Hill upon hill

Sauces and Soy Beans...

2012-02-16T14:58:00.003+11:00

As I survey my stove top selection of bottles, I noted that quite a few came from Aunty L. Today she brought some Indonesian sweet soy sauce which is just wonderful and adds so much flavour to anything; meatloaf/bolognaise etc (and I have not even used it in Indonesian cooking yet)....
She has also found some edamame for me (Japanese soy beans) which we loved whilst in Japan....
Food is so rich is it not?

We are Fans of Fans.

2012-02-16T14:50:00.002+11:00

As I came into the entry area the other day, I noticed that there was a fan opened on top of the blue jug... perhaps one of our daughters felt we needed a reminder of Japan at home.
The top fan came from my parents and I think that it is Indonesian.

Happy Valentine's Day....

2012-02-14T13:42:00.000+11:00

...which in this house means "Happy Chocolate Cake Day".
This recipe was in the Sydney Morning Herald about a decade ago and titled
"The Great Ocean Road Cake".. as the person who submitted the recipe was in desperate need of a chocolatey cake whilst on holiday. This recipe pretty much flings in chocolate and ingredients in a mad frenzy in order to reach the product as quickly as possible.

200 g dark chocolate, broken
125g butter (melt butter and chocolate)

add 1 cup sugar
half cup SR flour
5 eggs.

Mix
Bake
Eat.

The original recipe called for a cup of strong, black coffee and crushed nuts as well and does not recommend the need for icing.

Venetian Carrot Cake.

2012-02-11T20:38:00.000+11:00

Venetian Carrot Cake as viewed on an episode of Nigella Lawson's recipes.
Ingredients include rum soaked raisins, almond meal, carrot, olive oil and pine nuts. Serve with mascarpone (with icing sugar and rum).

Art.

2012-02-09T14:23:00.000+11:00

Yes, the header is back to what I prefer; a section of 7 year old daughter's artwork.

Coathangers.

2012-02-09T14:08:00.003+11:00

As I look around the house, I have found that I must like coathangers or find them useful. Perhaps they are like hooks without the need for drilling holes.

Ikea Equals Organisation.

2012-02-09T13:58:00.000+11:00

A lovely bread holder which "The Private Lady" bought for me at Ikea. I love the fabric so much that I am storing books and my Bible (bread of life?) in it.

We have had so much rain that I cannot store boots and wet/muddy shoes in the front area ANY LONGER.

Shelves at the door; for quick access or for drying. The 'bin' is actually a pot for plants and it now holds gum boots.

An Ikea noticeboard...before....

And after; filled with lists and a timetable.

Local Smiles.

2012-02-08T23:27:00.002+11:00

The great thing about living in a flat in a part of Tokyo for a short time, is that you can greet local people and perhaps get to know them a little. These were the men who were in the octopus ball shop everyday. They were so friendly with huge smiles. It was really a highlight to see them everyday and quite sad when we waved goodbye as we left this area.

Gomi.

2012-02-08T23:23:00.000+11:00

Gomi (rubbish) is an interesting process in Tokyo.
To the right is a cupboard to hold our shoes and the left is a slipper storage rack. In the middle is a complicated recycling system to be used during our stay in Tokyo. Combustibles, incombustible, plastic bottles (lids were separate, as were labels), general plastics and paper.
There were different collection days for various categories. The bins would be unlocked by the local garbage person, and that night, the bins could be filled. The next day they were emptied and locked up again. If people had made a mistake rinsing or separating garbage, a large sticker is placed on the bin and the rubbish is left.

There is not a great deal of space for garbage in Japan, hence this highly organised system.

We did not see any litter whilst in the cities we visited in Japan.

Castles.

2012-02-08T23:05:00.000+11:00

The Imperial Palace, Tokyo.

Nagoya Castle

The Stig in Train Design.

2012-02-07T14:15:00.000+11:00

The Stig

Google Images.

Shinkansen

Husband E.

