Jo Road

(Gluten Free) French Onion Soup

2012-01-26T08:20:00.000-08:00

Another recipe from my Mother-In-Law.

But geez gluten is in EVERYTHING (including a lot of bullion and soup broths!)

So, I made my own broth using scraps of celery, carrots, onion, parsnips and bok choy I saved.

I sauteed 4 small onions in a pot in garlic, olive oil & salt and pepper.
Added homemade broth and let simmer for a few hours.
Ladled soup into 2 bowls, added toasted gluten free bread and topped with a mix of grated cheddar/ mozza/ parmesan cheeses. (I think I was supposed to use swiss, but forgot to get some at the store)

Baked in the oven @ 450 for 10 minutes, last min. on broil to crisp up the top!!

The result was DELICIOUS!! (Not as great as Kathy's) but I will get it right eventually!

Like Mommy, Like Baby?

2012-01-19T08:31:00.000-08:00

I admit, there are some "quirks" I hope not to pass on to my daughter, but she seems to be following in my footsteps in a few ways :)

Funky Attire (I may not be hip these days, but I used to rock some pretty crazy clothing and hair!!)

Reading a book.... One of my BIGGEST passions is reading, something that is VERY important to me, and a love I am trying to pass on to Z.

(Gluten Free) Eggplant Parm

2012-01-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

My Mother-In-Law made an AWESOME eggplant parm last week, so I decided to try my hand at it!!

1. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch strips, cover both sides with salt and let sit on a cooling rack for about 1/2 an hour. The eggplant "sweats" so I washed the salt and "sweat" off with cold water.

2. Dip eggplant in egg, then in "breadcrumbs." I used corn flour mixed with fresh garlic and herbs.

3. Fry eggplant (both sides) in a bit of olive oil until crispy.

4. Layer in a pan in following order: Tomato sauce/ eggplant/ feta cheese/ bit of tomato sauce/ fresh parm and mozza.

5. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

It was DELICIOUS!! J. thought it would be better as veal (figures) but Z ate a HUGE piece!!

Snow Day!!

2012-01-17T10:24:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! I have use for the bargain snowsuit my Mom found at "Le Village"!!

We got some snow here, (this is rare) so I took Z. out to see what she thought. Mostly, she was confused, and wanted to eat the snow, lol.

Big Z. Past few months

2012-01-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know, I've been a terrible blogger. It's one of my resolutions to stay more on-top of my pictures and blog.
Also, I have decided, this year, I am going to do EVERYTHING possible to make my hands better (I have severe skin problems that have baffled Doctors and Dermatologists alike!) So, recently, I have been testing a gluten free diet (more on that later.)

But first, some updated pics of the Miss!!.

8 Months

9 Months

And some bath shots, just because <3

50 Books on 2011- COMPLETED!

2012-01-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

So I have been on a holiday break. Can I say that?! Well- I (barely) finished my book challenge for 2011- mainly due to the fact I read 25 books in the first 2 months of the year before Z. was born!!!

Here is the recap:

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
35. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore
38. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
39. When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
40. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
41. The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain
42. A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
43. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard
44. Just Kids by Patti Smith
45. The Kid by Sapphire
46. Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin
47. The Death Cure by James Dashner
48. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
49. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
50.!!!! State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
51. The Night Circus by Erin Morfenstern
52. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
53. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Books that I rated 4.5-5 / 5 this year:
(not including the Harry Potter books :P)

The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen

Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen

The World According to Garp by John Irving

The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

The Night Circus by Erin Morfenstern

I still haven't decided what I am doing for 2012 yet. This year has a lot ahead for me!!! Stay tuned!

Santa!!

2011-12-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

I have been busy visiting with family in Toronto, so I haven't had the time to update with my monthly posts (not to worry, I have the pictures all stored up and ready to go) but I couldn't resist sharing Z's first photos with Santa.
The first time we went, I dressed her all up, and hoped for the best. I wanted one of her award winning smiles.
No such luck. She just looked stunned.

The second time, she was less than pleased... but I still think this pic. is a winner (bad mommy!)

Remembering Summer times!

2011-12-01T09:28:00.001-08:00

Well, December is upon us! So I got thinking of summer.
There was this HUGE patch of blackberries along the side of the highway this summer, and Z and I spent many hours picking, snacking and baking...

Some other fond memories....

Betsy at the local fish n' chips stand...

naked baby play time!!!

Big Z: 7 Months.

