Exercise in Letting Go......

Today, my baby girl decided to get all growed up and do this for the first time......

What an achingly sad and beautiful picture of a parents' journey as we watch our kids grow up....as parents, we let go, painfully aware that letting them go means allowing our kids to fail and experience pain.  Letting go means we lose more control of their lives.  We simultaneously experience the joy that comes from knowing our children are moving towards capability and independence in this world and the gnawing voice that whispers to us that we're not needed anymore.

Anyway, this post is not about a weepy mom, but her determined and happy 4-year-old.  She asked me to help her get on her bike, and once she was on, she started pedalling, drove straight off the driveway and onto the road with her mom, dad and brother running after her, laughing and hollering "Way to go, Taelyn!", and "Get off the road", and "Woohoo!" and "Watch out for that tree!". Big excitement.

Note the determined little lip.....

And cheering her on was her very encouraging, excited big brother!

Replay Replay Replay

So, it's not much of a music video, but I like the rhythm and feel of this song.

My Version of a Dozen Roses

This is what my hubby surprised me with recently.  Two DECKS of Benjamin Moore Paint Chip cards!!!  Isn't that so very exciting??

Yeah, that's the reaction I get from most people.  My man knows me well! 

They're so beautiful.  And I don't have to water them.

Perspective is Everything

I heard this first when I was in Australia....I think it's worth a listen.

The Minimalist Part I

Is this only funny to me??

Church Talk

This weekend, I was asked the question "What's the biggest, most impactful thing you have learned since attending Southland?"

"Hmph.....er.....ummmmm....."

That's what I said.  Clever, huh? And then I said "I'll get back to you".  

This is my attempt to do just that.

We have attended Southland Community Church for nearly 8 years... we began shortly after the birth of our son (although friends tease us that it's the source of arguments between Jeff and I because we never agree on the exact time we started - Just so you know - I'm right!!).   Looking back, it's really difficult for me to seperate what I've learned through Southland with how I've grown as a person through my various life experiences during our time at Southland.  What influences what?  Do Southland messages affect the way I see my life experiences, or do my life experiences provide a filter through which I process Southland teaching?  I think it's both.  Anyway, moving along.

One of the biggest blessings that has come out of my time at Southland has been the deep friendships I have formed with some incredible women.  We met in a cell, and though that cell has not met for several years, they are still the girls I can pour my heart out to.  I trust them, and they have stood with me through personal challenges.  I can say, without hesitation, that their influence in my life has made me a better mother, wife, and God-seeker.  Jeff has told me as much.  They have taught me what it means to love unconditionally, as I have experienced their love in my life.  They have challenged me in my faith, inspired me through their vulnerability, and have enabled me to experience great freedom and joy in my life through the honesty we share.  Early on in my parenting years, I prayed for a friend, and God answered my prayer in multiples!  I don't mean to gush....well, yes, I think I do....they really are all such gifts!  I love them dearly. 

As I look back over the past few years, one of my biggest challenges has been watching our farm go from alive and active to, well, dead and inactive.  It's been both humbling and difficult seeing Jeff rise to the challenge of switching careers in a heroic effort to provide for us.  We have come through (and at times are still coming through) a season of great disappointment and dashed hopes.  I think it's called a storm of life. That said, we can also see how our characters and paradigms have been shaped by our experience.  I feel like my eyes have been opened up to all the pain and sorrow of those around me, and my heart aches for those who are facing challenges.  I feel we have learned to trust God in new ways.  Our priorities in life have come into sharper focus.  Our marriage has experienced greater oneness.  I have come to deeply respect and appreciate Jeff for the sacrifices he makes for our family.  We have been forced to be a team in ways we never would have chosen (example:  when I was "managing" the barns, I would phone Jeff on the cell, and he would tell me how to diagnose a fan/controller/feed system problem I was having. Or how to pull a pit. Or how to raise and lower frozen ramps in winter. Or what to do if the pressure washer isn't working and one and a half rooms needed to be washed that day. Or how to "fix" the lawn tractor.  More than once, there were tears on my end of the phone, and patient instruction on his end - I'm sure with a few rolled eyes thrown in.  As they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!).  We have asked God a lot of questions, and, though I couldn't write a book on "everything I know for sure about life and God", we have come to experience God's presence and involvement in our life, and that has been very exciting and reassuring.   All I can say is - it beats head knowledge.

