ensuite bathroom

Certain rooms in our home have come together easier than others.  I have felt completely stuck with our ensuite bathroom for months.  I was not finding any inspiration and I need to purchase tiles soon.  A visit to a tile store on Friday left me giddy with excitement for my future bathroom.  Here's a sample of what I'm starting to put together.

After visiting a friend's home, I fell in love with their pebble tile in the master shower.  When I saw this charcoal pebble I knew I needed to find a way to work this into our bathroom.  The porcelain floor tile is a large 13x13" tile with dark grey and light blue veining.  It's going to feel so amazing heated in the winter.
I left the store with a different and more expensive accent tile in a tiny square glass mosaic.  The accent tile on this board is one that I found 6 weeks ago at another tile store for much cheaper.  And the colours are EXACTLY the same.

I'm feeling stuck with the wall tile in the shower.  There is the more expensive Option #1 that is a subway tile matching the floor tile.  Or the cheaper Option #2 with a pure white rectangle shower tile.  What's your vote for shower tile?

nutella and cream cheese swirled blondies

This fall the baking in our house has been pretty sparse.  If it weren't for all the overripe bananas made into banana bread and muffins, my family would be seriously deprived of home baked goodies.  I still have my eye on lots of treats to make but the craziness of our home renovation and the hours involved in starting a business has taken over any free time.  A church potluck was the only reason I got out the butter, sugar and flour.  Throwing in some nutella and cream cheese just seemed like the right thing to do.

Nutella and Cream Cheese Swirled Blondies - from the Cookin' Canuck
makes 24 squares

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1 egg yolk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with foil, allowing the foil to hang over the sides.  Spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.  Whisk until combined.  Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, Nutella and egg yolk until completely combined.

Spread the blondie mixture evenly into your prepared pan.  Drop the Nutella mixture by tablespoonfuls over the blondie mixture.  With a butter knife, swirl the Nutella mixture into the blondie batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs, 25 to 28 minutes.  Be sure to rotate the pan halfway through.  When testing, insert the toothpick into a section with blondie, rather than Nutella.

Transfer the blondies to a wire rack until completely cool, about 2 hours.  Holding the overhanging foil, lift out the blondies and cut into squares.

christmas boxes

Our Christmas season usually begins with the annual packing of the Operation Christmas Child boxes.  This has been a project of my mother's for a number of years.  All of the grandkids look forward to organizing, sorting and packing the many boxes.  This year there were 23 boxes to pack.  Nathaniel spent a previous visit at Grandma and Grandpa's folding and preparing each of the boxes.  At the end of November all the grandkids gathered and set up the family room to begin this annual tradition.  First all the items need to be placed in separate piles.

Jesse spent most of the time in the toy box.

Another tradition is allowing Grandma to give direction from the couch.  She knows exactly what there is and what needs to go in every box.  Each child takes a box and begins to fill it with the age specific items.

Before the boxes are sealed, Grandma does a final okay and adds a few items so each one is brimming with goodies.

Another successful year.

henna

Abigail and I attended a henna party last night.  The beautiful young woman creating this amazing art is raising funds to cover her permanent resident card.  She is currently in high school, away from her family in Afghanistan and considering starting a small business to support herself.  I'm planning ahead to Abigail's birthday party next spring and thinking of hiring her to embellish the hands of Abigail's party guests.  If you're interested in hiring this talented henna artist, leave a comment and I will pass on her contact information. (Be sure to leave an email or number I can reach YOU.)

Abigail loved the experience!

I decided on having my left hand decorated.

Even little ones gave it a try.

And this morning, after the paste dried and was scrapped (fell) off, Abigail and I were left with amazing designs on our hands.

Thank you Shegofa!

get away

The fall is always a busy time.  It seems that each year around this time Andrew and I are feeling the need to retreat and reconnect.  These last two months have been so incredibly busy for both of us.  There is the normal craziness of work and raising 3 children.  But add on an entire home renovation, an emerging photography business and a renovation and anniversary celebration at Andrew's work and you have two adults that are in desperate need of time away from everything.  With busy schedules it was a challenge to find a weekend that we could leave all our commitments.  Thankfully we were able to book a Sunday and Monday away, allowing our kids to have a day off of school and lots of time with their grandparents.  After dropping our kids off, Andrew and I drove to Jordan to enjoy a late lunch.  As we waited for food, we were finally able to focus on renovation plans and decision making.  Out came the iphone to make lists and start sending emails to our contractor.

My lunch - lobster and crab salad on a croissant.

After lunch we checked into our room at The Inn on the Twenty then drove to the Short Hills and enjoyed a 2 hour hike.  As we hiked, it was difficult to take pictures without a human subject.  I much prefer taking pictures of people but here are a few shots from our afternoon.

For supper we drove into St. Catharines for Thai.  (Thanks to Beth for all the amazing restaurant recommendations!)  The next morning we woke up to another amazing day.  We went across the street to enjoy breakfast in the dining room.

Smoked salmon, fingerling potatoes and a poached egg.  Yum!

We then drove to Niagara on the Lake to walk along the lake and stroll around the town.  Thank you self timer!

We found this flower growing on a side street.  Can you believe this is still blooming in November?  

If I had my way (and could afford it), I'd book one of these weekends every month!