Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Moving...

Well I have decided to make a change!
I have moved my site.
If you want to find me, find me at
I hope you can follow me there

Friday, October 7, 2011

Gobble, Gobble, Eh?

Source: craftily-ever-after
Its turkey time here in Canada, a time to spend time with family and loved ones. Thanksgiving was always big with my dad, at least as I remember it. Nothing made him happier then having all of us gather together. This year is no different. My brother and his family are visiting from the mainland, filling my mothers house with happy children and adults trying to relax. Happily, Isabelle seems to be able to play better with her cousins this year and Roslyn is happy to follow along hopefully this means we will have a peaceful holiday season (other then squealing children.)

Source: fancyhouseroad

My thanksgiving will be spent with my husbands family in one of the family cabins. More adults then children there but Isabelle will get lots of attention and what 3 year old doesn't like attention?

Source: flickr
This weekend is also the weekend that we begin the process of putting my father to 'rest.' Since his passing we haven't done anything with his ashes. We couldn't decide what to do but now we have all agreed and we begin the process. 
It will be a weekend of remembrance, eating and crazy kids...always crazy kids.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

What A Mess

Lately I have been feeling a bit crazy. Lack of sleep combined with a teething baby and an ongoing cold has led me to feel very out of sorts. My house is a mess.  Not a normal mess  but an out of control, lost my child in the pile of laundry kind of mess. I feel like my house looks like this:

Source: redbubble viapinterest
Now I know it really isn't that bad but I feel like it is, I feel super stressed on the inside about it. I wish my house could be as organized and clean as this:

 Source: cloudfront. via pinterest

Or have my daughters closet look like this, (my daughters closet will never look like this.)


Source: projectnursery via pinterest

It would make me very very happy. I am trying to take it one space at a time but its not helping as my main living space is out of control. 
Right now my 9 month old is eating food off the floor. Granted it is food she threw off her high chair earlier, but none the less she is eating off the floor and I am not batting an eye at. 
I think that might be a bad thing.
I need some serenity and peace, time to myself to clean up, de-clutter and de-stress.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Macanoni and Cheese

Here is another how to! I am going to start posting some of my main recipes I make and how I do it without a recipe. 
Last night we had macaroni and cheese or as Isabelle calls it 'macanoni.'
Now this is not any kind of diet food and since I am trying to live a 'better life' this does not fall into the category of weight management, but when the kid makes a decision some times it is easier to go along with her.
First as always, gather the ingredients. Today I have pasta (any kind of pasta you have will do,) butter, flour, cheese, salt, pepper, milk and for today I added bacon (just to add meat for the husband)


First I boil some water and throw about 1/2t of salt into the water. Cover and bring water to a boil. Start cooking your bacon, if you like.


In another pot, melt the butter.


Add flour to the butter and combine, there should be enough flour for a thick paste to form and so the butter doesn't really melt out of the flour. Let that cook for about a minute but try not to let it brown.


Add the milk. Now usually I just add a whack of cold milk to this and then sit at the stove and stir until it thickens. Lately I have been gradually adding the milk to slowly combine and this time I actually even heated the milk. Usually I am too lazy to do any of it, so its your choice.


Today I used this kind of pasta, I call it scooby doo, no idea why but that is what I call it. It is great for holding on to the sauce. Once the water boils throw these puppies into the water and cook like normal to al dente.


Once the sauce has thickened up to the consistency you want. It should coat the spoon. Take the pot off the stove and add grated cheese. Add enough cheese to turn the sauce a satisfactory orange colour.


Mmm satisfactory orange colour!


Drain the pasta.


Put enough sauce on the bottom to coat and through a small amount of pasta in and combine.


Add more pasta, more sauce and cut up cooked bacon into mix and stir it around. Mix all the pasta and all the cheese sauce together. Then cover with grated cheese. If you have bread crumbs sprinkle on top.


Bake in a 400F oven for at least 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling up.


Let sit for 5 minutes or so and serve it up.
Yummy yummy macanoni!
Do you like these recipes? Should I do more?

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Its My Big Day

Today is my birthday, a day I used to spend reflecting on my past experiences and life accomplishments. This year was spent too busy to sit back and reflect.
With two children and a husband the day was spent as a family enjoying our time together.
This evening my mother is making me an amazing meal of chicken with prosciutto and cheese. 
I was surprised by balloons, party hats and noise makers when I got back from walking Roslyn to sleep.
The afternoon was spent strolling around downtown and then in Beacon Hill Park, where we spotted an Owl! How surprising and a real birthday discovery!
No pictures today of our adventures as I haven't uploaded them yet, but I will leave you with a picture of some of my favourite people, my children and my nephews.


