be my brother

Check this out

It was the winner of 2009 Tropfest.
The main male actor also won best male actor.

It made me cry

View the movie at ninemsn. Not too hard to find. Worth the effort. Link wasn't working.

Merry Christmas

Gift catalogue

I finally got the gift catalogue out that I have been working on the past six months. Last years was really successful. this years is going well but a bit slower than anticipated. The gifts are for community projects in Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. It's great being able to help out people that we know and connect with. It's amazing the difference a bit of financial assistnace can make in changing the lives of a community. When they are able to start businesses, have regular meals, gain education which increases their employment opportunities and access resources that they need, it is life changing.

Goings on

What else has been going on? Here is a link to my little man's blog. This is how my days have been filled.

http://nathanisaiahgosbell.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately my sewing machine has broken, my neighbour reclaimed hers and so I have been folding and refolding cut out bits and pieces and trying to find somewhere and some way to store all my bits and pieces without them taking over the backroom.

I have been a bit slack on gettign the machine fixed. i took it to one place and they told me it needed a service but it was going to cost more than I expected so I need to get some other quotes. Task to get done before the new year.

Oh ho ho ho

I have been feeling Christmassy and had an urge to make eggnog and gluvine until I looked up a receipe for eggnog. Oh boy that wouldn't be good. So many eggs, so much sugar. I was obviously in a self controlled mood as i didn't print off the receipe or write it down and I haven't bought a box in the supermarket either. Last Christmas my hubby and I drank so much eggnog. This year I may make some Christmas eve. I'll have to burn off a bit before then so I don't feel so bad. But then again it's Christmas and enjoying many a special treat prevails.

As for the gluvine, I know it is easy to make but I haven't made it for years. I also saw some in ALdi but haven't seen it the past few weeks. May be another closer to Christmas treat.

My little man is enjoying the Christmas lights this year and taking interest in the tree. He was so unsure to begin with. I am looking forward to celebrating over the rest of this period.

I was disappointed when the carols we usually go to were cancelled this year due to bad weather. I was looking forward to staying for the candles and fireworks. The last few years e have had to leave early because my son was on oxygen. It was such a stress when kids started running around with lit candles. Oxygen and flame mix too well. We didn't really want the night to go off with a bang!! This year he isn't on oxygen during waking hours so we could have stayed. Oh well, next year or we could find elsewhere to go if we really want to.

As for lack of posting- Washing, dishes and nannanaps have prevailed! I felt my computer time was taking over general day to day necessities. But time for a bit of an update.

Bag giveaway

My SIL has made some grat bags using a pattern by Artsy crafty babe. One of the bags she has been making of late is a short and sassy bag. She has a give away on her blog of this bag. You can enter by visiting Threads of Friendship.
http://www.threadsoffriendship.blogspot.com/

Cup weekend

A long weekend away was much enjoyed. We headed down to the usual pitstop at the family beach house. Found that the weekend was filed with many unexpected treats.

Day 1. Complimentary glass of smooth red at Annies Providore, Barwon Heads. Instead of the arvo coffe the Red was much enjoyed with an antipasto platter.
Thai dinner and a nice walk down the pier. Stopped in at the Port Pier Spanish restaurant for Churrios but they had none. Owner said he'd get the missing ingredient and make some for us the next day.
Watched movie: Outsourced. Had wanted to see this for a while but hadn't been able to find it. Just missed showing at Nova. Have been looking in Indian grocery stores as well as local video shop. There it was down at Portarlington video network! Brilliant. Really enjoyed it so that was good.
Day 2.
Short Drive to Lighthouse Olive Grove. Had a great coffee here. Service is always perculiar but the food and view are worth it. They also have a shop beneath the restaurant with some yummies and little handmade bits and pieces e.g. nice chocolate, olive oils, olive oil products, ceramics for marinating or dishing up olives.
Back to Spanish restaurant in the evening for the spanish donuts with a great chocolate dipping sauce. They were scrumptious. Our little man enjoyed his babychino. It was such a lovely night. The lighting was lovely. It was great to wwatch the birds over the water and enjoy another stroll down the pier to watch people fishing.
Day 3.
Trip to Torquay. Enjoyed a delicious pide at soulfuel. The highlight though was stopping on the way back to watch some kite surfers. It was so windy but it was great. I felt so wind swept afterwards. Our little man snuggled up in the ergocarrier while we watched a few guys take off.
Made a chicken pie that turned out great. Not bad for making it up
CHICKEN PIE
saute leek and onion in olive oil and butter. Add peppercorns and bay leaves, salt and pepper. poach chicken in above, adding water to cover. Cover and poach until done. I think it would have been nice to add some white wine to the stock but I didn't have any.
Make a rue (or however you spell that) with butter and flour. Add stock from chicken mix. Make it as thick or thin as you want your pie sauce to be. Add chicken, cut it up first, and leek/onion mixture (I strained the stock).
Put puff pastry (I bought the pastry as I couldn't be bothered making it)in pie dish or casserole dish. Put in mixture and cover with another sheet of pastry and cook until pastry is cooked.
Day 4.
A beautiful day spent washing and fingerpainting.
Have done fingerpaiting a couple of times with my little boy. This time I put him in his high chair and let him paint straight on the tray. Then I squirted some paint on the tray and let him go for it. I then took prints from the tray.
Had a few lovely walks down the street and bumped into a friend I haven't seen for about 20 years. Was lovely to have a chat. Think it was a timely encounter but more on that another time.


