Mmmm... Butternut!

I was feeling a little disappointed today. Disappointed that we couldn't find a babysitter for week #2 of our homechurch and I'd be staying home alone. Joel has been more than generous in letting me go most nights we can't find a sitter. I'm home all day and crave time out with people. He's an introvert and is generally happen for a night to himself. But he's in charge of a compassion initiative that needed to be talked about last night, plus he's long overdue for a turn.

So, I decided to get over it and think of the ways I could spend the evening. Plus I was excited to surprise him with a recipe for butternut squash I've been wanting to try for weeks. I was feeling good. But then came the dinner hour. I had taken the boys outside to play in the yard knowing I had to be in at a certain time to get dinner going. They were having fun and I stayed out later than planned. My neighbour was kind enough to help watch the boys while all of our kids played and I started on dinner. But sadly I only read the second half of the directions and didn't cook the squash for long enough, resulting in a meal of fish and only fish at the appointed time. I quickly opened a can of corn, my kitchen a disaster, hungry boys and feeling grumpy about my squash. Necessity caused me to pull it together and try to salvage my mistake. I'm happy to report that after a decent meal of fish and corn, we were able to finish it off with a dessert of butternut squash... and yes it really was that good to be considered a dessert. Joel gave it five stars and I believe described it as "insane"... definitely worth the wait.

So if you're looking for a delicious side dish or even just a lighter meal, that's easy (if you read the directions right) and perfect for this time of year, I present to you.....

Butternut Squash with Sage Bread Crumbs

1 butternut squash (2 lb)

2 T olive oil

1/2 t each salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (I eyeballed it but used less, just store bought)

1/2 cups shredded old white Cheddar cheese

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 t dried sage

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place cut up side on lined baking sheet. Brush with half of the oil; sprinkle with half each of the salt and pepper. Roast in 425F oven for 30 minutes (this is the part I neglected to do at first, so it was done later).

Stir together bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, sage and remaining oil salt and pepper; sprinkle onto squash. Roast until topping is crisp and golden and squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

**Found in the September 2011 issue of Canadian Living**

Our Backyard

Last weekend I completed a little project I had been thinking about for awhile... a new backyard set up for the boys. I've always found it hard to be outside with them, except when they are confined to the wagon or stroller. They dart in different directions, and having a small yard it doesn't take many seconds before they are in the neighbour's territory. We live in condo townhouses so we have our own little backyard section, but the fences only are as long as our patios so the back part is connected with my neighbours. The downside, not a ton of privacy. The upside, there is lots of space to run (possibly a downside with toddlers) and easy to get to know your neighbours. Anyways, I've been determined to spend more time outside so with two toddlers, that meant having enough distractions to keep them from escaping. Our space is small, but removing the patio furniture for the season, we had a bit of room to work with. The boys loved the playhouse that was up at my parents farm so I thought that might be fun. I hunted for a few weeks on Kijiji and finally found a good one for a great deal as well as the slide. The teeter totter was passed on by friends.

I would love my boys to have a big yard to run around in, woods to explore, creeks to play in, making toys out of things from nature, but the reality is that I live smack in the middle of the suburbs so I make do with what I have and put up with a little more plastic than I'd like. I'm also wary of my boys having too much 'stuff'. It's tricky at this age to keep them distracted in a small space. I am happy to have spent only $90 on our entire set-up. I also like that because our backyards are connected we can share what we have with the other kids in the neighbourhood. Yesterday while playing out back, we had a few kids join us while we chatted with their parents and the other neighbours on either side of us. I liked the little community feel to it and am looking forward to many hours outdoors before the snow hits. Fall is my favourite season and I plan to enjoy it!

My Love-Hate Relationship With Facebook...

