UNUSAL CRAVINGS.............DOLMAS

As mention I love my food! Another unsual craving I think most poeple would not relate to is lebanese vine leaf rolls or Dolmas. I can down about 6 of these in one go. They generally are small, about 4 cm long and maybe 2 cm wide, sometimes bigger, but I think the smaller ones tend to be the nicest. You can find these little tasties at most kebab shops for about 50c each. When looking at them make sure they look fresh and most. I have had some that are so dry and gross and really taste like they have been pluck from a can. You want to have ones that a made fresh. The vine leaf is on the outside and inside is rice with a lemony-mint and vinegar taste. The traditional way to eat them so I have been told is with Garlic sauce, but I enjoy them just as much on their own. Anyway is a great little treat to taste.
I love to try new stuff and I am well known in my family for doing so. When I met James he didn't know about about unusal or different food. But now he loves his Thai, sushi, Pide, and heaps of other things he most likely would never have considered to try. One of my goals in life is to do tour of the world, eating at interesting places and gathering great recipes and ideas. I would of course squeeze in site seeing and shopping, but the food is what I like the best.

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD......GREAT PLACES TO EAT OUT

I just love FOOD! I really do and I can't get enough of it sometimes. Being pregnant doesn't make this obession any better for me really, but I do abuse my right to eat more and enjoy more food as it is best for the baby, isn't it??!!! Right now my thoughts are with stir chicken with rice noodles which I purchase from a small Asian place in the food court at Carlingford Village in Carlingford (just up the road from the Temple). This place makes the best asian food for the best prices. I love going and trying new stuff and the lady that takes your order is the sweetest, most helpful person you could come across and her smile is extrememly contagious. I have taken my husband here for dinner and he is quite sceptical of asian food places but he was silenced when he began to eat this yummy dish. The meal costs about $8.50 and is more than anough for two people. The other dish I like is special friend rice which is a little spicey but not overly offensive. Again that dish is about the same price and one plate is enough for two. If you are on a tight budget but want great food, this is a great place to go. I don't have pics but next time I eat there I will snag a pic with my mobile or try to remember my camera.

Gorgeous stuff from courtneycourtney

I just have to mention my last purchase for my daughter Claire. She is 7 and the only daughter I have. I love to spoil her with lots of cute and stylish clothes. As I have mentioned I love Etsy.com and came across a featured seller courtneycourtney.
She makes t-shirt dresses and tops out of recycled t-shirts. I think they are just so adorable. I ended up purchasing this one on a bit of a impulse purchase really, but she doesn't seem to have a large supply of size 7 or 8 and I wanted to get something quick before the dollar went down any further. I think Claire will look gorgeous in this anyway! Anyway check out her stuff, I think its very cool and creative and so cute for little girls too.

Christmas Commitment!

I decided a couple of days ago, that this christmas I am endeavouring to make as many christmas gifts as I possibly can. Its not the best timing in some ways, as I am 5 mnths pregnant and the baby will be born sometime around Christmas(at this stage hoping after!). But I have thought about this over the past couple of years so I want to do it.

My plans
I want to make mini hampers for friends using homemade foods. My thoughts have gone to making a yummy pesto, lemon curd/butter and either shortbread or fudge. I also have come across an awesome idea that I found on Etsy
where these people make cupcakes in a jar. So I am going to attempt this idea with some of my own ideas.
For my nephews and nieces, the younger ones anyway, I want to make camo crayons. This concept I discovered also on Etsy. Where you melt down broken up crayons in moulds. Whack them in the oven and then cool. You get awesome crayons in awesome shapes and multi colours. I like to make jewelry to my older nieces and nephews will get jewelry appropriate for their gender.
For my kids, I am going to make them each a patchwork quilt. I am realistic, I know that I may not get to all of them by christmas but their birthdays are not long after christmas, so I can aim for then if I don;t have it done by Christmas.
The kids will get a toy or two but I want them to have things they will hopefully treasure for many years to come. I have made them things before and they have still love them, so I want to capitalise on that while I can still get away with it!!!!
So I have a busy time ahead of me, but I enjoy this type of thing, and now I have a good excuse to spend all my free time making things and being creative. I will add things and pics as I go along.

It's a .....................

We had the ultra sound last monday and all is well with bub. It's growing at the right rate and everything is where it should be!! So the big question is, boy or girl? We will be expecting our third boy. So now i will be raising a roost full of testosterone (not sure of spelling!!!) Chris and Liam are good boys though, so I am hoping this one will be there same. Although I could have a boy with the characteristics of Claire, then that would be something to experience!!! Whatever the outcome, I am blessed to have another baby in our family. I count myself very lucky to have 4 children, as I know a lot of women out there have problems falling pregnant for the the first time.