Tortilla Roll-ups

my own variation.

1kg tub cream cheese (got mine from costco)
1 can green chilies
1/2 bunch green onion
1T garlic seasoning mix
1/2 cup green olives
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

12 tortillas (I used 6 spinach, and 6 sundried tomato)

**after rolling all 12, I had 1cup and a bit of the filling left over.**

Throw all ingredients (except tortillas) in food processor.
Smear on tortillas - thick at the beginning and thin at the end side, when you roll it up it will squish out.
Refrigerate for a few hours so it will set a bit.

Slice and set on a pretty platter.

Enjoy!

Its Sunday.

Normally a day to hang out as a family.

Today though, the Mr is working. So we took all the grass and stuff from yesterday's lawn adventure out to the farm.

Ran the girls through the mud, oh the mud! Wow.

Then my brother showed up, with one of the dogs! She bowled over the girls as excited to see THEM as they were to see HER! She's a Bernese Mountain dog....the size of a small horse (or thereabouts...). All 4 romped for a couple of hours, then she decided to take a dip in the pond. EW. Wet dog!

But now we're home, all fed (I caved and got them McDonalds) and scrubbed down from a trip to the farm.

We've all got pink cheeks - I remembered the bug spray but not the sunscreen 'doh!!!

I saw so many bikes on the road out through Springbank! I want to be out there with them! ARGH! Maybe one day I can get out and ride. In the meantime I think I'm going to go do some work on my bike - the chain needs to be lubed and there's a funky clunking noise I noticed on my last ride.

Maybe I'll wipe the bugs off my helmet too...

Struck by a Smell

On my run last week I smelled a smell. It was one of those moments that threw me back in time to a visit to the Grandparents house. A happy smell, that made me smile. 

I like smells. 

Smells are memories for me. 

Some memories are happy and some are sad. Some make me remember people, and some events. 

Loneliness or Solitude

I cannot decide.

“Language... has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone.” Paul Tillich

I was running this morning thinking to myself about loneliness and solitude.

That quote says it all.

“True friends are like diamonds, precious and rare. False friends are like leaves, found everywhere.”

So far, I've found a few friends in this journey called 'life'

I've always craved a best friend, someone to call in the middle of the night, someone to just have that ...bond....with. I've never had that friend. I did have a socalled best friend once. She nearly destroyed me. So although I do want that again, I'm terrified it will happen again. 

So along I plod. Step by step, day by day, hour by hour. Biding my time until......I don't know. The end I suppose. Which end? I don't know.  

There's something out there, at least thats what I'm told. Do I believe it? maybe, maybe not. 

To the children of today

Stolen from my friend Erin...

I'm not over 40 but it works

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... Barefoot... BOTH ways...yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that I'm over the ripe old age of forty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

1) I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

2) There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

3) Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe!

4) There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!

5) Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

6) We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it!

7) There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends". OH MY GOSH !!! Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

8) And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, the collection agent... you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

9) We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen.. Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

10) You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?!

11) There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons.

12) And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

13) And our parents told us to stay outside and play... all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores!

And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were lucky, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place!

See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1970 or any time before!

Regards,

The Over 40 Crowd

The Ideal Sunday

ok, not 100% ideal....its snowing again. 

But a family ideal. 

I'm baking...

Mmmm YUM! 

One kid is working on some beading.... 

One is working on her origami, making Easter baskets. 

 

and the third kid....feels icky, so is on the couch narrating Daddy's game

Yup, that is a Sunday in our house. 

The oldest is also working on her landfill project. 

The Menu (April4-10)

Monday - pancake bowls with cinnamon apples, bacon and perogies

Tuesday - Asian meatballs with rice and veggies. I do have some cool soba noodles, might blow caution to the wind and use those.

Wednesday - Baked/fried dijon chicken with pasta and salad

Thursday - Ham with scalloped potatoes

Friday - Fish, I haven't decided which variety yet though (bad me...)

Saturday - Homemade pizza

Sunday - pork roast with potatoes and veggies.


Yum!

Spring Break! Yaaaay!

March break for my girls.

What'd we do?

Day one....cleaned out the playroom and they weeded out the Polly's. Polly and her entire world has been evicted from our house! She and all her belongings went to a new home, to a very nice little girl who doesn't have much toys.

Day two....ZOO!

Day three...ZOO

Day four...ZOO

Day five...Chiropractor and the farm!

Day six...a Blizzard! wooohooo....brave the weather to get the girlies to the farm for a sleepover! That evening WE went out to Jubilations Dinner theatre. wow what fun!

Day seven...Home early enough to wind them DOWN.

and here's MONDAY! yay! Back to school, the sun is out. The snow is (kinda) melting. and there's a new school zone sign up on the craziest of streets beside the school - I am super happy about that!

I ran the loop, and now.....time to build the grocery list for the month.

Happy Birthday

to my 10 year old.

Proud of you. 

