Rainy day fun.

Sometimes I feel like someone is playing tricks on us, when it comes to the weather. I thought it was almost summer, we have had glorious days, days at the beach, days in shorts and flip-flops, then all of a sudden it is cold and grey again...and raining. I did not want to be out in it today, I needed to get groceries, but getting all bundled up and having to bundle up kids and carry groceries in the rain is not my idea of fun. So instead, when Bryttain asked me, as she does every morning, what we would be doing that was fun today, I told her we would make cupcakes! The kids love to bake and help in the kitchen, but it really is hard with three of them, so my plan was to do the baking this morning while Arran was at school, then we could decorate them this afternoon when he got home, and make hot chocolate and watch a movie. So that is what we did.

We made mini-cupcakes, which are so much more manageable, for adults and children, I think. We topped some with jelly beans, and as Arran simply cannot let anything pass his lips which might even remotely look, or taste like any kind of fruit, some with sprinkles.

Enjoying the results!

 The children had hot chocolate with whipped cream, and I added coconut syrup to mine with a smidgeon of grated chocolate - Yum!

My kitchen, which started out this morning not looking too bad, is now a complete disaster. The kids are sitting on the couch, watching the end of  The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, swords in hand! The good news is, I cooked extra curry last week and froze a family-size portion which I just grabbed out of the freezer, so all I have to do now is throw some rice in the rice-cooker. No cooking tonight, although I did find chapattis at Costco yesterday (which I am far too excited about) which I will have to quickly heat through.

Perfect for a rainy day, even if I do say so myself.

My boy's birthday!

I feel like a broken record sometimes, but I just do not know where the time goes. I mean, seriously, how could this wonderful little boy already have been in our livese for seven years? And why does it feel so much shorter? He is growing up so quickly. He is sweet and kind and compassionate, beyond his years.

Birthdays are a little harder now he is in school; the mornings are such a rush. James and I figured (the night before) that we should just let him open presents in the afternoon, when he came home from school. Somehow, unfortunately, we forgot to let Arran know this minor detail! He woke up this morning, excited for his birthday. We explained the plan regarding presents and he was disappointed to say the least.

"I don't feel special, I don't feel like it's my birthday"...how horrible did I feel at that moment?

Plan b was quickly put into place; he would get to open one present (which James hurriedly threw into a Hello Kitty!!! gift bag with some tissue paper) and open the rest in the afternoon. He was over the moon to receive a talking Doug, the dog from 'Up".

He went to school with a plate of chocolate chocolate chip cookies to share with his class, that we (the three kids and I) had made yesterday and an 'Olivia' book he had picked out as a gift for the classroom. All was redeemed.

After school he went on a play date. I had been so torn in the week when the play date invitation came. I knew that he would love it, but the selfish Mommy in me wanted to not feel like I had missed out on his special day, especially as the kids have AWANAs on Thursday nights. In the end we decided to go out for a family dinner instead of the kids going to AWANAs and so I let him have his play date too. Oh the dilemma of it all.

The girls and I baked him a delicious chocolate cake while he was out. It actually went pretty smoothly and was fun, compared to the slight fiasco of four of us baking the previous day, with my not feeling my best and being far too impatient. My poor kids. I did a good job of actually taking photos as they greased the pans and added ingredients and somehow have managed to delete them from my memory card, so sad.

Arran came home from his play date happy and excited. His specific request for dinner was for Chinese buffet, followed by dessert of his cake at home. He went to bed a happy little boy and I could not be happier or more grateful to be his mother!

Opening presents in his special birthday crown his teacher made. Bryttain loves to help.

I just love that although he is getting so big, he is still just a little kid who LOVES his soft toys.

Happy Birthday Arran, we love you!

Our Christmas Season Recap!

Wow! That was a busy few weeks. It was all good, but I feel like I blinked and it was gone. Of course that is not true, my little sister "Aunty Caridad" was visiting for three weeks, and just left today. The kids SO look forward to seeing her every Christmas and really, fully, expect it. It is a part of our Christmas tradition. I love that we have traditions that we can all look forward to.

This is what all the anticipation is really about...one for the house, one for me!

There was the annual Gingerbread House Party, hosted by the Rileys. Each year is a little more fun, as the kids anticipation gets higher and now that all three of them are so much more independent. Bryttain did not even sit on our table with us this year, she opted to sit with her friends. I swear she is more like a teenager sometimes, than a four year old.

Arran and Bryttain sang "Who would imagine a king' at the church Christmas party and in church on Christmas Sunday.

James and I got to go away overnight, without children(!), whilst my sister bravely looked after them and worked on all sorts of fun projects. It was lovely! Not sure who had more fun, us or them...well on second thoughts...

 There was shopping and eating out. Aunty Caridad wanted a steak, so we headed to Cattlemens. You cannot beat their Thursday night deal, with kids getting a free steak dinner and house margaritas only $4! No margaritas for the kids, but the girls did suck on the limes and pull funny faces for us.

