monday - it's almost over

Today was insane for me. The morning started with a technician coming to look at our dishwasher - it's broken and will stay that way for another week or so. They need to order a part will be a week. Needless to say I have a mountain of dishes.

Then off to get some money at the bank to pay for our music class; then to music class. Thank you oh so much for music class as it was the only fun part of the day for me. C Monster had lost of fun all day at my expense; but for me music class was the highlight of the day. While we were at music class I picked up a copy of the teachers CD From Sun to Sun - C Monster loves it. After we got home all he wanted the CD to be playing all the time. We had to get this CD right before Criss Cross Apple Sauce E Monster Eva's daughter introduces the song as "Christophe Apple Sauce". If you go to Music For Life's website you can here it - http://musicforlife.typepad.com/music_for_life/shop.html. On the left hand site you can listen to a sample of songs just select Criss Cross Apple Sauce.



After Music was lunch we made pizza. I prepared the dough last night in our bread machine - that also broke. Will probably be about 1 week or so for the replacement part. The crust just came out OK once I have my bread machine back and I perfect the recipe I will post it.

After lunch came nap - C Monster did go down in his bed after a fight and nursing for so long I swear I felt like my boob was going to fall off. During nap; did laundry; did some sewing; watched True Blood; cleaned up a bit; checked on my seedlings; answered my emails; planned C Monster schedule for the month of April. After only being down for an hour (that is how long it took me to do everything noted above) C Monster woke to only fall back asleep in my arms downstairs - there goes everything else I wanted to do. He slept till 4pm.

Once he woke up for the second time - pack him up in the stroller and off we go run errands. Pick up a coupling drive from Butlers for our blender that broke last Friday; pick up bread from the bakery (since we do not have a bread machine); get groceries. Arrived back home slightly after 6pm.

Make supper - mac & cheese from a box - yes it's that kind of day. (It's organic mac& cheese)

After supper put groceries away - C Monster helps - he is in charge of putting the fruit in the fruit drawer.

7:30pm going crazy; I am solo parenting as Geoff is out for the evening - I decide to distract C monster by calling my parents - it works like a charm for almost an hour. During that time I amke poached pears (We currently have around 30 pears - so I figured this would be a great way to use up 20 or so).

8pm C Monster hangs up with my mom (they do web calls using Skype) - I need to put away the pears before we head up for bed he wont let me - I cave in and let him watch Thomas.

8:30pm we go upstairs - C Monster puts on his pj's brushes his teeth - attempt one at putting him down last till 9:15. I tell him he can play or sleep but mama is going to do a few things and I will be back in a few minutes. C Monster complains for 10 minutes - no crying just complaining - the he starts crying so I go up to him right away.

9:30pm attempt number 2 at going to sleep - he is down in 15 minutes or so.

10:00pm I am sitting dead tired in front of the TV watching Chuck and waiting for Geoff.

Tulip / Maple / Aunt Tara's

Tulip

Saturday this week was packed full of fun. We started the morning with breakfast at a local diner: The Tulip. When we were getting ready in the morning I asked C Monster what he wanted to eat. I went through a list and he said no to everything; so I asked him "do you want to eat at a restaurant," and he said a very enthusiastic "yeah" - off we went.

Tulip is your typical diner, good food, good prices. The service has always felt a bit rushed to me but I don't blame them as they are crazy busy all the time. They do not have a kids menu, we just share our meal with the C Monster.

After a great brunch C Monster and papa were off to the gym while I got some time to work on my LLL application.

Maple

The hunt for an organic Maple Syrup Farm open to the public in Ontario started almost 3 weeks ago. I only found a few farms:

McCutcheon's Maple Syrup
Robinson Maple Products
Hoover's Maple Syrup

We ended up going to McCutcheon's mostly because they were the closest to our home - a very close 1 hour and 45 minutes drive. I think the drive was worth it.

First of all, if you are looking for a tourist attraction with rides, a pancake house and all that you are in the wrong place - this is a true working farm run by a great family.

When we got there we were greeted by Mr. McCutcheon; he started the farm in the 70's and from my understand it is still to this day family run and operated. His daughter was also in the store - she helped me with my purchase. The store is a loose term as it is a section of the processing building for the syrup that they have a cash and products set up for display. They are open during the season everyday from 1 to 5pm. - I would call ahead just in case especially if you are traveling a few hours like we did.

We ended up purchasing 5 bottles of syrup a total of 8.6 litters (yes we use a lot of syrup in a year); I also picked up a jar of maple butter and a few maple leaf candies.

