This week will be my final week as a full-time stay-at-home mom. The past year has been full of uncertainty and change, and we've had to make some choices and some changes. When Hubby was unemployed last fall, we took a good hard look at what our options were. He was (and is) still studying to finish his degree, and there are just not a lot of jobs out there for someone without post-secondary education. We had also made some fairly significant financial mistakes as a family, and those required immediate and serious remedies. So here I am, with a BA and a BEd and a desire to take some of the strain off Hubby.
A number of conversations between us and a few other people led to my applying for one job: the French supply list for our local school board. By the grace and providence of God, I got an interview, and was hired. I started praying and then looking around for daycare options for G, and got one recommendation for a lady in our neighbourhood who turns out to be a Christian. She had a spot available for the exact number of days per week I needed. G starts there next week when his sisters head back to school.
Now I will have the chance to find out how you amazing working moms do all you do! While this is not a path I would have chosen on my own, I recognize how blessed I am to have the opportunity to provide for my family. I applied for one job, I interviewed one day care provider, and here we are, ready to go. That process is not always as linear, and I know that God's hand has been preparing the way for me. I have been blessed to be at home with my kids for the past seven years, and this will be a new season of growth and change for all of us. I am, of course, nervous about the days to come, but I know the One who holds our days and He is Good.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Monday, February 29, 2016
Leaps and bounds
Four years ago, I wondered where we'd be today. And funnily enough, last night we were talking about plans at the dinner table. M wanted to know what I'd be doing today, and I said I wasn't sure. Probably chores. I also told her that there was an old saying that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.
This morning, we woke up to our fourth snow day of the year, due to ice, rather than snow. So it's been far from a typical day. I've learned from the three previous snow days this year that one needs to have a plan. Ours was:
-paint
-practice printing (M) and writing (D)
-make soup
-read
-play outside
Our day so far has consisted of getting breakfast, cleaning up from breakfast, folding laundry while the kids played, setting up painting, doing the actual painting, cleaning up after painting, getting snacks, making lunch, putting the kids down for quiet time, showering, and having my lunch. I had more help than usual due to our exchange student from Germany, who is a dear. She unloads the dishwasher every morning, and today she helped make the soup for lunch, doing all the washing, peeling, and chopping of potatoes and carrots.
We are still in the same house, having moved in almost exactly seven years ago, and it is filled to capacity. The girls share a room, G has the nursery, and our student is set up in the basement spare room. Hubby relocated his study to the laundry room. We still have the van, although it's been almost more of a curse than a blessing the past three winters. The sliding doors open and close unreliably, sometimes opening when we're driving. Instead of the Elantra, we've had a Fiesta for the past few years (4 in May). Most days, which definitely includes today, I believe we are done having kids. The girls are both in school, and I am looking at returning to teaching on a supply basis. I have an interview coming up in a few days to get on the supply list for French. And speaking of French, there has been a lot more of it around here. I had abandoned trying to teach the girls, but I've taken it up with Gavin. That should help Hubby out with the French course he`s planning to take this summer to complete his degree requirements. One last big change has been moving from our home church of 28 years to help plant a new church in the area where I grew up. We love serving there, meeting and talking with old friends and new arrivals, and hearing the Word of God preached every week.
Next leap day, D will be 10 (!), M will be 8 (!) and G will be 5 (!). I can't imagine what life will be like then.
This morning, we woke up to our fourth snow day of the year, due to ice, rather than snow. So it's been far from a typical day. I've learned from the three previous snow days this year that one needs to have a plan. Ours was:
-paint
-practice printing (M) and writing (D)
-make soup
-read
-play outside
Our day so far has consisted of getting breakfast, cleaning up from breakfast, folding laundry while the kids played, setting up painting, doing the actual painting, cleaning up after painting, getting snacks, making lunch, putting the kids down for quiet time, showering, and having my lunch. I had more help than usual due to our exchange student from Germany, who is a dear. She unloads the dishwasher every morning, and today she helped make the soup for lunch, doing all the washing, peeling, and chopping of potatoes and carrots.
We are still in the same house, having moved in almost exactly seven years ago, and it is filled to capacity. The girls share a room, G has the nursery, and our student is set up in the basement spare room. Hubby relocated his study to the laundry room. We still have the van, although it's been almost more of a curse than a blessing the past three winters. The sliding doors open and close unreliably, sometimes opening when we're driving. Instead of the Elantra, we've had a Fiesta for the past few years (4 in May). Most days, which definitely includes today, I believe we are done having kids. The girls are both in school, and I am looking at returning to teaching on a supply basis. I have an interview coming up in a few days to get on the supply list for French. And speaking of French, there has been a lot more of it around here. I had abandoned trying to teach the girls, but I've taken it up with Gavin. That should help Hubby out with the French course he`s planning to take this summer to complete his degree requirements. One last big change has been moving from our home church of 28 years to help plant a new church in the area where I grew up. We love serving there, meeting and talking with old friends and new arrivals, and hearing the Word of God preached every week.
Next leap day, D will be 10 (!), M will be 8 (!) and G will be 5 (!). I can't imagine what life will be like then.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
G's half birthday by the numbers
18: months old today
11: teeth cut so far. Soon to be 12, as one bottom molar seems hours away from poking through the gums
4: months he's been walking
79, 715, 538: current total of views of Feist's 1234 video for Sesame Street; I'm pretty sure most of those were G's. He asks for it by saying "bock bock bock bock?" and pointing at my laptop or Hubby's phone.
50, 10, 5: words he knows in French, English, and sign language, respectively. I've been trying to speak to him in French most of the time, and he's pretty responsive. I always regretted abandoning that with the girls, so this is my do-over. As a bonus, the girls understand nearly everything I say in French, and Hubby is picking up on it, too.
7: visits to CHEO so far. One to the ER for a urinary tract infection, and rest were kidney-related.
4: cars, trucks, and train sets we had before G came along
12+: cars, trucks, and train sets we have now. One train set is particularly meaningful. One of its carriages belonged to my father-in-law when he was G's age, and his brother Paul recently found it. Paul made two other carriages to match, and an engine, onto which my father-in-law carved G's name. It's been a big hit so far, not only with G, but also his sisters, and any kids who come to visit.
at least 5: nicknames, including G-bird, G-bones, Senor Gav-gage, Bonhomme, Gavocado, and probably others I can't remember.
90: percentage of G's clothes that are hand-me-downs from his cousin Linky (who is 5 months older)
1: percentage of G's clothes that are hand-me-downs from his sisters
2.5: years that G has left at home before he starts school. They aren't kidding when they say it goes by fast, and you never get those years back. Although, to be fair, I don't know that I'd want much back from those early years. It is hard, hard work to parent a baby/toddler/preschool. It's nice to look back at pictures and videos, but as for reliving those years? Maybe I'll change my tune when all my kids are grown.
I still get a little thrill whenever I get to say "my son", even a year and a half on. G is still such a sweetheart, and loves to smile and giggle. He is starting to growl (which he learned from the girls) and throw tantrums, just to remind us that he is not perfect. He lets me choose his clothes (even the occasional bow tie) and is starting to keep hats and mittens on. He's a huge fan of climbing, and is learning to leverage chairs to get up onto the table or counter. He adores his big sisters, both sets of grandparents, and his delightful assemblage of aunts, uncles, and cousins. He can even say many of their names. And if he hears the telltale Skype ringtone, he will run towards the source saying "Poppa! Poppa!"
11: teeth cut so far. Soon to be 12, as one bottom molar seems hours away from poking through the gums
4: months he's been walking
79, 715, 538: current total of views of Feist's 1234 video for Sesame Street; I'm pretty sure most of those were G's. He asks for it by saying "bock bock bock bock?" and pointing at my laptop or Hubby's phone.
