Christmas Lights

I heard that not far from our house there was a lovely road where lots of home owners really go all out and put on magical show of lights , Christmas cheer is contagious . We loved this stunning log cabin style home , you don't see large log homes very often around here .

This ones was Todd's favourite , he loves Victorian homes and yes it was charming .

There are some really stunning homes just off the beaten path in this sought after area with culdesacs and huge sprawling properties.

More is more with Christmas lights.

It was a great way to end the evening with some extra Christmas cheer.

Rajasthan Visit in India Visit

Rajasthan is a gorgeous tours and travel destination in India. It is the land of wonderments and is visited by tourists, travelers and holiday makers from across the corner of the world. It is a gorgeous state sprinkled with more than a few splendid forts and palaces and numerous additional breathtaking villages as fine as sightseeing spots which are one of its kind and displays the majestic splendor of the previous era. Glowing if you want to see and enjoy or witness the magnificence and regal charm of Rajasthan plan for Rajasthan tours with one of the foremost tour operator and explore the splendor of the thrilling cities of Rajasthan in India.
 A few of the key cities that you must not miss to visit are :
 Jaisalmer
 Jaisalmer also recognized as the Fair-haired City of India it is home to superb forts and palaces and is visited by swarm of tourists and travelers from across the world. A quantity of of the key attractions here you can visit are Patwon - ki - Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli, Nathmalji Ki Haveli and Gadsisar Sagar Tank. Apart from these here one can also enjoy beige safari which when talk about Rajasthan tourism initial comes in front of our eyes. Here enjoy the beige safari on the Thar Desert and explore the out of sight glory of the blond sands which was once decorated with red colors. 

 Jaipur
 Often referred as majestic city of India and popularly well-known as Red City, Jaipur the capital city of Rajasthan is most visited cities by tourists and travelers from the complete globe. It is sprinkled with more than a few regal attractions that grab the attention of tourist the most are Hawa Mahal ( Palace of Winds ), Yellowish-brown Fort, Jantar Mantar, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Laxmi Narayan Temple, etc. You also have the magnificent opportunity to enjoy shopping in the full of go market of Johari Bazaar which is one of the most celebrated bazaars in Jaipur.
 Udaipur
 Udaipur is one of the most alien destinations in India, visited by scores of tourists from the whole globe. Here the superb forts and palaces which depict the imperial glory and past that never fails to impress the heart of visitors and tourists. A quantity of of the key attractions of tourists in the city are Sahelion Ki Bari, Jag Mandir, City Palace Museum, Nathdwara and Eklingji.
 Healthy apart from all these, Rajasthan a land of Rajas and Maharajas is famed for its wildlife parks and sanctuaries. Rajasthan is the ideal place to see wide-ranging species of birds, animals and creatures in their ordinary home. Here one can visit and enjoy safari in a few of the healthy recognized wildlife parks and sanctuaries that include the famed Ranthambore State Park, Sariska Countrywide Park, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary. In added these wildlife parks and sanctuaries are the featured destinations of the complete Rajasthan wildlife tour package.
 So what are you waiting for? Book one from the numerous Rajasthan tour packages and enjoy or explore the unknowable beauty and attractions of Rajasthan in a pleasant and outstanding way. This stunning state of India, Rajasthan the land of Rajas and Maharajas is visited by thousands and hundreds of tourists and travelers from across the corner of the globe. Surely you will have magnificent time here which you will love to treasure and relish in forever.

9 Unique Destinations to celebrate New Year’s in 2011

This New Year’s Eve, let go of the tired, old balls in Times Square and grow a new pair. Let’s see the 9 unique destinations to celebrate this New Year 2011…

Fireworks: Prague

  

Swagger the avenues like Kafka on acid in Prague. The citizens are gracious, backpackers are all over the place and parties spill into the streets and terraces. The huge draws here are the fireworks put on view along the Charles River. If you’ve saved your pennies for the big night, for a cool $150 bucks you can put your name down for a spot on the Party Boat to get in the center of the action. If floating fancy is too moneyed for your blood, you can glimpse the midnight fireworks boom over the Prague Castle as of the Charles Bridge for free. Take on your weasel-like maneuvering talents, it will be crowded.

Nosiest: Philippines:

Children and hellraisers gust on toy horns called Torotot on Dec. 31. By means of sufficient firecrackers to end off every scarce species on the planet, the Filipinos ring in the New Year with the most exasperating sounds known to man. Polka-dots and pockets full of change are the provincial outfit for good luck. Dig up grandma’s Christmas sweater, chuck some metal in your pockets and jingle with thoughtless abandon. The midnight hour is greeted by loud feasting, drinking and gambling.

