Recipe hunt....results!

I've made this numerous times and every time I go hunting for the recipe, I can never find it...so my solution is to put it on my long neglected blog so I can find it!  Feel free to try it...the whole family gets into this one!

Slow Cooker Gingered Beef - credit to The Flylady.net

Beef for dinner as we know the next few meals will be all turkey flavoured :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Rebel In Ont

Life sure does change...

I realized when I was searching my blog for a recipe I've made in the past, that I've really left everyone hanging!  So, instead of writing it all out - I'll just make everyone go to this article...
https://hamiltonhealth.ca/a-sprained-ankle-becomes-an-acquired-brain-injury/

My nephew is now 8 months old and in my opinion, cute as a button!

So, things are much better than the last time I posted...life in my house is still busy, my own boys are now 13 and 10...with the 13 year old graduating public school and heading to secondary school in the fall.

And football is in full swing again...

I'll be back again sooner rather than later!

Life changes in a blink of an eye

One phone call from my Dad in the middle of the night at the end of April, changed everything.  The call was scary and frightening and made me want to sprout wings and fly to my brothers side.  He had hurt his ankle a couple of weeks in advance, was having continued issues with pain and ended up with a blood clot - that went to his heart...which stopped three times...think about that.  His heart, the part of each and everyone of us that keeps us living...stopped three times.  My sister in law was home and able to get him the medical assistance that he needed but I thank God every morning that we live in 2015, if it had even been 20 years ago, he may not be with us now.  But, as he posted on Facebook the other day - took three shots from the defibrillator to keep him going and only one night in a bowl of rice to keep his phone alive after a swim in the therapy pool!

He is currently in a Acquired Brain Injury Centre doing daily rehabilitation with plans to return home at the end of this month. He has been diagnosed with Lance-Adams Syndrome which is a hypoxic brain injury resulting in a lack of oxygen.

So please, hug your loved ones tight...

In other exciting news...

My sister in law is expecting a little bundle of joy this year!  I'm thrilled for both of them (and us)!

It's a TEALIFE

So I started a new adventure last year...I am now a happy distributor of TeaLife Tea!  Love the product and super excited to be not only selling but drinking and enjoying the product!  If you want to check out this Canadian Company my website is rebecca.tealife.ca

Exciting new this week:  Our owner is moving so I'm excited to announce...The TeaLife Moving/End of Season sale starts today for one week only while quantities last. The shipping has been increased to a $10 flat fee, and will be brought back down to its usual amount after the sale. Hope you have a great week!!

I'll be back soon with some exciting new with a fellow blogger...

Update!

I realized the other day that I seem to have been "taken over" by a small monster called Facebook.  I like how fast and quick I can let everyone know what is happening - but that also means I don't sit down and update those of you not on Facebook.

In my last post I mentioned that my friend was coming home from BC.  It was a lovely time together.  I've been friends with Tracy since 1977....yes, that long!  Her aunt is an amazing artist and Tracy had her create a pencil sketch portrait of my fur baby Tasha that we had to say goodbye to this spring.

Is it amazing, and I love "seeing" my girl each day!
You can view Amanda's other work on her website.

 And the wedding...  it was a wonderful day but I'll let the photos do the talking for this one...

It was a wonderful day and they are such a lovely couple :)

3 months.....

Wow, the last three months have flown by! 

Football season has come and gone, with all three guys in my house involved it does sorta just take over our lives. 

Here is Caleb....

And Cameron is on the left side #21

This season saw Coach (Curt) with a major injury, he decided to play touch football with his team of 11-14yr olds and ended up tearing his hamstring....two + weeks later he is off crutches and awaiting an assessment to see if he will need surgery or not.

I've been stitching, but not as much as I would like.  A few needle fulls a weekend at the cottage is about all I've managed recently.

The rest of the summer is busy as usual - next weekend  (July 12th) my brother is getting married - I'm the matron of honour so I'm into dress fittings, nails and lots of girlie stuff - totally not me but happy to be included and happy to be standing up with them.

