Menu Plan Monday
April 30, 2007

Our recent trip to Mexico was wonderfully relaxing. I did not cook a meal or clean up for an entire week! Our resort was all-inclusive, and to tell the truth, the buffet was almost overwhelming. So many choices! I think I ate more food in the last week than I normally would in a month. (Now all my clothes fit a little too tight. I'm not sure how that happened...)

Our holiday was terrific, but I am glad to be back to the normal routine this week. It is nice to have limited food options for every meal! I am also glad to return to my normal housework. For the most part, I like cooking and cleaning. I enjoyed being pampered for a week but I couldn't live such an indulgent lifestyle for the rest of my life.

A few weeks ago I received a nice ham as my "free gift" from Superstore. I saved the meat in the freezer. The ham is now thawing in the fridge, and I plan to use it for a couple of meals this week. I also found an excellent deal on frozen chicken breasts a few days ago. (I bought 8kg.) Our family will be enjoying chicken this week as well.

Monday: No cooking (supper at my parents')
Tuesday: Baked ham, scalloped potatoes, corn, Japanese cabbage salad
Wednesday: An encore performance
Thursday: Split pea soup, homemade brown bread, green salad
Friday: Honey-mustard chicken, brown rice, broccoli and cauliflower
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: BBQ chicken, potato and carrot foil packets, green peas, coleslaw

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If you would like to find more delicious menu plans and recipes, please visit Org Junkie.

An Innocent Query (Part 2)

Last night I shaved my legs.

An Innocent Query

Tonight at bedtime my sister-in-law, Sarah, helped me prepare the kids for their baths. I popped the youngest two children in the tub. My four-year-old son sat on the bathroom floor and waited his turn.

Sarah was wearing a pretty, summery skirt. Our bathroom is very small, and as my son sat on the floor he reached out and gently touched his aunt's bare leg.

"Auntie Sarah," he asked in a sweet voice, "How come your legs don't feel like Mommy's?"

"What do you mean, Buddy?" she said.

"Well, your legs feel nice and soft ... Mommy's legs are all whiskery."

Quotable

I am still digging my way through a mountain of laundry and household tasks. I think I need a vacation to recover from my vacation! Here's to hoping I will find more time to spend online tomorrow...

Tonight I'll share a quick anecdote from our holiday.

Our four-year-old son's derma did not fare well on our trip to Mexico. He suffered through a nasty sunburn and several scraped knees. His skin is now in a lovely scaly stage and we've affectionately nicknamed him "lizard boy".

The other day my preschooler examined the half-healed scrape on his knee for several minutes. He poked at it with his finger and then made the following (somewhat disturbing) observation:

"Hey Mommy! My scab looks just like a piece of bacon!"

Our Trip to Mexico (Cont'd)

Here are some more pictures of our vacation.

Our Trip to Mexico

Our family arrived safely home last night. The holiday was wonderful. I have plenty of stories to share. I'll post some pictures tonight and write more in the coming days.

Mexico Here We Come!

Only seven hours until we leave for the airport! Our entire family is very excited. I'm not sure how I'll fall asleep tonight, even with the knowledge that 4am will come painfully early tomorrow morning!

The boys finally zonked out a few minutes ago. (They were very cute about it. Our two-year-old kept chattering on about "riding in a rocket" tomorrow. I think he meant the airplane.)

All our bags are finally packed and piled beside the front door. I think we did okay for a family with three preschoolers. We're bringing four suitcases, four carry-ons, two umbrella strollers and a playpen. (Now I just need to grow a few more arms to carry it all. And maybe some herculean muscles...)

I've been surfing our resort's website. Oh my, I can't imagine how wonderful it will be. They even have a family day trip where the kids can visit dolphins. I wonder if we might be able to pull that one off? We're going to have so much fun!

We hadn't intended to bring our computers, but finally decided that Ben will bring his notebook. He's not allowed to do any work, though! I am hoping to update my blog once or twice in the next week. Maybe I'll even be able to post some pictures of our holiday!

See you soon!

Book Review:

Me, Myself and Bob
by Phil Vischer

"Mommy, you draw Bob and Larry for me?" my two-year-old sweetly asks.

"Look at me, Mom! I'm LARRYBOY!" my four-year-old son yells as he streaks past with an old sheet tied around his shoulders.

If your home is anything like ours, your children love Veggie Tales. What's not to like about Bob, Larry, Junior, and the rest of the veggie crew? They are cute, lovable characters who teach kids about the Bible. It also doesn't hurt that Veggie Tales videos are hilarious.

Phil Vischer is the mastermind behind the phenomenon that is Veggie Tales. He created Bob and Larry on a shoestring budget, hunched over a computer workstation in his spare bedroom. Veggie Tales and Big Idea Productions rode an amazing wave of success through the late 1990s and early years of this decade. Big Idea grew to employ hundreds of people, produce dozens of videos, and market a vast array of products. The company was worth tens of millions of dollars.

And then in 2003 it all came crashing to the ground.

Reading Me, Myself and Bob is a bit like stumbling upon the scene of a train wreck. Phil Vischer shares the gory details of his journey, and his autobiography is quite painful to read in light of Big Idea's unfortunate collapse. Me, Myself and Bob is a story about attaining big dreams and about falling hard.

