The Greatest Carrot Cake on Earth!

Carrot cake is the bomb. I love all cake, but carrot cake is up there in my top three cakes - closely followed by chocolate (of any kind) and a good sponge.

I used to work in an awesome in my high school and uni days. Their carrot cake was pretty famous, the freshness, the citrusy cream cheese icing...amazeballs.

So when I moved away to another state, I needed to find a recipe that accurately replicated this cafe's mouth watering slice. I searched far and wide, high and low. Too dry, too moist, too many nuts, NO cream cheese icing!!

Then one day ... BOOOOOM.. I found it and it is amazing.

And dead easy to make.

In a big bowl mix :

: 2 eggs
: 2/3 cup of sunflower or canola oil
: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
: 1 cup of caster sugar
: 1 1/4 cup of plain flour
: 1 teaspoon of bi-carb soda
: 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (any kind are good)
: 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple chunks
: 2 grated carrots
: 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Stir it all together with a wooden spoon and pour into a greased and lined cake tin

or a greased muffin/ friand tin

Bake at 180 degrees for 40-50 mins (large tin) or 20-30 mins (small tin)

For the Cream Cheese Icing:

: tub of cream cheese
: 1/2 - 1 cup of icing sugar
: zest and juice of 1 lemon

Whizz that all together with a mixer and spread on cooled cake.

(in the above picture my icing was rather runny - minimise orange juice...duh Amelia)

Thank me later!

The Beginnings of Autumn

Well it appears another Summer has been and gone. The days are shorter and the nights are nippy. Winter woolens are being washed and dried in preparation for the cold. Ugg boots are being dusted off and luscious warming dinners are being planned.

It is time to fuel ourselves with nourishment and protect our bodies from the wintry chill. The kiddo's have battled through some nasty summer-time flu's this year, I am hoping and praying that the winter months are not as treacherous as anticipated.

Cherish it.

In every sadness there is a blessing. I believe that to be true.

We do not really know what happens when a life ends, we do not really understand it at all. The uncertainty and uncharted waters that lie ahead in the days, weeks, months, years and decades and some of the hardest to journey through. In my eyes, grief is Australia's best kept secret...(worldwide infact). No one knows how to talk about it, no one really understands the stages, it is really the one time in ones life where anything goes, and it's okay.

When a life ends by choice, the grief can often be harder to comprehend. There is an added layer of sadness to an already bottomless pit of emotion. What could possibly be a blessing in this situation? There is one. I promise. When a life clings to life, literally clinging for days, there is a blessing. A difficult yet easy choice is to be made, with that choice, life is given - to five other people.

Life is a blessing, cherish it. Cherish each other. Cherish your individuality. Cherish the fresh air. Cherish the sunshine.  Cherish your soul. Cherish love.

If you need any help with mental illness contact Lifeline
If you would like any information about organ donation visit this website

Gratitude 2.0

Sometimes it's nice to throw a little gratitude in the mix, don't you agree?

There has been a lot to be super grateful for of late. There have been a lot of stand out moments for me, and for those around me, that have made me stop (literally in my tracks) at look at what I have, and just be so thankful that everyone is okay and healthy. Life is good.

First cab off the rank - Kdog. This guy, he just gets me and he gets it. He's just a good egg. I'll throw the kids under the 'Kdog header' too. Whilst often they shit me to tears, these past couple of weeks, things have seemed to chill a bit. They are mates, not enemies. They have little chats and it swells my heart with pride and joy. They are so much more independent, where have those needy babies gone?

Second - my girlfriends. God I love these women, more than I can actually put into words. They know who they are. I love them because they make me a better me, they make me a better mother. Why? Because they take me away from my children for a while, they make me stop and focus on myself. They tell me that I've 'still got it', that I am still an interesting person even though my life is consumed with tiny people. HAHA thank goodness!! Some of these amazing women have hit some rough patches of late, some personal crisis, some crossroads. Decisions have had to be made, tears have been wiped away and plenty of chocolate has been shared. I am so bloody grateful that these women are still able to come to me, even after all the years, kilometres and changes, we still find ourselves connecting with each other. When I stop and look at these women, as individuals, I am in awe of the people they are, you know deep inside, and the lives they have created for themselves. Power women indeed. I sometimes have visions of us all, old cat ladies, living in a big mansion by the sea - did you ever see the Practical Magic movie? It was pretty bad however, I loved it because Stevie Nicks was on the soundtrack. Anyway, there were these two aunts (witches) who lived in this old crazy mansion over looking the ocean. They would have Margarita and brownie parties at midnight, in their nighties...awesome. I can totally see us doing that one day gals. 

