Monthly Archives: January 2010

My 5 links for the week

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http://memoriesoncloverlane.blogspot.com/2010/01/spread-it-out-dont-shove-it-in.html – Please read this post if you are spreading yourself a bit too thin.

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2010/01/19/the-statistics-of-clutter/ – Did you know that “it costs an average of $10/square foot to store items in your home”? Need incentive to let go of your clutter? This post may be for you.

http://www.skycitycinemas.co.nz/clubs–discounts/current-offers/aa-member-discounts.aspx (for New Zealanders) – Look what I found while I was digging around skycity cinema’s website. $10 movie tickets of Wednesdays for AA members.

http://rindys.blogspot.com/2009/12/uno-abajo.html – I really like this handmade gift that Misty made for her brother and his wife.

http://katherinemariephotography.com/blog/archives/4665 – Isn’t this the greatest use for left over chockie boxes!

Gratitude and Words to Live by

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First of all…..A big thanks! You’ve made my day:

  • To my kids: They have been playing so nicely together today. Who would have thought that a random mixture of my children’s toys and my old toys would hold the attention of my 4 kids for half the day.

  • To those who visited my site: It was great having so many visitors come to my little neck of the woods.

  • For all my lovely comments: Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I enjoyed reading them, they made me smile.
  • For this beautiful day: As I write this (as corny as it sounds) the birds are churping and the sun is shining! (oh! now I hear a lawnmower…ooo fresh grass smell, neat!)

Second of all, I just wanted to share some mantras that have been running through my head today:

  • “Make life easier on yourself”: I found socks and pillowcases scattered around the hallways that the kids had obviously got to. Doh! I forgot to put them away yesterday! I decided I was going to encourage myself to “make life easier on myself” by putting things away PROPERLY. I also found the mantra helped when I was deciding on what to cook for dinner, and what chores to tackle today.
  • “Bring out the best in others”: What if, in an idealic world, we treated each other in a way that brought out the best in each other. This maybe easier to do with a loved one, because we know them better. On the other hand, it is harder, because sometimes we may fall into a trap of taking our loved ones for granted, and/or treating strangers better.

I know that with my children, I can bring out the best in them if they feel like I care, and if the atmosphere is relaxed. Simple things I’ve done today:

I have held my child’s gaze longer and smiled wider.

I have tried to help my children get things they needed for their play, and not always said “later” or “after I….”

What are you feeling grateful for?

Do you have a mantra that you live by?

Getting past my decorator’s block!

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Home decorating is not one of my strengthes.

Although, I have started to get an idea of what I like, pulling it all together is a bit daunting. Consequently, I have focused on being functional rather than fashionable (which sometimes can be a good thing with 4 kids!). Butttt..deep down I would like a home that reflects our lifestyle, interests and personality.

Recently I worked through some of my decorator’s block:

  • I purchased some cushions in my favourite colour. I chose something because it was fashionable, instead of functional….let’s face it people, cushions plus children equals cushions constantly on the floor, rather than on the couch.

  • My hubby and I framed more of my photos. Even thought I wanted to “stall” to think about the “right” photos, or the “right” frame or the “right” place to hang the photos, my hubby helped me push through to the end….encouraging me to just “try it!” I’m so glad we “tried it out” because it looks so much better than before…which was NOTHING!

This is part of our downstairs hallway:

These are some photographs I took at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens last October:

I was inspired by Centsational Girl transforming her photographs of white flowers into black and white prints. She gives really easy instructions, and I just love her end results!

Here are mine:

Below are some of my before and after shots (I would love to get large square frames like CG too!):

These were some wild flowers growing on the side of the road to Arthurs Pass. In Picasa I boosted the saturation, cropped it and made it black and white.

Before:

After:

I took this photo when I was walking around Christchurch last Oct 09.

Before:

After:

For the tulip photographs, I cropped two of the photos, to make them less busy. I also wanted them in portrait style, rather than landscape.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I love these photos, but I can’t take any credit for them…it just happened to be drizzling when I took the photos…and look at the colour of those tulips! They are beautiful!!

Now I get to stare at them every day! I’m glad I got past my decorator’s block!

Reality Check: Now I just need to get rid of the mess and clutter that seems to accumulate around the hallway so it doesn’t distract from the photos! hahaha

A suprise for our 10 year anniversary

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Last Friday, I surprised my hubby for our 10 year anniversary. I had worked on a secret project the past week *hush hush*

Hubby took half a day off work on Friday. After meeting him in town, I played him a video message from the kids. They said, “Hi Daddy! You are going to Christchurch! Byeeeee!”

