Our Happy Place

Yummy Mummy Recipe: Cabbage Soup

Last night my in- laws loaded us up with a ton of goodies from their veggie garden. Amongst all this edible goodness was a massive green cabbage (It was the size of a basketball!) , and some other yummy root vegetables. Being that we’re approaching the end of Summer, my cooking style is starting to shift away from lighter meals to hardier comfort food.

With this in mind I decided to whip up a batch of cabbage soup while the lil one napped. (Who says cabbage soup is just for people on diets?!) Here we go…

Yummy Mummy Cabbage Soup
Prep Time: Approx. 30 min Cook Time: 1 hour
Makes approx. 10 servings

For this rendition, I used:

1/2 a very large green cabbage = to one whole regular cabbage, sliced thin & centre removed
3 white onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 turnip, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
10 cups water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil and/ or butter
Optional: 100g bacon or ham (adds extra flavour)

Directions:

Start by warming some olive oil and/ or butter in large pot. Add diced onion & garlic.

Cook until onion is translucent; add 1 cup water, followed by turnip, carrots & celery

Once carrots & celery have softened, add bouillon cubes, remaining water & cabbage

Add salt & pepper to taste

Bring to a boil for 5- 10 minutes; cover & reduce heat for approx. 45 minutes to an hour

I let mine stand & cool on the stovetop for a while before transferring. With this batch I put some aside to eat right away, and portioned out the rest to freeze. This way, when the hubby has to work in the cold Fall & Winter weather, I can pull a bag to thaw overnight & send with him in a thermos.

I love when I get the chance to plan ahead!!! Any way to make life a little easier when you get the chance is a golden opportunity.

I hope you enjoy 🙂

Image Source: Simply Recipes

Retail Therapy: Swap Meet!

Before my little lady came along I used to work on weekends, so was never able to go to any of the fun activities and events in the area. My sister- in- laws had told me about the swap meet held at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, so I was kind of excited that I finally got the chance to go.
I was told to go early, since the best things go quick (don’t they always???) and to bring cash. I got there for 9am- the time it opened- to find a big line up of other eager deal seekers; by the time I got in, people were already leaving with armloads of goodies!

The line to get in at opening
As a first timer, I wasn’t sure what to expect, and came armed with my massive diaper bag(lol, it might as well be luggage!) and stroller. While this wasn’t the worst thing to do, I quickly found the more seasoned swap- goers came armed with slings & carriers, since it gets so crowded and therefore not too easy to manoeuvre a stroller.

The swap meet 10 min after opening 
I was in search of a Bumbo, but ended up with lots of other goodies instead. There were lots of tables loaded with clothes- most for $1- $2 per item!- toys, gear, and all manner of baby and kid items. I saw more practical things, such as baby gates & bedding, and the more impulsive: hair accessories & itty bitty shoes. Some vendors were selling brand new items, and there were the standard Tupperware, Norwex, and RESP stalls. There were also several cloth diaper sellers and a photographer.
Phew! Lots to look at! Some of the other ladies from my Mom’s group also went, with varying degrees of success. One of them has a little boy, and she made the observation there were not as many choices for boys; however, I’m sure the selection is different at each swap. We all agreed it was crowded though, so if you don’t like being surrounded by other bargain hunters, this may not be your shtick. 
Including the $5 admission, I spent $40. I think I did pretty well for the money I spent: Lots of clothes (not that Ari needs them, but I couldn’t resist!), bunny slippers, a Baby Gap backpack- for $1!, hangers, a shape- finder toy, headbands & barrettes, & a soother/ cup clip. And most of the sellers were willing to bargain. I’ll admit I’m not a seasoned pro, but I’m hoping my haggling skills will improve with practice. 🙂

How cute is this?! $1 Baby Gap backpack

BUNNY SLIPPERS!

Ruffles…

… and polka dots
The cute hair accessories by Princess Krislyn’s Boutique
(I had a hard time deciding!!!)

The pacifier/ cup clip by Passing Fancies
(I couldn’t resist the sparkles and bow!!!)

I can’t wait until the next swap! I hope you get a chance to check it out. 🙂
For more info on the Kid Swap at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, click here. 

Mommy Date: Bog Walk

One of the amazing things about living in BC is all the natural beauty around us.

