Menu Plan Monday (7th Aug - 13th Aug)

BUSY BUSY BUSY and out of routine can be the only way to describe the last few weeks... but I have enjoyed every moment of it.

Reality has come back to bite us though with the fact that even though we have been having a ball, we need the structure and routines that comes with running our household. Dinner has been all over the shop with cooking meals late, not knowing what to have so the good old menu planner was completed this week and shall be followed.

A couple of repeat dishes this week and we are going out for dinner on Thursday night but this is what I have planned for our menu this week:

Saturday ~ Salt and Pepper Calamari, Prawn Hacao

Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise & Garlic Bread

Monday ~ Honey Soy Chicken Tenderloins for kids/Kung Pao Chicken for adults
Tue ~ Beef Stroganoff with Pasta

Wed ~ Chargrilled Pork Cutlets, Sweet Potato Mash and Steamed Vegetables

Thu ~ The Waltzing Matilda Hotel

Fri ~ Chicken and Corn Canneloni

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

Another weekly round up.....

We are still running around like busy bees.... OMG it just doesn't stop but it is BRILLIANT!!! I love being surrounded by family and friends and keeping busy!!

So as you have noticed my poor blogs have been left on the sidelines and are only getting enough attention to write quick weekly round ups!! Sorry!!

This week saw us all going out for dinner on Wednesday night to The Seaford Hotel... what a fantastic evening we all had. Noel and Jamie get along really well with Anthony.

The kids chatted away, had their dinner and then played in the playground!


Anthony enjoyed his rib eye steak... and yes after the photo he used his knife and fork!


Angus thought this was quite funny!


A nice photo of all the kids together....


And then the silly face one!!


Friday, Anthony and Rachel and the kids came over for dinner.... a nice quiet evening that saw Anthony, Noel and myself going to be around the 4ish mark Saturday morning.

Noel picked them up from the hotel so both Rachel and Anthony could have a drink and relax. We had arranged for both Ellis and Ffion to stay the night but the four ended up kipping at our house.


Rachel had complained on Wednesday night about Anthony's snoring (definitely must be a Lewis trait as Mam snores and I admit, so do I!!). Noel brought Rachel home a present such a generous fellow I married.... she was a little worried at first but it made her scream with laughter.....




Mind you they are meant to be ear plugs???

Dinner went down a treat.....


Cooking outside on the weber and as you can see a few more laughs.




But not as much as the chocoloate fondues did for dessert!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Catching up... so much happening!!

As everyone knows it's never dull at the Murray household.... so without rambling on too much I will give you a quick catch up post.

On the 30th July Anthony, Rachel, Ellis and Ffion arrived from Oman.... there has definitely been excitement in the air about this as the last time I saw Anthony we were 18 years old and we were in Wales.... man soooo long ago. They arrive in Melbourne very late Thursday night so it wasn't until Friday afternoon they made their way to Frankston.


They stopped for dinner. We still had some seafood from my trip to Lakes Entrance so we started with a seafood platter followed by beef curry and rice.

Rachel peeled her first prawn!!


The kids all got along famously - it was like they have known each other all their lives!!!! In fact we all had a great evening the first night!!!



Saturday night, Clare's birthday, we celebrated again in honour of her birthday of course!! Anthony, Rachel, Ellis and Ffion along with Jamie and the boys came for a Turkey dinner. Being July I guess we could have had a "Christmas in July" theme but once again in was brilliant to have the house full of family.



Sunday saw the final round of the 2010 junior football season.... both kids played well but sadly Oliver's team lost and therefore are not in the finals this year. But football is far from over with the four next Sunday's consumed by the Finals which Karingal is hosting again this year.



My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

The final resting place......

After 17 years Dad has laid to rest finally and in the right spot.

It has taken me a while to post this. Not because I didn't want to or the fact that I was still saddened but I wanted to wait until I had a clear head so I could write without anger or sadness.

On 25th July, which would have been Mam and Dad's 40th Wedding Anniversary a group of people, family and friends that hold a special place in the history of the Davies', got together to send him on his final journey and to a resting place very fitting for such an amazing man.

Emotions had been building especially as firstly we had to remove him from the resting place that he had been in since his death. It was necessity that this occurs considering all the changes and upcoming plans/gossip surrounding the golf course and there was uncertainty regarding how safe his ashes actually were if left be.



As everyone gathered and mingled, chatting about the past, the memories and of course Dad himself, there was an sense of calm and relief that the day had finally arrived.



Mam thanked everyone for coming down, there wasn't much more she needed to say for the people there were there because when invited they chose to be. Mam scattered some of dads ashes into the flowing tide, then offered for others to do the same. We all did, saying a silent prayer to a beloved man before setting his spirit free.





