spring time grass heads!

March 22, 2015 by mama lola

spring has arrived.

the snow piles in our front yard have almost melted entirely and the sun shines warmly almost daily. there have been robin sightings, a change in bedtimes and a general excitement for warmer months can be felt in the air.

source: sandy toes and popsicles blog

to get our family excited for spring i decided to peruse pinterest for ideas. a lot of the crafts i found felt too young for my kids, but then i found this….

look at these hilarious and awesome seed heads i found on pinterest. they’re made by kindergarten students and you can find more details HERE at rainbows within reach.

i thought both boys would want to get planting, but bear was grumpy and decided to partake.

his loss.

lion and i each filled our mason jars with potting soil and then placed the seeds on top. put a little more soil, water and done!

i don’t have any pictures with the grass yet, as we only just planted these. the seeds are pretty old, but i’m hoping with lotsa tender, lovin’ care they will grow. i will print pictures of our happy faces and stick them on later!

fingers crossed this craft works out!

delicious fish tacos!

March 15, 2015 by mama lola

fish tacos are pretty popular these days. I LOVE THEM!

i decided to try and make my own and they turned out AWESOME! there was a lot of cutting, slicing and chopping involved for the mango salsa and the guacamole i also made.

but, it was so worth it!

i love the look of my simple spices in the bowl!

i was pretty nervous about making these, because we love them so much the pressure was on, but now they have become family favourite for sure! and, depending on how hot you want the flavours to be you can definitely add more chili or whatever!

delicious fish tacos!

2015-03-15 20:08:46

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Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

15 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

15 min

fish tacos

1 lb white fish (tilapia is the best choice)
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
sprinkle of coarse sea salt
2 fresh limes

mango salsa

1 mango
finely chopped cilantro
1/2 finely chopped red onion

fish tacos

in a frying pan (preferably cast iron) heat olive oil.
mix paprika, chili powder, salt and oregano in a bowl. take a filet of fish and cover it with your spice mixture. feel free to use your fingers to really rub it in!
fry in hot pan adding more spice mixture if desired. fish fillets may break apart which is desirable, as they cook. cook about 5 mins on each side.
squeeze fresh lime juice all over cooked fish.

mango salsa

cutting mango can be tricky. the pit inside is flat:ish so imagine your fruit in thirds. once you have your fruit cut slice in the palm of your hand, cut it horizontally and then vertically, so you can get nice cubes. (see photos for reference)
in a bowl add mango, chopped cilantro, red onion and the juice of one lime. add a titch of sea salt. stir well.

Notes

*serve in warm tortillas.

bear & lion https://bearandlionmama.com/

serve with fresh lime juice, grated cheese, fresh cilantro all in a warm tortilla!

is your mouth not watering from looking at the pictures?!?!

for the guacamole recipe, go HERE!

oh, and finally… i installed a new recipe plug-in hoping to make it easier for you guys to save, print the recipes. i’d love some feedback…was it a good choice?

corner gallery wall: inspirations

March 7, 2015 by mama lola

it’s time for colour, fun and CrEAtiVitY!

our living room currently has white, plain walls.

we are just finishing our house reno (and i promise to share photo’s of that soon) and now we’re getting into the fun part… DECORATING! if you know me then you know that i’m constantly looking at wall stickers, paintings, vases, cabinets, etc. trying to find enough pieces to fill the room. i’m trying to find enough pieces to make a few eye-catching gallery walls. i want one in the corner of our living room as i’m hoping to create height and interest in this currently stark spaces. as i said, the walls are white and the room is calling out for a bit of colour. i also want one in our home office. we recently purchased some new office furniture from office monster and i love it. however, the wall behind the new desk is plain and again would look great as a gallery wall. the office furniture we bought all has a green theme, so i’m thinking white frames with green and black accents. i think green is a great colour for an office as it is calming and natural. we’re going to fill it with plants too, as they supposedly increase productivity.

generally, i love the look and feel of gallery walls with lots of different sized items with colour and lots of neutrals.

like this…

new studio from oh joy

but, i think for our spaces, because they are small(ish) i want to do something a bit more edgy and creative like this… unfortunately our ceilings aren’t as high, but i’m hoping to create a height with my gallery! I’m thinking of finding my favourite designs and then turning them into acrylic prints because you know what you’re getting with acrylic photo prints.

corner gallery wall from a beautiful mess

here are some other gallery walls i adore.

how to style a corner wall from kristina j

quincy’s room from honestly wtf

postcard wall from ideas to steal

i love how caitlin has created a gallery wall behind her tv, so it no longer sits as a focal point in a room she’s also chose some fantastic pieces!

living room gallery wall from desert domicile

a peek inside tara leydon’s stunning boho glam home from firtzroy

art wall re-do from leig blog

have you ever created a gallery wall?

do you have any tips or tricks for me?

thanks for stopping by! come and check me out on PINTEREST, i am always pinning, pinning and pinning more of my favourite things!

washi tape FUN!

