warning: don't read when hungry

If you had one day to eat anything you want and not gain a single ounce what would it be?

Well now, that's my kind of writer's prompt. I love food. I've never been able to deprive myself of something I really truly wanted. Moderation, sure, and exercise to balance these indulgences. Logical, no? So, since we're momentarily living in a world where calories don't count, let's make a list, shall we?

1) A huge heap of hot, crispy, homemade fries. With salt and Heinz ketchup. And a tall, ice-cold Pepsi.

2) I was going to say pasta in general, but that's not true. I point to the trifecta of deliciousness: fettuccine alfredo, homemade mac and cheese, and tortellini with marinara sauce. Any of the above with a healthy unhealthy portion of salty garlic bread.

3) A veggie burger. Not just any veggie burger either. The one piled high with sauteed mushrooms and grated cheddar on a delicious onion-y bun at Jack Astor's. It is the best.

4) Anything vegetarian and Mexican, especially burritos, with lots of fresh salsa and guacamole. An icy margarita on the side doesn't hurt, either.

5) Fresh-from-the-oven, homemade chocolate chip cookies with a huge mug of hot coffee with milk.

6) Homemade falafel with homemade tortillas. I don't make the latter often, but the former is so easy and delicious. Topped with tatziki, naturally.

7) A perfect sandwich. That means a lightly toasted ciabatta bun, or the like, with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, avocado, lots of cheese (I don't play favourites with cheese) and sweet-with-heat mustard.

8) Garlic fingers. With lots of garlic and cheese. And unlimited donair sauce. This must also be accompanied with a carbonated beverage.

9) Turkey dinner sans turkey. I love a hot plate of all the fixins ... whipped potatoes, carrots, corn, green bean casserole, squash casserole, stuffing and gravy.

10) Homemade baked beans, with a generous side of hash-brown bake, and hot brown bread toast with butter.

Hungry now? You're welcome.

Thanks, as always, to Mama Kat for the Writer's Prompt.

our house this morning

Our sweet toddler prefers to go to the potty in private. Can you blame him? I do too, don't you?

So this morning, we heard the patter of little feet in the bathroom, before he called out "Mommy, Daddy, I done!" Husband opened the door to discover that he had, indeed, got up off the potty and started walking around, when he wasn't ... umm ... finished, leaving a trail of ... well, you know.

Then, I came around the corner, into the hallway.

Me: Oh my God.
Husband: What now?
Me: [Examining a foreign object on the carpet] ... oh, nevermind, it's just a raisin.

Ahh. Never a dull moment.

friday the 13th

It's Friday the 13th. How does that make you feel? My co-worker is flying out today, on Friday the 13th, for vacation and he'll catch a cruise that sets sail tomorrow ... on the 100th anniversary of the day the Titanic sunk. If he were superstitious, I'm thinking he might have reconsidered.

For me, today means pizza, of course. It's Pizza Friday and that's all I need to know. I'm not on the lookout for black cats or broken mirrors. Rather, I'm considering the bevy of pizza options at my disposal in Sackvegas. Tell me locals, what's you're preferred pizza place?

***

And just so you're not like, WTF kind of post was that?! Here are a few Friday links for your perusal.

A few posts from My Hectic Home:
Mum-approved Easter dinner
When kids say the darndest things
Pinching pennies
The idea sharer
Her own way to paint
Doing the potty dance

And a few things I've starred, pinned and bookmarked of late:

We're working on compiling ideas for Jacob's big-boy room. Given that he is obsessed with balls, it only makes sense that we incorporate as many as we can into his new digs. Like this, from Pinterest >>

I'm intrigued by Ashley's Project 333, where she's cut down her wardrobe to just 33 items. Think it's doable?

If you feel the same way about The Hunger Games that I do, you may also be interested in this recipe for District 11 bread.

Speaking of delicious, I tried Suzie the Foodie's recipe for Subway cookies last week (opting for mini eggs instead of chocolate chips) and they were delish! Definitely worth a try.

***

Happy Friday!

winter pinterest challenge

I originally wrote this post a couple weeks ago, but just as I was ready to hit publish, I managed to close it, accidentally losing the whole thing. I'm just now getting over it enough to start again.

Some of my favourite bloggers (like this gal and this gal) have created a fun little Pinterest Challenge, which encourages us to actually try the things we pin. This is a great concept because I am one of those people who pins like mad and rarely follows through.

