First timer muffin maker

I think I was almost 30 before I made muffins. Seriously! My sweet girl (7 years old) made these today with a wee bit of supervision and she did great! Can't wait till lunch time for one of these!!

Budget loving yummy-ness

Am I the only one who feels sick when handing over the cash for the groceries? I mean seriously, is it just me or is the purchasing of good food becoming the rights of those in the exclusive 'earn bucket loads of money' club? Anyway, I, being not one to weep and wail in the face of a challenge, am out to deal seriously with the budget busting issue of mealtimes! So I am gathering a list of our favourite budget loving meals and thought I would share tonights offering with you. It's a goodie and a cheapie!

Salmon and rice bake
(This feeds us 2 adults and 3 kids... all kids ask for and get seconds)

Ingredients:

- 40 grams (or whatever) of butter

- curry powder to taste

- 2 T lemon juice (optional)

- 2 eggs

- 2 T flour

- 1 1/2 cups milk

- 2 T fresh parsley (optional)

- 1 tin of 210g salmon, drained (these are often on sale for around $2.60)

- 2 cups rice, cooked

- cheese for grating over top

1. Melt butter in med size pot on stove top

2. Stir in flour and curry powder and cook for one minute

3. Add milk, stir until smooth

4. Add lemon juice and parsley

5. Beat one egg and stir into mixture

6. Add salmon 

Making the rice shell

1. Add an egg to the cooked rice and stir in thoroughly

2. Tip rice into a quiche dish and push down with a fork to cover the base and allow some to form a small wall up the sides

Pour the salmon mixture into the rice shell. Grate cheese over top. Cook in oven at 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes or in the microwave for 7 minutes. This is a good one for making early in the day and heating later. Serve with crunchy bread, and salad or vege. Yum!

Family fun day

Having a wee rest while taking a walk to the Bridal Veil Falls

Still morning sick and getting chubbier by the day.....

16 weeks down.....

"Everybody look crazy!"

My three lovelies!

My two men

Beauty and force - a cool combination

How lovely is that?

Something to giggle at....

Today I have been in bed. All day. Feeling sick.as.a.dog. Blech.
So this evening I checked Girltalk - a very cool blog - and in my search for a bit of inspiration and a giggle,  found this... which really cracked me up.

A Homeless Man's Funeral

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Apparently I'm still lost.... it's a man thing.

Sunday School

We had our first Sunday School class today. We have a roster of teachers and it's all very exciting. We are using the Desiring God curriculum which is a ministry from John Piper's church. It was a lot of fun!

Mrs B introducing herself to the class

Mr and Mrs B are one of our teams.

The most important questions we can ask....

And then a certain 2 year old got hold of the camera and

proceeded to take 30 photos of his feet, the floor and the ceiling!

In the kitchen

I have had weeks of feeling so poorly now that I am missing my baking time with the girls. 

Today I made cookie dough (all in the mixer!) and then the girls rolled the dough

(while I lay on the couch!)

These cookies are great!

Enjoying the messy job!

My view from the couch :)

The fruit of their labour :)

Chocolate chip recipe

(makes loads!)

1 pound (500g) butter

1 tin condensed milk

1 cup sugar

1tspn salt

vanilla

6 tspn baking powder

6 cup flour

1-2 cups choc chips

- Cream butter, sugar and condensed milk

- add all other ingreds and mix well

- roll into balls and squash down with a fork

Bake at 180 for 12 mins

Great for putting in the freezer for lunches.

Enjoy!

He's still here

It's been a while since The Dog has made an appearance. 

So, here he is.

The Dog is Very Loyal to my honey. To the point of stalking him

Even to the little boys room.

It cracks me up.

It does not crack my honey up.

That cracks me up even more.

hehe.