No More Gifts!

As I sit to breakfast of two home laid fried eggs sprinkled with parmesan and a cup of decaffeinated vanilla ice coffee I can't help but notice the myriad of posts centered around the theme of "giving less".
OK I understand, I grew up in a time where my Christmas stocking was filled with an orange, some walnuts or almonds still in their shells and maybe a pretty thing and a candy cane. We weren't dirt poor but we were certainly earthy!
Our Christmas gifts came from Grandparents who survived the depression, did things homemade and loved each of their many grandkids. From parents who worked hard manual labor, saved and also made handmade when they could. Santa was around but he never got any credit for my family's hard work. I dreamed of the pony in the backyard on Christmas morning but always woke to gifts and food and family and I don't remember feeling like I missed out.

Now as a parent I love the opportunity to get gifts for my children, to work out what they might like. Do I overspend on the budget? Sometimes. Do I fail the "It's just what I wanted" test? Repeatedly. Do I stress about what to get for who? Sometimes, OK most times.
But in "Blogworld"  I see posts that suggest the 'perfect' Christmas contains three gifts per child. Makes me glad I only had two of the little suckers! Imagine a family with nine. Nine times three is...?

But it's so biblical... one to represent each of the wise men's gifts - Gold (something precious), frankincense (something for worship - NO, not One Direction type worship.) and Myrrh (something for the body). So there were three gifts (not necessarily three givers) how much gold, frankincense and myrrh did they give? Was it wrapped? How much did they spend?

Then there are the four gift givers. Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Very poetic, I like that...now for the practical application - my son wants an Iphone, the latest of course, he doesn't need anything because he has all his needs provided, something to wear (isn't that one of his needs) this one smacks of my mummy desire to ensure everyone is wearing my choice on Christmas Day, and then something to read - this must be my Mummyfail. Neither of my boys like/enjoy reading. I guess I would have to buy them a DVD.

Then mix it up with the "gift from Santa" to keep the magic of Christmas alive! pffft. Apologies but Christmas isn't 'magical' . Go your hardest but no parent can conjure up a Christmas miracle, the beauty of Christmas is that the miracle has happened and as a parent I can point them to the wonder of that miracle!
And finally a gift for someone in need. This one I like with the proviso that this is a habit of a lifetime not an every Christmas conscience easer.

When I think of Christmas giving I have decided that I want to focus on the gift of Christmas. God gave out of all His abundance and wealth the most precious of gifts. Something that we needed desperately, couldn't ever hope to afford and never even knew we needed. God extended Himself extravagantly in love and faces daily rejection of his amazing gift. It is undervalued, trivialized and thrown back at Him with "I don't want this!" ringing from ungrateful lips. We take the tinsel and the fairy lights to dress up our lack and fail to see the richness and beauty of His sacrifice. So my kids will be given one extravagant gift; something I think they need out of my unconditional love for them, like it or not!

And just in case you think I'm serious... there is a number of gifts for each of my boys under the tree, some they requested, some I thought would be funny or cute or practical. They have not broken the bank or caused us to take out a loan. Some will make them laugh, some they will look at me with the "what were you thinking Mum" face.

It's Christmas - I enjoy the food, the fairy lights, the festivity but I would trade it all to ensure my children are ever grateful to the Christ however they choose to celebrate His birth, death and resurrection.

Merry Christmas and God bless us everyone.

Christmas Cake

 
Today I decided try an easy recipe my SIL told me about. Not sure where it came from but will have to research that later. Yesterday, I combined 1kg of chopped dried fruit - for me that means Cranberries, Apricots, Currants, Prunes and a few left over Dates and Figs that were in the back of the pantry with... wait for it... a 600ml carton of Farmers Union Iced Coffee. I was going to use the strong one but as this might be tried by kids I chose the lesser of two evils. This was left in the fridge overnight to soak up that wonderful nectar.
This morning I added 3 cups of White Wings Self Raising Flour and mixed. Spooned it into some Christmas-y patty pans ready to cook in a slow (150C for about 20 minutes)

OK, so being me I couldn't leave it at just that...

 
 I mixed up some Christmas Spices - Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg with some Castor Sugar and sprinkled it on top and threw on a few slivered Almonds.

 

Just got them out of the oven, tasty!
Next time tho' I think I would mix the spices into the mix before cooking.

OOH update... I can't find where this recipe came from but there are so many variations - use chocolate milk, fruit juice, sweet wine etc. instead of the Iced coffee.

Canberra Road Trip!



Road Trip Self Portrait!

