Dedicated and Determined

As I walk or drive our neighbourhood I see this lady quite often. I first saw her while I was on a walk with Haylie. We had just gone up and down a big steep hill and were on our way home. As I walked past her I was amazed and in awe.

She was a mum and was pushing a stroller. It was just your regular kind of stroller, nothing fancy. In it she had one child, probably about 2 years old. Sitting on top of the stroller, near the handle, was another child, probably about 3 years old. As if that wasn't enough she was also carrying a backpack baby carrier in which she had another child, probably about 1ish.

I couldn't believe it. I walk regularly with Haylie in a stroller. It is a jogging stroller and so has good tyres, is lightweight and is made for walking. Haylie isn't a big child but it still gets pretty heavy and hard to push sometimes, especially up a hill.

That was exactly the direction she was going. She had to go up a hill, down a steep hill and then up the other side. I struggle just to get Haylie through that part and she was heading there with three children all attached to her somehow.

I have seem her a few more times around the neighbourhood and my mum, who lives not far away has also seen her a few times.

She obviously has a goal and nothing is going to stand in her way. Most people with three children under the age of three would give up on the whole loosing the baby weight until their children were a bit older. Maybe go for a walk when their partner is home, get someone to watch the kids while she exercised, or just plain not bothered.

I almost feeling like stopping and calling out encouraging words to her. She is definitely Dedicated and Determined.

I have totally slacked off in the exercise and eating healthy department. I reached my goal and past it a while ago and since then I have really lacked the motivation to stick with it. Don't get me wrong I definitely won't ever get close to what I weighed to start with but it is easy to get slack. I guess I need to set some new health goals so that I can get my motivation back.

I don't think that I would have every been as dedicated and determined as the lady with three children, pushing and carrying her children just to get some exercise!

Sleep overs

When I went to Sydeny Haylie slept over at Grandma's house for the very first time. She loved it and has been asking to sleep over again.

This week we got to catch up with a friend and Haylie practically invited yourself to sleep over her house. Her husband was working night shift this week so she welcomed the company.

On Saturday before being picked up she was very excited. She helped to get her bedding and clothes packed and made sure she had all her toys to sleep with. When she heard the knock at the door she ran over and was jumping up and down with excitement!

She couldn't wait to get in the car and leave. After some quick hugs and a short wave she was off.

We met up at church today and she came running over and gave me a big hug but she didn't want to sit with us. She sat up the back with her friend. I thought she might of gone back and forth a bit but she stayed with her the whole time. After sacrament I went to give her her fruit for nursery and to take her to nursery but she didn't want me to take her. She wanted her friend to take her.

After church was finished she didn't want to come home with us. She had decided that she wanted to sleep over again. So there she is spending a second day at her friends house.

It has been fairly quiet around here. It doesn't matter what child is missing, when one is gone it seems so much quieter. There seems to be less fighting, less questions and less mess.

I hope that when she comes home tomorrow she doesn't get too upset. When she has her mind set on something it can be hard to change it. I guess we shall see in the morning!

Baking Day

On Thursday I felt like doing some baking so I invited my Mum over to join me for the day. We made lots of yummy things and tried out a few new recipes.

Before mum came over I started out by making some Anzac biscuits. I got the recipe from one of the many cooking magazines that I constantly buy.

I doubled the recipe below because otherwise they don't last long around here. I also added chocolate chips to half of them. My kids can be really picky about what they eat so I find that if I add chocolate chips to it somehow they will give it more of a try.

I love these cookies. They are soft and cake like, which I love!

Chewy Anzac Biscuits

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup desiccated coconut

125g butter, chopped

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda

1. Preheat oven to 160C
2. Combine oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl.
3. Place butter, syrup and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter     has melted.
4. Stir bi-carb soda into butter mixture.
5. Then, mix butter mixture into the oat mixture.
6. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. (I make mine smaller than this so I get more) Place on trays 5 cm apart. Flatten slightly.
7. Bake for 12 minutes for chewy biscuits of 15 minutes for crisp ones.

Next up we tried a lemon cake. Ever since we went to the cupcake shop to try some cupcakes for Caitlyn's party and ate a lemon curd cupcake I have been wanting to find a deliciously, moist lemon cake recipe. Well here it is. It was so easy to make and tastes divine. Of course, none of the kids like it, but that just means that there is more for me!

Lemon Cake Recipe
3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup (280g) thick natural yoghurt
1 3/4 cup caster sugar
2 cups self-raising flour

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F)
2. Place the oil, eggs, rind, lemon juice, yoghurt and sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Sift over the flour and stir until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into a greased 24 cm round tin and bake for 35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
5. While the cake is still hot remove from the tin and place on a plate.

Next up we made our very own foccacia bread. Mum got the recipe from her friend and I'm so glad that she did. It was so yummy.