So, what does all this have to do with what we've learned at Southland?  I can't say, specifically, but, through the years, I have listened to countless testimonies of how God has worked in the lives of others.  I feel I am in a place where I can add my small story to the stories of countless others who are experiencing God in personal ways.  Just last weekend, when I sang in the mass choir, between the services (there were 5!!), I heard several stories of how God had met invididuals in real ways through concepts they've discovered while attending Southland.  I value being part of a group of people who, as a whole, are growing in their passion and love for God. 

I couldn't talk about what I have learned at Southland without addressing the teaching it offers, week after week.  I am an incurable note-taker - I eat up information.  And I feel like I get a lot of stuff to chew on each week.  Many messages have spurred me towards personal study of the subject later on. I think about it, study it, and when I run into a snag in my thinking, I talk to others about it (I try to avoid third period in the finals, though).  As a wise woman recently told me (and you know who you are!), "If a message causes us to think and delve deeper, it's done its job".  As I go through my week, I think about what was said on the weekend, and I'd be amiss to say that it doesn't influence my thinking.  Southland's influence and message could be likened to a soundtrack in my life.  Sometimes the music is louder (ie.  a message hits me between the eyes and I make immediate change in my life or it provides a different perspective on something that's going on in my personal life) and other times, it's quieter.  Sometimes its convicting, sometimes reassuring.  Sometimes it brings me to tears, sometimes it raises questions and even causes me to raise my eyebrows. But always, its pervasive presence reminds me, in all circumstances, to press deeper into God.

The Icecream on the Cake

When Makenna turned four, I offered to make her a special birthday cake.  We went online (dial-up at the time - I nearly pulled my hair out!!) in search of the perfect birthday cake image (images take even longer to load!!).  We signed out birthday cake books from the local public library.  We discussed her ideas at length.  She finally decided on a Raggedy Ann cake.  I read up on cake decorating, learned all about different kinds of icings, bought special ingredients (spent far too much!), borrowed special sized and shaped pans, stressed about the decorating aspect of the cake (I can't even make decent icing, much less arrange it properly), worried that it wouldn't turn out, and on.  When I was done, I resolved, through tears and sweat pouring down my face, that I would never do that again.  Kind of like how I resolved never to have another baby the day Mason was born (yeah, that didn't work out so well, either).

All my resolve melted at Makenna's birthday party, when the cake was revealed to her and she loved it so much. All my blood, sweat, and tears were forgotten.  Any moms out there who can relate to that?

Since then, it has become a tradition that I make whatever birthday cake the kids want.  Anything goes.  You want a castle?  No problem!  A pirate ship?  I'd love to!  A candyland boardgame?  Comin' right up!  Butterflies?  Farmyards?  Carebears?  Mommy is AT YOUR SERVICE, and AIMING TO PLEASE!

But, truth be told, I'm really not very good at cake decorating.  It doesn't come naturally to me, and two years ago, a sweet friend came over to help me mix buttercream icing.  That's how far I've come in all these years.

So you can imagine my (inner) delight when my nearly decade-old daughter asked me to make an icecream cake for her birthday, and then showed me a picture of the simplest icecream cake on the planet.  The recipe claims it takes less than 15 minutes to make.  Now, to those of you who stop by the bakery and pick up a cake may think 15 minutes is a lot of time, but to someone who potentially spends multiple days crafting a cake, this feels like a "get out of jail" card.

Enough rambling.  Here's a really easy cake to make for any occasion calling for icecream cake..... 

WARNING:  This is super unhealthy and full of all kinds of stuff that a mommy does not want her kids eating.

Ingredients
1 box of 24 icecream sandwiches (you'll have some left over)
1 bottle chocolate sauce (you'll have some of that left over, too, unless you REALLY like it)
1 tub frozen dessert whip
1 or two chocolate bars (whatever kind you want)

 Cover the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan with icecream sandwiches.

