Things I Know #35- Thanksgiving

What a shitty week it has been around the globe.  I try to avoid watching the news but this week it has been unavoidable.  So much sadness and violence.  All of it completely inexplicable.  I have been counting my blessings a little more this week thats for sure.

So here is some random bits that have made me smile this week because I know how important it is to take stock of what is around you.

I won this on Facebook by guessing how much the outfit was worth.  I guessed $17 and was the first to guess correctly!!  I requested they donate it to the nearest refuge because as much as I would have liked the bag and hat I don't need them and there is someone else who does.

 The Lego Christmas Tree we missed out on seeing.

I ended up buying these little aloe vera plants on ebay after debating whether or not too.  After a dash up to the local nursery for potting mix and the little biodegradable pots they are "hopefully" going to thrive then I can put them into bigger pots.  Fyi it is fine to send plants around NSW (not sure about interstate) and these were express posted.


Ooh look what I saw an ad for.  I love the original and this looks like a great remake.

I cracked a wally about going to bloody presentation day today as it was going to be an extra long torture session and the Kindergarten class of 2014 were performing right at the end but I chanced it and went right when I thought it was ending.  I missed their performance by about 2 minutes and was a little broken hearted until it was announced that the kindy kids were staying on the stage so parents cold take photos while the rest of the school went back to their classes.  I got to see them perform the song twice which was a lovely thing for the school to do as no one would have been able to see properly as the hall was packed and the smile on my kindy kid's face when he saw me was worth being there.  We just won't tell him I missed the main thing!!

In other news it is Thanksgiving in the US this weekend (Happy Thanksgiving) and I am seriously considering having a Thanksgiving next year with friends.  What a great idea, gathering with your nearest and dearest, eating and drinking.  There are so many awesome Thanksgiving recipes although they might not be the best to have on a summers day!!  I like the idea that it isn't about gift giving which has overtaken what Christmas should be about.  Definitely something I will look into for next year!!

Linking up with Sarah from Creating Contentment for #thankfulthursday

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Interview with myself

Where is your cell phone?.... charging
Your hair? .........needs a cut and colour
Your father? ..... likes a beer
Your favourite thing? .........sleeping kids
Your dream last night?.... can't recall.  
Your favourite drink? .......... coke in a glass bottle
Your dream/goal? ...........this week was to get Christmas sorted which it is bar a trip without kids to get a couple more bits!!
The room you are in? ......lounge room
Your fear? ........ my dishwasher breaking irreparably
Where do you want to be in 6 years?..... Vegas
Muffins? ............egg and bacon cooked on the bbq with cheese and sauce on a Sunday morning
One of your wish list items?.......... a new dining table
Where you grew up? ......... England and Australia
The last thing you did? ....... made a glass of cordial
What are you wearing?....... pjs
Your TV?........... small compared to the rest of the world's!!
Your pets? ..........family
Your computer? .....love it
Your life? .........pretty cool, I am very lucky.
Your mood? ......... calm
Missing someone? ....... always
Your car? ..... not a seven seater
Favourite store?.....our local salvos
Your summer? ..... hot if the last week or so has been anything to go by.
Your favourite colour? .......blue.. 
When is the last time you laughed? ...... watching The Big Bang Theory on tv earlier
Last time you cried? ....... I had tears in my eyes when I jammed my finger between a box and a shelf.  It freaking hurt!!
Three people who email me? ........, junk catalogues, people telling me I have won some mega amount of money and lately people offering to tell me what my comment on blogspot means.
Three of my favourite foods? ......... Mexican, chocolate anything and haloumi fried on the bbq
Three places I would rather be right now? .....Fiji, Fiji, Fiji

I saw this quick quiz on Facebook ages ago and figured it would be perfect for this weeks prompt from The Lounge which is "interview".  It is clearly American because of all the funny spelling and cell phone!!  I chose to interview myself as Jon Bon Jovi wasn't available, ffs!!

Linking up with Tegan from Musings of the Misguided

Mall Art

'

Bernard von Hessberg 

This talented artist was in the middle of Pitt Street Mall when we were there last Saturday.  Amazing.

I took these photos on my phone as once again we left the house without the camera!!  The photos do not do these pieces justice.

Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday.

English, music and plants

So proud of this effort!!  What a champ.

After popping the picture of the #myfirst (a cool competition Blah Blah Magazine is running at the moment to win some Lego!!) Christmas card that Kindy Kid has written this year it lead (there is another one!!)to a conversation about just how ridiculous the English language actually is.  Beat/beet, peek/peak, kinder, minute, through, rough, bough, tear, wonder, peek are examples of what was making me bang my head against a brick wall.  Also live which is a flash card I picked up off the floor that made my blood boil even more.  Gawd English language sort your shite out.  Even as I think about it again there are more for example bear/bare.

Special thanks to Blah Blah Magazine and Muddle Headed Mamma for annoying the bejesus out of me with some of these examples!!


I am loving this song.  I love this lyric video, all the handwriting is awesome!!  I love Nickelback and still don't know why the world hates them??


Loving the new Bush!!


