Curls

As if out of nowhere, these beautiful curls appeared.

It seems like only yesterday sweet Lyla had hardly any hair.

No wonder everyone always thought she was a boy. Not anymore.

Love the curls my girl.

xx

{Linking up with My little drummer boys for wordless Wednesday}

{a-z}

Lots of tagging going in the blogging world of late, I have been a few times{thanks to some super lovely ladies} But if you hadn't noticed I am pretty hopeless at those things, I find it hard to know where to start with the ten things you didn't know about me. But, I remembered seeing this here sometime ago and had been meaning to do it. So I thought it would be a bit of fun and a way for you all to get to know me a little better.

A. Age: 28
B. Bed size: King
C. Chore that you hate: Washing dishes
D. Dogs: Archie, our new boston terrier
E. Essential start to your day: Cup of tea, preferably in bed!
F. Favorite color: Yellow and coral
G. Gold or Silver: Silver
H. Height: Short
I. Instruments you play: Unfortunately none
J. Job title: Mum and hairdresser
K. Kids: Riley and Lyla
L. Live: Melbourne
M. Mother’s name: Catherine
N. Nicknames: Jodes, jo or jo jo
O. Overnight hospital stays: Only when I had my bubs
P. Pet peeves: Wet sponge left in the sink, wring it out!
Q. Quote from a movie: Tico-taco, ya-ya-ya! {clearly I've been watching to many kids movies lately} 
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: Two younger brothers
T. Time you wake up: When the kiddies wake up
U. Underwear: Yes
V. Vegetable you hate: Can't think of any
W. What makes you run late: Hubs would say its me, I like to think otherwise
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Maybe of my ankle when I was a kid..
Y. Yummy food that you make: I like to think its all pretty good!
Z. Zoo animal: Elephant all the way


Consider yourself tagged!


xx

Vanilla cupcakes with fresh strawberry icing

With Lyla's birthday coming up next month, I have been trying out a few new recipes that I can hopefully use on the day. I am not that keen on highly artificially coloured party food, so anything with a little fruit in it is good in my books. I haven't quiet decided if I am having a party for her or not yet, but either way these will definitely be included! 

Ingredients
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs, best quality you can
225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 
1 vanilla bean or teaspoon vanilla extract
100g fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries or blackberries) 
150g icing sugar 


Method
Preheat the oven to 190˚CBeat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon or an electric beater until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before you add the next. Sift in the flour. Add vanilla and fold the mixture together.
Line muffin tin with paper cases, I used a mini one {this recipe said it would make 18 cupcakes but using a mini tin one I got 48!} evenly divide the mixture. Put the muffin tins into the oven and bake for 15 minutes for regular or 10-12 for mini. If a skewer comes out clean they’re cooked, if it’s slightly sticky they’ll need a bit longer until cooked through and golden on top. If you cook them for too long, though, they will go dry so keep an eye on them.Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.


Icing
Mash up 50g of your chosen berries with a fork or whiz them in a food processor. Then pass it through a sieve to make it lovely and smooth. Sift over the icing sugar and mix until you have a smooth paste.
When the cakes have cooled completely, dip them in the icing so that they are nicely coated, then top with fresh cut fruit, if that's what you are using. The kids coated some of theirs in sprinkles too, which were a big hit! 

This recipe is by the fab Jamie O {but I tweaked it a little} you can find the original here.


I loved them, maybe even a little too much. It made so many I have even frozen a batch too {un-iced} so will let you know how they hold up.


Do you have any go-to recipes you always use for your children's parties?

x j

{the weekend} feet up

There was a lot of feet up action here this weekend, as we took shelter from the scorching Melbourne heat.
It was seriously hot, too hot for me.

I worked on Saturday and then came home to the most awesome surprise, my brother was home! He had changed to an earlier flight and got back four days early! So good to have him back, I really did miss him so! We then had some friends that we hadn't seen for a long time over for a bbq, it was lovely to see them and the children played wonderfully together. It was an early night, thankfully, after what was a long hot day, I was tired.

