A quick update for family & friends (and anyone else who was curious): The team won their first playoff game last night 1-0. Since it was an "away" game (even though the arena is right next door) I did not go. The game was sold out, not many (if any) of the other wives & girlfriends go to away games, and I figured one night this weekend was enough hockey for me :)
Game 2 is tonight at home and it looks like this one is sold out too (13,500 seats... that's pretty big for over here!) I'm sure it will be a rowdy and intense atmosphere, since it is playoffs, sold out, and against their biggest rival team..... and seeing as it's Saturday, and boy these Finns can DRINK!! Looking forward to a fun night of hockey, hopefully the boys can pull off another W :) For those of you who aren't aware, you can check the live updates of the game here (I even already google-translated for ya, beware though... some of the names/penalties etc. translate pretty strange!)
Check back soon for more updates and some new (hopefully more interesting- sorry, my life's just not that exciting right now!) posts :)
Showing posts with label away games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label away games. Show all posts
3.19.2011
1.14.2011
that's it.
...I'm going to the spa. I need some severe de-stressing and relaxation. I've been in a terrible funk for over a week now and can't seem to shake it.
I was hesitant to make any sort of blog posts about my little self-pity party, in fear that friends, family, and anyone else reading would think that I had gone off the deep end and put me in a psych ward. But if it's any consolation, over the past couple weeks, I have found that I'm not alone. Fellow hockey wife bloggers KY , Hockey Wife and Life of a Hockey Widow have recently blogged about similar feelings. KY has dubbed it "hockey season-al depression", and it is just that.
It's January. It's cold. It's dark. The new-ness of the hockey season and excitement of being in a new place is totally gone. It's the second half of the season, yet the off-season seems so far away. The holidays have come and gone. It's been almost 5 months since I've seen friends or family back home. The day-to-day struggles of living in a foreign country, though a little easier now, are still very present and real. (this is where I could go on and on forever... but I'll spare us both)
Ithink know J has come scar-ily close to booking me on the next flight home the past few days. I haven't been able to shake things, even with all of his love and support. I've realized this is something that no one is going to be able to fix but me.
As a friend (and fellow hockey wife in Europe)'s facebook status said today:
"
I was hesitant to make any sort of blog posts about my little self-pity party, in fear that friends, family, and anyone else reading would think that I had gone off the deep end and put me in a psych ward. But if it's any consolation, over the past couple weeks, I have found that I'm not alone. Fellow hockey wife bloggers KY , Hockey Wife and Life of a Hockey Widow have recently blogged about similar feelings. KY has dubbed it "hockey season-al depression", and it is just that.
It's January. It's cold. It's dark. The new-ness of the hockey season and excitement of being in a new place is totally gone. It's the second half of the season, yet the off-season seems so far away. The holidays have come and gone. It's been almost 5 months since I've seen friends or family back home. The day-to-day struggles of living in a foreign country, though a little easier now, are still very present and real. (this is where I could go on and on forever... but I'll spare us both)
I
As a friend (and fellow hockey wife in Europe)'s facebook status said today:
"
1.11.2011
just a quick update
Well, J is at his away game (at the arena next door again) so it's just me and Maddie girl tonight. I turned on the TV for Dr. Phil and what episode are they re-playing? OCTOMOM. Gag!! It's the only English show I could find right now (that's at least somewhat worth watching) but I just couldn't handle watching it. I'd rather sit in silence.
After all my complaining about the freezing weather here, it's been above 0 (mid-30's F) the past few days. The wind is still pretty chilly, but it's still warmer than before. Now the snow is melting (and refreezes at night) causing lots of puddles, slush, and ICE. I can't even count how many times I have almost wiped it big time in the past 3 days. I guess there will always be something to complain about- I'm sure in July I'll be blogging about it being too hot and sweating too much, so maybe that means I should enjoy the nice cool air and beautiful snow now.
Sunday was filled with trips to the pet store, mall, and Ikea. My purchases were 2 new pairs of shoes, a robe, a veggie peeler, and probably my favorite: A 17 pc. tupperware set from Ikea. Yup, I'm officially old and married. I got all that stuff and that is what brought me the most gratification? But, in my defence, it comes in all different sizes and it was only 3.95! I think I showed every single person we talked to on Skype that night that damn tupperware set. Sorry, family and friends! :)
who wouldn't want this cute little set?
On a different note, I'm super proud of myself for creating and installing my new header for the blog, along with my button (on the left) and the background. I'm still deciding if I want to keep the background or give another one a shot. We'll see how I feel about it in a few days. As I'm sure you've noticed, I've decided to include personal pictures of us (other than the main one that has always been there). After much debating and consulting with the hubs, we both thought it would leave a nice personal touch on my blog. I'm still choosing to keep our names private, but it's nice to be able to share our pictures with our family and friends who read this. As for those that read but do not know us personally, now you are able to put faces to the names and people that you read about :)
Make it a great day, Friends!
These beautiful flowers have been gracing me with their presence since last week :) It's amazing how something so simple can put a smile on your face.
12.30.2010
cake recipe, book reviews, and birthday cupcakes :)
Well, it's been a couple more busy days around here! It's so funny how life goes from basically nothing going on to being busy non-stop for several weeks. It's nice to shake things up a bit and keeps things interesting.
