Did I Really Let Nearly Two Years Go By?

Squish finished of Grade 8 by winning the
Drama and Arts award for her Dance Presentation

According to my blog roll, the last post I made on this blog was April 24 of 2016.  I let two years go by without updating you all on Life with Banana and Squish.  So here goes...

First day of school - GRADE 9!

Banana and Squish are 14 now.  They'll be 15 this July.  They started high school this past September and settled in quite nicely.  Their grades aren't all that bad, but I do wish I could convince them to study just a little bit - not because I want them getting straight As.  We only expect them to try hard and do their best.  But studying helps maintain their grades and maybe improve a little.  We've never put a huge emphasis on grades, but we have put an emphasis on learning and challenging themselves. It seems to be a losing battle, but I'm going to keep trying (FIFTEEN MINUTES!  THAT'S ALL I ASK!!)

Cadet Banana at the Aurora Santa Claus Parade

Banana joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets last year (140 Aurora Squadron), and this is now her second year in her Squadron.  She's now a Flight Corporal, in Level 3 and joined both the Marksmanship teams (my kid can shoot a gun) and the Band (snare drum).  She'll be going to her Band Competition next weekend and about a month ago, she went to the Marksmanship competition, where she did not too badly for a kid who didn't get a lot of practice time (along with the rest of the team) and had never been to competition before.

Her favourite activity is gliding and she was bummed when she found out that Band Competition and Gliding were on the same day.  Then she found out that the band would be bussed from the competition to the airfield for their chance to glide.  Here's hoping the weather holds for them (the fall gliding session was cancelled because of weather, and as I write this, we are experiencing a nice Spring ice storm).

Cadet Banana heading off to General Training

Through Cadets, she also gets to go to Summer Training, which is held on various military bases.  The Cadets have to apply to go to summer training and their Commanding Officers and Instructors also have to recommend them.  Last summer she applied for General Training and that's where she went (she applied for two others, but she was offered GT).  She spent two weeks at CF Trenton in their Cadet Training Centre.  One of the great things about these programs is that parents can come and visit any time during the week after training.  So from 4:30-8:30 pm during the week and all day on Sunday.  Because she was in General Training she was not allowed off base on the Sundays, so we brought a picnic lunch, and at one point, wound up making a McDonald's run.  We only visited her on the Sunday because Trenton is about 2 hours from home and during the week, we couldn't get there.

This summer, she got her dream offer and will be spending three weeks at Base Borden, about 45 minutes from home, and participating in Basic Survival.  She states that her desire is to go into Search and Rescue as a career.  This will definitely be a stepping stone towards that goal.  I can't wait for her to go because she is so excited about it!

Cadet Banana and some of her Flight from Summer Training

We are very proud of the young lady she is becoming.













Squish is completely different from Banana.  She definitely marches to the beat of her own... Bass guitar.  Squish is my little rockstar, and I say that with no irony.  She has been studying Bass guitar for about 3 years now, and she's really good!  She learns most music by ear and while she also has taken piano lessons and has a keyboard that she plays around on sometimes, her real love seems to be Bass.  She has been taking lessons through Rockstar Music and initially started out in "Group Jams" and had private lessons - so she was taking music twice a week.  This year, she's only going once a week, but gets a 2 hour Group Jam where, evidently, they are also learning to write their own songs.

Twice a year, the school puts on a rock show and we get to see and hear the talent from these kids.  They take kids in pretty young, so we've seen 4 or 5 year old ukelele players and 16 or 17 year old drummers and guitarists show off their talents in the showcases.






Squish has also joined the Gay/Straight Alliance at school (Banana did too) and has gone to a couple of workshops, has participated in fundraisers and awareness days at school.

Those aren't real bruises.
That's makeup!

Her passion is still Special Effects Makeup, and she is taking Aesthetics as one of her elective courses.  At Hallowe'en, they learned some special effects makeup techniques, and during the rest of the year, they deal with regular types of makeup, including day wear, evening wear and theatre makeup.  They also do hairstyling and she's learned how to use different types of curling irons and I gave her permission to have her hair dyed.  She also has my permission to have her hair cut if ever needed as part of a project/lesson.  She's a smart kid - she won't let someone with no clue touch her head.

