My Favourite Party Punch

I am loving punch lately. Punch on its own or mixed with some bubbly is just so enjoyable. I decided we needed punch for B's bridal shower so obviously I turned to Pinterest. This recipe looked tasty so it was my starting point. And the final product was a hit.

 

 



 

 

Ingredients
- 1 can frozen lemonade (thawed)
- 1 can frozen orange juice (thawed)
- 2L lemon-lime soda
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 3-4 cups ice
- lemon and orange slices for garnish

Instructions
 - Pour liquids into a bowl and mix well.
- add ice
- add garnish. I missed this step. No one noticed.

 I was following the original recipe I found but after mixing the main liquids I decided to taste it before adding the sugar. It didn't need a drop of sugar. I also didn't add the water the recipe called for because there wasn't enough room in the bowl (none of us have a punch bowl so we were making do). I figured the ice would melt into it and it did.

This will be my go to punch recipe from now on and I think all my future parties will need punch. And I guess that means I need a punch bowl. Who doesn't love an excuse to go an shopping?

What is your go-to party drink?
 

 

Linking up with the Do Tell Tuesday ladies, Tuesday's Table and Delicious Dish Tuesday!

 

 

 

Weekend Recap: Family Love

This weekend was all about family. More specifically, celebrating my little sister B's upcoming wedding. The wedding isn't until the end of August but because she and her fiancé live in Saskatchewan (stupid law school, counting down the days/months til she moves back) we are celebrating as she makes it home for visits. And this weekend was the first time that both my sisters and I were all in town together in at least a year. I think. However long it has been doesn't matter because it has been a loooong time and because we were all here we (meaning mom) decided to have her wedding shower.

Friday night we had a big family dinner at mom's house and caught up over lasagna and pie. On Saturday we did some shopping and then went for pedicures - hello Spring! I conveniently forgot my flip flops and got to wear some awesome flippers into the nearby florist where we went after to discuss wedding flowers. Fun times. But actually it really was fun times. I love spending time with my sisters.



My sisters and mom getting pampered



My finished toes and really cool flippers... on the wrong feet



I have only ever wanted two gnomes in my life and this is #2. I love him. I wonder if I will
break down and actually give him a new home



This is the tree in front of the florist and we thought it looked pretty

Sunday was Shower Day. My mom and older sister G nailed the decorations (not my forte) and we had quite the spread. I was in charge of the cake and punch so obviously spent some time on Pinterest. We ate, played games, ate, drank, opened gifts, ate and then nibbled a bit more as we packed up the leftovers. Total success! All my pics are on my real camera (not that this means they are any good) but I plan on doing a more in depth post just on her shower.



Here is a sneak peak of the cake I made for the shower!

 I hope you had amazing weekend B💜



 
 

Linking up with:

Manic Monday | Monday Morning Gossip | Weekend Recap

 

 

 



I’m Thankful My Mom is My Mom

I have an awesome Mom. I know that many people have awesome moms but I really only know mine and I am so thankful for her. Luckily I live close to my parents and either of them is there in a flash if I need them. And yesterday I needed I needed my mom.

Sunday night my hubby made us hamburgers for dinner and I finished about 2/3 of mine. I gave the rest to Milo (just the patty not any of the bun or fixings). Cut to Monday morning and as Milo lay on our bed while I got ready to go to work, his tummy was making some crazy sounds. Loud indigestion type sounds. But he seemed ok, he was doing his usual lazy morning routine, waiting until I go downstairs which he knows is the cue for food, meaning I basically trip over him as he races me to the kitchen.

But yesterday when I was read to head downstairs, he followed me and went straight to his bed in the living room. This was not normal. I put out Jinx’s food and expected Milo to jump up as I approached his dish but he just watched me put down his doggie meatloaf. And stayed in his bed. I literally don’t think this has ever happened before.

I was worried. I had to go to work. Hubby had to go to work and although he is normally home between 2-3pm, had a long day and wouldn’t be home until after 4pm. Had Milo seemed ill I would have taken him to the vet but he was acting normal, he just didn’t want to eat and his tummy was making the sounds. Basically I knew that he was going to need to go outside at some point to feel better and making him wait until 4pm (or later!) seemed very cruel.

So I called my mom.

