This and That

First off, Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends! I have been busy baking all day today so far. I have two gluten free/dairy free apple pies, two gluten free/dairy free pumpkin pies and Cranberry sauce all done!
We are having our dinner tomorrow night, boy do I love this time of year! Cooler weather, beautiful colors, yummy flavours, amazing scents and the overwhelming beauty of Autumn and all her splendor.

In the next few weeks here I plan on getting my rear in gear at the sewing machine, so many things to do and get going on. Pilllow cases, Christmas presents (can't say what on here since people who will be getting some read on here!!lol). Also, in the works are the million and one crafts I am going to try and tackle as well...lol. First on the sewing front though, is skirts for myself and Breanna. I really would like some warm wool skirts (since I don't have a wee one in diapers anymore, I can upcycle old wool sweaters for other projects) and Breanna LOVES and I mean LOVES skirts, so I thought I would make her a bunch of simple elastic waist skirts. Oh and I also need to get my window valance made too! I came across some mexican themed cloth napkins at a thrift shop and I thought they would make a perfect window valance. I love the deep reds and earthy colors they have.


26 sleeps until we begin to decorate for Christmas/Yule!! And 19 sleeps until Breanna's 4th Birthday...yes, FOURTH birthday. I know, I feel the same way. How does that happen so quickly?


Um, what else?!?!? Nothing yet from hunting trips. My freezer is weeping....lol. Oh well, I am sure the perfect animal will show itself to Bill and Robert for us to feed our bellies with.

Oh, we went and did Autumn pics last weekend. They turned out perfect, now I just have to go through and pick the best ones for our wall motif. I will post some up here after I am all done.

Oh, aaaaaand!!! I am so freakin' excited!!! There was a contest over at *Boho Girl* the other week, and I WON!!! Oh-my-gosh, I am still so crazy stoked over it...lol...I won a $50 credit over at Boho Chic Etsy Shoppe! Let me tell you, I could've easily spent a small fortune over there and I will be back because there are so many gorgeous, original, splendid, incredible, magical trinkets there!! For now, I chose the Boho Girl Necklace and I will be saving up for This and this and this.... like I said, I could easily spend a small fortune. Funny enough, I have never considered myself a 'Jewelry' type person, but when I know someone has put their love and energy into something and it's original...I don't know, it changes my view! :)

Here's some random pics of recent:

This is what I inscribed on the floor before we put down the new laminate floor

Chaos while doing the floor

Snowflakes dancing on my Borage the other day

Our new fridge and new floor!

Summer Fun!

Well since the last few weeks of summer are upon us, I thought it was time to get some more pics up here from our summer!!

Enjoy!

What Do You Think?

After hours of painstaking agony, okay not THAT bad, but it sure felt like it!! I managed to get my blog all back in order!! Yay me!!! My awesome, wonderful, incredibly talented daughter helped me out too!

I'm not sure what had happened, but for some reason my blog background disappeared..GASP! I know right? I tried to upload and install all different kinds of backgrounds and templates from my favourite place (leelou blogs) to no avail. Not one of them would work, so I had to search out a new blog template.

It's a bit of a nightmare trying to install one (shush, it IS and don't argue with me!!!) but we figured it out, errrr, Alyssa mostly figured it out, but hey, who's counting?!?!lol

So alas, here is the new digs, I like it! It's not quite the Autumn theme I was hoping for, but it will do until I feel like ripping, tearing, enduring another template update. In fact, right about now, I would rather have a root canal done without any anesthetic!

On a more happy note, I have been having the most wonderful time with my neighbours!!! I have to say that I have the best neighbours anyone could ever ask for and I am very thankful for them!

Um, what else??? Hmph, OH! I pulled up a huge bunch of awesome carrots from the garden today as well as some radishes and beans!! I would have more tomatoes but a certain daughter continues to snitch them off the vines every chance she gets!!!

Well, my eyes are about done with staring at a computer screen and I can here some distant rumblings of a far off thunderstorm....probably the last few we will be getting around here this year! Some of the leaves on the Poplar trees already have some specks of yellow in them!!

Blessed be!!!

Happy VERY Be-Lated *~Lammas~*

Gosh! Wouldn't you know it, late again...lol. Actually, we weren't even here for Lammas, we were away on holidays! We went to Kelowna for a week camping! UGH, the campground we stayed at was an absolute NIGHTMARE and I would never in a million years recommend it to anyone...BUT, that is another post all on it's own!

Then, when we came back, the next day Mariah ended up with some nasty stomach bug for a couple of days...ugh...then Matt got hit with some headache/fever illness that he just got over the other day. WHEW! Now, Bill and I are in the process of healing from this weird headache bug...so annoying.

All in all it was awesome to get to see family and friends out there, hopefully we can make it out that way again next year!! Although we plan on staying somewhere different, that's for sure!! Bill's step brother and his wife graciously offered us to 'camp' on thier property, so I think that is what we will do!! They are such awesome people, I am so happy for Bill's dad to have married Ellen and been blessed with wonderful family in the process. Nobody can ever replace Bill's mama, and EVERYONE knows that, BUT, having been blessed with Ellen and having someone special like her to enjoy this stage of life is truly amazing.

