Cooking with Nana

My granddaughter likes to come visit and cook with me.  She also likes to shop with me too :)  She has been doing that since she was about 2 or 3 years old and she is 6 now.  It's our time together and we enjoy it.

I bought her an apron last year so she brings that with her when she comes over.  She had been wearing one of mine and it was just too big.  Now she has her own pretty pink one and it is the same style as mine.

We like to make slices and cakes as well as helping me with cooking my Crock Pot Meals. She doesn't seem to tire from helping me in the kitchen and I love to have her there with me. It would be nice if she grew up to be a good cook and is making a good start so far.

Yesterday we made a cake in the crock pot and as she was staying for dinner that night with her parents and brother, we had the cake as dessert while it was still warm. See the picture in this post for an action shot of her mixing the cake. Note thought she is not wearing her pretty apron as she forgot to bring it with her.

Time with grandchildren is so precious and I am so happy I can spend time like this with her.  I wonder if my grandson will want to cook with me too when he gets old enough?

7 rules to keep healthy and happy

These are my 7 rules to keep healthy and happy that I will try to follow this year.  I want to stay healthy so I can keep on traveling, and when I am traveling I am happy :)

Some are easier than others eg learn to relax is always going to be something I need to practice as well as getting enough exercise. 

If you have others to add to list then let me know but until then I will stick with these.  Now I should get off to bed so I can say I was following rule no. 6.  Here are the rules:

1. Laughter is one of the best things for your mental and physical state
2. Recognize that stress is a killer
3. Dont worry
   
4. Get plenty of exercise
5. Eat healthy foods
6. Get proper sleep
7. Learn to relax

Dont leave home without the following

 I saw this sign in the Cook Islands and had to take a photo of it to share with you.  It was outside the Women's Health Center and on the side of the main loop road of the island.

A very visual sign to remind women especially that they need to stay safe and be responsible for their own health.  This looks like a sign for the modern woman of today except for the mention of cash instead of keycard but then it was an island.  :)

Good intentions for 2010

Image by jelene via Flickr

I was thinking about my New Year's resolutions for 2010 as a lot of us are when I realized I didn't make one for 2009.  I thought I had, I was sure I had, but it seems I was just going to adopt the 2008 one and try and achieve that.  Are you good at achieving goals?

You guessed it, I didn't do so well achieving much in 2008 or 2009.  I looked at those resolutions again and decided why change things, so I will just adopt 2008 again, but this time I am going to really make sure I achieve at least 5 out of the 6 and I will add one. 

Here they are:

1. Increase my income, online or offline
   
2. Get some house improvements completed
3. Work less hours
4. Take a vacation
5. Do a fun course or hobby 
6. Join a club or community group
   
7. new Lose some weight, actually lose a lot of weight
   

Out of these I have been working on nos. 1, 2 achieving a little, and did do no. 4 this year by traveling overseas to the Cook Islands.  Next year I am going to achieve all of them if I can, and so I will have to have a plan.  No. 3 is the one that may be my biggest challenge.

What techniques do you use to achieve your goals?  Would love to hear from you so I don't have to do 2008 again in 2011.

My Mother's Cooking

My mother was born into a society where women didn't work after they were married.  She was also born into a large family and lived through the depression and war years.

She had permission to stay at work until she had her first child and then became a stay at home Mom, or Mum, as I call her.  She had learned to cook from her mother and grandmother and is what you would call now a traditional cook.

My mother was a good cook though and as the family grew to 8 she was adept at making good nutritious  meals on a budget.  I learned  a lot about cooking from her and gained the love of it as well.  Cooking for my family is one of my favorite things especially in winter when the kitchen is warm and the aromas inviting and comforting.

My mother has just turned 86 years old this Boxing Day 2009 and she doesn't cook as much as she used to but she still cooks for herself.  She still has her original hand written cookbook from at least 40 years ago and still enjoys her own cooked meals.

This Christmas just gone, with a lot of  help from the family, she still made the traditional pudding which is wrapped in a muslin cloth, boiled and hung to dry.  It was excellent as usual and enjoyed by everyone.

Mum you are a legend!

My Christmas Tree

I love Christmas trees but I don't have a real one anymore for various reasons including the sadness I feel when it dies.  I could have one in a pot but I tried that and it didn't last from one Christmas to the next.

I now have a small artificial tree I call my travel tree.  I collect decorations from my travels and then when I decorate my tree all the memories of that trip comes back to me.  I love that feeling and I love the tree for that reason.

You can see the picture on this post to see my tree.  Why don't you start a travel tree too.  Start collecting on your next trip away.  I prefer collecting decorations for my tree than filling up my display cabinet with  shot glasses :) although I do that in the past.

Have you finished shopping for Christmas yet?  Check out these gifts ideas for the home.   Merry Christmas to everyone and stay safe and happy.

Some photos from my vacation to the Cook Islands

I am back from my vacation to the Cook Islands and had a wonderful time in Rarotonga. The days flew as they do when you are having a good time and I am now back to the reality of daily life again.

I could have stayed on that beach and swam and snorkeled for at least another month :) but alas work expects me to go back next week. I shouldn't complain as if I was not working I would never been able to afford to go there in the first place.

The Cook Islands are really beautiful and unspoiled and I look forward to going there again someday.

I have my wonderful memories to keep me going until the next time I get a lovely vacation like this one was. I also have to admit my stress levels are the lowest they have been in a long, long time. Kia Orana.