So Close to Spring..

Some days we can pretend that winter is over.. The kids can race outside, the washing can go on the line, and I can sip my coffee on the patio without a blanket (or five)...

Playing games that don't come on a screen, and require imagination...

 

Tasting everything out-doorish ... sand.dirt.bark.  It's all remotely delicious.

Taking on all of the new challenges that the outdoors can throw at you..

Discovering new ways to play with old toys... (grocery shopping on a trampoline is like normal grocery shopping, except for Funner!)

Dancing like no one's watching...

...and then dancing because someone IS watching.

Taking advantage wide open spaces..

And not budging 'cause that's YOUR patch of sand.

Opening up all the doors and windows to let the fresh air in...

Clearing weeds in the most efficient way ever...

Staying out 'til the sun starts sinking, dinner smells start wafting, and your toes are frozen and blue.

These are long and happy days.

 

 

3 Peas in a Pod :)

Trying to catch all 3 kids in one picture is near impossible, so we just roll with what we get :)

My 3 little Loves :)

In the Kitchen - Energy Bites!

So usually, there isn't all that much going on in my kitchen!  I have an abundance of tasty deliciousness recipes spread across several different Pinterest boards, but I've recently discovered that pinning them doesn't make them magically appear on my table!! (Which would also explain why my wardrobe is still outdated and non-matching)

So I guess it's time to get adventurous in the kitchen!  I started out with what looked like an easy recipe, with basic ingredients for a lite snack for my little delights, aka afternoon terrors (Recipe from The Purposeful Mom )
I'd like to start by informing anyone who'll listen that I cannot stand peanut butter.  The taste, the texture...none of it is pleasant.  But here I am, being all grown up and adventurous....


Easy No Bake Energy Bites

(via The Purposeful Mom)

So I used...

3 cups of rolled oats
1 cup peanut butter (smooth)
1 cup ground flaxseed (I used this flaxseed blend)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup honey

And i did...

Stir everything together in a bowl.  I ended up using my hands as suggested in the recipe.  Cover and refrigerate for about 30 mins.  Roll into balls then place in an airtight container, and if your trapped in the same hideous humidity that we are, keep those tasty bites in the fridge!! 
Apparently this recipe makes between 25 - 40 balls...I have no idea how many mine actually made, cause the darn things kept disappearing...carried off by ants, no doubt...

 I have to add, this recipe took about 5 minutes to mix, and about 5 minutes to roll into balls after it was chilled.  Anything that I can do while the baby's asleep and the kids are distracted gets extra brownie points in my books!! (In fact it's probably an ideal recipe for the little wilds to help with if you're game!)

I think, in spite of the whole peanut butter thing ... We'll call these a success!!   ... and maybe ... just maybe peanut butter is OK ... ;)

Abby-Doo

Abby-doo, Crazy eyes, Miss Moo, Chunk, Sweet pea.

I'm not even behind in 'Abby updates', there just aren't any!  So hey...here's one now!!

My sweet little Abby is an absolute delight.  At around 2 and a half months she found her volume button and hasn't looked back since.  She babbles, coos, shrieks, squeals, and since last week, she hisses too.  Yep.

At 3 months and 2 weeks (the day after my birthday) she rolled from her back to her tummy...and once again, she hasn't looked back.  If there's something she wants, she simply rolls over to it.  She can also rotate around to face which ever direction she needs too.  She's starting to figure out that she can move forward if she tucks her legs under and digs her feet in...hasn't quite figured out that she needs to move her upper body to finish the move.  I can see many a face-plant in her near future!

Food, glorious food!  Miss Moo is still a breast fed baby (and will be for as long as I can), but we've introduced a small amount of home made purée apple (about a Tablespoon) in the evening, which she scoffs down as fast as she can!

Sleeps pretty hit and miss with this little poppet, but I'm pretty sure the hot, humid days/nights have a lot to do with that!   I still try to get her down for 2 - 3 naps a day, and she'll usually get an hour or two all together out of those!  Nights, she usually wakes up at least twice, sometimes more, rarely less.  And that's ok too.  What's not so much fun is her taking an hour or 2 to go back to sleep sometimes.  Partying at 2am is one of her all time favourite things!

My happy little chippy.  Such a laid back kid when I compare her to her brothers.  She fusses when she's hungry and tired, but rarely has full on meltdowns.  In fact, she really only cries when she's gassy!  We're pretty lucky there I think!   Her favourite time of day is nakey-bum time, and if she sees a nappy coming she turns into a wriggly worm trying to escape!