Last month, she participated in a fashion show at school, and Banana took video of it for us to see.  My kid looked great.  The kids picked their own clothes to wear and the theme was supposed to be 'futuristic',  Squish picked some great outfits.  A dress she 'made' (by altering a dress she already owned) and part of a costume we bought for her for Fan Expo here in Toronto.

That's another one of her passions - Fan Expo.  We go - Banana, Squish and I, every year on at least one day.  Squish and I go for the Walking Dead panels (hoping, of course, that there IS a Walking Dead panel, since last year the only panel was on the Saturday, and we usually go on the Sunday).  And Squish and Banana like to go for Anime panels (last year we went to the Women in Voice Acting panel for Anime).  They always hope there will be an opportunity for them to meet some of their favourite Anime voice actors.  This year, I'm sort of hoping to volunteer at Fan Expo and hoping I can get the girls in one, or two days.  We miss a lot of the Expo because we focus on the panels and on the North Building, where vendors we like are.  We do go down to the South Building, but often, there aren't things for the girls that they like.  The convention floor in the South Building is a lot of comic retailers and other types of merchandise that they aren't interested (like Artist's Alley) as well as displays by various media companies, and if it isn't Walking Dead or something Anime, they aren't interested.

As for me?  Well, I had some interesting news this past January.  I found my birth mother.  Most people who know me, know I'm adopted, and some knew I'd actually started looking.  Well, I finally applied for information through the Government and was sent a copy of my Adoption Order (which my parents had and had given me a copy of), and my Statement of Live Birth.  Through those documents, I learned my birth mother's name, her address at the time of my birth, and her birthday.  Through a Facebook page, I got a "search angel" who tracked her down through Facebook and while she doesn't seem to want any contact (I keep saying 'she wants nothing to do with me,' but that's not really fair), I did get some medical information and a little bit of background (in as much as apparently I come from a long line of 'strong, independent women'.  People who know me seem to be shocked - LOL!)  She has pictures of myself and the girls and she has my email address.  I also sent her a little note through my search angel and let her know that I would be interested in an email conversation - that I'm not looking to replace my current family and I'm certainly not looking for a 'new mom'.  I let her know that I have never held against her her decision to give me up for adoption (although I know the reasons but my search angel said she hadn't wanted to hurt me with the information.  I actually guessed it).  I'm hoping maybe one day she'll reach out.  I might send her a message asking her about her parents.  Her dad fought in World War 2 and I'd love to be able to honour him on Remembrance Day.

I think that pretty much you all caught up.  Enjoy a cup of ice cream.  Like the girls are in the picture below.  Ice cream solves everything.  Even coffee withdrawl ('cause you know, coffee ice cream)

XXOO

Gayla

The Worst Word in the English Language

I have discovered the worst word in the English language.  It's not a vulgar word.  It's not a cuss word.  It's not "Sorry" or "Help" or "Thanks" (Often hard words to say, but not the worst words).

The worst word in the English language?

Whatever.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate that word and how horrible it is.  It is SO non-committal.  It means absolutely nothing in any context.  It brings nothing to a conversation, it takes nothing away.

Why do I think that 'whatever' is the worst word in the English language (besides the fact that it is)?

I recently had a conversation with my husband, via text (let's not get started on how context and content often differ in a non-verbal based communication mode).  I was at work, as was he and I had made arrangements to have my mom take Banana to her karate class, but someone would have to pick her up.  My mother wasn't going to stay at her class, she was just dropping her there.  OK.  Fine.  I texted The Hubs and asked if he wanted me to pick her up, or if he was planning on it.  His reply?

"Whatever."

What-fucking-ever.  ARGH!!!!  That doesn't answer the question!!  Which I texted immediately back to him

"'Whatever' doesn't actually answer my question."

Silence (the next worst part of a conversation ever).  No text back, no answer, no decision. Just

"Whatever"

A couple of hours later, as I was getting ready to leave the office, I texted him again.

"Since you can't actually answer my question or make a decision, *I* will go get Banana."

His response:

"Thank you".

Frown.... And argh!!

So for that reason, "Whatever" has, in my books, become the absolute worst word in the English language.  I can't stand that as an answer to a question or request.  Banana and Squish are just as guilty as their dad when it comes to using "whatever" as an answer.

I could ask them what they want for dinner.

