Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Sizzlin' Summer Recipes with @CrosbysMolasses!
Summertime is BBQ season, kick back on the patio with a cold beverage season, and I-really-don't-want-to-turn-on-the-oven-let's-have-watermelon-or-salad-for-supper-instead season!
In my quest to try new-to-me recipes, I wanted to incorporate molasses into some of my dishes. Why? Well, being Asian, I didn't exactly grow up using molasses in my food as a kid, and I am now married to a farmer whose mom uses molasses in her dishes. There's a certain level of curiosity and also the want for a challenge, and that exciting challenge is cooking with molasses!
Sure, I can make a great gingersnap cookie with molasses, but I want to use it in BBQ recipes and things one wouldn't think to use molasses in!
In my quest to try new-to-me recipes, I wanted to incorporate molasses into some of my dishes. Why? Well, being Asian, I didn't exactly grow up using molasses in my food as a kid, and I am now married to a farmer whose mom uses molasses in her dishes. There's a certain level of curiosity and also the want for a challenge, and that exciting challenge is cooking with molasses!
Sure, I can make a great gingersnap cookie with molasses, but I want to use it in BBQ recipes and things one wouldn't think to use molasses in!
I came across some Sizzlin' Summer Recipes with Crosby's Molasses!
First up - Iced Chai! I'm a sucker for chai and lovely cool beverages on a hot Summer day! I was perusing Crosby's Molasses' blog, Molasses and More and found out that they have some FREE e-books with tons of molasses recipes!
This recipe in Crosby's Molasses Iced Chai recipe is divine!
1 cup milk (can substitute nut or soy milk)
1 tea bag chai tea
2 tsp Crosby's Fancy Molasses
1 tsp cinnamon
6-8 ice cubes
(makes generous serving)
Place milk and tea bag in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes, pressing down on tea bag with a spoon a few times.
Remove tea bag from milk, transfer to a blender, add cinnamon. molasses, and ice cubes. Whirr until it's slushy and a little foamy. Transfer to a glass and garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Both my husband and our 4 year old daughter love ribs! When I saw this recipe for Finger-Licking Oven Ribs in Crosby's The BBQ Book, I just had to make it!
The verdict? See for yourself?
No dinner would be complete without a tasty side dish! My family loves a good cabbage salad or coleslaw. The Carrot and Cabbage Slaw with Orange and Molasses Dressing looked interesting! I had to try it out!
Next week, I'm making the Molasses Glazed Grilled Shrimp and a salad with Molasses Herb Vinaigrette!
I'm really excited to have discovered the Molasses and More blog and Crosby's FREE e-books!
All of the recipes I featured on this blog can be found in Crosby's The BBQ Book.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Oh, Canada! Recipes To Make Your Canada Day Weekend A Fabulous One! #LMDConnector
School is officially out for Summer! Little One just completed her first year of school! Forgive me if I get a little bit weepy! I cannot believe our little preemie is now a Junior Kindergarten graduate!
With the end of the school year and the beginning of Summer, what better way to celebrate than kicking the Canada Day long weekend off a little early?
Check out my Maple BBQ Ribs recipe. Gotta love adding a little bit of Canadiana with some maple syrup made on our farm!
For outdoor entertaining, I've also got my Filipino BBQ recipe (which was featured in Eat In Eat Out Magazine!) and my Manitoulin Shawarma recipe (which recently made the Eat In Eat Out Blogger Spotlight).
I have a bunch of favourites my family and friends request that I make, but I'm always on the look out for new recipes to try. When I'm stumped, I frequent the Life Made Delicious website for recipe ideas. The recipes are quick, easy, and made with busy parents in mind, I'm sure! The neat thing is that for most of the recipes, Little One gets to help me from prep, cook, to assembly and plating!
Of course, nothing is sweeter than enjoying quality time with loved ones and a light, refreshing beverage and a scrumptious dessert together! Outdoor dining and spending time on the patio is what we look forward to in the Summer!
Some great ones to try are:
I've found these and countless other recipes on lifemadedelicious.ca. They've quickly become family favourites.
Check out the lifemadedelicious.ca website and let me know which recipes you'll be serving up this Summer!
Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious. Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
With the end of the school year and the beginning of Summer, what better way to celebrate than kicking the Canada Day long weekend off a little early?
Oh, Canada! How we love thee!
We also love BBQ season...especially with a Canadian favourite ingredient --maple syrup!
For outdoor entertaining, I've also got my Filipino BBQ recipe (which was featured in Eat In Eat Out Magazine!) and my Manitoulin Shawarma recipe (which recently made the Eat In Eat Out Blogger Spotlight).
I have a bunch of favourites my family and friends request that I make, but I'm always on the look out for new recipes to try. When I'm stumped, I frequent the Life Made Delicious website for recipe ideas. The recipes are quick, easy, and made with busy parents in mind, I'm sure! The neat thing is that for most of the recipes, Little One gets to help me from prep, cook, to assembly and plating!
Of course, nothing is sweeter than enjoying quality time with loved ones and a light, refreshing beverage and a scrumptious dessert together! Outdoor dining and spending time on the patio is what we look forward to in the Summer!
Some great ones to try are:
- Peach-Berry Smoothies
- Watermelon Cooler
- Creamy Mango Smoothies
- Key Lime Yogurt Pie
- Chocolate Mousse Macadamia Tart
I've found these and countless other recipes on lifemadedelicious.ca. They've quickly become family favourites.
Check out the lifemadedelicious.ca website and let me know which recipes you'll be serving up this Summer!
Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious. Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Celebrating Dad on Father's Day #PGMom
I remember when I was in elementary school, saving up my allowance and being excited to bike to our local Jean-Coutu (a pharmacy in Quebec) and "splurge" on a Father's Day gift and card for Dad. Back then, a tie or some kind of item that had "Best Dad" or "Dad of the Year" were things I thought were amazing gift ideas for Dad!
Funny how Dad never complained about not wanting yet another tie, coffee mug or pair of socks. The purchase that made me the proudest was when I got Dad a bottle of Old Spice. It seemed like all the dads wore it and it was in my price range. Plus, my grandfather always wore Old Spice.
To this day, whenever I smell Old Spice, I think of my grandfather. It turns out, my Dad wasn't much of an aftershave or cologne guy. He wasn't really into fragrances period. My grandfather was though! It makes me smile when I think of how good my grandfather always smelled! Old Spice makes me miss my grandfather.
I was reminded of Old Spice and the memories of my grandfather and of my childhood when my four year old got hold of one of our monthly PGMom packages. I detected the scent of Old Spice and came running down from my office. Little One was sitting on the couch, putting Old Spice deodorant on. She was shocked to see me and smiled, "I'm putting deodorant on, Mama! Now I smell good!"
I immediately thought of my Dad laughing if he saw what Little One was doing. I also knew that if my grandfather were still alive today and saw Little One putting on Old Spice, he would have a good laugh too.
On Father's Day, we celebrate the men in our lives. Of course, the first man I'd like to celebrate is my Dad. To the man who sat with us as we did our homework (and helped me as I toiled over math problems), and made sure to always have time for us after work...Thank you. To the man who built ice forts with us and took us skating and tobogganing...Thank you. To the man who taught us how to tie our shoes and ride a bike...Thank you. To the man who taught us so many important life lessons and continues to do so...Thank you.
When I see the special relationship my Dad has with my four year old daughter, it makes my heart fill with joy. I'm so lucky to have my Dad around.
Disclosure: I am a P&Gmom. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Funny how Dad never complained about not wanting yet another tie, coffee mug or pair of socks. The purchase that made me the proudest was when I got Dad a bottle of Old Spice. It seemed like all the dads wore it and it was in my price range. Plus, my grandfather always wore Old Spice.
To this day, whenever I smell Old Spice, I think of my grandfather. It turns out, my Dad wasn't much of an aftershave or cologne guy. He wasn't really into fragrances period. My grandfather was though! It makes me smile when I think of how good my grandfather always smelled! Old Spice makes me miss my grandfather.
I was reminded of Old Spice and the memories of my grandfather and of my childhood when my four year old got hold of one of our monthly PGMom packages. I detected the scent of Old Spice and came running down from my office. Little One was sitting on the couch, putting Old Spice deodorant on. She was shocked to see me and smiled, "I'm putting deodorant on, Mama! Now I smell good!"
I immediately thought of my Dad laughing if he saw what Little One was doing. I also knew that if my grandfather were still alive today and saw Little One putting on Old Spice, he would have a good laugh too.
On Father's Day, we celebrate the men in our lives. Of course, the first man I'd like to celebrate is my Dad. To the man who sat with us as we did our homework (and helped me as I toiled over math problems), and made sure to always have time for us after work...Thank you. To the man who built ice forts with us and took us skating and tobogganing...Thank you. To the man who taught us how to tie our shoes and ride a bike...Thank you. To the man who taught us so many important life lessons and continues to do so...Thank you.
When I see the special relationship my Dad has with my four year old daughter, it makes my heart fill with joy. I'm so lucky to have my Dad around.
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, and a special Father's Day wish for my Dad!
Disclosure: I am a P&Gmom. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Friday, June 14, 2013
What Makes Summer "All Good" For You? WIN $100 for Pinning w/ The McCain All Good Pinathon
Ahhh! I can almost picture it. Gentle breeze blowing through my hair as the waves wash over my feet at the beach. Feeling the sand between my toes, and listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore (drowned out by the boisterous cries of glee from my four year old as she makes and destroys a sand castle). Those are but a few things that make me smile when I think of Summer.
Those last few days of school are within reach and the feeling of freedom and celebration of Summer are almost within grasp. There's also nothing like going for an ice cream cone on a hot Summer day and just "being". No worries in the world. Just good times. Ice cream and the beach? It's "All Good"!
Some other things I love the most about Summer is the fact that we can get delicious fresh produce from our gardens and farmers' markets! Picnics, BBQs, trips to the beach, and just lounging around the patio with family and friends for a meal are all part of what makes Summer so special to me.
FAMILY. FRIENDS. FUN. FOOD.
Yep! That's what Summer means to me. That's what makes Summer "All Good" for me!
McCain wants to know some of what makes Summer "All Good" for you too!
The McCain All Good Pinathon
To find out what makes Summer all good for you, McCain is hosting an All Good Pinathon and awarding $100 each to 5 pinners whose boards make them "laugh, cry, or do a conga line around the office!" For full criteria, please see rules and regulations below. Entering is fun and easy:
- Create a board on Pinterest and name it “McCain All Good Pinathon.”
- Pin the things that make summer all good for you. For example: a perfectly ripe peach, the smell of grass, a picnic with friends
- Include one pin from McCain that makes you feel happy.
- Tag each pin in your board with the keyword McCainAllGood and you’re good to go! So good luck!
.jpg)
This is great for all those who love Pinterest and love Pinning! I'm a self-professed Pinterest addict. I can get lost for hours Pinning recipes, DIY ideas, crafts, items for my Dream House, and more!
