craving craziness

I never really believed in the legitimacy of cravings. In the past I never had real, severe cravings where I absolutely had to have something or else all hell would break loose. During pregnancy I didn't have cravings, before my period I don't remember ever having them (of course I only had my visitor 3 times in 4 years since getting pregnant, nursing then getting pregnant again-so my memory might be a little skewed!) Well now I have a completely different view on the whole craving issue! Yesterday I wanted chocolate, I NEEDED chocolate, I could not get through the evening without having some rich yummy chocolate to snack on. There was no rhyme or reason to it- I just knew I had to have it. Luckily I had a small stash in the cupboard! Today- after 19 beautiful months period free my dear old friend has decided to reappear for a visit! SOOO weird as I just had no idea she was coming around, she just showed up unannounced. I guess my cravings were justified after all- and so are all the ugly pimples I broke out with like an oily teenager! I just thought they were stress induced- guess I was wrong about that too!

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. A day when people are supposed to recognize their commitment to the earth. A day when people should make a conscience effort to be kinder to the environment.
We as citizens of the earth need to realize that we are just borrowing this planet for a short time. We cannot assume anymore that someone else is going to pick up after us, clean up our mess or fix what we have broken.
It is unfortunate that so many people only recognize the need to be green on Earth Day. They don't translate their green-ness to every day living!

I have definitely become more aware of my need to be green over the last few years. It started with the use of reusable bags at the grocery store. I no longer take a bag when shopping. I carry my own reusable bags most of the time. Now I try to bring my own bags to any store, not just the grocery store! I have actually noticed that some stores now have incentive programs if you use their reusables! Water bottles are another huge environmental issue. I try to never drink water from a plastic bottle. I stopped buying the cases of water too. I feel lucky to live in a city where the tap water is perfectly clean for drinking. It is treated with fluoride and can only do me good to drink! Of course the fact that %80 of plastic water bottles don't get recycled is another incentive not to use them. AND I am saving lots of money by just reusing my aluminum SIG bottle!
I also try to clean with vinegar instead of harsh chemicals. Unfortunately this one is a little harder for me as I don't find that vinegar actually cleans as well as Windex or Clorox. I just need to find the right vinegar/baking soda combination to suite my needs.
There are so many other ways to help out the environment. Some of them take a little more effort than others but I just wish everyone would do their little part to make a more significant difference.

Say hurray to Earth Day and hopefully every day will become "be kind to the earth day"

"I want my body back"

When I had my first baby I met a lot of women who claimed they stopped breastfeeding early because they "wanted their bodies back". I really wasn't sure what that meant and I was too embarrased to ask them. My intentions were to breastfeed as long as my son wanted and I did just that. We went until he was 15 months old and I honestly don't remember ever feeling like my body wasn't my own.
Just recently I have also encountered some women who claim they want their bodies back and are trying to wean. Their babies are only between 3 and 6 months of age. Again I don't know what women mean when they make these claims. Do they feel chained to their babies so much so that they think they cannot have any sort of life outside of mommyhood? Do they think that once the nursing stops they are magically going to return to their pre-pregnancy size? Is feeding a baby breastmilk, from the breast, so enprisoning that one feels trapped by it? I just don't get it!!

April Fools Day...

any suggestions on how to get hubster this evening?? My plan to make his sandwich green this morning didn't pan out :) (no time or food coloring!!)

house sale blues...

Our house has been on the market now for about 120 days...that is a LONGGGG time in the world of real estate. We have had so many showings and so many people trudging through our house looking...and I am SICK OF IT!! Every time the real estate group calls to let me know someone is coming it is a stampede to get the house in "showable" condition...not an easy feat with two small children around! The housing market seems to be at a standstill and so many people in our area have decided that they want to leave too...which means now that our next door neighbors have put their house up for sale too we have fierce competition...bastards!!!

I have learned a few things or two since this all started though! 1)I realized that more than 1/2 the toys we have here never get used! There are bins and bins of toys that haven't been in use for months now and seem to not be missed at all! 2) I have learned that it isn't so hard to keep the house in reasonabley clean state so that it usually takes me about an hour to clean the house from top to bottom(well that isnt deep cleaning but I am hoping potential buyers aren't looking under the bed for dust bunnies or in hidden corners for piles of junk!!) 3) I no longer leave dishes in the sink for days on end!! (i'm sure some former roomies of mine wish i'd learned how to do this years ago!!!) 4) I have learned that aside from a couple of major things I actually love my house and would stay here if only those 2 major things could be easily fixed-they can't -well one could the other impossible!! 5) i have realized that the "big" house I thought i wanted/needed isn't really what I want or need and all I yearn for is a garage and a driveway! the bigger we go the more cleaning we need to do-YUCK!

a decision..

I decided a while back that I was going to get a personalized blanket for SIL and the new baby...now to decide on which one...





I have seen these in person and really like them BUT I came across this website recently and also really like them...any thoughts???

more baby news...

My SIL and her hubby just had another baby girl. She was born at 1 pm this afternoon and weighted in at 5lb 5oz. Name to be announced...

Dr Seuss...

We recently took the book Gerald McBoing Boing out of the library for our son to read. We thought that since this was a Dr Seuss book it would be a funny, cute rhyming story. Unfortunately we were quite disappointed with this book...
based on a 1950's cartoon short the story is about a young boy who doesn't talk words but makes noises instead. Perhaps in it's day it was cute or funny but this story remind me and hubby about a number of dysfunctionalities in society. Perhaps Gerald has turrets syndrome or a different disability...and his parents were embarrassed by him to the point that he wanted to run away..until he used his sound affects to make them rich...
please watch the video and let me know if we were over reacting to this story or if we are truly justified in not allowing the boy to read this book anymore!
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsyQDmEopw

march menu

I have been finding that if I don't meal plan for the week my grocery shopping is just totally ineffective. I end up with $150 worth of bits and pieces with nothing to use for actual meals...
now that I am trying to really lose the baby weight and get back into shape (not the same shape but some shape I hope!!) I have decided that creating a weekly menu and shopping for it might make life easier...
This week I have the stuff to make
chili
sweet and sour meat balls
shake and bake chicken
turkey meatloaf
chicken stir fry

I also add a green salad to every meal as well as rice or steamed vegetables- depending on what the main course is (i don't add veg's if i make chili as it's got loads of them already in it, same with stir fry)

Now if i could only be as organized with making lunches for the week as well...i usually end up just making hubby a turkey or chicken sandwich with a fruit and granola bar thrown in...he eats whatever I make and would just get caf food if i didn't pack him a lunch...better work on my organizational skills for my return to work in a few months time!!

March resolutions...

i never bothered with New Year's resolutions but have decided that since March has arrived and i am nowhere closer to my fitness or weight goals i will try to get on track. I have been eating anything and everything for a few weeks now just due to poor laziness and absolute lack of will power. I cannot stand how i feel- inside and out! My tummy is achy, my bones are creaking and I swear i feel a good 10 years older than i should!
Weight watchers is a really healthy, realistic option SOOO once again i am going to give it a go. Please wish me luck!! We have a wedding to attend on May 17th and i would really like to fit into one particular dress and not have to buy a new one that fits!!

service supreemo!

