It's Halloween...

I love Halloween! What other holiday do you get to attack an innocent squash with a knife and go bug your neighbours for candy. I always enjoyed Halloween as a kid for obvious reasons - candy! As an adult I have enjoyed watching the neighbourhood kids come around and snacking on as much candy as I give out. Actually I get the chocolates 'cause I like them more.

This year has been so much more fun. The Little Man had a blast picking out a pumpkin with his best buddy a few weekends ago. Tonight we carved the the beast. I thought the Little Man would be all over gutting it. Nope. It was too goopy. He didn't want to get his hands messy. He was the supervisor of the carving. He told told Mom & Dad what to do and how they were doing it wrong.

He is asking for Halloween songs and once I start it's "more", "more", "more".

His favourites are:

5 Little Pumpkins sitting on a gate

The first one says 'Oh my it's getting late.'

The second one says 'There are witches in the air.'

The third one say 'But we don't care.'

The fourth one says 'Lets run and run and run.'

The fifth one says ' It's time for Halloween fun.'

Awhoooooooooooo went the wind

And out went the lights

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight

It's Halloween

The lamp is lit

Around the fire we children sit

Telling ghost stories bit by bit

'Till sister Jane says 'Hushhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'

Who's that peeping around the bedroom door

Who's the creeping across the kitchen floor

Who's that screeching like their throat is sore

IT'S A GOBLIN 

There is a tiny window of your life when your childhood can blend with your kids'. Sharing your traditions and memories to help then make new ones. Both of these songs were my favourite as a kid and I love hearing the Little Man ask for them again and again. I have song the "Gaa-bin Ong" no less then 15 times in a row.

What's Halloween without treats?!?  Given that I have recently found Pintrest (that is another topic in and of itself) I decide to find something quick, easy yet fun for a Halloween party that I went to with the boys today. I found a recipe for 'Bones'. Small marshmallows on stick pretzels dipped in melted white chocolate. The Little Man keeps asking more 'More bone', but only easy the ends and leaves the pretzel part.

I have this thing that I really want to make the boys costumes. However in past years I had limited sewing skills, we are talking lucky to sew a straight line kind of skills, thus costumes were out. I have since leaned how to sew pants so the Littlest Man got pirate pants hand sewn by Mom. I had every intention to make a train out of cardboard boxes ect but my ambition and reality of available time for such an endeavour did not match. So we ordered him a train engineer costume on-line. It's kinda perfect for our little train lover!

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night. Here's hoping the weather holds out or there will not be much trick-or-Treating, thus limited candy for me....errrrr I mean the Little Man.

Happy Halloween!

Today I met Joe Carter

Today I met Joe Carter. Not only did I get to meet him I got to watch (from the pitching mound I might add) as he hit a 3-run home run to win the 1993 World Series in the bottom of the 9th in Game Six.

Here he is as he "Touches 'em all" at the Sky Dome. Actually he "touched 'em all" about 9 times!

I thought this would be the hard part of parenting. I'm not very imaginative.

I grew up with the most amazing bedtime stories from my dad. There were amazing adventures involving Darrel the Dragon, Mont Merencie the mouse and Bongo & Coconut on their tropical island. The bar was set high! So I tried to tell my Little Man a bedtime story once. It went like this: "There were once some people, they did stuff, and the lived happily ever after". I just don't have this gift of imagination.

How am I going to foster the creative juices and imagination if I, as an adult, have lost it? How do I turn sheets and couch cushions into a tent in Africa on safari or an igloo at the North Pole? How do I turn the dog bowl being presented to me with a "Happy Birthday, Mom" into our morning adventure? I don't know....

I don't know, but I think you just follow their lead, use what you know and before you know it you will remember how to imagine.

So Thank-you Little Man for showing me today that a flute can easily be the baseball bat that Joe Carter swung to win the 1993 World Series.

PS: Incase you missed it in 1993: The Swing

Mindfulness Laduree Style

Mindful Eating is something I talk about with clients all the time. I am well aware that it is easy to say and hard to do. I am terrible for snacking in front of the computer while I watch a show or while reading a book. Then of course the food is all gone and I think 'How did that happen?'. That is NOT mindful Terri!