I had his bag all packed and we went straight to the airport. (My dad said that they closed the airport due to fog not long after we took off! Lucky!)

Highlights from our trip:

Things I loved:

  • The video montage my hubby made for me of photos of us and the kids over the last 10 years and my lovely rose
  • Riding the tram around Christchurch, listening to the friendly tram drivers
  • The funny busker at Cathedral Square
  • The beautiful architecture of Christchurch Cathedral
  • The lovely hotel and helpful staff
  • The scary gondola trip up to the Restaurant (it was raining and windy, and although it warms you that the gondola stops often, it is freaky when it actually does)

  • The amazing food at the Pinnacle Restaurant
  • The delicious breakfast buffet (one of my favourite things about staying at a hotel!)
  • The beautiful views on our visit to Arthurs Pass
  • The cheeky Kea’s that tried to eat our windshield wipers at Arthurs Pass
  • Landing after a bumpy ride into Wellington

Once we got back into Wellington we went to the movies and had our favourite butter chicken for dinner. So spoilt!

Then after all that, I got a chill and spent the rest of the night wrapped up in layers of clothes and blankets! (24 hours later I was all better! phew!)

It wouldn’t have been possible without the babysitters: Aunty Dee & Obaachan…thank you! And thanks to my dad for being our driver to the airport (as well as secret keeper and photographer at airport).

Blogging Holiday

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I’m back from my “blogging holiday”.

It has been a busy week in our family:

20 Jan – My oldest daughter turned 9

22 Jan – Our Wedding Anniversary

24 Jan – My youngest daughter turned 3

This week we are getting back to “normal”. I have finally cleared my emails and I have a whole bunch of housework to catch up on! Wish me luck!

Family Traditions: Our Birthday Traditions

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Yesterday my oldest daughter turned 9. She is a creative, crafty, cute gal! We are so lucky to have her in our family!

Now that we have been parents for 9 years, we have come to realise that we have some of our own birthday traditions that have developed over the years. They are simple ideas, but our children really look forward to them.

Breakfast in Bed

My hubby’s family do birthday breakfasts in bed. I just love the idea of making the day special, right from the beginning of the day!

We make a special breakfast and bring it to the child’s room to eat in bed (or eat next to their bed, depending on their age).

Apart from having their favourite breakfast food and treats, we seemed to have accidently started a food tradition with some foods making an appearance year after year: having a piece of cake with a candle that they blow out on their breakfast tray, “pink milk”/strawberry milk, and strawberries and chocolate sauce.

We sing happy birthday as we enter their room, and give presents at this time too.

Our birthday girl woke up before us, and choose to clean her room to get ready for her breakfast in bed!! She has done this before, once she waited patiently with a crown on her head for us to arrive!

Special Family Activity

The birthday child gets to choose a special activity to do as a family.

E.g. We recently did bowling for one child, and bungee for another child. Last night we went go-carting for my 9 year old’s activity choice and my youngest daughter has asked to go to the pool for her birthday, which is coming up in a few days.

We spend the Saturday closest to their birthday doing fun things together, and then we have the special activity.

The children get excited about which activity they are going to choose next. Will it be laserstrike? Go to the farm? So many choices!!

What birthday traditions have you developed in your family?

Being Prepared

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This past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the devastation in Haiti. When I heard about the news of the disaster in Haiti, I felt a mix of emotions: I felt for the people, I worried about the survivors, I felt frustrated that the help is slow, I felt frustrated that we couldn’t be there to help them,  I felt  for those who have lost their loved ones, I felt a sense of disbelief that something that happened in seconds, could cause so much pain and suffering.

Things that mattered to me 5 mins before I read about the news, started feeling trivial. I started thinking about my family. I felt a bitter-sweet pain that we were safe.  Eventually after a rollercoaster ride of emotions, I settle on: How prepared are we?

Could you survive if you did not have electricity or water for 3 days? What does your first aid kit look like? If you had to leave your house unexpectedly, would it be a mad scramble? Have you allowed for “morale boosters”, like treats, to help you get through the nights without electricity?

