from one momma to another

january wrap up and februarys goals

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here was my goal for the month:

January: Inventory & Budgeting

I'm combining these two goals into one this year as I think it will be more effective. I will take inventory of major purchases we will need to make this year and budget accordingly. I will work on increasing our income while decreasing our expenses.

Here is the list of major items we will need this year:

bed frame- already bought

camera- $650

mattress (but in blue)- $350

external hard drive- $150

booster seat-$40

toddler bed- free I hope!

new cell phone-??

And the wish list:

sectional couch $1800 (our family is WAY too big for a 2 seater!)

new sewing machine- $350

a bicycle for me- $150

The bed frame we had planned to buy for A was on sale earlier this month so we picked it up. However, the bed will actually now be my mother-in-laws as she is coming to live with us soon. Due to this, our plan has somewhat changed and we will now look at getting or borrowing a toddler bed for A until my mother-in-law leaves and we can transfer him into that bed. We've never used a toddler bed before so it will be interesting to see how it works out.

Our camera is starting to get pretty wonkie on on us and quiet frankly, while it's great for vacation/underwater pics it isn't very functional for our family. So the plan is to buy a DSLR this year. Also, my cell phone is starting to not hold a charge so it will probably need to be replaced this year. Finally, a car booster seat for J.

As far as budgeting and cutting costs go it's definitely been an interesting month. We have a temporary budget set up however, I am expecting some changes with work so it's not a final one. We also have the cost of bringing and supporting another person into our home so the budget will have to change in the next month. We will be getting rid of a $30/month bill in March and another $40/month one in May.

I feel like I wasn't able to complete this months goals as in depth as I wanted to so it will continue through the next few months.

So now on to February:

Exercise

Last February I decided it was time to get going on loosing some weight. I have been recording my weight once a week ever since so it's a good time to check in and see how I'm doing.

Oh no is it that time already?! Oh dear. Anyways, I will attend an exercise class or do a home workout at least 3 times a week this month and follow up about the weight issue (yikes!). I will review new DVD workouts as I try them. I will also get out for a walk with the boys at least once a week.

january coupon savings

2012-01-29T07:52:00.000-08:00

HUGE box of mini Shreddies cereal boxes- Free! Plus each box has a $1 coupon inside =o)

3 Kellogg's Cereals & 2 Kellogg's Snack Foods- Free! Thank you Kellogg's!!

Bacon - Free!

2 Kraft Dinner (1 not shown)- $0.50

Amooza- Free!

Lean Cuisine- Free!

2 Dempsters Smart Bread- $3

Rice Krispy Granola- Free!

All-Bran Bars- $o.47

3 Kellogg's Cereal- $1.41

Spiderman Band-Aid- Free!

Kraft Shredded Cheese- $3.99

Dairymilk Bar- Free!

2 Special K Cereal- Free!

8 Campbells Broth- $8

1 Hand Soap- Free!

1 Special K Fruit Crisp- Free!

1 Special K Fruit Crisp- $1.47

PediaSure- $1.49

2 Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaners- $2

4 Campbells soup- $2

2 Mozzarella Cheese- $2.50

Infants Tylenol- $2

Tampax Pearl- $2.97

Royale Toilet Paper- $3.97

3 Boxes of Nutrigrain Bars- $2.97

1 POM juice- $1.47

2 M&M Pouches- $3

2 Naturegg Egg White Substitute $1.96

2 dozen eggs- $2.98

2 M&M Pouches- $3

6 Boxes Royale Facial Tissue- $1

4 Del Mont Fruit Cups- $2

12 Campbells Soup $6

1 Nutrigrain- $0.49

6 Hunt Tomatoes- $1.50

2 500g Armstrong Cheese- $5.16

2 Packages 12 Cottonelle double rolls- $5.98

work out videos

2012-01-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

I need some new work out DVD's but there are SO many out there I'm not sure what's good or not. Does anyone have a favourite or one they can recommend?

children's books #16

2012-01-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

Baby's First Farm by Hinkler Design Studio is a simple board book with pictures of baby farm animals and other items found on the farm. It has one word on each page and lots of bright colours. A LOVED this book and spent a good 10 minutes looking at it on his own after I had read it to him.

Counting Sheep by Dr. Julie Glass is neat book about counting animals to fall asleep. It has very simple sentences but the neat thing about it is that it explores counting by numbers other than one; such as 2, 3, and 4. It's a great way to learn some early math skills while listening to a good story.

death by chocolate cookie

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Winter hit us hard this week so one day N declared it a cookie day. And who am I to disagree with that?!

I decided to go all out and make some 'death by chocolate' cookies. They are a double chocolate cookie dough with white, milk and dark chocolate in them.

They turned out delicious and I got to use the cookie scoop I'd received for Christmas. A definite win- win =o)

measuring cup

2012-01-18T06:02:00.000-08:00

One of these would make my life so much simpler! No more one little cup at a time...

On to the wish list it goes!

30 weeks instead of 20 weeks?

2012-01-17T06:10:00.000-08:00

Did you hear about the doctor who wants the sex of a fetus not to be disclosed until 30 weeks gestation? You can read his story here.

I agree.

I am 100% pro-life and if this would decrease abortions due to the gender of the child I am all for it. Parents who wanted to know their child's gender before they are born would still have the chance to know. Ten weeks, or there about, is still time to plan and prepare for a boy or girl.

A life is more important than having the 'right' paint colour on the wall.

the best two years

2012-01-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

I watched this movie last week and I had forgotten how good it is! Laugh out loud funny yet dramatic and moving at the same time. If you haven't seen it go watch it!

wrapping supplies contained!

2012-01-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

Wanna know a secret? This is what used to be under my bed...

(Not the child of course, I just couldn't keep him away long enough to get a child free picture!)

It all started out good- I had an under the bed storage unit that we kept wrapping supplies in and it worked for a few years. Then our supply stash grew and the container broke. Sooooooo I just started shoving it under the bed near the container thinking I would deal with it later.

Then later came.

Walmart had the storage containers on sale and there was a forecast of bad weather so I decided it was time to tackle the mess.

I started by pulling everything out from underneath and sorting through it. It took a while since the kids thought it was great to throw things all over the place!!

In the end though it looked like this...

One container for wrapping paper and bags. Then a second container for tissue paper, bows, ribbons, tape and cards. I also got rid of half the boxes and placed the smaller ones in side of the bigger ones.

I moved the bed and did a thorough vacuuming before placing everything back underneath. I'm able to sleep better now that I know everything is tidy and clean under the bed =o)

Children's Books #15

2012-01-11T06:32:00.000-08:00

Katie Discovers Winter by Liesbet Slegers is a cute book about a what Katie does on a winters day. It is written from a child's perspective and is a fun book to read when it's snowing outside and children can relate!

The Bakers Dozen: A Counting Book by Dan Andreasen is a simple book about counting via the delicious creations a baker makes. It teaches the children what a 'bakers dozen' is and is written in rhyming form.

air flow bumper pads review

2012-01-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

We bought a set of Jolly Jumper Air Flow Bumper pads back in early 2008 when J started moving around in the crib and his arms would get stuck between the bars. Since traditional bumper pads are no longer recommended for use I was looking for a mesh breathable pair and found these at Sears.

Fast forward 4 years and three children later...

and I just took them off of A's crib (Yes, I should have taken them off months ago since once a child can stand or climb they should be taken off). I was pretty surprised that they are in amazing shape! Four years of almost constant use and they look brand new. That says a lot since our children have ripped numerous bed sheets and even a mattress cover!

Unfortunately, I discovered that Jolly Jumper doesn't make these anymore. Too bad, since the quality is great! I have seen them listed on websites like Kijiji though and there is a new company that makes similar ones called Breathable Baby. They have some really fun colours and patterns. Has anyone tried them? I'd be curious to know how the quality stands up over time.

herbs

2012-01-06T06:06:00.000-08:00

My husband introduced to me the group Herbs after we were married and I was immediately hooked. I love their music- a south Pacific feel and New Zealand accents.

Here are two of my favourite songs Long Ago:

And Parihaka: (ignore the pictures- it has nothing to do with the song but it was the only video I could find to share)

Which by the way, the story of Parihaka is pretty amazing... have a read.

shoppers optimum points tips

2012-01-04T06:11:00.000-08:00

I get asked quite often about ways to maximize Shoppers Optimum Points (which can be redeemed for free items). Since I just went to a 20x's the event this weekend here are some tips...

1... Take advantage of the 20x's the point events.

These promotions help you rack up points quickly so take advantage of them! Depending on the promotion you must spend $50 or $75 before taxes, coupons, discounts and recycling fees in order to gain the extra points. I usually take advantage of the $50 ones but rarely the $75 ones.

2... Use free product coupons (FPC) or low price coupons.

By using these at Shoppers you will increase the base points that will be x'd by 20 without paying anything or very little out of pocket. Below were some of the items I was looking for on Saturday.

3... Purchase food items.

It may seem odd to buy food at a drug store but many Shoppers now carry an expanded grocery section. I've found that their price for milk and eggs are comparable or sometimes even less than my local grocery store. Earn points for what you already planned to buy from the grocery store! Below are the some of the food items I purchased along with 4L of Milk not shown.

4... Use Coupons.

Make your out of pocket expenses go further by using coupons and combining them with sales. I was only able to use one FPC and one low value coupon as some of the items I was looking for were out of stock. I did get 4 boxes of Eggos for $4.96, and a five pack of Pampers Wipes with 3 packages of Pampers diapers for $30.92.

5... Check out the clearance section.

Every Shoppers offers a clearance section somewhere in their store. Find out where it is and check it often. I picked up these two boxes of Fruit Twists for $0.99 each since they were expiring in a few weeks. However, I had a coupon for $1 off two so I only paid $0.98 for both boxes. Plus my boys will eat these within a few days =o)

6... Take advantage of items that are offering bonus points.

Shoppers offers bonus points on certain items each week. These will not be x'd by 20 during those events but they are still a great way to build up points.

7... Buy what you need.

If you're planning to purchase something anyways and it's at a comparable price pick it up at Shoppers instead. This goes for any day or the 20x's the points events.

