What to do...

On a Saturday night in Amsterdam:

You could always go for a leisurely 16 kilometre run like these boys. 

Or you could opt to be the one taking photos of these boys going for that leisurely 16 kilometre run.  Along with taking the gratuitous naked post-run shots (although I have to say that Andrew wasn’t naked to begin with, he only did it as moral support for Jono ;)).  

I’m not sure what got into the boys, I think it may have been the lack of oxygen, we are, after all, 6 metres below sea level here in the Netherlands.

 

Oh, and congratulations on the nipple cripple post boys, you’re officially the most commented on post ever (except for when there was free stuff up for grabs, maybe next time we can offer a free nipple grab?).

The Process

I don't make cupcakes.  Except for when I was a kid in the kitchen with mum.  There's good reasons too.  I can only bake 8 at a time.  Which means making 1/4 of the batter.  And that means getting my math brain on.  Not always a good idea.  

Then there's the fact that I live in The Netherlands.  The Dutch aren't known for their extravagance.  And that equates to only being able to buy red food colouring at the Chinese supermarket and very few other cake decoration type thingies.  So telling our friends we'd help out at the wedding, and then agreeing to make cupcakes meant big steps for me.  Or small ones, as I waited for the oven to finish making the 6th batch of 8 cupcakes.

There were lots of trial runs.  And lots of cupcakes thrown from our window into the canal.  There were moments of frustration, as Andrew and I sat separating hundreds and thousands.  No, really we did.  Until I realised how RIDICULOUS that was and dyed them with food colouring.  Then there were icing practices.  I'd decided on a design, and then changed it the morning of the wedding.  Thankfully it changed from the poo-inspired design to something a little more palatable and more true to the magazine picture that was requested.

In the end, I didn't make the exact cakes that were requested (Red, how hard is it to make red icing?  Hard.), but considering the issues I had going on (and only a few of them had to do with the cupcakes-can't you see my bedhead above?) it went pretty well.  And the bride and groom loved them.  Phew.   Oh, and Joshua.  But what food doesn't he like?!

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Andrew pointed out the other day that this has been the year of four weddings and a funeral for us.  Hopefully nothing will happen to change that in the next few months, although weddings would be allowed.

The first wedding was Phil's in Chester: ceremony approx 1 hour.  We helped out with stuff on Thursday and Friday (I never want to iron another shirt in my life) and then Andrew donned his grey penguin suit and best-manned it up on Saturday.  The best part of the wedding was that Phil and Helen jumped the gun and got to the kiss quicker than the vicar.  It meant that they got a second shot at it!

The next wedding was Al's in Essex: ceremony approx 1.5 hours.  We missed our turn off the M25, and the next turn after that as we were too busy talking about setting up a boutique catering/events company (cause that's more important than reading the map) but luckily we had plenty of time.  Another beautiful wedding, and an awesome reception venue.  And the seriously best reception band ever-they were dressed up like 80s rockers (think tights, wigs, sunglasses) and played a whole medley of songs ranging from Eye of the Tiger to Thomas the Tank Engine.  Nice.

The last wedding, Hugo and Karlien's, back in Dutchland: ceremony heading towards 2 hours (I'm hoping the next wedding we go to breaks the trend of getting longer each time).  This was the cupcake wedding.  Cupcakes were made (with the minor mishap of ending up pink and bright pink as the red food colouring didn't go red) and dispatched on Andrew's bike only to end up smooshed all over the place by the time they made it to the venue, oops.  The wedding was a military wedding as Hugo is in the navy, they did the whole arch thing with the swords as they walked out.  So mega-cool.  And I wore my cowboy boots for the third wedding in a row, which I love cause I get to wear my Mum-made socks underneath!

Wedding season over for us.  Thank goodness, cause I was running out of clothes to wear.  And that's important.

While I've Been Away...

Sorry sisters, I said I'd be back sooner, but I've been too busy taking pictures like the one above.  Life is not boring in these parts.  Especially seeing as I'm still trying to figure out who the guy is that's getting his jollies from feeling up my husband.

Caught Red-Fingered

I'm back from the UK but I'm up to my neck in cupcakes, red food colouring, assignments, sprinkles, washing and colouring pencils.  I'll be free in less than 48 hours (I hope, although putting that in cold hard words has freaked me out) so I'll post pics of lots of things then!

Let there be light

I found this light at an op shop and bought it home and redid it. I spray painted it and put the printed paper on the glass. Now the kids enjoy it in their room. It is a lot less girly than the pink umbrella, but still pretty I think.

Op Shop Find

Tooth less and not a terror!

Well Said

I am hoping to do a whole stack of posting tonight to make up for my lack, so to the good one first.
We have begun to call them Kenzisms, because she just comes out with so many. Here are her latest 2.

Number 1: Mum made some awesome dessert for Father's Day last Sunday. Kenzi asked, "Mumma when can we have some sticky tape pudding?"

Number 2: When we can we like to look at the stars and find pictures in them, but tonight Kenzi wanted to know where in the sky the stubborn cross was!

Smile and wave Kenzi girl....smile and wave!

Stuffed and Sad

So, I'm stuffed. I am working and I forgot how hard it was to be a Mummy and a wife and a teacher and a sister and a daughter and a friend, etc, etc. I am ever so thankful for the opportunity to not work. We survive on a small wage because we choose to and I love that we can. I also Long for time to sew...I miss it. So I am Stuffed. (Kids throwing up all over the place does not help!)
Kenzi however, is sad. This afternoon she cried for half an hour because the winter colour that we planted in our garden has now come to an end. She cried because all the spring flowers were blooming and her winter flowers were brown instead of the beautiful purple and white that they have been for 3 weeks. She sobbed and sobbed....how unfair that her flowers do not get to enjoy spring like all the other things in our garden! Ahhhhhh, the harsh reality of the circle of life.
Oh, and I promise I will be back soonish, sometime, somehow. I just needed not to feel obligated, but I do love it so. I love seeing your lives. Somehow it makes me feel less stuffed, less tired, less sad....somehow.

Drafts....

Victoria and Grant playing chase the horse!

One of my husband prospects-Youldon's will be proud (Old, ill & wealthy!)

Go Grant go!!!!

21 yr old Hubby prospect!!

Grant on gorgeous Vegimite!

Ben chasing a long away cow!!!

Pepsi the dog who mezmerises cows!

Some of the 700 weaners!