My Sunday Ritual:: Motherhood

Want to know what I do every Sunday?

I wrote a little piece for Mamabake, about something that's close to my heart. 

You can read it here. 


image via Babes in Boyland

Cholesterol Happy Brownies (Sp)

Matt got told a few months ago that his cholesterol levels were not good. Not good at all. 

Not only was this bad news for him, it was bad news for me. Firstly, you don't want high cholesterol. Secondly - I need to bake. 

I looked up what I could do to help him get his cholesterol in check. He started exercising at least five times a week. He reviewed what he was eating. We feel like we've got this stuff figured!

But baking? How could I still bake when Matt was fighting bad cholesterol?

Enter Flora Pro-Activ. The good news? I've switched it in instead of butter, so I can still bake, and Matt can still enjoy my baking! Hoorah!   

This is a super simple no-fail brownie recipe that I love. And because you've been so good dear reader, I am willing to share!

Lexi's No-Fail Double-Choc Double-Happiness Brownies

180g Flora Pro-Activ, melted

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cups castor sugar (or brown, whatever takes your fancy)

a teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract

4 eggs, lightly beaten

100g sifted plain flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of chocolate, chopped

small pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 160C. Line a brownie tray with baking paper. 

Mix Flora Pro-Activ and cocoa in a large bowl. Once combined add sugar, vanilla and eggs. Stir through remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until quite firm, but moist (I like mine a bit gooey, so I take them out a little early - when the top is quite firm). Allow to cool in tin and cut into squares. Dust with a little icing sugar. Serve with a strong coffee. All will be well.

What is cholesterol? Even if you think 'Oh I am too young to have high cholesterol!' - you should get it checked. Click over to learn the difference between 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol.  

* This is a sponsored post. Very occasionally I will do sponsored posts - when they resonate with me, because maybe they'll resonate with you too. This is my honest opinion which is why I can blog openly about it.  I wanted to share. 

I Disappeared:: Loving

Crumbs. It's been a long time since I posted. 

Sorry old chaps. 

I've been busy. I'm sure you have too. Here's four snaps that sum up my two weeks away from ye olde blogge.

Let's go clockwise from top left. 

1. I went to Perth. For less than 24 hours. That really, really hurt. I think I'm still recovering. But I did go to this awesome gallery space - and these paintings caught my eye. 

Venn Gallery, Perth 

2. Bread and Circus is one of my favourite places to eat. I've been there five times now and each time I eat something different. This is The Super Bowl. My goodness it was good. And after two full on weeks, I needed to recharge the goodness levels in my body. This helped. A lot. 

3. I got to sneak preview the new Spring Collection from Habbot. These yellow punched leather beauties have pretty much stolen my heart. I am in yellow lust. 

Dee lace ups from Habbot

4. I have now made this chocolate cake I spied over on Checks and Spots three times. In two weeks. That might not be a healthy obsession, but it is super simple. And delicious. 

Dead easy chocolate cake by Anneka Manning 

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What's been cooking in your kitchen? What have you been up to? 

Yo Mama! An Interview with Michelle Shearer

A couple of years ago I came across a wonderful group called MamaBake. MamaBake hinges on the idea of women, mamas, banding together to bake - big batch baking - and produce meals en masse to free up time in each mamas diary. 

I know myself when mealtime hits I lack inspiration - and fumble to throw things together (unless I've got spare time, and that's like hunting for hen's teeth in a foxes den). 

A catalyst for change, MamaBake is the revisiting of real community and real-life support. Founder, Michelle Shearer is one of those funny, intelligent women that you find yourself drawn to. She's real - no pretenses, which is utterly charming in itself. 

This week I talk to her and find out more about MamaBake and why it's important to us mamas. 

PMM: MamaBake is an inclusive revolutionary group for mamas - particularly in a time when we're struggling for community. MamaBake was birthed three years ago - how was it conceived?

