February 2012
2 posts
3 tags
Homemade Birthday Cakes for People Who Don't "Do"...
My twin boys are turning five next week so today I bought all of the supplies for their cakes. I always make their cakes. I know store-bought cakes are fancy and you can do exciting things like get your photo on top, but for some reason I feel really strongly that I always want to make my kids’ birthday cakes (and I don’t feel strongly about much!). They don’t have to be organic,...
7 tags
Vintage Dresser Makeover
We have been needing a sideboard/console for our dining room for ages. We have five people stuffed into a small house and every inch of space around here counts, so it needed to be something that really worked for us. We are in sort of a transitional phase — our Ikea furniture is showing signs of wear and tear, but we can’t afford to replace it with the kind of stuff we like. Every...
January 2012
4 posts
A Letter to Evan, age 4 years and 10 months.
January 23, 2012
Dear Evan,
As I write this letter you are nearly five years old. You are upstairs in bed, chatting with your brother about paper airplanes and being a knight when you grow up. You are growing and changing so much lately. I love and hate it at the same time! It makes me realize I should capture some of the spirit of your childhood in words. And so I am writing you a proper letter...
6 tags
All the glory of homemade...without the hard work.
My history with small appliances is hit and miss. Our food processor moved in with my mum a couple of years ago. The juicer found a new home on Craig’s List. But my breadmaker? It’s here to stay.
Last spring I bought a Sunbeam breadmaker on amazon.ca. It was an inexpensive model (about $80) with decent reviews and seemed like a good “starter” machine. I was reluctant to...
8 tags
Dinner at Our House (Tonight: One-Pan Baked...
Sometimes I feel inspired when it comes to dinner and sometimes I really don’t. It depends on my mood, the contents of my fridge, my kids’ crankiness/happiness level and how busy I am during the day. Once in a while I get really organized. I make a plan for the week and shop accordingly, even doubling recipes to stock the freezer. And by “once in a while”, I mean...
6 tags
My All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe
I started making my own all-purpose cleaner almost five years ago. I like the idea of getting things clean without harsh chemicals. Having kids has made me much more aware of our family’s impact on the environment and having thyroid cancer has made me more conscious of toxins and potential carcinogens. My friends know me as someone who keeps her house pretty clean (right guys?) and I do it...
December 2011
3 posts
6 tags
The most perfect, easy brownies you'll ever...
A former neighbour of mine, Tammy, shared her best brownie recipe with me a few years ago. It is amazing and so simple. No eggs, no flour, no fuss. I like to dress these brownies up for special occasions — a dusting of icing sugar, a drizzle of melted chocolate and for Christmas I decided to do a layer of white chocolate and crushed candy cane pieces on top. I baked these with the kids and...
7 tags
Great Novels to Read Aloud to Young Children
I remember reading somewhere that I child can comprehend books read aloud to them that are about five grade levels above their actual reading ability. Well, my twin boys are in JK and can’t read yet, but they have been listening to novels read aloud since they were three and they love it! As a former kindergarten teacher with a special interest in early literacy, reading has been a big part...
5 tags
