OCD ???

I'm fussy.  I'm the first to admit it.  I like things to be a certain way and done a certain way and I don't cope well if this doesn't happen.  If my house is a mess I can't relax or really even function until it is cleaned up.  I can't stand stuff on horizontal surfaces.  I detest clutter.  I love routine.  I think I may have just a touch of OCD.  

I think a little may be a good thing.  I bet there a plenty of messy hourders out there who wish they had just a touch of OCD.

My husband also likes things to be a certain way and to be done a certain way.  He likes his pillowcase on a certain way.  He has been known to snap a carrot over the lid being left off the toothpaste.  I think he might also be just a tiny bit OCD.

 I am beginning to think little Abbey may have won the genetic jackpot and inherited this OCD tendency from both of us.  Her little idiosyncrasies and routines are becoming a little over the top.  Yes, I know she is just a toddler and they do funny things but this is getting ridiculous.

First of all Abbey cannot wear shoes and socks inside.  She will take them off as soon as she can.  She doesn't care where she is, at her house, the doctors, the supermarket, those shoes and socks must come off immediately. She also doesn't care if her feet are so cold I think they may drop off, absolutely no socks.

If she decides to have a rest during the day on the couch she must have her special pillow, her pink blanket, her three bunnies that she calls "weewees", the yellow one (which is orange), the blue one and the pink one.  These must be arranged in order from the most loved to the least loved.  

A similar arrangement must be met at bedtime but she also needs her ducky lights and her fishy music. Then the door has to be left open about an inch or she will have a nervous breakdown.

When she eats or drinks if she gets any food or drink on herself the offending item of clothing must be removed immediately.  If her hands are sticky she will freak out until they are cleaned.

She will not eat meat.  She will not eat cereal.  She will not eat potatoes or pumpkin.  Actually it would be easier to list what she will eat.  She will eat all fruit except apples.  She will eat cheese if it is grated.  She would like to eat pasta for every meal.  She will eat cucumber, sweetcorn and the odd pea.  She will eat yoghurt and bread.  And that is about it.

This diet seems to be working for her, she looks pretty healthy.  And she is definitely full of beans.  Not literally.

I'm hoping she'll grow out of it before she drives me nuts.  If I'm not already.

P.S. I have finally posted the recipe for Nonna's Ragu.  If you want to taste the best pasta sauce you need to cook some immediately.

Back again

The weekend was wonderful.  We did some shopping, some relaxing and ate really well.  I finally got to go to Longrain for dinner, I have wanted to for years.  It lived up to my expectations even if we did have to wait 1.5 hours for a table.  The food and the cocktails were absolutely amazing.

I got to sleep in until 9.30 Sunday morning, I can't remember when I did that last and then had a lovely breakfast at Stephanie Alexander's cafe Richmond Hill.  Amazing bircher and the tastiest scrambled eggs I have ever tasted.

The big kids didn't drive Grandma crazy, she said they were easy to look after. My Mum and Dad looked after Abbey and I think she was an absolute pleasure.  She didn't want to come home, although she was very happy to see me and gave me a huge hug and said "Luff you Mum." 

In other news both Tom and Cass got pupil of the week last week and are proudly wearing their ribbons to school every day.  My washing machine is still not working so I am carting my washing to and from Mum's house and handwashing the kids school uniforms.  The freezing cold, pouring rain weather is not helping but I am enjoying being inside with the heater on, listening to rain on the roof.

Tomorrow I am going to attempt my first batch of Nonna's Ragu.  I hope it is a success, I have high expectations and I am going to feed it to my whole family who are coming for dinner Saturday night.

But right now I have to fold some washing before we run out of clothes to wear.

  

Grandma has arrived...

.....and we are outta here !!!

We being David and myself, and we are actually going away for the weekend sans children.

The excitement is nearly too much to bear.

I am looking forward to: 

1. Eating a meal without getting up from my seat at least 10 times.

2. Having a shower in peace.

3. Not doing any laundry (although I can't do any at home anyway do to blown up washing machine).

4. Completing a thought.

Be back Sunday afternoon.  See ya !

The Toddler Terrorist strikes again

I'll let the photo speak for itself.

In an effort to keep Abbey amused I decided to do some baking.  We made the best dessert in the world, Molten Chocolate puddings.  What makes these pudds the best in the world is not only that they taste fabulous but you can make them any time you have 20 minutes to spare and you just keep them in the freezer until you want them.  

Doesn't it look delicious ?

I was actually making them for the weekend but Abbey wanted one so badly I baked one and she ate it for lunch.  They cover all the food groups you know, chocolate, fat, sugar....oh no, they don't.  They don't have any alcohol in them.  Next time I might put a little Tia Maria in them. Here is Abberlicious enjoying her lunch.

Do yourself a favour and make some Molten Chocolate Puddings right now,  you'll thank me for sure.  

Toddler Terrorist

There is 5.5 years between my second and third child.  During that time it seems that I forgot how much mess a toddler creates over the course of a normal day.