"Whatever"

Would they like to go to a movie or stay home and watch a movie?

"Whatever"

Are you going to try out for the school play? (not that our school has ever actually put one on)

"Maybe (my next worst word), whatever".

WHATEVER!  Ugh!!

I have had it used as a non-committal answer to a question.  I have had it used as an attempt at ending an argument in a "I won't concede that I may be wrong, so rather than say I might be wrong, I'll say 'whatever'."  I've had it used in probably every way it could be used that is most infuriating.

It is, in my humble opinion, THE. WORST. WORD. IN. THE. ENGLISH. LANGUAGE.

FOOD!! Now that I have your attention...

I know previously, I discussed the fact that we were kosher, and though I wasn't very strict about it with Banana and Squish and The Hubs, I was stricter with myself.  I didn't have a problem being kosher, but not having the support of The Hubs, and the rest of my family, I soon realized it was just not a lifestyle I could keep up alone.  So even though we still have "meat plates" and "dairy plates", we are back to eating bacon, pork, milk mixed with meat.  I no longer cover my hair or wear long skirts as the foundation of my wardrobe anymore (though it's summer and it's getting hot and flowy skirts are looking more and more attractive over pants - though I get to wear capris, too.  My new workplace is pretty casual, which is good - I can buy nice t-shirts, and sweaters, but I don't have to wear suits.  I need nicer stuff for when I go "out into the world", as my boss says, I suppose, but in the office, we're pretty casual.  Clean clothes, not sweats. So I'm living in my jeggings, capris, and I'll probably wear skirts.

Image by Kimberley Hasselbrink and
originally posted on Nom Nom Paleo

But I digress, because I wanted this blog post to be about food and the food changes we've made in the house - much more sustainable, much less confusion, much lest fighting with the kids.

We've gone Paleo.  Well, okay, I've been calling it "modified Paleo".  True hard core Paleo followers don't consume dairy or rice.  I can't have coffee without cream, and my kids won't give up pasta AND rice.  Which I found out is not entirely NOT Paleo, anyway.  Pasta isn't completely off the menu, either.

So what do I mean by Modified Paleo, then?

Paleo diets don't generally include dairy (as I mentioned), legumes (like lentils, peas, peanuts), refined sugar, wheat, coffee (aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!), alcohol (double AAAAAHHHHHH) processed foods, corn, potatoes and a myriad of other things.  We aren't that strict.  I'm moving away from peanut butter and peanuts because the kids can't take them to school anyway, so if they like almond or cashew butter (and they loved the pecan/cashew butter I made a few months ago - need to make more). Then I'm  happy to buy or make that.

My kids are Carboholics.  So getting them to quit eating bread and pasta is similar to getting an alcoholic to go cold turkey.  So I'm weaning them.  I make chicken nuggets, but they're dredged in tapioca or arrowroot flour, not wheat.  And the kids LOVE them. I try new veggies - like Jicama - which looks like a turnip, peels like an apple and has the same consistency, and bakes up like a nice soft potato when you cut it into fries.

We eat A LOT more fresh fruit, fresh veggies (and yes, frozen veggies count, as often they are picked and frozen at the height of ripeness).  I'm learning new ways of preparing foods and we eat a lot of meat - chicken, beef, pork, fish.

But then doesn't that make eating out and meal  planing difficult?

No.  Not really.  It takes some planning, but I have a few Paleo cook books, and let's face it - salt, pepper on a steak with a side of veggies and your meal is Paleo.  Add Jicama fries, and you're golden (and so are they, if you bake them right).  I have learned some sauces that I never thought of.  As a matter of fact, last night, we had chicken drumsticks marinated in a "green sauce".  The sauce?  Fish sauce, an onion, basil and mint, a little bit of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for kick.  Blend it all up in the cuisinart and marinate.  The family loved it.  And the few leftovers we have - they could have been breakfast had I not buried them under the pork roast I pulled last night, and the salad I packed for lunch today.

That's the other thing.  I try to spend one day in the weekend planning meals, so that I can get my shopping done and meals prepped.  I didn't get a chance this weekend, so I did it on Monday night after work.  I went to Costco (my butcher was closed on Monday and I wanted to get this meal planing done and ready to go).  I bought (are you ready for this?):

A pork roast (it was huge)
A package of boneless chicken breasts
A package of boneless chicken thighs
A package of bone-in chicken thighs
A package of drumsticks
A package of ground beef.
A 3 Pack of whole chickens.
A Costco package of Bacon (so 4 packs)

That was just the meat.