We also were able to make our way out to Penticton to visit other family out that way, Auntie Elaine and Uncle Mike! WOW! Let me tell you, these folks have it GOING ON! They have completed changed their lifestyles and diets and LEMME tell YA, it shows! They are extremely active, eat VERY healthy and have lost weight.  I am so proud of them and what they have done, it just shows that changing your diet and lifestyle has enormous effects on you...for the BETTER!

We went to a nearby lake and OH-MY-GOSH, it was amazing! Crystal clear water, silky smooth sand and gorgeous sunshine. It was a wonderful day. We headed back to their place for dinner and I swear, I have never seen my kids eat so much!! But, it was truly awesome. I cannot wait until we can see them again, it was such a refreshing and upbeat visit and I was sad to see it end when we left.

Now, I cannot believe it's already the middle of August!!! WOWSA, this summer has blown past!
My garden is coming along nicely, although my cucumber plant is is a sad state. Unfortunately, the person I left in charge of watering mis-judged the amounts of water needed and thought that some rainfall would suffice.....*sad face* and I came home to a dead cucumber plant, a dead strawberry plant and an almost dead pepper plant. So far, it appears that I may be able to save a very small portion of the cucumber plant, but no where near enough to harvest any cukes this year. The pepper plant seems to be doing okay, but the strawberry plant is long gone.

In the next few weeks I will harvest my carrots and radishes and hopefully some tomatoes (I have cherry and beefsteak) and some more Kale. Hopefully my Broccoli and Cauliflower will start to get better, as well as the Brussles. Hopefully my raspberries will really start to ripen as well!

In September I plan on going to the Harvest sale tp purchase the big stuff for canning! I plan on doing Tomato sauce, pickles, jam/jelly, peaches/pears, applesauce. Then I am also getting a pressure canner so I can can even more goodies like beans and meats!!
I am sooooo excited!!lol I feel like the only wife around who asks for appliances for holidays...lol. No earrings or jewelry for this lady, uh-huh, I am over-the-moon thrilled with a pressure canner!! haha!! I am asking my mom for a juicer for my birthday/Christmas too, I cannot believe how much I miss my juicer (it died a few months ago) sad day indeed!

Also with the approaching Autumn season is SCHOOL!!! I have been in the process of setting up the programs and 'wishlisting' the books and curriculum the kids want. I LOVELOVELOVE this time of year for that. Actually, I just love books in general!!lol This year looks pretty exciting with everything the kids are interested in. So far, we have some Hunger Games novel studies, art stuff, The Lightning Thief, Animorphs, Smurfs, Witchy goodies, Baking, cooking, gardening, self reliance activities, weather goodies, science experiments galore, solar and lunar activities....the list goes on and on!

And yet MORE Autumn hustle and bustle...Bill is officially going to hunt this year!! WHOOHOO!!! He has been busy getting his bow all sited in and get some practice shooting going on. The older boys are actually getting in on it too, they love bow shooting! They won't actually hunt any animals this year, but they hopefully will join Bill on some hunts and get to see what it's all about. Next year, hopefully, will be MY turn!! I am so excited!! How awesome will it be in the future for Bill and I to go on romantic get-a-way weekends hunting!!! YESSSS!!!! I love it!!

Well, that about wraps up what has been going on in my neck of the woods so far this summer!!
I will probably get back into more blogging when it starts to cool off, right now, we try to get outside as much as possible and soak up as much sun as when can.....gotta build up the vitamin D stores for winter!! ;)

Here's some pics from our belated Lammas celebration. We had a wonderful time with a good BBQ (Celtic Salmon and baked beans, baked potaotes and tons of fresh veggies) roasting marshmallows and good company!!

Blessed be!!

Magickal Graphics

Happy Be-Lated Summer Solstice/Litha!!!

We are still trying to get outside and be able to have a fire and roast some marshmallows to welcome the Sun! The weather has not really been cooperating with that though! It's been a bit rainy so far this evening, but maybe we'll still make it out there!

Bill built me a wonderful other garden plot on the other side of yard. It looks really great! Right now in there I have planted some cauliflower, broccoli, Kale, strawberries, borage, tiger lilies, and some raspberry bushes! The other garden has carrots, radishes, tomatoes, catnip, beans, anise, summer savory and peas! Random containers around the yard and other spots have more raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, herbs and flowers planted! I can't wait for everything to really get going! We also planted two apple tress as well...I am really looking forward to those maturing!

Still no news from my sister's autopsy results. This is a really hard part to contend with...even though we have a good idea and probable cause, it's still not complete closure and it's hard to break past the emotional goo and truly become healed or at least begin a true healing path.
It never goes away, of course, we always miss loved ones when they pass away. It will always be more a case of learning to live with that void in your life. She comes to me in my dreams sometimes and when I see her, she looks as though she is a fairy. I am not sure if that is because we both love fairies or that is what she became...at any rate it is comforting to see her in that light!