So, now that I'm back, first order of busniess: My cake recipe! It is basically chocolate cake layered with peppermint ice cream. It's kind of Christmas-y, since peppermint is one of the main flavors, but if you're like me and loooove peppermint ice cream, you'll enjoy it year-round!! If you're not into peppermint, you can really use any flavor of ice cream that you'd like (J doesn't like peppermint ice cream either though, but he LOVED this cake!) It was a huge hit with everyone at our Christmas gathering.
Ingredients:
CAKE:
A quick synopsis: The girls of L.A. Candy are starting to realize the negative side of being a reality tv star. As the show ratings skyrocket, they cannot go anywhere without being recognized. They begin to learn that not everyone is their true friend, and their boy drama that began in the first book continues to escalate. The girls are starting to forget what it was like to be "normal", and sometimes find themselves longing for what their lives used to be like. Others, on the other hand, can't get enough of the fame, and will do just about anything to be in the spotlight. There is backstabbing, heart break, lies, suspense, and even some happiness all mixed into this second book in the series.
My opinion: Now that I already knew all about the L.A. Candy girls from the first book, this one was an even quicker read, finishing it's 300 pages in a mere 24 hours (I know, I know, I need a life... :) ) It's the kind of book that is so easy to finish because you keep wanting to know what is going to happen. Each chapter ends with a cliff hanger that keeps you going back for more. It also kind of gives you an inside peek on how a reality show really works (if you didn't already know) and what sets apart the "real" reality from the "fake" reality.
So, now that I'm back, first order of busniess: My cake recipe! It is basically chocolate cake layered with peppermint ice cream. It's kind of Christmas-y, since peppermint is one of the main flavors, but if you're like me and loooove peppermint ice cream, you'll enjoy it year-round!! If you're not into peppermint, you can really use any flavor of ice cream that you'd like (J doesn't like peppermint ice cream either though, but he LOVED this cake!) It was a huge hit with everyone at our Christmas gathering.
Peppermint Ice Cream/Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
CAKE:
ICE CREAM:
(You could use store-bought peppermint ice cream if you prefer... I couldn't find any here so I made my own using this recipe and it came out great!)
CAKE
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C)
Grease and flour a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking sheet (38 x 25 x 2.5 cm, I think mine actually ended up being 38 x 29 x 5 cm, but just as long as the dimensions are big enough that the cake ends up being about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.)
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan, remove from heat. Add chocolate, stir until melted. Whisk in water, cocoa and vanilla until blended. Whisk in the egg. Add to dry ingredients, and whisk together until well blended. Pour batter onto baking sheet.
Bake cake until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean/with only a few moist crumbs, about 20 minutes. Cool cake on rack at least 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Turn cake out onto a sheet of foil (do not do this until it is plenty cool or it will crumble and break into pieces! I learned that the hard way...) Cut cake crosswise into 3 equal strips. Freeze cake strips for one hour.
ICE CREAM:
Mix the softened vanilla ice cream (soft enough to stir well, but not runny), peppermint extract, and chopped candy pieces together. Stir until very well blended. Add more or less peppermint extract to your taste preferences. Return to a freezer-safe container.
ICE CREAM CAKE:
Place one cake strip on a platter. Working quickly, spread about 3.5 cups of ice cream onto the cake strip, smoothing to the edges. Layer with 2nd cake strip, and repeat with 3.5 cups of ice cream, again smoothing to the edges. Top with the last cake strip, return to freezer for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, spread the remaining ice cream (about 6 cups) over the top and sides of the cake, covering generously (being sure to work quickly!) Freeze for at least 3 hours, until firm.
For decoration, I added some whipped cream around the edges and sprinkled it with M & Ms, broken candy canes, and other various candy pieces. The cake will make about 12 servings.
The Finished Product:
Hope you enjoy it as much as we all did!
Order of business #2, book reviews! I am now onto the 3rd book in Lauren Conrad's series of L.A. Candy books, Sugar and Spice. I promised to give my reviews of the first 2, L.A. Candy and Sweet Little Lies, so here they are!
A quick synopsis: The first book in this series, titled L.A. Candy, is about 2 girls that move to Los Angeles after high school, one to go to USC and one to work for a high-end event planner. Shortly after the 2 girls arrive in town, a reality tv producer "discovers" them at a club and convinces them to be a part of a new reality show called that he is going to film called L.A. Candy. They soon discover that there are 2 other girls that will be on the show with them, requiring them to become "friends". The girls are excited to get into the world of reality tv (some more than others...) and all of the new opportunities it will give them- VIP access to clubs, a new apartment, spa days- and to get paid for them. However, they quickly learn that it's not always all fun and roses, and the drama begins to unfold.
My opinion of it: This was a pretty good book. I mean, it can't be that bad- I finished it's 300 pages in 2 days. If you like reality tv shows, you'll definitely like this book. I was curious to find out if it was going to be just like The Hills, which it sort-of-was and sort-of-wasn't. The chapters are told in the point of view of different characters, which I liked, because you can get into each character's "head" and learn the unspoken things that are a big part of the drama in the story. It was an easy read and just something fun and lighthearted to get into.
