Christmas cards!

Now that Halloween is over, we can turn our attention to Christmas! I have started making Christmas cards! They're all made from the November kit I got from Created With Paper called Mistletoe, I just love the colours and embellishments that came in the kit! The kids will be getting their school pictures back soon so we can include them in card for out of town family and friends!

Secret Sister Swap! Thank you Sunny!

This arrived in the mail today! It's funny because I never mentioned in my questionnaire that I love either practical or consumable gifts, yet my Secret Sister got it exactly right! If the box contained nothing other that a single caramel apple I would have been in my glory, but it actually came with two! My most favourite treat in the world, but we don't have a Rocky Mountain store here (probably a good thing, I'd eat them far to often!) It also came with mint hot chocolate, and coconut patties and ghirardelli chocolates! My SS should be getting her box today too, I hope she likes it!

 

 

 

 

Sweet treats!

Best app ever!

My friend's teenage daughter told me about songza and it sounded to good to be true free songs to my iPod, great songs! There is a top 40 of all the pop songs I love. There are loads of music channels for kids that are so entertaining. I'm so glad I got it, so now I'm telling you about it. Oh and by the way, it's free!

Dinner tonight!

I found this great recipe over at Mama Loves Food, such great site check it out, and try this soup, our kids love it!

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup Ingredients:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
• 1 medium/large yellow onion, diced
• 10 cloves of garlic, minced (if you use jarred, it's a 5 teaspoon equivalent)
• 64 ounces (8 cups) chicken stock or broth
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened (I use low fat)
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt (I use Aunt Cora's Soulful Seasoning)
• optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup Directions:

1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning, and chicken stock to slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
3. Add the softened cream cheese and puree soup with an immersion blender until the cheese is incorporated and about half the soup is blended. (Alternately you could remove half the soup and the cream cheese to an upright blender, then re-incorporate).
4. Stir well, top with your choice of garnishes & enjoy!

Yields about 10-12 servings.

Trip to the library

A man commented on how cute my little girl looked standing at the books so I figured I'd snap a photo. The library is such a great service, so many wonderful children's stories, so we never get tired of reading the same book over and over. Plus then you don't have to store, organize, or even buy our own books. Plus the kids love it there, with toys and computers to play with it's a great place to visit.

Working 16 out of 24 hours!

People often say they wish they had more hours in the day well I worked Sunday 8am-4pm then went back at midnight for another 8 hours.

After I got home from the day shift I spent four hours trying to go to sleep, unsuccessfully, only to get out of bed and try to NOT fall asleep at work. I'm not worried about being to stay up for my first solo night shift. The trick will be going home to start my day after having no rest, getting the kids off to school and occupying an adorable 10 month old all day. Here's hoping she naps and I can nap with her!

Speaking of which look how cute she is with her big brother...

Also an FYI, my favourite blogger Carla of Half a Dozen Daily is giving away an amazing black and white set of handmade items, you must check it out and leave her a note for your chance to win too!

Giveaway..

Carla has a great giveaway on her blog for a Golden Records CD, I'd love to win it for my kids, if you would too, check out her blog!

Happy thanksgiving!

Went to gammondale farms today, and having turkey tomorrow! Here are some pictures that sum up our day!

Tea party.

Went to a lovely afternoon tea party with Charlotte at grandma's house today! "Lucy" (the stuffed dog enjoyed it too),

Yard sale deals!

All these toys and shoes were $15 in total! (The robezze in the package are brand new and are normally $25, I got them for $5! The brown ones were only $1)

The table was $5, the wood puzzle was $1, the dog was .25, the play school toy was $2, all the little balls and stuff were .5 each. Spongebob is a talking flashlight .50, the phone was $1.

The chain was the best deal ( for my father in law) it was $5 too, and might be $100 to get new. The clothes I got are in the wash, photos to come!

Great Chicken Stew!

Ingredients

• 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For the biscuits:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.
In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.
Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.
Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.

More cards...

I've been crafting a little bit, it's been a good break for the lice problem we have here! I've been dreading it, but I knew the day would come the two older kids got lice (and with my long hair I'm surprised I only had a few). I didn't want to use the Nix, which is basically pesticide, so I looked up natural solutions and I found this worked:

1) Soak head in water and douse with white vinegar, let sit for 1-2 hours
2) Rinse and then wash with dishsoap
3)Rinse and then put in a handful of conditioner
4) Use a Nit comb and brush out conditioner, the nits and dead lice get picked up in the conditioner as it builds up on the comb, rinse comb each pass through.
5) Wash linen, vacuum furniture and bag stuffies
5) Keep checking and do another treatment in 10 days

That white vinegar is amazing stuff we use it for cleaning everything (mirrors, floors, countertops) in our house so we buy it in bulk, I was glad to not have to run out and get special products for this treatment, I had everything I needed already!

Here are the cards..nicer to look at than lice pictures ;) You can get the kit to make them at Created With Paper!

A new friend, and old friend.

I'm so happy for my best friend who just had a baby girl. We grew up together and have been friends since we were about 3. It is so amazing to me that I'd have my 3rd and she'd have her first and we'd end up with daughters just months apart.

Back from vacation!

Sorry no posts for the past week but we've been away camping with no phones, Internet or cell service!

We just got back from silver islet a marvelous camp area that was originally a mining town. So much history and sense of community we were happy to share in it for the week. Sandy beaches, a tea house, canoeing, friends and family sum up our week!

And check out the cute mock burger and fries our cousin made for the kids, looks fun and easy to reproduce. A cookie cut in half sprinkled with sesame seeds with a peppermint patti inside. The side of fries are hickorysticks!