Family Time – Nightwolf's Den

February 4, 2025March 10, 2025

Birthday week 2025

This year I decided to celebrate my birthday over an entire week, just because I can.

Image of purple, pink and white balloons on a purple background with the words 2025 Birthday Week.

Monday – Got a nice long sleep in and a very lazy morning. Popped out to see the in laws and check out their new car. Went to the supermarket to get stuff for tea – home made pizza. Had some craft time. Watched the BBL final between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder.

Tuesday – My actual birthday day. Quiet day just pottering around home. A made me a birthday cake.
Moved the dishwasher out of the kitchen.
Stuffed around on the internet.
J & K made me Honey chicken for tea then we had Vienetta & cake for dessert.
Watched my niece in the finals of the Tasmania Inline Hockey Cup.

Wednesday – Pay day so I did the usual pay day things like ordering groceries and paying bills.
We got our new dishwasher delivered. Our other had nothing but problems after just shy of two years – just before the warranty ran out. Lucky for us we got an extended care plan so they offered us a replacement after much faffing about and 3 lots of repairs. Here’s hoping this one won’t do the same.
We then headed to town to grab a few back to school things for the kiddos.
Had a bit of a Chinese banquet at home to celebrate Chinese New Year

Thursday – Did have a full day planned but decided to keep it simple. We’d planed to head to Bridport Food Vans for tea with Dad & the in-laws, plus one of K’s friends but… K got bitten by something and had a reaction so we took her to the doctor then something else happened so we decided to postpone visiting the vans until a later date. Instead we grabbed fish & chips from our favourite take away and K & her friend crashed in the tent in the backyard.

Friday – Headed back up to town as J had an MRI booked. Went to Bunnings and grabbed some plants with the gift card from my brother then Kmart to grab a few things with money from Dad.
Picked up another one of K’s friends and we headed out to the beach to have have hot chips then went for a wander along the beach while the kids went for a swim.
Had fried ice cream for desert (leftovers from Chinese New Year)

Saturday – Got a sleep in.
Today was Lammas but I decided to spread our celebrations over 2 days.
J mowed the lawn while I planted my new plants in the front garden.
Had a roast lamb with roast veg for tea then apple crumble for dessert.

Sunday – Finished off birthday week by watching the Bathurst 12 hour, watching the Royal Rumble and having some craft time while J & one of his mates played Fall Out.
Lammas celebrations today included using the leftover lamb to make Lamb Curry, making some bread and creating Prosperity jars.

Overall not a bad week and I got lots of things I enjoy doing done.

November 29, 2024

Christmas 2024 Bucket List

December is nearly here (how the hell has that happened?) and I’m getting my December and Christmas planner set up and organised. This year I thought I might create a Christmas Bucket List to do through the month.

I searched for Christmas bucket list templates in Canva (check out the whole list if you want to make your own),picked one I liked, created my list and I’ll print it out then add in to the planner.

So what is on my bucket list for Christmas 2024?

I got some of my ideas from this list , but it is very winter focused (not great for ideas when it’s Summer here in Australia LOL). Anyway onto my list.

Decorate a Christmas Tree. Bit self-explanatory. Our tree goes up on Dec 1. This year we’ll have a 11 month old kitty (whose birthday is Christmas Day) and we’re trying to work out a) where we’ll put the tree and b) how to stop her climbing/attacking it.
Bake Gingerbread biscuits. I love baking at Christmas time. I’ll do gingerbread, shortbread, Scottish tablet, mini meringues and a few more things.
Host a Festive Movie Night. Need to introduce the kids to some good Christmas movies. What would you recommend?
Send Handmade Christmas Cards. I need to get these made, especially the ones to send overseas
Visit a Christmas Market. I’ve got a few listed in our calendar already
Make Homemade Hot Chocolate. Kids are looking forward to this one. Trying this recipe.
Learn a new Christmas tradition. Going to get the eldest to research Christmas traditions from around the world in her last weeks of homeschooling and see if she finds something she wants us to try.
Start a new tradition. See above. I’d really like to start a new yearly tradition that we do as a family.
Read Christmas Stories. We have a box full of Christmas books. Lots of stories for little kids that I think we need to have one more read of then decide if they are generational books (like the ones I have from my childhood) or ones we would be happy to donate to our local Little Library
Create DIY Ornaments. Another one for the kiddos to pick something to make.
Have a Pyjama Day. Might mix this with our movie day.
Reindeer Food. Even though the kids are 14 & 10, they still love the Christmas Eve reindeer food tradition. How to make magic Reindeer Food.
Santa plate on Christmas Eve. I’m going to make something like this.
Make Christmas houses. These from Sweet Red Poppy.
Beach-side picnic. We live near a beach and do this lots over summer. Nothing beats a chippie picnic at the beach – hot chips from the local take away, then drive to the beach for a picnic.
Go to the Christmas parade. Doing that next week.
Camp out. The tent will most likely get set up in the backyard either the day after school finishes for the year or on Boxing Day
Get a festive door wreath.
Bujo Bootcamp over at the JashiiCorrin discord
Finish Christmas shopping. Nearly done. Only my father-in-law,a nd my youngest niece and nephew to go. Everything else is bought or ordered and on it’s way.
End of School year events.
Make Christmas Crafts.
Go on a Christmas Light Tour. These are getting less and less each year sadly. People are getting sick of their lights being stolen or damaged. It’s also getting more expensive.
Journal Your Christmas.
Try a new holiday recipe. Going to give a family friend’s Raspberry cheesecake a go.
Plan a Family Game Night. Not sure yet, most likely Game of Life. The kids are loving that one.
Write a Letter to Santa. Not sure if the eldest will do this anymore.
Reflect and Set Goals

Do you have a Christmas bucket list? I’d love to know what’s on yours.

April 17, 2024

Well then

after 4 years of avoiding it ,we’ve all managed to catch Covid. Eldest went down with it on Good Friday, then me a few days later, hubby on hist birthday and then the youngest a week after her sister.

We’ve been lucky to only have a mild case but good lord, it was horrible. I have never felt so drained and unmotivated. I spent the majority of my time between bed and the couch with a puddle of foster kitties to keep me company.

A week out and I still feel tired and a little snotty but I do feel a little better day by day. Glad the loss of smell and taste only lasted a couple of days, that was truly horrible.

Upside of it all, I got lots of sleep and got to binge a bunch of TV when I wasn’t sleeping.

Anywho, I’ve started doing some cleaning up on the blog. I’m moving all my craft posts to Nightwolf Crafts, going through old posts to re add photos that went missing during the move from my old hosting, deleting some posts that are outdated or are old giveaways and tidying up all my recipe posts.

Until next time. Hope you all stay healthy.

December 6, 2021

Holiday baking – Shortbread

It’s Christmas time and I thought I’d share some of my favourites to cook during December. Seriously though these are good any time of year.

First on the list is Shortbread. This is the recipe my Mum used and it comes from my Grandmother on Dad’s side, so it’s a proper Scottish one. I can’t remember if I’ve shared this one before but if I have, oh well, here it is again.

Shortbread

My Grandmother's shortbread recipe

Electric mixer
Baking trays

185 g plain flour
60 g caster sugar
125 g butter
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 160℃.
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Set aside.
Add all ingredients into mixer bowl.
Mix until well combined. Mixture should form a smooth ball.
Roll out until desired thickness (between 5mm and 15mm) and cut circles.
Place on tray. Re-roll remain mixture and repeat until all dough is used.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, until lightly golden.
Let sit on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Optional: sprinkle with extra caster sugar once cooked.

Can be mixed in a Thermomix. Add all ingredients, mix speed 4 for 10 seconds or until well combined.
To cook in an air fryer – 180C for about 10 minutes.
To cook in a traditional wooden mould. Flour your mould well. Tip out extra flour. Press dough into mould then turn out onto baking paper. Tap hard to release the dough. You may need to tap a few times.

Biscuits

Scottish

baking, biscuits

July 13, 2009