My Barbecue Basket

We are big on the good old barbecues in this house. Well okay we were until a wheel fell off and it started to fall apart. It ended up on the council's bulk rubbish collection. So we have been without a barbecue for a long time. Our Weber was getting used a lot instead but we really missed the ease of inviting friends over and just saying BYO meat and drinks. 

All is good in the world now though as we finally bought a new barbie. Yay! I love it because it means there is less work for me when entertaining friends so I can actually partake in more adult conversations and not take hours to finish my first drink.

So the other day I dusted off my BBQ basket. This lives under my sink and holds the essentials .. well the essential I need to organise. I just add the sauces and condiments, pull out the pre made salads and rolls. 

Pretty simple really but I have found since doing it years ago (pre-children!) 
 It holds spare cutlery, disposable plates (small ones for the small visitors) and serviettes. One thing I must add is some baby wipes now we have kids to clean up. Oh I don't keep sauce in this baskets as the kids have a low salt one, Brad's likes his 'real' stuff and then there's the barbecue sauce and mustard. That's too many to fit in one basket!

I don't hunt around for the disposable plates, raid the cutlery drawer and hunt down the serviette caddy - it's now just one step and easy to carry outside. Yes I make my friends eat from disposable plates. My theory is less clean up - more time with friends. It's a personal thing I suppose but that's how we prefer it and our friends have never complained. I love this basket as at the end of the night everything goes back quickly and easily back in the cupboard for next time.

Now I just need to restock it (we usually have a much larger stack of plates!) and I want to work on a barbecue cooking basket for the hubbie so he has all his essentials handy and ready to go. I figure the less time we have to get ready for visitors the more time we can play with our kids and catch-up with our friends. 
That's pretty important to me!

Our Farm Theme - Puzzles

Yesterday started like this ...

I find putting things like this on a table makes play easier, more creative and lasts longer.

But then it became a bit of a puzzle day.

Molly and I did some floor puzzles together and Jasmin 'attempted' to do a peg puzzle. 

 

 

Jasmin is getting the idea quicker than I thought! We also didn't do them on the floor but on our outdoor coffee table which is a much better height for the kid's floor puzzles.

When we finished the Fisher Price puzzle we got all our Little people farm animals and matched them to the pictures on the puzzle.

The day before we had done some other kinds of puzzles. Molly made some cut and glue puzzles (I cut of course!). I don't mind her cutting but since we needed the pieces to resemble something to make a picture out of, I did the cutting!!

You can find the printable for this and many more farm printables here.

From My Heart

I want to share with you all something that is dear to my heart - actually someone that is dear to my heart. That person is Jayton.

 He is super cute and one of the most lovable people anyone could ever meet. Molly idolises him. Jayton is my 6 year old great nephew and has Cystic Fibrosis.

In the last six years Jayton has spent a lot of time in hospital and that is how he and his Mum Lisa (my amazing niece) came up with the idea of Jayton's Jammies. Jayton even spent his 5th birthday in hospital.

(That's Molly on the right!)

Jayton's Jammies is based in Perth and is all about making kids feel a little more comfortable and bring a little happiness to their stay.

Here is a little from Lisa about Jayton's Jammies:

As my 6 year old son is a "frequent flyer" at PMH, I have a permanent bag that is always packed with his pillowcase, comforter and bright, happy, comfy PYJAMAS!

It breaks my heart when kids are rushed in, with sleep deprived & stressed out parents and they are "issued" with hospital PYJAMAS! And as we all know... sick kids just want to be comfy!!!

There are no regulations on having personal hospital clothes, there just isn't "funding" to supply all kids with HAPPY PYJAMAS... so I am starting an ongoing public appeal to brighten up the wards!!! 

Jayton's Jammies collected over 141 items in April! Which is fantastic but more and more are needed all the time.

So if you are at the shops please pick up a pair of pyjamas, check out the clearance racks, donate those unwanted or wrong sized pyjamas you were given for your kids.

Lisa and Jayton would like: 

Girls & Boys... 2 piece... Summer & Winter... Button Front preferred. 

(Brand New only please)

Also collecting pillowcases, mummy pjs and socks with lots of bright colours/ patterns!

(Brand New only please)

Just recently Lisa received an email from PMH that the teenage sized pyjamas were being distributed excessively! So don't forget if you are wanting to donate perhaps throw in some teenage sized pyjamas too. 
 

For for information on how and where to donate go to Jayton's Jammies facebook page here where you'll find all the details. I know times are tough in some families so even if you yourself can't donate please like their page and share with your friends.

 
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
 xxxxxx