What was it like to see a dream come to life so dramatically? And where was God when something so bad was happening to someone who only wanted to do good? The answers to these questions may change everything you believe about dreaming big, falling hard, and getting back up again.

Me, Myself and Bob was a difficult read. However, God can work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Phil Vischer's tale is a story about second chances. Veggies Tales did survive. Big Idea still exists. Phil Vischer is no longer intimately involved with the company he founded, but through his difficult loss he gained a deeper understanding of God, dreams and his life purpose.

In 2003, my dream died. And I discovered, once all the noise had faded away, what I had been missing all along. (p. 251)

Phil Vischer learned to let go of his dreams. He learned to fall into the loving arms of his Savior ... arms overflowing with abundant life. The journey was heartbreaking and painful, but God carried him through to the other side. Me, Myself and Bob offers a candid glimpse into the death of Phil Vischer's dream. (And the rebirth of his life.)

And There Goes an Hour ...

Well, I think I've been hooked. I opened a Facebook account yesterday. From what I can gather, Facebook is basically a networking site. You register for an account, post a profile and pictures, and connect with old and new friends. Your personal profile remains private until you give a friend permission to view it.

It's a neat place to make or renew friendships.

It's also an easy place to waste a lot of time.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about Facebook. I like connecting with old friends. I enjoy looking up my former high school classmates. At the same time, I'm not thrilled with the site's user interface. The search tool is a bit frustrating. As well, I'm leery of the site's address book search function.

At any rate, Facebook is an interesting concept. I suppose time will tell if I created a monster when I opened my account.

And just to clarify, this blog will always be my first (online) love :-).

Books Galore

If you are interested in winning some great books, head on over to Callapidder Days. Katrina has ten books to give away in today's contest. The drawing is open to everyone --- Americans, Canadians or international residents. The contest deadline is Thursday, April 19. Simply take a look at the available books, and select the ones you find appealing!

Terrific Toesies

This afternoon I enjoyed a rare treat. I left the kids, the mountains of laundry, the piles of half-packed clothes, and went to the spa for a couple of hours. I received a wonderfully relaxing pedicure. (Thank you, Lori, for the gift certificate.) The spa chair massaged my back, the foot bath glowed with multicoloured lights, and the aesthetician gave me a bottle of polish as a gift. Pure bliss. It was the best pedicure I've ever had. (You know ... out of all three of them.)

When I returned home, my excited two-year-old greeted me at the door. "Mommy! You finish your painting?" he asked.

"You mean my painted toe nails? Come take a look, Buddy."

"Ooooh," he marveled, as he knelt down to admire my shimmering toe nails. "You like your painting?"

My four-year-old bounded around the corner. "Mommy!" he exclaimed, "Your toes are all red and shiny!" He knelt beside his brother. With careful fingers the boys gently stoked my toes.

What a homecoming! I felt like a queen. My little boys ooohed and aaahed for nearly five minutes in the doorway. For the rest of the evening, my youngest son periodically stopped playing and ran to touch my toes.

I think I need to go for a pedicure more often. (Hint, hint.)

Books! Books! Books!

The Spring Reading Thing continues, and I'm slowly working my way through my reading list. So far I've chewed through three titles. (Special thanks to Geoff and Karie-Ann for loaning Me, Myself and Bob to our family.) Our trip to Mexico is just days away. I'm looking forward to some lazy hours on the beach, stretched out with my bottle of sunscreen and several more good books!

Katrina at Callapidder Days is hosting an amazing book giveaway in honour of the Spring Reading Thing. She has over one hundred titles to randomly give away! Check out her site every Thursday and Saturday and throw your name into the hat. (Most of the draws will be open US residents only, but Canadians are allowed to enter today's contest.)

Slow Cooking Thursday

Last Christmas my mom gave me a terrific gift. I received a large, beautiful slow cooker. I love using it. My crock pot makes meal preparation much less stressful. Chaos always breaks out in our house at five o'clock in the afternoon, just as I am scrambling to cook supper. I find it easier to make supper in the morning, when I'm fresh and the children are less clingy. What's not to love about savoury aromas filling my home, along with the sweet knowledge that supper is taken care of?

This evening I was delighted to discover a new blog carnival hosted by Sandra at Diary of a SAHM. I'm looking forward to joining in on Slow Cooking Thursday in the coming weeks. I already took a peek at some of this week's recipe contributions. (And I may have saved one or two recipes in my file...)

I don't have my own recipe to share this week. However, I can recommend Club House's slow cooker flavour packets. They make several varieties, and include simple recipes on the outside of each package. Our family especially likes the BBQ pork on a bun.

If you're interested, check out Sandra's site and Slow Cooking Thursday. Better yet, join in on all the fun!

The Purple Barrette

Our Baby Girl's hair is growing long and lustrous. (Or at least long enough to hold one small barrette.) Today she wore an oval-shaped, purple barrette in her hair.

My two-year-old son spotted his sister's hair accessory this morning and said:

"Mommy, her hair's got a purple peanut!"

Menu Plan (Tuesday ... Oops!)

Have you ever had one of those weeks? You know, a week where you always feel a day behind? I think I'm in the midst of one of those weeks right now! Is it Tuesday already?

