25 Days of Christmas 2010

Happy December 1st! Today is the day we start our 25 days of Christmas. This will be the 5th year (at least) that we have done this. The kids really enjoy it and I really enjoy doing this. It sorta makes us slow down and really enjoy the holiday season and it allows us some quality time together. It's really easy to get busy and overwhelmed at this time of year, so I welcome anything to help make this time of year last a little longer.
Here is what I have planned for this year:

1. Make advent chains

2. Write letters to Santa

3. Christmas party at Miss. Bean's school

4. Decorate the tree

5. Make holiday Rice Krispie treats & shoes out for Sinterklaas

6. St. Nikolaus Day - Make Speculaas Cookies

7. Grinch Dinner & a movie night

8. Make Chocolate dipped pretzels & English Toffee

9. Celebrate the last day of Hanukkah (chocolate coins, fried donuts, baked chicken, latkes with sour cream or applesauce, & coleslaw)

10. Make & hang paper snowflakes

11. Family game night

12. PJ Day! Christmas Movie Marathon

13. St. Lucia Day (Make cinnamon rolls)

14. Make cards & wrap gifts for Teachers

15. Bub's Christmas Dance. 2 littles & I will watch a Christmas program & make a craft

16. Make Popcorn balls

17. Christmas shopping for siblings

18. Christmas baking day!

19. Wrap gifts for siblings & listen to Christmas music

20. Drive around and look at Christmas lights (Hot cocoa & popcorn for the drive)

21. Winter Solstice Celebration

22. Make magic reindeer food & watch Prancer

23. Deliver gifts to friends & family

24. Christmas Eve - Gingerbread house, track Santa, traditional supper @ Chinese restaurant & watch the Polar Express

25. Merry Christmas!!

I also have a few other day activities planned if the weather cooperates. I would like to take the kids to Christmas in the Country at New Ross Farm Museum this weekend (if the rain holds off). If we get some decent snow we'll do some coasting and I would really love to go on a sleigh ride if we can (I've had the sleigh ride on the list forever, please let us get good snow before Christmas :D ).

Do you do the 25 Days of Christmas with your family? What activities do you have planned? I hope you are getting excited for the holidays. :)

25 Days of Christmas 2010

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A Sisterhood of Sadness

A Sisterhood of Sadness

“I was once a member of the Pregnancy Club, my membership card consisting of two pink lines on a stick. I was eager to pay my dues, just like all the other members. Morning sickness, stretch marks, cravings — I welcomed them all.

But they never came. And before I knew it, my membership was revoked. No real reason — at least none I could discern — other than bad timing, perhaps. Or, at least, that’s what everyone’s been telling me. That and “God’s plan.”

Miscarriage is a terrible word. As if one has dropped something, or carried something incorrectly. Similar to “mistake” or “misunderstanding.” How I longed for it to be either of those things when I learned my baby was gone. Surely, it was a mistake, I prayed. If they would just look again, they would learn it was all a simple misunderstanding.

But the ultrasound screen showed otherwise.

1 out of every 5 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, say the books. That statistic terrified me when I was pregnant. So many lost babies, I thought. How can I keep mine from being one of them? But now that mine is one of them, that 1 out of 5 seems awfully small.

Or, at least, it did. Until soft-speaking female voices started whispering to me in my grief, “It happened to me, too.” Their eyes told me the stories of the pain that we shared, the pain that only a woman who has carried a child – and lost it – could know. For some, it was fresh pain. For others, it was dulled by healthy babies since born.

A sisterhood of sadness.

It’s a silent group, this new club of which I have recently become a reluctant member. Our membership cards are the scars we will always carry on our hearts. Our dues are paid in blood and tears. It is a painful initiation, and one never ceases membership. Because one never forgets.

I am joining, not because I want to, but because I wasn’t given the choice. But at least I know I’m not alone. At least I know there are hundreds of thousands of women with me, however silent and invisible, quietly holding my hand.”

- Author Unknown

Thank you to all the great friends on twitter that have been a huge support for me the last week. Thank you for being there and listening. Thank you to my real life friends that have called or left me messages - your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you most of all to my husband for helping me, supporting me and loving me through this difficult time in our lives.

