41/52

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Madison: You're growing up so fast.

Noah: You're just plain fast.

Linking in with Jodi @ Che and Fidel

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40/52

 A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Kelly: Beautiful. Inside and out.

Madison: "Kelly is the BEST!"
Noah: Licking the hand rail. As you do.

Linking in with Jodi @ Che and Fidel

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LAD DATE: YARRA VALLEY CHOCOLATERIE.

Hello, land of sugar, cocoa and potential gluttony. If you ever dreamed of visiting Charlie Wonka's chocolate factory, there is now a chance to experience the real life version. This week, we visited Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery, a perfect way to end the school holidays.

Before even arriving, the drive is picturesque. The Chocolaterie sits on a hill overlooking the valley on a large expanse of land. When you walk through the front doors, it's hard not to be overwhelmed by the amazing showroom with thousands of chocolates and gift ideas to choose from, or overdose on the free samples of chocolate nibs as you walk in (I admit, it was hard to keep the lads away). There's a place to watch European chocolatiers handcrafting their creations, or a chance for the kids to take a junior chocolatier class.

The indoor/outdoor cafe serve decadent (and awfully oversized) treats and 'light' meals, and while waiting for your order to arrive, kids can explore the lawns, orchard and sculptures or colour in with the pencils and paper provided. It's also fabulous for the kids to run off all that sugar after said sweet treat so it's not contained in the car on the way home ;)

Each sweet treat comes with a 'shot' of warm gooey chocolate of your choice. In fact, even the menu board is oozing with chocolate. Meals - both sweet and savoury - are decadent. Servings are so huge, in fact, that just two mains and two desserts was enough for the five of us. My friend Alli said before we visited, "There isn't such thing as overdosing on chocolate", but I suspect after her first visit this week that she may feel differently.

WE VISITED Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery | 35 Old Healesville Road (corner Melba Highway), Yarra Glen Vic 3775 | (03) 9730 2777

MADISON WEARS HOODIE, Cotton On Kids. TEE, Milkshake by Myer. SKINNY JEANS, Target. SHOES, Rivers. NOAH WEARS TEE, Target. HOODIE VEST, Milkshake by Myer. SKINNY JEANS, Target.

Do you think you can have too much chocolate?

Thanks so much for stopping by for a virtual cuppa (and chocolate overdose). For the whole Lad Date series, visit here.

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PAJAMA DAY.

Today is a perfect day to...

Play duplo.

Eat home made icy poles.

Set up Thomas The Tank Engine's railway.

Wrap some gifts, make some cards.

Wear pajamas.

In my mind, there is nothing better than having a day at home with no plans. And wear pajamas.

Have you had a few lazy days during this school holidays?
 

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THE SANDS OF TIME.

How do you think time works? Do you think that the hours are different for a five year old than they are for someone who is older?

I know the laws of nature, and I know that a minute is always going to be a minute. But as I get older, I start sounding like my grandmother who told me at a tender age that "time goes faster as you get older".

Damn it, because she is so right.

But what makes time go so slooooowly when you are young, the makes it speed up as we get older? Is it that we don't treasure the time? Is it because we have gotten too busy? Or is it that our mind races faster than time can keep up?

This weekend I wondered with my dear friend Lindy, what happened to our time. It seemed not long ago when I was meeting my husband's young daughters - they were 7 and 9 years old when we first got together. We became friends on the central coast of New South Wales, walking my dog on the beach, and getting pumpkin scallops at the local fish and chip shop. They sat on my lap and changed gears on my car. I made child-unfriendly meals, and discovered the love of Kraft Cheddar Cheese (you know the one on the shelf in the royal blue package?).

Soon we were married, and I noticed how their bodies and minds were changing. Then they learnt to drive, then drove off in that same car when they finally got their license.

The P plates are long gone, and our 'girls' are now well into their 20s. They have both moved out of home and living their own lives. They are now adults, not children any more.

I'm treasuring all today's moments, because our eldest son is now the same age age as our youngest daughter was when we first met. I know how fast time will go, and know that the lads will soon be independent, learning to drive, and be off with their friends.

The sands of time reminds me to treasure the moment, to live for today, and know that time will be past before I know it.

Do you resent time? Is it going faster for you as you get older?

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