A Merry Heart Does You Good (like medicine)

If you've been around this blog for any length of time you'll know that in our family we've always loved to celebrate for any excuse – and sometimes for no reason.

We loved having friends over, spending time with special people enjoying an occasion together. Whether it was a Light Party, a Birthday Party, an Easter dinner or one of our famous "Parties for No Reason", we sure did love to host a gathering.
We never spent loads of money, we never parted with cash for glitzy entertainers or fancy catering.
We liked our birthday cakes a bit wobbly and homemade-looking.
We got a kick out of thinking up decorations, games and food that we could adapt and make.

More than anything, we really got a thrill out of creating an atmosphere for our friends to come and enjoy.

Even the planning was part of the fun.
As the kids got older they came up with their own great ideas for games and decorating.

Celebrating each other was a way of showing appreciation and letting each family member know that they were valued and special.
So what happened when we changed to a sole-parent family on a tight budget?

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Dog Zoo (or "what was I thinking?")

It started as most adventures do - with the kids nagging. This time it was for a second dog. They had all the reasons, all the well-thought out arguments, all the reasons why: Clyde the not-so-puppy could really do with a friend to play with during the long days when I am at work. He gets bored, And lonely. And if ONE dog is awesome and fabulous and wonderful, imagine the fun of TWO dogs?

I came right back with my best shoot-em-down disclaimers: I can only just afford ONE dog, I couldn't afford to look after TWO. Vet bills for two? Worming and flea treatments for two? Forgeddaboutit. Plus, who knew how much extra work an extra puppy would be? It would probably all end up on my plate, and my plate is already full.

But I wasn't prepared for their clincher: fostering.
We could foster a rescue puppy, the rescue people would pay for all the expenses, Clyde would have a friend for free... and when that puppy moved on to a new family, we'd get a new puppy. Endless puppies, endless cuteness. A win-win situation for all...
They caught me unawares with their clever logic and I caved.

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Hello, it's Me (and Clyde the Puppy)

Tap. Tap. Hello. Is this thing on? Oh good! It's working.
Um, hi. I know it's been a while.
I can't go into the details of *why* because, um, well, I just can't.
But trust me when I say that I would never neglect my beloved blog for so long without good cause.
However, with this post, I am back.

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Our Easter Traditions Roundup

Happy Easter! In case you're wanting something more than chocolate and bunnies to celebrate the reason for the season, I decided to pop up a quick post sharing our Easter inspiration from years gone by.
We've developed a tradition that of Easter dinners and communion in a Passover style which has evolved over the years... Beginning with this first crazy one way back in 2009, when hubby and I "time traveled" from AD30 to tell our kids about the first Easter - dressed as "Mary Magdalene" and "Peter".
It was hilarious - and thanks to Grandma's secret filming of our antics, we can still crack ourselves up at our dodgy accents.

• "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" - Easter 2009

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A Tent Odyssey

Every year in January we head to our favourite spot, pitch our trusty Kmart tent and live under canvas for a week or two, beachfront. The kids roam barefoot with friends, coming back when they're hungry, going to sleep when they're tired.

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Christmas in Hindsight

Christmas is over, and it was a goodie. Better than I'd hoped, better than last year, better than any Christmas for years, in fact.

If you read my earlier post, you'll know my theory: "less is more" and "giving is magic". Both theories held up this year.

We focused on kindness and left room for spontaneous hosting and blessing others.

Like candy cane bombing our local four square Carpark...

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May the 4th be with You (a last minute Star Wars Theme Dinner)

You know what yesterday* was, right? International Star Wars Day. "May the Fourth be with you" and all that. It's an actual thing, didn't you know?

[* TODAY if you're in the northern Hemisphere]

We have a bit of a Star Wars mad population, along with screeds of Jedi regalia and leftover party bits. It's been AGES since we've done a theme dinner, so I impulsively announced at breakfast that we'd be having a Star Wars theme dinner tonight in honour of May the Fourth. Woop. Excitement all round.

Of course, I forgot all about it and did nothing towards it as the day rolled on - and then the kids came home and the little guy was all, "Yay it's our Star Wars dinner tonight!" and I went, "oh bugger".

So I did what every last-minute-Larry does who has promised her kids something and doesn't want to be the party pooper: I fell back on the quick and easy options.

I dug out the light saber napkin rings I stashed last year from our Star Wars Party Just Because; I spread the table with a navy blue sheet and put Mr G's vintage Star Wars pillowcase in the middle. I dug out some gold paper plates left over from some other party. I whipped up a jug of cheats Yoda Soda (apple juice with soda water and a few drops of green food colouring) and announced that Han Burgers were on the menu.

