Oliver's New Career as a YouTuber

Oliver absolutely loves watching YouTube videos, specifically unboxing/unwrapping videos of toys and snacks. He can search "kinder surprise eggs" and then be occupied for an hour. He knows all the big youtubers, he can recognize videos that he's seen before, or been hoping to see, or that seem to be a rip off of another Youtuber's idea. He's all in.

So when I told him that he could be a Youtuber is was ecstatic. We began with a trial run, in which he did a review of the Nutella pretzel snack. I shared it to Facebook and got a good response so he's been making videos almost every day since.

I've seen so much improvement from him - from his first videos during which there would be long awkward pauses and little to no commentary, to his most current ones where he's truly upping his 'hosting' chops. He runs the audience through exactly what he's doing and likes to throw funny or interesting things in too. He's had his share of bloopers - in one video he starts bawling and in others his little sister tries to sabotage him - but in general he's pretty flawless.

Here are some if you'd like to check them out. Please like, comment, share and subscribe!

His first video ever - Nutella review

A sweet moment with Dakota

The infamous crying one

An early one

The day he was sick but still filmed - such dedication

His first Kinder Surprise Egg video

Another

On the counter, oops

I didn't help with this one at all

And another

I helped

On the floor

Look at that cute jacket

Dakota steals the show again


THANKS FOR WATCHING

Fueling a child's imagination

If I haven't already said it on here 1000 times, Oliver is obsessed with inventing. Everything he sees is a part of his invention; he is constantly scheming how to connect things. The plumbing and duct work in our home: part of his invention. An extension cord in a store we're shopping at: part of his invention. He plugs usb-cords into everything and doesn't even become disappointed when nothing happens. His inventions define him. He spends hours and hours on end working on them.

Calvin has been fueling Oliver's imagination by teaching him to play Little Big Planet 3. The video game (though yes, a form of "screen time") is amazing for encouraging creativity and "sky's the limit" thinking as opposed to the binary "this action is either right or wrong" of so many other games, not to mention the violence. I would rather Oliver play a game where his actions affect the outcome, than just watch a movie where he is a passive audience.

The other thing we've been up to is exploring electricity. My dad bought Oliver an inventor's kit in California when he was teaching a computer course there. It contains a learning book with projects and instructions, as well as a huge pile of pieces that he can use to create the projects or experiment on his own.

So far he has learned that electricity works in a loop. The loop starts at one end of the battery (which is the source of power) and ends at the other side, and they are called positive and negative, or + and -. The battery shouldn't be connected only to itself or it will overheat (short) so we attach it, using alligator clips, to "loads". Right now his loads are a lightbulb on a base, a red LED, a buzzer and a motor which he connects to other things to make them spin. He also learned that many metal things can be conductors and let the electricity through, but other things are insulators and stop the electricity. We spent some time testing things in the house and he thought it was pretty cool that Daddy's glasses are a conductor -- and his breakfast spoon! The most recently project we did was creating an on-off switch using brad clips and a paper clip. Now he can make an electricity loop (in series, not parallel yet) with a light and buzzer, so when the Toronto Maple Leafs score he can complete the loop (close the circuit) and make it sound and light up.

He is absolutely blowing me away at how much he understands and how easily he can apply the information. The kit is designed for elementary school children but Oliver doesn't even start JK until September (yes: I register him in 2 weeks, oh my heavens.)

We are so happy to be providing ways for him to be creative and explore possibilities. And hey, it's fun for us too.

Oliver Update

With so much about pregnancy and the new baby coming I thought it might be nice to post an update about what's new in the life of Oliver.

Here is Oliver at my staff Christmas party eating a candy cane. He insisted on helping as an elf for the Secret Santa giveaway. On stage, without my prompting. So, a real ham.

Age: Almost 2 1/2 years old! His half birthday is on Feb 5th.

Clothes: He wears basically all 2T. Sometimes I'll randomly find an 18M shirt or pants in his drawer and it often fits. Most of his jeans need a belt because he's a skinny little bird. His shoes are 9's I think. And his undies are 2T/3T which surprises me.Favourite Foods: I think tomatoes and cherry tomatoes will eternally be his favourite since he has personally grown them in "his" garden since birth. He calls them 'matos'. On the healthier side he loves all fruit - especially apples, clementines, halved grapes, bananas (unpeeled only, don't even think of cutting them for him unless it's going in a smoothie) and so much more. He is hesitant about kiwi if it doesn't have honey drizzled on it, which is only fair. Blueberries ('blues') and blackberries ('blacks') are popular right now. He likes every vegetable too - he had a giant serving of Brussels sprouts last night, he eats salad like a champion. He likes meat but calls it all "meat" unless I tell him it's chicken. Beef, pork, etc. is just "meat". He often asks for "dipper please" which means vinaigrette, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce or yogurt (if it's something sweet). He does love yogurt. He drinks only water unless he's in the mood for "hot cocoa" which he can practically make himself -- makes tea too (with ice cubes - "tea, cold, please"). What else? He always wants daddy's chips. He recently tried a pb+j and loves it. And just cheese all the time. 

