This will revolutionize your life!

I kid you not, this WILL revolutionize your life! A wonderful friend taught me to do this years ago and it has been my favourite (and I might as well admit, only) party trick ever since. What to do with all those shopping bags that we all end up with? Despite my grand intentions to be "green", there are times when I forget my bags and end up with a whole load of plastic. Now since they have made the bags thinner and thinner, they don't always make it out the other side of a grocery trip intact, but when they do, there are myriad uses for them. The only problem is storage ... plastic bags take up a lot of room. Well they do if you haven't yet mastered this amazing trick. Read on and then by all means grab your own bag and give it a try. I know you can do it and I will be so proud of you!

 Think of all the places these little triangles would be handy .... in the car, in your handbag, in the nappy bag, for wet bathers when the kids go swimming, for dirty washing on school camp .... the list goes on and on! Enjoy ...oh, and you're welcome.

A spot of gardening

To say I am not a gardener is somewhat of an understatement. In fact, my most recent attempt at gardening involved me trying to prune with what I thought was secateurs but actually turned out to be tin snips! Dear husband was not amused.

But I have decided to throw my hat in the ring again this year and try a spot of gardening. I would love to have a fabulous kitchen garden full of vegetables and salad offerings but my dear husband has suggested that I start small, very small (in fact, maybe not at all, I think I heard him mutter ... just buy some from the supermarket; it will save us all a lot of heartache!) But I am determined to give this a go. I thought maybe herbs. Surely they can't be that difficult.

I have seen some amazing kitchen and herb gardens on Pinterest but I am contenting myself for the time being with my one little planter. I will keep you posted but hopefully I will be harvesting my own basil for homemade brushetta in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed.

Happy though married

Last month, David and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. We were on holidays in beautiful Apollo Bay and I happened to be sitting with a cuppa reading the newspaper. I read an interview with Leslie Mann, actress and main character in the movie, This is 40.  She was saying that she was sick of seeing movie marriages portraying happy couples; holding hands, kissing, with great sex lives etc etc. She complained that no one has a marriage like that. So she and her husband (who is the also the director) decided to make a movie that tells it like it really is. (Incidently, this movie is very entertaining, if you can get past all the swearing.)

This article made me just a tad cross! "Why are you expected to be unhappy if you are married?" I demanded of David (who was busy reading his own book at the time and had no idea where this question had come from). Why would you be content with an unhappy marriage, especially if you are planning to do the "til death we part" bit. So on Valentine's Day, here are my top 10 tips (in no particular order) for a HAPPY marriage.

DISCLAIMER: We don't have a perfect marriage or relationship! But we are happy together.

1. Hold hands.

2. Be affectionate.

3. Don't EVER wear flannel pyjamas (unless you are on a girls weekend) ... that's all I will say about that - my mum reads this blog!

4. Don't keep score. No marriage is 50 / 50. Put in 100%.

5. Communicate. Don't do the silent thing. I am a yeller! I get it off my chest and then I can start over. (Please note: I am not actually recommending this. I am sure there are healthier ways to communicate ...) Just keep communicating.

6. Do stuff together.

7. Do stuff by yourself.

8. Reminisce. Relive the fun times you have had together.

9. Say sorry. David is much better at this than me .... (I won't say anything about him having had more practice!) Seriously though, I find this hard but do it anyway!! We have the same rules as we have for our girls: be specific, use the person's name and say what you are sorry for. And no excuses get to be included with an apology.

10. Keep working at it. Some years seem to be much harder than others. No person is perfect nor is any relationship.

Oh, and on a side note, the girls have loved waking up to new hearts on their bedroom doors each day (and David too). This new tradition is definitely a keeper. Happy Valentine's Day.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

I have been on a mission since we returned from our summer holidays: to declutter the house of all the items we do not use or love. I have, of course, tried this many times in the past but this year I have my serious hat on. No cupboard is safe. It is time for all those unused items to go. That is until I reached the cupboard that has housed all my baby clothes. 4 precious, beautiful girls equals a LOT of clothes I can assure you. And each one is a trip down memory lane as I recall who gave it to us as a gift or what occasion/s it was worn on. I dare say I could give you this information for almost every item of clothing my girls own. So, what to do with it all?

For us, we are done having babies {sigh} but these items really tug at my heartstrings and I have struggled to let them go. I have put aside one special outfit that I associate with each of my girls as a tiny baby to keep in their memory boxes but that didn't seem to be quite enough. And so back into the cupboard it went.

