Garage sale vino

No word of a lie - this weekend we checked out a couple of garage sales and this lady was out drinking a glass of red wine and selling her stuff - she was shout-y and loud and so I totally had to take her photo and blog about it - I guess power to her... get busy living :)

xo

more photos...

As we packed our cute little Kyle for his giant adventure to Haidi Gwaii today (pants, gonch, socks, Harry Potter) we got out one of our small cameras.  I hadn't downloaded it in ages (ages = 18 months) and found some fun shots.  Here is a sampling for your viewing pleasure:

Ok, this first photo is for Paula.  I know how much she totally loves this shirt!

And yes, he has finally grown out it. (taken by Michael)

So here is Michael - apparently they were partying it up in these shots - there are a couple of Kyle too where it looked like they were daring each other to make the best party face (taken by Kyle)

Michael pushing Kyle around... (taken by my mom, grandma)

Ahhhhh - so cute 

(taken by Kyle)

Good old me, posing on the river front trail - this is one of the oldest shots on the camera - comes from last spring... it surprises me to say today that I'm actually 'fitter' now then I was then but at the time - totally thought I was in great shape... see we learn things about ourselves every day :)

And since I showed you my hooters I figured I'd better show you this too!  

Ok - love you guys - thanks for reading all the posts!

Off to work out - got a goal dress I'm headed for and since I can wear my goal hoodie - I finally see that I'm making progress :)

xo 

early again... well then i guess it's time to bake... sheesh

Ok - so I may have made this up a bit... I had something to work from but tried out my Chef Michael Smith skills to see how things would go...

Yummy fruity goodness with a dash of chocolate muffins 
(world's longest title - my apologies)


2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 1/2 cups raspberries
1 cup of saskatoons (I happened to have some frozen that me and Kyle picked)
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet/milk chocolate you decide)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease your muffin tins.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and the oil. Then add the fruity goodness and chocolate chips.



 


Stir in the water and vanilla until incorporated. Add flour mixture, a little at a time and stir until just incorporated. (May need slight bit more water, add by tbsp)



Fill all 12 muffin cups evenly and bake about 30 minutes (took my oven 35), until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of one or two comes out cleanly.





And tonight - I'm going to post some fun photos - I downloaded a camera the kids have been using for a few months and there are some great ones :) 


have a great day - xxoo 


(update - so Kyle liked them and raved about how great they were and Michael basically said he'd rather like the floor - so... yeah... not sure how to take that - they are definitely sweet and I think the sugar could be adjusted - you could sub out some sugar, add applesauce and then reduce the water - kyle is now on his way to Haida Gwaii - lucky kid!  No tears, just see you later and Grandpa let's get this truck going, what's taking Grandma so long!)

this morning

So I totally couldn't sleep and got busy this morning...

Bananas - guess what I'm making... 

Yes - it was 6am banana bread

In the pan - ready for some love in the oven :)

And here they are - all finished - just as we needed to get going - it was perfect timing :)

Ok - here I am at 6:30am - sooo tired... me want sleepy :)

How I started my day 

Dreaming

And while this looks like rain on glass it is actually rain drops being caught in a quick shot

Spending a moment enjoying the rain - and we all know what rain means... puddles - so you know what I was doing later on this morning :) 

In the end it worked out pretty well to be up so early - my mom showed up this morning, right at 7am and invited Kyle to Queen Charlotte Island (he keeps calling it Nova Scotia) - they leave in the morning - I can only imagine what he will see and how great a time he will have - I'm jealous - I went to the island for work a few years ago (like 10+ years ago) and fell in love with the island - so beautiful - the beaches were amazing and - sigh - loved it!

 Alright my loves I'm not feeling good - whatever is wrong with me continues to be wrong... hopefully it will all pass - its only been three weeks of this now.

love to you! xo

elusive sleep

The house is completely silent, all but a ceiling fan.  Kyle scared me at about 2:30 in the morning and declared he was sleeping in my bed.... why? - no reason - I think he was sleep walking, he hasn't done that in a while.  He then took over the entire bed and I lay there unable to sleep and then I heard it.  No, not the morons breaking in, the sound of rain.  I could hear it coming towards the house.  This helped put me back to sleep since this is definitely a favourite sound (I have an hour and half of it in iTunes) and click I was back to sleep and then I woke up every hour after that, apparently, to check the time.

At 6:30 I gave up with sleep and started roaming around.  I know, what a totally boring blog post - I'm such a lamo.  (no, not a lamp - darned auto spelling)

Well hopefully have something far more interesting to share later today - this day can only get better.
xoxo - Happy Monday

sunday

What about Sunday?

Well it was a busy day - I bought a new iMac for the office and I'm pretty sure it is going to be like Christmas morning at the office tomorrow.  I went and picked up some more of my favourite tea from David's - forever nuts :) ... I know - it is a hilarious title for a tea... because really - really... you could kind of take that a couple of ways... oh wait - right there are nuts - like pecans and almonds in it.. ok.. well if you didn't know better.