My opinion: Now that I already knew all about the L.A. Candy girls from the first book, this one was an even quicker read, finishing it's 300 pages in a mere 24 hours (I know, I know, I need a life... :) ) It's the kind of book that is so easy to finish because you keep wanting to know what is going to happen. Each chapter ends with a cliff hanger that keeps you going back for more. It also kind of gives you an inside peek on how a reality show really works (if you didn't already know) and what sets apart the "real" reality from the "fake" reality.
Not only is Lauren a #1 NY Times Bestselling Author, but apparently these books are very popular here in Finland. When I have been searching for them at the bookstore, all of the sales people I have asked help from all know exactly what I'm talking about right away. They get 10 new copies in and they're gone within a day or two. I had to go to 3 different stores to find the 3rd book. I give Lauren Conrad a lot of credit for not only making millions by starring on a reality show, but then going and writing books about the exact same concept and making lots more money. The girl is good! I didn't like her when Laguna Beach was popular way back when (I thought she made herself look too desperate, or at least the show made her look that way) but I really liked her in The Hills. I also like that she broke away from the show tomove on to bigger and better things than reality tv. She is an all around respectable girl (which can't be said of many reality tv stars), and knows how to write a good book or two, also! :)
Now that I've gotten that taken care of, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my BIRTHDAY! The guys have an away game (go figure, happens every year on my birthday! haha) But it's a short trip so I was able to see J for a good part of the beginning of the day, and he will be back shortly after the game. One of the girls has invited me and our other fellow American girl over tonight for dinner and to watch the game and have a little something special to do on my birthday, which is super sweet of her and I'm very excited to not be sitting alone all evening on my special day ;) Oh, and the best part of the day?
FUNFETTI cupcakes with pink frosting!! My faaaaaavvvorittteee! My mom sent a box from home in her Christmas package of goodies because they haven't yet discovered the-greatness-that-is-funfetti-cake in Finland. Thanks Mom!!
Ok, reading back over this post really makes me feel like I shouldn't have taken the day off the gym today. But hey, a girls gotta indulge now and then! :)
12.13.2010
'tis the season
Well, I got to spend about 24 hours with my hubby and he's off again. Today is just a day trip for their away game, and then after tonight, they have their Christmas break and don't play again for 2 weeks. I know he's looking forward to a little break (though they still have practices) and not eating some form of chicken and pasta for every meal. Guess that means I'll have to find even more new recipes to try! :)
We started off our day yesterday with a trip to the new dog park that Maddie and I found. J was really excited to see her playing in the snow. The only problem was it was 10-15 degrees colder than a few days before when I was there with her. We spent about 15 minutes there before all 3 of us were so cold that we couldn't feel our fingers and toes.
After the dog park, J had to go to the doctor to get his finger looked at and x-rayed. The top joint of his pinky finger got hit with a puck and popped out of place in the game on Saturday. They popped it back in right away and there is no fracture. He played the rest of the game Saturday and won't miss any time at all. Just a little sore, nothing a big tough hockey player can't handle! ;) Luckily, it didn't prevent him from doing his Christmas shopping yesterday either :)
In the evening we made Christmas cookies. We doubled the recipe and ended up with 50+ cookies. Yikes! J brought the majority of them with him today to share with the guys on the bus on the way home from their game. I told him he is not allowed to come home with ANY... we already have too many here. Making Christmas cookies is one of my favorite holiday traditions. He wasn't as excited about it as I was, seeing as he was exhausted from their trip. But he sucked it up and we had a good time :)
It seems like it never stops snowing here, and I know back home in the U.S. they have gotten a lot of snow in the past few days also. Tis the season, right?! But its the perfect time for a reminder to everyone to be extra careful when they're out and about in this kind of weather. It's time to finish up Christmas shopping, kids are getting ready and excited for break, lots of people are heading to holiday parties, etc. Drive slow, wear your seatbelts, keep an extra eye out for pedestrians, and get a designated driver! There are many precious lives out there- it's just not worth it! :)
We started off our day yesterday with a trip to the new dog park that Maddie and I found. J was really excited to see her playing in the snow. The only problem was it was 10-15 degrees colder than a few days before when I was there with her. We spent about 15 minutes there before all 3 of us were so cold that we couldn't feel our fingers and toes.
snow dog!
After the dog park, J had to go to the doctor to get his finger looked at and x-rayed. The top joint of his pinky finger got hit with a puck and popped out of place in the game on Saturday. They popped it back in right away and there is no fracture. He played the rest of the game Saturday and won't miss any time at all. Just a little sore, nothing a big tough hockey player can't handle! ;) Luckily, it didn't prevent him from doing his Christmas shopping yesterday either :)
the finished product!
