And So I Don't Forget...

12 Family Adventures

New year, new goals. 

Life has been a little chaotic lately - we bought a new house! - and it has often felt like Mike and I are being pulled in separate directions as we tackle different tasks, priorities and kids. We're trying to get back into the routine of spending at least one day together during Mike's days off (he works 4 days on, 4 days off) so 12 Family Adventures seemed like the perfect goal for us in 2019.

12 Family Adventures means all four of us together, for longer than just a couple hours, doing something out of our ordinary and preferably requiring some advance planning. 

Not too many to be unachievable, but still providing motivation to discover some new places to go and things to try together. 

While I don't generally have a plan for what the adventures will be, I do know one of them will be an overseas holiday mid year. The other day my good friend was telling us about the holiday they'd booked and I, kind of jokingly, asked if we could crash it. That afternoon Esther sent through the details and the next day we'd booked and paid. Man, I'm looking forward to it!

The last time I was in Thailand was also with Mike and Ben, but that was back when we were all still single. This time we have four additional people joining us, ages to be 11 months, 1 year, 3 years and 30 something. I think this trip might be a little bit different!

30 Before Marriage: Christmas Completions

Christmas year before last my sister put in a present request, as she often does. (Helpful; I'm not complaining.) A set of two stools, like the photo she provided, differing heights fine. Mike obliged, with one stool ready in time for our family Christmas celebration and the second following a couple months later. Jenna was rapt and Mike was pretty proud of them too.     

There was one goal that was ticked off without trying, forgotten down at the bottom of the list. (A last minute exchange, replacing 'visit a new-to-me market' I think.) There may not be as much twinkle as I had originally envisaged, but those lights still greeted me every December late night home. Love the twinkle. 

20. Give someone a handmade present.

30. Decorate the front yard with fairy lights for Christmas.  

18 goals complete, 12 goals remaining. 

30 Before Marriage: A Recipe from Every Book

Finally, I am back posting the last of the 30 Before Marriage goals we managed to tick off before our October nuptials.  

After working on it throughout the year, this was one task I was not going to let beat me, making recipes from the last two books the night before I got married! Mind you, one of those recipes were a mango daiquiri so maybe not too much of a hardship. ;)   

I documented the recipes on Instagram, using the hashtag #arecipefromeverybook. Looking over the photos, it's an eclectic collection. Some were delicious, some disappointing, some definitely not worth the effort. (I'm talking to you pierogi!) One thing is certain, I own too many recipe books. And I've ended up with more since. Oih.

10. Use a recipe from each of our cookbooks.

16 goals complete, 14 goals remaining.

30 Before Marriage: A New Outdoor Table

Week before last BoyF built us an outdoor table. Because that's totally what you do a month before your wedding! 

It's been a project he's wanted to complete all year and he finally found the time - made the time - to do it, using the last of the money we were gifted for our engagement on materials. The table is huge, 3 metres long by 1.6 metres wide I think it is, and will seat 12 people quite comfortably. BoyF did a fantastic job, my handy man, and apart from the staining/oiling it was made in only two days.

A brand new outdoor table wasn't how I thought we'd be ticking off this 30 Before Marriage goal: 

24. Make a piece of furniture.

15 tasks complete, 15 to go. 

30 Before Marriage: A Good Cause

A few months ago, not long before we headed off for Japan, my friend Nicole and I spent the day planting trees. It was the first time participating in National Tree Planting Day for both of us, but this was a well organised event with everything laid out and instructions on arrival.

We planted tiny trees and a wildflower grove, hammering in stakes and a cage for each planting. I'd like to return in a few years and see how it's changed, 

Among the first to arrive and the last to leave, we planted for hours, definitely earning our free lunch and the right to tick of this 30 Before Marriage goal:

13. Volunteer time to a good cause.

14 goals complete, 16 to go. 

30 Before Marriage: A Seafood Feast

After scouring our recipe books and a trip to South Melbourne Market fishmonger, I brought chaos to the kitchen cooking a two-course seafood dinner.  

For entree we dined on stuffed squid. The stuffing was nice but the squid just didn't taste quite right. Maybe I overcooked it, maybe undercooked it, I really have no idea. 

The spice-crusted rockling fish though, that was delicious. If I do say so myself. ;)  

Easy, yummy and reasonably healthy, I see more fish dinners in my future but from here on out I'm leaving squid to the professionals. And with that, I'm ticking off one more 30 Before Marriage goal:  

7. Cook a seafood dinner.

13 goals complete, 17 to go. 

30 Before Marriage: 5 Months To Go

With a little over 5 months left before my wedding (oih!) I thought it was probably time for a status check on my 30 Before Marriage goals.

