Montrealaise en Californie

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

Well it's 2012 already! A whole year just zoomed by. 2011 was filled with changes in our family. Some good, some ok and some not too great. I'm hoping this year will be a year a bit less stressed for our family.

Last year I actually opened a business and only started advertising it by the end of summer. I almost doubled my clientele and yet I am still able to work part time and be with my children. Years ago I thought they would be ok without me being at home after school at a certain age but I was wrong. They still needed their momma. lol You learn as you get older.

I'm hoping this year will be a good one not only for our family but also my business. How was your 2011? Pretty good or kinda stressful? What are your wishes for 2012?

A Bientot!

Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel!

2011-12-25T14:57:00.000-08:00

From my family to yours!

A Bientot!

Teacher's Christmas Gift.

2011-12-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to bake something for my children's teachers. I made some chocolate chips cookies and some chocolate crinkle cookies.

I used an empty and clean Pringles can and wrapped it with scrapbook paper. Quick, easy and inexpensive. I saw it on Pinterest (who hasn't spent hours of just pinning?!) and decided that's what I'll be doing for Christmas.

Hope this might give you and idea if you are running out of time.

A Bientot!

Santa!

2011-12-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

Hello??? Anyone there? lol Life has been quite hectic this year for me. I don't want to give up my blog but trying to find the time to post anything new is not as easy as it used to.

Yesterday I decided to see Santa. I wasn't sure if I would be able to if I waited too close to Christmas Day. The kids were happy to oblige my request and off we went to see Santa! I am so happy it's been the same Santa for at least 4 or 5 years. My daughter is 8 1/2 and smart. As long as it's the same one, she believes he is Santa. My son asked for a DSi game (we don't have a DS anymore since he broke mine) and my daughter a trampoline. Ahuh. Good thing they have a longer Santa list at home. lol

Have you gone to see Santa yet? What are they asking Santa for this year?

A Bientot!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

A Bientot!

My little man.

2011-10-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, my son turned 6. Why are the years going by so quickly?! I remember being pregnant with him, having him at the hospital, bringing him home and buddling him up at one week old for Halloween. My daughter LOVED her baby brother. Would put stickers on him, color him with washable markers and always ask me to take a photo of her with him. Nowadays, she either loves him or dislikes him. lol

This year there was no party but a small get together at Chuckey Cheese. He was happy to be there with his friends and seeing his Grandpa & his girlfriend (don't want to mention her name for her privacy). We ate the pizza (....no coment...) and played the games. The kids had a good time and Grandpa & his girlfriend enjoyed the game Deal or No Deal.

We came home and had his birthday cake. My son wanted a Super Mario Mushroom cake. I didn't want to buy another pan for baking so the base of the cake is not cake. I didn't use to cover the cake but to make the white round spots. He wanted chocolate and he got it. It was a great day spent with family and friends.

Now he's 6. In first grade. OMG, they're growing way too fast for me! sniff.

A Bientot!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

Halloween is soon coming upon us and that means pumpkins are needed. A few weeks ago, we all went to the pumpkin patch near our home with my father-in-law and his girlfriend. Davis Ranch in Sloughhouse always have a Festival in October. There's vendors, food, bouncy house, pony rides and free hayrides. Perfect for an inexpensive family outing.

We looked at all the vendots and purchased a few items since I knew I was going to buy a lot of pumkins. lol We had lunch there and it was yummy! My son would eat any thing that we offered to him. The child likes to eat and yet stays so slim! Wished I had his metabolism. lol

We went ahead and took a hayride to the pumpkin patch to choose out pumpkins. I think we bought 6 or 7 pumpkins and it cost us about $16. Not bad I think.

This weekend I will be carving some of those pumpkins while keeping 2 or 3 unscathed for Thanksgiving. We also went home with corn and some kettle pop corn given by my FIL and his girlfriend. That was my second time eating it and it's pretty good! I never bought some because my first one was gross. Maybe it was a bad batch? Anyway, I'll buy some from now on whenever I see it.

For those who celebrate Halloween, do you have your pumpkins ready? I wished I could carve mine now but it will get disgusting after 2 days in our weather.

A Bientot!

October.

2011-10-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's October already. Soon the year will be over and another year will start. Today I hung up my Halloween advent calendar. The kids were excited to see it this morning. They each got an organic lollipops as their first treat to be eaten after lunch. lol

The weather is finally getting cool here in Nor Cal. We've been having some really hot weather and I couldn't wait for some real Fall weather. Soon I'll be wearing my sweaters and boots. Can't wait! Also getting my Pumpkin Spice Latte is a bonus that comes with Fall.

Are you ready for Fall or has Fall arrived at your place already?

A Bientot!

First day of school 2011.

2011-08-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, my children started school. I still can't believe I have a third grader AND a first grader. No more babies, toddlers or preschool. That's it! Now I have somewhat big kids. I shudder to think of when I'll say I have middle and high schoolers! I better stock up on Kleenex! lol

As per tradition, I took photos on their first day. Looking back of when my daughter started kindergarden and how she looks now, makes me sad. She's growing up to be a beautiful young lady. sniff.

Here's my daughter all ready for third grade. She doesn't want bangs anymore and now wants her hair to stay long. She's also very happy since I painted her nails and toes in bubble gun pink.

Thinking of how she thinks the day will be for her.

God, she's looking like a young girl.

Here's my son. This one has no worries. All ready to be a "man" and start first grade. All smiles. Real smiles. Dear Lord child, can you at least pretend you need me just a tiny bit??? lol

First grade baby!

Thumbs up for starting first grade!

I then wanted a photo with both of them. My daughter was feeling cheeky and kept trying to make her little brother look funny. Ahhh siblings!

Then it was off to school! Everyone is good spirits and I was feeling very proud that I didn't shed a tear for my son. I saw children crying and even parents crying. It's a hard thing to let go of your small children especially if this is your first one. It's like we lose a bit of them by letting go.

Mom! Stop snapping photos of us! lol

My daughter's teacher. She is new to the school and I noticed pregant too. lol I see another teacher coming into my daughter life in a few months.

My son's teacher. She's the young lady in purple. Hmm does that make me old calling her a "young lady"? lol

Waiting in line.

Ok mom. Enough!

Crazy mom taking a photo thru the window.

Ninja mom also went and snapped a photo of my daughter without her knowing. She's at the right side, first one.

And when I had to pick them up, still all smiles. My daughter said her math problems were easy and my son said he finished all his work. Uhuh. Lets hope it continues throughout the year.

Have your children started school? Is it your first one or are you a veteran mom?

A Bientot!

Teachers Survival Kits.

2011-08-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow my children will be starting school. Already??? Yup, already! My son will start first grade while my daughter will be in third. This year will be a new beginning for my son since he will be in school all day instead of half days. On the plus side, I won't be walking back and forth 6 times a day to school! lol

As usual, I prepared a Teacher Survival Kit for each child's teacher. I put in the usual items inside but also found some Wisps so in case Teacher forgot to brush their teeth in the morning rush, they can quickly do a teeth cleaning.

California is struggling with insufficiant funds for school and I know the teachers are also feeling the pinch. What better way to show appreciation to your children's teacher with a gift that might come in handy?! New routines to be made, morning rushes, ect. This kit could help them out in a pinch if needed.

Have you guys began making yours? What do you put in yours?

A bientot!

Belgian Waffles

2011-08-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Every weekend, I like to make big breakfasts. I guess it's to make up to some boring weekday ones. My family likes pancakes but I always wanted to try in making Belgian Waffles. I got a neat double Belgian Waffle maker for my birthday (Thanks mommy for my monetary gift! lol) I went and got a waffle box mix since I wanted to try that baby right away. (I hear booing and gasps coming from my readers and rightly so!) O.M.G! Those were the driest and tasteless waffles ever! Everyone said they were ok but I do have a palate. lol

Off to webland for a great recipe of what a waffle should taste like and I found it! Thank you Allrecipes! Now these do take some time since they are yeast base but they are worth it. Trust me. Here's the recipe from Allrecipes.com. It makes 8 big waffles but I usually make 4 or 5 then put the batter in the fridge for the next day.

Belgian Waffles
Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 egg yolks

2 3/4 cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

3 egg whites

Directions

1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the warm milk and the melted butter. Stir in the yeast mixture, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk alternately with the flour, ending with the flour. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks; fold into the batter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

3.Preheat the waffle iron. Brush with oil and spoon about 1/2 cup (or as recommended by manufacturer) onto center of iron. Close the lid and bake until it stops steaming and the waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately or keep warm in 200 degree oven.

Top them with syrup, fresh fruit and you have a great breakfast! I also made some banana smoothies just to make the meal complete. Try it. They smell and taste wonderful!

Bon Appetit!

Swim lessons.

2011-07-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

Both my kids are taking swim classes. My daughter in an advance level while my son in a lower one. I wantted his confidance to be stronger before going to the next level eventhough his passed level 1 and 2. Momma is a chicken when it comes to her chicks. lol Now seeing him swim makes me doubt my decision. What do you think?

A Bientot!

11 years.