Desert Party: Dubai

Toke a hookah into the midnight sky this year. Once well-known for banning the celebration totally, Dubai’s associations have nil on the well-known desert safari party. Granted, this thing costs 399 Dirhams (about $100 bucks) but you find an open bar, quite a lot of desert BBQ stations, belly dance shows, sheesha-smoking till you throttle and, intended for the pyro in all of us, some astonishing fire-entertainment. 

The Most Off-Schedule: Spain

Spaniards are tarnished for taking their sweet time to begin the party. While some celebrations do start on time people typically hang at home with family awaiting midnight and the genuine party naturally starts approximately 12:30 a.m. Get even further off-schedule by heading for Berchules, where New Year’s happens twice (in mid-August, as well as on Dec. 31). Spain obtains five stars for celebrations like there’s no tomorrow…and doing it all over again when tomorrow unavoidably comes.

Longest: Taiwan

One night not enough for you greedy NYE-loving party freaks? Party for a month in Taiwan is not enough. This isle of plenty is all about the Lunar New Year, so do the Gregorian party Jan 1 before heading to Taiwan intended for some lunar action. Lion dancers, firecrackers and rituals spot the coming of the Chinese New Year to guarantee luck and many lays for the year to come. Join in a game of street Mahjong and chink glasses in the rouse of dragons and sporadic gunpowder.

Sporty(ish) New Year: Croatia:

Croatia’s New Year’s festivities roll hard all the way through the country. A new rambler preferred is in Split (Croatia’s second largest city) and its big attraction happens for the period of New Year’s Day on January 1st, at Bacvice beach. It’s called Picigin, an entertainment where men, flooded in ass-icicle cold water, strive to pass a slight rubber ball in the region of without letting it hit the water. Go to sleep early as possible on New Year’s Eve (say 9 pm) so that you are able to keep your well-rested eye on that modest ball for hours in the morning. If you just can’t fall snoozing at grandma’s bedtime, might as well take a little walk to Club Vanilla, perhaps party for 10-12 hours to exhaust yourself for the big entertainment; have some sparkling wine, kiss a couple locals, whatever it takes.

Most Confused: Turkey

New Year’s is the only American show famous in Turkey all through the holiday season. As holiday celebrations are fed to Turkey via globalized media, people in Istanbul habitually mystify New Year’s with Christmas, Thanksgiving or whatever-the- ghetto-cowboy- holiday. This turns Dec. 31 into a rompin’ tragedy worth witnessing. Rejoice Christmas with a New Year’s tree and a spooky pumpkin Easter pie. Citizens still countdown the clock and party late night however the streamers and festivities are less like customary New Year’s and more like a squashed up holiday cocktail of sheer confusion. Moralize the appropriate way to celebrate or keep your mouth shut and take pleasure in the messed up fun.

Best Beach Celebrations: Sri Lanka

No longer just fun to say, Sri Lanka is a great place to stopover for a warm spin on New Year’s. By tradition, Sinhalese New Year’s is celebrated by rasping yourself down with plants when the moon moves out of Aries (in April). By December 31st, Sri Lankans are high-quality and enclosed in plant matter and prepared to celebrate with the rest of the world. Parties along Unawatuna beach bluster up for NYE and make the Maldives insanely envious. Get there a few days in the early hours to safe a spot at the beach hostel. Temps are in the 80s and if you can pry your eyes open the next day, go observe the elephants starting the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage take their every day bath in the river (10 a.m. or 2 p.m.)

Biggest Party: Valparaiso, Chile

This coastal city throbs the entire night at Plaza Sotomayor, by means of raucous sprays of Chilean cheerful and multihued confetti. A central stage is set up with live piece of music that goes until breakfast (8am ish) and exert a pull on approximately a shit ton of people. Comprised of about 40 tons of explosives (roughly equivalent to 6-7 elephants), the nearby fireworks last for about 20 minutes. The climate in January is humid (the whole other hemisphere thing) and sleeping on the streets is completely tolerable. Basically, this party is HUGE so look forward to crowds, groping and plenty of midnight besitosfrom other travelers.

Deogarh - An Abode of Shiva

Deogarh, an Abode of Shiva is of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India and also one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India. It is also known as Baidyanath Dham. Deoghar is a Hindi word and the literal meaning of 'Deoghar' is abode ('ghar') of the Gods and Goddesses ('dev'). It is in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand.

How to reach
Deogarh can be reached in a number of ways. By rail one can come up to Jasidih and from there take another rail to Deogarh. One can also hire private taxi, trekkers(type of jeep) or auto from Jasidih. There are also several buses plying between the both towns.

