Once we returned from our trip the light in Cordi’s eyes just went dull. It was time for antibiotics We had taken her to the doctor the previous week, and had hoped that since the fluid was leaking out of her ear (talk about ew grossness) that the infection was going to clear up on its own. He had prescribed an antibiotic in case, thankfully.

Since fluid is evil we had an opportunity to try out the HydraSense® Nasal Aspirator we received through Mom Central. Cordi was so stuffed up, we use the system repeatedly. It was amazing! We have tried the bulb based nasal aspirators with our other two and had little success. We were able to clear Cordi right out and she was able to breathe easier.

It is a little odd to place one end in your baby’s nose and the other end in your mouth. However the filters prevent any of their booger ending up in your mouth and in return you can suck a good amount out as you inhale.

Seriously if you baby or toddler is stuffed up and having trouble breathing you have to try this! Right now HydraSense is having a promotion that includes a free Welcome kit!

Now that Cordi has been on antibiotics for a week she is so so much better. I so hate to put a kid on drugs if it can be avoided, unfortunately this time we had to do it.

She has cut three teeth this week and is up on her knees, daring herself to take that next step to crawling!

Or is there?

Lately I find myself thinking a lot, yet never taking action.

So I have decided to stop thinking.

hehe

So the sweet folks at Harper Collins sent me this delightful book by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel, called The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship. I am still uncertain if I like the narrative style of telling the story through letters. The back and forth sends my head a little dizzy. Especially since I am reading in spurts, while nursing or right before bed. In this book I found it difficult to know which was which girl at first as the characters (being best friends) were very similar.

However once the story got rolling I found myself determined to find out whatever happened to Lilly and Val’s friendship to cause it to end. What an amazing thought to have a childhood friend throughout your life time.

The concept of sending and receiving recipes through correspondence got me all excited. So I am going to *try* to send a favourite recipe with every card or letter I send. The novel set in the 60’s and 70’s had the girl’s sending many more letters than one does in the modern era. If I was extremely organized I would attach a recipe to every personal email! What a treat eh? But I am not that organized!

As the story progresses the recipes that the girls shared are in the book as well, with their personal touches and unique names for the recipes reflecting the events in their lives. I had thought it would be cool to whip up one or two of the recipes to include in this post but alas that was when I was thinking too much and not doing too much.

I really enjoyed the story … so much so I want to pass it on. If you want to win a copy of The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship, leave a comment stating your favourite recipe to make (you do not have to write it out just the name!)

At the beginning of this month I had set three goals:

1. Go to bed earlier.
2. No snacks after 7pm.
3. Exercise Daily.

I am totally stoked to have achieved all three goals!

I tried to go to sleep by 9:30 pm, however that really is just too early. So by 10 pm I am in bed, usually reading.

Twice we have had popcorn watching a movie this month. Besides that no pop or snacks after 7pm.

I have succeeded in exercising everyday except when I was vomiting. Some days I went for a walk outside, other days I ran on the treadmill or went for a swim.

To celebrate I am giving away a copy of “The Make Today Matter Makeover” by Brook Noel. The book totally fits into all that I am attempting to achieve. I have really enjoyed the authors approach and tone in the book. The book is full of mini-makeovers that are broken down into small achievable goals. I have been slowly making my way through the personality quizzes that Noel has set up to illuminate where my passion lies and how to take the next step. Which brings me to February’s goals. Now that I am exercising everyday I need to take the next step. So following Noel’s book and checking out her example online, I designed a simple food diary to keep track of what I eat, how I exercise and how I am feeling.

This month’s goals:

1. Keep a food diary.
2. Give up drinking milk (I love milk and this so sucks)
3. Add a morning exercise to my routine.
4. Run a minimum of 9 km a week (3x 3 km)

Meanwhile I am going to continue working through the mini-makeover in Brook Noel’s book, “The Make Today Matter Makeover“.

Are you trying to achieve some goals? Losing weight? Fitness goals? Financial goals?

Tell me about it in the comments and I will select one random commenter to receive a copy of Brook Noel’s book!

