play-dough

Big daddy & I seem to be trying to out-cool-craft each other these days.
Yesterday he made a "paper picnic and vegetable garden" with Lulu.
drawing, colouring and cutting out a complete set of veggies, soil, pots and gardening tools, plates, cutlery and even glasses of water.
when I got home the two of them were sitting on the floor having a "picnic."
very cute- and very creative.
So I felt I had to step it up and make some homemade play dough with Lulu today.
what can I say- we are a competitive family? ;
the recipe was given to me by mama-extraordinaire K-girl.
thanks k-girl.
it was a huge success- and we plan on making more colours when I buy some more salt from the grocery store.
When we ran out of the standard salt- Lulu suggested we use the Maldon sea salt instead.
that would be one expensive ball of play-dough.
so no thanks.

but here's the recipe for the perfect play-dough.

1 cup flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar

mix all ingredients in saucepan over med heat- stir constantly until ball forms
knead until smooth
enjoy hours of fun!

If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

I've always considered myself to be kind of a go-with-the-flow kinda gal.
I love spontaneity- and not really having plans that are set in stone.
That is until recently.
I'm finding that the older Lulu gets- the more I feel I need to plan and book things.
Otherwise you never end up getting anything accomplished. (or seeing any of your friends)
The week is pretty structured for both of us- I love our routine and don't really like to stray too far from it if possible.
The weekend is a different story.
We usually wait until the day to see how we are feeling.
I love to embrace our time together as a family and try to do fun things around town while Lulu is still young enough that she actually wants to hang out with us on the weekend.
I try to avoid spending too much time at home- after-all that's what Monday thru Friday is for.
Plus truth be told- staying inside all weekend makes me go buggy.
well that, and guess who ends up being the personal chef and maid all weekend?
On the other end of the spectrum, Big daddy LOVES to stay home.
He's usually pretty "peopled out" by the time Friday rolls around not to mention that he is a complete home body.
I totally get that, but the days of lounging around the house reading the New York Times in bed are over around here dude.
At least for the time being.
So this weekend I took it upon myself to have a well thought out "itinerary" so to speak.
I figured a few outings, balanced with some quality time at home would be a good compromise for everyone.
We started the weekend off with a babysitter and went out for dinner.
I booked the sitter weeks ago- but didn't make reservations anywhere- I figured I would wait to see what big daddy was in the mood for after a very long, stressful week at work.
But after driving all over the city trying to feel some restaurant mojo- we ended up at our local sushi joint.
Funny enough the spontaneous driving around the city without a little person in the back seat asking a question a minute was the highlight of our date night.
That and you've got to love heated seats...
we were home in time to watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics- which I thought was fantastic.
Anyone else watch it?
Saturday we went to Harbourfront for the Kuumba (Black History Month) festival.
Lulu watched some live Krumping (though she wasn't a fan of the heavy base but she liked the moves) and did some crafts up in Miss Lou's room.
We bumped into one of Lulu's little friends from her ballet class and ended up hanging with her and her family for the afternoon.
They just moved to Canada from The Netherlands and were so interesting and fun to chat with.
Bonus that Lulu was thrilled to be with a friend from dance class and bonus that we ended up hitting it off so well with this family who lives down the street from us.
Totally spontaneous hook up- but really made our day.
We were originally supposed to go out for dinner with friends and share a babysitter- but the 9:30 dinner reservation kind of felt too late to eat- and neither of us really felt like going out for dinner two nights in a row.
wow we are getting old....
Instead we decided to have a cheese fondue for dinner- took me two years to open the box (christmas gift from my folks) wasn't a huge fan of the cheese recipe- maybe a broth fondue is the way to go instead.
Sunday we went to Niagara Falls- it was Lulu's first time seeing them.
I had this romantic notion that it would be an experience to remember.
Unfortunately the only thing I'll remember about it, was the fact that Lulu dropped her mitten over the railing into the falls.
And then the tears ensued and she was pretty much tramatized about it for the rest of the day.
Poor little thing.
I kept telling her we can always get another mitten- and I'm just glad it was only the mitt that went over the falls and not her!
(a wee bit too close to the edge I'd say- um big daddy...grrr... )
We did however salvage the day by meeting up with some friends for a nice (short- see above re: one mitten) hike in the woods over looking the Niagara Escarpment.
Spontaneous visit with friends is always good. (hi R)
we squeezed in one last visit with my brother and niece before they move out East.
We still managed to make it home in time to whip up a bit of beef with broccoli & black bean sauce for Chinese new Year.
Monday big daddy got his wish and stayed at home all day.
Me, I was out the door at 9 a.m. hit the gym and rounded up a few of Lulu's friends in the afternoon and took them to the park.
(my valentines day present to big daddy) xoxo who loves ya big d?
anyhow long winded blog- but that's kind of how the weekend felt for me.
Long and a bit winded.
I tried to plan things- but in the end, the best parts of the weekend was all the things that I didn't plan.
How about you- how was your weekend?
spontaneously unromantic like mine?

happy 60th

My mom turned sixty this week.
Most people say wow that's so young!
and that's true- it is pretty young compared to most of my friends parents.
we are exactly 20 years apart.
She was already an empty nester by the time she was the age I am now.
crazy.
But I feel very lucky that we are so close in age.
I can't believe she is sixty though.
to me she looks maybe 50.
She is one of those energetic young at heart people that everyone loves.
I hope I'll be so lucky in 20 years.
anyhow, it was really nice to host a special family birthday dinner here at our place.
Nothing too big- just family and her two grand daughters.
she was thrilled.


