Winter Shopping

Having missed out on the past couple of winters the kids have absolutely no warm-weather gear and, as we are moving back just as the weather starts to turn I thought I'd best rectify the situation. I'm not going to go overboard but they will need a few things to get them through the first few weeks.

Today I got a cute little denim overall dress for Offspring #2. It came with a long-sleeved t-shirt and I picked up some pink leggings to go underneath. Offspring #1 scored some track-pants and a couple of jumpers.

I also found a great bargain and couldn't go past it. It's warm, it's cute, #2 loves it and it was half-price. Roll on winter!

I really don't have a lot to blog about at the moment. The cooking has been a bit slap-dash of late. Not much crafting has been happening. I've been working like a crazy women - the trip to Port Red Dirt last week went well, the accommodation was good (a pleasant surprise in itself), the meetings went well, I (hopefully) managed to recruit a new staff member, made some good contacts and enjoyed some down-time with a couple of really lovely colleagues.

Yes, we are moving 1600km in about 6 weeks but apart from booking the removalists there's not much else I can do right at this moment. I'm waiting to hear back from our real-estate agent with regards to our chances of moving straight back into our own house. We have a long weekend coming up so will be sorting through some stuff and making a few trips to the tip. And I need to spend the weekend doing the inventory for the removalists. That is a huge job and I'm not looking forward to it - we've moved several times and it's the one part I really despise; listing everything and then coming up with a value for each item. I'm going to have to go collected junk mail/catalogues tomorrow so I have some ballpark figures to work from.

And to answer the questions posed in yesterday's comments...

- Obviously the "petition" that was started by my maternal parent and a certain across-the-road neighbour worked! A lesson that mums are always right.

- Yes I am planning to continue blogging and yes, hopefully the new job will have me working less hours and being at home a little more doing the stuff I like to blog about.

- I guess I'll have to change the name of the blog. But I'm not sure I really want to. I'm still thinking about that one.

Riddle Me This?

What do Dorothy's red shoes, a certain John Denver song and a Hothouse Flowers album from the early 90's have in common?

Give up yet?

Dorothy's shoes took her there, John Denver asked the country roads to take him there and the album title is where it is... HOME.

We're going home! Yep, for good. Hubby was offered a job back where he used to work, they want him so bad they are working to find me a job there too. So, in six weeks time I will no longer be a Red Dirt Mummy! Wooohooooooooo!

Hmmm... I guess the last bit kind of gave away the fact that I'm pretty darn pleased and pretty darn excited.

More details to follow later.

I Found It!

I was looking for an entirely different recipe and found the one for the chewy choc-chip cookies I posted about a little way back. I cooked them a little longer this time and they are firmer but still lovely and chewy. Yum!

Quick Mix Chewy Choc-Chip Cookies

Australian Women's Weekly, October 2007

3/4 cup (165g) firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (110g)caster sugar

1 1/2 cups (225g) self raising flour

1/2 cup (75g) plain flour

185g butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

3/4 cup (140g) dark or milk chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line baking trays with baking paper .

2. Combine the sugars and flours in a large bowl.

3. Add the combined butter, egg and essence; mix to a soft dough. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Place level tablespoons of dough about 6cm apart on prepared trays; flatten slightly. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on trays.

*This time round I cooked mine for 18-19 minutes on 180C and I think they turned out much better than the last time.

We've Been Word-ed

And that's just a small sample! Life with a kid in Year 1 is never dull ;)