Hikari, Hayabusa, Nozomi, Kaiji.... all names of trains that we got to enjoy in Japan. I just think that these trains are so handsome!

13 year old son first thought of the Stig simile.

Meals near Mt Fuji.

2012-02-04T18:43:00.001+11:00

All part of an amazing dinner near Mt Fuji. Dessert was jelly with gold specks through it. We did not photograph the dessert plate in time.

Meal Plan.

2012-02-04T18:37:00.001+11:00

Unlike the amazing meal photographed above which we enjoyed near Mt Fuji, my meal plan is less spectacular.

Since the children are at school (including 5 year old daughter who started school this year), a fast and easy weekly meal plan is necessary.
For week one, this worked well:
Monday: steak and salad (fast after coming in late from visits with cousins and Grandad)
Tuesday: chicken (this week 2 varieties: teriyaki in one pan and olive oil and herbs in the other). There were leftovers for lunches and Thursday's dinner.
Wednesday: bolognaise or mince. There were enough leftovers for the next night.
Thursday: A very busy night for us; so the leftover bolognaise and chicken came in handy.
Friday: pizza and sausage-relaxing night... but we might change that a bit next week.
Saturday: pasta and possible a bbq at lunch..
Sunday: Bbq chicken at lunch and curry/roast/casserole for dinner. I hope to use the oven only if the weather is cool enough.

Tokyo Tower.

2012-01-31T23:58:00.000+11:00

Can you see Mt Fuji in the distance?

Looking down through a glass floor in Tokyo Tower.

Blog Picture

2012-01-29T12:12:00.003+11:00

I have had to change my blog header as the original picture suddenly seemed to partially showing. Not sure that this is going to be staying... funny how the picture can be so important.

Nihon (Japan): Tokyo Part One.

2012-01-29T00:50:00.003+11:00

We have returned from our trip to Japan, which was an amazing experience for us all. We were greeted by many friendly and helpful people. We hope that this trip will form a lasting impression for our children.

Our first glimpse of Mt Fuji.

We stayed in a flat in Tokyo, living as the local people do; buying groceries, using the trains, waving to the shopkeepers......

This was the local grocery store.

Plastic examples of food which this restaurant served.

One of the many alley ways.

Ja Mata Ne.

2012-01-03T15:09:00.001+11:00

Back in three weeks time.

Boxing Day.

2011-12-26T15:04:00.000+11:00

CHRISTmas; The Birth of CHRIST.

2011-12-25T15:19:00.000+11:00

Moose Gingerbread.

2011-12-22T15:28:00.002+11:00

More gingerbread baking. Aunty L gave us some new cookie cutters for Christmas... Can you see the moose?

A Trifle Too Easy.

2011-12-22T15:24:00.003+11:00

A trifle for special guests.
Lay a single layer of jam roll. Pour over a third of a cup of apple juice (or sherry if you choose). Put some jelly which was made earlier on the cake. Scatter some sliced strawberries and blueberries next. We added tinned berries as well for sweetness.
We decided to put the custard into a jug and 13 year old son was in charge of whipped cream if people wanted it on top of their dessert.
Our special guests brought a delicious non dairy and gluten free cake with butterscotch sauce. Perhaps Fiona will give us the recipe?
We also had pecan pie and meringues with more berries.

60 Minutes.

2011-12-22T15:15:00.003+11:00

Television, Foxtel, Playstation 3, Ipods and Nintendo DS... these are my friends and my foes. They can be great when neighbourhood kids come by on rainy days, the older two can play many games together, they are portable etc. However, they can consume the children, and the entertainment comes without a challenge.
We are into day four of the holidays. Today, the younger two have already constructed musical instruments from recycling and 10 year old daughter can get very busy with craft. The challenge is for 13 year old boy.
The microwave timer was set; 60 minutes, the boundary set: the bedroom.... The request was made-show me something that you have worked on for an hour.
Hooray for LEGO. 13 year old son has been absorbed by it for almost an hour now and the product looks great!

