manila

A few shots from around the city while my parents were visiting.

perfect weather

jeepneys. the worst.

wildflour

and one cute one from home earlier today!

ps - this is what Manila looks like this afternoon! the pending storm is feeling more like evening time.

a few words on living abroad

It's sometimes difficult living overseas.
We miss a lot of things at home; milestones, etc.
Like weddings - we've missed several.
Birthdays, births, holidays... 
Even impromptu family gatherings around the dinner table.

And of course people at home miss a lot of our milestones.
Like the birth of our first child.

It's also sometimes amazing living overseas.

I am so grateful for the opportunities we've been given.

I've learned so much, traveled so many places, met so many interesting, unique, gracious, and giving people.

Living in another country is an experience not many will take, and we've grown from this.

A lot.

Now that we've started a family, the pressure will be on to return to Canada perhaps more often than we'd prefer.

The long haul flights, jet lag, packing and unpacking, living out of backpacks for weeks on end...

These things are less than desirable. 

As they say, though, home is where the heart is.

Time with family and friends is increasingly important to us, so we shouldn't be too bothered by this as time moves on.

It's all worth it.

lately

Since we're not travelling this summer (still working on that baby passport) we're curing the wanderlust with Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. My parents were able to come visit, though, so that's been great!

Also fixating on these amazing travel photos. Jeff thinks I have a crush on his girlfriend... Can you blame me? I mean, holy moly.

This video is for Beyonce lovers and for people who wish they could dance, but can't, like me.

Jeff has had this song on over and over and it is incredibly catchy. All the songs... just so great to dance around to with Mara!

Dancing, that is, to work off Green & Black's amazing organic chocolate.

We got an air plant (like this) last week and I think I'm already killing it. The flowers are definitely not pink anymore.

We also bought a calamansi tree for friends as a housewarming gift, and it, too, seems to be dying. Leaves all over the floor. Eeesh.

natural beauty routine

Alternatively called My Life as a Hippie.
Someone asked recently about some of my homemade beauty recipes, so I thought I'd share. 

hair

Shampoo + conditioner: I have been using baking soda and acv since April, but after reading more and more evidence against this method I've just started a switch to a more pH balanced method that I'm loving! With the baking soda my hair was very dry and staticky even with extra diluting - living in a very humid climate that was a concern - and I felt guilty washing more than once in a week, so the rye flour makes my hair much happier (although it takes forever to rinse out).

Aloe leave-in conditioner: equal parts 100% aloe and filtered water mixed with lavender essential oil (for scent) only after cleaning my hair (all other days I use a shower cap).

Dry shampoo: equal parts corn starch, baking soda, and cocoa powder applied with an old make up brush and brushed out with a boar bristle brush.

Hairspray: sugar + water (I don't use it often though).

body + face

Body wash: moisturizing honey body wash

Body moisturizer: I use a whipped coconut butter from a local company, Satinka Naturals, that only has four or five ingredients and is awesome (stall at Legazpi Sunday Market).

Face wash: raw local honey + bentonite clay mask every week or so at night. In the mornings I just use this sponge with water. (Though I have less than perfect skin, I'd say it's about the same or even a little better than when I was using commercial products.)

Day-time moisturizer: Desert Essence SPF 15 (a level 1 on EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database – a fantastic resource for learning about products you use or want to buy).

Eye make-up remover: coconut oil

Facial oil (serum/moisturizer at night): 2/3 jojoba oil, 1/3 rosehip seed oil, tea tree oil (there are a ton of different options for this!)

+ I use a drop of rosehip seed oil on fine lines at nighttime

Deodorant: I have been using this recipe since last September and having to rebalance every now and again; I don't love it, but hey.

Mascara: Physician's Formula 100% Natural Origin Fakeout Mascara - also a level 1 on EWG. (Thanks to my mom for bringing me a tube from Canada - it's great!)

Perfume: Finn & Co Black Sand roll-on (because it's an all natural formula that is sulfate-, paraben-, formaldehyde-, phthalate-, phosphate-, and cruelty-free and smells amazing!). I love it but really want to try making my own with bergamot and jasmine; I can't seem to find jasmine here in the Philippines, though, which seems crazy since it's the national flower...

