13 Hours of Rain

A few days ago I stepped into a baby boutique that specialized in organic products that are kinder to the environment. Cloth diapering kits, organic cotton/hemp clothing, and biodegradable products were part of the selection. A "breastfeeding is welcome" sign was proudly displayed on the old-fashioned door. Information about midwifery and doula services was available for costumers to peruse through. Even the architectural structure of the boutique was reminiscent of the early 1900s. Welcome to the baby green shift movement, a movement where we aim to raise our children with a green, organic, environmentally-friendly conscience. I can't help but think that there is a desire amongst several mothers to go back to the way it was. Back in the day, babies were brought into this world in the comfort of the mother's home, without drugs, but with the gentle yet firm coaxing of a midwife. Children were fed organic fare, either compliments of their mother's body or indigenou...

During days when you wonder if God's benevolent eye is truly on you, it is good to be reminded that He does love you. Today I was encouraged by one of my daughter's Toddle Bible Songs. Often the music plays in the background, ignored by my conscious mind. But today, the CD was really speaking to me. I'll share the lyrics of "He Loves Me, Too!" with you. Hope it encourages you as well. God sees the little sparrow fall, It meets His tender view; If God so loves the little birds, I know He loves me, too. He loves me, too, He loves me, too, I know He loves me, too! Because He loves the little things, I know He loves me, too. He paints the lilies in the field, Adds perfume to each bell; If He so loves the little flowers, I know He loves me well. He loves me, too, He loves me, too, I know He loves me, too! Because He loves the little things, I know He loves me, too. God made the little birds and flowers, And all things big and small; He'll not forget His little ones...

As promised, here is my favorite vegetarian recipe! Ingredients 2 x 400 g cans chick peas 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped 1 tsp grated ginger 1 tsp mashed garlic 1/2 tsp turmeric 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 large well ripened tomatoes, chopped 1 Tbsp ground coriander 2 tsp garam masala 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves (optional) Method 1. Drain chick peas, reserving the liquid. 2. Cook the onions, ginger, garlic, and turmeric in the oil until soft and golden on high-medium heat. 3. Add the tomatoes and cook to soften. Add coriander and chick peas. Cook for 10 minutes, add 1 cup of the reserved liquid, and cook for an additional 10 minutes. 4. Add garam masala, lemon juice, and stir in the coriander leaves. Lower the heat, and gently cook for 2-3 minutes, adding more liquid (if needed) to make a sauce. 5. Serve with basmati rice and/or naan. Raita (yogurt salad) is also a great accompaniment to this dish. Provides a delicious vegetarian meal for 4-6 people. (R...

I had a chance to hang out with a good friend today. We talked about the challenges and the unexpected joys of trying to live within our means. Both of us are experiencing a decrease in our monthly finances due to different reasons (my maternity benefits ended and we are a single income family). We are trying to find ways to save money. Our social engagements are selected based on their economical value. Two for one dinner coupons, matinee movies, visits to the free art gallery, and walks in the park are great choices. And I am okay with that. Actually, I am relieved. It is comforting to know that someone understands that a dinner at some ritzy restaurant cannot be my entertainment every month. So, in tribute to saving money, I have come up with some new (and old) discoveries on how to live within my means. 1. Create a budget and stick to it. It is amazing what you can learn about your spending habits when you record what you think you should spend on items and compare it to what you...

One of my highlights from this May long weekend was watching Star Trek , the highly anticipated sci-fi prequel of the original Star Trek television series. What an absolutely amazing movie! It took my breath away. Now, I was not a huge fan of Captain Kirk and his adventures around the universe. Star Trek: The Next Generation was more my forte (Captain Picard is by far my favorite Star Trek captain!). But my husband has fond memories of waking up early on Saturday morning to watch Kirk and Spock encounter the paradoxes of the galaxy. Yah, cartoons were cool, but Star Trek was riveting, magical, and entertaining. Riveting, magical, and entertaining are three words that sum up Star Trek , the movie. Is it worth viewing on the big screen with Dolby surround sound? A resounding YES! Don't worry, I will not give away the plot as I share my reasons why. 1. J. J. Abrams directs a movie that Star Trek fans will appreciate and new viewers to the phenomena will enjoy. There is enough refere...

