Tis the season

Christmas Carols in the local park on a perfect summer afternoon!

This is on my Christmas wish list!

Christmas

I love decorating for Christmas! Especially when the finished product is pleasing and I cannot believe I found a tree today, that's much nicer than my $17 Coles one from last year, on the side of the road!
Maybe somebody does love me?

Halloween 2010

Inner Peace

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat similar food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

Then You Are Probably...

The Family Dog!

Hunter Valley

 

Us sisters took my Mum for her 60th Birthday for a drive to the famous Hunter Valley a couple hours away from Sydney. We picnic ed and wandered all day. No kids, no worries, just the girls...twas splendid!

Some of my face painting from last week

One year!

Early this month I celebrated one year of driving!
Some may not realize how huge this is for me. Driving was one of those things that nightmares were made of for me and I lived most of my adult life in Africa where I was discouraged by potholed roads, absence of rules and common sense. All that to say my life has changed!! I realized I needed to bite the bullet if I ever wanted to expand my horizons, move out of Mum and Dad's and possibly get a place not walking distance to the kids school. I was just so limited and frustrated. There's nothing like the simple freedom to hop in the car and go get your groceries! Not to have walk for hours whether rain, hail or shine with 3 small kids just to get the bare necessities or even to get them to school.

I've been pulled over once for a breath test....the day after passing to my "P's" I couldn't help but laugh when I told the officer.
Otherwise nothing eventful and here's to many more years of no dramas!
Next I want a RAV 4 Cruiser!

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The most beautiful city in the world

We had the best time being tourists in our own city. We wandered the city streets and botanical gardens and finished it off with obento's in Hyde Park.

10 years!

I know this is really late in coming ...especially if you already saw these on facebook.
I really do mean to keep up with this blog. I have so many thots going through this head of mine ;P studying has been taking my time. I'm hoping to finish this certificate by the end of the year so I can concentrate on my business, the kids more and doing lunch!

Big kitty!

All of us...for now!

What a dream, to have most of us around. Chris was visiting from Adelaide so we all got together on a rainy winters day. 15 kids just between us, can you believe it?! Can't wait till April and Mike arrive!

Skin deep

A few people have mentioned my skin recently and I have to say it does have a lot to do with genetics (My mum has always had clear, soft skin) but from before the first time I wore make up at about 16 I was pretty religious about the morning and evening splash with water.
I never had much pocket money so when I could I would just buy the Dove soap bar and used that for years (and still have a bar around all the time.) Now that I've been an Avon lady and had plenty of samples to go through, I've been able to see what's really out there but somehow I want to go back to nature on this one. I will be researching and will put any findings here.
Recently when I ran out of a face soap I grab the good ol' Johnson and Johnson brand at the supermarket and I love it! It does have exfoliating beads in it so you don't want to do that more than once a week.

My basic routine is washing with a face soap at night and clearing any makeup away with cotton. Then I  apply a thick night cream. (I'm currently using a Nivea brand.) In the morning I splash again to remove any left over oilyness and apply a good day cream with SPF 15.
Even though I don't think my skin is doing that great all through my 20's I knew I wanted to do all I could to take care of my skin. Funny as I write this I'm sporting the biggest pimple I've had in my life! Anyway, I'm just mortified when girls my age tell me they never do anything...I think they'll regret it.

Lunch box ideas

The kids will love these rolls. Add cherry tomatoes or grapes and their lunch box will burst with colour.

Ingredients

Honey Mustard Ham Rolls

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsps wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 6 flour tortillas
• 100g packet shaved leg ham

Sweet Chilli Chicken Rolls

• 8 slices wholemeal bread
• 2 tblsps mayonnaise
• 1 tblsp sweet chilli sauce
• 100g packet shaved
• chicken breast
• 20g baby spinach leaves, trimmed

Method

1. Combine mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard and honey in a small bowl. Mix well.
2. Heat tortillas according to packet instructions. Spread half the mayonnaise mixture over tortillas.
3. Divide ham over top. Spread with the remaining mayonnaise mixture. Roll up tortillas tightly to enclose filling. Cut in half.
Sweet chilli chicken rolls
1. Trim and discard crusts from bread. Using a rolling pin, roll out slices of bread until thin.
2. Combine mayonnaise and sauce in a small bowl. Spread evenly over bread. Top with chicken and spinach. Roll up tightly to enclose.

Notes

Rolls can be made a day in advance. Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge.

More holidays

Portraits

Playing around with my new Lumix FZ35 I used the outdoor setting with a forced flash to fill in the harsh sunlight.

Cook off

Had dinner at Ruthie's! She, Mari and Libby together put on a spread of Thai food....one word!....Yum! I slept over so I could have a couple glasses of wine :)

Alan also slept over with his friend, Chad. These guys are so easy to please. We threw them a few spring rolls and they made paper planes and played board games all night. What good boys they are. I wonder how much longer this can last?

Wooly in Wollongong

Alan's birthday

Shoes!

Slight obsession with shoes....Hayden's, not mine!