Really easy muffin recipe

Here is my family's absolute favourite muffin recipe.

And it's REALLY quick and easy!

Banana choc chip - nom nom nom!

It makes 12 large muffins.

Apple and cinnamon muffins

I usually double the recipe and make 24 muffins.  They freeze really well and defrost by morning tea/lunch time.  You can heat them up in the microwave too.

Our favourite flavour is apple and cinnamon.  Other variations are banana and coconut, jam, pear, banana and choc chip - the list goes on and on.  Basically you put whatever you want in there!

I also buy muffin cases and use them as it saves on washing up!  

Basic recipe - 12 muffins (double if you like)

Preheat oven to 180 degC

2 cups SR flour

1 cup sugar (I use less - about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup oil or melted butter (I use sunflower or canola)

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

Any flavouring you like (see above)

In a bowl mix flour and sugar and any other dry ingredients (I would mix in a tablespoon of ground cinnamon at this stage)

In another bowl mix wet ingredients (oil, milk egg)

Put wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix.

Then add your other ingredients (I would add 2 or 3x grated apples - don't peel them, just grate them up)

Mix and spoon into muffin cases

Bake for approx 25 minutes or until browned on top and cooked.

Banana and choc chip

Sometimes the mix can be a bit dry - I add extra milk if it is a bit dry and you are not adding extra wet ingredients (eg banana, apple, pear etc) - you want a wet (not sloppy) mix for best results.

It takes 30 minutes max to prepare 24 of these.  24 all made before 8.30am in the morning!

I will be taking one for work tomorrow :-)

Being careful with the $$ does pay off

This week was the last week of school and we are now on school holidays!

One of my favourite places to have a coffee

 I'm really looking forward to the break from our busy routine and doing so much running around.

We are a bit understaffed at work at the moment so I worked this Saturday and I will be next Saturday.  I have one off and then work the following one.

I don't mind because it is pretty good money and I can put it away for Christmas or off the mortgage.

It was also two years since the awful experience I had with a workplace where I was very unfairly forced from my job of many, many years.  I won't go into all the terrible details but I will say that it was very unfair, very corrupt and very vindictive.

However, those involved received their Karma (and continue to do so).

It really does come around.

In hindsight, I am so happy to say that they actually did me a really big favour and I have never been happier with both my life and my working life.

Lucky me.

But that brings me to the point of this writing.

At the time of the "awful experience", I had plans and goals financially.

All this went completely out the window because I no longer had that job.

AND

that was completely and utterly UNEXPECTED.

I NEVER thought I would ever lose my job.

(hmm, I have learn't my lesson)

Fun on a bushwalk

Fun on a bushwalk

Even more fun on a bushwalk (and it's FREE!)

Now, I was really lucky because I got another job virtually straight away.

L.U.C.K.Y

Don't I know it!

But even if I hadn't gotten another job straight away, we still would have been okay.

Because in the good times, we paid off a mega amount off the mortgage and we were really careful with our money.

I/we could have done better - paid more/saved more etc, but overall we were always thrifty and always paid a LOT off the mortgage.

It really is all about the little things - YUM!

I can't tell you how glad I was that I had done that.  

Really, crazily glad I had been so vigilant.

Because every now and again I would get a little wee bit envious of other people buying new cars, going on overseas holidays, eating out at dinners, buying new furniture, new clothes and so on.............

And I would think - I want that too.  But then I would look at my mortgage and know in my heart that I was better to put the $$ on that.

Blueberries growing!

Lavendar

All the raspberries going CRAZY!

My heart was so right.

So, if you're ever feeling a bit envious or sick of the slog (whilst watching everyone else on FB seemingly living the DREAM) remember:

* You NEVER know what is around the corner

* Small steps/things equal BIG THINGS in the end

We will have less than $100K on our mortgage at the end of the year, which is all due to hard work and being thrifty (taking lunch to work everyday, home cooked meals, eating leftovers, shopping for specials etc)

We have done quite a few things to the place such as playroom, new kitchen, two cars and a motorbike plus have three kids and 5 job moves in the time!  

I think we are doing okay :-)

Have a great week!

More Lavendar

Down looking at the chook pen

How I am going with my Goals from the beginning of the year!

I thought it is about time that I re-visited my goals that I put forward at the beginning of the year.

Hear they are:

Goals for 2016

• Purchase power saving LED lights for the house  - we are about half way through doing this.  Greg is paying for it from money he earns from computer jobs.
• Put $20 per week away for Christmas time. - doing this and currently have $740 in the account.
• Investigate and seriously consider purchase solar energy and hot water  - had a bit of a re-think on this one.  I decided that solar hot water was too expensive and return on investment for the system we needed would be too far away.  We still want to do electricity and we have purchased the largest tank you can buy 400L still on off peak.  We saved over $2000 with Greg's plumber mate buying it for us (and charging us what he gets charged) and the Greg and him installing it (free).  We will look into solar electricity later.
• Start walking 3x per week again (I haven't been doing this lately) - now that the weather is warming up I am starting this as of last week.
• Use my roller 5 nights out of 7 (My back muscles are very tight and this helps release them) - slackarse on this.
• Move our mortgage from ANZ to CUA (there is a story to this which I will write about another time) - all done and very happy.
• Do more "family outings" with the boys.  - now that the weather is warmer and anxiety hopefully will be a bit better, I'm looking forward to it.

And the biggie:

• Pay $30K off our mortgage this year (including our normal payment)!!! This is about 10K more than our current payments. - I am confident that we will be have paid off $30K by the end of the year!!!!

All in all, I am doing okay with my goals and am very happy with progress.  Bring on the end of the year and that morty down!!!

Trusting yourself

My favourite ever life quote - literally is the story of my life!

Today was Ben's re-assessment at Child Development Service but unfortunately he wouldn't comply and we couldn't do the assessment.  He wouldn't settle - anxiety through the roof! and  nothing could bring him out of it.  This is typical Fragile X anxiety - same as Michael had.

This made me realise that my plan for him regarding medication is the right decision because when I told one of his carers yesterday this was my plan, I felt her displeasure and she went on to tell me how well he did the last week in an unfamiliar environment.  She meant well, but then I started to question myself, my decision.

It is never an easy decision to put your child on medication.  You feel guilt for some reason - even when it goes really well.  The guilt still stays there a little bit.

However, with the way today went, I know that I am making the right decision.

As Chris from CDS said - You have to TRUST yourself.

Wise words from a wise lady.

Rhys' assessment was last week.  It went brilliantly - he was such a good boy and really enjoyed the process.

He has been diagnosed with Autism and mild intellectual disability.

I kind of knew that this may be coming, so it wasn't a massive shock.  He will now have further genetic testing, just in case (he has only ever been tested for Fragile X genetically).  We now will get funding YAY!  

It will be ok.

I also met with the new paed who I really liked.  She was very good with the boys and I will have a review with her in 6 weeks for Rhys.  Michael and Ben will be in 6 months with a follow up call to see how Ben is going on the meds.

Now we have to wait for another appointment with CDS - after Ben has been on his medication for a while so it starts working. I have a strategy up my sleeve that I hope will give us a better outcome.  Fingers crossed! 

This year is just full on!  But how else could my life ever be :-)

And I'm going to trust myself more too.

Yeah, yeah, yea...........

Some weeks just suck.

It has been one of those weeks

Happy Spring

Come on warmer weather - I have to start my walking again!