2011-11-16T08:17:00.001-08:00

Seriously? Seven Months has come and gone. I can't tell you where the time went. All I know is that everyday, I love her more and more. Everyday, her personality grows, along with her curiosity, beauty and mind.

Baked Tofu (and Chicken)

2011-11-12T17:59:00.001-08:00

So, I was watching "The Chew" last week (I have discovered this thing called daytime TV!!!) and they featured a chicken recipe that looked tasty... so I modified it, and made both chicken & tofu!!

I added equal amounts of mayonnaise & sour cream, covered the chicken/tofu in it then covered with fresh grated Parmesan, Japanese breadcrumbs, fresh garlic and some herbs from my garden.
Baked @ 350 for 45 mins.

Served with steamed asparagus and brown rice.

Remembrance Day 2011

2011-11-12T14:10:00.001-08:00

San Juan, Puerto Rico

2011-11-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

My Dad used to work in Puerto Rico, so it was great to go back to Old San Juan!!

50 Books in 2011: October Update!

2011-11-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

So... Back from a vacation!! (more on that later!!) Another month of "meh" slow reads, but I am reading a great book now- can't wait to tell you all about it next month!!

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
35. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore
38. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
39. When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
40. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
41. The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain
42. A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
43. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard
44. Just Kids by Patti Smith
45. The Kid by Sapphire

46. Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin

47. The Death Cure by James Dashner.

Happy Birthday BETSY!!

2011-10-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

On October 11th, Betsy the Danger Doggy turned 2!!!!!

Betsy, you are a handful and then some. But we love you just the same! Happy Birthday Pup-a-Lup!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2011-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, October 11th, marked my & J's second wedding anniversary (and Betsy's second birthday. More on that later!). It seems like just yesterday we were embarking on this new chapter of our lives- and I couldn't be happier with the little family we have created for ourselves!
Some pics just 'cause. (courtesy of the incredible Sakura Photography!)

J's Lucky Day.

2011-10-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

Why? Because I felt like spoiling him. So last Friday, I cooked his most favourite meal. Ribs with mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts.

Z's favourite Toy!

2011-10-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

Zia Susy saved this toy that J's Nonna gave to him when he was a baby. It quickly became one of Z's favourites!!

50 Books in 2011: September Update

2011-10-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

So, I seriously failed last month, which is perhaps why I have delayed posting this for so long. I only read 1 book. Yes, just 1 book. I haven't read this few books since... ever. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it even. I blame it on Z's increased movement, leading to my lack of free time combined with the fact that I really couldn't get into this book (that I had high hopes for.)

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
35. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore
38. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
39. When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
40. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
41. The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain
42. A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
43. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard
44. Just Kids by Patti Smith

45. The Kid by Sapphire

JENGA!!

2011-10-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

So, I have this friend who always insists we play JENGA when we are visiting. So, I promised I'd make a JENGA post one day :)

I haven't played this game since I was a kid, and I have to admit, it is a lot of fun (especially after a few beers :) )

Big Z: 6 Months!

2011-10-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

Thinking about Zoey turning 6 months old actually made me tear up. While it hasn't been THAT long, it has been forever, and I can't imagine life without her!!

Not only that... but she can do all sorts of new tricks in the past month. (Don't mind some of the crappy cell phone pics!!)

Holding my Own Bottle!!

Crawling (oh goodness!) I should add, that this development has significantly decreased my productivity, reading, and blogging since I know spend half the day following her around!

Sitting up!!

And Just because I love this picture:

50 Books in 2011: August Update

2011-09-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
35. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore
38. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
39. When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
40. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
41. The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain
42. A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
43. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard
44. Just Kids by Patti Smith

Big Z. 5 Months

2011-08-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

ONE

TWO

THREE .

FOUR

FIVE!!!! . (Good Lord, she's HUGE!)

Indian Food Night!!!

2011-08-23T15:30:00.001-07:00

So, as most know, I LOVE Indian food... like ridiculously...
Last night I made the MOST delicious dinner EVER!!

As always, I made my FAVOURITE, Palak Paneer
And tried 2 new recipes from one of my most favouritist blogs (Thibeault's Table) Gobi Aloo & Flatbread

p.s. the peas in the Gobi Aloo are from my garden!! :)

Vegetable Garden 2011: Rhubarb

2011-08-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

Yummers!! I got some rhubarb from the shared space in the garden. I paired it with some raspberries my friend brought over last week and made a DELICIOUS crumble!!

Vegetable Garden 2011: MORE veggies!!!

