Judith's Mama

This Moment

2011-07-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

(Last Week)

(This Week)

This Moment

2011-06-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

This Moment

2011-06-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

This Moment

2011-05-29T14:38:00.001-07:00

Judith's To Do List

2011-05-24T00:40:00.000-07:00

Today I was making up a big to-do list to try once again to start getting the house organized and de-cluttered. Of course Judith was orbiting me the entire time, as usual. Then she decided that she needed to come up with her own to-do list. She dictated her list to me and asked me to write it down. Here it is:

~Do an experiment with purple cabbage.

~Find out which things sink or float.

~Draw pictures that are THE BEST.

~Mommy have 10 more babies.

~Paint pictures that are also THE BEST.

~Draw a picture of our family.

~Make paper flowers.

~Paint a very cool picture that is purple with Gideon and Mommy.

~Make paper birdies.

~Learn about different birds and colour them.

~Make lots of new stuff.

~Make paper food.

~Dance with Tiergan another day.

~Make paper horses today and go ride real horses another day.

~Colour fishes and stuff.

~Catch and eat a gingerbread man. (<- That one had me in tears from laughing so hard!)

~Mix oil and water.

~Count the days until summer.

~Find out what is at the center of the earth, but don't touch it. Actually, let's just look it up on the internet.

~Draw a picture of My Little Pony and a frisbee.

~Play X's and O's.

She seriously came up with those things one right after another and I could barely keep up writing them down! The only reason she stopped was to play X's and O's with me right away, and then we never got back to her list.

It was too awesome not to post!

George Foreman Grill Cleaning Tip!

2011-05-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to receive a George Foreman grill as a wedding gift, almost 8 years ago. It has been a great little thing, and we have used it a lot. Even when we were vegan it was great for veggie burgers! The only thing I have always hated about it was cleaning it. It involved scraping off all the dried on bits, and then scrubbing it down. It generally took about 20 mins and was a huge pain in the butt. So much so, that it would often sit on the counter for days before I would get around to cleaning it.

Fast forward to this past Mother's Day. Dave was graciously cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes for me. It came time to do the George Foreman grill, and as any good nerd would, Dave ran to the computer to try and find an easier way to clean the thing. He found a site that gave him a "cleaning hack" for the grill, and voila! My life is now all the more worth living.

So, this is how it goes. Once you are finished using the grill, unplug it, and immediately get 3 or 4 squares of paper towel, layered on top of each other. Wet them, ring them out, and unfold them back out so they are back into their square shape. Then simply set them on the grill and close it. Enjoy your food while the grill cools.

Then simply open the grill (don't wait too long, an hour or so is fine), and use the paper towels to easily wipe off the grime. It does a surprisingly amazing job, with basically no effort! You don't need soap, and it's very gentle on the grill itself. Awesome! Yay for nerdy husbands!

This Moment

2011-05-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

This Moment

2011-05-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Mothers

2011-05-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

My own mother sent me this forward:

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
Are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
Filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough
Doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what
The vacuum just sucked up...

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
And get their answer when a little
Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

(I can provide photo evidence of all of the above!)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

This Moment

2011-05-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese

2011-05-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

When we decided to go gluten-free, this was one of my first missions. Just like when I got pregnant with Judith after being vegan for a while, this was my biggest craving. There's just something about mac and cheese! I tried a few recipes that were more complicated than this and turned out quite starchy. I just kind of threw this one together one day, and thought it wasn't bad!

First of all, get some gluten-free (ie rice) elbow pasta, and cook according to the directions. Rinse the noodles well and make sure there are no clumps after draining them when they are done, or they will all stick together and be a yucky, starchy, horrible mess.

While the pasta is cooking, throw this simple sauce together:

3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 tbsp arrowroot flour (you could try using less if you want it to be less starchy, but then the sauce won't be as thick)
1 tsp salt
Shot or two of hot sauce (optional)

In a small pot over med-low heat, melt the butter. Then add milk and wait a minute or two, stirring constantly, to allow it to warm up (do not ever let it boil!). Then add cheese, a little at a time, while whisking. Once the cheese is all melted and integrated (it takes several minutes, be patient and keep whisking), slowly sprinkle in the flour (you don't want it to clump), while continuing to whisk, and then add the salt and hot sauce (if you want).

When the noodles are ready, pour the sauce over top, mix, and voila! Mac and cheese without irritating your gut. Unless, of course, you have issues with milk. Sorry.

The cheese sauce is also wonderful served over steamed broccoli and cauliflower!

Judith decided to eat hers with ketchup instead of hot sauce. The other kids and I had ours just plain (pictured above). The kids ate it all up, when normally they leave half a bowl of the boxed mac and cheese, score!

This Moment

2011-04-29T14:31:00.001-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie (with Vegan Alternatives)

2011-04-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

You know, I don't think I ever had shepherd's pie growing up, and it still isn't my favourite. It's a brilliant meal for leftovers, but we always had dogs, so leftovers weren't really a part of our lifestyle.

However, now that we have a huge pet-void in our lives, leftovers abound. I'm still trying to figure out this weird phenomenon. But this idea of shepherd's pie has been a helpful first step.

The basic math of shepherd's pie involves leftover meat, leftover veggies, and leftover gravy mixed together and tossed in a casserole dish, topped with leftover mashed potatoes. Bake. Simple as... pie! Fricken genius.

Last night I only had leftover potatoes, though. So this is what I did:

(If you don't have mashed potatoes on hand, simply peel, chop and boil about 6, or more if you like, large potatoes for about 20 mins or until you can pierce the potatoes easily with a fork. Then drain the water and add some butter or margarine, a couple tablespoons worth or so. Also add milk, up to a cup or so. Any milk works: cow, soy, almond, rice, oat, that lonely bag of breastmilk in the back of your freezer... Ok, kidding on that one, haha. Or try coconut milk for a fun flavour! Add salt and pepper to taste. Use a potato masher or fork and make a beautiful creamy goop, and set aside.)

Ingredients

A Bunch of Mashed Potatoes
1 Medium Onion
2 tbsp Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil)
1 lb Ground Turkey (or chicken, beef, bison, venison, soy, lentils, WHATEVER)
4 tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro *see below recipe for herb & spice alternatives
2+ Cloves of Garlic crushed and minced
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Turmeric
2 cups Turkey Broth (or chicken, beef, veggie)
3 tbsp Arrowroot Flour
2-3 cups Chopped Veggies (the original recipe called for peas, carrots and red peppers. I used peas, carrots, celery, green pepper and tomatoes. Feel free to use anything! I bet mushrooms and leeks would be great!)
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Make potatoes if none on hand. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Chop onion and put into a large pan with oil over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until a few onions just start to brown a little around the edges.

3. Add meat to the pan and cook until browned, stirring often. If using lentils or other beans, mix in and continue with recipe right away.

4. Add cilantro, garlic, and spices. Cook 2-3 mins, stirring often.

5. Add broth, flour, and veggies. Bring to a boil in the pan and cook 5-6 mins, or until liquid is thickened.

6. Transfer the pan contents into a greased casserole dish. Top with potatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

7. Bake 45 minutes, then let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

*Instead of cilantro, you can try using fresh parsley. And then substitute the chili powder, paprika and turmeric for 1 tsp rosemary and 1 tsp oregano.

This is Why I'll Never be an Adult

2011-04-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

I've posted this on Facebook before, but I came across it again, and in light of my recent cleaning and organizing attempts, it seems appropriate. And hilarious.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html

It pretty much sums everything up.

This Moment

2011-04-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

I See a Light at the End of This Tunnel!

2011-04-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

Only one more day of this no Facebook crap!

I have learned a few things:

1. I suck at housework.

2. That's ok, I don't really care in the end.

3. People can love and accept me despite my flaws.

4. It's not the end of the world if I don't know what's going on with everyone.

5. It's nice to take a few moments now and then to spend with my thoughts instead of always going to the computer.

6. BUT the house gets trashed the same whether I'm on the computer or not.

7. I hate snow.

8. Ok, fine, I do miss Facebook a lot and feel totally out of the loop.

9. I WANT TO SEE ALL THE NEW BABIES!!!

10. Next year I should give up something else.

I didn't stick with my exercising or purging, although I did make headway. To be honest, there were many days where I felt so horrible that just making it to bed time was a huge victory. There were also many good days. I think it was more important to be kind to myself than to force myself to keep up with my goals. The house will get done eventually, as long as I don't give up completely. And I have been watching Dr Who a lot lately, which makes me want to take up running. I think I might actually enjoy that. The gluten-free diet has been a huge success though, as I mentioned before. It was easy to keep up with that once we saw the results.

There are other, more deep and thoughtful things that have been going on with me since I've been disconnected, but that can probably wait. I still have some things to sort out first, I think. I feel like some big changes need to come very soon. There have been plenty of good discussions going on about these things which is exciting.

Here is a pic from today.

A little Ruthie foot print. It gives me hope for warmer days ahead. It was only 5 degrees (41F) out, but since we are stuck in the winter-that-never-ends it seemed warm, especially since the sun was finally out, so Ruthie insisted on playing outside and running through the puddles barefoot.

Chili

2011-04-18T13:37:00.001-07:00

I'm honestly not a huge chili fan, but Dave really likes it so I make it every so often.

(Sorry the photo is so bad, I have had no desire to put any effort into my photos lately, it's sad.)

Here is the recipe I use:

In a medium to large cast iron Dutch oven (or a large pot could work) over medium heat, saute 1 medium diced onion in olive oil for a few minutes.

Add 1 lb of ground meat or meat alternative and 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tbsp dried parsley). Cover and let cook until all meat is browned, stirring occasionally.

Then add:

1 15oz can of beans (Pinto, Kidney, Mixed, whatever...) drained and rinsed.
1 28oz can of peeled whole tomatoes, dump tomatoes and liquid into the pot.
1 5.5oz can of tomato paste.
1 tbsp chili powder.
1/2 tsp cumin.
1/2 tsp paprika.
Salt and Pepper to taste (I use garlic salt).

Mix well, and try to mash up the tomatoes as best you can.

Then add whatever veggies you like. I usually add a handful of frozen corn, a handful of frozen peas, a handful of sliced mushrooms, and a handful of sliced carrots. Sometimes even a handful or two of baby spinach. I'm not sure if any or all of those are truly "chili-worthy" but I live way up north so as if I'd know. Zucchini might be nice too.

Mix well, cover, and simmer on low heat for 1 hour (but make sure it's still bubbling a bit).

Add 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro (or 2 tsp dried), mix well and serve with fresh, home-made bread! A salad or some kind of fresh veggie side would be good too.

This Moment

2011-04-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

This Moment

2011-04-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Lamb Chops (and bonus lamb burger recipe!)

2011-04-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Dave and I have only recently discovered how wonderful lamb is.

I have blogged before about using ground lamb in lasagna - http://judithsmama.blogspot.com/2011/01/mediterranean-lasagna.html and I have also made really yummy lamb burgers (1lb ground lamb, 1 egg, handful of bread crumbs, 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot, splash or two of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp or so (I never measure) each of garlic salt and parsley, about 1/2 tsp rosemary, and a few shakes of pepper. Mix well and form into patties, grill, and serve topped with feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives and Greek dressing on foccacia buns!).

So I decided to be adventurous one day and try lamb chops. I got a recipe from the internet (I forget where, sorry) and it was DE-LISH. I must share.

Lamb Chops

3-4 average-sized lamb chops

1/4 cup fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 cup fresh mint (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 cup fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots (or 1 small onion chopped plus a couple cloves of garlic crushed)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken or veggie broth

2 tbsp butter

1. Chop herbs if fresh. Mix herbs, salt & pepper together in a small bowl. Rub into meat (make sure that everything is evenly dispersed over meat). Set aside for 15 minutes to absorb flavour.

2. With a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and lamb chops and cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet but keep warm.

3. Add shallots to skillet until browned, then stir in broth and vinegar. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until sauce is reduced by half. Remove skillet from heat, add butter and mix until melted.

4. Pour sauce over chops and serve!

It is a really quick and easy meal for me, and I was actually quite surprised at how yummy it is! We are having it for dinner tonight and I am so excited!

Confession

2011-04-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

I miss Facebook.

There, I said it.

The first couple weeks were great, but now I just feel disconnected. I should have made sure to get people's contact info before I left Facebook, I can't believe how much I rely on it for communication. And there are so many times, like today, where I am bored and exhausted and just want to waste time reading everyone's musings and ignoring my own crap. *sigh*

Is Lent over on Good Friday or Easter Sunday? I can't remember. This is only my second year doing Lent. Maybe next year I will pick something else to give up...

Tomorrow was supposed to be the last day of my 30 Day Shred & Purge. I have done the Shred 3 times, plus I worked out with a friend once. Boo. I also didn't purge according to my plan after the first few days. Although I did get a lot done. I still have a lot to go. It seems to go in spurts. Some days I do nothing, and other days I do a ton. I guess I can just be happy for what I have accomplished, and continue on. I love making plans for stuff, but just suck at following through. It's like my subconscious always wants to rebel against what I decide consciously...

Gluten-free (GF) has been a huge success! Dave has decided to be GF permanently, as it has helped him a lot. He no longer craves sugar like he used to, and actually has energy when he is home. Gluten doesn't seem to affect me as much, but I did eat healthier overall while eating GF, so I am going to stick with it for the most part. At least I know I can have a bagel now and then and it won't bother me. =) GF hasn't been as hard as we anticipated either. I make most of our food from scratch anyway, and it's mostly packaged and processed foods that contain gluten. We also found a local place to buy authentic corn tortillas, and a new gluten-free marketplace just opened up right by our house! We haven't checked it out yet, but it's exciting and great timing.

Well, that's my update, I guess. I miss everyone. =(

Ice Cream Cake

2011-04-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling super blah lately, so I needed a fun little project. Since Gideon's birthday was coming up, and we now have an ice cream maker, I decided to venture out and attempt to make an ice cream cake from scratch. It was really exciting, not to mention delicious, and helped to distract me from the fact that the weather seems to have missed the memo that it's actually Spring now.

Gideon's party was set for Sunday night, so I had to start on Thursday night.

First I found a large bucket to use as a mold. I could have bought a huge pan, but I like to be more resourceful (ok, cheap) than that. The one I used was 2.5 Imp. Gal. (whatever that means, but that's what it says on the bottom of the bucket), it is the bucket that contained the 15kg of honey we went through in the last 6 months.

So, Thursday night I made up a batch of vanilla ice cream. I use the Kitchen Aid stand mixer ice cream maker attachment, and used the recipe from the booklet. You have to make up the mixture and then chill it for 8 hours in the fridge before putting it in the ice cream maker, so that is a big part of the reason that I had to start early and have a plan. Your ice cream maker may be different, so follow its instructions. Or, you could always just buy ice cream, let it soften a bit, and then use that. But what fun would that be?

The vanilla ice cream recipe calls for:

2 1/2 cups of half & half. In a medium to large pot, cook on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steamy but not boiling. Then remove from heat and set aside.

8 egg yolks (the kids enjoyed scrambled egg whites for breakfast the next day!) and 1 cup sugar. Mix together with stand mixer and wire whip attachment on speed 1 for about 30 seconds. Slowly add the half & half. Once all integrated, turn off mixer and transfer everything back to pot and put back on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steamy and a few large bubbles form, but DO NOT boil.

Add 2 1/2 cups whipping cream, 4 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, then refrigerate (you can transfer mix to a container, but I was lazy and just covered the pot and put it in the fridge) for at least 8 hours.

Friday morning, I made up the ice cream in the ice cream maker.

I sprayed the inside of the bucket down with canola oil cooking spray (you could use whatever you want to grease it up), and lined it with waxed paper. I traced the bottom of the bucket on the waxed paper and cut out the circle so that it fit snugly, and then lined the walls. The oil helped to hold the waxed paper in place. It worked magnificently and I felt like a genius!

When the ice cream was ready, I poured it in the bucket. I also added the chocolate fudge sauce and Oreo crumbs at this point, but that ended up being bad, don't do that. A bunch of the fudge leaked through to the bottom of the cake, and it all ended up sticking to the wax paper and was a huge pain in the butt to scrape off later. So, just put the ice cream in the bucket, cover with waxed paper and put in the freezer to set (minimum 4 hours).

Friday night I made up the chocolate ice cream mixture. The chocolate ice cream recipe calls for:

2 cups half & half, heat same as before and set aside.

Heat 1/2 cup whipping cream in a small pot over medium heat with 2 squares of unsweetened baker's chocolate, and 2 squares of semi-sweet baker's chocolate. Mix constantly until all chocolate is melted, remove from heat and set aside.

Same as before, mix 8 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar PLUS 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder with stand mixer and wire whip attachment on speed 1, for about 30 seconds or until all mixed.

Slowly add chocolate mixture, and then half & half to the mixer bowl. Once everything is mixed well transfer back to the larger pot and cook as before, until steamy but not boiling, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, add 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 4 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Saturday morning the girls and I made up the chocolate ice cream in the ice cream maker. Next time I do this, this will be the point when I make up the chocolate fudge sauce.

The fudge sauce recipe calls for:

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk, 4 squares semi-sweet baker's chocolate (broken apart for easier melting), 2 tbsp butter. Combine together in a small pot over medium heat while stirring constantly. Remove from heat once everything is melted and integrated, and then mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Set aside.

I suggest making up the fudge before putting the ice cream in the ice cream maker, so the fudge has time to cool (but DO NOT refrigerate).

Once chocolate ice cream is ready, take out the bucket from the freezer and pour the chocolate fudge over the set vanilla ice cream. Then sprinkle on Oreo cookie crumbs (just enough to cover the fudge, I used way too much and then the cake was all crumbly when I cut it). Then add chocolate ice cream on top, smooth it out and cover with wax paper and return to the freezer. You want to do this all quite quickly so the ice cream doesn't melt!

(As you can see, I did it backwards, and FYI it was not good. Well, it still turned out well and was yummy, but there was more swearing involved than I would have liked. Trying to remove the fudge from the wax paper and then spread it back out was not fun.)

Cover with waxed paper and freeze for at least 4 hours so the chocolate ice cream can set. We left it overnight.

Then Sunday morning we made up some whipped cream for the icing.

Using the stand mixer and wire whip on speed 2, whip some whipping cream (I used a whole 1L carton, but it made a ton so you could use less depending on how much you want. A good idea would be to buy 2L of whipping cream for the whole project, and just use whatever is leftover for the whipping cream.) until it starts to thicken. It can take a long time, so be patient, it WILL work eventually, I promise! Once it starts to thicken, add some icing sugar. I used about 1 cup or so, but just add a little at a time while it is mixing and then taste to see if it's right yet. I also added probably 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract, but again, add to taste. I don't generally measure stuff unless I have to. Continue to whip until there are stiff peaks.

Take out the bucket from the freezer, and carefully remove the cake. I first went around it with a knife, between the bucket and the waxed paper.

Then Dave, Judith and I put our hands on it for a minute to warm it up a little.

Dave then picked up the bucket and dropped it down on a large cutting board (you could also use a pan or something, as long as it's big enough to support all of the cake), and out it came.

He carefully removed all the waxed paper, and then I quickly iced the cake with the whipped cream. It was melting quite rapidly, even though it wasn't very warm in the house, so I rushed it back to the freezer on the cutting board.

Then I added some sprinkles on top, as per Judith's request.

It stayed in the freezer for several hours to let the whipped cream firm up. Then when it was party time, it was ready for eating!

