I'm buying a subscription to Glamour magazine

I avoid women's magazines. I am a confident woman, but Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Self, Allure, Fashion, etc have the ability to make me feel like I'm not enough: I don't have enough money, my clothes aren't stylish enough, I don't exercise enough, I'm not thin enough, I don't wear enough make-up or paint my nails enough....Enough!

Then suddenly Glamour does something that monumentally shifts the way I see their magazine and I want to embrace the hell out of it!



Check out Lizzi Miller, aka "the Woman on p. 194". She's gorgeous, confident, smiling and REAL! It's scary how much better I felt about my own naked body after seeing this beautiful 20 year-old and her fleshy frame. I'm going to admit that my immediate feeling was, "I'm NOT disgusting!" (Though I rationally reject it, the media's portrait of an ideal woman obviously effs with my self-esteem.)

Keep it up Glamour! Real women need affirmation. Imagine the positive feminine energy you are unleashing on the world. Also, imagine the revenue if you are the first to stop alienating the average size woman.

"Earth to Meekus!"

Alexander Skarsgård. 2009.

Oh hell! I laughed damn hard when I realized that sexy Swedish vampire Eric (True Blood) is ditzy male model Meekus (Zoolander)! Do you remember him? He dies in a tragic gasoline fight accident and co-delivers one of my most treasured lines from that flick: "ORANGE MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO!!"

Restoring the Magic

Two movies that make me feel like a kid again.

I Wish I Were American

Sure there are lots of reasons I'd rather be Canadian (214 million fewer guns, the right to marry someone of the same sex and universal health care are nothing to scoff at), but here are three reasons why I sometimes wish I were American.


1. So I could access Pandora and Hulu like Americans can.


2. So I could buy beer with my groceries like Americans can.


3. So I could buy Munchie Mugs and StressErasers like Americans can.

When compiled my reasons begin to seem somewhat trivial... So until this list makes a stronger case for immigration, I'll be satisfied to remain Canadian.

Are You Eating Cartoon Cows Too??

When we gave up the credit cards a few weeks ago and became a cash-only kinda family, I suffered a mild case of shock at the grocery store check-out; "I have to PAY for this food? What the what?!" I seemed to have deluded myself into believing that some benevolent and magical entity (yes, that is how I refer to the Government of Canada) was responsible for my family's food needs. There is something seriously crazy with that. If I could be so deeply deluded about my finances, could I not be similarly confunded about other aspects of my life? My food for example?

Yes. Yes I could.

When I took a bite of that guilty McDonald's cheeseburger last night (yes I am disgusting, but at least I'm honest : ), I'm almost sure my conscience was painting the cartoon cow pictured above to prevent me from connecting my burger to the actual cow it came from. That's not right. It isn't okay to be so oblivious of the choices I'm making.

This isn't an animal rights issue for me. I have no qualms about slaughtering for food. I grew up around cattle: my Dad and Uncle raised Maine-Anjou when I was a little girl, and we maintained a small pasture of Charolais when I was older. I loved the cows (Windy, Sky, Rain, etc) and then I ate them; no big deal.

The issue is my irresponsible mindlessness - I am purposely avoiding reality. If I replaced the cartoon cow in my mind with a true history of that beef, I know I'd be a hell of a lot quicker to spend my money on grass-fed organic steak (or skip the beef if I couldn't afford it), then to cheap out on "100% pure beef" ground from grain-fed cattle raised in feedlots. Honestly. It would just taste better.

This post was inspired by the trailer for Food, Inc. I strongly believe in the message of this film and I look forward to seeing it.

Happy Father's Day

i love being the mom to your dad.

happy day babe!
XO

glee

I am stoked for this soon-to-be series! It's got one of my favourite actresses: Jane Lynch. It's got one of my favourite songs: Don't Stop Believin. What DOESN'T it have??

Hiking with Kids

I've noticed many reviews claiming the Ergo carrier is best for hiking. From the perspective of a mama with a 30lb 17 month old, I disagree. As mentioned in a previous post, Maggie and Daddy were both uncomfortable when we used the Ergo for hiking. The Ergo holds baby/toddler directly against your body so parent and kid get sickeningly sweaty, plus baby can't see anything but Daddy's back. The Ergo is my favourite carrier for babies, but toddlers and up demand the Deuter Kid Comfort III Child Carrier Backpack.