Squirt a bunch of chocolate sauce over the icecream sandwich layer.  Spread whipped cream evenly over that.  Repeat with another layer of icecream sandwiches, chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Crush chocolate bar (s).  I do it with an end of my rolling pin, leaving the bar in its package.  No dishes that way. :)

Sprinkle over cake. I also added a bit more chocolate sauce, because I'm from the school of thought that one can never have too much chocolate. 

Tada!  Simple.  And I had to wash one spoon and one knife when I was done. 



I dug up an old picture of the very first cake I made on that fateful fourth birthday. Don't you wanna just put that eyelash back where it belongs?

Ho Ho Hold on a minute!

Last night, our whole family slept in the camper.  Which wouldn't have felt so strange, except that when we woke up in the morning, it was Christmas.

Breakup with my Makeup

Today's post is going to be of particular interest to all my male readers (yes....both of you).  I'm talking about makeup!  Now, anyone who knows me know's I'm no fashionista, so don't worry, I'm not giving any advice on how to achieve the perfect smoky eye, or a perfect pout (although my four-year old could do the latter). 

Mostly, my interest in living with less "stuff" has been met with silence by those around me, and that's ok.  But a couple have commented how they wouldn't know where to begin.  I get it. Sitting in our homes and looking at a lifetime (even if it is only a 30 year-old life) of accumulated stuff can feel very overwhelming!   But the part that some may not know is that getting rid of stuff can make one feel GIDDY with excitement and a sense of FREEDOM!  I get such a high from ditching the unnecessary stuff in my life.....similar to the high I get when I lose 5 pounds (and I should know - I've done it lots of times!). It seems that each time I go through the stuff in our house, I keep getting rid of stuff that I overlooked the previous time. The thought of emptying out a cupboard, basket, or shelf and creating yet another infamous "self-help" donation pile gets me just as excited as <insert your favourite activity>.....it's so much fun.....That's my experience, anyway. 

So, today, just for kicks and giggles, I decided to snap pics as I was sorting through my makeup.  I knew it was loooong overdue.... For anyone who ever loved snooping in other people's houses to check out their "stuff", here's a sneak peek of my underwhelming collection of makeup, and the process of deciding what stays and what goes......it's really a hard process.  Step one:  Dump makeup onto counter or other horizontal surface.  Step two:  Put back what you use.   Step three:  Make a donation to the garbage can. Simple, right?

So....ahem.....here's goes.....

I took everything out of my makeup bag and place it on a sheet on the table.  This is what it looked like....

Overwhelmingly exciting, right?   The brown bottle with the black lid near the centre is my FAVOURITE.  It's foundation by Mac....if I could have one makeup item, it would be a toss up between lipgloss and this particular foundation.  Toot toot!  Go, Mac!

Anyway....

I picked up each item individually and challenged it to tell me why it deserved to be in my makeup stash.  Secretly, I suspected lots of stuff wouldn't give me a good enough answer to stay....

This concealer has been around for a very long time.  It seems to me I bought it while I was working at the Bethesda Hospital.  That's approximately a lifetime ago.  I don't need to google "how long is the shelf life of concealer" to know that this stuff is past its prime.  Besides, it was almost empty....Whew....one thing I dislike (I'm not allowed to say hate, 'cuz I'll get in trouble with my kids) as much as my own clutter is wasting.  So I felt good giving this tube the ole heave ho into the nearest garbage bin.  Goodbye, concealer. I never loved you anyway!

Next.

It doesn't take an organizing minimalist guru to know that when something is empty, it's ok to throw it away.  Next.

Eww.  Old, no lid, and basically empty.  Score one more point for team garbage.

I seriously think I may have worn the silvery blue one at my college grad dinner at the Fort Garry Hotel.  I think I've never consciously challenged the idea that one day, I may want to wear blue sparkly stuff on my eyelids.  Today, I did.  Goodbye 1990's highschool girl pencils.

So, you get the idea of how I came up with the garbage pile.  It's pretty basic, right?  (Side note: Does it concern you that this is my idea of a rockin' good time?   Do you wonder what causes someone to actually take pictures of old makeup and write about it?)

