fruit flies, giants & the like {letters to evie}

"hi mom!"  you say from your perch on the step, scribbler & pen in hand.
"hi evie, we draw just on paper right? just on paper... not on legs or the deck or anything else, just paper..."i say as i string along a wet load of laundry onto the line, pinning tiny shirts & shorts after close inspection.
the backyard thrums with the sound of a distant whipper-snipper. i continue folding the previous load of laundry now dry on my makeshift hot-tub folding table. i wonder if i should add a booster to the wash from now on.  these clothes are never going to make it to livi if i don't start making an effort.  i seriously need to teach them to learn to eat with a spoon, this is ridiculous, is that a whole banana coin dried to the back of that...
a shreik shatters the strategic laundry meeting in my head...
"A BUG! a bug mommy a bug!" you scream, fists clenched up to your ears & face scrunched as you wince to avoid the most certain demise as a teeny fruit fly flutters by totally oblivious.
"just say shoo bug, don't bother me!"  i instruct, knowing that if i don't teach you how to do it yourself, you'll never be able to be outside without your mother, the bug squasher, by your side.
"shoo bug! shoo bug! shoo you!"   you say with as much command as that tiny voice of yours can carry with your finger in the air like you mean it.
i peer down to notice that you have coloured in your knee with blue pen.
"evie! what did mommy say about colouring?"
you are distracted from the bug momentarily to explain your knee's misfortune.
"oh no! my knee... no colour my knee.  i stop it me!" you say now pointing that finger at me.
"oh no, is right.  no more pen evie.  all done."  you fuss, unhappy with reaping the consequences of your body art.
sigh. i look for another distraction before this fussing snowballs into a fit.
"evie, can you go get those pants?" i appeal to your love of helping, as i point to a pair of shorts that have flown off the line.
"sure! i do it mom.  i do it."  you say enthusiastically. "i be right back!" you say, pointing that little finger again.
"good girl evie.  thanks sweet heart."
you haven't even made it to the bottom step before another shriek, followed by a wince & a scramble back to the top of the stairs.  it would appear as though the little unassuming fruit fly is hovering above the very shorts you were asked to pick up. sigh. i gently encourage you back down the stairs with my hand on your back.
"that's it evie.  you just say, shoo bug, shoo in Jesus name."
"shoo bug & Jesus!"  you shout as you suddenly spring down the that step & march across the lawn with conviction, grab the shorts & point your little finger threateningly off the end of your nose. "shoo, i say!" you flip your hair in disgust as if to say how dare that bug try to intimidate me!
i am impressed.  speechless even.  swelling with pride. moments ago terrified of this microscopic organism being in your space to walking right up to the source of your fear & giving it heck.  so proud to witness this first moment of many, where you fight for your ground, where a warrior woman is born.  where you stand fast & dig deep inside to find courage & conviction & resolve to fight the good fight. where you run to the battle line to take what is rightfully yours. oh, this is a victory indeed.  it may have been a fruit fly today but it was a giant in your eyes & you cut him to the quick, looked him in the eye & stood your ground.  beware world.  evie joy nouvelle knows who she is.  she has a finger & she knows how to use it!

recipe repertoire & the breakfast camels

we wilkins' are breakfast lovers.  for our kids, who rarely eat more than the mandatory two bites at dinner, breakfast cannot come fast enough & is much anticipated.  once kai ate 3 large bowls of steel cut oats, a scrambled egg, 2 bananas, a pear & 2 pieces of peanut butter toast. these kids are like breakfast camels.   they gorge on breakfast & then eat hardly anything for the rest of the day.

our wee wilkins thrive off of variety.  i started recording a little list of our recipe repertoire just to make sure i am using my recipe scavengering skills to their fullest potential & don't forget to include some of the awesome finds that often get crumpled between cookbooks.  we've been rotating through the usuals, toast & pb, smoothies, steel cut oats, breakfast quinoa, cereal & fruit, yogurt & granola, one eyed monsters, fortified french toast, green eggs & ham  and scrambled egg muffins... and then repeat.  i can get through our whole breakfast repertoire in almost a week which saddens a creative soul like me.  so much breakfast potential.  and so i took on the challenge to expand our repertoire of the grandest meal of the day and i found this super cool recipe that was a real hit.  the possibilities are endless!