Son number one (in birth order, not importance!) has made the State Junior Indoor U23 Volleyball Team and after saving hard is ready to leave for Canberra - Australia's Capital. He leaves on Sunday. We make it until Monday before Hubby announces, "I think we should go to watch him." His reasoning - how many more opportunities will we have to do this. He's 19; on the verge of leaving the nest, and hubby is sport mad and mad about his boys!

 






Driving...



We leave early Tuesday and drive...forever. Until we have travelled from Lewiston in South Australia to Lake Talbot in NSW. Three states; three quarters of a crocheted blanket; bales of cotton on the roadside; Fruit Ban areas; a stunning Old Man Red kangaroo who we missed with both the car and the camera; a late overnight in an onsite van and an early morning to try to reach the Australian Institute of Sport for the 8am game. We were there!





Australian Institute of Sport.



The stadium is warm - bonus! The city is not! Our plans were to camp; to save money. Hubby after much hinting announces that the forecast of minus 5 degrees is not suitable for camping and so we try to find budget accommodation in the nation's capital during school holidays. Ha! Nothing here; yes but too expensive; just right but the cleaners haven't been in and can't make it til tomorrow.... Frustrated Hubby+ silently fuming wife= silent car trip to dodgy and expensive motel fifteen minutes from the AIS. At least the scenery was pretty!




Colour in the middle of winter.



We watch two team wins and bunk down to wake up on the right side of the bed. The current mantra in my head is "in the moment"; don't wish or worry it away and once again I have the opportunity to practice here.





War Memorial buildings, and Hubby.



The last time we passed through this city we had two small children and couldn't find fuel or food. It's all neatly hidden away. we were still hesitant that Canberra would be any more than a series of volleyball matches but were pleasantly surprised.

 

In between matches we took a tour of the AIS and questioned the validity of the exorbitant financial investment that countries make into sport. Decided that if they didn't they would probably just end up spending the money on war and then wondered why we still can't win more medals at the Olympics.






Memorial to Simpson and his Donkey.



We went to visit the Australian War Memorial. Silently wished everyone else would leave so that I wouldn't feel so embarrassed about getting teary at the Pool of Remembrance. Pondered sacrifice, respect and culture as we took the tour and then wondered if there is a memorial for all those who served and returned; forever changed by their experiences?



Maybe our next home?



We walked past Lake Burley Griffin; named after the American who planned out Canberra and wondered at the irony. Couldn't we find an Aussie to do that? Visited Blundell's Cottage and surmised that if it were ever for sale, lakefront Canberra property values might not allow us to purchase it no matter how quaint it was. Saw our old and new Parliament House Buildings. I like the old one better. Went to the top of the Telstra Tower and reminisced over the display of old telephones and mobiles. Long live the brick!



Our Parliament Houses, old and new.

We ate out at an Indian restaurant and made sandwiches for lunch, chatted and relaxed and sightsaw. Laughed a little, relaxed, visited a place that made chocolates (Robyn Rowe Chocolates)  and a place that smoked meats (Poacher's Pantry), ate Macdonald's macrons and drank their coffee.

 In between all that we watched volleyball and saw our son contribute to his team. They made the final and in a hard fought match lost to the Queensland team who I'm sure could have played for their state in the State of Origin Rugby series. So we come home at 4am Sunday morning with a bunch of memories and our number one son brings home a silver medal.

 

Gotta love a road trip!

 

Home is...

So the search is on for our next home.
Not by our choosing but due to the choices of others, our landlord, we are on the move again. Twenty six years of marriage and our next home will be our sixth if you don't include temporary stays with in laws and travels overseas. I'm guessing that for those in the armed forces or other such transient jobs that's not much, but for us....
My childhood consisted of three family homes. The first, rented, where I was born and have no memory of. The second also rented but this one I have fond memories of. Finally the home where we lived from when I was seven until I left to be married at twenty two. The home where my parents still live.

In fact, when we bought our first home, after we were married, it was at the other end of the very same street. We lived there until our second child was about two then after a short stay with the in laws took off to the other side of the world for three months. We returned to a rental property in the same suburb, then found a fixer upper a few streets away which we purchased. We lived there for about five years.
Our next move was to build, up the hill, in a neighboring suburb. We lasted about five years until circumstances required that we sell up. We chose to move the furthest I had ever lived from home, in a rural suburb, twenty minutes from my childhood home where we have rented two and a half acres for the last three years.