50, 10, 5: words he knows in French, English, and sign language, respectively. I've been trying to speak to him in French most of the time, and he's pretty responsive. I always regretted abandoning that with the girls, so this is my do-over. As a bonus, the girls understand nearly everything I say in French, and Hubby is picking up on it, too.
7: visits to CHEO so far. One to the ER for a urinary tract infection, and rest were kidney-related.
4: cars, trucks, and train sets we had before G came along
12+: cars, trucks, and train sets we have now. One train set is particularly meaningful. One of its carriages belonged to my father-in-law when he was G's age, and his brother Paul recently found it. Paul made two other carriages to match, and an engine, onto which my father-in-law carved G's name. It's been a big hit so far, not only with G, but also his sisters, and any kids who come to visit.
at least 5: nicknames, including G-bird, G-bones, Senor Gav-gage, Bonhomme, Gavocado, and probably others I can't remember.
90: percentage of G's clothes that are hand-me-downs from his cousin Linky (who is 5 months older)
1: percentage of G's clothes that are hand-me-downs from his sisters
2.5: years that G has left at home before he starts school. They aren't kidding when they say it goes by fast, and you never get those years back. Although, to be fair, I don't know that I'd want much back from those early years. It is hard, hard work to parent a baby/toddler/preschool. It's nice to look back at pictures and videos, but as for reliving those years? Maybe I'll change my tune when all my kids are grown.
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| Dapper little dude |
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| Check out those chicken legs! |
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| This is the face we are treated to so often! |
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| Pretending to read is exhausting |
Monday, September 21, 2015
The final tally
We had what was hopefully our last heat wave of the year last week, so it seems like a good time to post an update of how our summer without AC went. We turned it on about 7 times, 6 of which were during a heat advisory (when the temperature was 30 degrees or above for 3 days in a row), and one of which was when we had company over. During those times, we ran it for a few hours at most. I didn't keep track of our dryer usage, but I would guess it was less than 7 times as well over the course of the summer.
Overall, it was a great experiment, and I will definitely try to do the same thing in the summers to come. I feel like our bodies got used to the heat, and the coping strategies we used were effective. I didn't love nursing a sweaty baby before putting him to bed, but it wasn't so bad with the fan on. And the basement was a great place to hang out in the afternoon when the kids had their quiet time. They didn't seem to notice the lack of AC at all, interestingly enough. They would still go to bed with full pyjamas on and the covers pulled up to their necks! They'd even have their blankets on for naps.
The grand total of savings for the summer was 221.51$. I'm pretty happy with that. So is this guy, who learned to walk last week.
Next challenge: hanging laundry indoors to minimize hydro costs in the winter. But I might still have a good couple of weeks left with the outdoor clothesline.
Overall, it was a great experiment, and I will definitely try to do the same thing in the summers to come. I feel like our bodies got used to the heat, and the coping strategies we used were effective. I didn't love nursing a sweaty baby before putting him to bed, but it wasn't so bad with the fan on. And the basement was a great place to hang out in the afternoon when the kids had their quiet time. They didn't seem to notice the lack of AC at all, interestingly enough. They would still go to bed with full pyjamas on and the covers pulled up to their necks! They'd even have their blankets on for naps.
The grand total of savings for the summer was 221.51$. I'm pretty happy with that. So is this guy, who learned to walk last week.
Next challenge: hanging laundry indoors to minimize hydro costs in the winter. But I might still have a good couple of weeks left with the outdoor clothesline.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Heat wave
We're still under a heat warning here, and the past two nights we turned the AC on for a bit. The indoor temperature hit our agreed-upon threshold, so we decided to cool things down to about 25 degrees overnight. Plus baby G had a fever from his one-year-old shots this week. Can you imagine being a baby with a fever during a heat wave? Poor guy. The fever only lasted a day, and the heat wave is expected to break sometime tonight. We had some lovely rain last night and early this morning, which helped temporarily. We'll be off to the cottage soon, where it is much cooler, and where we can jump in the lake if it gets too hot!
Daytime strategies that we used this week:
-kiddie pool (even we grown-ups enjoyed having our feet in the cold water)
-BBQing dinner most nights (sausages, hot dogs, and hamburgers were on the menu this week; tonight is chicken & rice casserole in the oven, and it was a bad idea)
-heading to the basement in the afternoon to cool off
Outdoor play has been scarce this week on account of the heat wave and D's day camp, which has been in the mornings and has required me to stay in that end of town for the duration rather than drive back and forth twice. We tried going to a park on Monday and lasted less than an hour before we bailed and went to Chapters. We've done errands or enjoyed playtime with friends in the area, so it's been pretty nice.
Daytime strategies that we used this week:
-kiddie pool (even we grown-ups enjoyed having our feet in the cold water)
-BBQing dinner most nights (sausages, hot dogs, and hamburgers were on the menu this week; tonight is chicken & rice casserole in the oven, and it was a bad idea)
-heading to the basement in the afternoon to cool off
Outdoor play has been scarce this week on account of the heat wave and D's day camp, which has been in the mornings and has required me to stay in that end of town for the duration rather than drive back and forth twice. We tried going to a park on Monday and lasted less than an hour before we bailed and went to Chapters. We've done errands or enjoyed playtime with friends in the area, so it's been pretty nice.
Monday, July 13, 2015
How it is without AC
The summer weather has not been too hot until the last two weeks, which I'm sure was irksome to many, but it was a blessing to us! My favourite outdoor temp is 25 degrees, and there have been plenty of days like that. We've made it through a few hot spells now, and they've been manageable. We still keep the windows open at night, when it drops down to 18 or 19 degrees (C) at most, and the blinds and windows closed during the day. Hubby and I have re-negotiated our maximum temperature allowance, so if it hits 85 degrees (F) in the house, we'll turn on the AC just long enough to get the temp down to a more manageable 80.
As a point of comparison, I looked at our bills from one year ago and one month ago. The savings weren't huge (81.67$ last year to 68.68$ this year- 12.99$ that is better off in my pocket than the company's), but I think our next bill should be the kicker. Last August (for the billing period of July, when I was wrapping up my pregnancy), our hydro bill was an incredible 187.60$. We're on track to have a bill at least 100$ less than that this month. I do appreciate the weekly updates our hydro company sends.
On Saturday, we brought out G's birthday present of a kiddie pool early, and the girls had a great time splashing around in it. We're still trying to spend a lot of time outside, at parks and splash pads and the front and back yards. In the house, the basement continues to be an excellent, cool refuge, and I avoid the top floor as much as possible until the end of the day.
Some unexpected drawbacks to higher temperatures in the house: the air gets a stale feeling and an indescribable smell, there are a lot more bugs and flies indoors (due to gaps and holes in screen doors), and our tempers flare much more quickly. The girls have been sleeping fine, wearing regular pyjamas and pulling their blankets as tightly around them as ever, but G has been waking up more often. It could be that he's teething, but it could also be that the heat is getting to him. Tonight I think we'll try setting up his pack and play in the basement and sleeping down there ourselves.
As a point of comparison, I looked at our bills from one year ago and one month ago. The savings weren't huge (81.67$ last year to 68.68$ this year- 12.99$ that is better off in my pocket than the company's), but I think our next bill should be the kicker. Last August (for the billing period of July, when I was wrapping up my pregnancy), our hydro bill was an incredible 187.60$. We're on track to have a bill at least 100$ less than that this month. I do appreciate the weekly updates our hydro company sends.
On Saturday, we brought out G's birthday present of a kiddie pool early, and the girls had a great time splashing around in it. We're still trying to spend a lot of time outside, at parks and splash pads and the front and back yards. In the house, the basement continues to be an excellent, cool refuge, and I avoid the top floor as much as possible until the end of the day.
