The Great Scone Bake Off

Today at the kids had a mini fete at school and there was a scone bake off competition. So the kids had to help Mum , or Dad, bake some scones and send them to school. I must say I'm not a fan of scones because they are usually dry and chewy. So my mission was to find a recipe, or actually two, of good tasting non-chewy scone variety.

Quack chose sundried tomato and feta scones with herb and garlic butter

These were super tasty and super easy. I can't wait to have an excuse to make these again. I found the recipe here and they are worth the visit. If you are looking for something extra special and different too this is the answer. They rose nicely and have a wonderful soft texture and subtle flavour.

Jaybug chose the traditional jam and cream scone

For these scones I used a never fail recipe from my stash of women's weekly books. Again they were simple, moist, tasty and everything you could wish a good scone to be. They reminded me of a scone loaf which a friend had brought around for lunch one day. I couldn't believe I had managed to recreate that taste in my kitchen! Dangerous.... 

So here's the recipe (from memory which is always a sure sign they are a winner) so I know everyone can enjoy simple and tasty scones this weekend.

BUTTERMILK SCONES (worth the trip for buttermilk)

375g self raising flour

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

60g butter

300ml buttermilk

Preheat oven to 220oC and line a tray with baking paper.

Sift flour and sugar together.

Rub in butter.

Add butter milk and cut in with a knife.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Roll dough out to 2cm thick and cut out rounds with a cookie cutter (use whatever shape you have or cut squares)

Re-rolling scraps to use all the dough.

Place scones on the tray just touching and bake for 15 minutes until golden

Serve with cream and jam

We also added fresh strawberries and sandwiched them with a sprinkle of icing sugar on top!

NB - we didn't win the bake off but we definitely have some winning recipes by my standards and I have no idea what was wrong with the judges!

Today

Today I struggle with the never ending cycle of MCS {Multiple Chemical Sensitivity}.

Today I feel like an unadequate mother, unable to drag myself from the couch.

Today I wonder what a life without MCS would feel like.

Today my head thumps like a constant drum.

Today my brain refuses to function to its normal capacity.

Today I feel like I am wrapped in a fog.

Today I wonder whether a normal life is possible again.

Today I think of all that has changed lately.

Today I don't know who this person inside my shell is.

Today I am grumpy and on edge.

Today I am so tired it is an effort to breathe.

Today I know I am someone different to twelve months ago.

Today I wonder if I will push anyone else away.

Today I wish I had the words to explain.

Today I know there will be a tomorrow,

And there is hope tomorrow is better than today.

I know MCS had changed who I am, how I think, speak, act and react, and operate.

There are things I have done and said that are a complete breakdown of brain function at times.

I am grateful for friends and family who have seen the effects of this and have stuck by with understanding and compassion.

The way I would graphically try to explain MCS

Project Life - the arrival

As I posted about here on Sunday, I have been drawn like a moth to a flame. 2013 is going to be the year I capture and remember every piece of. The more I look for ideas and inspiration the more I can't believe I haven't done this before. I am very excited to say my kit has arrived {jumping up and down screaming like a teenage girl at a one direction concert kind of excited!}

Luckily the amazing team over at Crafthouse heard the prayers of Emily for hers to arrive on the same day as mine, even though they were ordered two days apart. This meant a playdate, even on a school night!

It was like Christmas without all the food!

So what have I ordered for 2013? {my links are for Australian customers but there is also the option for New Zealand customers too, other countries need to look here}

• 2x 60 page protectors - Style A
• 12x12 Binder - Clemintine
• Core kit - Cobalt
• Designer 12x12 Paper - Cobalt Collection
• Monthly dividers - Cobalt Edition

There is also an easy way to order and that is to order a starter kit in a chosen collection, which includes:

• 60 pack of A page protectors
• 12x12 Binder
• Core kit

From here you can add extra's from the accessories tab. It was personal preference for me not to do this as I didn't like the Cobalt Edition binder so instead I ordered the Clemintine binder and everything else is Cobalt.

This years range is pretty impressive with the addition of the Baby kits in His, Hers and neutral. There is also two new releases, Olive and Seafoam, which look gorgeous. My personal L.O.V.E is Olive but I wondered about how it would work with 3 males in our house and also its still on pre-order, due in December, and I'm too impatient to have to wait. Maybe next time?

Here is a few photo's of bits and pieces in my kit - Cobalt Edition

I am so looking forward to sitting down and doing my set up and blogging along with it so that I can hopefully inspire so others to join in this great Project Life Adventure for 2013.

Project Life 2013

I have finally been convinced, arm twisted, and fallen in love with a style enough, to Project Life 2013. deep breath, long sentence...

Thanks to Emily. {you need to give me your blog address}

Emily has recently moved from Queensland to our little country life here. We met through the facebook page for our 12WBT here in NSW and have been training together when we can. Emily and I have hit it off like oxygen and fire. We have so many similar interests its a little scary. I find Emily to be an amazing inspiration and support in both her 12wbt transformation but also in her outlook in life. I have really fallen in love with her style of Project Life and we have sat and played and tried ideas for how it will work for me. So our 2013 kits are currently making their way from Crafthouse and I am eagerly waiting for it to arrive so we can start setting up and planning.

