Nap-time is joyful-time

I love naps.
I've only recently discovered the afternoon bliss that is the nap. And it is magical. Your bed feels different during nap-time than it does at night, like warmer and bouncier. And the sun light is peeking around your curtains trying to say hello. It's a peaceful and happy time.


Here's the instructions for the basic nap:
1. Stop what you're doing and go to your bedroom (even if you mid-assignment/at work.. trust me it'll be worth it)
2. Put on your pyjamas/trackies/whatever-the-heck-you-feel-like-wearing-at-that-moment
3. Set your alarm for an hour from now (If you're lucky don't set an alarm at all.. pure joy..)
4. Lay down and go to sleep.


See? Amazing. 
Even if you don't have an hour, mate just lay down and nap for 10 minutes if it's all you have, it honestly will make you feel better.
When you wake up you're all warm and fuzzy, and totally recharged to continue doing whatever you where doing before, except at a better capacity due to the improved brain-function/warmed-fuzzies. For me this will look like tackling that last dang assignment (that's already 5 days overdue.. whoops..) and hopefully cleaning this mess..

I like to bake it bake it!

I've been cooking up a storm friends! A very very delicious storm. 

We had a surprise party for one of our intern friends, Chris (who's from England, and yes, he does have a fantastic accent). So I cooked up a few goodies, including homemade sausage rolls and party pies, cupcakes and a brownie. 

Here they are fresh out of the oven

I threw on a fancy little parsley garnish for the pic (but don't get too excited, that's as fancy as I get folks)

Homemade party pies, homemade! Does that get anyone else excited? No? Just me? Alrighty then. Well they're super dooper easy, and really yummy, and overall I feel like quite a success really. (Pie recipe here, Sausage Roll recipe here)

I had a bit of fun playing with an icing pen that I picked up from supermarket, it was really easy to use! And maybe a little addictive..

I tried a new frosting recipe, and it's called the "the best frosting I've ever had", so really it set me up with high expectations from the start. But I gave it a go, and yes it is very yummy frosting! I probably haven't eaten enough frosting in my life to officially crown it as the best, but it's certainly rating well. 

It has a great consistency, which I think comes from the flour (I know, weirdest ingredient in frosting ever - by the way, don't taste the frosting after step one when it's still just a hot milk/flour goo, it does not taste good..), so that helped with decorating the cupcakes (and eating, of course). And it was relatively simple to make as well. Except for the awkward time when you have to wait for the milk/flour goo to cool down, and the classic "will-any-amount-of-whipping-this-ever-get-it-to-look-like-the-picture" moment. But it gets there people, and it's good. So give it a go! (Recipe used found here, via here, and originally here.)

I ended up leaving the cupcakes plain with the white frosting for the party, and I put cute tiny British Flags in them, as a little cupcake-shout-out to Chris' homeland. (Which silly, silly me did not capture a pic of.. soz). And there were a huge hit! 

So success in the kitchen department was had for all! (Except maybe for the shameful brownie.. it was a packet mix and it came out looking all crazy and shrunken, not exactly picture worthy. But it still tasted like delicious brownie, so I'm gonna count that as a win.)

life right now..

So I've officially moved out of home.. I'm independent.. I do my own grocery shopping and washing. It's crazy.
Life is different. But so far it's good. I miss my home, and my family.. but we're chatting all the time :)


Planetshakers College is AMAZING! Every class is so fun, interesting and life changing! I'm loving my assignments! The content is so different from normal school, it's all about Jesus and the Bible! I love love love it!!
And I've just fallen so so in love with Planetshakers Church! It is an absolute honour to call Planetshakers my church and my home.
I've made so many new friends; wonderful, passionate, God-loving friends :) They challenge, support and inspire me! And I love them each so much.
God's been doing so much in me, and I'm loving it! He's speaking to me, and showing me things I could have never dreamed up. And He's teaching me so so much everyday. 
And I am more excited about this year than ever!!


Here's a snapshot of what life looks like right now for me :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


1 My new house
2 Ephesians 6:10
3 Getting used to public transport
4 Keys to open doors
5 Psalm 73:25-26
6 Inspiration..
7 Encounters with God at Urban Life
8 Awesome music that brings you closer to Jesus
9 Beautiful days in Melbourne-town
10 Dessert
11 Learning how to cook my own dinners
12 Matthew 6:33 - My life verse
13 Enjoying the world God created for me
14 Getting lost in massive shopping centres

Accepted!

I had a post all ready saying how I'm waiting on news about an interview I had last week, but then I received a call and found out that I was accepted!!
So I am now officially a student of Planetshakers College!

I'm going to be spending the year working towards a Cert IV in Contemporary Leadership while also serving and learning at the Church, and making lots of friends! :) And I'll also have piano lessons through the church and work towards a piano exam. Planetshakers is such an awesome awesome church, and I can't wait to spend this year learning more about myself as a child of God, and growing closer to my Jesus! I'm so excited the begin! :D 

I start the Internship on February 10th, so in only a few short weeks I'm moving to Melbourne! (Which is about 2 hours away from where I currently live, and hence 2 hours away from my family :( )

So basically I'm feeling 

a) super excited about everything that I'll be doing in Melbourne and about meeting lots of new people/friends! 

b) really scared and excited at the same time about being SO independant, and 

c) really super sad to be leaving my home and all friends and family....... :( I know it's no goodbye forever and I'm gonna be the best at visiting ever ;) , but I'm just gonna miss everyone so much!

Me and my sister Lisa at Planetshakers Conference '10 :)


It's so exciting and kind of unbelievable.. :)

So while I try to get my head around this awesome news, here's some stuff I've been digging lately:


The super cute oh joy blog filled with inspiration and eye candy.


Clever drawings from doodle everyday tumblr.


The alphabet song.


Bedroom inspiration from the always awesome younghouselove.


Ever listened to your iPod in public? You'll relate ;) 


Dead fly art. Kinda gross, but very creative :P

Citrus Cheesecake Slice

It was my Church's 6th birthday today!

And we had a bit of a partay with some dinner after the service to celebrate :) 

It was lots of fun, and it's always really nice to hang out with all the lovely people in my Church.

And to contribute to our celebrations I made a Citrus Cheesecake Clice! Check it out:

It was actually reasonably simple to make (except for the gelatin part!) and there was no cooking required!

Here it is halfway done, with the Chocolate Ripple Biscuit base done and covered in yummy citrus cheesecake. And that's the recipe that I used sitting next to it, it's from the January edition of Recipes+. Man, I love that mag :)

And then I arranged mandarin segments on top of the cheesecake layer, and poured the jelly over the top.

And here's the finished product! 

It's pretty delicious if I so say so myself :)

And someone even asked me for the recipe! 

Doesn't it feel so awesome when that happens :)

The Rudolph Rap

Sooooo cute!

Breakfast

I love breakfast. 

I love it so much. I love all kinds of breakfast, and I especially love brinner too!

So when I came across these gorgeous prints I couldn't resist but stop and stare a while..

Here are some other cah-ute kitchen inspired prints that have also caught my eye..

I just can't decide which set I like better! :)
What do you think?