Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wordless Wednesday: Baby Sis is getting married this week!
http://www.lovablelittletreehuggers.com/blog.html
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
A Peaceful Retreat
Mom, Rach and I went to Ste. Annes, a beautiful spa in Grafton, ON a few weeks ago. We spent 2 glorious days in our bathrobes - savouring girl time, walking around in our robes, enjoying being pampered, and indulging in fabulous food.
I enjoyed their food so much, I purchased their cookbook! Here's my favorite recipe.
Granola
Ingredients:
1 c. raw & slivered almonds
1 c. raw & sliced almonds
1 c. pecans - chopped
1 c. hulled & unsalted sunflower seeds
1 c. hulled pumpkin seeds
1 c. unsweetened, desiccated coconut
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. honey
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Method:
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Cover large baking sheet (I used 9x13 pan instead) with parchment paper.
- Combine all nuts, seeds, coconut and spices in a mixing bowl, with the exception of the cranberries.
- In a small sauce pan, melt honey and butter together over low heat. Pour over nut mixture, combining well.
- Spread evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned to your liking, turning after first 15 minutes.
- Add cranberries and continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
- Allow mixture to cool thoroughly and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Taken from: "Everyday Recipes from Ste. Anne's Spa" 2009
ENJOY! I love it with yogurt and fruit, or on it's own...it's so tasty.
Here are a few pics from our little getaway.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
I love my mean mom
I heard this today and thought it was cute - and true in so many ways.
Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough...to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the while world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less...
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash, and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. The had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother, we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault!
Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough...to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the while world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less...
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash, and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. The had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother, we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault!
Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
Monday, February 14, 2011
What do I love?
"I love that show..."
"I love Smarties..."
"I love Brad Pitt..." (I know, I totally just aged myself)
We use the word "love" SO loosely in our society. At youth group, I'm always hearing a girl talk about how much they love a movie, a pair of pants, or Justin Bieber.
Thinking about that today, I've been thinking about what I really love.
♥ quality time with my hubby
♥ waking up and reading books with Ethan before I get out of bed
♥ watching our parents be grandparents
♥ the blessing of a church family
♥ my relationship with my mom
♥ friendships that can pick up where they left off, despite time and distance
♥ how God reveals Himself through His creation
♥ open-mouthed, slobbery kisses from my sweet boy
♥ sharing in youth ministry with my husband
♥ my bond I share with my sister
♥ watching Ethan learn
♥ good talks with close friends
♥ Andrew's borderline obsession with making me smile
♥ the way that God provides
♥ dance parties in the kitchen with my little man
♥ enjoying a quiet cup of coffee before the rest of the house wakes up
♥ the awesome example that my parents' marriage is to us
♥ Ethan putting his hands out to hold ours and saying "pay, pay" (pray) before we eat
There's much more, but I have a sweet little boy who just woke up and needs some lovin.
What do YOU love?
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