Where does time go? Days, weeks, and months just pass. 2009 is coming to an end soon; we will be in the end of the first decade of the millennium. Wow, already. I remember Y2K like it was just yesterday.
Life just flies by, time goes so quickly. My days are always full of things to do. I work 4 days a week, I am home by 3:30p, and then part 2 of my day begins. Life is not always easy for anyone. No matter if you have children or not, our days are always hectic and full of things to do. Sometimes my husband and I just look at each other with a helpless glare. We just laugh at the chaos going on around us, we breathe, and we pick up where we left off.
There are many days that I feel stressed and frustrated. Everything we do in life is most always for someone else. Our children and their needs come first. We barely sit on our bums in the chair when we are eating dinner, because one of my twins wants to pull my plate off the table, or they want to sip my water from my glass. After dinner, clearing the table is just as fun. They climb on top, try to drink the remaining fluids in the glasses, the crumbs left on the table, and the peels of the fruit, left in the plates.
Life with children is a full life. When I say full, I mean..full. My 1 day off a week, and my weekends are supposed to be for relaxing. That never happens. Recently my husband and I booked a trip to New York City for our 10 year Anniversary. We cancelled because of the flu going around. My daughter fell ill, the exact weekend we were to be in NY so we would not have been able to go anyway. Mother’s intuition or just the laws of attraction?
We give up things we want to do when we are parents. Gym memberships, outings with our adult friends, and weekends away with our spouses. When you have young children, our priority is them. I say it all the time, sacrificing is all a part of parenthood. Yes it sucks sometimes, but it is all part of the trials and tribulations. Our children will get older, and eventually they will need us, a little less. These young years of their lives ware us out, tire us out, and suck every fibre of strength out of us. We try to smile, when we feel like crying.
This time is only temporary, and things do get easier, and better. At least this is what I am told..lol. So I am looking forward to that. I am looking forward to a weekend at the spa, or a dinner with some friends, and a trip to NYC. When you are a mother or father to small children, there is no such thing as free time. Child time trumps our time, every time. Eventually we will get to experience life a little less hectic. Eventually our free time will really become what it was meant to be; me time.
That’s my peace today!
Chick pea salad
1 can chick peas
1/2 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 red pepper, diced
6 small bocconcini, sliced
1/2 cup diced anise
salt, pepper, oregano
1/2 c olive oil
2 tbsp balsamiv vinigar
2 tbsp lemon juice
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Add oil, vinegar, lemon juice. Salt, pepper and oregano and mix. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before eating.
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Snuffleupagus does exist
So today marks the 40th Anniversary for Sesame Street. I can’t believe that it has been around that long, and it still is airing today. When I was little, I just loved watching Sesame Street. It was actually the highlight of my day. My favourite character was Oscar the Grouch. He reminded me of myself..lol. He was always pissed off at everyone, but deep down he really cared about his Sesame friends.
If you think about it, life is like Sesame Street, but in a childproof version. There are characters like The Count, Elmo, Oscar, Big Bird, and Snuffy. In the real world, there is the mean person, the happy friendly person, the one that only cares about how many “numbers’ you have, the one that nobody believes, and the one that does really exist to some people.
We learn very early on, that life is full of different people. People that are kind, giving, and people that are not so nice and giving. As a child, watching these characters interact in their neighbourhood brought me pleasure, knowledge, and life lessons. There is always a lesson to be learned when you watch Sesame Street. These fluffy characters try to teach us things about life that we may not yet understand.
Children are very naive people. They see things from a different perspective than us. They think that their problems are very large and important. Today my son could not go to school because he is sick. He was upset, not because he is sick, but because he was supposed to trade hockey cards with his friend Daniel. This was a very big problem for him. For me, he not trading his hockey cards is not a problem at all.
As adults we have “more important” things to think of and worry about. We pay mortgages, we pay bills, and we take on life insurance policies. These things are our “problems”. I remember when I was little; I would watch my mom paying bills. She would gather all the envelopes, sort them out, take out her check book, put a stamp on the them, and get ready to mail them out. I was only 10, and it looked like so much fun to me. To my mother, it was just another month filled with bills.
In life, it is all about perspective. How things are viewed. We cannot make someone see something the way we see it. Everyone thinks that their problems, issues, and worries are important to them. We learn early on, that life is filled with different people, and that there are different life lessons that must be learned.
When we watched Sesame Street, we would see Big Bird talking to his furry friend. Day after day, Snuff would drop in and chat with him, and would leave before anyone could see him. Big Bird was strong enough and confident enough to believe that he saw him and talked to him every day. He knew that Snuff existed, at that is all that was important to him. He gave up caring what people thought, and what they saw, and what they didn’t see. Sesame Street should teach us all that we shouldn’t care what other people believe. Life is seen through our own perspective, our own view, and our own eyes and that should be the only important thing.
That’s my peace today!
