Left Coast Mama » Holidays

What’s on Your Menu?

Gwen — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:34:50 +0000

I haven’t posted a Menu Plan Monday in a very long time. It is not thatI don’t plan the menus, just that I am having a hrad time sticking to them and if theyare posted here, I feel like I am more bound to them. So in the interest of keeping to the menu this week I aam publishing it. Though if you have some really good meal suggestions or recipes, please let me know.

Sunday (Today, the 20th December.) Hamburgers and salad.

Monday (21 December) Ham and mashed potatoes for the boys and scalloped potatoes for me.

Tuesday (22 December) BBQ Chicken kabobs with basmati rice and veggies

Wednesday (23 December) Pasta with tomato and meat sauce, salad.

Thursday (24 December, Christmas Eve) Tortier, a spiced meat pie (ground pork and hamburger), Milk and cookies set out for Santa. Ho, Ho, Ho!

Friday (25 December, Christmas Day) Turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, turnip, nugget potatoes (veggies cooked with the turkey.) pumpkin and apple pies for desert.

Saturday (26 December) Leftovers of all sorts.

Sunday (27 December, Happy Birthday Dei!) Turkey soup.

The only thing that may change is if we can’t find a small enough turkey. I love it, but since we don’t have anyone coming over to help eat it, it may not be practical. I am also planning to clear off the table fully and setting the table really nicely on Christmas Day. We have been working on table manners with Aidan and I think that a nnicely set table helps. Though I will be checking for a plastic wine glass for Aidan. (He broke one at Thanksgiving.)

All meals will be full of lovely deserts like snicker doodles, lemon loaf and gingerbread men. I may also make some chocolate balls of some kind. What are your favourite holiday foods? Any good recipes?

© 2009 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | 2 comments
Related: Christmas, Family Time, Healthy Choices, Healthy Eating, Holidays, Menu Plan Monday, dinner.

Lists Are Made to Be Crossed

Gwen — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:06:44 +0000

On most days I have an idea of the things I need to get done. Sometimes I actually make a list so things can get crossed off and I can feel like I have accomplished something. Today was one of those days, and there were six things on the list.

1. Clean Living room,and Dining room

2. Vacuum

3. Take out recycling/garbage.

4. Put Cooler down in the storage.

5. Bring up some of the Christmas Decorations.

6. Take Family Christmas Pictures.

Luckily we were able to take care of all the list and I feel pretty good. Since we had to move all the furniture we even were able to get under the sofas clean. Anthony was able to take some nice pictures even though it was difficult to get the boys to stay still long enough to get the shots.

Finally a nice one of the four of us.

Mommy I want you to be a sled.

This test shot turned out nicely.

Still cute even though Quinlan isn't looking at the camera.

These guys are way too cute for their own good.

© 2009 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | 2 comments
Related: Aidan, Anthony, Christmas, Gwen, Holidays, Pictures, Quinlan, cute, family, organization.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Gwen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:20:36 +0000

I know it is only the 6th of November and we have barely passed Halloween but I have been thinking about Christmas for a while. This will be the first year that Aidan is really excited about Christmas and we will be celebrating here in Vancouver. That is not to say that we haven’t celebrated Christmas in Vancouver, just that last year we were in Nova Scotia, and that was the first year Aidan was anticipating Christmas and all the fun and pageantry that goes with it.

Last year we wrote a letter to Santa and went to visit him at the mall here in Vancouver. We also put together a box for Operation Christmas Child and bought some food for the food bank. I wanted the giving not to be all about the getting. I wanted Aidan to understand that we can help people who don’t have as much as we do.

This year we have a few things I want us to do in the way of charity. We (in the next week) will put together a box for Operation Christmas Child. I fully plan to go to the CBC Food Bank Day and make a donation. I also hope to be a part of helping a local family have a great Christmas. I think that it would be really good for Aidan to be a part of making someone else’s Christmas special.

I know that one of the things I really appreciated as a child was being able to give back to another family the way our family was taken care of. It is hard to write, but I don’t know if people realize how happy they can make some children. The wonder of opening the door and having a box on the doorstep with no one around is wondrous for both the child, and I daresay the parent. I know that even without the generous people who helped us that Christmas, my parents would have made it wondrous for us still. I still thank those anonymous people for making us all believe that Santa Claus was alive and well.

I also fully plan to make Advent more of a reality in this house this year. Aidan is old enough to know that Christmas is about more than getting presents and Santa Claus for us. With the help of books, and Advent wreath and the creches we have I hope to make this season both fun and spiritual.

Anthony and I have some traditions that I want to keep. We like to go to see the lights at Stanley Park and VanDusen. I love singing at Midnight Mass. Putting way to many lights on my Christmas tree to make it the most beautiful (and shiny) thing in the living room. Going to Maplewood Farms on Christmas Eve. Having the friends, who have become family, over for dinner on Christmas Day. These are all keepers.

There are other things that I want so much to stay as part of our traditions, but I am not sure that they will this year. This is something I can’t write about here, and I have been a bit cowardly about trying to make it better if I can. I am still unsure about how to proceed without making things worse from what was a big misunderstanding. Unfortunately I cannot control how other people can hold grudges. I can only hope that things will get better and that forgiveness is found.

So before I put my foot further in my mouth and make things worse I will sign off.

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Related: Advent, Aidan, Anthony, Christmas, Family Time, Gwen, Holidays, Quinlan, Santa Claus, Vancouver.

Thanksgiving and Entertaining

Gwen — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:38:45 +0000

Since we have been living in Vancouver our house was the house to come for a dinner party. We have introduced many a newcomer to Vancouver and sometimes Canada to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinners. For almost every turkey holiday we have a multitude of religions and countries of origin represented. We have at least 1 vegetarian at every dinner party. Some people have diet restrictions and some have diet preferences. This always makes things fun, but also requires a bit of juggling. This year is pretty simple, well until we get a call from Tomer and Carla saying that they have decided to go kosher or bring a kosher friend with them, with only 1 vegetarian, a picky preschooler and an infant. The rest of us eat anything.

Even with the complications that having different religions and dietary needs in the mix, I love cooking a holiday meal. I love the planning, the food, the decorating, the wine, the nicely set table with flowers and candles. I like the ceremony of eating a big meal with friends and family. I like cooking a turkey, and if I do say so myself, I am really good at it. I like making the pies, and rolls. I love cooking this gigantic meal that takes me two days to cook and even with the big clean up.

Why do I love making this big deal holiday meal, but I don’t really like cooking everyday meals? It is something I often wonder. It isn’t that I want to cook a huge meal with all the trimming more often, don’t get me wrong here. I couldn’t handle that kind of prep work all the time. I think it maybe that while it is a lot of work, it is always really appreciated. It is nice to get those accolades.

I am also of the opinion that the dinner conversation and after dinner conversation or games really make the meal. It is wonderful to socialize and take the time out of your everyday life to put on something a little special, eat some good food and drink some good wine and enjoy some good company. For those not here this year, Ali and Noushine, and Tammy, we will miss you. You might even come up in conversation.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Happy New Year

Gwen — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:08:29 +0000

Happy new year to all!

I hope you were all able to start the new year as we were, in your pyjamas all day. We haven’t taken down the tree or gone for groceries, or gone out at all today. We will take the tree down on the weekend and tomorrow life goes back to normal. Sigh. I wish there were a few more days of respite.