House Blessing

Yesterday I hosted my first party at my new home with 15 guests and a brand new little one. It was a combination of a baby shower and house blessing with friends who I've known for 15+ years. We had a wonderful time and lots of delicious food. I prepared the appetizers and everybody else brought dessert. We began at 2pm and went into the evening which included ordering in Chinese Food, watching the (terrible) Canuck's game and kick-starting the annual Earth Hour experience.

For appetizers I made:
1. veggies and dip. The dip was a delicious chipotle flavoured dip. I wanted to try something new after making the same dip for many years. It had a nice zip to it.

2. cheese ball and crackers - pretty simple and standard cheese ball without the nuts

3. broccoli salad - with sunflower seeds instead of cashews

4. guacamole and chips

5. prosciutto rolls

6. deviled eggs

7. spinach dip

The desserts that arrived were incredibly delicious. We had cream cheese tarts with raspberry sauce, homemade caramel corn, brownies, fruit plate and a strawberry shortcake.

I basically used all my favourite and regular appetizers that I take to the gazillion potlucks I attend each year. I think its time to open the cookbooks, expand the list and learn some new appetizers. Any suggestions?

Family Week

This week is family week and I LOVE having family in town. It doesn't happen often so when it does it becomes top priority (as long as I know ahead of time that they are coming!).It also reminds me to be thankful for the many friends in my life who care for me year-round and especially during the holidays.

Mom flew into Vancouver LAST Thursday after being away for two weeks. She was judging the UBC Gala Ball this past weekend. We are meeting for lunch today at the Irish Pub just down the street from my house. Mom flies out tomorrow for three weeks of travel. I believe Halifax and Calgary are included in this trip and she will be back after Easter.

Dad flies in THIS Thursday and will be here for a six day visit. We are going to spend Saturday in Snohomish visiting my cousin and his wife. The added bonus is that I have the entire six days off of work and only one school (class) commitment.

I am looking forward to all the visits and fun.

2010 Travel

My friends know me too well! I've had three people ask me this week where I am off to this year. This is usually the time that I start to plan another trip to some wonderful place in the world however I don't have any big plans yet....

Hawaii, Australia and Nova Scotia are all on my radar and are all places I've been too before. I will probably end up going to one of them.

Europe, India, New Zealand, Philippians, Turkey and mainland Japan are on the dream list for future travel.

I am also thinking more locally and about parts of British Columbia that I haven't seen yet so I may plan a roadtrip to the East or to the North. If I go to Nova Scotia then I'll probably take the ferry to the US and explore Maine.

Stay tuned!

Friends

I am BEYOND excited tonight with the news that my good friends and their two little ones have sold their home in Richmond (where I use to live) and purchased a new home in Walnut Grove (15 minutes from where I live now). I am SO excited!! I can't wait to have them close by and for them to possibly even check out my church. They attend the church I just left so they are already connected, looking for a new church home. Great news all around!

Street Youth

In my Addictions Class on Monday nights we are working on a group project which we are organizing into a 45 minute class presentation for March 22nd. Our topic is street youth (ages 15-18), their use of alcohol and the positive intervention techniques of holistic approaches and asset building. I love working on huge projects like this because it gets people out into the community to find what resources are out there and available to us. My specific research pieces for this project are focused on asset building and youth-alcohol use as I have community connections in both areas.

Dondi Project

I am heading to work early this morning because there is a special pancake breakfast event before worship. There is a group of men in the church who are joining many men across the country, raising awareness and money for Angola. The United Church of Canada has pledged to raise $1 million dollars to rebuild a school, which was destroyed during civil conflict and war, in Lutamo, Angola. 500,000 people died in that war. The United Church of Canada is working in partnership with the Evangelical Church in Angola. Much more information can be found at www.dondiproject.com. Check it out.

Spring is Arriving

Spring is arriving. The days are beginning in the light and ending in the light. Clocks change next week.

Signs of spring this week:
10 eagles in trees alongside the highway
Tulips, daffodils, forsythia and cherry blossoms everywhere
birds chirping in the mornings, frogs croaking at night
unexpected sunny days....

This Saturday my Strata is holding a community garden sign up time. I have a meeting but plan on leaving early so that I can claim a spot. I can't wait to start digging in the dirt and planting seeds.

Summer will be here before we know it.