My first Shoot

This last weekend I was super lucky and got to take pictures in the park of two of my favorite families: my brother's and my best friend's.
It was a beautiful weekend; hot, really, by Fall's standards.
And with everyone so darn photogenic, what I had to do was a piece of cake; I let the camera do the work.
I hope to do it again very soon.

The Lot

Peach Crisp

I think fall has come to settle in with us for good it seems.  The leaves are laying in dried up piles along the curbs.  Frost has threatened a time or two at night.  And fall fruits and vegetables are in abundance in the stores.  I picked up a huge box of peaches bigger than Mike's fist a few days ago, and set them by the back door until I had time to make something with them.  I debated on a few things, and besides snacking on them I made this great Peach Crisp today and I'll can the rest.  It was so yummy that I decided to give you the recipe for it; this time I remembered what I put in and how much (I love to bake and cook without measuring unfortunately).

So give it a go, and let me know how you liked it!

Ripened Peach Crisp

4 large ripe peaches, or 6-8 small/medium
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
sprinkle of vanilla
sprinkle of almond flavoring

Preheat 375.
Dip one peach at a time into boiling water for 20 seconds; skin will peel off easy.  Do to all peaches.  Remove pit and slice into buttered dish.  If you have extra ripe juicy peaches sprinkle some flour on top.  Sprinkle vanilla and almond flavoring on top with your thumb over the mouth of the bottle.
In a bowl mix together flour, oats, spices and sugars, salt and butter.  Cut into crumbs with a fork.
Spread evenly on top of peaches; don't pat down.

Bake for 30-40 minutes till bubbly.  Serve with low fat frozen yogurt (this makes up for the calorie intake, which is about 380 per 1/2 cup portion...without the frozen yogurt or icecream :)

Scrapbook Corner

Boy oh boy have I been catching up on my 2011-2012 scrapbook.  I had to search back to find where I had left off in my book and it was at Christmas time.  After that I recall my printer breaking down and I was so upset that I didn't even want to look at it.  I moved it here to Lloyd with the knowledge I would have to take it somewhere special to fix it (it is a 13x19 paper sized photo printer).

Instead, I did what I always do when I'm in need for knowledge: I hit the internet. 

I learned that I could do three things:

1. Take out the inks (there are six in total), and tip the entire thing upside down and shake it.  Hmm.  I wasn't really inclined to try that one out.

2. Take a damp cloth and rub all the paper feeding wheels gently.

3. Take it to a repair shop.

I tried the damp cloth, and lo and behold, it worked.  Once again I could print my 12x12 pictures.  Next I had to run to Staples to get their amazing 13x19 ink jet photo paper, which is so cheap and I love to use.  Then I came home and got to work on replacing all my ink cartridges, cleaning the ink heads inside mechanically, then printing test pages.  Over and over for an hour, and finally I hit payday.  I was so excited...yep it doesn't take much folks.  My ink cartridges will last me from now until Christmas, as I only usually change them out twice a year.  I get them off of eBay from a print shop in BC, and for 18 inks it only costs me 60 dollars, so three of each color.  If I bought them from Epson like I am supposed to it would cost me 50 dollars per ink cartridge.  It's insane.  The inks from the print shop are Epson ink, just in generic cartridges.  I figure I can't go wrong, and have been using them for years now.

Anyhow as I said I have been scrapping away this past week for a few hours when it hits my fancy, and with the kids in school I have more than enough time to do so without feeling guilty.  Here are some examples of what I've done so far.

Week One down of..wait a minute, how many?

This week we made it through all the ups and downs of a busy activity schedule.  We pulled together to get Brandon through the "school refusal" that he was experiencing due to his nervousness of adjusting to a new school and worrying I wouldn't be there to get him after school, and therefore stranding him in the middle of unfamiliar territory.  That was tough, and I have to admit embarrassing with the other kids seeing him go through that at school and gymnastics.  But we are good to go now I think, and he's finally settling in.  With that on our plate it made the rest of the week edgy, and I'm glad it's Friday tomorrow.  Here's what our weekly schedule will be like until May:

