giggles down under

monday, february 13

2012-02-13T12:43:00.000+11:00

for tomorrow.

thursday, february 9

2012-02-09T14:09:00.000+11:00

were separated four mornings a week this year, and his teacher told me today she will let me know when he is ready for a full day. she told me this while i was shaking my head no and she was shaking her head yes. she has been lovely with him taking the slowest route, but even with that said, i'm still totally going to avoid her.

tuesday, february 7

2012-02-07T19:05:00.095+11:00

felted stars.

one will hang from the zipper of quinny's backpack, and tate's star has found a home dangling from the knob of our bookcase...which has me thinking of twiggy branches hanging above their beds filled with white starry wool.

friday, february 3

2012-02-03T20:03:00.000+11:00

tate's first day back at school.

his montessori journey has been nothing but nurturing, calm, and amazing.

he flourishes in it.

ps. brothers are awesome.

thursday, february 2

2012-02-02T13:28:00.001+11:00

quinn took his first steps into a cycle 2 montessori classroom (7-9 year olds) this morning. this year starts off huge with stories of stars, the big bang theory, the first of the five great montessori stories. i encourage you to follow this link if your interested in reading more about the great stories. they are told at the start of each school year allowing the children to continually explore them at every stage of their journey. i think it is a powerful way to teach children about the universe, the world, how life came to be, and people evolved...by starting from the very beginning. teaching them that everything has purpose.

i also think it is important to say we did not have the best school year last year and there was even talk between michael and i of taking quinn out of montessori. if you knew how much i love montessori you would understand how heartbreaking these discussions were becoming. i'm still uneasy and unsure if it is the best match for him, or maybe the best option for the way he learns. even with our teachers reassuring me that montessori can work for every child, i ultimately lost faith in his/our teacher. lost faith in the process, and i think we all know that is not easy to gain back. life is never perfect though, it has flaws. i can accept that, so we move forward with our fingers crossed and continue on with stories about stars.

tuesday, january 31

2012-01-31T21:39:00.001+11:00

summer 2012

sandcastles

digging holes

jumping in them

sailing

snorkeling

paddling

surf prep

baseball

rainy days

late evenings

the neighbor kids (missing the girls in this photo)

the neighbor kids shared a true assuie summer with us. pretty much if your around, your invited. there were hot chips for lunch with nothing else but sause, and this is when the teams would be divvied up for the afternoon water fight. once evening rolled around and every belly in the hood had been feed, we would hear "cooee" (the australian call to come play) and within seconds there would be a group of them on the back street with cricket bats.

it's all about the neighbor kids in our house. their teaching quinn cricket, they baby little tate, and they even come hang with me...i taught the girls how to make waffles. i love all their questions like is an excursion called a field trip in america, are all the school buses really yellow, do the kids there really get three months off for summer. i just adore this group of kids.

saturday, january 28

2012-01-28T21:45:00.000+11:00

i'm just now discovering the beauty of weathered shells. it's my new summer thing. it takes a bit of time to find one that speaks to me, and i like that.

low tide.

i usually get a phone call from my dad when i haven't blogged for a while, but this time it was an email from my sister. she had an emotional week with my niece receiving her first round of chemo (you can visit them here). to be honest i'm not sure how to support her, but if she wants more photos...done. x

thursday, january 19

2012-01-19T20:17:00.002+11:00

when he finds himself at peace, i will do anything to buy him time. keeping tate occupied was my work for today, and it was hard as he wanted nothing to do with trail walking. tonight i'm tired and lacking the words. x

wednesday, january 11

2012-01-11T10:07:00.000+11:00

raindrop tracing the outline of our tree.

felt like taking a soft approach today and the morning light agreed. life can be gentle.

saturday, january 7

2012-01-07T15:42:00.000+11:00

bamble berry farm.

the blueberries didn't make it this year, the blackberries had just finished, and the raspberries were pink to perfection. we were the only souls there and "free to wander", said the farmer's wife. life along a dirt road always appears to be such a rich one. we dream of something similar, only our dirt road is lined with palm trees and facing the north shore.

thursday, january 5

2012-01-05T21:48:00.000+11:00

some hide n' seek in the park and everywhere in between.

were experiencing the simplicity of summer. the simpleness has been showing up in our home, our play, our schedule, and it has even helped with my decision making. i am starting to dislike physical things more and more, and i am liking the movement of our days and the flow of our home so much better without them. i think this may be the gift of summer mixed in with the clearing out for a new year.

tuesday, january 3

2012-01-03T16:59:00.000+11:00

a bit of baseball before the heat of the day.

