce females. Thus, I have six nephews total-and counting. It’s pretty awesome since I tend to understand boys better than girls. The “let’s play house” scares me-even though that should be an easy fit. Throw me a rubberband gun, some cammo paint and a pit of dirt and I am in my element.

Therefore, I was in heaven when Bicep’s brother and his wife decided to produce another boy bearing the Greiman name last December. And, they named him Sweet Baby Angus (ok, I added the “Sweet Baby”).

But look at this cute mug. Can you blame me for adding the “Sweet Baby” in front of his birth name? I say you cannot.

Angus is a texture guy and he apparently does not like the texture of green beans.

His mommy tried to hide the green beans in other food. He was quite crafty for an almost-one-year-old. Somehow, his sneaky little tongue separated the green beans from the decoy food.

During our picnic, this is the look that Angus decided was “for him”. Not much changed throughout his feeding. I guess these sorts of things start young.

I still can’t get over the texture of tuna due to a disgusting tuna-noddle-casserole incident. I have your back, Sweet Baby Angus. Auntie Rebekah will never force you to eat tuna or green beans. Unless Mommy says so. Then, my hands are tied. You know what they say about Momma Bear and I do not want to be on the loosing side…

Pressing on to things that are ahead

Have you ever felt like the minister at your church was speaking straight to you and your circumstances? It happens to me all the time. (Maybe it’s because I’m so jacked up that any sermon covers some sort of “situation” in my life.) See self-deprecating picture below.

Spending daily time with God is important to me-I mean, look at what a mess I am. But it’s on Sunday’s that I experience community, I participate in worship with hundreds of other voices and I hear the sermon while I’m taking notes. All of my senses are heightened to what God is telling me.

Here are a few verses that stuck out to me this week at church. If you have everything together, you may as well just go browse my other posts. But for those of you who are trying to figure things out, are discouraged or are confused-read on. The best wisdom you will ever find is here in his Word.

(These wild Mustangs were shot by me at The Pioneer Woman’s Ranch)
“Forget the former things; do no dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43: 18-20

(I think I ran a little too far this day-but, I survived.)
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

(One of our rental homes blew up. We were ok with that.)
“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

(This was the last day of tour and I was both excited and anxious about how our life would be changing.)
“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20