looking back...

what an awesome year you have been 2010....like a roller coaster, you had your ups and downs, but aiming to treasure the ups and learn from the downs, has given you the label - FABULOUS. (warning its long and picture heavy!)

*January*....we spent some wonderful time away with friends camping in Waiotahi, a day trip to the amazing Cathedral Cove...so stunning depsite the hike (sign says a moderate walk...HA! not if you are carrying a toddler on you back and a preschooler on your front....one chick walking past Mr Man, said, 'what a tank!"....indeed!)
We spent time with family and friends and lots of time at the beach too....Devonshire afternoon teas become commonplace as did Jammy slice and peach chilled tea....jam was made and salads homegrown...

*February*..... school was back (boohoo), but more weekend beachtime had, surfcasting and frolicking....Nyah went on school camp with dad and they had a blast at the Mt for a week...Nyah the sweetie, still ended up 'mama-sick'...Valentines day was a 'sweet' affair with heart cakes eaten and messages of love for each of us from each of us....I made the paper hearts filled with smarties for all my sunday school kids......playcentre was much more interactive and fun for an almost 2 year old Micah, and as usual Jose rocked it...and also started back at kindy 2/3 mornings a week...my dad had an op, I also worked a fair bit in support of my friend while she undertook treatment for cancer ...a juggle, but am blessed with supportive/whanua oriented staff who love having my boys on site.

March*....is one of our birthday months....starting with our baby...who turned 2 and had a horsey party, with cousins and a few friends, complete with mama made hobby horse.....followed by our sweet neice's 5th birthday which saw us travelling the nearly 3 hours to surprise her for the day...then Jose turned 4 (what the heck!) ...and we kept things simple and had a family celebration with the table turned into a race track to deliver food on....my 2nd sister celebrated her birthday and my aunt and Nan and mother....so its fair to say LOTS of cake was made AND eaten.....

*April*....was a making month....we had a lovely family Easter party, and also a choc-feast Sunday school movie night/party...we visited the Auckland museum and made the nearly 3 hour trek to visit with family....the boys in our house made Micah Jack a new little 'big boy bed' and new pew type seats to fit more bottoms around the table...I made high-waisted skirts galore, and tutus (which Pipi-long-stockings the dog is modelling for us above)...more food created and consumed....

*May*...another mass family day to celebrate Mother's day....time at the park, a firestation visit and truck ride, sports days and baking made up the month of May...as well as another sister's birthday to celebrate....falling into the rhythm of winter... winter sports started up, and of course carried on working a bit too...

*June*....a sweet neice was born to our family....and the midnight dash across the country to meet her was a wonderful adventure .... we discovered how to make crumpets and of course had to have a peach teaparty with them (several times - ahem), we spent many nights with the guitars out, and had a 'middle east night' with Nyah's girlfriends, complete with dressing up, candles, turkish food, facts and music...we also had another family birthday...

*July*...I spent 5 days in Melbourne with my brother and his family - it was just splendid, and so lovely to be the aunty...craft-it-round started and it was lots of fun to make and also to recieve treats in the mail!, Nannie celebrated 80 years with all the family comig to celebrate with her...we had some lovely winter beach picnics, and made baby spill clothes, a reversible russian doll, more skirts, aprons, and continued knitting.....and had a momentous birthday with our 2nd baby turning 10!! an awesome day spent in the city going to the movies and treats and all the cousins coming to party...

*August*.... spring started to slowly emerge...We celebrated a neice's birthday, supported my lovely friend through childbirth, was part of a vintage swap (yay!), boys went off fishing with dad, made another beanie and tonnes of winter pj pants, went on a trip with the boys to a water garden, worked, ran basketball for school, another op for dad and very sadly my Uncle passed away....

*September*.... was about pulling my family together a bit tighter after a busy month before, we celebrated winter sports wrapping up (they are fun but 2.5 terms of EVERY Sat being out in all weather...hmmm), we did a couple family art nights, had a silly and fun Junlge fever party, and met Miss Daisy brown....getting to know and train her was a fun project for us all with ALL credit going to Miss Ny for paitence and kindness...

*October*...is the other party month! with a cousins/aunty/us birthdays every couple days, so once again get the cakes crankin out!! Another trip to the family for a sleepover! We celebrated Mr Man, me, a bunch of family and friends and then at the very end of it all...our 'Saye turned 13!....a wonderful party day for her and camping trip with her girlfriends too...swimming at the beach started again YAY!, we also held a crazy superhero party for a bunch of cool kids!

*November*....calf club took up lots of our time as did Ag day- both very cool! I had a trip with Jose to the zoo...and my mum met us there! Our sweet Nannie died, that broke our hearts....we had to take lots of deep breathes after that....we caught up with friends and got swept away with life's doings, but nursed sore hearts....we learnt to use a rotory hoe and planted 60 metres of potatoes, pumpkins, courgettes and corn, we had my work's staff do, which was a hoot, and Mr Man ruptured his achellies tendon...so another adventure for us began! We learnt about kindness and patience and graciousness like never before...and hospital waiting rooms...

*December*...featured lots of FOOD, making it, planning it, trying it, reading about it....a sweet neice entered our world, so beautiful. There were plays to attend, prizgivings to gush at how fab these girls are (seriously....am so happy for them!), we had a quite wedding anniversary celebrating 14 years!, a house to pack up, Christmas, a trip to A&E with our son, fortunately his arm wasn't broken (phew), physio appointments for Mr Man, Oesto appointments for me, work, shopping for gifts, making gifts etc....and then on the 27th we moved to what feels like Paradise....it has been an upheavaly (yes thats a new word!) 8 weeks inparticular, and I just want to sit...on the beach, on the deck, on my bed, in the garden...don't care where as long as its sitting....and taking some deep breaths.

Welcome 2011, we are excited to live you!....(after breathing you for a bit)...

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.

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....

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.