My Simple Salad

The simple things in life are often the best!  As I ate my salad at lunch time today I had a feeling of pure enjoyment.  I have grown every vegetable, apart from the olives and made a salad dressing from olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.  My salad tasted amazing!  I never would have imagined the pure satisfaction a simple meal could accomplish.  The best ingredient is the love for gardening and being able to walk into my backyard “shop” and pick fresh ingredients, then prepare my food and relax to enjoy the creation.  My chickens get to eat all the vegetable scraps, which completes this wonderful cycle.    My favourite is an egg salad that my chickens have helped create.

Positive Affirmations

When negative thoughts and depression grips me I find it helpful to read my affirmation sheet, which I have hanging in my bedroom to help remind me all is ok.  After spending the past 7 months recovering from Ross River Fever, I have often felt frustrated that I don’t have the energy each day to do all the things I used to be able to get through.  I am slowly getting better and hopefully will return to my normal healthy self soon. 

Here are some of my affirmations that I’ve found helpful during this time:

• I will get better in the next few months
• I’m able to rest and not overload my day
• I do enough – I am enough
• I am living just for today
• I will not push myself beyond my current energy level
• I am committed to getting well
• I am looking after myself
• This too shall pass
• I am going to recover
• I am a good parent
• I can think positively
• I can let others help me
• I can ask for help
• I am grateful for friendships
• I am taking care of myself physically, spiritually and emotionally
• I don’t need others approval
• I have a relationship with my God
• I don’t need to feel guilty
• I can treat myself well
• I can do one day at a time
• I don’t have to achieve everyday
• I can rest and recuperate

Home Schooling - Sewing Lessons

 Part of our home schooling journey is following interests that the children have.  During a second hand shopping bargain finding afternoon, my daughter found a length of material that she liked.  She imagined it as a wonderful beach bag.  As I am not a sewer, we enlisted the talents of a friend and we all went to sewing lessons once a week for a term.  The children made different items using recycled material.  My son made pillow cases from an old sheet.  I made a tote bag from an old skirt and my daughter made her beach bag.  We all learnt new skills and refashioned material so it could have a second life.

Garage Sales

I stopped by a garage sale yesterday just to have a look around and see if I could find a bargain.  Yes, luck was on my side, I found a pile of ABC Gardening Australia Magazines all 2011 and 2012 additions.  Then I spotted some wire fencing that I immediately thought would be useful in my vege garden.  So for the grand total of $10, I left the garage sale richer for the experience and with wonderful goodies.

A rule I have for myself around garage sales is that I have to have a use for the items; otherwise I’m just collecting other people’s unwanted things, which would be a waste of money.  So happy garage sale hunting!

Parenting Teenagers

We don’t get a lot of encouragement to build a stable and happy family life, but when I look around that seems to be the one thing missing from a lot of people’s lives.  Leading a simple lifestyle has help create balance and time in my life to spend with the people I love and to continue to build relationships that are important to me.  With three teenagers it is a challenge to stay connected, set boundaries and also give them independence built on trust.  I’m finding the teenage years demanding on an emotional and physical level.  Being “mum’s taxi service” is a great way to have chatting time with my children.  Having strong consistent boundaries around my teenagers is a necessary part in guiding them through this time in their lives.  My aim is to produce three independent, well-adjusted and capable individuals. Here are a few of my household rules for teenagers:

·         We all need to show respect towards each other

·         They are responsible for keeping their own bedrooms in order, (otherwise they live in a pigsty)

·         They need to put they own dirty washing in the laundry, (otherwise it won’t get washed)

·         They all have set household jobs (eg. Folding washing, mowing lawns, vacuuming, packing dishwasher)

·         They must have a casual job from age 14-15

·         They must save 50% of their income towards their future and purchase of their first car

·         They must finance their own mobile phones

·         When getting their driver’s license, I pay for the first test, then if they fail they need to pay

·         Once they are 18 years old, they need to pay board and do their own washing

I see it as my responsibility to make sure these rules are kept.  I encourage and help them achieve these goals.  I’m always praising them and letting them know they are valued and appreciated.  Of course sometimes things don’t always go to plan, and its two steps forward followed by one step backwards.  As long as they are making progress and developing living skills, personal boundaries and a good self-esteem that’s what’s important.  I try to spend some time with each child individually and make it special.  Be it coffee at a café and listen to what is going on for them, this helps to stay connected.  We also have family time together to maintain a sense of belonging.  I think parenting is one of the hardest jobs in the world, but the most rewarding. 

