The Every Day

a fifo wife {kids: toliet trained..how did that happen}

Posted on by debbie / 0 Comment

B3 is officially toilet trained. Day and night. He is three years old. Officially no longer a baby. You cant call them your baby baby when they aren’t in nappies anymore. Needless to say I’m a little saddened and glad all at the same time.

When B1 was toilet training it was horrific and I made it worse listening to too much well meant advice. He was still having accidents at four and I was out of my mind. Looking back I was horrible to him and I’m regretful at how hard I was on him because if I had just let him work it out on his own it would have clicked just a lot quicker. My husbands cousin called me a couple of weeks ago. Her B3 was four and not trained. He is just being lazy she said exasperated. No he isn’t I said don’t make my mistake of giving him a hard time. Trust me I said. He will work it. But he is four she almost screamed. S0 I said. I made that mistake with B1 and I truly think I stuffed him up.

You can follow all the good advice in the world but the fact of the matter is they ain’t going to be ready until they are ready. The switch in their brain needs to go off that that funny feeling they get down there means go to the toilet and no one can make that go off for them but them. You can help it along the way using super hero pants, lots and lots of praise, taking them to the toilet every often and showing them what the toilet is for all of that is fantastic help. Good lord my mother even brought me a singing toilet for B1 that actually had a song belt out when he went and I read about how one women toilet trained her child with a potty party but sorry but that kind of freaks me out. I did all of that but eventually my praise turned to exasperation, frustration, anger then worst of all embarrassment and finally worry that there was something wrong. Looking back if it had gone on much longer I probably would have had B1 looked at. Given all his other troubles (his hearing) I would have gone fairly quickly.

In the mean time my B2 whom I was neglecting with all that rubbish; toilet trained himself at 18 months old. I was what the hell did I do there.  Nothing. Not a thing. And the penny dropped. B1 really will do it just when he is ready. Needless to say my B3 toilet trained himself all on his own too and that went for the nights also. I would carry them to the toilet when I went to bed and made them go before bed but that was it. B3 still needs to be told to go to the toilet when he is jumping around like a rouge grasshopper but this is usually because he is trying to see the last of Charlie Bear or something equally important.

So you think I should just leave him my cousin said. Yep for sure I said. If he hasn’t got any other issues then it will just click for him. And guess what two weeks later he was officially using the toilet for ones, twos and night times.

So yes B3 is toilet trained but he still needs me in the toilet when doing number twos…I think its just for company and to do the dirty work you know what I mean. So I guess he needs me just a little..even if its just to clean up his proverbial sh*t but I think that’s always going to be my job and right now I really don’t mind.

xX Deb

The Every Day

a fifo wife {kids reads: The Gruffalo}

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Kids and reading its a must really it is. We read every night. Reading with them promotes all that bonding stuff dont you think? Well thats on a good night. On a good night we are all cuddle up together going over the words. Yum. Anyway. This is my boys favourite read at the moment. They LOVE it. We read it most nights and we have watched the short film so often the disk has had a heart attack. Its a fantastic. Typically The Gruffalo has its own web site just pop over here and to buy the book just head here or here.

Here is a better review than me just saying its fantastic:

The Gruffalo certainly lives up to its reputation as a classic read for both children and parents. The fantasy story captures the imagination of pre-schoolers as it takes them on a journey with mouse as he strolls through the wood and meets the beast himself, the Gruffalo. As the mouse revisits inhabitants of the wood with the Gruffalo, the mouse successfully convinces the beast that he, the mouse, is the scariest creature in the wood.

“A Gruffalo, a Gruffalo, why don’t you know?” – well, if you don’t it’s worth knowing and letting your child in on the secret too. The Gruffalo is a humorous tale that keeps kids enraptured and anticipating the next page. This is a book that grows with your child – the rhythmical style of reading captivates very young readers and as they develop, and so too their verbal skills, it allows the child to get into character themselves – even reciting verses.

Accompanying the text are fantastic illustrations by Axel Scheffler bringing the story to life. You’ll even find your child just studying the pages themselves as they seem enchanted by this story.

On initial sight of the creature we call ‘The Gruffalo’ you may think is it going to provoke nightmares but far from it – his monster looks are loved and well known between your children’s peers.

Julia Donaldson’s unique style allows the reader to bring the story to life for their little ones. This is perhaps why children never seem to tire of reading it, and the same goes for adults.

Have a lovely Wednesdays my lovelies we are off to the pool…well my husband is…lol.

xx Deb

The Every Day

a fifo wife {fifo and military life lets just clear this up}

Posted on by debbie / 1 Comment

I recieved this yesterday…..I have not edited in anyway..

“I am amazed after reading the west Australian news paper and a wife who is a social woker and who’s husband is away from the family and complains about the times spent with the family and considers that FIFO workers should get the same entitlements as the military.What of rubbish firstly no militarty is earning average $185 thousand per year also the FIFO workers are there by choice it is no wonder that the people from other countries are willing to come to Australia and work any hours that is required. You are all like children want everything but do not to sacrifice the fact that your partner is away earning great money that he would not get anywhere else in Australia,If you cannoty handle the hard with the good then get your husband to return home and earn about 1/3 of what he is getting in the minning industry,and still want the luxuries of life. it is an insult to Military wifes that you compare your husband to be like them because you are not expecting that someone will come to your door in the middle of the night and tell you that your husband has been killed in action or maimed for the rest of his life. You woman would never be happy and still complain that if your husband does give up his minnung job the bills would out of control and maybe have your 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house taken from you by the banks,just except that you would not have these luxeries if your husband was working a 8 to 5 job so stop complaining about being away form your partner and look after your kids and let him do his job or the people from other countries will take over and then you would still complaining.”

