Computer Woes

A couple of weeks after replacing the battery my laptop is back to the shop. Sadness. Back soon!

What We Do When It's Not Raining

um...apparently we get wet anyway...but it's way more fun when the sun is shining!

Book Shelf

Books I have been reading lately...

The Kind Diet - I like the whole approach of this book. And the website is really helpful and informative. Love it!

Super Natural Home - We are constantly being polluted by everything we touch, eat, or breath! Ok a little overwhelming but Beth Greer gives a lot of suggestions how you can take small steps to better health in every aspect of your home.

Raw Living - I don't want to eat raw all the time, but there are some tasty fresh ways to eat more vegies, whole grains, and fruit. I'm considering a dehydrator...

Probiotic Foods for Good Health - we need more fermented foods! (although much of this book focuses on yogurt but there are other non-dairy ways to get probiotics)

Skinny Bitch - talks about the benefits of vegan eating with a lot of sass and some cursing for emphasis. I wouldn't give it to my mom to read, but it does get the point across and made me laugh.

The Organic Pharmacy - love the idea of treating health issues naturally and with homeopathic remedies.

The Macrobiotic Path To Total Health - like a textbook of cures for many ailments, healing with macrobiotic foods. I find macrobiotics kind of intense, but I like the approach of including some recipes regularly. The Kind Diet, Superhero status is based somewhat on this approach to food.

The Great Paper Caper (a kids book with sweet illustrations) This is totally unrelated to the other books and topic of this post, but I have an art crush on Oliver Jeffers. ;)

I haven't been eating animal products for a a few months now. I don't have much problem avoiding meat (although it still smells really good when I'm hungry) and dairy isn't too bad, but sugar is still tough at times. And it's not like you can't eat sweets, but white sugar is everywhere!

I can't say that I've experienced any miracle cures so far, but I do feel better. The past few months have been crazy stressful and that always wreaks havoc on my digestive system. I feel that I've fared much better eating vegan. With a little less stress and a little more exercise, I think I will see more improvements.

One thing that seems obvious is just how much what we put in/on our bodies can effect our health. Yikes. And how much we don't know about the food we eat. Or we take for granted.
It feels overwhelming at times, but also empowering to know we can make different choices. Getting your kids/husband to appreciate those choices is a whole other matter!

p.s. All of the are from the public library, except The Kind Diet which I bought. I'd consider buying some of the others as they are a great reference or go-to recipes.

Hello...hello......hello..........?

Hello Friends!
And strangers who leave flattering but insincere comments in asian characters...
Instead of catching up on all the whoopla that's been going on I'm just going to start slow with a few pics. Just dip my toe in a bit. I'll be back to catch you up. I'm sure you can't wait!
(I'm going on the premise that we're the kind of friends who can go for chunks of time without seeing each other or talking a lot and then we get together and it's like we were never apart - the best kind of friends!)
xo

Veggin' Out and Veggin' In

Yikes. It's been a while. Have I been avoiding you?? Never! Well, maybe just a tiny bit but don't take it personally. Really.
There's just enough chaos going on that at the end of the day I just can't muster the oomph to sit here and chat. Or edit photos. Which are two of my favorite ways to spend some time usually. Nice quiet time. My happy time. Just not lately.
I miss you happy personal time and internet friends...

Since you're here, let's chat!
I have recently become intrigued with Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet. I haven't yet got my hands on a copy so I've been reading/stalking her site.
It's not that I'm super freaked about eating animals (although maybe there is enough reason to be, but you are yummy Mr. Roast Turkey and Mr. Chicken Leg. Did I mention Mr. Mittens makes a mean steak??). Anyhoo, I'm more drawn to the selfish byproducts of a plant based diet such as claims of Better Health! Clear Skin! More Energy! Weight Loss! And so on. And if it's better for the planet and those critters then I can feel virtuous at the same time!
But in all seriousness, stress makes me clench into a tightly wound ball and my digestive system takes a beating. I'm feeling like I need to make an effort to take care of myself. In a mind and body kind of way. So this sort of makes sense.

I'm still in the checking things out stage. I need to actually read The Kind Diet for starters. But I've picked up a couple of vegan cookbooks. To be fair, I really like reading cookbooks, but I'm much slower to actually use them!

How It All Vegan - Lots of fairly simple recipes. Pretty easy ingredients. Mostly tasty so far. Even the bread I made my husband liked (he is generally not a fan of my bread making attempts).

Get It Ripe - More serious approach. Lots of information, which I like. All around good nutrition and yummy looking recipes I could manage without much trouble.

