Friday, April 27, 2012

Lunch is served

Just in case the depth of my character has been sorely misconstrued...I am not the Mom who wakes up before her children to serve them a hot breakfast. No sir. I am the Mom who squeezes every last second of sleep I can out of a morning. We do breakfast for lunch, when I have more time to get it done.

Blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup:-) Cut easily with a pizza cutter. I learned that trick a few years ago watching Jon & Kate + 8. Simple & easy for feeding a brood of kids. Who says tv rots your brain?

Wii Swords - Video

For Christmas the kids were given a bunch of Wii attachments...but to Grey, they're all swords. HA! I knocked you down!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Mommy!

One of those days!! And yes, this is my actual ringtone for Brian's work cell phone. Just because it makes me laugh, not because it pertains to him:-D Someday when my kids have phones, ooooh yah:-). Anyway, today is one of those days full of whiny kids!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Family Day

We had an amazing day together on Saturday! T-ball in the morning, and car maintenance in the afternoon and a party in the evening. Top that off with another disappointing Rangers loss. :-( Go Rangers!
The kids had a blast washing our van, car, and Noni's car with Daddy

Grey, "fixin' da weak" (leak)...by essentially bathing in the spray:-)
Sometimes, that pretty little face looks like "my Shaughnessy":-)

Alas, it's my "Weyton Gwey". All boy.

baseball'in

The joys of my life. White baseball pants and grass stains. Grrrr!

Angry Birds

It was Uncle Dale's birthday, while Lauren was out of town with Ann for her surgery, so we celebrated a little late, this weekend. The kids picked the theme. Dale loves Angry Birds (and so do they!)
We made him a card. Really really cute, isn't it?!

And we made him a cake! Super cute!!
This cake was an 8in round, and I used all the batter in that pan, so it was a very thick cake (didn't have time to fiddle with two cakes stacked as we had a busy day on Sat.) It was perfect! I just free-handed the cake since it's pretty basic/geometric shapes. After making the card, I was pretty sure I could handle it. Thankfully, it turned out really adorable! - Pretty simple too. I did a red crumb coat (brown in the brown areas), and then just used the star tip to cover the top and sides, adding on the eyes etc. This is an easy one to do, with very few supplies needed...and perfect for the AB lover in your life:-)
A tired little boy slept through the party:-) He missed dinner and dessert

Friday, April 20, 2012

My Favourite Things

Summer's here! Beach days are planned! There is no going back...until next winter that is:-D For all my family and friends up North this is a sign that the warmer weather is moving up your way! Get ready to soak it in! Summer is my favourite...
and flip flops. my oh my. Every single day (even in the winter, they are my slippers!) I am a devout flip flopper!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Crock Pot Chicken Marsala

A few weeks ago I was in the mood for Olive Garden's Chicken Marsala, so I googled Marsala recipes...found this gem on the Betty Crocker website. It's for the slow cooker, bonus!! We all (especially Brian) loved it. Seeing as my lower element is out on the oven (happened Friday night), and we're waiting for the part to come in so Brian can fix it...I'm stuck with grilling, stove top or crock pot meals, so this one's getting an encore tonight.

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I did crushed)
1 T vegetable oil
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
3 - 4oz cans of sliced mushrooms (this was a little much, 2 is enough)
1 C sweet Marsala wine or chicken broth (I used cooking Sherry)
1/2 C water (I used chicken broth)
1/4 C cornstarch
3 T chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

I didn't have any marsala, and used sherry, and it tasted wonderful. I decided to use broth in lieu of the water since it had suggested it in lieu of the wine (how then, would it be marsala??!), for a potentially richer flavour. I think it worked, it was perfect!

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, place garlic and oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, place in cooker over garlic. Place mushrooms over chicken, pour wine over all.

Cover, cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours.

Remove chicken from cooker, place on plate and cover to keep warm. In small bowl mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into liquid in cooker. Increase heat to high and cook for 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Return chicken to cooker, cover, cook on high for 5 minutes or until chicken is hot.

To serve, spoon mushroom sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Blast from the Past

Approx 1991: Logan & Lacey. Lacey (a Cairn Terrier) was my dog/responsibility growing up, and Logan adored her.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Tee Ball Game

We had our first game today! We are the Yankees (all the teams are major league "juniors"), we played the Blue Jays today. I think we won. It was a little hard to tell. Lol. I forgot my camera, but took a few videos on my phone. They did very very well! I must say I was impressed. Kenna had one small faux pas hitting - running to the pitchers mound and then to 2nd, instead of 1st first:-) Other than that, no rules were broken. Brooks played first one inning (which is where ALL the action is), and did very well, catching many of the balls and throwing home to the catcher. He's got a good arm! Kenna is the only girl on the team:-)
A post game pic

The "ready" position
Here are a few pics I just got tagged in on facebook this week. From soccer this past fall.
Courtesy of Steven Bender. Brooksie looks intense!

