Every morning of my childhood life I was awaken by papi (my father) in the morning. We all knew that around 6am he would turn on the lights, slam his hand on the side of the wall and say “Levántese” …”Get Up!” Oh man I wanted to just scream, “leave me alone!”- I never did, no one screams at papi, not even now.
So we would all get up, really what choice did we have? I especially hated this on Wednesday, this was the middle of the week, the week was “almost” over. So to be yelled at made Wednesday or really any day begin on the down side.
Now that I am older I can imagine my grandfather more than likely woke my dad up in the same way, he did live in a house with four siblings so I can imagine my dad thought this is the best way he should approach his kids.
Now that we are all older and have our own kids we often joke about the way he yelled, he laughs too, knowing that wasn’t the best way to handle his young kids.
I try to take a different approach with my girls’ trying to how should we say it, “break the cycle.”
I walk into the room, turn on the lights, and softly turn on the ipod. In perfect sync both lift the covers over their heads and turn their back towards me.
“Okay girls’ it time to get up,” Nothing happens. I turn the music up a little louder. Nothing happens. “Okay girls’ let’s get up, we have a busy day,” still nothing, I know they can hear me…they are testing me.
I crank up the music. “Girls’ !” In that moment is when I forget the “cycle”, who cares about the freaking “cycle”
I slam the side of the wall and say..yup.. “Levántese!” How interesting they quickly jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash up. Hmmm maybe papi knew what he was doing after all.
I had flashbacks today when I woke up my girls’ “papi style” and being Wednesday I thought I’d celebrate with a cool smoothie…..what am I celebrating? Well folks I have turned into my father. Happy Wednesday!! 
This smoothie is super easy, don’t be quick to dismiss this into “what does this lady think I have all day” list. You simply make small batches of smoothies and hey it gives you a chance to use up all those small amounts of fruit you have in the fridge. That’s exactly what I did, I had leftover papaya from the Saturday juice, some blackberries and strawberries. It also gives you a open window to add the little extras, like flax seed, wheat germ, or protein.
Make a small batch of one flavor, pour into your glass, and place into the freezer for about 5 minutes, then layer with the next flavor…you get the drift…
Placing in the freezer helps the colors not to run in the other layers.
Papaya Blackberry and strawberry Smoothie
makes 2
by sweet life
by vianney rodriguez
2 cups chopped papaya
1 cup blackberries
1 cup chopped strawberries
2 cups milk divided
1 cup yogurt divided
optional ingredients- flax seed, wheat germ
agave if needed to sweeten
Place two glasses in freezer.
In a blender add papaya , 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup yogurt. Blend until smooth, place mixture in a bowl and set aside. (before blending add options of your choice)
Rinse your blender and add blackberries, 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 yogurt. Blend until smooth, place mixture into a bowl and repeat the same process with strawberries.
Remove glasses from freezer and add papaya mixture to glasses. Return glass to freezer for 5 minutes to allow mixture to set.
Repeat the process with the blackberry and strawberry mixture, but allow each layer to set in freezer for 5 minutes, so colors do not run.
I am submitting this to the 5 Star Makeover.
That smoothie lured me here but your post is the most gorgeous part. I love that story. I’ve done basically everything I said I wouldn’t as a parent.
I guess it works out. 🙂
love these layers — how creative and unique, to add a special something for an everyday breakfast or snack. Thank you!
How clever! I have to try in summer
Love it, all of it. Just read this post to my hubs and we were both cracking up. I get so sick of hearing my own voice get louder and louder and at the end of the day….ughhhh. I need your gorgeous smoothie about now. xo
Hey Bonnie, what an adorable smoothie. I don’t know if I’ve ever used ‘adorable’ to describe a smoothie, but this one is so cute. I’m trying it for sure! You know, I don’t know if I have a glass so fitting for a drink like this one pictured. Oh, and the story about Dad is cute. My Mom used to do that to us!
By the way, thanks for trying the cake. I’m glad you all liked it.
Hahahahah… hilarious post Bonnie! Some habits just die hard, non??? At least a method has been figured out to get the girls outta bed 😉
btw, the smoothie is too cool for school. xoxo
That is one terrific looking smoothie. I love the layer of colors. Great trick to freeze each layer.
Note to self: learn how to say “Levántese!”
I feel like I’ve turned in to both my parents in different ways. Isn’t that crayz? You think growing up that THEY are the crazy ones and come to find out…there was a method to their madness!!
What a gorgeous smoothie! Must have been so refreshing. Those layers are quite impressive as well! Love the sweet story about your dad!
M husband claims I’m just like my father too. Such a fabulous smoothie idea. It looks like such a fun way to start the day.
Beautiful smoothie! Love the colors 🙂
Then I went back, read the post to the end and laughed my head off. We moms, parents, we make these resolutions – with the best intentions. God help us!!!!!!!!!!!! My husband BEGS our girls to go to bed early for in the morning, he is flooded with tears and wailings! I laugh, in comradeship!
You are my girl…..I’m a Wednesday chic, solid! My colleagues always laugh when I say Wednesday is my happiest day (not Friday). Once I hit it, I know for sure that my weekend is here
LOL!! Great story, thanks for sharing. 🙂 The smoothie is so pretty too, I love the color layers!
