My “Get up and Go”… got up and left…

And why is that a good thing?

Well for me that means that whatever was bothering me has also gone.. not following.. let me elaborate!

Earlier in the week I posted  This… about being in a Funk. How I deal with “funks” or “moods” is to clean… cleaning is mindless work, so while your hands are busy you can let your mind work through the crap that is bothering you..

Hold on!! I’m not a medical person, so please don’t take my word for it, I am just sharing with you what helps me!

I am a typical Type 2/ Libra we don’t share well unless we want to.. so I am by now, pretty good at hiding how I feel most of the times.. there are times when the family will know “somethings not right” I do one of a number of things.. I hibernate (currently I have not been out of the house except on the weekends for 2 solid weeks.. some days I don’t even get as far as the letter box!) I cry (sometimes they just escape!) or I clean! now I don’t mean clean as in wash the dishes I mean clean as in rip everything out and scrub and polish and discard and repack.. kinda like the Pantry episode from here, except that wasn’t a “cleaning” of my choice.. but it helped to serve a purpose.

When the children were little and I started “Cleaning” they would all look at each other and ask.. “What did YOU do?” they’d all shake their heads and then turn to the Bloke and ask “Who pissed Mum off this time?” I can’t yell and scream or swear when I am mad, it just isn’t in my nature, well, except  for this “incident” but I truly believe that was shock speaking!! So if I can’t yell, or scream or swear how else is a girl supposed to get the “Crap” out that threatens to overwhelm us? I clean!

It started Saturday night for me..I wanted so bad to sit and howl and yet I knew that if I did that The Bloke would want to know why and I can hardly decipher the “Why” myself so I picked up the sugar soap and a bucket of hot water and a sponge and started washing the hall way walls.. of course you know once you’ve started you can’t just stop in one spot you need to do the doors and frames and whatever else is “in the line of fire” which included in my case the Children’s bathroom, where I got down on hands and knees and scrubbed the toilet floor and thoroughly scrubbed the toilet which I kind of think is unfair I NEVER use that bathroom ever! So while I am scrubbing and tears are leaking and I am fuming, I am working through it.. next in line was the laundry! by then all that crying or maybe the sugar soap fumes… yeah let’s say it was the fumes.. had worn me out I slept well that night.

Sunday we had football… so in the afternoon I found something else to clean, because the “Funk” wasn’t over or even anywhere near being over… so I put some stuff away in my room and made a mental list of “Stuff” to do to keep busy!

Monday- I swept and washed all the floors it was a “baby free” day,and I spent the afternoon doing Art, another “get lost in the moment and don’t think about whats bothering you” kind of chore, but it’s a fun chore!

Tuesday- I got all the laundry caught up and scrubbed the back deck and did my Ensuite, more fumes, more tears and more silently wailing “this is NOT fair”

Wednesday– the “Pantry Incident” happened and so I de-cluttered and sorted and scrubbed.. one of my Facebook friends said “you missed a spot” in the pantry, it was in fact a screw head, I scrubbed so hard I went through the laminate.. Shhhh don’t tell my bloke!!! I covered it up with shelf liner he won’t notice! But then as I cleaned the pantry I started noticing other stuff to clean so I made this list!’

To do list for the rest of the week.

So then it’s Thursday I had Squishy so I knew I’d be pushing it to get this done and in fact I didn’t get it done.. I got the cupboard fronts done, and I had a special helper…

Until he decided to eat the sponge

So I had to let him go… and eventually I too gave up. When Brett picked up Squish about 12.30 pm I had the Choice…

Work through the list or have a nap or do some art… guess what “ART” won!!

So that in itself tells me that the “funk” is slowly disappearing..

 

These are two of the Art Journal pages I got done yesterday, there is also a third apparently I didn’t take a photo of it..

Prompt # 6 was “Patterned Paper and Markers” I used an old book page! and Prompt #7 was “Brushes” so I went out of my comfort zone and did a still life, using my Caran D’Arch water-soluble crayons! For me there’s something about drawing that clears my head.. I’m so busy concentrating on “this line goes up to here and then joins that line but on a weird angle, and then there’s this bit that kinda goes nowhere” my mind is so busy I haven’t got time to worry about whatever made me in a “funk” funny how I only just realized that, I NEED to draw more!! Prompt #8 was “numbers” no photo of that it was pretty boring.

