This week....

What an up and down week... 

On Monday I found out that a couple from Roxby that we know had a stillborn baby. 

Absolutely heartbreaking. I don't know what happened but really think in this day and age, should things like this happen? Unfortunately they do and it just isn't fair. N&K have been in my thoughts all week. How could you go on? But they just have to. The world keeps spinning while theirs would be in a state of utter emotion. Not fair. 

My week in pics.

 Sunday I made passata in the thermie. 

I have had that many tomatoes, I've been making relish, passata, and other tomato preserves. I'm ready for them to be finished but have heaps more!! Next year, only two plants instead of 4!! 

 Saturday and Sunday we went to the Lions' Hostel for a family reunion where I found this gem in one of my Nanna's scrapbooks... Far out!! I laughed at the stew being up to normal standards...

 This little girl loves Kindy!! It's great!! 

 Wednesday I cut down one of my giant sunflowers to take it to school for Mia's teacher and when we got to school we discovered a catapillar on one of the leaves. The kids all really enjoyed the sunflower, it was quite trashed by the end of the day because I think there were many hands all over it during the day. 

 Milkshake and donut for this little girl. Oh and a babycino too!! She had the lot!! 

 Lexi also painted with those little paints hard paints.. 

This ones mine!! I love it!

 I started art class on Thursday with Jill P. I was feeling a little down before I started but who knew that art could boost you up? Well, I did know that being creative helps out in that sense but felt much better afterward. I don't love my start but will paint over a bit of this next week and get on my merry way!! 

 Flowers from hubby on Valentines Day. Such a lovely surprise and I'm missing him quite a bit and so are the girls, these came along on the right day!! 

 A kindy excursion to the front beach on Friday. The kindy has been reading Grandpa and Thomas, so they made sandcastles at the beach and went for a walk up the beach to look for treasures.. A lovely morning...

 My nephew came over for a play yesterday while his parents went to the Theatre to watch Jack Reacher. These two had a great time, and loved clopping around in Lexi's 'glass slippers' as she calls them. And a play under a barely running sprinkler kept them amused for some time too!! 

 I made this yummy salad for tea Friday night. Mango and chicken, corainder and chilli, cucumber, red onion, salad leaves. It was a winning combo. Oh and lemon juice all over too. Mmmm....

A new quilt cover always makes me feel good, and I really love this one!! 

And today? I'm thinking a beach visit later just to one of the local beaches around 4 when the tide is a bit higher. Finish off my last granny square for Woolies For Tassie then stitch in the ends, then am going to maybe try and learn granny stripe... Mel Goodsell gave me a link last night on Instagram, and the blanket looks divine. I love Instagram, lucky for me, Mel responded to my question in record time, which led to me laying in bed looking at Attic24 for quite some time when I should have been going to sleep!! Time to try to learn how to read patterns I think. Eeep. I know I can do it... 

I'm so looking forward to E2C soon too.. Getting slowly organised for it. Knowing me, I'll end up packing in the last day or so, but trying to get organised already.... 

Thinking of N&K and also another friend who is going through a hard time, why life throws such things at us, I'll never know...   

Happy Shiny Sunday... 

What's your week been about??

x

Hells Bells, it's 2013

Happy New Year!

I haven't been blogging much lately and to be honest, not sure it's high on my list of priorities anymore.

I've had a bit of an up and down year. Really struggling to deal with the FIFO lifestyle, am organised and calm and then things seem to fly out the window when Brenton is home, and of course I want him here ALWAYS, but I am still trying to learn to work my life into the FIFO ways of things. I do have to let go more. But I am a person who likes things done in certain ways around the home and get enormously pissed off when I have to re-explain things every 3 weeks.... Anyway, that's my problem, and it's not going to change, so I guess I have to be the one to learn and change...

2012 did see me learn to crochet granny squares which was/is hugely rewarding for me!! 

I even made a baby blanket for a very special baby!! 

We bought an old Millard Pop top Caravan (Gertie) which we loved but ultimately was too small and too old for us. So we bought a fantastic Coromal off road pop top about a month or more ago and have really fallen in love with it. I call her Maggie. The beds only pull out to doubles, so I sleep in a bed with Mia and Brenton sleeps in a bed with Lexi so we all have lots of room... It is a fantastic addition to our family. We sold Gertie and she was gone within 24 hours of advertising her for sale so that was good too..

