Recipe - Natural Bug spray

I use to buy a very effective all natural bug spray but unfortunately I found out today that the company no longer exist... But have no fear, the internet is here... and I started scavenging around for ideas. First I decided to use the exact same ingredient that could be found in the spray I liked... then I consulted numerous DIY recipe to have a better idea of the quantity I should use for all the ingredients... so here is what I found out and what I did.

• First! Different essential oil will have different repellent properties. Some are better for mosquito, some for tics.... so depending what you need, you can easily find online list. I decided to go with a good mix that works well against both mosquito and tics.
• I do not have a definite step by step recipe... reason is... You can pretty much play it by ear to make it work for you! The only thing that really matter is RATIO!
• You can want to achieve a ratio of  10% essential oil, 90% carrier. If you are going to use it on young kids, you can go as low as 5% essential oil, 95% carrier. 
• There are many option for the carrier. Any oil (grape seed oil, olive oil, almond oil....) will do. I decided not to do mine with coconut oil because of it's tendency to harden. But I don't see why you couldn't use it!
• Essential oil is not that hard to find and can be use for so many DIY natural product! It is worth investing a few dollars on a basic assortment of oil.

What I did:

• I used a small spray bottle (travel size, from the dollar store.) I measure 1/10 or 10%. And marked a small line.
• I filled the bottle with essential oil to the line. I use Citronella for half and then a mixture of Lavender, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Tea tree oil for the other half. You can play around with the different oil if you want a specific scent to come out stronger. How ever, Citronella remains your main oil... and will be the strongest smell of them all.
• Fill the rest of the bottle with your carrier. (I used Olive oil)

 And that is it! It is ready to use!

I do suggest, before you use it on your kids, to try on a small area to make sure there is no reaction. Essential oil are really concentrated and in some cases, Tea tree oil can cause small rashes. As I said, you can play with the overall ratio... but I really don't recommend going any stronger than 10%.

You can find most essential oil at your local health store. 

Recipe - Bath Fizz Balls

For Christmas, Hudson received those cool fizz balls for the bath. She loved it until she started breaking out into a rash!!! A few months later, I got her a different store brand without thinking and same thing happened again. I went out and about and looked at the ingredient list and it occur to me, most of what was included on the list was completely unnecessary. So last week, I started looking online for an alternative and came across many recipe to make it myself. Best part... the only ingredient truly needed were not only safe but also beneficial for the skin. 

I have now made a few batches and here is my version of what worked best for us. And I should add, it is very easy to make!!! No baking, no cooking!

You will need :

• 2 cups of Baking Soda (500gr)
• 3/4 cup of citric acid (this might be a bit hard to find, I ended up ordering mine only from the USA for a very very cheap price. Apparently some grocery will carry it in their baking aisle since it is use in canning, essentially citric acid is vitamin C)
• 1/8 cup of corn starch
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil (or any other vegetable oil) in liquid form but not heated)
• A few drops of essential oil (how many drops really depends on which oil you use and how strong you want the smell to be.) So far I have used grapefruit and lavender essential oil. 
• Food coloring (totally optional, how much will depends on how dark you want the color to be)
• Water in a spray bottle (mist setting)
• Parchemin paper
• Fun Mold (optional)

How to do it :

1. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredient. MIX WELL!!!
2. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredient except the water.
3. Slowly add the wet mixture in the dry ingredient bowl. I use a fork to mix it and work through all the clumps. It will take a few minutes but make sure there are no clumps left.
4. With your hand, check of well the mixture holds it shape when pressed. Spray a little bit of water until you can easily make it stay in the desire shape. IT WILL NOT LOOK LIKE A DOUGHT! It will still be in a loose powder form. But it has just enough moisture to keep it's shape when you press it.
5. Use a mold to make fun shapes. I used egg molds for bento box to make my bunnies. I find it works best with a solid mold as oppose to a silicone soft mold. When you put the mixture in, you have to press really hard. You do not need to wait for it to set, you can unmold it right away. It you do not have any molds, you can simply make little balls with your hands.
6. Let it dry and cure on parchemin paper for about 24-28 hours. Make sure they are in a very dry place. Once dried, you can store then in an air tight container. This weekend, I will try to vacuum seal a few. Use within a month for best results.

