cinnamon & ginger

ahh, the smell of Christmas! 

Yes, it's nearly here, only 10 more sleeps until Jesus' birthday!  I love cinnamon and ginger, baking cakes, cookies, gingerbread... filling the home with their beautiful warm fragrance... ahhh... yes, I have just baked some mini carrot cakes.  It the church's leaders & volunteers end of year function tonight, bring your own dessert is the "theme" lol.  And although I'm not attending, Big M is, so I've baked some gorgeous carrot cakes, and will ice them with cream cheese frosting, so yummy.

Thinking of food, how crazy can we get this time of year?  Christmas Day ends up becoming one looooooooong feast, eating with this family, eating with that family, over this house to see those friends etc.  And how expensive is it?!  We love our family, and we want to put on the absolute best meal for them, but why does it end up costing so much?  We always over eat, then feel "eaters remorse" afterwards.  Solution?  A budget friendly, tummy blessing meal!  Although I am blessed enough this year to not have to cook for the whole family, I do have a few little recipes up my sleeve which I'm happy to share with you all, if it should help stretch that dollar further this Christmas.

Entrees?  H'ors doeuvres?  Is that even how to spell them?  Honestly, we're not in France, we're Aussies... if we can't spell it, we don't need it!  More often than not, our Christmas day Down Under is hot hot hot!  For pre-dinner/lunch nibblies I usually serve a bowl of nuts, a bowl of soy crisps (or you can get them in the same bag at Coles - their lime ones are so good!) and a bowl of Christmas m&m's (this keeps the kids happy lol).   Ok, I'm not too fancy, sorry, I'd love to have amazingly beautiful foods spread across the table, but in reality we don't need it, and it all costs $$$.  So yes, nuts, soy crisps and a little something sweet to tide us over until the meal is finally cooked.

The main event?  Well a few years ago I had a budget shortage, and in the end, totally loved everything I made on the day... plus I felt good after eating it!  We had: roast lamb (about 1.5kg off the bone - obviously the most expensive part of the meal), chipolatas wrapped in bacon, roasted garlic potatoes, honey mustard roasted parsnips, bacon blessed brussel sprouts, bread rolls and gravy (made from pan juices of course!).  This managed to feed 7 adults and 2 toddlers, all for around $70 (including pre dinner snacks).

Blissful endings... I can't actually remember what we had for dessert that year... sometimes I make Nigella's  Black Forest Trifle, it's absolutely divine, and looks amazing.  Sometimes my mother in law will just serve meringues with fruit & whipped cream and then later on have the steamed pudding with custard... *drools*... lets face it, we all want something super yummy for dessert, but if you just have a little, you'll feel great & still enjoy the decadence of the day.  It's the overloading of the bowl we need to watch out for!

Looking for a special drink idea, something a little fancy, not too much fuss, and non alcoholic?  I love getting two long carafes (1.5L each) and pouring in each 500ml cranberry juice, 630ml sparkling water (cheapo brand of course), 2 Tbs caster sugar and adding sliced lime & ice cubes (crushed would be better, but we don't have one of those fancy schmancy fridges)... it's delish!  So refreshing, the kids think they're having a super treat, and you know what's actually gone in it!

I think the most important thing we need to consider when catering for Christmas is think of our family and what they really need.  Don't go over the top with loads of rich, buttery, oily foods.  Make your meal with love, time and purpose.  They're the most memorable... especially the meals where you've made them with a little too much love & time and they come out a little dry or charcoalled lol, they're the meals that'll be remembered!

Does absence make the heart grow fonder?

Hmm... good question?  Did you miss me while I've been away?  I haven't really been away anywhere in particular, just away from cyberspace really.  While undertaking my challenge to become a far more "better woman" by following the great Proverbs scripture about the woman of great worth, I found I was spending less and less time here... sitting in front of the computer... and rightly so.  It felt so good.  I've been discovering how absent I was in my own home.  My older two children can be quite independent at times, so I was allowing myself to escape online.  Sadly I wasn't being very present for them.  I don't think they realised it, so I'm pretty lucky I did before I became too addicted here :)  Don't get me wrong, I'll still be blogging, and facebooking... but not as much as previous.  I'm loving being more present with the family.

Which has also brought me to a decision.  I'm no longer continuing with my "challenge".  Whilst it's been inspiring, and also quite insightful, it's just not practical in my household.  All I can ask is for God's grace to fill me, for his Spirit to guide me, so I can become a woman of great worth to my family and home.  Toiling all day and night was exhausting, and actually wore me out more than blessed the family!  So, yes, for now it is over :(  But onto happier thoughts...

