School (lunch) is almost done!

School is almost over for the year, and you know what that means?  Number one in my book is NO MORE SCHOOL LUNCHES!   I find making them to be a huge disappointment, and this year was the year to really try to engage the kids in making their own.  For the most part, we really tried to involve them, whether it was at the grocery store level, or at the "make your own damn lunch" level, or both.  Ideally you really want them to make their lunch themselves, but timing is everything.  We have found the best time to make school lunches is right after dinner, after the table is cleared, and the kitchen is still a bit of a mess.  By making their own lunch, it really gives them some value to what they are eating and they know what to expect.  I probably should have been doing this a long time ago, but I can be a bit of a control freak (really??!) so this was also a big step for me to actually let them do it.

Of course every kid has their preferences...my son loves sandwiches, or any type of home-made sub, but not every day.  My daughter does not go for sandwiches, although once in a blue moon she will. Her favourite school lunch this year was taking leftovers from dinner.  She'll take leftover potatoes, leftover perogies or leftover pasta...and she'll eat it cold!  Other things the kids will take include home-made soup in their thermos, though thermos lunches have not gone over well this year.  They also love that "Wow Butter" made from soy.  It really does taste like peanut butter, but is completely nut free.

In the end no matter who makes their lunch, there are always days when all of the lunch comes back.  And what's the grossest part about school lunch?    Emptying their lunch kits at the end of the day.  The kids are getting better at this, but sometimes that stinky lunch bag sits in their school bag all weekend, only for us to deal with it on Sunday night.

Tips for making school lunches:

• Give your kids a choice of a grain, a protein, a fruit and/or vegetable and a treat
• Always pack a water bottle
• Take them grocery shopping, or if this is too painful, have them write down their ideas for lunches, and take that list to the grocery store
• Have them pack it the night before...it really saves you in the morning
• Use an icepack, or find a lunch bag with a built in ice pack.  We bought our lunch box from pods'n'peels (see link below), and we store it in the freezer.  Keeping stuff cold really helps keep it fresh
• Get your kids involved  

All in all, it has been a better "school-lunch-year", but I for one will not only be celebrating school being over, but will be rejoicing in 8 weeks of not worrying about school lunches!

http://www.podsnpeels.com/store/

Happy Mother's Day!

The first Mother's Day I ever had was with our son, and he was about 11 months old at the time.  I  of course wanted to go for brunch.  Looking back, it was probably not a great idea to go for brunch on the busiest day of the year. And just so you know, I am not saying anything bad about brunch.  I generally love brunch, but Mother's Day brunch is not for me.


I had chosen to go to La Caille on the Bow here in Calgary.  We were very organized, and called ahead to reserve a table and a high chair.  I even took it a step further and called to confirm our reservation the day before!  What was this, a flight to Mexico or brunch???  But I called because I am a bit of a control freak about things like that. Again, they said they had our reservation, and a high chair, and not to worry.  When we arrived, yes, they had our reservation, but alas, no high chair, as someone else had used their last one.  Some of you may not know this about me, but I don't handle things like this very well.  But in we went, wheeling our son in his Graco stroller like we were on an obstacle course.  Finally we arrived at our table...I leaned on it ever so slightly, and it came CRASHING down (who makes a table on a flimsy pedestal anyway??).  The staff quickly shuffled us off to another table and I seem to remember it being quite far from the buffet.  The bunch came and went, and ever since then, we still enjoy the occasional brunch, but just not on Mother's Day.


Our tradition is that I put my order in for brunch, and the kids and hubby make it for me at home.  I get to have my coffee upstairs in our bonus room while it is being prepared.  Today I had my coffee while watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy.  The menu for today? Smoked salmon, a variety of cheeses, baguette, and the traditional hashbrowns, eggs, bacon and fruit, served with coffee and orange juice.  Combine all that with a brilliant sunny day, and it was excellent.  The kids made me gifts, consisting of cards, photo albums, and they even made me a movie about why they love me (with Red Red Wine playing in the background!  Do they know me, or what??).  These are the gifts I love best...ones filled with so much thought!  

We ended our great day with our other Mother's Day tradition...going out for dinner (my choice).  We went to Big T's BBQ and Smokehouse, and it was, as usual, delicious, right down to the last rib and pickle!