1. Fly a kite. Done.

2. Landscape our front yard. Done.

3. Hold an engagement party. Done.

4. Buy a new (to me) car. Done.

5. Go climbing outside. There is definitely some scrambling up rocks outdoor in my future - I'll need to do some training hikes in preparation for our honeymoon Machu Picchu trek - but I'm not sure we'll manage real climbing. Maybe we should just disappear to Railay for a week. Mmmm, Railay.

6. Take an after-work trip to the beach. Done.

7. Cook a seafood dinner. This was BoyF's idea, so he's not escaping this cooking. I'm thinking a two course meal, maybe some shellfish or calamari for entree then a whole fish for main. Totally out of our comfort zone, but I might be up to the challenge. ;)

8. Fall in love with a wedding dress. Done.

9. Get to Everest base camp. In progress. Actually, from the last text message I received (Mt Everest seems to have remarkable phone coverage!) they'd made base camp and were heading back down, but I'm not ticking off this goal till he's back home and we've had a big squeezey hug. And he's written a blog post for us all to enjoy. ;)

10. Use a recipe from each of our cookbooks. In progress. The top right cube of the bookcase above contains the recipe books I've used, the bottom two cubes house the books still to go. Unfortunately my proportions are in the wrong direction, but it's a start. One problem I'm having, I keep gaining cookbooks!

11. Pick up three pieces of rubbish every day for two weeks. In progress. This goal ended up on the list after a discussion I heard on the radio that picking up a few pieces of rubbish can increase your happiness. Although I forgot on the weekend, I've 'made up' the days so I'm considering this task on track to finish on Sunday. If I manage to not forget on the weekend again! And, I think it's true - I'm getting a nice like altruistic action happiness buzz.

12. Bake hot cross buns. Done.

13. Volunteer time to a good cause. It is National Tree Day on Sunday 27th July and I'm planning on signing up to volunteer at a local event. Hopefully I can find a friend or two to join me.

14. Have fun at a water park. An easy one, but no plans yet.

15. Attend a summer twilight event. Summer has already passed so I might have missed my chance. Hmmm...trip to the northern hemisphere anyone?

16. Run 5km. I can currently run really slow jog...a lot less than 5km. This goal isn't getting ticked off any time soon, but I'm working on it. Slowly.

17. Watch an iconic Australian movie. Done.

18. Host a brunch. No plans as yet. I think I should find some brunch recipes in my recipe books a get some double duty action happening.

19. Offer an online class, tutorial or set of downloads. No plans as yet, although I did over a simple tip over at Simple Scrapper.

20. Give someone a handmade present. Ummm...we did this but I'm reappropriating the present to tick off another goal instead. ;)

21. Get the old 504 up running and registered. In progress. Also known as currently in pieces. Mike is still optimistic it might be ready for the wedding, I have a few doubts.

22. Bake a dessert pie. Done.

23. Have High Tea. I have reservations for Mum and I to partake on Sunday.

24. Make a piece of furniture. Done. BoyF had intended to make a new table for our CDA (cider drinking area) but that has zero chance of happening this year. However, he conveniently did make two pieces of furniture as a Christmas present. ;) Blog post coming.

25. Eat produce from our garden. In progress. I ate my first snow pea off the vine on the weekend! I think the basil is ready to harvest too. Lettuce, carrots, onion and peas all seem to be growing well.

26. Have a weekend at the beach. Done.

27. Enjoy Bucks and Hens parties in our honour. There's lots of discussion, plans are being hatched.

28. Participate in a motor sport event. Done.

29. Have cocktails on our deck. A perfect Spring, about one month till our wedding, celebration I think.

30. Decorate the front yard with fairy lights for Christmas. Done. I totally forgot this was on the list - thought try a new market made the cut instead. Handily I did put up Christmas lights, even if only in the tree. Blog post to come.

 

With 5 months to go, 13 goals are complete (with 2 blog posts owing) and 6 more goals are actively in progress. For a total of 19, and over half, that's the most on track I think I've ever been with my 30 Goals!

Of the 11 remaining goals, 1 will definitely happen (Hens and Bucks parties) and 6 more could be completed in a day. (Although not the same day.) Just 2, go climbing outdoors and attend a summer twilight event, it's unlikely we'll complete.

30 Before Marriage: Hot Cross Buns

During my wonderful 10 days off work, I baked Hot Cross Buns.

I was sitting on the couch, BoyF about to head off to work, when I decided that baking hot cross buns was how I was going to spend my afternoon. I found a recipe online and, surprisingly, had all the ingredients I'd need in the pantry.

