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ManuellaMarch 21, 2009 - 9:15 am

OOO I so want a lensbaby. Great shots, looks like you all had alot of fun.

My Birthday Boy!

Monday, March 2, 2009

My son Noah turned 9 today! Caught these two photos of him on the way home from school:

But on the weekend he had his big birthday party with his friends from school. On Saturday he helped me bake a cake:

On Sunday morning we iced and decorated the cake:

Noah enjoyed the left over gel icing from the tube:

But the really exciting and FUN part of the weekend came once Sabeena and Zack from Bugs Without Borders arrived. They started off with a little education, which was interesting and fun for the kids:

Noah checks out one of the containers:

Sabeena talked about how she started collecting and catching bugs when she was a little girl:

And then they brought the insects and animals out. If it was safe for the children, they were allowed to touch and hold them:

The lizard with the blue tongue was a big hit:

As was the gecko:

And the bearded lizard was a HUGE hit:

A few more of the animals:

A favourite part, at the end, was when they watched the bearded lizard catch and eat a meal worm, they LOVED that!

And to finish out the party, cake and presents!

Noah later proclaimed it as ‘the best day of his life’, I’d say Bugs Without Borders was a HUGE success! 😉

by Holly

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Kensington Market & Five Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Headed down to Kensington Market the other day with a friend, and my daughter came along. It wasn’t quite as colourful (or warm, of course!) as our summer visit to the market, but it was fun. We had some Dim Sum first and then wandered around the market for a bit.

Rebecca checks out the colourful wares, and wishes she hadn’t spent all her money so she could buy something:

There are some weird things to see in the market, like this bin of gas masks:

But some yummy sights too, like these colourful cupcakes shot through the store window:

Shot these colourful glasses in a large market there, think it’s called the Blue Banana Market?

Rebecca, giving me the evil eye:

Enough with the pictures Mom!

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Later Rebecca and I tried out this cake that you cook in the microwave (see recipe below) that my mother emailed me quite a while ago.

Rebecca added both white chocolate and chocolate chips to her mug cake:

AND then added some mint chocolate chip ice cream on the side as well!

Can I recommend this cake? Well, I’m not sure, I only had a taste but Rebecca seemed to enjoy it! (And my son, seeing these photos, wants to try making it too!)

Here’s the recipe:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (not sure how strong our microwave is, we cooked it for the 3 minutes and it turned out fine). The cake will rise over the top of the mug (depending on the size of the mug), but don’t be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Enjoy!

by Holly

2 comments

ManuellaMarch 11, 2009 - 12:11 pm

Hey, you live here in T.O, how cool. I love kensington, haven’t been there in years though, must go back.

Oh and that chocolate Mugh cake, OMGOSH, I must try that, thanks for posting it.

All your dishes look yummy!

ManuellaMarch 21, 2009 - 9:11 am

I tried making the cake, several times,lol. Everyone has loved it, including my kids and friends, I’ve fed one to just about everyone that’s come over this past week. Thanks for the recipe, this has definitely become one of my fave recipes.

Yummy pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and more

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Made the yummy slow cooker pulled pork a couple of weeks ago (see link to the recipe here).

You’ll know it’s done when it pulls apart very easily:

It’s much yummier once you add the bbq sauce though!

Asked the kids what they wanted, one wanted mashed potatoes, the other brown rice. Did a MUCH better job with the mashed potatoes this time, last time I didn’t add enough butter & milk, this time the kids kept going back for more and more:

by Holly

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Our Family Pets

Monday, February 16, 2009

I happened to have my camera out, with the flash on, when I popped into my daughter’s room. How could I resist capturing some photos of her hamster Norbert? Isn’t he cute? (His only downfall is he bites!)

Whenever he notices someone paying attention to him, he’ll come over to the bars of his cage and start chewing on them, and climbing to the top. If he goes into the spaceship part (as the kids call it), he’ll stick his nose in the holes.

What he is asking for is one of his beloved ‘Milk Drops’, which he received at Christmas time, he LOVES them!

Then I captured one shot of Noah’s beta fish Dragon, whom you may remember from an earlier photo session. This time I kept it really simple, and just bounced the flash on the ceiling, so the image isn’t as dramatic as the previous shoot where I lit him from the side.

by Holly

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