A belated Easter Sunday Lunch

As usual, an Easter Sunday Lunch had been planned at our house last week.

However, due to a 'not-very-nice-person' leaving my mum without staff over her busiest time of the year, I have been working some odd hours to help her out. So Easter Sunday lunch was postponed a week, to yesterday.

Since every child in our street, has their own cubbie house in my backyard, yes, it's like a cubbie village! (I must take some pictures) We decided to move the lunch to mum's house. It made the most sense, as she lives on a gorgeous canal, a much better view than my backyard.

We kept up our french theme for the lunch. Mum had laid the table beautifully with a Provencal tablecloth she had bought on her travels and blousey blooms of white roses.

I had originally intended to make this a longer lunch, one of those long french lunches that stretch over several courses and many hours, one of those long french lunches where there is way too much food and way too much wine. I had imagined a lazy afternoon nap under an olive tree. But... back in the real world, and in Australia, three of us had to go to work last night, so we did what we could.

Platters: Salmon Rillettes, Brie, Olives, Fruit, Nuts and Crusty Bread

Provencal Lamb stuffed with Figs, Goats Cheese and Walnuts

French Roasted Chicken

Roasted Vegetables

Green Garden Salad

Tarte Belle Helene (Chocolate and Pear Tart)

These roses on the table are reminding me of my time in Orange, I still have heaps of pictures of F.O.O.D Week to share. Maybe tomorrow? I have a few days off work and while I do have floors to clean and about 7 loads of washing to fold, lets get our priorities right! 

Dawn Service

ANZAC Day. A dawn service by the beach. Bacon and egg burgers at Mum's house after.

The rest of the day has been spent in my kitchen cooking up a storm and surrounded by dirty dishes, now I'm off to my mum's restaurant to cook up a storm and be surrounded by dirty dishes! 

I hope you have had a good day and had a chance to make some ANZAC biscuits too!

"Lest We Forget"

Easter

Rabbits and chickens and chocolate eggs. Hat parades and hot cross buns and a carrot 

for the Easter Bunny.

Traditionally fish (seafood) for Good Friday. Eggs in the salad, naturally. 

Old-fashioned Easter Ducks, like the kind I got when I was a child.

Chocolate cake and morning tea with friends. Easter egg hunting.

Hot cross bun baking and a bunny book (well, a white hare really) - How did the Easter Bunny know that we were learning about France this month!?

I can't believe that Easter and the school holidays are over already. 

Some things did not go to plan, but... the Easter Bunny came and he/she brought chocolate and gifts. The kids were happy and that is all that really matters.

I hope that you and your family had a happy Easter too.

This weekend - Australia Day

We spent a quiet Australia Day with Poppy and Tiya Ning at our place. Due to work commitments, we did not see them at Christmas time, a day like this was long overdue. Sunday was a relaxing day, slow, with plenty of time to catch-up and linger. A yummy barbecue, a few glasses of chilled white wine, a quick chocolate pudding*, some dancing, some stitching, lots of bouncing, quiet a bit of lazing about and to end, an early evening walk/ride by the lake.

Happy belated Australia Day to you all.

*I woke at 6am to make the 'must have' pavlova only to discover that I had only 2 eggs! With other things already planned for the morning, the best I could do was a quick chocolate pudding. Topped with fresh raspberries, no one complained.

Last weekend - Chinatown

Last Sunday, we took a day trip to Brisbane. Why? to eat, of course.

Yum Cha was the only thing on our agenda, it had been way too long since our last visit and we were not disappointed. These dishes, are not called YUM Cha for nothing. We all went crazy for the food, enjoying our old favourites and discovering some new ones as well. As always, the desserts were the biggest hit with the children, and the adults alike. And as always, we (I) ate way to much food.

We spend most of the day in Chinatown, wasting hours wandering around the supermarkets. Touching, smelling, listening; so much of it foreign to us. We did not expect the day to feel like a real mini holiday. The kids absolutely loved it.

Leaving at about 3 o'clock, we visited another favourite place, Newfarm Park. It was just the right amount of busy and the children, climbed, ran, played, hid and climbed some more, for just the right amount of time. Mr Moo and I sat with a coffee and some Chinatown treats, enjoying the late afternoon: the cool breeze and the happy sounds from the playground. Just as I was going to give the kids "5 more minutes" they came to say they were ready to go.

