Halloween 2015

Halloween 2015 was sometimes a challenge. Lenny has developed what I think is a totally understandable fear of the gore around the holiday. She's easily spooked right now, particularly by bugs and spiders and the like. What are you gonna do? It didn't keep us from celebrating, although it did keep her from Trick or Treating. It was her decision to skip it and she was very happy with it.

Halloween 2015 was also about decorating pumpkins. Thanks, Dollar Store, for the "easier than carving" plastic facial features. Seriously. THANK YOU.

Halloween 2015 was a five year old all dressed up as Skye from Paw Patrol and marching in her SK parade.

"Ruff ruff! WINGS!"

She was THRILLED.

Halloween 2015 was an after-school party on Friday with some of her classmates and besties. It's so fun to watch the kids play together and to get to know their parents.  I'm starting to feel like we're part of a community.

The mummy hot dogs and vampire donuts were a big hit, thanks Pinterest!

Also, I made a Kid Friendly Halloween Party Playlist on Spotify so you don't have to! That's 2 hrs and 20 minutes of good tunes for your future Halloween revelry, right there (play it on shuffle).

Halloween 2015 was about letting my kid make up her own mind and respecting her decisions. It was also about vampire teeth (which apparently, are not spooky). Vampire teeth. A lot. It was a lot about vampire teeth.

Things I want to remember about June

Coming back home from a blissful May in New Orleans was kind of difficult.  Lucky for me June turned out to be more than a little alright.  Family, friends, music, celebrations.  Keep it up, Summer 2014!  A few really special things I don't want to forget...

This is indeed a right of passage for any Nolan girl.  Lucky for Lenny, Aunt Mo runs the Social Media initiatives for Silent Sundays at the Revue and just about the whole clan came out to join in the fun.  I've been sitting on the fence for years (for real, that's crazy) about what Lenny's first in house movie experience should be.  Buster Keaton's The Navigator was the perfect choice.  She's been playing Buster Keaton games for weeks. Success! Team Buster!

Aunt Paddy, who happens to also be the excellent film blogger Caftan Woman, chronicled the day here.  She says it better than I could.

Soul Rebels in the house, y'all!!!  My favourite brass band in the Tdot just a few weeks after I saw them in Nola?  Yes, please! Lenny showed them how she's been practicing her 504 chant.  She was a big hit.  They were on their way to Europe after this show and joked that they were going to take her with them.  Something tells me she'd be into that.

Elvis Costello played 2 1/2 hours of some of the most hauntingly beautiful music I've ever heard at Massey Hall on June 15th.  His endurance and musicianship and humanity...just wow.  Also, a rare date night with my BFF.  A perfect evening.

And then, there were the birthday celebrations.  Viv turned 2!  There was a wonderful backyard BBQ with great friends.

2 year old DAREDEVIL!

Lenny loves Sarah so much she literally says things like "I wish Sarah Sisko was wiping my mouth"

And yes...the glasses are fakes.  But she continues to wear them all the time :)

With Kath in her beautiful backyard and Desi AKA The Farmer's Only Daughter (Thanks for the pics Sarah!)

Then there was Céline's birthday party at the Jazz Bistro during the Oliver Jones show. I've already talked about how great the music was but the company was killer too.  I was so focussed on capturing the band with my camera I forgot to take any fun party pics.  Thanks to Rosemarie and Mo for these awesome shots.

Surprise!

With the birthday girl and the awesome and talented Rosemarie 

One of Lenny's besties, Sully Cooper turned 3 this month and he invited her to join him on a trip to Ripley's Aquarium.  It was amazing.  We adore Sully and his whole family.  It was a great day.  I didn't manage to get many pictures because they were total moving targets.  I Love their friendship.

Bring it, July... 

Five ways to turn your Superbowl Party into a SuperGras Party

The Superbowl is one of those sporting events that even non-sports fans can get on board with.  Who doesn't like hanging out, drinking beer and eating chilli?  Personally, I really get on board when the Saints are playing but even though Who Dat? nation didn't have the best season this year we get to celebrate because Nola is hosting!  Any excuse to infuse a little of my home-away-from-home into my daily life! 

Read on for my tips to bring a little of the Big Easy to your easy chair this Sunday while you watch the big game!

1.  Tunes

Sure, the game is on, but if I were you, I'd turn the sound down and crank some of these Mardi Gras classics up.

James "Sugarboy" Crawford - Jock-O-Mo 

Professor Longhair - Big Chief

Louis Armstrong - King of the Zulus

The Dixie Cups - Iko Iko

The Meters - Mardi Gras Mambo

Kermit Ruffins and The Rebirth Brass Band - Mardi Gras Day

Now that I've got you started go find some Dr. John, some Fats Domino and some Harry Connick Jr. or just tune into the best radio station in the world, WWOZ.  They've got you covered.