He was brave enough to leave his name and I dually wrote a response to him the others following on his coat tails not so brave however I would just like to write this as I have had more such comments left and would like to clear a few things up.

Weather there was an interview or not I’m unsure and I don’t care to be honest what I do care about is that this argument is often presented to me and I would like to speak for myself and I’m sure many others that we do not compare ourselves to military families. We do not.

Having been the wife of a defence force member I know the waiting when they have gone on deployment especially to one declared as a war zone. I have been there many many times and FIFO is nothing the same. The fear and terror that keeps you awake at night is a desperate kind of fear that only grows with the dark. There is no comparison you cant compare. I’m writing about FIFO because I can. Im not complaining, I have no right to, my husband is well paid and I know when he will be home.  Life as military wife is uncertainty and secrets there is no way to compare. My FIFO life holds challenges just like any life choices and I’m blogging about how I manage thats all. Me I make no comparisons and judgements. I blog now because before blogging was never on my radar as a military wife. Its here and now and I think I can be helpful in some small way. I dont blog to complain..well not really. I like my life. I love my life. Its hard work and I love it.

I’m also fully aware that the money in the defence force is nothing like this FIFO gig can offer you…that’s why we came here..I wont lie. My husband was a proud navy man but he decided that ten years was enough for him. He served his whole career at sea never taking a shore posting. He was a real navy man and loved and served his country proud. He left because his career was going no where due to ranks being over filled and he wanted to provide more for me. ME. I’m very aware of how hard work he works for me and my family. So here we are and now we are well paid, we know when he will be home and the nights are no longer filled with fear, just loneliness but there is a compromise to everything. I do like to think I don’t complain that I get on with my job and that is raising my children and running a respectable household. My children, my husband, my household is my job and I earn my wage just as my husband does. I support him as he does me.

I hope that this may clear up any future confusions at least from my point of view. I have a suck it up, get on with job attitude and thats exactly why I am the way I am because ther are women and families out there whose husbands may never come home and they have EVERY right to complain.

If you are a military wife….I hope you are well and if I can offer you support in any way I will.

Thank you and welcome.

xxDeb

The Every Day

a fifo wife {whats for dinner: Debbies sausage casserole}

Posted on by debbie / 0 Comment

Usual rules apply…all measurements are by guess work..its all about the taste. Cook to taste thats what I say.  Super quick great as left overs and I pack these in the kids lunch box. Best of all you can freeze it!!

Debbie’s Sausage Casserole

What you will need:

  • 6 thick sausages
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 x 415g cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup beef stock
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
  • one bay leaf
  • one zucchini chopped
  • one capsicum

How to:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until soft. Add zucchini and capsicum cook until soft( I like mine abit ‘char-grilled’ ). Add sausages and cook until slightly golden. Add tomato paste and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes, stock and sugar. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaf. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with pasta and crusty bread or with a potato mash…yummy

xx Deb

Food/The Every Day

Corn beef fritters a dinner dollar stretcher

Posted on by debbie / 2 Comments

When I moved south to be with my husband, he lived with his Nan, in his childhood home. His Nan was an amazing woman. She was what the epitome of what the depression, war and hard living could produce; a strong woman. You made do or went without and yet there was something amazing on the table every night including a dessert of some sort. Always made from scratch and from what was in the fridge or cupboard.

I had never heard of corned beef fritters until I moved here and she made them one night with our leftover corn beef dinner from the night before. I won’t forget her throwing the ingredients together and beating them with such enthusiasm and love that she was making me one of my husband’s favourite dinners.

“Don’t turn your nose up till you try them!” she said to me almost every night as she plated up something I had never heard of. Flummery was another but I never liked that enough to get the recipe. Sorry, Nan.

Now I love them- so much. The crispier the better. If yours are a bit soggy your batter might be a tad runny add some flour. The batter consistency is key. Also, make sure you have enough oil and butter in the pan so they don’t stick. Also don’t flip them too early because they will fall apart; watch for lots of bubbles, not just a couple. They can be frozen and I always reheat them in the oven but again in the pan would be fine.

My time with her was only short but she was such a wonderful human that cooking these will forever remind me of her. I always ensure there are leftovers from our corn beef dinners just so I can make these. The secret I think is adding some of the white sauce and frying in lots of butter. Our kids love them with tomato sauce myself with a little chutney.

Corn Beef Fritters.

What you will need: 

  • 1 cup self-raising flour
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • leftover corned beef shredded
  • 1/2 cup of leftover vegetables chopped (or add some peas and corn)
  • oil for frying butter

**I will also often add the leftover white sauce for extra yum**

How to:

Mix the egg and milk together and mix in the flour and salt & pepper till it’s all mixed together with no lumps.
Let it stand if you have the time, twenty minutes is plenty.
Fold in the vegetables and the corned beef.
Heat some oil in a fry pan and fry tablespoonfuls of the batter until they start to bubble, then flip them and cook the other side. I like to have them golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven till they’re all done.
Serve with salad.
Fritters are the ultimate cost saving dinner. Have you tried them? 
Xx Deb