What I like about vegan eating: I don't really think dairy products are very good for us. I have a lot of sinus problems and diary is notoriously bad for that.
I like trying new food and using ingredients in new ways (cashews and nuts for cremes for example). Fun and tasty. Did you know you can substitute ground flax seeds for eggs in baking? Cool.
I have no doubt that eating a lot more fruit and veggies would make us all healthier. And for the most part taste pretty yummy.

What I'm not crazy about:
Soy. I don't have any real problem with the taste/texture, I just don't think I should be feeding it to my kids. And it seems to be a real staple in a lot of vegan diets.

Beans. I like beans. But without eating soy am I left eating only beans for most of my protein? Do they sell Beano at Costco?

Meat and dairy taste good!

Inconvenient. Sad but true. It's just a lot more work. Not that it isn't totally valuable work, but it will take more planning and organization for me. Which is why I haven't gotten any further than this so far!

My thought is to give this a try on a trial basis and I'm going to wait a bit until I can focus more. Commit to a few weeks or a month to see if I see changes. But I am kind of excited.
If any of you have any thoughts or suggestions please feel free to comment. It seems like a lot of information to process. I'm trying to take it all in!

Would it be wrong to order some ginger beef as a farewell meal?!




And here's us trying out my new tripod...

Baby Eva

And yes we call her 'Baby Eva'. Never just Eva! We like to distinguish between the babies and the big girls, or big kids around here.
I haven't seen her since I took these a few weeks ago. I bet she has grown leaps and bounds already. Which is the beauty of newborn photos. They are just so fresh and new! Skin like velvet. Tiny baby cries. So much love! A few more here...

Baby E

I'm editing photos of the sweetest wee baby girl. She has some hard core fans around here!

Bug 5

Ok, The Bug's interview:
How old are you? 4...oh 5!
Fave color - blue
Fave food - pickles and sandwiches (peanut butter) and burgers and cereal
Fave movie - Transformers with Decepticons and Megatron and Bumblebee
Best Friend - Beck and Sideswipe
Fave drink - orange juice
Fave activity - building blocks (lego) and playing with transformers
Fave letters - R & B
Likes - fuzzy things (coats and hats)
(apparently I asked him what he likes, not what he likes to do!)

My funny Bug. Kinda goofy. A little uncoordinated at times. Brave and daring. Adventurous. A night owl. Loves being outside. Silly. He's a little more quiet at home (relatively speaking), but he's very outgoing and friendly in public. He's more of an independent thinker than an independent doer. Stubborn. He likes puzzles and studying things and figuring them out (like instructions for transformers). He likes to draw and color but he is sometimes too busy playing. Although quite recently he has become more passionate about his art! And growing things from seeds. A gardener. He's not as dramatic as some of the other individuals in our home, but he has very specific passions at times. He can get very excited and focused on something and it will keep him up at night or consume his thoughts. He loves babies and can be very kind hearted. He does not like to clean up. But he likes to help 'do' things. Plays well on his own and can get lost in his own world. Likes people and gets along quite easily. Sweet and funny.
He has grown from the boy who used to say 'thank-you' if you told him you loved him into a fairly affectionate boy. He happily gives hugs and kisses and tells you he loves you!

Such an interesting and fun boy, my Bug. Your enthusiasm is contagious and joyful. I look forward to spending more time together! love Mom

Bee 5

Mr. Bee
Mr. Busy
Mr. I Can Do It Myself
This kid is a doer. Even at times when I don't really want him to do it. But chances are he can and will do it!
I conducted a little questionnaire for 5:
Fave color - red and green
Fave food - cheerios, cheese toast, steak
(Lately cheeseburgers are very popular - healthy, I know. He actually will try a lot of different things and likes quite a few. He is definitely a carnivore though. Those pesky veggies are usually last on his plate.)
Fave movie - Transformers (big surprise)
Best Friend - Jordan...and The Bug! (Jordan is our neighbor. Nice to know his twin is a close second! In reality they are pretty lost without each other)
Fave drink - water, milk, and apple juice
Fave activity - transformers, coloring, making stuff and cutting (paper), writing (he loves letters and often asks what letter a word starts with)
Fave letter - B!
Fave activities - going to the zoo, the park, playing in the snow

The Bee is fast and smart and quick to learn. He has an iron will that you do not want to tangle with (trust me). He is boisterous, but shy. I think he has as nice voice and can carry a tune. A performer. A clown. A creative mastermind. I have little doubt that he will get what he wants out of life.
He is bossy/a leader, depending on his approach (we're working on using his powers for good!). He can be very sweet and is always up for a hug. An early bird. He still hates getting his hair cut. He's very strong. Loves to dress up. Dramatic. Helpful. Likes to do things for people. Can get his own breakfast (even the big milk) and brush his teeth. One of my favorite things about kids in general is their creativity. And this boy is a machine. It's so fun to watch him draw and cut and paint and color with such enthusiasm!
And one of my favorite things about 5 is the explosion of learning. It's exciting (and sometimes tiring) to be constantly answering questions, and explaining, and helping to figure out. Is it just me or are kids smarter these days?
I love that mischievous twinkle (and fear it a little bit too).
I'm so proud of you and I look forward to all our upcoming adventures my handsome busy Bee!
love Mom

p.s. the Bug will get his own blurb too...all in good time...(ok, I'm on it)

Girl Next Door

When Krystyn is a big star my kids are totally going to tell people she was their babysitter!
More at sosmitten...

