MONDAY MUNCHIES - Chicken Spinach & Ricotta Pasta

The school holidays are almost over, and while we still want to grab every last second of freedom, meals still have to be cooked and kitchens still need to be cleaned. One pot meals are always high on my list of rotation and this pasta dish was quick and delicious, perfect for a throw together meal when you would rather be doing anything else than cooking.

CHICKEN SPINACH & RICOTTA PASTA

INGREDIENTS

* Cooked pasta ( 1 cup per family member)
* 1 BBQ chicken
* 300 ml thickened cream
* 300 grams reduced fat ricotta
* Handful of baby spinach

* Baked pumpkin (optional)

Cook pasta as per packet directions.

Break up the chicken, removing all the bones and skin.

In a large pan over low heat, mix the cream and ricotta stirring until smooth and combined. Add the chicken and pasta and stir until coated with the cream mixture.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the baby spinach stirring through the pasta.

Serve topped with baked pumpkin.

Enjoy

beck xx

GROWING UP AND MOVING ON TOGETHER

With just one week to go before my oldest two boys move into a home of their own, I am feeling all sorts of mixed emotions about the change that is before us. Granted, one of the two already lives away from home and has done for the past nine months, but having both of them out on their own is a big step considering two of my four boys will be gone from the nest. I'm excited for them, but at the same time sad for me. Because this signifies the beginning of me having to let go of my babes.

I am lucky that my boys are so close to each other, and not just in age. They have always been there for each other, it fills my heart with so much love and pride.

I have been so fortunate to have been chosen to be these boys mother. The relationship that I have with each of them is everything to me. They are my whole life and I am blessed to have them.

These two boys of mine are amazing, I know they will do well out on their own. I must admit that I feel some comfort knowing that they will have each other to depend on.
Crazy, loving boys, both of them unique in more ways then one, and how I love them so.

beck xx

MONDAY MUNCHIES - Ham & Spinach Pasta

Monday Munchies is back for 2016, I wasn't sure if I was going to continue with it this year until I was flipping through the Timehop app and realised that Monday Munchies had been going for a year as of last week, and according to blogger, has been quite popular. So here we are again, for the time being anyway.

With Christmas comes left overs. Ham being the main staple in our home for a good few weeks after. So to kick off Monday Munchies for the year, I am sharing a very basic, tasty pasta dish.

HAM & SPINACH PASTA

INGREDIENTS

*  3 Cups diced leg ham
*  Large onion diced
*  2 cloves of garlic crushed
*  1/2 box frozen spinach, defrosted and liquid removed
*  250 ml cream
*  Pasta of your choice
*  Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot of  salted boiling water, cook pasta as per directions on packet.

In a deep pan, spray with a little oil and cook onion and garlic, until onion is soft. Add the ham and cook until golden brown.

Add the spinach and gently pour in the cream, continuing to stir. Add seasoning to taste and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta and stir well to combine. Serve while hot with fresh homemade garlic bread.

Enjoy

beck xx

BACK TO SCHOOL IS ALMOST UPON US

It seems you only just get over Christmas and New Year, then the back to school stuff hits the supermarket shelves and your thrown into chaos again. Every year the summer break seems to get shorter and shorter.

This year is the first time in I cant remember how long, that we only have one child returning to school. Its going to be really strange, a lot cheaper on the pocket, and a lot less homework drama, but it still seems like things are coming to some sort of end. Two years to go and school is all over for this household.

Usually for reasons unknown I leave the back to school shopping to the last minute and curse the whole time. This time I am hoping to attack the stores early and take my time so that nothing is forgotten happens all the time ! So come Monday, armed with the book list and the "I want" list, I will hit the shops like an eager beaver, or something like that anyway.

Are you organised for back to school yet ?
Or are you like me and regret putting it off until the last minute ?

Whatever you do, I wish you all the best of luck as you join in the fight with other parents for books, pencils and lunch boxes.

beck xx

A TEEN, THE INTERNET & A BAD CHOICE

Image credit

This past week, we had our eyes opened to the dangers of teens and the use of the Internet.
We have rules of course, but rules as we know can be broken, and so can trust.

Temptation, peer pressure, and the good old teenage attitude of 'maybe I wont get caught' were all a factor in our incident, I am just thankful that we caught the issue before it got out of hand.

Our son thought he was doing nothing wrong by adding his bank details to a game he plays, so he could 'upgrade' to a higher level, and buy extra 'things' that would help him to complete the matches. Little did he know that just about every time he logged on, money was being taken out of his account.

Of course we had warned all of our children with the dangers of doing this countless times, we have explained that some people don't think anything of taking advantage of others and that a lot of sites are not secure and anyone could be skimming their details.