Over Christmas, I read The Glass Room by Simon Mawer, sent to me from BlueDot Literary. I could not put the book down. I so love a book at has intriguing characters! I was constantly longing for another opportunity to read more, to see what these people would do next.

The story itself starts off in Europe in the 1920’s, a newlywed couple plan to build their dream home. As the story unfolds the house and its’ glass room begins to symbolize so much of their lives. This was the second book I read that surrounded itself around WWII (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which also rocked my reader world).

The couple’s world begins to unravel by the Nazi regime beginning to gain power and by their own tragic flaws. Neither one of them can stay faithful to other and their acceptance of this fact threw me for a loop! Yet through great descriptive prose, Mawer allowed me to visualize the glass room and the characters lives.

Have you read any good books lately?

I wanted to feel as happy as I should. I was sent a copy of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin to review just before Christmas, so I started reading it in hopes it would give me some motivation.

I wondered as I began what I, a stay at home mom living in Canada, would have in common with a well-to-do writer living in New York City. I was amazed to discover a lot and not so much. However I have really connected with The Happiness Project.

In the last week changed my approach so much that it freaks me out a little. My husband seems happier, my kids are happier … I feel happier. I wonder now how J & the kids were putting up with me before I put the effort in.

Gretchen Rubin takes a scientific/research approach to figure out her Happiness Project . Seriously, this woman reads A LOT. That really clicked with my psychology background, and I was thrilled with all the stats in this book. I enjoyed how all the happiness studies, books, memoir’s and personal reflections she gathered fit together. Somehow, the author pulled off being scientific and emotionally raw and exposed at the same time (and still kept my attention, whereas most “Self-help” books do not).

Seriously if you are feeling off track, like you are going through the motions and not experiencing the happiness that surrounds you, go get this book. The Happiness Project. I cannot proclaim that it has all the solutions, however Grechen Ruben has collected up some amazing ideas, tools and ways to get your happiness back.

Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project is divided into 12 months, in which each month she focused on one of her resolutions. In honour of this, since I feel so inspired by the book, I am taking a similar approach the my New Year’s resolutions.

This month I am starting to change my lifestyle. I am not satisfied with my body, I need more energy to tackle my life everyday and I want to feel good about myself again. One aspect that Gretchen Rubin writes about that I particularly connected with was chart-keeping. A way to give myself a check or “gold star” for doing what I set out to do. There was a Simpson’s episode once where Lisa, proclaimed “GRADE ME GRADE ME GRADE ME GRADE ME GRADE ME”. Sure it would be grand if I did not need that external gratification, that I could make a goal and keep it for internal motivations only. But that is not me.

Give me a grade.

So I am going to chart three things in January (and beyond but this is where I start until it is a habit).

1. Go to bed earlier.
2. No snacks after 7pm.
3. Exercise Daily.

I cannot express how empowered and happy I feel making this decision, planning it, and doing it.  As I learned in Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project, studies show that the process of achieving the goal is part of the happiness. I never really got that before.

So not only did Gretchen Rubin write an amazing book about achieving happiness, she maintains a blog that is fabulous. I have subscribed, knowing it will help me stay on track. Be sure to check out both the blog and the book … seriously.

What are your resolutions this year?  Do you have your own happiness project?

I had a slight diversion though! I received a copy of The Last Days of the Lacuna Cabal by Sean Dixon (Canadian author!) I put down the Harry Potter book and dove into the novel. Then I had some trouble. You know how some books are easy to fall into. You curl up in bed and from page one you cannot put it down. Then there are the books that are meatier and demand that you read a good chuck before being completely involved into the story.

The Last Days of the Lacuna Cabal took some time to fall into, however the end result was so worth it. I cannot go into too much details or I would ruin the story for you. However I can tell you I so want to join a young woman’s book club now! hehe

The story is unique, challenging yet fun to read. Different from anything else I have ever read, which makes its appeal much stronger. It is a book about the love of books and friendship. It is odd though, so you have to be up for a challenge and willing to open your mind to the story.