2011-07-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, my husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. I wished I could say all those years were perfect but alas only in fairytales they are. Marriage is such hard work after the first year. lol Once the "honeymoon" stage passes, it's real life. It's sharing your life with someone that is not you but has their own ideas and taste. It takes work and compromises. Lots of compromises but as long you have a strong foundation, you can overide upcoming obstacles. Oh and prayer works too. lol

We decided to spend the day at the beach near a lake. We asked MIL if she would like to join us and she was happy to go too. I packed a cooler full of goodies and lots of snacks. It was a day just to sit, relax and eat. lol

The weather was nice and the kids had fun. They didn't want to bring their swimsuits because "we don't want to go in the lake." Yeah, 5 minutes after being there they went in the lake. lol They asked if it was ok to get their clothes wet and I said sure. Why do kids ignore their moms suggestions, like wear your swimsuit when going to a lake??? soupir

We spent a few hours there until MIL was getting tired and sleepy. It wasn't a romantic day just a day spent with my family. Exactly what I wanted. Exactly what we needed.

A Bientot!

P.S. Oh I did get a nice gift though. Momma got some Akoya pearl earrings and necklace. They are beautiful and I should wear them often since you should with pearls. hihihi

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July to all my American readers and friends. It seems this weekend was meant for BBQ for both Canada and USA. We are having a small BBQ with my MIL and will set off small fireworks for the kids. Once we run out of fireworks, we'll just walk around see what others have. lol Hope you all have a fun and safe day!

A Bientot!

Happy Canada Day!

2011-07-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends and readers! To my Montreal friends that are moving, I hope the weather is nice enough to sit on the balcony (or stoop) to eat pizza and drink beer. lol Enjoy your long weekend!

Photos taken from Google.com

A Bientot!

Road Trip 2011

2011-06-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

June is almost over! Can you guys believe it??? It seemed to zoom by and that means the kids have been on vacation for just over one month. We have been busy this month with my daughter’s birthday, my birthday, my mil coming to stay with us for an unknown time frame and our first long road trip to Southern California. A pretty busy month indeed

Now I know most people have done road trips but we have never been over 3 ½ hours in a car. All of us suffer with car sickness so it’s always been an issue when it comes to long distance car rides. All of us didn’t get sick once and that was a miracle! The kids slept thru most of it and we never heard “I’m bored. I’m tired. Are we there yet?” Lucky.

We spent some time in San Diego and Anaheim. The weather was cooler than Nor Cal so it was nice. Especially since my city hit 100+ F while it was 75-77F in San Diego. We stayed overnight in Bakersfield and the kids enjoyed the pool. That's it. lol My daughter has my taste and didn't like staying at a motel. lol

In San Diego, I loved my view from our room at the Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego. The bathroom was a bit dated but that’s not what’s important. What was important was the view. Beautifu! And my daughter's first reaction when we got in the room? "Now THIS is muuuuuch better than a motel!" lol Yup! She has her mother's expensive taste. lol

We spent the day at Mission Beach the first day there. Man those waves were crazy! The hubby and kids loved it. I dipped my toes into the ocean and settled back into the beach. Lol Water isn’t my thing but I know everyone else loves it. Hubby even caught some photos of me in not too flattering poses but whatever. I’m in our photo memories for once! Lol When we were tired about how crowded the beach became, we headed back to our room to our own private beach at the Bay. Perfect! Kids played until bedtime and the best part? They probably saw one hour of tv in 2 days only. Simple living. Water and Sand.

The next day we went to Legoland. It’s perfect for young kids but probably not for teenagers. They have a Water Park in it and it was great for my kids. They never been in one and I thought this would be a good start so see how adventurous they are with water slides. My daughter LOVED it while my son wasn’t crazy falling into 3 feet deep of water (he’s just over 43”). We liked the family float rides. I actually preferred sitting down and relaxing. lol

It was a bit chilly in the morning but still sunny.

Strike a pose! lol

Daddy won a Patrick Star for me!!!

Mommy bought me my unicorn. Yeah, I suck at those games!

We enjoyed some paddle boat at the resort and some beautiful sunsets and sunrises. My daughter collected some shells to bring home. I also took some sand from the beach as a souvenir. Lol I’m a nut, I know!

We left San Diego the next day and headed to Disneyland. It was my son’s first trip there. My daughter’s first trip was when she was 18 months old so technically it’s not her first time but I doubt she remembers it. lol

We did many of the rides that were open. I was bummed the bobsled one (next to Fantasyland) was closed down. Kids had fun and I know my husband enjoyed some of the rides too. I just enjoyed watching my kids reactions to everything. Being able to give them this gift of a fun vacation brought me happiness. Seeing my kids being nice to each other during those days made me think they do mostly love each other. I just need to forget their once-twice a day fighting. Lol

We ate dinner at Coco’s Bakery and Restaurant and I rested my poor tired feet. The kids and hubby went for a swim at the motel’s pool before we headed out to Disneyland again. We were there until 10:30pm. They got their Disney treats and were knocked out 5 minutes after their heads hit the pillow.

We bided Anaheim goodbye the next morning and drove straight to Nor Cal. Man, we left in the high 60’s and came to 102 degrees. Bleurk! I wanted to go back and have milder temperatures again. lol Would we do a road trip like this again? Not sure. I'm more of a flying type. lol My back and bum was sore from sitting all that time. Guess I'm just prissy. lol The kids are still talking about the trip so it was worth it.

Do you guys have any trips planned or have gone to already? Are you a road trip kind of gal or a flying type of gal?

A Bientot!

My daughter is 8 years old.

2011-06-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my daughter turned 8 years old. I can't believe she's almost 10 which is close to 15, which is close to 18. That's how my mind works and I know it's crazy. I feel proud of who she is turning into but at the same time I see her slipping away from me as she gets more independent. My baby girl is turning into a young lady and I am feeling sad about it. Enough about me but more about my beautiful daughter. I am biased but I think she's so pretty. lol

This year we decided not to have birthday parties for the children but to invite a friend for a special day out. My daughter chose her best friend and I went to pick her up at her home. My daughter had no idea what was going to happen since I kept her in the dark during the whole week. Both girls were excited about what will be happening. We first had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen and my daughter kept smiling and laughing with her friend during the whole time. Ahhh to be that young again!

After lunch I told them they were going to get pampered at a nail salon. This was a first for each girl and especially my daughter. She has been begging me to have a different color on her nails besides light pink and to have her toes done as well. This was her birthday and I thought this would be a special event for her. And it was! The child was beaming from ear to ear. She was in heaven and kept looking at her nails. lol All the ladies at the salon kept saying how well mannered they were and how cute they looked. My daughter chose a bubble pink color (I had a small panic attack from the color lol) and her best friend chose a shimmering blue. Very pretty actually. I know most girls have had their nails done in many different colors but I am a bit old fashion in that area. I'm just trying to kept has within her age group and not have her jump into teenager stuff.

After they were all prettied up, they wanted to go shopping at the mall. Wow. I wondered if that's how I was with my friends at their age. They went shopping, got some toys (they are still little girls), went for a ride at the carousel, went to the instant photo booth and took photos (remember those?? they still exist!) and got some lipbalm and jewlery. It was time to go home and a pit stop at McDs for some frozen strawberry lemonade. Those suckers are tart! lol They girls loved it.

Needless to say I was exhausted and I still had to finish decorating my daughter's cake and make dinner. Oh, didn't I tell you? We asked her what she wanted to eat and it can be anything and the child chose a homemade meal. We tried to persuade her for a restaurant but she wanted my sesame ginger chicken. lol After dropping her best friend to her home and trying to get my daughter out of her friend's house, I managed to finish the cake and have a meal ready since my father-in-law and his girlfriend were coming over for dinner.

My daughter had cool gifts for her birthday. Not many toys since she is getting into new things. We got her a CD player and her firsts CDs. Miranda Crossgrove and Big Time Rush. Clean songs since she is only 8.

My daughter's birthday cake. I couldn't finish the cake beforehand since you shouldn't put fondant cake in the fridge. They will sweat and that sucks. lol

Today she picked u 2 more CDs (Kidz Bop) and is now decorating her jewlery boxe. She's in heaven and I am happy to make her day special. She's still my baby afterall.

For my readers that have tweens or teenagers, how do you deal with the loss of the little girl or boy they are no longer being? Will they still want to be with you a bit or completely leave you alone until they move out? My father-in-law said I will not deal well she will get married. I'm afraid he's right. lol

A Bientot!

Turkey Burgers.

2011-06-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

I have never eaten a turkey burger in my life until a few weeks ago. I have eaten beef or even had a chicken breast in a bun but for some reason, turkey never sounded appetizing. I was wrong! I searched online to see what can I make with ground turkey besides meatball. Well I found several and made my own version of a turkey burger. Have to say. It was yummy!

1 lbs Ground Turkey

2 Tbsp Barbecue Sauce

1 Tbsp Mild paprika

1/2 cup Mozarella cheese

1 Green onion stem, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients with the ground turkey, Take a tiny piece of the meat mixture and cook to see if it needs any more seasoning. Once you are happy with the taste, make 4 or 5 balls and make the patties. Cook for about 4-5 minutes each side. Don't over cook it or it'll be dry.

The patties came out pretty with grill marks and more importantly, tasty. If you are looking for something lighter, try this. Hubby ate two so I think men would eat this type of burger. Try it tonight!

Bon Appetit!

Happy Memorial Day.

2011-05-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

I hope you are all spending the day with friends and family. Also remember those who have passed away or are still fighting for this country.

We are spending the day with my father-in-law and his girlfriend. The kids just enjoy spending time with them and having a heated pool is also a plus. lol I am not going to be in the pool but maybe soak my feet in the hot tub. Enjoy your day!

A Bientot!

Summer List 2011

2011-05-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

The children are home now and will need to stay busy. If they are stuck inside for too long, they climb the walls and I loose my head! This year we decided to make another summer list like last year. The kids really enjoyed it and there was some things on last summer's list we were able to do. One of them is Disneyland and we will surprise them with a short visit there. Shhh!