Foccacia
400ml lukewarm water
2 teaspoons yeast
4 teaspoons oil
500g flour
Pinch salt
4 crushed cloves of garlic
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
(Add half the garlic and rosemary to about 1/4 cup olive oil for brushing later)

Mix water, yeast and oil together. Add flour, salt and 2 cloves of the garlic and half the rosemary and mix to combine. Knead for 10 minutes. Rise for an hour. Knock down and shape into a rough rectangle about 3/4" - 1" thick and rise another 30 minutes. Press with fingertips to put little indentations over the whole surface of the dough then brush generously with infused oil and sprinkle with rock salt. Bake at 200-220C for 20 to 30 minutes until golden.

We didn't have any time left but I also wanted to bake some White Chocolate and Raspberry muffins and I wanted to try some zucchini bread as well. Maybe next week!

Home, Sweet, Home

Well I'm happy to report that my boys made it home safe a sound. We were all very happy to see each other and spent all of yesterday just hanging out at home talking, looking at photos and playing together.

They had such a great time catching up with family and spending time together. I'm sure we will continue to hear stories about their adventures for weeks to come.

They are both very tan and have obviously enjoyed lots of time in the sunshine.

The girls were very excited to see what presents they got. They had to wait extra long for them though because only one bag made it onto the plane so the rest were couriered out to us later in the afternoon. They were very happy in the end though with the dresses that Daddy picked out for them.

Buzz picked up Haylie during the afternoon and had her on his lap and asked her if she missed him, her reply was, "I missed Lachlan!" You can tell who she really loves! She has been happily sleeping back in her own bed now with no tantrums!

Tomorrow it is back to normal with everyone heading off to work and school. Both Buzz and Lachlan will have a lot of catching up to do!

I'm glad that they had the opportunity to go and visit family in America, but I'm sure glad that they are home once again!

Today . . . .

Today . . . . is Thursday. I like Thursdays. It means that tomorrow is Friday and the end of the week. Plus          Friday is my day. All the kids are at school or daycare so I can do what I want or need to do. So to me Friday is the start of the weekend!

Today . . . . Mum and I went to the markets in the city. We had so much fun. We found some cute little shops that we will definitely be going back to.

Today . . . . I got some yummy fruit and vegetables at great prices.

Today . . . . I saw some of the biggest apples I've ever seen in my life. They were as big as a rockmelon. They would definitely feed the whole family!

Today . . . . I got to visit with a fabulous friend. She has been having health issues for a long time now and is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Today . . . . I fed my girls the yummiest, sweetest, juiciest corn on the cob! It is one of the only vegetables that my children will eat so I try to give it to them a lot.

Today . . . . The sun was shinning, yet I didn't get chance to hang any washing on the line!

Today . . . . I am glad that my internet is working again, most of the time. In the world today it is so hard to be without the internet for any amount of time. I'm lost without it!

Today . . . . it is only 2 more sleeps until my boys come home!

Five!

So . . . . . . . it's only 5 more sleeps until my boys come home! Yay!

I can't wait to see them and give them both a great big hug.

I can't wait to hear all about their adventures and see all the pictures and video that they have taken.

Those five sleeps are going to pass by so slowly!

The girls are also very excited to see Daddy and Lachlan again.

Haylie misses having Lachlan sleep in the bedroom with her. She has spent a few nights in my bed because she says her room is too scary!

Every night it has been a fight to get Haylie to go to bed. She says she is not tired and comes up with numerous reasons to keep chiming out.

Last night she had a massive tantrum because she didn't want to sleep in her bed. She was in full meltdown mode completely with kicking, screaming, yelling, hitting, throwing, jumping, and crying. It went on for over 40 minutes before she finally gave in and went to sleep.

Yesterday, as we were eating dinner, out of the blue, Amie said, "I can't wait to see what Haylie looks like when she grows up". Not sure where that came from!

Only 5 more sleeps . . . only 5 more sleeps . . . . . only 5 more sleeps!!!!

Best Friends

The weather this week has been a bit weird. It has felt like spring has come early, but it was just a tease because today it was back to the wet and cold weather that is normal for August.

On Tuesday, however, we decided to take full use of the beautiful weather and headed to the park for a picnic.

When I told Haylie what we would be doing that day she replied, "Yay! Chase and Tilly are my Best Friends!"

Chase: Hay, hay me too!

Haylie: No! (You can be my best friend but I won't share with you)

Tilly wasn't too sure about the slide but she always had a smile on her face at the bottom.

How big is she?

Sooooooo big!

I love that hand on the hip!

We had a great day playing and eating our yummy lunches together. I can't wait until the warmer weather comes to stay so that we can do this more often.

Playing Around

One of our favourite parks to go to is Thomas Turner Reserve. It has lots of open areas for kicking a ball around, it has a path running through it for riding bikes and scooters, it has a basketball court, swings, and a huge climbing thingy which the kids love but that I just picture a trip to the hospital!

So here we are . . . . .

Climbing

Jumping

Spinning . . . . . 

. . . . . . and more spinning

Rocking

Writing

Balancing

Contemplating

And running away from the camera!

By the way you may have noticed that there are no pictures of Haylie playing at the park. That's because she was a daycare.