I finished the Poisonwood Bible! Truly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I actually found that I enjoyed it, once the story got beyond the terrible, preachy father. It was a good story - long, drawn out, can't say I enjoyed all of the threads of the four daughters, but I am glad that I read it. I was a bit worried in the beginning, but the book started rolling once I got about 1/3 of the way through. Okay, saying that, sounds like I was pretty determined to get through the book...
Followed that one up with a glorious, fluffy, escapist read and now I am reading a novel called Fiela's Child which is another good book (Thanks Cher for some good reads over the holidays, just what I needed).
The holidays blitzed by - it is a lot of build up for a few days. Our Christmas was lovely, the kids were spoiled, and it was really neat watching Brandon explore Christmas this year. Some great food, and then some not so great food. I think the dinner I had at my sister in laws has officially turned me off of turkey. Nothing like watching the bird get carved and then noticing that it is raw in the middle... and then eating two hours later and just thinking.. wow, that ham looks really nice!!!! Last big dinner was at my mom's, it went over okay (noisy! which is good, considering my mom's side would only get together between 4 and leave by 7:30 in the past) but my scallop potatoes tasted good, but needed a lot more time in the oven.. nothing like cooking for 16 and trying to judge cooking time...
Since I have discovered a great crock pot stuffing recipe that tastes as good as in the bird... I think a few beer can chickens on the barbie and crock pot stuffing are the way to go. Avoid that turkey hangover, and too many leftovers, and well, half my family can't really eat it anymore so.... hello chicken!
Between Ken and I we were pretty low key for each other this year, although he did spoil me a little more than I spoiled him... except we are going to VEGAS BABY!!!!! we will be there for about 48 hours in a few weeks and we will run and play and go go go!!!!! It was a total surprise (I knew we were going away, just not where) and I think it will be really cool.. PARENTS GONE WILD!! HAHAHHAHAHHAAH.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A different thought
So, I have been contemplating Christmas Cards.
I have usually sent them out, and last year was the first year I had truly missed sending out cards in a long, long time. I felt bad about it too, but it just wasn't happening last year. We didn't get a lot of the cards last year, and some folks are moving to a mass email-letter, and some folks are moving to a donation and an email. It's all good, it is the thought that counts. I think it is important to reach out to people at this time of the year, touch base, see what is up.
I think I will always send out some kind of card, whether it be a picture, or a computer generated card with pictures in it... but I don't think I will do the mass send out like I did this year. In some ways, I half view this year as an experiment, see how many Christmas cards we get and go from there next year. There are some folks you just send them too and don't expect one in return (like your 94 year old gram) but some folks ... well... you start to wonder whether or not those relations who never send you one still need to get one.
I have an address list I keep, and track who I am sending them too, it does help year to year, but I am not sure what I am going to do next year. Do I want to send out a lot of cards and only get a handful? Or, do I send the cards out to the people I really want to and say screw the rest?! Time will tell - I guess what somewhat holds me back from not sending out cards is that I love getting them. I think they brighten up the year, knowing you are remembered. Like my philosophy with the lights, it doesn't matter how sophisticated they are put up - we are bringing light to the darkest time of the year and I can appreciate that.
I have usually sent them out, and last year was the first year I had truly missed sending out cards in a long, long time. I felt bad about it too, but it just wasn't happening last year. We didn't get a lot of the cards last year, and some folks are moving to a mass email-letter, and some folks are moving to a donation and an email. It's all good, it is the thought that counts. I think it is important to reach out to people at this time of the year, touch base, see what is up.
I think I will always send out some kind of card, whether it be a picture, or a computer generated card with pictures in it... but I don't think I will do the mass send out like I did this year. In some ways, I half view this year as an experiment, see how many Christmas cards we get and go from there next year. There are some folks you just send them too and don't expect one in return (like your 94 year old gram) but some folks ... well... you start to wonder whether or not those relations who never send you one still need to get one.
I have an address list I keep, and track who I am sending them too, it does help year to year, but I am not sure what I am going to do next year. Do I want to send out a lot of cards and only get a handful? Or, do I send the cards out to the people I really want to and say screw the rest?! Time will tell - I guess what somewhat holds me back from not sending out cards is that I love getting them. I think they brighten up the year, knowing you are remembered. Like my philosophy with the lights, it doesn't matter how sophisticated they are put up - we are bringing light to the darkest time of the year and I can appreciate that.
Just frittering
It has been a strange week. I think I jinxed myself with the last post. Yesterday everything just seemed to head south at times, and fast. Brandon was trying. Connor didn't nap enough at times. I was just cranky pants all over the place. The house felt like it was just chaos. The house felt too small, and like we have too many things, and there are too many things I don't want to get rid of. It feels like I got so far with getting ready for Christmas and then I stalled out.
Today fared a little better. Brandon got his new orthotics, and 4 hours later, and two trips to get new shoes that fit properly over said orthotics, and we are good to go. They seem so much bigger than his last pair.. my baby is already growing too fast and he is only three!!!! I was so grateful for my dad's helping hands I treated him to lunch. I am learning that I am much more of a holistic healer than going for traditional medicine. I think there has to be a balance between both, and that you need to do whatever proactive you can to create the best outcome. Not always easy though. Some days you just need to regroup.
It just being quiet now helps. Frittering away on the computer, finishing up a few cards, sending out bits and pieces of mail. It is amazing how some days you totally own your corner of the world, and some days it feels like everything is scattered around you and you have it all, you just don't really know where it all is. I am sorry if I am not making sense - it isn't that the last days have been terrible, they have just been trying. I think that collectively we have cabin fever and need to get out. I thought we could get out and feed some ducks today, but when you are out for the 4 best hours of the day, it doesn't happen. I think I may create some kind of adventure for tomorrow..
