#shesharestruth Lent 2014: psalm 130

I'm following along with the ladies over at She Reads Truth for my daily Bible reading for Lent. On Fridays we will be sharing on that days reading.

Lent is a time in which I reflect on what Jesus really did for me. He suffered. Such suffering because He loves me. Me. And you. I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. Becoming a mom gave me a new perspective on unconditional love but my imperfections, my sinful nature still don't allow me to come close to the love Jesus has for us.

The Psalmist in Psalm 130 cries out in despair to God. I have a tendency to turn inward in my despair. To pity myself and become overwhelmed with sadness. It's in those moments that God most wants our hearts. He wants us to turn to Him when we feel hopeless and He will restore us. He forgives completely. I can tell God anything and he holds no grudge. Wow! I am so bad at mulling things over and keeping mental checklists of my anxieties to fuel more anxiety. Let it go! (Song now stuck in my head, cue Elsa) God wants me and loves me for me. He forgives ME.  I want to be more like Him.

no bake chocolate quinoa bars

Today I was in need of a chocolate-y treat. It just so happened that I had some leftover quinoa from dinner prep this afternoon so I thought I would try using it as a base for granola type bars.

My measurements are approximate just taste and adjust.

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut
Sprinkle of ground flax
Sprinkle of chia seeds
Handful of chocolate chips (as requested by the 4 year old supervisor)

Mix and press into a 9x13 foil lined pan then refrigerate until firm. These don't get as hard as an oatmeal based granola bar because the quinoa is cooked but they do firm up enough to cut into squares. You can also refrigerate the bowl for an hour then scoop out and form into bite sized balls.

My Best Slow Cooker Chili

No Beans! I know I know is it even chili? I always use beans but just decided to skip them once I had everything else chopped up in the pot. I need to document this recipe because it came from looking over Skinny Taste's recipe and making some modifications based on my fridge and my mood.

~ 1lb ground meat
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 summer squash or zucchini shredded
~ 1 cup frozen corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 can tomato soup
sprinkle of sante fe spice
~3/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper

Brown and drain ground beef, dump it in the slow cooker. Cook onions and garlic for a few minutes and add to the beef. Throw in veggies, canned goods, chicken stock and spices. Cook on low for 5 hours taste and adjust seasonings. I ended up adding a little salt and a bit of brown sugar. SO delicous and full of veggies! Husband and 1 of 2 children approved.

High Five for Friday: potty training and chocolate

1. A gift from my mom, this Toy Story potty. Isabel loves 'woodybuzz' and it has helped us start potty training this week.

2. My light coloured muffin tin. Has saved me from perpetually burning the bottoms of my muffins.

3.  Reese's wonderful goodness.

4. My maternity band. For such a little thing it has provided so much support for my 37 week pregnant body. I LOVE it.

5. Spring's arrival. The sun is up when I get up, the birds chirping, tulips, irises and lilies are sprouting in the garden. Now we just wait for some warmer weather.

Top Ten Tuesday: Tips for Healthy Eating

 

 March is nutrition month and as it winds down I thought it would be a good reminder to go over some tips for helping our families eat healthier.

source

1. Eat Carbs!
I know it goes against most of the diet hype out there but carbohydrates are not evil. Our bodies need them as fuel. Eat less filler carbs: white breads, white pastas, cakes, cookies etc and more whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.

2. Fat gives us energy and is important for our brains; so don't cut it out completely. Choose lower fat options and aim for 2-3 Tbsp of unsaturated fats per day.

3. Get full on fibre.
We rarely eat enough fibre. Women should aim for 25g and men 38g per day. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and read labels to know if your food is a smart fibre choice.

source

4. Dairy for bones.
Milk products are key sources for calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous and magnesium. Milk is fortified with Vitamin D, it helps calcium to be absorbed. Choose low fat options but aim to consume 2-3 servings for adults and 3-4 servings for kids per day.

5. Colour your plate
Eating one dark green and one orange vegetable each day gives you a great start at rounding out your vitamins. Broccoli, spinach, yams, and carrots are great examples.

6. Drink up
Hydrate with water. Swap out juice and pop for water as much as you can. If you've increased your fibre intake it is especially important to make sure you're getting enough fluids to keep things moving :)

7. Moderation not elimination
You can still have your cakes and cookies just choose less of them on a not so often basis. A healthy diet can handle a little indulgence every once in a while especially if my your overall happiness is at risk. :)

8. Protein sources
Meat is a great source of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. Choose leaner cuts and trim fat. Don't forget about non-meat sources like beans, tofu, eggs and lentils. They are also good sources of protein and fibre.
I like to do a vegetarian supper twice a week to help me include non-meat protein in our diet.

9. Here fishy fishy
Eat 2 servings (2.5 oz) of fish per week. I have a hard time with this but it's important for cardiac health and brain development in kids.

source

10. How much?
Watch serving sizes. We tend to overestimate the amount of fruit and veggies we eat and underestimate dairy and meats. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating gives easy to follow examples.