Favourite Words: I'd have to go with "mess" and "turn". He loves to point out when he's spilled something or tracked snow on the hard wood, or if someone else has. If he leaves his trucks out in his bedroom he'll come notify me: oh no mommy mess! And telling us it's his turn for a TV show is a more frequent thing than I'd like to admit. Beyond that, he asks to call my mom a hundred times a day "Phone Maamo?" That and "Oh MAAM" instead of oh man.

Favourite Activities: Playing trucks or tractors could easily take up the entire day. He likes his new play kitchen and making me eggies and noodles. Train set, for hours. He really likes bubble baths. He will colour for a new minutes. Reading books for a while too. Smashing things with his play tools. And actually, I'd say "helping". He loves helping -- with laundry, with putting away dishes, with picking his clothes, tidying up... He is an amazing helper.

Favourite Things: His favourite things would have to be Fireman Sam episodes, Tobblerone bars, his best friend Abigail, when daddy hugs him and pretends they're "stuck", when he gets to stay up and "party" with the boys in daddy's band ("Mama, party please?"), asking for refills on his water sippy cup, the days when I don't go to work ("gerk"), talking on the phone, and wearing jeans ("please Mommy, no jammies.") 

Signature Moves: He has a mean twerk when he hears "booty booty booty booty rockin' everywhere" or that new Drake song. He likes to hop around and say he's hoppy instead of happy.
 

Mom's Proudest Moment: A very short lived one... we had friends over for dinner and our salad had cherry tomatoes in it. He had finished all of his and asked if he could eat one of mine. I said yes but I said: darn, it was my last one! So right before he put it in his mouth he said, "ok, mommy eat" and gave it back to me. I thought it was terribly sweet and generous, but as soon as I swallowed it he realized he'd made a terrible mistake and demanded I check the fridge for more tomatoes. I've also been very proud of his eating habits, his using "please" and "thank you" constantly, his new words every day, and so much more.

Dad's Proudest Moment: I'd have to ask him... Probably when we were watching a Leafs game and Ollie yelled JOFFREY! to something that Lupul did -- it was actually unreal.

Other Milestones: I can successfully feed him chicken drumsticks, tossed salad, and oranges without being scared he'll choke. He can properly pronounce the name Thomas (his train). He is fine to have a bath by himself while I do other things in the bathroom (hair, makeup) - until recently he always wanted me to come in and play. He can put his socks on. What else? He can choose and close tv shows on Netflix (not proud), count to who knows what (depends on how he's feeling, most days he just says 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3) and say the alphabet in his own special way (A B C D O E O P Q S O yay!) He's cool to go on the potty as long as we sing every song from his Elmo book and he's promised chocolate after, but he rarely follows through and asks me to give him the chocolate, very weird. He is okay to wake up, and be told it's not morning yet, so go back to sleep - huge milestone! And he's just been overall really mature the past little bit, as we see him interact with his friend Abby who is younger than him he know he's going to do his best to be an awesome and caring big brother.

Lastly, here's the monkey with his Maamo (upper) and me (lower) as we drove home from the Farmers Market.

My Travelling Medicine Cabinet

A few things about me:

1. I love to travel.

2. I do not love to carry heavy luggage around the airport.

3. I do not love to pay for extra checked bags at the airport.

4. I pack light.

Now when I say pack light, I don't mean I only bring one pair of heels and I limit myself to a medium sized makeup bag. I mean my entire family of 3 can fit our things for a 10-day vacation into one suitcase and the carry-on only has snacks and books in it. This includes diapers for the vacation. So, bottom line: I bring almost nothing.

The fact is a bottle of Dr. Bronner's pure castile soap (for makeup removal, laundry/dishes if you're staying in a condo, bathing, etc.) and a good pair of jeans go a long way. I typically call up any other females travelling with me and ask if they have plans to bring: a blow dryer, an aluminum-free deodorant... you know, those share-able things. (Ha ha.) And if Calvin has toothpaste along, well then we're good to go!

There's one place I won't skimp though. I mean, I'd rather wear the same pair of socks all week than forget this little detail. And that is: my travelling medicine cabinet.

