A Week Long Birthday Celebration

Happy Birthday!

Mark's birthday was this week.  We celebrated by going to eat with friends on Sunday after church, seeinig a movie on Monday and we'll be attending a Rangers game with some good friends on Thursday. 

Mark's birthday cake was Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting.

The recipe is from Bakerella, which is awesome.

I love my husband and feel so blessed to have him in my life.
Happy Birthday, Mark!

Mark's birthday was on Sunday and we had cake on Sunday night after the boys went to bed.  We sang "Happy Birthday" to Mark on Monday night.  So, yes, you do see a big piece of cake missing in the photo with candles.

What I Wore Will Be Back Next Week

What I Wore Wednesday will be back next week. 
Last week was just one of those weeks.  Do you know what I mean?  Do you ever have just one of  THOSE weeks?  One of my good friends who is having some struggles in her life likes to say, "This too shall pass."  I think she's right.  This week has been so much better.  I've been enjoying the last days of summer and trying to relax before the busy school year starts.  This week I'm spending time with the people I love the most and people who are a lot of fun.  That's a pretty good remedy for any problem you are facing.  Lots of fun things on the agenda for this week so WIWW will be back next week!  Happy Hump Day!

Idea Not Reality

I like the idea of these things, but I don't really like them in reality.

• Tofu
• Coffee
• Yoga

Tofu seems like such a healthy alternative to meat, but I've never found a way to cook it that I like (or my family likes).  Hopefully one day I'll find a recipe that's a hit.

Coffee smells so good.  People drinking coffee look so serious and smart.  I love coffee shops.  I love Starbucks, but I mainly stick to hot tea, Chai Tea Lattes or Caramel Apple Ciders.  On days where I'm feeling adventurous, I've ordered a White Chocolate Mocha Decaf, but that tastes more like sweet chocolate and very little like coffee.  As much as I like the idea of coffee I just can't seem to make myself like the taste.

I have several yoga DVDs and a yoga mat.  I even like to lounge around the house in yoga clothes, but I don't really like Yoga.  Maybe I'm not patient enough.  I'm going to keep trying to like it, but I've almost given up.

Make Room For Baby {Gear}

Will {2006}

Ben {2009}

 Who knew that one little person would need so much stuff? 

Not me, that's for sure!

Preparing for a new baby is overwhelming.  If you've been a mom for a while it's easy to forget the overwhelming feelings that rush over you the first time you set foot in a baby store.  It was uncharted territory for me and my husband.  We had no idea where to start!  Who knew there were so many different types of bottles, car seats, strollers, bathtubs, and on and on?  Thank goodness I had friends who offered up advice and suggestions.  If it weren't for them we would have wasted a lot of time and money.  I've thought back to the things I've found most helpful.  Here’s a list I wish I had when I started preparing for my little bundle of joy.

Please keep in mind these are things we found useful. I’m not going with things that are uber-trendy or stylish. I’m going for accessible, functional and practical. Most of our baby items were purchased at Babies R Us and Target. There are several reasons why we shopped at these stores. It’s convenient, you can see the item in person, coupons made the items cheaper (especially at Babies R Us) and they have baby registries.

Diapers

Pamper Swaddlers but I used Huggies a lot, too.

Wipes

Pampers or Huggies, but I really prefer Huggies wipes. 

Diaper Cream
I think I've tried it all!  My first baby had terrible diaper rash.  I like A&D because it's clear and not very messy.  If diaper rash is really bad, I haven't found anything that works better than the original Desitin.  It's messy but it helps clear up the rash.

Boppy
I LOVE my Boppy nursing pillow! When you are nursing a newborn baby it feels like all you do is sit and feed him. This made it more comfortable and helped position the baby.

Breast Pump
Medela Pump In Style. I can’t say enough good things about this pump. It literally paid for itself because we didn’t have to buy formula. It also made me feel better about having to go back to work. I may not have been able to stay at home and nurse my baby, but at least I was providing milk for him. The pump is efficient and easy to use.

Breast Milk Storage Bags
Lansinoh milk storage bags were the ones I preferred.

Breast Pads
Lansinoh breast pads were my breast pads of choice. Medela came in a close second. I didn’t like any of the other brands at all.

Nursing Cream
Lansinoh lanolin cream was helpful for soreness when you start nursing.

Bottle Warmer
I used a brand from Babies R Us.  I can't remember but it was reasonably  priced.  It was useful to reheat breast milk after I went back to work.

