Spring... sort of

The snow is mostly gone, and for that we are all very greatful for however, the wind? That could also go. I know, I know, beggars can't be choosy.

The departure of the snow means it is now BIKE RIDING SEASON!

This elicits much joy in our household. But don't just take my word for it.



Little dude requires much concentration to ride his trike. Or one would assume given his tongue placement.

And apparently he comes by it quite justly.



Oh he's a catch that one! He's all class. And so I am.

We are perfect for each other.

The Bold and the Flay-VOUR-ful

I know what I like. I like food. Wait. Like is too mild of a word, let’s try that again.

I LOVE food.

I crave very certain things. Earl’s chicken wings being one of them.

And I know why. The sauce? It has copious amounts of vinegar in it.

And I love me some vinegar.

I am like Pavlov’s dogs. I salivate at the scent of some tangy acid.

Ever put vinegar on your fries? Oh yeah, now THAT’s what I am talking about. That is, IF you can find some decent french fries. Let me know when you do but my cholesterol won’t thank you.

My food needs to have flay-VOUR. Some zip. Some Bam (Thanks Emril!). Something to light up my tongue with zesty goodness.

Don’t give me no pansy assed alfredo sauce.

I mean no personal offence to those of you who like it. I mean, who doesn’t want to eat what is the equivalent to a stick of butter in one sitting? THAT I can relate to but the bland flavour, not so much. Give me a pound of good fries with salt and vinegar instead. Or chocolate. I am indifferent.

But I am fickle. Today I may think BBQ ribs would be a good meal choice for tomorrow. But tomorrow? I’ll want chickpea curry (Chana Masala for those who know your Indian Cuisine).

That’s why meal plans? Not in my vocabulary. I am a type A accountant but when it comes to food, I fly by the seat of my pants. And it doesn’t always work.

Just ask Jay how many times he gets a phone call to drop by the store on his way home for some key ingredient to the dish’o’jour. Let’s just say if I had a nickel for every time, I would be sitting pretty and leave it at that, shall we?

So in honour of my zesty preferences I am going to share a couple of my latest favourite recipes. This is actually an inaugural event here at Kami’s Khlopchyk.

Go out and be BOLD!

Tangy Beef and Vegetable Stew
(as printed in Our Canada magazine - February 2008)

6 c cubed potatoes
8 medium carrots, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
4 lbs stewing beef, cubed 1"
4 beef boullion cubes
3 c boiling water (or stock in place of boullion and water)
1/3 c vinegar (told you I liked it!)
1/3 c ketchup
3 tbsp mustard
3 tbsp horseradish
2 tbsp sugar
2 c frozen veggies (corn, peas, green beans)
2 c fresh mushrooms (personally cooked mushrooms make me want to hurl but if you are into them then add away)

Place potatoes, carrots, onions and meat in slow cooker (you can brown the meat first but personally, doesn't that defeat the purpose of using the slow cooker?). Mix boullion with boiling water and then add the condiments. Pour over contents in slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 hours then add frozen veggies for 45 min more.

Enjoy with some down home baking powder biscuits! This stew is not for the weak, it packs some serious flay-Vour punch.

Then for dessert, Lemon Meringue Pie, from scratch people, and come on, live a little and add a lemon or two more!



Oh and if you have a recipe that you find is bold and delicious, by all means let me at it!

Deep thoughts: Emphatically speaking

We had a great Easter weekend. It included colouring Easter eggs, an egg hunt and plenty of chocolate not to mention plenty of chaotic fun with the cousins. I didn’t get any great pictures though so you’ll have to take my word for it.

Today, though is not about Easter. No, it’s another one of my deep thought posts. I am so deep that sometimes it hurts. And I don’t mean in a wow, I am such a philosophical bad self, no, it actually physically pains me that I am such a complete nerd. But I yam who I yam (and if that doesn’t scream dork, I don’t know what does).

On to the deep thought…..

