luvin the cousins

Lulu's only cousins arrived this weekend from L.A. for a week long visit.
She's thrilled, as am I.
I love watching them all together, it truly melts my heart.
It seems like yesterday that the oldest (now 12) was just a baby, now she's looking after my baby.
who according to her is NOT a baby and a big gurl now.
I wish they lived closer.
we have lots of things planned for the week and I will try to post some pics along the way.
I was cooking up a storm yesterday for our picnic that we have planned for today.
I hope they like Orzo pasta salad with Smoked Cumbrae's chicken breast, fresh green beans, grilled corn and goat fetta cheese.
Cantaloupe, prosciutto, bocconcini, and mint salad.
Cauliflower salad with roasted red peppers, olives, celery and capers (lulu's favourite)
lots of cold cuts and dips and I'm throwing some hot-dogs in just in case.
yum. now I'm hungry.
oh and speaking of hungry...
I have a confession.
I picked up a bunch of organic milk chocolate bars for the smores we are going to make this week and well I thought
hey I'm feeling soooo much better what harm is one little piece going to do?
but one piece turned into the entire bar.
couldn't stop myself.
I can't remember the last time I had milk chocolate.
soooo good.
Not sure it was entirely worth it, after how I feel this morning though.
who am I kidding?
hell yeah, it was so worth it.

mama said there'd be days like these

Some days with a three year old are challenging to say the least.
Then there are the days that make up for it all.
Today was once of those days.
We drove down to visit my mom in the morning and she was the perfect passenger along the way.
When we arrived at grandma's house she was just so affectionate and loving.
My 87 year old grandmother is visiting and it was so wonderful to see her with her great-gran.
Chatting away and charming her in her sweet Lulu way.
Pretty impressive seeing as she's only met her twice in her life.
I sat back and watched in awe at how amazing my little gal is.
I really am one lucky mama.
I wish everyday it could be like today.

wheat-less in Seattle

Well I'm not in Seattle- though I might as well be, seeing as we have had more rain here this summer in Toronto than Vancouver and Seattle combined.
I just made that up- but still, it sure feels like it.
Better than a drought I guess.
I wonder how the farmers feel about all this rain?
Speaking of farmers...
I haven't really be writing about food much these days.
Usually my summers are spent dreaming up delicious menus for friends and family, trying to take full advantage of all the fantastic fresh local fruits and veg.
This year not so much.
We have yet to have a soul over for a back yard BBQ.
Big Daddy has been working like a dog and he is usually completely exhausted by the time Friday rolls around.
And because his job is pretty social- the last thing he feels like doing is more socializing.
But I miss all our friends and would love to see more of them.
One of these weekends I hope.
But the real reason is...well I'm on a bit of an elimination diet.
Fun Fun.
Not a diet to lose weight- but to figure out what the heck is creating so my havoc with my system.
So for the past few months I have been Wheat free, dairy free, alcohol free, caffeine free and chocolate free.
In a nut shell- Fun Free.
I'm hoping it's all temporary and that eventually I'll figure things out.
I have an appointment with a really great allergist in October so hopefully this will help with coming up with some answers.
So that's why i haven't been posting much about food.
The love of my life....sniff sniff..
but before this "elimination diet" I made a little white anchovy flat bread with fresh asiago cheese and olive oil- pictured above.
Simple and delicious.
I dream of it at night....the soft fluffy dough, the sharp tangy cheese....ohhh ahhhh...
errr...As I was saying...
I'm actually finding some fantastic Gluten-free cook books and web sites that I am drawing some inspiration from, which I will post soon.
well once I get over mourning the lack of Lime & Lagers, ice cream and choclolate I'll be partaking in this "summer"...

simple times

So I was out for a long walk with Lulu today (and can I say how happy I am that she still loves hanging out in the stroller for long power walks) and I was thinking.
thinking about so many things- where to begin?
I've been on a bit of a reading binge these past few weeks, and for some reason all the books that I seem to keep choosing take place around 1915-1945.
Must have been such different times.
Simple yet complicated because of the war.

Wasting food or anything for that matter was unheard of.
I cringe every-time I scrape food into the green bin when I think about how much we have today and how little they had back then.

People had small closets for a reason- they had limited amounts of clothing.
I'm still not sure why I have somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40 tee-shirts...
After all there is only seven days in a week.
let's not even mention shoes.
quite frankly it is a little embarrassing how many pairs of flip flops and ballet flats I own.
Back then it seemed like nothing was taken for granted.

