Snowball and Axel

Here's Axel he's Dave's dog.
he was the cutest little thing.

Snowball was not too sure about the new member of the family

Look how cute !!

Nap time....together

Snowy

Axel

Nap time again

catch up...2012..

Helloooo, it's been a long long time since I've blogged...I've been so caught up in FB and sucked in by those '----ville' games :/

We went on a cruise last year from Brisbane to Cairns... it was so much better than I thought it would be. Will do another one day. It was great to just relax and sit back...not cook and clean...or do any washing or make beds...just had to walk around, sit down, have a drink and eat.. even though we were just along the coast of Australia...being out in the water kind of made you feel so tiny...there was sooo much water (obviously) would be so easy to get lost out there.


I'm getting used to the new house I guess....well, I don't hate it now...still thinking about re doing the kitchen but it's not so urgently. Having a pool during summer has been great...even though it's an above ground one.. just to get in there and cool off ...ahhh

Show's I've been watching on dvd.... 'Six Feet Under' , loved it.. 'True Blood'...waiting for the next season ..and 'Supernatural' still need to watch season 6?

Show's I've been watching on tv 'Person of Interest' ...wonder if there is another season??
'Wire in the blood'...'Torchwood'


I've signed up to ' I love this box' can't wait to get our first one which should be coming very very soon.. I'm thinking I'll do reviews for it on another blog...what ever I don't use...I'm sure Emily will.

weekend at Port Campbell

We went to Port Campbell for a few nights...and took a drive up to the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge...gee it's changed since I was last there (19 yrs ago)....hee hee...from the car park you walk up into a visitor centre and then out onto a path that leads to the apostles...

It was our last day up there and it was a little chilly and rainy...and weren't really dressed for that weather...brrrrrr....but it's awesome to look at anyway.

Loch Ard Gorge

Twelve Apostles

Jetty at Port Campbell

Port Campbell bay

We ate at one little place called 'room 6'...yummy food there...the kids had burgers with wedges for about $15 each....and Mark and I had beer battered fish with salad and wedges...so much food...I couldn't eat it all..

We stayed at the port campbell motor inn which I give a rating of 2 out of 5...it was like sleeping at bedrock.....so hard and uncomfortable...and the heat...urrgh...I'm sure the ceiling fan was going to fling off at any moment and whack someone in the scone.
The pool just outside our door was good though , the kids had it to them selves, despite there being other guests..

The motor in room was neat and tidy...but outside there was an old broken table just laying around on the grass...near the pool there was part of the old table...a bit of hose, and the tools used for cleaning the pool...were just left laying about..the guy working there seemed very nice though.

2010 huh...

what happened to 2009....it went so fast.

things that happened were...

a nieces wedding,
Black Saturday,
Em started high school,
Mark and I turned 40,
Marks sister turned 50,
Dave turned 18,
Made contact with alot of old school friends,
Dave got his bike learners and a bike,
Dave graduated yr 12,
a nephew turned 21,
Em turned 13,
my great niece turned 1.

wonder what 2010 has instore for us....

@ the zoo

we went to the Melbourne zoo the other week, the weather was great, got some nice pics and the kids enjoyed themselves.

Mark and I went to see 'One night the moon' at the Malthouse theatre in Melbourne and loved it. I bought a copy of the movie there also and watched that on Sunday....it had been years since I'd seen it and I'd forgotten that the story was sung.

David is now working with Mark, a few shifts a week until he finishes school in a few weeks, then hopefully he can get a few more shifts in...

organization and mutterings

Week 344

1. Spinning- Top
2. Impasse- Inagreeable situation
3. Gravy- Who's gonna make it?
4. You are- Nah you are
5. September- Hooray footy finishes
6. Divulge- Tell
7. Training- Learning
8. Crap- HOLY (as it Holy crap Batman)
9. Results- Test
10. Shutting down- windows

Birthdays ..birthdays...birthdays and Fathers day...ok Fathers day isn't till Sunday but that's what's been happening this week. We've been extra sneaky getting Mark a pressie, he has no idea, now we just have to keep him busy on Sunday morning while I set it up....hee hee hee..

