Choc-Buzzed 2013

Yesterday started early. Ella came rushing in to our room before 6am to tell us the exciting news that the "Easter Bunny" had been.

So, we all crawled out of bed and headed downstairs to see the magic....

I love experiencing such days through the eyes of kids. Pure bliss.

Ella's letter gone and replaced with one from 'HIM'. The carrot munched on, cookie crumbs lined the plate and the milk sipped dry. And an array of foil wrapped goodies and treats left for our two cherubs....

Ryder didn't need any prompting.....he was straight into a choccie egg before we could even blink - foil and all :)

His cheeky grin says it all....as he licks his fingers clean :)

The 'usual routine' then occurred - an egg hunt adventure followed by {more} chocolate for breakfast....

I love this shot. Blury I know - but they were moving fast!

this photo says it all really.

Our Sunday rolled on with a quick Doctor visit {yes, even on Easter Sunday!} a gorgeous family park play and some fresh air in hope to 'burn off' some chocolate.

A fairly slow rest of the day, and a few champagnes shared with family later in the afternoon.

It was nice. A good mixture of slow and busy.

I'll be honest - Ryder has been full-on lately. Teething, mixed with another bout of Tonsillitis, and general toddler tantrums. Throw in some sugar-buzzin-easter-fun and he's all kinds of crazy! Crying one minute, happy the next. I can't keep up! He's been very testing lately. I'm drained to be honest. I keep chanting: this too shall pass. This is exactly {16months} when Ella hit peek fussiness and I struggled. Déjà vu,. Survived it before - will sure as hell survive it again! I'm just rolling with the punches.....

And a HUGE thank you to grandparents {my parents and Chris's} who have been such a support network lately in a time of need. Mwah to you 4 xox

How was your Easter?? Were your kids hungover come evening from all the chocolate? I simply let down my health-food-guard on the Easter weekend and let them go choc crazy....then come Tuesday, we regain good eating habits once again!

Have a great week All.

Little Miss Messy Face {Wordless Wednesday}

We baked chocolate brownies yesterday :)

Playing along with Wordless Wednesday, over here!

HAPPY HUMP DAY ALL!

{We're off to our 20 week baby scan today.....yahoooooo! Can't wait to see our little bub on the screen again....and hopefully see the sex!}

Wordless Wednesday......{Choccy Mess Busted}

We have a big box of Cadbury Chocolates to sell for a fundraiser for Ella & My Ballet Studio.

Yesterday, I found a certain little someone doing this with the chocolates :) First she made a 'sunflower' shape, then a 'train track'!! Oh the imaginations of a 3 year old! Love it!

Playing along with Sarah this morning!

Week-A-Boo.......{skateboards & chocolate bunnies}

Excuse my late post this week :) I was in bed at 8:15pm last night!!!! I can't remember the last time I was in bed that early....but I think it was somewhere in 1995 :) After a busy & fun weekend, an early night was needed. So I decided to put week-a-boo & my mammoth amount of emails sitting in my inbox aside, until this morning :) I'm so looking forward to today.....a whole day of nowhere to be & nothing planned {except staying in my pj's til after lunch & crafting with my girl!!} We haven't had a quiet, slow at-home day in a while, and I am craving it....BIGTIME!

Our Saturday, consisted of another trip to the Ballet Shop to pick up Ella's custom made jazz shorts & classical leotard, then off to her dance lessons, which is always the highlight of her Saturdays :) I took the opportunity to take some vintage photos & relax in the foyer with the other 'ballet Mummies' :)

Saturday afternoon...... Chris, Ella & I headed into the city for an afternoon of celebrating Kate's {Chris's second cousin's wife.....got that? heeee} 31st Birthday :) We kicked off the afternoon at the Brisbane Museum. There was a 'History of Skateboarding' exhibition there. Which I didn't think would be my cup of tea.....but was surprisingly very interesting :) The displays took Chris down memory lane....back to the 80's & his teenage skateboarding days :) There was a mini skateboarding ramp inside....which Ella thought was pretty cool.....hey, who needs a skateboard, when you can just slip & slide on your bottom & on cushions??