Aside from the war I often think it would be so amazing to go back during that time.
A time where people were polite and had good manners.
Imagine that? a polite society?
I'm often floored at how rude people are becoming these days.
If someone walks directly in front of you while at the video store or the grocery store (especially pusateri's) would it hurt to just say excuse me?
what's up with that?
Honestly the rudest people on the planet shop at pusateri's-present company excluded of course ;
Fortunately I don't go there on too regular a basis- it's just that they just have such amazing produce, and bakery and deli and butcher...
I could think of so many other examples of general rudeness that I encounter each day but I try not to dwell on it too much.
I just keep on trying to emphasize being polite and saying yes please, no thank-you & excuse me to Lulu as much as possible.
So far I think it's sinking in, but it's still a daily effort.

I love that people took the time back then to write letters in beautiful handwriting on lovely stationary.
There is no greater thrill for me than a hand written note in the mail- I think it is one of life's simple actions that for me goes a long way.
I would love to improve my handwriting so that it could look as beautiful as my grandmother's once did.
Note to self ( 'scuse the pun) must send more notes to friends on lovely stationary.
Or at the very least send longer more thoughtful emails..

And although I know I would have a difficult time living without cell phones, cable and computers, I do fantasize about how nice it would be to not have access to all these things even if just for a day.
Just not on Thursday when the season finale to So You Think You Can Dance is on...

While sitting in the kitchen tonight eating dinner with Lulu we had some old jazz playing (okay it was on itunes, but still..)
and I couldn't help to think about what family lived in our house back in 1920.
What was their life like?
I wonder how different is was from ours and how similar?
I guess I just have to walk next door and ask the old lady who was one of the original owners of the house, well that is if she ever came out of the house.
which she rarely does.

many other random thoughts bouncing around in my head at the moment, but I'm about to crack open another book and as most of you know, me time in the evening is fleeting..

what's on your reading list these days?

busy bees

going...


going...


gone...

Is it me or is the summer of 2008 going by a little too quickly?

the facts of life

well I'm not going to start going on about Tootie, Blare and Mrs. Garrett...but I have been having some serious flashbacks these past few days.
Mostly from my late teens and early twenties.
I've been so immersed in my present and always worried about the future (or more accurately Lulu's future) I kind of forgot about me and my past.
which when it comes to some things, isn't such a bad thing.
As checkered as it might have been, it's important to remember it because it's how I got to where I am today.
For some reason music always seems to bring me back.
I'll hear a song and instantly remember a particular time in my life.
I heard a Tracy Chapman song the other day "Happy" from "Revolution" and instantly thought of a guy that I had a crush and wondered where is he now?
Come to think of it, I wonder where Tracy Chapman is too?
Then I heard a Cat Stevens song and thought about a guy that I well was sort of "seeing" for a summer and kind of broke his young heart-he was a few years younger than me-and so....anyhow...I still feel badly and hope that he is happy wherever he might be.
One of the many reasons I'm not on facebook.
It must be so tempting to look people up that really you shouldn't be.
Then I heard a Smiths song and thought of my ex boyfriend of three years, and thought how crazy that I had this long term relationship with someone other than big daddy?
As tumultuous as that particular relationship was it taught me a lot.
No regrets.
I had quite a few debaucherous years before meeting big daddy and when I look back..even though I have to fight the urge to cringe and almost reprimand my former wild self, I can barely believe that I'm the person I am today and that the universe brought big d into my life.
So much time was spent in an (often drunken) haze looking for my soul mate.
Sure I had a lot of fun along the way but really when I think about it, those were some pretty crazy and often unhappy years.
But fortunately It wasn't all jagermeister shots and late night runs to the corner store for packs of Belmont Milds, I was for the most part quite responsible.
I had my own apartment which was always pretty meticulous.
My own car.
No Debt.
I worked really hard and at one point I think I had three different jobs at the same time and went to school part time which I paid for myself.

When I hear about couples that were high-school sweethearts I think wow...that's amazing.
I wish that had been me.
Then again I wouldn't be the me I know today had that been the case.
I didn't really have a high-school sweetheart per say.
my first real boyfriend was when I moved out.
A nice guy and we spent close to three years together but what can I say?
last I heard he moved to Florida (where he was originally from) and works for a pro baseball team.
He was a complete sports fanatic.
One of the many reasons I said adios and ended things.
come to think about it I had a bit of a thing for jocks and sports guys- my other ex is currently a sports writer.
So I hear.
It comes as no surprise then that big daddy- the man I married- never watches sports. ever.
learn from past mistakes.
the closest thing he watches is the history channel and is a bit obsessed with WWII... but I can live with that.
there was also a rower, a wrestler, a football player and even a professional ballet dancer- and really- he wasn't gay.
Or at least I'd like to think so.

