Update

This blog is on hold for the time being, we have a family blog in the works but it's not yet public.

Colour Change

There are some things I don’t leave home without.  My keys, lip balm, kleenex, the ipad, and my Farrow & Ball paint colour brochure.   I love stumbling upon a cool colour at a restaurant, store or even somebody’s home. I’ll pull out my paint colour brochure and compare, sometimes make notes of reference, possibly take  a picture or two if my camera is handy. I then daydream about where I could foresee using that colour in my home.

I’ve painted every room in our house over the past 5 years (some rooms more than once due to a change in direction of my originally planned colour scheme).  I get inspiration from first hand viewing: magazines, home decorating stores, online searches, favourite fabric, nature, clothing, the list is endless. Painting is one of the easiest, cheapest ways to change the look of a room. You don't need to buy into the gimmicks and gadgets. A tray, roller, a good quality paintbrush, some tape and an edger is really all you need.

Not all paints are created equal. I am in love with the Farrow and Ball paint colours and have to admit that their water based, low VOC (volotile organic compound), eco friendly, natural pigment paints cover well and look stunning.  Though their in store staff seem a bit hoity toity, their paint truly rocks, but at $110/gallon, it's too rich for us. My second choice in terms of quality is Benjamin Moore.  They have a wide variety of colours, always adding more according to the yearly trends and their in store assistance is fantastic.  Natura is a new paint they're promoting as a better choice for the environment. The price? $60/gallon, not insane but not “cheap”. My third choice is to head over to our local Home Depot and choose their Behr brand (approx $35/gal) then ask them to tint it to match a chip on my Farrow and Ball paint brochure.  I get the colour I want at ⅓ the cost. Behr is working on reducing their environmental footprint, lowering their VOC’s in their interior paints in 2010.  

I've navigated away from the "beige" family lately, opting for grey tones instead. Below are some wall colours in our house right now.

Benny Moore
Timothy Green

Farrow & Ball
"Stony Ground" / "Radicchio"

Farrow & Ball
"Light Blue"

Benjamin Moor
"Collingwood"

Is this spring weather (that still requires mittens) getting you down? How about a change in the walls around you?  It’s amazing what change a little paint on a wall can make. Go for it!

Hmmm, those mittens are a nice aubergine colour, I wonder how that would look with my Farrow & Ball’s light blue?

Perfect!

Ginger Cookie Monsters

Through our attempts to refrain from buying excess plastic, we have developed some new habits.  Baking is one of them.  Our cookie jar is rarely empty and is the target for snack attacks from our three little cookie monsters.  Their faves?  Nana Brenda's Ginger Cookies.....chewy, yummy goodness that never goes out of style.  Smartie cookies are a big hit too, followed by peanut butter cookies (saved for home snacks since they can't go to school) and oatmeal cookies.  We used to send granola bars to school on a regular basis and when we made the switch from these convenient snacks to homemade cookies, I remember thinking of how much our kids are going to miss having a granola bar.  They didn't mind, in fact, they welcomed their new daily lunch treats and haven't looked back since.  Try them out, I guarantee you'll be hooked and will have some of your own little cookie monsters craving more.

Nana Brenda's Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup butter (can substitute veg. lard)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

Mix the above ingredients together in one bowl

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

Mix dry ingredients together, add to wet and stir.  Roll into balls, roll each ball in white sugar. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to cooling racks and wait 15 minutes (if you can!) until they cool.  (Bake 10-12 minutes if you prefer crunchy cookies)

 

ENJOY!

FOOD RULES

 

We decide what they eat and where they eat.  

They decide when and how much to eat.

When my first daughter was just starting to eat solid food, I debated with my husband on the timing of the meals and the amount we should feed her. I was the ever-worrisome "new" mother, posting feeding schedules in the kitchen and writing down what she ate, how much and when.  It was then that my husband introduced the term "We decide what she eats and where she eats, she'll decide when to eat and how much".  I fought that theory at first.  No, no, no, there's no way I was going to let my daughter decide how much she's going to eat.  I'm her mother, I set the rules, I make the decisions.   That theory didn't coincide with the articles I'd read at the time describing the feeding schedule for a 6 month old. 



As time went on and our family grew (in numbers), I started to revise my philosophy on feeding our kids.  My husband's food rules seemed to make sense, given the fact that kids don't naturally starve themselves and forcing them to eat could lead to many food related problems down the road. I didn't want meal time to turn into a giant power struggle between us and our kids.  Allowing our children to have some power over their meals at a young age teaches them to listen to their own bodies. Eat when they're hungry, stop when they're full.  I thought about how my husband and I ate throughout the day and compared that to how I expected our children to consume their food. I eat three meals a day with a few snacks every now and then.  My husband eats smaller proportions but snacks all day long. I broke the theory down into sections, rationalizing each point, adapting the "food rules" to fit our ideals and schedule.



