Day 196

Had so much fun today decorating Jacob's birthday cake and finishing up the cooking for tomorrow's party. A little sneak peek! 

Our tradition was continued today, with me and my mother in law Sharon making the birthday cake.... I enjoy this part as much as the birthday itself! This is the 4th birthday cake we've made and we work so well together.. I said to Sharon that we should go into business making cakes hehe Lewy laughed at this idea.. cheeky!

----------------------

I found some time today to cook us up a little dish for lunch. It's easy, yummy and perfect for a light lunch. 

You will need:

30g butter 

1 sheet of puff pastry

1 tablespoon of rosemary leaves

2 medium onions

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

Baby spinach leaves

4 eggs

1. Melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the onion, rosemary, red wine vinegar and sugar, stir to combine and cook for around 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

2. Cut the puff pastry into quarters, and place on tray with baking paper.

3. Spread the onion over the pastry and cook in oven at 180 for around 20 minutes (or until pastry is puffed and browned)

4. Place eggs in small saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover the saucepan, and bring to the boil. Remove lid, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove the eggs and place in cold water to cool down. Peel the eggs and cut in half. 

5. Top with spinach leaves and egg, sprinkle with pepper...dig in!

I probably should change my blog address to Tracey's Recipe a Day!

-----------------

The big birthday tomorrow! I'm looking forward to writing a special post just for my Jacob... a warning though .. it may be gushy and soppy :)

Happy Saturday all! xxx

Day 195

Things aren't looking good for the tree.... he might be losing his will to live.....

Hang in there buddy! Otherwise we are going to have to pull you out and replace you....

---------------

I've been on the go all day today, birthday party preps and getting the house ready.... it's been a full on day but lots of fun! The boys enjoyed our kitchen adventures, we made a huge mess and danced around while we cooked :) 

Sam set up his very own McDonalds using the bench chairs and a board for the counter. I won't be going there again though, he charges $60 for a Happy Meal! What a rip off! hehe

---------------

Lewy sent me this picture today .... working hard setting up the endless amount of cabling.... 

I need to put my feet up now and read my book... ready for a much needed break after a busy day!

xxxx

Day 194

I've been preoccupied lately with birthday party planning for my little guy Jacob (otherwise known as: Jakey Chicken, the Jakester, Japig) who is turning ONE on Sunday!  Where on earth has the last year gone?! I've been having a ball planning his party. I'm excited to have a special day just for my little guy, to celebrate his life :) 

This little dude below and his other jungle friends will all be making an appearance on the day!

 -----------------------

Righto! Let's get down to business! We're talking Spanish Tortilla tonight... (repeat that quickly 10 times :) 

This is a very simple and easy recipe (do I make anything else??!), not to mention healthy and tasty.

You will need: 

2 potatoes, diced into small cubes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 medium onions, diced

1 red capsicum

6 eggs

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

1. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small frying pan, add the potato and cook over medium heat for around 8 - 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add paprika, and cook, stirring for another 4-5 minutes until the potato is tender.

2. Transfer the potato to a bowl (using a slotted spoon so you don't take the olive oil with you :) Add the onion and capsicum and cook, stirring for around 8 minutes, until soft. Transfer to the bowl with the potatoes. 

3. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the potatoes, onion and capsicum mixture. Add in the parsley and stir well. 

4. Heat 2 tablespoons in the same frying pan, then add the egg mixture. Cook over medium heat for around 7 minutes or until egg is almost set. 

5.While this is cooking, pre-heat the griller and cover the frying pan handle with alfoil. Grill the tortilla for about 5 minutes or until golden browned.

I served the tortilla with boiled broccoli and roasted carrots and potatoes (potatoes seasoned with the magic AlSeason). I then grated some parmesan cheese over the tortilla before digging in! Delish!

 -----------------------

This is the conversation Lewy and Sam had last night (Background info: Lewy is wiring up a new McDonalds at the moment):

Sam: "Have you finished the McDonalds yet?"

Lewy: "Not yet"

Sam: "It IS finished!!"

Lewy: "Okay, I'll let the builders know tomorrow"

Gotto love a 3 year olds logic!

 -----------------------

Night all, sweet dreams xxx

Day 193

Jacob looks a little worse for wear in this clip... poor little chicken just had a little fall and had been crying, hence why he looks so unhappy with red eyes! He is also on the mend from his cold, slowly but surely :)

-----------------

How about another blast from the past?!

Can you believe this is my Dad? He was the National Champion back in the day ... he used to ride everywhere... he would ride down to Perth from Northam, compete in a race.. win... and then ride home again!!! I'm a proud daughter :)

-----------------

Speaking of fitness.... the treadmill and I got re-acquainted today... it was a wonderful reunion and I managed to knock out 5kms which I was extremely surprised about as I was sure my body would be totally mad with me about neglecting it all this time... but nope! it did me proud! It felt great.... I'm back baby!

Happy Wednesday :)

Day 192

It was very cold this morning. I went outside quickly to give the re-potted tree some water in the hopes that it survives the transplant (wow look at me, being all 'gardener'!) and while I was out there I tried to take some photos to show the frost on the rose bush leaves...I think they look beautiful with their little ice drops...

------------------

I finally got around to getting my hair done today... about time! My re-growth was out of control! 

------------------

Want to make a yummy easy meal?? Throw into a slow cooker (or you can put into casserole dish and cook in oven for about 1 hour):

400g can of Borlotti Beans
400g can of Cannellini Beans  (any kinds of beans will do really, I just happened to use these two)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
4 shallots, halved
700g bottle of tomato pasta sauce
2 carrots, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
200g mushrooms, halved
1.5 cups of vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme

The beauty of this, is that you can add in whatever veggies you like (and add potatoes if you need some extra carbs), or you can serve it with rice or bread...for such simple ingredients it tastes delicious! I had a second helping last night at dinner, and more for some lunch today... it's a keeper!