It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't exactly cheap or simple either, but it was DELICIOUS!!! Totally worth it and I am so proud of myself! It was much better than a DQ cake for sure!

I still have half of it left if anyone wants to come over today (Tuesday) and help us eat it. ;)

I am also fully intending to make another ice cream cake, possibly with coffee ice cream and chocolate ice cream, for my birthday in June. I can't wait!

*Sorry that the photos aren't great quality and the writing can be hard to follow, but I'm too tired to fix it right now. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask!

Basically, you just do a layer of ice cream, a layer of fudge sauce (I'm sure you could even just buy a fudge sauce if that's easier!), a layer of Oreo crumbs, and another layer of ice cream. Then top with whipped cream. The end.

Here is the complete shopping list, if that helps:

4 1/2 cups Half & Half
Approx 2L (or 8 cups) Whipping Cream
1 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
16 Egg Yolks
2 cups Sugar
Approx 1 cup Icing Sugar
Box of Oreo Cookie Crumbs
1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 squares Unsweetened Baker's Chocolate
6 squares Semi-sweet Baker's Chocolate
2 tbsp Butter
9 tsp + 1 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract (yeah, that's a lot)
2 pinches of Kosher Salt (or any salt, I just like Kosher)
Sprinkles or Other Decorations
Waxed Paper
Cooking Spray

Equipment:

Large Deep Baking Pan or Bucket
Large Cutting Board or Strong Cookie Sheet
Stand Mixer with Wire Whip
Ice Cream Maker
Large and Small Pots
Stove Top
Freezer with lots of Space (preferably a Deep Freeze)
Spoons and Spatulas/Scrapers
Butter Knife and Large Knife
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Helpful Husband and Children (optional)

(My clean up crew)

I know after all that, you're just going to ask me to make you one though, right? ;)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Gideon!

2011-04-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little man is 3!

Here is his birth story, in case you haven't read it, or would like a refresher. =)

http://judithsmama.blogspot.com/2008/09/gideons-birth-story.html

Gideon is my sensitive child. He can be intense at times, but he also loves deeply and it's so sweet. He likes things to be "just right". He has excellent pitch, and we think he will have a talent for music. He loves animals, I hope we can get him a pet some day. He also loves the computer, and of course trains and cars and monster trucks. He has excellent fine motor skills, and loves to draw, although he can't catch or throw a ball to save his life. He just may end up being a nerd like his parents. He loves and idolizes his big sister, and often is sweet to his little sister (other times not so much). He loves life and is easily excited, is adorable beyond words, and I am SO blessed to be his mama!

I love you Gideon, happy birthday!

This Moment

2011-04-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

I Love This

2011-03-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

I love how this video was done! It makes me wish so badly that I had Ruthie's birth on video. I definitely need a photographer at my next birth! Not that I am planning to have a baby any time soon, definitely not. But some year...

EDIT - Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoSjlDaO2yw because it doesn't seem to show up properly on my blog...

Ouch

2011-03-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

I have been kind of wiped out by an ear infection since Friday night. It was the first one I've ever had. Seriously, I totally sympathize with babies now, they are BRUTAL! The pain and pressure is gone now, but there is still an intense ringing that is driving me completely bonkers. Especially when the kids talk or scream, it resonates really weird in my ear and sounds awful. This whole weekend was kind of a blur, I hope it gets better soon so I don't go completely crazy. I am heading out to the Dr soon to see if it is better or if there is any damage. Seriously, it really sucks. And obviously nothing was done with the house this weekend...

But anyway, just for fun, and in case anyone misses me on Facebook, here are some photos.

These were taken first thing in the morning, on Friday I believe.

Hahahaha, Ruthie thinks she's so cool. =)

This Moment

2011-03-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Progress

2011-03-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

I did a lot of work yesterday! The basement and living room are both beautiful right now. Today I have to do the kitchen and bathrooms and then this house will be back in business! Well, upstairs still needs to be tidied, and I need to sort through/purge mountains of clothing of various sizes, but that will come. At least my house looks normal now, and is visitor-friendly. It's almost eerie! I forgot to mention in my last post that I also finally got around to disinfecting the whole house and washing all of the walls and everything. I had been meaning to do that since the kids got over the pox, and it feels good to finally have that done!

I got rid of an entire garbage bag full of stuff yesterday too. I probably purged over 150 items in the last 4 days alone! But I will keep going. I am going to peg myself as on track with the Purge. So today would be Day 16. As far as the Shred, I am GOING to do it for 30 days! Even if it takes me until June to do it 30 times! Today is Day 3... I know, shameful. But whatever. I need to learn to not stress about what I haven't gotten done, and just focus on right now and what I can do in the present.

I know that this entire thing hasn't really gone as planned, but I'm rolling with it. I feel like I am pulling myself out of a deep, dark pit. In so many ways. This winter was pretty hard on me mentally/emotionally/spiritually, and that was reflected in my house, as it always seems to go with me. But I feel like as I am finally getting things cleaned and organized and sorted, the same thing is happening inside of me. It's kind of a circular thing. If my house is a disaster, it gets me down, which makes it so hard to try and get myself and my house organized again. But now that things are orderly and look nice, I feel more capable of continuing with my work. It probably sounds silly to those of you who are naturally organized, or are clean-freaks, but I know a lot of you out there can also relate to me! Some days, just getting out of bed is a victory for me, honestly. So I am super proud of myself right now that I have made such progress in the last few days. I hope I can continue! It's nice when things are in order, it's easier for the kids to do stuff (they are painting right now). I feel more inspired as well, and not burdened under the weight of all the things I *need* to do and how shameful everything is.

Random Fact: It is 4310 Kms from my city to Kaffeklubben Island, which is the closest bit of land to the North Pole. In case you were wondering, as Judith was.

It's a New Day

2011-03-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Just checking in to give a quick update. We had a very busy weekend working on the house. We rearranged a lot of stuff, and it looks great! We moved the bookshelves/craft cupboards to the landing on the stairs, which will hopefully help keep the living room free of all the little bits that seem to always surround the cupboards. The living room is a lot more open now too. We hope that it will help Judith to learn to just take 1 thing out at a time, and put it away before getting something new, since it's kind of separated from the work space now. I also completely organized everything in the cupboards, which was quite the ordeal, but now it's all in order and things aren't spilling out anymore. I got rid of a garbage bag full of stuff too, which I think makes up for my week of slacking... I hadn't even looked in the cupboards for probably a year, I always get Judith to put her own stuff away, and she has learned the fine art of shoving stuff in and quickly closing the doors. She learned that from me, though, so I need to stop doing that before I can expect her to.

Once we get the house all in order again (it's almost there, which is super exciting!), I'm thinking of having a family meeting and coming up with some basic rules. I'm not a huge fan of lots of rules, or being The Enforcer, but I think a few standards that we can all agree on would be helpful. Right now our basic rules are No Food in the Basement and No Feet or Bums on the Tables/Counters. Judith seems to obey those just fine, and with the others I have to watch them and make sure because they don't really understand yet. I want to start tidying up before bed, and getting the kids to put their own stuff away all the time (toys, crafts, dishes, etc). I should probably make a rule that food stays at the table too, not in the living room or at the computer. That would probably be helpful for my carpets. The kids always willingly help with chores because they think it's fun, so I don't want to put rules in that area which would probably wreck it. Bed time is never an issue too because it's routine and consistent.

Are there any other rules/routines that you have found to be helpful?

Now that the weather is nicer I feel like I have more energy and ability to have more control over my life. I just want to have some more order, so that there is less work for me, and my brain (and therefore my house) is less cluttered and chaotic.

This Moment

2011-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Another Failure Success Story

2011-03-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

I attempted to take Gideon to his swim class on Sunday. It was a big fail. I should have known better, really. He has never liked swimming, and the pool usually freaks him out (he likes lakes better, but even so, he doesn't like going in the water he just likes playing on the beach). I think all the noise bothers him. Even in the change room he was screaming like I was ripping off his toe nails or something. Simply because he didn't like his socks being off. I remember a time when he refused to wear socks, when he was little. Then last winter something flipped a switch in his head and he realized socks = warm, and ever since then he has been very pro-socks. Now to the point where he will not go sockless, even in bed he MUST have socks on (and the world ends if one of his socks gets twisted!). I also realized when we were in the change room that Gideon was not going to be able to take his Blankie in the pool (duh), and that was probably going to be an issue too.

I was really patient and super gentle and tried to coax him into letting me put his swim suit on him. No dice. So then I just started doing it, I had sacrificed my sleep and got up early and got him ready and out on time (despite daylight savings!), so I wanted to at least try. But it was just bad. I took him out and let him see the pool (with his Blankie), I thought maybe he would change his mind, but no, he didn't want to be near there at all. He even calmed down for a while and looked out over the pool, and I pointed out the kids having fun, and the toys, and how he could splash and play. He paused for a moment and thought about it, then calmly said "No, I want to go back to the van." I knew it would be a bad idea to force him, so we just went back and got changed and left.

He was very happy to get his socks back on, and then he was good to go! I took him to the observation area by the pool, and we watched the kids swim and play, and even watched his own class for a while, but he still DID NOT want to go in there. So I guess that's that. I really really should have known, I feel kind of stupid now. That's a total waste of $44. I think I just signed him up because I felt bad that Judith has been to so many classes, and even Ruthie has been to swimming classes with me, but he never has. Obviously there is a reason I never took him!

I have taken him swimming at the pool a couple times with Judith (before and while I was pregnant with Ruthie), and he didn't scream those times, but he did cling to me. I guess now that he's older he can fight me a bit more, and before I could nurse him in the pool, but of course now he's more attached to Blankie, who can't come too. Maybe he would be ok if Judith was there, but obviously she can't come to his class.

The only thing I am really upset about is the money. I know it was an honest mistake, and I'm trying to learn to embrace failure as an opportunity to learn, but I don't like when it costs us financially. I will call and cancel if I can, but I doubt I will get any money back. I really do want to do something special with Gideon, I feel like he gets shafted a lot. I just wish I would have been smart enough to sign him up for a music class or something instead. Something sock-friendly.

Anyway, after our big ordeal, we left the pool. I was super calm the whole time, I'm surprised that I didn't get angry or frustrated at all despite my lack of sleep the night before. I think it's just that I understand Gideon, I just finished reading The Highly Sensitive Child, and it not only helped me with Gideon, but also showed me so much about myself, as I am definitely highly sensitive too. It really validated me, and also reaffirmed what I have been doing with Gideon all along instinctively. I don't feel guilty about "coddling" him anymore, I am just being sensitive to his sensitivity. Hopefully I can teach him to manage his intense emotions and navigate through all of the overwhelming things in life instead of just shutting down all the time like I do.

I knew it was the best decision, even though I was upset with myself for wasting money. I didn't really want to leave, though, since it took so much work to get there. Then I remembered that there are always a lot of school buses parked out back, so we went and checked those out. Gideon was really excited. We have been watching episodes of The Magic School Bus from the library, and Gideon has started to notice and love school buses when we are out. He was thrilled to run up to a big bus, the wheel was bigger than him!

After that we went to a park and he played for a little while. He really wanted to go on the big slide, but had to go across these "treacherous" steps to get there. He wanted to give up right away (like me when I have to try something new), but I held his hand, and he did it! Then he went down the slide and loved it, and climbed back up with confidence, but then when he got to the top of the slide the second time I think he realized how high it was, and he started to freak out. I couldn't reach him, he was too high, so I put my hand up and coaxed him to sit and come down the slide. He had to push off before he would reach my hand, so it took some courage, but he did it! He caught my hand as he was sliding (it was a super slow slide, and he had done it before just fine, but his feelings of fear were valid and I wasn't going to belittle him), and then he was so proud of himself! That was definitely a better lesson for him than if I would have forced him into the pool. If I would have forced him in the water, it probably would have done a lot more damage than good. Not to mention how difficult his screaming would have been for me and annoying for everyone else. I honestly don't really care what the other parents thought of me, even in the change room when he was apparently dying. But still, I wasn't going to push it. I'm really proud of myself for staying calm, trying my best, and then making a wise decision.

Failure

2011-03-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

So... normally I am really good at keeping my word and doing what I set out to do, once I make the effort to set out, of course. It's that initial effort I usually lack. Anyway, I have been excellent with my fasts. I haven't touched facebook in a week, and I don't even miss it. I like focusing on the everyday life of my family, without everyone else I know's lives on top of that (no offense). We are also doing really well with the gluten-free diet. We decided not to fast sugar completely, I need honey in my coffee, but to limit it and only use natural sugars (you know, besides the box of chocolate covered almonds I ate the other day, but it was for a good cause! And gluten-free!). When we do our re-introduction-to-gluten test we will not consume any sugar, as to not interfere with the possible symptoms.

Everything else has basically failed. It seems like I am better at giving up stuff, than actually doing stuff. Well, I've kept up with my laundry as usual, as if I even needed to say that. And some of my cleaning. Just not the floors, STILL. I actually plan on doing that today, though. I managed to get the kitchen clean yesterday, so hopefully that momentum will carry on to today. This morning when I looked out the window it was snowing, so that means it's a great day for staying in. =) I heard it was supposed to turn to rain, which would be wonderful. I've been craving rain lately. I don't normally like the rain, unless it's in Australia, so that's kind of odd. But maybe I am just so sick of the snow that other forms of precipitation would be most welcome. It would wash the snow away, and bring that wonderful Spring smell! Judith and I have been counting down the sleeps until it is officially Spring! You know the winter has been rough when even Judith, my snow-lover, can't wait for it to be over!

I haven't done the Shred or the Purge since I last posted. I think I might just start over with those. At day 4 or whatever I was at. I've got lots of time I guess, Lent is more than 30 days anyway. I'd rather start over than give up completely!

On a semi-related note, I have been reading The Continuum Concept, which has been really eye-opening. I find I often read books at just the right time in my life, and I really do feel like God had this one for me right now. I know my problem with cleaning, and everything in general that I struggle with, stems from emotional issues. Like really, how hard would it be to just clean up? Ok, I have 3 kids age 5 and under, so it's pretty hard to keep up, but still. I seem to have all of these hurdles in my head. The book is helping me a lot to understand some of these hurdles. It's actually kind of a tough read emotionally. It's hard to start to see why our culture is the way it is, and it breaks my heart for everyone. I see the same issues in my kids, which I have always known deep down were "wrong", but were told that they were normal. It's hard not to feel guilty, I feel like I should, but really I don't. And I'm not interested in blaming anyone either. I'm just satisfied in having some information that backs up what I have felt instinctively all along. And THAT gives me hope. I know if my instincts are still intact, and merely just buried under all of the social intellectual garbage I have been fed, that they can be resurrected in me and our society. I feel like I have a lot of de-cluttering to do in my heart and my head, as well as my house. I also recently read Hold on to Your Kids, The Highly Sensitive Child, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, The Mood Cure, and Unconditional Parenting. All of these had the same effect. I feel like God is giving me these tools so I can piece together the roots of the issues I struggle with, so I can heal and move on. I read all of these books in the hope that I could help others, especially my kids. But in reality, it has helped me with myself the most. I highly recommend these books to everyone, they have been a really helpful part of my personal journey. At the same time, I think part of my problem is that with this new information has come a season of grieving for me. But I know that is important and necessary. Once those emotions are purged, I will be able to move on with more clarity and intention than before. Just as my life will hopefully be a lot smoother and more organized once I have purged the clutter from my house.

I really didn't intend to write that last paragraph, but it just kind of came to me, and I'm glad I got it out! I love writing, it helps me so much. I need to start writing more (you know, besides all of the huge comments I always leave on Facebook and in forums!). I will keep everyone posted with my progress, I intend to start Shredding and Purging today!

Also - Don't forget to check out my new blog http://cyclopschicken.blogspot.com I can't get it to import to Facebook until I am back on Facebook at the end of April, so you will have to actually GO THERE to check out what hilarity the kids are up to. I also made the kids new tickers for that site and I love them!

She Knows What She Wants

2011-03-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a great birth video I was watching the other day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgb7AL7kFbg
The midwife didn't make it in time, and the baby needed resuscitation, but mom knew what to do and everything was fine.

Judith heard the grunting and came running downstairs. She stopped at the landing and asked "What is that noise?" (She knew what it was though)

I said it was a birth video, and then she ran the rest of the way down and looked very eagerly around the corner to see the screen. Then she said "Phew! There's a tub. I was scared that she wouldn't be in water. I am definitely having my babies ın water." Then we sat and watched it together. =)

Days 2 & 3

2011-03-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

Oh my, I'm falling behind already! I have to admit, Day 2 was kind of a fail. It was my last day on Facebook and I took full advantage of that. I did do my daily laundry, come hell or high water I seem to be able to keep up with that. Laundry is proof that schedules help me. I have had the same laundry schedule since we moved to this house over a year ago (I do 2-3 loads every week day, doing different things each day), and it's rare that I fall behind. The schedule has become second-nature and it's really helpful. I'm trying hard to get my basic chore schedule to be the same. My love for laundry is genetic, though, my grandma is the same way. =) If only I loved doing the dishes and tidying up! I don't get a lot of pride or satisfaction from having a clean house, I kind of don't care either way, so that doesn't help.

So Day 2 I did laundry and that's it. I was supposed to vacuum the main floor, which would take about 15-20 minutes if I didn't have to tidy up first. But it's really bad right now, and tidying up would take forever, so I kind of just avoid it all. Maybe today I will get Judith to help me and we'll get it done. It's today's chore too, I honestly should vacuum every day, but my still-lofty-yet-more-realistic goal is every Sun/Tues/Thurs. It's just discouraging that it takes so much work, but doesn't last. I should probably make a no-food-in-the-living-room rule, but it would be hard for ME to obey that, let alone the kids. There is carpet in the dining area anyway, which is the dumbest idea ever when you have kids, IMO. Back when we got this place I thought of getting a big area rug. I had no success with freecycle, and new/used ones seemed too expensive, so I gave up. Now in retrospect, the cost of a used rug probably would have been less than what it may cost us to get the carpets cleaned, but there isn't much I can do now. The carpet is full of all kinds of stains... yogurt, tomato sauce, coffee, hot chocolate, paint, paint water, play dough. Mushed in bananas are the worst. I usually put some dish soap and water on a scrub brush and do my best to get it out, but you can still see them. The carpet has also been vomited on twice, which baking soda and vinegar is good for. And then I actually used a carpet cleaner machine thing for those. It really makes me miss the laminate we had in our old apartment! If I ever own a house, I know for sure that there will be NO CARPETING.

Day 3 was better. I cleaned the bathrooms and even washed the front window which had a beautiful yogurt mural smeared across it. I tidied up the kitchen counters quite a bit and washed the pots and pans that were piling up. I did my laundry as usual. I had everyone dressed first thing in the morning (usually that doesn't happen until noon or so), and I even wore a skirt! Oh, and I made my new blog, and caught up with all of the blogs in my Google reader and on Xanga. Hm, I guess it does make a difference when I'm not on Facebook!

All 3 kids and I did the Shred at 8pm. Dave was out at his computer class. The kids were hilarious and adorable, maybe I will try to get it on video some day when *I* am a little more fit so it isn't so embarrassing for me. Judith did the whole thing with me, Gideon jumped around, and Ruthie mostly spun in circles with her hands up. It was great.

I got back on track with my purging, I got rid of 10 things to make up for the previous day.