"summer porridge": blueberry maple
overnight, no cook refrigerator oatmeal
source: theyummylife.com
strengths of recipe: high in protein, calcium & fibre, low in fat & sugar
ingredients:
1/4 cup uncooked old fashion rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk (i used goat)
1/4 cup low fat greek yogurt (i used vanilla greek yogurt)
1-1/2 tsp dried chia seeds (you can get these little health boosters at the bulk barn but they are not essential to the recipe if you don't include them)
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 cup blueberries (or enough to fill jar)
* i used half pint mason jars & they worked perfectly!

directions:
in a half pint (1 cup) jar, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds & maple syrup.  put lid on jar & shake until well combined.  remove lid, add blueberries & stir until mixed throughout.  return lid to jar & refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.  eat chilled.
* these were really filling... i made three half pint jars & they lasted for two breakfasts, which was a miracle in this household!

other fantastic flavours are: mango almond, apple cinnamon, banana cocoa, banana peanut butter (* learned about this awesome but impossible product to get called PB2 - powered peanut butter with all of the protein & 85% of the fat removed, does anyone know where to get this?), raspberry vanilla
(click here for the specific recipes & pictures of directions)
we loved blueberry maple & tomorrow we're trying raspberry vanilla soon followed by all the rest!

sentimental style {small style}

i am so very proud of myself.  i took my first, second & third load of clothes to boomerang kids (an upper end ottawa children's consignment store).  i am proud because the task confronted two of my greatest challenges, rejection/social awkwardness & sentimentality.  it is a sad moment when you realize how much your identity is tied up children's clothing.  it's the memories & bonding that happened in those little onesies & booties.  it's how i concretely remember their size & smell, evidence of how i cared & loved them.  and then to lay it all out on the table for someone to scrutinize every inch of fabric & goodness forbid reject a piece or two... well, you can imagine.  i had prepared myself that just because a piece of clothing is rejected does not mean i am rejected.  i did have a few moments of anx where my defensive instincts began to creep up on me, but i resisted, survived & have fuller pockets because of it!
as a stay-at-home mom, i see it as my job to stretch a buck as far as i can.  this is one of those ways that, if i am organized & can get over my sentimental rejection complex, earn a few bucks.  this particular store offers cash or store credit which i really like because i can use it to buy whatever the kids need - toys, clothing, books or take the cash & spend it on diapers or groceries.
anyways, long story short, a way that helped me let go of a few extra special pieces of clothing was to make sure i had photos of the kids wearing them. i thought it might be neat to celebrate this process of letting go by having a few style flashback editions of {small style}.

here's a favourite.  my mom gave me this onesie before davith was born.  it says 'mon petit chute' on the front which means 'my little cabbage'.  it's what my mom used to call me as a babe.  this is what davith was wearing the day the twins were born. sniff, sniff... smile.

dav, nan & the ducks... both his favourites

he had just started walking the
week the twins arrived

little did he know his entire world just changed

little did he know he would soon
be kicked to the boot of the stroller

he loves his auntie mekr

onesie: joe fresh, slippers: joe fresh, jeans: joe fresh

fibre-licious pancakes

not unlike muffins, my kids LOVE pancakes.  we've eaten them for just about every meal of the day.  i love tripling batches of pancakes & then storing them in the freezer to be taken out & warmed up in the toaster on some chaotic morning.  and not unlike muffins, i have learned how to hide a good dose of fibre-licious veggies.  i learned this enriching principle from the wonderfully creative jessica seinfeld and now i have adopted this strategy to most of my baked goods.  another super strategy i have learned over the years is hiding protein in all of my kids favourites.  especially with my girls, who don't eat very much, every bite must count.  so here are two of our favourite FAVOURITE pancake recipes! even i love the pumpkin pancakes!

high protein pumpkin pancakes
1/2 cup cottage cheese (i use no fat cottage cheese)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dry oats
2 eggs
1 tbsp canola oil ( is use safflower oil)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have on hand just mix together some cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice)
1 tsp vanilla

blend all ingredients in blender until well mixed.  if batter is not thin enough, add a touch of water or milk (i always end up adding 1/2 cup of almond milk to make it nice & creamy) to get it the consistency of pancake batter.  pour by the tbsp onto the griddle (tbsp make tiny little pancakes, nice for little fingers).  make sure you cook these long enough that the centre gets mostly cooked.  top with real maple syrup (did you know that real maple syrup has micronutrients... i love justifying sugary goodness to my benefit!)
( i double this recipe to have enough for my three pancake-aholics... and there still never seems to be any left).