Sunday we laid low and tried to keep cool. We had a leisurely breakfast and coffee, pottered around, relaxed, lazed, listened to music and spent quality time with the little ones. And also did extra fun stuff like catch up on the washing and I even washed my couch covers, who knew you could!? They were dry in no time.

A nice all round relaxing weekend, before a busy week ahead.

I hope you had a lovely weekend too!

xx

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Linking up with SouleMama

Have a lovely weekend my friends.

'Knickernoos'

Have you seen these gorgeous little bloomers over at Rowantree Design? 

Beautiful, vintage fabrics, delicious gelato colours, what's not to like?

Roberta is running a little giveaway on her blog, pop over and show her some love!

image from Rowantree design.

{snap it} won-tons

So yesterday we made some won-tons and here are some rather colourful snaps to prove it!

 {strawberry stains totally count, right?}

So much fun to make, messy but super tasty! The little people loved them!

Linking up with the lovely Sarah over at Faith Hope and a Whole Lotta Love.

Have you made won-tons before? Do your little ones help out in the kitchen too?

x j

Our Daylesford Camping Adventure

We headed off on Saturday afternoon on a little camping adventure. It was so nice to get out of the city, into the fresh clean air, it was a break we all needed. We just had the best time. Fishing, walking, playing, eating ice-cream, relaxing and reading. At night we sat by the fire, played card games and drank wine from a plastic cup. We had a little bit of rain, a lot of tantrums from Lyla and tired little ones, but besides that it was a pretty perfect trip. Really such a beautiful part of the country and so good to getaway.

How was your weekend?

x j

Kitchen Time

I fancy myself to be a pretty good cook, always spending a lot of time in the kitchen, reading recipe books, cooking new things... Well that was before I had kids. For the last three years, I have cooked what I know, quick, easy, home-cooked meals, with limited experimentation.

But this week, thanks to this lady, I have found my self back in the kitchen, cooking new, inspiring and delicious recipes, that not only I have loved but my little ones have too.

I feel like my old self again.

I love cooking for my family, I love them to try, taste and experience new foods. And I am grateful for that. I'm grateful that I feel inspired to be more creative in the kitchen again, that my little ones are accepting of new foods and that I am able to provide that experience for them.


Linking up with Maxabella, what are you grateful for this week?

Happy weekend!

x jody

Chocolate Oat Cookies

I love to bake simple things at home, either for us to have for morning tea or to take along to a play date. I always find it far easier to chuck something together quickly at home {while the little ones watch a couple of episodes of Peppa Pig} opposed to rushing and dragging them to the shops to pick up something. Simply because most of the time that 'something' will be either pretty ordinary, a total rip off or worst of all both.

These little beauties are a Nigella recipe. There simple, quick to make and have oats in them unlike regular chocolate biscuits, that makes them healthy, right?? Oh and did I mention they are delicious!

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain flour
75g rolled oats
35g good-quality cocoa powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
100g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
75g light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
125g milk or dark chocolate chips

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line two trays with baking paper.
Combine flour, oats, cocoa powder and bicarbonate soda in a bowl. Set aside.
In an electric mixer, beat butter, caster sugar and brown sugar together until the mixture is thick and pale.
Beat in the vanilla, followed by the egg, then slowly beat in the dry flour mixture.
When it is all mixed together, fold in the chocolate chips.
Roll handfuls of batter between your hands to form cookies, about the size of ping-pong balls. Very slightly flatten them before spacing them wide apart on the baking trays.
Cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes, the time will depend on the size of the cookies and your oven, but I mine were ready at 12 minutes.
When they are done they would have spread into big squidgy discs. They will feel soft to the touch but will harden a little as they cool.
Remove from the oven and stand on trays for a minute. Then remove to cool on a wire rack.