Seize The Day

Often the best results come from just grabbing my camera and heading outside. Ok, I had put some thought into it (they aren't wearing transformer shirts) and the hearts were our single decoration for Valentines day. The big fluffy snow is a perfect backdrop. I'm working on the rest...

Let Them Eat Snow

I can't believe I haven't heard of this before!

You'd think with the weather around here it would be a National Dish or something!
We tried some yesterday after the fresh snowfall overnight. So fun. It was mostly like a milk slushy, but the kids quite enjoyed the whole process. We're trying some today with chocolate milk.

5th Birthday!

My tiny valentines are 5! Whew that seems very grown up. It really does feel like a milestone. For me and for them. I'm mostly really excited for them. They are learning so much and taking it all in. I'm just amazed at how we've all grown in the past 5 years. Just thinking about the next 5 kind of freaks me out!

My little Bug was so excited for this birthday. The Bee was too, but having been quite sick the week prior, he was not quite 100%. It's really a lot of fun to enjoy their anticipation to special occasions. Sometimes the waiting is frustrating, but it's easy to get excited along with them.

First we got to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Shishi on Saturday. The kids love spending time with them (even if we were at the crazy mall - does anyone else find the Bass Shop amazing and disturbing?) and The Bug was quite disappointed that they were leaving before the 'official' day.
He was also worried that we had to go to church on his birthday. I reassured him that it was still his birthday, all day, and we could open presents as soon as we got home. And of course they had a great time seeing their friends, and having all the kids sing to them and special treats.

Finally time to open presents! Hurray!
An afternoon playing with new toys and then a yummy dinner with Auntie ShiShi (when you're 5 yummy = chicken nuggets and drumsticks)
And then cake. Cakes. Oh my goodness. I was worried with all the Cake Boss going on around here. I am like the Cake mail room employee...so I thought this would be fun. And it was pretty and colorful. Note to self: no matter what the instructions say, LINE THE PANS WITH PAPER SO THEY WILL COME OUT IN ONE PIECE. *ahem*

Thank goodness for lots of icing! yeah! Crazy sweet, but a huge success with the 5yr olds.
I also managed to finally make them birthday shirts. Well, not make, but paint. I made a freezer paper stencil and it was fabulous (too bad the shirts were too small - curse you old navy 5T). I will be having more fun with this in the future!

How old are you? High fives!!

When asked what their favorite part of the day was,
The Bug said: The presents and the cake! (they ate a lot of cake)
and The Bee said: Blowing out the candles! (Daddy relit them several times)
Success!
Happy Birthday to my sweet Valentines!

And So It Goes

February seems to be a tricksy month. We start off with the best intentions. January is behind us and Feb is just a cute, short month filled with candy hearts and birthday cake, right?
Until we get the SICKNESS and we're stuck inside being sick and then miserable and grouchy and nothing gets done and I remember why this time of year is the most difficult.
Best intentions are replaced by sleepless nights and terrible coughing (people prefer you to please keep that to yourself) and the grumpy grumblings and bickering (by parents and children alike).
Then throw in a few more showings just to keep us on our toes. And I have to say that one of the things I missed the most this year was not being able to do fun decorations with the kids. Trying to keep up our non-reality 'show home' is no fun at all. That and not being able to really plan ahead.

I had hopes for a creative and charming birthday photo shoot. Didn't happen. Not that I've given up, but hasn't happened yet. Birthday cakes and plans and celebrations were on the 'to do' list.
My big boys turning 5 seems like a big deal. I feel similar to the way I did when they turned one. Like I had really accomplished something. You know, we survived!!

And the boys have been excitedly counting down the weeks/days since Christmas.
Luckily, much like when the Grinch stole Christmas, it all came anyway. Valentines were exchanged (one boy went to school and collected them for his sick brother), cakes were made, gifts were opened, family gathered and all is well. Just not exactly as I had originally hoped. I always tell myself I'm going to do better at these sorts of things and then I end up feeling just as frazzled and harried as the last time.
C'est Le Vie!

I actually have a few fun shots to post, now where is my camera cord...?!
And then I read this and I laughed!

