Popcorn, the New Ice Cream

Over the weekend I attended a dear friends hens party. I was asked if I could contribute by making a dessert of some kind so, I decided on some pretty choc cupcakes and caramel popcorn choc tops. Now cupcakes are cupcakes but the caramel popcorn choc tops were fabulous! These would be a fantastic addition to any kids party and they taste delicious! They were so easy to make.

...So that when he is old he will not depart from it

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Every step of motherhood is both daunting and exciting. Its a constant mental [and physical] challenge that you somehow manage to conquer every single time! Its an ongoing challenge and... an ongoing reward.

It starts with taking a pregnancy test off the store shelf and as you walk to the check out, you can't even put your finger on how your feeling. Then its seeing those little positive lines and your heart skips a beat. Your now forced to imagine your future, the rest of your lifetime with a son or daughter. How will I love and nurture this child? What kind of parent will I be? Will I be good enough? Am I going to miss not having children? Am I cut out for motherhood? Can we live on one wage? How is a baby going to change my relationship with my husband? Could I possibly love someone else as much as I love my husband? And most importantly, can I raise this little heartbeat within me to know Jesus as their saviour, so that when he is old he shall not depart from it?

Throughout pregnancy there are countless thoughts and emotions you go through, just trying to imagine a life you've never lived before. But what I struggled with most during pregnancy was the evident labour and childbirth. It caused much anxiety and it scared me to the bone. That challenge conquered! In the last weeks and days God gave me the most amazing feeling of confidence and strength. But now that I had Rupert safe in my arms I was faced with the next challenge. Recovery. After a 14 hour natural labour with no drugs and an episiotomy my body was exhausted, in pain and somewhat traumatised. 7 weeks on and I'm still dealing with the recovery. At times in tears with pain and frustration, so frustrated that after getting over one pain along came another, and it just doesn't seem to end. But nevertheless I'm conquering these challenges of painful events.

The above are all evident challenges that will be overcome. But what about my sons spiritual growth? How will I conquer this challenge? How can I be certain that Rupert will follow the ways of the Lord? How do I ingrain but not Bible bash, teach but not force? We gave our son life, and every life has a beginning but it hasn't an end. I can't make, choose or determine the decisions Rupert will make when he is older but, while he is young enough to be impressionable and influenced by us we are to make the most of it. We should lead by example and teach him the truths and stories of the Bible, and that we are in need of Jesus saving grace. We must pray for Rupert and walk in faith that, he too will follow Christ and have a personal relationship with Jesus his Saviour.  

Homemade

I love my homemade sausage rolls, the recipe taken from ABC Delicious Quick Smart Cook Book. They are quick, easy and not too expensive to make! Great for a snack, side, or even a meal if you don't cut them into small lengths and leave them long. You can customise the flavour with different spices, pastes, or a different type of sausage mince. 

Whats for Dinner?

With the new addition of Rupert in our lives and the absence of my wage, our family has stepped into a new chapter of our lives. Our family has changed [for the better], our budget has changed... our lifestyle is now different to that of our previous.

So, lets start with whats for dinner.

How can I shop cost effectively for groceries? Which meals are most cost effective? And how can I keep it healthy, delicious and exciting?

When we both worked full time I found it difficult (or inconvenient, lack of desire rather) to make the time to do proper grocery shops and to cook regular healthy meals. I usually cooked the same few meals on a regular basis. Spag bol, apricot chicken, schnitzel ect. Whatever was quick an easy! And then on other nights we might resort to supporting our local fish and chip shop, or maccas.

I've started with a budget of $200 a month excluding perishables such as milk and fruit and vege. It's been 14 days since I did the monthly shop and we're not doing too badly. I've probably spent about $20 over the past 2 weeks on additional groceries. At the end of the 4 weeks I will evaluate how well the $200 was spent and whether I had to make many additional small shops within the month. And remembering to create a shopping list along the way so, that when I get to the next monthly shop I won't leave anything out (to prevent additional small shops).  I brainstorm and source all the meals I want to cook within the month before doing the shopping, so that I can be prepared with all ingredients.

Now for the meals. What have I been cooking? I've decided to expand my repertoire/menu and try new recipes or new variations of recipes I already use. This months cooking recipes I have sourced from the taste.com website. Let me give you bit of a commentary of a few recipes I've tried at late.

Thai kangaroo salad with crisp-fried garlic - Kangaroo is my favourite selection of meat as its cheap (comparatively) and very healthy for you. It's 98% fat free, high in iron, high in protein, low saturated fat, gluten free and most of all  its delicious! This dish was quick and easy however its supposed to serve 4... not so. Matty and I only got one meal for 2 and we were still hungry so, next time it would be best served with garlic, herb or focaccia bread. Otherwise it was very nice and had a refreshing taste. Click on the link to view the recipe.

Spanish tuna pasta bake - This was a great recipe. We managed to stretch it out to 4 meals for 2! But that doesn't allow for seconds or massive portions. I've decided this is cost effective, yummy and easy to make.

Sweet and sour pork - now for something asian. This dish tasted good but felt like a bit of work. I didn't enjoy the process of deep frying, it was messy. And it's also not the healthiest of dishes. You can get about 3 meals for 2 out of this recipe.

So there you go... thats what was for dinner.