Prairie Road

Immanuel!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.003-07:00

Beautiful video set to Michael Card's "Immanuel." The Martyrs Cross (1928) inside Dalgarnock Churchyard commemorates 57 Nithsdale Covenanters. Between Carlisle and Glasgow, Scotland...

U.S. taxman to go easy on American residents in Canada

2011-12-02T13:16:00.003-07:00

Fantastic news, reported in The Globe and Mail today.

Americans living in Canada who’ve neglected to pay their U.S. taxes are getting a big break from Uncle Sam.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is poised to waive potentially massive penalties for Americans who agree to come clean and don’t owe any taxes, The Globe and Mail has learned.

The new rules will be announced within weeks by the IRS, according to David Jacobson, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, who has been swamped with complaints from anxious Canadians.

A worse kind of financial deprivation

2011-12-01T11:54:00.005-07:00

It's hard not to overspend in December! Here's some inspiration from Amy Dacyzyn, for those of us seeking a simple and spiritual Christmas that doesn't blow our budgets:

To some, constantly cruising along at a spending level that's near the bottom of the family's cyclical income level sounds like a life of permanent deprivation. But if there is one thing I would like to hammer home, it is a new definition of deprivation. True deprivation has nothing to do with a lack of stereos, restaurant meals, flashy toys, Caribbean vacations, and similar consumer items. To me, a worse kind of deprivation is a lack of security--the constant nagging feeling that the tiniest downturn in one's income, or the smallest domestic disaster such as a blown engine or broken window, can wipe you out.

We don't place much value on this feeling of security in our culture because it doesn't have an ad campaign on TV, it's not promoted by our political leaders, and it doesn't surround us with lots of visible stuff with which we can easily impress our neighbors. But anyone who has lived without security and then slowly, patiently acquired it, knows that it's more satisfying to own than any consumer gadget.

-from The Tightwad Gazette

FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) in the news

2011-11-21T15:22:00.004-07:00

American Citizens Abroad is keeping a list of articles regarding the FATCA legislation.

Ottawa seeks leniency for Canadians in U.S. tax hunt

2011-11-20T17:45:00.004-07:00

An encouraging story from The Globe and Mail. Many people are hoping the U.S. ambassador to Canada will say more about this, the sooner the better.

Americans making it tough on Canadians

2011-11-20T17:24:00.005-07:00

Here's another article about how the IRS tax rules are making life difficult for many Americans abroad.

Next up are soon to be effective rules requiring Canadian financial institutions to report accounts of US citizens – the so-called FATCA filing requirements. In effect, Canadian financial institutions are being deputized to help enforce US tax laws, at considerable cost to such institutions and ultimately their customers. FBAR or FATCA – take your pick. Without some reprieve from the US government, Canadians and Canadian financial institutions could be in for a tough ride.

As I've written about before here on this blog, the IRS taxes based on citizenship and not residency. I believe the only other country that does this is Eritrea. This is why I have to file taxes for two countries every year. Although this requirement is written in the US passport, it's in small print, and doesn't give many details. I've never had a border guard remind me of this requirement, nor have I been reminded when going to renew a US passport. Instead, I learned about this by spending too much time on expat message boards.

However, there are many US citizens abroad who had no idea they needed to file a tax return with the IRS every year, and report their foreign bank accounts to the US treasury. The IRS wants people to get into compliance, but there are penalties to be paid in many cases. And now in 2014, FATCA is supposed to come into effect. My understanding is that many Canadian banks have already agreed to go along with it or face withholding on U.S.-source interest and dividends, gross proceeds from the disposition of U.S. securities, and pass-through payments.

Have you or anyone you know been affected by this?

Eric talks about reading the Bible in the original languages

2011-09-30T12:55:00.005-06:00

Briercrest has a new degree program called the MABLE (Master of Arts in Biblical Languages and Exegesis). Students in this program will become proficient in both Hebrew and Greek. Like all Briercrest Seminary programs, many if not most of the requirements can be completed through one-week modulars and distance learning. If you or anyone you know could benefit from this or any of our other seminary programs, we'd love to see you here!

A Sunday prayer

2011-09-25T14:04:00.009-06:00

In the fullness of time,
reconcile all things in Christ,
and make them new,
and bring us to that city of light
where you dwell with all your sons and daughters;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
the firstborn of all creation,
the head of the Church,
and the author of our salvation:
By whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, Almighty Father, now and ever.

From Eucharist Prayer 3, Book of Alternative Services, Anglican Church of Canada

Americans going to Canada for work

2011-09-08T19:23:00.002-06:00

This article from CNN caught my eye.

U.S. tax crackdown hits Canadian residents

2011-06-20T09:34:00.007-06:00

Here's an informative article for US expats in Canada, from The Globe and Mail. As people in the comment section point out, it's not a change of tax policy on the part of the IRS. What's notable is this part, particularly what I've bolded:

Starting in 2013, the IRS will require financial institutions outside the United States to disclose all accounts held by current and former U.S. citizens and green-card holders. They will likely have to file years of U.S. tax returns and detailed annual account disclosure. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Friday that Canada is not a tax haven and that the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act will place an onerous burden on Canadian financial institutions.

I have tried to stay in compliance with IRS requirements to the best of my ability since we've been expats. Now I'm hoping the Canadian banks we use won't mind keeping us on as clients if they need to report every account we have to the IRS.

Applying for Canadian citizenship

2011-06-16T12:12:00.000-06:00

We've been here long enough now that we are eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship! Now before anyone freaks out, we are absolutely not giving up our American citizenship. The US and Canada both allow their citizens to have dual citizenship. Having Canadian citizenship will mean we're eligible to vote in the country where we live and work. And unlike permanent residency, citizenship cannot be lost.

As I did with our journey to permanent residency, I will document this process here, for those who wish to know what it entails.

*The first thing to do is figure out if you're eligible to apply for citizenship. The CIC website has information here to help you determine that. You need to be a permanent resident already, and meet the residence requirement. We haven't actually been permanent residents long enough, however, the time when we were living here under Eric's work permit counts half-time. They provide a residence calculator which tells you when you're eligible to apply. You have to list all the dates you were gone from Canada for work or vacation as well. If you know you're going to eventually apply for citizenship, it's easier to keep track of this as you go.

*When you're ready to apply, you can download and print the application forms and instructions from the CIC website. Each adult and child submits a separate application. For those who have applied for permanent residency, take heart! The citizenship application is only four pages long!

*Use the document checklist, and include copies of the various documents they want. No need to get anything notarized! We have to send in copies of our Confirmation of Permanent Residence form, Permanent Residency cards, US passports, and Saskatchewan Health cards. If you're applying on behalf of a child under 18, you also need to send a copy of the birth certificate.

*Have citizenship photos taken, using the specifications given in the instructions.

*Pay the fee, either at a bank or online with a credit card. Enclose the receipt. It's $200 per adult and $100 per child. Again, this is significantly cheaper than the permanent residency fees.

*Send to the Case Processing Centre in Nova Scotia, and hope for the best!

Introverted Parenting

2011-06-06T10:15:00.001-06:00

Fascinating blog series here.

A Desert by Comparison

2011-05-31T23:31:00.000-06:00

In 1952, when I was twenty-one and still an atheist studying philosophy at Yale, I picked up a copy of Thomas Merton’s Seven Storey Mountain and began to read about the author’s pilgrimage from secular intellectualism to the Trappist Order. As I read, my mind became enlightened by the reality of the presence of God. It suddenly became clear that behind all the beauty and order in nature and human art there lies a divine creative wisdom, an infinite personality whose beauty is past change. In Merton’s metaphor, it seemed as though a window in the depths of my consciousness, a window I had never seen before, had suddenly been opened, allowing a blazing glimpse of new orders of existence. My mind was suddenly filled with streams of thinking which reordered my understanding around the central fact of God, streams which I knew were not rising from any source within my natural awareness, which now seemed a desert by comparison. Immediately, irrevocably I was no longer an atheist. If someone had spoken to me about a ‘leap of faith,’ I would not have known what they were talking about; for there was no gap to leap. I felt that I was in contact with God.

Richard F. Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life (Downers Grove, 1979), pages 229-230.

HT: Ray Ortlund

The difference between Canadian and American evangelicals

2011-04-28T09:51:00.002-06:00

Interesting post from my friend, Amanda, where she refers us to a Cardus article on the difference between Canadian and American evangelicals. There are differences, to be sure, but lots of similarities as well. Read the article and then weigh in on Amanda's blog!

Saving Money on Groceries #10: The Series

2011-04-21T12:08:00.005-06:00

Here's a list of all the blog posts I did about saving money on groceries:

*Know your prices!
*Buy low!
*Use up what you have!
*Eat less meat!
*Make it yourself!
*Accept cheap substitutes!
*Garden and glean!
*Inspiration from you!
*Why bother?

Saving Money on Groceries #9: Why bother?