The great folks at Dietitians of Canada have compiled a great site chock full of nutrition tips if you're looking for more info or definitions.

For more Top Ten fun go visit Angie

Top Ten Tuesday: Baby Names

With less then 2 months to go for this pregnancy the most common question we get is have you decided on names? The answer is yes! We have a boy name complete with first and middle and a girl name with a middle that is less certain but we have ideas.

There are so many resources out there if you are looking for baby names or names for your dog or goldfish cause they gotta have names too right?

1. The Baby Name Wizard is my favourite baby name book of all time. It was given to me when I was pregnant with Isabel and it makes name searching fun. Names are organized into categories like Guys & Dolls and Why not? Sibling name suggestions are also given. Love it.

2. Baby Names World is a great site. It gives the meaning and has surveys from people with the name so you can read responses from people with first-hand experience.

3. Nymbler allows you to type in names that you like and get suggestions based on those names. I spent the better part of an evening sitting on the couch reading Nymbler's suggestions and vetoing them with my husband.

4.  Name Berry is another one of my most frequented baby names site. Shows current name searches and trending names.

5. The Bump has some great resources. I particularly like the baby names community forum board that allows you to post your own polls and have people vote.

6. The Baby Name Wizard site has name maps and popularity over time.

7. SSA name lists by year and state.

8.  Baby Names gives meanings and has trending names of the day on the front page. This is great of you are like me and want to avoid popular names.

9.  Your family tree. Middle names for me are a way to honor a family member so I have been using Geni to double check my grandmother and great grandmother's full names.

10. Behind the name gives meanings and popularity by country.

Go visit Angie for more top ten fun.

wordless wednesday: duck

Yes it's February...

nap time project

I received a Kobo e-reader for my birthday and have been using a not so pretty case to protect it... until today! I found this tutorial via Pinterest from The Cottage Home and I thought the fabric I had picked up would be well used to make this cute little case.

I started it last night at 10pm. Not a good move. 

I decided to put it aside until I had more time and I wasn't struggling to keep my eyes open. So when the little went down for her nap this afternoon I ripped out last night's stitches and started over.

My sewing machine was having a fight with the fleece I used for a lining and my third trimester hormones were getting the best of me as I wrenched the button tab off the machine a few times so I switched it out for some elastic as a closure.

I also added the ruffle-y strip because I had two fabrics I wanted to use. The lining is a cheap-o dollar store baby blanket that we have never used so I didn't feel too bad hacking it to bits.

My Kobo just fits in nicely and seems to be happy in his new home. 

Thanks for the tutorial Cottage Mama!

gingerbread dreams

Win a New Kitchen Faucet: a really nice one

Since we first stepped foot into our current house while on our house hunting trip back in April I have been itching to switch out our kitchen faucet. It's pretty builder basic and not great quality. Our town has super high water pressure and I really don't want to be pulling some at home plumbing with a flooded kitchen when hubby is working nights.

I have been searching and drooling over the faucets out now with technology that allows you to turn it on with just a touch. So great for dirty hands. Now you I someone could win one!

You want one? Me too. Natural Mommie is hosting a giveaway for us Canadians of a fancy shmancy Brizo faucet.

Top Ten Tuesday: Preparing for Autumn

The temperatures have dropped drastically around here over the last week and there are a few things around our household that need to be adjusted to prepare for the arrival of autumn.

1. Swap my flip flops for ballet flats.
They sit at the back door so I can quickly scoot out with the dogs when they do their business and jamming my socked toes into flip flops is getting old.

2. Get some new socks
How have my socks worn thinner by sitting in the drawer?

3. Put away the gazebo canvas
Yes we need to get the gazebo frame naked.

4. Hem the curtains
We have basboard heaters in this house, under every window and my floor length living room curtains won't look so cute with scorch marks on them when the heat comes on... Still unsure of a solution without looking like dorky short curtains...

5. Dig out sweaters and jackets
Gone are the days of wearing a solitary t-shirt all day

6. Unpack autumn decor
More unpacking...

7. Get a hair cut
My hair has been growing for many months and I am not a blow dryer type gal so having really long wet locks is getting chilly. Need an easier to blow-dry style. ( This photo was before my last chop in March, it is even longer now)

8. Switch moisturizers
The lightweight summer stuff is not cutting it on the cooler weather.

9.  Dig out the slow cooker
Craving warm soups, stews and chilis

10. Dump the summer planter
My petunias have gone to a better place and their carcasses are just not that pretty.

For more top ten fun go see Amanda

Meal Plan Monday

Sickness smacked our house this weekend, well smacked my husband the rest of us have escaped unscathed so far. Today is housework catch-up day and menu plan day. Since we're moving in less than 3 weeks it's deep-freeze pantry clean out menu time.