I decided to try out a Mexican Quinoa Casserole I had pinned, which would work perfectly for our vegetarian family meal swap.

The thing that really makes you go "Mmmm, what is that?" is the grated sweet potato. Mixed with cooked quinoa, black beans, and combined with a sauce of salsa, cheese, egg, and cumin, it makes a delicious combo.

Then, if you're smart like lovely friend A, you'll think to scoop it with nacho chips. Then we got really crazy and filled tortillas with the casserole and grilled them for tasty quinoa burritos. This is really a versatile and super simple supper.

It also appears that, after losing the original version of this post, I also lost the "after" photo of this delicious dish. Take my word for it; it's awesome.

What have you made from Pinterest lately?

it works!

Who knew? I'm married to Mr. Fix-it.

Last week, the unthinkable happened. Our dryer ceased to dry. Well, it decided not to turn on at all. Not good for an already laundry-challenged household such as ours.

Basically, the spring-loaded start switch on our Frigidaire Gallery dryer wasn't starting the cycle. It wasn't doing anything. I called around to a few local appliance repair places, to find that to have a serviceman come to the house would cost $50 to start. Then, once you get into the parts and additional visit for the fix, it can get pricey. For an appliance that can be replaced entirely for $400, we wanted to keep repair costs as low as possible.

Enter Mr. Fix-it. He opened up the dryer, looked it all over, and started Googling. He read forums for similar problems, and, using our model number, was able to pin-point the exact part he thought we'd need to fix the issue. I picked up the part for $25, and with the help of an online video, he swapped out the old for the new.

The moment he turned the knob was very Frankenstein ... it's ALIVE! And thankfully, we all have clean undies once again.

growing by the minute: 18 months

This is a couple days late, but I wanted to wait until J's appointment late yesterday so I knew how he was fairing in the growth department. He took his 18-month needle like a champ, but gave the doctor the stink eye.

Vital stats: He's a growing boy at 32.5 inches tall (50th percentile), 26.5 lbs. (75th percentile) and a 20-inch head circumference (95th+ percentile).

Milestones and firsts: Using the potty! I didn't want to mention this too early, because I didn't want to jinx our progress, but J is on his way to self-potty-training. Don't even ask me why or how. At about 17 months, he started to tell us "I pee" or "I poop" and then he started heading to the bathroom and attempting to climb up on the toilet. So, before and after his baths, and when we'd change his clothes, we'd give him the opportunity to sit on his own potty. He doesn't like to use it with an audience, so we tell him to call for us when he's done, and when we return, he shows us that he used to potty. We've now started extending this experiment to include big-boy underwear. In the mornings and evenings during the week and on weekends at home, we let him wear his own underwear, and we remind him now and then to tell us if he has to go. So far, he's had just one accident. We aren't pushing him, since he's still young, but we are encouraging his self-directed process, and we have all of our fingers crossed!

Teeth: 11 ... possibly 12. It's hard to keep track which ones have cut through, but I'd say he'll have a few more within a month or two.

Speech: He's a motor mouth, that's for sure. And a parrot. He's willing and able to repeat just about everything we say, which means we've had to try especially hard to curb our curse words. After hearing our toddler say "oh shit" once, we learned to watch our language pretty quickly.

Zzzzzzz: Jacob is still a strong sleeper, taking a nap each day around lunchtime for about two hours and sleeping from about 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night.

Om nom nom: He likes to tell you what he wants to eat, and nine times out of 10 that means "pizza" but that doesn't mean that's what he's going to get. Good try, buddy. Other frequent requests are cheese, cookie and cracker. He also loves to eat whole apples on his own and doesn't even want to give it up when it's down to the very last bit of core.


Likes: Balls are his absolute obsession, and have been for a long time, to the point that we're thinking that his big-boy room should have a ball theme. He's also really enjoying Legos and blocks, building towers and knocking them down over and over. It's fun to watch him concentrate on his project and dissolve in a fit of laughter when the whole thing comes crashing down.

Dislikes: He really doesn't like it when you take something that he wants, like balls that he needs to leave at daycare at the end of the day. Since the weather has been nice, he also likes to cause a scene in the yard when it's time to go inside, yelling "outside! outside! outside!" until we carry him through the front door.