...and the general online world. I've now been on Facebook for more than four years. I first discovered it while living in Zimbabwe, of all places. On a frequent trip to town where our internet connection was a billion times faster than in the bush (but still dial up!) I received an invite from a friend and was able to connect, thus resulting in many an hour spent in the guest house lounge, reconnecting with friends. Living on the other side of the world in moderate isolation, this was very welcome. When I got back to the world of high-speed connections, it took off. It was so much fun finding old friends. My best friend in grade 4 moved to Greece and after a few exchanged letters we lost touch, never to be heard from again. Over the years I tried to find her (yes, even paid for a Classmates.com membership in my attempts), which never happened until I discovered Facebook. Almost everyone I know, even my parents are on it... my husband being one of the few who hasn't given in. (don't do it babe, you'll hate it!)

What do I like about Facebook? I like that as a new mom I've been a little less isolated than I would have been without it. I like asking questions and getting answers from people who have been there, done that, or are at least struggling to figure it out like I am. I like that it's reconnected me with people that have led to many real-life interactions that wouldn't have happened otherwise...friends we get together with more, playdates for the boys, high school friends coming to visit after years and years. I had help at some point of almost everyday in the first few months of my boys' life, often because of my requests sent out to the FB world. I've been able to help out other people who needed it, because their needs were made known. I have watched friends' children grow and shared in the joys and sorrows of life with many. I'm not saying that none of this wouldn't have happened without it, but it has certainly helped.

What I don't like about Facebook? I waste WAY too much time on it. I know WAY more about people's lives than I need to and am far more interested than I care to admit. I don't like that I check it multiple times a day and it's the first thing I run to when the boys are down for a nap, largely because I can sit on my butt and check out of all things requiring any energy. I don't like that it exposes my various levels of self-absorbtion. Why am I really sharing THAT thing... because I want to brag, make myself look better, I feel self-righteous even though I don't want to admit it? I don't like that I sometimes choose to spend time on it, instead of choosing my family, my husband, my real-life friendships, God, my home etc. etc. And it's not just Facebook, it's the internet in general. One search leads to another link, to another, to another and all of the sudden I'm looking up some blog post about the latest drama on the Bachelor Pad. Really? Yes, I admit it's true. Sad.

So I struggle. Something that can be so great and positive that I'm not ready to do away with altogether. But also something that sucks away the time and energy I could be spending on things that really matter. How do you balance it? Set time limits? I have changed the way I use it. First of all, if you're not someone who ever interacts with me on there, you are limited to what you can see. My "friends" who I have zero interaction, can't see photos... it's only for people who care. I try to make my posts less self-absorbed and generally things that are beneficial. I share my needs/wants (I'm a big fan of all things used), ask my mommy questions, and ocassionally yes, I brag about my boys or mention something fairly meaningless or silly just because I want to. I'm okay with that. I like when posts lead to interaction and shared ideas.

I know I'm not alone in this. I know there are others out (almost everyone?) who spends more time in the online world than you probably want to. How do you balance the virtual world with the real world, and if possible make the two intersect? If you struggle like me or have figured it out to some degree I'd love to hear what has worked, or not worked, for you!

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Last week I tried a new recipe, Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup. This has been in my "Recipes to Try" folder for well over a year and I was ready to attempt it. My verdict? It's a keeper. First, it's made in a slow cooker so all the work is done well before the crazy dinner hour. Bonus! Secondly, I don't like cooking meat, especially chicken. So a recipe that requires me to simply place it on top of some other ingredients, is a winner in my books. Other things I liked... it's healthy, has lots of protein, requires very little prep (ie. opening some cans) and is great for leftovers. And it was also a hit with my boys. It'll definitely only be eaten on a bath night around here in the future. Here's the recipe incase you want to try it!

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans (I don't know what chili beans are so I used white kidney beans)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer (I used chicken stock as I wanted it toddler friendly)
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (I used crushed tomatoes with no green chilies...one 24oz. can)
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional... but who doesn't love cheese?!?)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional... but I recommend it!)

