Simple Cauliflower Dill Salad (with a bit of olive oil & lemon)

I've been thinking lately about shaking up our family diet to include some new recipes. We have our old favorites, but over the long winter that routine has gone stale. Knowing that the farmers markets are starting to open up gives me great motivation to start cooking with fresh, healthy ingredients. With the longer days upon us, I'll actually have time to make decent meals before the sun sets. The Cauliflower Dill Salad I made tonight will be part of tomorrows supper. It's a very easy side, just a cut up head of cauliflower, lemon juice, some fresh dill and a tablespoon of olive oil. I love using a LOT of dill. My mom grew it for years. The smell is one of my favorites. Shake it up and leave to marinate overnight. That's my kind of recipe.

There are a couple of downsides to eating healthy. The time investment and planning it takes to make a meal out of fresh ingredients can be challenging for busy families (which are all families). A shopping list must be directly based on a set weekly meal plan that works for the time you have to prep and cook. Some weeks that works, and others end up with a crisper full of expired food. Honestly, what puts me off even more than the planning is the price. It's shocking how much money a cart full of fruit and veggies costs vs. pre-packaged carbs and sugars. I picked up produce for the week today and the bill was $50. Yikes! That amount of money would keep us in mac and cheese for months! It makes me think that eating healthy is a privileged choice - unless of course you have a green thumb and some good land to grow your own garden. That's another topic entirely (and one I am completely under qualified to comment on).

How do you make the most out of your fruits and veggies? Where do you usually shop in the spring and summer months. or do you grow your own? Cooking has never been my specialty, but a girl can change - right? 

It's an extra long (and rainy) weekend for us here in Canada. A few drops won't melt us, we're just happy the snow has finally stopped falling. It finally looks, feels and smells like the spring we know and love. Here are a few pictures from our day at the park.

notes on the day :

Luke and Eve are so sweet together, today especially. I ate a delicious garden burger with sprouts and hummus (my favorite condiment). I also tried Stevia for the first time and did not like it AT ALL. Winnie the Pooh is named after Winnipeg. Eve thought the boy with the boot fountain was peeing. The little blue bird flew off the trees above and briefly sat on the coffee cup in my hand! Then he tried to sit in Todds palm. What a forward bird! We were so happy to see the little shed cottage in the English garden has been re-built. I was so sad to find it had burned down last year, and this was a nice surprise.

Here it is, the final post of our trip to Nevada/Arizona. I suppose I didn't know what to expect of the Grand Canyon. Seeing as it's one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, I knew we were in for an experience. The truth is, these photos just can't capture the awe inspiring views of the canyons south rim. It is an incredible place that must be seen to be believed. 

Have you been to the Grand Canyon? What was your experience? 

This week my lovely friends Elsie & Emma released A Beautiful Mess App. It's a pretty exciting new venture for them. I had a chance to review the app while the kids reviewed some rock candy and licorice, a nice touch. While candy isn't part of the .99 itunes purchase, it's still a pretty sweet app. The image styling enjoyed by readers of the award winning blog A Beautiful Mess is at your fingertips, ready to be added to your own iphone, pad or pod photos. Doodles, borders, handwritten messages, and fonts are easy to rotate, re size and color for a new look each time. Many of us use our Instagram feeds as a form of digital scrapbooking. This app takes it one step further, creating layouts for your Instagram feed or personal blog in a snap! Several in app purchases give you the option to expand your catalog of embellishments, and there is plenty of room for new additions. This app plays well with other photo editing apps too.

I'm so happy for Elsie & Emma. Check out A Beautiful Mess app and their blog today.

Eve Moon turned two and I created a Paper Moon themed birthday party for her. We had homemade lemon & butter cream crescent moon cake, strung silver balloons and paper moon garland (with moon flowers). I hand cut gold and silver paper crowns, and took family portraits in front of a full paper moon. It was a fairly simple theme, but everyone seemed to really enjoy it and we were left with some creative family portraits to make into a book for Eve to remember it by. After all, two means she's officially a toddler now! 

Paper Moon Garland

I used a die cut circle punch (found at a scrap booking shop) to cut circles from gold and silver card stock  By placing the circles back in the punch half way, I was able to make perfect crescent moons. The left over petal shapes created the moon flowers which I spaced between alternating gold and silver moons. Each shape was punched with a hole, and strung together with crochet yarn. 