March 2, 2015 by mama lola

it’s my turn to share a washi tape round-up!

if you don’t have any washi tape, you best run out to a craft supply store and load up. this stuff is fun and addictive! there is so much you can do with it, and the best art is that it’s easy n’ fast to work with. as i was looking for fun projects to include in my round-up i realized that anything and everything can be made cuter, prettier and more personalized with some washi tap! gotta love that!

so, here we go… drum roll puh-lease…

washi bike from schoolactie.hema.nl

washi picture wall from 100 layer cake

washi tape clothespins from make life lovely

washi craft stick dolls from mollymoo

washi paper clips with flags from paper & pin

diy washi chopsticks from by wilma

washi your work space from brit & co.

washi your table from enjoy it

so, which project is your favourite?

i love the bike, but am not sure i would actually do that. will definitely make some cute paper clips, personalize my journal and do some wall art type thing in the boys room!

if you have a fun washi tape craft or project you want to share, please include it in the comments section!

lion dancing!

February 27, 2015 by mama lola

we have had a rough week of sickness, pain and late nights. bear developed a ear infection at the beginning of the week, which made his life miserable for a few days. his ear drum actually ruptured the night before our doctor’s appointment… poor lamb. he is now on antibiotics and finally back at school, bit those long days at home were awful for him. and for me. watching your child in pain is such a helpless, horrible feeling.

so, i decided to share some fun and cute pictures from lion’s dance class to end the week on a happier note. our lion started taking dance classes in the new year. he goes with a friend every saturday afternoon and works his body hard. he is always completely exhausted when he gets home! so great!

check-out these absolutely adorable photo’s of my guy dancing away!

i just love that my boys will dance without any worries that it’s a girly thing to do. lion is so full of joy when at his class clearly enjoying moving his body in all sorts of different ways!

i of course looked like such a dork when watching; i had a goofy grin on my face as i tried to take photo’s while also enjoying the moment. i kept giggling and looking over at DH to see if he was taking in all of the cuteness like i was! and, no worries as he was!

i was the same when bear took dance classes a few years ago, you can see photos from back then HERE.

happy friday to you!

fancy birthday popcorn!

February 21, 2015 by mama lola

we celebrated a 7th birthday here on february 14th. yes, our sweet bear is getting bigger by the day!

he wanted to take something yummy to school to share with his classmates and i am not a huge fan of sending cupcakes; they are sweet and junky and full allergens, so not all kids can necessarily have some. last year i made these awesome fruit sushi’s, which were an even bigger hit than i ever could have imagined!

this year i kept things super simple and made some super fancy birthday pop corn!
i popped a couple of bags of popcorn, let it cool, then added some star & snowflake sprinkles, silver balls and traditional colourful sprinkles.

that was it.

done.

while it wasn’t quite the gourmet popcorn that my husband has treated me to in the past, the kids won’t know that! they will just see sparkles and love it.

dropped it off at school for the classes valentine’s day party where the kids started off the festivities with a heartfelt bonne fête for my bear! i left the bowl and afterwards heard from the kids that they LOVED the super fancy birthday popcorn!

easy. fast. but, AWESOME!

5 marriage saving tips!

February 20, 2015 by mama lola

they say that the first 7 years of a marriage are the hardest. they say that divorce rates decrease the longer a couple is married. i can only speak from my own experience, which statistically isn’t very much, as i have only been married to one man! but, we have passed the 7 year mark celebrating 8 years of marriage just a few days ago! i don’t often talk too much about my relationship with DH here on the blog as it feels quite personal, as it is OUR marriage.

it sure has been a ride with some super high highs contrasted by some super low lows… life is hard no matter what, but when you throw in little kids with their neediness and sleep deprived parents it’s hard to be happy in a marriage.

little people are exhausting, and all you folks out there living with super little people, hang in there! life does get easier once you’re sleeping more and not giving so constantly, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!

i’ve talked before how with older kids i have more time for self care, but there’s also more time for my marriage. although, DH and i don’t do regular date nights anymore, as there really doesn’t feel to be the need, we are much more connected now than a couple of years ago. two years ago we were HERE. when i read about our life then, i remember how difficult and stressful it all felt.