Have you ever noticed my liberal use of exclamation marks?

Oh I like to use them! A lot! Because, if you add an exclamation mark, well, it just emphasizes it so much more! Don’t you think?!

I think I do this far more in comments I leave on other blogs than I do in my posts. For some reason I feel the need to be overly emphatic in my comments. It’s just because I love you all so much. What says I love you more than an overload of exclamation points?

But lately it’s occurred to me that, well, maybe it’s a bit annoying!!!!!

Some people have a lead foot when driving. I have a far more serious problem. I have lead fingers. They are drawn to striking the shift and #1 key simultaneously!

Help!

I need shift-one detox!

It’s out of control!!!!!!

I see exclamation points when I close my eyes. They are calling out to me.

“Kami! You know you want to! C’mon, shift-one, shift-one, shift-onnnnnneeeeeeeeee…..”

It’s reached epic proportions. Why can’t I quit you exclamation point?

And that concludes this week's installment of Deeeeep Thoughts by Kami. Not to be confused with the Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy of SNL fame. Because let's face it, I ain't no Jack Handy.

My jumbled thoughts

Once again, a gigantic thank you goes out to all of you who came by and left me such wonderful comments while Kamden was sick. He is feeling much better and is back to his cheery little self. We all missed him, he literally laid on the couch for two days straight. So very unlike our little monkey.

I am feeling a little strange today. I am so very happy that Kamden is better and that Jack is has not come down with it yet. I am still fervently praying he won’t.

Which brings me to why I am a bit off. I keep wondering why it is that it would upset me so much if he did get sick and the surgery had to be postponed. After all the surgery is not life threatening. Not even serious. If he never had it at all it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He would however, not have the opportunity to ever focus with both eyes. Which is huge if you happen to be his parents.

But the thing is that mentally preparing for it, both me and him has been something of a chore. He is scared. I am worried. Who wouldn’t be?

So to have to go through all that again, well, I just don’t want to. How mature is that?

It was Hannah’s comment on this post that helped me sort it out. Subconsciously I knew but I just couldn’t put my finger on it until she so eloquently expressed exactly how I was feeling. She’s been through at least two surgeries with her youngest, so who better to know exactly how I am feeling.
People who don’t blog? Well they are missing out on so much! The community and love is overwhelming. How did I ever live without it?

And I am slowly, VERY slowly, coming to a realization on this. That which has been tormenting my soul for over 2 years. I may just find peace. Eventually.

I wish each and everyone of you a wonderful Easter weekend. May it be filled with peace, joy and the love of your family.

I know mine will.

You know you have a problem when....

You are sneaking Starbucks into the movie theatre. Pssst - check out my new red (red!) purse. The accountant is stepping out of the box and go figure, I purchased it in consultation with another accountant , Angella.

My partner in crime. Yes I had a partner. Do you think goodie two shoes Kami came up with this on her own? Oh no. Doesn't Jean look a little shifty to you?

Jean just might love Starbucks more than I do. We are talking intervention proportions people, intervention. I am still in denial though so perhaps you might want to hold off until I hit rock bottom. I can't speak for Jean though, maybe she's ready to quit the hard stuff.

Try as we might, Jean and I were unable to use peer pressure to convince Amy and Candace to begin their rite of passage into latte addiction. Whatever. We know who's cool and who's not.

We had a great girl's night out that involved dinner and a movie (27 Dresses). Thanks for a great night ladies!

Ps - It might just be a Canadian thing but Rotten Ronnie's is a pseudonym for McDonald's. I have to confess all your comments that I shouldn't eat at a place with Rotten in the name had me chuckling all day! Us Canadians have our quirks :-)

Friday Fun

Today was a great day. First of all, the sun was out, it was warm and the snow has started melting. Can I get an alleluia?! It was so warm, I wore a light jacket and it wasn't even done up. For those of you who do not understand what -40 Celsius is like, this may not seem like such a miracle. Here in the quasi-Artic however, this is front page news. After our winters, we sure do appreciate spring.

