The Teen Queen Celebration....

 

Yes, it's happened.

 

The Diva, only girl child in a family of five, has become a teenager.

 

Unfortunately, a sadness surrounded our celebrations as we farewelled a much loved grandparent just a day or two before.

 

So how do you 'celebrate' when you don't feel like celebrating?

 

Well, this sublime cake in The Divas' favourite colour, helped. It was on my to-do list to make one myself, as has always been my habit, but this was beyond me in the midst of preparations for sadder occasions.

 

A local lady who charges little for her beautiful work was sourced, and with just 48 hours notice, she was able to produce this pretty-as-a-picture gluten free Red Velvet cake, to put a smile on any 13 year old girls face.

 

Orange themed party favours were assembled....

 

 

....with more orange themed food such as BBQ flavoured chips, Sunny Boy frozen Orange pyramids (a classic here in Australia), and Fanta ice cream spiders being enjoyed by all.

 

A disco ball outside on the deck,

 

 

...and Thrift Shop (clean radio edit version) on the iPod, and a fun time was had by all.

 

Life goes on.

 

We spent little, preferring to show The Diva, that celebrations can be had, without the hysteria surrounding the competitive birthday party culture abounding these days.

 

She had a ball, and so did her friends. It's the little things that make memories, not the big money.

 

Until next time...Mama Guardian x

 

 

 

Stars for you if you're still here.

 

Lord knows, I'm often too busy 'doing' to write about 'doing' here.

 

This year, I'm really focused.

 

A trip to a distant shore is in the offing, and substantial savings need to be made in order for said trip to happen.

 

I'll be sharing new lunch box ideas, yummy meals and ideas for saving on that darned grocery shop, week in, week out.

 

 

This year will be about using up every last skerrick of stuff in the pantry before even thinking about shopping. It'll be the year of less 'what's that green hair on the baked beans' and more of 'wow how did you make that little bit feed everyone!'.

 

It'll be about make do, make more from less and make it up as I go along.

 

Last night we had a hash brown slice, made from scratch and served with salad. We followed it up with gluten free peach crumble muffins and home made creme anglais.

 

This was after I looked in the refrigerator at 4pm, bereft of inspiration, certain a trip to the Stoopidmarket was on the cards.

 

But I stepped away from the car keys, went back to the fridge and had another look.

 

Yes we had potatoes, yes there was a stray tub of gherkin dip, some eggs, two slices of bacon. Yes there was still a tomato and half a cucumber. And at the bottom of the crisper, some peaches, wrinkled with age.

 

So there it was. Dinner and dessert. I just had to look harder.

 

Let's christen this the year of looking harder.

 

Looking harder at how we spend, how we shop, how we eat and how we allocate our resources.

 

Join me?