Slow down babies!

What's the go with Summer holidays?

It seems to be the time of year when kids do a whole heap of growing up right before our eyes.

Yesterday Sienna lost her fourth tooth - one of the major ones, a front top tooth. And the other is so loose, I'm guessing the tooth fairy may be back again tonight for another visit. But looking back on my own school photos, my teeth (and Boo's) didn't seem to have budged until at least mid through our Grade Two years. Sienna is just about to begin Grade One and it seems a very grown up thing to have so many gaps in her mouth already.

I've also noticed her being a lot more grown up around the house. She's always been pretty good at packing up toys and keeping her room tidy. But these holidays, she's offering to help with so much more like getting the washing in and helping me unload the dishwasher; helping her brother and sister pack up and generally helping them with little things throughout the day too.

Seven years ago, I was feeling like a whale, only halfway through my first pregnancy, eagarly awaiting our first baby, and oh my God, was it a hot Summer that year! And now, here's that little baby girl seeming ever so grown up.

Not just Sienna, Chace and Lex too.

I remember Sienna being a little unsettled before her final year of kinder began, she was just so ready for that extra stimulation and was itching to learn new things. But Chace REALLY needs to go, another week can't come fast enough for him! He's started writing his name and reading really simple words. He's in a mood a lot of days when I can just tell he's bored with the routine at home and has exhausted everything I'm teaching him. He's soooooo ready for kinder to begin!

Same with Lex, she goes off to little kinder next week as one of the younger ones. But there was no way I could hold her back another year! She's toilet trained, the baby-ness evaporated over Summer and she is such a social butterfly. Her bag is packed and ready to go. She tells me stories of what she and her best friend Abby will get up to at kinder.

I've slowly been clearing out the toy cupboard of any baby toys and last week, the last of it all went to the Salvos. It really did tug at my heart strings! I've kept a few favourite little things like Sophie the Giraffe and their favourite rattles. I do love watching them grow up and go through different stages. But I really don't have a baby in the house anymore!

I'm blaming a combination of pool water and sunshine, surely that's what's made my little ones grow up so suddenly over Summer - yes?!

Let the challenge begin

Well I am down to no sleeps! My holidays are here and so too are lazy pj days, lunching out, sunny walks with my boys and most importantly gourmet meals every night that we are at home!

 So I set myself a challenge to cook something new every night that we are home while I am on holidays. The rules are pretty simple. The meal must be something we have never cooked at home before and just in case I have a craving for a good old 'safe' meal I have added the rule that if I dont have a new dish for our evening meal I have to make a new dessert or some sort of baked goody for Ryno's smoko.

 Achievable I reckon so now I have pulled out my recipe folder and have started flicking through my cut outs, print outs, photo copies etc and am salivating just thinking about the week ahead. I have a beautiful Cath Kidston recipe folder that was a pressie from my Mum. It is fab and so user friendly. It has pockets for all your recipes and they are catergorised too. Plus a huge section for shopping lists and hand written recipes. It is perfect for me as when it comes to recipe collecting I am definitely a hoarder. There are recipes from over 12 years ago in there that are sooooo involved and probably completely out of my depth but you never know what I might do on a rainy day!

 I am kicking off the challenge with a family dish; 'Layer Casserole' from my CWA cookbook. It sounds easy but yummy too. The other reason for choosing this is the fact that our fridge almost resembles Old Mother Hubbards cupboard and I really dont feel up to a trip to Woolys today! Mince, vegies and rice are all it requires and they are staples in my house.

Hope you are having a happy start to your week and if you are lucky enough to be starting annual leave like me Happy Holidays !

Boo x

5 Sleeps

My life seems to be a constant countdown. I countdown to Christmas, once that arrives its a countdown to my big boys Birthday, then to Easter, then onto my baby boys Birthday and before you know it I am back where I started counting down the sleeps until Santa arrives yet again. Also thrown in there is the countdown to holidays, countdown to weddings, expecting friends due dates and so on and on and on.

If I ever get a shower to myself which may happen once a week, I stand under the boiling hot water and think about all these count downs. I count the weeks to go then I count backwards as well. I hope I'm not alone out there in doing this???? I even countdown to hair appointments and count forward to plan my next one!

Anyway so to get to the point of all this, my latest countdown is to my holidays. I started back at work in January this year and ever since day one I have been counting down to this upcoming break. I have only 5 sleeps to go and if you change it into work shifts it sounds even better as then it is only 2 night shifts to go! 

I am busy making a list of things to do in my holidays. The notes section in my iPhone looks really exciting at the moment with lots of things planned. I have decided to do lots of kiddie friendly things as my time with boys is precious and they deserve a few treats. The last few months has been so hectic for them with early morning drop offs. Sometimes they are plucked out of their beds at 6am to drop off at Nanny's so Daddy gets to work on time, all while Mummy (me) is still at work. So yes they certainly need some days at home and days out and about just having fun. So a few items on my list include a date with Blake to 48Flavours (the grooviest ice cream parlour in town) and maybe our first ride on a paddle steamer!

Also while on holidays I have set myself a special challenge. Julie and Julia style except minus the french. Every night that I am on holidays we are going to have something we have never had before for dinner. I can use recipes books, magazine cutouts whatever but it has to be something new. I invited Ryno along for the challenge, not sure how keen he was and he did ask how many times I expected him to go to Hungry Jacks for a quick emergency dinner dash (only ever done this twice ever so my track record is pretty good!). Anyway more details on this will come in a later blog.

Some may consider this all this counting down a waste of time and a way of wishing my life away. But I see it as a wonderful oppurtunity. At least I have exciting things to countdown to.

Righto I'm off to have a shower and maybe countdown to Logan's Birthday party!

Boo x