Christmas Readiness and Craziness

The Christmas planning, organizing and general craziness has begun!
Katy takes Nana's chair down to the basement:

Mitch, Rob, Katy, and John proudly display their hard work after setting up all the tables and chairs in Nana and Dandy's basement for Christmas Dinner:

Jayme and I were upstairs helping Nana make her famous 24 hour fruit salad!

Then - just because we could - Cheryl and I went out and saw the moving RED and got our nails done.  Totally girly, and completely relaxing.  Just what we needed before the real craziness of the Christmas season starts.

PS:  I completely recommend the movie RED to anyone who likes a funny action movie.  Really good!  Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, and Richard Dreyfus.  Very good!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Hope you have an amazing holiday!  All the best to you and yours.

*Hugs*
Kristen

Countdown

 AS PROMISED:

UMAGA is scary!  GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR *snort snort*

Seriously, do you grow up thinking "I want to be a strange man beating up other men in front of an audience while sticking out my tongue and wearing face paint!  Yeah... that'll be an awesome profession!"  Where were this guys parents???

But shotguns are meaner!

Scary looking gun from Google Images....

AND.... Even I'll admit that Monster Trucks look kinda cool....

 LOOK - it's the antithesis of mushy girl-y-ness!

To quote Tim Allen from Home Improvement.... (Grunts) Oh oh ohoh OH!
  ...  There, have I won back all my not-so-girlie readers after my last post? 

 ANYWAYS.....


My Christmas countdown has officially begun.  I usually start it whenever I start exchanging gifts with friends.  This year however I started exchanging fairly early.  I decided that this year I would start counting down from the day I could say "Merry Christmas Eve's Eve's Eve's Eve's Eve...." and continue saying Eve without annoying myself.  Today I was able to wish people a Merry Christmas Eve's Eve's Eve and say it with a straight face.  Therefore - CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN!

Having some friends over for dinner and another gift exchange didn't hurt either though.  :D  Isn't that a much nicer picture than a shotgun-WWE-Monster Truck conglomeration? 

Merry Christmas Eve's Eve's Eve!

Girls Day

Have you ever noticed how some girls can't manage to go to the bathroom without at least two other girls going with her?  Does she need company?  Help?  ...a better developed self confidence?  As much as I abhor the practice of visiting the washroom in packs (and trust me.... I find it all kinds of weird) perhaps women inherently know that they are stronger in groups.  No matter the situation, having a close girl friend to vent to, share with, or commiserate with helps to make us stronger.  (Though now I'm rather wishing I could come up with a better metaphor than the High School girls bathroom clique.)  lol

The girls that you can call when you are having a crappy day, the girls that call you when their days are crappy - those are better friends.  Their are two ways you can define a good girl friend:

1.  someone who you would absolutely want as a bridesmaid at your wedding, but also someone who would be completely happy not to be, and still offer to help you plan in any way they could. 

2.  Someone who will help you hide, AND help you hide the body.

Today I got to hang out with two of my closest friends, two of the best, most caring, wonderful women on the planet.  All of us are in such different places in our lives, moving in different directions, growing in different ways.  Yet instead of focusing on the differences, or constantly reminiscing about the days we used to hang out every day we revel in the changes - embrace and explore the new directions our lives are going together.  Through weddings, and careers, moving across the country (or across the globe!) we stay strong.  I love that we are still so similar, and yet have become our own people.  I am a strong self confident person because whenever I feel otherwise, they are there to remind me. 

Today I just want to remind them - they are also strong, beautiful, amazing, caring, independent women.  No matter the distance between us I will always treasure our friendship. 


... and so ends the sentimental ramblings of a dreamy schmultzy mush of a person.  My next post will be on Monster Trucks, shot guns, and the WWE. ;)

Teaching in Korea

Someone sent me this video and I find it absolutely hilarious.  Thankfully my experience was a good one, I never had any of the issues that are discussed in the video - but I certainly met my share of English teachers that had experienced one or two of the "Korean Culture" differences. (To be politically correct.)


Why You Shouldn't Teach English in Korea


I still maintain that going to Korea to teach is a wonderful idea and I'd recommend it to almost anyone.  However, you just have to make sure you know who you are signing a contract with, and who you would be working for.  Otherwise, this could become more of a sad reality than a funny spoof!

The Festive Season

One of the biggest things that I've missed being overseas has been the decorating for different holidays.  It was never so obvious as it was at Christmas time.  Sure the occasional flower store would sell poinsettias (they were in season after all) and there would be Christmas cards for sale at the local grocery store, but it just wasn't the same.  I missed the lights on the houses, the big Christmas trees, and seeing Santa getting accosted at the mall by feisty four year olds.

I did give it my best shot to decorate my own place for the holidays.  I made snowflakes, candy canes, and evergreen trees out of origami paper for the windows, I bought some Christmas oranges, and hung a few lights.... but really it just wasn't the same!  I missed the tradition - and hanging lights on my sliding glass doors into my laundry room only seemed to highlight the fact that I constantly had clothes waiting to dry and be folded off the drying rack. 

