2013 - what's going to happen?

I thought I would share with you, what I hope, think, and will make happen in 2013. I have decided I need goals, I need determination, and something to strive towards. So here are the things I see for 2013, for my family.....

- Savings! I plan to get ALL our debts paid off, and to start saving for a car. Since I know I can't get away with having a zippy little coupe, I really really want a Hyundai iMax. These are not that badly priced and we wouldn't be looking at getting a brand new one (although that would be nice), so I think I can do this in 2013.

- Xavier starts school! My 3rd little baby starts school in 2013! So I plan to help all of them more with their homework, not take unnecessary days off school, and to keep up with everything better. Education is very important to hubby and I, and we want to instill this into our children. You work hard, you get what you want.

- In saying that 3 of my babies will be at school, I will still have little Mr Liam at home. I want to embrace this! I want to sit and play with him more, spend that one on one time with him, that I really haven't had much of a chance to have with him. I want to teach him, talk with him and cuddle him.

- I want to make my hubby happy, and hopefully, get married to him. He really is the man of my dreams. He loves me, he works his a$$ off for me and our children, he understands me and helps me when times get tough. He is my best friend and I can't wait to be able to call him my husband! (Note: We have been engaged since 2007!)

- I want a new couch. Pretty simple really, ours has had it lol.

- I want to loose weight, and to be fit and healthy! I don't want to be shy and have to work up the courage to take my kids to the pool, and struggle every day with finding something to wear that is comfortable.

- I want to get a new camera (the kids broke mine!!) and learn how to use it properly, and take lots of photos, all the time. I want time to stand still with photos, and all the memories that will pass us in the blink of an eye.

- I want to get in front of the camera with my kids! I avoid being in front of the camera often, as I don't like the way I look. (See 'I want to loose weight') lol.

- I want to be happy. I mean, I am happy, but I want to brush off some things that trouble me, and leave them in the past. I want contentment.

- I would like my blog to be bigger and better. I want to put my time and effort into it. However I will need a new computer, as I have to use hubby's and he is always on it for work. So, another thing I will have to save for - computer!

Well I think that is all at the moment. I am sure I will think of a hundred more, but in saying that, I have to have some sort of realistic number of goals and wants for one year lol.

What are your goals and wants for 2013? Feel free to share in the comments!

Merry Christmas everyone, and may your new year be happy, fun and everything you want it to be!

xx Tiff......

All I want for Christmas is....

So I have had the great honour of being 'selected' by the one and only Dad Down Under to spread the Christmas cheer, and ditch the kids 'wish list' for one of my own.

I am a self confessed Christmas Junkie! I loooove Christmas and everything that goes with it! (I am sorry I am not religious so I don't do the traditonal stuff, but fully support those that do). I love the happiness it gives my children, the glow of excitment that radiates off their sleepy faces in the morning of the 25th. I love the shopping, I love the planning, I LOVE the decorating, I love the lights and I love being able to pig out! LOL.

I have not really given much thought to a Christmas Present for myself, real or hypothetical. So this might be a little bit challenging..... But here it goes.....

1 - I want .......... (I am stuck!!)

-----Insert thinking music here! ------


1- I want a Kitchen aid - In HOT pink!! I have always been a pink girly girl, but don't tend to splash it around the house as much as I don't think that majority of the household, being BOYS would appreciate that. But one of these I would display proudly on my benchtop!!

2 - I want a new car - but that's not going to happen HAHA!!

Idealy one of these    -->


3 - To own my own house. That WOULD be a dream come true!

4 - For my beautiful man, and my gorgeous kids, to forever be happy and want for nothing. They are my life, my world, and are more precious to me then anything!

5 - Lastly, the most important. I would like to live off a diet of Chocolate and Coffee, and it NOT be bad for me, and in fact make me skinny and toned! Surely that is not too much to ask for? Right? LOL!!

So now I pass this on to five other fellow bloggers, and let them release thier Christmas Wishes upon the world. You never know, Santa is ALWAYS watching!

Declutterbug

Get on with IT already

Beccis Domestic Bliss

The Aussie Hausfrau

The Simple Mummy 

Honey and Cinnamon Christmas Trees

You can use a cookie cutter to cut these into any shapes, not just trees....

Ingredients:

- 200g butter at room temp
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/4 cup self raising flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons milk

Method:

- Line baking trays with baking paper. Use an electric mixer and beat butter and icing sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add honey. Beat until well combined.