Bottles

Philips AVENT BPA Free Bottles By: Avent
I didn’t bother with 4 oz and used 9 oz.  I never had colic issues and my babies were never confused to go from breast to bottle and vice versa.

Placemat
Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner Placemat By: Kiddopotamus and Co
This was one of the BEST shower gifts I've ever been given.  We now have three of these. When we’re at restaurants we get so many questions from other parents about where to find this cool placemat. It adheres to the table with suction tabs on the bottoms and gives your little one a place to eat from when they are too small for a plate.  I don’t want to put my little ones food directly on the table (gross!) so this provides a cleans place for his food.  It conveniently and neatly rolls up for storage when we are finished.

Bibs
We used a ton of bibs! You need all kinds, but I really like the laminated ones that can be wiped off easily. I also though the disposable Bibster bibs were pretty genius.  So handy when you are going out to eat.

High Chair

Fisher Price Healthy Care High Chair
We've been pretty happy with the high chair.  It's not the most stylish design, but it's well-made.  It is bulky, but I think most high chairs are bulky.  Several of my friends used the Chicco high chairs, and I think they look nice.  I don't know if they are functional but they are aesthetically pleasing.

Booster Seat

Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat By: Fisher-Price (Convenient and practical. It secures easily to chairs. We use this every time we are at friends’ house or at church fellowship meals. It’s very handy when there's not a highchair available).

Play mat/Activity mat

Tiny Love Gymini: Musical Kick & Discover Play Mat By: Tiny Love
It’s around $70 but a friend recommended it and I’m so glad she did. My little ones loved to lay on this and look at all of the different accessories, colors and images. We used it until he started to pull up and walk. It’s especially great for when they are really small and before they crawl.

Bumbo
Bumbo Baby Sitter By: Bumbo
I would say use this sooner rather than later. We waited too long on our first baby and he was too big. When our second baby had good head control then we started sitting him in it. We also used it for feeding when they were small. The baby would sit in it easier than a high chair.

Monitor
Sony Baby Call monitor

Infant Seat
Fisher-Price infant seat/bouncer (similar look to the Papasan Swing)

Swing
Fisher-Price Papasan Cradle Swing By: Fisher-Price

Car Seat

Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat

We LOVE this car seat!  It can be used rear facing and forward facing. We only used it forward facing with Will, but we decided to put Ben in it when he turned about 8 months old and used it rear facing. We turned it forward facing when Ben turned one.  The Britax seats are so well made compared to the cheaper Graco we have in our second car.

Travel System with car seat and stroller
GracoTravel system
It’s affordable and has a great safety rating. If I were to choose over again, I might go with Chicco. I recommend buying an extra base for your second car. We used the infant carrier/car seat in both of our vehicles. The stroller is bulky, but I think the baby is very comfortable in it. The main advantage to the travel system is when the baby is small. If he/she is asleep in the car seat you can leave them asleep in the car seat, remove the entire car seat from the car and just snap the car seat into the stroller without disturbing your peaceful little angel.

Stroller
Maclaren Triumph By: Maclaren

We bought this when our son, Will, was about 18mths old. We have used it on vacation when we’ve been in NYC and Chicago. It’s easy to fold up and carry. It made it easier to get on and off the subway and ‘L’. We don't use the big, bulky Graco stroller as much anymore because we like this light-weight model. It's so easy to get in and out of the car. It's a little pricey, but we think well worth it.

Baby Carrier
BabyBjorn Baby Carrier Original - City Black By: BabyBjorn 

I didn't have a Baby Bjorn with my first baby, but I decided to invest in one for my second, Ben.  It was one of the best purchases I ever made.  My babies are big boys, each over nine pounds at birth, and I was immediately able to use the Baby Bjorn.  It made shopping so much easier because the baby was so comfortable and secure.  It allowed me to have my hands free which is so important since I also had a toddler who needed constant attention.  The Baby Bjorn is comfortable and easy to use.  I wish I would have had it with my first.  I was sad when Ben outgrew it because I loved it so much.