1. Broken 18L water bottle - Recycle
2. Glass storage jar with a broken latch - Recycle
3. Dead flowers from a while ago - Tossed Outside
4. Bucket full of random plastic bits that aren't useful - Recycle
5. Water dispenser jug - Donate
6. Oil burner - Donate
7. Ugly plastic covered serving platter - Donate
8. Vegan cookbooks - In a box to send to a friend
9. Other cookbooks I never use - Donate
10 Broken car seat toy - Trash

I haven't done anything yet today. I had a crappy night, yet again, and am trying to muster up some motivation to get at my stuff. I'll post back later if and when I get things done. Thanks for following my journey!

New Blog!

2011-03-09T13:12:00.001-08:00

Don't worry, I am still keeping this one too. But this one is going to be for my thoughts on parenting and stuff (STUFF! I love stuff!).

I am creating a new blog where I can post all of the hilarious things that the kids say and do. Mostly because I want to have them all saved somewhere for future blackmail purposes. I mean... for the sake of the memories. I know that some of my readers enjoy these too, so here you go: http://cyclopschicken.blogspot.com/ Go check it out, and subscribe! I am still working on the site, but will try to post every day or so. Enjoy!

Day 1

2011-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

Today Judith and I did the Shred at 4:00. My arms are jelly. My butt and legs are ok, I guess all those stairs do help. But seriously, I can hardly even pick up Ruthie! And the cardio killed me too, I actually had to stop a couple times, and normally I'm pretty good at pushing myself. I think it may have to do with the fact that between Gideon and Ruthie, I was up most of the night. It was a two-coffee morning!

I purged:

- A magnetic board (it's totally bent and all of the magnets have gone missing/drove me nuts anyway). TRASH

- A broken stick horse. TRASH

- A home made pillow (made from scrap materials) that didn't turn out well. TRASH

- A broken butterfly net. TRASH

- A plush banana from Calaway Park. DONATE

Laundry is done, and my chore will be done after the kids go to bed (assembling and putting out all the garbage and recycling).

I also talked to my mom on Skype, and took Gideon out and got his hair cut today. And Judith has told me that we are making cupcakes after dinner.

I'd say that Day 1 = Success.

March Madness: A Quest for Sanity

2011-03-06T15:48:00.001-08:00

Hahaha, I just came up with that off the top of my head.

Basically, I have realized as of late that I need to at least attempt to regain control over my life. Things have been a little rough lately. I think most of it just has to do with this merciless winter (and lack of summer last year!). I do take vitamin D, and it helps a lot, but it's not the same as getting some sweet sunshine. I don't feel depressed exactly, but my mental and emotional health still is not well. I think my problem is simply being perpetually overwhelmed and discouraged. My kids also had the chicken pox last month, first Judith, and then Ruthie and Gideon 2 weeks later. It was hard for sure, but we made it through fine. The only casualty was the house. And my sleep, but I'm used to that. Now the children are all better and back to normal, but I could definitely use a week or so of straight sleep (never going to happen). The house is also at the point where I don't even know where to start, and when I do work on something, suddenly I am overcome with anxiety and can barely get anything done. I have been having stomach cramps, and headaches (which I haven't had in YEARS!), and even tightness in my chest. It's not like the house hasn't ever been this bad before, but I just don't seem to have the energy to conquer it now that the kids are better. My body and brain are too burnt out or something.

Normally, I am the type of person who totally procrastinates, and then goes mad doing everything at once. I am a big fan of pulling all-nighters to clean the house, and then totally leaving it for a week or so before I repeat the process. I really thrive on finishing things, and I have a hard time starting something that I can't see myself finishing in one sitting. Which is probably why I don't really do any crafting anymore, it's pretty much impossible to do anything without being disturbed, and if I do walk away for a minute, the whole thing gets destroyed. And I do best with once-a-week chores, not daily stuff. De-cluttering is really hard for me, even though the end result is always great. I just hate the process, and am not good at parting with things. Purging also causes Judith a lot of anxiety, and Gideon and Ruthie just like to do whatever I'm doing (which basically means making a mess of what I am trying to do), so it's not something I can easily do during the day. The only time I have without kids is a couple hours at night, which is usually spent either with Dave, folding laundry, doing dishes, and/or going online. My family isn't here to take the kids for me every so often, so I have to work with what I've got.

Anyway, enough about that. I HAVE A PLAN! I tend to come up with plans now and then, do it for a while, then abandon it. So, this is a 30 day plan. I don't expect that the house will be spotless and in perfect order, and I don't expect to be the happiest, healthiest person in the world by the end of it. But I do expect things to be better. This is a big step for me. I am starting to accept that things don't have to be all or nothing, perfect or complete failure. But if things are at least a bit better than now, it will be better than nothing. That's probably a no-brainer for most of you out there, but it's pretty revolutionary for me!

I know you are dying to hear it, so here's the plan:

1. Keep up with my usual basic laundry and chore schedule. I have always kind of hated schedules, but if I don't have them, I do nothing. I have to keep my schedules to a minimum though, if I put too many things on it, I get overwhelmed and boycott the whole thing (or stay up all night to do it). So, every week day, I have ONE chore I always do, and ONE type of laundry I always wash. If I can keep up with that, it will at least get the basics done so it doesn't get too overwhelming, while not consuming ALL my time trying to get EVERYTHING done. Most of all, it will allow me not to worry about all of the things that need to be done (which honestly, takes up more energy than actually doing it, while overwhelming me to the point where I can't do it), just focus on the couple things to do that day and let go of the rest.

2. Purge 5 things every day for the 30 days (starting tomorrow). A friend of mine did this last year, and it's a great idea. If I get on a roll some day, of course I won't stop at 5 things. But I must do at least 5 things, which should be easy enough. If I have a crappy/busy day, before I go to bed I can always at least run downstairs and grab 5 toys that never get played with, or go through the closet and grab 5 pieces of clothing I never wear, and toss them in the Donate box (or things that are ruined toss in the trash, I am terrible for not throwing damaged things out, even when I know I will never get around to fixing/mending it). If I run out of things to purge and my house is in perfect order before the 30 days are up, then great! If there is still a lot more to go once the 30 days are up, it's still a success because I DID get at least 150 things out!

3. Restart (and maybe actually complete?) the 30 Day Shred (starting tomorrow). It was really great when I did it back in December, even though I only did for 15 days. I know I will have more energy if I exercise every day, and NOT just little things like walking and taking the stairs. I run up and down the stairs at home endlessly as it is, often with a child or two in my arms. But what makes a big difference is when I actually push myself and get my heart rate up. I haven't had the time or opportunity to go to the gym lately, but I can still exercise at home.

4. Since last year was so great, I am giving up Facebook for lent this year (starting Wednesday). The whole family is, actually! I am totally addicted, and turn to Facebook to amuse me when I don't want to deal with life. But I really need to deal with a lot of things right now, so Facebook has to go. It was a tough decision to make, because SO many fabulous mamas have babies due over the next 2 months! But I will have to wait until Easter to see pictures and read birth stories. I need to put my own family and house first for now. But I WILL be stalking all the mamas as soon as I am back on Facebook! First thing for sure. And I will be praying for all of them while I'm away. If anyone needs to contact me my email address and phone number are listed on my Facebook page. Or you can always come to my blog and comment! I am not giving up the entire internet as I did last year, I am going to blog as a way of staying accountable with my purge and exercising.

5. And finally, Dave and I are going to do a 2 week gluten-free (GF) and sugar-free diet (starting Friday). Then we will add gluten back in for a weekend (but not sugar), and see if we have any health (mental and/or physical) issues. I have a feeling that gluten might be zapping my energy and slowing me down. There's no harm in trying and seeing if there is a difference! I know for a fact that sugar messes with us physically and emotionally, so we are fasting that as well, to eliminate that factor.

So that's it! That's my plan. I know there are different timelines for the different parts, but whatever. I am expecting this to help me finally gain a bit of control over my life and my house, and feel better.

For the next 30 days I will be posting the things I purged and when I exercised. It will probably be extremely boring, but it's not like I have actually been blogging lately! Might as well use the space for something productive. These blog posts also are imported to Facebook, so there will still seem to be activity there. Once that is over, maybe I will be refreshed and inspired to write REAL, THOUGHT-PROVOKING blog posts! Can you imagine?!

It has also been suggested to me that I start a separate blog for all of the fun and silly things that the kids say and do. It's a pretty good idea, that way I can still import them to Facebook, but then I will have a nice collection to look back on. I will try to get on that at some point soon.

Well, That Explains It!

2011-01-30T10:49:00.000-08:00

Judith came up to me with Ruthie's Blankie tied around her neck like a cape, and announced that she was a super hero.

She asked me if there was anything I was missing that she could find or "save" for me.

I automatically responded with "My brain."

And she excitedly told me "OH! I saw a brain behind a tree in the jungle, and it had the name KELLY on it!" Then she ran off, to the rescue.

Unfortunately, the super hero got distracted by some toy ponies along the way, then Ruthie reclaimed her Blankie, and there was no more super hero.

At least I know my brain is out there... somewhere...

Mediterranean Lasagna

2011-01-25T18:15:00.000-08:00

I don't normally like to post 2 recipes in a row, but I have to type this out before I forget it! It's in the oven right now, so I will come back and edit it later perhaps, with my review. Also, please let me know if you have any ideas to make this dish yummier for future attempts! I love making recipes up as I go. =)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cook or soak lasagna noodles, according to the instructions on the box.

Open a large can of crushed tomatoes, and take out a large spoonful and spread over the bottom of your lasagna pan. Set the rest aside.

In a pan over medium heat, saute 1 medium onion (chopped finely), 2 tsp dried parsley, and 1 tsp rosemary in a bit of olive oil. After a couple minutes add 1 lb of ground lamb and several cloves of finely chopped/crushed garlic (I used half a bulb). Cover and cook, mixing every couple minutes, until meat is all cooked. Pour in 3/4 of the can of crushed tomatoes, then add 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic salt (or kosher salt), and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and mix well. Let simmer for a few minutes uncovered.

In a separate covered pan also over medium heat, saute a clove or two of finely chopped/crushed garlic, and a mountain of baby spinach (or chopped spinach) in olive oil, stirring every minute or so. I used a whole package of organic baby spinach, it barely fit in the pan, but it shrunk down a lot once it was cooked. After it is all wilted (it only takes a few minutes), add a pinch of kosher salt and the rest of the crushed tomatoes and mix well.

Put a layer of lasagna noodles down over the crushed tomatoes in the pan. Then add a layer of cottage cheese, topped with the lamb mixture. Add another layer of noodles, top with the spinach mixture, and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and black olives. Then add another layer of noodles, and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Loosely cover the pan with tin foil, and cook for 45 minutes. Then remove foil, increase the temperature to 450 degrees F, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top browns.

Enjoy with a side of Greek salad!

Lactation Cookies

2011-01-24T17:59:00.000-08:00

Whether you are looking to boost your milk supply, or just your yum supply, these cookies are a must try!

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix together 2 tsp flaxseed meal and 4 tsp water in a small bowl, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup butter, 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.

Add the flax meal goop (make sure it has been sitting for at least 5 mins or so), 2 large eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla, mix well.

Add 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt, mix well.

Add 3 cups thick cut oats (or rolled oats), and 2 tsp brewer's yeast (found in health food stores, it's a nutritional supplement), mix well.

Add 1 cup chocolate chips, mix well.

Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Makes about 24 large-ish cookies (or a bazillion little Gideon-rolled cookies). Bake 8-12 minutes.

Enjoy, and happy lactating!

Fun Times

2011-01-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

(I'm just copying things I post on facebook here so I can keep a record of them!)

Judith: "Do you have any escape pants?" Me: "What are escape pants?" Judith: "Pants that get up and walk away when you're not looking." Hahaha, maybe that's why I find her clothes all over the house!

Judith: "Mom, this mirror looks fat..."

Best misinterpretation: Me - (rolling over in bed this morning) "Oh, I kneed you..." Dave - (getting all excited) "You NEED me?" Hahahahaha.

Judith: "Curling is a party, eating is NOT a party!" and "Farting is stupid."

Judith: "Mommy, come look at this!" Me: "I can't right now, I'm cleaning the kitchen." Judith: "You're ACTUALLY cleaning the kitchen?!?!"

Judith: "Let's play a game, Mom. I'll scream, and you have to guess if there's blood, or no blood."

Judith (in the van, as we were stopped at a red light): "Dear Jesus, please give me wings so I can fly to Tim Hortons faster." Me: "I don't think Jesus is going to give you wings, at least not in this lifetime." J: "But Jesus just told me that he would give me whatever I prayed for..." Me: ... Then later as we were pulling into the drive-thru, she screams "Ouch! My back hurts! I think it's my wings growing!" Haha.

Judith (while making a "seascape"): "This jellyfish is the Mommy, because it has a big head..."

Judith is currently playing with a magnifying glass, and claims it has x-ray powers!

Gideon joined us for our Shred tonight (so it was me and all 3 kids). Most of the time he looked like he was dancing in the pit at a hardcore show, it was awesome.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T14:51:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, New Years, and all that jazz! Thanks to all of our friends and family for being there for us in 2010!

Blessings for 2011!

9 & 12 Month Comparisons

2010-12-24T08:42:00.000-08:00

Better late than never, right?

9 Months

Judith

Gideon

Ruthie

12 Months

Judith

Gideon

Ruthie

I think I make cute babies!

Um, hi.

2010-12-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

Oh blog, I've neglected you again! It's not that I don't have anything to say. Honestly, I have about a dozen post ideas scribbled out in my notepad (you know, those old-fashioned paper things?). But it's just that life keeps getting in the way. We started home schooling this fall, and, yeah, there has been a severe lack of blogging. I have a feeling that the two might be related. That and facebook. Facebook is so quick and easy, and then I get so swept up in everyone else's lives and so many great articles, that you get left out. Again. I'm so sorry.

Just so you know, Ruthie is now 1, and she's walking and starting to talk and generally being all-grown-up-ish. I'm kind of sad that my "baby" is so big, this year went by so quickly, but I also love this stage so much! I know I need to post some new pics, but one thing at a time for now, ok? It's almost Christmas, and that's kind of a busy season, you know.

Speaking of Christmas, I basically did all home made gifts this year. Cheap, yes. Meaningful, oh yes. But also kind of a pain in the butt with 3 young children around. I can totally see why most people just go to a store and buy everything for everyone on their list. It would be SO. MUCH. EASIER. But oh well, I'm all done now, so I can relax. I did buy a lot for the kids though. Mostly home school supplies and arts & crafts to keep them busy all winter, wahahaha! This Christmas I basically only shopped at Michael's (I took in my 40%-50% off coupon every week starting at the beginning of Nov and slowly got everything! They have Melissa & Doug toys there too) and the dollar store. I actually got the kids WAY more gifts than usual, but still with the same budget. So I am calling Christmas 2010 the year of Michael's. Last year was the year of Kijiji, and the year before was the year of Etsy. I wonder what next year will be? Perhaps home made for all?

This Holiday Season was also the Season of Much Coffee.

Anyway, I wish everyone the best over the holidays and for 2011! I'd like to say that I promise to blog more, but we will just have to wait and see. I do have a few real goals for 2011 though. Ultimately, I want to get "myself" back. As of the end of February, I will have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for 6 years straight. That has taken quite a toll on my body and mind and spirit. So I am going to focus on personal restoration, I know that everyone in my family would benefit from that. I am doing it for them just as much as for myself.

Here are my basic goals:

1. Keep exercising (I have been doing The Shred with a friend this month and it has been so great, and the kids have been doing it with me, they are so cute! I recently made a hula hoop, so I need to start hooping too, and going to the gym again).

2. Eat better (we will probably go gluten and sugar free for a while). My problem right now is I eat too much bread and sugar, because they are quick and convenient, and not enough protein and veggies.

3. See my naturopath, get all of my vitamin and mineral stores up, and hopefully restore my thyroid and adrenals. He will also be able to do lots of tests to see if anything else is dragging me down.

4. Go and see a great Christian counselor who is just a few blocks away from me.

5. And most of all try to actually get organized and in control of my life (which will be easier once I get everything previously listed underway), and make sure to have "me" time regularly.

I also want to be more creative, get more involved with the organizations I want to, and actually attend births. But I know I need to focus on the 5 things above, and then I can take on these things as I feel able. I'm burned out enough right now, and I don't want to keep doing this to myself. If things are going well by Christmas next year, then we might start trying for baby #4!

Thanks to everyone who still reads this despite my long absence! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

2010 Favourite Facebook Statuses

2010-12-08T13:53:00.000-08:00

(Click to view, sorry it's so small)

Monthly Dinners

2010-10-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

I wrote a post last spring about how I do meal plans. I have since been asked a few times what exactly I eat for dinner, since I make a different meal each night of the month. So, for fun, here is my list of meals from August (things got a little mixed up in Sept, I didn't end up following my meal plans exactly).

I just plan the protein and carb usually, then add whatever veggies/salad I feel like at the time to it.

1 - Chicken, veggie & rice stir-fry

2 - Turkey spaghetti & garlic cheese buns

3 - Tomato basil chicken breasts & baked potatoes

4 - Honey garlic salmon & rice

5 - Bison burgers (home made) & fries

6 - Slow-cooker pizza beans

7 - Pizza bean (leftovers) burritos

8 - Chicken burgers (home made) & sweet potato fries

9 - Chicken wraps

10 - Salmon mango wraps

11 - Breaded haddock, chicken fingers & baked potatoes

12 - Lasagna

13 - Slow-cooker venison & root veggie stew

14 - Margarita pizza (frozen)

15 - (out at a friend's house!)

16 - Corn on the cob, perogies & cinnamon buns (didn't feel much like cooking after making the cinnamon buns all day!)

17 - Turkey burgers (home made) & sweet potato fries

18 - Lemon pepper salmon & baked potatoes

19 - Honey garlic chicken breasts & rice

20 - Grilled cheese (cooked over a fire while camping)

21 - Baked beans and Zoodles (cooked over a fire while camping)

22 - BBQ Chicken, potato wedges and Caesar salad (on the way home from camping...)

23 - Panago Pizza (chicken, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms)

24 - Home made mac & cheese (haha, camping took a lot out of me)

25 - Loaded nachos (with black beans, tomatoes, green pepper, and green onions)

26 - Taco salad w/bison

27 - Veggie burgers (home made)

28 - Pizza (home made, same toppings as above plus pineapple and green olives)

29 - (out at a friend's house!)

30 - Lentil shepherd's pie

31 - Roasted whole chicken & roasted baby potatoes

So there you have it! It wasn't a "perfect" month, as camping and going to friend's houses saved me doing a big meal those nights. Also, you may have noticed that we aren't so vegetarian anymore. Sorry, my body has just been craving protein and the veggie sources have not been good enough.

Some other notable meals that didn't make the cut in August include:

~Chicken risotto
~Lentil soup
~Chicken noodle soup
~Butternut squash soup
~Mushroom soup
~Tomato soup (all of these soups home made, of course)
~Chili
~Burritos
~Tacos
~Tortilla pizzas
~Quesadillas
~Ravioli/Tortellini
~Venison roast/chops/steak
~Elk roast/chops/steak
~Roasted turkey
~Creamy lemon dill fish (any kind of white fish)
~Breaded and fried fish or chicken
~Tuna melts
~Falafel wraps
~Venison smokies
~Lamb burgers

If you want any of my recipes, feel free to ask and I will post them!

Plus there's always the random frozen things I occasionally pick up from the grocery store when I know I am going to have a busy day without time to really prepare something from scratch for dinner. There have also been lots of meals I have tried (mostly slow-cooker ones), but we didn't really like so we didn't add them to the roster. Dave also occasionally will cook, usually some kind of Asian food (which I am NOT good at!) or Italian pasta dish, or something random and new to me but delicious.

