Dinner for One (with leftovers)

Tonight I was on my own... The kids had already eaten ( Poor little Miles, he is sick so when he finally asked for Kraft Dinner I had to oblige) and Brian was off to work. I hate making dinner for one. It seems like so much effort for such a small amount of return. Most of the time I settle on a yogurt or toast. But I went to the gym this afternoon for a good workout & I was hungry. So I put in 15 minutes (not even) and made myself a kick-butt salad. So glad I did. This recipe is really for two people, but I ate more than half (surprise!) & there's a little left over for Brian when he gets home from work late tonight.

The 'Sitch': Cube an avocado, drain & break-up a tin of tuna (I like the kind that comes packed in water), splash it around in some lemon juice & a glug of olive oil. Throw in a thinly sliced green onion & a handful of cherry tomatoes (halved). Add a little paprika & pepper. Mix it up & throw it onto a bed of arugula. Deeeelish.

I got the recipe from Chef Michael Smiths Favourite Recipes book... and added it to arugula. I looove arugula. He serves it in the avocado skins which looks so cute, and is good for portion control..... but I was having none of that tonight.

Indoor S'more (That Rhymes)

 Nobody laughed when I quoted The Sandlot & said "How can I have s'more when I haven't had any?". Tough crowd.

 Tonight we decided to do Indoor Smore's. The kids (Molly especially) loved it.

And now they are in the bath, because indoor s'mores are NOT clean. The pictures are a bit blurry... or a lot  blurry...

Inspiration

 I saw this quote on Pinterest & loved it. So I copied it onto the chalk board in the hallway. I thought it would be a good quote to help with my 'great decision' making process. 

Also, just because, I had to post this picture from last Easter of my babies (not babies anymore...). It kills me to see how much they have grown. Molly can now talk (she walks around saying 'I need that' to almost everything) and Miles barely fits into that sweater & would much rather wear his hockey jersey every day. It really does go by so fast... I have to soak up every single moment.

Quilting By Moonlight

Saturday is my last quilting class... so thankfully my friend Jen came by to help me with my 'homework'. Molly was sick last weekend so I missed the class & I have been worried all week that I wouldn't get caught up. But thanks to Jen (Yes!) and a late night (I just finished pinning) I am ready for the class. It is so exciting to see it come together... I am truly happy with all the hard work (and math!). I am already planning my next quilt (which may sound keen, but in all fairness my friend has already started her next one... now that's keen!).

Now it's time to ice my finger tips (250 pins!) and hit the sack! Goodnight!

4 Days. No Facebook.

And about an hour ago I suddenly started to miss it... I miss the updates from some of my far-away friends, I miss hearing what my friends are having for dinner, and I miss the cute pictures of my friends kids. Who knew? I like Twitter but a tweet doesn't have the same 'feel-good' quality that a status-update has...

That being said I started another book today (Possibly because I have more time to read?) Ethical Oil - The Case For Canada's Oil Sands. The book is over a year old (I am slow on the uptake, as usual.) but I am excited to get into it. 

In case you are wondering, I'll probably balance this book out by reading Tar Sands: Dirty Oil & The Future of a Continent by Andrew Nikiforuk (one of the books biggest critics)... I'm just saying'.

Joey Tribbiani Approved.

Tonight's Sandwich, one we've never made before, was impressive. Sometimes I forget just how good a sandwich can be. This was great, Brian & I were both stuffed. 

The dealio: Ciabatta bun, home-made dill cream cheese spread (above), turkey, sprouts tossed in balsamic vinegar, Gouda (like, reaaaally good Gouda) & cucumbers.

We also made crispy eggplant 'chips' which we dunked in marinara (sooo good), they are always a hit with the kids. 

Anyway, I'm always looking for great sandwich ideas, so if you have a winning combination (peanut-butter and jelly?), then drop me a comment.

I (heart) Sandwiches.

Productivity Report

Today is the first day since 2007 that I have not had a Facebook account. 

At least 12 times I got as far as the login page before I remembered. I also needed to get ahold of a woman I would call my friend, but I don't have her phone number. Or email address. So I had to look her up (first time ever using the 2010 phone book). Hmm. That makes me think that maybe I should be valuing my friends a little better than I have been, you know, putting a little more effort into being a friend than just 'liking' their funny status.