On another note, just finished the book Midwives by CBojalian and I really enjoyed it. I am not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. I actually finished it up in three days, which seems impressive after how long I struggled with WH! It was a quick read, not exactly profound, but a page turner nonetheless. I would not recommend reading this if you are pregnant right now... it does deal with a home birth that goes awry. I am now moving on to the Poisonwood Bible.I am a little leery about this one because a dear friend said it was like watching paint dry and she really didn't like it, but I am curious... I went back to this old post and have since then knocked off 4 more books off of the list and PB will make it 5...
Today fared a little better. Brandon got his new orthotics, and 4 hours later, and two trips to get new shoes that fit properly over said orthotics, and we are good to go. They seem so much bigger than his last pair.. my baby is already growing too fast and he is only three!!!! I was so grateful for my dad's helping hands I treated him to lunch. I am learning that I am much more of a holistic healer than going for traditional medicine. I think there has to be a balance between both, and that you need to do whatever proactive you can to create the best outcome. Not always easy though. Some days you just need to regroup.
It just being quiet now helps. Frittering away on the computer, finishing up a few cards, sending out bits and pieces of mail. It is amazing how some days you totally own your corner of the world, and some days it feels like everything is scattered around you and you have it all, you just don't really know where it all is. I am sorry if I am not making sense - it isn't that the last days have been terrible, they have just been trying. I think that collectively we have cabin fever and need to get out. I thought we could get out and feed some ducks today, but when you are out for the 4 best hours of the day, it doesn't happen. I think I may create some kind of adventure for tomorrow..
On another note, just finished the book Midwives by CBojalian and I really enjoyed it. I am not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. I actually finished it up in three days, which seems impressive after how long I struggled with WH! It was a quick read, not exactly profound, but a page turner nonetheless. I would not recommend reading this if you are pregnant right now... it does deal with a home birth that goes awry. I am now moving on to the Poisonwood Bible.I am a little leery about this one because a dear friend said it was like watching paint dry and she really didn't like it, but I am curious... I went back to this old post and have since then knocked off 4 more books off of the list and PB will make it 5...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
On the path to being somewhat organized
After the chaos of the last few Christmas' ... this year is starting to feel almost tranquil!
Damn, it is tempting to list off what I have done so far!! I just finished WH. It was a good book, in a way, and I am sure that you could publish theses on it in either psychology or English. What a sad, melancholy, strange book. Yea, interesting, lots of symbolism, lots to dwell upon and reflect on what means what, and what exactly are shadows of the author herself. Reminds me of my old Eng Lit days, reading books and searching for hidden meanings so I could pontificate upon and sound like I actually knew what I was talking about.
Out tree is up, we ended up picking up the first one we looked at. I still made Ken and the boys wait while I looked at a few others, just to be sure, but we have a magical tree and it was pretty reasonably priced too. The great snow of late 2009 didn't happen. Things were looking pretty white about 7pm last night, but things rapidly turned to rain by 9pm. Although the white stuff is nice on weekends, I am glad that we have not seen a repeat of last year. There are limits to how much snow we need down here on the coast.
It's strange, it feels like I have a few moments today. The last few weeks have been busy - amazing how much preparation goes in to celebrating the holidays! It's also felt satisfying to get to all the bits and pieces in the weeks before instead of the hours and days before things are to be together. It's nice not being in a panic, there is something to be said about being organized. Yet another difference that evolves when you have two kids... you have to be more organized, and take advantage of the quiet times. I just seem to be better able to pull everything together now than I was 3 years ago.
Damn, it is tempting to list off what I have done so far!! I just finished WH. It was a good book, in a way, and I am sure that you could publish theses on it in either psychology or English. What a sad, melancholy, strange book. Yea, interesting, lots of symbolism, lots to dwell upon and reflect on what means what, and what exactly are shadows of the author herself. Reminds me of my old Eng Lit days, reading books and searching for hidden meanings so I could pontificate upon and sound like I actually knew what I was talking about.
Out tree is up, we ended up picking up the first one we looked at. I still made Ken and the boys wait while I looked at a few others, just to be sure, but we have a magical tree and it was pretty reasonably priced too. The great snow of late 2009 didn't happen. Things were looking pretty white about 7pm last night, but things rapidly turned to rain by 9pm. Although the white stuff is nice on weekends, I am glad that we have not seen a repeat of last year. There are limits to how much snow we need down here on the coast.
It's strange, it feels like I have a few moments today. The last few weeks have been busy - amazing how much preparation goes in to celebrating the holidays! It's also felt satisfying to get to all the bits and pieces in the weeks before instead of the hours and days before things are to be together. It's nice not being in a panic, there is something to be said about being organized. Yet another difference that evolves when you have two kids... you have to be more organized, and take advantage of the quiet times. I just seem to be better able to pull everything together now than I was 3 years ago.
Friday, December 11, 2009
feels like being back in school
I am currently reading Wuthering Heights. I am not sure what I expected, but it isn't quite what the reality is turning out to be.
Although I was an English Lit major (honestly, at the end of the day I value my Humanities degree way more than my English degree), I found some of the classics a trial to read. Which is ironic, because I love to read. Whether or not they are classics, some books are a slog to get through.
I have had WH on my shelf for years. Hell, probably close to a decade. For some reason that escapes me (more in the sense that I have had the chance to read, usually before bed) I have been reading voraciously the last few months. So, I have gotten through many of the unread books that have been waiting for such a time on my shelf.
I really struggled through the first 100 pages, and I am surprised at how bleak this novel is. I guess I had one set of perceptions of what I had an inkling WH would be like (more Jane Austen'ish I suppose) but it isn't really panning out to be what I expected. The story is moving along, and I am interested, but I am also a little perplexed. It is a strange read, and it certainly isn't a fast read, where I can't wait to read what action is going to unfold on the next page. I don't know how I will feel about it once I have turned the last page, but even the characters don't seem to have a lot going for them - the narrators seem to the most kind, where many of the protagonists are just antagonistic and not really nice people to know. I guess my sympathies for the lead characters has not really been aroused to this point.