Hubby and I were lucky enough a few years ago to go to Europe and spent 2 days of this in Paris. In my research as to what to see and do....well really it was more like what to eat and drink....I came across a recommendation for macaroons from Laduree's. I'm a big fan of chocolate and thought why not. Ahhhh but this lowly traveller found out that the macaroons of poor quality chocolate and stale coconut where not what was awaiting. These  french macaroons are a meringue sandwich with a crispy shell and creamy jelly or ganache center and like nothing I had seen before. I bought a few and after they travelled around Paris for the day in my bag they were a little worse for wear but still possessed that melt in your mouth explosion of sweet heaven. These delicacies perfectly combined taste with sweetness unlike most of our over sugared treats here in North America.

As I'm sure you can tell I'm a big fan! I was lucky enough that my fabulous mother-in-law was well aware of my love affair with these tasty treats and on her recent trip to Paris she brought me...well they were for hubby and me...some home.

This has been a lesson for me in mindful eating. There is nothing like knowing you have a limited supply of a food that you truly enjoy and would have to cross an ocean to get more. Mindfully eating is about taking small bites, stopping in between bites to not only know that you did eat but to experience the smell, taste, texture and even sight of the food you are eating.

I only get to hope I get to enjoy this lesson in mindfully eating these macaroons again soon!

Tis' the season for.....Pumpkins!

I love the fall time. I love the vibrant colours and the crisp air. I love the warm sweaters and not quite needing a coat yet. Mostly I love the food. Culinary choices go from the fresh vibrant foods of summer to the warm comforting meals of fall.

This fall I have discovered the delights of the pumpkin in my cooking, and I'm not just talking about pies here (though I do love me some pumpkin pie). A few weeks ago the boys and I made pumpkin cookies after I saw a friend's recipe on facebook. Jack loved dumping, stirring, mixing but mostly licking the beaters.

The thing with this recipe was that it didn't use all the pumpkin that comes in the can. I froze it in ice cube trays with the intention of using it later, but really thinking it would be found in the bottom of the freezer a year from now freezer burned. Well thank-you Clean Eating - my favourite foodie magazine - for having a bunch of great pumpkin recipes in your latest edition. I liked the look of these recipes so much I scoured Fergus looking for a pie pumpkin to grate. I discovered no ones carries these little pumpkins inFergus when the pies of Thanksgiving are only a memory.

The Cheesy Pumpkin Bake was a huge success as well as super healthy with not only the pumpkin but broccoli & kale for additional veggies and whole grain bread as well. Talk about a one pan meal. The Pumpkin Enchiladas were a flavour explosion with the additional fibre benefits of black beans added it. The Little Man loved the enchiladas best and ate more then me that meal. He would have loved them for lunch leftovers the next day if Dad didn't get to them first!

Wow! Seasonal, local and healthy vegetarian meals that we all loved - Success for this Momma!!

What I Cherish in my Baby Boys

Ahhhh that newborn and baby stage. It is so much work and so exhausting that you seem to pass each day in a blur. Everyone tells you to take time to savour the moments as they go so fast - I might only speak for myself here (I doubt it) - but when you are living a sleep deprived life it is hard to remember the moments let alone take time to enjoy them.
I am now on my second baby, he's 8 weeks, and am doing much better this time around appreciating the small things that only babies have to offer. Maybe it's because I have "been here and done this" before but here are the things I am trying to take time everyday to enjoy.

7) Being the Center of The (well someones) Universe
There is something in me, maybe its the Leo coming out, but I love being 'IT', the all knowing one, the big kahuna, the favourite. Right now my littlest man is at the stage where he knows me, will seek me out with his eyes and complain until I pay attention to him. He will be fussy with someone else and quiet as soon as I pick him up. He will smile big smiles for Dad and big brother but for me...I get the you are the only mom in the world and you rock my universe kinda smile. I love that look. Maybe I love this look b/c I know that all too soon I will be the routine one. My little man of 2 years will ask where Dad is all day, will get excited about going to Grandma's and climb into Nana's car when she's here. Me, well, he sees me all day most days so yeah I'm kinda old hat by now, nothing to get to excited about. So for now I'm going to enjoy being the center of the universe to at least one of my men.

6) Melting Baby

I don't even know what to call this and my literary skill will not do it justice. There is this way that babies will just melt into you. Their bones and joints will contour to your body and it's as if the two of you become one again. There is almost a liquidity to their bodies the way they soften to you as you hold them and they relax.

