Signs of Spring

      Signs of Spring are popping up everywhere in our beautiful city- and this weekend was so sunny we enjoyed every second we could outside! The Littles were spoiled rotten with lots of love, hugs and candy from their Oma who came to stay with us- they loved every second and did not want her to go home! All this sunshine and love over the weekend has filled up my happy cup till it runeth over- fortifying us all for the coming week.

       A wander through Stanley Park yielded delicate Snowdrops and Crocuses coming into bloom in sunny little hollows- the Daffodils and Tulips are still getting ready for the really big show in the coming weeks. Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers- reminding me of when I was a Little myself- time spent in the forest building forts and nests.

       The ducklings are not hatching yet- usually we see chicks around Easter- so I would imagine next week we should see flotillas of floating yellow puff balls following their mommas! Meanwhile the Littles had a fun time feeding those completely domesticated ducks at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park.

      Nothing says Spring like shedding the rain coats and swinging on the swings- letting the cool breeze hit you in the face as you go higher and higher- the swings are most definitely Miss Lo's favourite part of the park. For me the first day it is warm enough to take off your socks and shoes- letting your toes bury into the warm then cool sand is the true harbinger of the changing of season- my favourite part of the park!

      Sandcastles, Snowdrops, bare feet, swings- shedding of layers including the gloom that can hang around during those endless days of rain- yup Spring is on it's way! While these sunny days are few and far between I just keep reminding myself that all the rain is making things grow again- making our city green. As my Mom says "just put a knot in the end of your rope and hang on" - with days like this- a full day of warm sunshine it is much easier to hang on- warmers days are on their way!

PS- sorry I am a tad late posting today- the true start of Spring- Daylight Saving Time- has me running an hour behind this morning- oh time!

The Great Outdoors

     This is us- the Mr., the Littles and I on our first ever real family camping trip last May long weekend- since having kids we have mainly stayed in cabins which was quite posh while it lasted but our Littles were keen to sleep in a tent- how exotic! So last year we loaded up the old mini- van (not Cooper) right up to the top- we were not sure what camping with kids would entail- and where we were going the last thing we wanted was to be cold or wet- two distinct possibilities- we were Tofino bound!

     Now if I can back track for a sec here- my parents used to take my sister to Vancouver Island quite a bit when we were young- my Dad to go fishing and my Mom to eat said fish- we would always camp out of our Chevy van that had been converted (sort of) into a camper van (sort of). I vividly remember the first time we visited Long Beach on the West side of the island- a stone's throw from the town of Tofino- we climbed out of the van (parking was free back then) and I had my shoes off before anyone could say anything- we waded out into the surf in our jogging pants and flannel shirts until we could no longer feel our toes.

    Like many Canadians our family has a deep history with the great outdoors and camping specifically- there really is nothing like loading the entire family into a vehicle and driving for hours on end just to set up camp and get eaten alive by mosquitoes- dinner was usually some elaborate affair prepared by my Dad over the Coleman stove while my Mom attempted to keep my sister and I out of the fire pit.

      So when the Mr. and I started dating my big "test" to see if he was "the one" was to go camping- folks often show their true colours when they are camping. Our first trip was to Bella Pacifica  Resort just outside of Tofino- and it was three days of heavenly bocce games, sunshine and beer- I knew he was a keeper after that trip when we got home and he aired out the tent before he put it away.  Every year we returned to the same campground with the same group of people- the cast of characters changing slightly over the years but the spirit stayed the same- even in hurricane force winds and pouring (like really pouring) rain- those were among some of the best camping trips! It was only natural that we would choose this as the place we celebrate our first official camping trip as a family!

   The East Coast of Vancouver Island is a magical place- long sandy beaches, stretching on for miles, ancient trees hiding you under their canopy and if you are lucky- like we were- whale sightings right from the beach! There are so many fun things to do in Tofino and area- a person could spend a lot of money imbibing in spas, kayaking, whale watching, fishing and the like- but what we have always gone for is the sound of the waves- those waves are the most magical sound in the world- a powerful force reminding a person we are all part of nature. Plus no one even bats an eye lash if you decided to run into town sporting a poncho, socks n sandals or are noticeably aromatic- these are my kind of people.

