Tunisia and India

We have been to North Africa. And that was a very fun culinary experience for me! Sergeant was looking at Tunisia in school, so that was where he wanted to go next. We looked at recipes, i found something I thought the children would enjoy, and he found a dessert he wanted to taste. So I made pasta and chicken bharat for supper last Friday. I really, really enjoyed combining the spices and following the recipe, smells of cinnamon and turmeric filled the house. I really enjoyed it, the kids didn't really care for it. It wasn't a vehement disgust, just... meh.

However, the dessert was WOW! I did them on Sunday, because of timing and plans, and they were a big hit. A pastry called "Yo-yos". They are a yeast doughnut with orange juice and zest dipped into a lemon honey for a glaze.  I'll definitely make them smaller next time, but there will be a next time! 

They were so so good! Definitely an unexpected flavour with all the citrus, as a friend or two pointed out when I shared the goods. And super duper sticky.

Last night we went to India for our weekly trip. Girly's choice. So the idea was to have chicken korma (which everyone loved!!) and tapioca pudding. Was going to make kheer, but I'll likely make that today or tomorrow instead. Mmmmmm.  Rice pudding....

And next week (might end up being the week after)Monkey wants to go to Peru. Hubby has made a few suggestions that he recalls having when he went there way back when, so that might mean that he and Monkey do that one.  We'll see how that goes.

Halloween costuming is well under way, Hubby has returned home from the field safely, crafting is continuing. I have added crochet to my list of things I've learned and developed in the last year, and I'm debating the idea of getting at table at the middle school's fundraising event and selling some things. Not sure if I'll have sufficient stock by the time it's on, but we'll see.

So things are moving along and everyone is staying busy. It is fantastic having Hubby back for a few weeks, and Monkey and I enjoyed a nice day yesterday with him being off work. Very surprised that there is no more white frozen stuff on the ground. That first weekend Hubby was away we had snow and ice and everything, but it's all gone now. Yay! We might not have to have snow suits under costumes on Monday!

Off and Away!

He's off and away, just pulled out of the driveway with coffee in hand. Last night we had conversation at the dinner table checking in with the kids, seeing how they were doing, reminding them that Hubby was going to be leaving in the morning and wouldn't be home for a couple weeks. Monkey was given her family "homework" yesterday afternoon and wanted to do that with Dad, so they had that special time together.

I have emergency numbers in case I need to get a hold of people, I have a fantastic little community of people I can access to ensure I don't isolate myself. Life continues as normal, just a bit more lonely. It's only a couple of weeks.

We had parent teacher meetings for all the school aged children last week and Hubby was able to make all of those. It is always enlightening to hear about the way they interact outside of the home when we aren't present. No concerns for any of them academically, little social concern if any. We are blessed to have these amazing sponges of knowledge in our lives!

Sergeant has been taking "Who Would Win?" books out from the library and, even though he has read just about every single one, I had to read the two he brought home to the crew before bed last night. Polar bear vs Grizzly bear: Who would win? It was hilarious to read! Urusus maritimus (translation being: bear water) and Urusus arctos horibilis (translation being: bear bear really scary), which led to a language discussion on scientific naming. The word Antarctic: no bear. The word Arctic: Bear! There were so many giggles!

Today will be a hugs and cuddles kind of day for everyone. More slowing down and hugging, trying to be more patient as children sort through their feelings. I'm not going to cook supper (tons of leftovers in the fridge from the last couple evenings) so Smarty and I will do a bit of baking, rake up the yard before the forecast snow arrives tomorrow, and simply be. I have my list of what I would like to accomplish while Hubby is away. It's actually the same list I have had to do for the last few weeks, but I have given myself a hard deadline now, so that'll get done.

Girly got a new beanie boo. Little colourful stuffed animal that have invaded our house over the last few years. She raced through her "popcorn words" (sight words for class) so she got to pick a prize. Because she picked this little fuzz ball, the others dug theirs all out and we have been overrun again.
There are, apparently, a mommy, a daddy, assorted brothers and sisters, cousins, and babies. Sigh.  At least they are softer on the feet than cars or Lego.

