Avoiding the major battles

Now most of parents would say you have to discipline when children get out of line or won't listen. You set boundaries and limits for everything to help them grow up and learn to have the basic skills when it comes to dealing with people and the public as a whole. I know they are watching how I handle myself with people and how I react to situations. Most people want their kids to grow up to be polite, kind to others, considerate and caring. I'm sure most people grow up with those key things but I find some parents who constantly freak out and swear at their kids when they do something they don't like. I have seen someone tell their kid to come with them and they said no. The parent grabbed the kid by the arm and said lets go. The kid was hitting and yelling at his dad and he dragged him inside. I don't agree with this because it doesn't teach the kid anything about how to behave and reason why the are being asked to come inside.

I told the girls last Saturday before we went outside that we can go out and play but they have to listen and if they don't we will go inside if they are not behaving. They both agreed and I had no problems. I also told them I was shoveling the driveway and when I'm done I will play in the snow with them but we will have to go in to get warm if it gets too cold. They asked to go in and I didn't have to tell them twice. I set the guidelines early before we went outside so we were all on the same page but find some people don't. You are going to run into problems when you don't set the guidelines early. It is just a fact.

The easiest way to make an outing enjoyable for the whole family is to discuss what you expect and what might happen if the kids don't behave. They will know the boundaries and you will have a better time knowing that you have the control over the outcome of the activity. If they are bad you can leave but if they are good, you can reward them for a great time out with something simple like an ice cream cone or candy from the bulk barn. Doesn't cost you more than $5 bucks and they will remember that they will be rewarded for being good. Like training your puppy, if you do it enough times they will remember and you can stop with the reward because they will do it because it will be out of habit and not for reward.

Cheers!!

Family deals

We have been looking to do some fun activities with the girls over the winter since it is so cold and starting to snow more and more. What can you do other than winter activities? Well we have been looking at both outdoor and indoor things. We have been looking at the rec centres for free activities and also ones we pay for such as dance, sports and arts. Another good place is the library. We were there today to grab some books so the girls can read and we can read to them. That's something I don't do enough is read. A good place to find family getaways if you like to travel and let the kids have a fun night away is Travelzoo. It has deals that offer vacation packages, tickets to events and other deals you can't find else where.

We recently book one night at the Ramada by the Falls in Niagara Falls for one night at $60.00 in a really nice hotel that is located between Clifton hill and the falls. The kids will get a blast out of being in a nice hotel and it is nice to get away for a night to just have fun. I think we will play some games at the midway, see the falls, go to Clifton hill and have dinner at the rain forest cafe. $150-$200 for two days for gas, hotel, food and parking isn't too bad.

Anyway, Tonight Zoey lost another tooth and she was excited because she said she is growing up. I hate to admit it but she is. Today when she came off  the bus she told the bus drive to have a good day. She says and does things like an adult but still acts like a kid most of the time. I can't believe they grow up so fast but I am loving every minute of them being around me. They are amazing!

Cheers!!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

I am sending this out to anyone who actually reads my blog. Drew I know you look at it once in a while but haven't seen much from you on yours lately.

Anyway, I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Drink to your hearts content, cherish everyone who has been and still is in your life and try to start the new year on a positive note. I will miss my friends this year as no one will be "home" for Christmas but families grow bigger and everything costs more the bigger they are. I would like to wish Andrew, Sylvia, Olivia & Lexie the best over the holidays from Paul, Nicole, Zoey & Hailey. I would also like to wish Chris & Joanna, Lee & Jayne and Cameron & Beth a happy holidays as well.

Hopefully we can get out and visit some friends over the next year but can't promise. Life is busy with kids and school. Nothing takes up more of your time but is worth it for the rest of your life like children. It does make me sad to think the girls will be out of the house soon (maybe another 15 years) but I hope they will always find their way home if they ever need anything.

I want to share something with you. This year I asked for nothing but clothes. I don't care about what I get because nothing makes me as happy as my girls. The look on their faces on Christmas morning makes my whole year and brings me so much love I can barely keep from crying. I want to make them as happy as possible and to keep them safe. I know we as parents want nothing more than that so I hope you all see as much pleasure in your children this Christmas morning as I see when they see those presents under the tree.

The best thing I could have ever done was to have two wonderful kids who I love more than life itself. Nothing makes me happier than seeing their faces and hearing them laugh. I love their hugs and cherish my time with them because they are my everything. Without Nicole in my life I couldn't have had such amazing girls and I thank her everyday for being the mom and wife that she is.

Cheers!

Growning up faster than we did!

