Menu Plan Monday (20th Feb ~ 26th Feb)

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

Last week ended up being very busy and I must admit we didn't cook that much at all therefore we didn't stick to last weeks menu plan that well, plus I have to say A Dash of Flavour, our cooking blog was a little neglected. This week (so far) looks a lot quieter for which I am very thankful and to be perfectly honest I am looking forward to getting back into the kitchen.

Planned on the menu this week are....

Saturday ~ Homemade Pizza

Sunday ~ Roast Chicken and salads (out at inlaws)
Monday ~ Crispy Skin Duck Rice Paper Rolls with Salad

Tue ~ Chicken Korma (kids), Hot Beef Curry (adults) Steamed Rice, Roti Bread

Wed ~ Spaghetti Marinara, Garlic Bread

Thu ~ Mexican Meatball Casserole
Fri ~ Flounder with lemon & thyme sauce

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon. As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (13th Feb ~ 19th Feb)

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

So we have settled into somewhat of a routine and I must say I am definitely getting used to not working on Saturday mornings anymore.... have to admit didn't take me very long!! LOL!! This weekend we celebrate (in our fashion) both Valentines Day and Chinese New Year.

Planned on the menu this week are....

Saturday ~ Barbecue Prawns

Sunday ~ Mongolian Steamboat
Monday ~ Combination Stirfry with Vegetables

Tue ~ Beef Tacos with Salad

Wed ~ Twilight School Sports - picnic

Thu ~ Fish with Macadamia Crust
Fri ~ Spicy Beef Casserole with Crusty Bread

As Sunday was both Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year's Day we ensured that we had a nice brunch, Whipped Egg on Toast, and then we sat down for our Mongolian Steamboat, our favourite family feast.

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Love is in the air - Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Valentines Day everyone.....

Actually called Saint Valentine's Day February 14 is a day for celebrating love and affection between couples. The day itself is named after Valentine, a Christian matyr. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by giving bunches of flowers, most prominently red roses, confectionery and greeting cards.

For us, the old married couple it consisted of a verbal "Happy Valentine's" wish whilst in bed, getting up having breakfast of Whipped Eggs on Toast, a recipe I had been wanted to trial for a while, then proceeding with normal life until dinner time!! Very romantic indeed!! Definitely the days of recieving roses and being wined and dined are a fragment of my imagination!!

Don't get me wrong... I have never really been one to go over board on Valentine's Day. It's another day that we all acknowledge that really has become to over-commercialised, which leaves me with the feeling that it's no longer as romantic as it was intended to be!

Speaking of traditions and celebrations it was also the first day of the Chinese New Year - the year of the tiger (which is also known by its formal name of Geng Yin).


To celebrate the Chinese New Year for dinner we had a mongolian steamboat, which is a favourite in our house that to be honest we don't eat enough of. Everyone enjoyed dinner, the element of cooking the food in front of you and then fishing it out excites children of all ages plus you can cook what you want and accompany your dish with any flavour sauce you wish.

Needless to say the Murray household had a wonderful day yesterday.


My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (6th Feb - 12th Feb)

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

The first week of school and me starting my new job (last week) seemed to go okay. We are definitely back into the swing of ROUTINE and I LOVE IT!!

This weeks menu looks like this so far.....

Sat ~ Chicken Cacciatore with Mashed Potatoes
Sun ~ Chicken Parmiagiana
Mon ~ Homemade Hamburgers with the 'extra" lot

Tue ~ Beef and Barley Casserole

Wed ~ Mojo Pork Cutlets with Sweet Potato Wedges

Thu ~ Veal Florentine
Fri ~ Fish with Herb Crust

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Day two of the new job....

It's nearly the end of my second day in my new role of Southern Region Trainer and Assessor - Concrete Division... yep I know what you are thinking - what a mouthful!!

So far so good.... I think!

Thankfully I knew a few of the people who are based at the Clarinda Laboratory, in South Oakleigh so I felt comfortable and relax when I started yesterday. I still had a few to meet but at least I did know someone beforehand, if you know what I mean?

