Thursday Funnies

Hello gorgeous girls, I am off to work right now so I thought I would leave you with some photos I thought were funny...to start your day well xxx have a great day!

ha ha...poor little dog doesn't know how silly he looks !



This is so messed up! But yet I laugh..... out loud....

 

Bath plug - HA! , I am going in search of one of these x

Three of the Best!

yum How good does this look???

And how excellent is Morgan? don't forget to listen to her song on my IPod x

And check out Cathies pirate cookies, isn't she fabulous and again giving me inspiration for the cake stall at school next week xx

My Art

Hello Gorgeous people

 I went away for a week and had no TV, phone, computer and its amazing how the inspiration returns.

 I love to sketch and paint, and haven't really done it for years,

 But, i have decided to to kids art, paint bold canvases for kids rooms and I am starting with the skateboarder and surfer for Samuel's room....... god knows how they will turn out, but heh its worth a try!

 These were an hour by the fire the other night, i have gone and got paints and canvases to start so i will show you it as it comes along.

 I am quite excited about it!

Let me know what you think? i would love your feedback, i know they need a lot of work yet!

Quote Of The Day

This is why he was a genius!

Happy Tuesday!

Hello Lovelies,

Oh how I have missed you,and blogging, i think its become a silent addiction of mine. We have been away down South, very cold with a fire at night to keep us all warm. We stayed on a farm, it was glorious, the kiddies had a ball, photos to come, and guess what? I have been inspired some more...... I will share later XXXX

Three of the Best!

LOVE CHOCOLATE
I could go as far as to say I am addicted to Chocolate, is this unusual? I don't think so, I ate three cubes of plain dairy milk last night and I feel myself savouring every last taste....... yum!

My husband is more of an addict than me, and its like world war 3 if I ask him to share a morsel, but true love is when he actually gives me one little piece out of his family sized block. He blames this on having 7 brothers and sisters (yes you did hear that right), he says by the time his mum had unpacked the shopping and he had clawed his way through the crowd to the bench top there was never a timtam left, that's the problem with being the younger of the mob.

I am also addicted to Pinterest! why? i have no idea, but you try it and I guarantee, you will also not be able to tear your self away long enough to eat a piece of chocolate.

These are the three yummiest chocolate treats I found this week!

Churros with hot dipping chocolate

The best Brownies ever!

The ultimate Chocolate treat

Quote of the Day!

From now on I will!

A Life of Excess - Motherhood

We are only a decade into the 21st Century, an era of excess everything.

For us as individuals success in the 21st century is as much about self discipline, moderation and abstinence as it is about drive and ambition. The issue we have is not "living without" but "living with excess".

The problem we face is from a young age as a community and individuals we are not made for moderation. Excess is available in any form at any age. Morbid obesity and diabetes have ballooned, with the constant access to processed and junk food as well as an increase in sedentary activities such as TV, computers, and computer games.

20 years ago we didn't have access to endless credit and loans, mobile phones and cable TV. There was no world wide web to provide instant access to gambling, shopping, cyber bullying and porn. Most importantly  we never had the worlds mass media convincing us to consume from every angle.

Eating disorders have risen sharply since the 90s and 1 in 20 Australian's admittedly have had some kind of dietary issue in their lives.

Before the year 2000 the phenomenon of celebrity for celebritys sake never existed. Believe it or not you actually had to have talent. Celebrity magazines and reality shows parade this excess, to excess! (pardon the pun).

It does seem though that kids are getting smarter, but in saying that it is our job as adults to give our children the tools and to show them how to use them.

In an age of excess it is hard to know hen to draw the line. We want to give our kids everything but where is the balance? How do we teach them appreciation?

If you know the answer let me know?

I actually bought a potato peeler at ikea the other day. Thinking back to my childhood ( i never felt i went without) I used to help my mum and my gran peel potatoes and string beans, we were expected to find our own fun and use our own imaginations, we did the dishes,we would get pocket money and save it. I was taught common sense, how to read and enjoy a book, a love of the arts, how to look after a pet, a good dress sense (i think), soft drink was for special occasions, how to cook, how to iron, vacuum (I have had staff who don't know what a vacuum cleaner is)..... and the list goes on.

