Pizza Made Easy ~ USE YOUR HANDS!

Okay, it is therapy time with Annie!

Have you found yourself a victim of the 21st century? Do you think baking bread means buying the par baked buns from the supermarket and cooking them for 4 minutes?? Does your recipe for homemade pizza consist of one frozen pizza and a bag of grated cheese? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then I have great news for you ~ you don't know what you're missing!!!!

Today I'm going to share my pizza dough recipe with you (and the toppings to accompany) and you are going to be equiped to host a pizza making night that is fun for both young and old. The children love to get their sleeves rolled up and create, the teenagers like to build and challenge each other and the adults...well we pretty much fall in both categories.

I recently made a huge batch of dough for my son Oskar’s 11th birthday party. We cleared off our dining table, covered it with flour and gave each child a ball of dough and let them at it (there were 11 kids!). They had heaps of fun (and made their own dinner!). Have a go and enjoy I promise you’ll be hooked ☺

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

Pour one cup of lukewarm water into a bowl. Add to it two sachets of compressed yeast and one tablespoon of sugar (this “activates” the yeast).

Meanwhile, oil your oven trays and prepare your toppings.
Measure 3 cups of bread making flour (I use Anchor Bread and Pizza Flour) into a large bowl. Add a good pinch of salt and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of flour and mix it in.

Now for the fun bit!! Sprinkle your kitchen bench/countertop with flour and plonk your dough onto the surface. Now get kneading. Have both hands opposite each other and fold the dough from right to left. Turn the ball a quarter of a turn and make the same movement. This warms the dough and incorporates air into it. Knead your dough for about two minutes. This is a great upper arm and ab workout as well so knead away!!

Place your dough into a greased bowl (with room for it to grow) cover with a plate or plastic wrap and put in a warm place. If you don’t have a warm sunny spot to place your bowl just stand it in a larger bowl of warm water. Leave for half an hour.

Now you have a beautiful bowl of soft yeasty pizza dough! Knead it a couple of times. Divide it into two or three portions depending on how thick you like your base and roll it out.

Place the base onto the tray and top with a thick pasta sauce to which you have added a little salt and sugar. Alternatively you may have pizza base that you like, if so then use it instead of the pasta sauce.

Finish with your favourite toppings and a layer of combined tasty, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake in a hot oven (about 210-220C) for 10 to 15 minutes ~ If you are looking for a lighter option use a little parmesan and lite mozzarella and when removed from the oven sprinkle with roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and basil.

Just another familyroom tried and true recipe. Enjoy friends.

Annie x

(ps - hope you enjoy the photo, not something we do at our place but gosh it looks great!)

Health and Well-Being

Lately I’ve been thinking a great deal about health and our well-being and I have come to the conclusion that everything seems to come down to balance. We need to cultivate balance in every area of our lives. Balance is what seems to keep everything operating correctly and when balance shifts anything can happen.

As all of you know I have been working my way back to health and fitness after years of being in the pregnancy/baby season. What I’m finding is that I have needed to rediscover my personal balance again. Prior to pregnancy I knew what worked for me; I knew what level of exercise I needed to engage in, what I could and couldn’t eat (freely), how much sleep I needed, how many weeks I could burn the candle at both ends, etc. Basically I really knew my body and how it worked and then WOW it was all new with baby weight, no sleep, hormones, spit up, dirty nappies/diapers, food when time permitted, chocolate, decaf coffee, chocolate ~ you all know the rest.

Well now after 10 years of being in that place, and thankfully trying to maintain some of the things I always known that worked for me I am now endeavouring to readjust and apply appropriate balance at this stage of my life. I realize that the things I once could do I know longer can (eg: eating an entire pack of maltzeers or peanut M&M’s whilst watching a movie) which is requiring me to re-evaluate balance in my life.

So my friends embrace balance, cultivate it and make it work in whatever stage of life you are at. Remember we are Body, Soul and Spirit and it is our responsibility to tend to all areas of our being.

Susan xoxo

Organizing Your Home

Whether we want to think about it or not, Christmas is sneaking up on the calendar with vigour. Now is the time to begin planning the season so that when the time comes you can finally relax and truly enjoy the moments with your loved ones.

Soon we will be posting a Christmas Plan to help you with the nitty gritty during the countdown. Meanwhile, I thought I’d share some tips for getting your home into shape before it becomes a holiday haven once again.

