Mum's post: Baking with Amelie

Goes a little something like this:

So I'm making dinner late and I have a girl who really wants to help out, but nothing for her to do, so she offers to bake a cake.
Ok.
Get out the recipe, bowls, and basic ingredients.
She mashes bananas, pours, mixes, tastes and mixes more.
She is fabulous.


While the food is burning on the stove I want to record this fabulous moment.
"Smile Amelie!"
And here's what I get:

Yup, that's her. Fantastic Amelie, super girl wonder and super hero helper.

P.S. The cake was great.

Recipe here:

Kari’s Fab Breakfast & Snack Banana Cake

1 cup mashed ripe banana (2-3 bananas)

¾ cups sugar

1 ¾ cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

½ cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup chopped walnuts

In a small bowl mix bananas & sugar, let stand for 10 mins. While you’re waiting, Pre-heat oven, grease & flour baking tin.

In a large bowl mix oil, milk, eggs, & vanilla. Add banana mix.

Sift dry ingredients together into wet stuff. Mix until just combined.

Quickly stir in nuts.

Spread batter into pan and bake 40-60 mins at 180 C.

I double this recipe and bake in a bunt tin for 60 mins. Good luck.

Mum's post: Dinner snapshot.

Princess Amelie at dinner...
Sound sleep, didn't even finish her firsts. Carried straight to bed by daddy.

Mum's post: Flashcards

After searching high and low for my phonetic ABC flashcards I decided to create my own. Thanks to Google for their invaluable help. If anyone is interested I can send you the jpeg files.

Mum's post: Printable positive behavour charts

If you're as tired of hearing the sound of your voice reminding (ok, nagging) your kids to do everyday things (like wipe & wash hands after going toilet?) then this site might be what you need.I think its a great idea. There are charts-a-plenty out there, but pictures are great for those who don't read yet, and more fun to look at than just words for those who can read.

Check out Go Mummy Go for customizable & ready made charts

Princess Alisa: All about the cuddles

I am ALL about the cuddles and kisses!
I like to snuggle and be held, unless of course I want to be free.

Here I am right after a bath.

Nooooo! Don't hold me up, I hate being high in the air!

Mummy says "I will EAT YOU!"

Ah ha! Now that you're in my clutches, I will eat you!

Your nose is very tasty... nom, nom, nom.

Who are you? And why are you watching me?


Nothing here to see folks... We are of peace. Always.

Mums post: rainy days

I'm curled up on a couch with just this little ball of chub, a rare moment of quiet and calm. It's raining and the temp has dropped. All I need now is a thick blanket a couple child free hours to have a perfect afternoon. Sigh... dream on Kari.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mum's post: Happy 3rd Birthday Amelie!

Ame-lama entered the world one busy spring day.



And she's been keeping us busy since. :P

Getting stuck...

Having a blast

Entertaining us...

Such a funny honey!

Happy Birthday Princess!

Mum's post: The Princesses and Hamataro

At the moment Mia looks a bit like Bijou from Hamataro:

Mia has the mumps... and won't allow me to post photos at the moment

P.S. Hamataro craft here
I couldn't help it ;)

Mum's post: Girls at Play

Youngest to oldest

Alisa

Amelie

Chia

Mia

Crazy

Relaxed

Giggly

Pensive

Artsy

Dancing in the afternoon sun

Mum's post: Birthday suprise

Mia worked hard all afternoon & decorated this cake for me & her aunt Dawn by herself & of course her sisters had to get in on the photo. They kept jumping in at the last minute, as you can see.

Obachan baked it & Mia decorated it. Thank you Joan & Mia!

Mum's post: A great website

I meant to post this months ago, but better late than never. Check it out:

Early Learning at home

Early Learning at home (Youtube channel)

BTW, someone was asking about the games I've linked to on the sidebar and I want to state that our general rule for the girls to play computer games is: occasionally, after all studies (both Christian and school) are complete, no more than 30 mins at a time, with an adult keeping an eye on them.
They also play other educational games from time to time, but really, why sit your kids in front of a PC for hours clicking a mouse or keyboard when there are so many other things for them to do?

Mum's Post: Wordless Wednesday

Mum's post: Oodles of buttons

Chia needed a button sewn on her fave jean skirt so we pulled out the button jar to find one that would fit & Amelie promptly emptied the contents onto the floor.
Chia helped me find the right button but helping me sew was out of the question -who has time for sewing where there are oodles of buttons begging to be shot across the floor?
I needed something to keep them busy while I worked and this was the result:


Materials needed:
3 pieces of card stock
Thick marker

Write a size at the top of the card stock.
Draw circles for your buttons (as you can see I was in a HURRY and the sizing is not quite right, but hey, it took less than 5 mins & they LOVED it!)
Let your kids play with them.

The girls played with these for a looooooooooong time (20 mins) and didn't want to pack up for lunch (we ate late that day!). Later we added a "medium" page as Chia noted that some buttons weren't small or big.

Chia's photos!
Yep, her first time to use a camera alone & she went camera crazy! Here is our *tidy-perfectly organised* room as seen through the eyes of "T".
I give you our room:
(*note the nice box of stuff-we-need-to-get-out-of here which always ends up mixed with where-is-my-fave-stuffed animal/doll/car/princess dress/shoes?)

Hmm...?

"SMILE MUMMY!" ....Runs off to find the next victim
Not bad T, it's in focus!

I love this one, it has an artsy feel to it.

Trying to get close up & focus

Still trying...

"LOOK MUMMY, I DID IT!"

"I DID it mummy! Can I SEE!!"
Good job T, in focus again!