self promoting. .

Blogopolis is upon us and although i cannot attend the actual conference {damn work.} I am going to attend the social events. As you probably know, the lovely ladies of hello blogger events are hosting official Nuffnang pre-Blogopolis drinks on Friday night.. no way was i going to miss it! I have never been to such a big blogger event and i am super excited.


I have seen lots of people tweeting and talking about business cards all week, and how many they may be bringing along.. this started to make me a little nervous.. am i out of my league? am i crazy going to such an event not knowing anyone and being so new to the blogging world?


To put my mind at ease, and just in case someone asks for one i decided to make some little Lemon Rhodes calling cards today.

Of course they are limited addition, so better get em while there hot!


And inky fingers are the perfect accessory for the night, right? 


Hope to see you all there! 


x jody

Up in the air i fly. .

Joining faith hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys for wordless wednesday.

x jody

Simple Carrot Cake.

With this dreary, cold and windy weather we have had of late, i have been having friends over for morning tea and play-dates a little more frequently. I like to bake, as do the little ones, its a fun activity we can do together. Usually i would make my reliable, quick banana cake. But have you seen the price of them lately?

So today we made a simple carrot cake, for our visitors tomorrow morning.

Ingredients
125g self raising flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground or fresh nutmeg
2/3 cup olive oil {i substituted some of the oil for natural yogurt}
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups finely grated carrot.
60g roughly chopped walnuts {can substitute with coconut}

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line an 18cm baking tin.
Mix flour, sugar and spices. Add oil and eggs and beat in an electric mixer for 1 minute.
Stir in carrot and walnuts. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for about one hour.
Cool in tin before turning out.
When cooled, dust with icing sugar or cream cheese icing.

Icing
In a food processor, blend 60g cream cheese, 125g pure icing sugar and 30g softened butter.
Add a few drops of pure vanilla then spread over cake.

I hope they like it as much as they liked licking the spoon!

x jody




Recipe from The Cook's Companion by Stephanie Alexander.

Pumpkin + Rocket Salad

In keeping with my new regime, i have been eating a lot more salads. And this one i love.

Ingredients

1/4 pumpkin peeled and roughly chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds 

8 slices of prosciutto

2 large handfuls of rocket

about 2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

handful of shaved parmesan cheese

1 dried chilli {optional}

Method

Preheat your oven to 190°C. Toss pumpkin in corriander, salt, pepper, a splash of olive oil and dried chilli {if using} Roast in oven for about half an hour until golden and soft. Set aside.

Either tear prosciutto or leave slices whole. Place on plate {not too neat}. Add pumpkin and sprinkle over rocket. Drizzle over a little olive oil and the balsamic, add a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, and use a vegetable peeler to shave over the parmesan. Easily done.

{Serves two}

Linking up with Anna over at Much Love.

Happy Monday!

x jody

This is my adapted recipe, original by Jamie Oliver, from here.

Grateful . .

I'm a little late with my grateful this week, but couldn't miss linking up with gorgeous Beth over at Baby Mac, whom is hosting this weeks grateful, as the lovely Maxabella enjoys a well earned break.

I am so grateful for date night. {The first in a year!} Mr S and i went out last night to celebrate our anniversary. We headed to our favorite local Japanese restaurant. As always. A brisk walk around the corner, in the chilly night air. We feasted on sushi and sake, to our hearts were content and  stomachs were fuller than they ought to be. Oh so grateful to have my favorite crispy cucumber wrapped salmon sushi. No one else i know makes it, apart from the ever so talented, Steven, master sushi chef. And it is the best.

So grateful for a night out on our own without the little ones. Grateful for a fun night with my gorgeous husband. Grateful for the adult conversation. Grateful to my sweet brother for babysitting. And grateful for five happy years of marriage. May there be many more ahead.

{I am also grateful i got to meet the very talented Megan Washington today when she popped into the salon, she was so kind and polite, while i pretended to be cool.. but in reality was giggly and starstruck.}

What are you grateful for this week?


Happy Weekend!

x jody

Five years today..

Five years ago today, i married the love of my life.

It was a simple wedding, planned in under three months. On a day just like today, icy cold, but the sun shone for us.

I couldn't have imagined a more perfect day. It was better than i had ever dreamed. {not without a few hiccups, but how quickly we forget..}

Mr S, after eleven years together, i cannot imagine life without you, nor do i want too. You are amazingly kind, caring, compassionate, oh so handsome, a little stubborn and sometimes i think you need your hearing checked. I love you as much as the day i meet you, and more. I love the life we have made together and of course our beautiful babies.

Every day is better because of you.

Happy anniversary.

Love, love.

jody

you can read more about our wedding here.

Puffy Paint. .

We have been getting crafty here too this week. And puff paint was the order of the day. Thanks to the circle that is blogging, i stole the idea from the lovely Beth of BabyMac {whom i think got it from Corinne who got it from i-mumma} Anyhow it is fab and i know its not a new thing.. lots of people have done it before.
It is so cool i had to share it with you. It rocked my little lovelies world. And killed an afternoon.

Puffy paint

1 tablespoon self-raising flour

a few drops of food colouring

1 tablespoon of salt

Combine the above together with a little water to make a smooth paste and paint away on pieces of cardboard. When the artworks are finished pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds until they magically 'puff' up and dry.

You've got too give it a try. Best part is not having wet artworks all over the house!

Have fun!

x jody

Love Nancybird Sale. .

This is for you my Melbourne peeps.

I am crazy for Nancybird.

Think gorgeous bags and scarves.

Think Nina Proudman.

Think about me. I had that bag way before Nina ever did.

Check it out. It's a must.

You can get all the info and more here.

Happy hump day lovelies!

x jody

A Brow Raiser. .