I know that our 72 hour kit needs more warm clothes and a change in sizes. I need to make sure that I have put back things I have taken out (like the can opener!) I also need to check the expiry on the food! yikes! Another thing I need to do is check that all my important documents are where I think they are! hehehe

If you haven’t got an emergency kit started, just start with an old used backpack. Then,  add to it each week. An emergency radio here, a couple of batteries there. Start saving for sleeping bags and put aside old warm clothes to put in your bags. The best thing we invested in was the Long Lasting army type food, because I’m forever forgetting about changing over the food in the backpacks (my friend has a excel workshop that tells her when things need to get changed over)

Here is an article by Barbara Salbury, the guru of emergency and pers0nal prepardness. She talks about how she organises her emergency gear.

Here is some info about ways to donate to the help with the recovery in Haiti (for NZ & a few in the US)

NZ

UNICEF New Zealand
Call 0800-800-194 or donate online at www.unicef.org.nz

Red Cross
Donations can be made on the Red Cross website HERE

Oxfam New Zealand
Call 0800 400 666, or to make an automatic $20 donation call 0900 600 20 or visit www.oxfam.org.nz to donate online.

Christian World Service
Donate online at www.cws.org.nz

TEAR Fund
TEAR Fund has launched a full-scale coordinated relief effort for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. You can donate online HERE.

Save the Children
Donations can be made by calling Save the Children New Zealand’s donation line: 0800 167 168. You can also send a cheque, made out to Save the Children, to Freepost PO Box 6584, Marion Square, Wellington.  Or for more information visit the website at www.savethechildren.org.nz

World Vision
You can donate to World Vision by calling 0800 80 20 00 or by visiting  www.worldvision.org.nz.

A family fund has been set up to for help the Rejouis family.
If you would like to donate – the details are below.
BNZ Nelson
02 0704 0074227 00
Haiti Earthquake Sanson-Rejouis Family Fund

USA

Easy ways to give via cell phone. Red Cross: Text HAITI to 90999 ($10 donation) Yéle Haiti: Text YELE to 501501 ($5 donation)

Red Cross donations

Anyone with a mobile phone and an account with a major wireless carrier can text the phrase “Haiti” to the number 90999 and donate $10 to the Red Cross. That amount is charged to the donor’s cellphone bill. More on this article on the Red Cross donations

Yele

“Yele,” a charity organization founded by Haitian-born musician and record producer Wyclef Jean.

Text the word “Yele” to the number 501501, which will charge the user $5 and donate the funds to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund.

Things I Love: Picasa Collages

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A lot of my friends (and I’m sure a lot of you out there) are Picasa literate, but I have been a slow convert to Picasa (“Picasa is a software download from Google that helps you organize, edit, and share your photos. It’s free, and easy to use.”) Unfortunately, my personality is such that I can be a bit slow at converting to things. I didn’t take the plunge to buy some rockin’ boots until a whole year after the fad started!

After you download the software, Picasa searches out all the photos you have on your computer. The new version has face-matching technology. Picasa scans all the photos in your collection, identifies the ones with faces, and groups photos with similar faces together. Then you get to say who is in the photo. Pretty  cool! Picasa has made folders for all the members of my family!

I haven’t really used the photo manipulation functions yet, but Centsational Girl swears by it. What I have done this week is made picture collages.

This was my first attempt at using the photo collage function in Picasa. Me likey! Beats making a photo montage by lining up photos in Publisher any day (Yes I did do that! On more than one occasion! But with Picasa you just choose the photos you want in it, and it does all the rest!)

This is one I did the other day. We had a fun day out with the cousins a few days ago, and I wanted to put a photo collage in each of my children’s journal (Reality Check: Just incase you suddenly had visions of beautiful journals filled with photos and daily journal entries…..Our children’s journals are not up to date, and they have hardly any photos in them *wink* Hopefully my addiction to making collages will help this cause!)

 This is the collage I did for my youngest.

Tonight I have followed Clover Lane’s tutorial to make a banner. After some  fiddling, I came up with the one below. Unfortunately, the blog template that I’m using, doesn’t allow me to “hide” the automatically generated title for my blog that you see at the top of the screen. So I will just have to sigh, and admire the banner in this post instead.

How do you make your headers for your blogs?

Hmmmm…what else can I make into a collage???