1. Behind closed doors…
Clear out your cupboards! It is such a great feeling knowing that you’re not going to be pelted with volleyballs, kites and suitcases when you open the hall cupboard. To avoid this happening, grab three large boxes (if you need more, feel free) and label one as ‘Give Away’, one ‘Throw Away’ and one ‘Keep’. This rule can apply to every cupboard in the house. Drop your giveaways off straight away to a local charity, as they could become timely Christmas provisions for many.

2. Spare me…
We all know that the spare room (for those who have them) can too easily become the family dumping ground if we’re not careful. If you find yourself asking, “Well, where am I supposed to put everything?” first ask yourself if everything in the room is necessary. If not, see Tip #1. If it is, install a storage system that will keep everything protected, tidy and out of view. Anyone who has the privilege of staying over will appreciate not having to climb over unused gym equipment, stacks of ‘filing’ and ‘giveaway’ boxes from last year’s spring clean.

3. The heart of the home…
The kitchen is noted by many families world wide as the heart of the home. If this is true, we should be taking every precaution to ensure that it doesn’t need a triple bypass a week before Christmas. Organise your pantry, dispose of anything that has exceeded it’s used by date and make room for the weeks ahead. Clear the benches or kitchen table of anything that isn’t kitchen related. Somehow it’s much more enjoyable to eat Christmas breakfast without having to look at a pile of oil splattered phone books or that old favourite again ‘filing’.

4. Please take a seat…
During the Christmas break, our house is flooded with guests. Some invited and some not. Allow your home the chance to enlarge its hosting capacity by simply investing into spare chairs, a few more plates and drinking glasses, back-up snacks, a couple more pillows/blankets, etc.

5. The way you look tonight…
Please do not feel the pressure to redecorate your entire home or go broke in an effort to impress Martha Stewart. You know she’s not coming anyway! Definitely make an effort with your home, take pride in it and get you family involved, but all it takes is simply rearranging a few things, adding a few touches and making room for those you love.

Let’s get started now because before we know it, we won’t have the time.

Enjoy!
Michaela.

Big Brother

I've always wondered what it would be like to have a big brother. I've always wished for one to be "over protective of me," always looking for me. I've even tried to have older male friends replace that desire by being big brother-ish.

I actually do have a big brother. This is him. Only his name is Scott. He was born June 7, 1982. He lived to 23 days.

My brother shared the same syndrome as Elliot. A syndrome called Trisomy 18 or Edwards Syndrome (for more information check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_syndrome).

I hope that through this video and my brother's little life you will be moved to live differently. You will choose to value everyday and choose to BE who you are meant to be in this big world.

Life is a precious gift!

~cj

The Lint of Life

Susan likes to tell me I’m a tech-head, and although I hotly deny it, I fear this blog may just confirm that it’s true!

Recently, I was scanning my computer for spyware – that’s the nasty stuff that downloads itself from the internet when you’re not looking, hops onto your PC hard drive and lodges amongst your files hoping to hijack your personal information and pass it on to the highest bidder.

It’s these malicious little viruses that can steal your credit card details and land you with a bill bigger than Ben Hur.

Now, I don’t want to scare you, but to my horror the scan detected a whopping 800 pieces of spyware, and its little brother adware, hiding out on my hard drive. Thankfully, once I knew they were there, I could zap them with the click of a button, but I got to thinking how much “virtual spyware” my family – particularly my children – might gather in the course of a day.

By “virtual spyware” I mean the harsh words and negative comments that we all hear on our journey and which cling to us despite our best intentions. The stuff we see on TV or read in the newspapers that steals our joy and tramples on our dreams. thefamilyroom girls call it the lint of life.

In case you’ve never heard of lint, the dictionary defines it as “clinging bits of fibre and fluff”. It’s those tiny fur-balls that gather on the sleeves of your favourite woolly sweater turning it from chic to shabby.

Can we scan our families, like we scan our computers, and rid them of the lint of life? Maybe communication is the answer to this human spyware. Making time to talk about what has shaped our day and nipping those cares and worries in the bud before they get a strangle-hold on our lives and spoil the view.

So the moral of my story is two-fold. On a practical level, I need to become more tech savvy and keep my computer clear of those dubious downloads. But on a personal note, I’m determined to make sure the lines of communication at home are wide open and the family is fur-ball free.

Deborah

*Look out for a podcast coming soon on the lint of life

Stressed to the Max!

Hi friends,

So the busier my life becomes, and it only ever seems to get busier, I find myself feeling the affects of stress in my body more acutely and constantly having to remind myself about how important good nutrition and exercise are in the midst of craziness.