Ollie has a monster immune system, so we don't use these medications on him very often but for the few times we have, the majority have been while we're out of the country. A bad flu in California. Trouble sleeping in Chicago. I think he was teething Brazil. Oh the joy!

And if I crossed my fingers that whatever international pharmacy we're near would carry my homeopathic brand of choice, well, I might end up with empty hands & a crying toddler. So we just bring three things along where ever we are staying.

1. Homeocan Kids 0-9 CALM - This is the child equivalent of a nice glass of wine and a bubble bath. Oliver will literally go from turbo-wrecking ball to cuddly bed-ready-babe moments after drinking what he calls his "purple juice". It's great for those hysterical moments, for too-late nights when your child gets overtired and they can't sleep, or for long flights.

2. Homeocan Kids COUGH & COLD - I pack our tiny sampler bottle because it's never been opened and is that less likely to spill it's magical juices all over my clean clothes. It soothes a cough, and even a cold - aptly named.

3. Homeocan Kids FLU BUSTER - I owe this product my life. It brings down a fever and a grumpy pumpkin in no time. I use it before I even think about Tylenol for Kids. If Oliver is sick and I need to work, therefore sending him to Grandma's house I send him along with a bottle of Flu Buster to continue giving him doses to make both their lives easier.

To this day Oliver has come down with a handful of things, but for the most part he has spent his "under the weather" days more, what I would call "fighting the bug", than actually being down & out. He's never sick for long. And I thank these glorious products for that. They make my life as a mama easy and have NO CHEMICALS.

We are currently...

I think I've done this feature at least once before. It's something a fellow blogger, Harvesting Kale, uses as a sort of template to post about what's going on with her family.

This weeks themes: 

looking, making, wondering, playing, wearing

Oliver and I are currently looking like castaways/ feral children raised by jungle animals, as neither of us have had hair cuts in a significantly long time. Calvin, on the other hand, is looking dapper as usual.

Oliver is currently making up his own pronunciations of words. Pumpkin is "gobble" by the way, how fitting. And fish has always been "may-may". You should also hear him try the catch phrase of Disney's Mater: If I'm lyin' I'm cryin'. I am currently making way too many tomato-based dishes considering over has a canker in his mouth - mean mom! Calvin is currently making plans for where we'll eat during our train trip to Chicago later this month. His main question being: who makes amazing deep-dish pizza with amazing gluten-free options?

I am currently wondering if I can plan an international vacation at the end of February if I'm due with a baby at the end of January. I know, we'll need travel insurance in case baby comes late or there are issues with getting our family settled, but if things go as last time and I'm up and at-em, ready for a trip, can I logistically get a Birth Certificate and Passport in time? Oliver is wondering why Grandpa had to take the hook out of the fish's mouth when we were at our cottage. In July. (He seriously just asked me this last night.) Calvin is wondering if I'm a big enough Leafs fan to watch the game without him tonight. (Yes, I am.)

Oliver is currently playing puppies every time he sees his (my!) friend Ashley. He also puts on his tiger costume with the big belly and plays pregnant mommy (walking around the house, rubbing his belly saying "oh baby, oh baby".) Calvin is currently playing his band's 2 new tracks that will be released once they are mastered at the end of the month - they are amazing. He's playing ball hockey too. I'm currently playing... barista? As I mix up my own yummy tea and coffee concoctions at home using fall spices? I don't know, that's a bad answer: maybe I suck at playing. Oh! I was playing the final episodes of The Office again, cause I missed it.

I am currently wearing the pants with the biggest belly area that I can find in my closet (and I'm only 6 months along). I have a pair of black H&M maternity pants that just aren't giving me enough room anymore, and a pair of black XSmall work pants from Target that my mom hemmed and made "skinnier in the leg" for me, that do have lots of belly room. So they're my go to now. All my other maternity clothes are summer. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Other than his tiger costumer, Oliver is wearing adorable onesie pj's and very stylish clothes that he gets as hand-me-downs from the ever generous Tiffany, and Penny. (Okay, okay, we buy him new things sometimes.) He's also wearing rain boots even when he doesn't need to, and attempting to try on his old baby slippers as I get them ready for baby #2's arrival. Calvin is wearing his usual.

Is it possible to be more handsome? Photo credit: Stephanie Collins

Dinner for 3 ... or, Three Different Dinners

I am lucky to have a husband and son who are not picky -- so this post won't be full of complaints.

Most of the time, I make one dinner and we all eat it. Sometimes I'll have a with-dinner coffee, while Ollie always has water, and Cal might have some strange soda that he's found (seriously -- he finds really weird soda), but really it's rare that we eat different food for dinner.