I have been noticing for the longest time that customer service has gone curbside on so many levels. So many retailers and establishments just don't provide the kind of service one would expect,given the nature of business. Today I had the opportunity to be proven wrong.
I recently purchased a new single stroller in "Perfect Pink" for my baby girl. I LOVE this stroller in every way, except that i encountered a tiny problem with it very soon after I got it. After hemming and hawing and unsure about what to do i finally emailed Jolly Jumper, the maker of my stroller. They replied back within the hour! The person i corresponded with told me i could come in to the factory and have the stroller fixed within 20 minutes. I did just that.
I entered the office baby in hand and the receptionist called someone to the front who actually went out to my car and brought the stroller in for me. He took a look and asked to have a seat. The receptionist then offered me coffee and a seat for the baby, which i accepted. I waited a very short time (felt like much less than the estimated 20 minutes) and the stroller was back in my hands all fixed and ready to go! The repair guy then lugged in out to the car for me and put in my trunk again! I was so impressed I actually emailed the company to thank them for such awesome service!
On a side note- it was way cool to be in the Jolly Jumper offices. I would have LOVED to be able to look around and admire some of the sample products they had on display but i got the feeling had i done that it would have been a bit much!

on the road again...

to healthier nails.
Lately my nails have been horrid. They are all cracking and breaking really low. They get caught on everything and bend backwards causing me serious discomfort and pain. I have been told it is probably due to a calcium definciency but I drink tonnes of milk and eat lots of yogurt so I'm not sure about that assessment. Anyway I have been trying to get them back to some state of normalcy (well not to break when i look at them at least-not even to LOOK good...just not hurt) so i pulled out my old nail care box (and i do mean OLD...i found polish in there i bought in Korea in 1996!!) I found a bottle of Witchcraft nail repair and applied it last night, crossed my fingers it might workd and went to bed...this morning my nails feel a million times better!! They are not pulling on things and are not as cracked as they were last night!! One coat of this stuff and i feel so much better...now they don't look great as this stuff isn't shiny and feels kind of coarse but if it works to repair the damage i'll live with it until i can get out to have a mani!!
Thanks Witchcraft!! You make a product that really works magic!!

Yet another Mazel Tov...

Fancy and her husband had another beautiful baby girl this morning. Baby Girl joined the world bright and early this morning :)
I can't wait to meet her :)

Mazel Tov

My brother and his wife just had their first baby. Baby Boy arrived just after 4 am and I am very excited to meet my little nephew!!!

busy yet bored

i try to keep busy. Having a baby to care for all day keeps me really busy but for some reason the past few weeks i have felt this terrible boredom itch. I take the baby to music class once a week, we go to yoga and have playdates with friends but i still find myself alone with my own thoughts more than i would like. Those times when she is napping and i should be cleaning or cooking or doing laundry, updating my scrapbook etc...i am just bored, lazy or a little depressed...could it be the lack of sunshine?? Could it be that i am too tired to do things but not tired enough to sleep during the day?

Finally...

after searching and searching for almost 2 years for new boots (yes that is how long i have been browsing the stores and looking for new boots-nuts- i do realize) I have FINALLY found the perfect pair of new black boots. Yesterday FP and I took a trip to the Mall and i found my pair at the Bay of all places. Of course the fact that they were %30 off and I had a $50 gift card helped make my decision to buy a little easier ;)

I couldn't find an exact picture of them online but these are them in the "taller" version. I have heard of Timberland before but never really paid much attention to them- i am so glad i tried them on!!

I'm so happy, so happy ...now i will have dry feet...i even sprayed them the moment I got home to help protect them :)

Another awesome purchase lately was this bag. After admiring it for TWO YEARS and never wanting to spend the $$ on it...i finally took the plunge and cannot be happier. I know it will last me FOREVER, as ROOTS purses do last a long long time...(in fact i have one friend who still uses the mini-backpack from University-we graduated in 1996!!!- but i won't get into that here!!) If i had held on to my white roots bag from ages i ago, i'm sure it would still be in perfect condition!

I have learned a valuable lesson here....just get the one you want in the first place or you'll think about it for so long and end up buying it...thus waisting the $$ on something cheaper you don't love as much!

Yeah for the seasonal spending spirit!!

if dreams came true..

this bag would be mine...
but at this price...well i'd rather pay the mortgage!!

December Doings...

This year December actually means a lot more to me than normal...there are so many exciting things going on!
First- we are just waiting for my nephew to be born...he is due on Dec 17th but could come any time now!! I CANNOT wait to meet the little guy!! and I am super duper excited to hold a newborn again. I know my baby is only 5 1/2 months but I already miss the "newborn snuggle".
Second- Fancy Pansy is having her baby too!! I am really really excited for her- and again i cannot wait to snuggle with a wee one again!! and of course i'm so happy that her baby and my baby will be born in the same calander year making them both in the same grade. (i'm secretly hoping it is another girl so that they can be great friends too)
Our anniversary is also coming up...4 years of marital bliss. Oh how much we have done in these 4 years!! 2 beautiful babies...a couple of new cars and hopefully a new house one of these days!

And this year I thought it would be nice to start a family tradition of having an annual Chanukkah party. It will be nice for the kids and hopefully fun for us too, Since i never had cousins my own age i am hoping my kids will have some experiences i never had

my finale

i so wanted the final post this month to be grand...unfortunately after a very exhausting day and hardly a moment to think let alone think of something wonderful to say i'm going to cop out and just post about nothing (feels like Seinfeld..a show about nothing!)

i hope that maybe i will have been inspired to write a little more than i had been over the past few months. Now that i know i can take a few minutes each day to jot something down :)

under the wire...

almost forgot to post today...

not sure what to say

it's time for bed

hope i can rest my sleepy head :)

the world stops...

for nothing.
The other day i was on my way downtown to visit Chrissy when i started thinking of these philosophical ideas...the one that has stayed with me is that the world and those living in it don't stop their lives for anything. Your personal corner of the world can be in complete turmoil, things happening that just don't seem fair and life not the same as what it was before but everyone around you keeps on going about their business.
Some days i don't get a chance to breath, or even to shower. I don't leave the house and am completely out of touch with the outside world (well aside from email and my blog followings) yet news still happens those days! Such a weird feeling knowing that!

cookie exchange

This will be our third annual cookie exchange. I have been pouring over my cookbooks looking for a new and interesting recipe for something grand. My problem is i don't like to roll dough, don't like to use a cut out and don't like weird or hard to find ingrediants...this is making it hard for me to make something new and interesting!
Last year i made mocha chocolate chip cookies, the year before i made double chocolate chip cookies...yesterday i bought a HUGE bag of chocolate chips but i really want to try something different...
any ideas??? before i eat the whole 1kg bag of chocolate chips !

i can learn a few things..

from my 2.5 year old...he has a love for reading like none i've ever seen! Every day when i pick him up from daycare he is sitting in the reading corner with a pile of books. Each night before bed he insists on having 3-4 books read to him...now he has taken to looking at The Big Book of Knowledge. His daddy bought it for him before he was born and he LOVES this book. It is a bunch of facts and tidbits all about history, science, politics and more. I must say that i don't know about much of it but this book is helping me learn-right along side my little boy!!

Kidisms...

Elie is such a character these days. He is very strong minded and has definite likes and dislikes. Yesterday for example he absolutely refused to wear his winter boots home from daycare so i had to carry him kicking and screaming out of the building to the car...how embarrassing- and of course by the time we got to the car he had wore me down so i changed him back into his "new diego shoes" (which aren't new anymore but try telling him that) Kick me for getting him those shoes that light up!! He prances around in them all evening and even wants to wear them to bed-g-d help us when he outgrows them!

This morning the little monkey looked straight at Jamie cat and YELLED- "FUCK OFF JAMIE" Both Gavin and I burst out laughing. More out of shock than actually finding it funny...so of course he repeated himself about 5 times, just to make sure we knew exactly what he was saying! Now where on earth did he hear that phrase??? (insert eye roll here)

The boy also knows all about farts. He announces quite loudly whenever he has made one, and also whenever someone else in the house has made one. He loves to tell us that his sister farts all the time- yes we know!! of course he says these things with such character and animation we can't help but laugh- which of course encourages him greatly!

No is his favourite word these days. Even when we know he wants something he will say NO just to frustrate us and to exert his "independence"
Boy are we in trouble when the little girlie starts talking too - and learns all she can from her big brother!!

give me a break!!

this past weekend we realized that since having kids we hardly ever get any time to ourselves...we can't remember the last movie we saw together in a theater (well i'm pretty sure it's Knocked Up-which came out in summer 2007)
How do some people do it? Go out, have alone time and have much needed "me time"...

