Theos SWAG Tomatillo Salsa!

.1 1/2 lb of Tamatillos 
.1/2 a of chopped white onion 
.1/2 a cup of cilantro leaves 
.1 Tbsp fresh lime juice 
.1/4 teaspoon of sugar
.2 jalapeno peppers or 2 Serrano peppers 
(jalapeno work best with the seeds out)
. salt and pepper to your taste
.a slice of sweet red or yellow pepper for colour


                                                                What to do
Peel the husk of of the tamatillo then boil for 5 minutes.Slice your white onion and jalapeno or serrano.
Then start picking off half a cup of cilantro.
Put the 1TBSP of lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar in a blender and put the white onions in the blender with the jalapeno peppers (or serrano) and mix.Take your mix out of the blender and put in bowl. 
Take your tamatillos and slice all in half and mix in blender. Dice the slice of sweet red (or yellow) pepper and put in bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
Finally take mixed tamatillos out of the blender and put it in the bowl with the other mixed vegetables and mix with spoon.

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

By Theo

<---------MAKER 

Fishing

Yesterday I went fishing and only the boys came. I only got nibbles.    

Cohen

Forest

Our next stop was Forest Ontario. We went to stay with Ruth Ann and Peter. Ruth Ann was my writing teacher in high school and we had reconnected a few years ago. They had popped over to NZ, as one does, and stayed with us while they toured the island! They invited us to stay with them when we next came to Canada, so we did. Easy as that! They opened their home to us...literally. We stayed in the house and they stayed in their trailer. We were fed and watered in true home cooking style! We were the dinner for many deer flies as the clearly live NZ blood! Now when people say. " oh those flies..." We can say..." Yes. Bloody awful things nearly are us alive!" A true Canadian war story! Lol! 

Cohen and Theo had hit pay dirt as they had a real bow and arrow to shoot! All the kids loved it...especially the two big kids, Peter and Filo! Cohen loved all of Peter's "big boy toys." His very own tractor and digger! Peter let the boys drive it and they loved it! 

Ruth Ann had a selection of books for Madeline and she had her own room with  a cozy reading chair do she was  in heaven! 

There were lots of tales of Ruth Ann and Peter's sailing trips and of life down East.

A few people thought it different or slightly weird that I would visit, let alone stay with a former teacher. We hadn't stated in touch and it had been well over 20 years since I spoke or saw Ruth Ann, but she was a teacher you remembered because you were memorable to her! She connected. She cared and she taught you to be who you want to be without lecturing...without lessons. She showed us how to look inward to get the answer and she taught Creative Writing...there were no "right" answers! It was the beginning of finding yourself and I was fortunate to have her in my last year of high school. A year that carries so much personal and emotional weight it can make or break a kid. There were no special words of wisdom...just a feeling and a knowledge that she cared about you. She was the type of teacher you needed and need in schools and she's the type of teacher I hope I am. Connected. Caring. Present. Believe me...it matters. 

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Thanks for an amazing visit and more stories and memories for Our Fale Five! 

Let it Snow

We arrived to snow but because it was late at night the kids had to wait until the next day to get out into the snow! When they finally woke up they put on whatever warm clothes they had and ventured outside to throw snowballs and build a snowman. 

He is a little snowman but he is mighty! He survived the day, the dropping temperature and even survived a zombie attack! When the kids went outside the next day  Cohen discovered the snowman's nose was gone! Once Cohen investigated the evidence left behind, little round poos, he figured out that a deer had come along and eaten the nose! So there was no zombie attack.. Just a hungry deer! 

Taking Off

We left New Zealand on the 19th December and it was a lovely hot day. Our plane ride was turbulent for the entire journey. None of us had a good time but the most important thing is that we got to  Canada safely. We saw Gramma and Bunka right away and Cohen ran to them! Kieran was there too! There were lots of tears and happy smiles.

We left the airport to head for the ferry and it was cold. It was 1 degree outside. It was refreshing but it was mostly cold. We had to wait a bit for the ferry so we got to have some wraps that Gramma made us and we all had a hot drink.  

The Ferry was massive and our sailing was called the Halibut. (which was the fish I was looking forward to eating)

The ferry took 2 hours but it was nice and smooth sailing. Once the ferry docked we drove off into snow. It was nice to see snow. I forgot how difficult it is to drive in. We made it to Comox safely and on the way into mum and dad's driveway we saw a deer in the yard across the road! What a Canadian welcome home! 

We hope you will follow our blog and come along on our OE with us! 

The kids and I will take turns writing posts! 

We are finally relaxed and are sitting in the family room, fire on, watching Frosty the Snowman!

Take care and leave us a comment!

Andrea