The kids seem to be healing alright. It's more difficult on the older ones because they have distinct memories of Auntie Kandie coming to visit and babysit them or just coming over and spending the weekend with us. The younger two don't really have any memories, especially Breanna. Which, itself is so heartbreaking. *sigh* Time is the only thing that will help heal and help us learn to live with the void of her missing in our lives.

Lot's on the table for this summer! A trip to Kelowna is on it's way! As is a day trip to Calaway Park (amusement park), the Zoo, Heritage Park and Bill and I are going to the Dinner Theatre for our anniversary this August.

This next year I feel will be a huge transformation. Emotional and physical. I feel that there is a difference that has been brewing and I have been finding my way through this journey. Finding a new soulfulness in my self and shedding old skins and revealing a much calmer and peaceful woman. I am tired of being trapped in a world of rules and it is time to let that go. Letting go is a definite theme. Letting go of fear. Letting go of negative energy. Letting go of hate and anger. Leaving in it's place only room for love and acceptance. Accepting that I cannot change people and cannot be responsible for their actions. Accepting that family and friends will lie, why I do not know, but it is what it is. I always have the ability to chose how I let their actions affect me and I am choosing to let it go. If I feel a situation coming to be where I know I am being lied to or about to be...I can remove myself from the situation physically or verbally.

I am feeling lighter and happier as I go, but it's a long path and journey. Meditation and Yoga are a tremendous help and are a definite part in this change. Allowing myself to be happy with who I am (mind, body and soul) quirkiness and all!! :)

So as I float through this journey I am allowing emotions to arise, I accept them for what they are and then let them go. I am doing no service to myself by re-living things from the past over and over again, even if it was last week. All I can do is be sure to live each day the very best I can and follow my heart with each experience. I can propel positive energy out to the universe and graciously accept it's positive energy in return! I can smile and show kindness. I can accept people for who they are. There are plenty of things I CAN do and it's better to focus on that.

On a completely un-related topic (well, kind of) we are all done 'school' for the year. I say that loosely because we are always learning, it's not like our brains just shut off because it's June!!lol
Next year Alex has decided to take on some highschool classes, all distance learning. Alyssa will be technically grade nine, but we will be doing stuff to help her get geared up for her highschool program the following year as she wants to attend Hair College. Robert is going into gr.7, Kayla Gr.5, Mariah Gr.3 and Matthew will officially join the 'schooling' group in Gr.1!! Yes, baby Matthew...lol....I can't believe it either! Breanna just loves to watch the other kids when they do projects and do their activities!
Alex is doing great working part time at a local grocery store, he has proven himself to be a great worker who is punctual, ethical, and determined. Not to mention the fact that he LOVES his job!
flyer route that they do to help out with the family finances, which is a huge help! I am very blessed to have such awesome kids and an awesome husband to enjoy life with! We have an exciting road ahead of us!

Blessings to you all!!!

I *heart* This!

Had to share this quick. I am so happy to see something like this hitting mainstream, it's about time!
Mayim talks about Parenting

How awesome is THAT! The only thing we didn't do was elimination communication. Main reason was that I didn't really know that much about it and in all honesty, I.am.a.chicken. Yup! There, I said it!
Of course, now it's too late as Breanna is coming up to 3 and half and is quite attached to her dipes still.*sigh*

While I realize that our style of parenting is not for everyone, I think it's quite alright for others to learn with an open mind. There is a lot of false ideas out there as to what truly entails AP (attachment parenting) it's NOT about never saying No, it's not about always having the child be right. It's about raising individuals who have respect for themselves and for other people and being responsible for their actions. It's about raising individuals who are safe and secure in their environment. So what if that means a 5yo still breastfeeds?!?! Who cares! Obviously that child needs the nourishment and connection. I have yet to ever see a Mama FORCE their child to breastfeed and when you think about it, it's impossible to force anyone to breastfeed as the whole act of breastfeeding requires the person to be an active participant.

The sheer idea that it's expensive to AP is complete hogwash, I can't even believe people suggest that. So it's more economical to buy a $500 strollers, and brand name clothes and special jumpers and bouncy seats and seats that vibrate (which by the way I had) As opposed to buying a wrap or a meitai and clothes at a thrift store?!?! I am confused.


Also, in this day and age where a lot of mama's have to employed outside the house, AP offers even much more to you and your child, including co-sleeping. I can't even begin with the whole it's dangerous to co-sleep...what?...WHAT?!?!!? Are you for real?!?!?! Of course, if you are under the influence of a substance (even tylenol) that can disrupt your natural sleep cycle , then yes, I would say not safe. But given a normal bed with cotton sheets (no silk or polyester junk) and no pillows for the babe, it is perfectly natural and normal to sleep with your children. No, they won't want to sleep with you when they are in college. Children naturally migrate out of the family bed when they are ready and that can be anywhere between 3-10 yo. 

