All Aboard The Minivan Express!

I have already admitted that we have gotten a mini van....so when I saw this on Pinterest  I knew I had to do it with the kids! Here is the website where I printed the golden tickets www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com I printed them out at home and then had them laminated at Staples...

We put them in the kids mailboxes that we have inside the house, and when they were all dressed in their pj's they checked their mail, found the tickets, and were given their popcorn for the ride! Daddy was waiting at the mini van with the paper punch to welcome them aboard, as soon as their tickets were punched, they climbed in to listen to Christmas carols and head off to our first stop....

The Burnaby Heritage Museum was a great first stop, the admission is free, and the Heritage Christmas is lovely! We toured the town, visited Father Christmas (which I thought was weird), had a hot chocolate in the cafe and looked at all the beautiful lights! The last stop was a drive along Trinity to see the neighbourhood light displays, this street is famous, each year there is a contest, I think the one house, where we got out to sit in the sleigh, will win for sure!

The kids had to remember their tickets along the way, they needed them to get back on board, so we took photos with them along the way! This was such a fun holiday activity to do with the kids, and they LOVED it!

Merry Christmas!!

K
xo

Prosecco, my drink of choice

I often talk about drinking Prosecco...maybe a little too often. I am sure I have been talked about for drinking it while I am studying, or doing my homework, or even just pouring a glass for the heck of it, but what the hell, it tastes really good, it truly is delicious, and tastes even better in a proper flute! Just like opening a bottle of wine, I will open a bottle of Prosecco or sparkling brut, the drier the better, I hate that sweet shit. I once tried a bottle of Dom Perignon , I was the only one that liked it...I think I drank the bottle to myself?? Maybe that is what started my obsession with this fantastic beverage!? 

The thing is, I don't spend a lot of money on a bottle...I have shared with you some of my selections, a few favourites. Three out of the four, I know are under $20, the Cremant I got as a gift, for my 30th Birthday, it was divine, but am unsure of the price point. 

Villa Teresa Organic Prosecco $16.97 BC Liquor Stores

(also comes in a rose, that is delicious as well, best part is the closure, it stays fresh and bubbly for quite some time so you don't have to worry about drinking it all in one go!)

Anna Spinato Organic Prosecco $14.99 BC Liquor Stores

Veuve Du Vernay Rose Sparking Brut $15.99 BC Liquor Stores

(Also comes in white)

Keep an eye out for this one, its delicious, I don't remember this one lasting too long!

My sister adorned the bottle with a label for my 30th Birthday!

This is my little something that takes the edge off, puts a smile on my face, makes me feel like a lady. Something I enjoy, and try to always have around the house. There will definitely be stock for the holidays!!

Enjoy!

K

Holy beans!!

My last post was September 18th...holy beans!! I am sitting here alone, for the first time in 6 days, without my kids pulling on my legs, calling my name, endlessly...whining, asking for a snack, clicking them into their carseats numerous times in a day (after asking them to sit down for 10 minutes because they think our mini van is the greatest thing on earth), running here, running there, birthday parties, presents, groceries, homework, cooking, cleaning, bathing, brushing, crying (me, and the kids), swearing (me), baking, painting, crafting.......and somewhere, we slept, thank the lord! I am glad my husband had a nice time away for a family members stag, but you can't help but grit the bitterness between your teeth (the ones I am not sure I have even brushed since he left Thursday morning..).

How am I using my time alone, the hour I have before I go to work...I am drinking my coffee..slowly, slower than usual...and thats slow, as well as writing my weeks menu, something again, that has been swept to the way side, shuffled under, life.

This week, we start with Tuesday...

Tuesday- Mini ravioli in chicken broth with carrots and potatoes

Wednesday- Sesame Ginger Chicken with Jasmine Rice and Bok Choy

Thursday- Chicken Fajitas with Taco Chips and Guacamole

Friday- BLT's with Tomato Soup

Saturday- Fish Tacos with Spanish Rice and Coleslaw

Sunday- Pappardelle Noodles with Italian Sausage and Garden Salad

I mentioned our "mini van", yes, we got a Dodge Caravan........I felt hot as shit parking that thing in Yaletown all dudded up for a girls night out...HA! My oh my how things have changed, I used to stroll those streets, young and thin, latte in hand, with a reasonable balance in my bank account....don't get me wrong, I love to drive it, its a nice ride, but its a whole different dimension of life. I must mention too, that I cut off my long golden locks...what the F was I thinking.....funny how, for me anyway, shorter hair makes me feel less attractive...one of those stupid messed up things...and how as soon as you cut it off, everyone around you seems to have long, flowing, beautiful hair, and you feel like the old mother..(like I said before, these are my feelings only, strictly about myself!) I have inquired about extensions...again, never say never...are the fake boobs and tummy tuck up next? Do not make impulse decisions...except when you are craving a nice bag of Ruffles Sour Creme and Onion chips....(oooo, I should add those to the grocery list!) Yes, I am beautiful just the way I am..say all the quotes that I pin on Pinterest..but seriously, I have had a shit hair week/month...it grows back, fast, right?

