When tummy's are grumbling feed them -

I am regularly asked as I do my weekly shopping how many children I have. Sometimes people also ask if I am "stocking up".
My weekly shop usually makes the trolley groan as I whiz in and out of aisles. Sometimes I think I need two trolleys, but with only two hands that isn't very practical.


Not only do we buy an assortment of crap toilet paper,soap,washing powder etc, there is always loads of food.
I buy alot of fresh produce. Fruit doesn't last long around these parts so I must buy loads!
I only buy milk in 3 litre lots or we run out quick smart. And bread is always in bulk.


I limit my children snacks to healthy foods or healthy alternatives.
The after school rush is very busy. We arrive home after a hectic nice leisurely walk and the first question out of the kids mouth is "whats for afternoon tea??".

Two weeks ago I was sent a large box by a company you all know as Sirena. 
After arguing with Cgirl that the present that came to the door was marked for me and not her, we opened it up and inside found packs of yummy goodness.

Their new snack packs are called Tonno E Riso.
These scrumptious little containers were delicious.
Basically it is a mix of tuna, veggies and rice...which come in 4 different flavours.
Rustic Bean
Italian salad
Puttenesca and
Spicy tomato

Now most of my kids aren't fans of seafood. Usually Tman and I split whatever tuna is about while the other kids turn their nose up.
But this taste testing went very differently.

Cgirls remarks were - Please can I have some more mummy, It's so yummy and I promise to eat my dinner.
Hboy's remarks were - mmmm Hyummy Mummy
Jboy's remarks were - Tuna? ewwww and then after trying them - Yummy mum are you sure its tuna?
Tmans remarks were - *slurppp* *smile*

So overall we had a winner. I thought they were pretty tasty and even hid a few for later snack-age.

I found the packs great for the kids to take for lunch.

They don't have any nasty artificial additives or preservatives.

They are also gluten free!

You can serve them cold or hot and they are quick and easy.

They taste delicious.

They are very well priced.

They can be used in a salad,sushi,with pasta, on sandwiches and in wraps.

Some facts on Sirena - 

Did you know that Sirena means mermaid in Italian?

Sirena have been supplying Australians with quality canned tuna for over 55 years. The creator Carlos Valmorbida immigrated from his homeland in 1946 and decided to introduce a new type of tuna with an Italian twist.

Final consensus in the O household says - Yum yum. these tasty little morsels will definitely become a regular snack in our house.

Menu Planning VS Me

2012 is my year of organisation.

 I am so very proud of myself for keeping on top of life the past few weeks.

I have formed some fantastic cleaning patterns, finances are staying in check and my exercise increases daily.

I have started taking a shopping list when I go out and am ignoring temptations. I have been leaving myself reminders around the house, finished tidying up before I relax at night and making sure the bathroom floor doesn't get soaked.

All in all my happiness levels have risen by far. I feel good...maybe even great. I am becoming the mummy I want to be.

Over the past few months I have been reading some super, amazing, ladies blogs. Many of which have meal plans they post on specific days.

Meal plans seem to be fantastic for keeping on track and taking confusion out of the picture.

This all got me thinking. I'd love a meal plan! Something I can look at and say "terakyi chook for tea tonight".

So I have been mulling over ideas, ways I can incorporate this in our lives.

I have noticed some differences though, it seems most create their list before they go grocery shopping so they know what to get.

I cannot do that.

I only buy what meat is on special. If it doesn't have a price reduction I walk away.

So how do I know what to plan every week if I have no idea what will be on special?

I have decided some investigation needs to happen. I can check the woollies and coles sites before I go...hoping the items are in stock is a bit of a concern, but nothing I can't improvise on.

So this afternoon I will be compiling a list of meals that we eat regularly. Spaghetti bolagnaise, Terakyi chicken, Chili con carne, chicken and salad, ham and salad, Lamb cutlets with vegies and so on.

I figure if i have a good starting base, I can look for meat and veggies that will suit and improvise here and there.

It won't be as planned as I like, but I figure structure at a minimum is better than none at all.

How do you decide which meals to serve weekly?

 Do you have a Menu Plan?..how does it fit into your life?

Do you have any tips?

Welcome 2012

Reading Mrs BC's post today on how to not only make resolutions but to keep them gave me a bit more insight into my own.
I know my biggest resolution is to stop allowing people to trample all over me.
But there are about 10 others I'd love to follow through with.
They will require planning and organization.
The Daddy Man is not a planner. He is happy to wing everything which does result in lots of yelling and cursing on my behalf. I am a planner and a list writer. I like things done a specific way at certain times.
OCD much?

Here is my top 10 list and how I WILL achieve them.

 
1. Like a lot of other people, losing excess weight is number 1. A new 24 hour gym opened down the road from me just before Christmas. My goal is to attend said gym at least 3 times a week. This means that working within The Daddy Mans working hours I will need to rise at around 5am most days to attend the gym for an hour. Then be back in time to dress and feed the chillies before school.
2. To be more organised. Managing school hours better, packing lunches and homework the night before, planning weekend activities etc. These will need to work around The Daddy Mans hours but I'm sure it can be done.
3. Keeping the house neater. I guess this kind of relates to the above resolution but i think it deserves a bullet of its own. I want to get more on top of messes and washing and dishes and folding and mopping. Pretty much anything cleaning related. I will need to stop sitting down after the kids go to bed thinking "ahhh thank goodness" those pesky dishes wont do themselves and its twice as much work the following day.
4. To take more photos. I am not very good at taking pics. They tend to always be blurry or out of focus etc. It sucks but i guess more practice wouldn't hurt. Organisation and confidence will also assist.
5. A firm budget. Money has always been a topic that The Daddy Man and i could never discuss without war erupting. I spend too much, he spends too much on shit. Something amazing occurred in December though, we sat done and did up a budget together minus fighting or arguing. We worked as a team and didn't get stressed. The goal is to work on refining it more so that we live fairly stress free.
6. More family days out. Being that The Daddy Man works in a department store, he rarely gets weekends free. We need to plan activities to do as a family that will coincide with his days off and work hours. A family holiday is something we will be saving for also. Our first!
7. Study. to improve my sad education and enter a course I have only hoped for. Financial constraints aside If i work hard im sure i can achieve this
8. Managing my mental health. I will accept The Daddy Mans offers of help more, I will take deep breaths more and rethink thoughts 3 times before making decisions and harbouring emotions. I will talk more and not bottle so much up to explode. Being unmedicated is no longer scary. Refining my plan to become mentally healthier will help.
9. As sad as it sounds, I am 25 and do not have my drivers license. The medication I was on for many years made it illegal to drive while under the influence. Now I am medication free I can look forward to becoming a more independent version of me. Practice practice practice.
10. To sew. I do not have a sewing machine anymore and i miss it. I will be asking The Daddy Man for one for my birthday (this month) I will attempt to sew masterpieces!

I guess once a new year is upon us we tend to hope for a new beginning.

It gives us incentive to dream and hope to achieve things we havent yet mastered. I really am looking forward to being the ME I want to be. It might take grit and getting off my butt more but nothing worth anything comes easy.

Planning is a fantastic way to ensure success.