Is it spring yet???

I may have gone into the craft store, and maybe gotten another shadow box for my spoon collection.  Just maybe.

I cannot believe that it is almost April.  I also cannot believe that I have not blogged in all that time.  I have been doing a few fun things, and just working at not getting the blues from this weather.  Its harder than you may think, I honestly think the long cold days were getting so long and dull that I was having a bad time.  It isn't much better yet, but I am trying, hopefully some sun and a new doctor and I can try to get back to being a little more normal.  But it could be worse right?

So what have we been up to?  Well Hubby and Pork Chop and I went out for our annual Valentines day diner.  We went to a nice all you can eat place, and I honestly didn't eat much.  But Porky Chop loves that he can pick out what he wants, he ate like 2 cups of steamed rice, which is weird, but whatever at least he ate.  By the time we left there was such a big line up and announcements from staff letting people know if they didn't have a reservation they would not get a seat.  Crazy!

Hubby is a good sport taking pictures for me, Pork Chop at least sort of looked at the camera, I hate having my picture taken.  Just so you know.

If only the actual dress would make me look that thin.  

At my part time job one of my friends finally moved into her house, out of an apartment and she had been wanting to learn to sew.  So I found this pattern on line and she was all " I must make that!!!!" And I was all, "So must I!"  But I wanted to say sew but I don't think she would have gotten the joke.  Whatever, so as soon as she finds a fabric she likes we can start.  I lucked out and the fabric I had been eyeing went on sale for $3 a meter and I got more than enough for about $25.  So I just have to get a zipper and thread and I am all ready.  If I do it and I look as good as the picture then I will show you, if not I will still show you but I won't be happy about it.  

I had a day off with Pork Chop during the march break.  I remember growing up and my dad would take every march break off with me and my big sister.  We would go to the zoo, Niagara falls, down town Toronto, the science centre and the cn tower.  It was awesome, but cold.  We would be in snow pants walking around the zoo.  Only bonus, dad couldn't say no to us, so we got to eat lots of ice cream and french fries.  It was great.  I wish I could have to memories for Pork Chop but it's not always possible with our work schedules and the weather has been so crazy, we do what we can.  So I let Pork Chop pick a place to eat and a movie.  So we went to Mandarin and he hardly ate anything, which is fine, lunch costs hardly anything.  Then we went and saw Mr. Peabody, it was cute.   

I told Pork Chop to wave for Daddy, then we texted this to Hubby and he was all.  Is he eating olives and rice?  And I was all, "it's better than the sushi he was eating, sushi rolls he dipped in bacon bits.  I don't know where he gets his eating habits from. Honestly, but I do agree that bacon makes everything better.

Do you guys go on pintrest?  I know dumb question, but honestly do you?  Well I don't often, and this is why. I see something and I cannot get it out of my mind.  Like I found these shoes and googled for like 3 hours, and yes that seems crazy, but when you are looking at shoes on line, time flyes!  Anyway I found these shoes and apparently if I had found them last spring I could have gotten them.  But they were sold out everywhere in my size and I was desperate.  I contacted the maker of said shoes and they are in the uk.  They said they were not available any more, but that a special request had been made by another company in the uk to have them made again.  So I watched the company for weeks and when they finally came in stock I bought a pair at like 7 in the morning at work on my little phone.  I was so excited!  I was showing everyone at work my shoes on my phone and they were all like, "so cute!"  And then when I got them people kept asking me when was I going to wear them.  I did once but won't again until the weather is nice, because people these shoes are adorable and I want to wear them all the time.

So they are the cutest things ever, and my life in almost complete having them.  It is sort of sad how happy a pair of shoes can make me.

 So lets see, baking has not been happening, my mood just makes it so I go to work then don't want to move when I get home.  This however has not stopped Hubby from baking.  He has made some gluten free treats for his friends at work, which sucks because I used to be the cool baker person, but I don't mind too much as long as he shares with me.  I just want to bake again, or at least I want to feel like I want to bake again.  It could happen.

