caravaning and lazy days

The past few monthgs we have been super busy...like you wouldnt believe, so it was last weekend to pack up our little caravan and head south for 3 nights.

We went to Brunswick heads on the NSW coast.  Its only about 45 mins from where leave live and it was so lovely.
Just take a look at some snaps we caught of where we camped ourselves...

The view we woke to each day....ahhhhhh....

mimi walking along the beach just down from our caravan

little t trying to catch dinner

hubby baiting up his hook,

Miss Mimi caught her first ever fish....and was the first one to catch a fish out of all of us.

little T caught a crab

On Sunday, Mimi and I decided to head in town for some seriouse gal time with cake and coffee (baby chino).  We found the most fabulouse little coffee shop...called....{how cute are the business cards??}

Next door was an old vintage/frenchy store that went hand in hand with the coffee shop.  It was like stepping in to my nanna's house...it was fabulouse, both miss mimi and I were in HeAvEn.

The Pantry {coffee shop} even had a lolly counter...how fun!

of course we got cheesecake...

going....going.....

yummo! {thats my girl!}


We had soooo much fun!  This year we decided to do this way more often!

High Protein/ low carb eating.

Last week when I went to visit Trina my natropath, she told me that next visit I would start a diet of high protien & low carbs.  I have done a bit of research on this and think it sounds great.  It actually makes a lot of sense.

Trina told me that I need to incorparate protien into EVERY SINGLE MEAL. Including snacks.

Often, when people think of protein, the image of a steak comes to mind, which in all honesty...DOES NOT APPEAL TO ME!  While red meat is a quality protein source, I have reserched that there is much more to protien then consuming a steak for breakfast.  Along with red meat, add poultry, fish, eggs, pork and vegetable sources to your meals. To keep meals high protein, arrange your plate so that 2/3 are protein and 1/3 carbohydrate. I have also found using protein powders in a smoothie as a meal replacement when you are in a hurry is another simple way to get that protien fix.
Appently, eggs are the purest and highest form of protien.
Also almonds are a great sorce of protien, so for a quick easy snack when out This is an ideal option.


Protein plays a vital role in building and maintaining muscle tissue, bones and skin. Protein is also a major factor in overall growth and the healing of wounds. Protein is found in virtually every part of your body, including hemoglobin, hormones, antibodies, enzymes, bone and muscles, says Georgetown University.

Anyway, to make it simpler I have made up  a one-day simple high protien, low carb menu...

Breakfast) 2 Poached eggs, grilled tomato, grilled low fat ham.
or
Baked beans and grilled tomato with steamed spinach.

Morning Tea) A handful of almonds mixed with dates.

Lunch) Steamed or poached chicken on a garden salad, hard boiled egg and a homemade salad dressing.

Afternoon Tea) a protien milkshake

Dinner)  a beef and vegetable stirfry with loads of garlic and honey and mixed herbs.
Dessert) cooked apple with yoghurt.


Some fabulouse tips I found were from this web site here.  I have included these tips below...
•Look to your meals where the protein is fairly plainly cooked, such as grilled or pan-fried meats, broiled fish, etc. Include more vegetables instead of potatoes or rice, including substitutes such as "Cauli-Rice". If the plate seems puny, add a green salad with an olive oil-based dressing, or a soup. Also, don't be afraid of including more healthy fat than you are used to -- it will help satisfy you until the next meal.

•Skillet meals consisting of meat and veggies are often naturally low-carb, or you can just leave out a starchy or sugary ingredient or two. Top Skillet Chicken Meals

•Make your favorite quiche without the crust

Trina also mentioned a great recipe for 'bliss balls' for a quick protien packed snack.  When I make these I will post the recipe on here.

This week I am just looking at getting sorted and next week we get started.  Will keep you posted on how it goes.
Please feel free to comment if you have a high protien/low carb way of eating.

Jool's Favorite beef stew

The days here are slowly getting shorter, the evenings have a slight chill in the air, I can smell the scent of wood burning in the distance and the trees are dropping their leaves...yep, autumn is in full swing here and I can detect slight hints of winter in the air.

This weather makes me want to pull out all my cook books and start cooking comfort foods...bah!  Bad for the waist line but oh so yummy.

A dear friend of mine lent me a couple of cookbooks over the weekend and I have been drooling over them for the past two days.  The books are Jamie Olivers "Jamie's dinners" and Nigella Lawson's "feast".

So today, being first day of school holidays we decided to stay in as, yet again (like every school hoiday is seems) it was dark and rainy and quite cold. 
I got cooking.

I made the recipe from Jamie Olivers book on page 238.  Its a stew called "Jool's favourite beef stew" named after his beautiful wife Jools.
Here is what it looks like ...

It smells DEEEVVVVIIINE!!!  Let me tell you.  Its is bubbling away as we speak.  In the book it says "Jools goes mad for this stew in the colder months of the year..." and let me tell you I get what she's on about.Mmmmmm....