Nothing good happened over the weekend {well my little family are always good, but i had some less than desirable extended family visiting, I am not going to talk about them, but am thankful they are now gone.. Is it just me all do we all have family members we rather not see?}

Anyhow i did get my self some new spiffy eyebrows! After recommendations i headed to Brow Theory. An eyebrow threading specialist. For my first threading experience. {*Treading is an ancient Indian art which uses a length of cotton thread to remove unwanted hair. 100% cotton thread is twisted and then manipulated to remove the hairs from their follicles as it glides over the skin- a process which removes the hairs and leaves the skin intact.} And i have to say i am quiet impressed!

Eyebrows make such a difference too ones face, they have given me such a lift. I am weary today, but somehow i don't look as tired as i feel. Must be the eyebrows! They were worth the little bit of pain and didn't even cost as much as i expected. Was especially nice to treat myself and have a little pampering.  

I love my new eyebrows. I can't stop looking at them.

So what do you think? Have you been threaded?

Linking up with Anna over at much love.

I love pugly pixel and her marvelous tape strips too! 

Happy Monday!

x jody

*all information is from Brow Theory.

Grateful . .

This week i am simply grateful for music. It has the ability to lift ones soul and change a mood in nothing more than a beat. I love music. It is healing and soothing. I can loose myself in the words and be me. 

It amazes me that such a simple thing can change life so drastically. The sound of the music, the lyrics, the rhythm. 

I heard this song whilst out today and was reminded of how much i love it. Such an awesome song, i just had too share it with you.

It reminds me that i can be me, myself. I don't need to be something i'm not.. i can go my own way.

For this i am grateful.

What have you been listening to this week? what songs have touched you?

I am joining the lovely maxabella, you can join in too..



Have a good weekend lovelies,

x jody

Purebaby Summer Photo shoot. .

Ok.. I will inflict more photos of my little ones on you. I'm a proud Mumma.. 

Purebaby {organic baby clothing} asked for Lyla to come back and do their summer photo shoot.

Of course i happily obliged.

We had a super fun time, even if Lyla was doing her best temperamental diva act. 

My little man was lucky enough to get in on the act too.

 Which helped Lyla feel a little more at ease in front of the camera.

I'm told they got a few good shots, but only time will tell.

We had a great day. The clothes were beautiful, the people even more so.

Keep your eyes out for her this summer!

x jody 

Bad mood rising . .

This is a rant.

My afternoon went from bad to worse..

1. My beautiful beef and lentil curry burnt in the oven. Ruined. There goes all my hard work in the bin. Am not happy. Thankfully the freezer once again provided us with a lovely meal, i had prepared at an earlier date.

2. Lyla did a huge shit in the bath. Again. Why does she always insist on doing so? She will be wearing swimming nappies in the bath from now on.

3. Go to have a shower to relax and take a moment.. hot water runs out while i have shampoo in my hair. Again, why does this always happen. I am now freezing.

Thankfully there is wine in the house.

The afternoons events don't seem all that bad now i've written them down.. i think it has made me feel a little better. But then again it could just be the wine.

Rant over. Thank you if you made it this far.

Sláinte.
x jody

Wordless Wednesday..

Joining faith hope and a whole lotta love.

x jody

The No Bread Update. .

So it has been three weeks now since i started my 'no white and fluffy' regime. To be honest i have had my slip ups, and at times i have really missed my favourite crunchy, chewy sourdough bread.. but on a whole i have been good, muesli with fruit and yogurt for breakfast, plenty of warm yummy soups and salads for lunch then meat and vegetables for dinner. {weekends are for cheating} but I have well and truly boosted my fruit and vegetable intake and have been eating loads of fresh produce.

I feel great. I have so much more energy. I don't feel so weighed down and sluggish from all those extra carbs i was eating. Best of all i have lost 3.4 kilos!! Woohoo! Being sick probably contributed.. but I can see the change starting to take place. I am getting results and all my efforts are starting to pay off.

Only 10 kilos to go.. fingers crossed i can keep it up.


How are you going on your own journey?

Happy Monday!

x jody

image here.

Snip, Snip. .

Riley's second haircut.

x jody

Grateful . .

After the non eventful week we had i am feeling grateful for coffee. 

A little pep me up. Warm and comforting.

 A chance to have a moment to myself and catch my breath.

Thankfully i can make myself a decent one at home.

Have a lovely weekend my friends.

Joining maxabella, you can join in too..

x jody

Making our own fun . .

At risk of sounding boring and repeating myself, i'm going to tell you we were all sick again this week. 

It made for a very long and uneventful week. Feeling very uninspired and unmotivated. Nothing better to do than make our own fun.  My little lovelies decided to combine their two favorite things.. colouring and baking.. 

Ah the joys.. 

What fun things do you're little ones like to do when their trapped inside?

Happy Friday!

x jody

Hellenic Republic

This time last week i headed out for dinner with a couple of girlfriends. We ventured over to George Calombaris's restaurant Hellenic Republic. It was amazing, I love Greek food and this was the best. We shared the beautiful 'Trapezi menu' and a few bottles of local wine. Saganaki served with beautiful peppered figs and sweet loukoumathes - greek donuts were my favorites, along with the great company and conversation we had an awesome night. 

Nothing beats a girls night out, fabulous food, laughter and plenty of wine. So good for the soul.

How often do you go out for a girls night? 

Do you have any exciting plans for this week?

x jody

Ice-cream gift tags!

Check out these gorgeous free gift tags by the oh so talented Amy Moss

from eat drink chic! You can get them here.

Guaranteed to brighten your day!

x jody

Rings on his fingers and bells on his toes . .

An uneventful weekend here. Work, dinner with friends, fun, dress ups, lots of tea and plenty of rest for me.

What did you get up to over the weekend?

x jody