8... Redeem your points on Bonus or Mega Redemption days.

Bonus redemption days are held through out the year and your points are worth more on that particular day. The Mega Redemption Day seems to be held every December and that is the one day of the year when you're points are worth more than at any other time. Make sure to use coupons on these days too so that your 'free money' can go even further!

9... Become a Shoppers Optimum Plus Member.

This is a program where if you spend $1,500 at the store in a calendar year you receive additional offers of bonus optimum points and deals. This is a lot of money however, that equals $125 a month which is do-able if you're purchasing groceries there regularly.

10... Buy Shoppers Gift Cards.

If you plan to spend money at Shoppers this year buy their store gift cards. You will gain points when you buy the gift cards and you will gain points again when you spend the money on the gift card!

All of that said, remember that collecting points is only worth it if you are buying items that you normally would. Don't spend money you wouldn't normally just to earn 'free' items.

For all of the items shown above my total came to $62.88. However, I used a $50 gift card I received from a different promotion which I did not have to pay for out of pocket for. So I actually only paid $12.88 out of pocket. I earned 15,800 points which is worth over $30 minimum on a mega bonus redemption day!

2012 goals

2012-01-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Here is my list of goals for 2012:

January: Inventory & Budgeting

February: Exercise

Last February I decided it was time to get going on loosing some weight. I have been recording my weight once a week ever since so it's a good time to check in and see how I'm doing.

March: Spirituality

This month will be spent preparing my self spiritually for General Conference.

April: Gardening

It will be time to plan and plant the seeds for our garden.

May: Reading

I'm moving this goal to earlier in the year in the hopes that I might have more time to read.

June: Sorting

Spring cleaning time!

July: Dating

At least 4 dates will be held with my husband as we work on having alone time together.

August: Exploration

The month will include us visiting 4 new places and getting to know our surroundings.

September: Planning

I will plan out the food, gifts, costumes and activities that will occur over the next 3 months.

October: New Tastes

I decided to move this goal to the fall so that I can try some foods that are in season in the fall.

November: New Skill

I will learn one new skill this month.

December: Family

I will spend the month focusing on family and traditions.

december wrap up and look back at 2011

2011-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

Here was the goal for December:

Family. We will continue to focus on traditions and holiday celebrations as a family.

My plans for this month are to do one activity with the family each week. So far ideas include buying and decorating a live Christmas tree (first time in my life!), attending a lights display, attending a live nativity and making a snow family in the yard. We shall see what happens!

And the verdict is: kind of.

We bought a live tree and the kids helped decorate it which was a blast!

We tried to make it to a light display- we'd bought tickets and everything but after a 45 minute wait just to get close to the parking lot we gave up. We bought the kids a donut and after they had their sticky fill went to bed.

Between work and other appointments we missed out on the Nativity Pageant. I was pretty sad about this so next year I will be more diligent in finding out when it starts and heading there early.

I was all ready to make a snowman with the family and guess what? It's been unseasonably warm and it hasn't snowed enough! My back up plan was to go sledding but the only day we had enough snow and the time to go was on a Sunday so I opted out. N and the kids went though and they had fun.

We did however, get them to Santa to have a visit. (Or I should say I took them which was quite the challenge!). J helped me make and decorate gingerbread men (and eat them too!). I hosted a preschool party which was a blast for everyone. We planted our own Evergreen Tree seeds and had a Christmas Eve picnic on our living room floor in front of the Christmas Tree.

So while not everything I wanted to do got done we did have some quality family time.

I feel like this years goals were not as well fulfilled as the previous years so I need to make sure that I work harder on them for 2012. Reguardless, here is a recap of 2011:

Goals for 2011

January wrap up & February goals

February wrap up & March goals

March wrap up & April goals

April wrap up & May goals

May wrap up & June goals

June wrap up & July goals

July wrap up & August goals

August wrap up & September goals

September wrap up & October goals

October wrap up & November goals

November wrap up & December goals

turkey, turkey, turkey

2011-12-30T06:07:00.000-08:00

Since it was just our family eating our turkey this year we had LOTS left over. So I made 6 turkey pot pies and about 12 cups of turkey noodle soup to freeze.

Turkey anyone?

december coupon savings

2011-12-29T06:18:00.000-08:00

2 Live Clean Baby Lotion- Free!

1 Live Clean Baby Diaper Cream- Free!

1 Arm & Hammer Toothpaste- $0.24

1 PediaSure Complete- Free!

2 Stay Free Pads- $1

2 Fabreeze Chez Soi- Free!

1 Children's Gum Toothbrush- $0.74

2 Campbells Chicken Broth- $1.48

1 Finish Detergent $0.99

4 Two Litre Pop- $2

3 John Frieda Full Repair Products- $14.97 (However, I got a $10 CG from this transaction)

3 Dove Deodorants- $0.73

3 Dove 2x90g Bars- $0.73

1 Gerber Graduates Melts- $1.83

2 Naturegg Egg White Substitute- $2.48

Neutrogena Soothing Wrap Lotion- Free!

Ob Tampons- $0.99

Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo- $0.99

1 Kashi Cereal $1.99

4 Club House Gravy Mixes- $2.97

2 Cascades Enviro Toilet Paper- $3.98

Kraft Mozzerella Cheese- Free!

1 package Goldfish Grahams- $1.49

1 box Kashi Granola Bars- $1.49

1 Litehouse Salad Dressing- $2.49

4 Lipton Cup of Soup- $3

2 Orajel Training Toothpaste- $4.98

3 Dozen Large Eggs- $3.99

2 Scrubbing Bubbles Cleaners- $1.96

2 4 packs Dentyne Ice- $2

4 Campbell's Chicken Broth (2 not shown)- $4.68

2 6 pack Royale Facial Tissue- $5.98

christmas re-cap

2011-12-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

In no particular order...

Fun making cookies and delivering them to friends

The Nativity story and phone calls to family

Matching pj's and gifts

A hairstraightner and pedicure for me

Stuffing made from scratch (that turned out amazing!)

Winning gift choices for the boys: 40- piece Mr.Potato Head, Melissa & Doug Wooden Pizza Making Kit and Vtech Vacuum Cleaner all new and all for just $25!

Awesome headphones and some great DVD's for N

A fantastically messy cream cheese cherry pie

Musical church service and wonderful family time

merry christmas!

2011-12-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

Take a moment to click on this link and watch a video of the birth of Christ.

Best wishes this holiday season!

cutting it close

2011-12-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

I finished the boys Christmas pajamas last night!

Yes, it took me almost 6 months to make 3 pair of pajamas- CRAZY! I'm excited to see them open them tonight and wear them on Christmas morning.

Maybe I should start in January for next year...

yum, yum!

2011-12-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

I LOVE food~ hands down no questions asked. I had two great meals this week that I had to share.

The first was a chimichanga with rice and black beans. I cooked the beef in the slow cooker with some beef broth and garlic and it came out super delicious. I added some sauteed garlic and onion to it and filled a whole wheat tortilla. Then I baked the chimichanga in the oven and topped it with cheese, lettuce, tomato and sour cream. I made these black beans but used tomato sauce with 1/4 cup water in place of the tomato juice. It was SOOOOO good- I want some more right now!

The second was delicious and super easy meatballs in the crock pot. I doubled the recipe, omitted the bacon and used cilantro instead of parsley. I froze them overnight then just pulled out the ones I wanted to use. I covered them in pasta sauce while they cooked since that was what we were going to eat and the smell was divine. Doubling the recipe gave us 76 meatballs which will be about 4 meals for us and I'm already looking forward to eating more. Perhaps, sweet and sour meatballs? Meatballs in gravy? Or meatballs in cranberry sauce? Yum.....

big enough?

2011-12-21T06:02:00.000-08:00

Think my 2012 wall calendar is big enough? The regular sized one just wasn't cutting it =o)

I have no excuse to miss an appointment or be late for something now!

sister wives

2011-12-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

When I heard there was going to be a reality tv show about a polygamist family living in Utah my eyes rolled. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as LDS or Mormon, there are always mix ups and false beliefs that we practice polygamy.

We don't.

However, whenever something comes up about polygamy and specifically in Utah my church always seems to be mentioned. It's annoying and its frustrating and personally when I think of polygamy I just don't get it. I understand being surround by supportive women, helping each other out, always having someone to have 'girl talk' around etc . But why can't you have those types of relationships with friends, neighbours, extended family or even visiting teachers? Why do you need to share a husband?

So after rolling my eyes and bracing for some backlash I went on with my life.

Fast forward about a year and I had the opportunity to actually see an episode of Sister Wives. I was hooked. I watched the entire first season and part of the second season (I haven't fully caught up yet).

My thoughts now about polygamy and the Brown family are very different then they were a year ago. I thought polygamists wore 'old fashioned' clothing, had long hair, lived in fenced in communities, were rampant in underage marriage, sexual abuse and committing tax fraud. I thought that women were oppressed and young males were kicked out of the community so they wouldn't be 'competition' for the older males.

The Brown Family is none of these. From watching this show I've gathered that this family is one made up of older consenting adults none of whom are oppressed. The family is not isolated, the children have the same freedoms as many teens do today. The children appear well cared for and the family is a contributing member of society.

The Browns have been investigated for Bigamy in Utah and they ended up moving out of the state to Nevada. I find this very sad and while polygamy is not a lifestyle I would choose to live I wonder why it is singled out as one that is a crime.

If a child is being abused charge the person with child abuse. If the person is cheating on their taxes then charge the person with tax fraud. If a person is marrying someone underage then charge them with the corresponding crime. But charge someone for living a different lifestyle? I don't agree. We don't charge same-sex couples, common-law ones or people who have affairs so why is this lifestyle different?

I have to say kudos to the Brown family; Kody, Meri, Jenelle, Christine, Robyn and all of their children. They put themselves out there in order to educate and break the stereotypes that exist surrounding polygamy. In my opinion this family is a dynamic, loving and educated one. In fact I think the four wives have amazing personalities and I would love to spend an evening chatting with them.

