Master Chef Australia (Tasmania)

I must say that I am loving the new show on chanel 10 Master Chef. I think it is just great, especially as I love to cook (I don't like to cleaning up however). Last week they made a Stick Date Pudding with a butterscotch sauce and an almond prailine! So I thought that tonight I would give it a go and I must say that it tasted YUMMMMMMMMM!!!!! We had the missionaries for tea and they were lucky as they got share the last one left much to Ryans distress as he wanted to eat it himself, but, with a little sweet talking that I will make him some more he finally gave in.

They have some really good things on the show especially on the Friday evening as they have the Master Chefs class where that teach some really good tips and trick to making specific dishes. It comes in handy especially when you want to try something yet you have never done it before so wouln't know were to start. The other day they did how to prepare and clean a squid to cook up. not that I will try coooking it in a hurry but still it is a thought if I ever want to try and clean it.

Tonight they had the challenge of cupcakes, each person had to make a signiture cupcake. All were given a basic recipe but they got to choose what extra they wanted to add to it! I am very excited to try some ideas myself after watching it. So watch this space fot more cupcake delights to come!

Cakes, Cakes and more Cakes

Well it was a busy day on Thursday as I had one chocolate cake order to get out for Friday and I also wanted to do a demo cake of a fantastic gluten free sponge cake with the works of jam and cream. The cake even though it does not conatin wheat was still able to rise really well and I was impressed that I was able to slice each sponge in half and therefore make a 4 layered sponge. Ryan has said that this is the cake he wants for his birthday as it is so soft and light. It is also a really easy cake to make with not much extra stuff to do like I have with the Chocolate cakes.

This Chocolate cake was for a young guy who is a BIG melbourne fan so I was able to sorce in Hobart the AFL figurine and candles for it.

This is the new cake boxes I picked up during the week. They have been really good and I have even managed to make some labels for them. I have been playing with ideas over the past few months of business names to use but have been really finding it hard, currently I have the name 'Take the Cake' but I might open up to everyone out their to give me some suggestions. Feel free to leave a comment with some ideas.

New Wheelchair and Active City Park.

We have been really lucky as a few months back St Giles rang us to say that they had been given some money from a generouse person who wanted it to be used in the purchase of a wheelchair for one of their clients. Janet, Charlottes Occupational Therapist rang and asked if we would like to take up the offer. Of course we said YES, as wheelchairs can be rather expensive and with everything else we need for Charlotte some times it is a bit hard to save for the extra BIG items!

Well last week we got a call to say that the new wheelchair was ready to be fitted. So yesterday we went to the appointment to do this. I had forgotten the process and didn't realise that we would be their for over 2 hours!!!!!! William coped really well and I must say that he behaved beautifully. Charlotte also did a good job as she had to moved twice in and out to get things fitted to where she needs them to make her sit comfortably.

Charlotte looking very groovy in her new chair, Shaun did a great job putting all the bolts and bits together.

William tried to help out, he also drew Chocolate all over his face, just one of the ways he kept himself entertained!

After the appointment William and I took Charlotte back to school and then went to the last half hour of the Active City Park that was on yesterday. William had a great time, he made a bee line to the jumping castle and got very angry at me when we had to go so the big kids could play as well. He also had fun on some toys that a group had set up. After we had a play at the train and he loved it!

Choc Chip Cookie Cake!

Well over the last two days I have been rather busy with baking! I have had two orders this week for my Chocolate cakes so have been getting those organised. Today I spent a few hours driving round looking for cake boxes and getting prices. The last few cakes I have made we have made a make shift type box but now that I have had more interest I have thought it is about time to get more proffesional! I ended up getting a good deal on the boxes and I also brought some new bags for my cupacakes to go in when I sell them individually. I also got a sample of a 4 cupcake holder so am thinking I will give that a try next week when I have a bit more time. I still have to put the icing on the cake and decorate it but will do that later tonight when I get home from Young Women's. I find it easier to put the collar on when I have Ryan to help as it gets a little tricky by myself.

I have also been making a choc chip cookie cake! We have Young Women's tonight and we are having a get together for Lizzie who is moving up so I wanted to try this cake again. We had it for Jess's birthday last year and she actually reminded me about it which made me want to do it again.

Balancing Act

This is what these three get up to on the weekend!

Ryan looking a bit overladden with kids!

