So someone at work today trying to be funny says "If you were born in Canada you are a Canadian and if you were born in America you are an American. What if you were born in the Virgin Islands? What are you then" I answered, "American." Am I right? I think I'm right. It's the US Virgin Islands is it not? I think I totally threw them for a loop with my response though. I suppose you have to be an expat to fully appreciate that though.
In spite of having an incredibly large caseload and I really do appreciate the people I work with. Today, not sure what the occassion was but the people who find our temp workers for us brought in ice-cream. Not just any ice-cream. When we got there we saw boxes upon boxes of ice cream bars such as nestle crunch bars and haagen daazs bars and any kind you could imagine. There were drumsticks and I don't know what else and it was all free and I was smiling. Plus, it was my last day of work before the long holiday weekend.
Tomorrow we are having a bbq with the upstairs neighbors - ribs, corn on the cob, baked beans, and not sure what for dessert yet. The store was a mad house though. They aren't open for Canada Day tomorrow so everyone was there tonight. We'll do fireworks in the night. We haven't decided where we'll go for that yet. I think we all have lots of other things on our minds lately. We have a party on Saturday for July 4th celebration at Melanies house which I am very much looking foward to. THis will be our 3rd year to do this and its always loads of fun. Maybe on the way we'll stop at the Harbourfront to see the tall ships that are coming in. I don't think we've ever done that. Looking foward to reading, reading, and reading lots this weekend. I wonder if Timmy's is open tomorrow? I hope so! What great fun to walk there w/ Drew in the am?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
BBQ Chicken Pizza
I'm posting this to share with you so that you too can enjoy the best pizza ever - oh and also so next time I want to make it again, I'll remember how. I was trying to imitate the pulled pork pizza from Boston Pizza but didn't have pork so I used chicken which I have tons of because Jason and Paige let us tag along with them to Costco and now we have lots.
I bought the dough in the bag at the store this time which made a lot of difference. Ordinarily I use the Pillsbury stuff which really is not so good. I had it in the cart but when I found the cold dough at the end of the bread Aisle I put the tubed Pillsbury stuff back right there with the cold dough. Gasp! Drew would have made me put it back where it belonged but he wasn't there so boy was I naughty!
For the sauce I used some old jarred spaghetti sauce I had in the fridge. I think its Prego. Just ordinary Prego, nothing fancy like Basil or Garlic flavored or anything like that. Next time I might try Emeril's recipe for Pulled Pork which uses a home made bbq sauce.
I boiled the chicken because I find that boiling it for 20 min. makes it shred very nicely. Then I added some bbq sauce from a bottle.
So, dough, sauce, red onions, tomatoes, banana peppers, mozzarella (not on 1/3 of it for Leo's sake) and then chicken. Bake at 425 for 20 min and voila!
For dessert we had homemade chocolate chip cookies (actually we ate those first and Leo had 4 of them so he didn't want to finish his pizza). I also made some popsicles from a recipe I got off my favorite site www.ourbestbites.com. It was blended strawberries and watermelon and I bought some new plastic popsicle makers and filled em up. Unfortunately when we opened the freezer they came flying out and Ithink the new plastic popsicle containers broke and slushy watermelon went all over the floor. I think some can be saved though. I'll let you know how they taste.
We have tons of dishes to do - or should I say that Drew has tons of dishes to do. Just think how many months earlier his dissertation might get done if we had a dishwasher.
I bought the dough in the bag at the store this time which made a lot of difference. Ordinarily I use the Pillsbury stuff which really is not so good. I had it in the cart but when I found the cold dough at the end of the bread Aisle I put the tubed Pillsbury stuff back right there with the cold dough. Gasp! Drew would have made me put it back where it belonged but he wasn't there so boy was I naughty!
For the sauce I used some old jarred spaghetti sauce I had in the fridge. I think its Prego. Just ordinary Prego, nothing fancy like Basil or Garlic flavored or anything like that. Next time I might try Emeril's recipe for Pulled Pork which uses a home made bbq sauce.
I boiled the chicken because I find that boiling it for 20 min. makes it shred very nicely. Then I added some bbq sauce from a bottle.
So, dough, sauce, red onions, tomatoes, banana peppers, mozzarella (not on 1/3 of it for Leo's sake) and then chicken. Bake at 425 for 20 min and voila!
For dessert we had homemade chocolate chip cookies (actually we ate those first and Leo had 4 of them so he didn't want to finish his pizza). I also made some popsicles from a recipe I got off my favorite site www.ourbestbites.com. It was blended strawberries and watermelon and I bought some new plastic popsicle makers and filled em up. Unfortunately when we opened the freezer they came flying out and Ithink the new plastic popsicle containers broke and slushy watermelon went all over the floor. I think some can be saved though. I'll let you know how they taste.