My neck hurts, I get forgetful and cranky and I don’t digest my food very well when I’m a bit edgy! Sometimes stress leaves me with a glazed look on my face and other times busy-ness can affect my quality of sleep, which leads to all sorts of new stress symptoms! I am daily doing my stretches, squeezing in 1/2 an hour on the treadmill whenever I can and remembering to drink water. I’m also writing lists to help me from getting more stressed about the different things I have to do and hoping I haven’t forgotten anything!

When we feel stressed we can get all worked up about eating properly, some of us overeat while others of us don’t eat much at all. A lot of the time, stress can lead to constipation or diarroea. Ugh. If we live in this stress zone constantly, we can do damage to our bodies that we may not be able to undo later in life.

All sorts of things are going on inside us when we’re on the edge. B vitamins, which are essential for energy and certain hormone functions (B6 is usually lacking when we get PMT) are depleted when we’re stressed as well as magnesium and vitamin C just to name a few. Lacking in magnesium can lead to headaches and muscle pain, and vitamin C as we all know is essential for our immunity and helps keeps our heart happy.

We may think that coffee, jelly snakes and chocolate are essential to our stress survival and keep us going, but poor eating habits can set us up for all sorts of other problems that will give us more to worry about! Did you know that excess caffeine in our bloodstream can affect calcium absorption?

I guess that moral of the story is….in the midst of our busy lives, it’s so important to take care of ourselves and stay strong to be able to go the distance. We all know it, but I think every once in a while we need a gentle nudge and reminder.

In regards to food, remember the 5+2 principle? In a day we should eat 5 serves of veggies and 2 pieces of fruit and enough water to keep us hydrated (approx. 8 glasses). Get hold of a good multivitamin and make the effort to take it everyday. Talk to a nutritionist or a naturopath and work out what good eating looks like for you in the busy-ness of life. Most of all remember to breathe and choose to navigate these busy days well, it may only be a season. If you’re finding it really tough, talk to someone, we all go through hard times.

Ultimately, the cheesy ad is right, you’re worth it! So take care of YOU. I love Robin McGraw’s book ‘Inside my heart’. She talks about how she takes care of herself so that she can give the gift of herself to others, fit and healthy and strong, and for the long haul….

Lv Jane
Nutritionist (just in case you thought I was making it up!) : )

Bring Back the Family Photo Album

This past weekend an article in The Sunday Telegraph caught my eye. The headline read: ‘Digital’s killed the photo album star’. According to the article, the family photo album may be a thing of the past – yikes! They go on to say that experts have warned that the rise of digital cameras; computers and mobile phones could lead to the death of the family photo album. The photo imaging council (didn’t know there was such a thing), are quoted as saying that that childhood memories and moments of great celebrations such as weddings and birthdays are missing from thousands of albums around the country. In fact statistics show that many never get around to printing their pictures, choosing to keep them on their hard drive. Executive Director for the photo Imaging council, Paul Curtis says that there is a whole generation of kids from 2003 to 2005 that never managed to make it into the family photo album.

Now I am not opposed to technology in the slightest, but there is something really comforting about sitting on the couch with the family and pouring over baby photo’s, holiday snaps and pics of kids birthday parties. Sadly, my own albums stopped when my five year old turned two. Now if we want to look at photos taken over the past three years, we all have to sit around a computer screen, which, quite frankly, just isn’t the same. So I say, ‘bring back the family album’ Next weekend, I intend to select a handful of shots from my computer, print them out and stick them in albums, which will be strategically placed around the house – encouraging my kids to take comfort in the cherished memories of our past. It may be old fashioned, but as Mr. Curtis said: “It’s not a real photo until it’s printed.”

Nicki Partridge

Thought Du Jour and Mild Chicken Curry

Today is our recipe day but I thought I would add a little story with my recipe. Warning: the recipe and the story have no connection just adding my Thought De Jour as an appetizer.

Like many of you I watch the news and keep myself informed about what is going on in the world today. Sadly much of the news we hear is of pain, devastation, sadness and things that are simply wrong. I find myself in conversations and hear people say that the world is going to Hell in a handbag and that we live in terrible times.

My thinking....I think it's our responsibility, in the midst of the bad stuff, to look for the good. I'm raising my kids in this world and I'm choosing to create a great environment for them and others. I'm choosing to see the sunny side, I'm choosing to smile at the future, I'm choosing to uncover the good which is there for us to enjoy. I'm not ignoring or pretending the other doesn't exist I'm simply daring to be different.

I think it's time for all of us to stand up a little taller, to speak a little louder and for goodness to drown out or at least dampen that which is not good.