Too easy. Just try not to eat them all at once!

xx

Quiet

I have been a bit quiet here this week and I am not completely sure why. Things are pretty good, pretty well normal I guess. Spending a little more time with the kiddies and in the kitchen and on instagram. Riley was really distraught at kinder drop off this morning, but went on to have a great time. Lyla has got the tantrum throwing down to a tea, but I'm trying not to pay any attention to that. It's all a little time consuming and draining some days. But other than that things are great. I just don't think I have much to say, but you can look at some photos of my little ones anyways...

x jody

A matter of the heart...

This week been a little bit of a tough one for me, for all of us really, but Riley mostly.

He had a few big things on, the first of which was a trip to the hospital for an ECG. We found out a few months ago that he had a heart murmur and had been waiting for an appointment at the children's heart clinic. Thankfully all went relatively smooth, well when it came to the test, he did put up quiet a bit of a fight, but nothing a bit of bribery couldn't fix! It is a painless test and results came back fairly good. He does have a murmur, a loud one, but not necessarily a bad one. The doctor suspects it to be an innocent, something he can live with, but would like to do more tests in about a year.  Phew! So glad to get that over and done with, for now.

Then my little man had his first day of three year old kinder! {I told you big things were happening this week!} He was so excited and I think he was really ready to go. The drop off went fairly well, after the initial cry's 'take me home' and 'I don't want to stay', I set him up with some painting and made a speedy exit, no tears. On pick up, I spied him from the window, sitting on a mat with the other kids, while the teacher read to them, I could see he was listening intently and was completely drawn into the story. It was a beautiful sight to see, my big boy, sitting, listening, learning, someone else teaching him. My heart ached a little, a tear rolled from the corner of my eye, my boy is growing up, my baby, he is so ready for this, I just don't know if I am. Thankfully he was happy to report that he 'only cried for a little bit, then I stopped and played', 'I had so much fun Mama!', 'I love Love LOVE kinder' he proclaimed and I guess that it says it all really.

That afternoon, he really was the happiest I have seen him in a long time. He bounded around the backyard, pratalling on about what he had done. He was so proud of himself, as are we. He did a stellar job. And I am oh so impressed with how he coped, on both occasions. He surprised me even, with his bravery and his ability to handle each situation. I mean it was difficult, but he did it. He was so pleased with himself and I couldn't be happier.

I am happy and grateful, that this week is over, that we all dealt and coped with it all, as a family. I wouldn't want it any other way.


Happy weekend lovelies.

I'm linking up Maxabella, what are you grateful for this week?

Happy Birthday Mr.S

Happy birthday to my gorgeous hubby Mr.S. 

We first met twelve years ago on this day and as soon as I saw you I knew you were the one.

You are truly an awesome husband and father.
I love what we have, and I couldn't imagine my  life any other way. 

Today we celebrate. Presents in bed, the little ones made you cards and paintings. 

I'll make you eggs for breakfast and one of your favourite meals for dinner. 

We have party hats, ballons and blower things just for fun as well as jelly swirl cheesecake. 

Because you always like to make strange cake requests, just to give me something to do.

No placed i'd rather be, than to be with you.

Love, love and then some more love.

xx



photos by Little Red Photography.

Blog Love Five

Here are five blogs I am loving right now. Not necessarily new, but new to me.

Milk Please Mum

I love Tahnee's blog, she writes of her everyday life, being a stay at home mum to her three little ones. She is gorgeous, as are her children and photographs.

Mama Muesli Bar

Beautiful, beautiful Amelia. She writes from the heart, her story is that of a fairy tale and her wedding confirms it, with stunning photographs by the talented Tim Coulson.

Mrs.Clark Blogs Tea and Me

Gorgeous Stacey, she says it herself, she is a lover of life and the simple things. A beautiful family and a beautiful life. {and even more amazing photos by Tim.}

Suburbansider

Lovely Ainslie, creative and passionate. Blogs about her suburban adventures. Capturing the beauty in the everyday. 

Typically Red

Greer is simply delightful, recording her days with her family living in the beautiful Southern Highlands. Her children are gorgeous and recipes to die for. 

I love these ladies and think you will too. 

xx