And tonight... we kicked it!

Kyle rocked it on drums (which is usually my instrument choice)

Since I was kicked off drum duty I sang my lungs out - it was great! An excellent energy burner!

Michael was kind of put off by all of it and then after we rocked out two songs he jumped and played guitar! It was great! Sadly no crazy photos of me singing... sorry... I know - you are all so heart broken - lmao. 

And.. it's post secret sunday - head there for the latest postcards! 

hugs and smooches to you! have a great week ahead - I seem to be on the rebound with photo taking so watch for more this week - xo 

photos - as promised :)

Meringue

I've never made these before... or if I have - can't remember the last time (truth be told I kind of think I did make these ages ago and totally messed them out... this was not the case tonight - as you will see)

Here I am - all ready to cook it up! With my fantastic and favourite apron (nice nose, good legs, great body - wine glass on it) - love it!

Ok and then....

Frothy stage 

Getting there...

Time for more sugar

Then beat the crap out of it :) and add vanilla

And voila - finished!

3 egg whites (frothy)

1/4 tsp cream tartar (getting there)

3/4 cup sugar (beat the crap out of it)

Then you add a 1/4 tsp of vanilla

And it will be stiff 

Then you put it in a icing bag and pipe it on sheets (last photo)

And you bake it for 45 minutes at 200 and then turn it and then another 45 minutes at 200

Then turn off the heat, open the door and let it sit in the oven - and it can just sit there for an hour or over night - we took them out after about three hours and holy - they were wicked good!

Ok - and a few more photos...

Pretty flower

My hooters

You laughed - it is funny.

I cut my hand.. this is me pouting via blog - if you can't see it - that's ok - it is so small that I can't believe I took a photo of it - but I'm sharing just the same

Alright my loves - I'm calling it a night - ooxx 

best find of the day

This is the book I found today. I've been looking for a copy for years. (Fairies by Lee and Froud)

I won a Speech Contest in grade 7 and I received a gift certificate to Carryall books - I bought a journal that was illustrated by Lee and Froud and I've searched for a copy of the journal every since... the journal got me through some difficult times and I loved the illustrations - the illustrations took me away and I've loved them every since.  Today I got a copy of the book and continue to look for the journal.  I burned the old one - thought that would help - it didn't - now I just wish I had all those words.

sigh - what a day!

anyways - love to you - hope your weekend is fantastic - xxoo - ok one more, cause you look like you could use one :)  x

ps. the camera came out with us today - so I will have new photos tonight - hooray - hooray :)  ok- so I'm the only one excited... 

Friday night

What's that, pent up energy.. what.. lurking...

Must be time for some drumming...

and off we go :)

xxoo

(update - hit it like a rock star - hells ya! - I heart rock band - yes, I'm super lame... and you love it - that's why you are reading this right now )

doors

love doors

good night my loves xxoo

head space

Yup... Hawaii... 

I don't really have words to describe how this last photo makes me feel - so I will leave you with this tonight... 


It was as if time stood still and the colours of the sky and on the earth transformed every part of me. I close my eyes and let this moment fill me with the joy that kissed me while the sun rose.


xxoo

star date 22082011

So I'm getting ready for bed and I can hear people being shouty on the street.  A little bit more than shouty but it is pouring (another day of that good old Cariboo summer we've been having) and then the fight is brought to my house and someone is slammed against my front door.  Land speed records were set in my living room as I bolted to the phone and thought for a split second about calling the non-emergency line and then call 911... at the same time I flick on all the lights and can not see anyone - then I see a guy in dark clothes, moustache - he actually looked like my uncle (it wasn't him) and he sees me and walks up the street - not running - walks... then I'm on the horn with 911 and going through the details and I'm a little bit (lot) panicky and as we are talking another guy runs by in a different direction.

This sucks.

And now... sleep will be elusive.

Damn it!

Damn assholes!  

Expectations

Kyle asked to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's place on Friday night and they agreed.

They fished up a storm and also went ATV riding and picked enough wild raspberries to make jam.

Now, as you may recall, I'm not a fan of using the pressure cooker.  So I took my gear to my parents house so we could make treats for the winter together.  

I expected to make:

 Salsa - medium (too spicy for my mom - by a long shot - but Dad and I liked it.

 We made terrific antipasto! Can't wait to open these babies up!

We didn't expect to see this beautiful cow moose.  She was standing in a swamp on the side of the road and I got out to take a few pictures... should have had my tripod though as the light was too low.

I expected to see my parents lovely flowers and garden.. love these daisies - they open and close with the light!  Beautiful!

I didn't expect to change a tire. You see, as I pulled over to look at the moose, I took a look at the tires and there was a flat.  I pulled over and in changed it.  When I finished Kyle remarked that he couldn't believe it took me an hour to change the tire... it was actually 20 minutes... so I thought I'd done a good job.