OMG

i cannot believe how much STUFF we have managed to collect in the 4 years we've been living in our townhouse...when we moved here and collaberated our two households into one i tried to declutter and toss as much stuff as i could. The only problem is i love momentoes. I keep photos and clippings and old movie tickets of days gone by just to save. I try to keep them all in albums or in boxes but eventually they get full and spill over....this time i'm going to get rid of anything pre-1992...that would mean any concert ticket stubs or play book i find will have to go!

lets see how i do!

and they're gone...

my SIL and her family live in Zurich...they come every few months for a visit. This time the visit was extra special as their newest addition came for her first visit to Toronto. We all got to meet Alexia for the first time- she is only 5 weeks younger than my baby girl so it was cute to see them side by side. My bundle is definitely a big girlie though!! I think she looks much older than her cousin!
They have gone back to Switzerland and we're not sure when they will come for another visit. My SIL was lucky this time as she was able to bring her nanny along for an extra pair of hands - especially since her husband was unable to come.

So-long and until we meet again...the little one might be walking and the bigger one will most likely be in kindergarten!

copy cat...

I have nothing original to say anymore...so i decided to steal/copy Karen today :)

1. Do you like blue cheese? yummo!! yea
.2. Have you ever smoked?Once or twice...but never really liked it-thought it was cool back in grade 9
.3. Do you own a gun? No.
4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? the blue one
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? sometimes
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Love em! but went through a 5 or 6 year period where i wouldn't touch them!
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Don't watch x-mas movies...oh wait maybe Home Alone. Does that count?
8. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Coffee.
9. Can you do push ups? not anymore
.10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? my engagement ring. I still love it!
11. Favorite hobby? Who has time for hobbies these days...well scrapbooking when i get around to it!
12. Do you have A.D.D? Not that i know of
13. What’s one trait you hate about yourself?i panic very easily.
14. Middle name? Rachel
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment.1) is it time for Y & R yet.2) why are we selling our house now.3) Will the baby EVER fall asleep?
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee,diet coke, Crystal LITE .
17. Current worry? getting the house clean enough to show
18. Current hate -not following weight watchers on the weekends
19. Favorite place to be? in bed under the covers
20. How did you bring in the new year? I can't remember that far back
.21. Where would you like to go? Spain, Italy and Greece
22. Name three people who might complete this: My SIL Leora, Chrissy-if she weren't so busy with the new baby and Fancy Pancy?
23. Do you own slippers? Yes.But heck if i actually know where they are
24. What shirt are you wearing? Old Navy Fleecy in Red
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No they are cold and uncomfortable
.26. Can you whistle? i haven't tried in a long time
27. Favorite color? RED
28. Would you be a pirate? yuck- no!
29. What songs do you sing in the AM? There was a Duke of York, he had 3000 men...okay i'm a mommy!
.30. Favorite Girl’s Name: Julie
31. Favorite boy’s name: Jamie
32. What’s in your pocket right now? $$ for the cleaning lady
.33. Last thing that made you laugh? The guy at Home Depot- he said i know way more than his wife...which must be really little as i don't know that much about quarter rounds and mouldings!
34. What vehicle do you drive? Jeep Compass
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? havne't had many, but i'll have to say breaking my pinky finger
36. Do you love where you live? love the area but not the house itself (thus our puttin gup for sale!)
.37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2
38. Who is your loudest friend? Probably a tie between Fancy Pantsy (sorry hun-but you know it's true!!)and Lisa.
39. Do you have any pets? 2 annoying cats Jamie and Owen
40. Does someone have a crush on you? not that i know of
41. Your favorite book(s): hmm...that is a hard one, i haven't read anything worth while in a long time!
42. Do you collect anything? no, trying to declutter
43. Favorite Sports Team? dont have one...but hubby would say i should say Liverpool Soccer Club

That's all folks :)

NEW CELLPHONE LAW - 2008 ONTARIO

This came to me today from my dad so i thought i'd share :)

According to new law that goes into effect Nov 1, 2008 you will no longer be able to use a cell phone while driving unless you have a 'hands free' adapter.I went to Circuit City and they wanted $50 for a headset with a microphone for my cell phone.
Having a friend in the cell phone business, I talked with him and was able to come up with an alternative, working through Office Depot.These kits are compatible with any mobile phone and one size fits all. ?I paid him $0.08 each because he bought in quantity.??Then we tried it with Motorola, Sprint, Verizon and Nokia units and they worked perfectly.A photo is attached so take a look and let me know if you want one.??Also, forward this to anyone you know, who has a cell phone, and who may want one!?

where does the time go!!

Today is my baby's 5 month birthday. I cannot believe how fast she is growing up. Each day we see developments and changes. She loves to laugh, has started rolling and even puts her pacifier in her mouth herself sometimes!
She has definitely started teething and is a drooling monkey all the time. Each night she wakes up needing to feed more often as it is soothing for her gums to nurse a lot!

Soon she will be sitting up on her own and crawling too...oh i am going to miss this wonderful baby stage!!

a few reasons

to actually keep the car seat done up while you are not moving.

Yesterday i realized just how important it is to do the car seat up at all times. Whether you are sitting and waiting for someone or in a moving vehicle it is really for baby's best interest to have the seat done up. You just never know when someone might hit you and the car jerks about or hits another car creating double impact.
This happened to a mom and baby i know and luckily baby was not injured but mom has learned that she will never undo the car seat while waiting outside older childs' school again!

I also now do up every safety feature on my stroller or snap 'n go. I used to think there was no need but now that i have really thought about it i think those features are put in place for us to use and are there for a good reason. How sick would i feel if baby fell out of her stroller because i didn't bother doing up her harness while she was in it!

my head is...

still spinning over some recent family rubbish that i would rather not post about here...
some people are so out of touch with reality!

carrots anyone...

i decided to invest a whole $1.79 on a 10 pound bag of carrots...Don't ask me why! I saw those huge carrots for such a low price, i just couldn't resist. Now i have a whole lot of cooking to do! i'm thinking...carrot cake, carrot muffins, carrot salad and also carrot soup...i have some great recipes but if you (anyone...anyone...) have a favourite you would like to share, please do!!

i thought i was a genius :()

After reading and re-reading information about how unsafe the JJCole bundle bags are because they interfere with the car seat safety straps I had a revelation. I thought that I could cut out the back of the bag and therefore the strap wouldn't have to be threaded through anything. I really thought this was such an amazing idea and was praising myself for being pure genius...until i heard that this is a common thing to do!!
I really didn't want to toss the bag away as it does keep baby warm and cozy in her carseat but i couldn't keep using the bag knowing that i was putting her life at risk. Now I can use the bag and my conscience is clear as the straps no longer get all squished up so i can do them up nice and tight.
A pic of the new backless bag :)

speechless

Don't really have much to say today. My mind is on what to do over the weekend to occupy the kids and what to make for dinner ... oh joy!

Happy Birthday

fancy pantsy :) (my lone reader i think!!)

hope you have a great day :)

in my thoughts

and prayers. I cannot imagine how it feels to have a baby born so early. Christine seems to be so strong and is always so positive. She is amazing.
I can't stop thinking about her and her little baby girl.
Please g-d, make sure to take care of her and to ensure she has a very uneventful hospital stay.

wow, she's here

my dear friend Christine had her baby yesterday at 28 weeks gestation. Mom and baby are doing well.

Why Remember

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/other/remember/why

thank goodness...

all is okay with Chrissy. We were all so worried. Maybe, just maybe it was all our thoughts and prayers that is making her baby stay right where he/she should be!!

i took the plunge...

and bought a Graco Duo Glider. Let's hope this is it, as if i'm not satisfied this time around i'm just going to throw the whole need for a double idea out the window!

are you a morning person???

i am pretty good at getting up, getting going and doing what needs to get done in the mornings. My hubby is the same. We don't know how or why our son is a total freak in the morning. He cries, throws tantrums and is completely unreasonable (not that many 2 year olds are). We now just work through his madness and ignore the rants or else we never get him going where he needs to go!

graco = breako...is this really true??? so many people have them and seem happy with them so what am i afraid of? i really don't have anyone to impress and they r affordable...i think i'll take my head out of the clouds and get what we can afford!

adventures in baby wearing

While I was pregnant with baby M i decided that I was going to wear her a lot more than i ever wore E. I thought it would be a great experience for both of us. Bonding. That is what I thought we would do while she was being carted around in a carrier. While I do love wearing my baby girl I have been finding that my body was just not made to wear baby for long periods of time. Yesterday baby and I travelled down to the Babytime show sans stroller so i could be hands free...was a great idea in theory but after 4 hours of having the baby on my front i am really really sore today!! I have tried quite a few carriers thanks to my dear friend Fancy Pantsy-who has lent me a sling, Bjorn and Mei Tei! Each one of the carries has their benefits but each also has their downfalls. i won't post my opinions here as i would rather any reader who may come across the blog make a decision bases on their own experinces!