I recently came across a lovely idea that I think might just be the answer to my sentimental side. It is called a memory quilt. I have seen them made out of favourite t-shirts before but never thought about making one out of those favourite baby clothes. My heart sang when I saw this. It was just what I have been looking for; a way to preserve those items I love but in a new, practical form.

I am pleased to report that I have now sorted through ALL my baby clothes (many, many tubs full!) and I have put aside the special pieces I want to include in my memory quilt. All of the others I have either listed on a local Buy, Swap, Sell site or given away. You cannot believe the amount of cupboard space I have reclaimed. And I feel like a weight has been lifted too.

I can't wait to start assembling my own memory quilt. It will be something I can treasure forever. I may even use it to cover my grandchildren one day. Who knows?

(* Photos of memory quilts from www.maidenjane.com)

Out of the mouths of babes ...

If you have children (or spend any time around children) you will know that they tend to say exactly what comes into their little heads. This can make for some hilarious moments. It can also cause their parents excruciating embarassment from time to time too! I would love to remember all these funny little things they say but the truth is that I have a mind like a sieve. So I have resorted to more permanent record keeping methods.

I am a scrapbooker (that sounds like a confession somehow) and each of my girls has their own album or albums. To ensure that I don't forget those funny little things they say, the last page of each album is dedicated to recording their precious words. When I start a new album for them, I design a page with room for me to write bits and pieces so that I can record them as they happen. This is my best defence against a failing memory. The girls think some of the things they said or did when they were younger are incredibly funny. It's a nice way to remember them at those younger ages.

Megan: "In the olden days, the world used to be in black & white" (passing on some 7 year old wisdom to her younger sisters. She had seen a black & white show on the TV).

After watching the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, David said to Alison "Would you like to learn archery Ali?"   Ali: "Yes but I don't think I'll do the flaming arrows". (I don't think that is actually an option they give 7 year olds!)

 

I really encourage you to do something with those funny little tidbits. Some people use a notebook or a journal, if you are good enough to use one regularly. Use a jar with post it notes or scraps of paper. You could even have funny quotes from your children printed on canvas to hang in your home. But whichever way you choose to do it, just do it. You might think you will remember but writing them down is a good insurance policy.

Organising your ideas on the go

I am an ideas person. I love a good idea, hints and tips, that kind of thing. I am forever picking up ideas from friends and family and when I am out and about. I used to be a scrap paper collector. I would scribble a note about an idea I had seen or heard about on a scrap of paper which was often never to be seen again, well, certainly not when I was actually looking for it. So I came up with the idea of carrying a little notebook with me, divided into sections, so that I could keep everything in the one place and have some hope of finding the appropriate information in a timely fashion.

You know by now of course that I do love my stationery. There is something intoxicating about a new notebook without anything written in it yet. Full of possibilities...... (apologies, daydreaming about stationery!) Add little tabs to said notebook and I am in paper heaven. I create a new notebook each year; it is one of the jobs I do during my summer holiday at the beach. Love to get organised for a new year.

 My book is divided into sections as follows:

(1) Party Ideas - a section for each of my girls, theme ideas for their next birthday celebration,
guest list, food ideas, games / activities etc

(2) Birthdays / Special Occasions - a list of dates by month so I don't forget what's coming up, ideas for gifts, ideas to celebrate / new traditions etc.

(3) Christmas - a list of everyone I buy gifts for (with room to write in what I have bought), colour scheme (we change this from year to year), recipe ideas, new traditions etc

(4) Blog Ideas - you never know when inspiration will strike!

(5) Great Ideas  - a catch all for amazing ideas!

(6) Books / DVD's - a list of the authors we like to read and which books we have already read / own and ditto for our DVD collection (both are extensive .... might have to consider putting them on the computer so I can just update the printout rather than re-write it every year). I also have a list of book / author recommendations or movies we want to see.

It really is a treasure trove of information and I would be lost without my little green book. Try it. It will revolutionise your life! Happy organising :)

A New Valentine's Tradition

We love a good family tradition in our house. Traditions bind you together as a family. It's the little things, as well as the big things that you do together that are important. Songs you sing together, things you say to each other (Bec tells me "love you to the moon and back" every morning when I drop her off for school), regular "events" (Friday night movie and freddo frogs).

I am always on the look out for new traditions I can incorporate into our family. Recently I saw an idea for the lead up to Valentine's Day. We don't really celebrate that one at our house with romantic dinners or gifts but it is a good reminder to tell our families that we love them. Everyone needs to hear this and they need to hear it often. So every morning between now and Valentine's Day, when the girls and David wake up, there will be a new heart on their bedroom door telling them something that I love about them. (David's will actually be on our bathroom mirror where he will see them while he is getting ready for work.)

