Monday, October 6, 2014

Our Lives Have Changed

I apologize for being away from the blog for so long. So many things have changed in our lives which have kept me so busy!

One awesome change has been our home. We sold our 30+ year old, 1000 square foot home in the city and bought a beautiful 1 year old, 1400 square foot home on almost 3 acres of land outside of the city. It has been a huge adjustment for us all but I think now we're in our groove and loving it! I was a little sad to leave our old home behind but more excited for a new adventure as a family. This is a picture of us at our new home the day we got posession.


We started out with absolutely no grass, but it has filled in so my hubby enjoys mowing it on his new tractor. Ceili, our oldest loves to help too. I have learned all sorts of things like how to use a chainsaw, log splitter and more! We are on a bit more of a budget since we moved so I have gotten very good at baking all of our own bread as well. We have met quite a few of our neighbors in the subdivision and a few people close by. Everyone has been very welcoming and kind to us.


We have had a cougar issue around our home since the beginning of fall. It is a cub and has been hanging around our yard and the neighbors. The first time my hubby saw it was when our dog and it scared eachother at the edge of the treeline. They both went jumping backward in the air! Since then we have seen it a few more times and have become much more aware of our surroundings. Ceili is a little more frightened than her sister so we have to keep reassuring her that it's not going to get her. Animals are part of living in the country and we just need to get used to it, although this cougar should probably be moved since it seems to like humans!

All in all we are happier now than I think we have ever been. We are enjoying "camping" in our home and seeing all of the nature around us. I really love the fact that we have so much space and can do what we want when we want to and the loudest noises we hear is the wind for the most part. I am in love with our new life.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Good-Bye Dear Friend

Last Monday morning I got some horrible news. My friend texted me and said our friend Tammy had passed away. At first I couldn't believe it because she was only 38 years old. As it sunk in I started to shake and cry. All I could think of were her boys. They are only 2 and 4,  they can't lose their Mom!

She was going through alot of heartache that she didn't deserve. Her husband left her and ever since then she was sick and the doctors couldn't quite figure out what was wrong. Despite feeling awful and wanting to stay in bed, she got out of bed every morning and make every moment with her boys count. She made them special breakfasts, went bike riding, walking and on nature adventures! She didn't have alot of money, but she had alot of love. We helped her out with clothes and toys for the kids (and a few special things for her!) at Christmas and she made this past Christmas magical for them. I'll never forget when she wasn't feeling well she said to me "Whatever it is, I'm one tough SOB".

As I thought about her death and how it was so unfair, I thought to myself "why is this happening? There must be a reason". What I think is that God is trying to teach us to cherish the time we have with our loved ones and tell them what they mean to us. He took Tammy because she was hurting and needed rest. She lived every minute of those 38 years of her life to the fullest; she loved big, laughed hard and was so vibrant. She was beautiful inside and out.

Now I find myself thinking about everything before I act or speak. I am appreciating the small moments and pushing the stress aside. The small giggles shared between my girls, the kisses, the cuddles, everything feels so much better when we stop taking things for granted.

Thank you my friend for teaching me these lessons. You will forever be in my heart! ♥

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Clean Eating Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins

I was looking for a decent muffin recipe for breakfast this morning and just couldn't. I found some that sounded delicious but I didn't want to eat a bunch of wheat first thing. Then I came across one with no wheat that sounded perfect, so of course I had to adapt it and try it!

So, here is my recipe for the most delicious muffins I have had in a long time! As a bonus they are gluten, dairy and sugar free.

Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins

4 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups oat flour (you can make your own by putting rolled oats in a food processor until a flour-like consistency)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup almond milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 banana, mashed

Approx 10 strawberries, washed and diced

1) Preheat oven to 395°

2) Beat coconut oil and honey in a medium bowl. Add eggs and beat well.

3) Add oat flour, salt, baking soda & cinnamon. Stir.

4) Add almond milk, vanilla and banana then strawberries.

5) Spoon into greased/lined muffin tins and bake for 22-25 minutes.

These were such a hit, even our 2 year old had 2 muffins for breakfast!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

2 Years Ago Today

I can't believe it, our baby girl turns 2 years old today.

Two years ago today I didn't know if we were expecting a girl or boy but I was so ready to meet him or her! Two years ago today I was sent home from the hospital because "just because it's your due date doesn't mean you're going to give birth on this day" and returned hours later in active labor. Two years ago today our sweet, dark haired baby girl Abbey Florence Rose sped into this world and changed our world forever. I will never forget sitting on the hospital bed with our two girls and the feeling that my life was complete.


Since she was born, Abbey has changed a lot and amazed us in many ways. She looks so much like her daddy but is very much her own person in every way! She is feisty, passionate and knows what she wants and I hope she stays that way. Very few people in this world know what they want and will fight for it. I can't forget to mention that she's just about the best snuggeler in the whole world and such a Momma's girl so that makes me happy.


In the past year she has learned how to walk, got her first tooth (yes, she is a late teether!) been on 2 family vacations and even spent a few days and nights with just Daddy when I went to visit my sister. Her big sister has taught her so much including the alphabet, how to color, how much fun it is to play in the snow and even how to push Mom & Dad's buttons!


Here's to you, Abbey. You goofy, sweet, adorable little 2 year old! Happy Birthday, I love you so very much! XOXO

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

2013 in Review

The past year has been a busy one for our family so I thought I'd do a little summary just for fun!

At the beginning of the year I started a home business and ended up closing it at the end of the year. We traveled to Arizona for a vacation in March which was bittersweet because we found out my dad has heart problems while we were there. We celebrated our youngest sweet girl's 1st birthday in January and our oldest beauty's 5th birthday in July. We started our juicing/ cleani eating journey in May and have kept it up well and lost about 75lbs between Matt and I. Our family took a camping trip in August and survived tent camping even with a one year old! We watched our oldest daughter start kindergarten in September which made mommy cry and daddy proud. I traveled to see my sister in Victoria, B.C. in October which was a wonderful getaway for me. My dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer, had surgery and is now cancer free (yipee!)...I believe it brought our family closer together. We rang in the New Year as a family and had a super cool kid- friendly party. And last but most definitely not least- Matt and I encountered many up's and down's in our relationship as most everyone has and came through it even stronger than before.

All in all we had a wonderful year. There are many more positives than negatives and here are some pictures of all of these awesome adventures. I look forward to a terrific 2014 filled with more amazing moments!

Happy New Year everyone!