K

you've got mail!

I have seen similar versions of this on Pinterest, and I thought it would be a great idea seeing as the kids LOVE getting the mail from the mailbox out front. I was thinking of putting them outside their bedrooms, but aesthetically it just wouldn't have done the trick. So, I have created a 'post office' per say, under our calendar/family organization centre in the kitchen! I chose white because I thought it would look better with the label, and to blend into a small space. 

For under $25, I have created a place for my kids to look for 'special' mail. I have told them that there may not be something everyday, but to keep checking incase something has been delivered.....wether it be a new pack of crayons, a chocolate, a letter or note, a new book, a special snack...I know they will be excited to see if the mailman (mommy or daddy) has brought mail for them, whatever that mail may be!

Home Depot sells these great pouch mailboxes for just over $11, they come in white or black. I used a round Avery label to initial the mailboxes, and voila! I tried to use adhesive hooks, but they kept falling, so I just screwed them into the wall, probably better that way, as tiny, and not always so delicate hands will be in them all the time!

K

Juicy Pork Souvlaki with Lemony Roasted Potatoes

I switched Tuesday's dinner with Wednesdays, so tonight is the Grilled Vegetable Fajitas that I am really looking forward to! Last night I made pork souvlaki with lemony roasted potatoes (it was cool enough outside to use my oven). I know some people don't like pork, but I love it! Its lean, and picks up flavours really well! I cubed up two beautiful pork tenderloins, marinated them for about half an hour while I prepped my potatoes and threw together a salad. The recipe says 4 skewers....with my two tenderloins I had about 8 skewers? So I just doubled the olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper by eye...

Again this is a recipe from the August 2012 issue of Chatelaine magazine, http://food.chatelaine.com/Recipes/View/Juicy-pork-souvlaki I didn't serve it with the cauliflower salad, that wasn't appealing to me, so instead I chunked up some peeled russet potatoes, drizzled them with some olive oil, about 1/4 cup of lemon juice and salted them, put them in the oven at 400 for almost an hour, basting them throughout with the lemony juice. Close to the end I dotted them with some butter to crisp them up a bit.

Any type of meat on a stick is a novelty for the kids, and who cares if you have to serve with some ketchup! A delicious dinner, with leftovers to have in a wrap for lunch today!

I might as well tell you about the homemade ricotta cheese that I made the other day. It was so simple, and its really delicious! It may be just as easy to buy, and its really not that expensive, but all thats in this is milk, lemon juice, a tsp of salt and some cream. 

Once again, from Chatelaine magazine...http://food.chatelaine.com/recipes/view/creamy-ricotta I would salivate over the picture of the garlic crostini with fresh ricotta and tomatoes....so for the last few days, for lunch, I have been having a Wasa cracker with ricotta, sliced avocado, tomatoes and salt and pepper, delicious! 

The only thing you need to make sure you have is cheesecloth, which I just bought from the DollarStore. It also suggests a thermometer, but I just used the clock and my good eye ;-) I was amazed at how easy it really was! It was an item on my bucket list for the summer....so glad I tried it!

K

Hoisin & Ginger Chicken Lettuce Cups

There is nothing like cooking when you have all the right ingredients on hand. This being my first "menu" meal in quite a while, it felt good to flow around the kitchen putting together all the right things and have dinner on the table in an appropriate manner.

http://food.chatelaine.com/Recipes/View/Hoisin-chicken-in-lettuce-cups

I have attached the recipe from the August 2012 issue of Chatelaine. The only step I would omit, would be adding the cornstarch, I didn't feel it was necessary as my sauce was already fairly thick. But you can be the judge as you are making it. I also warmed up some additional hoisin sauce to drizzle on, I am all about the sauce :-) 

My kids wouldn't eat the lettuce, so I steamed up some Jasmine rice, this way they had more of a stir fry. It was a perfect light meal to eat on the patio with a cold beer.

K

getting back into action...

Summer is coming to an end...time to get back into routine, something I am really looking forward to! Having applied for over 6 jobs, not hearing back from any of them, I will be happy to return to my noon hour supervision job come September! I have had a great summer going here and there, but my bank account really missed those good ol' deposits....I start a new adventure of going back to school myself, which I am also really looking forward to. Nervous, anxious and a little stressed, but excited too, all at the same time.

