These babies are 5!

We're taking these babies out for supper since it's their favourite thing in the world to do.

I've got nothing done today except about 45 minutes of blogging this morning but that's okay when you think how momentous it is that I actually have KIDS!!!!

See you tomorrow.

Stay warm :)

I was spying on her with my zoom lens - here's when she caught me :)

oh I LOVE THIS ONE

How's your Monday been?
PS these pics taken at a party a few weeks ago

In exactly 1 month's time I turn 40

I've been stressing about what to do for my 40th.

For starters, I'm well aware that

1) this is a gift of free time that won't always be there and I want to use it well
2) a 40th should be a bit more special than a normal birthday, and I always celebrate those ones anyway
3) it's also a bit frivolous to spend HUGE amounts of money seeing as I'm partially living off my business and some savings

Then I had these additional thoughts:

• I want lots of friends around me - lunch or supper here?
• My absolute ideal (STILL!) was always to have a birthday at a house on the beach with friends doing friend-y things - connection, food, photos, etc. (BTW, I want to organise a South African photography retreat like this. Does this type of thing speak to anyone?)
• The more likely version - my family at the beach

What I always envisioned for my 40th was having these 5-year-old cuties (okay, I have those) and having a night-time party with a Marcia-type theme, but still relaxed, nice food, etc.

I somehow imagined this at my old work campus but since that is not an option, it all kind-of fell apart.

So I decided on Ballito for a few days and a lunch at home for friends on the weekend before.

Except.... D's company is launching some stuff the week after my birthday so that is crazy time. They weren't sure of dates for a long time but last week it was confirmed and it won't work out for him to take leave. Basically we'd hardly see him because he'd be working all the time.

After I asked in that post if I'm mad to think of going alone with the kids, and got all your opinions, I got quiet and said to myself, "what would have to happen for me to SHINE?" and clearly, I would have to go.

A twin mother from the infertility group once said YEARS ago that she drove down to Dbn when the babies were 6 months old, and since then she's felt super confident. If she could do that with twins, then she could do anything.

I kind-of feel like that.

So I've booked our flights, paid for our accommodation and will be celebrating my birthday on the beach in Ballito.

Louisa's comment gave me pause so I asked my mother if she'd like to come too. She was keen at first but wanted to bring my niece (3) with her, and I said NO. It's supposed to be a holiday for me; I don't want MORE kids than I need to have. She understood (and understands me) so now she's checking on some work requirements especially since she's actually on leave at the moment (!) and will get back to me.

Either way, we'll be fine, right??? It will just be nice for the Granny: Grandkids quality time and also to get some help with food/ washing dishes.

So now MY party planning needs to kick into high gear. Eeek!

What is the ideal way you'd like to spend your next birthday?

3 foodie things and my grey/ purple coffee table

K & C had their party today.

In a nutshell - success!

But of course, once I download all the photos, I'll have to do a post or 3.

The sunroom, entrance way, dining room and kitchen were chaos, and then those rooms were tidied up and now my study is chaos because there is wrapping paper and presents everywhere.

Thankfully, the pile looked a lot smaller once all the packaging was removed!



But for now, a quick post on food :)

I've obviously been cooking a lot more now that I'm working from home. I love spending time in the kitchen nourishing my family with food that's been lovingly prepared.

(this may be a bit out there but I believe food tastes better when it's made with love :))

And of course, winter is the BEST time to bake. I like eating so it's win-win.

3 things:

1. My favourite winter lunch

Soup and a toasted cheese and tomato on wholewheat bread, or soup and toast with chunky savoury cottage cheese.

I tried a new combination the other day - baguette with some Mrs Balls extra hot chutney mixed into some plain chunky cottage cheese. OH MY WORD - it was heaven. YUM - I'm salivating just thinking about it. The sweetness and chili of the chutney with the cold, slightly tangy cottage cheese - DIVINE.

These photos were taken the day of the power failure so it was cup-a-soup plus cheese on crackerbread.

taken on my grey/ purple crib-turned-coffee table which I still love love LOVE

What the cot/ crib looked like before.... and after (I thought it would be more purple but I can live with it and it's PERFECT for photo backdrops, not that I recommend painting furniture just for a good backdrop).

2. Fudge brownies

If you know me at all, you'll know I love fudge with a passion. Especially when those blocks just melt in your mouth. In fact, I have homemade fudge on my birthday wish list. I should post that wish list.

