Light Breakfast

Mackynzie's breakfast:

My breakfast:

Meal: Breakfast

Break down: Mackynzies: cut fruit and a probiotic yogurt. Mine: pre-made smoothie and 2 of my spinach cubes. 

Info: Our mornings usually start early, and we don't particularly like a big sit down breakfast first thing in the morning. We start out with something light and easy (I keep chopped and washed fruit on hand and ready to go.) and then later in the morning we eat something more nutrient dense, with a good amount of protein.

A Snowy Scene.

 After a bone chilling day yesterday, we were greeted with big, beautiful snow flakes this morning. The air was crisp, and swirling snow was turning the ground from it's dirty old winter look, to a wonderful scene torn straight off a holiday card.

 Winter in southern Alberta may be long and daunting, but it's days like this that make us ready for the cold again in late fall.

Castles and Beasts and Memories

 On days we're home, we like to follow our normal schedule to balance the busy days. A big part of that means having lots of play time together. 

 Both Mackynzie and I can easily get overwhelmed or frazzled in public (especially large places), so our home days really help us reconnect and collect ourselves again.

 Some days, we play kitchen, or house, or babies, or hide and seek, or play puzzles. Some days, we build forts castles to protect us from kind-of-fierce beasts.

 I was sitting in our castle, wishing that I had a personal camera man to film these moments; so that when she got older, we could curl up together drinking tea and laugh-crying at all the fun we have had over the years. Naked streaking and all. 

Well, I don't have a personal camera man, but I do have a(n) camera iPhone. I got my laugh-crying video to watch over tea, and I bet I will remember the giggles and screams just like when she was two and we played forts on a snowy winter day.

Bits and Pieces

1. Grabbing a couple things in the city with a friend. Matcha green tea frapp was a must.
2. Got the last copy in the store! Had that 'this is gonna be a good read' connection.
3. New rug for the play area. How they expect you to flatten the damn thing, I have no idea. This mostly worked though.
4. Headed out for some 'late' night swimming with friends, and catching some 'little Einsteins  while we waited to for Cody to come get us.
5. Oh, my hair. It's a crazy, crazy thing. Love it long, but get annoyed with it's 'personality', would love the ease of it short, but I look like I'm twelve with short hair. Oh, the insanity! (chuckle*)
6.A MUCH needed trip to the dog park.
8. Man picture. check.
9. I am soaking the emotion, inspiration, and feeling from this book. It feels good. I needed to read this.

On Growth and Change

 'This is what I’ve come to believe about change: it’s good, in the way that childbirth is good, and heartbreak is good, and failure is good. By that I mean that it’s incredibly painful, exponentially more so if you fight it, and also that it has the potential to open you up, to open life up, to deliver you right into the palm of God’s hand, which is where you wanted to be all long, except that you were too busy pushing and pulling your life into exactly what you thought it should be.So this is the work I’m doing now, and the work I invite you into: when life is sweet, say thank you, and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you, and grow.” -Shauna Niequist 

I started this post yesterday, thinking it was going to go one way, only to have it go in another direction. This quote is extremely appropriate. Change. It hold so much meaning. I have spent a long time thinking something was wrong with me for never being at a solid place. Never saying 'whew, that seems good for now.'. Always learning, growing, changing, rethinking. There have been many tears, many moments where I have felt like I was insane and just couldn't get a grip. And then I realised that there was nothing wrong with me. The constant change was normal, in fact, it was(is) extremely healthy. The only thing that was going to drive me insane, was my constant desire to control it. To mold it into what I wanted it to be. All I had to do was let go and ride the waves.  It's still hard to do that. Maybe it always will be, but it's what I am doing now. 

I read something today. It was something I have known, and have been working on, but have had many struggling and failed attempts. It was timed perfectly actually, I have had extra drive to follow through and I think this was the final push I needed. It's called 'How To Miss a Childhood' written by Rachel, from Hands Free Mama And its amazing. There are tons of quotes and articles and sayings that tell the same story, but there is something about the way that she shared hers that stuck. Not just with me, but with hundreds of people.

 I am on a Journey. A journey to do better, be better, to grow and change, stand and fall, belly laugh and collapse in tears. The road ahead of me is filled with lessons;  there is just so much more to learn every single day. This blog is a piece of this journey; a small piece, but a piece non the less. I want to include it to help me learn and to remember and cherish and laugh. This is my life. My beautiful, messy, unpredictable life, and I want to share it with you. The reason I want to include this blog (and for recent changes and spotty presence.), is because I want to learn how to break down my barriers. To share what I am really thinking and feeling. To let myself be vulnerable and know that it's okay. 

 One of my favorite quotes is by Mary Oliver: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" 

 My answer? I am going to ride each and every wave as it comes, with the knowledge that I may not be able to control what happens in my life, but I can absolutely control the way I spend my life. 

Green breakfast/snack smoothie with avocado

Meal: Breakfast/Snack

Break down: (instructions) 1 avocado, 1-2 handfuls of spinach (steamed), 1 ripe banana, handful or two of ice, orange juice to cover half way up ingredients. Blend. If too thick, add more O.J and a splash of almond milk until desired thickness.

Info: This is something I make when I am not satisfied with my veggie intake (green veggies specifically.). Packed full of awesome nutrients and easy peasy. I add coconut water if I have it too.

Why steamed spinach? Almost all greens should be cooked before consumption or they can be quite harmful for your system and can inhibit iron absorption. I can post more info on this, or 'the healthy home economist' has a good post with a break down of info. 

 To make this easier, I wash and steam ALL my spinach when I buy it, blend it together, and spoon/pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Once frozen, I place into baggy and add 1-3 cubes to my smoothies. (I usually add 2.)