Pizza Roll
1 pizza dough
2 cups cooked sauce
1/2 cup pepperoni or italian salami
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup cooked sliced mushrooms
oil for brushing
Roll out dough, spread sauce, pepperoni or salami, mushrooms, and sprinkle mozzarella. Beginning from one end, roll tightly into a log. Brush with olive oil, place on baking sheet in oven at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes. Make sure it is not burning at top or bottom.
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
If you think about it, life is like Sesame Street, but in a childproof version. There are characters like The Count, Elmo, Oscar, Big Bird, and Snuffy. In the real world, there is the mean person, the happy friendly person, the one that only cares about how many “numbers’ you have, the one that nobody believes, and the one that does really exist to some people.
We learn very early on, that life is full of different people. People that are kind, giving, and people that are not so nice and giving. As a child, watching these characters interact in their neighbourhood brought me pleasure, knowledge, and life lessons. There is always a lesson to be learned when you watch Sesame Street. These fluffy characters try to teach us things about life that we may not yet understand.
Children are very naive people. They see things from a different perspective than us. They think that their problems are very large and important. Today my son could not go to school because he is sick. He was upset, not because he is sick, but because he was supposed to trade hockey cards with his friend Daniel. This was a very big problem for him. For me, he not trading his hockey cards is not a problem at all.
As adults we have “more important” things to think of and worry about. We pay mortgages, we pay bills, and we take on life insurance policies. These things are our “problems”. I remember when I was little; I would watch my mom paying bills. She would gather all the envelopes, sort them out, take out her check book, put a stamp on the them, and get ready to mail them out. I was only 10, and it looked like so much fun to me. To my mother, it was just another month filled with bills.
In life, it is all about perspective. How things are viewed. We cannot make someone see something the way we see it. Everyone thinks that their problems, issues, and worries are important to them. We learn early on, that life is filled with different people, and that there are different life lessons that must be learned.
When we watched Sesame Street, we would see Big Bird talking to his furry friend. Day after day, Snuff would drop in and chat with him, and would leave before anyone could see him. Big Bird was strong enough and confident enough to believe that he saw him and talked to him every day. He knew that Snuff existed, at that is all that was important to him. He gave up caring what people thought, and what they saw, and what they didn’t see. Sesame Street should teach us all that we shouldn’t care what other people believe. Life is seen through our own perspective, our own view, and our own eyes and that should be the only important thing.
That’s my peace today!
Pizza Roll
1 pizza dough
2 cups cooked sauce
1/2 cup pepperoni or italian salami
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup cooked sliced mushrooms
oil for brushing
Roll out dough, spread sauce, pepperoni or salami, mushrooms, and sprinkle mozzarella. Beginning from one end, roll tightly into a log. Brush with olive oil, place on baking sheet in oven at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes. Make sure it is not burning at top or bottom.
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
Monday, November 9, 2009
The little life inside
Pregnancy is one of the biggest miracles of life. 2 people have the ability to create another human being. How amazing is the idea that we can conceive a child and be able to feel that baby grow in our own bodies. 9 months of growth and development of a fetus, that turns into a baby.
Many women love being pregnant, while others don’t enjoy it. Some get nausea, headaches, and heartburn. It feels like the baby is never arriving and all we do is wait...for 40 weeks. We have morning craving, night cravings and Taco Bell cravings..lol. Our husbands do their best to help us out, cater to our desires, and some even gain weight with us..lol.
We are so lucky to be women. Men don’t have to get internal exams, or stretch marks, or hemroids, or stitches, or episiotemies; we do. Men also don’t get to feel the little flutters, the little kicks, and the little turns, like we do. They feel our bellies move with their hands, but they don’t know what it’s like to actually “feel” the bumps.
We go through 9 long months of sacrificing. Stay away from seafood, no herbal teas, no alcohol, no sushi, no sauna’s, no roller coasters. Everything is don’t do this, don’t eat that, don’t drink that. We want to make sure we play by the rules, for the sake of our growing baby.
When a woman gets pregnant we become professional OBGYN’s. We go on websites that provide us with day by day, week by week, and minute by minute changes of this little miracle. We know when the arms grow, the feet grow and when it goes from a “grain of rice”, to a “kidney bean”. We prepare the nursery, the car, and the entire house. A once prestine home set with candles, white couches, and glass tables, now will be replaced with baby swings, exer-saucers, and bassinettes. We throw away the Victoria Secret Magazines for Today’s Parent. We stock up on baby name books, and “What to Expect when you are Expecting”, and of course “Chicken Soup for the Expentant Mother’s Soul.” We keep a pregnancy diary, all our ultrasound photo’s and all our doctor appointment schedules.
Pregnancy is a blessing, a privilege, and a sheer out miracle. When I was in Grade 11 we saw a movie called “The Miracle of Life”. I am almost positive all of you have seen it..lol. It shows us a detail look at pregnancy and child birth. I think it took me 10 years to recover from what I saw..lol. (Especially because waxing obviously was not popular back then..lol) I think that is when I realized that there are no storks involved in the baby making process. I think the boys never knew that babies were born from “there”.