However, tonight was the "we all eat the same meal" apocalypse. I knew we would eat basa fish tacos, however:

- I only had 2 tortilla wraps left (Calvin needs 2 to himself, minimum)
- The bulk of the tacos was going to be lettuce which Oliver has a rough time chewing well
- I wanted hot peppers! Lots - sorry Oliver!
- There was like 1/2 cup corn-rice mix leftover and it would look pretty pathetic split 3 ways

So I did this... (And once I get around to uploading photos from my camera I can include a shot I took)

CALVIN
2 large fish tacos: cooked fillet + cheese + salsa + lettuce + tomato + hot peppers + sauteed pepper & onion

AMY
1 fillet with cheese and salsa + a side of sauteed pepper & onion & hot peppers (this is better anyway because I can have extra veggies, I mean, who wants to only eat what peppers you can fit into a tortilla)

OLIVER
Rice and corn mix + some fish + some cheese + some tomato (his favourite food)

Everyone wins!

See I told you I wouldn't complain. ... But I do wish we had avocado.

Starting seeds video (YOUNG GARDENER YOUTUBE SERIES)

To Do Before 2013

I have several things that I'd like to do before the New Year is upon us. None of them are Pinteresting in nature.Pinteresting: related in anyway to weight loss, crafting or a living room makeover.

Just for the heck of it, why don't I put it in count down form?

10. Read Sprouted Kitchen (Forte) and True Food (Weil). Beautiful cookbooks by beautiful people.

9. Receive a huge bag of nice second hand clothes from a close friend. Please and thank you.

8. Go to the cottage. Be included in a game of Risk.

7. Take Oliver to the Children's Museum.

6. Force Calvin to host Sausage Fest '12, literally a sausage-making gathering of friends with all of his fancy equipment.

5. Finish writing my novel and put it up on blurb.com - print one for me, the rest will be e-books.

4. Bring back "Christmas Movie Night Sundays".

3. Enjoy the annual Christmas party with friends, which I hope will feature many an egg nog, in all its glory.

2. Go sledding.

1. See THE GREAT Freaking GATSBY. (DJango Unchained looks pretty good too.)

Keeping Cleaning Under Control

Although I claim to be the queen of green clean, I'm actually a terrible house cleaner. I'm better at coming up with eco-friendly recipes and making suggestions than actually pulling out the vacuum and doing something. The good news is, I love lists. Recently, my husband came up with a fool-proof plan to satisfy my love of checking off "to-do" items and his love of living in a clean home. We each have a weekly cleaning list. Now, he works 40 hours a week at a high-stress fast-paced job, whereas I work 20 at a breezy fun-fest so they aren't perfectly even. They go like this.

Amy

Daily | Help Oliver with tidying his room/toys | Sweep after meals

Monday | Laundry
Tuesday | Dust
Wednesday | Showers, tubs
Thursday | Fridge clean-out | Coffee zone clean-up
Friday | Mop wood floors
Random | Take out recycling

Calvin

Monday | Deep clean kitchen
Tuesday | Vacuum
Thursday | Deep clean bathrooms
Random | Shovel snow/cut grass | Groceries


Both
Daily | Load/empty dishwasher | Tidy

Oliver
Daily | Put toys in bins when not using | Put cup and bowl back when done

It helps so much to get cleaning done without feeling overwhelmed. If I have only one task at hand I can do it with ease and I feel so accomplished when our home is spic and span. And P.S. I do everything with Dr. Bronner's soap!!

All-Natural Kids Cold Medication AND Another 18w18d Update

Oliver has had a cold for a few days now. The typical runny nose and seeming 'off' turned into a hacking-man-cough and trouble sleeping. Couple this with the fact that we still practice co-sleeping, and I caught the same nasty cold around Saturday night = we have a problem. Our family typically wakes up at 7am or 8am every morning (we get ready for the day super-fast) but this morning I woke up bright and early at 6:30am because I was just fully rested - we hadn't woken up once the whole night. Why? An amazing all-natural kids cold medication.

Homeocan's Kids 0-9 is a line of children's medication that is homeopathic so it doesn't need any chemicals or traditional medicines in it, but it's still extremely effective. It also does not contain any sugar or dyes, two things that really have no place in kids medications but always seem to make their way in for the sake of appeal. The line, as the name suggests, is suitable for children 9 and under, and is even safe for babies. Oliver has used the Teething and Fever since he was tiny, and he now plays with the empty bottle because he has such fond memories of it.