Then I remembered that we had a tube of $2 shop glow sticks lying unused in one of my party supplies boxes... so I made these little beauties in two minutes flat:

Easy peasy! Glow sticks with a strip of silver sticky tape wrapped around one end to form a handle.
Perfect for miniature light saber battles at the dinner table...

Ah yes, there's nothing like a bit of last minute theme dinner fun (and on a school night too).

I think I started working on this at around 5 o'clock. Laid the table, made the burger patties, mixed the drink, turned glow sticks into light sabers. Then told everyone to quickly find a costume and get up to the table at around 6pm. That's all the time it took to pull this off.

(We couldn't find Darth Vader's helmet, so he looks a little weird, but oh well)

It was a bit of impromptu easy dinner fun, just because I felt like we needed something to give us a boost. Any excuse, right? It's been too long.

[Cookies 'n' cream icecream with squirty cream was the best I could come up with for dessert at short notice. Planet Hoth Sundaes? Haha]

So for all my Northern Hemisphere readers who are still in the middle of May the Fourth - why not take a leaf from our book and StarWars-ify tonight's dinner? It's super easy. And lots of fun.

P.S. My (proper) Yoda Soda recipe was featured today on a Canadian website called The Loop who have done a roundup of Star Wars themed food. Check out all the edible Star Wars coolness here.

OTHER STAR WARS FUN POSTS

• Star Wars Party
• Star Wars Party: Darth Vader Pinata
• Star Wars Party: Wookie Cookies & Lightsabers
• Star Wars Party *Just Because*

A Family Tea Party (and a Savoury Muffin recipe)

When family arrives from the other side of the world to visit your country for the very first time (and you want them to LOVE it) you go all out to make every occasion special for them - dontcha?

Your eagerness to impress might see you investing in flash new bedlinen, DIYing your dated bathroom, and even painting your hallway the day before you go camping. Every BBQ is strung with lights, every meet-the-neighbours becomes an event to remember as you introduce them to outdoor kiwi living and the joys of toasting marshmallows. This is the very first time your husbands English rellies have ventured downunder, after all. They will go back to the motherland with glowing reports of their magical holiday, and maybe MORE of them will come visit...?
So when your own Kiwi mum and dad are scheduled to come for afternoon tea to meet Uncle and Aunty for the first time, well, it was never going to be just afternoon tea, was it?

No, of course not. It was going to be a tea party, with THE WORKS.

Bunting, Iced Tea, Daisies and Cake, all presented to the best of our ability in crates and holders with milk bottles and paper straws and the best china...

Iced tea: in a container place 4 green tea bags and add 1 litre of boiling water; add a squirt of liquid honey, the zest and juice of a lemon, half a cup of frozen berries and a couple of sprigs of mint. Chill. Once chilled, strain into a glass jug half filled with ice, add half a litre of apple juice and top with soda water. Garnish with mint. Yum yum! Enjoy!

You know we like to make the ordinary beautiful, and the everyday special, round here...

Almond Cake with Cherries & Cinnamon Streusel topping: strain a can of dark de-stoned cherries and sprinkle on top of the almond cake batter. Then mix together sliced/slivered almonds with a generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon and a das of melted butter. Sprinkle on the cake for the crunchiest yummiest topping

I made Grandma's favourite dark cherry and almond cake with cinnamon streusel topping and the best savoury cheese muffins EVER (scroll down for the recipe).

Of course they loved it. Of course they did. How could they not?

(Of course the blokes may have needed a beer to offset all that bunting and tea)

Here they are: the long-awaited, much-feted Aunty Irene & Uncle Allan
fresh from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK...

Here's me with my Kiwi mum and dad...

And here's Aunty Irene with Grandma a.k.a. my mother-in-law Winnie who reluctantly left NZ yesterday to face the English winter after seven weeks of summer (can you tell they're sisters???)

Apparently they love New Zealand already, even though they're yet to leave Auckland. I'm preparing myself for the next wave of the British Invasion once they return home to Blighty and tell all the rest of the rellies: "Forget Benidorm - you have to get yourself to New Zealand!"

Now Aunty Irene, here's the recipe you were after for...