I hate having my picture taken, and I was all "take my picture!!!" And Hubby was all, you fake smile, you have a weird face, look natural.  Which is stupid, my natural face is weird and fake, so whatever, just take the picture.

So why is there a weird picture of me with that horrendous hair do?  Well I have been growing my hair out for what seems like forever, but in actuality is probably just under 2 years.  I had decided to grow my hair out and donate it for charity to make wigs for kids who have cancer.  Only issue is here in Canada you cannot donate any hair that has been dyed.  Which is crazy because I have been covering the gray for well over 10 years.  Have I mentioned that Pork Chop is almost 10?  Well It could be connected, or not, I will let you decide.

Anyway I found that locks of love in the states will take hair if it has some gray and if you have dyed it, just not bleach.  Well dude that was me!! So I was doing great for a while, but then it got to the point where I just wore my hair in a pony tail, or mostly I just didn't brush it just put it up in a twist or whatever.  And when we were going out to do stuff and I wanted to wear a hat I did two braids.  Have I mentioned that I am pushing 37 or so.  So I hated long hair, but I was all " I said I was going to do this and I will!"  And I would bug Hubby or the girls at work every month or so to try and measure my hair to see if it was long enough.  And on Friday it finally was!

So after work I came home and got changed and told Pork Chop I was going to get my hair cut.  Then he was all "you go out to get your hair cut?"  And I was all "yes, why"  And he said the funniest thing ever, he said "I thought daddy cut your hair"  And I nearly died, because Hubby shaves his own head and Pork Chops.  I was all "your daddy couldn't handle my hair, I need professional help"  And Pork Chop just gave me a weird look and went back to playing his game.

So anyway I went and had a little issue getting my hair done, the ladies at the salon were great.  But one kept trying to point out they won't take coloured hair, and other stuff and I had to keep telling her that where I was donating they would and they they were all "it's going to be short if you want to donate enough"  And I said bring it!  

So they tied my hair into two pony tails and cut them off, poor lady stopped a few times, said my hair was too thick that my two pony tails were thicker each than most donations from one person.  I hope that means they can use a lot of it then, because I have never been so happy to have a hair cut in my life!

And here I am, the front is longer, and it is short in the back, like not even touching my neck.  I love it and it is so much easier!

 So I got home and had to have a shower I was covered in hair bits, and it was the best feeling to wash my hair so fast.  I then let it dry and ironed it, I have super wavy hair so if I leave it that way it's cute, but I like the sleek look better.  Whatever.

 Pork Chop was all " You look different."  And I said good different or bad different?  He said good, but I don't believe him.  I think it's funny how short kids memories are in that way because I have had short hair many times before.  Anyway I am glad I am done, because I cannot stand long hair.  I was so happy I cleared out a whole section in my bathroom of hair ties and stuff, because dude my hair is short!

I just have to mail the hair off now, and I tried to show Hubby and he was all grossed out, he said to leave it in the bag and I did because he is a big baby that way.  I hope that whoever gets my hair feels good about themselves with it and that they know I wish I could do more to help them than just grow my hair.

Anyway nothing too big happening here, just looking forward to the summer, and maybe a little trip to the states to play.

I have a guy here cleaning my dryer vent because apparently you can die if you don't clean it and its a fire hazard.  This is the second time having it done, a few years ago they did it and the amount of lint they got out could have made a whole bunch of clothes.  Anyway we are now going to be lint free, at least until I dry something again.

How have you guys all been by the way?  I love checking out others blogs, but just have not been in the mood to comment.  Probably "talk" to you all in the summer, yikes I need to get back on here more.

Ice Box Cake

  So this is another fast post, so much happening in my life that I have not really had any time to do any baking.  If you ask Hubby he would be all "it's about time!!"  And he would be right, sort of.  You see, as of Tuesday I will have a new job.  I finally found a job close to home, which should allow us to save some money.  Which I plan to spend on candy, or pay bills.  I prefer candy, just so you know.  

