Recipes: Ice Cream Cake

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When I was growing up one of my best friends Joanne always made a yummy dessert that we all loved to eat: Mud Pie. I remember having it so many times – and loving the fudgey sauce in the middle.

Years ago, Zach wanted an ice cream cake for his birthday. So, I went to Baskin and Robbins and got it. As I ate it, I remembered the mud pie – and thought to myself how it was so much tastier than Baskin and Robbins!

The next year, when Zach asked for an ice cream cake, I made “Mud Pie” –  and just referred to it as ice cream cake. It has been a consistent request for most birthdays ever since. Of course, we have played around with the recipe – tweeking it to preferences: using different icecream, adding chocolate or cookies, or reeses cups. I consistently double the recipe for the fudge sauce  every year and it is always a hit! I’m sure it is a recipe that will be made throughout our life and passed down to generations!

Ice Cream Cake (also known as Mud Pie)

1 8oz package chocolate wafers (I use oreo crumbs box)
1/2 cup butter
1- 2 litre box of ice cream softened (any flavour you want – mint choc chip is a popular choice here)
1/3 cup cocoa
3 tbsp butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup whipped cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 container whipped topping

Crush wafers if not already done. Melt 1/2 cup butter and mix with crumbs. Press into large pan and bake 10 min. Cool.

Spread softened ice cream (needs to be really softened) onto crust. Freeze – about 1.5 hours.

In saucepan over medium heat, cook 1/3 cup cocoa, 2/3 cups sugar, 1/3 cup whipping cream and 3 TBSP butter (I actually double all these) until smooth and it boils. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Cool slightly then pour over frozen icecream. Return to freezer. When frozen, spread whipped topping over and return to freezer again. (May want to decorate when whipped topping is slightly frozen – but not too frozen).

Take out of freezer a few minutes before ready to serve. Enjoy!!

Quote of the week

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“Stop it”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf

There is a very funny skit from Bob Newhart that you can see here called “Stop it”.

The skit shows a woman coming to Bob, who is presumably a therapist of some sort. He is there to give her advice, help her solve her problems, and provide guidance. His advice, over and over again, and his solution to all of her problems is “Stop it”. It is such a funny skit. And amazingly, so true.

I have actually shown it to a couple of my clients. Sometimes that is what I really want to say to them when they are doing something;  if they would just “stop it”, their “issue or problem” would be solved. But, it’s hard to say that to someone. Or you think that the solution must need to be more elaborate. Or complicated. Or eloquent.

However, at conference in April, Dieter F. Uchtdorf said sometimes it is exactly what we need to hear, and nothing more. Is there a behavior that needs changing? A habit that needs breaking? An issue that is ongoing? Stop it. He said it in a kinder way than Bob Newhart did however:)

Of course, it’s not that easy to do for everything. But, we might be surprised how many changes we can make just by following the advice to “Stop it”. Once we stop it, we may need the support of others to help us keep it up (or keep it stopped) – but they can only help us in what we have started (or stopped) on our own.

So, Stop it.

Happy 11th Birthday Zandra!!!

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Happy Birthday to the sweetest, smartest, funniest, prettiest, most lovable girl in the world!!

11 Things I love about Zandra B!!! (as her Dad calls her:)

1. Her heart of gold and friendly, caring nature; she is filled with empathy towards other people (and animals)!

2. Her ability to bust a move on the dance floor! She gets the rhythm and she knows how to move so fluidly and gracefully!

3. Her sweet singing voice and ability to sing any song with all the words. (even after just hearing it once!!)

4. Her ridiculously cute bedtime routine with her Dad and banana chicken; then picking a different dream every night!

5. Her generous spirit – always willing to compromise and be a peacekeeper

6. Her willingness to forgive and ask for forgiveness

7. Her growth this year in standing up for herself, advocating for what she knows is right, and speaking out

8. Her beautiful spirit all around – especially as it continues to grow daily

9. Her exceptional talent with art, sewing and anything crafty

10. Her sense of style and ability to do her hair (and mine) in so many ways!

11. Her amazing smile and infectious laugh

We love this girl sooooo much and are so blessed to have her in our home!

