tsk tsk

I'd rather be cleaning my oven

i'm back already. I had great visions of staying away from my computer and sewing or painting. I thought I would have more space and time with Nic being home from work. But apparently being on holidays means sitting at the kitchen table with your computer and piles of paperwork and occasionally getting up to pull the kids apart.  I started on some sewing this morning, but remembered that I had promised to make Mr A some soup for lunch. I don't mind making soup, but I don't see it as a means to being creative. Well, maybe a little. I used what I had and made quite a tasty chicken, tomato and lentil soup, and to my amazement everyone liked it!

Then this afternoon I found myself stuck in there again, baking cupcakes. If you have read my posts before about baking you will know that I would rather be cleaning my oven! (something I don't do very often at all). Infact I think I would prefer to get pregnant again so I could ask my mother to do it for me!! Yes I have done this.

So not only did I burn myself, but I argued with Mr A about not giving him a clean spoon to lick because he didn't like the one I had used. "But I don't like that spoon mummy" If I had any sense I would have chosen to lose this fight and given him a clean spoon, but my stubborn nature wasn't going to give in. I guess I just wasn't happy to be baking in the first place.....AND IT WAS A PACKET MIXTURE!!!
(mental note. make a potholder from my Lotta simple sewing book because mine has a hole in that part where you have the loose bit of skin between the thumb and pointer finger and the skin hurts like hell there when you burn it on the oven shelf).

Of course there is dinner to come. I made an effort this morning to be organised so I didn't get to the 5pm time slot and have nothing defrosted or ready and end up cooking some kind of disaster. I defrosted some pork loin, so I'm bound to returning to the kitchen shortly and prepare it for roasting. I had visions of a fig and orange glaze, green beans, fresh salad, roasted spuds and pumpkin. Due to all these dishes, it might just get shoved in as it is! I can't cook anything else until I have a clean slate.

However, it is the holiday season, so an early glass of wine is perfectly asseptable behaviour

edit: The sauce has worked a treat. I cut 2 oranges, a big handful of semi dried figs, grated a small piece of fresh ginger then added it to a saucepan. Cooked until the oranges became all gooey. Added in about 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground fennel seeds, added a slosh of port and a little bigger slosh of balsamic vinegar. Cooked it for about 10-15 min on a low heat. I then placed it through a sieve. I rubbed in some quince paste on top of the pork and then poured over the orange sauce. Then just cook the pork as you normally would..that's if you eat pork. If not open up some baked beans and eat on some freshly toasted bread..this is by far the easier option and requires less cleaning.

BOXING DAY SALE

Don't Miss out! CRAZY prices. Out They Go...walking out the door. MADNESS I TELL YOU!!!!! 20% OFF AND MORE............

Hurry On down to tsktsk today!

wrapping it up

feeling a little tired, and frustrated at not having yet completed all my non-Christmas tasks by today. I had a shocker today with cranky kids. It seemed that every time I tried sitting down to do something, it only lasted for 5 minutes before some minor tragedy occurred over food or toys. Tomorrow is another day. And the day after that is Mr N's birthday so until then I really can't get too excited about Christmas. This year it will be nice and quiet. We are heading out to a restaurant for lunch, avoiding relies, hopefully having some fun in a pool and cooking an easy no fuss meal for our dinner.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I just want to wish you a very happy, safe and joyous end of the year. I might post before then, if not, I'll see you next year.

note: this pic was taken by mr A. He stood on the toilet to get my face in. it took him over 14 tries, but eventually he got one of me without 1/2 my head out of the frame.

Last Freebie for the year

I have uploaded two new wallpaper images if you would like to change your computer. See Free Wallpaper to the right for snowflakes and seasons greetings. Enjoy. Don't ask me why I did snowflakes, when I live in the southern hemisphere for Christmas. I just love the shape of them! Hopefully those of you who actually live where there is snow this time of year will appreciate them.

there were five green bottles....