It seems like it never stops snowing here, and I know back home in the U.S. they have gotten a lot of snow in the past few days also. Tis the season, right?! But its the perfect time for a reminder to everyone to be extra careful when they're out and about in this kind of weather. It's time to finish up Christmas shopping, kids are getting ready and excited for break, lots of people are heading to holiday parties, etc. Drive slow, wear your seatbelts, keep an extra eye out for pedestrians, and get a designated driver! There are many precious lives out there- it's just not worth it! :)
12.11.2010
ask and you shall receive
Wow, is it December 11th already!? Where does the time go. Feels like just yesterday I was saying "wow, I can't belive it's December already", and now it's more than 1/3 over. Good because its closer to being done with these silly road trips, bad because the holidays are my favorite time of year and I hate to see them come and go so quickly :(
I woke up to more snow this morning. I don't know where we're going to put it all... literally! They are removing it from the city by the truck load, but seemingly not fast enough. The roads are poorly plowed and many of the sidewalks too. I feel really bad for all of the elderly people and people on crutches or disabled that I see trying to get around. I think it's difficult for me- I can't even imagine having to deal with that all winter. Oh, and they don't use salt or sand or anything either. If/when they do use something, it's little rock pebbles. Unfortunately, I think this is about their extent of "snow clean-up" here, taking care of it initally and leaving you to fend the rest for yourself. Maybe I'll have to hook Maddie up to a sled and use that to get around ;)
All of my whining about wanting a girls night finally paid off. Last night a couple of us got together at one of the other wives house. It was a nice, relaxing evening with a couple friends and some wine. Just what the doctor ordered :) Ask, and you shall recieve!
During our girls night we got into some discussion about the differences between the U.S. and Finland (and other countries/cultures) and why certain things are done certain ways in different places, etc. It makes me feel so lucky to have this experience of living in a different culture and learning about it. It also makes me proud to be able to teach others about our culture and what it is like to be an American. Now, I'm not one to get all into politics (though this conversation was not just on a political level) I pride myself in being very accepting of others and new cultures. It's not always easy for me being here, far away from home, family and friends, and on top of that not having all of the stuff that is so familiar to me. However, I think I have adjusted to the differences very well and have been educating myself and learning from others about what life is like in Finland.
All of the girls from the team that I have talked with are very accepting of our American culture as well... (though I think the hockey world is fairly cultured, seeing as many of us spend time living in different countries) and though they most likely prefer their country to mine, I'm just happy that they make the effort to try and understand some of the differences, and though it is not the way they may do or see things, they don't see it as wrong- just different. Not everyone that I have come across in Finland is able to see the differences the way that my fellow hockey wives do. However, I think a lot of it has to do with being uneducated. Obviously there are lots of stereotypes out there, so I am glad that I am able to do my (small) part to help clear up any confusion. Finnish people are very proud, which I can understand. They have a nice country that is very beautiful, rich in tradtion, and from what I've learned so far, runs fairly smoothly (though it's a little easier when you're a cold country of only 5 million somewhat isolated in the north ;) ) I don't agree with everything that they do here in Finland, and I don't agree with all of the ways we do things in the U.S. (political and otherwise). But, I am an American, and I'm proud of it. If you're going to challenge me about my country, I am going to defend it :)
I also took some time yesterday to check out the Christmas market downtown. It is lined with red cottage/huts and lots of wonderful hand made items and gifts. There is everything from mittens to jewelry to candles to clocks and home decor and beyond. I got a pair of really pretty hand made earrings. I plan on bringing J back Sunday or Tuesday when he has some free time... maybe I can give him some hints to help him with his Christmas shopping... ;) Here are a couple pictures that I took:
The guys will be home after their game tonight, yay! That's the one nice thing about these trips... it makes it that much more fun when we do have a chance to be together. We get excited to see each other and spend time with one another :)
I woke up to more snow this morning. I don't know where we're going to put it all... literally! They are removing it from the city by the truck load, but seemingly not fast enough. The roads are poorly plowed and many of the sidewalks too. I feel really bad for all of the elderly people and people on crutches or disabled that I see trying to get around. I think it's difficult for me- I can't even imagine having to deal with that all winter. Oh, and they don't use salt or sand or anything either. If/when they do use something, it's little rock pebbles. Unfortunately, I think this is about their extent of "snow clean-up" here, taking care of it initally and leaving you to fend the rest for yourself. Maybe I'll have to hook Maddie up to a sled and use that to get around ;)
All of my whining about wanting a girls night finally paid off. Last night a couple of us got together at one of the other wives house. It was a nice, relaxing evening with a couple friends and some wine. Just what the doctor ordered :) Ask, and you shall recieve!
During our girls night we got into some discussion about the differences between the U.S. and Finland (and other countries/cultures) and why certain things are done certain ways in different places, etc. It makes me feel so lucky to have this experience of living in a different culture and learning about it. It also makes me proud to be able to teach others about our culture and what it is like to be an American. Now, I'm not one to get all into politics (though this conversation was not just on a political level) I pride myself in being very accepting of others and new cultures. It's not always easy for me being here, far away from home, family and friends, and on top of that not having all of the stuff that is so familiar to me. However, I think I have adjusted to the differences very well and have been educating myself and learning from others about what life is like in Finland.
