Category Archives: 101 in 1001

Counting up

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86. Dinner with my parents

87. A full grocery cart

88. Carrying sleeping children from the car to their beds (…although I did smack Kit-kat’s head on the door frame – ouch!)

89. Slow-cooker suppers that make the house smell so delicious!

90. Listening to them recite movie lines while they’re playing

91. Strawberries, blueberries, bananas, almond butter

92. Surprise kisses and hugs

93. Painting our nails together

94. Crazy, grown-up, complex statements coming out of little mouths :)

95. Fuzzy, wiggly puppy kisses

96. Reiki zen self-care time

97. Heartfelt conversations with my husband, being on the same page as each other

98. Hours-long text conversations with my mom :) And goofy dog names

99. Having him home for a couple of nights in a row, in the middle of a two-week single parenting stretch

100. A new puppy to love and learn with!

101. Long rays of afternoon sunshine

102. Cuddling together on the couch

103. Watching them try hard to set a good example for the puppy

104. When they stop being upset long enough to breathe, use words, and try to explain

105. A first night home with no crate accidents :)

106. Watching the sun rise between the trees outside our window

107. Weeknight dinners with mom & dad, and tasty homemade soup

108. Falling asleep between my two girls, texting my husband, with a puppy sleeping on the floor beside us and the furnace humming :)

Say Cheese!

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A couple of years ago, I read a book that changed my life:

One of my favourite authors and her family decided to spend a year living only on what was either grown in their neighbourhood, or grown themselves. In the book, they learn to make their own cheese, which I found fascinating! I immediately tried it myself, but then my rennet expired and it took me forever to find more without ordering it online.

I finally found some rennet at the Bosch Kitchen Centre in Edmonton, so today I decided to make the 30-minute mozzarella from the book. It is ridiculously easy, and oh-so-very tasty :)

From Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; also available from Ricki the Cheese Queen

First, assemble the ingredients:

  • 4L of whole milk (quickest if you have it already at room temperature…not cold out of the fridge)
  • 1-1/2 tsp citric acid powder, dissolved in 1/4cup cool water
  • 1/4tsp liquid rennet, diluted in 1/4cup cool water

Next, slowly heat the milk to 55 degrees F:

Add the citric acid solution, then continue to heat to 88 degrees. The milk will begin to form curds:

Add the diluted rennet solution, stirring in an up-and-down motion. Continue heating to 100 degrees F, then remove from heat.

If the whey is still creamy, continue to heat for a few more minutes…

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the curds to a microwave-safe bowl; sprees the curds with your hands to drain off any extra whey:

Microwave for 60 seconds; knead the curds with your hands (wear kitchen gloves – it’s hot!!) or with a spoon. Microwave two more times for 30-35 seconds each time, kneading in between:

Salt the cheese to taste – I find that 1tsp is plenty. Stretch and pull the warm cheese until it is soft like taffy. If it breaks into chunks, it’s not warm enough yet. ‘Nuke it some more ;)

Gnaw on the whole chunk of cheese while it’s warm, or decide to be classy and roll it into smaller balls to put in the fridge for later. It’s your cheese, your call!

My next cheese foray will be into the land of hard cheeses…before then, I need to find a cheese press. It should be interesting!!

If you are looking for rennet, rumour has it that you can find it in Edmonton at the following places, or online:

January: a month in review

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Detox 2012 already has one month in the bag! It’s been a good month, but it went by so quickly…I guess all my dreaming and wishing for Mexico has paid off ;)

  • I started running again – yay!
  • I registered for the Footstock 2012 half marathon in June
  • I went back to physio for some lovely IMS needles
  • I made it to 9 Bikram yoga classes!
  • I walked 15.5 hours –> that’s 54.25 miles!
  • I made it to 133lbs
  • I booked blood work to find out why I am so tired, instead of just ignoring it
  • I read Little Bee by Chris Cleave, How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway, and started My Life in France by Julia Child (!!)
  • Spent a LOT less time yelling and more time breathing
  • We went on several family “dates” all together, since Leith was home until January 29 :)
  • I took care of myself first, so that I could give my family the best of me
  • I cooked and baked a myriad of tasty meals and snacks from scratch, exploring and expanding my creativity
  • I spent a weekend with my oldest, dearest friends celebrating milestones
  • I played outside with my bugz in this beautiful weather
  • I celebrated my mother-in-law’s birthday with our family
  • I enjoyed new tea flavours in my mug – a chance to unwind and reflect
  • I started counting all the things in my life that I am grateful for
  • I spent at least one day a week with friends, letting our kids run wild

And most importantly? I spent most of January as a very, very happy person :)

Off to the races!

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After two years of non-training, I have finally registered for the Footstock 2012 half marathon! While most people were unwinding for the day, I was sitting anxiously at my computer, filling out the fields of the registration form.

