Routines have set in, school is back in full swing and it seems like there aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done. Quite often I tend to feel run down and exhausted and I am not even halfway through the day. Technically, a nap would be perfect but also , I have two growing children. Naps went out of style for me back in 2003…technically.
With our busy lifestyles and the fact that we are time poor means our bodies may be missing out on essential nutrients and vitamins we need to function properly and enjoy life on a day to day basis leaving us feeling stressed and anxious. A recent survey conducted by Blackmores has found that Aussies are busier than ever. Here are a few key stats to consider :
94 percent reporting that they have woken tired in the last two weeks.
88 percent believe life is getting busier
65 percent of respondents reported they had skipped a meal in the last month due to time pressures.
81 percent reported working through their lunchbreaks
Yep, looks like we are one busy bunch! So how do we better support our current lifestyles, how do we look after our personal well being better apart from regular exercise and healthy eating? That is where Blackmores step in. Their brand new ALIVE range promises increased energy, healthier metabolism and lowered stress levels among other great benefits. I have been using ALIVE for the past 3 weeks and have observed a noticeable improvement in my anxiety levels as well as less brain fog. It’s a win!
A few other things to know about ALIVE :
Contains a blend of 20 fruits & vegetable powders
Packed full of B vitamins which support cellular energy production
1000IU of vitamin D3
Vitamins & minerals + antioxidants + enzymes
Please note, multivitamins should never be replaced for a healthy diet.
{Giveaway closed – Winner Announced}
A massive thankyou to everyone who entered!
This was a tough call as we are all busy trying to make the best of any me-time we can get. There is no perfect way to have time to yourself to rejuvenate
Full points for creativity go to the lovely soon to be mum Jessie Hay.
Please contact me on mumschic@gmail.com with your address to arrange your prize.
******
And now here’s the best part! The uber-awesome team at Blackmores would like to give away ONE lucky Mumchic reader and their partner a 4 month supply of Blackmore’s Alive Multivitamins (Womens and Mens pack included) to the value of RRP $120.
2. Tell us what is it that you do to care for yourself while you are busy caring for others? How do you take out me-time?
3. Share this link on your Facebook profile set to public and leave a comment here to let us know.
Good Luck
T&Cs
*only one entry per person *you must be an Australian resident with a valid Australian postal address *all entries will be verified for all of the above steps *ONE prize pack only. Valued at $120 *entries will close at midnight on Friday, 22nd February 2013 *winner will be notified via email & an announcement will be made on the blog *judge’s decision is final *prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash *prizes will not be replaced in the event that they are stolen, lost or damaged in transit *prize will be sent by a third party, Mumchic accepts no liability for the prize in any way Disclaimer : No cash was received for this post, however Blackmores provided us with product for review purposes.
In that little space when everyone else has fallen asleep, when my mind drifts and tosses between the words on my screen, many half-written posts screaming for my attention and and the lure of my dreams.
When all the other sounds have dulled into the silence of the night. I am exhausted. Another long, hectic day with a more hectic weekend to come.
I sneak a small piece of chocolate cake. This moment and and every delicious morsel in it is mine and mine alone.
Sometimes, me time might mean a session at the spa and sometimes it is simply…
It is going to be a hectic one for us with a house move around the corner and a LOT of packing and culling to do still but we will get there, somehow … I might end up looking like a worn out zombie in the process but we will get there ! Affirmative… (Fine so I like to humour myself, what’s wrong with that?)
But a daunting and impending house move isn’t going to stop me from cooking fancy food here at Mumchic HQ is it. Heck, if anything, the cooking distracts me from what lies ahead in terms of the mountains of clothes I have to sort in “To Give Away” or “Not To Give Away” piles and that’s just the clothes…
Anyway, I won’t rant on about this house move as I am sure you will hear more over the week ahead. Moving on to the recipe, I have tried MANY different pancake recipes over the years, original style, buttermilk, sweetened, unsweetened, you name it. And though most have been decent enough, I cannot say I have found the ONE until this morning. So a few tiny tweaks to my original batter and we have a very easy and impressive keeper that will have you wondering why you ever bothered with a pancake mix. Thick, fluffy and borderline sinful, just the way pancakes were meant to be!
Mumchic’s Very Own Best Pancakes Ever
Serves 3
You will need ;
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup light milk (not skim)
1 egg
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Butter or margarine for cooking
Preparation ;
Pre-heat a non stick fry pan.
Add self raising flour and sugar to a medium sized bowl and make a deep well in the centre.