Our family leaves for Mexico in seven short days. Enough of this dreary snow and drizzle! I'm ready for a little tropical sun. Because I'll be busy with travel preparations this week, I've kept our menu very simple.

Monday: Leftover chili, whole wheat buns
Tuesday: Homemade chicken noodle soup (from the freezer), whole wheat toast, apple slices
Wednesday: My favourite chicken dish, mashed potatoes, steamed cauliflower, green beans
Thursday: Spaghetti pie, spinach and orange salad
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Daddy cooks (ie: pizza night)

Kids' Favorite Spaghetti Pie
(from Johanna Burkhard's Fast and Easy Cooking, p. 62)

Spaghetti pie is consistently a hit with our family. I always double this recipe and cook it in a 9x13" glass baking dish.

250g (8oz) Italian sausages, casings removed
2 C. sliced mushrooms (canned mushrooms work well)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 C. tomato pasta sauce
2 C. small broccoli florets (frozen broccoli works well)
3 C. cooked spaghetti (I like whole wheat pasta)
1 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese (I use soy cheese for our family)

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook sausage meat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain in sieve to remove any fat. Return to saucepan. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic and oregano; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add tomato pasta sauce; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Rinse broccoli; place in a covered casserole dish. Microwave at high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until bright green and almost tender. Rinse under cold water to chill; drain.

3. Arrange spaghetti in 9" or 10" pie plate. Spread with meat sauce. Top with broccoli and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Org Junkie. If you are interested in finding other meal plans and recipes, please visit Laura's site!

Jesus is Alive!

Happy Easter from our family to yours :-).

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!

(Romans 8: 9-11, The Message)

Farewell

With great sadness, our family bid farewell to a beloved pet. Percival J. Worthington III died peacefully in her sleep last night. She lived a long, full hedgie life.

Percival joined our household five-and-a-half years ago. She was a unique, unassuming pet. (Miss Percival received her name before we fully understood the intricacies of hedgehog anatomy.) She enjoyed eating peanut butter, swimming in the bathtub, and running around in circles.

We will miss Percival's playful chirps and squeaks. At times, her personality could be rather prickly. She was shy. Her face was adorable, however, and her furry belly was soft and smooth.

Goodbye, sweet hedgehog. We will miss you.

Where Did That Come From?

Our four-year-old son has a bizarre sense of humour. He came up with the following comment this evening:

"You know, I wish I was a dinosaur ... or maybe a camel. Then I could chew on Q-tips."

Two Peas in a Pod

Baby Girl and my Big Boy both love their thumbs. I took this photo tonight as they snuggled together on the couch.

Mmmm ... Spicy!

It started as a simple project. (A simple project that took six weeks to complete.) Hooray and hallelujah, my little spice rack is finally finished.

Originally, I had planned to make magnetic spice jars and attach them to the side of the fridge. The space above our kitchen sink looked a bit forlorn, though, so I eventually ditched the magnetic jars idea.

Instead, I bought two unpainted 16-inch wooden shelves from Ikea ($4.95 each), two small bottles of acrylic craft paint ($0.89 each) and a can of silver spray paint ($5.95). I also re-purposed twelve clean baby food jars.

I really like contemporary country craft decor, and hoped to create a weathered, hand-painted look. I primed the wooden shelves in a rusty red shade and then applied a couple of thin top coats in ivory. The clean jar lids received several thin coats of silver spray paint.

I buy most of our spices in bulk, so I arranged my twelve favourites on my new rack. I especially enjoy the spices' rich greens, golds and reds against the backdrop of my sage walls and golden oak cupboards.

Here is the finished result:



For more great Tackle It Tuesday projects, please visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Menu Plan Monday
April 2, 2007

This week is shaping up to be quite busy for our little family. I feel like we have a million items on our plate. (Pun intended.) As such, I have kept this week's menu simple. Our family will be eating a lot of leftovers!

Monday: No cooking. (Supper at my parents'.)
Tuesday: Pork chops with mushrooms, brown rice, peas, carrots.
Wednesday: Leftovers.
Thursday: Leftovers.
Friday: Squash and bean chili, whole wheat rolls, green salad, veggies and dip, carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing. (Supper for a crowd.)
Saturday: Leftovers.
Sunday: Easter dinner at my parents'.

Squash and Bean Chili

This chili recipe is vegan (when you use vegetable broth). Our kids really like squash and beans. The chili tastes great with buns, brown rice or fresh corn meal muffins. It is especially delicious the second day. I originally cut this recipe from the Calgary Herald.

1 tbsp. oil
2 C. chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I use only 1 clove)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (I omit this)
1, 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 C. vegetable or chicken broth
2 C. peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 C. diced green pepper
1 C. diced red pepper
3, 19oz. cans mixed beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 C. fresh cilantro (I omit this)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add next 6 ingredients (tomatoes through beans).

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Chili may be prepared to this point and chilled for 24 hours.

Return chili to Dutch oven and heat to serving temperature. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

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If you are interested in finding other inspiring menu plans and recipes, please visit Org Junkie.

Celebrate

I would like to wish my blog a happy birthday. The Ink Spot turns one year old today. :-)

Baby Girl is Growing Up ...

