Hey, it's the Weekend!

The sun is shining, the temperatures are slowly creeping up past zero, and almost all of the snow has melted.  

There's a subtle shift, as spring arrives.

Tulips spotted in stores.

The end of hockey season.

Longer days.

Omelettes, sushi nights, and green cupcakes.

With the nicer weather coming, here's some motivation to get out and walk.

And with Easter just around the corner, how about some centrepiece and tablescape inspiration.

You could make some spotted Easter eggs, and some mini egg fudge.

Or maybe a batch of bunny cookie bark.

And your Easter breakfast needs these caramel egg stuffed croissants.

Happy weekend!

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Cold Snap, and the February Blahs

After spending the past few days avoiding the outdoors, I had hoped to get some photos of ice huts on the lake.  A few consecutive days of temperatures in the minus thirties meant that the lake would have enough ice on it for fishing.

Sadly, I didn't see any.  It was snowing, and I couldn't see out very far.

I get frustrated this time of year.  The world is so white and I feel as though there's nothing to take photos of.  Snow gets boring after a while.

 OK, so the ice heaved up against the shore was interesting.

And I'll head back out when the snow clears and the sun is shining.

I have to say, it's hard to feel inspired these days.  It must be a February thing.

But these words resonated with me when I came across them last week.

Soon enough, this world of white will begin to thaw.  In the meantime, I'll have to try harder to look for inspiration in the here and now.

I suppose one can always count on dogs for that.

Thank you for featuring me!

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Friday, it's Friday!

This was the week that winter finally appeared.

Two snow days, pancakes, homemade protein bars, and a few oh-so satisfying nutrition bowls that make me wonder why I don't make them more often.

And while the kids were shoveling, I was pinning recipes for cold weather comfort food, like Beef Barley Soup and Maple Roasted Blueberry Almond Oatmeal.

There was Homemade Hot Chocolate and another batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies.

These No Sew Fleece Blankets would be perfect right now, and so easy!

People Are Tweeting Their Most Awkward Moments And It Is Cringingly Hilarious

23 Things You’ll Understand If You’re Obsessed With Chapters/Indigo (think Barnes and Noble if you're stateside)

Crashing Waves on Lake Erie Look Like Liquid Mountains

I made a cake on the weekend, which was a ridiculous amount of work.  I like the look of this one much better.  Throw-It-Together Texas Sheet Cake - I'll be trying it this weekend!

And now that most of the Christmas decorations have come down (OK, except for one tree...and the outdoor lights, but they're buried so they don't count), the house feels bare.  Hello Winter Decor Ideas!

Happy Friday, Happy Weekend!

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies.  The most basic sweet treat.  And sometimes the most complex.  Milk chocolate or semi-sweet.  Or both, and call it double chocolate.  Add cocoa to the batter, and you've just upped your cookie game to triple chocolate.  Some swear by cornstarch to keep them soft.  Or ground oats for a subtle crunch.  Chocolate chunks instead of chips, for big pockets of melty chocolate.  Maybe a sprinkle of sea salt for a gourmet touch.

But sometimes you have to keep it simple.  They don't last long enough around here to justify anything complicated.  This recipe made 36 cookies and by the time they were finished cooling, there were 16 left.  I ate two.

Oh, and I used my super shiny, brand spanking new, grown-up mixer for these.  A Christmas present from my hubby.  I have never been so excited to cream together butter and sugar.

For real.

Crispy at the edges and chewy in the middle.  Chocolate chip cookie perfection.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat together butter and both sugars until fluffy.  Be sure to admire the paddle as it perfectly beats it's way around the bowl.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir into butter mixture until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop (approx. 2 tbsp scoops) onto cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and firm to the touch.  Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks.

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Friday, it's Friday!

Credit to my son for the photo.  Credit to Emily Dickinson for the words.  I just smooshed them together.

The fall colours are actually coming to an end around here.  All it takes is a few windy days and the branches are suddenly bare.

Other random bits.

Nutrition bowls from Freshii.  Love these.
Our newest dog, in a coat.
New reading.
Lusting after the all the mugs.
More autumn scenery.
Crispy garlic kale.
Most excellent roofing truck signage.
Hot, fresh, biscuits
Coffee outside, enjoying lingering warm fall days.

Speaking of all those leaves on the ground, here's three good reasons why you shouldn't rake your leaves.

I want to have a Harry Potter party just like this one.  Every little detail.  Wow.

S'mores Mini Dippers just became a possibility around here, thanks to hubby bringing me wee marshmallow bits from the US this week.

Did you know that the thread count of your sheets doesn't matter as much as these three other things?