Directions
Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

**Note: I mostly buy the "no salt" versions of canned goods and broth to keep the sodium down. I figure you can always add a little salt later if needed.**

Busy Bags

Last night while camped out in front of the TV with Joel, I was busy cutting up paper and counting out rocks. A month or so ago I was invited to be part of my first Busy Bag swap. What's a Busy Bag? It's a bag that contains a homemade activity that a preschooler can do by themselves to keep them busy. I am not highly creative and don't have a ton of extra time but landed on this simple activity that involes counting with rocks (the internet is full of great ideas). My boys aren't quite at the age where they can do these activities but I plan to start collecting them for the future. Nine of us are participating so I created 9 bags of the same thing and after the swap I'll have 9 different ones for my boys. I'm really excited to see what we get! And for those of you with toddler-aged kids, I plan to host my own sometime in the new year. I love that they are simple, homemade and a creative way to keep kids occupied. Thanks Letitia for inviting me to be part of this! I'll let you all know what fun activities we aquire!

Back on the Workout Train

My new BFF...she's pretty hardcore as you can see!

So as you may have read about here I've been struggling a bit with the post-weaning state of my body. I did an intense month of working out in June, didn't see results, got discouraged and took the whole summer off. Looking good or not, I believe exercise is important. Few of us perform labour intensive jobs all day where we're strengthening our bodies the way they need to be. Sure, if you're a farmer, you might not need a separate workout time, but I don't know any. I was also watching a program that talked about how being thin does not equal healthy. They featured one woman who looked quite healthy on the outside, but who didn't exercise and her internal health and percentage of body fat wasn't what it should be. Especially as women, we need some weight bearing exercise to help keep our bones strong. I believe in prevention. Too many season of the Biggest Loser have convinced me that I don't want to become one of those moms who "never took time for myself" (not that there aren't often WAY deeper issues than that) and end up in a life or death situation. I also want to stay as healthy as I can for my family, and, let's be honest, I also want to look the best I can.

So I have a renewed commitment to make time for my workouts. Several years ago I started a little Facebook workout club where we choose a certain amount of time (often a few months) and each person chooses how many workouts they want to complete. Then we check in every two weeks by email and track our progress. It seems to work for me. Although I haven't been perfect, accountability of others works to motivate me. In the past I've printed a calendar and given myself a sticker for each workout... yes, the four year old in me shining through, but it's very satisfying! The workout club is back on and I've commited to 22 by the end of October. So far, one down. A bit of a slow start but I'll get there. The benefit of my boys still napping twice a day is that I do have time, and when they go down to one, I'll make the time. We all have it if we want it... get up earlier, watch one less TV show, say 'no' to something else that's not as important. I'm sure that'll be a struggle when it comes around. I'm hoping to lose a few pounds, tone up a bit and replace a few of my treats with healthy alternatives like fruit. I will enjoy my daily taste of chocolate, the occasional weekend bowl of popcorn or ice cream, but all in moderation. There are many times I fail (like the entire summer) but I think the key is to just pick up where you are and decide to do something today to make it better. And I'm thankful for my growing group of friends commited to staying active and helping to keep me on track!

Pressing the Reset Button

My list for September. You know you want one ;)

It's September 1st and since I've pretty much always been a student or a teacher, in my mind it's the start of the year. Not that life has been chaotic, but I want to be a bit more on organized and on top of things. I made a list of things that I want to get done around the house each month. Some are weekly, some every two weeks, some just once. I divided things up and made a week-by-week list of what I want to accomplish. Who knew creating something simple in Word could be so satisfying. Feel free to mock me, but I'm a stay-at-home mom and I'm embracing the domestic life!! :) I'm hoping it helps.

Joel and I have been working hard around the house getting it more organized. I've been going through closets, and cupboards, purging things that are expired or no longer used. This morning I organized my recipes, scrubbed the shoe mats and cleaned out under the kitchen sink... things that have neglected for awhile. Joel is attacking the basement, getting rid of a bunch of stuff. Our goal is to make a second play space for the boys and a work space for me. Aside from laundry and working out, we have a whole floor of the house that doesn't really get used.

While not the most thought provoking or deep posts, this is what I've been up to lately and it feels good. There are few things more satisfying to me than being organized, checking things off lists and having a home free of clutter. What do you do to stay on top of the domestics of life? Are you a more "I'll clean it when it's dirty" type? Do you have lists? I love learning from others!