My Christmas Wish List

Unless you have been living in the confines of a bubble, or wondering around with your eyes closed. There is absolutely no doubt that the Christmas Season is yet again upon us.

YES it's that time of year again.

The time of year when stress seems to triple, sleep is almost non existent. And the chubby guy at the North Pole is filling your letter box with copious amounts of pamphlets hinting that the only way to make everyone happy is to empty your bank account entirely.

It's exhausting, so much work goes into this one day and right up until the last minute you are in panic mode, wondering what it is that you may have forgotten.

Even so, it is my favorite time of the year.

This year, getting Christmas present ideas out of my boys has been like pulling teeth. DIFFICULT

I'm not sure about you (those of you with sons) but it seems the older boys get, the harder they are to buy for. 

Me on the other hand could write a list as long as my arm. However instead of pinning my list to the fridge, I am going to post it here, because in my home a list pinned to the fridge wouldn't get a look at as everyone is too busy looking inside the fridge trying to find something to fill their bellies.

                                 *Candles, I love them. A girl can never have too many

                                 *A gold necklace chain so that I can wear my favorite pendant again

                                 *More arm bling. I am newly obsessed with bracelets and bangles

                                 *A new sewing machine

                                 *And a fabulous Christmas surrounded by my family 

                  Do you have a Christmas wish list for 2013 ? And is it pinned to your fridge ?
           Linking up with Jess for the final November IBOT.........My where has this year gone ?

Chocolate Pudding Bar

This pudding bar dessert is a winner !
No seriously it actually is. Along with two other recipes, the Chocolate Pudding Bar was responsible for winning me a Fisher Paykel fridge back in 2004 with Super Food Ideas Magazine. Read about it all here.

By using a total of only 4 ingredients

There is no cooking involved. It is super easy to make, super delicious, and a hit with everyone.



Chocolate Pudding Bar
serves 6-8

2 packets of of malt biscuits
1 packet of fun size Crunchie bars, refrigerated
395g can sweetened condensed milk
600ml thickened cream


-Line a lamington pan with baking paper. Layer malt biscuits over the pan base, cutting to fit if  necessary so that the base is completely covered.
-With the crunchies still in their wrapper, use a rolling pin and crush the chocolate bars so that they  are broken into small pieces.
-Using an electric mixer, beat the sweetened condensed milk and the cream in a large bowl until  thick and pale. Stir through crushed crunchie bars.
-Spread mixture over the biscuits. Top with another layer of biscuits and freeze until firm. Cut into  squares and serve.

:Variation ... You could replace the Crunchie bars with other chocolate bars to change it up.

Don't Blink

I know I have said it many times before, but I am going to say it again anyway.

My how time flies....

 And it was never more evident to me then in the past week, when big things happened in our youngest sons lives.

As parents, we have already watched our eldest teens graduate high school with wonderful results and enter the next stage of their lives. And now the time has come to watch as teen number three begins the next part of his journey. 

Last week the time came to sit the interview and re-enrol him as a senior student for 2014.......

How can this be ? It seems that only yesterday we watched him take his first steps, and now it is almost time for him to begin one of the most important stages in life. 

As we sat listening to him answer questions and watching him interact with the interviewer in such a grown up way, I realised just how much he has grown and matured. 

It made me smile with joy at the confidant young man he has become and it made my heart sad as I came to the realisation that our boy was not our "little boy" anymore !

I am not ready.

I should not have blinked....

It seems that life is going by way to fast, and I for one feel as though I am fighting a loosing battle.

I want to keep my children small, just a little longer.

Teen number four, our youngest and my baby has achieved amazing success in his first year of high school. On Monday night we attended the Annual Awards Night to witness his success first hand, and watch as he received an Academic Merit Award.

I was so proud to see him up on stage in his formal uniform accepting this wonderful award, so proud that tears formed in my eyes as I realised that not only was my baby doing such an awesome job at his schooling, but that this was indeed my baby up there in front of that audience looking so grown up. A high school student, standing tall and proud. 

He is growing up way to fast. My baby is no longer my baby but a handsome, confidant young man.

I should not have blinked...

Life is racing ahead. I am trying to keep up, but all I want is for it to slow down.

I am not ready to let them all go.

I want to keep my children small, just a little longer.

It amazes me that as we grow older the years seem to pass by much more quickly. Its as though time is laughing at us, mocking us, poking fun at us.

Yesterday my sons were babes in arms, now they strong independent young men, making me ever so proud to be their mum even though I do wish that I could rewind time and keep them small and under my wing forever.

Its hard, an impossibility.

But try not to blink.....