My friend is home from BC for a couple of weeks, so I will be making plans to spend at least a day with her and her "guys" at the cottage.

And of course, work is busy - lots happening in the fall - which makes for a very busy summer for me.

Well, cheers for now....hope to be back and update before another three months slides by.

A ADHD Mom....

My oldest struggles with Attention Deficit, he has been "labelled" but it has helped so much to understand how he thinks and how to help him structure his day so he can be successful.  This info graphic below has a lot of information laid out in a really easy to read way.  Any other Mom's out there that are dealing with the Inattentive portion of this "label"?


http://darcsunshine.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/a-teachers-words-of-wisdom-regarding-adhd/

Being a Mom

We have lots happening in our home but right now the thing that is taking over our home is the addition of a washroom "en suite" to our bedroom as well as new everything in the bedroom....and because of this, lots of stuff is getting muddled through. 

I read the following online the other day: The Mom Confession

And I keep replaying this over in my head " Motherhood isn’t based on external markers of perfection"...as my kids have taken baloney sandwiches all week and no homework was completed with my help.

Next week will be the same, and the week after that as well, so just bear with me, please....they don't look too worse for wear....

A well deserved vacation....

A giveaway....not mine...

But I've followed the Pioneer Woman for ...a long time.  And today she is hosting a giveaway, pop on over and try to win yourself a POT!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/01/pot-4/

American Friends

I just couldn't resist this...

Crap. And some white sh!t too.

Crap, I was so close to getting a post in everyday this month, until yesterday.  No real excuse other than work was INSANE (my staff even commented at one point that they hadn't seen me at my desk all day) and once I got home, some warm supper in my tummy and The Voice on the TV - that was it, nothing else was accomplished.

Oh well, again this year, NaBloPoMo2013 proved that I do love to blog and I need to start making it happen at least a couple of times a week.  I just find with Facebook, twitter, Pinterest - everyone is looking for information NOW, not about yesterday.

Oh well, I will try my best to finish out the month.

Ah, here is the white sh!t:

This is the backyard - the snow even stuck to the clothesline.

And from my side door looking out towards the road.

Buses were cancelled today, which always makes for an interesting "snow" day with my boys at home.

Home

My friend is home,  and baby Logan will follow within the week as long as the little munchkin starts eating and stops falling asleep when he is feed.

Who turned down the thermostat?

I know, I live in Canada and it is the end of November but it was SO cold last night for the Santa Claus parade in Kingston - more so than any other year I've been involved (I've lost count, for sure the last 4 years).  On the way home, the thermometer in the truck was reading -9°C!  For those that use Fahrenheit that would be about 15°F.  And the wind was just whipping so with wind chill it was WAY colder.

My husband always works until he drops for about two weeks before the parade helping his company after his shift to get their "float" ready.  Most places grab a pickup truck...nope, they theme decorate a full sized transport and all 53 feet of flatbed truck!  Here are two pictures of just the flatbed part...

One of Santa's elves getting ready to go in the misfit toy castle...

Mommy the helper elf who walked as part of the "toe patrol", meaning that I went slightly ahead of the transport and moved "toes" back so they wouldn't get run over..

Cameron as Hermie the wannabe dentist elf, and my husband as Yukon Cornelius... there was the abominable snowman as well, you can see that character in both the shots above of the float...

And if someone thought the spirit of Christmas was lost, just look at this little face smiling down...

I can't say the parade kick started our Christmas spirit (it was too stinking cold) but it is always the kickoff to the holiday season.

Does your family have any traditions that put you into the spirit?

Insomnia sucks

Normally when I get to bed I'm asleep very quickly.  Tonight it just isn't happening.  Not sure if it is stress or excitement that Logan is here safe and sound...but it can go away and let me sleep anytime.  I'm going to stitch a bit and see if that helps.
Love the photo of my friends and their new little one...

UPDATE! Baby on the way

My friend will be having her babies today, super early (40 weeks would have been Jan 2nd) please keep her and the little boy in your thoughts and prayers for me today.