I can see my Friday being spent going to a shopping centre with a record shop to buy the new accadacca cd.  I can see by Monday morning the cd will be thrown from a moving car under a garbage truck or it won't work anymore from being worn out!!  Should I be forced to go to the shops with 2 children I will be rewarding myself with a medal and wine!!


One of the funniest things I have seen in ages.  If you have a Lab or Retriever you will appreciate this!!

A question to round out this random #ibot- Have any of you purchased plants online for example on ebay??  I really want some Aloe plants but the only way I am able to get it is if I buy online.  I am a little sceptical.

Linking up this random collection of bits with Essentially Jess

Santa Photo 2014

Saturday we headed into the big smoke/Sydney for our annual Santa photo at the amazing Queen Victoria Building.  It has become our yearly tradition now to head in early, have breakfast at one of the cafes, wander around the shops, explore a little of the city before heading home.

Yesterday I was not really in the mood to traipse the city as I have a cold and it is making me grumpy however I am so glad we went.  Not only because yesterday was really the only free day we had but because the Christmas spirit made me feel a little better.  I do wish we could have gone in a little later like next weekend as apparently there will be a Lego Christmas tree in Pitt Street Mall.  But that's life and the way the cookie crumbles.

We arrived at the QVB at about 9:10am and went and put our name down.  Even getting there that early there was about a one and a half hour wait which was fine as we had a look at some shops, grabbed some breakie and before we knew it it was our turn.  Sadly I had to wake the baby.  The baby who never sleeps in the pram slept for over an hour!!  Hindsight being so fantastic I should have said that another family could have gone before us so he had a chance to wake up properly.

I do love getting a Santa photo even though it is a little pricey!!  The QVB really is such a special place to visit and the company who do the photos are faultless.  I love how you put your mobile number down and they text you when it is your turn.  We have done other places and it really is hard to beat.  I always get the most expensive pack as it saves me printing out copies!!  Total laziness but one less thing to worry about plus the bonus bookmarks etc it comes with are great for all the older relatives!!

We have been lucky enough to have the same Santa for the 3 years we have been going and he is lovely.  So patient and genuinely jolly.  He had all the answers to all the questions my two big boys threw at him.  Did you know he parks his reindeer in a special garden on the roof of the QVB!!  He also graciously accepted the card the boys had written him and made sure he knew what was on their lists.  All up I think we spent 10 minutes getting the photo and having a chat.

After the photo we made our way to Pitt Street Mall to see the Lego tree which wasn't there!!  We had a peek at the David Jones window display.  Loved it!!  It was so nice to see the kids faces as they saw each window.  I do have some pics to share another day!!

These cute reindeer are the stars of the window!!

We had a little bit of lunch at the cafe inside the dj's store, after we went up to their Christmas Cave (it was nice but totally mental with people everywhere!!).  The cafe was great.  The simple reason being they had an awesome kids menu.  $6.50 got you a sandwich, a little bottle of juice and a gingerbread man for dessert.  I wish more places catered for kids this way.  It is a perfect lunch for little ones.  We ordered two to split between the boys and everyone was happy!!

After lunch we went to a few more places then headed home.  It was a long day but I think we all enjoyed it.  We can't wait to do it all again next year!!

There we have it!!  The best of seven pictures, baby in mid scream so it looks like he is smiling!!  The three year old wearing his scabby hand me down shoes which have holes in them and are quite literally falling apart!!  He is also wearing his oldest daggiest shorts, lucky he is cute!!  Butter wouldn't melt in the oldest one!!  Love it!!

Linking up with Tegan for Sunshine Sunday, Alicia for #openslather and Kirsty for #imustconfess.

Things I Know #33- Band Aid 30

Pretty much sums it up!!

This is the new version of Band Aid.  I like it!!  I like this film clip as the fairly graphic start is cut out.  It is a great version which I am sure will do extremely well..  I did think Bob could have got some more of the originals to participate again!!  I will be doing my bit and purchasing it.

Apologies now if I am not around much next week.  Next week is get all of the overseas xmas stuff sorted and sent.  I am determined to get this done and dusted by Friday.

Stay cool if you are in nsw, the next few days are supposed to be scorchers.  Pull yourself together Mother Nature there is no need for this extreme heat.

That is it for this weeks #tik.  I don't know too much obviously!!

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Wordless Wednesday- Captured Moment

Linkin up this captured (then played around with on my phone!!) moment with My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday.

$50 Style Challenge and Old School Nightclub

Old School Nightclub by help-stuck featuring heels & pumps

Ivory wedding shrug
etsy.com

Black Fringe Flapper Cocktail Dress
windsorstore.com

Diane Von Furstenberg heels & pumps
dvf.com

Jimmy choo handbag
neimanmarcus.com

Topshop rhinestone necklace
nordstrom.com

ALDO black jewelry
aldoshoes.com

$50 challenge #2 by help-stuck featuring a shopping tote bag

Boho maxi dress
amazon.com

Billabong floral sandals
billabong.com

H M shopping tote bag
$20 - hm.com

Merona hat
target.com

$50 Challenge #1 by help-stuck featuring a kimono cardigan

Kimono cardigan
fallfor.com

Uniqlo black t shirt
uniqlo.com

Flat sandals
$8.78 - beyondtherack.com

Girls' Harem Pants Black
$14 - target.com.au

$50 challenge #3 by help-stuck featuring shirts & tops

Vero Moda red tank top
$19 - veromoda.com

Jane Norman shirts top
$13 - janenorman.co.uk

Pieces aztec design shirt
$21 - pieces.com

Influence shirts top
$9.39 - thehut.com

BKE core strappy tank top
buckle.com

Vero Moda floral shirt
$7.83 - thehut.com

H M maxi skirt
$6.26 - hm.com



First up the cute vintage style flapper dress.  I always wish I lived back in the "golden days"!!   I think it is safe to say my clubbing days are far behind me!!  I love sleep too much now!!