Once you give birth, and become a mother; Whether you have a C-section, vaginal, epidural, or not, it is something you cannot “prepare” for. Pregnancy is unpredictable, and so is birth. We can go to Lamaze, or pre-natal classes, but I do not think anything can prepare you for the job ahead. There is a saying, “Nothing worth having, comes easy.” That is a true understated statement. We grow fat, change our shapes (I don’t care how great you look after you have kids, your body is NEVER the same again..lol), and we open up areas we never thought opened that wide, all for the sake of our children. People that have never had children sometimes ask, “What does child birth feel like?” and any mother will answer the same, “It hurts like hell, but I don’t really remember what the pain felt like.” That is because as soon as we see the little miracles of life plopped right there on our bellies, the pain goes away. The 9 months of sacrifices, cravings, vomiting, and heartburn are a thing of the past. We forget all the pain of labour, and the sting of the epidural, because we got our prize in our arms.
My little sister is now expecting her first child. She is 8 years younger than me, and she seems so “little” to be having a baby..lol. I see her excitement, her glow, and her anxiousness for her baby coming in May. I look at her and see her happiness and her growing belly. She now knows what it is like to be preparing for motherhood, she now knows the joy of pregnancy, and she now knows how great it is to have that little life inside of her. A feeling that cannot be duplicated, explained, or ever replaced..by anything!
That’s my peace today!
Breaded Chicken Cutlets
6 thinly sliced chicken
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup or so olive or grape seed oil for frying
Whisk egg in a bowl. In a seperate shallow baking dish put breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Dip chicken in egg, remove and allow egg to drip off before placing in breadcrumbs. Bread and fry in olive oil 6 minutes each side. (You can bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 min, turning once. Drizzle oil on top of chicken for added crispy)
Many women love being pregnant, while others don’t enjoy it. Some get nausea, headaches, and heartburn. It feels like the baby is never arriving and all we do is wait...for 40 weeks. We have morning craving, night cravings and Taco Bell cravings..lol. Our husbands do their best to help us out, cater to our desires, and some even gain weight with us..lol.
We are so lucky to be women. Men don’t have to get internal exams, or stretch marks, or hemroids, or stitches, or episiotemies; we do. Men also don’t get to feel the little flutters, the little kicks, and the little turns, like we do. They feel our bellies move with their hands, but they don’t know what it’s like to actually “feel” the bumps.
We go through 9 long months of sacrificing. Stay away from seafood, no herbal teas, no alcohol, no sushi, no sauna’s, no roller coasters. Everything is don’t do this, don’t eat that, don’t drink that. We want to make sure we play by the rules, for the sake of our growing baby.
When a woman gets pregnant we become professional OBGYN’s. We go on websites that provide us with day by day, week by week, and minute by minute changes of this little miracle. We know when the arms grow, the feet grow and when it goes from a “grain of rice”, to a “kidney bean”. We prepare the nursery, the car, and the entire house. A once prestine home set with candles, white couches, and glass tables, now will be replaced with baby swings, exer-saucers, and bassinettes. We throw away the Victoria Secret Magazines for Today’s Parent. We stock up on baby name books, and “What to Expect when you are Expecting”, and of course “Chicken Soup for the Expentant Mother’s Soul.” We keep a pregnancy diary, all our ultrasound photo’s and all our doctor appointment schedules.
Pregnancy is a blessing, a privilege, and a sheer out miracle. When I was in Grade 11 we saw a movie called “The Miracle of Life”. I am almost positive all of you have seen it..lol. It shows us a detail look at pregnancy and child birth. I think it took me 10 years to recover from what I saw..lol. (Especially because waxing obviously was not popular back then..lol) I think that is when I realized that there are no storks involved in the baby making process. I think the boys never knew that babies were born from “there”.
Once you give birth, and become a mother; Whether you have a C-section, vaginal, epidural, or not, it is something you cannot “prepare” for. Pregnancy is unpredictable, and so is birth. We can go to Lamaze, or pre-natal classes, but I do not think anything can prepare you for the job ahead. There is a saying, “Nothing worth having, comes easy.” That is a true understated statement. We grow fat, change our shapes (I don’t care how great you look after you have kids, your body is NEVER the same again..lol), and we open up areas we never thought opened that wide, all for the sake of our children. People that have never had children sometimes ask, “What does child birth feel like?” and any mother will answer the same, “It hurts like hell, but I don’t really remember what the pain felt like.” That is because as soon as we see the little miracles of life plopped right there on our bellies, the pain goes away. The 9 months of sacrifices, cravings, vomiting, and heartburn are a thing of the past. We forget all the pain of labour, and the sting of the epidural, because we got our prize in our arms.
My little sister is now expecting her first child. She is 8 years younger than me, and she seems so “little” to be having a baby..lol. I see her excitement, her glow, and her anxiousness for her baby coming in May. I look at her and see her happiness and her growing belly. She now knows what it is like to be preparing for motherhood, she now knows the joy of pregnancy, and she now knows how great it is to have that little life inside of her. A feeling that cannot be duplicated, explained, or ever replaced..by anything!
