January 13

Josie's new pastime...
making friendship bracelets.

January 12

We are spending our Saturday trying to make order out of chaos.
It's a crazy busy month and the housework is a bit neglected :(
Kids are tackling their bedrooms, I better get busy with the rest.

January 11

A new year is about resolutions, isn't it?
What's ours?
To eat lots of these...and other fruits and veggies.

January 10

Super easy bird treat!

Take a empty toilet roll.  Put a 'hanging' string on it.
Smear peanut butter all over it.
Roll it in bird seed.
Hang it up!

You'll have birds snacking 10 minutes after
you've found your empty toilet roll!!

January 9

Don't let the blue skies of this picture deceive you...
this was at Manning last week.
Here it's rain, rain, rain...and more rain.

January 8

When I was little, I would try to find any excuse not to have to eat pea soup.
Crazy...'cause this is the best pea soup recipe out there!!  So delicious!!
(and for the record...no excuse got me out of eating it).

If you are interested, here's the recipe.
Thanks Mom, for letting me share this...it's too good not to share:)

Split Pea Soup

Soak 500g (or more) dried green split peas overnight in your big soup pot.

In the morning, add:

1 leek, cut up

3 potatoes, cut up

1 large onion, cut up

1 small celery root, cut up small (if you can't find this, add celery instead)

1 small smoked pork hock

6 small beef bouillon cubes

- and enough water to fill your pan

Cook on low until the veggies have mostly 'fallen apart'.  Stir regularly.

Remove the pork hock, cut off fat layer, and cut up the meat and add to soup.

Add farmers sausage.

Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Stir often!!  Very important, or you'll have burnt pea soup.

Enjoy with bread or crackers.

January 7

It was back to work for Rich today and Blake was in 'withdrawal'
(and so was Rich, I think.  These two have a special bond.).
So when Rich popped in for a minute, this is what I found in the office.