Wordless Wednesday

How do they grow up so fast?

Ashlee

Shannyn

Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednseday!!

I WANT I WANT I WANT!

It is my birthday this week. I am a little -  OK a LOT depressed that this birthday will mean I am closer to 40 than back to 30. We don't tend to make a big deal of birthdays in our family and usually I am OK with that, lately however I have been feeling a little selfish. Why shouldn't I be able to ask for something nice for a change? My girlfriend told me once that if she doesn't get at least a really expensive piece of jewellery for her birthday (every year) she cracks it for weeks.
So, in the interests of being completely unrealistic, here is an abridged list of acceptable items for my gift.......

I'll be nice and let the colour be a surprise....

 

 

The room on the end will do just fine thanks!

Anything over 1.5 carats will be accepted.

Size eight please!

        The fact that I have to do stock take at work on my birthday also sucks, but if I am lucky I will be doing data entry in the office and not freezing my you know whats off in the warehouse!
Another year older, but not necessarily wiser, what can you do?

* Images from weheartit.com

Things I know - I'm a newbie!

Joining up for the first time with Shae at Yay for Home 'cos I got me some things I know this week!

- I know when your 5 year old wakes you up at 4:30 am with the words "Mum, I don't feel well", the next few hours are not going to be pretty.

- Listening to her say "why do I have to be sick?" whilst in tears is heart wrenching.

- You can never have too many cuddles when your'e feeling crappy.

- When youv'e been up since 4:30 am, and cannot go out for fear of a 'chuck attack' by same 5 year old,  online groceries that will arrive the same day are a godsend!

- The day after the night before is a perfect excuse for a pyjama day and some Disney movies!

I am also flogging my new found wisdom (?) with the red nosed Glowless today too. Happy Friday everyone!

Wordless Wednesday - a cake, a journey...

Fresh from  the oven!

Going,

Going,

Gone!

Stalking time again over at My Little Drummer Boys, you can play along too!

THAT Mum and the Dog.

I became THAT Mum the other day. You know, the one everyone is staring at in the supermarket because her child is running wild. The one where you are shouting at the top of your voice "(insert name here) come here now!" The one where you are grovelling to the check out chick "I'm so sorry, I just have to go get her/him".   I felt like melting into the ground as my little darling led me on a wild goose chase around the registers.
It all began with 'The Dog'. Anyone who has ever been to a supermarket will have seen the faded plastic guide dog at the front of the store where you can leave donations. I get the attraction for young children;
1) They can slobber all over a dog for a change instead of the other way around.
2) The lure of being able to shove something (like Mum's hard earned) into the top of it's head is irresistible.
3) It's a big adventure to escape from the evil clutches of the woman who has had you captive in the trolley seat for the last twenty minutes.

GGGRRRRR

Ashlee has been allowed to visit 'the dog' on the occasions I can get a checkout close enough to keep an eye on her. I give her a few coins and off she merrily trots to say hi and to hear the rewarding CLUNK of a couple of ten cent pieces hitting the pile of money inside.
This time I wasn't so quick. She was off like a rocket before I could unzip my purse for those precious coins, and another little girl was already giving our plastic friend a belly full of change. This, of course, reminded my little darling that she was empty handed, and she started back to grab her coins. In the few seconds it took me to place another few items on the conveyor belt and look up again - she was gone.
My heart jumped into my throat as I started scanning the front of the store, my voice broke as I started calling for her. In what felt like ages, but was probably more like thirty seconds, the lady in line behind me said "oh, here she is." She had wandered down the wrong register back into the store to try and find me, and was quite calmly explaining that she had forgotten her 'nummy' for the dog.
By this time I felt like every eye in the store was on the 'mother who's child ran off on her ' (read ME.) Of course I didn't help my cause by the blurting of

                           NEVERDOTHATTOMUMMYAGAIN 

in a semi hysterical voice just loud enough to be picked up by the astronauts on the space station. Of course Ashlee took it all in her stride and explained to me like I was the two year old "nummy, dog, Mummy".
If it is possible to burn rubber with a trolleys tyres, thats what I did and hightailed it out of there, but next time I hear a parents' 'never do that again' shout - I'm blaming the dog.