I sat down tonight to think about groceries...I grabbed a few magazines, and for the first time, in a LONG time, I made a menu for the week, along with my grocery list. The week ahead looks delicious, and I am excited to be organized, I am tired of running out for last minute things, or winging dinner with whats in the house.

Every so often I get the urge to write, with a smooth blue ink pen, on soft paper...like the pad of blank newsprint paper Noah got in a "Getting ready for Kindergarten" pack from my sister. Its relaxing how the letters flow together while handwriting across the page, makes me want to make lists and lists, and more lists.....so, I made this list....

Monday- Hoisin Chicken in Lettuce Cups with Jasmine Rice

Tuesday- Grilled Vegetable Fajitas

Wednesday- Pork Souvlaki with Lemon Roasted Potatoes

Thursday- Creamy Herbed Cheese Tagliatelle with Salad and Garlic Toast

Friday- Curried Chicken with Mangoes and Coconut Rice

Saturday- Soy Maple Salmon with Mushroom Barley Risotto

Sunday- Sautéed Rapini and Mushroom Gnocci with Salad

All of these recipes and ideas came from my collection of Chatelaine and Canadian Living magazines...I may post some recipes that I think are worth sharing..

Cheers to getting back into action!!!

K

EVPFC...

When my girlfriend told me she had been approached to 'pillow fight' I laughed, and thought, there is no way she is going to do this! She is crazy! What is she thinking? What is 'pillow fighting' exactly? You have got to be kidding me!? My next move was to google this so called 'pillow fighting' and what I came across, what a pretty big deal! She was about to become a fighter for the East Vancouver Pillow Fight Club www.eastvanpillowfightclub.blogspot.com her persona, Miss Treats.

There was no way I was going to miss this event! I was going to there to support a friend, cheer her on, have a beer, and enjoy a new adventure....being at the Astoria on East Hastings, we didn't know what to expect...before no time the venue was packed, and ready to rock.

Her entrance was sweet, skipping along to "I Want Candy" by Bow Wow Wow, tossing candy, and holding a large hot pink and black HOMEMADE lollipop adorned with a skull....I was so happy, nervous and excited for her...I knew her, she was my friend, man, she is a beautiful friend!

This post was going to be about EVPFC...but after my last paragraph, I got all weepy and sappy about the women in my life, the friends I have made, the relationships I have made stronger, and the ones that have slowly been slipping away..there are a few ladies I met during Noah's years of preschool, they are very dear to me, having common interests, strengths and weaknesses, we have seemed to make a great little group. Always there to bring you up when you're down, to say the right thing when needed, to watch your kids when you have something you would prefer to do childless, providing lunch, and love, just as their kids were our own....

I was told the other day to surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself...when I get together with these gals, I never feel judged, criticized, self conscious or uncomfortable, I know we are together to have a nice time, great conversation, some drinks, to share joy, share sorrow, share new things about one another, secrets and fears....we appreciate each other for being unique. I guess to sum it up, it seems easy, when sometimes, a group of women can be anything but that....

ANYHOO, yes, EVPFC, check them out!!

K

Coffee Grind....

I must say that I prefer the grind of a coffee bean....over the Grouse Grind....however my girlfriend kept reassuring me that there was a coffee shop once we reached the top...the top seemed oh so far away. I am really not sure what I was thinking when I said I would go and attempt this hike through the 'panting' forest. I say 'panting' because every single person that passed me were panting so heavily I thought they were going to pass out, however I must have looked like I wanted to die, seeing as I had a lot of guys ask me "are you okay?" maybe I should have asked one of them for a piggy back ride to the top! My whole body was slick with sweat, every crease, every crack...my hands were dewy, my hair, having just dyed it yesterday was heavy with the smell of peroxide....a real sight. I told myself I would take a picture at the top, uh, I changed my mind, that wouldn't have been one of the "good" photos I was speaking of the other day on my Facebook status....

I am not sure why people do this for fun...I just kept looking up, and up, and up...there was a guy in a bright yellow shirt ahead of me, I would watch him soar up the never ending staircase to the sky..never ever able to reach him, I was glad once he disappeared from my vision. Asshole. My girlfriend, who I told to go ahead of me, would wait once she got a bit ahead, rooting me on...

I held my girlfriend back, she had done this before, about a week ago, in under an hour, I took one hour and thirty-four minutes...I can now say that I have done it, will I do it again? Not anytime soon....I told a guy along the trail that I would rather go through child-birth ten times over, at least you get a baby out of that torture! Looks like my tight ass I have always wanted will have to wait a while longer..for now, its the sweat filled tummy folds...

