Boxes X 10 Million

So we're moving. Again! This time is a more joyous move, we're moving HOME! I am also so scared because we're finally just doing it, it seems too good to be true!

We decided on Wednesday, my Mom flew out Thursday, and we're packing Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and flying out on Monday! Well, David's driving (ugh) but I'm flying back with my Mom and the kids. Wish us luck!

*Don't you wish your life was this fun?

Mandarin Grilled Chicken Salad

From Style At Home Magazine.

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 small cans mandarin oranges
1 avocado
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
4 large Romaine leaves, cut into bite size pieces

Directions

1) In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil and oregano until well combined. Add the crushed garlic. Place the chicken breasts into a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken in the bag. Tightly close the bag and shake to make sure the marinade is well distributed. Leave to marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2) Set a pan on medium heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breast to the pan, discarding any leftover marinade. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Leave untouched for about 4 minutes, turn over and season again. Cook for another 4 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove from heat and reserve.

3) In your serving bowl, add the chopped romaine. Dice the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the salad. Drain the mandarin oranges and add them in. Cut the avocado into bite-size cubes and add them in. Add the vinaigrette a few minutes before serving and top with the almonds.

Vinaigrette
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Once the mixture is homogeneous, add the olive oil and whisk until smooth. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper.Serves 4.

I made this for dinner last night and it was awesome! I would definitely recommend! I'm discovering magazines are one of the best places for recipes! Enjoy!

Little Elves Made This

How cute, little elf hats from Grandma. The one for Jamison is so cute too, I should really post another picture!

xxoo

Three Months and Counting

Jamison was three months old on the 19th. Recent achievements include - First time in jumper, (see above) and first time in Bumbo (see below). So far he likes the jumper, hates the bumbo. Typical of what seems to be my super active children.

Amaris is still under the weight limit for the jumper and she was super excited to have a try (hasn't been in it since about 8 months old). So I thought what the heck. Pretty awesome funny. Good way to burn off some steam, especially since it was -35, -45 with windchill that day. Most definitely not outside play weather. This is also the reason most of Canada is unpopulated. And the parts like this that are populated, leaves the population asking, "Why do we live here again?"

He is soooo ticklish!

Chili

Basically anyone with a cookbook can get a quick chili recipe, just thought I'd share my tried and true recipe, never fails. Also, I posted the hamburger soup recipe I always use here. It went into a earlier date because I posted pictures awhile ago and didn't open a new page to post the recipe this week. Oh well.

Chili
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion chopped or 1/2 cup
1 clove garlic, finelychopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14 oz)
1 can tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (15-16 oz) kidney or pinto beans, rinesed and drained.

Cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until brown, stir in remaining ingredients, except beans. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, stir occasionally.
Stir in beans, heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, or until desired thickness.
This also freezes great, and we usuallly eat with rice. David really enjoys chili or soup or stew of some sort after working a 8-10 hour day in -18!

Bay Windows

One of the favorite things about my 100+ year old house is the bay windows. I LOVE light. They are big, gorgeous, and brighten up my whole living room. I left them un-curtained because they look out over our pool (which is nice to have in full view) and our totally private backyard. I could dance around in our living room like an idiot and no one could see me. And I do.

Anyways, our landlords were trying to sell the house, and I get a phone call saying they are coming to put curtains up in my beautiful windows. Oh yes. Oh no.
This is what happened.

Now, it wouldn't be so bad if all of our furniture wasn't black (David's firm decision about the couches, he is now receding to get lighter ones next time). BUT the brown, furry pillow (which says "Kennel Mat" on the tag) I had a hard time keeping out on display even for the open houses and house showings, which is what they wanted them there for. I didn't know 'putting up curtains' would also mean a display of not-so-my-taste pillows.

Anyways, the house sold (to people that looked at it BEFORE the curtains and pillows I'll have you know), so I took down the curtains finally. The new owners can put them back up if they want when they move in.

I'm went through some boxes downstairs of our stuff and found some curtains I like better.

I still need more too it, it's looking a little bare. But they're white and breezy. This is what I'd do if I owned the house:

Zucchini Bread

A super yummy treat!

3 eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Oil (or applesauce, or half and half)
2 tsp Vanilla
3 Cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
2 Cups of grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350, check after 45mins, could need up to an hour depending on loaf pan size and if you have a hotter/colder oven (mine always burns everything super easily, it's not me I swear).
Makes two loaves.

Weekly Planning

Hello! Today I did one of my most favorite things, I started my new Family Planner, carefully marking as many pages as possible with things to do, places to be. It was marvelous. Is it sad that I take such enjoyment in organizing?
One of the hardest things in being a mom is coming up with something to feed your family every night. I love reading other peoples favorite meals to make, so I thought I'd share my week of meals with you!

Monday: Hamburger Soup with Rice
Tuesday: Garlic and Chili Chicken with Zucchini and Couscous
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Thursday: Roast Chicken stuffed with Lemon, with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Veggies
Friday: Chili and Rice
Saturday: Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce
Sunday: Sage-Dusted Chicken

I will post pictures and recipes as I remember (so not good at remembering to take pictures). At least the recipes, ASAP!
xxoo

Also, if you're looking for a great blog to read check out Rosaleen's Blog, she also has a list of her favorite meals to make in her archive. I can personally vouch for the Mango Salsa Recipe, one of my favorites now!!

Five Banana Boxes Tall

Our blessings came FIVE banana boxes tall this Christmas.

Yes, that's right, we got FIVE banana boxes full of lovely gifts!
Let me also show you my house right now.

There I did it, I aired my dirty laundry online. Literally.

It looks like a tornado ran through my house and THEN a bomb went off.

It's okay, we were gone for a month, it's a month worth of STUFF in my living room that is getting sorted through. Not to mention the Christmas presents.

On the STUFF (had to capitilize it again, only fair) note, this is what I'm doing, every banana box worth of new things that come into my house, must be filled up with things to go out of my house. I am going to fill up all five with stuff for goodwill. Seems only right, one only needs so much. And the new things are somuch more fun to keep.

So far I've completed three, plus one diaper box full, plus one box full I'm going to attempt to sell on kijiji. I am confident the other two will be filled easily!

xoxo

Holidays

What the holidays are all about - Family!! Amaris and Jamison's grandparents on both sides, and Great Grandparents on David's mom's side.

We celebrated Amaris' 2nd birthday and Welcome to the World Jamison, the night before we left, it was so wonderful to see so many people there!

Me and Jamison, his head was moving too much to not be blurry, crummy camera!

Rainy Victoria! But hey, at least it's not -25!!

The mighty Chariot, the cadillac of strollers!

My mom always makes the house so cozy and Christmas-y (ee?). Amaris loved playing in the living room and looking at the big Christmas tree, the Christmas lights strung around the room, and the poinsettas gracing the crackling fire. This is, in my opinion, peace.

Our trip included lots of visiting, lots of eating (mmmm Naniamo Bars!), lots of presents (our kids were so spoiled by their Grandparents), and lots of shopping! It was also so amazing to introduce Jamison to extended family, it was David and my's Dad's first glimpse of Jamie.
Another plus - Spending a month with David, work free!! We are so blessed to be able to do that.

The worse part of the trip, was the truck broke down. And they couldn't fix it, so we didn't have our vehicle almost the whole time! Which was especially lame because that's why we drove it out in the first place and didn't fly. But thank God it didn't break down on the drive out!

Well, a late Merry Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
I have a super duper post in mind for tomorrow, or the next day.

xoxo