Part of Smarty's academic goals was to look into different parts of the world and try other foods, so when I was doing up the week's meal plan the kids decided that we should "visit" Australia. So, since I am not going to order crocodile for us to prepare and eat, I have decided that we will have "snags and tomato sauce". That's all I'm telling the kids. But they will enjoy it. Hard to go wrong with ketchup and sausages. I'm having Smarty look up and research Australian cuisine and he'll tell his siblings what he finds tomorrow night when we take our little "trip". I'm excited for this exploration.

September!

There have been times in the last month that have been more difficult. All the balls up in the air, trying to remember which ones to catch when, looking at other balls thinking "I need to pick that one up" then forgetting about it until right before the deadline is, making appointments, keeping appointments, rescheduling appointments, thinking about the future and shifting towards it.

I went on a school field trip with Smarty a couple weeks ago to a program called "City Slicker". The classes go to a local farm, learn about the growing of food both meat and vegetation, and then we went to the pavilion in Stony Plain where they talked more about safety and grains and animals. The children all had fun and I was so glad I was able to go with them. 

Miss Girlie has lost so many teeth recently I think the tooth fairy may need to take out a loan to pay for all the fruit she's getting! And tonight she had her first filling for a small cavity. Brave girl giggled most of the way through the procedure and the dentist said she's never had the pleasure of working on such a relaxed child in that chair. :) 

Sergeant is adjusting very well. At the end of each week the teacher gets them to write a little blurb to their caregivers about their weeks and signs off using the nickname I've given him here on the blog! He loves the affection of the name and is such a caring, smart child. After school yesterday he ran up to me all excited telling me about a new child just moving into their class, So friendly!

Monkey has had a rough couple weeks, even more rough few days more recently. A few weeks into her routine of preschool and chief errand runner with me has resulted in a few extra hugs and some bedtime regression. Added to that is the fact we decided that the time for her to have her num was done. So as of Sunday she hasn't had a soother. Leading up to the first night was rough, but the actual bedtime was fine. Monday was okay at naptime and fine at bedtime. Naptime Tuesday was the screaming fit from hell that lasted nearly an hour. Again, bedtime was okay. Today she fell asleep in the van and yelled for a little bit when I moved her, and bedtime was good. I hope the naptime yelling stops soon... I suppose if I don't put her down for a nap she can't throw a fit, but then it's not as pleasant an afternoon...

Pumpkin cinnamon buns with salted caramel frosting. I will copy the recipe and post it, but I made two double batches a couple weeks ago. The first round I accidentally forgot egg and sugar in the dough so I obviously HAD to make them again paying closer attention to the ingredients. WOW, is all I'll say. I've made them before, but I don't remember them being quite this amazing!! 

Also, I knit now. I decided to learn while we were crossing the country this summer (can't recall if I mentioned this before). But, I completed a scarf by the time we left Winnipeg, and I started a surprise for Hubby almost a month after we got here when I came across cadpat yarn. That is to say, yarn int the colour scheme of the cammo our Canadian troops wear. I worked on it during bedtimes he was away and at odd times of the day, and completed it his morning and gifted it to him when Monkey and I went out to the MFRC at the base this morning. I am so incredibly pleased with it and he has received many comments on it already. I wanted it done before he left for a few weeks and am thrilled that I met that goal :) Woot Woot!

A week and a half in

A week and a half into the school year. A week and a half into the school year and we have already lost and found a laptop. A week and a half into the school year and we have already lost a tooth.  A week and a half into the school year and we haven't been late for the bus even once. A week and a half into the school year and we haven't been late getting to the school for drop off or pick up.

We have been able to get to sleep early enough that emotions aren't too difficult to handle the next day. We have had snacks, lunches, and water bottles packed each and every day. We have had wardrobe changes and fights over weather appropriate garb. There have been heels dug in over suppers made and (shock horror) absolutely having to finish what is put in front of you.  There have been discussions over the best flavours in the world and why every opinion not agreed upon by the speaker is just plain wrong.

