Royal Wood

Saturday night Matt and I went out on a date, like an actual one, with grown ups and no kids. It was dreamy. Well, actually it was weird but you take what you can get.

Royal Wood was playing at St. Matthew's Church downtown, it was such a cool venue. Church by day and host to any number of things at night. We went with Katie and Brennan and sat in the balcony. They have concerts there regularly because of the size and the amazing acoustics. It was the best show I've ever seen, not just because of Royal Wood and Peter Katz, but because it sound so dang good in there with those high ceilings.

But about the weirder parts of the night, we decided it would be easier (famous last words) to get the bus downtown from Katie's place instead of looking for parking on a Saturday night. The bus was twenty minutes late, and the driver could not deal with it. She was on the phone/radio the whole time trying to figure out what she should do to make up for lost time. She then chased down the bus on the same route that was on time, flagged him over and tried to pawn her passengers off on him. When he drove away she honked the horn wildly. She chased him down again and we transferred buses. That was all fine, we were a bit later than we had hoped, the plan was to eat first but our dinner window was dwindling.

We get to our stop in front of the church and next to where we had planned on eating. After a fairly uneventful second bus ride, we thought we were in the clear of strange happenings until the bus driver called after Katie. Apparently he had directed a play she and I were in, in high school and remembered her! So weird. That Katie sure is unforgettable, even the director-turned-bus driver can't forget her, ten years later.

The restaurant was crowded and a waitress directed us to stand in the middle of it and wait to be seated. No one came so we left. How embarrassing. With a lineup outside of the church and not a whole lot of time left, we skipped food and went to get a coffee to warm up and kill some time. We sat at the biggest, most awkward booth and Matt had a bad encounter with a filthy bathroom. Told you it was a weird night.

Then it was concert time, finally. It was beautiful and huge and kind of novel to be attending a show in a church. Peter Katz opened and while I'd never heard of him before, I'm a big fan now. He was charming and told sweet stories and played lovely acoustic music. Once Royal came out, I realized we had seen him outside earlier and then spent the rest of the evening lamenting the fact that we hadn't said hello/gotten a picture or something. Either way, he was fantastic and engaging and I can't wait to see him again.

Next time though, we are driving and eating beforehand. Walking aimlessly in the cold looking for food at 10 p.m. on a Saturday in downtown HRM is not something I ever want to experience again.

Our Weekend 016

Oops, took a week off. Totally didn't mean to but with Matt being home in the evenings I find things here move a lot more quickly and before you know it, it's bedtime. Or time to watch another episode of whatever we're watching that week. So much more fun to watch new things with someone else. Now I'm not just talking to myself in the dark. 

Anyway, long week of restless babes, evenings were spent relaxing.

Started the weekend off right with a girls night with Katie. Coffee and two different Targets were involved so you know it was good. I didn't get home till way past the littles bedtime (planned that, bedtime sucks) and when I walked in the door, the house was quiet and Matt was looking for a movie for us. Neddless to say, best night ever. There was no way the rest of the weekend could top this. 

I realize how low my standards are.

Saturday was warm enough to make a trip to the Farmer's Market. I really love farmers markets, in an irrational way. If I'm near a veggie stand, I'm content. I'm sure that has a deeper meaning, somehow. Went got there close to lunch time so naturally we searched for food right away. We sat outside on the  second floor deck, overlooking the harbour and ate our breakfast pizza and sipped our hipster-y coffee and then the unbelievable happened. A helicopter flew by, right in front of our little el fresco brunch. The babes lost their minds. We did too though, it was so cool. We spent the rest of our day eating our market haul, including steak from our friend Phil. It caused the whole house to go up in smoke but Matt said it was the best thing he'd ever eaten so, worth it?