Today we are double stroller shopping again as I have realized that I cannot wear M and put E in the stroller for too long...

DNR

While watching Grey's last night I thought about the reality of do not resesitate(DNR). I always thought that if i were in a situation where i was unable to communicate what i wanted or i was no longer able to do things for my self- as in on life support- i would want to be allowed to die gracefully and just go without hanging on to possible false hopes....now that i am older my ideas seem to have changed a little or perhaps i am just more confused as to what i would want for myself in this situation. What i think about now is less selfish and more to do with my family...what would they want? how would they feel? is it fair to them?

How would I feel being in the reverse situation? What would i want to do if my parents were ill and in need of life support? I know they would not want to suffer and i know my father specifically has told me many times that he NEVER wants to be kept alive through unatural measures- i know what he went through when his sister was ill before the decision was made to take her off life support...and i would always want to respect his wishes but i imagine that is must be so difficult to let go...
what do you think?

i have been plagued...

with an inability to sleep. It all started when the baby was waking up for her night-time feeds and I wasn't able to fall back asleep. Now I just cannot fall asleep at all. I lay in bed for hours just watching the clock change. Sometimes I do drift off for several minutes but that always seems to be interupted by the need to get up and go feed the baby or to pee. This lack of rest is really disruptive to my life, it makes thinking straight hard- in fact i am often walking around in a total blur and i am unable to finish a sentence before forgetting what i was talking about in the first place. (well this is my new excuse anyway :)
I hope this is only temporary as i know that sleep problems can wreck havoc a persons life!

my 2 cents

Given the historic events of yesterday it feels as if I should post regarding the results of the US Presidental election. But i really don't follow politics that closely and anything i know is really hearsay from my husband and his family, as they discuss politics at length- often. I know that history has been made and that being the first African American President is a huge deal, i know that the vote was really close and i know that he better really prove himself an asset of all hell may break loose!

Disasters in the kitchen...

I consider myself a pretty good cook. I can make simple meals and occasionally I'll attempt things a little more complex. My favourite part of being in the kitchen though is baking!
Recently we took the little ones apple picking and although the apple trees were mostly picked out we managed to still get a nice big bag of fresh yummy apples. I didn't want to waste any of the apples (I HATE wasting food and get very upset when we have to throw away rotten produce) so i decided to make a baked appled dessert. Now i have never made baked apples before and I didn't have a recipe so i was trying to do something i have never done before freehand...hmmm not a good idea!
The basic idea was to put the apples in a hot oven, after coring them and stuffing them with raisons and cinnomon. I did just that...but i totally forgot about them and two hours later smelled something super sweet coming from the kitchen. My baked apples burst and turned into baked apple sauce!! I have to admit that even though they didn't look the way i wanted not did they taste like what i was expecting they actually tasted pretty good!! Next time I'll have to set a timer and pay attention to them as i got distracted with other things and that was that!
anyone have a good baked apple recipe, with proven results???

Terrible Twos...

Oh boy. Nothing could have prepared me for the terrible twos! I am challenged on a daily basis with my patience, and parenting abilities. Who knew that there was not a hint of exaggeration involved when people described the hell on earth of having a very stubborn 2 year old.
This morning the fit involved his desire to wear his new Spiderman PJ's to daycare. There was no way we were going to allow that to happen- especially since the said PJ's are covered in dried playdough and other goodies after a weekend of refusing to take them off! (they are currently being laundered-something i had to do the moment he left for daycare!) Of course the fact that he had been up since 5 am due to the time change and was on a sugar high from his Honeycomb cereal didn't help the matter any!
Kudos to my husband for getting the tantrums under control this morning with a much needed "time-out"! This method of making fit throwing boy sit in a corner for 1 -2 minutes to calm down actually works for us! Thank goodness because I was pulling my hair out in sheer frustration at not knowing what to do!

The Must Haves

My brother and his wife are expecting their first baby soon. I am super excited to meet my nephew and to spoil him rotten :)
As I have mentioned before there are soooo many baby products out there on the market it can get really overwhelming for new parents. My personal recommendation on must have items...

a bouncy chair. This item gets used daily and has been a life saver on so many occasions. Both my kids have slept in this chair when they would nap nowhere else. They love the soft bouncy motion of this. And even when the batteries die and there is no vibrations they love it. The toy bars vary so much from chair to chair and I am not really sure it matter which one you get but we love ours.

swing. again a sleep aid for baby. Both my babies used the swing when they were really little to sleep. Now that the little one is almost 5 months she isn't as keen on sitting in the swing but we still use it on occasion. Our swing is borrowed and is obviously older as the kids who used it are now 7 and 3! There are tonnes of brands and styles to choose from but expensive doesn't mean better! I would probably get one that plugs in as batteries can get expensive and bad for the environment is disposed of incorrectly.

exersaucer. again something that gives you time for yourself (somewhat). Baby can play, bounce and have so much fun while you watch the smiles and giggles. Both babies could spend hours in our exersaucer! Although I think my older one liked it a little more than the baby does (but we'll see-she is still pretty young)

Jolly Jumper. I didn't get one of these for a long time as i thought we had no place to hang it. I finally gave in and got one after i tried it out at a friends house. My son loved it so much, i used to hang him up on the washroom doorframe and i would shower. This allowed me to peek out and entertain him while i was able to shower! We got the original JJ and I am looking forward to passing it along once we are done with it!

Those are the products that I would recommend to any first time parents. Of course some of them can't be used until baby is at least 3 months and able to support their own head.

NaBloPoMo

I have decided to give it a try this year...what do i have to lose!!

My first post...

Last night we decided to take E out trick or treating. He didn't quite get the point but was really excited to get to wear his Spiderman outfit. Unfortunately he was too frightened of the Jack O Lanterns to actually go up to any of the houses. He was also really really scared of some of the masked kids who came to the door. Of course some of those kids were way too big to be going door to door- and some who came weren't even in costume!
I was more disappointed than he was.
Maybe next year :)

Happy Halloween!!!

When i was a kid we would get hundreds of kids at our door trick or treating. As the years went by we started getting fewer and fewer kids coming. Then we had none...it's been many years since we needed to hand out candy on Halloween! I guess that has something to do with the fact that most people in my neighborhood were extremely orthodox and do not condone celebrating this "pagan" ritual. I think this is just a fun innocent reason for kids to dress up and have a good time! Unfortunately there are some nuts out there so everyone has to make sure they are safe...check your treats before you eat and of course- Have a fun, safe and entertaining Halloween!!

good bye to tradition

A favourite Toronto tradition is in it's last year. After 84 years the Hadassah-WIZO Bazaar is finally waving good-bye. This annual shopping tradition for many is something I personally have never been to but am going to attempt today. I will never get another chance!
I know the crowds start early but after much debate mom and I decided that leaving the house at 7 am and heading downtown to wait in line outside with baby was not a good idea...if i miss my chance to get the good stuff...OH WELL!! at least i can say i have been and maybe i won't be tempted to spend as much mula if the good stuff is gone :)
...wish me luck...i'm am hoping to score a pair of boots and a new bag, and of course some stuff for E and M :)

do your homework!