Happy Mother's Day!

Gold Rush!

A gal from work was having a gold party, and and invited me.  I had no idea what it was, but I like gold and I like parties...so why not?  It's similar to a home-based business, but instead of spending money you actually go home with cold hard cash.  No kidding. You bring your gold...any gold...whether its broken jewellery pieces or pieces you don't wear any more or even those extra earring backs that you think are gold.  They test everything you bring and tell you how many carats the gold is; 10, 14, 18 or 22.  The gold you bring is separated according to carats and weighed.

I had recently cleaned out and organized my jewellery and had put all the gold in one section.  Everything from broken bits and singlet earrings to bracelets, bangles and necklaces.  For the gold party, I went with just a few items that I was willing to part with:  the broken pieces, earrings that were missing the other side and a few pieces that I had never (and would never!) wear.  Some of the gold jewellery I have is sentimental, and I would never part with, but why not see what all the broken bits and pieces, the missing earrings and the "will-never-wear" things are worth?   I thought maybe I'd get a couple hundred dollars.

I gave her my jewellery and she did some gold testing with special solutions.  After it was all sorted into carat categories, we weighed each set separately.   I could not believe my eyes when she showed me the total.   The end payout for the gold, minus a few items that I changed my mind about, was $490.00.  This consisted of a few broken pieces, some earring backs, and a few pieces would never be worn.

I was totally amazed and could not believe that I was walking out of there with almost $500.00 cash!  I can definitely see some gold partying in my future!

www.goldpartycanada.com
erin@goldpartycanada.com

Guilty Pleasures

For two nights in a row, I have "gone out on business" and had a couple guilty pleasures...

Deep Fried Pickles and horseradish mayo

Last night I had to drop something off at a friends house.  When I arrived, of course they twisted my arm and MADE me come in for a glass-o-vino.  How could I refuse such an offer?  And me, without the kids and hubby.....come in for wine?  Absolutely!  So in I went, and down it went.  Had the wine, chatted with good friends (thanks for that!) and felt uplifted  and revived afterwards!  

Best Ribs, Best Food!
Winner of the Best New Food
Calgary Stampede 2010!

Tonight...guilty pleasure part two.  I went solo to a meeting at our son's school...so again, me, alone, out on business. When the meeting was over it was just too early to go home so I headed over to Big T's BBQ and Smokehouse, which is owned by a friend of mine.   She greeted me with open arms, a bottle of Fat Bastard red, delicious deep fried pickles and beef brisket quesadilla, complete with horseradish mayo and spicy ranch mayo.  Ate great food, had a glass of wine, chatted with my gal-pal, and felt energized and inspired afterwards.

What have I learned?  That good friends + good wine + good food + some good chitty-chatty = inspiration, happiness and some positive energy for your aura.

So perhaps I shouldn't be calling these guilty pleasures as it has such a negative connotation....so long guilty pleasures, hello Inspirational Outings!

http://www.bigtsbbq.com/index.html

Smile!

Last week a friend of mine, who is a dental hygienist, cleaned my teeth.  I have to say without a doubt that this was the best teeth cleaning experience I've ever had!   If you knew how long it has been since my last cleaning, you would likely be so disgusted with me, you'd never read this blog again!  Since the cleaning, my teeth feel fantastic and at almost 43 years old, I  have not one cavity or filling (knock on wood). When the dentist examined my teeth, she said that my teeth were amazingly strong, and she had no major concerns.  I was so shocked by this because as I said, it had been a really (really) long time since my last cleaning,  scaling and overall check up.

It is so easy as adults to overlook dental care.  I think of how I am so diligent at making doctors appointments for my kids, whether its for their eyes, their yearly examination or their twice per year visits to the dentist. Then I think how long it takes me to even make a phone call to take care of myself.  Ridiculous.

I feel blessed to have such good teeth, and lucky too, because despite my long hiatus from the dentist, my teeth, now descaled and smooth, are still in pretty good shape.

So what's the bottom line to a great smile?

• Floss everyday...once you start, you won't be able to live without it!
• Brush at least 2-3 times per day
• See your dentist and hygienist regularly (and if possible, have a friend who IS a hygienist!)

My next "dental adventure"... teeth whitening! Say cheese! 

