Stay tuned...

I've been realizing that summer is not conducive to blogging, so lest you think I've given up on this altogether, I haven't, and shall resume more regular blogging very shortly, once the kids are back to school. *giddy shrieks of delight followed by bittersweet tears*

See ya soon!!

I'm Still Here

Apparently I haven't blogged in awhile... I guess that's summer for you. Did you miss me? Did you even notice? Don't worry, you can't offend me.

We've already had a pretty full summer around here. We spent the first week of July at a cottage (or rather, a beach house as it was called) on Lake Erie. Our great friends Steve and Angie and their kids joined us, and the week was fantastic! There was plenty of room in the house for all 9 of us - we were the 4th guests at this cottage, so everything was clean and new. Our room overlooked the lake, and we would fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the waves. Some nights the waves were intense and the crashing on the beach was enough to keep us awake, and other nights it was so peaceful we could hardly hear them. One night we were awoken by a huge thunderstorm. I got out of bed to close the windows, lest they blow off their hinges. Well, the one window didn't close from inside, so I had to go outside to push it closed (we had a large balcony off our second floor bedroom). So there I was in the howling wind and driving rain, in my underwear, trying to get this window closed, while lightning is flashing all around me. It must have made a ridiculous sight, if anyone was watching. Just glad I didn't get hit by that lightning...

Back home, we dove right into VBS and swimming lessons, with a good dose of sleeping in. All 3 kids went to VBS for 3 hours, 5 days in a row. It was... well, I don't want to say blissful, lest you get the idea that I don't like being with my kids (because I do), but I really, really enjoyed getting a whole bunch of errands done all by myself. I went for a few runs, wasted some quality time at Indigo, went for breakfast with a friend, and even attempted to give blood. I say attempted, because I was denied. Apparently, because I gave blood as a teenager under a different last name, there was some confusion, although I'm sure I've given blood since I've been married. Part of the problem was that they had labelled me (a 100 pound 16 year old) a fainting hazard. I certainly don't weigh 100 pounds anymore, so pretty sure I can handle giving some blood! It was actually kind of sad, as I know they're desperate for blood right now. Anyway, got a call tonight that it's all sorted out, so I can give blood again. Not sure when, though, with 3 kids in tow. Guess I'll have to wait til September when everyone is off at school.

I had planned to give you a little raw food update, but I have just realized that it's really late and I need some sleep! Don't hold your breath or anything, but my next post will definitely not be so long in coming. See, now I have to prove myself right!

Hope you're having a happy summer!

Cut the Crap! (aka - Teresa's epiphany)

I can honestly say that I've never before used the words crap and epiphany in the same breath, and I'm guessing you could say the same. There are just not a lot of opportunities to use those words in general (well, ok, maybe the first one, but it's borderline rude sometimes), never mind together. So, what's it all about? I'll tell you, while I sip my honey-sweetened green tea. (If I begin to sound a little delirious, don't be alarmed - I didn't fall asleep until after 2:30 last night, and my 10 minute "nap" today, didn't really make a dent in the sleep deprivation deficit).

We all have problems that we face on a daily basis (and if you don't, I want to know your secret!). Some of us face huge challenges, perhaps with health, jobs, family stuff, etc., and lots of us just have sort of regular, day-to-day problems. That's currently where I'm at, and I'm very thankful for that. I truly have nothing to complain about, and the things I do complain about are things that I can take charge of and change. My biggest "complaints" were a general feeling of perpetual tiredness (I don't go to sleep every night at 2:30), generally not feeling motivated, brain fogginess, occasional headaches, skin that's starting to look its age, and those extra pounds that don't feel like they belong on my body and that some of my clothes were becoming adverse to. Anyone else have similar problems? Maybe I should call them issues....

I have been feeling myself falling into a rut, and it's getting deeper and harder to pull myself out of it. Sure, I'm running more, and trying to get enough sleep, but those things weren't really making the impact I was hoping for. It's also pretty hard (for me, anyway) to just tell myself to eat healthier - I love my food, both the good and the bad, and plenty of it! iRun so I can enjoy my food! I'm a true "meat-a-tarian" as the Wendy's commercial puts it - it's a personal choice!

Then, last week, I was checking out a few blogs that I happened across, and all of the sudden, a giant lightbulb came on above my head, and I knew what I needed to do - cut the crap! I realize this is not rocket science, and I'm kind of laughing about how simple it is, but when something just suddenly makes sense to you, you wonder why you never really got it before. In a nutshell, I've decided to make my diet as raw as possible, something I never would have imagined doing in a million years. Everywhere I was reading, people were talking about the great improvements they had when they went raw - more energy, less tiredness, mental clarity, better skin, and of course, proper weight management! There it was - all of my problems could be solved with one solution!

