I'm behind and one of my commitments for 2012 is to get organized and that includes keeping the blog up to date. So I have a post or two to catch up and then my goal is to stay up to date!

Christmas Eve in Nova Scotia is much more laid back and subdued than back home in Newfoundland. We woke up in the morning (after a late night of gift wrapping, cleaning and gift sorting) and spent the morning in jammies eating buttermilk pancakes shaped like snowmen, reindeer and elves and played with the kids. Austin sang Christmas carols (he wouldn't let anyone join in) and was beyond excited about Santa. We were making some Christmas cookies when he received a special email from Santa. That pretty much did him in...I think he floated on pure excitement and Christmas Spirit all day. In the afternoon we delivered gifts and then went to the early mass.

After mass, Austin opened his first Christmas gift.

No Christmas is complete without new jammies! Austin was showing Amelia all the presents under the tree and explaining to her that Santa was going to come and bring her things to play with and it would be pretty cool. We checked the Santa tracker, he set out milk and cookies and was in bed by 8:30. It took him no time to go to sleep, he woke only once and I had to head him off at the pass to make sure he didn't see Santa's elves at work.



The quiet moment after the elves are done



Christmas morning was absolutely magical. Austin was so excited that the air was electric with Christmas spirit. We woke Austin up around 7:30 and he was so excited to find out if Santa ate the cookies that he left for him. He raced down the stairs and saw the train table and was beyond excited. Hand covering his mouth, he kept saying "I can't believe it!" He tore into his gifts and helped Amelia open hers. At first, she was much more interested in eating the wrapping paper but once a gift was open she'd get so excited!



Amelia's first gift from Santa. Rattle and Shake Pooh...she loves him!



This paper is delicious!!!



humm what could this be?

 

"Don't tell what it is!!!"

And then there was the gift of the year. I kept telling G that he wasn't getting anything that he had asked for but that he was going to be a very happy man on Christmas morning. I took Amelia from him and told Austin to climb into Daddy's lap to open a gift....I think the expressions on their faces say it all...Mommy is bi-winning!



Amelia's first Christmas was wonderful. There was a blanket of fresh snow and a relaxed morning shared with family back home thanks to Skype. I can't wait until next year to do it all again. Austin is so into Christmas, so much so that we're still singing Rudolph on January 4 and next time Amelia will be older and will be able to compete with Austin for some of that gift opening action!

A special message from Austin

O Christmas tree!

I love me a good Christmas tree. I love it when the snow is falling and the hunt is on for the perfect tree. This year the hunt was a little less picturesque. It was raining and the second tree we looked at was deemed  good enough for our holiday center piece. The teenagers manning the lot were short a few bricks for a load which made things interesting. Austin helped bring the tree to the car and my Dad and Gordon secured it to the roof. Amelia's first Christmas tree was en route to our house!!

Sunday morning we had the perfect opportunity to put the tree in place. Austin was gone to the movies with my cousin so Gordon was free to move the tree into the living room without any "help". Once the tree was in place, Gordon removed the wrapping and we had ourselves a little Christmas Vacation moment! The tree was a lot fuller than we had thought!


We let the tree settle for a few days before we decorated it. Austin was a huge help and the tree has several branches that have multiple ornaments on them and a few bare spots but it is his work of art so I resisted and didn't change anything!



The final product (the picture is crooked not the tree!)



I love the smell the tree gives the house. As Austin says "It smells like Christmas!" 

A visit from Poppy

My Dad was in town for work a couple of weeks ago and did we ever enjoy his visit! It's hard being away from my family, especially during the holidays so it was a very welcome and unexpected surprise to have him drop in for the night.



Poppy let him blow the horn!

We decided to go get our Christmas tree even though it was raining. My dad is the master of picking out a tree. I remember going to three or four different tree lots when I was little in pursuit of the perfect tree. Dad would size up the trees and if they didn't meet his standards we were out of there and onto the next tree lot.
Luckily, we found a tree at the first stop that met everyone's standards!



Helping to put the tree on the car

 After a great dinner of Chinese food and some more playing, it was time for Oz to hit the hay. He was thrilled to have Poppy read him stories and tuck him in bed.