2011-08-17T11:02:00.001-07:00

BEANS BEANS BEANS!!!
turnip
carrots
zucchini

Family Mugshots Passport Photos

2011-08-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Seriously.... how freaking hilarious is Z?!
I still can't believe babies need passports!!

What Dreams are made of....

2011-08-11T16:35:00.001-07:00

50 Books in 2011: July Update

2011-08-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

Big Z. 4 Months.

2011-07-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

WHAT????!!! She's 4 months already?
And getting pretty aggressive towards her buddy Green!! Follow the progression as Z. gets Darth Bear Green into a pretty mean looking headlock!

Vegetable Garden 2011: Assorted Veggies!

2011-07-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest haul!!

- Peas
- Rosemary
- zucchini
- chives
-parsley
- turnip

AWESOME!!!!

The Big Z's first swim!!!

2011-07-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

Z's cousin T came over today, and we took Z for her first swim at our pool!!!
She LOVED it!! No crying...all smiles!!

Pre-swim
My little water-baby!!
And post-swim nap-time in her stroller!

Vegetable Garden 2011: Spinach

2011-07-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

As some may recall, I have a plot in a community garden for my building. This year, I tried to grow spinach- and it turned out AWESOME!!

Fresh picked from the garden:

In a quinoa salad (looks kinda weird....)
Spinach and Cheddar Omelet!

Muddy Puppies

2011-07-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

We took the pups for a long walk on the beach...
Unfortunately, they see this as a chance to get as dirty as possible...

Betsy...
Barley...

And Betsy getting cleaned (it takes a team effort to get Barley clean, so the photographer was unavailable.)

Big Z. 3 Months.

2011-07-22T10:53:00.003-07:00

So I am a wee bit late posting this!
I've had the pics done, just not organized enough to post them!!

And some cell phone pics!!

Sleeping in her car seat!

Eating dinner out with Dad:
Attitude baby:

Getting her shots! :(

Getting a head bonk from Grandpa:

Coombs, BC

2011-07-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Kathy and I took Z. to Coombs yesterday! It's famous for goats on the roof. Unfortunately, all we saw was 1 goat :(! But with lots of food and ice cream to be had (and a bit of shopping), it was fun nonetheless!!

Baby Craft: Thank You Cards!

2011-07-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

So, I made all my Thank You cards for all the wonderful baby gifts Z. received! Don't be too impressed, I made them in the month of vacation/ maternity leave I had before Z. was born!!!

My Deal With Mass

2011-07-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

SO, my Father-In-Law is an avid fisherman. We are visiting now, and he went out fishing the other day with a neighbour. The rumour around here is that he has never caught a fish in Campbell River... so I made a deal with him... if he caught me a fish, I would eat some ( I am a pretty strict vegetarian)

Well, didn't he go and catch an 18 lb. salmon. Kathy, my Mother-In-Law cooked it up that night and I had a bit!!! I have to say, it was pretty delicious.

The Catch:

Cutting out the fish guts (SO gross!!!)

Rinse
Cooked:

And here is me.... eating my fishy:

50 Books in 2011: June Update

2011-07-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Yikes! I am SOOO late posting this!!!! Not the best month!

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
35. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore

Happy Birthday Barley!!

2011-06-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

Time flies!! My little Party Puppy turned 2 on June 15th!! That's a teenager in puppy years!!

J's B-day Cakes

2011-06-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

J turned 29 a few weeks ago (gotta love my YOUNGER hubby!!!) and he got not 1 but 2 b-day cakes.

The one I made...

And the one Steph brought over....

I can't help but think this was directed at me!! :P

Big Z. 2 Months

2011-06-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast time is flying!!!
It seems like just yesterday Z was 1 month old!!

Last week, she turned 2 months!!!

In her 2 months, she has been many places- and been such a trooper through all the traveling!!
So far she has been on the BUS, SKYTRAIN AND AIRPLANE without a hitch!!
SO very proud of my little traveler!

BUS- going to the mall to buy shoes!!

SKYTRAIN- going downtown to see Uncle Aman!

AIRPLANE- going to see Grams & Grandpa & Auntie Kate & GUS! The captain even carried her on the plane!!!

Pictures by Kate.

2011-06-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

My SUPER AWESOME sister Kate had a chance to take some pics of the Big Z last week.
Not only are they fantastic, they leave me coveting her camera- the Canon 50D (although in all honesty, I have not the skill, knowledge or money for such a machine!!)

And Just for Fun, A pic I took of Kate taking pics!!

