sweet strong ...and 5!

ooo mushy babe, all of 4 weeks old, and nearly outta his basket

almost 5! and growing everyday

5 arrives! and we so celebrate with all the superheros from near and far!

Micah Jack...you are so very precious to us all.  we love your curiosity, your pondering of how all things work together - your considered questions to the links of info still out of your grasp.  I love that you think before you speak, that you love to find out how things work, your compassion and slow to anger temper.  You are a lovely, lovely, lovely lad, who is super creative, making things everyday to improve some aspect of whatever thought-wave you are on.  I heart-adore the fact that despite being a busy lad, you fashion me the sweetest jewelry, thinking through the sizing and placement of jewels (this week shyly placing a tiny package in my hand during a work meeting; revealing 100 pieces of sticky-tape and wrapped; inside lay a beautiful 'diamond ring', that I have proudly worn all week).  You are loyal to your family, protective of me and my heart; your dad's buddy in all things fish/workshop/lawns/weights ...and more.  

We celebrated in style this week, inviting precious family and some of his little friends, dressing up as superheros and eating superhero style...a few games, as everyone seemed to love running and hiding and playing in the secret garden...and we all had so much fun remembering how to skip.  the very best part ...we get to hang EVERYDAY, ALL DAY; as you are now a big school boy - in MY class; so exciting! love you my treasure, to the stars and back!

my boy -Jose

happy happy birthday baby.  A St Paddy's day birthday boy!  This year was extra fun, as we had out school Funrun to organise and go to...followed by pancakes and then off to the hugest, meanest mudslide ever!  What a brillant day to turn 6!

recieving a birthday pressi from the Funrun DJ, and the whole crowd sang for him...very touching

made it....down the hill in a last ditch sprint and into my arms...

hehehee...5 muddy bunnies - wanna hug?

slide action

one grinning happy birthday boy.

Jose, you are our ideas man...and we alternatly groan and smile when we hear "hey Mama I have a great idea!..."...you are seriously fabulous, and have a super fun sense of humor - you and I do ridiculous well!  I love your compassion and kindness, the way to hook your arm round my neck and how you have bravely chosen to give up your cuddly (cos 6, according to Mr J, is too big for cuddly's)...I love your zest for life. and contagious laugh....you inspire me son. x

birthday portraits

I used to be onto it with taking about a million photos a day...this last 6 months has seen that easing somewhat (working outside your home does that-pooh)...but I really am committed to birthday portraits...so withut further ado, the latest birthday boy's pics...seriously how cute is this kid!  His eye slay me everytime...just love this wee guy so very much.

happy birthday Micah

from this sweet babe, with the softest beautiful curls too....

this sweet big 4 year old...so fun!

happy happy 4th birthday sweet Micah Jack....we are so very blessed to have this pirate lovin`, gumboot wearing, 'its ok mama I can help oo' saying boy...I'm so very thrilled to have this lad as mine.  Micah you make me smile - everyday.  You make my heart scrunch up and fill with joy being with you....I love when you put you warm hand in mine and secretly squeeze it, and the way you wrap your arms around my neck and hold tight.  You are bright, funny have the cutest wee songs under your breath, I love that you are reserved and think about what you want to say, that you'd rather go visit the chickens and animals than sit and watch TV.  I love that you like helping, and that you think your brother is your best friend.  You make your sisters want to squeeze you - and seriously have the best belly laugh I have EVER heard, I love whenyou have a 'great idea mum' and your eyes twinkle.  Thank you Lord for the gift of our serious and funny boy....happy birthday my lad, you are loved beyond measure.

happy birthday boy...aha me `arties!

14

large birthday cake knife - its a tradition to use it...ahem.

sweet sisters...didn't even squabble for the night!

small boy 2

small boy 1

our biggest gal has had a birthday - a very special birthday ...well now, aren't the all?  Menu request: NO VEGES....hmmmm, trouble with that order, but given the quantity of tomato sauce consumed and homemade potato wedges, maybe I could feel a little better??  So, large homemade meat pizzas, icecream sundaes with raspberry sauce, and a big slab of mud cake later...they were are asked to go for a run in the paddock!...who would've thought we would be here, at 14!!!

our babies....celebrating life!

this gal is sassy, fun, clever, caring, logical (think McCleod daughters logic), a bit crazy, loyal and is developing a wonderful strong sense of who she is...we are so proud to call you ours sugarplum. x

birthdays....