Poppy was up early Sunday morning but stopped in again on his way back to NL. We had managed to get the tree up and snagged a few more shots.

Dad's visit made me a little less homesick and I'm so glad he got to spend time with the littles. Now to get ready for the Holidays.



Elf yourself

Its wayyyyy past my bedtime and I found myself doing this:

6 Months

It's been 6 months since our little lady came on the scene. I can not get over how fast time is going. She's really the most pleasant baby and has started to babble all the time. Competing with her brother to be heard! She has rolled over and loves playing with her toes and the toy that makes the crinkle sound. She is changing every day and it's hard to try to soak it all in!



Annette- talk to my mother about these head accessories please!!!



December?

I can hardly believe how quickly this year has flown by! When did it become December? (yes I know yesterday....) My little girl will be 6 months old tomorrow and Austin continues to grow like a weed. His speech is becoming so clear. The other day Spiderman's "leb" was Spiderman's web. It makes me a little sad. I love his mispronunciations. They are beyond cute (and some days that is his saving grace)!

I'm excited to start getting the house ready for the holidays. I've become a little addicted to Pinterest and have so many ideas that I am not too sure where to start. I guess I'll get at it and see what happens. I'm sure Austin will help make it rustic. lol. One thing I do have done is the holiday cards. Andrea was so awesome to come take some pictures of the kids and the photocards have been ordered. She did such an amazing job and it was hard to pick which pictures to use. Here are a few that didn't make the cards but easily could have!



Love this shot!

So many more holiday pictures to come!

Fruit Tree

I love Pinterest! (Let me know if you want an invite) It is an awesome site that you can lose yourself in for hours looking for new ideas, pinning your own ideas, and looking for new spins on traditional things. I've gotten some great photo ideas, entertaining and decorating ideas and, of course, holiday ideas! We had a holiday kickoff weekend (more on that to come) and Kelly hosted brunch. I wanted to do something a little different than a regular fruit tray and found a clever idea one night while on a "pinning spree". A holiday fruit tree. It was so easy! A little time consuming if you pick a big cone as the base but well worth it.

Holiday Fruit Tree

1 container of strawberries

1lb green grapes

4 kiwi sliced

1 mango

1 pineapple (skim removed, and sliced, keep one slice with the core intact)

1 Styrofoam cone

Chocolate (optional)

Melt chocolate and dip half the strawberries. Keep the leaves on the tops of the berries. I put a toothpick in each berry and then set them on a block to set so that the were upright.

Wrap the cone with wax or parchment paper. Don't use tissue paper because the moisture from the fruit will wet the tissue and just make a mess.

Begin the fill in the tree by inserting a toothpick into each piece of fruit and then inserting that into the cone. I started with the big pieces and then used the grapes to fill in the holes. I also cut the mango with a small gingerbread cookie cutter to create some visual interest. Use a star cookie cutter on the piece of pineapple with the core intact to create a top for your tree.

Next time I make this I will dip a few grapes in white chocolate and cover them with coloured sugar to look like lights on the tree. This was a huge crowd pleaser!

I think I'll make another one Christmas Eve to have for Christmas morning. Austin had a great time helping me and the bonus was that he ate fruit and had fun doing it!

Friends

You know who you are...

Baby Steeves

So I have this cousin who I am pretty close too. I'm blessed that Laura has become such a good friend over the past 10 years. We spent a lot of time together growing up and there was this crazy rumor that I pushed her out of a shopping cart when we were little..I want to clarify that we were BOTH looking at the birds and the cart tipped. I didn't push her!

It wasn't until we both found ourselves in Halifax going to school that we became more than cousins. Laura is a treasured friend and is also Amelia's Godmother. Pretty soon Laura and Dan are going to have their own little bundle of joy (as in the next few days). Back in August we had a baby shower for Laura. It took place on the same day as my Pop's funeral (it had been planned for awhile and we would have been very upset had they cancelled it). It was a true circle of life moment. Death and new life all in one day.

Here are a few shots that I took. Laura looked fabulous and a good time was had by all.

Mackenzie and cousin Amelia

Mama to be and Ricki - BFFs since WAY back in the day

Who has time to carve fruit like this?....I wonder if I could make Santa's sleigh...

