From Soulemama {this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – some words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
I love your moments too.  So feel free to leave a link in the comment section for us all to see.  Have a beautiful weekend.  Jacinta x
– Keepin’ It Real captures the true essence of family life that I know is fleeting, keeping this mama grounded –
It’s been ‘one of those’ days.  I am in bed and it is only 7.30pm.  I’m wondering if there is some cosmic misalignment that I wasn’t aware of?  On my bedside table there is a bunch of freesias (my favourite flowers of all), some flourless chocolate cake and a hot cup of tea.  I will revive myself and have an early night.  Tomorrow is a new day and I want to face it with strength and vigor.  I’ve been battling with a chronic shoulder issue that is weighing me down somewhat and I know it is a sign to take it easy, but it is such a hard lesson to follow with spring in the air.  With that gorgeous spring air comes a half an acre of land that is about to burst into life (ok, weeds), but it will have to wait a little longer for me to tend it.  So for now, I will enjoy my cuppa while it is still hot and savour every mouthful of the decadent chocolate cake and perhaps peruse my Diggers Club catalogue that still taunts me in it’s yet-to-be opened packaging.  Oh yes, forget fashion catalogues darling, a garden catalogue wins me over every time!  Yes, I think I am ready to face tomorrow.
Much love to you, my dear readers. Â Jacinta x
Thought I’d start the week off with a delicious cake recipe. Â What better way to embrace Monday than with a piece of cake in one hand and a hot cuppa in the other. Â This is really yummy and is wheat and dairy free. Â It has a lovely moist texture with a slight meringue crust. Â It’s a very uncomplicated cake that you can whip up quickly.
Ingredients:
250gm walnuts, ground finely (use a blender or Thermomix)
5 eggs, separated
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar, depending on how sweet you want
1-2 tbspn rum, optional otherwise 1 tsp vanilla essence
grated zest of 1 lemon
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius or 160 degrees celsius for fan-forced oven.
Cream egg yolks and sugar, mix in rum and lemon zest.
Beat the egg whites until firm. Â Fold into egg yolk mixture then add walnuts. Â Mix gently until just combined. Â Pour into greased and lined springform cake tin (I used a 23cm). Â Bake in oven for approximately 40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Â Once cake has cooled, remove from tin and place on serving plate.
Enjoy! Â Jacinta
From Soulemama {this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – some words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
I love your moments too.  So feel free to leave a link in the comment section for us all to see.  Have a beautiful weekend.  Jacinta x
Now spring is here, I feel the need to lighten up my meals a little.  Green smoothies are my go-to for a quick and easy lunch.  There are so many recipes that can be found online and books devoted to these amazing green glasses of goodness.  Now I won’t tell a lie,  although I love the flavour of green smoothies, I find the texture of smoothies a little challenging.  I can’t handle sipping it out of the glass and it is too thick for a straw, so I have combated this by using a spoon to ‘eat’ my smoothie.  It’s a personal thing and I’m sure most people wouldn’t encounter this!  I make mine up in my Thermomix, but you can use any kitchen blender to mix it up.  If you haven’t tried one, give it a go, I’m sure you won’t find a much quicker and more satisfying beverage.  It’s dairy free and gluten free too.
Ingredients
(This amount makes one serving)
2 good handfuls of spinach
1 banana
2 pitted dates
1-2 tbsp Chia seeds
Maple syrup or Agave syrup to taste
100-200ml water (I use 2 cupfuls of Thermomix cup)
Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender or Thermomix (I use speed 7 for about 30 seconds) and blend until well combined.  Once blended to your desired consistency, pour into a glass and drink as desired.
See, couldn’t be easier. Â Enjoy! Â Jacinta x
We celebrated Father’s Day this past Sunday. Â Greg got a ‘sleep in’ (ok, I think it was more along the lines of being jumped on by Jairah), while I cooked us a hearty breakfast. Â The girls had lovingly wrapped his presents and made him gorgeous cards. Â A picnic has been on the cards all week and thankfully the weather gods were smiling upon us making a picnic possible. Â I can’t tell you how good the warm sun felt on our faces. Â Isn’t it amazing how a little sunshine, blue sky and fresh air can make all the difference. Â We were lucky enough to find a picnic spot with table and seats, although the girls would have preferred a picnic rug, but alas, we don’t have one currently. Â Although, that is my next craft project!
After lunch, we wondered around the gardens and just enjoyed our time together. Â We love this papa of ours dearly and he works hard and certainly deserved a day devoted to him. Â It couldn’t have had a more perfect day. Â If you celebrated Father’s Day, I hope it was a lovely day too.
Jacinta x
From Soulemama {this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – some words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
I love your moments too.  So feel free to leave a link in the comment section for us all to see.  Have a beautiful weekend.  Jacinta x
It seems spring is starting to weave it’s way into our days. Â Wattle is bursting out in bloom everywhere, daffodils are popping up, looking so sweet and friendly and the Rhododendrons are looking splendid. Â We all went for a walk in the National Rhododendron Gardens in the lovely hills village of Olinda yesterday and spent lots of our time smelling the flowers and searching for Lyre birds (hmm, one needs to be pretty quiet to see them, thus we didn’t). Â I’m hanging out for the cherry tree avenue, that is part of the gardens, to burst into bloom. Â Not long now. Â We are going back there on Father’s Day this coming weekend, as the kids really want to have a picnic there. Â Fingers crossed it won’t rain. Â It’s very family friendly and it’s free to get in. Â A must visit if you find yourself in the Dandenong Ranges (and no, they didn’t pay me to say that).
Wattle blossom
Rhododendron
Cute kookaburra
Don’t they make you smile!
More rhododendrons
One of the crazy big trees that grace this area. The kids could all fit inside.
This is the crazy big tree that the kids were posing in front of. Too tall to get the whole photo.
Of course the ‘pets’ had to come for the walk too! (Greg asked me to tell you that is Tenneille’s fluro scarf on his shoulder and not some new fashion trend:)
I must admit that I am looking forward to some warmer weather, but I won’t hold my breath, as it doesn’t really warm up here till November. Â Are you noticing changes in the seasons too?
Jacinta x
From Soulemama {this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – some words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
I love your moments too.  So feel free to leave a link in the comment section for us all to see.  Have a beautiful weekend.  Jacinta x
– Keepin’ It Real captures the true essence of family life that I know are fleeting, keeping this mama grounded –
Jairah has taken a shine to books of late and I will often find him propped up on the sofa reading a book to himself, a priceless moment indeed. Â He has a book read to him every night and likes to take whichever book we have read to him, to bed. Â I thought this was so sweet, as you could hear him reading the book to himself (in the dark) after you left the room. Â This morning when I went into his room, I was greeted with what could only be described as a book massacre. Oh that poor book met its end in a big way. Â Suffice to say, Jairah will still be read to of a night, but I think for the time being, he is going to have to make up his own stories once it is lights out!
I always love to hear the antics of other people’s cherubs. Â So feel free to share your tales. Â Jacinta x