Sunday kind of drove itself. We left early in the morning for Dartmouth because Matt wanted to show me this cute little fruit and veggie shop near his new job. We figured since we were in the are, we'd stop at the mall and get some gym clothes for Max (he's starting soccer next month). While Max and I were shopping, Matt and E had some sneaky business to do. When we met back up with them, they had a new phone for me! An iPhone, no less. We ate at the food court, let the kids ride on those money grabber rides that cost way too much and last all of 5 seconds and got a little people watching done. We are totally not mall people. I think I've been there four times in two years. But this was fun, we got what we needed to get, there was no pressure or timeline to follow and the kids loved it. 

First picture with the new phone...

His reaction when I told him he couldn't have the phone.

Once we finally left the mall (I'd forgotten what sunshine looked like) we came home, made tacos and watched the Sword in the Stone. So, bring it weekend. Try and top this one. 

Also, I'm probably going to over post this week to make up for last week. Maybe? Don't hold me to it.

Big News

So, Matt has a new job. A job that doesn't require him to travel. This is MAJOR.

Matt has always worked away at some point. When he was fishing, we lived three hours away and we didn't see him for two months. Then he worked in Halifax while Max and I still lived in Cape Breton for three months. Then Max and I joined him in Halifax, only for him to start working out of town.

After almost two years in Halifax, Matt has a new job. A job that allows him to be home for dinner. Every. Night. To read bed time stories, and wrangle slippery kids during bath time. He wakes up really early for work, now E does too and they spend the morning together. Max gets some extra snuggles while I put E to bed at night. Everyone is happier.

It's only been a week, but our lives already feel more structured. The kids are better behaved (so far) and I'm well rested, thanks to Matt both putting me to bed at a decent hour and chasing Ellie when she runs around the house half asleep at 3 a.m. And we have proper weekends! I haven't had a real weekend in far too long. So this is my first one, I don't even know what people do on weekends?

Our Weekend 014

And the award for best weekend goes to this one.

Matt started his new job today (more on that later) so I planned a little surprise party for him on Saturday. Earlier in the week Katie and I planned the whole thing and Friday we went grocery shopping and headed back to her place to get everything ready. We spent the afternoon preparing the food and scheming how to get Matt out of the house before the party.

Friday was also our anniversary, I had totally forgotten all about it (I know) but Matt hadn't. He took the kids out to get me flowers and cheesecake (my favourite) and had Indian take out waiting for me when I got home that evening. He really deserved this party.

Brennan had the idea to go to the movies with Matt and Max so we could set everything up and all the guests could arrive and wait for the boys to get back. We all hid in the dark and waited what seemed like an eternity for him to find us. Even when he did, he had no idea what was going on. He was completely shocked!

In all the excitement, I completely forgot to take any pictures of the actual party, just of the food. Shows where my priorities are.

It was a small party, but an awful lot of fun, I think planning and setting up was more fun than the actual event, for me anyway. Matt's Dad and brother came up from Little Harbour too. While we waited for the boys to show up we all kept remarking that Matt is the best person to throw a surprise party for. He's so trusting that we could've sent him anywhere at a weird time and he'd just go with it, no questions asked. He wouldn't think anything was up - and he didn't.

The whole week was busy with party planning and secret texts, it was so completely worth it. I don't know if I'll ever be able to plan a better party, I think he might be on to me now, I might have to wait a few years for the next one.

Our Weekend 011

So, we didn't really "celebrate" Valentine's Day on the actual day.But, I did get beautiful flowers and the sweetest handmade card from the three amigos so I guess that's better? It's totally better.

Clearly Matt's the artsy one in the relationship

 Katie came over to watch the littles on Saturday while Matt and I went out to dinner. We figured we'd skip the V Day crowds that way. We went to 2 Doors Down, downtown and it was amazing.

When we got there, they didn't have any tables available but they would call us when one opened up. We walked down to Starbucks to grab some fancy coffees and wait it out but it ended up only taking fifteen minutes. We tried the Dine Around menu, which is a set menu of three different options to start and three more for an entrée and a dessert of your choice. Everything sounded delicious. Matt got the Finnan Haddie to start which was like a haddock chowder and the seafood vermicelli as his main course. I had the kale caesar and the cheeseburger. It was massive so we split the burger. Oh. So. Good.

