Chicken chili soup

 It's fall in Ontario and it's beautiful. 
The summer heat has eased off and you can slow down on the whole shaving your legs and getting a pedicure thing.

And it's also soup season.  I made this wonderful, hearty chili chicken soup today that I gleaned from a recipe and made my own:

6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1.5 cups (corn, kale, spinach, potatoes - your choice)
3 fifteen oz cans white beans
2 medium chopped onions
2 tbs olive oil
1.5 lbs chicken
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp ground cumin

1.5 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
.5 tsp pepper

Place chicken broth, onions and beans in a large pot and bring to a boil
Reduce and simmer.  Meanwhile, chop chicken into bite size pieces.
Heat large pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
Add onions and saute until tender.
Stir in chicken and saute until cooked through.
Add 1.5 cups (corn, kale, spinach, potatoes or a mixture of ), plus garlic, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes
- stir until combined
Add mixture to stock pot, return to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Add more water or stock, if needed.

The recipe calls for more salt and pepper so season to taste.  Enjoy!




To dream a dream

I just sat down, it's 9:15 pm.  Worked a 7 hour day, rushed to an appointment that is on Thursday, not today.  I stopped on the way home to grab rice and made dinner - sausages with yellow peppers and onions, rice, homemade cheese sauce and broccoli.  I took my oldest to Brownies, did some power shopping and bought two bras, a sweater, tights, princess shoes and organic lollipops.  Once home I handed off the kids for a bath and bedtime while I folded laundry, checked homework, tidied up and did some dishes...still left...lunches for tomorrow.  To make myself feel a little better I started thinking of how nice it would be to have a few days off, without kids (but geeze I'd miss them) and what I'd do with my time.  I think three days would be ideal and at least one of the days here at the house supervising someone else clean it..lol.  The other two days and nights I would spend at a remote place in the countryside in a place near the water with a soaker tub and a fireplace.  I'd read books, soak in the tub, watch TV for at least three hours a day, do yoga by the water and go for nature walks.  Hmmm, maybe a week would be nicer and I'd have the family come for the last three days.  What would you do to relax if you had more than an hour or two to yourself?

Super Mom



The Tea Chick.com image

 My husband has been sick for two weeks.  He has been told to stay off his feet and needs a lot of rest.  Enter Super Mom.  My role in the home on a regular basis -  is "doing my best mom".  I get home from work and make sure everyone is fed, homework is done, lunches are emptied and re-made, counters are wiped, dishes are done, garbage is put where garbage goes, after work/school commitments are met, groceries are got and so on.  But when my other half is sick, I have no breaks.  I have all my responsibilities plus my spouses such as taking out the recycling, giving baths, doing laundry and providing all the necessities of bedtime.  And instead of feeling resentful or tired - well ok, I'm a little bit of both - but I carry through.  Why?  Because I'm Super Mom and I know what it's like to power through fatigue and a need for a break.  I get up in the morning at 6:30 am so that I may shower and get dressed prior to getting up my children and ensuring that they are fed, brushed and dressed and if I have time I may have a bite to eat before I head out the door.  I take the kiddo's to school, drive to work, park, walk 7 mins to the coffee shop, grab myself a coffee and walk another 5 minutes to my work.  Once I'm there I finally sit down, open my coffee and relax.  Yes, I'm at work and I'm relaxing - or sitting if you will.  I work an 8 hour day and it starts all over again and for the last two weeks it includes all the little things my husband usually does...make dinner, give baths, put the girls to bed, make sure teeth are brushed, take out the recycling and so on.  But I won't wait for praise or thanks, because, like all of us, I'm Super Mom.  Impervious to fatigue and temper tantrums, carrying my cape humbly I carry on.

I do love a good quote/proverb/tidbit of wisdom.

I find quotes very inspiring.  When I need to motivate myself I often look up quotes and post them where I'll see them to remind myself of my goals.  For example, I came across this quote today while blog surfing and it really spoke to me about something I’ve been thinking about for a while now. The quote is “The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have." The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. Really? I’m sure at least some of the happiest people have the best of everything. But I think the point of this statement is that you don’t need to have the best of everything to be happy just make the most of what you have and happiness with follow. The happiest I’ve been in life was when I was making the most of what I had - which was time. When I was on mat leave I was exercising every day had all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted. I wasn’t confined by a 9-5 job or a five day work week. I went to the park, I went for walks, I visited with friends, I talked to my friends online…it was like an extended vacation...sort of. But quitting my job is not an option so I have to make the most of what I have. The difficult part is finding the time for myself. How can I make the best of what I have when I don’t have time to do it? The weekends are too short and the evenings go by so quickly. Being a mom that works outside the home is tough because my work never ends. Just when I sit down and think I can relax for a few minutes there is something else that needs to get done. What I’m going to take from that inspiring quote is that I’m just going to make the most of what I have - my kids, a supportive family, my health, my job, my husband and be happy. Just be happy.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about the quote “money doesn’t buy happiness”. For many years I thought that it did. I thought this because I had a single mom who didn’t have money and I always thought that money would make things easier for us. But the happiest I was during those times was when I was doing things that didn’t cost any money at all, so this quote has always stuck with me. Money does not buy happiness. Money buys stuff. Stuff you use for a short time and eventually throw away or give away. Making the most of what we have and making good memories is what is going to get a family through a tough time and any hardship.

Another quote that comes to mind regarding money is “waste not, want not.” I love this quote. In four simple words it states that you shouldn’t waste (food) and you will never want for (food). At least that’s the context I always think of as it always comes to mind when I’m cooking or throwing food into the compost bin. I will frequently take the kids leftover’s and put them into a container to take for my own lunch the next day and I’ll recite this quote in my head. Of course this quote could have other meanings. Waste not your time and you will want not for success! Don’t waste your money and you will have saved it for another time when it’s really needed! Indeed a great quote and a wonderful reminder that it’s not wise to be wasteful.

