A.musing.mama! 5.0

Please tell me I'm not the only one...?

I think if it weren't for my dear husband who shoves breakfast in front of my bleary eyes each morning.. I would overlook feeding myself till fainting (or rage) struck me! ;o)

Sometimes I remember to graze off the kid's leftovers, you know.. still being the mama goat around here.

A.musing.mama,

Mel ;o)

You can find all the previous COMICS (that yes, I still sketch right from a pen!) here!

 

D.I.Y: hospitality.

 Well now that I said I was going to write this 'hospitality how-to's' post, it seems... silly.

Because really, what can I tell you that you don't already know?
Since basically this topic is just about inviting people IN to your world, and maybe even putting a warm meal in their belly.  That's not rocket science.

(So maybe, just maybe this post is for the young mothers out there who struggle with some of those issues that I mentioned previously).

Here's some helpful hints (from my own experience) about opening the chaos of your home, and sharing it with others:

*  Plan ahead.  Invite people over a week ahead of time.  Find out what food issues/allergies/intolerances they may have.  Choose the meal.  Make your grocery list.

*  Cook ahead.  (No, don't cook a head... gross).  But, if possible, get that meal started before the guests arrive.  I prefer to be able to visit with people when they show up.. vs. having to run around the kitchen (though sometimes it's required).  The best meals for this type of approach would be crock pot recipes, currys, soups, or casseroles.  These can be cooking or simmering as long as you want, without your constant attention.

* Involve the kids.  Yes, we want our family to enjoy having company!  If your kids just associate guests with 'Mom is on a cleaning-fuming-cooking-demanding rampage' it's probably not going to be their idea of a good time (or yours).  Just remember that your kids are more valuable than a perfectly clean house.  Anytime I get more concerned about my agenda than about involving the kids... I get angry.  I try to involve the kids by getting the oldest (4.5yrs) to help set the table/make the meal with me/craft some decorations even/or help feed the baby (6mos).  The little guy (2.5yrs) is his own mess maker, so I often have him up on a chair *pretending* to wash dishes.. (a.k.a...splash water everywhere).  Because inevitably, every.one.wants.to.be.in.the.kitchen despite it being the size of a broom closet!  ;o)

Even the baby.  She like to fuss and holler right at prime cooking time. (Don't all babies?).

So I usually have her in the portable rocker chair... so I can feed her, rock her with my foot and still do meal prep.  Go team!

Ok, that's just some basic reminders I'm sure.

The key for us mamas is that we remember it's not the success of the meal, the perfection of the home or the proper behaviour of our children that makes for 'good hospitality'.

Hospitality shines brightest from a home that reflects love.

Love that is authentic.  Love that opens it's door, it's table, it's heart to others.

Warmly,

Mel ;o) 

P.S... if you have any other hints or insights from your own experiences, I'd love to hear too!

 

confessions. hospitality 101.

 Confession:  I used to think that hospitality was on par with shoving burning splints under one's finger nails.  It's not that I didn't enjoy having people over... I did.  I just would get overwhelmed by the seemingly crushing ideals of what a hostess was supposed to be.

 ---

I used to think I had to be an amazing cook (or at least not break out in a cold sweat upon entering the kitchen).

It turns out there's this amazing device called the 'interwebs' whereby you can look up a recipe, find the most popular reviews, and cook without fear.

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I used to think the house had to be spotless.  You know, since most of us want the world to think we live in a magazine cut-out of the perfect home.

It turns out that the real mess is where authenticity and humility are best served.

---

I used to think I'm too busy to serve others... with the three toddlers underfoot.

It's true, it is busy, but it's worth teaching them the value of opening our home to others.

---

I used to think I had to be super social and not introverted as a hostess.

Hospitality is the perfect solution... bring people IN to the comfort of your own cave.

Being a good listener can far outweigh filling the space with your own banter.

---

I used to think it cost too much to entertain.  Thinking that our grocery budget could not bear the added strain of extra food/drink.

It turns out that you can serve simply when you need to.

A cup of water, instead of a fancy martini, still tastes sweet amongst friends.

---

Every week our home is filled with different wonderful souls.

There's tea times, play dates with kids, dinners, evening coffees, occasional campfires, etc.

 For this, we are blessed.