We had a huge amount of renos done to the outside of our house and it looks fantastic. We just need a few screens and a new side gate/fence to finish it off in a couple of months and I will feel happy. Then I can really get stuck into the front garden. We also had a lot of landscaping done in the backyard wasteland, and it is so much better now. I love the addition of 3 vegie patches, I truly love the feeling of getting all we need out of the backyard to accompany our dinner. It can be a fair bit of work and the garden has been sadly neglected over the last few weeks, but I will get out there soon to pull weeds, and a bit of maintainence. I've been enjoying making my zucchini pickle and just yesterday I made beetroot and onion relish which I must say was deluxe on my bbq meat last night. We've added a cubby house for the kids and Father Christmas bought the girls a tramp which they love. Not sure why he bought such a HUGE one which covers up most of our new grass area, but there you go... It might have been the cheapest on for him to buy in K-Mart... 

We had 3 weeks holiday in Darwin at the end of June and into July. I was honored to be Chief Bridesmaid or Matron of Honour or whatever I was called. I regretted being so far away from Amber as she prepared for her most special day. I did feel a bit 'out of it', but that's what happens when we live so far apart. But to be in Amber and Mark's wedding was the biggest honour, and I would do it all again, although I might have slipped in another quick weekend visit up there to see her before she got married!! Just to be greedy!!

I attended E2C in April last year, I just love this retreat! People who get to go, know what I mean. I always come home in a totally different frame of mind, at least for 24 hours!! LOL!! I also attended the mini in October, and can't wait for March, the women who organise this retreat Amanda and Meredith, are sanity savers!! With a huge amount of flair and organisational skills to boot!! 

We went to Adelaide and did touristy things with the kids in the last lot of school holidays, it was a great break. Ice-skating, Central Market, a night with one of my best friends in Mt Barker, A day shopping at Harbour Town, Zoo, Art Gallery and SA Museum. All good stuff. 

Lexi had another yearly checkup, she's going fantastically, and no need for further surgery, but we will be having 12 monthly checkups for who knows how long. As long as is needed.

We spent Easter in Pt Neill and have just come home from staying up there over New Years. All good stuff, getting away and it's only an hour up the coast. Great for the kids, to swim and just be a little feral. Mia learnt to Jetty Jump this last time we were there. A fantastic feat, she did it one step at a time. We are so lucky to have such fantastic places around here and wonderful friends to share it all with!! 

Mia turned 8 in August. I am so proud of the way she is growing up, she's a normal girl, popular with her peers, by the end of the year she was writing fantastically and was particularly great in a debate!! 

She's friendly and loving, and while she had a few issues this year with a girl, I hope next year is different in that respect. She did hip hop classes last year with Ashlee, as well as art with Jill, both of which she loved very much. She also did a term of Basketball skill, which she loved too!!

We will continue to let her choose the direction of after school activities. I think kids have the rest of their lives to be busy busy busy, I don't think it's neccesary to have them too busy to be able to entertain themselves... We love you MIA!! 

Lexi turned 4 last week. Our heart baby is growing up, she's a delight, if a little crazy, knows how to tell white lies already, and if she tells you she wants a vegemite sandwich, when you bring it to her, she'll say 'I wanted peanut butter' Little Miss Contradictory I call her. She has loved 2 morning sessions of childcare for the rest of the year once I stopped working, and is quite a social little girl, warms to everyone she meets... She is totally ready for Kindy which she calls Kindygym. I am sad that she's not little anymore, but to be honest, I love the independence that growing up gives them..

Me, I am now 37, but still feel like I am in my early 20's. I have kind of a bad attitude at times, and while I have a sympathetic ear to friends in need, I also tire of bullshit fairly quickly. I'm quick to fire up and slow to cool down. I am me. I am Ali. And that is that.

This year, I want to keep crocheting, sewing, and scapping, growing veggies and keeping my little family happy, while teaching them some skills so that they can look/do for themselves a little more. 

Happy New Year, here's to more Meatless Mondays, no added sugar, more Quinoa, not many carbs, and lots of protein. And lots of learning about new things!! 

Oh and being more organised!! 

This is a no photo post as it seems to be taking forever for me to find the photos I want to upload and to be honest, I just can't be bothered!!

Happy New Year. 

x

Escape 2 Create Scrapathon 2012

It was so fantastic to get my scrap groove on again. I really do still love to scrap and have mountains of photos to get through, so can't see that I'll ever stop. A friend of a friend, and now she's my friend too Liz came,  and my sister-in-law Anele came too. They had never been before and for particularly Anele, she learnt alot as she is still quite a new scrapper. We had a seriously good time... Lots of talking, a little bit of drinking and of course eating too! The Escape 2 Create girls make it so wonderful for us to escape our daily grinds and come and get creative and invigorated. 