UPDATE!

Logan Parker C****n, 5lbs 12oz at 11:15am has arrived safe and sound.  In the NICU for a small while but everyone is healthy and happy.  

And I'm relieved and can't wait to give my friend a nice gentle squeeze (C-section).  

November 22nd

Well, November 22nd.  Hard to believe that as a member of NaBloPoMo2013 I've almost made it to the end of the month!  I'll probably jinx myself now but let's hope not.

This weekend is a mish mash of events, a funeral and a Santa Claus parade thrown in for good measure. If anyone attends the parade, my family will be with the Novelis float again this year (that is where my husband works).

Disease of Cross Stitch

Someone posted this on a Facebook Group I belong to - but I thought it was worth sharing here as most started coming here to share my love of cross stitch.

Disease of Cross Stitch..

I have spent the better part of thirty years doing research and after thorough and exhaustive study I have finally gathered enough information to formulate and
prove my theory. It can no longer be denied or disputed by physicians, Federal
Government officials, or insurance companies. No, not even Blue Cross/Blue Shield!

Cross Stitching is a Disease!
Just as a drug user becomes addicted to his drugs so does the stitcher become addicted to her habit. Just as the drug addict requires more and more and specialized designer drugs so does the stitcher need more and more and specialized designs. And just as the drug addict will do anything for his next dose, a stitcher will indeed do anything for her next fix.

Point 1. When my research began, I started with Aida fabric and cotton floss. Simple basic x’s on simple basic designs. Then one day I was offered "evenweave" and then linen. Metallic thread was blended with the cotton threads and beads were added. Before I knew what was happening I was slipped "quarter stitches", "French knots", and the dreaded "lazy daisy". The progression was so slow that it was hardly noticeable until at present it is now hand-dyed fabric, silk threads, delica beads, specialty fibers, specialty stitches and quite challenging designs by ladies such as the Queen of the Blended Threads and the Chatelaine of the Gardens.

Point 2. When my research began, only those things were bought that were needed at the moment. But gradually things were purchased in advance of need. It was called "kitting" up a design. Then slowly one kit became two and three and more. Suddenly, without prior knowledge, the dresser filled and then the closet became full. Before long the spare bedroom became a stash room. Soon it became hiding packages from the spouse so he wouldn’t know just how much was spent. And now it is trying to see what can be sold to purchase more stash. My biggest concern is what will be next? Just like the drug addict, a stitcher must have her next fix!

Point 3. In order to relieve a stitcher from the burdens and stress of her addiction she must undergo extensive and exhaustive therapy. Usually this therapy is very expensive and not 100% effective. Like the drug addict, it is very easy to revert to old habits. And most stitchers feel that the treatment is worse than the problem.

Conclusions
1. I find that Cross Stitching is undeniably a disease and should be added to the Physicians Desk Reference as such.
2. There is no cure.
3. Although there is treatment for this disease, it is expensive and not often successful and therefore, most patients prefer to abstain.
4. Once diagnosed with this disease, employers, family members, and friends should be considerate of the stitcher’s needs and avoid confrontation and criticism.

Recipes I may need to try

As fall starts in full force, I'm always looking for new recipes my family will eat out of the slowcooker aka crockpot.  A friend posted this on Facebook and there were a few that looked like they would pass the test.

http://blog.lifeway.com/parentlife/2013/09/12/25-great-slow-cooker-recipes/#.Uo1aNYUo6Ag

Particularly number 1 and 8.

http://newleafwellness.biz/2013/11/07/25-freezer-meals-dont-require-cooking-ahead-time/

***EDITED - 21Nov13 - TITLE CHANGE

I may continue to add to this post so I've changed the title and added another website.

Helping family

My cousin is looking for people to fill out a survey for her....if you are a reader and didn't follow the link when I posted it on Facebook, could you please take a few moments to fill it out now?

THANKS!

Cellular Questionnaire Survey

 

 

Monday....

This pretty much sums up today...just know you have been warned.

Going to a baby shower!