The jury is out.
Although I was an English Lit major (honestly, at the end of the day I value my Humanities degree way more than my English degree), I found some of the classics a trial to read. Which is ironic, because I love to read. Whether or not they are classics, some books are a slog to get through.
I have had WH on my shelf for years. Hell, probably close to a decade. For some reason that escapes me (more in the sense that I have had the chance to read, usually before bed) I have been reading voraciously the last few months. So, I have gotten through many of the unread books that have been waiting for such a time on my shelf.
I really struggled through the first 100 pages, and I am surprised at how bleak this novel is. I guess I had one set of perceptions of what I had an inkling WH would be like (more Jane Austen'ish I suppose) but it isn't really panning out to be what I expected. The story is moving along, and I am interested, but I am also a little perplexed. It is a strange read, and it certainly isn't a fast read, where I can't wait to read what action is going to unfold on the next page. I don't know how I will feel about it once I have turned the last page, but even the characters don't seem to have a lot going for them - the narrators seem to the most kind, where many of the protagonists are just antagonistic and not really nice people to know. I guess my sympathies for the lead characters has not really been aroused to this point.
The jury is out.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Christmas Baking
My last post got me thinking, that and my current streak of domesticity...
What do you do for Christmas baking? I will reveal the selfish part of this, I am looking for some new ideas. The Chocolate Crinkles are new for me, and yes, will be added to my repertoire. A twist on those is to add peppermint instead of vanilla and you have a whole new, fabulous cookie.
I usually do some shortbread, butter and mincemeat tarts, some sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, haystacks... but I think it is good to branch out, add a few new tricks to the old recipe bag. Any suggestions? Definitely open to them!
What do you do for Christmas baking? I will reveal the selfish part of this, I am looking for some new ideas. The Chocolate Crinkles are new for me, and yes, will be added to my repertoire. A twist on those is to add peppermint instead of vanilla and you have a whole new, fabulous cookie.
I usually do some shortbread, butter and mincemeat tarts, some sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, haystacks... but I think it is good to branch out, add a few new tricks to the old recipe bag. Any suggestions? Definitely open to them!
Life repeats itself with slight twists
It's funny looking back in to your own personal history of posts and seeing where you were at a year ago, two years ago, etc.
Last December our lives were chaos. It was a Fall of mixed blessings, and the best thing to come from everything was our little guy named Connor and ultimately Brandon turning a few corners and moving forward in his life and gaining much, much more mobility. This year has not been about as much change - yes, we have welcomed another child, but I think as a family we have had some more time to just get used to life as we know it, now. I am not sure if that makes sense, but during my first maternity leave, so much happened - this time around, things are happening at a different pace, we are not first time parents, and I can speak for myself, I am enjoying the journey a little more.
I am not altogether sure what this week will bring. I feel the urge to make some lists and figure out what needs to get done in the next few weeks. We don't have a lot of things on the go, we aren't terribly booked up, and it is kind of nice to feel like we can just allow the coming weeks to unravel as they will.
The weather this week is supposed to be outstanding. My goal will be to get out and enjoy it - although I think that will mean a lot of layers for all of us. I can hear the gusting wind and there is a real bite in the air.
Amazing though, you post pretty much every day for a month, achieve your goal, and then drop off of the wagon. Us humans are so goal oriented, it is funny.
I discovered another evil cookie recipe.
Chocolate Crinkles. Totally addictive.
Last December our lives were chaos. It was a Fall of mixed blessings, and the best thing to come from everything was our little guy named Connor and ultimately Brandon turning a few corners and moving forward in his life and gaining much, much more mobility. This year has not been about as much change - yes, we have welcomed another child, but I think as a family we have had some more time to just get used to life as we know it, now. I am not sure if that makes sense, but during my first maternity leave, so much happened - this time around, things are happening at a different pace, we are not first time parents, and I can speak for myself, I am enjoying the journey a little more.
I am not altogether sure what this week will bring. I feel the urge to make some lists and figure out what needs to get done in the next few weeks. We don't have a lot of things on the go, we aren't terribly booked up, and it is kind of nice to feel like we can just allow the coming weeks to unravel as they will.
The weather this week is supposed to be outstanding. My goal will be to get out and enjoy it - although I think that will mean a lot of layers for all of us. I can hear the gusting wind and there is a real bite in the air.
Amazing though, you post pretty much every day for a month, achieve your goal, and then drop off of the wagon. Us humans are so goal oriented, it is funny.
I discovered another evil cookie recipe.
Chocolate Crinkles. Totally addictive.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions
- In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls. I like to use a number 50 size scoop. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
so many little bits
Funny after posting just about every day for a month, you start to get in to a habit, or on a roll.
Few things happening in the sporting world. I will leave the big one alone, the price of fame - where does privacy even start? Does the public need explanations? Sad commentary about public consumption and public lives.
Ah yes, but the really interesting stuff for me has always been in hockey. Ovie being himself, and then that poor guy with the cut leg (some place I never went mentally when I played, scary stuff when skates come up). The really bizarre incident was the slash that happened in a Panthers game a few nights ago. After not getting his man, Panther Ballard takes a wicked slap at the net and nails his goalie, Vokoun. Not only does he not check to see on his goalie, whom is bellowing out in pain and flopping around on the ice, but he takes another whack with his stick and succeeds in breaking it on the goal post. W T F ?? I think this is a play that should be reviewed by the league. Scuttlebut indicates that because they were on the same team, nothing happens. I think that it is BS. That swinging stick was vicious, and Ballard did not even stop to check in on the guy whom obviously went down as a result of said swing. A move that was not classy, made him look like a complete ass, and well, when a player acts that subconsciouslessly, and doesn't think, oh yeah, they should be suspended by the team. Behaviour like that should not be condoned by no action, even if was team mate on team mate. It was a vicious slash.
