Peppermint Bark

750g good quality (best you can afford) dark chocolate
750 g good quality (best you can afford) white chocolate
peppermint oil (not extract)
Candy Canes (crushed)
Rectangular Pan
Baking Paper (Waxed Paper)

Melt dark chocolate in glass bowl in microwave in 45 second bursts. Stir to evenly melt the chocolate. Don't overheat it. And don't over stir or you will end up with lots of air bubbles. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO WATER IN BOWL OR ON STIRRING EQUIPMENT.

Once chocolate is melted, add enough peppermint oil to taste minty. I figured 1/2 tsp or so.

Spread evenly over bottom of rectangular baking tray that has been lined with baking/waxed paper. Place in cool/cold place to chill.

Melt white chocolate in glass bowl in microwave in 45 second bursts. Stir to evenly melt the chocolate. Don't overheat it. And don't over stir or you will end up with lots of air bubbles. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO WATER IN BOWL OR ON STIRRING EQUIPMENT.

Once dark chocolate has almost set up firm, you can now spread the white chocolate over it and smooth it out evenly. Now quickly sprinkle the crushed candy cane pieces over the top of the white chocolate.

Let set up on the countertop overnight or in cool place. Next morning you can break into odd shaped pieces. I wore latex gloves so the warmth of my hands didn't melt the chocolate too quickly. It makes alot. Can be stored in fridge for over a month (if it lasts that long!)

Note: You can adjust the amount of chocolate to fit the amount of bark you need in the end. But, based on the number of requests for this recipe -- IT IS POPULAR. AND ADDICTIVE!!! Don't be fooled!

Rollin Around is the Christmas Tree

Today Mom and I went shopping at Warringah Mall to finish up a couple of last minute things we needed. As we were doing going from floor to floor trying desperately not to get lost, we ran across this lovely festive fellow bringing cheer to all the holiday shoppers.

It seemed strange to have this six foot tall Christmas tree playing a saxophone gliding around the mall, yet here in the land of Oz -- what can you expect?

Upon closer inspection we found the tree to be hovering/gliding on a carefully hidden Segway. Very sneaky, but very cool!

Jim sure has been getting jingly with it!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Holidays!!!!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Happy Birthday Grampy LeRoy!!!

Happy Birthday Grampy LeRoy!

Hope you are having a great birthday in Hawaii. Can't wait to see you on Friday!!!!!

Love from down under.

Christmas Shopping

Today I worked on a bit more of our family Christmas shopping. You see, this year, we are getting gifts for three kids at our church and one 11 year old girl at Jim's work. Plus, he has 26 people that work for him and his Personal Admin.
So, I had to hit the good old shopping mall and pick up a gift card for someone, some surf goodies for the 11 year old girl and kilos of Lindt chocolates for Jim's team. Not to mention the cards for him to fill out.
Now I will have to work on wrapping up everything. UGH!!!!! At least its better than baking 26 dozen cookies or more.

Like a ton of bricks

Throbbing pain knocks me across my left eye. I can feel a slow stabbing with a slight blinding light. I know its coming. Time to head home. Give the kids the five minute warning. Gather all our things.
Warn the kids I am hurting. Advise them to be on their best behavior because mommy's head hurts and she is going to be getting grumpy. Start supper -- pasta and sauce because its simple and requires not much work. Open fridge and see there is no milk. Remind Jim to pick some up on his way home.
Barely finish dinner. Make Andrew's bed while Jim shower's Andrew. Daddy does stories tonight. I take my imitrex. Remove contacts. lay on couch. turn on quiet music. Jim works diligently beside me.
10pm Jim gets ready for bed. I stumble off to bathroom and take 2nd dose of migraine meds. Add a sleeping pill and tuck myself in. Hope for sleep and evaporation of headache and a better tuesday.

O Christmas Tree

From Decorating the Tree

Learning Forgiveness

Emmalee received her sacrament of First Reconciliation today -- Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church here in Northbridge, NSW, Australia. That is her 2nd holy sacrament this year.
She was a bit nervous about the whole process, but after sitting down and talking with the priest (a visiting one from a neighboring parish) she said it was much better than she expected. So, now she is looking forward to making her first holy communion next year with her 3rd grade class and helping Andrew with his sacraments next year.

Its a matter of perception I guess

I am here in the living room, putting up the Christmas tree (yes, it is that time of year again). The same tree we have had now for the 3rd Christmas in a row. (No, I can't believe it!) Andrew is at the kitchen counter and he decides to comment on the house. Something to the effect of --

"Our house in Grayslake sure was smaller than this house here!"

So, I ask him what he meant by that, knowing full well that 2300 sq ft is no comparison to what we are living in now.

"Well, when ever we put up our tree in Grayslake, it always hit the ceiling there. So, it must have been much smaller there."

Out of the mouths of babes. Out of the mouths of babes.

Had to break it to him that this poor tree is a decent replication of a real tree. One like the ones we used to buy, standing out in the sub-zero temperatures of our church parking lot looking for the perfect frasier fir that stood 9 foot tall so it could touch the ceiling of our living room.

And then Emmalee piped in that, "Yeah, remember how it would always bend when mom and dad tried to bring it in?"

So, I guess they remember Christmas back in the states after all!