A New Look for a New Year

Hello 2013! and a big "hello" to my blog that I've neglected for over two years! I believe I started a post last year in about the same way, but it ended up being a draft the entire year! Living life sure gets in the way, never mind having a family of three kiddos under 12. Well, I think it's time to change things a bit this year.

With some inspiration from my dad, I've been baking up some Egg Tarts, just like the ones you find at the Chinese bakeries with some good results! So easy and delicious with tea or coffee! I encourage you to try this!

CHINESE EGG TARTS Makes 11 to 12 egg tarts Ingredients 70grams sugar or less (I use about 1/3 cup), 150mL water, 2 eggs, 40 mL evaporated milk, 11 to 12 store bought frozen tart shells (sweetened) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Measure sugar and water into a saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool sugar water until no longer warm. Beat in eggs and evaporated milk. Strain egg mixture into the tart shells to eliminate foam. It's more pleasing to the eye to have a smooth, silky custard surface. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick stands upright in the custard filling. Let cool and and enjoy warm, yummy egg tarts!

Happy weekend and a Happy New Years everyone!

Mid-Fall 2010

It's hard to believe, but it's been a whole season since I've last posted. From mid-summer to now mid-fall, we've had a mini- summer get-away, the start of a new school year, visits from dear old friends, ongoing renos to the home, family health issues, and a laptop trauma. Needless to say, very little has been accomplished in terms of knitting, so there's been very little "down" time lately. However, as fall is my fave season of the year, it wouldn't be right without pulling out the camera to capture and share the beautiful vibrant colours of our street, especially when my D reminds me that I should put up a post on the blog.


My K (20 months) is now doing everything in her power to get her way and keep up with her brothers!


D is now outgrowing all his clothes and thinks he's starting to look like a teenager! Already??!!? And my cautious R is still our "old soul" who's chosen his new bedroom downstairs, amidst the partially completed reno, based on its proximity to the bathroom! That's our forward-thinking R!

Iona Beach

This past Sunday, we visited Iona Beach Regional Park, not your typical park with the children's playground equipment, but a park that includes a four kilometre jetty which is really a giant sewage pipe that transports cleaned poo and pee back into the ocean. You see, the park is situated right beside the Iona Sewage Treatment Plant. Surprisingly the boys weren't too thrilled or impressed with the whole idea of walking on top of such a pipe, but they had fun throwing rocks into the ocean. They also had fun picking blackberries (especially the husband) and exploring the beach. D enjoyed beachcombing while R came up with some imaginary fun with the sand. K just wanted to eat all the blackberries and run into the ocean! We'll definitely come back to this unique park, as it is also a great place to ride your bike, walk, go birding (as it is home to over 300 species of birds) and watch the planes land and take off (as the Vancouver International Airport is situated right next to the park).

Mid Summer 2010

Here's a few pictures of our summer so far...

Into Socks Lately

Some finished objects to show you finally!!! I may be a master at starting projects, but I have to admit finishing is not a forte. Here is a pair of Trekking XXL socks (in slipped-stitch rib) that I was giddy about getting off the needles a couple weeks back. I've been wearing them around the house and just love the look and feel of them! But it ONLY took three years to finish them, having been on vacation with us twice! Here is the enthusiastic post about starting these socks three years ago.

However, I am working on completing more projects this year. I also finished R's Kool-Aid bed socks recently. I randomly dyed the yarn just for fun last year and didn't really have any project in mind until the idea came up for R's socks, as he likes wearing socks to bed. I'm happy to say these crazy, striped socks just took a couple of days from start to finish.

What We Did After School Yesterday

Not too far from our home is a favourite spot of mine in the city, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens. So... since I had a day off from work yesterday, I decided that it would be a good day to go on a special after school outing. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens is not a big garden like the Van Dusen Gardens, but it's big enough for encountering and exploring interesting plant life, pond life, and just wildlife in the urban setting. It's a nice change from the playgrounds and city parks. The boys enjoyed spotting the koi fish and turtles near the surface of the pond, analyzing the bamboo, seeing a blue heron in the weeping willow tree, and just being in such a beautiful, peaceful place amongst so many people in the middle of the city. I also don't think my three minded the short walk to the Chinese bakery nearby either, which also involved passing many toy and gift shops along Pender. We'll definitely have to make this outing a more regular part of our activities!

A New Technique

So, now that I'm back at work and off maternity leave, knitting has slowed down even more. I've really enjoyed my year off with baby K and the family, without the worry of prepping for and going to work. However, I've had to accept that there's no more camping out in front of the tv, knitting, while baby naps and the boys are off at school. Now, I just sneak in a few rows here and there and late at night when the kids have all gone to bed.

Just before work started, I decided to try my hand at entrelac by knitting a hat. I chose the Greentrelac Beret pattern from Ravelry to learn the technique and I must say that it's a lot easier than it looks. In fact, it's downright addictive, especially when you have a fun yarn with long colour repeats. I've used Nashua's Wooly Stripes, currently on sale at Dressew here in Vancouver until it all sells out.

