Bolerama!

We did it!  After talking about it and looking for the past 2 years, we bought our Boler.  The first step to our dream of driving across the country and relocating to Nova Scotia is a reality.

Although I love the look of the original 13' Bolers, realistically it just doesn't work for a family of 5 plus 2 dogs.  We were looking for a 17' model, which seem to be harder to come by.  Finally we found one, and the same owner had it and took great care of it for the past 15 years.

I love that it is still in its original state - a blank slate for me to redecorate!!  I've already started assembling paint colors and fabrics.  I want it to be a fun, colorful space that includes handmade quilts and pillows.  Here is what I'm thinking so far:

1) I'm thinking of a light green for the cabinets, I want something light and bright, but not white.

Source

2)  Love the colors in these fabrics - Flutter by The Quilted Fish.  I want to ask each of the grandmothers to make a quilt, and then I'll make one for the top bunk.  I think it would be so neat to have 3 quilts of similar palette, made by 3 different people, each with their own touch and style.

Source

3) Then for the extras - lights, chalkboard paint on the fridge, maybe some cork board on a door or cabinet to post notes, pictures, etc, a fabric bunting, the ideas are endless.  I can't wait to get started.

Source - includes a tutorial on how to make.

Source - I love the feel of this camper

 Let the fun begin!  We've already sat out in it to eat supper and snacks a few times, I can't wait for the first camping trip, hopefully we can fit in 1 or 2 before the big road trip!

Why GAPS Diet

I started this post thinking it would be a general post on the GAPS Diet including links to my favorite (so far) recipes and websites and a general overview.  However as I started writing I realized that I needed to break this up into a few posts.  So I'm starting at the beginning, as it should be...

Ever since having children I have struggled to keep my psoriasis under control.  Before children I just had very mild spots on my elbows - after children I have been increasingly covered on my arms, legs, chest, and patches on my face.

Elbows on Day 39

In addition to not feeling confident wearing short sleeves, shorts, skirts, etc it is really itchy and uncomfortable.  In the past I have tried topical creams, phototherapy, and anything else my dermatologist recommended - short of drugs.  The problem was none of them cleared it up completely, and I wasn't really comfortable with the options, both for myself and also my babies since I have also been breastfeeding during this period.

Legs on Day 39

Although Western Medicine doesn't readily recognize that many illnesses can be healed through diet, I have always believed that diet has to have a huge influence on one's overall health (you are what you eat after all), and that many of us have a problem digesting the foods in a typical North American diet (namely sugar and wheat).

So on that note, on April 17th I went to visit my Naturopath at Sage Clinic who I had seen when I was pregnant with William.  I anticipated what she was going to say, so I had been mentally preparing myself for a radical diet change.  And, not to disappoint, she recommended that I go on the GAPS Diet.

GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, and is essentially a sugar-free, grain-free, limited dairy diet that is related to Specific Carbohydrate Diet, helping to heal various gut disorders, among other ailments.  A number of individuals have also had success with it healing eczema and psoriasis.

Coincidentially (or maybe not as is often the case), I had been following Rachel Wolf's blog Clean for a while, and had read a number of her posts about being on the GAPS Diet.  So I left the naturopath's office and went home that night to begin researching, and then jumped in and started it 3 days later (I don't recommend that... planning truly is key to this... live and learn).

I meant to take before pictures, and here I am 40 days in and just getting around to it. 

In the next couple of GAPS related posts I will talk about how the first 40 days has gone, and include info on my diet/meal planning and some links to my favorite resources.

Music to her ears...

I was at Canadian Tire getting a few things on Saturday with all 3 littles.  Davin says "Mom, listen to that music!"  I didn't hear anything aside from the typical low music played in stores.  A few minutes later:

Davin: "Do you hear that?"

Me: "Hear what?"

Davin: "The way the cart bumps over the lines on the floor, it sounds like a drumbeat.  And do you hear your shoes?"

Me: "Oh, I didn't realize I was scuffing my feet.  I should stop that."

Davin: "No mommy, your shoes sound like cymbals.  Here the drums and cymbals together? It sounds like music!"

I dearly hope she can always hear the music in the mundane.

(I) May Catch Up!

We finally have Spring in Vancouver!


Not related to post, but so stinkin' cute!
Taken over Easter in his outfit from Nana

 How has it been almost 2 months since I last posted?!? I have had lots of things to post about, but sadly can't get my act together enough to take any pictures.  There were:

- Easter packages to nieces and nephews which included little felt chicks and beeswax candles along with a homemade card.

- Board books for birthday gifts to Charlie and Anya

- a lunch bag and cosmetic case for a sister's birthday

- another Milo vest (this one for Davin - hopefully I will actually get a picture of this one!)