Now that it's all out there, that seems like a lot of stuff for a more simplistic routine. I'm a bit of a hippie - or crunchy, as they say now - and loving it! Transitioning can be not fun but it's totally worth it. We even just use castille soap on Mara so far - no creams or powders or anything junky. 

photo an hour

8 am: the bedside table

-     Finn & Co Black Sand moisturizer     -
-   Satinka Naturals whipped coconut butter   -  
-     Alice Blue hand-poured soy wax candle     -

9am: family time

(this picture cracks me up because it looks like dad has a miniature hand!)

10am: breakfast - yogurt and berries sweetened with Pili & Pino coconut nectar

11am: skype with mom

12pm: finally getting ready for the day

1pm: Orange Is the New Black with lunch

2pm: baby selfie! 

feel like I should be hashtag-ing this something.

3pm: it's looking like a great time for a nap. 

there have been ridiculous up-all-night nursing growth spurts happening lately. again.

4pm: working on Mara's art project

5pm: we finally got chairs for the balcony so I'm taking in the view!

6pm: a walk around the neighbourhood

7pm: a stop at a new cafe for some tea and dessert

and that's the day!

diy all-natural glorious beard oil

I finally came up with a pretty good gift idea for Father's Day!
(Buying for my husband is not an easy task.)
He's a big board game guy.
Me, not soooo much. I've learned I have a bit of a competitive nature.
(Otherwise known as being a sore loser.)
So I sneakily ordered this game for him, as we've played it before and the individual player aspect being right up my alley, it's one I really like.
I had it all set up: created my own account (I usually just use his), had it delivered to my mom's house in Canada, organized it with her to have it added to the suitcase full of things she's bringing just for me when they come to visit this week, and felt pretty darn good about myself.
And then you know what happened?
The man read my emails, saw the shipment notification, and effectively ruined my crafty surprise.
So yeah.
Now all I have left is an expression of my love.

Jeff, I love your beard.
One of our friends recently went so far as to call it glorious.

Look at the glory!

Here's the beard oil he makes to keep it so:

1 part jojoba oil (this is the key as it's a dry oil)

1 part coconut oil

a few drops of vitamin e oil

5-10 drops tea tree oil (this may be more or less depending on the size of your container. I'd say his is about 100 mL)

Happy Father's Day and happy beard-growing  to all the daddies!

lately

"The world's healthiest chocolate chip cookies" are actually delicious. I'll be doubling this recipe next time!

Really, really want to try this three minute artichoke dip.

Jeff made this salad on top of quinoa for my first Mother's Day (!) and it is so good. I want that cumin vinaigrette on all my grains.

(On that note: Why are men so difficult to buy for? He did a lovely job picking out books for my holiday (this and this), but I had a lot of trouble coming up with something for Father's Day.)

Also, this BLT salad. Except our avocado had died. It was still delicious!

Anyone seen Her? Really recommend it.

I may be worrying my husband with this whole chemical-free thing I'm working on. Yesterday at the health store I picked up a tub of bentonite clay because "it can be used in a lot of recipes." With some incredulity he exclaimed, "You're going to put that in our food?!" Natural hair- and body-care recipes, that is. So far I make my own deodorant, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, make up remover, face wash, dry shampoo... But, an upcoming post will show you how I've been converting him to natural, too!

Love this poster for the classroom.

A friend posted this link for me, full of ridiculous things you won't believe have been mass produced. I have to say yes please to the baby bangs, so we can have a twin day. And definitely the onesie-mop is a great buy. The award, I think, goes to the Crib Dribbler, though, because babies, hampsters, same same. In all seriousness, I do like the redneck pacifier.

On an actually serious note for summer vacation: Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning and Secondary Drowning.

The cutest thing you'll see today and one that will get a laugh!

this is amazing.

The Drinkable Book from Water is Life.

More here.

into this... BANKS

BANKS.

