the omg cake

ok, so a food photographer I am not, but every now and then I manage to make something that justifies my many years spent toiling in the domestic science industry. Now, the likes of nigella and jamie have been trying to tell me for a long time now that baking cakes is indeed a science, the ingredients needing to be carefully measured and baked for a specified time in order for it all to work. But I'm here to tell you they are wrong. I have proven (to myself and my family at least) that it is indeed possible to take directions from several different recipes, mix them all up, alter the quantities to suit what you have on hand and also add whatever else might take your fancy, bake the concoction in your very old and very slow (but oh so good) caravan gas oven, and come up with a cake that not only defies the odds, but is absolutely delicious. I served it to the boys when they returned home from school.  "Aww mum" they said, "this is awesome". I served it to the mister in the sunshine on the front verandah for morning tea, "oh my god" he said, "this is amazing". I baked another one just to be sure. It rocks.
My totally awesome almond and berry cake.
175g softened unsalted butter
2/3 cup raw caster sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 free range eggs (straight from the chook if you have them)
3/4 cup whole almond meal (I buy the stuff with the skin still on, makes for a nuttier cake)
3/4 cup self raising flour
about 1 tblsp. milk
a good handful of frozen mixed berries, a handy thing I have found to keep in the freezer although most of them go straight in my kids mouths before I have a chance to cook with them.
a handful of chopped almonds
ok, you know the drill, this isn't rocket science (although nigella and jamie might argue the point). Cream the butter and sugar (living with solar power has meant that I have become an old school hand mixer of late, this may have some effect on the cake texture), add vanilla and eggs, mix well. Stir in the almond meal and flour, add milk, mix well. Add the berries, pour into greased and floured tin, sprinkle with the chopped almonds and bake until your particular oven decides it's had enough. Enjoy!

knitting outside the scarf

 for many years now, I have dreamed of knitting something other than a scarf...I have even gone so far as to purchase large quantities of wool with the intention of turning them into articles of clothing (for myself), but that is one dream that has never actually come to fruition. The thing is, knitting patterns elude me. I start reading them and my eyes glaze over and my head becomes all fuzzy, much the same as when my sweet husband is trying to explain our very confusing solar power set-up to me. I like to work things out as I go along, a habit which sometimes gets me into trouble, like when I'm halfway through a recipe and realise I'm missing a key ingredient.

so, I decided to have a little go at knitting something for daisy. There were two main reasons for this: one being the cuteness factor of a baby girl in a hand knitted cardigan and the second being that she desperately needed something that wasn't pink. What is it with the pink? I guess with three older brothers, people weren't really going to buy her something blue now, were they. Anyway, she now has a little red woollen cardigan, which was already too small for her before it came off the needles. Can you see that chubby tummy hanging out? It's an uncomplicated cardi (small steps here) but a cardi nonetheless, all knit in one piece and stitched up the sides. I loosely used this pattern, although somehow it turned out much smaller. It might have something to do with my tight knitting and my inability to count rows. Maybe.
So, even though this miniature cardi looks very cute and she does her best to look comfortable in it, there is another one on the go, this time in brown. Because, you know, pink looks good with brown.

kids as far as the eye can see

you would be forgiven for thinking I have fallen off the blogging wagon here...no words in three months. The reason is plain to see. I have kids, four of them. I'd like to be able to add a nice family portrait in which everyone is smiling and looking peachy, but I thought I'd keep it real. Getting four children in one spot at the same time, getting them all to look at the camera and then asking them to smile is virtually impossible. As is getting out the door in the morning with everything we need, getting through dinner without at least one drink being knocked over or one or three children deciding they don't like what's on their plates, and basically getting through the day without some kind of minor (or major) mishap occurring to each of them. Fair enough, daisy's not really in on the action just yet, but having her here has certainly added to the circus that is our life.

having four kids is awesome, we love it. We never intended to have this many, but we just couldn't resist it. They're so cute. And funny. We have permanent live entertainment. There's just no "off" button, and no volume switch either. And sometimes the performers forget which part they are playing and everything goes a little pear shaped. Mostly though, it's good times in this little shack of ours. Noisy, messy and tiring, but so much fun.