What if you had to be depended on to matter? If you were childless or anyone else who loved you or needed you, you were “dispensable”. Being dispensable meant that you were at a predetermined age, removed from society and placed in The Unit, where you could serve your society through participating in research and donating your organs.

Ninni Holmquist explore these what if’s in her novel, “The Unit“. When I started the book, I wasn’t sure I would really get into the story. The main character wasn’t someone I normally connect with, yet as the story progressed I was engrossed in the story and the characters. The story set in the future, reflects the possibilities of our future when we are complacent and apathetic when it comes to our politics in our country. Allowing laws to be placed upon us, slip by us quietly that could change our society completely. I certainly would not want my opportunity to stay at home with my children to be taken from me by my government.

The novel gave me so much to think about. Particularly of the aging population, what defines value in a human being and politics as it raw and dirtiest. Ninni Holmquist is Swedish author, this is her first novel in English. It was a unique experience for me to read and international author in this way. It really demonstrates how the human plight is universal. I totally enjoyed The Unit by Ninni Holmquist, especially since it pushed me out of my book reading comfort zone.

Have you read a good book lately?

I received a copy of “A Girl’s Guide to Modern Philosophy” by Charlotte Greig a few weeks ago from BlueDot Literary. As I started reading, I was instantly swept back to my university days. The author captures the emotions and state of being perfectly. The main character, Susannah reminded me in a small way of the fictional character Bridget Jones (also a cool read btw). Pathetically this is in part the lingo as the story is set in England, in the 70’s. Never the less, Susannah grows and slowly begins to understand herself using master philosopher’s as her guide to enlightenment.

It is always wonderful to be captured by a strong, intelligent female character. Reliving those painful days of self discovery and tough, life altering decision was a great escape. Becoming reacquainted with philosophy, having only brushed on it in university was actually fun, rather than painful as it was back then.

Once I finished the book, I sat back and sighed, totally so grateful to have grown beyond that awkwardness of youth. Being that the story is set in the 70’s, gender issues of that time were also hit upon in the story making it even more fun to read.

I look forward to future titles by Charlotte Greig. Make sure to check out “A Girl’s Guide to Modern Philosphy” this summer!

It was so awesome to go back to UC Baby and see our little bean again. Thankfully she totally flipped and is no longer in breech position. J and the kids were totally into watching our little baby inside me! So precious!

I wrote an article on the experience for Being Savvy Halifax if you want to read more about it.

The following is a little clip of the video that we got to keep! It isn’t the greatest clip and may not even be the best parts of the DVD, but I didn’t have time to convert, slash, cut and edit so this will have to do. It will definitely give you an idea of what we saw!

Thanks for sharing in this experience with us. Having this baby is so exciting for our family and having you all as a part of it just makes it uber special!

I am still learning. I enjoy cooking now. Although I have to admit I enjoy cooking the most when I am alone, not in a hurry and I can just enjoy the process. Yet there are plenty of times J & I have cooked together and had a blast.

We have company coming this week and I am at such a loss as to what to cook. I got some great suggestions on Facebook and Twitter when I made a plea for help. I also looked at a really cool cookbook Sourcebooks sent me recently.

The Military Wives Cookbook by Carolyn Quick Tillery is so retro cool. It has some awesome recipes in it, that could feed an army Or at least take along to an army picnic! The cookbook is broken down into sections like Teas and Coffees, Buffets Brunches and Lunches to International cooking and Holidays.

My absolute favourite section is the Teas and Coffee section. I am so having a Garden Tea Party this spring or summer! Really it will be a playdate, but I am going to serve my moms  some cucumber sandwiches, Tea Garden Spinach and Strawberry Salad with some Lemon Meringue Pie…. mmmmm. Doesn’t that sound divine? Where did all these wonderful traditions disappear to? How does on not have afternoon tea with their dearest friends while their children romp?

The cookbook also has some amazing stories, letters and history intertwined in the recipes. The vintage photographs are so beautiful. I am determined to be a better cook some day

Do you love to cook? Loath to cook? Where do you find inspiration?