 
To make it even easier, I sat and cut out lots of hearts last night while I was watching some TV and wrote on them. Now I can just grab one each night before I go to bed and stick it with the others. The girls were curious to find these on their doors this morning and I look forward to seeing their excitement as the hearts multiply.

Spread the love peoples!

I LOVE Australia.

Happy Australia Day long weekend everyone! Yes, I do realise it is now Wednesday but I have been reflecting on how lucky we are to live in this amazing country. I am so grateful to live in a place that is peaceful, not ravaged by wars and that allows myself and my family to live with freedom and have the life we desire. We also live in a land of extreme weather conditions ... floods and bushfires .... and my heart goes out to those many families that have been affected by these disasters in recent months.

For us, Australia Day is a time to relax and celebrate our good fortune to live in this wonderful place with friends and family. We are lucky enough to have some friends who love to theme occasions as much as I do and we have such a ball together. We have a BBQ lunch by a little creek where the kids can all clamber over the rocks and splash in the water. As you know, I love to colour coordinate everything and this year saw our family in traditional green and gold.

Events like this also give me the opportunity to indulge my creative side in the kitchen. I made koala cupcakes this year. Very cute and easy to boot! First make chocolate cupcakes and ice them with chocolate icing. Then cut a pink marshmallow in half and ice the outside edge with icing before rolling in dessicated coconut. After positioning the marshmallow ears at the top of the cake, add a black jellybean nose and 2 brown M&Ms for eyes. Cover the rest of the cake with coconut and voilá! Koala. (One of our non-dangerous wildlife specimens.  We boast many of the most dangerous creatures on the planet; a fact that Australian's are secretly quite proud of!) Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!

Happy New Year

2013... wow! When did that happen? It seems like we just blink and another year passes by. 2012 was a VERY busy year for me and sadly I had to put my blog to the side for the second part of the year but in 2013 I am back! I have so many things to share with you and I am so excited to be writing again. I will continue to post on a range of topics including organising projects, crafts, fun stuff the girls and I do together, favourite recipes and lots more. If there are particular things you would like me to write about, feel free to drop me a line. I would love to hear from you.

And so we have a new year; full of opportunities, goals, new things to try, things to achieve. I always spend a good part of our summer holiday thinking about what I want the coming year to be like. I reflect on the past year and try to work out what it is I will do for this year to make it better. I am a highly visual person. I find it really helps me to be able to see my goals regularly to remind me of what it is I am trying to achieve. So this year I have a new way to display them around the house and in key locations.

Some of the biggies on my list this year revolve around limiting technologies and being present with my family. I have a tendency to be easily distracted by my laptop ... Facebook, Pinterest, email. These are all amazing tools but they can also be huge time wasters if you let them. 5 minutes on Pinterest  is the equivalent to 1 hour in real time! I have had a serious think about my priorites for this year and at the top of my list is my family. They shouldn't get the left overs of my time, they should get my prime hours. So accordingly, I have decided to try to limit my computer time to a short block during the school day and then in the evening after the girls are in bed. My focus when they are here after school will be on them. We all know how quickly they grow and this time will be gone before I know it. I want to cherish every minute. Afterall, this is exactly what I always wanted; I don't want to waste one moment.

Having everyone leave the house in the mornings nourished of mind, body and spirit is another goal for this year. Too often last year we seemed to be rushing in the mornings and I yelled at one or more children before we had reached the school gates; to hurry up, to remember to pack a drink bottle, to grab their homework, to please NOT redo their hair for the seventh time that morning. This year, we will ALL be getting up earlier. No hitting 'snooze' on the alarm clock. Up and at 'em! School bags and activity bags packed the night before as much as possible so we can have calm mornings.

2013 will also see us all being more creative. I have a list of projects I would love to get stuck into this year. I also really want to teach my girls to cook and to sew; two things I really enjoy doing. So no doubt it will be another busy year but I am up for it. Bring it!

Growing Up

It’s been a REALLY long time since I had a chance to write on my blog and I have missed it. Thankyou to those of you who have told me you have missed it too … you have inspired me to write again.