Let's blog about food (easy lunch)

 I don't really know why I avoid posting about food on here. It's not that it's uninteresting for me, it's just such a routine part of life that it felt silly to blog about. But people are always asking for recipes  how/what we eat, my diet plan, fitness plan etc; so I figured since I wanted to record my meals anyway and let's face it, I suck at personally giving people recipes, I'll just add it to the ole' blog. And for the fitness thing, 75% of toning and looking great happens in the kitchen anyway.

 Anyway, the deal will be that I will post stuff we eat. Some of it might call for a recipe, some might be self explanatory and serve as more of an idea. Maybe I'll even post an 'I wanna make this because it looks freaking delicious' once in a while. Who know. So without further rambling, here's a picture of my food.

Meal: Lunch/Breakfast 

Break Down: 2 scrambled eggs (whipped with almond milk, cooked in coconut oil or butter), 1 slice of natural turkey with goat cheese inside, snap peas.

info: This was actually Mackynzie's lunch. So know now that every post should be kid approved and honestly, I probably only make stuff she is going to eat. This meal could actually be good for any meal of the day, when you eat it is up to you!

A small hello

 I'm taking a break from folding laundry and watching private practice for a second, to let my fingers feel what it's like to write again. They don't always take being away from the blog very well.

 I have been keeping busy and trying to find my new time slot to get some blogging in. I'm trying this new 'sleep when you're tired' thing and apparently I have quite a bit of sleep to catch up on. That, and I have had an unpleasant and constant headache for 5 days straight (which seems to have thankfully taken a hike). Now I have to start working on the 'rising early and not being a zombie or laying in bed' part. Hopefully Mackynzie's new sleep schedule sticks and we can eliminate the *ridiculously* early wake up calls (we're talking 4:30-5am here people.). Soon I will function like a normal human being... Soon.

We have been having some really fun filled days though. We had a fantastic trip to the science center last week, with really great friends. -It feels really awesome when you leave your friends feeling refreshed and happy and full. Especially when both you and your kids get along so well.- We took a spontaneous trip to the mall and health market after dropping Cody's mom off at the airport. We reconnected with a family we haven't seen in forever (turns out they live behind us! small world.). We celebrated a sweet boy with my dear friend, as we welcomed his first birthday. And then did our usual errands and outings and play times.

 There are a lot of things I want to write about here and my fingers are itching to start filling up blank pages. I am wishing it were summer right now. Even spring. These long winter months are taking their toll on me already! I am craving warm air, spontaneous walks, and doing yoga outside.

 Enough dreaming, I need to get back to private practice (it's a good episode.) and I guess sleep too, since I'm already past my bedtime. She does make joining her look pretty convincing though, doesn't she?

Bits + Pieces

 

1. Nursing my sweet girl, before I headed out for girls night.
3. We celebrated my birthday a day early (yesterday). My candles are slowly taking over the cake.
5.Super yummy butternut squash ravioli. It was as delicious as it looks.
6.Movie time. This is 40. It was hilarious.
7. There were supposed to be six of us going out, but everyone but my one girlfriend cancelled. We still had a super fun time!
9. I missed this girl.
10. Cake and tea for breakfast on my birthday. You bet your butt.

Morning

 Waking up to a sweet little face, singing my name and giving me pats on the arm. Telling me about her sleep and her dreams, telling me all the things she wants to play with today, making her stuffed monkey, Toes, give her daddy kisses as he sleeps. I really love mornings.

 It`s always so peaceful. Absolutely nothing taints the morning; it`s a fresh start, waiting to be filled with all the things you wanted to improve on from the night before and more.

 "Turn your face to the sun

and all of the shadows fall behind you"

I still have to remind myself of this. To let go, breathe in, and soak up every ounce of goodness today has to offer. I have the opportunity to be blissfully happy every single day. The choice is mine and the only question is whether or not I decide to choose it.

 I face each day in the most pleasant of places; a warm bed with heavy blankets, with an amazing little girl, and my very best friend. It can sometimes be hard to see the incredible sights right before your eyes, but I am thankful to say I am getting better at it every day. 

 So here's to mornings. I lift my warm mug of tea to you, and wish you a day filled with the amazing sights that lay before your very eyes. Cheers and good morning to you, my friend.

Bits + Pieces

1. These two are best friends. She drives him crazy during the day, but come bedtime, guess where he is?
2. We love us some  booster juice.
3. These two are always cuddling/snoozing away together. No matter how old they get, they will always be 'a boy and his dog'.
4. Driving to the city on a breath taking evening.
5. Also doing some shopping... I did not buy those pants. (taking a pic to show Cody why I didn't like them lol)
6. When you have a toddler, sometimes you get play food in your shirt first thing in the morning.

Happy New Year!

 I know it's not new years day today, but I wanted to say happy new year to everyone anyway. Happy new year!

 I don't really know how I feel about new years resolutions. Sometimes I think they are great; it's a great time to start fresh and it's always a good thing to have drive and goals. Sometimes, I think  they are also a set back on making and keeping goals (you vow you will do something, you put your heart into it because it's new years, and then it hits you hard and you feel like a failure when you don't succeed. Usually resulting in a bigger set back or opposite of the goal.). Either way though, I think it's a good idea to create realistic inspirations for the new year. That way, there is no failing, just trying again. And again, and again, and again if need be.

 I saw a list similar to this somewhere (I think instagram) but it was gone by the time I went looking for it. These are my inspirations for this year:

 I almost stopped blogging over the holiday, but here I am, so I will be delayed on posts from Christmas etc.

I hope everyone had a lovely new year celebration!