Geckos

I finished the geckos, just in time for end of school so the kids gave them to their teachers.

                                                                                pattern from  here

Indian Feast

What else do you do on a weekend except spend 4hrs in the kitchen cooking an Indian Feast

It was well worth it.  It was DEEEEEELISH.  We had fruity lamb, spicey chickpeas, chippattis, popadaums, lime pickle, brinjal (egg plant pickle) and mango chutney and a minty yoghurt dip.

Play Food

I have been doing some amigurumi play food.  MsR loves it.  MsH, MrM and even MrJ!!  I have more planned but am lacking in time as christmas grows closer....

Spaghetti and meatballs.  Not really hard just single crochet in 2strands of off white 8ply the length you desire for the spaghetti (or noodles if you are doing a stirfry.  I'm doing that next)  and balls in 2strands (one choc brown and one brown-it was all I had :)  ) and firmly stuffed for the meatballs.

Fruit bowl from the book Yummi 'Gurumi .

Meatball and Macaronni Soup

Oh My Goodness!!!!  Such deliciousness.  Can be as FAILSAFE as you want or not.  And it only took 500grm of mince to make a big pot that fed 8 hungry people, some who had 4ths---yes I'm looking at you MrJ!!   Definately a keeper.

Finely sliced/grated vegetables-I used carrot, cabbage, frozen peas and frozen green beans
Finely sliced shallots/onions
Finely sliced garlic
Chicken stock, about 10cups-I used a mix of chicken stock, bean stock, quick stock and water as I didn't have enough chicken stock
Mince, about 500grm-mixed with a little rice flour, seasoned and rolled into teeny little balls about the size of your thumb nail
Macaronni, about 200grm

Gently saute the vegetables, shallots and garlic.  Add chicken stock and bring to the boil.  Gently drop in meatballs in a few batches, stiring between.  Sprinkle in macaronni.  Let gently simmer until meatballs and macaronni is done.

Rain rain go away

well at least for a little time...until the tank needs filling again and we need water :)
The kids are going stir crazy, they are used to having a giant undercover patio to play under whatever the weather but here there is a tiny space in the grage under the house that I have drapped with wet washing.
Yesterday we spent the day watching DVD's -in the morning they watched them downstairs as I wanted to keep and eye on them and I was sewing ( 1 of the chrissy present boys nightshirts finished 4 more to go and then on to the girls ones) and in the afternoon it was upstairs to have lunch.  Mmmmm cheese popples

I use a quick rise dough with some fresh/dried herbs and break it into little walnut sized balls.  Place them barely touching on the tray, drizzle with oil and top with grated cheese.  Bake and enjoy.  mm mm mmmmm

After lunch we put up the christmas tree.  Poor thing its getting old, as I said to P "I've had it longer than I've had you" and most of my treasured decorations, that were bought pre-children, are no longer with us but it was decorated with love.  And that is all that matters :)

I have to get cracking on the teachers presents I have decided to do the gekko bookmarks.  They are quick, easy and use little yarn but they are super, super cute.

Back on track....

Time to get my A into G!!!!  I have been crocheting, still looking out for zombies, doing a little gardening and a bit of mothering here and there.    We had my Dad over for a visit and the children loved having their Poppa here, only 2yr until we see him again. 
The end of the year is nearly upon us.  We have been stressing about Christmas presents for the children with MrB and MrM being the hardest to get for.  We could go out and buy the list they provided-after they watched Saturday cartoons- but to what ends?????  More plastic craptastic action figures that narrow their field of play?  More branded tripe?  GAH!!! 

Book Week Costumes

Last week I spent a busy time at the sewing machine and I think I may have my sewing grove back.  Yipeeeeee!  I have taken over one of the rooms downstairs to set up my workstation.  It is so big that I have my sewing machine, overlocker, a few big bookcases (to be used for my books, craft books and material) and a large cutting table (the old camping trellis table)  Now all I have to do is get some sort of hanging space so I can hang my designs up, put the ironing board up and a large cork board for design inspirations.  Wow that sounds much more grandios than it is or I will ever be able to produce but it is a nice area to go to and sew that I can shut to door to-well I WILL be able to close the door once I unpack a few more boxes hehehe. 
So here are the piccies of the children in their costumes for book week.  The had to go dressed as a character from a book.  There were lots of superhero costumes and princesses but there were some really good ones-like the gladiator with cardboard armour that was all cut out so the plates were overlapping. 
So here are

MrJ as a Dinotopian.  He relates EVERYTHING to dinosaurs, every. bloody. thing., so one of his favorite books is the series Dinotopia.  About a mysterious island where people and dinosaurs live together. 