The bottom line for me is that they are a family who deserves to live their life the way they choose to without being persecuted for it. It's that old cliche, "you don't have to love what a person does, you just have to love the person".

Has anyone else seen this show? What are your thoughts?

m.i.a

2011-12-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

So if you have noticed there haven't been many new posts lately. That's because life has been busy with kids, husband, house work and some recent training I took. Not to mention Christmas preparations. Being busy is a good thing but I miss blogging since it is something that I love to do. So, hopefully there will be some blog posts up in the near future.

birth matters a midwife's manifesta

2011-12-14T06:33:00.000-08:00

I loved this book! I expected I would though since Ina May Gaskin is such an amazing wealth of knowledge.

Here are some of the things that I learn/loved from this book:

- The principals from the International Conference on Humanization of Childbirth from 2000

-In recounting Ina May's first child's (forceps) delivery she states, "... I wondered why they had felt it necessary to tie my arms down when I hadn't been disagreeable or abusive. When my dentist had removed my impacted wisdom teeth a few years earlier, he had trusted me not to fight him while he was at work. Why was the relationship between doctors and women so different in the maternity ward? Why did it feel so much like a medieval torture chamber, and why did I have to pay for this insulting, inadequate treatment?" (pg. 24)

-In speaking about a local Amish community and the myth that the more children you have the greater your risk of hemorrhage. The women in this community averaged 13 children. "In spite of many pregnancies each woman typically had, hemorrhages after birth were rare, and even though there was sometimes a fly in the house around the time of birth, the Amish mothers and babies rarely contracted infections, while the hospital nursery had to be closed several times during that time because infections swept through it." (pg. 27)

-In the Netherlands women go directly to a midwife for their maternity care and that 1/3 of Dutch women give birth at home.

-Maternal death rates in the US rose when women began having babies in hospitals in large numbers. And it is still higher than many countries around the world.

-The story of a woman in 2008 in Cape Fear North Carolina who after a failed induction had a c-section performed on her. However, when the doctors cut into her they realized that she was not pregnant! If any of the doctors had simply put their hands on her and felt her uterus they would have known that she was not pregnant. It is known as 'Leopold's Maneuvers' and it is used to determine the baby's position, the amount of amniotic fluid, how the women's is carrying the baby and the baby's weight. This skill is now rarely taught to new doctors.

-In talking about induced labours, "The dangers include maternal and fetal death due to amniotic fluid embolism or ruptured uterus. Induced labours are much more painful than labours that begin spontaneously, and they lead more often to C-sections as well. Babies often suffered from induced labours, from distress caused by the unnaturally hard contractions and from prematurity (caused by by mistaken estimation of the baby's actual gestational age). " (pg. 122)

-"Babies born before 39 weeks often often have immature lungs and respiratory problems, and are more susceptible to infection." (pg 122)

-"There is such a large degree of under reporting of maternal deaths in the US that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 1998 that two-thirds of the actual deaths that occur could be missing from official reports." (pg. 129)

-Platinum and silicone have both been found in the breast milk of women who have silicone breast implants.

-The story of Tameka McFarquhar and her daughter Danasia who both passed away due to lack to post-natal care.

-Dr. Agnes Gereb, an obstetrician and midwife in Hungary is in jail for 'suspicion of reckless endangerment committed during the line of duty'. Dr. Gereb is an outspoken advocate of home birth.

And many, many other bits of knowledge. Great Book- check it out!

stuffing for dummies?

2011-12-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a secret:

I use Stove Stop Stuffing for holiday's.

Yah, the one from the box.

But this year I want to try making my own. Does anyone have a no-fail yummy recipe they can share??

letter j cake

2011-12-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

J turned 4 last week and had requested a 'J' cake. I had planned to make him a 'Chicka Chicka Boom Boom' type one but when food poisoning hit the night before I had to come up with another idea. I ended up making a very simple chocolate cake with M&M's on it. I was disappointed it wasn't something better but J loved it!

cute in cloth

2011-12-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Not only is cloth good for the environment, your child's skin and your bank account it is dang cute!!

I cranked the heat up and let A run around in a diaper and matching shirt for a bit yesterday. He loved it and his over whelming cute-ness made me smile =o)

all for free =o)

2011-12-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

I took advantage of Shoppers Mega Bonus Redemption Days on Saturday and by cashing in 30,000 points I got everything shown below for free.

I wasn't able to go until just before dinner time so a number of the items I wanted were not available- bummer. However, I did use coupons for a few items so my points went further =o)

7 Mini Nestle Chocolates (not shown) (and NO not because I already ate them all... just 3 of them!)

3 Boxes Multi- Grain Cheerios

3 Boxes Baby Mum-Mums

2 Campbell's Chicken Broth

2 Dozen Brown Eggs

1 Container Gerber Puffs

1 4L Milk

1 Kids Orajel toothpaste

1 Glaxal Base Lotion (this was the most expensive item but I love it!)

1 John Freida Shampoo & 1 John Frieda Conditioner (These were my splurge items and I got both of them for $10.98 and gained 15x's the points on them).

There are definitely a number of rewards programs out there that are well worth your time and Shoppers optimum Points is one of them.

easy christmas tree ornaments

2011-12-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

The kids and I made some Christmas tree ornaments last week that I thought I would share. We used pre-cut foam tree shapes, a hole punch, coding stickers, star stickers and ribbon.

I cut the green stickers off for a future project...

I handed J & T each a pile of trees and and pile of stickers and the put them on...

I tried a few hole/star placements to see what I liked best.

When they were done I added some lines with a black pen to make the ornaments look more realistic. I wanted the stickers to last more than a few days so J and I put a layer of Modge Podge on top. Once it was dry I cut the ribbon and J threaded it through the tree for me. I tied it, added a message on the back and voila!

This is J's tree~ He did all of it himself and is very proud of it!

november's round up and decembers goals

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

The goal for November was:

Knowledge. Once again I will spend this month reading books varying from finances to social work to fiction.

So far my list includes:

The Help

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating

Money-Smart Kids

FAIL!

I read a grand total of zero of these books. I am 3/4 of the way through Birth Matters by Ina May Gaskin but even that has taken me an entire month. There just hasn't been time to read this month.

So moving on to December:

Family. We will continue to focus on traditions and holiday celebrations as a family.

november's coupon savings

2011-11-29T06:22:00.000-08:00

1 Dentyne Ice- Free! (Thanks Dentyne!)

1 package Huggies Slip on Diapers- Free! (Thanks Mom Central)

1 Venus Embrace Razor- Free!

3 Pringles Superstacks- $2.85

1 Venus Bikini Razor & Kit- Free!

1 Box Blue Water Fish Fillets- Free!

1 Pringles Superstacks- $0.95

1 Adam's Peanutbutter $0.99

1 Glad Cling Wrap- Free!

1 Stayfree Pads- Free!

1 two pack of MarcAngelo pork soulvaki- Free! (made $0.01)

4 boxes Lipton Soup Mix- $3

2 6 packs of Royale Facial Tissue- $5.98

12 Knorr Side Kicks- $9

2 Cottonelle Wipes packs- Free!

2 12 packs of Cottonelle Toilet Paper- $7.98

1 Dempters Bread- Free!

1 box Kashi Bars- Free!

2 Old El Paso Salsa- Free!

2 Crisco Shortening- $3.04

2 Old El Paso Taco kits- $5.98

2 loaves of Wonderbread- $0.49

1 Pillsbury Pie Crust- $1

2 Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes- $1.32

1 Kids Spinbrush- $0.48

3 Windex- $3

4 Hunts Tomato Sauce- $2

1 Pampers Wipes Tub- $1.50

5 Huggies Wipes Tubs- $5.75

2 Old El Paso Taco kits- $5.98 (each box has a coupon for free salsa!)

1 Boys Snow Jacket & Pants- $40.90 (original price $94.88)

1 Women's Jacket- $45.48 (original price $129.94) I paid less than the same jackets were second hand at Value Village!

momo prints review

2011-11-28T05:40:00.000-08:00

Momo Prints is an Etsy store run by Emilie. She is an extremely talented woman and is also the author of a witty blog, a craft blog, as well as a year of family home evenings which is a site our family loves.

When I saw her prints I knew I wanted one (or maybe 2 or 3 or 4!). I love that I can have LDS themed art in our home in fun colours that my boys will like.

While J & T's room is not currently decorated I know that once we buy our own home I plan to do their room in green and white. I ordered the Gordon B. Hinckley's Six Be's Extended in colour #9 knowing this would be a great accessory for their room. The file came quickly attached to an email and hubby printed it on photo paper for me. (Make sure to follow Emilie's directions closely when printing in order to ensure the proper colour and size.)

I put the print in a white frame and it looks awesome! I'm so excited to put his up in J & T's room for them.

There are a number of other prints from MomoPrints that I'm adding to my wish list.

Like this one:

And this one:

Right now Emilie is offering a Black Friday - Cyber Monday sale. When you buy 2 prints you get one free! This is a great time to start your Christmas shopping or to pick up those last few gifts without having to leave your home (hint, hint hubby!!). Check out Momo Prints for the details.

Disclosure- I received a free Momo Print in exchange for this review. However, all opinions are my own and honest.

*Images from Momo Prints

$300 challenge update part.2

2011-11-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

You can read the original challenge here and see week 1 & 2 totals here.

Week #3 Total $128 (or $58- see below)

Technically we spent $128 this week however, $64 of that was for 'stock up' items. Cake mixes, pasta, soups, frozen veggies, raisins, fish and sugar. $6 was also an impulse Sushi buy at the store because it was late and I was hungry =o) So taking those numbers into consideration we actually only spent $58 on groceries for the week.

Week #4 Total $72 (or $58- see below)

This week I had to make an appetizer to take to a potluck that only I attended. The items cost $14 and since it did not replace a meal for my family I don't count it as the food cost for our family.

September though December are our 'stock up' months as our income is higher and food prices seem to be lower on a number of staples. Trying to do a $300 grocery challenge this month was a crazy idea. However, if you add up all of the adjusted totals for only what we actually ate this month it works out to $354 which is pretty close and a good number for a family of 5.