2011-04-17T14:15:00.005-06:00

Saving money on groceries requires time, energy, and forethought. Why bother? Here are five reasons:

1. Obviously, so you have more money in your pocket at the end of the day. Inspired by Dave Ramsey, we are trying to increase our emergency fund, save for home improvements and eventual car replacement, invest for the future, and give to our church and other charities. If I want to accelerate our progress, it's logistically easier and personally preferable for me to spend less rather than earn more, at this stage of life. We already live in an affordable home, drive one old used Toyota, and buy mostly secondhand clothes. The one category in our budget that has the most "wiggle room" is our grocery spending. For this reason, I've noticed that the grocery budget is a common topic on personal finance and simple living websites such as Simple Mom, The Minimalist Mom, and The Simple Dollar. Spending less on groceries might also help you save for a house, afford a family vacation, or just survive the lean student years!

2. Children benefit as they help you grow a vegetable garden, bake homemade bread, and creatively make do with what you have. As Amy Dacyczyn says:

But children of frugality have an advantage. They grew up watching their parents fixing things, making Halloween costumes, and cooking from scratch. Those images were stored in their "mental banks." If needed, the information is there to retrieve in their adult years. Because Jim and I were raised by thrifty parents, changing economic gears was a natural process for both of us. (from The Complete Tightwad Gazette, p. 296).

3. Your diet will probably be healthier, fresher, and more varied. Websites like Pennies on a Platter can offer new and fun ideas for budget meals at home. If you experiment with international cuisine, your whole family can learn about other countries together.

4. You will tread more lightly upon the earth as you buy less packaged food, waste less, and grow more of your own food. (Genesis 1:26)

5. It's a challenge! Some people think of it as a game! Maybe some of us are easily entertained... ;)

Do you have any more reasons to add?

Politics: Canada Style

2011-04-15T12:16:00.002-06:00

Canada is gearing up for a federal election. Here's an amusing post by my friend, Amanda, in which she explains Canadian politics to Americans. Here's a snippet:

Canadians do have their priorities straight. When given a choice between a leaders’ debate and a hockey game, hockey takes priority. That’s right, the leaders’ debate was rescheduled because Montreal made the playoffs.

Saving Money on Groceries #8: Inspiration from you!

2011-04-10T15:23:00.001-06:00

I love getting ideas from others! Perhaps the following people were too modest to highlight their own blogs, however, I have done it for them.

Ellie (an American expat living with her German husband in England) tells us how she makes her breakfast staple, homemade granola. Ellie also makes her own bread, following the recipe from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.

Her sister, Abbie, describes a program called E-mealz here. Endorsed by Dave Ramsey, E-mealz can save money by helping you create meal plans--it can even take into account what is on sale at the specific store where you shop (if you shop at Kroger, Aldi, Walmart, Publix or RALPHS). Other plans you might choose include: vegetarian, low-carb, portion control, etc. Abbie, what's your verdict on this program?

My sister-in-law, Stacey, has a blog with fabulous recipes she's collected from family and friends. Definitely try the Andes Mint Brownies--yum! I love the idea of creating our own recipe collections--when I married into Eric's family, I was given an Ortlund cookbook filled with recipes from various people in the extended family. It's an ongoing work--some of my own recipes were included when the next bride-to-be received her copy. A website called The Great Family Cookbook Project can simplify that process if you're interested in trying this yourself, as my friend Colleen has done.

Colleen has recently blogged about her gardening dreams as well. She's such a creative soul that I'm sure her garden will reflect that. Abbie has a garden as well. She talks about discovering the idea of eating seasonally, from a book she happened upon at a little neighborhood library in Edinburgh, Scotland, when our husbands were both studying there.

I love this post by Lisa about how pita bread features so prominently in their family meals in Jordan. A perfect example of making the most of the local foods!

Camille is a lawyer turned stay-at-home mom. I can't even identify one post to showcase, since her whole blog is so inspiring and informative for anyone interested in bargain hunting, meal planning, and cooking/baking from scratch.

Finally, I've been intrigued with the website Cheap, Healthy, Good, since I came upon it. Here's an example of the amazing feats they pull off in the kitchen--1 Chicken, 17 Healthy Meals, $26 Bucks, No Mayo. The website has lots of ideas along this line, as well as general articles about cooking healthy and delicious food on a budget.

Any blog posts or websites to add?

Saving Money on Groceries: Let's Hear from you!

2011-03-28T16:13:00.003-06:00

I would like my next post in this series to link to YOUR ideas. If you're interested, email me at (eri ort at sasktel dot net) with a link to a blog post related to the subject of saving money on groceries. It could be about how you put into practice something I've mentioned in your specific context. It could be about a strategy you use that I haven't addressed. It could simply be a low-cost recipe you think people might like to try, photos of your vegetable garden, or recommendations of books/websites that you find helpful.

It doesn't matter if the post you write is new, or if it's something you wrote a while ago. And it doesn't matter if I know you! I know people find blogs in all kinds of ways-it would be fun if a wide variety of people respond.

Hopefully, I can post these links by April 6. If you don't have your own blog, I can publish your guest post on my own.

Saving Money on Groceries #7: Garden and glean!

2011-03-24T14:59:00.008-06:00

I never expected to become a gardener. It just held no interest for me. In fact, when we first moved into our house and I saw that it had a garden plot, I figured we would just plant some grass seed there. But my friend and domestic mentor, Judy, advised me to plant some potatoes at least, so the area wouldn't get full of weeds. She brought over some of her extra seed potatoes, as well as some seeds for carrots, beans, and zucchini. I had no idea what to do but I let her plant them for me. Well, when those plants started coming up, I was absolutely hooked! There was food growing in my yard! I hurried to the garden centre and added tomato plants and herbs to the garden as well.

There is simply nothing like tossing a salad made with vegetables you planted with your own hands. A store bought tomato can't compare to one plucked straight off the vine. When perennial fruits like rhubarb, raspberries, and strawberries rise again after a long winter, it feels like I'm welcoming old friends. I have learned so many fascinating things about soil, plants, and composting. And I've appreciated the calm and peace I feel when I tend to my garden.

I think it has also lowered our grocery bills! That's not a given, since there are costs to gardening as well. But I think there are ways to cut down on those costs, such as not rototilling, making compost instead of buying fertilizer, and growing as many plants as possible from seed. I have also tried to focus on growing fruits and vegetables that are among the most expensive in the store, such as lettuce, berries, and herbs. Considering that I try to be as organic as possible in the garden, I know I'm definitely saving money over what I'd pay in the organic produce section. Canning or freezing the excess can extend that savings throughout the year. To be honest though, saving money is just a nice byproduct--I garden because I love it!

I recently read the book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver, about her family's experience eating locally for a year. Most of what they ate came right from their Virginia farm, but they also bought local food from farmers in their area. It's an inspiring book, complete with essays by her biologist husband, and seasonal meal plans from her daughter. The family has a website here, with information about the book, recipes, and advice on eating locally.

Prairie Feast: A Writer's Journey Home for Dinner is on my list as well, especially since the author attempts the same sort of thing, in Saskatchewan! Amy Jo Ehman has a blog as well. It's just so satisfying to eat seasonal and local food. In addition to growing it and buying it ourselves, people are often willing to share! I frequently give people fresh greens or zucchini or rhubarb. Last fall, friends of ours told us to pick as many apples as we wanted from their tree. I froze bag after bag, and they're not gone yet!

Any other gardeners here? Perhaps you have a large garden plot, or perhaps you simply grow fresh herbs on your windowsill?

Encircling

2011-03-17T13:48:00.003-06:00

For St. Patrick's Day, here's Iona singing "Encircling" based on the prayer of St. Patrick.

Saving Money on Groceries #6: Accept cheap substitutes!

2011-03-13T14:47:00.012-06:00

A gallon of milk around here is over $4 these days. I save a lot of money by always storing a big bag of dry milk powder in the pantry. When I make my homemade yogurt, or a muffin recipe calls for a cup of milk, I don't even have to open the refrigerator. I simply add water to the milk powder in whatever amount I need. When a recipe calls for buttermilk, I can add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for five minutes.

A tablespoon each of soy flour and water can substitute for an egg in most baking recipes. I don't usually make this subsitution, but it's a good one to have up my sleeve, if I've run out of eggs or I'm really trying to stretch the budget.

Instead of buying a specific pumpkin pie spice, you can use cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg to flavor your pies. It's easy to mix up your own seasoning salt, herbes de provence, and Mexican seasoning as well.

Many cookbooks and websites have great ideas of what foods can be substituted for each other. We can learn to substitute the herbs and vegetables that are in season for those that aren't. Rather than run out to the store for the unsweetened chocolate we thought we had on hand, we can use cocoa powder and some butter in our cake recipe instead. Out of brown sugar? You can stir molasses into white sugar and use that in your recipe. Any ideas to share on substitutions that save you money?

Saving Money on Groceries #5: Make It Yourself!

2011-03-08T11:41:00.009-07:00

You can make a price book and stock up on sales, but if what you're buying is Lean Cuisine dinners, Chips Ahoy cookies, and Rice-a-roni, your grocery bills are probably not going to be nearly as low as they could be. Although it takes more time, it can be well worth your while to cook and bake from scratch as much as you can. In addition to saving money, your food will be fresher and you'll avoid preservatives.