I made a nice dinner that I think she appreciated.
everything turned out perfect.



Mom's 60th birthday dinner

Pol Roget 1999 extra cuvee de reserve

Rillettes De Canard Foie Gras on mini Crostini

Shaved fennel, radish & Owensound fresh smoked Trout Salad

Heirloom golden, candy cane & ruby red beet & blood Orange salad with organic greens and Pallot de Chevre Cheese with a
Champagne vinaigrette

Beef tenderloin with fresh Oregano & Thyme with a roasted garlic & horseradish aioli

Sweet potato Rosti

Paulines famous Death by Chocolate birthday cake


happy birthday mom
xoxo pg
not that you know about this blog- but still.
love you xoxo

oh and c & d- if you are reading this thanks for the bubbly- we were waiting for a special occasion to pop the cork- and this was it.
so lovely and worth the wait.

essential ingredients

When talking about essential ingredients what usually comes to mind?
Maybe it's the holy trinity of carrot, celery & onion-the base of so many delicious soups, stews and sauces?
or perhaps it's flour, sugar and water?
or maybe it's something completely different.
not food at all but emotions, energy or fate?
what am I rambling on you might be wondering?
well I just finished a fantastic book- The School Of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister.
Or should I say- delicious book.
I devoured it as the back cover promised I would.
Reading it was like eating a decadent organic dark chocolate bar for me- I always try to savour it and eat it slowly so I can appreciate all the subtle yet rich flavours, but more often than not I end up finding myself covered in chocolate crumbs with an empty wrapper in front of me wondering why I ate it all in one go?
Which is exactly how I read this book- all in one sitting- in one day.
The book was recommended to me by my favorite person that works at my favourite book store.
She special ordered it for me and has been telling me to read it for months.
I'm so glad I did.
The past several months I have been stuck in a reading rut- reading book after book that didn't really resonate with me- that is until now.
On the contrary, I was sad when I finished this book because I wanted more.
Just like that decadent organic dark chocolate bar...

Anyhow, this book is the story of a chef who runs a cooking school.
It follows the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian’s Restaurant every Monday night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however, that each one seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. Students include Claire, a young mother struggling with the demands of her family; ( boy could I relate to this character in particular) Antonia, an Italian kitchen designer learning to adapt to life in America; and Tom, a widower mourning the loss of his wife to breast cancer. Chef Lillian, a woman whose connection with food is both soulful and exacting, helps them to create dishes whose flavor and techniques expand beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of her students’ lives. One by one the students are transformed by the aromas, flavors, and textures of Lillian’s food, including a white-on-white cake that prompts wistful reflections on the sweet fragility of love and a peppery heirloom tomato sauce that seems to spark one romance but end another. Brought together by the power of food and companionship, the lives of the characters mingle and intertwine, united by the revealing nature of what can be created in the kitchen.

If you are looking for a light but delicious read- this one won't disappoint.
now where can I sign up for a monday night cooking class?

all dressed up and nowhere to go

So tonight we were invited to a swanky 40th birthday party.
I was really looking forward to a night out with big daddy as he was away last week and we haven't had a chance to get dressed up and spend a night on the town in a while.
My parents offered to come into town to babysit Lulu- I asked if they were sure- because I could always just book someone in the neighbourhood.
They said no- they really wanted to spend time with her.
I booked them over 3 weeks ago btw.
Unfortunately they both have colds and cancelled on me a few hours before the party.
Dang.
So I basically call everyone I know sending out an S.O.S. and came up empty handed.
Is there a nanny convention in town or something?
who knew it would be so difficult to get a babysitter? geez.
I was pretty bummed since it would be me bowing out of the party rather than big daddy- since it's really more his friend's birthday.
double bummer as I actually got a new outfit for the occasion-which I never do.
At least not in the past few years.
Formal nights out have been far and few between since I entered mama land.
So I put my new fancy frock back in the closet for another day..sniff sniff...
Put on my favourite six year old black velvet Old Navy track suit, poured myself a glass of wine (or two or three) , got a bag of skinny sticks from the cupboard and decided to watch a "quality" chick flick.
He's Not That Into You.
Totally corny- but just what I needed.
Well that and about half a bag of 2 bite brownies.
and ohmygosh I think I have a crush on Bradley Cooper now-are those contacts? or are his eyes really that blue?

