First things first...

AGES ago (like in August 2010) you might remember Reuben had the most awesome Masterchef Birthday Party ever. Well a few people asked for the recipes and I did promise to post them.  There's good and bad news...I'll start with the bad: I don't have all the recipes anymore BUT I do have the two best ones and here they are:

The satay chicken can be found here (this is what we are having for dinner tonight and what prompted my memory)

And the Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is an old one from mum's ancient cookbook (you know the old photo album Bride?)  and I have to say that if anyone has ever perfected a recipe it is me and this one.  Ask anybody!
It's not the ingredients that make a difference it's how you do it and I'm sorry folks but you either have it or you don't  :)

1C SR flour
60g butter
1/2 C caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 C milk
2tsp cocoa
1 1/4 C boiled water
1/2 C brown sugar
1Tb cocoa

cream butter & sugar, add vanilla and egg.
add sifted flour and cocoa alternately with milk.
Spread this mix into a greased pudding dish.
mix brown sugar and cocoa together and sprinkle over the top of pudding
carefully pour boiling water over the top.
bake for 30-40 min moderate oven.
Delicious with ice cream or king Island cream.

yippee

Don't keel over...I'm blogging...because I've finished uni for the year!  


It feels so good to have some time for other things.  Over the last month I have been compiling a list of things to do once uni finishes.  Some are just for me, some are things that need to be done because they've simply been neglected for a while, and others are things I never seem to find time for.  I can't wait to work my way through it all.


It has taken almost a week for me to get out of study mode.  I would wake with that feeling of (almost) panic.  That horrible feeling when you know you have much more on your plate for the day than time could possibly allow.  Yesterday the feeling was gone...


I'm really happy with how this year has panned out.  Yes, it was a little crazy at times and I did have to burn the candle at both ends but only for a little while.  I'm happy that I decided to study part-time because it has allowed me to enjoy what I'm learning, have time for study, reading, assignments and all that and still be a mum and wife and relief society president and do a few hours of 'real' work a week!  My results have been really pleasing.  I've done so much better than I expected and I don't take that lightly at all.  Each time I opened a marked assignment my heart would be in my throat and I'd be talking to myself saying something like, "If I haven't passed this one then that's it, I'm just gonna get a job somewhere."  Then I'd scream with excitement to see that all was fine and that my hard work had paid off far more that expected.


I will probably do a bit of a catch up blog at a later stage but for now I'm enjoying my garden, sorting through the kids cupboards, painting, and best of all I now have time for a little bit of photo taking.

Two down...

...only 14 to go!  At this rate I might just finish before I need the aid of a walker!

I am really loving this course (Master of Teaching).  I am half way through my first PE (professional experience) and it has been lots of fun.  The kids in the 5/6 class I am in are exceptional.  They're all so well behaved and respectful and very capable.  I think this would be the 'dream school' for any teacher.  It is very similar to the school our kids attend, so it feels very familiar.  I have also realised that I have an advantage over the childless students who are all very tired after a busy week in the classroom.  I, on the other hand, feel as if I'm on a break!  

All of my assignments are done, just one exam, on June 6th, and that's first semester in the bag.  Feels good to know that I still have what it takes.

Easter

This Easter was spent at "The Farm" aka mum and dad's place.  After the excitement of an easter egg hunt and a pleasant morning attending Glen Huon ward Matt took the kids for a walk to my grandparents' place and I decided to wander around mum's garden.  For the past 34 years mum and dad have worked in this garden creating something magical and mysterious.  I have to say that it has paid off.  Mum has a real talent with landscape.  She is able to see it in her mind just the way it will be and then is able to make it all happen.  Dad is a very willing and capable (and I might just add patient) side kick who helps to make it more than just an image in mum's mind.  They make a great combination.
As I lazily strolled in and out of the many corners of the garden I remembered my happy childhood playing here - although it wasn't as established then as it is now, it was a fun place to be a kid.  I began to notice all the little things mum has added that give the garden its magic.  Then I began to think about the entire world and all the little things God has given us that make this life magical.  This earth is an amazing thing.  God truly wants us to be happy.  Why else would he give the one thing he cherished above all else - His Son?  I must have been in the garden for at least a couple of hours, just meandering and taking photos.  When I looked over them all last night I felt extremely grateful to be living in such a beautiful and peaceful corner of the earth.  I reflected on those who have gone before particularly the ANZACs and others who have sacrificed their life to help make our country the extraordinary place it is.  I am feeling very thankful and grateful for my life and my place in this world.  Sometimes it is easy to feel insignificant in this world but having the opportunity to reflect on the Saviour and his Atonement and to remember the ANZACs and those who have gone before all at the same time has made me feel very significant.  I feel an overwhelming sense that God knows me personally and that he blesses me so abundantly that I cannot comprehend it all.  None of these events in our history have just happened.  They have been for a reason and God has had a hand in it.  I believe that it was very much for my benefit (and yours) and I am so grateful.

what the?