Have you made summer plans? Any special places you are going or will it be more or a staycation?

A Bientot!

School is out!

2011-05-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, my children finished their school year. My son got "promoted" and will be a first grader this August. My daughter finished second grade with only one B in her school year. Pretty proud of her and amazed how quickly she learns things at school without studying at home. I'm sure that will happen soon since you can't stay like that forever, right?

Here's my son with his classmates (he's the one on the left side, wearing black and white stripe shirt and chino pants) singing a song "My own two hands".

My son with his kindergarden teacher. Look familiar? That's because she was also my daughter's kindergarden teacher.

Trying to get a nice photo of my daughter with her BFF was hard. This is what I was able to get.

My daughter with her second grade teacher.

Now summer vacation is upon us and we are making plans in what to do with my days off. We are making a list of what activities we want to do. It will be nice not to worry about getting things ready in the morning (clothes, backpack, breakfast, snacks and lunches) for school and checking their homework. A little break for me.

Is school out in your area? Are you happy or stressed about having the kids all day? lol

A Bientot!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to wish all my readers a Happy Mother's Day! I hope you are having a wonderful day with your loved ones.

We ate out this morning for breakfast and I was still full at lunch time. The house is clean and the laundry is all done. Nothing to do but just sit and relax. I'll try but I can't promise that I will. It's hard to just sit and not clean/make or work on something. Anyway, enjoy your day!

A Bientot!

Teacher Appreciation Week 2011

2011-05-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I'm so embarassed to even post again! Lets just say life just got in the way of blogging. Who knew I couldn't do it ALL everyday?! lol

This week is Teacher Appreciation week and I wanted to share some of the things I'll be doing. It's hard to come up with new gift ideas. Yesterday, I did modified version of the Starbucks cup with a giftcard. This year I opted for a clear cup so the teacher can see what's inside.

Today the kids gave a journal with a pen for their teacher. Very simple and inexpensive.

Tomorrow the children will be giving my traditional frame with the teacher's last name. Always a hit and it's personal since the children comes up with the sentences. I have to admit I sometimes I laugh with what they say. One of my son's sentences is funny. Kindergardeners are hillarious!

Hope these ideas will help you with your teacher's gift.

A Bientot!

Thank you.

2011-03-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts. My mother-in-law got really hurt and is now staying with us until she recovers. This week has been quite busy for me between work, kids, helping my MIL and housework. She is doing well and I am sure will recover quickly.

Sorry I am MIA but will try to post some new recipes. I have been cooking more Japanese meals since my MIL is Japanese. I should share one or two that I am sure you will like although I am sure she will think I am nuts taking pictures of the meals. lol

A Bientot!

Thoughts and prayers.

2011-03-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

This morning we got a phone call from my mother-in-law right at about 7:30am. She fell off her bed and can't walk. We were worried that she may have broken something and hubby went to pick her up and drive her to the ER. I stayed home with the children since we know you can wait forver at the ER. After a few hours, hubby called and said she has a fracture on her right hip and will have surgery today.

Please send her some good vibes for her or pray if you pray. I'm afraid she may not heal completely if she doesn't do as the doctors say (not overdo it, rest, take a break and such). She's a bit stubborn. lol We will see how the surgery went later tonight.

A Bientot.

Lent.

2011-03-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

To my Catholic friends and readers, today is the first day of Lent. For non-Catholics, Lent last for 40 days and is a preparation for Easter. It's a time to sacrifice, pray , do penance and do good work.

I have chosen to give up my Coke for Lent. I LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE Coke. I was thinking of giving up chocolate but it would be a cope out since I can go weeks without chocolate. This will be hard and I hope I'll have enough self control and not drink a sip of it. I will ask my husband and my children to help me not drink it too.

If you are Christian, what are you giving up for Lent?

A Bientot!

Sloppy Joes.

2011-03-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

Get ready to be shocked and dumbfounded by my statement...I have never eaten a Sloppy Joe! I have seen those commercials on tv as a kid and always wondered what the kids were eating. Mush in a bun? Meat? All I remember is seeing their faces smeared with a red sauce. Huh. Wondered if it taste good since it doesn't look appetizing. lol

My kids saw a commercial (same big name company that makes the cans sauce/meat?) and wanted to eat a sloppy joe. Hmmm. I am not a big fan of can food except for tuna, vegetables and some fruit. I wondered if someone can make it by scratch and you actually can! Went to All Recipes and found a recipe that had good reviews and I thought for those rare readers who have never eaten one too, they may like to try it. It's a kid friendly meal and even my husband liked it. lol

Ingredients for 12 servings. I halved the ingredients since this makes 12 servings)

3 pounds lean ground sirloin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup finely chopped green or red bell pepper

2 1/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 2/3 cups water

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and brown the ground meat. Once the meat is cooked, remove the meat and set aside. Drain the fat and disregard it.

In the same dutch oven, heat the oil and saute the onions and bell peppers (I omitted these since my daughter is on a pepper strike. Lord help me!!!)

Once the vegetables are tender, add the meat and the remaining ingredients. Mix it all up and let it simmer on low heat for around 25-30 minutes.

Get your favorite humburger roll and pile up some meat mixture on it. That's it! Easy and simple. So my son inhaled it in less than 5 minutes. I'm assuming he liked it. My hubby wanted to know where his second was so he must of enjoyed too. My daughter said it was a bit messy. lol I liked it. It's a bit sweet so next time I would use less ketchup or cut the brown sugar. I can see myself making these during the summer time for picnics or going to the lake. It's a keeper!

Bon Appetit!

Chucky Cheese.

2011-02-26T16:55:00.000-08:00

This might surprise or shock my readers but I have never been into a Chucky Cheese restaurant. I have seen the commercials and they didn't impress me. I have heard comments about them before having kids and most were not great ones. I avoided those places like the plague for many years after having kids until this past Thursday night. soupir

It was a school fundraiser and I have said no to all of them since my daughter started Kindergarden. This time I had no other new reasons not to go. I was stuck. Guess we are going. You can imagine how happy and excited my kids were especially my daughter who's almost 8. I didn't want her to be that kid were her mom never let her drink soda (still hasn't but will at 10...maybe hihihi) or go to a typical all American kid restaurant.

I was armed with tissues, hand wipes and sanitizers. lol I didn't want them or myself to get sick. I have been one of those type of restaurant like last year but it was a buffet style and it was expensive. The games I mean. Chucky Cheese was cheap compared to that place so my wallet exhaled a deep sigh of relief.

Got the pizza (last time) and the drinks (surprised they had no juice but mostly soda or lemonade). I told the kids to wait until the food came before they could play. They sat and barely sipped their lemonade while eyeing all the games. lol I broke down and told them they could play the games close to the table until the food came. They jumped up and went to some sort of racing game with Nick characters.

Food came, hands wiped clean and they ate some of the pizza. Man, that "pizza" sat heavily in my stomach for a whole day. Takes forever to digest! Next time I am getting a salad and maybe sandwitches for the kids. We stayed for over 2 hours! They redeemed their tickets and each got a snow globe which is hard as heck to get water in it! What the heck?! Wished I kept my plastic syringe when I had my wisdom teeth removed. Anyway, it wasn't so bad. Not too many kids running around, place looked clean enough and the games are not expensive. The major plus side is the kids had fun and that's what matters.

I was going to snap lots of pics but I was still momma hawk and made sure I could see/help/play with my kids at all time. Next time I'll be more relaxed. lol

Do you like Chucky Cheese? Is there other restaurant like that in your area? Is it better or worse? Do you like the food? lol I notice beer is served at Chucky Cheese so that probably helps the adults. lol

A Bientot!

Happy Valentine's Day! Bonne St-Valentin!

2011-02-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

For those of you that celebrate it, I hope you have a wonderful day. Today is not a huge things at our home except the children love it. I came home to roses, chocolate, a cake in the fridge and hubby went out to get dinner. I can get used to this. lol

Enjoy your evening!

Butter Chicken.

2011-02-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

With a name like that, you know this dish is not low fat. lol I saw this recipe on Full Bellies, Happy Kids. I was a bit hesitant to use crackers and so much butter but I needed a quick recipe and the recipe fit the bill.

I have to say, the chicken turned out moist and flavorfull. I think I would cut the butter quantity by 1/4 less and I'm sure the chicken will still be moist. I also tweeked the recipe a bit to my liking. This is the quantities I used to make my meal. This is a delicious dish that your children will like to eat. It's tasty and simple. Perfect for picky eaters.

Ingredients.

4-5 Chicken breast halves (I like to use thin chicken breast cutlets)

4 oz Butter, cubed

8 oz Buttered crackers, crushed (I used the one with a "Hint of Salt" since

I find those crackers too salty)

1/2 tsp Garlic powder

1/2 tsp Ground black pepper

1 tsp Kosher salt (you can omit this if you use regular buttered crackers)

2 Eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Use a shallow dish and pour the beaten eggs into it.

In another shallow dish, mix the crushed crackers, garlic powder, black pepper and salt.

Dredge the chicken breast into the beaten eggs then into the cracker mixture. Place on the baking dish. When all the chicken breast are done, plop (like that word? lol) the butter pieces all over the top of the chicken breasts.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes until the chicken is done.

Now I wasn't sure if it was going to be crispy but it was after a few minutes taken out of the oven. The chicken was moist and had good flavor to it.

Bon Appetit!

Teacher's Valentine Gift.

