Winner Winner

CHICKEN DINNER!

Okay so I never said I WASN'T a mad BINGO freak, did I?

But this post really is about my chicken dinner, not BINGO.

After a little change to the usual routine I googled CHICKEN DINNER and this was the first recipe that came up, so it looked good.

I love dinners that go into the oven and heat the house and send a gorgeous smell wafting through the halls.

So nice in fact that I had to do it again a few nights later, this time servd with rice and stirfry. Mmmm Yummo.

I can just imagine this cooked on our next camping trip with those jacket potatos being buried in the coals and our campoven simmering away with our succulent chicken.

The things I love about camping... # 4

THE FOOD

Yes, it would appear that all we eat on camping is salad but I can asure you that that is not the case. Sometimes the food is just too yummy and I eat it all before even thinking of getting the camera. Maybe MM has a few picks of the yummy stew that we had with our home-made bread. I will have to hunt down his phone and check it out later...

In the mean time, this is BB's damper that he made. He prepared the dough ALL BY HIMSELF! He wrapped it around a stick and put some al-foil around it then I took over and cooked it on the hot coals!
Boy this was nice, and I love it that BB is feeling, and getting, very big and helpful!

Oh and camping wouldn't be camping with out dessert! And yes, it's SMORES! Oh smores, I LOVE YOU! It really does make a meal out of dessert. I can eat only 3 of these babies before I feel full, yet I could eat the whole bag of marshmallows before I even thought about stopping.

The thing is the Dark chocolate that we have to use is very thick and wasn't melting when the marshmallow went on... I solved the problem by having it sit by the fire while the marshmallow cooked. I had tried just using Chocolate mud-spead (nut-free, dairy free version of Nutella) but it just went TOO gooey and ran out of the biscuit.

So are you drooling yet?

My MIL asked if i had a recipe for the apple crumble that we made last time we went camping...

I have looked on Roothy's website but couldn't find it there. It was on one of his DVD's I watched ages ago and being Roothy it didn't really have quanities...

It went something like this.

1 Tin of Pie Apples

sprinkle some cinnamon on top.

In another bowl, mix plain flour (maybe about 1/2 Cup - 3/4 Cup) with 1 - 2 LARGE tablespoons of marg/butter, until it looks like bread crumbs.

Mix in brown-sugar (about the same amount that you used for the flour) and sprinkle on top.

Then cook (for 1 beer's worth of time).

Hope this helps

The things I love about camping... # 3

THE SWINGING

The things I love about camping... # 2

ACTIVITIES!

We gave fishing a go but were sorry to say that no fish took to us. Maybe if we had a boat?  I heard that there was a fishing day on just before we got there and they were catching HEAPS, maybe the fish just got smart?!

But when fishing isn't working... don't be disheartened you can still CATCH something...

 Here is Daddy teaching the boys how to lay the trap. A bucket, stick, rope and a drop of bread. 

There were about 30 of these screaching birds from the second we landed here in paradise. No nice song from a magpie to wake me up, just these squarking things! Maybe I should have made black bird pie.

One of the many successful trappings. BB had it down pat by the end and was SUPER impressed that he was pulling the rope at the right time and catching them all by him-self. He was even more excited, if that was possible, when he managed to catch 2 at the same time...

The boys took turns to release their prey back to their family.

They sure did have fun and NO BIRDS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS POST!

The things I love about camping... # 1

BATH-TIME

 
The thing about my boys is that they LOVE LOVE LOVE water! No matter how cold it is or anything else, they will find the smallest bit of water and just play, until you MAKE them stop!

It was a bit chilli on our holiday but not to worry these tubs were filled with nice warm water off the fire.

And when it gets too breezy? No problem, Welcome to "HOW TO BATH WIND FREE - 101"



Home away from Home

Welcome to our Home away from Home. We have spent a good many days of our school holidays here and over the next few days I will share some of our trip with you all.