Tuna is 18 months today!!!

Tuna is 18 months today, but to be honest, I feel it is more of a milestone for me than for her! Today, I have been breastfeeding Hudson for 18 months! Even thought my original plan was to breastfeed her until she is 2 years old (as recommended by the World Health Organization), we had many many rough patches along the way, and for a little while, it really seemed like we were not going to make it.

First Hudson was born, and my milk refused to come in... blame the c-section or perhaps the very rapid (much to rapid) weight loss I had in the first few months following birth. Then there was all the dietary cuts I had to make because of her severe reflux. No spice, no diary, no acidic food... really other than boiled chicken and rice there was not much left for me to eat (and we all know what I think of chicken and rice......). Then when it finally looked like we were doing well, I contracted Dengue Fever. Hudson was nine months and during those 8 days, I completely lost my supply. I was so sick. I was not able to breastfeed for a week... and when I finally came out of the hospital, all milk was gone. Gone... gone... gone... I was heartbroken. I think Hudson was too. But even worst... she was loosing weight very quickly because she had not quite started solid food yet and would continually throw up any brand formula we tried to give her. So I did what I could, and pumped, and ate, and ate oatmeal cookies and after two weeks, it started coming back. It wasn't enough but it was something. By the time Hudson was 10 months, we were back on track! She had a little strike at around 13 , but it only lasted a few days... But then came 14 months with a whole new challenge. I got pregnant! Yeah!!! Except, once more my supply tanked. But to my relief, it did not seem to phase Hudson too much, as she is still going strong! 

At this point, I really don't know if we will make it to 2 years. Baby number two (or tadpole, as we like to call it) is due right before Hudson's second birthday. In order for Hudson to nurse until 2, I would have to tandem nurse... It probably is a decision I will not really make myself. I will probably just go with the flow. There is a strong chance that before we get there Hudson might even stop on her own, and that is fine too. (And I kind of hope she will) but if she doesn't than so be it ;-)

In other news... well yes! I am pregnant. I am 16 weeks today. I am doing much better than last pregnancy (although the morning sickness have been 100% worst)... but that will be the subject of a later post.

Hudson is sleeping better as well. She still wakes up a lot but most the time, she will not require our assistance.

Hudson is still lacking in the teeth department! Last months I said she had 6 teeth and more on the way... well I lied... she only had 5 back then... and now at 18 months, she still only has 5. But the good news is... there are 6 little white bumps on the way and two none white bumps as well... so hopefully soon, she will have 8 more ;-)

Hudson is also speaking a whole lot. In french, in english... and in japanese. She loves fishes, fishing, cats, hello kitty and her sand box.

I also just finished my winter semester in University. I did much better than last semester. Thanks to Ayumi. I now only have 1 classes left to take (this summer), and I will be done my course load!! I am so excited about that. Next step will be passing in front of my comity and setting up a date for my comprehensive exam. If all goes well, I am hoping to write my exams next spring.

This weekend I am presenting at a conference and then I get 2 weeks off before the start of the next semester. I am looking forward to a little time off at home!

Happy Earth Day!!!

Happy Earth Day!!!

I just thought I'd say,

What did you do today ;-)

Green, green, green... nothing but green

Some of you might very well be aware of the many changes that have taken place in our household, well before Tuna arrived... For some times now, we have been working really hard at making environmentally and chemical free friendly choices. I have to say after 2 years, most of the these changes have been great! For our health but also for our budget... So I just thought I would share some ideas, and links about some of the products we use and why we made the change.

