We are growing a Pineapple... Update 2

I did a blog post on January 2011 and now I"m updating on the progress of the growing of my pineapple.

Yay it's growing!!  4 years later and a pineapple is growing :-)  Ryan is now 5.

Can't wait to see it fully grown and how much Ryan has changed in that time.

Day 2 Dinner - Creamy Chicken Vegie Soup

How do i Feel after eating this meal -

Why did i choose this for dinner -

Where did i get it from?

When did i prepare it?

What was my proportion size like?


1 - Great and satisfied

2 - Easy and healthy choice for the family.  Good cooler weather food.

3 - Made it in my kitchen'

4 - From 5pm

5 - Normal small bowl x serve

Easter Time Holiday Activity

On the holidays this is a project i will do with the kids :-)  I went searching for some different inspiration and this is what i found !!!

I'm looking forward to fun with the kids this holidays !!

Amy :-)

2014 Declutter Challenge with The Organised Housewife - GOALS

Goals!!

1. I want to feel RELAXED while I’m at home.
2. I want to spend more time ON NORWEX.
3. I want an area of the home where I can HAVE A PROPERLY ORGANISED STUDY.
4. I want to organise THE KIDS ROOMS first.
5. I always lose COUPONS/DISCOUNT VOUCHERS I RECEIVE.
6. I want to be organised by 1ST APRIL 2014.
7. The most disorganised cupboard in my home is MY BAKING TRAY CUPBOARD.
8. Something that I don’t need anymore , but am having trouble parting with is TOYS THE KIDS DON'T PLAY WITH/HAVE GROWN OUT OF.

RAOK #3

So for another Random Act of Kindness i purchased a few non perishable items, Cordial, Tinned Soup & Tinned desserts that were on special at Woolworth s.  I had a note prepared, placed the items in a bag with RAOK note attached, left it in a trolley in a trolley bay.

So hopefully that next someone to get that trolley at Brookeside shopping centre would have found my bag of goodies :-)

I haven't made plans for Number 4 yet but i have a few ideas, so i'll be sure to post the #4 :-)

RAOK #2

This random act of kindness was a special one, i enjoyed doing this one.  I have another lovely friend who is a fabulous single mummy.  She was having a couple of weeks with out her daughter, so going from cooking for 2 to 1 is often a challenge.  I know myself it's harder to motivate cooking for 1 person.  So she wasn't eating all that much.

So again on my menu i made sure i made a yummy chicken stir-fry with noodles and made extra.  That next day i packaged up some and included a yummy treat of a freddo frog.  Passed it on to her and it was very appreciated.  Again i love giving, it's so nice making others happy!

RAOK #1

I put out my 1st Random act of Kindness a while ago, I'll tell you about it in a minute.  But i have been inspired to do more after reading a wonderful blog post about a lady who did lots of them & also reading the Aldi Mum page as lots of members there do lots of lovely RAOK in their own local Aldi stores.

A couple of my mum friends have kids who dance/cheer-leading and they were heading away for what would be a very expensive weekend away on the school holidays.  So with all the high costs, i got to thinking about how lovely a cooked meal would be for them and after a long day and 6 kids in tow i was sure it would be appreciated.  A simple quiche was on my menu for them, Kids would eat it, goes lovely with a salad and glass of wine for the Mum's :-)

Made it one afternoon, day before they were leaving, It was still warm out of the oven and i popped around to my friends house and surprised her with the RAOK.  How i love to give, i love the surprise and happiness it brings.

No Dessert June

So I'm going to have a 'NO Dessert June'.

No desserts, treats with coffee for the whole of June.  I don't do it every night, but 3 or 4 out of 7 i do.  My husband is a man who can eat anything, blessed with a good metabolism that man, just like his father.  So he tempt's me & then i'm swayed.  It's not a good thing.

I'm currently searching for a pretty printable calender i can print and put on the wall next to my bed and cross of the days as i've done it.  I need that visual accoutability.

Post Sickness.

So i feel so proud of myself, as this is a great 1st for me.  Might be small to others but big for me so i need to put it out there.

We had fish and chips, from our local shop.  The kids and husband love it. I make Veggies or a salad to go with it &  I usually get the fish grilled for me and i splash out and eat some chips too.  But i passed on the chips and steamed a potato instead.  I felt so proud of my decision & i felt good knowing i wasn't eating the deep fried chips!

