The Holidays are Over

I am not sure if I am happy or sad because the long school holidays are over.  The new school year is about to begin. 

If course I am sad that all those little moments of leisure time we get to enjoy as a family will be put to the back burner a little as the business of the school year takes over.  I am sad that we will miss the time  to enjoy each others company without having to rush around (yes thats me the taxi driver).

Of course I am happy that again with the school year beginning, all my children will once more be embracing new knowledge, facing new challenges and growing a little more mature (I hope).  I am excited to see what will inspire them, how they will overcome challenges and of course how much they will enjoy life.

(My children eeling with their cousins...ok so only half of the eelers are in the photo but trust me I think that they will all remember eeling over this summer.  They all had such good fun.)

Monday Menu 30 January

This is the week when the summer holidays draw to an end and school starts up.  Of course I become a taxi driver again along with all the other things that start up again.  So I am really needing my menu planning. 

Monday  Steak, baked potato and lettuce salad

Tuesday  curry chicken pasta salad

Wednesday  beef stirfry on egg noodles

Thursday  five spice roasted chicken leg with rice and vege

Friday  vietnamese shaking beef on a vege salad

Saturday  nachos

Sunday  leftovers

 I am linking this to I'm an Organising Junkie.

Cute Conversation 3

Need-to-read-a-lytis

I had never heard of this condition but my delightful 11 year old daughter thought that it was an appropriate reason why she was not outside helping me garden.

My response to her condition was a treatment of sit-and-read-alotic.

So she promptly got to curing her condition.

Big Boys Toys

Just sometimes girls need what is commonly referred to as Big Boys Toys.  Since I seem to be in charge of the lawn mowing at my place I thought that I might just as well enjoy sitting while mowing instead of hand mowing for 3 1/2 hours ( Ok the first time I mowed all of that space it took closer to 4 1/2 hours).  Now I can happily hand mow the bits that need a catcher and around the trees and sit down and ride my way around the rest.  I should add just here that I flooded the mower right about the moment the photo was taken and was more than a little upset that THAT machine had let me down.

It is hard to believe just 4 months ago most of the part I call backyard was paddock.  The children love all the space there is to play in and I can't wait for it all to be easier to mow.

Wordless Wednesday

I am back from holiday and here is my favourite photo.  Our first night with our friends at Ohiwa Beach.  Just a perfect moment as the sun was setting, lighting a fire so we could all roast marshmellows.  A perfect evening

I am linking this to My Little Drummer Boys

Holiday is good for....

I love summer holidays.  We always plan to go camping to the beach and then simply relax and forget that my everyday life is always taken at full spead.

These holidays for me alway give me a chance to sleep more, read more and notice the little things in life.  But most of all they really give me time to appreciate my family and how wonderful each and everyone of them are.

We go camping on a no electricity tent site.  Now don't be fooled into thinking I can do without any luxuries in life....mine just happen to be a clean flushing toilet and a clean hot shower (with hot water for not less than five minutes long).  I need my phone just incase Haydens respite care facility needs to get in touch with me.

My favourite things to do  involve not wearing a watch, playing board games with my family and relaxing.  Ofcourse listening to the gentle waves washing up on the sand helps keep me at peace.

So if I was to bottle it I think you would find

• the sound of waves gently washing up on sand
• time, plenty of it with nothing to fill it.
• happy and contented family.
• clean facilities for my benefit
• and sunshine.

I sure do not like and would not include

• rain....tenting and rain to not go nicely together
• too much to do.

Monday Menu 23 January

I am back from holiday and ready to plan my menus.  I really appreciate how much planning menus helps to keep my evening from falling into panic....well that is an exaggeration but you know what I mean. 

So hear is this weeks menu.  One that is easy to do as we are still on summer holiday here and not rushing around doing all the in term things.

