3 generations ~ 13/366

This past Sunday we celebrated my father-in-law’s 85th birthday. He is in remarkable health and we feel so fortunate that he is so active in our lives – in Isaac’s life.

Happy Birthday, Frank. May we all be blessed with  many more years of togetherness.

Much love,
Debbie

a present for mama ~ 6/366

Here is what I woke to this morning. Isaac had been up preparing for me a surprise birthday party. He piled everything he owned around my “birthday chair” (recently acquired as a birthday gift from Fred) and waited for me to wake up. Many of his stuffed animals are also in attendance. You can see them on the couch. And when I did, I was most certainly surprised. Just look at that pile of gorgeousness, all in my honour. What a sweet, sweet boy. (Do you see him peeking in from the top of the photo?)

I’ve never been big on birthdays and I won’t lament on getting closer to 40 (I did that last year), but I will just say that as I get older I really do appreciate all that has gone into getting me where I currently am. Getting older happens whether we want it to or not and so I have decided there is no point in fixating on a number. Instead, I throw my arms open and welcome whatever comes my way, and if I’m honest, this has been one of the best years of my life. I wasn’t living  ”this” life 10 years ago, and I didn’t know “this” person (the person I am now) 10 years ago.  I certainly wasn’t a mother 10 years ago. Hell, I didn’t even know my husband 10 years ago. Life has moved at its own pace, as it will, and with it I have gone on such an incredible journey, made some of the BEST friends a girl could hope to have, became a wife and a mother and the women I want to be. I’d say that’s not bad in exchange for getting older.

And so with this being my last year in my 30′s I am going to take every opportunity to shine my light on the world because a) that is the example I want to set for my son, and b) if I’m not comfortable with who I am yet, I’m not ever going to be. But I am. I absolutely am.

Namaste,
Debbie

isaac and ted - 2/366

Life goes by at all too fast a break neck speed. Finding time to be still and reflect on all the moments that string together the days of my life is something I am careful to make time for. It may be cliché, but in a blink of an eye I know these moments will be gone and we’ll be on to the next “big and important” thing. And so my motto has always been to slow life down as much as possible, and to take things in with each breath, so that I may never forget them.

Last year I thought I would undertake a  365 Photo “challenge” – documenting my mornings with a photo each day. (You can still see these images under the tab at the top of the blog marked “365 mornings.”) The idea behind this was to help me get up in the morning, as I’ve never been a morning person. I did well, for about 45 days. Okay it’s official – I’m not a morning person. But I’m also not a quitter and so I thought I would try again this year, but instead of focusing on mornings specifically, I’d like to share a moment from my day; a moment that captures that special something in the way we live.  There may very well be words, but I’m guessing more often than not these images will stand on their own (except for whatever I choose to title the image). Nothing more than a photograph offering the viewer a deeper glimpse into who we are, as individuals, as a family.

I’m curious as to how this will all play out come the end of 2012 – perhaps an album gathered of moments captured in the quietness of a day, making up a year in the life of us. Oh yes. I do think this will be fun.

Namaste,
Debbie

edited to add – I’ve just been reminded it’s a leap year…so I get 366 moments to share. Bonus.  

tea and knitting - 1/366

A New Years resolution is not something that will be found lurking in the corner of my mind. I’ve never been one to resolve to do something starting with a new year because when something needs changing or doing or inspiring…I do it in that very moment, when it counts. I feel resolutions set us up for disappointment. You know how it is, a few weeks into the new year and we are either struggling to maintain our promises to ourself…or we have completely forgotten what they were to begin with. Who needs that? Not I, that’s for sure. Instead I approach each year with intention. Focused intention.

Last year, I decided I really needed balance. Wow! Did I need balance.  It was missing from many aspects of my life and I vowed to get it back. Um…that hasn’t happened.  And while that isn’t completely true, because I have found balance in plenty of ways, it is true enough that I don’t feel ready to move on just yet. And so here we are,  2012, and I am again intending balance as my theme for this new year.

It’s so important for me that my child grows up surrounded by energy that is rooted in balance. Life can throw at us many curve balls that we are not expecting but being equipped to handle them is paramount. Healthy, nourishing food, plenty of sleep and appropriate exercise all help us to find our balance and to better understand and recognize when we have lost our centre.  For me, meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises) are also tool I use to bring myself back to centre when I have ventured too far one way of the other. As him mama, it is my job to model for Isaac how it is we stay grounded and balanced.

There are so many ways I want this to unfold in my life and I have a list (because it’s what I do, making lists) and I will cross it off and see that things get tended to. But I am happy in this moment knowing that balance will again be seeing me through this upcoming year and that perhaps this time I’ll find a deep rhythm, with balance as my theme song, and we can dance our way through 2012.