I called and asked if she could stop by and let Milo out in a couple hours, check on him to see if he was still doing ok and if he finally ate his breakfast. (I guess I am also thankful that my mom is retired, although she seems a lot busier these days!). My mom went to our house and as soon as she walked in the door Milo went crazy – my mom walks him every Wednesday afternoon with one of her girlfriends – and he assumed he was going out with her. And he seemed fine so she took him out to one of his favourite dog parks and let him run around for an hour.

She took him home and he ran in and gobbled up his breakfast.

And then she called me to let me know that my little guy was ok.

Things like that is just one of the many reasons I am so thankful that my mom is my mom.

 

 

 

Oh and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

     

If There are No Photos Did it Really Happen?

We actually had a really good weekend but for some reason I didn't take any relevant photos.

 

I didn't take photos of any of the following:

 

- the delicious White Spot dinner we devoured while watching Horrible Bosses 2 on Friday night

 

- the coffee I received in bed Saturday morning while I watched Hart of Dixie and snuggled with Jinx

 

- the shopping excursions to Old Navy, Chapters (book store) and Walmart where my amazing hubby bought me a new iPad. Wait, I did take one pic!

 

 

 

- more tasty food (have you ever tried honey garlic pork? DELISH!)

 

- planting seeds for the vegetable garden I attempt every summer

 

- umpteen loads of laundry (that I still haven't finished)

 

- Sons of Anarchy season 7 bingeing

 

And that's about it. We ate too much food and watched too much TV. Wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Because every post should have a cute photo :)

 

 

Happy Monday friends!



 
 

Linking up with:

Manic Monday | Monday Morning Gossip | Weekend Recap

 

 

 



My Thoughts on Vanderpump Rules Season 4 Finale

My Vanderpump Rules binge watching has come to an end. I tried to spread them out a bit more but I just couldn't do it, and I am now going to have to suffer through the long wait for season 5. Is there a season 5??

 

Except for the reunion, saving that for this weekend.

 

In honour of my new obsession and Friday, I thought I would share my thoughts on the season 4 finale. 

 

 

1) Kristen is a shit show. BUT from what I saw, she didn't actually cause any drama at Scheana's reception until James became a drunken ass and she hit him in the parking lot. In my opinion James caused the drama. And deserved the punch.

 

But Kristen is a crazy psycho shit show. I would be terrified if I were Tom Sandoval.

 



 

2) Ahhh Tom Sandoval... I totally think he slept with that chick in Miami. But he and Ariana seem really happy and she doesn't care if it happened or not. It was cute when he asked her to move in with him but he kind of seems like a serial cheater.



3) Stassi is a freak. I originally started watching right before she found out that Jax and Kristen had slept together and I felt sorry for her... then I watched all the seasons (before and after) and that chick is an entitled beotch. She annoys me.



4) Jax is a douche and doesn't deserve a gif.

5) Katie and Tom Schwartz are my favourites. I think I'm supposed to dislike Schwartz because he was a cheating loser but once he was busted and they went to therapy he seems like he really does want to be better. Except for the whole ring on a string thing... that was a bad move. I don't blame Katie for giving him the 6 month deadline but I hope so damn much that he gets his shit together in time. But he does need to do two things: never wear the 'tie' he wore to Scheana's wedding again, and stop calling Katie 'Bubby' - ugh.



And that's about all I have for you.

I hope your Friday is as sunny as mine, time to start the countdown to the weekend! 

  

Oh and I need Lisa's wine glass.

 



  All gifs via giphy
Cheers to Friday!
  Friday Parties:  

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Homemade Chicken Deliciousness

I made the best chicken I have ever had (at home anyway, there is a local Greek restaurant that makes the best chicken I have ever had in the world) last week and I can't take any credit for the recipe. I don't even have my own photo to show you because we devoured it so fast and were enjoying it so much that the thought of a photo didn't enter my mind at all.

 

Originally from Closet Cooking, I found the recipe on Pinterest and knew it was just my style.  And because I am too lazy to type it all out (no shame in my game) I have literally snipped the recipe and directions from the genius behind the deliciousness.

 

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 I followed the directions exactly except for:

 

- I used chicken broth instead of white wine (I only had sweet Riesling and didn't think it would work)

- I wanted the sauce a bit thicker so used a cornstarch/water combo right at the end

 

I served the chicken over brown rice (frozen from Trader Joe's, so easy) and green beans (blanched and then tossed in butter, salt and pepper). We gobbled it up  and didn't even talk except to say how tasty everything was. I will definitely be making this again soon... as in next week.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Book Review: The Girl on the Train

Our book club choseThe Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins for our latest pick and it was great for how I planned to read it – poolside with a cocktail in hand. Actually I tend stand in the pool and wander while reading but you know what I mean.