And then I clicked “PAY NOW”.

Just like that, I was registered for a goal that I’ve been carrying since 2008. A goal I nearly accomplished in 2009, except for the stress fracture in my foot from over-competing with myself during the Devon duathlon that summer.

On June 9, 2012, I will be meandering through Cochrane AB for 21.1km. I’d really like to do it in 2 hours/10 minutes or less. That would keep me on pace with my personal bests of 1:29 for 15km and 1:50 for 18km in 2009.

A 6-minute kilometre for 21.1km?

Here’s hoping (and training!)

Worth the weight

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I haven’t blogged since LAST FRIDAY?? What the heck? I’ll make up for it today though :)

Running.
That’s why I haven’t been around much. I’m running again!!! It feels so delicious to be busting my tail, heart pounding, legs flying…well, legs turning over and over on the giant hamster wheel that is my 16-year old treadmill, anyway.
I hate such a love-hate for that treadmill. Love, because it gives me 60 minutes of good, solid cardio 5 days a week. Love, because I don’t have to drive into town so that I can run with my Chariot stroller (no shoulders to run on our country roads = not safe for stroller running). My bugz can play and watch a movie while I walk/run.
Hate, because it’s 16 years old, has a short (50″) deck, no cushioning, and is louder than a 747 taking off.
Love, because it was free from my mom.
Hate, because it would cost me $2,500 to get the treadmill I want to replace it.
But I’m running anyway. I am running, training for the Footstock 2012 half marathon in June. You may remember me kicking ass in my first duathlon at Footstock in 2009. I loved the whole event, and want to go back there for my first half marathon. I was supposed to do my first half in late 2009, but with acreage renovations and a broken foot, it didn’t happen.
Then I got fatter and busier, more injured, more stressed, more unbalanced. Half marathon training takes time, and I just didn’t have time. I barely had the time for a 5k once in a while. But fast-forward to this past summer/fall, and my body has learned to run when it’s told to. I’ve found my groove, where I can pick up and run 30 minutes without a break regardless of how long I’ve been “off”. 
After 10 weeks of walking 30-60 minutes a day, I picked up the pace on Friday and ran my first 30 minutes since October. 
It hurt like hell. My IT-band had been bugging me, and it was my first time running in my Vibrams on this ancient treadmill. I’d ran in my Vs before, both outdoors and on real treadmills, but not on my beast. I compensated too much by getting up on the balls of my feet, and my calves SCREAMED at me for days. I pushed through the last few minutes and finished, but thank goodness for my fabulous physiotherapist, Laurie.
She needled me up with a good dose of IMS on Monday, and I’ve been good to go since. No more pain.
***
Here’s my recipe for the good life right now:
*60 minutes of walking, twice a week
*30 minutes of running, followed by 30 minutes of walking, three times a week
*90 minutes of Bikram yoga, twice a week (three if I’m lucky!!!)
I’ve been walking 30-60 minutes/day since mid-November, and watching what I eat. In mid-December, I started going back to Bikram classes twice a week. I added running back into the mix on Friday. Nothing is crazy-intense or painful (other than the first run), and I’m not restricting anything in my diet. I write down what I eat, and I’m not hungry. 
I’ve lost over 15lbs since November 12, 2011. I’m wearing size 29 jeans, and everything else in my closet is falling off of me. I’m officially below my pre-pregnancy weight for the first time since August 2007. Four-and-a-half years. I’m 4 pounds away from my Edmonton Rush dance team body, and I have the most incredible, lean muscle tone from Bikram yoga.
I feel like a million bucks right now. And the best part is that I didn’t starve myself to get here. I took everything in moderation. I ate whatever I wanted between Christmas Eve and New Years’ (within reason), but kept exercising. I made sure that my exercise was moderate, but consistent. I have committed one short hour out of every 24 hours to my fitness. I am mindful of what I am eating, making things worthwhile so that I’m not sacrificing my love of food for short-term satisfaction. Making sure I am full, happy, and energized every day.
It’s worth it.
And I have before pics. I can’t wait to show you the “afters” :)
2012 is the year of kicking ass. I’m on track in so many areas of my life right now…it feels great!