I’m especially glad to have some girl power in our home. She is the perfect partner in crime and I am so proud of everything she does and thrilled and honored to be her Smom!!!

I went through my pictures to capture Zandra as I have known her over the past 5 years… here’s a selection of her (although there is a recent gap of pictures that are on Rob’s computer and I couldn’t access).

For her birthday, she came over here in the morning before school and opened up her presents. She got the now traditional chocolate candy poster, a dress, and a sewing machine and accessories! She was very excited about that!



Love this! She had peeked in and saw the sewing machine!

She had her friends birthday party at her Mom’s this year (we rotate years), where they went out for dinner and 4 girls slept over – stayed up until 2 is what I heard. When she was back with us, we had our family party – where she selected bow tie pasta with rose sauce, and an icecream cake. It was yummy!

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea!!!! Love you!!

Recipe: Zandra’s Triple Citrus Pie

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This was the pie Zandra and I made the other night for her surprise dinner. I’m actually not a pie person, so was skeptical when Zandra found the recipe.

However, it was a hit with everyone and I know it will be a favorite since it is so quick and easy too!

Zandra’s Triple Citrus Pie

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tsps unflavoured gelatin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp orange juice
Grated zest of 1/2 orange (I didn’t have)
2 cups thawed frozen fat-free (or low fat) cool whip.
Pie Crust (I admit I just used a premade graham crust – but you can make your own:)

Combine lemon and lime juice in small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over. Set over low heat and cook, stirring constantly until gelatin is dissolved (about 2 minutes). Add condensed milk and cook, stirring until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice – mix well. Refrigerate until filling begins to set, about 30 minutes.

Whisk filling until smooth; add orange zest and whisk in. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until firm – at least 3 hours. (We stuck ours in the freezer for a while so it was done in half the time!).

Enjoy!

Kinds of Love

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This past Sunday was Zandra’s surprise dinner. We made some homemade pizza, and this very very yummy lemon lime pie (forever to be known as Zandra’s Triple Citrus Pie)!. That for sure  was a keeper – will post recipe. Wish I had a picture but it was gobbled up so quickly!

I ALSO wish I took a picture while we were cooking – but again – a miss! But it was a miss because we were having such darn good conversation! The boys were out, and it was just us, chatting away. Chatting about life. Chatting about boys. Chatting about divorce and home life. Chatting about growing up. Chatting about liking skim milk – but LOVING chocolate (that is our own little inside joke and code!).

While we were chatting, we were talking about love and really deep things.

I can’t imagine what it must be like for a child to live through a divorce. So confusing. Because, you want to know that YOU were loved when you were born and that your parents were happy when you were born. That YOU were not responsible for the divorce. And you likely create a scene in your mind about what could have been had your parents just stayed together.

Rob and I are pretty amazingly happy – but it is hard for the kids to understand why THEIR parents could not have been happy – just like we are. Could they just not have tried harder? It is complex – and there are no real answers (and if you think you have the answer, then you likely haven’t walked in these shoes). My answer to them is that people bring out different things in different people. People love each other in different ways. Sometimes, people just aren’t the best together.

I thought of the movie Nights in Rodanthe (see – it comes up often) – when the mother explains to her daughter her feelings of this man (Richard Gere) she falls in love with after her marriage ends with her daughter’s father (make sense?):

“I know you’ve only ever known your father and me. And I love Jack, because he is your father. But there’s another kind of love, Amanda. One that gives you the courage to be better than you are, not less than you are. One that makes you feel that anything is possible. I want you to know that you could have that. I want you to hold out for it”.

I love this quote – because it is so true. There are different levels of love. When you marry someone, you need to hold out for the kind of love she is talking about. BUT, you also need to be a certain kind of person too; one filled with love, adoration, compromise and respect for the person you are with. You need to be unwaveringly (is that a word?) faithful, true, honest, and unselfish. If you aren’t then that can drive a wedge between any relationship.

