We had one of those weekends that allowed for relaxing and just enjoying life. Garage sale season is back up and running so we took in a few on Saturday morning. We also went to Monsters vs Aliens - the first movie I've been to in theatres in more than four years... and well... as you probably will guess - it was a bit of a "meh" movie for me. I mean there were some funny parts and the guys sat through the whole thing but it wasn't ... WOOHOO....
On Sunday we had one of those proud parent moments. Bike riding clicked for Kyle and he did - no training wheels - a few push starts and off he'd go... it was awesome! And that's just how I felt about it - he's pretty pleased too.
On the cooking front - I did another meal plan for the week. I had meals for every night but tonight I didn't cook because we had so much left overs. Sunday was a couple of Chinese dishes - one that was good and one that was ok but I made way too many noodles and then I didn't have enough sauce. Last night I made asian turkey burgers and they were MUCH better than the dill ones.. I'm using a readers digest vegetable focused book this week. I'll post the recipes if anyone is interested. One of the Chinese dishes was called ginger pork stir fry - what was funny is that there was not a piece of ginger in the entire dish... tonight was supposed to be manicotti - but I guess I'll hold that one over to next week - since tomorrow night is taco night. Hooray for meal planning. I recommend it to everyone.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
alrighty then...
SO I got one site started... I bought two because I'm crazy.
The first one is A Million Little Thank Yous.... you'll see that I've got a store too - but it isn't selling anything yet.. I need to do some photos and then I'll start loading product. Pretty simple concept...
The other site that I alluded to will take a little longer... but I'm totally working on it.
I love you guys!
Thank you!
The first one is A Million Little Thank Yous.... you'll see that I've got a store too - but it isn't selling anything yet.. I need to do some photos and then I'll start loading product. Pretty simple concept...
The other site that I alluded to will take a little longer... but I'm totally working on it.
I love you guys!
Thank you!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
thank you
notes taken....
maybe this is the beginning of something much greater ....
time will tell...
maybe this is the beginning of something much greater ....
time will tell...
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Webby Awards
So if you have some time on your hands definitely take a few minutes to look at what is apparently the best of what is out on the interweb... the webby awards lets us regular people vote on the best of the best and it is also a great place to just check stuff out... like this... http://www.eepybird.com/stickynote.html This is very cool!
Visit the Webby awards at http://pv.webbyawards.com/ - you can sign up and then view all the cool stuff... maybe one day one of our sites will get recognized as something amazing... :)
Visit the Webby awards at http://pv.webbyawards.com/ - you can sign up and then view all the cool stuff... maybe one day one of our sites will get recognized as something amazing... :)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
more cooking
So we haven't given up on the cooking - I just haven't posted anything... tonight I went to our new favorite - the yummy steak mushroom sandwich or salad with spinach leaves.. but we did try...
Pork Cacciatore and a Potato Sage Salad - the pork cacciatore with rice was really good. I mean I didn't think I was going to like it at all but it was good. The salad - well I doubt I'd ever make it again. The dressing wasn't very flavorful, and putting warm potatoes with the lettuce - well they just weren't that well suited. The potatoes in the recipe would probably have been fine on their own, but then they need to be cooked longer.
Pork Cacciatore and a Potato Sage Salad - the pork cacciatore with rice was really good. I mean I didn't think I was going to like it at all but it was good. The salad - well I doubt I'd ever make it again. The dressing wasn't very flavorful, and putting warm potatoes with the lettuce - well they just weren't that well suited. The potatoes in the recipe would probably have been fine on their own, but then they need to be cooked longer.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
of course
Tonight the easter bunny made a mad dash to Wal-Mart to pick up some goodies....
So I'm cleaning off the kiosk that is in the Wal-Mart parking lot - this is part of my part time work job... so I clean it off and walk back to the car and hear something hissing and fancy that... my damned rear tire is going, going, gone. I call Andy and tell him what's going on and ask him to call BCAA... only to find out that because he isn't with me it doesn't count, but that I can become a member... right... so I change the tire. It actually didn't take too long - about 20 minutes. The tire was flat - flat as a door nail as I told my husband and then immediately thought - ok it is dead as a door nail and really - what the hell does that mean.
I took the whole thing in stride.... and then went into Wal-mart to find NO CHOCOLATE! I couldn't even believe it. I actually walked most of the store thinking they'd thought it would be a nice little bit of easter fun to hide the remaining chocolate... no such luck. So that sucked... drove there for nothing and got a flat tire. I ended up at save-on which is about 2 minutes from my house and got more than enough chocolate... I actually thought that as I drove by save-on when I went by, but I thought - oh I'll have a few minutes to look at Wal-Mart and have an outing... HA.
