the fifo wife

My children all started pottering in the kitchen when as soon as they could walk. So it’s now with the eldest being nine they are often in charge of making dinner {dinner being their signature dish}. I thank my lucky stars that I was patient enough to continue with my lack of patience with them in the kitchen. Good things come to those that grit their teeth right?

The benefits of cooking is not only measuring, math, science, good food knowledge but independence. Knowing that they are capable to fend for themselves and for me in a pinch such as a few weeks ago when a cold took me down adds a certain amount of relief to this whole parenting gig. The other benefit which comes naturally is the conversations, the conversations I have had with my boys whilst beating eggs will never be forgotten.

Currently, their signature dishes are useful indicators of their age and abilities in the kitchen. B1 is currently the master of Spaghetti Bolognese so he does some knife work and a fair amount of heat work. B2 loves a good Beef Pho Soup so it’s mainly just putting things in a stock pot, stirring and a little breaking of ingredients. While B3’s interest in cooking has just begun with omelette so cracking of eggs stirring and pouring.

B1 is the most interested in cooking and so there are rules enforced on what can and can’t be done in the kitchen without us. He can cook pop corn without us but with permission {from scratch with popping corn} so long as someone is in the house its straight forward so we trust him to be careful. He can cook dinner but all knife work must be supervised. His motor skills while are good still need to be monitored.

Suffice to say we started them young in fact it was probably around 12 months that we started them in the kitchen slowly increasing their involvement and use of utensils. Now they are all fairly proficient in the kitchen so a few tips on introducing kids to cooking.

1. Have realistic expectations. They have attention spans of less than five minutes when they are young and their motor skills are developing so be realistic in that they will lose interest and they will make a mess.
2. If they are very young like my boys have them sit on the bench and watch you are doing encouraging them to crack eggs, stir, sift and pour ingredients into tins as you go {mixes that are at room temperature always}. You be the judge of what your children are capable of doing.
3. Create something simple. We started off with French Toast there is lots of mixing, cracking and dipping. But my mother started me off with pikelets.
4. The boys started using knives between 5-7. B3 is 6 and has just started using knives {blunt dinner knives} with cheese. Start their knife work with dinner knives of the blunt kind and soft cheese {philly cheese} again French Toast is perfect for this. Knife work should always be carefully supervised.
5. Use oversized mixing bowls with cloths underneath to allow for spillage.
6. Buy them their own cook books. My first cook book was when I was 7. I still have it as does my husband have his. Both of us were taught to cook young. My mother taught me and my husbands grandmother insisted that it was one skill that all her five grandchildren learnt before leaving her home for the big wide world so amongst cooking, sewing learning to dance was the other high on her list.
7. Encourage them to have a signature dish and if they have siblings make sure that its different from each other. My boys are so proud of being able to make something of their very own, different from their brothers.
8. Make sure the kitchen is a safe environment so no overhanging pot handles, things that can be tripped on or hot items grabbed.
9. Teach them what to do if they burn themselves or cut themselves with a knife.
10. Make sure you teach them hot to handle a grease fire in the kitchen encourage them to find you but teaching them what to do isn’t a bad thing. In case you don’t know head here .
11. Encourage or drill into them to clean as they go..their partners later in life will swoon.

** All of these are based on the capabilities of my children and since your children are unique they are therefore are different to mine. Please use your common sense when working with your children in the kitchen. This is meant as a guide only.**

Happy cooking and may your patience be with you.

X Deb

It started one day on RnR- She said to me what is wrong babe? Nothing I said, I was being a bit of a downer that day, I wasn’t being 100% honest but if I let it out I felt like I was being silly and it wasn’t worth bringing up.  I’ll come back to this soon, but first I thought I should write about a few things that often get me thinking, things that sometimes wind me up, things that get me down and how I’ve recently been re-energized by some things that have happened to me at work.  Most of you know me by now, I’m Kieran, one of Debs loyal male FIFO wife blog followers, and lucky for me she lets me write things.  So here we go…some thoughts from me.