** My apologies to Guide Dogs Australia for the use of this image to illustrate my crappy parenting skills!

What's Cooking??

If you are anything like me this link may just be a saving grace. I struggle to come up with new meals for the family, I am really lucky that my girls will eat just about anything, but the same old fish-lamb chops-schnitzel and veggies can get a bit boring.
Kate at Kate says stuff is helping all the menu challenged mums out there (like me!) with a menu sharing link, this is a recipe I tried out the other day and the whole family went back for seconds......


Chicken and Vegetable Pie

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 500g chicken thigh, trimmed and chopped
- 1 medium brown onion, chopped finely
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup mixed chopped vegetables (I use frozen peas corn carrot mix)
- 1/2 35g packet french onion soup mix 
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 1/3 cup light thickened cooking cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
for the topping
- 750g chopped potato
- 1/4 cup milk

Directions
1) To make topping, cook potato for 8-10 mins in salted water. Drain, add salt and pepper to taste, milk and mash.
2) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Heat half the olive oil in a pan and cook chicken in batches until brown. Transfer to a plate.
3) Heat remaining oil and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add veggies, cook until softened. Add soup mix, stock, mustard and cream. Stir to combine.
4) Return chicken to pan. Simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Add parsley. Transfer to a 6 cup pie dish, spread potato over the top.
5) Cook for 15-20 minutes until top is golden.

** This has quite a strong mustard taste, so reduce mustard to 1/2 tablespoon if you want it a bit more subtle.
This was so warming on a chilly winters night, it takes a little while to prepare but is worth it!!

Soundtrack Sunday - the party edition!

Was flat out yesterday - I think my entire years worth of social life was squeezed into the last 24 hours. Not easy to do when you feel crapola (STILL have this bloody flu that is hanging around).

Yesterday was a day of contrasts, from the innocent frivolity that is a 5 year olds birthday party, we were surrounded by jumping castles, pinatas and face painting. Fast forward six hours and I was lurking in a dark room waiting to shout SURPRISE for a work mate's 50th. My hubby and another work mate had spent the last 3 weeks organising it and making sure the 40 odd people from work who were going kept hush hush about it. Mission accomplished - the surprisee had NO IDEA, and a great night was enjoyed with much dancing and drinking!

So in the spirit of revelry, a song that (usually) gets everyone onto the dance floor....







Do YOU know all the moves??

50 Amazing, funny, sad but true, and completely useless facts about ME!

Well well, 50 posts, who would have thought? Thanks to the small band of nutters, followers who check in to examine the strange workings of my mind, so I thought I would share (cos we're all about sharing on here!) 50 weird and wonderful things about yours truly for my 50th post!