we have baby!

 a baby girl no less! daisy rain decided to join us last tuesday, slipping quietly and contentedly into the world in the wee hours of the morning.  Three days past her due-by date, she was causing her mama a bit of concern, as she continued to make sure this pregnancy was unlike any other I'd had. With days and days of false contractions and discomfort, we tried every trick in the book to entice her out of hiding...finally a trip to a local lookout over a bumpy road and a little walk in the woods at the onset of a windy rain squall did the trick.

needless to say, we're all very much smitten with her, and are all getting used to saying "she", although Jasper is sticking to "he" for now. Everyone is "he" to him.

time will tell how having a little girl around will change this little family of ours, but I think that we are in for some fun times. For now I'm just making the most of all those yummy baby snuggles and inhaling as much of that sweet baby smell as I can. Wish I could bottle that stuff.

these boys

sometimes, when I remind myself to stop and just see them for what they are, three boys at various stages of development, I realise how very wonderful they are. Because we really do have it all going on here. A thoughtful and very independant nearly twelve year old, an adventurous and sensitive nine year old and a tornado of a four year old. How can they all be so different?

 The other day was willow's birthday, he was worried that with the baby due to arrive any day that his birthday wouldn't be such a big deal. Needless to say, I kept my legs crossed all day, because although it's cute and quirky to share your birthday with someone you love (arran and I share ours), birthdays really should just be all about you. And, as it turns out, the baby wasn't planning on making an appearance that day anyway. Apparently, it wants to have it's own birthday too.

there are many emotions going on at the moment...I find it important to remind myself that I am not the only one here waiting expectantly to meet this new person. The boys are excited. Fin walks in the door every afternoon and asks me how I am, any signs yet? Willow spends most of his time on planet willow, but sometimes pops in to see how I am, and to give me a little foot rub. And then there's jasper. He's displaying all the signs of a boy who realises his days as the baby are numbered. I really have to watch him at the moment, because things are being sabotaged. The whale is drawn on the wall above his bed, and although the walls really need to be painted, I don't know if I can bring myself to lose it. Other people's belongings have been cut up or hidden as he does his best to wreak havoc on the entire household. Not to mention the fact that he won't let anyone but me do anything for him.

 But I wouldn't have it any other way. I've seen it all before, and I know it will pass. And before we know it, we will be living with at least one teenager and then we'll really be in for it.

a quick little shop update

ok, the waiting is getting to me now...I'm not good at sitting around and doing nothing, not for any extended time anyway. But with very low energy levels and a pernicketty sciatic nerve stopping me from going too far, rest and relaxation it is as I wait for this baby to make it's appearance. So, in the interests of being "constructive", I've done a little shop update. Not my usual shop stuff, but a little vintage shop stuff. Oh, you didn't know I had a little vintage shop as well? Um, I'm not sure I ever got round to mentioning it. It's a wonder I ever sell anything really, with my lack of interest in advertising. I need a marketing assistant.

bunny still in the oven

I thought it was high time, at 38 weeks, that we took some shots of the belly. I'm not good at organising photo shoots and it's pretty hard to pin down the mister these days as he seems to have an endless to-do list. I'm not sure who is nesting more at the moment, but he's certainly onto the "outside" stuff.
We're hanging out in the burbs for next couple of weeks as we wait for baby...it seemed to be the sensible thing to do with my tendency for quick labours. I'm well and truly into the last stage now, feeling oh-so tired and more than a little uncomfortable. This little one likes to spend the evenings and most of the night squirming away on my bladder and I am seriously lacking in sleep as a result. I find myself on the lounge watching abc kids shows most afternoons.
I think we're all just very keen to meet this little one now. I don't know how many more conversations I can take about whether it will be a boy or a girl (it's sitting differently to my others, so of course this is cause for much speculation). We'll soon find out, not long now.