I am going to try and do this challenge again in the spring as I think it's a great way to keep your budget in check and use what you already have.

uggg

2011-11-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

I have a number of posts almost ready to go but i've been hit by a nasty bug and haven't been much use lately. I'm hoping the puking will stop soon and I can get back to blogging!

i'm growing up

2011-11-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

We got new dishes! After months of having just one bowl left after a series of unfortunate breaks, we finally bought new ones.

I've always been a little sad that N and I missed out on registering for gifts for our wedding so I was very excited to go look at dishes (I know, I'm lame!). I wanted white ones but with some sort of texture on them. I found these Even Tide ones made by Gibson.

Here's a professional photo:

What was even more exciting is that the set came with a serving bowl, serving platter and salt and pepper shakers. No more Easter bunny or Santa ones for us! N said he was excited to have a large dish to put the BBQ on to bring inside... we had a little chat about what a platter was and was not to be used for =o)

They are not the highest quality and I'm not expecting them all to make it through the next few years but I feel like an adult with nice dishes!

pumpkin doughnuts

2011-11-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

I made these pumpkin doughnuts on the weekend and they turned out pretty good. The only problem that I had was that the dough never seemed to firm up. I even left it in the fridge over night but it stayed the same. I ended up adding more flour to it while rolling it out. I made half the recipe and it ended up making 12 doughnuts and 14 doughnut holes.

I didn't have any biscuit cutters (adding that to my wish list!) so I had to get creative with making the circles but they turned out ok.

I was a little disappointed in the lack of pumpkin taste but this recipe is going to become my regular doughnut one for sure.

when breastfeeding doesn't go as planned: the update

2011-11-19T06:47:00.000-08:00

A nursing in the car on Canada Day 2011

It's been a year since I wrote this post and I felt I needed to write a follow up. After that monumental struggle (and boy did it feel that way to me!) A began nursing as if it had never been an issue. We quickly fell into a 4 times a day routine and life was good. He started to refuse a bottle even if it had breast milk in it and for months I was his only source of nutrition.

Life went on and A turned one last month. Nursing him during the day had become a cumbersome event since he would stop every few seconds to look around at what his brothers were doing. I decided to switch his two day time feedings to cows milk in a sippy cup and he quickly took to it. He liked the notion of being able to walk around with a sippy cup in his hand and take a drink whenever he wanted.

At 13 months I am still nursing him first thing in the morning and before bed most nights. I'm not sure how long I will nurse him for and I'm not sure how to go about the whole weaning thing. My older boys both self weaned when I hit the 3 month mark into the next pregnancy. This time however, I am not pregnant so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I do feel a change coming on though and I'm thinking he'll be fully weaned in a month or two.

Regardless of how our nursing days together end I am still immensely greatful for the support that I received and the decision I made to continue trying to breastfeed. While those first six weeks were difficult on many levels in the end they were worth everything to be able to breastfeed my son.

Children's Books #14

2011-11-17T06:38:00.000-08:00

Dinosaur Numbers by Paul & Henrietta Stickland is a board book that counts from 1 to 10 and of course is about dinosaur's! All three of my boys liked this book.

Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam by Hans Wilhelm is illustrations of a little duck to the words of this song. I was surprised to find this book at my local library but I'm glad I did. My boys loved this book and even A recognizes the words and comes running when I start reading it. This would be a great book to give for the birth of a child in a Christian family.

Mama, Why? By Karma Wilson is a beautiful book where a polar bear cub asks his mama a number of why questions. The story takes place in the arctic and would be a great bedtime story. This book has become one of my favourites.

*Images from Amazon.ca

a squashy kind of weekend

2011-11-15T06:04:00.000-08:00

*Image from allrecipes.com

It was a squash filled weekend for us. When the weather turns cold I always want something warm and hearty to eat. So on Sunday we made this delicious butternut squash soup. I added garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg and chili powder and it was fantastic. (Thanks Kristi!)

I also used this technique to cook the pumpkin we received in our CSA box last month. I ended up with just under 5 cups of puree. I can't wait to try some new pumpkin recipes out~ I'm thinking maybe these or these.

$300 challenge update

2011-11-11T07:38:00.000-08:00

Week #1 Total: $117 (or $77- see below)

This week we were out of town for two days which included one lunch and two dinners eaten out. Unfortunately, as we were in a tourist area the cost was quite high and those three meals are $74 of the above total. We will be getting $40 reimbursed as N was working through those meals so that would put our actual total at $77 for the week.

Week #2 Total: $171 (or $161- see below)

This week included one dinner and one breakfast eaten out during out time away which again ate up a large portion of our budget- $80 to be exact. We will be getting $10 back towards these meals which will make the total spent actually $161. From that $20 is for flour that I stocked up on and $12 were taco kits that I stocked up on. With all of that in mind our actual grocery bill if we'd eaten at home would have come in at a reasonable amount.

Based on the adjusted numbers we have $52 for groceries for the next two weeks which is not realistic for a family of 5. So, I will keep track of the next two weeks and do our best to keep our meals budget friendly and we'll see how the month turns out.

Children's Books #13

2011-11-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

Cant Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill is super cute and funny book about what happens when the counting sheep decide to recruit a different animal to do their job. My boys loved this book and it's one that I really enjoyed reading to them.

If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff is a story about what happens when you give a pig a pancake (surprise, surprise!). The book will take you off on some wild side adventures but it's a fun book to read.

for the generations to come

2011-11-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to receive these books in the mail this week! They are the printed version of my blogs; my original blog (the big book) and then from when I split the blog into this one and a private family one up to December 31st, 2009.

I've been wanting to do this for a while but it can be quite costly so when I got a discount code for Blurb I decided it was time. When you 'slurp' your book to Blurb it places each blog post onto it's own page which for me was over 400 pages for the large book. So I decided to condense the posts into a continual flow which took a long, LONG time. So much so that I ran out of time to add a picture to the front and make it 'prettier' before the promotional code ran out.

I also learned that if you want pictures from a private blog to show up you must make it public for the 5 to 10 minutes the it takes to 'slurp' your book over.

I am SO very happy to have a record of our day to day life down in a book. There are lots of details that I have forgotten over the years like how much J weighed at 6 months and what T's second word was and so on.

I'm hoping to print the 2010 and 2011 books next year.

octobers round up and novembers goals

2011-11-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Here was Octobers goal:

Dating. This probably sounds funny coming from someone who is already married but this month I will focus on doing one activity with my husband each week without the kids for 'date night'.

I plan to have a date night each Saturday in the month of October so that's 5 dates. The dates will be at home when the kids are in bed since we don't have a babysitter. One will be a movie night and one will be a game night for sure. The other 3 though? Not sure yet- I'm having a creativity block so any ideas you may have would be appreciated!

And here's the update:

The first Saturday I forgot that it was the priesthood session of conference so N was out most the night. However, we did spend some time talking afterwards so it was like a mini date.

The second week we watched 'Zoo Keeper' together. I wasn't a fan of the movie at all but I managed to stay awake the entire time!

The third week we had our date on Friday night because someone had offered to watch our children for us. We used the time to go grocery shopping. Sound odd? Yah, well we used to love going grocery shopping when we were first married so I thought it would be fun and a good use of time too.

It's not as fun as it used to be.

I guess without the riding bikes in the (warm) rain, seeing friends at the store and laughing about our crazy luck that we get stuck in a downpour on the way home too it just isn't the same. We did stop for some apple caramel cider though which was nice.

The fourth week we busted out Monopoly for a game and it was fun. N still cheated (as he always does) but I actually won this time- first time ever!

The fifth week we had a ward Halloween party on Saturday night. We ran out of time and money so we didn't have any costumes but we did have some funky hair. By the time we got home and got our sugar hyped kids in bed it was getting late and we both ended up doing our own thing.

So 4 out of 5 weeks isn't bad!

Now on to November:

Knowledge. Once again I will spend this month reading books varying from finances to social work to fiction.

So far my list includes:

The Help

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating

Money-Smart Kids

Any other recommendations?

halloween run down

2011-11-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

We started the evening off with a spooky dinner...

Mummy Dogs

Monster Apple Mouths

Brain Salad aka cilantro lime coleslaw

Blood to drink aka grape juice

It was definitely a hit with the kids and they enjoyed eating it. I remember always eating a not-so-healthy meal before going out trick or treating and looking forward to it so we decided to do it the same for our boys.

After dinner we put our decorations out as the trick or treaters started arriving. The jars turned out great and I had lots of compliments from the parents of trick or treaters on them.

J and T's pumpkins were awesome!

Then it was off to a few neighbours homes for some trick or treating and back to let J & T eat 2 pieces of their spoils before bed. We had about 100 children come to our home and overall it was a great night!

pathways to family wellness

2011-10-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

My chiropractor always has the current issue of Pathways to family wellness magazine available to read in her office. I really liked the current issue for a few reasons...

#1- The interview with Ina May Gaskin was very interesting and educational. The history of how woman have given birth through the years is one that is shocking and really makes you wonder why we are 'shown' or 'told' exactly how birth must occur. I've read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and it is one that I recommend to every expectant parent. I am very much looking forward to reading her new book Birth Matters: A Midwife's Manifesta.

#2- The article on epidurals that asks if they are worth the risk. Having been through childbirth with an epidural and without one I will always do everything in my power to avoid having another one. For me the risks aren't worth it.

#3- The article "If I were at home, I would have died" The trouble with extrapolating Hospital Birth Events to Homebirth. The main point of this article is summed up in "In many hospital births, it is unnecessary interventions that have caused the complications that women and babies suffer from" (pg. 28). The USA ranks 41 in the world for maternal deaths- why aren't we asking ourselves why this is happening? Drugs that alter your body's chemistry during labour, infections that if at home you wouldn't have even been exposed to- there are many questions we need to ask ourselves. Giving birth at home is not for everyone but I do believe it should be happening more than it does.

