Home Time

My small girl and I at Brisbane airport.

If you follow me on instagram or my blog facie page you'd know a few weeks ago I buggered off for a girls weekend with Aurelia and left the boys in the capable hands of their dad (knowing my bestie only lives around the corner helped). One of my oldest friends was getting married and I wasn't missing it, and I certainly wasn't taking everyone that far half way through the school term. When we found out we were having a girl we'd talked about having boys weekends and girls weekends I didn't think it'd be this quickly though!
As strange as it felt to be away from the boys I knew it'd be over in a heartbeat so I tried to enjoy it while I could. I must say getting back into homework, bath time and cooking dinner has been hard work!

Cardigan socks. Obviously not in Mackay now Toto! 

I flew to Sydney where as soon as I picked up my luggage I was cold! Cold people! I hired the cutest little car that my luggage and pram barely fit into. I never drove a beep beep car, my first car was a v6 sedan. It was fun even though I didn't think I was going to make it through some of the hills in the blue mountains!
I wanted to fit in as many coffee dates and catch ups as possible, i don't make it home as often as I'd like to and now that were in the process of building a house (eek!) our travel budget has been rescheduled for house stuff, so before we'd even left Sydney I snuck over to bondi to see my gorgeous cousin and her very handsome little man Beau who's only a couple of weeks younger than Aurelia before the trek out through the blue mountains and out to my home town.

The Blue Mountains. Beautiful but always awful weather. 

I did a quick whip round the shops then headed out to see my gorgeous friend Emily and her new house which was only at insulation stage last time I was home. Whenever I see her its always like no time has passed, sign of a good friendship I think. I stayed almost all day which would have been nearly impossible if I had everyone with me.

Emily with her gorgeous hilarious daughter Grace and Aurelia. 

Saturday we headed off on a road trip within the road trip to babymacs hood which was even colder and man I loved it. We wore scarves and pants with real shoes and cardigans! cardigans! Its one of the big things I miss about home is the seasons, autumn leaves and cold crisp air. there's nothing quite like it.
We made it with just time to spare to get changed spruce up our hair and get our bums to the wedding which was gorgeous, not what I was expecting but very Tina which was perfect.

Ready to go!

My gorgeous friends and their hubbies. Wedding photobooth for the win!

Before mum Aurelia and I went back to Orange we had a yummy breakfast and a walk around the markets. 

Rolling green hills and moo cows, picture perfect views on our drive. 

Before we flew home I stopped off to meet another brand new cousin and catch up with his gorgeous mumma and my uncle Mike.

Hunter and Aurelia. Only about two weeks apart.

It's hard living so far away and missing all the important things like new babies in the family and new houses and the everyday coffee playdates but it makes going home and seeing everyone everyone extra special.

Changing it up

Lately this is what our house looks like between dinner and bed time.
Lots of books being read and listened to and lots of cars driven around.
No TV.
Parenting is a strange business, you get used to something then they grow and change and the old ways and rules don't apply any longer. Picture this: one small girl cranky because she's tired and wants to be fed constantly, four small boys all talking at the same time at me, the TV blaring with either Michael or I trying to watch  something on the news or the kids watching Simpson's re runs, me trying to convince everyone to stop staring at the TV and eat their dinner. It's  a pretty picture right?
So this week we've turned off the TV before dinner and it stays off until after everyone is in bed. It's been ridiculously lovely and calm. Tonight once my hungry girl finally had enough milk for a small calf she went in the swing and the boys all hung out in the playroom while I tided up the kitchen and started on lunches for tomorrow. We ended up having a bit of a sing along and requests to play that song one more time. By the time everyone was done with teeth it was only just bedtime and everyone is quite happy to go to bed.

Why didn't I do this years ago? Who knows if it would have even worked a few years ago.
Parenting, it's a strange business.

What have you done that you didn't think would work?

Another Birthday!

My second babe is officially seven. Doesn't he rock a Charlie Chaplin mo' quite well?

We had his birthday party a few weeks after his birthday which meant he got two cakes and two lots of presents.Yep he has the birthday thing figured out!

I don't see James being a crowd follower. He has his own crazy ideas and no matter what you say or do he doesn't shy away from what he wants or believes in, I love that about this kid. The thing on the top of his list was a body pillow and he wanted a chocolate mint themed party. He's a one of a kind our James and I hope he never loses that.

So happy with his  body pillow. 

His chocolate mint cake for his birthday. Brownies, ice cream and whipped cream. 

For his party on Sunday it was raining, this poor kid has had one sunny birthday party his whole life. The joys of having your birthday during the wet season!

His party was pretty low key, cake, a lolly buffet and a few friends all inside. The lady who runs the lolly buffet company suggested the moustaches and I instantly saw cute photo opportunity, pity the rain kept us inside and by the time I remembered to take the photo the kids were done with partying, Jack is missing because he was busy having a tantrum in his room after losing a game of musical chairs, yep it was one of those days. 

A spot of musical statues, pass the parcel and musical chairs, there's only so much you can do inside.  

See those big jars? They are full of green frogs. Green frogs!I think I'm quite  in love with the lolly buffet idea. Don't be surprised to see more of these in our future! 

My gorgeous boy, let's hope seven is good to you, love you to the moon and back again.

House Swap

A couple of weeks ago we had a cyclone coming. To stop the house ending up looking like Dorothy's from The Wizard of Oz we decided at dinner time to move the house around, just until  the cyclone had been and gone but we loved it so much we decided to keep it this way permanently.  Our house is a very odd shape and I've struggled with where to put stuff and how to make it work for us, pretty unsuccessfully so far. 

Before our lounge room was right at the front of the house right next to the kitchen.

Our playroom was at the opposite end of our living area. To be honest it wasn't fabulous but we didn't really think we had much option being a rental. 

So we swapped the two areas around, and I have to say I love it.

!

Its a bit cosy and lovely. Less open and not right at the front of the house so I don't have the neighbourhood kids starring at me daily while I'm feeding Aurelia, always a bonus!

I'm so in love with the playroom, its so open and bright and having a couple of couches for them to hang out on has been a plus as far as they are concerned.

The kids absolutely did well out the swap. I've been found hanging out in that armchair when they are watching yet another episode of Peppa Pig.

Did you spy the sleeping baby? Bless her for letting me tidy up to take some photos!

Lazy Key Lime Pie

Over the weekend I mentioned on facebook  I was eating key lime pie and more than one person asked for the recipe, I promptly took a few photos of it, because that's what  you do as a blogger. See I do remember how to do it! 

Ingredients: 

1 packet of plain sweet biscuits (I used scotch fingers)

50gms melted  butter

1 tin of condensed milk

3 eggs

Zest and juice of  2-3 limes (depending how limey you like it,and yes limey is so a word) 

Method:

Smash up the biscuits to a fine powder, unlike me who was far too lazy and busy to be arsed doing it properly.

Melt the butter and mix with the biscuit crumbs, press into a pie dish or spring form cake tin. refrigerate until cool. 

Mix condensed milk, eggs, lime juice and zest and pour into biscuit base. 

Bake at 170 Celsius until slightly brown around the edges, it wont be set in the middle, don't freak out. Pop  it back in the fridge for at least two hours it will cool and set.  

Add extra lime wedges if you have extra and slather with cream and devour like a lady with a plate or straight from the fridge like me.