This is not a fad, this is not just for hippies, this is not spoiling children. This is a natural way to parent and if most parents would just listen to their intuition and follow their guts with parenting, they would see that this style comes naturally.

Thank you Mayim for taking a stand and speaking out about natural parenting.

Oh and by the way, breastmilk is a wonder drug and can cure a load of stuff...including pink eye! (ask me, I know)

*~*~NINE~*~* more sleeps!!!!!

Until Christmas Eve that is! We count down until Christmas Eve, because that is when the magic starts! From first thing in the morning until the next evening...yay!!

Today is Arts 'n' Craefts day if you are following the Keltelven Traditions, as I said earlier we are very loosely following along. I like the concept of slowing down and taking time to concentrate on the time of year and taking time to re-connect with nature and loved ones.
The one craft that I would love to get into is felting. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how adorable and simple the creations look. This is something I really want to look at getting into this new year. If you already are into it and have the supplies, here's a wonderfully adorable craft to check out and do to tie in with the season and today's tradition!

Needled Gnome Nativity by Em

This evening is grocery shopping, need to get some more supplies to finish up my baking. Actually, to BEGIN my baking...lol. I have not done a single thing regarding Christmas baking. That will change come this weekend! Here's the list. Everything will be Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
*Cinnamon Rings* (these are a staple for Christmas Morning!)
*Sugar Cookies*
*Shortbread Cookies*
*Candy Cane Fudge Brownies*
*Cinnamon Buns*
*Chocolate Chip Cookies*
*Pumpkin Pie*(for Christmas Day dinner)
*Apple Pie*( for Christmas day dinner)
*Yule Log*(for Christmas Eve dinner)
*Bits 'n' Bites* (the one time we allow cereal..lol)
I will try very hard to post recipes and ingredients for the above. My goal this year was to make snacks that EVERYONE can enjoy. Of course there is an increase in sugar, but that is certainly allowed this time of year, I am just trying to use things like Maple Syrup and honey or cane as much as possible as well as Stevia. However, there will certainly be brown sugar and icing sugar in some things..lol

Also on Sunday it's Alyssa's 13th birthday!! She has chosen Candy Cane Brownies instead of a cake for her Birthday..I won't argue with THAT!!

Well, that's a quick update for now. I plan on adding some back posting to include Alex's birthday and we also had Bill's company Christmas party last weekend so I need to post a pic for that.

Merry Christmas!

How Many More Sleeps????

I cannot believe how quickly Christmas is coming!! Wahoo!! WE have been busy with our various advent calenders and each morning is the 'how many more sleeps' announcement.
Last night we celebrated St.Nicholas day for something new. We have been reading about Keltelven Tradtions and have been having some fun with that. Starting on the 14th we will begin counting down the days to Yule/Winter Solstice, there are a lot of fun activities to do for each day, so we are looking forward to that. If you would like to read some more into that check out here: Ross County, really neat and fun stuff.

We are all well on the mend now. Some of the kids have a nagging cough left that seems to bug them the most at night (of course!). Now is the time for me to get things into full swing with baking and crafts and all that good stuff. This weekend is Bill's company Christmas party, it will be nice to get out and mingle with adults for a few hours. I am crossing my fingers for no side effects from the meal!

It's been really neat around here lately, it seems as though people have been much more into the Christmas spirit than last year. There were lights up all around beginning mid November and some people (besides us..lol) even had their Christmas Trees up that early! Local radio stations even have regular Christmas music playing and have been since the last week of November (last year it was well into the first week of December) Yay!!! I love it when people play along and get into the spirit of things, however they see fit.

Here is something I came across on You tube and IT IS AWESOME, I had to share it!

How incredible is THAT?!?! This guy is going places and how awesome is that he is CANADIAN!!!

Love, love, love it!!

Blessed be!!

This, a Little of That, and Then Some.........

My-oh-my!! Today is my oldest child's birthday! The boy who made me a Mama, 15 years ago! FIFTEEN YEARS AGO!! How on earth did time go by that fast? I mean, I was certain that those sleepless nights would never end. That he would be in our bed FOREVER, or in diapers forever for that matter! On this day, at this time, I was in my hospital bed snuggling this wonderful bundle (that each and every nurse tried to convince me to send to the nursery so I could 'sleep'..ugh) inhaling the intoxicating newborn smell and marvelling at how perfect all his little features were. Imagining what kind of child he would be, or what kind of young man he would grow into. Worrying if I would do everything right! Well, when I look up to my almost 6 foot tall son (I am only 5'1") and laugh or joke with him or have the many conversations about life that we have, I am very proud of the man he is becoming. Of course he will make mistakes and will have to learn things for himself, I am confident that we have planted deep running, firm roots.

In the mean time, we have also had yet another birthday! Matthew turned FIVE on the 15th!! My youngest man who was born almost exactly a decade after my oldest!lol Matthew is such a funny little guy, he constantly keeps me on my toes with all his quirks and witty humour. He is also extremely loving and is quite positive that I will be his wife when he is older...lol....although last night in a conversation he decided that he will find a wife that cooks good healthy foods and that she will have green eyes and blonde hair, that is very long! Haha!!!