I had to go to another grocery store for a few other things that I either couldn't find at Costco or didn't need the size they sell (I couldn't find capers there, for a sauce I want to make, but I also know that capers at Costco are going to be in a size WAY TOO BIG for me to ever use up).

Once I had all my groceries, I went home, had a bite to eat and started prepping. I knew I wanted to make Fiona's Green Chicken from Nom Nom Paleo (www.nomnompaleo.com), so I got Banana involved and had her split the package of drumsticks.  One half (14 drumsticks) went into a freezer bag for Green Chicken, the other is sitting in my freezer in a ziplock bag in a Peruvian marinade also from Nom Nom Paleo.  I have to check the recipe for the sauce that goes with it.

One of the whole chickens was put into a freezer bag and coated with poultry seasoning.  It will go into the crockpot for Roasted Chicken a la Nom Nom Paleo.  The other two I froze together in one freezer bag.  I'll cook them together at some point.

With the chicken thighs - the boneless ones will be thawed and used to make Paleo chicken Cacciatore in the slow cooker - probably next week.  It's a busy week this week.

The bone-in ones will be made into Cracklin' Chicken, again from Nom Nom Paleo (actually, all the recipes are from Nom Nom Paleo, so I'm going to stop saying that).  I split them into 3 bags of 8 thighs.

The pork roast... OOooh.  Was that fun!!  I lined the bottom of my crockpot with bacon, rubbed the roast with pink Himalayan salt (because I didn't have the Hawaiian Salt Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo suggests, and I suspect it's expensive) and then put some garlic in the space where I presume the bone was cut out.  Put that on top of the bed of bacon and cooked it on low for - are you ready for this....?  16 HOURS!!  I had the girls unplug the crockpot when they got home from school, and The Hubs started to pull it.  Since I work part-time for a caterer doing her grocery shopping - and this week's order included 2 cases of water and 32 2L bottles of pop, my very tired arms didn't let me finish pulling it, but I pulled a lot of it and it's in the fridge in a Pyrex.  So what to do with it? The Hubs looked in the cookbook where I got the recipe.  I'm having it on a salad for lunch today with a dressing I made of lime flavoured olive oil, mustard and coconut vinegar.  It can go in lettuce cups with julienned veggies.  It can be made into hand rolls with roasted Nori sheets (seaweed).  I can be fried up to crisp it a bit and served with scrambled eggs.  It can be put into an omelette.  Toss a dressing on it and make it a sandwich of some sort.  There's so much that can be done with it.  And considering how busy our week is this week - Banana and Squish have their final concert with the York Region Children's Chorus tonight, tomorrow is Banana's last karate lesson before her grading test next week and ranking ceremony the following week.  So having some protein ready for them to pull out of the fridge and eat without worrying about how they're going to get a good dinner, is a load off my mind.

I bought broccoli, and I will roast it as we need it in the toaster.  It's perfect.  I can make a broccoli salad with Paleo mayonnaise and whatever I want in it, and because I bought the bag at Costco, well, it's huge.  So we'll have roasted broccoli with dinner one night, and I'll also make cauliflower "rice" because I like it, it's low carb, and the kids will have to choose what veggie they want - broccoli, cauliflower rice, or both.

I'm trying to move away from potatoes and rice, but I'll still let the kids have it from time to time.  It's a lot easier than trying to 'force' them to be kosher.  And since I can't eliminate dairy (it's just too good), then the kids don't argue.  I could probably figure out a way to make cauliflower "macaroni and cheese" and they MIGHT like it.  I'll have to experiment on a weekend when I have nothing else to do, really.

As for eating out - I just don't stress about it.  It's not like it's an allergy.  I'm a carbaholic, too, so sometimes I'll have a baked potato or fries.  But generally I try to have a protein and veggies, and skip the carbs.  But there are places that I just can't resist.  Like the fries at Swiss Chalet (or the baked potato).  Or sushi.  I like sashimi, but I like sushi better.  Squish likes noodles when we go for sushi, and I'm not going to tell her she can't have them because then she won't have that much to eat. She eats beef noodle soup - without the soup - the sushi restaurant we go to makes it for her.  It helps to be regulars!!.  And she's starting to like salmon sashimi.  So since that's about all she'll eat, I can't say she can't have noodles!!