I was watching the girls last night on the computer and how they could navigate and select the websites they want to bring up. I was in high school when I first got onto the Internet. I remember how new it was because I was able to get my last name as my email address for hotmail. Not possible now! The Internet has grown so much and so has technology. The things the kids are asking for Christmas is mind blowing. Zoey wants an ipod and Hailey wants one too. I never asked for anything except for a Nintendo and Super Nintendo because that was the latest and greatest things. The girls can play the Wii without help and can load discs, select characters and play games without me having to help them. Zoey is better at that than Hailey but they are both capable of playing most of the Wii games on Resort, Play and Sports.

They know about texting and like to pretend to send texts on my dead cell phone I gave them. Everything they are learning and picking up is amazing and they are almost at the level Nicole and I are with some of these things. I'm not the most technical guy out there but am trying to grasp hold of the way things are moving but I like the simple and easy. I can't build a computer and have very little knowledge to fix them but can manage on some level. I can't wait to see how advanced the girls will be compared to what we are now. I wonder if this is how my parents felt when my brother, sister and myself were growing up and were telling them about things that they seemed to have very little knowledge of.

I like the simple because it is easier to fix. With everything computerized it is harder to fix and most of the time needs replacing. More money for less thinking. You program it and leave it until it dies or needs to be reprogrammed. I'm not simple by any means but I would rather get dirty and get my hands into fix something. I fixed the air conditioner in the summer when I found a mouse had chewed through the wires. 2 needed to be twisted back together and I fixed the wires and it worked great! If it was chips and processors and boards, I would need to buy a new one instead of using things from around the house to fix it. I just like things to be simpler so I don't have to pay a tech $80/hr to come and fix something I could. Like I did in the air conditioner. I did some exploring and found the problem. I could have said screw it and call someone who would have charged me $80/hr to twist 2 wires together. I could have and did do that for nothing!

Anyway, I know things that can think for themselves are such a nice feature on a fridge or washing machine but when it breaks, how much is it going to cost to fix and can I do it myself? That is the new questions I'm going to start asking when we buy something with that kind of technology. Or what I could do is get the girls to do it because they are getting to that point quickly! I know the girls are growing up faster than I did but I am also immature...which I love! They are doing so well in school and I don't know if that is because we read almost every night to them or because we let them be independent to a degree with some things. Regardless, I know how my parents felt when they looked at each other and realized that we were advancing past what they knew. I won't be hard on them for not knowing certain things anymore because I need to be supportive and hope the girls help us out when everything is over our heads too!!

Cheers!!

OnStar

Yes OnStar! Ever since we bought the truck I have been amazed at how OnStar works. We have monthly emails with a full diagnostics report from the on board computer in the truck. No need for a $100 diagnostics from the garage because we get it monthly in an email and can log onto the OnStar site for more detailed reports also. The hands free calling is nice to have and out of the 150 minutes we have, we still have 134 left but will expire in 2 months. There is also tons of amazing features that OnStar can do. If your vehicle is stolen they can find it on GPS, tell the cops where it is and shut the engine off so the vehicle will roll to a stop. They can also unlock your vehicle if you leave your keys in it. The most important is the crash response that is something I thought wouldn't be needed because of me always having my phone with me. After thinking a bit more about this, I realized that if we were in an accident and I ended up unable to call because I was knocked out, they would send emergency personnel. I want to make sure the girls are safe and taken care of if I am unable to help them. Not only would the OnStar operator come over the speakers and talk to us but would also talk to the girls and try to keep them calm until help arrived.

I didn't care about the OnStar features when making my purchase but am I ever glad it has it now! It truly is something to see. I know other brands claim safety and reliability but how could you ever compete with OnStar.....you can't! Anyone who has never seen OnStar or looked into it should really try it out at a dealership if shopping for a new vehicle and check out all the info you can on this amazing product. I must say that I am not a one brand kinda man because I like other makes and models on the market but I may be a GM guy for life now. You just can't compare. They are in a league of their own when it comes to safety and innovation. GM has developed some pretty great safety features and has allowed other makers to have the idea to make sure we are all safe but OnStar is one thing that GM was smart to hold onto because it is amazing. Having your guardian angel with you is nice but having OnStar in addition to your angel is even better.

Cheers!

Simple and yummy

Now my best friend who blogs on Helpful Daddy has some great recipes that he has made for his family and he has given me some great ideas. When I cook for the girls, I like it easy and with simple ingredients that I can find in any grocery store. I love the Kraft cooking magazines we get in the mail and they are free. Just go to Kraft Canada on the web and sign up. I also like other recipe sites but found two really good ideas that I tried last week and both turned out great. One is a vegetarian dish and the other a chicken dish. I am not the person who endorses vegetarian dishes but I do have an open mind and one meal without meat a week isn't such a bad idea. So here are the basic steps I took in making them and I will also add a few comments on what I will do next time I make these meals.

