Easter 2014

For the week leading up to Easter they must have been talking about it at school because it certainly wasn't on my radar, yet Faith kept asking how many sleeps to go? how does the easter bunny get into our house? how many eggs might she get? I put it off and put it off and in the end I explained to her that Easter is the whole weekend and we'd have an easter egg hunt on Monday not Friday. She accepted that well thank goodness. And it turned out great not only cause I got to put off going to the shops to buy a few treats, but when I did yesterday they were all half price!

We had a quick FHE before the hunt about the true meaning of easter by watching the clip below. The girls said it was boring cause there was no talking, or even singing, but after we explained the meaning of it they thought it was really special. Special alright!

When it came to the hunt Faith really wanted to do it outside, but I told her it was a bit rainy and that might mean there would be slugs and snails around that could get into the chocolate. With that, she was happy to have it in the lounge. So I told the girls that when I got back from my meeting (aka easter egg shopping) I found a note from the easter bunny with some treats and he said on the note that they had to hide in the office while I hid the eggs in the lounge. Worked perfectly! It's so convenient how I can make up stories like that and my young, naive children believe their Mummy whole-heartedly.

Reverent Book for Ella D

A reverence book I made for Ella's birthday (using a template off pinterest)

We need a new family photo!

It's got about 20 pages and each one has a write-up and picture to explain a different aspect of the gospel. I'm hoping it will serve as a quiet book in sacrament and a teaching aide for FHEs. Now I need to think of some kind of church book to make for Faith's birthday this year cause the other 2 kids are both getting one now.....which reminds me of the busy book Mum made me. So cool to know that this book was made for me by my Mumma and no one can dispute that with the name of the book being 'Melissa's Book'!!!

Taking pics of this tonight made  me think three things
1. How lucky am I that my Mum made me this special book that I can keep and pass on to my children
2. How on earth did she find the time to make such a cool book, that would have been so time consuming to put together
3. I must get it out for my children to use (they'd love to learn how to do the giraffe's bows and the lion's plait)

Thanks Mumma! xoxo (Grandmumma!)

Uncle Seth's birthday (Lemon, Yoghurt & Chia Seed Cake)

On Tuesday this week it was my first day back in the kitchen so to speak. I said to Daddy Joe before he left for work that I'd make our first proper dinner since Dallin was born (we'd been provided with dinners up until then). I didn't know what I'd make or how it would go timing-wise, but as it turns out I needn't have been worried. Devilled sausages and mashed potatoes were a hit with everyone, and I even had time at the last minute to make muffins/cupcakes for Uncle Seth's 32nd birthday. Every day is unpredictable at the moment. Wednesday also went well dinner-wise.....Thursday was a last minute trip to Dominoes for pizza!

Lemon, Yoghurt & Chia Seed Cake (cupcakes)

1 1/2 C Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 C butter at room temp (117ish grams)

1 C Sugar

2 Large Eggs

1 tbsp Lemon Zest

3 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 C plain, greek style yoghurt

2 tbsp Chia Seeds

Pre-heat oven to 180C.

Grease cake tin or cupcake tray.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, BP, BS and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by lemon juice and zest.

Stir half of the flour mixture into the lemon mixture, followed by yoghurt and chia seeds. 

Stir in remaining flour mixture, stirring just until no streaks of dry ingredients remain and the seeds are well distributed.

Pour batter into prepared tin(s)

Bake for 40-45 mins for cake, less time for cupcakes.

Allow to cool and then dust with icing sugar or ice (cream cheese icing!) before serving.

Soooo yum, and maybe a little bit of a healthy option?!?!?

The girls are addicted to colouring in at the moment. Every spare moment is spent with paper and coloured pencils, or asking me to spell words for them so they can write shopping lists, invitations etc. 

My babies are growing up....:(

It's so bittersweet to have my children grow up. As much as I hate sleepless nights, trying to communicate with someone who can't communicate back, whinging, and all that comes with little children, I also get really sad when I see that my children are growing up and realise that although they'll always be my babies, they won't always be my babies, if that makes sense.

Since Faith's tooth came out a few weeks ago I've been forced to accept that she's getting older and bigger and that's never going to stop. Since the moment we brought Dallin home, Seth has turned into a 'big kid' who tries desperately to talk (and is doing really well). I can't believe my little Seffy Sunny Man can talk now.....It makes me really cherish and enjoy snuggly moments with my baby Dallin!

Updates for Faith for the past few weeks.....

Faith waits for me at the fence in the Summerland carpark every afternoon so I don't have to find a park and walk in to her classroom. She's so good at doing it, although sometimes if she thinks she's waited there too long she has a big sigh when she gets in the car and says 'Mum, can you not take so long!!!!'. A couple of weeks ago she asked if she could play with her friends on the playground for a bit before she walks to the fence. I said yes, but it didn't really work out because she doesn't have a watch and didn't know how long 'a little bit' was. So off we went to Kmart to buy her a watch. Now she can play until 3:10 and then she has to walk to the fence.

Although, since she got the watch Dallin's arrived and the deal's changed. She now walks out of the carpark and about 10 houses down the street so I don't have to get so close to the school just in case Dallin's throwing a patty in the car for the pickup...even better!. We can be out and back from the school pick up in 3 mins!

This is the watch she really wanted...over all the cute girls ones!?!?!?! I couldn't talk her out of it until we read at the top that it says 'boys'...phew!

She was quite keen on this because she wanted one with 'hands' but when I started to explain how they work she realised it was a bit too advanced for her.

Finally settled on this one

Ella Updates....

At the dentist getting some sealant on one of her teeth.

Mummy and Deppy watching her at the dentist (Deppy is what he calls himself)

Seth Updates....

Guess who loved the choc fudge pudding I gave him for breakfast a few weeks ago...thanks Aunty Nae

Gosh, I caught this just in time. Big sissy 'helping' to do little bro's nappy

Seffy in big boy heaven...going round the block on his bike

Updates for Dallin....

One of our only pics with Dally's eyes open...thanks Aunty Natty

Big cuzzy Kyky with his little doll

First ever blood test, at only 6 days old....poor little poppet. She screamed for the whole thing, which took ages cause the lady had to prick her foot and squeeze out enough blood drops to fill 2 little vials.

She is awake sometimes, honest! Usually at about 3-6am!!!