sweet deals!

Today I went shopping and bought some sweet little things I thought I'd share for fun

I was excited when I came across a new product and  decided to try it out. I sometimes use Johnson's products on our babies and toddlers and this is apparently their new line! It's called "Honey Apple" and it smells sweet just like a fresh crisp granny smith apple (thus the name! lol ) and has a soothing scent as well that lingers. Now the Wal-Mart here only had the baby wash, but I'm hoping they will carry the cream as well soon.

Our Hannah was needing some new bibs. It's surpising how many washings a bib goes through and how stained  they can get over time. I have noticed that Hannah's clothes were getting dirtier as the small bibs just don't cover her as well. I found these today and I really liked them!  Also, Gerber has very good prices and good quality products.

Are these not the sweetest patterns?! they remind me of Hannah's nursery bedding that has the same core colors. I just think Pink and Greens look so great together. Plus they are easy clean and durable. The best part of these bibs are the "crumb catchers" ...what a great idea!

I also needed to buy new pyjamas for the older children and since Lidiyah loves pretty nightgowns, I came across this one and knew she would love it! It's supersweet for a little girl like her.

It made her happy when she saw it.

It's always fun to come home with fun purchases that are great deals!

supper

Tonight we're having a traditional meal of Moose Stew and Bannock.
This will be only my second time ever making bannock and I'm using a totally different recipe too. Hoping it's edible.

Here is the recipe for Bannock I am using

4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup lard
2 cups lukewarm water

Mix dry ingredients together, add lard and mix

Mix dough until it is hard enough to knead into a ball, careful not to handle too much

Let dough stand 10 minutes (which i totally forgot to do!) before rolling on cookie sheet

After its all rolled out on a cookie sheet until it is 1/2 inch thick, then poke holes with fork!

bake in 400 degree oven for 40 minutes

This is the finished bannock. In my opinion it did not rise well! guess I really need to let the dough sit awhile. The texture was fine nonetheless.

Now all to do is cut it into rectangles and dip it in our stew.

Bannock is so versatile too in that you can add so many different ingredients to your liking (berries, currants, raisins, cheese...etc..)

The Moose stew is very simple!

First cut and dredge your meat generously.

Meanwhile have your pot of broth, veggies (potatoes, carrots, turnip, lots of onions) and cooking on the stove till soft cooked.
Then I dropped the meat into a hot pan with oil and browned it over medium heat, not enough to cook the meat though.

After you are satisfied with how browned the meat is, take it off the heat and add to your pot of broth with vegetables. Continue to cook and stir for about 1/2 hour more and shut off heat after thickened.

That is basically how I make my moose meat stew..nothing fancy and no certain recipe. You get the idea though.

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our kitchen! The children simply enjoy this meal and always ask for second helpings.

 



Friday Fun

So its Friday!!

Fridays have that extra special feel to them...I'm not exactly sure why but I find they just do. Friday is the day that I catch-up on any major housework that wasn't done during the week and I tackle the deep scrubbing so that our weekends are completely free from cleaning! Other than the usual loading of the dishwasher and a few laundry tasks, we do nothing else around the house and focus on being together as a family.

Fridays are also the day I do the big grocery shop for 2 reasons.
1) sale flyers start Friday mornings.
2) I can focus on my menu plans and have my fun meals for the weekend ready to roll with fresh ingredients and I dont have to wait till Sunday nights (like I did before) to think of menu planning for the week ahead.

I try to buy a special treat on Friday's for the weekend, nothing big, just something we don't usually have during the week.

Friday nights I do NOT cook. Ever. Sometimes that means we have a casserole prepared ahead or sometimes we order in. Tonight we have ordered Hawaiian Pizza for the children and Deluxe for the adults. The children are all growing (like kids do!) and we are at a point where we now order PARTY SIZED pizza just to fill them all up! You know you have a Large sized Family when the children's order alone is a Party Pizza! I like it too because there is usually some leftover's for Saturday lunch.

We like to stay up late Friday's and watch movies, or seasons of our favorite tv shows. The children really enjoy watching Little House on the Prairie's which we find sweet. Our oldest actually used some allowance and saved up just to buy the next season that we didn't have of LHOP.
Sometimes we watch Planet EArth episodes.

Another bonus about staying up late on a Friday night is that the children sleep in on Saturday! (ironic I'm writing this because it just so happens that tomorrow morning is the ONLY exception! but due to an event-!)

Tomorrow we have a fun conference we are attending put on by the Early Years Centre. The conference has over 15 different worshops/sessions with awesome hands-on learning oppurtunities that are interactive for both children and parents.  We enjoy taking part in it every year, as there are wonderful booths, displays, demos, draws, healthy snacks and great entertainment for the whole family. I will take some pictures and post soon! (check out http://www.letthelearningbegin.ca/  if any locals are interested and want to come out in the morning! )

Hope you all have a great weekend spending it with family and friends!

I'm Thankful

As Thanksgiving season is upon us I have pondered my blessings and have realized we have  so much to be thankful for. Each day I wake up and have breath I am truly thankful. Life can bring some down times and even in these times I have learned over the years to find joy amidst every trial. If I look hard enough, I find "bits of grace" woven throughout our journey and upon reflecting this I realize I may not know the bigger picture but I am confident in the One who does.

 Sometimes I fail to notice the simple things in my day that all add up to sweet moments with my friends or family. I want to include these simple blessings because they are all a part of my Life and make me smile when I remember them or take a moment to savor them.

I am THANKFUL for:

warm cozy nights reading to excited children snuggled on a big couch

hot stew in a crockpot with dumplings bubbling on top

braiding my little girl's long dark hair

getting on the floor to build train tracks with the boys

paintings and drawings handed to me to put up on the fridge

wet drooly kisses from a little toddler who wants to kiss me on the cheek

hearing about my beloved's day at work

long heart to heart conversations with my girlfriends at ladies night out

spa nights with my little girls with mud masks, cucumber slices, and manicures

wrestling with the boys, all 3 of them!

listening to oldies with my dad, just because thats what we always did

children that charge at Grampa when he walks in the door

yummy "turkey in the oven" aromas that fill the house and remind us of thanksgivings past...

soft lullabye music in the wee hours of the morning as I rock my toddler back to sleep

hard belly-laughs with the children as we remember funny things they've all said

quiet time before the house stirs

the lovely scent of freshly bathed children who insist on having baby lotion on their faces after bath

warm flannel sheets washed and adorned on our queen sized bed

crisp fall evenings for family walks to the nearby park

prayers said by children who love God

Blessings 1-20 that I am truly thankful for!  I am a blessed woman and I could think of so many more little snippets of wonderful things....but maybe for some other posts...as I think of them...

What are you thankful for ?!