Happy 2011!

It's a new year!! It's a time for resolutions, party hats and appetizer-ish food.
My New Year's Eve was pretty eventful if I must say so myself....
There was a LOT of food. It was almost scary how much food I ate. First there was appetizers and I probably ate about 5 of these little hamburger pocket things. They were so good....you just can't stop eating them. Then at 12:00am they decided to have a midnight lunch! There was roast beef and ham and potato salad and oreo salad and all sorts of things that made my stomach pretty much explode. And if all that wasn't enough, at 1:00am they decided to bring out cake! Well that was pretty much all I could handle. Is it even possible for a person to explode? I was almost believing it that night.
Also, New Year's Eve was the first time I had alcohol. All the adults there were set on "christening" me. So they forced upon me a jello shooter. (They actually taste pretty good!) At first I was completely clueless on how to eat them. I mushed it all up, thinking it would be easier. That didn't work. The second time I had one was much easier. I also had a fruity drink. Small version though and that's when my mother cut me off.
I ended up having a pretty good New Year's! I wish everyone the best in 2011!!

Almost Christmas!!

There is two days until Christmas and the tree is trimmed, the tabletops are covered with Christmas cards and most of my presents are wrapped. (Very nicely, I might add....)

I don't think the reality of Christmas has hit me yet. It probably won't until Christmas Eve. Our yard is full of snow and our puppies are going pretty crazy chasing every snowflake thinking that somehow catching that snowflake will change their lives. This year for our puppies we got them HUGE rawhide bones. Not big, HUGE. They're probably a good 3 feet. Well over the average size of normal rawhide bones. haha. But then again we're not a normal family. ;)
Mom has given me a project this year. She's told me to write our annual newsletter. I'm pretty excited about this for two reasons:
1. I Can Show the World My Writing Talent! ~ It gives me good practice since I plan on becoming a big shot journalist or at least work for a newspaper.
2. I Get to Represent the Family! ~ My mom has always been the voice of the family but no longer!

Two days until Christmas! Check my blog on Christmas Day for a few Christmas surprises for all my readers!

My Cooking Expertise!

Caesar Potatoes

Italian Chicken




Raspberry Dream Cups

  So I was cooking today. I'm pretty proud of it actually...it turned out way better than the Greek meal I cooked awhile ago....let's just say things were a little crispy...
I made Italian Chicken, Caesar potatoes and Raspberry Dream Cups. I got all these recipes from What's Cooking? magazine. I love that magazine!! It all looks so good.....I'm the kind of person that needs pictures with a recipe. It gives me an idea about what it's supposed to look like, which almost never happens. And no, the pictures above are from the magazine and not what I cooked. They looked completely different.....at least the dream cups did. Haha. But my meal tasted delicious and I guess that's what counts!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! (Well I guess not everyone,,,,,the US for instance...) I love having Thanksgiving at this time of year! I'm almost positive that Canadians gain the most weight in this month because not only does it have the main meal, Thanksgiving, but also dessert, Halloween! So stuff your faces and be proud!! Well Thanksgiving at our house has always been a family affair. But since it's just my mom, dad and me and my brother, my mom bought a smaller turkey. When she was stuffing it she happened to accidentally break its back.......and now it's all floppy. A floppy turkey. So she did eventually get the turkey in the oven. Soon though we hit another road bump. I smelled smoke. I told mom to go check the turkey and a little bit of turkey had fallen out of the pot and onto the oven floor. It was sizzling and smoking and it almost started on fire. If our turkey had burnt that would have just been heart breaking. But no it didn't and I'm thankful! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

A Little Furry Surprise

So today I had to cut some dead branches off some of the trees in our ditch. My puppies had come along with me for moral support but soon abandoned it for a much more interesting puddle. I got right down to work and was about halfway done my job and just finishing cutting off a branch when this furry little thing ran across my feet! I screamed, accidently cut myself with the saw (not seriously) and literally ran up one of the trees! I probably could've avoided the whole fiasco if I had been watching the dogs because they were actually chasing it.....
Then my mom comes out wondering why in the world I was screaming. I told her and she just laughed and said she wasn't  scared of mice! I beg to differ!!! This isn't the first mouse incident I've had this year! (Go to my post, Things in the Peat Moss to read about my other one....)
So there I was stuck in this tree and not wanting to get down because I was afraid of a little mouse that was probably long gone. Eventually though I got down and finished the job. That was enough excitement for one day!

