Snow Day in Vancouver

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Gwen

As I write this post it is still snowing up a storm here in Vancouver.  The snow is beautiful but it brings out the crazy drivers.  Since Vancouver doesn’t have the best track record for snow clearing I declared it a snow day for Aidan.  We will probably go outside again to play in the snow, but until then we are holed up watching The Santa Clause and drinking tea.

I thought you might like some pictures from our adventures this morning, so here you go!

Quinlan excited by the snow.

Quinlan excited by the snow.

Snow Mommy!

Snow Mommy!

Aidan loving the snow.

Aidan loving the snow.

At least his mitts stayed on for a minute.

At least his mitts stayed on for a minute.

Can I catch the snow on my tongue?

Can I catch the snow on my tongue?

Yes, I can!!

Yes, I can!!

I love this picture.

I love this picture.

Snow!

Snow!

Happy snow day!

Posted in Aidan | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Get Crafty: Play Dough

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Gwen

Quinlan loves play dough.  He will play with it for at least a half hour.  He still put it in his mouth someitmes, which is why I like to make my own so that I know it is safe to eat.  I also made some for Aidan’s kindergarten classroom and I found a great recipe that didn’t have too much salt and used kool-aid for colour and smell.

I also promised Tracey that I would post the recipe so that she could make some for Christmas presents.  So Tracey, here it is.

Cooked Play Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 2  packages of kool-aid (the kind that you add sugar)

Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix the kool-aid into the water, add the oil and mix with the dry ingredients.  Stir in a large pot over medium heat.  When mixture pulls away from the side and forms a ball, remove from heat.  Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured counter and knead.

Can be kept in an airtight container, or baked at 250 deg. F for 1-3 hours depending on the size of the object.

***

I also really like a non-cooked play dough for making ornaments.  It is still and edible salt dough, but it has a nice smell and bakes nicely for tree ornaments.

Gingerbread Play Dough

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered alum
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • Brown Paste Food Colouring (Optional)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice or use cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg to your own measure. (I always use more than the recipe asks for.)

In a bowl combine the flour, salt and alum.  Add the oil and boiling water. MIx well and then add the spice and food colouring.  Knead on a floured board until smooth.

You can bake at 250 deg. F or air dry.  Store leftovers in an airtight container.

***

For making ornament use cookie cutters, or just sculpt.  Have fun and get playing!

Posted in Baking, Crafts, Play-Doh, Playdough, Quinlan, Recipes | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

My Own Curves

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Gwen

I have written about my struggles with body image on this blog.  One of the things that makes my stuggle with body image harder is how clothes are geared towards body types that don’t have much curve to them.

I used to think that I have nice legs.  This year all I am finding are boots that shout “Hey fat girl, what the hell are you thinking? Girls with calves as fat as yours are don’t deserve pretty boots.”  I am getting pretty discouraged.

Every once in a while I start to think that maybe I have a nice rack, until I actually try to get a coat that zippers over them without having sleeves that are 6 inches too long.

I understand that it is not me and that it is the clothes, but there comes a point when you have to be able to do something.  I should be able to find a nice warm ski jacket that I can actually ski in.  It shouldn’t have taken me so long to find a pair of ski pants that actually fit.  Because you know, fat people don’t exercise or go out for sports, because, well you know, they are fat!  This is what clothiers tell us all the time.

When I go to a lingerie store to find a bra, (even ones that are supposed to be for plus sized people) I have a very hard time finding my size.  The one store I have found with my size is almost always sold out of the styles they bring in in my size. Why? Because I am not the only one who has trouble finding bras that fit.

I am starting to think that the rest of the words in my head are not getting out on paper because they are coming off as mean, and that is not what I wanted. So I have deleted a few paragraphs.  I was a little upset about a new group blog about body image.  It seemed to me that while the blog purported to be about Curvy Girls, they didn’t have anyone anywhere near my size.  I wanted to make sure before I got my knickers in a twist.  I have read a number of the posts, and while I still think they need more women that are bigger and have more problems with actually finding clothes that fit, the posts that I read were good.

I guess what I really need is to get off my butt and put myself out there more.  Maybe instead of worrying that a new group blog doesn’t have enough bigger curvy girls, maybe I offer to be one. Who knows, they might actually want someone like me, after all, I am adorable, right?

Posted in blogging, Gwen | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Canada’s Worst Driver

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Gwen

Anthony and I like to watch the train wreck that is Canada’s Worst Driver.  I am not sure why except that the drivers are so bad.  I can hardly believe how bad, except that we live in Vancouver and I see these situations all the time.

There are a lot of small traffic circles in Vancouver and I have almost been hit a number of times when I have the right of way.  It seems like people think that the car in the midst of a left turn in a traffic circle doesn’t have the right of way, when in fact, they do.  The number of times I am in the midst of turning left in a traffic circle that I have been cut off by someone who then blasts their horn at me is innumerable.  I wonder if these same people would cut me off in the middle of a left turn at a 4 way stop when I have right of way.

My driving horror stories are nothing compared to the crap that Anthony gets every single day.  I sometimes wonder why Anthony even rides his bike to work.  The number of people who use the bike routes to get around the city faster is horrible.  They cut off the bikes, blow through stops signs and generally make life a hazard.

Watching Canada’s Worst Driver, both Anthony and I cringe at the damage, but we both think that it would be a fantastic opportunity for someone to have those kind of driving lessons and tests for people that want to become better and safer drivers.  Wouldn’t you love to spend a week or so learning to work through all those challenges?  Wouldn’t you love your teen to learn to drive from experts who would teach them to avoid accidents?  Maybe someone will get on that.

Posted in Anthony, Gwen, Vancouver | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment