We Like to Party

Wow I can't believe it! my upload worked! I edited this little clip of some of our parties and general hilarity. This song by Crazy Frog is a new family favourite. As soon as it goes on, kids emerge from all over the house (the baby included) and the dancing begins.
Scrag sits up on his knees and jiggles up and down to the music - it's hilarious.
The other night we had a double play-date, with dinner included. I was finishing off cooking tea and decided to put on some fun music. When this song came on, Dash's quiet little school pal, who was visiting for the first time, came boogying into the kitchen and then got down on his hands and knees with Scrag and Dash and danced some more.
Some music just gets you moving. This is one of those songs - hope you enjoy the clip!

Last Minute Meals

I am a bit of a Last-Minute Larry, especially when it comes to meals. On any given day, come 4.50pm, you will most likely find me in the kitchen with my head in the freezer pondering, "What on earth will I cook for dinner?" Bear in mind I also have one very fussy eater, so I have to think of meals that he will eat without too much drama.

So this post is dedicated to all you busy mummies out there who, like me, don't plan your meals far enough ahead to defrost meat early in the day. (I use the defrost function on my microwave to defrost the meat).

The trick to successfully having a meal on the table at 5.15pm when you don't know what you're cooking until 10-to, is to have versatile ingredients.

In my cupboards, fridge and freezer at any one time you will be guaranteed to find:

• mince
• chicken, trim pork and/or schnitzel (whatever is on special)
• garlic (and a garlic press)
• basil pesto
• Soy sauce
• Tomato based pasta sauce e.g. Dolmio
• tinned chopped tomatoes
• chilli beans
• sweet fruit chutney
• jasmine rice
• Plain tortilla chips or soft tortilla wraps (in the freezer)
• packets of pasta (various shapes & sizes)
• grated edam cheese
• Baking Paper

From these humble ingredients I can pull together a meal in 20 minutes - the length of time it takes to boil some pasta or microwave some rice!

Family favourites include:


Spaghetti and Meatballs: While you boil a packet of pasta, make the meatballs. Add to 500g of mince: one egg, a handful of flour, a splodge each of soy sauce and tomato sauce and some ground back pepper. Mix with your hand and then form into small balls. Place balls on an oven tray lined with baking paper, bake at 180oc for about 15 minutes.
For the sauce, warm a jar of Dolmio in the microwave, add a can of chopped tomatoes and 2 spoons of pesto. Pour over the cooked meatballs. Serve on spaghetti pasta and top with grated cheese. Serves 4-6 hungry people.

Nachos: Brown 500g of mince in a little oil; add a can of mild chilli beans, a can of chopped tomatoes, a cup of frozen corn kernels and a splash of soy sauce. Arrange tortilla chips on each plate and sprinkle grated cheese; microwave each plate for 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Spoon chilli mixture onto each plate and top with a dab of lite sour cream. Serves at least 6 hungry people (all the veges are hidden in the chilli, which is very mild).
Alternatively you can serve the chilli mince on rice (see below for details on how to easily cook microwave rice)

Microwave Rice: In a microwave bowl put 2-3 cups of uncooked jasmine rice and top with water, so that when you touch your finger to the top of the rice, the water level is up to your first finger joint. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cook on high for 20 minutes (or until rice is cooked and all water is absorbed). Too easy!

Burrito Bake: You need a packet of 10 soft tortillas. Brown 500g of diced chicken meat. Add a can of mild chilli beans, some grated carrot, a cup of frozen corn kernels, 2 Tablespoons of sweet fruit chutney, a spoon of pesto and a splash of soy sauce. Place a good spoonful of the chicken mixture into the middle of a burrito and then wrap to form a rectangular packet.

Place in a roasting dish lined with baking paper. Repeat until the tray is full. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese. Bake at 180oC for 10 mins or until cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve with a side salad. (Leftovers are yummy for lunch the next day). Serves 5-6 hungry people.
Alternatively you can make this recipe with chilli mince instead of chicken. It tastes a little like mexican lasagne!
Simple Stir Fry: Put the rice on to cook before you start the stir fry. Brown 400-500g of diced meat (chicken, schnitzel or trim pork) in a little oil with 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic. Add 2 Tablespoons of sweet fruit chutney, a good splash of soy sauce, a 220g can of pineapple chunks (in juice), plus the juice, and a can of water. Add whatever veges you have (fresh or frozen). I like to use frozen corn kernels, carrot sticks, capsicum, broccoli and frozen beans. Cook until veges are just done and then serve immediately on top of rice. Serves 4-6 hungry people. (Fussy eaters can pick ou the bits they don't like)
What are your last minute favourites??

