Growing, changing and finding her true colour in life like a butterfly
1.12.16
26.6.16
presentation day . fawn
Milou had her second drama class presentation day on Saturday. The theme was enchanted forest and she totally enjoyed dressing up as a fawn.
19.6.16
ninja daddy
Happy Father's Day!
Thank you for being our ninja daddy
and love us beyond all measure.
We Iove you! xo
9.6.16
1st birthday . marceau
Marceau, you are super awesome
I am so lucky because I get to be your mummy
One day you will outgrow my lap,
But never my heart
I love you! xo
8.6.16
1st birthday . family
My family . Just the right mix of chaos and love
They are my sun, my moon and all of my stars
7.6.16
1st birthday . pass the parcel
Marceau's first pass the parcel and had fun ripping off the wrapping paper.
5.6.16
4.6.16
1st birthday . birthday boy
Birthday boy. I can't believe this picture was taken from six months ago. Marceau has achieved since then:
- he now runs everywhere!
- can do simple signing such as thank you, please, down and spider
- uses utensils to feed himself
- can say daddy, mummy, jie jie (big sis), the dogs' names, gou gou (dog)
- bear-hug is his specialty
- enjoys reading
- loves dinosaurs and Lego
- weighs 10.62 kg
- 82.5cm in height
- has 12 teeth
- broccoli, cheese, tomatoes, pork bone soup, waffles are his favourite food
- likes tickling big sister
- dances like there is no tomorrow
3.6.16
1st birthday . old vermont burnt sugar cake with popcorn and maple syrup frosting
My sweet lil boy just turned 18 months old a few days ago. It doesn't seem that long ago we celebrated his first birthday. When there is a birthday, there must be a homemade birthday cake!
2.6.16
discovery
It is amazing to watch when every little thing is new and fascinating for them. Everyday is a new discovery.
sick day
I think every mum wishes they could use a magic wand to make their babies well again in a flash.
puppy
Milou asked to have her face painted for the very first time at the annual Aquadrome festival. Of course, puppy was on the top of the list.
31.5.16
venice . ponte dei sospiri
A glimpse of the Bridge of Sighs during maintenance.
As my last post in honouring the loss of a dear family member recently, may this be a reminder that I should never take things or anyone for granted. The many moments that I had taken granted; mostly because I assumed there would be many more of them.
30.5.16
venice . morning sun
Some gorgeous morning sunshine on this absolutely beautiful Akita. James and I both agreed we would have an Akita one day.
29.5.16
venice . ponte di rialto
My take on the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge), the heart of Venice and the city's first bridge over the Grand Canal.
28.5.16
26.5.16
venice . boy with a frog
This gleaming white sculpture of a boy with a frog by Charles Ray is 8 feet tall and occupied Punta della Dogana for four years.
25.5.16
24.5.16
venice . door knocker iv
I like the quirkiness of this door knocker. I think it is a Koi? Please correct me if I was wrong.
22.5.16
21.5.16
20.5.16
venice . door knocker iii
Another beautiful find during our walks through the cobble streets around Venice.
18.5.16
17.5.16
venice . what's the rush
We visited Venice a week before Christmas so there was festive decorations everywhere including these two santas, who seemed to be in a rush.
16.5.16
venice . door knocker ii
Door knocker is a great way to impress your visitors even before they enter your home.
15.5.16
venice . farewell
How lucky am I to have known you to make our final farewell so hard. I will always think of you whenever I make scones or have a KitKat. May your soul be in a happy place now. xo
14.5.16
venice . the eagle of zeus and ganymede
This is my favourite version of the eagle of Zeus and Ganymede statue at the Gallerie dell`Academia museum.
13.5.16
venice . by night
Venice is unquestionably romantic during the day but when it under a cloak of darkness, it gives an extra dose of intimacy and mystery.
12.5.16
venice . door knocker
I was totally obsessed with these beautiful door knockers around Venice. You will definitely see more of them in the upcoming posts.
11.5.16
10.5.16
venice . in snow
It is hard to imagine Venice any more romantic than it is. Well, arriving Venice in a thick layer of soft white snow is definitely the most romantic and something I will never forget.
9.5.16
goodbye
It is not saying goodbyes that hurt but the flashbacks that follow.
My posts for rest of the month will be honouring a very special person that we lost recently.
8.5.16
7.5.16
6.5.16
5.5.16
maple cross farm . fur children
These two bicker and annoy each other just like our other two human children. However, they do share a lot of fun and joy together and Iove each other very much. It's a complicated life!
4.5.16
3.5.16
2.5.16
maple cross farm . best day
Milou probably won't remember the best day of television but she would definitely talk about the best day of running in an open field.
1.5.16
30.4.16
bear hunt
We're going on a bear hunt
We're going to catch a big one
What a beautiful day!
We're not scared
29.4.16
28.4.16
27.4.16
26.4.16
25.4.16
dorset . 70th birthday
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I baked a lemon blueberry cake with cream cheese frosting for my father in law's 70th birthday. This cake is so light and moist!
Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cake flour*
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp lemon extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp milk
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 ½ cups fresh blueberries, at room temperature, rinsed and drained well
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp lemon extract
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- Blueberries for garnish
Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions
- - Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- - Butter 3 x 9" round baking pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper and lightly dust pan with flour, shaking out excess.
- - Sift cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk for 30 seconds, set aside.
- - Whip together butter, maple syrup and lemon zest until mixture is pale and fluffy with an electric mixer.
- - In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, measure out milk then stir in sour cream and lemon juice, let rest 3 minutes.
- - Mix eggs into butter mixture one a time, then stir in lemon extract and vanilla extract.-
- - Toss blueberries with 3 Tbsp of the flour mixture. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with remaining flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture (to the butter/egg mixture) alternating with 1/2 of the milk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition.
- - Gently fold in blueberries.
- - Divide mixture evenly among the three baking pans.
- - Bake in preheated oven for about 24 - 27 minutes.
- - Cool in baking pans about 20 - 30 minute then invert onto wire racks to cool completely. -
- - Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and decorate with blueberries
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- - Whip butter until pale and fluffy.
- - Add cream cheese and mix until smooth and fluffy.
- - Add vanilla and lemon extract and maple syrup and blend several minutes longer until smooth and fluffy
- - Chill the frosting in the fridge for half an hour before frosting the cake.
* you make your own cake flour by replacing 2 Tbsp of all purpose flour with the same amount of corn flour for every cup of flour required.
24.4.16
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