I had a bit of a quiet weekend, as I was feeling a bit under the weather so I managed to catch up on doing some craft. I managed to decorate this tissue box cover so now when I buy ugly boxes of tissues I can at least cover them up with something a bit snazzy. Again this is a Kaiser craft product. I have also made a little photo album but it is still needing to be finished.

Our Brave Amelia

Well today Amelia had to have her needles one was her hiB and the other one was to prevent cervical cancer. We decided that we were not sure how she would cope so we took her to the doctor even though she could have had them done through school. I must say we were really suprised as she coped really well. She didn't even cry and I was in the waiting room with William and we didn't hear a thing! I was sure she would howl the dr's down but she actually came out looking really good. She even was happy to pose and show off her cool bandaids!

A Busy Weekend!

On Friday evening we travelled to Hobart so that we could catch up with family for Mother's day, as well as to go in the Mother's Day Classic which is either a 4km/8km run or a 4km walk.

On the Saturday we did a little bit of shopping during the morning then in the afternoon we prepared dinner as we usually do a meal for Ryan's mum for part of her mothers day present. This year we decided to cook our homemade burgers with the lot and we served it on a fresh roll with homemade sweet potato, potato and carrot chips. For desert we had a caramel desert served on a base similar to a cheesecake and had icecream and cream. It was really yummy and I think everyone enjoyed their meal, even though we were all stuffed by the end. William had a heap of fun playing with Grandad as they built towers from the stuff on the table and then had fun trying to blow it down.

On the Sunday (which was mothers day) we woke early as we were going to the mothers day clasic that was held up on the domain. They had three events all starting at differnt times, the 8km run started at 8:15 the 4km run started at 9 and the 4km walk started at 9:45. I was running in the 4km walk so Ryan and the family dropped me off and then they got themselves ready and walked slowly up to the domain to watch me run. Their was HEAPS of people in the race and it was a little hard to not kill yourself as you tried to take off as it was I had a kid run in front of me and he almost fell on his face lucky I was able to grab him before that happened. Once we were out on the go it got easier as people were able to fall into their own pace. I managed to complete the 4km in 18:58 which I was happy with although it was a little slower compared to my last two events. Once I had finished I found the family and then we got ourselves ready to go in the 4km walk. We registered under teh team 'Mother's Rights at work' which was a team that Roz, my sister, put together and as a result it was the biggest team at the event so they got a trophy for it. We also got to wear some rather snazzy tee shirts. Because ran teh 4km run Ryan and I hada deal that I would do the walk with the kids while he ran it and then he would come bac and find us to give me a hand. My Mum was going to walk with us but she did not feel to confident with her hip so she and Charlotte sat in the sun and watched the event. I was really glad when I saw Ryan coming down the hill towards us as William had decided that he didn't want to walk so I had to carry him the whole way around and as a result I think I carried him for just over 3km!!!!! He got rather heavy when I got to slight hilly bits on the track. When we got bac to the domain and we had the final leg on the actual race track he and Amelia decided that they would run. I must say I was really impressed with Amelia as she walked the whole way and didn't complain once! The last big walk she went on was the 3km in Beaconsfield and I heard from Ryan that she wanted to stop almost as soon as she started. Onc of the good things about teh Mother's Day Classic is that everyone gets a showback with some great things in it. This year we all got a Tupperware drink bottle, as well as medal, chocolate, water, iced tea, and some promotion bits and pieces from other business.

Before we left we were asked by the organisers if they could have a group picture of the runners involved in the Mum's rights at work groups, as they were the biggest group with 69 registered. We also had a photo taken that was in the Mercury today that was highlighting the goverments new plans to introduce paid maternity in the next two years.

Amelia looking lovely in her spunky tee shirt.
Ryan feeling good after finishing his race he finished the 4km in 22:20 which he was rather happy with.
William loved the balloon he got, so much so that he wore it nearly all afternoon!

After the run/walk we went to my sisters for lunch for Mother's day and Pa's birthday. We had a lovely roast dinner, thanks to her husband Chris, and the desert was a pav, thanks to Mum!

These crazy monkeys enjoyed their icecream desert!

After a lovely lunch Amelia and Henry had heaps of fun playing together although Amelia was getting to the stage where I think she wanted to be left alone, I don't blame her as Henry was using her a jumping castle at one stage!

