snickerdoodles

eco cleaning...

On my beloved Pinterest I have a board called Eco Savvy...here is a Pin from One Good Thing I had to share as nothing is prettier than a batch of cookies on a nice clean tray.

I like my cast iron and my stoneware seasoned but I can do without grubby grime on my baking sheets and this eco-friendly trick works.    Take a boo at Jillee's Kitchen "Miracle" Cleaner.

If you want more cleaner recipes hop over to my Pinterest via the button to your left.  It's a learning smorgasbord for moi, and a slight addiction as I am an image and typeography hound. 

oxo

 

love is making its way back home...

  Swooning from this gorgeous song and creative video...I shared on the Snickerdoodles facebook wall but I know you don't all visit there so I thought I'd better post it here as well.  Enjoy friends,

oxo

Josh Ritter - Love Is Making Its Way Back Home from Josh Ritter on Vimeo.

  

 

 

life in the igloo...

Final check-ins before bed and lights out last night.   I took the inside shift in bed with Ryan but the others made it through the night except Dad who headed inside to the couch at 4:30 a.m.

A little movie before bed...silly Liam was so bundled up he could hardly move whereas Noah only wore regular clothes and used a sleeping bag and looks quite comfy.

Tonight we served marshmallows and cute little girls in little pink snowsuits came for the feasting and a game of tag in the dark with my maniacs.

Little kids and roasting marshmallows in snowsuits is a messy mix...

So worth it though.

On another front I made a yummy gluten free twist on the classic Rice Krispie square, Rocky Road Rice Krispie treats...

Two small changes to the recipe though...I skipped the sugar in the first step and I made two batches...one batch in 9x13 pan then sprinkled with ground flax and chia then another batch and spread it on top and no one notices the hit of super foods hidden amongst the chocolaty and marshmallow gooiness.

Also just made a gluten- free carrot cake that turned out rather swell...I'll share the recipe once we try it tomorrow and make sure it's a good as it looks.  Also made a batch of uber healthy soup that looks like baby poop but is so delish...it was a bit of a concoction but I'll try and get it written out...you do need to make a Beer Can chicken to make the rich stock from the leftovers to start the soup, so get on it! 

oxo

 

DIY igloo family style...

   The other day we woke up to this...

It was mild out and everything was blanketed in a fresh coat of February snow.   Lucky for the boys it was a PD day and we had a whole day of snow fort building.   Noah has always been a wild man when it came to making stuff, he gets an idea and goes for it, it makes him so happy.   Unfortunately, he flies though passions fast and when he was little I had lots of major messes to deal with....and often still do.

Noah led the fort design and we had a team of awesome, non-stop snowball makers to build the base layers thanks to Grayson and Brynn.  It's amazing how hard kiddos will work for hot chocolate and biscuits.

By sunset that night we had a pretty sweet little shelter to cozy up in.  The Club Penguin fans brought Rockhopper and Puffle to the igloo of course.  Noah made a small campfire and we told stories waiting for Dad to get home.  They were so happy and proud and decided snow fort building and snow camping every winter should be a new family tradition, I love that.  

Lucky for me Dad got home and slept outside with Noah the first night...they made it till the early morning hours and headed inside as poor hubbie had a sore back from lying on the snow.  

Today we awoke to another snowfall and Noah was back at it with grand plans...walls came down fast and the building began again.

Brynn and Grayson and his bros soon helped him expand the floorplan.  The base layer is giant snowballs then we used Superstore shopping tubs to pack some nice sturdy snow blocks.  I did this for a good four hours today with them...snow igloo building isn't fast work.  The most important step is packing the spaces as you go in between blocks and filling in gaps.  Not only does it make the fort look nice it keeps the cold and light out. 

It's is also important to work fast when the sun is out and the snow is good for packing, a couple of degrees and it becomes too dry to build well with.   Noah doesn't mess around with finishing touches, and I've gone through a wack of candles so we decided to introduce our fort to the age of electricity.

A couple of strings of Christmas lights around the top of the fort then we bungeed a tarp over the roof, and tented the middle with a SUP paddle!   Since dinner they've been out there adding air mattresses, sleeping bags and other luxuries to lure me out to sleep with them...I am still undecided.  Hubbie is putting on his winter things now but I think I might give him the inside bed tonight. 

I'll be sure to share a photo tomorrow of the final MacIgloo when they finish the interior decorating and get tonight's fire started.   Little voices are calling from the front door, I'd better start getting dresses in my woolies.

oxo

 

 

i love you like family...

  Just wanted to quickly share this big Family Days sale at Stella & Dot...

I donate my commish to World Vision so if you want anything please order via my stylist # 111829 kerry macleod,  the webpage I used to have isn't active, it was eating up $10 month of money I could be donating so I gave up on the luxury of having it.  Drop me a line at kerry@snickerdoodles.ca if you need a hand and a chat.  This link will take you right to the Family Day Weekend Sale .

