I'm just looking for something to do while I stay up late to regain some control of my time as a mom of two little kids. Will I regret staying up past midnight to work on my blog posts? 

Yes, but I also just updated my office set up and I want to use my new keyboard. 

It's only been a year and 10 months, or it's already been a year and 10 months? What have I been doing/creating with this time? To all the other moms with more kids and more life, what's your secret?

The last post was of me expressing my excitement to return to work after maternity leave with the second baby, and once work started, I really couldn't balance taking care of the family while working full time, and definitely had to drop some hobbies, including documenting my life online. 

Also, be in the moment, amirite? Who has time to read my posts anyways?

Since Jan. 2023...

• - Traveled to Germany, Boston, Hawaii, Victoria, Edmonton
• - Got a minivan 
• - Tried out a few new cafes and restaurants, but did not get to document most of it. By the time I whip out my phone to take a photo, the food would already have little fingers in it, or it would be on the ground (P likes to throw...) 
• - Helped out regularly at S's preschool
• - Started another new job and I can't tell if it's the transition to the new company or my wild kids that has created a few extra strands of whites in my hair
• - Finished a 1000 piece puzzle that is still missing 1 piece (we think P ate it)
• - Started reading fiction again, currently on book 20 of the year
• - Started using Classpass for spin and yoga classes, and might try a boxing class one day soon

Anyways, I am grateful for all that is currently in my life, and can't wait to make more things happen. Let's see if I can post more regularly.

The kids got sick once again, and the timing couldn't have been worse. S started around the 23rd, and baby P felt sick a day or two after. That meant we missed all the holiday parties and did not see any of our extended friends and family. The only good part for me was that S actually took naps willingly.

During one of those naps, we got the grandparents in and snuck out to the 49th Parallel in North Vancouver. 

This was their Yule Log donut, which looked like a long John with some red and white sprinkles on top. I thought it might possibly peppermint candy on top...?

When I bit into the donut, the filling surprised me! 

What is this pink and yellow custard?! I had to focus on my taste buds to figure out that the pink might be a raspberry jam, and the yellow was... something sweet. It didn't have much flavor. The dough was nice and chewy, but didn't taste as fresh as the donuts from Fox and Oak in Squamish. 

Coffee though was nice and strong. Punch me in the face level of strong coffee, which H and I needed because we were drained.

Before I became a parent, I would listen to other people talk about their kids getting sick but nobody ever truly helped me realize how soul sucking and draining it is to take care of sick kids, especially when you're also sick and cannot rest. Maybe they didn't want to scare us from having kids. Or maybe they didn't actually think it was so difficult. Or maybe I'm not parenting correctly...?! 

Time to start work tomorrow.

We visited H-Mart a while ago to grab a quick lunch, after a trip to IKEA, and I picked up the inari from their prepared foods: 

Chopped scallop on the left, tuna on the top right, and crab salad on the bottom. Don't they look delicious? 

These were already waiting in a glass display case for a hungry customer, and for about $4 a piece, they were not all that filling. I don't think I would repurchase at full price, but I do hear they have discounts on day old food. 

The kids were waiting impatiently in the car with H, while I ran around H-Mart like a mad woman. I miss the days when we could take a leisurely stroll around a grocery store, meander through the snack aisles, and not worry about the deafening screams coming from the back seat because we've missed nap time by ten minutes. 

I also miss the days when I didn't have to clean up poop and vomit from the floors, because the entire family was hit with the stomach flu and we were out for almost a week. Yesterday was the worst of it, as H stayed in bed all day, and I ran around trying to keep the kids hydrated, fed, and clean, while fighting off the virus. I could feel my stomach churning, and even though I had lots of layers on, I was getting bone aching chills. Mothers are too busy to get sick. 

I'm just grateful S is potty trained, and did all of her number two's in the potty. Also grateful that my parents could come and help with the kids, so that I could also rest. 

Otherwise, life is looking up. I'm starting to feel more energized to work on other projects after the sh**show of the past few days. It's a good day when I don't have to clean up poop and puke. 

Is it really over? Will we have more house related problems? I'm sure we will, that's life and our house is old. The inspection was two weeks ago, and I haven't even had time to breathe a sigh of relief because kids. Everybody is once again sick (but in a manageable way, not like the last time when we visited the hospital). S is pushing boundaries more than ever and baby P is learning to voice his opinions. 