MrS as Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.  He has a bit of Lord of the Ring love atm.  He is valiantly attempting to read it and for a child who struggles so hard with school work that is a huge feat. 

and finally there is MrB as a wizard.  He spent all day in his costume, bless him, all the others changed out. 

MsH didn't want a costume.  I offered repeatedly but she decided not to.

All in all a good weeks work. 

New family member.....TASHI

We have a new baby...a little English Staffordshire Terrier.  She is only 3m old and is beautiful.  Mainly black with a bit of brindle showing through.  A friend had her and due to her circumstances decided that a puppy wasn't a good idea so offered her up for a good home.  I don't know if we quailfy as a good home but we got her.  It has been decided that she will be MrS's dog-so he gets to scoop the poop. Yeah! score one for mummy as MrS is 10 and if I find a poop I call him and he cleans it up.  Wish it were that easy when MsR was in nappies :)  I get to feed her titbits so she loves me. 

Life here is full on as a neighbour also offered us his bird.  MsH has been after a pet and decided that bird was it so she is happy as well.  Rocky is a cockateil and can do a good impression as the phone. 

MrB wants a pet too but I don't think they allow dragons in built up areas??????

Sausages

Oh the lengths you go to for a sausage!   We don't do 'normal' sausages from the shops due to MrJ's allergies and the fact that we try to be a FAILSAFE family, so unless we can get a butcher to make them up for us we go sausage-less :( :(.......unless that is you like playing with playdough. 
What??  Well what you do is take your basic rissole/meatball recipe or use the one in the 'Fed Up' cookbook and divide it up into equal sized balls.  Then this is the fun part-roll them out like playdough snakes.  They take roughly the same amount of time as to make rissoles.  They have no processed, fake, plastic skins, no yukky preservatives/artificial flavours/flavour enhancers/MSG or its hidden un-named relatives just whatever meat you choose (beef/chicken/lamb are FAILSAFE), rice flour and salt.  I gently fry them in the smallest amount of oil as they do release a bit of fat as I use a full fat/regular mince (or if I'm using chicken mince I add a tsp or so of butter to the suasage mix) or slowly poach them in a little water (the water if left to go cold and skimmed of fat makes a good stock)
Tonight we are having bangers and mash with onion gravy. 

Bargin!!!!!

Wow it pays to ask the universe and wait for the reply.  Just picked up a dinning table with chairs for only $320.  Not often do you come across an 8 seating table with the chairs in second hand places.  And it was wood.  And it wasn't knocked about.  And it had the lovely shaker style chairs so no more catching my blouses on the chair back knobs and ripping off the buttons.  Haaaaaa.  It is slightly larger than our old one so can seat 10 with a comfortable squeeze rather than a shoehorn and "mind your elbow"

Its been raining here and P has made the children their own bows and arrows.  Amazing what a piece of bamboo gardening stake and twine can do.  Oh and don't forget the bright blue duct tape.  Appartently you NEED it to stick accross your face in tribal stripes!!!

Vest----FINISHED!!!!!

In between packing, moving and unpacking I finished this glorious vest

It is so soft.  Its hot pink with lime green trim.  I am starting another one for MrM.  P has asked for one but since the pattern is for a baby and I did some tweeking to get it to fit MsR-3 and a little more to fit MrM-nearly 5 I think I may have to do LOTS more tweeking to make it fit a 42yr old man.  ???
Still it was an easy pattern and made up quickly.
THE awesome singlet pattern  go forth and knit it.

Whew!  Finaly have enough space to sit and think.  The move went good and we are all moved in.  The kids have settled in to school.  Unfortunately for MrJ and MrS there seems to be no pokemon fans at the school so they are doing their best with playing touch football at lunch.  Everybody tells me it is the best school in the area and at only 190 students is very close.  I tried to get MrM and MsR in to the local kindy but they have loooooong waiting lists, I was told I could pay $20 to have MsR put on the list but she would most probably not get in even next year!!  So no I wont throw away a non refundable $20 on the off chance.  I could send them to a daycare 30-40 min but for what?  I don't want daycare I want them to go to a good and caring kindy.  I am able to get to some meetings from an internet forum I frequent and THANK GOODNESS for that.  I went to one last Friday and I was so nice to sit with other mummas and be surrounded by real women and sweet babes.   
The house is taking some adjustment as it is a highset and of the older variety.  There are 2 1/2 bedrooms upstairs, combined bathroom toilet, lounge and huge kitchen and dinning.  Downstairs is another toilet, 3 rooms and a double garage and laundry.  Unfortunately the are no internal access stairs so we are all upstairs-the boys in one room, the girls and all the clothes in another and DH and I have the teeny 1/2 bedroom.  We took that as it has huge windows and I didn't like the idea of the children being anywhere near the upstairs windows with out some kind of guarding. 
It is good to not have packing and moving hanging over our heads.  Maybe now I can back into some serious crafting...