His & Hers

We'll definitely be going back. Although before this date we hadn't been downtown for dinner since last summer, so who knows when we'll make it back. We were actually so tired from going out to dinner (I know) that I'm still recovering. Can you tell we don't get out much? Oh, and we were home by 9:30 that night. Good grief.

Sunday was a bit stormy so we stayed in and had a movie day. The best sort of Sunday afternoon. Beth came over for dinner that evening and played with the babes until they fell asleep. Aunties are great like that.

I couldn't think of a proper way to end this thing so... that's all :)

Our best date

Since it's Valentine's week, (I'm making that a thing) I thought I'd share one of favourite dates Matt and I have had.

We were staying at his parents place while he worked in New Glasgow, since they're only an hour and a half away and always willing to have us, we stayed with them for the week last summer. They insisted offered to babysit so we could have a night out. They even let us take the convertible!

Jump to us running out of the house waving to the babes behind us and hopping in the car. We had no solid plan, we were just happy to be out together and in a really cool car. We're simple folks.

We drove for a while and ended up at a chinese restaurant that I use to go to all the time while I was in school in New Glasgow. The food is subpar, at best and the atmosphere is cheesy but I get nostalgic sometimes, is what. I ordered my usual and Matt (ever the adventurous eater) ordered some sort of shrimp dish. When it came, I was too busy devouring mine to notice he hadn't really touched his. When I looked up and saw that he wasn't eating and had this look on his face, something was up. His food was... not good. Let's leave it at that.

So we left, still early we got back in the car and drove some more. That's when Matt had the best idea. There was a new brewery in Pictou that he wanted to try out. OK! It was the cutest little place, run by a husband and wife team, the wife was actually the only one there and she was THE sweetest gal. She gave us a little tour and let us taste some beer.

It was such a simple date and even though the meal wasn't great, it was such a novelty to drive around with the top down and visit a cool new spot, just the two of us. All of our best dates seem to happen when visiting Grammie and Grampie. We never need to worry about the littles, they rarely know we're gone with all those aunties there and unlike Halifax, you really have to look for something to do, Which is the best part. We always end up doing something we could never do at home in the city. Like that one time we hit up the indie art gallery owned by Matts friend, or the time we got cheesecake to go and sat on the waterfront to eat it in the dark. Just cute little things that are hard to pass up when there is nothing else to do. Life in the city is so busy and there's so much to do here that we forget to not do anything sometimes.

We're struggling to come up with something to do on Friday that doesn't involve being shoved into an over crowded restaurant with a hundred other couples. Romance and all that. If only we could go to New Glasgow for the weekend.

Pizza Party

We had an impromptu pizza party, our best friends came over with Christmas gifts for the littles so Matt made the most delicious pizzas, like crazy good. He even made his own sausage. Go big or go home, right? I think that's his life motto because he never does the bare minimum, always over the top. I'm thankful because I get to eat all the crazy, complicated food he comes up with.

Anyway, here is his recipe if you ever feel like making too many pizzas on a random monday night...

The sauce, start it before the dough, it needs time to simmer

Ingredients

1 medium-large onion, sliced.
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped.
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped.
2 ribs celery, chopped.
1 can san marzano tomatoes.
Small handful dried basil.
Small handful dried oregano.
Generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.
Olive oil.
Salt to taste.

Directions

Heat a couple of good glugs of oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions, carrots, and celery.  Cook until carrots begin to soften.

Add garlic, pepper, and dried herbs.  Cook until everything is soft and onions are golden. Add tomatoes.  I use whole tomatoes and break them into chunks after they're in the pan.  Use a wooden spoon or similar implement. Cook a few minutes, then puree with immersion blender.

Lower heat to simmer, and allow to reduce until very thick. 2 hours or so.  Long enough to make the dough.

Crust:

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 t yeast
Good glug olive oil
kosher salt
1 1/3 cup water
Cornmeal

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer, mix on lowest speed.

When the dough forms a ball, turn speed to next highest setting.

Divide dough in half, cover and let stand for an hour/until doubled.