So last night he took the Kids 0-9 Cough and Cold right before bed and we truly saw a whole new boy. We're just so relieved that there's something out there that works and that we are comfortable giving to him (because Tylenol we are not).

Also, an update on my challenge to use only Dr. Bronner's for 18 purposes - this stuff is great for classic armpit 'sweat smell'. I've been washing with the tea tree soap and I think it has to do with the antimicrobial function of it, because so often armpit odour is a problem with bacteria (hence crystal salt rock deodorant working). The tea tree deals with the problem from the root, not masking it but getting rid of it. I think if I washed with the tea tree soap every day I could give up deodorant forever. 

My boy is 1!

Yesterday was Oliver's birthday. (Also, the anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's untimely and mysterious death.)

While I can't believe how fast the time has gone and am in utter shock that my son is not still a squirming 7 pound newborn baby, I would like to recount some of my most favourite things about this 12-month old bundle of joy.

• Oliver has an uncanny ability to know when to applaud. He has impressed many an onlooker by giving a hand to a sentimental moment, clapping after athletes are announced at a sporting event, applauding a hilarious moment, and starting a standing ovation after a speech. 
• Oliver has the dancing prowess of a (hopefully never existing) Rihanna-Chris Brown love child. Just crank an Usher single and let unbelievable hip hop moves ensue.
• Oliver's palette is one pinot noir away from Geoffrey Zakarian-caliber. Example: his past 24 hours have consisted of a spicy-sushi for yesterday's lunch, a four-course wedding dinner with adult portions (roasted cauliflower-aged cheddar soup, honey-dijon dressing on spinach salad, vegan pear gallette on leek-asparagus nest with pickled wild mushrooms and brandy emulsion, and a raspberry-white chocolate truffle cake), a fruit salad with pumpernickel crouton breakfast, and a snack of fresh-from-the-garden caprese salad (basil, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cubes and balsamic vinegar).
• Oliver and I love biking or walking to the nearby forest to pick wild berries. We never get enough to have leftovers by the time we get home but it's sure a delicious return trip.
• Oliver has such an easy-going, adaptable temperament we're able to bring him along to many things instead of arranging a babysitter. He has attended heavy metal concerts since he was 3 months old. He has been to a few movies at the theatre - while awake and while sleeping. He attended a military air show, two weddings, and is taking his third international flight on Friday.
• Oliver can craft a toy from anything. Some of his favourite play things are the lid from a container of Wendy's beef chili, my bottle of vanilla extract, a detached computer mouse, and most beloved of all, the blue watering can.
• Oliver now understands my many overly repetitious commands: Gentle! Patience! Careful! Follow Mommy! Feet first! and Big Bite! Oh, and who could forget Calvin's bandmates request: Headbang!

He is a very loved little boy and as baffling as it is, a whole year has come and gone and we're thankful to have spent it with him.

Life Update: Returning to Work

I don't think I'm the stay-at-home mom type. Not naturally, and for a few reasons:

• At the end of a day at home - despite trips to the park, long hours of learning and discovery, and wonderful memories - I lack a sense of accomplishment. I feel like I don't deserve to spend 8 - 9pm in front of the TV because I haven't "worked" yet. Perhaps a load of laundry or two would help this, ha ha.
• I have a real need to be around adults. I'm not even outgoing or talkative, but I love to be a quieter contributor to social situations. Going to mommy groups didn't quench this for me.
• I have crazy guilt about passing up amazing job opportunities. Like the following:

After much discussion, Calvin and I decided that I would accept an exciting job offer I was given by the YMCA, after months of volunteering with them while on maternity leave. To make this happen, Calvin is going to stay at home with Oliver for the last three months of our parental leave. In August he will return to TD and we'll need a new plan.

My first day was yesterday, and the shift itself was thrilling and wonderful, but leaving the house at 8:30am was as close I've gotten to bawling my eyes out in the past 24 years (watching the show Intervention also comes close). I suddenly felt like I was abandoning the family. I had pictures of Oliver screaming and clawing at the front door. I felt the weight of a thousand stay-at-home moms' judging eyes fall on me. It was hard.

But luckily, I was only gone until 1pm. Calvin did a great job of changing Oliver, bathing him, letting him play outside and with his indoor toys, feeding him and even getting a ton of house chores done. Apparently neither of them cried the whole time. So it's going to be okay! I had a double-electric breast pump and a son who doesn't mind "reverse cycling" (look it up) so we'll be okay.

But that's my update.

Have you been in a similar situation? Tell me your thoughts!

500 Days of Mummer

If my math is correct, today marks the 500th day that my little Iver has received most of his nourishment from his mama.