Canucks won tonight - which was nice. I still think the starting Olympic job isn't going to Bobby Lou though..
Hmm, what else? I should be sleeping. I am tired, my eyes hurt, but sleep isn't coming. ARGH!
So, I think I will order my Christmas pictures. Why not?!
I took the boys to the Reifel Bird Refuge today... What an awesome experience. There are no, and I mean no anorexic ducks here. They are all fat. Verrrra healthy ducks and geese. Verra friendly ducks at that. I was hoping to see some snow geese, but we could only see them on the shoreline from a distance. But hear them we could - especially when the flock would take flight and move around, the cacophony of sound could be heard from miles away. It was enchanting. A beautiful fall day - I should have gotten an earlier start to our day, but alas, kids happened so we spent an hour in rush hour traffic coming home. I do not miss that.
We did see sandhill cranes, lots of mallards, coots, widegons, black-crowned night herons, chickadees, and swallows, and I do not know the names of the other birds we saw. A great place to go walking, some blinds to hide in, some towers to see from. I packed some food and some seed, and we made a real day of it. Brandon got tired and I had to carry, coerce him to continue a few times. Connor was pretty good too for a bumpy ride in the stroller. We have Nej's stroller from her first born and let me tell you, that stroller takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. 11 years old and the stroller is still a kick ass piece of kid machinery - I have taken it everywhere and Brandon can even perch himself off the back and hold on while I push! What is amazing about being a mom, is what you learn to do because you have to. Like pushing a stroller, feeding a kid a bottle, and holding the other as they try to feed the ducks, while trying to take some pictures.
After two weeks and 20 cm of rain, it is amazing what a beautiful place it is we live in when things dry out. Tomorrow I may haul out the Christmas lights, or dream up somewhere else to go and enjoy the sun in.
Few things happening in the sporting world. I will leave the big one alone, the price of fame - where does privacy even start? Does the public need explanations? Sad commentary about public consumption and public lives.
Ah yes, but the really interesting stuff for me has always been in hockey. Ovie being himself, and then that poor guy with the cut leg (some place I never went mentally when I played, scary stuff when skates come up). The really bizarre incident was the slash that happened in a Panthers game a few nights ago. After not getting his man, Panther Ballard takes a wicked slap at the net and nails his goalie, Vokoun. Not only does he not check to see on his goalie, whom is bellowing out in pain and flopping around on the ice, but he takes another whack with his stick and succeeds in breaking it on the goal post. W T F ?? I think this is a play that should be reviewed by the league. Scuttlebut indicates that because they were on the same team, nothing happens. I think that it is BS. That swinging stick was vicious, and Ballard did not even stop to check in on the guy whom obviously went down as a result of said swing. A move that was not classy, made him look like a complete ass, and well, when a player acts that subconsciouslessly, and doesn't think, oh yeah, they should be suspended by the team. Behaviour like that should not be condoned by no action, even if was team mate on team mate. It was a vicious slash.
Canucks won tonight - which was nice. I still think the starting Olympic job isn't going to Bobby Lou though..
Hmm, what else? I should be sleeping. I am tired, my eyes hurt, but sleep isn't coming. ARGH!
So, I think I will order my Christmas pictures. Why not?!
I took the boys to the Reifel Bird Refuge today... What an awesome experience. There are no, and I mean no anorexic ducks here. They are all fat. Verrrra healthy ducks and geese. Verra friendly ducks at that. I was hoping to see some snow geese, but we could only see them on the shoreline from a distance. But hear them we could - especially when the flock would take flight and move around, the cacophony of sound could be heard from miles away. It was enchanting. A beautiful fall day - I should have gotten an earlier start to our day, but alas, kids happened so we spent an hour in rush hour traffic coming home. I do not miss that.
We did see sandhill cranes, lots of mallards, coots, widegons, black-crowned night herons, chickadees, and swallows, and I do not know the names of the other birds we saw. A great place to go walking, some blinds to hide in, some towers to see from. I packed some food and some seed, and we made a real day of it. Brandon got tired and I had to carry, coerce him to continue a few times. Connor was pretty good too for a bumpy ride in the stroller. We have Nej's stroller from her first born and let me tell you, that stroller takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. 11 years old and the stroller is still a kick ass piece of kid machinery - I have taken it everywhere and Brandon can even perch himself off the back and hold on while I push! What is amazing about being a mom, is what you learn to do because you have to. Like pushing a stroller, feeding a kid a bottle, and holding the other as they try to feed the ducks, while trying to take some pictures.
After two weeks and 20 cm of rain, it is amazing what a beautiful place it is we live in when things dry out. Tomorrow I may haul out the Christmas lights, or dream up somewhere else to go and enjoy the sun in.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Day 30.
I made the thirty posts, just not one every day. Looking at the years worth of posts, I did manage to post more in November than I did the first few months of the year! I just lamed out and borrowed a naming convention for the day from a dear friend... it was just way easier than coming up with a snappy title today, there are none floating around.
I like NaBloPoMo... being able to look back and see what you did for a month, or didn't do as the case may be. Christmas is around the corner, and I am busy making my lists - what gifts to buy, baking to do, stretching that all mighty dollar as far as we can.
Mondays are my scattered day - I find that it feels like I am frittering away time, picking up after the weekend, feeling a bit aimless. Today we made some sugar cookies, and I am going to tidy up a bit, maybe get the laundry put away, and well, that's about it for excitement.
Went to a first birthday yesterday. What chaos. There were so many little kids, made me grateful I don't do daycare. O M G !!!! Little ones, a few B's size, and a few bigger kids. Then all the adults. Lovely party, but almost too many people inside and lots of noise.
