Most people knock on the door when they turn up to someones house… us Houghtons have a unique way of announcing our arrival. You see we went over to my sister’s house the other day and we were a little early so as we made our way to the front door my sister pulled into her driveway. It must have been quite a sight for her… a child spewing on her front lawn and a dog taking a shit on her front porch.  I have to say that Natalie had been quite car sick and she blew chunks everywhere… it wasn’t pretty.  And Lil… well… Lil needed to go and when a dog needs to go they go no matter where they are.  I was too occupied with Natalie to notice Lil taking a dump, otherwise I would have made her go on the grass.  I wonder if we’ll get invited back anytime soon?

While transferring files (ok… movies) onto USB sticks the other day, Natalie picked one up and the following conversation took place.

Natalie: What are you doing mummy?

Me: Filling up the USB sticks.

Natalie: (placing the usb stick down and reaching for another one)

Me: Don’t mix them up honey, one of them is full already.

Natalie: Is that the one you filled up? (she starts shaking it)

Me: Yes honey, it’s full already.

Natalie: It doesn’t feel heavy.

She made me laugh!

My big girl went on her first school camp this week, two nights and three days at Mapleton.  It was the same camp I went to when I was in primary school… Obi Obi road! The facilities must have been improved since I went there because Claire told me all about the huge indoor rock climbing centre and the massive flying fox and giant swing… it sounded great! I was a bit concerned that she would freeze up there but when she told me our house was colder than the Sunshine Coast hinterland, I was floored. I must insist on insulation when we buy a house because I’m not happy getting lower temperatures than the hinterlands and not even getting the scenic benefit… my neighbours brink wall is hardly a breath taking view. I was also concerned about her personal appearance upon her return and as you can see in the photo above… I had good reason to worry… the boff was back!

I made some Focaccia bread the other day and it was so easy to make and so delicious,  I just have to share the recipe.

Ingredients

* 1 cup water

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 2 teaspoons salt

* 1 tablespoon sugar

* 3 cups plain flour

* 1 tablespoon dry active yeast

Topping

You will need 1/4 cup olive oil and a combination of  your favourite toppings

* olives, basil, parmesan cheese, paprika & sun dried tomatoes

or

* sunflower and sesame seeds.

or

* blue vein cheese, olives and fresh basil (Claire’s favourite)

Procedure

1. Place all the ingredients  in a large bowl and kneed for five minutes or so.
2. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place in a warm area to rise, I use the laundry cupboard because it’s nice and warm thanks to the hot water system.
3. After 45 min or so take the dough out of the bowl and roll out on a floured surface to fit a baking tray(lined with baking paper) that is approxmately30cm X 24cm.
4. Cover dough with 1/4 cup olive oil and then top with whatever ingredients you have handy.
5. Bake for 30-35 min at 200 degrees Celsius
6. Eat and enjoy!!!

With various sports activities going on at my children’s school, Natalie was curious as to what javelin was. The following conversation took place:

Natalie: Mummy, what’s javelin?

Me: It’s where people throw a big spear to see how far they can get it.

Natalie stood there with a horrified look on her face so I explained further

Me: The competitors throw at one end and it’s measured with a tape how far it goes when it sticks into the ground.

Natalie (obviously relieved): Ahhh, I thought you meant someone throws the spear and we had to Jump to miss it.

I went to the ABC shop the other day and walked out with a bunch of Doctor Who stuff as well as a “Stig in a soap”. It’s simply a clear bar of soap with a Stig toy inside but now when I head to the shower I can say to myself… “time to shower with The Stig.”  AWESOME!!!

Earlier in the week I phoned my step father for his birthday but he didn’t answer the phone, my mother did.  The poor birthday boy could be heard in the background vacuuming!!!  It got me thinking, John is my mothers third husband… did she make all her husbands vacuum on their birthday or was this a training process that was finally complete on husband number three?  Once off the phone I told Luke about the birthday party game called ‘vacuuming’ and he replied with “that’s nothing new, you had me vacuuming on my birthday”.  So maybe vacuuming is the secret to a happy marriage and it just took my mother a couple of husbands to discover it.

Recently I bought a pencil sharpener in the shape of a nose.  My seven year old thought it was awesome (and so do I) but she had a little trouble with it.  I watched as she twisted the pencil round and round in frustration, eventually she gave up and said “stupid thing doesn’t work.”  I then told her that only one nostril leads into the sharpener slot so perhaps she would like to switch nostrils.  Poor thing had picked the wrong nostril!

Natalie was very keen to do a sculpture art class one day a week during big lunch.  It cost us $155 and she brought home the above item… that’s an expensive little nick nack!  She was very excited about her next sculpture piece, two dolphins riding a wave but unfortunately the term finished and she didn’t complete it.  So after the school holidays when school resumed, Natalie resumed the art class.  What we didn’t realise was that a new term meant another $155 and for Natalie to finish her dolphin piece we need to pay now. We weren’t sent an invoice but instead Natalie told me her teacher said she needed to pay now and Luke got a phone call from the school chasing up the money.  I’m guessing Natalie will finish the dolphin piece after we pay and then she’ll start another piece of art… but I’ll bet the farm that she won’t bring the next one home until the next term… after we pay ANOTHER $155!

I have often said in the past that I’m a “no frills” gal, I don’t need brand names and shiny jewelry… a chocolate bar and a downloaded movie will do me just fine.  I like to live life with the motto “NEVER pay full price” ringing in my ears but I don’t consider myself a cheapskate.  I won’t buy one ply toilet paper to save money, re-gift presents or buy a box of 500 tampons because it saves me two cents per unit.  I will however use coupons, make my husband and kids a packed lunch, buy MOSTLY groceries that are on sale and turn all power point switches off when not in use.  I don’t think that qualifies me as a cheapskate, however I did something the other day which made me question that… I reused stamps!  Yes… I know… but I couldn’t help myself!!! I found an old post pack (which I keep for the bubble wrap… oh God, that’s a cheapskate act isn’t it?) and it was covered in fifty cent stamps that had no postage marks on them.  So I gently peeled them off and glued a couple to a letter I sent my father.   He got the letter and I paid ZIP… does that make me a cheapskate?