Easy Breezy Entertaining

Last night we hosted 5 of my husband's colleagues for dinner so it was the perfect opportunity to try out my new easy breezy entertaining attitude.  

The day started off with a bang when I discovered that the cat had brought in a frog.  A live frog.  And the dog chased it under the stove before I could catch it.  No problem.  Easy breezy.  I was just going to hope that it either came out before the group arrived (which it did) or after they had left.  

The next surprise was the dishwasher broke.  We had picked up new glasses so we would have something nice for this group and I ran them through the dishwasher which left rock hard white spots on them.  Well, them and every other glass and dish in there.  I tried soaking them in vinegar, experimented with CLR and eventually moved on to the magic eraser.  Thankfully the magic eraser worked but it wasn't without vigorous scrubbing and who really has time to wash dishes 3 times with company coming?

No problem.  Still easy breezy.

When I discovered that the only ice bucket we have is bright summer plastic blue, I didn't flinch.  It would do.

Festive!

When I realized that we didn't have enough of the nice wine glasses (because I broke one a few months ago), I grabbed the less than pretty glasses, put them in the mix, and chose to think of it as eclectic instead of mismatched.

Pretty one is on the right 

When I did this, I ran some cold water over it and carried on.

Not a meal until someone gets burned

When the roast wouldn't cook fast enough, I cranked up the heat, poured more wine for everyone and added a few extra crackers to the appetizer tray.  Easy breezy.

And you know what? It worked.  I didn't get tense and neurotic, I asked someone to make the martinis for me (which ended up being a big source of entertainment and laughter), and everyone seemed to have a good time.  Even me.

Well, until I woke up this morning to do these:

And these:

And these:

By hand.  :)  

The dishwasher is now fixed apparently.  The fellow who came out this morning to look at it suggested I change detergents.  Yep, that was the big problem.  Not broken at all.  I guess I should be happier but let's just say this conversation about the detergent was an expensive one and leave it at that.  After all, we're easy breezy, right?!

Photography Challenge - Week #4

It's Thursday and this is the day I am supposed to post the photography challenge photo.  I've been slow and posting on Friday, but this week I am so on the ball.  If you want to check out the challenge, you can click here:

This week's theme is "Dinner".  Well I totally cheated for this one.  My nephew Lucas turned 4 today and had his birthday party tonight.  So dinner was what his mom, Jen, made.  I'm not feeling guilty about it though - it was fabulous and here it is.

Backyard Garden Tomatoes with Feta and Oregano

Soooooo delicious.  We had a bunch of other good stuff:  pizza, salads, hello dolly squares, apple caramel dip and of course cake.  Mmmm,....now I'm sleepy and off to bed.

If you want to check out the fabulous photos in the challenge, head on over to A Step in the Journey.

Photography Challenge - Week #4

Photography Challenge - Week #3

So you might remember that I am participating in the photography challenge at A Step In the Journey.  This week the theme is "Bold Colours".

Here is what I came up with:

Swiss Chard

These were the runners up:

Yellow Squash

Peppers

Do you sense a theme there? ha ha ha

Next week's theme is "Dinner".  Looks like I'll be a natural with that one, huh.  It's not too late to participate so pop on over and check it out:




On a similar but different note, I need a little help.  I need a new camera.  I cannot take a decent picture indoors, at all!  So we're in the market for a new camera but it is an overwhelming project to try to decide what to get.

So I'm hoping you gals can help.

What kind of camera do you use?  And do you love it? Or have trouble with it?  Faithful follower?  Just putting up with it until you can afford to move on?

I was initially thinking that I should get a digital SLR camera but I'm now wondering if I can get by with a digital camera that is better than my ancient one?

My current camera is a Canon SD750 and it takes nice pictures out in the sun,...mostly of foliage and flowers.  Indoors -- total crap.  It could certainly be my lack of expertise but I've been practicing and experimenting, so I'm leaning toward it being the camera.

So,......

I'm just looking for some advice from you gals.  Anything?  Thanks!!