Fitting back in:  This is something I continually struggle with, I’m away for 3 weeks, have a beautiful wife, a nearly 6yr old daughter and 2yr old son, you see they have this structure for 3 weeks out of 4 and then I come home and throw it all out of whack, I try and squeeze so much in on my week at home that quite often we are having dinner late, it may only be 30 mins later than “normal” but it’s late, that pushes the bath time out, the bed time story gets later, the choosing of pyjamas (because my kids can’t seem to wear the same pj’s 2 nights in a row for some reason), and I don’t think that half an hour makes too much of a difference…but whoa, the next morning it slaps me in the face and boots me up the arse, the kids are dragging their feet, I forgot to make their lunches and now im rushing and yelling at Azra to brush her bloody teeth or finish her brekkie.  To me it just goes to show how important routine is and how important it is for me to remember that they have this routine and I need to work with them to keep the momentum of a smooth sailing ship.  Any other blokes struggle with this? Because next thing you know I’m flying out again

Delayed flights:   I may be tempting fate here because I fly out tomorrow and we haven’t had a delayed flight for a couple of weeks, but this really winds me up….how hard is it Virgin airlines to get planes up here and back in a reasonable time so we are not left rushing to make our connecting flights in Perth back to Queensland – two solutions here, let us fly out in the morning of our last day so we can make it home that day reducing fatigue on day 1 of our RNR or get more reliable planes that aren’t what feel like 100 years old! GRRRRR

Support whilst we are at work:  To me this is a tough one, because like many blokes I think I’m all ok and big and tough.  Truth is I’m not, and most of us aren’t, it’s just a front, I feel like I’m the man and I need to be big and strong and not show any form of perceived weaknesses in front of family and friends, but let me say this, that it’s 100% ok to ask for support, there are so many options out there, not only for us at work but also for our families at home, most companies have an employee assistance program which is 100% anonymous, they won’t tell the company they have spoken to you, they will only give total numbers of persons they have spoken to.  How can our partners at home support us you ask?  Well for me, I love to be kept up to date with absolutely everything that’s going on at home, tell me about it, how were the kids days at school, appointments, pictures, basically keep me in the loop as if I was home every day, it gives me some sort of normality when everything in my world doesn’t appear normal.

Friendships in a FIFO life:  I never had many friends growing up, I don’t know why, I was just one of those kids, it never bothered me, I prefer to be a bit of a loner, I’m happy just ticking along and to be honest I don’t think I have the personality to satisfy a huge number of friends, but FIFO does take its toll on friendships I feel, I’ve discussed this with many of my colleagues over the years and I get the same responses from them as I come up with myself.  We all have our small number of friends that we have outside of FIFO, for me it’s two guys, I met Gillie in 2000 or 2001, we both have a love for motorsport (him way more than me), we met when we both raced karts, he has video tapes from Bathurst from well before when I was born and before he was born and he’s 40 this July and he can tell you all about them all….crazy I know, but I love the guy, in fact Nicole and I class him and his wife as our best friends and are apart of the fabric of us!  They are our family and they are our kids Aunty and Uncle as we are to them and their kids.  The other guy is Tom, Tom and I are just like little kids when we are together, we met in 2009 working overseas together, since then Tom has battled for his life with a serious illness and only in the last six months he appears to be on the recovery path after some treatment he was forced to take in Germany late last year, our relationship is a little different because we rarely see each other as we live so far apart, but that shouldn’t stop best mates being best mates, I have followed Toms battles closely and regularly touch base with him and I have a promise of taking him Barra fishing in god’s country (Hinchinbrook) when hes fully recovered – Tom fell ill overseas and I was the one with him banging on the French hospitals doors at some silly hour trying to get him treatment, he flew out with me the next day as I was due to fly home for the birth of my first child, that was 1^st August 2009, Tom hasn’t worked since that day.  Our bond will never be broken, we shared some amazing times in 2009 before he fell ill and I know we will again one day when he’s better – get better mate.   Now to my FIFO mates, they are different bunch from all over, I wouldn’t call any of them my best mates, more like work mates, some I stay in touch with some I don’t, it’s just a different type of friendship, we have so much in common because of what we do, but I think it’s important that we all have our mates at home or at least mates that are not involved with FIFO, it helps keep the balance for me,  I make special mention of another two mates here they are Kate and Shona (or George and Shones as I call them) who are just such good blokes albeit with boobs, long hair and ovaries.  I met them on a different job we were all on a few years ago and we have just remained such good mates ever since although they no longer do FIFO, we basically stay in touch by email every day when I’m at work and solve each others problems and whatever else we can think of, some of our discussions I will never forget.