Serves 4
Olive Oil
A Knob of butter
1 onion peeled and chopped
a handful of sage leaves
800g of stewing steak
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
flour to dust
2 parsnips
4 carrots
1/2 butternut squash
500g small potatos
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
1/2 bottle of red wine (yum)
285ml of beef stock
zest of 1 lemon
a handfull of rosemary, Leaves picked
1 clove of garlic.

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.  Put a little oil and butter into a caserole pan.  Add onion and all the sage leaves.  Fry for 3-4 mins.  Toss the eat in a little seasoned flour then add it to the pan with all the vegetables, tomato puree, stock and wine.  Gently stir together.  Gently season together with the salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil and place the lid on top, then cook in a preheated oven untill the meat is tender. (about 3-4 hours)
Once it is cooked you can turn the oven down to about 110 degrees then just hold it there till your ready to eat.

The best way to serve this is by ladeling big spoonfulls into bowls, accompanied by a glass of french red wine an some realy fresh, warm bread.
{Along with this stew, I made some yummy fresh focaccia bread in my breadoven....yummo!}

Mix the lemon Zest, chopped rosemary, and garlic together & spinkle over the stew just before eating.  Just the smallest amount will make the world of difference~as soon s it hits the hot stew it will release an amazing fragrance.
                                                                      ~Bon Appétit !

The very cute Jamie Oliver himself.

Oh, how life has changed...BUT I LOVE IT!!

As i sit here 9.25 on a saturday night i ponder my life.

 This time 10 years ago my man and I would have been out for dinner, socialising or somthing like that.  We were contemplaiting moving towns {which we ended up doing for some time}, taking us to new adventures, new friends and new beginings.  Life was fast, busy and always changing.
Now, 10 years  and two kids later here i sit quietly on a saturday night on my lounge in my jammies with both my kids lying half over me, half over my husband...eating homemade pizza, a glass of wine watching a 90's movie that is on tv {and loving it}. 

 Im not out partying, im not out wining and dining, im not dressed up/makeup on, hair done and wearing killer heals...but Im happy!  Im content! Im simply loving my life right now at this moment...there is no other place right now I'd rather be.
Last night { Friday night } we had a backyard fire, roasted marshmellows, talked and laughed with our kids.  Tomorrow we head west to the mountains.  We are going to the natural arch with the kids, going for a bush walk, checking out the stunning waterfalls and after enjoying a yummy picnic under a grand old tree.  Im so lucky to have 3 amazing people to share this life with...Andrew, my amazing husband, Miss Mimi the most beautiful princess in the world and lil' T...my wonderful, strong amazing lil' man....life doesnt get much better!..and I wouldnt change it for anything.
nity nite xoxo

I love 'date day'!! ooh laa laa ♥

I just had to share my wonderful day with you all.  Today is Friday 1st April and on a typical Friday here its like anyother weekday.  You know...Get up super early, hang out washing, make lunches, get breakfast, eat breakfast, wake the kids, get uniforms ready, put dinner in the slow cooker, tidy kitchen, have shower, get dressed, do hair, do daughters hair for school, make sure kids have packed homework...show and tell and any other bits and pieces they need for school, look for the lost school shoe that my son misplaced and for some strange reason ends up being somewhere like the shower??, tell them 158 billion times to brush their teeth, make beds, make sure house is tidy and have all this done before 8.30am *phew*...No wonder I get so tired LOL. 
Anyway, today was a lovely change.  Yesterday my dear husband came home last night and said he can get today off work which rarely happens.  It was a little exciting because it meant we got to spend the day together. 
So this morning, instead of my husband being gone to work at 5.30am he was there lying next to me when I woke up *yay*.  The extra bonus was 'it was pouring with rain'.  Theres just somthing about waking up in your mans warm arms wrapped around you and hearing the rain falling outside, ahhh simple pleasures.
Next, When we got up (which was a little later than normal for a week day) HE got the kids breakfast, while I quitely sat in front of the telly sipping a coffee watching sunrise and having my breakfast.
Next the kids got dressed while I packed lunches and then my wonderful husband offered to take the kids to school for me *another yay* so I got to stay warm, in my jammies and have that 2nd cuppa.  I slowly got up to have a shower.  When my wonderful man came home he said he was taking me to George's Paragon seafood restaurant, at Sanctuary Cove....ooohhhhhhh!  For those of you who dont know this place its only the "BEST seafood resturant....in the world".
I got all pretty-ed up ...and I felt pretty too (for a change) .We had the best date day ever.
The resturant is overlooking a bay of yachts and stunning water views...it realy is nice. 5star service, top quality food and delish wine.
Next we went for a little stroll though the sanctury cove village and we just had to have a coffee and dessert (as you do).
It was DEVINE...we ate just a little too much today me thinks but it was well worth it.  We talked and talked and talked, it was just so refreshing.  The best thing for us both.
This past week we had yet again, another...hmmmm, shall I say *cr@p* time with "family issues" so I think it was a nice little escape for the two of us.
I must admit I was a lil' spoilt today...it was a bit spesh.
We then picked the kids up from school, went to the dvd store, picked up a dvd and a couple of wii games for the kids.
we have all just piled into the loungeroom this afternoon for a lazy night in....games, movies etc, after all it is still raining outside and I JUST LOVE spending time with 3 of my most favorite people of all time....Andrew, miss mimi and Little T.....

