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Tag: Thankful Thursday

What happened when I did the vacuum cleaning

I know. What a bizarre title for a post. But you will be amazed by this story. Seriously. Forget Kim Kardashian, this will be your water cooler topic for the day. I’m still totally in shock myself.

You see, after writing about The Bloke in The Shed’s new Dyson and my excitement at the thought of him using it, I got sick of the wait and decided to just use the darn thing myself. The girls hate loud noises, so vacuuming tends to never happen. That’s my excuse, anyway. However, when my Mum came around yesterday, I thought it might be a good opportunity to get the three living areas treated with the Dyson, at least.

This was the end result for its first outing.

That’s from only THREE rooms.

What on earth have we been living in all this time? Kind of says something about the quality of our last vacuum. I’m ever so thankful for our super sucking Dyson.

Do you have a Dyson? Has your vacuum ever captured this much dust in ONE go and flawed you as much as this has me?

Linking up with the lovely Kate Says Stuff’s Thankful Thursday. Click on the link to find out what others are thankful for this week.

November 3, 2011
Quiet! There’s too much noise – Zhu Zhu children’s picture book

THIS is my little stab at writing a children’s book. I know it still needs a LOT of work. Either that or the bin. It’s based on the adventures of Ella’s two Zhu Zhu pets and. at the moment, it is a well read story here. So I thought I’d share it with you.

This is my final few days as Zhu-Fari’s mummy blogger ambassador and is an opportunity I’ve been very thankful for.

QUIET. THERE’S TOO MUCH NOISE

One day, when the two princesses were at school, there were some strange things happening at home.

Mum was busily doing her work, when suddenly she heard a noise. What could it be?

She peered around the corner to find Zhu Leopard and Zhu Zebra tearing around the lounge room in a loud car. They were going sooo fast, Zhu Zebra’s hair was flapping in the wind. “Quiet,’’ Mum said. “There’s too much noise.’’

Mum headed back to doing her work. Then, a few minutes later, she heard … scratch, scratch, scratch. She peeked into the kitchen to find Zhu Leopard and Zhu Zebra trying to get into Baby Holly’s birthday cake. “Quiet,’’ Mum said. “There’s too much noise.’’

Just as Mum sat back down to her computer, she heard scratch, scratch, scratch AND nibble, nibble, nibble. What was going on? Mum headed to the kitchen again and this time found Zhu Leopard had jumped INTO the cake tin. “Quiet,’’ Mum said. “There’s too much noise.’’

As the sun started to set and Mum was writing her last few tweets (um, we mean work emails), the Zhu-Faris sat up to the window as the sky changed colour. Then… squee, squee, squee. The noisy pair had spotted a tiny bird through the window and wanted to chase it. Mum sighed and then said: “Quiet. There’s too much noise.’’

Mum had had enough. She picked the two Zhu-Faris up, took them into Princess Ella’s room and and tucked them into bed. She then opened a book and read them a quiet bedtime story. The Zhu-Fari’s sat, without making a noise, and listened.

Soon they were fast asleep.

Mum was finally able to sit down and finish her work. But something was wrong. What could it be? “It’s too quiet,’’ Mum said. “There’s not enough noise.’’

***

If you want (and please, don’t feel like I’m twisting your arm), you can download a free copy of the ebook (with proper formatting) to read to your little ones. Just click on the image.

Joining in with Kate Says Stuff’s Thankful Thursday. Find out what others are thankful for by clicking the link.

DISCLOSURE: I am a Zhu-Fari mummy blogger ambassador.

October 27, 2011
The Wonder Week: Wake me when it’s over
Baby Holly during a sunny period.

WITH so much interest in The Wonder Weeks, I thought I’d continue posting as Baby Holly passes through each fussy period. Besides, it’s so easy to write about a Wonder Week when you’re in the midst of a sunny period. Yes, I’m SUPER thankful for that.

To be frank, the last Wonder Week – Wonder Week 46 – was, well … let’s just say I gained a further three grey hairs. So forgive me if I didn’t feel like posting about it at the time. You may well have seen quite a bit of colourful language going on if I had. Just call me Joan Rivers, minus the facelift.

The three Cs – cranky, clingy and crying – were out in force. We went through some major separation anxiety, which didn’t help her start to childcare. Try leaving the room when she’s stapled to your leg. Things have settled down now. Again, thankful for that.