Packing, packing, packing

I am just sneaking in to update before going off line for goodness knows how long as we disconnect and reconnect the internet. 
Wow the things that I have thrown out or donated!?!?!  I cna't believe that I moved some stuff twice in the last 4yrs and still haven't used it, so away it goes.  And some stuff that even after living here for 3yrs we didn't unpack.  Embarrassing!!!!  Feels good to declutter, though I expect with a large family you are never really clutter free. 
Well its 2days till moving day and still have heaps to do.  I found the big things easy its now the little things that I keep finding.  There will be many boxes labeled 'odds and ends'.
My knitting is going good.  I got 3/4 of the back of the vest done and realised I had forgotten how to cast off and I had packed all my craft books and the internet was unaccessable for 2days as we had to have the loungeroom floor retiled.  Retiling completed and internet back on and I seached and found the instructions how to cast off.  Stupid me was doing it the wrong way round.  Redid it and have finished the back.  Yeah!!!  I started on the  front and got 1/2way done and one of the little blighters lost one of my needles and unpicked it.  GAH!  So back to the start.  It is relaxing to do a few rows after a hard day of packing even if I do fall asleep mid row.
 

I have been drawn to the dark side...

yep after years I have finally picked up a pair of knitting needles again.  I have some bamboo/cotton blend that no matter what I tried to envision it crocheted as it never quite turned out right.  I found a knitted vest/singlet pattern and thought YEP!!! so I dug the bamboo out of an already packed box and the knitting needles out of my crochet bag and away it started.  I must say I do miss the slight click, click of the needles and the softness of stocking stitch.  One of my most treasured items is a shawl that I knitted myself many years ago with visions of flickering candle light, princes on white horses and wild romance.  None of that happened but I do have a very nice soft shawl that MrM spent the first week of his life earthside wrapped in. 
On the moving front we have packed up more of the house, decided to sell more furniture and get a new dining table when we get to Brisbane.  Poor old dining table won't see another move :(  It is so wobbley.  It is so soft and smooth on the surface as it has had many scrubbings after dried up weetbix, painting, playdough and just general dirt.  Strangley I am very upset to see it go. 

On the move

We are moving.  We have been discussing this for well over 18months and finally have the oportunity to do so.  Things have just not worked out for us here.  For me personally I hope that with out being constantly reminded every time I drive in to town of the hospital and what they did to me and MsR I can somehow over come this oh so wonderful ride of birth truama and get my life back on track.  Well I can hope. 
So DH was offered a job back down in Brisbane, with a house (rundown and old) with cheap rent so we went down to check it out on the 12June.  Decided there and then yep so returned home and started packing.  We want to be there for the start of school after the holidays so are leaving here on the 6July.  Oh my goodness!!! 
We have so far packed up 3/4 of the house, thrown away 2 wheelie bins full and donated 2 ute loads to the charity shops.  I just don't believe that we will get it all done. 

My Garden

In my garden grows....well not much :)  I try but with things being up in the air my vegetable growing has taken a beating.  At the moment I have shallots growing a-plenty and I have put in another container of lettuce.  I am going to attempt some mixed pots of cherry tomatoes.  I am trying to keep everything movable so when we do move I can take it with us.

I came across this great method of using old broken sandpit clams as planters and it really is a wonderful idea.  It is heavy but not totally unmovable when full but easy to empty.  I have 1 and 1/2 full with shallots using a sneaky cheap and free way of planting the chopped off ends and waiting until they regrow!!!!! It is brilliant.  Just leave a little more than normal on the ends when you chop them off and plant them in your garden.  I don't pull them up just cut them off and they regrow. 

I also plant the tops of the swedes and they send out leafy green shoots that I love.

The other clam shell has just been seeded with lettuce.   I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE lettuce and going out into the garden and just picking a few baby leaves, throw in a few of the baby swede greens and a few herbs-boy oh boy it is a wonderful lunch.   It feeds my soul and much as my tummy to wander, pick and eat something that you have grown.  It has been way too long since I had that comfort of looking out of the window and seeing the chickens scratching round the garden and knowing that a 15min stroll around will full my basket and provide dinner. 

