A New Look - Day 7

As you can see, I have been playing around with the look of my blog.  It was kind of fun and frustrating at the same time.  I am not that tech savvy so everything takes a lot longer than it should!

I did my new blog header on Canva, which was surprisingly easy to use.  I hope to play around with everything else they have to offer when I get a chance.

That's it for today!  I spent too much time playing around with my blog look and not enough time writing.  Oops!

Favourite Camping Treats! - Day 6

I love food.  I have always been able to eat a lot, so it is no surprise that I look forward to all the yummy treats that camping has to offer.  Hubby and I try to keep things simple when we are camping and we like to try to make food over the fire or on the grill.  This past weekend we were at my parent's cabin and got to enjoy some great treats!  Here are my favourites:

S'mores- Upgraded!  My friend and I were texting this weekend about our obsession with S'mores.  She texted that she had made one with a Caramilk and it was delicious.  I had access to Reese's Peanut butter cups, which was so delicious in S'more form.

For a basic S'more, you place a piece of chocolate on a graham wafer, add a fire-roasted marshmallow, and top with another graham wafer.  To upgrade, you can swap out your piece of chocolate for any chocolate confection that you would like.  I would suggest using something that is fairly flat and that will melt, to obtain gooey perfection!

Bush Pies  These little guys are the most versatile camping food that I know.  I should have snapped a photo of this one, but, you know, the toddler was needing attention and I was HUNGRY! Ha ha!

We own a bush pie iron which is what you use to make these bush pies over the fire.  You need 2 slices of bread.  Spread butter on 1 side of each of your bread slices.  Place the bread in the iron, butter side down.  This is where things get creative!  The possibilities for bush pies are endless!  You toast the bush pie in the fire, until the sides of the bread are golden and crisp.  (Think grilled cheese...)

I like to make pizza bush pies for lunch.  We put pizza sauce, ham, sausage, mushrooms, peppers and cheese in our pizza bush pies.  They were soooooo delicious!  Yum!

For desserts we put a spoonful of pie filling in our pies.  Cherry is my absolute favourite.  Hubby likes blueberry.  I like to shake a little white sugar on the pie before I devour it.  It is so good!

Hot Chocolate with a Roasted Marshmallow  It was rainy and cool on our first day at the cabin and I needed something to warm me up.  Normally, I really enjoy marshmallows on my hot chocolate.  I also love eating roasted marshmallows.   I decided to blend the best of both worlds.   It just made sense!  The end result was delicious and super yummy.  I would definitely recommend trying it.

What are your favourite camping treats?

Favourite Authors- Day 5

I love to read.  I used to read everything and anything that I could get my hands on.  I read poetry, classics, Shakespeare, non-fiction and my favourite: light, fun reads.  In recent years, I have found it easier to stick to lighter reads.  I can switch gears easier when Miss. E needs my attention, which is important in this season of my life  I do like my books to have some substance and I really enjoy faith based reads.  Here are my favourite authors:

1.) Denise Hunter-  These books are romances and have a little suspense thrown in.  I am currently waiting the next book in the Summer Harbor series.

2.) Cathleen Armstrong- I am waiting for her next book.  I hope there is one!  I have really enjoyed her novels so far.

3.) Jan Karon-  I have fallen head over heels for the Mitford Series.  Katie from the Cup of Tea blog had mentioned the series in a video and I decided to try the series.  I am so enjoying it!

4.) Irene Hannon-  Irene mostly writes suspense novels with a romance thrown in.  I so enjoy her books and I often have a hard time putting them down!

5.) Dee Henderson-  Dee Henderson was my first foray into the Christian Fiction category.  I read all of her O'Malley series and I really enjoyed them!  She has some more recent books, but I don't love them quite as much.  The newer books are still decent, though and I do like them.

What are your favourite authors/books?  I am always looking for new ideas!

Places I Would Love to See in the USA- Day 4

Happy 4th of July!  I actually have an American connection.  My Grandma was born in Iowa.  Her parents moved to Canada when she was young.  I hope all of you have a wonderful day and a safe holiday!   In honour of the 4th of July, I thought I would tell you some of the places I would love to see in the United States.  I have been to the States a few times, but there is always more to see!

1.)  New York City-  I used to dream of living there!   Ha ha!  It might me a little too fast-paced for me, but I would like the chance to visit and see all the sights.