So that brings us to today, and I must confess before I went to sleep last night I prayed my hardest that God would give me a rest from this “funk” help me work it out and get past it because my back is KILLING me from all this cleaning and my hands have split from the hot water and sugar soap, I’m so not good with rubber gloves! This morning I woke up with the worst headache, which means it’s going to be a “doing nothing kinda  day“

Oh and on the Subject of cleaning.. I did the Fridge on Friday (Last week) there was a horrible smell I took everything out cleaned all the fridge and put it back together only to discover three-week old rock melon makes a VERY awful smell… Do NOT try this at home.. trust me please!

Trouble with this spotless fridge is every time I open it to get something my heart skips a beat like “Oh My Gosh, we have no food we’ll starve” it’s so not true and I’m not even sure where that thought comes from, the freezer is full of goodness!

We are such a wasteful family. We buy stuff and then it goes out of date and we throw it away, or in the case of the three-week old rock melon we leave it.. yuck! I think I am going to start practicing being a “Minimalist“

minimalist

ˈmɪnɪm(ə)lɪst/

adjective

adjective: minimalistic

1. 1.

   relating to minimalism.

in this case “Less is more” except my friends when it comes to “Art Supplies” because there is no such thing as TOO MUCH in art supplies!!

And if someone dares to suggest such a thing.. walk away because you don’t need that negativity in your life!

Speaking of which… my art journal is calling me, I am NOT doing one extra ounce of cleaning today and I DARE anyone in my house to call me out on it!!

“My Get up and Go got up and left” …*sigh* it feels so good to be back to me!

The Year of New Recipes challenge- new recipe.

This original challenge was brought to you by :Reannon @ http://shewhorambles.com/category/a-year-of-new-recipes/

I must confess I’ve not been very good at keeping up with this one for a few reasons

A- My children are fussy little brats who resist change.. (Ohh to be footloose and fancy free I’ll eat whatever I WANT then!)

B- There’s been so much else going on, cooking has been the last thing to worry about.

So anyways, when I DO make a new thing I’ll share it with you. Recently Football Season 2015 started and that means football training 5.30-6.30 on Tuesday and Thursday which means I’d be home later than 6.45 pm, until the Bloke decided to go to work earlier and finish earlier on these days to save me the dramas with Babies of going to Football training, he’s a great bloke like that! (I guess it’s cheaper than buying a second car too!) Anyways by the time that idea came to fruition I had told the children (star Son and Amber and Sweetpea!) that I would be starting to use the slow cooker on those nights as it’s almost set and forget cooking. The first night I cooked a family favourite because “Star Son” is the most temperamental about food. He’s been known to walk in, see the slow cooker on the bench and declare right away “I’m not eating it” never mind what “it” was! So the first night I cooked Silverside (AKA- corned beef or corned brisket) This is a long time family favorite but I cooked it in the dreaded “Slow cooker” or SC, I have had this slow cooker sitting here for about 2 years and used it maybe a handful of times, because the children hated the “Stews” or as they called them “Spews”, so I am so glad I found this new recipe site, they cook everything and anything in their slow cookers!

You can read about the Silverside here: https://kimlhine.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/t-is-for/ It turned out beautifully and I was off to an Art class anyways so I didn’t care too much if he didn’t eat it. Then I get a Facebook notification that Amber had posted a video clip and tagged me, it was “Star Son” eating his dinner telling me how yummy it was…reluctantly he admitted it was “yum” and we could have that again. I wasn’t sure when the recipe called for a bottle of dry ginger ale.. but yum! So I mentally ticked that one-off and then asked him “What else would YOU like me to attempt to cook in the slow cooker? he suggested meatloaf… Another family favorite so I found the “SC” version which was basically the same as my version anyways. That too was a huge hit, and so I thought while I am on a roll I’ll ask him :what else?” and he suggested some “desserts” ha ha! So I said “well ok, I’ll make the desserts but you must have main courses too” So Amber joined the facebook group for “SC” and started finding recipes that would be classed as “kid friendly” and my friends I think I am a genius! Maybe I am speaking too soon, but… last night was the third and technically fourth or fifth (if you count the cakes) success I’ve had! So I am feeling pretty proud of myself..