It's a PD day and we've been tied up building a snow fort worthy of sleeping in tonight so I'll have to catch up with my regular eco-Friday post soon. 

happy weekend friends!

oxo

Here is one of Leroy's lovely people I mentioned before...I sort of am smitten with this dull winter light lately

oh Leroy...

   If there is a cat in your home and I am doing your photos you most certainly will get a token cat portrait or two.  Cats always want to see what's going on with their people and they seem fascinated by cameras.

Meet Leroy, he's huge and fluffy and has extra toes which means extra big paws...so cute.

As for Mom and Dad, they are lovely.  Lisa has a beautiful baby bump which I will share shortly but for now I wanted to give Leroy a bit of fame and possibly fortune for being such a darn handsome fella.

I am also going to share a belated Valentine's Day movie, I started it earlier in the week and finished it last night before passing out on the couch in a very un-romantic fashion...no alcohol was involved just a busy week a naughty rib that was out of place and a great chiropractor who finally gave me some release.

   We stayed in for Valentine's Day  and the boys and I made a special dinner of tenderloin, Noah's famous scalloped potatoes, garlic shrimp and gluten-free coconut shrimp and homemade strawberry sauce, made from frozen berries from this summer's picking day on greek yogurt...and of course a bon bon or two.  The boys lit tons of candles, Ryan set a special table and drank from the fancy glasses, I was in heaven and they were all smiles.  A dinner without irrational boy squabbles is always blissful.

As for the movie, I am not saying this is the best film ever made BUT it's very sweet and funny.  Nia is just as charming as in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and John Corbett is always adorable.  It's on Netflix now so check  out I Hate Valentine's Day if you feel like a few chuckles and a happy ending.

oxo

 

be mine? ...

Happy Valentine's Day dear readers & friends...hope you day is full of sweet surprises. 

I have a couple things planned for my boys but nothing too ambitious this year...keeping it mellow.  I tweaked my back so my plans for bowling won't be happening but I am sure we'll figure something out.   Maybe if hubbie's working late I might just take the boys out to eat somewhere special.

All my Pinterst time lately has left me feeling crafty and Ry needs some one on one so I am thinking we'll be getting creative tomorrow finishing up cards for his brothers.  I quickly snapped his image of him making Valentines the other day...he worked away
all afternoon and finished three cards then gave them all to me! 

He's busy and loud but he's full of love and praise and snuggles for me and he's growing up way too fast...I am so lucky to have these days with him one on one. 

oxo

more pineapple please...

   Sunday morning snack yesterday was a tad unconventional.  After a long family walk I taught Liam and Ry to use the new pineapple tool and then made each boy a virgin pina colada in a pineapple with toast for snack.   The pineapples were smallish so there were a couple leaks after coring them which was easily fixed by slipping a similar sized drinking glass inside the opening.   We used the fresh pineapple juice, organic coconut milk and a tiny bit of vanilla to sweeten it up.   My all-inclusive resort days have me accustommed to the sweet, super strong flavoured artificial mixes so our healthy coladas were a little bland but still fun.

For desert later that day,  I sauteed some of the fresh pineapple and dished it warm over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The boys were watching a film with a friend and steady rhythm of spoon scrapes and sauce slurps could be heard until all the bowls were empty, it was so cute.  

The recipe I used from Food.com, Easy Sauteed Pineapple  is super simple and versatile.  I also made big bowl of Pina Colada Tapioca Pudding from a recipe I found in Shape magazine...I did a quadruple batch so there would be lots for the boys lunches...best part it's dairy-free, just used coconut milk.   I've included that recipe as well....our pineapple slicer has sure started a tropical trend around here but it's hard not to go pineapple crazy when they are so perfectly delish right now.

oxo

pineapple time...

  Pineapples make me swoon.  I LOVE fresh sweet pineapple.  Yet, I despise and peeling and cutting them.  So, when a friend told me about the Vacu Vin Pineapple Slicer I was so excited.   Time to open another window and let this play and listen while you read on... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h02oh5Ri4Y0 , a little Annette will make this post so much more fun.

It looks like this but the packaging was a little more modern...I found it at Coopers Foods in the produce section for $9.99.   I was leary as it's a rather simplistic plastic gizmo.

You just take the top off the pinapple and twist it in like a corkscrew, then pull out nice rings of fruit.  The juice can be poured out and isn't wasted on a cutting board.  OR even better, just leave it in there, throw in some coconut milk, rum and a straw.  Close the curtains and put on some nice IZ music and pretend you are on a beach somewhere wonderful.

When in Maui a couple years ago we went crazy eating the Maui Gold pineapples and I was convinced I would never find a yummier pineapple.  Lo and behold this week at Superstore I bought some DelMonte Gold pineapples an they were just as delicious.   There were only $1.97 so we now have a stash of three more ready to go.  Each boy wants a go using the new tool... Pina Coladas here I come!