There are different places of interest in and around Deoghar which attracts attention of various people.

Baidyanath Temple
During the month of Shravan (June-July) pilgrims from across the country come to offer ganga jal to the divine Shivaling. The Baba Baidyanath temple is a campus of 21 temples. Nearby, this location you have Chandrakoopa Well is a historic well situated at the entrance of the temple is a fame.

Leaving aside the main attraction there are other places of interest like Nandan Pahar, Naulakha Mandir, Tapovan, Trikut Parvat, Rama Krishna Mission etc.

Nandan Pahar is a small hill in the western side of the town which has a famous Nandi Temple. It has now been beautifully maintained by the local administration and an amusement park is also set up. This hill faces the famous Shiv temple. It is an ideal destination for view of sunrise and sunset.

Naulakha Mandir is a beautiful temple of Radha-Krishna on the outskirts of Deogarh. It is famous for the idols of Radha and Krishna whose height is 146 feet. The amount spent in construction of the temple was about Rs. 900,000 (9 lakhs). Hence it became known as Naulakha Temple.



Satsang Ashram is also a holy place for the followers of Thakur Anukulachandra. It also has a museum and a zoo with a sarva dharma mandir. It is situated in the south-west of Deoghar.

Tapovan is situated 10 kms from Deogarh. There is a temple of Shiva which is the centre of attraction for pilgrims. One has to climb a few steps to reach the top of the temple. It is he saying that Sri Sri Balananda Brahmachari obtained Siddhi (success through penance) here. There are a number of caves in this hill. One has to go through one of such cave to do a darshan of a Shiva lingam. Adventurous tourist can go further up the hill to the top to get a picturesque view of the surroundings.

For more adventurous tourists, Trikut Parvat is the destination. It is situated 16 km away from Deoghar on the way to Dumka. There are three main peaks on the hill which is why it is called Trikutachal. It is the source of the River Mayurakshi. The height of this hill is 2,470 feet (750 m). There is also a temple of Shiva at this place known as Trikutachal Mahadeva Temple.

There is a short trek to the top of the Hill total time of which takes around 6 hours including rest and leisure time. There are various names/stages of the hill depending on the climb nature. They are PaJhinjhin, Hapani, Sursuri, Sita Chatal, Hanuman Choti, Dharparia and Hamaguri. One can take a guide to hear amazing stories about the stages\places on this hill, though most of them may be just stories rather than facts. There is a special type of leaf (named as Sita Patra) in this hills where in one can write with any hard substance and as per the myth if anything is written on the leaf, that wish is fulfilled.

Recently a ropeway project is undergoing in the Trikut hills and will probably start pretty soon.

You will find unmetered taxis or hired cars, auto rickshaws, tongas (Horse pulled vehicles) and cycle rickshaws to visit most of the important places in the town. There are numerous hotels near the station area and the temple area, so staying would not be a problem in Deoghar.

There are several other places nearby Deoghar as well like Basakinath Temple, Massanjore Dam, Giridih etc which attracts tourist attention round the year.

Deoghar has some food specialities and is famous for Peda - a type of milk-based sweet-meat is the Deoghar speciality. A visitor to Deoghar must not miss it.
Tilkut made of til and sugar mixed and crushed together, mostly available from the month of December to February is another of such food speciality.

Hope this will leave an impression of Deoghar among the readers and attract them to visit the place.

Merry Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas eve gathering last night with my family , we ate and drank , I made these meatball mini sandwiches with half a meat ball tomato sauce and brie cooked in a panini grill , yummy ...gonna make those again I made other stuff too but those little sandwiches were a big hit, our dessert buffet was pretty yummy too .

The other day I complained how I really needed a new hand mixer as mine had recently broken , I know the kitchen Aid one is really the best but often priced at $100.00 I wasn't really considering getting it but when I saw it half price and I remembered my husband saying I bake all the time and that I should just get the good one so I added it to my grocery cart, I have used it so much already for royal icing , for spinach artichoke dip and this morning for egg white for my waffles, it is great, powerful and quiet as well as light.

Sophie and I were in bed the other night watching the Food network and saw Guy you know Guy and he was at Disney land , they showed how to make a Yule Log cake , so we decided to make one too , I just used box cake and made it in my big jelly roll pan , I use it as a cookie sheet , baked it for about 10 minutes and let it cool completely and then covered it in butter creme and rolled it up using the parchment and a steady even rolling motion , then roll it in the parchment and chill for 2-3 hours , cover in more butter cream , add ganache and use fork to mix and add texture , cut off a slice of the end and place on top and then support with the butter creme by forking it up the sides , and then chill , what an easy fun cake , I swear it was easy ...

