WHOA! Where did September go?

September and October may be my favourite months!

So beautiful.

So sunny.

So red and yellow and orange.

I don't love winter.....and although I know fall is just the prelude to winter I can't help but love these beautiful last days of summer. Mother Nature really out does herself during autumn. I mean, spring is nice - but fall is just incredible. 

I suppose it is like everything in life - you see what you want to see.  You can see the good, the positive, the beauty - or you can see the bad, the negative, the darkness. It is a choice. It is always a choice. In every situation there is always the option.....and it is always up to you.

Every once in a while we get knocked off course; something happens in our lives that takes our attention and redirects it for a moment. These events are often unexpected, they are big, they are small and sometimes they are even traumatic, sometimes they are preventable and most of the time they are not. No matter what they are - they are. They get our attention and if we aren't careful we can lose focus on all of the good and beautiful things in our lives, we can get carried away and overwhelmed and forget what is important.

They can cloud our vision like a dirty pair of sunglasses so that all we can see is the negative.......the bright side is gone.....everyone is an asshole, the weather is too cold, people are taking too long to do things, this restaurant sucks......and so on and so on.

So much better to see the good, the positive, the beauty. So much better to be happy.

Not always easy - but certainly better. 

 So remember, as you travel the road of life - to look for, find and share goodness everyday, you will feel better - and so will all the people around you!  

a fun appetizer

 I love Pintrest. For so many reasons.


Here is one.

So these mini blt bites are oh so good! 
I saw them on pintrest awhile back and finally one morning I had all the ingredients and was craving a toasted tomatoe sandwich - so I made these!

You need baby tomatoes of some kind, bacon of your choosing, a spinach or arugula type green and  mayo. 

Step One: cook bacon (I like a 350 degree oven, a cookie sheet and some parchment paper)

Step Two: cut the top off of a baby tomatoe and scoop out the guts.

Step Three: add a piece of greenery.

Step Four: toss in a piece of bacon.

 Step Five: Add a dollop of mayo and plate!

Thank you Pintrest! 

A lot of water....and a whole bunch of love.

All eyes were on us, the news was focused on us, the country was watching. Just over a month ago we were overcome by the worst natural disaster Alberta has seen. 

The rain started falling, the water started rising, people started scrambling and then it happened. The banks of the rivers spilled over and reminded us how little control we have when up against Mother Nature. So many communities were effected, so many lives turned upside down in an instant. It happened very fast, so fast that a lot of people didn't even get the chance to move the most precious items to higher ground, pets were left at home as people scrambled to get their children out before the water took their vehicle down stream. It happened in areas that had never seen water before, areas so far away from the normal flooded areas that some people didn't think they needed to leave and later had to be rescued from the top of their homes. Homes, vehicles, trailers and unfortunately even a few people swept away with the fury of the water plowing through trees and streets with no regard for what was in the way. 

When the water receded and the sun came out we were left breathless and heart broken by the devastation left behind. It was hard to see, hard to imagine and hard to take in. 

 

 

Nothing prepared me for the emotions that flooded in along with the water......relief, guilt, pity, encouragement, empathy, anger, overwhelming sadness, pride, happiness and love.

We were lucky. Our home was safe and so were all the people we loved. So we counted our blessings and were grateful  to be safe and dry. With relief came the feeling of what can we do? Where can we be of help and how can we help? Then the phone rang and on the other end was my little buddy Courtenay, who also happens to be one of my soul mates, asking if I would be interested in going out with a team to help feed the volunteers! Without a moments hesitation yes yes yes! 

We went out everyday for that first week. It was unbelievable and indescribable. We met some truly remarkable people and saw some incredible acts of kindness. The feelings were overwhelming and there were a few drives home clouded with tears, but always a feeling of love was in the air. 

 

One of my favorite memories was standing in a backyard with about 20 complete strangers all covered in mud, muck, gloves and masks singing happy birthday to the the man who owned the house who was turning 90 years old. His belongings completely destroyed, strewn across his front yard, random people coming together to help out a man they had never met. I felt an overwhelming sense of love at that moment as tears were falling down my face, looking around at this amazing group of people who just wanted to help out their fellow man. I was also overwhelmed with admiration. I have always known that my friend Amber has a very special purpose here and seeing what she pulled together in less than 24 hrs was a gift. Seeing her there with her mom covered in dirt and mud eating a piece of vegetarian pizza smiling and laughing with the other volunteers there made me so proud.....I can't imagine how proud her mom was. 

The next week we were able to go out of town to help a neighbouring community. Again the people we met, the stories we heard and the sights we saw were completely overwhelming. I was so proud of the company we work for, the people that came out to volunteer and my husband. He is such a good man with a huge kind soul. A relationship he made was the catalyst for this act of kindness and his willingness to jump in and do whatever was necessary to help these people left me bursting at the seams with love. We were able to once again provide a service and fill a need to a group of people dealing with an overwhelming situation. There is still so much to do,  so many uncertainties, so many people in need and we will continue to help however we can.

There are so many examples of extreme generosity and kindness that I could go on forever and I feel so so lucky to have been able to be involved in these events and to have these amazing people in my life. These events have not only confirmed to me that I am on the right path in my life and have done a good job of filling my life with amazing people but also renewed my faith in humanity. The events I have witnessed have reminded me that there are so many good people out there. 

It is way too easy to focus on what is wrong in our world,  this was a nice reminder of what is right in our world and I am going to focus on that. I am going to hang onto this feeling and continue doing whatever I can to keep it alive and inspire it in others.

peroggies

 

I love peroggies!!! Two years ago when I realized my gluten issues one of the first things that came to mind was "how will I live without peroggies?" It was bad enough that I hadn't ever made them in the first place but now I wasn't even going to be able to use my family recipe - I was going to have to find a gluten free recipe. So I went on a mission to track down a great recipe......there have been some very bad ones along the way but finally I have found one! These are very "normal" in texture as well as taste which is something that can be hard to create.