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It's only been during this past year that my head and heart have really embraced the beauty of hospitality.  Having shed the dusty notion from my mind that being 'stay-at-home' somehow meant 'cut off from everyone'.  Suddenly I've begun to see our home as the very ground of mission, the very spot from which I can serve and love others.  I still sometimes struggle with the above fears.  I still worry the meal will be a burnt offering.  The kids still go bat-crazy at 4:30.  I still wonder why on earth any one would want to step foot into our chaos some days...

...but they do.

And so, we learn the way of hospitality day by day.

Meal by meal.

It's not what we keep, but what we give, that fills our hearts.

Not what we hoard, but what we share, that fills our bellies.

You may recall the last post about hospitality,

quoting that 'love is an open door',

now I would add: love is an open table, too.

Serve up the feast!

Mel ;o)

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P.S - I plan to add a small sequel post to this called "hospitality how-to's"... stay tuned, friends.

 

 

tea.infused.shortbread

This is the summer of baking.. instead of bathing suits.

Cooler days invigorate me to crank on the oven.

You may recall that I like my baking to be 'stupid easy' and let me 'wing it' with extra ingredients.

Thus, a recipe like this is my kind of simple, sweet, fun.

A handsome baker guy I married told me about a trick of throwing tea grounds into my shortbread to enhance the flavour.  That's right, just empty a dry (unused) tea bag into the shortbread ingredients and roll out as usual.

Earl Grey Vanilla is a personal favourite.

In this pictures you'll see I used my other delight - Bengal Spice - which makes a hint of chai infused/gingerbread flavour.

Happy baking!

Mel ;o)

 

sweetness savou(red):

* a berry good time indeed *

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Happy Canada Day/Weekend fellow canucks! 

Mel ;o)

stop. chop. and roll.

Hey there friends,

It's been a while since I've done a quick *foodie* post - and today it's all about my favourite type of cuisine: THAI!

Back when my guy and I were young(er)... and had this crazy thing called 'disposable income' we used to eat out... like, a lot. But, the debate would always be about where to eat - because I constantly craved all things Thai, while Ben wanted a good pub meal of fish + chips.  Thankfully there's some awesome local restuarants that met both our palettes.

Anywho, now that we're old(er) and cheap(er)... we have to make the fine dining from home.

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So recently I decided to whip up some spring rolls for some friends and our family.

This is a bit *labour intensive* simply because it's a lot of fiddly work.

I like to have all the ingredients chopped and ready on one side, with my large fry pan filled with (sugar) water on the other.

1) Soak a piece of RICE paper in the water until it softens to the touch (like the consistency of a deflated slobbery balloon that your toddler lets off in your face...).

2) Slip a new sheet into the water to start softening while you make the current spring roll.

3) Place a small portion of your ingredients on the lower third of the rice paper - like so: 

(Ingredients seen here: basil leaf + red pepper + mango + cooked chicken).

4) Roll up bottom piece over the ingredients, then flip both of the side panels over the middle and roll them up nice and tight.

Serve fresh with a sweet chili sauce.

You can also pan fry (deep fry) them for an extra greasy treat.

What's your favourite cuisine?

Mel ;o)

 

...the real dirt:

I wonder, do you know that moment?

That moment when some one unexpectedly shows up at your door... and you look like a deer caught in the headlights?

You're wondering if you've even brushed your teeth yet today, while your eyes frantically comb the room for any signs of disorder that may appall your guest?  You've just lost your temper with the kids and everyone - including yourself - is about ready to wail again.

You're not feeling very hospitable.

You're feeling horrible.

 ----

I wonder, do you know that moment?

That moment when you've got the dishes and laundry put away.  You're actually dressed, and the kids are too.  The dinner is sweetly simmering, and you're all happily reading a book together on the couch...

... and you think: 'gosh, I hope some one drops by right now, and sees how wonderful our family is'!

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 So, I'm not sure about you, but I'm pretty sure most of us mamas struggle with balancing a home and being hospitable.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

Hospitality has become a big scary concept to many of us.

We assume it means: put on a good show.

As in, make Martha Stewart proud.  As in, have your home be the rival of any picture on Pinterest.  As in, be the smiling mom with serene children.

 We feel apologetic when people come over and see us caught in our mess.

"Sorry, it's not usually like this" and "I was just about to do those dishes" followed by "I haven't even washed my hair today".

Are we trying to convince everyone that we usually have it all together?

Are we trying to pretend that our kids are actually maids, and keep the house spotless?

Why do we all get so caught up in these ridiculous pressures to maintain the facade?

