{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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nothing says i love you like ♥ shaped pizza...

Indie was in charge of dinner tonight for valentines day...it's not really a 'holiday' we celebrate, but it's fun to do things with the girls.

Indie made these all by herself...love pizzas.

pizzas made with aroha :)



BALLS.

I don't really have a sweet tooth, but these little gems are the perfect thing with a cuppa. or...i will confess a quick breakfast snack ~ gah!
i don't feel as bad reaching for these than for the bikkie tin.

peanut butter oat balls

1/3 cup of honey
1/4 cup of natural peanut butter
2 tbsp butter
1 cup of ricies
1 cup of rolled oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 sunflower seeds

~ heat together the honey / peanut butter and butter in a pot until melted
~ take off heat and add remaining ingredients
~ stir until coated
~ spoon into patty pans and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

seriously good.

i ♥ soup.

i do ....i really do. i am a total soup nut. although i tend to forget about it in the summer daze. well, at least until i have tomatoes up to my eyeballs.

but i just found this beaut @ annabels blog  it has even surpassed leek and potato as number ONE in my books. big ask i know.

it's not the prettiest of soup. it doesn't have the glossy orange of pumpkin, or the rustic charm of minestrone. but good god it is summer in a bowl.

i am pleased to introduce my version of.....

Tuscan courgette soup.

1kg of small green courgette. (i had a couple of big guys that i left in the garden too long...just had a take the white spongy seed part out...did the trick perfectly!)
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
30-40 basil leaves
1 tsp salt
pepper
4 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp italian parsley, chopped
50g parmesan.

heat oil in a large pot, add chopped courgette (about 1 cm diced) and chopped garlic. cook for a few minutes to soften. add salt and pepper. add stock and herbs. cook for 10 or so minutes. put in batches in blender. put back on stove and stir in parmesan.  taadaaa!!

i added some extra chopped italian parsley. good god man... it is delicious.

i had it for lunch and then dinner again after an afternoon of swimming with my girls. Lars made cheese and bacon mousetraps (cheesy toast). i know, i know. heaven!

Honoring thursday.

a morning spent second hand store trawling with my mama and Honor. i tell you, the best time to find winter goodness is when it's a rip-stinker of a hot day. woolly jumper and jackets galore! Miss Honor fell asleep mid afternoon. she must have been knackered, falling into a deep sleep with Indie creating a confidence course out of couch cushions around her, giggling and crash-banging all over the show.

Indie left her a bikkie for when she woke...but then decided she was taking too long so it got swiped. sneaky possum.

also, i have been eyeing up some old shelves Lars found at work...i think they perfect for my cookbook and old records. never mind what he had planned for it! unsure whether it's going to get a lick of paint or not. it is a bit battered and has a bit of graffiti from naughty soldiers...but i dig that.  might have live with it a while and no doubt things will get arranged a million times...but hey, that's the way we roll.

have yet to find goodies to fill the spaces...will mean some more fluffing the nest and possibly re-arranging the whole house.



wednesday harvest.

i totally dig how on days when you feel as though you are getting nowhere fast you can put something to simmer away on the stove top and feel productive instantly.
i'm having one of those days where my 'to do' list is getting longer and i keep getting distracted...(mainly by lush blogs that pull me in for waaay to long!)
i strolled past the window to my backyard and decided to relieve my tomato plants before they had a hernia.

these puppies will be serving me well into winter now i have a gia-mugous pot of delicious garlic, red onion, tomato and basil pasta sauce bubbling away. filling my house with smells of productivity....whist i dwindle my time away OOooo-ing and AAAAaaaa-ing at other peoples delightful stories. WIN!

what i am grateful for this past week.

1. hearing that the cyclone in didn't kick Aussie's bum as much as they said it might. ♥

2. hanging with my two favourite girls, whilst wearing dresses. they are two of the most inspiring, encouraging, beautiful ladies. They both make me smile so much my face hurts.

*photo from the gorgeous Danielle Black.



3. 'Lars in charge'. having a partner who understands the importance of friends. embraces papa-hood....and puts clips in his daughters hair and takes them to kids birthday parties.

4. toast and tea...more importantly Dan for making me toast and tea when the pink bubbles turned on me.

5. all the tomatoes in garden...the promise of many squirreled away sauces in the freezer for the winter warms me already.

*photo from the lovely Dana.

6.hearing from friends how gorgeous and good-mannered my daughters were at social occasions when i wasn't able to be there. so proud.

7. having my first paua fritter. why has is taken me so long!