That is what I want for you Zandra – B (when you are much much older!). Hold out for that one who makes you be better than you already are. One that makes you feel that anything is possible. One that respects and adores you all the time.

(Ya know – chocolate milk).


The Beginning

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April 30th is a pretty special day.

My grandfather on my Mom’s side, who we fondly called “Papa” (and he so fondly called me Kindergarten Girl (and then added in the number of years since Kindergarten – so I was Kindergarten Girl plus 1, plus 2, and got all the way up to plus 22 when he passed away), was born on this day in 1910. He married my Grandmother also on this day in 1938. AND they had their first date on this day too in 1932!

So, whenever April 30th rolls around – it is filled of memories for me of  my wonderful grandparents.

My Grandmother, along with one of my very talented writer cousins, pulled together an amazing book of my grandmother’s life:  every tale from Germany, to England, to Canada. My Grandmother was truly an amazing woman and I have her to thank for getting me to write this blog. She told me several years ago (before she passed away in 2010),  that I MUST write my stories and I’ll be forever grateful to her for pushing me to do just that.

We have read “Her” book together as a family, and the kids love hearing the stories about their Great Granny and Papa.

I also love leafing through it every once in a while and catching a glimpse of their life. They lived through some terrible years, but came out of it with courage and strength and went on to create a beautiful family – leaving behind such a legacy (if I do say so myself).

If I take a snapshot of April 30th, 102 years ago, I would see my grandfather, Wolfgang Paul, being born in Berlin to Helene and Max Busing. Max was a very gifted man, who had studied philosophy and German literature, did a lot of writing and acting, and eventually became a school teacher. He married his second cousin, a very beautiful woman who grew up in southwest Germany. They had my Papa and his sister Ruth (who I remember meeting as child).

Fast forward to the year 1932 on April 30th, Papa decided to go to Tubingen for the summer of 1932 – and he records, “It proved to be the most fateful decision I have ever made in my life“. He lived about 1.5 km away from the University, and he was walking back and forth from where he lived (his bicycle had not yet arrived from home) and noticed a young woman several times on his way. This, was Erika Angele Jenny Mathilde Danckwardt.  On April 30th he “was immensely pleased to see her when a group gathered to register for an introductory course in regional archaeology. I told her that it happened to be my birthday, and would she like to have supper with me at the “Pomana”. We had supper together that night, and did some boating on the River Neckar the next day” (italics taken from his memoirs). It must have been quite the whirlwind romance (which is funny to think of given how “sensible” Granny was), because on the evening of June 12 they decided to get married.

Well, history is history, and the tale is a long one to unravel (but well documented in Granny’s book), but they finally are able to marry in England on April 30th, 1938.

Granny tells a bit about her wedding day: “Olive and I went the morning of my wedding to the market at Croydon and I bought myself a bunch of tulips.  That’s why I’ve always loved tulips you know. I can still see that – I figured I had to have something in the way of flowers“. They were married in Marylebone Town Hall, then went to St George’s, the Lutheran church, and there was a service to bless the marriage. The sad part was they could not be in touch with their families on the actual day. Their families knew it was happening, as Papa’s father had come to visit them earlier in the spring in England and was told of their plans. He of course had a hard time accepting the news; being a teacher, having a son marrying a Jewish girl in England, after leaving Germany – did not look good. He had spread the news to Granny’s family – but also had said not to be in touch with them when the time came.

Today, they would be celebrating 74 years of marriage. Perhaps they are celebrating! Granny will have her tulips and their families would are finally able to celebrate with them!

So, April 30th is a pretty special day for our family – as it is truly the beginning (with Papa’s birth), and the beginning (their first date), and the beginning (their wedding). I wonder if they ever imagined what would become of these beginnings? Here I am blogging about them….