2.  Cocktails

Pat O'Brien's Bar introduced the Hurricane at the 1939 World's Fair in New Orleans.  It's said that O'Brien created the cocktail as a means to get rid of the large amounts of rum his Southern distributors forced him to buy.  

Ingredients:

2 oz light rum
2 oz dark rum
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
Juice of a half a lime
1 Tbsp simple syrup
1 Tbsp grenadine
Orange slice and cherry for garnish

Preparation:

Squeeze juice from half a lime into cocktail shaker over ice. Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

3.  Eats

The options are endless, but a great #SuperGras party wouldn't be complete without Fried Chicken and Red Beans & Rice (feel free to go to Popeye's) and then filter all of your domestic energy into making these homemade Pralines - this great recipe is courtesy The New Orleans School of Cooking.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 

1/2 cup milk 6 tablespoons butter 

1 1/2 cups pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a “softball stage” (238-240 degrees F), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

2. Stir until mixture thickens (again stirring constantly), becomes creamy and cloudy, and pecans stay suspended in mixture. Spoon out on buttered waxed paper, aluminum foil or parchment paper. When using waxed paper, be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath, as hot wax will transfer to whatever is beneath.

Note: To roast pecans, bake them on a sheet pan at 275 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant.

Options: Praline sauce (add 1/2 cup corn syrup to mixture). Chocolate covered praline candy. Flavored pralines (chocolate, coffee, brandy, etc.)

Makes 1-50 pralines depending on size

4.  Activities

Crafts are a great way to keep the youngsters in your crowd occupied while you try to catch the half time show. Everyone needs a mask at Mardi Gras, so why not decorate some for #SuperGras?  You could cut some football shaped masks out of construction paper or go ahead and print out these great free printable masks available at the website Family Shopping Bag.

via Family Shopping Bag

5.  Finishing Touches

These wee cupcake toppers and flags would be equally at home on desserts as they would sliders, Muffulettas or other finger foods.  All you need is a colour printer, some toothpicks and some tape. 

Click here to download these super cute cupcake toppers from the good folks at Pizzazzerie

Pizzazzerie has also made these adorable Mardi Gras flags available for free here.

Last but not least, beads, beads, BEADS! As many as you can get your hands on to wear and share!

Lenny, after her first New Orleans parade, April 2011

Check out my Mardi Gras board on Pinterest for more inspiration!  Happy #SuperGras!

Diamond Jubilee Tea Party!

I won't lie to you, I've taken to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend like a fish to water.  True, I'm on board for just about any holiday but this one is hitting me right where I live.  I was raised in a household that had a great deal of respect and fondness for the Royals and I carry that with me today. 

Isn't she lovely?

I know she isn't even 2 years old yet, but I wanted to try and make the occasion fun for Lenny.  Even though she won't remember the specifics we'll have the story and the photos.  I want to share this with her not just because it's of significance to me, but because her heritage is deeply rooted in the UK.

Lenny's "official" name on her birth certificate is Eileen.  She was named for the Robeau's mother who was in turn named for her mother.  She's a third generation Eileen.  The first Eileen met her husband (Lenny's Great Granddad) when he was a young Canadian soldier serving in WWII.  Eileen was a young British woman working in the canteen.  Family legend is it was love at first sight.  They were married shortly after.

Alan Angus Sloss Peterson and his bride Eileen on their wedding day.

Eileen, Alan and their first born, Eileen Jean (Lenny's Nana!) at home in England

So, this afternoon, to honour HRH, we had a Diamond Jubilee Tea Party.  I even made bunting!  Thanks to Wee Birdy's charming (and free) printables.  Isn't it festive?

On the menu were Funfetti Cupcakes which we decorated with sprinkles and these amazing toppers - another free printable, this time from the good people at Crumb.  I can't get enough of these!

Also on the menu was homemade Butternut Squash Soup (served in my favourite depression era teacups - thanks Mo) and open faced Cucumber Sandwiches which Lenny devoured.  I mean devoured.

The sandwiches were served on one of my favourites, a vintage Ridgway Ironware platter (in the "Espresso" pattern that was very popular around the time the Queen had her Coronation).  I got it at Value Village last year and just love it!

Lenny had a blast. She kept running around the house chanting "Tea Party!" and "Queen!" I look forward to sharing these pictures with her someday and the story about the Tea Party we had (with not a drop of tea) to celebrate a lady named Elizabeth who didn't expect to get the job she did when she was a little girl, but took it on with grace and courage and continues to do her duty every day sixty years later.  If that isn't worth a cupcake, I don't know what is.  Hooray for Lizzy!