Baby Hens

The newest members of our family, just 15 days old. Names still to be decided. We can't agree!

Chocolate Fudge Pudding

This pudding is an old favourite. Amie learnt to make it herself from a young age, and now Kate is making it. This is the second one this week, will have to slow her down on it abit, otherwise my waistline is not going to be good! It's an Alison Holst recipe (a famous NZ cook for those that don't know her) and is a perfect comfort food on a cold winters night.

 Chocolate Fudge Pudding

1 Cup self-raising flour
2 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 to 1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup milk
1/4 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 to 1/2 Cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 to 1 1/2 Cups boiling water

In a 20-23cm flat-bottomed microwave dish, fork together the flour, first measure of cocoa, and sugar, using the larger amount for a sweeter pudding. Stir in the milk to make a fairly stiff dough.
Still using the fork, arrange the dough fairly evenly in a ring around the edge of the dish, if microwaving, and stand a central tube insert or inverted glass in the middle. If baking in the oven, spread dough evenly over the bottom of the dish.
Measure the brown sugar, second measure of cocoa, and the coffee in a small bowl. Stir to mix, then sprinkle evenly over the dough. Dot the butter over the surface. Spread the nuts over this. Measure the vanilla and add to the boiling water, then carefully pour over everything. Add the extra water if the pudding won't be eaten immediately after cooking. Cover and microwave on High for 8 minutes, or bake uncovered at 180 deg, for 20-30minutes.
Serve hot or warm with ice cream.

Food Shopping

Tuesdays shop which will hopefully last a week with just a top-up of milk, f & v.

The price of food is soaring where we live. Perth is one of the most expensive cities in Australia for food and it's only going to increase. I'm trying to grow more and more of our own, it's really satisfying to walk out the back door and pick some lettuce, some broccoli, some herbs, a lemon for that honey and lemon drink which is great for those sore throats. The garden is a bit bare at present. Plenty of silverbeet, a bit of broccoli and lettuce, beetroot, capsicums. The lemon tree is doing well. The lime tree, raspberries, passionfruit and boysenberries all going great. Can't wait for the hens to start laying. The kids are mostly enthusiastic about the garden and love the chooks to bits! I would love to get a mandarin tree next as we go through so many!

What's growing in your garden this winter?

Lots of Books

I love Winter, I really do. Especially in Perth where it's not really Winter. Well, not as I know it anyway.
I especially love trips to the library stocking up on a pile of books to make our way through. I love being cosy in bed at night with a storm blowing outside with a stack of books beside me.

 Notice the chicken books? My new hobby! I get a renewed energy for cooking once the weather cools too, so got some new ones to try. The classic 'Ballet Shoes' is the top of the pile. The girls actually have their own copy, but wanted this one with a pretty cover! Enid Blyton books are always a favourite around here, with a few others thrown in.

What are you and your kids currently enjoying reading?

Busyness!

I've hardly seen Phil this time on his break. He's been working really long hours everyday at this property that needs alot of work before tenants move in next week. As I type this it's almost quarter to ten and he's not home yet. He left home at 8am this morning. Tomorrow is his last day at home, so I'm hoping he'll at least get the afternoon to rest before work again.

Change of Seasons

This tree is in the backyard of the property we recently bought. It's lovely but boy what a mess it makes! It's coming down very soon.

 Well, it's officially the first day of Winter today. It has started to get cooler, not as cold as I would like but it will come. I'm still doing the school drop-off in sleeveless tops, and the nights are still warm enough not to have extra blankets on the beds or the electric blanket on. I love all things winter - hot chocolates, warm socks, snuggling up on the couch under a blanket with the kids watching Little House on the Prairie, shutting ourselves away from the outside World after school with the rain pelting against the windows and the wind howling outside. And soup. Can't forget soup.

What is your favourite season and why?

In the Backyard

We spent the weekend hanging out in the sunshine with the cat and the chickens.

Welcome ...

Coco and Omelette to our family!

Love Kates face as she thought the chook was going to poop on her!

Goodies

Nothing like a nice basket of goodies delivered to brighten your day! We purchased another property this week, and the lovely real estate have us a thank you basket!

Please Pray

for this beautiful family

http://themourofamily.blogspot.com.au/

Sunday in Pictures

We've been enjoying the beautiful sunshine today and each others company. Hope you've all had a lovely Sunday too.

The Many Faces of Kate

The Many Faces of Ella

The Many Faces of Ruby

The Many Faces of Jonah

Mother's Day 2012

 Yesterday was a much quieter MD than usual with Phil, Brendan and Ruby all away. The girls woke me up with presents and cards and pictures!  Then Kate made me breakfast. It's nice when they get to an age where they can make me a meal!

 Kate, Ella and I met up with Amie and Jonah at Sizzler for lunch. It was really busy but we managed to get a table pretty quickly. The weather was cool and wet, so after lunch we went to Amie's house for awhile. I hardly took any photos, I'm a bit disappointed now I didn't take more - especially of each Mum with their kids!

These are all I took, and they were taken at Sizzler!

Ella always choose healthy food

Kate chooses more junky food!

I hope all Mums out there had a lovely day yesterday!

Mary Poppins

On Thursday night, the girls and I headed to see the musical Mary Poppins which was playing at the Burswood Theatre! It was Kate & Ella's favourite movie when they were small, and they still love it now.

Mary Poppins was amazing! We are huge fans of Disney and loved seeing it live on stage! The sets were amazing, the actors were absolutely fabulous, the costumes just fitting! And at the very end Mary Poppins flew right over our heads! Unreal!

The girls got a few treats from the store!

Kate studies the program!

Some reading for you ...

Some blogs I'm loving at the moment:

http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.craftynest.com/

http://www.marthastewart.com/

http://www.bhg.com/

http://www.houzz.com/

http://brigitte-stayathomemamma.blogspot.com.au/

http://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/

http://libby.withnall.com/

http://domesblissity.blogspot.com.au/

DAY EIGHT - DIALOGUE IN THE DARK and HOME

Our last day in HK was off to a very slow start. I was really ill when I woke and pronptly sent Phil and the girls off to the chemist to find me some painkillers. After they kicked in, I was able to get up and shower and finish the packing. We left our bags down in the storage area and caught a taxi to Kowloon to visit the number one tourist attraction in HK - Dialogue in the Dark  What can I say? A must-do experience for everyone. The tour which last 75minutes, is in complete darkness, and we didn't find out until the end that our guide was blind (Phil had an inkling, but I had no idea!) It makes you really appreciate what visually impaired people go through, and really appreciate the sight we do have!

 Afterwards we enjoyed lunch from the bakery and sat outside with the locals!

 We caught the train back to the hotel where we gathered our bags and caught a taxi to the airport. I found a spot of the carpet and went to sleep until the flight. By now, I was really sick and to be honest a bit worried about flying.