We are also thinking of trying to go gluten-free in the near future to see if it helps with some issues, so if you have any tips in regards to that, please enlighten me!

Anyone have any other favourite meals that they make that I should try?

Apple Oat Muffins

2010-10-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

The other day I was given some apples, so we decided to make juice! We made 2L of apple juice, which also yielded 4.5 cups of apple puree. 2 cups of that was saved for Ruthie to eat. And my heart was set on making the other 2.5 cups into fabulous muffins.

I scoured the internet for a perfect recipe. I looked through lots of options, but nothing seemed 'just right'. Probably because I already had the recipe in my head, and really I was just searching for the internet to confirm it. I did pick up a few ideas during my search, and then decided just to wing it. While drinking delicious fresh apple juice.

First, I took 5 cups of plain Cheerios and ran them through the coffee grinder (or you could use a food processor) until it was a powder.

Then, in a bowl, I added the Cheerio powder and mixed together:

3 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp whole flax seeds (grind them in the coffee grinder/food processor just before adding to mixture)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda

I made a well with the dry ingredients, and in the center added:

2 1/2 cups apple puree (I left the skins on, it gives a nice texture)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs

I mixed it all together until all of the dry ingredients were wet. The batter is very thick. I doled it out into muffin tins lined with paper cups (you could try just greasing the tin really well if you like), the batter filled 24 cups. I recommend filling the cups right up, as they don't rise very much. Then I sprinkled the top with pure maple sugar. Because I have access to that kind of delicacy. =)

I baked them in a 400 degree F oven for 20 mins.

They were seriously amazing, very moist and hearty, and were quickly consumed! They would also probably taste really good with other fruit (like raisins if you like that kind of vile thing...) or nuts added.

7 Years

2010-08-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary. It has been a wonderful 7 years, with 3 beautiful children joining us along the way. We are indeed very blessed, and very thankful.

But today my heart is heavy. David is over 3000 kms away today. He went back home for the funeral of our best man. It is hard to be happy today, knowing that Brian's wife and sons, the oldest of whom is just a few months older than Judith, are grieving his sudden loss. He was only 30. It seems so unfair. His funeral was yesterday.

RIP Brian, we will miss you.

His oldest son with Judith, when they were babies.

The Dance!

2010-08-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

I finally got the DVD of Judith's dance performance. Judith is the one on the right, the taller of the blonde girls. This is a video of a video, so the quality is quite poor, but you get the idea.

EDIT - Sorry, Blogger seems to crop my videos and so Judith got cut out a lot in the video above! You can go HERE to see the full video.

Natural Birth

2010-08-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to do a post for a while on natural birth, especially what I learned at the Water Birth workshop with Barbara Harper.

There is SERIOUSLY so much I learned (and I thought I knew a lot already, I'm a bit of a birth junkie!), and I don't think I can begin to try and write it all out right now. Barbara Harper is an amazing woman, and I highly recommend that all expectant mothers at least read her book, Gentle Birth Choices, before they make their decisions about how they would like to birth. Natural birth certainly isn't for everyone in our culture, but for some mothers it can be amazing and is totally worth it. Interventions are great and necessary when they are warranted or wanted, but I have a feeling that a lot of women don't know that they even have options. And of course there are so many women that have unnecessary traumatic births, especialy with their first (and that leads them to actually find their options for their future babies).

Anyway, the thing that impacted me the most about the workshop is really seeing how birth works. That babies were designed to be born. That if you just keep your hands off, everything will most likely be fine. It's good to have skilled people there in case of problems, but the key is to only intervene when there actually are problems, and not to go causing them in the first place. I always knew this, but the workshop hit it home for me. Watching so many births where no one touched or bothered the mother and baby were so powerful. People in our culture are complete control freaks, and it seems to impact birthing in such a negative way. Birthing in the water is so natural, peaceful and beautiful. It was amazing to see the babies come out, and then "snap" into themselves, and be drawn out of the water on to their mother's chest (the "habitat"). It was so, so amazing. It was incredible to see that there is truly no rush (baby won't try to breathe until his skin feels air, and as long as the placenta is still attached he gets all of the oxygen he needs), and that the baby usually knows how to birth itself. Baby and mother are both programmed with reflexes to ensure a safe delivery, if only they are allowed to work together, unhindered, to get it done.

There is so much more I could write (and I know this isn't written very well, but I don't have much time for writing, or thinking, these days). I believed deeply in birth before, but now I have more faith than ever. I can't wait to be able to be there for women going through this awesome journey (no matter what they choose of course, every birth seems to move me, no matter how it happens, but there's just a different dimension to natural, water births for me).

Here is a video I just came across that I like. I especially love how no one pulls on the baby at all to get her out. Everything just happens perfectly. And YES, this is a birth video so there is nudity.

Also, preparingforbaby has a lot of great videos on YouTube (check out her playlists, especially the waterbirth one). Here is part 1 of 4 of that series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DTwuiGgnHY

Maybe some day I will be able to post more about what I learned, but in case I don't, I just wanted to get a quick little thing out there.

4 & 6 Months

2010-08-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Whoops, I kind of missed a couple comparison shot posts!

I managed to get family portraits done when each baby was 4 months old.

April 2006

August 2008

April 2010

Awwww, we're so cute.

Now, here are the 6 month shots of each bebe.

Judith

Gideon

Ruthie

Such sweet sweetness!

Cinnamon Buns

2010-08-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

This is how you do it!

~1 tsp white sugar
~1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
~1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in water, let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

~1/2 cup milk
~1/4 cup white sugar
~1/4 cup butter
~1 tsp salt

Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in sugar, butter and salt, stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

~2 eggs, beaten
~4 cups all-purpose flour (I actually used 2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups whole wheat bread flour)

In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl) combine yeast mixture, milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cups flour, stir or mix well to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (or if you're me, let the stand mixer knead it for about 5 minutes).

~1 tbsp olive oil (approx)

Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

~3/4 cup butter
~3/4 cup brown sugar
~1/2 cup chopped pecans

While dough is rising, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with pecans, set aside.

~1/4 cup butter
~3/4 cup brown sugar
~1 tbsp ground cinnamon
~1/2 cup chopped pecans
~1/2 cup raisins

Melt butter, set aside. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans and raisins in small bowl, set aside (do not combine with butter).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll into and 18x14 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tbsp melted butter, leaving 1/2 inch border uncovered. Sprinkle with the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Starting at the long side, tightly roll up dough, pinching seam to seal. Brush outside with butter. With a serrated knife, cut roll into 15 pieces (I actually made 16). Place rolls in prepared 9x13 pan, face up. Brush tops of rolls with remaining butter. Cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Scrape remaining filling from pan onto the rolls.

YUM!!!

(In retrospect, I would also make up another batch of the butter-sugar mixture, and add that to the top and sides of the rolls as soon as they came out of the oven, before flipping them out, because some of the edge rolls were a bit dry. They were still delicious though!)

Sitting Up

2010-07-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned yet that Ruthie is sitting up on her own now? Time is going by so quickly! She starting sitting on her own just around the 7 month mark.

She's very proud of herself, and is now trying to figure out crawling. She can go from a sitting to crawling position just fine (and practices that a lot), but hasn't quite figured out the coordination yet to move forward. But soon, I suspect, I will have a crawler. The baby gates are going up!

Camping!

2010-07-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went camping (we hope to go a few more times before the summer is over, we love it! And by 'we' I mean all but Ruthie, but she is out-voted so too bad).

Eating in the tent the first night due to rain.

Yummy food cooked with fire!

Mmmm, breakfast!

Beach wasn't all that fun in the rain.

We had to keep the princess dry.

We gave up on the outdoors and hung out in the van for a while.

Then went into town and found some treats.

Then played some mini-golf.

Finally the rain stopped so we could make s'mores!

The next day was finally beautiful! So we got up bright and early.

And headed to the beach while Daddy and Ruthie packed up to go home (I hear Ruthie deemed herself foreman, so she just watched and then ordered him around now and then).

Gideon kept making little mounds of dirt, then calling them "Thomas!"

I'm glad that all the kids love road trips and adventures (I'm sure Ruthie will get over sleeping in a tent eventually).

So the moral of the story is: Even though sometimes trying to do stuff with kids, especially with bad weather thrown in, can be a pain in the butt, just have a good attitude and be willing to go with the flow and VOILA! Super fun family times. Honestly I think it's good when things get tough, because it's an opportunity to show our kids how to react properly, and also that in life, things don't always go our way, but we can still make the best of it and we don't have to give up. I want my kids to know that things aren't always easy, and that's ok. I can't see an easy life being a very fulfilling one.

P.S. I almost forgot to post the great video I got of Gideon telling his joke while we were camping!

Home Made Deodorant

2010-07-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

On Father's Day, I gave Dave a big hug, and then decided, immediately, that this would be the day I finally made deodorant. I had read a recipe on the Passionate Homemaker, and really wanted to try it. Deodorant isn't that big of a deal for me, I hardly sweat, and only usually smell for the first few months of breastfeeding. Any of the natural (and regular) deodorants I have tried have worked for me, and never caused any problems.

My husband, however, is a different story. Regular deodorants irritated his skin, and none of the natural ones worked. He is a roofer, and a big guy in general, so we were hoping to find something that worked. He would be a great test subject for our home made stuff.

I made the deodorant according to the recipe, and it took no time at all. In a small bowl I just put in 1/4 cup of aluminum-free baking soda (that I got from a local health food store), and 1/4 cup arrowroot powder (also from the health food store, or you could substitute corn starch). Then I added a few tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil (in solid form), and mixed it up. I kept adding the oil until the mixture resembled a thick cake batter. It was a hot day when I made it, and I would recommend mixing it up in a warm environment for sure. On cooler days it solidifies up nicely. Anyway, the recipe calls for 6-8 tbsp of coconut oil. I also added about 5 drops of tea tree oil. You could add whatever essential oils you like, or skip it completely.

I put the mixture in a small, 1 cup (250 ml) size mason jar. I put it in the fridge at first to firm it up. Now we store it on our bathroom counter, and as long as it isn't terribly hot, it keeps just fine there. We apply it with our fingers, it's nice on the hands too.

Here is the great instructional video:

We are both extremely impressed with how well it works! It is so simple yet effective, even for a roofer in the summer! So now we get the protection we need, without worrying about what chemicals are seeping into our skin. It may not totally prevent us from sweating, but it does prevent the smell, which is the important part.

An Open Letter to my Husband

2010-07-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Dear David

I just want to write something here to let everyone know how much I love and appreciate you.

When we met, I knew there was something different about you. I've always known that there was something different about me, so I guess we are a good match. I have also always loved a good challenge, and you love to challenge everything. I truly believe that God put us together for a reason. A bigger reason even than the fact that somehow our genes combined make the most incredibly cute kids.

I know that, right now, things are hard, and life isn't as exciting as we'd hoped that it would be. Right now we are living the normal life, struggling at times, and happy at times. But I want you to know that I appreciate how you get up every day and go out in order to provide for us. This stage of life is hard, but I think you are doing a great job. What I appreciate most is how you haven't given up. You are still dreaming and planning, and always learning new things and challenging yourself. You are also not allowing me to settle, and always challenging me as well to be better and keep going. You may not be Mr. Nice Guy, but you do know when to extend grace to me when I truly need it, and when to give me a little push when I need that instead. Even though it sometimes sucks at the time, I appreciate that you keep the big picture in mind, and don't let me fall into complacency. Even before I met you, I knew I never wanted to settle for the status quo, and you have helped me to continue pressing on.

It's mostly because of you that our children were born peacefully and naturally, and are being raised with healthy attachment, gentleness, and freedom. You were there for me through Judith's birth when I didn't think I could go on, and you encouraged me to persevere when we endured so many problems with breastfeeding. You have gathered information about every aspect of parenting and together we have made informed decisions for our children, whether those decisions are popular or not. You have helped me to believe in myself, have confidence, and stand up for myself. And when I haven't had the strength, you have stood up for me. I feel safe knowing that you will protect us, and want the best for us.

I respect you so much for your desire to know the truth. I love your ability to see through the lies and deceit, and not be caught up in what simply looks or sounds nice. I appreciate your ability to challenge everything, and how you put things out there just to see what response you will get, desperately hoping to engage with someone, even if you are not 100% convinced of your own opinion. I love that you love to learn, and to glean whatever you can from others, no matter who they are. I think it's great that you don't care who people think they are, but you look at everyone on a level playing field. And I love how your opinion of someone doesn't affect how you interact with them, you take everyone's ideas as valid, but also aren't afraid to pick them apart, while also not letting someone's ideas and opinions change how you treat or respect them. Not many people can be friends with others of such differing opinions, and are able to set opposing views aside to have a genuinely good time together.

It's also respectable how you are willing to change your opinion if and when you are presented with something you can't refute. So many people just don't care about important issues, are too proud to change when confronted with the truth, and would rather just never think. It means a lot to me that you are the way you are. I don't think I would be very fulfilled in life if I married someone who was happy to simply stay where he is. I'm glad that you don't really care what other people think of you, you only care about what's real and true. I have learned and grown a lot from simply living with you.

Most of all, I think I love your heart the best. You are passionate about God, and pursuing what He has for you. You have gone through so much healing, and are always striving for wisdom. You don't accept theology simply because it is popular or commonly preached, but you have to always read the Bible and study for yourself. You are constantly listening to vastly different teachers and Bible studies, I like how you don't just pick which stream you want to follow and blindly go, but you try to see all of the different angles, and discern the truth from the fluff in all of them. I am thankful for your spiritual leadership over our family, how you don't lord it over us, but are always encouraging me to discern for myself, and wanting my ideas and opinions on everything. I am a valued, equal partner to you on our journey together.

I love how we are always talking, and never grow tired of each other. I know that we will never run out of things to talk about, and when we are old, we will still be the best of friends. This makes me feel safe and happy, and know that nothing else really matters. I love how you don't mind my awkwardness or quirkiness, and always make me feel beautiful and important. I don't know how I would be able to deal with life without you. You push me to independence, and I would not be nearly as capable and self-sufficient if it weren't for you, but at the same time you are my rock, and I'm not sure if I would be able to be fully myself without you.

Anyway, I'm sure there is a lot more that I could say, but I think I got out what was on my heart. I am writing this to you on your adoption day, July 20. I meant to do it on your birthday, July 12, but never got a chance, so this will have to do. I am so thankful that your birth mother was brave enough to carry you, give birth to you, and then give you up to a great family. I am even more thankful for your wonderful parents who managed to raise you well and have let you be who you are. Most of all I am thankful that God brought us together. I don't know where I would be without you, and I love you so very, very much.

Love, Kelly

P.S. Happy Birthday!

Serious Business

2010-07-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

I always thought Gideon was serious about food as a baby, but Ruthie puts him to shame! She got her first tooth at 6 months, the earliest of my kids to get one, and she has put it, now them (she has 2 now, she got her second at 7 months) to work! She has very minimal patience for being spoon-fed, she would much rather feed herself, I suppose that way she can ensure to get the job done "right". She also hasn't had as much patience for nursing lately, which makes me a little sad, although we will not be stopping any time soon, don't worry. Milk is just not as interesting at the moment I guess.

She got the pincer grasp down immediately, and had it perfected at 6 months. With both hands.

She was born with her tongue sticking out like this, and when I first gazed lovingly into her eyes, her expression very clearly and firmly said FEED ME. She latched right away, and never needed help nursing. She has loved food ever since, and when she is hungry she lets me know by sticking her tongue out. Or, if she realizes that someone else is eating something, anything, her tongue comes out and curls up. It's seriously too adorable for words.

She can even handle mushy foods all on her own.

She loves chicken, but is clearly NOT a fan of tuna.

One at a time wasn't fast enough for the strawberries...

Her favourite, by far, are Cheerios. They have taken her love for life to new heights.

She knows the box, haha. I think she was trying to will some on to her tray here.

I have a feeling she may choose to work with food some day, it seems like a life-long passion in the making.

P.S. YES! We do tend to follow baby-led weaning, thanks for asking! I've posted this before, but in case you are new, here are a couple links with some info: http://www.tribalbaby.org/babyLedEating.html and http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/blw/engels.html

Toothie Ruthie

2010-07-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ruthie got her first tooth about a week ago!

I know it's kind of hard to see in the photo, so here is a drawing by Judith to give you a better idea of what Ruthie looks like now.

Oh babies and their growing-up-fast-ness. I can't believe she turned 7 months yesterday!

No More Mrs. Soccer Mom

2010-07-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Phew! I survived. Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing the whole time. I still find sports in general kind of intimidating. But I lived! And the kids were so cute. I mostly kept them from running away or killing each other (kid skills I do have!), and the other coach did the actual soccer stuff. Oh, and I also kept track of time and rotating the kids on the field (we just played 3 on 3 plus goalies, so all the kids got to touch the ball more). So hopefully that made me important enough. Judith had a blast, and I guess in the end that's all that matters. She is sad that her soccer season is over, and wants to play next year. Hopefully there are more volunteers next year for coaches, I don't really want to do it again, although I am sometimes a sucker when people ask for volunteers...

Anyway, here are some photos from our season, and year-end wind-up party:

Judith was #3.

She was very excited to get a medal, face paint, tattoos, and a popsicle!

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I can't help it.

Motherhood - The New Oppression (A Response)

2010-06-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

I read this article today, and really feel the need to respond and address it.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/motherhood-the-new-oppression/article1618807/

Oh man, where do I begin? I agree with some things, like that mothers today ARE a little too over-protective, competitive, and constantly hounded from all angles about everything, constantly being judged. But I think the solution to all that is simply GET OVER IT. Sheesh. Who cares what everyone else thinks? Who are we trying to impress?

It seems like this writer isn't a mother herself (I just looked up some stuff about her, and didn't find any info about her having kids), and although I respect her observations, I'm not sure if I can take her all that seriously, because she hasn't been there herself.

Also, I totally disagree with this:

"Once upon a time, the conveniences of modern life (processed foods, Lysol spray, disposable diapers, clothes dryers, polyester sheets) liberated women like my mother from their chains. But now, their granddaughters are clamouring to clap the shackles on again. Someone’s got to mash the organic applesauce, hang the diapers out to dry, and breastfeed the kid. No matter how enlightened the parental units, that someone will generally be Mom.

"It seems to me that if you had deliberately devised a plot to oppress women, it couldn’t get more diabolical than this. Highly educated, progressive and enlightened mothers don’t need men to oppress them. They’re perfectly capable of oppressing themselves!"

So, what if it's actually ME that doesn't want the so-called conveniences of modern life? What if I choose to do these things for MYSELF and not because I feel like I'm "supposed to" for my kids? These things are NOT shackles to me! I don't see compromising my own health, my children's health, and the health of everything that lives in our environment, for the sake of convenience, as a good thing! I'm not a saint, I'm protecting my own butt here! I love my family, so naturally I want to do what's best for them too. What is wrong with this? My kids are not forcing me to do anything I don't want to do. And guess what, I actually enjoy hanging my diapers out and having a child attached to my boob, how unfathomable! I'm not going to let anyone else dictate what I like and don't like. THAT is oppression! I can't believe that the author starts out by saying that we shouldn't be forced to follow societal expectations and just relax already (which I agree with, I totally don't think I need to adhere to someone else's “demanding standards” of the “moral requirements of modern motherhood”), and then turn around and make this kind of statement! This kind of ludicrous assumption.

