Lately...

Lately in our household...

The Husband turned 25 and we got for him some sparkly new shoes for church - long over due, his old ones have been talking for quite sometime now. We had an awesome roast lamb dinner and baked cheesecake to celebrate with a bit of sparkling grape juice too.

Ava-Ruby turned 6 and my big sister put on a spectacular desert table for this quirky gorgeous girl of hers.

Myself, Still having dramas with my new plate, and the tooth breaking off. Which sucks BIG time. I have been reading up on the Internet and I'm too old to register under the medicare Australia cleft lip and cleft palate scheme. With any luck, I'll hopefully be able to go to my orthodontist in New Zealand to get all the work done under the publicly funded health and disability services scheme there.

My beautiful sweet quiet Taylah-benet was bullied at school. She is such a sweet girl it broke my heart to hear that two little boys were being mean to her in the playground calling her names. Taylah-benet is not one to initiate playing with any other kids so unless they come and get her and play with her - she'll just wander alone doing her own thing quietly. In class she sits next to a little boy named Ilhan {ill-han} , and because she sits next to him and knows him, she tends to follow him around if she sees' him in the playground. He doesn't seem to return the friendship to her. I spoke to her teacher today - she is lovely - and she's going to sort those boys out. {he's also apparently the one that taught Taylah-benet what the 'F' word is!}

I am looking forward to hearing from my brother inlaw really soon and having TWO new neices! yes TWINS - how cool is that... Good Luck Hayley Xx

Another day older

Birthday cake. Fizzy drink. lollies & chocolate gallore! Husband. LOVES. Preasents. Ava-Ruby. Party. Yum. 6. Cake pops. Fun Xx

Kerrys 25th Birthday - Sunday 29th April 2012

A Perfect moment with a Perfect boy

Last night as I was cleaning up after the kids were fast asleep in their beds. I sneaked a glance at my little baby Carter sleeping so soundly in his bassinet. I leaned in to give him a kiss and couldn't help but linger there and listen to his neat little breaths, feel his perfect little nose against my skin, his perfect little lips and his perfect little breath. I savoured this perfect moment with my perfect boy.

Pj's Monday

True to my declaration, I spent my Monday in my Pj's. Being stuck at home with no car, I did very little at all. But I did try out the 'Clockwork Orange' Cupcakes. It uses the same recipe as the Lemon diva cupcakes but you replace the lemon zest with orange zest and the lemon juice with orange juice.

Clockwork Orange Cupcakes

I didn't have icing sugar to make the butter icing, so I just put some of the betty crocker frosting on and topped it with a slice of Terry's chocolate orange! They turned out great! The kids even ate the whole cupcake, not just the icing!

Carter Mason Cole is ten weeks old today! I just realised we are blessing him in two weeks time so I need to get my sewing on and make his blessing outfit!!

go HERE to have a look at our photos taken 6 weeks ago. The husband and I have to decide on which ones to get, so let me know which ones you like! {in particular #55 OR #59} oh, and the password is Carter Xx

Gotta Love this kid

Carter Mason Cole Saturday 21st April 2012 - nearly 10weeks

I could just kiss and cuddle this kid all day! I love falling in love all over again, and with each new addition to our family and the concerns of weather I will love them as much as I love the ones I already have, It's amazing how my love for the big two doesn't lessen in anyway, neither is it less for the newest baby - it just grows, and grows and grows!

Mathias and Carter are doing much better, no more temperatures.

My birthday week continued with a bit of late night shopping by myself {I Hate shopping with the kids! we just don't do it} I just wanted some shoes and a pair of jeans I could fit! Having just had baby number three my tummy is total jelly and I still look three months pregnant but I was pleasantly surprised I got into a size 10 again, it really is beyond me how, but I'll take that!

Kerry and I took Taylah-benet and Mathias to see 'The Lorax' which was actually pretty good. Then we had a lovely dinner out and ate waaaaay too much yet again.

School goes back this week so I'm not looking forward to doing the school drop off and pick ups again, besides, I miss my daughter when she's not here and bless her sweet heart she misses me too. Thankfully it will be a short week, with Anzac day on Wednesday I get to have my daughter AND the husband home too!

Three little words

I. Need. Help! not the words you were thinking of right!? well, I used these three words today and discovered just how difficult they are to say, and I was only saying it to my mother!

We had a relatively quiet day with the rain bucketing down outside. I took Mathias to the doctors yesterday and got antibiotics for his throat infection, he's still not eating properly but he has found his energy again!

It was Carter I was concerned about today. He woke up with a temperature and screaming and pretty much screamed all day. He does this scream when he has bad wind, but once it's out he'll stop. I knew something was wrong when he continued to scream and would only sleep while I held him. Sitting on my couch nice and dry, I looked outside quite happy that I was not out there, and didn't really want to have to take my three kids out in it. And strangely Mathias seemed to up his anti while I would try and settle my screaming baby, I had my screaming toddler on the other side.

