Memories...

I have always thought that memory was one of the things that give you identity, meaning and relationship. I still think that, and so when people ask me whether we remember each other in heaven I say of course. But visiting my grandmother I have seen the other side of memory in this faulty world of ours. As she slips further nto dementia, she is the happiest she has been in years. One reason is I believe she can't recall those things which gave her regret and bitterness. What seems to stay with her the most is the people she loves. She can't always remember names - but she remembers the relationships between people better. She always remembers who I am, even if sometimes my name escapes her. Perhaps ths is what is behind the biblical use of remembrance - God no longer remembers our sin, but remembers us and so saves us. It is not then that God can't recall our sin, but that like a lost memory it no longer has any power.

Thankyou God!

A dramatic hot tea incident with Scout (very silly stunt by him) meant a non functioning laptop on Christmas eve and a very cranky me. But the next day, in the joy of Jesus' birth it didn't seem to matter so much. Then today it has dried out! Wow! Now just got to get the keys working properly where we had to take them off to clean out tea.

My favourite carol

O Holy Night. Because Christmas makes me fall on my knees. What's yours?

a thrifty kid friendly veggie-full bolognaise

Well, here is another post in my irregular cooking series. A meal that I quite often make for the kids. I just made it last night and totted up the total cost - it is around AU$2.00 per adult serve (or AU$1.00 per little kid serve).

It packs in a lot of sneaky veggies too, and adjusts itself to whatever veggies you have hanging around.

Ingredients:
400-500g mince beef( I just put in the whole amount of the packet I buy, you can also use for a more authentic taste pork/veal mince combo.)

a large pasta sauce jar the bigger the better 500-750g (Or make from scratch if less time stretched, to make up for that then will need a can of tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic and 1 onion at most basic)

About 4 cups (or more) of veggies, comprising:
grated veggies - I will often use a carrot and a zucchini, but anything really that is firm - give eggplant a go as well.
AND/OR
finely chopped veggies (can use frozen - try celery, carrot, peas, corn, cauliflower)
AND/OR
can of legumes such as lentils/beans/chickpeas

500g pasta

Taste enhancers: you can add any of the following to give it more flavour - tomato paste(or sauce at a pinch!), fresh or dried Italian herbs such as oregano, marjoram, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, extra fresh onion and garlic, bacon.

Optional- sprinkle cheese on top.

Cook pasta per directions, and really there is no special way to cook the sauce, except that if you have really young kids throw veggies in earlier even at start to get them more tender, and add softer veggies later. I use olive oil spray when I brown the meat to reduce the fat content.

This makes up to 6 adult serves and up to 12 little kid serves.

tummy bugs and funny kiwis...

We have been dealing with a yuck tummy bug over here - so far all of us have had it/still have it except for Sparky. I'm on the 5th day and still feel sick so it's not nice.

Anyway, as that's not a highly entertaining post, I thought I would let you know Bhaer and I have been getting into Flight of the Conchords, as a comic break from West Wing. Very funny. I like Jemaine (who looks a bit like my husband and a bit like an ex boyfriend of mine......who both are part or more Kiwi. as are FoftheCs..........hmmmm who knew my tastes were so well, specific???).

I've put a clip from the show below, a parody of Bowie. As many of you read blogs with kids around the WARNING is that their songs deal with grown up concepts - this one involves some mild drug references though this would go over my kid's heads I think. Come back and watch this when they are in bed.....

holiday movies for kids

I am starting to think through our holiday activities. I am going to take Sparky to a movie, but at 4, it is hard to find appropriate ones.

Kris (see sidebar) put me on to a great website, Kids in Mind. It tries to be as objective as possible, simply rating each movie on possible issues for kids and leaving it up to you what you do with that information, based on your values and kids.

I am considering Bolt, which opens here in January. It is about a dog who is a superhero. Sparky loves dogs and heroes so he should be like a cow in clover. My only concern is some violence which takes place in a TV show context in the movie, but I think we should be able to talk about it together.

What about you? what are you going to go see, with your kids or otherwise?

O come

I just introduced Sparky to this carol and he loves it.





Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

blog comment day this wednesday

A friend of mine, John, has instituted blog comment day for Wednesday 3rd December, and would love more people to get involved.

This is how it works:
On December 3, 2008 you will leave one comment on at least 5 different blogs.
Out of the 5 blogs you comment on, at least 2 of them will be blogs you haven't commented on previously.

If you want to partipate, you can let me or John know. There is also a facebook group for this.

This is your chance to comment where you have been lurking!!

away with the kids...but now let's talk about something actually relaxing...

I've been away, hence no blogging. I went away with my brother's family. He has 2 girls, 5 and 1, and we have 2 boys, 4 and 1. It was great for the cousins to get to know each other and for us to reconnect with my brother and his wife. Some asked: Did you have a good time? The answer - Yes! Some asked: Do you feel relaxed now? the answer - uh, no. 24/7 kids............. plus, I did have to take some marking with me for the distance course I have been teaching.

Now, this is where I would like to go next. With husband. Without kids. Or perhaps go do this, with a female friend. Without her kids.

I should also let you know my grandmother is being moved into a nursing home tomorrow, though it doesn't look good for her long term.