alex's nautical room

alex's room has been set up with some adorable things over time, and mum has added to them, with these adorable boat prints, which are actually quilted and stuck into the frames. they match the baby quilt she made for him and i loooove them! she is honestly so clever.

i mean seriously. i would never have thought to make something like that and she just blows me away time and time again.

he has all kinds of nautical things in his room and so they match perfectly with his pirates and little boat shelf and this adorable ocean style map sheet and pillowcase that i picked up at the opshop this week. 

perfection! ❤

 

blessings in the sadness

there are so many blessings that can be found if you only know where to look. in amongst all the sadness and things that are currently out of our control with what's happening with doug's mum... there is still so much to be grateful for. let me tell you about a few things that i am grateful for. number one. although oli needs to have radiation that comes at a huge cost, we have the money. we were so blessed that all of stephen's affairs settled quickly and without fuss, with no issues, no delays and no claims being rejected. we can pay for it and do not have to go into any form of debt to make it happen. she is receiving the best care available and we are grateful every day.

i saw this print for sale just the other day and i love it. so very much. i have always loved the blue boat house on crawley bay and we even had some of our wedding photos taken out the front on the jetty. so imagine my delight to see that kmart had released it as a print and then my annoyance when not a single store any where near me had any stock of it. i posted online asking if everyone could keep an eye out for it as i really wanted one, only to have a friend drive all the way to cockburn central, wait in the stupid long line at their store opening, buy it for me and bring it to our house. oh my goodness. she even wrote in the card, "you are forever doing lovely things for me and i have never had the chance to return the favour. here is my chance." i was so touched.

another absolutely amazing thing that's happened... i saw this tv unit on marketplace and saved it because it was 100% exactly what i wanted, then didn't get around to messaging the seller because oli went into hospital and we were more concerned about her than anything else.

a few weeks later, the exact same unit, not a similar one, same unit, same seller, gets posted on our local free page, right as i happened to be online - and after asking on the post, i was given it! for freeeee! i still can't believe it. plus, our lovely neighbour went with doug to pick it up. excited doesn't even cover it.

i listed my pies for sale for thanksgiving and sold out within 2 days. this is incredible for me too, as the money goes straight into buying dougs christmas gifts. i know the money we have is "ours" not his, but because he is out there working to earn it, i like to be able to buy him gifts with money i've earned myself. it just makes me feel good to do it that way.

and last but certainly not least, there is never a shortage of people willing to drive our kids places or help out when on the odd occasion we can't get them somewhere or need to work around oli's appointments.

in short: the windows of heaven are pouring more blessings upon us than we can hold.

when upon lifes billows you are tempest tossed,

when you are discouraged thinking all is lost

count your many blessings, name them one by one

and it will surprise you what the lord has done

count your blessings, name them one by one

count your many blessings see what god hath done.

lds hymns #241

extended hospital stay

it's been a hard few weeks with everything going on with doug's mum. she is sick and not getting better. she was admitted to hospital because it got to the point where she just couldn't eat... which it turns out was from a tumour that is effectively blocking any food from reaching her stomach. any thing she eats pushes at it, which has in turn cause some internal bleeding a she is not receiving any sustenance. they have fitted her with a tube and are feeding her directly to her stomach by that is obviously not going to work long term. she has had to give up work and that's what upsets her the most. she loves to be busy and loves her job, so that was one of the hardest things for her, but she is simply not strong enough anymore.

 her specialist met with douglas and i and gave us the options and there is not a lot. he has decided (with her permission) to do radiation in an attempt to shrink the tumor and enable her to start eating again. this will be for a few days kin a row and then a break, for a few weeks in a row. i don't know what the answer is, but i do know that her doctor has been incredible. he is so compassionate and takes as much time with us as we need, regardless of where he needs to be and who might be waiting for him. he is truly a wonderful man. this is all so overwhelming and i have to admit, it got to the point where i asked him point blank how long we will have with her. obviously that's an impossible thing to work out, but he said we might have 6 months, we might have more... we just need to make the most of every minute with her and look after her as best as we can.

and enjoy our visits to the hospital like this dude... in the sun lounges outside from oli's room...

and these guys who decided to have a nap on grandma's bed while we visited. it's obviously comfortable enough haha.

oh how i wish there was more we could do. but we just have to go with the options we have. we love her and don't want to let her go... but we need to also be realistic and brace ourselves for whenever that day may come.

siope's baptism

i love seeing our primary kids being baptised! even more so when i've been asked to take some snaps of the day. our friends son siope was baptised on the weekend and it was such a special day for him.

i mean seriously, look at their faces. he and his dad are so stoked.

and the proudest mum in the world.

it was such a lovely service and i loved being able to be a part of it.

yay for siope!

************************************

i was also asked to help to put together a talk for siope's nanna to give at the service. she was a little nervous about what to say - so i helped out. i'm leaving it here in case i ever need one at the last minute.

Faith & Repentance

In the scriptures we learn about Faith. Many miracles happened through faith and the actions of those that believed in Jesus.

The Fourth Article of Faith tells us about it. It begins by saying: We believe the first principles and ordinances of the Gospels are first, FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is something we know is true even though we can’t see it.

Now Siope does Nanny love you?

How do you know Nanny loves you?

Can you see love? Can you touch it? No, you can’t you just know it’s there by the actions of people who do love you and you have Faith that Nanny and Mummy and Daddy and Setita will always love you.

What about something else like the wind, can you see the wind, can you hold the wind. No, we can just see if as it blows thing like leaves along or makes the branches of the trees move. Something else like electricity is also something we can’t see but we believe or have faith that when we turn on a light it will work because there is electricity running through the wires to your house.

