an african girl

Wintertime

2012-02-10T11:26:00.001Z

Foxy visitor during the night?

2012-02-10T07:26:00.002Z

Our Winter Wonderland garden this morning :)

2012-02-10T07:26:00.001Z

Short & sweet! Melting already.

2012-02-06T11:16:00.000Z

2012-02-05T14:32:00.000Z

2012-02-05T14:31:00.000Z

Sweet :)

2012-02-05T13:05:00.000Z

Having fun :)

2012-02-05T11:27:00.001Z

Our steeeeep driveway

2012-02-05T11:26:00.002Z

Playing in the snow!

2012-02-05T11:26:00.001Z

The snow today :)

2012-02-05T11:25:00.002Z

The snow last at 1am 040212

2012-02-05T11:25:00.001Z

Velvet sponge heart with white crystals - named 'Karis Cake'

2012-02-04T16:16:00.000Z

Mmm

2012-02-03T21:58:00.002Z

Herb chicken salad pita at Nandos

2012-02-03T21:58:00.001Z

Karis Eileen Hurrie, born 030212, 7.8lbs

2012-02-03T18:49:00.001Z

Karis Eileen Hurrie, born a few mins ago in NC :)

2012-02-03T17:45:00.001Z

Get WhatsApp for your iPhone, Android, Nokia or BlackBerry today: http://www.whatsapp.com/download/

Sent from Jenniflower's iPhone

Hehe

2012-02-02T18:52:00.001Z

DIM MOMENTS

2012-01-31T10:19:00.001Z

Last week I thought I was turning 39, till Lance corrected me. Seriously.

I turned 38 yesterday (thanks to those who wished me by the way, will get to your msgs!)... not 39! Was spoilt by hubby.

It's been a topsy turvy month with the flooding upstairs, due two inspections soon (so going paperwork crazy), our fertility doctor died suddenly (devastated), tax return due, mum due next week for 6 weeks so getting (now flooded!) guestroom ready, dealing with passive aggressive client (who I gave notice to), hubby battling with bone condition etc.

My head is all a muddle. Stressed.

Clever Nelson!

2012-01-30T10:30:00.001Z

A great quote to begin the week. Education is the great engine to personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become a head of a mine, that the child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another. Nelson Mandela

Birthday cuppa tea in bed ... Bliss

2012-01-30T06:10:00.000Z

Birthday lunch

2012-01-30T00:08:00.001Z

I had a pre birthday lunch at The Telegraph at Putney heath, with hubby and sis, after church.

Quite a few people wished me for my birthday at church, which was lovely. I am definitely feeling better for being at church again, even this one, which has so many baptisms.

A friend of my sister's, Beth, told us that the English girl we know in Cape Town, who does missions work there, actually works with fostering and adopting of orphans! Wow, what a fantastic ministry. And what a lovely contact for us to have for our return :)

The chef (and baker!)

2012-01-30T00:06:00.001Z

Birthday cake - 28 January

2012-01-30T00:05:00.001Z

Lance made his first ever cake this weekend - for my birthday :)

It was a vanilla and chocolate marble cake... I thought his decorations were so sweet... he might take over from me as the baker in the house if I don't watch things hehe

He then proceeded to make a delicious lamb and chicken roast on Saturday for his sister, her husband and son... yum!

Early birthday blommies from a client :)

2012-01-27T13:51:00.000Z

Sigh. My last Christmas biscuit... Christmas is finally over!

2012-01-23T13:07:00.000Z

2012-01-21T15:41:00.000Z

2012-01-21T15:39:00.001Z

Christening the wellies

2012-01-21T15:38:00.000Z

Thanks Froggy!

2012-01-17T07:23:00.001Z

Keep Calm...

2012-01-15T20:24:00.001Z

Created with Keep Calm and Carry On for iPhone

Sent from Jenniflower's iPhone

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

2012-01-04T21:40:00.001Z

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the filling:
4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons milk
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For decoration:
Mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupckae pan with 24 liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about a half hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. I found this a little tricky to get the hole out but then you get to eat what you take out! Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired and sprinkle with mini-chocolate chips.

