About Laughter and Lemons

My life has changed dramatically over the last 7 years. I went from a single twenty-something woman who was knee deep in the Canadian music scene to the mother of two beautiful sons, and married to the man of my dreams. Kyle and I met when I was going through somewhat of a crisis with the band I was managing at the time, and  about to make some decisions that would change the course of my life forever. I quit the band, stopped booking and PR, learned to speak french, and decided to work on my career in the Government.
I have not looked back.

After three months of dating, Kyle and I were engaged. Six months later, on December 29th 2006 we were married. It was the best day of my life, and the smartest decision I have ever made. 

Kyle jokes today, about how far I have come in my cooking. He still laughs about how I used to "Shake and Bake" everything on his plate. Or, he pokes fun at the first lunch I ever put together for him to take to work. A soggy tomato and cheese sandwich. I remember he wasn't even miffed about the sogginess - it was the lack of meat on his sandwich! 

Shortly after we were married, we got pregnant but about 17 weeks into the pregnancy I became very ill, and developed an infection in my uterus, that started to spread. We ended up losing the baby and it was devastating for us.

I gained about 20 pounds during that pregnancy and throughout the months that followed. About a year later, I gave birth to my first son Jonah, and gained another 25 pounds during that pregnancy. On on March 9th, 2012, I gave birth to my beautiful little Simon, but yet again gaining another 15 pounds. I never had to worry too much about my weight growing up, but once I hit my late 20's something changed, and I found that I just could not get rid of it. I did many diets. I know it seems cliche to say that. But I really did. Here is the list of diets that I tried, and failed at:

Dr Bernstein (Twice)

South Beach (Three times)

Hoodia pills

Raspberry Keytone diet

African Mango pills

Slim fast

Atkins

Soup diet

Multiple cleanses....

Many of these diets worked (so to say) but none of them were maintainable (Physically, mentally AND financially). Some of them I often found myself hungry on, and therefore miserable.

All of my weight loss issues aside, my husband is a type 1 diabetic. I didn't really know depths of that meant until about 7 months into our marriage when I witnessed him having a seizure in the middle of the night. It was as if my world ended. I did not know what the ramifications of not eating a proper meal were for him until this happened. In my mind diabetes were something of a non-issue to me. He just ate what he wanted to, drank what he wanted to, and took insulin to balance it. I had no idea that there was more of a science behind monitoring blood sugar levels.  After seeing his doctor, and the both of us going on a nutrition course provided by the hospital, I've properly armed myself with more knowledge about what makes a good balanced meal. 

My weight loss goals & Kyle's diabetes aside, now enter.... Jonah. My three year old little boy. He was speaking at 8 months of age, and has the vocabulary of a 10 year old. He is highly intelligent, and therefore is extremely difficult to argue with. He is stubborn (he comes by it honestly) and is often very difficult to feed. Breakfast is the easiest meal of the day for him. He seems to be especially fond of anything with milk or peanut butter in it. 

My three hearts

So where have I found myself? Trying to cook healthy enough for me, balanced enough for my diabetic husband, and exciting enough for my finicky three year old. Here began my new passion and excitement for cooking. Over the past year, I have begun to seek out new and delicious recipes that will appease everyone in my family. The goal is to cook in a way that we are eating a healthy, balanced, diet in a variety of exciting and different ways. I've signed up for a few different cooking classes, and I am hoping to attend a few course at Le Cordon Bleu in the new year. That's the plan now anyways. So there you have it, Laughter and Lemons is my avenue to share with you the recipes that we have come to love and embrace in our mealtime routines. They are healthy, easy, and delicious.... and a few, of course are just pure decadence. For those very special occasions!

I hope you enjoy reading this blog. I never thought I would be the type of person to do this.... it was actually my sister who recommended I start a blog. So I guess I owe the thanks to her for pushing me to do something creative. However, I have the sneaking suspicion that it was all because I was calling her too much.

Blessings,

Kristin