All in all it was a relaxing and enjoyable time away and I felt like I had a holiday. Now I need to fold and put away the mountains of washing!!

Banned

We overdid our internetting this past month so a self imposed ban was the chosen course of action. Therefore I went cold turkey on the internet. Great to know I had no withdrawals to speak of, although hubby checked the emails at work so all was good.

Back in action now but must be more mindful of those litle megabytes adding up to gigabytes.

yummy sandwich

this was a really nice sandwich. just thought i'd share that highly insightful piece of info with you.

The twig and two berries

This morning I visited the twig and two berries. It's a nice little cafe/deli near Laburnum station. I went here this morning for a cuppa and a scrumptious baguette. This is my second visit. On my previous visit I had a great cup of tea and a lemon polenta cake. If you live in the eastern burbs it's worth a visit if you're after a small quiet place to enjoy a cuppa with a friend.

The strangest things

My hubby is a vet and therefore we have some very interesting pictures on our computer. I was looking through our pic's and thought, how strange to have such pictures on one's computer. I wonder if many other people have pictures like these. Enjoy the sample! It was really hard to choose between the macaw sinus infection, bird wing amputation, the hook worm and the flea eggs but I chose the below. Hope it doesn't scare you.

1. Bird x-ray

2. Cat Fleas

3. Hook worm (Anyone want this one for their next stencil??? Maybe not. Don't want to scare the kids)

The Emperor's new clothes (and a bit more)

After writing 'to top it off' I got my act into gear and got sewing some new threads for my little man. I found an old, but new, remnant of green cord that I bought to make a sensory quilt for my son. It never made it into the quilt and as of Sunday night it has been transformed into a pair of shorts for him. My old trackies have also come under the rotary cutter and are shorts in the waiting of a solution to the low waistline- maybe some thin elastic or additional fabric for the waistband.

Am now looking through the wardrobe and the recycle bags at my parents to see what other clothes I can find waiting to be transformed into a spring/summer collection for my boy.

this is....

This is my favourite kitchen tool:

It didn't take me to long to think of my favourite peeler. When I saw this peeler I fell in love, or maybe lust (absolutely nothing kinky), and I just had to have it. I hel it, I admired it and I bought it!!! Ka Ching!!!! It is just so good and chunky and ergonomically designed. It makes peeling a breeze.

My other favourite kitchen tool is on the favourite list as it makes me laugh whenever I look at it. My sister sent it over from the UK for a birthday present for me. I have since seen this item sold here. It is a 'crumpet'. She bought me the dog. It is like a mini dustbuster for sucking up crumbs. There is a bit of a personal 'you just had to be there' joke that goes hand in hand with this item which is why it makes me laugh. The funny thing is it has actually come in handy a few times to suck crumbs out of our balinese placemats and to suck up crumbs from a toddlers crushed biscuit on the carpet.

to top it off

With the sunny weather we've been having of late I was on the quick hunt for some shorts and tops for my little man, as he has grown since last summer (as kids do). I was amazed that so many clothes in the department store had skulls and cross bones or little teddy bears.
I feel we have passed the teddy bear phase (not that we ever really got into it anyway) but I am not really wanting to dress my little man in skulls and cross bones, it's just not my thing.
Why is there a need to over embellish with cutesiness or nastiness for toddler boys. Just give me the striped polo top.
I know there are other options so I will just have to either look around a bit more or make my own.

Down Syndrome Awareness Week October 08

Down Syndrome Awareness Week is coming up soon. Am thinking of things i can do to make people more aware of what DS is and about what it is like for families who have a child with DS and what life is like and can be like for a person with DS.


HMM Shall be pondering this for the next week or two

The hunt begins

We had a clean up in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. Not long after things were away and spic and span there was a crash. A whole lot of things fell off a shelf. I said "it's ok as long as the tea pot didn't break'. The tea pot survived but the lid was beyond repair. It was an engagement pressie from my Auntie and Uncle. I do love it and so I am still using it. I am however on the hunt for a new teapot. I am in no hurry but am looking for one that will share in many special moments and memories with friends and family. You will be found.

time for a cup of tea

Bought some new tea the other day
Japanese morning dew and a jasmine tea
The morning dew tea is lovely. It was so nice yesterday to sit outside on the picnic rug and drink tea with MIL, SIL, baby niece and my little man (He had the plastic tea set)

Easy peasy lemon squeasy. stick on velcro

stick on velcro will not necessarily make life easier. I bought some thinking 'hey I can just stick it on and sew- no need for pins!' Great idea in theory. I had missed somewhere along the line that the glue on the back of the velcro sticks to teh sewing machine needle and gums up the cotton also.
Wisdom from MIL Eucalyptus oil bottle close by to get rid of glue from needle (mind you I haven't got onto this and it's been almost a week (oops) )

My words of wisdom to others who may have missed this one along the way. Buy the sew on velcro if using a sewing machine. It really is easier in the long run!!!!

this is....

This is how I spend my spare 10 minutes:

a cup of tea
read
sleep-nanna power nap of course
stare at the sky and trees
dream
ponder on things
a shower
lunch or snack
google
email
phone calls to friends
read junk mail
read local paper
download photos
stare at my calendar and wondering how life can be so crazy and remembering what i have on that day
wonder what i was doing and where i was going with that thing in my hand
take a deep breath
just doing nothing of anything much

pic's of little man

just got pic's of my little man in the mail. Photos were taken by Justin Ridler for Down Syndrome Victoria. There are a few in there that I love and may have to frame.