Last, but not least - the bloggers. You guys, you make my heart sing. When I googled 'mother bloggers' way back in 2009, I would never have predicted the impact they would have had on my life. It's funny you know, I was always privately critical of those who befriended people online, like there was something a bit strange about it. Then I had babies, man was I wrong. To have that friendship, so accessible, just there at your fingertips. Women who get it, who know the mother struggle. It's mind-blowing. I love these women with every bit of my heart. The first time I met ol' Beverly I nearly weed my pants with excitement. Beth's blog was the first one I stumbled upon. I love her honesty and her bloody humour, she is the bees knees.  I look to her for advice in so many aspects of my life; style, home decor, motherhood, and spirit. When I found Beth, I found a flock of others. I read their blogs and they lift my soul, they make a gloomy day a whole lot brighter - Sam, Jody, Bianca, Ruth, Amelia, Cat and Jodi - these women are my soul sisters. I am blessed to have them in my life. Thank you ladies. Then there are my photo taking blogger mums, Lou, Tahnee, and Belinda. I look at their photos and it motivates me to be a better me, a better photographer. I love these ladies because they have made their passion their reality, my passion too.

Woah, SO much love. (It's a bit sickening, I know)!

The Fat : Part Two

I have been completely blown away by all of your beautiful comments, emails and messages in response to Monday's post. You guys!! 

There were messages form so many of you, words of encouragement, even recipe ideas from ex-boyfriends ?!? Anyway, I am just so super grateful for the few moments you have spared to respond to my post. Thank you!

........................................................................

Well it all began this morning. I was awake before the crack of dawn (don't you hate it when you wake up 10 minutes before your alarm?). I'll be honest, I had a moment. Would I or wouldn't I? I changed into my exercise gear and looked out the back door. It was pitch black and raining. That's it, I'm going back inside. As I took off my shoes and socks, I felt that twinge - the twinge of guilt.

'C'mon O'Connor, SUCK IT UP, it's a little bit of rain for goodness sake!' 

If I gave up now, before I had even started, I would feel like a damn fool.

'Think of how it will feel to be running free in the rain, think of the sense of achievement when you've finished'.

BAM.

I was out the door. Next thing I knew, I was at the end of the road running.

There was an encounter with a freshly paved footpath but I did pick myself up - 'soul building' I said to myself.

This is soul building and I like it.

The Fat

Hello there,

How are you? My name is Amelia, and I am fat.

For most of my teenage and adult life I have been less than impressed with my body. The way it looks, the way it wobbles, the freckles, the scars, you name it - I hated it.  There have been two occasions where I have been proud of my body, and praised it's amazingness - PREGNANCY. However, since giving birth to my last child, nearly two years ago, it is safe to say my body is physically at it's all time worst. There are rolls and stretch marks where I didn't expect rolls or stretch marks to form. I have the posture of my ninety year old grandmother, the lungs of a pack a day smoker (note: I don't actually smoke a pack a day, I might smoke once, every now and then, as a social thing - disgusting I know), and the energy of a slug.

I get into a flap whenever I have to select an outfit to wear. It doesn't matter whether I am going up to the supermarket for a loaf of bread, or heading out to the hippest bar in town - when it's time to pick out some clothes, I am in a stage of PANIC!! It is not too out of the ordinary to find me buried under a pile of ill fitting clothes, silently hoping that something will make me look like how I imagine myself in my head. I have my standard selection of black this or dark that, long cardigan here, loose fitting jacket there. I can no longer shop in the 'normal' section of the shops - I have moved to the plus side. I hate it! Lately there have been occasions where I have actually CANCELED MY PLANS because my self-confidence was at an all time low! NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Today is the day. I have had e-bloody-nough.

There will no longer be 'quick fixes' when 10am or 3pm rolls along. There will no longer be easy high in fat takeaway for dinner because I have been too tired to prepare a wholesome meal. Sure, there will be the occasional treat, but not three or four nights a week!!!!!!

I cannot continue on another day living a life that is not working towards by better self.

I cannot continue to feel self conscious, physically unwell, tired, malnourished, unfocused, and uninspired.

I cannot continue being a less than great individual, mother and wife.

This is the time.

I am going to document some portions of my journey here, on my little blog. Please feel free to tell me your story, share some of your tips or meal ideas.

Big love,

A

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