All of the girls from the team that I have talked with are very accepting of our American culture as well... (though I think the hockey world is fairly cultured, seeing as many of us spend time living in different countries) and though they most likely prefer their country to mine, I'm just happy that they make the effort to try and understand some of the differences, and though it is not the way they may do or see things, they don't see it as wrong- just different. Not everyone that I have come across in Finland is able to see the differences the way that my fellow hockey wives do. However, I think a lot of it has to do with being uneducated. Obviously there are lots of stereotypes out there, so I am glad that I am able to do my (small) part to help clear up any confusion. Finnish people are very proud, which I can understand. They have a nice country that is very beautiful, rich in tradtion, and from what I've learned so far, runs fairly smoothly (though it's a little easier when you're a cold country of only 5 million somewhat isolated in the north ;) ) I don't agree with everything that they do here in Finland, and I don't agree with all of the ways we do things in the U.S. (political and otherwise). But, I am an American, and I'm proud of it. If you're going to challenge me about my country, I am going to defend it :)
I also took some time yesterday to check out the Christmas market downtown. It is lined with red cottage/huts and lots of wonderful hand made items and gifts. There is everything from mittens to jewelry to candles to clocks and home decor and beyond. I got a pair of really pretty hand made earrings. I plan on bringing J back Sunday or Tuesday when he has some free time... maybe I can give him some hints to help him with his Christmas shopping... ;) Here are a couple pictures that I took:
The guys will be home after their game tonight, yay! That's the one nice thing about these trips... it makes it that much more fun when we do have a chance to be together. We get excited to see each other and spend time with one another :)
12.08.2010
wanted: girls night
Well, the team left for their trip today (I feel like I'm constantly saying that lately!) so it's just me and Maddie-girl here again. It's been a real bummer lately that there aren't any other North American girls here also (though the one that left does come back after this weekend! woo-hoo). There are tons of girls from the team, I've mentioned before that virtually all of the guys are married or have a serious girlfriend, but since they are all from around here, they're busy with their own lives most of the time. They're either busy with kids, work, school, family, friends, etc. They are all great girls... extremely nice, welcoming, and fun to spend time with when we get the chance, but unfortunately that doesn't happen very often.
That's probably the one thing that I wish were different about here. It would be nice to have some girls to hang out with when the guys are gone (and just for an occasional girls night here or there!) Don't get me wrong, I love having time to myself and no offence to Maddie.. she keeps me great company, but I need some girl time!! I know it makes it that much harder for my hubby to leave also, knowing that I'm here alone. So to any of my friends at home reading this.... feel free too book a flight over..... cough cough :)
On a brighter note, Maddie and I went for another walk today and discovered a really nice dog park close to our place. We have been to another one that was further away, but this one is much bigger and nicer, and close to home! They have many of these dog parks throughout the city, and I'm so excited to find one close to home. It's in a little wooded area also, so she's able to run around and play without it being on the middle of some street corner downtown. She had so much fun playing in the snow... it was a good thing she was wearing a red sweater so I could see her or she would have gotten lost!
Well, dinner is almost ready and last nights episode of Glee is almost uploaded. Time for me to eat and hit the couch for a bit :)
That's probably the one thing that I wish were different about here. It would be nice to have some girls to hang out with when the guys are gone (and just for an occasional girls night here or there!) Don't get me wrong, I love having time to myself and no offence to Maddie.. she keeps me great company, but I need some girl time!! I know it makes it that much harder for my hubby to leave also, knowing that I'm here alone. So to any of my friends at home reading this.... feel free too book a flight over..... cough cough :)
On a brighter note, Maddie and I went for another walk today and discovered a really nice dog park close to our place. We have been to another one that was further away, but this one is much bigger and nicer, and close to home! They have many of these dog parks throughout the city, and I'm so excited to find one close to home. It's in a little wooded area also, so she's able to run around and play without it being on the middle of some street corner downtown. She had so much fun playing in the snow... it was a good thing she was wearing a red sweater so I could see her or she would have gotten lost!
eating some snow
beautiful winter scenery in Finland :)
Well, dinner is almost ready and last nights episode of Glee is almost uploaded. Time for me to eat and hit the couch for a bit :)
12.07.2010
snow, snow and more snow!
Well, yet another snowy day here in Finland!! It's been snowing almost non-stop the last 2 days. We have almost 20 inches on the ground here.. 40-some centimeters! Woo hoo, no worries about a White Christmas here!! I'm so thankful that I don't drive here though... they don't do the greatest job plowing the roads, and the fact that it was a national holiday- Independence Day- here yesterday didn't help that fact either! I feel bad for all of the people trying to dig their cars out of their plowed-in parking spots on the streets. I took Maddie for a walk to play in the snow earlier and she was in heaven!! Almost lost her in a couple snow banks (I was struggling also!) but we both had fun.
We watched Marley & Me last night (for like the 25th time) and, yet again, I sobbed like a baby. Not sure if it was a result of the wine I was drinking, but that movie gets me every time. My childhood dog was a yellow lab and a lot like Marley...not quite as troublesome, but had the same goofy antics, so it always hits close to my heart. It also makes me spoil Maddie like rotten for a several days after (like she's not spoiled enough already!) She's becoming quite the spoiled brat lately... I guess I've been giving in to her a lot more with J being gone more frequently. Hey, I need someone to keep me company!! :)
Now tonight I'm trying out a new recipe (Cheesy Spanish Rice) and watching people outside trek in the snow to J's game. It's technically an "away" game, but we live right next door to the other team's arena. I thought I didn't care to go, but now seeing all of the people heading to the game makes me a little jealous... haha. The team is their big rival, since they are from the same city, so it always makes for an exciting and intense game. The other team's arena is significantly smaller than ours (8,000 vs. 13,000) and the game tonight is sold out... so I can't even change my mind about going. Oh well, at least I'll stay warm and dry!
