Day 3: Prayer Corner

Summer is doing it's finale and autumn is already round the corner. Why am I talking about seasons? Well, this is very much dependent on how early I can wake up. In the summer, when there is light outside at 5:30 am, I can spring out of bed and start the new day cheerfully. As autumn approaches and when it's still dark at 7 am I am still in bed or sitting in bed thinking what to do and usually this thought bounces back and forth until one of the kids wake up.

But, after fighting the urge to sleep and missing out on being in God's presence, I finally decided enough is enough. So, since the past few days I am up by 6/6:30 am and I sit in my dedicated space to read my Bible and submit this day to Him.

I realized a clutter free space was essential to me to keep my attention and a space where it was comfortable but not so comfy that I could fall asleep.

So I cleared out a shelf on my book shelf, cleared the chair of "stuff" and put just the essentials that I need to have my quiet time. I tend to over dramatize when I have a few extra highlighters and other books around. I also made sure that I didn't switch on the computer and sit on my table lest I succumb to the urge of just "checking my mail disease".

Here is how that space used to be and now

The whole book shelf look:(my work related books, board games and other games)

My "no go Zone" during quiet times:(uncluttering project yet to undertake)

Day 2: Weekly Menu

I have found planning my weekly menu to be so helpful. It saves me from thinking what to cook and do I have them in the fridge? If I think one meal , I go and buy that. So that means , stuff bought earlier gets pushed to the back of the fridge. And when I am trying to salvage something for the weekend when I don't have time to cook, I find those pushed back food stuff in other interesting colors and textures.

The whole joy of cooking seeps away when I am forced to think what to put on the menu everyday and trying not to repeat. Planning an Indian menu everyday can be a little hectic. Typically, rice with a gravy, a meat/fish/chicken dish and a vegetable. A lot huh?

There are those days we do have non Indian food. Just to let you know.

So, most Sunday evenings, I sit and plan the week menu and then buy only those in the shopping list, on Monday. Here is a picture of my Weekly Menu chart on the fridge. This was given by one of my best friends who is in the US now. Lingwei, thank you!

Once every other week I make a huge batch of Tuna Cutlets(patties). Fried onions, with ginger ,garlic, green chillies, black pepper and salt to taste. Loads of tuna tins emptied into this mix and sautéed well. Mix in the previously boiled potatoes, and shape them up in oval shapes enough for a few bites. Dip in egg and bread crumbs and put them in zip lock covers. Freeze them. I make about 60-80 of them at a time. They come in so handy when i don't have something to make or i don't have the time. This is easy to take from the frozen bags kept to thaw out in the morning. Deep fry them and you have yummy cutlets!

31 days to clutter free life and home; Day 1: New Beginnings

My knowledge and awareness to the blogging world has been opened and I am beyond "amazed". I owe it to following my friend Tracey's blog ;Control the Chaos.
I am learning so many different ways to connect to the the bigger world and explore some of those things I have wanted to do.
While doing my regular "thing" of reading Tracey's blog I came upon this "31 days to.." part and that came up in my mind " constantly" these past few days. Thinking about it and trying to convince myself that I would definitely, never ever, will be able to write every day and do something with this was finally put to rest when I made my decision today to plunge into it.

This October link party is originally hosted by The Nesting Place.

So here I am, making that big dive.I have been reading Laura's book "Clutter Rehab" from I am an organizing Junkie ,and decided this would be my chance to put the book and the passion to totally unclutter my life and home. Baby steps. I know that sentence does seem too ambitious.

So here I am, choosing to organize and unclutter my life and home including such as;
1. Various sections of my home (Note: not entire rooms in one go!)
2. Organizing my own company and family life
3. Prioritizing and making my "things to do" list more human.And not superhuman
4. Try my best in reducing the things in our home

I dont expect anyone to follow my journey or even read this. I am doing this for me and my family.

What better way to start this off as I celebrate my 30th birthday!

Seville Orange Tart

Serves 8
Takes 1 hour to make. 1 hour 10 minutes to cook. Plus cooling.

Ingredients:
4 Seville oranges (or the grated zest of 4 small oranges and the juice of 2 lemons and 2 oranges)
6 medium free-range eggs
250g caster sugar
150ml double cream

For the pastry:

175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50g icing sugar
100g chilled butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing
Finely grated zest of 1 small orange(not sevile)
1 large free-range egg, separated
2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice


1. To make the pastry, sift the flour, icing sugar and a small pinch of salt into a food processor, add the chilled butter and the orange zest. Pulse until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then tip into a mixing bowl.

2. Mix the egg yolk with the orange juice, add to the bowl, then stir with a round bladed knife until the mixture starts to come together into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until the mixture forma a smooth dough.

3. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface, then use to line a lightly greased, 4 cm deep, 23 cm loose- bottomed flat tin. Prick the base all over with a fork, then chill for 20- 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 C/fan 180/ gas 6. Line the pastry case with a crumpled sheet of baking paper and a thin layer of beans or rice, then blind bake for 12- 15 minutes until the edges of the pastry are biscuit colored. Carefully remove the paper and beans/rice, then return the pastry case to the oven for 3-4 minutes.

5. Beat the egg white until slightly frothy, then brush it over the bases and the sides of the pastry case. Return the case to the oven for another 1-2 minutes until set. Remove and leave to cool. Turn the oven down to 120C/fan 100 C/gas 1/2.

6. For the tart filling, finely grate the zest from the oranges, then set aside. Squeeze the juice from the seville oranges (or from the lemons and 2 of zested oranges) to give 180ml. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the caster sugar, then whisk gently with a fork until just mixed but not frothy. Strain the citrus juice, add the double cream, then mix briefly. Strain through a sieve into a large measuring jug, then stir in the citrus zest.

7. Partly pull out the shelf of the preheated oven, slide the pastry case onto it, then pour in the filling. Carefully slide the shelf back in and bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set.
(I thought why do i need to play around with the filling in the oven, so took it out and poured it on place on the kitchen counter. When I had to walk with the tart ,real slow and not to spill the filling , while i walked toward the oven, I understood why that step was very important and was just not some fancy thing to do! :( ). It should still be a little wobbly in the centre, but will firm up as it cools. Remove and leave to cool, but don't refrigerate. This is best served, cut into wedges, on the day it's made.

And my Tart was.......
The zester (does this word exist)that I used made long thin rinds. I should have used a zester that cut them in thin small pieces, like sprinkles. But it tasted really nice and even the pastry was so delicious. It does take some time to get all the juices and did use more dishes than needed, but worth it and was fun to make. I served this to my Mums and Tots group, as they are indeed my guinea pigs to my testing to sweet things!

Still growing-30 next week

We write for five minutes flat on Fridays.

We here at The Gypsy Mama write bold and beautiful and free. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Won’t you join us?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Go a little overboard encouraging the writer who linked up before you.
OK, are you ready? Give your best five minutes on:

GROWING

GO

Hitting the big 3 next week...30.... How will that change things?
How have I grown so far? I really can't put a finger on what kind of emotion to feel. Happy. Overwhelmed. Excited. It's all there but still not quite there yet. Apart from physical changes in my life during childhood, adolescence, university, marriage, and having 2 boys, there has been maturity at different phases.

I clearly remember the leap in my spiritual maturity during my time at University at Manipal while I did my Masters. Grace Home contributed to my huge leap in Bible knowledge (previously founded on the Jesus movies). And a sense of those things that are important and what's real. I am someone who would get excited in anything new that I saw. If I saw some lovely quilts, I would dream of quilting and making quilts for my future kids. If I saw a malnourished orphaned child, I would dream big of rescuing children and providing for them. It's great to have excitement and dreams in life.A maturity to put these excitements in God's hands and wait on Him is what Grace Home taught me.

My current life in the Netherlands and being part of a church here, has contributed to my next step in maturity. Being a Bible study leader, Church council member, Church creche leader and other roles at various points of my almost 6 years here has added a few more furrows of learning on my brain and a clearer picture of my purpose here. (Many things still remain unclear, though). Most of all "a wait and think and then speak " policy has clearly been established , other than the occasional foul ups.

Me: Now Lord , what are your plans for me? What do you want me to learn?
God: Beloved, all will be revealed in My own time. Prepare yourself to have a teachable spirit.

STOP

Five minute Fridays: Joy

Back on my Five minute Fridays after a week of New Wine and 3 weeks of India
Pure unedited writing begun by Gypsy Mama

GO
JOY
A constant reminder over the years whenever I grumble, feel overwhelmed with lack of something, empty or irritated when God silently breathing into my heart "Do you have my joy, child"? The joy of the Lord is my strength. A wonderful healthy happy family. JOY. healthy me. JOY. A job that I love doing a few days week enabling me to be part of the children's life more.JOY.a husband who has a job in this time and season. JOY. Two beautiful boys. JOY. Watching them play, laugh together and fight together. JOY. Provision in all things. JOY. Opportunity to know you and grow in you. JOY.JOY.JOY.

Nehemiah 8:10 – “the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

STOP
Link up here to write you Five Minute Friday

Pinterest

Back from India and diving straight into family,home and work. I have been fascinated by "Pinterest" .Its an absolute discovery! You can have different boards and pin things that you like in them. Helps me to pin up the blogs that I like. Cute kids stuff that I see while surfing.
Saying no more. Take a look and be dazzled!

http://pinterest.com/manjusarajacob/

Making use of limited space to contain my entire life is a struggle.
Here is the kids book shelf that I rearranged and made it look a little more pleasant and sorted books into baskets. The top basket ones for Elijah's board books. And another basket for Christian books on the christian section in our library.