Limes

Friday I went to the fruit shop and bought a few boxes of cheap fruit.  There was a box of limes $3 so I divided it into lime pickle, lime marmalade and with the few remaining I made some fresh lime cordial to celebrate my remembering to renew the soda stream refill.  Friday afternoon the house smelt so fresh and clean with all the cutting, juicing, soaking and letting the fruit to marinate. Yesterday I made the marmalade.  I made it clear and I strained all the nasty peel bits out-YUCK I love marmalade but can't stand the peel, who wants to spend their breakfast spiting out bits of pithy, bitter peel?  I set really well and tastes good.  I think there is a pithy aftertaste but DH says its OK.  This morning I had it on fresh hot Artisan bread.  Ahhhhh.  And 2 cups of good coffee.  DH went fishing so I got up with him and set the bread to rise and baking and while that happened went back to bed with a book.  When the bread was ready I made the tribe babycinos to have with their bread and took mine back to bed.  I ignored the fight and came out after to wipe the excess jam and honey off the table :) :) 
DH returned empty handed so we had vegetarian refried beans with baked potatoes and salad from the garden. 
Tomorrow I have to make the lime pickle.  Then it has to be kept for 3months before opening.  We learnt the hard and bitter, very bitter, way that is it better to wait.  So I have 3months to put up some brinjal (eggplant chutney) and sweet mango chutney and then we can have a delicious Indian feast. 

Bread

I have been in bread making mode.  There is something about the smell of not only fresh baked but the yeasty smell of mixing and proofing it.  I have the 5 min Artisan bread 'maturing' in the fridge, yes the fridge I was really shocked why I first heard about it but it is good.  I have done English muffins-great for after school snacks as the bigger 4 can pop them in the toaster.  And baguettes.  Mmmmm baguettes.  The first batch were really nice and yummy and tasted creamy and crunchy but the next batch I over proofed and they were flat, still tasted good but extra crunchy.  I made cheesey tuna melts with them, well MrJ and MrS had cheesey broccoli melts and a big salad from the garden.  Quick-well if you didn't count actually making the baguettes in the first place-he he he- and clean plates after. 
Still working on MsH's  dog amongst other things....

Stop faffing around!!

Directed at myself!  I have a crochet dog that I have to get finished for MsH and I have been putting it off.  And off.  And off.  In the mean time I have made 2 pairs of slippers (both too big for me but I am trying again) 2-nearly 3 nylon bath scrubbers, Bayleaf-a pokemon and OH BOY he turned out good. 
So that is my project this week to get the thing done.  Its really cute I got it from this site By Hook By Hand  absolutely brilliant little puppies and delightful little people and sprites.  I am going to have lots of fun at this site!!!!  I kinda like her cloth dolls too, so when I get my sewing groove back I might have to go in to dolly mode.....

Missy and Martin

I finished another project, this time I did it for me.  Much like the cat I have in my picture (no I don't really look like that :)  ) I wanted it and I did it and its mine, ALL MINE.  I have to put them high on the bookshelves so that little hands don't get them.  I haven't done their faces as I am not too good at doing faces and I am not too sure at this point that they need them.
Missy and her brother Martin are going on a picnic.  They have a salad sandwich, a hot dog, a chocolate tart and 2 strawberries
The pattern for Missy and Martin is an adaptation of the hello kitty one.

Stupid, stupid, stupid...

I am feeling better today thank you to everyone who asked. 
Yesterday the kids were all at school/kindy so I thought 'GREAT!' I can get a dvd and sit on the couch and crochet all day and finish the slippers that I am remaking for myself.  So I got the movie 'Paranormal Activity'  Well wasn't I a silly?  Its a bit like 'Blair Witch' and I scared myself witless.  I like a good horror movie and if it scares me a little all the better and that was the problem it scared me too much. 
Yes I did watch some of it with my eyes closed. 
And yes I was too scared to get off the couch and see if the noise was a demon or the washing machine shaking. 
And also I spent the night waking every hr or so just in case a demon was sneaking up on me.  So tired.  Today I will get another movie 'Sound of Music'?  Singing nuns aren't all that scarey, are they?????

Birth Trauma

Today I am not doing well.  Birth trauma sucks.  The longer it gets the worse it seems to be.  Too many of my days are consumed with tears and sobbing.   
So a big thankyou to the hospital.  To dr wankstain and his amazing crew of brown nosed midwives.  To the masses of people who were allowed to view my naked labouring body.  To my husband.  To people I've met and tried to tell and been passed off.  Thanks for the last 3yrs of misery, pain, shame and humiliation. 

