Yum Yum's Room

DIY projects are an opportunity for see how creative or how good of a copycat I am. So moving into my new apartment was the perfect opportunity to put this to the test. Armed with 9 cans of spray paint, stencils and some inspiration from pinterest, I could not wait to begin on my first project - Yum Yum's room!!!

I did not take a "before pic" but the walls were off whitish. Here are some pics of the progress. I am still in the market for the perfect rug and chest of drawers.

The pictures are low quality but you get the general idea

We didn't realize how deep it turned till we put the first coat, it was supposed to be a shade lighter.

Little Juice Helper

Yumilicious,

As you most likely know by now, mummy will try any diet at least once. I started juicing again last week, this is the first time I have done this since you were born. When you were still living in my tummy, I promised myself you would only consume fresh homemade natural fruit juices. But after you were born I just could not find the time.. until now.  I want you to have a healthy relationship with food – eat clean and have treats in moderation. Don’t live in the ice cream bucket like your momma J

One of the gazillion things I love about you is that you eat your veggies.. at least for now, I’ve been told this might change. For now you do and that makes me happy – you even have your own veggie-eating system down packed. You pick out the corn from the mix veggies first, then you move to the carrots, the green peas are next and then depending on your mood you’ll either go for the string beans last or pass.

I’m going off tangent like I normally do right? Mummy needed a sweet treat so, I decided to try out a new recipe I saw online. I got over excited at the fruit market and bought a 5 pound watermelon; as you know, I always go overboard when I’m excited about something new . Armed with all the items for my tropical fruit punch – Watermelon, Pineapple, Oranges and Lemons, I began my juice making process. You shriek every time I switch on the juicer – something about the grinding noise tickles you.  After you laughed yourself silly, you insisted on helping. So this time, daddy hoisted you up and you gave the juice plunger a big girl push and out came the juices. As I poured the juice into jars, you kept saying “mayine, mayine – mine” , “mehmmy mayine” which typically means you want some. I was a bit hesitant to give you some because of the froth, plus, the taste was much earthier than what you’re used to but I gave you some anyway.  

Much to my surprise, you finished the juice in what seemed like seconds and came back for more.  You didn’t mind the earthy somewhat tart taste at all, you liked it so much that I had to put the Sippy cup away so you’d have room for dinner. You never cease to amaze me you know.  Just the other day, I let you taste my spinach smoothie and you “pestered” me until I let you have it all.  

You’re only 16 months old and you can say “Mayine – mine” ; “Noh-Noh-Noh-No-oh!!! – No”; Stahpeee – Stop it; depending on your mood, you call your dad “Mehmmy or Papi”; you sing the “bye bye baby” potty song; you fake cry when you want something - it’s the funniest sight, it really is. You wrinkle your nose and purse your lips as you try to make cry noises but you’re so bad at it ‘cos you get distracted by the TV or something and forget that you’re supposed to be crying.

Anyhoo, this letter is for that day in the future when you’ll tell me that you hate homemade fruit juices or tell a fib that it’ll make you sick all because you want Sunny D or Mott’s Apple Juice. This is proof that you do like homemade juices. Lol.

SWALK,

Mehmmy

Modified Juice Feasting

5 pound watermelon

After much carb debauchery, I decided to do a cleanse. I had been feeling like I had a food hangover  for days; I felt sluggish and bleh; and it seemed like ehhverrythinngg arrrrounnndd meeee wasssss happpunning in slooohhhh moooohhtiooon.

So, I’ve made yet another eat-clean resolution using the crutch of juicing to establish healthy habits to restart my system and rid my body of the nasties from factory food - (what a mouthful). Hopefully, there are no drunken ice cream craze in my near future. In fact, I rebuke you ice cream!!! You sexy Breyers Blast oreo cookie ice cream you!! You!!

The plan: Wehhll, I initially decided to go hard and do a 14 day cleanse, but after my initial high subsided, I figured I’d listen to my body and take it one day at a time. So, I’d go for a 3 day, 5 day, 7 day, you get the gist. In the past, I’ve done the juice fast several times in varying degrees – 3 days, 5 days and random one offs whenever I feel I needed a veggie boost  - a spinach shot here and there. I read somewhere that the Department of Agriculture recommends that we limit added sugar in take to 40g/day. And the AHA recommends that women consume no more than 100 calories of added sugar per day = 6 teaspoons ; men no more than 150 calories of added sugar per day = 9 teaspoons. My first reaction when I read this was I couldn't do it.  Then again, whaddaya do huh? it’d really suck balls to develop a heart disease or diabetes from having too many a candy bar. So 40g it is, until some researcher or food specialist comes up with a new number.

The key thing with juicing is to have 80% veggies 20% fruits, this way you’re not overloading your body with the natural sugars from the sweet fruits. Since I am Herbal Life user, I decided I’d have a shake for dinner whenever I felt out of it.

Day 1: 2 Cucumbers/ 1 Fuji Apple/ 2 Oranges/ Handful of black seedless grapes

Morning : Herbal Life tea (original) & Red zinger tea  with one teaspoon of honey

Afternoon: My juice Concoction

Dinner: One spoon of Dr. Braggs Apple Cider vinegar  & Herbal Life Shake

How It Went: Cravings kicked in the evening, all the food demons kept calling my name but I cast them all to the bottomless pit lol. I eventually had a herbal life shake 6oz and went to bed. (I read somewhere that first timers can have some avocado and raw nuts) And oh, go easy on the Dr. Braggs, it is very acidic. 