There have been after dinner walks to the park, after school bike rides, and sharing meals that were made abundantly. There have been busy filled weekends with good friends and family members not seen in too long. A road trip to see dinosaurs and climb steppes. Time travelling into the past of Edmonton. Impromptu suppers, snacks, and general play dates.

There have been a couple really rough nights for a couple of children and trying to find ways to adjust to make fewer of those. There have been awesome long talks after bedtime between the parents about all sorts of things. There has been a blossoming of household work that is being completed with slightly less complaint by children. There has been an uptick of physical activity by all members of the family.

A week and a half into the school year and some friends have been made by all children, and talk about missing old friends. There has been a saying goodbye to a five year old as she transitioned to the age of six. There was some soothing of fears over that shift in age as she was in tears the night before because she didn't want to get bigger. Which in turn brought me back to my thirteen year old self crying over the exact same thing. Growing up is hard sometimes...

There have been rainy days and sunny days. There have been days where I have changed clothes three times because it starts off cold, warms up nicely, then cools right off again. There has been laundry done, put off, and done. There has been a culling of clothing in the children's wardrobes and an increasing need to go through the winter gear.

And in the next two weeks of school there will be preschool FINALLY starting, the first of the field trips, back to school BBQs, and picture days. There will be more notices about classroom blogs, hot lunches, and reminders about book orders. There will be the shift to warmer gear needing to be worn to school and an increased need for meal planning.  There will be doctors appointments gone to, eye and dentist appointments made, and (hopefully) routine firmly established.

There will be the start of Halloween costume prep, a narrowing down of what each person wants to be, and shopping for supplies for this year's projects. There will be knitting and sewing, baking and cooking, and planning an evening out for myself for socialization while Hubby goes away for a few weeks in October. There will be a meet and greet for the chaplain team and spouses here, and a date night thrown in too for good measure.

September is only started and it's filling up fast!

Last two travel days

We've arrived and settled in! Well... More or less. We still have a shed full of boxes of books and a bookshelf to put together for said boxes of books, but the space is livable and we are certainly living in it :)

We left Minnedosa and made it to Saskatoon on day nine. Listening to country music and enjoying the sunshine and colours of the fields.  I took so any pictures of canola! So much yellow! and so cheery and bright. The drive that day was full of song. Singing "It could buy me a boat" and "There were five in the bed and the little one said 'roll over! Roll over!'"

That evening we went for a walk along the river, and swimming in the wonderful pool with a water slide three stories high! So Much Fun. And we connected with friends we hadn't seen in way too long. I looked after the daughter when I had my dayhome that last year in Saskatoon when the boys were just toddlers. It was really a wonderful visit.

Day ten we left early, had breakfast on the road, stopping at Tim Hortons and heading out right away. Monkey fell asleep pretty early on and woke up just as we were heading into the Battlefords to stop for a pee break. She woke up, saw a granary, and asked in an incredibly sleepy voice if there was whiskey in there? We told her no, there's grain stored in there. Then she asked if grain made babies. Ummmm. No. Grain is used for bread and cookies and muffins. Then she said "But whiskey makes babies." Ummm... Then Hubby looked at me and said "That's it, I'm quitting drinking!" We think she got it from "Rain is a good thing" but we have no real way of knowing that for sure.

The singalong continued with "All Kinds of kinds"and Girlie asked who Thomasina was.and everybody sang along to Paul Brandt with Alberta Bound in full volume. When we were stopped for construction the kids were all about how awesome the truck are and Mighty Machines rule!!

The day after we arrived in Spruce Grove Sergeant was telling Girlie to look something up in the contents of a book. and then tried to describe to her what contents was, which lead to one child saying it was the land (continents), Hubby quipping in saying that it was bladder control (continence). and Girlie saying that it was anything that wasn't a vowel (consonants). I nearly was incontinent from all the laughing!