Some unexpected drawbacks to higher temperatures in the house: the air gets a stale feeling and an indescribable smell, there are a lot more bugs and flies indoors (due to gaps and holes in screen doors), and our tempers flare much more quickly. The girls have been sleeping fine, wearing regular pyjamas and pulling their blankets as tightly around them as ever, but G has been waking up more often. It could be that he's teething, but it could also be that the heat is getting to him. Tonight I think we'll try setting up his pack and play in the basement and sleeping down there ourselves.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Fixing up our fixed costs
Living on one income is not for the faint of heart. This spring we've been taking a closer look at our finances and seeing where we can cut costs. It's easy to fall into a pattern of spending without really thinking about it, and deciding that things just cost whatever they cost. We found two places that we're trying to change, and both of them happen to be fixed-cost items on the budget.
Hubby switched his cell phone plan to a different provider which offered a similar package to what he had, but at a lower monthly rate. I'm still on a 10$ pay-as-you-go. We toyed with the idea of getting rid of the home phone, which we may still do at some point. It's not very expensive though, and we use Skype for anything long-distance.
The second fixed cost that we're attempting to bring down is the hydro bill. I get weekly estimates of what our bill will be based on energy consumption on a certain day, and I'm trying to let that guide the household usage. We already try to limit using the washing machine and dishwasher at off-peak times. Hubby was saying that the two main contributors to a high bill were using the dryer and the air conditioner. With the sunny weather, we're not using the dryer much at all, but in the past that savings was virtually eliminated by turning on the A/C. So, at the end of April, we decided that we're not going to use the air conditioning this summer.
It seems like a ridiculous thing to blog about, given that most of the world doesn't have air conditioning, and our climate only gets hot for a couple of months out of the year. Still, it's going to be a sacrifice for us. Some coping strategies we're using:
-keeping bread and other baked goods in the fridge to prevent them from going moldy
-drinking lots of water
-closing the blinds when the sun is out
-opening the windows at night
-running the overhead fans in our bedrooms (with the doors open) most of the day to keep the air circulating
-using the basement for playtime or rest when it's just too hot upstairs
-spending time outdoors (especially now that we have a backyard fence!) so that when we come inside, it feels cooler
We have discussed the idea of a cut-off, in the event of a heat wave, or if sleep is compromised. If the house temperature gets into the high eighties, we'll turn on the A/C at night just enough to bring it down a few degrees. (Btw, I don't naturally think in Fahrenheit, but we use it in the house because there are more degrees to play around with.) None of this would have been possible last summer, what with my being great with child, and then having a tiny baby around. But the tiny baby is a good size now, and quite resilient, as are his sisters, and hopefully his parents. So here's to a less expensive summer!
Hubby switched his cell phone plan to a different provider which offered a similar package to what he had, but at a lower monthly rate. I'm still on a 10$ pay-as-you-go. We toyed with the idea of getting rid of the home phone, which we may still do at some point. It's not very expensive though, and we use Skype for anything long-distance.
The second fixed cost that we're attempting to bring down is the hydro bill. I get weekly estimates of what our bill will be based on energy consumption on a certain day, and I'm trying to let that guide the household usage. We already try to limit using the washing machine and dishwasher at off-peak times. Hubby was saying that the two main contributors to a high bill were using the dryer and the air conditioner. With the sunny weather, we're not using the dryer much at all, but in the past that savings was virtually eliminated by turning on the A/C. So, at the end of April, we decided that we're not going to use the air conditioning this summer.
It seems like a ridiculous thing to blog about, given that most of the world doesn't have air conditioning, and our climate only gets hot for a couple of months out of the year. Still, it's going to be a sacrifice for us. Some coping strategies we're using:
-keeping bread and other baked goods in the fridge to prevent them from going moldy
-drinking lots of water
-closing the blinds when the sun is out
-opening the windows at night
-running the overhead fans in our bedrooms (with the doors open) most of the day to keep the air circulating
-using the basement for playtime or rest when it's just too hot upstairs
-spending time outdoors (especially now that we have a backyard fence!) so that when we come inside, it feels cooler
We have discussed the idea of a cut-off, in the event of a heat wave, or if sleep is compromised. If the house temperature gets into the high eighties, we'll turn on the A/C at night just enough to bring it down a few degrees. (Btw, I don't naturally think in Fahrenheit, but we use it in the house because there are more degrees to play around with.) None of this would have been possible last summer, what with my being great with child, and then having a tiny baby around. But the tiny baby is a good size now, and quite resilient, as are his sisters, and hopefully his parents. So here's to a less expensive summer!
Friday, April 10, 2015
Food Basics Flyer Meals
On the radio today, there was a call-in show about what happens when kids don't learn to cook, which of course also delved into issues around fast-paced lives, fast food, obesity, and the lack of knowledge or ability to plan ahead. One caller mentioned that if there was a list at the grocery store of what to buy and how to cook it, a lot more people would be cooking at home. I think we all know what it's like to hit 4pm and start frantically searching cooking websites, as well as our own pantries and freezers, to figure out something healthy and hearty to cook!
Meal planning can be this easy: take a look at your grocery store's weekly flyer, see what's on special, and decide what meals you want to make from those sale items. Taking the advice of that caller, I'm going to make it a few steps easier today by providing five meal ideas, ingredient lists, and recipes. I've also tried to structure the list around the store's layout. I'm working off the Food Basics flyer for April 9th-15th (yes, Thursday-Wednesday sales are the hot new trend now), concentrating on loss leaders (the front and back page of the flyer) and this formula.
Sale items + non-sale/at-home items + recipes = meals
When buying sale items, do check other brands (especially the store's home brand, in this case Selection or Irresistibles) to see if its price beats the sale price of a given brand name product.
Also, the fruits aren't listed in the recipes, but are intended for delicious snacks/desserts.
Sale items
Cauliflower, 1.97
Sweet assorted peppers, 1.97
Romaine hearts, 1.97
Cucumber, 88 cents
Russet potatoes 5 lb bag, 3$/2
Strawberries, 454g, 5$/2
Large navel oranges, 99 cents/lb
Whole seedless watermelon
Fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3.44$/lb
Outside round roast, 6.99$/lb
Dempster's 7" tortillas, 2.49$
Kraft BBQ sauce 455 ml, 99 cents
Catelli healthy harvest macaroni 375g, 1.25
Danone Activia or Silhouette yogurt 650g [preferably plain], 1.97$
Selection cheese 400-450g, 3.97
Natrel fine-filtered white milk 4L, 4.99$
Non-sale or at-home items
Garlic
Onions
Carrots
Sweet potatoes (if you get tired of regular potatoes)
Aluminum foil
Parchment paper
Cooking spray
Oil (vegetable, olive, canola- your choice)
Vinegar
Ketchup (optional, for mac & cheese)
White flour
Cornstarch
Shortening
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Beef bouillon
Canned corn
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
Salsa
Butter
Eggs
Frozen peas
Recipes
Meal 1: Oven roast with mashed potatoes
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/02/oven-braised-beef-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/
Serve this tender roast with mashed potatoes.
Prep tip: It's rather long on cooking time, so either make it on a weekend or take the do-ahead-and-reheat suggestion in the recipe.
Mashed potatoes: Put a large pot of water on to boil. Peel (or just wash) and quarter 4-5 potatoes. Place carefully in boiling water, reduce temperature to medium-high, and boil for 20-25 minutes, until a fork can be easily inserted and removed from a potato quarter. Remove from heat, drain potatoes, mash, and stir in about 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of butter (adjust these to suit your taste).
Meal 2: Meat pie with roasted vegetables
http://operationstayhome.blogspot.ca/2014/09/marvellous-meat-pie.html
Use the leftovers to make my favourite meat pie, with roasted potatoes and carrots on the side.