Day 2: 1 cucumber/ 1 granny smith/2 fuji/ ginger & some  spinach (This combo was delish)

Hubs: 3 granny smith/ 3 stalks of celery/ spinach

Morning: Cup of water w. 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

Cup of Herbal Life Tea (original)  & Red zinger tea  with half  teaspoon of honey

Afternoon: Juice Concoction

Dinner: Some more juice concoction

How It Went: Peace of cake – no cravings or food lustings

Day 3: Same as day 1

How it Went: Easy Peasy

Day 4: 4 Stalks of celery, 1 cucumber, 3 pears & a knob of ginger

Hubs: 4 carrots, 2 Fuji & knob of ginger

Breakfast: Same everyday

Lunch: Juice Concoction

How It Went: My juice was nasty today, I’m not sure what went wrong, the combo made a lot of sense in my head. Anyway, I soldiered on and drank up. I was good until the Hubs decided to tantalize my senses with his thai food.  He was having some yummy deliciousness with mushrooms and shredded beef,  the aroma wafted through my entire apartment and I begged for a taste, oh how I begged. I even begged for a finger dip in the sauce, he wouldn’t let me; then he threw the plate away #gonnagetuback. I sucked it up and had a bleeping herbal life shake and some water. While feeding Yum Yum her dinner of noodles – another weakness of mine, I quickly took a small spoonful, swished it around my mouth and spat it out when he was not looking. I know, I’m full of s**t but whatever,  that was day 4.

Day 5: 4 carrots, 3 oranges, handful of seedless blackberries

Hubs: 3 granny smiths and Head of celery - #very sour (that was for yesterday ha! not intentional but ha! nontheless)

Breafast: same thing

Lunch: Juice Concoction

How It Went: Yes, its predominantly fruits but that was my treat for making it to 5 days. Today’s juice soooohhh good I wanted to make love to it; it was so good I almost put my feet up at work and leaned back.

I broke my fast on Day 6 since, Mother's Day weekend was coming up and The Hubs has brunch plans. I feel great, light and wish I could've gone longer, it appears I may've lost 5-6 lbs. 

And there you were

                                   1.5 Months
My monthly “visitor” didn’t show up on the 28^th day as  usual

Panic!

Pregnancy test… positive

Politics Of The Playground

Spring finally sprung, it was sunny and deliciously 74 degrees with a hint of breeze. All I could think of at work was taking to Yum Yum to the park for the first time. For her to have a run around , go on the slides, the monkey bar, swings sets  alluhdat  #ambitiousmuch? Maybe a little but that was my plan.

Off we went , armed with juices boxes, cheerios and a couple of Go-Squeeze. We get to the park and the swings were occupied #bigkids. I figured we’ll do other things and come back when the big kids have had their go. We get to the slides and I realize my little lady was to little go on the slides by herself! I hadn’t thought of that; I was so wrapped up in my excitement that I did not realize that the playground equipment seemed to only cater to the big toddlers . Perhaps I could go with her, I thought  to myself. The mom standing next to me saw the look in my eyes and promptly informed me it was actually more dangerous  to go on with her…. Actually, now that I think about it, her kid was the only one at the small slide, I think she was trying to maintain their monopoly of the slide! Huff!

Off to the monkey bars we were!!! I lifted my dear child and tried to show her how to wrap her hands around the bar. Perturbed, she gave me a have-you-lost-your-mind-look followed by an emphatic  Nooooooh and  a pout which would have been followed by tears if I insisted. In retrospect,  what the bleep was I thinking trying to get my 15.5 month old to do a modified pull up?!

So, its back to the swings. Them blasted older kids were still there!!! – these were 11, 12 years olds, swinging upside down with their feet in the seat bucket - a half hour or so later.  Sigh… I guess we’d return after we chase doggies and birdies..... Birdies, a couple of Maltese and a Miniature Schnauzer later we headed back to the swings sets. And those damn kids were still there!!!  a line was beginning to form -  this should pressure them off I hoped.

As I joined the line, “It’s about time these kids got off the swings” one of the moms said. Me being new to this whole playground politics, I simply nodded in agreement, unsure what to do. Let's just get the ranger? I thought, wait.. is there a park ranger? Ugh! probably not. Maybe we can just order them off? but then, I'm sure we could get in trouble for that couldn't we? We should just yell at them from her...Probably not, we could cited for intimidation.. but how do we get them off?! I don't have all day for this, I still have dishes to do and dinner to fix, I murmured to myself. Where were their blasted parents btw? So, I do the typical thing of stewing silently while impatiently looking around in hopes that the adults with these kids will catch my annoyance and come scoop ‘em. #achievedzilch

Another 10 mins or so go by and one of the moms on the line, walked up to the oldest looking big kid, brought the swing to a halt and quietly told her it was time to get off and that they had been on long enough. I was so surprised and was convinced twas about to go doooowwwn. Funny enough nothing happened. Another mom walked up to the other girl and before you know what happening all 4 swing sets were vacated. Finally, we got our turn and my baby loved every second of it!!!

Lesson learned: Politeness gets you nowhere at the playground, man must fight for turn ;) 

From Me To You

Image: wall-a-day.blogspot.com

Darling Yum Yum,

Your cousins mom was buried today, she was young, beautiful and full of potential – it was not her time... This made me think about how transient life can be, and all of the million things she’d have loved to say to your cousins and they to her. It also made me think of the million questions that I have but will never get an original answer to. With this in mind, I’ve decided to portion out a section of KahyZen for letters to you; to capture the wonderful happenings of our lives that you might be too little to remember and lace them with a nugget of advice.

I love you from the depths of my soul,

Mehmmy (as you adorably call me)