I'm not about to call myself a vegetarian, or a vegan, because there are certain foods I'm just not willing to give up, ie. salmon, potatoes, coffee (with the good stuff in it), my homemade cinnamon buns, cheese - actually, there are quite a few things on that list. The point is to add as much raw food into my day as I possibly can, and then not feel guilty about the rest. In less than a week, I've already decreased my desire for some of those things, and I'm slowly cutting out some of the crap! My goal with this is not to try to live to 100, but to live whatever years I have in better health.

I read a suggestion to start by going raw one day a week, but I've come up with something that works better for me. Seeing as how supper is a family event at our house, and I don't make separate meals for people, I'm going to leave it as is. But breakfast and lunch are perfect chances for me to eat raw. It feels fantastic to eat raw all day, then thoroughly enjoy a cooked dinner. Does the cooked meal cancel out all the raw meals? I don't think so - I think any positive changes are a step in the right direction.

I've already tried a bunch of unusual foods this week - some were great, some not so great. My staple so far is the green smoothie. I've always enjoyed a good smoothie, full of fresh and frozen fruits, juice, yogurt. But now I'm starting my day with a green smoothie and I'm surprised to find that they are very tasty, and oh-so healthy. I blend up a mixture of spinach, chard and a little kale with some water and it turns into a beautiful bright green frothy mixture. Then I add (this varies) a frozen banana, frozen mango, fresh or frozen strawberries and raspberries, some flax seed, some hemp seed (loaded with protein), and maybe a date or two for extra sweetness. It actually turns into an odd brownish-green color, but it is a fantastic breakfast! I'm looking forward to throwing in some fresh peaches when they're in season.

You're probably thinking how unappetizing it is to drink spinach, and yes, it does sound weird, but fortunately all the fruit makes it taste yummy. Trust me, I wouldn't drink it if it wasn't yummy! So there you have it, my foray into the world of raw food. I'm excited to see some results in the coming months, and will let you know what happens! I have an incredible amount to learn about all this, but I do love to read, so doing the research and finding recipes should be quite entertaining for me. I'm quite excited about the new raw cookbook (it's probably called an uncookbook) I just bought and hoping to be inspired!

My green tea is gone, my eyes are watering, and my family is all snoring away happily, which means I need to get to bed, too. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so sleeping in is on my agenda. Thanks for following along with my crazy ramblings. As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so keep 'em coming, even if Blogger doesn't let you comment on here.

Happy Canada Day!

24 Hours...

...or one day. That's it. Perhaps I had it coming. But I got distracted from cleaning up the kitchen this morning, because the weather was just so beautiful outside, and it was supposed to be raining all this week. I was sitting in my chair, feeling only slightly guilty that the house was not cleaning itself while I was basking in the sun, when Taya shouted the dreaded word (that 5 letter 's' word). I bolted up from my blissful state and watched as she grabbed it and carried it around. My daughter is so brave. Then I casually reminded her that the creature would be much happier on the OTHER side of the fence, so she marched to the fence and threw it over. Actually, she missed on her first attempt, as the fence is much higher than her, but she picked it up again and this time it made it over the fence. First it hit a branch, where I thought it might become stuck, but a couple seconds later, it landed in the leaves. I know it will be back, but for now, a few more hours (I hope) of peace.

Taya, Logan and I had a great morning at the Farmer's Market, where I loaded up on local potatoes, yams, peas, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, and rhubarb. We'll enjoy some of it for lunch, then later I hope to make some sort of yummy pie or crisp. I love this time of year for delicious fresh produce!

Don't Tell the Kids

It's best if you don't mention this if you should talk to my kids, but there was an encounter today in our backyard, involving my strong and brave (and studly) spade-bearing husband, and.... something else. My husband won the encounter, and let's just say that I should be a little more relaxed now as I recline in my birthday chair. (Really, I do get work done around here. But sometimes it's just nice to sit for a few minutes, you know). I think that's all I'm going to say on that subject for now, but like I said, please don't mention it to our kids. Although they are fairly comfortable with the whole "circle of life" business, we'll just leave out this part for now.