Just my thought du jour.

Recipe of the Day.... This one's for you Robert!

Mild Chicken Curry (for young and old to enjoy!)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 40 minutes (give or take a few ~ I usually give a few :)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Oil
1.5 Kilos chicken pieces (thighs are the best but wings and drumsticks are yummy too)
2 medium onions sliced
3 stalks celery sliced
2 Tbsp curry powder (you can adjust this to your families liking)
2 cloves garlic (I’m generous here and add more...)
2 Tbsp flour
11/2- 2 cups chicken stock
2 green apples peeled and cubed
1/2-1 cup sultanas (raisins)

Method:
1) Heat oil in pan, cook chicken in batches until well browned; drain on paper towel.
2) In the same pan add onion, celery and cook until soft. Add curry powder, garlic and flour; stir over heat until mixture becomes dry and grainy. Remove from heat.
3) Add stock gradually, stirring until mixture is smooth. Return pan to heat, stir until sauce boils and thickens. Add chicken, cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
4) Add apple and sultanas/raisins, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, or until chicken is tender.

Wonder Woman

This is one of my nicknames. Why? Can I leap tall buildings in a single bound…no! Or maybe stop a locomotive with my little finger…not. I am able to multitask which makes me look like Wonder woman. I am in the middle of baking 60 cupcakes for pink ribbon day. Doing the ironing, supervising homework and making dinner. And I’m smiling as I write this!

My husband Richard is up at the local pool getting in some training for his next triathlon, so I’m doing it solo this evening.

Now, for the efficiency thing:

It is family night so we are having homemade pizza; the dough is resting at the moment. I have the timer on the oven so I can’t ruin the cakes and I come and go from the ironing as I check on the children’s progress.

It’s not brain surgery, I know. I have learnt to use my time wisely and approach things calmly. Think about what it is you need to do. Tell the children ahead of time what it is they will be required to do and when they need to start. I am extremely goal oriented so I have had to learn to relax if it doesn’t all get done (sometimes I manage it!).

I feel so thankful each morning that I have been given another day to enjoy life and I approach each and every day with the intention to get the most out of every moment and do it well.

Annie

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Today is our ‘Current Affairs’ day on the familyroom blog and I’ve decided to look at something that is always current and involves all our our affairs. It’s a four letter word (yikes!!) that seems to escape most of us and sadly I’m not sure if anyone really understand what it means anymore. The four letter word I’m referring to is TIME.

So friends here is my thought de jour......

Is time speeding up or are we just trying to do too much in the time we've been given? Are we operating at break neck speeds leaving behind only a light track and in many cases far too much dust? Is it all meant to be so high pressured, biggest, best, high speed, high intensity, do this, do that? Or, are we meant to do one thing really well and stay steady, focused, consistent, confident, reliable, happy?

My mind went here this week because I have been in email contact with a friend.....no, not phone communication (that takes up too much time) we've been exchanging emails ~ you know because we are such high tech individuals who care about humanity so much that a voice-to-voice would be stretching even the most seemingly caring person. Anyway I found humor in the fact that we are unable to 'connect' until December.

Now I know everyone's schedule is different and we all place importance on different things and people and perhaps I'm just not high on this friends list of important ~ which is totally fine by me.

What I found funny was that we seem to get consumed doing and trying and seem to forget about caring and sharing and simply BEing. Being in the moment and remaining alert to what is happening around us, being available to make a difference in the everyday-ness of life. I wonder, what would life look like if we all slowed down by one week? How much happier would we be as individuals and how much happier could we make others simply by taking time, to make time to have time.

I will leave you with something that came to mind whilst writing this:

T alking
I ntimacy
M emories
E ternity

Just my thought de jour......

Susan xoxo

Health...... It's a Mind Thing

So today is HEALTH day and I've decided to talk about something other than Fitness, Healthy eating or the like. I would like to talk about Mental Health. I think it's extremely important to keep our minds healthy and by that I mean we need to make sure we think positively, think on good things (think happy thoughts), we need to challenge our mind by exercising it like any other muscle in our body.