By the time I had gone through my stash, this is what didn't make the cut.....

Leaving me with this.....



So much easier to find what I'm looking for (which is usually lip gloss).....

Hmmmmm......what else can I get my purging little hands on?

PS.  Have you ever seen so many "....." 's in one post?  It's like I use "..." 's whenever I don't know what kind of punctuation to use.  Maybe no one else notices......I guess you'll all go check now, right?  And you'll know that I don't know how to use punctuation.....

Oh, the shame.....

School - Is it for kids or parents?



First day of school, 2010

 Recently, a survey went out, from my children's school, to all the parents of children who are signed up for kindergarten next year.  The survey offered two options:  children attend school for half a day, each day (the traditional/current method), or they attend every other day for a full day.  Based on the response received, the school would change/not change the current system.

I was surprised and saddened by the results.

The response was overwhelmingly in favour of change.

In talking to many different people (parents in our school, parents of children attending other schools, staff, etc),  a few pros to the new system repeatedly emerge:

1)  It will save the school division money because there will be no noon bus run.
2)  Teachers will have more time to teach because they will not need to do morning exercises every day with the same students.

and, without fail, the number one seller is:

3)  It's so convenient for us as parents.  You know, it cuts down on our daycare costs.  We can be gone all day, instead of being home at the noon hour.  It opens up more opportunity and freedom for both mom and dad to work or play. That sort of thing.  Right on.  Freedom one year sooner.  How lucky!  Woohoo!

I am saddened because these three reasons, in my opinion, do not address the needs of the ones for whom the school system was created - the children!  The division benefits, the teachers benefit, the parents benefit.  In my experience, that's where the conversation ends.  Sure, we can always justify our arguments, showing ways that the students are better off in the new system.  We humans are great at gathering evidence to support the way we think, aren't we? I sure am. But, in all honesty, are we really considering what is in the best interest of the kids?  Really?  Or, in our more vulnerable moments, would we consider the suggestion that our choices may be motivated by self interest and convenience at times?  That it would help make our kids fit better into our life, either as it now is, or as we would like it to be.

Sometimes kids are so inconvenient.

I don't know who voted for the change in our school, as I don't even know more than one or two students who are going to kindergarten next year (and one of those is mine:)). Without knowing, however, I believe they are moms and dads who love their kids and are making a tonne of decisions for their family regularly, just like me.  I acknowledge that some families have a unique situation, and parents have different considerations when making decisions.  I recognize that some situations are more delicate, and parents are required to make hard choices - choices that they don't want to make.  I get that.  And my heart goes out to these families.  I am not seeking to place more guilt on their weary shoulders.

I am simply asking the questions that I have not heard being asked.  And challenging us to think for ourselves, and not allow ourselves to be swept away by the current school of thought (pun intended).

I've not heard anyone consider if being inside a school for 7.5 hours on a warm spring day is the best thing for a typical, energetic 5-year-old boy.  I've not heard anyone challenge the idea that an extra half hour of "learning time" per day is the best thing for our kids.  I have not heard the question "Do our kids NEED to learn more?"  I learned my abc's in kindergarten and started reading simple words in Grade 1.  My kids knew their abc's by the time they reach their fourth birthday, and were reading three months into kindergarten and chapter books by the end of grade one.  Why are we pushing our kids to achieve more?  Let's not forget that they are five little, short years old.

And at the forefront of my mind, I am really curious to know....what's really propelling this change?

Quotable Quote

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.  The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” Lin Yutang, 1895

Floating Shelves

What do you think of floating shelves? I think they look modern, clean and simple.  And, because they don't sit on the floor, you never have to move them to clean behind them (I do what I can do support my lazy lifestyle!!!)!  

Check out how they can look in a kitchen...


                                         Apartment Therapy


Or a family lounge area.......