 I have been working a long way from home for my day job for almost 11 years, this job has been the one I was at just before I got married, I had Pork Chop while I was here and lots of other stuff.  I am so nervous. Do you think my new co workers will like me?  What if I shared my candy?  Well either way, it is happening.  Tomorrow, and I am so ready!

  I will still keep my part time job, because I really like it, and any extra money will put us that much closer to having our debt paid down.  Or you know, allow me to buy more sugar to bake with.  Also I think this will mean I may have to cut my posts down.  I aimed to do two posts a week, and sometimes that was just not possible.  And so I am going to aim for one post a week, if I get two in, it will be a bonus.  If not, well, I am still here, and you have to admit, I am awesome.  And humble, don't forget, humble.

These were right on the end cap at wal mart, so I grabbed them, and then Hubby put them away and I almost forgot about them.

 So this simple treat was due to the fact I was really wanting something like cake, but didn't want to actually have to make it.  Or leave the house to buy it.  I have heard about ice box cakes for years, and I was all "seriously ice box cake, isn't that just a cold cake?"  And obviously like most things, I was wrong.  I went on Pintrest and found out that an ice box cake is basically wafer cookies and whip cream.  And you have to let it sit in the fridge for about 4 hours for it to be ready.

  Not sure if I should point out it would have taken me 10 minutes to drive to the store and buy some cake, but whatever, I didn't even have to get out of my pajamas to make this, so it was worth it, sort of.

This was my little bowl to try, I didn't realize how little you got out of the ingredients I had.  

 I wanted to make this to share with my co workers and I had this plan of doing cake in a jar, but when I pulled out the jars I had, they were the bigger ones.  But I figure that would be fine, more cake never hurt anyone.  So I cleaned all 12 jars and got to work.  And I totally just made this recipe up.  Because I am smart like that.

Ice Box Cake
by me

-2 cups cold whipping cream
-1/4 cup sugar
-1-2 TBSP vanilla bean paste
-sleeve of chocolate wafer cookies

You can use any sort of container, I made one in a little cup so I could try it.  All you have to do it whip your whipping cream with the sugar and vanilla.  Then either spoon or pipe some cream into the bottom of your container, add a cookie and just layer it.  You want enough whip cream so that the cookies will have enough moister.

Yep that is just a big blob of whip cream, it was so good.

 Once you have done that, make sure to cover your cake and let it set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  I couldn't wait and tried after 3, the cookies were not soft all the way through by that point.

So after all that I got three jars people.  Not enough to share at work.  I put one aside for one friend there, she is never there and always misses the treats.  But then I got sick and didn't go in the one day she was there.  So I may have eaten them. Maybe.

So I think this was really good, those cookies are very rich and chocolaty and I think the sugar in the whip cream was a must, or it would have been weird.

 Anyway, I bet I will be back soon, well I have other posts ready to go, so no worries there.  I just cannot believe I am going to have such a short commute, I used to spend over 2 hours on the road a day.  Now, maybe 30 minutes.  Maybe.

Snicker Doodle Birthday Cake for Hubby

So I made a cake.  And I may have mentioned before I hate making actual cakes.  I am more of a cupcake kind of gal. My theory is that if you make cupcakes, you can mess a few up, and you can also eat like 20 and not feel as badly.  But if you make a cake, you only have once chance to decorate it, and not screw up. And I usually screw up.  And you cannot eat 20 pieces of cake without looking like a pig.  Or so I have been told.  Anyway I was planning on letting Pork Chop do another gummie cake for Hubby.  But he just ends up pulling all the gummies off and not eating it.  So this year I had a plan.  I was so going to make him a super fancy cake.  And one that he would totally eat!

 Well one of those two things turned out to be true.  I'll let you guess which one. But if nothing else I tried a new recipe, and I got a cake stand thingy finally.  I had been using a lazy susan for over 20 years, so there you go, cake for Hubby, baking item for me.  Win win!