     Our long weekend last Spring was perfect- the weather was pretty good and only really rained on our last day as we were striking camp at 5:30 in the morning- rain water pouring down our arms pits as we folded and shoved soaking wet tarps into the back of the van- the kids slept through the whole thing. Momma and Daddy got what we needed- some relaxing in the weak Spring sunshine on the beach watching the Littles run up and down the sand. Time spent meditating on the campfire with a frosty beer on hand while the Littles gorged on S'mores and luxury of all luxuries I took a nap- it was life changing!

      This year our thoughts are turning towards exploring more of this beautiful province- booking season for the B.C. Provincial Parks is this coming week- so exciting and yet a little nerve wracking as competition for a long weekend spot is fierce! We have plans to go camping with several families this year and I am planning an epic girls weekend with a handful of old friends- it is going to be crazy fun! Girls we should probably have a camping meeting about this!

     As I see the sun struggling to peak through the clouds this afternoon I am getting excited about the upcoming camping season and while this may be a tad nerdy I will admit I may be thinking about doing an inventory on our camping gear this weekend! I was checking out the M.E.C. web site and noticing some cool new gear- I'm thinking this year we need better camping plates for sure- and a better camp espresso maker;) Over the next few weeks I am going to share some of my "Camping With Kids" survival tips as well as my picks of favourite gear- yah I'm not excited at all!

    Friends it is Friday once again and I am pretty relived to see the end of this week- I love our weekends! This weekend I am looking forward to a visit from my Mother In Law and possibly a trip to Ikea with my Sister in Law. I hope whatever you get up to this weekend that your feet are dry and your mug is full- Happy Friday Friends!

In My Kitchen

Who: 4 Hour Recipes blog

What: Green Curry Chicken and Vege

When: last night

Where: our kitchen table

Why: once again I am seeking to reduce our intake of refined white flour and sugars- so we have cut our most grains from our diet- the question there for is what do we replace it with? Not even necessarily a dietary concern- we don't need to replace rice for a full plate- but texturally and taste wise we have come to expect something to eat with curry!

How:

1 package baby corn
1 can bamboo shoots
a handful of chopped coriander leaves
2 cloves garlic- minced
1 bell pepper- julienned
2-4 tablespoons green curry paste (depending on taste)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice from 1 lime
riceaflower (stay tuned to find out what this is-life changing!)
2 chicken breasts diced into 1" cubes

1. heat olive oil and cook chicken and remove chicken from pan

2.  add veggies to the same pan and cook veggies until tender

3. add chicken back into the pan with veggies, add curry paste

4. stir in coconut milk and heat through, letting the coconut milk and curry paste blend thoroughly

5. mix in lime juice and coriander leaves

6. serve over riceaflower

   Now at this point you are probably wondering what on earth is riceaflower? All riceaflower is is cooked cauliflower coarsely mashed to the consistency of rice- rocket science this is not! We do not have a microwave so all we do is steam a head of cauliflower and then with a potatoes masher mash the steamed cauliflower to desired constancy. This is an excellent replacement for rice and one my taste buds really love!

The Cove

    One of our all time favourite places to visit in Vancouver is Deep Cove- a cute little enclave at the far end of North Vancouver- small but packed with personality. Of course there is our go to spot- Honey's Donuts- the best donuts ever- they only come in three flavours chocolate, maple and plain- baked on site- when they are sold out they are sold out for the day! Honey's also makes a great breakfast sandwich and a mean latte! 

      Once you have had your fill of goodies at Honey's you can either take a leisurely stroll down to the harbour and sit in the sun- watching your kids precariously balance on the big rocks like, explore the beach for tiny baby crabs or hit the hiking trails for a great day hike on part of the Baden Powell Trail. Let's not forget to mention one of my all time favourite shops- Room 6 which is just a few doors down from Honey's- full of treasures and a small, well curated collection of beautiful clothing.

       To me Deep Cove is what a small west Coast town should be outstanding natural beauty to be found- surrounded by mountains, eagles and filled with boats- this place is a post card. Even though it is now technically on the edge of a large city Deep Cove has managed to retain it's small town charm- a large park anchors the town and provides plenty of picnic spots as well as a fun playground- the Littles give it two thumbs up!