We have tons of dishes to do - or should I say that Drew has tons of dishes to do. Just think how many months earlier his dissertation might get done if we had a dishwasher.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
4 Years Ago
YOu may have seen my Facebook post about how 4 years ago this week we moved to Canada. It's had me doing a lot of reminiscing this week about what those firsts were like. The first time we went to Tim Horton's (we didn't even know it was a coffee shop and I hate it. Now I am addicted), the first time we signed up Leo for kindergarten, the first time we took the subway, etc. And then lots and lots of beurocratic stuff like finding a doctor, getting health insurance, getting a bank account, buying a car, etc. It was a lot of work. Makes me wonder if I ever want to have to start over again like that. Also makes me realize how much we've adapted to life here and started putting down roots. We've got a very close church community and we know our neighbors and the other parents and kids at the school, we've experienced and gotten to know some of the teachers, etc. I am also very happy with my job. I like the people I work with and I like what I do. It's especially nice to be able to work from home. I walked the kids to school today and that made me so happy. I don't want to miss any of their childhood as they are growing so fast. The only thing I would change is that I'd like to have a home. Of course I'd like to be able to own a home but even renting a bigger place would be nice. OUr place is just too small for us now. HOwever, I love having our family just upstairs and I can't imagine not having that even if Keaton does cry a lot.
The kids are still in school until the end of the month and eagerly awaiting Adventure Camp so they can play with dad. Leo said so on his way to school today. I think this is wonderful even if Drew isn't quite as excited as they are. Lots of exciting things are happening for them at the end of the year so they are pretty happy these days.
THis weekend Drew and I will have our 11th wedding anniversary. If I think a lot has changed in 4 years, it's mind boggling what we've done in just 11! Makes me tired to just think about it all. We don't really have any plans yet to celebrate our anniversary or Father's Day but I'm sure it will be fun just as well.
Friday, June 4, 2010
June Bugs
I haven't written in ages but after long days at work typing away my fingers are just too tired to do much more. Work has been incredibly busy, especially after my week off and I am still trying to catch up. The last 2 weeks have been really stressful and I am hoping next week brings a little more calm. Plus, I've either been fighting a cold or dealing with allergies because I am very run down. Or perhaps it has to do with subject above. ANyway you look at it, I am ready for beddy by 9 only after I've had an hour nap on Drew's lap while we all watched an episode of Star Trek.
Kids are good. Mazie's having a playdate with a little boy in her class this afternoon - which reminds me.... I need to remember to pick her up. She's had yet another illness for which she is on antibiotics - which reminds me.... she didn't get this afternoon's dose. See above re: playdate. Ugh!
Leo seems to be accident prone at school and has cuts and scrapes all over for which he does not tolerate well at all. I think he currently has the use of one arm and hobbles about with one leg. THis is all okay because at least he can play his DS. I just printed out a chart for him to limit/monitor his DS usage as he has become far more obsessed that either Drew or I are comfortable with. This is a good opportunity to teach him a valuable lesson on self control which hopefully in the future will pay off.
I'm sure by now, you the reader is aware that Drew passed his comps with all A's. Woo hoo! He's taking some time to prepare for a Clergy conference in Ottawa next week and then will begin thinking about Vacation Bible School which he will be directing this summer as well as the Maxwell Adventure Club that the kids are eagerly awaiting. This will begin when school gets out at the end of the month.
We are all eagerly looking forward to Wing Ding tomorrow. It's a town wide garage sale and I'll be sure to report my findings. I did this last year as well. Hopefully it won't thunderstorm as is predicted.
And one more piece of good news - we got a new A/C! A brand spanking new one. Feels great. The dreaded berries are coming in on the tree in the backyard and the little pool that I blew up has deflated leaving a flood in the yard. That's all from Lake Wobegon.
Kids are good. Mazie's having a playdate with a little boy in her class this afternoon - which reminds me.... I need to remember to pick her up. She's had yet another illness for which she is on antibiotics - which reminds me.... she didn't get this afternoon's dose. See above re: playdate. Ugh!
Leo seems to be accident prone at school and has cuts and scrapes all over for which he does not tolerate well at all. I think he currently has the use of one arm and hobbles about with one leg. THis is all okay because at least he can play his DS. I just printed out a chart for him to limit/monitor his DS usage as he has become far more obsessed that either Drew or I are comfortable with. This is a good opportunity to teach him a valuable lesson on self control which hopefully in the future will pay off.
I'm sure by now, you the reader is aware that Drew passed his comps with all A's. Woo hoo! He's taking some time to prepare for a Clergy conference in Ottawa next week and then will begin thinking about Vacation Bible School which he will be directing this summer as well as the Maxwell Adventure Club that the kids are eagerly awaiting. This will begin when school gets out at the end of the month.
We are all eagerly looking forward to Wing Ding tomorrow. It's a town wide garage sale and I'll be sure to report my findings. I did this last year as well. Hopefully it won't thunderstorm as is predicted.
And one more piece of good news - we got a new A/C! A brand spanking new one. Feels great. The dreaded berries are coming in on the tree in the backyard and the little pool that I blew up has deflated leaving a flood in the yard. That's all from Lake Wobegon.
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