Saturday, December 24, 2011

Miracle Moment!!

It really was a miracle that my caramels turned out!! It was all too late when I realized that my candy thermometer (brand new I might add) was definitely not working!
I first saw this recipe on pinterest. My mouth was watering when I saw it! Apple Cider Caramels! Come on, that is like candy apple with out having to gnaw on the apple!!
I also happen to LOVE caramel apple ciders from Starbucks!! YUMMY!!
When I went to the website I found out that the recipe actually came from one of my other favorite sites, Our Best Bites, which you should totally check out if you haven't already!
This was my very first batch of caramels ever! I had read and re-read the recipe, it didn't sound too hard! Just had to make sure you got it to the right temperature!
But I knew something was wrong when that thermometer
wasn't going any higher than 200˚F!!!
It would get close and then drop, then close again and then drop!

If any of you have made candy you know there isn't a lot of time to stop and consult the internet for other methods to check your candy's readiness! So I went way over to the farthest corners of my brain and tried to remember what I had seen my mother doing.....like ages ago!!

Something was ringing a bell about a glass of cold water and being able to roll a ball with the candy! I don't know how many times I dropped candy into that water, but finally I had success! I poured it into my pan and let them set!
They turned out better than I could have expected! Soooo good! Unless you have someone standing over your shoulder snapping pictures as you go...its hard to get pictures of the process....so you just get to look at the delicious aftermath!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Check out this Giveaway!

I wish my blog was big enough to offer a giveaway....but it's not!! ha ha!! So head on over to Better After to check out the giveaway there! Super cute dress, wouldn't you love to win it!!! I sure would!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

New Hair

It was high time that both Aubrey and I had haircuts! And I finally made it happen!
Aubrey was easy....I just had to pull out my hair bag, she willingly hopped into the chair and away we went. I think seeing haircuts is routine enough for her that there is nothing to fear!
She did awesome of course!
Sat perfectly still and no fussing!
It was definitely time to get rid of the mullet.
Even though it would curl up, it was just crazy messy all the time. Now maybe it will grow out a little more evenly! I think she looks super cute!

My hair on the other hand was going to be a little more tricky.....if I could cut it myself I totally would....and don't get me wrong...I still do my fair share of cutting on my hair, but to get a good straight cut at the back....it is best off if I let someone else do that! But WHO????
I kind of like my hair a certain way, and I often tell whoever is cutting it(usually a good friend)just how they should do it. Maybe I was a little annoying...I don't know....you would have to ask them!! :) Add to that, the student budget....it doesn't leave a lot of room for fancy hairdo's!! Groupon to the rescue!!! Haircuts here in downtown Toronto are pricey! Like $50 starting point for a women's haircut! I have *never* paid for a haircut in my life!!! It was always done at the salon I worked at or in trade with a friend! So I literally jumped on the Groupon deal for a $29 haircut at a respectable salon.
I knew I would be losing a lot of hair. After lightening it in June, and then
not getting it cut for 6 months(gasp!!!!) my ends were FRIED!!
This was my hair before the cut....it may not look that bad...but trust me IT WAS!!!!
I totally feel for you all having to go out and find a new stylist!! STRESSFUL!!! The one I got was nice though and did an okay job.... I knew the moment she said she was done that I would be "touching" it up at home!! I lost a good 4-5 inches at the salon, and even though I didn't touch the length....this was the pile that came off after I got home!!!
ha ha ha I like a lot of texturizing in my hair and she hardly did any!!
Thanks for the good "base cut" and I am much happier now that I have taken my scissors to it too!!!!

Here is a Before and After shot for you!!!
I am happy with it now, and my hair is so much
healthier!!
Even though I know my hair is still long...
it just feels so short now!!

Friday, December 9, 2011

Busy Body!!!



My little girl is now almost 20 months old!!! It is crazy to think that she will be 2 in just over 4 months!!!!! She is definitely a busy body now and is getting into a lot of things. I will be the first to admit she is far from being the worst! I have heard others horror stories! But still she does get into things and it makes me laugh!! She is obsessed with bags....plastic bags, paper bags, bags with handles, mommy's bag, or daddy's backpack(which is why she is getting a backpack of her own for Christmas).
The other day she was really quiet(never a good sign) I and found her devouring skittles as fast as she could! I cleaned up that mess to turn around and find her hiding behind the couch with my onions peeling off the brown skins and spreading them all over the floor!
She is also fond of tearing the pages out of Mason's colouring books and using the crayons/felts to colour on the chairs or herself. Mostly she is just cute while she is doing all of this! I try to keep the things I really don't want her getting into out of her reach!
The other day while Mike was shaving in the bathroom and I was with Mason in the living room, Aubrey was well....busy!! Mike could hear her saying "what 'bout cupcakes!" over and over.....she got this saying from a Funniest Home Videos clip....Mike went into our bedroom to find her pulling the fabric sheets out one by one saying "what 'bout cupcakes" with each one. Of course you pull out the camera to catch her in action and the saying stops....but it was still cute...cute enough I thought I would share!!
Have your kids recently gotten into anything you didn't really want them getting into?I still am dreading the day my kids find my haircutting things....I just don't even want to think about it!! ha ha, here's to cheeks filled with skittles and onion peels under the couch!!