Today is the first day of December, and Christmas has hit our home!  Mr F and I are constructing the Christmas tree, lights have been strung (well one small string of star shaped felt & led fairy lights)... and I'm hoping to get all the decorations up tonight so I can take some pics of the kids with the tree before they get to it and start playing with all the decorations.  Those bells are just too tempting!

We're very much so looking forward to Christmas.  This year we're having dinner at my husband's side, and for the first time in a long time, ALL of us will be there.  All of my mother in law's children with their children, as well as her own mother, so the table will be full, the house will be full, and while I'm sure it will be exhausting, the kids are going to have an absolute ball with their cousins!

On a slightly less exciting note, now that my sister has moved interstate (with her hubby & kids) my side of the family has no plans for Christmas.  My parents will do their own thing, and we'll just see them some time over the Christmas weekend... I like the informality, but it's sad that the kids can't see their cousins, Aunty, Uncle and grandparents (on this side) on the big day. I must admit, my ideal Christmas day is a big lunch with both sides of the family, then heading to the beach at night with our little family of 5 just to run off the last of our energy before a loooong sleep in on Boxing day!  Maybe next year?

I've very much become a home body the past few months.  Getting very domesticated.  I've been sewing lots, and baking lots... I've even made my daughter a quilt!  That's a surprise, but a very welcome one.  I love it.  I love making & baking and then giving it away.  Gifts from the heart and the home.  When have you been inspired to take time and effort to really give of yourself when giving a gift?  I love the blessing it brings to someone when you drop a box of cookies off, or a tray of lasagne... try it, you'll like it!

A change is as good as a holiday?

I love that phrase, I like to try to believe it.  This week it is true too!  Yesterday I was all inspired to rearrange my home theatre room... it's the only true adult room in the house, although there is a box of toys for Darby and two gorgeous white leather beanie chairs for the boys... it's the room where no toys (except Darby's) are allowed, the room where it's kept clean all the time... that's what we anticipated anyway lol.  I've been trying to stick to the rules, but it's currently the only room with a set top box on the tv (so we can get HD tv), and the boys looooove watching ABC2 in the afternoons, and if it keeps them happy while I'm cooking dinner, who am I to complain?  Until it's 8pm and I want to relax and the room is filled with toys, bowls from afternoon tea, crumbs from afternoon tea, dirty socks from school... ew!

So yes, yesterday I got in there and vacuumed.  Then rolled up the rug, rearranged the furniture.  Vacuumed again. Rearranged the furniture again.  Vacuumed yet again.  Decided it was good, and sat down, hot, sweaty, but very happy with the result.  I was all inspired to vacuum and mop the hard floors today, then rearrange the living area... but I've met with some opposition.  There's a pile of clothes & miscellaneous in the front hallway... abandoned by my husband when he was cleaning out his part of the wardrobe the other night.  Oh well, time to sit back and enjoy my "holiday" in the theatre :)

Now back to my challenge for the week, to wake before the family and prepare breakfast... how did I go?  Well the first day I beaten to it, as Big M had baked muffins the night before, and the kids had ravenously devoured them while I was still trying to clear my foggy head... I still managed to get weetbix for Little D though :)  I can't say I have succeeded for the remainder of the week, although the early mornings (even when the kids have woken before me), are serving me well.  I've been achieving far more in the home than usual, and have been feeling more accomplished as a wife.  So I might continue this challenge for another week to see where we end up!

Can you ever be too inspired? Um.. yes

Well it has been a while hasn't it?  We've been unwell if you didn't know... for the past 3.5 weeks we've been inundated with gastro, colds and lucky for me an ear infection resulting in a perforated ear drum, oh yay!  So please excuse my lack of energy to blog :(

Today has been the first in many that I have felt the energy to get things done, to get out there and make things, to buy things, to bake things, to clean things, to organise things, to build things, to photograph things, to print things... oh dear... I think I have become over inspired!  I've been catching up on other friend's blogs, thinking, ooh I love this that they've made, I wonder if I could... ohh I love that photo, maybe I should get my camera out... ooh I love what they made for dinner, I'll have to break the budget this week to try it... argh!  So yes, I do think it is possible to become too inspired.  I realised that I cannot do everything.  Honestly, I cannot.  What I need to do is focus on my family, what our needs are first, and then when I have spare time to let my creativity blossom (within budget lol).

So, I did allow myself to make some candles yesterday, I've had feathering palm wax just sitting in my laundry at home, taking up space, and of course it needed to be cleared... so I made a couple of pillar candles. These are the first pillar candles I've made, I normally make soy container candles (and usually in quite quirky containers found at the local salvo store). I have to admit, I'm surprised at how well they turned out...

