perfick mersli (sic)

"mersli" is my mum's sister's word for muesli. . this is the seven-ingredients-wonder variation of mum's recipe... and you need to use the oven timer if you're inclined to something-shiny-over-there-moments...

turn oven to 180 fan bake, tip into roasting pan + stir:
:: large bag of rolled oats
:: packet of super fruits LSA
:: half bag of coconut

add
:: melted 1/2 c honey + 1/4 c rice bran oil + stir
bake, stirring every six mins until toasted (about half an hour?)

add
:: half packet sultanas + packet roasted unsalted cashews + stir

open oven door and leave in oven to cool so that sultanas caramelise delishisly x

#100happydaze

right then... she and i are doing the #100happydays thang. i'm so good at starting things like this.. have been trying to go complaint-free for a month now... hahaha.. but actually... i have just completed an 8-week bootcamp and am feeling pretty successful about that... fitter, stronger, still going to the gym even tho it's almost the end of term... even bought some scales *gasp!

so:  day one (yesterday)

day two (today)
i had a very gentle day working from home: a little skype how-to-make-mersli (sic) tutorial with my mum, some ironing (woah, that's blogworthy!), almost finishing my marking, and the joyous news that there is a newly-arrived Freddie in the world!!

day three

day four

day five

day six
sam's inimitable stylez: twisted fat-pants tucked into socks and samoan safety boots x

also:

day seven
he still makes me so happy x

day eight

day nine

day ten


day eleven
girlz nite with the duckweed divas! x

day twelve
watching city of bones with my mike #allyouneedislovequilt

day thirteen
five yellow sunflowers from my darling
#twentyfifthweddinganniversary x

day 14
celebrating twenty-five wedded years #missingthemullet x

day fifteen

day sixteen
joel + raych (on phone) + me
#yahooskoolholsarehere x

day seventeen
ze making of ze hot cross buns #grannyandjoel

day 18
#playajazzchord joel at jazz fest playing up a storm.. video on my insty feed

day nuhnuhnuhnineteen
wasgijing with mum + dad x

day 20
KTYBUG goes to waiheke #herbiegoesbananas

day 21
it's as beautiful and tranquil as it looks.. pukeko + tui + doves!! and sleeping in a narnian tent x

day 22
a little lunch of smoked salmon, ringawera artisan bread and PASSIONFRUIT!! dreaming of boating holidaze, a dip in the sea at palm beach x

day 23
trekking out to man o' war vineyard with the man i adore, sharing a good glass and a platter for two x

day 24
little espressos and a lamb shank dinner at this gorgeous spot
#anzacday #spottheseagull x

day 25 
our last happy day on waiheke island.. coveting the boathouse on the beach at little oneroa.. lunching on a delish veggie pita pocket stuffed full of refried beans, avocado, fresh tomato salsa and salady bits with little yellow flower petals.. dozing on the ferry on the searide home.. a perfick celebration of twenty five years x

day 26
homey stuffs: unpacking, washing, repacking for the wild week in wellington.. making epic chook with roasted veggie salad.. and finally, half way through the hols, blackening my fingertips in the name of deskooling x

day 27
yarp.. a mommy bloggeur from the internet. so fab to finally meet up!!!!! x



day 28
rendezvous.. jeez it's great to squeeze this face x x

 

day 29
massive day tripping around welly. . patting a kangaroo, a tortoise, chatting to a pelican.. a ride up the cable car + sibling playground antics.. espresso at verve for momma. . love this beautiful city and its people x

day 30
would you, could you..?

day 31
flew on a jet plane away, away.. carrying this girl in my heart ‪#‎loveyoutothemoonandback‬ ‪#‎daywhatever‬ x

day 32
mike's latest thing: lines and walls of toppling dominoes..

day 33
miss k's wedding ‪#‎beautifulbride‬ ‪#‎maythefourthbewithyou
‬

day 34
dropping the lads off and sneaking out for a quiet drink with this gumby ‪#‎firstdaybackatskoolmyheadisbuzzing

day 35

day 36
the pre-dawn efficacy of loading up the slow-cooker with cumin-browned kumara shards and mum's guava + chilli jam glazed lamb shanks ‪#‎needsfreshgreenbeans



day 37
brilliant. .. such a professional show.. highlights: cell block tango, roxie's puppet scene, mary sunshine! !! have woken up with ALL THE SONGS in our head!! ‪#‎allthatjazz‬ ‪#‎ohsomeonewhospeaksnatalie‬



day 38


day 39
a little espresso out, a little flick through the frankie, a little friendship gem found:



day 40
wow. you guys. #lovefromthebirdieswhohaveflownthenest #burstintotearsmoment #mothersday



day 41
waaah this just arrived in the post.. super-creativity and love ‪#‎youareourmother



