Clean Eating and New Beginnings

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging . I have now just over 15 months of this parenting of two business under my belt. I just now feel like I am coming up for air and allow my brain to now begin to sort out this pre mom interests /hobby life /parenting balance. I feel like blogging will help with all these outlets and get my thoughts out.   I just love the feeling of new routines and different schedules and I am looking at blogging as my "back to school" routine.
                                                 
                                                           This one has started pre-school.

                            She is sooo ready. New challenges, friends, experiences await her and she is ready to drink it all up and enjoy it!

This one is walking, Like he has never crawled in his life. I don't believe it.

I've started running . I get so much fulfillment and gratification out of it. At times I do actually physically run away...but I come back.... eventually. . 

I ve learned a lot in the past few months. One being that if you want to lose weight the healthy way it's F*(%*$& hard and exhausting.You have to dedicate time and effort and energy that you don't know from where, and you have to eat right. 

My midwife that I had for Charlotte's birth ( even thou the tumultuous event ended in a c-section ,she stood by my side all night long) and at the end of the whole aftermath a few days later when she was about to release me from the hospital she gave me a little speech which involved wishing me well and to enjoy little Charlotte and think about eating "Clean". That is the first time I heard this term, I was in a bit of a post birth fog and didn't think much about it. Three and a half years later I feel like I get it and 

I 'm trying my darnest to actually put it into action. 

I still don't know exactly what that concept means, because I feel now it is all the rage and people have mixed opinions about what this actually means but for me I am doing these things.

•  I am trying to only eating things that come straight from a natural source, meaning the long and short of it not eating food with preservatives. I read somewhere that rang true to me " the zookeeper doesn't feed a seal ice cream , or feed a bear some crackers just out of convenience. They are mammels and they need to eat certain things to keep them healthy. WE are mammals. "
• I'm trying to watch my intake of sugar and not exceed more that 45g of sugar /day.
• When I do eat a fruit I couple it with a protein. 
• I'm limiting my carbohydrate intake. 
• I'm drinking water whenever I can think of it. DRINK DRINK DRINK!!
• Running at least 30 minutes everyother day

I find it a challenge and it is not easy to do but I am really hoping that I see results and in turn I want to educate myself along the way. 

Outlasts

A very special visitor came for a wee tiny visit. 

Not even 24 hours but these two hit it off famously. 

Cooper is on the verge of playing strange... disclaimer : must look at mommy when he is cuddled in the arms of "another". But with Leslie he was really good - like he just knew we have seriously known each other forever! 

Life long friends - We met back in 1983 She was one and I was almost four.  Way back in the day we played hide and seek on our street together as in "on" the street, back when playdates weren't scheduled .    We were both part of the Shakespeare gang, she was part of the fab five families we "called on" -Hogan's, Zettels, Emonds, Parsons and Us , with the odd appearance of the Shane's and the Toman's - but we were the hard core . Back when our bikes weren't constrained to a "driveway", snacks were a communal thing - sort of a potluck type contributions on somebodies driveway. We truly all just played HARD and we all just got along! Our fresh aired kissed clothes filthy with mud, koolaid and crumbs, but we were oblivious and just kept on a playing. 

All Friendships bend, stretch strengthen and take turns and even breaks but it is a rarity and very special when all this happens and the result is still a friendship that outlasts for the long haul. To me, Leslie is one of these people.It had been a year seen we had seen each other and it is just as comfortable and easy as we just saw each other yesterday.
 This girl has loyalty, honour and she is one of my true and real friends.

In January 2010, she was my very first visitor at home with Charlotte,  this gal busted up from Seattle - where she was living at the time ...just for a few hours of cuddle time. Her presence meant the world to me.
She was there on my wedding day.
She was there through my first second third fouth and possibly definitely more break ups.
We've jetsetted together to Florida ( with both of our families) Cuba, Vegas ( 3 times!)  and New York.
Next year she gets married and I am so happy to be part of that day !
Love you Les!

The Christmas baking bells are on in this house. I have my little Elf just LOVING to help out.

Mommy I's such a GOOOOD helper

We had an open house for the neighbours on Sunday and these were
some of the treats.

My friends and neighbour hosted a cookie exchange last weekend and I made Chocolate haystacks
Delish and Easy Peasy.

I was going to make this for the cookie exchange - good thing I did a trial beforehand because thou they are completely and utterly scrumptious! They are messy to cut into 72 pieces. I recommend
for a dessert anytime.

caramel ooziness a.k.a millionaires shortbread

If I thought of this I think I'd be a millionaire -  can we say taste bud FRENZY
- Found it in this book  called the Home Baker.

Then this morning I was feeling rather festive and creative, so I figured I would veer away from the usual rotation of : smoothie, cereal, peanut butter and toast, and make french toast. A European "spin" on the usual.

It was a hit, considering Charlotte doesn't like eggs so much,I wasn't sure.

Except she completely gagged on the coconut atop the mitten. Not a big fan...but worth a try!

I used raisins on the star and chocolate chips for the snowmen bling and rudolphs eye and of course a red jujube for his nose. 