This was our third time taking out the Camper and I have to admit that it is nice having all the luxuries of HOME, especially this time coz we took our own camping-loo! Many more adventures to be had in this little baby.

Camping

I am so happy to say that this most recent camping trip went soooo much better than our first! This time we grabbed a friend or two and all headed over to the Warrumbungles National Park. It was a quick trip but we had a great time.

We threw in the boys bikes and ever since Little Brother has been obsessed with his bike insisting on riding it practically everywhere. The boys love being outdoors and thought it was great fun trying to sneak up on these unsuspecting Kangaroos!

Right on our backdoor we had a little creek that was flowing. Trying to keep 'Red boy' outta that water with those super cute Cowboy boots proved to be a little difficult.

I love this picture of Little Brother taking a swing. The world is whizzing by and I get a little motion sick each time I look at it. Oh dear, I can't wait to get to the theme parks when the boys are older and scream my guts out on all the fast rides but each year older I get the more queezy I get, just looking at swings. Gulp.

We went to look at the exploratory. Boys didn't seem very interested in doing anything other than running around like headless chickens.

Bushwalking was great. We headed up the experienced track, yep because that was the silliest thing to do but anyways, and stopped when we reached this point. Scrambling up rocks on my knees and sheer rock drops with 3 very excited little guys who loved to be 10 steps ahead all the way, was just too nerve racking, thank you.

 Big Brother and Mumma having a rest before making the long hike down again.

Yep, the long hike down...

We also packed water pistols and the boys had a great time, they just need to spray AWAY from the tent please! Oh and that fire cooked some delicious marshmallows, I just forgot the crackers and chocolate for SMORES. Next time I will certainly not forget that one!!!!

But all in all this trip certainly didn't feel like camping, not with a nice warm shower (road side in my underwear - that bit mighta felt a bit like camping, but not the cleanliness that followed)

Dinners were beautiful. Stew the first night and then a delicous salad the second. Mmmm this tasted so good.

Even dessert was covered each night we were there! Thanks Ruthy for a yummy camping 1 pot recipe.
So after this weekend I am super happy to say that camping was a good time, just needed to pack those crackers, chocolate and my knitting next time.

Nyngan...

...was a an experience.

We headed out yesterday lunch time for Nyngan, our first campout with the new trailer since we got it before Christmas. All set for a fun filled, family adventure. We knew, being our first camping adventure that it would be a learning experience. But really? Did we have to learn so so much in just 24 hours?

Lesson 1 – Be sure to pack the gas bottle. I’m sure this seems obvious, especially since they have those nifty little holders on the sides of the trailer but hey, I’m just saying, check that you have that little bottle of ‘dinner’ firmly attached.

Lesson 2 – Always inspect childrens play area, with them well away, by bashing the bananas out of it with a big stick, if a large swarm of wasps DOESN’T come out and bite you and your babies all over, then send them in, it’s SAFE.

Lesson 3 – Ice makes wasp bites better

Lesson 4 – Do not determine your camping spot based purely for shade. Even if the chance of rain is slim to none. Large dips are not good places to be.

Lesson 5- If your can makes a buzzing sound, you are not just being paranoid, there might actually be a Bee in there.

Lesson 6 – If you are camped by a beautiful river, then go swimming first. It just might be awesome and the absolute highlight of your trip!

Now I did add a few more points to my list of things that need to be repacked in a better position for us but these are the biggies that I think might apply to others as much as they applied to us.

I am pretty sure that this is the kind of camping trip that could make or break establishing new family traditions but we (I) am willing to give it another go. But if our second trip is this chaos (and pain) filled then I will swear off camping and be selling off an almost brand new camp trailer.

We didn't check out these play areas before the kiddies headed off, while we unpacked, but in hindsight I should have.

 The dreaded slide that harboured a wasp nest and stung me moments after I took this picture on  my back and leg, and then poor Big Brother was stung 3 times on his feet and once on his back. Little brother was screaming and crying too but no bites could be found on him, thankfully.

 This was the sting on my back after it happened.