This turned out to be a snug cap for me, instead of a beret, as I cast on less than what was asked for in the pattern, but that's okay. If I were to make this cap again, I’d make the ribbing 1 inch longer and increase the CO to 72 sts or more instead of the 66 sts that I used to try for a slouchy beret. I also modified the top of the hat by continuing the entrelac tiers until I decreased to picking up 2 sts for each diamond. Anyone who's thought of trying this technique and haven't should really just jump right in, because it really isn't that difficult at all. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how simple it really is!

To Another Knitterly Year!

A Happy New Year's to all! It's been a while since my last post, but reflecting upon the last twelve months, I'd have to say it's been an awesome knitting year! I've been able to finish a lot more projects this past year than I've ever been able to and get back into spinning. I joined sweetgeorgia's fibre club and made it to Gibsons' Fibrefest. I've enjoyed knitting for our new baby (cardis, socks, mary-janes, Pebble Vest) the boys (Kiddie Cadet hats and mitts), a niece and nephew (Boheme and Owl Vest), a sister (Give a Hoot Mittens), and friends (various mitts and hats--baby to adult). I still have quite a few unfinished projects around the house (mainly for me), but I'll slot them into my 2010 New Year's resolutions.

The last days of 2009 were spent making the comfort dolls above. They were inspired by a comfort doll that D received in the hospital when he was three after undergoing a tongue tie procedure. After I found the pattern and made one out of leftover worsted cotton (the one in the striped red shirt), I couldn't stop. These dolls are very addicting! If you have a stash as big as mine with a lot of partial skeins here and there, this is THE pattern for you to make some little person very happy! My boys even carry their doll off to bed with them.

Health and happiness to all and may 2010 be full of new adventure and opportunities!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Happy Hallowe'en Everyone!

The forecast is for rain today, but it's been a beautiful sunny fall day here so far... We'll be doing a little decorating today, carving some of the four plus pumpkins that we have around the house, roasting some of the seeds, and going a trick or treating! The boys are pirate brothers this year. One of them was going to be a "DJ", but changed his mind last minute. Don't ask. I have no idea why the five-year-old wanted to be a "DJ".

Looking at Trees

It was back to Van Dusen this past weekend to look at the trees! It was a glorious day to take in colors, feel bark, see wildlife and herons flying overhead, explore trees using a mirror and make leaf rubbings.

Progress on the Fall Cardigan

Everyday, I hope to have a little time to work on my Peace Fleece Cardigan. But, sometimes, I'm hoping all day long....like Friday, when it travelled with me everywhere to the boys' school twice, Science World, and to my bedside, but I didn't knit one single stitch.

Progress may be slow, but it's still progress. Here's where I'm at.... I just need to finish a sleeve and a bit before adding a closure to the front.

The Magic of Fall at VanDusen

This past Sunday, the boys and I, along with K in the baby carrier, took in some gorgeous autumn colours at the beautiful VanDusen Botanical Gardens. We were lucky to participate in the family program, Plant Detectives: Seeds and Leaves. Although we've visited the Gardens in the past for Seedy Saturday and their annual Garden Plant Sale, it was D & R's first "real" trip INTO VanDusen, an educational garden where they learned how seeds travelled and how and why leaves changed colours at this magical time of year. The boys had the chance to explore and run around the 55-acre Gardens, and I'm happy to report that they had a great time, asking to return as soon as possible! VanDusen is a must-see, inspirational place with an amazing collection of plants and trees, animals, ponds, a maze, a waterfall, and a host of passionate educators for young and old alike! We can't wait to go back for our next visit!


On a scavenger hunt for seeds

Looking for "swimmer" seeds

My Favorite Month

The first day of fall was yesterday, but I've already been celebrating the coming of fall for the past month or so, obsessively working on my Peace Fleece Fall Sweater, anticipating the start of school for the boys and going for acorn hunts whenever and wherever we spot oak trees.

The past two months have been a blur, for K's already seven months old! She's now eating solids-- rice cereal, oatmeal, and fruit and veggie purees. She's soo... on the verge of crawling, having no trouble rolling over from her back to all fours, moving forwards and back, as if to propel herself forward like a canonball! Utterly fascinated by our cats, K doesn't think twice about grabbing a fistful of fur if the cats happen to brush past her. We really have to watch her carefully so that she doesn't proceed to stuff her hands into her mouth! She's a "taster", something new to us, as D and R did not do this at her age. We'll have to be more vigilant about picking the Lego pieces off the floor. Above is a pic of K at six months. Last month, we had gone daytripping to Gibsons to check out the Fibre Festival and the surrounding area for possible future (camping?) visits.

And another milestone has passed, as our sweet R entered Kindergarten about two weeks ago! R's K class is all day, so it's been quite an adjustment, but he seems to be enjoying his teachers, the class, the new routine, the hot-lunch program, and even his homework!

Finally, as for D, he's happy to be back socializing at school after a summer of drawing increasingly detailed pictures and of reading Captain Underpants and the Magic Treehouse series.

Enticed by the Vision of a New Fall Sweater

Last month the spinning mojo was going strong, but this month, the spinning's taken a back seat to some obsessive knitting. Of course, all it takes is a bit of Ravelry time and the next thing you know, I'm going through my stash to see if I can cast on.... I'm so happy to be finally knitting with my Peace Fleece in the most gorgeous green shade, aptly named "Hemlock".