Pip brought a bunch of daffodils - a wonderful symbol of not only our heritage but a beautiful and kind thought. We let these float with Dad with the ebs and flows of the tide and I know he would have been happy.







Once the tears had dried and a few more words were spoken for old times sake we did some crabbing!! With the tide in there wasn't that many but enough to have a little fun and find some very small crabs.





After we all went to the pub for a really nice meal, where we all chatted and continued to reminise, laugh and enjoy each others company.




Then back to Lars and Pips for coffee........

It was a perfect day, one that I will always remember.
My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Alex vs Stuart... Karingal Bulls vs Seaford Tigers

Tonight was a pretty special game of football. Although it was just a friendly game between Karingal Bulls and Seaford Tigers it was a wonderful moment for Alex. She played against her cousin for the first and possibly only time. The reason behind this is Stuart's in Under 10's and Alex is in the age group below, Under 9's.


The match took place at Kananook Football Ground, which is where the Frankston and District Junior Football League have the offices. The Franskton and District Junior Football League is the league in which both teams play in and have just erected new lights for the ground. Tonight's matches were in celebration of turning on the new lights "officially" for the first time.



Although it was a great night for not only our kids but that of both teams, some (including Alex) getting their photo's taken for local papers and for Frankston Council there was a sad element as while Stuart was there so was my sister. My sister chose to stay the other side of the playing field during the game and keep the boys from coming over to see us. Then she decided to hover around us during the speeches and presentations without even saying hello to mam. I don't care how she chooses to treat me, in fact I am at the point in my life that if we never speak again it now doesn't bother me. BUT to ignore mam was just outright rude, undeserved and to be honest bitchy! It probably didn't help matters that we were stood with Jamie and Kerry (who is Claire's partners ex wife) but normally Claire has more front than Myers and woudn't have let that stop her from proving she is better than everyone. Instead she maintained some distance. I know it hurt mam quite a bit although she is making it look like she has just shrugged it off.


After the match, we got home, changed the kids and then went out for a beautiful chinese meal at Quality Wok!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Grandma is here.....

Grandma arrived on Tuesday night. We have been expecting her for some time now as this trip has been planned with a special purpose (something I still cannot mention on here just yet!)

Anyhow as usual the first cuddle is always the nicest as it's been some time since we saw each other. In fact it was in January and due to the family situation (with my sister) that visit didn't go down to well at all - a lot of yelling, arguments and crying!!! This visit is definitely going to be a hell of a lot better.

As with every visit the first thing that always gets planned is a family dinner. So Jamie (my brother in law) brought around the four boys to have dinner with Grandma.

It's always wonderful to see the beaming smile on mam's face when her 6 grandkids are together and with her. I know she does miss it when she is up in Queensland.

These two are the best cuddlers and very very cheeky boys.....
Wesley (6) and Angus (3)who had to sit either side of Grandma!

These four love getting together and are as thick as thieves....
From left to right ~ Alex (9), Stuart (10) Oliver (12) and Kyle (12)

Mam made a delicious lasagne which we served with garlic bread and a fresh garden salad but it was the quality family time that was the highlight of the night.

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (17th July - 23rd July)

Once again I am behind the 8 ball with posting up our weekly eating plan. And to be perfectly honest we are facing a few huge weeks in the Murray household.

Last Friday night we had our friends Nazz and Steve over for dinner. We had a Mongolian Steamboat and it was enjoyed by all. There was left over meat and vegetables so we had another one on Saturday night.

My mam arrives today and then all the family/social events will start up for the next 3 or so weeks.

Anyway this is what I have planned for our menu this week:

Saturday ~ Mongolian Steamboat

Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise and Fettucine Carbonara (dinner at the footy club presentations sponsored by Frankston Pizza House)

Monday ~ Fish and Chips
Tue ~ Mooloolaba Chicken, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Steamed Vegetables

Wed ~ Lasagne, Garden Salad and Garlic Bread

Thu ~ Chilli Prawns with Steamed Rice

Fri ~ Chargrilled Pork Cutlet on Rosti with Steamed Vegetables

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

Mongolian Steamboat....

What an absolute brilliant and enjoyable dinner party we had on Friday night.... we had a Mongolian Steamboat with The Russells!! I have been promising this to Nazz for a while now and when we finally were able to get the two families together we had a ball.

All thoroughly enjoying ourselves cooking at the table.

Then just to make sure we used up all the food prepared we had another one on Saturday night just the four of us.

The best thing is that it is wonderfully healthy, very communial and a wonderful experience to eat. Can't wait until next time.

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com