Last Friday's pony lesson was inside as it was raining  The kids learnt how to put on a saddle etc.  Willow thought it was hilarious having a pony inside!

Isn't it funny how your tastebuds change as soon as the weather does!  My fridge was filled with salad leaves and salad veges ready to make quick lunches but now the thought of a salad just doesn't do it for me.  It's out with soup recipes.  Love them!  Here is a quick lunch when you need to warm up!  Spiced Moroccan Soup with the recipe from my guru Donna Hay...

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add 1 chopped onion (I used a red onion because that is all i had) and 2 cloves crushed garlic and cook for 5 mins.
Add 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 stick cinnamon, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon harissa paste (I got mine at Iceland) and cook for 1 min. Add 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, 1 x 400g can drained and rinsed chickpeas (garbanzos) and 1.5litres (6 cups) chicken stock (i used stock cube), bring to the boil and cook for 10 mins.  Top with yoghurt and coriander (cilantro) to serve.  MMMmm delish!

My lovely daughter was very upset that I didn't have a birthday cake on my birthday so we made one together and she decorated it for me.  Then she put candles on and sang happy birthday to mummy in Spanish and English.  And she has done this 3 nights in a row now!  Anyway the cake was/is delicious!  It is the Devil's Food Cake from the famous Magnolia Bakery (using rice milk) and we frosted it with the Orange Buttercream Frosting from the fantastic recipe book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  This book is incredible!

 You can see the gorgeous new paint colour in our sitting/dining room - it's Farrow & Ball Charleston Grey

Thankyou to my wonderful family in Australia for these gorgeous birthday flowers and to my wonderful family in London who also sent me some beautiful roses!  How special do you feel when you receive flowers!

Cute!

The hallway now has a POP of colour!  Was supposed to be more like chartreuse but I actually like it... alsmost lime!

The bedroom end of the house is now in a grey/mauve

Willow's girly stuff

Her new bedroom design, very workable (very Ikea!).  The rug came across from Tangier on the ferry when I was pregnant!

Halloween is such a busy time.... what with my birthday, all the kids parties and events and this year our friends Nicola, Livio and Tiara and baby Isabella were over from south of France so we had even more celebrating and getting together to do.

Eva, Harry, Poppy and Willow at Sunday lunch

eyeball cupcakes by Alley!

scary Harry!

This was Willow exactly a year ago dressed for Halloween party at nursery

Home made wholemeal pizza

Sweet potato, chickpea and spinach soup

Our new terrace furniture and newly painted wall, gone is the boho, hippie, shabby chic

Leftovers make an impromptu midweek alfresco lunch with my hubby

 The weekend was filled with birtday parties... Gaby's on Saturday...

The gorgeous Gaby with the butterfly cake I made her...

Sunday was Eva's birthday party at the pony club...

My big girl in her Marbella Montessori uniform

My daughter has recently started 'big school' at the Marbella Montessori and I am so delighted at the way it has all gone so smoothly.  She can be quite shy so I was certain there was going to be the usual separation anxiety scene but it never happened.  She was obviously so ready to move on and learn that actually she sometimes forgets to kiss me goodbye before she runs to sit on the mat!  So the only anxiety is coming from me!  It is only a tiny school where she receives so much attention and care that I couldn't ask for more.  After her second week she was given Barney the Bear to take home and look after for the weekend and write and photograph his adventures in a diary, as she had been the star student of the week!  Very proud we were and here is a pictorial record of our weekend with Barney...