Mother's Day

Hope you all had a wonderful day.  I did.  I got heaps of presents from the children, times like this I am so happy that I have 6 children and if they come with chocolate I would like to have more :) :) :)  I love their little faces when they give you the present that they have made or bought from the mothers day stall at school.  The sachet of bath salts were put to good use-MrM, MsR and I had a bath, very squishy and apparently I had a very dirty back that needed so much scrubbing I think blood was drawn.  Notepads and handmade pots and MsH sewed me a beautiful bookmark. 
I nearly got breakfast in bed.  A neighbour had an emergency so needed to use our shower and of course I needed to  give it a quick scrub.  But it was a nice breakfast: bacon, eggs and black pudding. 
DH did roast pork for dinner.  And all the dishes. 
Really was a day for me to relax and I spent it on the couch crocheting (nearly finished Bayleaf for MrS and it is very impressive) and whipped up a quick pair of slippers.  Unfortunately they didn't fit me and so I gave them to DH, they are still a bit big but they were quick, easy and great way to use up scraps.  I will be making more.  Just in case the zombies come!

Bean wraps

Oh wow these were so yummy and so easy.  I will  make a few changes next time-make MORE.  The are failsafe and vegetarian.

Bean Filling
1 pkt of dried kidney beans, soaked and cooked or you could use 4 cans drained and rinsed.
cooked bean stock or use a little water/chicken stock if using canned
1 big bunch of shallots
lots of garlic
salt
Fry off onions and garlic, add beans, liquid and salt.  Simmer for 1/2hr and then roughly mash with a potato masher
There done.

To serve spread on wrap (I make ours-see in the recipe section under bread they are easy and yummy as)  and top with salad of choice and a bit of sour cream.  DH and I added tobasco mmmmmm but it decidedly a winner of a meal.  I made 16 wraps and they all went.  MsR ate a whole one!salad and all!!!!  MrJ had 3 and was looking at the others pleadingly.  DH and I had 2 each and we said that we *could* have eaten another but that would have just been eating for taste as we were both full, heavens knows how the middle 3 ate 2 a peiece??????  The wraps are quite filling as they are 1/2 and 1/2 wholemeal. 
Don't know what we are having tonight but we are having roast pork on Sunday I even bought extra crackling.  I know that its not failsafe but we haven't had roast pork since forever... and I will keep the diet simple before and after and only serve f/s veg so the outcomes are not that dire.

I'n my post-apocalyptic world......

I am a big post apocalyptic movie/book fan.  Anything with zombies...I'm there.  Super flu...right on.  Nuclear bombs and mutants...just my cup of tea.  I seemed to have spread the disease to DH.  Yeah!!!!  I now have someone to sit on the couch with watch them.
Some of the movies that we have enjoyed
Day/Night/Dawn of the Dead stuff
The Stand-book and movie, though DH is struggling with the book.... wusss 
Dead Set
Survivors.  DH said he remembers the original, he is old ;)
Shawn of the Dead- has one of the best zombie killing scenes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0gSbcG1FI
Dead and Breakfast-really good soundtrack and line dancing zombies, what else do you need??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcwP5wpNGyw  (contains swearing)
I am Legend-we are waiting on the original Omgea Man
The Road.  I have read the book and waiting to see the movie.  Wasn't a funloving take on a post-apocalyptic world.
Ohhh that Spanish one I can't remember the name of-we both really liked that one
and many more

We discuss how and where they go wrong and what we would do.  Is it wrong to teach your children zombie survival????  And to to go with the end of the world you shall all be wearing these

Yes they are crocheted slippers.  Yes they are made from ripped up old sheets.  They are very quick to make up, thrifty and comfy.  You may all laugh but when the world has ended and there is no more shoes to be had you will want a pair of these.  Honestly

Mother's Day Stall

Just finished these for the mother's day stall at school.  They are pin cushions.  The donuts turned out really, REALLY good.  I made 6-3 with white frosting and 3 with pink frosting.  The cups of hot chocolate are a variation on the teacups and they turned out well but next to the donuts they pale a little. 
I got the patterns from here: donuts and teacup
The were really quick and easy to turn out.  I will be making more but instead of pin cushions they will have beads sewen on and then the children will have play food. 

Hello Kitty hell!!!!

I finally finished the little Hello Kitty I was making for MsR.  It took longer than expected as other things came up and also she kept screaming "Finish my Hello Kitty NOW!!!" at me so if I was doing it I would ask her to not scream at me and she would do it again so I would put it down.  Anyways it turned out rather well and I am doing a variation on it. 
I learnt a new technique for joining the legs to the body and how to work the body up rather than the head down and do the legs seperately and sew them on.  

As you can see I am not crash hot on doing faces :)
Pattern is here

Steak snails

Yep thats what we had for dinner tonight.  When MrM asked what was for dinner and I said steak snails he looked at me and said "Mumma?!?"  but everyone cleared their plates, poor chickens no scraps tonight.  It was a kids only meal as DH and I are having dinner later-chilli bean burritos- but I did manage to put up a plate for him for lunch for work tomorrow.

