FAITH IS TO HAVE WINGS

I just sat down, glass of wine in hand ready to write my last blog post of 2015, before I bring in the New Year with my most favourite people. My family. Everything I do, is for them, My whole purpose, my whole being is dedicated to making them happy, too making their life easier.
I know that many of you who are here reading this, get it. It's a mother thing, it's a wife thing. It makes me happy, that they are happy, it's just what we do.

But what about me, about us ?

I read a blog post today that just maybe the basis to how I approach 2016 - you can read that post here.
So many of Beth's posts over at Baby-mac I read over many times, but this one, it hit me, and made me realise that there is so much more out there waiting for me besides the washing, ironing and cooking.

I just need to give myself permission to go get it....

The first thing I'm going to do when the shops re-open is go buy Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic. I'm so excited to get my hands on a copy, to see for myself exactly what Beth was relaying, that lit a fire inside me.

I don't make New Year resolutions, I suck at them if I was to be honest, but 2016 I've decided, is the year of being the best version of me possible.

There is a quote I love from J.M Barrie's novel The Little White Bird.

"The reason birds an fly and

We can't is simply because they

Have perfect faith, for to have

Faith is to have wings."

Happy New Year everyone

beck xx

2015 IN REVIEW

Here we are, about to bid farewell to another year. Is it just me, or do the years pass by quicker the older we get ? Its been a big year here, I know many of you have had just as big a year as we have.
Holidays, graduations, children moving back into the fold and another leaving. It makes my head spin to think of all we have had going on this past year.

It has been a huge year....

Hubby and I got away twice this year without the teens. Almost unheard of, and very much needed and enjoyed.
Back in March we took off on a long weekend getaway to celebrate our twenty first wedding anniversary. Staying local, we headed off to a cabin in the highlands.

Then in August we hit the road for an adventure to Melbourne, the first big holiday we had had since 2011, we had a wonderful time and made life long memories.

After much convincing, I finally got a new fur baby. Penelope is the cutest and such a snuggle pot.

My  baby boy youngest son got himself a trainee ship and graduated junior high school. I am still in disbelief that this is even possible.

Another son graduated high school, that is now three out four of my boys graduating and achieving the QCS. I am one proud mum. Son number three has a strong ambition to join the Police Force.

My eldest boy and I took off for a weekend away to Melbourne to catch Taylor Swift in her 1989 tour. We had a blast spending time together and dancing the night away with Tay Tay.

And in general, we just goofed of a lot as a family in 2015. Something that I hope continues into the New Year. After all, the most important thing in life is spending quality time with those that matter most.

I'm looking forward to a fabulous 2016, I have goals not resolutions that I am excited to get underway.
I want to thank each and every one of you who have stuck around here reading and commenting on my posts, every little milestone that CraftyPJMum has makes me so very happy, so those of you who read my ramblings, I hope you continue to stick around and help me make 2016 a great year.

Thank you all again, I appreciate each and every one of you.

beck xx

CHRISTMAS 2015

After all the stress and worry that we wouldn't be ready for Christmas, we made it. In all its glittered glory, Christmas 2015 is done and dusted and went off without a hitch in the end.  I hereby declare Christmas 2015, although quiet, a success.

No matter how old my kids get, we are woken from slumber very early on Christmas morn. Woken at four am this year, we initially sent our mob back to bed for another hour. Scrooges I know. But true to form five am crept up all to soon and we were up ripping paper off presents.

Christmas isn't Christmas in our house without the full on Christmas feast. Ham, turkey, pork, chicken and all the trimmings. I worked hard, so did the air conditioning, but when we all sat down to our meal it was all worth it. Laughter, chatter, food and bubbles, it was on, it was loud, it was pure happiness.

We even had a Christmas lunch visit from my sons Dragon.

And of course no matter how full you are on the Christmas feast, there is ALWAYS room for bubbles.

I hope each and every one of you had a fabulous Christmas celebrating with family and friends. that Christmas 2015 was one of joy and togetherness, and that each of you had a relaxing Boxing day.

beck xx

DIY CANDLE CENTER PIECES

Every year I have a "themed" Christmas. I pick a colour or two and it goes from there. I know thanks to Instagram, a lot of you do the same.
This year our theme is gold and white, and as you can imagine the possibilities are endless. I always have a table center piece, which usually consists of something diy, this year although I have been busy, I still managed to throw something together, even if it was on Christmas eve.

DIY CANDLE CENTER PIECES

what you need...

* Candle holders
* Candles
* Feathers
* Hot glue gun & glue
* Gold decorative tape {or colour of your choosing}

Using your hot glue gun, glue the feather into place pressing lightly whilst drying for added adhesive.

Then once dry, use the decorative tape to decorate the bottom of the candle holder.

Nice and easy, and very quick.

Everything I used here was purchased at Spotlight.

