Here are a few of the things I am loving at the moment...

Loving my leather satchel bag!  This was one of the first things I bought when I left school and started working!  It was expensive (Symon still hassles me today about the price) but it's real leather and look how well it's lasted 16 years later!



Loving Grandma and her patience in showing my girl the 'proper' way to crochet (I'm a lefty and my crochet method is a bit strange)...


Loved discovering some Frankie Magazine's in our local library!  Pretty exciting when you live in a small town where none of the shops stock cool magazines.


Loving Mummy & daughter dates...


Loving coconut ice and chocolate truffles, especially when shared with lovely friends...


Loving seeing my kids in the local newspaper (twice in one week!)...


Link Loves...


Loving the latest Delve article (although I might be a wee bit biased), Loving the fact that there is a big Kiwi Mummy Bloggers meetup in Auckland next month!!  Loving The Wooden Birds album and The Frozen Ocean album (especially the first song!).  Both are free to download!

Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!

I love it - and so does my darling daughter (with her little sister very eager to inherit it when she 'grows bigger').

Despite having made a few crochet blankets, believe it or not this was the very first time I have actually ever joined granny squares together (thanks to these helpful tips).  It's really not as scary as I'd thought.

It was really fun to make, although it did take a couple of late nights to tie on the fringing!

When I was young I dreamed of having my very own poncho.  They were all the rage and I soooo wanted one!  Rather tempted to make a larger version for myself actually... or maybe one of these. Ha!

For more crafty makings, go here. 
Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

I know, I know... I've been a wee bit obsessed about muffins here lately... Carrot Muffins, Donut Muffins and now Chocolate & Cheesecake Muffins!

But seriously, the muffin mania is all worth it when you taste these amazingly delicious treats... cheesecake and chocolate - my two absolute favourites put together!!

I discovered this recipe on A Piece of Lisa - and make sure you check out her muffin photos as they look way better than mine!!

Ingredients:

Mix flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt in a large bowl and put to the side. Whisk the butter and demerera sugar with an electric mixer and add the eggs one by one. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the cocoa and the vanilla extract, then add milk and the dry ingredients you prepared earlier. Mix well but don't stir more than necessary. Lastly, break the chocolate in chunks and stir them in.

Make the cheesecake filling by using the electrical mixer to whisk the cream cheese until soft. Add sugar, egg and vanilla extract and whisk it all together so it becomes smooth and airy.

♥ Starting off the weekend after having two whole days and nights kidless, thanks to my amazing parents (we do love our kids... honest).

♥ Doing a bit of secret squirrel crochet project making.

♥ Eating some of the most delicious muffins ever (I may just have to share the recipe with you tomorrow).

♥ Pictureka in family teams... crazy fun I tell you!

♥ The beard getting shaved off (although it was growing on me... no pun intended ;)

♥ Going to church - man, I love our church family!

♥ Boo snoozing

♥ Make sure we are raising cultured Kiwi children... by forcing them to watch this (haha).

♥ Lots of just being, not so much doing.

Despite being a bit under the weather, I am still thankful and grateful for so many things.

Loved sneaking in some crochet Craft Nerd in Public time at the library too (thanks Leonie for the pic).   Don't know if you remembered, but the library is where I first went public properly with crochet (see here).
Here's how you can join in....

Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!

There has been the creation of another two fluffy bunny softies.  Although I long to make more crazy softies like Yeti's, Robots, Mustached cupcakes and other unusual things, these wee guys are always a hit and rather quick and fun to whip up.

There has also been two phone covers, crocheted for my lovely Mum-in-law's new mobile phone...

And lastly, I have been inspired and started on a very cute project using these.  Can't wait to show you!

p.s. oh yeah, and I'm still making thousands of granny squares for this.

For more crafty makings, go here. 

I just love Cinemagaph images... very clever and so pretty!

I've posted a recipe before for carrot muffins (Spiced Carrot Muffins), and they are delicious, but I just had to share with you the recipe for my all time favourite carrot muffins.

These are the carrot muffins my Mum always makes and I love them!  So moist and delicious, she usually serves them up without any icing, but cut in half and spread with a bit of butter.  The walnuts give them an amazing crunchy texture, although you can always leave them out if walnuts aren't your thing.

Dry Ingredients

¾ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Mixed Spice

¼ cup chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup sultanas

Wet Ingredients

½ cup oil

2 grated carrots

2 beaten eggs

Method

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  In another bowl mix the wet ingredients together.

Tip the wet mixture into the dry and mix until just combined.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 180°C.

Makes 6 large muffins, or 12 medium.

For more delicious recipes, go here. 

I love weekends!  

The kids are on two weeks holiday for term break, so I buttered them up with cake and chocolate biscuits and then laid down the law engaged them in a bit of 'holiday good behaviour' brainstorming and boredom-buster ideas (yes, that is a big lump of purple playdough on one of my children's forks... I only spotted it now).

They came up with such great ideas... lets just hope it all works out!

Loved hearing my hubby preach at church on Sunday morning, followed by a wee bit of Sunday afternoon Barney & Boo cuddling on the bed (naughty, I know).

p.s. For those interested in all things beard related... it's still here!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend too!

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.  

Here are a few of the things I am loving at the moment...

My new vintage cake plate (found at a local garage sale by my eagle eye husband)...


Catching up with friends... bloggy friends!  Jacksta had the lovely Claire from Gracious Goodness over to visit earlier this week and it was so lovely to catch up with her while she and her hubby are on their summer holiday from Korea.  Pity it's the middle of a wet and cold winter here in New Zealand at the moment.  Claire is super lovely!!


Loving cooking Purple Heart Potatoes...


Loving great memories.  Recently realized it's been one whole year since we visited Israel!  We had such an amazing time (you can read about our journey here or watch the clip below).

Link up below with your blog post telling us what thing/s you are loving, and don't forget to link back to here in your post (or use this button below) and visit the others who have joined in too. Linky open until Sunday!!