summer strawberry shortcake

we love this shortcake, and can use jam or fresh fruit...it is filled with naughty butter so we just have this as a treat occassionally...in theory!

250g soft butter - shhhh

3/4 c castor sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2c flour

rind of orange or lemon

chosen fruit or jam

*beat the sugar and butter, add egg and beat some more. Add all other ingredients, and mix.

*Spread 2/3 or it over a greased tin (I use a spring base for easy removeable, but even glass or pottery baking containers are fine)

*spread the fruit or jam over the base

*dot over the remaining douigh mix

cook for around 30-40mins at 190c.

dust with icing sugar and serve warm with whipped cream...or if feeling spiffy make a lovely berry coulie on the side.

ahhhh, a slice of summer.

the school holidays after camping

I have so enjoyed having my girls home with me during our summer break...7 weeks has flown by and not seemed nearly long enough...we have enjoyed visiting family and friends, making lots of jam, trips to the beach and bush, summer tea parties, water fights, sewing, music, and so much more...here are afew pics , am aiming for one a day since mid January.

garden sweetness

we have a very small but productive garden at our place. both my girls love to photograph things...and here are some sweet summer finds they shot....

Camping trip

for the last few years we have managed to get away with 2 other family's who are wonderful company...and off to various beaches we go, camping. Massive amounts of planning, baking, packing and wedging the last minute bag/s (oops), onto an already overstuffed trailer. You never know if the kitchen sink will come in handy afterall!!

An awesome holiday for the kiddos, and for us too....although one must be honest, with 2 preschoolers, one does feel like a jack in a box, jumping up and down....'No son, don't throw yourself into the ocean...no son, don't throw your sisters towel into the ocean...um son, could you put the large stick down and not poke that random kid with it'...etc etc. I am being a tad silly, they were very well behaved and slept wonderfully in the tent...but you can never truly relax till they are asleep. Its all part of the camping fun!

This is the first year in 5 years that I have not being heavily pregnant (like 34 weeks...on an airbead, on THE GROUND), or breastfeeding a 10 month old....it was rather, well, odd; and less revealing! (trust me, a good, nay GREAT thing!). Awesome time had by all....and am not ready to pop the tent away just yet, so am looking forward to at least one more camping summer adventure.

Christmas pictures...well just a few

We spent Christmas day with loved friends. We had a lovely BBQ lunch and then swim down at the bay, followed by a seafood extravaganza and costume party! We didn't get everyone photographed which is just silly!...but here are a couple. Set went as Billy ray Cyrus (to mock him more than anything!) I went as Cleopatra, Josaye went as Dylan from Charlies Angels, Nyah as Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, Jose as Spiderman, and Micah Jack as a wee cowboy - twas fun! ... And so special to celebrate Jesus's birth and reason's for it together with another family who feel the same.

Some of these pics were taken New Years day, but thought would pop them all into one post, the celebrating could seriously go on huh! The pic of Micah in his gobbles )goggles) boots and clothes to run thru the sprinkler was too cute not to post too....hes just a wee nutter!

Cathedral Cove

We are sooooo fortunate to live in a part of NZ that gives us easy access to some of the most beautiful spots in the world...., we took the kids to world famous Cathedral Cove this week, famous for its stunning jewel like beauty and also for appearing in a few films, like Narnia (I think the 2nd one??), and theres another one that I can't remember the name of, off hand. Its a wee trek into this spot, about 45 mins, Set is superman - must get him a cape - he carried one wee guy on his back, and 60% of the time another wee guy on his front. Given that we don't do featherwights in this family, it was quite a feat!

This spot is simpy spectactular....white sands, white rock and cliffs, blood red powotakawa flowers and transperant turquoise and green sea. It was a busy day there, I had no idea everyone else in the world would be there!...we has launches, yatchs, sloops, speedboats, coming and mooring for a while, the occupants diving into the sea....lots of people like us trekked in and then out (I didn't count the stairs to get up the first part of the cliff but it sure felt like 100's!).

It was a wonderful day of exploring (depsite the hoardes of people), wee caves pummeled out of the cliff faces for small boys to explore. Snorkling we saw crayfish, wee fishes and other marine life. And of course the famous hole in the rock, which we walked through to reveal another exquiste beach. It is a stunning place, and I am thankful to have spent a small time there - hopefully to be repeated again! These are just few pics from out day.