That’s my peace today!
Breaded Chicken Cutlets
6 thinly sliced chicken
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup or so olive or grape seed oil for frying
Whisk egg in a bowl. In a seperate shallow baking dish put breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Dip chicken in egg, remove and allow egg to drip off before placing in breadcrumbs. Bread and fry in olive oil 6 minutes each side. (You can bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15 min, turning once. Drizzle oil on top of chicken for added crispy)
Friday, November 6, 2009
We want our mommies too!
Children get sick. When you are a mother, you know children get sick, often. We worry, we watch, we wait, we book doctor’s appointments, and we hope it just goes away. We don’t sleep at night because we are pumping them with Tylenol, cold compresses and checking to make sure their fever is down. We ensure they are drinking enough fluids and we have a stock of popsicles for their sore throats.
The more children you have, the longer the process is to eliminate the germs and viruses. Our husbands..Ha...that is all I can say. They end up getting their “man” colds and become absolutely useless. They lay on the couch, asking for tea, camomile, and back rubs..lol..this is when you want to call their own mothers and tell them to come and take care of their own kid..lol. So we have our kids calling for us, AND our husbands needing us.
Yesterday my 5 year old began running a fever, because of everything going on right now, I am a little nervous, and worried about her, and my other 3 kids. I began feeling little aches and pains of my own, in my back and my neck. I drink a tea, pop a Tylenol and continue to take care of my kids. I slept with my daughter last night because I had to make sure she was ok, and that she is not breathing too fast. While sleeping in her “big girl” bed, my 8 year old started screaming for me. I spring up, run over and see what is going on there. He is telling me (in agony) that his ears are hurting him, badly. So I basically spent my night going from one bed to the next, to check on both of them. In the morning, my husband wakes up quite refreshed and tells the babies to “leave mommy alone and let her sleep” This is when you think of involuntary manslaughter, as an option..lol..So I role out of bed and again, I feel some aches and muscles pains, I pour myself a tea, pop a Tylenol and continue my day.
A mother’s job is never done. We are like the Energizer bunnies, we keep going and going, and going. We don’t stop for anything, if we are on a mission. Our kids come first, point final. There is nothing more important to us, than them. We put our own feelings, schedules, and activities aside for them. It is just our duty.
Yesterday when I was feeling a little fluish, I too needed, and wanted my mommy. I remember the days when I was sick in bed. She would come in my room, put a cold compress on my head, take my temperature, leave me some homemade chicken soup, and tuck me in. When I got sick, I knew I could count on my mother to comfort and take care of me. I never stopped to realize if she was tired, or if she too, was feeling sick. I didn’t even notice. I am sure there were many times she did not feeling like taking care of 4 sick kids, making dinner, doing laundry and disinfecting the germs, but she still did it. She stayed up all night with each of us, making sure we got through it ok. She lacked sleep and strength, but she did it for us.
A mother is not “allowed” to get sick. We are the last ones we think about when we have others to take care of. We can’t lie down and shake off the flu symptoms because we have more important little people to take care of. Mother’s are selfless; we want our kids to be healthy and to get back to normal. Mothers DO get sick, we do feel the aches and the pains and we do occasionally feel like vomiting too. The only difference is that we suck it up and forget about it. One thing I will tell you....if we do get sick, we want our mommies too!
That’s my peace today!
Lentil Soup
1 can of lentils
2 chopped carrots
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 white onion diced
1 celery stalk
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp olive oil
In a saucepan, heat oil, sautee lentils, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper. Add water, bring to a boil, salt again and add rice. Cook on med-high for about 40 minutes.
The more children you have, the longer the process is to eliminate the germs and viruses. Our husbands..Ha...that is all I can say. They end up getting their “man” colds and become absolutely useless. They lay on the couch, asking for tea, camomile, and back rubs..lol..this is when you want to call their own mothers and tell them to come and take care of their own kid..lol. So we have our kids calling for us, AND our husbands needing us.
Yesterday my 5 year old began running a fever, because of everything going on right now, I am a little nervous, and worried about her, and my other 3 kids. I began feeling little aches and pains of my own, in my back and my neck. I drink a tea, pop a Tylenol and continue to take care of my kids. I slept with my daughter last night because I had to make sure she was ok, and that she is not breathing too fast. While sleeping in her “big girl” bed, my 8 year old started screaming for me. I spring up, run over and see what is going on there. He is telling me (in agony) that his ears are hurting him, badly. So I basically spent my night going from one bed to the next, to check on both of them. In the morning, my husband wakes up quite refreshed and tells the babies to “leave mommy alone and let her sleep” This is when you think of involuntary manslaughter, as an option..lol..So I role out of bed and again, I feel some aches and muscles pains, I pour myself a tea, pop a Tylenol and continue my day.
A mother’s job is never done. We are like the Energizer bunnies, we keep going and going, and going. We don’t stop for anything, if we are on a mission. Our kids come first, point final. There is nothing more important to us, than them. We put our own feelings, schedules, and activities aside for them. It is just our duty.
