saturday night in the kitchen!

oh I remember when saturday nights were for going out - now they are about resting at home (but secretly I like this) and its been a busy night in my kitchen as we have a xmas in july lunch tmrw and I have made frittata (yes very christmassy but necessary for us non meat eaters), tiramisu (ok not for xmas but one of my specialties) and a pineapple rum fruit cake (that is still baking and smelling divine!!!).

I've emailed off my brownie recipe a few times this week but here it is, oh these really are good and I promise if you try them you will love them. I made them quite a bit towards the end of my pregnancy and it probably explains some of my weight gain!

150g dark chocolate
110g butter
2 eggs lightly beaten
225g caster sugar
110g self raising flour
50-100g pecans roughly chopped

melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Pour into bowl and add eggs, sugar, flour and pecans and mix well. Pour into lined baking tray (25cm square or smaller is best)and bake in 180 degrees oven for 30 minutes (or 25 minutes at 175 degrees if fan forced). Leave to cool a few minutes and cut into squares.

on the knitting front I did manage knitting up half the back of my mum's jumper today. I really want it finished so I can finish finish finish my millions of projects in my back room!

Books, books and more books

Well, this morning I treated myself to 2 new cooking books at the shops which were on sale and then I was reading some blogs and saw the cutest pictures on knitter sue's blog, so I went to amazon and indulged in 3 new knitting books .....which I need like a hole in the head and won't be telling hubby about.

So I got 2 of Lucinda Guy's books, one is how to teach children to knit - I mean keira is only 9 weeks old- I think I'm a bit early and I also got One Skein.

I also took a picture of 2 projects that were meant to be for this winter since I complained I had no jumpers to fit - oh dear - they are still unfinished so maybe this will motivate me - I am so bad at finishing things off!!!!!!

I love the red JET cardi but I'm a silly girl and knitted it as an XXS thinking all my extra weight would just fall off feeding keira, well that hasn't worked so jumper might be for next winter, such a shame as love it!

mmm brownies and smiles!!!!

well these are my famous chocolate brownies with yummy pecans for mothers group today! I said no I wouldn't eat any and I don't think the 3 I ate will help my weight loss!!!!

just after I made these yummy brownies keira decided that her poo would come out of her nappy and go everywhere so she needed a bath and then was all smiles on her playmat!!!! but I do love her smiles and playtime

today I am having a clean and get organised day! I would like that to extend to my knitting projects but have just decided to do the lace swap at www.laceswap.blogspot.com (been dying to do a swap) and a poncho for my sister in mohair and finish all my baby knitting for keira that should have been finished BEFORE she was born! oh well, too many projects so little time!

Motivated to knit!

Now that i'm back online and reading everyone else's blogs I'm motivated!!!! Yeah!!!!!!

So i'm onto the 2nd sleeve of this lovely jumper for my mum's birthday and she keeps asking how it's going and I say where do i find the time!!!!! but I do love the colour of this wool and the pattern is so simple that I can't wait to see it on her plus this wool is lovely to knit its alpaca kid lustre and gorgeously soft!

Perhaps if I start listing all my UFO's I'll be even more motivated to finish them including the jumpers I started for keira that are still on the needles!!!!!

Now that's what I call purple!

Wow, how purple is this yarn! my nana bought it back from singapore for me and its bright as bright can be. I'm not normally into these fluffy feathery yarns but this one has long strands and is coming along nicely and will be good for when I can fit into my black leather jacket - its a size 6 so I have some time!

I also started on the sleeve of my mum's jumper so thats coming along too

keira and I spent the day without her dad who is working long hours in the office including weekends - she's started not to recognise him but then will smile for me - I secretly like this preference for mummy - he he he

tmrw I go for a 11km walk in preparation for the city to surf which I am doing next month with keira - anything to shift those kilos! oh and of course here is a photo of lovely keira in one of her little outfits!

Where does the time go????

Well its been a busy 2 weeks since I posted! Keira is still growing, my knitting is still sitting there and life is a bit more normal in that Keira can settle herself, sleeps well and is gurgling, smiling and interested in looking at everything!

My Mum's birthday was 3 weeks ago and jumper still half done and my own jumpers are still to be finished off and I am sure I will get to it one day!

today we are getting keira's 8 week injections and she is so happy this morning I feel like a bad mummy so I will reward her afterwards with some toys at the Target sale and some pumpkin patch - perhaps I am just rewarding myself for being brave!

I am losing weight, 1.6kgs in the last 2 weeks and through no chocolate, bikram yoga, training with other mums and walking! I am into the seeds and dried fruit and just being healthy but the breastfeeding makes sure I eat lots and lots!

My nana made me this!

Well this is Keira in one of her nana Shirley's knits! its very cute and keeping her warm and I think she is showing signs of loving knitting since she spent 9 months listening to the click clack of my needles!

Keira had a lovely baptism and slept through the whole thing! she was a little angel and just moved her mouth slightly when the water came down on her head!

We have mothers group today and a nice day at home on a rainy sydney day!

The green jumper for my mum's birthday is still waiting to be done, i've still only done back and one sleeve and must be made a priority since her birthday was yesterday!!!!!