a mental health day: looking for inspiration.

March 20, 2014 by mama lola

yesterday it rained.

today there is a light dusting of snow falling.

it has been dark outside. grey and dismal.

i need some inspiration in my life, so i am sharing beautiful pictures and beautiful words today.

from: shayla lilian

from: design love fest

from: earmark social good

from: oh happy day

i would love to be sitting in the above chair, and nibbling on the delightful treat pictures below… sigh.

from: epicurean mom

here’s hoping the sun will come out soon and bring some colour into these gloomy days.

where is spring: i am losing myself.

March 18, 2014 by mama lola

I know much of the talk recently for so many of us has been this epic, long winter. It has been cold and snowy, and when I say cold and snowy I don’t mean your typical winter freeze! I mean exceptionally cold temperatures that have dragged on for months, topped off with exceptionally high snow fall, which has led to a winter of great efforts! Initially, we all loved the winter activities we were able to jump into so quickly but, now I think my mental health is on the edge. I am trying to hold on, but i feel myself slipping into a sadness, a lethargy and a feeling of total, blah. I’m wondering whether I should take a look on the budbuddies.ca website for anything that can help me before my mental health deteriorates further. I think there are certain strains of Cannabis on this website that are excellent at making you feel rejuvenated and beating away the blues. Obviously, I’ll do my research before taking it but I’m feeling positive about any sort of treatment that can banish this cloud hanging over my head.

My insomnia is back. Last night I was up until 2am, thinking about all sorts of things. I tip-toed downstairs, found my computer, sat down to blog a little, then I checked-out pinterest and after an hour decided to go back to bed. Recently, the pain in my neck that travels all the way down the right side of my body is back, as well. I had it last spring and it completely immobilized me for a few days. I am trying to keep my head up, but sometimes it feels as though I am fighting against my own body. My friend recently told me about some different products which might be able to help with the insomnia and the pain. She suggested I visit this website to see if they had anything that may help ease the problems. Alternatively, she said that maybe a visit to the doctor’s for some advice is a good option too.

The kids are exhausted by the weather as well. Last year at this time, we had enjoyed many warm spring like days wearing only raincoats or sweaters, instead of still piling on our woolies, snow pants and parkas. They are completely disinterested in tobogganing or going on winter hikes or going ice skating; they want to run and play without the restrictions of snow. I get it, because SO DO I! On the weekend is was pretty cold on Sunday, but dear hubby got the kids out to play after some serious convincing, and the guys had a great time! I think their mental health is affected by this long, never ending winter as well. They are eager to get back on their scooters and bikes, fly kites and make some awesome mud pies!

Check-out their amazing work in -10c conditions, where the snow is covered with ice making it hard, instead of compact and easy to build with. They really got serious about building their igloo; bear stayed inside organizing ice blocks that his little brother was delivering to him. The team work they demonstrated was quite touching.

I am hoping to find some energy and motivation soon.

I want to play outside, get dirt under my fingernails and watch as the trees all come back to life. It is impossible to even think about gardening, as there are snow mountains 2-3 meters high in our front and back yards. It will take a long time for all of it to melt!

How are you coping with this winter?

What’s the weather like where you are?

Happy tuesday to you!

butternut squash beet and quinoa: a warm salad!

March 16, 2014 by mama lola

we had some good friends over for dinner and i felt like making something super yummy for dinner. i wanted to make a meal that was colourful and light, so i made this wonderful butternut squash, beet and quinoa served as a warm salad.

it was amazing!

(serves 4-6)

INGREDIENTS:

1 butternut squash

7 whole beets

2 cups quinoa

1/2 red onion

1 cup chopped kale

1 can of chick peas

2 garlic finely chopped cloves

4-6 fresh green onions

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 package of medium firm tofu (rooster brand)

1 cup feta cheese

olive oil

coarse sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. pre-heat your oven to 400F. peel and cut butternut squash and beets into bite sized cubes. place them separately onto either a cookie sheet or an oven safe dish, drizzle with olive oil and place in the hot over. let bake for 30-40 minutes, until tender. remember, baking times vary ovens.

2. cook quinoa according to directions on the box. for this recipe i used red quinoa, but any quinoa is fine.

3. in a skillet heat oil, sautee red onion until slightly browned, add finely chopped garlic and kale. sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt. add chick peas, tofu, curry powder and oregano. continue stirring gently, ensuring the flavours are mixing nicely and the tofu has broken down into small pieces.

4. once butternut squash and beets have baked thoroughly and are nice n’ tender, add them to your skillet. mix gently.

5. to serve place a bed of quinoa on a plate, add butternut squash, beets, sprinkle with fresh green onions and feta cheese. serve with a big fresh salad!

mmm… everyone loved this meal, including the kids! it is packed with delicious proteins, iron and all sorts of other healthy components.

it easy enough to make it vegan, by removing the feta cheese!

do you think your family would enjoy this?

let me know if you try it!

this moment.