Children will usually enjoy helping you, and in the process, they'll learn about how food is made. My son, Will, loves to help me bake from Susan Reimer's wonderful muffin cookbook. Her husband was Eric's PhD supervisor in Edinburgh--the joke around the divinity school was that Susan's muffin cookbook had outsold all the academic books of the divinity faculty combined! Will and I have quality time together, and we end up with an affordable and healthy snack around the house.

Amanda from Cheese-Wearing Theology got me sold on the recipes from Michael Smith, a chef from Prince Edward Island. Yesterday, I cooked up some dried chickpeas so I could make the scrumptious hummus recipe from this cookbook. I'm also a big fan of his recipes for homemade granola, pancake mix, and salad dressings. He offers variations with each recipe, and encourages you to experiment!

Most people seem to have a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I've relied on mine ever since I received it as a wedding shower gift. Whether you want a recipe for homemade biscuits, rhubarb-raspberry jam, lasagna, or oatmeal cookies, this cookbook is a great resource. It also has many helpful tips and charts, such as cooking times for rice and beans, how to can tomatoes, and what substitutions you can make in a pinch.

Even people who are short on time can cook from scratch as they can, and make enough for the freezer. For example, whenever I make homemade tortillas, I double or triple the recipe and freeze the extras. Casseroles and lasagnas can be doubled and frozen. Homemade pesto or pasta sauce can be frozen in ice cube trays and stored in freezer bags-simply defrost the cubes as needed.

Try making yogurt in your crockpot, if you haven't already. Homemade picco de gallo or salsa is so much better than canned. Bake a loaf of Whole Grain Bread with Oats, Flax and Millet, or experiment with your bread machine if you have one! Serve homemade hummus or feta cheese dip with home-baked pita bread at your next party. And on your next trip to the grocery store, as you scan the shelves and freezer cases, ask yourself, "Could I make that myself?"

What about you? What have you learned to make from scratch?

Baby Life Rescue Centre Trust Mombasa

2011-03-02T10:43:00.006-07:00

I just got another newsletter from my friends, Peter and Selpher Mutua. I first met them years ago when I did a Discipleship Training School with Youth with a Mission in Mombasa, Kenya. Peter and Selpher were two of the leaders--I learned much from them, and was honored to be at their wedding. These two dear Kenyan Christians now head up the Baby Life Rescue Centre Trust Mombasa. Child abandonment and neglect is a huge problem in Kenya. Peter and Selpher are sent children who have been abandoned in hospitals, by roadsides, in garbage heaps, or even down deep mud latrines. They give the children proper medical care, as well as the physical, emotional and spiritual nurturing they need to thrive. The goal is to facilitate the adoption of these children by age 3 if possible. I encourage you to take a look at the website and see what amazing work is being done. I know they can use all the prayers and financial support they can get, and I bet they would welcome volunteers!

Saving Money on Groceries #4: Eat less meat!

2011-02-28T10:32:00.008-07:00

This is common advice when it comes to lowering grocery bills. After all, no matter how much chicken is marked down, it's never going to be as cheap as dried lentils! Despite this, eating less meat is a hard shift for many people to make. Perhaps we just don't have many good vegetarian recipes. Maybe people in our families complain when we serve meatless meals. However, these obstacles can be overcome! Eric used to really be a carnivore, and after a meatless meal, he would feel as if he'd hardly eaten at all. However, now he's the one who frequently tells me we should keep cutting down on our meat consumption! As I've blogged about before, vegetarianism has many personal and societal benefits.

We don't plan to become vegetarians, however, we keep expanding our repertoire of meatless meals. Many of them also expand our cultural horizons! I love The Japanese Kitchen, and it has some interesting ideas on using tofu and miso and vegetables to put together great meals. I haven't read the book I've pictured above, but it looks right up my alley! Mollie Katzen, author of The Moosewood Cookbook, is also a great resource. In many cultures, meat is reserved for feasts and holidays--people rely on simpler and cheaper ingredients for their daily fare.

Beans and lentils are so versatile--you might want to try Moroccan Stew with Chickpeas over Couscous. Or make Black Bean Tostadas for a taste of Mexico. A simpler version is simply to top tortillas with salsa, black beans, refried beans, and other accompaniments. Vegetarian Chili Pie features both kidney beans and lentils--I like to make two of them and freeze one for later. This Lentil-Rice Casserole is straight from The Tightwad Gazette--incredibly easy and delicous. Another easy way to use lentils and beans is to use them in soups, such as this White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan.

Eggs are a great ingredient to build a meal around. You could make a Swiss cheese and mushroom quiche, or an omelet with cheese and tomatoes. Meatless pasta dishes are another option--how about spinach lasagna, or spaghetti with marinara sauce? Indian samosas can be made with a potato and pea filling, maybe served alongside a chickpea curry. Something as simple as tomato soup and grilled cheese is a good vegetarian meal. Rather than a deprivation, eating vegetarian can be a delicious adventure!

Even when we do eat meat, we can save money by using smaller amounts of it in casseroles, stews, and stirfries. We can cook up a whole chicken and make sure to use it all up in various ways. What about you? Do you make an effort to eat less meat? Any ideas to share?

Saving money on groceries #3: Use up what you have!

2011-02-25T14:32:00.005-07:00

Once you've stocked up, use up what you have! There have been months when we've pretty much "eaten from the pantry" and only spent money on dairy and fresh produce at the store. Again, my memory isn't the best, so I keep two important lists in a prominent place in my kitchen. One is my food inventory--it's broken into categories such as meat, beans, vegetables, grains, and sauces. This way, I don't forget about the salmon in the deep freeze, the basmati rice at the back of the pantry, or the curry paste in the fridge. A second list contains meal ideas based on the ingredients we have around, broken down into categories such as entrees, sides, breakfast, snacks, and desserts. Whereas in the past, I would have looked around the kitchen and felt like there was nothing I could make, now I consult my list, and see how easy it would be to throw together Brown Rice and Lentils, or Homemade Pizza, or Black Bean Soup with homemade biscuits.

I'm also throwing away a lot less food than I used to. If we're not going to finish the fresh strawberries before they go bad, I will freeze some for use in smoothies. If I use half a can of tomato sauce, the rest can be frozen for later use.

What about you? How do you make sure you use up what you have? Have you ever "eaten from the pantry" for a week or two or three?

Learn value of stuff by moving overseas

2011-02-24T07:34:00.002-07:00

As I've been decluttering our house, it's been so helpful to take the advice in this article. If you were moving across an ocean, what would you take with you? If you wouldn't take a specific item with you, is it worth owning now? Sometimes, as I've applied this mental filter, I find things around the house that I wouldn't take overseas, but that still have value. Things like gardening tools, furniture, and our car. But as I've filled bag after bag destined for the trash can or the Salvation Army, it's become clear how easy it is to accumulate all kinds of stuff with little value. It obscures that within the house that we truly consider to be treasure. We're not planning to move overseas, but living like we are makes for a simpler, more streamlined, more peaceful life right here.

The author of the article, Tsh Oxenreider, has a blog at Simple Mom.

Saving money on groceries #2: Buy low!

2011-02-23T16:20:00.006-07:00

I used to shop in a very different way than I do now. I would decide what meals I wanted to make that week, head to the store, cross off the items on my list, and buy a few other things that caught my eye (or that my kids nagged me to buy!). Probably a few of the things I needed were on sale, but I didn't really pay much attention to that. I would repeat this process the next week.

But once I had a better grasp of the prices in our area, it really changed the way I do meal planning and shopping. I'm still not nearly as frugal or efficient as I could be with grocery shopping, however, I do find our grocery bills have lowered significantly.

Now, I definitely pay attention to what's on sale when I go grocery shopping. Sometimes I sit down with my Price Book, calculator, and a sales flyer or two (paper or online). I will circle the great deals, and make plans to stock up! This works especially well for canned items, and anything I can put in our freezer. I try to make a meal plan that revolves around what's on sale that week, particularly when it comes to perishables like fresh produce.

Sometimes I don't take that time, and just notice what's on sale once I'm at the store. The other day I went to the store for milk and eggs, but ended up also buying 8 cans of diced tomatoes and 4 jars of peanut butter. The prices were too low to pass up, given that these are staples in our house. The goal is to end up with a kitchen full of food purchased at the lowest possible price. In addition to saving money, it makes life easier because I always have the ingredients in the house needed to make simple meals.

Saving money on groceries #1: Know your prices!

2011-02-22T17:53:00.009-07:00

I've found it quite challenging to keep our grocery bills reasonable here in Canada. In other places I've lived, I could get a lot of bang for my buck by doing most of my shopping at bare bones stores like Aldi or Lidl. However, there's nothing like that around here, and food prices are quite high. So in order to become a more savvy shopper, I have once again turned to The Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyzyn, my favorite reference for saving money. Amy is a genius at keeping her grocery bills down, and she says that making a Price Book has been the key.