I soaked dried fruit in boiling water, put yeast to work and kneaded and kneaded and kneaded. I gave myself a baking injury too - dropping the camera on my hand as I tried to snap a one-handed photo. ;)

 

Mum happened to drop in for a cup of tea during the process and provided some welcome photographic support. ;)

 

The finished product, 18 hot cross buns warm from the oven, quite yummy with some melting butter.

Although I can't see myself making these again soon - store bought hot cross buns are also yummy and a whole lot less work - I'm proudly ticking off this 30 Before Marriage goal:

12. Bake hot cross buns.

11 tasks complete, 19 to go.

30 Before Marriage: Mini Alpine Tour

On the weekend Mike and I joined the Mini Alpine Tour, a Saturday morning to Sunday lunch adventure run by the Mini Club where you are given directions to various meeting points with questions to answer along the way.

With a 9:30am drivers' briefing in Wangaratta, about 3 hours from Melbourne, we drove up after work (and a sewing and dinner stop at my parents') on Friday night. I walked out of the hotel room Saturday morning to see an addition to my car:

There was a sticker naming Mike as driver on the other side too. I laughed and laughed; such an incredible way to start the day.

The theme for this, the 13th annual Mini Alpine Tour, was 60s and 70s with a dress-up dinner organised for Saturday night. As we arrived at the briefing we could see a few people were already in the spirit.

Let me officially introduce my father-in-law to be, Ray. Peace man.

And brother-in-law to be Steve and friend Blake...

And the Elvis Mini.

Although we knew something big had been planned - I'd dropped over to Steve's the previous weekend and been banned from the backyard due to secret works - this was our first time seeing Elvis Mini. (We'd learnt of their theme the night before, catching up with them at the hotel and being greeted by The Kings.) The details were amazing; they'd even hidden speakers in the 'hair' so they could play Elvis songs as they drove alone.

Apparently this year the car gained the most attention on the highway - they've dressed the Mini up as the Batmobile and the Blues Brothers' car in recent years so have an interesting point of comparison - but next year's costume is already in the planning.

After receiving our showbag and instructions we were off, ripping into our envelopes. Didn't get too far though, the answers to the first questions - what day does the Rotary Club meet, and how much was the reward offered for the capture of Ned Kelly - were written on monuments in the park. ;)

It was an awesome morning.

Beautiful sunshine, interesting roads and great scenery as we wound through country Victoria you'd never normally see. There were cattle being moving along the road (bigger than the Minis by the way), men fixing fences, lush green valleys, tractors working in fields. We made a few u-turns (a missed turn or two, the answer to a question spotted a touch too late) and guessed a few answers and had so much fun.

It was a morning that glowed.

We were the first to arrive at our first stop, lunch at the Mitta Pub. Mike's a tad proud of that; sensible driving, I promise.

Fuelled up (us, not the cars) and ready to head off again, Elvis Mini needed a little loving first. Luck was not with The Kings though, their drive ending later that day at the back of a two metre tow rope, made a tad harrowing by the steep hills and animals - kangaroos and the biggest stag they'd ever seen - who wanted to share the road with them.   

We drove along the Omeo Highway in the afternoon, the relentless curves meaning  I (or rather my stomach) didn't enjoy it quite as much as the morning stint. ;)

Turns out, Minis can really move!

I definitely had some 'I love Australia' moments along the way. We saw such a variety of landscapes.  I may disappear overseas at every opportunity, but this country of mine is pretty darn amazing too. 

The questions we were given were quite diverse, from 'What is ENEYHYBWL on Something Station code for?' (still don't know the answer to that one) to 'Where are you not allowed to bring glass containers?' (still proud of spotting that sign as we drove past the cemetery) to providing a picture of the sign above, numbers blurred out, and asking for each of the distances and total, converted into miles. 

It was from this point that our question answering got pretty terrible - I think we found one out of the next 5! - but I'll leave the rest of the weekend for a Part Two post. I'm sure you can't wait to see our 60s/70s costumes! ;) 

Meanwhile, I'm officially ticking off another, much enjoyed, 30 Before Marriage goal:

28. Participate in a motorsport event.

10 tasks complete, 20 to go.

30 Before Marriage: Key Lime Pie

Having friends over for a BBQ to celebrate BoyF's birthday seemed like the perfect opportunity to tick off another 30 Before Marriage task:

22. Bake a dessert pie. 

I followed this Key Lime Pie recipe and it turned out pretty delish, if I do say so myself. Obviously I should stick to pies that don't require blind baking. ;)

Oh, and we did feed our guests a few other dishes too. I roasted beetroot for the first time.

It was a great night, and definitely something we should do more often.  

9 tasks complete, 21 to go.