Miss you both. Love always,
Kindergarten Girl plus 40
xoxox

Quote of the Week

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I saw this quote on the internet, and took a picture of it as I really liked it.

I especially like it after having my Karaoke party – and singing so many songs. It was really apparent how so many of the songs “today” are a little shaky when it comes to some real, true morals. There are songs about hate, violence, cheating, abuse, breaking up, sex, lies, etc.

Zandra and I did a duet – Eminem and Rihanna  – Love the Way You Lie. I have to admit, I love the music to the song – it is so catchy, and Rihanna’s part is so pretty. But listen to the words????!!!! Talk about dysfunctional and abusive! At least it spurred some good conversation about music and lyrics, and relationships!

Anyhow, I thought this quote really captured the real take home message we should be singing to our kids:

“Love is kind. Anything less isn’t love at all”.

No exceptions.

Feeling the Love

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I got spoiled by some pretty special people for my birthday.

Started off with a package delivered from my dear friend; she had made a book of my blog from when I started it last year until this past March. It is amazing. Beautiful. I was very touched. Just leafing through the pages made me so grateful that I am recording all these moments in our life. It was so fun to see it in print and to enjoy remembering little moments with the kids! Her daughter had also made a beautiful box which would house all my cards and letters for my 40th. It was nice to read through the sweet and thoughtful notes of many (including a hilarious and touching list of 40 things another dear friend loves about me).  I am certainly blessed with some of the best friends and family:))

The night before my birthday, I went to bed and saw this note:

(love the disclaimer at the bottom of the first side (top picture)! Zach is very careful to make sure he is “fair” to both me and his Dad!).

I also got this note to pass along to Santa. The alarm clocks Santa got the boys at Christmas “broke” so they wanted me to deal with Santa about this. (Of course they realized later on that they just needed to change the batteries!).

Back to me and my birthday:)

I woke up to chocolate milk and Zach climbing in bed (at the time I was born – although luckily I told him the wrong time by accident – I was born at 5:40am, but told him 6:45. So he was in my room at 6:45 – better than 5:40!!).

At breakfast, the kids presented me with their main gift:

I love it – and was amazed  how they made me a painting with “stripes” considering that is what I just did last week with my own paintings. We are in sync:)

I got a cutey card from Sam and one from Zandra as well. Zandra also made me a gimp key chain which I now sport with my keys.

Josh gave me his standard gift (which I always love and now count on him to take care of!): Circus truffles and chocolates (my fave are the raspberry truffles and salted caramel squares). He loves giving me chocolates!

Gabe sent me a great text: (I had to take pictures of it in three parts because it was so long). He also made me this amazing video. I was so touched – and got all teary:).

 

Zach presented me with some of his art work – which I always love.

My birthday night, we ordered Chinese food and had chocolate and strawberry cupcakes.

Then I got a real treat: the kids (under supervision and guidance from Rob) gave me a relaxing spa evening. I had my feet washed and soaked in this cool gel. They gave me a facial, brushed and tickled my hair, creamed my hands and feet, and then finally, a full body massage. This was all done to the calming sounds of a spa music (and Rob telling everyone to stop yelling and fighting – nice that they were fighting about who’s turn it was to do things to me!) Made me feel so good. I love my family:)))

Love the agenda Alexandra made up! So cute!! She is awesome at all this girlie stuff! I lucked out with getting her as my partner in crime against all these boys!

 
Here’s a peek at some pictures; not because they are attractive, but to help me always remember my sweet children:

They worked hard!
 

This past weekend, we had some famous Oatmeal cake with Grammie and Grampy.



I always have this wilty eye when I’m overtired…it looks weird I know.

Then the next night we had a little Karaoke party which had the kids singin’ their little hearts out! Everyone was really into it – so much so that the singing continued into the next day:). They also loved the gift my girlfriend got me : a soda streamer (I love it too)! We have been trying out different flavours all weekend.