I have never been one to do homework. Back in school i kind a' sort a' did my research and homework. I would really rely on others for help and always managed to get by...even managed through university this way!!
Now that i'm a mom i have realized just how important doing homework really is. There are many many baby products on the market and so many important choices to make. I have relied somewhat on the experience of others to guide me through what to buy and what to avoid. Unfortunately i have had to learn for myself that some products just don't work for me or don't have all the features i need or want. Strollers, car seats, baby carriers, toys and even choices on furniture to be made...cheap is NOT always better and what worked for one mom most definitely doesn't work for all moms.
Most recently i have been searching for a double stroller. I bought the Peg Aria Twin on the recommendation of a friend and was really unhappy with it. The basket sagged, the wheels got stuck and it just didn't fit through doorways as easily as it should. I found it very clumbsy to manouvere. It was light weight and was pretty good for going to the mall but not much else. Forget taking trips to the park or the zoo where long walks on pavement or uneven surfaces were neccessary. One double stroller gone...lucky i was able to sell it easily!!
The second one i got was great on the roads, moved well over uneven sidewalks and seemed pretty comfy for the kids too.Baby Trend Expedition Jogger..unfortunately once this mammoth was assembled we couldn't fit it into our trunk! Getting it through doorways was IMPOSSIBLE so i had to take the kids out of the stroller before getting into the house, fold this monster up outside and wait for Gav to come home in order to take it in and downstairs (which wouldn't have been a problem if we had our own garage) Lucky Toys R Us didn't give me any hassles returning it!

Now i'm eyeing another beauty...Phil and Teds sport buggy with a doubles attachment...all the reviews are raving about this...do i take the plunge? and do you know anyone in person who has this stroller, are they happy with it, do they find it easy to use, easy to fold, easy(ish) to lift into their trunk...don't feel like buying and selling so soon again!!

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

Join me and others you may know at the 2008 Breastfeeding Challenge. Saturday October 11 at 10 am. Click here for more details. Spread the word!!
If you are in Toronto the location will be North York Civic Centre at 5100 Yonge St.

what not to do...

i think it's very important for children to have wonderful memories of childhood...creating memories (and good ones at that) has been a priority of mine since deciding to have kids...but i now wonder if i am suffering some severe mommy brain as lately i have made a few really silly/stupid decisions regarding taking the kids places this summer

first mistake:
taking a trip to Niagara Falls for the day. We wanted to go to the casino just to look around but were told that we couldn't take the kids with us. Also the 2 hour drive each way felt a LOT longer coming home than it did going as we heard a symphony of crying for a good hour as both kids were hungry and definitely tired. I begged hubby to pull over so i could feed the baby and stop her wailing but he was on a mission to get home and wouldn't give in to my plea..

next mistake:
shlepping both kids BY SUBWAY (which was the only really smart thing we did) downtown to Buskerfest. It was way to busy to see any of the acts and navigating the intense crowds with a double stroller was nothing i want to try again EVER!!
Lucky for us the St Lawrence Market was nearby so we could escape the heat, walk around and eventually settle down at a table with some amazing yummy food from one of the vendors. We will definitely go back to the market but leave the bigger kid at home or go when he is in daycare! Buskerfest is something i will say "been there,m done that" about in the future!!

Getting a fancy sprinkler for our backyard...the boy just doesn't like it. He will beg us to put it on then scream his head off if the water comes anywhere near him...i want to yell "make up your mind already" but i do realize he is only 2 and that is part of how he learns etc...

I now realize that they are too young to really care where we go and taking them to the park is just as much fun and stimulating for them as going to all these fancy places...when they are older they will actually enjoy our effort and for now the local park and malls will be just fine!!!(btw fancy pansy- you told me this ages ago and i %100 agree with you...just had to figure it out for myself !!)

okay i got those things off my chest now i can go to sleep in peace :)

Movie Madness

Since all we really seem to do anymore once the kids are asleep is watch movies I thought I'd give you a quick review of a few great finds we've seen lately.

Flawless A crime/drama set in 1960 London, where a soon to retire janitor (Michael Caine) convinces a glass-ceiling constrained American executive (Demi Moore) to help him steal a handful of diamonds from their employer, the London Diamond Corporation.

The Air I breath Forever linked together by ruthless crime boss Fingers (Andy Garcia) and a series of unpredictable twists of fate, the characters of THE AIR I BREATHE weave together in an existential study in luck, both the good and bad.
The Cleaner A former cop who now earns a wage as a crime scene cleaner unknowingly participates in a cover-up at his latest job

(these previews are not written by me. I have taken all of them from other sources on the web)

All three of these movies were really well done and kept my interest for the whole duration of the shows. I would recommend all of them for you to enjoy!! Good job picking 'em hubby!!

i have been out of the blogsphere for so long now i was thinking of just killing my blog altogether but decided to give it another shot and see how i feel afterwards...
Since having baby #2 i have been in another world!! There are so many things to remember and also things to get used to when dealing with a 2nd child as well as a girl...just changing a diaper is completely different and definitely a lot harder with girls!! Chasing a 2 year old and trying to explain the need for patience and being gentle towards the baby is a challenge all on its own!! Luckily babies are a lot more resilient than we think and don't really need to be handled like china dolls all the time- and when wooden puzzles fall on their heads the bruises heal SUPER fast too!!
Recovering from the c-section has also been a lot tougher this time around. I have had numerous trips to the doctor and have been suffering the aftermath of very harsh anti-biotics, opening and resealing of the stitches and nursing an extremely hungry baby through all this. Not fun and not something i could have expected or been prepared for in the least!!
okay i have complained enough for today and i have to go take a nap as baby is sleeping and i need some rest to catch up on the sleep i've missed over the last 3 weeks....

a few things to do...

So my vacation has started...that is the 2.5 weeks i have off until the baby arrives...i have a huge TO DO list and i am just wondering how much i'm actually going to get done...most of it involves some sort of cleaning project. AND I say project because these things aren't just tidy up a shelf but involve some serious emptying, purging and tossing of LOTS of things...

Here is my list

clean out both my and hubby's closets
rearrange linen closet
clean out coat closet(AGAIN)
clean out E's closet
clean out computer room/baby room closet
get a mani/pedi/serious waxing
wash all new baby clothes (lucky there aren't THAT many)
get hair cut, color and highlights

hmmm the list doesn't seem THAT bad now that it is written down...let's see how much i actually get done. My goal is one item per day, with a few break days just for R & R...

Just a Vent...

The other day i was at the gas station filling up when a car pulled in to the pump next to mine. It was a fairly recent model Mercedes with all the trimmings, nice shiny rims, flashy skirt and modern detailing. That car cost big bucks...the only problem was the 3 year old bouncing around in back seat WITH NO CAR SEAT IN SIGHT. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw this kid jumping around the back seat, up closer observation i realized there was no car seat installed in this car at all. I don't know if the car belonged to the kid's parents or if she was just a passenger in someone elses car but there is absolutely no excuse to risk the life of an innocent child by not restraining her in a car seat (or at the very least a booster seat).
I was so angry but I couldn't bring myself to say anything as one never knows these days who is holding what weapon or just how defensive and angry the recipient of my nasty words will get. I just let it go and drove off shaking my head in disbelief and praying that car wasn't in some horrible accident where surely that little girl would be seriously hurt...
What can you do in a situation like that? Would you have said something???

I'm back...

at least for today !! I can't believe a whole month has passed and I haven't committed to one blog entry...where does the time go??? OHHH I know...it's been so hectic with trying to get the house ready for the newest addition...our nursery is STILL an office, with just a few less books to contend with...we have no place for the baby to sleep yet- unless letting her sleep in a pack 'n play is seen as acceptable...(of course we do have a bassinet that she can use, but if she is anything like DS she won't want to stay in that for very long-he only used it for 6 weeks, glad it was a gift and we didn't fork out the $200 bucks for it!!!)

We have made some progress though, we picked out paint and a border for the room. We do know where the furniture will go, once we actually order it! and i have a couple of sleepers ready for bringing the home.
Things we still need:
crib
change table
double stroller
diapers
curtains
book shelf
...and the list goes on!!

alright maybe since i have taken today off (as a "rest" day) i should get a move on and actually work on the things that need to be done!!!

Cheers!!!

Earth Day is coming

amazing how time flies...i've been meaning to post for over 2 weeks now and just haven't had the time or energy...now all my blog ideas have passed but I will try ..

In honour of Earth Day I wanted to post about a few things I have tried recently around the house. Some have worked for me and some...well we'll just say at leave I tried.