I will spare you the first one... the obvious one... the one I ramble about almost nonstop on facebook... CLOTH DIAPER! But seriously, if you want to give it a try... talk to me... I can help you out! Here is also a great opportunity to buy Canadian! I am telling you.. this is something we should be proud off... we make some of the best cloth diapers! Check out AMP from Manitoba, Applecheeks from Québec, Hipkiddo from BC and Motherease from Ontario... And if by any chance you are in the states, you too have great option of locally made cloth diapers!!!

No more scott towel either... RAGS can do the job! I know... it sounds silly... but do you know how much we save!!! And if you want to go fancy, invest in an unpaper towel roll! All over etsy you will find local women making them to match the color of your kitchen!

Have you heard of reusable menstrual products... If you still use moldy tampons, I would seriously look into the many other options! And here too, you will save TONS of money! Check it out here And for those who thinks it is gross.... You know what is gross... mold! Beside... how can it be any more gross than watching The Walking Dead ;-) And while we are here... why not buy Canadian!

Another place we made big changes was with our cleaning products! For our laundry, including my cloth diaper, we use Nellies Laundry detergent. It is a scent free, dangerous chemical free detergent that is CANADIAN made! And the best part... you can order the bucket from Costco for free delivery and it comes down to 11 cents a load... Told you... eco-friendly does not mean expensive!!!

Next up... cleaner product... oh-so-easy-and-baby-safe... put some vinegar in a jar with orange peel... let it sit on a shell for 6 weeks... and voilà... you can add some tea tree oil if you would like... you can use it to clean just almost anything... including your kids toys.For other great cleaning product recipe, visit the Queen of Green's blog!

Let's move on to personal hygiene... do you use coconut oil yet? tea tree oil? well you should! Easy to find and cheap, you can use it a million ways... And why would you do that... well... unless you are ok with the fact that Johnson and Johnson is poisoning your baby... unless you insist on spending more money than you need...  you really have nothing to loose... and if you really want that fresh smell, just add a dab of your favorite essential oil scent!

And since we are on subject of poisoning yourself... there are many more culprits out there... Myself, I am still leaning about them... Deodorant, toothpast, sunscreen...  so what are your options... well for deodorant, it is so easy to make your own!!! Yes! And it works!!! Here is the recipe we use. If you are not in the mood to make your own, I have yet to find a cheap alternative, but for a few dollars you can easily find them online... etsy, www.well.ca... and by the way, if you have never ordered from well.ca, you are eligible for a 10$ off coupon code! Did I mention they are in Ontario! Go buy local! When it comes down to sunscreen, we use green beaver product.... here too, I have not been able to find a cheaper option... but really... who wants to cheap out here???? We also use their toothpaste (sorry, I just can't do the baking soda...) You can buy their product online at well.ca as well! (I also love their natural bug repellent) 

So this is just the beginning!!! There is a lot more to it... And I too, am still learning... one change at a time... why... because if I can make a difference in my health, in my environment and SAVE money while supporting my local economy... then we all win.

Over the next few years, I am hoping to make even more changes... as I educate myself, as I discover sustainable option, and as these option become more easily available. 

If you made it this far, reading this post, then I encourage you to perhaps check out the Green Living Show in Toronto from April 12-14, 2013. If you look around on the internet, there are a few different ways to get free tickets.

Also, one last thing I would like to mention is the company Little eco foot print which I just recently discovered. They are Ontario based and proposed a subscription to a mystery box geared towards family with young kids between the ages of 0-3. So once a month you receive a box with eco product. You can subscribe for 1 months, 3 months or 6 months. I just did it and I am anxiously waiting for my first box!! I will blog about it when it comes ;-) If you are interested check out their facebook group, you also have a chance to win one there.And if you decide to order, you can use my affiliate link ;-)

Tuna is 17 months today!

Tuna is 17 months today! This past month has been filled with new milestones and achievement!