Prep tip: since the vegetables take longer to cook, put them in the oven first, and then make the pie.
Roasted potatoes: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash 4 or 5 potatoes and chop into approximate eighths. Peel carrots and chop into approximately the same size as the potatoes. Toss in large bowl with 2 Tbsp oil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread vegetables out in a single layer and sprinkle with a few pinches of oregano. Roast for 30 minutes, then flip veggies over and cook for another ten minutes. Remember to put the pie in the oven during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Meal 3: BBQ chicken and potatoes, with carrots and peas
Chicken breasts
BBQ sauce
4 potatoes, sweet potatoes or a mix of the two
Aluminum foil
Cooking spray
Salt
Pepper
2-3 carrots
About 1 cup of peas
Brush 4 chicken breasts lightly with BBQ sauce, then cook on BBQ until juices run clear, flipping once halfway through.
Prep tip: while you've got the barbecue going, cook up 3 or 4 chicken breasts for tomorrow night's fajitas as well.
Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes: poke on each side 3-4 times with a fork, then place on a plate and microwave for 4 min (5 min for sweet potatoes). While the potatoes are in the microwave, peel and chop 2 or 3 carrots. Carefully turn potatoes over and microwave for another 4 min (5 min for sweet potatoes). During this time, start boiling water for the carrots. Tear one piece of aluminum foil for each potato, large enough to wrap it. Place potato on foil square, spray with cooking oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap and repeat with remaining potatoes. Place potatoes on BBQ while chicken is cooking. They're pretty much done cooking by this point, this is just to crisp them up and infuse with the spices. While the chicken and potatoes are on the BBQ, boil the carrots for 10 minutes, then add desired amount of peas to the pot and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Meal 4: Chicken fajitas with onions, peppers, grated cheese, salsa, yogurt
Oil
Chicken breasts
2 peppers
1-2 onions
Cheese
Tortillas
Salsa
Plain yogurt
If you didn't BBQ the chicken yesterday, either do that now, or cook it on the stovetop as follows: Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat and add chicken breasts. Cook until juices run clear, flipping once halfway through. While chicken is cooking, slice two bell peppers and an onion or two. Remove chicken breasts from pan and reduce heat to medium. Add another Tbsp of oil and saute peppers and onion for a few minutes, as desired. Grate cheese. Warm tortillas, if that's what you like. Assemble fajitas to your liking.
Meal 5: Whole wheat mac and cheese with cauliflower and cut veggies
Cauliflower
Macaroni
Butter
White flour
Milk
Cheese
Peppers
Cucumber
Ketchup
Steam cauliflower: chop up entire cauliflower, including the stem. Set in a steamer basket over boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in a food processor or mash with a potato masher.
While cauliflower is cooking, set a large pot of water to boil. Once it's boiling, add 3 cups macaroni, reduce heat and cook for 8-10 minutes.
While pasta is cooking, start the cheese sauce. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup white flour and cook for one minute. Stir in 2 cups of milk and whisk regularly, until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in 2 cups grated cheese and 1 cup mashed cauliflower.
Drain cooked pasta and stir in cheese sauce. Serve with sliced peppers and cucumbers. Ketchup optional.
 |
| I think "mania" might better describe the state of my house than that of their prices, but I digress. |
Sale items + non-sale/at-home items + recipes = meals
When buying sale items, do check other brands (especially the store's home brand, in this case Selection or Irresistibles) to see if its price beats the sale price of a given brand name product.
Also, the fruits aren't listed in the recipes, but are intended for delicious snacks/desserts.
Sale items
Cauliflower, 1.97
Sweet assorted peppers, 1.97
Romaine hearts, 1.97
Cucumber, 88 cents
Russet potatoes 5 lb bag, 3$/2
Strawberries, 454g, 5$/2
Large navel oranges, 99 cents/lb
Whole seedless watermelon
Fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3.44$/lb
Outside round roast, 6.99$/lb
Dempster's 7" tortillas, 2.49$
Kraft BBQ sauce 455 ml, 99 cents
Catelli healthy harvest macaroni 375g, 1.25
Danone Activia or Silhouette yogurt 650g [preferably plain], 1.97$
Selection cheese 400-450g, 3.97
Natrel fine-filtered white milk 4L, 4.99$
Non-sale or at-home items
Garlic
Onions
Carrots
Sweet potatoes (if you get tired of regular potatoes)
Aluminum foil
Parchment paper
Cooking spray
Oil (vegetable, olive, canola- your choice)
Vinegar
Ketchup (optional, for mac & cheese)
White flour
Cornstarch
Shortening
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Beef bouillon
Canned corn
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
Salsa
Butter
Eggs
Frozen peas
Recipes
Meal 1: Oven roast with mashed potatoes
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/02/oven-braised-beef-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/
Serve this tender roast with mashed potatoes.
Prep tip: It's rather long on cooking time, so either make it on a weekend or take the do-ahead-and-reheat suggestion in the recipe.
Mashed potatoes: Put a large pot of water on to boil. Peel (or just wash) and quarter 4-5 potatoes. Place carefully in boiling water, reduce temperature to medium-high, and boil for 20-25 minutes, until a fork can be easily inserted and removed from a potato quarter. Remove from heat, drain potatoes, mash, and stir in about 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of butter (adjust these to suit your taste).
Meal 2: Meat pie with roasted vegetables
http://operationstayhome.blogspot.ca/2014/09/marvellous-meat-pie.html
Use the leftovers to make my favourite meat pie, with roasted potatoes and carrots on the side.
Prep tip: since the vegetables take longer to cook, put them in the oven first, and then make the pie.
Roasted potatoes: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash 4 or 5 potatoes and chop into approximate eighths. Peel carrots and chop into approximately the same size as the potatoes. Toss in large bowl with 2 Tbsp oil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread vegetables out in a single layer and sprinkle with a few pinches of oregano. Roast for 30 minutes, then flip veggies over and cook for another ten minutes. Remember to put the pie in the oven during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Meal 3: BBQ chicken and potatoes, with carrots and peas
Chicken breasts
BBQ sauce
4 potatoes, sweet potatoes or a mix of the two
Aluminum foil
Cooking spray
Salt
Pepper
2-3 carrots
About 1 cup of peas
Brush 4 chicken breasts lightly with BBQ sauce, then cook on BBQ until juices run clear, flipping once halfway through.
Prep tip: while you've got the barbecue going, cook up 3 or 4 chicken breasts for tomorrow night's fajitas as well.
Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes: poke on each side 3-4 times with a fork, then place on a plate and microwave for 4 min (5 min for sweet potatoes). While the potatoes are in the microwave, peel and chop 2 or 3 carrots. Carefully turn potatoes over and microwave for another 4 min (5 min for sweet potatoes). During this time, start boiling water for the carrots. Tear one piece of aluminum foil for each potato, large enough to wrap it. Place potato on foil square, spray with cooking oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap and repeat with remaining potatoes. Place potatoes on BBQ while chicken is cooking. They're pretty much done cooking by this point, this is just to crisp them up and infuse with the spices. While the chicken and potatoes are on the BBQ, boil the carrots for 10 minutes, then add desired amount of peas to the pot and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Meal 4: Chicken fajitas with onions, peppers, grated cheese, salsa, yogurt
Oil
Chicken breasts
2 peppers
1-2 onions
Cheese
Tortillas
Salsa
Plain yogurt
If you didn't BBQ the chicken yesterday, either do that now, or cook it on the stovetop as follows: Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat and add chicken breasts. Cook until juices run clear, flipping once halfway through. While chicken is cooking, slice two bell peppers and an onion or two. Remove chicken breasts from pan and reduce heat to medium. Add another Tbsp of oil and saute peppers and onion for a few minutes, as desired. Grate cheese. Warm tortillas, if that's what you like. Assemble fajitas to your liking.