Have a fabulous weekend.

Photography Challenge - Week #2

I didn't really do this right last week but I have signed up to take part in the photography challenge over at A Step In The Journey.  Each week we are given a topic, and we need to submit a photo that relates to the topic.

Week #1 was a self-portrait which seemed like a sensible place to start.  This week is "What Makes You Smile?"

Here is what makes me smile:

Lucas and I spent the day hiking, and throwing stones into the canal.  Apparently, that was the best part.  ;)

Have a fabulous weekend.

Hershey Store

I meant to include these ridiculous photos in yesterday's post but hit publish a little soon (has everyone done that at least once?).

The Hershey Store is incredibly expensive but any place that hands me a hunk of chocolate when I walk through the doors is okay in my books.

Kelsey (left) and Taylor (right)

Michelle feeling blissful (right) and me (left)

Fireworks

This weekend we had house guests and it couldn't have gone better.  Michelle (from All That's Comfortable - temporarily on hiatus, lol) and her two daughters, Taylor and Kelsey, stayed for the weekend and we had the greatest time.

We were going to go hiking but after being stuck in a backup of traffic for 2 extra hours, everyone was tired and it was so hot and humid that we decided to go shopping instead.  here are some of our finds:

Napkin Ring

Funky Necklace

Another Necklace

And Yet Another Necklace

On Sunday, we went to Niagara Falls and did the tourist thing.  We went on the Maid of the Mist for starters which was,....well, wet, lol.  Next up was the Sky Wheel which is a 175-foot ferris wheel.  This is the view from the top:

Sky Wheel View

After this we went to the Hershey store.  Mmmmmm,.....Hershey Store, lol.

We also went into the Nightmares Fear Factory Haunted House which was hilarious.  I screamed until my throat was raw, pushed Taylor, Kelsey and Michelle who were ahead of me, and maybe swore a couple of times.  I really didn't like the cobweb-type stuff that grazed my face in there.  Yikes, I hate spiders.  But, it was hilarious and I would do that again.  Good for laughs.

A little more shopping in Port Colborne:

Then we went to Canal Days in Port Colborne for the most amazing fireworks I have ever seen.

An awesome, full, fabulous weekend with family that we absolutely adore.  Awesome.

Nutty Hockey Fan

I know you crafty gals probably don't follow hockey but today was such a thrilling day for me that I have to make you endure, just for a little bit. :)

This is me all ready to go:

My favourite hockey team (Boston Bruins) won the big trophy this year (The Stanley Cup, named after Lord Stanley - what heritage, lol) and one of the players hails from Welland which is just the next town over. So yesterday they had a big do, named it Daniel Paille Day (that's the name of the player), and got us to put on Bruins jerseys and shirts in 80-degree weather.

Check out this cutie patootie.

It was packed and we got there a good 90 minutes early.  I think this guy was a fan:

I got a lot of shots that look like this, lol:

But eventually I passed my camera up to the tall fellow in the white hat and got this shot of Daniel Paille and Lord Stanley's Cup:

And as he was leaving, this one:

I promise I won't be doing weekly hockey posts or anything crazy like that gals.  Thanks for hanging in there, and I promise that tomorrow we'll be back to crafting and the like.  :)  (Go Bruins!)

Some Kind of Super Hero

Do you ever try to take pictures of little boys?  Little boys are a little bit crazy.  They move constantly.  All. the. time.

Here are some of the shots that I got of my nephew, Lucas, this week.

This was the only picture I got that was in focus and he was still.  (We were playing hide-and-seek and this was his hiding spot.  Too cute)

He must have slept great that night.  I know I did.  :)

Here Comes The Bride

Last night we were invited to attend a surprise birthday party for my father's girlfriend, Annie.  He was planning on getting a photographer to take a family portrait so we all got scrubbed up and put on our finest duds.

This is the gorgeous little restaurant in Port Colborne where we met, ready to pounce on the birthday girl.

@27, Port Colborne