Need You Now Duet

Viva la Vida

Forever Young….It wasn’t their choice –  but I thought it was so fitting:)



We rocked it out with Enjoy the Silence and Endless Love (of course!!)
No Air

Ok – so you can’t get the BEST pictures of people singing…

It was a pretty special  birthday and I feel very blessed to be surrounding myself with all these great people.

Best 10’s : My Fave Movies

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Last week when we were away, we watched Nights in Rodanthe again (actually Rob had never seen it he claims – but I think he had – just slept through it. It is an intensely girly movie).

I got to thinking about all the “intensely girly” movies that I love – and will force my kids to watch (Zandra won’t mind – but the boys may cringe). I think it’s important for boys to have a strong romantic side and it’s my responsibility as a Mom and Smom to make sure they develop it (their wives will thank me later:)!

Some are not exactly “girly” – but they are family oriented, or have great morales. I only put ones on the list that I would easily and willingly watch over and over again. That was my criteria:)

1. Anna and the King
I already made Zach and Josh watch this one (I made them close their eyes for some scary scenes – as there are a couple). But I LOVE this love story. So intensely in love – but never even a kiss. The fact that it is set in Thailand just makes it even better.

2. Nights in Rodanthe
I think I have made my case about this movie already. It has strongly influenced by vacations!

3. Eat Pray Love
I admit that the scenary and travel highly influence my love of this movie. But the story is pretty good too!

4. Under a Tuscan Sun
Meaningful to me personally having been through a divorce and really connecting to how she feels. Love the fact it is set in Italy too!

5. The Notebook
Just plain romantic. And sad. I like to cry in movies.

6. Forever Strong
Ok – this is not a romantic movie. But it is an excellent “value teaching” movie that I can watch over and over again – and so can my kids. So it is a winner of a movie then.

7. When a Man Loves a Woman
Oldie but goodie. I cried. I love Meg Ryan. I love Andy Garcia. I love San Francisco. I love where they vacation in Mexico.

8. It’s a Wonderful Life/A Christmas Carol/Elf
How could these movies NOT be on everyone’s favorite movies? We watch them every year (also love Mr. Krueger’s Christmas – but since it is only 30 minutes, I don’t count it as a movie!)

9. The Other Side of Heaven
My Dad served a mission in Tahiti and I ended up seeing this movie for the first time a few months after he passed away. I cried and cried wishing I could ask him so many more questions about the islands. Whenever I watch this movie, I feel like I am watching a bit of his history – and my kids are getting a taste of their Grandpa.

10. Step Mom/ Runaway Bride/ A River Runs Through It/ The Family Stone
I just love these movies for so many reasons: mainly the family dynamics. They each have individual scenes in them that I love and relate to – I could watch these scenes over and over.

I am such a sucker for any romantic movie – and any movie that makes me cry. Clearly I also enjoy movies that take place in some great settings too! Just makes me want to travel more! Like “The Descendents” this year – gotta love the Hawaii scenes….

Happy Birthday Meski!!!

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The Leah Wikipedia entry (by Robbie “make hot tea”):
1)      Susanne Leah Davidson (Leah Davidson)
a.       .also Meski  – taken from the odd phrasing of a combination of the question: “Do you ski?”. Answer : “…yes she  (Larissa) skis like me ski…”;
b.       also. Motor Bum – taken from the schedule that a Meski keeps. Typical day includes waking up, doing some sit ups, getting ready for work, going downstairs in curlers, reading scriptures, setting out lunches,  5 goodbyes at school, 3 to 4 clients across the Greater Toronto Area and hundreds of kilometers, shopping at Wal Mart in between while planning vacations, on the phone, picking up cool quotes of the week, writing blog entry, snapping pics of the week, driving home, with dinner already planned, helping enforce homework, doing her notes, addressing all of the various challenges of kids in school (talking to teachers, encouraging words, a little lecture or two) and back to dinner, post dinner and in to bed time routine!!!!!!!!  Normally pronounced Meski Motor Bum.
c.       also Motor Rad – taken from the above but when things are amped up a few more notches. Usually add in multiple soccer practices, swimming lessons and some pressing deadlines and you get – Motor Rad – usually said together as in “Meski Motor Rad”.
d.      also Mom – taken from the term used by Zachary Fiore and Joshua Fiore to refer to the “person who gave them LIFE and is the prettiest Mom in the whole world – followed by a kiss”
e.      also SMOM – taken from the term used by Samuel, Alexandra and Gabe Clendenning , largely assigned to Gabe’s creative hunour, this term refers to the Step Mom of all Step Moms!!
f.        also Maaaaaaammmma – taken from the Josh vernacular wherein denial of a particular thing (usually a sweet food of some kind) is mixed with a task or behaviour needed at the time. Usually stated at either medium to high levels of volume, it is now met with laughter and is a special plea from a barbaloot to his Mom