I love you Kate!! You rock!!!

50 Books in 2011: May Update

2011-06-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

How is it June already? Seriously!!!

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

30. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
31. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
32. Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
33. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
34. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls

Cake Pops

2011-05-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Seem to be the "It" thing these days.. so I figured I would give them a try!!

First I made a cake:

Then, I made some icing:

Then (after letting the cake cool) I crumbled the cake:

Then, I mixed in some icing
Until I had a giant cake ball like this:

Then I put the giant cake ball in the fridge for an hour or so. Then I made mini cake balls like this:

I left these in the fridge overnight.
The next morning, I melted some white chocolate in the microwave, skewered the mini cake balls and dipped them in white chocolate. Before the chocolate set, I covered the cake balls in sprinkles!

Then, I put the skewers in a piece of Styrofoam from one of J's computer boxes!

Presto! Cake Pops!!

Verdict: Fun , but a complete novelty. Also, I ate 2 that didn't make it to the final stages, and that was enough to send me into a sugar coma, and give me a serious tummy-ache!

Baby Craft: Name Pendant

2011-05-13T12:54:00.001-07:00

So, I found this link on another blog... LETTER TEMPLATES and couldn't resist!!

1. I printed the letters I needed
2. Glued the printed flags onto cardstock
3. Cut flags with exacto knife
4. Punched holes in the flags.
5. Strung flags on polka-dot ribbon.

LOVE it!! And SO Super easy!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-08T09:17:00.001-07:00

A little something I made for the 2 Moms in my life <3 Love you both!

Some Updated Pics

2011-05-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

J. remarked the other day that my blog has changed over the past few years.

Blog about Food
Blog about Food & Dogs
Blog about Food & Dogs & Books
Blog about Food & Dogs & Books & Crafts
Blog about Food & Dogs & Books & Crafts & Baby

It's true, life has gotten more complicated the past few years. And I LOVE it!!!

EXTREME close up!!

Bad-A$$ Baby Z.

In her royal Chariot

And my personal favourites... can you tell Mommy dressed me??

First Bus Ride!!!

2011-05-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yup. Me and the Big Z took the bus to the mall yesterday to do some serious shopping! The highlight of our trip was the cheese kiosk. FREE CHEESE!

Anyways, here are some pics. (sorry for the crappy cell-phone quality)

Post-Voting-Election-Day-Hello Kitty-DQ Cake

2011-05-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

What better reason to celebrate than an Election Day!!
I was craving DQ cake- so we stopped by on our way home from the polls.
I chose Hello Kitty because it was either that or some lady in a yellow bikini on the cake.

50 Books in 2011: April Update

2011-05-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett
26. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
27. Bossypants by Tina Fey
28. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
29. Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

Best Book: The Red Tent
Worst Book: Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea

Big Z. 1 Month.

2011-05-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast my little girl has grown!!
Not the best picture (in fact Z. looks kinda like a little alien in this pic) , but I plan on taking one with Green every month to show her growth!

Some highlights of the past month:

Brand New:
First family photo:

My lovely new hat from Allison:

Chilling with Barley:

Perfect little fingers:
Napping with Grams:

With her Dad, Nonno and Grandma:

With Grams and Grandpa:

With her fashion mentor: Auntie Steph

Spinach was on Sale

2011-04-29T14:42:00.001-07:00

So... we've been eating a lot of it!!

My favourite- a super spinach salad I made last night for dinner.

Spinach
broccoli
peppers
cucumber
caramelized onions
toasted pine nuts
artichoke hearts
boiled egg
mushrooms
feta
w/ balsamic & Olive oil.

So... I had a BABY!!!

2011-04-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

Yup, true story!
On March 30th @ 2:57 am I had my baby girl: Zoey Katherine. 7lbs. 13oz. of 100% cuteness!
At that moment, everything changed. I am SO in love and life will never be the same!

Holding my baby for the first time:

Coming Home:

With her pupsters:

2.5 Weeks Old:

50 Books in 2011: March Update

2011-04-04T18:43:00.000-07:00

So, I had a good month. And I am late updating. But I do have a good excuse (more on that later)
I may have to put the challenge on the back-burner for a while...

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi
13. It Could Happen to You: A Diary of Pregnancy and Beyond by Martha Brockenbrough
14. The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen
15. Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
16. Julie and Julia 365 Days 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Aurthur Golden
18. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Samaya Gowda
21. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
22. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
23. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
24. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. The Help by Katherine Stockett

Simple & Delishious Pasta :)

2011-03-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

Made some pasta for dinner last night... nothing fancy- but it was SUPER tasty!

