We got matching tattoos!

Don't freak out!

The hubby and I did not get matching tattoos (despite my aparently unconvincing plea).

The other day I walked past this bush and a particular leaf caught my eye. This leaf had a section missing that looked just like The African continent I have tattooed on my wrist.
Or was it just me? You be the judge.

RIGHT?

See? I'm one with nature!

Just another manic monday... in pictures.

Yesterday I took my camera around with me EVERYWHERE in order to capture a typical Monday. You are invited to see what an average Monday in my life looks like. Here we go...

I wake up at 5:55am. Jealous? I think hit snooze at least 2 times before I make it out of bed.

6:30am drive to work. At least the sun is out at this time these days. :)

Arrive at work just before 7 and it's breakfast time.

Mini wakes up and what better way is there to be greeted in the morning, huh?

We play, sing, do a bit of screeching (a new vocal fav) and before we know it, its lunch time and sometimes this happens.

While Mini is down for a nap...

I get my bloggin' on...

...and eat lunch. (Today's lunch is my fav salad!)

Afternoon. Sun is shining. A trip to the pool is a must.

Arrive home after 6pm and Netflix in my mailbox is a very happy sight.

 Start preparing dinner before...

...it's back in the car to go pick up Hubby from Trader Joe's (best store everrr right?) where he has been working in between studying.

I get to hang out with these two cool guys for a bit

Dinner time and catch up on our favorite YouTube family: The Shaytards

Mike has a half hour of his xbox fix while I sneak in a old Russell Brand podcast and edit pics

So there you have it! A typical life of a South African living in New York. Not everyday is an episode of 'Sex in the City'. 

Meatless Monday. One day a week, cut out meat.

I am a huge meat lover and sadly enough, just not a fan of many, MANY vegetables. So I am joining in with Meatless Mondays to start my week off on a more healthier note and hopfully discover and learn to enjoy a bigger variety of vegetables and meat alternatives.

This weeks recipe is probably not the most healthiest of dinners, but we had a huge bag of potatoes that had begun sprouting and I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to use them up.

Kate's make-up-as-you-go-along Potato Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and spray an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray.

2. Peel and slice 6 large potatoes and boil in salted water until they are softened (but not soft enough to mash) 

3. While the potoatoes are boiling slice and saute 3 small onions in 1 Tbsp butter until they start to turn goldern. (this should take about 10min)

4. Add 100ml milk to the onions along with 1Tbsp grain mustard, 1tsp mustard powder, 1/2tsp crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, salt and pepper (to taste)

5. Heat milk mixture till almost boiling.

6. Drain potatoes and layer with onion mixture and chesse (I just guess-timated the amount of chedder I used) ending with a thin layer of cheese ontop.

7. Bake in the oven until cheese forms a goldern-brown layer (aprox. 30mins)

8. Enjoy! Serves 4 with a crunchy side salad. (This potato bake would also be perfect as a side dish at a BBQ)

Weekend roundup

1. New York finally legalizes same-sex marriage. No matter what your thoughts on homosexuality are, I feel that you deserve to be happy and marry whoever you love.
2. Friday Night hibachi dinner with friends
3. My celebration after I managed to catch the flying shrimp from the hibachi chef, in my mouth (I never catch them!)
4. Baking on Saturday morning... recipe coming up later this week.
5. Cocktails at lunch (hey! It's Summer) with brother-in-law
6. Dinner with the hubby at this little pub I have been wanting to go to for ages!
7. I saw a total of 2 bunnies this weekend. :) I love them!
8. Hubby gets haircut
9. While strolling in the park we came across an emergency/disaster communication set-up practicing. 

Stalk me!

Hi bloggy friends.

Just wanted to let you know that I have finally updated my profile to include an "About Me" page and other buttons on the right side column so you can get to know me a little better. *click *click *click away! blog.

Let's get to know eachother!

Kate

I would love it if you left a comment below introducing yourself and linking your blog!
Let's be friends.

My imaginary house, garden and kids on pinterest

Can we just jump on the pinterest bandwagon for a second here people?

Pinterest is a new addiction for me. I can spend hours pinning recipes, DIY projects, fashion, you name it. But I have found myself pinning projects to complete in my own home (which I don't even own yet), vegetable garden ideas for my non-existent backyard and sweet outfits, nurseries and photography-ideas for the kids that I'm not even pregnant with yet. I guess you can say I'm pinning for a rainy day.

One day I will DIY absolutely everything in my awesome pad, my garden will look like a fairy tale and my kids will be the coolest little Llamboks* on earth!

*Llamboks are what my husband and I call our future children. My sister made a topper for our wedding cake that was a Llama (representing Peru) and a Springbok (representing South Africa) and figured out if they ever had children they would be Llamboks. (this took way to long to explain, sorry!)

I would now like to share with you a very random selection of things that caught my eye so far. Feel free to follow me here! on pinterest.

A Rainbow Cake in a Jar? 

Can baking get any cooler then this?

I think not.

These Hiking Journals kept by The hike Guy are beautiful and so inspiring. 

Now bring me my backpack & some trailmix!

How awesome are these tattoo stockings?

You could really freak your parents out at Sunday night dinner with these!

Movie night in my imaginary backyard of my imaginary home. You are all invited!

Im already thinking how to DIY this onesie for my (not even germinated) Llamboks.

I feel relatively neutral about New York

This book is totally HILARIOUS, I own it.

New York, New York - It's a hell of a town

I still consider myself to be a huge tourist, although I have lived in New York for nearly 3 years. One of my first purchases as soon as I landed here in 2008 was a "I <3 NY" sweat shirt which has since come to a demise, and I am strongly considering buying a replacement. 

For the first couple of months living here I made the short 30min train ride into Manhattan frequently, hitting all the tourist spots, ice skating in central park, touring the NBC studios and macking on Magnolia cupcakes while uploading more and more photos onto facebook for the jealous eyes of others. 

But what happens when you have visited the top 10 tourist attractions? What if you find 5th avenue a little bit daunting? And what if 'Sex in the City' is just not your kind of lifestyle?

Don't get me wrong, I love many aspects of the city. I got married in Central Park, so chilling there on a sunny day has new meaning; I still get excited when a whole string of yellow taxi cabs drive by; people watching becomes an extreme sport in the city and there are so many fun events and happenings (I once ended up as a film extra in the movie 'Get him to the Greek'.) But sometimes I feel like I take living so close to such a cutting-edge city for granted. There are people that would kill for an opportunity to live here while I complain that rent is too expensive and you can't for the life of you find a parking spot (and don't get me started on the parking ticket Nazi's).

If I can be really honest, New York City is not my kind of place. (yes I said it) I am loving living here for now but the small town girl inside of me wants to eventually move to a mountain town, almost in the middle of nowhere and buy a house with a backyard, picket fence and a mail box shaped like something that isn't a mailbox (okay, maybe forgo the picket fence).

As Summer hits (maybe its the warm weather talking) I find myself always wanting to escape. I would rather be spending my weekends hiking or camping then swiping my credit card (if I even had one) at an overpriced NYC boutique or squashing into a NYC nightclub and paying $20 for a drink.

New York will always hold a special place in my heart and in a way I hate to admit this: I feel relatively neutral about New York.

Have you ever been to New York? Have you ever dreamt about living in New York?

What is your favorite thing to do here?