#4- The article Circumcision Medically Unnecessary. I like how this article looks at a number of myths surrounding circumcision. Do you know how circumcision is performed? While in the hospital after the birth of my second child I saw the molded plastic where they strapped the baby down for the procedure and it makes me shudder to think about it. Anesthesia can have health risks for anyone including babies and if it is performed without any anesthesia the 10 minute long produce can be excruciatingly painful. There are a number of recently reported cases where a child has suffered haemorrhaging or heart issues during circumcision and even death has occurred.

#5- The article Co-sleeping as Nighttime bonding hit it on the head for me. As I have had children I have gone from never co-sleeping to where my youngest child stayed in our bed for almost 6 months. With my first child I didn't understand why you would want your child in bed with you, if it was safe and how to transition them out later on. Now I highly recommend co-sleeping (as long as the conditions are safe) and can definitely see how it effects bonding.

If you get a chance check out the current edition of Pathways to family Wellness- you can click here to request a free copy.

$300 challenge

2011-10-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

We had a number of extra expenses this month including some large ones we were not expecting. So in order to save some money we will be budgeting just $300 for food for the next four weeks. This is about $150 less than we usually spend so it's going to be a challenge. What will make it even more difficult is a four day vacation (of sorts) during the four weeks. We've been blessed with a full pantry and freezer right now so I think we can do it!

I'll post a follow up at the end of the 4 weeks.

october's coupon savings

2011-10-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

2 Dove Body Wash- Free!

1 Dove Deodorant- Free!

1 Dove 2x90g Soap- Free!

1 Dove 4x90g Soap- Free!

1 Dove 4x90g Men's soap- Free!

1 Dove 2x90g Soap- Free!

1 Dove Men's Shampoo- Free!

1 Dove Deodorant- Free!

1 Dove 4x90g Soap- Free!

1 Orajel Toddler Toothpaste- $1.49

1 Huggies Slip on Diapers- $2.49

1 Dove Conditioner- Free!

1 Dove Deodorant- Free!

1 Dove Men's Shampoo- Free!

1 Dove 4x90g Men's soap- Free!

1 Dove 2x90g Soap- Free!

1 Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo- Free!

1 4 pack Pediasure- Free!

1 Sunlight laundry detergent- $0.49

1 U by Kotex- $2.24

Band-Aids- Free! (J choose the Ferries!)

4 Boxes Del Monte Fruit Twists- $0.98

2 Boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars- $1.98

2 Old Spice Shaving Cream- Free!

1 Orajel Toddler Toothpaste- $1.49

4 Kids Gum Toothbrushes- $2.96 (Love these! They are the perfect size, cute and have suction cups on the bottom so they won't fall over when stored)

1 Hamburger Helper- Free! (Made $1.33)

6 Sun-Rype Apple Juice- $3

1 package Stayfree pads- $0.99

5 loaves of Bread- $2.23

4 jars Smuckers Jam- $3.96

(No picture as the items got put away before I had a chance to take one)

2 French's Mustard $1

1 pampers Wipes $1.50

6 loaves of Dempsters Smart Bread- $4.02

2 Helmann's Olive Oil Mayo- $5

5 Helmann's Mayo- $12.50

4 Knorr Side Kicks- $3.97

3 Orville Redenbacher Popcorn- $4.47

3 packages of Trident (4 count each)- $5.24

6 packages of Bic Flex Razors (4 count)- $8.94

2 Huggies Tub Wipes- $0.98

1 Huggies Pure & Natural Diapers- $1.97

2 Huggies Slip on Diapers- $5.47

halloween lanterns

2011-10-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

I saw this idea over at Crafts By Amanda and knew immediately that I wanted to make some.

An old camera plus poor lighting equals not the best pictures so here is one without the flash...

and here is one with the flash...

So just imagine something in the middle!

I found that the paint was very picky and you could only go over each spot once- lesson learned.I received the jars from a neighbour (thank you!) and only had to purchase some orange paint, purple paint and the spray paint which I used coupons for (of course!). It was a very low cost craft that adds lots of decorating options for the years to come!

Here is a sneak peak of what it will look like on Halloween...

occupy movement

2011-10-27T06:04:00.000-07:00

The Occupy Movement seems to have swept the Earth and certainly Canada. I wanted to put some of my thoughts on the issue down in writing so here goes...

The freedom to be able to demonstrate to make your opinion known is a fantastic one that I am so glad we as Canadians have. I don't understand all of the reasons people are choosing to take part in this movement. I do however, understand the frustration and disappointment that many people are feeling today in regards to how the 'rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer'.

Our family is certainly one where we have to struggle at times and I feel for others in our same situation. However, I think it is important to keep it all in perspective and considering the population of the world we have an amazing life full of opportunities and 'things' that many others don't have. We have the choice to choose what we deem to be wants and what are needs. Many others do not have that luxury.

A number of camps are at the point where somethings gotta give. Whether it's the weather becomes too cold to remain outside or an eviction order will occur; there will be changes coming.

I like the suggestion that was put forth by the person who owns the land where Occupy Edmonton is presently at. Since it in a public area the square has the operating hours of 6am to 11pm and has suggested/asked that protesters be there during those hours but that they do not remain over night.

Some protesters feel that it is not logistically possible to take down the camp and then set it up again the next morning. It may not be convenient but it is a compromise that allows the protesters to have a voice while still obeying the law. With the privilege of free speech comes the responsibility to respect and obey the laws of the land.

I'm curious to see how the next few weeks pan out.

children's books #12

2011-10-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert is a board book that shows a number of fruits and vegetables that start with each letter of the alphabet. I like how the letter and words are written in both lower and upper case so my boys can see how they look. This is a great book for kids to learn a variety of fruits and vegetables while learning their alphabet as well.

Monkey See, Monkey Do by Dana Regan is a super cute easy reader book. It rhymes, is fun and has great pictures. It also has actions you can get the kids to do to get them moving. It was a huge hit with both J & T.

*images from Amazon.ca

pulasami

2011-10-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

Pulasami is a south pacific dish that is traditionally cooked in an underground oven known as an umu. It is made with corned beef, taro leaves and coconut milk and tastes great. This year N made some for us as part of our thanksgiving dinner. Here is a quick tutorial on how to make it.

First you need to find some taro leaves. These are hard to come by in Canada but not impossible. The ones we found were grown in BC. I've heard of this being made with spinach if taro is not available so that is another option. You'll want to wash them then remove the stems. Peel the stems and discard the skin. Chop up in the inside part to add to the meat mixture.

Add corn beef, onion, garlic, tomato, chili and the taro stems to a bowl and mix.

Place some tin foil in a bowl and then layer 3 leaves in different directions. (You can place all of the pulasmi in one large piece of tin foil if you- we did it this way as some of the taro leaves had holes in them).

Place a scoop of the meat mixture into the middle.

Pour coconut milk over the meat mixture until well covered.

Fold the leaves one layer at a time until it looks like the picture below. (The tin foil isn't shown here)

Fold the tin foil over so it is completely closed.

Place in a baking dish and cook at 500F for 30 to 45 minutes until the leaves are tender.

When it is done unwrap it and it will look like this:

It doesn't look that appetizing but looks can be deceiving! The leaves are soft and juicy, the meat mixture is flavourful and the coconut milk gives it a unique taste. Give it a try and I bet you'll love it!

o jerusalem

2011-10-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

We received our family's Christmas gift from my mom last week and I love it!!

It is O Jerusalem by Greg Olsen.

(Sorry for the flash on there- it's been a grey few days)

As a family we have so few 'nice' things in our home so it's extra special to have something that is not reclaimed, second hand, chipped, torn, ripped or broken. We also have 10 foot ceilings in our living room so it really helps to fill the

space =o)

beauty

2011-10-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Did you see this image and story on Yahoo today?

*Image from Yahoo.com

Follow the link and have a read. I honestly don't know why Barbie still exists in the form that it does. I think the company needs to redesign her to real proportions and help encourage girls to strive for a healthy beauty not an unachievable one.

I think Katie Halchishick is stunning. She looks healthy and vibrant- I'd love to have a body like hers!

stay at home mom perk

2011-10-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Making a big, fresh pizza from scratch for lunch!

room

2011-10-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

*Image from Amazon.ca

I heard about Room via an interview with the author, Emma Donoghue, on CBC back in the spring. The book sounded very intriguing so I quickly put my name on the wait list at our local library for it and many months later it finally came.

As soon as I started reading it I didn't want to put it down. I stayed up way too late at night on a few occasions enjoying yet being terrified at what's written in this book. The story is one of horror, anxiety, amazing creativity and tenderness. The book being written from the perspective of a 5 year old child adds to the story yet at the same time I found myself wanting to read the mother's perspective because there were so many unanswered questions.

In the first half of the book seems that time goes very slowly and then in the second half of the book time goes very quickly. I'm not sure if this is meant to be or not but I found myself wanting time to slow down so I could learn more details.

This is a book that can be difficult to read because of the subject matter but I still highly recommend it.

last of the harvest

2011-10-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

The weather has been hovering around zero at night and there have been a few frost warnings so I decided it was time to bring everything in from the garden. There were a number of carrots that while still small did better than last year. We also had 2 more green tomatoes, 2 small zucchinis and 1 baby ear of corn.

We're thinking that we need to start the plants in February or March inside next year in order to get a good harvest from them before it gets too cold.

get cash back

2011-10-11T07:13:00.001-07:00

The Entertainment Book is offering a $25 dining certificate when you order the 2011/2012 book from them. What's even better is that Ebates is offering 35% cash back when you purchase the book via their site. There are always some great savings in these books including free McGavins Bread in the books I've bought. If you're planning on going on vacation getting a book for that city is a great way to keep your vacation budget friendly.

the metabolic typing diet

2011-10-11T05:42:00.000-07:00

*Image from Amazon.ca

The Metabolic Typing Diet written by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey completely changed the way I look at nutrition. The book is based on that fact that every single person has a different metabolism and therefore needs to eat differently. They discuss how a person from one traditional culture can have a completely different diet from someone in another traditional culture yet they are both healthy and fit.

The book categorizes every person into either a protein type, carb type or mixed type. The protein type would try to eat 40% protein, 30% fat and 30% carbs at each meal. The carb type would be 60% carbs, 25% protein and 15% fat. The Mixed type would be 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat. These are the general guidelines then you would play around with the percentages until you find the exact mix that works for you.