Last night we had chicken enchiladas

recipe from here: http://www.slowcookercentral.com/recipe/shredded-chicken-enchiladas/ yummy!

Serves: 3-4 depending on how much you eat. mine made 12
Preparation Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours on high

---

INGREDIENTS

• 6 chicken thighs
  1pkt taco seasoning
  2 cans diced tomatoes
  1 tblsp tomato paste
  2 cloves garlic
  Some oregano
  Mixed herbs
  Pack of tortilla wraps (mine made 12)
  Cheese
  Lettuce & sourcream for serving.
  You can add more spices for your tasting, this one isnt very spicey.

---

INSTRUCTIONS

Place chicken in the slowcooker, sprinkle taco seasoning all over the chicken.
Pour 1 can diced tomatoes on top of the chicken.
Add in the tomato paste, garlic & oregano on top & leave for 2 hours on high.
Mix everything around and leave for another 2 hours on high.
After that mine was a bit runny so i put a tea towel under the lid for about an hour and it was done.
Put the chicken in the tortilla wraps and roll up putting them in a baking tray. Mix together the other can of diced tomatoes and the mixed herbs, pour over the top of the wraps. Grate cheese and put it on top then in the oven on 180 degrees for about half an hour.
Serve on a bed of lettuce & sourcream on top!
Enjoy!!

Chicken Enchiladas on a bed of salad!

Then while I was pushing my luck.. I also added a cake to the slow cooker.. once the meat for the Chicken enchiladas was cooked and I’d cleaned up I made the cake..

So the secret to the cake is it’s so easy!

You use two at least ingredients you can add more.. A packet cake mix and 250 mils of fizzy drink.. that’s it!! too easy!!

The first one I made was “Jaffa Cake” so chocolate cake mix with orange fizzy drink..I even made the icing with orange fizzy drink… yummy!! Hmm apparently I forgot to post that cake!

Last week in the A-Z challenge I was following (and still am) a blog called “SnapShotincursive” and she had this post:

http://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/05/03/eating-my-way-through-the-alphabet-letter-u/ She had cooked an “Upside down Pineapple cake” and immediately I wondered.. Can I cook that in the slow cooker? So yesterday I gave it a go! I used vanilla Cake mix, 250 mils of Apple Cider and I layered the bottom of the tin with canned pineapple. If you attempt this you need to add about a cup of water to the bottom of the SC  and add a teatowel under the lid to stop the condensation, Cook for 1.5 hours on high.. yummy!!  Now cooking in the slow cooker doesn’t give you a nicely browned cake but gee it’s moist!!

I forgot to sprinkle the pan with sugar and cinnamon before I cooked it so I did that when I took it out of the pan!

This one got a little bit of colour as well

I didn’t dare put the cherries in it that would just be pushing the friendship boundaries too far!

The final result was YUMMMM! and “can I have more?”

So thank you Gail at :http://snapshotsincursive.com/about/ for the inspiration.

I also made us a huge pot of the mother’s vegetable soup..in this cold weather when I am trying to be healthy I love this soup… the CHILDREN HATE IT!! of course they do! So I always know I’ll have plenty, I just freeze it for lunches on cold days. And quick and easy dinners when the Children are not home or are having something else.

The star of this soup is the huge ham hock, and as you simmer it the meat just falls away from the bone and it’s just so good and filling and warm!! In the Photo of the “Pre cooked” soup my Star son thinks I am cooking with bird seed! but it’s just the dry soup mix!

School Homework Assignment- School Holidays

In Australia we are currently having spring school holidays and as any parent knows school holidays can be a tough time, some parents love holidays and some dread it

Love it or hate it it costs money! we usually go away to our holiday place and hang out at the beach or read or play TV games and just relax and unwind. Its good when there are other kids down there that Master 12 knows because he will go off playing happily for hours, climbing trees or riding bikes or playing TV games, but this holidays its different because I am now caring for my almost 10 month old Grandson while daughter #1 works. And she hates to be separated from him unless she has to work, so there’s not much chance of me escaping for a week with her son! So what to do with a 12 r old and a 10 month old..

