Wordless Wednesday 30 October

There is nothing like spring.  The Thrush that laid these eggs got scared of our lawn mower and has not returned sadly.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Monday Menu 28 October

Well Monday is here.  This week is starting with a public holiday, the last one before Christmas arrives.  So here is my menu.

Monday  Italian Grilled Chicken with Lemon & Herbs

Tuesday  spaghetti bolignaise  

Wednesday  steak and kidney crockpot on rice 

Thursday   creamy coconut beef stirfry on noodles.

Friday  bacon and vege pasta (my own recipe)

Saturday  homemade hamburgers

Sunday  leftovers

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

Fridays Fabulous Five # 43

Here are this weeks links. 

• There is nothing like just a little DIY home cleaning products.  So Wendyl the Green Goddess just might have something for you.  I like the lemon dusters.
• A recipe I just can't wait to try from Skinny Taste
• I am still pondering the idea of teaching myself to crochet.  Maybe this little tutorial might do the job from Pip at Meet me at Mikes.
• Now that the excitement of the Americas Cup racing is over how about this for a bit of dramatic sailing on Dean Barkers Team New Zealand
• then for a little fun with bubbles try this recipe.

Enjoy your weekend.

What Happened at School Today?

Hayden arrived home from his special school looking like this......

Since he is not good at communicating and his home communication book did not offer any ideas we are stuck.  What exactly did Hayden do at school today.

Wordless Wednesday 23 October

There is nothing like playing the violin with clean fingers.  I guess that is little boys for you.

I am linking this post up to My Little Drummer Boys.

A Hospital Visit or Two

This year has been full of hospital visits.  Usually one day stays but one for longer.  Hayden has been in hospital to try and clear his port a cath 2 time.  Both with short lived success ending up with facing the reality that he would need surgery to replace it.

 

(Starship hospital Auckland from the atrium inside)

 

Starship is the place he usually is admitted to but not always. A day might be anything from keeping Hayden still in one spot while hooked up to a pump putting fluid into his port to clear it.  Or it might mean surgery, in and out in one day.  Maybe a three night stay in hospital with campylobactor.  Yes you read that here.  My son who is mainly feed through his mickey button got food poisoning.  Don't ask me how because he was treated as the primary source.  Hmmm

Anyway this is what hospital can look like for us.

Firstly there is the temper tantrum and feeling sorry for himself.

Art and craft make and do while waiting.  A holiday programme put on in the atrium.  

Spending time to try and unblock the port a cath.

Then there is the reality of being sick.  With Hayden's medical condition being sick is means being hooked up to plenty of IV fluids.  Usually no food and .....

......plenty of blood tests.  Finger prick variety this time as his port was yet to be fixed and he was hooked up to a lure in his foot.

Just maybe there is the ward wall art which has been donated in the specialties ward refurbishment that I got to enjoy while Hayden was feeling sorry for himself and sleeping while sick in bed.

 

Finally, for those who can enjoy, there is the lovely Auckland skyline that can been see from the 6th level.

 

Monday Menu 21 October

Here is my menu for this week.  I am feeling tired already.  I guess that must be because the end of the school year is not far away for us here in New Zealand summer, my favourite time of the year, is finally starting to appear.

Monday    Freezer meal (saving my sanity today)

Tuesday  Chicken fajitas

Wednesday  spaghetti bolignaise

Thursday  cuban marinaded steak and salad with baked potato

Friday  Easy Fried Rice

Saturday  grilled Tandori Chicken with red onion skewers on couscous

Sunday  Leftovers.


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

Fridays Fabulous 5 # 42

I am back to the reality of life after being on holiday in Wellington.

So my list for this weeks is diverse.  I hope there is something in here that you might like.

• There have been lots of thing written about Miley Cyrus lately.  Anna Stretton is a fashion designer in New Zealand.  She is quite successful and truly one of my favourite designers from New Zealand and I can affort her stuff.  So here is what she wrote about Miley and her recent antics.

• While I am on about Miley Cyrus this week Sinead O'Connor wrote this a couple of weeks ago.  I think it something that teenage girls should read and digest.

• Then there is the problem I had with my smart phone and in the end a factory resent was needed.  Thank goodness for You tube and its contributors for this little clip and now I am back communicating with the world.

• Onto photography and few little things you can do to improve your photos by Suzy Q

• Finally all about smiling.  Especially as some of you will be thinking about those photos to go with your Christmas cards.

Enjoy your weekend.

Wordless Wednesday 16 October

My daughter recently played hockey for the Auckland Under 13 team in the Colliers cup.  It is the largest girls sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere and history shows that this event has been very difficult for Auckland girls to win.  With 24 teams participating it is a fun even but with fiercely fought for prize of first place.

So this year prove to be the year where the girls proved that they are winners.  They were so excited and after winning 8 games in a row they were crowned the champions.

This photos really shows how exited the girls are with their will deserved win.


I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys

Road Trips

There is nothing like taking your child on a trip that is longer than just down the road.  Personally I think that travelling by car is the best way to see New Zealand.  You get an up close and personally experience the countryside.  Children get to read a map, look at the towns and cities as you pass through them.  They even get to see them in relative nearness to each other.  Hopefully no more thinking that Hamilton is at the bottom of the South Island.

(map sourced here)

So when my husband and I had a reason to drive from Auckland to Wellington with 9 year son we decided that by car was a great way to share the beauty of our country.  

That is when, at the last minute, I decided to put together a little activity sheet to do.  It really was more of a ...take a photo of....style sheet that should keep him busy through the whole 7 - 8 hour trip.

 

I am pleased that this did exactly as I had hoped.   One child happily snapped photos all the way down to Wellington.  He observed and learned things he had never known before.  It broke the trip up into manageable bites and sure helped him with his map reading skills.  

I guess you would call this a success.  I will have to post the photos when we can sit down to have a look at them.

 

Monday Menu 14 October

Here just a little late is my menu.

Monday  Spaghetti Bolignaise

Tuesday  Chicken Fajitas 

Wednesday  North Aftican Chicken curry.

Thursday  Roast Beef with Salsa Verde

Friday  Chicken BLT

Saturday  warm Thai pork meatball and noodle salad.

Sunday  Left overs.

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

(Image source is here)

Wordless Wednesday 2 October

Nothing like a great game of hockey to view.

Believe it or not just a couple of weeks ago my daughter was supposed to be on that field playing club hockey one Saturday morning early.

Luckily about 10 minutes later the fog lifted and it was a beautiful spring morning.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Stones

Have you ever wondered what 2 cubic meters of driveway stones looks like?  Yes that's it.  Dropped in the middle of our drive was this little pile of stone.  No going anywhere until they are dealt to.  So with only three of us at home we armed ourselves with spades, a bit of kiwi ingenuity and some muscle power we set to work.

 (the muscles on show)

 (the plank of wood to move stones....a bit of Kiwi ingenuity)

Two hours later and after a lot of laughter the pile was gone and we had a lovely smooth top of the driveway.  Free of pot holes and lovely to drive over.

Isn't it funny how something like this can become a family bonding moment.

Mondays Menu 30 September

Here,at the beginning of the school holidays, I have time to to blig my menu for the week.  We will be going away for a few days and want to use up the food in the fridge so a week of use what we have.
Monday   chicken wraps
 
Tuesday   meatballs and spaghetti

Wednesday ham, corn and cheese pasta bake

Thursday  steak with salad

Friday  meatloaf with baked potatoes and salad

Saturday  left overs to clear the fridge

Sunday  we are on holiday


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