This year, I finally compiled a Price Book, where I can record what various items cost at different stores. I took a three ring binder, and divided it into categories (Meat, Vegetables, Grains, etc.). Each section will have one page per item, and I keep the pages in alphabetical order for easy reference. So, if you flip through my fruit section, you'll start with Apples, turn the page to Bananas, and on to Cantaloupe, etc. As in the example below for peanut butter, I have one column each for the store name, brand name, price, and unit price. To calculate the unit price, divide the price by the amount. Once you have a basic list of some recent prices, you might decide to only add a new one if it's lower than the ones you already have.

I'll also write notes to myself on certain pages. For example, I have a page for canned beans, but a note at the top says: "Alternative: cook dried beans and freeze in portions." Same with things like yogurt and pasta sauce and tortillas--it's generally so much cheaper just to make them at home.

I compiled my prices from actual receipts, sales flyers, and writing some prices down as I browsed in the store. It's worth it to check out stores you haven't visited as well, or local sources like nearby farmers. It's a bit laborious at first, but once the Price Book is set up, it's easy to use. I've learned when a sale is a great deal, and when it's not really a sale at all. I've been surprised to learn that buying from the bulk bins is not always cheapest. There are grocery stores on the expensive side, but their sales are fantastic.

Some people can probably just remember prices in their head, but it's good for me to write it down! If it sounds like too much work, I'd recommend starting a little Price Book with the 10-20 items you buy most frequently. Or perhaps you have found other good ways to track prices?

The Suburban Jesus

2011-02-10T11:52:00.002-07:00

Convicting rant by the late Internet Monk (Michael Spencer).

HT: David Miller

Erin's Smoothie Recipe

2011-01-17T11:45:00.007-07:00

I eat a lot more fruit, yogurt, tofu, and flaxseed than I used to. I look forward to it, because they're all part of my daily smoothie. I've found smoothies are great for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert, but my favorite time to have one is right after exercising. I've even converted Eric!

There is no specific recipe but, here's a guide:

Erin's Smoothie

*Start with fresh or frozen fruit in any combination, i.e., berries, cranberries, pomegranate seeds, rhubarb, peaches, melon, kiwi, banana, etc. I prefer it if most of the fruit is frozen.

*If the fruit you use is dark, add some frozen spinach or swiss chard! Just put a bag of salad spinach in your freezer and pull out a handful. You WON'T taste it or even see it!

*Add some plain yogurt--I always have some on hand, made in my crockpot

*Add some silken tofu if you want, for extra protein and nutrition

*For extra liquid, add milk, water, or juice

*If you'd like, add some ground seeds (I keep a mix in the fridge), oat bran, wheat germ, or ground nuts

*Sweeten however you want, although this often isn't necessary if you've used bananas, orange juice, etc.

*Experiment! Make a tropical smoothie with almonds, lime juice, bananas, and coconut milk! Save extra pumpkin puree in ice cube trays and pop a couple in your smoothie. Freeze your smoothies in popsicle molds and give them to your kids!

11 Step Program for Potential Parents

2011-01-05T13:08:00.003-07:00

Amy over at Our Family in Phoenixville has a funny post called the 11 step Program for Potential Parents. Amy and I used to work together as family therapists and parent educators back before we had kids, when we had all the answers. ;)

Thinking of having kids? Do this 11 step program first!

Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. Eat cold food with one hand for dinner.
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a minvan. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Enjoy!

Orange Bran Flax Muffins

2011-01-03T14:19:00.005-07:00

Well, that was a delicious month of Advent brunches, cookie exchanges, and holiday feasts! But now it's time to return to healthy and moderate eating. Today, I made Orange Bran Flax Muffins, a recipe from the Flax Council of Canada. Flaxseed is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, the plant version of Omega-3. It also delivers fiber, B vitamins, and phytochemicals such as lignans. For the best nutrition, flaxseed should be ground. I like how this recipe also gets pureed oranges into Will, along with two kinds of bran.

Orange Bran Flax Muffins

1 1/2 cups oat bran
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup flaxseed, ground (I do this in our coffee grinder)
1 cup wheat bran
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 oranges, quartered and seeded
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk (or just add a little lemon juice or plain vinegar to milk and let sit for 5-10 min.) You could probably just add plain milk if you wanted.
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cup golden raisins (I omitted these).

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two 12 cup muffin pans with paper liners, or coat the pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine oat bran, flour, wheat bran, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine oranges, brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and baking soda. Blend well.

3. Pour orange mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Stir in raisins if desired.

4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Makes 24 muffins

Per muffin: 186 cal., 4 g. protein, 30 g. carb, 8 g. fat, 1 g. sat. fat, 18 mg. chol, 3 g. fiber, 140 mg. sodium, 4 g. flaxseed.

Christmas is for those who hate it most

2010-12-24T11:16:00.002-07:00

An encouraging post by Matt Redmond at the Gospel Coalition blog. Here's an excerpt:

We have it sunk deep into our collective cultural consciousness that Christmas is for the happy people. You know, those with idyllic family situations enjoyed around stocking-strewn hearth dreams. Christmas is for healthy people who laugh easily and at all the right times, right? The successful and the beautiful, who live in suburban bliss, can easily enjoy the holidays. They have not gotten lost on the way because of the GPS they got last year. They are beaming after watching a Christmas classic curled up on the couch as a family in front of their ginormous flat-screen. We live and act as if this is who should be enjoying Christmas.

But this is backwards. Christmas—the great story of the incarnation of the Rescuer—is for everyone, especially those who need a rescue. Jesus was born as a baby to know the pain and sympathize with our weaknesses. Jesus was made to be like us so that in his resurrection we can be made like him; free from the fear of death and the pain of loss. Jesus’ first recorded worshipers were not of the beautiful class. They were poor, ugly shepherds, beat down by life and labor. They had been looked down on over many a nose.

Read the whole thing.

HT: Eric Ortlund

The Digital Story of the Nativity

2010-12-22T09:07:00.001-07:00

This is cute! If you click on it, you can watch the full screen version on Youtube.

Kate's letter to Santa

2010-12-17T17:54:00.004-07:00

Dear Santa,

How are your reindeer going?

May I please have a Easy Bake Oven? I have ben good. I like you Santa. How is Mrs. Claus going?

Thank you.

Kate

An Advent Brunch at St. Aidan Anglican Church

2010-12-11T16:31:00.016-07:00

(This post is part of the Caronport Advent Synchroblog.)

Someday, I would love to spend the season of Advent in a remote monastery. No shopping, no Christmas music, no decorations--just prayer, penitence and Advent worship music. After all, Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for Christ's birth, and yet in our modern society, it feels like we have a whole month of Christmas! In Canada, lights and decorations often go up in early November or even before. I enjoy it, but it seems like Advent and Christmas get blurred together.

And so, I always appreciate the Advent focus of our church, St. Aidan Anglican Church in Moose Jaw. In the children's Sunday school, each week has a different Advent theme For example, last week, we used the Godly Play story set to introduce Isaiah, as well as other prophets who pointed the way to Jesus.

And every year, we have a Saturday Advent brunch. While many of the activities are especially appealing to kids, all ages are welcome! Volunteers come together to plan craft projects, skits, and a delicious brunch. Older kids help the younger ones with crafts that are tricky to do on their own.

The Sunday school church calendar on display. One thing I appreciate about the Anglican church is the attention to the church year. The children are taught early on about seasons like Lent, Pentecost, and Advent. At the brunch this year, we were all taught that Advent is the beginning of a new church year.

Advent boards and candles used in Godly Play

People brought all sorts of tasty food to share

Kate and Will with Father Allen Doerksen

Eric playing the part of John the Baptist, in a skit showing yet another person who pointed the way to Jesus. In honor of his "interesting" diet, the kids decorated and ate grasshopper cookies. In past years, we've had St. Nicholas visit us and explain the real story of how he helped the poor--leaving each child a bag of chocolate coins.

Kate with a Christmas tree craft

Will cutting paper

Nate with a tree craft

Kate's glitter art

Kate and Will making crafts

Each person left with some simple printed prayers that could be used over the Advent Season, and other ideas for observing Advent at home.

The Jesus Storybook Bible

2010-12-11T15:35:00.005-07:00

We have come to love The Jesus Storybook Bible. It's a beautifully illustrated children's Bible, and every story points the way to Jesus. It brings the Bible to life for children, and shows them how all the Scriptures are a unified whole.

Here's the Christmas story using art from The Jesus Storybook Bible:

Interesting blog posts!

2010-12-10T12:02:00.002-07:00

At Cheese-Wearing Theology, a thoughtful post on how God Uses Messy People.

Gavin Ortlund writes about staying fresh and balanced in the midst of a busy ministry schedule.

I am enjoying reading about life in Jordan from Lisa Gertz, as she homeschools 3 kids while her husband Steve learns Arabic.

And the Greens teach us all about life in Australia, where they've moved their family so Chris can teach theology in Sydney.

Jon Coutts tells us about some new music by my old college friend, Sufjan Stevens. Sufjan is certainly always original and thought-provoking!

