Spaghetti Squash

 Have you done spaghetti squash before?
This time of year squash starts to pop up on my radar. It's so festive and autumnal, and also it's kind of everywhere you turn.  So in the spirit of not letting foods intimidate me I have been taking them home the last couple years and trying them out one by one. 2009 there was butternut squash (I swear that took three hours to cook, and was an overall crunchy nightmare.) 2010 the year of the acorn squash (halved and roasted with a little butter and brown sugar...getting tastier, but still eating it mostly out of obligation to be festive.)
2011 spaghetti squash! Oh my gosh so good.
The trick is to treat like spaghetti noodles and present it to your unsuspecting children as their favorite Italian dish.
Seriously, just cook the whole big squash in the microwave for 12 minutes, halve it, shred it with a fork and it makes the coolest wee noodles.
(We combined it with our favorite spaghetti sauce, some chicken, garlic, and herbs, then topped it with a mozzarella panko crust.)
Then you just bake it and take it out looking all "what I'm just a spaghetti dish?"
Greta ate seconds while her parents smiled on with those smug looks parents get when they feel they've got the best of the situation.
But really everyone did, because it was healthy (I'm sure something as hippie as squash is crazy healthy, or they wouldn't be eating it and making the skins into drums.) and over all one of my better dinners lately!

Picture and more squash recipe ideas by The Pioneer Woman

Out of the country.

Nothing says, "Hang it all", or "I'll deal with that later" quite like "I'm leaving the country." No work, no phone calls, nothing expected of you whatsoever with that wonderful excuse.
We have said no to many a vacation to do the responsible thing (usually funds and time off work has been directed to home repairs...smart...and lame.) But having had enough of money well spent, we decided to leave Sweet Thing with grandma and head to Victoria, BC for a nice little break and change of scene.
We walked, we ate, and ate, and ate (just ask Kent about The Best Burger He's Had In His Life story, and my All Time Best Italian Meal Ever story.) we milled around a few record shops and "esplored" the harbor at night as Kent enjoys it. And I napped mid-day everyday, went to the spa, and read by the fire, much to my enjoyment. It was perfectly perfect with pubs and tea shops around every corner.
Such a charming city, and only short boat ride away!

Sorry So Spotty!

Things have been a little topsy turvey around here with all kinds of new plans, projects, and some major household upheaval underway!
Plenty of posts on all kinds of goodies are up and coming...until then good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!

Uniforms: The Wellie

Fall is whispering, which means it is just about time to dust off the rest of my official uniform! My rain boots. I could (and do) wear a pair about 9 months of the year.
And I often wonder to myself why everyone else isnt? I can't imagine anyone liking wet ankles. Oh, don't get me started on wet ankles. I remember all too well walking to the bus as a kid and sitting in the first three classes of the day with soggy jean bottoms, and when you walked they schlapped so heavily against your ankles, blech. Better to wear boots.
Sadly, my trusty Whaley Wellies are taking in water and it is time to search for some new best friends. But, it won't be totally out with the old and in with the new. Good old Whaleys are only going the way of the Rain Deers before them and living an easier life in the warm closet with better hours as garden and tromping boots.
But there is so much to consider when shopping rain boots. Don't you think? They are not to be snatched in a day willy nilly. I think there is more to consider than even swimsuit or jeans shopping demands. Ok, maybe not jeans shopping...jeans shopping is the worst.
There's Make: Is it a solid one piece design? no glued on soles that will leak come Christmas time.
Style: (I like a rain boot that hits right below the knee. It's the thinnest part of your leg and so dainty contrasted to mid calf boots that hit the thickest part of your calf.)
Fit: I think a narrow cut is best so that they fit snugly with skinny legged jeans, and when you wear them with skirts they don't flop around something awful. Rain boot rash...shudder.
Color: They must be cheerful boot that's all "Hello Hello!" and "Hi I'm a boot, let's be friends!" on an other wise grey and rainy day when people are feeling sulky.
Price: Last, but always the deciding factor. A good rain boot and a cheerful one is something I save and save for. But sometimes, let's be honest, the prices are ridiculous and I think the makers need to be reminded that they are still selling what is essentially 2 medium-ish tubes of rubber.
But look what beauties they are!

Boots by Joules and Hunter

How did they do it?

Holy Smokes! How did they do it?
We used to camp and hike all the time when I was a kid (That's me in the sailor hat) and I have such fond memories from it. My poor mom. I thank you on bended knee.
We went semi-camping over labor day weekend and it was exhausting. (And this was camping with a house on site mind you.)
 When I thought of camping over the weekend, I saw us adults all laughing around the campfire toasting food and playing games while our few small children dreamed snuggly in their tents. So we thought, let's go! We bought our first ever sleeping bags and pie irons and hit the road.
Oh me, what a dear little idea. The reality is our friends (18 adults) all have a collective gang of small kids (15 kids...I think, they keep running away from me in my mind too fast to count.)
So, sitting (hah!), laughing (except at my old quaint ideas of camping), around an open fire of all things did not happen as planned. I counted about 15 minutes around the campfire before we turned wiggly and tired Greta in early, who was not keen on sleeping in a dark tent with "Yowd sounds" outside all by herself. (Yowd sounds including but not limited to a potato gun, a pack of 20+ coyotes howling over their latest kill, dogs barking, squirrels throwing pine cones at the tents, and other baby campers not so keen on sleeping through the night.)
Not to say it wasn't fun! Seeing friends, even through tired bleary eyes, is still seeing friends and we always enjoy our time spent with them.
However, hands down the most fun was had by Greta. She got to run around with her little squealing pals all day getting all of her clothes muddy until I surrendered her to her diaper and bare feet.
Like a lot of things parenting, this weekend was an exercise in letting go of our own fun and passing it on to the kids. So now I know...all the buying, the planning, the packing and the camping it's really for them.
The dears.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

I hope you are up to something fun this weekend?
We are doing a little backyard camping with some friends. No bears, no reservations required, and plumbing a stone's throw away? Sounds perfect to me.  This will be Greta's first time sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag so we are using it as a trial before we dare try the genuine article somewhere remote. Can it be done? Wish us luck!
And Happy Holidaying!

Photograph by Tim Walker Photography

Brown paper packages tied up with string.

I love packaging materials!
And I am wiggly in my seat for these awesome handwritten thank you stickers from K is for Calligraphy to arrive in the mail. I get my usual kicks from all manner of paper products, but these new additions have me doing high kicks!
I think the best part of having an etsy shop is doing the branding and packaging. Look out Hello Grey Day customers, there are some cute wrappings coming your way this Fall!