- Place flours, cinnamon and milk in a bowl then add butter mixture. Mix until a dough forms. Put onto a well floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Divide dough in half and wrap each portion in glad wrap and put in the fridge for 15 minutes.

- Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one portion of dough out until about 5mm thick (they don't rise very much).

- Using a cutter, cut out biscuits and place on the trays. Re roll the left over dough and keep cutting out until it is all gone. Do this with your other portion of dough.

- Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on tray for 5 minutes before putting on a wire rack to cool completely.

You can ice these or leave them plain, they are yummy either way. It also depends how big your cutters are as to how many you will get, but I got 30 out of my batch. :)

The Liebster Award!

I am so honoured to be given the Liebster Award from The Phenomenal Woman !! I have to admit I didn't know what this meant, but I am seeing an invisible trophy on my bookshelf right now!! LOL

"The award is given to support and recognise up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers (on their blog) or likers (on their Facebook page). The word “Liebster” apparently has German origins and is reported to mean sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. By following some basic rules (answer 11 questions set by your nominee, write 11 questions of your own and pass the award onto 11 other bloggers to answer) it enables readers to get to know new bloggers and connect with a wider audience."

So, apparently, I am suppose to answer the questions that The Phenomenal Woman (who, I promise, IS a VERY phenomenal woman!!) has set out for me, then pass it on. So here are the questions she has asked, and my answers...... (deep breath!)




1) What is your favourite past time, and why?
A: Hrmm, tricky one! I guess it would be appropriate timing, but my favourite past time is watching the Carols by candle light on Christmas Eve! I used to do it EVERY year with my mother (which is one of my dearest memories of her), and now I love watching it with my own children, singing ALL the songs, waiting for Santa, then when they go to bed, sitting on the floor, listening, and singing along, while wrapping pressies for the morning. :)

2) Do you have any pets, and if so, what are they?
A: Does this include children and a husband???? hehe, No I have 2 pets, 1 King Charles Cavalier puppy called Sookie (YES I love True Blood, so what?!) And we also have a cat (but he is more of Miss 8's cat) and his name is Benny. He is a beautiful grey ultra fluffy cat that LOOOVES  a cuddle!

3) What is your favourite way to spend time with the family?
A: In warmer weather, outside in the sun, having a BBQ, and playing games like cricket, football, and having a good old laugh!

4) If you have one message to give to the leader of our country, what would it be?
A: Honestly, I don't follow politics a great deal, and I am certainly not a keen voter of the traditional Labour or Liberal parties. I know this sounds a bit funky, but I follow The Australian Sex Party. I believe in a lot of the things they believe in, and honestly, labour and liberal are trivial to me. So my message would be something along the lines of "Please stop acting like a child, grow up, and be responsible for this country, and the people in it." I really don't know .... ???

5) If you could pass one law, what would it be?
A: Easy, allow Gay marriage. Love is love, who cares who it is between, as long as it is adult and consensual, then what's the big deal?? They are no different! (My Uncle In law ((if that's a real thing)) is gay, and he is super awesome!)

6) What is one item you can not live without?
A: I am going to sound cheesy, but my family. I simply wouldn't have the will to breathe!

7) If you were a colour, what would it be?
A: Oh this is fun! Id be bubblegum PINK!!

8) If there was one thing you could banish from your life, what would it be?
A: Look, there are a lot of things I would of preferred to be different, but honestly, a lot of these bad things, have shaped me into the (what I think) strong, resilient woman that I am! The only one thing I would want to banish would be cancer. I want my mum back.......

9) What is your best personality trait and why?
A: I think personally, my forgive and forget manor. I tend to not dwell on things for very long. If someone says sorry, then I forgive, and let go of the issue immediately. I have learnt to do this through a very long, difficult few years, but now I have this ability, I see it as a kind of super power! Somethings however can not be forgotten. I have recently let go and forgiven some people for some very nasty things that had been done to me. But I no longer interact with these people, as it makes me depressed. So that will not be forgotten. It has to be pretty serious for that to happen though.

10) What do you want the world to know about you?
A: Oh, I am going to have to think about this one! {Insert thinking music here - something from jeopardy maybe} I am just a normal person, I am a mother to 4 beautiful children, I am an almost wife to the love of my life. However, I feel I am meant for something bigger. I don't know what it is yet, but I want to make an impact on something or someone, somewhere. I don't know when, I don't know how, but it is going to happen! ...... Stay tuned!