If you're going to hike often, the Deuter is worth every penny. It's ridiculously easy to use, the sunshade is slick, it's comfortable for both carrier and rider, and there's plenty of storage for diapers, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc. Love it!

The cons? When Maggie falls asleep, her head wobbles around awkwardly. My solution is to avoid hiking during naptime and that's fine by me. Also, if we still lived in a small apartment, we probably wouldn't have room to store it...though I'd likely try to make room because this carrier is so rad!

Update: Is it a sham or a wow?

As I recently mentioned, I bought myself a ShamWow. At the insisting of two very savvy people (you know who you are), I spent $22 on 3 pieces of hideously coloured rayon. So, is it everything I dreamed it could be?

Nope, not so great. The two things I was excited about did not come true. 1. The ShamWow leaked liquid all the way to the sink, though they claimed it wouldn't. 2. The ShamWow stunk just like a regular cloth does after a few uses, though they claimed it wouldn't. However I won't give up on the ShamWows I own because, as the woman says, they get better with age.

I wouldn't recommend buying it and neither would Consumer Reports. It seems that most of the wows are from people who didn't realize they could use a single cloth to do the job of 20 paper towels. Bottom line is tea towels and dish cloths work just as well if not better.

Heidi Swanson, how I love thee.

For the last week or more, it has been hot in Vancouver. Summer is here and I am still planning meals as if turning on the stove and the oven is acceptable. Tis the season of salads, sandwiches, barbecues, fresh fruit and veg and it's time I get on board!

So what do I do when I completely run out of inspiration? I turn to 101 Cookbooks, to my lady and saviour Heidi Swanson. Heidi is the wind beneath my wings. I love love love everything she touches. I cannot gush enough.



Heidi's recipes are simple, easy, fresh and beautifully photographed. Any night of the week, I can look in my fridge and cupboard, pick two possible ingredients and find a recipe on 101 Cookbooks (note: my spices are well-stocked and I have an herb garden - that makes all the difference). Tonight I've got asparagus, I've got tofu and I want to use coconut milk, so we're going to eat a modified version of Cashew Curry. I'm sure it will be delicious!

Here are a few of my most recent favourites from 101 Cookbooks:
Almost Cheeseless Pasta Casserole
Amazing Black Bean Brownies
Asparagus Stir-Fry

First Harvest

The first bowl of lettuce to be picked from our garden! This variety is perfect for hamburger garnishing and sandwich making, but a bit too wimpy for salads and wraps.

GQ Your Man

The sexiest men are those who appear arrogant but act otherwise.




Prompted by yesterday's post about sexy men (and my hubby's subsequent comments), I signed up for GQ Rules: How to Become a Well-Dressed Rebel in 30 Days. The first daily video is Wear a Suit - Don't Look Like One. Before today, I assumed that look was achieved by donning a suit then consuming copious amounts of alcohol. There is another way.

Time to play dress-up!

Hot Sex

It's hot out today. Sexy hot. And when the temperature rises, we all spend more time with fewer clothes on. Sexy. Ack! Enough attempting to be clever. I'm hot and I just decided to post some photos of gorgeous well-dressed men. The end. (I apologize for my lack of creativity - celebrities are the obvious choice but I just don't have the time to search Flickr for beautiful pictures of boys)

Yellows and Greys

I've been saving this gorgeous inspiration board from Snippet & Ink since late March (Board #362: Milk and Honey - even love that name). These are the colours that best suit our new home: gold, yellow, white, blue, grey. They feel both joyful and calm. Chris loves them too, though he sees trouble ahead when he looks at our current flooring. Clever boy - he knows colours well enough to realize the red laminate clashes. : )



So I used the photo above to generate palettes at both the Color Palette Generator and Colors Palette Generator (I know right). The first was more accurate and the second generated a greater number of colours. I consistently use both to get the best result.

I built the palettes below over at Colour Lovers so I can keep referring back to them for paints and fabrics. Let the fun begin!


Color by COLOURlovers


Color by COLOURlovers

I'm a big fan of Behr paint, and their colour selection is quite good. (I adore Ralph Lauren's gorgeous colours, but I prefer to use tints on my walls)

I'm thinking White Luxury for the main living spaces...



and White Mink for the master bedroom...