The Reindeer.

2011-12-21T15:40:00.000+11:00

I love these reindeer, a present from Mum.

Home Made Wreath.

2011-12-20T15:34:00.000+11:00

9 year old daughter has made some lovely wreaths for us, using garbage bags. She has made a pure white wreath for the Groovy Aunt and an all green wreath for my mother. This is ours.

Hints of Summer.

2011-12-20T15:29:00.000+11:00

Illawarra Flame Trees, Hydrangeas and swimming towels hung out by the older two children.

Homemade Cards.

2011-12-19T15:31:00.000+11:00

I have some assistance in our card making. Sadly some have more care taken with them than others. Needless to say, no Christmas card has been posted yet.

Christmas Reading.

2011-12-18T15:39:00.000+11:00

As school has finished for the year, we can now move into some of the activities that I value at this time of year. We will attempt to read a book with the children each night this week, that tell of the birth of Jesus. We might add to the festivities, by putting a card indicating the name of the book, into each pocket of the remaining week in the Advent calendar.

Thankyou to Sunday School Teachers.

2011-12-18T15:26:00.000+11:00

Ingredients for Biscuit:

Evaporate milk

Choc bits

Sugar

Butter

SR flour

Ingredients for those that minister to children:

A love of God

A servant heart

Patience

Kindness

Love

Thankyou for displaying these gifts to our children.

Love The T....Family

As many of you would agree, the great ministry of teaching scripture to our children is a great gift. How do we thank these kind people? Packs of homemade choc chip cookies are but a token, we added a label to each.

Red and Green.

2011-12-18T15:21:00.001+11:00

There does seem to be a lot of red and green in our home at present.

End of the School Year.

2011-12-16T15:47:00.000+11:00

School has finished and we now see all the lovely art work that the children have done this year. We have framed 7 year old daughter's above... the 'Swirl' artwork. We also don't need to watch the clock so closely either; we had a late BBQ one evening. The sky was very similar to this Christmas....

Decked Out.

2011-12-14T13:34:00.001+11:00

As it has been so chilly, we have not really sat out on the deck this week. I do love hints of red amongst grey and black.

Christmas Teddy Bear.

2011-12-14T13:31:00.000+11:00

This bear comes out at Christmas time, there is usually a mustard coloured bear in this spot. He is on holidays. I can't seem to find a photo of him at the moment and need to get onto some jobs.

The younger girls love the Christmas bears and 7 year old daughter was intent that one needed "needling" ie a sewing repair. He is now well.

Our Tree.

2011-12-12T10:26:00.001+11:00

Our tree. We thought that we would need a larger tree, but have decided that this one suits us just fine! The four children decorated it by themselves and I enjoyed how they are recognising special ornaments and appreciating where they came from.

Nostalgic Father Christmas.

2011-12-09T14:41:00.000+11:00

The Father Christmas on the left was found on top of our Christmas tree when I was growing up.....

More Ginger in Baking.

2011-12-09T10:23:00.000+11:00

This time almost 10 year old daughter made her own ginger cookies. They were her big brother's favourite and also that of 2 younger sisters!

Thy Rod and Staff....

2011-12-08T14:50:00.000+11:00

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Ps 23.

This stick reminds me of a shepherd's staff. Hanging from it, are these cute wooden ornaments which Fiona gave to me last year.

2011-12-08T14:35:00.001+11:00

Gingerbread.

This recipe is from my sister in law, AMM...

Melt 125g butter
Add 3T golden syrup
2t ginger powder (I might add more next time)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1 egg..

mix and then add 2 cups of plain flour and three quarters of a cup of self raising flour.
Bake 180 degrees and watch them....mine were done in 8 minutes.

This recipe can be frozen and if left, the ginger flavour intensifies.

Stamping Shortbread?

2011-12-08T09:04:00.001+11:00

5 year old daughter 'stamped' hearts and stars on to our shortbread... Hopefully today we will make gingerbread.

In the Kitchen.

