A Spoonful of Carol M : His Birthday and White Night kind of weekend

It was Keith's birthday last Friday. He told me that he's not 'a birthday kind of person' until he met me (he finally celebrates birthday instead of spending the birthday like every other day). For this year's birthday, I know he doesn't want to have a party or a grand birthday dinner (he wants to visit his family and spend the birthday with them quietly). His birthday was on last Friday but knowing that we will be away to visit his family in the valley, I have decided to bake him a surprise birthday cake 2 days earlier (since he was away on Thursday for his business trip to Brisbane, such a busy bee!).

So on Wednesday (the pre-birthday celebration), I made his favourite chorizo sausages with garden salad and potato mash (I know this is such a simple dish but he gets so excited and happy every time he eats it, just like a kid! So why not?!). For the birthday cake, I made a flour-less chocolate cake with vanilla bean cream (click here for recipe), it's a recipe from one of the Coles Magazine and yes it was my first attempt (a successful one)! I had to hide the cake and the baking smell in the house (making chorizo sausages for dinner was not a bad idea after all). He didn't catch a sign until I was in the kitchen after dinner asking for Sean (Keith's brother who stays with us) to get to the living room. He looked at me (with a suspicious face), asked "what are you up to now?!" and stood on the couch to see what I was hiding. He got a glimpse of the cake with the unlighted candles, sat back down on the couch with a massive smile on his face and said "but it's not my birthday yet!" (bless him!). Anyway, it was a small surprise for him and he's happy, I'm happy and Sean's happy (mainly there's dessert to eat, haha!). So here are some pictures:

As I was saying earlier, we went up to the Yarra Valley last Friday (after Keith's work) to visit Keith's family (his grandparents, mother and 2 sisters) who are staying in Healesville (Keith's hometown basically). I always love to have a quick trip there, it's just a very beautiful and peaceful town surrounded by the nature (you see cockatoos, king parrots and lories as wild birds there!). Anyway, we get to catch up with the family over there and Keith got another birthday cake (chocolate ripple cake) made by nan. After the birthday rituals (birthday song, candle blowing and cake cutting), we ate the cake and went out to see Keith's mates. We all went down to the local bar (Grind n Groove) to have a drink and not long after, called it a night (we are getting old). We spent a night at nan and pop's house that night.

The next day, nan made small quiches and sausage rolls with salad for lunch, it was awesome!!!! I managed to take a picture of these yummy things! (I got the recipes from nan!)

We went home after lunch. Keith and I went in to the city after dinner for White Night. I was so excited, knowing that there will be light shows. Camera charged and Keith was Mr camera man that night. The down side was, it was packed everywhere. The train was packed and the city was packed, we walked around for about 2-3 hours, took some pictures and went home before the time when everyone decided to go home together. So here are some pictures my Mr camera man took that night: