finally a working oven!

after a year without a working oven (only the stove top worked) I finally (with thanks to ebay) have a new oven that works!

It's fan forced too, not something i have owned before so that will be interesting and the seals work so no more cooking everything at full blast!

Tonight to celebrate I ma cooking a roast lamb. Then once thats doen there will be a batch of home made sausage rolls ready to go in and after that a lasagna!

Looking for more oven cooking ideas to feed big families!

What a fabulous weekend we've just had!

Headed off to Shepparton early Saturday morning. It was one of Campells old mates wedding and we were not just guests but also the photographers for the day.

It was so much fun working and shooting with Campbell. We're both photographers, he ran his own wedding business (only just getting back into photography after a break) and has a BA in photography and I run my own full time portrait studio/business.

The day started with photos at the grooms place, followed by the bride (both were very nervous!) then off to Hurlstone Homestead for the ceremony. Gorgeous place for a wedding and the weather was also very kind to us (if a little too sunny!) After the ceremony we headed to the lake and river in Shepp and captured some more shots before heading to the reception where after alitle bit. both Campbell and myself relaxed and put our feet up for a night of good company, food, laughs and a few wines!

The original plan was to drive back to melbourne after the wedding, but I cant drive at night (poor nigth vision on those country roads) and once Campbell started relaxing with his old mates he didnt want to go home either so we grabbed a motel room and decided to make more of a weekend of it, just slow the pace of life down for a bit.

and that we did.

Sunday morning we were up and out and headed down to Shepp lake (a fav spot) to eat our usual fair of a kebab from Mustafas.
I then remembered a fellow photographer ( Liz Arcus) who is local to Shepparton was having an exhibit this month so I looked it up and we headed on down to see it. Grabbed a coffee and had a very decent browse of her works. If you're local I recommend going down to see it, its at Letizias 67 Fryers St in Shepparton
We figured then lets enjoy the day and look around before slowly cruising home. We headed to the Mooroopna Farmers market and grabbed ourselves some bargains in fresh produce (and supporting local is awesome too)
when we started heading back to melbourne we decied to not take the main highway and instead take the back routes through the smaller towns. So we travelled across to Seymour then Yea and then down through the yarra valley, driving into kinglake also before getting back on the melba hwy and heading home. We stopped at a few little spots to have a look around and had a most enjoyable trip home. Victoria has many beautiful pieces of countryside.

the pantry

We've done some rearranging around the house.

With so many of us we really needed something more than my pokey little kitchen for space. The front of our house is an old traditional type 40's/50's weatherboard with the old l-shape lounge. The room had been out of use for sometime (it was my ex's hang out spot when he lived here so after he went i kind of just never used it) and had become a place that collected junk. So after much sorting, pulling up of carpets, polishing floorboards etc we now have converted it into two rooms. A bedroom for Campbells two boys and the bit that leads into the kitchen is now alarge walk in pantry. Its great as there is loads of storage space now. We have an upright deep freezer so its been moved in there (after living for the last 2 years on my deck) and Campbells fridge has been moved in there also. Thi

s allows us to shop in bulk more and to have more space for the food for the hoarde of people and pets who reside here!

The now pantry, used to host a bar so we pulled the bar out but l

eft the shelf and cuoboards that were behind the bar. these have formed awesome pantry shelves for all out tinned food, school snacks, and other things that can live alittle exposed.

In the original kitchen pantry I now have a full shelf entirely for herbs spices etc. and loads of space for the every day cooking things like flour etc and the stuff the kids use all the time (cereal and spreads)

Next job is to continue into the kitchen cupboards and donate all the unused plates, pots,pans etc to the op shop and sort it into usable space again!

The thing I love most is I can now easily see at a glance what we have in stock so when menu planning it will make things a lot easier!

a fresh start...

a week and a half ago my 10 year relatioship ended.

At present we are still mostly living together as we sort the best plan of action for our children and for us.

It is a weight that has been lifted from over me. I feel many mixed emotions. sadness through to relief.

I look forward to living a life that will make me happy, whether that be alone, back with him or eventually with someone new. Not making any grand decisions on that, for now I live for me and the children, doing the best I can.

I plan to post here, some posts will be hidden for me, as a record of my growth, many posts will be shared.

I feel my relationship has been a huge contributor to my ups and downs on staying focused on my goals and plans.

This week I have simple plans and goals.

This week I plan to organise the unti behind my studio so I can stay there when needed.
My plan is to continue witht he decluttering of my house at home where the kids are.

Today my goal is to finish declutering my wadrobe. So at least every day I know where my clothes are.

its the simple little things.