We were in Buffalo at the weekend and we ate at Olive Garden and Outback.  Yes.  I ate an Olive Garden breadstick, but I ordered chicken that came with veggies and no pasta, and at Outback, I shared a 12 ounce steak with Squish and we shared a baked potato covered in sour cream (mine) green onions, bacon bits, butter and cheese.  Mmmm.  See? Dairy.  So good.

Banana is a bit more adventurous and recently told me that she actually likes my zucchini noodles, so it looks like maybe this weekend or next, we'll have Zoodles and Meatballs!! (I'll make regular pasta for Squish.  I don't have the energy to fight her. And it's not like it's going to kill her).

My main aim for following our "Modified Paleo" diet is to make sure we have more whole foods, and for me, to eat fewer carbs to keep my blood sugar in check.  And it's working.  My blood sugars are staying in the normal range, even when I eat, and not spiking as high when I eat carbs. So I'm doing something right!!

I also don't make a big deal about it - I still eat pizza occasionally (though I'd rather not, really), and when we went to my mom's for dinner and she told me she was going to be ordering pizza, I brought my own dinner.  I didn't want to make a big deal about it, and I didn't want her to stress or think she had to get something special for me.  I was there for the company.  Not the food.

And that's what it's about.  Enjoying time with people and enjoying healthy food.  Even The Hubs has said that on days he eats more Paleo than not, he sleeps better and feels better during the day.  So there's that.

Sunday fun day on a Monday

I love long weekends.  Even the one before Banana and Squish start back at school.  

Long weekends equal sleeping in late, staying up late, movies, popcorn, campfires and s'mores. If we're lucky, the Drive-In in Sharon is playing good movies for the four of us and long weekends there mean TRIPLE features! (Nothing either good or appropriate for two 11 year olds was playing this weekend)

Saturday, the Hubs worked, and Banana was at a friend's, having slept over.  squish and I spent the day in our PJs, relaxing and getting nothing done (I got some housework done, but not much). We had our neighbours over with their 3 kids for dinner.  The kids ate and then we sent them off to play while the adults ate and chatted.

Sunday we slept in, then spent the day catching up on some very overdue chores. The Hubs wanted to barbecue, even though I was thawing veal scalloppini, so I made a run to the grocery store while he mowed the lawn.  After dinner was a movie with ice cream. 

Today we actually did sleep in again, had a quick breakfast and headed out to Burd's Family Fishing to go... Well, obviously... Fishing!  The Hubs bought Banana and Squish their own rods this summer and we rented rods at Burd's.  There are two ponds at Burd's. One is a bit less stocked and therefore patience is a must. It's for people who want to relax while fishing. The second pond is for people who want quick catches. We opted for the first pond. Within minutes of getting her line in the water, Squish hooked a fish!  (Burd's stocks rainbow trout). 

While the Hubs was helping her unhook her fish and get it into our basket, his bobber sank.  He'd caught something too!!

Because I'm a good wife, and I also enjoy fishing, (even though I find baiting the hook with worms gross, and I can't fathom getting the hook out of the fish) I dropped my line, which needed bait, grabbed his rod and reeled in his(my) first catch of the day.   And this was supposed to be the harder pond!

A little while later, and I caught a fish on my line!  We were up to three fish. 

Poor Banana had yet to catch anything other than reeds and pond grass.  Though she got a couple of nibbles and her bait did disappear a couple of times. We thought, since the other pond was supposed to be easier we'd relocate there and hope Banana could snag something there. 

It was then that the winds picked up and the rain started coming in. We were not deterred. It wasn't cold and it was only drizzling.  But the wind made casting challenging as we were casting into the wind. 

That being said, I managed to catch another fish. But it got away as soon as I got it close to shore.  A little later on, I caught yet another fish and Banana helped reel it in. 

Banana did manage to catch a fish using her Dad's line, and all in all, we went home with 5 fish totalling close to 6 pounds. Burd's gutted and de-headed them for us.

Guess what we had for dinner...?