The diet (as in way to eat) doesn't exclude any food groups or limit calories. However, it does suggest one vegetable over a different one depending on which type you are. There is a 65 questionnaire in the book to help you determine which type you would fall under.

My result was that I am a protein type and when reading the description it hit the nail right on the head and described me perfectly. As I've written before I struggle to get the minimum about of protein servings each day and I realized that when we switched to eating more vegetarian meals (about 3 a week) that my protein servings had fallen even further.

That said, the idea of eating protein with every snack and meal is overwhelming. So I've decided to make a few smaller changes and to see where that leads too. We'll be eating meat dishes more often for dinner and when we do eat vegetarian I'll be looking to make sure there is some protein in the meal- like tofu or beans. I'm also going to be more conscious of the snacks that I'm eating and try to include protein in them- things like yogurt and nuts. I've also decided to switch to 1% or 2% milk. N prefers it over skim milk and I do believe that some fat is good for you so we'll see how it goes.

The book also has a number of appendixes on how to fine tune your diet, the glycemic index, food combining and how your blood type can effect the foods you should be eating (very interesting as a person with FVL).

I really enjoyed reading this book and there is such a wealth of knowledge about how your body works, your hormones, how diseases occurs and so much more. I'd highly recommend reading this book if you're feeling like your health isn't as good as it could be. I'm curious how the changes I've mentioned are going effect me and I'm hoping they'll be for the better.

1st birthday giant cupcake

2011-10-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

A turned one last week which meant it was cake decorating time! I found a giant cupcake tin last month and I though it would be perfect. I started trying to figure out how to decorate it and debated (yet again) whether to use fondant or icing. I saw this cake here and thought I'd go ahead with the fondant and try to make a pastel version of it.

I ended up buying butter cream fondant since no one in the family really likes the taste of the ones we've had in the past. It was easy to work with and smelled great!

The top of the cake was pretty easy to decorate but the bottom was a disaster. I think the fondant had gotten too warm and it was tearing and breaking. After one failed attempt I only had enough fondant left for one more attempt and when it started ripping I decided to stop trying to smooth it out and just get it on there as quickly as possible.

I made a mini version (aka regular cupcake) to use as the smash cake and again the blue portion was a mess. I didn't have any extra fondant at that point so I just slapped it on.

I'm disappointed it didn't turn out quite how I was hoping but A sure loved it so it was worth it!

I think I'm going to stay away from fondant for a while. N says "yah right"!

it's alive!!!

2011-10-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

The plant I received as a gift when A was born last year is alive and blooming! Considering my track record with plants this is awesome and SO exciting that this plant has lasted a full year.

Unfortunately, two of the other plants shown here died. but who cares?! This one is blooming!!

children's books #11

2011-10-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

Bears on Chairs by Shirley Parenteau is super cute board book about there being 5 bears but only 4 chairs. It's a great book for learning about sharing and working together. All three of my boys repeatedly ask me to hear this book read to them.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen is such a fun read! It's the same premise as this book however this one is about going to bed at night. My boys love this book and I do too. Apparently there is a whole series of these books and I'd love to get them all.

*Images from Amazon.ca

purple cabbage- who knew?!

2011-10-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

We got some purple cabbage from our csa box and I wasn't really sure what to do with it. All I'd ever used it for before was in coleslaw. N decided to cook some up the same as he would with green cabbage: adding cumin seeds (jeera), garlic, onions and carrots then lightly sauteing it.

This is what it looked like when done:

It tasted great and he and I loved it.

That night I was trying to figure out what to feed A since our dinner had cheese on it and he can't have diary yet. I ended up pureeing some of the purple cabbage and giving it to him.

Can you tell how much he loved it?! Seriously this kid licked the bowl clean!!

I would have never thought about giving a young child purple cabbage before but I will now.

and the tally is...

2011-10-03T05:22:00.000-07:00

After a month of canning the tally is:

(Lucky you, you get to see a bit of our stock pile!)

20 pints of pears

14 pints of diced tomatoes

12 pints of applesauce

11 pints of peaches

6 pints of tomato sauce

6 pints of roasted tomato sauce

3 pints of apple butter (plus one in the fridge)

7 half pint pear butter (not shown)

It was a lot of effort and these items will only last our family 2 to 6 months depending on the item. However, it's worth it to know that we have these items if needed and come the dead of winter they are going to taste great!

I'm really lucky that N helped me with the tomato sauce (which took FOREVER), peaches, roasted tomato sauce and some of the pears. The rest was done at night time and over 2 mornings which were video and painting days for the boys.

I'm still trying to figure canning out and I ended up with some floating peaches. I used a light syrup so I'm not sure what happened- I'm thinking I didn't pack them tight enough.

A few of the pear butter also have a small area of grayish looking spots on them. I'm not sure what's up with those whether it's some sugar that wasn't fully mixed or ??? I don't know... I'm trying to decide whether to throw them away or not. Anyone know what that might be? I tried to take a picture but our camera wouldn't pick it up.

I'm also a little leery of the roasted tomato sauce. We only made a few jars to try it out but it seems like some of them have separated which makes me think maybe something isn't right with them.

Oh well as I say (way too much) life is for learning, right?

I also made some pear puree to freeze for A and we ate lots of the produce fresh because it was super delicious! All together it was 45 lbs of tomatoes (2 different varieties), 40 pounds of apples, 40 pounds of pears and 20 pounds of peaches.

*Image from Amazon.com

All this canning has made me add a pressure canner to my wish list since it could cut down on processing time by 2/3rds. (Does anyone use one of these? Which type do you prefer?)

Linking up to:

Homemaker Monday @ 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven

tomato!

2011-10-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

We have a tomato!!

It's always so exciting to see something grow from a seed into something you can actually eat and savour- and this tomato tasted great!

We got 1 red tomato this year and there are 2 more growing right now. The temperature has really dropped the past few nights but I'm holding out hope we'll get to eat the others as well.

septembers' wrap up and octobers' goals

2011-10-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here was Septembers' goal:

Planning. This will be the perfect month for planning as the following 3 months are full of birthday's, holidays and exciting events. I will have presents bought and activities planned for A's birthday and J's birthday. I will also have Halloween costumes finished and 2/3 of the Christmas gifts ready.

And here is the update:

A's birthday card and present are bought, I know what cake I'm going to (attempt) to make for him and I have an idea of what we will do that day.

Thanksgiving is N's responsibility this year so that one was easy =o)

I had planned to make at least J's Halloween costume this year but ended up finding 3 second hand costumes that fit both size, budget and personality wise. I'm still thinking about what I will dress up as and trying to convince N to dress up. I lucked out and found 7 packs of Tootsie Pops for $0.24 each so I picked 20 up and these will be most of our Halloween Candy.

I plan to pick up some mini chocolate bars to give out but not until closer to Halloween. We have some decorations which will be put up later this month and a few more dollar store items will be bought.

Joshua's birthday gifts are bought and he's put in his cake request. We're still deciding what exactly we will do that day but we have some ideas.

As for Christmas all J and T's gifts have been bought. I still need to finish their pj's but it's slowly coming along. I still need to get 1 more gift for A but his pj's are done. I have started getting gifts for N as well as stocking stuffers. I've started planning out what baking I will be doing and I plan to stock up on some 'turkey fixins' when they go on sale after Thanksgiving. I've also starting gathering a few small gifts for other family and friends. We already have most of our decorations and we had family pictures taken a few weeks ago which I hope to mail out with Christmas cards.

I'd say September's goals were met =o)

So on to October:

Dating. This probably sounds funny coming from someone who is already married but this month I will focus on doing one activity with my husband each week without the kids for 'date night'.

what are your thoughts?

2011-09-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court handed down a decision today that not allowing Insite, a safe injection site in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, to operate within an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act would be a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Basically, what they are saying is that Insite is considered a health facility and is therefore under the direction of the provincial government (who want it to remain open) and not the federal government (who want it closed).

I have a mixed feeling about the decision that was made and about the center itself. I feel that the center sends a message that if you choose to use illegal drugs at that site then it doesn't matter how they were made, trafficked or acquired. I am also concerned with tax money going towards the funding of the site and the cost at which it operates.

However, I understand that the center is a way to reach and offer health services to a portion of the population which is often difficult to contact. Through the use of providing clean needles, cookers, filters, water and tourniquets the rate of spreading diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV is greatly reduced. It also means the risk of infection to family members is lower and less cost to the health system and tax payers in the long run. When addicts use the safe injection site they are less vulnerable to assaults and crimes which may have occurred had they been high on the street. Each time a person goes into the centre they are offered basic health care such as immunizations and wound care along with the opportunity to receive other social and health care including detox. Keeping dirty needles and drug activity off the street makes for a cleaner and safer city for the residents of Vancouver.

As you can tell by what is written above I believe that the pros of this center are many yet the concept of it existing still bothers me. I think that when it comes down to it I have to think this way: If my child were a drug addict in the city of Vancouver would I want this center to be accessible to him?

(And lets not be naive here; can strong convictions, good communication and a solid support system prevent a child from becoming an addict? Absolutely! Can it 100% guarantee it will prevent it? No, every person has the free agency to make choices whether they be good or bad.)

And the answer is yes. I would rather have my child take illegal drugs in an environment where medical staff can intervene if they have a bad reaction or overdose (there have been over 1400 overdoses since the site opened in 2003-none of which resulted in fatalities due to medical staff being on site). I would rather my child be able to use clean needles to reduce their risk of becoming infected with a life threatening disease. I would rather have my child be offered the opportunity to go into detox every time they shoot up. I would rather have my child receive preventative medical care and the opportunity for mental health care, housing and social supports every time they shoot up.

So where does this leave me? It means that I need to help my children understand the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual consequences of illegal drug use. It means that I need to do everything I possibly can to help guide my children to make choices in their lives that will create great joy for them not ones that will lead to negative experiences. It means that I need to be extra vigilant in creating an environment where my children are comfortable talking openly with me without the fear of anger or punishment (consequences are different that punishment).

So what do you think about this issue? (You can read about the Supreme Court's decision here.)