Is it a sham or a wow?

Yes I did buy a shamwow today. Did I spend time testing it out on my kitchen counters and floors? Nope! I spent time searching for the most amusing parody of the shamwow advertisement. Enjoy! (And check out their Mighty Putty Dub too - you deserve a laugh today.)



p.s. I will post about its shamminess or its wowiness as soon as I know.

got, got, got, got no time!

(when I see the same word written repeatedly as above, it really makes me question the word itself...."got? does that sound right? such a hard g sound......awwwwwt...really?.........")

As someone who adores the written word and takes great amounts of pleasure in writing, I struggle with my lack of commitment to this blog. I do a lot of what I'll call cognitive blogging. All through the day I'm blogging in my head. Blogging my bagel with pea shoots and cream cheese. Blogging my response to the BC Leader's debate. Blogging the dilemna of how to deal with my toddler's tantrums. I have an impressive collection of 1-5 word reminders saved as drafts: "laptop luxury", "Grey Gardens Running with Scissors", "mistakes Grade 2 reindeer" and "think about what you've done" to name a few. I do intend to write those blog entries one day....supposedly. So why aren't I producing?

I have to be honest. It isn't really that I've "got no time". I waste a lot of the time that I have. Look me up on Twitter and you will see that I watch TV from 8-10pm almost every night (120 minutes = numerous blog posts). Yes I love my moving pictures, but more than that, I revel in end-of-day inertia! I love to shut down and even feel entitled to it; I go hard from 7:30am-7:30pm. After a 12 hour day caring for an emotionally and physically draining tot, it's time to break out the pajamas.

That's all fine and good, but I allow TV to suck the life out of my evening! Before I know it, it's midnight. My chores are done, I've caught up on two missed episodes of Brothers and Sisters and read through my neglected Google Reader (only 88 unread posts left!) My drafts remain drafts, I still have a bazillion things to say, but I'm off to bed. Well, maybe tomorrow...

Enough is enough. I'm making a commitment to myself to take back the night (in a far less meaningful sense than that phrase is usually used). I don't know what that looks like yet, but I'm guessing there will be some re-arranging of schedules and furniture involved. Let's get the show on the road!

My Perfect Mother's Day

I'm writing this now so that in years to come I can refer back to remember what a truly perfect Mother's Day looked like. There was no breakfast in bed, no spas and no exorbitant gift - no grand gestures. Today, my beautiful child and my adoring husband were completely available and amenable to my every whim. They cleaned the kitchen and tidied the house while I slowly woke up. We headed out to the fancy new Whole Foods where I had the luxury of choosing exactly what I wanted for our picnic. That's right! I did not concern myself with Chris' preferences and I didn't worry about Maggie's nutritional needs. I chose the cheese I wanted, the bread I wanted and the fruit I wanted! No guilt. No compromising. Such a simple pleasure.

After Whole Foods, we headed to Queen Elizabeth Park and chased after Maggie a bit before we settled onto a shady patch of grass in a quiet corner. Picnics on the beach are lovely, but I'm a huge fan of a park picnic. Maggie can toddle around in the grass (she isn't very impressed by sand) and I can keep her in the shade, plus I don't have to eat sandy sandwiches!

After Maggie's nap (the little dear crashed on the way home and slept for two long hours) we headed out to buy my gift (this link inspired us to consider every single purchase we make special and worthy of celebration - including things we think are "needs"). We bought a Deuter Kid Comfort III Child Carrier Backpack (will review after some use) and with that purchase Chris made an impressive commitment to me. He has agreed to haul my daughter up and down and all around so that we can be the hiking family I want us to be. I love him like crazy by the way.

We picked up some ready-made sushi on the drive home so mama didn't have to cook; as much as I adore cooking, I was relieved to take a day off. After the little squirt was in bed, I sat down to read my magazine (also an indulgence of the day) and eat my brownie. Sooo delicious.

It wasn't planned and it wasn't elaborate, but it was a perfect Mother's Day.

My Mother

After being a mom for only one year, I realize how inadequate my gratitude has been.