MS: It was conceived when my good friend Bec (who I went to school with back in England. We found each other again after she spotted a photo of mine on Facebook that looked alot like a place near where she lived.  We were both living in Australia and just up the road from each other.  So 20 years on, we're still best buddies.) came to school with a lasagne for me to take home for dinner.  I didn't have to cook a meal that evening so went surfing instead and it all felt incredibly liberating.  I immediately wanted to reciprocate and started to think around the concept of how we could get this feeling for every mum.  From there the group, big batch sharing concept of MamaBake was born.

Tell us why MamaBake is important.

MamaBake is important because the job of mothering is vital to a healthy society and that to do that job well we need community.  It is not a job that we are meant to do alone and we are not meant to be doing absolutely everything alone either.  No wonder depression rates are what they are in mothers.  The way we are doing it now is just not cutting it and we have to find other ways that supports women when they have children.  MamaBake provides tight knit community to mums, it lightens her domestic load and it demonstrates the power of her community to her children - so we leave a lasting legacy of togetherness for the future generations.

Running an online community is busy work. Running an online community AND a real life community is totally demanding. How do you manage the juggle?

I take windows of opportunity.  Karen runs MamaBake with me so we work together managing things and juggle between us but yes, it is demanding.

What's a normal day look like for you?

Best case: get up and go for a surf

Sometimes: get up run on the beach, swim across the lake and get home before the kids are up

Usually: get up put the parrots out, feed the chickens and said parrots. Make breakfasts for everyone, coffee.

The rest of the day is a combo of the following:

beach/work/bake/bed.

What's the best bit of your job?

Day to day: I love the banter on Facebook.  I sit here like Mutley sometimes snorting and exhaling loudly like an old smoker, alone. Ah dear.  I love reading and learning of new groups popping up and how MamaBake has impacted on them and seeing MamaBake grow and people taking that first step towards change for the better. I have some very special friendships that have come about as a result of MamaBake too and I value that very much.

Do your children cook?

Oh yes they love to get knee deep in whatever I'm doing.  

Sometimes if I work late, or I'm stupidly tired, I just can't muster the ability to make anything for dinner beyond toasted sandwiches and some veggies on the side. Do you ever get stuck for a meal?

I would say about half my week is me getting stuck for a meal and involves me opening the fridge, closing the fridge, wondering, frowning and walking away - repeat cycle.  I have the odd day where I'm inspired but mostly meh...(hence MamaBake!)

Do you ever get to take time out for yourself?

Yes I do but I have to claim it when the opportunity arises or it gets lost in a swamp of to-dos and dirty dishes.  If I do get time I like to surf, swim across the lake or walk across the headlands with my camera or a musty old book.

What's coming up next for Michelle Shearer?

Well, that all depends on our Pozible campaign...  I certainly hope to be building vaster in-real-life MamaBake communities for mothers across the world.

Join MamaBake here. 

Check out more MamaBake here. 

Read the MamaBake manifesto here.

And have fun at the MamaBake Facebook community here. 

Please support The Mother's Revolution here at Pozible. Seeking funding for spreading the MamaBake vibe even further around the world. 

This is the seventh interview in my Yo Mama! series. Interviews with creative working mamas. Look out for them weekly. 

What Do You Do?

What do you do when your day is in the poo? 

I found myself in this very quandary yesterday. This very same one. 

Inexplicably I found myself drawn to the kitchen. To make choc-caramel slice (Matt and the Doctor's favourite) and polka dot biscuits (Tiny's favourite). 

We also played a round of Bananagrams before Tiny had a hissy fit and announced that everyone was rude. I did some work. Some washing. And folded the washing. 

Life can be incredibly banal some days, but on the flip side, sometimes it's the banal that can be fulfilling (not the clothes folding though - oh man - someone save me!). 

How do you fend off bad days? 

I Am A Spring Swinger

Well hello there Spring. I am so, so glad to see your sunny face. Just look at that brilliant blue sky of yours.
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It's been a while, but yesterday Tiny and I dropped the Doctor off to school, then headed to the park. Just the two of us. Soaking up the sunny rays, admiring the abundance of flowers, and pretending we were in a forest, or that we were Sleeping Beauty, or in Narnia. We love a bit of role playing.

