Belinda | The Lattimore Acre

Tis the Season

Those that know me know that I love Christmas carols, Christmas stories and pretty much all things Christmas. I don’t just love to listen to Christmas carols. I love to sing them (nice and loud)! Andrew and Ben don’t normally appreciate my singing abilities or my love of Christmas music. Ben normally asks me to stop singing….. uggh! But today Ben gave me have one of those happy Mummy moments. More about that in a minute.

At Kindy Ben’s class has been visiting the Prep rooms. The Prep teachers have been reading them stories. He came home yesterday and said the teacher read a story about ‘different reindeer’. He asked me if I had that book. I have a huge collection of children’s stories (another passion of mine). But I couldn’t help him as I wasn’t sure what book he was talking about. It was a couple of days latter while Ben was on the loo he screams out to me “Mum the book was called Six White Boomers“. My heart skipped a beat…… my favorite Christmas story and song.

Tonight before bed we found my book on the shelf. Ben informed me I had to find the CD that goes with it. My response was I can sing it for you if you like. His answer made my legs turn to jelly and my heart melt. He said “Oh thanks Mummy. I love you!”. At bed time, all tucked up I sang ‘Six White Boomers’ and we followed the song in the book. Not once did he ask me to stop singing ….. yay!

We have pretty much read Six White Boomers every night for a couple of weeks. I have also learned that Ben’s class will be singing it at his Kindy Concert. Here is Ben practicing before bed.

New Family Favourite Dinner

I have slowly been working my way through Jamie’s Ministry of Food Cook Book. So much yummy goodness. We have many family regular meals from this book. But we had a stand out this week. A new family favourite . It is finger licking good. You really must try his Chicken Korma recipe. I wasn’t sure if Ben would eat it…. but he loved it.

Jamie’s Chicken Korma

800g skinless and boneless chicken thighs or breasts (preferably free-range or organic)
2 medium onions
optional:1 fresh green chilli
a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger
a small bunch of fresh coriander
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
groundnut or vegetable oil
a knob of butter
1/2 a 290g jar of Patak`s korma curry paste (opps I put the whole jar in and it was delicious!!)
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
a small handful of flaked almonds, plus extra for serving.
2 heaped tablespoons desiccated coconut
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g natural yoghurt
1 lemon.

Cut chicken into 3cm pieces, peel, halve and finely slice your onions. Halve deseed and finely slice the chilli. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks. Drain the chickpeas.

Put a large casserole-type pan on a high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil. Stir in the onions, chilli, ginger and coriander stalks with the butter. Keep stiring it enough so it doesn`t catch and burn but turns evenly golden. Cook for arund 10 minutes. Add the korma curry paste, coconut milk, half your flaked almonds, the drained chickpeas, desiccated coconut and sliced chicken breasts. Half fill the empty tin with water, pour it into the pan, and stir again. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on . Check the curry regularly to make sure it`s not drying out, and add extra water if necessary. When the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season with salt and pepper – please season carefully.

Serve with rice. Add a few spoonfuls of natural yoghurt on top, and sprinkle over the rest of the flaked almonds. Finish by scattering over the coriander leaves, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Seriously YUM!!!

Oh Christmas Tree!

It feels like Christmas is our house. Our tree is up. I love Christmas decorations!!! Ben and Gamma helped me put up the tree. We spent the morning listening to Christmas carols and sorting decorations. I gave Ben a selection of decorations and let him go for it. This is his masterpiece!!!

I left it that way for three days and then did this……

I did it while Ben was at Kindy. He thought Santa had been and left a wonderful tree. He loved it. I was relieved. I didn’t correct him and tell him it wasn’t Santa but his control freak of a mother who did it!

So is your Christmas Tree up yet? I know tradition says that you should wait until the first of December to put up the tree. I just couldn’t wait!!!

Linking up with Life Made Lovely Monday

Toys, Tantrums and Pocket Money

A couple of weeks ago I witnessed the worst tantrum in the supermarket that I had ever seen. It came from my son. It was over a activity pack that I said he could have if he helped me with the shopping. Unfortunately Ben did not help me with the shopping. He began running around the shop. I had given him two warning before I put him in the trolley and told him we had to put the activity pack back. He held onto the activity pack with all of his might. But when we reached the checkout I took it off him. WOW…… I have never seen anything like it – screaming, kicking, punching, tears. His face was so red. He was so angry. But I couldn’t give it back to him……. could I……NO NO NO? We got through the checkout, packed the groceries and out to the car and he was still screaming the place down. By the time we had got home he had calmed down. But I was shaken!

Last week when we went to the shopping centre I took back up. Andrew came along to and we had had a long discussion with Ben that we would not be buying any toys. We had jobs to do. We once again had tears on our departure because he didn’t get anything but it was nothing compared to the first incident.

I know I spoil Ben…… only child and all. Not really the best parenting strategy!! So as a result we are going through detox. The detox strategy is going to the shops and I am not buying any toys. It breaks my heart to see him so upset but his behavior is unacceptable. I do feel guilty because I helped create that behavior. Mothers guilt!

We now seem to have reached a happy place when visiting the shops. I have introduced pocket money. Ben now has pocket money that he receives for completing jobs. He loves it and is now more interested in collecting gold coins than toys. So now when we are at the shops he has his pocket money to spend. If he hasn’t got enough money he is learning that he needs to do some more jobs to earn enough. His jobs include – feeding the dog, helping to set and clear the table, picking up his toys, collecting the eggs and picking up the dogs toys. I have been using You Rule Chores on my iPhone.

We have found it pretty great. However Ben sometimes plays with it and gives himself extra coins! I found the application here. If you don’t already read Li’l Magoolie it is worth a look.

Fingers crossed for no more tantrums!!

Our Four Year Old

1. Ben – “Is Heaven as far as England? Because that is a really really long way!”

2. I witnessed Ben’s first punch up at Kindy on my roster day this week. He didn’t throw the first punch but he did throw the second, third and forth. I was HORRIFIED and a little heart broken!!

3. Ben – “Mum do you know what 4 letter X’s makes? ………. Beer!!!”. I hope he didn’t say that in a phonics lesson. We don’t even drink beer!

4. Ben’s Grandma wears glasses. She had them off and was cleaning them. Ben – “Grandma put your glasses back on. I can’t see you”

5. Ben – “Mum….What sound does 5 make?

6. Ben – “My Mum can’t make me a brother or sister. But that is ok because Mum and Dad made me” ……. a little tear xo

7. I witnessed the worst tantrum I had EVER seen in the supermarket a few weeks ago. IT WAS BEN!! I thought we were over tantrums!

8. Ben – “Why isn’t it December yet? Can you make it December Mum?”

9. Ben never wants to shower. But if you say ‘I’ll race you there’. He runs every time. Will he ever realise what I am doing?

10. Four year olds still look as lovely as new born babies when they are asleep. Thank goodness xo

Catching up with Colleagues

A couple of weeks ago I caught up with some wonderful ladies Miss Judy and Miss Jacqui. We shared many years together as Colleagues teaching early childhood in Brisbane. It was so lovely to catch up. The hours flew by like minutes. When I got home I felt as if I didn’t even scratch the surface of what we had been up to in the last five years. Their stories made me laugh and cry.

Judy has been traveling the world. It has been wonderful following her journey through her photos on Facebook. Judy traveled alone for much of her trip. She met many amazing people along the way. I admire her courage to set off on such an adventure alone! I am also a little envious of the amazing experiences she had.

As well as being a fabulous Mum, Jacqui has been working for Hippy Australia. The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) is a two-year home-based parenting and early childhood enrichment program targeting families with young children. I was so excited when Jacqui said she had written a children’s book! Her book is just lovely. When I read it you can feel Jacqui’s connection to the community.

Lets not wait so long to catch up next time ladies xo