Relax It's Baby Proof

Scrag is at that delightful stage of being into everything. It's been a while since we had to have everything baby-safed so we're kind of getting there in stages - but it takes a bit of getting used to!

I am of the "roam free" school of thought. I prefer to have things secure or out of reach and then I can relax and let the baby explore.

Apparently my mum used to subscribe to the other camp: "Leave things within reach and teach them not to touch..."

She still sadly recalls her collection of ornaments (wedding gifts) that used to decorate my nursery windowsill - til I smashed them all one by one.

To me this strategy is very worthy, but way too risky - never mind exhausting! Constantly jumping up and down - "Uh uh! No, don't touch!" and dragging them away. When they are so little, I say baby-proof as much as you can. Then let them have the fun of exploring their world. It's much more exciting for them than fancy toys (and costs less too).

At 10 months, Scrag is already taking steps (up to four at a time) and is getting more and more adventurous. Nothing can be left near the edges of tables or shelves; he can reach further than you think!

There are some things we can't do anything about, like the TV cabinet and the Fireplace. We use a deep firm tone and tell him "no, don't touch!" when he approaches those things. He definitely knows what that means, and always stops. But I don't want to spend all day telling him no, so in the rest of the house doors to potential danger get shut or secured.

When Scrag is awake, I try to remember to check that the toilet door is firmly shut at all times (toilets are sooo much fun!) The smack of the toilet seat and sounds of happy splashing are usually followed by "Arrrgghhh!! Who left the toilet door open???"

Scrag giggles delightedly as I drag him out (trailing yummy loo paper of course), hook the chewed up wad out of his gob and quickly wash his hands before they also get shoved in his mouth. Oi oi oi!

If I'm not quick enough I console myself with the fact that "experts" now tell us that Dirt is Good, and exposure to some germs helps build a healthy immune system!

In the last week we have also taken the following baby-proofing steps:

> Secure the sliding screen on the back door with a bungy cord (Scrag can now open the door, but can't yet negotiate steps safely)

> Tie all cupboard handles together with rubber bands to prevent general mayhem and ransacking (rolling potatoes from the pantry down the hallway is one of Scraggy's favourite games)

> Locate the kitchen-tidy under a chair so Scrag can't get the lid open (oh-so-many yummy treats to be found in the rubbish bin!)

> Re-install the lovely wire netting around the bannister on the deck (ugh; I hate that stuff; but safety before beauty, I guess)

> Constructing a makeshift gate from an old cot-side secured with rope and bungy cords so Scrag doesn't fall down the verandah steps and land on the concrete at the bottom (Princess's playhouse is out on the deck so Scrag is loving playing in that, opening and shutting the doors and windows).

It's all very cobbled-together but since he's our very last little baby, there's no point in outlaying loads of money to buy proper safety gates and latches, when they (hopefully) won't be needed for all that long. Rubber bands and bungy cords work fine, I tell ya!

Walking With a Limp

Sometimes I’ve felt that my weaknesses disqualify me from being useful to God. Sometimes wished that God would just snap his fingers and make every issue disappear. Sometimes I’ve questioned Him, wondered why He allows the struggles, begged and pleaded for him to fix me. Wished I was stronger, bolder, braver.

Recently I was reminded of a Scripture I love where Paul the Apostle (tough guy, amazing writer, hero of the faith) was complaining to God about something he calls his "thorn".

We don't know what his thorn was, but it was obviously bugging him. It was something that seemed to make life harder for him, and in his mind he would be much better off if God would just fix the problem.

However, God has other ideas. He says to Paul:

"My grace is sufficient for you; my strength is made perfect in weakness..." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Or, as another version puts it: "My power shows up best in weak people!"

