January

[+] a sweet birthday present from my baby sister...still call her baby despite her being an adult



[+] evening strolls with my numero uno favourite guy



[+] love the lights in this picture L.O.V.E



[+] a little bored when the internet went down



[+] probably our last outing as a family of six :(



[+] this was my meal that day...probably something I won't remember as the years pass but I will remember my four together and all the fussing in the car on the way there *sigh*



[+] white kitten paws on a white bedspread

I hadn't planned to be away so long but life being just a little crazy (as usual) PLUS school holidays AND the icing on the cake the kids chomping through our internet limit way too quickly caused my long absence, thankfully our limit has just been restored and fingers crossed won't be gobbled too quickly this time, well we can only hope.

Happy Australia Day to all the Aussies out there! hope it's beaut :)

lately

I wish I could say I was doing something super exciting that would explain the very long absence from here but truth be told my days are slowly slipping by with not much being done...just a little baking, a little crocheting and a little walking sometimes in the cool of the evening







Nothing too exciting...but holidays are meant to be peaceful and relaxing which they have definitely been. 2013 will be a very busy year for me, for those whom I told, (can't remember who exactly 'knows') I was sent an email August last year to apply for the honours program at uni and spent most of my days thinking yes I can do this! but a few minutes later thinking it was a crazy idea and I couldn't possibly do it. So being the procrastinator I am, I left to the very last minute and decided to apply thinking I will regret it years later if I didn't at least apply. As soon as I handed it in I thought they would definitely say no, I felt I had done so poorly on the written application. But on the 24th of December I was advised I was successful with my application. So for those who have been keeping their fingers crossed for me...thank you. I am sure your fingers are numb from it ;)

making

a very special anniversary present for my husband...still not finished but I hope it turns out like I imagine



another batch of almond butter, it is so very good and tastes amazing with apples



and a cinemagraph :)

a few random things

It really was my intention to blog a lot more during my uni holidays...but I have been enjoying myself offline and keeping myself occupied with so many things that by the time I was free it was too dark, or too late or I was far too tired. So the above photos are a little all over the place...

[+] a bit of mail making
[+] participating in a stationery swap
[+] guest blogging over at Bianca's
[+] eating pretty biscuits
[+] capturing bare winter trees
[+] knitting of a blanket (which I have not been able to continue as I ran out of wool)
[+] brownie making
[+] self portrait
[+] my latest op shop find

AND not pictured is the reading of 50 Shades of Grey book last weekend. I read all three of them and while I only did read them to see what all the hubbub was about I did in fact enjoy them. I will say that the author was very repetitious and it felt like she did a lot of copying and pasting throughout the book but nevertheless I enjoyed the part about the actual background of Christian Grey.

Now, only two weeks left of my holidays...I hope they go tremendously slow

life lately

my life lately
[+] a bit of flower picking from my garden
[+] a bit of op shopping
[+] visiting baby sister for her birthday and baking her macarons
[+] meeting baby sisters pup (who scratched me every time I walked by)
[+] finally finding a speak & spell after many, many years of wanting one
[+] planting my avocado
[+] a little more knitting
[+] rejoicing that the salted butter caramel turned out beautifully...what a shame the macarons didn't :(

weekend bits

another op shop visit and I picked up these three treasures, not much to many but I was so excited when I had these in my hand. Firstly the camera - it was initially picked up by a gentleman and I could tell he was very interested. When I realised what he had I motioned Andres with my eyes to have a quick look at what I had just missed by a few seconds, distraught that I had not arrived just a bit sooner to find it. So when I saw that he no longer had it in his hands I quickly searched for it he was obviously not interested when he realised the film rewind lever wasn't working but a little home repair fixed that. Now the book is one of the many little collections mum bought us when we were younger and most of them were thrown out I assume after some young visitors would come over and draw all over them so to find this book brought back a lot of memories, a whole lot.. And lastly the staffordshire plate, although I am obviously not the greatest of collectors like Laura I am happy I got one. I am going to have a wall in my kitchen with a few plates and have decided they are all to have yellow in common and this one will go so perfectly







a little trip to Windsor yesterday to see the flooded Hawkesbury river but I think we got there too late, we did have a wander and it was perfect timing finding the heart on the piece of wood with my love walking just in front. He knows that when I am with my camera it is best to just continue to walk and not wait around for me





and today I finally finished some duck egg cosies I am sending to a special girl and her boys. I do hope she likes them. And hopefully the long overdue letter that I have been promising her since I don't know when will accompany them. My heart melts when my kids pick flowers for me, my daughter gave me the tiniest of flowers, how perfect and how sad it makes me all at once. It is her 10th birthday tomorrow (she reminds me every few seconds just in case I have forgotten), and she will no longer be in the single digits birthdays but double digits along with her brothers. Boy is it hard letting go for this mum.

My week long break has ended so quickly but I am glad that it is moving fairly quickly, I am super anxious for this semester to be over already.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

Made some cola de mono (translated it means monkey's tail, I am not sure why it is named that way) but it is a Chilean christmas drink. You get milk and boil it with cinnamon quills, coffee, cloves and sugar. Once it has cooled you add pisco or any alcohol and a pinch of nutmeg. You then let it cool and drink. I made mine with cereal coffee and rum imitation.



Finished up some christmas cards



Went for a little stroll and noticed there aren't that many christmas lights this year...I saw only one house with christmas lights :( maybe from the high cost of electricity or maybe because christmas has come upon us so suddenly. Whatever the reason I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my dear blog friends a very merry christmas. Little did I know when I started this blog that I would make such wonderful and dear friends. Thank you all for your friendship, it means so much to me. May this christmas be one of many spent together :D