Abbie can't wait for "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" movie--neither can I! The kids and I read the first chapter by candlelight the other night--what a gripping story!

And finally, my own Eric talks about his Workout of Doom, and why our bodies matter to God.

The Boar's Head Carol

2010-12-06T14:12:00.002-07:00

Briercrest puts on a fantastic Christmas production every year. This year, Kate's elementary school choir got to join the college singing group Resonant in entertaining the crowd during the intermission. They sang for four different productions this past weekend. Kate is on the left, second row, red dress.

Caronport Advent Synchroblog

2010-12-04T08:16:00.002-07:00

If you are someone who lives, has lived, or would like to live in Caronport or the surrounding area, you are invited to be a part of the Caronport Advent Synchroblog. Those who have worked or studied here are also welcome to participate. A Caronport friend of mine is heading this up, so if you're interested, click on the link, and follow the directions. Write a blog post or Facebook note on an Advent theme (check out the list for ideas). On December 14, send an email to cdntheologianscholar (at) mac (dot) com. Then come back to the original post and be encouraged by what your brothers and sisters in Christ have to say.

A crazy motorcycle commute in Nairobi, Kenya

2010-11-22T08:33:00.004-07:00

This is from Jon and Amie Chalmers' blog. Jon is a Briercrest Seminary grad preparing to take his family to Mombasa, Kenya with Africa Inland Mission. They found this video on the blog of an AIM missionary in Nairobi.

Canadian Candy is Better

2010-11-13T15:19:00.004-07:00

Or so says Tim Challies. I do agree that Coffee Crisps and Canadian Smarties are very delicious. Difficult to find a Three Musketeers bar here though--I'm pretty sure I've never seen one.

Amazing bicycle tricks in Edinburgh

2010-11-12T08:45:00.001-07:00

This is so fun to watch! The setting brings back sweet memories...

HT: Eric Ortlund

In Flanders' Fields

2010-11-10T11:53:00.006-07:00

We just got back from a Remembrance Day assembly at the local elementary school. Kate's class recited a poem about poppies, a common emblem from the poem In Flanders' Fields. Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae is popularly believed to have written it on May 3, 1915, after he witnessed the death of his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, 22 years old, the day before. One of the older grades recited this poem for us. Here is the poem:

IN FLANDERS' FIELDS

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' fields.

Black Bean Brownies

2010-11-06T10:28:00.003-06:00

My mom found this recipe for me--it was a big hit with everyone in our family! It was very easy for me, compared to other recipes that involve hiding healthy ingredients in kid-friendly foods. Of course, the kids didn't realize they were eating pureed black beans. This simple substitution greatly reduces the fat content of regular brownie mix, and increases the fiber and protein. There is still sugar in the mix, so restraint is necessary, but at approximately 100 calories a brownie, it's a guiltless treat!

Black Bean Brownies

1 15.5 oz. can of black beans
1 brownie mix
1 pan sprayed with oil (or nonstick)

Spray a square baking pan (9" by 9") with oil or nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour beans and liquid into a blender and puree. In a mixing bowl, combine brownie mix wih pureed beans. Stir with a spoon and fold into pan. Bake as directed on the brownie mix box (make sure to test though--I found mine took longer to be done).

The Lion, the Superman, and the Yoda

2010-11-06T08:37:00.003-06:00

Kate and Will out trick or treating with a little friend. Note the patches of snow behind them.

Will sings "Where is God?"

2010-10-28T14:26:00.002-06:00

Here's Will, singing along with a Songs for Saplings CD:

Pierce Pettis - You Move Me

2010-10-26T09:19:00.009-06:00

I saw Pierce Pettis sing this song years ago at a church coffeehouse in Chicago, and I've never forgotten it. He wrote it during a deep time of brokenness. This is for any of you out there who are struggling today...

Here's how life seems to me
Life is like therapy
It's real expensive
With no guarantees

As I lay on the couch
With my heart hanging out
Well I was frozen in fear
Like a rock in the ground

Oh you move me
You give me courage I did not know I had
You move me
I can't go with you
And stay where I am
So you move me

Here's how love was to me
I could look and not see
Going through the emotions
Not knowin' what they mean

And it scared me so much
That I just would not budge
I might have stayed there forever
If not for your touch

Oh but you move me
Out of myself and into the fire
You move me
Now I'm burning with love
And with hope and desire
How you move me

You go whistling in the dark
Making light of it
Making light of it
And I will follow with my heart
Laughing all the way

Oh you move me
you got me dancing and you make me sing
You move me
Now I'm taking delight
In every little thing
How you move me

Songs for Saplings

2010-10-25T12:42:00.006-06:00

We have come to love the Songs for Saplings CDs. On our recent trip to Minnesota, we played this CD about God and Creation over and over. You can hear some song samples on the webpage--a group of children are led in the catchy songs by Dana Dirksen. Each song asks and answers questions about who God is, the Trinity, why God created, etc, complete with Scripture references! There are two other volumes as well, one focusing on sin, the other on Christ and His work. There's also Songs for Saplings: ABC's. It's an easy way to memorize Scripture and let theology soak into your children's hearts and minds. Some songs are more meditative and others really rock! I've thought to myself more than once that I should listen to this music while running!

'Not That We Are Sufficient in Ourselves' (2 Cor 3:5)

2010-10-23T09:25:00.004-06:00

A picture of Christian leadership:

Caspian knelt and kissed the Lion's paw.

'Welcome, Prince,' said Aslan. 'Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?'

'I--I don't think I do, Sir,' said Caspian. 'I'm only a kid.'

'Good,' said Aslan. 'If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not.'

--C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian

HT: Dane Ortlund

Mastering the metric system

2010-10-21T15:04:00.008-06:00

I'm embarrassed to admit that after over 7 years of living in two countries where the metric system is used, I still have trouble understanding anything other than miles, pounds, ounces, gallons, and fahrenheit. Kilometers to miles is easiest--someone says a town is 30 kilometers away, and in my head I think, "OK, if I run a 10K, that's about 6 miles, so 6 x 3= 18. It's a bit more than 18 miles away." I do understand that 0 Celsius is freezing, and that if it's 30C, that is quite hot. I know gas is more expensive here, but since the prices are per litre, I am blissfully ignorant of just how much more we are paying. Overall, I do a lot of smiling and nodding when people talk to me about most any metric measurement.

This American in Canada blogged about the helpfulness of temperature palindromes. 16C is 61F. 4C is 40F. Etc. I need to memorize these!

Any other tips on how my brain can master the metric system?

Not only would it help me in my daily life in Canada, it would make traveling easier in every country in the world except Burma, Liberia, and the USA.

Buy some coffee, help my friends adopt their Ethiopian daughter!

2010-10-19T08:58:00.007-06:00

I just found out that some friends of mine have set up an online coffee store to raise money for their daughter's adoption from Ethiopia! Visit www.justlovecoffee.com/thejustines to take a look. For every bag of coffee purchased, $5 will go toward their daughter's adoption, and different amounts for other items purchased. The coffee is fair trade, too! Please take a look and pass the word around to everyone!

A trip to Minnesota and a visit from Mayme

2010-10-12T15:11:00.003-06:00

We traveled to Alexandria, Minnesota last week to attend the funeral for Eric's maternal grandfather, Gerald Giles. He was a dear Christian man who knew that it all comes down to "Love God, and love others."

Eric's Dad with his two granddaughters

Eric and Kate

Will was happy sitting through all the services as long as he could play with his John Deere tractors

Will and Mayme at a rest area en route to the military burial at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.

Kate with her Mayme

Eric's mom drove with us back to Canada after the funeral for a short visit. Here is Eric with his mom.

Kate says goodbye to Mayme

Some fall photos

2010-10-11T12:40:00.004-06:00

I ran the Queen City Marathon in Regina as part of a relay team. Everyone ran a different part of the course, and wore an ankle timing chip which we passed off at the official exchange zones. My part was the last 2 miles or so--next year I hope to do one of the longer distances. Here I am with my amazing team of women runners!

Kate and her friend Faith relax in the "tree fort" in front of our house.

Will and Eric enjoying a Caronport fall

Just give Will some trucks and sand, and he will play all day!

At the Tot Lot with his friend, Nevin.

Heading off for an evening walk to see the sunset

Kate on the pathway behind her school

Kate and Will and some local cows

Why Christians shouldn't worry about the neuropsychology of religion

2010-09-10T13:05:00.003-06:00

Check out this fascinating blog post by Briercrest psychology professor, Dr. Charles Hackney.

Kate goes to Grade 1!

2010-09-08T14:11:00.004-06:00

Kate started Grade 1 a couple weeks ago. In Canada, it's not 1st grade, but Grade 1. Even in high school, you're not a junior, you're a Grade 11.

All dressed up and ready to go!

Standing in the Grade 1 line waiting for the bell

And now I get lots of one on one time with Will, which I am really enjoying. We sure do miss Kate though, and we're happy she comes home for lunch everyday!