Except... I have tried MANY times over the years and my recipes always fail. They just never set.

I'm fully aware it's ME, not the recipe. You can't be good at everything, right? This is what I tell myself when I have spectacular kitchen fails.

I also can't make peppermint bark but I still try every year. I figured out that it only works with Nestle Milky Bar chocolate, by the way.

(speaking of which, keep reading)

So my fudge failed. I had two dishes - one small round, and a rectangular one. The round one was the consistency of toffee so I'd have a spoon full every time I needed a little something. But the rectangular one was just a big mess. I tried to recook it and it got worse but I didn't want to toss it out (waste!).

Eventually I googled and found something to do with it. I scooped it all back into a pot, added one egg, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, mixed all up and into a dish. Baked about 15 mins - you have to watch these things - and the most delicious brownies emerged.

now you know why Pioneer Woman uses green plates. They're so photogenic!

I know none of you ever have fudge fails but if you do, then make these.

3. Apple bars



I have this recipe pinned here. I've raved about it many times because it's so easy and it always works.

In the photos mine doesn't look very appetising because I didn't do the sugar on the top bit. Normally I would if I make it to take somewhere or if we're having people over.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar - I only use 1/2 cup total, and ours is still sweet enough.

Also, normally I peel my apples but I'd just made Se7en's apple crisp with peels... so I thought why the heck not?! and it works just as well.

The kitchen fail

Okay, and then in case you think this is only a successful kitchen, let me tell you about my spectacular food fail just last week.

I pinned some avocado pasta, and I did it all at about 4, tasted it and it was fine. I then left it and then warmed it when we were ready to eat at 6:30 - 7ish ..... and it was DISGUSTING once heated.

We all took one forkful and some of us actually spat it out.

I can't even remember what we eventually had - toast with something probably.

There's nothing wrong with the recipe - I do think she should have said with a bit more explanation other than just "serve immediately"... make sure your pasta is hot and ready to eat, quickly do this sauce and eat immediately - will not be good even an hour later.

Anyway, normally I can rescue a meal but this one went straight in the bin. Do you know how that kills me?!

So what have you cooked over the last few weeks?

{Friendship Friday} Well, June was just okay

When I was doing my goals earlier this week, I wondered why I felt so unsatisfied and yet there were actually too many socials (5 plus Spanish/ Father's Day).

It's because we were at too many kids' parties.

And not enough proper quality time connection with friends. In fact, I only had one 1:1 friend date in June. She's currently on maternity leave and she lives <5 br="" easy.="" from="" it="" me="" mins="" so="" was="">

There are two things going on:

1. I feel like my time isn't as flexible as I'd like it to be. Before, I'd meet people for lunch or straight after work sometimes. These days I pick up the kids at lunch and while I know Nanny S could fetch them, I just worry about her walking a lot now that she's pregnant. Also, she leaves earlier (my idea) now that it's winter. This is an easy problem to fix though because it involves organising - I'll have to sort out the logistics before too long because the friend dates are actually piling up.
2. I'm starting to feel reclusive because I don't want to feel defensive. I hate the assumption that just because I'm not employed in corporate, I do nothing the whole day. I'm realising that my identity was indeed wrapped up in the work thing. So those "lady of leisure", "doing nothing all day" and "have you decided what you're going to do with your time?" comments really get my back up (I'm not saying my friends have said these to me - well, actually some have, probably not knowing how annoyed I get). I said to D yesterday, "THIS is going to send me back to "work" faster than anything else (social interaction, interesting role, money, etc.) and it should not be so". Is it weird? How do other people deal with this, or am I overly sensitive? It's not even a "new thing" - I've had this little business for 11 years!

(number 2 is not levelled at anyone - this is about me working things out)

Moving on. 



My friend, Caren turned 40 three weeks ago and had a lovely supper for all her friends.

It was such a great evening - I can't tell you how much we laughed. Caren and her friend had a glass or two before everyone arrived and they were just so funny (I don't think they quite realised!).



So interesting - Caren has known her one friend since they were literally babies (I think they're a few weeks apart) so her best friend, C, says in her speech, "well unlike K, I've only known Caren since we were 5!"

LOL

C put together a DVD of Caren's life all through childhood through to holidays, major events, etc. SOOOOO special.