Make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte -with real pumpkin, molasses, and whipped cream.  Heaven.

And whoever thought of making Stuffing in a Bundt Pan is a genius.

We observed Remembrance Day this week, so we're all clear to start Christmas decorating this weekend.

Happy Friday, happy weekend!

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Friday, it's Friday!

I feel giddy with excitement.  We're on our way to Boston.  Road trip, baby.

I've been itching to do this for SO long.  But there's always work, school...life.

Not this weekend though.  My camera is ready :)


Life lately:

Beach time.
Lego time.
Baking.
Coffee-ing.
British chocolate.

Internet lately:

Click on this map to discover worthwhile field trips anywhere in North America.

Change up chicken dinner with this Honey Buttermilk Roast Chicken or this Chicken in Creamy Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce.

Everything Bagel Breakfast Waffles.  Whoa.

All about potatoes.

This mixed media travel journal.

National Geographic has the BEST photos.

Raspberry Almond Blondies.  Yum.

Shakespeare's plays as comic strips.  Cute.

And once you've spent enough time on the internet, go check out the outernet.

Happy Friday, happy weekend!

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Friday, it's Friday!

Instagram this week.

Wasaga Beach.  My feet are really white.

Dusk and storm clouds at the lake.

Dessert at our new Coffee Culture.

Puppies.

Quinoa salad from Freshii...another new spot in town.

On our way to the beach we stopped at Walmart, hoping to pick up some shovels and buckets.  Our beach stash is in sad shape, thanks to most of it being tossed at the end of last summer.

Buckets and shovels were nowhere to be found.  It was August 3rd.  Instead we were greeted with shelf after shelf of books, paper, pencils and backpacks.  Seriously, the kids don't go back to school until September 8th, and summer technically doesn't end until September 23rd.

What the ....?  I love (I mean really love) back to school supplies.  I'm a sucker for new notebooks and fresh pens, and I'll get excited about back-to-school shopping in due time, but we're still in the middle of summer here.

Ugh.  Why does the world conspire to move ahead so fast?  We still have four weeks before school starts, and I'm not ready to give up enjoying this summer season.  Not by a long shot.

Because winter is coming.

Ali Edwards is doing A Week in the Life this month.  Have you ever done this?  I tried it last fall, and I tried A Day in the Life in the spring.  I love the idea of the whole project - I just haven't been very good at it.  

But that won't stop me from giving it another go.

Also, I want these Peanut Butter Cookie Bars.

And these Zucchini Blondies.

My to-read list is ridiculous, but that didn't stop me from checking out this collection of 53 Books You Won't Be Able To Put Down.

And what is up with everyone picking up and traipsing over to Italy?  Now I want to go to Florence and Positano.  Sigh.

Happy Friday, happy weekend!

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Friday, it's Friday!

July is winding down.  August is just around the corner.

There will be a German Shorthaired Pointer joining our family in about a month's time.  The puppies are unbelievably cute!

Dryland training has started, in preparation for the hockey season that will be starting in September.

Painting has finally begun in one of the boys rooms.  It was the only room we didn't have time to paint when we moved in over two years ago, and I couldn't stand looking at the yellow and teal walls any longer.

It's still really hot.  Lawns are beginning to brown, and potted plants are withering.  

Tonight there will be a blue moon, the second full moon during the calendar month.  It won't really be blue, and it's not even that rare an occurrence, but it sounds cool.

Discovered in my travels around the world wide web this week:

A series of photos guaranteed to annoy anyone that's even slightly OCD.

This virtual tour of Sorrento, Italy.  I want to go there.

Amazing wire sculptures.  I can picture one of these in my dream garden.

Lego photography.  I could totally get my kids on board with doing this.

Butternut Squash & Spinach Risotto.  Sounds delicious, looks easy.

Ham and Brie Pop Tarts.  Yes please!

And finally, rating sunscreens.  The great, and the not so great, because right now there's no escaping the sun.


Happy Friday!  Happy weekend!

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Friday, it's Friday!

This was an I-need-a-bucket-of-coffee-every-morning kind of week.  I think the heat (which I love, and will never complain about) is making me tired.

It's been gloriously hot, but it would seem that the warm weather hasn't yet reached every corner of this country, as the Newfoundland police have issued a nation wide search for summer.

It would also seem that there is such a thing as National Cheesecake Day, coming up on July 30th.  I love cheesecake, specifically this authentic New York Style Cheesecake.

These business hours.  Yes :)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.  Wow.  I think this is how we should eat all of our veggies.

