Amazing Adventure- Rattlesnake Point and Soupy Sunday Finish

Today I want to share how awesome my Sunday was. It was actually much more than our hiking adventure and delicious soup. It started with a great power workout in the morning, followed by a delicious brunch with my parents. Love them so!  Then the 'serious' stuff started.

Before my daughter and I left for our hike, I put all the ingredients for this incredibly delicious Stuffed Pepper soup in my crockpot and ran to the hills. (recipe at bottom).

My daughter wanted to go for a hike to a place she'd never been...in the snow... in winter, Sigh!

So I say, 'anything to support my daughter's healthy living efforts', and we headed off to Milton to Rattlesnake Point. I remember this place way back in high school when my friend Janice and I would hike through the hills with our headbands, lip smackers and leg warmers... this time though, my daughter and I had the right equipment and spirit.



See, there was lots of snow, but it was patted down and fairly easy to hike on.

Look below this incredible selfie (LOL), we are up high on the mountain (ok, escarpment).

We read that this park was established in 1964 and the proof is carved into the rock.

Look at the gorgeous Melanie just looking out over the escarpment. The sun was amazing with just a little wind blowing. I captured the essence of her joy and excitement at trying something new and exploring the world around her. I LOVE this picture!

Interesting wooden tee pees.

Looking over the escarpment...

... and looking up at the cliffs, we saw some people climbing with their mountain climbing gear- just like my brother used to do.  I am so grateful for my beautiful daughter. I would not have gone out again after a big, sweaty gym workout in the morning, but she pushed me to try something new and it was amazing!

And now the Soupy Sunday part of this post.

Crockpot cooking is the best! After our hike, we came home and our dinner was ready!

I love sharing my Soupy Sunday recipes with you - especially when it's so effortless and really delicious. 

Here's the recipe.

Stuffed Pepper Soup (adapted from www.recipesthatcrock.com/slow-cooker-stuffed-pepper-soup/)

INGREDIENTS

1lb lean ground beef

1 diced onion

1 diced clove garlic

28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice  

2 chopped green peppers

1 chopped red pepper

4 cups low-sodium beef broth

½ T dried basil

½ T dried oregano

½ t paprika

½ t dried chili flakes

Salt and Pepper

2 cups cooked rice

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown beef with onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Drain fat from beef and place in crockpot. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Meanwhile cook some rice. When ready to serve, put some cooked rice at the bottom of the bowl and spoon soup over.

Amazing Adventure - Family Day

I hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day/Family Day weekend!  Today I want to share with you some of the Amazing Adventures my daughter and I had on Family Day (Valentine's Day recap to come soon).

If you recall, when I started my healthy journey a few year's back,  I would go on these fun outdoor treks with my daughter. I called them Amazing Adventures.  Well, it is with great pleasure that I share with you the latest installment in this series. This time- Frozen Lake Edition.

We were meeting my sister for a Family Day Café a little later, so we thought we would take advantage of the fact that it wasn't -35 with the windchill and go for a walk by the lake before our date.

We went downtown Oakville, 'the bottom of Navy' park we call it, but it turns out it has a name- The 'Homecoming' Trail. 

We were totally frozen, but had so much fun feeling the wind on our face, the air in our lungs, the frigid cold on our legs... we were giddy with excitement!  Couldn't believe the Canada Geese, mallards and loons all bathing in the water as if it was nothing!

Just check out Melanie's broadcast debut, Australian Outback accent and all, reporting on the Frozen Canadian waters and the fowl that inhabit it without any issue!

Well enough of the cold Canadian wildlife, this bunch of Canadian girls- warm toques and all- was ready for another Canadian favourite....

That's right! Warm coffee with lots of milk and hearts on top.... aka- latte time!  

Hope you were all able to spend the weekend with the special people in your life and share amazing adventures or quiet times with the ones you love!

Ikea Dreaming with my Daughter

Today is my little girl's birthday, so I thought I would share with you how my little girl is growing up. I absolutely love Ikea. Since I was a little girl heading off to University (way back in 1986), it's always been a symbol of fresh new beginnings for me. And this time Melanie and I were on a mission to get her a desk chair.... but we made a few stops along the way through the fantasy dreamland of 'pretend' rooms all over the top floor before we had to go to the big warehouse and pick out her pink chair.

This is my little baby pretending that she is in her own apartment- student, studying and loving the white and red... funny thing about the drapes. In my University Bed, I had a duvet cover exactly like those.

This is me pretending to visit my daughter at University and siting on the L part of her coach (don't get this couch-the back is too low).

 This is Melanie pretending to be in her condo, once she graduates and has a real grown up job. Notice the soft drink in this picture too. Relaxing at her big table in her fluffy dining chairs.

 ... and here is the other side of her condo, with the couch and TV of course.