I think the reason I’m thinking a lot lately about money and happiness is because I’ve realized that for years I took money for granted. I bought and bought and bought anything my heart desired and I ended up with a lot of waste. This has changed recently and I’m being more mindful of what is coming into my house. Moving ten years worth of crap will do this to you. I’m buying what I need only and I’m mulling over my purchases much more thoroughly. Not because I’m worried about spending, it’s more that I don’t want to clutter up my house with stuff I don’t need. I have given away a lot of things in this last month in an effort to purge out all unnecessary items out of my home and my life. The next thing on my list is a room half full of boxes – of toys, games, cd’s, and VHS video tapes.  What a big waste of money to buy toys on a Saturday at the toy store instead of going out for a walk.  I'm not doing that anymore, money will be saved and although we will always have waste, at least I'm being mindful of how much I produce.  You can really live without so many things if you really think about it and that's how I'm starting my new journey. 

An incredible journey

Vacation March 2010

I think every mom must go through the cycle I’m going through now. Some sooner than others some later but it’s definitely a big change that takes place in your life and that’s what it feels like to me. What I’m talking about is the transition from being a new mommy to young children and the absolute madness that goes with it – to being a mom of two little girls (and the madness that goes with that). I feel like I am emerging from adolescence to adulthood all over again. I have so many choices to make all of a sudden. I can no longer hide behind the guise of being a busy mom of young children. I feel like I have to lose the baby weight (again) and take a course or find a hobby. From newly wed at 27 to mom at 28, then mom again at 31. And now mom of little girls at age (gulp) almost 36. My girls are more independent now and I find more and more spaces of time where they don’t need their mommy as much. They go on sleepovers, they play independently, they get their own glasses of milk, and sometimes they even dress themselves! This makes me a little nostalgic as I long to carry them around in my arms and kiss their little faces without protests. Now I have to be content with holding their little hands and sneaking in kisses when I can. We just moved to a newer house after being in our first home for 10 years and I think the time is right for new beginnings. I’ve been exercising more and eating well – all in line with my plan to be fit by 40. It’s a new chapter in my life and as I look at my two little ducklings that follow me everywhere and still very much need their mommy but are still so independent. I’m a little sad but I also feel like I’m coming out on the other end of an incredible journey. The journey of the mom of babies to a mom of little girls.

Pockets of time

The girls enjoying a treat

A post by Amber got me thinking about how I organize my time as a mother who works outside of our home.  I am outside of my home for approximately 41.25 hours a week.  In that time, I do what I can to keep my home organized and my family happy and well fed.  And I've come to realize that the time I get at home is very valuable to me.  I am constantly organizing and preparing at lease a week in advance.  The more I can do in my pockets of time, the easier it is for me to work and prioritize on a daily basis.  When I'm home (which is usually 1-4 days a month, plus weekends outside of my working time) I try to organize my home in such a way that I get more time with my children and less time doing "stuff" at the last minute, which is frusterating and time consuming.  Some examples of this are: 

When I put away their laundry, I put it away in pre-organized outfits. 
When I go to the grocery store, I plan for big healthy meals, quick meals, healthy snacks and lunch items. 
When I have time to clean, I do a deep cleaning of all items so that they are reasonably clean until the next time I get to them.  For example, when I clean the bathroom, I clean the floors, corners, sinks, walls, wash the shower curtain and mirrors. 
I always put my keys and work stuff in the same spot every night. 
The children's sports stuff is always in the same place.
I have a bag of extra clothing, sunscreen and hats packed at all times and in the van.
I keep a case of water in my van at all times.
I prepare our lunches the night before work/school.
I have a vegtable garden which saves me time grocery shopping.

Tonight starts a 4 day vacation for me and besides the day trips I'm planning with the children, I'm looking forward to cooking some great meals and getting my house in order for the next 5 days until I can get another deep cleaning/reorganizing done.  My little pockets of time are so crutial to me and to my family and they help make the most of the time I have with them, which is so important. 

Parenting a three year old

I’m totally in love with this little tyke. She’s got big blue eyes and cute rolly knees. She’s still totally my little baby - mostly because she's the youngest and my last. But she can be so stubborn and defiant. She wrinkles up her little nose and clenches her teeth and says “I don’t want to do that momma!” or “I’m not going to” or flat out “No!” It’s gotten worse since summer started and our daily routines have changed. What do you do with a flat out NO? I usually say “You don’t tell me no, I was telling you to brush your teeth not asking you if you wanted too.”  Or I change the subject and try again in a few minutes.  Did I mention that on a daily basis she tells me that she doesn’t like kisses anymore? I kiss her anyway because I suspect she doesn’t mind them but she’s just finding yet another way to assert herself.  I’ve been reading that three year olds are experiencing a lot of strong emotions right now and she is no different, so I talk to her about the feelings behind the behaviour but there are still consequences for not listening.  I read this article on natural consequences and logical consequences that spoke volumes to me.  It’s really a lesson on “pick your battles.”  For example, if your child refuses to wear their jacket outside in the cold, let them go without it – but bring it along just in case because chances are they will ask for it as soon as they get out the door.  The logical consequence would be if they refused to wear their helmut while riding their bike – the bike stays in the garage.  She is so different from my mild mannered Madelyn.  Tegan likes to experiment with noises, bang on everything, scream, climb and jump.  She is an adventure.  I can only hope that this phase passes soon because I miss my sweet, charming little girl.  What do you do when your three year old tells you No?