Gee, its quiet in here!

Sorry for not posting this week - I am studying furiously for five exams I am sitting over the course of four days starting tomorrow.

The good news is that I have lots of new and borrowed ideas to get cracking on when I have finished this course - I can't wait for next weekend!

Calendar Puzzles

These are some calendar puzzles that I have had for a while but haven't shared yet.  I am pretty sure I got this idea from Chasing Cheerios although I can't find the post to link.  I bought a couple of calendars in May when 2011 calendars were reduced to $1.  I got one of cats and one of dogs, took a picture from each and glued them back to back with spray adhesive.

Cat puzzles showing the different shaped pieces 

On the other side, dog puzzles showing the pieces connected

I covered one in clear contact film, but it wasn't as neat as I'd like and the ones I didn't cover have held up well enough to a toddler's rough hands.  I will probably make some more when Geekling tires of the same three or when I think he is ready to move on to four-piece puzzles.

Updated photo

I just realised the photo I have been using as my blogger profile picture is now just over a year old! I don't have many photos of me with Geekling, because I'm usually the one taking the pictures. The one below was taken on a family picnic at nearby Pine Rivers Dam for our wedding anniversary last year.

I guess its time to update it now I have another lovely photo with Geekling taken at a friend's wedding last weekend.

And I can't resist showing off another photo of Geekling looking so dapper :)

Toddler activity bags

We're currently enjoying a well-deserved, long-awaited family holiday in tropical Far-North Queensland to attend a friend's wedding. It is only the second family trip away we've taken, and I'm still finding travel with a toddler to be challenging and hard work but absolutely amazing and I am sure we'll forge some wonderful family memories in this trip.

So, in order to entertain a 1.5 year old on a 2.5 hour plane trip (plus the waiting at airports and check in etc), I made up a number of activity bags inspired by this post from Chasing Cheerios, as well as packing a few things that didn't fit in the little zip lock bags:

Top row: Travel size Magna-doodle (almost bought the mini one, but they were the same price and the cheapskate in me could not allow me to buy a smaller product for the same cost), Geekling's Button Snake, a gold tiny gift box with a hole cut in the top and a pack of plastic coin-size counters to slot through it, a blank notepad (thank you Thynne & Macartney) and a couple of bingo markers.

Middle row: Finger puppets (mostly sea animals and some animals that are featured in Dear Zoo, one of Geekling's favourite books which we also packed), Mini pack of plasticine with cutters, 4 stackable storage containers filled with different coloured counters and a silly putty (makes faltulent noises when squashed).

Bottom row: Bob the Builder magnetic background and magnets, Animal funny face re-useable sticker book, magic colouring book and pen, Geekling's matchsticks and toothpick container.

Of course, since we were so prepared, we didn't actually need any of them! Geekling slept the entire flight! One of the families near us had a baby around Geekling's age who wasn't as happy to be flying so I offered them the magic colouring book which entertained him briefly (then his older sister much longer) - I don't think Geekling will mind if it is a little pre-used :)

Making bread

One of the many grocery items that hasn't graced our shopping list in a while is bread - we make our own!  We cheat and use a breadmaker that was gifted to us, and even though bread is quite cheap at the shops (sometimes as low as $1 per loaf) I still believe we save money making our own.  Besides, nothing beats the fresh stuff, slathered in butter and spread thinly with vegemite!

Geekling loves helping around the house at the moment, including making bread.  Hubby often measures out the ingredients for him to tip in to the tin.

Here is the recipe we use and love:

1 1/4 cup water (room temperature - approx 15 - 20 degrees)

3 and 1/4 cups plain flour 

2 tbsp butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 tsp bread improver (optional)

1 and 1/2 tsp dried yeast

Throw it all in the machine and turn it on!

The recipe can be adapted to baking in the oven - you just have to mix, knead and prove yourself.

You can also use 00 flour or breadmaker's flour if you want to get fancy, but plain flour works just fine!

We've been meaning to experiment with cheese and herbs and all manner of delicious add-ins but have been too busy enjoying it as is!