Monday 

Tuesday  zucchini loaf with potato and mixed vege

Wednesday  chicken salad with wholemeal pasta

Thursday  mediteranian pizza with salad

Friday  lamb steak on couscous with steamed corn on the cob and grilled tomatoes

Saturday  hamburgers with green salad

Sunday  leftovers

I am linking this to I'm an Organising Junkie

Wordless Wednesday 4 January

Welcome to my first Wordless Wednesday post in 2012.  I have a photo today of the first activity of the New Year and it was raining.  This is Hayden and me just after I have been for a run pushing him in the buggy.  He is to big for the buggy but that is another story.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Breathe

This year I am giving myself permission to breathe and live life to it's fullest.   I want to dig deep and make my life more whole, not defined by any one thing or person.  You know in my life that one person could easily define who I am.  I want to move on from last year finding the essence of me and now dig deeper.  What will help me achieve this?  Not entirely sure but I am giving myself permission this year to reflect more and do even more.  Define the word family not only by the people but by the memories they create together.  I know one thing for sure that to be able to achieve this I will need to include everyone in my little family but most importantly find time for me to reflect and move forward, even journal about to help the journey.

To help in this endeavour I am joining an Art Caravan.  Who know what my art will look like (I know.... I hear you saying, Tamara an artist....well I think I am a novice artist and thats all that counts.)

I am not sure how this will all mature as the year goes by but I know that I am going to give it my best.

Monday Menu

Here it is the first menu of 2012.  It is also a short menu for this week as we are going camping and it will require a different plan.

Monday  Noodly Dinner

Tuesday  Chicken Carbonara

Wednesday  beef and broccoli stir fry

Thursday  chicken, peach and ginger stirfry on noodles (I will need to blog this recipe)

Friday  camping

Saturday  camping

Sunday  camping

I am linking to I'm an Organising Junkie

Noodly Dinner

This recipe has evolved in our family over the years and is affectionately known as the Noodly Dinner.  It is perfect for adding veges to your childrens diet and introducing some Asian style flavours.


Noodly Dinner


Serves six people

Ingredients

1kg of egg noodles
4 eggs
a handful of meat (chicken, beef, today I used leftover ham)
1 large carrot grated
1 green capsicum cut into bite size pieces
1 cup of of frozen peas
2.5 cm of freshly grated ginger (I store my ginger in the freezer)
2 Tbs of soya sauce
2 tsp of sesame oil

Method

• Pre cook the noodles as per package
• Wisk the eggs in a bowl until well beaten.  Heat a fry pan with a spray of oil.  Cook the eggs like an omlette.  Remove from pan when cook and when cooler to touch cut into bite size pieces.
• Cook meat through then remove from the heat.
• Put all the veges and grated ginger in the fry pan which has been sprayed with oil.  Cook until meets your taste, we like it just a little crunchy but you might like it really soft.
• Finally mixed all the veges, egg, meat, soya sauce and sesame oil together in a large bowl. 
• Serve and enjoy.

(Photo is by me.  It is slightly out of focus.  I am promising myself to work out how to take better food photos)

Happy New Year.

With 2012 well started and the end of the first day nearing I thought it would be timely to look back so I can move forward with the new year.

In one way or another lots happened in my life in 2011.  Moving house was probably the single most challenging thing.  I guess technically we moved house twice in 4 months.  While it was the best thing we have done it also bought about many challenges for my family.  Firstly we had to share accommodation and then once we had bought a house we had to get it ready for us to move in.  All this I have written about on my blog. 

I tried hard to embrace the essence of me which I hope has set me up for a more happier and joyful New Year.  I tried to get fitter and healthier, go out more and entertain more.  This is an emerging science for me and I hope this will see more entertaining happening.  No excuses.

I guess the three words that would describe me at the end of the year were very tired, busy but happier.  What more could I want?

So on to 2012.  I am a planning type of gal.  I like things committed to paper.  Love to be able to tick achievements off.  So watch this space. I am off to put the plans in place and committment then to my blog.  I am confirming my One Little word and will off running as they say. 

So onwards and upwards I say.  I can't wait for 2012 to get going.