I always find comfort in chocolate chip cookies though. This one is from To Live For, a completely vegan bakery that recently opened in East Vancouver. They have been supplying coffee shops and other stores for a while now, but finally have their own cafe. 

It is unbelievable that this cookie is fully vegan. no eggs, butter, or any animal by product. How is this possible?! It's not my favourite chocolate chip cookie, but it sure comes close. The texture is crispier than I usually like, but flavor is on point. Lots of (vegan!!!!) chocolate chips. Prior to the chocolate chip cookies, I've tried the lemon loaf, and it was even better than any loaf made with real butter. I still can't believe butter is not on their ingredients list. 

We got this cookie to go, but I'd love to hang out at their beautiful cafe soon. Maybe when I return to work and have to escape the children... 

Took both the kids and their grandpa for their vaccines one morning this week. S was very quiet while waiting in line, and refused to take off her jacket and sweater ahead of time. The kind lady who took our ID recommended we strip the kids down ahead of time, so that there's no fussing when we sit down with the nurse or whoever gives us the vaccine. 

I was slightly nervous that S would have a meltdown because there were a few other children crying and screaming around us. One little girl could be heard across the entire room, and probably outside the building as well, and she hadn't even had the needle near her yet (future anti-vaxxer in the making?). 

I got my vaccines first. Then, it was S's turn. 

Amid the chaos around us, S just sat in my lap, quietly observed the lady preparing the vaccine, had the shot, and we went over to the colouring station. Baby P was cool as a cuke, as per usual. 

A few days later, unrelated to the vaccine, and probably because we exposed ourselves to other sick children, both kids are once again sick. Their symptoms are mild, only runny noses, so I'm hoping it will run its course in the next few days. It's extra tough right before mealtimes, because both of them are hungry and want to be held. I only have one pair of arms and barely enough strength to carry one of them because they're growing so fast. Somebody will always be left on the ground, screaming and kicking. Usually, somebody will be sad, and that is often me.

Thankfully, we live in a great city with lots of food options to refuel after an exhausting day of being patient with the kids. H and I decided to visit Downlow Chicken after an especially gruelling week: 

We ordered three pieces of chicken thigh by the piece, which were served with pickles over a piece of white bread. We ordered three separate flavors - the jerk, the lemon pepper, and the cool ranch. The flavors tasted the same to me, maybe the seasonings intermingled into a hot mess of spices. 

This was so so so delicious, and the best fried chicken in town. 

The skin was crispy like a potato chip, yet the insides were juicy and tender, the perfect piece of fried chicken. How do they make the skin so crispy?! What is in their oil? And how come it's not greasy at all??

On the way home from Whistler, we decided to make more pit stops, rather than zooming all the way from the sky to the sea. We stopped at Fox and Oak for donuts: 

The top one is Puppy Chow (peanut butter and chocolate), and the bottom one, chosen by S, is a gluten free Pumpkin Spice flavor. More flavors available can be found, feel free to explore their menu online.  

Can they please come to Vancouver? 

We need these fluffy bites of heaven closer to home. 

Our next stop was at Shannon Falls, and after that, everybody fell asleep except me, the driver. It was a lovely, quiet trip home. 

Took a quick overnight trip to Whistler with the fam. 

H was already there, he was by himself for 2 nights, and my lovely mum was helping me with the children. It wasn't too miserable without him, but it was not easy either, because he is another authority figure that S respects, whether she realises it or not. When he's around, she listens better. 

We left the house at 8AM, and the 1.5 hour drive went as smoothly as possible. Baby P fell asleep almost immediately. S was entertained by the extra books and snacks for about 30 minutes, until she had enough of being in her car seat. Then, she kept saying she wanted to throw away the ocean (the Sea to Sky had the most amazing ocean view that day). 

Finally, we arrived, changed everybody's diapers, and went on the prowl for food. Portobello at Whistler is right around the corner from where we were staying at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler: 

We ordered a porchetta sandwich, and a turkey noodle soup with a side of mac and cheese. The crispy pork skin tasted super fresh, while the meat just melted in your mouth, and none of it was too greasy. 

The soup was mostly for me, and the mac and cheese for S. She didn't eat much though, I think she had enough snacks. Everything was delicious. Or was I just starving from breastfeeding and travelling all day?

What else is there to do at Whistler with two kids, two years old and under, before the first snow?   

📍Coffee Park

📍The pool at the hotel

That's a full day.