Super Bowl!!

Who is excited for the Super Bowl?!  My team isn't playing this year (much to my dismay) but I am still going to watch.  I'm a sports fan so I like to pay attention to the big events, and the Super Bowl is one of the biggest events!  It is slightly over the top, but isn't that what football is all about?

We aren't going to any Super Bowl parties this year but we will still enjoy some treats, likely some wings.  We often buy a box of pre-made frozen wings but I like buying ones to make from scratch. We just put them on a rack on top of a baking sheet so they can crisp up.  Dave will toss his wings in a hot sauce or BBQ sauce, but I like to use just lime juice, honey and salt and pepper.  When you start with just plain wings, you can do whatever you want.

Another treat that I haven't made for a long time, but that I love, is potato skins.  The best ones were at the Fife and Drum (the lobby bar at the old Sheraton (now Marriott) in Halifax). It is closed now but I spent many nights there after working at Salty's enjoying a plate of potato skins.  I have never seen these in another restaurant.  To be clear, the potato skins I mean are not potato wedges, potato boats, or sliced potatoes, but pretty much just the skins cut off the potato (not peeled) and you don't really use the middle of the potato.  Then they are piled up and topped with cheese, bacon bits and green onions and served with sour cream. I made them once long ago (for the Super Bowl in fact) but I can't remember how to make them!  I'll have to use trial and error and then tell you how they turn out.

And to round out the menu, I'll throw in some carrot and celery sticks and beer.

I found a link to a Super Bowl bingo card that I thought was neat.  It includes things like "False Start" and "Personal Foul".  You can find them here.

Who are you cheering for this year?  I think I'm leaning toward the Panthers.  I like Peyton alright, but he's done, so unless he pulls out a miracle, then Cam's got it, I think.

Friday Favourites

Linking up with Andrea, Erika and Narci for Friday Favourites.

My favourite things this week are:

Visits with friends

One of my oldest friends was in town this week for a conference and was able to come over to eat supper with us on Monday night.  When I think back, although we haven't seen each other a lot in the past few years, Kirsten and I spent a lot of time together starting when we were four years old.  A lot of good times have been shared with this girl.  I didn't take any photos, but here is a good one of us from Grade 12. 

Sick days

Poor little E was sick this week and we kept him home from school on Tuesday.  He slept in and then spent some time on the couch.  Although it isn't fun being sick, there is something special about being home during the day and resting.

Lasagna

I made this lasagna for our supper this week. I made the meat sauce on Sunday night, assembled it on Monday night and then finally baked it and ate it on Tuesday night.

Super Bowl

After my beloved Packers lost in OT I was not very excited to watch the Super Bowl this year.  But then Peyton beats Brady (or, sorry Peyton, the Broncos beat the Patriots), and then my boy Cam Newton destroys the Cardinals and now all of a sudden I'm interested again.  It's old school Peyton versus the new QB style player Cam. 

Field Trips

I am going to the ROM today with E's class.  I've never been there so I'm excited to see the dinosaurs and everything else.  The school is always asking for volunteers for their various events and I can never go; I was glad I could take the day off to attend this trip.

Happy Friday

Weekend Recap

I did a bad job of taking pictures on Friday night and Saturday so this post is a little heavy on the Sunday pictures. 

On Friday night we went over to our friends' house for dinner because our friend Jonathan from PEI was in town.  It was a very nice visit with some good friends, plus I got to bounce a 10 week old baby for a little bit which was lovely. 

We got up early on Saturday for our second week of skiing.  We arrived on time but then realized we had forgotten to bring E's snow pants!! But crisis averted, Snow Valley rents snow pants so we got him a pair and he was up on the hill, no harm done. It was colder this week but more runs were open. The parents of kids that E knows in his class skied with us this week.  

This is my one picture from skiing. 

After we got home from skiing we watched a little bit of TV/I napped on the couch and then I went to pick up our food for the week.   We had wings and onion rings for supper. 

Tasty beer just for me :)

Puzzle time

Our fruit crisp for dessert - I used up the rhubarb, frozen berries and apples

Yum

Then after E went to bed, I tortured myself by watching the Green Bay game.  So close!

Sunday morning, new flowers on the table.  I like to buy flowers but I don't get them too often.  These tulips opened up nicely.

My favourite type of breakfast - orange, chocolate loaf from Hot Oven Bakery, fresh grapefruit and hot coffee in my new mug.

Dave went for a long run and then E and I headed off to church.

Changing his shoes before the service.

Selfie after church while waiting for my meeting to begin.

After church and my meeting, we went to High Park for their Winter Fun Day.  Even when (or maybe especially when) it is cold out, I love having a reason to be outside.  

