my favorites in february

here's a list of the things I enjoyed in February - 

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music - 

Havana Meets Kingston

We went to Sunrise Records in the mall and I bought this on impulse, and it was a good choice.

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on Netflix - 

Cheer

I'm sure I'm one of the last people to watch this - so good and sad and uplifting.

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on Amazon Prime - 

 

The Farewell

A beautiful movie about family and love.  Watch it.

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aromatherapy - 

headache relief kit from Saje

The Mister knows me, and thoughtfully bought me this kit for Christmas.  February saw me hosing myself down with the Stress Release Mist and Peppermint Halo.

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ok, let's try this again - 

Really good cookies

I think by now it's obvious to tell my family and I love cookies and especially chocolate chip cookies.  Sure it's nice to have an oatmeal cookie now and then, or a delicious ginger cookie.  Sugar cookies are okay sometimes, and who doesn't love a good shortbread - you can add chocolate to them too!  But we really really love chocolate chip cookies.

In fact, look at what I came across while doing a cookie search on my blog for the above chocolate chip shortbread cookie - a post from 14 - 14!!!!!!!!!!!!  years ago that confirms my love of the CC cookie:

I mean, come on.

So last weekend I was messing around on the internet before I got going for the day and I came across a cookie recipe that sounded really good - Bakerella's Major Mini Chip Cookies.

I deviated from her recipe by not making them giant size, and I didn't have any mini chips, so mine were regular sized delicious cookies jam packed with tons of delicious chocolate, and what could be better????

Book Club - Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

2020-6

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Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business.

Comparison is the death of joy, and the only person you need to be better than is the one you were yesterday

Our words have power, but our actions shape our lives. 

Work treats - Almond Joy Cups

Work has been very busy and stressful lately, so we put together a little group to bring in weekly treats for a month or so for a little pick me up.  

I was worried about what to pick because this is a larger group than my usual core work group than I bring treats for, and this larger group included vegans, gluten frees, AND gluten free vegans.

But right away I found a recipe that I'd saved on Pinterest that I would likely not have made otherwise because it's coconut heavy which is not a favorite of The Grandfather and one of my core group at work, AND it is vegan and gluten free, hooray!

These Almond Joy Cups are actually pretty easy and only 5 ingredients - coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, almonds and chocolate!

I made a test batch for friends and family to sample and it was given the thumbs up, so I made 3 batches for the group with the help of The Mister, and the "help" of The Girl.  The Boy was waiting in the wings in case I needed another tester.

I added a pinch of salt and an extra splash of maple syrup to the coconut base and I liked it.

The treats were well received at work and I miscounted and brought in an extra 2 so, whoops, a bonus for the hard working cook!

Book Club - The Book of Gutsy Women by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton

2020-5

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"Here's to gutsy women.  May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.  And may we thank and celebrate them."

"If you hear the dogs, keep going.  If you see torches in the woods, keep going.  If they are shouting at you, keep going.  Don't ever stop.  Keep going.  IF you want to taste freedom, keep going."  Harriet Tubman

"Young girls need to see role models in whatever careers they may chose, just so they can picture themselves doing those jobs someday.  You can't be what you can't see."  Sally Ride

Why are women's celebrations of hard-fought victory so often treated as unseemly when there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and so much that is right?

Cookbook Cleanup Book 14 - From a Southern Oven

Book 14 is a dollar store find, and it was $3 well spent.

From a Southern Oven shares over 150 Southern recipes that cover everything from pimento cheese to crab cups to country ham and beyond.

This is a fun book to just read as well - the history of the recipes, the authors stories and opinions - what the hell a scuppernong is - make for a great book.

I tried 6 recipes from the book, and I had to cut myself off because every time I open this one I find something new I want to make.

I started with the Ham Tetrazzini, which I mildly screwed up by forgetting to add a couple of ingredients, but it still turned out very good.  And provided me with a new photo for my bad photos of good food label.

 We also tried the Sunday Breakfast Rice and Sausage Casserole, which the kids flat out refused to eat for breakfast.  What do they know?

The Wheat and Honey bread marked by triumphant return to bread baking and it was picture perfect, which you will have to image as I haven't been taking many photos lately.

The Mississippi Muffins were really more like delicious cupcakes, and Aunt Rhoda Gray's Refrigerator Cookies disappeared faster than any other cookie in recent memory.

Sausage Loaf was a bread heavy meatloaf make with pork and sausage and it made the best sandwiches.

I have so many more recipes I want to try - jambalaya, pimento mac and cheese, tomato pudding, fudge pie.....this is a great book.

Cookbook Cleanup results so far - Bookshelf -7  Donated - 7

Book Club - Maisie Dobbs by Jacueline Winspear

2020-4

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Pay attention to the reactions of your body.  It is the wisdom of the self speaking to you.

Maisie laughed, laughed until the tears fell down her cheeks.  How she would hate to say goodbye.

Birthday Cakes 2019

Birthday cake season has come and gone and whoooo, it was a nail biter!

Both kids had strong, ever changing opinions on their cakes, and every time I tried to nail down specifics a new idea popped into their heads and we were back to square one.

