I have taken to eating soba instead of udon or any chinese noodles – just because soba is a healthier choice and it has got less calories.  So whenever I can – I would cook soba instead of Chinese noodles in a packet or udon.  Did you know that soba is half the calories of a packet of instant noodles?

I also put some seaweed dried ones and tofu into my noodles and some baked salmon for dinner.  Yums! healthy – guiltless and definitely easy peasy.

Yes!  I had Bak Zhang!!!  not the kind we are used to at home – but closed enough.  The Zhu’s from the Chinese restaurant made them and gave me one to try !  they were very yummy!!  better than the ones I had bought when I was in Halifax!  So I had gone back to ask if I could buy some more from them – and they had so generously gave me more.  So kind right! very sinful! but I’m enjoying it now and then exercise later – muahahahah!!

As usual we wanted to get something for Chloe’s class – for Halloween – I like doing stuff like that for Chloe’s class – all because we love our daughter very much and want her to participate and enjoy everything in school.  We also take these opportunities to give Chloe a lesson about sharing and giving.   I would have loved to order this Barbie Halloween cake had I seen it earlier – but only saw this when we went to pick up the cake we had ordered the day before.

This was the cake that we had bought and specially ordered for Chloe’s friends.  Chloe didn’t want anything too frightening – so this was the one we had picked while she was in school.  And on the cake – she wanted the baker to write “Boo from Chloe! “  cute eh?   did you bake a cake  for your kid’s Halloween party – I know of some parents who are especially talented.

Every year I tell PB we should host Christmas dinner at our place instead of his parents – that way – his mother gets a day’s rest – instead of having to prepare dinner for us.  But every year we fail to do it – because we get so busy with the store – since Christmas is usually our busiest.  This year – I starting early to prepare for Christmas – that way – maybe, just maybe we can really have Christmas at our home.   I won’t be able to cook a big meal – but certain food I can get them already cooked in our local grocery store and buy them pre-prepared.

So I got some ideas from the internet and I’m getting some chair slipcover and accessorizing my dining chairs this Christmas.  One of the examples I found is using a red ribbon and tying it over the dining chair with some christmas cones and ferns. Very stunning right?  with a white slip cover over the chair.   By doing this simple decorating – I don’t have to do a center piece and it sets the dining room in the right mood for Christmas.  I love this idea so much !  and anyone can do it – and if you have a theme for the year – like blue or gold – you can use gold ornaments – or others – as you see fit.

You all know how I enjoy Farmer’s Market and if they have it all year round like they do in Australia – that would be perfect!  I think the main reason why I love the Farmer’s Market is because everything is home grown and home made.  Plus you and I know – if they are home grown or home made – they don’t have all the pesticides and whatever bad stuff that goes a long with the food we put into our body.  In my humble opinion – the less chemicals the better.

Of course one can buy preserves in bulk from your local grocery stores – but these are home made – just like grammie used to make.  And we all know – grammie makes the best jams!

These are grown locally in one of our local farms – and if you don’t know – locally grown veggies are a lot sweeter.  Well, the ones that Chloe’s grampie grows are very sweet.

Potatoes, cranberries and onions – all home grown and the lady who grows them is originally from Philippines – she is very nice too – married to a Canadian and has a daughter.

Honey Crisp apple anyone?  yummy!

Definitely yummy!

We have been busy looking for dining chairs of late – but haven`t had any luck so far – finding the right ones at the right price.  Have you seen my kitchen of late?  Yes!  it’s pretty small – an open concept kitchen as they called it – what was I thinking of when I bought this house?

I would have loved my bathroom sink to be like the ones back home  pedestal sinks – why?  easier to clean and a lot less dust trapped around it.   If i had to choose another house again – my kitchen isn’t going to be an open concept one – and definitely need a bigger dining table and lots more chairs – so that I can host any dinner not just Christmas.  Plus more than 1 bathroom – that’s for sure.  So hard to host anything with just one bathroom!  I need a guest bathroom and a master bathroom and a bathroom for Chloe.

So yes! would love to host Christmas dinner at my home this year – but I’ve to really make some changes – more chairs – change the sink in the bathroom and in my plans – is to add another bathroom in the basement.  Oh did I say also a fireplace in the basement?  Yes!  I have so many things I wanna do for our house.

Weekends at the Farmer’s market was just perfect!  these were from 2 weeks ago – stay tuned for more food from this weekend’s farmer’s market.  During the weekend – we indulge a little and have some things that we don’t often get.  This was one of the snacks we bought from the market.  I just loved the Farmer’s market – there are just so much to see and try.

This was PB’s snack for the day – a cinnamon frosted bun – 400 calories here !!!   what do you do with the family during the weekend?  is your weekends as precious as ours?

Check out this Halloween Ginger Bread house that Chloe made with her grammie a few weeks ago.  Pretty cool eh!  the brat just loved baking !!  i’m so glad that she found something she can do with her grammie and bond with her.

So more on the Farmer’s market in our town  - organic fruits as you can see here  - the pears looked absolutely divine!  I wished i had bought some – but i didn’t know how sweet the syrup were – so i didn’t get them.

Very interesting store – I must say here  - an antibiotic free beef – no growth hormones like the ones from big boys’ farm – these cows are grass fed only.  I bet they must be some tasty!

All the meat here is frozen as you can see – I prefer non-frozen meat – but next week – if they are still there – I’m gonna buy some for Chloe’s grandparents to let them try.

These are super yummy – some pastry for $2/piece – but definitely worth the price of what i paid.  So filling they were – I didn’t have lunch that day.

I chose the one with pepperoni and cheese – so that there won’t be too much sugar in them.  The lady selling the pastries  was most helpful.

Some gluten free muffins – look so yummy !

And another candy store – chloe bought some marshmallows and gummies.   She loved it!   More in the next few posts – stay tuned!