1.  My nickname, Skyelee, originates from the fact that there is no possible way to shorten my name, so everyone just merges my first and second names together. Original huh?
2. My birthday is June 30, so my parents have always called me a 'tax deduction'.
3. My hubby and I both come from small families, only one sibling each.
4. I have known my besties for 23 years, me thinks we need a 25 year "we haven't killed each other yet" holiday together in 2013!
5. I wore braces for years after an accident when I was eight left me with 'bugs bunny' teeth.
6. I STILL hate my teeth and would have them all capped if it didn't cost as much as a Caribbean cruise.
7. I am a Melbourne girl born and bred, and cannot imagine living anywhere else.
8. I am a MAD Collingwood supporter (please don't hold it against me!)
9. Growing up I wanted to be a ballerina, an architect, a photographer and a florist. (Not all at the same time!)
10. I have performed in front of 95,000 people at an AFL Grand Final.
11. I have a Bachelor of Business degree (and the HECS debt to prove it.)
12. Met my hubby through an ex-boyfriend in 1995
13. We got married in 2003 at the Melbourne Zoo - it was an AMAZING day!
14. My dad and I are creating our family tree. It currently has 1264 people in it - including convicts from the First and Second Fleets.
15. Most of my ancestors were miners, but I am claustrophobic!
16. I was a 'teenybopper'. NKOTB were my favourite!
17. Current favourites are MUSE and India Arie.
18. I love movies, but can't stand horror films.
19. I own all the Harry Potter films but have never read the books!
20. My favourite T.V. show ever - LOST
21. Team Edward or Jacob? - Edward
22. Who would play me in a film of my life? Drew Barrymore
23. My first job was helping out my Pop in the local chemist shop on a Sunday morning - I got paid a whopping $20!!
24. I now work part time in a sales/admin role for a plumbing supplies company (like a Reece but much better ;-) )
25. My favourite colour is purple. 
26. I was captain of purple house in both year 6 and year 12 at school.
27. Love my 2 little girls to bits - but have no desire for baby #3
28. My youngest and her cousin were born only 11 days apart in 2008
29. Would love to learn how to knit and sew
30. Would love to travel, but am terrified of flying!
31. Ironically, I can see the airport from where we live.
32. I have no piercings (not even ears,) and no tattoos.
33. I have never broken a bone.
34. I have a sweet tooth and am aching to try these out soon.
35. I can't stand coriander - I have no idea how people can eat it...
36. I would love to try growing my own veggies, but have a black thumb!
37. I have appalling handwriting and usually stick to capital letters.
38. I am not a naturally neat person, but am slowly coming around!
39. I can spend months preparing for X-mas, I love finding just the right gift for someone.
40. I am 'i' phobic. I don't own an ipad, an iphone, and I have a love/hate relationship with my ipod.
41. The only thing I know how to do on an iphone is play Angry Birds - stupid addictive game.........
42. I took dancing lessons for 20 years (ballet, jazz and tap)
43. The only Australian state capital city I have not been to is Darwin
44. My favourite book genre is historic fiction. I read Year of Wonders at least once a year.
45. My earliest memory is visiting my sister in hospital when she had a hernia operation - I was three.
46. I love pyjama days and would live in my flannies if I could!
47. I could watch my girls play for hours.
48. My mother is the most amazing, kind, supportive and resilient person I know.
49. My hubby comes in a close second.
50. You can totally LIKE me on FACEBOOK (what a plug hey?!)

PHEW!! Thanks for getting all the way to the bottom of the list. You can run for the hills now....... I am having a ball getting to know some incredible people (if only online) through blogging - what should I know about YOU??
Flogging time again with Where's My Glow - are you game?

Wordless Wednesday - Blast from the past

Eight years and counting, how does it go so fast??

Wordless Wednesday is proudly sponsored by the letters M,L,D and B !! Come and play along!!

If it aint Beer-O-Clock, it must be Wine-Thirty.

If you had told me five and a half years ago that having children would drive me to drink I would have slapped you. If you said the same thing today I'd hand you a beer. As a child I would often hear my parents talk about that mysterious grown up thing - Beer-o-clock. Mum would have a shandy or a glass of wine while cooking dinner and dad would grab a beer and watch the news.
There are many awareness campaigns targeting teenage binge drinking and parents drinking habits, but I honestly think it was my parents 'everything in moderation' approach that let me avoid going nuts as a teenager, and put into perspective one or two drinks a few times a week that I need enjoy now.
It never occurred to me as I was growing up that the reason Beer-o-clock was such a coveted hour was ME (and my sister!) Being a parent is bloody hard work, and a little liquid refreshment is a hell of a lot cheaper than flying Lars the Swiss masseuse in every couple of days or a quick escape to Barbados. I have tried yoga, but it is too hard to keep the glass steady when you're in the 'downward dog'.

Oh crap - where did I put the bottle opener?

I now get to enjoy Beer-o-clock with my parents - the only irony is Mum gave up alcohol right around the time Shannyn was born! I know she smiles that 'been there, done that' smile as she passes me the Moscato, and I hope to pass the same attitude to my girls - WAIT UNTIL YOUR OLDER; and that goes double for boyfriends!!

The Body Eccentric

I went shopping for clothes yesterday - BIG MISTAKE.  I would love to be one of those people who always have the perfect look, never a hair out of place, but I have to face reality -  I'm just not.
I wanted to try and get a 'dressy' outfit for a party we have coming up soon. I always tend to drag the same pair of pants and top out of the cupboard for these sort of occasions, but I was really geared up for a new set of clothes.
That was until about the second set of stuff I tried on. I'll be honest, I could afford to lose a few kilos, but my standard size is a 12, so you would think I could find something that would look semi decent.