Feeling Re-energized:  I think after a while of this fifo life and living in construction camps it’s important to keep yourself feeling fresh and with that I feel it’s important to be able to be allowed to pursue certain activities that you do at home, for me over the past few months I had started to become frustrated with the restrictions of camp life, now I understand that most of us fifo people are in camps in the middle of nowhere so it may be difficult, but lucky for me I’m on a job on the coast of the Pilbara, Onslow to be precise, I was recently asked if I wanted a permanent room in town at the local caravan park due to a room shortage at camp, I jumped at it, it’s been like a breath of fresh air, I’ve always been a water baby and being near the ocean has been something im loving, see im from Nth Qld and so most of the year we have the threat of Crocodile, box jelly fish and anything else you can think of that wants to kill us when we get near the water, but im also addicted to stand up paddle boarding or SUP as it’s called, living in town has given me the opportunity to get my hands on a board that I can use whenever I like, so these days im first off the bus, grab the board and run to the beach and get a sneaky ocean paddle in before it gets too dark, the freedom I now have is amazing, I feel like I have that bit of normality back and I get that break from the feeling of being at  work for 22 days straight.  That walk on the beach, that SUP after work, those sunsets on the water are what I love.  I’ve even been getting some photos of me out there like these ones.

Ok, so back to the what’s wrong babe question?  I said to her it’s nothing and I’m just being silly, she asked me earlier in the day but it was when we were lying in bed that night just talking, we were talking about lots of things like what’s the dog barking at and how awesome are our kids etc, and then she asked me again…I was reluctant to spill but we have this honestly thing with each other and I expect her to tell me when I sense something is up with her, so I spilled….it was affection, a lack of affection was bothering me and had been for some time during my swing at work…and no I wasn’t talking about sex, it was just affection in general, I don’t think she understood, but it hit home to me that morning when her and the kids picked me up from the airport, it was that life is so busy these days, even airport pick up is rushed because we have to get the kids to school, then we have this appointment, then we have to go here and do this, then it’s back to school pick up, then its swimming lessons, and then dancing, we just don’t get that time to STOP and EMBRACE each other, it was literally a 2 second hug and a peck and then it was on to do everything, and I explained to her that night I need some affection, remember I’ve been away for 3 weeks in a solitary room, I don’t get hugs, I don’t get good night cuddles and kisses, I don’t get wrestles with the kids, I don’t get the “Dad I love you” “you’re the best” in person, it’s all over the phone and Skype and don’t get me wrong they are great, but they are not the real in person ones, I crave those, plus I just want time to get that affection and I wasn’t feeling it that day or the previous 3 weeks obviously, then she rolled into my chest and said “I didn’t even think of it that way”, she apologised to me, though it was not necessary, I just needed to let her know.  Believe it or not I’m an affectionate person and I just think life was getting in the way and we forgot to stop and slow down.  It’s important to do that……and the rest is history.

Also this week I celebrated, alone, our 17^th anniversary of being together since high school, something im so incredibly proud of despite all my naysayers saying it would never work, shes too good for you.  Thanks for being my best friend Nicole. Xoxo

Thanks for listening

Kieran

I am apologising in advance in this post is a little more worse for wear than normal, but I had a wee little surgery today and Im still on cloud nine. Nothing major and I am all good. It was a procedure to try and help with my ongoing anemia issue {due to my ahem menstrual cycles being heavy..too much info?} and if you want to know what that is email me. Because I never knew there was something other than staying home for four days of the month because I refuse to wear sanitary pads that could be mistaken for nappies. I also never knew there was an alternative to popping a tablet that made me as nausea as buggery and then suffering the on going effects of low iron due to excessive blood loss. So I’m really hoping my body gives me a break and plays the right games because I’m banking on it.

So the op was awesome and I’m so excited at the possibility of not being so tired I leave the house with unmatched shoes and shirts inside out. So excited people will stop saying you should buy a lotto ticket as a shirt inside out is lucky. So excited because my awesome gyno said you don’t need to put up with that. You know that relief when a doctor discusses your options with you about your body allowing you to make the choices because its your body- yeah I got one and she rocks.

Too much info, good things need to be shared anyway..

The weekend was excellent it saw the close to a two-day shy of a five-week swing which is why I guess I lost my crap last week on day 28 the correct fly out the day. It was also when my kids lost it its funny how they just knew it was day 29, and daddy was meant to be home.

Anyway the few things that caught my attention this week and stayed in my tiny litle mind..

1. My last surgery observation I promise, but I paid an obscene amount of money today for anesthesia. So when I woke from that 20-minute slumber, it felt like I had slept for hours, so it was no surprise that the first thing that went through my mind was I get it Micheal Jackson {no disrespect to him} I get it. My anesthesia guy honored my request of making it the best sleep Id had in ten years.

2. Husband reprogrammed all the numbers in our phones way back in March and last week I wanted to call my husband on the boat. I just needed that extra push to get over the line, so I went to the phone contact list {bluetoothed on all phones including mobiles} only to discover that I don’t have his boats number on any of the phones. He has however put the Today shows the big block of cash hotline number..So I took that as an omen that he thinks I got this also made me realize his priorities are in order.