Dough:

1 cup tapioca starch (or flour)

1 cup sweet sorghum  flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup millet flour

1tbsp xanthan gum

3 egg whites

1cup lactose free milk

 Filling:

potatoes peeled, boiled and mashed. (russet potatoes are the best for this)

cheese, old sharp cheddar

 

The process:

Make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate at least 20 minutes. When you are ready to roll the dough out, use a lightly oiled surface. Roll dough out to a 1/2" thickness and cut with a cup (or a round cookie cutter) 

Take a small amount of your potato and cheese mixture and form into a ball. Place the ball in the center of the dough.

Fold and pinch! Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.....lol

 

Now this is where you can go one of two ways, you can cook them or straight freeze them.....I like to boil them, let them cool and then package them and freeze. This way they are ready to go when I want them. 

I  re-heat with butter and onion either in a frying pan or in the oven and serve with a dollop of Greek Yogurt. 

Father's Day!

So many reasons I love my dad! My mom made a good selection in a baby daddy that's for sure!  A great example of how a man should treat a woman  and also a loving father to guide and teach us along the way!

My brother and I weren't the easiest people to raise....still aren't I'm sure, but dad never gave up! He hasn't given up and he still never stops amazing me with all the things he knows how to do, all the ways he knows to navigate through life and all the ways he continues to grow and change. It sometimes takes awhile for one of his lessons to sink in.....but eventually they do! He was and still is always there when we need him with a pat on the back, a kick in the butt, a helping hand to pick us up when we fall.....and forever a funny story or joke to make us smile!

 
Thanks dad for teaching us so many things.....kindness, humility, tolerance, all the uses for duct tape, how to field dress a deer, and so much more!!  You make me so proud and I am truly blessed to have you in my corner!

 love love love that man! xo

balance

How do we stop other people’s problems from becoming our own while still being available? How do you prevent yourself from dwelling on things that you can’t change? How can you make it easier for yourself to see other people make their own decisions - even when you don’t feel they are taking the advice they asked you for?

Is it possible?

 
I think we all struggle with this one. We all want to be there for the people we love, we want to see them live happy and fulfilled lives, and we want them to be as happy as we are!  

So how do we balance this? 
How do we prevent their challenges from becoming ours?

I think the first thing is to find out how much room you have available to lease out to someone’s problems. If your life is in order and your relationships are all being nourished properly you may have lots of empty space. On the other hand if half of your "rooms" are filled with guests like guilt, anger or doubt then you will need to work those out first to open up a spot. There is no way that something you’re guilty about should be bunking with someone else’s sadness.  

SO, sort out your own issues, or at least the big ones before trying to take on someone else's. 

Now that you have opened up some space in your mind you need to start setting up boundaries....you are leasing out space remember - not selling it! You first need to set up the boundaries within yourself, sit down with your soul and hear what she says. Your life is the first priority, more importantly YOU. You can’t be anything for anyone if you are not everything for YOU first! Not to be confused with being selfish or self absorbed, looking after your self means being at peace with all of the things in your life and making a conscious effort everyday to maintain that peace. Once you have set up those boundaries and find that balance it will be easier to be available to others in a healthy way.

Being a good listener is the next one. It is not easy. Not saying anything does not constitute a good listener. Hearing makes you a good listener. Being present makes you a good listener. Biting your tongue makes you a good listener.  If you really want to be a good listener you need to be available to hear what people are saying and more importantly you need to be available to hear what your soul is saying. I think that is why it is so important to listen to yourself first, if you get caught up listening to other peoples issues all the time you may end up drowning out your inner voice and neglect those things you need to deal with on a personal level. 

Allowing yourself to be wrong or not heard is another one. Being offended or hurt when someone doesn't take your advice is sometimes hard. I mean....they asked you for your input after all! Try to remember that there is a good chance that you are not the only person they are asking and that it is their decision. We are not all the same and we don't all want the same things out of life - and that is ok! So when someone is asking you for your opinion or advice - remember it is YOUR advice, YOUR opinion.....not necessarily right for them.

So, yes, I do think with a little effort, it is possible to be available to other people, to open up space in your world for a loved one needing a little help, to offer advice when asked, all the while keeping it from become your burden. 

Clean blueberry muffins

A beautiful Sunday morning, my husband is outside working in the yard, the screen doors are open and I can hear the birds chirping!  I was just starting to think about breakfast and if I should try the new turkey bacon I picked up or make these muffins.......the turkey bacon was frozen and I had all the necessary ingredients for this recipe - so muffins it is! I am always on the look out for easy nutritious breakfast ideas,  something that I can grab and go. Shakes are great, but sometimes I want to eat something; so when my girlfriend shared this clean recipe I knew it wouldn't be long before I made them! 

So here is what you need:

Dry

1 cup flour ( I used a gluten free blend with 1tsp of xathan gum)

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup flax (ground)

1/2 tsp b. soda

1/2 tsp b. powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wet

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups blueberries

Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well and add the wet ingredients (less the blueberries). Mix by folding with wooden spoon. Add blueberries.

 Fill greased muffin tins 1/2 to 3/4 full. 

Bake 350 for 15 minutes OR Convection Bake 325 for 15 minutes.

 So these are fabulous! They passed the husband test with flying colors.....and he had no idea how healthy they are! I ended up making another batch and instead of blueberries I used raisins - they turned out great too! You can use nuts, cranberries or chocolate chips too and I think that I will experiment a little with recipe.... apple sauce or banana instead of the oil....and maybe just the egg whites, but even if I don't it is already a healthy, high fiber muffin.