2011-12-07T14:46:00.001+11:00

Hmmm, I won't manage a daily account of December I am afraid; Christmas excitement is coupled with the end of the school year for us...

I have hopes to bake some gingerbread this week so that 5 year old daughter can use her cookie cutters. We made shortbread on Monday... I hope to post the picture of her 'stamping' on that....

Yup, lots of time in the kitchen; thankfully it is very cold here right now.... Perhaps it will snow?

Trees.

2011-12-05T11:21:00.001+11:00

Trees of different varieties; the one with our ornaments on it and a wire tree, made in Africa.

Christmas Tartan Coffee.

2011-12-04T20:12:00.001+11:00

The first coffee, in the Christmas tartan mug; after the Christmas decorations are up and out....

December

2011-12-01T17:11:00.000+11:00

This card was a gift from Fiona..... I love it.

Colourful Lights.

2011-11-30T17:16:00.001+11:00

A treat in these humid Summer evenings is to sit in the dark of the living room and look at these colourful lights.

T Party

2011-11-30T17:15:00.001+11:00

On Monday, a few mothers and a sister from our local school gathered here for a T party: Tea/not Tea, Tic Tacs, Tiny Teddies, Tart, Tim Tams, Taco chips, Tsaziki, Tea bun etc.... They came to try my tricycle.

Crystal Anniversary.

2011-11-30T17:10:00.001+11:00

It is our anniversary today; 15 years-crystal....

Towards 2012.

2011-11-24T14:09:00.001+11:00

I had too many scraps of paper stuck on to the bottom of December 2011, so I have started putting details into the calendar for 2012. I bought a super duper organised calendar with a space for each of our names. This year's calendar has country scenes from my favourite magazine Country Style. The organised calendar for next year also has stupid phrases at the top. Guess which one I prefer??? I am going to miss the lovely pictures and I am not that confident that I will be any more organised with the new calendar.

Healthy Muesli Bars.

2011-11-24T13:49:00.001+11:00

With the cooler weather, I baked muesli bars this afternoon. Inside the 'healthy' mixture is 250g rolled oats, 75g coconut, 250g choc bits, 75g sunflower seeds and a 395g can of condensed milk. Mix and place in 2 slice tins and bake for 20minutes. Wait till cooled and slice.

I like knowing what is inside these muesli bars.

PS: the oven temperature is 180C... also once you have the oats and the coconut in, you can choose what else to put into the slice. Just make sure that the balance of dry ingredients as a total is 325g. We like dried cranberries and sultanas....

Nectarines

2011-11-24T13:46:00.001+11:00

Summer is heralded by nectarines, peaches and mangoes. 13 year old son tried a nectarine and declared that they were a tad premature. Well it certainly does not feel like Summer this week!

Strange, but it Works.

2011-11-24T13:44:00.001+11:00

The weight that holds the cord for the blinds has disappeared. A cube takes its place.
The daily hair brushing takes place in the laundry.....strange but it works.

Hessian Bags at Work.

2011-11-24T13:40:00.001+11:00

As I am enjoying the warmth of inside, I am looking around the house and have noticed that hessian ish bags are in a few places. The two above are actually on top of the fridge and hold small chip packets and pretzels. The one under the table holds cereal. The lavender one waits in the laundry for its job. A present from L.

A Little Desk and a Little Chair.

2011-11-24T13:39:00.001+11:00

I love this desk and chair; the desk was found on the side of the road and the chair was from our old Sunday school classroom.
There are still children little enough to use this little desk.

Essential Jesus.

2011-11-24T13:37:00.001+11:00

We have adopted a lovely new routine this week. After the little ones have gone to bed, the older two and I have been reading "Essential Jesus" together. We are enjoying this time together as the narrative that is Christmas unfolds. The children were interested to think that Jesus was once a boy!

Some Reading.

2011-11-24T13:34:00.001+11:00

With these lovely cooler days, I have caught up with my reading pile. I am slowly making my way through "Past Imperfect-A Novel". It is set in London and I am enjoying the escape. Thanks to P (oink oink) for lending it to me.