5 easy ways to save a marriage! *

1. date night: when the kids are little it’s important to date your partner, regularly. carve out time each week when the baby-sitter or nana comes to watch the kids for you. don’t just head to the grocery story store or run errands, because doing it kid-free is so easy, I know, but instead go out to dinner and talk. date nights are the perfect way to add some spice back into a bland marriage. you could visit loveplugs and buy something sexy as a surprise for when you get home from your date. of course, some of you won’t need to spice your sex life up again, but for those that do, some enjoy watching the Newest fuck clips available only at hdpornvideo XXX together and that’s ok! it isn’t for us, but it works for others. there’s something kinda hard about going out and just talking. it forces you to look at each other, to talk to each other in depth, to acknowledge each other. you don’t have to have deep conversations about your relationship, but it’s so nice to just touch base without being distracted by kids or other household things. communication is so important!

2. kiss n’ hug: but don’t all married people do this? um, NO! certainly not regularly and probably not enough. human beings need to be touched, it helps our mental health and receiving a kiss from your partner is very different than getting a smooch from your snotty nosed toddler! intimacy is not just sex, though there are plenty of intimate things involved that you can find on sites like lovegasm.co there is much more to being close with your partner than that. it is holding hands, caressing a neck or rubbing your love’s back. and, don’t wait for your spouse to start this habit… you have to initiate too! i’m not suggesting getting into a match of intense tonsil hockey every morning, but a sweet kiss is a nice way to start the day, right? If it is the sex that could be improved you could look at adult sites like https://www.tubev.sex/?hl=it with your spouse and see if heats the moment up a little.

3. don’t have kids: yes, i am being sarcastic, but there is truth to this statement as well. having kids can really drive a wedge in a partnership, even a strong one. it is really hard to raise kids and give to them, and have enough to give to your partner at the end of the day. this is where that 7 years theory comes into play, i think. once you’ve been married 7 years, you’ve probably had a few kids and they are mostly not babies anymore, in school and independent enough in many ways. which, leaves time and energy and opportunity for enjoying your partner!

4. greener pastures: this one is hard, but so important! do not compare your relationship with anyone else’s. and, do not compare your partner with anyone else’s. you don’t actually know what’s going on in other relationships. people can be very private about the truth especially when it comes to their marriage. even the best of friends may not be be telling it quite how it is. marital relationships are complicated with years of love, experience and adventure built into them. people present certain sides of themselves to specific crowds, while sharing another with other people, and that’s ok. but, just cuz mr. smith is being super charming and affectionate with his mrs at a neighbourhood party, doesn’t mean he’s like that with her at home!

5. be patient: being married is hard work. and, sometimes for whatever reason you or your partner may not have the energy or capacity to work at it. and, that’s ok. loving people isn’t always easy either. people evolve with time and not always at the same rate, so giving space for your partner to grow is important. you also need to allow growth, space and time for yourself. life is hard. love is hard.

but also soooooooo good!

source

good luck with your relationship and marriage!

*please take all advice offered here with a grain of salt. i am no expert in marriage, but i am an expert in my life! haha! these are tips that worked for me, for us and i just want to share!

let me know if you have any great tips or advice you can add to this list!

ripley’s aquarium visit in toronto

February 13, 2015 by mama lola

brrr…. it is -24c this morning here in southern ontario. perfect day to sit back and work on my blog with my warm coffee by my side.

a couple of weeks ago my dad turned 75! we had a great family dinner with delicious food my mum made, gifts and little wine to celebrate. we also visited the aquarium in the big city.

the kids love to help others with their candle blowing, gift opening and cake eating!

the ripley’s aquarium opened over a year ago and we have been meaning to go, but just haven’t found a good time. so on this our inaugural visit, we arrived just as they opened with our pre-ordered and pre-paid tickets in hand. seriously, if you can go online the night before and do this, do it! saved us time and hassle once we arrived. there were no crowds, so we were able to enjoy the fish, sharks and jellies without any hassle.

when we were leaving around noon the line-ups were staggering for tickets and coat check… this is why you get all that done the night before online… way less hassle!

also, there is a weird cafe/ play area in the middle of your aquarium tour. there is nothing at the end, except the gift shop, but they don’t sell any drinks or snacks.

we all loved the aquarium and would love to go back one day!!!

habits: these are mine, what are yours?

February 5, 2015 by mama lola

source

Habits. Quirks.

Whatever you call ’em we all have them. Some of them are healthy, some not so much. some are just weird routines we get into.