I've never laughed so hard in all my life.
Trying out the cyberlink youcam on Reuben's new laptop was so much fun.

Gee I'm glad it wasn't windy!

Confidential, secret, personal, special

That's what it says in the Collins Pocket Thesaurus under Private.
I'm following suit of many who have gone before.  If you want to stay tuned send me your email.

Blanche x

Horray!

Tomorrow I get my goofy husband back.

Boy I've missed him.




It's so much better when we are goofy together.

Matt

This is really for family and close friends who might be interested.  Matt is keeping a blog of his time in Turkey.  Check it out by clicking on the link.

Matt's blog

'sup?

Just a little deposit for the blog bank:

2011 so far is going pretty well for us.

 Four kids back at school.

one hubby back at work

Me back at Uni (arrrggghhh)

One meltdown day.

One husband gone for 3 weeks (I hate it)

One major assignment due this week

LOTS of adjustments.

Zero time for much else :)

Seeya

I'm finally attempting to get my blog up to date. This post will be a quick catch up dating back to last year (oh dear).

The highlight of the past few months are:

Bella achieving fantastic results with her swimming. She performed really well at the school swimming carnival in October which gave her the opportunity to participate in the inter-school swimming carnival in the same month. When you attend a small school (Mt Nelson has about 150 kids) it is relatively easy to stand out at the thing you are good at but once you enter a larger pool (pardon the pun) of talent you can quickly get taken down peg or two. It is much more difficult to get the same results. With that said Isabella also shone at the inter-school swimming carnival. Placing in all of her races. She was ecstatic to discover she was invited to attend the Champions Carnival – a competition of the best of the best! You can imagine the smile on her face when she walked away with a place in each of her races! We had considered not doing swimming lessons again this year but I think we'll stick with it for a little bit longer!

A trip to the temple with Reuben (first time)

The traditional maccas on the way home!

Another trip to the temple with Chels and Bridey

Reuben finished Primary School!

His final year at Mt Nelson was fabulous. He had a starring role (ok I might be exaggerating a little bit) as the caterpillar in 'Alice the Musical' (Alice in Wonderland). His costume was awesome and his singing matched. Reuben has a lovely singing voice. We usually wake every morning to him belting out a tune however, he doesn't like to sing with an audience so watching and listening to him on stage was a real treat for me.

Reubs also had the opportunity to go on a year 6 trip to Canberra and Sydney. We did a lot of fund-raising for this and everyone enjoyed a fun-filled and educational trip.

Charlotte's end of year dance concert was so gorgeous. Plus it was our LAST dance concert for a while. And that means no more making and painting of props – FANTASTIC. I enjoy the creative outlet but it is very time consuming.

The Huon Show has become a family tradition and once again a fun time was had by all -but boy it was cold at the top of the Ferris Wheel.

Christmas was busy! Christmas eve with my family having fun, being silly, eating too much. Christmas day was pressies and breakfast at mum and dad's, lunch at Matt's parents with the whole Sayers family (minus Lou, Dan, Zeek + Ollie), more pressies and fun there and then back to the Huon for dinner with the extended family (mum's side). It was a terrific day and as we headed back to the Huon we passed the cemetery where we saw a couple putting flowers on their child's grave and I felt so overwhelmingly grateful for all the family I am surrounded with. I gave my kids a great big hug and kiss and told them how fortunate we are to have each other, that the presents don't really matter...”yeah mum, we get it” they said and off they ran to play with their cousins.

I think all the travelling got to Charli just a tad!

New Years Eve was mum's 60^th birthday party. During the day Bridey and I and our hard working hubbies and kids decorated mum's garden ready for a wonderful, nostalgic evening. Letters from absent friends and family, meeting up with old friends not seen for 40? years, beautiful words from loved ones, a most memorable tribute song to the tune of 'You Are My Sunshine', a 'funny photo booth', great food, the best company, fireworks even! All made for a wonderful night.  The weather was perfect and so was the entire night. The only thing I would change is the 3am bed time!

School's back!

I've now got kids in years 9,7,4 and Prep.

After 15 years as a SAHM all of my kids are in school full time. Kinda weird but kinda nice.

I'm finally going back to uni (part-time). I'm studying a Master of Teaching and tomorrow I have my first tutorial. Exciting.

That's all folks, don't know when I will return but take care, you hear x

I have really good intentions of updating this blog...later :)