Looking forward to: A summer of fun in our big back yard and starting swimming lessons in two weeks.

you know you're a parent when ...

... your idea of an awesome spring break includes being in bed before 10 p.m. and getting to sleep in until 7:30 a.m.

*

Living the high life, yes we are!

The good news is that we've done a bunch of little projects that I'm preparing to share with you over the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

and the final rose goes to ...

On The Bachelor, a rose is given to the women he could really see himself spending the rest of his life with. What six things in your life would you like to give a rose to and why? 

Given that I could give roses to all of my favourite people, I've decided to approach this question from an entirely materialistic angle ... the six products, gadgets, conveniences, and worldly possessions I consider must-haves.

1) Our humble little abode. This is a big-ticket item, but it's something I couldn't give up. It's a warm happy place to raise my family, not to mention all of the projects we've been doing to make it our own. I'm very attached.

2) My cellphone. When it goes dead, I feel lost. I don't like the feeling of missing a call or not being able to get in touch with someone, if needed. It feels crazy to say, considering I didn't have a cellphone just 10 years ago.

3) My MacBook. A place to write; upload, store and edit photos; access the world. It's my go-to for phone numbers, addresses, recipes, definitions, and news. Plus, how else would I write these stimulating blogs? Ha.

4) Mr. Singer. I put that bad boy to good use this week, making curtains for my nephew-to-be's nursery, and I've got a list of other projects in the works.

5) Kitchen must-haves. This isn't limited to one. I have so many tools that I use nearly daily, including my Pampered Chef manual food processor, my Hamilton Beech programmable slow cooker, and my drawer of favourite tools, like PC bamboo spoons, rubber scrapers and spatulas.

6) Coffee. This is beyond trivial, but I love having a delicious, hot cup of coffee. I love the taste, the comfort, the social aspect of enjoying coffee and conversation with others.

What are your daily must-haves?

P.S. I strongly supported team Kacie B. until she came back for closure and pulled the don't-pick-Courtney stunt. Guess what KB, it's not your choice any more. Move on. Now that the choice are limited, Lindzi for the win. 


Thanks, as always, to Mama Kat for the writer's prompt.

a little mid-week roundup

• I am super stunned this week with a cold that just won't quit. I was super tempted to call in sick yesterday and stay home with my boys on their snow day, but I powered through. I have a slightly irrational guilt complex when it comes to calling in sick. I am, however, entirely rational in knowing that the place wouldn't come close to falling apart without me.
• I've just charged my Kobo for the first time in many months and bought a copy of The Night Circus. It's our next LitWits book club selection. We've decided to try something new; each member is picking a book and she will lead the group discussion on her choice. The upcoming roster is an exciting mix of new books and classics. I picked The Happiness Project, a book that I've yet to read, but I've heard good things.
• I hosted two very fun baby showers over the past couple weeks, for sister-in-law C who is giving us a new nephew, and for lovely friend H who is sharing a sweet little girl, both due in April. I am so excited for them both and can't wait to snuggle their little babies. 
• Since it's a leap year, we get to celebrate Ayyam-i-ha for an extra day this year, so we're enjoying some special family time, a decorated house and Husband and I are going ... wait for it ... on a date tomorrow. Plus, we get to continue the fun with family in Cape Breton over March Break.

What's new and exciting in your world?

11

Amy at Rainy Saturday invited me to take part in a get-to-know-you meme, which I think is perfect fodder for a Friday, wouldn't you agree? Here's how it works:

The Rules:

• Post these rules
• You must post 11 random things about yourself
• Answer the questions set for you in their post
• Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
• Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
• No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

11 random facts about me: 