Getting some much needed baby loot

Laura and Dan are going to be amazing parents. They are so wonderful to our kids and we're honoured that they agreed to be Amelia's Godparents. Baby Steeves is in for one wild and crazy adventure. And for that matter so are Laura and Dan.

Love you both and cannot wait to meet your little.

5 months

Amelia turned 5 months old a couple of weeks ago...can you believe it? Where is the time going? She is just cute as a button and has such a bright and happy smile. She laughs all the time and is always happy...except for the whole teething thing which is making her a tad cranky. We love our little peanut!

Holiday Recipe Exchange: Fresh Herbs

There is no doubt about it...I love some alone time in the kitchen. Back when G and I were D.I.N.K.S. (double income no kids) I found this incredible recipe one fall and Pumpkin Ravioli has become an annual tradition for dinner parties. This recipe is time consuming but worth every delicious minute! I have found that I can make them in advance and freeze them. Which is a good thing because with two kids I rarely have an hour to myself, let alone the 4 hours needed to put this ravioli and sauce together.

Friday was a very rainy day and Gordon had the day off. So in an effort to regain some sanity, I spent some time in the kitchen with my pumpkin. This dish can be made several ways (see variations), but I like the ravioli the best. A few things to note: DO NOT use canned pumpkin puree, it will not taste the same at all. Also fresh herbs work best, dried herbs do not give this dish the same taste. You need to make this at least once. It is absolutely amazing and will become your most requested dish!

Pumpkin Ravioli
(adapted from a recipe by Wolfgang Puck)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp dried bay leaf
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage, plus 6 small leaves for garnish
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 eggs, beaten
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 package Won Ton wrappers
Water (to seal raviolis)

Sauce
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups chicken stock
2 shallots, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Heat a saute pan over low heat and add 5 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the cubed pumpkin and cook, stirring often to stop it from sticking and burning, until it softens and falls into a puree. This will take awhile (about 30 minutes) so empty your dishwasher, read a magazine or, if you must tend to your kids.
Use a potato masher to help mash the pumpkin once it has softened. Add 1/2 of the cream and half the herbs and cook over a low heat for approximately 1 hour, or until the puree is thick and the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and beat in an additional 1 tablespoon of butter. Whisk in the beaten eggs, season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set a side to cool. If you want a more velvety texture use a hand blender to puree the pumpkin.

Place one square won ton wrapper on a dry surface. Using your finger dipped in water, wet the four edges of the wrapper. Place a heaping tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Place another square on top and use your fingers to seal the edges. Make the seal as air tight as possible. Set aside on a cookie sheet  lined with parchment paper. Repeat. You'll get about 30 ravioli.

Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the shallots. Caramelize the shallots and then add the chicken stock. Reduce the stock with the shallots by 1/2. Add the cream and reduce by half.  Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the remaining sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the ravioli to the rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Divide the ravioli among  dishes and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish each serving with a fresh sage leaf and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Variations:
Place the pumpkin filling in cooked large shells or manicotti. Cover the pasta with the sauce and generously sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and starts to brown. Serve immediately. 


Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Shenandoah Growers Organic Fresh Herbs.

My Baking Addiction....

I have a problem...I found a website and have not been able to stay out of the kitchen. It doesn't help that I stress bake but this blog has brought my creations to a whole new level. My inability to stop baking from it has also led my weight loss to stall. After much reflection (and sheer determination to wear something from the back of my closet by Christmas) I've decided to only bake once every couple of weeks as a coffee day treat for the ladies. I mean, seriously, could you resist these treats if they were sitting on your kitchen counter???

Turtle Cookies

 These are chocolate chip cookies on crack. Here's the recipe. I thought that letting the dough sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours was crazy but I did it and OH SO GOOD! It hardens up the caramel so that it doesn't melt all over the place. I used chocolate covered caramels in these cookies. These are some serious cookies for serious cookie lovers. These would make a great Christmas gift put together with some Caramel Hot Chocolate mix and a nice mug. (Yes, I'm thinking Christmas gifts already!)