i am starting to hear things like, "for the love of pete" and "just pitch the ball already". my children do speak a lot of aussie slang, even a tiny bit of hawaiian slang, but when it comes to baseball it's just old school american.

thursday, december 29

2011-12-29T22:22:00.000+11:00

(tate tasting the sea)

summering.

in preparation for the new year i have been busy donating the items we no longer find useful, while michael has been busy fixing the ones we do. we have been experiencing gorgeous summer days, warm and breezy. on most of them we find quinn running around with the neighbor kids while tate sets up train tracks, construction sites, and puzzles. when evening rolls around we all gather together around beautiful food and naturally make our way to the beach, where we relax and stay put till sunset (which is around 9:00pm this time of year).

although, tonight we threw a last minute movie party. quinn went up and down the street with a verbal invite, within five minutes we had nine children in our living room, one even showed up and handed me a plate of fresh fruit from her mum. community has surfaced a lot for us this year and i'm just so grateful. funny thing since it has always topped my list of things i wanted for myself and children, while at the same time topped my list of things i resisted since moving here. something changed this past year, and i felt my inner wall crumbling little by little with each passing month, and once it did several people were standing around me. two of which i now consider sisters. it is such a good time to celebrate and welcome in more of what is to come.

thank you for visiting us and leaving your kind words which encourage and enrich us everyday.

happy new year. x

friday, december 23

2011-12-23T13:24:00.002+11:00

two more sleeps.

it is all about the lead up to for me and not so much the actual day, and this year we have been invited to so many different events and gatherings, it has left me completely at peace this christmas. i have been so in the moment celebrating here, i haven't even thought of there (home). if i don't make it back to this space, i just want to wish everyone a merry christmas.

ps. were officially on summer break as of yesterday. this morning quinn was stacking chairs with the neighbor boy attempting to climb onto the roof to get the baseball down, then an hour later three other neighbor kids were over for a water fight, and now he is down the street jumping on a trampoline. i think this summer may be a bit different then i'm used to. at least he still loves rudolph, right?

wednesday, december 21

2011-12-21T21:57:00.000+11:00

first summer swim.

monday, december 19

2011-12-19T07:34:00.003+11:00

us, reminding ourselves that it's summertime and not just the christmas season.

last week i spent many days in a commerical kitchen baking, chopping, roasting and helping to prepare quinn's school christmas lunch. it was all coordinated by a very special mum, the mum of quinny's best girly friend. two hundred and sixty plates of fresh salad, veggies, potato wedges, fruit, roasted chicken, truffles and cupcakes. the gymnasium was decorated in fresh ivy and flowers, and every child and teacher left with a baggy of shortbread. all of this done by us school mums. yay for us...really it has been weeks in the making. we were all gitty and helplessly weepy (a happy tear here and there), overwhelmed with a sense of giving and community. Then there is that swelling heart that comes with feeding the mouths of two hundred some smiling children.

while a few of us chatted and cut into the veggies, we came up with an idea to repay the special mum who brought us all together and directed us through such an event. since she has mention many times that her garden is in need of many hands, soon we will gather to pull weeds...as a thank you (even though she doesn't know it yet).

it occurred to me that these are the type of decisions that get made around christmas gathers, and i hope you are making a few of them too.

merry christmas-ing!

monday, december 12

2011-12-12T18:30:00.001+11:00

homemade berry pops (mold from william & sonoma),

we used our usual smoothie combination and the boys went crazy for them.

sunday, december 11

2011-12-11T18:17:00.000+11:00

(a tractor)

isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes,

but when you look back everything is different.

-author unknown (to me anyway)

thinking about the new year and this past one,

and wondering if this will be our last summer in december.

saturday, december 10

2011-12-10T15:51:00.001+11:00

his shadow.

thursday, december 8

2011-12-08T20:30:00.000+11:00

life is humming along...the tree is sparkling, stockings are hung, vintage santa books have been devoured, and reindeer have hoofed it into the bathtub. we decided on fagus vehicles for the boys this year. their each getting two...the crane, the mobile crane, conveyor belt, forklift, and a few stacking boxes. i anticipate lots of adventuring to collect rocks this summer, and i'm already resigned to the idea of a construction site in our living room...maybe even hoping.

wednesday, december 7

2011-12-07T14:16:00.000+11:00

crafting paper stars instead of snowflakes.

sunday, december 4

2011-12-04T19:31:00.000+11:00

magical december

thursday, december 1

2011-12-01T08:10:00.000+11:00

our christmas project.

santa sticks.