 Bryttain's ballet recital.

Baking and candy making. The kids made the chocolate lollipops and the chocolate crispy cakes!

 Christmas Day of course. We had three very excited, very grateful kids. I remember as a kid (although I was probably older) waking up at outrageous hours to open presents. Well our kids were up early, but they patiently waited for us all to get up so that we could open presents together, after reading the story from the bible. We managed to skype online and chat with my brother Wesley and his girlfriend Lou, as well as Grandad and Nanny Pam. I am so grateful for technology and that the kids can 'see' family in other parts of the world.

Then in the afternoon we headed over to spend the rest of the evening with the cousins...best of times. All in all it really was a lovely Christmas.

Texas - Day 1 (Tuesday)

After a breakfast at IHOP, a stop at Wal-Mart and an hour's drive, we arrived at the ranch, just outside of Gonzales, Texas. We had driven by cattle but up by the house we met a couple of horses, some dogs, a rabbit, many roosters, some chickens and even some wild, but captive, pigs.

Asia was all over the dogs, particularly Nina who she has been petting and hugging and loving at every opportunity. Every spare moment, she loves to go outside and hang out with the dogs and is continually begging for somebody to go outside with her.

Arran was quick to inform Grandma Betty, as she fixed dinner, that his mom ‘The Expert Cook’ would be happy to assist with any needs she might have.  Grandma Betty was ‘tickled’ by that I think, because she had a good chuckle. He went on to inform her that although he was not an expert cook, he was an expert mixer, so if she needed any help making cookies or cake, he would be happy to oblige. Well how could she refuse an invitation like that? Off she went to the pantry and returned with a mix for brownies, which she had the kids whip up for dessert. They were in seventh heaven, because as we all know, the best part of baking is licking the spoons afterwards.

Happy Valentine's Day

I love the idea of doing projects with the kids, but really struggle with my whole perfectionist streak. I have this image in my head (I'm sure fueled by parenting magazines) of everyone smiling and laughing and having fun, in their perfectly tidy, beautiful homes, creating amazing works of art, baked goods, or whatever else the project happens to be.

Well to start with, the only time my house is even somewhat tidy is when I know people are coming over...hello! I have three children and all the stuff that comes with that (not to mention James and all his grownup toys). Just being honest here.

Secondly, as much as I love this house, I have major issues with our kitchen. I mean it is just ridiculous. We have NO usable counter space and I'm not exaggerating even one tiny bit. The only counter we have is right by the sink and is about eight inches wide and has cupboards immediately above, rendering it completely useless, other than for dirty pots and pans (which do indeed reside there far too often, for far too long).

We bought a portable dishwasher when we first moved in here, because there wasn't one and the top of that is the sum of our counter space. So I rolled it into the center of the kitchen, in order for us each to have access and we started!

Arran and Bryttain were excited (I'd had the sense to wait to start this project until Asia was down for her nap). Within five minutes there was flour everywhere. On their clothes, on the floor and a little left on the counter, for rolling the dough. They would push it around, pick it up, pretend it was rain, pretend it was snow as they clapped their little hands and made it fly everywhere. They were having fun, I was trying not to nag and keep calm while explaining to them that I needed the flour on the counter to stop the dough from sticking.

Then we set out to cutting out the cookies, they would smash down the cutters in the middle of the dough, while I repeatedly tried to explain that we needed to keep the shapes close together so that we could get as many cookies as possible between rollings. They didn't mind though, whether I rolled out the dough three times or fifteen times. Oh for life to be that simple again.

The cookies finally made it into the oven, and they were sent to take naps while the cookies cooked and cooled.

After dinner we started the task of icing the cookies. By this time I had to call in reinforcements before I lost my mind. I wanted the kids to enjoy it and I was tired and far too uptight, so in steps daddy - hurray for daddy! He calmly 'helped' them pipe the remaining outlines, while I prepared our red and pink glazes to fill the centers.

Meanwhile...Asia was busy creating her own entertainment with Arran's new Wall-e sunglasses.

They really did so great and I was so proud of their accomplishments. They were both so excited to be able to give these to some of their friends to show their love.



Sprinkles were finally added to the cookies (as well as the table top and all over the floor) to finish the effect. Beautiful!

It was fun and not something I'd done before. When I was growing up in England, Valentines day was, and I assume still is, a romantic holiday, a time to reveal secret love or a crush, confirm ongoing love, or on the other side, to feel, once again (no really I'm not bitter) rejected, alone, or forgotten.

I like this way of doing things much better, it was fun and everyone gets to feel the love. Parents and children, friends, whoever.

Happy Valentines Day!

p.s. Maybe next time I'll remember to put on a nice dress, a full face of make-up, dress the kids in cute GAP clothes and have us all wear matching aprons...that will make things go much smoother, I'm sure! :)