I'm so excited to celebrate today with a group of very close friends.  There will only be 5 of us but we are kid free and that always equals trouble :-)  Of course we can't get into too much trouble as the one friend is almost 35 weeks pregnant.  And her pregnancy has been an emotional roller coaster for all of us, and I cannot even begin to imagine what it was like to be the one actually pregnant!  At 6 weeks, the wonderful news that it was TWINS!  And at 21 weeks, a boy and a girl...so exciting!  They have a daughter aged 2 already who we love dearly....here she is one Saturday she came over to hang with "Becca".

And shortly after the 21 week mark, they found out that the little girl had heart issues and medically, there was nothing that could be done.  So, they made the decision to carry her as far as possible and enjoy what little time they had with her once she was born.  The little boy is growing and healthy as can be.  Last week (32weeks) they went for a routine ultrasound and it was determined that the little girl no longer had a heartbeat and had passed away in utero.  Talk about shocked!  If it wasn't for bad luck they don't seem to have had any at all.  So, my friend will continue to carry both babies as long as she can before we welcome a wonderful little baby boy!

So, this afternoon is a celebration of a life cut too short, and one just about to begin.

"the worst mom ever!"

I did not write this post - I read it online and thought to  myself - I could have written this as it is exactly what I've been trying to teach my boys.  So show a fellow blogger some love if you wish, this was written by Parenting With Faith

And here is the direct link to the post http://www.parentingwithfaith.blogspot.ca/2013/11/youre-worst-mom-ever-and-other.html

Son, remember yesterday when you called me, "the worst mom ever!"? I wanted to thank you for that. Look, I know you were upset that I was making you do yard work... alongside me. I know that I was taking you away from video games. I know you were grumpy for not getting your own way, but baby, that's life. My job is to teach you about life and if that makes me the worst mom ever, I'll take it.

Credit: amothersheart. As much as I want you to like me, it's more important for you to respect me. It's more important for you to know boundaries. You need to know the world does not revolve around you. I don't let you win at board games (usually), because there will be times when you'll lose for real and you need to handle disappointment like a champ. I know, I'm mean and you don't want to play with me anymore. Well no one will want to play with you if you're a sore loser. Get over it, my love.
You think I'm picking on you when I ask you to do work around the house. Yes, I know some of it's hard. But you won't live with me forever and you need to have skills that will allow you to not just survive, but thrive. Believe me, girls love a man who cleans his own bathroom. We are a family unit and we all have to work together. The sooner you learn cooperation, the better your life will be.
I know you can't see it now, but there will be a time when you'll thank me for taking TV away because homework came first. You'll thank me because I made you eat carrots and not candy for lunch. You'll thank me because I was always in your business. You'll thank me, not because I was super cool, or permissive or laid back, but because I cared. Because I cared enough to discipline you, and to teach you right from wrong.
Honestly, the names I hear you mutter under your breath sometimes hurt (and sometimes make me giggle: Stinky? Really? Come on, honey). You'll call me much worse as you get older, but you've called me "Mom" since the beginning and that name comes with a whole lot of responsibility.
My child, I love you. I love you too much to let you go off in the world unprepared. I love you enough to let you learn lessons even when they hurt. And I love you so much that I'm grounding you for lying to me...twice in one hour.

Again, this was not written by me - but it could have been.

Work, live and play

Where we have decided to raise our kids, work, live and play - this is a great guide to Kingston http://yourewelcome.ca/2013/11/11/a-guide-to-limestone-city-kingston-ontario/

We live out of town but this is the closest major city where both my husband and I work.  If you are ever in the area, make sure to get in touch!

Photo Credit to Taylor Studios

Married to a hunter

When I signed up for NaBloPoMo2013, I started a quick list of "things I could write about" for a the day that came and I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head.  Well, today is one of those days.

I'm married to a moose hunter (deer, ducks, geese, partridge and fish are not safe either) and there are times that I get into heated debates with family but mostly very opinionated friends.  Comments like "how can you eat that" and "how could you eat something that your husband killed" come to mind.  Well, here is my take on "hunted" vs "bought" meat.

