little reminders

It was another whirl wind morning of trying to get everyone ready, 

 out the door and on time. I was in auto pilot mode, completely oblivious

when Oliver said "Mommy look there are three deer!"

And there were. Two doe's and a fawn. Gorgeous. 

want, need, have to have

yes please! the dutch bakfiet- a super versatile ride. 

Check out this mom, without a car she gets all SIX of her kids around Portland with her bicycle!

the new rules of pregnancy

I read this article the other week and LOVED it!

A must read in my opinion. The modern pregnancy seems to be anything but these days. 

With an extensive list of don't(s), growing a baby for nine months came seem like a punishment. 

No wonder many women feel so miserable instead of loving the experience. 

Of course being mindful of what you eat and drink at anytime is important, pregnant or not but ease up ladies! This article was great because she really explored scientific research not just opinions, not just maybe or probably based on "fuzzy science".

I enjoyed coffee and the occasional drink with both of my pregnancies, ate peanut butter, deli meat and chocolate. I tried to make the healthiest choices (most of the time) and didn't stress if I craved salty french fries or vanilla dipped donuts.

** of course I'm not recommending you disregard medical advice, talk to your midwife or doctor and assess the information to make the right decision for you. Also take into consideration if you in are low risk or high risk situation**

song of the week

I posted this song a while back and well I can't stop listening to this entire album, 

so here's another favourite off the same self title album. 

Cats and Dogs by The Head and The Heart... love it!

parenting fail

this morning was horrendous, 

not for any particular reason at first. Just some mornings are easy and everything comes together

 and some morning just don't. Cue today.

I start walking to the car with the kids, carrying Georgie, my lunch, diaper bag and Oliver's "train" bag that seems to make to trek to the babysitters daily. Halfway to the car it starts to down pour. Awesome. We scramble in, I climb in the back seat to try and minimize getting complete soaked. 

As we drive into town, the rain subsides so I decide to get a coffee at the drive thru, only for it to start raining and I mean like torrential rain, as I roll down my window. I get completed soaked, then the snotty girl at the window gives me attitude about getting a splash from the rain coming off my car. Yeah I know lady, the rain is pissing me off too, 

I don't need your attitude..... just my frickin' coffee THANKS!

Trying to get out of the parking lot is a total gong show and I mutter ' you of piece of crap' about some a-hole driver under my breath... only not under my breath enough because the super sonic 2000 hearing of my three year old picked it up immediately. You see three year olds are a lot like husbands when it comes to hearing, or more importantly selective hearing. They don't "hear" anything but the things you don't want them to. So after Oliver lectured me about using bad words all the way to the sitter's, he promptly told Kelly that I said ' piece of crap' and how bad it was. Then a fellow daycare kid and her mom came in to which Oliver immediately told them 

'my mom said piece of crap' 

So today- before the clock even made it to 8:00 am, I was the mom who said 'piece of crap'

Oh and as soon as I got to work the rain stopped and the sun came out. 

'piece of crap'

you win some, you lose some

Happy Thursday!

this one that one

getting a photo of either one of these two is proving to be difficult these days, 

getting one with both even harder. 

getting one with both looking at the camera impossible. 

I'm going to call this one a win! 

Take 25....

juicing vs. blending

For the last couple of months I have been juicing,at least once maybe twice a day. 

The results have been great and the whole family is taking part. 

This has been a really great way to enure the kiddos (and husband) are getting enough veggies every day. My kids have no issues getting enough fruit each day but getting the hardy greens into them was a bit challenging to say the least!

I still offer up some smoothies from time to time but mostly we are drinking fresh juice lately. 

I thought it would be helpful though to outline the benefits for each and the differences as well.

 

First up Blending (list via) ...

Pros

• Depending on which juicer you may have, it can be faster to make a smoothie.

• Bananas and avocado can be put in the blender, whereas the avocado especially cannot be juiced.
• Because the pulp is still in the smoothie, it can ward off hunger longer than the juice can.
• Most people already have a blender, so start up costs are minimal.