Anyway we have started a star chart. 10 stars a week gets Imie and Samuel a treat.Its the greatest, but now to start with peeling the potatoes, maybe things can be turned around, who knows!

Happy Monday!

Life should be this simple!

Saturday Recipe!

My post on Saturdays is always the yummiest recipe i can find, it doesn't mean i have always made them, but it definitely means i will make them....... and i hope you will too!

Hi Hat Cupcakes

I have been fascinated with this recipe since I saw it, It reminds me of mister whippy on a hot summers day. I remembered seeing it on Martha Stewart.com I cant take credit for the photos here though I would love to, she did an        amazing job.

Chopped chocolate. The perfect way to start. I really liked this cupcake recipe. It’s great for any kind of cupcakes.

But even better with this frosting. I used a disposable piping bag with a large opening.

If I had paid attention to the directions beforehand I don’t know if I would have been as eager to get started.

What a mission, this is when you wish you never started........eek!

After about 12 minutes… I was over holding the hand mixer.

So I hoped for the best and piped it on the cupcakes… as tall as I could get it.

The cupcakes went in the freezer while the dipping chocolate was prepared.

One bag of milk chocolate. I use the choc chips.

And melted them in the microwave with three tablespoons of vegetable oil. Yum.

Melt them on medium-low in 30 second intervals and stir in between until melted and smooth.

Then wait a few minutes to make sure the chocolate isn’t hot.

Now, take a deep breath and grab one of the cupcakes from the freezer.

Turn it upside down and slowly submerge the entire top in melted chocolate.

Okay, here goes…

More…

 and lift it out.

Holy cupcakes… it worked.

It totally completely worked.

And it’s beautiful.

Use a toothpick to touch up any spots at the base of the cupcake that may not have been covered… controlling your excitement…

And then go again.

And again…

And again.

Place the dipped cupcakes in the freezer for a few minutes to let the chocolate harden and then refrigerate until ready to eat.

I’m still amazed.

Don’t be afraid to make some.

footnote: Mine didn't look quite as good as these, but they were easier than i thought they would be they look amazing don't they?

Quote Of The Day

This is sooooo true don't you think?

Have a Delicious Weekend

Its cold here this week so hot chocolate is appropriate I think!
Cut out mini marshmallow treats with tiny cookie cutters.. yum!

Hello Ladies
Yesterday was the first day I hadn't written a post, and I missed it, I have actually become quite addicted! Thursdays are a little busy for me, I work in retail and its late night shopping here in WA so I get home around 10pm. I have decided I am gonna do a Thursday post called "Thursdays..... when my mind wanders".
Her are some yummy sites that I have loved looking at this week!

Weird Fruits are well worth a squiz.

The Meal in a Jar is a fabulous picnic idea.

Simple Modern Cakes look delicious.

and finally this is A Gorgeous Blog` I happened to come across accidentally, actually isn't that what you do with blogs? it is so full of pretty pictures.

Enjoy and have a great Weekend
Love
A x

Clarence Bears and CleftPALS

Hi Ladies,
I have recently become an active member of CleftPALS.

CleftPALS – the Cleft Palate and Lip Society – has been helping families whose baby was born with a cleft for more than 30 years... Because the Sharing Helps!! 

After Imogen was born with a full cleft palate and going through what we did , I have wanted to support others in the way i felt i needed support, so I have decided to help out by being a support parent and with the "Clarence Bears"

A Clarence is given to every baby born with a cleft lip or palate whilst still in hospital. Imogen loved hers so much and while i was going to post photos of what he looks like now (rather loved), i realised i had given him to my mum to figure out a pattern.

My mum has so kindly offered to knit the Clarence's for the society, around 60 a year so we are on a mission to find wool and stuffing. I finally feel by being a contact/support parent I can give something back and I can offer some light at the end of the tunnel for these families.

One day old being tube fed

Imogen just before surgery to repair her palate

With Clarence, very loved

One day after surgery, arm races to stop little fingers going into the mouth.

2 weeks later, she was amazing xxx I love her to bits