Slow Cooker Country Chicken Stew

1. I took 4 boneless, skinless chicken breats out of a box we bought at M&M's. Very clean and no fat on the chicken. Cut into 1 inch cubes and toss in flour.
2. 1 can of low sodium chicken broth, 1 package sliced mushrooms, 3-4 large carrots sliced and 1 medium onion sliced into the slow cooker and add the chicken. Place on high heat for 3-4 hours or 7-8 on low.
3. With 30 minutes left to cook or just before you want to eat place 1 cup of frozen peas into slow cooker and half of a 250g tub of herb and garlic cream cheese low fat.
4. Stir together and make sure cream cheese has worked its way into the broth and over all veggies and meat.
5. Serve after everything is hot.

Now I found that potatoes would be nice in the stew and corn. You can always leave out the mushrooms and the low sodium and low fat was my choice but you could use regular chicken broth and cream cheese. Really you can add or subtract anything you want from this stew and make it your own. A friend at work that I showed my leftovers to suggest another great idea.

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/slow-cooker-pantry-chicken-stew-120585.aspx

Once the stew has finished, place into pie shell  that has been baked and top with stuffing. Bake until stuffing crispy and serve. I might just try that next time. I would suggest using stove top, which is my favourite, and I like the low sodium one.

The other recipe I tried is a vegetarian dish but very tasty.



Eggplant Rollatini

1. Large eggplant peeled and sliced length ways or cut into round pieces. I did the round pieces and it work okay but a friend cut it length ways and said it was easier to roll. Mine looked like tacos!!
2. Place eggplant in oven at 350 for about 10 minutes to soften up so it will roll easier.
3. You will need a small container of ricotta cheese, 1 pkg mozzarella cheese shredded, 1/2 cup basil, 1/3 cup bread crumbs & 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Place into bowl but save some mozzarella for topping the eggplant in the pan. Mix together.
5. Once eggplant has cooled, place mixture onto eggplant and roll. Place in 9X12 pan that has been sprayed or oil rubbed to prevent sticking.
6. Pour tomato sauce over eggplant and finish off with extra mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350.

Now I would have liked a bit more flavour and garlic and onion would have been nice to add. Very delicious however and generally good for you if you don't eat the cheese!!!

This recipe can be found at: http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/eggplant-rollatini-119166.aspx

Anyway, I found both to be very good and easy to make. Not too much complicity and tastes very good. Nicole enjoyed the country stew and I ate all the eggplant rollatini!

Cheers!

Santa is a coming!

Well Nicole and I have been buying up gifts for the girls and others since we have found some good deals and I would rather have it finished sooner than later. We also attended 2 parades over the weekend. Saturday night was the Oshawa Santa Claus parade of lights. Everyone really enjoyed it and they had some really fun floats. They had a YMCA float and had people on the sides of the road dancing to the YMCA song. The young ones didn't get it but you could see the older crowd light up when they heard that float coming down the street blasting those familiar tunes! They had a great parade with good flow and lots of variety with bands spaced nicely throughout.

Sunday afternoon we also attended the Toronto Santa Claus parade. What a let down! I'm not kidding. This was a complete mess and looked like it was really thrown together on a last minute shuffle. They start with the police cars from the area and the celebrity clowns. They began the parade and then no one to be seen. We waited 5 minutes until the next float came around the corner. Now we were at the 3/4 mark of the parade so we were not at the end but close enough. Finally more floats and bands came around the corner but that was short lived. We saw about another 20 minutes of floats and then another break in the parade. We waited 4 times for the parade to come around the corner and each time was longer and longer. We saw 99% of the parade and once Santa failed to show up in a timely manner and packed up and left. We weren't the only ones! Lots of other people left before we did but almost everyone around us was complaining. I have never seen such a mess of a parade before and since it is the longest running parade, you expect a better showing than what was the final outcome.

We decided we won't be going back to the parade for 3 reasons.

1. You need to get a spot early or you won't be able to get the kids close to see. We got our spot at 11:40am and the parade didn't start until 12:45pm. It took until 1:53pm until the parade got to us.

2. The cold and poor parade flow. I don't want myself or me kids freezing while we wait for a break in the parade. I never thought I would pay $9.00(which is cheap compared to every other lot) at the green P lot to watch a shitty broken parade. I could have watched it at home and they could have made it look awesome but we say it for what it really was.

3. The traffic was super shitty and took us 25 minutes to go 1KM to get onto the Gardiner to hit the DVP north. I was stuck in an intersection with a bus and ambulance block me from turning left with traffic passing in front and behind us. The DVP was also shitty heading north.

So next year we will attend the Oshawa parade. Great little parade and local with a 10 minute drive home. We will watch the Toronto parade from home while drinking beer, eating chili and have the comfort of heat and a clean toilet next year!!

Cheers!