Today im Grateful for..

I thought it was time to spread my wings, i would love some more interaction on my blog

(any tips would be fabulous)

So what better way to do that then to join in with Maxabella Loves for the very first time mind you

and blog what i am grateful for this Saturday :)

Today

...Cooking

which is odd for me.

Normally cooking is a chore not something i enjoy,

but recently with all the stress i've been under and all the hurt im going through,

Cooking just lets me forget about it for a little while.

I have to forget it all while im cooking, i have to concentrate, i have to follow recipes

there is no room for anything else.

I am in my own little bubble.

Not only is it a distraction for me it makes me happy that my family are eating something healthy,

something new some nights.

That i get appreciation when they taste a scrummy dinner.

I love that it brings us together at the dinner table to create special family momments & converstation

but especially when Master J helps mummy make "cookies" or "cake"

I love how it make me feel like a real 50's "housewife"

(weird i know)

 even though i whinge that im not JUST a housewife

I love feeling like one when i cook.

I am also grateful for all the fresh meats and fruit and vegies i have access too,

paying an arm & a leg for yummy fresh produce is worth it... most nights ;)

Such a lovely idea you can play along at Maxabella Loves 

its nice to appreciate the small things

which somedays i will even admit is a darn hard thing to do

but afterall we are only human.

BOIIIING The Clock Struck Feral O'clock...

image from here

Feral O'clock...

It's that time of the evening around about 4:30/5:00pm

where all hell breaks loose!

Babies are crying for their dinner,

toddlers are throwing tantrums because they cant have a bikkie before dinner,

I had surround sound crying it was awesome :|

Mummys on the phone trying to organise a sleep over for the little cousin (because shes had crap holidays), trying to calm children, cook dinner (because i wasnt prepared), heat baby food, teach toddler he has to wait for dinner, txting gorgeous friends,

All the while thinking where the F*CK is Hubby!

HURRY UP

Then its silence daddy walks through the door which entertains toddler, baby is having his face fed and mummy is looking at Hubby giving him the 

you have NO idea that our house sounded like a zoo 15 minutes ago

EVEN if he had brought me home flowers!

Now its blissfully quiet toddler and baby are asleep, daddy is at training and mummy is,

blogging, facebooking, tweeting and watching Bethenny Ever After.

Preparing myself to do it all again tomorrow but adding my 9yo cousin to the mix

Wish me luck!

2011 ~ The Best Easter so far..

My little familys Easter has been amazing this year.

I dont know why but something just felt so right!

We had decorated a small corner of the lounge room where the coffee table is

Muchily inspired by Jade of Super Organiser Mum

Master J's footprint bunny face ~ left, Easter wreath ~ middle, Lil C's footprint bunny face ~ right

Master J's bunny with a carrott ~ bottom

Coffee table display eggs in left jar, Easter finger puppets in right jar, baby chicks in middle jar

selection of Easter & Bunny books in basket

We ate Hot X Buns, we relaxed and we played with the boys.

Easter Sunday... Bunny Day was such an amazing day

Both the boys woke up early so we snuggled them up into our bed while we waited for Lil C to finish his morning bottle, and then the fun begun!

Master J found the Easter Bunnys footprints

master J jumping the way the bunny did

All the way to "The Stash" for him and Lil C

Blankets from Leroy & Lola Kids Stuffed owl from Owls 'n' Stuff Easter cards from Sonni Lou Designs

After the excitment of the Bunny Mr S cooked us up some Hot X Buns for brekkie

annnnnd unwillingly (how could i say no)

We let master J have some chocolate before his breakfst

while Lil C enjoyed his new blankie.

my smiley boy

Now i was totally against Master J having chocolate this year, apart from one small egg from the Easter Bunny so we decided to do an Easter Car Hunt instead.

I brought 6 hot wheels cars and hid them around the back yard.

Master J loved it!!

We then decided a family lunch at the Seaford Hotel was on the cards.

It was delicious! Master J had a ball playing outside on the playground and eating his "chippies"

and mummy got to enjoy a cosom slushie!

first drink since NYE!

Once we had filled our bellies and tired out the Master

we headed up to Oakbank for the rest of the day.

Oakbank is where SA's Easter racing carnival is held

and Mr S and his family camp up there every year on the Oakbank Hillside and get all dressed up for the Easter Saturday & Easter Monday Race Days.

We headed up on sunday just to relax, let Master J run wild and get all dirty and enjoy the fresh air!

Isnt that whats being a kid all about?

Lil C snug as a bug watching the camp fire

ANZAC Day/Easter Monday was Race Day! WOOHOOO

we packed up the car

cant believe the amount of stuff we had to take!

and left early to beat the traffic.