• She slept through the night for the first time!!! (Must have been a fluke, because it did not happened again)

• She got one new tooth bringing the grand total to 6 (and there is another one on the way)

• Within one week, she added over 10 words to her vocabulary! Which is kind of a relief because so far she had been a little bit behind language wise.

• She also made her first sentence! "oh-oh miaow miaow bobo, no no no" translation: Oh no, the cat got hurt, this is no good.
• After having a bad cold, she is now an expert nose blower!
• She still enjoys breastfeeding!

Her favorite new toys are Play d'Oh and Mr. Potato.

And since mommy let's her watch 10-15 minutes of youtube a day, her favorite show is "The Smurfs".

And the biggest milestone of them all....

Drum roll...

Tuna had a growth spur and is now officially just over 30 inches tall!!!!!

Recipe : Super E crab cake

So I really felt like having crab cake for dinner. I went to the grocery but they had none... so I bought 2 cans of crab meat and went home to make them myself!

Here is what I did :

True to myself, I just dumped all the ingredients in a big bowl and mixed it with a potato masher.

-2 cans of crab meat drained
-1 cup of boiled potato
-1 cup boiled broccoli
-1/2 cup bread crumbs
-1 tsp lemon juice
-1/4 cup mayo
-pepper to taste
-garlic salt to taste


After giving it all a good mix, I split the mix in 5 and made patty. I then rolled the patties in more bread crumbs.

I then cooked them in a skillet (with a little bit of oil or butter) for about 4 min. each side or until golden.

And voilà!

And for those interesting... Hudson loved it!

*Note* The amount was fine for 2 adults and one toddler... for a family of four, I would probably double the recipe. Canned Salmon would work as well and be a cheaper option!

For your child's sake

Ok, so I wasn't sure if I was going to right this post or not! But this week Hudson has started to climb everywhere... I found her standing on top of the table, just yesterday!!! For this reason, I thought it would be time for me to say:

PLEASE if you have young children at home, bolt all your furniture to the wall!!!

Seriously, I am not one for meddling with other people's life! You can raise your kids, however you want! You can breastfed them, give them formula, use disposable diapers or cloth! But please, make sure all the furniture in your house is secure and cannot tip over! You can ask my mom, I have been a pain about this! Sure I let my kid run loose, she's not always dress warm enough (according to people, according to me she is just fine), I let her fed herself... but in our house every piece of furniture is bolted! Also please beware of TV sitting on top of table or dresser!

Why am I saying this!!! Well because every year, kids get injured... or even die under a toppled dresser! 

Years ago. I was 14 years old. It was a morning of March. I was babysitting 3 kids aged 2-4-6. I use to babysit these kids 2-3 times a week. I knew them well! They were all very intelligent, spunky, fun-loving, agile and mature kids... 

It was morning, I was preparing the snacks... the oldest one was helping me. The two girls had gone to get dressed on the upper floor! That is when I heard the loudest BANG! you can imagine. I knew it was bad! I dropped everything I was doing! I ran to the second floor and found a big 5 drawers dresser laying flat on the ground. The TV that was sitting on top of it had rolled across the room. Underneath it, layed the 2 years old little girl. Her head was sticking out on one side and she was conscious. I tried to lift the dresser but it was too heavy. I screamed to the 4 years old to call her dad at work! I managed to lift the dresser just high enough so that the 6 years old could wedge something underneath it and pull his sister out! We left her on the ground. I was afraid of moving her too much. She was breathing and in and out of consciousness. She was bruised! Her dad showed up (he worked across the street). He took his daughter down and jumped on the snowmobile... he rushed her to the villages clinic (no hospital and doctor, we lived on a reserve in James Bay). They did some test... she was fine... only a concussion. To this day, I still cannot believe she was fine! Nothing broken! Just bruised. A pure miracle. I still babysat these kids 2-3 times a week. They are now all grown up and in college. But this happy ending is not the case for every family. If this story did not convince you, please read this post.

16 months and on we go...

