MIA - Happy Birthday Anna

My fears came true. When I signed up for Holidailies I knew I would be ok until Christmas came around. Now I am a few days behind and am still in the throes of the Holiday Season and Celebrating Annas birthday!

I also have forgotten my camera at my Moms so there are no pictures of Christmas for the time being. They are coming though! I promise!

In the meantime,

I would like to wish my Baby Anna a very wonderful 1^st Birthday!

What a big girl you have become! I hope you have a wonderful day and that Lea lets you actually play with your toys!!!

When it rains

It pours.

We have had the strangest weather here this month. We have gone from record snowfalls (more in the last 20 days than all of last winter) to pouring rain today. And I mean pouring, coming down in sheets. It was so strange to take the girls out and to deal with rain once again. It’s the end of December, it should be snowing???? Of course all this rain leads to water problems for quite a few people, myself included.

I noticed yesterday that there were suddenly some wet spots on my living room ceiling. Of course I noticed them about 10 mins after Bee left for work… but that’s not the point. I called one of my neighbours to come and take a look and tell me what he thought (since I am clueless about such things) and he reassured me that the ceiling was not going to cave in and that it was most likely caused by all the snow/ice and rain. You see, when the house is frozen and covered in snow the water has nowhere to go, so it collects, then eventually the ice melts and the water comes in. Hence my living room ceiling. I was sure it was coming from my cupboard upstairs because it was in an almost straight line where the track for my closet doors would be, but I checked the closet, the ceiling, the carpet and all was dry. One of the pitfalls of home ownership is dealing with these kinds of things. Now my concern is that more water will come and it will need to be repaired, and of course there’s the staining as well.

Does that look like a patch job on the left? I wonder if this has been an ongoing issue?

I am very fortunate that it was not worse than it was and it seems to have stopped so hopefully some priming and painting is all it will need. I wonder what the rest of this Winter holds…

2 more dodos!

I have to admit that this is the first year that I have really been truly excited for Christmas in a very long time. There is something about having kids that brings all the magic back! I have been making all my preparations and am hoping to be done by Christmas Eve so that we can just relax and enjoy. Bee is on night shifts so I have spent the last 3 nights wrapping presents. And anyone that knows me, knows that I hate wrapping and that I suck at it! But with Bee working and me at home watching tv, it just doesn’t seem fair to leave it for him. I am pleased to say that I am almost done! All I have left to do is Bees stocking.

It’s so funny how every family tradition is different. Heather and I have been sharing our differences and it’s just so neat that everyone’s Christmas morning routine is different! We leave out empty stockings, the items in the stocking are wrapped, we open stockings upstairs before coming downstairs to see what Santa brought, we wrap gifts from Santa etc…

This will be the first year that we get to leave milk and cookies out for Santa and that has always been one of my favorite memories. I will never forget the year we left out a bowl of sugar for Rudolph and when we woke up the next morning there was an imprint of a reindeer tongue in the sugar! So magical! Last year Lea was still quite young and Bee actually had to work Christmas day so we unwrapped all our gifts on Christmas Eve, hence the no milk and cookies. But, this year we are all home and I think she is old enough to sort of understand that Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk! I can’t wait to see her reaction!

I have a great Christmas eve planned, and I can’t wait to just relax with Bee and watch a movie. I have picked up Egg Nog, chips and mixed nuts, and we are planning on watching the Santa Clause 3. It will be nice to just unwind and spend some time with Bee before the craziness of Christmas begins! Especially since he’s worked the last 4 nights!

The rest of my day...

After my rude awakening yesterday, I wish I could say that the rest of the day got better but it didn’t. (Not until the very end of the day). I decided to take the girls out to get some last minute shopping done and took my sister in law Kerri with me. I picked her up just after 11am and off we went. Lea was upset in the car the whole time, was actually throwing a screaming, hissy, tantrum, fit. She wanted Daddy and no amount of consoling would do. So, Kerri and I just did our best to ignore her and continued on our way!

Did you know, that the person at Tim Hortons will take pity on you when you go through the drive-thru with a screaming child and give you a large coffee instead of a small and then wish you “good luck!”

Things got better when I was able to get Lea out of the car and let her walk a bit. She was great in the store, and we averted a major crisis when she dropped her timbit on the floor by grabbing a package of fruit snacks and giving her one of those instead. The rest of the day went pretty well, Lea took a nap in the car on the way home and Bee got to sleep a lot later than normal since we were out.