Love Mom. 

Books...

I'm a reader, I always have been and I always will be.

I love books.

You can climb into one and just disappear for a while.

I just downloaded the app for my ipod so that I can download books from the library! Oh me oh my!

I've read 24 books in the past month.

All genres too.

I've read werewolf horror novels (not the shiny happy fuzzy puppy werewolf novels either, the dark scary terrifying werewolf stories). Romances, I've rekindled my love for Dorothy Garlock again, and a few other randoms.

I've read some of those fluffy witch and vampire type novels. They're fluffy and fun. Easy reads and well, just an escape from reality.

I've read a couple dramatic novels. Nights in Rodanthe was the most recent, wow....puts everything into a certain perspective thats for sure.

Today I'm reading Fractured by Karin Slaughter (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2199587.Fractured ) and The 5th Witch by Graham Masterston  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2278833.The_5th_Witch.

I love to randomly look through lists of books. At the bottom of each page on goodreads is a "you may like this book too..." button. Its a special joy to click that and then follow it deeper and deeper. Finding all kinds of neat authors and books that I normally wouldn't have seen.

Hormones, Mood swings, and tweens.

this is the life I lead.

at least these days....

The tall one will be 10 in 11 days. All of a sudden she's grown into a young lady (oh dear god). We got her some new clothes yesterday for her birthday, size12 tall jeans which were impossible to find - only yoga pants and jeggings out there for tall girls these days. ICK we don't wear yoga pants out of the house. Ok, the middle one will - she will wear just about anything without a care in the world. But my tall one, is an extremely self conscious and anxious girl. We did finally luck out and find some nice dark wash bootcut size 12s. they make her look about a million miles tall and confident. Along with a few nice new shirts. Then the boots, no more little kid section boots or shoes for her. she's wearing a size 7 grown up shoe. yikes.

the moods are terrible, one minute smiling and happy, the next dark gloomy and screaming. Oh dear me. I really hope she's not like me in that regard, its a tough life trying to keep up that smiling happy face.

Where did the time go? from a smiling shy little girl hiding behind me if anyone so much as looked in her general direction, to the young lady who can stand up in front of her entire school and say the rosary or say the school prayer. I know she doesn't like to do it, but she does.

Right now they're sitting at their purple tables in the livingroom, watching a movie and eating pizza. Our perfect Saturday. ok, its our normal saturday routine. They play all morning, we go to piano, pickup a $5 pizza then home for a movie. Predictable we are.

What a week...

a snotty, chafed, boogery week.

Shorty has a cold.

She's just like her daddy. It starts with watery eyes, then the nose starts running. Then it increases until its pretty disgusting. This was her FIRST cold EVER! Knocked her flat on her tuckus for an entire week! and she's still all congested and chafed. Poor teeny nose....

3 boxes of kleenex, 2 rolls of toilet paper and one tube of chapstick (have to moisturize it somehow and I can't find the vaseline).

At its worst I was really thinking that I'd rather have vomit than boogers. Its not as constant, sticky, or just yucky. Of course, just ask me what I want the next time one of them decides to get the barfy kind of sick.

The cold could not have happened at a worse time too. Wednesday was her 'leader day' at school - we took the snack and didn't stay. Then Thursday they all had their first chiropractor appointments, and then the middle one had a pediatrician appointment (not sure if I want to share that yet though...). Shorty and the Tall one were going to Gramma's house while we did the pediatrician appointment. Gramma doesn't like germs (and Grampa likes them even less). but they were ok with my little germ bucket coming to hang out.

Chiropractor went very well. Shorty said hell no, but I expected that. She does know him, she's there for every one of my appointments. But no, she didn't want to. The other two were checked, and adjusted. They loved it.

and now...Tall one is at a friends house, tobogganing. Middle one's working on a craft and the shorty....is riding her wooden pony and leaking all over the place. EW.

Sunday, normally a family day but not today.

the Mr had to finish a job today, so off he went bright and early.

The girls were up bloody early today 6:30!!! yesterday too! what the?!?!

but they were playing quiet in a bedroom til they heard me come out and start the coffee, and begin the day.

It was a cold, grey, windy day. Not fit for man nor beast. The garbage can blew across the back yard, and there's an awesome drift in the girls snowfort.

It would be the perfect day to sit in front of the fireplace with a nice warm drink and watch movies or play games. BUT...

The girls were playing so nicely and quietly that I didn't want to do anything to disturb them! So, I washed laundry, scrubbed the showers and tubs (oh how I love my Tilex with bleach), and the toilets too. If the sun would have been shining it would have been really bright down the main hall. but no, its grey and icky.

I did laundry ALL day. Almost done too! Yay me! There's just a bleach load and a towel load left to do. And the ironing pile is huge. maybe tomorrow for that.

