library list

last week i read:

still alice: very good, read it in a day. the author also wrote "left neglected", which i read and loved. both made me cry

the paris wife: made me want to read Hemingway's version of their love story (a moveable feast). also made me want to go skiing.

the weekend: snow and snowcrabs

(local snow crabs gifted from a coworker) 

(blizzard) 

(blizzard) 

(after an afternoon of snowboarding) 

(vegan hot chocolate)

the weekend was filled with snow. lots of snowmachines and toboggans. we are also trying to nail down the deets for our wedding day. feels so good to be getting it all figured out. 

favs: tv shows

if you want a show to watch all weekend, i can help.

sons of anarchy: our latest obsession. the lead character is mildly attractive, and the mom from "married...with children" is in it. nuff said

breaking bad: definitely like watching an amazing action movie. and the dad from "malcolm in the middle" is in it. he looks so different as a meth cook with cancer

californication: hank moody is so badass. very addictive

louie: i just really love all louie CK's standup, and his show has the same humour. really good.

30 rock: no secret this one is hilarious. and now that i have read bossypants, i am even more into the show

a few 2011 favs

just a few pics from 2011 found on j's hard drive...

hanging out at public gardens in halifax april 2011

mom's 50th may 2011

biking in virginia beach june 2011

our plants after two days of travel to newfoundland july 2011

the weekend + healthy homemade nutella

 (disappointment. local sledding hill closed by property owners)

(afternoon walk with rocky) 

(strolling on the skidoo trail) 

(roasted hazelnuts, aka filberts) 

(amazing smooth homemade chocolate hazelnut spread)

The weekend fun was foiled a tiny bit when we went to practice snowboarding on the local hill, and found out it was blocked off by the golf course owners. but we rallied by taking a pound pup for a winter walk, and making some healthier nutella.

healthy homemade chocolate hazelnut spread

2 cups hazelnuts

2 tablespoons vanilla 

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 teaspoons oil (i used coconut)

1/3 cup milk (i used almond)

roast hazelnuts in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. let them cool a bit, then rub the skins off

blend the hazelnuts in a food processor until butter. add the other ingredients, blend for a while until really smooth. you can add some sugar if you want it a little sweeter. i had this on a toasted homemade english muffin. seriously good

this week + english muffins

 (wedding decor ideas)

 (hotel coffee with j)

(homemade spelt english muffins from here)

spelt english muffins

1 cup almond milk

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup or honey

1 cup warm water

7 ml yeast

handful cornmeal

5 1/2 cups spelt flour

1 teaspoon salt

milk, butter, syrup in a saucepan, heated on low until it is all melted and mixed. set aside to cool

pour water into big bowl and add yeast, set aside 10 minutes until the yeast dissolves

line 2 baking sheets with foil, sprinkle cornmeal on them

pour cooled milk mixture into yeast mixture, mix well. then mix in 3 cups of the flour. then add the last of the flour and the salt. mix it really well (maybe use your hands)

knead the dough on a floured surface for 4 minutes. let it sit for 5 minutes

roll dough to 1/4 inch thick, cut out muffins (with mason jar top or cup), and place them on cornmealed baking sheets. sprinkle with more cornmeal. let them sit for 45 minutes or longer under a dry towel until they are doubled height.

heat a skillet to medium heat. place muffins on ungreased skillet. cook until browned, about 10 minutes on each side. 

perfect for toasting. so, so good. 

small town winter blues

this town is missing a few things we love: bookstore, coffee shop (i don't count TH), movie theatre, bookstore, sushi, thai food, korean food, a downtown area, used clothing store, smoothies, magazine store, art gallery, farmer's market, yoga studio, record store, and the list goes on. sometimes it gets me a little down when i want to do some of the things i used to do, but can't, because this town does not offer them. i think it is more noticeable in winter.

