Birthday Celebrations

It seems we have been celebrating Greg’s birthday for most of the month.  We have been blessed with multiple visits from relatives from overseas in the last couple of weeks, which has been lovely to help celebrate Greg’s four, four, four, thirty-fourth (cough, cough) birthday!  Well, you could add a few more years to that, but don’t tell Greg I told you he has turned forty (oops, did I just type that?).
Anyway, we have celebrated with lots of lovely food, company and of course cake.

Scarlett's master centre piece for Greg's birthday

Make a Wish

The Cake

Um, Yum!

Peek A Boo

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Weather of all Seasons…..

in a day!  Well not quite, but within the last week.  The weather is all over the place at the moment.  One day we have hot, tropical-like weather, the next foggy, not quite cold but not hot either.  Makes for great photo’s though!  We currently have the open fire going.  It is meant to be Summer in two days, hmm?

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Papa love and a Book

Not much I can say, just love the fact that Papa was home in time to read a story to Jairah.  Made my day.  Jairah’s too!

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When you’re loosing your marbles……

give them to the kids!  Well actually, we have had a lovely evening, just had a lot of spare time before bed.  I looked at the clock and it was only 5.55pm, we had eaten, kids were in their pjs and teeth were brushed (I somehow gained an hour!).  I gave Scarlett some marbles to share with Jairah and before long they were playing beautifully together, putting marbles into cups and emptying them out again.  Tenneille joined in too.
The girls went off to trade marbles and I am proud to say, they shared them without any issues.  One very happy family indeed!  I love these kind of days.

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Apple Muffins

I am always trying to come up with recipes that are suitable for the kids that are not loaded with sugar.  These muffins fit the bill.  I used honey and apple puree to add sweetness.

Ingredients:
(Makes approx. 12 muffins)

1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp oil
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup apple puree unsweetened is best (homemade or store bought is fine)
1 egg
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
1/4 tsp mixed spice (can substitute for cinnamon if desired)

Method:

With an electric mixer, beat honey and oil until well combined.  Add egg and beat until thick.   Add puree, sifted flour, cream of tartar, bi-carb and spice.  Beat gently until combined.  Place mixture in muffin tin and bake @160 degrees celcius for approximately 12 minutes or until cooked through.  Once cooked, removed muffins from tin and cool on wire rack.  Of course, you can eat them straight out of the oven too!

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Favourite places – Ripe Cafe

I want to share with you one of my favourite cafes in the Dandenong Ranges.  Ripe Cafe is a place I found a few years ago in Sassafras.  They make the best baguettes (I couldn’t wait to take a photo before biting into mine!) and their coffee is pretty good too.  If you love a hot chocolate made with real melted chocolate sitting at the bottom of your cup, you will love this place.  Meals are available too.  Cakes always look divine.  I must admit that I have only tried a couple of cakes, one being a flourless chocolate cake and an apple pie (not both at once of course!).   They were delicious.

Definitely a place worthy of a visit.  Just a tip, it can get pretty busy on a weekend.  Sometimes it pays to book ahead.

Street View of Ripe Cafe

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Some comfort sewing

Scarlett is feeling rather unwell.  What does this mama do?…sew!  Who doesn’t want to spend time in their favourite pyjamas when feeling under the weather.  I used a pair of Scarlett’s favourite, but worn out pyjama pants as a pattern.  The pants made up rather quickly, considering I had to make lunch and attend to the sick.  Yes, that’s right, Greg is now home, unwell and has gone to bed.  It’s going to be a fun week around here.

I don’t think Cardamon is complaining about things around here at the moment.

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Bloomin’ Marvelous

Blooms are a bursting out left, right and centre here at the moment.  Our wisteria is finally out in full bloom and smells divine!  I love going out in the evening when it seems to smell at its best and just breath in the sweet smell.  It  amazes me how quick it comes into bloom.  A little less than two weeks ago it was bare and now it is in full bloom.  Now if only I could share the fragrance with you.  The smell is wafting in through the window as I type.

Another couple of rhododendrons have burst out to greet spring too.   Hope you enjoy!

We also have these lovely little yellow flowers throughout the front garden.  They look a little like weeds from a distance, but up close the inside of the petals look like they have been painted with glaze.  The yellow is so intense, it is as if the sun itself, has been captured within its petals.

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It’s a Doggone Hard Life

Cardamon has it so tough, really, he gets to snuggle up to me every night and sleep the evening away.  Don’t you think he could pass as a muppet!

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Organics at my Doorstep

We feel very lucky indeed to have the choice of having organic fruit and vegetables delivered to our door every Friday.  The produce is second to non and oh so yummy.  I love that we only eat what is in season and a lot of the produce is locally grown.  Of course Jacquie, Andrew and staff of Organics On Wheels are great to deal with!  We have been buying our fruit and veg from them for 5 years and I can’t go back to buying our produce any other way.

For a couple of weeks we were able to get apples that came in hessian bags, how quaint is that.  They were fuji apples to die for!

This is what awaits me on a Friday afternoon

By the way, the tangelos were amazing!

Here is a link to Jacquie and Andrew’s contact details.  Definitely worth checking out if you are within their home delivery area.  They are based in Cockatoo/Nangana, Victoria.

I feel by purchasing organically grown food, I am giving back to the those who are thinking beyond tomorrow.  For that is where my children are headed and I would like to think my children’s future will benefit from the foresight of organic farming.

Disclaimer – I don’t receive any kick backs for recommendations, I just believe in sharing with you, businesses that are wonderful to deal with. It’s definitely a service with a smile.

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