I would like to say that Lea got better, but she has been so whiny these last few days. I just spoke to her Grand Father and apparently the Holidays can cause as much stress as a negative experience and the result is a tired, cranky child. Add to that the fact that she is 2 and definitely testing her limits and it makes for lots of challenges for us.

When dinner time came around, I had planned to have the always nutritious, quick and easy old reliable chicken nuggets, fries and frozen veggies. I have planned to make enough for all of us, but little did I know that we only had a couple chicken fingers and a very small amount of fries left. So, the girls ate, and we didn’t. Just one more thing to add to my bad day!

After Bee left for his night shift, I decided to bathe the girls. It is usually a good distraction for them (since they don’t like to see Daddy leave) and that was an adventure all on it’s own. I am learning that two kids means constantly changing routines and the way I do things. My new challenge is that Lea can now climb in and out of the tub on her own. When bathing the girls together, I used to take Anna out first, dry her off and dress her on the floor while Lea played in the tub. Last night, I took Anna out first, as usual and Lea decided to follow suit. I now had two, wet, cold, dripping girls to deal with. What a mess J

I know this may sound like a terrible day, but it actually ended very well. Anna was very tired, and grumpy and possibly teething. For the first time in months, she fell asleep on my chest and we just lay together on the couch that way for quite some time. One of things that I miss the most about having babies is cuddling with them, especially when they are asleep. It was such a great end to an otherwise lousy day; to lie on the couch, with the lighted tree and my sleeping babe (oh, and Young and the Restless of course!).

Tough Morning and Tough Love

I have always considered myself a morning person. I have no problem waking up early and starting my day (just don’t expect me to stay up past 10pm). One of the things that I have had to learn to accept and deal with when I had the girls was saying goodbye to my peaceful, quiet mornings. Most times I can get them up, changed and fed and then sit down to enjoy my morning coffee while they have breakfast. Today, that wasn’t the case.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love being a stay at home Mom and I really do cherish the time that I get to spend with the girls but, there are some instances that make it very very hard to not wish that I could be anywhere else on earth. This morning was one of those times. Bee is on night shifts (just finished his first one), which means that most times he is home and in bed before the kids wake up. Normally this isn’t a problem and Lea quietly comes downstairs with me. This morning was totally different. I think there is so much going on right now, preparing for the Holidays, Bees extra shift at work, his going out shopping (for me of course!), the girls’ colds, her teething, the list goes on and on; that it is affecting her behavior. Ever since she was very little she has always favored Daddy. She is the epitome of a “Daddy’s Girl” and no amount of spoiling, or time alone with me will fix that. I have come to accept it (for the most part, but people keep telling me it will change so I’m secretly hoping!) but there are times that it is very trying for me, to not be the one she wants.

This morning Bee was already in bed when Lea woke up. I’m not sure if she heard him walking around or what, but she woke up mere minutes after he came to bed. I went to get her as usual, wishing her good morning and what not, and she threw a fit. I believe her words were “no mommy, daddy!”. She threw herself down in her crib, buried her head and screamed. I calmly explained that Daddy was sleeping, that he had worked all night and that we would see him after lunch, but at this point she was so worked up that it didn’t help. I myself was still half asleep and in no mood to deal with this tantrum first thing in the morning. So, I used some tough love. I told her that if Mommy couldn’t get her out of bed than she could stay there and walked out of her room. This of course set her off even more. I sat on the foot of my bed and listened to her scream and tried to catch my breath. I would like to say that I wasn’t angry and hurt but that would be a lie. (Oh, about this time I heard Anna cry out too. No doubt roused from her peaceful slumber by her screaming sister *sigh*). After calming myself a little, I went back into Lea’s room and tried to talk to her again. At this point she seemed to understand that it was Mommy or nothing and she let me pick her up and bring her downstairs. She was a little upset for about 30 minutes but after having some milk and quiet time, she came around and now is acting totally fine, like nothing had happened.

I wish I could say that I felt the same. I know that she loves and misses her Daddy, I know that as a stay at home mom I am good old reliable Mom, always around, but it hurts to know that she doesn’t want me. Especially first thing in the morning when she’s been asleep all night. I hope that this is just a phase but I must admit that it’s one of the harder parts of raising a toddler, at least for me.