Happy Tuesday!

Day 191

I meant to show this photo ages ago after I got back from my New Norcia trip... so here it is now.  This was taken when I was, I don't know 3, 4 or 5 years old? I'm the trendy one in the pink tracksuit and sandals... my parents were good friends with Father Justin who is pictured here....

I took a pic of the same spot where the original photo was taken. Even managed to get the pillar on the right in! 

So.. today. I cleaned out all the kitchen cupboards and pantry (with Sam's help, he is one great little assistant!), sanded down the plaster in the new room (that took TWO HOURS! My arms will pay for this tomorrow), had a picnic outside with the boys for lunch, made a vege dinner for me and a chicken curry meal for Lewy and the boys... and looked after a poor little Jacob who now has a cold and then took care of Lewy when he got home as he isn't well either... 

So the evening called for the doona being dragged out into the lounge and the boys all wrapped up and watched TV :)

Cheeky monkey....

And I sat back and enjoyed this..... I think I deserved it after my hard days work!!! If you are wondering what we are watching on TV... it's Gavin and Stacey - the english comedy that Lewy and I are massive fans of!!!!

Good night all and sweet dreams! xx

Day 190 Gardening

It's no secret... I'm not a big fan of gardening. Strangely though, every now and then I get a huge urge to get out into the garden. This usually follows by a big day weeding, digging, raking, pruning.... and then as quickly as the motivation to garden came, it disappears again! So I run with it while it lasts :) 

I couldn't sleep last night and ended up laying in bed thinking about what I was going to do in the garden to tidy things up a little. See that tree on the very right of the pic? We have been meaning to replant that as it will just keep getting bigger and in that location, it's not good. And the picture doesn't show it very well, but see how just up from that tree there is a nice big mess of green? There are actually 4 plants in that one little area (have no idea how that happened!)... so I decided that some of those trees needed clearing out as well.  

(Please don't mind the brown leaves, they'll come back!)...So, I took out the tree and transplanted it to a beautiful pot that Lewy and Sam went and bought this morning, then I transferred this plant that you see below, from the mess in the other section, to it's own little area where the tree used to be.

Now there are only 2 of the trees in that middle section, which makes things a lot less cluttered and more orderly.. and I do like me some order :)

While I was at it, I moved our outside table up to one end so that the kids have more room to play and ride around. The tent has become a permanent fixture in the backyard, the boys really love it!

 I wasn't planning on it, but I was on a roll... so moved to the front yard. I weeded, and raked the mulch to refresh it a little.

The tree in its new home...

The front yard looks lovely... nice and tidy and most importantly weed-less! For now :)

Now to wait and see if they tree and plant actually survive the move!!

I stuck my head out the door to see what Sam and Jacob were up to and they were pottering around in their 'home' as Sam calls it :)

Now that I've had a a coffee and a little break, I'm off to do some more tidying and clearing up! I'm on a roll!
Enjoy your Sunday all xxx

Day 189

The beautiful rain continues.... I'm really enjoying this weather at the moment, I love standing at the door with a cuppa in my hands, listening to the rain on the roof and watching the water beating down into the garden... it has a calming affect on me. Makes me light candles, burn incense and put on soft music and relax :)

I'm at a bit of a crossroads at the moment... I'm itching to develop some better habits (like exercise more, eat better etc etc)... I was doing great at the start of the year... but well, we all know what happened there :) So I'm trying hard to get back into that space again, not for the purpose of losing weight.. that's not my motivation, it's just a consequence..... how I look is not important, what means more to me is how I feel. I want to feel good inside and in control (what? Me? wanting to feel in control? nooo!), but seriously, I just want to feel like I'm taking the best care of my body so that it does me well and gives me the energy I need to get the most out of the days.  So.... time to get back to it and start the 2nd half of the year on the right healthy path :) Wish me luck... I will need it!

I've been playing around with the Hipstamatic app on my phone... it's cool for some different picture effects!

I snuggled up in bed last night to read... I can't put this book down. It's a miracle that I'm even updating the blog tonight, I had to tear myself away from the book to do so!

Night all... go snuggle up and grab a good book to read :) xxx

Day 188

Even though Jacob and I have been gallivanting around the country side today while Sam is at daycare, I didn't take one photo. We went to Malaga Markets for a wander around, and then out to do some food shopping.. I love spending some one on one time with my little angel, he is so sweet :)

Sam, by the way was SO excited to go to daycare this morning... hanging out to see some kids and have a play... he basically dragged me there and kept nagging me all morning to get dressed so we could get in the car.. love it :)

So for today's photos.... here is a little blast from the past! Seen as I shared a little of my childhood the other day.. it's only fitting to show some pics :) Enjoy!

Me and my sister Pam.... we are hilarious obviously! 

Pam, Sindy & Me... now I know where Sam gets his preference for not wearing clothes from....

Dad, Pam, Me & Sindy... 

In church, me and Pam at the front looking very excited...

I think this was in Carnarvon?? Some of the foster kids we lived with... 

Sitting in the bush...in my bathers... drinking Milo... as you do!

Me, Pam & Sindy... loving our stylin' fringes...

This is Lewy's favourite photo... he thinks it's hilarious... thanks Lewy :) 

There you go! A little glimpse into my childhood! Watch out - there are more blasts from the past to come over time :) 

Enjoy your Friday all.... bring on the weekend! xx