March 14, 2014 by mama lola

as inspired by souleMama; one photo from our week, no words, only an image to sum up our time as a family. one that captures a moment in time and is a visual reminder of where we were at this time in our lives.

please feel free to leave a link to your this moment from this past week in the comments.

naturally decorated easter eggs

March 13, 2014 by mama lola

easter feels like it’s late this year, but with this epic winter i think it’s kinda fitting.

although, i do love all of the pastels associated with easter, i wanted to collect a few crafts that were more natural. i just love all of the crafts below. they are all simple in colour, concept and look, which i think will make a bigger impression in the end. i am keen to get my kids to help with these project and once the snow melts we can go pick some lovely leaves and flowers of our own.

how to decorate easter eggs with seeds via diy enthusiasts

holiday wheatgrass eggs via momtastic life

decorated eggs via a daily something

decorate eggs with pressed flowers via the magic onions

which one of these projects will you make?

thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!

a winter hike to kick off march break!

March 12, 2014 by mama lola

it’s march break here in canada! a week off from school, which actually makes my life a titch busier, but i am glad to have a break from the confines of school and the rigid structure it brings with it.

to really kick-off this break, the kids and i went for a hike in beautiful weather with friends. it was the most perfect day; the sun shone, the temperatures felt practically balmy and there was no wind. kinda perfect in every way! of course, we still piled on the layers to help us stay warm as although the sun was beating down, there was still snow on the ground. we find hiking in the snow is really fun and it feels so good to get some crisp, fresh air in our lungs.

we went to a local conservation area and explored this old mill. kids loved it. then we kept trekking along, enjoying the sights until we reached our destination…

this awesome CAVE!

the kids all explored the various crevices, holes and rocks. every few seconds someone would exclaim “oh wow, look at this”! i just love to hear kids excited about things in nature and their environment. and, as the kids get older they really do know so much more about the world, than i give credit for.

all explorers need to refuel after extensive research, so we had a cave picnic before heading home!

we nibbled on cheese n’ avocado wraps, apple slices, raisins, nuts, cheese and juice! yum! i find packing snacks is crucial to surviving any kind of outdoor experience with the kids. they’re blood sugar crashes so quickly!

we were all exhausted after our exciting hike! but, it was that good kind of exhaustion, you know, when you feel inspired, energized and calm. this winter i have found my mental health teetering on the edge some days, but when i get outside and fill my lungs with fresh air, and especially get to soak up some priceless vitamin D from the glorious sun, it really helps soothe my mind.

what are you up to this march break?

easter sewing projects!

March 9, 2014 by mama lola

i love all of these easter sewing project ideas! they vary from quick n’ easy to more time consuming ones, but regardless of how much effort they require they are all super cute! i hope you are inspired by this mini round-up, and get your sewing machine loaded for action!

so, here we go…

egg tee from icandy handmade

fabric easter basket from V & co.

easter bunny masks from rosy posy

easy felt carrot garland from positively splendid

easter bunny treat bags from sew can she

i think my kids would love it if i made any of these for them!

i’m loving all of these bright colours!

vegetable bok choy soup!

March 8, 2014 by mama lola

i started a neighbourhood soup exchange with some friends back in the fall. it started because i find wednesday’s to be the hardest day of the week, and then to plan a dinner just makes it that much more torturous! so, every wednesday at after-school pick-up, there we are, the soup club mama’s with our large mason jars exchanging yummy soups. we’re the only vegetarian family and we rotate who exchanges with who, and it all works out so well! this veggie bok choy recipe has become a fave!

this is a soup that has received lots of compliments and recipe requests:

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion

2 medium carrots

4-5 parsnips

4-6 heads of baby bok choy

1-2 cups green lentils

1/2 package of rooster brand longkou vermicelli noodles

8 cups water

3 tbls safflower oil

2-3 cloves garlic

2 tsp fresh ginger

1 tsp tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

2 vegetable bouillon cubes

fresh parsley

sea salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. heat oil in your soup pot. add onions, sautee until lightly browned, then add carrots, parsnips, finely chopped garlic and finely chopped ginger. sprinkle lightly with sea salt. stir regularly to avoid burning. once the carrots and parsnips are bright in colour add the water.

2. add lentils, bouillon cubes, cinnamon, cumin and let the soup simmer at a low heat.

3. add noodles and bok choy once carrots and parsnips are soft. once they are cooked, which only takes a few minutes, add fresh parsley and serve.

* i find many soup recipes allow for some flexibility in the recipe, depending on what ingredients you have in your fridge or what your family’s tastes are. this particular recipe can easily be customized and changed to fit your personal tastes.

my kids love this soup, although the bok choy can be tricky for them to navigate. i love the cinnamon in it, especially in the winter, as it adds a warmth to the flavour which is lovely.

let me know what you think!

this moment.

March 7, 2014 by mama lola

please feel free to leave a link to your this moment from this past week in the comments.

a weekend getaway… without the kids!