Since my bout of sickness last week i've been feeling a bit cleansed and  feeling a bit nervous to eat all foods again, so i'm so i'm turning it into a postive and going as 'clean eating' as i can.  I lost 5 kilos last week, so i'd love to work with that and watch my food really carefully, particullarly this week as i'll give Gym a break still and might go on the weekend and start next week back to normal gym workouts.

It was not fun being sick :-(

TV Shows I Love!

I love TV, it's my time.  Although i can never sit still, i have to be doing something while i am watching, like riding excercise bike, folding, ironing, cardmaking, scrapbooking, Norwex jobs, or any other random job.
Like now i'm blogging while watching Mr & Mrs Murder.  I have missed blogging.

My Favourite shows are

• MKR
• The Block
• Mr & Mrs Murder
• Private Practise
• Greys Anatomy
• Packed to the Rafters
• House Husbands
• Offspring
• Underbelly
• Cheers
• Mad about You
• Becker
• Family Ties
• Fraser
• Unlightened
• Spirited
• Ace of Cakes
• Better Homes & Gardens
• Scrubs
• Home & Away Early Years
• Big Love
• The Librians
• Bikie Wars
• Party of 5
• Sex in the City
• Sea Change
• Redfern Now
• Thankgod your here

We're growing a Pineapple.... Update 1

I did a blog post on January 2011 and now I"m updating on the progress of the growing of my pineapple.

Look at it now.....

It's been interesting to watch something plant like grow for such a long period of time.  Wow how 2 years has really gone quite quickly and with soo much happening for us in that 2 years.

Look at Ryan since my last pineapple blog post, Wow He's 3 now!  Started swimming lessons this year and he's into his last full year at home with Me.  Meanwhile Bella is in her Grade 4.  When we planted this pineapple she said we would be able to eat it when she is in Grade 5.  OH gosh. 

Look forward to sharing the next pineapple update...... :-)

Angry Birds

Today was fun, i helped my Norwex bestie make some Angry Bird Cupcakes!!  They are for her Boy's 5th birthday tomorrow!

We found a  cool video on you tube that helped with the inspiration on decorating them, you can see it here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5pxW4YOUwE

We love Angry Birds, it's a fun game for young and old, boys or girls :-)  How cute are these cupcakes, i can't wait to see the reaction from the kids, including my own at his party in the park after school tomorrow!!

I haven't blogged in ages, but i was really happy to do set the time aside for myself and acutally do one!  I have many more plans for lovely posts so i am looking forward to more sharing soon!

Amy xx

Baking with Bella

  Bella has a wonderful Book of Billie B Brown http://www.billiebbrown.com and in this book is a recipe for Gingerbread.  We finally had the time to have

 fun in the kitchen and bake some!

 

 For her birthday she got a Junior Master chef apron/hat pack, she was very excited to finally wear them to cook in!

 Adding in the golden Syrup!

 Cracking the Egg :-) 

 Sifting the Flour!  That Tupperware sifter is so easy for her to use :-)

 Cutting out the gingerbread shapes, she chose flowers, hearts, stars, mini gingerbread men and a large gingerbread men cutter.

 Now for the icing.  Chocolate of course! :-)

Taa Daa ..... Gingerbread cookies all finished!  They tasted so yummy.  Bella did a great job in the kitchen!


Try Billie's Super-Dooper recipe for
GINGER BREAD BISCUITS

Day 5 - Organize-athon

Day 5:   Organize Your Household Information Centre




I'm going to get back on track with this challenge (After some inspiration from a friends blog - http://busymumslife.blogspot.com.au/)  I need to 'start over'  in getting organised.

I have no photos from today's challenge.  But I have have a more organised pin board and I have printed out new pages for my Sunny Mummy Assistant.

It feels great to do a clean out of papers like this and really assess what is important and what is just random information that is just at the end of the day clutter.

The down side is to this task, I have added about a dozen little jobs to my To Do List.  :-(

Thanking Our Teachers!

