Wednesday, January 31, 2018

What's up Wednesday


What we're eating this week...
Sunday - Tacos
Monday - Lentil Soup
Tuesday - Veggie Burgers
Wednesday - Sausage, kale and crouton skillet
Thursday - Shrimp Pasta
Friday and Saturday - nothing planned yet

What I'm reminiscing about...
Our trip to Jamaica that we took around this time last year.  One of my clients is currently in Jamaica and I've been talking to him while we are closing a transaction and wishing I was back there (even with the travel advisory).  Give me all the jerk chicken and Red Stripe on the beach!


What I'm loving...
I enjoyed having the warmer weather for a few days, but now I'm loving that the snow is back.  It means that the ski conditions will be better for E's lessons, and it definitely looks better on the ground.
(Out without a jacket last week!)


What we've been up to...
We're just doing regular life over here.  Busy days, evenings, and weekends and still trying to find some down time. 


What I'm dreading...
I'm on my way to planning summer camps for E, but the Toronto Fun Guide doesn't come out until next week so then I'll get a better idea to what we're planning.  I am dreading registration day in case I don't get what I want.

What I'm working on...
I printed some photos and I want to sort through the frames we have and put some updated photos up around the house. 

What I'm excited about...
I'm a little late to this party, but I just recently saw the add for Bachelor Winter Games.  So ridiculous but it looks great.  I am especially excited to see Lesley!

What I'm watching/reading...
We are watching Fargo and The Good Place on Netflix.  I'm a little behind on The Bachelor and This is Us, but I'll catch up soon.   I have one episode of (rewatching) Downton Abbey, can't wait. It's still so good.


I'm reading Beartown by Fredrick Backman.  This is the same author who wrote my favourite book from last year, A Man Called Ove.  Next up is The Best Yes. 


What I'm listening to...
This week I listened to This American Life's podcast about the legend of a kidnapped boy in the Southern US in the early 1900s, called the Ghost of Bobby Dunbar.  It was fascinating; I'd recommend listening.  You can get the episode here.  I don't want to say too much, but basically a four year old boy disappeared when he was camping with his family.  About nine months later a boy was found with a man in a different state.  The family claimed the boy as their missing son.  Another woman said it was her son.  Now both of these families realize there was more to the story than they thought.

What I'm wearing...
A lot of this sweatshirt from the Gap. It's so cozy and warm.

What I'm doing this weekend...
January will finally be over.  I saw a few tweets about how January seems to be going on forever and I thought it was just me!  A friend and her baby are coming over to visit us on Saturday, we have swimming, skiing, church, and just the regular stuff. 

What I'm looking forward to next month...
Valentine's Day, long weekend with maybe some extra skiing, and enjoying the snow that is predicted. 
(Star Wars Valentine cards done!)

What else is new...
Dave has a golf trip planned for March, so he got some new golf shoes.  And since we've signed E up for a week of golf camp this summer we are looking at some new clubs and a bag for him. 
(from a couple of years ago)


What is your favourite soup recipe?
Currently I love this lemony lentil soup.  I have only made it once but it was delicious and it will definitely make it again soon.  

Linking up with ShaySheaffer, and Mel.


Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Weekend Recap

This was my Friday afternoon at work:

A few cookies, a coffee, and some candy to get through some work before the end of the day.  I came home and Dave had a couple of homemade pizzas waiting for me.  Then we watched Murder on the Orient Express. We stayed up until midnight with plans of booking our camping sites for Canada Day weekend but it turns out the registration time is 7:00 am so we stayed up late for nothing.  

We did get some campsites the next morning, although not our first choices. 

Dave and E went to the ski hill, and Q and I went to swimming.  This time though, after our lesson, we got in the car and drove up to Barrie to meet the boys.  Saturday was E's first ski race so I wanted to go and see him.  We arrived in time to see his first run, he did a second run before lunch. We ate lunch with them and then went home.  The weather was nice and warm so it was a pleasant morning on the hill; I was glad I got to see E race.  He did well and hit all of his gates.








We were all tired that evening so we watched a bit of Lego Batman and then went to bed early.  At least most of us did. Dave may have stayed up late watching Thor.