Monday: Charlie - dance @ 5:30; crock pot supper ensues.
Tuesday: Charlie - school
               Jacelyn - dance @ 5:30; again with the crock pot.
Wednesday: Brandon - Piano @ 4:30
                                  - Gymnastics @ 6:30 - 8pm; homework in between that time means trying really hard to get the girls to play nice and without much help from me as I am too busy multitasking to care.
Thursday: Jacelyn - dance @ 4:00, 5:30, and again at 7 pm; this time an order for a big pot of chilli or thick soup (tonight I made my famous Italian sausage and orzo soup) should be on the menu to give the crock a break.
Tonight was weird for me because I am trying this Festival (aka: competition) dance program out on Jacelyn, and I was concerned she was going to be overwhelmed by it all.  So I took her at 4:00, sat there for the duration, drove back home at 4:45, went back (in rush hour traffic) for 5:30 and sat there again until 6:15.  We drove home again (in rush hour) and Jacelyn informed me I didn't have to wait around for her during her last Tap class.  Thank the Lord!  I drove her back at 7:00, and she decided I could stay or go, so I stayed.  She was shocked to see me in the waiting area after her class, and I am taking that as a good sign.  Hopefully after making a few more friends she will learn to think of Fame as her second home, and stay there in between her classes.  It is a long time to stay there, but with only 45 minutes in between each class, after our move to College Park there won't be time to go back and forth like that.
So I felt like I went a mile a minute all day.  And here I am blogging after 11:00 pm.  I'm gonna scrapbook too when I'm done; my way of winding down I guess.
Charlie and I go for little strolls some mornings, an activity I wish we did more but I don't feel too safe in this neighborhood between the extra traffic from ongoing construction and the huge amount of large dogs around here, again probably due to the area we live in.  I took my camera on one such adventure and took some cute photos of her downtown.

Charlie's First Day of School

First Day of School!

First Day of Dance

School with Dawsyn

First day of Dance

After this week of firsts I'm ready for a drink.

Closet Appeal

One thing that is not lacking in our new house is storage.  We designed it this way purposely as we have a lot of sh....*ahem*, stuff.  There is a closet in the hall, which we stole from the bedroom before creating a new alternate closet, and turned it outwards into the hallway.  A huge linen closet that goes on above the bulk head the stairway naturally makes.  There is yet more storage in the master bedroom closet and even more still in the large walk in pantry, not to mention the massive storage room downstairs.
The only problem I had was with the closet in the front entry.  There wasn't much space; 2'x3' isn't big enough for a family of 5, backpacks, shoes and guests included.  It barely constituted as a broom closet, in my mind.  Our solution to this was to build in a closet around the corner in the garage, leaving the front hall for everyday coats and guests.  I personally wasn't looking forward to the layer of sawdust on everything in that garage closet, but there wasn't much more we could do.
Or so I thought, before the designer came up with a brilliant closet option that I jumped on right away.  The more I look at it the more I wondered how I didn't see it before?

Of course some things we are doing by way of finishing are not in the blueprints, such as moving the island up and inwards, or adding cosmetic changes.  The builder assured me I can change things as they are ready to go in, putting my mind at ease about deciding on them right now at this moment.

We were concerned about the placement of the furniture, with the entry and stairwell on one side, and the only option for the fireplace and TV being on the opposing wall.  We have furniture already picked out, and may just go with two love seats and maybe an accent chair, and have the big sofa in the family room downstairs.  I like this option, as it maximizes the living space without seeming too crowded.  We moved our furniture at home last night to get a feel for it; the living room here is 12x16, almost exactly what we will have there, and it wasn't as bad as we thought.

I'm so excited for things to begin, and power is being trenched in the cul de sacs as I write this post.
 As you can tell, if you've learned anything about me by reading this blog of mine, I jump headfirst into anything that comes my way with passion and with my emotions right out there on my sleeve.  After years of trying to change this with little success, I've been learning that that's just the way I am.  As the build goes on I'm sure I'll post ideas and pictures of things I love, and I'll probably change my mind a dozen times.
If you can keep up with me despite this flaw/attribute of mine, you will be on this new and exciting journey with me all the way!

Time to Play Catch Up!

So much has gone on in the last month, and I can hardly believe that we are already into the second week of September.  I'm really looking forward to settling into the routine of going to school, going to after school activities, and fall/winter crafting.  And of course, building the house.

The summer has seen a lot of ups and downs for me emotionally, and some things I've been working out on my own or with the support of Mike, and my new therapist :). And then there are other situations that are completely out of my control that have me so frustrated and tied up in knots, and all I can do is be a sounding board and a shoulder during hard times.  So I guess I will be both and that will have to satisfy me.