The quiet Americans who are Canada's invisible immigrants

2010-09-07T12:33:00.003-06:00

Interesting article in The Globe and Mail. Most of the Americans in Canada I know, however, moved here for work, school, or marriage.

HT: We Move to Canada

Six good reasons to go to seminary

2010-08-21T22:09:00.002-06:00

A great post by my friend Amanda--a Briercrest Seminary student and author of one of my favorite blogs!

A day with my daughter in Gravelbourg

2010-08-17T11:33:00.009-06:00

My little girl is really growing up! She has lost two teeth recently, and next week, she starts Grade 1! So we took a mother-daughter trip to Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan last Saturday for some exploration and quality time together. Historically francophone, the town of Gravelbourg bills itself as "A Touch of Europe on the Prairies"
Showing off her gap!

Bilingual stop sign in Gravelbourg

Kate in front of the Cafe Paris, where we enjoyed lunch and planned our future mother-daughter trip to France!

Kate in the Cafe Paris

Kate in front of Gravelbourg Cathedral

Sobering statue on the cathedral grounds

On the drive back, we pulled over at a "Point of Interest"

I was so moved by what I read on this sign about the Old Wives Massacre. If you click on the photo, it will enlarge and you can read about how the Cree grandmothers sacrificed themselves so the rest of their tribe could escape from the Blackfoot. Then again, the sign says it's a legend, so who knows if it really happened that way.

Prairie wildflowers

Dark clouds on the horizon

Homesickness isn't really about "home"

2010-08-16T10:35:00.002-06:00

As students of all ages head back to school, and many leave home for the first time, here's an interesting article about homesickness, what it is, and how to cope with it.

RCMP Sunset Retreat Ceremony

2010-07-31T10:38:00.007-06:00

I finally took the kids to the RCMP Sunset Retreat Ceremony. RCMP stands for Royal Canadian Mounted Police, commonly known as "Mounties" and internally as "The Force." The RCMP are unique in the world, for they serve nationally, provincially, municipally, and even internationally. But no matter where they end up, they all train at the RCMP Academy, Depot Division, in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The Safety Bear was popular with the kids!

Will with his RCMP hat

Marching band

Visiting pipe band

RCMP cadets

Cadets marching in front of the RCMP chapel, the oldest remaining building in Regina.

Cadets wheeling away the cannon

This is why they're called Mounties!

A more modern way for officers to get around

Flag lowering ceremony

At the RCMP Heritage Centre

Eric's first book has been published!

2010-07-26T11:16:00.007-06:00

Eric's doctoral dissertation has been published as a book! It's called
Theophany and Chaoskampf: The Interpretation of Theophanic Imagery in the Baal Epic, Isaiah, and the Twelve and is part of the Ugaritic Series at Gorgias Press.

Camping in South Dakota with Grandpa Rich!

2010-07-20T11:19:00.013-06:00

We drove to South Dakota to meet my Dad, and spend a fun week at Spokane Creek Campground. We had a lot of fun enjoying campground life, playing in the creek, swimming in the pool, and going for an ice cream cone at the camp store. We also explored the many attractions in the Black Hills!

Dad and Eric playing tetherball on the playground at Spokane Creek.

Kate on the swing

Will at the playground

The nearby town of Keystone

Kate and Eric on the 1880 train, an old train which runs from Keystone to Hill City

Will on the train

By the engine

Kate in the creek at the campground

Will on the rocks by the creek

We saw a herd of buffalo at the nearby Custer State Park--they came right up next to the car!

Dad and kids by the campfire

We took the Iron Mountain Road to Mount Rushmore

At Mount Rushmore!

A bit closer, taken on the Presidential Walk, a hike that takes visitors closer to Mount Rushmore, and features exhibits along the way.

The entrance to Wind Cave--we went on a cave tour, but fortunately, there is an easier way to get in! We learned that bats don't like Wind Cave, due to the windy entrance and the temperature, which is not low enough for hibernation.

For the Young Mother: Ministry, Guilt, and Seasons of Life

2010-07-01T16:06:00.002-06:00

Here's a very encouraging article written by my mother-in-law, Jani Ortlund. I found it to be a great reminder!

Soccer!

2010-06-28T16:41:00.003-06:00

A few photos from a fun season of Caronport Youth Soccer!

Calling Out Your Name -Rich Mullins

2010-06-17T15:05:00.005-06:00

I've always enjoyed this song by the late Rich Mullins, but never so much as I do now, finally living on the prairies. I love listening to it while I run on the grid roads around the campus, especially if it's sunset! You can't help but be drawn into worship.

CALLING OUT YOUR NAME-- Rich Mullins

Well the moon moved past Nebraska
And spilled laughter on them cold Dakota Hills
And angels danced on Jacob's stairs
Yeah, they danced on Jacob's stairs
There is this silence in the Badlands
And over Kansas the whole universe was stilled
By the whisper of a prayer
The whisper of a prayer

And the single hawk bursts into flight
And in the east the whole horizon is in flames
I feel the thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

I can feel the earth tremble
Beneath the rumbling of the buffalo hooves
And the fury in the pheasant's wings
And there's fury in a pheasant's wings
It tells me the Lord is in His temple
And there is still a faith
That can make the mountains move
And a love that can make the heavens ring
And I've seen love make heaven ring

Where the sacred rivers meet
Beneath the shadow of the Keeper of the plains
I feel the thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

From the place where morning gathers
You can look sometimes forever 'til you see
What time may never know
What time may never know
How the Lord takes by its corners this old world
And shakes us forward and shakes us free
To run wild with the hope
To run wild with the hope

The hope that this thirst will not last long
That it will soon drown in the song
Not sung in vain
And I feel the thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

In memory of Henry Louis Granju (1991-2010)

2010-06-02T12:35:00.006-06:00

I've been a fan of Tennessee blogger and author Katie Allison Granju for years. So it's with much sadness that over the last month, I've read her honest account of her teenage son Henry's drug addiction, hospitalization from an overdose and a violent assault, and his recent death. I didn't know Henry or his family personally, but I am grieved that he is no longer in this world. Part of the reason Katie blogged about this ordeal was so that parents will recognize the dangers of drug use and intervene early. Henry's spiral into addiction started with a bit of marijuana experimentation at age 14, and his parents could not have predicted this end.

On the ending of Lost

2010-05-25T11:06:00.000-06:00

Eric has some interesting thoughts here.

Briercrest Seminary graduation 2010

2010-05-08T15:41:00.013-06:00

We love celebrating the graduation of our amazing students, and we get so excited about how God is going to use them! But it's sad too, to say goodbye and see them leave our community.

Eric getting ready to process in for the ceremony. We finally had his doctoral robes sent over from the UK--thanks to his parents for the Christmas present!

Laura Welker finally graduated! We loved cheering Laura on as she persevered with her study of the New Testament despite many delays and bumps in the road. Here she is with Kate and Will.

Here we are with Laura after the ceremony

Eric and Mark Siebert at the seminary banquet. We're praying for just the right church/ministry setting for Mark and his wife Faith.

Brad Penner and his wife, Marcie, talk with New Testament professor Marty Culy. Brad is going on for a ThM at Regent in Vancouver, and hopefully doctoral work after that.

Eric and Bill Erlenbach, currently pastoring a church in Alberta

Jon and Amie Chalmers are preparing to go to Mombasa, Kenya and teach at Pwani Bible Institute. I want to go visit them!

Eric and little Ian Chalmers

Clayton Puddicombe and Rachel Kim. Clayton serves at a church in Alberta as the pastor of worship and family ministries. Rachel uses her counseling degree at the Korean church in Ontario where her husband is the pastor.

April fun!

2010-05-05T16:18:00.003-06:00

Before our May snowfall, we had some lovely warm days in April. It was so fun to be outside!

Will playing in the sand in Crescent Park, Moose Jaw

Practicing climbing

Driving with Kate

Kate set up a restaurant in the living room--here she is showing me the menu

Taking my order

My fabulous meal!

My little entrepreneurs--so far, they've sold toys, rocks, juice and strawberries to people passing by.

And a visit from the Martinis!

2010-04-26T16:01:00.005-06:00

Jeromey and Nicole Martini came to town! The Martinis are special to us because we moved to Edinburgh the same year for PhD studies, and we all had our first child over there. Before Scotland, they studied and worked here at Briercrest, and they now serve at Horizon College and Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Nicole with Kara, me with Kate

Kate and her fellow Scotland-born friend, Caelan

Will

Mayme and Bapa came for SERVE!

2010-04-25T14:27:00.007-06:00

Eric's parents (Mayme and Bapa) were with us for a week in March for SERVE 2010! If you missed it, you can hear the podcasts here! Give them a listen and you will come away spiritually encouraged!

Kate got the chance to show Mayme her kindergarten class! What fun to have Mayme volunteer for a morning!

You can't have too much school! Here, Mayme, Kate, and Will, play school in the living room.

Bapa and Kate at SERVE

Mayme and Will at lunch in the Briercrest cafeteria

Ray and Jani

Eric and Kate

Eric and Ray at the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa in Moose Jaw--it's a blurry photo of them but gives a good view of the mineral pool

Close-up of Eric and Ray at the mineral spa

Kate and Will love the mineral spa!