If you haven't looked on the Kaisercraft blog you should pop in. (can't get my link working on the side bar)

My scraproom is a little more organized since we bought another shelving unit for it....just need to get a nice box or basket to put my paints in and whack that on the shelf too. ( I did have them all just thrown in a cupboard)..nothing like having your stuff on display ...at least then you know what you have and may even use it... :)

old school friends

Was chatting on the phone to and old school friend the other day, who I'd been thinking alot of lately... must be age creeping up on me.. we are catching up this week...hoping that there is not that awkward silence..IYKWIM

Some yummy cupcakes Emily and I made in the lead up to cupcake day

we made 5 dozen cupcakes the other day and iced and decorated them with some yummy treats.. we'll be making some more this weekend too.

We sold these @ $1.50 each or 3 for $4 .....and the money is going to the RSPCA

I'm enjoying using spices in alot of cooking now, thanks to master chef... :) here's one that I have made a few times

Lamb Curry

cupcake drive

for the RSPCA is on Monday 17th... so Saturday are going to be flat out baking... we'll take some cakes with us to our greyhound walking group and then to the relo's place on Sunday.


what a yummy way to raise money for such a great service don't ya think

I've been doing some more scrapping...I'm working on an acrylic album...(never done one of these before)..it's a friends album..it's not looking too bad ....took me a bit to get the confindence to do it though.

It's been raining every day for the past week ...I know we need the rain but getting the washing dry is a pain in the butt.

I've been knitting squares to sew into a blanket...haven't done too many and tried knitting a picture into one...but that turned into a disaster...lol...if you have any suggestions for patterns for more squares can you leave a link (if anyone even reads this) :)

bloggedy blog blog

We went to the races last week with Marks work..had a great day and a small win..

I've been scrapping....!! yay... I got a bit of mojo after redoing a page for my BoM and then redid this next page and then scrapped 2 new pages

The kids had 2 weeks holidays and are back at school......nothing much else happening really...

went to see the new Harry Potter movie...which was okay..

I want to go and see 'my sisters keeper' I've read the book and enjoyed it..

nothing else to say really

made some yummy cupcakes

PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM FROSTING


(I've doubled this recipe as it was written to make 12 small cupcakes)

4 slices of tinned pineapple
12 tablespoons of butter
170g S.R flour
170g caster sugar
2 large eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons of pineapple juice

Finely chop pineapple pieces. Put Sugar and butter into a bowl and mix together until creamy, add the beaten eggs then fold in the flour using a metal spoon. Fold in pineapple pieces and juice.

Spoon mixture into cupcake papers and place into a preheated oven (180c/350f) for 20 minutes.

FROSTING
(the frosting I didn't double ..there was enough )

2 tablespoons butter
100g soft cream cheese
grated lemon or lime rind (I used lime)
100g icing sugar
1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice (again I used lime)

whisk the butter and cream cheese together in a bowl...mix in the rind and juice and sifted icing sugar.

refrigerate ...

a bit partied out

Mark and I celebrated...our 40th birthdays...by having friends and family @ our place for a PINK AND BLACK party... the night was fantastic.. the rain stayed away (well it did for most of the night and then in was only a light rain).

I did get growled at for not warming the mini quiches and the fritters...both of which I think are nice cold... I think even my home made sausage rolls are yummier not warm...but hey it was my party and I'll do what I want to...so there..

Not that I spent the night in the kitchen...my lovely nieces did that for me..thank you thank you thank you.

I made the b'day cake...and Nicole decorated it in pink ganache...and black edible glitter...and other sparkley bits..

I NEVER get up and dance...but did on this night...I was still dancing at 3...with Jimmy and Daves friend Rachael..