Love this colourful smoothie and the great tip on how to layer it! Got to make one soon as the weather is SOOOOO hot now. 😉
Beautiful story and a beautiful drink – I’m so impressed. You’ve really created a work of art there. You made me smile with your story abourt your Dad but it’s true that getting people going in the morning isn’t that easy.
Oh I love those colors! Looks great!
What a beautiful smoothie! I hate getting up in the mornings, too!
C’est très joli. J’aime beaucoup les couleurs.
Bravo.
Bonne semaine.
Prettiest smoothie I’ve ever seen! Love the story:)
Wow… that looks so cute, Loved the flavor combination.
What a beautiful drink. What did it look like after the kids took their straws and swirled everything together? Oh wait, that’s what would happen in my house. I’d have to make it just for the adults 🙂
How incredibly beautiful! That really is an impressive way to present a smoothie.
So we really do turn into our parents??!
Beautiful smoothy! I giggled when I saw it because during the week my husband was saying “next time I make a smoothy, it’d be cool to layer different flavours”!!… a little freaky, you guys were on the same wavelength 🙂
Wow! Such beautiful layers! I’d love to try it! 🙂
Loved your intro to this recipe…it creates such wonderful, loving images in my head! 🙂
Great submission to Natasha’s makeover! 🙂
Colours are splendid, fresh and fantastic smoothie!
Love the layers in the smoothie, they’re very vibrant and fun
This is a beautiful smoothie! Almost too pretty to eat! That would get me out of bed.
Funny story. Fantatic smoothie. I think you have a great chance to win the makeover.
Cheers!
What a cute story and fantastic-looking smoothie!
WOW……that looks heavenly delicious smoothie…lovely colors…have to try this one soon…thanks for sharing this!
I love this layered smoothie! The colors go so well together.
That is perfect Bonnie. Summer is here so what better way to celebrate than fun and colorful smoothing, I usually end up with little bit of this and that at the end of week. Great tip on putting it in freezer.
my father was much like yours, stern and with just his voice, I would plop my feet onto the floor even though my head still lay on the pillow – nice way to make smoothies…
What a very cool looking smoothie, those smoothies are always a treat for the kids, good luck on the contest!
You get my biggest hug for the day. What a fun idea and such a treat for anyone! Who would NOT be excited to have this served to them anywhere. YUP. Definitely struck gold finding you!
🙂
Valerie
I love reading about your papi! Don’t worry we all turn into our parents in some way. The smoothie is amazing. What a great idea to flash-freeze it to hold the layers! You may be your father , but you’re also a genius! I will be stealing this trick…
The layer smoothie looks glorious! I can’t wait to make this fun smoothie for my baby. Thanks for sharing.
Oh boy! Parenting is a whole different ballgame today. Our parents and grandparents had it good…they just never knew till they saw OUR kids! I’m trying not to be bitter, so I’m just shaking my head, remembering and knowing that our generation has taken a lot of crap from our parents, that our kids would never take from us. And our parents took a lot of crap from our grandparents but they got to dump it all over us. We didn’t get to dump any of it anywhere. It’s still on my back. I feel shortchanged Bonnie, reading this. I guess that wasn’t your intention?
Anyway I love the smoothie – it looks beautiful! I hope you win 🙂 In fact tell me where I can vote for you!
I loved reading your post. I’ll have to try getting my kids up this way too! ;D What an amazing smoothie! I just love those layers!
My mother walked into one my sister’s bedroom singing, “School Daaaays, Goood ol’ Golden Schoooool Days!” And, I’m not kidding… my cat would walk into my bedroom meowing loud. Between my Mother’s non-harmonious voice and the cat meowing in my ears, we couldn’t go back to sleep!
What a great story! I remember how my mom used to wake me up, very gently, too gently. I’d be late at times and the only person I could be mad at was myself. This is such a smartly created smoothie! Fabulous!
I love it! My dad never had us daughters up like that but my husband said his mornings were that way with his pops. Great share and yummy smoothie!
What a great idea to layer the smoothie. I love it–this is a must-try for that alone. Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh, Lord, help us all :-). Thank goodness becoming your father hasn’t harmed your cooking skills. You smoothie sounds wonderful. Thanks for the laugh and the recipe. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
what an awesome treat! if i knew i had this waiting for me, i’d be bounding out of bed in the morning. 🙂
My dad was even more obnoxious. The lights would blast on, obnoxious Slim Witman would blare, covers would be torn off, beds shaken, and shoes would be thrown onto sleeping stomachs. This was all accompanied by a obnoxious bellowing. If he had to come in 3 times, we got a cold cup of water from head to toe.
What a gorgeous smoothie! And it sounds so refreshing right now. I’m really wishing that I had one of your smoothies for breakfast instead of cereal. I would really hate to be woken up by Papi’s approach, but hey, if it works for your daughters…
It’s gorgeous! I love the different layers, such pretty colors – awesome creation for the 5 star makeover!
This post was just too funny! My parents never really had to wake me up (I’ve always been an early bird) but I think I would need more than a smoothie should I ever wake up and realize I turned into my father or mother. Maybe a smoothie filled with rum. That might do the trick.
This looks delicious! I love your layers!
Oh memories !!!!! Right now i guess you can say your two little nieces are playing the role of papi, slamming their little hands on the wall , “levantese” mommy and feed me . Pic looks great and smoothie looks YUMMY!!!
I love the colours!
a beautiful and healthy drink!
😀