The Boy finally decided on a doughnut cake, Simpsons style, meaning pink with sprinkles.

I found a recipe for a bundt cake that tasted like a doughnut, so I whipped that up, let it cool, and then popped it out of the pan.

Almost.

DANGIT.

I carefully pried the stuck piece out of the pan and tried to stick the pieces back together using the power of my mind.  When that didn't work, I used toothpicks instead, and instructed The Mister to make sure I removed the 'picks before serving.

Can you spot the toothpick(s)?

I made a pink glaze for the top and sprinkled it with gold sugar because of course I forgot to buy real sprinkles for the top.

And guess what else we forgot?  TO REMOVE THE TOOTHPICKS BEFORE SERVING IT.

Lord.

The Boy loved it and it tasted pretty good, so that's all that matters.

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Her brother's birthday always throws The Girl into a frenzy about her own - what she would like to eat, what gift she would like, her cake.....

The cake ideas changed almost daily until I put my foot down a couple of days before her birthday and told her to pick.....an easy one that I could actually produce.

She settled on a cotton candy cake, and friends, I have no story to tell you other than it was a pretty cute cake.

I even marbled the dang thing because I was feeling so good about it.

My only wish was that I could have found fluffier cotton candy for the top but whatevs, look at these cakes!  It was a good time.  My babies are happy and healthy and loved their cakes.  Life is good

my favorites in january

Here's a list of things I enjoyed in January -

On Netflix -

John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.  So good.  Everything about this is perfect.

Santa Clarita Diet - I finished the 3rd and (sadly) last season.  Bizarre until the end.

On Amazon Prime:

One Mississippi.  So good.  So sad at times.  Another show cancelled too soon.

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Before the holidays every article on Buzzfeed was raving about this scalp brush thing that you use when you wash your hair, and it gets rid of build up and feels nice and vacuums out your car for you.

I ordered one for Santa to put in my stocking.

It's........ok?  I can't say that my hair is shiny or bouncy, but it does feel nice to scrape away at your scalp in a warm shower some mornings.

Another thing the internet got me started on came from a Facebook video I saw where they showed you how much of your various products you waste when you don't rip the container apart to extract the last bits of lotions and potions and lip balm.

My first test was on a lip balm, and using the handle of a little spoon from the kitchen I was able to scrape out a goodly amount of balm that otherwise would have been tossed out.  Cool!

Now I've moved on to scrub and lotion containers.

Cut the tops and middles off, and then you can get at the product hanging around in there, and you still have a lid to keep it covered.

My new favorite hobby.

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I forgot how much I love this song until it popped up on a random playlist while I was working.  Emmylou by First Aid Kit.

Book shopping at value village - I was reading a ton in December and early January, but I've hit the January blues and some long work weeks so it's petered off.  I popped in to the Vill and picked up 4 new (to me) books.

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My current mood:

 

Book Club - always and forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

2020-3

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I only wish my own mom were here for this.  All these big moments she's missing, that she'll keep missing.  I have to believe that she knows, that somehow she still sees.

Families shrink and expand.  All you can really do is be glad for it, glad for each other, for as long as you have each other.

How hard it must be to be the youngest sometimes, to be the one left behind.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I needed a fast weeknight dinner and found it with this One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta, and as an unexpected bonus, everyone liked it!

I used two vessels instead of one - don't tell! - a pot for the pasta and a pan to cook the chicken while the pasta was cooking to speed up the dish and get everyone where they needed to be after dinner.

It was fast and delicious and this will become a regular dish.

Recipe:  One-Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta

Book Club - Spolier Alert: The Hero Dies by Michael Ausiello

2020-2

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I wanted to believe her, but the so-called experts had misled Kit and me so many times during this journey that my faith tank was running on empty.

At this moment, I found myself really wishing New York State had a Death With Dignity Act.  There was no dignity in what was transpiring tonight,  Kit deserved a better end than he was getting.

"He will go when he is ready to go.  And if you're not present, that means he wanted to spare you that moment."

"He can hear you.  Talk to him.  Tell him you love him.  Assure him you will be ok without him."

......it would all soon be over.  And for an instant I felt a fleeting sense of relief.  For Kit.  For Kit's parents.  And for me.

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Whoooooooooo.  This one got me good.  It has been a long time since a book made me cry this much.  It is a lovely, sad story.  Go find this book and read it.

Snapshot - There's a face in the pancake!

Book Club - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

2020-1

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My nana likes to say that spring brings love.  Spring in Garden Heights doesn't always bring love, but it promises babies in the winter. 

Funerals aren't for dead people.  They're for the living.

That's the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes ok to them and normal for us.  

Khalil, I'll never forget.

I'll never give up.

I'll never be quiet.

I promise.

2 bad photos of 2 good things

Not that any of my photos are wonderful, but sometimes my photos are truly horrendous, even by my low standards.  And I get grumpy because maybe I wanted to share a link to a really good recipe, but I don't have much to say other than here is a really good recipe, and a really bad photo but my photo is so bad that I just give up and don't.

But this time I will - these photos and links have been sitting in my drafts for a while because the photos are bad but the recipes are sooooo good.