Slow Cooker

2011-11-24T13:33:00.001+11:00

Last weekend when it was so very hot, I decided to revert back to my crockpot to prepare the evening meal. The sauce was lovely, but the meat tasted ordinary. I found this recipe book for $5 and I am hoping that there will be some inspiration within these pages.

Cosy Inside.

2011-11-24T13:31:00.001+11:00

It has been very cold and rainy after a very hot weekend. I am thankful as I love the cooler weather and I enjoy cosy days at home.

Bags.

2011-11-23T14:12:00.000+11:00

I love these handbags; the top one was husband E's Aunt's. It opens wide and then closes tight like an umbrella. The bottom bag was a gift from Japan when our exchange student stayed with us in August.

On and On and On.

2011-11-21T13:46:00.001+11:00

13 year old son's good mate N. gave him this loooong toblerone for his birthday! It is his favourite chocolate. I do hope that he will share!

13 Year Old Gift.

2011-11-15T11:52:00.001+11:00

As there are presently 20 grandchildren on husband E's side, we have developed a 'present plan' for teenage birthdays.

13 year olds receive an engraved pen... Our first born embarks on his teenage journey tomorrow.

Basketball Birthday Cake.

2011-11-15T11:50:00.001+11:00

As we gathered with the cousins yesterday, we celebrated an Aunt and soon to be 13 year old son's birthdays. Can you tell that this is a basketball? Husband E was patient with my requests for cake decorating again.

Promise of Pudding.

2011-11-15T11:44:00.001+11:00

The "Promise of Pudding", as I have boiled it already in November, and saving it till December.
The message at the church where this pudding making event was held: The Promise of Jesus, spoken of by Isaiah in the Old Testament and born, marking the beginning of the New Testament.... His crucifixion and then his resurrection. With us for eternity.

Shoe Rack.

2011-11-10T12:18:00.002+11:00

A few weeks ago I had looked for a shoe rack to hold the school shoes etc that get kicked off at the front door. To no avail. However, on a recent council cleanup, I spotted this... I brought it home, cleaned it with lavender polish and voila. It even has six shelves for the six of us.

Cactus

2011-11-10T12:13:00.001+11:00

This cactus belongs to our son, who is fascinated by them. I loved how this cactus was crowned with a strand of flowers.

13th Birthday Party at the Lakehouse.

2011-11-10T12:11:00.002+11:00

Soon to turn 13 year old son opted for a sleepover party at the lakehouse to celebrate his birthday. It went really well and I still had time to enjoy my favourite spot, with a coffee watching the waves and a chat with the children.

Riding a Bicycle.

2011-11-10T12:08:00.002+11:00

It is our 7 year old daughter's turn to start learning to ride a two wheeled bike.

Name Puzzles.

2011-11-10T12:06:00.002+11:00

Husband E had made name puzzles for each of his nieces and nephews, God children and our children when they turn two.

LEGO

2011-11-10T12:02:00.002+11:00

Our younger two have recently rediscovered the LEGO stash.

Look at 'these two' that I found as a placemat at IKEA recently.

Tamari Almonds.

2011-11-10T12:00:00.003+11:00

A recipe from the groovy Aunt: Mix some tamari sauce with raw almonds; spread them out onto a baking tray and bake for at least 30minutes on a low heat. They should have that nice, roasted flavour.

Wednesday Weekend.

2011-11-10T09:23:00.003+11:00

12 year old son, husband E and I are loving "The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency" series on TV. I have read the books...
It is such a lovely show with characters of integrity and the beauty and uniqueness of Africa at its best.

We watched it last night (even though we only started the episode at 9:30pm). When 12 year old son asked if we could watch it, I almost said "No, it is too late..." However in the spirit of Wednesday Weekend, I thought we should and it was an enjoyable time together.