Wishing you all the best in this New Year.

Namaste,
Debbie

dinner

Tonight’s festivities started with dinner – I made a shrimp and squid coconut milk curry with spinach, carrots,  and red pepper…served with cauliflower rice. It was incredible. Totally stuffed, we started to get things ready for our little party for three.

sparkling apple-cranberry juice

Isaac is currently really into the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I find it curious the things he discovers given that we do not have a television and yet some how he comes across this stuff on YouTube and if it strikes his fancy then it’s a done deal for weeks. Currently EVERYTHING is about Mickey Mouse and so will I was getting snacks and drinks ready for our party…Isaac was tearing about the living room in the name of “building a clubhouse” in which to have our party.

not sure why EVERYTHING had to come out...but such are the mysteries of building one's own clubhouse

We got the computer ready so we could countdown with those celebrating in London, England, where we have some friends. We couldn’t connect with these friends, sadly…but knowing they were celebrating at the same time as us was good enough.

counting down

We got our drinks ready to toast, our noise makers ready to rattle and we sang Mickey Mouse songs until it was time.

our noise makers - a kazoo, a rattle, a spin-drum

10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 -5 - 4 - 3 - 2....almost there...

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a very happy New Year. May it sparkle and shine like none before it.

Namaste,

Debbie

along the fence

Living where we do in Southwestern Ontario, the snowbelt, you would think that by December’s end we would have seen some significant snow already. Often we get snow in November, and sometimes even in October. This year, however snow has been scarce. We’ve had a couple of light dustings that were gone within hours.  Not sure we’ve had much more than a centimetre so far this autumn/winter. Until today that is.

the wood pile

The snow started falling yesterday and while I’m not sure if it took a break overnight, I know it was most definitely coming down in big fluffy flakes when we woke this morning. Finally, snow! And wouldn’t you know it…there was enough to get out and play in. Here we go!!!!

climbing the wood pile

more climbing

making snow angels

treats for the birds

the buried garden

garlic

leeks in the snow

echinacea

The picture below is of a very special tree in our back garden. My father-in-law gifted this to Isaac on his first birthday. He had started it, from seed, the day Isaac was born.  Isn’t that just the most incredibly thoughtful gift…like ever?  We have loved watching it grow over the years and each spring Isaac is quick to check it out for new growth. Of course having done this for a few years now he knows exactly what the new growth looks like and loves the bright green needles that edge all the branches of his pine. Today it looked particularly pretty dressed in snow.

isaac's pine

Eventually we made our way inside for some hot chocolate and to warm up. Isaac’s poor chin was frozen. That’s what happens when you eat the snow.  As I melted chocolate chips in a saucepan with our organic cream, Isaac decided something needed saving. One of his stuffed animals probably got into some serious trouble…but he was there to help. They can always count on him.

my little super hero

And then we had our treat. Hot chocolate, organic whipped cream (with a splash of homemade vanilla) and a whole bunch of sprinkles. Everything is better with sprinkles…according to Isaac.

isaac's hot chocolate

After our hot chocolate was done, I went to bring in all the garden tools that we had left outside since the fall. I’m not very good at cleaning up the tools in the fall. The days seem to grow darker and colder and we get out less and less until they are forgotten and frozen under a pile of snow. This year with the snow coming so late, and the temps being so mild, they weren’t yet frozen so I grabbed them all up and placed them in the tub to defrost and drip dry.

garden tools thawing out

And one more pic, of my sweet guy. This is before bed, modelling his new pj’s. He’s really not fan of having his picture taken so when he stands here like this, I’m not passing up the opportunity.

i wish they made these in my size

And with that, sweet friends, I shall leave you for today.  Fred is still on holidays until the New Year and so we have yet to get back into any sort of  rhythm. We are just enjoying these last few days off together, hanging out and doing whatever it is that makes us happy. Just as it should be.

Namaste,

Debbie

santa

Our Christmas began the morning of the 24th, at Grandma and Grandpa’s. (Fred’s parents.)

isaac and grandma's tree

uncle tom and grandpa

isaac and grandma

our christmas model

isaac and mummy (mama's still a "tad" tired with the puffy eyes)

isaac and daddy being silly

from his wish list

checking out his new *magic tree house* books

After presents and lunch and a nice visit, we headed home. With Isaac tucked into bed we finished wrapping his gifts and were in bed by midnight. Yes, it’s way later than we had hoped, but you know,  it’s Christmas Eve. Things need to get done and we are the ones to do them. And so we did – with a smile on our faces.

jumping on the couch

simon playing around on christmas eve

nesting santas

"the stockings were filled" and made by mama....from our old pj's

Christmas morning came at about 7am but Isaac let us rest until 7:30. Sweet boy, he is.  Then we were up, making tea and finding our spots around the tree.

christmas morning

opening his stocking

waiting for daddy (who was making the tea)

happy, happy boy

magic school bus ROCKS!

taking his new super hero cape for a spin around the house

it's "super i"

After some play time in the morning and a bit of lunch, we headed for a hike. This unseasonable weather made us realize we’d be crazy to sit at home when we could be enjoying the outdoors. We headed to Westminster Ponds and explored for almost an hour and a half. Apparently there is a coyote in the area…but lucky we didn’t run into him.

ready to save nature

you never know what kind of trouble might come up while hiking through the woods

amongst the pines

losing a bit of his "super"

And with that we headed home.

