Being time productive

As you would all know when you have young children you feel like your chasing your tail all the time. There is always so much to do and it feels never ending.

I have a very demanding little two year old and so I am constantly looking for ways to keep her amused so that I can get some things done.

To get the washing done I get her to pass me the pegs but if I'm in a big hurry I turn the outside tap on to a drizzle, give her a little watering can and she waters the plants while I hang the clothes.



Just today she needed a shower and didn't want to get out so I scrubbed the outside of the shower and cleaned the toilet while she had a play.....this is a job I had been struggling to find the time for. It's not something I can do with her clinging to my leg. But this way I got a clean baby and a clean bathroom.

Do you have any time productive tips to share?

More christmas goodies

 

Chocolate mudcake christmas puddings 

 

 

These were quite simple. I saw these done with fruit cake....which would be delicious! I have children that don't like fruit cake so we used the idea to make something the kids would enjoy.

 

We just cooked a chocolate mudcake and crumbled it after it had coled a little. I mixed some hot chocolate ganash through and we rolled them into bite size balls. We chilled them in the fridge and then finished them off with the melted white chocolate topping.

 

You can use m&m's and cut up mint leaf lollies for the decoration but we had already coloured fondant left over from Jada's birthday cake, so we used it instead.

 

 

These would be a really special gift or are perfect for that extra special something to take to a christmas party.

 

Enjoy!!!!



Cinnamon Muffins with crumble topping

These are so scrumptious!

We had a baking day yesterday to try out some new recipes. These muffins smelt amazing cooking and were so delicious with our cup of tea after all the hard work.





I am finding so many recipes at the moment that I want to try out. So if you are after cooking inspiration 'watch this space'

The link for this recipe.....
The recipe

Simple christmas cookies

I love christmas so much, it is my favourite time of the year. I love doing christmas craft and christmas baking with the kids, I love decorating the house, buying gifts, christmas music and movies and wrapping presents with beautiful bows. (I don't like the weight that I gain though)



 













Today the kids and I baked the simple but yummy christmas cookies. They are just basic sugar cookies from Martha Sewart's website. This is a fantastic recipe that you can mix up quick with not alot of ingredients and you can freeze the dough and use it later.



We used royal icing because I wanted an icing that would set so that I could fill the cookie jar but you can use any type of icing to make the sprinkles stick.

Check out Martha Stewarts delicious sugar cookies

Please share if you have a baking favourite!!!!

Making Christ the center of Christmas

Idea #4

Make the effort to get to carols by candle light this year.

 



I have to admit I haven't been too fussed on getting to one for quite some time. Sometimes it all just feels too much with all of the end of year things to get to and all the people that want to catch up before christmas.

This year I am being a bit more picky about what we go to and how many people we catch up with......not because I don't love these things and these beautiful people in my life, but because I need to prioritise this year if I'm going to make Christ the center of christmas.



"Oh no, not boring carols again", you might be thinking.

Why not look up the meaning behind one or two of the traditional carols, who wrote it and where their inspiration came from. This might help to appreciated the beauty and depth of these incredible songs. And just read over the words....they are beautiful.

And let's face it....there really is an incredible atmosphere at these events that leave you feeling so good inside. And the kids love the night out!

Go with a group of friends, it makes it so much more fun.

Just don't forget the mozzie repellant!

Keeping Christ the center of Christmas

Idea #3

Bless somebody! Just remember Jesus was the ultimate gift and blessing for us, so let's try to pass this on to others.



• Take the children to visit a nursing home to give the lonely residents a christmas gift or card
• Buy a gift for someone in your church that you think might not have anyone to buy for them at christmas (a single parent, someone in financial diffuclty etc.). Ask a church leader to give it to them if you wish to stay anonymous.
• Buy a gift for the Kmart wishing tree
• Bake some nice christmas cookies and visit someone that is lonely. Nice fresh cookies to share over a cup of tea



You really don't have to spend a fortune to give a gift or be a blessing. I have found some beautiful home made gift ideas (beautiful not corny).

Imagine receing a tin of these....Mmmmm!

 

Beautiful Gift idea

 

Making Christ the center this Christmas - Idea #2

Keeping the true meaning of Christmas alive in your home....

Idea #2

Display a nativity scene. If you are like us and don't own one, then you can make one. We will be making a couple of different beautiful nativity's to have on view in our home. I will post photo's over the coming weeks as we complete each project.

I think involving the children with some activities like this helps them to focus on the true meaning and spirit of christmas as well.

Check out this link which has a very simple yet affective nativity scene that children can help make.

http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/craft-stick-and-clay-pot-childrens.html

Check out this link

Making Christ the center this Christmas



It is so easy to get caught up in the crazyness of Christmas and forget what it's all about. With the financial stress, all the shopping, baking and christmas parties it is just too easy to just 'go through the motions' and end up exhausted, deflated and broke at the end of it all.

Even church with the best intentions can still burn us out at this time.

I have put some thought into it and have come up with some ideas that will hopefully help me keep focused on what it is all about this year.

First idea:

Because I have hurt my back and can't move around too much today I have decided to make this time as productive as possible, so I am getting started on writing on christmas cards.

I am writing a verse in each card so that it sends out a reminder to others and helps me to keep focus as well.

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." (Matthew 1:22-23, NIV)

Christmas....my new project!

Christmas is getting close and I am planning to be organised!

I know some super organised people are already finished christmas shopping and I haven't even started but starting now belive it or not is organised for me.



November is a huge birthday month for us and normally I can't get my head around Christmas until after they are all over but this year I determine to do things differently. The children that have birthday's in November are getting older and therefore there aren't any time consuming parties to organise.

My plan is to wrap the gifts in the weeks leading up to the special day rather than the usual' half the night wrapping christmas eve'

The youngest for November is 16 and we are taking him paintballing....nice and easy!

So I have printed my 'Christmas Planner' from the organised housewife blog and have started filling things out. I have written my christmas card list, some new baking ideas, gift ideas etc.

It feels good!

I will share some of these ideas as I go. I have some great ideas for homemade gifts, some delicious new recipes to try and gift ideas for those that are hard to buy for.

Hopefully I can help to motivate and inspire you to not just be organised but to also enjoy this christmas season.

These are delicious!

I made these christmas cookies tonight and they are truly amazing!

Something extra special to serve to visitors or they would be a gorgeous gift....a jar filled and decorated with ribbon.






Choc fudge cookie Recipe

Sift 1 1/2 cups plain flour and 3/4 cup cocoa and add 1 1/2 cups brown sugar. Melt 180g butter and 150g dark choc. Add the choc mixture as well as 3 eggs to the flour mixture. Mix well and then add 1 cup of dark choc bits.
Drop teaspoons of mixture on to baking paper lined trays and bake in mod oven for 10 mins.
After they have cooled dip them into melted white choc and sprinkle crushed candy cane on top.

Enjoy!

Christmas baking

Christmas is close and I am trialing a few recipes. These candy cane cookies look amazing to serve to guests or use as gifts, and they are incredibly easy!



Make chocolate cookies of your choice, dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle some crushed candy cane on top.

I got this idea from http://www.theidearoom.net/2010/12/chocolate-peppermint-cookies-and-fudge.htmlThe idea room has some great ideas