Is the coffee ready yet?

Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I've been a good Mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the pediatricians office more than my own doctor, and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my daughter's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room, between cycles.... and who knows when I'll find any more free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache, (in any color, except purple, I already have purple) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, 'Yes, Mommy' to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting 'Don't eat in the living room' and 'Take your hands off your sister,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare chocolate a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my daughter saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think she wants me to feed her or take her somewhere..Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet. (you promised me last year you would lose some weight with me so next year you and I could be a cute size six...Okay, some requests go too far.....

Yours Always,

MOM

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children, healthy, safe. and of course, young enough to always believe in Santa.

*Santa has asked that this gets passed on to all the Mommies that you know.

Baked Tomato and Cheese Pasta

Every month I receive a copy of Today’s Parent in the mail. I have been receiving this magazine since before I knew I was even pregnant. It is chock full of good idea, articles, advice and my favorite, recipes! I trust that the recipes they print are nutritionally sound and approved by kids as well! The new January issue has quite a few recipes that I plan on trying, that I have actually gone so far as to get the ingredients for. When trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight, I remembered that I had bought Ricotta Cheese to try this recipe and that I had leftover pasta and sauce in the fridge from dinner a few nights ago. After all the cookie making fun, I decided that it might be nice to have an easy to make, quick dinner. I believe there is still some garlic bread left and I will throw together a salad for the adults in the house.

Now I need to figure out what to do with the rest of the Ricotta cheese. It is not something that I normally buy so I will need to find another use for it. Any ideas?

Baked Tomato and Cheese Pasta

1 lb (500 g) penne, rotini, shells or other medium-sized pasta shape
3 cups (750 mL) spaghetti sauce, store-bought or homemade
1 cup (250 mL) ricotta cheese
½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan
¼ cup (50 mL) fresh basil, chopped
1 ½ cups (375 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease one 9 x 13 in (23 x 33 cm) rectangular baking dish or two 8 in (20 cm) square baking dishes.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but not mushy. Drain well, then rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together half of the spaghetti sauce (1½ cups/375 mL), the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and basil. Add the drained pasta and mix well. Spread some of the remaining spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish (or dishes). Cover with the pasta mixture, then spoon the remaining spaghetti sauce overtop. Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella cheese and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned on top.

Makes about 6 servings.

Originally published in Today's Parent, January 2008

Cookie Time!

One of my favorite memories as a child is making cookies. I used to make them with my Grammie all the time when I visited with her. It has been one of those things that I have been looking forward to doing with my own kids, and today I had that chance. I had premade some Sugar Cookie dough and Lea and I rolled it out, cut it into star shapes and sprinkled with red and green sprinkles. It was really nice to spend some time with just her (Anna was sleeping and Bee got to get away for a few mins to play on his computer!) and to start some new traditions of our own. This is not her first Christmas but it is the first one that she can help and remember. I hope she had as much fun as I did but I’m almost positive that she did!

Lea and I cutting the cookies into star shapes

Lea got to put the sprinkles on!

Making Memories!

Lea walking Anna

As promised! Bee got a video of Lea helping Anna walk across the dining room. Enjoy!

My friend TableMate II and a Rant!

One of the best part of having Christmas parties so early in the month is that you get to use your new gifts! At one of my many annual parties, we do a Chinese Christmas/White Santa or Elephant/Whatever you want to call it gift exchange. This year I chose to steal from my Uncle the Tablemate II for use in the living room with my laptop. You see, one of the downfalls of using a laptop on your lap (duh!) is that your lap gets really hot and you’re very limited in your movements. This little table is perfect for living room use. It also doubles as an easel for the kids, a card table for us and a table for the kids to draw on when they are a little bit older. I like that it folds up for easy storage as well.

You know, this is totally off topic but I really hate when companies (ahem! Rogers) call at 8:50 PM to verify the services on my account. I mean really, is that necessary? It would be even nicer if the people on the other end of the line knew what they were asking or could even pronounce my name correctly. Every time I asked a question about a service (that he brought up!) I was put on hold and had to wait for him to find my answer. It really does not instill confidence when that happens. I totally understand that he is just some poor guy trying to earn a buck and for arguments sake, maybe it was his first day, but yeah, it still sucks.

