tired!

I'm just tired.. maybe it's the grey skies but I have a feeling that it's constantly trying to fit everyone into one day.

I didn't sign up for such a complicated life.. No one prepares you for the worst when you are young.. you think that you married life will be just as great as your parents and that your spouse, as wonderful as they are, is always going to be one step ahead and do what you need to get done before you have to ask.

I didn't sign up for food allergies. I don't understand how a world that has so many different food allergy is so complicated to navigate through! I'm tired of people not understanding that some days I just want to be left alone so I can let my mind wander and not go through the gazillion things that needs to be done.

I just want to pick up my little family move away to some safe haven where no one can get hurt or sick or depress.. Close out the world and it's technology and rest for a while .......................


Hopefully, I will get out of this funk soon.

Love,

MommaBear

Inspiration

I love facebook.. I'm addicted to it.. I love having that fly on the wall aspect of dear friends and family.

One of my good friend, someone that always had the right words when you come to see her for advise posted this on as her status:

Don't be afraid if things seem difficult in the beginning. That's only the initial impression. The important thing is not to retreat; you have to master yourself."
Olga Korbut
Olympic Gold Medallist Gymnast

I thought that is so perfect for what my life has become.. the whys have almost all disappeared and have been replaced with what can I do.. Hence why most of my friends think I'm insane when I tell them that my children are dairy and gluten free.. Yes, it hard work. Yes, I wish for the simple life but you know once you start you can only go forward and the changes in my children are worth it. I've actually decided to apply the same principal to my own life..by taking care of my health, I hope that find some more balance...... but I know a secret...... If you believe it will happen. It might be though at first but it will come and yesterday will always seem easier than today no matter what your life circumstances are.

So on that, I bid you goodnight.

Take care
MommaBear

Canadian Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger root
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 12 boneless skinless chicken drumstick

Directions

1. Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Place chicken thighs in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag.
3. Add marinade and seal bag.
4. Turn bag several times to coat chicken.
5. Marinade overnight.
6. Preheat grill to medium.
7. Grill for about 15 min turning occasionally.

Strawberry Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

These muffins smell and taste like summer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use Bob's RedMill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour)
  
• 1 cup rolled oats ( I use CreamHill Estate Oats)
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup light canola oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
  
• 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line 12 muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, canola oil and sugar. Mix in strawberries. Stir strawberry mixture into oat mixture just until evenly moist. Spoon into prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Makes 12 small muffins.

Quinoa Soup with Avocado and Corn

You'll be surprise at how amazingly quick this soup is made and oh so filling!

Ingredients:

1L Imagine Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup chunky salsa, to taste
1 ripe avocado, diced
Salt

1. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-high, and continue boiling, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the corn and salsa, then return to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the avocado.

Serves 4 large bowls. :)

Basic Pancake Recipe

2 eggs
2 cups milk (rice, almond, soy or dairy)
1 cups Flour .. I use Bob's RedMills Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cup Oat, Quinoa Flakes, Flax Seeds, Grounded Nuts or Seeds or a combination
1/3 cup Canola Oil
2tsp baking powder

1 fruit (ie. apple, pear, plum) or 1 cup berries
1tsp of cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice,

Heat up frying pan
Mix all ingredients together

Add some olive oil
Add 1/4 cup of the batter
Cook until bubbles rises in pancake then flip.
Cook until Golden brown.

"God Only Gives You What You Can Handle"

Well tonight, I"m not in the best of mood. I found out that my parents were in a bus accident in Switzerland.. They've been enjoying (hopefully) themselves for the past week on this oversea trip.

Frantically, my aunt called me to give me the news and she felt so bad. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news. I called my little sister in case she knew anything, call my older sister and my brother so I could get them to give me the name of the agency they had dealt with.. My Internet for some reason had quit on me this morning.. I got the information spoke to a few people before being connected to my mom.. To my relief, they are safe, battered and bruise, but safe. And for this I am thankful.

Now, I'm left wondering what kind of support they will need when they get home. I'm a six hour drive and with two little kids that keep me extremely busy. So tonight, I'm wondering how come good people always have it the toughest! By now, we figured out that we can handle pretty much anything so why keep pushing it!