Our little princess is getting so big. She's already 9 1/2 months old. This month she grew two tiny teeth and mastered a new trick; she has learned to roll onto her tummy. Baby Girl hasn't shown much interest in crawling yet. However, now that she likes to spend time on her tummy I'm sure locomotion is soon to follow.

She's the sweetest baby in the world. (I'm not even slightly biased.)

The Legendary Easter Egg Hunt

This morning we awoke to gray skies, bone-chilling wind and blowing snow. Mmmm. Spring is in the air!

Being a hardy Canadian family, we braved the elements and participated in Butterfield Acres' Legendary Easter Egg Hunt. The children (bundled in parkas) searched for coloured "eggs", made a craft and visited lots of barnyard animals. Highlights included the baby chicks, a friendly donkey and a pair of ugly, ugly turkeys. The boys nearly froze, but they had fun trundling through the mud anyway. Baby Girl slept through most of the adventure. She was snug and cozy in the baby backpack.

My Big Boy

My four-year-old is slowly learning to assert his independence. He can unbuckle his own seat belt, use the bathroom on his own, and grab an apple from the fridge when he's hungry. This morning he added a new skill to his growing repertoire --- he chose his own clothes and dressed himself.

Now, I'll admit, his fashion sense needs some development. The outfit he chose was a bit mismatched. He proudly wore a red 101 Dalmatians t-shirt with racing car printed flannel shorts.

The temperature outside today was maybe around 10 degrees Celsius. My little boy's long, skinny legs looked so cold! We stayed in the house all day and he never asked to change into pants. Hopefully I can convince him to dress in warmer clothes tomorrow!

It is fun to see my "baby" becoming a big boy. I can hardly believe how quickly the time flies.

Sacrifice at the Porcelain Volcano

"So buddy, what do you want to do today?" I asked my eldest son. I balanced precariously on the ladder of his bunk bed, tugging at the sheets and blankets. Baby Girl played contentedly on the floor at my feet.

"I dunno. Maybe we could go to the park?" he suggested.

"Hmmm. Maybe." I climbed down the ladder and set to work making the lower bunk. I realized my two-year-old was no where in sight.

FLUUUUUUUSH.

I heard the unmistakable sound of a toilet flushing downstairs. Strange. My diaper-clad toddler had no legitimate reason to use the washroom.

"Ummm ... where's your little brother?" I asked my son, "Do you think you could go check on him for me?"

"Sure, Mommy." My four-year-old raced down the stairs. I heard young voices, and then two pairs of small feet ran back toward me. I finished tucking the blankets under the bed as my sons re-entered the room.

"Hi Mommy!" my bubbly two-year-old exclaimed.

I turned toward my son and assumed my best stern mommy expression. "Buddy. Did you flush something down the toilet?"

"Yes!"

I waited for him to elaborate.

My son looked up at me with wide, blue, adorable eyes.

I sighed and asked the inevitable question: "Well, what did you flush down the toilet."

"It was only a palm twee, Mommy."

I processed this revelation. "You flushed a palm tree down the toilet?"

"Yes!"

"Well, why did you flush a palm tree down the toilet?"

My son gave an exasperated sigh. "It was bwoken."

Oh, yes. How sensible. Why hadn't I thought of that? Anyone knows that broken palm trees make perfect sacrifices to the toilet gods.

Apparently, our toilet can indeed swallow an entire palm tree without ill effect. Who knew? Later in the day I also learned our toilet can handle a plastic cookie wrapper and several stickers.

What's next? Boxer shorts? An apple? I'm seriously considering taping the lid of the toilet closed. (Although that solution presents a whole new host of issues ...)

Ahhh. Never a dull moment. Never a dull moment.

Spring (Fling) Reading List

My husband went to the library yesterday to pick up several books for me. One of the books he brought home was Kevin Leman's Sheet Music.

The book has been in our house a little more than 24 hours. My husband has read the entire thing through, cover to cover.

I believe I will cut my computer time short this evening. ;-)

Spring Reading Thing ... An Update

I've been reflecting on my Spring reading list. You know, I think it is a little lopsided. I am slightly addicted to Karen Kingsbury's novels these days, but my goodness, I need not share my secret weakness with the whole world. I'm a bit embarrassed.

At any rate, I've added another non-fiction title to my list to help even the playing field. I recently spotted Me, Myself and Bob in the Christian Publications flyer. Our kids love Veggie Tales, so I am interested to read Phil Vischer's story. I placed the book on hold at the library tonight. (I may also be slightly addicted to surfing the library's online catalogue. What's not to love about choosing books from the comfort of my living room couch?)

Oh the Drama

Only 25(ish) days until we depart for warmer climes. Our vacation to Mexico is quickly approaching. This morning our entire family had an appointment at the International Travel Clinic for ... (cue the ominous music) ... shots.

Our four-year-old son had been dreading this morning's appointment, but he knew that in order to go on the trip he needed to have a shot. This morning in the van we finally discovered why our son was so terrified.

Our little boy thought he was going to the clinic to be shot. With a gun. A great, big needle gun, apparently.

Oh, my.

The long and the short of the story is this: Our son did receive his needle. He screamed something fierce in the clinic room, but survived to tell the tale.