I have been very Blessed for the years Bella has been at school, she has had fabulous teachers!  I so appreciate all the hard work they put in to make the classroom such a wonderful place that Bella has always loved going to :-)

I'm that parent who always likes to 'go that extra mile' in thanking them, I love giving small thank you gifts at the end of each term during the year.  I think some of this comes from the fact that i have seen family and friends who are teachers put in all the hard work they do that makes me so appreciative of Bella's teachers as I have seen the 'behind the scenes' of the teachers that are my friends :-)

What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation.
Marcus Tullius Cicero

My teachers now will be seeing alot of Norwex as I love to share the goodness :-) but this term I put my creativity to good use and made these really cute pen holders filled with something yummy of course :-)

FOR THE PEN HOLDERS I USED - Kaisercraft Wood project from Spotlight, Assorted scrapbooking pages to cover the sides & Sticker Lettering by Kaisercraft.  

Thankyou teachers for the hard work you put in educating our future generations :-)

The baby era is over.....

I have some sadness in writing about this, I had to unbolt, and pack away the lovely baby cot that I have had for now over 8yrs, for the last time.  (I am very happy to have 2 children and not have anymore babies - just saying) A small part of me is so sad to say goodbye to the baby things and and pretty nursery items I purchased when pregnant, not knowing if it was for a boy or a girl, then over the last 2 and bit years see my son love all those pretty things in his room.


I have decided that I will keep all those lovely nursery decorating items away neatly as one day i hope as a grandmother that I will once again have a nursery for my grandchildren :-)  And the Cot (thankfully) will be kindly stored at my parents house.


So now officially have 2 big kids in big kid beds!!!  My baby is grown into a toddler.

Bella's Job Chart

Firstly I would like to say this is the link to the blog I got my inspiration from - Thanks so much Nat

http://natfindingrainbows.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/get-creative-kids-job-charts.html

So i loved my friend Nat's new way of doing her kids job charts.  We had a laminated sheet, but overall the motivation for Bella to do the jobs she is required do was lacking somewhat, I was struggling to find what motivated her to do them, Money was not doing it anymore, she used to get pocket money if she completed so many ticks on her job chart each week, but weeks were going by, jobs not done and money not earnt....

So on to something new - I will give an allowance of pocket money each week and the completing of jobs will be rewarded with 'things she likes to do' = DS time, ABC 3 time, Littlest pet Shop, Dolls House or whatever play is popular that particular day or week.

I started with an old canvas I had, some leftover material from the bunting from her room makeover, clear pins, scrapbooking paper scraps in her room colours of Aqua, Purple & lime green.  You can see I printed out the job labels too!  Then just stapled the material on, pinned the job labels, I think after Bella has completed a job she can turn it over so then it's easy to see what jobs need to be done and when she goes to bed I can just turn them all over ready for the new day!  I also found i had some pretty silver glitter lettering stickers in my scrapbooking stash, and they made for a pretty label!

Finish Product = Bella loves it :-)  So I am happy, let's hope it improves the motivation to do the jobs!!!

Mum

MUM

 I made the Kaiser Craft "large stationary organiser" I got mine from Spotlight and all the matching Kaiser Paper range came from my local scrapbooking shop!  Then i just added the photos to it, as we took so many lovely ones before my brother and sister-in-law left for Canada!  Photos make these projects just so much more special :-)  

The cake was chosen by Bella, actually came from the original woman's weekly kids cake cookbook.  But we have adapted the colours from green and red to purple.  This is just such a simple cake.

Happy Birthday to my Mum!  Every Mum deserves to feel special :-)  So this is is what I did for Mum this year.

I Love Value for Money!

I love Saving money wherever i can & I am so happy with this recent one :-)  Washing Powder, i know this is a bit boring to some but i'm so excited by this!!!  I bought this tub on the 5th of November, for about $34 at Big W.  We are now the 21st May.  So That means i have not had to buy laundry detergent for just over 6 months.  I wash 3 - 4 loads a week.  Such great value!  And for any of you have that use Norwex, the BioZet is awesome for the bringing the clothes up nice and clean!

Happy Monday, this post was so inspired by my washing day!

It's nice to finally get some time to read some blogs and look at my own blog again :-) I have so many post's i want to share. Over the next while i am going to treat myself to some 'blog' time!!

But right now i am off to do a bit of reading in a bubble bath, i have pulled sooo many late nights, i am in need of some relaxation :-)