Maybe tomorrow will bring reflection, I am having to much fun and feel so loved today that the need to look back is not needed.
Thanks for all the love, it is felt and appreciated.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Birthday Eve

Tomorrow is my birthday, nothing like a birthday to make great changes, set goals and look back at what you have accomplished.


I did a big change!
My hair was almost to my bottom and I cut it off. I got rid of the greys and said good bye to drab momma.
I am very happy with it and I thank Jane at Karma in Sooke for doing such an amazing job.
This evening I had an amazing meal at markus' wharfside restaurant. They never fail to impress. I had a fabulous fresh chantrelle risotto for an appetizer with 
sautéed prawns with a white wine, lemon and garlic butter sauce, seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes.
It was so yummy and if you find yourself in Sooke for a special occasion make sure you hit Markus' you will not be disappointed. The view alone makes it a destination while staying in Sooke.
Tomorrow I turn 32, another year passes, I'll save retrospection for tomorrow.
How do you like to spend your special day? I will be with my family eating and drinking!

Friday, September 30, 2011

A Days Reflection

My first pregnancy- 9 months
Motherhood has been the toughest thing I have ever done. From my pregnancy to childrearing it is never ending work, stress and loveliness!

Second prenancy- 8 months
I love my children and they are my life's work, but anyone who may think children will fix their life or make people stay are delusional (sorry if that is harsh!) There is no faster way to ruin or change a relationship or make people run away faster.

My daughters at on Christmas Eve. Isabelle 2, Roslyn 2 weeks
I am very lucky to have a secure relationship and an amazing, loving family to surround me and help me when the days get tough.

Members of my amazing family, members missing!
Families are very important, no matter how big or small or who you consider your family to be they are the most important people in your life and you need to foster and cherish those people you call your family. 
No matter the arguments, disagreements, or different views, these people should be there for you and love you unconditionally.
I wake up some days, with one child wanting to be held, one child wanting to be fed non stop, my house in disarray, laundry unfolded and dirty, coffee not drunk and I wonder how I got here and I how I am going to make it another day. I am sure the nut-house is coming to get me, but then I see this little girl


and this one


and I know it will get better, I just have to push through the moments I want to run from the house screaming and I will get to the moments that make it all worth while. 
Are you a mom? How do you make it through? Do you share my sentiment?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Its a Fiesta!!!

Source: photo.net
Who doesn't love the bright colours of Fiesta Dinnerware?
It is my new love and I wish my kitchen could be filled with its rainbow goodness.
Look at all the beautiful colours they come in:

Source: lesjones.com/posts/002895.shtml
I actually can't make up my mind which colour I like best. I love the shamrock, the peacock, the cobalt blue, the turquoise, the sea mist, the plum, really don't make me choose.

Source: hlchina
I really love this stuff!
I have a couple of pieces that I have found at second hand stores but now that it is back in stores I think I want to stock my kitchen with it. My mom restarted my love when she made a purchase state side and now I can't help but obsess over the stuff.
Really the only think I need in my kitchen right now is a cream and sugar set.

Source:longmountaingeneralstore
Wouldn't this look fabulous in my kitchen! Love the colour!
Or how about my favourite colour, green !

Source: fondooo
If anyone is thinking of the perfect gift for me, think Fiesta!
I love the bold colours and the smooth lines.
Do you have a fiesta at your home?
 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

How To: Chicken Pot Pie

One of my favourite things about the changing of the season is the beginning of that season's dish.
 As fall arrives and we move into winter I start my comfort food cooking. Usually when I cook I have a problem with making too much food so I have begun to freeze half of what I make, so my proportions are way off for a normal family of 4. 
That is part of the deal I find when cooking without a recipe, you end up usually making too much, but I think that might be a personal problem too. 
I kind of have issues with thinking their won't be enough, always preparing for a depression I guess! 
As I have mentioned before I usually cook without a recipe and this chicken pot pie recipe is no different. The only place I use a recipe is when it comes to baking, you can't really mess with baking unless you know the science behind it.
So first I start with my ingredients:


I have garlic, onion, celery, mushrooms, carrots, cooked chicken, chicken stock, flour, salt and pepper, butter and extra virgin olive oil. The day before I made chicken stock but store bought is fine.
First I put a couple of glug's of oil in the bottom of my pan with a slab of butter.