Meal 5: Whole wheat mac and cheese with cauliflower and cut veggies
Cauliflower
Macaroni
Butter
White flour
Milk
Cheese
Peppers
Cucumber
Ketchup
Steam cauliflower: chop up entire cauliflower, including the stem. Set in a steamer basket over boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in a food processor or mash with a potato masher.
While cauliflower is cooking, set a large pot of water to boil. Once it's boiling, add 3 cups macaroni, reduce heat and cook for 8-10 minutes.
While pasta is cooking, start the cheese sauce. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup white flour and cook for one minute. Stir in 2 cups of milk and whisk regularly, until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in 2 cups grated cheese and 1 cup mashed cauliflower.
Drain cooked pasta and stir in cheese sauce. Serve with sliced peppers and cucumbers. Ketchup optional.
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| My companion while writing. I bored him to literal tears, and now he's upstairs napping. |
Friday, January 23, 2015
Checking in
Here's how 2015 is going so far:
-Hubby is frantically but diligently working away at THREE courses as he wraps up his parental leave
-D is halfway through senior kindergarten, and we are tremendously thankful for dear neighbours who walk her to the bus stop in the morning so that we don't have to!
-M has officially been registered to start kindergarten in September; and just as I was worried about sending her to school in diapers, she spontaneously started going to the bathroom on her own a couple of weeks ago. It finally clicked for her, and I couldn't be more thrilled! She hasn't had an accident in a few days, which is amazing. And it only took us six months to get to this point.
-G is almost six months old, rolling all around, almost sitting up, and still the happiest baby. He'll be starting solids pretty soon, but I remember all too well how long it takes babies to get the hang of eating, and I'm in no rush.
The past few weeks have been intermittently difficult for our family. We've had some car trouble (our van, specifically the sliding doors and the battery, would seem to despise winter as much as Hubby does), a disappointing school result, and then a follow-up ultrasound on G's kidneys. We knew from the many, many ultrasounds that I had during my pregnancy, that his right kidney was smaller than his left, and that this would require follow-up after he was born. He screamed through his first ultrasound at just a month of age, and had another diagnostic test a few weeks later (called a cytoscopy) to determine kidney function. Both of these revealed what we already knew: his right kidney is smaller, but the left one is working fine.
Last week he had what I had hoped would be his last ultrasound for awhile. However, in the intervening weeks, his right kidney has developed two small cysts. Now we are awaiting a referral from the pediatrician to a nephrologist to continue monitoring, and to determine whether the kidney will need to be removed at some point in the future, a point which I am trying not to focus on. Many families have to deal with much worse than this. It's a concern, but we have access to excellent medical care, and besides that we know that our Lord is sovereign over this. This circumstance is not good from our perspective, but God is good. We once again put our trust in him to use the situation for his glory.
-Hubby is frantically but diligently working away at THREE courses as he wraps up his parental leave
-D is halfway through senior kindergarten, and we are tremendously thankful for dear neighbours who walk her to the bus stop in the morning so that we don't have to!
-M has officially been registered to start kindergarten in September; and just as I was worried about sending her to school in diapers, she spontaneously started going to the bathroom on her own a couple of weeks ago. It finally clicked for her, and I couldn't be more thrilled! She hasn't had an accident in a few days, which is amazing. And it only took us six months to get to this point.
-G is almost six months old, rolling all around, almost sitting up, and still the happiest baby. He'll be starting solids pretty soon, but I remember all too well how long it takes babies to get the hang of eating, and I'm in no rush.
 |
| Oh hai! |
The past few weeks have been intermittently difficult for our family. We've had some car trouble (our van, specifically the sliding doors and the battery, would seem to despise winter as much as Hubby does), a disappointing school result, and then a follow-up ultrasound on G's kidneys. We knew from the many, many ultrasounds that I had during my pregnancy, that his right kidney was smaller than his left, and that this would require follow-up after he was born. He screamed through his first ultrasound at just a month of age, and had another diagnostic test a few weeks later (called a cytoscopy) to determine kidney function. Both of these revealed what we already knew: his right kidney is smaller, but the left one is working fine.
Last week he had what I had hoped would be his last ultrasound for awhile. However, in the intervening weeks, his right kidney has developed two small cysts. Now we are awaiting a referral from the pediatrician to a nephrologist to continue monitoring, and to determine whether the kidney will need to be removed at some point in the future, a point which I am trying not to focus on. Many families have to deal with much worse than this. It's a concern, but we have access to excellent medical care, and besides that we know that our Lord is sovereign over this. This circumstance is not good from our perspective, but God is good. We once again put our trust in him to use the situation for his glory.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Birthday Prezzie: Play Dough Kit
It's been two years since I first started making my go-to kid's birthday present, and I think I've repeated the process ten times or more. Mostly these have been in the last year as D's had school friends' birthday parties to attend. On a couple of occasions, I did something different (for a girl who was allergic to gluten, another who was allergic to dairy, and a boy), but it's time consuming to come up with a totally different gift when you're used to doing one thing. Now that we're in round two of birthday season, I didn't want to repeat the same gift, and I wanted something more gender neutral than a cupcake kit. (I realize men can be and are bakers, but at this particular age and for D's particular friend, a Ninja Turtles action figure and some candy made for a better gift.)
I am determined to avoid the time trap of Pinterest for as long as possible, so I wanted to use my own imagination. Like the cupcake kit, it's not the recipe that's original, it's more the presentation. This time around, it's play dough mix in a mason jar. The girls and I tested out the recipe this week, and it's been a huge hit. For ages, I was waiting for their gifted supply of Play-Doh to run out. I prefer homemade because there's a larger quantity, and they can actually roll out a good amount of it. Also, I wanted to gauge their ability to use cookie cutters to determine whether they can help with Christmas baking. So, they've been quite enthralled this week, and I've used it as an after-school, after-dinner or weekend activity, when I'm trying to get something done.
This gift takes a bit more running around, but less assembly time than the previous one. Here's how it comes together:
-1 large mason jar (I have a set of 12 that I bought at a garage sale for 5$, but in the summer, they also sell them by the dozen in lots of stores, for about 10$)
-flour, salt, cream of tartar
-1 tiny bottle of food colouring (from the sets of 4 they sell at any grocery store)
-a rolling pin (Dollarama sells this one for 3$)
-cookie cutters (Bulk Barn has an amazing selection, most range from 69-99 cents)
-optional: fabric and ribbon to tie around the jar lid (Dollarama, and my meager fabric stash)
-optional: tiny ziploc bag for the cookie cutters and food colouring
It ends up costing just under 8$, not factoring in the cost of driving or the ingredients. But I think the former is mitigated by picking up the components while running other errands, and the latter would be quite minimal, as those are things I keep on hand anyway. The point is, this doesn't cost me over ten dollars. What I learned following D's birthday party this year is that the price point for a kid's party gift has gone way, way up from when I was a kid. Like 20-30$. That's just not a possibility for our family.
I am determined to avoid the time trap of Pinterest for as long as possible, so I wanted to use my own imagination. Like the cupcake kit, it's not the recipe that's original, it's more the presentation. This time around, it's play dough mix in a mason jar. The girls and I tested out the recipe this week, and it's been a huge hit. For ages, I was waiting for their gifted supply of Play-Doh to run out. I prefer homemade because there's a larger quantity, and they can actually roll out a good amount of it. Also, I wanted to gauge their ability to use cookie cutters to determine whether they can help with Christmas baking. So, they've been quite enthralled this week, and I've used it as an after-school, after-dinner or weekend activity, when I'm trying to get something done.