Steak Snails
Take your steak and bash it or you could buy it already beaten but I like to beat and smash it :).  Cut into long strips. 
Dust in seasoned flour and roll up.  Place in a baking tin all orderly. 
In a jug mix 1tab of the seasoned flour with 2cups of stock (I didn't have any on hand so used 3tab golden syrup, salt, 1/4tsp citric acid, 2cloves of crushed garlic mixed into 2cups of warm water) and pour over the steak. 
Cover and bake 180C for about 40min or so. 
I served it with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. 
Deeeelish

Camping

Camping, camping, camping...can be so much fun.....but not this time.  We got rained out.  We got there, unloaded and realised that we forgot to pack the saucepans so DH we back to the town to buy some.  We now have dedicated billy, stockpot and frypan.  While he was gone the kids and I put up the tent and blew up the beds.  In fact just as he pulled in next to the tent we were just setting down to afternoon tea after setting every thing up.  Gosh I am a wonderwoman!!!
We had an ok night.  We realised that we need a few more things to make camping more comfy like a table (you try doing dishes kneeling on the floor?) and more camping chairs. Perhaps a shower bucket with solar hot water heater as I have learned that none of us like cold showers.
The next morning we went off to visit the museum and steam display.  As we were driving home it started to rain and things looked pretty wet back at camp.  Turns out there was a storm and our tent was saturated along with everything in it :( :(  So at 3.30pm we made the decission to pack up and go home.  We got home about 9.30pm.  Yesterday was spent drying everything out and I have tripple the mountain of washing I normally have.  Ahhhh well we will try again next time.

Modeling clay

We did this a few holidays ago and the kids had SO much fun that I decided to do it again. 
2 packets of that oven bake plastic modleing clay-kinda like fimo + 6 children = 2hrs of fun and some very beautiful and creative artwork.

 and because I like to show off a teeny tiny teacup and saucer. 
MrJ and MrS made pokemons-what else??? and MrS also made a tooth that is now a necklace.  MsH made beads, rings and things to stick on hairclips.  MrB made heaps of twirly, twisty things that his has now strung around his neck.  MrM made a very cute little pokemon like his big brothers and I made him a braclet and rings.  MsR didn't really do much as it was a little hard to mold and she is only 3 so I got her out the playdough instead which she had a wonderful time creating.

We are getting ready and packing for our camping w/end.  I have learnt a few tricks and now it is much easier to pack and go-not much but anything helps!!!  The place we are going to has cold showers and no drinking water, but does have toilets.  YEAH!!! 

A trip to the movies and a dinner out

Yesterday we had a rare treat...we went to the movies and had dinner out.  We saw How to Train Your Dragon and it was good.  We didn't tell the children about it and just told them to get dressed in their 'good' clothes.  After a few times of my saying "nope try and get a shirt thats clean"  or "I really think that shirt needs to been given to your younger brother" (It is amazing how quickly they grow)  We were ready to load up the car and get going.   MsR got a bit restless but it was a movie for older children and 2hrs is a long time to sit in the dark for a 3yr old.   We took up nearly the whole row :) :) :)  We decided to forgo the popcorn and drinks as I didn't want to spend the whole movie up and down to the toilets and we didn't want to spoil their appetites for later.....
After the movie we went to Sizzlers.  We got there early and it was empty but was packed by the time we left.  I am constantly surprised when out on the children's manners, we had a lovely time and we all came home feeling very full, well except for MrJ who even after 3 deserts still wanted more!!!  DH and I ordered seafood platters that we shared with the 4 younger non allergic seafood loving children and MrJ and MrS had the children's steak meal.  It is amusing to watch them go to the salad bar and what they choose: fruit and pickles were popular.  They have a new coffee machine and now do esspresso so I was happy too :) 
Today is a day at home with modeling clay and tomorow is vacation care for the big ones (shh they are going to the movies again) and kindy for the yonger 2.  Dh is off and we are going shopping to get ready for going camping next weekend!!!!  I love camping :)

An afternoon in the garden

Yesterday we spent a wonderful day celebrating my niece's birthday at a water park.  We left with 6 very tired and water logged children :) :)
Today the plan was for DH to get up early and go fishing, come home and we would set off for the Lifeline  Bookfest and then spend the afternoon in the garden.  Well we were woken up with heavy rain so DH didn't go fishing, poor him the world is against him going fishing for some reason.  We did go to the bookfest-GREAT!!!.  I love bookfest and we came away with a nanna trolley full of books: MrJ and MrS scored big with heaps of pokemon books.  We got home and I made a cheesey pull apart and we all sat dpwn to check out our finds.
I got a good 2hrs in the garden and now it is half weeded.  I kept finding tiny little frogs so I rescued them and put them in a safer part of the garden that I had already done, poor little things were exhausted hopping away from my whirling dervish weeding action.

