Easter!

Phew, its nice to relax! I have been super busy and now I finally have some time to relax. I have three weeks holiday after my mid terms. I had four essays to hand in and one exam, now to catch up on all my weekly readings after Easter.

Fianaces are going so-so. I haven't bought any new clothes, but I did buy a $12 pair of plain black flats from Kmart and a new bed as the old one was killing my back. And in the last two weeks before end of term I have bought a couple of coffees and slices on campus. I do usually bring lunch (toasted pita with cheese, tomato and spinach) but I haven't been baking and I do have a terrible sweet tooth. My food bill has been fairly steady, mainly due to the $10 vege packs, great value and the chooks eat anything I don't like, such as vasrious brassicas. The girls having been laying nicely, I have heaps of eggs these days which is lovely. My garden is still producing beans and tomatoes but sadly the chickens have eaten all the silverbeet and lettuce. I also have scallopinis and squash still going as well. Quinces are nearly ready, that's this weekend's job to harvest and rehome them. Now I need to get back on track and stop spending money on junk food, that should be easy while I'm on holiday as I will actually have time to cook and bake again! Such a novelty after the past fortnight from hell academically.

Now I must go prepare for the Easter Bunny's visit.

So much to do, so little time

Wow I have been BUSY lately! Lots of study and then travelling to study and doing the readings for various papers. Then keeping all of us alive, fed, clean, warm and happy. Plus social time with friends and family and I get very tired at the end of the week.

I have been ok living a frugal life. I haven't bought any more clothes or shoes, although I will need another pair of plain black ballet flats sometime soon as my current ones are worn through and the heel flaps terribly. The Girl was given some lovely new-to-us clothes, exactly her size from our neighbours over the back (I will reciprocate by giving them a bag of quinces when they are ready). I haven't bought any food or coffee on campus yet due to the cost and the terrible variety. I am lucky that I have an Aunt who I visit on Fridays for lunch and my friend who's a post grad is showing me where the free instant coffee is! Woot!

I am also making the most of the food I have. So I had several large ish scallopinis in the garden and masses of tomatoes so I today during my weekly cookfest I made a vegetarian lasagna with grilled scallopini instead of pasta, home grown tomatoes with lentils for the sauce with layered spinach and white sauce. Then I had a pumpkin from my vege co-op (only $10 a week and you get two bags of random seasonal fruit and veges) so I chopped that up and roasted it with the remaining veges (small amount of spinach, home grown potatoes, yellow capsicum, onion, beans form the garden) and added some leftover lasagna sauce and white sauce and voila, dinner. I also made some pumpkin and choc chip muffins for our lunches this week.

I think its been a busy yet reasonably productive weekend, the house is tidy, washing is on the line (fingers crossed it doesn't rain), chickens have been free ranged all weekend and have a clean house, baking and cooking done, the Girl has been entertained and educated with a trip to the Museum, the Festival of Flowers and then we watched the model yachts, socialised with family and friends and had a meeting regarding the future of the Young Parents Breastfeeding Group. Now to sit down with my cuppa and enjoy watching Fast Five on TV.

Wee splurge today

I had a wee splurge today, I had to replace a pair of jeans as mine ripped terribly and are now unwearable. As I need them fairly quickly and I will need more than one pair, I bought a pair of $11 jeans from K-Mart. I did however resist the plain black tee shirts at $5 each, although I do need a couple and I also resisted the black cardigans at $12 each. However, I also spotted a plain teapot on clearance for $6 (last one left!) which was perfect as I had to throw my one out last week as it had a huge crack all through one side (I blame the EQ's). And then I wandered into the children's area and they had special on tee shirts so I got one for the Girl for next summer and a cute nightie for the grand total of $7. On the way out of the mall I popped into Pumpkin Patch who also had a sale on but once again I prevailed and did not buy the gorgeous size 6 party dress for the Girl as she does have heaps of party dresses. But I did get her a three pack of pretty socks for $5 and she did need them in time for winter. So I spent $29 but I do have some things stashed away for next summer which is helpful.

Another busy day

So far today I have been to Uni, completely cleaned my house (vacuum, dishes, washing, tidying, bathroom and loo), free ranged the chickens, harvested some tomatoes, beans and potatoes, made biscuits, cooked a nutritious dinner, had dedicated activity time with the Girl and now I am ready to fall asleep! I still need to fold and put away Mt Washmore and I would like to give my feet a bit of a pedicure as well. I can do those whilst I watch my beloved bogan TV fix of Sons of Anarchy though.

Back to the daily grind ...

Uni starts tomorrow, so back to the daily grind of parenting, studying, working occasionally and looking after us, the pets and the house/garden. Back to the gigantic petrol bill (so not looking forward to that) and doing some serious meal planning around lunches for both of us and then dinners with little or no time to cook. And to make it all worse I have been hugely busy this past week so I haven't got ready to start study, mentally or financially.

So thankfully I only have two classes tomorrow so I will get my A into G and get the house ready and have a major cook/clean/bake-athon. Mental note going out for cocktails and dinner with the girls is great fun but does not always lead to a productive Sunday! Lovely to have a fun night out with good friends though, especially as I cant afford to do that often money or time wise from now on!

Op-shop Haul!

I had some errands to do today and along the way I popped in at the local op-shop. I got the Girl a Jane and the Dragon DVD for $2, its a NZ DVD and it has a strong female as the lead which is always good. And I got a pair of Max skinny leg jeans for .50cents and a plain black tee for .50cents, the tee is a bit big but I might try and take it in. The girl also got a Pumpkin Patch dress for .50cents but its a bit too big so I might keep it for her or flick it on. Ditto a paisley corduroy skirt. So a jolly good haul for the grand total of $4.

Happy Waitangi Day!

Happy Waitangi Day everyone. I have spent the day at home for the most part although I did squeeze a gym class in. I have done some gardening, free ranged the chickens for a wee while for the first time, made tomato relish (pics to come) and harvested the garden of the days bounty. Some plums ready for plum gin, runner beans, cherry tomatoes, blackberries and two large scallopini's.

                                

The Girl and I made the fairy garden on Wednesday, well stage one anyway. After school (and when the tsunami threat has passed) we will go down to the beach and get the drift wood and make the chairs for stage two.