We got all dressed and pretty up there,

saved master J getting all dirty in his new clothes

the boys outfits

And made our way to the race track.

It was an awesome day.

Mr S & I put some bets on and even won most of our money back

HIGH 5!

Master J was so well behaved and even got into cheering with everyone else as the horsies ran by

 Lil C just loved watching everything that was going on.

just taking it all in

Once the day was over we stayed at the campsite for a few hours before heading home.

We all collapsed into bed exceopt for Mr S who decided he wasnt too tired to go fishing

Insert Grrrrr *here

Overall it was just the most amazing Easter.

So relaxed, so much joy.

Master J was so much more aware of Easter which just made things so much more exciting.

and

he bonded with his Nana (Mr S mum) soooo much more,

it was beautiful to see them together and hear him calling out all the time "nana nana"

Raceday was fabulous! so much fun

Master J playing planes

mummy & Lil C

Stealing a kiss & a photo

and

Going out to lunch with my little family NEEDS to be a regular occurence!

I can only hope that next year once Lil C is about 18 months old

it will be even better again.

I hope you all had an amazing Easter too

i know for me and my family the extra time off was just perfect!

Meal Planning Tuesday - Back on the Lappy

YAYYYYY my meal planning is back on the computer woot woot

So this week contains 2 meals we were meant to have last week

but because we were busy at Oakbank

(post to come about our Easter)

We never made them.

Wednesday - Teriyaki Beef stirfry with hokkien noodles

Thursday - Chicken & Chargrilled vegie burgers

Friday - Beef Souvlaki wraps

Saturday - Roasted stuffed potatos

Sunday - Family "something" roast night

Balsamic vingegar chicken with roast vegies

Monday - Vegie Quesallidas (roast pumpkin, baby spinach & fetta) Ham & Cheese Quesallidas

(Thankyou miss A for the recipes)

Tuesday - Morroccan Chicken Risotto (the cheats way) & Garlic bread

Cant wait for this weeks meals im hunry just typing this lol

Whats on the menu at your house this week?

Im BAAAAACCCKKKK.. did you miss me?

Yes im here, im back WOOHOO

i had to take a forced disappearing act as my laptop hard drive decicded it didnt want to be friends anymore!

Its ok i replaced its arse with a new one ;)

So lots has happened in my absence

My little life is taing twists & turns every day

its one hell of a ride somedays!

Il start with my super exciting news =D

no im not pregnant again haha

An awesome new womans forum/website is opening in June called

Lovely Living

It's going to have loads of info, bloggers and real life stories & recipes.

Well the lovely Jen put the callout for people to write some posts on differnt subjects

and

MOI has been asked to write several posts for them

SOOOO excitied!

My little business TeeLee Blue is plodding along nicely

I'l be having a market night as soon as i can get some spare time to create.

Moving on to Mr S my lovely partner!

He was given a 7 wk job on the back dock at work and they are that happy with the arrangment he is doing it indefiantly AND they gave him more hours!

Things are looking up for him

its great to see him enjoying what hes doing now!

Master J,

well where do i start!

Hes turning into such a little man!

He'll be 3 in June & we are planning his birthday with the help from the gorgeous Lil of

Lily Chic Events

His talking is coming along in leaps and bounds.

hes now stringing 3 words sometimes even 4 & 5 words together.

The speech therapy is working wonders! It just what he needed.

He is also doing swimming lessons, without mummy :)

It took awhile for him to warm to the idea of being in there alone with his instructor and 2 other kids

but now he loves putting his Muscles (floaties) on and kicking and splashing.

Lil C,

My little Owlet bless him is now 7 months old

(where does the time go)

He's still smiling ALL the time even when hes crying you can get him smiling lol

Eating 3 meals a day, has dropped his afternoon bottle on his own and is loving sucking on watermelon and salad stuff.

The biggest news for my little man is hes trying to CRAWL

yep on his knees, bunny hopping and rocking back and forth.

Its so exciting for me to watch because Master J never did any of this build up to crawling.

So thats a little update on my family.

Il be sharing more as i blog.

I have so many ideas for posts and just not enough time

so il take it one day as it comes and see where it takes me.

There will defaintly be

more Camera Play, more meal planning, and loads more on my crazy life

ups & downs included!

On that note 

I hope you all have a fantastic Easter!

We are off to the Oakbank Races on Monday & cant wait!!

We are all getting dressed up, mummy in a dress and daddy and boys in shirts and dressy pants.

Hopefully i can get some rather cute pics of us all together.. well maybe just the kids.

Travel Safe and eat lots of chocolate and Hot X Buns

image from here