2.)  Maine- I read a lot and a lot of novels are set in Maine.  The scenery sounds beautiful and I would love to see it for myself!

3.)  Portland, Oregon- This one is specifically to see Powell's bookstore.  I am such an nerd and love to read!  This bookstore is the largest in the world and has more than 1 million books!  Gah!  I would love to see it!

4.)  Disneyland, California-  I would love to take Miss. E when she is a little older.  I went to Disneyland with my family when I was a kid and I was absolutely enchanted.  I think she would love it!

5.)  South Carolina-  A lot of my blog friends seem to be from here or near here and I would love the opportunity to meet some of them in real life!  In addition to that, South Carolina seems beautiful with a lot to offer.  The architecture, history, and scenery alone would be a big draw.

Have a happy 4th of July, my friends!

This flower totally reminds me of a firework!

Day 3- Gratitude

When life is good and when life is hard, I always take the time to thank God for all that I have.  We are told that it is important to keep a heart of gratitude at all times. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (Thessalonians 5: 15-18)  It certainly makes life's storms easier to weather and it helps keep our hearts open to the glory of God.

This Sunday I am grateful for many things, but I thought I would list a few:

1.)  Wonderful time spent with family this long weekend, including my brother!  I haven't seen him in a while and he surprised me with a visit!  It was so awesome.

2.)  New opportunities and the trust that things will work out.

3.)  Miss. E feeling better and acting much more like herself.

4.)  Nice weather for travelling.

5.)  The support and fellowship of good friends.

Happy Sunday!

Day 2- Dollar Tree Haul

I headed to the Dollar Tree the other day.  I didn't know we even had Dollar Trees in Canada.  Perhaps they are new to us?  I was so excited by what I found!

I grabbed a binder and small file folder that I needed.  I bought the Hello notebook and Canada Day themed pinwheel on a whim.  I snagged some awesome flashcards for Miss. E and an adorable Elmo book.  I also found a magnetic weekly planner!  I am so excited.  I plan to use it for my weekly meal planning, just like my friend Whitney at Come Home For Comfort.  The best part of all?  I hardly spent any money!

High Five For Friday- Happy Canada Day! (Day 1 of Blogging Month)

Happy Canada Day!  My beautiful country turns 149 today.  For this week's H54F, I have decided to tell you about my 5 favourite places in Canada!  I am going to count them down:

5.) The Yukon-  This territory is filled with magic.  I went with my family when I was 11 years old.  We got to go gold panning, admire the wildlife (bears, sheep, and moose) and experience the midnight sun.  It doesn't get dark in the Yukon in the summer.  It is a really cool thing to see!

4.)  Calgary, Alberta-  We love this city!  There are so many great things about it, but my favourite place to go in Calgary is the Calgary Zoo.  I LOVE visiting the penguins, gorillas, giraffes, and hippos.  Miss. E loves the meerkats!  The city has great food, shopping and beautiful parks!

3.) Banff, Alberta- We go to Banff almost yearly.  It is a beautiful town nestled in Banff National Park.  The mountains are breathtaking!  We like to do mountain hikes, go skiing, enjoy the great restaurants, and shop!  It is such an amazing place to visit!

4.)  Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island-  We visited Prince Edward Island when I was 10.  It was absolutely enchanting.  My Mom had read the Anne of Green Gables books to me when I was little and I was enthralled.  We dragged my Dad and brother to every Lucy Maud Montgomery historical site on the island, including Green Gables itself!  (The author based her books on an actual house).  We saw the Enchanted Forest and strolled down Lover's Lane.  I loved every minute of it!  The Island also boasts beautiful red soil, delicious seafood (lobster, anyone?), and awesome historical sights.

5.) Manitou Lake-  This place doesn't have a link because it is a small, alkaline lake in Saskatchewan.  You can't fish in the lake (nothing lives there except the Manitou Monster) and there has been little for development in the park.  My parents grew up in neighbouring towns and they put a cabin at the lake when we were kids.  We used to go all the time!  It is my happy place, the place where I can always find calm.  My parents have fixed up the cabin and we love to take Miss. E out there.  It is my favourite place in the world.

Have an awesome holiday weekend!  If you want to join in the link up, please check out the lovely ladies below!  This is my 1st day in a month of blogging and I hope you stop back to see some of my posts!