The Rise of the Closet Mummy Blogger

I recently wrote a post about keeping my blog on the quiet from some of my family and friends HERE and I was surprised by just how many of us are out there doing the exact same thing. It got me thinking about what it is about blogging that has become so appealing to Stay At Home Mum’s. For me it was really a chance to put in writing a lot of the thoughts and experiences I have had in my short time as a mum. I don’t for one minute think that I am exceptional in what I do or how I do it, I don’t have a large number of children to deal with or a particular gift for baking, craft, organising or decorating, I just hope to spread a little joy by sharing my stories.

Tears and Joy - My Breastfeeding Story

If someone had told me I would breastfeed Skye for 12 months when she was first born I probably would have slapped them and told them they were kidding themselves. I was truly unprepared for just how difficult it would be, I had always believed that if I decided that I wanted to breastfeed my children I would have no trouble doing so. To say I was misguided is somewhat of an understatement.

Happiness Is…

A mummy with freshly painted toenails.

Have a great weekend!

Curried Sausages

I am sure everyone has a curried sausages recipe, its a winter staple in our house, and now that Skye can enjoy it too, I try to cook it at least once a fortnight. I usually make enough to have left overs and put another 2 serves in a container and freeze for when I am struck down with a case if “I don’t wanna cook”. I fill mine out with all kinds of vegies because I like it to have a lot of colour and I try to have a good portion of vegetables in most of our meals for everyone’s benefit. I also use skinless sausages because I really can’t stand biting into a piece of skin when I think its onion, plus its quicker than boiling the sausages and removing the skins.

A Day at the Park

The weather here on the Central Coast was so beautiful last weekend that we just had to be outside enjoying it. We didn’t have anywhere in particular we wanted to go but I have been keen to take Skye to a park to play on some of the equipment and anywhere close to the water is a bonus. So we grabbed some lunch and went to a little park right across the road from the Channel where all the boats come through and there are often people fishing.

 

Cleaning with my New Best Friend

Cleaning is not my idea of a fun way to pass time and in fact my mother used to say that I suffered from “dishlexia” due to my ability to avoid having anything to do with washing up after dinner. You can only imagine how annoyed she was when Luke and I moved into our first rental home with a dishwasher, she had been hanging onto the promise of me having to wash up eventually once I was living out of home only to have her dreams dashed until we bought a house that did not come with a dishwasher – and no room to install one, yes Karma is indeed a bitch. So when I get excited about any kind of cleaning related product you know it must be good because it either saves time, requires little effort or can do it by itself (when I find something like this I will be sure to let you know).

The Perils of Choosing a Baby Name

I was blessed with a pretty smooth pregnancy, there was no debilitating morning sickness, weird cravings or swollen ankles, but there was one part of my pregnancy that was not very fun at all – picking names for the baby. It was so painful in fact that we had ceased even talking about names for fear I might have totally lost it and so when they handed Skye to me and dear husband thrust his phone in my face to take a picture so he could make the announcement to everyone, the first words out of his mouth were “What are we going to call her?” My response, possibly with some obscenities was “Don’t ask me, I just had a baby!” I think the picture says it all really. Do I look like someone capable of deciding something as definitive as the name my first born is going to have to live with for the rest of her life? I was lucky to have the presence of mind to pull that sheet up before Luke starting taking happy snaps.

Happiness Is…

A little girl in charge of her own yoghurt cup.

Baked Moroccan Chicken and Rice

Are you looking for a satisfying, flavourful meal that is packed with vegies and low in fat? As an added bonus you cook the rice and the chicken in the one dish, all in the oven! There really isn’t anything bad to be said about this Baked Moroccan Chicken and Rice.

This is What Happens When I Don’t Get to Workout

I have been a little laid up with a cold for the last week or so and it has been nice enough to stick around and turn into a chest infection. I am not exactly bed-ridden but I am hoping for a speedy recovery before Luke’s big 30th birthday party next week so I am taking it very easy. The problem is that I tend to get the fidgets if I don’t get to burn off my excess energy and I usually end up taking it out on the house. My target today was the kitchen cupboards. Here is a before for you…

I’m Still a Secret–and that’s how I like it

As my blog is still in its very early stages, I haven’t actually told a lot of my friends or family or even husband about its existence just yet. I had been considering writing a blog for a little while and recently ending my agreement with work whilst on Maternity Leave served as the catalyst to sign up. Technically I have been on Maternity Leave for the last 18 months but due to resourcing issues I was still performing some of my duties from home on a casual basis. These duties required layout and design work which fulfilled my need for some kind of creative outlet and a mental challenge outside of Skye-Wrangling. Facing the prospect of losing that outlet was all the motivation I needed to get started. I didn’t realise how much I was going to enjoy writing it and I also think it is a fantastic way to document this special time in our life in a way not even Project Life can replicate. But I am still not sure if I am ready to share myself with my real world.

Happy Birthday to Mum and a Cheat’s Birthday Cake!