On a total aside, it seems many of my favourite authors at some time delve in to an Egyptian book/theme. It's amazing how intriguing all things Egyptian are. When I visited Egypt in 1999 someone said to me that once you taste the Nile, you will be back. I believe that. What I saw whetted my appetite for more. I didn't make it much farther than Cairo and there is so much more to see.
I like NaBloPoMo... being able to look back and see what you did for a month, or didn't do as the case may be. Christmas is around the corner, and I am busy making my lists - what gifts to buy, baking to do, stretching that all mighty dollar as far as we can.
Mondays are my scattered day - I find that it feels like I am frittering away time, picking up after the weekend, feeling a bit aimless. Today we made some sugar cookies, and I am going to tidy up a bit, maybe get the laundry put away, and well, that's about it for excitement.
Went to a first birthday yesterday. What chaos. There were so many little kids, made me grateful I don't do daycare. O M G !!!! Little ones, a few B's size, and a few bigger kids. Then all the adults. Lovely party, but almost too many people inside and lots of noise.
On a total aside, it seems many of my favourite authors at some time delve in to an Egyptian book/theme. It's amazing how intriguing all things Egyptian are. When I visited Egypt in 1999 someone said to me that once you taste the Nile, you will be back. I believe that. What I saw whetted my appetite for more. I didn't make it much farther than Cairo and there is so much more to see.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Lazy Day.
A little cleaning. A little organizing. A little life with no plans.
Sounds like a little slice of heaven today.
Morning is getting to a slow start, and I am sitting here nursing my egg nog latte. I am starting my coveted copy of the Echo in the Bone from the Outlander series and it is a rainy day. On the deluge scale, since I started paying attention again, we have had 170 mm of rain in the last two weeks, and more on the way. Last week the weather forecast predicted a lot of sun for this week. They were wrong.
Aside from odds and sods, it is nice to have a huge agenda for today. The weeks seem to be going just too damn fast. My baby is 5 months old already... the half way mark for my leave is coming up!!
Sounds like a little slice of heaven today.
Morning is getting to a slow start, and I am sitting here nursing my egg nog latte. I am starting my coveted copy of the Echo in the Bone from the Outlander series and it is a rainy day. On the deluge scale, since I started paying attention again, we have had 170 mm of rain in the last two weeks, and more on the way. Last week the weather forecast predicted a lot of sun for this week. They were wrong.
Aside from odds and sods, it is nice to have a huge agenda for today. The weeks seem to be going just too damn fast. My baby is 5 months old already... the half way mark for my leave is coming up!!
Black Friday
I slipped up again, and this post that floated around my cerebral regions never made it to the blog yesterday. I was damn tired. I wasn't in the mood to post. It just didn't happen.
So, two will happen again today. I have also come to appreciate that NaBloPoMo is thirty posts in thirty days, and I can do that! I just don't know about the posting every day.. LOL
I got an evil email from my favourite outlet mall stateside. They were opening for BF at midnight. This meant I could go shopping and leave everyone at home (and hopefully asleep, which turned out to be wishful thinking, sorry hon), and not have to deal with traffic! My favourite kid's store had EVERYTHING 50% off. I also had a coupon for another 20% off, and they were giving an extra 10% off for BF. My niece even agreed to come along with me! At 10:30, Ken checked the border line ups. Shit. Over an hour at one, and 45 minutes at the other. He thought I was nuts for heading down, but I was now a mom with a mission. I chose the hinterland crossing (woo woo, a 5 minute wait, good call).
So, after picking up my niece and heading east, we made excellent time to the outlet malls. I was grateful to have her company as I fought the urge to turtle in the kids store. The prices were just ... er... awesome?? Of course, the coupons weren't as good as a layered 80% ... they did the 50% off first, and then took the other discounts off. They even had wooden toys on sale!
Between the two kids stores, ticket prices were just shy of $400. Including taxes, I spent about $130!! TALK ABOUT DEALS! I even got a birthday gift for a friend's 1 year old (I had to ask someone about girls clothes, I understand their pants, obviously, but those shirt/dress things you wear with tights, that was news to me!! Guess who only has boys??), and a cool shower gift for my cousin's baby, 3 really cool puzzles, Christmas jammies for the boys, and a bunch of clothes. I scored. I got my MIL partially done, and a few new shirts for me. I also got some Tillamook cheese (best cheese in the world, especially their pepper jack) and some lime diet pepsi.
Heading home was fast. I love night driving. It just seems rude once you are back on our side of the border and the speed limit drastically drops. It feels strange.
I left the house at 10:45, and made it home at 5:00 am. Of course I was too wired up to sleep, and happy that Brandon now is set until summer. His pants aren't floods anymore. Connor, well, he has the hand-me-downs, but he has some cool new clothes too. Now it is just toys for the boys. The deals were good. I was able to get in, get out... life was good. I survived on about 2 hours sleep today.
I did have to ask my niece about what is the big deal with C0ach. I don't get it. At 3am they still had a line up outside of their store about 40 deep of people waiting to get in. W T F ??? I guess I am just not that cool.
So, two will happen again today. I have also come to appreciate that NaBloPoMo is thirty posts in thirty days, and I can do that! I just don't know about the posting every day.. LOL
I got an evil email from my favourite outlet mall stateside. They were opening for BF at midnight. This meant I could go shopping and leave everyone at home (and hopefully asleep, which turned out to be wishful thinking, sorry hon), and not have to deal with traffic! My favourite kid's store had EVERYTHING 50% off. I also had a coupon for another 20% off, and they were giving an extra 10% off for BF. My niece even agreed to come along with me! At 10:30, Ken checked the border line ups. Shit. Over an hour at one, and 45 minutes at the other. He thought I was nuts for heading down, but I was now a mom with a mission. I chose the hinterland crossing (woo woo, a 5 minute wait, good call).