For myself I know when my mind isn't being exercised or used correctly. I think most of you probably do too. Just a few tell-tale signs of a mind that requires strengthening are:

Continual thought patterns that are in the wrong place
Sadness for long periods of time
Negative thinking
Loss of memory (that can also be from being too busy as well)

There are so many more but these are just a few that will get you thinking about your own mind and where you currently are mentally. There are simple things we can all do to keep our mind strong, positive and working for us. A few techniques I use are as follows:

I wake before anyone in the house and find time to quiet my mind and for me prayer is how I quiet and focus myself.
I choose not to listen to negative talk or enter into negative conversations.
I CHOOSE to look for the positive or the silver lining in every situation.
I read great, inspiring stories (Reader’s Digest is great for quick uplifting articles).
I dream about what could be, even if it’s not in the realm of possibility, I dream about things and talk to my girlfriends about the dreams.
I talk to my mum and my sister (and a few good friends) about ‘issues’ or ‘concerns’ in life that I may have.
I smile A LOT.
I try and learn a new word every day or week.
Something I need to work on is memory ~ I have so much going on that I don’t seem to remember like I once did (maybe it was babies who knows but I do know that many of us share this weakness). I practice remembering things and challenge myself all the time.

I could go on and on but I think you get what I’m talking about. Make sure you take time in your everyday to quiet your mind and exercise it. Good mental health can been seen in every area of our lives. It’s worth working on. If you have concerns or things you need to talk to someone and you don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone in your world then please do so ~ there are incredible experts who are able to help all of us make sense out of any situation.

Take care be well, remember to smile and keep it simple but keep it real.

Susan xoxo

A Great Day At The Fair

Yesterday was a great day. The children had their annual school fair. It was a hot, humid Spring day. The community turned out in record numbers as did the flies!

What was great about this fair was that it was all about the children and the community. The kids got to see all the parents volunteering and raising money for their school. Mum's were face painting, hair spraying, getting caught up in fairy floss and guzzling water like crazy. Dad's were running after miss-hit golf balls, madly selling raffle tickets and sweating like they had just run a marathon.

The "Golfarama" was a popular game for the boys. If you got a ball in the hole, your prize was a "fart bag". Yes you read it right. A fart bag. It was a small silver pack which, when stomped on, caused the bag to expand and then "POP" - instant fart complete with horrible stench. Needless to say the "fart in a bag" was going off - all day!

Watching the boys let one off and run away in fits of laughter was a hoot!. I know it's gross but I love to see boys being boys.

After the fair was over we invited some friends over for afternoon tea. The children swam, watched High School Musical and played for hours. We drank numerous cups of tea and coffee, indulged in some Italian Cannoli and before we knew it, afternoon tea had turned into dinner.

It was then I realised how much more I enjoy having people over when it is unplanned. There are no expectations - no frantic cleaning and preparation of food before they arrive. Just "hey, why don't you stay for dinner". Thankfully, I had some pasta sauce made, but cheese on toast would have been just as good.

We all had a fun day and I know it will be a lasting memory for me and my children.
Sam

Zorba the Greek and Many Other Memorable Moments

Gathering information for yet another school project, my daughter was recently grilling me for details of my childhood. She wanted to know what we ate, how we got around and how we could possibly find out anything useful without Google.

After reassuring her that we did not travel by horse and cart or forage for food on the forest floor – she seemed to nurture the general belief that we were raised in Medieval England – I got to thinking about the memories which have stuck with me over the years. And it surprised me that it wasn’t the major events that came so easily to mind, but the mundane, everyday moments that returned with a ray of sunshine and a fond recollection of a loving family home.

It’s still a mystery to me how she did it, but my mum had a way of keeping things sweet on the home front while working full-time in the family business. I can only conclude that she cunningly had us helping out with the household chores without us really noticing. For example, Saturday morning was set aside for cleaning the house. I have little recollection of the dusting and polishing, but one of my jobs was to choose the soundtrack to which we worked – thumbing through the family music collection to find songs that would inspire us to new heights of cleanliness. I can clearly remember waltzing around the lounge room wafting a feather duster as the frantic strains of Zorba the Greek reached fever pitch.

Family shopping days were another delight. These grand occasions happened once or twice a year, when both parents planned a day off work and gave me permission to skip school (gasps of horror from any teachers reading this!). We would drive an hour or so to a nearby city, start the day with morning tea then browse the shops to our heart’s content, stopping to linger over lunch before driving home happy but exhausted late in the afternoon. These days were more about pleasure than purpose although there would often be a present to buy or an outfit to purchase. We were just taking time out as a family to have fun and see something new.

Now, I can’t say I have started this tradition in my own family yet. Shopping with three children is still more trauma than treat right now. However, one thing which began by accident but is fast becoming a fixture is the pre-birthday, late-night shopping trip. This involves me taking only the birthday girl or boy to the shops on an evening close to the big day, sharing giggles and secrets over supper then picking out a small gift. I’m amazed how much they love this one-on-one time – the dynamics are so different when there’s no need to compete for attention.