* This is my blog and these are my thoughts. I'm more than happy to publish your thoughts on the subject as long as they are constructive and respectful.

children's books #10

2011-09-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Berenstain Bears' Family Reunion (Easy Reader) is a simple story that has just one or two rhyming sentences on each page. Berenstain Bears' is a classic set of books that I used to love reading when I was younger. I like that the stories are detailed but still short enough to be a good book for toddlers and preschoolers.

Put Me in a Book by Robert Munsch is typical of his crazy and unusual style. The book is about a girl who actually gets put inside a book and her classmates try to help get her out. It's a fun book that my boys loved.

I See Me by Margaret Manuel is a board book about the daily activities of a baby. The book is very simple and straight forward and under each action is a space for parents to write a translation into their own language. I liked the book because it shows some aspects of traditional Native culture as well as breastfeeding as one of the baby's actions.

*Images from Amazon.ca & Theytus.com

coupon savings for the month

2011-09-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

1 Mr. Big Bar- Free!

1 360g Kraft Shredded Cheese- Free!

2 Old El Paso Salsa- Free!

1 Package Stride Gum- $0.10

1 Package Spicy Ketchup Potato Chips (not shown)- Free!

2 Dempsters Bread- Free!

2 Physicians Formula Bronzer- Free! (made $0.32)

2 Physicians Formula Loose Powder- Free!

1 Physicians Formula Cover Stick- Free! (made $3.16)

These were bought over 3 shopping trips and are different colours because it's not all for me =o)

1 Smart Bread- $0.67

1 Olivieri Garlic Bread- Free!

1 Febreze Set & Refresh- Free!

1 45 count Band-Aids- $1.27

2 Colgate toothbrushes- Free! (Made $0.08)

2 Physican Formula Bronzer Powder- Free! (Made $0.32)

1 6 pack Bic Women's razors- $1.49

1 Listerine Zero- $0.69

2 Arm & Hammer Toothpaste- $0.25

1 Gold Fish Crackers- $1

3 Dempsters Bread- $2.22

4 Mann's Pre-cut vegetables- $4

1 xtra large Cauliflower- $1

3 Clorox 35 count Disinfecting Wipes Containers (1 not shown)- $1.41

1 BioBest yogurt 650g (not shown) - Free!

1 BioBest Yogurt 12x100g- $2.99

1 Shreddies Cereal- $1.74 (Has $12 in coupons on box)

Also 3 boxes of Cheerios (not shown)- $2.97

2 Gillette Sensor 4 pack- $3.54 (N swears that these are way better than the cartridge razors)

1 Venus Disposable Razors- $1.77

1 20 package of Imodium- $5.99

18 Boxes of Catelli Pasta- $19.08

forget-me-nots

2011-09-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

President Uchtdorf is such a wise man and he knows the struggles of being a woman and a mother in these days. He also has a great sense of humour! I loved, loved, loved his talk at the Relief Society General Conference last night. Click here and then set the video to 58 minutes and enjoy!

heart wrenching

2011-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

*Photo from cbc.ca

I heard 'Motherhood Interrupted' on CBC's The Current last Monday and my heart broke. While I believe that the best way to raise a child is with a mother and a father no one, NO ONE should have an experience like this woman did.

Click the above link and listen to the documentary.

The Code of Ethics as written by the Canadian Association of Social Workers is based on six values:

Value 1: Respect for the Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons

Value 2: Pursuit of Social Justice

Value 3: Service to Humanity

Value 4: Integrity in Professional Practice

Value 5: Confidentiality in Professional Practice

Value 6: Competence in Professional Practice

Keeping in mind that the role of social workers was different 50 years ago they still failed to treat this woman as a human being. Also the doctors, nurses and society failed this woman. I hope that this mother along with the many others in the country get the inquiry that they are asking for- we owe them at least that much.

free bilingual poster

2011-09-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is offering free Bilingual posters right now. There are four to choose from which you can see here.

We're planning to have our boys attend french immersion so this is a great resource for us. After receiving ours last week my boys have been having fun pointing out things and listening while I butcher ah I mean try my best to pronounce the french words =o)

worth a few minutes of your time

2011-09-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

If you are married, are planning to get married or think you will ever be married take a few minutes to read this article by Richard Miller entitled, 'Repentance and Forgiveness in Marriage'.

It is from this months edition of the Ensign and a very worth while read.

canning

2011-09-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

After waiting all summer for a local harvest sale I heard was good it was quite a let down. I did manage to get a few items though and so the canning has began!

(pears)

(diced tomatoes)

I have 20 lbs of peaches and 40 lbs of apples coming in a few weeks and I'm excited for them! I'm still looking for pears and debating whether or not to make salsa.

Canning and preserving is something I'm still trying to figure out (see the small air bubble in the pears?). I really wish someone had taught me how to do it when I was younger because figuring it out from websites and youtube videos can be confusing.

Anyone have any great peach or apple recipes?

september 11th

2011-09-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

There are so many memories and emotions that come with the words "September 11th".

I remember where I was, I remember what I felt and I remember going to bed that night thinking the world would never be the same again.

And it isn't.

I mourn that loss for my children and I mourn for the lives that were lost that day and since then from those actions.

Click here to read an article in the Washington Post written by President Thomas S. Monson entitled: 9/11 destruction allowed us to spiritually rebuild.

children's books #9

2011-09-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

A Cuddle for Little Duck by Claire Freedman is a sweet story of a mom and baby duck and what occurs throughout the day. It's a board book with a 'cushy' cover so it's great for little ones.

Happy, Sad, Silly, Mad: My World Makes Me Feel by Jana Christy is a great book for helping toddlers and young children recognize their feelings about the world around them. My boys both loved reading this book!

The Ok Book by Amy K Rosenthal is a very simple book in both words and pictures. The book depicts a number of activities that the stick person is ok at. Then it goes on to say, "One day, I'll grow up to be really excellent at something. I don't know what it is yet... but I sure am having fun figuring it out." A great book for anyone who's child often gets frustrated at not being able to do a certain activity.

*Images from Amazon.ca

flirty aprons give-away

2011-09-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Jen at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven is giving away a Flirty Apron!

Go HERE to enter!

This is one of the items on my wish list -nudge nudge honey =o)

forgiveness

2011-09-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

This video was shared with me on the weekend and I think it's one everyone should see at least once.

pineapple salsa

2011-09-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

Pineapple salsa is a fast and easy dish that is a great addition to a meal of chicken or ham. Just chop up some garlic, onion, tomato and cilantro. Then add an almost fully drained can of pineapple tidbits. Place in a pot on the burner where the heat comes out from the oven while your meat is cooking. Stir it once in a while and if you like it more 'cooked' then turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. And voila~ It's ready to eat!

Here is the pre 'cooked' version... isn't it pretty?!

zucchini

2011-09-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our first zucchini from the garden this weekend and it was huge! It came from the plant where I accidentally dropped a seed in our flower bed. The 3 plants in our raised vegetable bed have nothing growing on them~ so odd. The weather seems to be turning with even some frost expected so I think the plants are going to be duds.

august's wrap up and september's goals

2011-08-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

First up an update on the 'new foods' goal from July. I tried cooking an artichoke and all went well until I opened it up. There was 'food' for lack or a better term on the bottom of the leaves but I couldn't figure out where the heart was. I know what they look like but just couldn't figure it out! So help- where/what/how do I get the heart?? (And yes I feel like a totally dork asking that question but life is about learning.... right?)

Moving on the goal for August was:

Exploration. I will visit 4 new places this month and learn about the area which I live in.

I'm excited about this month because I love visiting new places. So far my list includes a splash park I've heard is pretty neat and a town a couple of hours from us. I can't wait to get outside!

And here is the update:

We did visit the splash park and the kids had a blast!

We also discovered a new playground a few blocks from us and went for a walk on a path that we hadn't before. We visited a few new places while on vacation and are still planning to visit the town I mentioned but not until the beginning of September. I would say that August's goal has been met.

So now for September's goal:

Planning. This will be the perfect month for planning as the following 3 months are full of birthday's, holidays and exciting events.

I will have presents bought and activities planned for A's birthday and J's birthday. I will also have Halloween costumes finished and 2/3 of the Christmas gifts ready.

cpr, heart attack and stroke

2011-08-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I spent a day getting my CPR certification. I've been certified before but the last time was many years ago and I couldn't find my card so I just took the course again. It reminded me how valuable it is to learn how to do CPR and more specifically how to do it on different people (infant, child, adult, pregnant woman etc). Learning how to properly deal with a choking baby was pretty important too. I learnt that a baby can choke and you get the item out and everything seems fine but sometimes there is damage to the throat and it can end up swelling while the baby sleeps so every choking incident should result in the child getting checked out.

Part of the course was dealing with recognizing the signs of a heart attack and stroke and what to do when it's happening. The instructor shared this video with us which while cheesy the song is very catchy...

The course also went over anaphylactic shock and how to give an epi pen as well as the laws surrounding it. Did you know that (in Canada) you need a prescription to get an epi pen but if someone is in anaphylactic shock and doesn't have one you legally can use someones pen and inject the person without legal consequences?

One of the things I found neat was learning how to use an AED although the idea of actually shocking someone is pretty freaky.

Overall it was a good experience and I'm definitely going to keep my CPR certification up to date now. It seems there is always a change to the procedures and the reminder of what to do in an emergency is never a bad thing.

cupboard overhaul

2011-08-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

Our kitchen cupboards were a mess and every time you opened it you had to brace yourself incase something fell on you. N had tried to organize them a few times but the things we used the most seemed to end up at the back making it non-functional. So this time I decided to sort and organize it in a way that would work. Here are the before pictures:

The first thing I did was get rid of things that were broken or only half usable. Things like these:

Cause what's the point of a no-spill sippy cup if the top has been chewed off and it now leaks? (Thank you T!)

Next, I decided to get rid of the mismatched containers and get some new uniform ones out from my stock pile. Thank you coupons =o) The tall containers in the top picture didn't even fit on the second or third shelves in our fridge so there wasn't much point to keeping them.