Faith is like these things you can’t feel it or hold it. It’s Just like love that you can only tell it’s there when you get hugs or someone does something nice for you. Or like the wind you feel on your face or the electricity that will turn on a light to brighten a dark room or recharge the iPad.

Faith is something that starts off small and grows as we study and learn more. It’s like your muscles that are only small now but as you get bigger and do exercises and move and stretch them over and over like daddy does when he goes to the gym your muscles will grow so you are stronger and can carry more weight and lift heavier things. Faith is the same. When we know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are there and we believe in them, our faith will grow and become stronger. We will have faith that they are always watching over us and will always answer our prayers and help us.

In the Fourth Article of Faith after number 1 FAITH, the second thing we believe in is REPENTANCE.

In the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 9:23 it says

“And he commandeth all men that they must repent and be baptised in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.

In the Book of Mormon, we learn about King Noah and his priests who did not keep the commandments. The Lord sent Abinadi to warn them that they needed to repent. Abinadi taught them about Jesus Christ but King Noah was not happy and told the priest to take Abinadi and put him to death. One of King Noahs priests named Alma, believed in everything that Abinadi taught.

In Mosiah 18:1 We read that Alma “repented of his sins and iniquities (bad habits), and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi”

We also have the opportunity or chance to repent when we do something wrong, and to try again and again, as many times as it takes us to get it right! Heavenly Father doesn’t keep count as long as we keep trying to improve. The most important thing about repentance is to admit we did something wrong and then do our best to make it better.

It’s easy for us to remember with the ABC’s of repentance

A – Admit that we were wrong – for some people this is the hardest bit.

B – Be sorry

C – CORRECT the wrong – that means if you can fix something you broke then you do, or if you have taken something that isn’t yours that you give it back. You just have to do whatever it takes to make things better.

Then last but not least is,

D – DON’T do it again, because if you do then that means you weren’t sorry and you haven’t repented.

So, if we are willing to have Faith and repent when we do wrong, we (or you) are ready to be baptised!

 

 

banoffee pie

i have finally mastered this banoffee pie thing and i am so proud. i have made it for years, but always did a biscuit base, with boiled in the can condensed milk filling, but  now i have made this, i would never, ever, ever go back. the base is amazing, the perfect texture. the filling is smooth and not sickly sweet and it all just comes together so nicely. honestly, it's a 10/10 in my opinion.

the recipe is actually for a slice, but i have modified it to suit a beautifully presented pie, that is perfect every time. my one tip though, strongly recommend freezing the butter. making it so much easier!

BANOFFEE PIE

1 1/3 cups plain flour

1/3 icing sugar

125g frozen butter

1 egg

2 tsp iced water

3 bananas, cut into 1cm-thick slices

300ml tub thickened cream, whipped

40g grated chocolate

Caramel filling

395g can condensed milk

50g butter

1/3 cup golden syrup

 

Step 1. 

Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced. Grease edges and line base of a removable base pie dish.

Step 2

Place flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form. With motor running, add egg and water. Process until pastry comes together. Turn out into prepared pan. Using floured hands, press pastry over baseand up edges of prepared dish. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden. Place pan on a wire rack to cool.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make Caramel filling: Place condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Pour over base in pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold.

Step 4

Arrange banana, in a single layer, over caramel. Top with whipped cream, spreading to cover. Sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate until needed.

bitter cups

sometimes it's hard to take the bad with the good and right now it seems like things are getting too much... doug's mum is really struggling with her health and we are finding it difficult to keep up sometimes. she is in hospital long term and we have no idea when or if she will get better and be able to go home, but we are trying our hardest to remain positive and hang in there. it's especially hard for doug when he hasn't even been able to properly grieve his father with all this going on, but instead has to go to the hospital over and over and be the support his mother needs. it would be so easy to become bitter and focus on what is wrong.

among it all though, i am trying to remember what i have been taught over and over - to forget your own issues, find others to serve. i've been trying and i know it is working. our problems seem to fade away when we focus on others. not that they are going away, but they become easier to bear. i am so grateful for the wise words of prophets past, that are enabling us to make it through. ❤

 

holy ghost cookies

i am a weirdo. i like to pull off little unexpected fun things for a laugh. today was no exception. it was halloween yesterday and i decided i was going to make some cookies and decorate them for the girls i minister to and some other close mates.

here's the quirk - i decided to make them religious halloween style hahahaha.

i came across this little picture on the internet and decided holy ghost cookies were a go - and used the recipe i've been using as a go to for years, going all the way back to the pineapple cookies i did for madeline's fifth birthday!

best sugar cookies from in katrina's kitchen

Ingredients:

226 grams unsalted butter

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups plain flour 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160 degrees celcius (fan forced).

In a mixer, cream butter and sugar until smooth, at least 3 minutes

Beat in extracts and egg. Almond extract can be switched out for more vanilla, lemon, maple, peppermint…

In a separate bowl, combine baking powder and salt with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients.

If the dough looks crumbly keep mixing for 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. The dough should be pulling away from the sides of the mixer.

Dough does not need to be chilled. Divide into workable batches (2-3 chunks), roll out onto a floured surface, and cut. You want these cookies to be on the thicker side (closer to 1/4 inch rather than 1/8).

Bake at 160 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.

so easy and even easier to decorate - i simply spread them with melted white chocolate and then stuck little candy eyes on while it was still soft.

into bags and out to friends. so easy and so. much. fun! i can live up to my weirdo status for yet another year hahaha.