Plum pudding muffins! So easy, so yum. Just one of the recipes for you.
It’s usually around this time of year that I start to innocently pester my kids about what they’re going to hit up Santa for. I like to get them to start locking things in, which gives me enough time to sort my life out and get whatever they’re wanting at a good price with the minimum of panic.
It also gives me time to gradually knock any crazy suggestions on the head and introduce the idea of something more suitable. Like last year when Miss F started off wanting ‘a life-sized rocking horse’. I spent November working on that one, reminding her that Santa would probably think her room too small. But by December 1st, she was even more adamant that That. Was. What. She. Wanted.
Still I worked away, with reasons ranging from ‘I don’t think the elves make those’ (yes they do, she assured me), to ‘don’t you want something more grown up?’ (no, was the answer there). When we visited Santa mid-month, she sat on his knee and loudly and proudly asked for ‘a life-sized rocking horse’. Santa, bless him, raised his eyebrow, glanced at me in a mild panic and said “well, I can’t promise anything”. Which was a better response than the badly-briefed David Jones Santa who, the year before, when asked for a scooter (which I already had in the garage), asked “and what colour would you like?”
“Pink,” said Miss F.
“Done,” said Santa.
Bastard. The scooter in storage was plain silver. Luckily I was able to exchange it, but it was an element of pre-Christmas hassle that I didn’t need.
I know, I hear many of you exclaiming that I was crazy to care, but I do care. I remember asking Santa for a toy cash register and being ASTONISHED when it arrived under the tree. I like the magic of the big man. I like to advance his myth.
So what happened last year? Well, the rocking horse didn’t fit in the sleigh, but he did leave a lovely, detailed letter with a voucher for a horse riding lesson.
And what’s on the list for her this year? Well after watching Brave earlier this year, the ongoing yearning is for an adult’s archery set. Complete with arrows with real points. Joy.
To ease the pain of Christmas, I’ve done up a special Vegie Smugglers Christmas PDF, with some recipes, colouring in, gift tags and some cute gift ideas. You’ll receive a link to download your free copy once you become a subscriber of this blog (see, top right). If you’re already a subscriber, send me a message to vegiesmugglers@gmail.com. Just pop ‘book please’ in the subject and I’ll forward you a link too. (But please, make sure you’re already a subscriber before you email me.)
I used to always use Facebook to keep you peeps close. But my FB posts only reach a tiny portion of you now and I’d like to avoid sponsored posts, so this is my incentive to get you to cut out the middle man and deal with me direct. Subscribing just means that you’ll receive my recipes and posts straight to your inbox, ready to read whenever suits you.
All my PDF books are fantastic on the ipad!
PS: 10am Sunday… The lovely Em has just pointed out that there’s a missing ingredient on the turkey meatball recipe… ummmm… the turkey mince! I’ve fixed it now, but anyone who downloaded earlier today, remember to put 500g turkey mince into your mix. They’ll be pretty measley without it.
Kristi said,
November 11, 2012 @ 8:05 am
Great solution to the life size rocking horse!
wendyblume said,
November 11, 2012 @ 8:09 am
yes, he’s a smart man, that santa!
Donna Brown said,
November 11, 2012 @ 8:12 am
Please also update my email from
Donh1970@yahoo.com.au
To
Donross1970@gmail.com
Thanks Donna
Sent from my iPhone
wendyblume said,
November 11, 2012 @ 8:15 am
Hi Donna, I would love to, but don’t have access to change addresses. Afraid that you’ll have to sign up again with the new address – sorry!
modernecomumstestings said,
November 11, 2012 @ 9:58 am
Thanks very much!
Sent from my iPhone
wendyblume said,
November 11, 2012 @ 10:02 am
No worries. Just subscribe to the blog and forward your email address – link won’t work to a URL. ta, Wendy
Jenny said,
November 11, 2012 @ 11:53 am
Not sure if ive signed up before, but happy to go again. Love your Ideas have passed on your websight to my of our parents struggling with kids and vegies. Thanks again
wendyblume said,
November 11, 2012 @ 12:13 pm
Thanks Jenny – I really appreciate your support. Wendy x
Nancy Stirling said,
November 11, 2012 @ 7:25 pm
Thank you very much. Nancy
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:49:32 +0000 To: bearzerk@hotmail.com
Barbara Good said,
November 11, 2012 @ 10:26 pm
Nice one on the pink scooter Wendy. This is the first year Miss Three has had any real concept of Santa (we haven’t done the knee-sitting thing yet as she was quite unsettled about the idea last year) and on her wish list is a blue skirt with a matching top. So far I’m thinking that’s an insanely reasonable list for a three year old. And I AMAZED she didn’t ask for pink!
wendyblume said,
November 12, 2012 @ 8:38 am
Wow! that is sounding terribly sophisticated. Of course, you’ll get to the shops and find that blue is NOT the colour this season, and your only choices are green, purple and orange. 🙂
rachel connie said,
November 20, 2012 @ 1:04 pm
seeing as you are so in with the jolly big fellow, could you please organize me the gift of needing much less sleep and being able to do more in the time I have available. Thank you so much!
wendyblume said,
November 20, 2012 @ 2:15 pm
I’ll see what I can do!