I spent most of today 'slimming down' (not in weight, in stuff). The other day I was telling someone how much stuff we have gotten rid of & I started thinking....she must think I am nuts. I have SO much stuff. So I am starting back at square one. Organizing (aren't these little coloured pencils cute? The kids love them!), sorting, throwing out, recycling & repurposing.

Brian and I have decided to move into the city (There! I said it!) and while we are happy with our decision, we also know that the only way we can possibly consider this move is by simplifying our lives. And so today, back at square one, I counted the number of mugs I own. 49! I text Brian "When was the last time we invited 47 people over for coffee?" I don't even drink coffee!!! So we are down to 18 mugs. It seems like a lot still, but some have sentimental value (spoken like a true hoarder!) so I will think about letting them go for a bit longer.

Needless to say, I wish it were Garage Sale season, as I have a dinning room table FULL of stuff to get rid of (anyone need an ice cube tray or wooden spoon?).

Along with all of the progress on 'de-stuffing', and without Facebook, I also found time to make muffins. Or Not-Cakes as Molly calls them. Quinoa Lemon-Blueberry.

Putting my dried Lemon zest from Silk Road Spice Shoppe to good use.

These muffins have a bit of a different texture. Not bad, just different. The kids loved them, so did I. And they are pretty healthy as far as muffins go. The recipe is from Quinoa 365 (I'm not sure there are any recipes I haven't tried left...).

So it was a pretty good afternoon. Now I am waiting (impatiently) for Brian to get home. He is bringing me some old lockers from work & I am drying to have a look at them. I think I am going to go to Restoration Hardware to get some cool hardware for them & paint them yellow. I bet the kids will think they're pretty cool. I was glad he thought that I might want them, because I so do. (But yes, something will have to go out so they can come in...).

It's Not Me, It's You.

Just kidding. Calls, texts & e-mails have started to appear from people who are wondering why I unfriended or blocked them. I guess leaving FB is like dropping off the earth in a way. But I assure you, I am still here, and you did nothing wrong.... we are still friends. Just not FB friends, for 30 days. I hope you understand.....
it's not you, it's Facebook.

Panini

” Look I need you Schmidt, I need you to tell me what pants not to wear, and to exercise more often, I need you to make fun of me when I call a panini a hot sandwich.” - Nick on The New Girl.

I love this show. It's hilarious. Hilarious. And this quote (that killed me) gave me Panini brain (yeah, that's a thing....). So today I went out & got panini fixins and Brian did it up right.

Turkey, arugula, basil, pear & camembert. All piled onto Sidewalk Citizen honey & oat sourdough bread (Which Brian now has delivered weekly to his office). Delish.

A Letter.

Dearest Facebook,

 I need to know if my life is better without you. I need to know that my happiness & sadness does not depend on you. I need to say Goodbye. Not forever. Just for 30 days. Let's call it a Ross & Rachel style 'break' (but know that I will still cheat on you with Twitter.). I need to remember that it is still fun to experience life even if you don't post about it. I need to remember what it was like when I didn't inform people I was eating Fruit Loops or watching Community. And I've been neglecting you anyway, and you deserve better. I've been busy with friends, and life. I've been busy living status updates instead of making them. And I don't have time for your 'Swap Groups' or 'Mommy Groups', I mean, I do have time, but there are better ways to spend it. So,

Goodbye Facebook

Love Always, Haley xo

Affirmation.

Affirmation is a declaration that something is true.

 (Although just because it is true doesn't mean you don't have to remind yourself of it.)

St. Patty's Day Greenery

 Today I brought home a little green in honour of St.Patricks Day. Today I went to Market Collective with my sister Kendra in Kensington. Molly has been sick (partied too hard on her birthday I guess) and I needed to get out of the house (after I finally dragged myself out of bed at 9:30). Luckily Brian was willing to play Mr. Mom for the morning. xo.

You would have thought I brought home a puppy! It turns out a cactus (which is the only type of plant that stands any chance of surviving at the Ross house) is just what the kids needed! Miles even 'watched' it once I put it up on the window ledge.

In their green t-shirts, Miles tells Molly everything he knows about 'Plants'. Not much!

Poor Molly, she is so sick. The excitement from the plant wore her out. 