My 5 links for the week

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http://www.nobiggie.net/2008/10/you-oughta-be-in-pictures.html -  What would your child say if they were asked “What does your mom do when you’re not around?”. This, and other questions are on this lovely post. I’m excited about asking my kids these questions!

http://travelinoma.blogspot.com/2010/01/really.html – If you are a blogger, then this post is a must-read!! This well written post, questions whether we put our “best self” forward in our posts, or whether we share everything! …the good, bad and the plain ugly!

http://www.icerocket.com/?tab=blog – Ever wanted to know if anyone else in blogland is posting about a certain topic? Give Icerocket blog search a go!

http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/12/washer-necklaces.html – This post shows you how to make a unique homemade easy thrifty necklace using a washer! Gotta love that!

http://www.howdoesshe.com/2009/12/christmas-present-to-our-readers/- Although this site seems rather new, it is already jam packed with lots of interesting information! I love the name of their blog HowDoesShe.com. They have topics like “How Does She Run a Household”, “How Does She Love Her Family”, “How Does She Cook & Bake”. This post gives you a free PDF file of 30 questions to discuss at the dinner table. They promise another 30 on the 25th of each month! yay!

Fun Kids Activity: Storytelling with a Twist

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Here are a couple of activities we did today for family study. You can easily do these two activities in the car, around the dinner table, as a family home evening activity, or when you put the kids to bed.

Choose a story that the children are familiar with. This could be a story from a movie or book they like. We decided to do a Bible story today.

Add on:

  • Everyone has a turn re-telling a part of the story (Preferably in order. Today the story of David and Goliath went from “David was a shepherd etc etc” straight to “David killed Goliath”! As you can imagine we had to creatively fill in the rest of the story…hehehe)

The next activity we did, kind of came out of the need to re-tell the story in order, but my hubby put a twist on it.

Spot the lie:

  • One person re-tells the story.
  • The people listening have to put their hand up if they think the storyteller is telling a lie.
  • The more funnier and/or sillier the lie, the more laughs you will get.
  • You can also take the opportunity to focus on the moral of the story, eg for David and Goliath, my hubby said, “And David was scared” and the kids put their hands up to signal the lie, and hubby went on to talk about how David wasn’t afraid etc etc.

We didn’t do this activity today, but this is another storytelling activity we really like. We also love role playing too!

Draw the Story:

  • One person reads or re-tells a story.
  • Those who are listening have a piece of paper and a pen to draw whatever they want about the story.
  • It could be a scene from the story, a person or animal, an abstract drawing representing the story.
  • At the end of the story, everyone has a turn to get up and talk abut the picture they drew.
  • We like to give the presenter a nice big clap after they show their picture.

Reality check: Keep in mind that the younger ones sometimes just potter around or just snuggle into mummy or daddy during the storytelling. When it comes to the drawing one, they usual do a scribble, but they still enjoy getting up and getting their applause.

Hope you have fun!

Keeping Fit: Getting out of your comfort zone

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It isn’t until you decide to go to the gym that you realise how ill equiped you are!

I have a free 12 day pass to City Fitness, so I decided to go to their Group Groove class.

This is how it went:

My Running Shoes – check

My Running Socks – check

Only Sporty Looking Pants I have – check

The only top long enough to cover my sporty (tight!) pants with a bit of paint from Playcentre on it – check

Drink bottle – check (I borrowed my kid’s madagascar tupperware bottle, thinking I could put my bits and pieces in the screw cup at the bottom of the bottle….unfortunately I found out my car keys didn’t fit….doh!)

Feeling a bit nervous because the last time I went to aerobics class…was…well…I can’t even remember! Before kids?? Not sure?

Assured myself that I am some-what coordinated, so I wouldn’t make a total fool of myself. If you can do aerobics in your own living room, surely doing it in public would be no different! *gulp*!

After being pointed in the direction of the room, my plans to go to the back of the room were thrawted because there was already a group that had made it their home. I shuffled to the middle of the room.

I shyly put my hand up when they asked for “first timers”…and then we were off.

We boogied along to all sorts of music which I didn’t recognise, except for Britney Spears. I did a grapevine here, and mambo step there, cha cha cha here, I even did a body roll (basically a really sexy move!) and moved my hips like no ones business.

I marvelled at the instructors memory! How she can remember all those routines is beyond me!

It was heaps of fun! Glad I had my kid’s water bottle with me, shaking your booty takes a lot out of ya!

Looking forward to going again!