I used to have some really bad ones. I was a smoker in my youth. Big time.

I would wake up in the morning, light up, get dressed, then head to work. The thought of that disgusts me now and horrifies the jeepers out of me! But, eventually I was able to stop that habit and move onto other vices, like drinking lotsa coffee. I actually quit smoking just over 10 years ago! Woohoo me! I’m so proud of myself for reaching this milestone; my only wish is that I had done it sooner as I feel so much better in myself. But it was probably a lot harder to quit ten years ago than what it is now, as you can look into things like this flyte refills that you can use for your vape pens. I’ve heard that vaping has been known to be the safer and healthier alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. However you decide to quit, you should make sure you are doing what is best for you.

Giving up smoking can be so hard. One of my friends is trying to give up smoking at the moment. After doing some research online, she decided to buy a vape pen and some e-liquids like these ones from Jam Monster to make the transition from smoking cigarettes to vaping. A lot of people I know have used vaping as a stop smoking aid as it is supposed to be a safer alternative. It does seem to be working for my friend though so I have got my fingers crossed for her!

Plus, nowadays there are so many different flavors of e-liquid cartridges out there, it is easy to find something that suits your taste. For example, some of the most popular vaping cartridges are infused with health-boosting oils like CBD. If you would like to learn more about vaping with CBD, Click here. Quitting smoking is a huge task, but with willpower, you can break the habit.

source

Today one of my big habits is drinking club soda. weird, right? it all started with the kitchen reno in the fall when we wouldn’t have running water for long periods of time. i’ve been great at drinking water so it was tricky for me when i was home, so one day i bought myself a case of club soda. i was never a huge fan of it before, but thought it would be a good substitute for the time being… little did i know that i would become hooked! i am still completely hooked.

i crave it, look forward to cracking a not-so cold one open and taking that first super fizzy sip!

weird, i know!

i also have other habits, like drinking coffee in the morning, but only in the morning i can’t drink any in the afternoon as i get too buzzy! I wish I could drink coffee throughout the day, but I can’t. It would be a nightmare for me and my family. I only wish this because my friend has recently told me about this brewing guide that she found on thefullmooncafe.com and I would love to try their tips, but as there isn’t any time for me to do this in the morning, it might be a while before I can. It’s unfortunate really, but that’s the way it is. i brush my teeth in a very specific order, i walk through the grocery store in a very specific way, which helps not forget anything on my list. a lot of my habits keep my day, my thoughts, my responsibilities in order. i kinda get stuck in my ways of doing things, but if it ain’t broke, why fix it right?

my kids and DH have their own habits. when DH or lion are concentrating on a task they both do this weird tongue thing! so gross! bear has gotten in the habit of licking his lips when reading out loud. it’s such a funny little thing he does, i don’t think he even notices it.

i guess that’s the thing with our wee quirks and habits; we often don’t notice that we’re doing them!

what are some of your habits?

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minestrone soup recipe

February 1, 2015 by mama lola

my neighbourhood soup exchange is going strong!

here is another favourite soup recipe that i have added to my repertoire!

a few weeks ago i was on pinterest looking for soup inspiration and i found this amazing 30 minute orzo minestrone soup recipe from julia’s blog, a cedar spoon. i loved the pictures of the hearty soup, as i am totally a visual gal, and immediately pinned and then wrote the list of ingredients for my grocery list. it’s full of beans and veggies, which is just what we love at our house!

i did tweak her recipe a little to what we had in the pantry!

below i am sharing what i used and did for our soup.

INGREDIENTS:

3 table spoons of olive oil

1 yellow onion, choppeed

2-3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

large handful fresh spinach

2-3 garlic cloves, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can black eyed peas

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup ditali pasta

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 tsp oregano

2 bay leaves

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. heat olive oil in soup pot sauteeing chopped onions, garlic, carrots and celery, until tender. sprinkle with a titch of sea salt.

2. add zucchini. they cook quickly, in about 5 minutes.

3. add beans and canned tomatoes, veggie broth, oregano, basil, bay leaves and pasta. some cook the pasta separately and add to soup, but i like to do it all on one go. then, add spinach at the end.

5. serve with crusty bread or crackers.

to swap soup we transfer in mason jars. the soups can sometimes can sit for a few days in the fridge after being swapped, so that’s why i don’t bother cooking the pasta separately. the noodles will soften nicely in the jar.

hearty, belly warming soups are my favourite during these cold winter months. the kids also love when i send them in their thermos’ to school for lunch. yum!

let me know if this is a recipe you’re going to try!

enjoy!