You sunk my pirate ship!  Printable Battleship a la Jack Sparrow.  Awesome.

Love Everything Bagels?  This post is for you.

If you're a mushroom pizza lover, come with me to Funghitown.

Seed Brittle.  Like peanut brittle, or sesame snaps, but without peanuts or sesame seeds.  I bet you could add sesame seeds though.  Maybe even peanuts.  Healthy candy, that's what this is.

And this week's (not quite) photo a day:

Happy Friday, and happy weekend!

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Friday, it's Friday!

My continuing quest to capture a photo a day, more or less...

New gate, finally.

Stormy weather.

Kale salad.

Wasaga Beach.

More perusing of furniture.

Ripley's Aquarium.

Costco.

This week I shared a recipe for Pancakes Bananas Foster, and more photos from our trip to the African Lion Safari.

We've been trying different cheeses from the farmer's market.  Smoked gouda and goat's milk asiago are a couple of our new favourites.  I've learned that there are a lot of things about cheese that I didn't know.

Potato salad is perfect with a grilled steak.  Specifically, this potato salad.

I want gardens that look like these gardens.

I love cinnamon rolls, or any type of sweet roll for that matter.  So, these Peach Brown Butter Sweet Rolls need to happen in my kitchen.

I also love pies.  But I hate making them.  Actually it's the making of the crust that I hate.  So three cheers for free form pies... like hand pies, rustic tarts and galettes.  How about a savoury onion tart with bacon, kale, and feta?  Or maybe a peach galette with bourbon and honey?

I have slept in almost every morning this week, hitting the snooze button way too many times.  I'm tired and unorganised.  This weekend I'm going to try and reset for the week ahead.

If you've read The Girl On The Train, and loved it,  here are twelve other books you might like.

And because it's summer, and because I'm itching for a road trip, I leave you with a quote.

Happy Friday, and happy weekend!

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Seeing the Good

Sometimes it takes something drastic to help one re-evaluate their priorities.  A hospital stay is a hard thing for a work-a-holic, but pneumonia is a better diagnosis than a heart attack, and a forced week off of work is a great way to take stock and create a new plan going forward.

Less working, more living.

It's all about the silver lining.

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Friday, it's Friday!

This just about sums it up.  Lately I've been a conflicted mess.  So many things running around in my head that I want to do.  Long hours spent at work.  Coming home and wanting to do it all, and nothing, at the same time.  Is that weird?

I need to organise my linen closet.

I want to make this Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce.  We still have an untouched bottle of Kentucky Bourbon in the cupboard from our trip last summer.

I think we need to change up taco night next week with these Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Tacos.

This Mediterranean Tuna Salad would make a perfect sandwich, and this Tuna Dip looks amazing, but is my love for tuna a good thing?  According to this article, maybe not.

After our furniture outing last weekend, I seem to have caught a bit of a decorating bug.  Check out this Teen Boy's Bedroom.

I want to try making my own ice cream.  These no churn ice cream recipes look perfect.  So do these Key Lime Ice Cream Sandwiches.

And these make your own Dessert Pizzas need to happen!

I need a planner.  Like this Free Printable 2016 Planner.  Despite all the technology that surrounds me, I'm still a pen and paper girl at heart.

Sunday is Father's Day.  Here's a quick and easy craft if you're scrambling for something at the last minute.  

Not that I know what that's like or anything.

Happy weekend all!

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We Have a Graduate

It's hard to believe we'll be sending our fifth child off to secondary school in the fall.

Our fifth baby, our fourth son.

This boy of ours has made us very proud.  I wonder where the next few years will lead him.

Wishing these kids all the best as they start the next chapter of their journey!

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November

October has packed it's bags and November has waltzed in.  Soon we'll be caught up in the madness of the holiday season.  But today I feel like I need to pause and just be.

Esse Quam Videri ~ To be, rather than to seem.  I like this, so I got a little creative with it.

We got through yet another round of  Halloween.  We weren't quite as organized as last year, but managed to get the pumpkins carved with time to spare.

And all of the decorations were up before it got dark.  The kids did all of the work while I ran around cleaning up shoes and hockey bags from the entryway, finding last minute costume items, keeping the dogs out of the way and taking care of dinner (ie. ordering pizza). We were finished in less than an hour.

They put together a Halloween window display.  A few strands of orange mini-lights, some black poster board cut-out shapes, and a white sheet backing.  Did they do a great job or what?

Pumpkin seeds were roasted, and candy was eaten.

This weekend we'll put away Halloween and pause.  Just for a short time, because I know they're already playing Christmas carols at the mall.

 

Thank you for featuring me!

    

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