Bread

I love bread.  Love it!  My kids love bread...my husband loves bread.... really, who doesn't?!

Anyhow, I've recently made a few new kinds of bread, and they have been wonderful!

First of all, I found a recipe on pinterest which was AMAZING!

I made French Bread, and then brushed it with garlic butter and cut slices about 3/4's of the way through about an inch apart.  Then, I brushed it with garlic butter again, in each of the slices, and put Havarti cheese in each cut.  Back in the oven it went until the cheese had just melted.  Oh my goodness!  It was delicious....my Girls called it "dessert bread".   It was also be so, so good with ham put in their too, and served with salad or soup.

 The next new bread I made was buttermilk biscuits.  They were pretty darn good too...especially warm and flaky, just out of the oven!

Lastly, this past week I attempted sourdough bread.  First, I made the starter, which sat on my counter for 4 days....and I'm not gonna lie.  I was a little bit scared!  Then, in the fridge it went (where my jar runneth over....all over my fridge!  Thankfully I have glass shelves!).  Then, I finally baked it...which took almost a full day to complete that process.  Although it seemed a little bit involved, it really wasn't - just something to work into my routine.

Here is the final outcome...

It was fairly yummy, I'm not gonna lie.  And the best part is that the starter sits in my fridge, needing to be "fed" once a week, and is ready and waiting for the next time I make bread. 

It's been a whole new world at our house, friends.  Well, not really....just lots and lots of yummy bread.



Another Sunday Walk

Yesterday, we wanted to take our new neighbors for a walk to experience the creek, in all it's Spring Glory...

Since Spring arrived last week, we've had a blizzard and much snow, fog and ice.  Roads have been a bit crazy, and it's been cold....too cold for Spring!

 This is what my backyard looked like on Thursday, the second day of Spring...!  It's great to be an Albertan...

 We started out at the creek, and then headed over the hill and through the woods, where we found some fun old, rusty metal to play on.  Tetanus shots are all up to date...I think, so we have nothing to worry about in case something happened.  And besides, my neighbor's an ER nurse.  So, we're covered!

 Then, we headed back to the creek for some more fun.  The Girls could hear the water, but it was still fairly frozen over, so they worked diligently at cracking the ice to get to the water, and alleviate the ice dam that was going on. 

 We could only get so far before we had to stop, because it was cold, and we would've been there all day!  Since the weather's supposed to get nicer, we'll have to head back next week and check on the creeks de-icing progress.

And one last thing...was I ever thankful for our Bogs!  Our feet were toasty warm.  Have I mentioned yet that I love my new rubber boots?!  I've gotten good wear out of them this spring....since I've not left the house without them since I bought them.  

Therapy

For those of you who know me well, you know that I consider baking to be one of my forms of therapy...

For those of you who know me well, you know that I do lots of baking....

For those of you who know me well, you know that I need lots of therapy....

Last week, I was feeling the need for some therapy.  So, I decided to do some baking.  When I was away for the weekend with my Mom and sister, at breakfast, they had these great little lemon cranberry scones.  I had been craving them, because they were so good (A few of them may have made it into my purse for an afternoon snack.  Yup, I just admitted it....!), and I thought, "Hey!  I can make those!"

I found my recipe for scones, which my Mom gave me, and her Mom gave her, and set out to make some yumminess.  I made two batches, one plain, and the other one, lemon cranberry.  They turned out quick delicious, if I don't say so myself!

 As you can see, I didn't make them little....I made a big circle and cut them into wedges....it seemed like a little less work, and I was kinda feeling lazy. 

This is how I grew up eating scones....with jam and whipping cream on top....

I think they were a hit with the Girls too.... Really, how can you go wrong?!



Another Day of Firsts

This past Saturday, we had a great day!  After a leisurely breakfast of pancakes (of course), we headed off to UFA to get some chicken feed and shavings, and check out the rest of the store.  As we walked in, this is the sign that they have outside.... it made me laugh!

Have I said lately that I love UFA?!!

After that, Art took the Girls home and I headed out to the barn for a quick ride.  It was a beautiful day!  After my ride, I was heading out the door and was talking with my friend and owner of the barn, and she asked if I wanted to stay and help brand their 2 year olds.....  um, yup!  So I called up Art and the Girls to see if they wanted to come and help too, which of course, they were anxious to!

It started off with having to catch these horses, which are fairly crazy!  Like I said, they're only 2, and they've been out in the fields for most of their lives.  We herded them into a smaller pen, and down a cattle chute, where we carefully got halters on them all (not without some drama, I must add!).  After leading them to the barn, we proceeded to "sack them out", which was taking a big sheet of plastic on the end of a stick and shaking it all around them, trying to get some of their beans out, as well as making them a little less skittish. 

After that, we lunged them all and "roped them out", which meant that as one person was lunging them, another person would put a rope around their neck, butt and eventually, belly, and then....hang on!!  Most of them didn't really appreciate that, so they'd buck and rear and drag us around the arena until they got a little more used to it (and, incidentally, it is one of the first steps in breaking a horse....getting them used to the idea of something around their bodies). 