Mexico, here we come!

Culinary Delights

My two-year-old happily sat beside me in our favourite restaurant. As he munched his way through an order of (animal-shaped) chicken nuggets and fries, I picked up one of the nuggets and playfully marched it across his plate.

"What have you got here?" I asked, "Is it a dinosaur?"

My toddler looked at me with serious eyes. "No, Mommy!" he stated emphatically, "It's chicken."

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The children were bathed and clothed in warm jammies. My preschooler turned somersaults across the bed as he waited for Bible time. His two-year-old brother attempted to leap on the bed as well. In the process, he banged his shin against the side of the bed and burst into tears.

"Mommy! Kiss my leg!" he demanded as he pulled up the cuff of his pajamas.

I planted a kiss on my son's bruised leg and pulled him into my arms, preparing to listen to the Bible story.

He extended his index finger toward me. "Mommy..." he started to say.

I promptly kissed the end of his finger, thinking he had injured it as well.

"... I got a booger," he finished.

Ready, Set, Go!

My calendar tells me Spring has officially arrived. However, the view out my window this morning told a slightly different tale. Who ordered the snow? Where is the warm weather we've been promised?

I suppose I can patiently wait a few more weeks for Spring to truly arrive. In the meantime, I plan to dive into a great big pile of books! (Can life get any better?) In my opinion, nothing beats curling up with a good book on a quiet evening...

"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier." (Kathleen Norris)

I especially enjoy reading books in series. I also get hooked on specific authors. A few months ago I discovered Karen Kingsbury's novels. (Where was I?) I'm thankful she is a prolific author, as I have many of her books yet to read. Right now I am working my way through her Firstborn series. I have also started reading Jan Karon's Mitford series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Thoenes' A.D. Chronicles series.

Without further ado, here is my Spring reading list. Most of my selections are fiction. I have placed nearly all of the titles on hold at the library. (For one of the books I am number 78 in the queue. The library has a few of my other selections on order. I hope I get a chance to read them before the end of Spring!)

Fiction:

Ever After, Karen Kingsbury

Family, Karen Kingsbury (Firstborn Series, book 4)

Forever, Karen Kingsbury (Firstborn Series, book 5)

Like Dandelion Dust, Karen Kingsbury

Sunrise, Karen Kingsbury

Fifth Seal, Bodie and Brock Thoene (A.D. Chronicles, book 5)

At Home in Mitford, Jan Karon (Mitford Series, book 1)

A Light in the Window, Jan Karon (Mitford Series, book 2)

Non-Fiction:

I Like You, Amy Sederis

Sheet Music, Kevin Leman

The New Birth Order Book, Kevin Leman

The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems (By Teaching You to Ask the Right Questions), Tracy Hogg

On a related note, I also plan on committing several random acts of literacy this Spring. I've caught the BookCrossing bug, and I have a tall stack of books on my desk waiting to be set free!

I would like to thank Katrina at Callapidder Days for hosting The Spring Reading Thing. Please check out the Mr. Linky at her site here.

Happy reading! Welcome Spring!

Woolly Sheep

Today the boys and I made fluffy sheep to celebrate the first day of Spring.

This craft uses common materials --- toilet paper tubes, tissues, cotton balls, cotton swabs --- all things we found hiding in our bathroom. The boys loved gluing the cotton balls to the paper tubes. My two-year-old's sheep turned out especially well. He made most of it by himself.

My four-year-old, however, ended up ripping all the cotton off his toilet paper tube. He said he wanted his sheep to be bald.

Menu Plan Monday
March 19th

I met Laura from Org Junkie (another Canadian blogger!) at The Ultimate Blog Party. I've been enjoying her blog a great deal, and thought I would join Menu Plan Monday this week. So here goes ... my first menu.

Monday: (No cooking!) supper at chez Mom
Tuesday: Roast sticky chicken, mashed potatoes, french beans amandine, carrots and peas
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Vegetable lasagna, caesar salad
Friday: Chicken soup with alphabet pasta, homemade brown bread
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Sweet potato and cauliflower tagine, whole wheat couscous, spinach salad

Roast Sticky Chicken

This recipe is super-easy and the meat comes out moist and flavourful. I like to roast two birds at once; then I have lots of meat left over and can make soup with the bones. A note: don't try to make gravy with the drippings. It will be much too salty.

I found this recipe in Dining on a Dime by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper (p. 207).

4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 large (10lb) whole chicken, chicken parts, or one (20lb) turkey (double the spices for a turkey)
1 C. chopped onion or 1 sliced orange

Combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a 9x13" pan, seal with foil and refrigerate overnight. If using chicken parts just rub spices over both sides of parts.

When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions or oranges. If using chicken parts place pieces on top of onions or oranges. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees F for 5 hours. Roast chicken pieces 3-5 hours. Roast a turkey 8-10 hours.

After the first hour, baste chicken with pan juices every half hour to 45 minutes. Of you don't have enough pan juices after 3 hours to baste add 1 C. of water to the pan. The chicken will be golden to dark brown with caramelized juices on the bottom. Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.

A Round of Applause and a Great Big Kiss

I would just like to share that I have the most wonderful husband in the world. He is a man who knows his wife well.