Inspirational Quotes: Live in the Moment

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Even though I choose Consistency as “my word for 2010″, I have to admit that other words and phrases have come to me this last week that I also would like to focus on this year:

  • Harmony – The things that we are trying to do consistency is so that we have more harmony and unity in our family.
  • Gratitude – I would like to work on being grateful. I don’t want to be blind to all the beauty and blessings around us. When I feel grateful, I feel happy and humbled.
  • Be present – Are my actions consistent with my goals? I want my heart and my mind to be really open to what is happening in front of me. This time with my young children is going to pass quickly and I want to savour it!

Below are a couple of quotes that really stood out to me. When I read them I felt empowered that my actions or change in attitudes have the ability to really make a difference in a situation, even though the circumstances are the same. It doesn’t take money, or a change in location….it just takes a change in our mindset:

“While motherhood is not perfect, we have the opportunity to share many beautiful and perfect moments with our children every day. We just need to be awake to those moments and attuned to them so we can more fully embrace and enjoy them.”

DEBRA SANSING WOODS

(from her book “Mothering with Spiritual Power”)

I love this quote that I came across yesterday, when I was window shopping with my gal pal Shelly.

Holidays = Eating??

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Does anyone else out there feel like they have been eating non-stop these holidays?

I’ve been having Christmas food, New Years food, Birthday food, family get together food, picnics, food, food and more food! I’m not complaining mind you, because one of my favourite past times is to eat!

I just came back from a lovely outing with my friend Shelly, who is visiting from Australia. I am stuffed from eating Butter Chicken at The Curry Club with a lovely garlic naan and Strawberry Lassi. Then, if that wasn’t enough we went to Fidel’s for a Hot Chocolate and a Rhubarb tart..mmmmmm!

Earlier that day our families had an outing together at the Botanic Gardens.

Did I ever mention that my children are half monkey?

They have this amazing tree at the Botanic Gardens by the cable cars.

You are able to climb right up the middle of the tree.

Once you get to the top, you can peer out over the branches (and give your mother a heart attack!)

Two of my monkeys waving out to me

Both my hubby and Shelly’s hubby served their missions in Japan, so we had a special lunch at my mum’s house (my mum is a short cute Japanese lady, and my dad is a tall Kiwi aka New Zealander – we’ve lived in NZ all our lives except for a 4 year stint when my dad worked for the New Zealand Embassy in Japan when I was 6).

Shelly’s hubby was in heaven! We had (these aren’t my photos, I was too busy eating, and forgot about documenting the drool worthy food):

Kaarage – Soy-flavoured deep friend chicken

Tonkatsu – Crumbed deep-friend pork cutlet

Okonomiyaki – Savoury pancake

Yakisoba – Fried noodles with vegetables

Misoshiru – Japanese miso soup with tofu

Gohan – Rice

Salad – Salad =P

With fresh fruit as a “lunch dessert”

I know, I know, it’s a tough life, but someone’s gotta live it ;)

Dusting off the cobwebs

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After reading a post about finishing things, I decided I would finish my scarf that just needed casting off. (I am such a novice at this stuff, that I needed to go to “youtube” to re-learn how to cast off!)

Now I am caught by the knitting/crocheting bug. Even my girls have caught it!

After post: Now I have a beanie to go with my scarf, and I used some of the crochet flowers that I made.

If you want to make your own flowers, go to Little Birdie Secret for the video tutorial! http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-crochet-flower-video-tutorial.html

My 5 links for the week

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http://www.zenfamilyhabits.net/2010/01/rock-your-family-in-2010/ – I like this post and the simple ideas it suggests to bring the family closer during this next year.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37455554 – I know that Christmas is over, but I saw this and thought this advent calendar was sooo cute!

http://www.organizingyourway.net/resolutions/31-days-of-organizing-for-a-better-2010-happy-new-year – Some great ideas to help you with your new years resolutions.

http://cmphotographynz.blogspot.com/2009/07/jamie-and-paul-mouton_30.html – This is my hubby’s talented cousin’s photography blog. Check out some of my fav photos!

http://www.nicknz.co.nz/Games/ – My daughter showed me this game, and I had a blast on it! Once you follow this link, select “Burger Bustle” where you are the waitress seating the customers, taking their order, serving their food and cleaning up after them. (ummmm…I know we kind of do that as mothers, but in this game you don’t have anyone spilling food on the floor, and you don’t have to cook a thing!)

We’re all in it together

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Don’t you just love it when you are with a group of other families and you all seem to have the same stories to tell?