Hudson is 16 months! Ouf... we had it rough this month... the family was hit with the flu, then as we are just starting to feel better. BANG! We get hit with a gastroenteritis... no fun! No fun at all!

Last weekend for family day, we were off to Ottawa. The trip did not go as planned! As soon as we got to Ottawa, I went snowsuit shopping for Hudson (for next year). I found some amazing clearance deal! Full snowsuit (including hat and mitts) for 22$. I picked up 2... then made my way to the register only to find out our credit card was declined! So Tristan called and turns out they had flagged it because someone was trying to make a big purchase online, from another country, with OUR card!!! So we canceled it right away... but oh-oh... no credit card for the reminder of the trip... ok... that was not too much of a problem...

On day two, we headed out to "Winterlude", Ottawa's winter carnival.... our first stop was the children's spot, so Hudson could slide... well... most of the slides had melted, so only the big kids slide were open... so we left...

We went to skate on the Rideau Canal, instead... same story... the canal was a big puddle of slush... we did skate for about 1 km but that was it... Not quite the day we expected...

On our third day, we decided to go try an Okonomiyaki restaurant... we all ate well and on our way out... that is when started the Gastroenterities from HELL! Hudson started throwing up! She threw up in the parking lot, she threw up at T&T, she threw up all over my car... we were suppose to go shopping and visit the science and technologies museum... instead we went home and started the long process of cleaning and washing everything!

You can only imagine the stench, on the next day, as we drove back home, for 6 hours... in a car smelling like throw up....

ahhhh....


This weekend, everyone is feeling much better! I just finished my reading week and Hudson is as happy as her usual happy-self!

Hudson is 16 months today... She is a 4 tooth and a half... bad sleeper... messy eater... hug and kisses giver... cat obsess... sweet little girl!

Recipe Tofu-Brocoli-Quiche

Last night I while trying to figure out dinner, I came across this vegan recipe! Tofu Quiche with Spinach and Broccoli. Now if you wonder why I would be looking at a vegan recipe website... well because I love vagan recipes. I am by no mean vegan, but I like having option on how to prepare my meal. And I find that often vegan cooking proposes very healthy alternative! I usually go from there and than modify the recipe to my liking and that is exactly what I did! The results was GREAT (and I suspect that even if you stick to the original recipe, it will be GREAT)... here are the ingredients I used. 

Otherwise I followed the exact same preparation instructions.

1 deep-dish store both pie crust (or make your own!)
1 cup of brocoli.
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 cup of fresh chopped baby spinach
1 cup of finely chopped mushroom.
1 tbs of nutmeg,
1 tbs of basil,
1 tbs of ground pepper,
1 tsp of paprika
300 gr of medium tofu,
1/2 cup of milk,
1/2 cup of Chia seed (or grounded flax seeds
2 eggs
1 cup of shredded cheese (your choice, I used old cheddar)
2 tsp corn starch




First I boiled about 1 cup of brocoli.
Then I sautéd 1 large onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 cup of fresh chopped baby spinach (not boiled) and 1 cup of finely chopped mushroom. I added the brocoli and 1 tbs of nutmeg, 1 tbs of basil, 1 tbs of ground pepper, 1 tsp of paprika. (I did not add salt but you could).

In a blender, I put 300 gr of medium tofu, 1/2 cup of milk, 2 tsp corn starch, 1/2 cup of Chia seed (or grounded flax seeds) and 2 eggs.

In a bowl, I mixed the vegetable to the tofu mixture. I added 1 cup of shredded old cheddar-cheese.

I used one 9 inches store bought deep-dish pie shell which I precooked at 350 degree for 12 minutes.

I firmly pressed the mixture in the pie crust and left it in the over for 45 min at 375. (Or until fully cooked in the middle.

And voilà!

This recipe used a whole lot of ingredient but most of them could be changed depending on your taste! We are planning on trying it with zucchini, red pepper, feta cheese and olives!