Olie and I have pulled out all the dahlias from out the front today, and filled our wheelie bin, plus the neighbours. This afternoon we tried a new recipe. Yum.

Instant Pudding Biscuits
170g butter

1 egg

1.5 c flour

1 tsp BP

1 small c sugar

1 packet instant pudding (any flavour !)

3 tab cornflour.

Cream butter & sugar. Add instant pudding & remaining ingredients. Mix well. Roll into balls & press down on tray with fork. Bake 180C for 10-15mins.

Congratulations to Darryl and Nicki who had a little baby girl yesterday, this is what we got from Darryl - "much to Seb's disgust Nicky didn't have a puppy, or even a boy as we thought was going to be the case but a little girl 7lb 12oz, and with no name". Kids aye, don't you love 'em.

The boys have been really getting into the painting and being creative lately, here are the boys paintings they did tonight. Cody is doing descriptive writing at school at the moment, so has been doing lots of writing at home, this is what he wrote the other day, we had to have a laugh His name is Kurt. He has black hare and black eays too. He is anoying. He is good at ragbe and soker and jotso too."

Cody has got mufti day at school tomorrow, so he has just gone and put on his clothes for tomorrow, he said he is going to sleep in them, so he doesn't forget it's muffti tomorrow. The last few days he has been going to bed with his undies on his head, and the other night with his undies and Road Runner poking out the side of them.

Well I think summer is on it's way out, and there won't be many more of these splashing in the sprinkler days left. We have had a couple of gorgous sunny days, but with a frost to start the day off. We have been the making the most of the weather, and getting outdoors as much as we can. This weekend we all went to MacLeans Island, and biked 10kms through the forest, it was drizzling, but still good to get out of the house. Even Olie's wee legs on his 14" bike made it around, his little legs had to go twice as far, because his wheels are so small, he really does need a new bike soon.

I have been finding some great recipes off the net lately, and some household saving tips, so I will post some here in my blogs for anyone that is interested to try some new things out. Last night I made a chocolate cake in a cup for a dessert - so quick and easy to make, and yummy with a scoop of ice cream.

Chocolate Cake In a Cup in 5 Minutes!

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons SR flour

4 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons milk

3 Tablespoons oil

1 Mug

Instructions:
Mix flour, sugar and cocoa: Spoon in 1 egg. Pour in milk and oil, and mix well. Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt). Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug.

Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy with cream jam or yoghurt. Yum!

Okay, and here's some home made SPRAY AND WIPE

Fill spray bottle with water, and add one tsp of White Vinegar or

1 ltr water, 200ml vinegar, 40ml dish detergent, 40ml eucalyptus oil, 2 desertspoons washing soda crystals.

Mix together, put is spray bottle and use or add 60ml to bucket water and use for floors. It's Use on all kitchen/bathroom surfaces, windows, mirrors, walls, it's fantastic.

Can also use on clothes as stain remover.

For WASHING WINDOWS

I use a tiny bit of Methylated Spirits in the bottom of a spray bottle, and then fill with water.