happy new years everybody

The holidays were busy. I feel like they just finished yet here it is, the middle of January. And what have I done.
Well, Christmas was low key this year which was fabulous. I didn't go home, so no 8 hour drive with two babies. Granted that meant I didn't get to see a lot of friends and family but I needed a small holiday after the long year that was my first with two children. Those two children really kicked my butt this year!!!

Else looking super duper cute

gregs christmas present from the kids. they picked it out themselves i swear. its a moulded leather buffalo head plaque. i cant find any relevant info online

I went boxing day shopping at Chef's Paradise or C.A. Paradis down on Bank st and I have to say, I got great service from the sales girl who helped me. And the lady that helped her. I really felt like an important customer. You see, I bought that stand mixer a few months back but didn't have any beater whisk or dough hook, or bowl. So she made sure I got what I needed. Save the bowl cause I got that online for way cheaper :) Anyways I really appreciated it especially cause it was super busy and she could have just told me that she didn't have any instead of stealing ones off the floor models. I got my bowl in the mail last week. I made cupcakes. I messed up the recipe and I didn't have cupcake cups but whatever they tasted delicious and thats what really matters.

that beater blade is great by the way

ready to go, yo

chewy moist chocolate...

What else what else.... Oh! I went to a crock pot party! I got a new bigger crock pot for Christmas. Me and four other awesome women got together, made bags full of food, and shared them with everyone else! It was pretty simple: each of us chose two recipes from a book and then tripled it. We bought enough to make the tripled recipes and then we each got to take one of each recipe home plus keep an extra of ours due to the wonkly number. Half of the recipes were not great, I'm not going to lie. But a couple were quite tasty. I think it is easier for me to just make stuff the night of, rather than worry about crock pot stuff. A lot of it was very juicy. Steak fajitas in theory sounded good. They tasted good but man.. so watery. All over the plate. Soaked though tortillas. Easy to just fry that shit up in a pan, yo. Anyway it was a good experiment and I may actually make up a few bags of my own for the freezer, of the ones I liked plus a few of my own (chorizo and chickpea casserole?? yes!!)

12 dinners for the freezer

my first meal in my new crockpot was cranberry chicken. It was passable.

I ordered my dream Apple green mixer online.. it is just the hand mixer but I love it. I've used it a ton already. I freecycled my old one. An old friend who I didn't know was back in town replied to my ad so he obviously got my old mixer. It was nice to see him and catch up!

usually $70. I got it for $20 ooooh yeah

The kids got a nice white retro kitchen from my parents. They both love playing with it though I have wooden foodstuffs scattered throughout my house.

the babies on christmas morning, inspecting their new kitchen

I reorganized my Pyrex. I'm going to do a post about them separately soon. Stay on the edge of your seats!

a pretty rainbow of bowls and casseroles

I did a lot of cooking. The only "holiday" cooking I did was for my friend Wilma and her family. I made some pretty sweet dinner items. Namely, red cabbage (an old family tradition), rouladin and this AMAZING PECAN CAKE holy crap you guys... make this cake. make it and eat it and die happy. FYI You need a 14 cup bundt pan... oops :)

red cabbage (arshlicken?? lol)

the best cream cheese pecan and apple cake with caramel frosting in the world

rouladin i love you i love you so much get in my mouth right now

My sister came for a visit for like 5 days. She has moved to Austria and she brought back a dirndl dress for Else and some lederhosen for Eddie. They look pretty frigging adorable in them. Eddies are for when he is older. Unfortunately for me (and him) he won't want to wear them when hes six. Too bad kid. Its gonna happen :)

i think this is the only picture of me on this entire blog lol. anyways my kids are adorable.

OK so.. thats about all I can update you with for now. I'm working hard on getting that teak sideboard from my last post finished. Time has not been easy to find. However, both my children are sleeping through the night FINALLY so I should have a bit more time to sand and paint and refresh.

Signing off for now :)

solly says stay warm out there