Orange Yogurt Cake

1 cup caster sugar

Zest of 2 oranges, plus juice of 1 orange

3 large free range eggs

250ml oil, I used olive oil

300g natural yoghurt, I used Greek Style

300g self raising flour

Preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan.  Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin.

Place the sugar, zest, eggs, oil, yoghurt and orange juice into a large bowl.  Mix with an electric beater until thoroughly combined.  Measure in the flour and fold through gently until just combined.  

Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the tin to cool.  Remove the cake from the tin once cool and dust with icing sugar or spread with icing before serving.

Proud kitty

This kitty adores our newest hatchling.

He takes the time

to warm her seat.

And is always looking for a chance to snuggle.

He is very pleased with the new addition.

Playing in the bluebells

He says he misses you

His early morning attitude

He is always up well before dawn

Only poached eggs will do

He gets that from me

He looks at me with those blue grey eyes

He’s got me in the palm of his hands

And I swear sometimes

It’s just like you are here with me

He smiles that little crooked smile

There’s no denying he’s your child

Without him I don’t know what I’d do

He gets that from you

How he loves your old minatures

He’s taught himself to play

He melts my heart, tells me he loves me everyday

He gets that from you

He cracks a joke at the perfect time

Makes me laugh when I want to cry

That boy is everything to me

He gets that from you

This morning I heard him pray

‘I worry ‘bout Mummy, I want to help make troubles go away

And make sure daddy is going to be okay.

He says he sure misses you.

He gets that from me.

Angry bird day!

We have at least one Angry bird obsessed hatchling in our home.

He is, in fact, our angry bird champion.

One of the wonderful parts of this whole home education program is the ability to customise to the needs and wants of each child.

Some how math problems become easier to solve if there are disney princesses standing beside each equation.

It may not make complete sense, but I have seen it happen first hand.

Hence, we are doing school work angry birdy style over here.

Perhaps, you might have a hatchling who would enjoy these sheets too.

I would really encourage you to visit this website link as I can not figure out how to directly link the materials here. The maths book was very well received by our four year old hatchling.

http://www.kindergartenteacherresources.com/2012/08/04/angry-birds-math-worksheets-for-kindergarten/

Other printables can be found at these websites:

http://yhwhleads.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/angry-birds-printables/

http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/AngryBirdPrintables.htm

And there are excellent colouring pages here:

http://coolcoloringpages.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/angry-birds-coloring-pages.html

Dolly

This is Dolly, our beloved hen.

She doesn't really understand she is a chicken.

She has taken to snoozing in the cloak room, and laying eggs beside the dryer, 

sat on top of a bin bag, full of grubby shoes.

She is funny old bird,

and we love her dearly. 

Today, I am thankful

Thankful for this beautiful boy, who picks me bunches of 'blowies'.

Thankful for this little girl with her beautiful smiles.

Thankful, for this wonderful guy who takes the time to share all his stories with me.

Thankful for the friendships the hatchlings share.

And thankful for new beginnings and such wonderful people with which to share each day.

When I wish you were here

I stop and remember why you are not.

And I want you to know, that I am thankful.

I am truly blessed to have you as my best friend, husband and soul mate on this journey.

I am grateful for the hours you spend constantly trying to move forward, and I wish you to know how much you are valued. That your ambition is respected, and that you are amazing to me.

Nonetheless, I wish you were here.

So that you could have seen this sunset.

The colour of the sky was incredible, then a chilly breeze came through, and someone snatched up the covers made of cloud and it disappeared.

And of course, I wish I could give you more time at the sea side with your hatchlings.

But for now, and for always, I want you to know:

I love you and I am thankful.

Finally she has a little sister

'I always wanted to be a big sister', she says.

'You have been a big sister for a long time', I tell her.

'But I never had a sister to be a big sister for', she points out.

And she is becoming a fantastic one at that.