This gift takes a bit more running around, but less assembly time than the previous one. Here's how it comes together:
-1 large mason jar (I have a set of 12 that I bought at a garage sale for 5$, but in the summer, they also sell them by the dozen in lots of stores, for about 10$)
-flour, salt, cream of tartar
-1 tiny bottle of food colouring (from the sets of 4 they sell at any grocery store)
-a rolling pin (Dollarama sells this one for 3$)
-cookie cutters (Bulk Barn has an amazing selection, most range from 69-99 cents)
-optional: fabric and ribbon to tie around the jar lid (Dollarama, and my meager fabric stash)
-optional: tiny ziploc bag for the cookie cutters and food colouring
It ends up costing just under 8$, not factoring in the cost of driving or the ingredients. But I think the former is mitigated by picking up the components while running other errands, and the latter would be quite minimal, as those are things I keep on hand anyway. The point is, this doesn't cost me over ten dollars. What I learned following D's birthday party this year is that the price point for a kid's party gift has gone way, way up from when I was a kid. Like 20-30$. That's just not a possibility for our family.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Best baked beans
My dream baby is napping upstairs, my girls (one home sick from school) are playing with playdough at the kitchen table, and my dinner is in the crockpot. It's something I never really enjoyed in its tinned form, but I've come to love it for its convenience in its homemade form. Baked beans, babies.
After having Baton Rouge's in-restaurant baked beans on a few occasions, Hubby had asked me if I could try my hand at them. Challenge accepted. Eschewing the traditional Boston baked beans because I don't usually have bacon on hand, I found a recipe that contained ingredients I almost always have in the pantry. Over time, I've adapted it to suit our preferences.
Best baked beans
3 cups dried white navy beans
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 can tomato paste (156 mL)
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tbsp dried mustard
Place dry beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak beans overnight. In the morning, transfer beans and water to a large pot and boil beans uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't boil over, and add more water if necessary.
Drain beans and place in crock pot. Add other ingredients and cook on high for 6 hours.
Serve on baked potatoes, toast, nachos or by themselves in a bowl. They freeze well, too.
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| Hot mess, but fun to make |
After having Baton Rouge's in-restaurant baked beans on a few occasions, Hubby had asked me if I could try my hand at them. Challenge accepted. Eschewing the traditional Boston baked beans because I don't usually have bacon on hand, I found a recipe that contained ingredients I almost always have in the pantry. Over time, I've adapted it to suit our preferences.
Best baked beans
3 cups dried white navy beans
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 can tomato paste (156 mL)
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tbsp dried mustard
Place dry beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak beans overnight. In the morning, transfer beans and water to a large pot and boil beans uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't boil over, and add more water if necessary.
Drain beans and place in crock pot. Add other ingredients and cook on high for 6 hours.
Serve on baked potatoes, toast, nachos or by themselves in a bowl. They freeze well, too.
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| Dream baby woke up, looks a tiny bit like me for once |
Monday, October 13, 2014
Simple, classic chicken soup
It's a month into a new school year, and it's about that time when your kid starts bringing home illnesses along with forms to sign and artwork. Our own D is sick at the moment, with an ongoing cough and runny nose, and, as of last night, an ear infection. So it's also about time for a simple, homemade soup with (hopefully) some healing properties, if only because the secret ingredient is love. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure I've never made chicken noodle soup from scratch before. Growing up, we loved the kind that came in a packet, including those cup-a-soups. For awhile, my parents would make it from the mix, but add in carrots, potatoes and other veggies. I remember having an amazing chicken soup at my dear friend Lindsay's house when I was in early labour with M, and it was made by her grandma. So this soup is a mash-up of what I recall from childhood, and three years ago. It is a low-prep, delicious, and the quickest homemade soup I've ever made.
2 Becel containers' worth (I think this works out to roughly 10 cups) of homemade chicken stock (as in, throw your leftover chicken bones and/or vegetable peelings into a crockpot filled with water, and let it simmer for 24 hours/ I freeze mine in huge Becel containers, hence the unusual measurement); or water, if you must
10 packets chicken bouillon
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 cup chopped leftover chicken (I suppose you could poach a chicken breast and/or thigh if you don't have leftovers)
2 cups egg noodles
Put everything except the noodles into the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat; let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, then add the noodles and cook for another few minutes, until the noodles are cooked to your liking. Serve with bread and cheese planks, if you like that sort of thing (and I certainly do!).
2 Becel containers' worth (I think this works out to roughly 10 cups) of homemade chicken stock (as in, throw your leftover chicken bones and/or vegetable peelings into a crockpot filled with water, and let it simmer for 24 hours/ I freeze mine in huge Becel containers, hence the unusual measurement); or water, if you must
10 packets chicken bouillon
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1 cup chopped leftover chicken (I suppose you could poach a chicken breast and/or thigh if you don't have leftovers)
2 cups egg noodles
Put everything except the noodles into the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat; let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, then add the noodles and cook for another few minutes, until the noodles are cooked to your liking. Serve with bread and cheese planks, if you like that sort of thing (and I certainly do!).
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| Delicious soup |
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| Some people who ate the soup (one, by proxy) |
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
An improved room for two
My in-laws have been wonderfully helpful during their visit, as they always are; one of their favourite jobs has been working on the girls' room. First, the girls picked out colours (D-pink, M-blue) and the grown-ups figured out a way to make that look nice (pink walls and blue ceiling). While Hubby and his mum painted, he replaced their overhead fan with a better one that works properly and silently. Mum-in-law and Dad-in-law were keen to get some pretty curtains and wall decals to pull the room together, and that's where I was able to make a contribution. The blackout curtains they found were a vibrant purple; they happened to be on clearance, and they were two different lengths, both of which were way too long for the window in the girls' room: we have learned from experience that long curtains in kids' bedrooms are just asking to be pulled down. I am able to sew straight lines, so I offered to hem the curtains to a proper length. Once that was done, there was ample material left over for tie-backs and cushion covers, and I even had two pillow forms in my stash of craft things. I think I had meant to knit cushion covers at some point. Anyway, I used this tutorial to sew the covers, and while it didn't take me five minutes (more like two hours), it was easy enough for a novice like myself. Here's how the room looks now:
It's a great improvement on the pull-down blinds that had been there since we moved in, and not bad at all for 22$ worth of curtains! And the paint job was beautifully executed. Good work, everyone!
It's a great improvement on the pull-down blinds that had been there since we moved in, and not bad at all for 22$ worth of curtains! And the paint job was beautifully executed. Good work, everyone!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Marvellous meat pie
While I don't always make the best of leftover meals, I definitely did yesterday. The previous evening, we'd had roast beef for dinner, and I knew I didn't want the remaining meat to go to waste. I decided to make a pie out of it, like a chicken pot pie, but with beef. Or like beef stew with a pie crust lid. It was a big hit with everyone, although the girls took their sweet time finishing their plates. Here's the recipe, before I forget:
Filling:
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can of corn
1 cup of peas
4 packets beef bouillon (or 2 cubes)
1/4 cup cornstarch
Leftover roast beef, cut into cubes
Pie crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cup chilled butter or shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vinegar
water
In a large pot, boil carrots for 10 minutes, then add corn and peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
Before draining vegetables, reserve 2 1/2 cups of the cooking water. Dissolve bouillon in the water.
Return vegetables to the pot, add bouillon and beef, and simmer on medium heat for 20-30 minutes.
While it's cooking, start the pie crust: in a large mixing bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Cut in shortening or butter with a pastry blender. Crack the egg into a measuring cup, add the vinegar, and beat lightly. Add enough water that the whole mixture measures just over half a cup. Pour into mixing bowl and stir until the crust comes together. Don't overmix, or your pie crust will be tough. This recipe is for a double crust, so you'll use half now and half later; I freeze my leftover half and use it for quiche or something later on.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Draw out 1/4-1/2 cup of the broth and whisk it together with the cornstarch. Return to pot, and stir filling until thickened.