Tiny gathered up all sorts of flowers, in the folds of her skirt, and we moved around the park taking in all the different climbing trees and spaces to explore.

We both got on the swings and we swung. If you've not known that giddy feeling for a while, it's time to get on a swing. It is simple joy.

These are my very favourite days. Spending time with my smalls with nothing much to do, except 'be'. Spending time with Tiny is one of my favourite and my best. I went back to work when she was just wee, well not super wee, but still small, and I miss being home with her. So yesterday was one of those sweet days, when we had nothing in particular to do, except be with each other. And bake a marble cake.

Now just one day 'til the weekend. Spring, please, stay around a while.

Life is good my friends, life is good.

What Today Looked Like

We woke up early - but not too early. The Doctor is an early riser (usually 6am, if not earlier) - but today gave us a sleep-in 'til 7ish. Maybe it's a new seven for 7am thing. 


We opened presents in bed, then he requested breakfast. In bed. He wanted pikelets, so I set to work whipping them up to be devoured amidst a mess of flannel sheets, wrapping paper, and presents. 


A lazy day at home was enjoyed. We watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid (gosh that is SUCH a funny film - highly recommend), hung out together, I mustered some energy to bake (I've got a cold. Poor me) a birthday cake. Cuddled. Reminisced. Cuddled some more. And altogether had a lovely day at home.


I tried to get the Doctor to go ten pin bowling but he wanted to stay home. So what's a mama to do?


We did as he wished, then went out for Chinese (as his heart desired) at our local. Because that's the way we roll. I estimate the Doctor ate about a bowl full of fried rice before declaring that he was ready for cake. READY FOR CAKE! We hurried up with the eating - and then brought out his dream cake... A Freddo ice-cream cake. I know I've talked about this cake before - and I struggle with this cake! 


So above is the cake we're having after dinner tomorrow. To celebrate both boy's birthdays and to continue the birthday festivities. Because that's the way I roll. 


You can read the Doctor's birth story here. (If you're that way inclined.)

PottyMouthMama: Reporting For Domestic Duty

This weekend was going to be all about me being a domestic goddess and surpassing my motherly duties. Ticking every box and getting a gold star. 


And do you think that happened?


Er. A little.


I had plans to tidy the whole house. To ditch all the junk hovering around our house. It's mounting. In piles. In bags. In boxes. And I can't seem to get on top of it. Well wait - I can get on top of it, I can lie on top of it, I just can't control it. 


I was going to get wildly domestic in the kitchen. I had grand aspirations.


Instead Saturday I had a wee hangover, and shuffled around the house like a hermit crab. What kind of young player am I? 


I did sort out some clothes. I did bake choc chip cookies. 


And tonight, Matt went out to do some painting, while I stayed at home - and thought - yes! I will make pasta. Then it all went to poo. I was rolling pasta, I had the water bubbling away - the pasta was rolling, rolling, too long to hold in both my hands - I felt like Big Anthony out of Strega Nona. Pasta everywhere. I finally got it into the pot and kept rolling out extra pasta - and then the pasta went bloaty and gluggy. Poor pasta.


So the smalls wound up with toast and baked beans for dinner. 


And then I hurried them through dinner, tucked them into bed and felt irate with myself for being such a grump. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Yes yes, I know.

But you know what?? I'm turning the beat around (love to hear percussion).

PottyMouthMama is wishing YOU dear reader, a wonderful Valentine's Day.

And if there's no flame or secret lover in your life - I command you to woo yourself with a special treat. A caramel kiss perhaps?

For goodness sakes! I baked cookies. To put on my kids lunchboxes. I LOVE THEM!

I've even written a special little ditty just for you:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue
Valentine's Day stinks
But PottyMouth loves you.

Gosh I am romantic.

I hope you are safe from the clutches of white fluffy teddy bears holding red satin hearts. Helium balloons. Bunches containing baby's breath. Instead I hope you get something swell. Like a big old fashioned smooch-a-rama.

We must all jolly well enjoy ourselves this Valentine's Day. Because if we won't, no one will.

HAPPY DAYS PEEPS! x

This Is The Cake

Here she is, in all her pink and white polka dotted glory.