See how fancy that is?  I paid $20 at a sale, not sure if that is a good deal, I don't want to know if it's not though.

So to start I googled and pintrested a bunch of things.  I had the idea of a snicker doodle cake. Since that is Hubby's favorite cookie and he really likes the muffins I make.  I was totally thinking, there is no way I can lose.  Just so you know, I lost; big time.

So I found this cake on a blog called Smashed peas and carrots. Best part about it, it is a cake mix based cake.  I love that!  So I got everything I needed and set to work.  Now keep in mind Hubby was in the same area of the house as me, so he just played X Box with Pork Chop while pretending to not have any idea what I was doing.  Good man Hubby, keep it up.

See it actually doesn't look too bad, I swear when I have no one to impress my cakes sort of work out. I mean I was trying to impress Hubby, but I use other methods to impress him.  Cake does nothing for him. Just so you know.

Snicker Doodle Cake
found on Smashed Peas and Carrots

-1 box white cake mix
-eggs called for on box, plus one more
-butter in place of the oil called for on the box
-milk in place of the milk called for on the box
-1 TBSP cinnamon

Mix it all together and pour into your prepared pans.  Bake at 350 until tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool then remove from pan and allow to fully cool on cooling rack.  I placed the cakes in the freezer after they cooled to set up.

Thisis how I frost a cake, I cover the top, then sort of push the extra over the edge, then add to the sides as I go.  

Frosting
Found on Smashed peas and carrots

-2 cups butter
-1 cup brown sugar
-2 TSP cinnamon
-2 TSP vanilla
-6-7 cups icing sugar
-milk if needed

Start with room temperature butter, I just usually cube it up on a large plate before I start measuring out the other stuff, and it is usually good by then.  So cream the butter, add the brown sugar and cream again, add vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.  Mix in your icing sugar and if needed add milk until it is the consistency you want.

This is tiny and it cost over $2, I am in the wrong business.

Once that is done you are ready to assemble.  I started by leveling my cakes, they didn't really need much, but knowing my luck if I didn't there would be trouble.  So I did that then I put a blob of icing on the tray I was going to put my cake on and placed the first layer of cake.  Then I put a layer of icing, then the next layer of cake.  Then I frosted the whole darn thing.  I was going for a rustic look.

 And just in case you were wondering, a rustic cake can be all bumpy and swirly and no where near smooth.  I am good at rustic.

This was the extent of Pork Chops help.  It went in the trash just so you know.

Then I wanted to have Pork Chop write on the cake, you know, to do his part.  He was all, "I'm nervous!"  which is his way of saying he doesn't want to do it.  So I said try it on the scraps of cake, and he drew two lines and said he was done.  I was fine with that, I figure at least he was in the vicinity of the cake when it was made, so that totally counts.

I am really proud of the fact I can blur out his name, not too proud that if you really try you can still read it.

 So I just used one of those tubes of gel you get at the store, because I didn't want to bother making icing or colouring it.  It cost over $2, which is a total rip off, but at the same time, it allowed me to not have to do anything, so it sort of paid off.  And I blurred out Hubbies name to protect him.  And to hide the fact I totally forgot a letter in his name and squished it in later.  He was all "really?"  And I said "shut up, I went snow boarding with you! And made you a cake, your name?  It doesn't matter!"  Or something like that, I may have just given him a dirty look, who knows, I was tired.  

  Anyway we didn't get to eat the cake for like three days, we were doing stuff, like eating diner out and having free birthday deserts, so there was no time for cake.  And when we finally did have it, we thought it was too much.  I think that if I cut the layers in half and made it a four layer cake with thinner icing layers it may have worked.  As it was we tired to eat it, and Pork Chop liked the cake part.  But I ended up sending it to work with Hubby, and then Pork Chop was mad, and said he wanted more.  I will tell you now I ended up making him a tonne of red velvet cupcakes to make up for it, and that he didn't eat more that 2 I think. And not even on the day I made them, like days later.  Sigh.  