It's funny, because to me feminism and women's liberation means that we now have CHOICES. Not that we have gone from being forced into one thing (being a housewife), to being forced into another (having a career, which is, apparently, the only option for “enlightened women”). That is just as oppressive! I have made the CHOICE to stay home and be a mom to my children. That doesn't make me any better or worse than women who work and have children, or who don't have children. This is just what I have chosen to do! And guess what? I'm happy with my choice! This is what works for me and makes me HAPPY and SATISFIED. Get over it already people. I don't think motherhood is for all women, and that's great. If you don't want kids, don't have them, what's the big deal here? You aren't less of a woman because you don't have kids! If society makes you feel that way, screw them, who cares! Just like I don't care when people think it's awful that I'm a young stay-at-home mom with "so many" kids. Like it matters what they think. I love my life, and I hope they love theirs. Now lets just peacefully co-exist already.

Motherhood has done nothing but empower me. Sure, it's hard. Harder than anything else I will ever do. But that makes it all the more worthwhile, for me. I like to be challenged, because it makes me grow. Not because it makes me superior to others, it's just the best for me. I chose to give birth naturally, breastfeed, cloth diaper, avoid chemicals, eat organic and local etc, because I WANT to. No one is oppressing me or forcing me into this. Motherhood has helped me to grow up, make my own decisions, and STOP letting people push me around and tell me what to do. And I'm not going to go and force my ideals on other people either.

I think that's what bothers me the most about this article, and all the other ones like it. Why do we feel that we have the right to impose our ideas and preferences on other people? I think that mothers (and all women in general) are intelligent enough to make their own educated decisions, and I will respect those decisions. Society seems to think, and seems to want all of us to think, that people are stupid and therefore need to be told what to do and controlled. And that those who are educated and “enlightened” ought to be the ones in charge, for the greater good of course. I disagree. I do think that people are easily manipulated, and can be capable of atrocious things, but are also capable of being independent and responsible and kind if given the freedom to be so. But that's a WHOLE other topic.

Epidurals are not for losers, they are a valid pain relief option, with pros and cons, that every woman has the option to use, or refuse. Same with everything. And I wouldn't have these fabulous thighs if it weren't for all the ice cream I ate while I was pregnant! Why does there have to be so much guilt and emotional baggage with everything? Yes, these can be big and important things, with implications, but what someone else chooses is none of my business. I'm not going to judge a mom I see feeding her newborn formula on the street, or an acquaintance I hear talking about giving their baby every vaccine available, I don't know their story or their reasons.

All I can do is put the info out there that I find relevant and informative (I do A LOT of that, and I don't mind putting it right in people's faces, but it is not my responsibility to make them act), and allow parents to make their own decisions. If they ask my opinion, of course I will give it, but the decision is theirs, and they will deal with the consequences of that decision either way. It's different if they are doing something that directly affects me, or are outright abusing their children, then I might do something about it, but that generally isn't the case with parenting.

It scares me when people start trying to force other people into things, even if it's just through guilt and manipulation, coercion, or even marketing or pop culture. No one is benefitting from this (except the people gaining power and money when you comply). Of course everyone wants the best for their children, and they will get the info they are interested in. What is unfortunate, though, is that medical establishments often do not provide expectant and new mothers with accurate information, but we are slowly learning to do our own research and weigh the options for ourselves. Professionals are great resources, and need to be respected, but they are not gods. I think when we start forcibly imposing things on others, even with good intentions, we start treading on dangerous ground.

Obviously a lot of things have changed, simply because we know better. We know that smoking is bad for our health now, so we can change our actions accordingly. Same with breastfeeding, there is so much research documenting the benefits now that they didn't have before. That doesn't mean our grandparents (or parents) were awful people. And it doesn't mean they did a bad job. It's just different now, and that's ok. We can't change the past, even uninformed decisions we have made ourselves, and carrying that burden of guilt won't fix anything. All we can do is make better decisions next time if possible.

Yeah, there is a lot of stuff you can panic about as a parent, but you don't have to. You can choose to make informed decisions, and then reject all of the fear that society throws at you. The government, media, corporations and society all want us to live in fear and wait to be rescued, because it serves their purposes. But we don't have to live like that. We can stand up and take responsibility, and authority, over ourselves and our families. We are grown-ups and are fully capable of being in control of ourselves (and I also believe the only control people are entitled to is self-control). We are also capable of dealing with our own consequences, even if they suck.

At the same time, no one can control everything. Bad things happen sometimes, it's true. It may not fit in our utopian worldview, but it's there and we have to deal with it. Some things are preventable, and I'm sure everyone would agree that we should try and prevent tragedies whenever possible. But we also need to be able to accept reality when it happens.

Why do people care about silly things so much, and feel the need to get involved with everyone else's business? Their own insecurity, I think. If you made a decision about parenting, that's your decision! Don't be afraid to talk about it, and don't let people push you around about it. It's your decision and that's that, you don't have to feel guilty when you have made an informed decision. Whatever your reasons are, I'm sure they're valid. If you find new information that makes you change your mind, then CHANGE! Do what you need to do, that is nothing but applaudable. Move on.

We all have room for improvement. I AM NOT PERFECT. YOU ARE NOT PERFECT. And we never will be. Is that not liberating? Oh, you're scared that ceasing to strive for perfection will make you quit caring altogether? I disagree. I believe that in striving for perfection, which is unattainable, we are always met with perceived failure, and THAT is what causes people to stop caring. If we can throw out this idea of needing to be perfect, of “all or nothing”, then maybe we can actually just live. And maybe, we will even enjoy it. Then maybe we can put our differences aside, or even have healthy discussions, but still appreciate each other. Just because everything isn't perfect, doesn't mean it can't be great. We seem to be programmed to aspire for a utopia that will never exist. We have to be perfect or die. But that's a lie. All we can do is try our best with what we have. We will fail! Children are pretty resilient, as long as you don't intentionally hurt them, they will probably be ok. Guilt helps no one, except to prompt you to change. So change according to your conscience and the info you find, then let the guilt go and move on, it's ok.

Guilt and this feeling of failure only encourages us to give up, and I think that is the only wrong answer. To quit trying. I'm not saying kill yourself trying to be the best. Be reasonable. You can be a great parent, and enjoy it at the same time. Your lifestyle has to work for everyone, not just you, not just your kids. This isn't rocket science. Just live life, and deal with situations as they arise, make the decisions that are right for you (and that don't hurt anyone else), own up to your decisions, have confidence in yourself, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. I find when I adopt this approach, motherhood comes easy to me, too.

This rant isn't just what I think about this article, but it's actually the lesson I have learned myself in the past year. I find it interesting that I am writing this on my birthday. A year ago I was still so insecure. But I have come a long way. This philosophy carries over into my spiritual and political beliefs as well. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'd love to get a discussion going. I'm always open to discuss and engage with other ideas and opinions. I'm not afraid to stand up for myself anymore, and even change if need be. I feel like I've finally grown up.

Happy Birthday to ME!

2010-06-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's my birthday. Tonight I am hanging out with a few of my favourite ladies. Not totally sure what all we will do, but I'm happy just to have their company. I'm very excited!

A little while ago I was given some money, and decided to splurge (if you can call $40 for a pair of pants a splurge, it is for me as I never really buy clothing new). I bought these from one of my favourite sellers on Etsy, cocoricooo. I loooove them! They are so light and comfortable, and for once the perfect length! Gotta love short Thai people! And I think they are so beautiful. They show off my big hips, and I've heard many times that short people shouldn't wear baggy pants, but WHO CARES. I love them and they are amazing. The best part is they have an elastic waist band so they are great for the baby years. And they will still fit if I ever get skinny again too, haha.

Speaking of hips, I need to go get me an ice cream cake!

My Little Dancing Queen

2010-06-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

Judith has been going to her dance class every Saturday since September, and she loves it. It's totally her "thing". She's actually quite upset that it doesn't run over the summer.

On June 18, her dance studio put on a performance downtown, at a big, professional theatre. She was so excited to dance in front of so many people! And she did so well. She had the hugest smile on her face the whole time! We weren't allowed any cameras of any kind in there, unfortunately. But I did order the DVD, so hopefully once I get that (apparently in August?!?!), I can somehow post at least her dance. I was so proud of her, I totally cried.

Here are some photos of her at home after her big performance:

Her roses, that she broke by accident.

Her trophy (all the little kids got one).

The next day, to celebrate Judith wanted sushi, seaweed, and ice cream.

Very happy times indeed.

Confession

2010-06-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

I am not a good housekeeper. Oh, you knew that already? Sorry. But it's true.

Here are a couple pics of what my house looks like on a normal day:

I like to think of it as my security system. No one could sneak through the house at night undetected, or without a broken ankle, haha.

These pics were taken a few weeks ago, though. And, unfortunatly, Ruthie has begun taking rolling expeditions across the living room floor. She also enjoys spending time on her tummy now, trying to figure out how to get all of those yummy crumbs and pieces of paper on the floor. So far, the Force hasn't worked, and I think she will probably settle for crawling as Plan B, some day very soon. So I am enjoying my mess while I can.

Creativity

2010-06-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a whole year since I've made anything, I think. So I finally remedied that. I never seem to have time to be creative. Then, when I make the time, because say, it's someone's birthday or someone has a baby, I always love it and wonder why I don't do it all the time. I get all these great ideas about having an Etsy shop and going to craft sales... Then, life happens and time passes and I realize I haven't done anything for a while, again. *sigh*

Anyway, here are my recent creations:

I like making really simple pieces, as you can see. But I also enjoy wearing them, and I'm sure other people would, too.

Solids, Already?!?!

2010-06-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Ruthie is 6 months already. It still feels like I just had her, but I guess I can't really use the "I have a newborn" excuse anymore.

She has been wanting to eat what I'm eating forever. It probably doesn't help that I usually eat with her on my lap, so she has watched me her whole life. When my Mom and Grandma came to visit back in May, my Grandma was sitting with her eating a piece of banana bread, and Ruthie swiped a handful of it, and had it in her mouth before anyone could blink! Then, another day I was at a friend's house, and she managed to grab a handful of grass and clover, and shove it in her mouth in the half a second it took me to go from squatting to sitting. She actually managed to swallow, and successfully digest it...

So I guess it's time. So far, she has tried (and LOVED!) banana, avocado, potato, blueberries, peas, chicken, and water. And of course, grass and banana bread. I know, it's kind of a random list. But I like to follow baby-led weaning, and well, I'm just not as uptight about this kind of thing as I used to be. Sometimes I help feed her, sometimes Judith helps, and sometimes Ruthie does it all on her own. Yesterday I mashed up a banana with a fork and put it on her tray, and she ate the WHOLE thing all on her own, I was amazed. This girl is SERIOUS about food! I was surprised that she didn't start sucking on the tray to get every last molecule.

She doesn't have any trouble eating either, she never pushes the food out of her mouth with her tongue like most babies do at first. And with the chicken and peas, there were good chunks. She has never choked. She just gummed them and swallowed, no problem! I can't be bothered to make purrees and sit and spoon-feed her like I did with Judith. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but if Ruthie doesn't need me to, why bother? I don't leave her alone with the food, of course, I always supervise. She hasn't had any trouble digesting anything either. I was hoping that solids would help cut down the number of poops she has, but nothing has changed so far. She still poops multiple times a day.

So anyway, that's my latest adventure in parenting Ruthie. Here are some pics:

First taste of banana.

Judith feeding her banana, can't get it in fast enough!

Avocado.

We do use a spoon sometimes to gather up the mashed mess and get it in her mouth, but Ruthie likes to assist.

She downed about 1/4 of that on her first try, then lost interest. She also is very good at drinking from a cup.

All of my kids so far have been really excited about solids. My milk must get boring after a while, haha.

Butterflies

2010-06-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to join some of our friends in raising butterflies. So we got in on a group order, and got 4 caterpillars.

One died almost right away. And one was smaller than the others. Judith named the big ones Olo (the "daddy"), and Maylo (the "mommy") and the little one Shaylo (the "baby"). Unfortunately, the big ones decided to tear the small one apart one day. So we were left with 2.

Judith and Gideon both thought they were SO cool. They checked on them every morning, and Judith often would sit and chat with them. She was really excited one morning when she discovered that they had made their cocoons!

One fell to the ground, but he was still ok.

Butterfly #1. Judith watched him "hatch", then we released him later that day when some friends came over.

Butterfly #2 emerged the next day, and I managed to capture his release with my camera (I forgot with the first one...)

Free!

It was a great experience, and I know the kids really enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Gideon's Hair Cut

2010-06-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post about this! A couple weeks ago we got Gideon's hair cut, and we think it's so cute!

He's so cool.

Oh, I mean, tough.

We think it suits him. <3

Nice Try...

2010-06-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

Judith called me downstairs last night, excitedly telling me that she had cleaned up the ENTIRE BASEMENT.

I was surprised to see this:

Then, laughed when I turned around and saw this:

I love how Gideon was totally chillin' on the pile, haha!

The Cozy Coupe Saga

2010-06-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

So, I have been on the lookout for a Cozy Coupe (CC) since we moved to this house. I remember wanting one as a kid, but for some reason we never got one (we had enough toys already, really). I knew Gideon would LOVE one! Then, when I got some birthday money for him, I decided I would use it ($20) for that. I don't really buy anything new, especially toys, so I figured $20 was a good budget. I frequently checked kijiji, and had been out at garage sales every weekend since about March. I remember seeing several CC's at sales last year, when we didn't have a yard, but of course this year so far turned up nothing, and everyone on kijiji wanted more than $20.

I got a hot tip yesterday morning that there were a couple CC's for sale at the Value Village (VV) in the south end of the city. Like, I'm talking south city limits. In the SE. We live in the NW. So, it was going to be quite the trek. But I was really tired of looking every weekend at garage sales and coming up with nothing. So I decided to pack up the 3 kids and embark on an adventure. I tried not to think about it too much to save getting overwhelmed. I had to do some errands on the way, then I figured I could stop in at play group or something on the way home, especially if it was a bust.

Once we got going, I realized that I didn't really know where I was going, haha! I had looked up the location briefly when I got the message from my friend, and thought I knew where it was. But I meant to come back later and actually look up directions, but of course I forgot. So I called Dave because he has a GPS in his truck. He tried to look it up, but the only VV's he came up with were the one near us, and one in the more central south, but I was pretty sure it wasn't the one. I guessed the one I was looking for was too new? Anyway, so I wandered around where I thought it was for a while. At one point I had a feeling that I had gone too far north. I was getting closer to the one that Dave had told me about, but I didn't think was right. We had already been looking for a while, so we stopped at Tim Horton's for lunch. Then I didn't know whether to continue on, and maybe just go to the other one (maybe that one was it after all?), or go back and try looking again. My gut told me to go back, so I did. I got to the end of the road, basically at the south edge of the city. Still no VV. I decided to turn left, and find a place to turn around, and go back. Maybe I would just try the other VV. I went down that road until I could turn left again. I turned and was about to make a U-turn on that road, but something told me to keep going (I was heading north down a residential street). I kept wanting to turn left and make my way back to the main road, I even slowed down and signalled a couple times, but then something very strongly urged me to keep going. I'm sure the people behind me were SO annoyed, haha! Finally, I did make a left turn, and headed back toward the main road. Then at one point there was a bend in the road, and something told me to look over my right shoulder, so I did just for a split second, and there was VV! I totally WOULD NOT have seen it if I didn't look over my shoulder, and there were NO signs for it at all (that I could see, anyway), not in the mall sign, or along the road anywhere. It was basically hidden, I never would have found it from the main road. So that was really exciting! I totally believe that God led me there.

So I parked, and then decided that I would take Ruthie in the sling, Gideon in the stroller, and pray that Judith would listen to me while she walked free. I didn't think about it, so I didn't get overwhelmed. People stared at me wide-eyed as I walked in, but I didn't care. I was on a mission. I find that if I just focus on my goal and don't let myself get sidelined by the details and the "what if"s, then the details take care of themselves. So we went right to the toys. Nothing. My heart sank a little, but oh well. Judith of course dove right in and started playing with stuff. Then I happened to look up the aisle, and at the other end of the store, past all of the clothing, in the furniture section, was a CC! I swear that the car had a circle of white light around it and a chorus of angels started singing! I told Judith to follow me NOW, and I set off with my caravan of children towards my treasure. Suddenly there were 4 million people in the way. I tried not to bulldoze them too much. Then of course Judith was distracted my every. little. thing. along the way. Who in their crazy minds left so many toys along the aisle? And did there HAVE to be so many items of clothing with sequins along the way? Sheesh! Don't these people know that I *need* that car, and there were too many people looking around dangerously close to it? Don't they know what all I went through to get there? I was not going to lose it now! Finally, Judith spotted it too, and ran for it. As I took those final steps, I swear Chariots of Fire was playing in the background. It was MINE! ALL MINE! Oh wait, I mean Gideon's... I think he was excited too, but I couldn't see past my own emotions to care about his expression at the time, haha.

Then, I discovered that there were actually FOUR of them for sale! One was $20, one was $15, and two were $10. They all looked to be about the same quality to me. So I decided I would take a $10 one. One of them was not a Little Tykes one, it was another brand, and the horn didn't work. The other was an official, red-and-yellow one, and the steering wheel was a little loose (it doesn't actually turn the car though, it's just for holding on), but the horn worked, so I went with that one.

I got Judith to push it up to the cash. I probably had a triumphant look on my face the whole way, haha. Getting it to the van was a little stressful, as Judith was trying to run and push it all over the place and there were cars and yadda yadda yadda. But I had no choice, I couldn't handle it and the stroller and baby all at once. So we made it (there may have been a little yelling involved), and I got the kids and stroller in the van. But then the CC wouldn't fit in the back with the stroller, like just barely wouldn't fit, but enough that I couldn't get it in, any way I tried. So then I tried putting it in the middle seat beside Ruthie, but then the side door just barely wouldn't close. If anyone was watching me, I bet they were getting a kick out of it. Finally, I reclined the passenger seat and got the car in there. It just barely fit, and thankfully I'm a small person or it may have been poking into my side, but I got it in the van, damnit!

When we got home, Gideon (and Judith) was eager to try it. He really needed a diaper change though. So he spent quite a while sitting in the car, screaming his head off. He kept saying "Bum! Bum!" but refused to get out of the car because he was afraid that Judith would steal it. It was so sad! Finally I lured him inside with some (home made) french fries, and made Judith NOT TOUCH it while I changed him. Later, she decided to play with her scooter instead, and let Gideon play with the car freely, and all was well with the world. Next thing I knew, Gideon was playing on the bouncy horse, and Judith was in the car, and no one died. So hopefully they can come up with some kind of toy time-share and peacefully co-exist.

What an adventure, eh? I was so excited to be able to have such a fun story to share. Days like that are great.

Housework Survey

2010-06-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

What are your must have cleaning items/products?
Baking soda and vinegar. End of story.

If you only had 10 minutes to clean, and every house in your home needed attention, which room would you clean?
I would probably decide it's not worth it and sit in front of the computer instead, haha. But if I had to, I'd probably do the downstairs bathroom (if I'm frantically cleaning because someone is coming over for a visit), or tidy the living room (if someone is just stopping by briefly), whichever was worse.

What chore do you either hate, or procrastinate the most on?
All of them? Besides laundry, laundry is the bomb. I don't list that as a chore. Ok, I'd have to say dishes are the worst, and I hate doing them, and I totally let them pile up. But I also proctastinate on the floors too. Everything gets so messy so fast, and it annoys me to always have to pick everything up first in order to sweep/vaccum, because very little, if any, of the mess is actually mine.

