About us

We are a hard working, family of eight. Swimming in the sea when we aren't busy on our small holding. Daddy dragon has to work away a lot, so this blog is to let him keep up with our adventures at home.

Sunday 30 September 2012

Sunday afternoons


Are well spent building forts.


Washing toys.


Making rice shakers, and playing measuring games,


brooming cars too..,


knocking down block towers,


and making granola bars.


Earlier, they had said, I want to make something,


an owl,


a dog,


a star,


a hedgehog,


a dumper truck,


and a sunrise.

Hatchling no4 decided to start cooking,


'Eat dinner Mama, it so tasty!'

And when they were done with the pasta, lentils, and rice, I swept it all into a big pot.

I turned on the kettle and poured it over all the played with goods.

And once it was soft and eatable,

I served it up to the dogs.

Today, aside from washing a few, the hatchlings have not played with toys, and have been very happy, and it does make me really think hard about the gift purchase to come for the string of winter birthdays and holidays. I think with the hatchling play room stuffed full to bursting perhaps, we ought to give away more than we receive this year, perhaps by three fold.

There is so much that clutters up our lives and it doesn't need to be there. Yet, for some reason it can be so hard to part with, but I think we are ready.

Time to clear out closets and make a little space, and maybe find room to do new things that were inhibited by all the stuff.

Now, just to convince the hatchlings...









Saturday 29 September 2012

Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C


Oatmeal chocolate cookies

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup oats

3/4 cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 180 for 8-12minutes depending on your oven.


And because the hatchling have insisted...


we now have bats.

Friday 28 September 2012

Thursday 27 September 2012

Victoria Sponge

I feel so grown up, when someone stops in for a cup of tea, and I have a Victoria sponge made up to offer them.

Proper grown up stuff. 

Which feels pretty weird given I most certainly do not feel like a grown up.


Anyways, the rain is pouring and the wind is blowing,

and people kept popping in for tea,

and cake.


Well, certainly nobody declined tea and cake.

And now it is gone, I am actually starting to think about making another.

Two Victoria Sponges in one week?

That is maybe a little too grown up.


Vanilla sponge recipe

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb of soda

1 3/4 cup plain flour

Bake at 200 for about 35 minutes.





Wednesday 26 September 2012

Where'd the cheese go?


Guess I wasn't quick enough with getting dinner ready...

400g of mature cheddar gone!



I suppose I should be thankful he climbed into his seat to eat it.

Instead of hiding behind the sofa, and wiping his hands on the carpet.

Back to trying to figure out what to make for dinner, as broccoli and cauliflower cheese just isn't the same with out cheese!


Monday 24 September 2012

Christmas cake

It's that time of year.


Soaking the fruit over night!


Zesting oranges and lemons,


melting in the butter,


and adding the fruit,


and more brandy.


Hours and hours in the oven, the house smells so good.


Now we wait and feed it, and hope I haven't made a major boo boo, because after three months of care... it doesn't bare thinking about.

Here's the recipe I modified from:


Oh and here is my helpful tip... if you do not have/ can't find any skewers to prick your cake, use uncooked spaghetti.

Cup mastered


'I've got great news to share!'


'Look! I'm doing it. I finally figured out this ridiculously difficult, suck so hard my eyeball are going to be pulled through the back of my head, spout.'


'You are paying more attention to what's going on in the back ground... aren't you!'


'Ahem, this is my photo shoot.'



'Much better.'


'Now, where were we... right, let's talk more, about me.'

Sunday 23 September 2012

That's not your (Turkey edition)


That is not your house.


That is not your gate.


That is not your coop.


That is not your wall.


That is not your garden.


Here he is!


That is my turkey herder.

Good work hatchling!

Now,  about getting the others off the roof of our house....

Saturday 22 September 2012

Cows

Cows pay a lot of attention to people.


They watch.


They listen.


They think about it.


And then they decide,


they want some too!


'Come back with those Oreos!'



Sunshine snooze


Little birdies napping in the afternoon sun.

Friday 21 September 2012

Always dancing

This hatchling


loves to dance.


She loves music


and singing,


but anywhere,


and any time,


you will find


her dancing.


Which is quite a joy.


Don't you think?