Cons

• Many hard/root vegetables (beets, carrots, etc.) are difficult to blend and taste better when juiced.
• Because of the fiber content in the smoothie, the nutritional value is not as high as a glass of juice.

Juicing

Pros

• Juice has a higher nutritional value per ounce. It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to eat pounds of carrots, beets, and other leafy green vegetables in one day.
• Even if your digestive system is working poorly, you can assimilate almost 100 percent of the nutrients contained in juice. While fiber often takes hours to digest, juice is absorbed into the body rapidly with hardly any strain on the digestive system whatsoever.
• A blender basically chops and mashes the fruits and vegetables. The juicer breaks open the cell of the plant, releasing vitamins, minerals, and life-giving juice. The juice does retain a portion of the soluble fiber, and the discarded fiber has a lot less nutritional value compared to what's in your glass.

Cons

• Usually involves more clean up time.
• More expensive than blending, as it requires more fresh produce.

So as you can see there are plenty of benefits to both blending and juicing... so do both! 

I chose the Breville Juice Fountain Plus... mostly because it was readily available and affordable but it has turned out to be a great juicer. It doesn't have a high yield on greens like kale, etc but it does a good job on a wide range of fruit and veggies and is super easy to clean. I still use my ninja to whip up a good smoothie but I find we use them more as treat or for little teething toddlers!

ghill life lately

oh July came and went a little too quickly for my liking. 

But I did manage to take a week off to be with my kiddos and we had a great time

visiting with friends and exploring Storeybook Gardens!

We were all quite exhausted after our fun filled week but loved every minute of it.
Hooray for Holidays!

maca

Maca is a root that belongs to the radish family. It's grown in the mountains of Peru and sometimes called “Peruvian ginseng,” maca’s benefits have been long valued, and now have been rediscovered as a supplement and ingredient it's available in pill, liquid and powder form.

I chose the pill form because it's easy to take on the fly and I went Vega again on this one.

There are no known side effects from taking maca but like any other supplement  it’s best to begin by taking smaller amounts and building up; no more then 2 tablespoons (of the powder) should be taken daily. Taking too much can lead to adverse effects and throw your hormones out of whack.

Benefits of Maca

• Maca is rich in vitamin B12 and protein. It also keeps you healthy by providing vitamins B1, B2, B12, C and E and also provides plenty of calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and amino acids

• Maca is widely used to promote sexual function of both men and women. It serves as a boost to your libido and increases endurance. At the same time it balances your hormones and increases fertility.

• Maca relieves menstrual issues and menopause. It alleviates cramps, body pain, hot flashes, anxiety, mood swings and depression. If you are pregnant or lactating you should avoid taking maca.

• Within days of using maca your energy level may increase. It is also known for increasing stamina. Many athletes take maca for peak performance. If you find yourself tired most of the time, experiment with maca to see if it helps. Just a small amount could be exactly what you need for a boost!

• Maca helps your overall health in a number of ways. It supplies iron and helps restore red blood cells, which aids anemia and cardiovascular diseases. Maca keeps your bones and teeth healthy and allows you to heal from wounds more quickly. When used in conjunction with a good workout regime you will notice an increase in muscle mass.

• Many take macs for skin issues, as for some people it helps to clear acne and blemishes. Another benefit for your skin is that is decreases sensitivity. In hot or cold weather, maca may help your skin withstand extreme temperatures.

• If you find yourself overcome with anxiety, stress, depression or mood swings, maca may help alleviate these symptoms, though of the evidence is anecdotal. Some have reported an increase in mental energy and focus.

I've been taking Maca for the last couple of months, starting with just a single pill and now am up to taking 2 pills a day (which is still a low dose) but have been quite happy with the results!

vega 

gadgets

want, need or have to have

How awesome is the talk dock?

 Acting as a dock, charging station, and receiver all in one, the Talk Dock lets you charge your phone, talk to mom, and finish your crossword all at once.

I'm leaning towards the green....