On the bench with his little teammate, Abram.

Hallelujah

Heard this today, and fell in love with their voices.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Easter Egg Hunt

Posting this a little late! Last week for Easter, we did something a little bit different...
...we waited until it got dark, and had our egg hunt in "pitch black". We used glow sticks inside the eggs to light them up. It was a really fun change from the normal ol' hunt, the kids loved it. Plus they got to stay up very late and eat candy!
Doesn't look so scary with the flash on!

Starting to delve into the treasures!

Bracelet time!

Spring Break!

We've been living it up OUTSIDE of the 4 walls of our house this spring break. We've been doing playdates, shopping, crafting, and staying up late. Fun times! We'll be a little sad on Monday, but glad for the daily routine I guess. Brian has been on a day and evening job, so he's been pretty tired generally, however, the Rangers made it to the playoffs, so there is a little lift in his spirit:-) Tomorrow is the first teeball game for the HRHS New York Yankees. Stay tuned for pics, and maybe some video...Our little hiatus has recharged us. Yay!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Sweet Apple Sprinkle Monkey Bread - Recipe

This is not the cheapest recipe. Or the healthiest. It's basically like breakfast junk food. But it IS easy, and it IS delicious. It's become a "holiday brunch" favourite of ours, reserved for special occasions.

Sweet Apple Sprinkle Monkey Bread. It only uses three ingredients, one of which is from the Pampered Chef. If you are ever going to a party, and don't have a lot of money to spend - get a sprinkle! This one is my favourite, and it has LOTS of yummy uses - your consultant will enlighten you, I'm sure. Anyway.

Butter (approx 1/2 C) melted
1 roll of Grands Biscuits
Pampered Chef Sweet Apple Sprinkle (more than half the jar)

Heat oven to 350. Pop open the biscuits, and cut them into quarters.
Pour approx 1/4 C butter on the bottom of cookware (I use a pyrex casserole dish...you want it to be wider, instead of taller. If it's too thick in the middle it takes too long to cook)
Sprinkle with a generous sprinkle of the Apple Sprinkle (that's a lot of sprinkles:-)
Add 1 layer of biscuit quarters to the bottom. Pour more melted butter (approx 1/8 C) over the top and sprinkle with more sprinkles.
Add remaining biscuits to the top, pour with the rest of the butter, and sprinkles
Cook for about 35 to 45 mins (check at 30 mins to check for done-ness in the middle/lower layer)

Enjoy!

*If you use more than half the jar of sprinkles and can't get another recipes worth from it...try it on a cinnamon bagel with cream cheese. Yum!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Good Friday


This is a fairly graphic, but realistic depiction of our Fathers love for us. In His shed blood, we have new life in Christ. Hallelujah!

This has portions from the movie The Passion in it - although graphic, I did let Kenna and Brooks watch this music video, as they are beginning to understand the weight of sin and its penalty... and the Love it took to overcome sin, Satan, and death.

"Behold the Man upon the cross,  My sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there, Until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished"

Here is a song, Sweeping All the Debt Away, that my family has sung at church many times at easter. I don't have a recording of us singing it, but here is the original. Powerful lyrics.

"Bring before my face a picture, of a hillside bleak and dross. Let me see the gentle stranger, ere they raised that wooden cross...bowed His head and said "It's finished", sweeping all the debt away"

Hair Bows

Kenna has quite a few cute outfits with no matching hair bow. I decided to try and solve that problem myself! Using Stampin' Up's Paper Daisies (I don't believe them to be actually paper...more like thin "silk flower" material?) Anyway, they come in plain white...

So I have dyed them with re-inkers and water, and stamped on them with versamark, and then heat embossed powder to them. These first two I just hot glued everything together. I might actually sew them together in the future, we'll see how this holds. Cute, right?! Since I owned everything already to make these in my craft supplies...free hair clips!!

I have plans this weekend to make some with the Big Shot out of actual fabric, which may require minimal sewing to stitch it all together...the fabric ones will be going on stretchie bands. And I'm dying more flowers for more of these clips! It takes 1 minute to dye, but quite awhile to dry them all out again, so it's a bit of a process. I'm planning on some really fun tie dyed ones too! Once I figure out all kinds of different methods for dying these pretties, I'll likely post on my Stampin' Up blog. It's so simple, everyone can do it! My next ones will not use re-inkers, but just a regular classic ink pad. We'll see!!

And now we're gonna be soooo matchy matchy with all our hair accessories! Love it! I'm sure I'll post more pics if I am successful in the end.

I just hot glued the flowers to plain clips we already had.

so pretty!

Kids Rock - Video

Grey's current fave song, Stereo Hearts. Nothing like a little potty time singing session while we "wait". He's a good little singer, don't you think?! 

