MasterChef Mystery Box Challenge

Nathan set me a Mystery Box Challenge on Sunday...

Chicken, apples and bananas.

So I made an apple and beetroot salad, and served it with roast vegies, peas and corn and pan fried chicken with grated apple on the top. I made a bit of a sauce to go on the chicken too. Bit of maple syrup, sour cream and chicken stock. Mmmmm it was really yummy.



I was going to make something with bananas for dessert, but since what I served up wasn't what Nathan had in mind, it took him forever to eat it, so banana fritters didn't happen - on that night anyway. Mark (wonderful hubby) cooked some up the next night. Dusted in sugar and cinnamon served with ice-cream, they were beautiful! I should have taken a photo of them, but I wanted to eat them right away!

Weeds are not my friends.

We had a very productive weekend. I spent most of Saturday weeding the front yard, boy was I sore afterward! Couch grass and I are not on speaking terms anymore (as if we ever were!) It's looking much better now. I pruned the roses, so now the garden is looking a bit bare so I might buy some more plants to put in - maybe some Granny plants like geraniums and daisies... Cheap and colourful fillers. Probably should have taken some before and after photos, but I was too embarrassed about the 'before' to do it!

The leaning ornamental pear tree

It was time.

I really liked this tree.

Unfortunately it had a lean.

A very big lean.

My neighbour has been worried for a long time that it might one day fall over onto her driveway.

Or worse, her car.

So we took it down!

And then took another one down.

And then another one.

STOP!

Chain saws are so much fun - just like really, really powerful hedge trimmers.



So the tree is gone, it's looking a bit bare. We actually took out the pittosporums so that we could put the caravan over beside the fence, away from the garage so that we can get the cars back in the garage. Well, that's the plan anyway...

Of course I had to have a go too!

Mini Chef

In the hopes of interesting our youngest to actually eat his dinner, Mark got Nathan to help make dinner.




Good idea in principle...
It was worth a shot.

A date with my youngest.

Cam was invited to a friend's b'day party to see Toy Story 3, so I decided that it would be a nice opportunity to spend some time with the youngest boy.

Me: What would you like to do?
Nath: Um, you could buy me a Ben 10 watch.
Me: No, you've already spent all of your pocket money. We could have breakfast at Mc Donalds, and have some pancakes?
Nath: Noooo
Me: How about we go to the shops and you can look at the toys.
Nath: Yes, and I could get a Ben 10 watch.

This is where I reminded him that he has no more pocket money and he informs me that he still has $5.

Me: Okay, if you see something you like that is $5 you can get it.

So off we trot to Target. Lo and behold they have the Ben 10 watch there. No prices on the shelf so we pick up one and take it to the price checker scanner thing. $11.95. Huh? Aren't they $29??? Scan it again. $11.95. Cool.

Me: Well you can get it if you like.

I figure that since I'm not coughing up for breakfast I can give the extra $7 for this watch that he has been nagging us for forever. We go back and look at the Ben 10 stuff some more and notice that the watch he has chosen is slightly different from the others there. We check the price on one of the others and it is $29. The one that my youngest picked up must be old stock, not the latest model. He doesn't care. And I'm quite happy to not have to spend $29 buying it for his birthday next month.


So we leave Target after getting some clothes and head over to Toy World where we look at more Ben 10 stuff. I buy some of those bead things you iron for $3 instead of $7, they will be fun to do when we get home. Good for the fine motor skills and provides something to do on the holidays. Gee I love a bargain!

I offered to buy Nath some warm, fresh, cinnamon yummy donuts at Donut King for morning tea - "No thanks." he says. I'm not sure that he is my child...

Notice the Ben 10 watch...

My favourite shoes...

When we were in the States in May, we bought some cowboy boots from Boot Barn for a friend of ours as he'd asked us to get him some while we were over there. Mark decided the following day that he should get some for him self too, I encouraged him as he never lashes out and spends any money on himself. So he decided to buy some for the boys as well. I wasn't planning on getting any, but couldn't resist once we went back to the store.

I just love my cowboy boots and I probably wear them more than Mark and the boys do. I added the 'who likes wearing cowboy boots' bit to my blog's title b/c sometimes I like to do something a bit different... and wearing my Ariat Western Boots is something I do for myself, I don't wear them to impress anyone (cause frankly that wouldn't really impress anyone here in Oz anyway). I'm not really sure why I like them so much, maybe it fulfils some deep longing to be living life on the land somewhere different from where I do live. I know that as much as I'd love to live out in the country, I couldn't live too far from my family, friends and church - and we have a hard enough time looking after our 1/4 acre piece of paradise let alone something larger!


We saw these Jesse boots in the Disney Store while in the States - I soooooo would have bought a pair for myself if they came in my size!

But we did buy them for several little girls we know ;)

Choosing my battles

On the holidays the boys take it in turns to choose which cereal we buy. Nathan chose Milo last week. Cameron chose Milo Duo this week. Well Nathan has decided that he doesn't want to eat the 'white' bits, wont even try them. So I picked them out for him. Not sure if that was a good idea, but I did it. Sometimes it's easier to roll with the punches rather than fight them, so I choose my battles.

Mind you, this morning he had to pick out the white bits on his own.

School Holidays!

I'm so glad it's the school holidays. It is so nice to stay in my jammies till midday (hoping that no-one calls in as that would be embarrassing - not because I'm in my PJs but because my hair is sticking up everywhere!!). This morning I've been reading a blog that I've found again. The Pioneer Woman. I love her blog, she talks about her life in such an interesting way, she takes awesome photos and has tips on using Photoshop to make your photos better. I love how she calls her hubby 'Marlboro Man' - he is a real-life cowboy after all ;) She's inspired me to start blogging again. So here I am...

Anyway, I wont ramble on about it, I'll let you go and explore it yourself. The Pioneer Woman.

Plans and Procrastination

Plans are all very well and good, but if you don't follow through, they are a waste of time and energy.

Having said that, I have heaps of plans.

Plans for our garden, plans for finishing our reno, plans for sewing all sorts of things, plans to spend more time with my boys and my husband, plans to get organised these holidays, plans for stuff at work, long term plans, short term plans. Plans, plans, plans.

Plans without action are just that: Plans. So today I 'plan' to action some of my plans. So the 'plan' for today is to do some sewing (I've got a hooded towel order that I need to get finished) and to spend some quality time with my boys - Thanks for the reminder Mother Duck! ;-)


Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.