i first saw the gnome stick idea from gardenmama, here, and mentally filed it away. we have crafted ours into santas. michael sawed and crafted while i painted beards and caps, and yes it was very merry. the littles and i will be leaving them in random spots like the walking paths to some of our favorite beaches, or on top of a few leaves outside our local cafe, and possibly along the trails where we originally collected the wood. our hope is that people spot them and smile, even take them home and put them up on their christmas mantle. i also really hope many are found by children...can you imagine.

monday, november 28

2011-11-28T12:27:00.000+11:00

sunday's adventure into nature to gather up supplies for our christmas project. were busy little elves.

saturday, november 26

2011-11-26T19:49:00.001+11:00

feasting with friends and walking with little boys alongside some amazing land.
were still living as though it's thanksgiving.

thursday, november 24

2011-11-24T11:29:00.000+11:00

happy thanksgiving.

i got a text this afternoon from one of my mum friends at school reading, "tea after school, bring a plate." just to translate, this means it's beautiful in melbourne let's all hang out and eat food. i was emailing with a friend just last week about living away from family, and how in my experience people have entered our lives and filled in the empty spots. the picnic table will be full this afternoon, with an abudance of food to fill our bellies and familiar faces to share it with...just like thanksgiving.

sunday, november 20

2011-11-20T21:30:00.001+11:00

testing out paddleboards,
he is finally thinking about doing what i have been telling him for years now...go.

thursday, november 17

2011-11-17T22:19:00.002+11:00

today's ballgame.

it's. their. thing.

a few baseball photos from last spring.

their looking so tiny,

and quinn is in a pair of our "childhood pants" that tate has already grown out of. sigh.

i also came across a few photos of quinn napping with a bat and ball while we were home babymooning with tate. i had forgotten how long he has loved the game. the main reason for remenising through photos was to pull out a few for tate's montessori birthday celebration. he is devouring the concept that he has grown from a baby to a boy, and today we celebrated this exact thought montessori style.

then just yesterday,
we ventured out on a school excursion to the botanical gardens.

there seems to be lots happening this time of year, and if i'm honest it is leaving me exhausted and completely looking forward to having the boys home for summer. cool mornings wandering the beach. afternoons lingering about with icypoles and baseball bats. endless evenings were the sun doesn't set till nine, and i have no thoughts of putting the boys to bed they just seem to slip into it. soon. i know. christmas first, right?

wednesday, november 16

2011-11-16T21:10:00.000+11:00

two new pairs of my boy's childhood pants,

we own them in a size 3, 4, 5, and now 6...thanks to jimin. love her.

sunday, november 13

2011-11-13T15:56:00.000+11:00

celebrating four.

the cake,

which was discussed months ago and never once changed from being pink.

party games.

pass the parcel.

which is a game played at almost every australian birthday party we have been to,

and now it will be played at all of ours.

a pinata.

which is a hawaii thing and a birthday tradition for us.

it is always a special moment when i hear the squeals as i begin to paper mache a balloon.

the gifts.

quinn's interpretation of tate's cake request,

scribbled out quite quickly,

but still very thoughtful and sweet.

his "diggah".

every year at this time the humpback whales arrive in maui's warm waters to birth their calves, so of coarse i was mindful of them while i prepared and birthed my tate at the same time. They are part of his birth story, and he is naturally drawn to them and the sea. even claiming to have spotted a few through out our visits to the beach. while i have not crafted a thing for ages, i do like to give a mamamade something on their birthday, so i stitched him up a humpback.

happy birthday to my sweet one.

sunday, november 6

2011-11-06T21:02:00.001+11:00

weekending...were still hooked on the fishing nets.

many months ago i went on a mission searching for a "rent a grandparent" program. quinn is a super social being, and i felt this huge urge to provide him time with someone other then michael and i. i felt he needed and deserved this. i contacted a few agencies and received the typical answer of, "we get many request like this but unfortunately we don't have a program in place." i eventually gave up and forgot about it.

recently, i ran into one of quinn's previous montessori teachers that had left the school to further her studies. we got to talking and quinn now spends two hours with her every week. they paint, cook together, write stories, and read books on the human skeleton. she always has things up her sleeve to help develop and explore his learning journey. he is always beyond ready to go to her, and beaming when we get him back. she is beautiful and i feel very grateful to have her. of course we happily pay her, but really this sort of situation is so rare and ultimately priceless.

amazing sometimes the way the universe works. the want was there. a few steps were taken. then in an unexpected way the answer was very clear and available. i am recognising it and offering my gratitude.