2011-01-31T19:27:00.000-08:00

You didnt think I would make nada for my kids teachers for Valentine, right? No matter how busy I am, I always make sure they get some goodies on holidays. Here's a simple and quick gift you can make for your children's teacher. I saw it online and fell in love with the idea.

All you need a mason jar, seal and lids, cupcake liners and chocolates. That's it! Place a cute cupcake liner on top of the seal, screw the ring on and that's it!

I hope this might help you in a pinch if you are looking for a cute way to gift a teacher for Valentine's Day.

A Bientot!

Disgusting!

2011-01-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

My backyard concrete that is. With the rain we got a few weeks back and the overgrown raspberry bush, my concrete looks terrible. It was black, green and orange from our wonderdul clay dirt in Nor Cal! I was dreading the hard brush with a bucket but I had no choice...until a friend said a power washer would clean it up. Whahhhh??? Really? Then he said I can borrow his. WHAAAAHHH???? REALLY???? lol I was so giddy you have no idea. I couldn't wait to attack my backyard!

This is some photos of the worst areas in my backyard. The first one is from my dead tomato plants that toppled over during our trip up north. With the rain and cold, it left a nasty imprint. soupir.

This one is from the dining room entry. Teeny tiny dried up dead worms that were stuck on the concrete and the wonderful green moss that wanted to pop in and say hello!

Courtesy of my raspberry bush leaves. Yeah. No words.

I started cleaning at 3:30pm and stopped just before 6pm. I had to since it was getting dark and I couldn't see much anymore. Rats! Plus that power washer is loud and I like to keep peace with my neighbors. lol Boy, can that baby clean! I know what I want for my birthday now. Some women like jewlery, parfum or shoes...I like powerful cleaning machines! hihihi

Here's what it looks like right now. The concrete is still wet but I can't wait to see how it'll look once it dry. I have to say, it looks great even wet compared to what it looked before. Bah buy tiny worms!

A Bientot!

Cleaning up my act.

2011-01-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

I've been clearing my house of junk actually. Didn't I do this a few months ago?? soupir. Well so far I have 2 big bags full of clothes, shoes and toys. Good thing there's a truck coming to pick this stuff up this Friday. Woohoo!

I was also tired of seeing my coat closet looking like a tornado got into it. After 10 minutes of cleaning and clearing, my closet finally looked decent. Feels good when you open a clean and organized space, huh? Or am I weird for feeling like that? lol

Are you clearing out your home too? If so, how many bags have you got so far? I know I'll have 3 big bags on Friday.

A Bientot!

And the winner is....

2011-01-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

Finally! I was able to upload my video! Sorry for the delay ladies. Click on the video to see who won the giveaway.

Congratulations Karen! I will email you the info and code for your $25 gift certificates at CSN store. Enjoy shopping!

A Bientot!

Blogger giving me a headache.

2011-01-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hi Ladies! Last night I tried to post a video of the winner but Blogger would keep uploading my video for over 30 mins and still wasn't done! Arg! I haven't forgotten about you guys. I'm going to try a different way to post the video. Please bare with me.

Meanwhile, I hope you all had a nice weekend. I had a complete weekend off so it was sooooo nice doing things that I enjoyed. Can't wait for my next one! lol

A Bientot!

First giveaway of 2011!

2011-01-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

With life coming toward me at such speed last year, I failed to notice that I finally hit the 100th follower on my blog! Now, I already knew I hit over 100 in subscribers but not in followers. I wanted to do a giveaway for 2011 but wasn't sure what to give away. Last week CSN stores emailed me and asked if I wanted to offer my readers a gift certificate. Perfect timing! Who needs new storage bins? Modern dining room furniture or maybe a coffee maker? You can find anything at their stores!

This giveaway is for my US and Canadian readers only. To enter, just comment on this post. For an extra entry, follow my blog (or if you're already a follower, let me know) and leave another comment stating so. My giveaway will end on Friday, January 14th at 9pm PST. What are you waiting for? Go and comment so you can win a $25 gift certificate from CSN!

Bonne Chance!

Happy New year....a week later!

2011-01-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

We are finally at home and our routine is slowly coming together once again. The kids went to school the next day (incroyable!) and I did some errands. The pile of mail that was waiting for me was scary but I got it all open, sorted or trashed.

We had a wonderful time and I miss home. My daughter cried for 2 days before we left for California since she wanted to stay in Montreal. Can't blame her. She's a city girl like her momma. Staying with Vovo and Vouvou (Grandma and Grandpa) was also fun so going back to your "normal" life isn't easy for a child. Or an adult.

Kids loved the snow. They wanted to play with it everyday if we let them. The slid on it, made a snowman, snowballs, snowangels, shoveled it and threw it everywhere. I even slid and yeah, it was fun but not confortable on a kid size sleigh. Here are some of the highlights from our trip.

Waiting for the shuttle (that never came! ugh!) at 4:30am.

Ready for the first time playing in the snow.

Wheeeeeee!

Warming up after their first day playing in the snow.

Dinner out on that first night. Yeah, good luck in getting him in bed by 8pm.

With my FIL. We were going to The Biodome.

My brother and I at the mall on Boxing Day.

At Old Montreal.

Subway ride.

Daddy loved it but kept saying it was only for the kids that he rode with them. Uhuh.

At Barbies (a diner).

Everyone is having fun!

Our last date of 2010.

I hope you guys had a wonderful holiday. Now I need a vacation from my vacation. lol

A Bientot!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T14:27:00.000-08:00

I hope Santa brought the toys you wanted!

A Bientot!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2010-12-22T17:33:00.000-08:00

I am home and we are having fun! We showed my FIL a bit of Montreal and the kids are LOVING the snow. We are having a very mild winter so it's an easy transition for the kids. I will post some photos later on. Hopefully before Christmas. lol

A Bientot!

I'm on the Naughty List.

2010-12-16T13:40:00.000-08:00

So many things happened to our family that I pretty much forgot about my little blog. Now I will be travelling for this Christmas so it might get abandonned again. lol I may post from my trip but I am not promising anything. lol

In case I do not post before Christmas, I want to wish all of you (that is still hanging around around my blog) and very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

image copied from wallpaperden.com

A Bientot!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

I know I am late in posting my photos but I am trying to get back into the old routine. I noticed the older the kids get, the harder it is to "suggest" costumes. lol Love how I put "suggest" under parenthesis?! Yeah, I can't just buy a costume and tell them "Wear it." They have voices and opinions now so I can't fault them for making themselves heard. My daughter chose a Hollywood Starlet and my son wanted Spiderman. Here they are getting ready for ToT.

My last minute pumpkins. I kid you not! I started carving these babies at 3pm I think. Crazy, I tell you. See how my first was more complicated but the others were easier. lol That's what happens when you do things at the last minute.

Here they are ToT. Later that evening my daughter's friend stopped by then she went ToT again for almost an hour. lol I guess it's more fun with friends.

They came home with a huge amount of candy. It filled 2 gallon sized bags. They are hidden now because I kept seeing empty wrappers everywhere in the house. Now when they want candy, they have to ask and I'll get them from their hidden spot. lol How much candy did your children get? Is it all gone or do you still have some left? Dish!

A Bientot!

My baby hit another milestone.

2010-11-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy here and I apologize for being MIA. October was filled with so many activities and appointments that I lost focus when it came to my blog. The most important thing was my son's 5th birthday. He hit the big 5 a few days ago. This year he started kindergarden and is doing very well and now he is 5. A pretty big year for him for sure!

We had a small party for him and I think everyone had fun. He wanted me to make an Andy Bed cake (from Toy Story). I also made some cupcakes in case people wanted chocolate instead of vanilla. I was surprised that people liked my cake since it was a test cake. lol Sooo dangerous making a new recipe ON the birthday cake. Fortunately, it came out yummy.

Here's a few photos of the party. I still can't believe my baby boy is 5. Time seems to fly now and soon I will be posting about his wedding. sniff.

Flash of him opening his gifts lol Hyper speed!

Love his smile.

The pinata!

The loot while a dad from one of the kids runs away for safety. lol

The weather was cold and rainy but inside was nice and fun! Everyone had a good time and my baby boy celebrated with his friends. Now if you'll excuse me, I will be weeping because my baby is a big boy now. Sniff.

A Bientot!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

2010-10-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

Today was Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Nor Cal and I participated with a group of ladies from Miche. This was my first walk ever. It was a 5K and I have to say, a very easy walk. I wasn't sure if it was a long walk or what but it was a pretty nice stroll thru downtown and old town. I think all those years of walking back in Montreal and walking in San Francisco helped too.

The morning started chilly, windy and a teeny tiny bit rainy. I was afraid of getting wet when it's chilly out but the rain went away. Woohoo! I was able to raise $50 for my walk and combine with my personal donation, I was pretty happy about my contribution. Every dollar gets us closer to better medecine or even cure! I think I'll do the walk again next year since it was fun.

Here I an wearing my Miche Bag tshirt and my Big Bag Hope in Silver Miche bag. I almost wore wedges but thought I would look like a crazy woman so I decided on my rarely used running shoes. lol Hey, it's a walk and not a fashion show. lol

A Bientot!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

2010-10-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Well we got ourselves a winner!

For some reason I do not know how to post that Random.org widget so that it shows who won. I did a screen print but have no idea how to post it on my blog. lol I can always take a pic of it then post it. lol I'll do that tomorrow so people can see it.
The winner was #4!

Danielle from Dover, PA you are the winner! I will contact you and give you the code. Have fun shopping! Thanks everyone for playing!

A Bientot!

CSN giveaway!