Just a thought!

I so wish I had the answer to why these things keep happening.

Take care,

MommaBear

Crockpot Chicken Potato Soup

As most parents, I'm always at the search for an easy quick meal to satisfy even the empties stomach.

Crockpot Chicken Potato Soup

1 carton of Imagine Chicken Broth
1 zucchini, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 bag of small potato, quartered
4 cooked chicken breast
2 tbsp of fresh thyme.

Put everything into the crock pot.. Cook at lowest setting for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve

add 1 tsp of dried oregano and on tbsp of chopped garlic.

Sneaky Shepherd Pie

This meal has been inspired by Missy Lapine cookbooks.. Sneaky Chef.

This shepherd pie did not last more than 2 days in our house and no one commented on the taste.

Sneaky Shepherd Pie.

Topping.

5-6 potatoes
1 head of cauliflower.
1 cup of reserved water
2TBSP of oil (my favourite is PC's Omega Oil)

Cover vegetable with water. Bring to a boil. Once cook, keep one cup of liquid, drain and mash together with oil and water.

Middle

1 bag of frozen corn

Bottom

2lbs of ground meat
2 small portabello mushrooms.
1 cup of cooked quinoa

Cook meat until no longer pink. Add mushroom. Cook until soft.. blend in Quinoa.

Cooking instructions:

Preheat oven at 350

In a 13x9 pan
Layer meat mixture at the bottom
Cover with Corn.
Cover with mashed potato mixture.
Cover pan and cook for 35 min.

Donating Blood

Here are my reason why I donate blood:

1. My children
2. My daughter, she needed IVIG to recover from Encephalitis
3. My father in law, who required blood transfusions before passing away
4. My family
5. J and E, children my daughter's age, who need monthly IVIG to combat their illness/conditions.
6. M and E who had a stroke and needed it.
7. Cancer patients that has required it.
8. You will never feel as good as you do after you donate blood.
9. M and J who need it after being hit by vehicles.
10. Someone needs blood every 3 seconds
11. 60% of the population will need blood at some time in their lives
12. Just one donation, to save up to three lives!

This is beside the fact that I am O negative, universal donor, and my blood type is the most sought after.

Good Night,
Take care,

MommaBear

Hard times

Every parents of children with acquired brain injury have some aspect that are harder to deal with than others.

I can handle most of my daughter's day to day things. The emotional outburst can be testing some times especially when I've had a hard and/or testing day.

Yesterday, we had her three month follow up with her neurologist and then came the news that we had Botox to do once again. This is the third time. I was prepared for that what I wasn't prepared for was that she would be getting the injections in her calves as well as her hamstring.. The hamstring was a given because her posture is not quite there yet but the calves was my big surprise. Her walking as come a long way but they explained to me that the red marks on her feet wasn't because she was more active it was because the increased tone was creeping back and she wasn't walking heel toes like we do.. She's walking toe heel which create more resistance again the straps of her braces.. So my daughter has six injections and she screamed for all of them. I tried to comfort her the best I could but we needed to get this done.. I feel for her every time and that is my "don't you know she has brain injury" reminder. Every single time, I break down but this one I have no one to bail me out.. So I swallow my tears and paste this great big smile on my face and offer my daughter and helium balloon that gives her great pleasure..because I don't want her to feel that this is a bad thing... It's not but it's sure is hard for a parent to say that this isn't a big deal.. Because it is it's a reminder that she went through so much and has more to come.

The doctor says " You have an amazing little girl and I'm not just saying that". This neurologist was who treated her when we first arrive in March of 2009 and still didn't know what the road ahead would be like.. I wonder if she says this to all the parents. I mean everyone in their own way is amazing. I really don't know what to make of why this doctor needs to reiterate this at every visit. My daughter is a real miracle of life, one that when against all odd and keeps going. She's a happy child even though she's going through a lot and has been through a lot.

On the way home, the heaven cried hard for me.. So hard that I couldn't even see out my windshield. Maybe even God is sadden by what this small child has been through.

Take Care,

MommaBear