I flicked through polyvore and found a few things I would actually wear for the  Mystery Case $50 Style Challenge.   I had planned on going to our local Salvos shop and also a Kmart but time got away and I never got the opportunity to go without my delightful children!!  My boys have some inbuilt gene from their Father which as soon as they even walk past a shop they crack an absolute wally and scream like banshees when they are little and in a pram or as they get older carry on like complete tools!!  

I got a little carried away hence the three different looks!!

Song of the day is an oldie but one I love.  I heard it yesterday when we were at 730am swimming lessons.  So relaxing and calming!!  The film clip has goats and unicorns which makes me smile!!


Linking up my contribution to the LBD Challenge and $50 Challenge with Essentially Jess for #ibot.

Quick and Easy Christmas Pudding.

 

For the first time ever I made my very first Christmas Pudding.  I followed the recipe which was on the Avanti Steamer I found last week.

I sussed out a few pudding recipes but came back to this one simply because it was so straightforward and easy!!

I didn't add cinnamon and all spice (I may have forgotten to buy some!!  Also I added 2 cups of mixed fruit as I also may have forgotten the raisins!!)  I also added the brandy at step one so it soaked in to the fruit with the butter and water.  Other than that I made it to the direction

The verdict- Freaking delicious, bloody easy and a new "family" favourite!!

The steamer won't just be used once a year either as I am trying to get my hands on a bacon pudding recipe my Nan used to make plus I have seen other steamed pudding recipes around the traps which I want to try.


In anticipation of #BandAid30 being released any second now here the original.  I remember getting this record for Christmas 30 years ago.  I am dying to know who is in the new one!!

Linking up for #openslather with One Mother Hen and Musings of the Misguided for #sunshinesunday.

Things I Know #32- Proud as punch

The Lounge topic this week is "your top ten proudest moments".

Here are mine for this week because I am just that awesome!!

1. I made sure our smoke alarms were working by burning toast.  I can confirm both alarms are in perfect working order. 
2. I made perfect soft boiled eggs.  Yes this is an accomplishment I am very proud of as I have had an absolute shocker when boiling eggs lately!!  
3.  I resisted the urge to scream and chuck my computer/phone out of the window every time I saw some kind of crappy status update this week!!  I use bad grammar to keep you guys on your toes, think of it like a game called "How many mistakes can Ann make in one post"!!  
4. Christmas present shopping will be completed by the end of the week.  Just some online ordering to do and I can sit back and relax.
5. Speaking of Christmas I am going to be cooking my first ever pudding.  I will be making a test one on Sunday and cannot wait!!  I will be mighty proud if it works out!!
6. I am so proud to say Kindy Kid caught the bus home from school this week and it was a big success.  After last weeks near disaster (looooooong story) it is all good and today he even caught the bus to school with his little friend from up the road.  I actually don't mind the drop off as all I do is slow the car down and throw him out, ok not really I do actually stop the car but we haven't had to walk him in since the start of term 2 so it isn't a big deal!!  The bus leaves about 20 minutes before we would drive to school so if he wants to catch it we will need to be out the door a lot earlier.  As the bus stop is directly across from our place this is an awesome new achievement. and my life just got a little easier a couple of days a week!!
7. After months of the vacuum working a bit half assed I am proud to say it has been serviced and is now working like brand new.  I really should learn how to clean the filters etc!!
8. I have been hand washing the dishes for nearly a week (after the seal on the dishwasher crapped itself), I am proud to say I have only bitched and whinged about this about 30 times a day.  Good gawd we go through some plates and cups in this house!!
9. 
   

 I ran out of awesome things so Proud Mary!!

Lastly, in all seriousness I am so proud to have attended our local Remembrance Day service.  It was a lovely fitting tribute to all those who have fought for our freedom.  I was so proud of my two littlest boys.  They both behaved so beautifully as did the group of kids who went from our preschool.  Next year though I will take more food and drinks and not bounce the baby up and down so much so he doesn't vomit down my top five minutes before the service ends.

I am resisting the urge to unleash a full rant about all the negative stories I have heard regarding certain groups and individuals who do not feel it necessary to mark such a special day.  Shame on them is all I have to say.

 I love this image of all the poppies surrounding The Tower of London.

Linking up with Tegan at Musings of the Misguided who is this weeks host of The Lounge and Sarah at Creating Contentmet for Thankful Thursday.

Don't forget to pop over and enter the giveaway I have going at the moment!!

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