And still, I have only a small idea of what she has done for my siblings and I. In one year, I've gone through breastfeeding, sleep training, diaper changing, solid food introducing and babyproofing.

In thirty years, my mom has dealt with:
pregnancy and labour x3,
potty training x3,
chicken pox x3,
78 birthdays,
29 Christmases,
39 First Days of School,
an unknown number of
piano lessons, choir practice, team sports,
tournaments, camps, and sleepovers,
teaching children about death x3,
having "the" talk x3,
rebellion and puberty x3,
underage drinking, parties, socials,
driving lessons and car accidents x3,
graduations from high school x3,
leaving the nest x3,
apartment hunting and moving x?,
moves to Vancouver, Prince George, Montreal,
post-secondary graduations x3,
applying, hiring, firing, quitting,
scrapes, burns, cuts,
hospitalizations, blood clots,
a wedding,
and the birth of a grandchild.

For every Mother's Day I didn't know,
thank you Mom.

XO

happy mother's day!

Dear Full-time Mothers,

Oprah made me cry. I know. Big deal; Oprah makes a lot of people cry. Well, it is a big deal! I only cry 2-3 times a year so it's gotta be something important, revelatory and moving. This is.

I'm in awe of good mothers—those heroines all around me who sacrifice daily out of love for their children. In our society, we give motherhood plenty of lip service. We pat moms on the head, bring them flowers on Mother's Day, and honor them before crowds. But at the end of the day, we don't extend them the same respect we would a professor, a dentist, an accountant or a judge. Women who choose full-time mothering are often put in a box by their friends and former colleagues—a container labeled "just a mom." -Oprah

I can't believe how often I do this. I can't believe how often I diminish not only what I do, but what my grandmother did, what my aunts did, what my cousins and my good friend are doing...

Never again am I "just a mom". From now on I am proudly and confidently "a mother".

I Can Fly!

Jan von Holleben's Dreams of Flying is a coffee table book even my daughter would love! Such beautiful and theatrical images. If Maggie was older, I would have her pick a photograph and write a story about it one rainy day.

Wish I Was Here

When I close my eyes...

...this is where I am.


photograph by Kevin van der Leek


His photo makes a place I know, look the way it smells.
It is the smell that keeps me here in the Pacific Northwest.
The smell fills my lungs to the brim.
I breathe more deeply in this air.

Recently Tested Recipes

Napa Cabbage Slaw - this is Rachael Ray's recipe. I used it as inspiration for the slaw pictured above. You'll also see dried cranberries, sesame and pumpkin seeds. Pretty sure I just drizzled it with sesame oil and it was delicious - oh, maybe add cilantro and a squeeze of lime for some freshness!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding - Eggs on Sunday posted this recipe from Bon Appetit. I bear an intense amount of gratitude for the invention of this creamy and decadent version of Reese Peanut Butter Cups! Even the anti-pudding crowd is into it (yes Dad, that's you).

Peanut Butter Blondies - The Sneaky Chef came up with Maggie's new favourite snack. I'm always looking for new ways to get vegetables into the girl and this is a good one. I would like to work on decreasing the amount of sugar in the recipe, but for now I follow it exactly as written. Chris and I like them a bit too. : )

Indian-Style Chicken with Pureed Spinach - The recipe I use is from The Healthy Slow Cooker book. It's super easy and delicious. It's full of spinach and tomato but Maggie gobbles it up!

Basmati Rice Pudding - This is another recipe from The Healthy Slow Cooker. Super easy and absolutely delicious! I tried to decrease the amount of sugar, but it didn't taste nearly as good so I'd recommend using the recipe as is.

Cuz Every Kid Can Use a Cape

When my 3 year-old nephew's birthday rolled around, I was desperate to get him a cape. I simply could not think of a better gift! If you can sew, stop here and I'm sure you can whip one up in the 5 minutes you'll save not reading this blog post. Since I am ridiculously uncrafty I didn't even consider sewing my own....well, that's not entirely true. I thought it might be possible for (yes, even me) to modify a Christmas tree skirt for my purpose. I went to Winners and looked over their luscious velvet and tassled products. Thank goodness I decided to go home and open my laptop instead! (I may not be crafty, but I've got mad research skills.)