We've had a busy Spring with LOTS going on including:

- planting our first vegetable garden. We've started small, just going with tomatoes, peas, carrots, sunflowers, adn a few herbs. I'm so excited to see how it goes.

- I started on the GAPS diet, which truly deserves a post of its own. So much to learn, so much time in the kitchen trying to get organized, so much more meal planning until we get into a bit of a groove.

- William is 8 months old (what?1? how did that happen?). He is a happy easygoing little guy who we all adore. Cutting some teeth and trying really hard to talk and walk when he is not eating everything under the sun - look out world!

- The other night Davin staged an impromtu photo shoot and then wanted to send the pictures to grandparents and friends wishing them a Happy Mother's Day, which we did:

The girls are stuck to each other like glue these days, playing together all day, for the most part pretty peacefully.  I hope their close relationship continues as they get older, it is so sweet to see.

Hopefully now that I've actually posted something it will spur me on to become somewhat consistent again... no promises!

At Play

The girls spend a lot time playing with little people acting out different stories these days, which I love listening to. Over the course of the day we will find various groupings of toys, like this...

and this...

and this...

They have so much fun playing together, and it is so neat to see their imaginations and creative play come out.  Recently our broom was stuck upsidedown between couch cushions and made into the sail of a ship and the short dividing wall between our porch and living room was Davin's horse.

The Eiffel Tower

Davin's best friend (or her twin as she likes to refer to her) turned 5 last week and had a french themed birthday.  She loves Paris and the Eiffel Tower.  In coming up with a gift idea we decided to go with it and made her a shirt with an Eiffel Tower applique. 

I just bought a plain shirt at H&M, and then got an image of the Eiffel Tower online, using scraps to attach.  If I had more time I would have hand stitched it on, but time was at a premium, so I used the machine.

It turned out pretty cute, and the birthday girl seemed impressed that she had an Eiffel Tower shirt.

Mmmmm... bagels

After seeing these on Feather + Anchor a couple of months ago I had to give them a try, a recipe for homemade bagels, and it was really easy and yum, yum.  The recipe only made 8, and they were slightly on the small side, so the 2nd time around I doubled the recipe but only made 12 bagels, so they are nice and substantial. 

Miren was really into helping me mix and knead, and then Davin helped to shape them and take them off the baking sheet when they were done.

The only other modification was to the flour, I used about 60% whole wheat bread flour and 40% unbleached white flour.  Here is my version:

INGREDIENTS

3 cups lukewarm water

2 packets active dry yeast (not quick-rising)

7 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons salt

7 to 7 1/2 cups flour

(I used 4 cups of whole wheat bread flour &

3 cups of unbleached white flour)

1. Pour 1/2 cup of the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir with a fork, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so that the yeast can thoroughly dissolve.
2. Combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups of water and the dissolved yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the sugar, then stir in the salt. Add 4 cups of the flour and stir by hand for 100 strokes to blend well.
3. Stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, to make a dough that’s firm enough to knead.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it with floured hands for about 10 minutes, using as much of the remaining flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. When fully kneaded, the dough will be firm but supple and should hold the imprint of your hand.
5. Transfer the dough to an oiled glass or ceramic bowl, turning it a few times to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
6. When the dough is ready, punch it down. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it for 1 minute. Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 6 equal pieces.
7. Shape the 12 pieces into balls, placing them on a floured work counter and dusting the tops with flour. Let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then flatten them slightly with your fingers.
8. Fill a large soup pot about two thirds with water. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and begin heating the water to bring it to a boil.
9. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, press your floured thumb down through the center to make a hole. Stretch the dough slightly so the hole is about 1 inch in diameter. It will look like a doughnut. Set the bagels aside on a floured surface, covering them loosely with plastic wrap or waxed paper.
10. Let the bagels rest for 10 minutes while the water comes to a full boil. Meanwhile, grease a large baking sheet and set it aside. Heat the oven to 400°.
11. Working with the first bagels you shaped, gently drop 2 into the boiling water. They should float, but don’t worry if they sink initially – they’ll quickly rise to the surface. Boil the bagels for 30 seconds on one side, then carefully turn them with a long-handled, slotted spoon and boil them for another 30 seconds on the other side.
12. Using your slotted spoon, transfer the bagels to a clean tea towel to drain. Wait a few seconds, then transfer them to the baking sheet, leaving space between them. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
13. Bake the bagels on the center oven rack until they are deep golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes. Then transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool. Makes 12 large bagels or 16 small bagels.

Enjoy!!  I certainly did, with lots of peanut butter dripping onto my plate... mmmmmm....