Merry Christmas from all of us here at CraftyPjMum central.

beck xx

MONDAY MUNCHIES - Christmas Edition

Tis the season to stuff your face and forget the calories.
Surly one day cant hurt...

Yesterday I took command of the kitchen for one of many days of festive cooking for the week ahead. I have a list, a long list that seems never ending at this stage of the game, but I know that come Christmas day all will have fallen into place and I will have been stressing for nothing.
I hope...

RUM BALLS

* 250 grams arrowroot biscuits
* 395 gram condensed milk
* 1 cup of coconut
* 1/4 cup of cocoa
* Rum (to your tasting)

* Extra coconut for decorating

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well.

With wet hands, roll the mixture into small balls then coat in the extra coconut.

Refrigerate or freeze for later.

EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE

* 395 gram can condensed milk
* 125 grams butter
* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons golden syrup
* 155 gram milk chocolate buds (or chocolate of your choice)

Combine condensed milk, butter, sugar and golden syrup in a heavy based saucepan.
Stir over low heat for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.

Increase heat to moderate, and cook stirring for a further 10 minutes or until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat.

Add the chocolate buds and stir until all the chocolate has melted.

Pour into a greased, lined, square cake tin, and set aside to cool.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm.

Turn fudge out onto a chopping board, and cut into squares to serve.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas

beck xx

MONDAY MUNCHIES - Chicken Cacciatore

Easy meals, they are my favourite. Especially in summer and the lead up to Christmas. I'd rather be sitting around the pool enjoying a nice cold glass of bubbles then slaving over a hot stove. Having said that, my tribe still expects to be fed.

This recipe is a quick way to enjoy a great Italian meal without to much fuss. Served rice, pasta or potatoes and salad, it will surely please the fussiest of eaters.

INGREDIENTS 

* 1.5 kilos of chicken pieces
* 2 onions sliced
* 1/4 cup red wine
* 1 punnet cherry tomatoes halved
* 200 grams sliced mushrooms
* 2 teaspoons chicken stock powder
* 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
*  800 gram can dic d tomatoes
* 1 cup sliced black olives / optional

Spray a large non stick pan with spray oil. Brown both sides of the chicken, remove then cook the onion until soft.

Return the chicken to the pan and all other ingredients.

Cover and cook at a simmer for half an hour or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Enjoy, and have a fabulous week.

beck xx

A "SWIFT" TRIP TO MELBOURNE

The count down to Christmas is on,..
I am still way behind schedule, but now ready to busy myself with all that needs to be done before the big day arrives.

This week my son and I took a 'SWIFT' trip to Melbourne. Planned almost a year ago, I had every intention of being organised for the festive season before jetting off, but alas it was not meant to be. However as that plane touched down on the tarmac, all thoughts of Christmas and what was left to be done at home took a back seat in my mind as I got ready to party and dance like it was once again 1989.  It was time to  shake it off  with Taylor Swift...

We had a fabulous time dancing, singing, laughing. The show was amazing and didn't disappoint. Taylor is magnificent live and truly does deserve the explosive applause.

Covering almost all the tracks from her latest album 1989 and a few hits from the past, a moving high rise catwalk and a team of fabulous dancers. Taylor put on a show that rival the best of the best.

We had fabulous seats, and were even lucky enough to see Taylor before she even hit the stage. My son was in his element, and his excitement as well as the crowd was infectious. So many people dressed up. There was even a couple that went as Romeo and Juliette in full on period costume to celebrate Taylor's song Love Story. It was an amazing atmosphere.

As it turned out, the quick pre-Christmas getaway was just what I needed before I plunge myself into the thick of the season.
So thank you Melbourne for hosting Taylor on her 1989 tour, you helped revive this tired old body and help prepare me for the festive season...

beck xx

A BELATED WELCOME TO SUMMER

I have barely had time to think this week let alone stop and welcome Summer to our shores.
Summer, here already, seems like we just bid farewell to the long hot days, yet here we are again. Bright, intense and steamy in all your humid glory. It's funny, at one time I welcomed summer days, now I can only take it in small doses. How I wish Spring time lasted a little longer.

With the new season comes Christmas. CHRISTMAS people, it's three weeks away !!!!!
I am SO far behind this year. More so than any other.
My craft is ready to begin if I can only find the time 
The ingredients for my Christmas baking still on the supermarket shelf
My Christmas blog posts are all just ideas in my head waiting to be taken notice of

Its all just coming on way to fast.
But at least the tree is up if nothing else.

We celebrated another birthday here this week. I now have two sons in their twenties. Can you even imagine. I am blown away by it.

For the first time ever, I didn't get to celebrate with him, he was on his first ever self funded holiday without parental supervision. I'm still coming to terms with having grown up children. Some days even though they are few and far between I don't feel like a grown up myself.

Linking up this week for the first December FYBF of 2015 with.... With Some Grace

Have a fabulous weekend, and hopefully I can get myself all caught up and back on track before the jolly old guy begins his decent down chimneys for 2015...

beck xx