When my eldest son was a little boy we ran a HUGE early intervention program for him at home.

We used to joke that we taught him to communicate one word at a time, one gesture at a time.

It took many years for him to learn things that the others picked up effortlessly.

It was totally worth it.

Here’s what I learned that I reckon totally relates to our family’s healthy eating journey and my weight loss one:

You can go a long way using tiny steps

But you have to keep going

Behaviour change takes a long time,

But wonderful changes can happen

Unhelpful habits can be very engrained

But they can be changed into helpful ones

First learn a new healthy habit

Because it will replace the old unhealthy ones

Being negative is destructive to your self-esteem

But positive words, praise and thoughts boosts your brain and your life

It’s been many years since we did that early intervention program at home for the wee boy who turned into our giant, bagpipe playing teen. But we still use the principles both for teaching him new skills… and for ourselves too.

Slowly, slowly, slowly, using tiny steps… you can change your life for the better. 

One day at a time.

Are you taking small but steady steps too?

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So, a few culinary misadventures this week.

I made my first shepherd’s pie. It was dreadful!

The meaty part was far too sloppy. The mashed potatoes too.  Consistency of sludge.

I baked some barramundi with lemon and a scrape of butter, wrapped in a baking paper parcel. It came out sickly white and slimy. It did not taste not good.

No idea what went wrong there. Will try pan frying next time.

Some ‘healthy’ biscuits came out badly, rock hard, too floury and oaty, dreadful. I did follow the recipe which I’d found online. It must have been wrong.

Tried to rescue the biscuits with butter, sugar and choc chips – desperate measures. Didn’t work.

The biscuits don’t LOOK too bad, but they tasted dreadful and were soft. Compost!

Three disasters in a week isn’t bad for me.

Worse news is that I’ve mislaid the memory card for my good camera. Bugger.

 Have you had any cooking catastrophes this week? Or is it only me?

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Ah Maxabella, I so love the topic you’ve chosen this week for 52 Weeks of Grateful.

We live in a bush suburb too, in a cul de sac that is surrounded by bush.

We don’t get so many wild beasties in our garden as you, but we’ve had snakes and spiders in the pool; that’s enough for us!

3 reasons I’m grateful to live near to nature.

1.  The green color calms me.

2. The kids can charge around out there, climb trees, play with sticks, all that good stuff, all that real stuff. (I wish they did it all the time but am not game to shoot their electronics.)

3. Less neighbours… I love my neighbours but it’s a fine thing to have less not more… especially when Giant Teen is moved to play his bagpipes outdoors as the sun sets.  Less neighbours = less complaints.

Do your teens play the bagpipes? Or is it only me?

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 My friends have laughed at me when they’ve seen this sign up on the kitchen cupboard.

Others look a little nervous then promise to follow the rule.

I made it to remind my kids… and myself too as I really NEED to be consistent on this one.

And honest kids, I do try to cook you stuff that you’ll enjoy…

In truth, I’m often serving up a kids’ dinner then a veggie meal for hubby/teens.

How many dinners do you cook at your house each night?

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