I only ended up video taping Matthew's birthday and there are no really good pictures, so I have nothing for that. Bummer! But, I do have a picture of his cake!!

 Tomorrow we are having Alex's birthday dinner and cake. He chose a carrot cake with cinnamon spice frosting!

Okay, so we also have decorated for Christmas!!!! Whoohoo!! Here's some pics of that:

here's the before picture of the tree:

and after:

Right now we are dealing with the Flu at our house. Ugh, it started knocking out kids on Thursday morning starting with Matthew, then Breanna, then Kayla and Mariah on Friday morning. Friday night and today has been Robbie and Alyssa and I am beginning to feel some of the symptoms. Nasty body aches and fevers, stomach pain and a bit of nausea. A whopper headache and a sore throat with stomach pain thrown in for good measure. It sucks, but it is good for the immune system to get a workout every once in awhile. The good news is that everyone seems to be handling everything really well and the fevers have been doing their important job!

well, time to go clean up the rest of the draft folder! Halloween pics to be posted!

Blessed be!

Autumn Has Arrived!

Brrrrrr, today certainly has had a chill to it. No snow (it's definitely not uncommon for us to have a bit of snow this time year), but it sure is brisk out there. The perfect day to whip up a batch of Pumpkin Spice muffins for dessert tonight. Oh how I love Pumpkin, and it's so super good for you!

Pumpkin has loads of vitamin A and is a great source of your B vitamins. Pumpkin is low in fat and low in calories. It is super easy to throw a scoop of raw pumpkin into almost any kind of muffin mix. We toss scoops of raw pumpkin into our oatmeal and add clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger with some maple syrup, for a awesome tasting breakfast. Pumpkins are also an antioxidant,  anti-carcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory!! You can also toss a scoop into your smoothie! I would use 1 cup of almond/soy/rice/hemp milk, a scoop of raw pumpkin, a good sprinkle of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and some crushed clove to make a warming Autumn evening snack

You can even use it in cookies! I have used it as a substitute for oil/butter in some recipes.
Hurray for the Pumpkin, a member of the Gourd family who's name means Large Melon in Greek.

Of course, let's not forget the pumpkin's other important job: serving as a Jack-o-Lantern at Halloween!!
That will be for a later post though.........

Onwards! I thought I would share the recipe I will be using for our DF/GF pumpkin pie. I just buy pre-made GF pie crusts from our local GF bakery. It is one time saver I don't hesitate to use, although I have successfully made GF pies from scratch.
Here ya go:
GF/DF/SF Pumpkin Pie

Speaking of GF, I learned the hard way that Kraft Marshmallows are NOT GF. I checked the ingredients and nothing looks Gluten so there must be cross contamination. However, Walmart (cough, choke) does in fact have GF marshmallows (which is why I wrongfully assumed that Kraft's would be fine too, even though nowhere on the package does it say that) which set me up for a week of agony. Ugh, I cannot believe I spent so much time like that and thought it was normal. YUCK! Thankfully, I am on the healing road now and I won't be making that mistake again! I also have every intention on mastering the art of marshmallow making, the bonfires just don't seem the same without!

Tonight for dinner is Cream of Tomato soup (thank goodness for my Vitamix!!) with grilled cheese sandwiches (we use raw, lactose free cheese, so far it has not negatively affected anyone) and fresh cut veggie sticks, the perfect meal for this cool Fall day! Yum!

I most likely won't be on until after the weekend since Bill has the next few days off, but I will be back mid-week next week and hopefully might even have some pics of our new dog!!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!

Preserving the Harvest and Other Chatter

So the last couple of weeks we have been busy as bees preserving our Harvest. I have canned peaches, pears, pickles, tomatoes, jams and jellies, and applesauce. We have frozen all types of beans and corn and some more peaches and berries. We have dried tomatoes, bananas, apples, and herbs. WHEW!
Still on the list is some more tomato sauce, applesauce and strawberry jam. I would also like to do some more pears and peaches. I have to say that preserving has a lot of hard work involved, but it is worth it tenfold. Everything tastes amazing and it is so awesome to just send the one of the kids down to the storage area and grab a jar of yummy strawberry jam. I also have stored over 100lbs of potatoes in there as well, which I plan on dehydrating some as well for instant mashed potatoes. As finances allow and we can perhaps find a second freezer, I want to start stocking up on meat and *hopefully* be able to buy half a cow (or through hunting some Elk or Moose) and store that. Go and check this out for more great tips! http://simpleorganic.net/preparing-for-seasonal-fall-and-winter-eating/

In other news, this coming weekend is Thanksgiving in my neck of the woods. We have a wonderful feast planned of Turkey, mashed potatoes, brussles sprouts, corn/peas, and of course PIES!!! Yum, the best part (okay, well almost....the turkey with mashed potatoes is pretty good too!) we are having apple pie, pumpkin pie, and lemon meringue pie. All dairy free and gluten free!! I remember my first big meal after being gluten/dairy free and how daunting it was. I was so filled with all the things I *couldn't* have since I was just learning the ropes, so to speak. Now, I feel so confident and happy that I can cook almost everything and have it be GF/DF AND taste so delicious. No more missing out on yummy food!!