Wednesday Weekend is an attempt to break the busyness of the week; a simple dinner (last night a store bought BBQ chicken with freshly baked baguette and salad, followed by toblerones which 12 year old son gave to his sisters and fathers for their company at his party on the weekend).... Also husband E and I sat chatting till 7:30pm, me with a nice cup of coffee. This was before dinner had been assembled. Homework had been done and it was so hot.... It was nice to try and not watch the clock too closely for a weeknight.

Dinner was enjoyed by everyone, did not need extra heat to prepare and was quick to assemble. The cleanup was easy as there were no pots/pans and the dishwasher took care of the plates.

Everyone needed fans to be able to sleep last night. This has been our first hot week. Today it has broken and the wind has picked up and we have rain. The house is breathing again.

Cheeky Little Monkey.

2011-11-04T08:20:00.002+11:00

This morning, 5 year old daughter, said that her favourite animal is now a monkey, because it is cheeky like her!
I have been looking at older photo's and found this photo.... I really struggled to remember whose cake it was...I thought that it was hers, but I think actually it was her sister's whose birthday is a week after hers. Luckily her sister knew what's what!

Bushfire Season.

2011-10-21T16:51:00.000+11:00

October 1st marked the beginning of the period of time where fires are more of a risk. Our neighbour's property had some hazard reduction and we were assessed to see if we were still on top of our skills for the Community Fire Unit.

Lavender.

2011-10-21T16:46:00.000+11:00

In various places around the house. Aunty L knows that I love it and gave me the jug and soap dispenser for the bathroom.

My Window Treatment.

2011-10-09T23:38:00.001+11:00

I am not sure if this is going to stay; but with the imminent heat arriving, I felt that a window cover in the kitchen was needed. This fabric used to serve as a pillow case. I am not a sewer (nor a bike rider...etc) however a quick-unpick revealed this hemmed fabric. It might cut down on the sunlight and I love the old Australian labels on the fabric.
I even hemmed another piece of fabric today; I will show that off later.

Just Like Riding a Bike-Not!

2011-10-09T23:35:00.001+11:00

I don't think that I have shown my new tricycle yet. I am not a confident cyclist, in fact I don't think that I can ride a bike at all!
This is a very comfortable tricycle, but it veers to the left and I will need to 'learn' to ride this machine in any case.
It is rather sweet though... once the driveway is sealed again; perhaps escape!

40 Years.

2011-10-09T23:33:00.000+11:00

A special day, out near the water to have lunch and celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary.

Pegs and Pans.

2011-10-05T14:39:00.000+11:00

Oh this is so clever... a way to label towels when all are the same colour....I found this at The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking.
Have pegs with names written on to them and peg them on to the towels. Genius.

I also loved her idea for a meal board.....

Please go and have a peek!

Spring Break.

2011-10-04T21:19:00.002+11:00

The start of our trip.

Mt Kosciusko is beyond these mountains.

The landscape has changed and we have seen our first patches of snow.

We were worried that there would not be any snow left. As this was the first time in the snow for two of our children, even this little amount was amazing!

Thredbo village.

Very exciting.

We drove to Perisher which had more snow left. 12 year old son is getting as tall as I am.

All rugged up for fun.

Snow angels.

And then the snow started falling again.

We then drove to Canberra for the annual display of tulips and other flowers for Floriade.

Well someone has to clean the car at the end of the trip.

Puzzles.

2011-09-16T10:34:00.003+10:00

A fairy puzzle for a five year old fairy.

A Bear.

2011-09-16T10:33:00.001+10:00

12 year old son's wire sculpture. The school has returned the semester's artwork. It is lovely to see his efforts.

A Brown Jug.

2011-09-16T10:30:00.003+10:00

Beautiful Camellias from Mum and Dad in a brown jug.

Hill (part of Hill Upon Hill)

2011-09-16T10:28:00.001+10:00

Our backyard.

A New Gate.

2011-09-16T10:25:00.003+10:00

Our new gate is installed. Next the long driveway.