At what age did you have your children start helping clean?
I don't know, I just let Judith help when she wants to help, which is actually quite often. She likes to vacuum (although I have to go over it after, which is fine). And usually she helps me with laundry (sorting, moving it from washer to dryer/hanging, folding, putting away). She helps me put away the clean dishes from the dishwasher. She also helps with the other kids, she sounds the alarm when Gideon decides to take off his (usually poopy) diaper, and will get him and herself snacks or drinks when they want one. She will also clean up spills, but I think that's mostly because she doesn't want to get in trouble, haha. She will also try and entertain Ruthie when I can't get to her right away and she's fussy. The only chore I "force" her to do is tidying up the basement with me. It gets so messy with toys, even though she's only allowed 1 crate at a time. But I make her pick them up before we vacuum there. I used to make her tidy up the living room with me before bed too, but I've been slacking there lately. I need to start that again, it made everything so much nicer in the morning. The only things I DON'T let her help with are sweeping (because she just makes it worse and for some reason I can't deal with it, although sometimes I let her use the brush and dust pan to sweep up and put the dirt in the garbage when I'm done sweeping), and washing pots & pans (because she just wants to play with the water and gets me and everything soaked and it makes me so mad, since I hate doing dishes in the first place), although she can help me put the clean ones away.

So far, all Gideon does is put away the cutlery from the dishwasher. He decided all on his own that cutlery was his job (and he only does the cutlery, haha!), and it's so cute! I leave the drawer open and he throws everything in. I have to sort it, but it's so sweet that he wants to help! Any time he sees me taking dishes out of the dishwasher, he drops what he's doing and RUNS to help me.

To what extent does your husband help with the housework?
He doesn't at all. But he mows the lawn, shovels the snow, makes sure that we have Culligan water (and puts the bottles in because I can't lift them well, even though I managed for a few weeks after he had his surgery), takes the garbage and recycling out to the back alley (as long as I have it ready by the back door the night before), does odd jobs around the house if needed, and is good at fixing things. He also cooks every so often when he feels inspired (but doesn't clean up after himself). Most of all, he makes coffee and brings it to me in bed every weekday morning. Also, he never complains that the house is basically always a mess. He knows that if he complains, then he will be asked to help. And he can't even be bothered to pick up his own socks, I find them abandoned all over the house. He often helps with bed time too, but I usually have to ask. I'm sure it would be different if he wasn't so tired from work all the time.

Do you have an area that is always cluttered?
The house, the van, the yard... I seem to manifest clutter wherever I go. I think our tables are the worst though. They are always covered in junk, and get covered quickly, basically as soon as they get cleared off.

Is there a room in your house that you usually neglect, whether you mean to or not?
I believe in neglecting all rooms equally. Although the kitchen probably looks the worst because so much goes on in there...

Is there a chore that you feel like is never done?
Dishes! And floors. I feel like I can never get those 100% clean, or by the time I do, it's undone again.

Lastly, do you have any time saving cleaning tips?
I guess deep down I find cleaning in general a waste of time, at least with little kids underfoot. I do it when I have to, but I basically do the minimum required. So, my tip would be to not worry about it and use your time to go and do fun things! Preferrably OUTSIDE of the home, where you don't have to look at it, haha.

Yeah, I totally suck at housework. But you knew that already.

Doula Shiz

2010-06-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

So, I've been thinking a lot about my doula business lately. Mostly, I want to get some kind of name. Something not too too specific, in case I want to branch out and offer other services. All relating to birth though. So I'd like to be something _____ Birth Services. I was originally going to be Birth Stories Doula Services, but Elaine, the lady who taught our course (and is super amazingly awesome) very kindly suggested that I think about it a bit more and bounce my name off of other people, and do some market research. So, I took that as a hint that it wasn't the best name (I don't know if that was intended or not, but I appreciate that she didn't just say "Oh yeah that's great"). And I trust her judgment, she was part of the group that "pioneered" the whole concept of doulas back in the early 90's with Penny Simkin and those folks.

So anyway, I want something that sounds lovely, but also will be marketable, and describe me and/or my services. Probably not too hippie-ish, even though I basically am, because this is kind of a cowboy town. Some of the popular doula services in town are called Hip Mamas, Earthy Birthy Mamas, Nurturing Touch Doulas, and Baby on the Way Doula Services.

I do want a lot of the focus to be on the significance of the birth story and the mama's experience. I like the idea of the Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories, although obviously not the spiritual background. I won't compromise my Christian beliefs, although I have no problem attending women of different faiths. I should talk to my friend Jen who knows a lot more about Aboriginal culture... I know she has said a lot of it parallels Christian spirituality anyway. I've been thinking about the name "Dreamtime" because my own journey of motherhood began in Australia, and the native Aussie culture puts a big emphasis on stories. And I want to emphasize the spiritual aspect of birth.

Other names I have thought of/have been suggested are: Labour of Love, Mama Love, and Sacred Journey. I also like the words Wisdom, Strength, Transitions, Beginnings, Transformation, Passage, Trust, Joy, Grace, Light, Companion, Nurture, Treasure, Blessings, Servant, Support, Gentle, Peaceful, Presence, Miracle, Empower and there's probably more great words out there to describe doulas. Any other suggestions? I also like the idea of using nondescriptive words that also suit, like Lotus Blossom or Sacred Heart (although I don't really care for those specifically).

Gah, this is so hard. I think I do want a name that suggests a spiritual emphasis, perhaps even a Christian connotation, without being exclusively Christian. Sacred Journey is my favourite so far. But I also like Dreamtime. Or maybe I could find the Aboriginal word for it? That might be cool, but maybe hard to remember... I need to find out what other names are already taken in Alberta. Does anyone know how to do that?

I know I'm over-thinking this, but I do that with everything, so it's no surprise. I just want something that describes me and/or my business, that's catchy and marketable, and that I won't get sick of if I end up doing this for the next 30 years!

What do you think?

A Few Things

2010-06-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

-> We had a great visit with my mom and grandma this past week! We weren't able to do much, because of the weather, but we had fun anyway!

-> Dave finally went back to work today after being off since Feb. 9 due to his hernia, and subsequent surgery. I no longer have someone to hold the baby for me all day. Showers and housework may be things of the past. No big loss I guess! I will miss being able to run errands by myself during the day, though. And having someone to talk to.

-> The sun is finally out today after a long hiatus involving snow. I think we may plant some carrots to celebrate! I think my tomatoes and cucumbers may be dead...

-> The house is a disaster already. Le sigh.

-> Our oven is broken. Hopefully someone will come to look at it soon (we told the landlord 2 days ago). Although that makes me feel kind of bad about the point above...

-> Judith has taken up skateboarding. She's actually pretty good. Although there are a few huge dents in the kitchen walls now from it... We need to find some pavement for her. I would also love to get her into parkour. I think she would rock that too.

-> I have had to get up at 6:30 the last 3 days. My kids normally sleep until about 9, FYI. I will probably be getting up early indefinitely now, because Dave is back at work and it is kind of nice getting up and having coffee with him. And because it gets light out so early, the sun helps to convince me that wakefulness isn't, in fact, the devil.

-> Ruthie is 6 months old today! I can't believe it. We let her try some "solids" last week. So far she has had water, banana, potato, and avocado. She loves it all, and is very good at eating. She doesn't really push the food out with her tongue like the other kids did. She always eats it all up and wants more. She is still going strong with breastfeeding, of course, and hopefully will for another year and a half or so.

-> We have some caterpillars in a jar that will hopefully grow then turn to butterflies! Judith is really excited, but refuses to name them for some reason.

-> Gideon is talking so much. In complete sentences. He says new things every day. I can't believe how big he is getting! We paused potty training while our visitors were here, and I'm kind of reluctant to start again since I just shampooed the carpets...

-> Today is a beautiful day, I should probably go do something with it.

My Kids Rock!

2010-05-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Judith and Gideon giving Ruthie a ride on the rocking chair.

I love Judith's question towards the end of the video. Where does she come up with this stuff?

Thoughts, Please! About Our Generation...

2010-05-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

There's something that has been on my mind for a while, and I'm still thinking about it, but would like to hear other people's input.

I've noticed, in talking to my peers, that often our parents have a hard time letting us, their adult kids, "go". They mean well, and it's nice that they want to help, but it seems hard for them to accept that we are adults, and in charge of our own lives now. It's not a horrible thing, but I wonder if this is relatively new? Am I wrong in thinking that a couple generations ago, this wasn't the case? I know a lot of things have changed in the last 2-3 generations.

Is it because our generation is more independent-minded than in the past? And that we don't grow up and stay in the same community our whole lives anymore? Some grandparents have a less active role in their grandkids lives for a variety of reasons, so they try to get whatever control and influence they can?

Is it because there is so much new, and often conflicting, information out there about parenting? What was done a generation or two ago is no longer acceptable, which could be hard for them to accept. There is also a wide range of current "acceptable" parenting styles, and opinions on these styles. A few generations ago, I don't think parenting choices caused this much of a headache. You just did what you did, and it was generally the same thing your parents did. So it's understandable that our parents could be a little hurt or offended that we do things differently than they did, even though we are basing our decisions on research, and not meaning to be hurtful through our decisions. We do it because we think that is the best for our kids, we are not resentful about the way we were raised.

Is it because our parents were the first to have access to birth control, and therefore having children was a choice, something they did for themselves, as opposed to something that just happened as a result of marriage? In the past people had kids because that's just what people did, it was expected, and maybe even was considered a contribution to society and the future. Obviously this is no longer true, today having children is a serious and profound decision, and not necessarily right for everyone. This is the point I have been contemplating the most. Our parents, in general (everyone has their own individual story, of course) were able to have children for their own fulfillment, and had a lot of control over their family size (and many other aspects of family life). So when we grow up and move away, there is a huge void there, their source of fulfillment is gone.

Is it because the world wasn't as "safe" when we grew up as in past generations, so our parents were more involved in our lives, overlooking and controlling much more than past generations? Having fewer kids makes it easier to micro-manage as well. I find with myself, the more kids I have, the more "free-range" I become. In the past, when families were bigger, it was just impossible to be involved with every aspect of your childrens' lives. Also, we have so many modern conveniences today, that we actually have enough "free time" to spend with our kids that past generations didn't have.

Is it because we have been "protected" and "coddled" so much our whole lives that we are afraid/refuse to be responsible for ourselves, and thus look to our parents/the government/other people to take care of us and our kids? Our whole culture in general has been trying to pawn off any personal responsibility since World War 2 it seems.

Is it a mix of all of these reasons? Other things I haven't thought of yet?

These are just some thoughts that have been running through my head, I'm not trying to come to any solid conclusions. And I'm NOT complaining, just observing, and thinking out loud. Maybe I am totally off in thinking that this is a relatively new concept. But I would love to hear your thoughts on this too! Do you think it is different for young parents today who are starting out vs when our grandparents were new parents? Obviously it's different in many ways, but I'm thinking as far as how much, and in what ways, grandparents are involved in the raising of their grandkids, and how easily/readily they can "let go" of control over their adult children. Also, what other reasons could there be for these changes? Do you think it's a positive or nagative change, or simply just humanity evolving with our circumstanes in life?

Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you.

Simple Woman's Day Book - Week 9

2010-05-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

So, I've kind of forgotten about this. Let's try it again...

Outside my window... It's beautiful! It has been rainy for the last week or so, now everything is wonderfully green!

I am thinking... That carpets were the worst idea ever.

I am thankful for... My dishwasher.

I am wearing... Pj pants and black t-shirt. OMG, exact same outfit as last time I posted this!

I am remembering... How much I love age 2. Seriously. I find 3.5+ to be much harder. 2 is just cute and fun. I loved Judith's age 2, and Gideon's is proving to be fun too! Ah, the cuteness! Even the tantrums are cute.

I am going... To enjoy visiting with my Mom and Grandma this week!

I am currently reading... A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller.

I am hoping... That this week is nice so we can go and do some fun things.

On my mind... How pointless it is trying to get the house in perfect shape, and how dirty our carpets still look despite being shampooed.

Noticing that... Ruthie is growing up way too quickly. In my head she's still 2-3 months, so I'm always amazed at how good she is with her hands and stuff. Then I realize, oh yeah, she's almost 6 months. 6 MONTHS?!?!

Pondering these words... "People who live good stories are too busy to write about them." ~Donald Miller

From the kitchen... Cleanliness. Sweet, sweet, temporary cleanliness.

Around the house... A disaster waiting to un-happen.

One of my favorite things... Snuggling with Ruthie at night as she plays with my hair.

From my picture journal... How cute is this?

Thoughts From a Disenchanted Homemaker

2010-05-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

Oh man, I am so tired. Exhausted. I haven't been online very much lately, I've just been busy trying to get things done around the house. And trying to get things done is really frustrating. Everything always takes a million years longer than I think it will. Then when I do finally get something done, it's undone almost immediately. This is why I find it futile to actually try most of the time. Whenever I am at the computer I always have that annoying nagging voice in my head telling me that everything would be better and I'd get so much more done if I wasn't on the computer, but that is a big fat lie. Remember the time I went 46 days without the internet? Yeah, still couldn't keep up with everything. And I tried so hard! The house was never perfect. The dishes went undone. I didn't spend as much time with the kids as I'd hoped. I was busy on my feet from the moment I got up until I passed out exhausted at the end of the day. And to top it off I felt lonely and disconnected. At least now when that nagging voice starts on me, I have evidence to say HA! YOU'RE WRONG.

Obviously it would be a problem if all I did all day was sit at the computer, but that's impossible. I do obviously have responsibilities that I have to maintain, and I do. Sometimes I just do the bare minimum, because I know no one cares, and honestly neither do I. Maybe that makes me a bad mom/wife. Really, I'm just a bad housekeeper, I always have been, and for now I'm ok with that. In the end this doesn't matter. My relationships do. Obviously I will do what I need to do at home to get by, like make meals, do my weekly clean, keep up with laundry and the dishwasher (those things right there are a full-time job!). I do need to get a handle on the clutter, and could be a little more motivated to tidy up, but it's not urgent.

To be perfectly honest, I have no desire for a perfectly clean house. I feel uncomfortable in houses where everything is in order, especially when kids live there. I know for some women that's just their thing, and it comes naturally to them (P.S. I hate you, haha), and they care a lot about it and get a lot of satisfaction out of having a nice house. Good for them, seriously. Sometimes I wish I had a better heart to serve my family that way. Like, it's not like I don't serve my family, I DO hold everything together here, and it IS a lot of work. And I like to think that I'm a great cook, and I spoil my family with good food. But for some reason, I like things to get really dirty before I clean them. I guess I just like watching the transformation. I like taking something that is nasty and making it clean. I don't like maintenance cleaning, where is the fun in that? And I hate picking up after other people all the time. So for the most part I just don't.

What I am most guilty of, though, is letting the pots and pans pile up (thank God for my dishwasher who does the rest!). It's not uncommon for me to not do the dishes for a week or more at a time. It's not even that I don't want to, because honestly I HATE that my counters are covered in dirty dishes. But it's my least favourite thing to do. Really, I usually spend at least an hour making supper, do I really want to just turn around and wash all of those dishes? No. I want to sit and eat and then relax for an hour before taking on the impossible task which is bedtime. Then, once that's done, I'm kind of tired from the day, and would rather hang out with Dave and watch Start Trek or a movie, or go online, or fold laundry, or go to bed. I can't seem to figure out a good time of day to do dishes. I guess there's never a good time. It's my least favourite thing to do, so it always gets pushed to the bottom of my list, and of course I never get time to actually finish my to do lists.

Often I end up just washing the dishes as I need them. I do always rinse out my pots & pans before leaving them on the counter, so they're not gross or growing things, but they still look awful, taking up all of my precious counter space. I really want to start making bread, but I haven't because I never have the space. Then when I do take an afternoon and do up the dishes, by the time I'm done, there's no time for making bread or anything. And by the time I do have time, the kitchen is a mess again... In our old place the kitchen wasn't big enough for 2 people, so Dave never had to help (and it's not like he would do the dishes himself!). But now it's plenty big. Even if he could dry them for me, it would be a huge help! It's so annoying having to wash a sink full, then dry it and put it away so I can wash more. Plus I tend to get distracted by other urgencies, so then later when I finally get back to it, the water is cold and yucky. It would be great if we could get into a routine where we just did them together every night or something. We could have some "couple" time at the same time. I think it's a great idea! Hopefully Dave will agree. I know it will be hard when he goes back to work and is tired, but hey, I'm always tired, I just don't have a choice!

So, all that just to say I've been really busy lately working hard on house stuff, and it seems really futile. I think for some women, homemaking is just their thing, and they can rock it, and that's awesome. I really respect that and look up to them. But I don't think that is really what I was meant to do. I do think I was meant to be a mother, and taking care of the house is just a necessary evil that goes with it. Only when I resist this evil, it doesn't flee. Maybe some day I will get the hang of it. Probably just in time for us to take off to another country again, or maybe we will be able to buy a bus and live in it and travel North America. That would be awesome! Or move to a country where most of the living is done outside.

Lately I've been getting so tired of our culture. As a mom I feel like I'm expected to strive for the American dream. Like if I have any other ideas, it's negligent towards my children. But since when do cars and big (clean) houses and toys mean anything? It's easy to get caught up in the superficial things. I honestly hate it all. Maybe that's part of my problem with cleaning, I hate this culture so I am rebelling against it in my own way.

I find I honestly identify better with poor people (probably because I am kind of poor too, although I never "feel" poor because I know in reality I am very rich compared to the rest of the world, and I never take that for granted). I feel much more comfortable in a redneck's house than in the suburbs. I'd rather live around dead animals and junk than a clean house and a fake smile. I think I just like messy people (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritally, etc). And I honestly am one, myself. If I walk into someone's house and it's a mess, I actually feel really comfortable, and like I can trust them. Like they might be able to understand and accept me. Creative people tend to be messy. I like messy.

So, there is my deep, philisophical thought for the day. And my excuse du jour for being a lousy housekeeper (although lately I have honestly been trying to not allow myself any excuses!). I know a lot of you hear me on this, so I want you to know that you're not alone. And that it's ok that you're on facebook right now instead of washing the dishes, ha!

Ruthie's Raspberries

2010-05-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

Judith and Ruthie were being silly before bed tonight. By the end we were all covered in spit... But FYI, I was not making any of the noises in the background, those were all Judith!

I'm so happy that my girls get along so well, I hope they always do. <3

Goodbye Snow, Hello Garden!

2010-05-15T20:50:00.001-07:00

Sorry that I have continued to suck at blogging consistently. I blame the sunshine, and fresh air, and all around wonderfulness that is Spring!

We have been busy having fun outside, and have started to plant our garden! Well, our "garden" consists of 2 flower beds at the front of the house that only get partial sun, so we planted some wildflowers there (I hope they grow!), and some potted veggies in the back yard (it made more sense to me to do it that way instead of digging up the back yard, since we are renting, and it seemed like a lot of work, plus then I don't have to worry about weeding!). So far we have planted parsley, dill, lavender, cucumbers, and tomatoes. We have yet to plant peas, carrots, garlic chives, onions, and rosemary. I just need to get more pots. Anyone know where to get cheap pots? I have already cleaned out our local Dollarama. And I have been watching at garage sales...

Here are a few pics of the kids, enjoying the sunshine!

And our "gardens".

