Introducing....

Miss Kaedence Raine

Born March 26th, 2011
Born 13 months to the day of her sister Kherrington's original due date.

so tiny and perfect

Welcome to the world, little one.

Happy Love Day

Happy Valentines Day to all of you.

Hope you all get some obligatory lovin' tonight.

My Valentine: Writing Workshop

Writing prompt brought to you by Mama Kat of Mama's Losin' It:

Share a photo that captures special Valentine(s).

Big and I on my favourite vacation (yet) to New River Beach.

Posted partially because we look so cute, partially because I remember this day and this photo so well, and mainly because it's frickin' -17 C here today, -25 with the wind chill.
I want more days like this.


But this is the real us.
Haming it up for the cameras at someone's special day.
{please disregard the Bacardi Breezer in the foreground}

Neither of these were actually taken ON Valentine's Day, so we'll have to work on that this year.

But he's my special valentine.

Happy Love Day to all!

I know an angel

Pause today to remember an angel.

Kherrington Faith

One year ago today, my sister Mo and I went to what seemed like a regular check up. We laughed, we took pictures, we ate lunch and Mo stole my pickle.
It was any other day to us.Then came the tears.
Then it became "the day", the day her heart stopped.

I cried until I ran out of tears and then cried some more.

Please stop to remember a baby girl who's not here with us today. A child who's parents miss her every second of every day.

Pause to be grateful for what you have and who you share it with.
Pause before you scold your child for doing something wrong, because there are parents who only wish they could complain about such things.

Sweet Kherrington Faith,
a child always loved and always remembered.

A Week With No Meat {Day Two}

Who knew we were so trendy? Did anyone see Oprah today?
She put herself and her entire staff on a one week vegan challenge!

Now, I know for a fact that we couldn't do vegan. We are a house that LOVES our dairy and eggs. {So much so that I honestly asked Big the other day if we should raise a hen in the backyard for constant fresh egg supply.}

I don't eat beef for many reasons, but if you watched Oprah's show, or perhaps you've even seen Food Inc, you might begin to understand why. Everyone is free to eat what they like, but I think we could all stand to require more from our meat producers.

Tonight's vegetarian dinner was left over veggie chili and brown rice casserole.
Can I tell you how full I am?

We eat limited meat as it is, but normally a dinner at our house will have at least a bit of chicken in it. But I'm having no problem forgoing a little meat on my plate this week when everything tastes so good!

Did you know - If everyone cut meat out of their diet for just ONE day a week, it would greatly decrease carbon emissions that are leading to climate change?

Two days has been good so far, I'm just hoping that our week doesn't get boring and I start stuffing my face with bread to get through the cravings. Black beans have been an excellent protein for us with this chili recipe.

We have though about doing one meatless night per week now, just like the Meatless Monday movement. Check out Meatless Mondays for some great information about going meatless for a day.

A Week With No Meat {Day One}

Day one of meatless meals is in the bag!

On Sunday, Mr Big and I prepped for our culinary adventure week by making the standard Sunday Brown Bread rolls { a Maritime classic}. It's almost not Sunday now if we're not making brown bread. I challenge any of you to tell me that your home smells better on any given Sunday.

A second batch of dough was whipped up for garlic bread sticks . We used the standard pizza dough crust recipe that we make almost every week, with Italian seasoning added in the mix. My favorite part of making bread in the winter is letting it rise, because we always turn on the propane fireplace to proof the dough. Oh yes, and we even managed to make cranberry muffins AND chili. We amaze even ourselves...

Here are the result of our first batch of garlic bread sticks!I got the recipe for the Garlic Seasoning from Our Best Bites, which is a fantastic site for meal ideas. Add three teaspoons of the seasoning to 1/2 Cup butter and slather over the bread sticks and cook for 18-20 minutes, and you will have bread sticks that rival ANY restaurant.

Salads for lunch are fairly standard for me, I've taken one every day for at least a year, but I like to switch up the combination of the salads. Monday's lunch consisted of a spinach salad for lunch, which I topped off with Catalina dressing and a few crushed Tostitos chips to make it more like a taco salad. When Big and I got home from the gym tonight, we heated up the chili that I made yesterday, with a few bread sticks on the side to dip.

Black Bean and Espresso Chili
{ it will keep you up all night farting }


This chili was really good, but it was A LOT of beans. I will admit, I missed the meat in the chili. I like something a little crunchy in my chili, and the beans and the veggies were a little too soft for me. It was a hit for the both of us though {at least as I speak, I may have to report back in the morning }

I'm curious to see by the end of the week if we've lost any weight without the meat in our diet.

Black Bean and Espresso Vegetarian Chili Recipe

1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1/4 cup instant espresso powder
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup dried oregano (leaves)
1 Can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup honey
6 large garlic cloves (minced)
4 Cans black beans (rinsed drained)
2 cup water
1 tbsp salt
pinch ground cinnamon

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in espresso powder, 1/4 cup chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
Cook 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, honey, and garlic. Bring to simmer.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add beans, 2 cups water, salt, chipotle chili powder, and cinnamon. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 30 minutes.

Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate (Rewarm before serving)

Food Challenge

Big and I decided to give ourselves a challenge this week.

Can anyone guess by checking out this photo of our groceries?One week of vegetarian meals.

It seems like a simple idea, right? I haven't eaten beef in about two years for a variety of reasons, so we mostly eat chicken as our main meat source. Since we've been trying to be healthier, this seemed like the perfect idea for us to try, just for a week. If we like it, we might try the whole month!

My resolution for 2011 was based on the idea of the 100 Mile Diet. It's a very do-able idea for someone like me who lives in a mostly rural province. My goal is to eat food that has been touched by fewer hands. I would like to eat as much local food as possible, and cut down on the processed foods. I don't think anything that 'tastes fresh' after being packaged and sitting in your freezer for four months can be healthy.

So we purchased no meat on our trip to the grocery store this weekend and I've already planned our meals for the week. If anyone would like to join me in a food challenge, let me know! I love to share recipes and try something new.

Here's hoping I don't crack down and eat a whole pound of bacon on Wednesday evening...

Working on my Massive Pecs

So, Mr Big and I have been hitting up the gym together the last little while. My goal is to have super rockin' bikini body by 2025 {hey, I'm realistic!} I wouldn't mind looking like this by summer... So if it should it happen before the end of time, I'll do everything in my power to get there.

But I think I pulled my boob at the gym.

Yup, you read that right, my left boob is KILLING me. I think they experts would call it a 'pec muscle', but who am I to claim that I know anything. The rowing machine was an attempt to work on my arms, but I must have done something wrong. Was I not supposed to put my boobs on the handle??

Anyhow, all the boys love my pecs at the gym.
I catch them looking all the time.

I'm encouraging Big to run in a marathon this year. He's always been a runner which has kept him in fantastic shape all these years. {see below!} He expressed interest in running a marathon and I think if I keep him motivated to do it, I might just be waiting at a finish line with a water bottle for him this summer.

So beware, the hottest couple ever is just warming up this year.

Dear Blog

My dearest blog, I'm sorry.
I swear I haven't forgotten about you. I still think about you, do you still think about me?

But can you see what's been distracting me?

Well, not only that, but it's a Big part of it.

I've been traveling for work, working my ass off in and out of the office, cooking, baking and honestly I've been somehow transforming into a domesticated female. I don't know what the hell's happened to me. I actually wear aprons. It's amazing what the love of a good man can do.

I promise I'll be better.

Hope you all stick with me while I try to get back at it.