A Sisterhood of Sadness

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Menu Plan Monday - November 22 - 27

It's been a long time since I've done a Menu Plan Monday post.  I don't know if anyone really finds these helpful or not.  Feel free to let me know if you like them, look forward to them or could really care less. ;)

I also want to tell all my friends & family in the US - Happy Thanksgiving! If you haven't planned your menu yet for the holiday; get to it! You'll need to get your turkey fresh if you wait much longer. And speaking of turkey don't forget to put it in the fridge to thaw if you already purchased yours.

Hope you all have a great week, enjoy your family and use up those leftovers!

Please note - I use organic, local ingredients when possible. Also the recipes usually call for all- purpose flour. I usually use a mix of 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white or just all whole wheat. Remember a recipe is just something to go by, feel free to change them up for health/your family's tastes.

Healthy Eating Menu for Mommy{Sunday - Saturday}

Breakfast: I get up around 5-5:30, my goal is to eat within an hour of waking so I have a small breakfast (which if I woke later it would be my am snack) and then my 'bigger breakfast' later on when I have more time.


Breakfast #1

• Sunday: 10 raw almonds, 1 apple
• Monday: Yogurt cup , 1 cup strawberries
• Tuesday: 10 raw almonds, 1 cup grapes
• Wednesday: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup strawberries
• Thursday: 10 raw almonds, small banana
• Friday: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup mixed fruit
• Saturday: Yogurt cup, 1 cup strawberries

Breakfast #2: 

• Sunday: 2 slices Ezekiel bread toasted, 2 boiled egg, 2 tsp butter, 1/2 cup blueberries
• Monday: 2 eggs, 1 flat bagel, 1/2 grapefruit
• Tuesday: 2 egg omelet with ham & cheese, 1/2 grapefruit
• Wednesday: 2 dippy eggs, 2 slices whole grain toast, 1/2 grapefruit
• Thursday:  2 scrambled eggs, 1 slice whole grain toast, 2 slices turkey bacon & 1/2 grapefruit 
• Friday: 2 egg omelet with mushrooms & peppers, 1 slice Ezekiel toast, 1 tsp butter, small orange
• Saturday: 1 cup oatmeal, 2 TB slivered almonds, 2 TB raw pumpkin seeds, 2 TB dried cranberries, 1 cup milk

Lunch: 

• Sunday: Veggie Soup & Salad, & fruit
• Monday: Baked Potato w/cheese, salsa & sour cream, & fruit
• Tuesday: Glop Bowl (Couple cups of baby spinach, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup beans & salsa), & fruit
• Wednesday: Baked Potato w/ broccoli & cheese, & fruit
• Thursday: Glop Bowl (Couple cups of baby spinach, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup beans & salsa), & fruit
• Friday: Chef Salad & fruit
• Saturday: Grilled cheese & Tomato Soup, and fruit

PM Snack: (May exchange for Green Smoothie)

• Sunday - Yogurt cup & 1/4 cup homemade granola
• Monday - Homemade energy bar
• Tuesday - 1/4 cup Hummus & 1cup veggies
• Wednesday - Homemade energy bar
• Thursday - Yogurt cup & 1/4 cup homemade granola
• Friday - Homemade energy bar
• Saturday - 1/4 cup Hummus & 1 cup veggies

Toddler Menu {Monday - Friday}


Breakfast:

• Monday: Yogurt & monkey platter (variety plate of cut up fruits)
• Tuesday: Whole grain organic frozen waffle, pears and 1/4 cup milk
• Wednesday: scrambled egg, cinnamon toast squares (whole grain bread lightly toasted)
• Thursday: French toast, peaches, and 1/4 cup milk
• Friday: Organic oatmeal, fruit and 1/4 cup milk

Mid-Morning Snack:

• Monday: Orange Wedges & 1/4 cup milk
• Tuesday: Banana &  1/4 cup milk
• Wednesday: Pumpkin bread &  1/4 cup milk
• Thursday: Yogurt & animal crackers
• Friday: Fruit slices & 1/4 cup milk

Lunch:

• Monday: Homemade chicken nuggets & oven fries, blueberries & 1/4 cup milk
• Tuesday: Healthy Baby's First Pizza, soft cooked veggie sticks & 1/4 cup milk
• Wednesday: Pasta in tomato sauce, cheese dough sticks, diced fruit & 1/4 cup milk
• Thursday: Macaroni & Cheese, strawberries & 1/4 cup milk
• Friday: Small Monkey Platter & 1/4 cup milk

Afternoon Snack:

• Monday: yogurt & graham cracker
• Tuesday: Monkey Platter (can be shared with big kids after school)
• Wednesday: Toast with Nutella & 1/4 cup milk
• Thursday: Orange slice & 1/4 cup milk
• Friday: Apple Oatmeal Cookie & 1/4 cup milk

Regular Cooked Menu {Monday - Friday}

Breakfast:

• Monday: Oatmeal, juice or milk
• Tuesday: Waffles, juice or milk
• Wednesday: Homemade zucchini bread, yogurt, juice or milk
• Thursday: Oatmeal, juice or milk
• Friday:  Scrambled egg sandwich, juice or milk

Lunch: 

• Monday: Sub sandwiches, veggies & dip {holiday}
• Tuesday: Whole wheat bagel sandwiches, potato salad, veggies & dip, fruit, juice & water
• Wednesday: Leftovers, apple slices, veggies & dip, zucchini bread, juice & water
• Thursday: California Roll-up, orange wedges, veggies & dip, zucchini bread, juice & water
• Friday:  Pizza Roll-Up, yogurt, veggie sticks & pieces of fruit, juice & water

Supper:

• Sunday: Cheese Stuffed Shells, Garlic Cheese Rolls &  Salad
• Monday: Crock Pot Pork Chops & Gravy, Potatoes & Roasted Veggies
• Tuesday:  Crock Pot Beef Roast & Veggies
• Wednesday: Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup in Bread Bowls & Salad
• Thursday: Roast Chicken, Dressing, Squash, Mashed Taters & Gravy, Roast Broccoli
• Friday:  Pepperoni Bread & Salad 
• Saturday: Kielbasa, Perogies & Salad

Need more menu planning ideas? Then head over to Laura's @ I'm an Organizing Junkie. Also if your interested in more vegetarian, flexitarian or whole foods menus please check out Jenna's Mindful Menus.





☮peace.♥love.☺joy

Menu Plan Monday - November 22 - 27

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Creative Wanderings - Handcrafted Soap Review

About a month ago I went to a local craft fair and purchased a couple of bars of handcrafted soaps from Creative Wanderings. Oh. My. Gosh. These are the most amazing soaps I have ever tried.  I've always been a fan of handcrafted soaps; mainly because I don't find them to be nearly as harsh on my skin as conventional soaps. These soaps were absolutely amazing though.  They left my skin so moisturized that I didn't need to use a separate moisturizer and the smell - well it was all I could do not to eat the bars. Even my big kids made comments about how good they smell, and they are always wanting to use this soap over the other soaps in the bathroom.

Creative Wanderings is located in Kingston, Nova Scotia. All of the Creative Wanderings soaps are hand crafted using the cold process method, which retains all the naturally-occurring glycerin of the saponification process. The oils that she uses are all vegetable based, so vegetarians can feel comfortable knowing that no animal fats are present. Yay! for vegan soap!!

Sugar Rush                                   Jack Frost 

The first soap that we used was called Sugar Rush. It was absolutely amazing. The soap smelled like a mixture of cotton candy and vanilla cake. Every time I took a shower and used this soap I couldn't help but feel happy. The soap is made from all natural vanilla and it lathers up brown. At first I thought it was going to stain my wash cloths but it didn't. :) Last night Miss. Bean told me the next time I buy this soap I should buy 12 of them. I guess she's as sad as I am that it is all gone.

The second bar that we used was called Jack Frost. I bought this soap because it reminded me of how Christmas and winter smell. It is made from a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, and spruce. This soap actually left my body feeling all tingly and refreshed. I really loved using this soap when my sinuses were bothering me or if I had a headache - it actually helped relieve the symptoms. I think I want to stock up on this soap to use in the summer months, because of how it made me feel cool. I bet it would be great on a hot, summer night before going to bed.

Creative Wanderings also sells shaving soaps, shampoo bars, body buttah, body balms, children's soaps and more! Check out their web page for all of their products.  They will deliver if you live locally and they ship anywhere in North America. These soaps would make fantastic Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers! You can also find them on Facebook - let them know I sent you. :)

Creative Wanderings is going to be at the Acadia & Somerset Christmas Craft Fairs  tomorrow, November 21st.  If you are a local, looking for some great handmade soaps for yourself or for a gift; I encourage you to head over to one of the fairs and support by purchasing local and handmade.

Creative Wanderings - Handcrafted Soap Review

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