Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Pasta Surprise!

Have you ever looked inside your fridge, then your cupboards, then back to the fridge, repeating this process several times before concluding that you have no idea how to turn all the ingredients you just saw into something edible? I do this every night. 

Tonight, I managed to make a new family favourite!

I am calling it 'pasta surprise'. Why? Because the ingredients can vary depending on what you have in your cupboard. I found that this combination was particularly tasty and not wanting to forget it, I thought I'd blog it while it's fresh in my mind.

Ingredients
1 medium onion
6 bacon rashers
2 chicken breasts
1 small capsicum
4 Tomatoes
1 can champignons  
1 small bunch brocollini 
1 cup water
tsp garlic
Tbsp chicken stock powder
1 cup cream
1-2 Tbsp corn flour 
Tbsp olive oil
500g Pasta

 In a medium/hot frying pan heat olive oil. Dice onion, chicken and bacon and add to pan with garlic. Once they are cooked set aside. Dice vegetables and champignons, adding to pan with the chicken stock and water. Put pasta on now. Once veggies are cooked add the previously cooked chicken mix and add cream. Put corn flour in a cup with a Tbsp of water, stir until corn flour is dissolved. Add the corn flour to the frying pan mix and stir until the cream has thickened. (Unless you don't want it thickened, then just forget this step). Once pasta is cooked add the pan ingredients and stir through. Dinner's ready!!!!

Okay, so this cooked enough to feed my army of 7 and have a bit more left for my lunch tomorrow. If you don't have that many mouths to feed I suggest halving the ingredients and freezing any left overs for a yummy lunch a couple of week from now! If you try it, let me know what you think! 

Sorry I didn't take a picture..... in the middle of moving...... I have no idea where my camera cable is!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Homemade Christmas


I have started to put serious thought to my home made Christmas present list and I have some serious work ahead of me if I make all that I plan to! I have already made one of the rag dolls that I am going to make for all my girls and nieces. 
I have used this pattern. I made these pyjamas loosely based on the pattern for a dress which is provided on the same site. I will also make a dress for each doll. I love love love rag dolls! I even want a rag doll cat...... but that's another story!


Monday, October 31, 2011

Busy Busy Busy!

Today was Day 4 of the organisation challenge. Linen cupboard. Here is my before......

and the after.....

The bottom half of the cupboard.......

and the after.....

As I have not shown you the other before and after shots, here they are for your organisational inspiration!
 Day 3 - Tupperware
Before

After

Day 2 was the computer desk and wasn't worth showing! But here is Day 1 - the junk draw!
Before

After

So, that brings you up to date! I am getting so inspired by these simple tasks that today, I actually went the extra mile and cleaned out two of my children's clothes cupboards! I feel like super mum now, haha!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Day 2 and eating

I was glad to find that today's challenge was 'computer desk'. It's Saturday. I did the bare minimum all day. The computer desk had two pieces of paper to put away and some dusting. Hooray! I didn't bother with before and after photos. 

I baked this amazing treat yesterday.

Lemon Bars

 From blog queen Bakerella
I was not disappointed in the result! I am disappointed in my lack of self control as I know it can not be healthy to consume the amount I have in the last 24 hours! I keep telling myself 'it will all be gone soon and then it won't tempt me any longer!' and I'm right! Haha! So, I think I will go make a cup of tea, sit down with the remnants of  one of the yummiests baked goods EVER!!! 


Thursday, October 27, 2011

Day 1 of tidying challenge!

The junk draw. 

Where things go to die.

Oh how many precious things I thought were there, actually there was not.

Day 1, done and dusted.

(I did take photos but still can't find camera cable....grrrr!)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

21 Day organisation challenge



Thank you A Bowl Full Of Lemons for this very thoughtful challenge. I loved seeing your before and after photos! I now feel totally inspired. 
This will challenge me to my very core! I am not an organised person. I love things to be organised, but somehow missed the gene that my mum has and ended up with dad's lazy, disorganised, frazzled gene! I believe people can change though. Maybe I can't change my genetics but I can fight them! 

I hope to include photos, IF I can find the cord that connects my camera to my computer (technology.....agh). I will start tomorrow and let you know how it goes. 

Friday, October 14, 2011

Princess Birthday Party

If you have a daughter (or two....or three) then chances are at some stage you will be hosting a princess party.

My little princess recently had a party with just this theme. Very fitting for a princess turning 5. Last year my 9 year old  also had a princess party, so that may have been what put my then 4 year old onto the idea. 

For my 5 year old we did a couple of things that you may not have done before and they were a big hit! Each princess decorated their own crown/tiara. Simple and effective. They have just done a craft, which most 5 year old's love. They have a keep sake, who doesn't love that? They now have a beautiful hand crafted dress up to flaunt all party long. 

I spray painted pieces of plain printing paper, some gold, some silver. I cut the paper in halves, using one half folded length ways a couple of times as the back of the tiara. The other half I cut a simple crown design into. I made about 8 different designs but probably only needed 1 or 2 to keep things simple. I put a container of glue, a bunch of paint brushes, stickers and sequins on a plate for decorating. The crowns were individually measured upon arrival to fit to their heads and I used sticky tape to attach the folded back strip of paper to the Crown looking front piece. They LOVED it! 

I also did something similar for the 9yr old party, however it involved a hot glue gun and a lot more close supervision. Never again. 

The second thing my 5yr old party goers enjoyed was decorating their own cup cakes. I had made a batch of cup cakes the previous day. All icing was made, separated into little containers and coloured. A plate of assorted sprinkles and lollies was put in the middle of the table. Beware! Very keen princesses can stampede like rhinos when there is fun to be had.

I also suggest asking a friend to photograph the blessed event. Mum's very rarely have the time to make birthday wishes come true and photograph them at the same time! I am so very glad that my great friend Bec Barker Photography was able to capture all the precious moments that occurred.....THANK YOU!!!!  

Thursday, September 29, 2011

So sweet

My very talented friend and I love to do photo shoots! In fact my friend has a blog built around how much she likes to take photos. We recently did a shoot of our children, just for fun. This is my little miss number 4. So precious!

They are only little for such a short time! I hope to make the most of it.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Home Schooling beginnings

So, I'm pretty seriously considering homeschooling my kids.

I have such huge excitement every time I think about it! I have written up plan after plan. I researched until I have felt completely hopeless, then researched until I felt completely competent (and back and forth it goes!). I have consulted all my teacher friends. I have absolutely yakked my husband's ear off (sorry). I have even actually convinced my mum that it is a brilliant idea! I have been talking to my children about it for a few years and they all think it sounds great!

Now what??? Well, I was waiting for the right timing. God's timing. I now even feel that He is giving me the go-ahead. Do you know that feeling when you have been waiting and anticipating and the date gets closer and you think you are going to pop? (Every woman who has ever been pregnant knows what I'm talking about!) Well, I feel like that. I like it.

I keep thinking that I will do it next year. I still need to find a good math program. I still need to do a lot of things. However, most people I talk to say 'just jump in, you will figure it out as you go'. That is pretty much my life! So that approach works for me.

I love the idea of blogging my whole experience, come what may! I plan to. Time may restrict me but I will try!