Now I'm inspired to make lots for Christmas gifts... so my loved ones, you know what to expect :)  Until the budget allows me to purchase further supplies, I must put my hand to something else... curtain making? No budget again... I have it!  Mr R's birthday cupcakes for school!  Not so budget dependent, yay!

So, how's my life application of the "wife of noble character" going?  (silence lol) I'm glad you asked!  I've been trying to support Big M in all his decisions, but it's rather easy to do so when one is lying on the couch unwell.  So this week there is a new task... here's the scripture

¹³ She finds wool and flax
      and busily spins it.
 ¹⁴ She is like a merchant’s ship,
      bringing her food from afar.
 ¹⁵ She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
      and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

Oh dear... is this part of my "too much inspiration" issue?  No, not really. I do purchase items to make things from at home... (and in the following scriptures there is more detail about handling money)... I love to try new dishes, food styles from other lands, although I do try to buy local, supporting our local farmers & businesses :)  

It's the next part of the scripture I'm having trouble with... getting up before dawn to prepare breakfast for my household?  Hmm... at the moment, Big M leaves the home at 6am to get to work... do I need to get up before him to make him breakfast?  I have no worries in making breakky for the kids, although they usually get up before I do, I just went over the rule this morning actually, "mummy does not get up until 7, do not make loud noise until after the clock says 7"... the boys usually pop a dvd on, they like to wake at 6am now that the sun is up then thanks to all those people who voted against daylight saving, grrr, lol, just kidding, I don't blame you.  As for planning the day's work for my servant girls, well that's non existent... I'm the servant girl!  I already know what I need to get done... maybe that can by my inspiration this week... search out a couple of servant girls lol!

No, I guess the first part of verse 15 is my challenge for the week, my "inspiration"?  Yeah... ok... YEAH... YES!!! Alright, I'm actually excited about it now... aiming to get up even before hubby, and prepare breakfast for the whole family!  It is indeed a challenge.  I'll let you know how we go!

I just need a friend who's a millionaire...

Lol... how many times have we said that?  I'd love this, I'd love that, oh I want to go here or there... if only I had a very generous friend with lots of excess cash to give out!  I even began to pray for such a friend, "oh Lord, please send me a friend who has the capacity to bless my family with holidays at the beach, with plants in the backyard, with nice clothes and a huge tv"... not too much is it?

Then I hear a voice (not audibly, but you know what I mean)... very calmly saying "Lee, I am that friend" ... oh, you God?  Oh, yes!  Of course!  Have you ever read that scripture "every tree of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills" (Ps 50:10)... hmmm... yes.... everything in the world is His.  Are his hands not big enough to gather what I need?  AND if all I need is Him, then how much more am I actually blessed!  God is the friend who wants to bless, and adorn, and pour his love upon us.  Don't look elsewhere for your source of anything, go to Him!

My brother in law used to print up scriptures for me to memorise, then test me on them every week, I found it so annoying as a teenager, but now I love it, because they always spring to my mind, and today such a scripture is "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear" (Is 59:1).  Awesome isn't it?  God always hears, and he always saves... we need to acknowledge & trust him!

It's Big M's birthday today, 28 years old... ooh!  The kids & I went shopping this morning for him, I bought him the practical gift, a wall mounted guitar hook, two actually.  While the boys, armed with money from the grandparents, ran wild through Bunnings in search for something ridiculous, but of course something they thought Daddy would love... we came to a compromise and walked away with a torch, an organiser tool box (for all the little screws, nuts & bolts randomly rolling around his big toolbox), a gardening tool set with knee pad and of course a shooting star Christmas light for the front window!  Hee hee.  As stated in the previous post, greatly enriching Big M's life in all aspects :)

More precious than rubies...

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

      She is more precious than rubies.

 ¹¹ Her husband can trust her,

      and she will greatly enrich his life.

 ¹² She brings him good, not harm,

      all the days of her life.

 Wow, talk about big shoes to fill.  I like the idea of being a virtuous and capable wife, more precious than rubies, greatly enriching my husband's life, bringing him good, not harm.  Honestly, I don't really see myself as that woman - yet.  I know there's potential in there somewhere, and I believe it can come out!  But how?

I guess I can do a half tick on one of those points, greatly enriching Big M's life... with a half tick I'd say it's enriching his life.  We have 3 beautiful children together, I'm sure he'd say that's a plus :)  Perhaps with this selection of scripture it's wise to work backwards.  In order to become the woman in verse 10, I need to work on 12, which makes 11, simple right?

