Stress Less

Source: yourfaves.net via Nadine on Pinterest

What do you do to Stress Less?

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

A staple on Sunday mornings at our house are apple cinnamon pancakes. I had Swiss Apple Pancakes on a trip to Banff, loved them and thought... I can totally make my own apple pancakes! 

Here is a recipe for our Apple Cinnamon Pancakes.

Apples

1 large apple peeled & diced

cinnamon (as little or as much as you like, we love cinnamon so we put quite a bit)

1 Tbsp or brown sugar

1Tbsp of margarine or butter

Place all ingredients into pot, stirring occasionally and cook until apples are tender.

Set aside.

Cinnamon Batter

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup soy milk (any milk can be used)

2 Tbsp oil

1 egg

Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl.

Add wet ingredients and stir. There will be lumps and that is okay. You don't want to over stir. 

Set aside for a few minutes so batter can do whatever batter does. 

(I just laughed out loud pretty hard right there. Clearly I am not a trained chef.)

Add apples, stir.

(The apples, sugar & butter made a syrup of sorts... add this as well- delicious!)

Heat grill or pan, add margarine or butter.

Drop batter onto grill in small thin pancakes.

Cook until golden brown.

 Serve & Enjoy!

gushing gratitude

We celebrated Victoria Day this past weekend, Monday was a holiday, Cory had the day off and it was beautiful. I found myself sitting on the couch last night with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. The weather was amazing, we made no plans but decided to just go with the flow and we ended up filling our days with random, simple, joyful activities. Wonderful.

I am grateful for an extra day together without work.

I am grateful for sleeping in.

I am grateful for sunshine.

I am grateful for 2 hours to myself on Saturday and 2 more on Sunday while Cory & Anna did their thing.

I am grateful for a new bird feeder outside the living room window.

I am grateful for gardening.

I am grateful for our first trip to the farmers market since last summer.

I am grateful for fresh vegetables and the best tzatziki I have ever tasted.

I am grateful for Sunday breakfasts.

I am grateful for Anna singing to us.

I am grateful for trips to Ikea.

I am grateful for the joy found in a balloon.

I am grateful for the Balloon Man and his childlike spirit.

I am grateful for movie nights after Anna goes to bed.

I am grateful for BBQ'd hot dogs and corn.

I am grateful for lunch on a patio.

I am grateful for Max & Ruby on my phone and popcorn in hats.

I am grateful for deep fried pickles. 

I am grateful for the park.

I am grateful for summer drinks from Starbucks.

I am grateful for how excited Anna gets when she gets her very own Starbucks drink.

I am grateful for bug spray. 

I am grateful for strawberry sundaes.

A Story

My heart was full of love and awe last night while laying in bed with Anna reading stories. She asked me if I wanted to hear her dream and of course I did. She told me her wonderful story and I then repeated it back to her to make sure I remembered the details. I also wanted to mention here that the name Alex keeps coming up in her stories and in her pretend play, I find it absolutely fascinating! (she doesn't know any Alex's & I can't think of one on TV)

Anna's story:

Once upon a time there was a dragon.
His name is Alex.
He went Rawr!
Rawr!
There was a big storm.
A puppy came and took me away.
The dragon went home to his family.

The end.

Lift Me Up Thursday Re-post

Needing to hear this these days...

Source: bowsandbooze.tumblr.com via Nadine on Pinterest

Join me for a Card Class

Card Class at Treasured Memories

Thursday, May 30

6:00pm - 8:30pm

$38

Anna @ 30 months

Loves the park.

Sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star all day.

Loves her baby! do not leave home without it

Counts to 12 (still has trouble with #5).

Loves to run and tell me how fast she is.

Almost always has a smile across her face.

Loves babies.

Dislikes getting ready for bath time.

However... loves to bath.

Loves Little Einsteins on Disney Junior.

Loves freezies and popsicles.

Loves to craft and cut up paper.

Asks if I'm upset and then says she knows how to make me feel better and then she sings.

  She truly amazes me.

Loves to find shapes and a triangle is her favourite.

Would live outside if I let her.

Asks so many questions... so many questions. Is deep in the "why" phase.

Tells me to go faster when I take her on my runs.

Loves french fries!

Is so proud to tell me she is a big girl. 

Tells me "It's a beautiful/nice day outside everyday."

I could take a lesson from her and how she sees the world.

Is wearing a toddle size 5 pants and shirt... and even then sometimes the shirts are too small.

Is getting so big.

Loves our cats!

Uses the back step as a stage and "performs" for me.

Casts spells with her magic wand and is beyond excited when her abracadabra turns me into a puppy.

Loves to dance.

Says please, thank you & bless you almost always.

Constantly tells us she loves us.

We love you more than words my sweet girl.

xoxo