Pour filling into a casserole dish. Roll out half your pie crust until it's big enough to top the casserole dish. Place on top, use a knife to cut a few slits in the centre, and do whatever you like to the edge of the crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with some kind of potato side (we had leftover mashed potatoes).
Filling:
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can of corn
1 cup of peas
4 packets beef bouillon (or 2 cubes)
1/4 cup cornstarch
Leftover roast beef, cut into cubes
Pie crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cup chilled butter or shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vinegar
water
In a large pot, boil carrots for 10 minutes, then add corn and peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
Before draining vegetables, reserve 2 1/2 cups of the cooking water. Dissolve bouillon in the water.
Return vegetables to the pot, add bouillon and beef, and simmer on medium heat for 20-30 minutes.
While it's cooking, start the pie crust: in a large mixing bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Cut in shortening or butter with a pastry blender. Crack the egg into a measuring cup, add the vinegar, and beat lightly. Add enough water that the whole mixture measures just over half a cup. Pour into mixing bowl and stir until the crust comes together. Don't overmix, or your pie crust will be tough. This recipe is for a double crust, so you'll use half now and half later; I freeze my leftover half and use it for quiche or something later on.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Draw out 1/4-1/2 cup of the broth and whisk it together with the cornstarch. Return to pot, and stir filling until thickened.
Pour filling into a casserole dish. Roll out half your pie crust until it's big enough to top the casserole dish. Place on top, use a knife to cut a few slits in the centre, and do whatever you like to the edge of the crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with some kind of potato side (we had leftover mashed potatoes).
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Getting ourselves sorted
My beloved in-laws arrived on Friday, which was the day I came down with the worst cold I've had this year. Sore throat, chills, hot flashes, headache, all the fun stuff. I was able to stay in bed from naptime through until morning, thanks to my parents taking the girls out, and a hardworking Hubby who cleaned up the house and got the basement all ready.
Five days on, I've still got this horrible sore throat, but my energy and appetite are slowly returning. Yesterday, I was able to hang up and later fold laundry, and get D ready for school. It took a tiny bit longer than last year, between labelling clothes and shoes, and cramming everything (bottle of hand sanitizer, box of tissues, ziplock bags) into her backpack, leaving enough room for her lunch bag. Her lunch was nothing notable; no cute bento boxes or cheese cut into artisanal shapes. Just crackers, cheese, a peach, some cucumber slices, a pickle, and a yogurt tube. Water bottle on the side. Like a nerd/affectionate parent, I did include a small note saying "I love you, have a great day!"
After our trip to the bus stop this morning, my in-laws took M on an outing, leaving now-sick Hubby and me at home. I had been wanting to sort through our bins of girl clothes ever since G was born, so this was my chance! (When did I become remotely fond of cleaning?) The girls' room was reasonably tidy, so I decluttered and reorganized their toy bins (tucking a few things away out of sight), and did a small toy cull. For the clothes, I decided to keep a few of the girls' baby things, just the ones I was sentimental about. And all knits, of course. I managed to pare three full bins down to one, and it still has some room for more clothes. I have two more bins to go, which are the things M is outgrowing and growing into, respectively. They can wait til tomorrow. The whole endeavour took about two hours (thank you, G, for sleeping! We'll say no more about the 4 am thing), and I am quite exhausted.
I'm looking forward to the return of my schoolgirl in a couple of hours, and hearing all about her day. No doubt one of the things she'll be most excited about is that now she can start planning her birthday, as it's about a month away. We had to put a limit on her talking about it, as it was becoming fairly constant by the end of the school year. Sorry, but you're not going to decide who's coming to an October party in June. I can't wait to find out who's in her class, and who her English teacher is (French is the same as last year, and is it weird that the school didn't tell me her other teacher's name?), and what they got up to today. And how she liked her lunch.
Five days on, I've still got this horrible sore throat, but my energy and appetite are slowly returning. Yesterday, I was able to hang up and later fold laundry, and get D ready for school. It took a tiny bit longer than last year, between labelling clothes and shoes, and cramming everything (bottle of hand sanitizer, box of tissues, ziplock bags) into her backpack, leaving enough room for her lunch bag. Her lunch was nothing notable; no cute bento boxes or cheese cut into artisanal shapes. Just crackers, cheese, a peach, some cucumber slices, a pickle, and a yogurt tube. Water bottle on the side. Like a nerd/affectionate parent, I did include a small note saying "I love you, have a great day!"
After our trip to the bus stop this morning, my in-laws took M on an outing, leaving now-sick Hubby and me at home. I had been wanting to sort through our bins of girl clothes ever since G was born, so this was my chance! (When did I become remotely fond of cleaning?) The girls' room was reasonably tidy, so I decluttered and reorganized their toy bins (tucking a few things away out of sight), and did a small toy cull. For the clothes, I decided to keep a few of the girls' baby things, just the ones I was sentimental about. And all knits, of course. I managed to pare three full bins down to one, and it still has some room for more clothes. I have two more bins to go, which are the things M is outgrowing and growing into, respectively. They can wait til tomorrow. The whole endeavour took about two hours (thank you, G, for sleeping! We'll say no more about the 4 am thing), and I am quite exhausted.
I'm looking forward to the return of my schoolgirl in a couple of hours, and hearing all about her day. No doubt one of the things she'll be most excited about is that now she can start planning her birthday, as it's about a month away. We had to put a limit on her talking about it, as it was becoming fairly constant by the end of the school year. Sorry, but you're not going to decide who's coming to an October party in June. I can't wait to find out who's in her class, and who her English teacher is (French is the same as last year, and is it weird that the school didn't tell me her other teacher's name?), and what they got up to today. And how she liked her lunch.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
4 things that make the newborn stage easier
1. Breastfeeding: I know not everyone wants to, or is able to, but I love nursing for the bonding, convenience, and health benefits it affords. I'll nurse G in the carrier, on the couch, out in public, anytime he wants. Nothing to pack for going out, or sterilize when we're home. I've never worried about over- or under-feeding, and G is gaining weight like a champion.
2. Co-sleeping: we did this with D after fruitless attempts to have her sleep in her crib early on. M disliked cuddling, and showed a clear preference for her crib. I'm very glad that G is comfy in bed with us, because that means a much more restful night for everyone. I barely have to wake to nurse him, and we both fall back asleep immediately. This way, unless he needs a burp, he doesn't cry much in the night at all. He's also happy to sleep almost anywhere during the day, whether it's on the couch, in the swing, or in someone's arms.
3. Having a great support network: this has been absolutely indispensable. For the past month, the girls have spent about every weekend at my parents' house (in anticipation of labour, and immediately thereafter). My mom has been over almost every day since G was born, mostly to take the girls out to play in the morning, rain or shine. She looks after them whenever G has an appointment, and encourages me to stay out as long as I like. She'll read to them, colour with them, remind M to go to the bathroom/clean up accidents, and when she's here in the evenings (often with my dad), she gives them baths and does their bedtime routine. In the first couple of weeks, she made or bought dinner for us. It's made a world of difference, allowing me to settle in to our new life gradually, bond with G, get breastfeeding established, and take care of our home. We are also blessed with wonderful friends and neighbours who bring us meals and have play dates with the girls.
4. Nursing tank tops: we didn't have Target here last time I had a newborn, and I've never had a tiny baby in the summer anyway, so I hadn't yet encountered nursing tank tops. They had them at maternity stores and other purveyors of all things baby, but they were so expensive that I didn't really care to try any out. I had my nursing bras, and with those, any top can be a nursing top. My sister has used the Target nursing tanks almost exclusively, and she loves them and they're only 20$, so I bought a few to try, and now I have six and they're all I wear, lined with nursing pads. Even with the recent cold weather, I'm still hot most of the time, given how often I'm nursing/cuddling G.