Week 46 is all about The World of Sequences. It’s about how things fit and belong together. For example, they know the spoon has to go in the bowl and then into their mouth. Instead, it tends to catapult from the spoon to the wall for a new Weetbix wallpaper finish.

The seventh developmental stage is called The World of Sequences. And no, that’s not the stuff you put around the ruffles on your fuschia-coloured skirt. Following it, Baby Holly is now:
- Pointing at what she wants and is babbling more than ever. More words are emerging, including “sister’’ and “Mum’’ (yay!).
- Is able to take the spoon from my hand and place it in her mouth. She has been able to feed herself finger food for some time now.
- Fills bath containers with water and then pours them out. Or throws them at her sister, which ends in tears – always.
- Learning to stack her ring stacker and can see her processing how to stack blocks.
- Becoming more game when walking from one piece of furniture to the next and letting go more often as she begins to learn to stand unassisted.
- When giving her a horsey ride on my foot, she bends her knees, aiming to jump higher off the floor.
- Tries to climb steps – and everything else. Heaven help us!
- Participates more in peek-a-boo and gets excited when playing hide-and-seek with her sister.
- Imitates a lot of what I do, including brushing her teeth and hair. If only she had some hair.
- Blows hot food before eating it. Picture it: it’s cute. Add to that her newfound love of big pash kisses.
- Claps her hands at the end of songs, when we say “yay’’ to anything and when others clap.
Here’s what we’re doing to help her development during Wonder Week 46:
- Getting her to watch (and help) with household chores. She stands up at the dishwasher while I unpack it, helps put the ironed clothes away (OK, so she throws them across the room) and watches me make the bed.
- Encourage her to use a spoon (despite how utterly messy it is).
- Naming objects, such as body parts (especially when dressing) and objects. She’s already mastered quite a few. It’s always followed by hand clapping.
- Singing movement songs, including Incy Wincy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle (she loves twinkling her fingers) and Pat-a-cake (she now claps her hands – in fact, she claps her hands at everything).
- Hide an object under another object (box, material etc) and get her to find it. She also likes lift-the-flap books and plain old peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek.
- Toys have included Ella’s rocking horse, balls, stacking blocks and rings and animal picture books (especially lift-the-flap books where she can lift the flap herself).
At the end of this Wonder Week, we feel like she’s now able to communicate with us easier. I feel like she’s really turning into a toddler. Although, I’m not sure I’m ready for that.

I’ve already posted about Week 26, provided a copy of the Wonder Week chart, reviewed the book and had author Frans Plooij guest post. There’s more about the new expanded version of the book on the official Wonder Week site. But to learn more about the Wonder Weeks themselves, buy the book on Book Depistory OR on Amazon.

What are your tips for dealing with a cranky, crying and clingy baby?

Please note, some of the above are affiliate links. I only support those products and services which I have full trust in.
September 22, 2011
It’s my party and I’ll create a free downloadable princess birthday invitation if I want to

SIX months before Princess Ella’s first birthday, I had everything planned to a tee. There was the cake:

I should have been a cake decorator.

All the presents:

Should have been a professional shopper too.

Party games to test the patience of one-year-olds (and parents), guest list that exceeded the space available in our house and event timeline, which went out the window when someone arrived half an hour late. I know, I can hear you all saying “she should have been an event planner’’. No really, I should have.

However, Baby Holly’s first birthday is 2.5 weeks away and I’ve done… nothing. Well, up until a phone call with the lovely Louisa of Everything Is Edible, who has her little Bear’s first birthday planned to within an inch of its life – a birthday which is AFTER Holly’s. It was enough motivation to get my butt into gear.

I might add here that this is not the norm for this list-making, control freak planner. It has something to do with the last one getting out of hand and life having me busier than Angelina Jolie in an orphanage.

Thanks to my wonderful online friends, I now know what to buy a girl for her first birthday when her sister got it all the first time around. It’s been even more important since discovering the Kmart Christmas layby, which included a few items for Holly’s birthday, can’t be picked up until… Christmas. I probably should have seen that one coming, right?

Now I’ve done the invitation. Feel free to download it if you can’t be bothered either making your own or forking out money for expensive ones with special envelopes.