Thankfully the husband was working at a job where I knew he would be home at a reasonable hour {before midnight!} So I phoned up my mama and said those three little words.

Besides my husband, my mum is my next biggest hero. Most times I don't even need to say anything and she knows exactly what I need. A couple of weeks ago it was getting late in the evening, I couldn't settle Carter down so I could feed the big two and I got completely overwhelmed with the feeling I couldn't do this! I couldn't handle three kids What was I thinking! I phoned my mum and as soon as she picked up I couldn't say a word and just burst into tears. 'I'll be right over' is all she said and twenty minutes later she came to my rescue.

So back to today - I toughened up and rug ed the kids up, dropped the big two to my mum with the meat I had taken out for our dinner and took Carter to the doctor. He has a throat infection as well, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise knowing the amount of kisses Mathias loves to give his baby brother every second, every day! It is a little more concerning though seeing as he is only 9 weeks old. He is on antibiotics also, but I have to keep a close eye on his temperature.

Unless I need to take Carter back to the doctor tomorrow, I think we'll be staying in all day.
Xx

Lemon Diva Cupcakes

Lemon Diva Cupcakes

Ingredients

·         100g Unsalted butter, softened

·         ¾ Cup Caster sugar

·         ½ tsp. Vanilla extract

·         Finely grated zest of 3 lemons

·         2 eggs

·         1 Cup self-raising flour

·         ½ cup milk

Icing

·         125g Unsalted butter, softened

·         2 cups Icing sugar

·         1 ½ Tbsp. Lemon juice

·         Yellow food colouring {optional}

Method

Preheat oven to 180˚c. Using an electric beater, beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy. Mix through lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each egg. Gently fold through the flour and milk in two alternate batches. Divide the mixture evenly among the cases. Bake for about 20mins, or until golden brown. Cool completely before icing.

To make the icing – use an electric beater to beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the icing sugar a little at a time beating consistently. Add half the lemon juice and beat until well combined then add the remaining lemon juice a little at a time with food colouring.

Note – to make lime sublime use zest of 6 limes and 2 Tbsp. lime juice – for clockwork orange use zest of 2 oranges and 2 Tbsp. orange juice.

7 years awaiting - Miss Dior Cherie

My 27th Birthday gift from Mum Xx

The story behind Miss Dior Cherie - It was released in 2005 - around the same time I was in New Zealand and I completely fell in love with it. When Kerry and I started dating I always talked about it in the hopes that he would buy it for me. But alas as the story goes, we got married then started having babies all those good things that take priority, So I never got it and I never thought I'd get it until I reached a milestone age of 30! Not that I stopped reminding the husband that I have always wanted it and he did say at one stage he would get it for me, anyway, I'm getting off track here.

Today was my 27th Birthday, the day that marks my being on this earth living and breathing for the last 27 years. I knew it would not be a big birthday, quite small in fact, because one of the most important person to me couldn't be with me. The husband has so much work on at the moment he quietly wished me happy birthday with a kiss before he left for work at 5am and I'll be lucky if he'll be home before midnight. I had a relatively quite day with Mathias being sick with high temperatures and a very red and soar throat. I had plenty of moments through out the day to ponder to myself just how Happy was my birthday today?

And it was. I had me and my three beautiful children and I could not have asked for or needed anything more! {except the husband being here of course} I received tonnes of smiles from little Carter. Lot's of 'I Love you's' from my sweet Taylah-benet, and a whole lot of cuddles from my poor sick boy Mathias.

I didn't really want to eat alone with just me and the kids on my birthday so we went to my mums for dinner. I had a few tears when I opened the gift she had brought for me, my very own 'Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum' I Love my mum, she always makes me feel special and important.

I have a friend who believes in "Birth-weeks" in where we get to celebrate and be spoilt for a week within our birthday. I think I'm going to adopt this idea so I can celebrate with my husband here too...I may be waiting until Sunday dinner, but hey, It's my birthday and I can do what I want to right! Xx

These boots are made for walkin'

Last winter I brought Taylah-benet cowgirl boots that I absolutly love to put on her, she looks so cute in them. Well, this year I plan on getting her another pair and was after your thoughts?

These are the ones I am leaning towards getting for her

I am also contemplating getting a pair for myself but I can't decide.
I like these

Anyhow, let me know your feedback! HERE is the website if you want to check it out.
Xx

Banana Blueberry Loaf

Banana Blueberry Loaf

Ingredients

• 4oz Melted Butter
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Mashed Bananas
• 1 Cup Blueberries - Fresh or Frozen
• 1 1/2 Cup Self-raising Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

Method

Combine all the ingredients. pour into a greased loaf dish. Bake on 180 degrees for 1 hour.