I have been experiencing intermittent dizziness for a couple of months. After a visit to the physiotherapist, I discovered I may have a mild case of motion sensitivity. Cause? A past viral infection, perhaps? Or I'm just getting old. Nonetheless, the treatment is to engage in exercises that purposefully bring on the symptoms. In other words, I need to bob my head up and down several times a day to make myself dizzy. Sounds a bit ridiculous. But apparently, the theory is that the brain will adjust by thinking such motion is normal. I am wondering if such treatment applies when we are mentally losing our balance in life. Even though I try very hard to be balanced, I often feel like I am walking a shaky tight rope between two extremes. I become dizzy in the process. For instance, I want to eat healthy and exercise on a regular basis. But I also desire to stop my mental calorie count once in a while to gorge myself on chocolate cake without the guilt. I aspire to be an environmentally ...

per·se·vere \ˌpər-sə-ˈvir\ Definition: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement I just finished reading the chapter entitled "Sacred History: Building the Spiritual Discipline of Perseverance" in the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. Thomas provides a few reasons why perseverance is a difficult concept for married couples in today's day and age: 1. People are faced with potentially longer marriages due to advancements in medicine. Men and women live longer. Childbirth is a safer experience for women. In 1911, the average length of a marriage was 28 years. By 1967, that number increased to 42 years. Therefore, people are faced with loving each other for a longer time through the natural ebbs and flows of marriage. 2. Life is far too easy for North Americans. If we do not like something, we get right of it and buy something new. If we experience pain, we eliminate it through pain medication. If a math...

I should be doing dishes right now. Or laundry. But I do not feel like it. Therefore, in honor of Mother's Day, I thought I would compose a list of the different kinds of Moms I have either encountered or observed. Keep in mind, this is not an all inclusive list. Moreover, these descriptions are extreme depictions of a particular type of mom. All the mothers I know are a blend of several types. Though I am sure you can think of specific mothers when you read the profiles. Scheduled Mom Scheduled Mom believes in structure. Her children have specific wake-up times, nap times, meal times, and bedtimes. She is very organized and documents poignant details of her child's life. If you ask her, "Does your child drink whole milk?", she will not only answer in the affirmative but also inform you of how many ounces her child consumes. Scheduled Mom hangs a well-marked calendar in a prominent place and enjoys receiving organizational paraphernalia for gifts. She keeps up-to-da...

Becky posted several adorable pictures of her little girl sleeping. The pictures are part of a blog post entitled Sleeping Beauty . I couldn't help but go back and relive my daughter's sleeping moments through our digital photo albums. Here is a sequence of shots my husband took one morning, back in the day when we had to wake her up in the morning. While those days are gone, the memory remains. I have added some captions to summarize her expressions. Enjoy. Don't wanna get up. Suck thumb, sleep longer. I guess it's morning. Stretch... Who are you? Oh, it's Daddy! Stretch some more! Good morning Daddy! Where is mommy?

I am having one of those days. My daughter was fussing during her night snack. So I removed the apple-yogurt-cereal concoction I had created for her and left her strapped in the high chair while she continued her whining. "Fine," I said. "Sit there while I go have a break." I stormed out of the room and parked myself in front of the computer to read a few blogs. My poor husband had to contend with our daughter protesting in the background while he graded papers. I admit. I am a not-so-perfect mom. Some days I am excited to interact with my little girl. Other days I count the hours until her bedtime. Most days I try to provide interactive activities for my daughter. On occasional days I pop in Baby Einstein and encourage her to veg in front of the T.V. I came across a great article a few days ago entitled I Was the Perfect Mom: True confessions of a real life parent by Debbie Farmer. I chuckled while I skimmed through the introductory paragraph: I used to be a perf...