Chocolate swap!

Recently I signed up for Renee's chocolate swap-and boy I was soooo delighted when my package arrives from my swapee-Renee!
Silas was possibly more excited then me-even though it wasn't addressed to him! Lara loved her little package-Renee had put in a little packet of Charlotte's fav chocolates which went down a treat with Lara.
Will have to add the pictures later as they are still on the camera-which Lara is refusing to give to me!
Renee's package was meant to be posted away today but I hurt myself so I can't make it to the post shop. So once I can make it to the bottom of the path her treats will be on their way to Auz!! Hope she likes what I have picked for her :)

New Buggy!

Last month I was the first person in the world to walk into a shop and purchase the new Phil and Teds Explorer buggy. I love love this buggy and will get into all the reasons why in another post.

But this post is about how much Simba loves the new buggy. The other day the buggy was outside on the deck sitting in the sun. Simba decided to jump in the shopping basket and have a sleep. Lara found him, and decided it would be fun to add a few more things to the basket and take them for a ride.

Cat trips again!

Nala the blimmen monkey keeps following us if we leave the house. I don't want to lock her inside each time we leave but I'm beginning to think I will have to. She follows me down the street to the park with Lara. She won't cross the road (thankfully!) but sits there waiting looking sad and meowing.

Another thing the cats have started doing is jumping in the car. Now this came become very frustrating when its raining and Im trying to pull out the groceries. I end up soaked cos the cats take turns to jump in.

Mr and Miss Monkey!

Sticky Date Pudding-Yum yum.

Pregnancy cravings have hit and I had to satisfy one with some baking. After some web surfing I found this recipe and had to try it.

Serves 8-12
Ingredients
PUDDING
200g pitted dates, chopped 
1¼ cups water 
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
60g butter, softened 
3/4 cup caster sugar 
2 eggs 
1 cup self-raising flour 
75g (3 rows) Cadbury Dark Cooking Chocolate, grated
SAUCE
1 cup thickened cream 
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
200g butter

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the dates and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Remove from the heat, stir in the soda, and stand for 5 minutes. Purée until smooth.
3. Cream the butter and caster sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
4. Fold in the flour, then the puréed dates, followed by the chocolate.

5. Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 21 cm round pan (or six to eight individual moulds - muffin trays are ideal). Bake for 55 minutes (25 minutes for individual ones).

Competed mixture

Ready for the oven

6. Prepare the sauce by placing the cream, brown sugar and butter in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Making the sauce

7. Remove the pudding from the oven and stand for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a baking tray. Pour over enough of the sauce to cover the top of the pudding. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
8. Dust the pudding with icing sugar and serve with remaining sauce, accompanied with cream or ice cream.
Note: This pudding can be kept for 1 week in the fridge. Heat single serves with sauce poured over in the microwave on High (100% power) for approximately 1 minute.

Cooked to perfection!

I used our muffin tin and I'm super happy with the size of the puddings-even better they taste amazing!

Complete with sauce-delicious!

Buggy walk!

Last thursday was the The Big Annual October Buggy Walk, I was really looking forward to getting out to this, especially after such a great walk previously in the week.
After a very bad morning (getting ready and out of house on time wise) the day was looking up as Lara and I caught the bus to town (not the bus I was hoping to get earlier in the morning)

On the Cable car

Cable car.

I had decided to try and make a great adventure out of the day with Lara, starting with the bus, then on to the Cable Car (something we hadn't done before) then down to the Dell for the start of the walk. Lara loves going on the bus and of course thursday was no exception. But she got really excited at the site of the Cable Car. Hopped on board with me and chatted away about how it was like a train.

A little unsure of the fairy.

Not sure what to think.

After a great walk around the botanical gardens there was some entertainment at the Dell. Lara headed straight to Fairy Trina to listen to her stories. She was a little unsure to begin with but soon got into it.

After watching some crazy races (buggys through cones, make nappy hat, eat some baby food type races) we decided it was time to head home. But of course we had to detour when we spotted some very cuuute baby ducklings!