I don't know, I'm not sure why I'm revealing all this about myself- and well my gulp...past.
I find it hard to believe myself.
I look back and scratch my head and think was that really me?
These days I couldn't be more conservative and reserved.
I don't drink or smoke, I'm in bed each night somewhere between 10 and 11p.m. up at 6ish.
g-d I remember getting in at 6am.....my how times have changed.
heck I'm even wheat, caffeine and dairy free at the moment.
I can't remember the last time I went out on the "town" or danced or got the slightest bit "crazy"
I wonder if I ever will again.
Not that I really want to.
My idea of getting crazy is turning up the music really loud in the car while driving alone on the highway going 10 km over the speed limit.
I'm wild and crazy let me tell you.
I'm so well...buttoned up..for lack of a better term.
let's not even talk about sex. especially wild sex.
Now that I'm a wife and mother I feel like I have to be so..good.
Not that I mind,
I want to be.
I can always conjure up all those wild memories when the "need" arises, but really I'm just glad they are in the past.

So for now, I'm off to go check out itunes and search for a little Tangerine Dream, U2, Sade, The Cranberries, The Barenaked ladies (Wrap your arms around me and Blame it on me only) Depeche Mode, The KLF, Everything but the Girl, Massive Attack, Portishead, Bob Marley, Arrested Development and maybe a bit of Seal for good measure.
what can I say it was the early nineties?

oh and as per the title of this post...the Facts of Life by Graham Joyce.
Just finished this book and it was excellent.
totally off topic, but thought I would share.
and oh my gosh I actually stayed up past 1 am to finish it.
I'm wild I tell you.

out of her shell

I haven't really planned much for Lulu this summer.
I figured we would sort of play it by ear.
Sure I signed her up for one week of "dance camp"- which she absolutely loved.
but that's about it.
So I got on the phone and spent last week trying to find some more day camps in the area that are still available.
I managed to get the last spot in a day camp next week which sounds great.
It's run by the teachers at her Nursery school which totally puts my mind at ease.
Lulu and I went to check it out and watch the kids do arts and crafts, play in the music room and have story time.
I think she'll have a blast.
In the mean time I'm trying to fill her dance card for this week.
I hit the jackpot.
The girls from a few houses down are going to hang out and play with her for a few hours all week.
Yay!
They actually used to live in our house before we moved in four years ago and I've been counting down the years to when they are old enough to watch Lulu.
The oldest is 12 and just finished her baby-sitting course and her sister is 10.
Lulu absolutely LOVES them. as do I.
It's sooo sweet watching girls that age with small kids.
They are old enough to be responsible, yet not too old to think it's lame to have tea parties and play with crayons and finger paints.
So I've booked them all week from 10-2.
Lulu was waiting by the window this morning at 8 a.m. asking when they would be here.
I get to keep an eye on them, yet actually get some things done around here...like errr..blogging...very important stuff ya know.
The only down side is that they leave for camp at the end of the week for the rest of the summer.
such a tease. dang.
And August was looking so promising!
Ah well, I'm sure I'll come up with more things to keep Lulu occupied.
Until then I'm in heaven.
More importantly-so is Lulu.

stick it

Whoever invented stickers is brilliant (and must have had kids)
Which made me ask the question, who in fact invented stickers?
This is what I came up with.

"As a stamp collector it is easy to answer who was responsible-sir Rowland Hill 1839 with his postal reform.
In 1840 he introduced the first adhesive paper in the form of the penny black stamps.
So to all the effects, Sir Rowland Hill introduced the first sticker on the market and carries all the credits."

but I preferred this answer:

"Steve 'sticky' Stickton from Stickport on the Stickland Islands."

whoever it was...genius.
and thank-you.

ups & downs

So many things I want to write about yet so little time.
Big daddy just took lulu around the block for a quick bike ride so I most likely will be interrupted way before I finish this post.
but here goes..