Paper Crowns

These cute crowns are simple to make, and as you probably guessed just take a pair of sharp scissors. I made a one-size fits all crown by cutting standard 8 1/2" x 10" card stock in half lengthwise, doubling up, cutting long thin spires, and taping together. They lasted the entire party, and the next day too when some of our littlest party guests were seen still wearing them.

Paper Moon Portrait Backdrop

A black sheet doubled up, or a black wall will do. This is an incredibly simple set up that gave a very dramatic result. The full moon was cut from poster board and hung from fishing line. I used an old steamer trunk and sheepskin for a classic portrait bench that provided enough seating for full families. Natural light from the side (never make your subjects face the strongest light source) provided a flattering environment for portraits. Use a camera tripod so that all your images are taken from a consistent distance and angle. Provide suitable props to lighten the mood, and allow your subjects to show their personalities.

I've been doing some re-arranging around the house lately, and need a large print for the living room wall. The Animal Print Shop caught my eye first for their sweet portraits of rescued baby animals, but then for their majestic images of full grown wild and wonderful creatures. I'm particularly fond of the American Bison. Its profile reminds me of the time my family and I drove through the Black Hills and encountered a full grown bison walking down the highway, alongside traffic. As we passed it slowly, its big red eye looked into mine just an arms reach away through the car window. I imagine this will be the closest I will ever be to these giant creatures again, and I'm happy for it. The people in the next car gave it a slap on the rump and just missed a powerful kick.

Explore the possibilities of this wild and wonderful portrait series at The Animal Print Shop.

Her special day is here, Eve Moon turns two! The birthday party is on the weekend so today we're just trying to make her feel extra loved - showing her what being the birthday girl is all about. Two is a wonderful age, and we're ready for it! Happy Birthday my beautiful girl!

Every family has their simple traditions. Todd makes pancakes almost every Sunday. Blueberry, banana, apple cinnamon. My dad always does Sunday breakfasts too, so it's a tradition I'm glad we can carry on for our kids. Times like this are important to remember. They're a recipe for a happy family.

This weekend was one of the funnest and longest ones we've had for a while. We packed in two out of town trips, the first garage sale of the season, trying out a new breakfast spot, building a bookshelf, sorting through our entire library of kids books, working for hours to clean up the back yard, a game of street hockey, walking to the carnival, a hair cut, and a bbq with family and friends. I woke up this morning feeling like the luckiest person. The sun is shining bright, and it's going to be another full day. Here are a few photos I took at the carnival Saturday evening.

Sometimes the places between destinations can be just as worthy of appreciation. The windows of the tour bus we traveled in were large, and although I had to harass the guy in front of me not to pull the shade down (like - I made a big stink about it actually) I managed to get a few worthwhile photos while in transit. It was a 5 hour drive each way so we saw a lot of this desert vista. In the Canadian prairies our road trips run through flat farmlands. I found the change to bramble and dust quite beautiful. If you like this kind of view, there are quite a few lots for sale, and even more trailers to park on it. I never saw a living soul the whole time though.

Maybe just driving through is best . . .

Listen. I told you I took almost 700 pictures during our last trip to Nevada (and briefly Arizona) and I plan on sharing them - damn it! And just like the days of old, I will sit you down and show you the slideshow of us touring the Hoover Dam. And just like the many who have come before you, you politely won't tell me they are boring. But, let's face it. It's pretty boring unless you're right there looking at it. Even then, I was only mildly impressed, but I guess the only other dam I've seen is the Lockport dam just outside of Winnipeg. It's not as big.

Since I can't see you, you don't have to feel bad about sneaking out of the room on this one. But if you took the time to read this, I'll point your attention the beautiful Colorado river. It's quite a majestic view isn't it? Todd and I stopped at the dam on the way to the Grand Canyon. Our tour driver said to get a "Clickity Clack, Kodak Moment, BACK ON THE BUS!" So that's what this is. Some of it, taken while still on the bus. That's how it goes with tours. Always on someone else's schedule. And so, this post is dedicated to our brief moment with the Hoover Damn in Nevada, USA.

Now, "BACK ON THE BUS!!!"

Eve Moon, my bohemian babe.

