20 weeks baby number 6

We are halfway!! YAY!!! Well perhaps even further then halfway considering we will be booked for a c/s at least a week before the due date of 19th of February 2010.

We had our scan today. All went well, with baby measuring just 5 days ahead of dates. There was a 3 hr wait for the scans so will have to pick them up tomorrow, then I can sticky beak at the report to check if everything is all going well.

And we are having a BOY :) !!!!!!!

But gosh, its going to be a challenge to come up with a awesum boys name to match the other awesum names our kids already have!!! Even reading up on baby name sites is not giving us any ideas. The only thing we are sure on is that we don't want to repeat the same initials, J, C, L, A, S or K............Should be easy peasy............

As for me??? Still going ok, feeling quiet well considering this is pregnancy number 6. I was worried that pregnancy would get harder each time, but being pregnant with Kaydence and now this time has been the easiest (so far, touch wood).

But I have to admit that I'm starting to 'feel' pregnant. Waddling a bit, getting really round and starting to get puffed if I try to exert myself too much! So slack with my fitness this time round!! Trying not to put on too much weight either, but I really hate to 'watch' what I'm eating when pregnant, I mean if I can't be free and eat what I want now, when would I ever get the 'perfect' excuse to gain a few extra kgs???

Oh and a quick reminder to self, pickles and prunes are not a tasty combo at 11pm!!!!

2 days left.............

and we are all mega excited!!!!! ...............

School Holidays.........

And its been raining for 5 days

With 6 kids

All cooped up inside

Need I say more?

Lamingtons :)

School holidays are upon us so I am cooking up a storm to keep these active kids feeling full :)

They already eat kgs and kgs of fruit which barely touch the sides of their bottomless pits, so I like to bake a treat to have for afternoon tea.

Today I thought to try something different, well for us any ways, and fun for the kids to join in with.....

SO since I have not made Lamingtons since I was a little kid, I have randomly selected one from the WWW.

Tonight I have made the cake and it looks great, see picture above :) Tomorrow we will ice and coconut them :)

Ingredients For Cake
# 1/2 cup butter
# 3 eggs
# pinch of salt
# tsp vanilla
# 3/4 cup sugar
# 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
# 1/2 cup milk


Ingredients For Icing
# 2 cups icing sugar
# 1 big tablespoon butter
# 1/3 cup cocoa
# 1 tsp vanilla
# 3 cups coconut
# 4 tablespoons boiling hot water
# 1/2 cup milk

Process

1. Cream the butter and sugar together for about 8 minutes
2. Then beat In the eggs and vanilla
3. Mix in milk and flour with the mixture
4. Pour the mixture into a greased square baking tray
5. Put in oven and bake for 30 mins on 180 C
6. Allow the cake to cool
7. Once the cake has cooled, cut the cake into squares
8. To add the icing, add all of the ingredients for icing, except the coconut, with boiling water in a bowl until it is quite thin
9. Coat the square pieces with the icing
10. Roll the lamingtons in the coconut
11. Leave the lamingtons in an airtight container and leave in the refrigerator for a couple of hours (preferably overnight)
12. Enjoy your delicious Aussie lamingtons

Nine by design......

So I just watched my first episode of Nine by Design. One word - CRAZY! Even more so then me!

http://guestofaguest.com/real-estate/a-peek-inside-the-incredible-9-by-design-townhouses

ok so I still haven't worked out links..........

But I couldn't stop watching this show, the parents are out there and the names they have for the kids would make even the most opened minded people think OMG!

But to each their own! For all their quirkiness they seem like a really lovely family with lots of beautiful children! Who could find fault with that!

Out of sorts!

I usually like to only post about positive things on my blog, but today I'm not having a great day!!

Messy Smiles are the best!

How freakin cute is Kadee!! Too cute for words! Even her messy face couldn't stop me from posting this pic! And the outfit she is wearing?? Well would you believe that it is a hand-me-down from when Livia was a baby, 10 years ago???!!!