This picture is from a few weeks ago... there is WAYY more snow than that now!
Now tonight I'm trying out a new recipe (Cheesy Spanish Rice) and watching people outside trek in the snow to J's game. It's technically an "away" game, but we live right next door to the other team's arena. I thought I didn't care to go, but now seeing all of the people heading to the game makes me a little jealous... haha. The team is their big rival, since they are from the same city, so it always makes for an exciting and intense game. The other team's arena is significantly smaller than ours (8,000 vs. 13,000) and the game tonight is sold out... so I can't even change my mind about going. Oh well, at least I'll stay warm and dry!
12.03.2010
holiday season is in full swing :)
Well, the teddy bear toss was fairly successful for their first attempt at it in Finland!! There were quite a few bears- not as many as you see in North America, but maybe after another year or two they'll get closer :) Plus, my bear and monkey both made it to the ice (I've had some troubles in the past- a few years ago I whipped it sideways and hit someone in the head- typical, graceful me!) so all in all I'd consider it a success. The team also made a visit to the Children's Hospital a few days ago for some Christmas tree decorating, carol signing and autograph signing. According to J, fun was had by all. The holiday season is in full swing!!
The guys left this morning for their trip, so I've been keeping busy by cooking, baking, and shopping for more Christmas decorations. It's hard to justify buying a lot of stuff here since we will not be able to bring it home with us... but Christmas is my favorite time of year and I just HAVE to have the place decorated at least somewhat. As with everything else, decorations are expensive here, so that kind of puts a damper on things as well. What I wouldn't give to go crazy in the Christmas aisles at Target right now!!!
The team's flight for today was cancelled because Finnair airlines is in the midst of a strike. I got a good laugh because the guys were all whining since now they had to take a bus (it's like a 7-8 hour drive). I think they forget that that would be considered a shorter trip in many areas of North America! What spoiled guys! ;)
One other random comment for today- does anyone else's husband/significant other drive them crazy with their "cleaning up" skills sometimes?? I mean, he's usually very good about helping out at home w ith cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc. I couldn't ask for anything more in that area, I have truly been blessed! But when it comes to the little things, he seems to have trouble once in a while. For example, he'll have a bottle of water/soda/gatorade, finish it, and leave the empty bottle on the counter by the sink (same goes for the milk carton, or the juice carton...) Really?? The empty bottles go in the recycling bag like 5 feet away in the closet. Then there is the "finish the last granola bar, I'm kind enough to take the empty box out of the cabinet but I leave it on the counter instead of 2 feet away in the trash". I swear he does it just to annoy me!! (Yes, dear, I know you will be reading this... that's part of why I'm writing it!!!) :) :)
Have a good weekend everyone!
The guys left this morning for their trip, so I've been keeping busy by cooking, baking, and shopping for more Christmas decorations. It's hard to justify buying a lot of stuff here since we will not be able to bring it home with us... but Christmas is my favorite time of year and I just HAVE to have the place decorated at least somewhat. As with everything else, decorations are expensive here, so that kind of puts a damper on things as well. What I wouldn't give to go crazy in the Christmas aisles at Target right now!!!
The team's flight for today was cancelled because Finnair airlines is in the midst of a strike. I got a good laugh because the guys were all whining since now they had to take a bus (it's like a 7-8 hour drive). I think they forget that that would be considered a shorter trip in many areas of North America! What spoiled guys! ;)
One other random comment for today- does anyone else's husband/significant other drive them crazy with their "cleaning up" skills sometimes?? I mean, he's usually very good about helping out at home w ith cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc. I couldn't ask for anything more in that area, I have truly been blessed! But when it comes to the little things, he seems to have trouble once in a while. For example, he'll have a bottle of water/soda/gatorade, finish it, and leave the empty bottle on the counter by the sink (same goes for the milk carton, or the juice carton...) Really?? The empty bottles go in the recycling bag like 5 feet away in the closet. Then there is the "finish the last granola bar, I'm kind enough to take the empty box out of the cabinet but I leave it on the counter instead of 2 feet away in the trash". I swear he does it just to annoy me!! (Yes, dear, I know you will be reading this... that's part of why I'm writing it!!!) :) :)
Have a good weekend everyone!
11.30.2010
cold weather and cooking
I finally have a chance to sit down and write. Things have been so busy the past few days, with 3 home games last week, the Christmas party, and Thanksgiving, there wasn't much down time around here!! It was a nice change of pace. Now I'm preparing to have things slow down quite a bit... the guys are gone 10 of the next 18 days. Time to find things to do to entertain myself (ideas are very much welcomed)!!
One thing I've started doing more now that I have the time to do it is experiment with cooking and baking. It's not that easy to do here with a) the difficulty grocery shopping and understanding what you're buying and b) trying to convert measurments! I wish I had paid more attening in what... 2nd grade? when you learn the metric system. I'm catching on more as I go, and a lot of things I "guesstimate". It's all turned out okay so far!!
The first thing that I made was Chili. Neither J nor I like beans in our chili (or at all for that matter). I found a recipe without, changed it around a little bit, tried it out... and it was delicious!! It doesn't have onions or tomatoes either.. but you certainly could add them if you'd like. I told my mom I'd send her the recipes a couple weeks ago... but figured this way I can share them with all of you :) Here they are!
