Summer Fun

These school holidays I have totally neglected Facebook, my blog, housework and any kind of baking or crafting.  I have instead spent as much time with my children as possible, as the holidays are short and I miss the kids when they get caught up in the rush of school and kindy.  School goes back at the end of the next week, so I have just over a week to cram a whole lot more fun in.  So I will focus back a bit more on the blog once the kids are back into the school routine. 

Until then though, I thought I would share some of the adventures we have had so far.  We've had so much fun, and most of it free or very minimal cost.

Santa found us on holiday, and visited us at Christmas

And the kids got spoilt.

We spent two weeks at the family bach, which was full of days spent on the beach, a heap of swimming and fun times with all 11 cousins together for the first time.

We've done lots of local walks around our area, discovering a heap of stuff on our doorstep we never knew was there.

Parana Park has been visited lots, making full use of the free paddling pool facilities.

Waterslides have been overused and destroyed.

We discovered the wonder that is the Pirongia Forest Park.

We've found creative ways to cool down on hot days.

And enjoyed morning tea picnics at the Hamilton Gardens.

I will be treasuring the next week and hope it drags along slowly.

Sharpie Pen Plate Decorating

Stuck for a last minute gift idea?  These are so easy to make, they need no step by step instructions.

I brought 4 white mugs from the Dollar Value Store.  Decorated them with a sharpie pen and then baked them in the oven at 150 degrees for half an hour. 

Great idea for an under $10 gift, or for that person who has everything.  I love them.

Activity Advent Calander - Day 17

Today we decorated plates as gifts.  They will go to the hubby.  I brought the plates from Dollar Value for $2 each and the kids decorated with Sharpie pens.  They then went into the oven for half an hour at 150 degrees.  Nice easy present!

Sprat was determined to get a helicopter, aeroplane and a tractor on his plate. 

Danger Mouse surprised me.  He is drawing forms of cars and tractors, and I thought that's what he would go for.  But instead he drew a 'Circle Rainbow'.

And The Girl of course drew scribbles ... all over the plate, herself and the bench top!  Next time I must put newspaper down - this stuff is hard to remove from the bench top.

Activity Advent Calandar - Day 13

The activity today was to decorate ice cream cone Christmas trees.  What a sugar high after they ate them.  Good fun though, and totally worth the mad behaviour afterwards!

I made a simple buttercream icing and tinted it green.

I 'glued' an ice cream cone to a plain biscuit using the buttercream, and then covered the cone in icing.

I provided the kids with a small bowl each filled with a selection of sprinkles and small pebbles and let them go for it.

The boys were quite focused on their decorating.



The Girl not so much.

Then the eating and sugar high began.  Good fun.

Kiwi Christmas Decoration Swap

I have received the rest of my decorations from the Kiwi Christmas Decoration Swap.  My tree is looking very happy with itself.

Santa from Amanda

Christmas Strawberry from Ariana

Button Wreath from Amie

I am definately taking part again next year.



Bakers Delight Christmas Treats

It's that time of year.  Everyday is crazy busy with Christmas breakups, shopping, organising and creating Christmas spirit.  Good time to take a few days away right.  The hubby and I snuck away to Taupo for 3 nights - it was wonderful.

The last few years we have tried to take a holiday alone together (yes, leaving behind the kids) in November.  Its a tradition we want to keep - it gives us quality bonding time together before the silly season, and before we take a family holiday.  We can say goodbye to all the stresses of the year and take a bit of time to refresh together before the new year.   We reassess that we are on the right track with the kids, and with each other, spend time reflecting on the year past and spend time talking about the year to come.

Its a special time we spend together.  Therefore it requires some special treats.  Going on holiday requires treats - its the holiday rule.  And being close to Christmas, the treats are aplenty.  This is where Bakers Delight stepped in, in providing us with with some small muffin sized Christmas cakes (and a large one, which has been put aside for Christmas).  I LOVE Christmas cake.  Matt, sadly, not so much.  But he devoured these.  They were beautifully moist, perfectly spiced and had a great texture.  The muffin sized cakes were the perfect size to take away with us, without having to lug around a massive slab of cake.  They'd be perfect to take on a family camping trip.  All in all we were pretty impressed.  I hear they make some pretty good Christmas Mince Tarts if making your own is not your thing.  Much nicer than buying the mass produced tarts you can get in the supermarket. 

So I did spend three days eating Christmas cake.  Thanks Bakers Delight.  Along with mountain biking, prawn fishing, jet boating, mini golf, Cliffhanging, shopping and spending lots of time hanging with my special man.  The perfect pre-Christmas treat that we are looking forward to doing again next year. 

Activity Advent Calandar - Day 5

Gingerbread men decorating!  I used the recipe previously posted here.  Sprat is so proud he wants to take his to school tomorrow to show his teacher.  Love.

The Girl didn't do much decorating.  She did do a lot of M&M eating though.  Look at the grubby little thing - sign of a happy busy child when they are grubby like this .... well, that's my story and I am sticking with it.