Macaroni
Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
chic peas
spinach
Parmesan
Lemon
Pepper

Baby's Betsy's new Chair

2011-03-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

My co-worker and friend Pam dropped off this ADORABLE new rocking chair for Baby J.
In typical Betsy fashion, she had to do some "quality control." Silly puppy!

A Nursery for Baby J.

2011-03-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

Now All we need is a baby!!!

What's For Dinner

2011-03-10T10:46:00.001-08:00

And why haven't I posted food pictures in FOREVER?

Well, because I am 8.5 months pregnant, tired, cranky, lazy and huge. Meals lately have been less about creativity, and more about utility.
1 protein + 1 veg + potatoes/ rice = dinner
I just haven't had the energy to be creative lately.
But, since I have been asked, here was last night's dinner.

Fascinating :p

Stormy Beach

2011-03-03T12:39:00.001-08:00

Snow Puppies!!

2011-03-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

It actually snowed here last weekend!!! Not to worry, 3 days later, it's all gone! But I did have a chance to get a few pictures of the pupsters, who LOVE the snow!!

Pups on the run!!

Ms. Betsy

Barley
A boy and his Dogs <3>

HB= Happy Birthday!

2011-03-02T10:38:00.001-08:00

I know... the cupcake AGAIN! But seriously... how CUTE is it!? I LOVE it!!

50 Books in 2011: Februrary Update

2011-03-02T10:33:00.001-08:00

BAD BLOGGER!!!!
Yes, I know... but in my defense, I was finishing up my last month of work before mat leave, and we haven't had internet at home for the past 3 weeks!! So... I have been slacking a bit!!

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
8. Life by Keith Richards
9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
10. State of Fear by Michael Crichton
11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
12. Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain by Portia de Rossi

I threw a few old favourites in there last month :), 2 autobiographies (neither of which were impressive in my opinion) and a scientific thriller book for some variety!!!

50 Books in 2011: January Update

2011-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

I started off the year the same way I start off every year... reading Harry Potter!

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
7. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

7 down, 43 to go!!!

Inside J's Computer

2011-01-26T19:33:00.000-08:00

J. spent the last week upgrading the water cooling system on his computer.
It really doesn't interest me all that much, but it DOES look pretty cool!

Cupcake Die-Cut

2011-01-22T13:43:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this cupcake die-cut I bought.
It's SO easy to use, and SO cute!!!

DIY Nursery Letters!

2011-01-22T12:07:00.000-08:00

So, as Baby J's ETA draws closer, I am finding myself doing all sorts of fun DIY projects for the nursery. My favourite so far is the letters I am making to hang on her wall!!

WHAT YOU NEED:
Wood Letters- I got mine from Micheal's $4.95 each- but I had a 50% off entire purchase coupon!
Sandpaper
Modge Pogde
Acrylic Paint
Paint Brushes/ Sponge brush.
Scrapbook Paper

Step 1:
Sand your letters & brush off extra crap.

Step 2:
Paint sides of letters with acrylic paint & let dry. I did 2 coats.

Step 3:
Trace and cut out scrapbook paper for letters:

Step 4:
Use Mod Podge to glue the paper on and make a thin coat on top of letters.

Step 5: Let dry and apply another thin coat of Mod Podge.

That's it!!!

Capilano Suspension Bridge

2011-01-22T12:03:00.000-08:00

This year, we went to see Capilano Suspension Bridge lit up for the holidays. It was cool, but I have to admit, I wasn't blown away.
Not to mention I didn't get any really good shots.
This one was the best:

Frost.

2011-01-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

I had forgotten about it since I moved to BC!

Just testing out my new camera lens- still have lots to figure out!

FONDUE!

2011-01-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

So, I am a *bit* behind on posting things!
We went to Chilliwack in Dec. to visit our friends- and had an AWESOME fondue dinner. So much so, that J. wanted a fondue pot for x-mas!
The best part about the whole evening was our dramatic entrance...lol. Betsy got a *little* car sick on the drive out- so we showed up carrying a nasty puppy: "We need rubber gloves, paper towel and a hose!"