The contest goes from June 13th to July 11th. You can win 1 of 5 $100 Gift Cards! C'mon...Go ahead and Pin! You know you wanna!
Here are some of things that make Summer "All Good" for me!
Disclosure - I have partnered with McCain for this promotional post. All thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.
Saturday, June 08, 2013
Roasted Miso Honey Glazed Carrots: A Request By My 4 Year Old
I admit it. I'm a cooking show fanatic. It started when I was very young. My maternal grandparents (may they both rest in peace) used to watch cooking shows and soap operas all the time and the cooking show love was passed down to their grandchildren.
Food Network or cooking shows on CBC -- It doesn't matter. I'm hooked.
It's no surprise that my four year old is also a huge fan of food TV. When she was two years old, if there was a cooking segment on Steven and Chris, she would stop whatever she was doing and become fixated. When I was food blogging for season one of Recipe to Riches, Little One was totally involved in the experience too. She never missed an episode!
Today, she turned on the TV while I was cleaning the house and was watching In the Kitchen with Stefano Faita!
I wasn't paying too much attention, but could hear the show in the background. I did end up catching the end of the show, so when Little One said she wanted Stefano's roasted miso honey glazed carrots, I figured I could recreate the dish with what info I did hear.
What my four year old neglected to tell me was that it wasn't just roasted carrots. It was really Roasted Carrots & Brussels Sprouts in Miso Honey!
Here's Stefano's amazing Roasted Carrots & Brussels Sprouts in Miso Honey recipe, and here's what I ended up making...
Roasted Miso Honey Glazed Carrots
Ingredients:
4 large carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise down the middle (Stefano just cut his carrots in half and it made for stunning presentation)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp white miso paste
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp local Manitoulin honey
a bit of water
Salt and pepper
garnish
Sesame seeds
Parsley, choppped
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 F
In a bowl mix together the miso paste, honey, olive oil, garlic, water (and salt and pepper to taste).
Arrange carrots on baking sheet and pour mixture over carrots. Mix, making sure carrots are coated evenly.
Roast in oven for 20 min.
Once cooked, arrange in serving dish and garnish with parsley and sesame seeds.
Though my four year old INHALED the roasted carrots and deemed them to be her new favourite dish, next time I am going to try Stefano's original recipe! I LOVE Brussels Sprouts, and am always looking for new ways to cook them. This will be delicious, I'm sure!
Totally missed the part of the segment where Stefano was cooking this dish and therefore missed the part about the ginger, Brussels Sprouts, and cilantro instead of parsley! It was still delish! My four year old has given her two thumbs up.She was the one who added the garnish and was very pleased with herself.
Watch Stefano's videos online here.
What's your child's favourite dish? Do your kids enjoy cooking shows?
@LifeMadeDelish has Introduced 8 New Products! #LMDConnector
I am excited to announce that I have been selected as a Life Made Delicious Connector! In the past year, I have shared news, reviews and fun from General Mills Life Made Delicious. I shared some of my family's favourite recipes and have shared how I keep my family fed with a very busy schedule as well.
Since I love cooking and anything food related (I come from a Filipino family--Feeding people and hosting big dinner parties is in our culture!), I am excited to say that to be able to talk about food, recipes and other fun LMDConnector news.
For me, food is not only a way to nourish the body, but it is largely a social thing as well. Food, family, friends, laughter, memories...you get the picture!
The first piece of news I get to share with you is that General Mills/Life Made Delicious has 8 new products coming out this summer!
My husband and daughter are big fans of Honey Nut Cheerios. The regular Cheerios were Little One's first "finger food" when she was starting to eat solids. Hubby has always loved Honey Nut Cheerios and buys the Jumbo Family Sized boxes. No, I'm not kidding. I'm always amazed at how quickly he can go through boxes of cereal!
He's actually looking forward to the new cereal coming out this summer!
Cereals
- Honey Nut Cheerios Hearty Oat Crunch
- Fibre 1 Almond & Cluster Delight
Bars
- Nature Valley Protein: Peanut Almond & Dark Chocolate
- Nature Valley Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate
- Fibre 1 With 6g of Protein Peanut Butter
- Golden Graham S’mored Treats
- Fibre 1 With 7g of Protein Caramel Nut
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats
Since Hubby is a busy farm boy, he often carries Nature Valley or Fibre 1 bars with him. When he is working in the field or on the tractor and needs to fuel up his body but needs something quick, easy and portable, he grabs a bar. It seems to keep him going until his next meal.
There are two coupons (one for the cereals and one for the snack bars). Each coupon has a specific date for redemption and are available here on the Life Made Delicious Facebook page. Mark your calendars, because it's only a 1 day redemption period for each.
Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious. Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this
group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Being Unique + a @KinderCanada Contest! #KinderMom
Ever since the beginning, Little One just had to be unique. She insisted on catapulting herself into existence at 28 weeks gestation. This was a first in our family's history. There were no preemies on either side of the family.
To this day, our four year old displays her uniqueness in the way she thinks, the way she vocalizes her opinions (Ha! So young, yet has an opinion about everything), and especially in displaying her likes and preferences.
Friends and family know that I have always been anti-pink. Even from a young age, I boycotted pink! My aunts used to always get everything in pink for me and I resisted. I always opted for blue!
When Little One was born, I wanted no pink items. We ended up with everything pink. I believe it was to spite me that everyone showered us with PINK! Despite my protests, Little One's favourite colour is pink. She is a veritable girly girl. I don't know how that happened, since we haven't raised her in an environment that teaches girls to love pink and be girly girls or play with dolls.
