My newest project...

In pink though!  I've finished the baby blanket and I'll post pictures tomorrow when I get organized.  Wish me luck.  This is one nutty pattern, and I'm still learning how to read them.  Here read this...

Cast off 11 sts. Knit to last 3 stst. K2tog, K1. **Cont dec 1 st at raglan edge, as before, at the same time, dec 1 st at neck edge on next 3 rows.  Cont dec at ragland edge only until 2 sts rem. Work 1 row.

Sheesh...   I'm sure I'll get this.  You don't graduate from beginner to intermediate without taking a few risks and bumps. 

Festive smoothy... green and red (I know it's early)

In the spirit of fabulous Kale I made a smoothy out of some frozen cranberries and other ingredients. 

The cranberries I got for 50cents on the reduced rack and I just put them in the freezer as soon as I got home, they are perfect for smoothies.  Greek yogourt for protein, frozen mango for the sweetness to offset the Kale and Cranberry combo.  It is awesome!

That's one BIG carrot.. no seriously :P

This morning I went to the garden this morning to grab my bunch of kale when something orange caught my eye, I bent down to take a closer look when WOW!!!!  I got a shovel and dug up this beast. 

Here is another shot, I put the tsp as scale...  The other one I found was also massive, but it had an unfortunate accident and lost it's bottom to the garden soil.

My New Tuesdays ROCK!

Ok so I have to admit that I am finally taking full advantage of my pregnant state.  Annaliese is in school every day, Luke is in preschool two days a week and we have put Patrick in day care the same two days as Luke... so ahhhhh.... This morning I dropped the kids off at school, went back home and climbed back into bed for another hour of sleep.  Then I got up, packed a snack, my netbook and starbucks registered card!  I'm am now sitting in the Starbucks near my house, playing on my netbook and totally enjoying the perks of my card.  I have free refills on my drink and the barista's have come around twice now with a tray full of samples of drinks.  Ahhhh  the life.   My plan for the rest of the day is too drive to Oakville to the GF bakery and pick up some goodies (including fresh HOT bagels) and then make a trip back to coscto before picking up the kids from school. 

Honestly I would normally feel guilt, but to be honest after having to climb over the seats yesterday I believe that I am entitled to some R&R.  The countdown is on for this baby to check out of the hotel so I think I'm going to milk this for as long as I can.  Who knows what life will have in store for me within the month! 

A short angry rant... about a jerk!

Grrrr. I am so MAD right now.  I just got back from the gym.  Tonight's class was awesome but when I got back to my car some jerk had parked their giant suv so close to my drivers side that I couldn't even get by body between the cars, much less open my door to sneak in.  So at 9 bloody months pregnant I had to crawl across through the passenger side to get to my seat.  Oh man I felt like bashing my door into their truck!  But I didn't!  I just grummbled all the way home, felt sorry for myself... and then pondered if I would get in trouble from now on if I started parking in the handy cap spots! Because isn't that part of the courtesy, they have extra space on both side...  I need extra space, my door has to be very wide so I can get in and out!  Uhggg, of course the other option is that I park in the nose bleeds and take up two spots!  Stupid people....

Hike in Cootes Paradise.

This is the second Sunday in a row that we take the kids on this 2.1 km hike and they love it! Here are the pics.

So pregnant when...

I am eating frozen yogourt, barefoot, in a t-chirt and the temperature in the house is 16.5C.  I won't let Mark turn on the heater yet.  I sleep with a thin fleece sheet and most nights I throw it off.  The kids are all wearing their "sleep sacks".  I have to tell you the sleep sacks are the best sleeping invention ever! 

They make them in all sizes from infants to preschoolers!

37 weeks pregnant and...

I've learned a few things along the way....