2010-10-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

The nice people of CSN emailed me once again and offered to give my readers a $35 gift card! Let the shopping begin! Need a lamp? Or a new bar stool? New sheets? Take your pick!

The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only. You have until Friday, October 15th at midnight to enter. To enter, just become a follower or if you are already one, let me know. You can get an extra entry if you post about it on your blog and send me a link to it. I will announce the winner on Saturday the 16th.

Bonne chance!

Finit!

2010-09-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my daughter's new desk. It's been out of her room so that it could cure longer and let the smell out. Oil base = nasty strong smell. This was the first time that I painted a real piece of furniture (not a stoll or a small piece of wood). This was also laminate so just a tad more work than a wood furniture. I used one coat of an oil based primer (Zinsser), 3 coats of latex paint and one clear coat to protect the furniture.

My daughter was so excited in getting her own desk and chair. I couldn't find the perfect knob or her desk so I just painted the old one in hot pink. The chair I got at Ikea. It's perfect!

Here's the before picture. It was rom Craigslist.

The after.

Now I need to decorate that part of the wall for her. lol A mom's job is never done. I know what to do so now I need to hunt things down and spray paint may get involved once again.

A Bientot!

P.S. I laughed when I saw part of the Portuguese flag peaking in the last photo. Can anyone find it???

Lookit! Lookit!

2010-09-14T04:04:00.000-07:00

Last week I received my item from CSN an boy was I happy! Shipping was quick and everything looked good. What did I get? This is what I ordered from them and I am so happy you have no idea!

These are teacups from Johnson and Brothers in the Willow pattern. Years ago, my parents gave me 2 serving pieces for my husband and I. It was so pretty but so expensive to buy more sets of dishes.

Fast foward a few years later and I see my pattern at Marshalls. Whoa! I bought 6 of everything except they didn't have the teacups for sale, only the mugs. Rats! Oh well, I thought, at least I have the plates and bowls. When I was offerered to review a product from CSN and I notice they had my pattern, I went ahead and got the missing teacups. Now I have a complete set for 8 and couldn't be any happier.

The teacups came well protected and in perfect shape. I have to say I was a bit nervous having dishes delievered but was pleasently surprised that it came intact. You can feel confortable that your fragile items will come safely to your home.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make dinner and will serve it on my Willow dishes.

A Bientot!

Fall?

2010-09-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well yesterday it felt like Fall just dropped on us like a ton of bricks! Hot and funny the previous day then it dropped more than 20 degrees and it was chilly, windy and cloudy. Today? Warm and sunny. Go figure!

I decided to try the new Starbucks Toffee Mocha Latte. It was ok but not something I would have to order again. I'll just stick to my Pumpkin Spice Latte or if they bring it back, Caramel Brulee. Mmmm!

Has Fall arrived in your area?

A Bientot!

Natural Fall Wreath.

2010-09-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

Isn't it gorgeous? No, it's not mine. It's Kates' from Centsational Girl. If my door wasn't that olive color, I would so make one! It would blend in too much with the door but if you have a white, red or black door, this would look so nice!

Want to know how to make one? Click on her site and see how easy and inexpensive is it to make. Have fun!

A Bientot!

Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Peanut Frosting.

2010-09-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Let me first apologize for rarely posting recipes during this summer. My daughter has loudly complainted and has even told me she will fire me if I don't start baking pronto. Sheesh! For a child that isn't crazy for sweets, when the cravings hit her, she wants sweets! lol

After a vote was finallized between my children and I, the winner was a chocolate cupcake. She doesn't care much for frosting but my son loves it. I opted to a peanut butter frosting since he likes peanut butter. Facile, non? The chocolate cupcakes I found at Loves to Eat while the frosting is from Confections from a Foodie Bride. This should nix any chocolate craving you may have.

Chocolate cupcakes

recipe found at Loves to Eat which came from Joy the Baker

1 cup Boiling hot water

1 cup Sugar

1 1/3 cup All purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa

1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp Baking powder

2 tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Large eggs

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix the boiling water and cocoa into a small bowl. Set aside to cool a bit. Butter or line a muffin tin.

In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In your mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it's fluffly. Add the eggs, one at a time until it's well mixed. Now add the vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour a little at a time until it's well blended. Make sure the speed is on low. Slowly add the cocoa liquid mixture. Mix until you get a well blended batter. Scrap the side and bottom to make sure it's well mixed.

Fill about 2/3 in each muffin cup with the batter. This will make about 16 cupcakes. Bake for about 16-18 minutes (depends on your oven. Mine did best at 16 minutes)

Use a skewer to test the cupcakes. If it comes out clean, remove and let them cool on a wire rack.

Peanut butter frosting

recipe from Confections from a Food Bride

4 tbsp Unsalted butter, room temperature

5 oz Cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups Powder sugar

1/3 cup Creamy peanut butter

Pinch of salt

Start creaming the butter and cream cheese together until it's light.

Add the powder sugar and salt then on low speed. Once the sugar is mixed in, beat on high for about 3 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix on hight until the frosting is fluffy.

With a clean finger, scoop a bit and taste. Yes, you have to do that. It's in my directions, ok?! Mmmmmm!

Now frost your cool cupcakes and enjoy some chocolate goodness. I ate 3 right away, my kids are some and I gave some away to colleagues and teachers. I will make these again since my daughter ate many of these and she is not a sweet person.

Bon Appetit!

Where do you blog?

2010-08-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

Kate from Centsational Girl is hosting a party of where do bloggers blog. I thought it would be fun to see where others blog and what their surroundings look like. Yeah, I'm curious. hihihi

This is where I blog now. I used to blog in the guest room until I got a laptop for Christmas a few years back. I'm pretty much in the kitchen and so are my kids when they are either watching tv, playing the in the backyard or doing their homework. My dog Sandy likes to lay down next to the stool while and gets her belly rubbed by my foot. lol

I think it's the perfect place. Close to the kids, dog and food! lol Where do you blog?

A Bientot!

Another review.

2010-08-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

I was contacted to by CSN once again and this time I am going to do a review on a product on their website. Being a Preferred Blogger is pretty fun! Many of you know CSN and know that you can buy almost everything there. Well you can't buy a car or house but you can get things for your car or home. They have over 200 sites that will cater to your shopping needs.

I was thinking of reviewing something for my kitchen. A set of dishes? Maybe from Corelle? This looks pretty.

Or maybe a blender? Hmmm.

I will let you know once I decide and receive the item in question. I have to say, I love shopping at CSN. Easy and shipping was always fast. Stay tuned!

A Bientot!

New project.

2010-08-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy with work and the kids that I haven't had time to do some projects that I wanted to do. One for my closet has been on the backburner and this new one for about 2 weeks.

My daughter started second grade and does her homework at the kitchen table or the family room sectional. My son will soon have homework and I know taking care of the two at the same table will not go too well. One will say to the other it's baby work while the other will yell no it's not. Yeah.

Anyway, I wanted to get my daughter her own desk and have been looking at Pottery Barn Kids. I used to buy so many things from that store that my kids would say "Hey, we got that! We have that! That's what we got at home." I would get embarassed and start thinking "Man, we spend way too much at this store." lol I decided to find an used desk and fix it myself. A project for me and hopefully a cute desk for my daughter.

I found a laminate desk on Craigslist for cheap. I didn't want a computer desk and most desks were too big for her room. I was hoping in finding a wood desk but no such luck. I got this laminate one and thought I could paint it. Yes, you can paint laminate. I have seen it but never tried it. I will now. lol

Here's what it looks like. The photo was from Craigslist but the close up is from my camera. It has many scrtaches that need to be filled before I can prime and paint it. Lets hope it'll look good once I'm done with it.

A Bientot!

First day of school.

2010-08-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first day of school for my kids. My son was excited to finally walk with his big sister to the "big" school and not the baby one (preschool). They wanted cinnamon rolls for breakfast so I made them in the morning. Not really a good breakfast but it was a special day. They loved that!

Then it was the traditional pose in front of our porch and off to school we went! They held hands until they were around the corner. We met up with some friends and we all went to kinder.

Her teenager pose. lol

A pose with his teacher.

Then I dropped my daughter at the designated class line and snapped a quick photo of her teacher. We then walked to her class and just like that, I had a second grader. sniff. I didn't cry or get teary eyed when I left my son at class. I'm pretty proud of myself. Also helps if I don't think too much into it or dwell on the fact my baby is now a big boy.

When it was time for being picked up, he came running toward me (the backpacks were against the gates) and told me he had a great day. He also had a sticker at his temple because he has "a lot of smarts!" lol

After having lunch at home and playing a bit, we went to pick up my daughter from class. Miss Thing walked and talked and said it was a boring day because they did preschool stuff (writing letters and simple math). I told her just wait until you have work then we'll see how easy it is. Smarty pants child!

If your child has started, how was their first day? Good? Bad? Boring? lol

A Bientot!

Teacher Survival Kit.

2010-08-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting as much. My children are starting school tomorrow and I have been busy packing as many activities these past few weeks. I am so behind in my posting but will try to be better since I may have one or two hours are alone time.

Another school year is starting. School buses everywhere, kids on bikes and some walking to school, hundred of kids being packed into a school. Can you imagine the buzz (or noise) the teachers or staff will be hearing?? Yeah, me too. I once again made a teacher survival kit for each of my kids teacher. My son will be getting the same kindergarden teacher that my daughter had. I am very happy about that. I hope she likes her kit. My daughter chose a blue box for her teacher because it's pretty. lol

Inside is the usual things that I packed if I had to deal with 24 kids. Cup of cereal, granola bar, trail mix, starburst, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, mini emergency kit, Advil, 4pc pedicure set, stickers to reward kids in case they run out and of course, a gift card to Starbucks. I may put a few more trinkets tonight. We'll see.

