Tomorrow, after church we are having a pot-luck lunch, so I thought I’d try out a new recipe.  

This one is a great quinoa and bean salad.  It’s light and it’s beany (mmmm! i love beans) and oh-so-proteinous (that’s my own word meaning “full of protein”).

Although quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wah’) is still relatively unheard of (in these parts at least….), it’s great to use in place of rice or other grains.  A part of the same family as spinach and beets, it is a complete protein (due to the presence of all 9 essential amino acids), so it is an excellent choice for the vegetarians and the vegans among us (like my friend Nate over at Vegan Dad).   And, the texture is unique (it gives a wee little crunch when bitten).  So it’s fun.

Anyway… I took this recipe out of Weekend Cooking by Ricardo.  A great cookbook that my honey Jeremy bought me for Christmas. 

Here it is: 

Quinoa Salad with Beans

1 cup (250 mL) quinoa
7 oz (200 g) thin green beans, trimmed
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup (50 mL) olive oil
3 Tbsp (40 mL) white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh tarragon, minced
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper

In a saucepan, cook quinoa in a large quantity of boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, or until the grains are tender but still crunchy.  Rinse in cold water, drain and set aside. 

Cook green beans in boiling salted water.  Rinse in very cold water, drain and set aside. 

Mix all ingredients in a salad bowl.  Season with salt and pepper. 

For best results, refrigerate salad for 1 hour. 

Someone please tell me I’m not the only one who has a hard time having a phone conversation without the kids going crazy!

Today I was talking to my sister on the phone, and I had given the kids a bowl of organic blue corn tortilla chips to share.  

Good idea mama!

For about 2 minutes.

It was then discovered by one of the two (I won’t mention any names, but lets just say he instigates a lot of these incidents these days….ahem) that much more fun than eating the chips is tossing them around the kitchen and then driving all the trucks, cars and babies (!) through the chips to spread them ALL…OVER….THE….PLACE.

I, of course, see this going on in front of my very eyes, but being in the throes of much needed adult-conversation, I ignore it.  Afterall, they’re having fun.  And I am having an adult conversation.  Did I mention how much I need adult conversati0n sometimes?  No harm done.

I step in, however…when the aforementioned young instigator breaks a bowl.

A plastic bowl.

Enough said.

Here are the promised pics of my new hair!

I think I like it.

It feels fresh and clean.

I feel a bit like a french girl. 

So…..what do you think?!?!

Well, we’ve had a busy past couple of weeks at our casa.  First off, Joshijah went for his very first dentist appointment.  Very exciting?  Oh yes.  He wasn’t at all nervous.  Relaxed as anything.  Just look at his very relaxed posture in the super cool dentist chair. 

Thankfully the hygienist and the dentist were both so nice and let him pick out the COOLEST shades to wear!  This relaxed him somewhat. 

This was Jos trying to spit into the little sink.  He can’t figure it out still.  He just makes the noise of spitting, and lets the spit just head down the ol’ throat.  Ah well, all in good time.

The dentist.  Again, Joshijah looking very relaxed.  Clutching that chair for dear life!
However, it was a very successful trip.  Joshijah was a big boy and did really well!  YAY! 

With Uncle Cubby and Tante Jes reading stories at my Mom and Dad’s place.  It was my Dad’s birthday. 

Hosanna snuggling up with Poppi on his b-day. 

This was Joshijah’s birthday party.  Jos and Sammi.

Hosanna (or as I like to call her:  May-may-licious.)

Opening up the prezzies.

Yummy treats.  And that’s my friend Julie.  Everyone say, “Hey Julie!”

Markers and Stickers and Play-Dough, oh my!

Cupcakes a la Lightning McQueen.

Traditional birthday breakfast in bed. 

Joshijah with his bed-head. 

Cake!!  This time for the “family birthday party”.

“Uh, Mama?!  What is this?  You call this cake?! And ya’ll can show me some better singing than that.  C’mon.”

Jer and Steve shooting the breeze waiting for food. 

Tom being quiet and contemplative and playing a sweet tune on J-dog’s guit. 

My dad.  I love this picture of him. 

My mom!  All the girls were being Italian mamas in the kitchen making homemade pizza.  Well, Jes was laying on the floor.  It’s ok.  She’s pregnant.  She’s allowed to lay on the floor. 

My sister Sara with her sweet baby girl. 

Joshijah with his cool new airplane from Plan Toys.  Very cool toys.  They are my new favourites.  The kids love them too.  (that’s pretty important I guess)   
And he is wearing the beautiful sweater that my mom made for him.  He looks like a little euro-kid.  I love it!  Notice Jes is still on the floor.  Having a great time, might I add. 

Janna and I being pretty serious about making the pizza.     We had some pretty loud music on to help out the mood.  Sara and Amelie are dancing, I’m sure.   Janna’s gonna love that pic of her. 

