KEEPING A PROVERBS 31 HEART CHALLENGE

Posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:48

Jeannie at Honey Milk Heirlooms has set the challenge for this week. Two areas are to be covered during the week. The two I want to work on are: Managing The Cleaning and For The Family.

In the matter of managing the cleaning the problem has been I have let the house and laundry slip over this past week. The weather has been so beautiful here that I have spent my time outdoors and ignored the increasing mayhem beginning to occur indoors. I don't regret the time spent outside as this prolonged good weather is very unusual for us and I don't want to waste it, but, I don't want the housework to slide as it then becomes an enormous task that I don't want to do. So, this week has to be spent wisely. I can still enjoy the weather but I must get up a little earlier and try to manage the tasks inside the house first.

I also need to make sure I spend enough time with the kids enjoying their fun and joining in their play. They so love it when I do this and I always notice an improvement in their attitude when I spend QUALITY time with them. I have to admit though...I sometimes find this hard.

So these are my challenges this week. What are you going to do?

Catherine

Menu Plan Monday

Posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 01:09

The weather is beautiful here at the moment so the week's menu is going to be easy.......BBQ, BBQ, BBQ and guess what MORE BBQ!

So it's salads and meat all week!

Catherine

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 03:25

Wow! I can't believe it has been two months since I last posted. The time seems to be flying by.  We have been busy here at Hawthorn Cottage with spring cleaning, clearing out, decorating and gardening. The family bathroom has been decorated and we are currently waiting on a plumber to come and install a new shower and basin in our ensuite and then it will be redecorated too. It's a really tiny room so it won't take long.

Peter also rearranged our study for me. It is quite a small room so the possibilities of what to do in it are limited. I was delighted though that a desk could fit into as well as a small sofa, my bookcases AND all my craft supplies! I now have a dedicated crafting area and boy have I been making use of it! I have made loads of cards ( I have two sales coming up as well as other orders), notebook covers and decorated mirrors for gifts. I love it! Having space to spread out my supplies and work is soooooo good! It certainly beats carrying everything to the dining room table and then having to clear it up each time you need to eat!

The last week here has been beautiful. Up until now it has been quite cold but for the last few days it has been really sunny and HOT! Unusual for this part of the world and in reality not likely to last but.......we take what we get!!!

The improved weather meant I was able to get really stuck into the garden. Grass got cut, outdoor furniture got cleaned, the BBQ has been scrubbed and used (!!!!!!!!!) and I attacked the bramble hedge that grows along one side of our garden. It is about seven feet high and four or five feet deep. Peter has to do the main cutting of it but I wanted to tidy up the sides along the path. It took a few hours to do and although I say I attacked it I really think it was the other way around. I came away from the experience scratched, jagged and generally cut up!!! It was worth it though as you can now get up a path at the side of the house (not used often) without taking your life in your hands!!!

Peter has been really busy with work and the kids are still busy with school and playgroup. We got confirmation a few days ago that James has a full time nursery place next year in the little nursery that Amy attended a few years ago. This begins in September after the summer break. He is really excited. We called into it to leave off some paperwork and he was VERY reluctant to leave! I hope he has the same enthusiasm for it when it comes to the start of term!

That's all I can think of for now. Hopefully I'll not take as long to update the next time!

Catherine

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 01:51

This is a few days early but I might not get a chance next week as I am going down to visit mum and dad next week.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Emerald Isle!

Catherine

Spring Cleaning.....The Kitchen Part 1

Posted on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 07:53

I finally got started tackling the kitchen cupboards today. I have cleaned and rearranged and rearranged some more...!!!  I have taken some photos to let you see my progress. I love the website I'm An Organizing Junkie. She gives me lots of ideas for storage.

Before

After

I love my "new", organised, baking cupboard

My old baking cupboard now houses dishes and small appliances

This corner cupboard is difficult to use so I have my crockpot in it and some larger pans

My cookbooks live here. They just needed tidied, with unused ones weeded out for the charity shop.

This is the before picture of the utensil drawer...a hard one to make tidy!!!

The utensil drawer looking slightly tidier!!

I've a few more cupboards to do, the cooker to clean and then it's just windows, floor and surfaces that need a good clean.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Catherine

Menu Plan Monday.....With A difference!!

Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 at 03:00

Monday:

Chicken Curry and Rice (found at the bottom of the freezer)

Tuesday:

Something from the freezer

Wednesday:

Something from the freezer

Thursday:

What's in the freezer today?!!