Image from www.weheartit.com

NOTHING I put on fit properly - they were either too tight in one place and saggy in others, the dress I tried on made me look like a patterned potato sack, the latest trend in over sized tops and skinny jeans make me look like a hobbit trying to fit into an elves robe.
Where are Trinny and Susannah when I need them? Could they save this fashion tragic? Unfortunatley the fairy godmothers of chic were not on hand, and I left empty handed and feeling like more of a frump than ever.

Come on girls, help me out!

So my friends will be subjected to the same ensemble as always, the beautiful people will be rocking it effortlessly and my general hatred of  clothes shopping remains intact. How do you avoid the pitfalls of fashion?

Soundtrack Saturday, India Arie - Beautiful Flower

This woman is an incredible singer and songwriter - she needs no embellishment; just give her a guitar and listen to her brand of soulful, honest music.

FlogYoBlog Friday - I WON!

Feeling very 'housewifey' today! Groceries - done! Dinner in the slow cooker - done! First load of laundry - almost done!
Was lucky enough to win a full size packet of Rockin Green Laundry Powder from Fluffy Tails and The Organised Housewife , and have been busy finding as much dirty laundry as I can (not hard in my house!) to try it out.

Check out all the amazing scents! 

I chose the Orangevana  - an invigorating combination of citrus and vanilla; it is not overpowering once the clothes are dry, but leaves a subtle fresh finish to your clothes.
I must admit to cheating - I don't usually use powder or hot water in my laundry, but just dissolved it in a few cups of boiling water before adding it to the wash and it washed perfectly! You only need to use 2-3 tablespoons per wash, so will probably get somewhere between the 45-90 washes the packet advertises. At nearly $20 for the packet it is not cheap; but will last ages and it safe for the environment and sensitive skins!
So today I will be multitasking not only my housework, but Flogging not one, but three blogs! Am I talented or what??
Flogging time again with Wheres My Glow. Have a great Friday!!

** No payment was received for this reveiw.

When Disaster Strikes......

A sad and sorry state in this house last night ladies and gentlemen. The wine bottle was EMPTY!! What to do??????
Never mind, the trusty fall back of a little glass of Johnnie Walker or Bacardi would help a worn out Mum wind down at the end of the day. Worn out Mum had blocked out the memory forgotten the self imposed Coke ban - the slow realisation that no liquid relief would be had tonight was seeping into my brain when........ the HERO appeared!

Image from weheartit.com

Hubby announced that a snack run was imminent. How he could survive without Twisties whilst watching the French Open final did not concern me - he would have access to Coke!!
My hero went one better; he promised chocolate too (what a guy huh?) I knew that his serenading skills (see previous post) was not the only reason I married him. My hero was going to save the day! 
The smile plastered across my face could not have been any wider when I heard the front door herald his arrival home from the store. I would have Coke! With alcoholic accompaniment! And chocolate!

The wait was nearly over!

A pedestal was being prepared for my hero when I heard the following.....
"Shit - I forgot the Coke!"
Lesson learned - if you want it -  go get it your damned self.

Soundtrack Saturday

When my hubby and I started going out this song was at the top of the charts. Every time it would come on the radio he would sing it at the top of his lungs - completely out of tune of course! I don't know if he thought it was a romantic gesture as it is a ballad, but it would always make me smile......
That fact that it is from the best 'Worst film ever' also adds to its charm!





If hubby had of been off the market, I guess I could have settled for Chris O'Donnell!! Enjoy the weekend everyone :-)

It's COLD outside!!

I admit it - I would never make a great Eskimo, athough the nose rubbing bit is quite cute!! An early kinder run today meant that we copped the brunt of a 'crisp' Melbourne morning (read BLOODY COLD!) There are , however some upsides to the chill.......

 

 

 

Pyjama Days

Lots of hot beverages, and Marshmallows!

Comfort food!

FOOTY!!

It's Friday, playing along with the wonderful Glowless !
All pictures from weheartit.com

Wordless Wednesday - Copy Cat!

Shannyn cut her toe yesterday, so Ashlee just HAD to have an 'ouchie band-aid' too!!

Dora Band-Aids of course!

Come and join in with My Little Drummer Boys  for Wordless Wednesday!