For the 40 beautiful weeks that he grew inside of me, my every bite was shared with him.

He was exclusively breastfed from 2 minutes old to around 5 months.

Now he enjoys the occasional fruit or veggie but still relies on his dear friend, the breast, to provide his nutrition.

I'm sure soon my milk will become that morning and night treat that gives us bonding time and provides a nutritional safety net, then before I know it he'll be fully weaned and ready to do crazy things like go to overnight summer camp. I don't know how that will feel for me.

But I'm so happy for the past 500 days because it's made me feel capable and natural and needed.

Home Tour Day 2: Bedroom!

Again, the challenge is, post photos of your home in the following categories: 

Day 1: Where you and your family eat

Day 2: Where you and your family sleep

Day 3: Where you and your family work/play

Day 4: Where you and your family relax

Day 5: Favorite parts of your house that make it YOUR home

 The charger station and my closet door.

My side, that I tend to share with Oliver.

The bed (a present from my parents) - on the side from left to right is Cal's TV and DVD's, the bathroom door and then obviously our nightstands and bed.

You can also see our clothing steamer and the door to Calvin's walk-in closet.

I like the double door into the room, and we still haven't hung our mirror! So bad!

We don't sleep here, but the bathroom doesn't fit in any other category, so here it is. On the counter is our toothbrushes (mine's a Radius, see previous post), homemade wintergreen toothpaste, homemade soap, sink, and a hand towel.

Not cute to post but we got the pail as a wedding gift and the flower was also from a friend.

Where Oliver sleeps (kind of). We're transitioning him from co-sleeping/Montessori floor bed, into his own room. This crib is natural North American FSC-certified wood, hand-made from my Grandpa! The black bear is from my Opa. The art is from Ashley. The mobile, sleep sheep and monitor were all gifts from baby showers too. My mom made the moose/owl quilt. The hint of wood rocking chair you can see on the left was refurbished from the garbage by my dad (a fellow eco-friend) and it houses a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey that Oliver hasn't grown into yet. My dad also refurbished a change table for Oliver. Handy guy.

 This is Ollie's view. So many owls!

Make It Monday: 20 Ways to Eat Pumpkin!

Canadian Thanksgiving has come and gone but we still have plenty of time to feast on delicious pumpkin. If you're getting tired of the classic pie form, why not try something new! 

For your reading pleasure I've devised a list of 20 ways to eat a pumpkin. Enjoy!

(click any photo to take you to its recipe)

Roasted pumpkin tossed with fussili in a white sauce
Pumpkin soup with toasted pepitas
Pumpkin seed cookies

Pumpkin mudslides made with kaluha
Pumpkin seed granola
Pumpkin oatmeal

Pumpkin ice cream sandwiches

Pumpkin white hot chocolate

Pumpkin pancakes

Pumpkin butter brownies
Baked pumpkin "fries"

Pumpkin smoothie

Pumpkin cream cheese on a bagel

Pumpkin beer (Great Lakes Beer makes a great ale - I had it at Chancey Smith's last year, now called Gambrinus)
Pumpkin loaf french toast

Pumpkin bread
Pumpkin scones

Pumpkin salad dressing

Pumpkin salad

And lastly, pumpkin-raisin muffins.


What's your favourite way to eat pumpkin?

31 Days: Day 10 and 11

Left to right: Mom, Angela, Dad, Sarah with Oliver, Calvin, me

Monday we had a Thanksgiving meal with my side of the family - 100% gluten free. After that the boys (Dad, Calvin, Oliver) wanted to nap but us girls were excited to go on a fall walk, so we suited up and hit the forest. A much longer walk than expected (mainly because the kids of this generation have not kept the good forest paths clear so we had to trail blaze the whole time) found us on Pond Mills Rd at a community garden. The plots were entirely abandoned (understandably as it's October). Nothing had been watered in weeks, there were knee-high weeds and just scattered junk everywhere. We were 100% no one had been there in a while. So we gleaned it. I managed to harvest 3 different varieties of squash, eggplant, peppers (including hot chilis) and some dried out beans for planting next year. It made me want to look up all of London's community gardens and see which ones need gleaning.

For dinner we used leftover turkey to make curried turkey and apple sandwiches (on Udi's gluten-free bread) and spicy turkey and butternut squash soup. Then we dove head first into a Chopped marathon on Food Network.

Yesterday I got to hang out with Calvin all morning and some of the afternoon because he worked the late shift. Once he left I packed Oliver up for a walk and we didn't get back home until dinner time. I made stuffed squash and garlic noodles and I had a huge helping of apple crisp for dessert. Then Cal's friend came over so I ran a hot bath and let the boys hang out by themselves.

