Monday, August 13, 2007

Chocolate Carmel Torte

If you need a quick recipe that will really impress people try this dessert that Ramona told me about. It's awesome!

Bake one chocolate cake mix according to instructions. I used a bundt pan. While still hot and in the pan pour one jar of caramel sauce (the kind you pour over ice cream) over the cake. Let the sauce soak into the cake. When cooled cover the cake with tons of cool whip. Top with four bars of chopped skor bars. Yummmmyyy!

I made it for a group of friends and they loved it.

Thanks Ramona... tonight I going to make your Feta Chicken Casserole.

Donna

dave




You're The Great Gatsby!

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Having grown up in immense wealth and privilege, the world is truly at
your doorstep. Instead of reveling in this life of luxury, however, you spend most of
your time mooning over a failed romance. The object of your affection is all but
worthless--a frivolous liar--but it matters not to you. You can paint any image of the
past you want and make it seem real. If you were a color of fishing boat light, you
would be green.



Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

During my summer holidays I....

I have spent the last few days going through old memorabilia, throwing away many pieces of paper and reorganizing my files and storage system.

Things looked like this










and now they look like this.

It so interesting how this occasional purging is good for both my home and my head. I feel so uncluttered and organized now! And, it is also good for my soul. I think it is useful to everyone once in a while look back at where you have been and what you have accomplished. I never keep things that bring back bad memories so I always this wonderful feeling of a life well lived after going through my memory boxes! I find birthday cards with special greetings and wishes, thank you cards from my nieces, photos of family times, newspaper articles, souvenirs of travels and pieces of work that brought special recognition. This time I reread the letter that mom and dad wrote to all of us after their trip to Spain and the speech Jim gave at dad's memorial service... sad but heartwarming at the same time.

Ramona and I talked about about keeping 'stuff' while we were on holidays this summer and agreed that it can be overdone which is why I took out many, many, many bags to the dumpster. A few mementos are all that is needed to bring back memories. Still, there are a few more trinkets around my home after our travels on Vancouver Island andmy memory box has grown to three. As I poured though them these past two days I realized that I am very blessed with a loving family, good friends and a vocation that is a passion.

I have been doing more the organizing this past summer and I trust that you saw the pictures on flickr of the road trip to East Central Saskatchewan

HPIM0508.JPG
St. Michael's Hall at St. Peter's College where dad went to high school.

I have also been tending my flowers. I love bright colours almost to a point where I would say that I can feel them... kinda like synesthesia.









And this year I planted a crop of tomatoes... nothing better than a fresh off the vine toasted tomato sandwich!













I have also been doing a bit of this...



...and this...
















And some of this....


.... all in all not a bad summer.

Hope everyone else is enjoying these last few days in the sun!

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Mom's Literature Profile




You're I, Robot!

by Isaac Asimov

While you have established a code of conduct for many generations to follow, your demeanor is rather cold and calculating. Brought up to serve humans, you have promised never to harm them, to follow orders, and to protect yourself. Living up to this code has proved challenging and sometimes even drives you mad. If you were a type of paper, you would be pulp.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Who is this?





My literature profile

I am "To Kill a Mockingbird"




You're To Kill a Mockingbird!

by Harper Lee

Perceived as a revolutionary and groundbreaking person, you have
changed the minds of many people. While questioning the authority around you, you've
also taken a significant amount of flack. But you've had the admirable guts to
persevere. There's a weird guy in the neighborhood using dubious means to protect you,
but you're pretty sure it's worth it in the end. In the end, it remains unclear to you
whether finches and mockingbirds get along in real life.



Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.



What great piece of literature are you?

Donna

Monday, July 23, 2007

Vancouver Island Trip

Here are a few of my favourite photos from the trip. You can see more at
http://www.flickr.com/gp/41995927@N00/85BXgD








A visit to Solar Gardens

I had an opportunity to visit this awesome place near Saskatoon. This multimedia production shows how wonderful it was.



You can also see this Scrapblog version of the day.

http://scrapblog.com/viewer/viewer.aspx?sbId=46640

Donna

News from Mom

We are back from a wonderful holiday. The pictures are on Flicker. The rain did not stop us from doing things. Thanks for the great visit Brit and Michelle. You seem so comfortable in the big city. Let us know what is happening with your film. And Michelle be sure to let us know when you are you are off to Venezuela. Love Mom and Grandma

Friday, July 13, 2007

holidays

Hi to all the family Boy, we have to get back to using the blog just for us . Donna, Ramona and I are off to Vancouver island today Will tell you all about it when I get back Love Mom and Grandma

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Uncle Doug

Hi there every one. I don't know what to write as things here, to me seem boring, so I will update as best as I can. I had a fight with a lawnmor blade and I lost, got stitches in my ring finger. I am still single and you know the rest. I have been put on a different shift at work (3-11:30 pm). I also had to go to a different plant so now I am cold all shift. The work is repetitive and I have to count all the time, so I can't day dream (so sad). with this change of shift I have time to look for work and hopefully I will have different work soon. It is good to see the baby you are so luck Steph.
Looking for the silver linning
Doug

Saturday, April 28, 2007

One Month Today!