Add milk, egg and vanilla essence.
Using a fork mix the flour with the wet ingredients until just combined and all the lumps are removed.The key here is not to over mix your batter.
Add a small coin sized dollop of butter to the preheated frying pan.
Add just less than 1/2 cup of batter to the pan and let it cook on medium heat until bubbles appear on the surface and the sides begin to dry.
Flip over to the other side, adding a little butter on the sides, cook until the pancake turns a rich golden brown.
Repeat for the rest of the batter
Serving Suggestion (pictured):
Serve with chopped up strawberries, chocolate shavings and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
Blueberries, bananas, rasperries go well too. And if you like nuts, some toasted pecans and walnuts are delightful!
Do you have a favourite pancake recipe? If you do get around to trying this recipe , please pop back to review it
That is all from me for now, I best return to that dreaded mountain of clothes I need to sort, have a wonderful weekend won’t you ?
Home-made popcorn reminds me of my childhood, back when microwave popcorn was a luxury we couldn’t afford, let alone a microwave. My mum would make us freshly popped corn, lightly salted and so delicious. There were three of us siblings so the popcorn would be carefully and equally divided into three bowls as a post school afternoon snack, any extra in any one person’s bowl was like a free ticket to fightsville! I now wonder if mum ever had any for herself, I don’t remember a bowl for her. To this day, home popped corn is a tradition in my family home back in Karachi, Pakistan. You will find mum’s pantry stocked with the microwaveable kind but everyone still prefers the freshness and flavour of home popped. Old habits die hard I suppose.
Speaking of traditions, we love our Friday nights in! Time to break out of the mundane routine, no swimming or tae kwon do to race to, no uniforms to iron, no missing sock to find, no homework to complete and no lunches to pack. An evening to do exactly as we please. Over the years, the Fab 2 and I have established a Friday night family tradition of sorts to mark the end of what is usually a grueling week. Dinner is usually scrumptious Nachos with the works ( recipe and pictures here) followed by a dvd(or two) and big bowls of home made popcorn to go around .Tonight was no different !
These healthy, beautiful, fluffy kernels can be yours and once mastered, you will never buy microwave popcorn again. It takes a few gos but the results are YUM, the best part is, you know exactly what you are putting in ! Read on to find out how:
Home Made Popcorn
You will need :
1 large sized heavy pot/dutch oven with a lid
1/2 cup of corn kernels
1 tsp salt levelled
1/4 cup canola oil ( add a tbsp of pure butter for a richer, buttery taste)
Next :
You will need your pot to be well heated before you add the oil.
Add salt and corn kernels, stir with a wooden spoon so the kernels are well coated with oil and salt.
Cover with a heavy lid allowing just a little steam to escape and the kernels start to turn brown.
Cover fully once kernels begin to pop.
Periodically shake the pot bewteen pops.
Once the popping slows down, turn heat off and slowly remove the lid to allow excessive steam to escape.
Season (if needed) and serve .
Witness your popcorns vanish right before your eyes.
Over to you
Did/Does your family have a Friday night tradition you love?
Which type of popcorn do you prefer? Home popped or microwaveable?
Everyone has a calling but not everyone has a chilli calling.
When I was little I wanted to be a teacher until I landed a brief teaching stint at my old high school and witnessed first hand what raging hormones could do to perfectly innocent 14 year minds…and bodies. Needless to say, the idea was canned. Next I wanted to be a journo, I love reading, I love writing and I am good at finding things (yes ask around, there are some serious concerns around my severe spying instincts). Perfect skill set but unacceptable career choice ( You can read more about that here).
So I gave up the writing thing and did the IT thing instead. Isn’t that what everyone did in the late 90′s/early 2000′s ?A few years later, reality TV became a rage and with that came likes of reality cooking shows like My Kitchen Rules, Iron Chef and Masterchef. With my pretty fabulous culinary skills (yes even if I say so myself), you guessed it – I wanted to be a chef ! and though its not quite a restaurant or a cafe, I do serve up some pretty special food here at Mumchic HQ as featured here and there on the blog as well.
I enjoy experimenting with various cuisines, recipes and introducing fresh flavours to our menu. Some say I might be spoiling the fab 2 with so much variety but to me, it means I am exposing them to myriad cultures through their taste buds. How often is it that we find ourselves curious about a country and its culture because we have tasted their food. Being a foodie is an education itself you see!