In fact, Hubby bought her John Deere outfits and we got her toy trucks, trains, school buses and cars. Still, she somehow gravitated to the pink and the dolls, toy kitchens, doll houses, etc. There's nothing wrong with that at all, and we encourage her to do what she enjoys. I just think it's rather interesting how given all opportunities to use tools and do science experiments (which she loves), she also loves playing house and being a princess-fairy-ballerina. I think it's great that a princess-fairy-ballerina can play in the dirt and play with Star Wars action figures with her friends. Why not?
Since Little One is an only child, we have no reference point to determine what makes her different from other children. She's without a doubt, one of a kind. She has risen over what seemed to me to be insurmountable odds of being a preemie and she is thriving. I think what makes her unique in our eyes is how tenacious she is. She's spirited and feisty...and that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
All I know is that each child is unique and special in their own ways. I like that Kinder Canada "gets" that. Kinder Canada has launched their Kinder Surprise Pink and they're celebrating with a contest.
I'm a fan of the original/classic Kinder Surprise with toys that are gender neutral. Having said this, my daughter is a fan of the Kinder Surprise Pink. She loves the cute little animals, the jewelry, and girl toys. I have to say that she also likes the cars and cool toys found in the blue Kinder Surprise too.
Kinder Canada is having a great Pink contest! Tell Kinder Canada what makes YOUR child one of a kind and you can win 1 of 3 $250 VISA gift cards! To enter, "like" Kinder Canada on Facebook and enter here telling them what makes your child unique!
Disclosure: I’m part of the KINDER Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
To this day, our four year old displays her uniqueness in the way she thinks, the way she vocalizes her opinions (Ha! So young, yet has an opinion about everything), and especially in displaying her likes and preferences.
Friends and family know that I have always been anti-pink. Even from a young age, I boycotted pink! My aunts used to always get everything in pink for me and I resisted. I always opted for blue!
When Little One was born, I wanted no pink items. We ended up with everything pink. I believe it was to spite me that everyone showered us with PINK! Despite my protests, Little One's favourite colour is pink. She is a veritable girly girl. I don't know how that happened, since we haven't raised her in an environment that teaches girls to love pink and be girly girls or play with dolls.
In fact, Hubby bought her John Deere outfits and we got her toy trucks, trains, school buses and cars. Still, she somehow gravitated to the pink and the dolls, toy kitchens, doll houses, etc. There's nothing wrong with that at all, and we encourage her to do what she enjoys. I just think it's rather interesting how given all opportunities to use tools and do science experiments (which she loves), she also loves playing house and being a princess-fairy-ballerina. I think it's great that a princess-fairy-ballerina can play in the dirt and play with Star Wars action figures with her friends. Why not?
The kid goes to the barn in her frilly tutu and rain boots!
Since Little One is an only child, we have no reference point to determine what makes her different from other children. She's without a doubt, one of a kind. She has risen over what seemed to me to be insurmountable odds of being a preemie and she is thriving. I think what makes her unique in our eyes is how tenacious she is. She's spirited and feisty...and that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
All I know is that each child is unique and special in their own ways. I like that Kinder Canada "gets" that. Kinder Canada has launched their Kinder Surprise Pink and they're celebrating with a contest.
I'm a fan of the original/classic Kinder Surprise with toys that are gender neutral. Having said this, my daughter is a fan of the Kinder Surprise Pink. She loves the cute little animals, the jewelry, and girl toys. I have to say that she also likes the cars and cool toys found in the blue Kinder Surprise too.
Kinder Canada is having a great Pink contest! Tell Kinder Canada what makes YOUR child one of a kind and you can win 1 of 3 $250 VISA gift cards! To enter, "like" Kinder Canada on Facebook and enter here telling them what makes your child unique!
Disclosure: I’m part of the KINDER Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Friday, June 07, 2013
Filipino Bistek (Beef Steak) @CanadianBeef #LoveCDNBeef
With May being the month my Lola (grandmother) passed away last year, I've found myself making a lot of Filipino dishes. We're now into the beginning of June and I find I'm still cooking a lot of Filipino food. This has totally been done unintentionally. I think it's perhaps because I really, really miss my grandmother right now. I've also been missing her cooking and by me cooking up some of the food that remind me of her, it also brings me back to my roots.
My husband and four year old daughter certainly don't mind. We had Filipino Bistek for supper tonight and it was a hit.
This is a family recipe that has been tweaked. I didn't have *calamansi (citrus fruit native to the Philippines - looks like a little lime/lemon). Since I can't get calamansi where I live, I use regular lemons. It doesn't taste quite the same as the Bistek in the Philippines, but it does the trick!
My husband and four year old daughter certainly don't mind. We had Filipino Bistek for supper tonight and it was a hit.
This is a family recipe that has been tweaked. I didn't have *calamansi (citrus fruit native to the Philippines - looks like a little lime/lemon). Since I can't get calamansi where I live, I use regular lemons. It doesn't taste quite the same as the Bistek in the Philippines, but it does the trick!
Filipino Bistek
Ingredients:
1 lb of beef sirloin, sliced thinly (about a quarter inch in thickness)
*the juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp minced garlic (I like a lot of garlic, so I actually put in 4-5 cloves, minced)
2 large onions, cut into rings
1/2 c soy sauce
black pepper, freshly ground
cooking oil
Instructions:
- Slice beef into thin strips. Season beef with freshly ground black pepper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, soy sauce, and lemon juice.
- Marinate meat in soy/garlic/lemon juice mixture. Overnight is best, but if you're short on time, at least 30 minutes.