day 42
red corduroy skirty cuteness landed in my lap today ‪#‎handmedown‬ ‪#‎theanswertolifetheuniverseandeverything



day 43



day 44
sammo got an "outstanding excellence" for his year 12 speech + skypeys with this girl



day 45



day 46
spent the day with this cherub. . cleaned house together, met mates for lunch together, talked and talked and talked together. . now he's found a book series. . won't see him for a day or two



day 47
ran up the minden (twice!) and did some leetle dress + skirt alterations ‪#‎cinderellayoushallgototheball‬ ‪#‎thisisstagenottelevision



day 48
sam.. . on saturday his band got through to the regional finals of the ‪#‎smokefreerockquest‬ + on sunday he successfully auditioned for another stage show + today he hung out with our leetle tweens at the theatre ‪#‎dancingthroughlife



day 49



day 50
my trusty rusty shoesies + nailing boxfit + finally feeling fit (woop woop!! we've had fifty happy days already!) ‪#‎sundaymondayhappydaysetc



day 51



day 52
catch-ups with these cuties:



day 53
another hilarious sunshine hour with these faves



day 54
sammo + paggypaggy at last night's ball.. fab friends



day 55
piles and piles of late-midsummer leaves



day 56
eleven skool kids plus he + me loading miniskips at TMT ‪#‎nomorerhymesnowimeanit‬ ‪#‎serviceday2014‬



day 57
today's antidote:



day 58
thursday lunchtimes with these little ratbags ‪#‎theheartandsoulofmagteam



day 59
up at the crack of dawn conjuring up a friday night lentil lasagne (20 years on it's still a family staple) reciting latest movie lines in my head (you is kiiind, you is smaaart, you is important) and getting smiles-and-booties pics from our adorable nephew (awwwww)



day 60
skool ball 2014 #vintagehollywood

day 61



day 62
in welly together..

day 63

day 64
h'official ball pics have popped up!

day 65
"i'd like something a bit different.." #twiceyearlyhairdo

day 66
sammo's antics in the whiskey lounge lounge #fridaynightincarnieville x

half an hour later, he's rocking with the band
#playthatfunkymusicwhiteboy

day 67

day 68
the boys are back in town..

also,

day 69

day 70

day 71
sushi, seaweed salad and dancing clouds (aka miso) in my happy mug x

day 72

day 73
pre-bday drinks and a getting-smaller number on the scales x

day 74
out for birthday dinner + speeches with these fine lads x

+ this from my girl:

day 75
babygirl's 21st birthday: the first year we've spent our birthdays apart: waaah!

+ a bit of crazydediKATEdness:

day 76

day 77

day 78

day 79
snuck out on the town with this babe...


day 80
not a particularly happy occasion, but happy that we were counted: "save our maui, save them today!" #thelast55


day 81
sunday-morning sneaky vibes x


day 82


day 83
après-skool the holiday moment: pjs and fluffy ugg boots and my darling all you need is love quilt and mr firth x


day 84


day 85
my favourite time of day: him tucking me into bed with the next instalment #themagicfarawaytree x


day 86
mort's hilarious sense of humour x



day 87


day 88
these two have arrived: staying for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!!!!!!! x


day 89
1. my tutor class came third in the obstacle course! 2. wee girlie in my tutor class won the talent quest! 3. foy house won the house singing!
yellow~yellow~yellow
BONUS: sam + aro + mrs wing rocked an impromptu open mike!


day 90
a pinch and a (non-alcoholic) punch for the first (and the rest) of the month...



day 91



day 92
these two snuggled up with tangled.. #freezingday "hi mum, we've got new beanies!"



also:

day 93
skool's out, nails are already blackened, whiskey lounge is rocking, and these girls.. wow x



day 94


also, today's little thought from HoNY, on the first day of hols, from someone half way across the globe: she speaks my mind..



day 95
it's been such a joy, having the kids all together for this day and a half. today we headed to our mountain-on-the-sea. something magical happens when we go walking. 
i read soulemama's words today:
"this nest of ours - may they carry it with them wherever they go and always find comfort in coming back to it - whether in heart or in place."
i feel the same way.

day 96

day 97
ten pin bowling with the kids!

day 98

day 99

day 100
wowsers - one hundred happy days! oh, how i've LOVED this journey, travelled on fb with family + friends, and archived here. i confess that some days, it's been a 10pm challenge to recall a moment of happiness, and a wonderful encouragement to hear the notification bell on my phone signalling a post up in the #100happydays backstage carnieville edition group. i shall miss thee.

and.. they're off.. like a streak of greased weasel's water... heading hundreds of kilometres in opposite directions, in search of their next #100happydays.. 

right then, "let us not say farewell, but as the french say it, au revoir!" (movie line)

also:

bonne chance et bonne journée x