Spreading the butter creme , thanks little helper Sophie.

Voila our yule log cake ....it sure was sweet and moist and lovely but just a sliver will do .

I used the extra batter and made a few cupcakes and topped them with the extra ganache , ganache is so easy too , I hadn't made it in years , all I did was bring 1 cup of 18% cream to a boil and take off the heat and mix in a package of chocolate chips and let the cream melt the chocolate whisk a little and it was really as easy as that , I am pretty sure the other time I made it I melted the chocolate first this way was better.

I asked to start a Chamilia bracelet , like a Pandora bracelet really there are so many different kinds it was hard to decide, we got bracelets for the girls too , here is Sophie's she loves it as much as I love mine and we can add more beads as we like , I have found great bead sites on Etsy who I am really impressed with .

My hubby cleaning up after all the party and cooking messes , I feed them and he cleans up , what a guy.

One thing Sophie really wanted to for Christmas was a pair of high heel boots , I luckily had seen them too , I remember a pair of burgundy zip up heeled boots I had as a little girl too I loved them so much they always felt so special to wear. I found and got her three different pairs of heeled boots two ankle boots and these taller ones , she has been wearing them in the house all day .

As I shared before Mason loves nail polish and nail polish she received , and all other things nails too , like a nail bath , nail dryer and many many nail polishes and Konad plates.

Last night she was happy to show everyone her nail room and she even did manicures for most of the girls.

Trying on her new clothes and boots right away ...and no place to go...

I bought the girls Just dance 2 for the Wii, I didn't realize how much they wanted it until they ran right out of the room and tried it out , that's always nice to see them enjoy their gifts like that.

I got Mason some of these Konad nail plates , you will have to google that , you add polish to the plates and pick up the image on a stamp and then stamp them on your nails , well Mason does it actually , I have a lovely manicure done by Mason right now actually sparkly red polish with white delicate flowers on top, very festive. I got these at Pickering Flea Market if you are wondering.

Here is the beautiful bracelet my husband bought me , I just love it , the sales girl actually accidentaly on purpose showed me what it looked like when I was shopping for my daughters bracelet , a little mix up , not cool , but I love it regardless. "Oh and here's yours " she said , and I said "oh don't show me that , its a surprise and a gift" ......oh no !

Now this was a BIG surprise a Pinner , it used micro pins to do wood work , which leaves micro holes , no more filling and sanding , awesome huh....I got my husband a Blue Ray player which he didn't ask for nor was he expecting and he loves it along with a DVD of Fringe which he loves , its hard to surprise this guy so I am glad he likes it .

We mostly are all in our pj's well except for Sophie whi is dressed to kill , Mason is on the couch wrapped in her snuggie that her Oma gave her last night , I NEED a snuggie , it is so cozie and her's is pink , I have a prime rib in the oven and we are going to eat in the dining room , twic in one day , wow well it is Christmas after all .

How to add flare to your wrapping without ribbons

I used two contrasting papers to create a custom look , I just folded pieces of wrapping paper and taped some to the top and then made "ribbon type" pieces and taped those on too as well as simple fold over bows, I think it turned out really cute.

So if you want to pump up the wrapping and still have some wrapping paper you can make your packages evern better looking.

Christmas Past

As I am planning our Christmas eve gathering with my siblings that live near by which is my two brothers and their families and my Mother and her husband I can't help but look back , we gather Christmas eve and visit and eat and drink, we always have this at my house which I love to do , I make snacks and treats and sweets and my Mom and Lawrence make Oprah's pomtini's , what a nice treat to look forward to , because of Sophie's allergies I don't ask anyone to bring any food typically to allow Sophie to eat everything and to feel safe and I like making the food myself anyway but I try to take a fresh approach every year to keep things interesting , no fun doing the same old same , I guess some people enjoy that but its not my thing.

These first two pictures are from Christmas 2007 look how small the girls are , this was a big Webkinz Christmas , we actually had the tree in our bedroom that year, we had just got Moe and I didn't want him to eat the tree so it was safer up there , boy was that nice spending Christmas morning in our bed .

This is from Christmas 2008 , I can't explain the sundress we live in Ontario ...?

And this was last year I can't help but notice how things change in in a mere 365 days , Mason is
is now the same height I am and she has really matured this year I will have to take another pic like this this year too .

