Grieving...

We are grieving and shocked at the loss of a dear friend and pastor at the moment.

So thankful for our hope in Jesus Christ, and the knowledge that right now he is having the time of his life.

Beautiful thoughts about him here.

Cranberry, Walnut & Chocolate Chip Biscuits

There is something about the tartness of cranberries mixed with the crunch of walnuts and sweet chocolate chips... I'm drooling right now as I type!

This is a basic chocolate chip biscuit recipe (my all time favourite that I make all the time) with the extra additions of cranberries and walnuts.  As you can imagine, the flavour combinations you could create with the basic recipe are endless... pistachios & cranberry, coconut...  Mmmmmm!!! 

Cranberry, Walnut & Chocolate Chip Biscuits

Ingredients
125g butter

¼  cup sugar

2 tablespoons condensed milk

A few drops of vanilla essence

1½  cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼  cup chocolate chips (or more)

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter, sugar, condensed milk and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Sift flour and baking powder into creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips, cranberries and walnuts and mix.

Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls and place on greased tray. Flatten with fork.

Bake at 180°C for approx 20 minutes.

For more delicious recipes visit here.

Loving!

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.  

Joining in with Things I'm Loving over at it's new home @ MNM's...

Loving making Cranberry, Walnut & Chocolate Chip Biscuits!!!

Loving the circus being in town!!  We were given free tickets, so walked as a family to the circus last night and loved it (check out their site here for more info)!!

Loving new nail polish... but not loving being asked by someone at work if my girls had been painting my nails for me ;)

Loving seeing the Retro Granny square blanket getting snuggled under (and on top of in Barney's case)...

 Loving new sparkly shoes and pretty pink skirts (not for me of course)...

Finally, loving PicMonkey!!  If you are missing Picnik, don't despair... PicMonkey is here, with all new features, including a Collage maker!

To join in with your loving, click on the icon below...

Retro Granny Square Blanket!!!

It is finished!!  There's something so satisfying about finishing a large crochet project... this one started over the summer holidays.

This granny square blanket was originally named "The Ugly Blanket" but after your encouragement here, it was renamed "The Retro Caravan Blanket" (or The Retro Blanket for short).

For some reason I keep thinking of the old TV test pattern.

Now all I need is a retro caravan to go with my blanket.

Amazing what you can make out of your wool scraps isn't it!!

To check out my other finished crochet blankets (and the traditional "Yay, I've finished so lets do a crazy photo" pic, click on the photos below...

Woohoo, I've finished it!

For more crafty makings, go here. 
Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Weekending it...

It was a good but also strange weekend...

Good in the fact that we missed having our car (and ourselves) smashed into by an out-of-control driver (ours is the white one and it was scary as we saw it coming right for us) but also strange, because not one of the people crowding around after the accident went to check if the poor old lady in the car was okay... so I used my recent first aid training and took control of the situation (while shaking like a leaf and praying like crazy under my breath).

First Aid training is awesome (and so it having a mobile phone with a camera).

It was a strange seeing one of my late brother's pieces of art being sold, and showing the nephew and nieces he never met, their Uncle Jamie's work.  Strange because I remembered it (he did 3 pieces that were similar, all painted on pieces of an old dresser), and good because the funds were going to an amazing cause.

Don't ask me what "The Owl Power" is either. 

It was a great weekend, as I saw the last of the loose ends of the Ugly Blanket Retro Blanket being tucked away, ready for it's edging and big reveal sometime soon (I still reckon it's rather ugly though).

It was strange finding Boo with her super-scary-sleeping-while-eyes-open face on.  She's usually really cute, but sometimes she pulls out this rather disturbing look while dozing, and frankly, it sends shivers down my spine...

See what I mean?

How was your weekend?

Things I'm Loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.  

As you heard last week, my time for hosting this linky has come to an end, but guess what???  There is now a new host for Things I'm Loving over at the amazing (and one of the most committed Things I'm Loving linkers) Meghan's blog, MNM's!!!  I'm really looking forward to joining in when I can - thanks Meghan.

To link up this week, go here!!

Cheese Damper

I am soooo proud of my hubby.  Lately he has stepped it up from "awesome husband" to "super amazing husband" with all his helping out around the house.  Apart from helping out with heaps of the household chores, he has been cooking a lot more, and his meals are delicious.

He has definitely changed from the guy I met who used to look up a recipe book to boil an egg!!

Recently, he treated us with silky smooth pumpkin soup and cheese damper (speckled with feta cheese, edam cheese and herbs).  It was delicious and so simple to make, and a great alternative to our usual soup accompanier... scones or bread. 

