A Puppy Party for the littlest

Our littlest turned 6 a week or two ago. I've given up trying to slow down time. It just goes faster every year. So we threw a party, all about dogs, her favourite topic.

We did gross things like pick up 'dog poo', and slightly scary things like play balloon games with our rather large energetic dog Scout. The puppies up for adoption had crazy-big eyes but the kids each fell in love with their chosen pooch and officially named and adopted each one.

No girly colors or games for this Miss 6. She was happy playing on her new penny board or having Scout used for 'pin the tail.....no no, tie the party hat on the doggy'.

She and her friends decorated cupcakes with doggy faces, watched Beethoven on the projector screen and when her Dad and I were exhausted, her big sister took over and played party games with doggy crafts for prizes.

Of course there were tears of tiredness for our little introvert near the end and the usual quiet promise to ourselves to not have another party for a few years. 

Sighs of relief when the last little girl and her puppy left, from Scout too I'm sure!

                       
                       xoxo

Tea with me {and cake too}

If you were to tea with me this week you'd most definitely have to come in the morning.  Our cooling system is yet to be reset and this never-ending heat wave reaches its daily climax by 12pm. You'd find me hot and a little bothered but  bright and cheery enough and dying to sit for a cuppa and a chat with you.

As you walk through from the front door you'll be delighted with the bright and airy space beyond the wide panelled hallway. You might perch on a bar stool while I fluff about in the kitchen and you'll look around you at how open and spacious it is in our new living space. You'll see a few boxes, some half finished projects and bare walls and spaces but you'll like what you see (I hope).

I'd make a pot of tea for us both and we'd sip icey cold water while we wait for it to brew. And of course you'd HAVE to try my earl grey tea cake. Its almost finished and I'll have to fight the urge to bake the same cake so I can try something new for this weeks cake-a-week.

I'm wondering how you are managing in this heat. With school and kindy runs and daily errands and no relief in sight it can be so exhausting. Are you coping ok?

We have just had two gorgeous days at the beach.  We pretended we were away camping (it was too hot to actually camp we decided) and we skipped church and other weekend commitments, packed the esky and hit the waves, just the four of us. It was truly the first time spent together in months and it felt so good. A weight has shifted from my shoulders and I feel like I have my husband and life partner back. He's been so busy renovating our house for so long now. Its not finished yet, but he needs a break and he needs to be with his kids and they with him.  

So I'll tell you how grateful I feel right now. Filled to the brim with gratitude. And relief too. I feel more rested and more inspired.  I might tell you though, how I've felt so spiritually dry for the last few months. I might even ask you to pray for me.  With all the busyness of moving in and out of different places, christmas and the new year starting I've let distractions settle in, I formed unhelpful habits, things like watching (more) catch-up TV which I began using to help survive the stress and loneliness without Blake around.  I've let mindless distractions crowd out my most important relationship.

And now I can't just pop it on my to-do list along with all the housey jobs.

        To do:

        -paint stools

        -make curtains for cubby

        -catch up with God and work harder at being His friend.....

Nope. Thankfully I don't have to try harder or even try to find Him and hope He's still my friend. I simply have to fall into His arms and rest in Him. Then ask Him to help me depend more on Him.

But I do have to set aside time and make time spent reading His word and prayer a priority. Not for His approval but for my own survival and my own joy and to honour Him.

I'd want to know how you find time for Him. Do you remember to pray continually?  Or if you don't believe like I do, from where do you draw strength? Whom do you lean on and where do you find your hope? I'm interested, and I'd love to know.

Thankyou for coming. You've inspired and encouraged me as always. I can't wait for our next heart-to-heart.

I'm linking up with the gorgeous Em at Teacups too for this fortnightly post.

xoxo

Tea and cake

Before we moved home I decided in this little hard working brain of mine that I would not just have a vast array of tea on offer for those who care to visit and stay a while, but I would endeavour to always have fresh cake in the pantry, fridge or oven to share with one and all.

Because tea and cake are just so perfect for one another and I really want them to be best friends around here, along with aprons and smiles.

So I'm starting today with my 'cake-a-week' challenge, and of course I am not starting with a simple chocolate or butter cake.  I'll save the carrot cake and my favourite apple tea cake for another week.  I'm starting out with an Earl Grey Tea Cake, my first ever and I'm a little bit excited because it is gluten free which suits me and my littlest to a tea! And I just LOVE earl grey tea.

I've used a recipe from here but changed it to suit my Thermomix so I'll share it with you so you can share tea and cake with me wherever you are.

You will need:

•               300g of brown rice 

•               150g chickpeas (for garbanzo or besan flour)

•               1/2 Tbsp baking soda

•               1/2 tsp sea salt

•               2/3 cup canola oil

•               1-1/2 cups brewed Earl Grey tea 

•               1/2 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

•               1-1/2 cups pure maple syrup (I used 1 cup because one bottle only had a cup in it!

I know, there are no eggs or chia seeds in it! My cake is cooking as I type so I am a little worried that I'll be sharing a failed recipe with you, but isn't it great for those with allergies? No dairy either.

So wiz up the brown rice on speed 9 for 30 seconds and set aside. Then mill your chickpeas in the same way (definitely block your ears for this one!)

Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix gently on speed 4.

Mix all of your wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine in the thermomix and mix together on speed 5, scraping down now and then. It may take a minute or so.

I noticed two things.

The mixture is very runny! Fingers crossed.

It is an expensive cake to make! I used a whole bottle of pure organic maple syrup and I was ½ a cup short.

Pour into a lined loaf tin and cook on 170 C for an hour or until it springs back when you touch the top.

Once your gorgeous smelling cake has cooled, enjoy it with your favourite tea.

Verdict:  My cake is extra super delicious and perfectly moist and springy! Its too sweet for me even with only a cup of maple syrup, but perfect for my little people. So definitely cut back to one cup or less.

I can't wait to serve some to my friends this week, esp. my earl grey-loving friend Kellie 

xoxo