Happy St.Patrick's Day!

Cuuuute!

Adorable new bowls from Anthropologie. I have wanted new soup/cereal bowl for a while now, when I saw these I had to have them. So my sister brought them back form the US for me. I love them.

Happy Birthday Molly!

Molly turns 2 today! So yesterday her Auntie Lindsay whisked her away to take some pictures. Here are a couple sneak-peeks. The rest can be seen on Lindsay's new photography blog http://lrossphotography.blogspot.com/. 

Happy Birthday Molly! Now let the partying begin!

Loot - It's What Matters Most.

I remember going to Birthday parties as a kid & dying with the anticipation of getting my hands on a Loot Bag. The coveted Loot Bag. I lived for it. And while cake & games were important, make no mistake, I was there for the Loot Bag. It was what deserved for having to sit through someone else open presents.

Fast forward 25 years and I am a Mom who doesn't like "Birthday Parties" (we've been through this, I have my reasons). And yet somehow, I keep throwing them.... (But on a weeknight so it remains short & sweet. And small.) So tomorrow is Molly's 2nd Birthday. And I've invited some people over for Hot Dogs and Cake. And a Loot Bag. Because no matter how small or simple of a party it may be, there will NEVER be a party at the Ross house with no Loot.

Of course Miles heard the crinkling of candy wrappers and was eager to help. Here he is modelling the gag glasses. Molly wanted to have a Hockey birthday. My little girl wanted hockey (I know.).

 Miles stuffed the bags & I tied the ribbons and pennants. It was priceless watching him place each item into the bags... He was deep in thought & didn't once ask for anything....

... until we were done. When each bag was tied with yellow ribbon & a Calgary Flames pennant, he looked them all over & said "Mom, do you think Molly will give me one of these Loot Bags?". I said that I'd put money on it. He seemed to be alright with that answer.

Brian should be home soon. We are moving all of the furniture out of the living room to make an indoor 'rink' so the little ones can play hockey.... it sounds like a nightmare but I think it might actually be okay (we have foam pucks of course). 

I am excited to see the look on Molly's face when she wakes up tomorrow morning to see the house all decorated for her birthday. Last year she thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. I think she will this year too.

Plug.

Finally. My S.I.L. who quit her job to pursue photography full-time is finally taking bookings. So, of course, I have to give her a plug. There's a contest on her FB page right now http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lindsay-Ross-Photography/134362583285562

Follow this link, LIKE her page & maybe you'll win the free session. It'd be pretty cool if one of my blog readers won. I am so proud of her & can't stop bragging about how talented she is. She has put her heart & soul into all of her courses & it shows. In a world where everyone with an expensive camera is calling themselves a Photographer (and then not living up to their hype), I am so very proud to say that she is the real thing.

We just love you 'Yinsee'.

Busy Busy in a Tizzy?

So today I started to enjoy quilting. I have to admit I left the first class thinking "What have I gotten myself into? That was stressful!!!". But today I started to enjoy it. 

Maybe because I could finally see it coming together, but also because there was less cutting (which stressed me out) and more sewing (I love the hummmm of my machine).

Here is what my first block will look like, and hopefully* there will be three more that look the exact same.... although I will settle for similar. 

Finishing this block & the last three are my 'homework' for the week. I haven't had 'homework' in years... I managed to get last weeks done (on Friday night, of course). It will be nice when the class is done just to be able to quilt at my own pace (which is painfully slow). I already have the next quilt I would like to do 'pinned' on pinterest & I am eyeing up more fabric.... oh boy.

Happy Saturday Morning.

I woke up early to attend my second quilting class this morning. I went to bed late so of course I was dragging my butt a little and cursing myself for signing up for a Saturday morning quilting class (who does that?). I grabbed my camera to take some pictures of the store where the class is being taught. It's Rumpled Quiltskins here in town, just a couple minutes from my house. 

I could walk around for hours, there is inspiration in every inch of this place. And while I know that I will never make quilts like the ones that hang on their walls (I really don't even aspire to....), I am currently learning a great foundation so I will have a reason to buy all of this gorgeous fabric... Ha! Ha! Ha!

I spotted this fabric (below) with the little bicycles on it...yeah, I'll be doing something with that next.