What a fun week!

Like father, like son (mostly)

2010-03-28T16:45:00.002-06:00

This is the title of an article on the Briercrest website about Eric and his Dad, Ray Ortlund. We just said goodbye to Ray and Jani after a fun week here in Caronport filled with family times and inspiration as Ray spoke at SERVE. Photos to come!

Whole Grain Bread with Oats, Flax, and Millet

2010-03-20T11:29:00.004-06:00

Here's a delicious way to get more whole grains into your diet.

Whole Grain Bread with Oats, Flax and Millet

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup large flake oats
1/2 cup whole flax seed
1/2 cup medium or fine cracked wheat
1/2 cup millet
1 1/2 cups water, warmed to 115 F (45 C)
2 tsp. sugar
2 T active dry yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup barley flour
2 cups whole wheat flour

*In a medium sauce pot, heat milk until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat. Add brown sugar and salt and stir to dissolve. Add oats, flax, cracked wheat, and millet. Stir to combine, and let stand at room temperature for one hour to soften grains.

*In a separate large bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Add softened grains and mix. Add the flours and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add more all purpose flour if necessary to make a stiff dough.

*Remove to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10-12 minutes. Place in a large, greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

*Punch dough down and let rise again in a warm spot for 1 hour.

*Form dough into two loaves (or 1 loaf and some rolls as I did below). Place in a lightly greased loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again for 45 minutes.

*Preheat oven to 375F (190C)

*Remove plastic wrap and bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the top

*Remove from baking pans and let cool on wire racks.

-from Flavour First by Mary Sue Waisman

Puddle Jumping!

2010-03-20T11:03:00.005-06:00

The long road to spring has begun around here! Some of the snow has melted, and we've had some nice days, but really, we know spring won't be here until May. A few days ago, we had a small lake at the end of our driveway.

Perfect for puddle jumping!

This little boat is usually confined to the bathtub, but here it's enjoying open water!

Rubber boots are a necessity this time of year!

Having fun with the snow before it melts

Two little snowmen

Snowball!

Briercrest Admissions Song--so funny!

2010-03-03T12:33:00.002-07:00

Briercrest employees are a very talented and creative bunch! This video was shown to all the high school students who attented Youth Quake 2010 here in Caronport.

The Japanese Kitchen

2010-02-27T14:27:00.006-07:00

I've been having so much fun with a Japanese cookbook I found at my library. It's called The Japanese Kitchen and it's written by Kimiko Barber. We love Japanese food because it's not only tasty, but very healthy too, with its emphasis on seasonal fruits and vegetables, soy, rice, seafood, green tea, etc. My local grocery store has some of the ingredients we need, but I found a Japanese grocery store in BC that will ship anywhere in Canada. Ever since the box arrived filled with such interesting ingredients as wasabi, mirin, miso paste, soba noodles, etc., we've been trying to transform our kitchen into a Japanese kitchen on a regular basis! Here are some of the dishes we've tried, with most of the recipes coming from the book.

Crabmeat, chile, and lime sushi

Inari zushi (Stuffed tofu sushi)

Gyoza dumplings with cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and ground beef

Hirama no tsutusmi-yakii (Parcels of sole)

Spinach with bonito flakes

Maccha (green tea) ice cream with adzuki bean paste

Shiratama manju (Sweet dumplings with adzuki bean paste)

What about you? What are your favorite Japanese foods?

A weekend in Chicago!

2010-02-25T12:45:00.007-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I flew to Chicago for a long weekend, by myself! It was strange to be apart from Eric and the kids, but great fun to meet up with my mother-in-law and my sisters-in-law. We stayed at the Drake Hotel in Chicago and enjoyed a girls' weekend in celebration of my mother-in-law's birthday!

We went to a French cooking demonstration at the Merchandise Mart. We could see what the chef was doing by looking at the overhead mirrors, and could follow along with the recipe sheets we were given.

First course was cheese souffle and salad

Next was steak au poivre with cognac sauce, pommes de terre puree, and haricots verts. Dessert was profiteroles with chocolate sauce!

A view of Michigan Avenue from our hotel room

Being playful in Bloomingdale's

All of us at High Tea at the Drake

Scones, little sandwiches, desserts, and tea!

With a harpist. From left to right, Krista, Esther, Erin, harpist, Jani, and Stacey.

Our last morning together--breakfast at the Grand Luxe Cafe.

What a blessing to be together! It was rejuvenating and relaxing. And I was all the more glad to see Eric and the kids when I stepped off the plane in Regina. It's always good to go away, but good to be home as well.

A ceilidh in Caronport!

2010-01-24T13:01:00.004-07:00

The Briercrest TESOL department held a really fun Scottish ceilidh as a fundraiser for their summer internships. A ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) is a traditional Gaelic social dance event. The dancing itself is much like square dancing. I took my wee Scotland-born lass with me, dressed in a kilt and matching shirt. She didn't feel comfortable participating with the dancing, but we enjoyed watching while we nibbled on shortbread and scones.

The Scottish flag

We marveled at the Highland dancing performed by girls in our community

Scottish shortbread

Scones

Our friend Kim led the bagpipe processional.

SERVE 2010

2010-01-20T08:31:00.003-07:00

We are excited about the SERVE conference, to be held at Briercrest, March 26-27, 2010! From the website:

SERVE is Briercrest College and Seminary's annual conference that serves the church on the prairies. SERVE offers practical, interdisciplinary equipping and encouragement for pastors, worship teams, children's ministers, church board members, church lay leaders and ministers, and students from every walk of life.

The keynote speaker this year is Ray Ortlund! Participants can also choose to attend breakout seminars on topics ranging from children's ministry to biblical and theological studies to understanding First Nations people.

Hope to see you there!

Lentil-Rice Casserole

2010-01-19T12:25:00.003-07:00

Eating beans and rice should give you a warm, victorious glow rather than a feeling of deprivation. ~Amy Dacyczyn

Of course, it's easier to "glow" if you have some really tasty recipes! I've mentioned the Vegetarian Chili Pie we like, but here's one from The Tightwad Gazette that is not only delicious but incredibly easy. The advantage of lentils is that unlike most dried beans, they do not need to be soaked or pre-cooked.

Lentil-Rice Casserole

3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup lentils, uncooked (I think brown or green are better than red for casseroles)
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
3/4 cup chopped fresh onion
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Blend all together in a casserole dish. Bake, covered, for 1 1/2 hours-2 hours at 300 degrees. During the last 20 minutes, you may top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, if desired.

*Because of the long baking time, alternatively, you can use a crockpot. I've done it both ways and it worked well.

Our baby boy is 3!

2010-01-18T10:18:00.006-07:00

Here's a look back:

Kate kisses my very pregnant belly, December 2006

A newborn Will in Regina General Hospital, Saskatchewan, January 17, 2007

Will at one!

Will enjoys his new basketball hoop on his 2nd birthday

Will at 3 with his Thomas the Tank Engine cake and a funny expression. Yes, I just stuck a toy train on top of the cake--believe me, if I actually attempted to make a train shaped cake, it would be unrecognizable.

We sure love our boy!!!

The Olympic Torch Relay comes to Caronport!

2010-01-18T08:18:00.003-07:00

We joined most of Caronport last week in heading out to watch the Olympic Torch Relay. Definitely an historic event! I don't think the kids really grasped what it was, and Will was more enthralled with the trucks, but I took lots of pictures so that someday they can say they saw it. A total of four people ran with the torch through the streets of Caronport.

The procession approaches

A glimpse of the torches

The torch, close-up

"Mommy, are trucks made out of clouds?"

2010-01-13T10:43:00.002-07:00

Random question asked by Will on a sled ride around Caronport this morning...

A week in Russia!

2010-01-10T15:01:00.012-07:00

Not really! But we can dream...

We've been working our way through the Five in a Row books and this week, we read a book set in Russia called Another Celebrated Dancing Bear by Gladys Scheffrin-Falk. In addition to the learning activities in social studies, art, language, math and science, we got some extra books from the library to supplement.

We loved looking at photos of Russian architecture

We learned that Russians often use a samovar to brew tea, or at least they did in times past.

We got this fun book through interlibrary loan called How the Tsar Drinks Tea by Benjamin Elkin.

And we made a yummy Russian meal! Note how everything is almost exactly the same color! Some good beet borscht would have added some color, however no one would have eaten it.

Cabbage pierogis

Siberian meat dumplings

Potato latkes

Rye bread

Definitely not the lightest fare! But perfect for a cold winter evening, especially with Tchaikovsky playing in the background.

We dreamed about visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg someday, and maybe riding the Trans-Siberian railroad! But until we can take some fun international trips, we'll keep learning and vicariously traveling in the comfort of our own home.

Making yogurt in a crockpot

2010-01-09T14:45:00.003-07:00

I got the idea here on a blog about slow cooking. Thanks to Camille for sending me the link! It actually works! I use yogurt primarily to make smoothies, so it doesn't matter to me if it's on the runny side. I use skim milk, but I believe if you make sure to use whole milk, and also add dry milk powder and gelatin, it will come out firmer. There are hundreds of comments after the post where people share what worked for them.