We at mumchic HQ like a bit of bite in our food barring FS2 who is only just learning to enjoy the kick. I have used all types of chillies in my cooking over the years – jalapeno, bullet, bird’s eye, bell pepper, serrano and cayenne to name a few. But a month or so ago, I discovered an untested chilli – thehabanero. Originating from Mexico and dating back to 6500 BC, habanero chillies as I have swiftly discovered over the past month, pack quite a punch. There is no way you can comfortably bite into these chillies like you would say the less potent anaheim. There are definitely not a salad or a garnishing chilli. But add one of these beauties to the final stages of your curry and you may just be taking your masterpiece to a whole new level of flavour and zing. I wouldn’t recommend adding any more than one habanero per dish that serves 4-6 otherwise you would kill the flavours it brings out. Infact even if you do like a bit of heat, I strongly suggest maybe adding half a habanero to start with – yes indeed as the title suggests, it is too hot too handle…. and we don’t want you looking like this !
like some water?
me, I have decided that from now on, Habanero is my chilli calling and I will be finding ways to incorporate them in my everyday cooking. Who knows, I might have the next tobasco in my hot little hands!
Over to you; have you ever tried a really hot chilli ? Do you have a favourite ?
P.S – Did you know ? Chillies in moderate quantities is actually good for you !
Oops we are in trouble ! Looks like we have been having too much fun talking about addictions , coffee and bad food. Rumour has it , a few chic-fans aren’t too impressed with us, what with all those promises of delicious recipes. Now,now my wonderful followers , apologies for the deviation , there were just too many other exciting things happening but I haven’t forgotten our shared love of food , nor have I stopped cooking ! Perhaps I will redeem myself a bit with this scrumptious delight I am about to share.
Aloo ki Bhujia( spiced potato curry ) is a favourite in every Pakistani home and each home has its own special style of preparing it. Back in the day , it was one of the first few dishes a 14 something girl would be taught by her mother/grandmother/aunts as she forayed into the land of cooking, along with how to roll a chappati and boil rice – the common lead up to finding a suitable match when she became eligible and in some cases , earlier than that .Knowing how to cook and cook well was kind of a big deal , in fact I dare say it still is in an understated sort of way….a fundamental factor in ensuring marital bliss. Good Cook = Happy Hubby. You know what they say , the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. It is an interesting equation to say the least but no where nearly a defining factor in keeping marriages together , not anymore anyway.
Practices have changed as the world evolves and the internet becomes more and more accessible , many Pakistani girls now learn how to cook from aunties sitting across the globe such as the lovely Manjula Aunty who runs a home cookery channel on Youtube attracting the attention of many young would-be connoisseurs. Some of the comments in these and other recipe videos are rather heart warming , newly marrieds trying to please their husbands with their favourite foods and the like.
Coming back to the quintessential Aloo ki Bhujia , it is a delicious medley of flavours and spices, warm , simple and comforting. Basic yet so wonderful. This dish is perfect on a day when you are short on time but still want to be able to serve up something decent or alternatively when you have an overstock of potatoes that you would rather not waste on a mash . This curry will keep very well refrigerated for 2-3 days but cannot be frozen.
Aloo Ki Bhujia
You will need :
3-4 tbsp cooking oil
5-6 medium potatoes , quartered and then thinly sliced , soaked in cold water
Add sliced onions and let them fry at a medium heat until they turn pink/transluscent ( ensuring that they don’t turn golden- the idea being not to overcook the onions).
Add tomatoes, crushed ginger and garlic and all the powdered spices and let this mixture fry until it releases oil .
Drain excess water and add the finely sliced potatoes , mix well together with the spices, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Ideally, you may not need to add any water but if the mixture seems too dry, it is okay to add a little water to add moisture bearing in mind the final consistency is not too runny like a proper gravy and not too dry either.
Once the potatoes are cooked through , add in the sliced green chillies and mix well .
Turn off the stove after two minutes.
Garnish generously with fresh coriander .
Serve with lemon wedges ,your favourite pickle, steamed rice or naan . Traditionally, Aloo ki Bhujia is served with a steaming phulka ( a fluffy flat bread ) or Chapati but it just tastes just as nice with a fresh , toaster damper or a bread roll.
I am very excited about this post and no it is not because I get to secretly bag out my children under the false pretense of writing a survival guide for less suspecting parents and also not because I am a cruel,unforgiving mum but because when you raise boys , every single day entails many stories of its own , stories that should be told , stories that must be told. Stories of laughter , deliciousness , tears , inspiration and stories of love. After all , isn’t that what Mumchic is all about ?