Up to Day 8!

Thunder Bay to Winnipeg, Winnipeg to Minnedosa, day in Minnedosa

Tuesday morning saw us off and away from Thunder Bay. We were able to meet up with another cousin of mine for coffee/breakfast before we pulled away. On the look out for moose and deer (we told the kids they weren't allowed to turn on their devices until they spotted one), we set off and away in search of the prairies. Unbelievably Sergeant actually did spot an ungulate relatively early on, so they were able to plug in for a bit.

Monkey has decided that the van now has a name.  And "her" name is now "Minty". Black Grand Caravan named Minty... Why not?  So she was talking to Daddy about whether or not Minty needed a fill up, if Daddy should maybe clean Minty's windows...

In the wilds of northern Ontario, where there was absolutely no cell service at all, Smarty decided to check his device for what the weather would be like in Winnipeg. He was confused that it showed Friday's date and forecast. So we reminded him again about internet connections.

We stopped in Dryden to meet up at a park for snack with a friend and her little guy to get some ants out of pants and soak up some sunshine.

Monkey made a new nickname for Sergeant. She calls him what sounds like "Kiwi" (likely supposed to be Keirie) so when Hubby said "Hey, Kiwi" Sergeant looked up and said "No thanks, Dad. I don't want any." Hubby and I laughed and laughed!

One thing that was made abundantly clear every time we went into a rest room with automatic toilets was that Girlie absolutely dislikes them. They flush like three or four times before she has time to finish up and put her pants back on.

Once we moved from Ontario into Manitoba Hubby breathed deeper. Monkey repeated again and again "All I see is grass and grass and grass!" and Girlie was in awe of the fields that look like sunshine! Canola might be her new favourite flower!

We spent the night in Winnipeg, stopping for a visit with some friends from seminary days. Great visiting and chatting, then we were off to the hotel to eat pizza and play in the most amazing hotel pool we'd been to yet! Totally worked out the travel ickies, cleared some cobwebs, and then we had a couple more friends stop by the hotel and visit.

Wednesday morning we left Winnipeg and moved along to Minnedosa, stopping briefly in Gladstone to take a picture with Happy Rock. About ten minutes away from Poppa and Grandma's house Monkey demanded her num. I was not about to give her a soother right before we were stopping, so she yelled and yelled. Then told us very concisely that she "was such a sad Macintyre".

Once we were settled in with Poppa and Grandma, Hubby and I walked down to a bakery to bring some snack back, came home, walked with the kids and Poppa around and to the park, and then Hubby and I went out to pick up fishing licences, and the radio cut out to give a tornado warning. When we got back to the house the kids were talking about the tornado warning and looking out the window.

Something else that happened yesterday is Monkey and I got new fishing rods from Poppa! Both hers and my first ones. And Poppa made all four children some flies for fishing. Such a special gift! And everyone was so excited to get out fishing.

Today, day 8, we spent fishing on the lake, splashing in the little wading pool in the back yard, and vegging. Hubby and I have reset up our luggage, caught up on laundry, and restocked our snacks for the bottomless pit that is Monkey. Tomorrow we are off to Saskatoon!

Days 4 and 5

We have made it to Thunder Bay! Our day four was a rest day, visiting with family and enjoying not being in the van driving all day long. Hubby and I visited the cemetery so I could see my grandpa and great grandfather's grave sites, he and I went for a run, and the he took the kids to the park nearby.  An aunt and uncle popped over with some kids, grandkids, and dogs. Another aunt and uncle came up from Sudbury and we had some great conversation.

Day five saw us from Elliot Lake to Thunder Bay with a lunch stop at the giant goose in Wawa with my aunt and two of her grandchildren. Smarty spent his device battery on videoing some of the drive along Lake Superior. We put our toes into the water in one of the bays, and we visited the Terry Fox Memorial and view of the Sleeping Giant. More to post on the trip from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg and today's trip from Winnipeg to Minnedosa but I'll get those later today.