Anything is possible

I was listening to CBC radio this morning on my way to work and heard an amazing and inspirational story on the Eyeopener.    I was so moved by this story and had to share.

Just click the link below, and scroll down to "Hearing Impaired Doctor" from Wednesday May 9th.  If you need a little inspiration (and everyone does), then have a listen, and remember that anything is possible and to never give up on your dream, whatever it may be.

www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/

Zumba / Yoga

Monday, Monday.  My Monday was fairly productive with all the errands that had to be done, and I actually exercised TWICE in one day.  A rarity for me.  I went to zumba this morning, which was awesome!  I told my friend that it's probably the first time we've gone "dancing" and didn't have to call for a cab to take us home afterwards!

I also went for more hot yoga after dinner.  I have to say that the hot yoga has grown on me so much that I think my body misses it if I don't go.  Tonight's class was packed and even though the class starts at 7:15 pm, if you don't get there by 7 you are screwed for floor space.   I am very particular where I sit.  I like to sit in a corner, so I have nobody on one side of me.  I also like to sit where I know nobody is behind me (like I need someone staring right at THAT).  My friend and I got there tonight at 6:45 and if we had arrived a few minutes later, we would not have gotten our favourite spot.

But the body feels good after all that stretching, and my mind is relaxed, and I feel calm, cool and collected...ok fine!   I confess that I am having a half glass of wine, so this is also helping my mood.

So what did I learn today?  To show up for yoga 30 minutes early or you don't get your spot.  I also learned that downward dog can be a resting position as it is the lesser of many other evil positions in the class.  The last lesson I learned today: it's okay to drink wine on a Monday.

Namaste.

Wasn't that a Party??

Missing:  Cinderella's shoe and other
miscellaneous items.

What do you see in this picture?  One shoe, a cell phone, a few plates, assorted cutlery, and an empty tequila...I mean coffee mug.   Why do I have such items in my possession?  Easy...its the aftermath of my husbands 40th birthday!  People came from the north and from far south (south Calgary, that is) to see my husband enter The Club.   We partied til almost 3am.  Between the Mai Tai's, the wine, beer, the whiskey....that song is still playing in my head....."mighta been the 2-4-6 pack I dunno....but look at the mess I'm in....."


But seriously, all in all it was an excellent night.   The menu was awesome (of course it was).  I made my legendary (and contest winning) ribs and hot wings (my brother in law's recipe...I think I did a pretty good job too!).  Other menu items included sushi (bought, but still delicious) and cheese and crax (a party must).  We also had yummy sharing plates from our beloved guests:  spinach dip, yummy chocolate squares, Guac chips (tres yummy), a cheese and pepper jelly plate, bacon wrapped water chestnuts (you had me at bacon), and some assorted dips and crackers.  For dessert, I made a frozen lemonade cheesecake, and we lit a mini dolls head on fire and made him blow.  Not the smartest move, but who is thinking of being smart when there is alcohol involved?   Thankfully we did NOT have to call the fire department (although if it was MY birthday I think calling in the firefighters would have been a nice touch).

 If I missed any food, forgive me, as I am just coming out of my fog and its already time for bed and for another day to begin.

Coulda been the whiskey...
thank  goodness there was no gin!

And how's our soon-to-be 40 year old non-virgin?  He had a GREAT party, and enjoyed it from beginning to end.  He loved his "H to the B" cards, he loved the drinks and food, but most of all, he loved that so many people came to wish him well!    We even face-timed with his brother and sister-in-law and their kids, which was awesome!  Thanks to everyone who made it, and for all the birthday messages from those who were unable to attend!  You all made my husband feel very loved (awwwww), and very young at heart.
Though today, he likely felt a bit closer to his REAL age.   After seeing all the empty bottles of blueberry vodka, sambuca, rum, wine, beer and whiskey (note this is not a complete list),   its no wonder he had to nap the day away!

Soulful Chicken Soup

There are days, and there are soup days.   There is nothing like an amazing bowl of home made chicken soup.  Something about the aroma, and the feeling you get from that first spoonful....ahhhhh.....yummy in my tummy!   I went to pick up the kids today from my friends house and she had just made a pot of home made chicken soup.  Everyone was having a small bowl for a snack, and I was also offered a bowl.  Best. Soup. Ever.  I have posted the recipe below, but its more of a method than a recipe as it has no amounts, but with soup you really can't go wrong.