I love the animals I have accumulated, the neighbors I have befriended, the country atmosphere and would be happy to stay. This is not to be. The owners have sold the property and we currently have ninetyish days to find the next home in our journey.
And now... the choices and lack of the same are daunting. To buy or rent? This area or further away? The financial constraints? The family constraints? The work constraints? The pet constraints?
Do we rent something nicer than we could afford to buy or buy something within our budget that needs work? Will we have time to live the rural lifestyle if we are working harder to afford it? How far is too far from our teenagers education, friends and interests. It's not the norm in our culture to not own your home. Nor is it usual to send your teenagers to live somewhere else for their tertiary education.
How do we still fulfill the responsibilities to family if we move further away just by choice? Not because our employment demands it. Are we foolish to give up the privileges of family and church to move to somewhere that we would prefer to live.
The fear - that we end up in a place that we are not happy with, does not suit us or somehow ties us down if other opportunities arise; that we take a rental property only to miss out on the 'perfect' place to buy; that we can't find what we want; that we disadvantage our kids or our parents; that we end up old and broke and homeless.
The hope - that God knows who we are and what we need; that He can do miracles (like taking away the anxiety); that property, possessions and placement are not the most important part of our lives.
The immediate choices need to be made within the next ninety days or less...
Right now - be content in the moment. Step out as opportunity arises and be patient when doors close.

Pinterest Success!

Have I mentioned, I love Pinterest? Lots of looking, oohhing and aahhing, pinning and promising I will actually try some of the things I have pinned. I think I have even pinned a link to the idea of a Pinterest Party. A get together where you actually try some of those pins - haven't done that one...yet! But I did try these two pins and hopefully I can insert & link them effectively.
Pin 1
You knew it had to be a food pin... Introducing "Crack Bread" as in highly addictive, based on the pull-apart bread idea but with a lot less effort. Think, not having to make the actual bread, just stuff it with heaps of goodies. I roadtested the Bacon/Cheese/Ranch version and the Honey/Cinnamon/Sugar version. Both were winners. Not living in the US of A I couldn't find any Ranch seasoning. (Actually I was in too much of a rush to eat this stuff and didn't even look.) I went to www.food.com/recipe/ranch-dressing-and-seasoning-mix-47249 and found a recipe there - I substituted plain old powdered milk as I haven't seen powdered buttermilk here either. It tasted great but I would be interested to see what kind of tang the buttermilk powder might give it.
You can find it via my Pinterest board "Homemade" or scoot on over to plainchicken.com and search for it there.
Unfortunately, I did make the Bacon version three times in one weekend (for different events; not just to scoff all myself!) Unfortunate because each time I was chided by my teenage vacuum cleaners, "Why are we sharing this, Mum?" Guess I'll have to work on their sharing skills later, after I finish munching on some more of this stuff.

Pin 2

This one took a little more time and wasn't quite so tasty. I saw this pin (also on my "Handmade" board) and quickly read the pattern which you can find here http://sewingbelle.blogspot.ca/2012/07/crochet-face-clothsdish-cloths-pattern.html
Unfortunately I obviously didn't read it through well enough. My facecloths were made on a smaller hook (3) and I'm sure I didn't use the right combination of stitches and the cotton was leftovers (hence the rainbow colours, dodgy edges etc.) but I'm pretty happy with the result. I've completed one each for my 3 boys and am ready to start on one for me. They are in full use with no complaints so far and I have accomplished more than sitting down watching TV on a few evenings. Yay me!

As for linking... I'm still working on it...

Pinterest

Just a note to say you can follow me on Pinterest too! You'll find me here http://pinterest.com/ozcountrychic .

Blogging?

So here I sit on a chilly winter's morn. Toes and nose slightly iced, wondering what on earth I am doing? I have just spent the better part of a precious morning tweaking and re-tweaking my "Blog" and am still not 100% happy with it, mostly because I don't know what I am doing!
So why am I attempting to blog? I have grown up with a love of reading... think Brick from the Middle... and this has instilled in me desire to hear other's stories, other's lives, other's opinions; blogging gives me a chance to tell my story.
I am mother to two almost grown boys who currently are not particularly interested in my story; one day they may be and if they are like most other folk, that day may be too late to ask. Blogging gives me an opportunity to leave my story for them.
I am constantly in search of information, how to, why etc. I love craft, cooking, animals, faith and family. I love to share great ideas and failures too so this blog will intentionally focus on the F's in my life - Faith, Family, Farm, Food and Fun (and any other alliterations I can fit in... Fit! There's another one.) ooh Fabric... stop me, I'm on roll!
The best part of blogging is that I can do it sitting in my PJs, on the run and whenever it fits my schedule. I am looking forward to the adventure that blogging may take me on and invite you to share it with me.