1) My stomach has not been smooched because I can still eat a giant bowl of salad, drink a few glasses of water and then eat a giant honey crisp apple.
2) I can still lift nearly the same weights in body pump as I did 8 months ago AND I did body Attack this week too!
3) My sacro-iliac joint (or my left butt) gets worse if I sit around/lie around... therefor I need to get up and dance in the kids program and continue to go to the gym, even if it's pouring rain...miserable and I'll so tiered I'm falling asleep in my bowl of soup!
4) It actually feels so good to cry, even if it's watching someone else deliver a baby... it just makes me feel lighter.
5) No one cares if the muffin tins stays in the sink for 3 days!!!  No one is getting hurt, no one is screaming and I'll get to it tomorrow! (if I feel like it!  or I decide to make more muffins and need a clean tin)
6)  I can accept complements with grace.   I think because I am still getting such positive feedback at the gym, by NOW I actually believe them... and I am proud of what I can still do... Ps. Dear LORD the new release lunge track is going to get my ass into such amazing shape...  It is nuts!  and I'm glad I did it tonight! I figure if I can do a million lunges with a barbell on my shoulders (and a giant belly in the front) I can pretty much do anything.  Including picking up my two year old over and over again because he's sick!
7) I will not mentally or emotionally scar my children if I don't let them have chocolate milk vs white milk... they get over it! Everyone was fine even if the kid threw a short little temper tantrum in line at Ikea!  and I didn't even care if anyone was looking or being snarky...

I am a mom and I DO have super powers!!!  (I think I will reflect on these and post something about them later this week)... what are your super powers?

Get what you want for cheaper!

I have a little grocery store secret.  **ssshhh**  Some produce is really expensive (aka: Honey Crisp apples ) and out of season stuff too.  Well here's the thing, when you shop at the same grocery store and you talk to the same produce staff, you learn their names (they have name tags) and they love to help out.  You can get produce that is slightly bruised - really barely anything- for a fraction of the cost.  Today I got 8 giant honey crisp apples for 1.98$ and they normally sell for 1.99$/lb.  I must have gotten more than 6lbs..  you do the math!  Don't be afraid to ask, here's how I did it " Are there any honey crisp that will be put on reduced later tonight, do you mind packing them up for me now?"  THANK YOU!

Pumkids made muffins.

These were a bit of a science/work of art.  I had pumpkin in the fridge that needed to get used up so I decided to recruit my boys to help me with these muffins.  Again no real recipe per se... But I can tell you what I did put in them and approximately how much, but I would really just encourage you to try baking intuitively on your own.  It's fun and it's all about making a batter that has the right consistency with the key ingredients you need to hold your muffins together.


Pumkid muffins!  (Gluten Free)

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls, then combine. Bake at 350F for about 23 mins.

1 c arrowroot flour
1/3 c tapioca starch
3/4 c quick rise GF oats
1/4 c ground flax
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 c protein powder (mine is slightly sweetened)
1/4 c coconut sap (powder) - you could add more if your protein powder is unsweetened.
 3 tsp pumpkin spice mix

1 c pumpkin puree
3/4 c vanilla soy milk (mine was sweetened but light)
2 eggs
1/3 c + 1tbsp vegetable oil
1 or 2 tsp vanilla

pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top of muffins just before putting in the oven. 

You could make this recipe with banana instead of so much oil, it would add sweetness (but Mark doesn't like baked banana's so I didn't add any this time).  When I bake like this, I take stock of what I have and I know that I want to make a snack that is super healthy for my kids, high in good fats, loaded with protein and low in sugar.  It can be done, I would love to hear if you've ever tried to bake without a recipe and how it went!

Conversation with a 2 year old at Midnight!!

Patrick:"mama, mama I want cherios."
Me: "babe it's the middle of the night, go back to bed"
Patrick: " I WANT TO EAT CHERIOOOOOSSSsssss"
Me: "ugh, ok lets go!"

after gobbling up a bowl of cherios and drinking a glass of milk, we go back upstairs to try to get back to sleep...

