bear & lion

here's a peek into the highs and woes of our life

oreo cookie and white chocolate bark!

by


i didn’t get around to posting any of the holiday treats and crafts we got up to this season. but, i have a few easy things i want to share, that aren’t necessarily x-mas related. i will start with this highly addictive (you’ve now been warned) bark. i’ve never made bark before and i was looking on pinterest and came across THIS super easy, super delish recipe at bakers royale.















INGREDIENTS:

15 oreo cookies
10-30 oz white chocolate 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. line your pan with parchment or wax paper, leaving lots of overhang for easy removal at the end.

2. place chocolate in a double boiler over low heat and stir continuously, until chocolate is completely melted. i chopped and shaved the chocolate first, to help speed the melting process.  then, transfer the chocolate to a heat proof bowl and cool for 5 minutes. 

3. add chopped oreos and stir to combine. Pour mixture into pan. use a spatula to smooth out top. sprinkle more oreos on top if desired.

4. let the bark solidify in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. remove from pan, cut up and ENJOY!

i’m salivating just looking at these pics. holy mama, this was easy and yummy!
i made one batch with chopped candy canes sprinkled on top, but that was a bit too sweet (even for me!)
xo, mama lola

bark. the kind you can eat.

by


i didn’t get around to posting any of the holiday treats and crafts we got up to this season. but, i have a few easy things i want to share, that aren’t necessarily x-mas related. i will start with this highly addictive (you’ve now been warned) bark. i’ve never made bark before and i was looking on pinterest and came across THIS super easy, super delish recipe at bakers royale.















INGREDIENTS:

15 oreo cookies
10-30 oz white chocolate 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. line your pan with parchment or wax paper, leaving lots of overhang for easy removal at the end.

2. place chocolate in a double boiler over low heat and stir continuously, until chocolate is completely melted. i chopped and shaved the chocolate first, to help speed the melting process.  then, transfer the chocolate to a heat proof bowl and cool for 5 minutes. 

3. add chopped oreos and stir to combine. Pour mixture into pan. use a spatula to smooth out top. sprinkle more oreos on top if desired.

4. let the bark solidify in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. remove from pan, cut up and ENJOY!

i’m salivating just looking at these pics. holy mama, this was easy and yummy!
i made one batch with chopped candy canes sprinkled on top, but that was a bit too sweet (even for me!)
xo, mama lola

the new year brings with it some baggage, but in a good way.

by

a new year and a new project.
i’ve joined the fun at 365 project; come check out my profile HERE. I’ll be posting a photo a day as a kind of photo journal of our days in 2013. I know I already post lots of pics here, but I like the idea of choosing one picture to describe our day, like I do for this moment every friday.

* * * * * * *


a new year and new habits.
we have gorged ourselves with gingerbread cookies, various decadent bark flavours, other baked goods and lotsa food in general, and yesterday was the final day for pigging out. The kids have been eating way too many treats and the thought of all of that sugar on their pearly whites freaks me out. I am so done with all of that refined sugar moving through their wee bodies, making their behaviour erratic and wild, and mucking up other good habits.

Three cheers and health to us all. Less sugar, less white flour, less processed foods, regular dental checkups with our Dentist Vineland and back to the goodness of real, whole foods. my mouth is watering just thinking about the dinners we’ll enjoy again!

* * * * * * *


a new year and a time for calm.
After our chaotic fall and busy holiday season, I am eager to enjoy the calm and routine the new year will bring with it. Yes, the routines can be mundane, but the predictability of the routine will allow me to work on myself and my needs and reduce the anxieties tied up in my shoulders. I am hoping to learn new habits for old relationships.
I also need to place priority on myself more, so today I rescheduled my chiropractor’s appointment from next week to this evening, as I think I have a pinched nerve in my neck causing intense pain in my neck and shoulders. I know this doesn’t sound like a huge thing, but it’s a step and hopefully the baby steps will lead me to a healthy, strong, balanced destination. Anyone who has ever pinched a nerve will know how painful that is and how much you just want relief. Seeing my chiropractor is a positive thing, it shows that I want to take care of my health. If you are in the same position as me then get yourself that help, look up a chiropractor and Visit Website of one near you to see if they can help you too.

* * * * * * *


A new year and quality time with my dear hubby.
Yes, we instilled a regular date night over a year ago, but truth be told, we have spent many friday date nights running errands and only talking about the kids. I am hoping to spend more quality time with my partner, talking about us, life, goals and yes, the kids as well, but I don’t want them to dominate our time. I want to turn off the tv and play board games or card games, laughing together, as we enjoy each other’s company.
I am hoping to turn to our families more for help with the kids. I have nothing to prove and sending the kids away on overnight visits to grandparent’s houses is going to be the new thing for us. can you believe we’ve never done that?!