Yesterday when I was feeling a little fluish, I too needed, and wanted my mommy. I remember the days when I was sick in bed. She would come in my room, put a cold compress on my head, take my temperature, leave me some homemade chicken soup, and tuck me in. When I got sick, I knew I could count on my mother to comfort and take care of me. I never stopped to realize if she was tired, or if she too, was feeling sick. I didn’t even notice. I am sure there were many times she did not feeling like taking care of 4 sick kids, making dinner, doing laundry and disinfecting the germs, but she still did it. She stayed up all night with each of us, making sure we got through it ok. She lacked sleep and strength, but she did it for us.
A mother is not “allowed” to get sick. We are the last ones we think about when we have others to take care of. We can’t lie down and shake off the flu symptoms because we have more important little people to take care of. Mother’s are selfless; we want our kids to be healthy and to get back to normal. Mothers DO get sick, we do feel the aches and the pains and we do occasionally feel like vomiting too. The only difference is that we suck it up and forget about it. One thing I will tell you....if we do get sick, we want our mommies too!
That’s my peace today!
Lentil Soup
1 can of lentils
2 chopped carrots
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 white onion diced
1 celery stalk
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp olive oil
In a saucepan, heat oil, sautee lentils, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper. Add water, bring to a boil, salt again and add rice. Cook on med-high for about 40 minutes.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
It's a wonderful world
How lucky are we to be alive today? I say, very. We live everyday with the knowledge of everything. We have the ability to travel to anywhere in the world, call anyone in the world and research any place in the world. We can go shopping, without any cash on us. Plastic, is all we need. I remember my grandfather (when he was still alive) did not want to pay debit anywhere because he just didn’t “get” the concept. He didn’t trust the fact that the bank was directly taking money from his account. He was born in 1919 and he couldn’t fathom the thought.
I was born in 1974 and the world has definitely evolved since then, and continues to. I cannot believe the advancements that we have been alive to see. Advancements in medicine, technology and communication. We treat people the way we want to be treated, and we are now beginning to realize that race, or the colour of someone’s skin, does not matter. Recently, we witnessed the first African American President elected in the United States. That was evolution at its best, and we were here to see it.
We have the ability to communicate with people with the touch a few keypads, and with the click of a webcam. We can now see people that live half way around the world. We have the ability to write our thoughts on a website and pass on the information, to anyone who will listen. This is the world we live in today. Some people may think that sometimes this is not always a good thing. If you don’t want to be reached, you have the ability to stop it. We can contact people from our past and present by signing up online to things like Face book and Twitter.
I remember the days of typewriters and 13 stations on television. Now we have MAC’s, and satellite tv. We have pharmacies open 24 hours and walk in clinics open on Sundays. There is nothing we can’t have or buy, thanks to things like EBay and Craigslist. We can order anything online and have it in our home within 5 business days. We can send packages across the country overnight, and we can download music, the day it is released.
The world we live in, is an amazing one. Whatever we want is at our fingertips. A tv is no longer just a tv. Now there is HD, and LCD, and all that extra stuff. Cars are becoming Hybrid, because we are beginning to care about our environment. We no longer accept pollution and toxins in our air. We recycle because we know that it helps. We try to use less water and electricity because we know it is important.
Life is beautiful, life is grand, and life is full of opportunities. Live life and love life! Next time you are driving, take a look around you. Look at the trees, look at the grass, and look at the beautiful sky. Take a look at the children running, the older people walking, and just take a look at all the beauty. I promise, once you truly look what is right in front of your eyes, you too will see, it’s a wonderful world.
That’s my peace today!
Veal Shank with mushrooms and potatoes
1 pound veal stewing pieces
1 package of whole mushrooms
1 white onion, cut in large chunks
2 white potatoes, cut in large chunks
1/4 c brandy
1/4 c flour
1/2 cup beef broth or water
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Pour flour in a bowl and then toss veal in, coating all the meat. Remove and put aside. Pour olive oil in heated pan, and brown veal. Lower heat to medium, add brandy and cook for about 10 minutes. Throw in cut up potatoes,mushrooms and onions, add beef broth or water and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for about 25 minutes (until potatoes are cooked).
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
I was born in 1974 and the world has definitely evolved since then, and continues to. I cannot believe the advancements that we have been alive to see. Advancements in medicine, technology and communication. We treat people the way we want to be treated, and we are now beginning to realize that race, or the colour of someone’s skin, does not matter. Recently, we witnessed the first African American President elected in the United States. That was evolution at its best, and we were here to see it.
We have the ability to communicate with people with the touch a few keypads, and with the click of a webcam. We can now see people that live half way around the world. We have the ability to write our thoughts on a website and pass on the information, to anyone who will listen. This is the world we live in today. Some people may think that sometimes this is not always a good thing. If you don’t want to be reached, you have the ability to stop it. We can contact people from our past and present by signing up online to things like Face book and Twitter.