Aren't they the most beautiful little creatures?  All the while I was weeding a group of rosellas were in the tree overhead chattering at me.  Not too sure what they were saying but they sure made themselves heard!!!   

Well I had best get MsR to bed, the kids are watching 'Snow Dogs' and she is tired and wanting to have a cuddle.

KINDY!!!!!!

Yesterday was MsR first day of kindy.  I wasn't sure how she would go  Would she run off and enjoy the interaction, pianting, crafts, singing, storytime?   Would she cling to me screaming so they would peel her off me and tell me to go and I would sit in the carpark crying as I heard her sobbing?  Would she be ok but later miss me and cry and wonder if I was coming back?  
She ran off and was very happy to play and said goodbye to me with a wave :)  :(   When I called later in the day they said she was having a goood time and no tears.  When I went to pick her and MrM up he came running over to me as per usual "mummymummymummy I missed you!"  kiss kiss hug hug.  She notchalantly strolled up
Me  "Had a good day?"
Her "Yep.  Did painting.  Thank you for the crackers mumma" 
Me  "Do you like kindy?  Want to come back tomorrow?"
Her  "Yep"
Hopefully it will continue and she will keep enjoying it.  We have had mixed reactions with the others in regards to kindy.  MrJ loved it at first, would run away when I went to pick him up and then decided he didn't like it and spent the next 6m crying and being very sad.  I was on the point of taking him out, much to everybody's disgust 'he needs to know who's boss'  'what about when he starts school'  'you can't let him rule you'  'he's fine he's just malipulating you'  so on and so forth.  About this time he decided he liked it again so problem solved.  MrS and MsH were OK, MrB for the most part liked it but some of the activities he didn't like (inside play on rainy days "too noisey mumma, hurts my ears")   and on those day he would be very sad and poor MrM never settled.  He got to the point where eveyday even before he got out of bed he would ask "is it daycare today?"  normally at 5am.  He was just so upset that we pulled him out.  And again peoples comments!!!   Yes because taking my 2 1/2yr old child out of daycare where he is desperately unhappy so it affects him when he is not at daycare, his stutter gets worse and he becomes extra clingy is your concern how????  Oh thats right by taking him out now at 2 1/2yrs old  he will never learn that he has to go to school/university/work and become a dole bludger????  
A new center opened up and we thought we'd give it a go.  Its a daycare but only for children 3-5yrs and after the initial settling in he is very happy there.  It helps the staff are so nice and it is a very small place, only 2 groups a day of about 20 children each.    MrM is a grasshopper and MsR is now a dragonfly. 
So here is a photo how the lunches look 6.30am on Thursday and Fridays.

Still not feeling well :(

I'm struggling with this ear infection, its mainly gone but the dr thinks that due to the ear swelling it triggered   Bell's Palsy so for the last week I have had the right half of my face not working.  The dr gave me a course of steriods (horrible things: anger, pmt, racing heart, vicious vicious heartburn to name a few side effects )   and said it may or may not get better.  Thanks!    I don't know if its that or what but I have been soooooo sleepy and most days crash after taking the big kids to school, yesterday MrM had a sleep with me but MsR just perched on my hip for 2hrs and watched cartoons while I slept.  And I still crashed out at 9pm!  So apart from sleeping I have been laying on the couch crocheting.   The house is a mess.
On another down side it seems I am an emotional cook, if I am sad or sick my cooking is crap.    Last night I made a pretty passable beef and green beans but the rice OMG!!  1/2 was raw and the other 1/2 gluggy-think crunchy wall paper paste.  I am hoping I do better tonight bbq chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed veg-pretty basic and I don't think I can mess it up.  Fingers crossed.

Editied to add:  Dinner was a success!!!  I even cooked a chocolate self saucing pudding, they licked their bowls clean.

Busy day and lamb kebabs and wraps for dinner.

Today dh and I tackled the jungle that has become our front garden.  Last November we had a whole new greywater system put in and what with rain, rain and more rain the weeds took off.  Some of them would have been over the little ones heads!!  Got about 1/4 done as they were quite easy to pull up due to the fact that it was sandy not hard packed dirt.  Clouds of mosquitoes went on the attack and eventually we had to make a run for it.  Breakfast and then we took MsH to sewing and the rest of us went to the library and the dump shop.  We scored 2 pingpong paddles and a quick stop on the way home and I bought a dozen balls for $2.   After we got home we tackled the house and now the children all have tidy rooms and I scrubbed the bathrooms and toilets.  Lucky me I always get the good jobs.
Tonight for dinner we had a favourite-lamb kebabs and homemade wraps on the bbq.  Deeeeeelish.  Not many scraps left for the chickens tonight.  I forgot to buy tomatoes so there was only lettuce but it was a lovely fresh crispy one not like the bitter ones of late.  We topped it off with a yoghurt dressing.  It seems the children take after me with their love of lettuce and not Dh who thinks lettuce is food of the devil :)
Tomorrow is supposed to be stormy so a day inside hmmm might have to schedual a lego competition...