The old containers got divided up some going to store nails and screws, some for planting indoor plants this winter, and some for the kids to play with.

Here are the after pictures:

So much better! Not only is it de-cluttered but now it is functional as well.

Oh and if you're wondering where our glasses are? We don't have any... anymore. Three years and 6 broken glasses later we now use plastic kiddie ones or mugs =o)

Psst... Don't forget to check out the Canadian Blog Hop

This week's featured blogger is: Jen and Joey Go Green

coupon savings

2011-08-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

Some of my coupon savings from the past month:

2 Odwella Drinks- Free!

1 package Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets- Free! (Made $1 on it)

1 Dove Body Wash- Free!

1 4 x 90g Dove Soap- Free!

1 Can Campbells Mushroom Soup- Free!

1 Chocolate Silk- Free!

1 Box Shreddies Cereal- Free!

5 Cans Campbells Mushroom Soup- Free! (Made $0.05)

2 Travel Size Nexxus Shampoo

1 Travel Size Nivea

Free and made $2.98 on them!

1 Sunlight Deep Clean Laundry Detergent- Free!

1 Sunlight Green Clean Laundry Detergent- Free!

1 Nivea Body Wash- $0.29

2lbs Red Seedless Grapes- $0.05 (No that's not a typo- such a great deal!)

12 Bananas- $1.50

Sensodyne- $0.63

1 Special K Cereal- $2.49 (Has $5 Skinny Cow coupon on box)

3 Containers Kandoo Flushable Wipes- $0.97 (2 not shown)

4 10x90g packages of Ivory Soap- $3.98

3 Grenworks Wipe Containers- $3

3 Fibre Plus Cereal boxes- $3.99

3 Cans Carnation Evaporated Milk- $1.98

1 FunCheez Package- $2.24 (Has $3 in dairy coupons inside)

1 36 Box Kotex Tampons- $3.98

6 Crisco 1lb Shortening- $10.44 (3 not shown)

children's books #8

2011-08-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

*Image from Amazon.ca

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault is one of my children's all time favourite books. The story is about how each letter of the alphabet climbs up the coconut tree and what happens next. We first discovered the musical scholastic version of this so when we read the book we always sing the song together. It's a great way to help children learn their alphabet.

*Image from Amazon.ca

All Of Baby Nose To Toes by Victoria Alder is cute book about how each person in a family loves the baby. The book uses very simple language like:

"Baby's got eyes, bright little eyes.

Round as pie eyes.

Just the right size eyes.

Like an owl-wise eyes.

Peeka-peeka-boo eyes.

Who loves baby's eyes?

Me! I do."

christmas wish list

2011-08-25T05:22:00.000-07:00

Do you realize it's only 4 months until Christmas? That's 122 days to get everything organized. To help my hubby with this below is my current wish list.

These items from my previous list are carried forward: #2 Almay Under Eye Line Smoothing Concealer, #4 Espe wallet, #6 Flirty Aprons, #7 REI , #13 Circuit machine, #14 new sewing machine and #15 CocoMira Dark Chocolate Crunch . I'm also adding the following:

Citrus Zester

*Image from Williams- Sonoma.com

Salon quality hair straightener

Cookie Scoop

*Image from Williams- Sonoma.com

Liquid Shine Shock perfecting Glosser by John Frieda (this stuff is amazing!!)

Pedicure- It's always on the list! =o)

(And in case you are reading this N, I have a particular place in mind so ask me)

A micro fibre sectional... you know something that the entire family could sit on at the same time!

(Isn't she a beauty?! Oh how I want one!)

I would also love to have a large framed picture of the Saviour in our home. Greg Olsen has many beautiful ones like these:

And some new no pull hair elastics =o)

I'll add to the list as things come up. What are you asking for this Christmas?

words to live by

2011-08-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

I was shocked and saddened by the passing of Jack Layton yesterday. To me he was an honest and charismatic politician and while we didn't share all of the same political views I believe that he was a great example to many Canadians.

Below is the letter which Mr. Layton wrote a few days before his passing. I love the last few sentences...

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

All my very best,

Jack Layton

live your life for half the price

2011-08-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

*Image from DeseretBook.com

I just finished reading Live Your Life for Half The Price by Lyle and Tracy Shamo. It is a financial book that includes quotes, council and principals from The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The book is 200 pages and divided into the following chapters:

Part One: The Pursuit of Happiness

1. The Secret to Living on Less

2. Putting a Price Tag on Happiness

3. Do I Really Need this?

Part Two: Spend Less and Be Happy

4. Family Fun on a Shoestring

5. How to Avoiding Starving to Death on Food

6. How to Own a Home without Its Owning You

7. How to Keep the Lights On

8. How to Keep Your Car from Driving You to the Poorhouse

9. How to Have a Smashing Wardrobe without Smashing Your Wallet

10. Having a Really Merry Christmas

11. Good Health Is like Cash in the Bank

12. The Benefits and Pitfalls of Insurance

Part Three: Surviving Tough Times

13. The Difference between Ants and Grasshoppers

14. Starving the Beast

15. Adjusting Your Income in Turbulent Times

16. Financial Fidelity

17. Coping with Unemployment and Underemployment

Part Four: Summing It Up

18. Bent Nails and Clean Plates

19. What It Feels Like to Live a Full Life for Half the Price

I found this book very insightful and inspiring and while many of the ideas are the same as found in other financial books I liked that it was written and published in 2009 so the authors understand the current economic status of many countries around the world. The book is written for Americans so things such as health insurance don't exactly apply for Canadians but the general principals of prevention costing less than treating is still true.

Here are some of the things that I took away from the book:

-The importance of documenting the date and sale and warranties of items and making a folder specifically to hold these items. We recently had to use a warranty rebate on a product and having the papers where they were easy to find was a huge help. I still need to get better at this though. (pg 18)

-Write the date of purchase on a product you commonly use and make a note of the date when the item is finished. This way you will have a good idea of how many you will use for the year. (pg 57)

- In our grandmothers generation dinner meals went like this:

Sunday- The biggest meal of the week

Monday- Sunday's left overs

Tuesday- Soup or stew using Sunday's left overs with some biscuits or cornbread

Wednesday- Baking day so fresh bread with jams and honey

Thursday- Fresh, low-cost meal

Friday- Fresh, low-cost meal

Saturday- Light meal using up any left overs from the week

We're thinking about altering our meal plans to make Sunday's dinner bigger and use up the left overs on Mondays and Tuesdays. I'm still figuring out if this will work for our family but it's definitely an interesting idea. (pg 58-59)

-Financial fidelity is defined as: faithfulness to obligations, duties, and observances or honesty in money matter with those who have claim on our resources. I'd never heard this term before- interesting! (pg 169)

-"It may seem strange, but if the family budgeting session begins with a prayer, the chances are smaller that there will be contention. It is hard to have disputes about money matters when the Holy Ghost is present. Explain to the Lord any problems with which you might be grappling. To God there are no temporal matters. Can there be any greater financial adviser than the Creator of the universe? With God all things are possible." (pg 173)

-Update your job skills. I've been looking for a part time job and while I've been taking courses and volunteering in my field I now recognize that there are a few more basic courses I need to do and get them on my resume to make myself more hire-able. (pg 177)

I think this book is a valuable one to read if you're trying to get a handle on your finances. It's also got some great ideas for those who are already on track financially.

free school printables

2011-08-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Do you have children in school this year? Check out the free grade printables from I Heart Nap Time and Sugar Tot Designs.

Aren't they so cute?!

THE pair of shoes

2011-08-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

Running is not my thing- it never has been. But I did the 1 km CIBC Run for the Cure back in 2004 and have been wanting to do it again ever since. However, every year I was either out of the country, pregnant or no where near a city holding the event. But this year I am determined to do it and not the 1 km but this time the 5 km.

Lots of people can just put on a pair of running shoes and do a 5 km but for me it takes a lot of work. I started running a few months ago doing just 100 meters at a time. Running once a week I am now up to 2.7km of running without taking a break. This week I am going to up it to running twice a week and see how my knees do. My right one tends to swell if I run more than 2 or 3 times a week due to the residual damage from the dvt I had.

However, I think this time maybe different because of these babies:

Asics GT 2160

When we went on vacation my runners accidentally got left behind. They were almost two years old with quite a few holes in them and I was getting ready to buy a new pair so I took it all as a sign and decided to head to The Running Room and buy a proper pair of running shoes.

I had never been fitted for runners before so after an assessment the sales lady helped me find a pair of shoes that would fit properly. She told me that I need arch support and that without it I could get shin splints and have pain in my knees. I was pretty amazed because I did have knee pain and shin splints when running and had never thought it was linked to a lack of arch support.

I tried a number of pairs on and the above were the most comfortable ones. They were also the most expensive ones! I had 10% off but they were still almost twice what I'd ever paid for any pair of shoes before. I left them in the box for a day debating whether to return them or not.

I have to say that going for the first run with them though made up for the sticker shock. They are so comfortable! And after 3 weeks of wearing them I haven't had any shin splints or knee plain.

Running is a completely different experience now!

Once I got home I looked the shoes up and there seems to be quite a few positive reviews out there which helps me feel (a bit) better about spending so much money.

So now I have just over 6 weeks till the date of the 5 km and I'm excited to reach my goal because I know my shoes and I can do it!

placenta capsules

2011-08-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the story about taking placenta capsules.

If there was some type of clinical research that showed this worked I would definitely be willing to do it!

one down, two to go...

2011-08-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

I finished the first of the boys Christmas pajamas last week.

It took me six weeks. Seriously.

For some reason I really struggle with finding the time to sew so I figure at this rate I should be done just in time for Christmas =o)

I lucked out and happened to go to the fabric store when Igloo fleece was on sale for $7/metre from it's regular $19/metre. I think the boys are going to like the race cars!

Linking up to:

Homemaker Monday @ 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven

start moving

2011-08-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

I've been catching up on my reading of the Ensign and I came across the article 'Start Moving' by Elder Von G. Keetch. I really enjoyed reading this and it's a reminder that I needed. It's not very long and I highly suggest taking a look at it!