Easy Peasy, and delicious!
Xx

Crazy cousins at the park

Cousins at the park Friday 13th April 2012

Camilla and I took our kids to a park yesterday. They have such a great time playing with each other, a few fights here and there but so much fun for most of the time. Xx

Oat, Pear and Raspberry loaf

Oat, Pear and Raspberry Loaf

Topping

• 25 g (1/4 cup) rolled oats
• 55 g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
• 2 tbsp plain all purpose flour
• 25 g (1 oz) chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Cake

• 100 g (1 cup) rolled oats
• 375 ml (1.5 cups) boiling water
• 150g (5.5oz) unsalted butter, diced
• 115g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar (fine granulated sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 185g (1.5 cups) all purpose flour
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 ripe pears, peeled cored and diced
• 60g (1/2 cup) raspberries, fresh or frozen

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. To make the topping, place all the ingredients into a bowl and rub the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until well incorporated and small clumps form.

To make the cake, place the oats into a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir and leave to cool until lukewarm. Cream the butter and sugars in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into the bowl. Drain any excess water off the oats. Add the oats to the mixture and fold to combine. Spread 2/3 of the mixture into a greased or nonstick 19x11cm (7.5 x 4.5in) loaf pan. Sprinkle with the pears and raspberries, top with the remaining cake batter then sprinkle the topping over evenly.

Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (*it should be well browned and feel springy to the touch. If the cake sinks significantly while cooling, it is probably under-baked). Turn out onto a plate before quickly transferring to a wire rack with the topping facing upwards. Leave to cool slightly before cutting. Serve in slices with butter. Makes 8-10 slices.

YUM, YUM, YUM!!!
Xx

Honey honey

So it turns out the husband really was sick and the boss man told him to take the day off and go see a doctor. My sympathy skills kicked in when my poor husband got home from work at 1am on Tuesday night {technically that's Wednesday morning but that's confusing right, or is that just me!?} pale as anything and red in his eyes. $45 of medicine later he is back at work today and is feeling a whole lot better, I'll credit it to my awesome hot honey and lemon drinks.

I went into the city - third time within the span of a week! and picked up my new plate! It was a little painful to wear to start off with so I phoned Dr Joel today and was pretty much advised to tough it out! I know I'm such a sook! basically it's like a new pair of heels, you have to break those babies in. Who am I kidding, heels hurt all the time - well, with this new plate it's not as bad as the heels, my teeth adjust to it pretty quickly so the pain goes away. I am finding it kind of funny that I have spent the last three months trying to hide my top front teeth so much, that I have to remind myself that I can actually open my mouth properly now when I speak. Ooo and on that lovely note, the new plate is affecting my speech too! well, some of the sounds anyway, so I kind of sound like a have a lisp :s Ohh well, I am glad and grateful!

I forgot how much poo, wee and vomit comes with having a baby at home! I have had all three done on me today, and I still melt when I look into those little blue eyes staring back at me.

I wanted to share THIS blog post from The Daybook. It's Sydneys' wardrobe basics.

Today was my first school holiday day where we spent the entire day at home. It wasn't too bad, I even got to have a 2hr nap with the kids AND did some knitting. I even cleaned up after the kids too.

My goal tomorrow...get out of my pj's
Xx

Kick off

What a way to kick off the school holidays! My Auntie Beth hosted our "Big" Family Easter hunt this year - I should point out that by "Big" Family This includes my Nana, Mum, little sis and her bf, my mums two youngest sisters who have five kids... each, my big sis and her four babies then me and my three, so when we all get together, which is quite often, there's a grand total of 12 adults and 17 kids aging from 8weeks to 15.

It's always  beautiful chaos when that many kids get together and they all have a ball! They are all shuffled inside to dance away to some music that has been put on, while the adults scatter the truck loads of chocolate eggs that each family has brought along. Once the scattering is done, the kids are released starting from the youngest to oldest, the older kids are pros at helping the little kids ensuring they each get a chance to do some slow and steady hunting. The dads do a quick sweep to make sure no eggs have been overlooked, then the eggs are divided up between the families.

Auntie Beth bravely offered to have any ones kids to sleep over too, So she ended up with 7 extra kids for two nights, Taylah-benet included.

So it has just been me and my two boys today, Carter is back to his fussy habits of not sleeping or settling much during the day. I really shouldn't complain at all because he is quite perfect at night, he did a 9 hour stretch last night. It is always a pleasant and welcomed surprise when I check the time when he wakes up and it's two hours longer than his usual stretch.

I got some good news today, The dentist phoned to let me know that my plate is ready for me to pick up! So I'm heading back into the City tomorrow to pick it up.