Thinking back to these childhood moments has reminded me how important it is to make memories for our kids. Sometimes life is so busy that the fun gets squeezed out. Too often, I dash around focused on getting the job done instead of slowing down and including the little people.

Note to self: make time to dance with the duster!

Deborah

To Balski

I’ve heard it said that you can take a girl out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the girl. Today I know that’s true.

As some of you already know I am a small town girl (I think the population of our town is approximately 998 ~ give or take a few) and today, as with most days, I am proud to be a small town girl. There’s something magical about a small town and the people in it, we have a ‘connection’ that I believe is unique. There is a line in a song by John Mellencamp that resonates with all small town people regardless of where life has lead us, the line goes like this “I was born in a small town, gonna die in that same small town, it’s probably where they’ll bury me.” We all sing that song with vigour.

The other night as I was preparing to go out with my husband and a message came up on Facebook. The message was from and old friend from our small town and the subject simply said ‘Balski’ (the nickname of one of our childhood friends). I immediately knew something wasn’t right ~ isn’t it funny how our spirit just knows when things just aren’t as they should be.

I opened the message to find that my childhood friend had sadly died. His life had been cut short far too soon. I began to think about my small town and the great relationships I have with so many and thought about how important it is to take and make time in order to have time for the things that matter. Our relationships are truly a gift from God. Today, as I mourn the death of a friend, I want to encourage you to manage your time in such away that you have and make time for the things in life that truly matter.

My heart has been sad all week. I have thought back to the days of old and I know all my small town friends are doing the same. Through his death I’m amazed at how both young and old from our small town have communicated ~ all feeling the same sense of loss. Balski will be remembered forever. When we get together we will remember his smile, his crazy jokes and his wicked sense of humour. He will be forever in our hearts.

So my friend today I say farewell. I have said a prayer for you and for your family, you will remembered forever and I count an honour to have known you all my life. Enjoy this journey that you are now on and say hello to those who have gone before.

Good-bye my friend.

Susan

Loving Our Friends' Kids

Hey friends,

There’s never really much great news on tv, but lately it feels like we’ve been hearing some awful things, particularly about children and young people. This has caused me think about how important it is not to live isolated lives, and to create community around us. It’s also made me think about how devastated I would be to hear of anything happening to my friends’ kids - I love them so dearly (alas some of them from afar!) and truly believe in them.

So very simply, I want to encourage you today, don't hold back in loving the other kids in your world, s peak words of life over them and create community and extended family around you ~ where ever you find yourself in this big ole world.

The fact is, parenting is just not meant to be done alone. We need others to love our kids and be there when sometimes we can’t be. We need to create safe places where our kids and their friends can grow and be loved and where they know they’ll be cheered on in life. Some of my happiest memories include times like getting together with my favourite gals and their families while our kids had an impromptu talent quest. There was clapping and rap beats and laughter and we just enjoyed and cheered on our various offspring…it was great fun!

I also love hearing the funny things these kids say (I recall a blonde ringlet-ed little 4 year old dropping the F-bomb at kindy!) and how they’re going in school and where their personalities lead them. I also seem to find myself cheering my friends’ kids on at games and during concerts and yelling silliness out the car window as they walk past to school. I’m the doofussy mum yelling happy birthday songs over the phone and, on the flip side, because I love them I’m not afraid to call them on the dumb stuff they do in my home or while in my care.

I want to remember the stuff that’s important to them and be a part of their memories as they think back on their mum’s friends and what growing up was like in a community of people who believed in them and made them feel at home in their world. As our kids grow, we will have so many little (and gangly teen) people in and out of our homes and cars and we have a fantastic opportunity to create laughter, joy and life around us and for our home to be ‘the’ place to hang out.

I can’t WAIT to see who these kids are going to become and as they walk through life along side mine and all the great stuff they will do in the world. I look forward the 18th’s and 21st’s (where I can embarrass them further) and hearing them on the phone while they’re with my kids in other parts of the world as they have their adventures…then the inevitable engagements and weddings. Sigh…

Let’s think outside our own families and always have an open home for other kids. The house is never going to be spotlessly clean whilst we have kids living at home! Let’s learn to love the chaos and the noise and get used to making an extra batch of muffins of whatever is on the go!

I love the fact that there are a number of homes where my kids are valued, safe, cared for and encouraged....I want my home to be that place too, for my kids memories and who knows, maybe to help that one young person for whom home wasn’t or hasn't been such a great place...