31 Days: Day 7, 8 and 9

Well, on Friday I have absolutely not a clue what I did. I think my mom and sisters came over. We went on a really long walk right? We saw deer. Oliver had his first swing ride and slide ride. Beyond that, hmm? I think I made tacos!

Saturday - I had tea with Ashley and we took Oliver on a long forest walk. We saw my friend the heron named Seb. Then we got beautiful for a wedding. She had a braid, I had curls (only momentarily). Caleb and Leigh-Anne's ceremony at the church was beautiful. Then we went to Cal's parents' house and had looong naps and spent the afternoon being lazy. We ate turkey sausages and salad for dinner then went to the dance at 7:30. It was amazing - Bethany and I did spend most of the night wearing weird hats, and that is okay.

I'll just sum up today as well because I know by the time tomorrow hits I won't remember it. :) Today we went to church and are now home, though strangely aren't eating lunch yet. Calvin is making a turkey with lemons and allspice. We are having Thanksgiving dinner at his parents' house (and then tomorrow will be with my parents).

This year I'm more thankful than I've ever been - for reasons that are mainly obvious, but some are not. I am thankful for the big things like a husband who knows to buy me fair trade roses instead of conventional, and who will remember to tape the Office for me if I'm not going to be home. I am thankful for a healthy, growing son who thinks I'm funny and who smiles when he sees me. I'm thankful for a mom, dad and sisters who are my best friends. I'm thankful that Jillian still loves me even though she lives in Europe, and that Bethany would gladly bring me her own garlic from home because I ran out, and that Ashley has the same feelings on homelessness that I do, and that Jordan laughs at the same SNL skits I do, and that Brittanie would gladly give me a front french braid any time I asked. I'm thankful for Stephanie Ross, Angela Mercer and Stef Joseph who teach me what it means to be an incredible woman. I'm thankful for a warm bed, a jar of dried lentils and a pair of wool slippers to wear around the house. I'm thankful that when I water a tomato seed in the soil it grows into a plant. I'm thankful that my prime minister doesn't want me dead, and that my employer thinks I'm smart and that my heart beats the right number of times per minute.

We are so blessed and it's really special to take this time every year to remember that.

31 Days: Day 4

I'll admit, this is getting hard. Even 24 hours past is hard to remember, detail for detail. I can only do my best...

Calvin woke up early for work but Ollie and I laid around for a bit. When I was positive that he was content and ready to be alone for a few minutes I propped him up on our bed, where I could see him from the bathroom, and hopped in the shower. Fellow moms will know - this is a great victory. Every shower is a glorious reward. Once we were rip-roarin' ready for the day we bundled up and went for a long walk. We ended up at the library (pretty much always do) only to find out that I was wrong about my on-hold book being ready for pick up (incidentally it is ready today but I don't know if I'll have time to get it). We got home and I finished my grape juice oatmeal and unloaded the dishwasher. Calvin got off work early so he could pick the two of us up around 1 for Oliver's first ever pediatrician appointment. This doctor is incredible - I would recommend her to anyone. He was examined, and weighed (11 lbs, 1 oz - my speed grower) and then we discussed vaccination. His doctor is comfortable with us taking more time to decide although Ontario's recommended schedule begins at 2 months. (See my discussion below.) After that the day becomes a blur. At some point I ate lentils. Calvin and Jordan left to pick up a secondary Rogers box so that we can have cable downstairs on the projector (hello 100" screen for Leafs games!). We watched Glee. We ate acorn squash with tomato manicotti and baked shrimp. And somewhere along the line I fell asleep.

So what do you think about vaccination? I've been thinking about it since the moment my pregnancy test was positive and I still haven't come to a conclusion (not unlike my circumcision dilemma). What I know for sure is that I am opting out of any vaccines for non-life threatening illnesses such as chicken pox and influenza. If a situation arises that these illnesses would become more serious (pox after age 10, a severe strain of flu coming through our area) I would re-open the issue. But then there is the case of DTPT and MMR. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if Oliver contracted any of these things on my watch, at the same time how would I feel if he suffered side effects of the shot? I've been told there are aluminum-free options in Ontario, I will definitely look into that. Some people also recommend a delayed schedule which is interesting to me. I think it would be nice to wait until he's older to go through this stress on his body. If time allows I will try to read Dr. Sears' book on this subject to get better insight. What are the consequences of being unvaccinated in Ontario, especially related to travel and education? If you have an opinion feel free to post below. I know my blog is well-read (the page views are so encouraging - I can't believe how popular this is becoming!) but I don't often receive comments, so I'm encouraging anyone reading this to let me know how you feel on this post.

