Our world...

So far that is...

This is where we have visited up to now -



create your own visited country map

Pretty cool eh? But we have so much more too see, can't wait to start exploring with our newest little adventurer.

Thanks Cathie.

Jam tarts

Is there anything better then cooking something for your child that she absolutely adores? - OK, humour me, I'm not that great a cook and I realise there are indeed lots of 'better' things than this but...

I had some pastry left over from a quiche I was making so decided to knock up a batch of jam tarts, I haven't made them for years (so obviously Molly has never tried them), but you know, it's not rocket science is it? cut circle of pastry, add teaspoon of jam, voila!

I presented one to Molly for her after dessert, dessert (sometimes you just have too), she gave it a bit of funny look but took my word for it and had a nibble. She proceeded to lick the jam out of the middle before she munched the whole lot in about 20 seconds flat.

'So what did you think hun?'
'Yummy yum'.

Mission accomplished.

Now if I could just get that reaction from a main course of any description we'll be laughing. Is there a way to disguise vegetables in a jam tart?

Molly the chook farmer

Another fun day down on the farm yesterday. Molly and Anna wanted to feed the chickens, well, mostly Molly to be honest. Anna does it every day and was not overly bothered about it until Molly started to get over excited about a couple of loose chickens in the yard - this has a tendency to rub off on her (she's very easily led, especially by our Moo, who will do anything for a giggle out of Anna).

So, off we went, miniature wheelbarrows in tow (you know what I mean), to the coops. Oh my goodness! Who knew chickens were this exciting! Molly literally whooped and squealed her way around the garden, dashing from run to run. She couldn't decide which ones warranted her attention the most, and seemed very concerned that they should all receive equal amounts of the food and her love.

When we went in to see the big chickens (as apposed to the little bantams in the backyard), that were running free, I thought Molly was gonna burst - honestly, the look on her face was priceless! Even when the really big ones started to peck at the bread in her hands she laughed. No fear whatsoever (she's certainly braver then her Mum. One of them started to look longingly at a bead on my shoe and that was enough to make me jumpy!).

Next we went to the shed to collect the eggs. Yep, I thought exactly the same, but off we went anyway. She broke both of the ones she was given to hold, she said 'oh no, they're crying' when the yolks spilled out, funny little thing.

So, it looks like we'll be getting some chooks fairly soon. As luck would have it our friend is in the process of moving house and can't take all the chickens with her... lucky that! I've actually always fancied having some bantams in the backyard, and now Molly seems so enamoured with them I guess it's a done deal. As long as she promises not to sing 'quack, quack, cockadoodledoo' every time we go and see them - like she did for almost an hour with Anna. Damn you Wiggles!!!!

Oh No!

Molly has bronchitis again, poor little sausage. She's OK in herself - as she always is, our little trooper - bright as a button in fact. My theory is that she doesn't realise or understand that she can whinge and moan when she's sick, yet. It will come I'm sure, joy.

She's had a cough and cold off and on now for about three weeks, nothing too serious. But I began to get concerned when a couple of bouts of coughing stopped her playing with Daddy - that is a very serious thing indeed in our house, nothing interrupts rough and tumble with Daddy!

So, off we went to the Docs, and away we came with antibiotics and already she seems much, much better.

Of course, through this whole time she has not been able to resist Phoebe. Our poor cat is seriously tormented at times (thank God for her - generally - good natured attitude to small annoyances). This picture is the afternath of a prolonged battle, can you tell from the cheeky face? She has discovered that she can make the cat sing several different notes depending on the severity of the yank on her tail... poor Phoebe.

Old friends, best friends

Monday this week was so much for Molly, and me! We were visited by friends who used to live locally but have now moved 'up North' to sunnier lands. It was so great to see them and to finally meet their newest addition to the family, a beautiful baby girl. She's four months old, and just perfect. OK, I'll admit to being a tad broody again... it'll pass.

But aside from all the catching up and cuddling, the best bit of the day was watching out two wee toddlers (there is only three months difference in their age) playing together and seeming to really enjoy each others company.

They always did get along just fine. I recall one time whilst visiting at their place, we suddenly realised they had gone ever so quiet. We crept into Ella's room to see what was going on and found them snuggled up on a bean bag together reading a book. How gorgeous is that!

Anyway, this time they are both a lot more confident on their pins and spent the entire day racing around, giggling and squealing - as soon as I get the pics I'll post some - as long as Ella doesn't object.

They sat and ate their lunch together - just like their mummies used to. So cute.

It was all over far too soon and made me realise just how much I miss my buddies (you know who you are), and wish that these get togethers could be much, much more frequent. We had a coffee for our beloved desert flower and tried to pretend she was here too. We miss you heaps hon.

Hello Sailor!

Molly has a new addition to her morning routine. She loves to race to our dining room window as soon as I've drawn the curtains and leap on top of our wine chest (just because I can't recall the last time it had wine in it does not negate the fact that it is a wine chest!) to look for boats.

This is something she started to do with her Nana, and seems to want to continue the tradition. Well, at 6 or 7 in the morning there are rarely any boats for her to look at. 'No boats'.

But yesterday there was an enormous passenger liner, with a few smaller boats around it, steaming out to sea. She got so excited she fell off the chest and scraped the skin off her knee and her thigh... not an auspicious start to our day, but still 'BOATS!'

9? Are your sure?

Impressed? I bloody was! and a little bit surprised to say the least!

This happened whilst talking to my Mum on the computer the other day, and doing my best to ignore Moo's best efforts to distract me. Eventually she went quiet and (as all you parents know only too well) that's when I started to worry... I looked down and there she was, dilligently building her 9 block tower!

For once the camera was handy so I got a couple of good photos before she realised I was watching her and smashed it over with a giggle - I got a pic of that too, a real action shot.

Now you all know me well enough to know that I don't do 'competitive parenting'. I don't enjoy it, never have, never will. In fact on several occasions I have been known to sabotage an oncoming game by telling anyone who'll listen that Molly's best skills include a cracking Sid James laugh and an even better Barney Gumble beer belch (we're so proud), that usually stops the competition fairly quickly!

But you know... she is very advanced... hee hee!