I throw in the minced garlic and the onions and mix them around.


I then throw all the other vegetables in and season with salt and pepper.


Another slab of butter goes in and I and let that melt within the vegetables.


Next I mix in flour to make a kind of roux amongst the vegetables.


Once the flour is incorporated I add the stock until the vegetables are basically covered and I begin to stir. I leave this on the stove to thicken. At this point I taste it all and adjust the flavour with salt and pepper.


At this point I get on with the pastry. Preheat the oven to 400F.
I cube 1/2 cup of cold butter and add it to 2 cups of flour, move the butter around the flour until it is coated and then stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes to make sure the butter mixture is extra cold.


Once it is done in the freezer tip it into a food processor and pulse until it looks like cornmeal.


Then I add 1 beaten egg with ice water down the shoot until the dough sticks to the blade. If there is not enough water egg mixture then add some more cold water to make it stick to the blade.


Turn the dough out onto floured surface and form into a round disk. Cover in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge.


By this point the chicken mixture should be thickened and pour half the mixture into a baking dish and I put the other half in containers to be frozen  for another meal. If you are feeding more people use all the mixture.


Roll out the dough and cover you baking dish full of the chicken mixture, crimp and trim edges to seal dough to dish.


Make an egg wash with beaten egg and water and use a pastry brush to spread egg wash over pastry. I had extra pastry so I made cut outs for fun to place on top.


I bake it in the over for about 30 minutes or so, until the pastry is golden brown and the inside is bubbling.
There you have it! Chicken pot pie, it can also be adapted to make lovely Turkey pot pie.
I hope you enjoy!

Another year

Source: katespadeny.tumblr.com via pinterest

My birthday is less than a week away, it falls on a weekday so the day will be filled with the same motherly duties I do every other weekday. Isabelle is obsessed with birthdays and she thinks a big party is coming, where all of friends will be at and I will be getting lots of toys. Its hard to break it to her that nothing like that will be happening. I will probably try too make the day special for her, even if it is MY Day
Source: kdoss viapinterest
I don't think that I have had a birthday party since I was a kid and there is no party on the books for this year( though it would be fun to have a themed party like above!) I sometimes think that it is strange that I haven't had a party in ages and that no body has tried to plan me one, but then I think about it and I don't really like to be the centre of attention and I am not that comfortable in parties, so it kind of makes sense.
If I were to have a party I would like to wear something like this:

Source: mona_hendrix via pinterest
I love that it is inspired after a painting.
It's not like I am not doing anything, my husband will take me out for dinner, my mom might make me dinner one night and I am hoping to go out with some girlfriends when we can make our schedules match.
What do you do for your birthday? How do you make it special? Does someone make it special for you?
Opps! I have been corrected, my birthday is on Sunday not Monday! I am slowly losing my mind, don't mind me!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Experiencing Technical Difficulties


I have thought of many exciting things to post about while I have been running a one woman nursing marathon.
I had a post that I was hoping to put up today but I haven't had a chance to do the finishing touches and I do not have the time to finish, so I will keep you on your toes waiting for a how to!
Its raining here, my 3 year old is behaving and my baby is miserable, everything is topsy turvy. There is smashed banana on my floor and I am covered in so much snot I may as well forgo the use of tissue at this point.
I have had very little sleep and not enough caffeine to make up for the lack of sleep.
How do you deal with these kinds of day's?

Saturday, September 24, 2011

One Day at a Time

I believe that we are all connected by an energy, an energy that flows through us and connects us to every thing.

Source: fdly via pinterest
 I think we should be responsible for the energy we put out into the universe and understand that what we put out will come back to us.

Source: thephotoargus via pinterest

I try to live my life keeping this at the forefront of my mind and understand that when I am rude, mean or intolerant, this will return to me and vice versa.
Source: pinterest
When something bad or negative happens in my life I always try to see the positive, the silver lining. This can become hard to do when tragedy strikes and no positive is obvious, but upon reflection and distance from an event a positive can be found.
I think there is far too much negativity in this world and an abundance of hatred that must be overcome.
I try to remember this when I find myself in a funk or when I am so agitated I can't function.
My dad told me once "There is no point in being angry at someone, it doesn't affect them , it only hurts you."