Well I do have to say that the past month has just flown by. Little Jessica is now pushing almost 8 lbs. The health nurses are very surprised and happy that she is gaining so much. We are only nursing no supplements. She's almost sleeping through the night. Derrik has had surgery on his arm, so now he can't help out as much as he was before. Over all things are going very well for us.
That's the blanket that Grandma made for Jessica she loves it.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

BRITTANYS FILM

Hey Everyone It's Brittany.. I just want to let everyone know I am the Director Of Photography and Executive Producer of this Short Film I am shooting with my Roomate. We are working very hard everyday and working other jobs to pay our Bills. Since this Film requires funding I am looking for support from Family. Anything would be the greatest help in the world right now since I want to shoot this on film and NOT HD. This is the stepping stone I am taking in my life to become everything I want to be. I love you all and miss you more than you will ever know.

If you would like a script to read please send me a personal Email..

brittanydallan@hotmail.com
or call
778 988 6470

Cheers
Brittany Dawn

Sunday, April 08, 2007

A note from Stephanie

me and Jessica
A new big brother
Jessica's first bath
One proud Daddy

A big welcome to the new addition to our family. Jessica was born at the Rocky View Hosptial at 10:04 on March 28th and wieghed 5lbs 10oz. After the second trip to the hospital, and an hour of fetal montering, the doctors were worried about her heart beat, it kept dropping. So they quickly made arrangements for an emergancy C-section. A very scary exprience for both Derrik and I. But it resulted in one beautiful little girl.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

WELOCOME JESSICA ELIZABETH


Proud new Parents








Jessica Elizabeth weighs 5 pounds 10 ounce born on March 28, 2007 at 10:04 pm


Grama Elizabeth and Grama Sheila






























































Monday, March 19, 2007

From Gramdma

Steph are you sure that the baby is still there you look so small. You say you have dropped but wher did it drop to. Did you check your apartment??? Love you Grandma I tried to send this as a comment to your blog but it would not let me use the password desroches, have I got the password right?? Love Mom

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Update from Stephanie and Family

Hey everyone. Only 3 more weeks to go until the big day, well lets hope that's all. I don't think my tummy can get any bigger. We are all ready for the baby, well as ready as anyone can be. Derrik and I have been attending birthing classes every Thursday. Very helpful and informative. Riley is getting more excited every day. The baby has dropped, but is still moving a ton. Sometimes it feels like I have an alien inside of me. This Friday will be my last week of work. I can't wait. My due date is April 9th. I know lots of people have been asking that.

What a change hey?






















Me at 9 months (37 weeks)



Me at 3 months (14 weeks)

Saturday, February 24, 2007

News from Mom

Hi everybody. Just a note to thank you for all the nice comments about my painting. I start work today at noon. I am over at the preston crossing Sobeys store. Stan and I had a nice visit with Jean, Bell and Claude. They are doing well but have been pretty house bound with the cold weather. I am feeling good after my bout with bronchitis. Doug has a cold right now. Lots of snow again and the roads are not good . I want to leave early because of the roads so will say bye for now Love to all MOM

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Celebrity Look-alike

I recently tried this face recognition program....and this is who I look like! Try it and then past the code into the html tab and let us know who you look like.




Do you see the resemblance? Joan Collins? Sarah Ferguson?

Donna

Donna the blogger

Wow! We just came through a cold spell here in Saskatchewan! But now it is quite pleasant, the sun is shining and I will soon be out for a cross-country ski.

I am enjoying my new job as the Computer Resources Consultant for the school division although at times I very much miss being in the library. I share an office for the first time in my working life and I am liking it. I share with the literacy consultant and the fine arts consultant and I am learning a lot from them.

I am very busy with my university class which in an individual study class. I am focusing on Web 2.0 also know as the Read/Write web and looking at the ways in which web-based social software such as blogs, wikis, social bookmarking and web-based productivity tools (check the More link on Google) can be used to deliver strong school library programs. My prof and I agreed that 60% of my mark would be based on my blog posts. These have not been as frequent or as academic as I would like so hopefully my 40% paper will help my mark!

I have also started a Classroom Tech Tips blog for the lead technology teachers in the school division. In this blog I hope to share with them news and happenings about technology especially about Web 2.0.

Last week my friends and I had our annual literary brunch as usually it was great fun with awesome food! Afterwards someone said, wouldn't it be great if we had a place to share the books that we read. So, I created a blog for us, The Literacy Bunch. All the great books we talked about are listed on the first post. Hopefully we will start commenting and adding reviews of books we like soon.

I am currently on winter break which is extended this year by Family Day on Monday, the 19th. The first such holiday in Saskatchewan. Next week will be busy as on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I will be in Prince Albert delivering (with other committee members) the first module in a professional development training program for lead technology teachers and technology coordinators.

That is all my news for now....

Donna