                                         Decor Pad

They really could be used in any room of a house.  At least, that's what we think.  Since our recent basement mini-makeover, which I talked about here, we've been talking about moving our books from our hall closet to the area beside the woodstove in the basement.  I think books add to the cozy factor in a space, and we love the idea of having them easily accessible when we're cozying up by the woodstove. I've had my eyes open for bookshelves at local thrift stores and kijiji, but haven't found any that fit our style and budget (veeeerrrrrrry cheap!).

Then I remembered something I'd seen done a long time ago in blogland somewhere.  Why not build floating shelves out of wooden hollow-core interior doors?!??!  By the time you could say "hollow-core doors - whaaaat??" we were back from the Steinbach MCC with two lovely doors for a grand total of $10.  I apologize for the lack of "in progress" pics - we got a little carried away with the project and snapped zilch-o pictures....

Here is the space we were planning to put the shelving (please excuse the horrific lighting - I forgot to adjust the camera settings)....

We (as in Jeff) cut down a 2" x 4" we had laying around in the shop, to make it narrow enough to fit inside a hollow-core door.  He then screwed it securely to the studs on the wall.   We decided we wanted the shelves to be approximately 12" deep, so he cut the door down to our desired width.   Then, it was just a matter of sliding the open/cut side of the door over the strip of wood on the wall, and screwing it in place.  Our kids helped paint it, using leftover paint from the basement.  Here is the after:

And here it is with a few things haphazardly thrown onto it....

So there you have it.....this is what we do for kicks around here.....

Exploring Minimalism

What words and images are conjured up in your mind when you hear the word "minimalism"?

At one time, I would have said "deprivation", "stark", "bare", "boring" and maybe "void". I would have assumed that a person who defined themselves as a minimalist would live in a home void of personal touches. In my mind, a minimalist could not be sentimental, because they throw everything away. I assumed that a person embracing minimalism would resist the impulse to purchase desired goods with white-knuckled determination and will power. Kind of like fasting from food.  Anyone who endorsed minimalism would undoubtedly be a snobbish, stuffy environmentalist (not that environmentalists are snobs, but the minimalist ones would be!).  Oh, and they'd probably be ovo-lacto vegetarians, too!

I assumed it was mostly a losing proposition.

My brief experience has shown me that I was wrong.   As I've moved towards decluttering my own life, my perspective has increasingly aligned with the concepts of a minimalist life.

Each tentative step I take towards living with less brings more freedom and clarity in my life.  As I remove items from my home, my wardrobe and my schedule, I am left with the things that have meaning to me and support me in the life I want to live.  As I usher out things that hold little or no value to me and my family (and I'm not just talking monetary), I usher in free time and a stronger sense of who I am and who I want to be.  It may sound extreme, but it's the best way I know to describe it.  When I see an empty shelf in my closet, I think "that shelf that does not cost me anything".  It requires nothing of me.  That same shelf full of "stuff" requires something of me, at some point.  Maybe it needs to be fixed, read, dusted, sorted, filed, picked up, moved around, washed, searched in, replaced, and on.  Now, if fixing, dusting, and replacing stuff is my life's goal, then perhaps that bulging shelf is serving a purpose.  But if I would rather spend my life nurturing my family, growing in my relationship with God, giving to those around me, and discovering and pursuing my dreams, then all the "stuff" is only a distracting obstacle.

If I was asked to describe minimalism now, I'd use the words "clarity", "choosing", "freedom", "stress-free", "being conscious", "increased awareness", and "exhilirating".  It's not about having as little as possible, but it's a growing sense of awareness that every purchase has a price, in addition to the price tag.  It's about being intentional in decision-making.  It's about doing some soul-searching to discover what I really want in this life.  It's not about less, it's really about more.

It doesn't sound like losing to me.

Here's A Riddle For You....

Today, I walked into Bethesda Hospital carrying my wallet.  Four hours later, I walked out of the hospital carrying my wallet, one boot, one sock, an unopened can of pop and a straw.  Can  you guess what I was doing in the hospital??

I'll give you a hint.....

Yup.  It's happened again....two bones in the foot this time.  Apparently, doing stand-up tricks on a slide has some unforeseen negative consequences......

Here's the face attached to that sweet foot.....



I don't think he could be any more delighted or proud.....

