A LITTLE FOOD CLUB 'SUP

It's been a while between Food Club blog posts, but here is just a sample of what we enjoyed a couple of weeks ago. It was a Fancy Finger Food night, complete with chicken mince sliders, mini pikelets, pastries, polenta, stuffed mushrooms, cheese dips and petite fours for dessert (including macaroons, mini cheesecakes and chocolate hazelnut mousse teardrops.)

I'm not going to lie, it was all amazing. We loved it so much, we've decided to do a Christmas themed Finger Food night in a couple of weeks! Just before the big day. I promise to blog about that also, as I know it will be worth sharing!

THERE GOES OUR LIFE.

Forget the daredevil who dove to earth from outerspace to break the sound barrier. I think that life regularly breaks the speed of sound and light, it flies by so quickly without even trying.

So, here we are in November, I'm thinking about the year that's almost been. And how I've spent it.

What have I done exactly?

1. Slept more. I've had a slept debt which I'm still paying off. Which also probably explains my lack of blogging this year.
2. Done the school run. Which takes much longer than I always thought it would. Why didn't someone tell me that my life is going to be a big school run for the next 12-15 years?
3. Bought not much. This buying nothing new has been awesome in so many ways. And a struggle in less. But only a month to go before I can technically purchase new things. Not that I will.
4. Exercised more. I dumped my membership earlier this year (see above point), and replaced my gym with outdoor exercise. The fact is I've been running for the first time in my life, and it's changed my whole body and how I feel about myself. True story.
5. Watched my children grow and grow. It's obviously the same for every parent. Our kids are bigger than they were last year. But Prep really changes children. They go to school in oversized uniforms, and don't want to leave their mum. And in a matter of months, they've outgrown their uniform, are reading billboards, making responsible decisions, and actually helping around the house. Where did my five year old go? And don't get me started about my two year old. I think I might actually cry from his super fast growth spurts and large, comprehensible sentences.
   

Of course, that is just a minute teeny-tiny part of my life this year. And there's so much more. But now I'm wondering how I can recall all of those wonderful memories, when I hardly took photos, and didn't write it all down. And slept so much more.

Isn't that what happens? One day you're planning for someday. And without ever really noticing, someday is today. Which was now yesterday.

There goes our life. Much too fast.

FANCY PANTS [THE WHITE BOLERO]

Here it is. The white bolero jacket I was telling you about that Brotherhood generously sold me for just $2 on their half price day. How can they justify a 50% off day when everything is so cheap already? It blows my mind.

This jacket still had its tags on, so has never been worn. And this is even better, because I'll be able to wear it throughout spring and summer too! I thank that lovely person who decided to send in their unworn jacket to Brotherhood.

It can't be helped, there are so serious happy dances around here, when you find something you have actually been wanting to buy, and then finding it's just a couple of bucks.

EAT: SPICED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

SERVES 12-16 | PREP 30 MINS + 4 HRS CHILLING TIME | COOKING 75 MINS | VEGETARIAN, GLUTEN FREE

Halloween is so over-rated in my books, that I'm going to put off for as long as possible my lads' need to dress up in horror clothing and scab lollies off of people they don't know.

Yes, I make it sound so appealing, huh? Sorry if you're mad for it. I'm just not a lover.

But on this very coincidental occasion, I did make pumpkin mash last night for dinner and had some left over today. It also so happened that I was in a baking kind of mood, had some free time and Pinterest was beckoning me to make something sweet with pumpkin.

So, I did.

DREAMING OF SAND AND SEA BREEZES.

What seems like a lifetime ago, we took some annual leave. We worked on our garden, did a little maintenance around the house, and then decided to take a road trip.

We skipped the Great Ocean Road, and made our way towards the South Australian coast. It was a beautiful trip. But there was a place that we had to visit again. I could almost declare that it's my new favourite beach town.

Move aside Lorne and Palm Cove. We have discovered Port Fairy...
 

Where the sands are golden, the waves surf-worthy, and the town historic.

Where the cafes are gorgeous, the boutiques unique, and the people are friendly.

Where there are lovely places to visit in the area, just a stone's throw from a large regional town, and the home to four festivals every year.

In fact, since our first visit in August, we have visited three more times.

 Yes, we love it that much.

And we're hoping that we will visit there again very soon.