After our shopping was done we took a look at the processing equipment that were all dormant that day - we chose the first day in weeks were the sap was not running. However while we were there the pump did kick in once and C Monster got to see the sap rushing in. - the little sap there was. Mr. McCutcheon offered us a sample of the sap to taste. It's taste just like water with a little sugar added - it's amazing that someone figured out that you could make such a fantastic syrup from that.

Then off for a walk in the woods - oh no a stop at the heavy machinery. C Monster loves all types of trucks - when Mr. McCutcheon offered to let him climb in, I think it made his day. After 10-15 minutes of ridding the big rigs; we kinda convinced C Monster to go for a walk in the woods.



We only walked for 30 minutes of so; next year I would like to come earlier so we can stay longer and enjoy the outdoors a little more with C Monster. We looked at the sap running in the pips and tried to follow it to determined witch tree it was coming from - I gave up as there were way too many trees. C Monster played with some sticks, looked at moss growing on trees and even tried to eat a piece of a tree.

This is definitely the Farm we will come back to year after year - a great big thank you to the McCutcheon for sharing their great Sugar Maple Farm with us.

Aunt Tara's

On the way home C Monster was begging to get out of the car so we called Aunt Tara and guess what: she was home. It's neat to watch C Monster play with her kids now as they interact with him and vice versa - instead of the ever so popular reaction kids have to babies: he is cute but what do I do with him? C Monster had a double bonus as Grandpapa Roy was also there.

The kids played; I sorted hand-me-downs.

When were ready to leave the kids followed C Monster outside and they had some races from a good 15 minutes or so. Of course C Monster came in last he was against a 5 and 6 1/2 year old (Sorry Tara if I got the ages wrong). However he had a blast and it was so much fun watching them.

Looking Forward To

Seeing Tara and the Kids again in a few weeks.

A little late but here is Friday...

Peanut Butter is it good or bad?

At our last visit with our homeopath she suggested to curb back the amount of peanut butter C Monster consumes because it is linked to cancer. Weather it is my homeopath or my doctor that says to do something we always question and try to do our own research.

Their is a fungus that grows on peanuts that has been linked to cancer. Not all peanuts have this fungus it seems to be that this fungus thrives in humid climate.

Some links with good information:
http://www.bodybuildingweb.net/blog/peanut-butter-causes-cancer/
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA115491
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2001/august/peanut.htm
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/aflatoxin.php

All that being said C Monster loves peanut butter and is very picky so anything that is somewhat healthy that he is willing to eat he gets; so I decided I needed more information on the peanut butter we buy for him so I sent the company (MaraNatha) we get out Peanut butter from this letter:

"Hello,

As a concerned mother of a 2 year old that loves your peanut butter I wanted to receive a bit more information about the product.

Could you please inform me as to were the peanuts used to make your butter are grown?

Thank you"

Once I get an answer back from them I will update you on the peanut butter situation; as it stands for now C Monster will keep eating peanut butter, until I have a bit more information to make a fully informed choice as to what to do.

Blender

Our Kitchen Aid Blender died today; it's the second time in 4 years since we have had this blender that the exact same part dies...

Trying to figure out if we are going to fix it again or buy a new one?

Chips Chips Chips

I went on a chip kick today, I think it's because grandmama was visiting so I had free hands to do as I pleased; since she was entertaining the C Monster.

I made Kale Chips for the second time; other then the fact that I over salted them they were great. The first time we made well we threw them out... I used a recipe found via tastespotting for a guide - by Savour Fare I did not change much up:

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon oilve oil
1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash and dry the kale; remove the central vein and slice the kale leaf in half length-wise.

In a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar and salt. Toss the kale the in the mixture until well coated then spread leafs on baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.

Bake until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Check at 10 minutes then almost every minute after mine where ready in 13 minutes, the first time we made these they burnt and were gross.

After finishing the Kale Chips I wanted to try some sweet potato chips. I used the cooking guidelines for the beet chips I made a few days back, but other then that I made it up as I was going along:

Sweet potato chips

2 large sweet potatoes cut in thin slices lengthwise using a mandolin
olive oil
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 250. Spread potatoes slices on cookie sheets lined with parchement paper. Bake for 60 to 80 minutes. Check them at 60 minutes then every 5 minutes after that until they are crisp - once again you do not want to burn them.

Place chips in a large bowl drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt - toss then serve.

A note to ones that are new making chips, all baked vegetable chips tend to go soft again after a day or so; if you do not finish them all the same day you made them - just toss in the oven at 250 for a few minutes before you eat them and they should crisp up again.

Looking Forward To

Going to the maple syrup farm tomorrow...