- In a skillet, heat cooking oil (enough to cover the bottom of the skillet) and stir fry the onion 'rings' until slightly soft and slightly golden. Make sure not to overcook them. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Using the same skillet you cooked the onions in, pan fry the strips of beef. It's best to cook in small batches.
- Once all the meat has been cooked, return to skillet. Let cook for a few minutes in the sauce. If you need to add more soy or lemon juice, add according to your taste. I don't like my Bistek too salty and prefer it on the sour/lemony side.
- Place beef slices on a serving plate with onion rings arranged on top of meat.
- Pour remaining sauce over Bistek and serve with rice (and whatever vegetables you'd like on the side). In true Filipino style, spoon sauce over rice and eat!
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Giving Thanks
Never in a million years would I have ever imagined what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of the kind of love and support we received over a week ago. When I think about the tremendous outpour of concern and well wishes, I get so overwhelmed and end up crying.
Giving Thanks
What I originally thought would be a quick in and out visit at the hospital for an ultrasound for my four year old turned into a "We're flying you to Ottawa for doctors at CHEO to find out what's going on with [insert Little One's real name here]".
To be honest, the whole experience was rather dizzying. For three weeks, Little One had been complaining of really bad abdominal pains, yet no one could figure out what was wrong. One minute we were at the hospital on the Island, and the next minute we were being flown to Ottawa.
A Huge Thank You to CHEO
The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario really impressed me. Everything from their patient care to even the tiniest detail like giving their littlest patients stickers for doing a great job (like letting the nurses put in their PICC line for their IV or staying still for an X-Ray or ultrasound). CHEO also makes the experience a happy one even though circumstances may not be so happy. What do I mean by this? Well, CHEO has a great play room for their patients. Computers, an air hockey table, arts and crafts, and so many other activities to keep kids busy and having fun.
My four year old was excited to do some arts and crafts. She was all over the paints and glittery stickers!
Another thing that impressed me was CHEO's library! A fully stocked library for patients to enjoy! Little One had us reading princess book after princess book!
Thank You to the Blogging Community
Through Facebook and Twitter, my online friends were watching and waiting with baited breath for news about Little One. What I didn't know was what was going on behind the scenes. Some of my friends from the CBN and Blogaholics were gathering up funds for us.
Thank you to all these amazing friends for doing something so thoughtful (and unexpected). A BIG thank you!
I was totally shocked, moved, overwhelmed, and in tears. This was something I was not expecting and couldn't even imagine why people would team up and do something like this for us. To me, it was more a question of "Why would anyone ever do this for us? Who are we to deserve something like this?"
Our friends were all parents who could imagine the costs of being away from home and in hospital for an extended period of time. This reminded me of the 72 days spent when Little One was in the NICU. As a preemie born at 28 weeks, we had to stay at Mount Sinai for 72 very long days. People don't often think of things like travel costs, food, etc.
Thank goodness I didn't have to stay in a motel or take public transportation every day to see my daughter at the hospital. I was able to sleep in a chair that pulled out into a bed (right beside Little One's hospital bed).
Having just the clothes Little One and I were wearing, I had to get my friend to run to Wal-mart and pick up some capris, t-shirts, socks, undies, and necessities for both Little One and me. Things like toothbrushes and all the little every day items were things I didn't have with me (as I wasn't expecting to be flown to Ottawa).
Thank you SO much to all our blogging friends! You have touched our hearts more than you can ever imagine. Thank you.
I think what surprised me too was that companies like TELUS and Mom Central Canada also sent us some love online. I had been offline for a bit and when I saw this tweet from TELUS, I cried.
I'm telling you, there was a lot of crying going on last week! If you think of it though, it says a lot about a company when they reach out to their fans/followers/customers/community. I'm more apt to go with (and stay with) a company that values their members and doesn't treat them as just a number. Still wowed by the gesture from TELUS. Yet another reason I love them and have been with them since 2000! The longest relationship I've had ;)
Giving Thanks to Some Very Special People
My friend, @flywithbaby has been one of my closest friends since we were 17. She also happens to live in Ottawa and came to the hospital every day when Little One was under CHEO's care. Being still in shock that we had to be sent by air ambulance and also being severely sleep deprived and worried about Little One, I was pretty useless. Kelly (aka @flywithbaby) was the extra set of ears I needed and asked the doctors questions I didn't even think of asking.
She also did a lot of running around (going to the pharmacy to get Little One's medication, picking up clothes and food, etc) while I was by Little One's bedside. She and her husband also housed us for the days following Little One's surgery.
Another VERY special person to us is @CanadianDadBlog! He and his family were such a great support while we were in Ottawa. This experience has really shown us how blessed we are to have such great friends. Canadian Dad visited Little One when she was released from hospital and then brought us back to CHEO when Little One had a fever and was ill post surgery. Not only did he drive us to the hospital, but he also stayed with us for a few hours until @flywithbaby came to join us. So thankful for such amazing friends when I was so emotional (and Hubby was 9 hours away tending the farm).
If all that wasn't enough to give thanks for, Canadian Dad also chatted with Official Princess Parties and got Little One's favourite princess to visit! That experience will not be forgotten. Belle made Little One a very happy girl!
I was so touched when Canadian Dad told me that he had spoken to Official Princess Parties and that though they were fully booked for events that weekend, the owner put it out to her princesses who were off day to see if anyone was interested in doing this for us. Within minutes, she received three "yes" replies! That totally made me cry!
It's no wonder they are so popular! What a great company. Find out more about all the great things they do for kids' charities here.