Diaper Bags

 I've used several different diaper bags.  The first diaper bag I ever used was an Eddie Bauer from Target, very practical on price and design.  The next diaper bags we tried came from Pottery Barn Kids--the Ultimate Diaper Bag and the canvas diaper tote.  I still use the canvas diaper tote as a catch-all in the car.  I really liked the price and design of the Spark bags from Target, which are a cheaper version of Skip Hop, very functional and cute.  With my second baby we used an Allen Ave bag (Cevan Metro brown with orange airplane design) that was a gift at my baby shower.  It's pretty great as far as design and style.  It was my husband's fave.  Currently I'm using an OiOi bag.  It's well-made and with a cute pattern and color scheme.  Some of my friends love the Fleurville bags, and I'll have to admit they are pretty darn cute.

Diaper Pail
Baby Trend New Diaper Champ By: Baby Trend
I really like it because it uses regular trash bags and does a good job containing the smelly odor. I usually hang a Yankee candle car jar inside the Diaper Champ to help hide any unpleasant odors.

Advice Books and other useful resources
I found the book Baby Bargains to be very helpful.  I'd also suggest reading reviews on Amazon.com, Target and Babies R Us.  I've found them helpful in giving me an idea if I'll like the product or not.  The catalog and online store One Step Ahead has a great selection of useful items and baby gear. 

Just for fun you might want to check out www. http://mamabargains.com/ or www.babysteals.com/  I've found some really neat, affordable items on these websites. 

What baby gear did you find most useful? 

Please add anything that might be helpful.

Menu Swap Sunday Week One

Menu Swap Sunday Week One

My best friend, Angela, at Unexpected Elegance had the great idea of getting together a menu swap.  This is so helpful because I'm always looking for new things to add to our dinner routine.  I'll have to admit that Angela and I think alike because a few of her menu items are what I had in mind for the week.  Head over to Angela's blog to check out more menu ideas :)

Monday: 
Lemon Pepper Tilapia.  I buy a big package of Tilapia fillets at Sam's Club.  I take the fillets in their package and run it under warm water to help it thaw.  I put a few tablespoons of butter in a pan and place the Tilapia fillets in the frying pan.  While the Tilapia is in the pan I sprinkle on lemon pepper seasoning to taste.  When the fish is flaky you know it's ready.  It only takes a few minutes and everyone in my house loves this easy meal.  I like to serve it with salad.

Tuesday:
Taco Tuesdays.  It's my easy go-to meal.

Wednesday:
Pork Tenderloin.  I like to cook mine in the Crock Pot with a package of dry onion soup mix and a can of golden mushroom soup.  Serve with sweet potato fries.

Thursday:
Leftovers from Wednesday's meal

Friday:
Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

*The menu is a plan, but like any plan it is subject to change. I wish I were this organized and prepared, but sometimes I don't stick to the menu because life happens. I wouldn't want anyone to be overly impressed and think I'm always this prepared and industrious.

Big Brother

It finally happened!  I'm not sure when it took place, but Will has finally accepted his role as big brother.  And, he's a great big brother!  It's taken thirteen months for him to adjust and get to this point.  I'll share with you some of our ups and downs as we have made the adjustment.  I'm only speaking from the experience in our family. I don't want to freak out parents who are about to have another baby (not that anyone even reads this blog) but just know I'm only speaking from my personal experience. Many of my friends have had new babies and their children seem to adjust just fine.

Bringing a new sibling into the family naturally causes the family dynamic to change.  Change is hard for most people and it's especially hard if you are two and a half.  Will was two and a half when Ben was born, and he didn't really understand how his world was going to change.  He was the center of our universe since he was born.  Will acted like a typical two and half year old does.  He had his sweet, loving moments and his temper tantrums if he didn't get his way.  We did all of the things we thought you are supposed to do to prepare a child for a new sibling.  We read books about becoming a big brother and new babies.  We included him at some of the doctor visits.  He talked to the baby in my tummy and kissed my ever-expanding belly.  We didn't know what other things to do.  That's what most people I know do. 

When Ben was born, Will stayed with Mark's parents, Mamaw and Papaw.  They brought Will to the hospital the day Ben was born.  He never seemed really interested in wanting to hold the baby.  Honestly, we never encouraged it.  I was afraid when we took the baby home that Will would try to pick him up.  I've heard too many horror stories about older siblings getting in the crib with the tiny baby or actually carrying the baby.  I guess I shouldn't have been quite so nervous about all of that.  When Will was at the hospital he liked looking at Ben and he thought the new baby was funny, but mostly he was interested in the hospital room and the big brother presents he was given.  Will was really fascinated by the many hospital ID bracelets I had to wear one of which was an IV.  I told him to not pull on my "special bracelets".  I'm telling you this because Will told Mamaw and Papaw that he wanted to go to the hospital to see mommy and her "special bracelets" and they thought that he was being so sweet and said he wanted to go see mommy and the "special baby".  I'm afraid not!  That kind of sums it up; he was interested in everything but the new baby.