I prefer anything that my husband has "acquired" on one of his walks in nature (or boat on the lake) over the caged, over packaged meats in the store.  Think about it for a moment, yes it seems cruel for him to be out hunting something in the wild but our meat has been eating what nature provides for them.  As long as what they are eating is fresh and healthy, they are as well.  No "modified feed" or water that has been purified or chlorinated. We also try to buy as local as possible and raise chicken with my husbands family, as well as turkey's every couple of years.  We order a quarter of a beef from the local butchers once a year and then depend on what the hunter gets. 

This year, my husband got a moose.  I had forgotten how big they are and we had to do the freezer tetris to make it all fit.  But we will have enough to get through until fishing opens early summer.

Let the debate begin!

Favourite Fall Recipe - Cabbage Casserole

Cold dreary days always call for something warm and comforting.  This is one of my all time favourite dishes and was always what I asked for when my Mom asked me "what do you want for supper?" as a kid (and even now).  I just wish my kids liked it.  I still make it and they end up eating the meat mixture but they don't seem to have acquired a taste for cabbage.  Which just means there is more for me.

Cabbage Casserole

1 pound ground beef (I've used ground moose, turkey, chicken and they have all turned out good)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can tomato soup (I use my own tomato sauce, 1 cup sauce plus 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp corn starch - whisk until thickened)
1 cup water
1/2 cup minute rice (or 3/4 cup cold cooked, or Minute brown rice works as well)
3 cups chopped cabbage

Brown ground meat and onion.  Drain off fat.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, soup (or sauce) and water.  Mix well.  Stir in rice and simmer 5 minutes.  Place chopped cabbage in bottom of a greased casserole dish and add meat mixture to top. Cover and bake for approximately 90 minutes at 325 degrees.

I stole the photo (well, it isn't really stealing if I tag it is it?) from Sheena at Hot Eats and Cool Reads.  Her recipe is here: Cabbage Roll Casserole which is slightly different but look really good!

A Wonderful Christmas Gift

Each November my parents give me the gift of a weekend away at a stitching retreat.  My Mom comes with me and we have a great time.  This year was no exception.  Lots of stitching, laughing and eating was had by all.

I didn't take a lot of photos but I did take a few....mostly of the beautiful meal that Dan created for us at Knowledge & Needles - this is a shop run by my friend Ann, and she has organized these retreats for the last....many years.  Her husband cooks us all lunch, and then we are all "polite" in her shop buying fabric, thread and patterns.

This year Dan did a beautiful herb crusted chicken with mushroom sauce and roasted root vegetables on lovely warm red cabbage.

And desert was 5 kind apple pie with ice cream....yum.

I posted last week with a photo of the project I wanted to spend the most time on (here) and as of Sunday evening, this was the progress I had made...

And when the light got too dim, I pulled out my Welcome Home SAL from 2012.... I finished up the blue column and then stitched the little shelf, milk pitcher, cup, fence and the start of the tiny clothes line with quilts.  Not the best picture but I couldn't even find when I posted about this one last!

So day 12 of November and so far so good for NaBloPoMo2013!  See you tomorrow!

Remembrance Day 2013

My grandfather turned 94 last week, and as a WWII veteran, I'm very proud of all he has done in his life.  Fought in a war, married my grandmother with whom he had six children, 12 grandchildren and lots of great grandchildren - and twin great grand babies due any day!

Today I will not forget.

This photo was taken a number of years ago but I still smile at it every time I walk by it.

Lest we forget.

Weekend draws to a close - 2013 Ornament

Always a great time!  And I wanted to post a photo of the ornament I stitched for the exchange this year.

A Saturday away...

As much as I love my time away (from both home and work)  there always comes a time that I start to thing the dreaded - I wonder what my boys are doing...oh well, they are with Poppy (my Dad) so I'm sure they are having fun.

Here is what I'm working on this weekend - and here is where I started, I took this photo on Wednesday night so we will see how far I get by the end of the weekend.