Who needs a fancy glamorous soiree to have a good time anyhow??

let's get physical

Is there anything better than working up a good sweat?
At least for me anyhow.
I LOVE a good work-out.
If I could, I would hit the gym at least five times a week.
I only wish.
But lately I have been at least managing to get there 3 times a week and it feels fantastic.
It makes me feel more energetic, sleep deeper and generally feel better about myself.
It doesn't hurt that some of the instructors at my gym are easy on the eyes.
And you know who I'm talking about ladies ;
"Ladies" referring to a few very savvy women that work out at my gym who figured out about this blog.
Yup, I was outed in the change room.
Thank g-d I wasn't naked.
Now that would have been mortifying.
So yes that's me, the sweaty one with the pink blotchy face, fixated on the hot instructor at the front of the class, trying my damndest to suck in my muffin top and to kick just that little bit higher every time he comes near me.
A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
Am I right ladies?
don't tell me you don't do the same...;
So now when I talk about my kick-ass-kick boxing instructor, certain people...uh hum...
know exactly who I'm talking about.
The only problem now is that it's really hard to keep a straight face during class when Mr.Hot pants is demonstrating various exercises for his most bodacious glutenous maximus.
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that, would you mind showing us again?
hee hee.
But in all seriousness, I really love doing challenging classes and feeling fit and healthy- it makes a world of difference.
How about you, what are you doing these days to stay fit?

is it dry in here?

As luck should have it our dryer broke down over the holidays.
I've been waiting for this to happen since we moved into the house actually.
One of the agreements we had to sign when we bought the house was some clause about appliances that could potentially break down soon after we took possession of the house.
What are ya gonna do when you're in a bidding war with five other couples.
Okkie-dokkie- where do we sign?
So we assumed the washer & dryer were on their last legs and we would most likely have to replace them soon after moving in.
That was 6 years ago.
I can't say that I'm sad to say good-buy though.
I swear it was the most annoyingly loud dryer in the world- the timer buzzer could seriously wake the dead- it was that loud.
Every time, even after 6 years, it would make me jump when I heard it go off- and there was no way of turning it off.
I felt like Pavlov's dog.
Super annoying when putting a load in before bed- then being woken at around 3 a.m. thinking the fire alarm is going off.
Anyhow good riddance.
So for the past couple of weeks we've been hanging at the local laundromat.
We- as in big daddy & Lulu- that's considered a holiday outing isn't it?
I wash- he schlepped to the dryers to dry.
I'd say that's fair right?
Bonus that it all happened during the boxing week blow out sales- so our brand new front loading LG w&d was almost 50% off.
Yay.
They are being delivered as I write this- I can't bare to watch as the delivery guys are hacking up the walls and getting slushy snow all over the place.
shudder...
It's a sad state of affairs when I find myself getting excited over home appliances.

new year

At the beginning of every new year I tend to make a few resolutions.
But this year I've got nothing.
Okay maybe not nothing, but it's just that I feel like I've been making resolutions all year long.
Each week I tend to give myself these mini pep-talks.
Like for example:

Stay healthy- and exercise, eat well and get enough sleep- check.
well that is when I'm not struck down with some unfortunate plague.

Read more watch less television- check.

Be organized and manage my time better- check.

Cultivate and form good solid friendships-check.

Find some babysitters so that Big daddy & I can have more time either alone or together.
Chhh...oh right no check- darn.
Still working on that one.
Who knew it would be so hard to get a sitter during the holidays?

Try to be a better parent- more patient and calm in frustrating situations.
Okay really need to work on this one- big time, especially after the holidays.
See above re: desperate need of a babysitter for some occasional alone time.

Try to embrace more that the city has to offer in the way of arts & entertainment for families- check.

Seize the day and make to most of it- rain or shine- or even when it's 30 below and your eyeballs freeze the second you step out the door.
Try to spend more time outside- even if it's just going for a walk around the neighbourhood after Lulu has gone to bed.
There's something very restorative about walking aimlessly in the dark to clear your head at the end of the day.

Be more Positive- look at the glass as half full and give people the benefit of the doubt- check.
or at least I'd like to think I do most of the time, but there's always room for improvement in this department.

Finally- Be more grateful.
It's so easy to take all the amazing things in my life for granted- so I need to constantly remind myself how good I've got it.
Life is very very good.

So in a nut shell, I just want to continue trying to be a better person, wife and mother and I'm hoping that this decade is as exciting and fortunate as the past 10 years have been for me.

Wishing you much health and happiness in 2010!

T'was the night before christmas

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

Anyone else have little inquiring minds asking what Santa does if the fire has been burning all night and the chimney is hot enough to cause first degree burns?

Or what if the house doesn't have a chimney?

Or what if the kids live in an apartment with a doorman?

Or does Santa know the code for our security alarm?

and does Rudolf have GPS in his nose?

and why aren't there any girl reindeer's? that's not fair.
(I say Vixen to that one)

But she has no eyelashes- and all girl reindeer have long eyelashes mama......

It's gonna be a long day.

squeek

Not a creature was stirring.
not even a mouse......