This weekend was nice. It was the first couple of days where we didn't need more than a sweater to step outside. Anxious to get rid of some of the winter clutter, I started packing away the hats, mitts and scarves. The second Eve sees accessories, she immediately hits dress up mode. Today's ensemble includes a Mexican cotton tunic, denim leggings, a shawl sweater, a snake snap bracelet from Luke's room, a slouchy knit hat, a metalic scarf made by my aunt, and a pair of thrifted handmade moccasins. At first I wasn't getting her accessory vibe, but after taking a closer look at these photos, I totally see where she was going with this. Note the matching green snake with the embroidered top, and how seamlessly the copper tones of the scarf compliment her cardigan. Clearly a bohemian fashionista like Blossom or Punky Brewser.

I loved Punky Brewser when I was a little girl. I thought she was the coolest, and if you were an 80's child, you probably did too. The character also made me love and wish for freckles, which I do have, but not in the cute Punky way. I used to add a few extra ones in with eyeliner pencil ( thinking I was fooling everyone ). The actresses name is Soleil Moon Frye - and I have to tell you, that definitely influenced Eve's middle name choice. I always thought that was the coolest middle name ever. I hope one day she can appreciate my choice for her, and not think her mom was a hippie nutter.

There are a lot of feed reader options out there. I love using them to follow my favorite blogs because it's quick, and I never miss a thing. On my laptop I use Bloglovin, which is simple and easy to use. You can follow this blog right HERE. Most of the time though, I use my ipad mini to read blogs, and my favorite ap for this is Flipboard. HERE is the Lune Blog feed for that (fantastic) ap. This ap makes your blogs into magazine formats with flip-able pages. When I switched over to this new platform from blogger, my feed was interrupted and hasn't corrected itself until now - but it seems like our photos are starting so show up (yay). 

Recently Flipboard introduced magazines, where readers can collect articles into themed collections. I recently started one entitled Kidgloves which is filling up with activity ideas for my little ones to do this summer. You can subscribe to Kidgloves HERE. Try out this ap, I really love it. 

What is your favorite feed reader or way to keep up with the blogs you love to read?

Last time I created StickyGrams they were for us, but this time around I made a set for my Mom to add to her Mothers Day gift. My mom isn't on Instagram herself, so she never sees these photos. I think she'll really like these 9 tiny candid pictures of Luke and Eve. We both have a thing about not putting anything on our fridges, but I easily made an exception with StickyGram , and I know she will too.

I've received two sets so far and can say they're of great quality, come packaged with care, and ship quickly (and free internationally - a rare treat). Order now for Mothers Day and use the code MOMGRAMS at checkout to receive a 3 for 2 deal. That's a lot of happy little memories to give to a mom or two, including yourself. I can't wait until my mom sees what's in that little envelope!

Tomorrow Todd and I have a pretty great date night lined up. He bought me tickets to see Leonard Cohen for our anniversary. Cohen is such an amazing Canadian artist. His voice sends shivers through your soul. I've loved his voice since I was introduced to his music through the soundtrack to Natural Born Killers (Tarintino / 1994). The song on that album is Waiting for the Miracle. I've been a fan ever since, and I'm so glad I will have the chance to hear him sing live, his voice to my ears.

Here's the audio for Waiting for the Miracle. Just click  to play.

"Porcupine Can Read" was recently featured on Disneybaby.com

Well, it's has been a nice start to a brand new week. The snow is melting again (for the last time I hope) and I'm definitely in the mood for spring cleaning. We're getting Eve Moon's room ready for a real bed. Yep, it's time to pack that crib away for the last time. While I'm kind of sad to see that day approaching, I'm also excited for her to enjoy her room in a new way. Artwork is so important to incorporate into a child's space. We started to hang some colorful prints this weekend. The first to find a spot right in the reading corner were gifted to us by talented artist Jane Heinrichs. It was very serendipitous that Jane chose Lighting the Sky for us. It's a whimsical image of a little brunette girl filling the moonlit sky with stars with the help of her friend giraffe. Eve's very favorite stuffie is a musical giraffe named Raffi. She's never without him at bedtime. I hope her dreams look just like this magical watercolor. I'm happy to introduce you to Jane!