 This is the sting today, still very swollen and sore. Man these guys hurt.

 And then it rained, who am I kidding, it POURED!

 Our nice shaddy spot under a tree, but in a dip.

A good chance for the boys to run and play in the rain and puddles though. Definetly a highlight.

Then to warm up we headed to the shower, which was home to many little green frogs. Fine by me, but not so fine by Little Brother who screamed through his whole shower and mine. There weren't even any frogs in our shower at the time, it was just the fact that they were next door. But by the end of the camping trip he was very gently, with wet hands of course, patting the little critters. Talk about leaps and bounds!

Some of our other froggy friends who tried to come home with us. Check out that little teeny tiny brown frog. Camo or what?

The caravan park are home to a dwarf shetlan pony, many colourful birds and a friendly guinea pig or two.

A lovely swim in the river before a BBQ lunch, then the long drive home.

 But I had to show hubby that I had not just become a paranoid worry wort from the swarm of wasps. When my can of drink made a buzzing sound I just had to tip it out into a bottle to show him that there was in fact a bug in my drink. Not just a bug though, a BEE. Like I hadn't been stung enough already.

Home Sweet Home

Have you been camping lately? Please tell me that you trip was better than mine and give me something to look forward to...

Day tripping

I remember 'Day-tripping' when we lived in the Whitsundays brought ideas of swimmers, boats, cocktails for morning tea, secluded beaches and lazy days, but now...

Scorching tempretures, dirt and dust, long drives, fishing, flies (thankfully none today though) and wildlife! But incase this sounds second best I also need to mention that it now includes my 3 most favourite people!

Sometime during breakfast today I suggested a quick drive out of town and over to Louth. I grew up here and have never been so I figured today was the day! After all it is only 130km. So over we headed, Me a newbie on dirt roads, absolutly rocking it! Boys were great (No DVD players permitted on this trip, just good old family chatting), and the weather was good (until we stepped out of the car, but we'll get to that soon).

Ready to go!

First stop was Louth

Spot of fishing! Patience is something yet to be learnt!

Bite to eat! "Hey Mum, check out my mustache!"

A run throught the sprinkler



WHAT! Fluffy chickens.

The meal that we had at Louth pub was amazing. I had fish and MM had a steak Sandwich but he also said how delicious it was. Sorry, no pics, I was so shocked that before I knew it the whole meal was gone and I was left dreaming of my next drive to Louth, just to get a bite to eat!

The boys got sufficiently drenched in the sprinkler, trying to cool off. They think it really is quite crazy to have dogs just wandering around inside the pub and outside on the patio, let alone to have fluffy chickens just wander in.

Then it came time to go... hmmmm do we head back the way we came or do 2 birds with 1 stone and hit Tilpa on the way home? TILPA IT IS! So with scorching tempretures outside we retreated to the car and headed out along the road. A much nicer road, I will admit than the road leading into Louth.

Next stop, Tilpa.

Knocking back a couple coldies before exploring time.
Yes we're watching the kids, can't you tell?

Free roaming sheep

37 degrees in the SHADE people, really? Who's  idea was this again?

BB doing 'selfies'

Exploring the river. To use the bridge or not use the bridge? That is the question!

Tilpa was good. Boys were very excited to see a sheep just wandering about! BB took a picture of it while Mum and Dad sat back enjoying a cool drink. We also found a spider that while Mum was lining the camera MACRO shot up, LB decided to poke it! We had been having the talk about snakes all day and how we don't touch animals in the bush, but what does he do? POKES IT!

BB had been given the camera at Tipla and been told to go take a few shots. He was not gone long before he came running back showing me how he could take pictures of himself (very impressive). Then I was told to "PULL MY EARS MUM! PLEEEEAAASSSEEE!" I didn't understand until he stuck the camera up in between us. He really is getting very creative.

Then we headed off home, along a less desirable road than any other we had travelled for the day!, just in time to eat the last of our New Years Party leftovers. What an amazing day, now we just need to decide where do we go to next?