My office isn't very special at the moment but it's heap less dustier than mine at the quarry. I don't think anything can beat the dustiness of a quarry not even my mantlepeice at home... LOL!! By the end of the week I will be moving into another office which is going to be vacated on Friday. Needless to say I haven't unpacked all my boxes and got to comfortable!

However my head is boggled and I do have a huge task ahead of myself. The new role of Training and Assessing is based in Victoria and Tasmania and has brought more responsibility, more training and yes it will involve more travel. The travel part of it doesn't bother me, neither does the responsibility nor the training. I am worried that I will not succeed and reach the standard that will be expected. I am panicing and to be honest, management haven't even set a level of standard or told me what their expectations are.

Little by little my job is changing with each conversation I have. It started off a training Concrete personnel about using the computer and our computer accounting software, SAP. Then it was mentioned how they would like me to get the Concrete division's training inline with the advanced Quarry division. Yesterday I was told that upper management have decided to review all managerial personnel and assess their skills in using SAP. Needless to say the Regional General Manager doesn't want to look like a goose so apparantly he will be my first student.... tell me I am not shitting myself now!!

I think there may be quite a few panadol's swallowed in the next few weeks.....

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

28 Day Organizing Challenge - I've started!!

I have decided to undergo a 28 day Organizing Challenge set over at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

But instead of just sorting/organising one part of the house the challenge I have set myself is the WHOLE HOUSE!!

HUGE I know but to be perfectly honest it NEEDS to be done!!

Today I decided to tackle the bar.... well it's wasn't really being used as a bar - more like a storage area. The bar itself has been built inbetween the kitchen, dining room and loungeroom of our house (prior to us moving there) and to be honest is out of place and not very practical.

This is what it looked like before I started:



So once I had removed everything and trust me I couldn't believe how much was in such a small are, I brought a bookshelf which I had to assemble that fits nicely at the end. I have decided to remove all of our tupperware/plastics from the big container I had and put them on the shelves. We don't have enough cupboard space in the kitchen for all the dreaded plastics so they have always lived in bar unfortunately!

And of course, this is what it looks like now:


And to answer the obvious question - Yes I did find a home for all the other items!

Now the next big question... what's next????

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (30th Jan - 5th Feb)

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

Oliver has started high school and Alex has started in a new primary school - which happens to be right next to the high school. I had a day off today to ensure all was good with them both this morning but tomorrow my job changes not only in the role but in the location. So as you can imagine this week is going to be huge with all the changes we need to stick to our menu.

Anyway so this is how our week is looking food wise....

Sat ~ Lobster with Blackbean and Chilli Sauce
Sun ~ Beans on toast with egg
Mon ~ Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puddings and vegetables

Tue ~ Creamy Chicken and Bacon Fettuccine
Wed ~ Sticky Honey Lamb, Noodles and Vegetables

Thu ~ Steak with Wasabi Butter
Fri ~ Satay Chicken Pizza

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Two New Schools....

Okay so you know that this post is going to be a brag.... yep a brag about my kids and their first day at new schools.

Oliver is starting year 7 at high school. He is going to McClelland College which is in Karingal and not very farm from home. He is very much looking forward to it although I think underneath the very positive exterior he was a little nervous. Didn't want any more photo's taken and wouldn't even let me give him a kiss goodbye at school!!

Alex is in grade 4 but changed schools and now she is in the primary school which is next to the high school. She was very nervous this morning and wasn't ashamed to tell me. But when we finally got to school and settled in she seemed okay walking into her class especially as one of the girls that she had gone to creche with (many moons ago) was in her class and remembered Alex!!

Me - well I was happy that the first day seemed to go well - not too happy about the fact that my baby boy has grown up and is well on his way to being a teenager.....

Here are some more photos - these were taken on my mobile so they are not as clear as the others.

Now to see how they survive the rest of the year....

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com