The next step was taking them back in the barn and clipping a spot on their hindquarters where the brand would go, and finally....branding them (it was a freeze brand).

These young horses, by then end of the day were all tuckered out....a day of firsts for many of them!  During the branding, I helped by being at the horses head, pulling it's lips and rocking it's head back and forth to help them relax.  Let me tell you, it was hard work!!  My arms were definitely "feeling the burn" after a few horses, so I'd switch out with someone. 

As we were taking the horses back to their pens, I stepped in a large puddle of icy water, and my feet were instantly wet.  Soaked, actually.  I thought it had been from working all afternoon in the snow and mud and ice.  Upon closer inspection of my boots, this is what I found...

No wonder my feet were soaked!!  Apparently, it's time for a new pair of rubber boots!

Fortunately, that was the end of the day, though, and it was time to head for home. 

On Sunday, I decided that I had to rectify my hole-in-rubber-boots issue, so I sprung for a new pair of Bogs.  Oh.  My.  Goodness!!  These boots are the most amazing thing ever invented in this world!!  they are rated to -40C, so you're feet don't even get cold in the snow! 

I, of course, decided that they had to be tested, so we cleaned out the chicken house.... Yup, they're amazing!  I'm never going back to plain old rubber boots!  And look, they're even cute!

And they match my Carhartt's! 

I wore them today again, when I went to town (I'm telling you people, these boots are amazing...comfortable...warm!), and told Art that we had to get some for the Girls, since after being outside all day yesterday in their rubber boots, their feet were soaking wet too!

Rest and Relaxation

This past weekend, I flew out to Kelowna for a weekend away with my Mom and sister.  My sister had arrived there before me, so her and my Mom picked me up at the airport, and we met up with my Dad for a great dinner at a little Italian restaurant by my parents house.

 Then, we headed out to the Sparkling Hill Resort, and amazing spa/hotel just outside of Vernon.  It has $3,500,000 worth of crystals in the hotel, as it is owned by the Swarovski's (yup, the same guy as the crystals).  It also won the "Senses Spa" award last year...the only Canadian Spa to be nominated, and they won it.  Needless to say, it's a pretty spectacular hotel!

 It's built on the top of a hill, around the Predator Ridge golf club.  Here's the outside driving up...

 Each room has floor to ceiling windows, which open, so you can get fresh air.  These were the views from our room

 The rooms each have a crystal fireplace, heated floors, walk through showers and stand alone tubs sitting right in front of a wall of windows.

In the morning, we had a great buffet for breakfast...very European, and VERY yummy!

I'm telling you people, there are crystals EVERYWHERE!! This is one of 3 massive chandeliers you can see in the lobby

We had lunch on Saturday in the little bistro there....in our robes.  A first for me, I must admit....but hopefully I'll get to do it again!

Like I said....crystals everywhere!

Here's another shot of the restaurant.... Beautiful!

 

This is the tea room. In between spa treatments, you could sit here and read, relax, nap.... There was a couple of different kinds of tea and water to drink.  

 As you can see, it was a great weekend girl's weekend of pampering and relaxing with my Mom and sister.  I think we should make this a yearly tradition, right Mom? 

 

Another Birthday

February is our month for birthday's... the shortest month of the year, and we have 3!  My baby celebrated her 5th birthday.  I can hardly believe it....she's 5 already!  Where does the time go?!

The day started out with her birthday breakfast...blintz souffle, which our go to for Christmas morning.  It tasted just as good on her birthday!

 Then, presents followed that.  The Girls wanted to buy her spurs, which she was very excited about!  "Now, everyone in our family has spurs....except Auntie Frieda!" is what she said.

 She also got some clothes for her American Girl, Bitty Baby

 Here's her boots with the spurs on.  Needless to say, she's very excited to go to the barn and wear them!

 After a day filled with playing, (and driving downtown, to take care of some business), it was time for dinner, which Auntie Frieda joined us for.  Ellie Mae's choice?  Waffles!

 I like to load my waffle up....

 Ellie Mae's cake choice?  Rainbow cake with horses...in the "snow".  It was 4 layers, and was a tad bit lopsided.  I think I'm losing my touch!

 I was a little unsure on how much food coloring to use in the layers, but it ended up looking pretty cool when we cut it open.  And the taste made up for the leaning....it was yummy!

I must admit, every time one of the Girls has a birthday, I get a little teary eyed, thinking about how they are growing up, getting older.... I realize that it's a part of life, and I am loving this season of life, but really?  Does it have to happen so fast?!

This baby of ours loves to laugh.  A lot.  She's the jokster of the family.  She loves her sisters dearly, and she loves to cuddle (I think that's a prerequisite for the baby!).  She cute....and smart (as she likes to remind us), and cheeky.  She loves to hang out at the barn, and one of her most favorite people is her Auntie Frieda.  She loves going to Awana, and tries really, really hard to keep up with her sisters.  Most days, she does pretty good!  She also will put herself to bed if she's tired.  She's my baby, and we love her....a lot!