Today was also filled with friends, chatting and tons of play time for the kids. First I met with two good friends, Candace and Amy. Why I never take pictures with these two girls is beyond me. Tomorrow night ladies, the camera is coming out at dinner! Consider this your warning.

Then it was off to Rotten Ronnie's for lunch. Rotten it was. I still feel sick to my stomach. Mental note, order for the kid, wait till later for you.

Then I stopped at Starbucks for a couple of Caramel Macchiato’s for me and Anna . She had a tough week with some wonderful (and I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible) anonymous comments. She needed a double shot of espresso (hopefully I'll stop shaking by bed time!) after the week she's had. We had a great visit that included a self portrait:


Not my best but she looks cute as always.

And some card making. Uh oh, Momma's found a new way to spend money!


The flower in the middle was Kamden's idea. He has a good eye me thinks. Maybe he can teach me a thing or two.

Then it was report card day for Jack.

As expected he is doing very well and to celebrate he got to pick a supper out at his place of choice. He picked Burger King. Double mental note, Rotten Ronnie's and BK in one day, NOT a good idea.

It was a great way to end off a week wherein work was low on the totem pole for the first time in months.

Happy weekend to all!

I blinked

And a whole weekend flew by. I am in serious need of about 6 of these:

I flew out to Vancouver for work this weekend. Friday started off by meeting this famous blogger who I have the great privilege of calling friend (we work for the same organization):



We hit Robson armed with our credit cards. Don't worry we contained ourselves and kept the damage to small claims. I had a budget set and I undercut it by $100 while still getting all the things on my wish list plus some maple fudge for my boys.

It was a good time that involved a few belini's too. What more could two accountants need for some girl time?

I also got to hang out with this amazing lady:

Cheryl also works with me but lives at least 600 kms away. We have gotten to know each other over email while working on the same project. It's really very neat to meet someone who you've been corresponding with electronically, it's as though you know them already and the meeting face to face is really just a formality. She is as fun as I thought she would be and I can't wait until the next time we are "required" to hang out together for work.

Remember the big project I was once upon a time stressing about? Well it’s done. This weekend was the culmination of it and it’s complete. I cannot express how relieved I am that it’s over. As to whether or not I will have the opportunity to work on it again, well, all I can say is I hope so. It wasn’t as stressful as I thought and I had the best team to work with possible. All’s well that ends well.

And when I got home close to midnight last night, this is the first thing I saw:

Jack had a big surprise that he planned to work on while I was away. This was all his idea. My boy? He gets it! He may sometimes forget and take me for granted but when push comes to shove, he appreciates me. I don't know if my heart could swell any bigger.

I am one lucky Momma who is very happy to be back right where I belong.

Ramdom Lengths

Firstly, THANK YOU to all of you who commented and provided me with much needed affirmation on the Will Ferrell issue. I am not alone and that means the world to me.

Next important topic: my hair

I’ve recently had an epiphany about my hair. I know, I am SO deep. What can I say? I am sit around for hours pondering really important matters. Like my hair.

I have gone through cycles of having long hair then I get annoyed with it, chop it off only to grow it out again within a year. I am lucky that my hair grows fast so for me to chop it off isn’t a big deal. It’ll be back with vengeance within 6 months.

My epiphany is that I prefer it long. Take this picture:



After I had Jack I did this. Yes, WHAT was I thinking? And the glassess too. Yikes. But look at Jack, I could eat him up, what a pork chop! Jay is looking particularly smokin' too.

By the time Kamden was a year old my hair was back to this:



BTW, I still had the pregnancy hair. It was twice as thick as it is normally. Then it fell out and I did this to it. I was sick of shedding.



I don’t hate this. It’s fine. Although my hair stylist has much better luck styling it. What's that you say? It's not luck? Skill? Whatever.

Now take this:

And this:

Mucho better, no?