Thank you to Team PTPA for the beautiful flowers and teddy bear for Little One. They arrived right before her surgery and totally made her day. I have to say that PTPA is a great company to work for. They're my second family!
Little One's BFF had her grandma in Ottawa bring over a Hello Kitty. Other special visits included a visit from one of my old friends (we went to kindergarten together and the last time we saw each other was maybe high school graduation or perhaps sometime in c.e.g.e.p.), may aunt, uncle, and cousin, one of my old students from when I taught in Toronto, @LilMissKateCo, my childhood friend & my parents' best friends.
Giving thanks to all the special people in our lives
We are so blessed to have all of you in our lives and we really appreciate all the love and support you have given us.
** We were going to do a special Vlog Thank You to everyone, but I couldn't bring myself to make it go "live". I was crying too much and really had the "Ugly Crying Face" thing going on! **
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
#WordlessWednesday w/ Linky: #MonthOfMom in Review
I took part in (and completed) the #PGMom #MonthOfMom Photo Challenge. Here are some of our photos for the month.
May started off as a "typical" month on the farm, but ended with Little One being airlifted to the hospital. What a wild and crazy month it has been!
Link up your Wordless Wednesday posts here. We'd love to check them out!
Monday, May 27, 2013
MIA for a while
Due to family emergency, I will be away from the blog for a while. Hopefully, I'll be able to post again sometime next week or so. Thank you :)
Friday, May 17, 2013
May 2-4 is the Unofficial Start of Summer! Target Canada Makes Summer Living Easy! @target_ca {GIVEAWAY}
May 2-4 is the Unofficial Start of Summer and Target Canada Makes Summer Living Easy.
For many of us in Canada, Victoria Day long weekend is the unofficial start of Summer! You know it's true. We get really excited with the milder weather. To us, May 2-4 weekend is shorts and flip flops time! It's when we open up our cottages, head to the lake, do some serious outdoor entertaining and rev up the 'ol BBQ!
Target Canada has prepared a check-list of all the essentials families will need to kick off the season. They've thought of everything from Road Trip Essentials to Cottage Weekend and Summer Entertaining!
ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS
The family road trip can be tough – often inching along as everyone hits the highway for the inaugural cottage visit or weekend away. To keep kids occupied (and drivers sane), be sure to pack the following:
COTTAGE WEEKEND
May 2-4 often marks the opening of family cottages across the country. Load the family van with these essentials to ensure everyone has a great weekend together and is ready for the summer:
SUMMER ENTERTAINING
Canadians love to entertain outdoors and take advantage of beautiful summer-like weather. Target has everything from Bublé to bistro sets to make entertaining a breeze this season:
The family road trip can be tough – often inching along as everyone hits the highway for the inaugural cottage visit or weekend away. To keep kids occupied (and drivers sane), be sure to pack the following:
- Snacks – keep a secret stash of goodies to make a long trip a bit more bearable (and fast food pit stops to a minimum). Target’s owned brands Market Pantry and Archer Farms have a variety of snack items including fruit strips, granola, chips and popcorn to snack on along the way
- Car friendly games – for long drives, best to pack some car friendly games and books to keep little ones occupied and entertained.
- iPad – make sure the family iPad is fully charged for tech savvy kids to quietly play their favourite games in the back.
- DVD – great for a rainy day or dull drive, pack favourite movies for the DVD player, such as The Rise of the Guardians, Mulan or The Lorax.
- Safety First – with so many cars on the highway, make sure to have a fully stocked first aid kit in the trunk.
COTTAGE WEEKEND
May 2-4 often marks the opening of family cottages across the country. Load the family van with these essentials to ensure everyone has a great weekend together and is ready for the summer:
- Cottage comfies - Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate for the long weekend. Be sure to pack warm clothes and blankets if temperatures drop at night. The Roots Outfitters for Target collection has hoodies and jogging pants for the whole family to keep warm round the campfire.
- Sun/Skincare – be sure to hit the pharmacy aisle to be prepped for the elements. Don’t forget sunscreen, bug spray and a first aid kit for the cottage and boat. Target’s Up and Up line has everything to stock the medicine cabinet with all essentials for the summer.
- Meals – bring foods that are easy to cook so you can spend more time outside having fun with family and friends. Frozen pizzas and chips and dips are easy items to have on hand for quick bites and easy but delicious appetizers for guests.
SUMMER ENTERTAINING
Canadians love to entertain outdoors and take advantage of beautiful summer-like weather. Target has everything from Bublé to bistro sets to make entertaining a breeze this season:
- Plastic makes perfect – with kids running around in bare feet, plastic dishes and stemware make entertaining outside stress free. Target’s Threshold collection carries colourful dishes and serving trays to create a beautiful outdoor tabletop.
- Accessorize – gardens and greenery provide a beautiful backdrop for any occasion. Add to the outdoors with seasonal accessories including bright patio rugs, umbrellas and pillows.
- Ambiance – set the mood with outdoor lanterns and low background music (but remember, sound travels!)
- Food - check the grocery aisle for quick and easy appetizers to pop in the oven as guests arrive. Archer Farms’ Spanakopita and Lobster and Cheese bites are crowd pleasers – just make sure you have enough on hand for seconds!
Now, if you know me in real life or if you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that I am all about entertaining. I love hosting dinner parties and I love cooking for lots of people!
Target Canada has some fabulous ideas for your Summer entertaining! The ingredients for these next dishes are available at Target, including all the Market Place products (chickpeas and extra virgin olive oil for the dip and marshmallows for the S'mores bars). The Ghiradelli chocolate chips and Golden Grahams Crunch cereal are also available at Target.