WE decide WHAT they eat.  As long as we purchase healthy, whole foods, the "what" isn't going to be much of a problem. We put together the meals with a variety of healthy foods, our cupboards and fridge are full of "good-for-you" options.  We're not so strict as to never have chips or cheesies, they're purchased on a "sometimes, usually for a special occasion" basis.



WE decide WHERE they eat.  Common sense rules on this one. They're not allowed to eat on the living room couch / chairs or anywhere in the house with carpet. That only leaves the two tables we have, the kitchen and dining room so the "where" ended up being pretty simple and self-explanatory, an easy rule for them to follow.



THEY decide WHEN to eat.  This can be tricky, but doesn't have to be.   My eldest is a mini-version of my husband, enjoying smaller meals but eating often. They work well that way, it's what their body wants and from what I've read recently, it's actually a very healthy way to eat.  If they're hungry, they're hungry, grab a snack.  All within reason, of course. If dinner is about to be put on the table, they're asked to wait.  We've set our schedule to have snacks and meals on the table at reasonable times of the day to avoid the feeling of having a family restaurant in our kitchen with a revolving door. 



THEY decide HOW MUCH to eat.  I struggled with this one the most and we ended up making a few compromises.  How could a kid survive on two olives and a pickle? (Hellooooo Ian!)  We started to put out a veggie plate with every dinner and the kids have to eat something from that "middle plate" every day.  At least we know that if they didn't like their dinner, they at least put something that was good for them in their tummies.  If they only had a few bites of their meal, I'm OK with that. I feel as though I'm going against the norm with this one but I'm not going to force them to eat it.



 I've adopted my husband's theory of feeding children and with a little tweaking every now and then, our food rules work for us. Our children are learning to control their food intake in a natural way. Hopefully they'll avoid developing a power struggle with themselves over food as they mature, but as the saying goes, "the proof is in the pudding".  (or in our case, the proof is in the "middle plate")

Far Sighted Family - A Short Story

 Eiluj loved many things, she loved her family, the outdoors and eating yummy food.  She loved drawing and driving.  One day, she was driving along the country roads to visit grandparents.  Eiluj packed her car, "Bluey" with activities and snacks to keep her three children, Nai, Nosila and Adela, happy for the long drive.  Nosila enjoyed listening to her music, Adela read her many books and Nai played with his toys.  Eiluj drove and drove and drove.  After three hours, her eyes were starting to get sore, after five hours, her eyes were stinging and after seven hours of driving, she could barely see the road.  They made it to their grandparents house for a wonderful holiday filled with outdoor play and lots of yummy food.

One week later, Eiluj packed Bluey with her children's favourite activities and they set off on another road trip, back along the country roads, driving back home to Ottawa.  This time, Nosila played with her toys, Adela listened to music and Nai read his books.  Nai loved looking at the pictures but his eyes struggled to see the small letters in his books.  Eiluj drove and drove and drove. After three hours, Eiluj's eyes were starting to get sore, after five hours her eyes were stinging and after seven hours of driving, she could barely see the road.

The next day, Eiluj went to see an Optometrist to get her eyes checked.  The Optometrist discovered that Eiluj was far-sighted which means she could see things clearly that were far away but struggled to focus on things that were close to her. Eiluj was excited to get glasses, she chose beautiful burgundy frames that were just the right size for her.  


Eiluj decided to take her three children to get their eyes checked as well.  Nosila and Adela didn't have any problems with their eyes but the Optometrist discovered that Nai was far-sighted, just like his mom.  Nai was also excited to get his new glasses, he chose beautiful blue frames that were just the right size for him.

Now, when Eiluj packs Bluey for their long road trips to see their grandparents, Eiluj drives and drives and drives for seven straight hours without any eye strain at all while Nosila, Adela and Nai share their activities and snacks in the back. Now Nai can see the small letters in his books and everyone is happy.  


Eiluj and Nai love their new specs!



Author's Note:
*This is based on a true story, however the names of characters have been changed (just for fun!).  We didn't realize that "Nai", (Ian) couldn't focus clearly on things that were close to him.  We only found out after I started having eye strain and was prompted by the Optometrist to bring our children in for screening.  If you have kids and haven't taken them to get their eyes checked, please make appointments.  It was difficult for me to accept the fact that Ian would have to wear glasses at such a young age (3) but I'm thankful he'll be able to see clearly.  I'm so, so proud of him for wearing his glasses all day, every day without any issues at all. He's my adorable little far-sighted buddy, we wear our special specs together!