In even more other news, we are expanding our family by one!! No, not another baby *sniff* but by a beautiful 7yo girl named Chelsea. She is of the four legged and fur variety, lol, but is coming to join our family this weekend. Her original family is moving to Australia and cannot take her with them and we are tremendouslyy blessed to have been chosen by them to adopt Chelsea. She is absolutely gorgeous and extremely well behaved and trained. She is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Of course the family is super excited!

Blessed be!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

Well, it is officially Autumn now, here in the northern hemisphere anyways!! I love, love, love this time of year. I love the beauty in all the warm colors. Tonight we are going to have a campout to enjoy and celebrate the Autumn Equinox. I made some Autumn  homemade GF/DF donuts! Some are powder donuts with strawberry jam (from my canning last week!!!) and the rest are pumpkin spice. Let me tell you, they are AWESOME!!

Super yummy!

Tomorrow we are heading to the Zoo and I am planning on taking the Fall pictures there. I was taking the ones down from last year and I cannot believe how much everyone has grown! We had Kayla's birthday party last weekend. The GF/DF cupcakes turned out amazingly and she was quite pleased. The dairy-free crowd now includes Myself, Bill, Alyssa, and Kayla. I am thinking about adding Mariah to the list since she has been having a terrible time with eczema. I am still the only one who is Gluten Free, but the vast majority of my cooking is GF. It truly makes my life so much easier. Here's a picture of Kayla's cupcakes:

Have a Blessed Autumn Equinox!!

Wordless Wednesday

This was taken over the weekend, such a beautiful place, we're heading there again this weekend. ahhhhhhhhh!

This is what Autumn is all about!!! For more Wordless Wednesday head over to HERE to join in!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Grocery Challenge and other Randomness

Okay, so over at Owlhaven's there's a grocery challenge going on for the month of September. Typically it's super difficult for me to join in on these things because no matter how hard I try, I cannot get our budget under $100 CAD for a week and still maintain a level of nutrition that we have become accustomed too. I don't have access to any nifty grocery stores like my American friends do and we live in a fairly expensive city. Soooooo, with all these odds piled against me, I try my best.
I decided to join in even though I am unable to meet the $75 (or $80 approx in CAD). I am however challenging myself since our grocery budget took a 39% drop this month.
We don't shop weekly anymore, discovered it was a bit more time consuming than it was worth. We're back to every two weeks since that is how payday works here. So here's the breakdown. This month grocery shopping took place on the 1st and it will again on the 15th, unfortunately, we have a homeowners class that day so I will most likely stretch the food I have on hand until the 19th which is the Saturday. That way, I can hit both stores that I shop at (Superstore and Costco) all in the same day instead of one the 16th and the other the 17th which would mean the kids were out three evenings in a row which is not a good scenario in this household!!lol
WHEW!!
So far my budget last week was set at $640 CAD(for two weeks and a few days worth of food), I came in at $258 at Superstore and $333 at Costco.
So that brought us in at $591. We used approx $10 to buy a couple of coffee's while we were out and about on the weekend, which left me about $30 and I also had a $25 gift card (Superstore sometimes offers a free item or a gift card when you spend a certain amount usually $250) so I used that and grabbed some fresh veggies, frozen raspberries, goatcheese, silk creamer, eggs, milk and some fruit. That total came to $56, but only just under $32 from pocket.
So my grocery budget total for the first two weeks was pretty close to bang on.

We'll see if I can hit the next round likewise!That budget will be $550, so a bit lower. I had to take some funds out of it for the Used toy and clothing sale (which I am praying I will make it to be in, tables went on sale on the first but I couldn't budget it in until after the 15th so hopefully tables will still be available!!!) so that trip should be a bit interesting to make work. A challenge no doubt!!

So onto some randomness.....
It was a long weekend here so we had daddy for three whole days! Saturday we went and spent the day at the zoo, it was a lot of fun. The weather was pleasant, not too hot and not too cool. We had a long leisurely picnic lunch which was really nice. The kids ran and played in the field area while Bill and I chatted while I fed Breanna. Just a nice, easy going day!
Sunday we had some company come by for a quick visit. Auntie Elaine and Uncle Mike came and brought us an extra dresser they had as well as Bill's mom's old sewing machine for Alyssa. As well as some lovely towels and a treat for the kids as a housewarming gift. It was really nice seeing them again, hopefully we can arrange for another visit before the roads get too difficult with winter.
After they left, we decided it was time to go through fall and winter clothes and pack away the majority of summer stuff. Time to see who needs what and all that good stuff. They are always amazed to visually see just how much they have grown (as opposed to hearing me tell them how much they've grown!!lol) Some were a little upset to see a favourite piece of clothing get passed down to a sibling. Me on the other hand, doing a seasonal clothing switch is always rather bittersweet. Since I will remember a shirt having been too big for the oldest and now the youngest is wearing it. Or even the clothing that has been passed onto us from friends, I will remember a shirt that was worn by a certain boy who is now in Junior High!!!(Hi Kerri!!!) or as Matthew slips on a pair of pants from another friend who's little boy was born the same year as Mariah (hi Diana!!)..my goodness!!!
We also decided that Breanna looks a lot like Mariah, even more so when she had a sleeper on that Mariah wore around the same age.(Mariah was very petite...only weighing 20lbs at 18mos!!!)