Yay for warm weather!

Happy Births

2010-05-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I am a fan of birth stories and videos. Even when I watch certain TLC shows that infuriate me, I still end up crying when the baby is born. Being a witness to the miracle of birth is always an honour to me. Our culture can try to screw with it all it wants, but it's still a miracle. I know that sometimes things happen, and I thank God for the technology we have that does save lives. I also know that many women have wonderful, empowering births with assistance or surgery. I have no problem with women who want drugs or interventions, as long as they get what they need to feel safe, are respected and have a positive experience, and have a healthy baby. Personally, I am moved by every birth, and every story is valid and captivating to me.

But there is something overwhelmingly beautiful when you get to witness birth unfold naturally, as the mother is able to listen to her body, and trust triumphs over fear. I can't even begin right now to explain the depths of emotion a birthing mother goes through, the extreme vulnerability that can empower or destroy her. The passage into motherhood occurs on every level of being. It is such a sacred time, whether medicalized or not. But for those of us who have been fortunate enough to experience birth naturally and joyfully, we know nothing compares. I truly wish that every woman who wanted to, could have a birth like this.

Here are a few videos that have moved me recently.

This one was incredibly fast! The father had just left briefly to let the midwives in and get some towels (I think I read that in the comments before they were disabled). The poor mama was kind of in shock though! It just shows that labour isn't always long and hard. (Click the links)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoIiVszj1EU

Here's another quick, beautiful birth (warning: boobs. Although if you're into birth, it's obviously not a big deal.).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqArhbe-pAY&feature=player_embedded

And finally, this one is long, but worth watching. It's a hospital birth, but you'd never know it. It shows how calm and gentle birth can be, and also how skilled and professional the midwives are, while also being respectful and not causing a scene or making the mother fearful.

You can also find tons of other great home birth videos by clicking the links after these videos. It's truly incredible what women are capable of.

Ruthie's birth was a lot like these. Honestly, one of my biggest regrets ever was not getting her birth on video. It would have been great to share it with the world.

Judith Making Ruthie Laugh

2010-05-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I have been MIA yet again. SOME day I will get back on the posting-consistently bandwagon. You know, when life calms down and gets easy again, haha.

Anyway, here is a cute video we took a couple weeks ago. We took it on the iMac webcam, that's my excuse for looking like a dork staring at the camera, I was actually watching it on the screen.

Enjoy!

Almost One Step Closer!

2010-04-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow is the Intro to Childbearing course, then Sat/Sun is the Doula Training workshop. I am really excited! I really, really need the time away. But I'm also worried about Dave and the kids. It's not good timing for them. Dave is still in pain and can't lift the big 2 kids. He also has never changed Ruthie's cloth diapers or fed her (or any baby) a bottle. I will be gone for 9.5+ hours each day, and the course is downtown so I wouldn't have time to come home to nurse at lunch. And we only have 1 vehicle, though Dave wouldn't be able to bring all the kids anyway, since he can't lift them (and he can't leave them at home, obviously).

So, I know we will survive, but it might be rough. For them anyway. Anyone want to drop by and help Dave out?

This is the only time I can take the course before my friend's birth in Oct. So I need to do it now. Hopefully everything will just go well. I am looking forward to being 1 step closer to being a doula!

Salmon Mango Wraps

2010-04-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a Today's Parent magazine, and it has become one of my favourites! I've tweaked it a little though.

You need:

~6 large flour tortillas (or more/less as needed, just adjust the recipe accordingly)
~750 g (1 1/2 lb) skinless, boneless, salmon fillet (I just buy about an $8 fresh fillet, I don't usually look at the weight, it seems to be enough for us. Basically, buy how much salmon you would normally eat in a meal as a family)
~Canola or olive oil (I use olive)
~Salt and pepper to taste
~1 fresh, ripe mango, pitted and diced
~1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
~1/2 red onion, chopped (I've used regular onions when I didn't have a red one)
~Juice of one large lime
~1/4 tsp salt
~Hoisin sauce or barbecue sauce (I use Diana's Honey Garlic BBQ sauce)
~2 cups (approx) shredded Romaine lettuce.
~Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
~1 cup (approx) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Cut salmon into 6 equal pieces (or however many pieces you think you will need, 1 per wrap). Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until just cooked through.

In a medium bowl, combine mango, cilantro, onion, lime juice, and salt.

Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil. Put tortilla package in oven for a few minutes at the end of baking time to heat through.

Baste cooked salmon with hoisin/BBQ sauce (I also spread some on the tortilla). Place 1 piece of fish on a warm tortilla, sprinkle with cheese and red pepper flakes (optional), top with about 1/3 cup mango mixture, and lettuce.

Wrap. Eat. Repeat.

It's an interesting combo of flavours, but so delicious!

Blurrrrr

2010-04-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I haven't been around much since we got back from our trip. Things have been... busy. I didn't realize how hard this was going to be. Not only do I have all 3 kids to take care of 100% by myself 24/7, but I also have to take care of Dave, making him food, keeping the kids from jumping on him, putting on his socks... Sometimes I forget about him as I'm preoccupied with everything else, then I feel bad. They had to open him right up for the surgery, and staple him back together. It's like he's healing from a c-section! I guess this is good doula practice. Although he actually gets to sleep and doesn't have to breastfeed.

Our trip went fairly well. I had a lot of fun at the ranch and it was great to see my friend Jen (and have her to help with the kids, I don't think I would have survived the first 24 hours post-surgery without her)! Judith suffered a minor (but seemed like major at the time) injury, stretching me to my limits, but we survived. She managed to scrape all of the skin off the top of her toe under a door, it was nasty. But it was nice to be out in the country, and see TREES! The kids loved the horses, and the other kids who lived at the ranch. The drive down, and half of the drive back, was great, I love driving out of the city, I find it therapeutic. The kids slept most of the drive too. On the way home it got stressful though, we drove into very strong winds and rain, making it hard to see and control the van. The temperature also dropped 20 degrees (Celsius) in a really short time. But we made it. My poor nerves, hands and shoulders were the only casualties.

Friday I attempted to go out with the 3 kids, but it was a big fail. I cried a lot. Sunday I tried again and succeeded though! But it was exhausting. Everything has been kind of a blur since we got back, honestly.

The house has been a disaster since we got home, I haven't been getting much sleep, and haven't been eating much/well. I've been really frustrated and short-tempered. Judith's behaviour has actually been ok since we got back, thankfully, she has been really hard to deal with since she turned 4 but during and since the trip she has been better. Well, until today.

Today everything just really got to me. The kids were incessant and would not leave me alone, I could barely think or function. Let's just say, I had a very bad Mommy day. I feel terrible. It takes a lot to get me to openly freak out, but my kids have skillz. I finally kicked the kids outside against their will (I would have rather just physically kicked them, but this seemed like a healthier alternative), then organized and took out the garbage and recycling. I started to cool down, feeling better having finally gotten something done, then I heard a scream, and opened the door to see this...

Seriously, if anyone here needs a facial, it's ME! I was ready to wave the white flag, but instead I tried to laugh and I took a pic. Then ran the bath. Then Gideon and I had cookies (Judith lost cookie priviliges because of the mud thing). Then Judith offered to help me clean up the kitchen and living room (they were disasterous, a major contributor to my stress), so that's what we did. Now the place looks normal again, Judith is making popsicle-stick puppets, Gideon is playing with his puzzles, Ruthie is nursing, and I am finally getting a chance to go online. So I am trying to breathe, while I can.

I Need To See This!!!!!!!

2010-04-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

I just came across this via facebook. I come across A LOT of birth stuff, because I have awesome friends who also like to share things they find (I share quite a bit myself). So I clicked on this, thinking I would be inspired as usual, but I didn't anticipate it being so "close to home".

The film was made in Byron Bay, Australia. Where I used to live. When I was pregnant with Judith. Where my motherhood journey began. Where I was impacted by my birth experience forever. Where I was empowered to make my own decisions, birth my baby, and was given incredible support to persevere with breastfeeding.

I met Sue, the midwife in this film, and went to her prenatal classes (shown in the film). I also went to the birth centre (although we transferred to the hospital, but then back to this birth centre after, where the midwives could give me more attention and help with my breastfeeding issues). Seeing all of the familiar images of Byron Bay, Sue (and the other flaky midwife in the prenatal class scene, she was there for my classes too!), and the birth centre, totally ripped my heart out. I was not expecting that AT ALL! But I am so happy to have come across this! I may have to fork out $50 + shipping for this movie. Seriously, it would be worth it. I would just watch it over and over and bawl my eyes out. That is the most beautiful place in the world, and so much of my personal calling came to fruition there.

Maybe I could buy the movie, and then have a showing and charge $2 or something, to cover the costs, haha!

So here is the trailer. Please note: there are images of naked breasts and full birth footage, so only watch it if you can handle that! Enjoy.

Impromptu Family Vacation!

2010-04-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Dave's surgery. I think he is quite anxious about it. We have to get up in the morning, drive 3 hours to another city, have his surgery, find something for supper, then drive another 45 minutes to a ranch (YWAM base) we are staying at, where my friend works. Then we will stay overnight, and head back home the next day. Dave is really nervous about the surgery, and I am stressed about the trip (the van, the kids, driving, logistics, etc). I still have to pack. But I am excited to see my friend, and I bet the kids would love the ranch! I think the ranch is a better idea than a hotel, because Dave can rest in our room, while the kids and I play outside, with lots of friendly people around to help me. At a hotel we would probably just be stuck inside and the kids would be all over him. I really hope he isn't in too bad of shape when he comes out of surgery (it's just a day surgery for a hernia). This trip has the potential to be extremely overwhelming for me.

Insight into the Unschooled Adult Life

2010-04-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

I'm really enjoying this video right now. It's long, but so interesting.

I got it from this blog, which I also highly recommend.

Dentist

2010-04-16T23:14:00.000-07:00

I think Judith may be finally over her fear of the dentist. At her initial appointment back in March, she kicked and screamed and ran away and hid, it was awful. I felt like I was betraying her. Then her first round of work a couple weeks later (extraction, root canal, and 2 teeth filled & capped) on her right side was really rough on me. Thankfully my friend came to help (Thanks Ashley, couldn't have done it without you!!!). Judith screamed and thrashed around, but the sedation helped. She freaked out really bad at one point, but then we realized that she was just mad about a finger-print spot on the sunglasses she was wearing. Once that was cleaned off she was fine. She watched Thomas while the work was being done, and overall it wasn't too bad. The paediatric dentist was good, he was really kind and quick and tried really hard to keep Judith calm and informed. Afterwards she picked out a toy especially for Gideon (seriously, she is so sweet), then my friend kept her happy on the drive home, and she went to sleep on the couch right after.

When she woke up she was happy, the drugs had worn off, and she said "Mommy, my tooth doesn't hurt anymore!" I almost cried (I had already cried quite a bit while she was asleep), I guess her rotten tooth had been causing her a lot of pain, and it felt better even though they yanked it out of her and it was bleeding all over! She recovered quickly, doing her salt rinses without a fuss, and she was very proud of her new "silver" (stainless steel capped) teeth, and loved to show off her "rotten" tooth to any and all visitors. She's a tough cookie.

The second dentist appointment to complete her extensive work was as good as expected. Judith was awesome. She was very brave and did everything the dentist asked, even under the sedation. He was very impressed. The only thing was afterwards, she wouldn't stop biting her tongue! I guess it felt weird since it was frozen, so she kept chewing it. So then it got bloody, and that really freaked her out. She wouldn't stop touching it and checking for blood, I guess the drugs made her all OCD. It took quite a while to get her to go to sleep once we got home, she was really whiny. But she finally slept for a few hours.

She loves her new teeth! She shows them off all the time. She got another root canal and 2 teeth filled & capped on her left side. She has 4 stainless steel ones in all now. My poor little 4 year-old has had 1 extraction, 2 root canals, and 4 teeth filled & capped. Sugar and juice will no longer be regulars in this house! And the kids are no longer allowed to graze all day. Hopefully that was the last time we ever go through this! It's so hard to see a child stoned out of their mind, but we definitely would not have been able to do it without the sedation.

My poor kids! I have never given them any kind of drug or antibiotic or anything, and now just in the last while we've had so much! Gideon had his hernia surgery Feb 24, which went really well (Dave has hernia surgery next week too!). He was put out for it, but when he came to he completely freaked out, I guess the pain medication they gave him didn't work, so they ended up giving him morphine. I hated seeing my baby boy all drugged up, it broke my heart! He was on Tylenol for a few days after, but honestly he bounced back well, and quickly. He's almost all healed up now.

Judith was given a drink that essentially made her "drunk". She was awake, but totally stoned out of her mind. It was a little bit funny, but mostly heartbreaking. It made her easier to handle during the procedure (although it did nothing for pain, she still had to get the regular freezing from the huge needle), and it also clouds her memory of it. We gave her one dose of Tylenol each time after we got home, but then she was fine so she didn't need any more.

Judith actually came up to me after her nap once the drugs wore off and said "I was so brave this time, because now I like the dentist. I'm not afraid anymore!" So, I guess facing her fears was a good thing after all (I finally figured out that she got her crazy fear of the dentist from Finding Nemo!). She experienced the worst that dental work has to offer a child, and lived to tell.

Both of the kids recovered remarkably well from their "traumatic" events. So, hopefully we can put all of this behind us. Now if only I could go and sleep for a week... then maybe I could recover!

Lent

2010-04-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I really really need to catch up on everything that happened over lent before it is gone from my brain forever. Ideas and memories don't always have that long of a lifespan in my head these days...

Now, bullets:

* The first week was really frustrating. I literally spent all day, from when I got up until when I went to bed, doing housework. And the house was only marginally cleaner. It really didn't seem worth all of the extra effort. This was compounded by the fact that Dave was on the computer all day, every day, while I worked my butt off.
* I surprisingly didn't miss the internet OR junk food though. My brain still thought in "status" and "blog" mode for the first week or so, but that eventually went away, as I learned to live in real life again. But I discovered that my "need" for sugar and junk food was related to my time spent online. As much as I love being online, and I need my friends there, it also stresses me out. I get stressed because the kids won't leave me alone while I'm trying to focus on writing something, and also because when I spend too much time away from the computer, I get "behind". But I found I wasn't as stressed when I wasn't online, so I didn't really need my other drug (sugar) to cope.
* I really missed juice though. I'm totally a juice junkie and don't like water. But I managed to survive by drinking ice water (for some reason it goes down better than room temp, even though my teeth are sensitive), and eating fresh fruit.
* After the first week, I decided to change my attitude about the computer, and I felt a lot better. I realized that I can only control myself, and what I do. I can't control what Dave decides to do, and there's no point in getting all bent out of shape about it. It was liberating for me.
* I experienced my first ever postpartum hair-fallout. After the first 2 kids were born, I had dreads, so I didn't have to deal with all of the hair. All I can say is: yuck.
* I also quit shampooing my hair. Now I just wash my scalp with baking soda, and rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar. I still use a little leave-in conditioner on the ends, but I use less and less each time. My hair is surprisingly fabulous! I can leave it down without needing mousse for the first time ever!
* Gideon's surgery, Dave's Dr appointments and Judith's dentist appointments took a lot out of me, but overall everything went well. I've hung in there.
* Dave and I have been watching movies/tv shows at night after the kids go to bed (like all of seasons 5 & 6 of The Office, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and other movies that I can't think of right now...). It has been nice. I'm not looking forward to when he has to go back to work (early June), I've enjoyed actually being able to spend time with him.
* My mom came for a week-long visit. It went by really quickly as usual, but we did lots of fun stuff. Dave and I even got to go on a date! The kids got a little bit of a break with the sugar fast, having chocolate milk a couple times, and ice cream once. We got to see how even that little bit of sugar affected their behaviour, which was good reinforcement for us to keep it up with them.
* Judith is starting to "accidentally" show off what she has learned in her dance class. It's an unparented class, so I never get to see what she has learned. But I can see it in the way she carries herself, and the little things she does sometimes. They learn a lot of actual dance stuff in the class, I can't wait to see the recital in June!
* Ruthie hit her 3-month growth spurt. Eating all the time and fussing more than usual. I'm glad that's over.
* Gideon has become SO talkative! He says new words everyday, and can repeat anything anyone says. He talks in sentences, and they are becoming more and more understandable. He is seriously so adorable, I can't get over it.
* Computer died March 10 and went in for repairs. Mac customer service = awesome. Definitely buy the Apple Care if you buy a Mac!
* DVD player also died, we got a new media player that connects the tv to our computer, so we can watch tv on the tv that is coming from the computer. No need for cable, and no commercials! And we can rip our dvd's to the external hard drive, and then watch them on tv. It's great, we don't have to mess with actual DVD's anymore!
* The engine light came on in the van. Thankfully, one of Dave's friends is a mechanic, and he took a look at it for free. We just had to replace the air filter and clean out the air intake. Hopefully that was it! The light is off now, but still turns on during long drives (Dave has had to drive 3 hours each way to his Dr's appts, really annoying but that's WCB!). I'm glad we didn't have to take it in, it would have cost so much when it wasn't necessary.
* Did some serious introspection and thinking about where we are at as a family and what we want to do. God really confirmed my doula journey (more on that later), and Dave wants to get his A+ certification for computers, since he can't be a roofer forever. So I signed up for the DONA certification/course, and Dave has been studying up so he can challenge the exam soon. We would both like to have our own businesses some day, and then maybe we can travel again while being able to support ourselves. There is a lot of other spiritual stuff we have discussed too, but that might be for another blog...
* By week 3, I was starting to really miss my friends online. And I was craving sugar (mostly juice and good quality dark chocolate) again. Although I could easily never eat candy or pop again. It sounds so disgusting now. Even bread was starting to taste overwhelmingly sweet.
* I started going to the gym again, and surprisingly had no problem doing 20 mins on the eliptical, and started right where I left off with weights. I guess having 3 kids will do that. I was surprised that I was actually in shape, I guess it's just hiding under all the baby fat.
* I didn't lose any weight over the break, despite going to the gym, not eating junk, and breastfeeding. Well, I lost 4 pounds during Ruthie's growth spurt, but then gained it all back right away. I guess I just can't set any weight loss goals until I'm done breastfeeding, it's always like that for me. Although I do need to go and get some clothes that actually fit... instead of letting my butt hang out of everything while convincing myself I will lose the fat soon.
* I had to move Judith up to size 5 clothes, Ruthie wasn't the only one with a growth spurt over the break! Judith is quite tall for her age, I think. She definitely doesn't get that from me!
* Gideon changed a lot too, although mostly in looks. He's now definitely a toddler, my little boy, with very few traces of baby left in his face.
* I really enjoyed doing a lot of reading. It was great because it was therapeutic for me, and I could still be present with the kids, unlike the computer. It's a hobby that I am definitely going to keep up! I have to figure out what to cut from my computer time in order t o make room for more reading...
* Even without the computer though, I found my mind wandering all the time. It was honestly hard to focus 100% on the kids and just play. I had to fight really hard for it. That saddens me a lot, but is something I want to work on.
* Judith got to perform infront of people for the first time! They are practicing their routine for the recital already, and they came out after class one day and performed it for the teenagers' class. I guess they will be doing that a lot, to get used to it. Judith was SO cute! The other 2 girls in the class (there are just 4 kids), were way too shy and just stood there. The little boy liked the spotlight, but often forgot to actually dance. But Judith, she danced her heart out and soaked up the attention! Half the time she did her own thing instead of what the teacher was doing, but it was SO cute! She does not lack confidence!
* I have been doing Pilates with Ruthie (the PeeWee Pilates book is good!), and Judith likes to do it alongside me, with Lambie. It's so adorable, I keep forgetting to get a photo.
* Ruthie learned to suck her fingers to self-soothe (just like Judith did as a baby), and that has made my life SO much easier! She's a lot quieter, and nurses a bit less (I still have a ton of milk though). She seems to need something in her other hand though, in order to put her fingers in her mouth, and seems drawn to blankies more than stuffies, so I got her a blanket. I hope she gets attached to it, Judith having her Lambie and Gideon having his Blankie has been a huge help in comforting them.
* The last 2 weeks were HARD. I really missed everyone! But I'm glad I stuck it out.
* My friend Jen came to visit! She is one of my best friends, and it was so good and refreshing to connect with her!
* I got to hang out with some of my local friends during lent too, which was really nice. I probably talked too much because I was lacking the interaction, I hope they didn't mind. =) I'm so thankful that I do have friends here now, they are seriously awesome.
* Ruthie laughed for the first time March 28! She laughed for Dave in the morning, and for me in the evening, it was so cute!
* Had to upsize Ruthie to her intermediate sized diapers, and thus also move her into her size 6 months clothing. She's growing up too quickly! She was 16 pounds 4 oz at her 4 month appointment.
* We took the kids to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate Gideon's birthday, and he loved it! Judith loved it more though, haha.