Simone's Savoury Cheese Muffins*

INGREDIENTS & METHOD
1 cup of diced shaved ham
2 Tablespoons of finely diced sundried tomato
2-3 tablespoons of Basil paste or pesto
1 cup of grated cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)

Combine these ingredients in a bowl then add...
2 cups of all purpose flour (or Gluten Free baking mix)*
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
a couple of pinches of cracked black pepper

Stir these ingredients in then quickly and lightly (without over-mixing) add:
2 eggs, beaten
100g butter, melted
1/2 cup milk

Once all ingredients are *just* combined, spoon muffin mixture into silicone baking cups (or lined muffin tins) and sprinkle the tops with extra grated cheese.

Bake at 200oC for 12-15 minutes (on fanbake) or until golden and firm.

Yum yum yum - ENJOY!

* I made these muffins Gluten Free by using all-purpose GF baking mix and gluten free "Beehive" shaved ham. (Recipe adapted from the NZ Edmonds Cookbook)

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OTHER TEA PARTIES & RECIPES

• Green Tea Fruit Punch (refined sugar free) - I added mint and ice for a delicious Iced Tea
• Simple Almond Cake (adapted from Petite Kitchen's recipe)
• Pinwheel Scones Recipes
• An Impromptu Garden Party
• A Fairy Garden Party Just because

School Holiday Fun: The Book Party (with free printables)

Any excuse for a party, I say, and School Holidays is reason enough.
It's become a bit of a habit, throwing an impromptu party-for-no-reason when school is out; a chance to gather friends, and kids-of-friends, eat food and drink coffee. We've had themeless parties-for-no-reason, a Lego party, garden parties and last school holidays, Book Club: Kids Edition.
This led me naturally to the idea of throwing a Book-themed party this time. Invite the kids to dress up, and the mums to bring book-themed food. What could be simpler, right?

I have to admit, I had fun coming up with the ideas, and was pleasantly surprised how fun and easy this theme was. It might be that I went a little overboard...? (No, surely not, Simoney! that doesn't sound like you at all, did I hear you say...)


The Book Party Decor was super easy. I used what I have plenty of,  i.e. books of all shapes and sizes. My best bit of inspiration was trying out the idea of books as bunting. I tied up some strands of (strong) string, hung up a range of small books and VOILA! Book bunting...






For the table, I laid out thin paper-backed picture books and covered them with a $2 white plastic tablecover. Too easy, and cute.

The food was the fun part. To make sure that nobody missed the book-association, I made little labels...

The labels were made ahead of time: black paper stuck onto old business cards, with a mini picture of the relevant book stuck on it. I wrote the food's title with chalk and then sprayed each one with hairpsray, so the chalk didn't smudge. (Mini Book cover printable is at the bottom of this post)







But what you really want to see is the food, right??!

MR HAPPY COOKIES (from Mr Men books): plain packet biscuits topped with circles of rolled out yellow fondant; the face drawn on with chocolate squeeze-tube icing.
TRUFFULA TREES CUPCAKES (from The Lorax): a squirt of green buttercream on a choclate cupcake, topped with a wafer tube and a ball of candy floss (held in with a toothpick)
OREO SPIDERS (from Charlotte's Web): Oreo cookies split in half, with slivers of licorice poked in for legs; the Oreo gets sandwiched back together and squirty tube icing eyes applied
CHEESE TOUCH CHEESE N CRACKERS (from Diary of a Wimpy Kid): cheese and crackers!
MAX'S JELLY BOATS (from Where the Wild Things Are): blueberry jelly set in cups; a mandarin segment spiked through with a toothpick and a paper triangle.
CATERPILLAR GRAPE SKEWERS (from The Very Hungry Caterpillar): green and red grapes, on a skewer
SCRAMBLED SNAKE (from The Gruffalo): Home Brand Sour Worms
RINGS (from Lord of the Rings): Burger Rings! (could also use Cheezels)
EDMUNDS TURKISH DELIGHT (from The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe): Turkish Delight. From a packet.

[books and christmas lights provided a cute background for the food on my hutch dresser]

There were so many bookish food ideas, most of them so simple (and I've always wanted to try making these Truffula cupcakes). I collected all the ideas I found on a Pinterest Board if you need more inspiration...

To drink we had NIGHTLOCK BERRY PUNCH (from The Hunger Games) and LASHINGS OF GINGERBEER (from Famous Five; grab the free printable labels below).

There were no book games or activities (though I did briefly consider a Book Quiz); this is not a birthday party after all. It's a chance for the mummies to get together and drink coffee while the kids rampage through the house with their friends on a rainy day, where they might otherwise be stuck inside, bored.

Can you figure out who they are dressed up as???