We’ve had a beautiful couple of days and I’m reminded of how lucky I am to have such an incredible family, both my own, and extended.

Thank you to all of you who followed along on our 24 Days of Christmas. I know many of you remained silent, but I appreciate your presence all the same. I hope that you all had a magical holiday season and that it filled you with love , warmth and peace.

Merry Christmas.
Debbie

- Selena Fox

lights and trees

As is tradition on the Solstice in our home, we head for the light. With these days becoming darker and darker (and we are feeling it even more as the sun hasn’t shone in what feels like weeks) spending some time surrounded by light is  just what we need to lift out spirits. And that being the case, after dinner we headed to the park.

Each year, Victoria Park, in the heart of our downtown core, is lit with, I have no idea how many, lights. But it’s a lot. And the people of this city gather there like they are making a pilgrimage to some exotic and far off land. I mean, really, if you could see the park in its entirely you would understand. (Sadly I ran out of the house with the wrong lens attached to my camera body and couldn’t get a great shot of the whole park, but trust me. It’s spectacular.)

entering the park

First we stopped at Starbucks for a warm drink (also part of our tradition). We decided to stay put until Isaac finished his otherwise we would have a mess on our hands and really, what 5 year old can focus on lights when he’s got a hot chocolate to drink. He was done it in a matter of minutes (just like last time) and so we were soon headed across the street to where all the magic was waiting for us.

gulping it down

cheers...to my awesome family

I’ll be honest, I really want snow. Those of you who know me well know that it’s all I seem to talk about these days. We live in one of the 7 snowbelt regions that surround the Great Lakes and to not have snow 4 days before Christmas (with none in sight) is absolutely depressing, not to mention unbelievable. It rarely happens, although it has, that we have a green Christmas. I think this might be one such year. Anyway, enough of  my whining, which isn’t winning me any friends at the moment, I’m sure. My point is simply that the park isn’t NEARLY as magical without snow. Check out our visit last year. See what I mean?

love these coloured lights

hey...there's santa

my boys with santa

Um…do you think they are related? LOL.

ringing the bell on the candy cane coach

and it was LOUD...but that didn't stop him

metal snowmen

sweet boy in awe of the lights

as we were leaving...

It really was beautiful, it always is. The lights, as we drive toward the park (which is 18 acres in size) take my breath away. Isaac’s eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. It’s a tradition that we cherish and one that I know follow us through our lives no matter where we are. The light is important. It reminds us of who we are, I mean, there is a reason we are drawn to it, and it reminds us that good is everywhere. Where there is light, there is good. That’s easy, right? But I think we forget. I think it’s easy to get stuck in the darkness, in places of fear and that can be a place that is hard to come back from. But if we use mother nature as our guide, we can be reminded that the light always returns. Always. And fear can’t survive where there is light. Period.

And so when I find  myself sitting at the table on these cold, dark days I light a candle. I bring the light that seems to have vanished from the outside world and I welcome it into my home. I remember that it’s only a moment in time where things slow to this profound a stillness. Nature, while still wild and unpredictable, seems to be at rest.  The animals that usually grace my yard are nowhere to be found, my sweet boy and I are  hunkering down much more than normal, neighbours and friends have made themselves scarce, all preparing for the long dark days in their own way. And we all get through it, each and every year, together.

welcoming the return of the light

Tonight we returned home, lit a candle, chanted to the Solstice Sun and tucked Isaac in for bed. He struggles winding down, as many of you know, and so an extra hour and a half past his bedtime and he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. BUT…all the fresh air and exercise and he was out in no time.

winding down? who...me????

I wish you all a beautiful Solstice celebration and hope that wherever you find darkness in your life you can shine your light a littler brighter and remember that this too shall pass.

Happy Holidays.