I see the light. The light of relaxation and finishing of work, yes it is just around the corner. I am almost there and today really felt like the beginning of the end of the year. I had lunch here with a few friends and many happy children. Father Christmas even paid us a little visit, thanks to a very generous granny who loves popping on the red suit and white beard. There were Secret Santa pressies, champagne and table decorations to make the day extra special. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday afternoon, even though now my house looks like a bomb has hit it. Thankfully Mr A is enjoying all the left over wrapping paper for collage time.

fairy lights and summer rain

the next few days of advent will be in the hands of a very loving nonno and nonna! The kids are on hols with them so I packed brown paper bags that contain little advent surprises. Today is a note asking them to find Christmas beetles in the garden. Tomorrow is more bubble bath in the shape of a Christmas tree, then I'm sure it will probably be chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. I have no idea except they won't want to come home to boring old stickers! I'm spending these very precious days finishing my Christmas shopping, my work orders and getting ready to put together my new site which has been under construction for some time. Oh, and I am counting on my first full night sleep in weeks.

I have to say that I feel like I am finally winding down. The summer days are lovely and relaxing. Fairy lights and summer rain fill my nights.

small people big hearts

amongst some of the very special swaps I have made recently is this one I received today from marianne at applehead To see more of all of these click here. thank you so much. Trading art and craft with others really is so special and rewarding. The generosity is amazing.

What is also amazing is that my 8 year old dog now knows the word kookaburra. One landed on our verandah today and ever since I mentioned the word to the kids, Kransky decided to get all barky and happy after he spied it. Now all I have to do is mention the K word and he runs straight to the window to see if one is there. I think he thinks he is one of the kids too.

reindeer dust and good nights

thank you all who left lovely comments and suggestions re Miss M's sleeping endeavours. Last night we had a really long talk to both of them about what bed time means and reinforced the rules. I also offered stickers to the first child who did a bedtime task..ie. the first one to go to the loo, gets a sticker, first one to get their pjs on, gets a sticker. I'm sure there are some of you reading saying,"you shouldn't play them off like that, its not good for their egos" Bollocks. Life is competitive and they need to understand that you can't always win. So the first child to fall asleep would find a sticker left outside their bedroom door this morning.

They reacted so well to this. Mr A fell asleep first, no surprises there. And Miss M only took 25 minutes to settle down, and not once did she get out of her bed to ask for something. We were ecstatic. Except..... remember how I said everything backfires?

Well this morning at 1.15am she entered our room and announced 'mamma, I don't want any stickers.'
We will try again tonight with enthusiasm and live in hope.

meanwhile, it is Mr A's last day of kindy ever.  So Advent yesterday was making magic reindeer dust for kindy friends and teachers. Today, being the 11th day, they found some Christmas stickers to decorate presents.

To make your own reindeer dust. sprinkle some bird seed and glitter into a bag and follow the instructions.

magic reindeer dust
on christmas eve, sprinkle all over your lawn
the glitter will shine in the moonlight
and lead santa to your house before dawn.

I need some energy

i'm fed up with having noooooo sleep. I feel like a mother of a newborn child again!! sorry i have to get this out. click away if you must.

Miss M just refuses to sleep reasonable hours. She wakes at 4am every morning and pays us a visit. I take her back every morning to her room Sometimes she doesn't go back to sleep.

She hasn't slept during the day on a regular basis since she was about 20 months old. AND....she doesn't fall asleep at night until 8.45pm at the earliest. I can hear her right now (8.26pm) arguing with Mr N about it. She is procrastinating by saying " i need something to eat. I need some energy' HELLO!!! You have more energy than an electrical storm. We have tried everything. We have always instilled a routine of bath, book and bed by 7.30pm. Never any TV. Mr A goes to sleep without a problem, unless he has had a sleep during the day and then he is just happy to read or play quietly in his room. We have tried music, lavender, herbal rescue remedy spray 'to comfort and reassure', soft toys, night lights, glow in the dark bangles, magic fairy dust, sitting with her, leaving the door open, telling stories, singing songs,letting her sleep on cushions on the floor etc etc etc. Everything backfires.

"Let her cry it out" I hear some of you say. But honestly she has enough energy to cry for 45 minutes at a time. Not something I really want to listen to at the end of a very looooong day.
And to think I have the teenage years to come!

I often find that as soon as I remark, complain, call it what you will, about something so openly, then it fixes itself. Crossing my fingers that we will see some changes very soon.

Advent day 8: a trip to the city to see the most 'hugangic' Christmas tree ever and the shop windows
Advent day 9: another humbug...not too much thought went into this one.

swippity swap

i have been swapping with a few people of late and have still yet to complete one..OK, I mean start one.

So I will be posting about the gifts I am receiving and sending when I can. The first swap was with Melly and Rosie from Melly and Me. I should get my gift early next week, but they already have theirs.

Advent Day 7

noodle rides in the pool whilst listening to some Christmas music.