So now I have a list of items the kids need for this fall and winter all ready to go!!

This week is somewhat busy, homeowners class tomorrow night. Although this one doesn't necessarily have anything to do with 'homeownership' since it is being put on by social services and is being called In-Sync parenting: strengthening the parent child bond...hmmmmm. I am keeping an open mind, or rather, I'm trying desperately hard to keep an open mind. These little classes put on my social service rarely align with our thoughts and actions pertaining to parenting such as Attachment Parenting. But, we'll see! At any rate, it's only two hours long and it's an important part of our partnership with Habitat.

Oh yeah, not only is it my favourite time of year...it's also a kickoff to a run of Birthdays over the next few months. Here's Septembers lineup!!
-ME!!! on the 12th
-my Grandma on the 14th
-Kayla on the 15th
-Auntie Cherie on the 19th
-Nana's birthday would've been on the 28th(that is going to be a difficult day)
Nothing planned for my birthday, the kids want to bake me a WF/CF birthday cake, so we may do that. I'm totally oblivious to my birthday and sometimes even forget my age, it feels strange to say "Ya, I'll be 31" since I clearly remember MY parents being 'in their thirties'!!lol
Oh well, the old adage stands true "You're only as old as you think you are" !!

On that note, have a blessed day!!

Terrific Tuesday!!!

Well, better than last week anyways!lol

We had a good weekend, busy, but good. Saturday we basically spent the day grocery shopping or at least it feels like that anyways. Can I just say again how much I love my natural health food store?!?! It is so nice to have that 'market' feeling while buying groceries, I could spend hours in there...easily!!

Then it was off to the big store, where there are aisles and aisles of junk....to which only a few things found their way into my cart. C'mon Bill!!!!
I am very happy to see that they now have antibiotic/hormone free ground beef in addition to pork and chicken products. That makes me feel a whole lot better about feeding my family. Now they just need to get some dairy products like that!!

Then on Sunday we went for a drive and ended up at a little public park area and the lake had been drained from it so there was this huge area of sand for them to play in. It was sooooo windy, but they had fun none-the-less. Here's some pics:













Have a blessed day!!

Spring Fresh!

Even though we are well into Spring, it's finally feeling like it here!
It's about time too!

We have bobcats in our yard, getting things ready for fencing and sodding!!WHOOHOO!!! You have no idea how nice it will be to have those!Then I'll be able to get my gardening all planned out and hopefully be able to make room for a composter and rain barrel.

We had a good weekend. Saturday I went to a new health food store, oh-my-stars, it's even better than the one I went to the other week!!lol I love...LOVE....LOVE that store! I have to figure out a way to get there at least a couple of times a month since it's quite a drive from here.
I totally wish I could do all of my shopping there, if only they had larger sizes of things. This is week two of no cereal for breakfast and I can't tell you how awesome it has been! I used the money I would normally spend on cereal and instant oatmeal and put that towards baking needs for muffins and breads as well as bacon and extra eggs.YUMMO!!!

I've also discovered that my kids LOVE Wheat Grass!!!lol I have just thrown some in with their smoothies, but I wonder if it's better to actually juice it and then use the juice?!?! Anyone know? they also just grab handfuls of it and eat it like that!!lol

I was able to get Goat's Milk, butter, cheese, yogurt and unfortunately not raw or unpasteurized milk. but at least it's not homogenized! It's taking some getting used to, since Goat's milk has a different taste to it. However, I'm getting used to it. Matthew LOVES the milk!! The butter really has no flavour, and the yogurt is so yummy. The cheese has the strongest flavour I find, but at least it melts!!lol

Hmmm, I've been interrupted so many times since attempting this, I have no idea where my thought process was going!!lol So, I'll sign off and go do my menu plan monday on the
Foodblog.

Blessings!!

Fly me Away...................................

We had an awesome weekend! Our flight on Saturday was amazing and such a cool experience. I thought for sure since I am terrified of heights, that I would hate flying....I LOVED it! It was such a thrill when the pilot would turn and the plane would tip to one side and our tummies would feel alive and full of butterflies!
Here's our plane and the fabulous pilot we had:


*Pilot Tom in the background*


*Out our Window*


*so cool!!*




Then we had a guided tour of the museum and learned some pretty neat stuff about aerotechnology (hmmm, is that a word?!?!) Here's some pics too:


*Houston, we have a SERIOUS problem...my kids have taken over!!!!*



*Alex in space*


*Bwhahahahah!!!*


*Job well done!*


*this could be handy around here after a Chili dinner*


*good we thing we got better with technology....well, with some things anyways!*


It was a really fun time. Both Breanna and Matthew did fine with their ears and stuff. Breanna seemed a little bit uncomfortable during the pressurizing of the cabin, but then was fine.