I have lived here my whole life and am still discovering some local gems. This week my Mom group organized a walk through Burns Bog in Delta, and I can’t wait to go back.
If you live in or are familiar with the area, you’ve probably heard of Burns Bog. One of the Moms in our group is very knowledgeable about the Bog and offered to play tour guide for us. It was like having our own private eco tour.
To get into the Bog, you have to park at the local ice arena and enter off a paved path. There are 2 options for walking through this part of the Bog: a short, inner path that takes approx. half an hour to walk, and a longer, outer path that takes approx. an hour to walk. We were lucky to have cooperative babies, so were able to go along both paths.
Our Mommy tour guide told us about some of the plants and creatures that are indigenous to the Bog, how the early Natives used the plants (skunk cabbage diapers anyone???), and stories/ legends about the Bog. We were warned not to step off the plank path, since the Bog consists of 20 metres of peat! While the ground looks solid, it it hard to tell by appearance alone where the sink holes are (think muddy quicksand). A partially submerged tractor along one of the paths is a reminder to be cautious; legend goes that the driver sunk with the tractor, and it continues to sink at a rate of 1/2 inch each year.
The nice thing about the plank path (see photo above) is that it’s stroller friendly. Since the Bog is open year- round, there is chicken wire along one side for traction during the rain & snow. The path is built and maintained by volunteers, and they are currently in the process of adding an additional plank path to connect the two routes through the Bog. 
To find out some ways to support the Bog, check out their online store here. (I’m not sure if they sell it online, but you can buy a tea made from a plant found in the Bog- Labrador tea! I’m adding to my ‘gotta try it’ list).
For more info, check out the Burns Bog Society website. If you’re new or unfamiliar to the area, see the link for  a map & directions . I hope you get a chance to go to this beautiful place! It’s beautiful rain or shine!
Stroller dashboard shot!
Labrador Tea! Gotta try it!
The infamous sunken tractor.
Trying out the ‘safe’ part of the Bog to walk on. 
With 20m of peat below, the ground is very soft

2 Month Shots

My little monkey got her 2 month vaccines yesterday…
It was an interesting experience. While she handled the shots pretty well initially, I’d say that madame has been a little out of sorts since.
Since talking to some other Moms, it seems to go in the territory of ‘every baby is different’. My doctor was lovely, but I have to laugh at the info she gave me: ‘Your baby should sleep the rest of the day’… LOL. Except for the car- ride- home- induced- nap, my lil monkey did not sleep again until 9:30pm!!!
Haha to that. But we got some good snuggles in.
On a more serious note, vaccinations have become such a controversial & talked about subject, that it’s hard for parents to sift through all the info and opinions and really, truly make an informed decision they are comfortable with. I will admit if I lived in a part of the country where people travelled less, and thus weren’t exposing the population to disease new & old, I would be tempted to forego vaccines. 
I made my decision based on this, and the hope that prevention is the best medicine. I am not against those who choose to forego vaccines. Again, I know we’re getting into sticky territory here.
That being said, it is important to inform ourselves about what these vaccines are, and why they are deemed necessary. A good reference is your local health authority. Here in BC, the BC Centre for Disease Control has some good info and provides immunization schedules. Babies receive vaccines at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, & 18 months; then again at 4 years (approx. age that children start kindergarten). After that they don’t receive any more until grades 6 & 9. 
At 2 months, children receive 4 vaccines: DTaP- HB- IPV- Hib (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b),  Pneumococcal conjugate ‡, Meningococcal conjugate C, and Rotavirus. Your family doctor may administer the vaccines. If not, you can visit your local health authority. For those in the Fraser Valley, Fraser Health operates clinics in which the vaccines can be administered. Our local health clinic has a wonderful staff of ladies who are always happy to help & answer questions. Don’t neglect to use this great resource! As a BC resident, you can also call 811 to speak to a health services rep. Again, another great resource. 
Reactions to vaccines range from soreness, swelling at the injection site, fever, and (less commonly & more seriously) seizures. Check out this site for more info. If you think your baby or child is having an adverse reaction to the vaccines, call 911.

In BC, you will want to bring your child’s Health Passport so that the necessary info can be added for future reference. You should be provided with one at your child’s birth, or you can request one from your local health authority.

I hope this info helps. I’ll add more when the young lady receives her 4 month shots (I’ve been warned the reaction may be more extreme).

I’d love to hear your thoughts on vaccines and what influenced your choices, pro or against.

Image Source: http://www.google.ca/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=shots&oe=UTF-8&gws_rd=cr&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Z68VUs7KIuTbigLtzIHwAw&biw=1273&bih=680&sei=aa8VUprbG-fdigKAhIC4CA#fp=d1fb51d39cdbf0fc&hl=en&q=health+symbol&rls=en&tbm=isch&um=1

Retail Therapy

You know the feeling…

The exhilaration of stepping out in public with the babe and enjoying a lil shopping- even if you don’t buy anything!

I had a blast at Homesense this week checking out ideas for kids rooms and I can’t wait until our lil munchkin will add her own twist on her room.

There was some ADORABLE bedding & accessories that I wish I had an excuse to buy. I’ve been looking at a lot of silk bedding recently for my room, it’s classy and so soft to sleep in, I’m getting very tempted! If you or someone you know is looking for some cute items for a girl’s room, Homesense had a really nice selection. See below for some of my faves. 🙂

The bedding & pillows are Cynthia Rowley- LOVE the colours!!!
(The headboard was on sale for $192.99!)

HEART the chevron pattern!

Colin & Justin sheets- how cute are these?!

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