Alice in wonderland....and indeed it was! heres a wee pic of my lovely friend Frithy's birthday cake I was lucky to make....and what a wonderland extravagancer it was....she went to so much trouble and and we just loved all the sweet touches she had made for our Mad Hatters teatable, with wee 'drinkme' stirrers, and 'Eat me' cupcakes, and SO much more = AMAZING!...happy birthday gal....your 30's are gonna be tremendous!

HAppy birthday sweet Josaye! 13...

13 years have passed - what on earth! it has flown, and been a miraculous and amazing journey...one my sweet girl, that I am proud to hold your hand for...you amaze us with your insight and compassion, your helpfulness and intuition, your inner strength and beauty....I love that you are so different from me in some ways and so the same in others....I love that I can rely on your care of your siblings, and that you try to put them first - I love that your plans for life include shooting for the stars....know this baby girl, we will protect as much as we can, delight with you in your achievements, cry with you in your sorrows (may they be few and far between); support and love you always. Happy birthday sweet lady-child.

She chose to take her friends camping for the night out in our local bush/streams...we had a blast! I learn't a few things to about 13 year old girls!! 5 in a tent!...they are all lovely girls and it was a treat to hang out together....our wee lads thoroughly enjoyed the attention! and also learnt about peeing - ie not into the wind, not on mum's foot, not near the BBQ etc...good times hehe!!

The the rest of the family joined us the next day, for a lovely BBQ that was a teeny bit posh...and a swim down at the bay.... I so hope she will remember this time.

ps, I know the above photo of her cracking up isn't the best posed photo...but to me its gorgeous - her sister is pinching her butt and she's just lost it, and is laughing crazy.... it makes me smile everytime I see it.

happy weekend

Lemon Honey drop cookies - mmmmmmmm...

hope y`all get to do some of this over the weekend....we had a lovely picnic in Rotorus planned, with fly fishing for the kids and a visit with my Nana....but given the sky has opened up....I think I'll do this, and perhaps try an convince Rhyley the cat the blanket I'm working on isn't for him - silly kitty.

we're off....and a GIVEAWAY reminder too

Guess what?? We are off with a bunch of other families to the first camping trip of the season...pretty excited about that! and pretty frazzled too, as we leave in about 5 hours and I haven't done enough...and have packed too much!(and am on here instead of icing the cake I put too much flour in and now feels like a brick- a friend suggested that it would do for sinkers if the kids didn't like it!-HA).

I figure that the man really DOES like feeling frustrated with me, and ENJOYS finding places to stash my over abundant packing...so in a special way I really AM doing him a favour - ahem.

Righto so also am here to remind any lurkers out there to pop a comment on the last post - or this one, to be randomly selected for the giveaway/pay-it-forward chance...YAY for cool handmade stuff. I have indeed been making the odd pretty or 2 to spice up the packages I'm making- super fun!

cherrio cherubs off to ice a chocolate brick....x

Fejoia Cake

I'm trying to use fejoias in as many ways I can think of....a house down from us there is an entire hedge of them....they live overseas most of the thime....man I hate seeing good food on the ground rotting....so cake it is......this is just an apple crumble cake with fejoias substititued. Oh did I mention I really don't like fejoias! But cooked they're edible!!

125g butter

1c sugar

2 eggs

3/4c milk

2 c flour

4 tsp baking powder

TOPPING:

fejoias to cover the top of cake, skins off and chopped in half

1/2c flour

2 tblsp brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

50g butter

cake is made in a saucepan (so love this)...pop sugar and butter in till melts. Beat eggs and milk together and add alternately with sifted flour and baking powder. Mix it all up and pour into a 20cm cake tin.

Arrange fejoias over the cake. and sprinkle over the mixed together topping (rub the butter thru the other ingredients).

Pop into the oven for about an hour at 180c, and serve warm with tonnes of whipped cream!

This stayed moist for 2 days-might last longer but around here its inhaled!

Happy baking.