 

 

Mosaic Tiling on a Budget

Mosaic tiling can be quite an expensive hobby, but here are a few ideas of how to enjoy this hobby on a budget.  All the pieces I have created are from tiles I have picked up from the local Buy Back Centre at our local Tip.  I have found all the base items to do the mosaic tiling on either at the Buy Back Centre or at garage sales.  You just need to use your imagination and you will be surprised at the pieces you can create.  Searching around for base items is part of the fun, as you never know what you might find.  The only items I have had to buy were the tile adhesive and the grout.  I find smashing up tiles quite therapeutic and a good stress release.  I just wrap the tile in an old towel and then use a hammer to break it up.  I store the broken tiles in old jars or plastic containers.  I also found a mosaic tiling book at the local Library in the discontinued section, which only cost 60 cents.  Another place to find base items to mosaic is second hand shops.  Here are a few pieces I have created:

                                               

Saving Money on Haircuts

The cost of haircuts, colours and styling can all add up.  Here are a few suggestions for keeping the cost to a minimum.  Obviously the cheapest option is to grow your hair long, so it doesn’t need cutting too regularly.  I used to keep my hair shoulder length so I could easily trim the ends and keep it in shape.

If you have been blessed like me, with premature greying or should I say whitening of your hair it is a constant battle to keep hair coloured without breaking the bank.

For the past 2 years I have been going to a local Hair Salon and being a hair model for their 1^st year apprentice. She started out practising blow drying then moved to colour and now she is up to cutting.  My daughter also is a hair model, as her hair is longer the apprentice practises different up-styles.  We get all our colour and cuts for free.  Why not ask your local hair salon if they need a hair model.

Another idea is to try the cheapest shampoo and conditioner you might be surprised that your hair still looks great.  Another tip for dry hair is to coat your hair with olive oil and leave in for a few hours, then wash it out and your hair will have had a wonderful treatment.

 

Home Schooling & Work Ethic

I am a firm believer in teaching children how to have a good work ethic. Home schooling has allowed flexibility with time so studying and volunteering was possible.

When my twins were 12 years old we volunteered at a Community Food Store, so they could learn about others in our community.  Their reward was a sense of helping others and this experience gave them insight into others less fortune than themselves.   They also gained work experience and learnt how a food store and café operate.

My son was interested in BMX bike riding, so I arranged work experience at our local Bike Shop.  This experience taught him customer service, communication skills, bike maintenance, and how to assemble bikes.   

He then became interested in the Building Industry as his cousin was an apprentice carpenter.  So we arranged work experience with a local Building Company.  He learnt about the building industry and all the different trades that are needed to build a house.  During this time I designed his English lessons from Building Manuals and books to do with the building industry.  

When he was old enough to apply for casual work, having all this work experience on his resume really helped him gain employment.   Putting his resume together was another home schooling lesson.  He now has a casual job in the Fast Food Industry and is enjoying earning and saving money. 

My daughter continued volunteering at the Community Store, as she really enjoyed the work.  She then did some work experience at a local Café where she learnt more about customer service, communication skills, and kitchen duties and about the Hospitality Industry.

She then gained employment at the local Indoor Children’s Play Centre and Café.  This work has taught her organisation skills, how to run a children’s birthday party, cooking skills and how a small business operates.

This whole experience has taught a lot of living skills and work ethic, my children have a good sense of budgeting and how to work for a living.  They have gained many new skills, confidence and the knowledge that by working hard you can earn money and save for things you want.  Home schooling and casual work has really helped their maturity and learning.

 

Homemade Dish Cloths

Instead of buying disposable dish cloths I now make my own.  Disposable dish cloths just get thrown in the bin once you use them and add to landfill.  So to help save money and our planet, I now cut up old tea towels and sew around the edges so they don’t fray.  I make four dish cloths out of each old tea towel, but if you prefer your cloths smaller you could make 6 or 8 cloths per tea towel.   I just wash my homemade dish cloths and re-use them.   They are great to use for washing up dishes, wiping down benches or you could use them in the bathroom or laundry.