School Camp

MrS went on school camp yesterday, just an overnighter.  He was very apprehensive but at the same time wanting to go.  Last year he went with his big brother MrJ and the was telling me up to the last that he didn't want to go.  He went and they shared a tent and the camp got rained out!  He went to bed early with a headache and in the night it rained and rained and rained.  The next morning we got to collect the little drowned rats and wash all the wet bedding and clothes!!!!  This time they are in cabins so hopefully things will be drier. 
Wow the difference with one of them gone-the whole vibe of the house was different and poor MrJ missed him :(  They share a room and are quite close, even sleeping together most nights.  So after moping around and keep coming out to tell us he couldn't sleep MrJ finally fell as;eep in our bed.  I turfed him out when I went to bed.  That was an expereince-you try getting a 45kg 160cm child out of your bed when they are dead asleep.  It did no good as he came back a few hours later :)   Big sleepy cuddles.
Can't wait to see him this afternoon and find out what he did. 

I am sick :( :(

Ouch, ouch, ouch.  I have a ripping ear infection in my right ear and the start one one in the left.  Yippeeeee!  I am feeling more than very sorry for myself.  Its still raining and I was going to get into the garden this w/end and weed.  The warm weather along with heaps of rain has meant that the weeds have taken over the garden. Oh it can wiat until next week-means that I can stock up on the aeroguard to combat the mossies.

Went to the fruit and vegetable shop and got a few bargins from the cheap table.  A box of bananas for $3.50 and 2 boxes of assorted veg mainly tomatoes for $2.50 each.  Wonderful!  I ended up making 3 1/2 jars of tomato sauce, roasted the capsicums and pickled the cucumbers.  I only went in there to get lettuce for dinner but ended up changing dinner plans as MrM and MsR requested mushrooms "but you never get mushrooms and I loooooooove them" so dinner of salad and roast potoatoes became mushroom/chicken pizza for the kids and capscicum and chilli for DH and I.  Mmmm I love homemade pizza and we have it quite a bit here.
The house smelt so richly of the simmering tomato sauce.  I froze it as it is a very rare treat as we eat mainly FAILSAFE .  Same for the bananas, will make them into banana cakes and freeze them and dole them out occassionally and the pickles. 
So back to the original plan of salad and roast potatoes for dinner tomorrow.  Big leafy green salad and teeny tiny crunchy garlic roasted potatoes.  Can hardly wait.......

Rain

Its still raining. Dh has been talking to the old sages at work and some say it will continue until mid April. MID APRIL!!! Everything is so wet, we sink to our ankles if we venture out in to the garden-thats if you can wade through the puddles. And the stench, oh my goodness the stink of stagnent puddles and mud-blurgggg. We are lucky enough to have a wrap around covered veranda so the tribe can go out and play even it its raining but the mossies are out in force. The remaining chickens are bedraggled and everything has that sticky feel due to the wet and heat.
Can you tell I am not liking the weather at the moment? Yes our tank is full-we are on tank water-but enough is enough, please let the ground dry out a little Mother Nature.
Anyway life goes on. Today I have a mountain of laundry to put away-the drier has been going all weekend. Normally when it rains I hang up the clothes outside under the veranda but the air is so muggy and damp that they don't dry, so in the drier they go.
Well I'm off to take the big ones to school.

catch up

Mmmmm....did forget again. I really need to do this more often.
OK lets play catch up. I can't believe its March already. We've had 2 birthdays already with one to come next week. I know ever mother says this but gosh time goes so quickly. My eldest mrJ-is so tall, he's as tall as me!!! He got a lizard for his birthday last month. He has named him/her Colbert (after the TV comedian Steven Colbert) Colbert is cute and I am taken by him/her. That with the surviving rat-Brownie, the giant cockroaches, rhino beetle and the 6 monkeys-hehehehe we are becoming a zoo. With mrJ getting the lizard everyone is now earmarking the pet they will get for their birthdays little msR says she wants a guinea pig but I think not so I made her one instead. msH wants a budgie and mrB and mrM wanting new rats or hermit crabs. mrS says giant stick insect. He really wants a dog but we have no fences at the moment and we are a little worried about mrJ's allergies.
well I'd better be off the kids have a friend staying over tonight and there is lots of banging, yelling and screaming from the bedrooms.