friday, november 4

2011-11-04T14:42:00.003+11:00

ikea's christmas collection this year is themed "international santas"...it's really lovely. i mean it's so so lovely, especially for an expat family living a montessori-ish lifestyle (notice i said "ish" as many montessorians don't believe in, ya know, santa). but if were going to go there, and we do, then santas from all over the world just seem like perfection. Plus the "star" santa just happens to be a dutch one in wooden clogs, and this dutch girl melted all over that store last night. whatever it was, if it had a santa in clogs, it came home with us. the mushroom ornaments were just a bonus.

monday, october 31

2011-10-31T20:38:00.000+11:00

happy halloween.

our dear australian friends delivered orange balloons with a note asking neighbors to place it outside their door if they wanted to participate in halloween. they handed out 90 fliers around the hood, and while the children had a blast spotting the balloons, i counted a total of 12 of them. speaks volumes, no? although in our reality, it was actually the perfect amount of candy/lollies and excitement for the children. plus a wizard showed up at the halloween party making it quite magical too.

sunday, october 30

2011-10-30T07:30:00.001+11:00

peninsula hot springs,
where children are now welcome.

we spent the evening relaxed and warm,
and left with our skin feeling like butter.

monday, october 24

2011-10-24T19:00:00.001+11:00

the dunes are in bloom. hip. hip.

just us and the fishermen,
or more like just me and the fishermen.

playing with "my blurr".

weekending.

sunday, october 23

2011-10-23T20:43:00.000+11:00

my perch.

friday, october 21

2011-10-21T21:21:00.000+11:00

finders keepers.

sunday, october 16

2011-10-16T20:34:00.001+11:00

it is spring, the wildflowers promise

tate and tonkas and trains

and he always finds the beach treasures...always

our first lobster find

i spent friday and saturday partaking in a montessori workshop. i was told that by the time i left i would have experienced montessori in the way my children do. what i experienced was wonderful and peaceful and calm and personal and emotional and challenging and fulfilling and liberating and respectful. honestly in many ways, the montessori work cycle, reminded me a lot of a yoga class. not that we did yoga, just in the sense of the process yoga takes you through and that gift you walk away with. i love thinking that this is what my children feel like everyday while they learn and grow.

later...when i reunited with michael and the kids. they were loud and coming at me with questions and demands, and i felt completely overwhelmed. Michael was asking if i asked this and that. and why not. and what did i want to do for lunch. and what was next on the agenda. wow. i had just come from being centered and calm inside the classroom and now all these questions and demands. i realised i do this same thing to my children. whenever i get them back, i'm instantly asking questions about what they did with their time away from me, and now i'm thinking...how intrusive am i. yuck. i want to be more respectful of what they are experiencing everyday and transition that better into our daily lives. i think i'm going to take all of the adjectives i used above, write them down, and tape them to my steering wheel so i'm reminded everyday as we journey home.

wednesday, october 12

2011-10-12T07:18:00.000+11:00

on the verge of four.

him: i'm not a baby. (as he refuses to sit in the trolley/shopping cart)

me: ya babe, i know but your still a little boy and you have to sit in the cart while mama shops.

him: but i'm not a baby. (he protests until i use a little force and he realises that walking is still not an option and finally sits)

a few isles later.

him: (grabbing the safety belt and pointing to the baby on the instructions) is this a diaper/nappie?

me: smiling. um, ya.

him: is this a baby?

me: speechless and smiling i take him out.

on the verge of four and only now walking next to the cart. i still need some convincing that he is no longer a baby, but i'm sure he'll walk me through it.

ps. that trail leads to the beach not into the bush.

monday, october 10

2011-10-10T17:20:00.000+11:00

rainy day snacks.

i feel as though i called upon my tribe, and you came and encircled around one of my own and filled her back up with strength. thank you. what a beautiful thing. i'm very grateful that you visit and leave your wonderful words here. truly. x.

ps. my sister left a lovely comment for all of you in the previous post.

saturday, october 8

2011-10-08T21:34:00.000+11:00

please visit my sister here. she is in need of support, positive thoughts, and loving words. x.

friday, october 7

2011-10-07T17:32:00.001+11:00

soul friends.

she spent the entire day with us, and i am not sure who enjoyed it more quinn or i. so refreshing to have a little girl puttering about in our home. it was also lovely to see quinn so connected, calm, and gentle with her around.

while we were away in america, she refused to attend school. screaming and clinging to her mum's legs...very unusual for her. while her mum was telling me the story, the only thing i could think of was quinn telling me how upset k (who had been sick the entire week prior to our trip) would be because he was unable to tell her where he would be. i even remember him speaking of it on the plane, "mom, she will be so worried." it's sort of a love story really. today i took some photos of them together and i will develop a few for her mum, as i know, k will never forget quinn. us girls remember these things.