One word: pride.

Because pride is the real dirt.

Pride wants others to believe we have it all together.

If my house has to be spotless for you to visit - I'm showing the real dirt of pride - by trying to impress you with how clean I am.

How in control I am.

How 'not-a-mess' I am.

But humility is the best cleaning agent.

Humility says 'welcome, friend!'

I am what I am.

Our home is caught in the 'act' of life.

Life is messy and beauty-full.

Learn from our mistakes, learn from our dirty stains, I'm not here to lord over you.

Or, in the words of that movie we've all memorised:

"Love is an OPEN door".

Has love for others unlocked your doors?

Remember, most of us feel more at home in the chaos... because... it's real.

Mel ;o)

P.S: Dear local friends.. consider this your public invite/challenge to 'just show up' at my door for tea.  I really want to practice this humiliation humility posture.  Honestly, do it.

Yes?  Thanks!

silly salad.

You should be glad I don't own a cell phone.. because I would be all Instagram'n this stuff up in your face.

#homemadesaladcraziness.

#nobodyeatsthisbutme.

Yeah.  So after spending what felt like an eternity at the chopping board:
lettuce

avocados

cucumbers

hard boiled eggs

bacon

cheese

yellow pepper

...

I felt like I had created a masterpiece.

Which is rare, in the kitchen.

Because, usually 'salad' around here means throw a handful of croutons on lettuce and ceasar dressing.  Granted, the kids are big fans of taco salad... which I tried to pawn this meal off as:
"yeah, it's like your taco salad.. with eggs instead of nachos."

Three bites in and they weren't impressed.

So, as is often the case, I embrace my role as human goat and dig in.

Mel ;o)

 

cookies + chaos.

 

Well hey there friends,

here's a little dose of our daily reality for your reading pleasure.. or, something.

This wild little lass and I like to bake together on days we're feeling particularly house-bound (when she's not colouring up her masterpieces seen yesterday).  Like most activities 'pre'children - baking is now considered an extreme sport.  

So we strap on the cute aprons and dive in.

Melt butter.  Wait.. that's too melted.. now it's scalding lava splashing across the floor.  We'll use the kitchen as a slip n' slide for the day.

Get out the needed ingredients.  Keep daughter (who gyrates the entire day long) from falling off her chair.  Take a deep breathe and prepare to bake.

Wait.. now the baby (who is 'supposed' to be sleeping) has conveniently decided to start wailing.  Which wakes up older (2 yr old) brother from his nap.. more wailing!

Stomp upstairs, grab the boy.

Soothe the baby.

Go back to kitchen where daughter is whining her dismay at having to 'wait patiently'.

Chuck the ingredients quickly into a bowl before the next cycle of chaos hits.

Turn on the mixer.

Wait.. that noise sends the son into a fearful fit of shrieking (much like the vacuum... men's voices... and the fluttering of a bird's wing 10 miles away).

Heave son on to hip.. stomp back to the kitchen.

 

Wonder why you even opted to bake cookies in the first place.

Remember that the pay off of stuffing sweet therapy in to your mouth is only 10 minutes of baking away.  If we can make it that long.

Cream all the ingredients together.. throw a quick video on for the kids to distract from the noise of the mixer.. and now this ear worm of a Disney song is trapped in your head (again!).

For the sake of speed, drop huge spoonfuls of the cookie dough on to baking sheets.

Fight temptation to lock yourself in bathroom and eat the raw dough.

Realise you only have one baking sheet - and blame husband for likely leaving the others at church potlucks!

Hit the oven timer for 10 minutes and throw up your hands like a hog-tying cowboy.

Breathe.

Inhale the sweet smell of victory.

mmmMMMMMMmm... golden buttery chocolaty therapy for the senses.

Another sweet moment of creating and chaos in our nest.

It's how we roll.

Mel ;o)

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The recipe we used is found here.

7th heaven shortbread... as sweet as it sounds:

 Let's start the week off with a sweet note, shall we?

Yeah.. I know, I post a baking/food recipe about once a year (and for some reason it tends to be shortbreads)... but this is my mmmmmmmmarvelously delicious delight of late, so I'm sharing it.

I sure hope you're all done with the New Years diets, this treat is not for the calorie counting kind.  I wouldn't recommend it if your diabetic either... it's basically a mash up of all things sweet and sugary!

