Sea to Ski at Hovander Homestead

Sea to Ski out at Hovander was great fun today! What I liked best: watching the canoe'ers come in happy and tired, giving each other high-fives and hugs for a job well done. Also, watching our girls dance in the field and actively selling hotdogs.

10 fun things - Sea to Ski Grand Parade

It's B'ham's Sea to Ski Weekend (old timers know it as Blossom Time). Today was the Grand Parade and we had a front row view while selling hot dogs.

Here are 10 reasons I love parades!

1. Being outside in the spring weather.

2. Cheerfully decorated Floats

3. The Happy Clowns

4. Firetrucks and Flags

5. Plumes and Spats 

6. Old Guys (with spirit)

7. Friendly cops

8. Seeing folks we normally don't see...

 

9. Smiling with the Nile

 

#10 (Best Reason of All) OUR KIDS!

Sea to Ski Grand Parade

Get ready! Marching down Cornwall Ave this Saturday, May 29 is the fantabulous Sea to Ski GRAND Parade! 
And in it, The Dance Studio dancers ... strutting their stuff to 'Little Shop of Horrors' music.  Last week they got a Judges Choice award. They were HAP-PEEEE!

 Oh, and there were the HOT DOGS! We sold lots! And we'll be doing it again... check out the cook (he knows his stuff !).  The price is right too! $1.50/hot dog. $3.00/combo: hot dog, chips,drink.

Be there, or be Square!

Bellingham Herald Front Page!!!

United We Dance dancers made the first page of the Bellingham Herald today! Yeah!!! We are proud of them! They have tons of enthusiasm, talent and joy! Thanks to Brittany and Wendy too! Brit - the choreography was great!!!
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/05/21/1443261/record-number-of-kids-participate.html

Sea to Ski Kiddies Parade Today!

Yeah! It's parade day! Come on B'ham.... do your thing! (Rain in the morning ... Sun in the afternoon!).  B'hamsters! Come out and enjoy the parade and all those proud little kids.  They feel so special marching through town! Give 'em a round of applause! It's good stuff in all directions!

And stop by The Dance Studio, just south of B'ham High School (1820 Cornwall Ave), to say hello and enjoy a little sustenance!  We'll be there for you!

Bellingham Sea to Ski Kiddies Parade

Friday, May 21st at 5pm:
The Sea to Ski Kiddies Parade is comin' to town and Wendy Setter's The Dance Studio, at 1820 Cornwall Ave is ready! Dancers have been working out a routine to strut their stuff for weeks now, and the UWD parents (ah yes, the fundraisers again) are setting up a HOT DOG STAND to delight your tastebuds.
I have never gone to a public event without one of my kids getting hungry and thirsty.  Too often we're just too busy to pack the lunch and remember the wipes. Sometimes, even when I did bring the treats, the kids just wanted to go for the warm and tasty hot-dogs. It's part of the parade tradition!

So come on by the Dance Studio located midway through the parade route and join in the festivities!  It is a great spot to view the parade from either side of the street. (The dance studio even has bathrooms just in case your little one needs to go). We'll also have a Hand Washing Station! (ah, spills and mishaps!)

We'll be having FUN ... we always do!

P.S. We'll also be setting up shop..., I mean the HOT-DOG Stand, for the Grand Parade on Saturday, May 29th at Noon ... AND ... we'll be out at Hovander Homestead on Sunday May 30th to serve Sea to Ski Race Participants, support crew and family as they shuttle on by!  LOOK for US!

Australian Terminology Quiz

It's time to learn Aussie-speak!

Here's a few phrases to get you going.
Guess at the meaning of the colored phrases (you could leave your answers in the comment section )!

• I'd just love a big, cold glass of Adam's Ale.
• He's sure is in need of a Dad 'n Dave.
• I'm so hungry! What I'd give for a jaffle.
• If there isn't a jaffle spot around, I might consider Macca's.
• That wasn't just any kiss mate, that was a pash!
• He's a tall poppy, that one!
• Well, that's better than being a yobbo!  

Winner gets a SPECIAL BLOG FEATURE !!!!
Dancers! This one's for YOU!!!

ANZAC Biscuit Recipie (as promised)

 These traditional biscuits (Cookies!) are associated with the joint holiday shared by Australia and New Zealand to commemorate the Gallipolli Landings during WWI.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients

• 1  cup  regular oats
• 1  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup  shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  cup  stick margarine, melted
• 3  tablespoons  water
• 2  tablespoons  golden cane syrup (such as Lyle's) or light-colored corn syrup
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Add margarine, water, and syrup; stir well. Drop by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 12 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven; let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from baking sheets. Place on wire racks; let cool completely.
Note: We found these cookies were much better when made with golden cane syrup such as Lyle's. Cane syrup is thicker and sweeter than corn syrup and can be found in cans next to the jellies and syrups, or in stores specializing in Caribbean and Creole goods.

Monday Dance Class: Aussie Bites!

FIVE (count 'em) Australian delicacies to look forward to (12 weeks to go!):

1. Meat Pie. Statistics: 260 million pies are consumed every year in Australia. Of those, approx 62% are filled with chopped steak.  Just 2% are filled with chicken!
2. Barramundi. An 'Australis' fish.  Good for you. Check out the link:http://www.thebetterfish.com/recipe/Barramundi_and_Lemon_Butter_
3. Shrimp on the Barbie. Ok, My mouth is watering for warm summer evenings and good smells wafting off the grill.
4. ANZAC Biscuits. ANZAC is the  acronym for Australia and NewZealand Army Corp.  Apparently the Army makes really good biscuits! Photo right, recipe tomorrow.
5. AND, last but not least: VEGEMITE! Perhaps it's an acquired taste? Maybe, like PB&J, it helps if you grow up with it?! All I know is that our Aussie dancers visiting in December were homesick for it. This yeasty spread seems to be the quintessential Australian comfort food.