The date for the 2013 retreat has been released and I just cannot wait for the registrations to come and go so that I will know wether I am in, then I can sit back and relax. I'm so glad the girls don't release the date and then make us wait for months to register. I think I would go mad waiting to know if I got in!! 

Anyway, I dribble.... 

My first LO and possibly my favourite, she's come a long way this girl. I would never want to wish a sick child upon anyone, but she has changed me. I am still that impatient Mum, have a yell here and there, but on the whole, I think it has made me a better person... She's our miracle.. (so is Mia, because to fall pregnant in the first place, tell everyone at 5 weeks, have an uneventful pregnancy, and have a healthy child is also a miracle, you just don't realise how much of a miracle a truly healthy kid is until you know how many things can and do go wrong)

Bright, fun, I love photos and memories of Summer!! 

Lexi and Ethan. Sometimes but not always these two together = madness!! 

Lexi's 3rd birthday. She ran around topless with a little pink tutu on... And had an absolute ball!! 

The big one that didn't get away!! 

I love this one too. Do love me a little bit of washi tape! 

Daddy and his little girl... 

For Mia's birthday her Dad went to work in Roxby in the morning for a few hours, hopped in the work car, drove it here, walked in and surprised the hell out of us all, then hopeed back in and drove back at 7:30am the next day.. It made Mia feel so happy! 

Making muddy soup in the backyard!! 

Asleep on my lap, a rare thing these days... Love her peacefulness...

At the beach...

I love this LO too. Some words of wisom for Mia... 

And that's about it for now. x

Backyard Reno

Hi, yes I am still alive... 

I just haven't been bothered to blog. 

Winter made me feel pretty down and so I didn't feel like blogging because I just would have been whinging... 

And I could have whinged because after all, it's my blog. 

Around here we have had renovations happening, basically the whole exterior of our house has been re-done. Asbestos removed, the house was insulated, re-clad in varying textures and finishes.. It looks fantastic, and I'm glad we have done it, but it was quite disruptive to being outside. Also we had major landscaping done in the back yard which is fantastic too.. Already the kids are out there way more than before... I've planted lots of little seedlings and am very excited about tending to them and watching them grow and encouraging my girls to get out and water them, and to pick freshness right from the plant! That's the bit I want them to get into. Last Summer we did enjoy picking our own produce... 

A little overview of the work done in the yard. And yes it wasn't cheap, but we really want to stay in this house, so want to make it just how we want. Well, with what we have to work anyway!! 

We have a fantastic view and it's close to the town centre, schools, everything really! Next thing  are to fix/replace some fences.. But we know a guy who can help us out, and working out what to do with all the dirt areas in the yard.. Cubby house first, then we will work around that. I'm thinking paths... 

I've been into scrapping a bit more. I went with my SIL and my friend Liz to E2C's mini retreat at Trinity a few weeks ago and was able to finish 13 LO's so was happy with that. 

I'll be back soon, not sure when but not in two months!! 

I might try and upload all my LO's from the retreat! 

This girl....

This girl is seven, almost eight.

She's been having problems at school with a group of girls. 

She is in a class of 24, many of whom are boys, not many girls at all, maybe seven. 

Of this seven, she and two others are thick as thieves. 

The problem being that one of these three has an ultra strong personality. 

She tries to control the other two and to a lesser extent, the other girls in the class too.

Mia has been told, 'I won't be your friend unless your ears are pierced' and other silly things that are totally out of Mia's control or decision. Mia has tried to break away and play with other kids, this other girl comes along and yells at Mia for playing with other kids, or whispers in her ear about not playing with them because of this and that... Whatever reason she thinks of at that moment. 

First day back at school this term and they were separated from playing with each other at recess and lunch, because arguments happened at recess. I think the arguments happen because Mia stands up for herself and others. Segregated into different areas. I think it's a good idea. Mia has lots of other gorgeous friends at the school, but the three girls always gravitate toward each other.

I've been talking to Mia about how she has lots of friends, and now is the time to re-discover them. 

She has had lots of upset times about this, which seem to flare up at bedtime, where she can't sleep, and is so very upset. 

I'm not really sure how to guide her, I'm trying my best. But it truly saddens me that this crap is happening already in her sweet little life. They are only little for so long and she is being made to face crap that she shouldn't have to already!! 

I must say that the school has been very supportive through it all.

Any advice appreciated. 

Back soon with more, but this is what I felt like getting out today.