This is my Aunt Marion.  She stopped by yesterday to give Jos his b-day present.

Jos and May-May doing their thang with the new easel from Nana and Papa!
(Notice the large amount of snow hanging off the tree outside.  It just.keeps.coming.)

And this is me, taking my before shot.  I am getting my hair cut tomorrow. 
Tomorrow I will post the after shot.  Stay tuned!

G’night ya’ll!!

just a little glimpse of what we’ll be up to this morning….

happy birthday party to Joshijah!

Jeremy’s best friend Max is getting married to Brigitte in Norway, and Jeremy is the best man, so…

In less than a month, Jeremy and I will be heading to Norway, alone.  With NO kids! 
While to some that sounds divine and delightful, to me…well, it does sound that way on occasion, but …I have to admit, I have been feeling some trepidation and anxiety.  First of all, I am not one who typically enJOYs flying.  neh.  uh.uh.  don’t like the whole idea. 
Second, we are going for 10 days.  1o DAYS!!!  on another continent.  without the kids.  what will I do?  They are going to be all grown up by the time we get back. 

Anyways… they will be in good hands and I am praying that I will be able to relax and enjoy myself enough to get a good look at those beautiful fjords and do some glacier hiking. 

I’ve been feeling a bit direction-less lately.  Feeling like I need to have something before me to which I am steadily moving torward.  I feel like I need some clarity, some direction, some prodding???  I think this trip to Norway will be a good chance to get some time to spend with myself, with my husband,  and with God.  Figuring stuff out.  I have been missing out on early morning quiet times with Jesus.  I find the kids have been getting up earlier and earlier, and I just never.seem.to.get.to.it.  I know this is why I feel directionless. 

Jer and I were talking about committing to pray and ask God (individually and together) to begin to speak to us about where we are, what we are doing and what we are supposed to be doing…etc.   We are not really the 5-year-plan kind of people (at all!), but i know that when I have nothing to move towards, I feel hopeless.  I have lost sight momentarily of what we are to do.  I guess most importantly, I desire to know what’s on God’s heart for us so that I can pray towards it and usher in God’s will for our lives.  I believe that as a wife and a mother….that is one of my main purposes.  To KNOW where God is leading us and to PRAY for His hand to move.  I think often it is assumed that if God wills something for us, it will happen, no matter what.  I don’t believe this is always the case.  He has decidedly partnered with us, giving us the authority to ask and receive, to have faith and see Him move in response to it.  It doesn’t always land in our laps.  That’s actually quite rare. 
Anyways…all this to say that I think some good fresh Norweign air and some quiet time with God and Jeremy will do wonders.  I pray that I can hear God speaking clearly. 

For awhile there, I thought that our kids were all hip and cool with their nalgene sippy cups.  UNTIL….it was announced that the plastics used to make these cups and so many other cups, baby bottles, etc. are the worst kind of plastic for leaching the chemical  BPA, (a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen) which can cause fertility problems, cancer, etc.

95% of all baby bottles and cups on the market are made with BPA, at levels which can disrupt their development.  

If you want to read about it, this is a good article. 

Anyway, I went ahead and ordered some of these. 

 
(this is not my kid)**

I’m excited to get them in the mail soon!  And let’s hope they come out with some more alternatives for parents needing alternatives.  argh.

A few other little randoms:
The doll I made for Hosanna May for Christmas. 
Her name is Sylvia, and she’s already looking a little ratty…hair especially. 

This is the daffodil plant my momma bought me as an attempt to help me rise out of my pit of winter blues-dom.  It helped for sure.  The flowers are gone now, but there will be more (I hope).  I love flowers.

Hosanna’s newest favourite thing to do is play dress up with all the hats, scarves and mitts.  She’s a peach.  I like her. 

**mystery kid photo credit:  the reusable bags website. 

the sun is shining today, and i’m off to my friend julie’s for a play-date!

my baby’s gonna be 3 next week!  i can’t believe it. 

i guess i’m gonna plan a good ol’ lightning mcqueen birthday party!  whoot!

well, happy wednesday to you all….

coming up soooooooon:   100 things about me.   (i bet you can’t wait!)

oh, and here’s what i’ve been feeding my husband every morning for breakfast for the past 2 weeks…. he actually likes it….and feels better when he drinks it!

ingredients:    organic bananas (frozen)  1 or 2
                         organic apples  1 or 2
                         raw spinach   (handful)
                         raw baby field greens–mesclun mix  (handful)
                         dollop of honey 
                         teaspoon of ground flax seed
                         water (to engage the blender blades)

blend, blend, drink and enjoy!   the kids love these “superman smoothies” as well. 
 

today, i take back everything i said here. 

it’s been one of those days weeks.

ach vell.

happy wednesday!

(see what i mean?!?!   i mean thursday.)

oh and happy heart day!

the coffee i mean.
not so much the athletics.  ha!