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Detail of "Elephants Can Fly"

It took me a while but I finally got around to photographing a wonderful article I had the pleasure of writing for Somerset Life magazine, published Autumn 2012. This was a fun article to write. I was given the topic of what blogging has meant to me and asked to write in an anecdotal fashion. To find inspiration for the piece, I selected a collection of favorite  photos. From there, the article wrote itself. We were all pretty thrilled when we received our copy in the mail. Photos of roasting marshmallows in the summertime, picking crayfish claws off the beach, visiting the snake pits, Eve's first birthday, our beloved Eggie, and images of the Wardrobe Room which inspired me to reminisce about my Uncle who passed away around this time last year. Just one article, but such a precious collection of memories. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have them bound and published in such a beautiful magazine. Blogging here has been, and continues to be such a fulfilling experience. I can't imagine being without it.

Here are some snapshots of the article found in the Autumn 2012 issue of Somerset Life magazine. It is available online and at most books stores, including McNally Robinson in Winnipeg.

The lobby eagle in century old Bright Angel Lodge.

Hello, I'm back to share a few more photos of our super short but very fun trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona this March. The south rim viewpoint of the Grand Canyon offers views which are hard to explain but also have some fascinating century old buildings to explore. We didn't have enough time to look around as much as I would have liked. Being part of a tour group puts a real cramp in my style. On the up side, I saw enough to know that I'd love to return here and stay in one of the Bright Angel Lodge cabins ($83 - $188 per night), or in El Tovar which sits just 20 feet from the edge of the Canyon. Sunrise to sunset, it would make for a pretty magical getaway ($180 - $440 per night / book well in advance). Just don't go for a walk in the middle of the night unless you can see VERY well in the dark - it's a 4,000 foot drop! 

The El Tovar hotel is rumored to be haunted. I don't actually believe in ghosts or an afterlife but I am a big fan of creepy stories. Old places like these always have some great folklore surrounding them, don't they? Imagination is a powerful thing, especially in a place full of twisted old trees, building ruins, century old architectural details and unique decor like the original wooden eagle pictured above in the Bright Angel Lobby. I felt a little chill looking at the photos of Harvey Girls, the ultra prim and starched hostesses of El Tovar who made a very civilized impression on patrons over one hundred years ago.

I hope you enjoyed seeing more of this place through my lens. Give it a like to let me know you enjoyed it (at the bottom right of this post). - Jill

The Hopi House, Grand Canyon South Rim, March 2013

You may have noticed that I have an affinity for indigenous art and handcrafts. It seems like anywhere we go, I'm able to scout some out. Well, it took a five and half hour trip outside of Vegas right into Arizona, but we discovered a seriously beautiful collection of handcrafts in the century old Hopi House Gallery. A 100 year old gift shop, yes please.

inside

The intricately loomed rugs were my favorite finds in the Hopi House Gallery. Some were partially completed and still on the rustic loom to exhibit the countless hours it takes to create them. I loved the pottery too and found a piece which looked very similar to a pot I inherited from my Aunt. Seeing how expensive it was, I'll be treating it with even more respect from now on (well out of reach of little hands). I'm always very nervous to take photos inside of gift shops because having worked in one, I know that's usually frowned upon. This was such a cool spot though, I somewhat covertly snapped a few shots to share here. I hope you enjoy them. The next time we visit, I hope I'll have enough savings to buy a rug instead of the loomed coaster we took home with us!

1. baseball raglan / Sevenly  2. handmade leather Swedish rucksack / Nordicart  3. romper 4. skirt 5. Saltwater sandals / Tea Collection 

The temperatures are rising (very slowly here, although many of you have enjoyed it for a few weeks now). I'm sorting through Eve's wardrobe for the coming spring/summer season. We picked up a few cute cotton summer dresses while in Mexico this winter, and I've been thrifting vintage pieces here and there. Two is such a fun age for fashion. Eve LOVES to play dress up and isn't very picky so I'm still free to choose for her. Tea Collection has Saltwater sandals in a few really nice colors and a a whole new selection of rompers, skirts, dresses and shorts for girls and boys. I'm definitely getting Eve that romper and those Saltwaters (spoiled kid).

Recently I was excited to see one of my favorite charity fashion shops Sevenly is offering a kids and babies line. Each week a new set of designs is featured to raise funds for a different charity. It's kind of exciting to see what designs/charity will be featured each week, and feels special when you get it because each design is of such limited availability. Plus, I've bought 3 of the women's styles and the quality and fit is the best. Huge fan here.

Click the shop links under the photo to take a look. Lune is an affiliate for both Sevenly and Tea Collection so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission. Thank you for using my "special" links ;-)