I will try to get menu monday up here soon!!

Blessings!

It's Friday! *incase you didn't know!!!

I'm drawing a blank for Frugal Friday......*crickets chirping*
I have an idea that I want to share, but it seems to fall more in line for a Works for me Wednesday feature that just happens to be Frugal!

I had so many goals for this Friday and sadly I haven't accomplished much. Alyssa is feeling a bit better, but Matthew is still a very grumpy guy....which in turn causes the rest of the house to feel the pain. I still don't know whether I should take him and Breanna up for the plane ride. Bill thinks I am over reacting, but I'm sure it can't feel to good to be up in a plane (not at the same altitude as a jet, think just enough to view the city below...like a weather helicopter) when you have a stuffy head...especially if you're a toddler or a baby. Anyone any ideas??? I have never even set foot in an airplane in my life, so I am clueless. I would absolutely feel like the worst parent if we took off and they started crying in pain or discomfort. Breanna I would be able to nurse, but what about Matthew? Get him to drink? Chew gum?


In my plight to save money and make grocery shopping easier in general, we decided we're going to give shopping once a week a try. I've always just gone every two weeks and it hasn't been too bad, but I'm finding that at this stage in the game (the last days before the next trip) that we have produce going bad and running really low on things. So, I am hoping that by going once a week I can accomplish a few things
*spend less time in the grocery store
*saving money since I'll be able to catch two extra sales per month
*have fresher food, mainly produce
*not have to over cram my fridge and make it work so hard!!lol
So we shall see!

Well I suppose I've dilly daddled enough and really should get going on the dough for pizza....and laundry......and cleaning in general............

Blessings!

Mommy my ear/throat/tummy huuuuuuurrrrrrrrrtttttt-ah

Yes, this has been the spoken language of the house, yet again. I don't understand why every sentence requires an 'ah' at the end though. For example, "Mommy, her is bugging me-ah" or "stop doing that-ah" or even better "Mommy-ah, I'm hungry-ah, when are you making supper-ah?!?!" With an illness floating through the house, this new lingo becomes much more prevalent. *sigh* Hopefully this little bug makes it's way through the house quickly, we are supposed to be going on a fun little family excursion on Saturday where we will be going on a small plane trip around our city. However, with all this sinus/ear stuff, I'm not so sure I want to be taking the kids up in a plane.

We had a good weekend though, Alyssa and I got our haircut and are both really happy with the results. We went to Bass Pro Shops oh-my-word!! That place is awesome!! We just had one built near our city and with Bill getting back into hunting/fishing, we thought we should check it out. Well, now the boys want to get in on hunting/fishing!!Whoohoo!! I think they will all have an awesome time with that.



We've taken on a challenge this week and so far, it's going really well. No cereal for the week. The kids are really on-board with it (I think the rat study was the turning point) and, well, Bill is not-so-much. We've also decided that the portions of the grocery budget that would normally go towards Instant Oatmeal and cereal, will now go towards breakfast things like more eggs and bacon stuff. (amazingly that will allow for almost $60 every two weeks in that area alone!!) However, the produce bill is steadily rising (right now it's $150-$160 every two weeks and $100-$110 for frozen). I'm thinking I am going to start a list on a sidebar of my goals (food/budget/eco-friendly/sewing projects etc) that I can cross off as I accomplish them. For me, if I see it writing or print, I see it as something that I MUST accomplish. I am totally a type of person that HAS to complete things....which can be a difficult task when you have ADHD (or Hyperactivity disorder as I was diagnosed back in the day!) I wander from project to project and then grump at myself when I go back to a room and see that it is not complete because I went into another room and got distracted. At the same time, it is a huge blessing because I love to multi-task...which is kinda a prerequisite to having a large family!!lol

Hmmm, where was I?!?!? Oh yeah, so we have been working hard on seeing what things we can eliminate from the budget to make funds available for much more health conscious choices without having to actually ADD finds to the budget (I already cringe at what it is now and we haven't even entered teenagedom yet!!)


Onto a completely different subject....lol...Robbie LOVES Lego (actually all my children do and I mean LOVE it) their most favourite thing to do is come up with their own designs and build them. Well, they came up with a dog....and this dog also eats and ummmm...poops.

Too funny!! They crack me up!!

Well, I'm off to do up Menu Plan Monday (hehe!! ETA:When I first checked this over, I realaized I forgot to add a 'U' at the end of 'MENU' making it Men Plan Monday!!Bwhahahahah....yeah, don't think so!!!lol) over on the Food blog (that I will of course be changing the date on because Mondays are typically the day I clean try to clean the house!

Blessings!!