Chi-chi-chi-chia!!!

There are many things that make me happy....chia pudding parfaits are one of them.

You know those chia pets back in the day..turns out those seeds for actually beneficial for our health..and also that when you add them to a liquid substance they get all gel-like...

I`m so not the measuring type.  So, basically, I threw in, like, maybe half a cup of chia seeds to 2 cups of coconut milk.  That`s a total guess.  Then I threw in some honey, and cinnamon.  I got out a nice fancy glass, threw in some bananas with the pudding and topped it off with some dark chocolate covered cacao nibs.  Basically, my new love.

Okay, let`s be honest here...there is NO WAY I served this delicious treat to my kids in this glass.  Nope, they got some hearty plastic while I felt all classy with my wine glass.

The Sandwich-less Life

I don't know about you, but as a mom of three small kids, sandwiches make my life so much easier.  I mean,  what is your childhood without PB & Js??  Don't know what to make for lunch?  Use bread.  Need a snack? Use bread.

However, a few weeks ago I gave up bread.  Wheat gives me some awful migraines, and I have given it up off and on over the years, but it always woos me back, much to my regret.  I'm really trying to break up with wheat longterm this time.  And while my kids still eat bread, i'm trying to reduce the amount they are eating.

So what's a woman to do without her go-to sandwiches?  Enter, the sprouted corn-wrap.  I LOVE these things.  You can put anything on them.  Today, I decided for a mexican flavor:

Salsa, avocados and yellow peppers.  Yummy!  you could use whatever you wanted on these.  I find these wraps in the frozen health food sections in grocery stores.   This is a nice, quick and healthy meal that is easy to assemble when you have three kids all screaming sweetly calling for your attention at once.

A Perfect Winter Day...

Winter has been wearing on me.  I want to feel the sunshine.  I want to make sun tea.  I want to walk out back and feel the grass on my feet.  I want to stop wearing socks.

However, every once in awhile, God blesses us with a perfect winter day.  The type where you can't help but be in awe of His creation.  The way the snow sits just perfectly on everything it touches...

Not only did the snow look gorgeous, but we caught a glimpse of some young Amish boys out for an early morning ride.  The way they live so simply is inspiring.

Days like this make winter actually enjoyable.  But...I'm still eager for Spring's arrival! :)

Raw Vegan Steamer

So, ever since I discovered that hot chocolate I wrote about in my last post, I've been drinking it...a lot.  Today, the desire to have one was strong.  So imagine my heart shattering into a million pieces on the floor when I discovered I was out of cocoa.

Of course, I decided that my husband coming home to a wife going ballistic over being all out of cocoa might fall into the category of "irrational anger" so I decided to calm myself down and figure something else out.  (It was the kids' lucky day - they were out at a friend's house while their mama was having a serious chocolate withdrawal. ;) )

I came up with this:  A nice raw vegan coconut milk steamer.

COMFORT IN A GLASS!

RAW VEGAN COCONUT MILK STEAMER

1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

6 dates

dash of cinnamon

dash of vanilla

Stir this baby up in the blender.  If you have a vitamix you can warm it up right in the blender.  If not, warm it up any way that suits your fancy!

Raw Vegan Hot Chocolate

My family and I, we've managed to make it through January without getting the "blues". And we've made it half way through February.  But, the winter blues have finally gotten a hold of us in the Carew household.

Any of you who struggle with this know that our kids depend on us to keep going, even if we feel like crawling into bed for the rest of the day. There is a chance my kids could struggle with the winter blues one day, and I want to teach them to try and not let it get the best of them.  So, when I woke up this morning feeling "blah", i let myself lay on the living room floor for 15 minutes, and then I made myself get up, take a shower, and attempt to be a good mom today. :)  I managed to be successful, setting up some painting with the kids, and spending a lot of time in the kitchen making delicious, healthy and yummy food.

Of course, when you are feeling down, a little chocolate is always a good thing! I made sure to make some raw vegan hot chocolate.  This was AMAZING!  My kids loved it! :)

Raw Vegan Hot Chocolate

2 cups homemade coconut milk

5 dried dates

a sprinkle of cinnamon

a dash of vanilla

2 TBSP of unsweetened cocoa

Throw it in the blender, let it do it's thing.  

This is where i learned that the Vitamix was the best purchase ever and totally worth the money.  I didn't have to heat up this hot chocolate on the stove.  I let it run a few minutes in the vitamix and it was nice and warm from all that blending.  I love my vitamix almost as much as I love the man who gave it to me. :)

And yes, i've discovered how to make my own homemade coconut milk...just dried coconut and hot water,and a nut bag or cheesecloth to strain it.  Who knew it was so easy?  

Okay, i've got to end this post because if i stay on this page much longer i am going to want to make myself this hot chocolate again, and i'd like to try and wait at least until tomorrow for another mugful. ;)

  

Priorities in my Life...

It's been so long since I've blogged.  And while I have been away from posting, I've spent time reflecting on why I have not been here.

Truth is, I love blogging.  I love to sit here and write out my thoughts.  I love to talk about food, and life, and God,  and family.  I love that I can come here and just be "me".  My own little place on the internet.  But, the other side of the coin is that I am a busy mom with three children.  And they are growing up so fast.  They demand a lot out of me right now, but soon enough they won't want to be with their mom all the time. So I want to enjoy this time as much as I can.  I don't think when I get older I will ever say "I wish I spent more time on the internet" but I may say "I wish I spent more time with my family."

What I've noticed since having three kids is that I am SO much busier than before. Trying to homeschool, and nurse, and create memories, but alongside that it's also a balance of trying to make sure I focus on my marriage, and try and bond with friends somewhere in there.  Oh, and don't forget to squeeze in some sleep every once in a while! ;)

So, the bottom line is,I won't be here that often.  Not because it's not great, but right now there is something greater requiring my attention.  I will be writing here whenever it works.  No schedule, no plan, just a fun place to type up my ramblings whenever I feel like it.  Which I guess is the reason I started blogging anyways!

31 Day FAIL

So, if by chance you are still hanging around this blog, you would have noticed that I stopped blogging for the 31 days a bunch of days ago.

Yep.  There's a reason this post is titled "31 Day FAIL."

However, even though I failed at blogging for 31 days, I don't see it as failure.  When I started out attempting to take part in the 31 days, I was still shuffling back and forth in my mind into whether I wanted to run full force with a blog or not.  I didn't know if I wanted it to be a "job" for me.  I thought maybe I did.

Well, I discovered, I don't.  I prefer to blog for recreation.  I don't like the pressure on me to be blogging every day.

So, I will continue to blog.  But on my schedule.  Because frankly, I'm tired.  I'm busy with three beautiful munchkins, homeschooling, keeping up the house, being part of a church, crafting, and dreaming up some other future career ideas.  I will be here sharing as often as I am able, because let's be honest, I still have a lot to say. ;)

And for some very committed 31 Dayers, check out The Nester.