Thursday, January 20, 2011

Countdown to the Den- two weeks to go!!

Loved Dragons' Den Last Night. Just imagining at the end of next weeks show they will have a teaser for our segment. Next week on the Den...... The Circus House invades! Please excuse the lack of upcoming blog posts as I prepare for the airing. A lot of interviews with newspapers and magazines but when the radio phones I have to break out the container of jelly beans to keep the two year old quiet. It has been a great year full of adventure and learning.




I would love to hear from you what you think is going to happen. Did we get a deal? How much money did we ask for? What percentage did we offer? If we got a deal how much percentage did we give? What dragons were in if we got a deal? The closest guess will get one of the first pairs of Snappy Socks off the presses!


Also, if any of my readers or their kids are artistically inclined I am accepting drawings which can be turned into sock creations. My friend and fellow photographer Bobbi Jo as well as my Graphic Designer Staci from Copies Xpress and her daugther have created designs for me already. It is an amazing thing to a concept go from a drawing to a finished sock.

Here is the link to the template. Just print it out and get out your pencil crayons and markers and design. You can scan or photograph and email it back to me at corla_rokochy@hotmail.com



















Monday, January 17, 2011

Blue Monday

I was listening to John Gormley today while I was working and found out from the show that today is the third Monday in January and by some is considered Blue Monday.  Today is considered the most depressing day of the year.  So how are you feeling?  If you are blue than that's ok because it is totally normal and apparently you are not alone and if you are feeling good than count yourself among the lucky!  Either way that's a good thing.

I didn't feel blue at all today even though the kids had us up last night from 3-4:30.  I got my work done, I got to listen to John Gormley while I was working which always makes me feel a bit smarter by the end of the show.  Ellie on the other hand is having a mid-day crisis.  She is hungry so I whipped up a little snack of nutricious hot dog and cheese slice.  Just like her dad she has to add some extra flare so she poured honey on it.
While I was taking a picture of the hotdogs I spilled her milk.  Don't worry I didn't cry.  
 The other kids are home and playing games they don't want Ellie to touch so she is mad!

So for all of you out there feeling blue here are some things my wise mother says to me when I am blue.

It's always darkest before the dawn.  This too shall pass.  Thank God for this boring day.  Don't cry over spilled milk. You wanted all these kids.  Don't cry over honey on hotdogs.

Have a great Blue Monday!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Carson is 5

Carson turned 5!  We try to take the kids out for a special breakfast to start their special day so we were up at 6 but not quite quiet enough to get out of the house with just the tree of us.  
We aren't usually home for Olivia's birthday so she set the alarm on her DSi so she would be sure to not miss out.  Of course it also woke up the 2 year old terror!  She was really happy actually singing bouncing and smiling.  A bit to much cheer for 6 in the morning.  
Called into the Magic 97 and Ryan was shocked that a 5 yr old would pick the Modern Restaurant over the ones in town with play centres.  Here his is laying on the coats waiting for breakfast.
So cute they brought his pancake with a candle in it.  

Birthday Party. We played musical chairs.  The kind where no one gets kicked out the just have to share chairs  

 So excited her friend is coming!  Wouldn't life be great if we all showed our friends we cared about them this much!
Superbrad to the rescue.  He delivered the cake and stayed to help wrangle 12 kids hotdogs, cake and melted ice cream.  Thanks buddy.
 We know Grandma and Grandpa will enjoy the cake Carson picked for his birthday!


 After the cake I sent them to the front room while we cleaned up and we would open presents.  Apparently that sounded like go to the front room take off your shirts and wrestle!
 A signed Cody Eakin Shirt wowwwie.


 He was a busy guy taking all his birthday calls.
 After the party we all crashed including me.  Left the mess and went for a 2 hour nap. That's right.  The kids got home and set up the Hot Wheels track that I couldn't figure out.
 Not used to the 6 am wake up call!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Mommy Daughter Moments

My mom is pretty amazing.  She makes the best pies, buns, shortbread cookies and can knit and crochet beautifully.  She is also and expert bridge player (in real life and on the computer).  I do not share any of these talents. How will I ever prepare for retirement if no one will be my bridge partner!

I think because my mom is so amazing at these things I have never had to learn how to do them myself.  It may take me a few more years to learn how to bid in bridge or knit one pearl two but with my mom coaching me on speaker phone today I tried and I think succeeded in making a batch of buns!


Here is my mom's bun recipe:

Vanna's Buns

3 cups warm water (not to warm so its boiling but not cold, that's what she told me sounds like Goldilocks)
1/2 cup sugar
6 T oil ( I used canolla)
1t salt
2T instant yeast
2 eggs
7-8 cups of flour

Beat eggs, sugar, salt and oil.  Add warm water.  Add 4 cups of flour.  Mix.  Add the yeast then the remaining flour just enough so it isn't sticky anymore.  Mix.  Sprinkle flour on the countertop and knead ball of dough for 5 minutes.  Punch the dough.  This is a great stress reliever.  Let Rise 15 minutes Make the buns......  (Then my mom wrote on the back of the recipe card) Let Rise another 15- 25 minutes and the bake at 350.  Maybe thats why they never worked out before!

My lovely assistant Ellie.  Stir the eggs.

  
Such a pro she's not even looking! Look at the froth she has going.

Add some flour.  Wait I'm getting a kink in my neck.  Let me put you on speaker phone. 
That's better.  I will take pictures while the two year old works.  

 Add the yeast and stir some more.

Woops a little to hard of stirring.  Sorry Grandma while we blow the flour out of the phone.  
 I realize how lucky I am to have my mom in generally but I have a few friends that have lost their moms and I can imagine what they would give to have an everyday phone call with them and ask them how to make buns.  Something I take for granted!

 Look Mommy my hands are messy!  Yes and isn't it fun.  





 Come on Ellie get angry with the dough.  Pretend your brother just took your Wii remote.  

In our pjs and covered with flour.  We had to call Carson away from Super Marios Smash Bros to take our picture.  


Put the dough in a clean bowl and rub a bit of oil on the surface so it doesn't dry out.  Then cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place with no draft.  
Finally a use for the hole in my wall where there is supposed to be a built in microwave but we can't find the right size anywhere!

Mom usually gets two pans of buns from this recipe but I still have dough left over soooooo....

Let's roll it out.  Spread butter on it.   


Sprinkle it with sugar and cinnamon.  
 Roll it up.  ( I hope sister doesn't see her DS in the middle of the cinnamon buns)

 Grease the bottom of the pan with butter and I put some brown sugar on the bottom.  Cut into rolls and let rise for 25-35 minutes.  


 Tada..
 Ta Dum...
Pat came home and made some kind of glaze for the cinnamon buns.  I was taking Car to playschool so I couldn't tell you for sure but I am going to go out on a limb and say brown sugar and butter.  
They were good!