Or I blocked it out because it was just too disturbing to think about.

Either way little miss toddler terrorist Abberlicious has the house and its occupants under siege due to the constant high level threat of instant mess.  I fear it because I generally fear all mess and disorder and the big kids are terrified that they might have to help clean it up.  

Cleaning up mess they didn't create seems to cause the big kids in this house to go into instant meltdown.  They think it's bad enough having to clean up their own messes, cleaning up their little sisters' seems to be complete torture.

Here is a fine example of her handywork.

She had only been playing with the playdough for 15 minutes.  

Isn't she talented.  Quite a mess for a little girl.

This is what this area of the house normally looks like.

If you're wondering why she is wearing only a nappy it is because in addition to being a toddler terrorist she also seems to be a toddler nudist,  likely to strip from head to toe at any given moment.

Luckily for her she is really cute.

The sun'll come out...

.....tomorrow hopefully !

I'm feeling a little bummed about my washing machine today.  I am a washing fanatic, I rarely have dirty laundry sitting around for more than overnight and not having a working washing machine makes me feel all uneasy and out of control.  Yes, I may have a few issues but it is just not fair that my washing machine has died after only 10 months.  What is it with me and washing machines ?  I treat them well, keep them clean, they would never get lonely or feel unappreciated because I am always in the laundry putting them to good use.  I love my washing machines, is a little love back too much to ask ?

But back to the title of this post, do you remember the movie Annie ?  I absolutely adored this movie when I was a little girl, I knew every word to every song.  I remember as clear as day often belting out my own rendition of "You're never fully dressed without a smile" with my sister and my cousin Nicole. 

My daughter Cassidy recently began singing lessons and I thought she might like Annie so I borrowed the video from Mum and Dad.  Cassidy LOVES it.  Now she knows all the words to all the songs.  She was at her cousins house the other day playing in the cubby, sweeping the floor and she told me "it's a hard knock life for me Mum."  Here's a photo of the poor, hard done by child.

She looks like she lives a life of suffering doesn't she ?

Her love for Annie has grown even stronger since her singing teacher started to teach her "Tomorrow".  She wants to sing just like Annie on the movie.  She wants to dance just like her too.  In fact she has gone so far as to say she'd like to be an orphan.  I didn't take offence.

I guess if little orphan Annie can believe in her situation that the sun'll come out tomorrow that I too can be optimistic and believe that the washing machine repair man will come tomorrow. 

Oh, and I absolutely must add that the gorgeous photo above was taken by the phenomenly talented Nicole Finlayson.  She takes the most beautiful photos, go and see for yourself. 

Frustration

My washing machine smells like it could explode at any minute.  I know I have quite a bit of washing but this is ridiculous.  This washing machine is only 10 months old and it was not a cheapie, it's a flipping Blanco washing machine.

 My last washing machine (which by the way was also not a cheapie, it was a Maytag) lasted 3.5 years.  I actually technically still have it as it is sitting at the repairers because they can't find anything wrong with it.  But when it comes home to my house it leaks and destroys the new panel on the laundry cabinet that we replaced because the Maytag leaked and wrecked it !!!  Arrrgghh !!

Wow.  I feel better now I got that off my chest.

Other than the whole washing machine debacle it was a quiet day at home today with the big kids back at school.  Abbey and I did some chores, played with playdough and made some pumpkin soup.  Doesn't it look yummy ? 

I also posted a picture of Abbs for no reason other than she is really cute.

Well, you have to start somewhere...

....and here is where I'll start.

  

We have had another crazy weekend with David home only for two days and about a billion things to do.  Well, a billion may be a slight exaggeration but we certainly were busy. Saturday morning was filled with the mundane, dentist and haircuts, grocery shopping and a mountain of laundry.  But Saturday afternoon was the best !

I was invited to my gorgeous friend Ellen's home to watch her mum make Ragu and Crostoli. Ellen's mum's name is Valeria but we all like to call her Nonna and we love her to bits.  I'd actually like to keep Nonna at my house forever, I wish she was my Nonna.  

Nonna is from Northern Italy originally and makes the best ragu (or bolognaise sauce, whichever you want to call it) that I have ever tasted.  I had tried over and over to copy it but mine was never even anywhere near as good so Ellen took pity on me and said Nonna would give me a lesson on ragu making.

So now I know.  And my family and friends will be singing Nonna's praises for evermore.

And Crostoli. Oh my goodness, if you haven't had crostoli you haven't lived !  It is sort of like sweet pasta that is deep fried and covered with icing sugar.  And I know how to make that too.  I feel empowered with all this italian knowledge.  I'll share these recipes when I figure out how to use blogger !!!

But now it is back to the mundane with David off to Sydney at the crack of dawn and the kids back to school tomorrow.  Abbey and I won't know what to do with ourselves. I could always try out the crostoli recipe but I don't think my butt will thank me.