50 Books in 2010: A Year in Review

2011-01-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

SUMMARY
1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
3 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. Hard Core Logo by Michael Turner
6. Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
7. What the Dog Did: tales from a formerly reluctant dog owner by Emily Yoffe
8. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by: Christopher Moore
9. You Suck: A Love Story by: Christoper Moore
10. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
11. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
12. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O"Neil
13. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
14. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
15. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
16. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
17. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
20. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
21. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
22. Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
23. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
24. Practical Demon-Keeping: A Comedy of Horrors by Christopher Moore
25. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
26. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
27. The Birth House by Amy McKay
28. Fluke: Or I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore.
29. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
30. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
31. Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding
32. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
33. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
34. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
35. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
36. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
37. Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner
38. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
39. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
40. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris
41. Push: A Novel by Sapphire
42. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
43. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
44. Burned by P.C. .& Kristin Cast
45. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
46. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
47. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
48. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
49. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
50. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
51. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
52. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
53. Airframe by Michael Crichton
54. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
55. The Age of Reason by Jean Paul Sartre
56. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
57. Bite Me by Christopher Moore
58. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
59. Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs
60. Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir By Dave Mustaine
61. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
62. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
63. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
64. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
65. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
66. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
67. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris.
68. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
69. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
70. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
71. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
72. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
73. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
74. Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
75. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris Reread this year.
76. Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
77. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
78. Lucky by Alice Sebold
79. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
80. The Last of the Crazy People by Timothy Findlay
81. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
82. Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets
83. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
84. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

TOTAL # of books: 84
Books/ Month: 7
Total Pages Read: 32,289

FAVOURITE BOOKS:

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Push: A Novel by Sapphire
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Age of Reason by Jean Paul Sartre
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

LEAST FAVOURITE BOOKS:

What the Dog Did: tales from a formerly reluctant dog owner by Emily Yoffe
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding

2011 BOOK Challenge

I am going to try for 50 again- and hope that I can make it! It's going to be a real challenge this year with Baby-J on the way!!

Ricotta Gnocchi

2010-12-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

Kathy made this for Christmas Eve Dinner.
SO delicious! I have the recipe- and going to attempt it at home.
Served with homemade vegetable sauce and bok choy.

Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-26T11:47:00.001-08:00

Christmas is all about the kids.... I mean dogs!!

50 Books in 2010: November Update

2010-12-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

Ugh... BAD month....

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
3 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. Hard Core Logo by Michael Turner
6. Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
7. What the Dog Did: tales from a formerly reluctant dog owner by Emily Yoffe
8. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by: Christopher Moore
9. You Suck: A Love Story by: Christoper Moore
10. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
11. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
12. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O"Neil
13. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
14. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
15. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
16. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
17. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
20. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
21. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
22. Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
23. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
24. Practical Demon-Keeping: A Comedy of Horrors by Christopher Moore
25. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
26. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
27. The Birth House by Amy McKay
28. Fluke: Or I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore.
29. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
30. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
31. Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding
32. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
33. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
34. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
35. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
36. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
37. Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner
38. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
39. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
40. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris
41. Push: A Novel by Sapphire
42. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
43. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
44. Burned by P.C. .& Kristin Cast
45. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
46. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
47. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
48. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
49. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
50. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
51. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
52. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
53. Airframe by Michael Crichton
54. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
55. The Age of Reason by Jean Paul Sartre
56. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
57. Bite Me by Christopher Moore
58. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
59. Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs
60. Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir By Dave Mustaine
61. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
62. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
63. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
64. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
65. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
66. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
67. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris.
68. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
69. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
70. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
71. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
72. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
73. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
74. Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
75. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris Reread this year.
76. Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
77. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
78. Lucky by Alice Sebold
79. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

I blame Shantaram. It was sold to me as the "best book I would ever read". I still don't know what to think of it... some parts were great, some were easy to read, but in general this (almost) 1,000 pager was tough to get through if only because I found the author insanely narcissistic.

DIY Christmas Wreath

2010-11-25T18:31:00.000-08:00

So I fell in love with these Christmas Ball wreaths I have been seeing all over the internet- and of course, decided I HAD to have one. I googled some instructions and came up with this AWESOME BLOG.
So I tried myself, and I must say, I am pretty pleased with the results!!!

Baby J- 20 weeks

2010-11-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

Here is what Baby-J looked like at 20 weeks.
Still having a hard time believing that is actually inside of my tummy!

ALSO, the Ultrasound Tech let us know she couldn't find any "man-bits" so IT'S A GIRL!!!
We are SUPER excited.. and just as nervous!!

Remembrance Day: November 11th, 2010

2010-11-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

"Fancy" Pasta

2010-11-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

As J. calls it.

