Sunday, January 27, 2013

Holidays (Fire, insects, family and fun) Jan 2013


We've really enjoyed ourselves over the holidays. Just taken time together, had a bit of fun with friends and cousins. Spent time making delicious and healthy food... having an accident with the healthy food, and just being silly with Dad.
Don't care what you say, my lemon pancakes are the thinnest, lightest most delicious-est EVER, and even achieved with whole grain organic flour. (Who cares?! - just me I'm afraid)


My lovely neighbour showered me with gifts when they returned from Christmas holidays in Melbourne. Some were baking supplies and cook books. These were a treat to find, super healthy but still really yummy breakfast muffins. Two small ones with yoghurt had me full until lunch! Gotta love low GI. 
.... unfortunately, they're not fire proof.

(We awoke to Lucas saying, "Mum! Dad! There's a fire in the kitchen" There was so much smoke that I had to take the kids and "get down low and go! go! go!". Fruit muffin for 11 mins on high = lots of flames and smoke. Goodbye microwave! Good riddance!)



 Being silly with Mum's phone camera...

.. and Lucas doing the "Look what I caught Mum!" while I keep an enthusiastic face, seem interested and then say cheerfully, "why don't you take him for a walk in the garden?" then crumble because I'm squeemish.

 Riley asked me, "Does he protect our garden?" so I told him no. He's just happy waiting for his dinner.
Our lovely little monk was given to us by our Thai neighbours, together with the odd meal of the MOST delicious Massaman curry you've EVER tasted!  Gotta get a cooking group together to learn that one.
 FINALLY I grow something in our garden of rock. This is what (as well as my delicious little boys and the every day delight they bring) makes my heart smile. From dirt to dinner.


Bowling fun. Riley coudln't quite get that it's ok not to get all of them down. He got a bit cross but finally chilled out.

 Most of all we've just enjoyed time. Time with these little ones that LOVE and want our attention. We're trying to drink it all in. Aren't they beautiful?!

 We finally went over to our cousins house to see their new view. If you look closely you'll see the 7 year old on the quad bike from next door (what the!?).
 It's so relaxing to eat dinner outside and watch the cows come in and the sun go down.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Christmas and New Year

 
Christmas was great. Lego, Lego and more Lego. Just what they wanted.
 Riley was so thrilled with his fire station Lego set and matching fire man's equipment that he wanted to put on his thick rain coat to match. Good job it wasn't a hot day!



These photos make me crack up (Riley made me the red pasta necklace for Christmas - that's not the funny bit) because Riley's mooning Action Man. So we had to take another picture and he's wearing his "I'm doing what I'm told but I'm not happy about it" face. So cute :)


Just before New Year we decided we'd put something right. See the pile of large rocks on the right near the neighbour's pool? Those were a few of the rocks that the boys had lobbed in the pool over time.

 So while they were away we cleaned up their front garden and put all the rocks back looking nice and neat.
 We all loved having a go of the leaf blower :)



Then the special pick up truck arrived - Thanks Gramps and Farmor for posting that for us.


According to my relative (who is still living in the same area of Aberdeen as they did 4 generations ago when they first left the boarder counties) the thing to do is make three pointed short bread at Hogmanay. So here is the first one ready for the oven.


We went to a friend's for dinner on New Year's Eve (Steve's birthday) which was lovely. Then I stayed up to watch the last night of the Proms. Jiří Bělohlávek's very last time. He's wonderful and really gets it right.

 There's nothing like Jerusalem, God Save the Queen and Auld Lang Syne to get a thump in my heart and tear in my eye. I'm looking forward to watching re-runs of the Edinburough Tattoo with the kids.
Happy New Year!

Christmas Menagerie ....Argh!


 The Christmas period has been a bit wild to say the least! We found a new friend - blue tongue lizard - who lives in our retaining wall and loves to sit behind my make shift veggie patch (broccoli box).
We've found two dead red belly black snakes. The second my kids ran up to me holding.. not wearing any shoes.. freaked out a little.

 We've also had the neighbours 2 cats and blind dog to look after. The other neighbours' fish, the pre-school rabbit and a friend's chickens to look after over Christmas.

The above photo of Scruffy cracks me up. This is her welcoming me in the front door. I stamp around so she figures out where I am but I'm still followed with the bash and clang of her head hitting walls and chairs - sets my teeth on edge!



This was us after New year as we joyfully got rid of the last pet (Lucas just got scratched by Lightening Rod and Riley isn't actually happy... ok so it's just me that was happy to see the poor thing go).

I'd had enough of telling the kids not to climb in the cage with the rabbit just to get a cuddle!


Then we got all smart with some new clothes. Here's Riley in his new Sunday gear. Obviously I've said, "smile".

 I had a look online and also checked out a few things to do for this year's Danish Christmas treat.
Of course you have to set the mood first.

I decided on Pebernødder (Pepper nuts with white pepper, cardamon and cinnamon). They're different from Germany's Peppernuts (Pfeffernüsse) are soft and don't taste anything like these.

I found the smaller I made them the better. They're crunchy and delightful with a warming spiced after taste. 
I'll keep this recipe for sure!


Not of our heritage .. German hazelnut meringues. Though mine turned out more like macaroons. So delish though!
 

This year we had two types of honey in the co-op order. Peppergum and Ironbark-Bush box.

 These went into Mrs Browett's Christmas gift basket. She was the best best best teacher EVER!

It was also the Christmas fancy dress parade at school. They got to be in costume all day and play about.
Poor Lucas.. his Mother was the only parent who didn't think to buy her child a new (or appropriately sized) costume! He didn't seem to mind them being so short and... fitted.
 Riley took a walk around with Lucas.


We also visited everything Christmassy that we could. We went to the usual temple Nativity display. We always end up playing in the flowers though.
"Smile"

The library Christmas tree was really good.
The boys had a great time decorating our home and tree. I only needed to help a little bit and it was truly festive :)

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Birthday Boy

Last week was Riley's 4th Birthday. We had an early party with the cousins on a Saturday (I think the ONLY thing he wanted for his birthday was for Caitlyn, his cousin, to be there. He even woke up crying in the night for her! Awwww!)

Below is a pic from his 'after party' play date with his favourite Church friend Claire and little Hannah.
Half of the fire truck cake still in tact and still so moist! Great recipe for carrot cake that one.

The icing is mostly raspberry and strawberry juice (cream cheese frosting), tasted divine.


This is Riley the following day at his Christmas concert at pre-school. He cried and sat on my lap for most of it but went to join in the 'six white boomers' (silly Aussie Santa song) and got the only bell shaker that was different. He jingled with the grumpiest face the whole way through the song. So funny!

Once it was over, he was back to normal :) This is his best little sand pit friend. 
 Such a cutie, can't believe he's 4!


This was one of our family nights from last month. We iced cup cakes. Lucas went for the 'smoosh it all on and scoff' approach...
 Riley went for the 'pipe it from the bag and try to look professional' approach...
...and ofcourse Steve used the medical approach... I roll my eyes at him :) haha

Friday, October 05, 2012

6yrs old


Beater licking good!

Good to know the spinach juice I used for colouring doesn't change the taste of the icing (or their behaviour!) haha


...almost finished. Paused for a pic after the 4th hand cramp

early, early in the morning :)

The park was so hot. 29C at 9am!! The chocolate banana ghosts melted...

The scary apple teeth were...scary

Friends were lovely

Carrot b-day cake was yummy.. (even after that extra accidental 30mins in the oven!)

xxx