Around Here

Around here we are into football, bush walks, eating healthy home made food and beautiful Autumn weather.  Autumn and Spring are my favourite times of the year.  Here's a few photos of what's been going on.

Carrot and Zucchini Fritters.

Hugs from my girl.

These kids are growing up so fast I can't keep up.

Honey chicken in the slow cooker for dinner.

Home grown Bok Choy.

I love taking out of focus pics on purpose.  This is pretty light on the back of the couch.

I believe these are "Golden Penda" and they are flowering everywhere at the moment

Golden Penda in bloom.

These are just stunning and lining the streets everywhere at the moment.

Home made Energy Bars recipe is here.

Overlooking Samford Valley on a beautiful day.

On our bush walk.

Family portrait on our bush walk.

Pretty light and my growing teenager.

She loves being out in nature.

We have one Autumn tree near us and Sienna and I take photos of the leaves every May.

Sienna taking a photo of me taking a photo.

This is the photo she took of me taking a photo of her. Fun times with my girl.

Around Here

Around here we are in full swing with football and training and both the kids are playing AFL now.  This means 3 nights a week I have to have a meal prepared before we leave the house at 4.45 pm and then when we get home while the kids have their shower it's just a matter of cooking the rice or pasta and heating up the main dish.  The slow cooker will be getting a workout in the next couple of months now it's a bit colder as well.  The veggie garden is going great and I need to sort out the second veggie box and get some plants growing.

I had a nice breakfast in bed for Mother's Day before leaving the house at 8.00 am for footy and after both kids games were over it was 2.00 pm.  They made me beautiful hand made cards (which I just love) and their words were very touching. I told them both I want them to always make me hand made cards (just an A4 piece of paper folded in half) even into their 20's.  I love getting them.  James spent hours on the computer putting together his card by using pixel graphics to make the words and a picture of a camera and some love hearts. Sienna drew some beautiful pictures and her words were so precious.  I just love my kids.  They also did a practice run on Saturday of pancakes for me so I breakfast in bed on Saturday and Sunday which was great.  Here's a few pics of what's been going on.

 Sunday morning football.

Sienna before school with her special Senior red jacket for the last year of primary school.

Meal prepping Chicken, Corn & Noodle soup which was delicious.

The veggies have doubled in size since this photo.

Beautiful blue skies.

I took some photos of my friend's family days before their eldest moved interstate to start a new job and a grown up life.

Sienna playing footy which she loves.

Sunday morning breakfast.

Easy Cupcakes with Cream

I'm sure I've posted this recipe before however I couldn't find it so I'll post it again.  This is an easy, quick, light and fluffy cupcake which uses cream instead of butter.  The recipe can be doubled or tripled to make more and they freeze really well.  I love using this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs
• Cream (approximately 1 cup)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of Self Raising flour
• Icing as desired

METHOD

1. Turn oven on to 180 degrees.
2. Place 2 eggs into a 1 cup measuring cup and then fill to the top with cream.
3. Place the mixture into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3/4 cup of sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes.
5. Glently fold in 1 cup of Self Raising flour.
6. Divide mixture between 12 cupcake cases.
7. Bake at 180c degrees in centre of the oven for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden and the centre springs back when touched.
8. Cool on wire racks and ice as desired.

Veggie Garden Update

On the 1st April Sienna and I planted our little veggies after having done nothing in the garden for months and months.  I can't believe how amazing these veggies are and how quickly they have grown.  I love picking lettuce leaves off for our salads and have enjoyed the baby bok choy in Thai soup.  It makes me so happy to have veggies in the garden again so I need to get stuck into the next garden box and get going on that one as well.  Here's some progress photos of just 4 weeks apart.

These planting photos were taken on the 1st April, 2017.

 These photos were taken on the 4th May, 2017.

Around Here

Around here we are back at football after James has recovered from his finger surgery.  Sienna has started up in the girls team and had their first game on Friday night and she did really well and I was very impressed.  Our one chicken has been moulting and I haven't had any eggs for ages until today- YEH.  I have been making lots of new healthy recipes which we are enjoying.  We've been on bush walks had BBQ's and getting out there and enjoying nature.  It's getting dark now by 5 pm so it's nice to be snug inside the house.  The Autumn whether has been amazing.  Here's a few photos.

Chicken Curry for dinner.

Bush walk at our local.

Walking around the dam.

We spotted 6 of these turtles which were quite big...about dinner plate size.

At the edge of the water.

Pretty flowers in the Autumn light.

AFL girls team first game Sienna getting a mark.

Off to AFL training.

My new favourite family pic taken on Anzac Day.

Always trying to capture him with his "natural" smile.

Visiting the local Anzac Memorial on Anzac afternoon.

Word puzzles over Easter.

Thanks to Nanny & Pop who always sends some $$ to buy a Chocolate Lindt Bunny for Easter.