Friday:

Guess what?!!!!!......Something from the freezer!!!

Saturday:

Who knows?!!!

As I am still feeling quite ill I haven't been able to do grocery shopping. Although I am joking a bit about the freezer, I am using it as a good excuse to have a bit of a clear out. Does anyone else forget what lurks at the bottom of their freezers? LOL!! This is my chance to use some of those lurkers and do a bit of a stock inventory (the part of this that involves thought and brain power will take place in a few days when my brain has defrosted from this cold that it seems to permanently have at the moment!!!).

I hope everyone else has a much more interesting menu plan organised for this week. Think of my poor family as you tuck into your beautiful, fresh, home cooked meals......!!! LOL!!!!!!

Catherine

I am so sick.....

Posted on Saturday, March 8, 2008 at 03:33

of being sick!!!!! I don't know what it is about this winter but I seem to have been hit with every tummy bug that has been going around. I went to bed on Thursday night feeling a bit ropey, hardly slept and felt so ill yesterday that Peter had to take the day off work to look after the kiddies while I slept the day away! Of course, with sleeping all day, sleep didn't happen at night! Today I feel as weak as dish water and the headache is only beginning to subside.

Sorry about the moan. I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself.

Catherine

Confessions!!

Posted on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 01:08

A few weeks ago,  Deutschmum asked me for the recipe for Chicken Kiev. I have to confess.....I didn't cook them from scratch (pleeeeeeease don't chuck me off HSB!! LOL!!!!!). They were store bought......but they were lovely!

The spaghetti bolognese was simply cooked mince, peppers, onions, mushrooms, canned tomatoes, tomato puree to thicken it a little and Italian Herbs.

Catherine

White Chocolate Mousse

Posted on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 01:00

I haven't tried this yet but it looks so yummy that I am going to try it on Sunday!

Ingredients:

175g (6oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces

90ml (3floz) milk

2 egg whites

1.25ml (¼tsp) lemon juice

225ml ( 8floz) double cream

grated plain chocolate to decorate

Method:

1. Place chocolate in a bowl and set on top of a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Stir in the milk and set aside.

2. Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice until stiff. Very gently fold in chocolate mix.

3. Whisk the double cream until it forms soft peaks. Gently fold into the chocolate mix.

4. Divide the mousse between 4 glasses and put in the fridge for 2 hours. Decorate with the grated chocolate before serving.

Yum!

Catherine

Honeyed Chilli Chicken

Posted on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 12:36

Serves 4

Temp: 220°C / 425°F / Gas Mark 7

Ingredients: 

2tsp minced ginger

1tsp minced garlic

2tbsp honey

2tsp chilli sauce

2tbsp lemon juice

2tbsp soy sauce

4 chicken breasts

Method:

1. Place ginger, garlic, honey, chilli sauce, lemon juice and soy sauce in a bowl and mix well.

2. Brush chicken generously with the mixture and place in a greased baking dish ( I tend to let the chicken marinate in the sauce for a few hours first)

3. Cook for 30 mins or until chicken is cooked through, basting frequently with the sauce during cooking.

4. Serve with a green salad or rice or pasta.

Yum!

Catherine

Menu Plan Monday

Posted on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 12:30

Monday:

Honeyed Chilli Chicken

Tuesday:

Lasagne

Wednesday:

Butternut Squash Soup

Thursday:

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Friday:

Quiche

Saturday:

Pizza

Sunday:

Spaghetti Bolognese

White Chocolate Mousse

Catherine

An unusual thing happened today....

Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 04:10

I finished two, yes, I said two, craft projects!! The first one was a handbag that I was sewing for a gift for a friend. I was really excited about doing it as I love bags and I was really pleased to get a simple pattern (Simplicity 5151) that I could use time and time again. I had the fabric already as I had bought it to make a skirt (not enough fabric for that now). I took a photograph of the finished bag. I had to hang it on the door handle as it would not sit up for me!

The other project I worked on was a mirror. I went to a workshop at Cactus Crafts to learn how to make these and was really pleased with the result. It is simply a very cheap mirror from Ikea (99p = $1.95) and scrap book papers. The mirror I made is for Amy. I have also decorated a mirror as a baby gift with the little girl's name on it. I have two more in the pipeline after this for my two nieces, a nine year old who is VERY girlie and a six year old who is not....she like rock music and guitars!!!!! The possibilities are endless.

