Welcome to my Nest!
Merry Christmas to all of you, from our crazy family. May your holidays be filled with love, laughter and your family surrounding you. Cherish the twinkle in your children’s eyes as they experience the wonder of giving and of course, the magic of too much chocolate combined with the glee of new toys and over [...]
I have never been a cobbler kinda gal. I like my fruits in crisps, the cakey topping that I usually associate with crumbles can’t hold a candle to the crunchy oatmeal topping that crisps are known for. The story that lead me to this recipe is a common one around this house. It started with [...]
Oh, yes I did! These lovelies were inspired by my first trip to the Bulk Barn, prompted by everyone on Twitter telling me how much I was missing in life by not frequenting said store. And I mean everyone. I think even Jessica Alba chimed in at one point and said “Are you crazy??” Ok, [...]
The devil made me do it. That’s the only thing that came to mind when I realized that on a day when it was about plus 28 Celsius, I was finally making the cookies that have been niggling in the back of my mind for a long, long time. I recently posted the base recipe [...]
Indeed, What Is It? Wednesday IS the lobster rug. My husband wins Husband of the Year award for this one, no doubt about it. I am going to save a place on the new fireplace mantle just for his trophy. He ordered it, figured out how to get it sent to his hotel while he was in Anaheim and toted it through the airport to bring it home to mama. If I didn't love him before, I would now. Seeing how … [Read more...]
We are officially residents of the south side. Moved in, moved on and in the new house. I find "in" such a relative word. We are most certainly "in" the house. All our possessions are definitely "in" the house. And "under" my feet..and all "over"...wait, I am getting into preposition territory now. I am assuredly not "in" a restful state. I should be "in" the loony bin for moving … [Read more...]
There's a lot of internal screaming with excitement going on right about now. Let it stand for the record that I am so incredibly lucky, blessed and grateful for the fact that we were able to build this new house. I also thought we never would because I hate moving. I vowed we would never leave the house we are in. Apparently my vows aren't worth the breath I use to utter them. I have a … [Read more...]
Also known as The Walk-through That Mr Magpie Made It To. What a slacker, leaves the wife to do all the hard work. Well, as I always say : what you don't see the wife spend..you won't know 'till the end! Ok, I lied. I don't always say that. But I sure am from now on! Mwhahahaa! The house. It surely is yellow. It looks quite dark in places that don't have that much natural light such … [Read more...]
Ah summer in Edmonton. Festivals galore, the sunshine that won't stay longer than 10 minutes and a river valley that is a bounty of food to be found. We have been picking the Saskatoons in the River Valley almost as long as we have been living here. I wasn't sure how long, so I went to look. I made the mistake of looking up the first year we picked Saskatoons in our river valley, which I … [Read more...]
There's that whole giddy excitement mixed with sheer, unadulterated terror feeling again, I am almost used to it now. Almost. Not quite. Lynn, my lovely friend from work announced that she was off to the beach this morning and asked if anyone wanted to join her. I, of course, jumped on the invitation like a crocodile on a wildebeest and told her we would love it. I had re-arranged the house, … [Read more...]
We finally got to have our official pre-drywall inspection of the house on Tuesday morning. I forgot how long and complex they can get, one just thinks that you walk through, give you "yup looks good", point out whatever concerns you and go home. Newp. First you start on the outside of the house and if you have a good site inspector this is going to take you quite a while. You start in the … [Read more...]
What The Truck was a local event held here in Edmonton last Friday, one that I was eager to check out with Mr Magpie and the littles. The point was to round up some of the great food trucks we have here, put them all in one venue, spin the tunes and get people out to eat, visit, finally meet each other (lots of Twitter peeps to meet) and generally rejoice in the fact that you didn't have to make … [Read more...]
Congrats to Kitty Mayne on your win! I will contact you for your mailing address. And as soon as Canada Post decides to get back to work, I will send them on their way! Thanks again to everyone who entered, there will be more on the way that I am concocting. And yes, I know I am a day late announcing this. I had the Random Number generator all ready to go last night when the husband … [Read more...]
S'alright. I have a lot of container gardening going on this year, with success in some areas and absolute failure in others. The beautiful, leafy Mesclun - a mixture of delicious greens - below is a roaring success and I am so excited to harvest it in perhaps a mere week now, if the sun ever shines and helps it out. I am sad to say that my container of spinach suffered at the hands tail … [Read more...]
Just...waiting. A lot of waiting. For what, I am not sure, I know they install the wiring, fix the insulation, replace any broken boards and check the framing, but I thought that was going to be done sooner. We popped by the house and the only thing new that I can see is that garage floor has been poured and looks lovely of course and peeking in the windows I can see that wiring has been … [Read more...]
I could easily become one of those crazy coupon people on that TV show I haven't watched yet but fully intend to. I could dive into dumpsters for coupons, stay up late formulating how to get the best deals..you know the drill. I love shopping, I really do. Excepting shoe shopping for myself, which is another post entirely, let me tell you. Anyone who knows me well refuses to take me shoe … [Read more...]
With all the hoopla of the new house being built, selling this house and life being it's generally crazy self, I forgot to give away these books that have been hanging around the house. DK Publishing is extremely generous to me and loves to send me books to review and of course, I in turn love to choose not only children's books for my two kids to enjoy but gardening books for myself. These … [Read more...]
Edmonton has more farmers markets than you can shake a stick at and for good reason. This city is so flippin' sprawled out that to get to another quadrant takes a million years and miles of travel. In fact, teleporting or apparating might be a better mode of travel most days thanks to construction season. Forgive my flippance, I seem to have been extremely unlucky and taken every … [Read more...]
If you thought I panicked last time I took a gander at our lovely house in progress, think again, my dearest friend. Driving up to the house to meet our sales rep to do our first official tour of the inside had Mike waving smelling salts under my nose to revive me. The siding will be done today and nothing makes a house look more complete than the siding. Now I must admit, they are doing a … [Read more...]
Yes, this was back on Good Friday and yes I am really late in posting these pictures. But doesn't it cheer you up to see snow galore on the ground only a few mere weeks ago, only to look out your window today and see sunshine with a side of mosquitoes? Yes, I know I am cheered up by the bounty of mosquitoes, I can't stop scratching the bites on my arms out of sheer joy! We did have a … [Read more...]
Well. I knew that the framing was going to go fast but I was completely surprised this afternoon when the kids and I made our usual Thursday afternoon drive out to see the house. If you call completely surprised having a panic attack and breathing into a paper bag so I didn't pass out. That might be a slight exaggeration but it certainly is intimidating when one is in the process of trying … [Read more...]
Last Thursday I finally got around to visiting the Alberta Avenue Farmers Market, one of the few markets that are on my end of town. Heck, nothing is really on my end of town, but central is closer than the south for us. The market runs every Thursday from 5-8 pm and the location is 9210 118 ave. We met Mike there at 5 on his way home from work and waited outside in the absolutely gorgeous … [Read more...]
I love my kids, my husband and chocolate.
The order depends on when you ask.
Welcome to my nest!