So, after picking up my niece and heading east, we made excellent time to the outlet malls. I was grateful to have her company as I fought the urge to turtle in the kids store. The prices were just ... er... awesome?? Of course, the coupons weren't as good as a layered 80% ... they did the 50% off first, and then took the other discounts off. They even had wooden toys on sale!
Between the two kids stores, ticket prices were just shy of $400. Including taxes, I spent about $130!! TALK ABOUT DEALS! I even got a birthday gift for a friend's 1 year old (I had to ask someone about girls clothes, I understand their pants, obviously, but those shirt/dress things you wear with tights, that was news to me!! Guess who only has boys??), and a cool shower gift for my cousin's baby, 3 really cool puzzles, Christmas jammies for the boys, and a bunch of clothes. I scored. I got my MIL partially done, and a few new shirts for me. I also got some Tillamook cheese (best cheese in the world, especially their pepper jack) and some lime diet pepsi.
Heading home was fast. I love night driving. It just seems rude once you are back on our side of the border and the speed limit drastically drops. It feels strange.
I left the house at 10:45, and made it home at 5:00 am. Of course I was too wired up to sleep, and happy that Brandon now is set until summer. His pants aren't floods anymore. Connor, well, he has the hand-me-downs, but he has some cool new clothes too. Now it is just toys for the boys. The deals were good. I was able to get in, get out... life was good. I survived on about 2 hours sleep today.
I did have to ask my niece about what is the big deal with C0ach. I don't get it. At 3am they still had a line up outside of their store about 40 deep of people waiting to get in. W T F ??? I guess I am just not that cool.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
I finally have it!!!
After a few months of waiting, just because that is how it worked out, I finally have my new cutlery set. When I saw this pattern a few years ago, I fell in love with it and we finally splurged and bought service for 16. Hopefully that should do us for a long, long time.
I love it. It is so shiny, and heavy! It filled up the cutlery part of the dishwasher, and I can't wait to pay forward our old cutlery! Bye bye mismatched sets and helllllo pretty, matched cutlery!
I feel pretty stoked, I like our fiestaware dishes, and I like our cutlery. Now I just need to do something about our glasses. They are not high on my list. I find it oddly comforting when you get the kitchen pieces you have been coveting. Alternatively, when you are able to upgrade from the hand-me-down pieces you started with to the types and patterns that you want.
I love it. It is so shiny, and heavy! It filled up the cutlery part of the dishwasher, and I can't wait to pay forward our old cutlery! Bye bye mismatched sets and helllllo pretty, matched cutlery!
I feel pretty stoked, I like our fiestaware dishes, and I like our cutlery. Now I just need to do something about our glasses. They are not high on my list. I find it oddly comforting when you get the kitchen pieces you have been coveting. Alternatively, when you are able to upgrade from the hand-me-down pieces you started with to the types and patterns that you want.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
too late or too early?
It is after midnight, the house is quiet, and I have been photo and video archiving, for lack of a better term.
This year we had our hard drive roll over and quit. We were lucky and were able to salvage our photos. Taking some sage advice from a techie friend, we bought a second bigger hard drive to run the computer. The old hard drive would be used for storing things like photos, vids, and music on. Of course, this is in theory.
The new drive quit on us in May. So we lost all of our photos from January through May. It was frustrating as hell. The hard drive was under warranty (oh joy) but to recover the photos, the experts wanted THOUSANDS of dollars. I miss them, I think we have some DVD movies recorded from the pictures and videos, and well, who has that kind of cash for a mission that may fail?
Started again in May, and well, we hit the ground running. Me finishing work, birth of Connor, chaos that ensues with two youn'uns.
I am sure I have mentioned this before, but I have taken a few records management courses in my day. One of my projects for my mat leave (yes, I am still a geek and I revel in it!) is to organize our photos, and systematically label and back them up, as well as our videos, etc.
Bloody hell. What a project it is. Tonight alone I just spent the last three hours working on it. It has been strange, nary a peep from any of the boys!!! Our computer filing system went to hell over the summer, and I have been sorting it out, moving files, deleting duplicates and triplicates. The good news, the end is in sight. The bad news, it's been a lot of work. I need to buy more blank DVDs, but I am feeling better knowing that everything will be properly backed up, and we now have a system for storing our photos, etc on the computer that if the hard drive rolls over again, we are safe. We may lose a few weeks worth of photos, but, I have developed a system. Yes, it is a work in progress, but, it will work.
This year we had our hard drive roll over and quit. We were lucky and were able to salvage our photos. Taking some sage advice from a techie friend, we bought a second bigger hard drive to run the computer. The old hard drive would be used for storing things like photos, vids, and music on. Of course, this is in theory.
The new drive quit on us in May. So we lost all of our photos from January through May. It was frustrating as hell. The hard drive was under warranty (oh joy) but to recover the photos, the experts wanted THOUSANDS of dollars. I miss them, I think we have some DVD movies recorded from the pictures and videos, and well, who has that kind of cash for a mission that may fail?
Started again in May, and well, we hit the ground running. Me finishing work, birth of Connor, chaos that ensues with two youn'uns.
I am sure I have mentioned this before, but I have taken a few records management courses in my day. One of my projects for my mat leave (yes, I am still a geek and I revel in it!) is to organize our photos, and systematically label and back them up, as well as our videos, etc.
Bloody hell. What a project it is. Tonight alone I just spent the last three hours working on it. It has been strange, nary a peep from any of the boys!!! Our computer filing system went to hell over the summer, and I have been sorting it out, moving files, deleting duplicates and triplicates. The good news, the end is in sight. The bad news, it's been a lot of work. I need to buy more blank DVDs, but I am feeling better knowing that everything will be properly backed up, and we now have a system for storing our photos, etc on the computer that if the hard drive rolls over again, we are safe. We may lose a few weeks worth of photos, but, I have developed a system. Yes, it is a work in progress, but, it will work.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Nothing profound, but here are some cute pics
I am sitting here staring at this blank slate, and I am not coming up with much.