Bow Ties with:
Mushrooms
Olives
Peppers
spinach
garlic
onions
broccoli
cauliflower

Served with:
Homemade foccacia
ceasar salad

50 Books in 2010: October Update

2010-10-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
3 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. Hard Core Logo by Michael Turner
6. Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
7. What the Dog Did: tales from a formerly reluctant dog owner by Emily Yoffe
8. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by: Christopher Moore
9. You Suck: A Love Story by: Christoper Moore
10. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
11. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
12. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O"Neil
13. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
14. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
15. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
16. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
17. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
20. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
21. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
22. Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
23. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
24. Practical Demon-Keeping: A Comedy of Horrors by Christopher Moore
25. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
26. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
27. The Birth House by Amy McKay
28. Fluke: Or I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore.
29. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
30. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
31. Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding
32. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
33. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
34. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
35. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
36. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
37. Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner
38. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
39. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
40. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris
41. Push: A Novel by Sapphire
42. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
43. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
44. Burned by P.C. .& Kristin Cast
45. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
46. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
47. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
48. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
49. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
50. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
51. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
52. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
53. Airframe by Michael Crichton
54. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
55. The Age of Reason by Jean Paul Sartre
56. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
57. Bite Me by Christopher Moore
58. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
59. Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs
60. Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir By Dave Mustaine
61. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
62. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
63. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
64. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
65. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
66. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
67. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris.
68. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
69. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
70. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
71. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
72. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
73. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
74. Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
75. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris Reread this year.
76. Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
77. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

Best Book I read this Month: She's Come Undone. I think Wally Lamb may be my new favourite author. His books are BEYOND amazing. I loved everything about this book- it's beautiful- there is simply no other word to describe it.

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

You know I made J. carve a pumpkin with me :)
Lucky for him, he got off easy this year with a simple design!!

19 Weeks!

2010-10-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

Yup, it's true. I'm Pregnant.
Almost half way there!!
Since I have been pretty self-conscious with my body these days (let me tell you, pregnancy does some NASTY things- and I am sure I don't know the HALF of it yet!) , I haven't posted any pics- but I finally think I look pregnant and not just chubby.

AS OF TODAY:

145 days left until my Due Date: March 24th
6 days left until my Ultrasound (fingers crossed we can find out the gender)
8 lbs. up from my pre-pregnancy weight. ( still not sure what I weighed or what I weigh- I won't let the Dr. tell me- what's the point now- not like it's going to make a diff. at this point!)
160 bpm- baby's heart rate this morning.

Frittata... It's a quiche without crust!

2010-10-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Or at least that's how I described it to J.

I put a bunch of eggs, some milk, mushrooms, olives, spinach, broccoli, peppers and cheese in a bowl, scrambbled it all together and put it all in a greased frying ban and baked until it was firm.

Served with roasted potatoes and ceasar salad.

1 Year ago...

2010-10-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

We Got Hitched!!!

Photo by: Sakura Photography

Yesterday, we enjoyed a wedding cupcake that had been frozen!!!
To be honest, it wasn't that good... but it was SO awesome to relive that moment together :)

Betsy's Birthday!

2010-10-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

My Little Danger Doggy is 1!!!

50 Books in 2010: September Update

2010-10-03T14:35:00.001-07:00

Sooooo... can you see a theme this month???

I needed some light reading...

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
3 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. Hard Core Logo by Michael Turner
6. Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
7. What the Dog Did: tales from a formerly reluctant dog owner by Emily Yoffe
8. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by: Christopher Moore
9. You Suck: A Love Story by: Christoper Moore
10. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
11. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
12. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O"Neil
13. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
14. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
15. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
16. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
17. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
20. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
21. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
22. Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
23. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
24. Practical Demon-Keeping: A Comedy of Horrors by Christopher Moore
25. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
26. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
27. The Birth House by Amy McKay
28. Fluke: Or I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore.
29. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
30. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
31. Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding
32. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
33. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
34. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
35. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
36. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
37. Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner
38. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
39. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
40. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris
41. Push: A Novel by Sapphire
42. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
43. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
44. Burned by P.C. .& Kristin Cast
45. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
46. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
47. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
48. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
49. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
50. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
51. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
52. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
53. Airframe by Michael Crichton
54. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
55. The Age of Reason by Jean Paul Sartre
56. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
57. Bite Me by Christopher Moore
58. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
59. Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs
60. Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir By Dave Mustaine
61. The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
62. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
63. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
64. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
65. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
66. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
67. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris.
68. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
69. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
70. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
71. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Light reading is an understatement. I went pure indulgence :D

Birthday Card.