Now I'm home after my fun outing sitting with my sick little boy who has yet another round of swollen tonsils.
I do want to note one more thing - the people in this town are great - AGAIN! - four people stopped to ask if they could help. FOUR!
So I'm cleaning off the kiosk that is in the Wal-Mart parking lot - this is part of my part time work job... so I clean it off and walk back to the car and hear something hissing and fancy that... my damned rear tire is going, going, gone. I call Andy and tell him what's going on and ask him to call BCAA... only to find out that because he isn't with me it doesn't count, but that I can become a member... right... so I change the tire. It actually didn't take too long - about 20 minutes. The tire was flat - flat as a door nail as I told my husband and then immediately thought - ok it is dead as a door nail and really - what the hell does that mean.
I took the whole thing in stride.... and then went into Wal-mart to find NO CHOCOLATE! I couldn't even believe it. I actually walked most of the store thinking they'd thought it would be a nice little bit of easter fun to hide the remaining chocolate... no such luck. So that sucked... drove there for nothing and got a flat tire. I ended up at save-on which is about 2 minutes from my house and got more than enough chocolate... I actually thought that as I drove by save-on when I went by, but I thought - oh I'll have a few minutes to look at Wal-Mart and have an outing... HA.
Now I'm home after my fun outing sitting with my sick little boy who has yet another round of swollen tonsils.
I do want to note one more thing - the people in this town are great - AGAIN! - four people stopped to ask if they could help. FOUR!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 09, 2009
home again
Made it home this afternoon... and yawn I'm tired... of course it didn't stop when I got home I still had a board meeting to attend tonight... but now it is the weekend... hip hip hooray!
And now for something from the - I don't know what the hell people are thinking file...
Why do we boil eggs for Easter and paint them... THEY STINK!
Now I get it - it can be a fun little activity but really... really - this is the best we can come up with - is there someone eating all these hard boiled eggs. It is not only a wasteful activity - it is disgusting... does anyone like that smell... come on... anyone... I thought not... I think a solution is needed! I don't want another Easter to come and for the boys to have a dozen smelly boiled eggs return to my house... blah! Here's my suggestion - next year, let's have those kinder eggs in classes and let the kids decorate those... this will be both a yummy and pleasant addition to easter... we won't be wasting eggs and we won't be stinking up the homes of parents everywhere.
I humbly implore everyone to consider abandoning hard boiled eggs. Thank you.
And now for something from the - I don't know what the hell people are thinking file...
Why do we boil eggs for Easter and paint them... THEY STINK!
STINK
Now I get it - it can be a fun little activity but really... really - this is the best we can come up with - is there someone eating all these hard boiled eggs. It is not only a wasteful activity - it is disgusting... does anyone like that smell... come on... anyone... I thought not... I think a solution is needed! I don't want another Easter to come and for the boys to have a dozen smelly boiled eggs return to my house... blah! Here's my suggestion - next year, let's have those kinder eggs in classes and let the kids decorate those... this will be both a yummy and pleasant addition to easter... we won't be wasting eggs and we won't be stinking up the homes of parents everywhere.
I humbly implore everyone to consider abandoning hard boiled eggs. Thank you.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
hotel
My hotel/motel is not very nice. I know - I've been spoiled staying in some of the swanky places in Vancouver, but really I don't think this would rate two stars for a hotel.
Really I just wanted to come and complain. Thin walls, thin doors, funny smell... old, run down, needing a definite makeover...
on the upside... it has high speed - so I guess I shouldn't complain too much :)
Really I just wanted to come and complain. Thin walls, thin doors, funny smell... old, run down, needing a definite makeover...
on the upside... it has high speed - so I guess I shouldn't complain too much :)
away
Tonight I'm at a conference in Williams Puddle :) So no food cooking for me tonight.. which I gotta say I'm missing tonight. Dinner was ok, but man - the portions were disgustingly large - two pork chops, probably a cup and a half of mashed potatoes, beans, carrots, applesauce, cheesecake, salad - most people could barely eat half... CRAZY! The food was good - but not as a good as some of the stuff we've been cooking at home... and sadly I won't get to cook tomorrow night because I'm at another meeting...