Good morning London! A tad different to yesterday thankfully :)

2012-01-04T08:05:00.000Z

Deer in Richmond Park

2012-01-02T10:15:00.001Z

Ham House

2012-01-02T10:09:00.002Z

2012-01-02T10:09:00.001Z

2012-01-02T10:08:00.001Z

2012-01-02T10:07:00.001Z

2012-01-02T10:07:00.000Z

2012-01-02T10:06:00.000Z

2012-01-02T10:05:00.002Z

Brisk walk near Ham House

2012-01-02T10:05:00.001Z

020112 - Wintery (and oh so mild) Richmond Park

2012-01-02T09:30:00.000Z

It's 2012!

2012-01-01T15:04:00.001Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR fellow childcare providers!!! May 2012 be a year full of excitement and delight as we watch those in our care grow and develop... may we appreciate those precious moments of them discovering something new and exciting, and share in their joy of the amazing world around them. May God bless you all this year ahead x

Last breakfast in 2011... Waffle, honeycomb ice-cream with organic strawberries

2011-12-31T12:16:00.001Z

Richmond

2011-12-31T12:13:00.001Z

Richmond Park's Isabella Plantation with the lad

2011-12-30T19:19:00.000Z

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

2011-12-27T19:56:00.000Z

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

2011-12-27T19:55:00.002Z

Spurs fan??? ;)

2011-12-27T19:55:00.001Z

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

2011-12-27T19:53:00.002Z

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

2011-12-27T19:53:00.001Z

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park

2011-12-27T19:52:00.000Z

Spoilt girl!

2011-12-27T18:15:00.001Z

Lance (as usual) amazes me with his gifts.

I got a treasure chest (a wood trunk I eyed out a while back... unknown to me he went back and bought it, and filled it with chocolate coins, fluffy socks, nail polish - his favourite colour on me -, mascara, cream - the correct kind, having excema I have to be so careful -, and other goodies), which literally overflowed when I opened it.. I was so bowled over with all the thought he put into it.

I also got a Kenwood kMix Mixer (I am forever asking him to stir my baking!haha); socks shoes for around the house (he knows how cold my feet get with the wood floors, always in socks); and 2 x Kirsty Allsopp books (Yippee).

Who's hiding in the stocking? :)

2011-12-25T17:23:00.001Z

2011-12-25T17:21:00.001Z

Lance cooked Christmas lunch :)

2011-12-25T17:19:00.000Z

Church service was great :)

2011-12-25T17:18:00.001Z

2011-12-25T17:17:00.002Z

Tottenham Spurs goodies

2011-12-25T17:17:00.001Z

Christmas

2011-12-25T17:16:00.000Z

Richmond

2011-12-25T17:14:00.001Z

Adopt a Smurf for Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:57:00.002Z

Adopt a Smurf for Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:57:00.001Z

Beautiful Richmond

2011-12-24T16:56:00.001Z

Chicken salad at Gauchos

2011-12-24T16:55:00.002Z

Rib eye steak at Gauchos

2011-12-24T16:55:00.001Z

Time for Christmas Eve lunch!

2011-12-24T12:18:00.000Z

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T10:32:00.000Z

Nieces and nephew in the US :)

2011-12-24T09:37:00.001Z

Hehe

2011-12-24T09:34:00.000Z

My new microwave that looks like a TV!

2011-12-24T09:33:00.001Z

Someone likes the lil car her uncle and aunt got her :)

2011-12-24T09:33:00.000Z

Latest photo of my Joburg brother and family

2011-12-24T09:32:00.000Z

Some choices are hard to make...

2011-12-24T09:31:00.002Z

Clever lil nieces and nephew made this :) Well done guys!

2011-12-24T09:31:00.001Z

Thank you Iris!! x

2011-12-13T12:00:00.000Z

Hubby made me a hearty breakfast!

2011-12-10T09:24:00.000Z

2011 --> 2012

2011-12-09T12:36:00.001Z

So, looking back, this year was a great travel year!