Ben understands that I can get caught up doing things --- cleaning the house, cooking, shopping, running after the kids, making projects. He also knows that I am not exactly a high-energy person. I take on too much and then collapse from exhaustion.

My wonderful husband did a great deal for me today. I took a (glorious) two-hour nap this afternoon. He went grocery shopping, took out the garbage and recycling, attended a meeting at church this evening, and helped me clean out the basement. What a man!

A Slice of Canadiana:
Why a Timbit is a Dangerous Thing

What is Canada to me?

Canoes, beavers and the maple leaf
Polite, friendly neighbours
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Rocky Mountains in my backyard
Clean water, rich soil, an abundance of resources
Vast stretches of land
Snow and ice and skiing and skating
Youth, innovation
A patchwork quilt of cultural diversity
A heritage built on Christian values and beliefs
From sea to sea to sea

And nothing tastes more Canadian than a steaming double-double with a donut on the side.

Every so often, out running errands or on the way home from church, our family will drive thru Tim Hortons. If the kids have been good we'll pick up a box of timbits for a treat. The line up of cars is always long, but as we sit in our idling van, talking and listening to the radio, we share a sense of camaraderie with the other vehicles. For a few minutes we pause, and together engage in a truly Canadian experience.

This morning Ben pulled into that familiar parking lot. The line wound around the building, at least twenty cars long. I flipped the radio dial to CBC, for the sake of the moment. Ben pulled up to the window and ordered (glory be!) the 40-pack of timbits, an extra-large double-double, and a large decaf mocha.

I think there is now one timbit left in the box (maybe two). Timbits may be small, but they are dangerous things. Perhaps Ben and I need to re-think our dream to purchase a Tim Hortons franchise. I doubt my willpower (or waistline) could withstand such a venture.

Every Computer Needs a Name ...

After a great deal of deliberation and careful thought, I have bestowed my new toy with the following name.

Henceforth, she shall be know as Blossom.

(Yes, of course my Apple is a girl.)

Spring Cleaning

I've had a somewhat frustrating day. I started my morning with a fairly long list of tasks to accomplish. I worked steadily all day, but along the way I discovered more and more jobs around the house. Suddenly my list is longer than it was when I started out!

I feel stressed. It seems like I have a huge list of tasks looming before me. The two biggies on the list are:

1. Sort through everything in the basement, box it up, and cart it off to storage. (A contractor is coming to finish our basement in April. Yeah!)

2. Prepare our tax paperwork and take it to the accountant. (This is a pretty big job, as I'm about nine months behind in the bookkeeping for the business. Yuck.)

I'm also at bit stressed about my music exam in May.

We leave for Mexico April 17, and I feel like I must have all my studying / cleaning / bookkeeping / etc / completed before we go away. I really will need a vacation!

It's late and I'm tired. Life always looks a little brighter after a good night's sleep.

Works For Me Wednesday

Vegan Cooking
(Not to be Confused With Cooking Vegans)

We have a few friends who are vegan. They don't eat any animal products --- no meat, dairy, eggs. It's hard to invite these friends over for a meal because I never know what to cook.

I think I've found an answer to my cooking dilemma. A few weeks ago I tried the following recipe from Canadian Living magazine (May 2005). It was easy to prepare and tasted delicious. Even my brother-in-law, an avowed carnivore, helped himself to seconds.

The magazine suggests serving this stew with whole wheat couscous. (Gotta love couscous. Even my four-year-old can make it.) We enjoyed it paired with brown rice.

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tagine

2 C. white pearl onions, or 2 onions, cut in wedges (I used regular onions)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (I omitted this)
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I omitted this)
3 C. cubed peeled sweet potato (1 large potato)
1 can (540ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 C. vegetable stock
2 C. cauliflower florets
1 C. frozen peas
2 tbsp. minced fresh coriander

Place pearl onions in heatproof bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand 5 minutes; drain and peel.

In large, deep skillet or shallow dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; fry pearl onions, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, ginger, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper; fry, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add sweet potato, chickpeas and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cauliflower; simmer, covered, until almost tender, 20 minutes. Add peas, simmer, covered, until hot. Sprinkle with coriander. Makes 4 servings.

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For more great ideas check out Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer.

Crafts for Kids

Kids Craft Weekly is a terrific site. I have signed up to receive the free e-mail newsletter.

Isn't this cotton ball sheep adorable? I think it would be a great craft for Easter. You can find the instructions to make your own sheep here.

Photo Booth Fun

My son and I had a blast this afternoon playing with my new notebook. It has a camera built right into the screen. Very cool.

We took some great pictures in Photo Booth.

Happy Birthday to Me

I've had a great day :-). Where to begin? Let's see ...

• 28 feels pretty much the same as 27.
• My new MacBook is awesome.
• The boys played with blue balloons all day long.
• Pizza Delight cooked supper for me tonight.
• I received several nice phone calls from friends and family.
• Did I mention my new computer is awesome?

Please excuse the abbreviated post, but I am having too much fun playing with my awesome new notebook!

Last Legs

My finger sat poised over the publish button. I paused and thought, "Wait, I should add one more link." I opened a second window in Firefox, found the page I needed, and quickly copied the URL. Suddenly, the page vanished and my desktop appeared.