The Working Life :P

So today I worked for my mom at the elevator in town. Let's get something clear, this is NOT an elevator in a hotel that takes you up floors and little kids race to press the buttons type of elevator. This is a grain elevator. (Just for all you city folk!)
If I ever see another number again I might scream! So if I scream in math class, don't judge me. I didn't do this voluntarily, I got paid. One of the only perks about this whole shebang. If anyone is interested I could probably train someone to work at an elevator from all the information that was forced into my tiny head. Any takers? I thought not. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mom's out there!
Me and my brother decided to make mom breakfast in bed for Mother's Day. Surprisingly, we hadn't thought to do that before....It went well except for the fact that mom heard the noise we were making and went to investigate. She figured it out but we told her to go back to bed so she did. I made fried eggs for the first time and well....let's just say they weren't quite top notch. Tyler made the toast (he was very proud). We also made her a bowl of fruit. We were just going to give her her favorite drink, Grapefruit juice but Tyler decided it needed a twist. I told him it didn't need any "twist" but he put ginger ale in the drink anyhow. Mom didn't end up liking the drink too much. I hate to say I told you so but I told you so. haha Basically, our little meal for her went well!

A Snowstorm in APRIL?!

So yes, this is April!! Why is it snowing may you ask? I have no clue. This was in Alberta. It was crazy because that morning we were able to go to the mall without a coat and then later we were running to the vehicle because we had no coat. There was ice frozen to the windshield! Ridiculous! On the way back to my Aunt's house, there were flares set up on the side of the road and cops were there as well. They were making sure no one got onto one of the major highways leading out of the city due to a 54 car pileup. It was kind of funny because all of the semi's who were trucking by that route were all stopped on the side of the road not really sure what they should be doing. There was basically a wall of semi's on both sides of you for a good while.

I Saw Alice in Wonderland!!

↑ Me with my 3D glasses and their lenses popped out :)

I went and saw Alice in Wonderland! Finally....although not with my friends. Oh well, it was still REALLY good! I've got to say, I'm a fan of that cat. There's just something about him......oh that's right, he evaporates. Anyway when my Aunt and I decided to go to this movie it was going to start in 15 minutes and we were 20 minutes away PLUS we didn't have our tickets yet. So we drove, surprisingly staying at speed limit (We didn't have time to get a ticket). When we  got to the theatre we were running all over the place trying to find the place where we got tickets. APPARENTLY my Aunt hadn't been to this theatre before! So we got our tickets and went into the theatre. And we only missed 10 minutes! Which was like the previews and 5 minutes of the movie! Wow! It was a great show!

Auction Tonight

As of 2 hours ago I started mass-producing DVD's. I feel like I work in an office sometimes, I swear.  haha.
So this morning when I woke up (at 11:30 am hehe) I find a note on the table that says, "Daylynn, make 6 DVD's for tonight." So now I am doing just that, making DVD's. It takes forever to make one so I'm likely going to be on the computer all day! My goodness....
Anyhow, the reason I'm making all these DVD's is because my dad is organizing an auction for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. It's an organization that helps feed the hungry. Farmers farm land and all the proceeds from the crops go to third world countries. So, he's putting on an auction tonight to add to the crop proceeds.
Well, back to DVD's.

Making Jerky

Doesn't that just look good? haha.

We made jerky yesterday. It was way easier than I thought. Dad was so excited for this. It wasn't that big a deal but to him it sounded like one of the highlights in his life. We had started out with the 'original' flavour. (ooh, aah.) I've got to say it smelled delicious! Yum.
We packed the jerky cannon (sounds brutal huh?) and started squeezing. Dad was so worried that it would be way to hard to push out and 'only a man can do it'. HA! I showed him! It went out as smooth as butter!
And now it sits in our fridge waiting to be eaten. :)

Back at Home!

