Close but no cigar....

.....$204.87

We had a party at work on nightshift this week and the girls requested Portugese Custard Tarts from me which I've made a few times for them now. Unfortunately the pantry didn't have the ingredients I needed so a trip to Woolies was made and I did go a little over budget.

Talking about food I am heading over to a friends house warming at her farm tonight and we are all bringing a plate of food to share. I resisted the urge to make all the usual suspects and am trying something new - Lemon Puddings from my new Donna Hay cookbook the kids gave me for mothers day. Not sure how they will go but they smell lovely ;-)

Budget Smudget

Long time....no blog...... Rather than tell you all the reasons why I haven't blogged for months I'm just going to dive right in and write about my current focus.

Given that I desperately want a new bedroom suite, a Tasmanian holiday with the kids and then a solo trip to Europe all in the next eighteen months I really needed to take a serious look at the budget and try and work out how to trim some of the fat out. My wonderful bank has an automatic budget tracker which records and categorises all my expenses which has certainly been an eye opener!! One area that I am currently trying very hard to get under control is my grocery bill.

Over the past six months my average spend has been between $500 and $600 now for a family of three which has two small children who don't eat that much I really think that it's too high. Looking at all those transactions it's not that I'm spending alot in a few shops but I'm spending $20-$30 every day or two and clearly all those little trips add up to a BIG bill. This pay fortnight is almost over with three days to go but so far my spend this fortnight on groceries is $148.39 and while I might need to buy a loaf of bread and perhaps a potato or two before pay day I'll definitely be coming in under the $200 limit I had set myself.

So - what's changed?? I'm menu planning which has been good both in terms of the actual shopping but also for the 'OMG what am I going to make tonight' thoughts. Planning has also meant that there have been significantly fewer left overs being thrown into the bin. This disturbs me in two ways - firstly that is my hard earned cash going into the trash and secondly it is a complete waste of food and that does not make me feel good. I've gotten more creative with ways of using left overs and it probably helps that I've had some great food bargains this fortnight - I found drumsticks on special at my local butcher and managed to score 12 drumsticks for $4. I baked them as a tomato based traybake with veges and that has made a meal for all of us plus another dinner for Izaak and I've just stripped the meat off the final two to add to some risotto to take to work tomorrow night.

I AM going to go to Tasmania

I WILL be getting a beautiful new bedroom setting

Europe IS GOING TO HAPPEN FOR ME

Dream. Believe. Plan. Achieve - I CAN DO IT!!

I got it!!!

It seems crazy that 12 months ago I was nervously and excitedly starting out on my journey into the new graduate program and my new career. I was looking forward to placements in gastrointestinal surgery, stoke & infectious diseases and then finally in paediatrics and while I have enjoyed and learnt skills on each of these rotations one in particular has stood out as an area of particular interest for me.

12 months on and I've almost (9 shifts to go!!) finished the new graduate program and am moving onto a transitional nursing position. We were required to put in preferences for work areas and had to complete and submit a professional portfolio. The preferences, along with our portfolios would decide on the positions for 2011.

For me it was a no-brainer when it came to preferences, I was desperate to get back to gastro surg. It's a very acute area (often described as a step down ICU) and I love the thrill and adrenalin of the very very sick patients. The anatomy and surgical interventions are also extremely interesting to me and it's an area that is constantly developing with new things to learn all the time!

So I put my preferences & portfolio in, crossed my fingers and waited....and waited....and waited.

I GOT IN!! I GOT GASTRO SURG!!! Starting back on the 10th of February I can't wait to get in there, use and learn some skills and be part of an amazing team! 2011 is going to be an exciting year!

2011

What are you and your family planning for 2011? Are you a resolution maker? I can quite firmly and surely say that I'm a breaker not a maker!!

I have hopes rather than resolutions for the 12 months ahead.

I'm hoping for....