2. Co-sleeping: we did this with D after fruitless attempts to have her sleep in her crib early on. M disliked cuddling, and showed a clear preference for her crib. I'm very glad that G is comfy in bed with us, because that means a much more restful night for everyone. I barely have to wake to nurse him, and we both fall back asleep immediately. This way, unless he needs a burp, he doesn't cry much in the night at all. He's also happy to sleep almost anywhere during the day, whether it's on the couch, in the swing, or in someone's arms.
3. Having a great support network: this has been absolutely indispensable. For the past month, the girls have spent about every weekend at my parents' house (in anticipation of labour, and immediately thereafter). My mom has been over almost every day since G was born, mostly to take the girls out to play in the morning, rain or shine. She looks after them whenever G has an appointment, and encourages me to stay out as long as I like. She'll read to them, colour with them, remind M to go to the bathroom/clean up accidents, and when she's here in the evenings (often with my dad), she gives them baths and does their bedtime routine. In the first couple of weeks, she made or bought dinner for us. It's made a world of difference, allowing me to settle in to our new life gradually, bond with G, get breastfeeding established, and take care of our home. We are also blessed with wonderful friends and neighbours who bring us meals and have play dates with the girls.
4. Nursing tank tops: we didn't have Target here last time I had a newborn, and I've never had a tiny baby in the summer anyway, so I hadn't yet encountered nursing tank tops. They had them at maternity stores and other purveyors of all things baby, but they were so expensive that I didn't really care to try any out. I had my nursing bras, and with those, any top can be a nursing top. My sister has used the Target nursing tanks almost exclusively, and she loves them and they're only 20$, so I bought a few to try, and now I have six and they're all I wear, lined with nursing pads. Even with the recent cold weather, I'm still hot most of the time, given how often I'm nursing/cuddling G.
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| As his sisters like to say, "isn't he the cutest thing?" |
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| This kid gained a pound in a week, mostly in the cheeks, I believe |
Friday, August 8, 2014
Welcome, Sesame!
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| My boy; am I ever thankful for gender-neutral clothes! |
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| The "Welcome to the Flock" hat and sweater set I was able to knit for him |
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| Gavin and his enormous cousin, on a gorgeous blanket the ladies from knit night put together for me |
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Nesting 3.0
The kinds of things one does when overdue by more than a week, regardless of 30 degree heat:
-remove oneself from the public eye by having an awesome friend drive one's eldest child to and from Vacation Bible Camp (thanks, Jen!)
-mend a younger daughter's favourite dress
-vacuum up the sandy evidence of playground outings
-wash the front porch windows and sweep the porch in anticipation of eventual visitors; consider and reject cleaning the front door
-scrub sinks and toilets, particularly after a potty training #2 accident... gross
-dust the ceiling(?!)
-attempt to keep up with the laundry
-attempt to keep the house tidy
-jump at anything that could be a contraction
-gear up for further appointments and ultrasounds
-knit
-remind oneself that this was to be expected, and that's it's just an extended period of calm before the storm
-remove oneself from the public eye by having an awesome friend drive one's eldest child to and from Vacation Bible Camp (thanks, Jen!)
-mend a younger daughter's favourite dress
-vacuum up the sandy evidence of playground outings
-wash the front porch windows and sweep the porch in anticipation of eventual visitors; consider and reject cleaning the front door
-scrub sinks and toilets, particularly after a potty training #2 accident... gross
-dust the ceiling(?!)
-attempt to keep up with the laundry
-attempt to keep the house tidy
-jump at anything that could be a contraction
-gear up for further appointments and ultrasounds
-knit
-remind oneself that this was to be expected, and that's it's just an extended period of calm before the storm
Monday, July 7, 2014
Garage sale mission accomplished
Our kitchen chairs have been unsightly ever since we first strapped a booster seat to one of them, about four years ago. Up until then, they had served us well, and we've had them for almost nine years now. They were the cheapest ones we could find at Ikea, and not well-finished, and they got unbelievably sticky and dirty over time. On a couple of occasions, Hubby or I took steel wool to them in an attempt to clean them up a bit, but that would last all of two or three days. Then one of them broke a few weeks ago, and as it coincided with the start of garage sale season, I determined it was time to replace them. I was prepared to be on the lookout all summer.
Happily, it didn't take quite that long. This past Saturday was my second morning of solo garage saling, and after a fruitless morning, I happened upon these beauties. The price was right: 20$ for a set of four.
On Kijiji and at most other garage sales, people want to sell you a kitchen table and chairs as a set, and I don't blame them. But I love our kitchen table, and I'm not in the market for a new one. Also, good solid wood chairs tend to be expensive, so I am quite pleased with these. I do wish there were six chairs instead of four, but we really only need four at the moment (we can keep one of the rubbish chairs for the booster seat, or use the old wooden high chair). I gave them a good scrub today, so that any food stains I find from here on in will be guaranteed to be ours. All they need now are new felt pads, as the old ones were falling off and gross-looking. Reactions from the fam: Hubby was pleased, D was disappointed that they don't match the table, and M thought we stole them from Grandma and Grandpa's house.
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| This picture does not adequately convey the grossness |
Happily, it didn't take quite that long. This past Saturday was my second morning of solo garage saling, and after a fruitless morning, I happened upon these beauties. The price was right: 20$ for a set of four.
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| Now that is a properly finished chair! |
Friday, July 4, 2014
Potty training 2.0
The timing on this couldn't be helped. After the horrible, drawn-out process of potty training D, I always said I'd start with M when she asked me in her own words, and here we are, weeks away from my due date, and she's interested. It's going okay so far. We were up at the cottage on the weekend, and I brought along a potty because the other alternatives are a composting toilet or an outhouse, neither of which I wanted her using on her own. At home she's been using the toilet along with a step-stool to help her get up, so having something more at her level was a delight. She did pretty well, using the potty successfully two or three times each day. Poor D had more pee accidents than her sister! Most of the time M was in a bathing suit with a swim diaper, and the rest of the time she was in a disposable diaper.
Now that we're back home, it's either cloth diapers or underwear. Up until the past few days, anytime M had undies on, she would wet them without telling me. If she had a bare bum, she would remember to run to the bathroom. Yesterday we had the first big success: dry undies all morning! Today she's had two accidents, but both were in the kitchen, so it was easy to clean up. I'm finding it much less frustrating now that we have hardwood floors on the main level. I'm also trying to be more relaxed about accidents, but consistent about wearing undies (now that it's summer and we're around the house more). We are also not providing stickers or candy for successful toilet use this time, although we do sing her a little song to say good job. (If you're interested, it's "Good job Maevey/good job Maevey/good job Maevey/you've done a very good job" to the tune of Good Night Ladies. Super creative, I know.)
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| Her cottage uniform: a swimsuit and a smile |
Now that we're back home, it's either cloth diapers or underwear. Up until the past few days, anytime M had undies on, she would wet them without telling me. If she had a bare bum, she would remember to run to the bathroom. Yesterday we had the first big success: dry undies all morning! Today she's had two accidents, but both were in the kitchen, so it was easy to clean up. I'm finding it much less frustrating now that we have hardwood floors on the main level. I'm also trying to be more relaxed about accidents, but consistent about wearing undies (now that it's summer and we're around the house more). We are also not providing stickers or candy for successful toilet use this time, although we do sing her a little song to say good job. (If you're interested, it's "Good job Maevey/good job Maevey/good job Maevey/you've done a very good job" to the tune of Good Night Ladies. Super creative, I know.)
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