Furry little things.....

Alex is definitely an animal lover.... especially when it comes to her rabbits - Muffin and Cookies & Cream.... both were meant to be small rabbits when we brought them but I think the pet stores got it wrong!!

Muffin is about 1 years old now and yes she is on a lead as Alex likes to take them both for a walk around the garden!!



Cookies & Cream is about 9 months old and has huge thumper feet.



Alex isn't the only animal lover in the house I must say - Oliver loves his guinea pigs, Rocket and Patch.....

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (22nd Jan - 28th Jan)

Last week we had a huge spanner thrown into the works with Noel losing his job - this week and here on in until he finds employment we really need to pull in our purse strings and budget/plan properly.

Thankfully though, we have a huge freezer which is full of meat etc so eating through that shouldn't be a problem and thankfully with the 52 weeks of Organizing challenge our kitchen cupboards have been sorted and I now know what is in the pantry, more importantly I now know what I don't need to buy each week!!!

On the House of Murray Menu Planner this week is:

Saturday ~ T-Bone Steaks with Baked Potatoes

Sunday ~ Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings, Vegetables and Gravy

Monday ~ Eggs, Beans, Sausages and Chips

Tue ~ Cottage Pie

Wed ~ Balnarring Cup - bbq at the picnic races

Thu ~ Stir Fry Beef with Noodles

Fri ~ Saffron Chicken with Steamed Rice and Vegetables

Baking - Chocolate Zucchini Cake

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!!

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

52 Weeks of Organizing - Task # 1

Okay so I am behind but pleased to say I have completed task # 1 of Org Junkies Organizing Challenge for 2011. I do have a list of 52 things to achieve this year and will tackle these in no particular order but the first thing I really wanted to do was to sort out my kitchen cupboards. With Noel recently losing his job and us instantly going down to one income I needed to be more organised when it came to shopping, overspending and buying multiple items purely because I didn't realise I already had a jar/packet in the cupboard.

So this is what they looked like before:




And two full garbage bags of out of date foods, empty packets (yes there was empty packets in there also!) and some foods that would never be used this is what they look like now:





Besides having cleaner, healthier and organized kitchen cupboards I also now have a list of what is in there, what has used by dates etc. With this in mind my menu planning should not only be easier but cross fingers it will be cheaper!

Watch this space while I clean and declutter my house!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Wesley's birthday

We caught up with Jamie and the boys yesterday which was great as it was recently Wesley's birthday on Thursday.

They came over for lunch which became dinner due to the fact we were running behind all day!! (I guess it was just one of those days - I know we have all had them, right?)

Anyway we had a nice afternoon.... the kids played well and I must say I got lots of hugs and kisses from both Wesley and Angus. We had a beautiful roast beef cooked on the weber and 36 yorkshire puddings which disappeared almost instantly.



Checking the progress of the next dozen Yorkshire puddings....(yes my oven light is broken!!)

Caught - Yorkshire Pudding bandits in the kitchen!!!

This followed by a Berry and Coconut Birthday cake ensured that none of us were hungry afterwards.

Great catching up with the boys as usual :)

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Unemployment.....

I am a little behind with my posts of late and to make matters worse - Tuesday was a very horrid day for us... more so Noel.


He had only returned to work on Monday to be made redundent on Tuesday at lunchtime as the company he worked for, Frigrite have closed their doors due to being in the hands of the recievers. Yep Frigrite have gone bust - fucked basically! (excuse my french!!)

He was stood down with the uncertainty of whether he would be paid for last week let alone when he should recieve any of his entitlements etc. I can't say I am not angry - in fact I am ropeable considering all the big boys would have recieved their moneys for sure! Come Friday we did recieve last week's wage but that's it! The entitlements etc will have to come through the government but that could be weeks away.

Now, I guess we just need to move on and look for other work which he has been doing - applying for anything and everything through the internet, employment agencies and from cold calling and leaving his resume.

Cross fingers for my man on his mission.....

PS Noel I love you!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Royal Melbourne Zoo - a family outing

On Sunday we spent a family day at the Melbourne Zoo..... the kids and I love the zoo whereas Noel goes to keep us happy! He does like animals, don't get me wrong he can quite happily leave it 5 years between visits though!

It was a beautiful day - a great day to try out my new camera properly. Have to say I love having the additional zoom etc.

Here are some of my favourite photo's I took:






















We had a lovely day together.....
My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

52 Weeks Of Organizing

When I was posting my Menu Plan Monday (I was so happy to restart menu planning since returning to work after the holidays) and I came across Org Junkies Organizing Challenge for 2011 and as one of my New Years Resolutions was to de-clutter my house for real this time I can't wait to get started on that challenge. As one would say it was perfect timing.

Now to decide on tasks which I have the ability to complete each week and ensure that these tasks will make a huge difference to our home.

And to ensure we are organised Laura asked the following questions:


1. Do you have your list written?


Yes I do - the tasks are very simple but are really in need of being done.

2. What is the first thing on it that you hope to accomplish this week?


Getting started and fitting it within my work and family time.

3. How are you going to make it happen?


It's just going to happen or I will go insane!

As I am officially a week behind I am going to have to double up the effort one week to get up to speed but that shouldn't be too hard at all especially if I am motivated, which I swear to God I am as I am sick to death of the clutter and mess.

Watch this space while I clean and declutter my house!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday ~ Sat 8th Jan - Fri 14th Jan

I have been on holidays since just before Christmas and have been so totally out of rountine (which I hate with a passion as I love my routine and it's organisation). This week I have returned back to work and I have also returned to my trusty menu planner for sanity.

On the House of Murray Menu Planner this week is:

Dinners:

Saturday ~ my 40th Birthday Party

(fingerfoods, spit roast with vegetables, desserts)

Sunday ~ left over party food

Monday ~ Chicken Kiev with Potato, Carrot and Onion Bake, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Tue ~ Ham and Zucchini Carbonara, salad
Wed ~ Orange and Soy Pork Cutlet with Steamed Vegetables

Thu ~ Chicken Palliard with Basil Cream Sauce and Vegetables

Fri ~ Chive and Parsley Crusted Fish with Salad

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!!

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

Ok so now I am a grown up....

I confess Saturday saw me reach the big "40" and yes I celebrated in style with a party! Needless to say I actually let my hair down and thoroughly enjoyed myself with the party finishing around 3am-ish. Of course I drank too much champagne and didn't eat enough but it's only going to happen once - the 40th that is!!


I think it may be time I grow up, what do you think?

Actually these photos were taken in the wee hours of Sunday morning and it wasn't like this all night. It was a really nice night with finger food to start, a spit with beef and pork, vegetables, cauliflower cheese and gravy followed by heaps of desserts. Noel and mam did a wonderful job and attempted to keep me out of the kitchen and away from the cooking.

Shall post some more photos when I can......

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com