An interview with Amy Dacyczyn

2010-01-03T11:52:00.001-07:00

We had to do some work on our house this fall, so I'm trying to bulk up our emergency fund again. I've been rereading and taking notes on Amy Dacyczyn's The Tightwad Gazette, and looking for ways to reduce our spending. So it was fun to see this recent video interview of her! For anyone who hasn't heard of her or read her books, this is probably a great time to get acquainted.

Christmas morning 2009

2009-12-26T13:41:00.005-07:00

We started off with stockings and cinnamon rolls of course!

Then the exciting work of opening the presents began!

A perfect book for Will!

Kate and her Barbie house

Will has had hours of fun with his new wooden train set

Reading the Christmas story with Daddy

Singing Christmas carols with Mommy

Our family Christmas photo

A gingerbread house

Things I Have Learned Living in Canada

2009-12-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Funny post on Eric's blog.

Mary's Story

2009-12-21T17:13:00.003-07:00

Don't miss this new Christmas song by Dara Hallett and Colleen Taylor, rated #1 by fans on Indieheaven. Gorgeous!

Hoar Frost

2009-12-18T11:27:00.005-07:00

A few December photos

2009-12-18T10:11:00.004-07:00

Kate made a "Girls Club" in the crawl space under her bed--and she even lets Will play in there occasionally.

We got to hear the story of St. Nicholas at our church's annual Advent brunch.

Kate made this Christmas decoration at the brunch--can you tell what it says?

She had lots of fun making decorative candles

Will decided he'd rather play with the wooden story pieces used in Godly Play on Sunday mornings.

Andria Fast is a Briercrest graduate and my fitness teacher. She is also an artist and we attended the grand opening of her fabulous art show at a gallery in Moose Jaw.

Faithfulness

2009-11-30T21:12:00.002-07:00

Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus call us to be successful. Greatly to the contrary, he calls us to be faithful--and faithfulness in ministry might result in failure according to society's standards. Much more important than numbers should be the depth of love and Hilarity and commitment engendered by our work. Much more valuable than crowds are persons who are being changed by the good news of God's love and the principles of the kingdom of God.

-Marva J. Dawn in Truly the Community: Romans 12 and How to Be the Church

Fall Fun!

2009-11-12T08:33:00.006-07:00

Yearly photo of the kids in a leaf pile! Will had a lot more fun this year...

...than last year.

Hanging out with Superman

Snow White is sure excited!

Who wouldn't be with all that candy???

Will showing off his cape at a really fun party put on by some friends of ours in town. They organized some creative games like pumpkin bowling and bobbing for apples (however the apples were hung on a tree so as not to spread germs!).

Superman and his Daddy

Briercrest's new website

2009-11-03T13:57:00.006-07:00

I just noticed that Briercrest has a redesigned website. It looks great! There's even a Professors' Blog now, featuring posts by various professors, including Eric!

I also noticed the current seminary class schedule is on the website here. If you're interested in checking out Briercrest, why not sign up to take a class? They are all taught as one week modulars, so it's easy to fit study into a busy schedule. I believe about half of the Briercrest seminary students live on campus, and half travel in for classes. We would love to have you!

Fast Food Folk Song

2009-11-01T11:52:00.005-07:00

Eric recently linked to one of my favorite Rhett and Link music videos on his blog--called In The 80s. You've got to watch it--especially if you grew up in the 80s. Here's another one we really enjoy, where they sing their order at a Taco Bell drive-thru. These guys really make me laugh--good clean fun.

Uniquely Canadian businesses

2009-10-29T09:48:00.031-06:00

You can find American stores and restaurants wherever you go in the world. Moose Jaw and Regina have loads of businesses I'm familiar with--Shell gas station, Pizza Hut, Safeway grocery store, Walmart, Sears, etc. But there are also many that I was unfamiliar with until I moved to Canada.

We flew Air Canada when we came for Eric's job interview. They are Canada's largest airline, and fly to destinations all over the world.

Boston Pizza has fantastic pizza, but you can also get salads, pasta, and burgers there. In the US, it's called Boston's The Gourmet Pizza.

Tim Hortons--the place to go for coffee and doughnuts! Now they also serve yummy soups and sandwiches at lunchtime. Tim Hortons holds 62% of the Canadian coffee market (compared to Starbucks, in the number two position, at 7%).

We do most of our grocery shopping at The Real Canadian Superstore (called Superstore) because it is the cheapest. It has everything, however, it can be stressful because it is huge, you have to bag your own groceries, and the lines are often long.

So if I'm wanting a more relaxing shopping experience, I'll head to Safeway (where the kids can "drive" a car-shaped cart) or Sobeys (especially if there's a sale). Groceries are bagged for us, and we can usually get one of the workers to help us out. Sobeys is the second largest food retailer in Canada.

Shoppers Drug Mart is Canada's largest pharmacy chain.

Canadian Tire specializes in tires and automotive parts. But we also visit their excellent garden centre, and head here for various tools, paint, outdoor gear, or kitchen equipment. The store is also known for Canadian Tire "money" which can be earned through purchases made, and redeemed in the store.

Zellers is a discount department store similar to Target.

The Brick is one of Canada's largest retailers of furniture, mattresses, and home electronics. We bought our living room furniture here.

Chapters is a big bookstore--there's one in Regina, but you can also order online. It's a lot like Barnes and Noble or Borders in the US or Waterstone's in the UK.

Petro-Canada is a Canadian gas station.

Same as Exxon in the US. Esso is the name the company uses in every other country where it operates.

Any others I've missed? I know that out here on the Canadian prairies, I'm only seeing a small slice of Canadian businesses. Also, did you notice the logos are mostly red and white? I wonder if this is because of the colors of the Canadian flag.

Inspirational!

2009-10-16T21:01:00.009-06:00

You must watch the short video on the Team Hoyt homepage. Team Hoyt is the inspirational story of a father, Dick Hoyt, and his son, Rick Hoyt, who compete together in marathons and triathlons across the U.S. According to the website, Rick is a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, but his mind is sharp and he's a graduate of Boston University. He can communicate with a special interactive computer. Incredible!

Adventures with sushi

2009-10-13T18:20:00.007-06:00

I got this great sushi recipe from Liza, who spent a year teaching English in Japan a while back. She assured me that it didn't call for raw fish! The kids weren't interested in helping me, but Eric was! Here's the recipe with some step by step photos:

Sushi

You'll need 3-4 cups cooked rice. I found this Japanese rice in the Asian aisle at Superstore. It's important that the rice you use becomes sticky when cooked. The directions on mine said there was no need to wash the rice, but generally, you wash the rice several times by filling the rice bowl with water, stirring vigorously, and draining. Make sure you add the correct amount of water while cooking--my first batch ended up way too soggy so I had to start over.

Rice vinegar and nori seaweed. While the rice is cooking, mix together 4 tbsp. rice vinegar (not the preseasoned kind), 4 tbsp. sugar, and 2 tsp. salt. When rice is done, pour sauce over rice while it's still hot, gently lifting and stirring rice with one hand and trying to fan the steam away with the other hand. You will need to stir for about 5-10 minutes or so, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice gets very heavy and cools down. It can be tiring for the arm. :) Remember to do it gently, not vigorously.

Prepare the ingredients you want to fill the sushi. Options might be--mock crab cut into strips, tuna fish, egg omelette sliced into strips, peeled and seeded cucumber cut into strips, carrot sliced into strips and microwaved for 15 seconds or so in a wet paper towel (to soften), cilantro, or anything else you might like. We chose mock crab, cucumber, and carrot.

The next part is easier if you have a little bamboo mat that's intended for sushi rolling, but you could use a piece of wax paper too, as we did. Start by placing one sheet of nori (sushi seaweed) on bamboo mat or wax paper.

Cover the bottom 3/4 of seaweed with rice--not too much but enough to cover the seaweed pretty well.

Lay the fillings in a horizontal strip across the rice, about two inches above the bottom edge of the seaweed. Try to keep the fillings in as narrow a strip as possible.

Start rolling the sushi from the bottom, lifting the wax paper or bamboo mat as you begin to roll.

Like rolling a sleeping bag, you want to make as tight a roll as possible, so go slowly and use your fingers to tuck in your fillings tightly as you roll past them. Of course, avoid rolling the wax paper or mat into the sushi. It is just there to keep your fingers from sticking to the food.

When you are done, the "naked" seaweed that was at the top should create a seam and actually stick to the rest of the roll, but if it doesn't seal well, you can always tuck a few pieces of rice in there like glue. It might take a few times to get the hang of rolling a tight roll.

When you are done, you will have a dense sushi log. Lay it on a plate, seam side down, until you finish rolling all the rest. This recipe makes about 6 logs, depending on how thickly or thinly you spread your rice (as you can see, we ended up with 4)

Before serving, slice the rolls in 3/4" thick slices and arrange on a plate. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, if you have them.