Bring him good, not harm.  As a woman of God, I know that I am not always right, not really perfect... so I know that I haven't always brought my husband good... and probably have harmed him in some way.  But that's the beauty of God's grace isn't it?  He steps in and bridges that gap between humanity and perfection.  God helps me bring good to Big M, helps me do right by him, and gives grace to my hubby when in those times of weakness I'm not bringing the good.

Practically I see it as listening to Big M, really listening to him.  He is the head of the house after all.  He makes the final decision on things.  And frankly, I'm glad he does.  I don't want that "final" responsibility on some of our decisions. But in order to support him in those decisions, I really need to accept them & stick by them... not bending the rules when I feel like it.  By doing this "all the days of my life" I will become a trustworthy wife, greatly enriching his life, being worth far more than rubies, a virtuous & capable woman.

Challenge this week for me?  Support Big M.  Unconditionally.  Let's see what happens!

Inspiration for today?  I purchased a book last week, and it has totally inspired me to entertain more... throw parties, dinner parties, bbq's (when we get one), coffee dates with the girls... total inspiration... I'd just like to paint the house first lol!

Up for a dare?

I've been toying with the idea of studying Proverbs chapter 31... ooh... yes, you know the scripture, "THE WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER"  hmm... it is a little daring isn't it?  Set the challenge Lee, you can do it!  OK you've talked me into it :)  I will delve into each verse, and see what can happen in my life by aligning it with the Word of God.  You never know what could happen!  Ooh exciting.  So tomorrow I'll begin... lol, just like a diet?  NO!  I promise that my next blog (be it tomorrow or in the following few days) will rise to this challenge... let's see where it takes me.

If you're interested in what's been happening in our house this week though... well you don't really want to know... but I'll share anyway :)  We've all been a little "under the weather".  A friendly bug called Gastro has decided to come visit us, and has spent a little time with each family member, how generous.  The only two people in this house who didn't receive a visit were my cousin & her newborn baby who were staying with us, thank you Jesus the little bubby didn't catch it!  And they moved out into their own home yesterday... sniff sniff... they will be missed, but are not too far away so we can catch up a little more often than we had over the past few years.

We've had some entertaining moments during our eventful week, and are looking forward to church tomorrow where Mr R and Mr F are performing an item during the service, they're singing 2 songs with actions, cute factor 10+, really can't wait to see that... mental note, remember camera for church tomorrow.  I'm also playing the keys & songleading, so it will be a juggle to take pics then jump back on the keys for the worship... I'm sure I'll be fine, as long as I don't totally stack it on stage in front of everyone... here's hoping.

Sunday, lovely Sunday

Sunday.  Often the most tiring day of the week, for our family anyway.  Also the most rewarding day of the week.  I guess that's why they say "no work, no reward".  Who says that?  I don't know, but it does sound like something "they" would say. Who's they?  No one really knows... I believe it's just us making something up & by saying "they say" instead of "I think" and hope that it makes it far more credible.

Ps Dan Sheik preached at church this morning.  Fantastic.  It was all about being self righteous.  How being righteous in our own right shows us exactly how far away from true righteousness we are.  How we need to stop trying to attain righteousness ourselves and finding it in God instead.  Brilliant.  Home truths?  Yes.  Learn anything?  Yes.  Inspired?  Yes.  Get over yourself Lee, go to God - you need him far more than you need your own approval.  It's sad how blind we can get to what's really going on in our hearts isn't it?

Mr R hasn't been well.  He was up vomiting last night, and again this morning.  He's not been himself today, and has had a fever & been almost delirious at one point.  Not sure what's going on there.  Little D is off to the Dr for her 12mth needles tomorrow :(  Mr F is healthy & happy, and totally totally cute, loving him so much more everyday.  He's at the age where they really start showing more of their true character.  He's really quite soft.... and I love the fact that if I'm right, he agrees, in fact he says "you were right Mummy, I was wrong" so humble, such a teachable attitude - amidst the tantrums lol.

Super hubby & dad, Big M, stayed home from church today to look after Mr R and Little D.  He also continued with my work - organising the laundry.  We're almost finished in there now.  Just a shelf to put up & some junk to throw out.  I bought some flooring off ebay for the laundry, so now that it's clean we can actually have a laundry floor - solid bamboo timber - the best quality flooring in the whole house will be in the laundry.  They were selling 20m2 for $40!  Perfect.  If only all bamboo flooring was that price!  Now Big M just has to figure out how to lay it!

What do you do with your God Ideas?  Not your good ideas, but the ideas you feel are from God.  I have something I need to do.  Two somethings actually.  Do you put them off?  I'm a procrastinator from way back.  I think God is still trying to coax me out of it.  One of the reasons I'm writing this blog is to keep myself accountable in this aspect.  So watch this space and see what happens next!