For our new readers , I have two little boys (6 & 8) , we have aptly named them , The Fabulous Two because you know , they’re pretty fabulous …. errr ok mostly fabulous !So what is it like raising two boys ? I am no parenting expert and most of the observations I will list below are mine alone but I have a feeling many of you will either be laughing your heads off or wondering if I secretly spied on your house to write to this post… or both !
So here it is , A Survivor’s , oops I mean Survival Guide to Raising Boys .
1.Boys eat ! Yes even the ones who made teeny , weeny little babies and you crawled behind them with a spoon of stewed apple making a right mockery of yourself had someone seen you because you were worried they wouldn’t gain enough weight on the next visit to the baby clinic. Face it , it was that stern nurse’s “You’re a careless , bad mother who probably spends all her day on Facebook ” look you were more afraid of than your child’s well being. Ah inner demons I tell you. Anyway , even that child will turn into a ravenous little something , a bit like my beautiful FS1. Where the heck does all this food go ? I often wonder . So the key is to have a very and I can’t say very often enough , stocked pantry and fridge and ofcourse a job that can fund your grocery bills because they will inevitably skyrocket.From what I hear , it doesn’t get any better. A little tip off , keep an unlimited supply of Maggi Noodles or whatever other brand you buy , our current favourite is Trident and teach your boy/s how to make them . Those little packs are a blessing I tell you for those in-between meals hunger cravings that may result in someone getting killed. Another trick is to have a lot of bananas handy , I have now taught FS2 to reach for a banana every time he feels like a piece of chocolate/lollies , bananas equal instant energy and much healthier than a sugar hit.
2.Be prepared for early onset pf hyponchondriasis , very very early. There will be unexplained tummy aches that last for months on end in spite of a clean bill from the GP.Their appearance will be staggered and timely , usually when there is an ad break on the tv and there is nothing else to do , you are a soft target you see.
3.Also , an unlimited supply of bandaids from the $2 shop (100 for $2 or something ? ) is a great investment because you know , bandaids can be redeeming force in many wars or (un)life threatning situations like :
FS2 , playing in the yard wails in excruciating pain ” Muuuummyyyyyyyyyyyyy , look I got SO badly hurt ” I race out to assess the damage which ofcourse turns out to be a mini graze . I say coolly ( in these situations , one must remain calm and detached and yet show a degree of compassion lest you want to be considered evil ) ” Here FS2 , let me rub some dettol and put a bandaid for you ” , All the wailing and tears halt …almost immediately ..Bandaids , making the world a better place.
And on that note , I beg you , please do NOT buy into those cute excuses for a bandaid with your kids favourite cartoons , you will end up spending a small fortune …on Bandaids.
But as we all know, most young boys have a great aversion to work. They can sit and stare at if for hours.
― James Dobson
Such profound words …
4.Along with hyponchondria-whateveritis , there is also a very early onset of laziness ( notice a pattern starting here ? ) , so instead of yelling out instructions every few minutes , write a list of tasks that need to be done before you leave home and stick it on their bedroom door. Then , just leave the scene . This never fails.
5.Memorize the Wikipedia because knowing the answer to just about everything and beyond is part of your job. Example : ” Mummy , Siri must get so tired , she has to answer so many questions , does she ever sleep ? ” , and If Aunty So and Uncle So have been married for sooo long , why don’t they have kids yet ? ( Clearly , my kids are still living in the ” God gives us babies ” bubble )
If , you are way too busy to memorize the Wikipedia , do the cool parent jig when thrown a difficult question for example Who is the world’s strongest man ?. Instead of tearing your hear down and yelling How in heaven’s name am I supposed to know that !!!!! be smart , just say “Honey , I will get back to you on that one” , disappear from the scene of the question for a few minutes , quickly google the question , read up on possible answers and return , loud and proud ” Oh honey , you know who the strongest man in the world is ” Deliver an animated spiel about the dude and throw in a few stats ( boys love stats ! ) . Now while your child looks at you with renewed respect , mentally bow down to theGoogle Gods and thank them from the bottom of your heart !
6.You must possess a very high tolerance for conversations that revolve around wees and poos. Yes , truly , most little boy conversations are hugely centred around excretion , I have no idea why but have learnt from experience and conversations with other parents of similar aged children that this is normal . Good ! I’ll have normal then.
7.Also , if you are raising more than one boy , be prepared for the most intriguing games. One of the popular ones at our house for example is : One son on the toilet seat doing his business , the other playing handball with him from the across the corridor… perhaps some strange way of expressing brotherly love which simply MUST be done while one brother is on the toilet seat . This proves the legitimacy of point number 6… it is true boys bond over strange things. Speaking of toilets , along with groceries and bandaids , make a considerable toilet paper allowance on your budget , just do it .