Things I like
1) using baking soda to scrub the sinks. They really do come out shining and clean looking. Just don't use too much or you end up with a bit of a mess to contend with. I finally got the proportions right after a couple of tries.
2) hanging some laundry rather than using the dryer. I tried hanging everything but found that my underwear and socks didn't feel quite right on when they weren't dried in the dryer. They felt kind of crunchy and uncomfortable. I will continue to use the dryer for those garmets.
3) using vinager to clean the counter tops. I don't mind the smell and it basically gets things clean. If i really want to disinfect I will use a cleaning product with anti-bacterial components because I'm not sure vinigar contains any.
4) using old towels cut into smaller cloths to scrub counters and other surfaces rather than paper towels. Not only are we helping the environment but also saving $$ on paper towel.
5) walking as many places as possible rather than driving. This can be a hard one for many people as in todays world so many people live in the suburbs and driving is a neccesity but for us there are many things close by that driving seems a waste (and it can take longer to make the left hand turn onto the street in front of our house than it takes to walk to where we are going!!)This one also depends on the weather, now that it is nice out it is MUCH easier to do this..i personally can't imagine walking to the grocery store with a stroller in the disgusting snow we had this past winter!!
6) using reusable bags at the grocery store and other shopping excursions. I just don't get why more people don't do this. It just seems to make sense, yet you'd be surprised how many store clerks look at me funny when i tell them i don't need/want a bag!
7) using compact fluorescent lightbulbs. I resisted buying these for a while because they seems so pricey but after needing to replace our bedroom light bulbs more often than i felt needed we took the plunge and bought the compacts, they are great! AND I only need one verses two or two verses three as they are super bright!! Now i won't have to replace them for quite some time (I hope!!)

Things I'm not so keen on
1) I read that one can unclog a sink by pouring baking soda, followed by vinegar and boiling water down the drain...this method just isn't working for us. And now that i've been losing tonnes of hair due to pregnancy hormones the sink is seriously clogged..we need some liquid Drano to do the trick i think :(
2) reusing my dishwater. I don't actually wash dishes by hand that often but when i do I just can't imagine taking that water and going to water my plants (i should say plant-we don't do well with plants around here) SOMETIMES i do take the vegitable water I used to boil/steam vegitables and use it to water my outdoor flowers(when i have actually taken the time to plant any...none so far this year)
3) ...hmm i thought i could think of a few more things i was having trouble with but when i really think about it so much of it just seems to make sense...

what to do...

with a 21 month old on a day when there is nothing open or you don't want to go out??? Well we tried painting, that resulted in lots of screaming and lots of colors...ON THE FLOOR- luckily i bought washable paints so it wasn't such a terrible thing but painting only kept him busy for 15 minutes during an 8 hours day (my boy rarely sleeps during the day and if he does it's usually only for 20-30 minutes-if we're lucky)....on the suggestion of Karen's friend whom i ran into at the mall one day, we tried playdough. OY VEY is all i can say!! For some reason the squishing and rolling of blue playdough on my sons' high chair tray resulted in a huge fit and crying session...he just didn't like it and absolutely wouldn't TOUCH it...well that was a nice 5 minutes spent during a really really long day!!!

Any suggestion on what you would do with a bored 21 month old child ??? We really don't want him to watch more TV than he already watches (I am sad to say that he already has a grunt/word for Thomas the Tank Engine, Dora and Diego...no need to encourage more character admeration!!)
HELP!!!

Earth Hour...

seemed to be a success in our neighborhood. I looked out the window around 8:30 to see how many people had turned out the lights and my estimate would be 50%. Not bad, not amazing but a start...the only problem we had with it was there was really nothing to do as we couldn't go anywhere with sleeping boy upstair so we went to sleep too....hence my new posting at 2:15 am!!

Going to bed at 8:30/9 ish seemed like a great idea only now i am awake and I don't foresee falling asleep again until 4ish so the internet is going to be my best friend for the next couple of hours :) Oh well...at least tomorrow is Sunday and i can rest- lol...who am i kidding ??? There is no day of rest when one has an almost 2 year old to take care of and entertain for an entire day!!

sometimes...quality pays!!

After 15 years my beloved Revlon hairdryer decided to say it's final goodbyes a few weeks ago. I had bought that dryer at Shoppers Drug Mart when i was in 2nd year university. It saw me through graduation, my short hair fase, moving overseas (and yes it did come with me) moving out on my own, long hair again, getting married, having a baby and too many others to mention...
I was mid-blowdry when hubby walked in and noticed something smoking, flames coming out only inches from my head-how i didn't notice i am still not sure...but that scene started my search for a new hairdryer. Luckily i had just washed my hair so i had a few days grace before i NEEDED to get myself over to a beauty supply outlet store...(i only wash my hair once every 3 days to avoid drying it out and damaging it)
I researched a bit and shopped around before making the best purchse ever!! I got myself a Bablyiss red ceramic dryer. This thing is the best thing that has ever happened to my hair. I always thought i needed to use my chi iron everyday to flatten out my puffy hair-what i didn't know was my puffy hair was a direct result of an old, crappy hairdryer! No product or styling aid has done the things to my hair like this amazing dryer. I have been getting compliments on my hair from my coworkers for days now...i keep telling them it's the new dryer!
i just hope this dryer last me 15 years like my last one did!!

let the fun begin...

Today is day one of our hopefully 3 week renovation. We have finally, after much umming and ahhing decided that we NEEDED to have our basement made into usable, livable space. With baby #2 on its way in less than 3 months there was no way we could manage without the space this renovation is going to create.
I am so excited since we get to pick out carpet and paints, moulding and trim-something we never got to do with the purchase of this house- everything was already here (as much as i like or dislike it) -well we did pick out paint but for the basement we can do something more fun if we choose and less "functional" as i like to call our choice of colour in the rest of the house.
It is too embarassing to post before photos of the basement so i'll just try to take a few during and some definitely after shots!

Let's just hope that the 3 week time frame actually stands and we can have our house back to "guest worthy" shape in no time!!

it's a love hate thing...

I love Toronto. I can't imagine living in any other city long term. Sure we talk about how much easier life would be if we moved to a small place with cheaper real estate and slower pace of life, but i doubt we could ever actually do it (and kudos to those who have/can done it...just not for us).
With all the amazing things about Toronto, the restaurants, theaters, cultural neighborhoods etc there is one thing i can't stand...PAYING FOR PARKING. I hate hate hate having to pay for parking. It just seems as though there are fewer areas where one can actually park for free. Government wants to encourage people to take public transit but they don't expand the system enough and those areas where the subway does reach you must pay an arm and a leg to park in order to leave your car and take "the better way".
The other day i went somewhere and had to park for 1.5 hours...$7 later and i was able to get home again ARGH...had i been able to get to my car about 5 minutes faster then i would have saved $1.75 as i was dinged for the next .5 hours...it's pay per 1/2 hour and any part there of...
i know that places like New York City have even crazier parking situations than we do but it still peeves me that one must pay for parking in a RESIDENTIAL neighborhood. They have built so many condos in business areas that now one must pay to visit friends who live in these neighborhoods...they don't even have visitor parking as these spots would likely be taken by people working the area rather than for their intended use...
anyway that is my parking rant for today...

Good bye old friend

After 8 years it was time to say good-bye to a dear old friend. She just wasn't giving me what I needed anymore and our friendship was becoming more strained and stressful with each passing day. When we were first introduced we got along really well. She was so reliable and I could count on her without an issue. Her and I took many trips together. We went camping, to Montreal and even to Niagara Falls.
Unfortunately my 1997 Cavalier wasn't able to survive another winter. She just gave up the fight and we had her towed away on Monday evening. How sad to see her last triumph out of the garage hooked up to a big tow truck. We couldn't even have one last trip together before our final goodbye. It feels strange to be attached to a big hunk of metal but after so many years together I can't help feeling a little emotional and sad. She was the first car i'd ever bought with my own money. Getting her was the start of my freedom as an independant adult.
BUT on the bright side....i got a brand new car. A pretty Khaki colored Jeep Compass. I'm sure this new friend and I will have many good times together. We're already planning trips to the wild north to visit friends, camping and other trips during the summer.
To my new friend: we look forward to spending many years with you- we promise to treat you well and hope you do the same!!!

what could be better...or easier!!???