When we came home from the hospital Will seemed to adjust okay.  We tried to give him extra attention and make sure he had his special time with us.  Will was curious about Ben but overall still pretty indifferent.  I guess I should say it was a pretty tough summer because I was still dealing with Bell's Palsy,  and I had a c-section so it took a little extra time to recover.  With that being said, we didn't see Will really warm up to Ben the first several months.  Will has never been mean or aggressive toward his brother (which I'm so thankful for).  He's mostly uninterested.

I noticed the first signs of change in Will and Ben's interaction when Ben became more mobile.  When Ben started crawling things improved.  Will could interact with Ben and I wasn't afraid of Ben getting injured.  Things kept gradually improving. Will was more and more responsive to his little brother.  The boys would laugh and even play together.  Ben, of course, has taken to the role of little brother and is constantly getting into Will's toys. 

Now that Ben is a year and walking (more like running) everywhere and Will is three and a half years old, the boys are big buddies.  It's so much fun to see the boys play.  It was a rough first year, but I'll take a rough year for many years in the future of friendship between my boys.   The neatest change I've observed is how protective Will is of Ben.  He's constantly watching out for his little brother making sure he doesn't get hurt or wander away.   Will also has started calling Ben "My Little Benny."  Mark and I never call Ben "Benny", but how cute is it that Will has made up a nickname for Ben?  So precious!

I felt like sharing this because I'm so proud of Will, and to make others feel better if adding a new baby to the family hasn't been an easy transition .  I can relate.  Sometimes I feel like the mom you can relate to if you aren't perfect.  I have a lot of other blog posts just waiting to add to this topic, but that will be for another time.  Right now I'm going to be thankful for my two boys and the love they have for each other.



My precious boys, August 2009
Will is 2 1/2 and Ben is 10 weeks old

Photos taken by Lauren Wensel Neyra.

Having Fun And Making A Mess

The boys were in Will's room playing and having fun. The closet door was closed, and I could hear Will and Ben inside laughing and having a good time. Now I know why they were having so much fun.  Look at this mess. This might be a preview of what's to come in my future with two rambunctious little boys. 

A lot of messes but a lot of fun :)

Think About These Things

I'm at one of those places in my life where I need encouragement.  I can't think of a better place to find comfort than in God's word.  The below verse kept coming to mind and then that led me to the following verses.  Think about these things...

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

Faith
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith." Galatians 3:11 (ESV)

He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 (ESV)

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

Hope
My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. Psalm 119:81 (ESV)

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3:21-24 (ESV)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 (ESV)

He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 2 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV)

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

Love
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13 (ESV)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)

Happiness Is...

Happiness is watching my children play in the sprinkler.

I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to see my boys happy and playing. There's no better way to spend a hot summer day than in the backyard playing in the water. Spending time with my boys can make me forget about the cares of the world. This is my happy place.

What I Wore Wednesday Wk 2

What I Wore Wednesday Week 2

I'm back for week two! I'm linking up to one of my favorite blogs, The Pleated Poppy, for What I Wore Wednesday.

I've realized a few things from doing WIWW.

A lot of my clothes are from Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic (all related companies).

There are several reasons why I shop there so much.

I have a Gap credit, they have clothes for my entire family, and it's convenient to get affordable clothes for everyone in my family in one stop.

 

Now back to WIWW...

Sunday: Church

Dress: Gap outlet I love the ruffles and this dress is so comfortable. Sorry about the wrinkles. I took the photo after we came home from church.

Silver Sandals: Gap

Monday: Instead of having a date night with my hubs we had a date day. It worked better for childcare. It's so rare for us to have a date without the kiddos. We could actually carry on a conversation.

Black shirt: Ann Taylor LOFT

Gray skirt: J Crew outlet. I love the pockets. I bought this last year after I had my second baby. Thank goodness for the stretchy waist.

Necklace: ???

Black Sandals: Gap

Tuesday: Typical summer outfit for me. Helped my grandpa do his pacemaker check.