A Tiny Party

Yesterday we belatedly celebrated Tiny's birthday with a tiny party. A tiny Tiny party. Or is it a Tiny tiny party? Who knows. Either way, it was a party. For Tiny.

My sister kindly made the cutest teacups a la Tic Tocs - which were a huge hit with the tiny brigade, my mother-in-law made the most melt-in-your-mouth meringues, topped with fresh raspberries, and the birthday cake? Well I'll post a pic as soon as I have one. Promise.

I wound up finding pudding basins on Saturday morning, got them home, washed them - to discover they were microwave proof, but not oven-proof. Excuse me but WTF?! So it was back to the Dolly Varden drawing board.

I promise I will not talk Dolly Varden again after this post. I am probably making Dolly Vardens trend over on Twitter because I am banging on about them so much.

I had a hoot making this cake. The DV tin did not yield a long enough frock, so I baked an additional round cake and added a longer hem (ahem) on the bottom. Who do I think I am? Suzie Seamstress? Yes. Apparently. I then cut it down to fit with the frock, stuck them together with buttercream, and then got to decorating.

Tiny walked in halfway through and told me it looked ugly.

YES! High fives all 'round.

Then she came back later and was stoked. Phew.

She had such a brilliant time at her little party, played parcel the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, musical snatues (sic), and decorated cupcakes. Too cute.

At bed time she said: "Mama, that was the best party ever." And then didn't go to sleep for another 2 hours.

Baking & Writing

Are you looking for other ways to help? Gosh I just keep coming across some of the most amazing things. People are so clever. Baked relief? Amazing

And check out the good folk over at Authors for Queensland. If you love writing, reading or are just a word nerd, then this is the place for you. Check it out homegirls!

Bribery and Biscuit Baths

Today we three (the Doctor, Tiny and I) were heading the way of Rummey Bears. So we were lucky enough to score an impromptu catch-up and audience with the lovely, happiest baby in the world Rosie.

However, what I admitted to Anna quickly was that I had in fact just bribed the Doctor to ditch his pre-school hat (which is a Legionnaire's style - of which I am absolutely not fond of except for its excellent sun-warding-off ways) to wear his favourite beanie. Prior to me bribing him with a shiny dollar, he'd said he was going to wear both the Legionnaire's cap AND the beanie together.

I have previously documented the fact that I don't really dig on overstyled small children (head to toe Ralph Lauren gives me achey teeth). MEH! Can they run, dance, fall down? But seriously, I draw the line at too-short tracksuit pants (the Doctor's all time favourites) and this bodgy hat.

I gave him the shiny dollar and he upgraded to his beloved beanie.

What Anna doesn't know is that I had also pestered him to remove his (faux) ugg(ly) boots before our arrival because:

a) she would smell us at least an hour before we arrived (yes I am going to kill off these boots)

b) it is illegal to wear ugg(ly) boots out of the house (although this law is technically outlawed if it is a particularly spine-chilling Winter day when you are about to head out for pre-school pick-up and the thought of freezing toes and chillblains is not particularly appealing)

I did try and find a Legionnaire's hat to illustrate my story, however it was all a little ugly. Here's a really special shot I'd like to share with you. Without putting it on my blog.

As for Biscuit Baths? Well tonight Tiny was so tired we fast-forwarded to her bath at 4:15pm. She was splashing around having a grande old time. And then dunked a very buttery biscuit that I had made in the bath. When I pulled her out, she had a very nice coating of oily film. Pretty special. And to illustrate Tiny's tiredness - she was eating dinner and fell asleep with her head on the table. The Doctor rushed into me and said, "Quick, quick we need to get Tiny into bed, it's an emergency, she's almost fallen asleep." By then she was asleep, so snuggled her under her blankets. And then she woke up and commenced the second wind.

The woeful second wind.

From The Front Line

On Sunday morning the Doctor came in to wake me up with great news. The ants were all over the kitchen. The Doctor can sometimes exaggerate, and I myself am prone to falling back to sleep. Which I did. It was way too early in the morning, and if I'd looked at a clock I would have realised it was illegal to be awake this early on a Sunday.