Spring 2011

2011-09-16T10:12:00.003+10:00

Flowers from guests at my little Spring lunch.

This is a late post, however a small group this year gathered for my annual Spring lunch.
Fiona's label adorned our door. Jasmine was everywhere.

I debated as to whether or not a table cloth was needed. 5 year old daughter helped to set the table.

It was a lovely gathering.

Change at Home.

2011-09-02T15:00:00.001+10:00

Husband E and 12 year old son removing an old gate (will show the new one later)......

Rediscovering a little desk as we move furniture to fit....

...a fantastic, large desk as children grow up and their legs get longer. Hard work cleaning out the study by my mother and husband E and dad moving furniture.

In the Kitchen.

2011-08-19T15:52:00.001+10:00

Some new, wooden washing up 'things'.

My 12 year old son says "Why does anyone want to look at your washing up things?"
Beauty in the everyday my dear son!

Time at Home.

2011-08-19T15:09:00.008+10:00

Sunny lunches on the verandah....

A beautiful new, wooden platter with a pearl finish from Fiji- a gift from 12 year old son's friend N.P.

Rearranging prints on the wall.

Lots of time at home this week with sick children.

Handy Hints.

2011-08-19T15:04:00.004+10:00

Discovered by accident: diluted washing machine liquid wipes walls clean.

Vicks on children's feet, stops coughing (check with your doctor for further advice).

These are just some of the things that I have used this week!

Backyard BBQ.

2011-08-09T12:02:00.005+10:00

We had such a lovely Saturday; a bbq, skipping, picking lavender and making a model boat for an assignment.

Similar Interests.

2011-07-28T14:25:00.003+10:00

12 year old son with our exchange student from Japan. We are enjoying his visit very much.

The Cat Sleeps on...

2011-07-28T14:21:00.002+10:00

a pillow covered in dogs. He does not seem to be upset.

A Note to the Tooth Fairy.

2011-07-28T14:05:00.002+10:00

No, not vespers but here is 7 year old daughter writing a note to the tooth fairy... her tooth fell down the drain.

The kookaburra is an ink sketch by a dear friend from high school.

So Lovely.

2011-07-28T13:52:00.003+10:00

I have said this many times before; pears are beautiful.

On an aside, they are a regular now on the table as they are low in salicylates. I also find them easier to eat than apples.

Cheeky but gorgeous.

2011-07-28T13:48:00.000+10:00

Ruth's Bowl.

2011-07-23T14:16:00.001+10:00

This crockery also features in my favourite movie; "Enchanted April".

Purple Knitting.

2011-07-16T21:03:00.002+10:00

Yay, finally; this holiday I have managed to introduce 9 year old daughter to knitting. She is loving it. She is making a purple scarf and hopes to make another scarf for her 12 year old brother.

The Grand Tour of Sydney.

2011-07-16T20:32:00.011+10:00

This photo is from Google Images. It is the French House Cafe in Waterloo.

Botany Bay for fish and chips. This was the lunch stop after visiting The French House in Waterloo for a coffee and almond croissant and Establishment 218 in Alexandria; a 'walk in' butcher at wholesale prices. This was part of a "Sydney Grand Tour" that my Dad took husband E and I on for my birthday. Mum babysat all four children for the day.

I now feel odd saying 'babysat' for our 12 year old son.. should rather be 'stayed with'.

Image From a Lake House Holiday.

2011-07-16T18:26:00.007+10:00

Little Cooks.

2011-07-01T18:25:00.000+10:00

Aunty L gave both little girls lovely handmade aprons. 7 year old daughter received a cookie making kit and 5 year old daughter received a cupcake icing/recipe kit.

Pink Load.

2011-06-11T19:41:00.000+10:00

We have three girls, we have a pink laundry load.

And Now We Are Seven.

2011-06-10T20:12:00.000+10:00

Breakfast on the morn of a 7 year old's birthday.

Now We Are Five.

2011-06-05T19:54:00.000+10:00

A birthday for a 5 year old butterfly.