8.The girlfriend , boyfriend and marriage conversation comes easy. Contrary to popular belief , boys love talking about these subjects …. as long as it is about everyone else but themselves .But heaven forbid , if you were to entertain the thought that your own son might have a little crush or a girlfriend , the drama that ensues . Don’t do it , trust me , it raises hell.
9.Be a funny person , little boys love nothing more than a parent who has a great sense of humour and an ability to laugh at themselves.Say funny things , crack jokes , sing songs in weird voices and be dramatic.Ask to play a part in one of their pirate games , read to them or pass the football , I tell you there is instant redemption in these from all those times you send your little man to timeout and thought he will hate you forever.
10.Are you a minimalist raising boys ? If not , it would make a lot sense to become one , if you value your peace of mind that is. You know that gorgeous piece of art you have really been wanting to put up ? Or that tall vase that will look just perfect next to the sofa in your lounge ? Hold off until the boys have left the nest. There will be a lot of running and chasing , super hero games , Poo Ball ( as mentioned earlier ) , wrestling on the bed ,corridor cricket , hide and seek , Tae Kwon Do patterns practiced , bottom flashing competitions…need I say more ? The last thing you need is to have a brand new vase smashed to smithereens.
11.Be tech savvy , be very tech savvy . Little boys will not settle for your knowledge of Barbie’s latest clothing line or what car won the Grand Prix , like their older counterparts , little boys love gadgets and totally appreciate a parent who knows their tech. Yes yes , that does mean skimming over some of the tech news you have been conveniently missing for the past few years thinking you will eventually find out anyway. (Oh just incase you missed it , the world now has an iPad 3 , Facebook bought Instagram and Pinterest is where you upload your pictures ).I have found subscribing to a tech blog like Mashable is fantastic because you get a great overview of all the latest news. Chuck in a few youtube videos on some cool upcoming technology like the one below and your sons will be sold !
Oh the promise of the future !
11.And lastly , little boys just like little girls love a barrage of cuddles and kisses , they may not express it often enough but they love you and love spending time together and having you answer their million questions. Often , what works with the Fab 2 is when they ask me to do something for them , I will say that will cost you ummm about 100 kisses and then we negotiate it down to 30-40 , its a great way to kill a bit of time ,get a few laughs and score a few kisses .And they LOVE compliments so give that ego a little boost , just like little girls, they need to know they look handsome or did something very clever or said something, in a most articulate way.
Well , I could just keep going because there really is so much to share about raising these little men. All said and done , there is no right or wrong , so on days when all goes pear shaped and you lose hope just remember to breathe and smile , you know what they say ,
It is easier to Raise boys than to Fix Men !
So tell me …
What are your experiences with raising boys ? Do you have funny stories or tips to share with us ?
It is Easter Sunday and I bet there are many little people scurrying around the house hunting for chocolate eggs from the easter bunny. Although we don’t celebrate Easter as a religious festival here at Mumchic HQ , it is always wonderful to be part of the spirit and have our own little celebration. The fabulous two received their baskets this morning but I will not go into that story yet as is quite entertaining and deserves its own blog post .
Coming back to Sunday , I absolutely love the idea of having a lazy Sunday breakfast with the family , it is a great way to round up the week , cook a few favourites and talk about the complexities of life. Many families have Sunday Rituals , with my family back in Karachi , we would often prepare a brunch instead of a breakfast and the table would be laid out with the likes of pancakes , omelettes , parathas ( Pakistani flat bread) , freshly warmed croissants or even the calorific and sinful Halwa Puri( Spicy chickpea curry served with puffed up bread and traditional semolina halwa- a rich sweet ) bought from road side stalls and tea houses.Oh please don’t get me started on Halwa Puri.
Believe me if you are a Karachi-ite and have not experienced the absolute divinity that is Halwa Puri , please give up your Karach-ite status as of now ! This is what a typical Halwa Puri stall looks like and on a weekend you would often find yourself lining up in a longish queue to place your order. Most of these stalls will also have a makeshift restaurant pretty much randomly set-up on the footpath. I can tell you , from political debates to cursing the cricket team for its match fixing to questioning global warming , these makeshift restaurants have seen it all over a breakfast of Halwa Puri and cups of garma garam doodh patti chaai. ( steaming hot milky tea ).
Mouths watering yet ?