Somehow, it seems to me that we've been through this before.......like maybe just under a year ago, with another sweet babe of ours????

Ah, yes, it's all coming back to me now.......

Basement Reno - Blah to Aaah!

The night I returned home from Australia, Jeff surprised me by showing me a "few things he'd been working on in the basement while I was gone".  I wish I had pictures of the navy blue wallpaper with a pink and yellow floral design that graced the walls of our basement when we first moved into this home 13 years ago.  It was something to behold.  It went well with the stucco/stipple stuff that was plastered all over the upper half of the adjacent walls.  Pine boards, laid diagonally on two walls and vertically on another wall, along with dirty ceiling tile, completed the look.  Oh, no, there were also huge arched mirrors hung on the wallpaper wall, reflecting all this 70's and 80's loveliness back into the room (as if seeing it once wasn't bad enough).  

Here is what this area of the basement looked like at the start of the reno process (please ignore all the  clutter junk piled in the middle of the room.  I've looked carefully at each photo, and I don't think there's anything embarassing or incriminating lying around - just everyday life mess piled up in horrible reno heaps.).....

BEFORE:

DURING:



AFTER:

This facelift is, by no means, jaw dropping; but for us, it makes this room feel much fresher, friendlier, and modern.  It no longer hails from the 70's (not that I think the 70's didn't produce anything worthwhile - after all, the 70's produced ME!!).  It feels more serene and peaceful.  Less visual clutter.  It's a blank canvas that we will, no doubt, stamp our signature on as time progresses.  Or we'll just let the kids go nuts and destroy it.  Or both.

Because I was in Australia during all this, I  wasn't aware of all the contributors to this project, but I heard later on that credit is due, in part, to the generosity of both sets of parents, Jeff's brother, and my brother.  So, thank you to all, for showing up when you did, ripping walls apart, scraping walls, painting (ceiling tiles and walls), messing around with moulding, taping, babysitting, and feeding the clan. We, er, Jeff, could have done it without you, but you made the process way more fun!

Lastly, thank you to my hubs, who knew just what kind of thing gets me fired up.....Diamonds....meh......expensive clothes.....yawn......drywall and silicone?  Now we're talkin'!!

Halleluyer! It's Spring!

Spring is here!!!  Though it's not official until next week, we see signs all around us. This morning, Taelyn wisely informed me that when there is water on the road, it is a sign of spring.  Yes, my love, you're so right, and I couldn't be more excited.

I have a notebook where I record random lists.  One of these lists outlines a growing number of occasions or happenings that I love and look forward to each month of the year.  I love the diversity of our Canadian weather, and the new, unspoken nuances that each new season brings to our daily family rhythm.  So, in anticipation of spring, here are some things I'm planning to embrace and savour in the upcoming weeks: 

• The melting snow.  It's what us Canadians talk about for weeks on end.   We never tire of it.  It's a nice change from "Sure is cold out there!"  "Yup, sure is."
• Love the smell of the earth thawing. OK, around here, it's maybe more like cow manure, but it's equally intoxicating.  At least to me.  I may stand alone on that.  But there's gotta be at least a few farmers out there who would agree. :)
• Spring break
• Rubber boots, anyone?
• "Vacuuming" the lawn with the lawn tractor to freshen up all the grass that's been burried beneath mounds of snow....and inhaling the smell of freshly cut grass. Mmmmmm.....
• Picking the first green onions out of the garden.  This usually happens before the last of the snow has disappeared.
• Happy to choose a spring jacket or sweater over a heavy winter coat more often.  It's equally fun to grant permission to my kids to allow them the same freedom.
• Actually enjoying the walk from my vehicle to the grocery store, without having my shoulders scrunched right up to my ears.
• Resuming our family walks.  Warmer weather always seems to inspire our family to get out there to get some fresh air together.  Oddly, -30 temps don't have the same effect. 
• Setting up the trampoline.
• Planning the garden; considering new seeds.  At this stage, anything is possible!
• Seeing our yard with a fresh perspective, and dreaming up summer projects.  We do love our project scheming around here!
• Going for walks/runs after the kids are in bed, while there's still daylight.
• First bonfire of the year.  Yum-o!
• Celebrating several family birthdays.
• Considering which new animal faces will make an appearance on our yard.  Last year, it was a bunny; this year, we're considering lambs.
• Spring cleaning.  I actually don't dread it. I create a plan of action and attack my house. Perhaps more about my plan of action in future postings.....
• Opening up the windows and letting that gorgous fresh air in.
• Hanging laundry outside to dry.
• Celebrating Easter!
• Biting into the first piece of fresh, warm rhubarb crisp (ok, I took a quick peek into my May list, but it will be here before we know it!)

