Wikis

As you can see I will bring Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies to our picnic.

I've used PBWorks for work and for planning trips. I got the Sparks leaders to use it one year to plan our year. I even got my husband using it to plan his hiking trips. It's a fantastic way to collaborate.

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

As promised, here's the recipe.  My girls love them making them and they are gluten-free and take no time to make.  Sometimes I'm nervous giving our favourite homemade deserts to other kids, but I've been amazed at how many kids love these.


Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

1 cup raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 to 1 1/2 cups medjool dates, pited
1/2 cup raw almond butter (I often use almond-cashew)
4-6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoons raw shredded coconut

1.  Place hazelnuts and almonds into food processor fitted with the "s" blade and process until finely ground.

2.  Add the pitted dates, almond butter, ad cocoa powder and process until completely mixed.  You can add more or less cocoa depending on how rich your would like the brownies.

3.  Firmly press mixture evenly into an 8" x 8" square pan. 

4.  To make them look a little fancy, melt 1 oz square of chocolate slowly (double boiler or over a pot of boiling water) with a bit of milk (I use almond milk).  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the squares and spread so it provides a thin icing layer.  Sprinkle the shredded coconut. 

5.  Cut into squares when ready to serve.  Refrigerate in covered container for up to a week. 

Recipe is adapted slightly from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. 

Picasa's Princess Cakes

I've used picasa before to view photos in private albums, edit pics and upload. I have since found other/better ways to do this. I must admit that I never took the time to search for images... Guess I'll have to keep in it mind as another and less cluttered place to look for images.

Little did I know there were so many pics... I think the princess cakes just got harder...

I had to include this pic... The first is tagged cake, castle, princess and the second cake, castle, fairy, pink and princess. Now I'll have to check YouTube for a how-to video...

Facebook

I sometimes wonder how my highschool and university days may have been different with Facebook. I doubt that I would have lost touch with so many people. I suspect that this generation of youth will be far more connected than we were.

That said, I must admit that it is fun reconnect with old friends through Facebook. It's nice to see how everyone has grown.

Although I don't sign in every day, I try and sign in ever week or so. Maybe I'll start being a little more active...

I must admit, I like Linkedin for my professional life even though I don't sign in all that often.

My only concern with Facebook is with using images. Not so much for me, as long as they are professional, but more my kids. I have posted pics of my girls, but I've never tagged them. In some ways it's silly since Facebook is suppose to be made up of your friends, but information can live so long in cyberspace that I prefer to be caution... the pros and cons of performing the vanity search I suppose...

Tagging

I bookmarked one of my favourite Glutten-Free authors, Shauna James Ahern. She's got a great blog with tons of recipes http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/. I tagged it gluttenfree and recipes...

Although tagging serves a purpose, I'm not a Delicious user. I like SiteJot for organizing sites at work. And I think I'll keep tagging in Bibliocommons.

Princess Cake (Streaming)

Birthdays always seem to involve princesses cakes in my house. I have made several in the last few years. My girlfriend got me started on my first one when she lent me her dome pan and a cake doll. It isn't as hard as it looks and typically turns out great.

Of course YouTube makes so many things easier! If only it had existed when I made my first cake... I found this great video that explains another way to make the princess cake without a fancy pan or cake doll. And it has some cool icing tips as well.



Here are some photos of my cakes. Hopefully next year's will be even better!

Plannning Our Disney Vacation

Well I finally broke down and booked a Disney Vacation for my princesses. I even invited my in-laws who are more than thrilled to share our royal adventure.

I figure that this is about the only year the girls will both enjoy the same theme in the next few years. At 7 & 4, the princess theme is a go! Although not my ideal vacation, I'm excited for them. Yes, the Mother of the Year Award has been bestowed...

Are the princesses excited? You bet!

Of course now it's time to plan, plan, plan. I'm told the more plans I make in advance, the more we will enjoy the trip. So.... I'm looking for suggestions.

I've booked our resort.

I've booked our princess meals at:

Cinderella's Royal Table
Crystal Palace
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - Princess Storybook

and then for a change of pace:

Bomas (mainly for me)
Sci-Fi (so we can share one meal with my girlfriend and her family)
'OHana (so I can check out the resort I wanted to stay at and maybe go for a swim)

The fancy ballroom dresses for their special dinners have been selected and are ready to go!

I must admit I opted out of the $525 tea party for the two princesses, mom and grandma... similarly I opted out of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique... there's only so much princess I can justify...

Now it's time to plan our park adventures. including the rides and other exciting things to do... Having never been (nor ever really having the desire to go), I'm tasked with making it an exciting summer vacation!

Any suggestions?

Betty Blogger

Yuk, summer school...

that' what most say....

But not me!

I think this is a fantastic way to spend the summer! I get to expand my Web 2.0 toolset while having fun (at the expense of my princesses).

The best part, I talked a bunch of other people I work with into participate too! We get some professional development while having fun. Bonus!

Thanks Library Lady! You certainly deserved the 2008 Ontario Ministry of Culture’s Angus Mowat Award of Excellence!