I love this. It's been the theme of my life. God doesn't choose me or use me because I am talented, qualified, clever or trouble-free. He uses me because He knows I am weak, I have issues, struggles, I walk with a limp.

Then, when I manage to do or say something that helps others or makes a difference in the world, people go: "Huh? She did that?? That scaredy cat? The shy girl who used to get picked on at school? The girl who panics in crowds and is on anti-depressants?? Heck, if she can do that, maybe I can!!"

I love the words from this U2 song:

Grace...
She carries a pearl in perfect condition
What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things

Oysters transform their irritations into precious pearls. No irritation, no pearl.

I think that in life, we resist the things about us that are less than perfect; we wish we were braver, stronger, cleverer, prettier, skinnier...

But it's like the oyster.

If we let Him, God can turn the things that are our hurts, our struggles and our disappointments into the very thing about us that is our gift to the world.

Wet Day Fun

Saturday was wet, wet, wet. The last official day of summer; a good day to stay indoors and do inside stuff. Now that the days will be getting shorter and the weather cooler and wetter, we will be having more of these inside Saturdays... so, what to do???

On Saturday just gone, we did one of our favourite things: 

A Family Brunch

By popular request I made Pancakes, with all our favourite toppings; Princess set the table and we all sat down and ate together.
It seems our Scraggy loves Pancakes! (Hey, what's not to love?)

We put our heads together and came up with some wet day ideas. Here's a few of our favourites...

Make a Movie: This Saturday we made a home movie of Little Red Riding Hood. It was hilarious! Dash was the Granny (and the woodcutter), Princess was Red (of course) and Daddy starred as the Big Bad Wolf. The dressup box came in handy, turning up a red cape, a dog mask (near enough to a wolf), a wig and earrings for granny, and a shawl. We videoed it, catching the screams and tears when poor Princess (and Scrag) got a fright when the wolf jumped out of bed. We patted them down and then filmed the woodcutter dealing to the Wolf. Tears turned to laughter as we watched it back. Another Great Family Epic (along with our versions of Noah's Ark and David and Goliath).




Have a Party for No Reason 

We 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 parties. We do face painting (dressup box again) and do silly dancing or play Singstar or Jungle Buzz.

Camping Inside 

We put up the dome tent in Dash's room and play games like Trouble, Snap and Dino Dominoes. We spread out a rug in front of the tent (can't have crumbs inside the tent of course!) and have a picnic

Make a Hut and Watch a Movie 

Mr G constructed a playhouse for the kids in the lounge so they could watch a movie from inside it. It kept them happy for ages; of course Daddy wanted to hop inside too.

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 and Middle Eastern one. Another favourite was Silly Animals, where we had to all dressup like animals (again, that dressup box comes in handy) and eat food that animals like (meat for lions and tigers, bananas for monkeys etc)





Those are some of our wet Saturday ideas. What do you do for fun on a Wet Day?

Food Fight

Food, glorious food. Such a source of enjoyment... such a source of frustration and angst! Has there ever been a parent who didn't have at least one fussy eater??

Lately Scrag has started eating so many new types of food, which is fantastic. He gets to rub spaghetti in his hair, pumpkin in his ears and smear plum, peach and banana in every other available crevasse. It's a pleasure to see him enjoying his food so much, and experimenting happily with new tastes. I am crossing my fingers and hoping that his open-mindedness about fruit and veges will last.

Because mealtimes can be such a battlefield!

Dash is our Fussy Boy. Even as a baby he would gag over pumpkin, spit out mashed banana, clamp his teeth down at the sight of any type of pasta.

Oh, he would happily drink buckets of milk, and got through a kilo of weetbix a week. But try to get him to eat mince, steak, beans, spaghetti, even scrambled egg... forget it.It just wasn't worth the battle.

This is a kid with very plain tastes: bread and butter, potato, roast chicken, plain rice and of course Weetbix were the only food we never had to fight over.

Thankfully bit by bit we have been whittling away his resistance to new tastes and textures. He will now eat plain pasta. He manages to swallow down steak, peas, corn and apples. The other day he ate broccoli! There was some rejoicing, I tell you. And last night, we had nachos, a meal which used to cause some consternation because of all the lumpy bits (beans, corn, tomatoes), and he ate the whole thing without a murmur! Amazing - a meal without a fight. Woohoo!

