yummy yummy

Simple, light and yummy!!!

Mixed Greens with Roasted Pears, Pecans and Chèvre

Roasting the pears makes them extra sweet.

3 ripe but firm Bosc pears
2 tsp olive oil
8 cups of mixed salad greens
1/2 cup toasted pecans halves (I used whole)

Dressing

2 tbsp apple juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp honey
Pinch each salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Quarter and core pears. Cut each quarter in half.
Toss pears with oil and place on baking sheet;
bake 15-20 until pears are tender and turning golden brown.
Set aside and cool.
3. Wash and dry greens
4. Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together apple juice, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil.
5. Toss salad greens with dressing. Divide among plates. Arrange pears slices over the top of green. Sprinkle with pecans and chèvre.
Makes 6 servings.

* I used PC raspberry vinaigrette and
I also added some dried cranberries

This recipe is from the g.i. diet cookbook

It was so good!

tea time

I love those little moments in between crying kids and diaper changes. Those moments that I can sit back and have a cup of tea and a cookie or two or three... and look at all the beauty growing around me in the park.

My favorite mug!

One of my favorite teas!

Beauty in the park

The rain has stopped and the park is coming to life!

painted face

Face painting is something I really love to do. Art is really important to me, but I was finding it hard to start projects and finish them with four small children. Why not combine the two...kids + art...a challenge... working on a wiggly canvas...yes it can be done!
I do face painting parties now, which is perfect because most parties are on the weekend and my husband can stay home with the kiddies.
It is wild to see how happy you can make someone with a few colours, a brush and glitter (a must for every prefect fairy).
My kids want to be tattooed and painted every day...yikes!
This line of work is so much fun!!

handmade

I learned a lesson in gift giving at a very young age...it is not always about brand names, bells and whistles, simple can be nice and if it is made with love well it is priceless.

I lost that for awhile because of all the stuff they pump into kids/parents, I need this and I want that, and yes sometimes the kids make you feel like you should buy it.
But three days later they could careless and/or it is broken.
This year for gifts I make little beaded totes for all of the little girls in my family.
I had so much fun sewing on all the little beads.
When the kids went to bed I sat and beaded for hours, but it was nice.
I did not think about all the crazy things in my life, I was enjoying creating beautiful bags for all the special little girls in my life.

My Mom always made beautiful dresses for my girls birthday and Christmas, it made them and me feel so special.
I want my children to carry on that family tradition... gifts from the heart.

I was so pleased with how they turn out.

hugs and kisses

Here is a cake I made for my daughter's 6th birthday.
She had to have a three tier teddy bears picnic cake.
I molded all the teddies from fondant and hand painted their faces, bows and the balloons. I hand molded all the china and cakes for the teddies picnic, royal icing was used to make the grass and trees.
The hard part was making it all the night before so she would be surprise the next day.
Well when it hit 4:30 am in the morning and I was up adding the last pieces on knowing I had to get up at 8:00 or so to deal with the other kids and make all the food...well I was questioning myself and I was starting to think I was NUTS.
But when she came down in the morning and saw it for the first time and started gigging and squealing and then in a flash was in my arms giving me the biggest hug ever with a ton of kisses...well yeah I am nuts but it was all worth it!


So four weeks later my other daughter's birthday was coming up. Oh no am I going to go crossed eye again.
Not this time! She is more of a bug girl. So I made her a girly bug cake. All I had to do this time is pipe stars and flowers in butter cream, still time comsuming but it was not three tiers, hand molding, hand painting, just decorating.

Once again tons of hugs and covered in kisses.
It all was simply nice!

day of the dinosaurs

Tonight we took the kids to the zoo to see the dinosaurs.
The kids had a great time looking at all the BIG dinosaurs with their BIG teeth and little eye that seem to pierce into your soul.
My oldest at 6 says "you know we are dinner to them, yeah they eat meat and we are...meat".

Good thing they are not here any more! I don't want to be a meat dinner!

my home

Here is a peek into my home.
My home is a newer home so that means small.
With four children, two dogs, a cat and my husband and me, I had to put away a lot of my favourite things.
I still have a few things out that I could not stand to put away.

I love all things old, vintage anything!

the cairns

Here are my two cairns Shayla and Devil. They are the best little friends, they love children (which is good because I have four) , cats , dogs, food and belly rubs.
But do not let the puppy dog eyes fool you they can be a handful.
Shayla is going to be 3 this year, she is always full of beans. Devil is 8 or so he is a male... likes to lay around, eat and have his belly rubbed. I love my little fur children!

bannik's new bed

Bannik has a new bed. My other two fur chidren are always kicking him off their beds, so Bannik got a new bed today. As you can see he loves it.
It is simply nice!

bannik

Here is my beautiful Bannik, he is now 10 years old.
Bannik loves kids and dogs but does not like other cats.
Bannik is sweet, cute and has the perfect tail!
He is our cotton ball, he is a very soft and loving boy.
He loves eating and sleeping...I did say he was male.

a great find

Young Girl
Rembrandt, Dutch 1606-1669
format 8" x 10" size
No. 801

One summer I was out with my family at a huge street sale I came across some beautiful picture frames six in total.
The one picture I loved the most was a picture of 3 girls practicing ballet.
The lady sold the six frames to me for $12.00 I was so happy. Little did I know that was not even the best part.
When I got home the back of the painting said Young girl but the front had 3 girls on it so I took it a part well... there it was a Rembrandt my jaw hit the floor, the painting was in perfect condition. Now the ballet girls are at the back helping to protect this beautiful piece of art work.
The funny thing is the picture of the ballet girls was from a calendar.
It is one of my favorite finds. It is simply nice!