We have been busy, busy, busy prepping for Christmas and end of school year, heading off on our annual holiday to the beach (which most of the time ended up being in jumpers with the rain pouring down), the over eating that is Christmas Day with relatives, and finally back home to start on the massive list of 'to-do jobs' that needed to be completed/started around the place. And now, it is the downward stretch to when school goes back...time is seriously flying already!
But during my time off/away from blog land, I have been doing some cooking and creative/building stuff that we are pretty proud of.
This year I decided to make the Teacher's Christmas presents so they all got some Rocky Road from the kids - I think it is a bit nicer to have something made than something bought from the shops.
I also made the kids Christmas presents from us this year - notice boards (as they have been bugging me to hang things on the walls) and personalised boxes to store their precious 'stuff'. These are the notice boards I did for the boys, the girls got a yellow and purple one.
Previously I was a bit unsure what to do with the beetroot I had grown, so with this years crop I decided to make Roasted Beetroot Dip (recipe from Nov/Dec 2011 Organic Gardener magazine). Turned out pretty good with some crackers!
On our 'to do' list, was to create another shelf in the pantry to *hopefully* store all the jams and sauces I was going to make with all the lovely produce from our garden. Ahem, yes well.......at the least the shelf has been built in anticipation! Adds SO much more room in the pantry - its great! (It was just the top shelf in this pic)
We are also finally getting around to fitting out the laundry into a more functional space...will include some photos soon.
So, being a new year and all, I guess I should have some goals to achieve this year. Only small ones so I actually have some hope of actually achieving them!
- I think the main one for us is to SAVE this year - save money from cutting down on our trips to Bunnings/nurseries and the like (hubby, yes this applies to you too!), save money by stretching our grocery trips out to at least once a fortnight, hopefully more (currently up to about a week and a half), and save on buying food by trying to grow more at home especially since I will have my greenhouse up and running from the beginning of the cool season this year.
- Make bread from scratch, even if just once.
- Run in at least one 10km event - looking at either Mothers Day Classic (May) or try again for Canberra Fun Run (September). Anyone up for it? :-)
- Start writing!
MM xox
No comments:
Post a Comment