A close up just because he's a cutie :)

Shirt and white tank: Old Navy

Shorts: J Crew outlet

Shoes: TOMS from Whole Foods

Wednesday: Bible study/Church

Shirt: Gap

Jeans: Gap

Flip-flops: Liberty of London for Target

Thursday: Went to the hospital to visit a friend who had a new baby. New babies are so precious!

Tank: Target

White Bermuda Shorts: Gap outlet

Silver Sandals: Gap

Bracelets: H&M (I wish Texas had an H&M)

Ring: Sundance I dream about owning more things from here. This was a gift from my husband for my 30th birthday.

Friday: Took dinner to the friends who just had a new baby.

Shirt: Gap I really like the color. This shirt is a little less boring than my standard t-shirt.

Shorts: J Crew

Sandals: Ann Taylor LOFT

Saturday: Took the fam to the annual parade in our small town that celebrates the towns founding. It was so hot! Sorry about the blurry picture. I'm still learning to use my camera.

Navy Shirt: Gap

White Tank: Old Navy

Shorts: J Crew

Shoes: Simple from REI

I Made Something--A Simple Pillow

I made something today--a simple pillow. I haven't sat at a sewing machine in probably five years. All summer I've been planning on re-learning to sew. I grew up in a home where my grandmother was sewing something almost every day. My grandmother, Mama Winnie, was an expert seamstress. Boy, do I wish I would have paid closer attention and learned more when I had the opportunity. I guess that's the thing with missed opportunities, you don't really know it's important until it's too late. My dear grandmother is now in a nursing home in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. It's amazing how she could still remember to sew until just a few years ago. She forgot so many important things, but she still remembered how to sew. Sort of makes me teary-eyed to write about it. Now that I'm older and appreciate skills like sewing, I've found a wonderful teacher. It's not my dear grandmother, but another sweet friend, Mrs. G. Mrs. G is the school secretary where I'm a teacher. She is an excellent seamstress. She only sews for pleasure or for a favor to helpless, craft-challenged people like me. I can't tell you how many times she's hemmed pants for me (because my legs are freakishly short) and saved me so much money on alterations. Today I went to Mrs. G's house and she so patiently taught me some things about sewing. We made this pillow together. I can take credit for everything but the zipper. Zippers are tricky so I left that to the pro. Here's the finished product. I found the fabric on clearance at Hobby Lobby and the pillow insert is from Wal-Mart.

We Have A Picnic

Most small towns have an Old Settlers Day or Founders Day to commemorate the founding of the town. We have an annual picnic in the small town where I live. According to the Chamber of Commerce website The annual picnic has been a tradition since 1880, when settlers held a picnic on July 22 to celebrate the sale of the new town’s first lots. I grew up in a small town just seven miles away from where I live now and would visit the picnic every summer, but since I moved here (8 years ago!) I haven't attended the picnic. Today we decided to put the boys in the wagon and walk to the downtown square, which is paved with bricks--lots of character, and watch the parade.

I love the red wagon. Santa gave it to the boys for Christmas.


It was HOT!


Waiting for the parade to start.


Almost home!

For My Little All-Star

I love the thrill of finding a good deal. I was shopping in Sam's (Sam's Club) the other day and spotted this great deal. I'd been wanting a basketball goal for my little guy and didn't really want to pay $50-$75 for a new one. As I worked my way up and down the aisles in Sam's I spotted a sign that said $18.01 over this new basketball goal. I called my husband over to make sure I wasn't seeing things. This exact goal retails for at least $60 and some places more. So for $18.01 we purchased this brand new basketball goal. Finding this steal of a deal reminds me to always be on the lookout for a bargain because you never know when you'll find a great deal.





My Little All-Star

Happiness Is...

Happiness is cold watermelon on a hot day.

It's HOT in Texas. One of the most refreshing things you can enjoy on a hot, humid day is cold watermelon. I LOVE watermelon. Have you ever seen someone trying to select a watermelon in the store? Usually there's a lot of thumping involved. I don't know if that technique is effective or not, but I have a thump-free method that I use. Once I read that you should look for a yellow discolored area on the watermelon rind. This would be a sign that the watermelon had time to lay on the ground and ripen naturally. It's yellow where the watermelon was touching the ground. Ever since I read that I look for the yellow area when I'm selecting a watermelon. So far I've had good luck in choosing ones that are pretty tasty. Wish I could share some with you. It's delicious!

You can see the lighter green, yellowish color on the rind in this photo.




Refreshing!