Another family favourite around here is Tuna Cassarole...here is my version- SOO simple, and SOO yummy

1 box of mac and cheese
1 can of tuna
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of frozen peas

cook mac and cheese as per box instructions. Add other ingrediants, mix well, transfer to a baking dish and bake in oven at 400 for about 20 minutes. Sometimes i sprinkle a mix of cheese and breadcrumbs on the top before baking to give it a nice crust...tastey but not neccessary :)

food is on my mind...

lately the only consistant thing around here is my need to make dinner and/or breakfast and lunch...i have kind of been wanting to turn this into a food blog anyway so here it is...

Sundays in my mind should be a day for relaxing with family, a day to enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast, read the newspaper and stay in PJ's for a better part of the morning...since I don't seem to have the luxery of relaxing, reading the paper or staying in my PJ's all day anymore I relish in my Sunday morning breakfast routine. These days it has been my need for home made pancakes and eggs...
Last week i made chocolate chip pancakes, which the boy gobbled up in just moments. Of course it was the first time he had had pancakes and the first time he had had chocolate (other than the occassional glass of chocolate milk)...Today I decided to make it a little healthier and do blueberry pancakes instead. He wasn't impressed (and neither was I for that matter-but that didn't stop me from eating 4 HUGE pancakes before i decided i didn't like them) Hubby of course ate them AND told me how good they were...ah nice hubby!!

Here is my recipe

1 and 1/4 cup pancake mix
1 cup milk (i used whole milk as it's all i had on hand)
1 egg
1 TBSP oil
pint of blueberries or cup of chocolate chips, could probably use bananas or other fruit if you wish
mix all ingrediants together

pour by spoonful into sprayed, preheated frying pan, wait for tops to bubble and turn over to brown other side.
Make sure not to use too much batter per pancake or they won't cook in the middle and might burn on the outside.
This recipe is supposed to make 12 pancakes but i always end up with about 8!

If you have a pancake recipe that you use and really like let me know! I'm open for experiments!

and the absolute best meal...

is friday nights when i don't have to cook and mom and dad do all the work!! Thank goodness for Shabbat dinners! Stress free in so many ways but oh-so-stressful in so many other ways!!

my next favourite meal...

SLOPPY JOES!!!
This has got to be the absolute easiest meal ever!!!

Take one pound of ground beef, brown in skillet, add one can of diced tomatoes, and one packet of Sloppy Joe seasonging mix, simmer for 20 minutes then serve over toast or buns (teehee)...YUMMY!!

my fave (and easiest ever) dinner

I have been on a quest to find really fast and easy dinner solutions. I don't want to get into the habit of making pre-cooked or frozen foods so i have been experimenting with a few different recipes lately...
my new favorite dinner is turkey meatloaf. This is the easiest receipes EVER!

Ingrediants:
1 can of jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup of chunky salsa (i like using medium spice)
2 tablespoons brownsugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 pound of ground turkey

On stovetop, in saucepan melt the can of cranberry sauce, once melted add salsa and sugar.

In bowl combine turkey, oatmeal and 1/2 cup of cranberry mixture. Shape into loaf and put in baking pan, cover with 1 cup of cranberry mixture. Bake in oven at 425 for 45 minutes.
The rest of the cranberry mixture can be frozen or kept in the fridge for another time. Serve with a salad and potatoes and viola!!
I love having the cranberry mixture in the freezer so that i have a really quick and easy meal solution for another exhausting evening!

who knew...

I have been out of the blog circuit for a little while now. Since starting a new position I haven't been online nearly as much and my blogging has nearly come to a halt...but today i decided it was time to post about some things I just find unbelievable. These things are things I have discovered since my work has taken me in direct contact with the public rather than dealing with people on the phone.
Here is my list of shocking discoveries (okay shocking to me but possibly common knowledge to many)

1. oral hygeine is not very important to quite a number of people...
2. education is not a priority to more people than i ever imagined- i have come to meet more than a few people who have not finished high school, never mind have university degrees!
3. many people think if they claim ignorance all their issues will be resolved- ie. What do you mean I had to report in every other week, and now my claim has been cancelled???
4. Almost nobody actually reads the questions they are answering and then cannot understand why they have made errors.
5. again to do with reading- SOOO MANY people do not read instructions (myself included on occassion) and then can't figure out why they aren't being allowed to progress to the next question...
6...my all time favourite- i am in total shock as to how many people DO NOT know how to use a computer!! I can understand seniors not being comfortable with this "new" technology or not knowing how to use a mouse or whatnot BUT I'm talking YOUNG-really young-(early 20's) people who cannot use computers. How do these people expect to get jobs if they don't have basic computer skills? I don't have wonderful computer skills but I can use a mouse, navigate the internet and compose a word document if i must. there are more people out there than i thought possible who are terrofied of these mean nastey machines we now encounter daily. I don't know how these people function on a daily basis without basic skills. I guess they figure if they beg someone will do the work for them...in this electronic age it is really important IMO that people get with the program and get into the 21st century!!

slowwww cookin' parts 2 & 3

I'm in love...the slow cooker i borrowed from my mom has been getting a tonne of use...more use than she ever gave it!!
Since borrowing it ( well since taking it-who are we kidding?) i have been having so much fun and saving a tonne of time cooking in the evenings. It is the easiest kitchen appliance we have to use and it takes no time at all to prep for dinner-either in the evening before bed or in the morning before i head out the door.
My second time using the slow cooker, i just dumped some cut up vegetables (carrots, potatoes and onions) in, then put in frozen chicken breasts, topped with salt, pepper and about a cup of chunky salsa, turned it on low and left for the day, We returned home to a great meal and i had time to veg on the sofa watching TV rather than making dinner...ahhh what a life...
This morning i did something similar but i cooked a whole roast. I was skeptical that it would fit in our slow cooker as it is an older model and seemed smaller than the ones i have seen in stores today BUT i was pleasantly surprised to discover that 6 diced potatoes, a cut up onion and a 4 pound roast all cooked nicely in there. All i did was add a little diet coke (it helps tenderize the meat) some onion soup mix and a tiny bit of water. The meat was so tender i was really pleased, as was hubby since not only did he enjoy a home cooked meat and potatoes dinner on a Monday night but he also gets roast beef sandwiches for the rest of the week at lunch time:) Sure beats caf food!!

Slow Cooking...

after all the hupla over on Chrissy's blog about slow cooking solutions I decided it was time to borrow my mom's slow cooker and see what all the fuss was about. So this morning i woke up a little earlier than normal (was up at 6 instead of 6:35) to prepare our dinner for this evening. Since i didn't have a recipe to follow and i just had a bunch of different vegitables in the fridge along with some cubed veal in the freezer i just chopped up potatoes, yams, green pepper, red pepper and tomatoes. I dumped it all in the crock pot along with some chicken stock, water and tomato paste...put in on low and crossed my fingers.
Hopefully we won't have to order a pizza for dinner tonight as I have no idea what is going to come of this experiment i created...
I think i might buy some of those slow cooker solutions just to have on hand and at least i know they will taste alright. Plus i'm exhausted from getting up early to prepare dinner for this evening!!!

happy happy day...

who can believe how fast 3 years go by?!?!?! it was 3 years ago today that hubby and i got married. It was the most magical day but also the COLDEST day of the year- and i swear it hasn't been as cold as it was that day since! A few people had to leave their cars at the hall because their doors were frozen shut or their cars just wouldn't start after being out in the cold for so many hours.
My cousin (and Junior bridesmaid) turned 13 on our wedding day and now she is a stunning 16 year old beauty. Hard to believe how fast things change and how much kids grow in 3 years!

We have accomplished quite a bit in our short marriage....we have a beautiful son and another on the way!! We are in the process of fixing up our house (a never ending project) and we have managed to live with one car for the past 4 months (just to see what it would be like and if we could manage like that long term-great way to save $$ especially on gas- if we really need the 2nd car it's there for our use but we try to limit usuage for this experiment)

Hubby- happy 3rd anniversary!!!

Tonights the night!!!