Emily is a true planner after my own heart. I know this is where I have been a little worried about getting into Project life in the past. I like to be organised, make lists, have a plan and have worked out every possible fall down before I commit. The way I have watched it fall over and fail for others has not given me the faith to jump in and make the purchase.
I know this coming year will be my year to Project Life - with lots of things planned to happen for 2013 - and with Emily's help, and willingness to sit and listen to my crazy ideas, I know we will both find a way to work together on our individual styles for Project Life.

With a couple of months out to January 1st 2013 maybe someone else wants to join our crazy planning group?? Whose arm might I twist I wonder? I look forward to following you if you decide to PL-2013 along and will be madly using my pintrest for ideas.

What is Project Life? Its a brainchild of Becky Higgins in an attempt to get people back into simple scrapbooking.

 You can find out more info here
Ordering for Australia and New Zealand is available here

I don't mind if you get a little green eyed

So it's been awhile and lots has happened. We have had parents times two visit, school holidays, my cousin from Perth, and weeks of continuing to follow the 12wbt plan. Lately I've had a few run-ins with my good friend MCS and have suffered migraines, tiredness, new medications, and mood swings, thanks MCS for being so darn awesome...

But there have also been a few BIG milestones in the last week.

Bubba and I celebrated our six year wedding anniversary last Sunday. A few years ago the diamond fell out of my engagement ring and we have always talked about replacing it but haven't gotten around to it. But recently I had an epiphany that engagement rings don't have to equally diamonds. I have a few friends with some pretty awesome engagement rings with out being the perceived regular diamond ring.
So I told Bubba of this revelation and the way I felt emeralds caught my personality a little more than the diamond I had tried to fit. And tada what would appear but this

As I started to blog a few weeks ago I have been following the Michelle Bridges 12WBT and although I have had a crazy few week, hmmm like 6 weeks to be exact, I have contined to follow the program. It's been a slower path than I expected in the start but I now see the reality is hard work and slow progress for sustainability. But I can proud say I've lost just over 5kg since I started! I'm warning you to look away now if your not game to see underwear shots but this is the reality of my journey. Nine weeks of working my butt off has not made me look like a supermodel and I doubt that another nine years would!

Even more exciting is finally fitting this dress that I was given. It was inches too small in the waist area and far beyond doing up when I was given it in July this year. But this morning it is zipped! 

I would still get some breathing comfort from another few inches so this is my next goal...

 

I have also found the inspiration to finally get my craft makings out to the world. I have finally found a name and I am working on a design at the moment. So watch this space for the launch of my online selling presence!

Week 3 - 12 week body transformation

Week three is here which means I am 1/4 of the way through this twelve week commitment. I think I am getting to the stage where I am having to push myself a little harder. Old habits start to creep in but I am determined to pick myself up again when I fall. (NZ Toffee pops you are so good but I think our love affair has to end!)

We had a friends party on the weekend and I am waiting to see the results tomorrow. I now see once you have got your eating to a healthy place how much it hurts, even just that one day, to relax too much. I also know that I own all the choices I made on Saturday and it is a very valuable lesson to have learned this early on. Basically for my health and energy levels it just isn't worth even that one day off. Other people may find that they can and have no effect but for me I think my body needs this lifestyle, to be whole and heal as part of the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity journey.

I have really struggled with tiredness these last few mornings so I am reminded at the end of my workout to give myself a pat on the back. I know that some days I just have to get up as soon as the alarm goes to not give my body or brain time to realise what is going on. I know that I can push through this and I am choosing health and fitness over tiredness and slump.

I am still totally loving the food. This week includes lasagne and pizza. Two of my favourite foods! I am excited to see how to make a smarter choice but still enjoy family favourites. Lasagne last night was a HUGE hit with Quack declaring it his new all time favourite this morning. The leftovers are happily at work in Bubbas cooler bag - so can't be too bad folks!
We have found with a with minor tweeks here and there that the whole family is eating, and for the most part, enjoying the evening meals. Weekend breakfasts have been a hit in our house too with all the favourites in a lighter and/or more enjoyable way.

I do see this as a lifestyle change. Michelle is teaching me tools for life. Whether it be her workout prescriptions, nutritional plans or her mindset teachings. I feel better in myself and empowered to know I am making small changes that are sustainable in the long term. I'm not cutting our food groups or training eight hours a day. This is able to work for my life and my family and I think most people would find it is easier than you realise.

The number one point is YOU have to be ready and want this. If you're not you will find a million excuses throughout the twelve weeks to not eat right and not exercise. I still stumble and trip but the main thing is I am determined to not stay down but to get up again. Found this on pintrest this morning and it will be my mantra for this week.

 

So after an extremely hard week in life, fitness, health and friendships I will get up again and I will carry on. WWW here I come and whatever number you show me I will own it and I will get on with it. Moving towards my goal is one step at a time.

12 Week Body Transformation - week 2

Yay! I made it! Its week two and I am ready to hit the ground running. The exercise is good ( even if at the time it doesn't feel nice or look pretty) and the food is YUM!!

I had banana, cottage cheese and cinnamon on toast for breakfast - thought it was a bit weird sounding but is surprisingly delicious. A wrap coming up for lunch and Pumpkin soup for dinner. I'm sure I'm eating more than I used to and feeling my body thank me.

Monday morning never felt so good. I am looking forward to Wednesday, not for the number but to see the rewards of my hard work.

I found these two today and think it sums it up quite nicely:

So I will continue to eat myself well, eat more energy and exercise my body fit.