That’s my rant for today!

Sharing means caring

With the holiday season approaching, the girls have already received some gifts. I have purposely gotten Anna her own toys so that she will have something to play with that Lea cannot grab from her and say “mine!”. All the toys (ok most) were Lea’s first and she still feels that she owns then. She likes to grab from Anna and I am not too sure how to approach the situation. Most of the time I ask her to share, or get Anna another toy, occasionally I remind her that Anna had it first and to give it back to Anna. The real problem is that Anna doesn’t seem to mind having things taken from her, so after sternly (is that a word????) telling Lea to give the toy back to Anna, Anna drops it and finds something else to play with. Leaving me to wonder why I even bothered.

I have done some reading and what I have read indicates that before a child can learn to share, she needs to learn possession, so I guess that’s what we are working on right now. Of course she now loves Anna's new toys just as much as her own and because they are new, they both want to play with them all the time!

Ah, the challenges of raising two young girls so close in age!

I must admit though that once in a while they surprise me. I will look over to find them playing together, or more recently this:

Anna is on the verge of walking, and has actually taken a few steps on her own so we have been spending lots of time walking while holding her hands and just helping her along (I know, what am I thinking right!) and I guess Lea has seen us and decided that she would like to help too! Little does she know that once Anna is walking, she will be able to follow her everywhere! Right now Lea can still run away and hide! I'll try to get a video next time.

Big White

The Parliament Buildings during the Snowstorm

According to The Ottawa Citizen, Sunday December 16th 2007:“People were being advised to stay indoors Sunday as a massive winter storm rolled its way into Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, creating havoc on the highways…Blustery winds in the nation's capital produced blizzard conditions Sunday morning. Heavy snow began falling there around 9 a.m. and the winds were blowing at a speed of 37 km/h ( 30mph for my American friends!)…Snow started falling early Saturday afternoon, beginning what the agency predicts could be a 40-centimetre(15 inch) snowfall across the region. Environment Canada says it could be the worst storm in the region in over 60 years.”

Last winter was very mild, and we almost had a green Christmas (I think there was a light dusting of snow the day before) but the snow that we have received this year has more than made up for it. We have had several bad winter storms but this one has to be one of the worst I have ever seen. I am so thankful to be holed up at home and not out driving like so many other people. I have had to shovel my driveway twice this afternoon and already it needs to be done again. I am keeping it clean in the hopes that Bee actually gets to come home tonight (more on that in a bit).

The problem with our street is that it does not belong to the city and therefore the Condo Corp. is responsible for hiring people to remove the snow. In the 3 years that I have lived here this has always been a problem. Mostly because the independent contractors take on too many contracts and when faced with bad weather like today, can’t get to everyone fast enough. The street has not yet been plowed and during my second round of shoveling I witnessed 3 cars get stuck in the middle of the street. I suppose it doesn’t help that people like me, who have no front lawn so to speak, have no choice but to shovel their snow onto the street. Normally this isn’t a problem since the plow just takes the snow and dumps it in a pile in the back but on days like today, it just adds to the snow that has already accumulated. The snowbanks are already taller than I am (I know, I know that’s not that tall!) but it’s the tallest I have seen in many years. In fact, they are so high that I cannot shovel the snow on them because the snow just falls right back onto my driveway.

So yes, I am hoping to keep the driveway clear in case Bee actually gets to come home tonight. He is one of those fortunate few(sarcasm much!) to work in a Department that needs to run 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. What that means is that on days like today, where staff will more than likely NOT be able to make it into work, the staff that IS there must stay and man the decks. This means that Bee, after having worked 12.5 hrs today, may have to stay and do the night shift as well until the roads have been cleared and people can make their way into work. This does not sit well with me, the mother of his two children who has been stuck at home with the kids for days now, but what can you do. Some are saying it’s probably best that he stay at work and not brave the drive home. At this rate I’m not even sure he would make it down our street.

So, the kids are warm and dry, watching TV (hey, I’m desperate!) I’m sipping on a Chai Tea and dreading my next shoveling session. My arms and back are sore already!