For the broth:

• Next time you roast a chicken for dinner, save them bones!  Real bones make the best broth, and you can always toss the carcass in a ziploc bag and freeze it if you aren't going to use it right away.  
• Another tip:  save your washed vegetable peelings (i.e., carrots, celery ends) and freeze them.  Add these to the broth and strain them out afterwards.   Flavour, flavour flavour!
• Throw in a bay leaf; salt and pepper to taste.

For the soup:

• Save some of that roasted chicken for the soup.  You can cut some up ahead of time, and after you strain the bones from the broth, you can strip off all the meat.
• Add some chopped celery (including some of the nice leaves), chopped carrot, 1/2 can of garbanzo beans, some green peas,  frozen lima beans, a bit of corn, chopped onion and fresh chopped parsley
• 1-2 cups of Orza pasta (which I typically don't like, but it was AMAZING in the soup!) 

This soup freezes well, is great for a snack (as evidenced today), great for a meal, and great for lunch-leftovers!   And today with that cold wind blowing and the sun not shining, it really was a soup day.  

By the time the first spoonful made it down into my belly, all the days troubles melted away.

And then my son told me his iPod had been stolen at school.  At least he waited until near the end of my bowl to tell me.  Enjoy the soup moments while they last.  They apparently don't last long.   So long, and thanks for the soup!

Cheesy Crunchy Good

I have several food addictions and one of them is anything that is crunchy, salty, cheesy or a combination of all of the above.  I confess that I love potato chips and crackers....simply crunchy, delicious goodness.  Mmmm.....     I can be somewhat of a crunch-snob, and while I will eat just about any brand available, I prefer brands with real ingredients (i.e., real cheese), or the Ms. Vickies Chips (bring on the salt 'n malt!).  Not that these have any less calories, because truthfully, chances are if you are eating a potato-chip snack,  it's not because you are trying to cut down on calories!   

My latest crunch-craving is a Parmesan Crisp that a friend introduced me to, and found at our local Planet Organic store.  From the label, it looks like it is made by a company called Kitchen Table Bakers in New York City.   This cracker is made ENTIRELY of parmesan cheese and is gluten free/wheat free and sugar free.   There are apparently 6 different varieties.  So far,  I have tried the parmesan-sesame and the parmesan-rosemary.   In one serving, which is 3 crisps, there are 80 calories, 6 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrate.  The crisps are a good size, and even I find that this makes a satisfying snack.  The flavour is rich, and it's just pure awesomeness!  

And to cure my crunch and cheese craving with a one-stop-shop concept?  Definitely worth writing about!    

STNG!

Yes, I am a nerd!   Not only did I attend the ticketed Star Trek Next Generation (STNG!) event on Saturday night here in Calgary, but my sister-in-law and I bought our tickets the SECOND they went on sale!   That show changed literally changed my life, not to mention the fact that the day after I met my husband, I happened to see him and his sister at a Star Trek Convention in Edmonton!   I took it as a sign of true love, and have never looked back!

Kind of a bro-mance thing...too cute!

OMG!  Its Picard and Riker! 

When I found out that all 9 STNG cast members were coming to Calgary, I was pumped!  I couldn't believe that they would come here, and that all 9 members were involved.   STNG was not really about science fiction.  Sure there were Klingons, Romulan Ale and tricorders.  And yes, there was time travel, worm holes and cloaking devices, but it was so much more than that.  The show was about life, equality, integrity and dignity.  As viewers, we loved the crew, and their many adventures.  The show illustrated such humanity towards all species, and really made you think about important issues.

Will Wheaton is all grown up!!

Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden and LeVar Burton
(aka Data, Crusher and Geordi)

The Empath, the Klingon and the one who
died a senseless death!

True Q and Picard!

It was an amazing experience to see all of these beloved actors on stage up close and to see how much they really care for the show, the fans and each other after 25 years.  One of the most memorable moments from Saturday?  Seeing John de Lancie (Q) walk in as a surprise guest!  I know, I know, my nerdy-ness is showing, but be careful....as the Borg would say....resistance is futile.....you will be assimilated!