And how can I be sure?? Well it has Livia's name on the tags :)

This out fit as been enjoyed by three girls now :) Its starting to fade but the colours still look really cute :)

I have a shed full of hand-me-downs waiting to be re-loved :) Which is great as I then usually only have to buy a few items to top up their wardrobes, saving a whole bunch of money. Buy a new wardrobe for everyone in the family, every season would be totally out of reach for the budget of a large family......

I'm in awe.....

Of this family!! They've had 9 kids in practically 9 years!! and are happy about it!! :)

http://www.thatslife.com.au/article.asp?ArticleID=3781

So it seems that other 'Normal Aussie Families' are having more, well a lot more, then the average number of kids!

Oh, and I just love the fact I've referred to us as 'normal' lol!!

Motivation for the Mundane....

There is so many day to day chores as well as the extra deep cleaning chores that need to be done that I just think blah! what is the point??

Years ago when there was just 2 kids and I was working full time I used to scrub the house from top to bottom on Saturday, I kept up with washing sheets weekly, in depth cleaning of the bathroom, gosh I even think I used to clean the oven on a very regular basis!

Now that I'm home full time and not working outside the home, I struggle to keep it all together! Not that I don't have the time or that I feel overwhelmed......It just that I can't be bothered!!

I used to cringe with shame at the thought of someone coming over unannounced with a pile of dishes in the sink and the folding taking over my lounge room! I hate the thought that just because I have a large family means I can't keep my house clean!! That truly is not the reason, sure they make a lot of mess but it doesn't mean I can't keep up with it.....

Now I still cringe but I don't run around like a headless chook trying to look like I was in the middle of sorting out my chaos!! I seem to have fallen into the saying of 'Clean enough to be healthy, but dirty enough to be happy' or somewhere along those lines........

Since I had morning sickness, I've struggled with maintaining a clutterless home, getting everyone to put things back in their place.

SO today begins my Spring Clean. Focusing on a room per day as well as maintaining the general stuff like kitchen, cooking, washing.............

Today will be GIRLS ROOM - putting away clean clothes dumped on floor, sorting and culling toys, washing sheets and donnas, cleaning window and vacuum floor :) Yes I am starting with the easiest room :)

I better get off here and get on with it then!!

Dishwasher......

Kadee is fascinated with anything that she can open and get into...........

Wonder if there is child locks for dishwashers??

Home Made Pizza is the BEST! Yummy :)

But this time we decided to make it from scratch, no pita bread for the base, ridgy didgy base with yeast :) Yummy :) and the best bit?? That Mike and I were cooking together in the kitchen to prepare these tasty, delicious pizzas :) We love to cook and since he has been working night shifts, we don't have much of a chance to create together :)

p.s I just realised that my blogging is becoming very full of food :) Might explain my chunkiness :)

Pregnancy Cravings :) Again :)

Fresh tomato and onion sautéed with fresh basil and parsley on toasted French loaf. Delish!!

Boys will be girls.....

I always seem to bust the boys playing with Barbie at some stage of their lives............So cute how serious they are at trying to put those little skirts, shirts and shoes back on them :) In fact, so cute I just had to take a picture to keep for his 18th birthday :)

When ur more excited about NOT finding out.....

then u are about finding out what sex the baby will be, then surely one must see it as a sign to do something different, and quiet out of the ordinary!!

Because ordinary I would never consider not finding out what we are having, I like to be organised! Have everything ready for when I come home, the pinks or blues all ready to go..............

I liken my excitement to Christmas! I am the tree and my big belly is the present sitting under it for 9 months!! Who could resist a peak at what goodies are inside. Then follows the day dreaming about names and who will he/she look like the most :) The primping and preening of baby things, every thing just so.............

Only 3 more weeks til the 18-20 wks scan...............Mike thinks I will cave and just HAVE to know!! ...............

Wordless Wednesday

The friends the kids find in our yard :)