Chips and Cookies

I had totally forgotten about these cookies, until I saw them on the shelf at the store yesterday. These are my absolute favorite cookies and and I am ashamed to admit that the box didn’t last the night (hey, there were 3 of us!) It’s a really good thing that they are not out all year round because I would really be in trouble! They have the perfect mix of mint and chocolate and are just yummy! If you have never tried them, I really really recommend giving them a go, just keep in mind that an open box is an empty box (unless you have more self control than I do!)

Natalie also recommended these chips and since I love trying new things, I decided to pick up a bag. I love BBQ chips but they have to be spicy BBQ, not sweet BBQ (like Lay’s) so I must admit I was really skeptical. (May I also add that my little sis who just came back from the Prairies chooses the Stampede flavor!) They are actually really really delicious and quite hot as well. They are rippled so a little bit thicker than just a regular potato chip and come in very exotic flavors that I don’t know if I have the courage to try (Szechuan, General Tao, Buffalo Chicken) and that Natalie won’t even eat without sour cream for dipping! But never say never!

Barbecue lovers will take a shine to these crunchy rippled chips. Made with our bold and flavourful seasoning blend, inspired by our popular PC Smokin' Stampede Barbecue Sauce, they're plenty tasty! Potatoes, chipotle peppers and a touch of smokiness… why bother firing up the grill when all your favourite flavours are right here in the bag?

Need a laugh?

As an extra bonus, (I have already posted today's entry) I wanted to share this video with all of you. Having two small kids is never easy, but moments like this certainly make it worthwhile. They can often be found fighting over the chair or sippy cups but noone can make Anna laugh quite like Lea does! Sisterly fun at it's finest!

PC Five-Spice Teriyaki Marinade

While looking at pork Tenderloin at the store last week, I noticed this product on the shelf. I liked that it was President’s Choice brand (therefore good quality but lower prices than other brand names) and it was a new flavor that I had not tried before. For the last few months I have been toying with Teriyaki sauce and stir frys and I like to think that I make a darn good Beef Teriyaki (friends have even asked for the recipe!) so when I saw this Five-Spice Teriyaki marinade I thought that might be good with the Pork Tenderloin and picked one up.

PC Five-Spice Teriyaki Marinade

Natalie and I were trying to decide what to have for dinner last night and she loves Tenderloin so I took one out of the freezer and decided to try it with the new marinade. I left it in the fridge for almost 2 hours in the sauce, then transferred the meat to a foil lined shallow dish and put some of the marinade on the tenderloin. I cooked it for about 25 mins (I check the internal temperature of my meat – I like to make sure It’s well cooked!) and we had that with coleslaw, mashed potatoes and carrots. It turned out very delicious! The marinade adds a really nice flavor to the meat and I can’t wait to try it with chicken or beef. A must try if you like that sort of thing!

Finally! A tree!

Now that my sister is here to help me through the long work days (Bee works 3 more day shifts this weekend) I decided that it was finally time to put up the tree! I thought that it might be nice for all of us to get to share in the moment and I think Natalie and the girls had a great time! Bee, not so much! He did all the grunt work (setting up the tree, connecting the lights etc.) and spent most of his time trying to get my angel topper to work. Natalie the girls and I put up most of the decorations and just had fun decorating! It is so nice to have my tree up and I must admit that it is finally starting to feel like Christmas around here!

So far the tree has not been an issue, although Anna likes to try to take the balls off and touch the lights. I have caught Lea several times right up at the tree staring at the ornaments, and she loves to point out each one (snowman, stocking, Santa etc). What I really love about my tree is that I have lots of balls that are the same but different colours so that’s the background of the tree, and then I have all the ornaments that I have collected over the years that get displayed in the front where everyone can see them. I also put a few red bows and some candy canes. It’s so neat how everyone’s tree is different and tells a story about their family.

Now if only it smelled like Christmas! I will have to get a real tree someday!

Anna trying to touch the tree!

Lea would rub her bare tummy against the tree and laugh because it tickled! She's so silly!

Anna playing with ornaments.

All the ornaments that Lea put on the tree are in one big clump! Maybe she thought they were grapes!

Spending time with Sis!

My little sister and I are enjoying some quality time together with the kids and without. I can’t say that we have always gotten along and that we have always been friends because that just isn’t true, but with time and age we have become the best of buds.