      I think what appeals to me about Deep Cove is that it is so similar to Peachland where my sister and I grew up. There is one main street in Deep Cove- ditto Peachland, a great pebbled beach- same as in Peachland, and I could compare Room 6 to my favourite shop in Peachland- Dragon Fly and Amber Gallery. Above all though it is the feeling of comfort that both towns have- they are quiet, they are beautiful, they are quirky. Perhaps this is why I feel so at home in Deep Cove!

Treasures From the Beach

        Of course I could not come back from the beach on Sunday empty handed- much to the Mr.s dismay he noticed me gathering bits and pieces of driftwood and tucking them into the beach basket. Turns out Ambleside Park is a great beach for collecting driftwood- the clean, sun bleached variety- perfect for making beachy crafts!

    Now I don't really go in for "theamed" decorating but do admit to a sort of costal vibe going on in our apartment- there are large jars with shells, beach glass and shells as well as a stash of larger sized driftwood out on the deck. Perfectly smoothed ocean rocks are also brought home on a regular basis- so it is more of a natural evolution that our home is taking on this beachy look.

     The smaller bits of driftwood found their way onto an old picture frame- I may get a mirror to put in it- to add a bit of reflective light to our hallway. And those rocks? Turns out they look a bit like eggs! I had a bunch of dried grape vines hanging around and so I turned them into this oversized bird's nest- a celebration of Spring!

Over The Bridge to Ambleside

       We live in such a beautiful place- it doesn't say "Beautiful British Columbia" on our licence plates for nothing! So when the incessant rain finally broke and Sunday dawned clear and bright yet cold we bundled up and hit the beach- there was no way we were missing out on this fantastic and dry day! We headed over the Lion's Gate Bridge to a beach we don't normally go to but thought we would check it out- Ambleside Park in West Vancouver.

       Our first true beach day of March if you want to get technical our first true beach day of 2013! I know we hit Spanish Banks a few weeks back but the sun yesterday made this beach day feel like warmer days are on their way.

       The Littles were happy to just run- Miss Lo got to dig which is all she ever wants to do and The Boy got to fly his new kite- from Momo and Poppa on his birthday. Momma and Daddy were happy just to have the sun on our faces and a blanket to sit on!

      As the days are getting longer our thoughts turn back outside- camping, gardening, the beach, biking and hiking- this is going to be a good summer! We have one more amazing day it looks like today before the rains return for the rest of the week- we are headed outside- and yes the dishes are being left piled high in the sink- they can wait for a rainy day!

Sewing For The Boy

   When it comes to Momma made garments my boys usually get the short end of the bargain- it is true Miss Lo gets the majority of my home sewn goodies. I'm not going to lie but girls clothing is just so much more inspiring for me to work on- the colours, shapes and the patterns themselves- also to be fair Miss Lo has already developed a flair for fashion which is really fun to play with! The Boy however usually wrecks his clothes- he is a boy after all and plays super hard- and he also doesn't really care much what he has on his body- yes both children are shaping up into typical gender stereo types.

    I do have a favourite pattern for The Boy- since he really is growing so rapidly- a size 8 all ready! The item we run out of the most is pants- and by run out of I mean outgrow! Oliver & S Sandbox Pants pattern is the perfect boy's pants pattern for a kid on the grow. This is a very easy to follow pattern and simple enough that it is not frustrating to make multiple pairs. This pair sewn from organic chambray fabric- left over from my own dress last fall- is a super soft and versatile pant that can be worn anywhere- so comfortable they are now called "relaxing pants".

    This kiddo is always on the move and these pants are perfect for what I refer to as his "lifestyle" you know one that involves hanging out at the top of the play structure, running and often falling, climbing rocks and wrestling with his sister. These pants offer ease of movement and have great pockets for carrying Lego mini figures as well as other important treasures! The best part of all is that if The Boy happens to trash his pants- for example pop a seam which often happens- they are super easy to fix!

    Friends it is Friday again- thank goodness! I know I have been trying not to complain about the weather but this rain is ridiculous this week- 100mm yesterday alone! So if you are in Vancouver I suggest tucking in someplace dry- like the movie theater! Happy Friday Friends- Lots of love!