I sat on the couch, folding laundry, crocheting a blanket and watching the Sarah Palin's Alaska Marathon. Its a quirky show, they're a funny family. Her voice starts to grate after a while but it was fun. Right when the Mr got home from work (after a very long and miserable drive from Airdrie to here), the episode with Kate +8 was on. Oh how I despise that woman. I have wanted to see that one, just for sheer entertainment. I thought it was sad that she basically talked her kids into leaving - what a way to starve your children of something that they probably will never see again just because you're a freakin princess. We love to camp - I do know that we're all standing under the tent whining about being cold, but none of us give in. lol

Now, the kids are in bed. I've cleaned the kitchen (my own small resolution), the coffee is set, I have a wet sock from stepping in someone's puddle by the door, I have a hot cold cup of tea. Now I'm going to go and work on some more rounds for the tall one's blanket.

I got 8 rounds done today on the blanket - she's excited that its actually bigger now too.

So, farewell Sunday. Its been fun. My house is tidy, my kids are clean and fed, tucked into bed, the laundry is done and I have a good plan for tomorrow.

Back to the routine...

We had the first piano class of the new year this morning, my shy girl has decided to participate in the January Recital. YAAAAAAY!

Then, since Daddy was at the Motorcycle show we decided to go to the Fitness show.

yep, me and the trio downtown. I fit my truck into the underground parking (I did have to hesitate a bit as the overhead thing at the door knocked my antenna), and even found a good spot to park in.

WOW! they didn't whine, or complain! Ok, they whined when we'd been there for almost 3 hours - and then whined a bit more when I decided to go register for something else. but they got to sit on the edge of the stage and wait for me.

As we were leaving we decided to give Daddy a call. He was down with one of the BILs. and possibly a SIL (she hadn't decided yet). Well, he was just about ready to leave to! Lets meet up for lunch!

So, after a few good hours wandering the Fitness fair we went and had lunch with daddy!

Thats about as exciting as our day got! other than the fact that I got my truck in and out of an underground parking lot! yay me!

Kindergarten...

hooo boy!

I had the lightbulb moment this morning that I need to register the shorty for Kindergarten.

oh dear.

wow.

I'm really excited for her to go to kindergarten and make that move to becoming a big kid, but wow. Time has flown!

She is scared and excited. Most of her excitement is that she'll be in her big sisters school. But she's afraid of that at the same time. It is a really big place, especially for someone so small.

Will I make friends? she asks, of course you will!

Will I see my sisters? Of course you will!

So, September 2011 I will have a 5th grader, 3rd grader and a kindergartner!

My excitement is about having 2 hours every morning ALONE! oh the possibilities! I'm planning already!

as one of our favorite quotes says "Oh, the places you'll go!"

Good-Bye Christmas! See you next year.

It was that day...I dread it, and I love it.

I dread the fiddly work to put it all back into the bins, and then make it fit under the stairs.

but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how big my livingroom is.

I'll miss the pretty twinkly lights, the colours, my cool Christmas mug. but I love the neatness, and tidiness more.

the Mr. worked today (he took New Years Eve off), and it was a gorgeous day for the girls to play outside. So I was able to get it all done by myself. 

Now if only I could keep it this nice bright shiny tidy....

HA, right.

Now its time to focus on bigger and better things happening in my world. Can't wait to share them all...

Happy New Year!

Another year is under our belts.
It was a good year. lots of ups and downs, loop de loops and straightaways.

Started the business, wow...why didn't we do it sooner? oh well. its done now.

The girls are another year older, the Mr anod I are older, we've been married another year, school is getting that much harder (and the people are getting more challenging to deal with - oh boy we have a tween in the house). The friends we have are that much closer, the girls have gone on sleepovers at G'n'Gs house. We got a new trailer - no more stinkin' tent trailer for me, now I just have to learn to drive something HUGE.

I started running *gasp*.  I know! shocking isn't it?

I bought a bike *double gasp*. a fancy 2011 Trek - which if you're not familiar with bikes, is an amazing bike. Its a road bike, you know the one....skinny little tires and the curved handle bars. it looks like a fantastic feat of physics to stay upright and go fast. WELL....this bike not only goes FAST, but it is so much fun! so much fun that I invested in those scary things called cleats! and clipin pedals. basically a pedal that you lock your foot into to get the most out of your power. OHMIGOD! I'm going to crash and burn....but nope. I haven't fallen off once! YAY me!

Its definitely miles above my $100 Canadian Tire Special from oh so long ago.

On our last night of 2010, the Mr and I did something so much fun too! (nope, not out partying til all hours) we ran in our first race! ok so it wasn't really a RACE, race...but a Run. The Resolution Run to be exact. In subzero temps, with 1500 other people. we came in around 40 minutes. not bad all things considered....

Today, I HURT.

and today being New Years Day - we had my parents, and some friends over for brunch. Lots of food, laughs, conversation and just a good time.

So thats it thats all.

I hope that 2011 brings all that I want, and more. I've got lots of plans.