2012 has been a ridiculously busy year so far and shows absolutely no sign of slowing any time soon (or possibly ever in the foreseeable future at the very least!). I guess that is to be expected with our family of six; certainly people expect you to be run-off-your-feet-busy when you have 4 children. But I suspect my difficulty in saying “no” to near any request is also a mitigating factor in the craziness that is my life. I tend to take on lots of projects, celebrations and the like and then find myself drowning in my to do list. This is not the only culprit though; I am easily distracted. And for heavens sake, don’t give me a book because I find it near impossible to put it down until I have read the very last line!

Since I last wrote, I celebrated my birthday. I am not going to tell you how old I was but I will tell you that I am still a few years off the big 4-0. I am however, experiencing a mid-life crisis of sorts. When did I get old exactly? I didn’t mind 30 at all, in fact, I felt rather grown up. 35 wasn’t too bad either but the other side of this number is not so great. Much better than the alternative, my Dad always reminds me, but I don’t want to get older. I certainly don’t really like the physical side of growing up. I could do without the wrinkles (even if you do call them “laugh lines”) and my figure is certainly not what it used to be. To wallow or to do something about it? That is the question really.

So, I have decided that there is nothing to stop me getting younger! (If only that were actually a possibility) But I can do something about how fit and toned I am; about the condition of my skin; about how good I feel about myself. You know all about my love (obsession perhaps?) of Pinterest. I have been busily pinning lots of great ideas for exercising, changing my diet and reading magazines like Prevention and Women’s Health. All the info you need to be your best is out there, you just need to go find it and then put it in to practice.

This morning, for the first time in …. well, let’s just agree that it has been a really long time …. I went for a run. (Just give my Mum a moment to pick herself up off the floor! Yes, I did really run Mum) And it felt good. Well, let me clarify that … it didn’t actually feel that good (and I am guessing that the man with his dog that I was sharing the local football oval with, thought I was about to keel over at any moment, based solely on my ragged breathing) but it felt good to be doing something. In fact, the hardest thing about exercising is dragging myself from my very warm, comfortable bed when everyone else in my household is snuggling. Once I actually step outside though, it is all worth it. I use this time to think, to pray, to plan my day. It is amazing how good it feels to have some clear head space. I highly recommend it.

My goal is not to look like a teenager or become a size 8 even. I would be happy to be mistaken for 30! But I do want to be the healthiest me I can be. And to fit into a gorgeous outfit I have in my wardrobe. (I will post pictures when I get there). Oh and I want a tattoo and a sports car. Well, what self-respecting  mid-life crisis is any good without a sports car I ask you?

 

 

Here’s to a healthier me!

My lunch tub

The routine in our house used to be the same each morning as I prepared the lunches for David and the girls ... fridge open, grab margarine / butter and ham. fridge open, grab jam. fridge open, grab cheese and mayo. fridge open, grab tomatoes and dijonnaise. Somedays, all of the required items were in plain sight; other days I had to go feretting around in the back of the fridge to find said items. All that opening and closing of the fridge drove me mad.

One day, while out browsing at Ikea (love that store!), I came across a little white tub. Well, a medium size tub really, with a cut out handle at each end. And I had a brainwave ..... What if I were to store all our regular lunch items in this tub and then when I go to make lunches in the morning, I would have everything I needed (my family are creatures of habit when it comes to their lunch choices most days) without having to dig around or do multiple trips to the fridge. Really, such a simple idea, why hadn't I thought of it before?

Since I have implemented this system, there have been a couple of added bonuses ... like the girls making their lunches on the weekend using the tub and being able to see at a glance if I am running low on something.

As I was on lunches, thought I would share a product that I love (more for the little girls than the big ones) ... the lunch punch. They come as a set of 4 and punch out shapes in sandwiches but rather than losing half the sandwich that falls outside of the shape, these cut out almost all the sandwich except the crusts. Genius!

Oh and just a final thought, my fridge is not usually this gorgeous. It had a clean out before I took the photo; it is usually a little more haphazard.  :)

A bit of creative fun

Recently I came across a great, cheap crafty idea that I thought my little girls particularly would enjoy. Of course, since the big girls have seen it, they are also keen to give it a go. It used common kitchen ingredients and required very little set up. So, the next time I was babysitting, I thought I would give it a test run with the kids. Let's just say it was a huge success. Master 4, Miss 2 and of course, Josie-rabbit, had a ball. Check it out for yourself.

Ingredients required: bicarb soda, vinegar and food colouring. You will also need a reasonable size dish (I used glass), a medicine dropper (I purchased a couple of small droppers at the chemist for about $3 each) and a few dishes for different coloured vinegars (I used ramekins).

