I'm taking a little blog holiday

I have decided to take a break from this blog for a few weeks.

I don't know how it is in your house, but things here are a little bit too crazy for me. There is much 'end of year' rushing about to do and a handmade christmas list to attend to. Yesterday I almost, left for school without the kids school bags and this morning I almost, went to the shopping centre without my purse. And just 5 minutes ago I found my kitchen tongs sitting in the fabric cupboard! I have been looking for them for over a week.

I just need to clear my head.

With just 3 and a half weeks left of school, I want to be ready and organised for the holidays. I just want to have fun with my children once school ends. I want us to do the things that they want to do. I don't want be dragging them to the shops, running errands or have them watching way to much TV while I finish my sewing projects.

I will be baking some Christmas treats and still blogging on my other blog, 'jelly, peaches and ice-cream', so pop over there if you want to see what I am up to in the kitchen.

I will be back in time for the silly season........or has it already begun!

Enjoy.

Christmas Cooking

I went Christmas cookbook crazy at the library yesterday. This year I wanted to get in early before they all disappeared. I love, love, love Christmas.

To quote 'Delia's Happy Christmas':

"Happiness is getting a grip early"

Today I had a chance to sit with a cup of coffee and these books. I have been Christmas dreaming ever since. Actually, white Christmas dreaming, as most of the cookbooks are English.

Glazed Ham, Stollen, Roast Goose, White Chocolate and Sour Cherry Cheesecake, Bush de Noel, Panettone, Brandied Custard, Terrines and Fruit Mince Pies.

Everyone is the house is interested by what we will be eating this Christmas.

Miss Moo Moo has reminded me that we must have a tray of mangos and rum balls (we always do) And then, last night as I went to tuck Spunky Monkey into bed, instead of finding him engrossed in one of his bug/snake/shark/spider books as usual, he was happily flicking through "Margaret Fulton Christmas."

I think it will be another happy Christmas, with way too much food!

Another weekend in the garden

We have spent another weekend at home and in our garden.





The first to come out were our baby beetroot. All harvested, making room to plant out the purple beans. All that needs to be done now is to give them a trim and a scrub. Some will be grated fresh into our salad for dinner tonight. The rest I will roast whole tomorrow night.



We pulled out the last of our mixed lettuces. They had shot quickly to seed in the warm weather. This made room for our extra roma tomatoes that needed to be planted.



Any remaining leaves from our lettuces were taken inside to be washed, spun and stored for this weeks salads. I better buy another mixed punnet on the weekend, I will miss going out to the garden to pick fresh lettuce leaves for my new 'twice a day' salad habit.



The children's 'lets garden' enthusiasm waned not long after we started.



We pulled out two poor-fruiting paw paw trees. They had grown from compost seeds and were taking up way too much room in our tiny vegetable patch. A couple of okra plants have taken their place.



I discovered wondrous new blooms, hiding behind our barbecue. They were instantly snipped off and brought inside.



We watered, mulched and fertilized our new seedlings in our new garden beds.



We even spent some time re-potting and tiding up Spunky Monkey's little cactus garden.

What about you? Do you have spring fever too? This is all really new to us, but it is all so very lovely.

Our week

Monday

This is the second year that we have celebrated Halloween in our house. It was CRAZY! We had friends over for dinner, who were happy to join in the madness (or so they say). There were so many Trick or Treaters at our door that it took over half and hour to get the food from the oven to the table. In the end, I had the guests handing out the Halloween lollies, just so we could sit down to eat.

And then came the tears.

Spunky Monkey had wanted to go Treat or Treating. We had already invited our friends over for dinner, so I had told him that we would go next year. But as soon as he saw some of his school friends at our door. That was the end!!! I won't go into it here, but lets just say he was very upset.

Like I said, the night was crazy. Fun, but exhausting. I know now, what things I will do differently for next year, as I had written last year, "I guess we will work out what best suits our family for this new tradition as time goes on."

So much for my final day of Blogtoberfest. As soon as we had tucked the little monkey monsters into bed, I, myself fell (literally fell) into bed. Blogtoberfest forgotten.

Tuesday

Miss Moo Moo and I went to a friends house for lunch and to watch the Melbourne Cup. We had so much fun chatting, drinking champagne and eating (way to much) yummy food, that we forgot to turn on the race - Opps!

Wednesday

I was the Kindy mum on roster. This will be my last time (ever) that I will be helping out at Kindy and it's a little sad. A bit of a wake up call too, the school term is almost over and next year 'my baby' will be starting school. Where have the last five years gone?

Thursday

Grocery shopping, washing and baking. Grandma came for afternoon tea and left with a pile of fabric to make Miss Moo Moo some summer dresses. We also went to the library.

Today

I have written out my Christmas presents list and have been doing a bit of on-line window shopping. I might have some lunch now and curl up with this book until school pick up

I hope you have a great week too.