Lv Jane

My thoughts on Health.....by Belinda

HEALTH: the dictionary defines it as “Freedom from disease or ailment, the general condition of the body or mind”
Many of you have heard/read some of my story, when Susan and I were regularly blogging about our exercise regime, however I thought I would share a little more with you today. So, here goes…

Over the last 12 to 13 years sadly I have put what I have wanted into my mouth, unfortunately this has resulted in my beautiful, but small frame becoming over weight. The result I have found and clearly see is that my body is not in the state of health that I know it can be in.

In my younger years I was always fit and healthy, however along the path of babies, etc., things seemed to slip. But things are changing now. I have made the decision to continue making my way back to health and well-being because I believe that HEALTH is a life style, it’s about how good you feel both body, mind and spirit when you are living right.

This journey takes time but it’s so worth it. Life is so busy these days that finding the time to exercise and be concerned about what we are consuming is an effort. Today I would like to tell you (out loud) that the effort is so worth it. I really started looking after myself about 8 months ago, I mean really exercising and trying to watch what I put through my lovely lips. This has definitely been a challenge for me, as I love junk. Everyday I am making wiser, stronger choices that I know in the long run will benefit every part of me.

Exercise for me is a vital part of becoming healthy. I encourage you to take just a ½ hour to 1 hour each day to exercise. Create a habit and after a short while you will really begin to feel and see (yahoo) the difference. When I say exercise I mean start by walking and then progress, your goal is to increase your heart rate so you can start burning some unwanted ‘bits’. After 8 months I’m finding that my exercise routine is no longer a chore for me, I am back to enjoying exercising, it gives me time to gather my thoughts all the while puffing like a steam engine!

Being healthy is not just a want it’s a need and every single women, man and child, regardless of age, needs to be active and work towards living a full and healthy life.
Cheers,
Belinda

Wicked Apple Crumble

My work colleague Julie is as skinny as a rake. She is one of those lucky people who seems to be able to eat what she pleases without putting on a pound. The fat fairy has passed her by and thanks to this she has, without even a twinge of guilt, built up a repertoire of naughty-but-nice desserts which she is happy to share with her friends.

And these decadent dishes are no shrinking violets. They are wicked puddings with gutsy flavours and rich textures but, because Julie is not one to linger longer than necessary in the kitchen, she has fine-tuned them to new heights of speed and simplicity. Case in point is her delicious apple crumble. I used to make crumble the old-fashioned way – peeling and stewing the Granny Smiths then carefully combining the butter and flour until it resembled fine breadcrumbs. Well, there’s none of that here. This is a store-cupboard pud that’s a cinch to make and tastes just as good as its complicated counterparts.

This wicked apple crumble is perfect comfort food for those in the northern hemisphere welcoming winter frosts and warm evenings by the fire, but it’s equally good with a dollop of ice-cream for those of us looking forward to lazy summer days.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large tins of apple pie fruit – sliced ones work best
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oats
Approx 200g butter (or margarine)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C
2. Melt the butter
3. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix
4. Put the tinned apple in the bottom of a casserole dish
5. Cover the apple evenly with the crumble mixture
6. Cook for 25-35 minutes until golden brown on top

From Deborah!

Time Management......What does it mean?

I have been trying to get around to writing this post for the past 2 days...such is my time management!!

Time Management was never something I struggled with, I have always been particularly good with managing my time and abilities, being an on time and reliable person....and then I had kids!  Have they even heard of time management?? Why is their agenda always different to mine?

My struggle quickly became not that of being someone who had difficulty managing their time - but someone who knew what they needed to do, how they needed to do it and exactly when they needed to do it - but it just wasn't happening. When I tried to send that email, or get to the shops to buy groceries for dinner, or just even stop for five seconds, there was some urgent need that demanded my attention. So I had to learn not to try and fight it, to understand that this is a season in my life where these little people do require all of me, and all of the other things can go on hold for the time being.

I know this isn't the kind of 3-step "here's what you need to do to have great time management skills" kind of a post, personally I reckon you're either born with it or you're not, and if you're not you need to work pretty darn hard at it (but that is a whole other story and one that is open to a whole lot of debate no doubt)....anyhow where was I?? Oh yeah, this post is more for those of us who are constantly frustrated by not being able to get things done when and how you want.