Pour a layer of bicarb soda in the bottom of the dish. Add food colouring to several small dishes of vinegar. Use the medicine dropper to draw up the vinegar and then squirt it on to the soda to form patterns. The soda will bubble up when the vinegar is dropped onto it which is fun for the kids to watch too.

Suffice to say, the kids enjoyed this activity and it kept them occupied for ages. Great for their fine motor skills and colour recognition too. We also talked about what colours you can make when you mix the colours together. And as for the clean up, wash it down the sink with a jug of boiling water and you can clean your drains at the same time. Nothing like multi-tasking!

Sponge Cake with Sprinkles

This is a family favourite. My mum made this for my sister and I when we were growing up. My girls (and David) love it too. Quick to make and delicious, my recommendation is that you double the mix and make a large cake (use a lamington tray) because you will find that it disappears very quickly. (This one went so fast that I didn't get a chance to snap a picture before they started eating it!)

SPONGE CAKE WITH SPRINKLES
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk
4oz margarine

Melt butter. Mix all ingredients and then add melted butter. Cook at 180'C for about 40 minutes.

To make icing: melt 1 tablespoon of butter (or margarine) in 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Add to 1 cup of icing sugar. Then add sprinkles.

Rebecca proclaimed "I'm in cake heaven" as she was enjoying her cake when I made it just a few days ago. I hope your family likes it just as much.

Keeping the kids entertained when you're out

I decided to have the night off last night … from cooking that is. We took the girls out to La Porchetta’s for dinner. And even better than having the night off from cooking, is having the night off from doing the dishes!

But taking our 4 girls out to dinner requires some preparation in the entertainment department. We learnt very early on in our parenting journey that a meal out is a much more pleasant experience when the girls are entertained while they are waiting for their meals to arrive (or waiting for the adults to finish). So for years we have toted along colouring and activity books and pencil cases to keep them distracted. Tonight, however, we, or rather I (David sometimes takes a bit of convincing) had a brilliant idea and it took up a whole lot less room in my handbag.

While we waited for our meals to arrive, instead of distracting the girls, we spent time talking to them but with a bit of help from some great little cards … conversation starters. These help you to chat about more than just “how was your day?” but ask questions that make you think or laugh  and are just a bit of fun … and the kids love them. Tonight we chatted about the most beautiful place we had ever visited, what we keep under our beds (Spiders was Rebecca’s surprising answer!), our favourite food, the best present you could ever receive (animals featured heavily – there was mention of puppies and ponies!) and nicknames we have had. Not only did it give us a few giggles while we were passing the time, but everyone was able to contribute including Josie who is only 2 ½.

I have recently come across this great website that has lists of conversation starters you can download. http://debbiehodge.com/2012/03/keep-a-5-year-journal-progress-to-date-and-prompts-for-april/  Who knows, you may just find out something you didn’t know and you are bound to at least get a few laughs.

Gaining back control

Life is crazy busy and sometimes that means that things get more out of control than I would like. It is usually a combination of factors that contribute and this time, it was having a weekend away, feeling a little under the weather (probably due to lack of sleep), various appointments and lots of projects with deadlines that made me feel like my head was spinning and my house look like a medium size tornado had just gone through. I am never productive when everything is in such a mess so I needed some serious intervention. Just so you know I am not over-exaggerating, here is the evidence of my disarray.

I'm sure you recognise my messes ... overflowing laundry hamper, dirty dishes, heaps of clean washing to be folded and sorted, paper piles and assorted clutter on my kitchen bench. I am a little alarmed about actually sharing these photos with you but this is what real life looks like sometimes for our family of six.

So, here are my best tips for righting my house and alleviating the stress that this kind of mess causes me.

Tip #1: Put on my runners. That might seem like an odd first step but it does really help. It was a tip I picked up from www.FlyLady.net . (This is a fabulous website with great tips for streamlining your home and your life.) It helps me to focus on working rather than being distracted with other things.

Tip #2: Start with the kitchen ... a clean sink without dirty dishes makes me smile (and looks better if you have unexpected company)

Tip #3: Tackle the washing and laundry. I have a secret ... I love doing the washing. It is one of those jobs that gives a large return for a small investment of time. And even more so now that I have my new super-sized washing machine. I can catch up in just a couple of loads.

Tip #4: Beat the timer. I love a deadline to spur me on so I set my timer for 10 or 15 minutes per room and then try to beat it. (Works for kids too who are reluctant to spend time cleaning their rooms or tidying up common areas).

So after a busy few hours (including Bejewelled breaks - you need a reward when you are working hard), my house it back to rights and I have a clear head to tackle the next project. It's all good.