Once the dough has risen, form it into your pizza shape. Sprinkle cornmeal on a baking sheet, then place dough on sheet.  Top as desired.

Bake at 500° for 5-7 minutes


* Adapted from this recipe

Once the sauce and the dough are ready, add any topping you'd like. We used (pre cooked) sausage, peppers, homemade mozzarella, mushrooms and cracked an egg on top. We can't wait to try out different combinations though, you could even make personal sized pizza crusts and set up a build your own pizza bar. Could be fun for a party!

And a brownie recipe (if after all that pizza you have room for dessert)...

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate chips                                                 *for the peanut butter swirl*
1/2 cup butter (salted)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour                                                         2T butter
1/2 t baking powder                                                        1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 t salt                                                                           1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder                                                           1/4 t nutmeg
2 eggs (beaten)                                                                     1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 T vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° and grease two 8" cake pans

Melt the chocolate chips and butter on the stove top or in the microwave

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl

When chocolate is melted, add eggs, sugar and vanilla to mixture 

Add chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients 

Pour batter into both cake pans, until they're half way filled

Mix all ingredients for the peanut butter swirl together 

Drop small spoonfuls of peanut butter mixture to the top of the brownie batter 

Use a skewer to create the swirls

Bake for 30 minutes or until firm


*Adapted from this recipe

The Christmas Tree Farm Revisited; And Introducing…

Good Evening Internet,

Before we begin I feel it important to declare the following: The Organic Seasonal Decoration depicted below is not to be considered a “tree”. The gentleman at the Christmas tree farm said as much himself, preferring not to refer to it as a tree due to its size.  Not being a tree, the decoration cannot be in violation of any building rules regarding natural Christmas trees.

Clearly not a tree.

Also, I’m Matt.  I have a beard, and frequently work away from where I live.  A few weeks ago Carla and I took the kids to a Christmas tree farm in neighboring Hants County. While photographing the adventure I commented that I might like to write a guest post.  And here you find me.

In neighboring Hants County, a short jaunt up the 101 from Halifax, lies the lovely rural community of Mount Uniacke.  In Mount Uniacke reside a brave couple who have risen to the daunting task of domesticating their small acreage, wrestling the pines, firs, and spruces into the submissive and orderly garden that is a Christmas tree farm.  Having grown up in a rural community myself, and having spent no small part of my childhood running through the forest, I find the sight of trees growing neatly in rows a bit odd.

Max however, is a child of the suburbs.  And being loosed upon the wilderness with the only instruction of finding a tree decoration to cut down is a situation that fills him with a vicious excitement.

Arborist's are in demand.  Skills shortage and all.

As it was very cold and we were poorly dressed, our trip consisted of a short lap around a few strands of trees, hoping to locate a suitable victim as quickly as possible.

A first.

Victory!

Also, this was Max’s first opportunity to play in snow this winter.  An opportunity he celebrated by covering himself in the white stuff, and throwing a goodly portion of it at his mother, sister, and I.

Production.

Execution.

There were also sheep.

Having successfully smuggled our new friend into our home, a struggle involving no less than 3 SWAT turns and a mad dash up multiple flights of stairs, the kids took to polishing her up with wild fervor.

Max, unable to reach the top unaided, decided the best course of action would be to leap from the rail of Ellie’s crib, and crown the tree as he sailed by.  We talked him out of it.

Additional photos follow.

Birthday Weekend

We went to my in-laws to celebrate Matts birthday this weekend, he'd been working in the area all week and had no idea we were coming. It was a nice surprise since all he'd asked for were his kids for his birthday. We drove down the night before and were sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him when he got in from work, I wish I had taken a picture of his reaction when he saw us!

He and I took advantage of the babysitter offers from his (five!) sisters and went out for dinner that night. The next day, on his actually birthday, he had to work but that gave me, his sisters and his Mom time to get everything ready for the traditional Brown family birthday feast.

Best part of the night, when Matt opened the gift from his parents.....

Happy birthday Matty, we're pretty crazy about you!