Ever feel like you've just got too much "stuff"?  I do.  Though we don't have as many fancy shmancy doodads and doohickies as some people do, we certainly are not lacking in "stuff".  In fact, I don't know how we've acquired so much "stuff"!

Hubby doesn't like throwing things away.  I'm way too sentimental to part with some of my items.  Little One has accumulated enough toys to fill a garden shed (which is what we should have to store all her toys)!  The weird thing is that we don't really splurge or buy things for ourselves.  I don't want to raise Little One in a way that she thinks that happiness can be purchased and that she needs material goods to keep her content.  Quite the opposite, really.

If anything, I would like to purge our entire house and live a lifestyle that is free of clutter and unnecessary "things". When I lived in Japan, I was amazed at how the empty the temples were.  It was so refreshing, peaceful, and uncluttered! The above photo is of a Japanese ryokan, which is a traditional style Japanese inn.

Even my apartment (when I lived and taught in Japan) was sparsely furnished.  I loved the minimalist feel to my apartment.  It wasn't overwrought with "stuff"! I had a kotetsu (table where you knelt at to eat) and a futon (that was folded up during the day and unfolded at night to sleep on). I sprung for a TV just to keep me entertained, although I couldn't  understand any of the TV programs since they were all in Japanese.

Now, I actually miss not having possessions and material goods. 

edmontonjb said...

I like ddrops on facebook as Jb Hartling dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

November 2, 2010 8:36 PM

Anonymous said...

I like Ddrops on FB Phoebe

October 29, 2010 12:08 AM

 

Anonymous said...

I like D-drops on Facebook. #2 MomOf3

October 25, 2010 11:17 PM

 

Robyn said...

Follow @chancesmommy on Twitter (mom2GMC)(Entry #2) arctic_teacher AT yahoo DOT ca

October 26, 2010 10:24 PM

 

Jennie said...

I follow you on twitter @jennieyuen (2 of 2) sweetcivic604 (at) yahoo.ca

November 3, 2010 2:55 PM

The exciting thing is that these winners are the very first people to receive these new Dora growth charts! This is the first time the company has given out these growth charts!!!So cool!

Winners, please contact me with your mailing info so Ddrops can send you your prizes! Thank you to everyone who entered!

We try to eat healthy in our home, but I have a confession.

I

Love

Carbs.

Well, not so much bread (although, freshly baked bread straight out of the oven does smell divine!), but I love potatoes. I love roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes, grilled potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato latkes, potatoes in soups and in stews...I love potatoes done any way.

I don't know why I love les pommes de terre so much. For some reason, this time of the year I crave potatoes. Isn't it interesting that pomme de terre means apple of the earth in French?

I only cook potatoes twice a week. We do have other carbs at mealtimes (like pasta, couscous, rice, etc). I try to switch things up a bit. This said, I do love my potatoes!

Awesome Lacy Potato Laktes  - Check recipe out here! Photo from Google Images.


What's your favourite potato dish?

Living on a farm and being married to a farmer has its good points.  We are always busy and we rarely eat junk food.  We spend a lot of time outdoors. Most of our food comes from our farm or from the farmers' markets.  Plus, Hubby grew up on wholesome, homemade food. This said, we still have to whittle down a few pant sizes. Not only will dropping some weight make us look and feel better, but it will give us more energy and keep us healthier in the long run.

My friend (Artsy Teacher Mom) and I made a conscious effort to go speed walking after work every day.  That lasted a solid two weeks.  Then I got sick, she got sick, Little One had pneumonia, my friend's mat leave ended and she had to start teaching again too.  Our routine was broken just as quickly as it started. We're still very motivated about our walking routine.  We just need to organize ourselves. It felt really good to have that one hour of "me" time and the speed walking was exhilarating and refreshing.

For me, it's not just about the weight loss, but more about a healthier lifestyle. Just like the good people at Quaker, it is my belief that wellness does not need to be "an all-or-nothing endeavor. It’s not about becoming a gym monkey, marathon runner or obsessive calorie counter. It’s more
holistic than that. It involves being better to yourself and your family, becoming more mindful of
things like stress management, quality family time and taking care of your body".

Quaker understands that this is a common goal of most families and they have invited Lynn from www.walkingwithsissors.com   to share her family's journey to wellness as they take on the challenge to make lifestyle changes in their household.

Check out Lynn's new spot at  quakerjourney.ca .