Later in the morning, when raiding the pantry for pancake supplies, I discovered that there were a lot of ants in our pantry and that the Doctor had not exaggerated that there were a lot. Of. Ants.

So I set to pulling out everything from the pantry. And then the tupperware cupboard. And then the doll's house. It was incredibly fun. If insect extermination is your thing.

Later in the afternoon we discovered the ants in a sealed jars. Those crazy pranksters, they get into everything. The jar was half full, and as any budget-abiding housewife could agree, those ants were not getting the caster sugar. No way Jose.

I set the jar on the bench and intermittently pulled ants from said jar. It took quite a long time, because they start stinking after a while (hey guys, we're under threat, let's stink out this jar of sugar!), so I left them for a while. Finally in the afternoon I managed to get them all out.

Well. That's what I thought. Tonight I went to make Donna Hay's polka dot cookies (because they are so darn good), and I pulled out the caster sugar, carefully measuring it out. Dark spotted caster sugar. And then I discovered some of those smarmy ants had bunkered down.

Let's call this an awesome Masterchef inspired invention. Sugar WITH protein.

Now if you come around to my house and I offer you something I've baked, you will be safe in the knowledge that any sugar it may include, also contains ant proteins. That my friends is called an Invention Test.

The Baby Straitjacket

Thanks for everyone's great advice and feedback regarding Baby Poocasso.

Today I've put Tiny down for a sleep with a nappy on. With knickers over the top. Wearing overalls.

If this fails, I will definitely try Anonymous' tip of putting the nappy on backwards. I like that idea. I probably should have tried that first. Tomorrow. And I will report back.

But thank you everyone, you've restored my sanity, above all.

And just while everyone is behaving badly, Le Bunbun deserves a special mention.

A couple of weeks ago he went for le snipsnip. We thought he'd come back a changed man-rabbit. Unfortunately his latest favourite thing is to lie on our bed. Last night I went to pick up my favourite bag - which coincidentally is called 'Keith' after Keith Richards. He'd nibbled through a strap.

Four lucky readers of PMM will have the chance to buy their very own rabbit paw necklace later in the week.

Because of the damage Le Bunbun inflicted on my bag, I'm oohing and aahing on this bag. Unfortunately (or maybe the bank is saying, luckily) it's sold out. Bah humbug. After The Apple (former designer at Mimco) have such a beautiful range of bags though, I'm sure I can seek out an alternative.

Making bills choc chips and these biscuits. They are a favourite. I dare you to not eat the whole lot. Tomorrow, recipes for rabbit.

Bakey Bakey: Time For A Giveaway

The other night we were driving through the back streets and I spotted a whole cache of treasures thrown out roadside. I reversed the car (such is the power of being the driver). There was a completely ace bar stool that I imagined would be perfect for when I was baking. I thought it would be ideal for the smalls to pull up, sit bench-side, have a stir, have a taste, lick the spoon, lick the bowl. Clearly Matt wasn't feeling it and commanded I drive on. 'Very good, Sir.' What kind of a mean spirited person makes me drive past perfectly good stuff?

Anyway, CSN stores has given me the opportunity to give away something to a lucky US or Canadian reader (do you know that every time someone says 'Canadia' a little Mountie fairy dies?). CSN Stores have over 200 stores where you can pretty well find anything you're looking for, including bar stools.

Given you're in Winter, and we're in Summer, I selected something that will give you a slice of Summer. So keep baking baby! This Le Creuset Stoneware baking dish in Caribbean (get it, get it, Caribbean - summer, get it?!) is something that I would LOVE in my kitchen. I'm imagining a piping hot lasagne, or potato au gratin, or maybe some kind of pudding..

All you have to do to enter is tell me what you'd bake if you won this Le Creuset baking dish (that also happens to come with a bonus baking dish).

For an extra entry you can Tweet or mention it in your blog. I'll draw the winner in a week (Saturday 23rd January).

Sorry folks this is for US and Canadian readers only.

NB: I have not been compensated for this giveaway.

Pupcakes?