Listening to this latest track - Drowning - over and over. Watch the (as noted) rather narcissistic but still cool video here.

Goddess expected in September.

a baby shower

On Friday, Mara and I ventured out to the school for meet-and-greets with my grade 3s and Jeff's grade 6s. I was a little worried, and totally prepared to be pretty mean if anyone tried to touch her. A few days ago in the elevator, while exchanging pleasantries with a perfect stranger, the lady reached into the stroller and touched my baby. I freaked out inside. Maybe I shouldn't be so worried, but... she's a preemie, and because, germs.  My class and some class mom's organized a baby shower, but the kids were prepped ahead of time that there should be no baby-touching. And the party was the sweetest thing!

The kids LOVED meeting Mara. They were all really cute, clasping their hands behind their backs and leaning over her car seat in a big huddle of awe. It was actually a really special time with my class and parents, and I think I took it for granted while I was there. My heart was all warm and fuzzy when we got home! Plus, we got to take home the extra cookies.

The cookies.

How adorable are those cookies that a parent ordered for the celebration?! Not only are they adorable, they're delicious, and I'm fairly certain made in the kitchen of a lovely lady who uses the proceeds for charitable donations here in the Philippines.

And here's Mara sleeping beautifully in the middle of the afternoon today all dressed up in one of her adorable gifts (straight from India!):

She's probably sleeping so soundly because she's exhausted from being annoying and waking up every 45 minutes after nursing (for 30 minutes plus) to nurse again between the hours of 9pm and 2am. It's been rather sleep-depriving, this trick of hers. Happily, we met some friends for lunch today and they said she looks bigger than when they saw her last, which I think was last weekend. So I suppose it's worth it.

Also I can get really cute sleepy baby shots.

But I value my sleep more. I know this because I've noticed myself being in the habit of looking over at Jeff bitterly as he sleeps on, and then looking down at my baby as she suckles on in a strange state of doingthingslikeeatingwhilesleepingisnormal and ending the wave of grumpy mama by rolling my eyes and sighing. Then I get my phone and play solitaire. I know breastfeeding is supposed to be this wonderful and nourishing time between mother and child, but sleep.

Now I will spend some time holding our beautiful girl and being so thankful that she is healthy and strong. Counting my blessings.

life right now

Though I have to brag - our baby is pretty much a dream!

lately

Guys, The Lego Movie is pretty awesome. Great message and a great way to show Lego's evolution!

It's weird having nothing to do while on maternity leave. Nurse, change diaper, nap, repeat. Need some hobbies. (Really, need to start writing end of year reports.)

Oh, and whoever said to never wake a sleeping baby hasn't met Mara's pediatrician. I have to wake our baby every two hours to feed her - it's a chore. So I guess I don't have nothing to do while on maternity leave.

Looking so forward to my parents flying here in June to meet our little bundle of amazing!

Cranberry Almond Granola Bites should be in my life. It worries me that I'd probably eat the whole batch in a day, though. It's how licorice goes down in this house.

Here's something I've been enjoying on toast for breakfasts lately. If you're a fan of tahini and honey (and cinnamon like me), it's pretty great. I cheat and add a little more honey than called for.

I recently emailed this photo to my husband at work:

To which he replied, "F***ing beautiful" but without so many asterisks. Our child is at major risk of developing potty mouth. I could only respond with "It's insane." Because it's truly insane just how beautiful this little girl is to us.

Many things baby today! (Forever now on?)

in a nutshell + welcome baby!

My pregnancy in a nutshell...

First trimester Nausea: It was not great.
Second trimester: Exercise + so much dairy.
Third trimester: Dropping everything + "Give me all the chocolate and ice cream" + shorter than scheduled.

And now, I'm thrilled to introduce this little lady, Mara (like Sarah):

It's amazing how quickly one can fall in love.

And even though we were not prepared - she was six weeks early and I had an emergency c-section (not the plan!) - baby Mara is strong and healthy and doing juuuuust fine! 
Even if her mommy forgets to wipe her face before taking cute-baby pictures.