There is something to be said about sometimes, just not having a plan. This day was lovely because we resisted the urge to schedule in too much. We let the day, our surroundings and our children guide us. The park was an after thought, a whim, but it was the perfect end to our day. We all though so. Most of our school holidays have been spent rushing about, having to be somewhere at a certain time. This is not so relaxing. Sometimes it is good to throw the rule book out the window, to do just one thing instead of four things in one day.

And sometimes it is good to get away... even if for a day... even for a half a day... get lost in the backstreets of a different suburb... go to a different beach... try shopping at a different market. I can totally recommend it.

Christmas - Oh, the food!

How about you? Have you been eating - way too much - this festive season?

Finally the last of the leftovers have been eaten. This morning I cleaned out the fridge and we are ready to start again. As the calender clicks over to a new year, it seems like as good as time as any to start a fresh - healthy salads, more fish, less meat, less cheese (always a problem for me at Christmas time) more fruit, less tea and more water. Time will tell.

Tonight, New Years Eve, will be quiet, unlike any other year. A simple barbecue with just us. There is a street party in our street if we want to join in or drinks at a friends house nearby, but right, now I am wanting to stay close to home. Some sparklers, a glass of wine and maybe a 'dance party' with my kids.

I really am such a homebody and as fun as going out can be, I couldn't handle another big night of socialising. This is some of what we have been eating over the last few weeks, with a lot of cheese and wine 'get togethers' and cake and coffee dates in between.

A pre-Christmas dinner with Mum on the 23rd at our place

a cheese platter with smoked salmon, capers and creme fraiche

baked italian chicken and potatoes

a green salad 

italian green bean salad

my famous rum balls and lindt balls

lots of wine and two cups of coffee (at 11pm!)

 Christmas Eve dinner at my Sister-in-Laws House

fresh local prawns, sushi and a cheese platter

poached fillet of beef

baked snapper with a macadamia and herb crust

home-cured gravlax

nectarine and bocconcini salad

'from Grandma's garden' garden salad

my 'take everywhere' potato salad

foccaccia

raspberry and pistachio semifreddo

Grandmas plum pudding

mango and fresh blueberries

bubbles and red wine

Christmas morning at our place

mangoes, cherries, panettone, rum balls, coffee

Christmas lunch at mum's house (served at about 2pm as is traditional in our family)

Christmas drinks platter - semi dried tomatoes, dolmades, marinated olives, blue cheese, french brie, duck liver pate, smoked salmon, hommus, vegetables sticks and water crackers

mum's famous brie with macerated figs and drizzled with caramel and walnuts 

white wine

roast pork with warm apple and onion chutney

baked salmon and potatoes with capers and lemon

baked vegetables 

a garden salad

red wine

after a sleep

coffee and rum balls

And I haven't even mentioned the 'hands down' loveliest night that I had this Christmas. To my family reading, please don't be offended here.

Early in the month I invited just a few close friends for dinner. I cooked a very simple menu, not unlike the one I cooked for Mum (on the 23rd) but with the addition of a to-die-for chocolate cake. The reason this night stands out, is because it was something that I hadn't done in years (I'm talking... 9 years) The night went smoothly with good simple food and great conversation, I was shocked when someone mentioned that it was 10:30pm. The backyard was filled with twinkle lights and we sat out on the back deck while soft rain sprinkled throughout the night. I had candles everywhere and my music playing in the player. I dressed up pretty and felt very much like ME. No husband, no kids, no interruptions. Truly, I had forgotten that this person (me) had ever existed. Doing things 'just for me' is rare thing, I always feel so guilty if I am not doing something for my family, even when I am alone. I realised on that night, that doing things 'just for me' is vital.

I totally recommend it!

Sadly not everyone could make it that night, don't worry, I am planning a monthly dinner... it has to be done.

Happy New Year to you all! 

...whether you are keeping it quiet or partying into the night, whether you are doing something 'just for you' or spending it with you family.

Have a good night!

And that was christmas!

 Ready for the Christmas Eve festivities.

 Our local Christmas Carols - Miss Moo Moo singing this year - a cheese platter with friends - happy, big kids - great fireworks!

A new book on Christmas morning - thanks Santa.

The cubbie got a touch of tinsel.

I love my carved wooden Santa's dotted around the house.

 This year even my bedroom looked Christmasey.

 Wrapped.

Flowers - an early unexpected Christmas gift. The scent was amazing.

A Christmas pageant at Grandma's church.

Some wine for Christmas.

Family memories of Christmases past, hang on our tree.

Christmas morning - breakfast.

 Chokos from our garden - mangoes from the side of the road - green and red.

 A Christmas Street Party in a local town - with friends - the yummiest Vietnamese salad ever.

