SURVIVING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.....a few tips to help you get through the next block of holidays.

Ah, School holidays. The mere thought of it conjures up images of exhausted mothers trying desperately to appease over-indulged kids, whose mantra is chanted the western world over: ‘I’m bored’ …

“Bored”!! - “You’re not bored,” I say to my 8 and 6 year olds. “Go and climb a tree. Jump on the trampoline. Play in the cubby house. Read a book or draw a picture. Unfortunately, they don’t get it. After ‘what seems like hours’ of incessant winging, I concede defeat, waving my white flag and shuffling them into the car to see Shrek 3 for the third time.

“Kids in Africa don’t get bored,” I tell my 8 year old. “They play with sticks and old cans and pieces of wire.” “Yes mummy” she replies in her cynical, ‘I’ve heard it all before voice.’ “Send me to Africa and I won’t get bored” – Hey, now that’s an idea!

My challenge during this past school holidays was to keep the kids from being bored and keep me from going insane. I did this by having a plan.

And it worked. Monday was shopping. Tuesday was stay at home and clean day, Wednesday was exercise class and library, Thursday an outing and so on. Thrown into the mix was the occasional organized school holiday activity like horse riding.

Knowing what the week had an ahead of me was better pill to swallow. Included in our routine was a catch up with friends - those who had kids the same age as mine. That way, I got to drink coffee and talk and the kids got to play.

We also made time for serious educational fun, like visits to the local library – an inexpensive holiday activity that not only encouraged their love of books, but filled in 2 hours on a Wednesday. Other inexpensive and worthwhile activities included: going on bushwalks and to parks.

As the school holidays came to an end, I actually even felt a little sad. The positives this time seemed to outweigh the negatives. I enjoyed my well thought out plan for activities, whilst taking a break from the usual mundane routine of ironing uniforms and making lunches.

Finally, I made a choice and that was to embrace the school holidays optimistically; seizing the diminishing opportunity I have to spend time with my ‘growing up too fast’ kids, who would someday do their own thing. – Sadly, one day the tables will turn and my kids will no longer rely on me for entertainment and I’ll be the one winging … “I’m bored!”

Just a little food for thought.

Nicky

Turning My House Into a Home ... Part 1

A few year’s ago my mother and I were driving on an isolated stretch of road in the south of Western Australia. It had been a long chilly day – frost covered the rolling green hills like a soft white blanket. Approaching the nearest town we passed an enticing sign which read: “warm fire, kettle’s on”. Without giving it a second thought, we stopped the car, grabbed our coats and went inside in search of an ‘experience’ rather than just a coffee. The café wasn’t ritzy, but it did have one thing going for it – it felt warm and very homely. It reminded me of the house I grew up in.

Arriving home in my teens and twenties, I can always remember being greeted by the familiar smell of mum’s English stew cooking on the stove, warming up my hands in front of the gas fire, lying on our modest, yet comfortable furniture and hearing the kettle whistling – on continuous boil.

Now that I have my own home, I too want to create an environment that is warm and inviting. Our lights are always dimmed, candles are flickering, music is often playing and the heater is on during those cold winter months.

I do what I can ascetically to create a welcoming environment and then my husband and I build on this by filling our home with lively conversation (usually at the dinner table), lots of cuddles, unconditional love, respect, laughter, friends, and a lifetime of happy memories, captured so beautifully in the photo’s gracing our walls.

At thefamilyroom we often talk about our homes being a haven and a safe place and that they are homes rather than houses. This is something I want, I want my house to be a safe haven, an oasis, a place where we can relax and just be ourselves. Truly not just a house – but a home.

Nicole Partridge

Fasta Pasta......

Ok friends, here’s a simple, tasty pasta recipe that takes only 20 minutes to prepare. My kids love it as do my hubby and I. It's also a great 'simple' dish to entertain with.

Ingredients:
2 rashers of bacon
4 large ripe tomatos
500g of Penne Pasta
1 teaspoon of Olive Oil
2 spring onions – chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh basil
1 ¼ cup of thickened cream
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:
Cut bacon into small pieces
Using a shape knife, mark a small cross on each tomato, boil for 5 minutes, run cold water over them and peel
Chop up tomatoes
Cook pasta
While Pasta, not Pastor, is cooking, heat oil in a heavy-based fry pan. Cook bacon and spring onion for 5 minutes
Add basil, cream, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes
Add tomatoes and cook for 2 – 3 minutes

Serve Pasta in bowls, top with sauce.

Tip: Add some crunchy French bread and a nice glass of wine and you have yourself a date night with your husband/partner or simply a nice dinner with friends.

Shopping List:
Bacon Rashers
4 large ripe tomatos
500g of Penne Pasta
Spring Onions
Fresh Basil
Thickened Cream
Crusty French bread
A nice bottle of Red

Enjoy.

