Coffee and Mummy Camp.

This morning's coffee was especially good as I used my new mug which I bought on my annual weekend away to the mountains. A bunch of mothers from our children's school join together for a weekend of food, shopping, games and laughter. So good.

Another Weekend at the Lakehouse.

Husband E is unbeatable, however 8 year old daughter won, with his help of course. I can see the older two thinking like husband E with their strategies. I play for fun!

Does this image warm you up?

A Spoon Full of....

...jelly beans helps the medicine go down: two little girls still taking medicine for pneumonia and tonscillitis. I am so thankful that we have access to medication.

It Felt Like a Holiday.

Actually 11 year old son made this sign as he was meant to be working on his assignment!
We were in fact going to head to the lakehouse on Saturday.



We stopped setting up and getting beds made long enough to enjoy this.

Fish and chips for dinner and then later that night; a real treat: a game of Scrabble and toasting marshmallows.

Autumn Through Our Window.

Like a Pig in Mud....

This is a house that I love to visit and sit and drink coffee in.

There is always something delicious to savour and of course the company is excellent. My friend has kindly let me photograph corners of her home.

Mothers' Day.

Today was a good day. It was Mothers' Day. We have gone up to the mountains in previous years: to stomp in crunchy Autumn leaves and buy an apple pie on the way home. This year, 8 year old daughter went to a sleepover birthday party last night and, we had a very busy day yesterday with the preschool fair, soccer, choir and another sleepover for 8 year old daughter at my parent's house. 3 year old daughter is also recovering from pneumonia as well!

We decided to stay home and keep things simple. As we woke this morning I was glad that we did as we did not have to pack a picnic, we just enjoyed home. After 8 year old daughter was collected, we all sat in the sunshine on our deck, me with coffee and reading matter and the two youngest daughters with drawing. Our 11 year old son read as well. Then husband E made lunch, the avocado had just ripened!

Some special presents for me; a collection of lovely photo's printed from our digital photo's and some thoughtful gifts from the children which they had purchased at a school stall for Mothers' Day or made at preschool. We then got some big jobs done (I had said that their completion would be my Mothers' Day gift).

Well satisfied, we had some afternoon tea outside on the paved area while no less than four kookaburras kept us company. A lovely concert was then performed by 8 year old daughter, with Daddy accompanying on the piano. Roast beef for dinner, stories, cuddles and bed. Husband E and I then enjoyed "Foyle" on TV with a lazy cat on my lap!

Today was a great day!

All's Well.

Thankyou many for your kind words and encouragement.

Well, all was not lost, patient husband E arrived home and carefully took out the remaining cakes. We lost another two I think, but enough left to make a larger display and wrap a few heart shaped gluten free cakes alone. I had my biscuits as well which we packaged up. All sold the next day.

I Don't do Pretty.

All was going well, I baked my usual gluten free chocolate cake, but I could not do my usual 'line the tin with baking paper' thing. So I greased and dusted with rice flour (gluten free) and ladled out cake mix into each. They baked beautifully and I was looking forward to an afternoon of creativity-making them look lovely for the preschool stall tomorrow. Well two have stuck to the tin and broken. I am too scared to remove the rest. I have put the cakes in the fridge and I am waiting till husband E comes home. I am very disappointed.

The First Haircut.

The first haircut for our youngest.