So, at 4 and a half months our little dumpling is just shy of 9kg (nearly 20lb) and is 68cm long (26.7 Inches) She's transitioning from her size '0' to size '1' clothing, leaving me scrambling to get photo's of her in all her pretty dresses and outfits before she outgrows them!  She's just so chunky, I love her roly legs and arms!!

This wee lass has certainly made life more hectic (and terrifying), but she's also wrapped us all around her little finger, with her chubby, dimpled cheeks and her sassy looks! 

Life truly couldn't be sweeter :)

Aint it funny..?

It's funny isn't it...the way life works out.  I remember being a teenager and thinking, I can't wait til I'm in my 20's.  I'll have a great job, money to burn, a great guy, my own home, and probably a puppy (cause dogs are the bees knees and every home should have one.  Unless you're a cat person.  Or renting.)  When I got to my 20's and still didn't have my life sorted I realised that I had the age thing all mixed up, and knew with absolute certainty that being 30-something meant all of my plans and dreams would come to fruition!

Wah-waaaah.

Where is my house in the country? My overseas adventures?  All my extra cash?  And where the heck is my dog!?

Do I sound ungrateful?  Probably.  But I promise you, I'm not in the least bit disappointed with my 'Lot' in life (except for the dog bit).  I have 'the great guy' that I always dreamt of, and he's definitely all that and a bag of potato chips.  I was able to gain my degree and experience the hectic life of the nurse that I thought I always wanted.  I also have 3 pieces of my own heart racing (or rolling) around my feet, calling me mama!

These are things that I am 100% grateful for every single minute, of every single day.

But you know, something is missing.  (Aside from the dog and the house in the sticks)  I actually miss not knowing what was coming.  I miss the adventure of heading full speed into something unknown (granted, my kids do throw a mean curve-ball on the regular...usually at my head when I'm not looking).  And I miss doing fun little things (outside of my family life) that make my heart happy.

What I need are goals!!  And dreams!!  And hobbies too, dammit!!

I remember a time when I thought owning our own reno' home was a possibility....and a time when I ran because I wanted too, for my health.  There was a time when debt-free was in our vocabulary, and so was 'lets go camping'.  There was a time when I was permanently attached to my camera, thinking I could make a go of it, and a time when I couldn't wait for the evenings so I could sit down and babble out a blog post for no one or anyone to read just because I love writing! 

But life changes a lot.  Sometimes it's good, occasionally - not so much.  What I'm starting to figure out is this.  There is no reason good enough for you to forget your dreams.  You might need to tweak them a bit along the way, or reshape your plan to get there, but never ever forget them!  Your hobbies?  They're who you are (who hasn't seen Inside Out...hockey island??)  Don't lose the person that loves these oddball hobbies!  Embrace them and find a way to make them fit, because losing your personality isn't going to benefit anyone (least of all the family you may have forgotten them for in the first place!)

You know what happens when you forget your dreams and your passions??  Nothing.  Well, nothing but a gradual decent into holey tights, hairy legs and a 3 day old singlet covered in food and who knows whose boogers (why did spell check try to change that to rogers??)!  Yes, I'm speaking from experience (and honestly, those Rogers could be anyone's).  I have so many excuses as to why I'm in a rut.  None of them are worth the cosy chair I'm sitting on.  

So while it's a bit late for the whole 'new year' thing, here are my 'oops-it's-nearly-february-resolutions'!

1.   Pick up the camera.
2.   Point it at something and shoot.
3.   Start planning that dream renovation home.
4.   Make a plan to Kill Bill....or kill our bills, whatever.
5.   Run like Forrest.  Also, stretch.
6.   Blog when I want to, not when I think I should.
7.   Shave leg hairs.  Repeat.
8.   Cook.  Cause we've gotta eat and stuff.  
9.   Can some stuff.  (Come on tomatoes, I need ya on board for this one!)
10.  Show my kids that there's always adventure just lying in wait, around every corner, in every blanket fort, and up every tree.  But that there's also adventure in hidden places too, like treading new territory in the kitchen, or finally saving up to buy something you always wanted, or even finding a new hobby.

 So hey, thanks for hanging out!!  Here's to life!!

G'nite :)

(lol, just kidding. I'm off to binge watch Property Brothers)