veggie pancakes
makes 10-12 medium pancakes
1 1/2 cups whole grain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups of milk (i use almond milk)
3 beaten eggs
3 cups shredded veggies*
* many different veggies will work.  i mostly use a combination of zucchini & carrot.  i think sweet potato would be great too. (i puree then in the bullet to give a nice consistency)

preheat griddle over medium low heat.  in a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  in separate bowl add milk & beaten eggs.  add wet & dry ingredients & stir in the shredded veggies.
add about a tsp of oil or butter to grease (i put olive oil in a spritz bottle just for greasing pans & muffin tins) unless you are cooking on a non-stick pan.  using a 1/4 measuring cup, pour the batter onto the hot pan.  use the back of the cup to help the batter spread evenly.  cook for 2-4 minutes & then flip and repeat.  you'll know when it's time to flip when bubbles rise to the surface. enjoy!

* a neat tip to jazz up the unassuming pancake is to use giant cookie cutters or sandwich cutters from dollarama to cut out neat shapes.

cheers to the goodlife!

my awesome friend & trainer, christena

so as you may remember a little while back, i sent in my goodlife success story with fingers crossed... and i won! thanks to all of the wonderful support from my lovely gym community! and a huge thank you to my trainer turned friend who pushed me through my crazy carb cravings & silly excuses, through the cruel aroma of fresh baked goods leaking through the gym vents from the bakery below, through sweat & tears & truckloads of hormones!  i couldn't have done it without her! i blush every time i look at the giant novelty sized check or my published story (especially the picture they chose... not my fav) but i feel so very encouraged to continue in my pursuit of health & wellness.  it wasn't easy but now 9 months postpartum after baby #4, the scale finally makes me smile & so do the four sweet little faces around the breakfast table as i plan each day to be more healthy & strong.  we are never done being better.  there is always a goal to reach for.  and i am ever so excited to continue the journey.
cheers to the goodlife!

here is the published version of the story!

and a little inspiration for those just starting out on their own journey... you can't possibly feel self-conscious at the gym after watching this! (that blue leotard is one of the main reasons i go to a women's only gym! yikes!) who knows, maybe my next contest should be a real contest like this... minus the unitards & choreography.

my little mighty {letters to davith}

it's bedtime.  book time.  your favourite time.  you love filling your head with outlandish books & wild ideas, far off lands & strange new beasts.  you burrow down deep under your comforter & fold your arms across your chest ready to taste & breath the unconquered world.
we've started reading a new book.  an intentional book.  a sowing book.  it is well beyond your age & i know this but i am sowing like a wise farmer does.  i begin to unfold it's pages of truth & you're wide eyed but quiet trying to make sense, to cull it's meaning into your world. it is a letter from God to you. i read to you of your heritage, of the legacy you follow...
"my mighty warrior, i have a powerful plan for you, my son.  i know you are just a young boy, but so was king david when i chose him to become the future king.  little did he know, while he was faithfully protecting & caring for the sheep, that i was preparing him to protect & care for my people one day..."
i pause for a moment.  you're pensive, taking it all in.  i can see the seed of greatness germinating deep down inside.
"do you think you would like to protect & care for God's people one day?"
"yeah mom.  i could wake them up in the morning & make them waffles for breakfast & i could take them to the bathroom so they won't be scared & i could tuck them in..."

oh yes davith benjamin.  you will wake many from their slumber, you will feed the hungry something much longer lasting than waffles & you will be an arm of comfort to those terrorized by fear. and being faithful in the little will turn great, the small, seemingly insignificant will expand into everlasting bread.  you follow the steps of him whom you were named after, king david.  but you will do greater things, oh mighty warrior.  greater than the boy who killed giants with nothing more than a sling shot, tackled bears & lions with his bare hands.  the boy who became a king one day. the same boy who tended the sheep, who serenaded the King of kings with his song in an empty field.  do not despite small beginnings my son, for He has a plan & a purpose.  nothing is wasted or lost in His kingdom.  i know you are still little but you are mighty because of Him.  
you & that ferocious appetite for adventure are going to conquer the world.

happy belated

happy belated blog post! and what better occasion to catch up a belated birthday! the twins second birthday was on mother's day this year. it was a busy weekend so we just decided to keep everything low key with just the fam & it was delightful!  the twins had a ball & so did the rest of us without the distraction of guests & decorations & food.  just good ol' fashion fun enjoying each others company.   here is a little video of their birthday dinner & some pics of our family festivities...