Fridays Fabulous Finds # 20

Oh my gosh this is my twentieth post of my finds.  This is what I have been reading this weeks out there in the world wide web.

1.  100 best Childrens books a post on Childrens Books Guide.  I can see there are a few I need to take out of the library and have a read.

2.  Then there are 10 Simple Things to make you Happier at Home

3.  31 Days, I am thinking it might just the right thing to bring a little focus to my little blog.

4.  What about reading how to pay your mortgage off quickly.  I am always keen to see the reality of this especially when you have children.

5.  In need of a laugh.....then try this pintrest tag.


Have a great weekend.

Wordless Wednesday 5 September

Spring is officially here.

Our plum tree.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

August in Numbers

Winters last month has is now over.  Here is what it looked like.

3 is the number of fejoa trees we chopped down in the little yard at our place.  It looks a mess at the moment but in the that ugly fence line is going to show a hedge of camillias.  I can't wait.  In the meantime there is 1 garden hitting me right in the eye that now, that the rain has stopped, I can get out and weed, decide on some garden edging and use the gardening vouchers we have been given to add to the plants that are there.  Then out of my side door the view will, by the middle of summer look decidedly more pleasant.

2 Saturday mornings without out hockey.  Hmmm not necessarily what we want right before the end of the club season but there you go.  Just as I have got used the sleep in we are back to a 7.30 at the turf. 

8 months was how long it took the experimental potato to sprout so that Andre could find out if he could grow a potato.

Then there is the 1 cow we have, to keep the grass in the 2 paddocks down, who jumped the fence to see if the grass was greener on the other side. (Oh yes we ran out of grass and had to mow the little growth we had on our lawn to feed the cow)

155 hours this month were spent waiting for Mckenzie to get off the bus after school.  You can tell that I had time to fill because I worked this fact out.

This month DH did a 13 day trip to London and back.  I have to say it seems like a long time when he is chilling out while away and I am rushing around like a bull in a china shop.

The price of petrol went up 3 times in 7 days in August.  Grrrr.

My really good friend, who now lives in England was back in New Zealand on holiday for the 1st time since since McKenzie was born 11 years ago

Finally McKenzie got her braces on.  0 teeth need extracting and in 2 years (fingers crossed) her teeth will all be in alignment and then she will need a plate or such like to keep them all in place until the final lot of baby teeth fall out when she is about 15.

I am linking this post to Notes on Paper

Fridays Fabulous Five # 19

Here they are for this week.  So great finds out there on the world wide web.

1.  If you are interested in earthquakes and other such phenomena then Geonet from New Zealand will facinate you.

2.  Try some fun photography with this little trick on your camera lens I found at My Scrapbook Art. 

3.  Looks for an easy recipe for scones.  I tried this this afternoon and it works a treat.

4.  Another recipe.  An easy recipe for ginger beer.

5.  Finally I am always in need for Fathers Day ideas and here is a great selection of ideas. My children have tucked there little gifts/ cards in their father suitcase secretly as he is away for Fathers Days.

Wordless Wednesday 29 August

 

There is nothing like a really soft potato to create an experiement.  Now we just have to plant the potato to see if it will grow anything.

 

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

 

 

Don't let it ever be said........

I am forever hearing and reading that people say that having a disabled child in your house.  While I do not doubt that for some or even many this is true at the moment they make that statement.  Unfortunately I don't necessarily agree. 

Of course there are times when my son Hayden brings laughter into our lives but sadly it has to be said that he and everything that comes with him, is quite some burden right now and for the rest of his life.  I know that burden is a very strong word to use but to us living this life that is what it feels like.  Hayden will for the rest of his life have to live with us.  He will be reliant on us to keep him out of hospital and alive on a daily basis. His 6 hourly medication, constant need to be hydrated, eye drop 5 times a day and two hour breakfast routine, his constant behavioural issues (he is severely ADHD), the interrupted sleep I get and of course the many hospital appointments and hospital stays.  Then keeping his medication supply in stock, filling in the constant paper work and ....well the list just keeps on.

Naturally we do this because we are Haydens parents and we love him.  Then there are times that we think about what might have been and why us?  But don't judge us for this.  You should try leading a busy everyday style of life with two busy children.  Then add a disabled child like Hayden who is like having a very needy whirlwind in your house every day and you might just have the smallest glympse of what it is like. 

Within all of this I know the health system of New Zealand does a good job by Hayden.  Sadly family, in my opinion, are the forgotten link in it all.  I don't think any one health organisation has stopped to enquire how my family and I are, are we stressed, how we cope, how my other children are coping.  No one sits there and really understands Hayden and consequently what that means to our lives.  There is very little respite and certainly very little spontaneous activity in our lives. We can't just spend the day relaxing or sleep in.  I could go on but I think you get the picture.

Fridays Fabulous 5 #18

Friday is here and I am surprisingly posting this on ......yes you guessed it.....a Saturday.  Just one day I will actually post this on a friday like the title says.

So here are my finds this week.

1.  We are looking at upgrading and modernising the lighting at our house.  I am in love with this one.

2.  My favourite website to just browse is Meet at Mikes

3.  Then there is this little post about food sweeteners which is worth a read found at Skinny Bits.

4.  I am thinking that a tote bag with a homemade touch might just make the perfect Christmas gift.

5.  Then these no bake cookies ideal for lunch boxes.  I love how the web site allows me to convert the measurements from imperial to metric.  Perfect me who lives Down Under.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Wordless Wednesday 22 August

There is nothing like before and after photos.  Yesterday McKenzie got braces and so we thought that before after the moment would be fun.  Then the next two years we will see the moving of her teeth so they all actually sit in a line.  She will also be getting bottom braces but the top ones need to be moved some before that can happen.

Here is McKenzie before we got out of the car and then 30 minutes later.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Macaroons Recipe

I am always on the lookout for a sweet treat that is not too calorific.  This one is really easy to make and fills the sweet tooth need.  Maybe you might like it.

 

Macaroons

2 egg (whites)
3/4 cup of castor sugar
100g melted chocolate
100g almond meal

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees celcius in a convection oven.
2. Beat the egg white until they form stiff peaks.
3. Slowly add the sugar while beating .  The mixture will look glossy when you have completed this step.
4. Carefully fold in the melted chocolate and almond meal.
5. Using a teaspoon place drops of the mixture on a baking tray covered in baking paper.
6. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

This recipe is sensitive to humidity which can cause the macaroons to collapse.

Monday Menu 21 August

Here is this weeks menu

Monday   Corned beef (cold) baked potato and green vege.

Tuesday  Noodly Dinner

Wednesday  chicken teryaki stir fry

Thurdsay  vegetable peanut stirfry

Friday  Wraps with salad veges

Saturday  homemade pizza

Sunday  Leftovers

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