Wishing you the best in 2009!

Wishing you and yours all the very best in 2009!

The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

Links for Dec 29

• From Neatorama: this website lets you copy and paste special characters like these
  £ ¥ € $ ¢ ¬ ¶ @ § ® © ™ ° (and will even give you the HTML if you desire)
  
  
• From Neatorama: remember the 80's? Here's a site with over 1,000 music videos from that decade.
  
  
• From Neatorama: for middle-aged and older people at least, using the internet helps boost brain power, research suggests.
  

2008 doodles in review

Readers' choice

Brick wall day
[Originally published 2008-9-11]






The plan vs reality - Murphy's Law edition
[Originally published 2008-10-11]




Out of sync
[Originally published 2008-2-4]

My faves

I surrender
[Originally published 2008-2-13]



Updated: Motivation and happiness
[Originally published 2008-8-9]



The 80/20 rule
[Originally published 2008-9-24]

Wishing you an amazing Christmas!

[Download the PDF for this Christmas Tree Maze.]

The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

The mom song - Everything a Mom says in a 24 hour period, set to the "William Tell Overature"

Favourite line:

If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before that
You're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA

If you haven't yet heard The Mom Song by Anita Renfrow, you have to have a listen to either her version:



Or this Northlands version:

The Mom Song from Northland Video on Vimeo.

The round-ups continue

• From Neatorama, I'm going to have to set aside some time to craft these awesome gift bows! I'll post the pics at Craft Day when I do!
  
  
• I can't believe I didn't doodle of this first! Go and read XKCD's "A guide to understanding flow charts. Presented in flow chart form."
  
  
• From BoingBoing.net, "Flowchart: should you make a flowchart?"
  
  
• From Joey deVilla,

  #1: take a (digital) photo of your contact info so that your (digital) camera can be returned to you if it’s lost. Many cameras have a feature that lets you lock a photo so it’s can’t be deleted; make your “This camera belongs to” photo the first shot on your card and lock it.
  
  

• From MyNameIsKate.ca, The PayPal Security Key is available in Canada!
  

Round-up (or how did I get this far behind?)

• Shout out to Bliss Notes for donating a dollar* to Bloorview Kids Rehab, Canada's largest children's rehabilitation teaching hospital, for every new reader who signs up for Bliss Notes between now and January 7th, 2009. (* To a maximum of $2000.)
  
  
• Shout out to SavvyMom.ca for working to raise $20,000 to buy 50 new crib mattresses for SickKids to help give comfort to children who are in the hospital for extended periods of time. Click here to donate.
  
  
• Congratulations to The Mabelhood for winning this year's Canadian Blog Award for Best Family Blog!

Rosettes (Wagon wheels)

Mmmmmmmm.....

Equipment:

• Rosette iron
• candy thermometer
• wide and shallow dish for holidng batter
  
• paper towel (for cooked rosettes)
  

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb of shortening for frying to 365 degrees F
  (I substitute with 3"-4" of canola oil)
  
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla (optional) or a drop of almond flavouring (optional)
• optional: icing sugar for dusting finished product
  

Method:

• Beat egg slightly
• Add sugar and salt.
  
• Add milk.
• Add flour slowly, blending until smooth.
  
• Optional: add vanilla or almond flavouring.
  
  
• Heat shortening or about 3"-4" oil to 365 F (keep temperature constant -- measure with candy thermometer)
• Heat Rosette iron in the oil for about 45 seconds.
  
• Take the iron out of the oil and allow to cool for 1-2 seconds.
• Dip the still hot iron into the batter. (No NOT let batter come over the top or the rosette will not come off of the iron easily!)
• Immerse the batter coated iron into the hot oil and fry for 20 - 30 seconds, until light brown.
  (If the batter drops off into the oil, flip it over with tongs, to cook both sides evenly.)
  
• Slip rosette off the iron and onto a paper towel. (You may need to use a wooden spoon to help the rosette off with a gentle push or tap.)
  
• Allow to cool.
• Optional: dust with icing sugar.
  

Makes 5 dozen.

According to this article, they can be frozen and served without thawing.

[Cross-posted at please remember these.]

Links for Dec 11

• Tired of telemarkers? Register yourself on Canada's national Do Not Call List.
• Living in Toronto? The Blue Bin program now accepts plastic shopping bags and foam polystyrene packaging.

($ value of) technology vs time

Is it just me, or is it getting harder to feel like one is getting good value out of one's technology dollar?

The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

MLF&H: Double your shoe labels!

Want to stretch your Mabel's Labels dollars?

1. Cut your shoe labels in half vertically
   
   
   
   
   
2. Apply a "half moon" in each shoe. (Don't forget to cut the protective overlay in half too!)
   
   
   

Pros:

• twice as many shoe labels for the same price!
• it helps children know when they've got the right shoe for the right foot! (When the full moon appears, they've got it right!
  
  
  
  

Cons:

• It is time consuming to cut half-sized labels and their protective covers.
• The adorable icon is harder to see.
  
• You buy fewer shoe labels which means I earn less commission! (Booooooo.)

C&C: December 4

Congratulations

• To Dani, for exceding her goal and losing 23 pounds in 15 weeks! (Click through to see a photo of 23 pounds of butter.)
  
• To Andrea, for making her way in the insulin pump program!
• To Moreena, who posted beautiful photos of post-transplant Annika and Frankie.
• To Moxie, for realising her fantasy life post-divorce.
  
• To Mel, for her published book!
  

Commiserations

• Thinking of Nadine, who's struggling with a baby who isn't sleeping well.

Leave a comment to tell us about your congratulations and / or commiserations.

50% off select Mabel's Labels items! (Sale ends Dec 3rd at midnight.)

Items on sale include:

• The Neat Freak Combo Sold Out
• The Backyardigans Stationery Kit (Only available in Canada)
• The "Write On!" Stationery Kit in Cowpoke design
• The "Write On!" Stationery Kit in Bzzz design

Shop Now!
Because the sale ends December 3rd at midnight.

While supplies last. Check out Mabel's sale website for details.