♥ Ahhhhh, aint life grand ♥...Gotta get back to it........just had to share.

High tea in the garden ♥

Goodmorning All,

I must admit Ive been a little thin on blogging for the past few months, I  have had alot of other things going on.  I wish somtimes I had more time to blog as I realy do love it.

Anywho...with that in mind I will fill you in on one of the fun things I have been doing. Last sunday Miss Mimi and I threw a 'High tea'.  Her best friend that she has known all her life {her mum and I were pregnant together} is moving away to Tasmania.  She was devistated so we decided to throw a little afternoon tea to try and ease the pain.

8 eight year olds and a tea party is just too cute.

Here are the invitations we made...

I made these little invites straight from the computer...edited, prited cut & pasted...Voila!

I also loved the look of the party pompoms that are inspired Martha stewart. They are so pretty almost like big bouncy flowers.  I attempted to make them and THEY TURNED OUT YAY!!!!  So pretty.  We hung them in trees above the table.  The only problem is, the day was a beautiful autumn day but the wind was terrible. So my little pompom flowes not only danced in he sun but they fliped and twisted and got a tad tangled.  I tied them up with fishing line so you couldnt see it, but the line got twisted...OH WELL, it still looked ok.  Take a look at the setting...

I also made cute little dancing sticks and placed on the back of each chair.  Once the girls finised eating thy danced beautifully in there 'twirly' dresses spinning their sticks.

So much fun.  As it was lunch time we hd savoury foods first.  These coonsisted of heart shaped cream cheese and ham sanwhiches, the inevitable 'cucmber' sanwhiches...They werent a hit, as I guessed but whats tea in the garden without cucumber sandwhiches?  W also had tiny homemade pizzas and butterfly chicken nuggets, mini pies and meat balls.  They ate them soo fast I wa suprised they had room for dessert. Heehee.
After lunch came the best part....cupcakes, jam tarts, tiny biscuits, jam rolls, marshmellows.  It was all washed downwith 'rosie tea' {blackberry juice} in little tea cups.
 I didnt get any pics as I was busy rushing around making sure everything was good.  My sister took a few snaps thankgoodness, so If I get them from her I will post them.
All the mums stuck around too and we had champagne, ginger beer...homemade gormae pizza, cold bbq chicken and salad.  It went down well, after we also had tea and cakes.
It was a beautiful, beautiful day and EVERYONE had such a lovely time...I cant wait to do it again.

Bedroom makeover.

So, last week I got in my head to paint renovate my room....somthing that has been on my mind for a while.
As I havnt got the money to just go out and purchase anything I want in one big hit I decided to spread it over about 8 months.
Over the past 8 months Ive been eBaying, at the shops looking for bargains, thrift store hunting and surfing the net for the best deals.
I have been storing them up and putting my purchases away for the big reveal.
Last weekend i  painted and put it all together and i must say...Im VERY happy with the results.  Tell me what you think of my 'new' room...

I took before shots on my phone as I cant seem to locate my camera atm.  Anyway I will work on that as I realy want  you to see the before shots...It always seems to add more impact.
Let me give a verbal (or is that written...?) description of before. 
Ok, The bed was a natural rustic wood.  A Lovely bed however after 12 years was a little over it.  I didnt want to get rid of it as this is the first thing my husband and I ever baught together.  Im kinda attached to it...weird I know but I am.  Also, it is such a solid, strong bed it would kind of be silly to get rid of it.  I painted it a cream colour.
I had no curtains above the bed in that window...just the blinds. 
The bedside table and tall boy were a dark teak, they're now a cream colour (same as bed) The 'old' curtain on the slididng door was beigey/gold.
 The walls were white (not too bad) and the doors and trims were apricot *ugh*.  My quilt cover origially was white but about 2 years ago it ripped *sob~sob* so I have been using our old cover which was blue and white.

  Overall it wasnt too bad but just not nice.  It didnt feel connected and I felt like it was old and dirty looking.  I needed a change as well as a nice retreat for hubby and I to go to at night. 

We now joke and say...we feel like we finally have a grown ups bed room...LOL.
The colour paint i used for the wall was  Dulux Tapestry Beige in quater strength.  Such a beautiful colour.  For the doors and trims I simply used plain dulux white in a gloss.
The curtains are Ikea Vivan curtains purchased for half price on eBay.  All the frames are from a thrift shop that I spayed in a gloss black.
Overall...Im happy with our light, airy, fresh, romantic bedroom.  One of my biggest project to late, completly done by me alone...in 4 days.  Room, doors and trims painted, bed bedside table and drawers painted, curtains up and decorating.  I loved every min of it.
Next is miss Mimi's room....