11) If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be, and why?
A: Well that depends on the situation, but the place I have ALWAYS dreamed of going, was Rome. It calls to me on some deep level.

Ok, I am DONE!! I am passing this on to some other bloggers now to have some fun! Make sure you check out their blogs of awsomeness!!

The Simple Mummy

Five Little Reasons

Dad Down Under

The Aussie Hausfrau

It's A Circus In Here

Seven Cherubs

Getting Sorted - Each Day As It Comes   

Mums Spot

Modern Mummy Mayhem

Reservoir Dad

My Mummy Daze


Ok Bloggers - Here are my questions for you! {Note: I sat here with the page open for a whole hour before I could even think of ONE question!!! LOL}

1)  What is your most favourite thing to do ever, and why?

2) If you could have ONE superpower, what would it be, and why?

3) What is one interesting thing about yourself, that you haven't shared yet, that you think people should know?

4) What is your favourite thing about being a blogger?

5) What is one thing you hope to achieve in life, something big?

6) What would be find on your iPod/Playlists right now?

7) If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

8) What is your favourite season? Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring?

9) If you could go back and talk to your 18 year old self, what would you say?

10) What inspires you?

11) If you could lead the country, what changes would you make?


Good luck!! Have fun, and remember to pass on fellow bloggers xxxx

School Station - All aboard!

I am going to share with you all how I store and sort my kids and their things for school.
I have 2 at school, and next year I will have 3. I don't know what I am going to do with myself when I only have one at home. I feel like I have been imagining that day in my head for, forever! HAHA!

Anyway, this is my cube cupboard. I got it for $149 from Amart Furniture. It didn't need to be pricey, just functional. I refuse to buy expensive furniture while my kids are young.

 

 

 

 

Trolls!!

They are cute, and they were a big hit a long long time ago! I used to love brushing their hair into all sorts of styles.

However, the topic of Trolls I am intending to write about, does not involve these cute little go getter's.

No, the Trolls I mean, are the gutless, cowardly, snively excuse for human beings, that sit behind their computer screen, and criticize others.

KEYBOARD NINJAS!!

They SUCK!! I think anyone who does this, needs to be deleted and dealt with accordingly. What is the world coming to when you can't say anything without being attacked. So many people have been seriously affected by this Internet bullying. And it is absolute (excuse the french) bullshit!!

If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything. That is what I was taught. OK so sometimes I can't sit idly by while someone does/says something that affects me, my children or husband directly. I cant. I wont! But in saying that, I wouldn't even dream of doing it online. What's the point of it??

If I have something to say to someone, I will GLADLY say it to their face. Mano a Mano!

It frightens me that this is what is happening now. Imagine when our children are older! My oldest is 8 1/2, she asked for a Facebook account (granted it was only she could play those stupid games like Farm ville etc) but it was a flat out NO from me! Not a chance in hell baby girl!

I am too scared for her to have such an account, not to mention its so unnecessary. But I am getting off the point now....


If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything! Don't type it either! It doesn't help anyone, and you come across looking like a total idiot, a coward and a douche!

Sorry for the ranting tonight, just had to get it out there!

Peace out!

xx

Hedgehog Slice

Ingredients:

- 250g pack plain biscuits
- 1/2 coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped up walnuts (I throw whole ones in the food processor and pulse)
- 2 TBSP cocoa
- 150g chocolate (I LOVE Aldi chocolate for cooking, it tastes great and its ultra cheap!)
- 100g butter, chopped
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (I use the reduced fat ones)

Chocolate topping:
- 150g chocolate
- 1 tbsp oil

Method:

- Spray lamington tin lightly with oil, and put down some baking paper, making sure you leave some hanging at the sides to lift off easily when you're done.

- Put biscuits in a snap lock bag, get a rolling pin out, and take out your anger crush them into small pieces but not 'ground up'.

- In a bowl, add biscuits, coconut, walnuts and cocoa. Give it a small mix to combine.

- In a saucepan, add your chopped up chocolate, butter and condensed milk, and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Let it cool a little bit.

- Stir your chocolate mixture into your dry ingredients.

-Using a metal spoon, press your mixture into the tray, and smooth the top. Put in the fridge to set for about 1 hour.


ICING - Melt your chocolate and oil in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Stirring often, but not constantly, until melted. Pour on top of your slice and let it set in the fridge until hard. Cut and YUM!