Operation Organisation!

Lee, your mission should you choose to accept it, is to FINALLY organise your home.  Gasp!  Seriously?  Is it possible?  I don't know for sure, but yesterday I embarked on my first few steps to organising my home.  Finding some inspiration from my gorgeous friend Jess http://myfamilyourhome.blogspot.com/ I went to Red Dot & purchased a whole lot of baskets... $100 later I looked proudly upon my half organised laundry cupboard :)  Ok, so it's not quite a masterpiece yet, and it's not my entire home... but it's just the beginning. I can't upload pics to show you... my camera takes pics that are about 3 meg each, and too big to upload :(  You'll have to trust me!

And sadly, today I haven't actually done any further organising, I'm struggling to even get the dishes in the dishwasher today lol.  But I have managed to go to my favourite grocer's Tony Ale in Jandakot, where I used a voucher (a gift from my recent birthday) and purchased some yummy yummy things that I normally wouldn't purchase given our budget.  So thank you to Pete, Dora, Andy, Cass & Bec...for my marinated tiger prawns, the beetroot & spinach pasta, caramelised onion mmmm!

So my inspiration today?  Hmmm... stop blogging, get back into the laundry and get this house done baby!

Sew much for being inspired :(

Today I was inspired to get out the old sewing machine.  That's right, I can sew.  I used to be ok back in my late teens, I'd make dresses & pants and actually wore them in public!  My sewing machine was given to me, second hand, when I was 18... and when we moved house 5 years ago it was dropped on the ground by a "helpful" family friend, and I've been dreading opening it up... until today.

Looking around my home, which is not finished off yet. I see walls that need painting, floors that need skirting, a laundry that needs flooring... but what could I do that is quick & cheap?  Yes!  I'll sew curtains.  I'm only wanting some soft gentle curtains to blow gently in the breeze... so out comes the sewing machine.  I turn it on. All seems well.  It runs!  Success!  I walk away to find some material to "brush up my skills", I found some funky Garfield & Odie fabric, yes, I'll make some cushions for the boys play area.  Walking back towards the sewing machine and what do I see?  Smoke flooding out from the motor :(  Yes smoke.  I have fried my sewing machine.  Determined NOT to give up, I talk Big M into taking us all down to the sewing shop, where my fear is confirmed, the machine is wayyyy beyond repair (or rather the budget to repair is wayyyy beyond our means).  So I'm now embarking on the hunt for a new sewing machine.  Still yearning to make curtains!

On a positive note, the second GP I took Little D to the other day diagnosed her with an ear infection & has prescribed anti-biotics.  So much happier now.  Don't think I'll ever go back to the first GP!

So yes, today inspired to make a home... discouraged along the way... inspired to get back on the horse as soon as a new machine is found (within budget!).

A day in the life of....

Why hello, welcome to the first blog... well the first blog of my third attempt at blogging... hmmm... will it work this time?  Will I stick with it?  Will there be any point?  Will I tire of it?  Well.... it's definitely worth a try, again :)  Do we have spell check here?

After reading blogs of others, I've been inspired myself to create this blog... not looking to inspire others, but to share the inspirations I've received, and to share how they've changed my life, major or minor.

Day One?  Spent carting my poor baby girl around to different doctors.  Little D is 12 months old, she's been unwell this week and after "hoping it will go away" I've taken her to the dr this morning, dissatisfied with his diagnosis I booked her in at another clinic for a second opinion.  God is so good when we need help, he gets us the appt with the super-dr whom I've loved for years but have not very often managed to actually book appointments with.  Hoping we'll have a diagnosis I'm happy with this afternoon.

Inspiration today?  Seeing my second eldest son in the waiting room at the clinic.  Mr F introduced himself to a man in his "silver years", and then continued to entertain and enthrall the other elders in the clinic with his conversation.  I realised how much they loved talking with him, especially since we are so aware of "stranger danger" these days.  One man actually thanked me for letting Mr F chat with him.  Thinking we may have to make some visits into nursing homes to share some of his joy.  I used to be apprehensive towards church ministry in nursing homes, but the more I think about it, and the more I see, the less apprehensive I am.  These people were my age once, all the hopes & dreams for their lives, and the lives of their children.  Now?  They're stuck, waiting... waiting... nothing really happening.  They're people who have the same humour as mine, the same intellect as my husband, the same love of all things God created... so why do I think there's nothing to talk about with them?  Mr F didn't appear to have any trouble.  Inspired by a 4yr old.  Awesome!