it's my girls' world

Mother's Day 2016 was amazing. I woke up to a sweet seven year old giving me her present, kisses and snuggles (before she exited stage left to watch some TV). Then there was a cup of tea in bed followed by more presents! (and one more on the 

way)

 

Just a quick post pre Mother's Day to highlight a couple of my favourite moms.

First off, this lady-- my mama! Her sweet spirit, kind heart and gracious nature are truly special and I'm so happy to call her my own. She's always there for her kids, her kids-in-law and her grandkids.  I'm so happy that my kids also have such a strong bond with her.

Then there's this lady--- my mother in law. I've learnt so much from her-- from her sheer determination, her inner strength and her mad party planning skills. I'm also so happy that she's made D and  molded him into the man he's become today.

And finally, not moms but to these two lovelies who I've been gifted the privilege and pleasure of being their mom. 

And a look at Mother's Days past….

My very first Mother's Day. C wasn't even a month old yet. 

And the first one as a mom of two.

And last year for brunch.

We liked it so much, we're doing it twice!

Hope the mamas out there have a wonderful Mother's Day filled with a whole lot of pampering and maybe a couple extra hours of sleep!

Linking up with 

Andrea, Erika and Narci for Favourites on Friday

 

Today, we're talking parties! I love throwing a party and I've hosted my fair share… here are just three of my favourites.

C's Carnival was so.much.fun for the kids. A clown, face painting, carnival games, balloon animals, hot dogs and hamburgers did a good time make. 

A's Sunshine party was special with all the details and mayhem  but quite the crowd with 25 kids in a tiny backyard. 

And this girl's night I've thrown for the last couple holiday seasons is another fave for all the details. 

Here are a few of my favourite tips for a throwing a party.

1- Prep and organise your time- I usually do all my decorations (the cutting, the glueing and the doing) the week before so I just have to hang them up. (another tip is that I try to get the decorations up on the night before my kid's actual birthday so they wake up to a fun surprise). I make my costco, supermarket and party store list also and tackle them one at a time the week before. I also try to do as much as possible the day(s) before like the dips, skewers and veggies if I can. 

2- A signature punch or cocktail is a fun way to start the festivities. Like lemonade for a sunshine party or a champagne cocktail for a girls night or a rum punch for a pool party, the possibilities are endless and there are so many fun cocktail recipes out there. 

3- All white drinks-  I got this tip from Shay a while ago and I love it- especially at kid parties-- white drinks only- white grape juice, lemonade, wine wine. Only whites with the larger indoor parties with the littles running around. 

4- Cocktail napkins- If it's an evening in with friends or a party, I love me some fun cocktail napkins even if no other decorations are around. Oh and I love paper straws! 

5- Delegate-- I usually have a grandparent or a friend or two asking me to help. I am very good at assigning jobs and taking up people on the offer to help. I always help at my friends' parties and I don't mind the offer of a helping hand either at the party or before! If someone asks me to make a dish,  yes please! My friends are wonderful like this and I have often have a friend or two asking if I need help at the party- I usually put them to work passing around a platter or two. Also, if someone comes earlier than planned, let them help also. Most guests seem to love that. I also don't make everything for a party- I also buy some stuff!

6- Passing food around- I find that some guests can be shy and won't venture into the snack area so if I can, I try to pass a platter or two around. The food finishes so quickly. Works for me too as I won't have to pack lots of leftovers. 

7- Music, music, music-- I know this one seems obvious but I've been to a couple parties with no music. Even if it's a dinner party or a few friends coming over,  Google Play or even Youtube has lots of great playlists for every crowd if you don't have time to put together a playlist. 

8-Clean up your guest bathroom or powder room- Okay, this one goes without saying but with young messy kids with less than direct aim, I'm putting it out there anyways. Make sure your guest toilet is clean, the floors are swept, there's extra toilet paper in there,  enough hand soap and the sink is wiped. Midway through the party, I usually replace the hand towel(s) also. 

8- Photo taking- I take a few photos before of the decor and food and then I pass the camera or my phone to a friend to document the rest of the party- I'm usually too busy to take more pictures. 

9- Enjoy- Try not to tire yourself out! As the host yes, I try to make sure everything is set up and replenish when it needs to be but it's nice to sit and chat with a few friends when you can!

What are your favourite tips for hosting/party planning?

Linking up with Annie and Amanda.
Also linking up  with Salma, Raj and Nisha for the last Three Things Thursday even though it's not fully a three things post - though I cheated highlighting three parties. These amazing ladies (especially Salma) have changed the way I blog, always full of advice and understanding!

 

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo- I give you chicken tortilla soup-- although let's be real, who's going to eat soup for CDM. Chips please… and dip… and a marg if we're being totally honest :-)

This is one of my favourites that I make about once a month. My friend Dani introduced me to this soup and I've combined it with several other chicken tortilla recipes and made a version of it since. It's weird but this soup is hearty and healthy all at the same time. It's very flavourful but chockful of nutrients and fibre. And it's a great way to empty your fridge of all those veggies- You'll definitely get your DRA in one serving!

1 tbsp of oil if cooking in a pot

1 cup of cilantro-chopped

1 large onion-chopped

5 cloves of garlic- chopped

1 large can of diced/crushed tomatoes

2 litres of chicken stock

2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped

1 can of black beans or 1.5 cups of cooked black beans

1 can of either kidney or white beans  or 1.5 cups of cooked beans

Veggies (you can use any combination or all of these):

{1 chopped pepper

1-2 zucchinis

1 turnip chopped

2 cups of chopped green beans

2 cups of chopped mushrooms 

2 carrots-sliced into small pieces

2 stalks of celery- chopped

2 cups of frozen corn }

1 bottle of salsa

1/2 pack of taco seasoning (optional)

1 tbsp of cumin (I double this amount)

1/2 tsp of chili/cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings:

shredded cheese, greek yogurt/sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, tortilla chips

1- Heat the oil in the pan

2- Add the onion, garlic and cilantro to the pan- I usually puree or chop it in my chopper

3- Add everything else in the order of the ingredient list

4- Let it simmer for about an hour until the vegetables are tender.

Method 2- (slow cooker)

Put everything into the slow cooker and simmer on high for 4 hours or on low for eight hours. It's so easy.

Ladle into a bowl and serve with whatever toppings you desire.

Linking up with Beth for Tuesday Talk