Patrick:"I haf to poo!"
Me: " Lets take your diaper off, (diaper is off and Patrick sits on potty, then gets up 2 seconds later)
Patrick: "I need a bann id"
Me: (half asleep) "What?"
Patrick: "I need A BANN IDDDD"
Me: "A band- aid?"
Patrick: "ya"
Me: "Where?"
Patrick: "On my penis!"
Me: (I've put Patrick on the change table by now) "Sweetie we can't put band-aids on penis."
Patrick: "You kiss it?"
Me: (a little confused, again It's midnight) "What?..."
Patrick: "You kiss IT, (and to clarify) MY PENIS!!!"
Me: (groan..) "Can I put cream on it?"
Patrick: "Noooooo, you kiss it better!"
Me:  (forcing the creme on now) "Babe it's time for bed, no kissing penis!"


WHY ME????

Les Mills Combat at 36 weeks prego!

It was a great night.  After a family diner,  I grabbed my gym gear and went to Goodlife!  I did a combat class, and did pretty well.  I have to admit I must look strange doing jumping jacks (just the legs) but I keep telling everyone that it actually feels good on my lower back and hips.  The thing is I'm not doing straight legs jacks (my knees are giving me all the shocks I need) I'm using my leg muscles to move around so my lower back and stomach are very well supported.  I still flex what I have left to my core and truly the greatest thing about combat is all the upper body work with the jabs, crosses and upper cuts!  I can really get my cardio "on" and aggression "out" without needing to do lower options.  I have been doing combat since Annaliese was a few months old, so of course I wouldn't recommend staring combat in your last trimester!!!  But the message is clear: if you've been working out before you get pregnant, keep workout while you are pregnant you will be giving your baby and body such amazing gifts.  I have so much more energy than I should, I still don't waddle around and my lower back pain is really at a minimum.  But of course....

For the second part of my gym evening, I did 30 minutes of a body flow class and made it right up until hip openers (sooo needed at this point for me), then I packed up my gear early and went for my weekly 1 hour massage.  Because to me it makes so much more sense to get a massage after a workout, that way all my normal aches and pains are easy to identify and the therapist (Ed, who does A.R.T>which actually means torture)  can help fix the problem area's.  I'm not going to lie to you, I was actually practicing my "labour breathing" because he was "working" /torturing some very tight and weak muscles.  But now as I'm typing this I can truly say the pain was worth it because my SI joint (the place where the sacrum and the iliac bone meet up in the lower back) is virtually pain-free!

Whether you are pregnant or not, old or young just listen to your body!  And be brave enough to do something you (and many other people) might not think possible.  You will always feel a sense of pride at doing something new or scary!  Now how often in a day can you say "I FEEL PROUD OF MYSELF".  It's an awesome feeling! 

Inspirational...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2047560/Pregnant-Amber-Miller-runs-Chicago-Marathon-hours-giving-birth.html

I am in awe of this woman.  She is so inspirational.  I spent some time today reading the comments and it's interesting that there is so much negativity surrounding her run and birth.  I tend to think that people don't generally like to feel uncomfortable.  When someone that is 39 weeks pregnant and runs a marathon comes along it makes the average Joe feel pretty lazy.

I hope that at least some women can feel pride at what Amber Miller accomplished and can use her as inspiration to continue with regular exercise routines throughout pregnancy.  I am a firm believer that both mommy and babies reap the benefits.  I'm on my forth pregnancy and exercised with all of them and have so far had complication free births and healthy super happy babies.

Our own Thanksgiving Party!!

This year we opted not to drive up to Sudbury (since I'm 9 months pregnant and all..) So we had our own private party.  Complete with virgin strawberry daiquiris all around! Mark did all the baking/cooking this year!  He even made me a roasted butternut squash soup from scratch... **sigh** Good man!  Here are the pictures from our little backyard party.  Oh ya did I mention, it was so nice this weekend that we cleaned up the back porch and had our feast el fresco! 

Very happy about the strawberry daiquiri. (virgin)

Yes my son is this hammy!

GF bread, butternut squash soup, green beans and turkey!!! 