Yep, should have been a stationary designer. Instead, I’ll go and change another pooey nappy. Hmm, of all the things I could be doing…

So this week, I’m thankful for Lou, thankful for my incredible talent (OK, maybe more like Microsoft Word) and thankful for my online friends.

Linking up with the lovely Kate Says Stuff’s Thankful Thursday. Click on the link to find out what others are thankful for this week.

Do you get full-on into party planning mode or do you leave everything to the last minute?

PS. I know these parties are more about parents celebrating surviving the “challenging’’ first year, but in 10 years time Holly would never let me hear the end of it if she discovered she never had one and her sister did. I know, I have a sister.

September 15, 2011
SHED: How to make gravy… with Paul Kelly

THERE’S one thing I’m thankful for when it comes to this blog. Sure, it may take up far too much of my wife’s time, but it’s come in rather handy for storing our fave recipes. Kel’s uploaded what she calls her ultimate dish – Smoked Salmon and Tomato Pasta – and I’ve got my Choccie Hot Cross Bun and Butter Pudding. Yep, I’m a hit in the house with that one.

One of my new favourite recipes is gravy. How To Make Gravy was a sensational song by one of my all-time favourite artists Paul Kelly. The recipe inside the song was quite involved. I’m sure it would have been delicious though.

There’s nothing more I love than a gravy built using the juices from the pan, but when you want an easy gravy for a once-a-week steak night and either don’t want or don’t have any gravy powder, this is a recipe I stumbled upon.

Every time I want to make it, I can’t seem to find it again. So, here it is. Forever etched in the pages of this blog.

PS. It’s surprisingly delicious.

Ingredients

1 large onion (cut into thinly sliced onion rings)
1 tsp salt (more to taste if wish)
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 cup cooking oil
3 tbs flour
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbs tomato paste
Chopped chilli to taste could be added (if you were eating without the kids).

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat and when hot add the flour. Make sure flour is well mixed.

Add the onions. Cook till the onions are golden brown (not black) and coated in the now crusty flour-oil mixture. Might take five or so minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste and mix well for a 15-20 seconds (if you want chilli, add it now too).

Now add water, salt, pepper. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer.

Simmer, stirring regularly until you reach your own desired consistency. Add more salt if required. Drain the contents of the pan through a sieve into a bowl, dispose of the onions and there you have it. Or keep the onions in it and you have onion gravy (Princess Ella is not a huge fan of onions yet though).

We’ve even substituted barbecue sauce for the tomato paste when out of the latter with similarly delicious results (just up the quantity a little though).

This easily serves four or five. If feeding more just up the quantities. Enjoy.

What’s your favourite recipe? Do you make your own gravy from scratch?

Linking up with the lovely Kate Says Stuff’s Thankful Thursday. Click on the link to find out what others are thankful for this week.

September 1, 2011
RECIPE: Smoked salmon and tomato pasta
IN THE midst of trying to find what I was Thankful For so I could be part of Kate Says Stuff’s meme for the first time, I discovered this Smoked Salmon and Tomato Pasta recipe in the archives. I previously used it as a guest post for the lovely Dannie from A Dose of Dannie some months back. However, I can’t help but want to share it on my blog too, with just a little bit of a change.

There are a few reasons I’m thankful for this, my all-time favourite dish:
- It gives me a pick me up every time I eat it.
- It uses Tasmania’s finest export – salmon. This is why I love this State.
- As I said previously, it’s devoured by our three-year-old faster than bikini bottoms on Kirstie Alley. Who created the child with expensive taste?
So, without further ado, here’s the recipe. You’ll be thankful you follow the blog after this one. *wink wink*

Smoked Salmon and Tomato Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

100g sliced Tasmanian smoked salmon

1 Tablespoon mixed herbs

Juice from one lemon

Olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

400g tinned diced tomatoes

Pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

375g angel hair spaghetti

METHOD:

Cut the salmon into strips and mix with herbs and lemon juice. Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil. Add tomatoes, sugar and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta and drain. Mix pasta into the tomato sauce with half the smoked salmon. Garnish the top of the dish with the remaining salmon.

Note: Pre-kids we added a little chilli to give it some spice, but it works just as well without.

What dish are you thankful for? Which one gives you a pick me up?

Linking up with the lovely Kate Says Stuff’s Thankful Thursday. Click on the link to find out what others are thankful for this week.
August 18, 2011