Play Time at the Park

The gorgeous weather did not want to leave last week. Another trip to the park seemed like the best thing. So Lara and I meet up with Claire, Annabelle and Zoe at the park.

Cuddles

Trying hard to get them to both smile.

Private joke between Belle and Lara

My beautiful Lara

Walk around the bays.

Monday was a brilliant sunny day, and poor Claire had been house bound for a week with sick girls. We decided the weather was to nice and couldn't risk not getting out in it. So we planned to meet up at the park in Island Bay, give the girls a play then walk around the bays for some well needed exercise, fresh air and sunshine. Sharyn and Jaki came along with us.

After letting the kids run off some steam we bundled the kids into the prams and walked towards Lyal Bay. Boy did we walk! We'd almost made it Lyal Bay, but decided to turn round and head back. On the walk back we stopped and let the kids stretch their legs and eat.

The walk was super easy, and super deceptive. Once home I had a look on google maps and worked out we had walked just under 7km! Not bad, not bad.

Happy birthday............

Happy birthday Claire!! Hope you have a awesome day watching Bathurst.
[IMG]http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/porcupine_ht/45.gif[/IMG]
Hope Chris and the girls spoil you rotten.

Spring time in October!

October is well and truly upon us now. The good weather has come out and I love it!
One of my best friends made Lara a skirt. When it arrived in the mail Lara could not control her excitement. Once she opened her parcel she was even more excited when she discovered her skirt.
The skirt had to go straight on!

Enjoying the sun

 Later in the day I took a closer look at the skirt. Much to my delight I discovered Rach had made it reversible!

Lara loves her new skirt! Thanks Rach :)

Damn :(

I'd being doing so well making sure I had a new blog post up each day (trying the whole do it for 21days and it will become a habit) but failed yesterday. I had an idea about a post, but was waiting for my camera to charge, then it hit mayhem time (getting ready for work, making dinner, getting to work time) and once I manage to get home it was so late there was no way I was staying up.
Im guessing I should start my 21days again-today being day1.

My girl Lara

Lara is growing up so much I can't believe it. She has become this hugely independent little lady. In just over a month she will be three-I am yet to work out where the past three years have gone! I remember bringing home my little girl and that only feels like yesterday! 

Two days old

About to go home-three days old.

Boy oh boy has she grown!

Taken Sunday-age 2years 10mths.

Bump pics :)

Taken this morning. Me and bubba number two-22weeks 5days. 

Second one was taken with the help of Lara-great to see what she can see. 

To add to the dream room...

I wish I was as talented as Renee! I would love to make two of these Hair Accessories Organisers. Renee has done such a great job!

Im not to sure what the size of it is, but it could look cool if there was a few small/medium sized ones hanging on the wall. They would look really great if they were all in co-ordinated frames. My mind is humming with ways I can really make these look awesome. (Renee's one looks super awesome anyway)

I can't help....

 but dream of how I would love to do Lara's room. With a sister on the way I want her room to be her sanctuary, a place were she can play with her special toys and at a later stage it will be a room she shares.
This is something I want to work on over the next few months.

So far the room will centre around the bedspread I have for the beds. The thing is I don't want to have anymore pink in the room. I feel the duvet is enough pink.

I would love for the girls furniture to be all white. Beds (possibly bunks) drawers, bookcases, toy box. 

Bunks like these would look great (and could be two single beds as well)

Some white dressers (that need to be big enough to hold all the girls clothes) and bookcases for book and toys. Maybe some coloured baskets for toys. (I'm thinking blue-like the inside of the butterflies on the duvet)

On the walls I might stick with photos-in nice blue frames, then for something fun-Tissue paper pompoms hanging from the roof. These I could alternate in size and colour (Ok maybe some in pink, but mostly blue and purple) I could even make a whole lot of little ones and hang them from the circle inside a mosquito net.

Now to find some money-then I will be set.