Mommy moment Monday: Revinia

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Today’s mommy is one of my oldest and dearest friends, most people assume we are related as she’s younger than me, but we spent tons of time together growing up…We are kinda cousins by choice, hehe. One of those friends who comes over and all we do is watch YouTube with wine 🙂
I also happen to be Godmother to her beautiful daughter, Zoey



Who are you:
I am the mum of a very busy 4 year old little girl named Zoey,manager of a retail store and wife.

Tell us of a time that your kiddo made you cringe:
We were at a funeral and while the coffin is being lowered and everyone is crying and feeling highly emotional she starts singing Ushers` song “I don’t mind” and dances like its a party.

Tell us about the time you felt like you were winning at the mommy thing:
After doing weeks of nursery rhymes and counting and colours with her I thought I should just giv up like this child not getting it,then when friends came over she put on a show saying all the nursery rhymes and counting I felt so proud


How motherhood changed you:
 I think its changed me and my perspective on life in so many ways but to name one its made me more accepting to changes I used to be very rigid and steadfast in my ways,but with a kid nothing is ever set in stone you must be flexible.

What do you wish you knew before becoming a mom:
.I wish I knew that it doesn’t matter how prepared you think you are there will be curve balls and you must learn to wing certain things as they come,and as much as you read up you will make mistakes,just learn from them.

Chicken pie for the soul

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You know how I like to do calorie conscious good for you meals on a Friday? Ja, this is not one of those, it’s hearty and delicious and much better for your mental well being than for your thighs, But every now and again we need to say, Banting for what? Calorie Counting for who? Steamed Broccoli for when? hehehe YUMMMM for me thanks…

The recipe is brought to you by a great girl I know (since way back in my student days) who is never in a bad mood, as in ever! Mandy Abrahams…here’s hoping I can twist your arm for more recipes…. You can even order from her if you are this side of the world on a Friday as she’s into PR but really into cooking.




MANDY SAYS:

The plan is to serve  a“Winter Warmer”  to assist with keeping the chills at bay J
 Homemade Chicken Pie (A creamy chicken stew loaded with carrots and mushrooms, baked inside a flaky crust… it’s comfort in a bowl)

Homemade chicken  pie:
Ingredients:
2 x onions (finely chopped)
4 x chicken breasts (steamed and shredded)
1 x punnet mushrooms
4 x large carrots (chopped up chunky)
500 g frozen peas
1 pckt chicken or mushroom soup
2 tblsp mrs balls chutney
2 tsp Robertsons Chicken Spice
250ml fresh cream
2pckt todays or pennywise puff pastry
Method:
1.       Steam chicken breasts in 500ml water and 2tsp Robertsons chicken spice
2.       Preheat oven to 180 degrees
3.       Roll out 1 x pastry (not too thin) and layer over the bottom of a greased, oven proof dish.
4.       In a pot, fry your onions in 1 tblsp olive oil until the onion starts getting translucent.
5.       Add carrots and let it cook for 3 – 4 mins.
6.       Add your already steamed and shredded chicken breasts.
7.       Add salt and pepper to taste (you could also use Robertsons chicken spice instead of salt) and 125ml water and simmer until it forms a nice gravy
8.       Add mushrooms and simmer 1 -2 mins
9.       Add Mrs Balls Chutney and simmer 1 -2 mins
10.   Mix chicken or mushroom soup together with cream, add to stew and let simmer until thick gravy forms.
11.   Let cool then pour into pastry covered dish.
12.   Roll out the other pastry (again not too thin), cut off overlap of pastry and press together top and bottom pastry with your fingers or you could use a fork.
13.   Brush top of pie with some egg and pop into the oven and bake for 30 mins or until brown.
14.   Serve with a green salad  

Story Book DIY: Adjustable drawstring shoe bag for Cinderella

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Today is the second in our Story Book DIY series. Myself and 3 other book loving bloggers are doing a colab to bring you story inspired DIY’s over four weeks. It started with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory last week and this week we move on to Cinderella…

Cinderella for those of you who don’t know (never assume) is about a girl who lives with her stepmom and step sisters and is forced to do all their chores and then she goes to a ball with the help of her fairy godmother/woodland creatures (depending on version) she loses a shoe and as she is magically the only person in a village with that shoe size the prince tracks her down using said shoe (I’m a size 3, I feel like I always feel like I’m the only one with such tiny feet, but seeing as there are never shoes in my size, I’m clearly wrong)
Any who something that always bothered the over thinker in me is that this poor woman had to return home with only one shoe on… I mean when the carriage turned into a pumpkin she must have been left in the middle of the forest shoe-less, surely… so I came up with my DIY to help a sister out… a shoe bag to stash a extra pair of shoes…
It’s great for taking pumps to work because you need to pop into the shops after work with the toddler you just picked up from day care and running in heels is not a option (oddly specific, I know), or if you are take public transport you can carry your heels in it and swop from your “comfies” at work, or you like to wear different shoes during the day (I’m not judging, I don’t know your life story,hehe)
Adjustable Drawstring bag, similar to the little diy busy bags I made, but with velcro to accommodate both pumps and heels…