 This is real nice, notice the soft drink again... this could be another condo moment... I love that black and white flower print.... I think it would look nice in my little house.

 Look at this room, full of dots and stripes, bold in deed and the soft drink... of course.

 This would be her room when she's in her condo... we love the LOVE heart with arms! And look Mom... no soft drink!  I just love dreaming at Ikea ... and even better when Melanie comes with me and plays 'imagine if' with me!

Before and After- Girl day shopping trip

So, how much fun is our life now.... Mother and daughter are now going to the mall. In fact, it's now an adventure. The main reason is that I have the energy to walk around and love window shopping and besides... it's training for Disney World.

We start with a fresh and fashiony lipstick smile... and then, after going into a million stores with Mella, from nice smelling stores like our favourite Bath & Body Works and Body Shop to Mella's favourite American Eagle and Aeropostale and my favourite purse/accessory stores... I then realize my feet start to hurt, so we sit down for a non-fat Yogen Fruz with raspberries and kiwi... then it hits me as I look down at my watch- we have been walking around for 3 hours... then I decide, it's officail, it's time to go home!

Then we come home, completely exhausted and wear our favourite hoodies to warm up and cozie up.

We pose for Daddy and show him our 'fashion show'.

Ok, then we lose our minds from exhaustion and use the symbols of 'peace' and 'loser' to let our photographer 'Daddy' know how we feel! What an adventure!

P.S. Notice the beautiful light shinning on us... that is the sun shinning on us from the front window of our house.

Best Easter Weekend Ever- Part 2

Even though Melanie told me she doesn't believe in the Easter Bunny anymore, she told me that she wanted to have an Easter Egg hunt, little did she know what we had planned for her. The best hunt of her young life.We were planning a summer vacation - maybe Quebec we were thinking, then I worked out the financial details and found that we could go to Disney World for just a few couple hundred dollars more.... We would drive down in the summertime for a week. Melanie had no clue... so when I got wind of a sale on the Meal Plan at Disney World and with the advice of friends who had already been there, I booked a Disney World Resort all-inclusive vacation for the last week of August which happens to be Melanie's birthday week.  I was dying to tell her, and when would be the best time... well, on one of my shopping trips to Walmart I found a beautiful Minnie Mouse watch- I decided I would hide it in a big egg and that she would figure it out and then freak out... Well I never expected to see such love!

Brent hid a series of eggs with clues.

Each clue had a Disney hint... but Melanie had no idea.

Clue 1 and 2 about Adventure and Aristocats.

Clue 1- basement.

Clue 2- in the cat bed.

Clue 3 and 4 about a Mouse and Mighty Ducks.

Clue 3- under the sink.

Clue 4- on the bench.

Clue 5 and 6 about Yoda and the Wicked Witch.

Clue 5- on top of the Star Wars Movies.

Clue 6- in front of the mirror.

Here is Clue 7... the watch in the big egg... making all her wishes come true.

But the best thing ever was when Melanie found the egg and the watch.... opened the special package and her reaction made all of us cry, including herself. Watch for yourself and see if you can keep a dry eye.

It was the best reaction of absolute love and appreciation. Melanie's wish has come true. She is going to Disney World.

Amazing Adventure- Coronation Park in Oakville

How can it be 17 degrees one day and then -4 degrees the next???? Welcome to our Southern Ontario March 2012 Weather!
Melanie and I enjoyed a beautiful adventure at one of our favourite parks in Oakville- Coronation Park on one of these hot days. The sun was blazing and Melanie was so excited to go she packed up all her summer favourites.

Look Ma, no coats! And check out Melanie's new chapeau!

Beautiful sky and this giant tree.

Melanie and the beach...oh this is gonna be so nice in the summer!

See the sunshine hitting my face? Colour me bright, shinny and happy!

Melanie walking the big flat rock beach.

Looking for fishes.

Melanie just loves to climp the rocks.

Ah, such peaceful beauty and calm.

Those Oakvillians are serious! Do not feed the gooses! Or you may have to pay a $5000 fine, what???

Look at the view from this new bench, the sky was really that blue!

Come closer and look at this awesome, artistic display of rock sculpture, how cool eh?

And look at this one too?

I can't get enough of posing with my beautiful daughter, it's so funny, Melanie gets tired of me always taking pictures... but I tell her, 'I am gonna make you a star one day'!

Melanie's Swan, we called it!

Cute daughter moment: Melanie was so excited for this adventure, she wrote a list on her hand and then packed an Easter basket with an apple each, a homemade oatmeal raisin cookie each and a bottle of water each.  In her beach bag was a giant beach ball, sunscreen and a skipping rope. Such a cutie!

The Canada Geese were having a great day too! They were slowly crossing the road...

Making their way to the Fire Station to say hi to the cute fire fighters, no doubt!