This week has not been the best around here. Maggie has hit the terrible twos a week early and with the passion of one thousand fiery suns. Whilst a few weeks ago she would answer "Of course!" to questions, she now says no 23,000 times a day. She's doing that arched back thing when you try and put … [Read more...]
Search Results for: one thing
Monday meal ideas: Zucchini & Cauliflower
May 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment
I think your body knows what you need at any given time: water, sugar, prosecco and right now it's telling me one thing: GREENS. Vegetables. And lots of it. So while I have a VERY busy week ahead, I'm going to try my best to get moving, get some water (and Prosecco into me) and plenty of green … [Read more...]
Keep it simple: family learnings over the summer
February 9, 2017 by 8 Comments
A sponsored post for Bupa I have to say, that so far over this summer the Macdonald Team Family game has been STRONG. School holidays, Christmas and New Years will do that to you when you are forced to spend many, many (MANY!) days in a row together and despite my feeling a little, shall we say, … [Read more...]
Entertaining at home: some tips
February 3, 2017 by 11 Comments
I posted this originally a few years ago but thought it might be a good time to re-share, especially if you had planned to get back into your entertaining mojo in 2017. I know that entertaining can be quite overwhelming for people: what to cook, serve, decorate, the pre-clean up and post clean up, … [Read more...]
Looking for delicious, nutritious options? Wrap it up!
January 31, 2017 by 19 Comments
A sponsored post for Helga’s Wraps As you would know, I’ve been trying really hard over the past few months to change the way I eat: eating smaller portions, choosing more veggies and dropping the carbs. It’s been a bit of an adjustment, but now I am there, the better choices are coming easier … [Read more...]
Starting out at Primary School
January 20, 2017 by 10 Comments
I published this post this time last year, but thought it might be worth re-publishing again given it's almost that time of year again. Somehow Harps will be in year 2! Daisy in year 5? Thank GOODNESS Mags is a few years off yet still. Do you have a little one starting? Original post … [Read more...]
Delicious dip & FAB homemade crispbread
January 17, 2017 by 27 Comments
When we were away at Christmas time every couple was allocated a main meal (either lunch or dinner) and nibbles on another day. It meant that for the times where lunch was the main meal, kids could have inevitable leftovers for dinner and the adults could roll a nibble and a drink and be happy. Mum … [Read more...]
A hot day, and a cool change
January 12, 2017 by 19 Comments
Yesterday was hot, properly summery hot. Where the sun is beating down without a breeze to cool anything down. Tempers were frayed. Kids were bored. There was just one thing for it: water. One of my friends and her kids were heading to a local waterfall/swimming hole (Carrington Falls) so we tagged … [Read more...]
BabyMac Book Club: Good wood {The discussion}
November 28, 2016 by 13 Comments
You guys! I did it! I finished a book. Sure I left it to the very last minute and literally finished it 10 minutes ago, but I finished a book. A Christmas miracle! What I have to note though is that I am really badly addicted to my phone. The amount of times I stopped reading, to check it, what for? … [Read more...]
What happens when you are busy making plans
November 7, 2016 by 26 Comments
A sponsored post for Bupa This post talks about pregnancy, problems in pregnancy, loss and premature births so may act as trigger to some people. As the wise old lady sitting on my rocking chair on the verandah, OK the still old lady looking exhausted from her 3 children, I can safely say that … [Read more...]
Florence Nightingale Anxiety
November 3, 2016 by 32 Comments
It was on Friday afternoon after School last week when Harper started coughing. Innocent enough, but I realised as soon as I heard it, that she was about to get a cold. And when she gets a cold, it's not normally "just" a cold. It means that it will trigger her asthma. It means that she will be … [Read more...]
Pretty in Pink
October 18, 2016 by 10 Comments
The month of October always brings with it crazy weather. You can get a hot, summery day and the next you can get a cold snap that takes your breath away. We've even had snow in October! But one thing that October brings that ALWAYS makes me happy, is the pink clematis in flower all over the … [Read more...]
Starry, starry night
September 28, 2016 by 29 Comments
Last night was cold, probably too cold for late September, but a cold night usually means one thing: a clear night. And a clear night? Stars! How lucky we are in the country to see stars! And last night they put on quite the show. Rob headed outside around 9.30pm to take some in the backyard but … [Read more...]
Monday meal ideas: an Asian twist
August 22, 2016 by 2 Comments
The one thing I miss living down here is really good Asian food. There are a few places to get food but it's not that fresh, crisp taste that I like with Asian food - lots of herbs and a mixture of spicy, salty, sour and sweet that I like - more like fried and a little MSG. Anyway, it means that I … [Read more...]
BabyMac is 10 years old
July 28, 2016 by 51 Comments
Rob's Mum gave a beautiful speech recently at his 40th where she used the nursery rhyme Row your boat to describe his journey from her baby, to this now (fabulous & old ha) man. I loved the simplicity of it, rowing your boat gently down the stream...and that life is but a dream. I've been doing … [Read more...]
Look down, look up
July 20, 2016 by 28 Comments
Anyone else feeling a bit shit? Me too. It's a combo of back to school blues I think (that THANK GOD they are back and WHERE ARE MY BABIES?) after a really good school holidays and lots of quality family time. I'm feeling a bit fat and bluergh and my skin is absolutely shithouse again (has been … [Read more...]
Cauliflower crack
June 27, 2016 by 22 Comments
As you may have seen earlier on Facebook tonight, my "trying not to shovel so much shit in my mouth" is kind of going OK. A little de-railed from life and getting my period and having sick kids and the like, but it's going. Baby steps! In any case, I have been eating waaaaaay more veggies than I … [Read more...]
Ladies lunch: Salt & Pepper Squid
April 29, 2016 by 14 Comments
I really must stop watching cooking shows at night. You see, because we always eat early with the kids at Grandma o clock, by the time 8/8.30pm comes around and if I am watching something tasty on TV I can be found wiping the drool from the side of my mouth. This happened to me earlier this week … [Read more...]
Addicted to you
April 12, 2016 by 59 Comments
It's school holidays time again. A time I really encourage the kids to just be and chill out. Do nothing. Yesterday I was stoked that the normal no TV past 8am thing in the morning still existed (most days for us we let the kids watch some TV until 8am and then it's off for reading or homework or … [Read more...]
Feeding crowds at home
April 6, 2016 by 38 Comments
Over the years of being down here and hosting visitors for various meals at our home, there's one thing I have gotten good at: feeding crowds of people. While having your entire family over for Christmas lunch, or a christening or birthday party can seem entirely overwhelming, if you keep it simple, … [Read more...]