Cheese Damper

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

½ cup grated cheese

½ teaspoon mustard

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Sift flour into bowl and stir in milk.  Knead on a lightly floured table/board.

Sprinkle on cheese and seeds and place in a hot oven (200 degrees) for 25 minutes.

Serve hot with butter.

Delish - thanks honey!

Private photos...

Sometimes Mums goof around with their kids and take funny pics... and sometimes husbands secretly take those goofy photos and upload them onto facebook without their wife knowing.

Oh well, now that the secret is out, you can all have the pleasure of seeing me do air guitars with my ironing board...

And now that I have no dignity left at all, here are the rest of my goofy Mother's day photoshoot...

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mum's out there!!

To my Mum, my Mum-in-law, my Grand Mum, my amazing friends who are Mum's, my friends who are doing it alone as solo-mums, you are precious and so important!

May you have a great day... and have a laugh at this while you're at it.

xoxo

Loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.  

Here are a few things I'm loving at the moment...

Loving my precious birthday girl in her new fluffy hat (and totally love that cheeky laugh!)...

Loving my beautiful Nan (here holding her newest great grandchild)...

Loving the Paw Print cake... we used oreo cookies and brown pebbles to make the paw prints.  We also learned that if you put brown pebbles on a cake and leave the cake in the fridge overnight, the brown pebbles will fade and go green...

Loving my hard working 'animal whispering' husband...

Loving that the season of hoodies is here!!  I love winter!!

Loving beautiful and moving stories like this and this!

Also, just wanted to let you all know that "Thing's I'm Loving" as a regular weekly linky is finally coming to an end.  I have LOVED sharing the things I'm loving space with you (and I know you have too) and I will still continue to do my own random loving posts when I can, but not as a regular Friday linky.  Thanks for being a part of this thankfulness journey, and I hope you will continue to look for the things in life to be thankful for, even if they are simple. xoxo


Here's how you can join in....

Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!! 

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Party Party!!

This year is our 'non party' year... but that doesn't mean there's no room for a bit of celebration!

So the bunting was put up, the paw print cake was prepared and the grandparents were invited over for Taco's and birthday cake.

We had a great time - and our own personal Cake Carrier even made an appearance...

I love birthdays (and I also love my husband, even though he looks slightly scary).

Birthday girl...

Happy Birthday today to my special big girl.

My girl with the beautiful brown eyes, cheeky laugh and super soft heart.  The one who is always nearby for a cuddle.  My precious girl who was born with a tonne of thick, dark hair - my Eskimo baby.

We hope you have an awesome day - and a wonderful year.  You are growing into such a beautiful young lady.

xoxo Mummy & Daddy

Just so you know...

: :  Hello from the land of 'whew what a CRAZY yet awesome week last week was'

: :  Last week we learned (well, let's be real and say 'Symon' learned) that even though you think you've put your cellphone onto mute, it can still ring it's strange funky tune... while you are taking your first ever funeral.  Yep, embarrassing indeed (especially when he fumbled to turn the phone off and it rung a second time).  

: :  While talking about embarrassing moments last week, I can now join the list of women who have been asked if they're pregnant when they're not... rather funny at the time, but can play on your mind a bit later :)

: :  I love the weekend... just saying (especially Sundays).

: :  I know everyone says it, but seriously, where in the world do all of those missing socks go?  Is there some sort of vortex where they all go and live happily together?  I am sure that last week we lost at least 3 socks into the unknown.

: :  Wearing your belt around your head can make you do strange things (proof above).

: :  I'm really loving soup and fires and crochet blankets at the moment as the onset of Winter can be felt here in New Zealand.

: :  Boo has an eye infection and needs a trip to the vets.  I'm still planning on forcing one of our kids to become a veterinarian when they grow up so that we can save mega bucks (or the other options if they don't want to be a vet is a mechanic, dentist and electrician).  No room for big career dreams in our household!  JUST KIDDING... sort of.

: :  We have a birthday in the house in two days time... and Symon is on birthday cake making duties! 

: : Deep down I'm a real softy, and last week I found myself tearing up at some of the amazing acts of love I witnessed around about me.  Loving others and giving to others is so much more gratifying that being focussed on yourself.  

: : p.s. any theories on where missing socks go are most welcome...

The Earth is Yours...

A bit of live forest music for your Sunday, by Gungor...

Things I'm Loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.  

Just a short one this week from me, because things have been pretty busy around here.

Loving my darling guy and our Mondays off together hanging out at random local Cafes.  This week we hid in our local library with a few magazines each and coffee.  So good!

Also loving his sweet love notes left on my computer at work.  I know it's a pretty bad pic taken on my phone... but can you make it out?

Here's how you can join in....

Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!! 

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