The following recipes are courtesy of Target Canada:
The following recipes are courtesy of Target Canada:
{ CHICKPEA & FETA DIP }
What you need:
Here’s how:
1. Process chickpeas, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/4 cup peppers and next 4 ingredients in food processor until smooth.
2. Spoon into serving bowl; top with remaining cheese and peppers.
3. Serve with crackers.
- Serve with TRISCUIT Thin Crisps or Archer Farms Tortilla Chips
- Two kinds of crunch: serve dip with cut-up fresh vegetable dippers in addition to crackers
What you need:
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
- 1/3 cup roasted red pepper strips, divided
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- TRISCUIT Crackers
Here’s how:
1. Process chickpeas, 1/2 cup cheese, 1/4 cup peppers and next 4 ingredients in food processor until smooth.
2. Spoon into serving bowl; top with remaining cheese and peppers.
3. Serve with crackers.
- Serve with TRISCUIT Thin Crisps or Archer Farms Tortilla Chips
- Two kinds of crunch: serve dip with cut-up fresh vegetable dippers in addition to crackers
and
{ HONEY GRAHAM CRUNCH S'MORES BARS }
What you need:
Here’s how:
1. Spray 8 or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over LOW heat; add 3 cups miniature marshmallows. Cook and stir until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Add cereal; mix until well coated.
3. Press firmly into prepared pan with the back of a buttered spoon or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1
1/2 cups miniature marshmallows in single layer over top.*
4. Heat chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Heat in additional 10 second increments until completely melted. Spread evenly over top of marshmallows. Let stand until chocolate is set. - Makes 16 bars
- If desired, toast marshmallows by heating under broiler a few minutes until lightly browned. Then drizzle with chocolate.
- This recipe can easily be doubled and made in a 13x9-inch pan. (You will need to purchase 2 bags of miniature marshmallows.) - Sprinkle over hot cereal.
- These make a great snack just served plain or mixed with dried fruit.
- Stir slightly crushed cereal into ice cream or frozen yogurt for a crunchy treat.
What you need:
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows
- 4 cups Honey Graham Crunch cereal
- 1 1/2 cups Market Pantry miniature marshmallows
- 1 (11.5 oz.) bag milk chocolate chips
Here’s how:
1. Spray 8 or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over LOW heat; add 3 cups miniature marshmallows. Cook and stir until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Add cereal; mix until well coated.
3. Press firmly into prepared pan with the back of a buttered spoon or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1
1/2 cups miniature marshmallows in single layer over top.*
4. Heat chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Heat in additional 10 second increments until completely melted. Spread evenly over top of marshmallows. Let stand until chocolate is set. - Makes 16 bars
- If desired, toast marshmallows by heating under broiler a few minutes until lightly browned. Then drizzle with chocolate.
- This recipe can easily be doubled and made in a 13x9-inch pan. (You will need to purchase 2 bags of miniature marshmallows.) - Sprinkle over hot cereal.
- These make a great snack just served plain or mixed with dried fruit.
- Stir slightly crushed cereal into ice cream or frozen yogurt for a crunchy treat.
{ WIN IT }
Who's ready for Summer? Are you excited for May 2-4 Weekend? Leave a comment telling me how you'll be spending your Victoria Day weekend and you can win a $50 Target Gift Card with which you can buy your Summer entertaining essentials (or buy something nice for yourself)!
Open to residents of Canada. Ends June 3, 2013.
Open to residents of Canada. Ends June 3, 2013.
Disclosure - I was compensated for this post, however all the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.
School's Out For Summer! Not Quite, But A Staycation At @Fallsavenue @FallsWaterpark is Perfect for Family Fun This Summer! #likenowhereelse {GIVEAWAY}
People used to always tell me "Oh, we hate road trips" or "Road trips are so awful" and "You can't go on a road trip with young kids."
When we were kids, my parents took us on tons of road trips and we had a blast! We'd drive from Montreal to Florida every year. We'd also make shorter road trips from Montreal to Toronto or Montreal to New York to visit our family. What I loved the most was the adventure! I loved driving to Florida with my family and passing through all the States until we reached our destination.
I always knew that when I had kids of my own, I wanted road trips to be part of their childhood memories.
A family stroll to check out the sites and sounds of Niagara Falls was the perfect way to begin our mini vacation. The Clifton Hill, the main drag is always packed and bustling with people! I love the energy. We even stopped and watch a few musical performances and dancers. Little One was in awe!
Since Hubby hadn't been to Niagara in ages and this was Little One's first trip, we had planned to check out as many attractions as we could. Hubby really enjoyed the Guinness World Records Museum. Hubby is a facts guy. He likes statistics and is a total trivia nut.
We also went to Ripley's Museum (Ripley's Believe It Or Not!) My husband would have liked to stay longer and read through every single rare and mind boggling display in the collection. I think we rushed him. The man can spend an entire day reading! He soaks that stuff all up! He loved it!
I was surprised that with all the oddities, Little One wasn't scared. She was rather intrigued by it all. I really thought she was going to cry!
We went to Brick City and some other fun places for kids to enjoy. Little One really enjoyed the LEGO exhibits.
Of course, we just had to go to the Rainforest Cafe! Little One had never been before, and I worried that the tropical rain storm and the gorillas and elephants would make her scared. I was wrong again! She loved everything about the Rainforest Cafe and just had a blast. She was so amazed by her surroundings.
Here's Little One having a chat with Oprah. Too cute! Edward and Bella from Twilight on the right, and the Star Trek guys and Pope Jean Paul II below.