Baby Girl 32 Months

Oh my girl. My sweet little beastie. She's so bright and quick it amazes me. She's president of the 'I'm just as big and smart as you and I can totally keep up with whatever you're doing' Club. I'm sure in her mind she is exactly the same age as the boys. And whether it's saying poopy words or sticking out her tongue or being sassy, she can do it!!

Lately The Babe loves to read books (have them read to her), sing (Old MacDonald, Jingle Bells, and Twinkle Little Star), color, and recently cut with sissors. As a matter of fact, the other day she was trying out her brothers new 'leftie' sissors and she chopped her soother. Oops. She had to throw it out. And now it seems there are no other soothers to be found. Well, she's not impressed with that. But what can you do when you've done it to yourself?! *evil laugh from mommy*

The Babe has been in the (bad) habit of waking up pretty early lately. Luckily she calls out for Daddy as some days she only sees him in the morning or for a few minutes before she goes to bed. She calls him, Dad... Dad... c0ckadoodad0000!
Clearly if you hear the morning rooster, it is time to get up...

It's true that we still have our share of tantrum fits at times, but some things, like getting dressed, are getting to be less of an issue. She hardly ever has a fit getting dressed for church anymore! And she can do a really good job of getting herself dressed too (if she wants to). Her favorite part is socks. She likes to pick them out especially.

Unfortunately one of her new skills is the curse word. And it's a bad one. No one likes a two year old who drops the 'f' bomb. It was easier to miss with a soother in her mouth, but she's much more clear without it now. I don't think I have to explain that this one didn't come from me...*ahem* I'm hoping she'll lose interest before anyone else really hears what she's saying.

And so goes another month. January was so busy we hardly took any photos. Not that we haven't been out a lot, and we've had some fun skating and visiting friends and driving around for no good reason other than to be out of the house while it's being shown.
And on to February, our big birthday month. Hurray!

Moving To The Country

Well, it's not a farm or anything, but it's a small community about 20 minutes outside the city. We've been talking about this for a while now. We even tried selling our house, but I guess the timing wasn't right. Now we've found a place we like (dusty pink walls and all) and have made an offer which has been accepted.
HOWEVER...we still have to sell our house in the city. Where we still live. The sooner the better.

Which brings us to my 'favorite' point. Trying to have a house ready to show, while still living in it with 3 small, but lively children. The constant picking up and stashing all our personal affects, to give the illusion of a homey home where NO REAL PEOPLE LIVE is exhausting. Did I mention the children. Yes, they are ever so helpful. And 'lively'. And the constant state of 'flux' we find ourselves in...I can't keep track of where everything is 'put away'. And no, I am not an organized-brain person. This is all a special kind of hell to me.
Ironically my husband considers the new tidiness and de-cluttering a special kind of heaven. Even if it's fake.

Note to Universe:
Please send someone to love (or just really like) and buy our current home. And send them right over!
Thank You.

And while I'm not 100% excited about moving, I am warming up to the idea. There are some great points about our new locale.
- lots of space in the house (not that we are cramped here, but it's nice to have open space)
- more room in the yard (one of our favorite things, lots of trees)
-hot tub and sauna (of course the kids will be thrilled with the new 'pool')
-husband loves being away from the noise of the city
-lots of outdoor places to play (skating rinks, pathways, river, playground, etc) It's good for little boys and girls, and big boys and girls too.
-fantastic new school (I went out to check out the kindergarten program and it's amazing - the whole school looks/sounds amazing)
-remodeling (it will be fun to take our time and update the 80's theme - not fun while you're in the middle of it, but when it's finished!)
-I like the idea of having friends over (big and little) and enjoying our surroundings. We're hoping we can lure people to come out and visit/play!

And the stuff I'm still working on:
-all the driving (I almost ran out of gas on my way back from the school. Yes, I know, better planning on my part)
-it will now take an hour of driving to go to the gym. Will have to revise work out plans.
-we have some great neighbors here. The kids and I will really miss them. Part of my problem is that I worry we won't meet any other really great people. It's probably not the case, but it's a fear. Although I've told the kids that we'll meet new friends. And we can visit our friends here.
-I will miss our ward at church. I'm not super easy to get to know and it takes me a while to settle in with new people. I know we're not leaving the country or anything and we'll see them again, but it's not the same. I will miss the company and friendships we've made here.

And now I have some laundry to find and a million bins to fill...

Mani Pedi

I rarely ever get my nails done, but I like to paint my toes. And since The Babe is my constant companion, it's only natural that she should have hers painted too! We chose a clear gloss with a sparkle. You know, that kind that looks good on and doesn't really show too much as it wears off. Perfect. And on her fingernails while we were at it. Oh sure, the boys would probably enjoy it too, but some things we like to save for us girls!