The next morning we dropped Q off at the daycare at church



Then E and I went upstairs for the service.  Our congregation was celebrating our anniversary of being an affirming congregation.  That means that we welcome people from all walks of life, sexual orientations, gender identities, economic positions, abilities, etc. A big rainbow flag canopy welcomed us. 

E was sitting in the kids' area before the service started and then ran over to me after the choir had gone up.  He wanted me to come over and see his tower, but it wasn't really the time for me to get up so I gave him my phone and told him to take a photo so he could show me.  That worked.

When we got home E did his homework and all of his Valentine cards for his class while I finally wrote my thank you notes.

After Q woke up I took him to the grocery store with me.  His shirt was dirty from sampling a granola bar.

Dave and E had gone for a walk down by the river.  You may remember my photos of the flooded river last week.  The water has receded but has left a pile of ice. 










Meal prep for the week - zucchini muffins and lentil soup. 

As usual we finished our weekend with a recorded Saturday Night Live and a somewhat early bedtime. 

Monday, January 29, 2018

Fashion, Food, Fitness, and Friendship Goals

Linking up with The Blended Blog to share some Fashion, Food, Fitness, and Friendship Goals.

Fashion
I like to be comfortable when I am at home, so I am usually wearing some version of yoga pants, sweatpants or pyjama pants.  Although I don't plan on lounging around the house in jeans and sweaters, I would like to try and not be so sloppy.  Rather than reaching for my (boys' size Old Navy) Green Bay Packers t-shirt, I can wear a nicer t-shirt, or a tank top with my blardigan.  And instead of wearing a ratty old night-shirt I can pick out something a little nicer to wear to bed.

Food
I made this goal at the beginning of the year as one of my new things to try.  We have at least two plant based meals per week here, while incorporating other plant based aspects into other meals. Although we aren't trying to be vegan or even vegetarian here, we do like expanding our food horizons by not being limited to meat meals.  We are using more lentils and beans and we really like them. 
Fitness
My current focus is on strengthening my core.  After two c-sections (and a few other abdominal surgeries besides), my ab muscles are a mess. I've had good excuses for shying away from difficult core exercises, including ab separation after having Q (and probably after having E but I didn't know about that at the time), but now I'm healed up and there is little to no separation so my excuses are gone.  I attend two fitness classes a week with a focus on core, but I want to find a third class, or try doing some of the exercises on my own.  My goal is just be stronger, sure that may mean less inches on my waist, but it will also reduce pain in my back that happens sometimes that I've been told is attributable to having a weak core.  So bring on the planks, boat poses, and crunches. 


Friendship
I love being at home with my family, so making plans in the evening or on the weekend with friends is sort of last on my list.  However, when I have gone out to meet something, I have a great time and I'm glad that I've gone.  Another thing we like to do is get together with other families for meals.  Sure it's always a little crazy but we all need to eat and it's a fun way to spend some time with people outside of your own family for a little while.  I want to try doing this a little more often. 





Friday, January 26, 2018

Friday Favourites



On Wednesday night this week I met up with a couple of girls to go skating on the Bentway Skating Trail.  It was cold but I was glad I went out.  It is fun to do social things during the week any day.  There are so many great skating rinks in Toronto and if you have your own skates, it's free!  I love getting out to embrace winter. 



I went to a breakfast this week where the topic was mental health and it was sponsored by Bell Let's Talk Day. We all got a toque so I brought mine home for E.  I asked him to pose for me wearing the hat and this is what I got. 




Beloved morning radio host Don Connelly is retiring from Halifax's Information Morning today.  The Coast wrote  this article (thanks for sending it Emma!) about Don and it features a shout out to my late Uncle Robert.  I haven't listened to Information Morning since I left Halifax in 2004 but I used to love it and I wish Don well in his retirement. 

This little guy got in trouble at school on Thursday for biting a classmate, but apparently he was quite remorseful afterwards when the teacher told him "No biting"; he cried and then hugged her leg twice.  Hopefully he learned his lesson ;)

I saw this on Twitter this week and I laughed.  

Then I found this picture too.


Have a nice weekend!

Linking up with AndreaErika, and Narci for Friday Favourites
and
The Blended Blog for Friday Loves.