Thank you for your patience (AKA the Festival of Jake)

I have had the laziest of summer breaks. No blogging. Hardly any photos taken and extremely little crafting was done.

You see ..... between late November and early January we have both kids' birthdays, both Grandmothers' birthdays, Hannuka and Christmas to celebrate. I do A LOT of entertaining and A LOT of baking and gift buying/making and by the end of it I am EXHAUSTED!!!

But I am back to blogging with a renewed energy and would like to spend this first post honoring my Jake who turned 8 exactly 1 month ago.  (See here for the recent Festival of Ella post).

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So, my delicious Jakey ... This year you have grown so much. You have learned so much due to your enthusiasm for school and ANYTHING written in a book!! You have blossomed as a social creature with such a lovely group of friends who care for you and who you love. You love your food and have grown so much physically. You are nearly as tall as me and your feet are a whopping size 6!! (Better stop feeding you I think)  ;o)

The school circus concert happened and you were dazzling with your hoola hoop:

 

Birthday books were donated to your school library:

 

Red House rewards day was celebrated with red EVERYTHING .... even your hair!!

 

Before school finished up for the year (and kids scattered to their family holiday destinations) you had a go-karting birthday party with your friends:

 

Would you check out the hair (and makeup) on the party organiser!!!!

A fabulous (yet amazingly easy) cake was provided by yours truly:

 

   

Of course a second celebration with family on the actual day involved ANOTHER cake. This time ... a chocolate ripple cake in the shape of a 'J':

 

You have serenaded us all with your guitar. It has been so exciting to see your growing love of music:

 

 And we took your traditional photo with Homer:

 

 

I love you so much my Jakey boy. You give the yummiest cuddles and the sweetest kisses and make me smile everyday.

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Among the many and varied gifts received by Jake over this very festive season was, of course, a mum-made quilt but I will show you that in another post.

More crafting posts to come ... promise!

Hope you have had a great January and look forward to catching up with you in February and beyond.

Andi xx

PS Also ... I turned 40.

The festival of Ella

Our Ella is 6 and the last month in our family has been all about HER!!

First came the invitation to see the Prep children showing off their projects for this term.

That is (apparently) a dolphin!

Then came the school circus concert.

Yes, Jake was in the concert too but my 'Festival of Jake' post will be coming in a few weeks.

Then the dancing party for her friends .... My girl is so very shy and retiring  ;)

Of course a fabulous cake was baked. (Thanks Corrie for the inspiration).

 

 

 

Then came her actual birthday ... a Wednesday. I took treats into the school for all the children in her class and after school a small family dinner with a candle in some donuts. 

Ironically, no photos taken that day.

Followed, on the Friday night, by a BIG family dinner with, of course, another cake!

My shy girl!

 

And to top it all off, a ballet concert the next day.

 

Happy birthday my beautiful gingie girl. It is so amazing watching you grow up into a confident, happy and rather feisty girly person.

 

We love you.

xxxxxx

I have COMPLETELY sold out!!!

Happy birthday to my mermaid loving, super pink, 5 year old girl!!

Love, Mummy
xoxox

A very happy un-birthday ...

 .... to you my delicious Jake.

Your birthday is is in the middle of summer when everyone is away on holidays so we had your birthday party VERY (almost 2 months) early this year.

You had a fun bowling party with good friends and all I had to do was make a cake!!!

Take a $5 mud cake from the supermarket and cover it with blue butter icing and some chocolate coins.

Make a chocolate dome in a greased bowl to put over the top.

Decorate with lollies using a bit more melted chocolate.

Sing the birthday song, blow out some candles and give the birthday boy a nice clean hammer.

 

And you have a pinata cake!!! (And a happy chocolate eating boy!!)

 

And here you are opening your presents at home.

 

I love you my Jakey Boy and wish you such happiness every day of the year .... even on your actual birthday!!

Love, Mummy xoxox