Mocha Scones

Coffee lovers? Pastry addicts? Try these. Use your favorite coffee to make these addictive (as if you would really need a reason). I did replace the chocolate chips with the same amount of mini chocolate chips. I found that added just the right amount of chocolate to the mix. I used dark chocolate in the glaze and added just a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness. These would be great for Christmas morning (just bake them the night before...super easy and quick to make). Enjoy with coffee when your kids get you up at some unmanly hour to open gifts.

Goody Bars

These are from Betty Crocker and I don't have a picture of the ones I made (the picture is from the Betty Crocker website. Mine looked exactly like that!). Try them and I bet you won't stop at one. Use holiday appropriate coated candies to make them year round. These are like taking the crisp parts off the apple crisp and sandwiching them with chocolate. You just can't go wrong!



Oh holiday baking season...how you will benefit from one of my favorite blogs!

The Pumpkin Patch

The weekend before Halloween we took the kids to Dill's farm. They had a blast and so did we. I love our fall traditions and going to Dill's is at the top of my list.



Mommy? Seriously? Could you find a more fabulous flower for my hair?

Austin loves loving on his lil' sis!





yes that pumpkin is 987lb!



We picked out a few pumpkins, apples and squash. Austin grabbed a Honeycrisp out of the basket at the checkout so he enjoyed a great snack on the drive home. The weather was fabulous and we had a great family morning. Too bad I nearly coughed up a lung on the way home and then had a two hour nap with Amelia...oh well! Can't have it all :)

Cutie

Now you are totally smiling and in a good mood aren't you?

Holiday Recipe Exchange~ Slow Cooker Lasagna

“Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by West Bend.”

I love Italian food and I now love anything that saves me time during the hectic week. Let's face it, getting dinner on the table isn't the easiest thing some days. I know it's my own fault because I do spend too much time with my kids (is there really such a thing?) and not enough time being a domestic goddess (as in my pre-baby days). Enter my slow cooker. It is awesome and I just got a brand new 6qt one that has already proven it's worth!
Sorry for the lack of picture. I'll add it after dinner tomorrow night! (Yes you can make this the night before and let it sit in your fridge :) )

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Makes 6-10 servings (Depending on how big you cut the pieces!)

Ingredients

• 1 jar Pasta sauce
• 500ml Low fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 box Whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 4 cups Greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
• 4 cups Squash (butternut, acorn, zucchini)
• 4 cups Mozzarella cheese
• Pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Combine cottage cheese, egg, pepper to taste and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
2. Cut peeled squash into chunks and pulse in the food processor until minced.
3. Place just enough pasta sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker to coat. Cover the bottom of the slow cooker with a single layer of noodles (break to fit). Layer 1/3 cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 chopped greens, 1/3 minced veggies, 1/2 cup pasta sauce and 1 cup mozza cheese. Repeat twice more.
4. Cover the top layer with one more layer of noodles. Cover with pasta sauce, remaining parm and mozza cheeses. Cook at low for 4 hours.

My favorite combos for this are:

Red Swiss Chard & butternut and acorn squash

Spinach, shredded chicken & shredded carrots

I love how versatile this recipe is and that it is only limited by your imaginations. Austin eats this up and doesn't even realize how many veggies I'm packing on to his dinner plate!

Giving thanks

Thanksgiving weekend was a pretty great weekend. The weather was amazing and the sun came out for a special event for our family. On Sunday Amelia was baptised and we had a great gathering of family and friends at the church and then we had a celebration back at our house. Mass was great and Austin was so well behaved. (At one point he did ask me "Mommy, when the man is done telling his story can we go home?")  Amelia was gorgeous and incredibly well humoured. She didn't cry at all during the sacrament and was just cute as a button the whole time. We were so lucky to have Andrea and RyLee there to take pictures. I'll share those as soon as I can.

Our home was full to the brim with family and friends all loving on our littles. Austin had friends to play with and told me that he had a great day and asked if we could do it again the next day.


Cakepops by Kelly!



Amelia with her Godparents Laura and Dan

Thank you to everyone from Tennessee to Newfoundland who made the trek to be with us for this special day. I can't wait to share the rest of the pictures with you!