Are you or your kids excited about school starting/started? My daughter is excited but now that the time is near, my son is somewhat excited. He wanted to be sure there was NO naps in kindergarden. lol I kept telling him there was not and the day is actually shorter than in preschool. I hope each of them will have a great first day. My stomach is a bit queasy because my baby will start school and I will no longer be a parent of a baby/toddler. Now 2 school aged kids. O mon Dieu! I will not cry! I will not cry! sniff

A Bientot!

Fun day with friends.

2010-08-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

This week we went to the zoo and the beach with a friend of mine and her children. Well the beach was at the lake but the water was warm and the kids had a blast. I've never been to that part of the lake so it was a nice surprise for me. My friend and I sat in the sand area while the kids went in and out of the water.

What??!! I thought my son looked cute. That's my story. lol

I didn't know what to expect so I didn't pack the kids swimsuits but that didn't stop them playing in the water. It was nice just sitting and talking to my friend and enjoying the nice weather. I will be returning to this "beach" next week before the kids starts school. Sniff.

Are you guys counting down the days before your kids starts school? Trying to cram as many activities as possible before THE day? I know I am and it's wearing my kids out, especially my little one. Konks out after 5 minutes riding in the car. lol

A Bientot!

Done!

2010-07-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

photo from Google.com

I have conquered the laundry! Everyone's hampers were full to the brim but not anymore! I have spent the whole morning doing laundry. Now the hampers are empty and all the clothes are hung or folded. Feels good. Now off to get myself a cup of coffee and maybe a piece of chocolate. Mmm chocolate!

A Bientot!

State Fair.

2010-07-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

I have never been to a State Fair until I moved to California years ago. I have seen them on tv back home but we don't have those in Montreal. We have traveling carnivals but that's it. I have been to the Fair twice since I've been here and they're ok. I guess they are more fun when you have kids but that's just me.

The day was perfect since it was only going to be in the low 90's. lol Yeah, that's a great day for most people here since the weeks prior it was over 100's degrees. The kids did the rides, ate junk food that are no-no's, saw animals, a puppet show with some baaad acting and some exhibitions.

My son couldn't ride the boat but my daughter wanted to try it. Man, I wasn't sure how she would react riding it alone. She did great but I love her face on the next photo. lol

Holding on to dear life since it was going up really high and fast. Child doesn't even weigh 45lbs so she was probably moving in her seat. lol

My son kept laughing through out the ride! lol I have never met such a giggly and loving personality as his.

Showing off to us. Spinning fast and high?? Pfft! Easy peasy man!

Here she is acting like it was no biggie going alone. Smarty pants!

Once it started, she got thrown to the people next to her. lol Lightweight child. Now I know how my mom felt when I was her age. Now I'm trying to fatten her up! lol

We spent 5 1/2 hours walking and I, of course, walked in heels. What can I say?! That's moi baby! I also had my first funnel cake. It was okay. The kids were too impressed with it too. lol See what happens when you make your own treats or buy pastries at bakeries??? They become sweet snobs. lol Well except for cotton candy. They LOVE candy!

The kids loved looking at the cows, bulls and goats. I didn't tell them what would happen to them or I might of gotten some tears. Here's one that was enjoying a nice rest and a fan just for her. She had her eyes closed the whole times while chewing.

This one was getting all groomed up.

My daughter wanted to milk a goat but my son did not. He was content just to watch.

Eventhough it wasn't too hot,the heat was starting to get to us. Good thing for those mister fans. We enjoyed many stops to them and get misted. Ahhh!

The kids were passed out on our way home but I know they had a lot of fun. That's what summer should be for kids; having fun and eating fun treats! Making lasting memories for them so they can look back and say we had it good.

Has the Fair stopped at your hometown or will soon? Any favorite rides or food? Convince me that the Fair isn't just for kids.

A Bientot!

Bouquet of flowers.

2010-07-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

I love flowers but I especially love ones that are free from my garden. Makes me happy whenever I'm in the kitchen and well....I am 90% of the time there. lol

A Bientot!

Beef Tacos.

2010-07-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a yummy taco recipe. It's quick and the kids can make their tacos however they want. I like mine simple. shredded cheese, sour cream and shredded lettuce.

I saw it on Lovestoeat's Weblog. It's originally from Illustrated Cooks. Here's my adapted version.

1 lbs ground beef

1/2 cup tomato sauce (I used just under 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chicken broth (I used just under 1/2 cup)

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano (I used fresh oregano from my garden)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp olive oil

1 small chopped onion

1 tbsp crushed garlic

Salt and pepper

In a skillet on medium high heat, pour the olive oil until it gets hot (not smoking). Add the chopped onion and saute until they are soft. Add the garlic, a pinch of salt and the spices and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the ground meat and cook until it's done.

Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until most of the liquid have been reduced. You want the meat to stay moist and not dry. Once done, assemble the tacos the way you like it.

Bon Appetit!

Closet Love.

2010-07-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I have discovered new blogs that I fell in love with. Have you heard of DIY Design Fanatic? Wonderful blog filled with s many eye candy! Pam's house is beautiful and what caught my eye was her master closet. Go and look at it! It's georgous! *you have to say it in a high pitch voice*

Here's a peak at her closet. You have to go and click on her blog to see more of it.

There. That's my good deed for the day. I wanted to hoard that blog to myself but decided I should share the love with everyone instead. lol

A Bientot!

Bonne Fete Maman!

2010-07-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today is my mom's birthday. My parents reads my blog or at least tries since they know more French than English. I won't say how old she is or she will kill me. We may be separated by a country but that woman can still smack me from afar. lol I got some of her traits and size. lol It also seems I have her hair genes. My mom started getting some grays in late 40's, early 50's and doesn't dye her hair. So far, it looks like I have her genes in that department since I haven't seen one in sight yet! When I do, I think I'll so as she does. Leave it and just age gracefully. If people think I'm a bit OCD when it comes to cleaning, you haven't met my mom. lol The woman cleans! I rarely saw her sit and rest. Only when it was close to bedtime did she sometimes sit down and drank her coffee while reading the newspaper. She still works hard but relaxes a bit more now that she has an empty nest. Relax mom, you deserve it!

Photo from the summer of 2009 in Capitola, CA.

Bonne Fete Maman! J'espere que tu as eu une bonne journee. Pense a moi quand tu manges ton gateau. ;) Tu sais tres bien que je toute aussi gourmande que toi quand ca concerne les gateries. Relax dans ton solarium avec une bonne tasse de cafe en ecoutant les oiseaux. On se vera cet hivers! Bisous de tout le monde!

A Bientot!

Ten years.

2010-07-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

That is how long my hubby and I have been married. Today is our wedding anniversary. I usually don't make a big fuss about these kinds of thing but I thought the 10th should be something to celebrate it since not too many people stay married these days.

We have known each other since we were 20 (shy of turning 21). We have grown up "together" by doing many first, buying our first house, having pets then when they (pets) survived, we thought the children will also be ok. lol I think the trick is to stay friends and to think about the other. It's hard when you have young kids but I think that's what makes our relationship great.

Now for years I have been wanting a bigger diamond ring. The one I have goes well with my petite hand but something a litte bigger would be nice, right??? Well I had the OK from hubby to get the ring that I've always wanted. Off to search online! Found cute ones but then realized I would put my original ring away. That made me sad. Very,very sad. This was the ring hubby bought and paid for in cash. You know how hard it is to save enough money for a wedding ring when you just started out and bought a house one year prior? Yeah. When we bought our house, it was pretty much empty. We both were newly grads so our salaries were not great. Slowly we saved enough to fill the house, have some savings and knowing we could financially provide for any upcoming children we may have. Today we are doing well so this ring tells our life story. I couldn't put it away! So I decided to nix the new ring and figure out what I would like instead.

Now most women love jewlery, romantic trips but I'm not that kind of woman anymore. I guess I grew up and would rather get my kids things or experience moments then spending on myself. Then my husband said one thing that made me get all googly eyed. Carte blanche shopping trip? Non. Go to a salon and get pampered from my head to my toes? Non encore. Two simple words that made my heart pitter patter....

....................closet organizer!..................................................................

OMG! Yes yes yes! My friends know that I like things put in a certain place, like to keep the house as tidy as possible with 2 kids and a dog and cleaning is relaxing for me. I blame all this on my mom. Her genes. So I went ahead and called 3 major closet companies to come and beautify my walk-in-closet. My closet is huge but had such wasted, unused space. I did as best as I could to use every part of that room but I knew it could be better. So for weeks we went over the designs, prices and companies until we got what I wanted. lol Hubby doesn't care how it looks since it's not exciting. hihihi

Care to see how it looks? Now this company needs to return since some of the pieces were incorrect and basket liners were still backordered. That's ok. It still looks great and I'll be patient. Ok, ready? Like really, really ready? Ok, you twisted my arm! I'll show you guys. hihihi

Sorry for the bad photos. It's really hard to take a picture inside a closet! lol

Here's the before while we took everything from the ground and a bookcase we had in there. It didn't look like this before. I would have a heart attack if it did! lol Hubby installed the hardwood. I guess he knew it would look better with hardwood then carpet. He was sooo right!