Again, I thought Little One would be afraid of the wax museum, but she loved it!
Of course we had to go to the Hershey Store! I think that was one of my favourite spots to visit! We may or may not have bought $100 worth of chocolate. No, I'm not kidding.
She loved it so much that she didn't want to do anything else but stay at the water park. She also made us promise to take her back to Niagara for her birthday. As you can see, Niagara Falls & Fallsview are definitely #likenowhereelse!
This Summer, will you be 'Staycationing'? We really love @Fallsavenue and @FallsWaterpark. The perfect family getaway that is still 'close to home'.
Check out my other post about our stay at Falls Avenue Resort! You can win the following...
Disclosure - I am a Falls Avenue Resort Brand Ambassador. Though affiliated, all the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.
When we were kids, my parents took us on tons of road trips and we had a blast! We'd drive from Montreal to Florida every year. We'd also make shorter road trips from Montreal to Toronto or Montreal to New York to visit our family. What I loved the most was the adventure! I loved driving to Florida with my family and passing through all the States until we reached our destination.
I always knew that when I had kids of my own, I wanted road trips to be part of their childhood memories.
School's Out For Summer! Not Quite, But A Staycation At @Fallsavenue @FallsWaterpark is Perfect for Family Fun This Summer!
Before I had my daughter, people told me "It's impossible to travel with kids." We've had to make long drives from the Island to Toronto every few weeks in Little One's first two years of life because of her appointments at Sick Kids Hospital. 6 hour drives were no problem. Ever.
Plus, when you live on the Island, kids have no choice but to get used to traveling and being in their car seats for a few hours. Everything is so far to get to. Being in a car seat for a while is not an option.
Since we're too busy on the farm to leave on vacation for an extended period of time and airfare costs are quite pricey, we love the idea of a Staycation. We want to travel as a family and keep our travels to just Ontario. We love exploring our province.
I realize traveling may not be easy for everyone, so here are a few things that work for us:
- Plan your stops. We stop for pit stops and breaks to stretch our legs every 3 hours. It helps break up the drive and if Little One needs to run around for a bit, she can. We know exactly which rest areas and gas stations we will be stopping at.
- Pack lots of snacks and water/beverages! Healthy snacks to nibble on while en route always keeps our 4 year old busy.
- Play road trip games like "I Spy" or the Alpahbet Game. We also look for unusual license plates or landmarks in towns we pass through.
- Play some music! Little One can last a 6 hr drive to Toronto just chatting away or singing away. Music always livens up the drive and keeps the driver awake!
- Favourite toys, books, activities - We pack a little backpack for Little One's items. She often "reads" books to herself or colours in her activity book.
- iPod or DVD player. Little One enjoys playing alphabet and math games on the iPod and she loves watching her Disney DVDs! We bring a bunch of DVDs as a last resort. Normally we bring them out near the end of the drive if she's getting antsy.
- PLAN LOTS OF FUN THINGS TO DO AS A FAMILY! A trip to Niagara Falls was the best thing that happened to our family recently. When we found out we were going to Niagara, we made sure to sit down and discuss all the things we wanted to see and do. Having a game plan is key for us. This said, a little spontaneity is great too. We don't always follow our plan. For example, on day 2, Little One decided she didn't want to do any sightseeing anymore and wanted to spend the rest of her vacation at the waterpark. Fine by us!
Here are a few things we planned that made our trip amazing!
Since Hubby hadn't been to Niagara in ages and this was Little One's first trip, we had planned to check out as many attractions as we could. Hubby really enjoyed the Guinness World Records Museum. Hubby is a facts guy. He likes statistics and is a total trivia nut.
We also went to Ripley's Museum (Ripley's Believe It Or Not!) My husband would have liked to stay longer and read through every single rare and mind boggling display in the collection. I think we rushed him. The man can spend an entire day reading! He soaks that stuff all up! He loved it!
We went to Brick City and some other fun places for kids to enjoy. Little One really enjoyed the LEGO exhibits.
Here's Little One having a chat with Oprah. Too cute! Edward and Bella from Twilight on the right, and the Star Trek guys and Pope Jean Paul II below.
Of course we had to go to the Hershey Store! I think that was one of my favourite spots to visit! We may or may not have bought $100 worth of chocolate. No, I'm not kidding.
Though Little One thoroughly enjoyed sightseeing and going to all those cool attractions, her absolute favourite part of the trip was...
This Summer, will you be 'Staycationing'? We really love @Fallsavenue and @FallsWaterpark. The perfect family getaway that is still 'close to home'.
Check out my other post about our stay at Falls Avenue Resort! You can win the following...
The Prize:
How to Enter:
Simply enter for your chance at winning a Niagara Falls getaway at the contest link here. Contest winner will be drawn on June 3, 2013!
Make sure to follow @fallsavenue and @FallsWaterpark, as well as @chancesmommy @inRdream @orangeheromama @Gingermommy and @adomesticmomma and their #likenowhereelse tweets!
For more information, please visit www.fallsviewwaterpark.com and www.Sheratononthefalls.com.
Connect with Fallsview Waterpark and Falls Avenue Resort on Faceook.
Disclosure - I am a Falls Avenue Resort Brand Ambassador. Though affiliated, all the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
From Our Farm to Your Table
Farmers Feed Cities
You Can Find Me Here!
Affiliates
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Brand Ambassador for
For Fellow Bloggers
|
|
 |
 |
Proud Recipient
About the Blog Author
City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
Les Boutons!
Let's Connect
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Support