We also had a birthday cake, as it was pa's birthday and Josh was a great help in the kitchen as he helped his Mum whip the cream and put the decorations and candles on it. He even helped bring it in as we all sang happy Birthday!

I test for Coles

A few weeks ago I got a letter in my email asking if I would like to be a tester for coles. Of course I said YES and as a result I got my first package of stuff to test today! It was rather exciting as it had HEAPS of lollies in it! And for those who know me know I LOVE lollies. Some of the items included are: Belgian Chocolate, Popcorn, rice cakes, rasberry and white muffin mix, organic pasta sauce, pasta, cling wrap, snakes, strawberry jam, tomato soup, peggy pig and pals (these are soft lollies), strawberries and cream lollies a travel mug and a pen. All the products are full size and all is free! All have to do is eat them and then let the panel know what I think of them, how easy is that! I think that as we go through the products I will write a bit here and let you all know what I think of each product and then you can decide if you might like to try it out as well. I know that some of these will be eaten tonight by soe hungry little munchkins when we travel to Hobart to visit family and spend time with our Mum's for Mother's Day!

The stylish travel mug, might use this in the car tonight!

The unopened package, it felt like christmas only early, I LOVE getting packages in the mail!

The very official letter telling me what I need to do once I have eaten all the yummy 'You'll love Coles food'

All the yummy fod we have to try! I can already say that the chocolate is really good, Ryan actually likes it better than Cadbury Chocolate (now thats a BIG call!)

Truffles on a stick

I made these last night and put them together so that they look like a bunch of flowers, only they are truffles covered in chocolate. The inside is different to the usual truffles I would have made as it is a chocolate cake that has been crumbled through a food processor and then a tin of Betty Crockers vanilla frosting mixed in well and then melted white chocolate put through it as well to help make it a bit firmer so it stays on a lollypop stick. I let them set and then I melt the chocolate and dip them into it and wait for the choclate to set before putting them into a package tied with some pretty ribbon. Must say it was a little fiddly but it tastes good and that is a bonus!

Crafty Cupcakes

Well today William and I spent the morning doing some Mother's Day shopping. I LOVE getting the chance to have a stroll around the shops and see what is about and ideas I can use. Well today as I went into House I saw they had these cute cupcake face washers packages up. On closer inspection I realised that they were rather easy to make and that with a few simple items I could make them myself for a fraction of the price they were selling them for. So after a trip to a few other shops I ended I buying the stuff to make my own cupcake face washers. And the results are below.

Some of the other items I loved today was running into Jasmine and Felicity who had a Salt City Candle Display at Kmart Racecourse. They had heaps of yummy smelling candles on show and I must say that i did get myself a few to try. I have put them around teh house as they have such a fantastic smell even when they are not being burned. Jasmine has just started to do parties so if anyone is interested in having one just leave a comment and I will pass on your details to her.

If you want to check out what they are all about you can click on the link for more info

http://www.saltcitycandle.com/

Now William cracked me up this afternoon as he found this party hat and insisted that I take a photo of him wearing it! I think he knows the deal that Mummy is always taking photos!

Craft Bits!

These are some of the crafts I have been doing over the weekend.

This one is one that the Young Women are going to make tonight for mutual, however they may not use pictures but quotes about mothers and other inspiration thoughts.

I have found that I really enjoy doing these more so than a scrapbook page at the moment because they are small and easy to finish as well as be inspired of what embelishments to use. The Kaiser craft site has lots of great ideas on how to use their products and they have pdf formats avaliable of the books they bring out free of charge with ideas in them. Currently some craft stores have them BUT I have ben told that the next lot will be 3 monthly and that a small charge wil be involved which makes download on the computer a cheaper option!

The site is http://www.kaisercraft.net/

Where's William?

The other day we had to take Charlotte to an appointment to have a hip xray. I decided that it would be much easier to have another set of hands to help out so I took Ryan along as well as he was able to take Charlotte in and lift her and I was able to look after Amelia and William. William was having a ball with the toys in the waiting area, so much so that he decided to not only play with the toys but he found a new game to play, chuck all the toys out of the toy bin and play hide and seek! At least it was a good activity to keep him amused for a while!

Targa Cars

On Friday night we took the kids to see the Targa cars that were on display in Launceston city. William LOVED looking at all the cars. Amelia is also a car lover and did a few woof whistles as she saw a car she liked! It is funny as she has never really been in to girl things she would much prefer to check out cars than do makeup.