It was a tearful reunion at the airport this morning (she’s been going through some tough stuff) but it only got better from there. What I love about my sis is that she thinks just like me, she makes herself at home and does not want to be treated like a guest “per se”. She helps with the kids (so great!), she helps cook and clean up after meals and she is just downright great, as a sister and an aunt.

I am so pleased to have her spend some time with us and to help us get ready for the Holidays,and of course for the chance to visit with my only sis! So glad your home Nanny *hugs*

Natalie and Anna exploring the Christmas Tree

Natalie and Lea goofing around as usual!

The "Girls" decorating the Christmas Tree.

Gnocchi - Yum!

I really hate when I write a big, long entry full of amusing anecdotes and *poof* it disappears. This doesn't happen often but when it does, it is really really frustrating. I have no idea what I did or how to get my old post back so here is the abridged version.

Holidailies people, please take pity on me! This post was written and sent to Blogger from my email client and I totally forgot it was there. Bee is also working his long week at work, (5 x 12.5 hr shifts in 7 days - Rough) so I just had not gotten around to getting it posted. May I please have a get out of jail free card this one time?

Ahem.

While grocery shopping last week with my friend Amy, I came across a package of Gnocchi. I remembered that the few times i'd had it, I'd really enjoyed it so I decided that at $2.99 it was something I could afford to try. I was even happier to read that it cooks in 2-3 mins (once you've got the full pot to a rolling boil, 15 mins or so). The girls had theirs with pasta sauce and I whipped up a quick Alfredo sauce (recipe below) to make my favorite sauce, rosee. Both girls cleaned their plates. That's not unusual for Anna, but Lea thought they were pasta, it was the only way she'd eat them (my child dislikes everything potatoes, except french fries and Gnochhi apparently!). It was nice to have a meat free meal (and yes I served bread and a veggie) but I think I will try it with chicken or Italian sausages next time. It was totally easy and truly delicious. Worth the try!





Chronicles of a Curious Cook: Easy Alfredo Sauce



Easy Alfredo Sauce


2 Tbs butter

1/3 cup cream cheese

2/3 cup milk

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of pepper (white is best!)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan plus more at the table



Melt the butter. Stir in the cream cheese while stirring with a wire whisk. Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly. Bring just to a very low simmer and cook a few minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and pepper. Add the Parmesan, stirring until melted. Cover and let sit until your pasta is done. This sauce is a bit runny but good

Annas first Timbit!

As most of you know, Tim Hortons is a staple among us Canadians (large double double for me please!). When my dad (aka Pappy) comes to visit he always brings us coffee and Timbits for Lea. He was here last week and Lea was napping so he got to visit with Anna and decided that she deserved to have her first Timbit! Luckily I had the camera around to get it all on film (screen?)

Pappy let her pick her own Timbit. You can tell by her face that she isn't sure.

Yumm, I think i'll take this one!

And maybe this one too! One for each hand.

And then she decided to squish them together. Pappy was not too impressed! We promptly moved her to her high chair so that she could make a mess all over herself and not Pappy's lap!

Senate Christmas Party!

One of the things that I really miss about not working is the fun stuff like staff dinners, and Christmas parties. I was thrilled when my friends invited me to their work party at the Parliament Buildings no less! There was a delicious dinner (that I didn’t have to cook!), free wine and lots of really nice people. It was so much fun to get dressed up and go out as just me, not mommy, not wifey, just ME! I got to visit different areas of the Parliament Buildings that I had not seen before like the Peace Tower and the Senate Rooms, and I even got to use the Senators Washroom! There were lots of laughs, lots of drinks and lots of fun! I have a standing invite for next year so I may just have to attend once again J Many thanks Josh and Amy, I had a great time!

Mommy ready to go out and the girls fast asleep!

The Main Foyer (courtesy of my friend Amy!)

One of the many hallways inside Parliament Hill (courtesy of Amy!)

The Parliament Buildings are very old and have beautiful architecture (courtesy of Amy!)

I believe this is the library, taken from the Peace Tower (courtesy of Amy!)


At the top of the Peace Tower is a clock, this has to be one of my favorite pictures! (courtesy of Amy!)

Downtown Ottawa at night as seen from the Peace Tower

Josh and I at the top of the Peace Tower

Sitting in the Speakers Chair in the Senate Room

An example of how the rest of the night went! Just kidding. I was taking a picture of the tree from underneath and fell lol!