sweet thing(s)

a homemade life

i've been reading this book- A Homemade Life:  Stories and Recipes from my Kitchen Table  by Molly Wizenburg.  it's very good.  it's a memoir that encompasses snippets of her life and the recipes that go with them.  they add up to a very full picture that reads like a novel.  i'm now going to have to check out her blog, Orangette.

i was immediately inspired to try her custard-filled cornbread.  (2 of my fave things together!) 

(uh-oh- just discovered the recipe is not on her bog- i already returned the book to the library!  here is a very similar recipe if you leave out the corn kernels)  

it's one of those magic recipes where you pour a liquid on top of the batter and it magically transforms while baking. (have you seen my post on Denver Chocolate Pudding?  it is an amazing and so easy dessert)

mine came out with the custard on top for some reason, but i topped it with peaches and maple syrup and it was so yummy!

cookie of the day

i've been getting the Martha Stewart Cookie of the Day emails- 2 have inspired me into the kitchen.

the s'mores cookies:

for a teenager friend with a broken leg.  they were perfect for a teenage palate i think, but a certain person in my family said 'these are disgusting'

and the dark chocolate cookies with sour cherries:

 

which were SO GOOD!!!

the island: The Secret Door

treats for the smallest Islanders: one of our neighbours puts candy and small toys in the old milk door on her side porch.  do you see it there under the mailbox?

 

 

we usually stop about once a week- but every day as we pass by i hear,

"can we stop at the Secret Door, Mama?"

reading

anyone who knows me knows about my reading habit.  i love to read and i always have.  the fact that i have less time to read may be my biggest 'complaint' about my child-rich lifestyle. 

BUT, even with less time to read,  i have still managed to give myself carpal tunnel syndrome (repetitive strain injury) from READING (holding heavy books while breastfeeding).  this has gotten progressively worse with each child until i finally got it checked out and was given a splint to wear at night- which really helps.  I finally figured out this was what was causing it as i get the numbness still from reading if i'm not careful.  anyhoo...

i am loving this book- laughing OUT LOUD.  (thanks Morninglight Mama!)

 

and this book is changing my life:

the author writes about how most kids do not get enough sleep and how family lifestyles are not conducive to children getting the rest they and their parents need. 

i needed to hear this.  i am trying to develop a 'program' a 'plan' a something to help me in the next year while my man is busy at school and i am mostly on my own.  an earlier bedtime is now one part of it.

i strongly recommend reading this book. 

for us, it will be the 8 o'clock bedtime- because 7 just is too early around here.  i think the bedtime of right now- 9 or 10 o'clock (even though the kids sleep in)- is making everyone really tired and cranky.  sometimes everyone just seems so unhappy!  this book gives me hope that maybe they are just tired.  plus, i will have a bit of 'me time' or catch up time in the evenings which i am lacking right now.

the big challenge?  dinner should be 2 hours before the desired bedtime!!  !!!!!  that is a big challenge for me.  my new goal in life is dinner at 6:00.  if you had told me 20 years ago that that would be my goal in life, i would have laughed (see the first book i mentioned in this post.  i didn't think there was a connection but i guess there is)

tie dye

my mom gave us this tie dye kit- so fun!  i hadn't tie-dyed since i was a teenager.  i soon remembered the sudden urge when he dye is mixed and flowing: 'what else can i tie-dye?' which in this case led us to inviting over some friends and neighbours to partake in the fun. 

Our friend Julia is laid up with a broken ankle.  And check out Asa with one of his crazy daily (!) costumes- underneath the ladybug umbrella and black velvet cape is a purple fleece balaclava and cat whiskers- his sword is on the table.

it was a great all ages activity:  the littler kids needed help with the tying, but could do the dyeing just fine.

(Lee is wearing a tie dye he made at camp)

 

here are a couple of the shirts in action. 

(another day, another costume for Asa- ninja at the beach- you should have seen some of the strange looks he got)

Martha has some cool techniques to try. 

this would be a fantastic birthday party activity- instead of the dreaded 'loot bags.'  but each guest would have to go home with a wet shirt filled with dye, to be rinsed and opened in 24 hours- or do what we did and everyone come back 24 hours later to open the surprises!  

here i am

happy summer! 

it's finally hit us here in Toronto. 

we've had so much rain and cooler days, not necessarily so bad, but there's nothing like a beach day. 

we've been having some of those around here, if only to get away from the MONSTER mosquitos around our house.  the wet weather helped them thrive- to the point where I say "Run, kids, run!" as we are leaving our house and going down the path through the garden to go out. 

i've been notably absent from this space, taking a bit of a blog vacation without meaning to, but i'm back.  i've had a hard time finding the space to blog while in our summer routine.  lots of time out of the house, miss big girl not wanting to nap much anymore, the boys wanting to know why i'm on the computer, and my man more available in the evenings for hanging out.  but i've still been thinking of post ideas and taking photos, so i'll try to catch up.  

i'm also anticipating my man going back to school, and our fall routine.  trying to think of ways to make it all manageable, and, yes, pleasant!  more on that later.

but for now- a welcome back to myself photo- from the beach yesterday.

the island: Gala Day

we're finally recovering from Gala Day.  late nights, old friends, lots of fun.

Gala Day weekend events include lawn bowling, volleyball, soccer, beer tent, white elephant sale, kids' midway, beer tent, Dixieland Band, baseball, tennis round robin, arts and crafts sale, games: basically 3 days of fun.

Lee and I sold his t-shirt company's newest design at the arts and crafts sale.  (more on that later- I have a silkscreen tutorial in the works)

some snaps:

Island "parking lot"

beer tent:

kids' Midway:

Lee at his t-shirt stand:

 

watch out laundry folding

the island: Fire Parade

each year on the Island we have an event called Gala Weekend.  it's sort of a homecoming celebration: Islanders, old and young, those of us who live here and those of us who have moved away, hang out and party for 3 days on the August long weekend.

Gala Weekend is kicked off by the Fire Parade.  On Friday night, we join up at dusk by the Clubhouse- this year we were treated to a show by some flag performers and stilt walkers.  the Island band - the Arhythmics percussion ensemble - gets everyone going and we walk through our little streets to the beat of the drums, all carrying our 'fire'- lanterns made by or at workshops taught by Island artist Kathleen Doody.  (check out the bundle buggy lantern- very important for getting stuff to and from the city!)  Lee made his own lantern this year.  Of course we finish with a bonfire on the beach.  We do love our bonfires!