Since I'm usually taking all of the pictures, I like to take selfies to make sure I'm included.

Roasting a marshmallow in winter is the best

Crafts in the Coach House at Colbourn Lodge.  This is a bird feeder.  

Then he made a fuzzy sheep with real fleece.

Colouring and singing away to himself

Hot apple cider by the fire.

Finding a path through the woods.

Still here!

After the park, we went up to the Junction so I could look at glasses.  I didn't find any though, I think I'll just buy the ones I saw last week.  When we got home, we did a few loads of laundry, and played. I made these trucks with the Magformers while E made a car track. 

I made French Onion Soup for supper, and then it was off to bed for E.  We watched Peyton move onto the next round, and then some of The Wire (I think we are finally into it, it only took 3.5 episodes of me falling asleep halfway through), and Downton Abbey of course.

Weekend Recap

Even though I didn't take a lot of time off over the holidays, and the longest stretch I was off was three consecutive business days (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day plus the weekend), I found it difficult to be back at work last week.  It felt like a long week and it took me a couple of days to get back into a good work routine and actually get something accomplished.  So needless to say Friday was a welcome sight.  I left work a little early on Friday so I could take some time to walk up the street and do some errands - I picked up some bread and buns at a bakery, some meat at the butcher, and some snacks.  Although it was still cold out, I enjoyed the walk.  We had burgers and salad for supper.  Then Dave and I watched "Seven Pyschopaths".  I had never heard of it, but it was pretty good. Christopher Walken and Colin Farrell's eyebrows can make any movie great.

On Saturday morning we got up early for swimming lessons.  This was E's first time in the pool with just the instructor and other kids, no parents.  He did great, and even though he fell off the side of the platform where it was over his head, he enjoyed himself.  I didn't take any pictures because I forgot you're not allowed to take pictures at the pool.

In the afternoon we visited with some new neighbours and E played with their kids while we enjoyed some coffee and cake in the kitchen.

We invited some friends over for supper on Saturday night and to watch the football playoffs.  I made a Moroccan lamb stew, and our friends brought a salad.

On Sunday we walked up the street to try a new restaurant for brunch, Good Fork.  I had the Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Dave had the Spanish Hash, and E had the mini pancakes (which were actually not that mini, just smaller than their regular pancakes).  It was all very tasty and we will definitely go back.

Our family rule is only two out of three people get to wear plaid at a time.  This time E had to change his shirt. 

Yummy breakfast.

We skipped church to go to Target and the grocery store.  And we made it home in time to watch the entire Green Bay Dallas game.  I am a Packers fan so I was obviously pleased with the outcome.  I think whoever wins next week between Green Bay and Seattle will win the Super Bowl.

We had popcorn for lunch

My view for the afternoon

After being lazy for the entire afternoon, E and I went for a little walk around the block.  It was so warm today (only minus one!!) so it was actually pleasant to be outside.

You can't really tell how big this tree is, but it is massive.

A slow walk home with a stick

Happy guy

Nothing fancy, but a great weekend nonetheless.

Weekend Recap - Library, Park, Church, Street Fair, and Football!!!

Week 1 of the NFL season started this weekend.  My team, the Green Bay Packers, played on Thursday night.  They were not successful against the Seahawks, but Seattle is the defending Super Bowl champion, so I'll give Green Bay a break this week.  Usually we like to buy Pro-Line lottery tickets to bet on the games.  We didn't do it this week but it is a fun hobby during the season.  It makes watching the games more interesting.  Although, a little tip, don't bother picking Dallas for anything, they will always disappoint you - you don't think they can win, and they win and cover.  Then you pick them to win and they lose miserably.   Dallas! (said in the Seinfeld voice of  "Newman" *fist raised*)

 

On Saturday we had a nice lazy morning sleeping in (to 7:50!), watching some shows, making breakfast and getting groceries.  Then E and I walked to the library and the playground.

Picking out some books.

Climbing the rock wall all by himself.

Doing what we discourage, going up the slide.

 

On Sunday, E and I went back to church after not being there all summer.  We have a very nice church with wonderful music and children's program. Today there was no one in the nursery so I left E with the big kids and he did very well. 

 

 

Then we went up to another street fair (see, another example of searching out events I would have avoided in the past).  We had a great afternoon in the warm weather learning about our soon to be new neighbourhood.  They had midway rides, yummy food, and lots of businesses out participating in the day.

We rode the teacups

And the Super Slide

 

 

 

We also got to visit with some old friends from Halifax that were in town for the weekend.  We BBQed some burgers, made some homemade french fries and enjoyed a few beers.