• a good start to school for the miss
• a good continuation of school for the master
• more quality family time
• less stress
• more exercise
• more organisation within our home
• continuing good health
• slightly more wealth definitely wouldn't go astray!!

I'm looking forward to....

• the next big step for my baby!! (starting school!)
• a new phase in my career
• our first family overseas holiday
• spending more time and investing more energy into particular friendships and relationships

And that, my friends, is how 2011 will be shaping up for us!!

A belated christmas round up

Thought I'd share a few of my fave pics from Christmas 2010....
My gorgeous although slightly wacky sister....

My nephew Conner

This picture makes me giggle every time I see it ;-)

My overall favourite picture of the day.... this is my support network, my babysitters, counsellors, friends, foes, laughter, smiles, tears, my everything.

My sister & family...

My favourite picture of my big girl.... she's looking so grown up these days!! I love the little girl that she is turning into. She's thoughtful, appreciative, caring, loving and just a real little character!! I'm going to miss her once she starts school in a few short weeks

Looking back it was just a few weeks ago but it seems like AGES ago now! It's funny how time seems to be moving faster and faster for me lately!! Onwards and upwards as we move into 2011!

I love my work

I honestly feel really blessed to be in a job where I wake up 90% of the time and think that I really do want to go to work.

I love....
..... being able to contribute to serious medical discussions and decision making meetings
..... making a difference to the lives of sick children and their families
..... learning new things every single day
..... smiling - and having a little person smiling back at me
..... going home and realising that although things in my house aren't perfect - they are a damned site better than what it could be
..... my job!

Crazy Times

I could bleet on about how long it's been, why I haven't blogged and all that jazz but I don't want to waste my time (or yours!!) Let's just say life has been crazy and lovely and wonderful but I haven't been online very much so the blog has been neglected.

Events from the past little while though.....

Nanna had a visit not that long ago and we got some lovely photos of the family. I know that our time together is limited so each time I see her I seem to take more and more photos. I am anxious about making memories for the kids about their great grandma - she's the most amazing, wonderful, resourceful woman and at time I've wondered if I really belong in this family because I am SO different to the rest of them but I talk to Nanna and realise that I belong. Completely. I love her so much it hurts. This would have to be my absolute favourite photo - this is my entire family - all 10 of us!

Gee.... forced much? This was at the park recently where the kids have really enjoyed riding their bikes now that the weather is getting a little bit warmer.

With the weather warming up we've also bought a blow up pool. Now, in my defence, maths is not one of my strong points, so converting feet to meters didn't really go so well - the pool takes up my ENTIRE back yard! I can't hang washing on the line now, thank goodness for drying racks! The kids have thoroughly enjoyed it though and have had plenty of pool play dates - this pic is of our little neighbour Katie. Hard to believe but Miss Katie is actually six months younger than Charlotte - she's a tall girl!! Both the girls are heading off to school next year so it's an exciting time for everyone around here ;-)

- Charlotte turned five and we had a nice quiet dinner at home with the family. I seem to be raising an amazingly responsible and socially aware little person as when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday I was told no clothes or toys because she has enough of those and other kids don't have any so it wouldn't be fair for her to get more. In some ways my little angel is so much older than her five years.

We've lay-byed her school uniforms for next year. I'm feeling so conflicted about her starting school - I'm excited and looking forward to it because she is SO ready and needs the extra stimulation and learning opportunities but at the same time I'm sad because she is growing up so fast and starting school is one of those big milestones.

It's that time of the year yet again and the kids had a great time putting the tree up - I need to get some better pics of the tree but I put the lights on and then let them go for it and I'm pleasantly surprised at how well they've done! The tree looks fab and it was so nice for me to see them co-operating, negotiating and just being nice to each other while they were getting the tree done! As they are getting older it seems like they are fighting less and less - it has been rather pleasant in my house of late although I'm conscious that it may not last so making the most of it!

Charlotte is graduating from preschool today so I've made the fairy bread, charged the camera batteries and put the waterproof mascara on and am off to see my little honey ;-)