Even though the days are longer I can never seem to do everything I want to do in a day.
Taking time for myself (i.e.. writing on my blog) always falls to the bottom of the list.
I am trying to make changes to improve my mood and life in general because for the past few months I've been feeling quite overwhelmed and really guilty that I feel this way in the first place.
After all, there are women/mothers who have it a lot tougher than me out there, so I really don't feel like I even deserve to complain about anything.
Yet I do.
I'm finding dealing with Lulu more of a challenge than ever before.
On one hand she is so so over the top sweet and then in the blink of an eye she makes me want to lock myself in the bathroom and put on my ipod and just hide.
hey...not a bad idea.....
but seriously, it's so much work negotiating with a three year old all the time ( the little creatures are such good manipulators and negotiators)
The fact that she is an only child, makes me her number one playmate at ALL times.
which is sweet, but bloody exhausting.
Gone are the days when she would entertain herself with playdough and colouring books.
Now I have to colour with her and I have to help shape and sculpt the playdough.
and oh how I miss those glorious napping years.
I so hope that she will eventually learn to entertain herself a little more than for 2 minutes at a time again.
Oh lord let this just be a phase....
When I lose my patience with her I end up feeling so guilty, it just kills me.
Then it just adds to the stress of it all.
I'm not sure why I have such high expectations of myself as a mother, after all it's kind of a learn-as-you-go kind of occupation.
But the perfectionist in me wants to be the best mother I can be- which lately doesn't feel so great.

I've been trying to do some "work" on managing my stress and anxiety levels. (and my unrealistic perfectionist tendencies)
I've been exercising all week and it's really helped.
REALLY helped.
I wish I could work out every day.
After a good workout, I walk up the driveway feeling almost like me again and happy and relaxed and the second I walk in the door it ends up feeling chaotic.
What's for lunch? where's my black shorts? mommy I have to tinkle, I'm thirsty mommy, Play with me mommy, Did you put sunscreen on her before you left? what are we doing today? where are we going? I'm hungry what's for lunch? (big daddy not lulu) calgon take me away!
that hour feels like it almost didn't happen.
This weekend in particular was pretty frustrating.
I went to the gym yesterday morning from 8:30-9:30.
Before leaving I made the beds, put clothes out for Lulu and fed her her breakfast.
Big daddy really didn't have too much to deal with while I was gone.
but later that day he made a sarcastic comment about me and the fact that I get time to myself and he feels he doesn't.
I was really hurt and it really bothered me because he is usually pestering me to go out more on my own and to do things for myself.
The more frustrated we get as parents the more we bicker as a couple.
Not big fights or anything major, but just not connecting.
I have written about this in the past and I keep saying to big daddy that "three is a challenging stage, as she gets older it will get easier"
but does it?

So enough about all the negatives- now time to focus on the positives.
Big daddy had a few extra days off so we had a bit of a long weekend.
We managed to have some fun and do some things with Lulu that I know she loved.
We went to the Zoo, the splash pad, we went for Sushi one night which she loves, we got a new bike trailer and went on a nice long cycle and ended up at a fantastic park on the other end of the city, we played hide & seek, she got a new big girl bike, we ate lots of ice cream, we spent a day on the boat, she flew a kite with her dad, she was smothered with kisses and hugs for the majority of the weekend- with the exception of two or three moments on the naughty step.
So yes Life is good- well for Lulu at least.
She had a pretty exciting weekend.
But Monday is looking pretty good right about now.
I'm shooting the last episode of the hgtv show tomorrow- yay!
well I still have a few days in the third and fourth week of July but I'm almost finished.
Big daddy is back at work tomorrow (4 days is plenty....love ya big D- but I know you're feelin the same)
Lulu starts camp tomorrow too. (it's only from 9-12 but I think it's just what the doctor ordered-literally)
so life is all good.
Just needed to rant a little in the beginning, because let's face it it feels good to bitch about the ups and downs of motherhood.
At least for me.
It can't all be puppies and kittens right?
Oh and did I mention lulu's current puppy obsession?
When a woman at the grocery store asked lulu if she had a brother or sister she said "oh no-but when I'm five I'm getting a real puppy"
"but for now this is my dog pewter- he's not real though"
in reference to a little stuffed grey mini schnauzer that big daddy got her a few weeks ago.

too damn cute and so worth every frustrating moment.

happy holiday

Long time no blog.
Catching up with life now that I'm feeling a little more like me these past few days.
Blogging seems to have fallen to the bottom of the list- not to mention the fact that I have been spending as much time as humanly possible outside.
Yesterday was the absolute perfect day weather wise.
I wish everyday could be like that.
We spent Canada Day on Toronto Island & on the boat and had so much fun.
We ended up staying until this morning and let Lulu stay up to watch her first official fireworks display.
It was amazing and she was in awe.
It was so nice not having to fight the crowds and just snuggle up on the back of the boat watching our own private show.
Bliss....
Happy belated Canada day and to my favourite gals south of the border (you know who you are)- Happy 4th of July!