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

Hamburger Soup

Hamburger Soup!

Easy to make, a great slow cooker recipe, and oh so swell to freeze. I love dinners you can make once and eat twice!

1.5 lbs Ground Beef (I always use extra lean)

1 medium onion, chopped finely

28oz canned tomatos

3 cups beef broth

1 cup tomato soup

4 carrots chopped finely

1 bay leaf

3 sticks celery

parsley (use own judgement)

1/2 tsp thyme

pepper to taste

8 tbsp barley

Personally the barley is my favorite part so I often add extra. Brown meat , add onions, then through everything else in your pot and simmer for 2 hrs, or all day, whichever works for you!

In Other News:

Lumsden's first snowfall! October. This is an old picture I kept meaning to post.

Stars and Kitchens

This week has not been kind. It was 'one of those Mondays' that has become the monster of 'one of those weeks'. Amaris has decided she has a huuuge attitude problem, and Jamison has been super gassy. It's also the one of the few weeks left until we leave for our much deserved Christmas holiday! I can't wait to have tons of hands available to hold my babies, ah, to take a shower without two kids in the bathroom = bliss.

Also, Jamison decided not to sleep last night. Ugh. But in more upbeat news, I bought three stars from Dollarama (I mean, uh, Pottery Barn) and I think they're super cute on my hearth. What do you think? I really would love to get a wreath for above them, but alas, there isn't much point since we leave next week for HOME. Will I ever call Saskatchewan home? Will I ever call anywhere that gets -35 home? That would be like admitting that we're stuck here.

Also I've been all over this dinner making business lately (no easy feat with two kids under two). Last night was hamburger soup, I'll post the recipe tomorrow!

In Other News:

In the website I'm loving right now, Young House Love, there was a link to this:

Cutest Homemade Kid's Kitchen EVER! Check it out, couldn't be sweeter, now to convince my Dad to make one for Amaris....

Lemon Loaf, etc

This is a lemon loaf recipe I have fallen in LOVE with, all through my pregnancy I craved lemon loaf and it's not until the past few weeks I found a recipe that I can make and indulge in, so good!



The Recipe for the Best Lemon Loaf Ever:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt



3 eggs, room temp.
1 c. sugar
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. oil (I always use applesauce as a substitute here, it is so moist and delish, and less fat!!)



Icing:
1 c. icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp lemon extract (if you want, I don't have any so I don't do this)

The loaf is so good you don't even really need the icing (although I still like to, I'm not going to lie).
Mix the dry ingredients, then the wet (but not the oil), then combine together, then add the oil (or applesauce) lastly, stir, pour into loaf pan, cook for 45 mins at 350, cool and enjoy!!

In Other News:
Two new websites that I'm loving lately, during those late evening, middle of the night (he's actually sleeping amazing the past few nights, falling asleep on his own and in his own bed) feedings I peruse them on my iphone.
Young House Love (I almost put, 'Young House Loaf', you can tell what's on my mind!!)
Lizzy Writes (this lady is amazing, I wish I had this much energy!)

Well I think that's about it, I'm off to start my roast chicken before the kidlet's wake up, having a 23 month old and a 1 month old means not many quiet moments and I want to capitalize one and do more than just blog!
xxoo Meredith