My cold is still plaguing me - I'm just not shaking it. With any luck tomorrow will be a better day... I'm feeling better -but just not one hundred percent. Now I'm going to just lounge... conference doesn't start until 9am tomorrow... which by conference standards is actually kind of late.
My cold is still plaguing me - I'm just not shaking it. With any luck tomorrow will be a better day... I'm feeling better -but just not one hundred percent. Now I'm going to just lounge... conference doesn't start until 9am tomorrow... which by conference standards is actually kind of late.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
honey ginger salmon
Well I gotta say that tonight's recipe wasn't exactly fabulous. I mean it was ok... but...
So basically you stir together 1/4 cup of liquid honey, 2 tbsp of rice vinegar and 1 tsp (ish) of grated ginger- stir, stir, stir
Then brush or spoon onto some thawed or fresh salmon. Then the salmon goes in the oven - broiler on - (that's 500) and cook for 8-10 minutes. So it is a quick process... now here's what should have been in the book...
really - the salmon isn't going to pick up much flavor by just sticking on the sauce and chucking it in the oven - it really needs some time to marinate... so I think you should marinate the salmon in the sauce for at least 30 minutes to really capture all the yummy flavors...
note#2 - if you don't have liquid honey, cause you're like me and you use honey sometimes, but not all the time and so the honey goes hard you can warm it up in the microwave... this should be closely monitored... honey explodes - as I found out tonight and when it explodes it also burns... so tonight I was lucky that it missed my face, but got my toe and stomach - yeehaw - so don't microwave honey unless you are going to pay attention to it and then when you do remove it put on a coat of armor :)
So this recipe also called for a salsa - so you cut up some yellow pepper (1/4 cup), 1 cup of cucumber, 1 tbsp of that fun liquid honey, 1 tbsp of rice vinegar, little salt, little pepper, 1 green onion chopped - then you just mix them together and serve with the salmon. Now I served all that with a salad and used the salsa as the dressing for the salad... light - no carb dinner...
Would I make it again? Well if the salmon had been marinated it would have been way better - the salsa was nice, but I don't really think it is a salsa... no heat - which this recipe could have gotten away with because the salmon is so sweet.
So basically you stir together 1/4 cup of liquid honey, 2 tbsp of rice vinegar and 1 tsp (ish) of grated ginger- stir, stir, stir
Then brush or spoon onto some thawed or fresh salmon. Then the salmon goes in the oven - broiler on - (that's 500) and cook for 8-10 minutes. So it is a quick process... now here's what should have been in the book...
really - the salmon isn't going to pick up much flavor by just sticking on the sauce and chucking it in the oven - it really needs some time to marinate... so I think you should marinate the salmon in the sauce for at least 30 minutes to really capture all the yummy flavors...
note#2 - if you don't have liquid honey, cause you're like me and you use honey sometimes, but not all the time and so the honey goes hard you can warm it up in the microwave... this should be closely monitored... honey explodes - as I found out tonight and when it explodes it also burns... so tonight I was lucky that it missed my face, but got my toe and stomach - yeehaw - so don't microwave honey unless you are going to pay attention to it and then when you do remove it put on a coat of armor :)
So this recipe also called for a salsa - so you cut up some yellow pepper (1/4 cup), 1 cup of cucumber, 1 tbsp of that fun liquid honey, 1 tbsp of rice vinegar, little salt, little pepper, 1 green onion chopped - then you just mix them together and serve with the salmon. Now I served all that with a salad and used the salsa as the dressing for the salad... light - no carb dinner...
Would I make it again? Well if the salmon had been marinated it would have been way better - the salsa was nice, but I don't really think it is a salsa... no heat - which this recipe could have gotten away with because the salmon is so sweet.
Monday, April 06, 2009
the lazy chef
Ok - I'm sick so I can cut myself some slack...but tonight's dinner was blah - some frozen chicken cordon blues for the boys and a 1/2 a bowl of tortilla chips with about a tbsp of cheese microwaved - plus half an avocado - booo - it was awful... back to the book tomorrow night. I think I'm going to make a honey baked salmon dish tomorrow night - assuming I'm not feeling crappy. I did manage to pump out 2 dozen cupcakes and about 20 chocolate dipped eeyore cookies...
The sun came out today... fabulous! It felt warm, but with this flaming cold I didn't get to really enjoy it... sadly I hear it isn't going to last... but at least it feels like spring - the snow is leaving - hooray.