I just finished my delicious smoothie, after a nice evening run, then a soak in the hot tub and a shower. I can practically hear the bed calling my name! But first I'll tell you about my yummy smoothie, which has become a several-times-a-week fixture at our house. My favorite combination starts with some fresh and frozen fruit. There are always fresh strawberries, and sometimes fresh raspberries, and then I add more frozen berries, including blackberries, and then the best part, frozen mangoes. I blend that up with some cranberry or raspberry juice, a little milk, and then add yogurt. I'll often toss in some flax seed and wheat germ, too. Any other fruit can be tossed in as well. Pineapple and peaches are great, but they have to be fresh, not canned. Anyway, that's my recipe for a perfect smoothie!

Adios!

Thoughts of the Day

It's a dreary day today, so I have put a movie on for the kids, which buys me a little quiet time to blog. It's actually stopped raining now, and they really could be outside, but....I just might not win that parent of the year award now. So close. Maybe next year...

When I began this blog, I truly did not have a central theme that I hoped to accomplish every time I wrote. In fact, I really had no idea what it would end up being. At one point, before she'd had a chance to read it, my sister asked me what was the point of my blog. She wasn't trying to be cynical, but was curious to know what it was all about. And I couldn't tell her, because it seems to be about anything and nothing, but mainly about our backyard adventures, which I could not have anticipated. I'm certainly open to suggestions, but if you like my ramblings, then carry on! Mostly, there were and are so many thoughts tumbling around in my head and not being much of a journal-er, a blog seemed the way to go. Plus, it seemed like a decent way to keep friends and family from near and far updated on our lives.

Snake sightings are abounding in our yard, and I am resigning myself to that fact. Sigh..... Last week we had some friends over for a playdate, and my dear, sweet Taya managed to pick up , with her BARE HANDS, a snake. All the kids were fascinated, and I insisted that she take turns letting them hold it. She ended up holding it for maybe 10 minutes, and every time she came a little closer to me, I involuntarily shrunk back. I could not help myself. It actually wrapped itself around her arm, probably trying to escape, but she wouldn't let it. I eventually convinced her that the nice snake would be so much happier if she put him over the back fence into the forest, which she did. I'm not stupid, I know it will be back, but it had to be done. I now don't know if the one I've been seeing which lives under one of the steps, is the same one or a different one. All I know is that there is an undetermined number of them and I hate them ALL! They are just too close to where I want to be. When I walk out into the yard, instead of admiring the sky and the trees and things like that, I carefully search the ground in front of me where I am planning to walk, just to make sure I don't step on any surprises. Today when I saw one of these surprises (it seemed to be lying in wait), I actually swore. If you know me well, you probably know that I really don't swear very much at all, and generally feel guilty when I do. But I swore today. Twice, actually. And I don't feel guilty about it. So there.

So now you're wondering what else you don't really know about me. (Actually you're probably not, but I'll tell you anyway. You really don't have to read it you don't want to, but now you've read this far, you might as well read to the end!). I was terribly shy when I was a kid. People often commented on that about me, and so I assumed it was true. I hated having attention on me at school, and didn't really participate in class that much. That all changed in grade 8, thanks to the drama class I decided to take. I think every kid should have to take at least one drama class. It was the best thing ever (and the best teacher ever, Mr. Fatkin). I developed some self-confidence and the ability to be more comfortable in front of people, something you do constantly in drama. And then in my grade 9 French class, I will never forget the day, I blurted something out for the whole class to hear (I can't remember what, but that's not important) and everyone, including the teacher, laughed!! Not at me, but because what I said was funny! A big giant lightbulb went on above my head that day, and it really made me realize the joy of making others laugh. Now I just need to try to do that without sticking my foot in my mouth. I've done that lots before. So there you have it. Did you learn something new about me?

How about this one. I love chatting with people, pretty much anyone, and sometimes start in-depth conversations with cashiers while I'm shopping. (I think this is going to be embarrassing to the kids one day, probably already is for Stefan on occasion, and probably should be for me - too much information!). One time in the Starbucks drive-thru, by the time I had my drink, I already had made the connection with the barista that we had both lived in many of the same cities across Canada, how long we'd both worked at Starbucks, what our husbands did, and each other's names. (Hers was Dottie, and she was so nice!). But put me on an airplane or in the movie theatre and I want to sit by myself. I don't want to accidentally bump elbows with someone else (unless it's my family) and I really don't want to share such close proximity with someone I don't even know!! On an airplane, if I'm flying by myself, I try to get a row with no one else in it. Heaven forbid that I should ever get the middle seat, stuck between two strangers! Maybe I am a snob after all. I can't handle someone invading my personal space (like those men in the line-up, once again at a Starbucks, who lined up so close behind me that I couldn't step back without walking into them). C'mon, give me some space! I am an oxymoron, a walking contradiction of myself.