1. I have a tendency to overbook myself. I'm quick to jump on any fun opportunity, but it rarely leaves me much downtime and also eliminates much room for spontaneity. 
2. I hate Kraft Dinner. Absolutely detest. I am, however, a huge mac and cheese fan. But since KD is not really mac and cheese, I guess that is a moot point.
3. I'm starting swimming lessons in April. And by that, I, of course, mean that I'll be joining the jellyfish class with Jacob. I hope he will have a life-long love of swimming like his Mama.
4. I have no desire to be on video of any kind. Unless it's a home movie of me and my boys, count me out. When I was in journalism school, people constantly asked if I would pursue a career in television. Nope. I just feel awkward.
5. I'm extremely cheap when it comes to getting my hair cut. I wait until I can't stand it any more, and then I must get a significant cut so I feel like I got my money's worth. I know I'm neurotic; it's a fact of my life.
6. I'm a hopeless control freak. Today, however, I gave Husband a list of things to get at the grocery store instead of going myself. It might have been detailed, including brand and sale prices, but at least I am relinquishing my grasp at least a little. Baby steps.
7. I can't have artificial sweetener of any kind. It gives me headaches/migraines like you wouldn't believe. That stuff is bad news.
8. I rarely sleep in pyjamas. Shorts or yoga pants, Tshirts or sweaters usually do the trick. 
9. I've never taken an all-inclusive, hot and sunny vacation. A fact that I hope to change sometime soon.
10. I can't garden worth a damn. I don't think this is new to any of you. I actually fear for the yard of our little house. Who will take care of the precious living plants?
11. I can't sleep if I have anything on my mind, and neither can Husband because I keep whispering "I can't sleeeeeep." So I keep a notepad on my night stand to help rid my brain of the things I'm making myself crazy to remember.

Amy's questions for me:

1. What's your favourite body part and why? Arms, all the better to hug you with, my dear.
2. Salty snacks or sweet treats? While I value a good cookie, I'm a salty girl. French fries are my drug of choice.
3. What's your dream job? Honestly, I had the job at The Daily News, and now I am so unbelievably fortunate to be doing that job again at The Chronicle Herald. Editor by day, writer/blogger by night. Perfect.
4. If you could spend the day hanging out with any famous person, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do? Whoa, Amy, bringing out the big guns. It would have to be a writer ... Margaret Atwood, Sylvia Plath, Jane Austen ... it's so hard to choose. I would pick their brain about their writing process and their inspirations. 
5. Would you rather live on the North Pole or the Equator? Definitely the Equator, says the girl who has had eeenough of winter.
6. Favourite Beatle? I don't feel qualified to answer this question. I like them all, together, singing.
7. What's "your" drink? Coffee.
8. What do you order when you go to Starbucks (or Tim Horton's, or Dunkin' Donuts, or wherever, YOU MUST GO SOMEWHERE WITH HOT BEVERAGES COME ON) Grande non-fat latte at Starbucks for a treat. Under no circumstances do I drink Tim Horton's coffee. Can you even call that coffee?
9. Would you rather go naked or wear fur? It depends, how cold is it outside?
10. What's your biggest fear? Losing someone I love.
11. Your favourite foreign accent? Australian. And it has nothing to do with how often I watch The Wiggles.

My questions:

1. What was your favourite food as a child? 
2. What's your favourite food now? 
3. What is your favourite quote?
4. If your life had a soundtrack, who would sing it?
5. If you could be a fictional character, who would you choose?
6. What makes you most nervous?
7. What was your last big-ticket purchase?
8. Which chore do you hate the most?
9. You have one day of completely free time. What do you do?
10. If you could receive any gift, what would it be?
11. What happened in the last dream you remember?

I tag...*
Heather at Laptops to Lullabies
Tracy at The Vegan Butcher
Lyndsey at The Loftlands
Molly at the grownup diaries
Ashley at Our Little Apartment
Sheena at Butter vs. Burpees
Dusty at All Things G&D
Erin at Domestic Adventure
Molly at These Little Moments
Kim at NewlyWoodwards
Lauren at Life Uncluttered

*No pressure to participate, of course! And sorry if you've already been tagged!

a blind eye

Our basement windows are weird -- 43 inches wide -- and I'm having a hard time finding something perfect to fit. My budget-conscious self wants to try to come up with a solution that won't break the bank like many custom options can (read: I don't want to spend $100+ per window, and I know that might sound unrealistic, but I don't).

I've been researching options for DIY roman shades. Many are no-sew options, like this (pictured right). But then you can't adjust them, and I'm going to want to have the shades open during the day, and closed at night.

I'm intrigued by the idea of jazzing up boring roller blinds, as seen on Design Sponge, but finding the perfect fabric is always a challenge. I want something bold and something simple at the same time. Sewing curtains is, of course, a possibility, too, if the right fabric came along.

Or there's always the possibility of using cheap-o mini blinds, and customizing them into something prettier, like this, but again, I'm not sure I can find them in a 43" width.

Besides defaulting to a custom wood or faux-wood option, do you have any ideas for me?