I thought that we had made ourselves very clear. I thought that we had reached a time in parenting when our children could come to us with anything, and that we had established a really good relationship based on trust.

I blame myself. Maybe I put far too much trust in my teenagers. Maybe I have become a lazy parent.

All his on-line devices have been removed from his possession, its like his throat is cut. He has also been grounded for the rest of this week.

I have vowed to be a more present mother when it comes to Internet use and my teen, we have to gain back the trust that I thought we had, and work together to repair the damage. It could have been a much worse situation I know, but thankfully it was bad enough to give him a scare and a wake up call.

I feel that he has learnt his lesson, he is a good boy that has never given us an ounce of trouble. He just made a choice that was wrong as far as choices go, and fell into a trap that so many others have also fallen into.

beck xx
Linking with Jess for the first IBOT of 2016

MAKE YOUR MORNINGS A LITTLE EASIER

I have a love hate relationship with mornings. Most days instead of rising in a bubble of happiness ready to tackle a brand new day, I'd rather bury myself deep under the covers for an extra hour or two. But that doesn't accomplish much, and being a busy mum who has teens that need dragging out of bed to get to school/work on time, I need to at least try and fake my way through the early morning routine.

This year, I have decided that I'm all about making life easier, happier and a lot more stress free.
And to do that, its best to start the day on a high, and what does that for me ? Waking to a tidy, somewhat clean home.

Four things is all you need to do to before climbing into bed at night to accomplish an easier beginning to your morning. I swear by this, and can honestly say that when I go to bed without these chores being done, my mornings don't go quite as smooth as I like.

MAKE YOUR MORNINGS A LITTLE EASIER

1. TIDY UP YOUR LIVING AREA/S.

Each night, when the teens/kids have gone to bed, and before I head to the land of slumber, I tidy my living areas. Picking up cushions, folding throws and putting away anything that is out of place. 

2. CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN.

There is nothing worse then a dirty kitchen, I spend so much time during the day (when family is home) cleaning, wiping and putting stuff away that it has become a place that raises my anxiety levels. To avoid an early morning panic, I make sure that my kitchen is spotless before I go to bed. There is nothing worse then waking up to a sink of dirty dishes and ants feasting on counter crumbs when you surface first thing in the morning. Waking to a clean kitchen also means that I can enjoy that first cup of coffee before the teen mayhem rises.

3. MAKE SURE THE WASHING IS ALL FOLDED AND PUT AWAY.

This is the chore that I leave. I don't know why as it bugs me when I walk past the full basket and when the teens yell at me for having no clothes in their draws. This year I aim to do better with the folding, sorting and putting away.

We will see....

4. SWEEP/WASH THE FLOOR.

Nothing feels better then a clean floor. At least two sometimes three times a day I will sweep my floors, depending on how many bodies are at home. But each night the last task that I like to do is give a quick sweep or mop over. Clean floors make me happy, and going to bed happy usually means that you will wake up happy.

And there you have it, my four tips on making my/your mornings a little more easier and stress free, and a whole lot happier and bearable. 

beck xx

Are you a morning person ?

Do you have a night time routine ?

Are there anymore tips you could give me that would make my mornings any easier ?

2016 YOUR LOOKING MIGHTY FINE

Well hello there bright, fresh new year. You have arrived, full of sunshine and glory, showing off great potential. I sure hope you deliver !

The morning started off around here in a great way, a much needed sleep in then coffee, hot and strong. I ran a few errands, picked up a few necessities, fresh flowers, a couple of books and a sweet smelling candle to start the year of in the right way. It was then home again to do a quick tidy through, then to relax with the family.

I did it. I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic this morning, as recommended by Beth of Baby-mac I cant wait to sink my teeth into this beauty. I also purchased a copy of James Duigan's Clean and Lean Diet I have heard amazing things about this book, and I am itching to put it into practice. These two books have only been in my possession for a few hours, but they are already known as my "bibles for 2016"

You know what else I did this morning....

Took another piece of advice from Beth obsessed much ? and completed my first "one thing" for 2016. I hung our family portraits on the wall. You may think that this "one thing" is nothing big, but let me tell you it is. See this is the first time that these photos have been hung in this house, a house we have been living in for fourteen years. I know, I'm a slacker, but they are up now and mumma is happy.

I hope everyone had a wonderful time bringing in the new year with family and friends, we had a quiet one but it was just perfect. A good movie, bubbles and kisses at the stroke of twelve. Good luck with your new year resolutions if you made them and may 2016 shine bright and bring love and peace to you all.

Happy New Year

beck xx