  • the woes of packing the “house” in the car when you want to go out with the kids.
  • how the children seem to put on your sunglasses as if their head were the size of a giant (and often end up snapping them!)
  • difficulties when sharing one room when you’re travelling. Like when you try and pretend you are sleeping while the child just peers through the portacot at you.
  • the coordination needed when you have the youngest in the pram, and the oldest child runs off in front, and you have to try to hurry up the middle child dawdling behind you.

We have been spending time with hubby’s extended family the last couple of days. 3 young families with 7 kids between them, all 5 and under, with grandparents in tow. The kids are all soooo cute! We were all in one house for dinner the last couple of nights. So, when you add our family to the mix, you have 11 kids, 10 adults…and it actually wasn’t that chaotic!! Sure there were some tantrums and tears (they are young kids after all!), but overall the kids played good together and the adults just relaxing and chatted the night away (and some of the adults were great playmates to the kids too!).

Today we went to Te Papa and then we all split off and our family walked over to Fran Kitts Park. Last night was sooo gusty (even for Wellington’s standards), we were very surprised to see the sun greet us this morning!

It is always great to spend time with other families, because you see that you share a lot of similar ups and downs. It gives you perspective and helps you feel like you aren’t the only one doing the “family thing”.

I think that is why I love reading blogs. I love the feeling that we’re all in this together!

2010: Small efforts, every single day

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Loving this idea that I read at Clover Lane about choosing one word to represent what you will be working on for the coming year. The idea originated from The Crazy Good Life.

My word for 2010 is CONSISTENCY.

Hubby and I were talking about how you can make changes for the better, but unless you stick at it through the “teething period” (where you have to put in the most effort, and have the most resistence) and if you stop, you will never get to the part where it gets easier.

Once you are there, however, you have to consistently work at it. If you don’t,  you will slide back down to where you started.

So this year I am going to work on doing the small important things, often. I am going to be engaged and be present. I am going to make sure I get the most out of this ride! I am going to notice and take time to marvel at all that is wonderful around me!

Here are some neat quotes:

“Consistency is more than this huge, gigantic effort of moving mountains.  It is also the small efforts that we do every single day….. Don’t give up!  It is never giving up.

Consistency creates habits.  Habits make the difference in success or failure.

Keep at it and never, ever give up.  Never give up on YOU!

Believe In Yourself”

CATHY, Certified Life Coach

I also love this quote:

“In my office is a beautiful painting of a wheat field. The painting is a vast collection of individual brushstrokes—none of which in isolation is very interesting or impressive. In fact, if you stand close to the canvas, all you can see is a mass of seemingly unrelated and unattractive streaks of yellow and gold and brown paint. However, as you gradually move away from the canvas, all of the individual brushstrokes combine together and produce a magnificent landscape of a wheat field. Many ordinary, individual brushstrokes work together to create a captivating and beautiful painting.

Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes.”

ELDER DAVID A BEDNAR

Family Tradition: Yummy Yum char

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If you have turned your back on restaurants because you now have young children that wouldn’t last past “getting the menu”, you may want to give Yum Char a go!

We have a family tradition of going to Yum Char on New Years Day with my extended family. It is a tradition that definitely does not fit under the New Years Resolution: Eat in moderation!

“Yum Char” is offered at specialised Chinese restaurants, usually during lunchtime. You sit at a table, and then a waiters brings a selection of food to you.  You get to choose whether you will take a plate or two, or wave them on. It is a continual flow of food. It is great if you like to try a little bit of everything, as each small plate contains 3 or 4 of each item.

The great things about yum char are:

  • no wait time! you don’t need to keep the children occupied while you wait for your order to be taken, wait for the food to arrive and wait for others to finish eating (can you tell we learned about yum char after doing it the hard way!).
  • a variety of food! crispy chicken drumsticks, spring rolls, stuffed eggplant, bbq pork buns…yum yum yum!
  • it is child friendly! it has a bustling atmosphere that you feel right at ease with your children.
  • and you get dessert come around while you are eating the main! you gotta love that! hehehe

At a Yum Char restaurants it is common to see families with young children, couples, bunches of teenagers all coming from different ethnic backgrounds.

So next time why not give yum char a go, and then come back and tell me all about it! Our favourite one at the moment is Grand Century in Wellington….always busy!

Beware of over spinning the lazy susan!