Monday: Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday: Spaghetti

Wednesday: pizza

Thursday: Perogies, frozen veggies and bbq chicken

Friday: Turkey Soup

Saturday & Sunday: leftovers since hubs is away

For more meal plan ideas visit Laura

Linky Love: Cake and Shower Curtains

How beautiful and dainty is this mother's day cake from I am baker. So so sweet.

photo from I am baker

Love this shower curtain from Urban Outfitters and found this DIY tutorial. I'm thinking for the main bath which will be used by Isabel.

from Urban Outfitters

For more links from the week visit Staci

Top Ten Tuesday: House Wishlist Revisited

After I wrote my house wishlist we went house hunting.  It only took us one day and nine scheduled showings plus one unscheduled (by us)  God showing and we had found ourself a house!

We were up bright and early after a late night flight and a four hour time difference, coffees and breakfast in hand we met with our realtor and hit the road. When we walked into our new house it was oh so apparent that is was the One. No others on the market even compared and our disappointment soon turned to anticipation as we drove back to the office to make an offer. They accepted and in a couple of months we move in!

Now that evening I went back to my wishlist and was so thrilled to see how well our new house did.

1. Bedrooms on a second storey.
Our current home is one-level, it is great and our daughter is a fantastic sleeper but it would be nice to have the bedrooms away from the living area.
Check! Our new home has three bedrooms upstairs and one in the finished basement.

2. A yard.
I will not specify size as we currently have a very dinky backyard so anything larger would be wonderful.

Check! We half a half acre lot with a green space as our backyard neighbour.

3. A mudroom.
I would love to have space for jacket and boots besides our one main closet or the garage.
Check. There is a separate door into the heated garage that leads to a mudroom area as you enter our kitchen.

4. Three or Four bedrooms.
Three is a must four would be nice so that we could always have a spare room.
Check. Three up, one down.

5. A garage.
In the area we'll be living most are older homes so garages are not common but it would be nice.
Check. A two-car attached garage as well as a separate garage.

6. A rec room area.
I would love to have a basement or loft area that could be a tv/toy room away from the living room.
Check. Finished basement rec. room.

7. Space for crafting.
The rec room area or fourth bedroom would cover this. I would like just enough to have a desk for my sewing machine and scrap-booking supplies organized and accessible.

Check. The fourth bedroom will be the guest room and it will also have a special crafting area.

8. A window over the kitchen sink.
Standing at our current sink I look at the wall straight ahead or into the living room to my left, I have always found staring out a window makes doing dishes more enjoyable.

Check. There is my window looking out into our backyard and my mum checking out the under-cabinet lighting.

9. A deep tub.
I love a good bath and though I did turn our overflow drain around so I can fill the tub a little fuller there are still bits of me that are never fully submerged in the bath.

Check. Master bath has a big tub.

10. Little or no carpet.
Our two dogs produce a lot of fur and it is so much easier to keep hard flooring clean.

Check. Hardwood, ceramic tile and laminate.

For more top ten fun go visit Amanda.

HOUSE UPDATE: WE FOUND IT!

I posted my top ten house wish list a few weeks ago and just wanted to give a quick update. We found our dream house!

We were house hunting and stopped for a bite to eat while we waited 45 minutes to see the last house on our schedule. We met a guy in the coffee shop also eating his lunch and as my husband was chatting with him he invited us to go look at his house. His wife and he had discussed relocating just the other night.

We saw it, loved it, and bought it, without it even being on the market.
God is good! Giving us those 45 minutes to kill so we would be in the right place at the right time.

Top Ten Tuesday: House Wishlist

We sold our house!! Hurray! The sold sign went up today and now we pack and prep to leave Sunday for our house hunting trip. We're moving 3000 miles across the country back to our family. I'm so thrilled that this next step in our journey is finally here and so anxious at the same time.
We've been aware of this move since October so virtual house hunting began then but I thought I should perfect our wishlist.

Top ten things I would love in our new house

1. Bedrooms on a second storey.
Our current home is one-level, it is great and our daughter is a fantastic sleeper but it would be nice to have the bedrooms away from the living area.

2. A yard.
I will not specify size as we currently have a very dinky backyard so anything larger would be wonderful.

3. A mudroom.
I would love to have space for jacket and boots besides our one main closet or the garage.

4. Three or Four bedrooms.
Three is a must four would be nice so that we could always have a spare room.

5. A garage.
In the area we'll be living most are older homes so garages are not common but it would be nice.

6. A rec room area.
I would love to have a basement or loft area that could be a tv/toy room away from the living room.

7. Space for crafting.
The rec room area or fourth bedroom would cover this. I would like just enough to have a desk for my sewing machine and scrap-booking supplies organized and accessible.

8. A window over the kitchen sink.
Standing at our current sink I look at the wall straight ahead or into the living room to my left, I have always found staring out a window makes doing dishes more enjoyable.

9. A deep tub.
I love a good bath and though I did turn our overflow drain around so I can fill the tub a little fuller there are still bits of me that are never fully submerged in the bath.

10. Little or no carpet.
Our two dogs produce a lot of fur and it is so much easier to keep hard flooring clean.

Stay tuned for an update as to how many wishlist items we are able to find in our new home.

Go see Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday fun.