You may recall I like my recipes stupid easy and simple to execute, so you'll see why this recipe is a winner with me:

CRUST

1 cup flour

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup cold butter.

Stir flour with icing sugar, grate the cold butter in, blend together (I use my hands) and press in to a 9x9" baking dish.

This is your shortbread base.  Bake at 350. for 20mins... or until golden.  Let cool.

LAYERS

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup toffee bits/chips

1/2 cup white chips

1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Layer each of these over the shortbread base.  Then pour an even coat of Sweetened Condensed Milk(300ml) over the top.

Bake at 350. for another 20-30 mins.. until golden again!

Best if shared with friends.. over a tall glass of cold milk.

I tend to cut mine up in to bite size cubes and stick them in the freezer for a daily pop of sweetness!

Have a delicious day friends,

Mel ;o)

A.musing.mama! 2.3

This is the gauntlet phase of many a meal time around this nest.

I'm sure you've all had your experiences with the 'picky-eater-syndrome' too... yes?

It's enough to make you want to order a lifetime supply of mac + cheese just to avoid the daily crisis of getting each food group in their bellies.

Oh, but snacks... we are champion snackers around here!

I shouldn't whine about their pickiness really, since they do love snacking of fresh fruits and raw vegetables (while I hide in the kitchen to eat all my sugary treats).

But if any meal has the tiniest trace of mushrooms or onions in them (currently) then this girl will fly in to a fast fit to avoid one mouthful.

What meals do your kids cringe at?
Delight in?

Happy weekend'ing friends!

mama Mel ;o)

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Catch up on previous comics here.

poppin' in:

Annnnd, yes - we're still alive here!

Stuffing our faces with home-made kettle corn (recipe) while wandering the zoo today.

Those kids' faces crack me up, I think a monkey could be dancing an Irish jig while riding a parrot, and they'd still just be interested in that bag of popcorn!

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I just wanted to swoop in here and thank all of you for you sweet outpouring of congrats and kind words celebrating the wild news of our next wee progeny!  A new life is such a source of joy shared with others.  You guys are wonderful.  For real.

I hope the week is treating you well out there?

We're looking forward to a weekend of beauty weather, visiting family.. and eating my weight in fresh corn on the cob!

I think the seasons should be measured in food groups.. instead of weather.

There would be fresh berry season, corn season, maple syrup season... egg nog... you know, all those special treats you really only get to savour at one part of the year.

Gosh, it's tough being a 'foodie' when your baby belly says 'blech' to everything! Hah.

Have a tasty weekend friends!

Mel ;o)

 

here + there.

buddies + bruschetta.

caught berry red handed.

girls night + music fest.

jammin' uncle + dancin' Azriel.

family feasting + frisbee fun.

silent evening of sewing.

cafe date with my guys.

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Another week, another peek at some of the moments in/around our nest.

It's been a fun, full one had here!

Summer time is BBQ time with friends,

splashing in the kiddie pool,

sipping sweet drinks at cafes,

and all the usual things of family life too. 

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I've been almost giddy with this glorious cooler spell of weather we've had here.

The necessity for layers just thrills my soul!

Even while at a concert with my gal pals to hear this guy... we were desperate for the warmth of a hot chocolate - so I disappeared for five days just to find us all one!  (Food lines at free outdoor concerts are a lesson in patience).

 The rest of the holiday weekend was spent with family and church friends, and having beautifully synchronised huge naps with the kids... love that!

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I haven't been feeling really *creative* lately - which for me, is like totally crazy.  I think working part time and filling the other days with every thing else has tapped that energy out a bit.

So just sitting for a session of sewing the other night was a fun boost.

I feel like I need to just keep sewing light, loose skirts...

... cuz, um... I feel really *pudgy* lately.

Like, suddenly all my cavalier snacking sessions and lack of any real 'cardio' has caught up with me.  I really wish I was pregnant.. just so I could blame this 6months gut on something other than me!  (Yeah, I'm not, thanks).

So anyway, there's my little girly-self-loathing-body-shaming morsel for you.. I'm not often focused on such a superficial concern, but I really just want my clothes to fit properly again!

Somebody hold me accountable to pass on the chocolate!

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Ok, that's where my head is at lately...

How's yours spinning out there?

Mel ;o)

berry sweet...

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Oh, the sweet satisfying sip and slurp of strawberry summer!

Do you go berry picking at this time of year?

merry berry mama,

Mel ;o)