As a busy mum of 2 both well under the age of 2.5 my advice is, in as much as you can, just stop and enjoy the ride, enjoy your kids, be with them completely, don't worry about the next thing like jumping to get on your computer, or getting to the dishes, or cleaning the house at the first free second you get. Yes, you probably need to work out a system to accomplish all the things you need to get done, but if you are the person I am directing this to, you are no doubt perfectly capable and will always get it done anyway. If you stress less about what needs to happen and just let a few things slide along the way, then everything will become much easier... just make sure you remember the things you've allowed to 'relax or slide' and do make them happen when it works ~ make that a priority.....everyday!

Vickie

Jumping And Getting Wet

I heard a speaker at a women’s conference once say: “Are you the kind of parent that likes to sit and watch your kids swim, or do you jump in and get wet?” …. Hmmmm.

This comment troubled me. I do like to have fun, but I also like to sit on the side and watch. Last year for instance we visited an aquatic centre in Tasmania. It was a little cold and the water was uninviting. I had a magazine to read, so I sat in the cafe, smiling and waving at the kids. Luckily Uncle Greg didn’t mind getting wet. My lack of involvement however didn’t impress my five and eight year olds.

What does impress them is me donning my swimmers and jumping in, or rolling up my jeans and splashing in the surf or swallowing my pride and climbing through a ridiculously small kids climbing maze, only to find myself getting stuck between the yellow squishy bits or better yet, taking my shoes off and bouncing with them on a Cinderella jumping castle.

Yesterday, against my better judgment, I put on my sneakers and headed to Luna Park with my five year old. As soon as we arrived, Georgia took my hand urging me to go on the merry go round with her. “Come on mummy,” she said enthusiastically. Cumbersomely I clambered on board a mermaid horse built for two. With legs dangling and handbag draped over my shoulder, I turned to look at Georgia. She gave me a big beaming, one tooth missing smile.

The more sensible parents were standing on the side taking photos of their kids. The less sensible one … me, was getting that ‘poor you look’ by parents at every turn. Even the attendant smiled at me sympathetically. Un-phased I turned to look back at Georgia who was still giving me that one tooth missing grin.

Next we headed to the Ferris wheel. Ah, this was better. At least I could see other parents getting on. But no sooner had we jumped off the Ferris wheel, when Georgia grabbed my hand and dragged me to my nightmare – the mighty mouse. I could already feel my meat pie heading up my esophagus. Again, most parents – the sensible ones, were standing in the line to wave their kids off. Not me. I am bundling myself into the crammed little red car with my bag, Georgia’s back pack and Georgia. “Here we go,” I say mustering up as much enthusiasm as I could. I think the photo taken as we hurtled down the track at 100 km’s an hour said it all.

Next it was Coney Island. “Let’s go on the big slide mummy.” “Ok, Georgia,” I looked up, grimaced, then sent an SMS to my husband: “are we having fun yet?” who promptly replied with: “not until you’ve been on the big slide” – funny that. So with a mat in one hand, Georgia’s backpack in the other and my handbag draped around my neck, we head up the big stairs to the big slide.

The young Indian man holding the mat at the top gave me that knowing glance. I stuffed my handbag into the little pouch provided, sat Georgia on my lap, then one, two, three – off we went. Whooahhhh! I’m just glad I’m not a celebrity and I don’t have paparazzi taking my photo, because the disembarking at the other end would have made the front page.

So after 6 rides, one ice-cream, 2 coffees and a stick of fairy floss we were done. Georgia took my hand, looked me in the eyes and said: “I love you mummy.” In this moment, I realized it was worth it all. To get in and get wet, although uncomfortable for me, meant the world to her.

Nicki

Know Your Body

Hi Friends,

The older I get, the more obvious it is to me that my body is going to make or break the way I spend the next 40 years! That in mind I have a new found fervour when it comes to the way I treat myself!
Practically speaking our body will be as good to us as we are to it. Put good food in and it will convert it to stuff that is good for you. It will fight cancer causing free radicals, tend to areas that need to repair and support the general functioning of our systems. Put bad stuff in and we operate more sluggishly, get sick more frequently, take longer to mend and don’t look quite as good.
I can hear you all screaming as you head to the cupboard to dust off your bottle of vitamin pills! It’s never too late to make a change. Amazingly our bodies have been created with the capacity to constantly repair. For instance, in between cigarettes a smokers lungs actually are in the process of repairing the damage cause by the last smoke. So, even if you have smoked a packet a day for twenty years if you quit today your body will do its best to repair itself. The same goes if you know you are carrying extra weight. Get started and your body will rise to the challenge (even if it doesn’t always feel like it!). Read Susan and Belinda’s posts on their journey, no excuses!
More later, but for now make a decision to undertake change today, put it into action and be proud of you. You deserve it!

Annie x