I didn’t have a chance to pick up the book before we left for our vacation so as soon as we got off the plane in Vegas we checked the store in the terminal and I was thrilled to see it in stock (I wasn’t going to chance being bookless by the pool) so I scooped that baby up. And I attracted a lot of attention with it – my first trip down to the pool I picked my spot in the pool right by an older woman who had just finished it. Every time I looked up and she could sense I was taking a brief reading break, she asked me where I was, how I liked it, etc. She loved it btw.

I really enjoyed it as well. I am not always one for thrillers (I actually didn't really like Gone Girl) but this one had me pretty hooked, I kept changing my mind as to what had happened. Pretty sure I drove my husband a little batty because every few chapters I would exclaim, “I was wrong! Oh this (I don’t want to ruin it for you…) must have happened!”

It turns out I did not know what happened ever and the ending totally shocked me; I didn’t see it coming at all.

The characters were brought to life for me, I always like it when I can see them in my head, and the story moved at a good pace. I would totally read this again in a couple years.

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Currently: March Edition

I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed February's Currently post because I was days away from heading on vacation with my hubby, and now I am back in the real world with no vacations planned until the end of July and that's only a long weekend. Booo,

 

BUT the sun is shining, flowers are already blooming and Big Brother Canada starts soon, holding me over until the summer when the real Big Brother returns.

 

So let's get on with linking up to Jenna and Anne.

Currently...
 

dreaming | In the literal sense I'm not really dreaming anything I am aware of. I am sleeping so soundly lately that I have no clue what is going on in this head of mine. Desire-wise I am contemplating an iPad mini 2 because my 2nd generation iPad is acting up and I think it's time to put it out of its misery. I am worried about going to a smaller screen but everyone I have asked says they don't even notice it. Thoughts?
 

planning | Because Spring basically arrived last month, I am feeling really behind on our veggie garden. So this weekend I am going to figure out what I want and get the seeds planted in those little pucks. I also have to look into whether or not any veggies can grow in the shade... we have a basically untouched strip beside the house and as is it's pretty ugly so if we can just rip it out and plant something I would be thrilled.
 

making | I plan on making this chicken dish for dinner tonight. I only have one of the ingredients so will have to grocery shop but I should be able to make that happen. Otherwise it's frozen pizza.
 

baking | I love to bake but I also love to eat said baking so this is dangerous at our house. That being said, I saw a super easy way to make chocolate croissants on instagram and I want to try it this weekend - if it works I will definitely post!

 

watching | I just finished seasons 2 and 3 of Vanderpump Rules and have 4 episodes of season 4 to catch up on... plus I am only 2 episodes away from being caught up on Scandal. And I have been saving the series finale episode of Parenthood (not sure why) but I think I'm going to break down and watch it this weekend... I am already mentally preparing to cry.

  And because every post needs a little action:  

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Weekend Recap... On Tuesday

No I was not lucky enough to have a three day weekend, I was just too distracted yesterday and didn't manage to get anything written. It was actually a pretty decent Monday, the majority of my dept. at work is traveling and I didn't have any pressing deadlines, the sun was shining and our operations manager brought in donuts for everyone. I even had an easy dinner, heating up a frozen lasagna and putting out a bag salad. Thanks hubs for letting me slack!

           Lazy Monday post-work attire 

I had a good weekend too, a relaxed Friday and Saturday followed by a busy Sunday. 

Friday night we did our usual grocery shop, ordered in pizza and settled in to finish off our Vanderpump Rules marathon. (BTW I'm devastated it's over - I need another gong show to get hooked on, anyone??)

Saturday flew by in an admittedly lazy haze until the evening when Milo and I went to my SIL's house to visit, eat tasty appies and watch a movie. The dogs played, we chatted, it was a very good time.

Puppy love

Sunday I slept in a bit but then I had to get up and get ready for our first book club baby shower. It was so much fun with the cutest theme, classic children's books, tons of delicious food and one of the tastiest punches I have ever had. My SIL and I had to hightail it out of there to make it to her and my hubby's grandpa's 93rd birthday dinner. All I wanted to do when I got home was climb into bed. 

Happy birthday Grandpa!

It was a pretty great weekend and we are moving swiftly to the next one :)



 
 

Linking up with:

Manic Monday | Monday Morning Gossip | Weekend Recap