Check the list - 26. Make sushi and miso.

No words needed for this one. Except one, maybe - YUM.

(Checking this of the list.)

Goals and list update.

Quite a few months ago, Aesop started a savings chart.
He was determined to get his very own Ipod touch, so I suggested that perhaps we could go halvsies. We paid him for doing extra jobs (no money for his usual chores, trying to teach him that there are some jobs we just need to go as part of a household..) and didn't allow him to use money he already had, or birthday money etc. This would mean that he truly earned the gadget.

The clever boy reached his target last week, so as of Tuesday, he has been enjoying exploring his new technology. He has been writing lists of apps he wants and songs he'd like me to download (Gangnam Style? Seriously?). He is learning the limits of how much time he can spend on it each day (I need to learn those limits myself.. hmm..) and the benefits of sharing with Otto.

I won't lie, it was a mission to get him to the top of that chart. I couldn't believe how frustrating it was he turned down job after job, but still wanted to get money. The number of times I reminded him that 'it's not called work for nothing..!' But I'm pretty proud of him (and me!) sticking at in. Not sure I could have saved that much as a kid!

As for my own goals (that I started back in September), I'm not being quite as successful:

1. Make myself some undies.
2. Make soy ice cream. - Done! Semi successfully..
3. Buy a Diva/menstrual cup.
4. Go on a train.
5. See a roller derby game/match/bout.
6. Sew a 'Crepe' dress.
7. Host a games night.
8. Plant Ottos placenta.
9. Get rid of 1000 things (TradeMe/donate/rubbish)
10. Make 200 sales on Felt (88 to go!)
11. Do a market stall. - Done!
12. Visit a farm.
13. Visit Rainbow Springs or Paradise Valley.
14. Change our bedroom curtains.- Done!
15. Get a(nother) tattoo.
16. Take a road trip.- Done!
17. Go camping.
18. Take a photography course.
19. Plant a Summer garden. - Yup!
20. Complete Playcentre course 2.
21. Get a bra fitting.
22. Learn to crochet granny squares.
23. Have another blogger meet-up.
24. Find an exercise routine.
25. Sew something for each of my family members.
26. Make sushi and miso.
27. Buy some decent boots.
28. Be kind to myself.

Yikes, got a big job ahead of me next year!

Check the list - Change our bedroom curtains.

Sometimes such simple things make such a huge difference - especially when they have been bugging you for a long time.
I've been searching for plain curtains for our room for years now. The lovely 90's ones that come with the house are warm and clean, but hot-damn they are ugly.
I found these, nice plain, brown ones for under $20 at The Sallies and they were already the perfect size. Meant to be!
Tick!

(Photos are not great - the lighting in our room is dull on the brightest of days! But ypu get the general idea, aye?)

Check the list - Dairy-free ice cream.

I avoid eating dairy. Did you already know that? I forget.
It's not that I'm allergic as such, it just makes my throat and nose all yuck.
So, yeah, I don't eat cows milk products when I can avoid it.

One of the goals on my list was to make my own soy ice cream. Lite Licks is pretty good, but hard on the pocket and limited in flavours, I figured making my own would be awwwwesome.

I googled and googled, looking for a good soy ice cream recipe, to no real avail. What I did find though, was a bunch of delicious looking coconut milk ice cream recipes. Who knew?!
I decided on this 'Raspberry' one by The Nourishing Gourmet.



I borrowed this fancy looking ice cream maker from my friend Ashlee, and it all seemed pretty easy. 
I purchased the ingredients, chucked them in, and set it to work.

 It got to the texture of frozen yogurt.. sort of. But then it didn't get any harder.
I took it out and put it in the freezer, stirring it every hour or so.
It eventually froze through, but the texture is less than amazing, far more icy than creamy! Maybe like a badly made sorbet? Ha ha.

In conclusion, despite being very pretty, it was a bit of a flop.
I think it's for the best though, imagine having dairy-free ice cream at the push of a button - Helloooo weight gain. Plus, on special, Lite Licks works out about the same price anyway!

Either way, consider yourself ticked #2!

The List - Take Two!

A few years back, I made a list of things to do from one birthday to another. I had a great time ticking things off, and managed to complete most of it. It was good to check through it each month and keep things interesting. This year I've decided to do it again!
So, I present you with '28 things to do before I'm 29'.
The things on the list are all (hopefully) fairly attainable. My main goal was to have a bit of fun - and give myself something to blog about, too! But, because it's quite a collection of tasks, I'm going to cheat and  let myself start now even though I won't be 28 until just over a month from now. Such a rebel!

'The List' is as follows:

1. Make myself some undies.
2. Make soy ice cream.  
3. Buy a Diva/menstrual cup.
4. Go on a train.
5. See a roller derby game/match/bout.
6. Sew a 'Crepe' dress.
7. Host a games night.
8. Plant Ottos placenta.
9. Get rid of 1000 things (TradeMe/donate/rubbish)
10. Make 200 sales on Felt (97 to go!)
11. Do a market stall.
12. Visit a farm.
13. Visit Rainbow Springs or Paradise Valley.
14. Change out bedroom curtains.
15. Get a(nother) tattoo.
16. Take a road trip.
17. Go camping.
18. Take a photography course.
19. Plant a Summer garden.
20. Complete Playcentre course 2.
21. Get a bra fitting.
22. Learn to crochet granny squares.
23. Have another blogger meet-up.
24. Find an exercise routine.
25. Sew something for each of my family members.
26. Make sushi and miso.
27. Buy some decent boots.
28. Be kind to myself.

Wish me luck!