* * * * * * *

what does 2013 look like for you?
did you make any resolutions?

xo, mama lola

xo, mama lola

bye bye 2012, hello 2013!

by

our current year is about to come to a close, inspiring me to do a quick wrap up of the year… and, what a year it has been! we’ve enjoyed some super high highs and shockingly low lows, all which have been rounded out by lots of middle of the road, mundane kinda days. 

my life as a mum is typically filled with a dull drudgery, based in routine and a constant dialogue of reminding the kids to eat their meals, wash their hands, put their long john’s on, tidy up, say thank-you and so on and so on. with bear in school, the routine on those days starts early, before the sun has even risen and i am usually alone with the boys on these dark, cold mornings. i am often amazed we survive as well as we do on most days. 

and let me quickly clarify that the drudgery is not a bad thing. it’s just a thing. it’s life. our life at this time. most people live a kind of dull routine, one that is mundane and that is only highlighted by joys. 

and, we certainly have experienced lots of different joys this year. the one big one being, getting the all clear from my endochronologist and neurologist to have more kids if that’s what we want to do. having had several clean MRI’s and bloodwork results since my tumour was removed in november 2010, has been such a huge relief. a joy in fact. and not just for me, but for my sweet dear hubby, my parents, friends and family.
phew!

and although mothering has brought with it drudgery, it has also brought me lots of joy. and, not just at the obvious times, like birthdays or other important milestones. but, sometimes during the mundane routines of teeth brushing one of the boys will smile sweetly, caress my arm and tell me they love me. that is pretty lovely and joyful. or, they will learn a song and beam with pride when they sing it for us. that fills my heart with joy. or, they will draw a picture and hang it on the fridge themselves dancing with satisfaction when i comment on the art. this too, fills me with joy. we have shared many happy, exciting times as a foursome this past year and i feel very fortunate for that.

2012 also brought with it hard, sad times, which have necessary to endure in order to really recognize and enjoy the happy times. even though, the the tough times have been heartbreaking, they have brought with them a momentum for change. i find the struggles in life are also the catalysts for real change. i am now entering a new year, with a clarity that i have never held before for what i want and need in my life, in order to succeed as a person. a whole person. not just a mother, or a wife or a woman, or a daughter or a friend.

there has been one constant in the ups and downs of my life, and that is my dear hubby. he has stood by me, sometimes clueless as to what to do or say, but he has been by my side regardless. our marriage has been tested and pushed to new limits this year, but our love and optimism for each other and our relationship will bring us even closer in this coming year. i love my husband deeply and feel very lucky to have found him years ago in the woods of northern ontario. his calm balances my excitement and his cool balances my heat. our differences and similarities are a surprising match.

for 2013 becoming whole is my resolution. to learn to fulfill myself in many different ways, especially by incorporating new outlets for creativity, education and physicality. i need to really learn how and when to set boundaries, learn to say no and learn to ask for support. i also need to stop feeling guilty about the most insignificant things and forgive myself for the mistakes i have made. 
this year is coming to a close and i feel like i am also closing a chapter in my life. this new year’s eve feels like the starting point for a new chapter in my life, a fresh page or blank canvas, and it is up to me choose the where to begin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
SEE YOU IN 2013!

xo, mama lola





xo, mama lola

my birthday.

by

tomorrow is my birthday.
i’ll be 34 years old. 
i love my birthday and this year i’m noticeably unconcerned about my new, slightly older age. being in my thirties has always kinda freaked me out a bit, and as i have crept towards the middle of this third decade of life, i have become more scared. scared of what, you may wonder, and i’m not sure exactly. probably just of getting older and old, and the changes that that evolution brings with it.

this year, after my fall from hell, turning a year older seems easy. there’s no stress or worry about my new age, as the experiences of the previous weeks really brought me some much needed perspective. now it’s clear to me what matters, what doesn’t. who matters, who doesn’t. and where i fit into all of that. i have greater understanding about my needs; what i need from myself and others, and i am slowly learning how to have those needs met. i assumed that after my tumour shit and lion’s birth, i somehow was staring a new chapter, because that’s what i wanted and kept telling everyone. but, i was missing a huge piece of that… i wasn’t actually doing anything to facilitate change. well, now the ball of change is in motion and although the momentum is slow, i do feel it’s strength.
it’s gonna be a BIG year of change.

i hope that this new year of mine is mine. 
i need to learn to say no, to not care about what others say or think of me and i need to set some strong boundaries around me. not walls, because i want to be involved with people, but i need to learn not to take on everyone else’s problems as a way of ignoring my own. i need to learn to value myself, my skills and who i am. i deserve time, space and love, just like everyone else. this is going to be tough, but it’s time to do this. 
my time.

