Homemade Christmas

We did my a few of our gifts this year, but for the most part I was able to make most of them. Now that Christmas is over I can share some of the presents. I try to get pictures of the gifts but sometimes I am just so excited to give them to people I wrap them before I remember to get pictures.

Messenger bag used this pattern with a few alterations to make bag for my sisters

this one is my favourite, I wanted to keep it for myself :P

A patchwork quilt for my mom. Not the best picture but it's a queen size quilt

I already have a whole post about this pillow but I just love it so much

Another smaller messenger purse for my aunt.

flour sack tea towels with monogrammed freezer paper stencil

HoH t-shirt

Matching pyjama pants for my two guy's

I made this for my aunt, she is moving to Chile and I wanted to give her and her fiance something for their new home. They have their hometowns over their hearts. 

There were more but like I say I am so bad at remembering to take pictures. 

Sex In a Pan a Birthday Tradition

I have been having sex in a pan at my birthday for at least 11 or 12 years now. It wouldn't be my birthday without it. There are so many ways to make this recipe but this is my favourite variation. 

my birthday about 5 years ago pre-baby and pre-marriage, thats the sex in a pan in the corner 

Sex in a Pan

1 cup all purpose flour

1 stick butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

about 1 cup cool whip (I buy the big container and use 1/2 for the cream cheese layer and the other 1/2 for the last layer)

1 cup powdered sugar

package cream cheese ( the one in the box)

2 skor chocolate bars or some other chocolate bar that you can smash up and sprinkle on top

2 packages instant pudding, I use butterscotch and chocolate pudding. Double check that it's the instant and not the kind you have to cook.(3-1/2 oz each)

3 cups milk

For the Crust Blend together flour, butter and Pecans with a pastry cutter  and press into bottom of 13"x9"x2" pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-10minutes. Let cool completely

Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar and cool whip thoroughly and spread on crust. Mine is always hard to spread on the crust. It helps if the crust is completely cool and the cream cheese layer is very soft.

Mix the pudding and milk thoroughly and pour onto first two layers. Repeat with second pudding flavour.

For the Top layer spread with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with two smashed up Skor bars.

Holiday catch up

We drove back to the Island for our winter holiday. We totally lucked out and had the best weather/baby, making this trip totally amazing.  We were all a little run down and tired and were desperate to get home to our families. I think this trip really opened our eyes to all the amazing things were missing out on. You just cant beat being around friends and family.

I kind of just got wrapped up in everything and didn't take my camera out very much. I don't have any pictures from my birthday or New Year's Eve or basically the whole trip. 

Making Christmas with my mother-in-law and Jackson

I snuck into the garage many times to snack on her amazing baking

Jack also loved his grandma's baking

the christmas room. 

totally into his cranky the crane

wearing the matching pyjama pants I made

He though he was playing mario

went for a nice little walk in John Dean Park. Jack sporting his new Cowichan sweater from grandpa Paul

I think the highlights were:

Lots of fun playing with cousins, unlimited adult interaction for myself, birthday games at my house, amazing fabric shopping spree's with Mom and with Jane, Capitol Iron, Awesome friends, Johns place waffles and maple cream cheese syrup, Jack having lots of grandparent hang out sessions, Hotel Dates and Victoria Phad Thai.

We had an amazing trip and we are already plotting to get back.

Russia

Life has been hectic basically since the end of November. Andrew had the opportunity to travel to  Moscow and St. Petersburg for a job interview. He was gone for a week and I was so worried about being alone with Jack for that long. It was definitely the longest stretch without any back up. It gave me a new found respect for single parents and people who have partners that have to be gone for long periods of time. 

While he was in Russia they were having huge protests about the election. He was right in the middle of the giant 28,000 person protest. You can see the military marching in behind him.

We definitely missed him and we were so happy to have him home.

Luckily I have an amazing family and my little sister flew out to hang out with me. It was nice to just have some fun time with her one on one. I feel like I am missing out on everything involving my siblings. So it was just nice to have a girls movie night and be able to talk late into the night. Also just have someone else around. We took her to the zoo and one of the giant malls. She was definitely in teenage girl heaven.

                                    Raven & Jack checking out the dinosaur portion of the zoo