First day of school

Can you believe its the start of the school year yet again.

As fun as the holidays were I think my two were excited about school as they were both up and at em this morning! ready an hour early - that wont last - but was lovely just the same.

And they were still smiling by the end of the day. Both happy with their teachers and class, so far.

A good start to the week.

Calls for a bit of chocolate...

School starts tomorrow, Jacks Baptism is this weekend and there are 69 days till the wedding!

With everything going on, a little bit of chocolate wouldn't go astray.

We made chocolate filled biscuits. Cheated slightly using store bought biscuits and used the receipe on the packet. They were not perfect as I didnt have a cupcake tray, only a large or mini muffin tin and it seems these were neither helpful, but we worked with what we had. They still tasted very yummy. Especially from the fridge.

My helpers thought testing the biscuits pre-heating would be advisable. So we were a few (Ahem) biscuits short so had alot of chocolate mixture left over.

I thought it was too good to waste so mixed it with some vanilla icecream, we made chocolate swirl icecream. YUMMO

The most delicious chocolate cake (without egg)

The kids are going to a party this week and the host was asking me about receipes for cakes that my kids can eat. Sweet I thought. But all the talk about cakes made me hungry......

So we made our own. 

I made the Donna Hay Chocolate buttermilk layer cake (without the buttermilk or egg!) - From Issue 50 

It was DELICIOUS

I pretty much followed the receipe except just left the eggs out, and used normal full cream milk instead of buttermilk. For the icing I only had 250g of cream cheese so I doubled the amount of butter and it worked out lovely. Not sure if it was pure luck but the cake was extremely moist and very tasty.

The procedure was slightly different. You melt the butter with cocoa and water and add that to the dry ingredients then add the milk. Not sure if this is what makes it. I notice that alot of Donna Hay cake receipes use melted butter making for a quick cake mix. Whipping the butter and sugar seems to take so much longer, and without eggs I always have to whip alittle longer to get a nice fluffy cake.

The batter was really runny. Not what I am used to. So I was very delighted when it baked beautifully.

Our creative afternoon

Our last monday of school holidays.

I have actually had a great few weeks. I did find the very first week a challenge, or an adjustment with all three at home. But it quickly picked up and we have been having a lovely time. 

My girl and I went for a walk today up to the plaza to do a few things, one being talking to a florist for wedding flowers who wanted me to pay them $50 just to chat about it!! Yes seriously. They helped me quickly decide that maybe I didn't really need flowers to get married!

anyway. We decided on the way home that we might spend the afternoon doing some painting.

Budding young artists! Dont you just love our cups of tea.

I was really relaxed about sharing my paints - felt good.

I forgot how much I really enjoyed painting and I'm thinking of making more time for this creative outlet.

Tummy time

My little master has been enjoying his tummy time lately.

He is growing quickly and even ROLLED from front to back for the first time.

Both boys were playing at tummy time the other day and afterwards I found someone else enjoying tummy time.... :)

Thinking

I was sitting thinking. We worry about hot drinks getting cold. We worry about cold drinks getting hot.

I realize they are neither getting hot or cold but both becoming room temperature!

Community

The penny has finally dropped for me.

I love living in the city. I love the pace, the surroundings, the diversity and the anoniminity. (is that how you spell it? you know what I mean!)

I thought being in a community was only achieved in the country. That it was for the country folk who only had each other. I have found as I have grown, that sometimes this fast pace isn't all its cracked up to be and how the country air and peace would be so calming, and the answer to all lifes woes. I have been reading country mags and watching 'escape to the country' thinking and dreaming about my own escape.

I have been a school parent for 3 years now and only just realised how valuable the friendships I have made are. How much in common I have with these people and how different we also are which makes our relationships even more fun and exciting. 

How comforting it is to walk up to the plaza and know people, stop and chat, make plans to catch up. 

As my gorgeous kids grow and especially with our new little man, I realise how much community means and how a helping hand is always there when really needed. AND how I love to help when I can in turn. Who knew I had it in me!

The more I put in, the more I get back. simple really.

Its quite a turnaround for me from when I was pregnant I was feeling so down for awhile and did not want to talk to ANYONE!

We have wonderful neighbours, watching out for each other. Its so nice to pop over for a cuppa, a chat outside the letterboxes or the wave as we pass in or out. Its these simple things that add up.

As we start to plan to leave this city life, I realise that I actually LOVE it here and have a wonderful community around me.  I am now thinking I can slow things down in my life, in my day. I dont have to move and let it be controlled, but I can control it myself.