I then saw these skatebarods hanging on the wall........ HOW.COOL.ARE.THEY??

Had to get a shot of them!!!!!

We then headed to a local bustling cafe for a late lunch & a few drinkies to celebrate the birthday girl :)

{Ella's signature pose, when the camera comes out lol}

Sunday....Ella & I had a 'girl's shopping day' with my best friend, Monica. We headed down the coast to a massive outlet mall. On my shopping list: sunglasses & new undies :) What did I come home with: no sunglasses, no undies :) But a gorgeous winter coat for Ella, 2 dress/cami tops for Ella, beads to make a necklace....for Ella and a nice full tummy from a yummy lunch here, at this retro, funky cafe:

{Ella choosing her beads for her necklace}

We also got a taste of the first Chocolate Bunny for the season :) Yay....have I told you guys, how much I Love EASTER??!!!!

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, my friend's, on that note, I have some emails to attend to....and some serious crafting & beading to do :) I hope your weekend was FULL.....full of fun, full of rest, full of sleep, full of love, full of chocolate, full of adventure....full of life.....full of whatever makes you happy!!!

Link up below, if you blogged or photographed your weekend :)

Happy Monday All!

Chocolate Mud Brownies.....{Recipe}

This recipe is SO easy & so incredibly YUMMY!!! I love a good brownie! And usually I love them with some nuts & crushed biscuits included....but these are my all-time-fave as they are just simply packed full of chocolate goodness & are so rich & scrumptious :)

~ Chocolate Mud Brownies ~

Ingredients:

• 150g chopped, softened butter
• 125g dark chocolate {I am known for adding a little bit more lol}
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 ½ cups caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup plain flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• Icing sure {for dusting}

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180degrees
2. Grease the base of a 20cm baking tin, line with baking paper
3. Put the butter & chocolate in a heat proof bowl and place in microwave until butter & chocolate is melted
4. Remove from the microwave, stir & let cool slightly
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar & vanilla essence together.
6. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk together.
7. Stir in sifted flour & cocoa. Mix thoroughly.
8. Pour into the baking tin.
9. The original recipe says bake for 40mins….but I have found this over cooks the mix…..I do 25-30mins on 160-180degrees fan-forced oven. This leaves them soft & moist :)))
10. Lift out & cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar!

ENJOY!!

Miss Ella helping me make last week's batch of Brownies :)

Today......{At My House}

Today, at my house, we've been inside most of the day. I'm still in quite a lot of pain & still very weak & slow to move. BUT....Hubby had to return to work today so I sailed the ship solo :) Ella, being 2, did not stop all day!!! There was a few moments where she & I would sit still together & watch Tinkerbell, or read or do a puzzle.....but for most of the day, she wanted to GO GO GO!!!

Trying to explain to a 2yr old that 'Mummy is sore & can't play very much at the moment' is a little tricky! She understands......a little bit!!

I've been feeling a little down in the dumps today....I guess everything is sinking in! And, I've been feeling frustrated.....frustrated that I can't run, jump, dance, play & interact more with Ella. Frustrated that I can't just hop in the car & head out for the day. Frustrated that I can't vacuum. Frustrated I can't even hang the washing out! Thank goodness Hubby is a domesticated man & can help get it all done this evening :)

However, today hasn't been all doom & gloom! Ella & I still found a few 'quiet & easy' things to do together inside:

~ Painting & Scatter Sprinkling ~

~ Rice Gluing ~

And while Ella ate her jam sandwiches & cheese sticks for lunch.....I lost myself in the latest issue of Donna Hay with a cup of tea & a line of Cadbury Chocolate :) That was a moment of BLISS!

What has been happening At Your House lately? Please fill me in :)

For more At My House entries....head over to Buttons By Lou Lou's blog!