When in doubt, post some cute pictures of the boys...
Monday, November 23, 2009
Pumpkin Script.
The cookies are pretty good. Definitely not the same texture as a chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie, but it tastes pretty good. They are different, and sometimes different is good especially since the rotation of staples around here is oatmeal chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, ginger, peanut butter, the occasional banana bread, and then rice crispy squares. I am definitely open to suggestions - now that I know how to do sugar cookies well, they come out for holidays, as will the gingerbread cookies in the coming weeks.
I think they do need the icing to kick them up the extra notch, but all in all, a good adventure and I think we will make them again.
Funny, I almost think you need to be feeling a little adventurous sometimes when it comes to cooking or baking. But when you think about it, what are the risks? A bad meal? Oh well. A bad batch of cookies you don't make again? Once again, oh well. I am not sure why it has taken me so many years to just get beyond the tried and true and strike out in new directions.
I think they do need the icing to kick them up the extra notch, but all in all, a good adventure and I think we will make them again.
Funny, I almost think you need to be feeling a little adventurous sometimes when it comes to cooking or baking. But when you think about it, what are the risks? A bad meal? Oh well. A bad batch of cookies you don't make again? Once again, oh well. I am not sure why it has taken me so many years to just get beyond the tried and true and strike out in new directions.
A cup and not a can....
Well, I am not sure if we have just experienced a kitchen disaster or not.
It is another rainy fall day, and what better thing to do than to make cookies. B and I whipped up some sugar cookie dough, and it is now chilling in the freezer.
I then decided to get adventurous, and try out some pumpkin cookies that I have had my eye on. The dough tasted pretty good (I taste test, as does my big dude) and all was looking well. Until the dough went from looking pretty good to pretty damn sticky. Yup. I read the damn recipe wrong. It asked for a cup of pumpkin and not a can. In recipe terms, there is a big difference between 250 ml and 398 ml.
Ahem. So, I added more flour. Then more flour. I got it on both our noses I added so much. I continued to stir, and we have more or less gotten beyond the sticky stage, and then I tossed in some more of the spices, and I threw the mess in to the oven. I think it may be okay - the dough has potential, but if I make this again, I will make note, a cup and not a can.
If I get the chance, I will add a post script on the fate of these cookies, but I won't be making any promises. In case you are so moved to try this out on your own, I have graciously supplied the recipe I am using, thank you all recipes.
Pumpkin Iced Cookies
It is another rainy fall day, and what better thing to do than to make cookies. B and I whipped up some sugar cookie dough, and it is now chilling in the freezer.
I then decided to get adventurous, and try out some pumpkin cookies that I have had my eye on. The dough tasted pretty good (I taste test, as does my big dude) and all was looking well. Until the dough went from looking pretty good to pretty damn sticky. Yup. I read the damn recipe wrong. It asked for a cup of pumpkin and not a can. In recipe terms, there is a big difference between 250 ml and 398 ml.
Ahem. So, I added more flour. Then more flour. I got it on both our noses I added so much. I continued to stir, and we have more or less gotten beyond the sticky stage, and then I tossed in some more of the spices, and I threw the mess in to the oven. I think it may be okay - the dough has potential, but if I make this again, I will make note, a cup and not a can.
If I get the chance, I will add a post script on the fate of these cookies, but I won't be making any promises. In case you are so moved to try this out on your own, I have graciously supplied the recipe I am using, thank you all recipes.
Pumpkin Iced Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups white sugar | 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside. |
| 2. | In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly. |
| 3. | Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork. |
| 4. | To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency. |
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sneaking a post in...
It is amazing how dampness at +5 is way worse than a dry cold at -5.
Well, our Lions got trounced today, and I made an amazingly decadent chocolate cake for my mom's birthday. There is something to be said about being able to bake. I am starting to plan what I am going to do for Christmas baking this year. It seems like time is just flying by. Christmas is already next month! Connor is almost 5 months old. O M G !!!! We started rice cereal this week and he is gobbling it up. I waited until Brandon was exactly 6 months old before I started, but well, we had a few other things going on at the time so waiting until the 6 month mark with B seemed prudent at the time, and he also got a lot more formula than Connor ever has had (luck of the draw and it seems the breastaurant is much more productive this go around).
I figured that Connor was just seeming to need a little more and was waking up more during the night. So, away we have gone with the rice cereal. Next up, oat cereal and then 'naners. It seems to have happened so fast. That baby stage is so quick. Brandon seems so tall, and so articulate, it's hard to remember he is only 3, or is it already 3?
Parenting is as much an evolution as watching your kids bloom. You too start out a wee babe in the woods, not knowing a damn thing about how to parent, guide, coach, and for yourself, when to count to 10 before you blow your own stack. It is like the sea, in all it's moods. I wonder some times what other mom's do with their days at homes with their loved ones. How they structure their day, and what activities they make sure they do. Like reading, and teaching crafts, how much and what kinds of tv isn't the root of all evil. I guess you could call it finding your parental compass. I do and don't spend a lot of time talking to other parents about this, I am both a loner, and a social person. I do find I observe when I get the chance, seeing what other folks are doing, and what we are doing, and what rings right for me, and us. Funny, I didn't see this ending up as a post about parenting and yet here it is.
I think what is happening (or happened) is relaxing in to the role of mom. I am glad I didn't wait until 6 months to introduce food. I like to think my pediatrician had it right, as he answered a question of mine about kids and what time is right with just a simple "just use common sense." Now how common is that? That old fall back from the scientific method: observe, reflect, try, try again, summarize, alter a little, breath, and have an apple a day... LOL
Well, our Lions got trounced today, and I made an amazingly decadent chocolate cake for my mom's birthday. There is something to be said about being able to bake. I am starting to plan what I am going to do for Christmas baking this year. It seems like time is just flying by. Christmas is already next month! Connor is almost 5 months old. O M G !!!! We started rice cereal this week and he is gobbling it up. I waited until Brandon was exactly 6 months old before I started, but well, we had a few other things going on at the time so waiting until the 6 month mark with B seemed prudent at the time, and he also got a lot more formula than Connor ever has had (luck of the draw and it seems the breastaurant is much more productive this go around).