I mixed some greek yogourt.  HERE is the link for the recipe.

My little carnivore!

Soup bowl fits very nicely on my tummy shelf!

Blueberry pie for desert!

It was that good!!! 

Guilt Free Pumpkin Pie Panna Cotta

Ok here's the deal, while researching low GI pumpkin pie options, I wasn't happy with using artificial sweeteners as the substitute to sugar.  I was looking to use either agave, coconut sap or maple syrup.  I couldn't really find anything that I liked.  The sugar content was to high, the ingredients boasted a high fat content of whipped cream or sweetened condensed milk.  Then I started to play with the idea of making a raw pumpkin pie? Ok I know kind of gross and not really possible but it just so happened that I was flipping through my french magazine "Coup de Pouce" and I came across a Panna Cotta recipe, I recalled from watching a cooking show that milk and greek yogourt could substitute the fatty whole whipping cream option so I set out to find a recipe for pumpkin pie panna cotta.  And wouldn't you know, I found one, but it was filled with heavy whipping cream AND sour cream... BLAH!!!  So I'm back to the drawing board, I tried once to make it with almond milk and protein powder but that was kind of gross (that was my attempt at making a super healthy low sugar high protein pumpkin pie substitute) my second attempt kind of resembled the pumpkin pie smoothy so it did turn out this time!  Sooo just in time for Thanksgiving may I present you with a healthy "equally" tasty pumpkin pie alternative in the form of panna cotta.

Ingredients:

1 c milk (skim)
1/4 c water
1 package of Knok gelatin
3 tbsp agave
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1/4 c greek yogourt
3/4 to 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (to taste - depending on how much kick you like)

Directions:
1) Mix the gelatin as indicated on the package (don't stir it)
2) Bring milk and agave to a simmer on stove and remove from heat, now add the gelatin/water mixture and mix with mixer
3) Add all remaining ingredients and mix well with mixer, pour into small individual bowls(or if you want a pie pan, you can even pour this mixture over a gram cracker pie crust (cheat if you want) or pre-cooked pie shell) doesn't matter to me :)
4) Refrigerate till it sets (about an hour).  serve and enjoy!

I couldn't stop at just one bite and yes I had to add the light whipped creme, it's just not the same without it!

Tosca Reno's Power Balls and my Raw Brownie Bites!

I know, this is pumpkin week.  But last night I had the munchies (ya, big surprise there at 35 weeks pregnant).  So I was flipping through Tosa's book and came across these.  I had all the ingredients so gave it a go, about half way through making the power balls I decided I wanted to change up the recipe so I added cocoa powder and walnuts and ended up with some amazing GF raw brownie bites.   Oh yes!!!  raw and heavenly!  they are that good!  I'll post Tosca's recipe and my changes!

Power Balls:


3/4 c dried apricots
3/4 c dried pitted dates (I used 1and 1/4 cup)
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c pumpkin seeds
1/4 flax seeds
4 plain brown rice cakes (I used 2 c of rice crisps)
1/2 c rolled oats
1c agave (I only used 1/2 c)
1/2 c almond butter
sesame seeds to coat power balls

Directions:
1) place dried fruit and all seeds (except sesame seeds) in food processor. Process till crumbly
2) Add remaining ingredients (except sesame seeds) and process until mixture is of even consistency
3) Using a tbsp scoop out mixture and shape into balls, cover in sesame seeds. Place in covered container in fridge.

To make Raw Brownie mixture using half of the remaining power ball mixture;

Add 1/3 c cocoa powder and 1/2 cup raw walnuts

Dried organic apricots look darker because they weren't processed with the added nitrates!  But they still taste the same.

Dried fruit and seeds all processed.

Mixture coming together very nicely.  Easy to form into balls. (even with only half the agave) The extra dates I added more than made up for the extra sweetness.

This is after I added the cocoa powder and raw walnuts.  I was going to roll them in sesame seeds too, but decided they tasted bloody fabulous without needing the seeds.