(we miss living across from a coffee shop)

but, this place does have perks. like, we spend more time at home cooking, baking, writing, reading. and there are good places to skate, ski, snowshoe when there is good snow. and we definitely go to the gym more. so there's that. i might be more of a city girl? not sure.

the weekend: white hill and legends

 (on our way to white hill ski resort)

(the latest in gander: brewtenders at legends lounge)

sweet weekend: we road tripped to clarenville, had drinks with our fav couple, made perfect spelt bread, had j's sushi, and ate pouched eggs for breakfast. i can't believe january is half over. wtf

snowboarding success

snowboard rental + ski lift passes: $85
private snowboarding lesson: $65
post-hill munchies and beer at Don Cherry's: $50
turning from my heel edge to my toe edge without falling on my last bunny hill run: seriously priceless.

i felt like i was in over my head when we went to the ski hill lodge to rent my board, and the guy asked me what foot i would use to kick a soccer ball. um, i would never ever kick a soccer ball, ever. i went from near tears halfway through my lesson when i was asking my instructor if there was some other way down the hill other than with my feet strapped to a board, to turning on the board. pretty exhilarating.

this week...

 (supply of coconut body butter-my fav)

(local beer) 

(chocolate chip cookies)

our first full week back to work since the holidays. i really felt it. it takes a while to get back into the routine. so happy to be inside a weekend now. this week i ended up making two different types of chocolate chip cookies (both awesome). i was craving comfort food. highlight of the week was arrival of my package from the body shop. i am completely loyal to coconut body butter. i have tried a bunch of lotions, and i always come back to this stuff.

SSGB

every two weeks J goes away overnight for work. on those nights, i do what i always did up until i met him. i eat the thing that takes the shortest time in the kitchen, sit back and eat while reading magazines, making lists of recipes i might like to try, texting, and surfing the internet. i use my computer as a placemat. i usually end up with peanut butter on toast. or cereal. or cookies. this particular night it was olive paste on pretzel chips. i am always so happy when j gets back and makes a real meal.

also, we had no internet for two days here. that was rough.

sunday snowboarding

i had my second snowboarding lesson yesterday. j is trying to teach me how to carve. um, that is hard. like, really hard. seems like i'd rather fall than turn right on my board. j rides down on the toboggan beside me, giving me tips. it was a perfect sunday morning, i must say.

easy vegan 4 ingredient chocolate pudding

i love this stuff. best pudding ever. i would eat this every day with whipped cream on top.

chocolate pudding:
1 banana
1 avocado
3 tablespoons cocoa (or more, whatev)
1-2 tablespoons maples syrup (or some other sweetener)

highlights from our holiday: part 3 of 3

(swim-up room)

(bling)

(what most of our evenings looked like)

(jellyfish shot for bro's birthday)

(airport shot)

highlights of our holiday: part 2 of 3

 (self timer skills)

(at starbucks) 

 ($3 coronas in town)

 (love it)

(coatis were everywhere)

merry christmas and a happy new gift (aka highlights of our holiday: part 1 of 3)

i dunno why, but "merry christmas and a happy new gift" is what is written everywhere in mexico. we had a sweet trip, with lots of sun, drinks, reading, eating, playing cards. and about 7 flights...

 (first beers of the holidays at halifax airport)

 (relaxing in ottawa)

(i love a window seat) 

 (christmas day-self timer)

(hotel hammocks, room beers)

bunny hill

so we decided that today was the day that i would try snowboarding. i put on my uggs, strapped myself to j's board, and did 10 runs alongside tiny kids sliding with their gt racers at the local sliding hill. i was nervous, scared, semi-embarrassed. but it was awesome. feels amazing to fly* down the hill.

*it felt like flying to me, but i was probably going insanely slow. i think some of the tiny kids were going faster than me

12 simple things i want to do in 2012

1. learn a little french (with books on tape during our long work commutes)
2. run my first 10 K
3. make a garden in the summer in our backyard (tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, anything else easy to grow)
4. see more of newfoundland via hiking, camping, biking, canoeing, road trips
5. make more food at home (granola, muffins, treats, nut butters, vegan ice cream, maybe even nut milk)
6. buy less stuff (we are already pretty good with this...)
7. reduce my debt load a little (via #3, #5, # 6, and maybe working a little more)
8. read more (especially for work)
9. try snowboarding (i tried it over ten years ago, but i think it's time to give it another shot)
10. learn to use the used sewing machine collecting dust in our basement (starting with something easy like  pillow covers)
11. chill out a bit (i am pretty hard on myself)
12. all the usual things: drink more water, drink less alcohol, visit the gym 3-4 times a week, eat healthy, take my vitamins

i already love 2012. i think it is going to be the best year. a big event is in my future