These two make me so happy for them and a bit sad for me. I have friends but I don't have what they have.

Do you have a friend who would spend HOURS, days even poring through pics putting together something like this for you?

Life is short, hey? We should celebrate everything we can.

At some point I should tell you what I've decided for my 40th which is in 1 month and 2 days!

C & C did a great job with all the decor! It looked beautiful.

this is my favourite photo of the evening

Just the two of us :)

and the other two of us :)

How was your June?
Also, I feel like I've been talking to myself on the blog the past two weeks. Holler (I picked this up from a blog the other day) if you're still out there.

12 awesome things about being self-employed

pink light from sunset!!!

Eek - my photo posts are piling up because I'm going on too many photo walks. Who would EVER have thought?!

These ones are called elevate the ordinary because yes, I am redoing the course I did in 2012.



So I'm paying attention to things that take my fancy and not feeling guilty about taking tons of pictures of the same things (leaves/ skies/ trees/ walls and interesting backgrounds, and of course, light!)



Meanwhile, let me tell you what is AWESOME about being self-employed.

1. Not having to get up and out of the house on these cold (to me!) winter mornings
2. Reading in bed til I feel like I want to sleep, instead of being responsible with the light off at 12 midnight
3. Fetching the kids from school daily. It doesn't get old - I LOVE IT.
4. Jeans and takkies every day.
5. Morning gym on Thursdays - I've only missed one week these two months, the week I was sick.
6. Having the freedom to run errands during the middle of the day. I've only gone in the mornings twice (all grocery shopping) because I don't want to waste my quiet hours when I could be working in a darn shopping centre.
7. Getting a bee in my bonnet and just going to cook or bake something.
8. Cooking at leisure and having it ready most days by 6 pm.
9. Not having to wait to take photos of my organising or photo projects. Normally all of it would have to wait for a Sat or Sun afternoon
10. Technically being able to go on photo walks daily. We go about 3 times a week - sometimes I just take my iphone. Once I just walked.
11. D says spending quality time with the kids (his love language is quality time :))
12. D says not being so grumpy from being at That Place.

(the kids started taking me for granted. As in, ignoring me and just brushing past me to jump in the car, so I gave them a talk and said if they can't behave, then Nanny S will walk them home and since then, MANNERS again)

This was a Thursday since I'm in my gym clothes

 

I love how moody the keys look

the kids painted this wall with their roller stamps one day when I was sleeping!

my bouquet was dying so I grabbed some of the flowers and tried to give them some life

Tell me what's awesome about being employed by The Man!

(I miss the people interaction)

{Wordless Wednesday} an autumn photowalk through my lens - part 1

Do you have a favourite?

(mine are the clouds and trees at sunset)

Whoosh! So that was June

Flip - June went by quickly... for me.

I still had some of that "OH MY WORD I can't believe I was in that situation last year this time"

Last year on the 24 June I applied for a new job for the first time, thereby admitting to myself that it wasn't working.

Crazy city!

Here is my June goals post.

Anyway, aside from all that thinking, I did a whole lot of doing. I...

• wrote a whole 20-part e-course which ended up being double the work I thought it would be but was worth every hour spent writing it
• went to 4 parties
• got totally and completely up to date on my photos. All of our overseas trips are now documented and printed and organised in photo albu
• read 10 books, 4 of them physical books
• went on 3 official photo walks with big camera, and numerous others with the iphone or no camera
• had dates with each kid, and with D 3 times
• cooked and baked a lot (7 new recipes)
• passed my Spanish exam

lowlights?

• did not even hit 10 000 steps once in June (a whole separate Fitbit post to come)
• only lost 0.5 kg (I lost about 1.3 when I was sick and then gained some of it back)
• none of the friend stuff I planned happened :( but there were 5

For July, some of the things on my list:

1. Launch the next thing :)
2. Book holiday! 
3. Get through kids' party
4. Finish planning my own party
5. Make a wish list for D
6. At least 2 1:1 friend dates
7. Read 8 books (my last fiction physical book, Daring Greatly... and 3 non-fiction physical)
8. Finish elevate the ordinary
9. Try 4 more recipes while I'm on a roll...
10. Read Proverbs with Julia
11. 200 000 steps..............................

How did you do in June?
Share just 3 of your goals for July.
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