Yes! Finally back at home! My brother and I spent a week at my Grandma's. Very low tech so you can imagine how I feel to be back on the computer! :)
My Grandma is the type of Grandma who plays electronic versions of her favorite game shows. (Deal or No Deal, Wheel of Fortune) It's kind of funny in a way because she plays those games when she watches the shows!
I don't think my Grandma has packed lunches for a good while because I opened my lunch at school and what do I find? Cookies. Cookies lose in my lunch without a bag or container. I laughed so hard pop came out of my nose! And the next day, crackers. Without bag or container. Once again I laughed. It was hilarious!
Overall though I had a good week and got a taste of town life and I've got to say I like farm life a whole lot better! :)

The Torch was Amazing!

I definitely can't stress this enough! Carrying the Olympic Torch was amazing! In my opinion however, it went way too fast! According to my fans (my family and friends :P) I pretty much sprinted my three blocks. I will forever regret that! Don't get me wrong, the time I had running with the torch was breathtaking.

It was so hilarious because when all 20 of the torchbearers for Swift Current were on the shuttle (to take us to our starting points) this 13 year old boy named Nick was so worried that a sniper was going to be there! It made everyone laugh! When we stopped for awhile I noticed there were some people outside the shuttle. They had signs that read "Anti Olympics". I was so mad at them I was going to flip them over the couch! (Haha metaphorically speaking of course!) They didn't make me lose my spirit though!

When I got off the shuttle I got emotional. It was so amazing I cried. My fans were there all wanting their picture with me and the torch! I felt like a VIP. No scratch that, a celebrity. The torchbearer before me lit me torch (the kiss of the flame) and I ran! A media truck was ahead of me snapping pictures and taking video. I can get that all for free later on the web! Woop!

A family came up to me after at the celebration afterward. They all wanted me to take a picture with them. So I let them. Then they asked, "Is that the real torch?!" And I said yup. Well that got them all bug eyed. They wanted to hold it! I was kinda unsure so I gave my dad a heads up just in case they tried running off with it! That thing was worth $400! But it was a once in a lifetime chance and all so yeah.

Overall I think I had one of the best times of my young little life! :)

(I'm also pretty sure that counted as my fifteen minutes of fame.)

Times Like These

You know those moments in life where everything seems to be working in perfect harmony and nothing seems off-balance? It's times like these I love, the random and the miscellaneous.
Our family had a nice walk in a park in a nearby city the other day that was full of lights. It was amazing. The weather was quite cold and I dropped my camera a few times but hey! It was definitely a moment of perfect harmony for me, that walk in the park.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! :)

Hey Guys!

Hally and Ace "fighting"

Ace

Hally


As usual I haven't been up to date with all this blogginess but I'll let you know that I update my twitter more often than my blog. So if I stop for awhile you'll likely find me on twitter! Well there has defineatly been a lot going on! I got puppies! They are so cute! One girl, Hally, and one boy, Ace. They are border collies. Our older dog Jessie didn't take very well to them at first and growled at them but now she acts like their mom. It's so adorable. Tricks? Well that's not exactly happening yet. We have tried teaching them hit the hay! When we say hit the hay they're supposed to head to the barn to sleep. Sorta working. Sorta not. But anywho I have pics of them to show you!!

Crazy Comforting

The other day my dog past away and I was in a really sad mood. (Don't ask about how he died, i don't want to talk about it....) So my friend called me up and told me to come over and bring the rest of the family. It happened to be my dad's birthday. She told me she was going to cheer us up with cupcakes! Yum! When we got there she introduced me to "Ingrid". Before you all go and think this is an old lady I will tell you it's not. It's a huge bowl of icing. HUGE. She told me to taste it and you could feel the sugar crystals crunching in your teeth. Yikes. But anyway she had made baby Ingrids (chocolate cupcakes with Ingrid icing) and cinnamon apple streusel cupcakes. There was also "Betty". That was the chocolate icing. We ended up having to make more Ingrid because the first one was a flop. And you all know how cooking with one of your best friends can be. Let's just say I had chocolate all over my face and there was chocolate covered tomatoes and yeah. NEVER EVER try chocolate covered tomatoes. Take it from someone who knows.....In the end it did comfort me...strangely. We didn't leave empty handed. We got to take some Ingrid babies home!