My Nana just got back from her 4 weeks in New Zealand and she knitted a beautiful little cardigan for Carter. It inspired me to pull out my knitting so I did a little bit today {It was actually really difficult with Carter being so fussy} I really enjoy knitting. My Nana taught me when I was little, but that was the extent of it until about two years ago. I had just gone through a pretty traumatic experience and for some reason I took up with knitting! It is wonderfully therapeutic and the productive too, I love crafts that produce something useful, like a clothing garment or a blanket.

A Lazy Easter Sunday...

We all had a great morning yesterday, we travelled into the city to the Seed Heritage store in Pitt st for the Seed Candy Easter Hunt. Have I mentioned that I LOVE Seed! they have the cutest kids clothing and accessories.

"The Great Seed Candy Easter Hunt" Pitt st Mall Sydney Saturday 7th April 2012

It has been a lazy Easter Sunday for us, Kerry and I both fell asleep quite early last night and completley forgot about doing the Easter Bunny gig until we were all awake this morning. So, we asked the kids to shut themselves in their room while Kerry quickly hid their eggs! I didn't get alot for them this year, as we have a big Easter hunt with my whole family every year So they got one egg from EB and a preasent each.

My Sister told me once of an article she read about how women tend to be less sympathetic when the men in their lives are sick - I though how funny is that and how true {for me anyway} so from then on I tried to show a little more sympathy whenever Kerry gets sick - which mind you, is not very offten at all. Well, he has been sick over the last two days and I had totaly slipped up on the whole giving him more sympathy idea.

Carter is 8weeks tomorrow and I am going to put him exclusivly on the bottle. I kind of feel a little selfish with my attempts to keep breastfeeding him as it stresses me out it stresss him out and down right confuses all of us! So i figure I have given it the best shot I could, he is happy, he is healthy and that's the most important thing. I really want to start relaxing and enjoying him more, he is just so darn gorgeous he has totaly stolen my heart!

Easter Sunday 8th April 2012 - Taylah-benet 5, Mathias 3, Carter 8wks

School's Out

School's out for the first term anyway, and what a way to begin it! Taylah-benet is sick, she threw up in the middle of the night and had a high temperature. She seems much better today though which is great because I'm so excited to take them into the city tomorrow to the Seed stores' Easter hunt!!

My big sister and I went into the city yesterday, I had my appointment to pick up my new plate with a front tooth on it. Well, turns out I didn't get the plate, instead he took another mould to have another plate made so that it will fit perfectly. And I'll go back in three weeks to pick that up *Hopefully* I was initially upset that I will now have to spend the next three weeks with this ugly gaping hole in my front teeth, but, I had to be grateful that they are only trying to do the best job they can for me! and a great excuse to get into the city again for some shopping!

I had a funny experience with Mathias this week. It began last week, when I closed my bedroom door on his little finger, I was preoccupied telling Taylah-benet off who was sitting on my bed {it was bed time aka crazy hour at our house} so I didn't even realise what I had done or that he was standing outside the door crying with his poor little finger stuck in my door!! I felt terrible. Thankfully his daddy ran to the rescue and sung him to sleep. This week I noticed his nail looked a little funny, and turned out it had completely lifted and was only attached at the base. Being a bit too curious for my own good, I coaxed him on to pull at his nail, I was grossed out and he thought it was hilarious, so, he kept going, and going, until he finally pulled it off! I only wish I had a camera to capture the look on his face when he realised what he had done! He had a very worried look on his face and was so upset about the loss of his nail, he wanted me to stick it back on "I need another one nail" he kept saying. My poor Mathias, I assured him it would grow back but for now, he has no nail on his little finger.

Mathias' little finger without a nail.

Happy Good FridayXx

April is here

There is no secret about it, April is my favourite month of the year. I'm not sure weather it is because it is my Birthday month or that we get to absolutely stuff ourselves {and our kids!} with chocolate and not feel guilty about it afterwards.

 Apart from December with Christmas time, April is also the our busiest month because not only is it my birthday, but there are another five birthdays in April in my family alone, Kerrys' being one of them AND another two from Kerry's family.

 

 

This month I'll be turning the ripe young age of 27 and Kerry 25. {man I'm getting old!}

 

 

Easter season has officially started. Well it started as soon as Christmas was over and they started selling Easter eggs in January! But today I bravely ventured out all front toothless, and went to Taylah-benets' school for an Easter hat parade.

All the kids in the school decorate a hat then get to parade it!

Tuesday 3rd April 2012 - Easter Hat Parade - KRome

I am super excited for Saturday, I secured a place for Taylah-benet and Mathias to attend "The Great Seed Candy Easter Hunt" in there beautiful store in the city! I think I'm more excited than the kids! I LOVE Seed

So It's gearing up to be one awesome Easter weekend!!Xx