Travis' Mom had sent him a Christmas tree, and my wonderful family had sent me a care package with lots of Christmas presents.  It was a fun Christmas and a unique Christmas, certainly one I won't quickly forget.

But tradition is a lot of fun too.  I was looking around my parents house today and I realized just how much I love all of my Mom's Christmas decorations.

 The miniature Christmas village that lights up.

 The mantle with our stocking that Mom cross stitched.  (Man I wish that was a talent I inherited... sadly we'll never know, as I certainly didn't inherit the patience to try. lol)

But most especially the tree.  It has all of the Christmas decorations on it that our family have been given, have made, or have purchased over the last 27 years of my parents marriage.  There are horrid little caricatures of things that the boys and I have made in school - Popsicle sleds and acorn Santas.  Mom always tries to get us to decorate it together, and we end up reminiscing over a few things at least.  It may be sappy.... but it's Christmas tradition, and in the end, that's the important thing, right?

One other thing that I'm looking forward to as part of the "Christmas Tradition" is a big ol' Turkey, some stuffing, and a bit of mashed potatoes.  After all.... last years Christmas dinner was the best I could do under Korean grocery store availability.

Ground pork quesadillas with cheese and roasted peppers.  Served with salsa.  Merry Christmas?  lol

Whatever the traditions are for your family during the holiday season I hope you enjoy them this year!  (Who knows, maybe pork quesadillas will catch on! :D  )

Fixed

It was brought to my attention that the video that I put up for my post way back on November 1st failed to upload.  I went back and fixed it - so if anyone wants to see it, it should be all better and good to go now.

http://toontowntraveller.blogspot.com/2010/11/saturday-and-sunday-in-seoul.html

*Enjoy!*

Nanaimo Balls

Don't those look yummy?  These are Nanaimo Balls - a take on the traditional (I guess...) Canadian dessert/square  Nanaimo Bars.

Mom and I have been making these over the last few days - mostly because we've been busy, and this took several steps.  You can put the balls in the fridge or freezer in between each step and leave them overnight if you want to keep the work down to a minimum.



Nanaimo Balls

Step One

6 Tbsp. Butter or Hard (NOT spreadable) margarine
2 Tbsp. Milk
2 1/4 Cups Icing Sugar

Mix and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll into balls.  (Keep the balls really small because you'll be adding two more layers, and you don't want them to end up being huge).  Keep in refrigerator or freezer while preparing:

Step Two
 
2/3 Cup Margarine (spreadable)
5 Tbsp Sugar
5 Tbsp. Cocoa
1/2 Cup chopped nuts (Optional, we used pecans)
1 Egg
2 Cups Graham wafer crumbs
1 cup coconut (Medium grind, chopped not strings)

Mix and add egg and crumb mixture, cool in the refrigerator.  2 tsp. at a time flatten with a tsp. into the palm of your hand.  In the center place a yellow ball (from Step One) and wrap the mixture around.  Freeze.

Step Three

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp. Margarine or Butter
















Dip the frozen balls into the chocolate.

Makes about 50 balls.

Mmmhmmm.... Nanaimo Balls!

South Carolina - With Pictures!

From November 22 - December 13th I was in South Carolina with Travis to meet and greet his family.  It was a beautiful area with rolling hills, lots of trees, and even a few flowers left for me to enjoy.  (In November!!!)

These are Gerber Daisies from Travis' mom's garden.  Can you believe they look that good that close to Christmas???


We went on lots of hikes, visiting Riley Moore Falls:

Which was gorgeous.  You have to hike down into it, which was different that what I was used to.  The few falls that I had walked to before were all in Alberta - and you always walk UP to the waterfall, and then back down to civilization.  Not so at Riley Moore!

This is from the same day.  After we finished at the Riley Moore falls we still had some time so we walked the Brass Town falls.  They are a collection of three waterfalls - this particular picture is me in front of Middle Brass Town (AKA 2 of 3)


The people that I met were wonderful, and the food was also wonderful.

 

This is a "low country boil" also known as a "frogmore stew".  It doesn't have frogs, and isn't a stew... but meh, there are stranger names in Canada.  It includes baby potatoes, corn on the cob, sausage, shrimp, and crab legs.  It was DELICIOUS!

Isn't this picturesque?  I'm a little sad that the review mirror is in the way - but I figure the picture turned out pretty well considering I was riding in the back of a Jeep while it was moving trying to take the picture.  Such a gorgeous part of the USA!

Had a blast!  Miss everyone there already!!!  Hugs!

South Carolina!

As I write this I've been in Tamassee, South Carolina for 11 days.  It is beautiful here, and getting to meet all of Travis' relatives has been great as well.


I've tried multiple times to upload pictures so that I can post them - and have come to the realization that the internet here just doesn't want to let me.  To much work I suppose.  I'll be back in Saskatoon on the 13th and I'll post some then.

We've walked to about 5 different waterfalls, and down into an unfinished tunnel.  I've been through Oconee County in South Carolina, and visited both the states of Georgia, and North Carolina.  Next weeked we are planning on going to Tennessee!  It's been extrememly busy, but a lot of fun - no telling what we'll do next.