Sophie and I are trying to come up with the best menu , so far we will be making a big spinach artichoke dip , wedding soup , mini meatball panini's, kielbasa and cheese tray , deviled eggs , punch , sugar cookies , home made butter tarts and maybe a newel log cake ...to try something new?
That was a good lemon cake ....hmmm

Gotta have deviled egg, what do you love to have at a gathering ? please share your treats

Introduction to Europe Travel

According to the world tourism organization, in 2004 Europe travel destinations enjoyed the chief part of the global travel business, with 54 % of the market, followed by Asia with 20 % and then the Americas with 16 %. Why are Europe travel destinations so accepted? The reason to travel to Europe may be unlike for both traveler, but a few of the ordinary reasons are :

 Artistic Opportunities : For those involved in museums, arts, history, music or theater Europe travel offers nearly never-ending opportunity for edifying activity. From London to Paris to Rome to travelers can enjoy a few of the most exhilarating edifying opportunities the world has to offer.

 Landmarks : People like to visit and associate themselves with amazing ( or someone ) well-known. Europe travel destinations are affluent in famed landmarks. A number of of the most healthy acknowledged landmarks of the world, from Big Ben, to the Eiffel Tower, to the Coliseum are situated in Europe.
 Roots : People like to visit the countries of their ancestors. Early Europeans were wanderers who put up stakes in destinations around the world. Their descendants are now itinerant to Europe to return to their roots and see the places their forefathers once called home.

 Variety : Where else can you enjoy such a diversity of culture, climate and geography over such a little distance. A traveler to the US will notice relatively tiny changes when itinerant from L. A to New York City, a flight of approximately six hours. Language is the similar, food is alike, and culture is not remarkably unlike. However, a two hour flight from Zurich, Switzerlandto Athens, Greece, will reward the traveler with an vast difference that is immediately clear. Everything from language, food to lifestyle is completely and utterly diverse. Distances in Europe are relatively little and artistic variety is great. This gives the traveler to Europe the opportunity of easily enjoying a miscellaneous range of cultures and lifestyles by making a relatively low investment of time and money.

 Transportation : Here is no place extra opportune for a traveler, than Europe. Transportation is arguably the top in the world. Europe is glowing recognized for its extraordinary train system and train passes which offer travelers the opportunity for worldwide travel at very reasonably priced rates. With extra and supplementary discount airlines accessible, Europe travel is attractive not as much of and a smaller amount posh. Once you arrive in a main city, present is usually a restricted metro or streetcar system to take you anywhere you want to go. The ease, comfort and economy makes Europe travel very nice-looking and expedient.
 Health : When roving in a quantity of regions of the world, travelers must consider if here are any limited illnesses that they may be open to the elements to, if vaccines maybe necessary and if they fall ill, will they receive good medical treatment. Most European destinations have brilliant water supplies, low rates of catching diseases and a few of the top healthcare systems in the world.

 Safety : Travelers are always straightforward prey for criminals. However in most European countries your hotel room is not only secure from burglary due to security but is also set with a protected. European police departments are usually well-organized and brutal crime is generally subordinate than in lots of supplementary areas. But one should always remember when exploring new destination never wobbly sight of your money and documents.

Travel & Leisure Most Caribbean Beach Bars

If hanging out at beach bars in the Caribbean is your favored sport, then this list is completed for you!

 " A heavenly Caribbean beach bar experience is incredible vacationers have wanted out for decades. The Caribbean Tourism Organization estimates that close to 18. 5 million tourists have already visited the region this year, numerous heading straight to the adjacent dirty drinking establishment to kick back and relax. And with the wicked economy, Caribbean bar owners say, extra people than ever are shabby out mentally and physically and are looking for an escape. Whether you’re looking for chic or down - home, the Caribbean offers a trove of beach bars where you can rest, relax, rejuvenate, and toast a future filled of possibilities — or just enjoy living in the in attendance ." Printed by Karen Schaler of Travel Therapy

This kitchen needs a conveyor belt

I spent the better part of yesterday making more sugar cookies again, I stocked up on flour and I was ready to roll, there is a problem with this recipe ... my family can barely wait to devour them as soon as they are iced , but these cookies need to dry for the icing to harden , so I find myself constantly protecting these gems ...how can I put out sugar cookies for our family Christmas Eve gathering if they are all gone.

I was finally able to do some designs for myself , I love this one it looks like it was knitted to me.

Cute Christmas trees.

Yummy snowflakes.

I admit I enjoy making these edible delights .

I ordered this little Nikon last Friday and I have yet to really give it a try , I have been so busy baking , perhaps today I will get it installed properly and I can give it a fair try , I am hoping for some great crisp shots , won't that be nice , I like an easy portable camera so I can easily take it everywhere.

Hope you are all ready for your holidays , don't let the stress get the better of you ....