I remember the days of typewriters and 13 stations on television. Now we have MAC’s, and satellite tv. We have pharmacies open 24 hours and walk in clinics open on Sundays. There is nothing we can’t have or buy, thanks to things like EBay and Craigslist. We can order anything online and have it in our home within 5 business days. We can send packages across the country overnight, and we can download music, the day it is released.
The world we live in, is an amazing one. Whatever we want is at our fingertips. A tv is no longer just a tv. Now there is HD, and LCD, and all that extra stuff. Cars are becoming Hybrid, because we are beginning to care about our environment. We no longer accept pollution and toxins in our air. We recycle because we know that it helps. We try to use less water and electricity because we know it is important.
Life is beautiful, life is grand, and life is full of opportunities. Live life and love life! Next time you are driving, take a look around you. Look at the trees, look at the grass, and look at the beautiful sky. Take a look at the children running, the older people walking, and just take a look at all the beauty. I promise, once you truly look what is right in front of your eyes, you too will see, it’s a wonderful world.
That’s my peace today!
Veal Shank with mushrooms and potatoes
1 pound veal stewing pieces
1 package of whole mushrooms
1 white onion, cut in large chunks
2 white potatoes, cut in large chunks
1/4 c brandy
1/4 c flour
1/2 cup beef broth or water
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Pour flour in a bowl and then toss veal in, coating all the meat. Remove and put aside. Pour olive oil in heated pan, and brown veal. Lower heat to medium, add brandy and cook for about 10 minutes. Throw in cut up potatoes,mushrooms and onions, add beef broth or water and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for about 25 minutes (until potatoes are cooked).
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Golden Years..will just have to wait
My parents left last night for their frequent trip to their condo in Florida. They do this at least every 2 months or so. Every time they leave I feel a little sad. Even though I know that they will be back in exactly 16 days, my mommy and daddy are not around the corner.lol. Although I feel sad that they are gone, I also feel happy for them. They have “earned” their trips to Florida.
My parents raised 4 children, they were and are, very good parents. 8 years ago they decided to buy a getaway in North Miami and they have been enjoying it since. I like to tease them every time they leave. I say things like, “Ma, I can’t wait to be you 1 day, please take me in your luggage.” She always answers me with the same response, “Well, I was you, and now I am me, and my job as a mother is STILL not over.”
I have to admit, I sometimes feel a little envious when they plan their trips. I know that they will get there, plop their arses on the couch and do whatever they want to do. They don’t have to make meals at a certain time, they don’t have little kids tugging at their legs, asking for juice, and the only people they have to bathe, are themselves. They passed the tiring days of parenthood. They passed the days of staying up all night with children and fevers. Those days are over for them. Now they are enjoying being grandparents. They get to spoil our kids, stop by, and give them candy..and then, they get to leave..lol.
My mother always tells me to enjoy these years. She tells me, “You’re young; these are the best days of your life. Your children are still at home with you, under your roof, enjoy them now.” I understand and I do agree with her. The days of parenthood do fly bye, and I know before I know it, they will be applying for University. I know that I should be enjoying every little situation, and every little cute advice my kids give me, but sometimes, I just want to sleep..lol. Is it so hard to ask for a night of more than 4 hours of zzz’s. My mother also told me that when I “can” sleep, I won’t be able to sleep, because apparently the older you get, the less you want to sleep.lol.
I guess sometimes in life we are never really content with the moment we are living in. We want to be older when we are teenagers, we can’t wait to be 19, or we can’t wait to be married, or we can’t wait to be mothers and so on. We always get stuck in the trap of thinking something else, must be easier than what we are doing. My parents were me; they had days with little ones running around the house, and now they are reaping the rewards of all their hard work, and I say good for them.
Last night when my parents were on that plane, (I am not going to lie) I kind of wished I was on my way to the same destination. But then I took a look around at my 8 year old showing me his great test results, my 5 year old daughter was brushing her Barbie’s hair, and my 17 month old twin babies were running toward me, wanting a kiss. How could I want these days to fly bye? How can I want to hurry up and fast forward my younger years with my kids? How can I wish I were 60 years old, on a trip to Florida away from them? I have not yet earned my place on that plane, there are still many more lessons I must learn. There are still many more tears I will have to wipe away, and there are still many more stories I must listen too.
After seeing my parents away, it made me realize that I am not yet ready to leave yet. It made me realize that there are still so many more wonderful years and experiences ahead for me, and my kids. It made me realize that I am not yet ready to trade in a trip with my kids to the Golden Arches for a trip with my husband in our Golden years. That will just have to wait.
That’s my peace today!