  Also I think this as a cupcake would be good, so it is not a loss at all, I really did like it.  Hubby, well here's to another year with a cake he won't eat.

Oh and just to show you how much I love him, look what I did.

If you look at this picture first, I look all cool, like I am totally into boarding.  Truth is, that is the instructor behind me.  He just let me go and I was falling, again.  it was a very painful gift to Hubby.  

I made Hubby take a beginner lesson with me, again.  He knows what he is doing, I have gone once before, and I was scared and didn't want to do it alone.  I have to point out, other than Hubby and me, the other kids were all under 10.  Man I felt old.

 I hate to point it out, but I was so sore for like 4 days I could hardly walk.  Stupid middle age! Oh and Happy Valentines day!

Also I really appreciate those of you that have clicked on my Top Mommy Blog button, it allows you to click once every 24 hours and it moves me up so new people can find me.  Thanks again.

Philadelphia Chocolate Cream Cheese Review

 Okay, before I get started, I want you all to know that I am over the moon that we finally got this product in Canada.  I read about it on some blogs I think and right away I was all "We need to move south!!" And Hubby just rolled his eyes, and said something about liking being around family or whatever.  But he hates cream cheese, so I cannot really expect him to get it.  But I know you guys will. Seriously I have only used this a few times already and it is going to change your life.  I know, dramatic, but I just need you to understand, you need this item, right now!!!!!

  Anyway, I saw on face book we finally had this and I went right to the store after work with Pork Chop, I had to bribe him by buying him a pound or so of olives, but I got what I went for.  As I was cashing out the cashier was all "have you tried that, it looks weird!"  And I was all "I have so many plans for it, you need to try it!" And she sort of just gave me a crazy look, because she probably doesn't understand the impact this is going to have.  Or something like that.

My first simple test.

So for my first try I just wanted something really simple, because I wanted to actually try the product how it was made.  Trust me I already have about 50 ideas in my head, and I don't have the money to buy that much cream cheese.  If you are out there makers of Philly Chocolate Cream Cheese of the Gods, feel free to send me about 100 tubs.  That should last me at least a month. Give or take.

It looked like chocolate, pure and simple!

 So firstly, I had no idea this product was a spread before I saw it, I always assumed it was in block form. I didn't really care, I got two tubs and I bought these super fat lady finger cookies.  I figure simple would let me really try it.  And Oh. My. Gosh!  It was good.

 So it looks like this is being marketed akin to Nutella.  But with I think 50% less sugar. It was on the tin foil label, but I was in a rush to taste it, so I sort of tossed that out fast.  Anyway.  I don't agree.  Nutella is it's own beast, I mean it is thick and rich and super sweet and almost like peanut butter.  Where as this, well it's hard to describe.  The flavour is out of this world, and the texture is perfect for spreading, or if you are one of those weird people that likes fruit, it could be an instant fruit dip.  But I won't go there.  Sorry.

I didn't put too much, I was being stupid, you want to put lots, trust me.

 In my first use, I just made cookie sandwiches.  I just spread a bunch in between two soft cookies, and then I ate them.  It was so good, it has this almost tart kick to it, like a sour cream.  But it was sweet but in a way that is was not over powering like Nutella can be.  I personally don't think I would eat this on toast, it is just not the same to me.  But the things I have planned, oh you just wait..  I am honestly going to spend a lot of time with this and make a few things.

Try to ignore the fact my fingers are almost as chubby as the cookies.

I really liked the taste of it just like this, and even found myself using it as a dip for cookies.  It really is good. And I sound like a girl with a high school crush, and gosh darn it, I am so happy with this.  I have read about products and waited for them only to feel blah about them.  So far this is a keeper.  So stay tuned I have plans, and I will be sharing them.  Then I will invest in cream cheese stock, or just hoard the stuff.

So these only lasted 12 hours and that is because I was sleeping, they were gone really fast.

Have you tried it yet?  What do you think?