Canadian Parents

so generally, 

I put myself in the slacker category for parenting

I don't do much with them

(intentionally)

I figure they are young..

lots of time to play and just be little

EXCEPT

Lucy want to skate.

So I signed her up for skating

and specifically she wants to figure skate

so being the "good" parent I am 

I called around for figure skating clubs in the area

There isn't any...

Now this is a sub-tangent

HOW IS THERE NO SKATING CLUB?!?!

we live in the land of snow and ice...

skating is part of our culture

skating is our past time.

My dad taught me to skate

when I was young

AND

granted I am a slacker SOOO 

I haven't force taught them 

YET

it was coming though

always on the "to-do" list

Well this whole phoning around for skate club

has made me realize that there 

may be a few of us

"slacker" parents

who are responsible for killing 

iconic Canadian past times

NEEDLESS  to say

we are going skating tonight.

and yes

even I intend to strap on the ol' blades

and pay homage to 

something

that 

should

truly 

be cherished

and perhaps in my new resolution

of not being a slacker

i will

give my children

a love of ice

and skates

and small town rinks

and hot chocolate

and cold toes

and rosy cheeks.

Monday Night

I love thanksgiving.

Most holidays, actually.

I like getting together

with our extended families

eating

visiting

you know the usual holiday stuff.

but

after 2-3 very busy weeks

attending family things

church things

It was really nice to have

Monday

all to ourselves.

we got to do what we wanted to do

Dusty took out Lincoln with Penny

Ellie rode Roxy

Lucy rode Midnight

(for the first time since breaking her leg)

and I got to ride

Zola

yes I finally named her- 

it means lump of Earth. 

She gets called moose when she is bad...

which is never

but I will contain my love.

We all came in last night

and

felt 

happy.

Lucy couldn't stop professing her love of riding.

Ellie was thrilled we all went.

Dusty was glad Lincoln was back to being himself

and I couldn't move..

haha

but seriously

I thought I might have to sleep up there.

It was some good quality family time.

Drum Roll Please....

So if you know me

you may have noticed 

that I have gotten fatter.

Well it's not just from food....

(thank goodness)

 

So hopefully I'll be less fat the beginning of January.

Penny is THRILLED

(which is good 

because I was worried 

about her and Dusty

coping

with

the 

change)

Lucy wants a boy.

Ellie has been here so I think she mostly thinks

about crying babies

diapers

and me

being too busy.

Dusty and I are both pullin' for a girl

but

it really doesn't matter to us.

so that's it.

life in a nutshell.

I've done a good job ignoring it

this has seemed to go by

faster than the usual

snails pace.

I have about 10 weeks left

which almost seems like a homestretch

after 30...

Ellie's Baptism

She was true to form

totally uncomfortable

with all the attention.

but

it went off fairly smoothly

nothing major

just a nice simple evening.

New Love

This is my new love.

It's a girl.

She is three.

The

only thing I have left to do

is name her.

Days to Look Back Upon

While the weather has been cooling

the afternoons are still warm

and pleasant

Our grass is green and

we've been home more 

Our animals have been turned out to graze

on the delicious grasses 

and clovers found on our lawn.

All of our animals have their place here

but 

the sheep seemed to have found

a special place

in the 

hearts of 

our girls.

I am grateful for the opportunity

we have been given

to raise our children in the country.

To have sheep

and chickens

and geese

and ponies

and kitties.

To have space and fresh

(albeit dusty prairie)

air.

We spent 5 hours this morning 

riding.

The girls just saddled up

(I mean I saddled them up)

and they took off.

Ellie rode around and around and

around

the yard.

In and out of trees

over sticks

through the garden.

Lucy worked on a barrel pattern

and pole bending in the corral.

Even little Penny

rode completely

by herself for a few laps.

We came in 

hungry

tired

but 

so

very

happy.

I think we've found our happiest place on Earth.

First days

So I am a little late posting back to school pictures

but

late is better than never

sorta.

The girls 

and by girls I mean Lucy

was really excited to start school.

She is like that.

She'll probably skip off to university

and then around the globe

and

look back and wave

but 

that's about it.

Ellie on the other hand

will live next door to us

Ellie did love back to school shopping

and true to her nature

she bought everything in the same colour theme

  

Lucy however

did not.

I wonder what she will look like everyday.

First day of school outfits...

fridays and sundays

Today is Dusty's Friday.

Normally we try

{try being the key word above}

to get the house neat and tidy

and something yummy to eat in the oven

but

It is my Sunday

and when Sundays and Fridays collide

the house is rarely tidy

or smells delightful

and alas

this Sunday is no different.

Instead we visited with my parents

and played together

all good things

but 

he won't come home to a clean house

or cookies

but instead

4 girls will probably be passed out

in their beds

getting ready for Monday...

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

So we go through food phases.

Enchiladas is one that's been around for a while

but it hasn't been until lately that

the kids have really liked them.

You can adjust this recipe to your tastes.

I prefer really hot enchiladas

Ellie likes hers super mild.

This is a little spicier than mild but Ellie will eat them

so that pretty much makes them safe for anyone.

but I have made them even milder and

with no vegetables for the pickier eaters.

like I said,

adjust.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Tortillas (like 10)

3 chicken breasts

1 container of sour cream (big container)

1 package of shredded cheese (or about 2-3 cups of grated cheese)

salsa (optional)

tomatoes (optional)

corn (optional)

beans (I either use re-fried or black or optional)

Taco sauce (I usually just make my own since it's like 5 bucks for a tiny jar)

Cook chicken

chop chicken

put chicken in bowl with 1/2- 3/4's of sour cream

add in salsa 1/2 cup- 1 cup 

(this all depends on how many other ingredients you are putting in and how hot you want them to taste)

Add in half the cheese

Add in chopped veggies and beans 

(unless using re-fried then I just smear some on the tortilla)

Mix the bowl

Put a heaping tablespoon of mixture in each tortilla and roll them up

put them in a pan lined with parchment paper

(because I don't love scrubbing pans)

make all of them.

Now pour/spoon taco sauce over them

**If you are making taco sauce get a bowl.

Add 1 can of condensed tomato soup

add 2-3 tablespoons of salsa

add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning

add a tablespoon of chili powder

add 2 tablespoon of garlic powder

stir

taste

add anything else

(this is where I add franks or cayenne pepper)

spoon over enchiladas

sprinkle remainder of  cheese

bake for 1 hour

at 350.

Dusty's Family

We took some family pictures

of Dusty's family.

Here are some of them.