First up is a broccoli cheese soup.  The soup was really good and easy to make because you toss it all in the instant pot.  I couldn't be bothered to try to take a nice photo on the counter or table, and instead tried to take a photo of it in my lap in my chair in the living room.  No.

Recipe: instant pot broccoli cheese soup

Next up is a very very good apple crisp with a yummy brown sugar and cinnamon crust.  The recipe called for cold butter and mine was not, which is why I think it came out looking like this.

Not horrific, but not really great.

It tasted amazing though.  Love me some apple crisp.

Recipe: Four Ingredient Apple Crisp

Energy Bites

My kids are eternally hungry, always wanting snacks.  Hungry all the time, except when it is meal time and we put an actual plate of an actual meal in front of them, and then they are magically full until the kitchen is cleaned up and then they start asking for more snacks.

Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

They would prefer an endless stream of sugar and we would not, and I found a bit of compromise with these energy bites.  I like that these make room for some added nutrition with flax seed, and the recipe lists some other substitutions you might want to try,  I've also thrown some shredded coconut in which was also very delicious.

Recipe: 5 ingredient peanut butter energy bites

Grocery Shop - January 4

goldfish crackers (x2), coconut milk, rice cakes, granola bars, ground coriander, canned diced tomatos, canned crushed tomatos, dill pickles, fruit snacks, rolled oats, shredded unsweetened coconut, gingerale, beef broth, more granola bars, canned ravioli (shudder), cheerios, apple juice, mayo, KD, canned baby corn, applesauce, tea, eggs, mini frozen pizzas, almond butter, puffed rice, almond milk, clif bars, kombucha, coconut water, avocados, romaine, carrots, onions, cucumbers, watermelon, bananas, lemons, tomatos, sweet potato, raspberries, blackberries, italian sausage, pork roast, cheese, deli meat (x3), hummus

$219.15

Hello to 2020 - Intentions - 1

ugh.  2019 was supposed to be my year to get myself pulled together but instead I've fallen apart even worse.  I want this year to be the year that I really do pull myself together and get healthier.

2020 Intentions -  

Morning pages - I am working on incorporating this into my daily routine.  So far I'm not doing it daily or hitting the 3 page goal, but it is nice to sit in the morning and have some quiet time before the day gets going.

Self contemplation with pulling cards/reading oracle book.  I've been slowly working towards this in 2019 - gathering some mindfulness/intuitive cards and an oracle book to take some time each day to see where I'm at and how I'm feeling. 

Read Simple Abundance every day - I can't recall where I heard about this book but apparently the daily essays help you connect and reflect with yourself and be present.  I was lucky enough to come across a copy in perfect condition at the symphony book sale in the Spring.  I squirreled it away, but after Christmas I tidied up my night table (above) and put it smack dab in the middle so hopefully I will look at every day/most days/some days.

 Getting healthier - more water, more veggies, less sugar.  More moving, less screen time.  More reading, more sleep.

Trying a gentler return to yoga

Caring less about what other people think of me.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a grand list, I know, but I am really rooting for myself this year.

my favorites in december

Here's a list of things I enjoyed in December:

On Netflix - 

Schitts Creek - I finished up seasons 4 and 5 with a lot of laughs and tears and can't wait until season 6 arrives on CBC next month.  My family will have to let me watch a show I want on tv, right?

On Amazon Prime -

Booksmart - loooooooove this movie!  So funny and wonderful.

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Face Sprays -  my aromatherapy and face sprays kept me going this month.  I treated myself to 2 new ones - Kismet's Flower Child - rose and peppermint, and Saje's Cool Spray - mint and eucalyptus.  So good.

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In the kitchen - I really really liked cooking from Eat Delicious this fall, and finished up this month with more cookies and some ramen and stir fried pork and green beans.  I really love this book.

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The sounds of Christmas -

I bought the Vinyl Cafe Christmas pack because The Mister and I have always loved Stuart McLean (we were lucky enough to see him twice in concert!) and his stories remind me of my mom, who also loved his stories and would listen to him on the weekends on CBC radio.

Elvis Christmas.  Uh-huh.

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I put on my big girl pants and my Boo (eternal BFF) and I booked ourselves Mammogram appointments.

If you are part of the group that should be screened - do it.  

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Blessings to a new year - hope yours is already off to a wonderful start.

2019 book club review

Book Club has become the biggest part of my blog, and I'm more than ok with that.

The idea of being part of a "real" book club out in the world makes me nervous - people?  No thanks.  My book club for one makes me happy.  

In 2019 I read 51 books.  

I started to write that I had read mostly fiction, with a few memoirs and audio books thrown in, but then I decided to review the list and break it down into more general genres to see what I had read.

Memoirs - 20

Non-fiction -7

Fiction by female authors - 11

Fiction by male authors - 4

Audio books - 9

Way more memoirs than I expected!

I also checked back since I started by Book Club tag to see how this years 51 compared to other years

48 books in 2018

41 books in 2017

26 books in 2016

So as my kids get older and more independent, my number of books read increases.  😀

I've got lots of books kicking around the house and a few holds I hope come in the library soon, my fingers are crossed for an even better Book Club year in 2020.