And here is it now. I have more space than he but all his clothes fit in his section. His side is on the right and where you see our electrical panel, that wooden panel is off. They will replace it plys the top shelf. Someone didn't double check my order. hihihi

Hmm need to buy more shoes. I have 3 pairs in my entryway closet and 3 pairs of boots. I used to have so many pairs of shoes. Motherhood changed me I guess.

Hubby side. This is all the clothes he has! His sweaters, tshirts and shorts are in the drawers.

I have a project in mind for that wall but it will have to wait. Too many things are happening now and I don't have the extra time for it. I think it'll look great once done.

Now I am thinking of making this room even more beautiful. A rug? An ottoman? Chandeliers? lol Hubby has no idea what he has unleashed. lol

My husband doesn't read my blog BUT in the rare occassion he is... Happy Anniversary Baby! All these years and I still love to sit with you, talk to you and squeeze that cute tush of yours. Here's to more decades being together!

What? He does have a cute tush.

A Bientot!

Tweet! Tweet!

2010-07-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

Remember when I posted that a momma bird was making her nest a few weeks ago? Well I heard little chirps and tweets so I ran to grab my camera and took a photo of them.

Awww! Good job momma! Now can you please not poop on the patio??? Just turn around and do it on my flower bed. It's less noticeable. Merci.

A Bientot!

Winner!!!!

2010-07-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Are you all ready to know who won the $50 gift card from CSN? I tried figuring it out how Random.org works but I'm lost. I used to old fashion way in choosing the winner...demanding your child to behave in front of the camera and pick a name. lol As you can see in the end, he wanted to keep picking names so I had to cut it short. lol

Chera, please email me so I can send it to CSN rep and she will email you the code. Have fun shopping woman!

A Bientot!

Farmer's Market in the morning.

2010-07-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Nothing like getting fresh produce and some beautiful flowers to make your day! Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It will end tonight at 9pm PST.

A Bientot!

Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!

2010-07-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

*****The giveaway is closed.*****

Can you guess I am having a giveaway? lol The nice people at CSN emailed me once again and asked me if I would like working with them again. I said yes of course! This time, I opted to give you guys a chance in winning a $50 gift certificate to buy whatever you guys want! And a lot of their items are free shipping! Shooooopinnnng time!

What can you buy? Well lets see. Perhaps you would like a chandelier for your dining room? Heck why not a dining room sets? Ok, ok. You probably can't buy a dining room set for $50 BUT you may find a cute light fixture for the room? Or a nice print? I know you will find something that will make you go "I want that!".

Ok, the rules now. For US or Canadian readers (sorry my none North American readers). For a chance to win, follow me or if you are already a follower, let me know. For second entry, Facebook or Twitter about my giveaway with the link showing me you posted about it. It's that simple! The giveaway will end on Sunday, July 11th, 2010 at 9pm PST. I will announce the winner on Monday the 12th.

Now come on and win THAT gift certificate!

Bonne Chance!

Celebrating with friends.

2010-07-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

How was your 4th of July? Mine went well and I didn't have to cook! We spent the day at a small carnival and then went to spend the rest of the day with my friend Karen.

The kids somewhat enjoyed the tiny carnival and seeing what it is, we will probably not go next year. They did enjoy the water slides and some of the bouncy houses. My son loved the hit the target to dunk a person. He dunked the same kid twice! lol They also had some games that the kids played.

My friend Karen loves to entertain and there is always plenty of wine and good food to eat. Her husband is French so wine and champagne is the norm. hihihi I had a glass to celebrate and will explained a pose I did for my friend. lol A parade was done by the kids and we enjoyed the fireworks too. We got home pretty late and we were all exhausted.

Their scooters decorated for the parade.

The yard is slopped in case you are wondering why the pool looks like that.

Cuddling with Daddy.

No comment.

Getting ready for the parade.

My son went nuts with the flags. lol

Here's the marshmallow pops that I made for the party. Kids liked them. I also brought some marinaded some shrimp to share with everyone.

Next year I am thinking of hosting a block party in my neighborhood. Thinking. lol

A Bientot!

Happy Fourth of July!

2010-07-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

I hope all my American readers are having a wonderful holiday. I will be celebrating this day with my friend and her family. I'll be bringing skewered shrimp and marshmallow pops to the party. It'll be nice not to worry about hosting a party for once. hihihi. Hope your day is a fun and relaxing one!

A Bientot!

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay! I was meaning to post something today to my fellow Canadian readers and friends but the day got the best of me. I hope you enjoyed a nice day out or maybe a yummy BBQ. Or maybe you just moved into a new place and are having a pizza and beer party while painting. Ahh I miss those pizza move in days!

A Bientot!

Giving is good.

2010-06-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

This past Friday, my daughter and I went to my hairstylist to get a haircut. Not just any haircut but one that I have been waiting for almost 3 years!

Years ago, I saw a woman donating her hair for Locks of Love. I was impressed at her donation. At that time, I had a short haircut with multiple layers but decided I would like to do something in my life besides giving money to charities.

This was somewhat a nuisance for me since I thought I was too old for long hair but thinking about the children losing their hair because of chemo put me in my place. So what if it was extra work? I am healthy and so is my family, the least I could do is let my hair grow so a child may be able to wear a wig while in treatment. I also convinced my daughter to do the same. And so our journey began. lol I didn't realise growing short hair to long would take me almost 3 years. I did it though! And I feel good about it too. I hope my hair also brings some of my karma to the child that will wear it. I am blessed and hope the child will be blessed to.

Here's my daughter before we left for the salon. It was the first time she got her hair shampooed too. She liked that.

Love her face in this photo. She was looking at something outside and looked so transfixed.

Her new do!

My before.

My rat tail. Lord it was long.

My daughter was taking the photos and she took some of my feet. lol I thought it was too funny not to post. She wants her toenails painted too but I have told her no. Too young I think but I'm old fashion like that.

New hair do. I probably lost some weight too. lol

My daughter gave 12" of her hair while I gave 13.5". We both feel good in doing something for another person and that we stuck with our plan no matter how tempting it was to just cut it and forget about our commitment.

Have you guys donated hair? How did you feel? Did you cry in losing your long locks or did you feel liberated?

A Bientot!

CSN

2010-06-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

Remember when I said I was contacted by CSN to review a product from their store? Well I got it this week! What did I get?? A dog bed for my Sandy. Hers was getting very old and she needed a new one. It was the perfect time to get her a bed and review CSN many websites.

The first order that I made, the color was not as I expected. It is of no fault to CSN but the color sample of burgundy on the website is more like a purple color than burgundy. I went ahead and returned the bed and was able to order the same bed but in red. Customer service was quick and very nice. No problem in returning the item but had to eat a small delievery fee for returning it. I understood that before ordering the product and it was a small amount so no biggie.

Did I get the correct color? Yup! It was red and it looked cute too! I ordered a large size bed for her since she's not a petite dog.

My son wanted to try the bed out first and he said it was comfy. Sandy will be happy then!

Here she is laying in her bed with her favorite blanket. She's happy and so am I!

I prefer online shopping and I will add CSN into my favorites online store list. Many of their items offer free shipping so you probably won't have to worry about shipping cost. Their customer service were very polite and efficient so it's good to know customer service is still alive in these days. Go and check them out and see if there's anything you need or want!

A Bientot!

Middle Age Women.

2010-06-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

I am nowa middle age woman. Gulp! Wow! I feel like an 18 year old inside but when I look around me, I KNOW I am NOT 18! lol Own 2 cars, have a mortgage, have 2 kids, have a furry child, have laundry to do and maybe will be lucky to be in bed by 10:30pm. Oh Dear Lord! I am a middle age woman! lol

Today I am not cooking since we have the dinner out/or take out if the birthday person wants it. And I don't want cake. I am malade of eating cake this month. I have eaten 6 cakes from 6 different events and there's another party coming this Saturday. I told my husband that I want to go out and let the kids get frozen yogurt and maybe let them play in the waterpark afterwards. Low key but fun for the kids.

Qu'est ce que Maman veut??? There isn't any need and my wants are few but I actually stumbled on what I might like. A facial. I haven't had one in over 7 years and since my skin is aging, I should start taking care of it. I think it would be nice and relaxing and maybe I'll get a nap that way?! Yup! A facial!

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to sit on the couch later this afternoon while my husband will take care of dinner plans. I am going to relax this evening.

A Bientot!

Happy Father's Day! Bonne Fete des peres!

2010-06-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

image taken from Google.com

Happy Father's Day! I hope that the dads that do read my blog (who knows?!) have a nice day with their families.

I cannot spend the day with my Dad since he is far away but I will be thinking of him. Today hubby will have a nice breakfast (what's new?! lol), a nice lunch (again...nothing unusual lol) and a good dinner (lol). I may just keep the kids away from him for a nice nap. I'm a good wife. lol

A Bientot!

Hubby's project.

2010-06-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my husband decided to do something with our walk-in-closet. Remember the post about a delievery that I got? Well it was hardwood! Unfortunately, out of the 4 boxes, only one was the correct color. lol Hubby had to call and the company promised to send us the right ones. A few days later, we got it and hubby couldn't wait to yank the carpet out!

Here's what my closet looked right after hubby decided to take the baseboards out. Also, don't mind the walls. I was starting to paint them but never got around to finish them since he installed the floor in one day.

Don't mind the clothes and boxes. I was moving things around while painting. Not the best way to paint but with 2 kids, I have to make do. Also, the quality of the photos suck! No good lighting.

I have to say...I LOVE IT!!! Coming from the East Coast, I am used to hardwood everywhere so carpet was never a love of mine. Sure it's soft "the good expensive ones" but then it gets used up really quickly, stains and traps dirt inside. I prefer a hard surface and I can always put a rug if I really crave a soft surface.