March 3, 2014 by mama lola

HELLO OTTAWA!

we were invited to a family wedding in our nations capital. after lots of humming and hawing, and figuring out how to do it all without the kids in tow, we came up with a rather exciting plan! the wedding also nicely landed a week after our 7th anniversary, so it was a great excuse to celebrate US! dear hubby and i decided to fly to ottawa on porter airlines, stay in a lovely hotel in the center of the city, celebrate the beginnings of a beautiful marriage, take in a few sights, and then hop on a train to come home. it was a great trip filled with delicious foods, lots of walking and a calm that is hard to find when the kids are around.

we climbed onto our wee plane at 9:30am in toronto and landed in ottawa at 10:15am! AMAZING! i barely had time to read my book!

we arrived at our hotel early, but luckily we were able to check in early. lucky, because the finnish men’s hockey team was stomping all over the american team and ultimately won 5-0!!!! it meant bronze for my finn’s! then we had to rush to eat, as we had a wedding to get to!

and, this was our lunch. we found this awesome deli where the “bread” part was made of scones. i had this yummy salmon scone sandwich with a salad.

unfortunately i have no pictures of dear hubby and i looking dapper at this wedding. but, boy did we look great! dear hubby wore his gorgeous black velvet blazer, which was perfect for this winter wedding setting! i wore a sparkly grey dress, but i was warm enough because, i wore the wrap my mum made me for our winter wedding on 2007. one side of it is a beautiful green/ purple silky material, but the other is a natural white wool where my mum embroidered the leaves all sorts of trees. it is unbelievably beautiful, and i was so happy to be able to use it again!

it was a splendid wedding! lots of laughter, great stories and piles of love! congrats sarah & mike! xo

mello’s diner was an awesome breakfast spot for the morning after from the wedding! yummy food with fast and courteous service!

once our bellies were full we started walking through ottawa. we soaked in the sun and enjoyed the seasonally warm temperatures. we walked from ottawa, ontario to the hull area of gatineau, quebec. look at that glorious sun!

after walking we arrived at the canadian history museaum also known as the canadian museum of civilization. i have to admit this is one of the best museums i have ever experienced. everything about it was fantastic! please, go check it out if you can!

this is the grand hall. and, WOW is it ever grand! it is a hall will enormous totem poles that were carved by strong, creative hands. the totem poles stand proud holding onto the stories their makers wanted to share. they are breathtaking.

at the far end of the grand hall has a set of curvy stairs. above the stairs high on the ceiling is a stunning mural “morning star” by alex janvier. the colours, the energy and the rhythm was exhilarating. it was impossible to get a good picture of it, but trsut me when i say, it was stunning!

canada hall is one of the permanent exhibits at the museum. it is this fabulous meandering walk through the thousands of years of history our land holds. the layout is unbelievable, as you walk from one century to another, it feels as though you are outside walking along the streets of a prairie town during the 1900’s or strolling through a 60’s airport waiting lounge littered with ashtrays and funny payphones! it is great for people of all ages and i look forward to the day i can take my boys there!

ottawa is a wonderful city. not too big, busy or overwhelming the way many big cities are. so much history, beautiful architecture and plenty to see.

this is our parliament building. it’s where the big wigs make, um…. mostly terrible decisions on our behalf. haha! but, it is a beautiful building with lots of history.

and, rideau canal.

daytime.

nighttime.

this was the hotel we stayed in. the lord elgin. it is in the center of town walking distance to the byward market, parliament hill, rideau canal and so much more! it was built during the war in 1941 and there are so many wonderful details left from that time period.

on the morning of our departure, we went to the byward market to load up on delicious goodies like montreal style bagels, bearvertails, coffee, and lunch for our train ride back to toronto.

this was our lunch on the train. a couple of different deli salads and some yummy grilled veggies with rice ‘n beans.

on the train i was feeling super anxious about seeing the kids. i have never been away from them for so long and i was missing them deeply. this three day, two night separation felt like an eternity, but i know it was something we all needed. the kids had a wonderful time with my folks, which i knew they would!

here we are arriving at union station in toronto.

on this mini-getaway we traveled by car, ferry, plane, city bus, taxi, train and subway! oh, and let’s not forget by foot as well! with our trusted pack from our worldly adventures from way before the kids were ever even thought of, we did what we do so well together. we traveled. it may not have been to another country, another continent, or anything super adventurous, but it was a trip where we arrived at our destination hand-in-hand with big smiles on our faces eager to explore. there were no strict schedules or time constraints, no kids begging for attention or melting down from low blood sugar. although, dear hubby was hit with a cold, we still had a great time just the two of us.

HAPPY 7th ANNIVERSARY to US!

a mental health day: looking for inspiration.

where is spring: i am losing myself.

butternut squash beet and quinoa: a warm salad!

this moment.

naturally decorated easter eggs

a winter hike to kick off march break!

easter sewing projects!

vegetable bok choy soup!

this moment.

a weekend getaway… without the kids!

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