So at out school holiday book party we ate book themed food, drank book themed drink, and hung out with our friends while the rain fell and the wind blew. It was loud. It was crazy. It was messy.

But it was so much better than being stuck inside on our own.

Have you ever thrown an impromptu party? You should try it sometime. It's fun.

FREE BOOK PARTY PRINTABLES
If you want to host your own Book Party, here are my printables to help you get started...
[Right click to save images to your computer then print, trim and use. Both are set up on an A4 page]

[mini book labels]

["lashings of gingerbeer" Famous Five soda bottle labels]

• More parties here on my Party Index Page

School Holiday Fun at Home *Ideas for the Housebound*

Autumn. School holidays. What a combination.
The weather is likely to be dodgy at times and unless you’re heading off for a tropical island holiday or have bottomless pockets, you might find yourself stuck at home with kids who are bouncing off the walls, driving you nuts while the rain pours down.

I've dug into the archives and come up with some wet day holiday fun ideas you can do at home. Here's a few of our favourites...

Have A Lazy Pajama Day with Family Brunch
Declare a Pajama Day and stay in your PJ's all day. Make pancakes for a relaxed family brunch. You can make pancakes from scratch or use the easy shake-em-up bottled kind. Get the kids helping, set the table fancy, put out loads of toppings; then sit down and eat brunch together. Then slob out and have a cosy Movie Marathon while the rain falls down and the wind howls.

Make a Movie

Getting the kids to come up with their own movie will keep them occupied for a while, thinking up a script, characters, costumes and “effects”. Use your ipad or camera-phone to film the masterpiece. If they're old enough, they can even film it themselves; Miss Fab and her pals have made a couple of DIY epics on her camera without any assistance. If inspiration is lacking supply the kids with a theme: Noah's Ark, Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears are all movies we've made when the kids were little (flippin' hilarious).

Camp Inside
Put up a dome tent in the lounge and play games like Trouble, Snap, Chinese Checkers, Dominoes and (our favourite kid-friendly game) MONOPOLY EMPIRES. You can even spread out a rug in front of the tent and have an indoor picnic by the fire/heat pump. Or use blankets and sheets, string and pegs to construct a hut, then pile up the cushions and watch a movie from inside it.

Have a Movie Marathon
You can't beat a movie marathon sleepover – drag mattresses into the lounge, string up some Christmas lights and settle in to watch movies back-to-back. Check out my movie reviews page for kids and family movie recommendations. If nothing on that list appeals, can I heartily recommend a "Back to the Future" marathon? Great family viewing - just a few minor curse words dotted here and there and a few PG moments which if you know the movies well enough you should be able to guide your kids through, but apart from that they are a great laugh, perfect for a Movie Marathon (for older kids).

Have a Theme Dinner
Raid the cupboards and find stuff to have a dinner party on a Theme. Our favourites have included an Indian Party and a Spanish Party; a Fancy Dinner , Middle Eastern, or Chinese ones. You can spend the day planning, decorating, researching ideas on the internet and getting things ready. Also loads of fun are movie theme dinners where you can eat themed food and then watch the movie e.g. Star Wars, “Brave”, Toy Story (Pizza Planet) etc. Invite friends to join you, or just keep it in the family.



Throw a Party for No Reason
Raid the cupboards and find or make food to hold an impromptu party; Homemade Lemonade, mini meat pies, muffins, iced cookies, popcorn, fruit, and icecream sodas have all featured at our impromptu parties. You can get the kids to do face painting, dress up, do silly dancing or play Singstar or Buzz.

Invite other house-bound friends over for even more fun – make a wet-day into a celebration; the more the merrier. You can even theme it, like we did for our Impromptu Lego Party. (One of our Rainy Day Parties was featured last week on the Parenting Magazine blog - woop)

Just today I hosted a Book Club Party - Kids Edition. Everyone brought books to swap (two piles: "books to borrow" and "books to keep"); the kids rioted played while the mums had coffee and ignored the screaming nattered. It was completely mad but awesome, and everyone went home with some new books.

Photo Scavenger Hunt
And if the sun comes out? A photo scavenger hunt. All you need are a few photo-taking gadgets and a simple list. Offer prizes for the best photo in each category, then go on a walk around your neighbourhood to see what you can find. A nice way to let off steam after being cooped up inside (wear gumboots for some puddle jumping while you're at it).

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So there's a few ideas to help you survive the rest of the school holidays (and the cooler season) without going stir crazy.

Got any other bright ideas? Share them with me below...