It was tough for me, considering I am really out of shape, however, I did it (not like there was any turning back)...it was an experience, so glad to have done it with my fitness buddy, so far she has convinced me to do Dance Bootcamp, Cardio Kickboxing, and now, the Grouse Grind.....and maybe pillow fighting, one day ;-)

Tonight I am going out for dinner, I am having at least two glasses of prosecco, and a whole pizza to myself...

K

ps....feels good to be back!!!

Kokanee

First off, I don't know what is worse, that I actually did have a beer at 2 pm while weeding my yard, or that I got my 4 year old son to take a picture of me drinking my 2 pm beer!! I could not help it! All the country songs that were playing on the iPad were singing to me about beer! I cracked a Kokanee, drank it right from the can, it was cold, it was fresh, it was delicious! I didn't even take my dirty gardening gloves off....and the beer came from the beer fridge in the garage, and while I am being honest....I did send Noah to get it for me **blush**

For a moment I even forgot my kids were in the yard. They were playing secret fort, I was warm, sweating to be exact, pulling weed after weed after weed, three gardening tubs full! I normally wouldn't tackle this job, the gardener (aka my brother in law) beats me to it...but for some reason today, I wanted to see the hastas and shrubs that were making an appearance in the abundance of dandelions and buttercups! That, and my peonies are about to pop, and will look much nicer on their own...

Man I love a cold beer...apparently no matter what time of day it is :-)

K

Peanut Butter Raisin Bran Cookies

"It must be nice" to be able to make cookies......because apparently I have nothing else to do.....SO, here is a great recipe, for when you have some time (sorry for being a smart ass, its that kind of day)

Peanut Butter Raisin Bran Cookies

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 cups of Raisin Bran cereal

Combine butter, peanut butter, egg and sugars. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the wet ingredients, mix well, add cereal, mix again, plop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 11 minutes. 

Happy Monday.

K

have you filled a bucket today?

When I started work at Douglas Road Elementary School this year, I heard a lot of talk about "filling buckets" I was terribly confused, so I asked some of the kids about it....

Based on a book by Carol McCloud "Have You Filled a Bucket Today" A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids, everyone has a bucket, an invisible bucket, that was to be filled with praise and kindness, and emptied with putdowns and name calling....each teacher had their own adaptation to the program in their classroom, they also have a HUGE illustrated bucket in the front entrance of the school where school mates can add a water drop to the wall above the bucket with their name, who it was that filled their bucket, and what they did to fill their bucket. I thought this would be an interesting way to share kindness in our home....

We read the book together at home, talked about some things he thought would earn him a water drop, and things that would make mommy want to take them away...he seemed to be getting the gist, so I made it a project for us! I drew out some buckets, cut them out, let the kids colour them, put them on the wall. I cut out water drops from blue foam paper and have them in a container...Anabelle is learning quickly the things that earn her a water drop, neither of them are happy when their buckets are emptied, it has happened a few times. We do have moments when he only does nice things to get a water drop, but he is filling her bucket none the less, as well as his own for being kind, and becoming more aware of things that are great deeds like serving his sister pancakes in the morning...

How often does your bucket feel full? Do you feel that people dip into yours? I think we should all be a little more conscious of our invisible buckets, as well as others :-)

Get your copy of the book at Costco, $11.49!!

K

family dinner questions

I got this idea, and the templates from pinterest, it was on a lovely blog Beauty and Bedlam , I brought out the jar this morning at breakfast, it was a lot of fun asking Noah and Fredo questions! It would be great for any conversation starter!

There are 25 pages of questions that I printed and cut out, it also has templates for labels, however they did not work for my jar so I just designed and printed my own on a round Avery label (best labels I have ever bought!) #22807 with a downloadable template on the Avery website!

Tons of great questions, for family, kids, girlfriends....definitely something that will sit on my counter for meals and company!

Super easy to do, I used a jar I had from IKEA, an inexpensive way to have a blast, and keep the conversations going during the most important time, meal time :-)

K

not your grandmas glasses..

I have only had one compliment, thus far...however I am in love with my new accessory! I am sure I have been talked about behind my back, called a few names....I remember wanting this when I bought my most recent pair, but just didn't seem to find something that fit the bill....until....I visited H&M over the weekend....tada!!!

Never thought I would own an eyeglass chain, but man, let me tell you, the best thing ever!!! You can't go wrong with $4.95 either!! And, its just what I was looking for, a simple, gold spun chain!

