Ticking off the holiday list - part 1

The last few days have been about finishing off our holiday list. We all had special things we wanted to do and in the past fortnight we've been getting them done. It's been great. Some have been easy. Others have required a little more planning.

Cocoa pops for breakfast was an easy one. I think that was Ruby's request. Apparently, I once said it was okay to have them in the holidays and Ruby reminded me: 'I don't really think we've had them just yet'. Done.

Charlotte Cove and our little lunch spot

Sarah wanted a picnic at a little coastal spot south of us. We discovered Charlotte Cove, south of Cygnet, a few weeks ago, and decided a picnic would be nice there one day. So after church on Sunday we packed our lunch and headed off: picnic, exploring, shell collecting and a lovely circuit drive through Huonville, Cygnet, and up the Channel through Gordon, Woodbridge, Margate and home again. It was just the thing for the last Sunday before school.

 Alice has lots of teeth trying to break through in 2011

 Sarah of the Charlotte Cove Picnic Committee

Just the place for post-lunch exploring and fossicking

We're opting for a quieter, slower day tomorrow and then another outing on Tuesday - the last day of holidays. I think everyone will then be satisfied with the number of ticks on our list.

I hope your list for this week gets many ticks, too.

Lunch box baking

The holidays are finally over at our house. Daddy has been back at work for a few days, tomorrow the older girls start Grades 3 and 2, and then Hannah and Ruby start next Monday.

They're off to Kindergarten - which I can't quite believe - but I know they'll love it. Their big sisters have set up a daily schedule to go and check on them every chance they get! Here in Tasmania, kinder is the first year of formal school, around 2-3 full days, starting the year you turn 5. Their uniforms are ready and they've spent two days carrying oversized backpacks and school hats around the house!

And so we began baking. The freezer and biscuit tins are now stocked up nicely and there's been lots of fun in the kitchen. But there has been a shift. Baking has changed. Up until now I've made one dozen muffins or one slice or one batch of biscuits at any one time (yes, Mum, while the oven was already on for dinner!) For years this worked. It was plenty. For days! But no longer.

Honey Oat Squares

We've definitely moved into the 'double batch' or 'multiple products' stage of family baking. I now know I need a second muffin tin, I need to allow more eggs and time for each baking session, and I need to make freezer friendly biscuits. I think many of you are there already.

Nalda's Apple Muffins (and my new spotty plate from Coles in Melbourne! Love it)

So first off it was apple muffins. We love this recipe so thought I'd share it. I used to be put off having to use cooked apple but our apple peeler/slicer makes it much quicker. I find that stewing the diced apple while we get the rest of the ingredients ready gives it plenty of time. The recipe comes from the Longreach School of the Air recipe book: it has become one of my absolute favourites.

Nalda's Apple Muffins

Beat together 125g caster sugar, 250ml milk, 125g butter (melted and partly cooled) and 2 eggs

Add 1 cup (about 2 apples) cooked apple (or tinned apple)

Fold in 1 1/2 c SR flour, 2 tsp cinnamon

Spoon into greased muffin tin. Bake at 200 C for 20-25 min. The recipe states it makes 12 but they are very big so I make 12 regular (ie child friendly) sized plus about 6-8 mini ones.

Hope you enjoy them too. I'm off to organise the muffins above into their respective lunch boxes.

Parties and pretty dresses

We're in for a big weekend here. But, thankfully, a pleasurable one.

Unlike my in-laws in Ingham, in far North Queensland. They spent Thursday night huddled between mattresses in their bathroom.   They were among some of the more fortunate in that there's been no damage to their house or yard.

But with no sign of power being reconnected and now rising flood waters, they are far from comfortable. The 2009 Ingham floods isolated them and flooded under the house, reaching levels a long way up the back steps. The decision some 43 years ago to build a high house has certainly paid off. More than once.

We are praying that things improve, and soon. And for all those who've lost so much, we are also praying that they get the support and assistance they need. How can we not be moved by such devastation?

But on a lighter note I thought I'd share some photos and sewing with you.

It seems it's a season for milestone birthdays here. First, my father in law's 70th birthday which we celebrated here in Hobart. The girls all got a new 'Mummy' dress made in time for the party. We enjoyed a lovely meal at Mures Upper Deck on the wharf. If you know Hobart, you'll know it's quite the position for celebratory dining.

Hannah and Ruby got a little peasant style dress with Mummy's first shirring around the chest. Thanks to Julie at Narioka and her shirring tutorial, I was brave enough to have my first go.

This photo was not staged. They were taking in the scenes of boats in Sullivans Cove. Cute.

Alice's dress is a pattern from Corrie at retromummy, and Sarah's was made using Corrie's pattern for the body, and little capped sleeves from an idea I saw in my travels.

In the days after Christmas, Hobart is just a wonderful place to be. The Sydney to Hobart yachts were still coming in during the night, and the Taste of Tasmania was about to get underway. After dinner we went to inspect the yachts. Can't believe how small (and how huge) some of them were!

My cheeky monkeys.

And here's Mummy and Daddy. Now that Sarah and Alice are taking photos, we actually get photos of us together every now and then.

Well, now for this weekend. My Dad's turning 60 and there's quite the celebration, let me tell you. All my sisters, partners and family together. Everyone's excited but there's still lots to do so I must be off. 

Will fill you in soon.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. And for all those who have been so affected of late in Queensland, let's take nothing for granted. Power, water, mobility, food. Just to think of the amount of food lost from people's freezers and fridges is bad enough, without even beginning to contemplate the destroyed homes. For us, it's a chance to renew our perspective on our every day life. And for those of us who believe, to pray. Bye for now. x