Like I said earlier in the week, I went to town with pupcakes for Tiny. I'm not sure if I've mentioned before of Tiny's love for all things puppy and catty. She goes mad for 'puuuuuuppies!' whenever we pass them in the street. Same can be said for catties.

As dutiful mother, I decided since she didn't want to have her pav and eat it too, I would make pupcakes.

I was inspired by one of my favourite blogs - Angie and Kristin have oodles of fantastic ideas. If only I had sat up front and paid more attention because my pupcakes could have looked a little more like theirs, and a little less like...mine. An ode to a moustache. I even heard my MIL say, 'Oh that looks like a tarantula', ahem.

Thankfully it was just our exclusive party of four who had to eat them. We ate our way around the droopy cowboy moustache (Ode to Texas), the straight mo' (Ode to a Banker), and the monobrow - while clearly not a moustache, it's kind of like a brow 'stache (Ode to a Mono).

Thanks be to blogger for rotating my image. Again. Rotate your head dear reader. x

Blogtoberfest Day 3: Because I Love You

Last night was the opening of Matt's exhibition. Let me give you some advice up front. Do not attempt to wear ridiculously high heels after an extended stiletto hiatus, while juggling a small ten kilo baby on your hip all night. Today I feel as though my spaghetti arms are more than al dente.

I did however have the most wonderful hair piece created by this artful genius. I also got my hair cut to accompany said hair piece. However I have no photos. Oops.

The exhibition, for anyone interested, was fabulous and Matt's works (without being completely biased) are beautiful.

And now on the anti-climax it's cold in Sydney. And raining.

I'm in the mood for a little baking. Nigella's 'birthday cake' to be precise. For my Mum! It was her birthday last week and we're going to celebrate. I love baking on cold, rainy, grey days.

Have you got sore feet? Sore arms? A sore head perhaps? Or maybe a bruised ego? Tell Aunty PottyMouthMama and she'll try and solve your problems.

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Tidying

I've been tidying. When aren't I tidying? When aren't you tidying? It seems to be my mission statement.

PottyMouthMama: tidying.

Not exactly the aspirations I had when I was ten. I wanted to be a lawyer. Then I found out it was six years of uni, so I ditched that idea.

But anyway, back to tidying.

I found these plates and saucers that I bought nine months ago. I told my sister six months, then realised what a big fat lie that was. They've been sitting on our floor in a box, neglected for nine fat months. Oops. They could have had a baby by now. Oh and then good luck to them shifting that baby fat (I didn't mean to write that, my brain said no, my hands said yes).

I like that some have seen quite a large social life, while the others are happy still sitting on the shelf. No matter, they're all treasure to me.

And inspired by this lady, I've started using my vintage crockery. I've been too scared up 'til now, but we might as well enjoy them, instead of hiding them away, it's not like Hunca Munca lives here, right?

As an aside, I made Bills banana and choc chip bread. My goodness, I make it quite a lot and each and every time, it sucks me right in. I'm sure I've gained 2kgs just by inhaling it fresh from the oven.

Old School Skating

We went on a leisurely Sunday afternoon walk. We like to do that. I threw a chicken in the oven (that I had stuffed after gagging, I hate touching raw chicken, and stuffing them for that matter - enter the squeams!) and then we walked. The Doctor had a minor meltdown as he couldn't find his helmet, and in our house no helmet equals no racers. So he had to walk.

This may have been fortuitous because just down the road was a pile of rubbish. And you know what that means in our language. Good times. The Doctor and I rummaged 'til our hearts were content. Matt, of course, stood back. Because he's too cool to be seen going through other people's junk. Me? No way Jose. I'm in there. I'll show you tomorrow what I found - not today because today I am too lazy to take a photo. But the Doctor triumphed over his helmet downfall. He scored this old school skateboard (here he is rad dawging), check out the handle that helps him steer the deck, and gain a little confidence, le old school way.

The thing I particularly loved about our work, besides the rubbish of course, was a couple of ginger cats coming out to say hi to the smalls. We've met one of these cats on a previous walk before. But yesterday, not only did ol' Ginger run out, his mate did too. The smalls were in cattie heaven.