all of this made me think about soul friends/mates. those people that magically appear in your life and for one reason or another you just feel connected, calm, and gentle with them. soul friends. these two are just that, and whenever her mum and i talk about it we both get goosebumps.

tuesday, 0ctober 4

2011-10-04T21:51:00.002+11:00

into the bush to search for the pair of koalas that everyone else saw but us. upon our return, we asked what type of animal was grunting like a donkey from the bushes. oh really it was the koalas. hello. we ran like scared pups. i have seen them plenty but heard them never. oh well, tate did spot the deadly snake with it's body halfway risen looking straight at us...hissing. never again without michael. i'll stick with my dirty beach hair thank you. a koala crawling throw the bush grunting like a donkey along with a deadly snake...no. no. i really do love koalas and i'm sure the sound of them grows on ya, but it scared the shit out of me, and quinn was upset and crying. i'm sticking to the beach, hey, i know where i belong.

ps. i did pull up some koala's grunting on youtube so quinn wouldn't fear them, by bed time he had already declared the grunting as the best part of his day. phew. on to tomorrow.

monday, october 3

2011-10-03T21:52:00.002+11:00

me and mine.
all photos taken by my littles (except the last two),
and i love how quinn is now using the zoom.

oh yes, tate took this of his lovely brother.

this is exactly me on most days.
dirty beach hair.
a comfy scarf.
some stripes.
two wee ones.
a beach.
and the sillies.

this is the last week of school holidays till next school year, crazy huh? we have friends coming over twice this week along with a planned trip to the lego education centre. legos are sort of a new thing for us, quinn discovered them while hangin with his cousins who love love love legos. then we watched a documentary on the lego factory which made us all want to run out and buy a box. maybe christmas...which is only twelve weeks away. btw.

wednesday, september 28

2011-09-28T17:48:00.000+10:00

day three of school holidays.

we painted outside till the rain pushed us back in. tomorrow calls for more thunderstorms, and if that's the case then i'm hoping for the loud semi-scary version. were booked in at the bike park (a little outdoor town with made up streets, stop signs, pretend houses, and no cars). i've promised movies in bed if we get rained out, either way were looking forward to it.

tuesday, september 27

2011-09-27T17:40:00.000+10:00

a treasure hunt

the thief

the wait

the chase

the dump

the retrieval

day two of school holidays.

monday, september 26

2011-09-26T18:24:00.002+10:00

day one of school holidays.
doesn't it look like back in the day...simpler times.

wednesday, september 21

2011-09-21T20:18:00.000+10:00

us.

monday, september 19

2011-09-19T17:24:00.000+10:00

seagrass bracelets,

which are also the beginnings of a dream catcher.

sunday, september 18

2011-09-18T20:02:00.001+10:00

getting back into a groove with my camera after it sat quite still throughout our entire holiday. sometimes you just have to let it be. both my brothers flew out to arizona with their families and my sister's family lives near my parent's home in pheonix. there was plenty of gathering around beautiful food, catching up, kids everywhere, baseball games, trips to the cabin, pool time, lunches at our favorite places, visits with my grandma, and shopping lots of shopping, even a getaway to dove mountain.

i also realize i have been very absent from this space, not intentionally though. as you can clearly see were getting back to normal and doing it barefoot at the beach by the way...hello spring. this evening we even unpacked the final suitcase...yes there were many.

monday, september 12

2011-09-12T19:20:00.000+10:00

practising for his "holiday n' tell"...postcards, a dream catcher, a flute, the skeleton of a cactus, and a few stones. i wasn't sure when we would make our return back to school, but after the entire house slept for eleven hours last night, tomarrow will be the day. i find it much easier flying west than east.

wednesday, september 8

2011-09-08T14:59:00.000+10:00

yesterday evening we drove home from dove mountain (our mini vacation/holiday away from our vacation). neil young played on the radio. i beamed when i spotted wild horses. we rolled down the windows and listened to the trains pass. smiled at a red pickup truck driving into the open desert as a mile long trail of dust floated behind it. i begged to take the exit off the highway pointing to the moccasin shop. native american culture. cowboy heritage. the old west...it all feels so very american to me.

we head back to australia in a couple of days, none of us are ready, but once we see that big blue sea i am sure somehow it will feel like home. until then.

