My days lately are spent.......

.......Admiring our new door...still to be fine tuned but LOVE it! Any suggestions for a color?

Watching our roof get demolished and finding out we have BATS in our roof.

Strawberry tea with good friends......tastes like summer.

Not that this happens everyday....watching the hubby strut his stuff in a TV pilot filmed in our yard.

Last day of school today, my baby is done grade 4. Musical showcase yesterday was my first glimpse of Zoe playing the guitar, or at least the top of her head, she always ends up in the back row.

Exposing the Aussies to the Canadian ways.....beer and wings last night. Or Shiraz and wings if your name is Clint...he quickly changed his drink of choice to a nice cold Strongbow after being made fun of.

Lots of trampoline jumping.......aah Summer, how I adore thee!

That's all folks...........for now.

BFF

Josie, my Bestie from Kindergarten and her hubbie Clint are about to arrive at my little home here in BC. They have spent many, many months in Thailand and Europe and are popping in for a quick 1 week visit with the Simpson's on their way back to Oz.

Visits like this always get my heart pumping. Not that ALL visits aren't wonderful, but the thought of people caring enough about my little family to invest their precious time and money into an international visit always blows me away.

I feel all warm and fuzzy with anticipation.

There is always a mad rush to get the house and yard looking spic and span but this year I have decided that my time is better off spent sitting and visiting and putting my energy into making memories rather than panicking that there are spider webs on my ceiling and footprints on my floor.

I love my family and friends.....moments like this are a great reminder to self to stop and smell the peonies!!!

Yet another milestone.....

My baby graduated preschool on Friday, yowsers how the time is flying.

It really hit home when I looked at the photos the preschool staff had taken of Marley from day 1 to her last day. She started off preschool with a haircut that she had executed herself, twiggy style, nice and short. And now her hair has grown, she has grown and her imagination and abilities have grown to boot!

She can write her name, color in the lines and is starting to learn to read. Kindergarden is just around the corner, September will be here before we know it and I will be home alone all day while my girls are at school. Hmmmmm, what ever will I do to occupy my empty nest? I'm sure I'll find plenty.....any ideas?

A big thank you to the staff at Little Miracles Preschool, what a wonderful environmet for my little one to start her education. You will be missed.

Mrs Lanaway...you are the BEST.

SWAGGER WAGON Official Toyota Music Video HD

mmmmmmm Toasties.

I was cleaning down in the basement today in preparation for some summer visitors and stumbled across the appliance grave site, you know, the place tucked away somewhere in your home where all good kitchen appliances go to die or be forgotten forever.

I managed to dig out my toastie maker and decided today would be a good day to introduce Marley to spaghetti toasties for a quick and easy lunch, seeing as we were having a pj kinda day.
I don't know if my Canadian friends ate these in their youth..maybe it was just my family, but I ate my fair share of these even after leaving home, they sustained me through my art school days and as a young adult with minimal cooking skills. Think of it as a retro panini press, but this one slices your sandwich for you!!!

This scary looking, weapon like tool is a camp fire version. My Dad would often cook our dinner in our lounge room fireplace with one of these. Some slices of bread, leftover mashed potato's, meat and veg and there you have it...Dinner. (Don't forget the tomato sauce).

Today's kid friendly version is plain old Heinz spaghetti straight out of the can. First a slice of bread, then the spaghetti, top with another piece of bread and into the toastie maker, wait 5 minutes..........

.....mmmmmmm good.

You could also use baked beans if you don't mind the toots, leftovers or cold cuts and cheese. I used to quite enjoy a slice of ham, some cheese and a little pineapple. I may have to leave the toastie maker out for a while longer to see if I can make me some gourmet toasties.

Gimme, gimme...

I know it's suppose to be hot and sunny in the Okanagan right now, but as I look out my window, Mother nature is singing a different tune. Not that I'm complaining mind you as my newly planted tomato bushes could use some nice mild weather until they take root. In honor of the drizzly rain I thought I'd check out my favourite knitting and crochet blog today, I do not knit or crochet but I plan on learning one day and when I do I'm gonna make me one of these beauties.

You know you want one!! Sam if you're reading this, my birthday is October 2nd!!!! I'll take one in black!

Check out pickles, the website is in english and swedish??? They have free patterns as well as their own hand dyed yarns. For now, I will add this one to my list of things to do.

Peppermint slice

Peppermint slice is again one of those treats we Aussies grew up with. Birthday parties, picnics, whatever the occasion you were sure to find this slice there. I'm sure every one's mum had their own version, this one I found on the net, not loving the green food coloring or the lack of chocolate topping in the pic but if you follow the recipe you end up with something that tastes a wee bit like an after8.

I made it recently for the family branding and it was received well and I even had a few requests for the recipe, hence this post. If you're not familiar with Marie biscuits head to the Superstore or any well stocked supermarket and look for plain tea biscuits.
So here it is, hope you enjoy it.

Base:
2 x 250 g packets Marie biscuits
1 x 395 g tin sweetened condensed milk
250 g melted butter
11/2 cups shredded coconut
2 tablespoon cocoa powder

Filling:
2 cups icing sugar
4 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons of cream
4 teaspoons peppermint essence ( I know that sounds like a lot, you will just have to trust me!)

Top:
2 cups icing sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 - 2 tablespoons of water ( I think I used a bit more, use your judgement. You want it to set like a firm icing.

Method:
1. Mix together the crushed biscuits, coconut and cocoa.
2. Stir in the condensed milk and melted butter and press into a tray.
3. Set in fridge while making the filling.
4.Filling: In a bowl, mix the icing sugar, softened butter, cream and peppermint essence.
Add a couple of drops of food coloring if desired....or not!
5. Spread over the base evenly and very carefully with the back of a large spoon.Allow to set in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes before adding the topping.
6. Topping: Mix the icing sugar and the cocoa.
7. Stir while gradually adding the water until mixture is firm but still thin enough to spread over the peppermint cream filling.
8. Spread over filling and refrigerate.

Prairie oysters and cowboys....

Another year, another road trip to Alberta. Boy oh boy how time flies. Just like Xmas and birthdays there is one day of the year that the Simpson clan makes time for no matter what is happening in their lives.....BRANDING.

If you've not been one of the "lucky" few who have had the privilege of attending, here are some of the highlights. And remember....if you didn't get to come this year, never you mind, there's always 2011.

This little guy or gal has no idea what's about to happen.

The blue skies are something to behold, this part of the Canada is known as Big sky country.

The cowboys alone are worth the drive. I couldn't resist the sepia with this shot, the attire really is a throw back to times gone by. These are not actors my friends!!!!

The Simpson branding is still quite traditional with ropers and wrestlers ( my hubby is a wrestler gggrrrrr), here's hoping it stays that way.

The cowboys come in all shapes and sizes. This little guys had a seat right by the lady frying the prairie oysters.

That time of year....

Branding..........

Will be out of action for a while as we are packing up the family and heading to Alberta for the annual Simpson family branding. Hope you all have a great weekend.

I will post some pics upon my return,

Tootles

kj