Mouthwatering Monday - Week 1

I meal plan every week, not always on a Monday! It started as a bit of a habit from the various diet clubs I have attended over the years but now it has become just another routine that helps family life seem a little less chaotic. If I know what is going to be on the table each night and if I know that I have the correct ingredients in my cupboard and fridge to make each meal, I am filled with a certain comfort.

This is my first meal plan that I am linking up with Mrs M.

Monday - As I write this I have already enjoyed tonight's dinner. I use this Netmums recipe for my Beef Stew and I love it. It's super easy, filling and cheap. 

Tuesday - I cook a very basic stir fry which is actually more like a chow mein. I fry the chicken in sesame oil, throw in a stir fry pack (usually edamame bean as that is Grumpinator's favourite) with a little extra sesame oil. I stir throw the cooked noodles with a little soy sauce. Sometimes I might add a packet sauce but I prefer it as basic as possible. 

Wednesday - We go to my Mother in Law's for dinner on a Wednesday. A nice mid week break from the cooking!

Thursday - Shop bought fishcakes, no effort involved! I can cook my own and I have but I am all about the saving of money, time and energy at the moment. I will serve the fishcakes with some baby corn, mange tout and potato wedges.

Friday - I love salmon as does Grumpinator! The honey and Chinese 5 spice glaze is another Netmum's favourite, it's so simple but a very delicious meal. 

Saturday - I have bought a gammon joint and I will be using a recipe from my favourite recipe book by a fellow blogger, Nick from My Daddy Cooks. It's a tasty honey glaze with a pea mash. 

Sunday - is a day of rest so if I can't convince my step dad to have us over for a roast chicken Sunday lunch, I will buy a cooked chicken and cook the trimmings. You can't have a roast chicken dinner without a wee chipolata sausage or two and some thick gravy. YUM!

Make a House a Home

Disclaimer - this is a sponsored post but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting to read!

We moved into our new house on Friday and we have already starting thinking about ways to personalise the new house. Although our new house is move in condition and nicely decorated, we still have loads of ideas and would probably need to consider whether we can afford a loan to fulfil all our ambitions for the place. The biggest issue for us is the extra rooms as we will need more furniture to fill them so that the house doesn’t look like an empty shell.

What I have realised is that that I really want my new house to feel homely. The house we have just moved from was nice but I have purposely didn't put my mark on it too much as I guess I have always felt that it was simply a stop gap. We didn't let ourselves get too comfortable as we always knew that another move was imminent.

I’m really excited about taking my time over making this new house my home and I am trying to restrain myself from jumping in at the deep end. I intend on taking my time to think carefully about each room, planning out it’s space and function, considering the colour schemes and giving myself the permission to make it ours. Watch this space!

Keep your Moans in Perspective

I felt like moaning today.

Let me paint you a picture . . .

We're moving house and it's all very chaotic. Every box I pack, JC is right behind me pulling out whisks, spatulas and other household objects. 

JC is climbing, he loves heights, I am trying to run around behind him to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.

I'm back at work and I've had parents nights this week - always a stressful event for any teacher.

My band is 'breaking up'. Okay so it's not on a Westlife or Take That scale but it's still full of emotions and crushed feelings. It's all very disappointing and sad. 

JC keeps feeding Kaiya. She has a sensitive stomach so now she is vomiting up JC's snacks all over the house. He could be a ninja, he's so sneaky. 

Some evil person hacked Hubby's XBox account and run up £170 of purchases until we figured out what was happening. Not a great time to lose money when every penny is being counted for our move.

My husband thinks that the best contribution he can make to the move effort is to play his new XBox game upstairs in the bedroom as he is 'keeping out the way'. Saying that he did do the garden today so he might have to take the rest of the week off. 

But, I have plenty to be cheerful about too. 

I have a beautiful child who is happy, healthy and full of spirit. 

I have a husband who cares about me and looks after me. At least I know he is upstairs playing computer games and not down the pub getting up to who knows what. (He also makes a great cup of tea and he makes me laugh)

The stolen money will be replaced by Microsoft eventually, it's a short term problem. 

I have a large, loving family who support and help me by listening to my moans. 

I am moving to my new house next week and everything is signed and sealed. 

I have a secure job that I enjoy. My school kids are like my adopted children and I love them all very much. Parents night is a great night to hear about how parents and children appreciate the work I do. 

Kaiya will recover once JC learns that he can't feed her, this like all stages will pass. 

The band has been a source of great anxiety, time and pressure in my life and I will notice a positive difference when it ends. 

See, I feel better now. It's all about perspective. 

Check out more cheerfulness with Michelle's Blog Hop being hosted by Kate this week. 

Listography - Lessons from my parents

Kate over at Kate Takes 5 has set us the challenge of coming up with our 5 lessons that we learnt from our parents. Here's my attempt . . .

1. Treat other people the way you would like to be treated - or better

I was brought up to treat other people with kindness and respect. I think that I manage to get this right most of the time but I am bound to slip up from time to time. I don't think you can go far wrong in your treatment of other people by using yourself as a benchmark. I sometimes look at people's behaviour and wonder how they can be so cruel and unkind to others without giving it a second thought. I am proud of the fact that my parents brought me up to be tolerant and accepting of others, regardless of who they are, what they look like, what beliefs they hold and even how they treat me. To my detriment at times, I continue to look for the good in people who shit all over me!

2. There's no pockets in a shroud.

This is really from my Dad and at times it has not always served me well as I tend to spend money thoughtlessly at times but I feel the sentiment is worth looking at in depth. He taught me that it is important to live for today. Don't plan your life instead of living it as you never know when your time may run out. You can save your money for a rainy day but that rainy day might never come. So if there is something you are passionate about, spend the money, spend the time and live your life to the full.

3. Everything happens for a reason, just believe.

Over the years life has thrown us some major obstacles. At times it has felt like fate/God/whatever/whoever you believe is writing the script of our lives is really messing with our family. Sending heartache and disappointment at the worst times. However my Mum always stood by her belief that all the horrible things in life have a knock on effect at some later point in our lives which shapes who we being as people, making us stronger or guiding us in directions we may not have chosen to go. I have to admit that the rubbish moments in my life so far have all healed with time and led me down more positive paths.

4. Karma, Baby, Yeah!

Give out ugliness and you'll get ugliness in return. When I was bullied at school I remember my Mum telling me that 'You'll see your own of them' which basically means that the hurt they have caused you will come back to them and in years to come you will be in a much better place and be able to look back at this and laugh. They also taught me that the people you meet on your way up will be the ones you see again on the way down so treat them nicely. There is nothing more annoying that people who think they are a class above everyone else, someone who looks down on others because they are, in their opinion, more fortunate.

5. Don't tell black lies and keep an eye on the white ones

From a very young age I was told never to lie. Even if the truth was hurtful or if I would get into trouble should the truth come to light. I was always encourage to come clean with the truth. I was taught by my Mum  that I would get into so much more trouble if I lie and I am then found out because not only will I be in trouble for the actual deed I am lying about but also for lying. I hate the feeling of being lied to and I like to think I have a bullshit detector installed within me. I actually tell the kids in my class that I was upgraded at 'teacher school' with an internal lie detector and eyes in the back of my head. This is what I call a white lie. One that doesn't really harm anyone not like those awful big black lies that cause so much pain to others. I like to keep an eye on the white lies though so that lying doesn't become a habit.

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