happy birthday to me and to all the other capricorns out there born on the 28th! 
(denzel washington being one of them!)


xo, mama lola


xo, mama lola

it’s been a stormy fall.

by

this fall, my family and i were caught in a personal crisis of sorts. 

i found myself holding a large bowl of lemons at the beginning of november, and instead of pulling out my juicer to make lemonade, i instead chose to ride the sour wave that left me feeling raw, emotional and sad. i won’t get into the details of what happened to trigger these big emotions, as i need to hold onto some privacy here, but i am willing to share my feelings around this difficult time.

this fall i was forced to do some serious self-analysis, look at myself and really recognize the qualities that make me, me. there are some good things that i saw, but i focused more on the complicated, bad stuff. the things that are embarrassing, deeply shameful and difficult to even say out loud. but, that’s what i did. i verbally repeated my flaws to people who would listen, discussing their significance and power over my life; i took responsibility for my bad decisions admitting to everyone that although i have hidden behind a facade of happiness, there is great pain and regret in my heart and life, all which came exploding out like a pressure cooker.

during this time of crisis, my emotions were heightened with a rawness that is impossible to explain. i was unable to eat, sleep or stop pacing like a caged tiger. i had difficulty focusing on simple activities, like reading or grocery shopping. i was single parenting for a large chunk of this time, which made me feel the tremendous weight of guilt on my trembling, exhausted shoulders. 

but, fortunately for me, there were people in my life who stepped in to support and help me. although many of my dearest people live in other communities, they did offer hours and hours of emotional support through the ol’ telephone. they listened while i sobbed uncontrollably, which is all i needed or wanted. others came to my help at home, without even being asked, coming over to help with the kids or just being with me as i rode these powerful waves of emotion.

now, the storm has passed and the waves are calming down. my personal growth has only begun and is now spilling over into my marriage, but in a good way! i took those lemons and threw them away, opting to start a new chapter rather than holding onto those upsets and negative feelings, that will only sour anything fresh or new coming my way.

* * * * * * *
i have missed blogging and i thought i could return before christmas, but i instead chose to focus my time and energy on my lovely guys, lion, bear and dear hubby. we had a lovely christmas with our families and are now spending lots of time together before dear hubby returns to work in the new year. 

i am hoping this entry is my return to this cyper space and fun place. i thought before i start with any recipe or photo montage i should preface my absence with some explanation, even if it is a bit vague.

* * * * * * *

peace.
xo, mama lola



xo, mama lola

quiet.

by

a quick hello.

it has been a very difficult november for me.
a time for deep thinking, chatting with family and friends and getting to know myself. again. very quiet on some levels. chaotic on other.

i miss this space, and i think about writing here daily, but for now, i have to leave things be. i will return when the quiet ceases and the fun returns. when my world is full of love and laughter. thank you all for the lovely comments and emails of support. it means the world to me.

see you soon,
xo, mama lola

(p.s. i do have some holiday ideas and projects on the go that will share. eventually.)


xo, mama lola

apple*pumpkin*crisp!

by

that’s right, i took something yummy and easy and added a delicious fall twist to it. i tried to find a recipe to follow, but all the ones i did find required whole pumpkins, and i all i had was half a can of the pureed orange stuff. so, i got creative. i took martha stewart’s apple crisp recipe and made it my own.
i know, ballsy, but i see you wiping that droll off of your chin, just thinking of the yummy goodness! 


APPLE*PUMPKIN*CRISP
INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats 
1-1 1/2 sticks of butter
1/2 can of pureed pumpkin
6 medium sized apples
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clover
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 maple syrup
2 tblsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. preheat the oven to 375F.
2. peel and chop apples. cut into desired size, bigger sizes generally take longer to cook. (i chopped mine into smaller chunks as it’ll be easier for the kids).
3. in a bowl combine, flour, oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon and cloves. then add the butter and use your (washed hands) to blend the mixture. leave some clumps.
3. in another bowl mix apple chunks, lemon juice and almost all of the pumpkin puree. also, mix in the maple syrup.
4. grease a baking dish, add apple and pumpkin mixture. spread and even out. add remaining pumpkin puree long the edges to avoid burning the apples. then add, the dry topping, spreading it our evenly.
5. bake for one hour. let sit for atleast 10 minutes before serving. add a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream.


this dessert was a perfect way to end the week. we had a family movie night watching “ANNIE” while devouring the apple pumpkin crisps with a side of yummy vanilla ice cream. kids loved it, dear hubby loved and so did i!


mmmm…. there’s enough still to enjoy this afternoon!

xo, mama lola
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

recent posts

instagram

Instagram did not return a 200.