 Reindeer Poo and Rudolph Noses - every Christmas!

 Christmas morning - long after my 4:50 am wake up call (thanks Spunky Monkey) and just minutes before the frenzy of paper ripping began.

It's been a busy couple of weeks, but oh, so very fun. Today we have enjoyed a quiet day at home and it has been wonderful. Soon there will be more socializing to do, but for now... these next couple of days, we are taking it slow.

The weather has been dictating our rhythm, it is hot, exhaustingly so. We have moved from eating to reading to resting to reading to 'screen time' to eating to resting. I picked up the broom and lazily swept, just the kitchen. I filled the washing machine ready for another load... tomorrow. I cleaned and tidied three shelves in the pantry, but have left the other two for another day. Mr Moo has started sanding back our 'new' craft cupboard, he has gone back to it three times, stopping when the heat gets too much.

Leftovers for dinner, surely one of the best things about Christmas and an early night tonight.

Oh my, the hours we have been keeping, I think the word 'bedtime' disappeared with November. As a result, we are currently living with some very tired children, and I am not loving it. Lots of tears and yelling and general bad attitude. Hopefully a good nights sleep will begin to remedy that.

Here's to the return of peace and joy, after the busy Christmas period.

What we have been up too

Well it seems that things are finally sorted out here with our computer. Fingers crossed.

Hooray!

So what have we been doing with ourselves over the last month, you ask?

• The camellias have bloomed in the garden, making me catch my breath every morning when I open the curtains.

• We received free tickets to a magic show. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Afterwards we sat in the sun in the almost deserted main street, eating old fashioned ice-creams - a magnum, a drumstick and a have-a-heart. We don't do that much.

• I have cleaned, culled and tidied 16 cupboards and drawers, but can you believe it? There is still more to do!

• We have had 4 dentist visits and 7 doctors visits... and guess what? There will be more of that too.

• I have made my own laundry detergent. I've had the ingredients in the cupboard... waiting... for nearly 6 months. I love it. I am converted for so many reasons.

• Instead of calling my daughter by her name, I have started calling her 'my memory'. For example:

"Where's my memory? Oh there you are. What was the name of that person/show/place.....? who was that person who said/did/went...?"

She remembers everything, while I am either rather sleep deprived or showing my age, or both.

• This brings me to bedtime. I haven't been to bed before midnight in over a month. I am not a late night person and our household wakes with the sun regardless of what time I went to bed. I am trying to shift this disagreeable sleep pattern. It does not make for a very happy or productive Mummy.

• Because of the said waking hours I have been drinking lots (lots) of homemade cappuccinos. I usually only drink coffee at home on a Sunday morning. The rest of the time I can be found drinking way too many cups of tea. But cappuccinos have been getting me through lately, sprinkled with cinnamon instead of cocoa, the way my Mum and I drank them in Turkey almost 20 years ago.

• I have washed and repacked all of my children's saved baby clothes. It was a nice trip down memory lane.

• The children marched with their school on ANZAC day. We almost passed out with heat stroke and ate way too many ANZAC bikkies.

• Our printer broke down, the vacuum cleaner died and the toaster caught on fire (just a tiny spark - don't worry)

• We have had 4 visits from the tooth fairy.

• I have halved the contents of my wardrobe and I know I can half it again. It's all about mindset. It feels good.

• I have been spending way to much time on Pinterest. I keep telling myself that it is just another way of organising my life. And it is. Instead of things filling up computer space or having piles of paper and lists laying around, I have been pinning things instead. But it is true, that every now and again, I go off on a little tangent. It is a fun place to be.

• The kids ran their cross country.

• I have completely lost count of how many boxes I have taken to the op shop, or brought home from the op shop! I think it's pretty much an even swap so far. I'm not sure if that is what you would call good de-cluttering, or not. Out with the old and in with the new, that's what I say.

• I have finally found an inner strength at the library. Right now I have only 3 books out from the library. Yes! 3! And 3 dvd's. The norm is to have maxed my library card with 30 books, dvd's, cd's, children's books and magazines. And then, if there is no more room on my card I use the kids cards - always. Usually, nothing gets read. At best I might flick through the cooking and homemaking books, but any serious reading books are returned with only the first chapter read! This was not ideal. I have turned a corner, and I am excited.

I have also been thinking a lot about how I want to live my life, right now and in the future. Changing my mindset, taking a step back and re-evaluating things.

Life keeps moving at a very fast pace. I am trying to keep up with it. How about you?