I figured that Connor was just seeming to need a little more and was waking up more during the night. So, away we have gone with the rice cereal. Next up, oat cereal and then 'naners. It seems to have happened so fast. That baby stage is so quick. Brandon seems so tall, and so articulate, it's hard to remember he is only 3, or is it already 3?
Parenting is as much an evolution as watching your kids bloom. You too start out a wee babe in the woods, not knowing a damn thing about how to parent, guide, coach, and for yourself, when to count to 10 before you blow your own stack. It is like the sea, in all it's moods. I wonder some times what other mom's do with their days at homes with their loved ones. How they structure their day, and what activities they make sure they do. Like reading, and teaching crafts, how much and what kinds of tv isn't the root of all evil. I guess you could call it finding your parental compass. I do and don't spend a lot of time talking to other parents about this, I am both a loner, and a social person. I do find I observe when I get the chance, seeing what other folks are doing, and what we are doing, and what rings right for me, and us. Funny, I didn't see this ending up as a post about parenting and yet here it is.
I think what is happening (or happened) is relaxing in to the role of mom. I am glad I didn't wait until 6 months to introduce food. I like to think my pediatrician had it right, as he answered a question of mine about kids and what time is right with just a simple "just use common sense." Now how common is that? That old fall back from the scientific method: observe, reflect, try, try again, summarize, alter a little, breath, and have an apple a day... LOL
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A deluge.
Well, I can honestly say that I was an arts major, and not a math major. I had the realization that we are hitting about 8 cm or 80 mm of rain since Monday. I erroneously posted that we were hitting about 220 mm the other day. Oops. Ah yes, I remember that, to go from centimeters to millimeters you times by 10, not a 100. Okay, maybe if I would have applied myself more, I would have been a little sharper at math.
We have had some pretty blustery weather this last week - nothing like catching up on a few months worth of wet all at once. Quack, quack.
It felt like a Saturday today, grocery shopping, and I went and bought some crafty stuff. Finally got frames to hang a few pictures of Connor... take out Chinese and a few movies. A good way to end the week.
What is hysterical is how B can get C laughing. Our parental attempts pale in comparison to the big brother's attempts. There is nothing like the sound of a child's laughter. Laughter that is authentic, genuine, and just full of mirth. It is a pretty cool thing.
We have had some pretty blustery weather this last week - nothing like catching up on a few months worth of wet all at once. Quack, quack.
It felt like a Saturday today, grocery shopping, and I went and bought some crafty stuff. Finally got frames to hang a few pictures of Connor... take out Chinese and a few movies. A good way to end the week.
What is hysterical is how B can get C laughing. Our parental attempts pale in comparison to the big brother's attempts. There is nothing like the sound of a child's laughter. Laughter that is authentic, genuine, and just full of mirth. It is a pretty cool thing.
Friday, November 20, 2009
looking at the closet
It was one of those I went looking for something to wear and ended up just feeling completely dissatisfied with most of my wardrobe. I didn't really add a lot of new items since Brandon was born, between learning how to be a mom, switching jobs, and just adjusting, and then with the discovery of Connor, there really wasn't much point of investing in a lot of new clothes.
Now, it seems like I have a lot of work tops, and some work pants, a few pairs of pants that have saggy ass and gape-y ass happening, and a lot of plain cotton shirts. I have a few older sweaters, and a few sweatshirts ... it feels like many of my shoes are dated, and for the first time in decades, I am really glad to have a pair of hiking runners (a lovely pair of Vasques which have really grown on me, I don't look down and see torpedo feet).
I think over the next year, I would like to slowly allow my wardrobe to evolve again. Not that my style has changed that much, I need some funkier and fun clothes, and some casual clothes that aren't plain cotton tees. Not that I don't love my v-neck tees, but really. I need more. Some casual pants that aren't stretched out yoga pants that fit at 9 months pregnant, or the lounge pants I have pretty much lived in 24-7 being at home. I want new shoes too.
Although I went off of on more of a tangent than what I anticipated, I did try a few things on. Yes, everything fits, but you know when you look at yourself in the mirror, and the first thing that comes to mind about your outfit was "what was I thinking when I bought that??" I must remember, just because it fits, doesn't mean it looks good... I am way better at that now, however, there are a few pieces I think I am ready to let go of and go splurge a little at the outlets eventually.
Now, it seems like I have a lot of work tops, and some work pants, a few pairs of pants that have saggy ass and gape-y ass happening, and a lot of plain cotton shirts. I have a few older sweaters, and a few sweatshirts ... it feels like many of my shoes are dated, and for the first time in decades, I am really glad to have a pair of hiking runners (a lovely pair of Vasques which have really grown on me, I don't look down and see torpedo feet).
I think over the next year, I would like to slowly allow my wardrobe to evolve again. Not that my style has changed that much, I need some funkier and fun clothes, and some casual clothes that aren't plain cotton tees. Not that I don't love my v-neck tees, but really. I need more. Some casual pants that aren't stretched out yoga pants that fit at 9 months pregnant, or the lounge pants I have pretty much lived in 24-7 being at home. I want new shoes too.
Although I went off of on more of a tangent than what I anticipated, I did try a few things on. Yes, everything fits, but you know when you look at yourself in the mirror, and the first thing that comes to mind about your outfit was "what was I thinking when I bought that??" I must remember, just because it fits, doesn't mean it looks good... I am way better at that now, however, there are a few pieces I think I am ready to let go of and go splurge a little at the outlets eventually.
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