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The unspilled smoothie.

Yesterday was the last day of school for the elementary kids and I wanted to have a great last-day-after-school-snack for them. They all love smoothies and we don't make them nearly enough. So, when I shopped this past week, I did it with that in mind. Then, I thought, "I'll blog about smoothies! Yes! I'll research, I'll blend, I'll write!"

It was all going along very, well, smoothly. I found a recipe I figured all the kids would like, shopped for the ingredients and even bought a clear glass so I would be able to take a photo. Yes, you read that right; I didn't have even ONE clear glass in this household of 9 people. Plastic abounds, but glass is forbidden.

I found the perfect strawberries, not frozen, they're so abundant this time of year that I couldn't bring myself to buy them in any form other than fresh even if I needed them to be frozen. I cleaned and hulled them, cut them into smaller chunks and froze them myself.

Once the stage was set (read: kids home and blender clean) I set out to make our smoothies. They turned out perfect. They were cool and smooth and full of flavor. I handed the 7 year-old redhead his and was met by a grimace and, "I don't like strawberries. Can I have a freeze-pop?" Who on earth doesn't like strawberries? Ugh. Whatever. I let him out of his smoothie-drinking and handed it instead to the 6 year-old princess. Same reaction; ick-can-I-have-something-else.

I was starting to doubt my kitchen prowess and abilities as a mother able to provide a snack. It must be an age thing. Everyone above 10 and below 3 was making loud slurping noises once they got to the end of their smoothies. I liked it too; but then again, I like anchovies, so I figure I don't count.

I asked one of the kids to put a glass away (the picture glass, in fact) in the freezer so that daddy could have a smoothie too once he got home from work. She dutifully did as told (can you imagine) and the redhead promptly turned around to replace the freeze-pop box and, as 7 year-old will do when faced with a glass that should not be knocked over, knocked over the entire glass.

The pretty pink smoothie spread onto the floor of the freezer, into the gasket in the door, down the front door, and all over the floor I had JUST cleaned before they got home. Sigh.

So, daddy didn't get his smoothie, two of the kids didn't drink theirs, and I got to mop my floor twice. Maybe next time I need a snack I'll plop down a box ox cheese crackers in front of them and a juice box.

If you'd like to try this for yourself (the smoothie making, not the rest), here's the recipe:

Strawberry Lemon Smoothie

2 cups lemonade
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup lemon yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all in a blender and mix until smooth.