2010-09-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

I made this card for my sister-in-laws's birthday.

BBQ Paneer

2010-09-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Freaking awesome!
I marinated the paneer in plain yogurt, garlic and curry.
Skewered, and BBQ.
Served with fresh spinach and curry potatoes.

Yummers!!

Dental Hygiene

2010-09-12T15:11:00.001-07:00

Is very important.
Apparently Betsy agrees.

50 Books in 2010: August Update

2010-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

BBQ with New Friends

2010-08-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Lat night, we had dinner with a group of new friends from our Condo development.
It was great to hang out with a group of people in our area- and we had a FEAST!

My contribution: Garden Salad

- Fresh Herb Salad (Lettuce, Dill, Cilantro, Parsley)
-Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Blanched Asparagus
- Toasted Pine Nuts
- Caramelized Onions
- Goat Cheese

The Cheese Game

2010-08-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ok... so J. and I play what we call "the cheese game." We buy this budget cheese, and it's all $8.99. The thing is, it tells you, by weight, how much the cheese would have been if you paid regular price.

So, while shopping for cheese, whoever gets the cheese that would have been worth the most, wins.

Average Price in the Cheese Game: $12.50
Good Price in the Cheese Game: $13.00
The Winner in the Cheese Game: $13.80-ish.

These numbers are about normal- and seeing as I am pretty competitive, I usually win this game.

Then the other day, J comes home with this!!!!!

WTH!!?? He claims he just randomly picked it out... ya right. I know when I have been beat. It's an all time record. I have NEVER seen a cheese over $14.00

Things that Make me Happy #10

2010-08-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

Reading with my pupsters :)

Simple Summer Meal

2010-08-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Caesar Salad
Roasted Potatoes
Grilled (fake) Chicken

Jelly Fish- Campbell River, BC

2010-08-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

This may be the COOLEST thing I have ever seen.
This sucker was putting on a show like it was nobody's business!! And with each move, it caught a different piece of light...

Playing with Light: Ucluelet & Port Alberni

2010-08-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

Wishful thinking, since it has been raining all weekend :(

Puppies on the Run- Long Beach, Vancouver Island

2010-08-08T14:33:00.001-07:00

Talk about Puppy paradise!!!

Flowers at Telegraph Cove

2010-08-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

PEA!!!

2010-08-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

So we planted some seeds in the community garden, and ended up with an endless supply of peas. That is until they met an unfortunate end. But I won't get into that now :P

50 Books in 2010: July Update

2010-07-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

Still Reading Away...

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. Hard Core Logo by Michael Turner
6. Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
7. What the Dog Did: tales from a formerly reluctant dog owner by Emily Yoffe
8. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by: Christopher Moore
9. You Suck: A Love Story by: Christoper Moore
10. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
11. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
12. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O"Neil
13. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
14. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
15. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
16. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
17. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
20. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
21. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
22. Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
23. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
24. Practical Demon-Keeping: A Comedy of Horrors by Christopher Moore
25. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
26. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
27. The Birth House by Amy McKay
28. Fluke: Or I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore.
29. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
30. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
31. Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding
32. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
33. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
34. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
35. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
36. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
37. Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner
38. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
39. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
40. Dead in the Family by Chalaine Harris
41. Push: A Novel by Sapphire
42. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
43. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
44. Burned by P.C. & Kristin Cast
45. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
46. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
47. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
48. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay

49. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
50. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
51. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
52. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
53. Airframe by Michael Crichton
54. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
55. The Age of Reason by Jean Paul Sartre

The BIG news is I made it past 50!!!!! Stretch Target is now 100, although I doubt I can do that. J suggested I start reading children's books... alternatively, he suggests "Choose your Own Adventure" books, whereby I could record 1 book for every alternative story line I choose.
I can assure you I will NOT be taking his advice. :)

Some books I read this month that I would recommend:

The Age of Reason (this was my 5th time reading it)
Still Alice (an easy read and a good introduction to Alzheimers, a condition I previously knew little about.)

Campbell River Beach Fire & Hot Dog Cookout

2010-07-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

This may be my very favourite way to spend an evening.
Beer, Campfire (veggie) dogs and family :)

Telegraph Cove, Vancouver Island

2010-07-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

A small (and when I say small.. that is a HUGE exaggeration) fishing hub on Northern Vancouver Island (think a few kms south of Port McNeill)

Would I go there again? Likely not. Was it worth the trip. Absolutely!