36 hours

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I’m trying to keep myself preoccupied right now so this weekend was full of busy fun! We went to my mom’s Christmas party for kids on Saturday to decorate gingerbread men and see Santa. The bugz were thrilled to wear their (non-matching) party dresses that they picked out themselves this year :) _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

C-boo was very…thorough? 
Kit-kat, on the other hand, was more…artistic :D

When we got home, no one wanted to nap, so I set them up with their new gift from Santa and started painting my room. I’d wanted to redecorate for months, because the turquoise-and-white from 2 years ago just wasn’t doing anything for me. It was too bright and vibrant. I want a sanctuary right now – somewhere to escape to and relax in.
I bought two shades of warm-grey paint last weekend but hadn’t had the energy or patience to start. With the bugz plugging away at their dress-up dolls, I got started. By bedtime, I had finished the dark feature wall, cut the trim on the other three walls, and painted the opposite light grey wall (because it didn’t need to be taped off from the dark grey…). On a whim, I also painted my dresser the same dark grey, but because of it’s original stain, it ended up being an in-between shade. Perfect!
This morning, I did the first coat on the two side walls and then we hopped in the car and went to Ikea to pick up some new decor: shelving for a new headboard, new draperies, and some accents. The place was d.e.a.d., and the bugz are finally big enough to go to the kids’ play area, so I was in and out in under 45 minutes! We had a quick lunch, and then we were home.
I finished the last coat of paint while the bugz napped, and Sherrie came over to help me with the curtains. I put the shelving up temporarily so that I could take a picture – I need dry wall anchors and we have none.
But in the meantime, the bedroom is nearly done and I think it’s beautiful! I need to put one last coat on the fronts of the dresser drawers, and I will probably paint the matching bedside table. The only thing missing is a new duvet cover, and a husband ;)

Wishing

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If I could, I would:_uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

  • like mushrooms and borscht. They both sound so appetizing, yet try as I may, I can’t choke them down :(
  • run outside every day
  • feel inspired to take more pictures
  • take an Italian language class
  • buy a new treadmill, but to justify that, I would need to:
  • enjoy running on a treadmill more. It’s just. so. boring!
  • paint my bedroom grey, but I’m afraid to commit because it would be complete and total redecoration of the whole room…
  • fly to Ottawa to visit and show my bugz where I was born
  • hire a housekeeper to give my mom a break
  • get over my “make do with what’s good” mentality and buy a freaking king-sized bed already
  • find the energy and resources to landscape and create a garden with real soil instead of dirt that is deader than dead
  • win the lottery so that my husband was home all the time
With that being said, I am going to dig out my knitting supplies from years ago and see if I can figure it out again! Hahahahahahaaa…no, seriously, I’m actually going to try.
*gulp*

Wonder-filled

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I know that I am going to regret sitting at my computer in about, ohhhh, 5 hours when Kit-kat wakes up, but I’m wide-awake after a long day and need to purge my brain back to sleep ;) _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I had a wonderful, wonderful day today! It was one of those days that could have been stressful and painful but ended up being a sweet reassurance that I am in the best place for myself and my soul right now. We were up early after a late night of hot yoga with Sherrie (followed by an ice cream sundae, glass of wine and hot tub…which is apparently all very bad for post-hot yoga dehydration!!). I woke up sore and exhausted to two under-slept, grouchy 3 year olds. I hauled them into the car hungry and crossed my fingers…
…And we had a lovely day!!
We were at the passport office by 9:30am and spent only an hour waiting. The girls were almost perfect, with only a few threatened mini-meltdowns. I checked another item off my list of 101 in 1001 and they got a fruit smoothie (on top of their Starbucks breakfast in the car!). Mexico, here we come!
We killed a bit of time at Rona getting supplies for one of our Christmas gifts, and then went to the Shoe Company where I found black, glittery pumps for Erin’s wedding (the hazards of shopping with 3-year olds…) and sweet neoprene rainboots that are rated for -30 degrees Celcius. Hello, winter boots :)
(the yellow ones!)

(the black ones!)
Then we spent a marvellous 3 and a half hours at Cafe O Play catching up with Natasha. I also got to meet Stefanie, who is absolutely amazing! It was a much needed, good-for-my-soul afternoon that left me in such a good place…I can’t even begin to write how much needed it was. And my bugz played their little hearts out the whole time, only stopping for half a bite of nut butter and jam panini and a mini chocolate cupcake.
At this point, my in-bed-at-10:30pm-and-up-at-8:00am kids had still not napped other than a brief 15-minute siesta for C-boo. But we kept on truckin’ and went to see Aunty Jocy for a spur-of-the-moment hair colour.
Um, I am in love with my new colour. The photo does no justice to her mad skillz.
We topped the night off with dinner at my parent’s house. They both crashed on the way there but eventually perked up enough to visit. I got a great meal and a good visit, and a bit of post-Vegas swag as well.
My new beautiful…xoxo
Then we were home, 13 hours and zero meltdowns later. We talked to Leith on the phone and read a story with him, and Kit-kat crashed within seconds of her head hitting the pillow. C-boo, on the other hand, decided that she was still wide awake and curled up in my lap with her soft blanket while I caught up on the daily gossip.
Now there are two little bugz snoring in my bed, and I am wide awake but amazed at all the good in my simple life. This really was the best decision, and I am so happy to be here.
:)