Kenna made a sign: 5¢ or pene (pennies) or dllrs (dollars) 2 rok (to rock), and they set up this little front porch band:-) I paid them 5 pennies. Brian gave them a dollar, because he didn't have pennies. They are saving up for an ice cream truck purchase, they said. Creative little money grabbers:-)



Thursday, April 5, 2012

Short Story

This is written by my Grandpa (Papie) Kennedy, Dec 31, 1912 - Dec 17, 1982. (Transcribed by my Aunt, Lois Mary Kennedy Burkholder, who passed away from cancer in Feb, 2006). 

******
September 17, 1982
24A Wilson St.,
Markham, Ontario. (294-1416)

Dear Pastors - Dr. Alex Ness, Rev. John Owen and Rev. Trevor Grey:

I would like to relate to you the following experiences of the Miracle working hand of God in my life. (It may sound to you dear people that I deliberately tried to live dangerously!)

1. In 1945, I was driving my little Plymouth car in the Blue Mountains of Collingwood, when a blizzard suddenly arose in one half-hours' time. The car got stuck in the snow, so I walked across a field, wearing my borrowed Russian cossack hat and long fur coat and heavy boots, looking for help. I came upon a barn and walked up to it on an angle. Upon approaching, I noticed two mounds of frozen ice or snow. I jumped from one mound to the other, and then went into the barn. I found two men working there, and related my predicament to them. I told them I got my feet wet jumping over those clumps of ice or snow. They said - "You stepped completely over a 30" concrete curb well, which is ten feet deep." They both said - "You're an extremely fortunate man to be here, especially wearing those heavy clothes."

2. In 1947, I was hit in the stomach with a 7lb. sledge hammer in error, and was picked up for dead. I heard from afar - "He's dead, he's dead" - because they couldn't locate a pulse. When I came to, I said "I'm not dead; I have to get back to work. I can't lose my job." Instead of staying off work seven days, I went back right away. The area where I was hit with this hammer is the exact area in which the cancerous tumor was found in 1980.

3. In the late 1950's, I was driving a flat-bed truck, owned by the contractor I was working for, and I was following him home from Stouffville to Markham, after having the steering on the truck repaired. Suddenly the truck left the road, and turned over three times, cutting off a telephone pole. One more roll would have literally landed myself and the upside down into a gravestone in the Wideman Mennonite Church graveyard. The first man who came to help me was a policeman. The truck was on fire, and he pried the doors open, and quickly discovered the reason for the accident -- he said "The ball and socket of your steering are nowhere to be seen." While rolling over I had said - "Help me Lord". They pulled the truck to a wreckers' - a total write-off. My glasses were broken and one hip hurt, but I was back to work the next day. I was due for one week of holidays, but I went back to work early because I felt very sorry about the accident.

4. In the early 1960's, I was shot in the neck with a Remmington Ramset gun. These guns are used to shoot 1 1/2" concrete nails through 3/8" steel brackets into poured concrete walls. I was hired by a contracting company who were building the Markham Bowling Alley. 22 Calibre bullets were used to drive these nails out of the gun into the concrete. I was on a scaffold 11 ft. from the floor. My helpers brought me steel brackets, holding one end in position so they wouldn't drop them. It was a Friday afternoon. I had told the contractor we can't use the gun anymore until we get washers to fit on the nails, but he said -- "keep going, we have to have it ready for Monday." One of the nails went right through the steel and ricocheted off a big stone in the concrete. The 1 1/2" nail came back and hit me in the neck. They rushed me to Scarborough General Hospital. Being Friday night, all the Doctors had gone off their shifts leaving only interns And intern examined me and said - "its' only a surface wound. I'll dress the wound and send you home" I said - "I have compensation - I would like an Xray." This Xray showed the Ramset nail laying snugly up against the jugular vein - without puncturing it! The Roman Catholic Surgeon who operated to remove the nail said - "You're one of the most fortunate men I know of today - being so close to death, and still alive." Meanwhile the contractors asked me not to tell anyone what actually happened or they could lose their license for operating Ramset guns. They offered to pay 1 1/2 times the compensation for not saying anything. My jaw was so badly twisted that it took quite a while to regain the muscle tone.

5. In 1980, I was working at a Chinese Dentists' home office building, building some bedrooms in the basement. Meanwhile, the electrical contractor developed inner ear trouble and was hospitalized for a week and half. Nevertheless, I tried to carry on, doing a bit of electrical work. The next day I was rushed to Centennary Hospital with pernicious Anemia. A few days later I had an emergency colon by-pass operation because of a massive tumor in the bowel. I was told by my specialist that I was one week away from the sides of the grave without the operation. Rev. Ness visited me at the Hospital and prayed a very beautiful victorious prayer on my behalf.