Nicki

Getting Over Ourselves

I used to complain about having no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet ~ Anonymous


A few days ago I was complaining to my husband about how overwhelming life was. The washing had piled up, the kitchen was a disaster zone, and my fridge was desperately in need of an overhaul. Too many people, including my kids, were making demands of me. I felt bloated and tired and to top it all off, I had absolutely nothing to wear (actually, nothing I felt comfortable in).

Later that day, after tackling a few of my problem areas, I sat down with a cuppa to watch Oprah (as you do when you have too much too do!!!). What a wake-up call! Her show featured members of her audience who were given $1000 to ‘pay it forward’ In a nutshell, the concept of blessing others. One particular lady in the audience decided to help out a single mum living in the Bronx.

As story unfolded with Oprah’s camera’s following this mum around in her apartment, I began to feel ashamed of myself for complaining about my ‘lot in life.’ This woman was doing it tough. She was working full time, supporting three children, living in a tiny partly furnished flat with concrete floors, bare walls, no beds for her kids and a kitchen that was falling apart. We won’t even talk about the cockroach infestation in her pantry – thank God she got some help.

At the end of the show, I switched off the TV, repented of my winging and came to realize that life could be a whole lot worse … so, I just needed to put another load in the washing machine and get over myself.

Nicki P

A Simple Meal Idea for those Hot Summer Nights

The other day Oprah talked about ‘the time’ when she decided to ‘do it all’... the cooking, cleaning, looking after her dogs etc., after a few days or so, she gave up, deciding it was all too hard. She then added “I don’t know how ya all do it; coming up with a different meal every night!” Soon after this confession, Oprah went back to being fed by her army of gourmet chef’s … lucky Oprah! For me though, I’m one of the ‘ya all’ – so I’ll continue to come up with dinner ideas.

Last night, I tried a new simple recipe for hamburgers. An easy meal, that includes salad (so it’s healthy) and it’s great for those hot nights when you can’t be bothered cooking.

The great thing about these burgers is that by adding the blue cheese dressing, the burger becomes a little more gourmet (add some garnish and a glass of wine and you have a simple, yet sophisticated meal).

Ingredients:
500g of lean mince
Small onion
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons of mustard
4 teaspoons of egg mayonnaise
100g of blue cheese
Salt and pepper

Method:
Blend together mince, parsley, onion, egg yolks, salt and ground pepper. Shape mixture into burger sized patties. Spray a non-stick pan with oil. Cook burgers until browned and cooked through.

Sauce:
Mix together mustard and mayonnaise and then fold through cheese. Serve the burger with lettuce, sliced onions, tomato, beetroot and whatever else takes your fancy.

Tip:
For adults and older children add the blue cheese sauce, for the little people, add tomato sauce and a little whole egg mayo.

Fun Family Tip:
Turn your kitchen into a hamburger joint with all members of the family making their own burgers – then set up a judging panel. The biggest or spiciest burger wins the award. The younger ones get bonus points for actually eating it!

Grocery List:
500g lean mince (this can be beef or chicken if you prefer)
1 Onion
Parsley
Mustard (can be prepared or dry mustard)
Egg Mayonnaise
100g Blue Cheese
Eggs
Hamburger Buns
Lettuce – for a crisp salad and on the burger
Tomatoes

Enjoy and remember to have fun!

Nicki

Pantry Make-Over

When the team from the family Room arrived to give my pantry a makeover, I was a little cynical. You see, I had lived with my messy pantry for the past three years. It didn’t bother me that much. My pantry, like my toenails got little attention. And believe it or not, I did have a system: chuck it all in and hope you can find it the next day.

Armed with black t-shirts, pink rubber gloves and a little bottle of disinfectant, the girls from thefamilyroom set to work clearing the old, to make way for the new. In the process, a few pantry moths and weavels were evicted from their homes.

To my disbelief, and disgust, I had things growing in my pantry. Cobwebs, mould, spiders and weavels, mixed with the occasional rat pooh pellet. I even had herbs dating back to 1986 and an old ice-cream bucket still containing the original spoons.

Each time the girls made a gruesome discovery in my pantry, they’d shriek in horror, capturing each horrible and at times, embarrassing moment on video (to be played at the next familyroom LIVE event).

We are not a dirty family, in fact, we live in a nice home and on the surface everything looks fine – except for those hidden places, accommodating that accumulated mess.

I guess the reason for my cluttered, out of date, moth ridden pantry was simple: it was a big job and perhaps too overwhelming. Besides, I made sure the doors were closed, when anyone came to visit.

Today, the doors are open for all to see.
My pantry is clean, tidy, minimalist, ordered and everything is in its place.

Personally, I feel more in control of my life. My pantry won’t solve world poverty, but it will help to bring some order and peace in my sometimes chaotic world. As of today, I have also overhauled my fridge, laundry and spare room. I feel great!

My advice to you: If you feel overwhelmed and ‘out of control’ – check your panty. It might just need a make-over.


By Nicky Partridge
Although I’m too embarrassed to admit that it’s me!


Note: You can see Nicky’s pantry make-over on the big screens at the next Family Room Live Event.