Overall, it was a really good experience. But I'm not going to do it again any time soon, haha! I just need to figure out how to spend less time online, while still being able to connect with my friends and get my thoughts out through writing. I didn't get to rest at all, as I had hoped, I think rest and relaxation are just things that's aren't going to happen while the kids are young. But that's ok, they're worth it. I'm glad that I have this time with the kids while they are little! The less I sleep, the more time I get to spend with my little loves (as long as I get enough sleep to actually function, but now that I have coffee, that amount is less, haha). I was actually way busier than usual, always on my feet, it seemed. I was either doing housework, tending to the kids, running errands, or reading. It was nice to only have to worry about my own little existence for a while, and not about what's going on with everyone else, or the world. I realized that I do totally run on empty all the time, but there isn't much I can do about it. So I carry on. I have learned the meaning of "God's mercies are new every morning." He truly does get me through every day. I'm so thankful that I'm not depressed this time around. I can actually keep up with life, and do simple things like get out of bed, and face the day with a smile. =)

Simple Woman's Day Book - Week 8

2010-04-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to pick up where I left off...

Outside my window... It's starting to recover from our recent snow. It was really nice out for most of lent though!

I am thinking... That a latte would be awesome right now. Yeah, I started drinking coffee over lent.

I am thankful for... Coffee, haha. I haven't been getting much sleep lately. It has taken me 3 kids to get to this point, I've always hated coffee.

I am wearing... Pj pants and black t-shirt.

I am remembering... How much fun Gideon had on his birthday!

I am going... To take Judith out to pick out a "treat" for being so brave at the dentist. She can have anything she wants, from the Mac store, that I can afford, haha.

I am currently reading... Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein.

I am hoping... That I can get the house back in order soon, it's driving me crazy, but I have been too busy and tired lately to keep it in good order. It's not nearly as bad as our place always was in the old apartment.

On my mind... My future doula business.

Noticing that... My weight isn't budging, despite breastfeeding, giving up sugar/junk food, and going to the gym.

Pondering these words... ... ... apparently nothing.

From the kitchen... Dave is now making me a latte, yay!

Around the house... There is a lot of laundry that needs to be washed, or put away. I never get behind on laundry, this is crazy!

One of my favorite things... Lattes, haha.

From my picture journal... The kids at Easter.

Oh Yeah

2010-04-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

Well, they weren't able to fix our iMac, so they gave us a brand new one! It's a bit bigger, and much nicer than our old one, no extra cost. So right now I am basking in the glow and new smell of awesomeness. Go Apple Care!

Anyway, now I can finally post pics! Here are a few from today of the kids.

So, what do you think? I think Gideon has grown for sure since Lent started! He went from "baby" to "little boy" I'm sure Ruthie has gotten bigger too.

And for fun, here is what I look like after a night of only getting 3.5 hours of sleep (and only 5 hours the night before that...), and 2/3 of the kids have colds. We're a happy bunch.

But all is well, because we have a computer again!

Soccer Mom

2010-04-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's me!

Haaaaaa! I never ever saw that coming. Seriously. Soccer was never my thing. I only really played it in gym class and at camp, where I earned the nickname 'the pylon'. I even have a pylon tattoo, no joke.

BUT, Judith wants to play soccer, and since she doesn't have dance over the summer, I thought it was a good idea. So I looked it up online (back in March), and noticed that the games are 1 block from my house, and the registration deadline was that day. So it was meant to be.

She is just playing in a house league with 4 & 5 year-olds. Hopefully it will be fun, and not too scary for me.

Did I mention that I am the team's assistant coach? Yes, I am crazy, thanks for pointing that out. Hopefully my fondness for kids will overshadow my fear of the ball. It worked when I was a camp counsellor for 5 summers... I didn't want to coach, especially since it's my first year, but it was one of those situations where someone had to step up or the team couldn't play. I'm a sucker for that kind of thing...

I really, really hope no parents are competitive. I won't stand a chance.

Anyway, so as usual I am embarking on a new adventure. Go Titans!

Books

2010-04-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything since lent ended on Sunday! Our Mac computer is in the shop, so I am unable to post any pictures, and seriously, what fun is a blog post without pictures?

But I guess I do have something I could share with you: my current reads.

I really enjoyed doing lots of reading over lent! I used to read a lot, but lately haven't seemed to have the time. But that is going to change, because I have rekindled that love. Plus, I find that when I am online I get really grouchy with the kids, but if I'm reading, I can still be pleasant. It's easier to set a book down than walk away from the computer, for some reason, when the kids need me.

If I had more time I would link all of these, but I don't. Sorry. If you are interested in these books, you will just have to search for them on Amazon or something. Or look for them at your local library (where I got most of these). It will be worth the effort.

So, here are the books I have read:

Discipline Without Distress by Judy Arnall (very good!)

Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Penny Simkin (large book, but excellent and I would recommend this for all first-time expectant parents)

Instinctive Birth by Val Clark (very good)

PeeWee Pilates by Holly Jean Cosner (really really good, Pilates exercises for mom & baby)

Endometriosis for Dummies by Joseph W. Krotec (informative, interesting as far as a book about endo can be...)

Sex + Money: A Global Search for Human Worth by A Voice for the Voiceless, PhotogenX - Kona (YWAM) (very well done, my only issue is how they blame free enterprise for the proliferation of sex trafficking, while I personally believe it has a lot more to do with government corruption and prohibition, but that's a whole other blog post. Overall it's an excellent expository book)

In the Womb by Peter Tallack (very awesome visual and descriptive journey through pregnancy)

Labor of Love: A Midwife's Memoir by Cara Muhlhahn (EXCELLENT! My favourite book of them all. It's 256 pages, and I finished it in less than 48 hours, I couldn't put it down!!!)

I am currently reading: Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein (good so far!)

I also read 2 Today's Parent magazines, 2 Birthing magazines, 1 Mothering magazine, and my Bible (although not all of it, unfortunately).

There is a pile on my book shelf I have yet to read, including:

The Doula Book by Marshall Klaus

The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin

Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding by Jack Newman

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

It Sucked and then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather B. Armstrong

So, that's what I have been up to! I wonder if I will ever get sick of reading about birth?

It's Almost Over!

2010-03-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

So, here are the kids as of Feb. 16, the last day of internet here...

I wonder how much they will have grown over lent?! It won't be too long now, and I will be back. And Gideon will be TWO!!!

Meal Plans

2010-03-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

I need to meal-plan. If not, it would be cereal for all every night!

It goes like this: I sit down every Saturday night with the weekly fliers, my recipe binder, the laptop and my notebook of shopping lists. First I look through my "master list" (which I keep in my recipe binder) of all the things I like to keep on hand. You should make one, it's super-handy! It's a list of everything I need for typical breakfasts (I have a few options that everyone can choose individually from), lunches (I let the kids decide what we all have for lunch each day), snacks, salads and baking. Also things like spices, teas, and household items. I quickly glance through the list and see if we need anything on it. I will do a quick look through the pantry, fridge and freezer to confirm. I write what we need on the shopping list.

Then I look through the fliers and see what's on sale. I see if anything tickles my fancy. Or if anything we use a lot is on sale so we can stock up. I add those things to my shopping list. It also helps inspire my dinners. I then take out my list of meals (also in my recipe binder), and make my dinner plans.

I make a different dinner every night of the month. I write them on the calendar. That way I know what I need to do every day, and can take meat out of the freezer or other prep as necessary. Dave also knows what to look forward to each day, and it ensures that I don't repeat meals. If you give me a past date I could tell you what we had for dinner! I'd just need to look it up in my calendar!

We go shopping early Sunday morning, while the store is stocked full of goods, but before it gets busy. I make dinners Sunday through Friday, then Saturday we have leftovers or pantry food. It helps clear out the fridge for the influx Sunday morning, and saves us the cost of a meal. And it gives me a night "off".

I have a list of over 30 meals we really like. I also try to add new ones every so often. I print out all of my recipes, and keep them in those clear page protector things in my binder. That way they are on hand when I need them, I can just take 1 sheet to the kitchen with me instead of a whole recipe book, and if I spill or splatter anything on them, it just wipes off and doesn't ruin the paper. I used to do 1 new meal every week, but that stopped when I got pregnant with Ruthie, and I kept just craving our regular meals (I still did a different meal each night of the month though). I want to start trying new things again. It's not that hard, really. I bet you could think of 30 meals you like with little effort. Try it, just write them out. Then the internet is a fabulous resource for new ideas. The internet taught me how to cook!

So I decide what meals to have, then add the ingredients necessary to my shopping list (if we don't have them on hand). I try to think of meals that have similar ingredients (like nachos, taco salad, and burritos for example), so we don't have to buy a million different things, and there is less of a chance of things going bad in the fridge, since we will most likely use it all up over the various meals. I will also take a look in the fridge and see what ingredients we do have in there, and think of things I could make with those.

Sometimes I will look up recipes for different baked goods I want to try too, and add any necessary ingredients to the shopping list.

Finally, I ask Dave if there is anything he is craving or wants, and I add that.

And... that's how I do it!

Chores Chores Chores

2010-03-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

This has always been a FAIL area in my life. I usually come up with a new "plan" every season, and I keep up with it for about a month. Then everything goes to crap again for a couple months, then I come up with a new plan. Repeat repeat repeat.

I've even gotten bored of Flylady, although she did help me a lot in little ways that have stuck.

I quit trying when I got pregnant with Ruthie. In a way it was good, I was able to give up trying to control everything (because that just lead to failure), and in doing so felt a lot less stressed about everything. And you know what? Our place stayed just as clean as it ever was. I just did the cleaning whenever I felt like it, or got the chance.

When we moved to our new house, it took me a month to get everything unpacked and put away. Then, just as I was about to sit down and write up my new "plan", I decided that probably wasn't a good idea. I was about to have a baby any day anyway. So I waited.

Ruthie was born, and things were a little chaotic for a while, of course. My Mom was here and she basically did all of the housework. Once she left, I was feeling really good, and was surprisingly able to keep up with the house. I decided to just see what came naturally as far as a routine. I gave up the need to control everything, or decide what would logically make sense, and just went with the flow. And for the first time in my life, my house actually has stayed mostly clean. Not just when people come over!

So I have decided to write down my routine. Not so I can hold it over myself and beat myself with it when I fail, but just to solidify it a bit more, so I can work on my discipline a bit (a trait I used to pride myself on before I had kids). If it doesn't get done perfectly that's ok, but this is what I'm striving for, so I hopefully don't fall back into my laziness.

My morning routine goes something like this:

~Wake up whenever one of the kids wakes me up, usually 8ish, sometimes later if I'm lucky.
~Feed Ruthie.
~Change and dress Ruthie.
~Make our bed and open the blinds, greeting the sunshine with thankfulness for a new day (ok, I just made that second part up right now, but it's a good idea! But if you know what I'm like in the morning that should make you giggle).
~Go to the bathroom, get 'ready' and dressed.
~Pick up all of the clothes on the floor that must have been breeding through the night (in our room and the kids room). Seriously, how can there be so many clothes when I pick them up EVERY DAY?! Do a quick tidy too.
~Go downstairs with Ruthie and see what everyone is up to. The older kids usually make their way downstairs while I am feeding/changing Ruthie, and they help themselves to the bowl of fruit on the table. But you wouldn't believe what else they can get into in those 10 or so minutes!
~Make breakfast for the kids, always yogurt, and then something else like cereal, granola, toast, or bagels (Gideon will happily sit in his high chair and eat, but Judith never sits, she will usually just take a few bites and then follow me around for the rest of the morning, grazing on her breakfast throughout the morning, until Gideon gets hungry again and finishes it for her). Grab some fruit for myself.
~Vacuum or whatever little chore I have that day (see below). Judith enjoys vacuuming so she will often do it for me.
~Start the laundry for the day.
~Clean up the children from breakfast (if I can catch them), and put away the clean dishes from the night before, if any.
~Take the kids upstairs, change and dress Gideon, and get Judith to dress herself.
~Set the kids up with an activity at the table, like colouring or a game or puzzle, or one of Judith's work books. Eventually this will be "school" time.
~Make myself something to eat, and go online myself and check my email, facebook, blogs etc. (while simultaneously kind of participating with the kids).

Yeah, that is what came naturally! I'm so proud of myself. I found that if I get my daily chores done and laundry started before I go online in the morning, I have a much better day.

Weekly chore schedule:

Monday - Assemble garbage(s) and recycling and put out on the back deck for Dave to take to the alley the next morning. Wash tshirts, pj's, socks and underwear (usually 2 loads, one of which I hang to dry, because I don't have enough space to hang both indoors).

Tuesday - Vacuum living room. Wash diapers.

Wednesday - Clean bathrooms (and any other windows/mirrors as necessary). Wash pants and sweaters (1-2 loads, I can hang all of these usually). Bathe the older kids before bed.

Thursday - Vacuum living room. Wash towels and bed sheets (alternate between our sheets and the kids' sheets weekly, there's usually 1-2 loads between everything). Make up beds.

Friday - Go around with a spray bottle of vinegar and water and annihilate any smears, smudges or splats. I don't get everything every week, but I do what I can, whatever catches my eye, every little bit helps. Walls, doors, door frames, light switches, window sills, cupboard doors, railings, dressers, desks, tables, chairs, toys, etc. Wash diapers in the afternoon, and Dave's work clothes in the evening.

Saturday - Nothing. I don't normally even do dishes. And for supper we have leftovers or quick food from the pantry. It's as close to a day "off" as a mama can get. I do take Judith to her dance class in the morning, but I usually sit and read a book (it's an unparented class), and have a blissful 45 minutes of quiet to myself. Then once my gym membership starts again, I will go to the gym after lunch. I do my meal plans for the week and grocery list before bed, but I don't really see that as a "chore", I quite enjoy it. I do bathe all the kids before bed on Saturday, too, and wash their hair. Yes, they only have a bath 2x a week and get their hair washed once. And I only bathe Ruthie on Saturdays.

Sunday - Groceries are done first thing in the morning (Dave often does the shopping while I stay home with the kids). This is also my big cleaning day. I vacuum the living room and stairs going up before breakfast. Then after I eat I tidy and vacuum upstairs (but only every 2-3 weeks, it doesn't get too bad up there). Then when Gideon goes down for a nap, Judith and I pick up all of the toys in the basement and vacuum down there, and the stairs. Then I sweep and mop the kitchen, and also sometimes the entrance and bathrooms if needed (usually every 2-3 weeks). I also catch up on all the dishes and do a thorough clean of the kitchen, and put away any remaining clean laundry. I seriously spend the entire day cleaning, but that's what I prefer. I like to be able to look at it at the end of the day and feel like I accomplished something (and then not worry about it too much the rest of the week). If we end up going out and doing something on Sunday, then I bump all of this to Monday, which is tricky since I don't have Dave to hold Ruthie all day for me, but I do what I can.

I like having Saturday is my "rest" day, and then Sunday as kind of a "reset" day for the week.

*Gideon goes down for a nap between 2 and 3 (and I wake him up at 5, he'd seriously sleep all day, he gets that from his mama I think). Then I usually put a movie on downstairs for Judith, and try to get Ruthie down for a nap in the hammock (she will sometimes sleep 2-3 hours in there!). If I am successful, I actually get some time to myself!*

*I also try and put "yesterday's" laundry away in the afternoons. It doesn't always happen, but I actually enjoy folding and putting everything away, usually while Gideon naps. If I miss it one day, I can usually double up the next day and get it all away. And if all else fails, I do it all Sunday.*

My evening routine goes something like this:

I usually start thinking about dinner around 4:30 or 5, depending on what it is (I would DIE without my meal plans!). I aim to have dinner ready for 6:30. Although I've often been late with this, especially if Dave is home late so I have to make supper with Ruthie in tow. But since he has been home with his injury, I can be more consistent (well, at least try. I still seem to always be "late" with it). I make most dinners from scratch so it takes a while. I need to learn to do a lot of the prep early in the day so I'm not so rushed in the evening.

After dinner, if Ruthie needs me I will feed her and go online for a bit. The kids usually enjoy playing downstairs after dinner, and it's the only time of day they aren't at my heels, for some reason. If Ruthie is sleeping, or content in the sling with Dave, I will clear off the tables, clean up the kitchen, spot sweep and do the dishes (pots & pans, everything else in the dishwasher which I run usually every 2-3 nights).

Soon I will be going to the gym again 2x a week. Those nights are usually rushed, I try to leave by 7/7:30 so I can be home by 8:30/9. But I need the gym, so it's worth it.

Around 8:30 I will tell Judith that bed time is coming, and she helps me tidy up the living room. This has seriously been the BEST idea ever! Tidying up before bedtime has revolutionized my life. It's so nice in the morning coming downstairs to a tidy living room, and then it's quick to vacuum in the morning too. Judith doesn't always want to help, but she has to at least put her arts/crafts/puzzles/games etc away in the cupboard, and take all of the toys downstairs (so many seem to migrate up every day). This has been really good for her, after fighting with her for a couple weeks about it, she now participates willingly, and often without being asked.

At 9 the kids go upstairs (8:30 on bath nights). Lately, now that we actually have a routine, they go up without a fight. We get our pj's on, brush our teeth and wash faces if necessary, read 3 books on Mommy's & Daddy's bed, then tuck the kids into their beds with hugs, kisses and prayers. Bed time has been going really well lately! It will probably get harder when we transition Gideon to the bottom bunk from the crib this summer, but for now, it's great. I'm so glad I decided to be consistent with bed time. For a long time we just went with the flow, and sometimes the kids weren't in bed until 11 or 12! Now they are in bed with lights out by 10 at the latest every night, and it has improved their attitudes a lot, and made my life a lot easier. Yay bedtime!

After the kids go to bed (Dave often goes to bed at this time too, especially on work nights), I will either do the dishes or go online, whatever I didn't do after supper. I try and be in bed before midnight. Occasionally I will just be too tired, so I'll go to bed with everyone else.

So, this is basically what my life looks like these days. I definitely don't follow this all perfectly, I'm a pretty flexible person and when things come up I can easily deviate from the plan and make up for it later. But this has actually been working out pretty well for me! Hopefully it will last this time...