You can get involved and possibly even win awesome prizes. Each week you could win simply by
participating in the blog (by voting on a weekly poll, commenting on a post or suggesting a tip for Lynn).
There are larger monthly prizes to be won by voting on the challenges that you’d like Lynn to take.

I've been  checking out Lynn's posts and participating (commenting, voting on weekly polls, and suggesting a tip) for the past month. It's been great learning more about her and her journey.  She's really funny too!

As for my family's journey to wellness, I want to get in more workout time and try to eat oatmeal every morning. As it stands, we eat oatmeal twice or three times a week for breakfast. We're an oats family, but could use more oats in our recipes. Little One LOVES oatmeal and would eat it every single day if she could. I add oatmeal to my cooking (in my meatloaf and in my baking). I would like to eat more oatmeal in the mornings though, because of all its amazing health benefits. These are all just part of my plan to live better. What are yours?


Disclosure - I am participating in the
Quaker Journey to Wellness program by Mom Central on behalf of Pepsi Co. I received a gift card
as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

n., pl., -lies.

1. 1. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.
   2. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.
2. All the members of a household under one roof.
3. A group of persons sharing common ancestry.

My family is the most important thing in my life. I love my family. Like all families, we have our occasional share of drama. However, without a little drama things would be boring. I don't think it would be normal if we didn't have some drama.

I've always been very close to my family. My cousins are all like my brothers and sisters. My aunts and uncles all had a large role in raising all of us. My grandparents are also largely responsible for who my brothers, cousins and I have become today. They taught us that family is the most important thing.

I am thankful for all my family members. In the past year, I've realized just how much I miss my two brothers. Now that we have children of our own, holidays together seem all the more important. It seems we only get to see each other twice a year or so. I'm trying to figure out how to make it a little more often than that. Funny how sometimes not having people live close by makes you really, truly miss them and appreciate how much they mean to you. In the past year, I've learned just how much I miss and love my two brothers.

Facebook helps us keep each other abreast with what is going on in each other's lives. Chatting on webcam and catching up on the phone work too. Despite the distance, it's great to know we can still observe milestones and funny things the kids do. It sort of feels like we're "there" even when we aren't physically there.

Are you close to your family? How do you keep up to date with family?

Anyone else doing the National Blog Posting  Month challenge? If you're crazy like me and have decided to participate in NaBloPoMo, leave me a link where I can find your posts! Happy blogging!



Photo of my amazing family courtesy of Temara Brown Photography.Taken in August 2010 at my cousin's wedding. Definitely one of the greatest weddings we've ever attended! So much fun to have everyone together in one place again!

I absolutely love Shoppers Drug Mart. It is one of my favourite stores ever! No, no. Before you laugh, I'll tell you why.

I have a weakness for lip gloss, eye make-up, hair products, and all things pretty. Whenever I get together with my sister-in-law, we head to Shoppers and usually don't leave without cosmetics for ourselves and things for our babies. You see, Shoppers is our one stop shop. You can get almost anything and everything you need at Shoppers. My husband and my brother (sister-in-law's husband) have banned us from Shoppers, since the last time we went there together, we spent HOURS there and came back with loads of products.

Seriously. Shoppers is like Disney World for us. I'm not kidding!

I love all the variety in products Shoppers has for babies. Whenever I need something for Little One, Shoppers always has what I need. They've got everything from soothers, teething rings, toddler forks and spoons, bowls, baby wash, diapers, baby gifts...You name it, they've got it. The best thing is that they carry more than one brand, so there are lots of options to choose from.

Every new or expectant parent needs the basics. Be it butt paste or baby bottles, wipes or a nasal aspirator...Shoppers has what parents need for Baby.

Shoppers has just introduced the v.i.b program. The Very Important Baby program is something I wish I had when we brought Little One home from the hospital.

Through enewsletters, each v.i.b member stays connected with life stage relevant content, exclusive Optimum offers, and hot deals on baby products. Not only that, but every expectant or new mom who signs up will receive a New Baby gift pack when baby arrives.

I am very excited to share with you something fabulous that Shoppers has come up with! Thanks to Shoppers and Mom Central Canada, I am taking part in the Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b. (very important baby) Blog Tour.

