Jilleen's Birthday

I had a great birthday yesterday. It was a very busy day starting with chocolate cupcakes at early morning seminary. A big thank you goes to Julianne Chapman who prepared the delicious treats for everyone. Later that morning Merlene and Allison took me out to brunch at Dejeuner. I had a delicious veggie omlette and potatoes and fruit. It is so nice to just be with friends and talk. Allison is getting married soon and before you know it she will be gone to Utah. I cherish the time I spend with friends. This picture is of Merlene and I, Allison took it. Hey! she (Allison) got out of a picture.


After brunch it was home for a few and then off to an orthodontist appointment for Olivia. In the new year Olivia will be getting braces just like her cousin Madison.

Then it was back home to get ready for our Brownie and Girl Guide enrollment that evening. It was so much fun to see all those girl's happy faces. I have eleven Brownies this year - it is so great. Elizabeth Hines is the other Brownie leader and she organized the ceremony for the girls. I love working in this Unit the Brownie and Guide leaders are so layed back. We keep it simple and really try to focus on the girls. They are so positive and happy to be in Brownies it really is a pleasure to work with them. I'm always greeted with "Hi, Happy Owl!!" Here is a picture with me and my Brownies.


It was a big day for Olivia too. She became a Guide. She has been so excited learning her promise and law. Now she can start earning some of the badges in the guide book. She has made some great friends and has had some great times. She especially likes to sing at the closing campfires. The Brownies will often join the Guides at the end of their meeting for singing it is a lovely way to end our meetings.


Olivia and Erin enjoying the Guiding good times.

Happy Thanksgiving

Here's a picture of Stephen and I at our joyous Thanksgiving celebration. We were so happy that we could share it with friends and family. As our family grows smaller - We miss you Jasmine and Hamish!!! - we just keep inviting others in. It's hard to be here in Montreal without any family but we have made some great friends through the church. I wish that we could invite all our friends but our house is just too small. So our guests were the Malo family- Bob and Mary and their children Jenn and Mike. They are a zany bunch and seem to fit well with our family. Our other guests were the Chapman crew- Roger and Julianne and their living at home children Trent and Kirsten. They have just moved into our ward from Minnesota(?). They have traveled all over but their original home is in Utah. Julianne teaches early morning seminary with me. Also we had a bonus guest, Barbara, brought by Jenn but I'm sorry I don't know her last name. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of the food because there was turkey and all the trimmings. The dessert was delicious too with pumpkin, banana, and coconut cream pies. We were stuffed. All the families brought things and we created this beautiful Thanksgiving Feast.

Notice the gorgeous centerpiece created by Olivia and mom including place cards. Eat your heart out Martha Stewart.

This was the handsome Young men table. And boy do those boys like to eat!

Catching up with the Macpherson's

It's been a few weeks since I wrote anything on the blog and we have been really busy. We went to a Stake activity that was like an Autumn Carnival. They had lots of fun games and an Apple pie contest,(I came in fourth) and it finished with a potluck lunch including sweet corn that they provided. The pictures don't look that great because of the fluorescent lighting so next time we are going to have to figure out a different setting on the camera. Everyone looks kind of orange - like pumpkins!

Derek was asked to man one of the games.


William loves potlucks!


The following Saturday we went apple picking at Verger Coeur de Pomme with some friends. The apples were amazing,so delicious. I ate three whole apples while we were picking. The day was beautiful so the pictures turned out so lovely. No pumpkins here, except in the field.



Then finally last Saturday Olivia and I went on a Girl Guide Day camp at Wa-Thik-Ane in Morin Heights which is about an hour north of Montreal. Sadly, the weather was rainy but it didn't seem to dampen the girls' spirits. And there were over 200 girls there. I don't have too many pictures of Olivia because I was with my Brownies all day and she is now a Guide. But we were at archery together.


Beautiful autumn colors.

Zombies anyone?

I'm not sure, but for some reason I can't get the link to come up for this Youtube video so if you just go to youtube and type in plants vs zombies music video you'll get to see it. Olivia and William are singing this all the time. That's why I posted them lip singing to it.

He Likes it !

So here's a picture you don't see often. Derek actually liking something I make. He's not really into my vegan/healthy cooking so it is so nice when he likes what I serve. I want the kids to eat healthy but it seems at some point they always rebel. I have to say though, that my kids have been really good at always trying something and then in a few months trying it again. I tell them your taste buds change as you get older so you have to retry stuff. Anyways Derek is holding a plate of my Red Bean Coleslaw.

This is not your traditional Coleslaw. The dressing is not sweet, but flavorful, and it has soft kidney beans that work perfectly against the crunchy slaw. I use a bag of store bought coleslaw mix when I make this ---- SO EASY!. In the picture I had put my coleslaw on a mound of greens just for added nutrition but really its best on its own.

Red Bean Coleslaw
1.Combine in bottom of salad bowl and whisk till smooth and mixed. 3/4c.vegan (or regular) mayonnaise, 1/4c. red wine vinegar, 1T. sugar, 1 T. minced fresh parsley (have used dried 1tsp.),1tsp. dried oregano, 1/2tsp. salt, 1/4tsp. black pepper
2.Then throw in 3c.cabbage, finely chopped (or grocery store coleslaw mix whole bag as long as it's not more than 4c.), 1 small red onion chopped finely, 1 large celery stalk,finely chopped, and 1 19oz (540ml) can of Kidney beans, drained and rinsed. Toss this all so that the dressing is mixed through out the ingredients. Just before serving add 1/4c. imitation "bacon" bits (optional).

You should give this a good hour to marinate but if you don't have an hour you can chow down right away. The imitation "bacon" bits are optional and sometimes I just let people garnish their own serving. I hope you will give this recipe a try because it is sooo delicious and it's a great one to take to a picnic or pot luck. Summer is coming to an end and coleslaw always reminds me of summer. Hey! maybe that's why I have made this recipe three times in the last week. Chow til next time.

School

We have just completed our second week of school at the Macpherson Academy and things are as crazy as ever. Poor William, after that rainy weekend at the fair he came down with a terrible sore throat and finally after three days I took him to a walk in clinic. He had Strep throat,poor kid. So he actually didn't start his school work till this past week. Olivia has been doing great and sped through all her work before lunch each day. She waits for William and I because we do our History studies together. I feel that we are going to have another great year including some great projects that we always seem to put off.

"Oh no, not SCHOOL!"


William's Studies


Olivia's studies

It has always been difficult to fit some of those other things like arts and crafts into our program. William and Olivia both love to draw so it has become my goal to do some more structured art classes. I can't afford to pay for instruction but we will be using the book Drawing with Young children. I have been reading it and am really inspired to actually do it along with the children. So on Wednesday mornings we will be spending some of our school time in ART class. Here are a few pictures that Olivia just did on her own. She loves using color. Enjoy!

Whoops!

I have been trying to change the layout and design of my blog and I am so frustrated. I'm so not good with this computer. I am determined to work this out and learn something. I like to blog about things that are going on in our lives but I want it to look cool too. I've been visiting other peoples blogs and some of them are so amazing. How do they do that? Well I'll just have to keep at it because I really want to do this thing right.

Hey I did it!!! I like the new look - for a while anyway.