This weekend we celebrated my gorgeous mum’s birthday. Luke had to work so Skye and I went to my brothers house for a BBQ lunch finished off with the ultimate lazy birthday cake! You can see my mum modelling her birthday scarf in the picture – she is very happy leopard print is so big this season.

Skye however, was not quite so happy to pose for the camera – she was hoping to score some more of the delicious cake we made.

Happiness Is…

A little girl and her four-footed best friend.

Mexican Pizza

Skye has yet to experience the fun that is “Taco Night” where all manner of fillings and sauces are spread over the dinner table and everyone digs in to make their own creations. Luke likes to stuff his taco shells to the point of explosion with more cheese and BBQ sauce than most people would consider natural and I like to spice mine up with some salsa. Despite all the fun and fantastic flavour combinations, we just can’t manage to use up all the mince. I was getting a little annoyed at giving the leftovers to Bundy so I decided that we could have double the fiesta and make Homemade Mexican Pizzas the next night.

Another Step Closer to Being a Big Girl

Last week marked another small milestone in Skye’s development, another sign that she’s “not my little baby anymore”. Much like the mix of excitement and sadness I felt when Skye started to crawl, had her last breastfeed and took her first wobbly steps across our lounge room, Skye is no longer sleeping in a sleeping bag and is learning how to drive blankets and pillows.

OK, I am Weak, and I Buckled

"Hello, My Name is Erin and I am a Shopaholic". I do vaguely remember having a moment of clarity last week regarding irrelevant household purchases, but I was having some work done on the car and had to wait a couple of hours until they were finished. We were across the road from a shopping centre I am usually not anywhere near so I decided to spend my waiting time there, and then the shopping started...

Celebrating Mother's Day

My Mother's Day celebrations actually started on Thursday when Skye brought home a beautiful card she had made at Family Day Care. Then on Friday I was forced (no really) to open my present early because half way through making Red Velvet Cupcakes for our celebrations my hand mixer blew up, so I was left with no choice but the break out my new Stand Mixer, yes I was so disappointed ;-). I was even more excited when I fired that baby up and realised she is actually quieter than my old hand mixer, so I can bake away while Skye sleeps without worrying she will wake early.

Happy Mothers Day

To every mummy out there I hope you have a fantastic day no matter how you spend it. We are off to see both grandmas and possibly a great grandma this weekend so it will be a busy and happy Mother's Day this year for our gang.

I already have the best Mother's Day present ever

But I have it on good authority that I have also been spoiled with a Stand Mixer too! Looks like our Mother's Day lunch is going to be a little dessert heavy, just the way we like it.

Have a great weekend, see you Monday for a celebrations update!

I Run Like a Mummy

Yes thats right like a mummy, and mummys are pretty tough. I used to run like a girl, I would turn the alarm off and go back to sleep, say I will go tomorrow, or in the afternoon, anytime other than right now. The slightest hint of rain or increase in temperature would be enough for me to abandon my plans. That was until I became a mummy and I discovered that managing to get an hour out of the house on my own would take the planning and coordination of a Royal Wedding. Like many mums, I don't always have the luxury of doing it properly tomorrow or making up for it next time. I have managed to make this window available and I am not about to waste it.

Healthy(er) Fettuccine Boscaiola

As far as I am concerned, boscaiola is creamy, silky comfort in a bowl, a classic combination of bacon, mushrooms and onion simmered in a smooth, garlicky sauce, poured over mountains of fettuccine pasta and finished with freshly shaved parmesan - ah yes, my mouth is watering now. 

The only problem is its just so naughty! Well, I have found a solution that still gives you the comfort factor while being a little more hip-friendly. My recipe has been adapted from one found HERE on taste.com.au. I have added chicken to keep the carnivores happy and a couple of small tweaks depending on what I have on hand at the time. This recipe makes a huge amount (it should serve 4-5 people or more) so it is ideal for getting a couple of nights out of, or add some garlic bread and a side salad when you are cooking for a crowd.

Happiness Is...

A little girl and a full bottle of bubbles xx

A Cupboard Clean Out, With a Side of Lightbulb Moment

As the weather over the weekend was less than outdoors friendly here on the Central Coast I decided that it was time to tackle the built-ins and linen cupboard (yes I am such a party girl). As I like to do these cleanouts every year or 2 I went into this thinking that there wouldn't be too much that needed to come out, but I would at least be able to get rid of the dust and straighten things up a bit so I could actually find things.

Trying on a New Face

Well if you have recently joined me you will notice I have undergone a bit of cosmetic adjustment in the layout department. My old template was being a little temperamental and not allowing me to receive comments from people so if any one was kind enough to leave me a message, I am sorry but it did not come through.

Please feel free to give me your feedback on the design, assuming my commenting issues have been resolved of course.

See you tomorrow!

I Love Mondays!

I know, I know, it goes against every logical fibre of my being to say this, but Mondays are fast becoming my favourite day of the week. I have always tried to make Mondays our "at home" day without any planned activities like swimming, day care, gym, groceries or play dates because after the busy weekend where routines tend to go out the window in lieu of some family fun we both seem to need a quiet day. I know we have done Monday "right" if I see this...