Sausage Submarines
4 Italian sausages
4 submarine loafs
1 red pepper, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
oil for frying
Bake the sausages in the oven, covered for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, or you can grill on bbq. Meanwhile, put all veggies in pan with oil and fry until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove cooked sausages from oven. Slice the bread and open like a book, place sausage in bun, top with veggies and sprinkle cheese. Place on a baking pan,convection in oven at 385 degrees for about 10 minutes (until cheese melts and bread gets toasty)
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
My parents raised 4 children, they were and are, very good parents. 8 years ago they decided to buy a getaway in North Miami and they have been enjoying it since. I like to tease them every time they leave. I say things like, “Ma, I can’t wait to be you 1 day, please take me in your luggage.” She always answers me with the same response, “Well, I was you, and now I am me, and my job as a mother is STILL not over.”
I have to admit, I sometimes feel a little envious when they plan their trips. I know that they will get there, plop their arses on the couch and do whatever they want to do. They don’t have to make meals at a certain time, they don’t have little kids tugging at their legs, asking for juice, and the only people they have to bathe, are themselves. They passed the tiring days of parenthood. They passed the days of staying up all night with children and fevers. Those days are over for them. Now they are enjoying being grandparents. They get to spoil our kids, stop by, and give them candy..and then, they get to leave..lol.
My mother always tells me to enjoy these years. She tells me, “You’re young; these are the best days of your life. Your children are still at home with you, under your roof, enjoy them now.” I understand and I do agree with her. The days of parenthood do fly bye, and I know before I know it, they will be applying for University. I know that I should be enjoying every little situation, and every little cute advice my kids give me, but sometimes, I just want to sleep..lol. Is it so hard to ask for a night of more than 4 hours of zzz’s. My mother also told me that when I “can” sleep, I won’t be able to sleep, because apparently the older you get, the less you want to sleep.lol.
I guess sometimes in life we are never really content with the moment we are living in. We want to be older when we are teenagers, we can’t wait to be 19, or we can’t wait to be married, or we can’t wait to be mothers and so on. We always get stuck in the trap of thinking something else, must be easier than what we are doing. My parents were me; they had days with little ones running around the house, and now they are reaping the rewards of all their hard work, and I say good for them.
Last night when my parents were on that plane, (I am not going to lie) I kind of wished I was on my way to the same destination. But then I took a look around at my 8 year old showing me his great test results, my 5 year old daughter was brushing her Barbie’s hair, and my 17 month old twin babies were running toward me, wanting a kiss. How could I want these days to fly bye? How can I want to hurry up and fast forward my younger years with my kids? How can I wish I were 60 years old, on a trip to Florida away from them? I have not yet earned my place on that plane, there are still many more lessons I must learn. There are still many more tears I will have to wipe away, and there are still many more stories I must listen too.
After seeing my parents away, it made me realize that I am not yet ready to leave yet. It made me realize that there are still so many more wonderful years and experiences ahead for me, and my kids. It made me realize that I am not yet ready to trade in a trip with my kids to the Golden Arches for a trip with my husband in our Golden years. That will just have to wait.
That’s my peace today!
Sausage Submarines
4 Italian sausages
4 submarine loafs
1 red pepper, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
oil for frying
Bake the sausages in the oven, covered for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, or you can grill on bbq. Meanwhile, put all veggies in pan with oil and fry until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove cooked sausages from oven. Slice the bread and open like a book, place sausage in bun, top with veggies and sprinkle cheese. Place on a baking pan,convection in oven at 385 degrees for about 10 minutes (until cheese melts and bread gets toasty)
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
Monday, November 2, 2009
Moments
We wake up every morning, usually with pretty much the same routine. It usually starts with a shower, breakfast, and so on. When you have kids, sometimes, mornings don’t run as smoothly as we hope. From running, to crying, to playing, it can just go on, all day.
Motherhood is anything, but easy. Days at home with children, are very challenging ones. You have to grab every inch of your being, not to lose it. Sometimes it works, and sometimes, not so much..lol. Kids are constantly testing our patience, our heart strength, and our brain cells. We must be alert, awake, and on our toes. The days that we spend with our children are filled with a mixture of laughs, screams, and sometimes tear (our tears..lol). There have been many times when I was home, that I would just sit and cry. I would ask myself, my sisters, my mother, my husband and my friends, why I ever had children in the first place? They would laugh and answer with the same response, “You wanted them, you said you would die if you couldn’t have them, and you always wanted a big family.” So then I say, “Oh ya, now I remember.” I lift myself off the couch, gather my snotty tissues, and continue my day.
Children are the most wonderful people in the world. They are innocent and they are our little miracles. They are also, just kids. They don’t know that they are driving us nuts. They don’t know that sometimes we want to run away, and they don’t know that sometimes we just want to cry and escape in our minds. We are adults, we get it. We know how to behave, we know how to be patient and we know that leaving a piece of chewed up gum on a couch, will not come off easy. Kids don’t have the same thought process as we do. We expect them to, but they don’t. When they think they can grab the stack of plates to “help” us set the table, they don’t know, until they drop all the plates, that they were just too heavy for their little hands to carry.
We try not to scream when they drop the bowl of cereal on the rug. We try not to punish them when they leave the freezer door open for all the meat to defrost. We try not to flip out when they poo in their pants for the third time, in one day. We try. That is all we can do. We know that days at home with kids are filled with stress and chaos. We know that days at home with kids are sometimes frustrating and nerve racking. We know that days at home with our children, are not going to last forever. We know that days at home with our kids will be memories one day.