Thanks my friends!

31 Days: Day 1 and 2

Wouldn't it be interesting to see how someone else lives their life for a full month? Yes it would, so you can do it here. For the month of October I'll be posting about how each day goes, as best I can remember, and counting on each of you to find it interesting and awe-inspiring. Here goes.

Saturday, October 1
The three of us slept in quite a bit and then got a call from my Grandpa saying he'd like to come visit. We agreed on 3pm (he lives in Niagara Falls) and then I got cleaning. Straightened up all our rooms, collected garbages from the house because pick up day was coming up, and threw in a load of laundry.
Around lunch Calvin left to get gas for the lawn mower. I warmed up a bowl of rice & lentils and had a quiet lunch in the kitchen. I started reading a book (Pastoralia by George Saunders) but then remembered that I am nearly done crocheting a short grey scarf so I got to doing that.
Next thing I knew Grandpa arrived so I gave him a tour of our place (nerve-wracking - the guy is a successful cabinetry and home-building company owner and lives in a nearly-million dollar home himself, with all the best flooring, finishes, etc.). Him and I decided to take Oliver for a walk around the neighbourhood which meant spending practically half an hour just dressing him up in his plaid zip up, blue knit sweater, blue knit hat, grey booties, fuzzy brown blanket... oh and I threw a leather jacket on myself too.
When we got back Oliver was hungry (I was getting there too) so I took him upstairs to feed him while Calvin showed my Grandpa his theater room. They watched a bit of Saving Private Ryan while I made dinner plans with my sister. We met her and my parents downtown for thai food. I ordered the vegetarian shanghai chow mein with wontons to start.
I hadn't packed any diapers so Cal and I couldn't hang out after, we went home and watched the hockey game with Jordan. I fell asleep half way through (not because it was boring, but because I knew I needed a nap if I was going to stay up for SNL). I woke up around 11 to feed Oliver, change him, and be ready for SNL. It was hilarious. When it was over I zombie-walked up to bed.

Sunday, October 2
We woke up bright and early to get ready for church. I think I ate apples and peanut butter and a scrambled egg for breakfast. (Grandpa had brought us fresh Niagara apples and grapes). We went to the 9:30am service and at 10 we slipped out because we had a parenting meeting (mandatory to have your baby dedicated at Gateway). The coordinator told us about the church's vision for supporting parents and teaching about God from a young age. We got a tour of the children's areas and Calvin laughed his head off over a little baby hitting another baby with a rattle. Then we watched the rest of the service on a TV in the cafe. Hung out at the church for a while just visiting with friends. Then we went back to his parents' house and ate turkey burgers. I had a short nap and then Calvin woke me up to drive to Appleland. We were hoping to pick apples and take Oliver on a train ride but it started raining so we just shopped in the market shop. We bought apples, a caramel lollypop, some hot chocolate, apple cider and Cal's dad got a Wayne Gretzky framed photo for his hockey wall. When we got home we made apple crisp (the secret family recipe, I will never tell!) and also made toasted tomato sandwiches for dinner. After eating we put on the movie Hanna but I, again, fell asleep because I'm terrible and can't stay awake through movies. We went home, took out the garbage/recycling and set up the humidifier for Oliver because he's a bit stuffed up.

Autumn Must-Do List

With a new little one in the house I am very mindful of doing productive/educational things each day. Most of the time this ends up being an hour spent at the library, a learning walk around the garden or sharing some time under the animal play mat. Today Oliver thoroughly enjoyed getting to sniff basil, oregano, rosemary, dill and peppermint. He also expanded his vocabulary from "hi" and "agoo" to "ga-ga" so that was exciting.

I decided to make this list of fun fall things and I think you should do them too!

1. Go apple picking.
2. Choose a pumpkin. Carve it. Roast the seeds (with raw sugar, cayenne and sea salt - yum!)
3. Rake leaves. Make it a photoshoot. Wear plaid for it. My sister is a killer photographer.
4. Create homemade Halloween costumes.

5. Clean out the closet of summer things & replace them with fall things. Maybe get a leg up on winter things too (yikes?!)
6. Experiment with crock pot recipes.
7. Make a snood.
8. Host a Thanksgiving meal with friends. It's nice to see family but there is nothing like pulling off the full-out turkey, cranberry, stuffing shabang with a group of your best. We've done it for 5 or 6 years straight and I look forward it to all year.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year to look at, but it also boasts some of the greatest activities so don't curl up and get addicted to too many tv shows just yet (although Survivor and The Office already have me!).