Namaste,
Debbie

our new favourite game - The Magic Labyrinth

On the 18th Day of Christmas we did little.  We planned for bird seed treats for the birds but Isaac wasn’t into it so we just played board games and watched some shows on the computer. I took off to the bookstore by. my. self. to explore. That was  a great treat. I brought Isaac back a hot chocolate…with whipped cream on the side (so it didn’t melt into his hot chocolate before I got home). He was so excited.

mmm...whipped cream

chocolate drizzle face

On the 19th Day of Christmas we mostly just played catch-up.  I had cards to finish (sorry to some of my friends whose cards will be arriving WAY late) and some gifts to wrap. There was other stuff too…just can’t seem to remember what and so I’ll let that go. I want to move on to yesterday…the 20th Day of Christmas.

On Tuesdays we have a car (as we only have one and we take turns using it) and so I knew that our day would include getting out of the house to do a few last-minute things.  We had to head to the market to get our meat for the week…and to buy chocolate for the holidays (for stockings, mostly) and to mail some cards (see…they are going to be REALLY late). It felt good to get all that done, to cross stuff off my never-ending (it seems) list. We came home to lunch and a bit of play before I started in on what I really wanted to do for the 20th Day of Christmas…which was make orangettes. 

navel oranges

These are easy to make, but incredibly labour intensive. As I complained that I’d never do this again, Fred piped up, “I will.” He loved it.  I likely will as well because they are delicious and make a great gift.  Warning – if you don’t like bitter things you may not enjoy candied orange peel. Despite cooking it in a sugar syrup for an hour…there is still a slight bitterness to it.  Still, they are incredible.

Here’s what I did -

orange peel

Orangettes

* 4 large navel oranges

* 8 ounces sugar

* 8 ounces water

* 16 ounces dark chocolate

candied peel

* Slice ends off of oranges and carefully remove peels. (I found this easiest to do by cutting a cross on the top of the orange and then following the slit down the peel to the bottom of the orange. This divides the peel into four sections and makes it much easier to get off without ripping it into pieces).

* Slice peel into strips and trim ends to make them neat and even.

* Boil some water and to it add the peels. Blanch for 2 or 3 minutes and remove from heat and drain. Repeat this step up to two more times (I did a total of three blanchings). Use clean, fresh water (you can keep a boiled kettle handy) each time. This removes the bitterness from the peel, although some also say it removes a lot of the flavour. I still find that ours are quite orangey.

* Prepare a simple syrup by combining the 8 ounces of sugar with 8 ounces of water in a saucepan. Bring the syrup to a simmer, place the peels in the pot, and simmer for one hour.

* Once the peels have cooked, remove them from the pot and place on a rack, over parchment, to cool.

* Melt 16 ounces of dark chocolate in a double boiler (I use a bowl inside a saucepan). Dip the candied orange peels into the chocolate and let them cool on a piece of  parchment. Store in air-tight container.

dark chocolate

This was the most labour intensive and stressful part. Do you know how long it takes to dip all those orange peels, one by one, into chocolate? Yikes. I tried a fork, a skewer, even my fingers to little avail. I  mean, they worked…but they weren’t working well. And they certainly weren’t providing me with the speed and ease I longed for. And so I used tweezers. I know, it sounds gross (but I sterilized them first) and I almost never use them, so I figured it was a good way to make them feel useful. And WOW…they did a great job. I need to buy a pair of tweezers to have around for candy making. Who knew they would come in so handy?

orangettes

I added sprinkles to some of the orangettes for Isaac…he LOVES sprinkles on just about everything and I knew that sprinkle covered orangettes would be no exception.

This recipe makes a lot and so feel free to halve it unless you plan on gifting…or eating them all yourself. We did NOT halve it and I’m wishing we had. My only saving grace is that I’m not a big fan of dark chocolate so they go fairly untouched by me. Fred and Isaac, on the other hand, are different creatures all together.

Happy Holidays, friends.
Debbie

ps – With any luck I’ll be back tonight with my post on our Solstice celebration. Fingers crossed.

Here’s what we were up to last year on the 20th Day of Christmas.

Original recipe here.

holiday warmth

lots of excitement

isaac checking out his gift

tearing off the paper

a crown for a princess

thank you's

hamming it up for the camera

After Isaac opened his presents he went back downstairs to play. He’s never been much of a present person. My niece and nephew, however, most certainly are (according to their mum).  All the kids were super appreciative and thrilled with what they got and that is always nice to see. Most of all though it was just nice for everyone to spend some time together, knowing that it’ll be the last time this year. We enjoyed a gorgeous meal and quality time with one another. Can’t ask for more than that.

We came home well past Isaac’s bedtime and he was tired. He had a quick snack and then went to bed. I’m ready to head there myself but can’t seem to pull myself away from the gift I’m making him. I’ve got one week left and while I know it’ll be done in plenty of time…I’m so anxious to see it finished. Ah…but there’s always tomorrow.  I hope you all had a lovely Saturday. We most certainly did.

Happy Holidays.

Namaste,
Debbie