I was uninspired by the flimsy crushed velvet crap readily available in stores. My preference was for a personalized cape. It's definitely fun to pretend that you're Superman, but I think it's even more fun to be your own superhero. I would have LOVED (and might still love) a cape with my own initial on it.

I ended up with a gorgeous and well-built cape from Panjo (as pictured above). Though she is no longer selling her creations, there are many others available on Etsy: I like homemade heroes, babypop and kidz*escapes.

Now that I have my own little one (and my mother's old sewing machine) I think I'll try to construct a handmade version. Stay tuned for the potentially disappointing results. : )

Yellow

Who knew I was a solar-powered being? Well, the sunshine's back and I'm rarin' to go. The air smells fresh, the flowers are popping, I've got spring in my step and suddenly I'm smitten with one of the happiest colours I know: yellow!

a. The daffodils in my front yard are fully opened and I'm coveting the blooming forsythia in both my neighbours' yards.

Photo by Caitlin Spencer

b. Liberté Méditerranée Lemon Yogurt!



c. I have a wooden storage bench in our front hall that I'm going to paint yellow. Not sure whether I'll go bold or soft.

Photo by Johanna Sippola


d. Too freshen up the guts of our kitchen cupboards I'm going to rip out the sloppy liners and paint with Lemon Ice. I love the idea of opening a plain white cupboard and uncovering a blast of colour inside; it's similar to the pleasure I get from cutting into a kiwi or a yam.



e. Maggie looks stunning in yellow so I'm keeping an eye on pretty spring/summer toddler clothes. (Thank you Great Grandma for the summery yellow capris!)



f. Of course I'm permanently in love with brass and gold - versions of yellow, yes? So here is something so over-the-top gorgeous that it's just got to be mentioned. A $6,640 honeycomb bracelet. In my dreams, I wear this accessory with my Vera Wang gown and kiss my hubby Hugh Jackman as I graciously accept my Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. (Dear lovely real-life husband, I adore you, even if you can't sing or dance or kill people with your adamantium claws)

Back to Blogging

I disappeared for awhile. Let's call it hibernation for now.... and perhaps one day I'll go into the details of my ridiculous obsession with Twilight. (Seriously though! I found myself in a Book Warehouse at 9PM one Tuesday night pleading to the clerk, "I feel like I'm on crack! I NEED books 3 and 4!" I suppose I needn't feel shame about my crush on this story because it's obviously a common experience; without a word, the dude led me straight back to the Teen section *cringe* and pointed to Stephanie Meyer's shelf!)

My Contribution to Obamamania

I wish I had built this clip!! Hysterical!

Munchie Mug

I heart the Munchie Mug!



Holy crow I cannot tell you how happy I was to receive this beauty a few weeks ago (thank you thank you thank you cousin Sara!) Maggie mastered the useless Snack-Trap months ago and I have been cleaning up her wake of Cheerios ever since.

Yes, it's a little large and no, it's not the coolest looking mug on the block, but it does the job and it does the job well. Maggie snacks easily and comfortably and she makes no mess (not some mess or little mess as with the Snack-Trap - no mess).

It's phthalate and BPA free. Toss it in the dishwasher for easy washing - the cloth dries super fast. I highly highly recommend it for your babies and little ones.

Sorry-for-Myself-Happy-New-Year Frosted Brownies

We were sick for three weeks over the holidays and it drove me to cravings. I "desperately" wanted brownies to heal my soul if not my body.

The key to any chocolate recipe is the cocoa. Cocoa Camino dutch-processed cocoa powder makes killer brownies.

This brownie has a wonderful texture but I'll be clear that I was seeking a cake-like brownie - a hardcore brownie is generally more dense and less moist.

Next time I will chop up some walnuts and zest some orange to throw in, and only make half the frosting to decrease the sweetness factor and allow the cocoa flavour to sing. Oh yes. And I will double the recipe because I want enough to share and some to freeze.

Rich Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions
In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add butter; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to batter and mix well.

Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until brownies test done with a wooden pick. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

For frosting, combine butter, cocoa, water and coffee; mix well. Gradually stir in sugar until smooth, adding additional warm water if necessary to achieve a spreading consistency. Frost the brownies lightly.

Recipe from Karen Trapp on Allrecipes.com