For this Sunday , the day being all about eggs , chocolate , painted, boiled , tie died , I thought it would be perfect to share with you a breakfast recipe that has become a super hit with all members of Mumchic HQ in recent times. In fact , you could say we literally hold out for the weekend so we can prepare this delicious version of eggs. Not that they can’t be made during the week but if your household is anything like ours in the morning during the week ( read : unbelievably buzzing ) , you may want to defer this recipe to the weekend just so you can savour it .
A couple of months ago , the fab two and I were staying with a dear friend , R and her family in Sydney , it was then that I was introduced to this brilliant twist to an omelette. R’s family too , likes to have a special sunday breakfast and the star of the morning are Aunty Rose’s special ” Sunday Eggs ” , a fusion between omelettes and a fritatta , and boy are they special !
Sunday Eggs
You will need :
2-3 tbsp oil
3-4 eggs
1/2 cup of finely sliced fresh mushrooms
2 brown onions chopped
1/2 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 tomato chopped to small pieces
2 long green chillies finely sliced into rings or chopped ( these may be omitted if you are not a chilli fan )
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ( more for sprinkling )
1/2 cup of freshly chopped coriander leaves
Preparation :
Heat oil in a non stick fry pan on medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and fry until they soften.
Add the onions until they become a faint golden ( bear in mind , we are not overcooking the onions in this one ).
Now add the garlic,tomatoes , salt and crack in some fresh pepper.
Allow the mixture to cook on medium heat until it all comes together and the oil is separated .
Add in the green chillies and mix well.
Here’s the tricky bit , create 3-4 ( depending on how many eggs you have ) wells in your mixture and keep your eggs cracked and ready.
Pour in the eggs , one for each well taking care not to break the eggs in the process.
Sprinkle the chopped fresh coriander all over and lightly sprinkle black pepper over the eggs if desired.
Lower the heat just a tad and allow the mixture to cook well , you will find that eggs will somewhat bind into the mixture giving it a sort of fittata feel.
If there are whites that have not been cooked , feel free to spread them a little with a fork.
Cook until eggs are fully cooked.
Serve with a lightly toasted baguette and butter.
Enjoy and a very Happy and Safe Easter All
Share a thought : How do you like your eggs on a Sunday ?
Tips :
Feel free to play around with the ingredients , there have been occasions when I have added sundried tomatoes or omitted the mushrooms. Sprinkle some mixed herbs,fresh chives and crushed red chillies to give it that Italian feel , anything is possible with this versatile recipe.
So I have had a severe eye infection the past couple of days .How do I know its severe ? Well anything that compels a doctor to push a paper clip up your eye to flip your eyelid over is classified severe in my books , and I am usually quite a resilient person . Although I am tempted to share a picture of my swollen , crusty , freshly punched in the eye look , I will spare you the agony.
When the swelling initially came up , the fabulous two were quite thrilled at the idea of mum adopting a piratey look , FS2 went all out and found me a pirate patch from a party we had a couple of years ago. There was also some banter between the two about the possibility of skipping school because mum was too sick to drive. Didn’t happen !
We somehow shuffled our way through the week and come Friday evening , I requested the Fab 2 to be on their best behaviour for the rest of the weekend. We had a mature conversation about my visit to the doctor ( paperclip and all the gory details included ) and that I had been asked to rest my eye as much as possible . There were nods all around , although I had my doubts about the credibility of those nods because moments of peace in our house are few and far between. You can read more about such moments here .
FS1 though can be quite sage and sensible … sometimes …and this morning was one of those “sometimes” . FS2 was already up and pottering around with his toys when FS1 woke up and came over for cuddles, I said to him , ” FS1, darling , my eye feels very sore, please give me ten minutes , I’ll make us some breakfast soon , why don’t you go brush your teeth in the mean time ? ” He nodded and slipped away leaving me to drift a little bit longer. The next time I woke was when I felt FS1 tap my my head , I opened my eyes to a wonderful little surprise.
A roughly folded piece of toast generously spread with jam and butter , the best piece of toast in the world followed by cuddles. I had tears in my eyes when FS1 said , ” Mummy , I wanted you to have a rest , I know your eyes are hurting”
Children; the truest form of love , capable of so much more than what we give them credit for.
Share a thought : Have you , as a child or a child close to you ever done something that truly surprised you and touched you deeply ?
Surviving single parenthood one baby step at a time...overdosed on coffees and red bull mostly.This is where I blog about food, inspiration, lifestyle, sweet nothings and love.
Pakistani|Australian.
Canberra, Australia.
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