Brandon had a rocky beginning to the new school year, and I'm not in the least surprised by this.  He really misses his old school and his friends.  Even though I attempted to keep his friendships going throughout the summer and he had some sleepovers with his buddies, he still didn't really settle into city life.  It came out that all he wanted to do was go "home".  So after a chat with his new teacher, and another with Brandon, he went back to school on Friday with a bit of a heavy heart but a lighter spirit, and made a few friends as well before the day ended.  Here he is below with his best buddy Carson from Maidstone.

And with the fall approaching, the air is crisping up and becoming fresher in the mornings...a smell I just love, more so than the smell of a good rain.  It brings to mind bright vibrant colors, spiced apples, nights in front of the fireplace with a hot mug of tea, and my fall wardrobe.  Which I dug out of storage gladly this week and was sporting with joy!  I love everything about this season, and the only thing I like better is the joy I feel when the fall turns to winter.  Seeing how this may change as I get older (or so I've been told), I plan on enjoying it until I do!

Fall time also means crafting time, as the kids are in school, leaving me much more time to devote to my hobbies.  I have a lot of things on my plate for the season, including a ruffled throw for Jacelyn's new bed in the new house, some Christmas gifts that include canning my homemade caramel and fudge sauces, and making our gingerbread decorations for our Christmas tree this year.

Yes, the kids and I just finished decorating about 100 small gingerbread men this week, and I will need another batch made up yet before leaving them for weeks to fully dry out.  The idea came to me after seeing a tree completely decorated in gingerbread men of all sizes at a gala event a few years ago.  I fell in love with the homey, wonderfully smelling and downright cuteness of this tree.  I'll include ribbon bows and a simple tree top.  The reason for this is twofold:

1. Our decorations are packed away.

2. Our rental is way to small for our tree, and therefore we will have to find a small one for the meantime.  

As in a 3 or 4 footer.  That's all there is room for in my living room.

It was fun and it took about three days to decorate them all, and we used glitter glue from Martha Stewart as the tips were so small that I was able to add crazy intricate detail.  Only another 100 to go!

On Wednesday we celebrated Jacelyn's seventh birthday, as we were busy on Thursday, her actual birthday.  She received many sets of earrings for her newly pierced ears, and some birthday money that she has been hoarding until she finds "just the right thing to buy someday".

The kids each made two cake pops, and decorated them up and took them home as party favors.  It was a fast and fun way to kill 20 minutes, and it was just right as it was a school night and I didn't want to keep the kids very long.

 
And Jacelyn received her iPod, which was what she's been waiting for ever since Brandon got his last Christmas.

Jacelyn's best friend, who happens to be the child of my best friend, was the recipient of Jacelyn's "best friend" necklace that she got from her aunti Jenine.  They even go to the same school here in the city, and I'm so grateful for that.

And then we spent the evening on Thursday at Bud Miller Park for the annual Re/Max appreciation BBQ, an event that has been going on for many years that lets the clients of all the realtors know that their business is appreciated and valued.  There are salads to choose from, hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, all of which are all you can eat, tubs full of bottled water and any kind of soda you want, and a freezer full of ice cream goodies as well.  The local dog show comes out with their dogs who are always full of tricks, and there is face painting, goody bags for the kids, tattoos, three different bouncy houses, beads for bracelet and necklace making, and a park to run off all that fun.

It really is a great day, and the kids love going to the BBQ so much.  Mike figures the numbers may have been down this year from around 500 to maybe 400, but still, it was a good time.

So yes, we had a crazy busy week, and I was glad to see it over.  Next week is no better however, with dance beginning for the girls (festival for Jacey which means a lot more work from her), school for Charlie, piano, band, and gymnastics for Brandon, and another birthday party thrown in there for good measure.  The only free day we will have on our schedule is Friday.  I plan on keeping that way if I can!

The First Day

Oh how I love the first day of school!
I have big plans for the first day of my holidays:
1) Do nothing. All day.
2) Finish my laundry.
3) Read with Charlie.
4) Do nothing.
5) Meet up with a pal for a celebratory back to school coffee.

I could pick any one of those and be happy. Or I could clean the house from top to bottom and still be the happiest woman on earth. Know why? Because my kids will be in school and I will be at home. Alone with my snuggle bum and sipping coffee on the first day of school.

I'm so excited!