SAHM

SAHM
  The saying, "Children are only young once" is a phrase I repeat often.   Once they fly through the swinging doors and race down the school hallways to their class, the time we have to help them, teach them and play with them diminishes.   I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to be a SAHM. (Stay-At-Home-Mom)

10 years ago, when we were dating, my husband and I discussed our future life together and all of it's possibilities.   We talked about whether or not we wanted kids and where we would ideally like to live, work & play.  We agreed on two things at the time: First, that if we had a girl, her name would be Aleda, after my Grandmother. Second, that one of us would stay home while the kid(s) were young.  It didn't matter where we lived, worked, or played. Over the years our commitment to having a SAHM has never wavered.  The whole reason we strive to stick to our strict budget (say that 5 times fast!), is because we've made the choice for me to be at home with the kids until they're all in school full time. We made this decision before really knowing what it was like to be parents. We made this decision not realizing that we were in the minority group of having a stay-at-home parent. We made this decision without knowing how incredibly hard it would be to keep them busy and happy. I'm learning along the way how to parent according to our morals and values, how to reach out to the world when it felt as though we were all alone, how to entertain, teach and fill our days with activities that fit our desires as well as our tight budget.  It's been tiring, lonely and challenging but also incredibly rewarding. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be home with the kids while they're young. I count my lucky stars that we have this particular lifestyle right now. As my youngest will soon be turning 4, my years with young kids at home full time have turned to months and we will soon be counting the weeks until he races toward the school doors. I'll continue to stick to our budget and make sacrifices, I'll continue to stick to our decision that we agreed on 10 years ago.

Making More, Gifting Less

I believe that shopping is in my genes, I actually have a special shopping skill that may not be unique but it is very useful.  I love the hunt, searching for just the right item at just the right price. Having a limited budget means I have to shop less but that doesn't mean I have to give up the special gift I have of being a good shopper.   Following Shopping Season (woops, I said it again...I mean Christmas), I've been thinking seriously about the gifts we buy each year. I know that a large portion of our "extra" expenses during the year are the result of purchasing"gifts".  Not just for our children at Christmas and birthdays but also for extended family, friends, workmates, teachers etc.  We have cut back over the years but after viewing our Christmas morning photos, I realized that we haven't cut back enough.  I managed to purchase a bike and skating helmet through kijiji that were next to new at a cost of next to nothing.  I consigned some children's items at our local consignment store then used the credit to purchase Christmas gifts.  I have no qualms about doing this, as long as the item "looks" new, the children don't know the difference but our bank account sure does.  We baked cookies for the teachers, accompanied with homemade cards and voila. My husband and I decided to skip the gift giving between us. I have to be honest,I struggled with this idea for a while, the idea that there will not be a present "To Julie" under the tree on Christmas morning but I really am OK with our cutbacks.  If there's something I need, I'll take my time and put my good shopping skills to use, finding just the right item at just the right price.  (tip: researching and purchasing quality items often pays off in the long run.  We have a top brand quality snowsuit that was worn for 4 years by 2 kids and it is still in excellent shape) I think many of us should pull the reins back on the abundance of Christmas gifts. Why stop there? Birthdays should qualify for gift reduction also, at least less of the gifts that require giant shears to open and result in a garbage bag full of packaging.  We've had the discussion many times but maybe this year, we'll add the line "no gifts please" onto our birthday invitations.  I'm being brave saying this now, considering my birthday is days away.

Hat #3

Hat #1

Hat #4 (hat # 2 was unfit to show)

I've picked up my crochet hook and am getting my paints ready to make more gifts this year.  I've crocheted 4 hats, 3 sets of coasters for a hostess gifts and knit 2 scarves since November. If you must shop, sure, hit the stores, you might even see me out there looking for just the right item at just the right price, but there's no need to pollute the earth with more "stuff" that surely, we don't really need.  I'm not at the point where I'll say no to buying any gifts (remember, I love to shop!), However, I do resolve to cut back on gift purchases and make more this year.  I'll keep tally of our "extra" expenses and will let you know if my strategy worked.

Two Weeks Free

Super Snowmen

Super Schleich

We've had the kids home from school for two weeks because of Shopping Season (woops, I mean, Christmas) and I have to admit, I was a tad worried about how to keep them occupied without spending any money.  It turns out, I didn't have to.  They seemed to relish the down time, taking turns setting up sets of toys old and new.  They didn't want to leave the house, they just wanted to "play".  That was fine with me.  Without having to travel 600km to visit my parents this year (since they're condo-ing out West), we've had lots of time to do just that, just play.  I've been weedling out toys that the kids didn't play with much over the past year, deciding to concentrate and build upon a few select series.  This makes birthdays and Christmas easy for all family members who buy gifts for the kids.  Playmobile, Schleich Figures, Hot Wheels, Trains, Puzzles & Books are the top choices for our kids when asked what toys they enjoy. I love how the Playmobile sets all fit together, and how varied the scenarios are as the kids set up their horse and elf figurines.  I am amazed when Alison independently completes a 250 piece puzzle.  We enjoyed family monopoly games, completing puzzles,  arts & crafts with items we found around the house.

Super Sledders

What else is fun but doesn't cost alot? Toboganning!  We had a blast at some local hills this year and so far, no broken bones.  (Our daughter has a great story to tell about when she broke her collar bone at age 3 while sledding).  I found out when the free skates were at local arena's and we hit the rink as well.  We have a membership to the Science Museum, so, of course, we payed them a visit.  I looked up the free hours for the Nature Museum and went during that time.  We just returned from the pool, it wasn't free but it didn't break the bank and it rounded off a well spent, relaxing yet enjoyable two weeks off.