thursday, august 18

2011-08-19T12:04:00.003+10:00

picture me running through lax desperitely trying to catch our connecting flight with two sleep deprived little ones and one of them turning to say, "mama, america is crowded." i had a bit of a laugh...some relief amongst the chaos. we made it...barely. it takes a full twenty four hours from when we leave our home in melbourne till we arrive at my parent's front door, that is extremely long for one mama and two little people. we've been waking at 1:00 am wide eyed and hungry. i get them out of bed and feed them something and then we lay in bed for what feels like hours until we are able to let go and sleep. i even tried keeping the cousins at bay and caved yesterday when i found myself in a playroom full of boys (five of them aged six and under) and a sleeping baby girl on my shoulder. i've since had a visit with the acupuncturist and now feel a bit awakened. as we slowly come out of our "traveling fog" and enter the brightness of the desert i feel the smiles returning to our faces.

sunday, august 14

2011-08-14T20:53:00.001+10:00

during our past winters here there have been several winter beaches we would visit at random, but this year it has only been this one. were attached.

about this time before heading back into the desert (arizona style) i start to get a little nervous about leaving the ocean's side. i know it will be the thing that brings me back, my comfort on that hard flight back to australia. yes, before i go, i worry about the coming back. i think this must be normal for anyone living overseas. there is a grieving process that naturally happens before, during, and after your arrival back into expat land. i am on my way home y'all. deep breaths along with many smiles.

did you notice the footy ball (australian rules football)? he's attached and addicted, and i have a feeling that footy ball will bring him some comfort too. he has been replacing the spade/shovel with sports equipment more and more lately. it seems to be happening so early this "sports thing".

be back soon from the other side. x.

tuesday, august 9

2011-08-09T08:22:00.000+10:00

quinn's countdown calendar glowing in the early morning light.

seven more sleeps and these little boys and i will be heading into an american summer. were beside ourselves with gitty as you can imagine. this morning i was even up with the sun and photographing a tiny bit of it.

monday, august 8

2011-08-08T12:22:00.001+10:00

baseball on the beach.

quinn has a school concert coming up this thursday...eep. i love these things. they have been learning the chorus from the song "we are australian" which goes like this...

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice:

I am, you are, we are Australian.

well his teacher told me that at the end quinn stood up and said, "oh not me. i am american." which is just so american of him...oh my. lets just hope he keeps that part to himself on the big night.

wednesday, august 3

2011-08-03T19:51:00.001+10:00

i find the day after to be so much better then the day of.
thanks heaps for the wishes, you girlies are the best.
is anyone else going crazy over these warm days...the perfect gift.

tuesday, august 2

2011-08-02T11:08:00.000+10:00

thirty five. today. there may be cake. rich chocolate. baked by a french baker in the city. perhaps. there may be tears. i like to have a good cry on my day, yes i am a weepy birthday girl, i can't seem to escape it. let's be honest it's quite an emotional one. the year i declared "no more babies at"...has arrived. don't worry friends i will still celebrate with cake. thick and rich.

sunday, july 31

2011-07-31T20:55:00.000+10:00

saturday

michael let them pack the trunk/boot before heading to the beach yesterday, mainly because we were busy inside. trust me these littles stacked it up like we were moving, leaving our two tubs of beach stuff bare and abandoned in the garage. michael just pushed it all in and closed the trunk. i am smiling just thinking about it, although in the end and without hesitation they quickly pulled what they really wanted and left the rest in the car. thankfully.

sunday

i am struggling for words, could be all that glorious sun, my face is still beaming with warmth this evening. i'll just say...our weekend in photos.

friday, july 29

2011-07-29T13:12:00.001+10:00

waiting to be framed.

top left: koala by quinn from his first day at kinder/preschool in australia
top right: girl in yellow suit by kiki and polly
bottom left: five stacked whales by unitedthread
bottom right: girl at the swing by kiki and polly
not pictured: unpainted by tate (i check his school box everyday and nothing... i remain hopeful)

one of my new year's resolutions was to purchase more art. i have been, and now that it is a tiny collection in need of mattes and frames, i am slowing learning this is more of an "art project" then i had anticipated. i am thinking of making it real simple by going with all white mattes and frames.

ps. i am still on the search for some boy prints of children...have any favorites?

sunday, july 24

2011-07-24T11:32:00.002+10:00

winter silhouettes.

brr...it's cold out there. today already looks like yesterday only wetter. cinnamon rolls were out of the oven by late morning and there will be a warm wholesome meal come evening. i've coaxed michael into making me some house shelves...like these. remember them. i have wanted these for some time now, and today i can hear my three in the garage along with the sounds of sawing. other than that we are wondering hazy winter beaches when we feel brave enough to bear them, but for the most part these mid winter weekends find us happily at home.

friday, july 22

2011-07-22T12:26:00.000+10:00

la la love this painting by quinn.
thinking of hanging it in our bedroom.
have a lovely weekend everyone. x.