We finished up about 4 in the morning..with Mark and Eric going to bed at 4.30am...one 2 of Marks mates didn't get any sleep.. one drove home at 6...and the other just sat up in the chair...lol

vodka jelly shot anyone??

no...ok...more for me..

our photo board

the cake...

thanks to everyone that came and celebrated with us and thanks for all the birthday wishes..and pressies and cards..

so that was May

Mark turned 40....we gave him some aftershave and he was to go and and get himself a new helmet.. (party middle of June)



David turned 18.....on his birthday we had oysters kilpatrick and chicken parmi followed by a yummy birthday cake.



It was my first attempt at cooking oysters...pretty simple and turned out well....you could just keep eating them I think..mmmm

Dave got his first tattoo.....yes it's the common ol' southern cross...but he's been wanting it for awhile...and didn't change his mind once...it's turned out well.. I think

Marks sister Jenny turned 50...and since then has gone down hill because she took a fall at work at chiped the bone in her knee....the doctors are tossing up whether surgery is an option or not I think..

We had a party for Dave at home we had about 80+ people here I'd say... luckily the wind had gone and there was no rain... it was a good night.. we had about 8 of his friends stay the night or should I say morning....

whoo hoo...he blew out the candles...lol...by this time he was plastered well and truely...

this is after he and only he had a go at the pinata... it was the funniest thing to watch..he just kept whacking it... no one else got a look in..

birthday season has begun

Well it's May and the birthdays have begun....Mark has just turned 40.... was a fairly quiet day...his parents came down and one of his mates.....we are getting him a new bike helmet ..he just has to get out and choose it.. but for yesterday I made him some cards and bought a bottle of aftershave.

His sister Jenny turnds 50 in a fortnight...then we have Daves 18th ...then I turn 40.. !!

I've been sick with the flu for the last week..so haven't been going to Curves... went this morning and took it easy but it nearly killed me...lol

Just won a $25 gift voucher from a 'shapes' packet... whoo hoo.

My great niece Shaela

Blue Bazaar mixed media challenge....



photo transfer... I used Sticky tape......cut out a picture from an old calander (greyhound) covered the picture side in sticky tape... soaked the pic in water for about 10 minutes..and scraped the back of the pic of... you can just make out the dotty pp through the greyhound pic. just added some bling and hearts....

Sarahs 30th birthday



cookie cake
using Donna Hays recipe... they turned out to be almost the size
of a dinner plate.

Sandwiched together with cream..but would be so much nicer with a yummy vanilla
ice cream.

camping

We went camping with friends up the Murray River...we'd heard it had blue green algae in it ..I did ring to check and was told it was at Torrumbarry.... we were camping just near Torrumbarry Estate and the water looked fine and there was people in the river already.


We all ened up in the water at some stage and we have no complaints... the dog was desperated to get in she ended up just laying down...although not for too long...because if you stand still the yabbies nip at you.. The next day we had some visitors of the winged variety...we had some ox heart that we'd bought Snowy (she didn't like it)...the Kookaburras loved it.

Across the river were a nest and this is a pic of the home owner...I got another pic of it actually carrying a stick to the nest... and the next day Eric got a pic of 2 sitting together...

our friend, Marks first attempt at damper

Friends of our friends were staying in a houseboat and pulled up where we were staying...and they took us out for a cruise for an afternoon...gee it was nice.

Emily relaxin'

Dave on the biscuit

grumpy thinks he's the captain

Eric checkin' on Snowy

We went for a drive to visit friends at Cohuna (sp) and there was lots of the weird green stuff and water

some ducks

can you see the 2 black swans in the pic?..

no ?

see here...

more water to sit in

back at camp

driftin' away

having a few gins on our last night there

after a few more gins

It was good to get home and have a shower......we were filthy...almost everything

needed washing as it was covered in dust or smelt like smoke from the fire.

ohh and we found some good toasting marshmallows at BigW a huge bag for $2..something