I actually don't mind changing tires... it takes me back to university when Carmen and I and our roommate Pam had a flat near the hospital and that because I was sitting on the cold ground I was going to get a cold.. down there :)  And then I got a flat with the guys when Andy worked in Wells just a few years ago.... glad my dad taught me how to change tires... and I'm also glad that it was still light out - really don't like changing them in the dark.

xxoo

Driving safari on the Nazko highway... 3 buck (deer), 2 does (deer), 1 moose, 1 mouse


And congrats to Ryan, our hero and ultra elite athlete!  You accomplished your goals!  Can't wait to hear the story of the race.

Follow Ryan

So you can follow Ryan on his run - isn't technology amazing


http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/363457-tracking


His # is 466.


He is past the 6th check point - completed more than 17 hours of running - amazing!


17 hours...


(first runner to complete ... Ryan Sandes wins the Leadville Trail 100 Run with a time of 16:46:54 - holy crap! F-A-S-T)

HE DID IT !!!!!!!!

so I made a couple of cookies

About 15 dozen... ish

please... please

Someone is looking at our house for a second time this weekend.. please, please sell!

Send good thoughts - please and thank you :)

xxxoooxxxooo

friday

Well I took yesterday and today off and have been hanging at home with the guys. We re-decorated/re-organized and the guys now have a play room and shared large bedroom - I wish I'd done this sooner as they love it and now they know what toys they have.  We purged a lot of toys and I wish I had friends in town that I could share them with - I'm thinking we will donate most of them to Sally Ann :)

We retained all of the Rescue Hero stuff because they are cool and then army dudes and star wars stuff - then lots of books, but we are getting rid of a bunch of books too...

I had a few doctors appointments today and another next week so that was fantastic.  Given my girlie issues plus anxiety - well it just sucks right now - sigh. This too will pass.

What's on for plans today?  Well we made rice krispies and we are going to make flourless monster cookies and, pending my mom's arrival, make sweet pickles.  Then with any luck I'm going to make antipasto this weekend and also need to make jam... but we'll see how things go. Oh and if summer decides to make a return we will do more of this...

Go Ryan Go!

LT Leadville Colorado
Where Attitude meets Altitude

At 3am this Saturday August 20 our friend, Ryan (over at Trail Tripper in the right hand column), is heading out to complete the 100 MILE (160 km) race.  Participants have 30 hours to complete the challenge.

I just wanted to post how proud we are of him and wish him every success as he climbs mountains, through the sun and/or rain, in the dark, as the sunrises and sunsets.  We are thinking about you and wish we could have planned our summer better to be part of your crew... maybe we can crew up for another one of your races.

xxoo

tea

Tonight I'm enjoying a cup of 'forever nuts' from David's Tea.  Fantastic! Absolutely my favourite.

We are enjoying a quiet week here with four days off at the end of this week.  My version of summer vacations. I know, I'm lame.  We are planning a trip for December; so I'm saving up.

I had my ass handed to me in grammar last week and I can't believe how many things I've let slide in my writing.  I'm definitely a dash user. I love them.  They are my commas and my extras, but apparently in the land of English, they make zero sense.  So I'm going to try my best to correct my use of the English language. Try.

I'm dealing with some girl health issues, again, and I've had a weird face/head ache most of the day, so I'm going to call it a night.  Love to you! xxoo

in memory

I get updates from Bakerella - a fantastic blogger and maker of cake pops!  Tonight she posted a link to another blogger who recently lost her husband.  She asked that readers make the recipe (Creamy Peanut Butter Pie).  


Read the recipe and her heart wrenching post here - In Jennie's Kitchen


Whether you decide to make the pie or not - there was something very valuable in her post... She wrote.. once you've made the pie to - "Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on."  


Whether you make the pie or make someone toast - we all need to remember what we have.


xxoo

bye

And so my sister, Nicholas and her boyfriend have departed for the rest of their trip and our house is once again just us.  We totally miss them - the boys were very sad to not come home to them tonight.  I think Michael thought they were moving in.

The sky is not being helpful here - clouds keep rolling through.  I'm going to give it a little more time and then call it a night.

love to you!
xxoo

Tonight

Here we go - once again - tonight is the night to get outside and see the stars - Perseids is upon us.
Get out there tonight to see a great show - the moon is nearly full so that will over shadow (rather lighten) things... but it will be worth your time...

This goes on for a few days - so if you can't go tonight - try tomorrow night - it really gets going then and dies out over the weekend...

xxoo

And yes - more baby photos soon!

more sunshine - amen!

Kyle with his extra cute cousin, Nicholas! Love having them here!

And these are turkey cupcakes.. turkey meatball with a piece of turkey bacon on top - that was cooked in a cupcake wrapper in the oven - then once it was done I piped mashed potatoes on top - woohoo!

We went back to the creek tonight and played around a bit and had a nice walk to the footbridge.

The weather is amazing and we are just really enjoying our summer nights. 

xxoo!