And with that, I segue to the pond predator. In talking with others, we have determined that the fish eater is likely a mink. Apparently there are minks living in our forest, although I've never seen one. (If you google mink, you can see just how ugly they are). They are the most likely stealer of our fish, not the ducks, not the snakes, and probably not even the raccoons. Black Spots did indeed survive (and maybe others did too and are hibernating, who knows). We got a few more friends for Black Spots and we're, perhaps foolishly, hoping they survive! In addition to the above mentioned creatures, we have also seen squirrels, chipmunks, mice, possums, rabbits, lots of wasps, and bees as big as birds. Life is definitely an adventure in our little cottage in the woods!

In the Backyard

For my birthday, I received a fantastic lounging chair for the backyard from Stefan. I have visions of dozing in the sun while the kids play happily (and quietly) around me, and occasionally replenish my cold drink. Ha! It's one of those chairs that you actually don't have to adjust - you just lean back and the chair leans with you. Very nice. I've put it right close to the pond so when I close my eyes I hear the gentle sounds of the little waterfall and the occasional splash of a frog leaping into the water. I actually managed to relax in the chair a bit this afternoon, and it was all very blissful. Until I opened my eyes, that is. Because as soon as I open my eyes, they dart around, trying to see if I can see any slithering creatures. Even if I don't see one right away, I keep looking, because I KNOW they are there, lurking, waiting. It was only a matter of seconds before I spotted it this time, less than 10 feet away. Not 100 feet, but TEN! Wretched thing. Well, my relaxed state of bliss immediately evaporates as I must now keep my eyes on this thing, lest it should come any closer. I can barely stand to watch it, but watch it I must. I finally grab a stick, which makes me feel a whole lot braver, and I prod it a bit. At least it's afraid of me, although it has no idea just how afraid of it I am. That's our little secret, ok? Anyway, it sneaks away through the rose bushes, past all the thorns, and I have no idea how it's not being injured by the prickly barbs. I feel a little better when I can no longer see it, but then I realize, I can no longer see it!!! It could be anywhere. It's the whole "damned if you do and damned if you don't' scenario. If I see it my skin crawls and I can't relax. If I don't see it, I am constantly watching for it to reappear and I can't relax. I refuse to be a prisoner in my own house this summer! I will continue to feign bravery, and I will also feign delight when my little sweethearts are so thrilled to see (and touch - ewwwwww...shudder....) the malevolent creature.

And so our backyard adventures continue. We have more varieties of creatures than you can imagine, most of which bring us enjoyment or stay out of our way. I can say neither about the slithery creature. Recently some ducks landed on the rocks by the pond, which made for a neat photo op and they seemed to enjoy having a refreshing drink. I think I need to invest in a bird book, because we've seen so many that I don't recognize, other than ducks and robins. I should know these things.

Regarding our fish. Stefan bought 6 more a little while back, to add to the 3 we already had. Each one had a name and they seemed to be enjoying all the room in our pond. And then, suddenly, the fish don't make appearances anymore. There is absolutely no sign of them. And I remember the snake swimming in the pond and I am mad. But honestly, I just don't think it's big enough to eat all those fish. And that's when Stefan remembers seeing those adorable mallard ducks DIVING into the pond. A duck doesn't need to DIVE to get water, but it would need to dive if it wanted to go fishing, which, according to google, ducks will do. So, now I hate the ducks. But it also could have been raccoons or some other creature that prowls in the night that we never see. I can't go around hating all the animals, and so we resign ourselves to the fact that our pond is not meant for fish. I'm not really bothered about the wasted money so much, as it wasn't too large an amount. Mostly I am bothered that I brought these cute little fishies home with me to the safety of my pond, only to have them savagely eaten. I have betrayed their trust, and I have to deal with that. One day, we'll get an aquarium. Indoors.

And then wouldn't you know it. Taya runs into the house all breathless a couple days ago, after several weeks of not a single fishy sighting, yelling, "I saw Black Spots!" She has since claimed to have seen Black Spots a few times, but none of the adults have seen him yet. So who knows. There must be some very secret hideout for the fish in amongst the rocks if one (or maybe more) has managed to survive. I am happy if even one has survived. The guilt is, at least partially, alleviated.

The supper in the oven is beckoning me, as we need to head to soccer shortly. The kids are having chicken fingers and veggies, and Stefan and I will be having a salad topped with leftover filet mignon and mangoes. Yummy.