wednesday, july 20

2011-07-20T12:56:00.002+10:00

winter crafting

we have taken our autumn collection and "fuzzed them up" as mine say, with moss and snow. i have a basket of carefully selected round stones waiting to be wrapped in wool, i just can't seem to get the technique right, and find myself rolling balls which has been much more calming.

sunday, july 17

2011-07-17T20:45:00.000+10:00

reminiscing...

quinn at 15 months

michael dug out our old computer and downloaded all our photos onto my computer. were reminiscing. those blond baby curls. gush. he was such a tiny thing. still is. these photos were taken up at silver lake in michigan where i spent every summer in my childhood. we have not been back since i was pregnant with tate. someday.

friday, july 15

2011-07-15T19:20:00.000+10:00

this has not been our best school holiday i must admit. it has rained everyday but today, and as it rained our days simplified even more. as i spoke to mums in passing about all the activities they had been up to or planned, i would be lying if i said i didn't feel a little guilty for keeping our days so "activity free". it was not until i was sitting on the aquarium floor with tate watching the sharks swim in circles around us that i was thankful that i did. he was taking in their every movement and knew full well that his favorite would pass by every few minutes. we sat for nearly an hour on that floor watching fish. we had nothing planned for tomorrow and we weren't coming off an activity from yesterday. we were simply at the place we anticipated to go all break, and the boys took it in beautifully. it was treat. i have been mindful of creating "treats" and not "expectations". this break was a good reminder for me that this is what works best for us. i did allow them to pick out a toy from the aquarium shop which is not something i often do. they choose carefully, tate a bag of sharks and quinn a scuba diver. were ending the holiday with lengthy baths and we'll be back at school come monday morning.

sunday, july 10

2011-07-10T15:29:00.000+10:00

fox in a mug, just one of the things that continues to keep us amused on these cold winter days.

quinn made himself a violin which you can spot resting on the kid's sofa. i will have to get a better photo. i am not to wordy these days. i think were all working through a little bit of the mid winter blues, things remain quiet and inward.

wednesday, july 6

2011-07-06T16:10:00.003+10:00

paper people from this book by taro gomi.

hello. were here. i am struggling through this school holiday, just not feelin' it, i am a bit stressed and overwhelmed. there was a moment earlier in the week when i realized we have gone an entire year with no trips, not even a weekend getaway, and no visits from family. this realization hasn't helped the matter. as i mentioned before we are doing the swim thing every morning this week and each afternoon has found the three of us entangled like starfish (quinn's description), in other words napping together. i am grateful for the entanglement...i've been a frazzled mama even with my littlest babe who never seems to frazzle me. next week will be better. this week it's swim, starfish naps, and paper people.

friday, july 1

2011-07-01T22:30:00.001+10:00

we have been playing in the park everyday after school like it is spring and i didn't even think twice when i took tate in and asked for a summer cut (did you notice?). seriously this is the best winter ever...sunny and mild. today is the start of winter break which means the boys are out of school for the next two weeks, and it is perfect timing because were all in need of a breath. i did book them in for one of those intensive swim programs the first week, thinking it was going to be freezing outside and we would need something to keep us going. this evening we stuffed our library bags with picture books and readers for quinn. other then that the only thing planned is a trip to the aquarium. oh and i just bought a stack of kite paper to fold up some of those waldorf window stars, but who knows were the days will find us.

ps. the fox was originally for quinn's birthday a few months back, i changed my mind thinking he had enough, and put it away for another time. well it was discovered and so off to the beach it went.

sunday, june 26

2011-06-26T20:13:00.001+10:00

i notice when quinn is out in open spaces like the beach, a field, or a farm his energy shifts. i mean all of our energy shifts but for him it is an essential shift. his mind slows and his chitter chatter (excessive talking) changes from borderline annoying to simply engaging. i feel like we get the littles outdoors and into open spaces often, we actually seek them out, and still we naturally leave yearning for more. everyday i think of living in a home with plenty of space, indoors and out. a home with lots of natural light that i would fill only with things i found really beautiful, useful, and simple to live with. trees outside. green grass. outdoor play sheds. a dirt trail leading up to a handmade ladder nailed to a favorite tree (i just surprised myself by almost writing gum tree). get in line, right? that is just how i always envisioned it. space is something i think of often especially while i do the dishes and stare at the house next door. i wonder how his life, our lives, would change if he had it available to him everyday.

thursday, june 23

2011-06-23T19:17:00.001+10:00

he asked to go see her today. smokey is her name. normally she ignores him but today, being a few weeks into winter i am guessing visits from friends are few and far between, she discovered him.

sunday, june 19

2011-06-19T14:06:00.000+10:00

a few for us,

and a few for friends,

all eaten and delivered on a sunday afternoon.

