#2602 Family company

I need my sleep, but I also need my family. 💞❤🙏🙏

I was lucky to get both today, when my parents and sister came by for a visit. The days are unpredictable and lonely, not to mention the long, hard, difficult nights…

But to have them visit was the special sunshine in what was already a warm summer’s day. 🌞

And the icing on the cake? They brought so much food! Soup, sarma, meatballs, pasta, cheese pastries, rum balls and doughnuts! We have food to last days and days.

And the visit alone was already so sweet. 🙏❤🍲🍩

#2598 Post-partum food

Of course I’ll be shattered when Hubbie goes back to work. Look at the level of post-partum care he provides me.

Just look! See? 🙏🥰

#2583 Back for a bit

It was so good to be back here today!

I have been missing our regular Wednesday brunch spot during the holidays, so it felt really good to be back with Hubbie today, doing what we do best… drinking coffee, eating good food, and talking life. 😁💖

And to think… today may have been the last Wednesday we are there as a duo… next time, there might be an extra one under our wings! 🤰🙏🥰💞

#2579 The last supper

Ok, so it wasn’t like it was literally my last supper… but we went out to a restaurant locally tonight, and it was something that I really wanted to do, because, well, like…

Baby could come at like ANY time of day now.

So we sat. We ate. We drank (water for me!) And we took it all in. 🥰

I had this gnocchi, and it was absolutely amazing. I am content. 🙏💖

#2565 Highlights of Phillip Island Day 3

Bush food walk through Wild Food Farm Cafe (we saw kangaroos in their wild habitat today!) – The ‘Relax’ sign (again, because I got the whole thing this time!) – Red Rocks Beach – dinner at Pino’s Trattoria (amazing!)

#2545 Photos of a summery, special Christmas

This is the aftermath of Santa visiting last night. (Kudos Hubbie 👏🤣)

This is the moment baby girl realised the very big present we bought her, where she started running to us for a hug. 🙏🥰

This is some of the beautiful lunch at my sister’s house, with my non-alcoholic sparkling so even I could enjoy. 🥂

Their gorgeously festive Christmas tree. 🎄 😍

Dessert time – my mango and white chocolate swirl cheesecake. 😋🍰

Dinner time feast! Nothing says Aussie-Euro Christmas more than a platter of prawns sitting next to a pot of sarma. 🤣🦐🫕

These are only small snapshots of a relaxing, beautiful and love-filled festive day spent with cherished family. ❤❤❤❤

Hope whatever you did today, it was good.

Merry Christmas. 🎄🎁🎅😍

#2489 The excess walk

So much excess this weekend.

Excess food. 🍕

Excess cake. 🎂

Excess standing. 🧍‍♀️

Excess baby kicking! 🤰

Excess heartburn last night… ALL night. 😝

Excess fatigue today. 😫

Excess cleaning! 🧹

And so, it totally made sense to take a much-needed afternoon walk…

Not an excess walk, but a walk to balance out the excess. ⚖️

Ohhh.

Now does it make sense?

Yep, back to routine!

(Even if I wanted to eat ALL the cake, the heartburn doesn’t let me!)

#2410 Plans and parties

I should have grown used to hiccups by now. After all of these years of delays and roadblocks, really, I shouldn’t be surprised.

And there was a damn full moon today too. 🤔

But we are nearly there. Sure there were times today I felt quite down about things not going to plan… but I won’t focus on those, because they are not part of the gratitude ‘quota.’

Instead I will pat myself and Hubbie on the back for all of our hard work done! All the tasks we achieved. The fun that is going to erupt. The playlists we tested out.

The awesome day that is going to be had. 😁

There is a lot of life that you can’t control. But what we can control is our attitude, and we will go in tomorrow smiling, music pumping, drinks flowing, food in abundance, and with games galore to keep old-er and young, happy. 💖🥰

#2402 2 cakes

I’m excited, because things are finally falling into place.

Like the cakes.

For two years we’ve missed out on throwing a birthday party for our baby girl, so now, we will have 2 CAKES.

One for her, and one for me. After all, I AM a birthday girl too! 😉

I’ll wait until the birthday party for the proper cake reveal, but I’m excited. I’m kinda over the birthday cakes we’ve had in the past… nothing against them, really, some were really nice. But a lot of the time, it’s just a different flavoured mud cake, or it’s just sickly sweet cream layered between sponges in a variety of psychedelic colours with as many additives in them than anything else.

I’ve gone a little old-school this time. I’ve gone back to my roots, gone European.

I found this cake shop, and these people literally are OUR people. They are from our background, make cakes from our culture. Both mine and baby girl’s cakes are two small cakes sandwiched together, so that there will be four flavours within both!

I will divulge, because some things just can’t wait, and what the hell let’s get excited together. 😁😁😁😁

Baby girl’s cake is one part swiss chocolate – apparently a popular kids cake choice – with layers of fresh cream, sponge, and of course chocolate. Drooool. The other part of her cake is strawberry cream. Again sponge, fresh cream, maybe even strawberry cream, and slices of strawberry throughout. OMG.

My cake is the one I’m a little more excited about. The cake lady recommended I do this hazelnut one, I will call it hazelnut something… she said it’s a real favourite amongst the adults and that it’s a very, very good one. I said sold. She could have called it hazelnut shit and I still would have said sold. (It’s not shit, but you know what I mean.)

The other half is… DUM DA DUM… ferrero rocher! OMG, take my money now!

So she did actually, a deposit. 🤣

It feels good to tick things off my list, even though it feels like there are a million things left to do… but it’s all for a good cause, so I know the next week will be busy, satisfying, and joyful.

And full of cake dreams. 😍🎂🍰😍

#2393 New dish Tuesday nights

We’ve replaced our takeaway Tuesday recently with a do-whatever-you-want theme.

This usually involves either using up leftovers, making a super simple meal, or making a completely different one altogether.

I’ve really been enjoying making new things on these nights. Knowing that Hubbie and baby girl are catered for, either with creative leftovers or simple dishes, I feel free in the knowledge that I can make whatever I like for myself, and no one can WHINGE. 🤣

It wasn’t anything complicated, but I wanted pasta, and I’ve been craving mushrooms, so I made this garlic mushroom pappardelle.

It’s funny, I made it with me in mind, and yet everyone loved it, breaking away from their own meals (leftover pizza with egg, cheese toasties!) to get some of my dish.

Just as well I made loads. 😏