Where in the world did Firefox go?! More to the point --- where was my artfully crafted blog post?

Gone. That's where. Totally gone. Consumed by the monster that is my flaky notebook.

As I sit here grinding my teeth, I am comforted by one thought --- tomorrow is my birthday. A little birdy told me I may be blessed with a shiny, new Apple. (Was it a birdy, or was it a four-year-old boy? I can't remember.)

At any rate, I find it ironic that my battered, old notebook has chosen this day to betray me...

A 23-Hour Day

How did our family do with an hour less sleep last night? Surprisingly well, actually. We were on time for church this morning at 9:30. Amazingly, we were the only vehicle in the drive-thru for Starbucks at 9:25. The parking lot at church was also suspiciously empty.

... I wonder how many people slept in?

On our drive in we passed through a speed trap. I'm curious to know how many sleepy people the police caught speeding to church. Very sneaky. What an awful way to start an already difficult morning.

Ben and I were scheduled to help in the nursery at church this morning. (It was a good incentive to arrive on time.) We laughed through most of our shift. One young toddler curled up under a table and promptly fell asleep. The little guy woke up, climbed inside a plastic toy bin, and sleepily watched the other kids play. The other kids in the nursery were very mellow as well.

The weird thing is, today has not felt like a short day. We spent lots of time together as a family, enjoyed long afternoon naps, and took a great walk before supper. The weather was gorgeous all day. Perhaps healthy doses of sunshine and relaxation have helped us adjust to the time change.

I suppose the real test will come when we wake up tomorrow morning, and the regular week begins.

Mr. Potato Head Goes Intergalactic

For the past few days my two-year-old has only played with one type of toy. He thinks Mr. Potato Heads are very cool. He can't get enough of them. My son has spent hours re-arranging their faces, making up games, and singing to the potatoes.

(Although, he refuses to call them anything but tomato heads.)

My little guy is especially enthralled with Darth Tater. (He also has an R2 Potatoo.) I must say, few things are more entertaining than a two-year-old singing The Imperial Death March to Mr. Potato Head.

Bum, bum, bum ... ba-ba bum ... ba-ba bum ...

Yesterday I stole a few moments to catch up on my email. My young son brought his Mr. Potato Head over. He set the toy on the counter beside me and sweetly asked:

"Mommy, can you put on Darth Tater's bum?" (The flap had fallen off of Mr. Potato Head's backside.)

I then uttered one of those weird and wonderful Mommy-responses:

"Sure honey, I can fix Darth Tater's bum for you. Just let me send this email."

... With home-grown entertainment like that, who needs a TV?

It's Been Fun ...

The Ultimate Blog Party has nearly come to an end. Last time I checked, 917 guests had joined the festivities. Phew. That's about 900 more people than my house can hold. This party became much larger than I anticipated!

I would like to send a big "thank you" to the ladies at 5 Minutes For Mom for hostessing the party. They certainly did a wonderful job. I'm sure they were surprised by the tremendous response.

My, I am exhausted. It's a tall glass of water and early to bed for me. Daylight Savings Time starts this weekend, so I need to catch all the sleep I can.

Funky Bloggage

I really have crafting on the brain this week ...

Check out this very cool blog. I found Adorn only yesterday. (It's the crafty girl's guide to embellishing life.) I love this stuff.

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell Adorn magazine is not available in Canada. For my lucky American friends, a yearly subscription is on sale now for only $9.99. Sounds too good to be true. I am very jealous!

Works For Me: The Kitchen Edition

Lock 'Em Out!

In a home full of preschoolers, no kitchen cupboard is safe from curious little fingers. We've tried various types of latches and locks on our cupboards and drawers. Far and away, the most effective locks we've found are magnetic Tot Loks.

These locks are great. They are impossible to open without using a strong, magnetic "key". We keep our key stuck to the top of the fridge, out of the kids' reach. The locks are strong and sturdy. The locking mechanism is also easy to deactivate by flipping a small red lever.

I will admit, the magnetic locks took some getting used to at first. It was a pain to grab the key from the fridge every time I wanted to throw garbage into the pail under the sink. The peace of mind these locks afford, however, is worth that little extra effort. Our bottom cupboards and drawers are as safe as we can make them.

(How's that for shameless product endorsement?)

For more great kitchen ideas, check out WFMW headquarters at Rocks In My Dryer.

All God's Creatures, Great and Small ...

Craft-y Musings

I finally received my first issue of Craft magazine this weekend. Ben gave me a subscription for Christmas. For the past five weeks I have been hovering over our mailbox, hoping, longing, for the magazine to arrive. (Who knew it would take five weeks? Calgary might as well be in the middle of the Great White North, as far the U.S. Postal Service is concerned.) I think the Hallelujah Chorus may have played when I opened the box on Friday and discovered my beautiful magazine nestled inside.

All I can say is this ... it was so worth the wait.

Craft is a quarterly publication. I will be waiting at least three more long months for my next issue to arrive. As such, I have decided to savour the magazine as I would a fine chocolate bar. A little taste here, a small nibble there. I've indulged in a handful of articles so far. I eventually intend to enjoy every word and image between the covers.