I think I have become a bit more ballsy in my old age with my fashion choices...god knows what I will choose when I get to 30 ;-) Hey, I took a chance with that hideous pastel floral shift dress, and ended up seeing it on a fashion blog, SO, I must be doing something right!? That time anyway!

Be who you want to be!! I am slowly learning this....it feels good, really good. Speak your mind, let people know what hurts your feelings, what makes you smile...I just applied for a job in which a lot of the scenarios on the questionnaire were about self image, and how we looked amongst our peers, and how important that was too us....I think, its important to look good and feel good for yourself. In whatever it is you choose, even a gold spun eyeglass chain!! I remember never wearing sweat pants or frumpy clothes to high school, it wasn't for anyone else but myself, I knew I looked good, and that made me feel good! Absolutely nothing against those who did, it just didn't work for me, we are all different. Just like us moms, we all have 'kids' in common, but we are all different, not any two birth stories, or discipline tactics are the same, and there is nothing wrong with that!

Now I want you all to go out and get yourself an eyeglass chain!! It works really well for sunglasses too!!

K

K

moment of weakness........

Just this morning I yelled so loud I was sure Noah shit his pants.......the kids had taken all the pillows of the couch and were jumping.....I hate it when they do that, it makes my blood boil, and for the all the times I have asked them not to do it, it made me even more mad that they had done it again! I was in an awful mood to begin with, hadn't eaten breakfast, and was feeling super sad and stressed for numerous reasons......my skin has not reacted well to this stress, I have not had this many pimples in a very long time...this evening, Noah noticed me crying...he quietly came to me and hugged my leg. Gosh that felt good....I was feeling deflated, confused, unsure....after dinner he asked me if I could help them build a fort. We started our project, I myself, pulled the pillows off to make walls and barricades...instantly my furniture became a trampoline...this time it did not bother me...in fact I asked to take a picture, saying "jump, jump again" in order to catch a decent shot....this is what I got....

I had a moment of weakness....they are still jumping...maybe I need a jump myself, to take the edge off...or a nice big glass of wine....

K

Miso Honey Halibut

This recipe was delicious!! Originally from the March issue of Chatelaine...I decided to try is seeing as halibut is now fresh not frozen, thank you to a little birdie that told me! Fricking expensive, but delicious! I would suggest not using all the sauce...I found it was a bit over powering. In the recipe it says to generously spread over the fish, in the future I will do a thin layer. I didn't realize that miso paste would be tricky to find. I ended up finding it at local Asian grocer, but I can imagine that Fujiya would have it for sure!

Miso Honey Halibut

4 200g halibut fillets about 3/4" thick

3 tbsp white miso paste

4 tsp honey

1 tsp olive oil

Position rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, pat fish dry, and put on lined baking sheet (I just put mine in a casserole dish rubbed with a titch of olive oil).

Combine miso with honey and olive oil in a small bowl.

Generously spread over fish (or not, maybe just a thin layer)

Broil until the tip of a knife inserted in the thickest part of the fish and held for 10 seconds feels warm, about 1o minutes.

I served mine with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and parmesan asparagus....

Roasted Carrots

8 carrots (I just washed mine really well, or peel them, whatever you prefer)

Cut off the top and end....cut carrot in half, then again in lengths.

Place in a long baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, shake of salt, some pepper, two crushed cloves of garlic and 4 dollops of butter on top. Bake at 400 for around 45 minutes, with a few pokes and turns in between.

Parmesan Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus (washed with trimmed ends)

lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, with your hands, rub the spears so they are well coated, rearrange in a single layer, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 (or 400 if you are doing the carrots as well) for 10 minutes.

I am stuffed! That was a great meal!

K

Orecchiette Bolognese

I first got this recipe from Pinterest, then after making it once, I realized it was a lot like the sauce I make all the time from scratch...I love the orecchiette pasta! Best if you can let it simmer for a while, so try to make on a day you have some time. Double the recipe if you want to freeze some extra sauce.

Orecchiette Bolognese

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup finely minced onion

1 cup finely minced carrot

1 cup finely minced celery

3 cloves of chopped garlic

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork ( if you don't like pork just get 1.5 lbs of beef)

1 cup milk

1 can whole peeled tomatoes

1 jar of strained tomatoes

a few pinches of kosher salt (course salt)

pepper to taste

500g of Orecchiette Pasta

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium to high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Saute until softened but not browned. Add meat and 1/2 tsp of salt. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the meat and break into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink. Add the milk, and let it evaporate, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a boil. Place heat on a very low simmer for 2- 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Toss with cooked orecchiette, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

It tasted extra fine with some hot chili flakes sprinkled on and a glass of wine. The burn of the chili's really cleared my nasal passages! I can't seem to shake this cold/flu......

K