Meatless Monday Porotos granados

Feeling enthused all over again about eating less meat, I saw that Tatum been busy in her meatless kitchen and I felt all inspired yet again. 

Today I feel so tired and exhausted from a quick weekend away with HeartKids, to Pichi Richi Park just south of Quorn, SA. (A fantastic spot for large groups) 

I plucked something out of Hugh's Veg book and grabbed the ingredients from Woolies after school drop off...

The recipe.... 

It looks quite thick in the book but mine is very soupy... 

I would say NOT to add the whole litre of stock unless you want it loose and soupy, which I happen to love. I added a can of kidney beans after this photo, purely because I can. They beans are like a velvety surprise in the soup. Great! 

Also in the bread maker at the moment, to be pigged out on later is Veggie Mama's rye bread. I can officially say that I'm in love. I can eat lots of it today while it's fresh and yummy, and toast it for days to come!! Win/win!! 

 I highly recommend you make this bread. Highly.

Yeasty goodness foaming away in the bread maker. I popped the warm water in last and sprinkled the yeast on top, it foamed up a treat!! 

Happy Meatless Monday..

Leave me a comment or leave your bloglink so I can come and visit.....

p.s. I didn't re-write the recipe, I'm pretty sure if you click on the photo, you should be able to read it, but I truly think that if you love eating Meat free sometimes or are a vegetarian, you should buy Hugh's book, it is a fantastic investment!! 

Feeling Good.

Sometimes we don't always feel good. 

Well, I don't. We judge ourselves against others, and get hurt over the small stuff. (note to self: don't sweat the small stuff) I've been feeling a bit un-worthy since not working, even though I really feel that it's right for our family. Because I've been comparing myself to others and what they choose to do. When in all reality it's not what I would choose for myself. Even though I'm very happy for my friends and their achievements, personal and in the workplace.

 So, after having a pep talk to myself, I've felt so much better and worthy of myself in my own eyes, because truth be known, no-one is actually judging me, it's me who is judging me... 

I have been having the best week (since Tuesday anyway) being in my home and surrounding myself with family and my gorgeous girls.

My week....

Lexi looking at River Cottage Veg Everyday....

 Watching my sleeping girls... something so special about that.

Art Journalling... Simple start but great fun. 

I used to love keeping a diary when I was younger and now I'm going to keep an arty one.... 

I went to the school for a healthy eating seminar. My plate is bottom right, we got judged by two year 1 kids... I didn't win even though I was sending out the positive vibes. I loved this seminar and feel like my eyes have been opened! Go to the go for 2 and 5 website and click on the kids bit for fun activities for the kids.

Absolutely feeling like a hot housewife drinking out of this mug. It really helped!! haha!!

(My Mothers Day pressie to myself)

 Between this retro fabuloso book and Crafty Minx I AM learning how to crochet. And I really am loving that little achievement! I'll have my granny square rug finished by 2014 I just know it!! haha!!

Mia has a girl in her class who is being a little bit of a bully to her and the other girls in the class. I don't think this other girl copes when she doesn't get her own way. No blame on my part to this girl, but I pulled out this book to read ( I never have) to give me some insight into my precious daughters. To help them learn the tools to deal with this type of stuff, it's only the start...  And I need to talk with Mia more, or more importantly, let her talk to me!! 

Babycino time on Friday with the In-laws. 

Making a chain. Pretty proud of myself. Last night I managed to get off the chain and start crocheting on the chain. Not sure of the terminology there but happy Jan!! 2014 here I come! 

I made Veggie Mamas Rye Loaf, I loved it so much and Mum and Dad came 1 minute after it got out of the oven and they loved it too... I might make the dough in the bread machine next time,but I wanted to do it all by hand this time though... Happy with the result.

Cauliflower fritters. Yum with a minty garlicky yoghurt sauce. Not from the Veg Everyday book, but a veg meal nonetheless , I really loved these... 

My gorgeous jewel box from Mia for Mothers Day. So special. And a lovely card and a beautiful handmade tissue flower... Made my day!! 

Indulging in homemade quince paste. One of Mum's friends made it, so much better than Maggie Beer's (sorry Maggie) It wasn't as sweet and it's homemade, that makes anything better, right?? 

 

Mum and I yesterday. Love this woman. So much.

A photo this morning from the post office for the Fat Mum Slim photo a day. The prompt is grass. 

I really am so happy to be back home. I would love to be nearer to Adelaide, but this place would have to be one of the better regional areas to live in. Although I'm sure others would beg to differ..... 

Have a happy week, looking back I've had a busy and productive week.... xx