South Africa in January (Jhb and Kruger), then again in April (Jhb and the Cape), The Algarve, Portugal in August, Dominican Republic, Caribbean in October, Nice, France in November... and I have just booked a surprise visit to Paris with Eurostar for mum in Feb 2012... possibly another trip to South Africa on the cards... but otherwise no plans in the offing for 2012.

How will your 2011 compare to your 2012?

How do you celebrate Christmas?

2011-12-09T09:29:00.001Z

We've just started the Christmas season with a 3 day trip to Nice in the French Riviera... we had an amazing time... the Christmas Market started on Saturday, the ice skating etc. Huuuuge ferris wheel (which I love and Lance doesn't!! But he went up anyway bless him!). Was great. Will probably get to putting these pics up before my Caribbean pics at this rate.

Working with kids, we have tons of Christmas activities, personalising stockings, making decorations etc. The tree will go up this week. We are seeing various extended family members over the next 2 weeks for Christmas meals, on Christmas Eve we (hubby, sis and I) are dining at a lovely restaurant in Richmond, Christmas Day will be understated with church, a roast and then going to the soup kitchen to help out.

We do pressies for immediate family adults only if we are with them at Christmas, the nephews and nieces always get gifts, they are young still. For us it's not about the hype, the commercialism... we do get into the spirit of the season though

Looks like Italy... sounds like France...

2011-12-09T09:24:00.001Z

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine...

Nice, French Riviera

2011-12-09T08:56:00.001Z

Hubby and I took a last minute trip to Nice for 3 days... the Christmas market had just begun, the city was awash with Christmas lights, the atmosphere was lovely... thoroughly enjoyed it!

The tree is up!

2011-12-09T08:36:00.001Z

So the tree is up... later than usual as we were in the French Riviera last week... will take it down by February.

Promise.

Unplanning a planned day

2011-12-09T08:33:00.001Z

From a planned day of chilling, pressie wrapping and amarula sipping, I now have a poorly hubby in bed with mangreensnotflu, am helping 2 clients with emergency care work (when will I learn to say no??? Both pregnant and look so desperate!) and awaiting the electrician... dodgy burn smell from a dimmer switch.

Sorry kindle. I'll play with you tomorrow.

Our time in the Caribbean

2011-11-25T11:22:00.001Z

We had 10 glorious days in the Dominican Republic last month, and it was all about the sun and the beach and the pool.

We did a boat trip and went caving, saw mangroves and a bird national park, but it was mostly spent around the pool and the beach... we snorkelled, swam, read (loads - hubby got me a kindle for our anniversary), played board games, took photos. Even though we aren't big beach people (Lance used to be a body boarder, but the shark episodes in Cape Town have kinda put him off that!), we thoroughly enjoyed our time to rest.

We certainly celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary in style though, 5 star accommodation in a villa on Cayo Levantado, on a beautiful island in the middle of the Caribbean.

Fish Hoek 'Summer Is Here' 2011

2011-11-17T11:47:00.000Z

Cayo Levantado crab

2011-11-04T12:46:00.000Z

Cayo Levantado crab

2011-11-04T12:45:00.000Z

Halloween frivolity on Cayo Levantado

2011-11-01T14:00:00.001Z

Halloween frivolity on Cayo Levantado

2011-11-01T13:58:00.000Z

Caribbean

2011-10-30T19:27:00.000Z

Private beach

2011-10-28T02:19:00.000+01:00

2011-10-28T02:18:00.000+01:00

Lobster cakes - lobster with rice, onion, cabbage, carrot, very tasty! And pretty! Served on shells

2011-10-28T02:12:00.000+01:00

Tasty bread! Amazed re the name though!

2011-10-28T02:11:00.001+01:00

Their greeting for our wedding anniversary... Chocolate covered fruit etc.

2011-10-26T22:27:00.000+01:00

Our first Caribbean sunset :)

2011-10-26T22:25:00.000+01:00

Mmm Nandos and Tin Tin :)

2011-10-24T19:00:00.000+01:00

Mrs Flower's photostream

2011-10-21T19:40:00.001+01:00

Mrs Flower's photostream on Flickr.

the perfect 10

2011-10-18T14:24:00.001+01:00