Happy Crafting!

Catherine

Rearranging Furniture

Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 06:44

My house seems to be full of bookcases because....well....because I have sooooooo many books (much to Peter's annoyance!!). Yesterday I decided to move one of them to the middle landing of the stairs. It was heavy work on my own...one step forward and about three back?!! LOL! I really like it here although I know it makes space a little more limited. Peter doesn't like it so I guess its days in its new home are numbered!! Where will I put it next as I don't want to return it to its original position? Time will tell!!

Catherine

Lollipop Kid!

Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 06:43

No words are needed....

Menu Plan Monday

Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 at 06:57

Monday:

Chicken Kiev, Roast Potatoes, Corn on the Cob

Tuesday:

Spaghetti Bolognese

Wednesday:

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Thursday:

Take-away (Peter in Dublin)

Friday - Tuesday:

Away

Catherine

A Week Of Fun With The Children!

Posted on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 12:54

We've had a lot of fun this week in Hawthorn Cottage! At the end of last week we had some snow. There wasn't a lot but it was certainly enough to entertain the children. They couldn't get up and dressed fast enough on Saturday morning to get out into it. They had a lot of very cold fun, chasing each other, making shapes in the snow and throwing snow at each other! We don't usually get a lot of snow so when we do they make the most of it.

I have started into clearing the children's rooms and cleaning them. I have James' toys sorted but I haven't got to his wardrobe yet........I wonder what I'll find there?!!! LOL!!

We are also decorating the bathroom. I know, I know.....one room at a time.....but.......! Anyway, while I was painting it the children wanted to play beaches. They used towels for the sand and a blue mat for the sea! Then they found their sun protector swim suits (for all the sun we get in Ireland....NOT!!!) and wore those. They had hours of fun out of something so simple!

Surfing!!!

The only problem with the above game is that James has grown attached to his suit! Since the game he has wanted to wear it everywhere! Difficult in the cold weather but...there are bigger battles to fight!! LOL!! Today he appeared in the suit with his swimming trunks over it (!), a froggy shower hat of Amy's and his sandals! Does he know something about the weather that we don't?!

 Frogman!

I hope you all have had a fun week too!

Catherine

Happy Birthday To Me!!

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 01:13

I awoke this morning to my two children singing "Happy Birthday" to me. What a lovely way to wake up!! They presented me with my cards and gifts and then I got breakfast in bed! What a treat!

Once the children went off to school and playgroup I went along to see my friends at Cactus Crafts. We had our coffee and a lovely chat. Peter had given me money to have my hair done so I went off to that. It's so lovely being pampered (it's also nice to be able to see through my fringe...bangs....again!!). He is taking me out tonight to Tony Roma's so it's nice to feel that I will be looking respectable again!!

This afternoon I am going to spend a little time crafting before I get ready to go out.  What a super day! I couldn't have asked for better!

Catherine

Menu Plan Monday

Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 08:31

Monday:

Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Coleslaw

Tuesday:

Eating Out....birthday!!

Wednesday:

Quiche, Salad, sauteed potatoes

Thursday:

Tortilla Wraps

Friday:

Sausages, Mash, Red Onion Gravy

Saturday:

Burgers

Catherine

Weekend Wanderings

Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 at 03:16

I'm glad it's Friday. It has been quite a busy week. I began by helping a friend strip wallpaper from her bedroom. She doesn't enjoy this job but I love it! it must be the destructive nature in me?!! LOL!!! it didn't take long to do it and the next day she was able to buy the paint and get started with that.

The rest of the week was taken up with sorting some things around the house and visiting a few friends I haven't seen in a few months. This morning I went to Cactus Crafts and had some time there chatting and drinking copious amounts of coffee (Hello Jacqui!!). I normally call in most mornings but it has been over a week since I had been there and I was feeling withdrawal symptoms!!

This afternoon has been spent clearing up the house and getting packed. We are heading off for the weekend to visit my parents. They live about two hours' drive away from here. I wish they lived closer so I could see them more often. We will spend our time catching up and having some fun. The kids are really excited and ask every five minutes when we are leaving!! LOL!! Hopefully a DVD will keep them occupied on the journey or the inevitable question of "Are we there yet?" will be asked!!

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Catherine

Can you help?

Posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 12:40

I have a question.....can I make chowder in the crockpot with it being milk based? I love my chowder but it would be really handy if I could throw everything in the crockpot and leave it to cook!

Catherine

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