Packing, schmaking!

We are moving on Monday, and I am pretty sure I will packing right up to the very second we close the door on the moving truck. I think that I have packing ADD. I have at least a dozen half-packed boxes scattered around my apartment. What is the deal with that? I have no idea. I start to pack a box, and then after a few minutes, I quit. Sometimes I get bored. But most of the time, I give up because I can't figure out how to pack the box effectively. My kitchen has the most half-packed boxes. You try to fit a number of odd shaped small kitchen appliances and gadgets in a box! It is pretty much impossible to pack some of this stuff up without leaving large pockets of open space in the box. I have decided that open space is okay as long as everything makes it into a box. And if my husband asks why the blender is the only thing in a rather large box, I will most likely give him the glare of death and tell him that if he thinks he can do better, then he can do it himself because I'm bored with it!

Good bye, Babe!

My sister Mandy (I call her Babe. No one is really sure where that nickname came from. I think it started around the time the movie Babe came out. You remember that one? With the pig? You can draw your own conclusions!) is leaving tomorrow to serve a mission in Arizona for our church. She will be gone for 18 months. This makes me happy and very sad. I am so happy that she is going to serve her mission. She actually got her call about 9 months ago, but had some medical issues that had to be sorted through. Now she is good to go. I love my sister dearly. We talk on the phone almost everyday (I think the longest we went without speaking was when I was on my honeymoon and most recently when Husband and I were on our cruise and didn't have cell phone reception!), and if you saw our wall-to-wall on facebook, you would be astonished at the number of posts between us!

I think I am going to go through some serious withdrawal without her around. I am glad she is going, but the selfish part of me wants her to stay.

Good luck on your mission, Babe. May God bless you and keep you safe! I love you and I will see you in 18 months!

Making apple pie, Christmas 2007

Swimming at Park Lake, May 2007

Mandy was my maid of honour. She was so good at it that she even suffered a physical injury to fulfill her duties!

We're moving!

Husband and I moving to Texas in less than 2 weeks! Husband is leaving the army and will be training to become a police officer. The class was going to start in March, but has been pushed to at least June. By the time we received that information, we were already making plans to move. So we decided to move out there early. That will give us time to get settled. It will give me time to find a job. I haven't worked for almost a year now, and the thought of a job kind of makes me sad! How will I keep up with all my talk shows? (Just kidding...sort of!)

I have never moved an entire apartment across the country before. In fact, I've never moved an entire apartment across town! It has been, and will continue to be, a learning experience. The other night, Husband was trying to reserve a moving truck online, and he asked me what size of truck I thought we would need. Ummm? How about one that is big enough to fit all of our stuff? For some reason, he did not find that answer helpful! To be honest, I don't want to have anything to do with picking the truck size. That way, if it is too small, it is not my fault! Selfish? Maybe. Smart? Definitely!

We have packed up quite a bit of stuff already, but it seems like there is so much more to pack up. I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, and I don't! I don't know how to pack up an apartment! Calm down. Breathe! In through the mouth, out through the nose (I can hear my friend Olivia saying this to me. It's one of her more famous sayings!). I can do this! If nothing else, I'll shove everything into garbage bags and make Husband figure out how to put it in the truck that is too small!

Snow!!!

This morning we woke up to snow, and lots of it! By the time we got out to shovel, almost 2 feet of snow had fallen and it was still coming! I haven't seen snow like this in years! We are moving Texas next week and thought that this was a fitting memory to take with us: our last snow storm (we hope!).

Measuring the snow

The snow is up to Husband's knees!




Enjoying a cup of Tim Horton's hot chocolate.

Cold weather comfort

It is absolutely freezing cold here in Northern New York. The past few days, the temperature in the morning has been between -15 and -20 degrees F (-26 and -28 degrees C). I can't remember the last time I experienced cold like this. I am pretty sure it has been over 5 years! My Canadian blood has become weak since I moved to the East. Growing up, I would walk to school in -20 degree weather, with wet hair and sandals (much to my mother's horror!). Now, I can't even walk from my apartment to my car (about 5 steps) without wearing all sorts of winter attire!

I know I can't complain: the whole country seems to be in a deep freeze. At least I don't have to go out in it if I don't want to. Since the whole country is freezing, I thought I would share one of my all-time favourite cold weather dinners: Potato and corn chowder. It is delicious, easy to make and warms up those cold winter nights.

Potato and Corn Chowder (or as the say in Boston "Chowda"!)
Makes about 6 servings
2 1/2 cups cooked corn
2 cups diced potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup onion, diced (I used dried minced onion. 1 Tbsp equals 1/4 cup onion)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups hot water
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 cup milk

In a large pot, combine the first 7 ingredients. Cook until potatoes are tender. Mix flour with 1 tablespoon of water and add with milk to the pot, stirring well. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Serve with cheese. I like to add ham or bacon to it as well.

Enjoy and stay warm!

I'm an aunt, again!!

Huge congratulations to my brother Joe and his wife Kara on the birth of their second baby boy. Kaleb Arthur was born on Sunday, weighing in at 8lbs 10 oz. That's one big baby. Big brother Benjamin is quite pleased with his new brother. I haven't met the little guy yet because I live too far away. So, I stole this picture from my sister's facebook page! Thanks, Babe!

I'm back!

Hi all! Sorry for the hiatus, but I was busy travelling around the Caribbean. I know, I know. Be jealous! We spent 7 days aboard the Carnival Victory, visiting 7 islands: Puetro Rico, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts. We went snorkeling around sunken ships. We swam with stingrays. We walked through rainforests. We sunned ourselves on beautiful beaches. We had a great time. We loved cruising with Carnival and would definitely cruise with them again! Sunrise over St. Thomas. I love the light in this picture.

A beach on the island of Dominica

Us in St. Kitts, with the rainforest behind us.

A beach on the island of St. Lucia