It'll make sweeping a breeze and hubby is happy to vacuum one less room. lol It's a pretty big closet so it needs to get vacuumed since the kids love to play in my closet. Yeah, it's another playroom for them. soupir Well at least spilled goldfish will get easily sweeped up!

A Bientot!

My baby.

2010-06-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

My baby turned 7 last week. I know 7 isn't such a big number but for me, it seems like she is losing that "little girl" stage and is slowly creeping into the tween stage. Gulp! Since summer break started, she discovered ICarly on Disney. Now it's not a bad show per say. The kids don't swear, wear unappropriate clothing or talk about having serious relationships with a boyfriend. I guess I think it's mostly good for 10 year olds and not 7 although most of her friends watch older shows and talk a bit older than their age. Why are kids being pushed into growing so quickly is beyong me?!

On her birthday, I made a Barbie cake and we had dinner with my father-in-law and his lady friend. Samantha loved her gifts and forgot about the cake. The cake that I made within a few hours AFTER coming back from work. soupir. Kids!

On Sunday she had her girls only party. It was a glamorous type of party with hot pink & black pompoms, boas and jewlery making. I asked her to get dressed and she comes down wearing MY dress. Ok, I am already sad she is getting so old and now she's almost fitting into my dress? Don't ask just how close she is in wearing my high heels. Wahhhh!

The party started really quiet (weird, I know!) but in the end, it lasted almost 6 hours! lol She's now a second grader who thinks she's an adult. Yeah. Good times!

Here are some photos from the party.

The cake that I ordered. It was supposed to be hot pink. I gave the baker a piece of ribbon with the exact color. Yeah...not even close! lol

Those candles were tricky! Hard to blow them away!

Love the expression of her friend to the right.

My daughter with her best friend.

I was tired in the end and couldn't wait to take a hot, long relaxing bath. I love hosting parties but it takes a lot of time and effort in hosting them. Now I have to think about my son's birthday party in the Fall. Hey, I'm a planner! lol

A Bientot!

Grilled Honey Shrimp.

2010-06-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Are tired of grilling hamburgers, hot dogs or chicken? Well have you thought about grilling fish or seafood? Here's a great recipe from Allrecipes.com. It's great as appetizers or as a main dish. The whole family likes shrimp so I decided to grill some. A perfect light dinner!

Ingredients.

(copied from Allrecipes)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 tablespoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dry white wine (or chicken stock)

2 tablespoons Italian-style salad dressing

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

skewers

1.In a large bowl, mix together garlic powder, black pepper, 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce, wine (or chicken stock), and salad dressing; add shrimp, and toss to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2.Preheat grill for high heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

3.In a small bowl, stir together honey, melted butter, and remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Set aside for basting.

4.Lightly oil grill grate. Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Baste occasionally with the honey-butter sauce while grilling.

The shrimp are delicious and smells divine! Oh yeah, baby! The neighbors will come running to your grill. lol

Bon Appetit!

Summer plans.

2010-06-09T04:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so you know Meg from Whatever and her summer poster board...what? You don't??? Well go check her website now. I remember seeing it a few years ago and thought it was so cute and this year I decided to make one myself.

Here's ours. I don't know if we'll be doing everything on the list but I am sure more than half will be done before they start school. The kids were excited about the whole idea on putting their goals on a piece of paper that can be checked out once it was done.

Go and make one if you have small kids. They'll love seeing their ideas on paper and will be even more excited to check them off one by one.

A Bientot!

Welcome to the neighborhood!

2010-06-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well as I was cleaning the backyard, I notice a lot of dry grass on the ground. Huh. I look up and there's it is! A bird's nest! A few seconds later, Momma bird (?) flew in with some grass and started building her home. I look at the other side of my house and hear a lot of chattering when I saw the baby birds from the neighborhors peeking out from their nest. I then notice another nest is being built on the other side of my house. lol

I then see a crane/stork fly over my neighborhood. A few minutes later a hawk/falcon flew over then a bunch a black birds came by for a visit. This day has gone to the birds! Litterally! lol

I actually enjoy seing wildlife since in my culture, birds coming to your backyard or making nests are a sign of good luck/blessing. I have to say that I have been blessed in my life and there were always birds around me. Must be true then, right? hihihi

A Bientot!

Summer, summer, summer time...

2010-06-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

The perks in living in California. Getting fresh berries from the side of the road.

A Bientot!

Blackberry Cobbler.

2010-06-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

I love summer! Summer means eating outside, kids playing in the pool, grilling, eating fresh fruit and just soaking up some rays. It also means making treats for the kids and for myself of course. I have been buying so many kind of berries lately and the last purchase was some blackberries. I decided to make cobbler with them and here's the recipe I used. The one thing I would change is so grease the baking dish. I don't want any yumminess to get stuck at the bottom of the dish.

Ingeridents

2 1/2 cups Blackberry

1 cup Flour

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Milk

2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Melted butter

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a bowl, add the blackberries and the sugar together. Let the berries macerate or if you are like me, you wait until it's halfway done. lol I couldn't wait any longer.

In a larger bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Now add the melted butter and mix until it's well blended.

Now pour the batter into a ungreased baking dish (next time I'll be greasing it). Now spoon the berries on top of the batter.

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Serve warm with whip cream or some ice cream. This lasted for about 15 minutes in my house. Yes, it was yummy. 'Nuff said.

This is a great summer dessert. You don't have to use only blackberries for this recipe. Blueberries or raspberries would also be yummy. Mmm raspberries!

Bon Appetit!

Blackberry Cobbler.

Memorial Day BBQ

2010-06-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

This past Monday we went to have a BBQ at my father-in-law's apartment complexe. It's a senior community complexe and I was surprised their clubhouse didn't do something for Memorial Day. I decided to make some cupcakes and add some cute toppers as a way to show appreciation to those who have been to war or wars. I was happy to see those cupcakes been eaten away by the residents. I hope it made their day a bit nicer.

The kids enjoyed some pool time while we were BBQing steaks. Mmmm! I made a blueberry cake for dessert. Double mmmm! We had a great time eventhough the sun rarely came out. When we were driving back home, the kids were quiet and even my son was dozing off. Bonus!

Grandpa trying to ride the dolphin.

Oops!

My daughter took this one when we got home. I was putting things away. Sneaky child! Wow. My hair sure is long. Won't be for too long! hihihi

I hope you all had a great day with friends and family on Memorial weekend.

A Bientot!

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

We are off to celebrate Memorial Day with my father-in-law, an ex Marine. Hope all my US friends a nice holiday and to my other readers, an equally nice day. :)

A Bientot!

Did someone say review???

2010-05-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

I got contacted this week about doing a product review for CSN stores. I don't know about you but I love online shopping! In my PJs, no driving, no lines and momma is a happy woman! CSN has over 200 online stores! Whether you need kitchen knives, a sofa for your family room or some cute heels for a date, CSN stores got you covered! They also ship to Canada my Canadian friends!

I know you are curious now. Go and check them out. Once I receive the product, I will post my experience with them and reveal what I got. Bon magasinnage!

A Bientot!

Blueberry Cake. Gateau aux bleuets.

2010-05-26T01:30:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming and so are fresh berries! I keep buying buying strawberries and blueberries at the grocery stores. I was craving cake last week and since I had bleuberries, I wanted to incorporate the berries in it. Off to Allrecipes.com I went in search of the perfect cake. I found it! This cake is super moist and not too sweet. Just perfect!

Ingredients. (copied from Allrecipes but photos are from moi)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup milk

2 egg whites

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon white sugar

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan. * I used a 9" round pan*

2.Cream butter or margarine and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy. Add salt and vanilla. Separate eggs and reserve the whites. Add egg yolks to the sugar mixture; beat until creamy.

3.Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and baking powder; add alternately with milk to egg yolk mixture. Coat berries with 1 tablespoon flour and add to batter.

4.In a separate bowl, beat whites until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

5.Bake for 50 minutes, or until cake tests done.

Hmmm...something is missing...

...ahhh...much better!!!

The cake lasted less than 24 hours. It's that good. hihihi Hope yours last at least 25 hours.

Bon Appetit!

Blueberry Cake. Gateau Aux Bleuets.

New hobby.

2010-05-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

I got a delievery this afternoon for my husband. He's been itching to try something in our walk-in closet and I'm not saying anything. I'll let him do his thing and hopefully the end result will look nice. This is a "test" before he can do anything else to the house. lol Care to guess what he'll be doing this weekend?

*Update! Looks like Hubby's hobby will have to wait. Out of four boxes, only one is correct. sigh Hubby is not too please but they will ship our order within 3-5 days. We shall see!*

A Bientot!

She finally lost it!

2010-05-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

No, not my mind nor my daughters'. She finally lost her first tooth at a ripe old age of 6 11/12 years old! lol We were sure she would lose it on the last day of school but I think she played with it a lot and it popped out. Boy was she excited!

The "tooth fairy" came and left her $5. Lets say it would of been nice if Mr. Tooth Fairy cleared a passage way to her pillow so that Mrs. Tooth Fairy didn't have to crawl on all fours and feel the floor for books. lol Now what to do with the tooth? What do you guys do?

Here she is from this morning. I thought getting dollar bills would seem more fun than getting one $5 bill. She's learning about money but I thought the visual of seeing multiple bills would appeal to her more.

Wonder when her other teeth will pop out? Next one won't be as expensive as the first one though. hihihi

A Bientot!