Monday, March 30, 2009

Monday memories

So I am stealing this from my very, very lovely friend Annaliese. A Monday memory - I can do that!



Just a super fun day at the park with my kids, my friend Terri and her sweet little girls. So glad we had the camera to capture these memories!





Its funny - Hannah dosent even have glasses yet!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Thankful Thursdays


I am stealing this from the lovely Karin. I have been neglecting my blog lately so here goes. I am thankful for:

- the buds on the trees. Spring makes me feel so hopeful.
- my gym partner who motivates and inspires me!
- my children
- my house even (though it is a complete disaster lately - yes S, I am one of you!)
- high heels. Yes, really!
- the theater and all that comes with it - even the hard stuff


So that is my first instalment of thankful Thursday! More next week~!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The home town crowd


So for a few brief years I really considered myself a musician. All during high school I competed in vocal competitions, played various instruments and dreamt of singing for big venues. In many ways that dream came true early.

At 18 I was the choral director for a major government funded Community Play project and got to be on the Cast recording. Also at 18 I learnt that I had made it into New Creations Ministries touring group 'Morning Star' this meant a two album contract and 10mth cross country tour. So exciting! Over the years that followed Eric and I hardly had a week without a gig of some-kind. Playing for weddings, coffee houses, touring with a Face in the Crowd and Crew Ministries, playing Glimpse in Edmonton and being hired out to work with church music teams. I also had the amazing opportunity to sing in the Alberta Lyric Choir and the Concordia Concert Choir. I gained so much knowledge from those choral experiences! Being on the Concordia Concert Choir Album was a big thrill! All in all it was a busy, fun and fulfilling time!

After a while though everyone has to grow up a bit. We had kids, went to school, got jobs (yes in that order - no wonder we were so poor!) and had to face reality! For me I was fortunate enough to be able to stay in the arts and focus on my truest passion - the theater.

Which brings me to the whole point of this blog (finally I know! If you are bored stop reading - I wont be offended!!) Eric and I are returning to our musical roots this week and playing a coffeehouse style gig at the Magenta Theater (606 Main St).

The reactions to this have been varied and also quite funny. You see, despite the fact that both Eric and I are Canadian Recoding Artists, both individually and together, most of that life happened before we ever lived here and before we made the friends we have now. Some of the people I know now have asked if the 'Canadian Recording Artist thing' was a ploy to make it (the event) sound good? Someone else asked why they should have to pay a $5 cover to hear me sing Karaoke? Quite a few others have remarked 'you are a musician? I never knew that! What do you play? Can you sing?'

It is funny. But it also makes me feel very nervous! Playing (singing) in front of strangers is easy. Playing for the hometown is a whole different ballgame. They know you - or at least part of you - so there are pre-conceived notions of who you are. Also I find those who know you the best can sometimes be the most critical! Don't believe me - go ask your mother!! So while I am hoping that this Sunday will be well attended there is this small part of me that wishes I had never volunteered for this gig!

Alright . . . off to practise!

Friday, March 13, 2009

I swear this is not a food blog . . .

however I had the best food last night! Eric and I went to McGraths Fishhouse for his birthday and it was so, so good! We had clams to start and the broth was this really rich and yummy wine, garlic and butter mixture . . . I remarked to Eric that my friend J would probably be eating the broth with a spoon as she is known to sometimes do - lol!

Anyway it inspired me to try something similar in my crockpot today. This is not really diet friendly but I think it will be so, so good!

Crockpot Salmon (with wine, butter and garlic)
4 (4-6oz) portions salmon fillet
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 can partially drained diced tomatoes
1 scant teas dried italian seasoning

cook on low for 4-6 hrs or until Salmon is done to your likeness. I am serving this with whole wheat couscous with peas & parmesan.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Baking cakes

I love making birthday cakes. Well any cake really. I love fiddling with the recipes. I love whipping up the icing. I love decorating. I love eating them! (too bad they love my tummy, hips and thighs just as much!)































Today I am baking a pecan coconut cream cake with cream cheese frosting for my beloved. I will decorate the top with pecan halves and shredded coconut. I know it will taste amazing!









You may have seen some of these before but here are some pics of some of the cakes I have made over the years.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

11 years already!!





Man - that just does not seem possible. Until she back-talks and then all 11 years come rushing back . . . LOL! Much love to our lovely, lovely girl!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Old fashioned doughnuts!

This is a very old recipe that I got from my mom. I dont know where it originates but she was making these for us kids at least 35 yrs ago. I have made these with my kids are they are super easy and fun. Make sure a parent does the frying and have plenty of paper towels on hand for draining. Sorry I dont have a picture to go with these - they look more like dumplings than doughnuts.

Easy-Do Doughnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups flour (I use 1 cup white, half a cup whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teas salt
pinch nutmeg if desired


Blend sugar, egg, milk and oil. Add dry ingredients. Drop into hot oil (on stovetop vegetable or Canola is best) by rounded teaspoons. Turn partway through. Drain, cool slightly and roll in cinnamon sugar. Or cool slightly further and roll in powdered sugar.

SUPER good and easy. Enjoy!