6. September, 1982 finds me with a body literally racked with cancer, even into the liver. That is why, in the mercies of God, I'm now at the sides of the grave once more. The miracle working God who made the liver in the first place could remove every trace of cancer from this and every area of my body. Except for a deliberate miracle from God, I may have from one week to 6 months to live. Please hold me up to the throne of grace, because I'm full of faith in his ability to still raise me up again. Nevertheless, all I ask is that the total will of God be done. I don't ask to live or to die, just the total will of God for my life.

I offer praise - Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him who ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23

Your Brother in Christ,

Harold L. Kennedy.
LMKB:HLK.
(The above may be verified by my family or friends).
A view of the original testimony above, the 3rd and final page

This is 24 Wilson St. The home owned by my Grandparents, the home my dad was born and raised in. It was located in heart of Markham, right off of Main St. It was torn down in the late 80's to make room for shopping centers and business offices. It had a magnificent tree in the backyard that my brothers and cousins and I LOVED to play in.
Harold and Mary Kennedy
A hard worker. All his family tells of his work ethic and incredible strength. With  Cliff, Elva and baby Lois
The Kennedy Family, L-R, Lois, David, Faith, Donna, Cliff & Elva.
Some of my extended family in 1979, I am the little baby being held by my dad in the (horrific:-) powder blue suit
The complete will of God was accomplished in his life as he passed into eternity in 1982. He was laid to rest in the Dickson Hill Cemetery. My parents bought the parsonage home of that church/cemetery when they were married, so that graveyard was our next door neighbour. It is not a stretch to say we kids visited Papie's grave on a weekly, if not daily basis. In 2007, my Grandma has was laid to rest at his side.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Potty Time

I'm not really potty training Grey Grey yet...but when I catch him at just the "right moment" I set him on the potty and see what comes of it. Last night he was watching hockey with Daddy, and dressing the part too. Something about little boys requires them to dress and play the sport while watching it:-)
And we had our first successful poopy on the potty! He was thrilled at the jellybeans reward (thank you easter egg hunt:-)
Isn't he just the cutest thing ever? He even has great hockey hair. I was making him cheer Go Leafs Go last night, since the Rangers were playing:-)

Monday, April 2, 2012

Nap Time Monster

Last week, while down for nap, Grey was crying and calling "Mommy", of course I go in to see whats up...and he's laying tummy down across the top of the play kitchen, which is barely as wide as his body. He was barely crying and not moving at all, paralyzed with fear...he wouldn't even turn his head, and when I rescued him he stayed stiff as a board. Clinging on for his little life. HE'S A CLIMBER. Oooh boy!
Not a very safe perch. Perhaps we should stay in bed and sleep instead. Novel idea.
He's also a scribbler! Kenna and Brooks never really did this (writing on walls and furniture), because when they were this age, I kept stuff like that up and out of reach. But now with school and their crafts etc, there seems to always be a stray marker or crayon to be found. Another nap time uh-oh. He got into Brooks' pencil case, and scribbled on his desk...
And ALL OVER his own body. And then he fell asleep. Imagine my surprise when I woke him up from his nap! He's a mischievous {and eerily silent} one!

Random Clips - Video

I am finally getting around to editing the video clips I've taken in the past few weeks, so here they are!

From Grey's birthday - snuggles with Daddy before bed.
This one is Kenna (and Grey) singing Grey's current favourite song, Stereo Hearts

One of Grey's current "fun activities" putting things in and out of the microwave, and calling us saying "dinner's ready!". Thankfully he doesn't know how to turn it on yet. The only button he can press is the "cancel" button. yay. Excuse Ardyn's delightful noises in the background. She was finished her lunch and is apparently not very patient:-)
 Harmonica playing Grey...about every song in the world sounds just like this:

Pudge the Fish - Video

Having seen Lilo & Stitch recently for the first time, our little memorizer promptly put her favourite part in her memory bank:-) "I'd be an abomination!" We get to hear this at least once per day:-)

Sing Along

Here are some current songs we can't help but turn up loud, and sing all day long. Catchy. We don't watch the videos just listen to the music, so I can't vouch for the content of the youtube vids, it's just the easiest way to link up to share the music, so I'd suggest just listening not watching. When I say "we turn it up" I mean the KIDS! These are some of the songs we get serenaded with - with mostly incorrect lyrics of course...They have their Mommy's knack for singing an entire song with not one correct lyric! :-D We all make Daddy laugh. Big time.

Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine
We Are Young - Fun feat. Janelle Monae
Ours - Taylor Swift
Jar of Hearts - Christina Perri
Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars
More Like Her - Miranda Lambert
The One That Got Away - Katy Perry
All Your Life - The Band Perry
It Will Rain - Bruno Mars
Drunk on You - Luke Bryan (Boom boom song!)

Blast from the Past - Video

From 2003. Sweetness.