Monday we spent the day with my cousin and her daughter and went shopping to a huge second hand shop its called “Savers” we had fun trying on clothes and brought a few goodies and some books and then had McDonald’s for a lunch treat.  “Phew” I said “One day down”

Chase enjoyed his bottle in the sunshine

Mum and Will, Spavin Drive Lake

Tuesday we hung around the house, except when we walked to the local duck pond and sat in the beautiful sunshine and just talked, I like those quiet times when he feels like he can open up and just chat. which brought up the subject of “homework” that had to be done over the holidays, for some reason I had missed that email but the Bloke had it. It was from Will’s cooking teacher, requesting that the children spend some of their holidays doing some homework!Oh the horror on his face! They had to design a pizza brief (immediately my mind jumped into action) but alas they had a list of approved ingredients they had to choose from.

This is his home work…

“Learning Intention: To consolidate the understanding of the areas of a design brief.”

“Success Criteria: To have addressed all sections of the Colourful Pizza Design brief”

You Must choose ONE topping from Groups 1, 4 and 5 and TWO ingredients from 2 and 3

Remember: when selecting topping ingredients ensure colourful combinations.

Group One- Choose One-

• 2 slices of ham
• 1 Rasher of bacon
• 6 Slices hot salami
• 6 Slices mild salami (Will Chose ones that are Italicized) 

Group Two- Choose Two-

• 2 spring onions
• 1/4 green capsicum
• 1/4 red capsicum
• 1/2 tomato

Group Three- Choose Two-

• 2 Mushrooms
• 1/4 Zucchini
• 2 Tbs Olives
• 1 Slice Pineapple

Group Four- Choose One-

• 1 teaspoon Basil
• 1 Teaspoon Oregano
• 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce

Group Five- Choose One-

• 50 grams Tasty cheese
• 50 grams Mozzarella cheese
• 50 grams Cheddar cheese

So with shopping list in hand I asked him “what about the base?”

Will: “what base?”

Mum: “the base that all these toppings will sit on?”

Will:” Umm I dunno”

So I read the rest of the section and discovered they have to MAKE the base too… suddenly I am thinking “Ekk.. hard hard, yeast and proving times blah blah” taking a deep breath I sat down and read the instructions and was surprised to realize that NO YEAST was involved.. Hmm I wondered how would that work?!

“Basic Pizza Dough Recipe”

Ingredients for dough-

• 1 Cup of Self Raising Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 Tablespoons plain yogurt

Too easy, off to Woolworths we go and I am telling the checkout lady about homework that involves making pizza and how weird that we had to use “yogurt” instead of yeast and she said “Oh I am gluten intolerant and we make it with yogurt all the time it’s really easy and yummy” I felt slightly better.

Will was not excited for this project at all, but I felt all excited almost like when I spent a year Homeschooling the boys, Jarrah was 11 yrs old and Will was three years old. Back then in Australia homeschooling was illegal and so I took a huge risk and I have to say it was the best year of my life. I regained my son and got Will ready for kindergarten and life in general and by the time he went to kindy the next year he could already write his name and use scissors. In that year I asked Jarrah “what do YOU want to learn about?” I told him we had to do Math, English, writing, and whatever else we wanted to do, I had no idea what I was doing, making it up as I went, we ended up doing a whole term on Australia, animals, history, culture, cooking!! we loved it, we made Anzac cookies and posters for the walls and did word searches and lots of art. We also did a huge amount of work on Space and astronomy because he asked me “How does the moon go from full to half and quarter?” Hmmm lets work on that! all three of us had a great year. I am a hands on Mum, I want to help with the projects and make posters and help research or at least point them in the direction and then ask them questions to help them look up the answers.

So this pizza brief sounded like fun..so much so that I couldn’t stop thinking of “Pizza design brief” Design- Design is the creation of a plan or convention for the construction of an object (wikipedia) Hmm so what Will was doing was just putting it together I wanted to design one.. so I went ahead and did that! but first let’s see Will’s Pizza..

So now we are all a few kilos heavier and Will’s first part of his homework is done, tomorrow he has to do the written part, what I have yet to work out is how the teacher is going to prove that the kids actually did the homework.. I am sure not everyone’s Mum has a blog or bothered to get involved to the point I would ask him to “stop while I take a photo for the blog!” The Bloke refused to try the “Strawberry Delight” he claimed it was “too sweet” Will was full after a bite or two but Jasmin and I enjoyed it. Next time we are going to make one with chopped up Mars Bar and make the base. ( I used store brought bases for my two pizzas)