Born, April 24, 1972 of goodly parents, Susanne Busing Davidson and James R. Davidson in Montreal, Quebec. Born a precocious but lovable little girl with grey hair and BLUE BLUE eyes and oddly perfect feet and toes!
Early Years
Always a self sufficient little one, Leah (aka Meski and other short form names – see above), has been a budding pianist, a successful baton twirling show girl (along with Jenny Symes), was once rumoured to have stolen many fresh raspberries from others yards, had her teeth knocked out by her older sibling (prior to a dance recital) and grew a strong career in babysitting.
Always athletic, Leah sported a svelte body in her early years, and came to be known as the “girl” in some circles and had very nice legs (this would be the first of many complimentary comments on Leah’s legs and feet!!). An avid swimmer, and a pretty darn good runner (not as fast as her son Josh mind you…although the jury is still out on some apparent race as a Mom wherein the Fulton sprint had a dubious ending verdict.) Leah loves to sport around but mostly likes to travel (see below).

Middle Years
During her middles years and in to her twenties, Leah enjoyed the love of travel and firmly routed the travel bug in her with trips to Asia and Europe in these years.  With a budding career in Banking on the rise, she dropped the work of commerce for the world of Speech Language Pathology (yikes that sounds scary!). With multiple moves and top honours in her class (Na na to the McGill grad admissions doink), she grew in to the World foremost and bestest SLP!!! And that’s true.
Always an admirer of big families, she brought in to the world Zachary and Joshua two boys of goodly nature (although one I hear was of a rather loudly and fussy nature) who knew a super duper Mom when they saw one!!  With hot bah bahs and attempted bed attacks (not mentioning names but his signature mark is a smiley face at the end of his autograph!!) she was off to the races as Super Duper SLP Mom!!
With some hiccups along the way and a change in her marital status, Leah was on her way to a bright future! (she just didn’t know it) Financially responsible, religiously devoutsible and just plain great, she got up the guts and went on a few dates!  The dates were all chumps, she felt in the dumps but not for a moment did she fall prey to her lumps! She travelled with the little ones and figured life was sweet just to be able to share it with three sets of feet!
Middle Years continued….
But little did she know, that with some to and fro, a date of fate would have her meet someone fanatastical but who ate very little for breakfast.
Pursuant to 4 dates (with the Fantastical gentleman who some say looks like Greg Kinnear) she was hook line and sinker’d. 
Married in 2008, in Stockholm, Sweden, the lovely Leah entered a new phase of superdom!! Now a cornerstone of the CDF clan, Leah enjoys being Mom and SMOM to both Zach and Josh and Sam, Zandra and Gabe.
Leah now resides on Fulton Avenue with her new large family. Breaking a sweat and keeping all of them in line, she continues to provide stellar health care support balanced with a rich family life. Traveled even more and full of wonder, you can often find her rummaging for more places to plunder!
As she approaches her 40th year, she is ready to continue her journey to stardom having been published in 2012 and much revered in the blogosphere. She is a beauty and a wonder and the pride of Fulton Avenue….she is THE MOM, SMOM, MESKI MOTOR BUM/RAD, the MAAAMA and simply THE BEST.
Happy Birthday MESKI!!