3 lbs. ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
28 oz. beef broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Brown beef in pan, add garlic. While beef is browning, combine chili powder, cumin, and flour. Sprinkle mixture over the beef once browned and stir until evenly coated. Add oregano over meat and pour in 21 oz. of the beef broth. Add salt and black pepper, stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 90 minutes. Pour in the remaining broth and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Let chili cool, cover, and refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
tips:
1) Refrigerate overnight. It allows the flavors to blend even more.
2) I found it easist to brown the meet in a skillet, and then move it to a larger pot that was easier to stir liquids in.
3) This recipe makes several servings (I'd say about 6-8 medium sized bowls)
4) Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, crackers, bread, or however else you like your chili. Enjoy!
Another recipe that turned out to be absolutely delicious was the Chicken Noodle Soup. J was sick so I figured I'd give it a try... turned out to be the best Chicken Noodle Soup I've ever had! (and those of you who know me know that I think very highly of Panera's Chicken Noodle Soup... this was even better!) Similar to the chili, we don't like onions, carrots or celery in our soup (if you haven't noticed, we're very particular eaters!) so this recipe cooks with the whole vegetables to make it easy to strain them out when serving. All of the flavor, no picking out the onions and carrots! :) Here is the recipe for that:
1 L (about 4 cups) water
1 lb. Chicken Breast fillets
1 small-medium sized onion, peeled and halved
3 whole black peppercorns (or a dash of ground pepper, preferably freshly ground!)
2-3 whole carrots, peeled
2 chicken bouillon cubes (this may change your water measurments, so follow the measurments on the bouillon box to determine exactly how much water to use)
About 2 cups dry pasta noodles (I like the spirals!)
Bring water and chicken breasts to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat, add bouillon cubes (stir until dissolved) cover and let simmer for about 30 more minutes. Add whole carrots, onion, and pepper into the pot, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour. Pre-cook the noodles in a separate pot, drain. Remove chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Add chicken and noodles to the broth, warm on low heat. Strain whole vegetables and serve.
you can add chopped vegetables if you'd like, this is just how we prefer it (we're not big fans of cooked veggies) This makes about 2 large servings (we ate it as a meal) or 4-5 smaller bowls (to eat as a side with a sandwich or salad). Hope you like it as much as we did!
And the last recipe that I'll share is for the Apple Pie that I made as part of our Thanksgiving meal. I was really winging it.. but (as long as the guys weren't lying to me just to be nice) it was a big hit! You can make your own pie crust, of course... but especially on a day like Thanksgiving, that was way more than I was willing to take on!
1 frozen pie crust, thawed
6-8 medium sized apples
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees/175 celsius. Combine flour, brown sugar, oatmeal, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl, mix well. Once pie crust is thawed, roll out and put in a greased/floured 9 inch round pie pan. Peel apples, slice thin and add to the crust, filling almost to the top of the crust. Melt butter and mix it with the flower/brown sugar/oatmeal/nutmeg/cinnamon mixture, stir until well coated. Pour topping evenly over apples. Put in oven for about 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool a little bit (but not all the way!) and serve with vanilla ice cream. mmmmmmm :)
My next recipes I want to try are something with rice, and a ham one. I'll have to report back once I try them out and let you know how they go!
After I made the Thanksgiving feast on Saturday, J made us an absolutely delicious meal on Sunday. Too bad we're both such bad cooks, huh? ;) Guess being domestic comes along with the marriage certificate.
Speaking of which, we have found out that we need to send our marriage certificate BACK to the U.S. to get an Apostille seal (?) (we're still not 100% sure what that means, but it's a way of 'legalizing it' and is sort of like getting it notarized but for foreign countries, we think) so that I can register here and get a Finnish ID number (like a social security number). J was able to register without a problem with the team being his employer, but since he/that is the reason I am here, I need to prove my relationship to him. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, because they accepted our certificate as it is when we got our Visa's... but who knows. So, just a heads up to any hockey wives coming over to Europe, get your marriage certificate legalized BEFORE you leave the U.S. so they will recognize it when you are abroad. Just wanted to save anyone the step of sending it back like we have to do!
Another note: I see there are lots of you reading from different places across the US/Canada/Europe... I can happily say have been able to connect with a few other hockey wives through this blog, and if you are reading this, feel free to become a follower, comment, or contact me :) It's such a small world that we live in and no one else understands our crazy lives like a fellow hockey wife!
Well, J is at an away game tonight (if you could call it that, they're playing 10 minutes down the road...) so I'm going to try and stay warm by curling up on the couch with a blanket and a glass of wine. It's been very cold here lately (single digits fahrenheit, around -15 celsius!) and we have lots of snow. I better get used to it, I don't think it's going to get any better between now and April!
Hyvää Yötä!
One thing I've started doing more now that I have the time to do it is experiment with cooking and baking. It's not that easy to do here with a) the difficulty grocery shopping and understanding what you're buying and b) trying to convert measurments! I wish I had paid more attening in what... 2nd grade? when you learn the metric system. I'm catching on more as I go, and a lot of things I "guesstimate". It's all turned out okay so far!!