What do you love about spring?

Clean Eating - Heard Of It?

About a year ago, while waiting in the classic Superstore checkout line-up, this magazine caught my attention: 

Hello, beautiful magazine.  I know I love you and we haven't even met. 

This is what the Clean Eating Magazine website has to say for itself.....

"Clean Eating takes you beyond the food you eat, exploring the multitude of health and nutritional benefits that can be yours when you subscribe to a clean lifestyle. In every way, clean eating is all about consuming whole food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. Taking a creative yet doable approach to cooking, you’ll find it easy to enhance the natural flavors of any meal without compromising the integrity of your food. When it comes right down to it, Clean Eating is not a diet; it’s way of improving your life – one meal at a time."

Ah, isn't that beautiful?  It resonates with me soooo much.

So much, that when I saw the magazine sitting in the rack, I grabbed it, and immediately began memorizing a recipe that looked good (my daughter was already perusing the Archie comics, so what else was there to do?  If I don't busy myself with a magazine, I usually tend to clue into the fact that I've picked the slowest checkout line....again.  In this case, ignorance is bliss). 

A few days later, I told my sister-in-law about the fantastic magazine I had discovered. Over the next several months, she bought me several issues, at random times.  Just for kicks.  Because she's nice like that.  And I accepted them with a grin, one after another.  Because I'm a mooch like that.

For Christmas, she gave me a subscription to Clean Eating!  And my first issue arrived on my birthday.  How cool is that?! I guess she figured that it'd be a better deal for her to get me a subscription than to buy me each magazine on the stand.  Smart girl.

A few days ago, I whipped up the Country-Style Beef and Green Pepper Soup, found in the February issue.  I doubled the recipe, because there is no point making six servings of soup in my house.  I chose this soup because I've been having a love affair with Balsamic Vinegar lately, and am making anything that lists Balsamic as an ingredient.  Yes, a crazed woman lives within the walls of our home.

2.5 tbsp olive oil, divided
12 oz extra lean ground beef
2 medium green bell peppers, diced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 lb fresh tomatoes, chopped (I cheated and used canned)
4 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and broken into 1 inch pieces
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and patted dry
2 cup coarsely chopped green cabbage
3 cup low sodium beef broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (or a few twists of the 'ol pepper mill)

Heat 1 tsp oil in a dutch oven on medium-high coating bottom evenly. Add beef and cook for 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Drain beef on paper towels; set aside. Heat 1 tsp oil in dutch oven on med-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 6 minutes or until edges begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Add beef back to Dutch oven along with tomatoes, beans, corn, cabbage, broth and oregano. Bring mixture to boil over same heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until beans are tender crisp. Remove Dutch oven form heat, stir in remaining ingredients, including remaining oil, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Number of Servings: 6

I added shaved, fresh romano cheese, before serving.  Oh, and we also crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos on top. Because life is short, and a healthy lifestyle is all about balance, right?  Just don't tell the publishers of Clean Eating. I could be wrong, but I don't think the cheese on the Nachos is freshly made, locally produced and additive-free.





Birth Announcement!

Oh, the joy of brand new, fresh, hot-off-the-press kittens!  The long-anticipated day finally arrived!  Born to Paws Rempel, on Thursday, March 3, are two yet-to-be-named kittens.  They were discovered by Makenna in the shelter, under a pile of insulation, on Friday afternoon.  After considerable deliberation, we moved them into the garage, under a heat lamp, surrounded by coziness.  Mother and babies are doing well. In lieu of gifts, please just send money. :)