Princess on the other hand: she is my healthy girl. She asks for fruit for a snack, declares broccoli and sushi as her favourites, tucks into salad with her meal; and requests a ham and avocado sandwich to go with her fluffy at a cafe (instead of a cake).

We praise her healthiness long and loud. We extol her vege-eating virtues to her sporty brother. "Wow look at your sister eating all those veges; she's such a healthy girl," we say. "Look out, Dash, in a few years your sister will probably be faster and stronger than you, because she's putting such good stuff into her body..."

We emphasised the health aspects of food and how fruit, veges and meat are what make you fast and strong - all things very important to our competitive fussy eater. Bit by bit Dash has started to be interested in whether something was healthy or not. On his own accord he has started to try foods he would previously have refused based on the way they look.

And I am thinking this emphasis on healthy food can only be a good thing. Our daughter lives in a world where young girls are bombarded on all sides with distorted body images, and an obsession with physical beauty.

Our gorgeous girl is tall and strong; she stands a head taller than most of the girls her age. She is muscular and athletic, but will never be petite. I want her to be proud of her stature, and confident in her own skin. I want her to make choices about food based on whether they are healthy and nourishing, not whether they will "make you fat".

Ah yes, the world of food can certainly be a minefield for us parents...

How bout you? Do you have battles over food?? How do you get your kids to eat their fruit and veg??

Mental Health Day

I have had Dash home from school all day today. He's not ill, he aint injured... he just needs a day of mummy time.

The idea of "mental health days" was around when I was working, but we said it as a kind of joke, when we'd pull a sicky. Actually I now believe that prevention is sometimes better than a cure.

I tell the kids, they get one "pass" each Term for a day at home with mummy.

For the schoolboy it's not a free pass to play and watch TV, oh no.

We spend some time together working on school stuff; I get him reading and writing me stories, working on his handwriting, spelling. Sometimes we do baking together or go to the shops to pick up things he needs but mostly it's just a day where he can catch his breath.

Yesterday was a bit tough for him; he is finding the schooldays so long and the nights are still so light and warm, it's hard for him to get sleep. On Mondays he has soccer club so it's particularly gruelling after the weekend where nights tend to be later anyway.

Then there's the fact that he's been around people in a noisy stimulating environment for 8 hours, on the go.

Dash is a bit of an introvert. In the book "Raising Your Spirited Child", Mary Kurcinka explains what Introverts and Extroverts really are: its all about where you get your emotional energy from.

Introverts get their emotional energy from being by themselves. If there are in crowds of people for too long they will become drained and then unable to cope with challenges or disappointments; this can often lead to tantrums or bad behaviour in kids (and adults!)

Extroverts, on the other hand, get their energy from other people. They become emotionally drained if they have to spend too long by themselves without the company of others to energise them. When extroverts have to spend too long on their own they become like caged lions: accidents just waiting to happen. Princess is one of these types of kids. Her behaviour deteriorates if she doesn't get a good dose of social contact every day.

Dash on the other hand needs alone time in his room after a long day at school. Yesterday, he had gone straight from school to soccer and when he had to deal with a disappointment there, he came home looking like a thundercloud, thumped into his room and slammed the door.

I recognised what was happening and guessed the cause. Sure enough, I was right; and what Dash needed was some alone time and a little bit of TLC to calm him down.

I helped him into bed, turned on a favourite soccer DVD and pampered him a little with a snack on a tray brought to his room. Then I exited, reassuring him that his coach wasn't overlooking his efforts, and left him to have some "space".

About 20 minutes later I heard the familiar sound of the ball being kicked in the garden and the endless soccer commentary... "Yes! What a finish! It's a great goal for Stephen Taylor of Newcastle...!"

Ahhh, my little introvert had recharged his batteries and was now back on top of the world.

And a mental health day can only help as well - he's used up his one for this Term, I keep reminding him. Tomorrow it'll be back to school, but hopefully with a bit more emotional fuel in the tank!

Click Here to read more on "Spirit" and Kids Personalities...

I'm an introvert too. How about you: Do you do "mental health days"? Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you get energised? What about your kids? Love to hear your thoughts...