3. I’m so in love with Married at First Sight plumber and city girl couple but did anyone else see on that Reno show Leighton calling it quits with his girl? Or was that a joke?

4. When we picked up husband from the airport, there was no loving. Kids and airport security make short work of that- I mean two minutes is unheard of for getting picked up.

5. I have no five today.

6. Travel hacks we should know? I like tip 2 & 5. I’m using two at the shopping center. Here.

7. Prada is going to make their bags more affordable..Im not sure to who but you know? Here.

8. Meet Kirsten Stewarts new love here.

9. Why you only need 37 pieces of clothing- Im lucky I have ten worn in rotation..here.

10. Your horoscopes for the week. here.

xxDeb

So I lied to you.

Well it didn’t start out as a lie it’s just things changed and it wasn’t the right time to say but now it is and so here it is.

Remember when I said I was mango packing and avocado picking so as to take my kids to the snow? Well initially it was but then my husband well he got serious about an idea he had had for years. Doing it alone we realised the cost of the dream he had and so my avocado adventures no longer became about the snow it became about his idea.

The idea?

He wrote a book called ‘We thought daddy worked on an aeroplane’.

A kids book for those that work offshore because like many FIFO workers find their kids {our kids} thought daddy worked on a plane {for some it’s the airport our was a plane}. Written specifically for those that work on oil rigs and vessels and it’s a good one if I do say so myself.

Detailing daddy’s journey from getting his flight details from the office to packing his bag , safety inductions, the jobs people do to safely coming home again to be with his family it’s written to explain exactly where and what goes on when daddy is dropped off to work at the airport. The book is written by my husband and is illustrated by Virginia Grey and is suitable for 4 to ten-year-olds.

It’s been a long six months and we are now heading into print but we are taking expressions of interest for the book

‘We thought my daddy worked on an aeroplane’ through this link here.

It will eventually be available on the wife’s store.

Would love it if you could share and if you have any questions please let me know.

‘We thought daddy worked on an aeroplane’

A portion of profits will be made to his favourite charity White Ribbon men against domestic violence of women and or Beyond Blue.

We hope you enjoy it.

We are taking expressions of interest here for the books and we will email you when the books are ready for purchase.

We are so nervous sweet things..

xxDeb and husband

I got out of the pool on Wednesday afternoon and head to the car whingeing and whining all the way. It was not swimming and nor is it swimming weather. It’s winter so naturally you swim in winter well I have started to. I’m not one for making things easier for myself. I am swimming three days a week and I started swimming because I thought I was fit. I am not Mount baldy my children and two fifty-year-olds showed me that. Three weeks ago I had the brilliant idea to walk Mt Baldy my children bounded leaped ran all the way all awhile leaving me to vomit at various points. That afternoon I vowed I would get fit well fitter than I was or am at that point. My children seriously ran that mountain and last weekend when I took the cousin up the mountain we were passed by two easily aged 50-year-olds also running the mountain not shuffling but ruuuuunnnnning the mountain. As they said excuse me please with out even missing a breath the cousin threw his hat on the ground with a curse whilst I leaning against the only tree shook my fist and said under my breath I will get you I swear I shall…

So I’m swimming because running requires too much coordination.

Three weeks in and the 70-year-old woman who initially passed me on my first day no longer passes me {there was a mental fist pump that day because being passed by a woman twice your age does nothing for your esteem but a lot for your I will beat you attitude} in fact I am swimming around 1.2 kilometres easily now and am increasing my time and length each week.

So naturally a post on getting fit would and swimming would also include a recipe on chocolate chip biscuits and the best chocolate chip biscuits I might add but I swim for fitness not diet. I don’t believe in diets we don’t like each other. I can’t see the point of them moderation is the key to happiness right?

These biscuits they are all sorts of chewy and chocolate and were exactly what I was thinking craving when I raced to the car that afternoon and were exactly what I made when I got home. Matched with a hot chocolate a good swim under my belt it was a good good afternoon.

Best Chocolate Chip Biscuits.

What you will need:

• 125g butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 caster sugar (or white sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips or dark whatever your prefference

How to:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave) and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Pour butter into a large bowl and stir in brown sugar and caster sugar until smooth and sugar is mostly dissolved. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Lightly beat the egg with a whisk or fork and stir into the sugar mixture along with the vanilla.
5. Sift flours and baking powder together into a small bowl and then gradually mix into sugar mixture until combined.
6. Stir through chocolate chips.
7. Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie mixture onto lined baking trays.
8. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden then remove from oven and allow to cool on trays for 3 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

{image source here with thanks}