Bon Jovi here we come!!! After purchasing tickets for this concert almost 2 months ago I kind of wish it wasn't tonight...feeling kind of crap and haven't left the house in 4 days as i've had a fever, cough and cold AND I can't take anything to relieve my symptoms expect tylenol which doesn't really do a heck of a lot...

anyway i'm going to try and ignore the sniffles and dribbles of sweat pouring down my forehead and enjoy the show!!
Who knew he'd be coming back in March?!?!

2 DAYS WITHOUT...

internet access and i have been way more productive than i have in ages!! Our poor old computer was attacked by another virus and had to go to the computer doctor again this weekend. I was without internet, computer games and photoshop for 2 whole days...usually i would have been bored silly twiddling my thumbs and wondering what to do with myself. This time around I decided enough was enough and I got out my cleaning supplies, finished 3 pages in my scrapbook and even baked 8 dozen cookies. It was amazing! I even caught up on a tonne of sleep as my hubby took baby out and about town so i could do as I pleased...such a sweety pie!

Now what will i do when i get home??? Catch up on all the emails i missed, the blogs i try to read and all the new babycentre posts...hmmm so much for productivity :)

it's cookie time

Last year during the holiday season some friends and I participated in a cookie exchange. We each baked 10 dozen cookies and gave 1 dozen to each person in the exchange. I received some awesome cookies, some average cookies and honestly some just plain awful ones (luckily those who took part in the exchange don't read my blog-and those that might make fantastic cookies:)
This year I was thinking of making a new type of cookie. I tend to always make chocolate chip or some variation of that- last year i did a chocolate, chocolate chip cookie, which were really tasty but could be made by anyone...this year i want something spectacular...any suggestions, ideas or recipes???
Chrissy- i should break out that Cookie Cookbook you gave me the first year we met when you got my name in the gift exchange at WTC!!!

My 200th post...

it better be a good one...
Well i'm not sure about great writing but things certainly are great around here...Elie started to walk one week ago and now he is RUNNING!!! We can barely keep up with him!!
The weather has been so nice, warm and sunny we took him to the pumpkin patch yesterday and he had a ball!! He was even chasing a couple of little girls around!! Watch out moms!!!
My good friend and i have been making an effort to speak to each other rather than just email...she has been really good at calling and hopefully i'll learn from her example and pick up the phone too...
AND The icing on the cake...drum roll please...i'm gonna see Jon Bon Jovi in concert with a great girlfriend Dec 7th!!! I am uber excited as i haven't seen a live concert since the Dixie Chiks with FansyPansy...i think it was a whole year ago!!! Bon Jovi is such a doll too...

If you had...

3 hours on a Saturday afternoon with no kid or hubby around what would you do with yourself???
This afternoon hubby took the baby to his parents house for a visit and to watch a huge rugby game. I had already had my afternoon nap while baby was sleeping so I decided that I'd do some much needed cooking and cleaning...I managed to make: carrot-cauliflower soup, red lentil- zucchini soup, sweet and sour meatballs, pasta with salmon and cheese, apple cake and baked apples...plus i actually washed all the pots and pans, turned on the dishwasher, cleaned up all my mess(normally i'd leave it in the sink for days and continously curse at it as i walked by)...and was just finishing up just as the door opened to the return of my hubs and my beautiful son!! No time to relax but now i've got a tonne of food to cover dinner and lunches for the week to come -phew i'm tired!!! What a productive day!!
i think i'll go to bed...

Had to share...

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2007 when...

1. You find yourself entering your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of four.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. :)

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.AND NOW YOU ARE LAUGHING at yourself.

Go on, forward this to your friends. You know you want to!

Good Times...

The last few weeks have been great ones. The weather has been nicer than normal (although i am missing the lovely cool crisp fall weather we normally have) the sun has been shining and I have had chance run-ins with several old friends.
It is so hard to keep in touch with people you meet along the road of life. Even in this day of email and internet communication it is easy to lose touch. When one changes jobs, moves to a new home or even changes email addresses the chance to lose touch is there. Recently the family and I ran into an old friend/co-worker and her family. Last time I had seen her she was expecting her son. He is now 5 years old and such a big, handsome boy!!! It was amazing to see them and catch up for a few minutes. It might be another 5 years until we run into each other again. They are downtown dwellers and we are suburbanites...
Then a couple of weeks later I was walking around at Word on the Street with the family and there right in my path was another old friend/co-worker from the same old job...it was so awesome to catch up with her. She has a beautiful g-d daughter and she was excited to meet my son as she made him laugh hysterically-so much better to meet in person than to look at photos on Facebook!!!!
Yesterday i ran into another old friend, in the most obscure place. I was waiting in the parking lot of my office building for hubby to come and collect me after work. He was running late and i was getting a little worried, when out of nowhere there appeared another friend. He told me he walks that way almost daily, had hubby not been late i would have never met him there. It was really wonderful to have a few minutes to catch up. I learned that he is now living in his own condo downtown rather than renting. He left our old company about a year ago and just seems so happy himself!
Then to add to the positivity, i met up with an old friend for coffee last night and it felt like no time had passed since last we saw other...imagine 10 years had gone by!!!
AND this week a great friend will be in town and I cannot wait to spend some time with her in person catching up and just having plain old fun :))))

CUTE...AND TRUE

COLOR IS GOOD :)



Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high,
I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said just think in colors...Fill your plate with bright colors... greens, yellows, reds, etc....


I went right home and ate an entire bowl of :



And sure enough, I felt better immediately.
I never knew eating right
could be so easy.

Dissappointed

with the new TV season.
I had been waiting with anticipation for the arrival of Private Practice, the spin off of Grey's Anatomy, unfortunately the first 2 episodes just haven't held their own IMO...we'll have to see what the next couple of shows have in store or else i'll be scratching it off my must see list for the week...
The first episode of Grey's Anatomy...was REALLY REALLY looking forward to that one but I unfortunately slept through it...went to take a short nap at 7 and didn't wake up until midnight...argh...the 2nd episode though was alright but i'm not convinced I'm going to love this season as much as I have loved the past 3...
I missed all the shows i wanted to catch that night...survivor, ER and Greys... well i'll catch them in reruns eventually!
Was really looking forward to the new Kelsey Grammer show Back to You. Unfortunately i wasn't laughing hysterically with this one either. I just couldn't help thinking of Fraser rather than this new character...again i'll have to give it one more chance before I give up on it completely.
A nice surprise though has been Ugly Betty. It is actually quite funny and if I manage to stay awake during the 8 o'clock showtime I think i'll make this part of my weekly viewing. I caught quite a few reruns of this show over the summer and found it really funny, quirky and just enjoyable overall...who knew!!

The Power of Positive Thinking

A few years ago I decided that I was going to be a positive person. I totally changed my attitude and my outlook, things really did feel better. Life was good, customers at the store where i worked were happier, I was happier!!! I was able to do things I had avoided in the past, I lost weight, gained a boyfriend and just seemed to have more fun in general...then something happened and the cynic in me reared it's ugly head again...not sure what happened but over the course of a few years i was back to my old ways!!
I have decided that I'm going to return to that positive person I had worked hard to become. I have started this new attitude at work and already i notice that irrate clients and unhappy seniors in general aren't getting to me(as much). I have been able to push aside their nastiness and come out on top!! I have stopped muttering obscenities under my breath when i get off the line and just move on to the next client!
It is amazing what a change in attitude can do for ones life!! I feel like I can enjoy every day things a lot more- just taking a walk or the fall colors on the trees seem like amazing miracles that we are meant to observe and be thankfull for!
Let's hope I can learn a lesson from Chrissy who is ALWAYS super positive- as long as I can remember she has been such an inspiration for positive thinking/attitude. and keep this up!!
UPDATE: So weird that i wrote this post today and then this article appeared on MSN...

What do you hear???

I get called a variety of names...Clients just don't listen, don't hear or really don't care when I introduce myself to them on the phone. My name is Dina yet I get called Tina, Pina, Gina, (all which i can understand people mistaking as they sound similar) but recently I have been called Georgina, Regina, Julia and even Michelle...if someone continously gets your name wrong do you bother to correct them or just let it go??? I tend to let it go and laugh about it afterwards :)