The first thing that I made was Chili. Neither J nor I like beans in our chili (or at all for that matter). I found a recipe without, changed it around a little bit, tried it out... and it was delicious!! It doesn't have onions or tomatoes either.. but you certainly could add them if you'd like. I told my mom I'd send her the recipes a couple weeks ago... but figured this way I can share them with all of you :) Here they are!
My Chili Recipe
3 lbs. ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
28 oz. beef broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Brown beef in pan, add garlic. While beef is browning, combine chili powder, cumin, and flour. Sprinkle mixture over the beef once browned and stir until evenly coated. Add oregano over meat and pour in 21 oz. of the beef broth. Add salt and black pepper, stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 90 minutes. Pour in the remaining broth and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Let chili cool, cover, and refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
tips:
1) Refrigerate overnight. It allows the flavors to blend even more.
2) I found it easist to brown the meet in a skillet, and then move it to a larger pot that was easier to stir liquids in.
3) This recipe makes several servings (I'd say about 6-8 medium sized bowls)
4) Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, crackers, bread, or however else you like your chili. Enjoy!
Another recipe that turned out to be absolutely delicious was the Chicken Noodle Soup. J was sick so I figured I'd give it a try... turned out to be the best Chicken Noodle Soup I've ever had! (and those of you who know me know that I think very highly of Panera's Chicken Noodle Soup... this was even better!) Similar to the chili, we don't like onions, carrots or celery in our soup (if you haven't noticed, we're very particular eaters!) so this recipe cooks with the whole vegetables to make it easy to strain them out when serving. All of the flavor, no picking out the onions and carrots! :) Here is the recipe for that:
Chicken Noodle Soup
1 L (about 4 cups) water
1 lb. Chicken Breast fillets
1 small-medium sized onion, peeled and halved
3 whole black peppercorns (or a dash of ground pepper, preferably freshly ground!)
2-3 whole carrots, peeled
2 chicken bouillon cubes (this may change your water measurments, so follow the measurments on the bouillon box to determine exactly how much water to use)
About 2 cups dry pasta noodles (I like the spirals!)
Bring water and chicken breasts to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat, add bouillon cubes (stir until dissolved) cover and let simmer for about 30 more minutes. Add whole carrots, onion, and pepper into the pot, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour. Pre-cook the noodles in a separate pot, drain. Remove chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Add chicken and noodles to the broth, warm on low heat. Strain whole vegetables and serve.
you can add chopped vegetables if you'd like, this is just how we prefer it (we're not big fans of cooked veggies) This makes about 2 large servings (we ate it as a meal) or 4-5 smaller bowls (to eat as a side with a sandwich or salad). Hope you like it as much as we did!
And the last recipe that I'll share is for the Apple Pie that I made as part of our Thanksgiving meal. I was really winging it.. but (as long as the guys weren't lying to me just to be nice) it was a big hit! You can make your own pie crust, of course... but especially on a day like Thanksgiving, that was way more than I was willing to take on!
Apple Pie
1 frozen pie crust, thawed
6-8 medium sized apples
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees/175 celsius. Combine flour, brown sugar, oatmeal, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl, mix well. Once pie crust is thawed, roll out and put in a greased/floured 9 inch round pie pan. Peel apples, slice thin and add to the crust, filling almost to the top of the crust. Melt butter and mix it with the flower/brown sugar/oatmeal/nutmeg/cinnamon mixture, stir until well coated. Pour topping evenly over apples. Put in oven for about 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool a little bit (but not all the way!) and serve with vanilla ice cream. mmmmmmm :)
My next recipes I want to try are something with rice, and a ham one. I'll have to report back once I try them out and let you know how they go!
After I made the Thanksgiving feast on Saturday, J made us an absolutely delicious meal on Sunday. Too bad we're both such bad cooks, huh? ;) Guess being domestic comes along with the marriage certificate.
Speaking of which, we have found out that we need to send our marriage certificate BACK to the U.S. to get an Apostille seal (?) (we're still not 100% sure what that means, but it's a way of 'legalizing it' and is sort of like getting it notarized but for foreign countries, we think) so that I can register here and get a Finnish ID number (like a social security number). J was able to register without a problem with the team being his employer, but since he/that is the reason I am here, I need to prove my relationship to him. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, because they accepted our certificate as it is when we got our Visa's... but who knows. So, just a heads up to any hockey wives coming over to Europe, get your marriage certificate legalized BEFORE you leave the U.S. so they will recognize it when you are abroad. Just wanted to save anyone the step of sending it back like we have to do!
Another note: I see there are lots of you reading from different places across the US/Canada/Europe... I can happily say have been able to connect with a few other hockey wives through this blog, and if you are reading this, feel free to become a follower, comment, or contact me :) It's such a small world that we live in and no one else understands our crazy lives like a fellow hockey wife!
Well, J is at an away game tonight (if you could call it that, they're playing 10 minutes down the road...) so I'm going to try and stay warm by curling up on the couch with a blanket and a glass of wine. It's been very cold here lately (single digits fahrenheit, around -15 celsius!) and we have lots of snow. I better get used to it, I don't think it's going to get any better between now and April!
Hyvää Yötä!
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