Father's Then and Now

Happy Father's Day to all you fathers out there! Here's what father's did in the 1900's compared to now. Hope it brightens your day! (I dedicate this post to my dad!)


In 1900, a father's horsepower meant his horses.Today, it's the size of his minivan.

In 1900, if a father put a roof over his family's head, he was a success.Today, it takes a roof, deck, pool, and 4-car garage. And that's just the vacation home.

In 1900, a father waited for the doctor to tell him when the baby arrived.Today, a father must wear a smock, know how to breathe, and make sure film is in the video camera.

In 1900, fathers passed on clothing to their sons.Today, kids wouldn't touch Dad's clothes if they were sliding naked down an icicle.

In 1900, fathers could count on children to join the family business.Today, fathers pray their kids will soon come home from college long enough to teach them how to work the computer and set the VCR.

In 1900, fathers shook their children gently and whispered, "Wake up, it's time for school."Today, kids shake their fathers violently at 4 a.m., shouting: "Wake up, it's time for hockey practice."

In 1900, a father came home from work to find his wife and children at the supper table.Today, a father comes home to a note: "Jimmy's at baseball, Cindy's at gymnastics, I'm at adult-Ed, Pizza in fridge."

In 1900, fathers and sons would have heart-to-heart conversations while fishing in a stream.Today, fathers pluck the headphones off their sons' ears and shout, "WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE.."
In 1900, a father gave a pencil box for Christmas, and the kid was all smiles.Today, a father spends $800 at Toys 'R' Us, and the kid screams: "I wanted Sega!"

In 1900, if a father had breakfast in bed, it was eggs and bacon and ham and potatoes.Today, it's Special K, soy milk, dry toast and a lecture on cholesterol.

In 1900, a Father's Day gift would be a hand tool.Today, he'll get a digital organizer.

In 1900, a happy meal was when Father shared funny stories around the table.Today, a happy meal is what Dad buys at McDonald's.

In 1900, a father was involved if he spanked the kid now and then.Today, a father's involved only if he coaches Little League and organizes Boy Scouts and car pools.

In 1900, when fathers entered the room, children often rose to attention.Today, kids glance up and grunt, "Dad, you're invading my space."

Thanks to http://www.ahajokes.com/ for the great jokes! Happy Father's Day everybody!

Mexican Imports

Well my Grandma came out yesterday and she was recently in Mexico. She brought us all gifts!! Yaah! Anywho....I got a Mexican doll. You know those creepy ones? I also got a Mexican pink t-shirt. (Interesting.....) Plus a Mexican chocolate bunny! Just kidding. Who knows if they even have chocolate down there? It's probably just tacos. My dad got Mexican coffee. He insisted on drinking it so we had to search for our coffee maker. The coffee maker was last seen sometime around before I was born so you can imagine the hunt. In the end we found it in our attic full of dust. Mexican imports are great!

Brianna Stands!

Brianna stands!!! She is so close to walking it's crazy. Her mom (my Aunt) was so proud of her! I had to video it so my Uncle could watch it back at Calgary. Just thought I'd let you all know the great news! ( I told you I can make her walk. Well she is going home tomorrow and she hasen't walked yet but she will! Mwa ha ha! O boy....)

Ssshhh.....

*whispering* I babysat my cousins tonight and they're finally asleep!! Huzzah! Actually they weren't too bad getting to sleep. Brianna the little one cried a bit but after a sit in the swaying chair with me she fell asleep like a rock. Branden the 6 year old fell asleep right away. Hehe I guess I got lucky.