Big Wave Goodbye and artistic moments

Said The Whale has come out with their new album "Little Mountain" and this song "Big Wave Goodbye" is really cool because the video is shot with the Vancouver skyline in the background.  In a funny way it makes me feel more at home here.

Nala said to me "I'm captain Nala" and later she built me this airplane.  I was totally impressed, she's two!  I love it when the kids do something that is totally out there:)

I'm totally showing my kids off right now:)  Neka drew this picture for me, I'm totally in love with it.  She gave it to Tey to give me and when I looked at it I asked him where Nora was and he pointed to my belly. He said that he asked Neka the same question and she said that is was our history when Nora was still in mommy's tummy.  How cool is that!  I love how all three of us girls have funky curls and daddy's hair is straight, so fun:)

homebirth

Born at Home

This video is so amazing!  I love the family all around and the caregivers assisting and supporting in quiet ways.  This book is featured in the film and I can't wait to get a copy. It will be in my Doula handbag as a resource for mothers!  For those considering a homebirth this one will inspire you.

reading, cooking and playing

I couldn't put this book down!  Orentstein's story is so poignant that I felt as though I was living her life with her.  I feel for women who are having fertility challenges.  I feel as though we need to create a safe environment for telling our stories, empowering empathy and deep listening.  If I feel heard I feel safe to explore how I really feel and then I can begin healing.  I think the culture of sisterhood would look so different if we felt secure enough to hear each others stories and offer listening instead of judgement.  

This morning I began reading Real Women Real Faith and something really stood out to me.  "Don't you just love authentic people?  Aren't you drawn to women who are transparent and real?...Real Faith calls a women to be honest about who she is  The truth is, God knows everything about us and he loves us beyond description...When we get this truth, and this truth gets a grip on our hearts, everything changes.  Like the Velveteen Rabbit in the classic children's story, we slowly become "Real."  I love this!

 In my kitchen I've been trying some new dishes.  In my goals I have "Create one new dish every month"  It just so happens that I've had a few ideas that all came out together:)  The first is  vegetarian French Onion Soup.  I used this recipe as my base and then after checking out a few others I made some additions such as 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. thyme, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar.  I will definitely make this again, probably around Easter as I had a  bunch of peeled onions because I used their skins when I was making natural color pots for the Easter eggs.  I found some lovely oven safe bowls at Home Sense that are a perfect for my adventures in the kitchen!

 The next morning I saw the French Bread and thought how perfect is this!  So, French toast for breakfast it was with some sliced oranges on top it was light and fresh tasting.

 We were invited over for lunch at our fabulous friends' house, lunch was sooooo yummy! The day before when I was at Home Sense I found some creme brulee ramekins and since I've been excited to try making my own (It's my all time favorite dessert) I brought them home along with a kitchen sized blow torch from Canadian Tire:)  I found it fun and easy to make and when it came time to fire the tops I was in love!  I can't wait to make some coffee and chocolate flavored ones as well.

 Later that afternoon Nala and Neka put together their first Mr. Potato head.  Nala said, "he looks gorgeous!"  I quite agree:)

Nice work girls!

easter moments

This Easter we spent lots of time with family and friends, I liked how spread out all the festivities were.  Each day had something special to look forward to.  I took lots of photos of my "tribe" and felt so many moments of sheer joy watching gleeful faces appear as easter eggs were found and enjoyed.

 Neka prepared a little picnic for Nala and then she told me that she had to call Beckie because it was for her too:)  I love the care and attention to detail   that Neka put into it!

 I was excited to make a New York Cheesecake and after some fiddling with the baking time it came out beautifully.  With some raspberry and chocolate sauce and of course a dollop of whipped cream the cake was ready to eat, and  boy was it tasty.

 Next came the natural egg dying.  I boiled four different concoctions together.  Tumeric and onion peels to make yellow, cranberries and red cabbage to make a pinky red, beets and blueberries to make a deep red and lastly, spinach and beet tops to make green.  

 Then we found leaves, flowers, and other fun things found in the garden to make designs on the eggs.  After we tied them up with nylon stockings we put them in the color to soak.  I could hardly wait until the morning to see how they turned out.  A little after seven Nora woke up and after feeding her I  opened them up.  Each one was a surprise:)

 I revelled in the simple and beautiful way that love is expressed.  We jumped rope, told jokes, colored pictures and ate yummy food.  As I watched those that I love have fun I felt relaxed, present and very in love with my life.

Bubble Trouble

This morning Nala brought me her favorite book to read, Neka heard us reading and came out of her room to snuggle in too.  This book is hilarious and we have read it countless times.  

 Neka had some cheerios in her little play pot to nibble on:) 
I'm getting things ready for Easter and I'm as excited as I was as a kid. Today I'm making a New York Cheesecake for when the whole family comes over tomorrow for dinner and later I'll get things ready for our natural egg dying, I'll post how it goes!  Then there is the egg hunt in the back yard that I'm ridiculously giddy about, yesterday I started working over the dirt in the gardens and cleaned up the yard.  I found two wooden bird houses that I'm going to make into a little wooden people's houses, I can't wait for the girls to find them during the Easter hunt!

 "Little Mabel blew a bubble, and it caused a lot of trouble...Such a lot of bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way."

Happy Easter to everyone I'll see you back here on Monday!  I hope you find lots of "treats" in the next few days:)

little earthquakes

I finished reading "Little Earthquakes" and definitely hope that Jennifer Weiner writes more soon!  Having babies changed my life so completely that looking back four and a half years ago I barely remember what occupied my thoughts then. The title "Little Earthquakes" is so well put, these little beings rock our world and change our outlook on life, love and beauty.  

I struggle daily to be calm when the chaos threatens to wind me up.  Then there are the moments like this evening when Neka was stroking Nora's head while singing her a lullaby.  I'll take this new life over my old one anyday!

This morning I sent a little baby care package to a friend who lives too far away for my liking and a few letters with stickers inside for some moms who are really cool (stickers are for the kids not the moms:) After, I picked up a muffin and a steamed milk and when I got home Nala cuddled up to me and we shared the treat. Tonight when I settled her into her bed she said "sweet dreams sweet petunia"  I can't tell you how big the smile was that was plastered all over my face as I left her room.  

Today I sold my cloth diapers that I had posted on Craigslist.  The soon to be mom that bought them was so cool and meeting her made me feel sentimental all over about my babies birth and the first few days where you fall so completely in love with your little person, I wish her well!

This short film is so beautiful it is called "The First Six" and it follows the life of mom, dad and baby into the first six months of his life.  I smiled and laughed at all the little moments that are sooooo precious to us mamas and papas.  Life is good.

lemon crinkle cookies and mango trees

I've been having fun finding music that I like.  I am drawn to really great harmonies and playful tunes, I imagine that a song can be the soundtrack for my day.  
On Saturday we had our whole family over and everyone brought scrumptious food. Later in the afternoon I baked lemon crinkle cookies I found on pinterest, they are from a blog called Whipperberry the photo alone made me want to make them.
They turned out just as I had hoped and were soon all gone leaving us with sweet sticky fingers.  Thanks Lauren we loved them!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

By Lauren Brennan

Makes 2-3 dozen

Ingredients:

½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.