We know that days at home with our kids, are not always pleasurable and fun. We know that sometimes we have to reach in the bottom of our patience bag and take a breath. Most of the times, these little stressful incidents are part of life at home with kids. Most of the times, we move on and continue the rest of the day. We know that we will have a cry on the couch, questioning our jobs as parents. We know that it is not going to be the last time we wonder why our kids don’t always listen. We know that is not going to be the last time we pick up the phone to find comfort in our friends. We will need them to remind us that, as long as we have kids at home, we will have these little issues. They will remind us that life at home with kids is challenging, tiring, and hard. Most importantly, what they will remind us is that these are only moments in our lives. Moments in our lives that will be tough and trying, that don’t last all day, all week, or all year. These hard moments will pass, and we will laugh about it, not at the time, but moments later, when we have something else going on.
Our lives are a combination of little moments in time. Some will be funny, some will be frustrating, and some may leave a mark..lol. Just be prepared when these moments “happen” we know, just as fast as they came, they will be quickly gone.
That’s my peace today!
Italian style Mac and Cheese
1 pack of curly big elbow macaroni (I buy Molisana brand)
2 cups whole cream
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/4 c of chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Boil pasta as directed, salt water. In a 9x13 pan, butter the bottom and sides. In a bowl, whisk the cream, milk and parsley, 1/2 of all 3 cheeses, pour in bowl. In another bowl, mix the remaining cheese, spread evenly on the pasta. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper. Place in oven at 450 degrees until cheese bubbles and slightly browns. About 20 min.
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
Motherhood is anything, but easy. Days at home with children, are very challenging ones. You have to grab every inch of your being, not to lose it. Sometimes it works, and sometimes, not so much..lol. Kids are constantly testing our patience, our heart strength, and our brain cells. We must be alert, awake, and on our toes. The days that we spend with our children are filled with a mixture of laughs, screams, and sometimes tear (our tears..lol). There have been many times when I was home, that I would just sit and cry. I would ask myself, my sisters, my mother, my husband and my friends, why I ever had children in the first place? They would laugh and answer with the same response, “You wanted them, you said you would die if you couldn’t have them, and you always wanted a big family.” So then I say, “Oh ya, now I remember.” I lift myself off the couch, gather my snotty tissues, and continue my day.
Children are the most wonderful people in the world. They are innocent and they are our little miracles. They are also, just kids. They don’t know that they are driving us nuts. They don’t know that sometimes we want to run away, and they don’t know that sometimes we just want to cry and escape in our minds. We are adults, we get it. We know how to behave, we know how to be patient and we know that leaving a piece of chewed up gum on a couch, will not come off easy. Kids don’t have the same thought process as we do. We expect them to, but they don’t. When they think they can grab the stack of plates to “help” us set the table, they don’t know, until they drop all the plates, that they were just too heavy for their little hands to carry.
We try not to scream when they drop the bowl of cereal on the rug. We try not to punish them when they leave the freezer door open for all the meat to defrost. We try not to flip out when they poo in their pants for the third time, in one day. We try. That is all we can do. We know that days at home with kids are filled with stress and chaos. We know that days at home with kids are sometimes frustrating and nerve racking. We know that days at home with our children, are not going to last forever. We know that days at home with our kids will be memories one day.
We know that days at home with our kids, are not always pleasurable and fun. We know that sometimes we have to reach in the bottom of our patience bag and take a breath. Most of the times, these little stressful incidents are part of life at home with kids. Most of the times, we move on and continue the rest of the day. We know that we will have a cry on the couch, questioning our jobs as parents. We know that it is not going to be the last time we wonder why our kids don’t always listen. We know that is not going to be the last time we pick up the phone to find comfort in our friends. We will need them to remind us that, as long as we have kids at home, we will have these little issues. They will remind us that life at home with kids is challenging, tiring, and hard. Most importantly, what they will remind us is that these are only moments in our lives. Moments in our lives that will be tough and trying, that don’t last all day, all week, or all year. These hard moments will pass, and we will laugh about it, not at the time, but moments later, when we have something else going on.
Our lives are a combination of little moments in time. Some will be funny, some will be frustrating, and some may leave a mark..lol. Just be prepared when these moments “happen” we know, just as fast as they came, they will be quickly gone.
That’s my peace today!
Italian style Mac and Cheese
1 pack of curly big elbow macaroni (I buy Molisana brand)
2 cups whole cream
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded parmesan
1/4 c of chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Boil pasta as directed, salt water. In a 9x13 pan, butter the bottom and sides. In a bowl, whisk the cream, milk and parsley, 1/2 of all 3 cheeses, pour in bowl. In another bowl, mix the remaining cheese, spread evenly on the pasta. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper. Place in oven at 450 degrees until cheese bubbles and slightly browns. About 20 min.
check out www.yummymummyclub.ca
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