This is the new baby gift pack/welcome kit I received (above). It includes Huggies wipes, Huggies newborn diapers, Aveeno wash, Aveeno lotion, Johnson's and Johnson's baby shampoo/wash, a v.i.b. bib and a booklet of coupons for tons of savings on all your baby product purchases. Everyone deserves rewards...especially new parents! :)
.
Of course, all v.i.b. members may take advantage of the Shoppers Drug Mart focus on health, nutrition, and wellness of pre-natal and new moms. As always, there is a pharmacist ready to help at every Shoppers Drug Mart location.  With so many convenient locations and being open until midnight or 24 hrs, you can rest assured that you will find what you need or get help and information for your queries.

Wait! It gets even better! I'm pleased to share with you an exclusive contest.  Do you have a v.i.b. in your house? Sign up to be a v.i.b. member between November 3rd and December 1st, and you can win 1 of 50 $50 Shoppers Drug Mart gift cards! Plus, as a new member, you will receive 2500 points the next time you purchase any Pampers diaper products! All you have to do is sign up here: http://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/babycontest ! Contest ends at midnight on December 1st, 2010.

What are you waiting for? Sign up for the v.i.b. program today and start enjoying the benefits!!!

* "NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Visit www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/babycontest for complete details and information on how to enter without a purchase. Approximate retail value of prize is $50. Chances of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Correct answer to skill-testing question required to be declared a winner. Must be a Canadian resident and age of majority or older in the province or territory of residence. Valid Shoppers Optimum Card required to participate. Contest ends December 1, 2010."

Disclosure - I am participating in the Shoppers Drug Mart v.i.b. program by Mom Central on behalf of Shoppers Drug Mart. I received a gift card and a new baby gift pack as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

...Sometimes you've just gotta. 

Little One is turning 2 next week.  Now that my baby is no longer a "baby", the thought of having a sibling for her has crossed my mind.  Hubby and I always wanted to have lots of children.  Now, I think two would be fine with me.

I have to say that the thought of having another baby is a bit daunting.  With my high risk pregnancy with Little One and her cannon-balling her way into this world three months early, I am a bit scared.
I am scared of having another preterm baby.  I keep thinking how lucky we were with Little One being born so soon and not having any medical issues.  She still had three more months to go in the womb where she was supposed to grow and develop. What if we have another preemie? What if we're not as lucky this time?

Everyone has been asking us when we're going to have #2.  I know their questions are innocent enough. The truth is I am scared to have another preemie.  Little One is so perfect. She is so happy, healthy, and funny.  I don't know if I can go through another high risk pregnancy.

I know that no matter what happens, we'll love our baby if we do have another one. I don't know why I'm so scared.

The one thing I'm finding out about the NaBloPoMo challenge is that it's forcing me to write about things I may not ever bring up or talk about normally.

We have been doing our Meatless Mondays, but I've been so slack about posting on the blog busy that I  haven't updated our Meatless Monday posts. Since I'm also doing NaBloPoMo this month, Meatless Mondays make for great fillers! 

Today's recipe is a fresh spring roll dish. I had some rice paper that my lovely friend, CanineCologne gave me when she visited us on the Island.

 I  have to confess that I have never made fresh spring rolls before. I've eaten them countless times. I love them. I love it when other people make them for me. I figured that since I had them on hand and since I was in the mood for eating them...and it was a Meatless Monday, that I should make them.

I soaked the rice paper in water to soften them. I cut up some lettuce, and very thinly, sliced up some red pepper, carrots and whatever other crisp veggies I had in the fridge. Granted, these weren't going to be "authentic" spring rolls, I used what we had in our kitchen.

I also sliced some firm tofu and seared them in a pan. I placed a bit of each ingredient on rice paper and rolled them.

For the sauce, I heated up minced garlic, soy sauce, a bit of water, and a bit of sesame oil and dash of maple syrup. For a bit of kick, I added a few drops of hot sauce.
As you can tell from the photo, it was a hit. Even my 23 month old LOVED it! Amazing. What toddler actually LOVES eating tons of veggies and tofu? Crazy!

We also had a sweet and sour soup with tofu in it and a salad, but the spring rolls filled us up (surprisingly)!

I cannot believe it's already November! Little One will be two years old in ten days! November also means it's NaBloPoMo for me. As crazy as it sounds, I've decided to try to post every day for the month of November. Why? I always like a good challenge. I figure that since I've participated in NaBloPoMo every November for the past few years, I might as well continue. I cannot guarantee that these will be "quality" posts, but you'll be hearing from me every day.

Are you up for the NaBloPoMo challenge?