Carla Sinclair's opening editorial immediately struck a chord. (I may or may not have read it in our parked van, two minutes after I received the magazine...) The article is titled Copy This. Sinclair shares the premise that duplication and repetition are integral components of crafting. A knitter may repeat the same stitch thousands of times, a beadworker might produce a dozen copies of the same piece of jewellery, a seamstress may create a pattern for other crafters to replicate. Crafting is all about creating copies.

I am the type of person who enjoys mundane, repetitive tasks. When I read Sinclair's editorial, I finally found words to articulate one reason why I prefer crafts to (so-called) fine art. My studio major in art school was painting. I certainly enjoy the process of painting, but in school I didn't like the high brow pretentiousness associated with the painting studio. We were expected to create singular works of art. So much pressure! I can now see that my former obsession with painted grids was tied to my desire for repetition, and I sought security in grid-like lines and patterns.

I am also drawn to the practical nature of crafting. Crafts are meant to be used. They are intended to be handled, worn, manipulated. Fine art, so often, is inaccessible. We are separated from the art, either by a picture frame, a glass case, or by the artist's unfathomable conceptualism. Crafts are easy to understand; they are accessible, everyday art objects. A pair of woolly mittens warm my fingers, a ceramic pot holds my tea, I snuggle beneath a hand-stitched quilt. Crafts are a comforting part of our everyday lives.

The line between fine art and fine craft is blurring. The crafting revolutions speaks to the heart of our hectic, performance-driven, materialistic culture. Yes, I can buy a perfectly good blanket for my bed from Walmart. However, I might choose another alternative. Who cares if it takes me the next fourteen months to finish knitting an afghan? The process is just as important and the product --- the repetitive, meditative act of working with needles and yarn. I believe my afghan is a work of art, and I derive great pleasure from the simple act of knitting.

All this to say, Craft magazine resonates with my artistic sensibilities. I only wish it had existed a few years ago. Craft might have equipped me to better express myself. As an art student, I believe I would have enjoyed printmaking and photography. Both artistic mediums involve replication and the production of multiple copies. Craft has helped me find a new language of expression, and I now understand my artistic inclinations more clearly.

My magazine quietly sits on the arm of the couch beside me, patiently waiting. I think I'll now flip through a few more pages. Unfortunately, the danger is that I will be overly struck by inspiration. I might bite off more than I can chew. I already have several projects on the go, and many more bubbling through my imagination. When will I ever find time to finish everything? My life is full of baby steps ... baby steps.

Let's Party!

Tonight I intend to do some party hopping :-). I'm looking forward meeting some new online friends. See you at your place! (I'll bring along the cinnamon buns. Mmmm.)

Introductions

A warm welcome to all my party guests! I am looking forward to chatting with you :-). The weather in Calgary is quite cold and snowy today, so come on inside and enjoy a steaming cup of tea and a bowl of fresh popcorn. (Oh, and please excuse the Legos scattered across the living room floor!)

My name is Lindsay Inkster and I've been blogging for eleven months now. Little did I know that blogging would quickly become my favourite hobby! As well, I enjoy spending time with my husband and children, Bible studies, playing piano and crafting. For nearly all my life I've been a voracious reader.

My husband, Ben, and I have been married for seven years now. We were high school sweethearts (ahhhh) and are still blissfully in love. Ben is a computer programmer and runs his own web development business. We've been blessed with three beautiful children --- two boys (ages four and two) and an eight-month-old baby girl.

Family is very important to us. Since we started having children, Ben and I have been trying to disengage from the "rat race". We've consciously attempted to make family a priority and not get entangled within a trap of busyness. Both sets of our parents and siblings live within five minutes of our home. We know we are blessed! God willing, we look forward to our children growing up surrounded by loving grandpas, grandmas, aunties, uncles (and hopefully cousins!).

Random trivia...

Favourite colour: green (I also love brown, pink, and dusty autumn, "country craft" colours)

Favourite song: I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me

Favourite food: popcorn (cheesecake is a close second...)

Favourite pastime: reading (on my own, or out loud to my children)

Testimony: I was raised Catholic. I came to know Jesus in a personal way at summer camp when I was thirteen. Our family now attends a Pentecostal church, but I still hold the Catholic church in high regard.

Education: I completed my BFA at the University of Calgary. I finished half of the requirements toward my BEd and then realized I didn't feel comfortable teaching in the public school system. I started having babies instead :-).

Occupation: I'm a stay-at-home wife and mommy. I taught piano lessons part-time for eight years.

Favourite computer: I'm an Apple girl!

Party Time is Almost Here!

I think I'm suffering from night-before-the-party jitters. Where has the time flown? I can hardly believe March has already arrived and that tomorrow the Ultimate Blog Party begins.

Are you interested in joining in on the fun, too? Head on over to 5 Minutes For Mom tomorrow. The party runs from March 2nd to 9th and everyone is invited! Joining is easy --- just add your name to the Mr. Linky hosted on 5 Minutes For Mom. Write and link to a special "party post" sometime during the week. Then get out and mingle with the other guests!

This party should prove to be great fun. It will be a terrific opportunity to meet other bloggers and visit new sites. 5 Minutes For Mom is also offering some pretty cool prizes!

See you tomorrow!