happy birthday honey

these guys have something they want to say to you :)

we love you and hope you have a wonderful day.

:)

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 21

Delicious

Banana Spring Rolls with rum sauce from PF Chang's - so good!

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 20

Before/ After.

After spending 4 hours on a bike in the snow and the rain this is what you get.  From shiny happy to dirty cold muddy butt! Oh the things people do in the name of fun...

Welcome Baby Buster

Born today at about 1pm.

8 pounds 15 ounces.

22 inches long.

Melita and Baby Boy (still choosing the perfect name) are doing great.  Cody is excited to be a Dad again and Savannah is still deciding what she thinks of it all :)

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 19

Funny.

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 18

A corner of your home.




























The new lights in the renovated spare bedroom/office.

March Photo a Day - Day 17

Green.

I took this one this weekend about 45 mins out of Fresno, where Bryce rode his first mountain bike race today in about 5 years.  More on that in another post :)

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 16

Sunglasses.

I took this one today on our walk.  the neighborhood was eerily quiet for lunch time on a friday today.  it was the calm before the storm we're having tonight.  it was good to be out in it.  we took our time and I enjoyed taking it all in, as did Coop - stopping to sniff at as many spots as he possibly could.

Bryce, Mabel and I are all sick this week...  Mabel started vomiting on Sunday night, by Tuesday night I was vomiting and then Bryce got his turn this morning at around 2am*.  So this week has been pretty domestic.  Taking care of Mabel and each other, eating bland foods, drinking gatorade and pedialyte and washing sheets, towels, and baby clothes like a mad woman.  ah the joys of parenthood...

hope you have a wonderful (vomit-free) weekend

:)


*I had no idea that babies could give us their illnesses - I guess I just assumed that their germs were baby sized and while they pick up all sorts of things from other kids, us adults were immune.  I mean, I never get sick... ugh.  I was wrong... 

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 15

Car.

This is Bryce's lego camper van that he got for Christmas from Hannah, standing in front of one of Dad's paintings for effect :P  

It took him a few days to put it all together, I think it has about 1100 pieces.  It came with full instructions - which I think is just cheating...  did lego always have instructions, or is that a recent thing?  maybe I just never looked at the instructions as a kid?

anyway, this photo challenge has been quite fun so far.  some creative thinking is always a good thing :)

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 14

Clouds.

March Photo a Day - Day 13

A sign.

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 12

Fork.

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 11.

Someone you talked to today.

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 10

Noise.

March Photo a Day Challenge - Day 9.

Red.

My most awesome Valentine's Day gift from Bryce. :)

Love you baby
xx

motherhood

I found this one pinterest this morning, and it's as if it was talking to me...

March Photo A Day Challenge - Day 8

Window.

My Dad planted these seeds when he was here way back in October.  They are Illawarra Flame Trees and the pair in the back of the photo sprouted not long after he left.  This one in the foreground however just sprouted this week, when I moved the pots to a sunnier window!

March Photo A Day Challenge - Day 7

Something you wore.

March Photo Challenge - Day 6

5pm.

March Photo Challenge - Day 5

A Smile.

March Photo Challenge - Day 4

Bedside.

March Photo Challenge - Day 3

Your neighbourhood.

March Photo Challenge - Day 2

Fruit.

This cherry blossom will make way for the fruit  soon.

march photo a day challenge

I'm starting March with some creative fun.  I'm joining the Fat Mum Slim Photo a Day Challenge thanks to my friend Tracy.  I watched her post daily photos on Facebook through February and was inspired to jump on in.   Here's the list:

 and you can join the fun too over here

I'll post my photos daily here, and on my pinterest board, and on my instagram.

Here's today's photo:

UP

9 months

Our baby girl is 9 months old! 

it happened in a heart beat, really.  just like everyone tells you it does - but you never understand how that could be.

she's blossomed into quite the little character.  she's got spunk.  

she's cheeky. and she knows how to charm you.  look at that cheeky grin :)

Mabel
 - 9 months old
 - 11.5kg (25.1 pounds)
 - 75.5cm (29.75 inches)
 - (97th percentile for both height and weight)
 - 2 teeth with another on the way
 - sleeps all the way through the night (yay!)
 - sitting up by herself and starting to pull herself up on things and getting into a semi crawling position
 - makes her way around the floor, by pushing herself backwards on her belly.


these days are super fun for me.  I spend hours each day sitting and playing with her.  she's not quite mobile yet but so eager to know about anything and everything around her.   she's really into music and loves listening to me sing (glad someone does).  loves playing with all her different toys but is equally entertained by a cardboard box or the tags on her bib.  is quite the daredevil and loves the wind in her hair.  she loves going fast on the swing, jumping in her jumper and when daddy flips her over and upside down.  lights up when you enter the room and gives a little squeal of delight when Cooper comes near her.  loves playing peekaboo.  says dadadada over and over again.  and working  on mumumum :)

i couldn't love her more if I tried.

fear of pinterest?

Pinterest is awesome, don't get me wrong.  In the early days when I signed up to do the Pin-It-Forward challenge on SFGirlByBay's blog, I didn't quite understand the concept fully, but now I pin with all my might.  It's the perfect thing to do while rocking Mabel to sleep at 3am :)


But, does anyone else have the same tiny bit of anxiety that eats away at you about your pins that I do?  the pins which you have lovingly sorted into their right pretty pin boards suddenly. disappearing. never. to. be. seen. again???


No? it's just the control freak in me?  Oh, well I mostly have this fear about this board.  Especially the recipes I've already tried and love.  What if one day I click on that great recipe and ooops, not found... it's what nightmares are made of.


So, instead of printing it out and adding it to my recipes file (which is so 1995) here is the first of many recipes I've found on Pinterest. What better way to get back into the blog? (yes, I know.  it's been a while... )


enjoy the cake!

Bananas and Cream Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

original recipe here

1/3 cup butter (original recipe calls for shortening)

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium) (I used 4 because that's what I had going bad in my fruit basket)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350° F (180°C)

Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt cake pan

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add bananas and mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, stirring just until combined. Stir in walnuts. 

Pour into cake pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Place a piece of waxed paper under the wire rack before adding the glaze.

Brown Butter Glaze

1/2 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (original recipe calls for 3, but I just found that is SO much icing for my liking)

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar. Place butter in a small saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown. Remove from heat and pour butter into the bowl of powdered sugar. Add milk and vanilla, stir until smooth. (I had to sift mine through a sieve as I couldn't get the lumps out - both times I've tried this recipe)

Pour over the top of the cake and let it ooze over the sides.