Little House on the Prairie

I would love to visit this one day!

http://www.ingallshomestead.com/

We are huge fans in this house of the series. I remember watching it on telly when I was a little girl and wishing I could be Mary! When Amie was 10 I bought her the first two books, and over the years and with two more daughters, our collection grew. We have a few of the dvd's too, which come out of the cupboard regularly!

We are actually currently making our way through the first book at the moment. The girls snuggle in their beds while I read to them, then they read to me!

Jonah Day Two

All tucked in!

We potted around the house this morning doing the housework and playing with the duplo again! Late morning I put him in the pram and we went for a long walk in the sunshine. Before we reached home, he was fast asleep. I wheeled the pram inside and he continued to sleep in it for another 40minutes. Then he woke, so I got him out and he tried to get out of my arms and onto the couch. He's still there fast asleep half an hour later! Tired boy!

Jonah and Us

Jonah enjoys the trampoline

Playing with the doll in the dolls pram with her dummy, it's always been a favourite

The first slide of many

Swinging was fun too!

Playing with the duplo

Today we had the joy of looking after Jonah for a few hours (and tomorrow) while Amie was called back to her old job as a florist to help out for an upcoming school ball. She gave up the job at the end of 2010 when she moved down the coast 45 minutes away. She agreed to help out school hours for a couple of days, so we got to spend some one on one with our Grandson. Even Phil was home, so it was a first - just the 3 of us. We potted around in the morning - toddlers are very good little helpers. He passed me the pegs when I hung out the washing, helped me make the beds and generally tidy up. After lunch we walked down to the park. It was just us, and so peaceful. Looking forward to tomorrow!

Green garden!

We finally have some sunshine (not that I am complaining) after lots and lots of rain, so this morning I got out and added some more organic soil to the vegetables and herbs. Everything is looking so green now. The lettuces are almost ready to eat, the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflowers are growing madly. The parsley is huge - we had some with scrambled eggs yesterday morning - so yummy! I need to get Phil to get me another planter soon so we can expand what we grow!

Tuesday

Outside at 7:30am this morning, right before the storm hit!

Monday

Well, here we are back to Monday again after a busy weekend. That's the last of the birthdays in this house for the year. Next it will be Jonah's in September.
The girls only have 2 weeks of school left this term, so they are getting a bit tired now and looking forward to a bit of a break. I say a bit as they still have some dancing classes in preparation for upcoming exams. They have their mid-year dancing concert on the first day of the holidays as well. There will be lots of fun and down-time in there too.
It's a lovely sunny day today, supposedly the last before a week of rain. The washing is all out blowing in the sunshine, the housework is done, fruit and vegetables bought for the week and a few other groceries.
I hope you all have a happy week ahead!

Happy 10th Birthday Kate!!!

This beautiful bright bubbly girl ...

grew from this amazing baby!

Happy 10th Birthday Kate, We love you xxx

Kate's 10th Birthday Party

the ipod cake made by Amie

Kate chose ice skating to have a party at this year. 

A few friends from school (2 couldn't make it) and family

This is the fourth time the girls have been ice skating, so are pretty good at it now

Jonah potted around watching everyone skate and pinching marshmallows from the party room

Lots of fun for everyone!

Smiley wee man!

Kate, Shaylee, Sarah and Isabella

Ella and Ruby

Jonah and his new friend Isla

Hannah and Isla

Brendan and Amie take to the ice!

Kate opens a present from Amie, Brendan, Ruby and Jonah

An ereader - lucky girl!!!

 These two were taken on the morning of her birthday!

 

Birthday

I made lolly bags yesterday for Kate to take to school today to share with her class. I usually make cupcakes, but was short on time and even though I would have got the cupcakes made, getting them iced after getting home late last night would have been a different story.

I made these bags (30 of them!) in under an hour.

Making the most of the Winter sunshine

Today is our one fine day in amongst two weeks of rain. The next lot is forecast from tonight until next Wednesday. We really need it though after a long dry summer. The lawns and garden are loving it, everything is growing and turning green. The washing machine has been busy all morning. The windows and doors are all open and a nice breeze is coming through the house. Short sleeves are all that is needed. I'm off outside again to enjoy it while it's here.
Hope everyone is having a good day!

Sunday Baking

MINT SLICE

250g plain sweet biscuits
100g butter, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
70g peppermint chocolate, chopped coarsely


CHOCOLATE TOPPING


200g milk chocolate
2 tsp vegetable oil


1. Grease 19cm x 29cm slice pan. Line with baking paper
2. Process 200g of the biscuits until fine. Chop remaining biscuits coarsely
3. Combine butter and condensed milk in small saucepan until smooth
4. Combine processed biscuits and chopped biscuits with peppermint chocolate in medium bowl. Stir in butter mixture. Press mixture firmly into pan.
Refridgerate 20mins until set
5. Meanwhile, stir ingredients for chocolate topping in a saucepan until smooth. Spread mixture over slice. Redgerate until firm before cutting

Early Birthday

Very excited to get just what she had been asking for

We gave Kate an early birthday present this morning (an Ipod Touch) as Phil is going away for work again on Tuesday and won't be here for her real birthday next weekend. And seeing as she is turning the BIG 10  and has been asking for an Ipod Touch forever that is what we got her. She was very excited!

I think she will be busy for awhile!

New Fridge

After our old fridge being on the blink for a couple of days, we got up yesterday to it having gone altogether. So after we dropped the girls to school we went fridge shopping.
We actually only went to one store where there were some massive specials on. We opened and closed what seemed like a hundred fridges until we settled on this one.
We only needed a small freezer space as we have an upright freezer as well which used to sit in the dining room, but now lives in the shed. So we have more room in the dining room as well.
We couldn't get over how fancy some fridges are now, we didn't need one that delivered crushed ice and cups of cold water. And I can't believe that some people would spend $3000 plus on a kitchen appliance! Ours was a third of that in price and will do us nicely.
Off to fill it up a bit more today!