5) So Soft
We also know babies are soft. "Smooth as a baby's bottom" comes to mind. And while I don't go around rubbing his bottom, I can't seem to keep my cheek off of the littlest mans hair and head. They are just.so.soft.

4) Chubby Cheeks
I don't remember my little man having these big kissable cheeks when he was a babe that my littlest man has. I can not get enough kisses in on those cheeks. My lips just disappear in baby cheek and I love the loud "muah" that they make.

3) That Face
Both my boys have ended up with a very unique 'face' that they use often.
I would like to introduce the "Puss Face". This would be used whenever the little man was upset about something or unhappy...we saw this a lot!

Now this one I call the "Concerned Face" he really has this "what-did-I-get-myself-into-these-people-don't-know-what-they-are-doing" look. I swear we have not dropped him...yet. 

2) The special snuggle spot
My little man had this habit of snuggling his newborn head right b/t my neck and shoulder. I would tilt my head to the side and rest the side of my head on the top of his. This didn't last long as his head quickly got too big for this. I cherish those special moments of us rocking away in the middle of the night with his head cradled against my neck with me protecting him for those few moments from everything.
I was really looking forward to the neck snuggles when I was pregnant with my second man. I longed for them. I dreamt of them. I could not wait. Turnes out he was not a neck snuggler....he was a collarbone snuggler. My littlest man will inch his way down my body to get his head just below my collar bone. Once there, all is right in his world, and he will settle into our peaceful snuggle. What I have learnt to enjoy and appreciate with both boys is that it will not be the same but it will be just as heavenly to have those special snuggles in special moment where you get to hold them and protect them from everything.

1) Milk Breath
Oh how I missed milk breath. The littlest man has just started getting milk breath now. I don't know if it was because he is now drinking enough to have this or because he has finally stopped puking up the milk ALL THE TIME. There is a distinct difference b/t milk puke breath and milk breath.
There is this sweet milk smell they have that I crave worse then chocolate. After a nurse I will/would hold them (now for the littlest man and then for the little man) close to my eyes and SNIFF! Yup this may sound crazy but I'm addicted to that milk breath. I also know that my fix will run out in about 4months when he starts solids. Until then my sniffer will get a workout.

If you are entering this stage I recommend drinking a coffee/tea or getting caffeine into you somehow so you are awake enough for a moment to take that moment to think about what you love about this stage because it will be over all to fast. If you are in this stage what do you love? If this stage is a distant memory what do you remember most fondly?

So What Am I Doing Here?

I have never considered myself a blogger...cause really what do I have to say that someone wants to read about. I have no grandiose ideas about how exciting my life is. But here I am....
I remember back in elementary school learning to describe things in the Who, What, Where, When, Why, How, so here goes.

Who
Who am I? Well I am many things to many people, as we all are. I would start by saying I'm a mother, a wife, a dietitian, a daughter, a sister and a friend. I am a lover of nature, horses, wine, photography, cooking and that laughing so hard it hurts feeling. I love to have fun and be silly. I love to read, especially those really good books that suck you in and keep you up way to late reading even though you keep telling yourself just one more page. I believe in health and finding the healthiest you. I guess I could go on but if you are reading this you likely know me really well...cause I'm pretty sure those are the only ones who are going to read this anyway!
What
A blog...but I guess you've figured that part out.
Were
Right here at Just Me Being Me
When
Whenever I get time...
Why
Well that is the big questions. WHY? I'm blogging because through facebook I discovered that I love to get my thoughts, experiences and insights out there. When I was young I kept old school paper journals and loved the process of getting my thoughts on paper and have enjoyed even more reading them over the years. Over 3 years ago I decided to start journaling again...I missed it. I got a nice new book with an inspirational quote on the front. Guess how many entries I have made. TWO! Yup that's right two. Obviously something wasn't working. Then a few nights ago I got this idea to Blog. I have no idea why I thought this was a good idea but it has stuck with me and I have caught myself daydreaming about what I would write and what I had to say. I really have no desire...okay maybe a little desire...to have people read and comment but I have this need to express and for now this is my means of expression.
How
Well I'm not very techy so I'm figuring out the 'how' as I go along. 

If there is anyone reading this...................hello?..........................Enjoy!