more tomato for breakfast

I'm  certainly loving my tomatoes!!!

Another yummy breakfast.


So, what do you do when you don't know what to do??


KIDS - AARRGH!


Eldest has decided to go back to the boyfriend.  He has treated her badly, she says everything was her fault - after he told that to DH of course among many other things he said.  It was his conversation with DH that was it for us.  Our opposition to her decision but more so her behaviour and treatment of her family has not gone down well.  She's not heartbroken anymore, but I am.  She can't understand why we're not embracing the reconciliation like she is, after all the things he said and the way she was treated.  We were there for her, we cried for her, we loved her no matter what.  She is our daughter.  She is shunning her family.


Last night when I went to bed, the tears start falling and I couldn't stop them.  I thought of that beautiful little baby I so proudly brought home from hospital.  The little girl who was always laughing and off in some imaginative world.  The teenager starting high school who was bewildered by the bitching and how nasty other girls could be - 'why can't everyone be friends mum'.  To the seventeen year old who said 'you did a good job raising us mum', when she left school.  To the lovely young lady she was becoming who was so kind and sweet, this is not who she is anymore.  


I look at her, I can't find my girl.  She is lost in some place and I'm scared she'll never find her way out.


In some way I feel I have failed her.  I've been a good mum.  Not perfect, I made lots of mistakes.  There were a lot of times I couldn't find that damn manual on parenting - that's right, there's not one, it was trial and error and a whole lot of gut feeling.  Gut feeling is often good - why does it feel so bad now?


Of course we will always be here for her.  She's our daughter ..... but I can't find my girl.


What do you do, when you don't know what to do??


I hope you all have a great week :)

the christmas that was

There were so many things I wanted to write about in the weeks before Christmas, but time just got away from me.  I am feeling much more relaxed now, here's a sneak into what was happening!  Be warned, it's a little lengthy!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, peace and love surrounding you.

We have these magnificent 'paperbark trees' on our property, they always flower just before Christmas and look so lovely.

Paperbark trees

Every year I make these for the playgroup mums ... Rocky Road and Gourmet White Rocky Road.  This has been the last year for us!

Rocky Road & Gourmet White Rocky Road

Our street party didn't eventuate this year, so a group of us had a small get together.   My contribution was a spinach dip (I usually do this in a cob loaf, this time on its own with vege's and crackers), and a Choc Ripple Cake.

Choc Ripple Cake

Spinach Dip

We visited a 'new' friend who kindly offered to do DD19's hair following her surgery.  These yummy Choc n Cherry cupcakes were a nice treat for afternoon tea.

Choc n Cherry cupcakes

I also made a selection of slices to make up gift boxes for adult family members .. we only buy for children .. there wasn't very many left over, much to DH disappointment!  I promise I'll post the recipes for them soon.

No-bake Hazelnut Slice

Gourmet White Rocky Road

Chocolate Ginger Slice

Cashew & Cherry Chocolate Slice

Add a few Rum Balls and here we are!

It just wouldn't be the same if DD19 wasn't putting Lego together with DS4 on Christmas day.  Next year I think I'll buy her some all of her own.  As you can see, she is now recovering very well from her surgery, she had such a terrible hospital stay, I am embarrassed that I used to work at the same hospital!

How did he know this was a new hat???  Silly billy.

The Christmas pudding that I posted about here was scrumptious, we were so full afterwards we could hardly move.

I was very happy with the 'practical' gifts of blueberry bushes, raspberries, almond, apricot and mulberry trees, which was exactly what I had hinted at!!

DH is watering in the newly planted blueberries!

Tomorrow we are heading off for a night camping on the beach.  It's one of our favourite spots, I can't wait to show you some pics.  

The sunflowers have just come out in the last few days.

Life is suddenly feeling at a pace more suitable to me!

DD16 is having a fantastic time in Germany.

I do hope you're all having wonderful holiday time :)

the sweetest thing

Lots going on here today, but I just had to share this NOW.....

DH and littlest man are outside doing 'stuff', I'm inside finishing off beds and tidying up before going out into the sunshine.

I can hear the little man calling and calling me from the back doors.

And here he is ......

 

"I picked these for you cos I wanted to make you happy"

Oh my gosh, there are some times my heart just bursts with love for him .... this was one of those times.

One of those times you just want the world to stop so everyone can see whats really important!

I sure hope you're all having a wonderful day :)

lazy day

What a glorious day it was today!

The sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky and it wasn't freezing cold.  We have been having temperatures of 12C during the day.  Now I know this is not COLD for many of you, but let me tell you, IT IS where I live.  VERY COLD!!

We had my SIL, her mother and my neice stay last night.  They live about 5 hours drive north of us.  My 15 yr old neice is going to Adelaide to stay with a friend for a week over the school holidays.  She has led a very sheltered life and was very excited and a little nervous as she has not flown before.  Actually, apart from coming to stay with us over holidays, I don't think she has really been away from home much.  I was up bright and early to get them fed and ready to leave.

We really just had a lazy day from there.  Matthew decided he wanted to paint most of the day.  I didn't get any pics :(  I just forgot!

It was also one of those days for a backyard picnic lunch.

come on mum - I'm hunry

DS1 "go away mum" - at least he's not too cool to have a picnic with me!!!

DS2 (aka Matthew) loves his big brother DS1 (aka Daniel)

When I came inside later on in the day, the sun was shining through the back doors and it just looked too nice!

We made the most of the day, apparently there's thunderstorms coming in tomorrow!

Hope you had a nice day :)

Arrr, me hearties!

Mister four, attended his first birthday party today.

Well, when I say first, I mean invitation from a little kindergarten friend party.  How excited he was.

Check out our little pirate man.

All ready to go ....

..into the swing of things ....

..and after!

They were just so cute.

Have a lovely day :)

four times around the sun

My gorgeous little man turns four.  What a remarkable four years its been.  How blessed we are to have this little person in our lives, I'm unable to put into words the joy he has brought us.  How loved he is by his older siblings and extended family.   I am a different mother this time around.  Older, wiser, less complicated and I love it.

This is my famous Chocolate Beetroot Cake.  Everyone just loves it, I will get around to putting the recipe up one day.

As is usual with a birthday, he got to choose his birthday dinner.  Pizza!  We love our homemade pizzas.  I had two lots of pizza dough on the rise as my eldest daughter and her boyfriend were coming for dinner.  Of course best laid plans ......

WHAM!  We were hit with a massive summer thunderstorm.  95mm rain in 30 minutes.  Power gone, trees down, water everywhere.  There goes the pizza!  So there we were, sitting in candlelight, eating KFC ..... we never eat take-away.   Maybe 1 - 2 times a year.  It didn't matter, as far as he's concerned he got a storm for his birthday!!

Have a fantastic day!!