Remembrance Day

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon making some French Macaron's! They were very high on my baking to do list and I couldn't wait to try them out. Never having made or even tasting one I didn't know what to expect and after doing some research they seemed to be pretty fickle and hard to get just right. 

Unabashed I proceeded and even though I know they didn't turn out perfectly they still taste good and with some little corrections I think I can achieve the perfect macaron next time. I used the recipe from PastryPal with some techniques I learned from Gesine Bullock-Prado's video. However I think next time I'll try Gesine's recipe instead because looks like a bigger recipe and a little easier to mix. The Vanilla Buttercream Recipe PastryPal provided with her master Almond Macaron recipe, however, was delicious! 

Last weekend I took some pictures outside showing off the headband and scarf I made last winter with the pattern's Lindsi from people webs provided. I really like both of them and get a lot of use out of them in these long Canadian winters. 

My dad said one morning this week that I couldn't start listening to Christmas music till after November 11th so tomorrow morning you'll all know what I'm listening to when I get ready in the morning!

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, a day to remember all the veterans, fallen soldiers and active soldiers that fought and are fighting for our freedom. It is celebrated every year on November 11 to commemorate the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. In later years it served to commemorate both World Wars. Today we attended our Legion's Remembrance Day Ceremony instead of going to Church and all week we've been watching History Channel's November war special. Above is my Great Grandad he fought in the second World War. On the left he's with his brother and on the right he's with his son, my Grandma's brother, Edwin. Fortunately he survived the war and was able to come home. I never got to meet him, I think he died a year or so before I was born, but all across Canada today we remember him and all the others that gave up their tomorrow's for our today and for that we should all be thankful!

P.S. Do you like my new Header? I quite like it myself ;)

Seventeen

"It was November  -- the month of crimson sunsets parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and, as she said, let that great wind blow the fogs out of her soul."

~ L.M. Montgomery

It was my Seventeenth Birthday yesterday and besides being sick it was really nice :)

I went to school despite feeling terrible but I didn't last long, I left soon after 12 and had a long nap at my Grandparents house! Not really what I expected to do on my Birthday but all in all it was wonderful day. I actually have the pleasure of having the same birthday as my Auntie Jaye who spent hers in Maui (so jealous)!! The temperature dropped to minus 30 the other day which was quite the shock and then proceeded to be plus 4-6 this weekend -- that's Canadian weather for you.

For supper I had my grandparents and my cousin Bretley as well as her husband Martin come over and after a dinner of turkey, salads and french bread we had the amazing chocolate cake! It's taken from one of the recipes in Jan Karon's Mitford series, Lew Boyd's Chocolate Cake and it is seriously CHOCOLATE. I think my mom said there is something like a pound of dark chocolate in the icing alone! Apparently my mom had made it before when we were younger but it was too much for us then -- I think our taste buds have matured a bit since then!

I was lucky enough to get a FujiFilm instant camera 210 from my parents as a gift! I can't wait to experiment with a film camera! I also got a spritz cookie press and a stainless steel pastry bag with assorted tips from my grandparents -- first thing I'm going to make, french macaroons, they've been on my top baking to do list for a long time. I also got some lovely cards from a variety of friends and family. Thank you to all of you who got me something for my Birthday :) it did not go unappreciated.

Tonight my friend Jadin is hosting a Halloween party slash Birthday party for me with some of our girlfriends at school. I'm expecting there will be a lot of giggling and movie watching!

Anyway, I hope you have an amazing rest of the weekend :)