WHAT YOU NEED

A old t-shirt, velcro, scissors, something to lace through as drawstring and either a sewing machine or needlework kit

WHAT YOU DO

depending on your shoe size cut off the bottom of your t-shirt 

turn material inside out and sew where you just cut

attach velcro to each side by sewing or using fabric glue

on the open side, which is where seam would have been originally,
cut a little hole for drawstring to go through

I use a paperclip to help me string the lace/ribbon/rope through

you should be left with this

perfect for carrying around your pumps while in heels
or undo the velcro and pop your heels in there 🙂
TADAH!!!
please head on over to see what the others have come up with


Marie Claire helps with a #

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Marie Claire launched the “in her shoes campaign” yesterday and with it came the promise to donate R5 to St Anne’s Home in Woodstock, Cape Town for every person who posts the phrase and the hashtag; ‘I stand for women’ #MCInHerShoes.

The home which provides shelter, care and empowerment to destitute, abused and disadvantaged mothers and children is a very worthy cause and with the amount of # I see on a daily bases, Marie Claire is definitely putting their money where their mouth is.

The #MCInHerShoes campaign aims to encourage South Africans to stop and remember our role in bringing an end to gender-based violence.

 To stand up for ourselves and others in the face of it, and to bring attention to those in need when we see them.

The magazine which routinely brings us naked celebs in aid of honorable causes also invited 18 local male celebrities to take a stand  against gender-based violence and experience life in a woman’s shoes ‘literally” (Photographed by the amazing Steve Tanchel)

‘We needed a strong visual statement that embodied that violence against women is not just a female problem,’ says Marie Claire editor, Aspasia Karras. ‘It’s everyone’s problem. I am so proud of these men for taking a stand and walking in our shoes.’
Siv Ngesi, actor and comedian: ‘This campaign is inspiring. I want to tell other men, enough with this nonsense. We have to take a stand.’
Janez Vermeiren, TV personality: ‘My message to all men in South Africa is that it is time to man up. Violence against women is totally unacceptable.’
Gareth Cliff, radio and TV personality: ‘Men have to stop being assholes. Men have to start doing the right thing even when no one is looking.’

I know many people roll their eyes at “stunts” but I’m a little different, anytime people put their money where their mouths are, I’m game, like yes I rolled my eyes at random non funded no make-up selfies (you guys are missing the point, did you sms the number, hello did you read the rules) but I liked and commented on those who shared the sms number and donated… I also did the ice-bucket challenge and managed to raise money with it… so if boys in heels make people “stop, donate and listen” (Vanilla Ice Joke) then I’m all for hash-tagging the crap out of it 🙂  


*info from press release

Mommy Moment Monday : Ronethea

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I’m loving the Mommy Moment Monday, it’s a time to put all the mommy wars behind us, “OMG! is that formula!!!” , “what, you are STILL breast feeding”, “Why do you only have one kid, you so selfish!”, “Why do you have so many kids, you so selfish!”, “Ohhhh cloth nappies, ooooh disposable nappies, ooooh organic, ooooh junk food” sheesh, BREATHE PEOPLE , BREATHE keyboard ninjas and forum attackers 🙂

I really just want to show that at the end of it all we want what is best for our kids so if you are a mom and are willing to be interviewed PLEASE drop me a line.

Today I’m featuring my cousin Ronethea, she was the first person close to me to become a mom, not counting my aunts (duh) her daughter Taylor (6) has been featured here, countless times 🙂

Here is what Ronethea has to say.

1. Who are you?
I’m a 20-something single woman who happens to be a student, worker and a mom

2.Tell us about the time kiddo made you cringe
We recently changed churches, on our first visit, Tay , who was not used to live bands in service put her hands up to her ears and loudly announced that they were “making a noise”. It was so awkward!

3. Tell us about one moment you felt like you were winning at this mommy thing 
Everytime Taylor gives me a super hug and tells me I’m the best mum in the whole wide world (YAY) 😀 …

 4. How has mamahood changed you/your life
It totally flipped my whole world upside down… Looking back I can only thank God each day for my life and my blessing, Princess Taylor.

 5. What do you wish you knew before
They don’t hand out Mummy Manuals at birth (ai jai jai)… Here’s to learning new things each and every day 😀

Me&Ronethea 🙂