It was fun.

Happenings...

Going back to october here...

                                          Step back to one year ago 2011

And then Fall two years ago 2010.

This year we had two other people along for the ride!

It was COOOOLD that day! These too people put a "GLOSSY" effect to life when they are around.

Seeing them with Charlotte and Cooper make my heart full and my soul smile. 

 Something about watching my parents with my children makes all my senses instinctually tell me stop and observe and drink it in ... and take all that I can away. So special in that, that there is no words simply a sense of comfort that is so relaxing and stands on it's on saying all is right right now...

 

These feet seriously kill me everyday, so chubby and juicy and perfect. 

Mother hen over here, everything has to be just so.

Quotes of the week.

"Mom" - when she thinks on her feet this is my name ..no more Mommy

I think it's down abwoo ( below)

This is kinda dizzy - when she is excited about something! 

Fall is upon us.

I am not one to rush along summer especially here... I always try and reassure myself that out here September and October are an extension of summer, since we don't get summer until mid July. It's different than anywhere else in Canada it and the rain when it comes? It comes gradually, in warm little  intervals, a sprinkle here and there...It's not that bad...how bad can it be? ?

Reality is,that the end is near. and the rain always does come back with a roaring VENGENCE!

 I am trying to gear up for fall...thinking positively about my favourite things about the season.

First on my mind,ALWAYS is food.

Pumpkins in all forms. Breads, Pies, Lattes, Carved, Patches

Caramel Popcorn

Caramel apples, Crisp apples, Apple crisps

Hearty crockpot recipes

Soups and stews

I 'm ready for cozy cable knits, colourful scarves, leggings and knee high boots.

Warm fleecy socks.

Coloured, Leafy laden Forest walks 

Hibernating movie nights with Candles and a fire

Doors and Mantles decked out with Hues of oranges,golds and vivid reds

Cooper Kingston

I really have no excuses  for taking a 5 month hiatus from this blog that is suppossed to be a journal of our life -What a minute I have the perfect excuse - I had a baby.....a wonderful handsome beautiful little man. Who is absolutely perfect in every way.

                                          When friends ask me what's it like having two?

I can say that I am truly an advocate for second babies. Cooper is so mild mannered and has such a beautiful sweet demeanour.

The way he moves is like a well rehearsed dance routine I could sit and stare at him forever.

He is my sweet sweet boy. I feel so truly lucky to call him my own.

Circle in the sand.

It was "take a detour by the beach sort of day today" and Charlotte piped up in the back seat when she saw the aqua looking water "wow, Water, go to water?" so, on a spontaneous whim, we did!

So glad we did - sometimes - (well,  in the last month, Charlotte has been communicating with actual words), she suggests things,that I have no intention of doing and she doesn't either because she blurts out whatever she sees - but for some reason I've taken her up on her musings and act on it -like today, going to the water! Partly because I know our days just us two is numbered, there will be a bouncing baby boy in the mix, thou very exciting and amazing.I want to drink up my one on one time with her as much as I can....And it is fun to be spontaneous -it truly turns out to be a hit for both of us everytime.

 Good impulsive, unintended fun.

What a day! Nature made her spring debut.

27 weeks!

trying to capture her gold spun fairy hair in the sunlight , something I never or will ever have.

the light was perfect for shadows! Any shadow is a novelty around these parts!

This girl digs apples!

There is something about red lipstick...

 that is so seductively special. That when I put it on and I get over the initial shock of how it looks on my face, HELLOOOO RED!! And also the time it takes for my lips to get reacquainted with their old friend, when they currently hang in the more "Square" crowd of kiehl's lip balm and the like... 

When I put it on it somehow transforms me, into feeling glamourous like a primpy 1930's girly girl. I love what it means and what the strong feminine statement RED lips represents.  And who doesn't like to feel feminine sexy and classic?  It is something that has transcended in the fashion world among the ages. It never, ever goes out of style.  I guess as the old saying goes you can rock anything if you do it with confidance.

What would she do without those glossy red lips?

Valentine's day red lips!

We aren't doing anything for Valentine's day this year because we are going to be here in FOUR days!




I cannot wait to feel the sun and the heat, listen to some concerts and eat amazing food. Hopefully some shopping here and there as well! We will be leaving Charlotte for the first time -both of us at the same time and that makes me feel sick to my stomach. We will be a plane ride away, I will miss her sweet little face, her gentle little hugs, and her little chit chatter. Heck! At the rate she's going she will acquire 50 new words in Italian by the time we get home!  I am going to miss her like crazy. I'm trying to give my self a five day reserve of hugs, kisses, and cuddles to last the time I am gone.  But I know she is in the best care possible with my mom and dad she will be spoiled rotten and doted upon. And I know that we need this trip away to get rejuvenated and come back with a fresh rejuvenated outlook. Come June I will be singing a different tune - not bad but definately different a.k.a not jet setting off to tropical destination to see Sheryl Crow and Neil Diamond.

This little boy BUMP is going to see some SUN!!! He won't know what hit him.

Happy 22 weeks
and Happy LOVE DAY!