The sun came out today... fabulous! It felt warm, but with this flaming cold I didn't get to really enjoy it... sadly I hear it isn't going to last... but at least it feels like spring - the snow is leaving - hooray.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
more cooking
So I mentioned the cashew tofu stirfry and I bet to most - that was like - har har Ape's that can't be something you really cooked - so I took photographic proof. It was good - good spice, good flavours, colorful... good with rice or noodles...
Update
So here is the great recipe.... it is from Company's Coming - Healthy in a Hurry recipe book - it is awesome - we've cooked six recipes now and we've got another 4 planned to try...
Combine 3/4 cup cool water, 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional) I didn't add the sesame oil... Set this aside once mixed and re-mix before you are asked to use it...
Heat large frying pan or wok on medium-high until very hot. Add 1 tbsp of corn oil (recipe says canola but I say NO to canola - it is terrible for you). Add 4 cups of chopped suey choy (also called chinese or california cabbage), 2 cups of sugar snap peas, trimmed, 1 1/2 cups of sliced onion (I just cut up one small/med onion), 1 cup sliced red pepper (if you like red pepper use this amount - if you don't... well might want to use less - we did this amount but then the pepper didn't really get eaten), 1 tbsp of grated ginger (I've bought a small container of ginger that is grated that I keep in the fridge). Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
Add tofu (1 package of extra-firm tofu, cut into 2cm pieces) and a 1/2 cup of salted cashews. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir cornstarch mixture (early made sauce). Add to vegetables mixtures. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until boiling and thickening. Awesome with some rice and if you are really anti-tofu - replace the tofu with chicken...
I'm coming down with some kind of cold - my sinus and throat just don't feel right.
Despite that we did manage to take in some lead up to the games stuff today...
The mascots were on hand but Kyle decided he would rather hide than see them and Michael cried when we met Quatchi... so that part wasn't great - but trying out some of the winter olympic sports was good fun.
Update
So here is the great recipe.... it is from Company's Coming - Healthy in a Hurry recipe book - it is awesome - we've cooked six recipes now and we've got another 4 planned to try...
Combine 3/4 cup cool water, 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional) I didn't add the sesame oil... Set this aside once mixed and re-mix before you are asked to use it...
Heat large frying pan or wok on medium-high until very hot. Add 1 tbsp of corn oil (recipe says canola but I say NO to canola - it is terrible for you). Add 4 cups of chopped suey choy (also called chinese or california cabbage), 2 cups of sugar snap peas, trimmed, 1 1/2 cups of sliced onion (I just cut up one small/med onion), 1 cup sliced red pepper (if you like red pepper use this amount - if you don't... well might want to use less - we did this amount but then the pepper didn't really get eaten), 1 tbsp of grated ginger (I've bought a small container of ginger that is grated that I keep in the fridge). Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
Add tofu (1 package of extra-firm tofu, cut into 2cm pieces) and a 1/2 cup of salted cashews. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir cornstarch mixture (early made sauce). Add to vegetables mixtures. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until boiling and thickening. Awesome with some rice and if you are really anti-tofu - replace the tofu with chicken...
I'm coming down with some kind of cold - my sinus and throat just don't feel right.
Despite that we did manage to take in some lead up to the games stuff today...
The mascots were on hand but Kyle decided he would rather hide than see them and Michael cried when we met Quatchi... so that part wasn't great - but trying out some of the winter olympic sports was good fun.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Company's Coming
Andy and I bought a healthy cookbook from Company's Coming and have made a meal plan for the week. Our first kick at the healthy dinner menu was a steak mushroom bun and apple carrot slaw.
Now to be honest, I've been on the 20 dinner rotation for months, if not years, and it was about time I got back making something from a recipe... and it was super yummy.
Yummy steak and mushrooms and then it was placed on a bed of spinach - the spinach was tossed with some light mayo, sesame oil and ginger - man - it was soo good! Tonight I made dill turkey burgers - yummy too - but that steak and the spinach together - I'm still thinking about how good it was.. and we made it - which makes it even better.
Now to be honest, I've been on the 20 dinner rotation for months, if not years, and it was about time I got back making something from a recipe... and it was super yummy.
Yummy steak and mushrooms and then it was placed on a bed of spinach - the spinach was tossed with some light mayo, sesame oil and ginger - man - it was soo good! Tonight I made dill turkey burgers - yummy too - but that steak and the spinach together - I'm still thinking about how good it was.. and we made it - which makes it even better.
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