i caved and finally ordered the herriott grace cloud cookie cutter...which i have loved forever. pretty much since she made those cute cloud marshmallows a few years back. that was the plan when i purchased the cloud cutter, homemade cloud marshmallows, so those will be next.

monday, june 13

2011-06-13T19:47:00.000+10:00

our weekend was a little bit small beach town and a little bit of the big city. actually it was everything i had envisioned living in melbourne would be before we took "the leap". watching young boys skate boarding towards the water to check the surf while i picture mine a little more grow and doing the same. stunningly beautiful empty beaches. my littles climbing up sand dunes stopping only for bites of freshly baked pastries. a delicious lunch in the city. people watching. fashion watching...geez everyone dresses so cute now a days. then there are those photo booths that take you by surprise. even a yummy box of little cupcakes which we devoured in the streets...our city tradition. we seemed to have lived the combination of beach and city perfectly these past two days.

saturday, june 11

2011-06-11T21:37:00.000+10:00

i love driving into a small beach town that only has two or three shops along it's dusty little road. one being a milk bar, the next a surf shop, and if your really lucky a bakery to purchase warm cups of coco and some freshly baked goods...i mean utterly delicious pastries. then moments later your here and enjoying an empty beach. for me this is the epitome of winter in australia. yup, it could be a lot worse.

a winter beach at it's finest.

friday, june 10

2011-06-10T14:52:00.001+10:00

green smoothies

1/2 banana

1/2--1 scoop whey protein powder

little cinnamon

little flaxseed

kale or spinach (maybe about 2 cups)

1/2 cup- frozen blueberries or any berries you like or have

almond milk

*if your in the states chocolate almond milk works best for this smoothie...not sure if it is available here.

i have never seen it anyway.

ps. thanks for all the well wishes for quinn. he is still in bed, but on the mend, missed the entire week of school. oh and if you have a good green smoothie recipe please share.

wednesday, june 8

2011-06-08T14:40:00.002+10:00

wednesday with little tay.

we thought our boys names were pretty nickname proof...but tay it is. i don't even hear quinn call him by tate anymore. leading up to his birth michael and i could not settle on a name, and the name tate was definitely never mentioned, but when he was born it was pretty instant that he was tate. his little round face just seemed to be whispering it out to me. i feel as though he named himself. it means cheerful...and that he definitely is.

the two of us are hiding out in my room while quinn catches up on some much needed rest. we hid "get well" messages inside the origami animals. he has been in bed for two days now.

monday, june 6

2011-06-06T11:34:00.000+10:00

the search.

yup, that's a mic. their in a band. usually our bed board is the piano.

only after an hour of michael and i on or hands and knees digging through knee high grass, did i start to feel sick to my stomach, and finally i took the littles back to the car to warm up. tate in his sweet little voice asked if i could share my wedding ring with dada. after he received a smile and nod, he was happily off to share the news with michael, thinking he had solved the family crisis. such a heart. after finding a metal detector to hire/rent on a sunday (gotta love iphones), my upset stomach turned to full on nausea and dizziness. michael dropped the three of us off at home where i could hardly walk in a straight line, my equilibrium being so far off...the room was spinning. all i could do was lay flat and think of the worse case scenario, like who would care for the littles if michael had to work and i was in the hospital sort of stuff. yes my cup quickly goes from full to empty. for the next THREE hours until the sun went down he searched, befriending a lonely cow who watched his every move. every time michael would curse or yell the cow joined in with a moo. only minutes before the sky turned black did he find the ring. his last attempt. not until he called with the news did my balance begin to return. i'm still walking a little sideway-ish, but the room is no longer spinning.

sunday, june 5

2011-06-05T17:51:00.002+10:00

a few more photos to follow from our play in the field.
michael is there right now with a metal detector searching for his wedding ring.
it's been one of those weekends.

wednesday, june 1

2011-06-01T20:48:00.000+10:00

first day of winter and we had glorious sun. good sign, no? i do get a little confused by winter starting on the 1st and winter solstice happening on the 21st. it feels like winter though, so were going with it, and welcoming her with cups of hot coco and some tin can lantern making (see tutorial here). we even got a winter wish list going.

a visit to the farm

pinecone bird feeders

homemade marshmallows

clove oranges

mulled wine...this is new to me

a trip into the mountains for some snow and sledding

bread making get together for the little people

winter beaches...the best part of winter

movies in bed

pomegranate tea

stories on tape

full library bags

sunday afternoons seated near the fire at our winter cafe

white chalk drawings on the driveway

sewing some cloud coasters...see here

introducing quinn to uno

trip to the planetarium and dinosaur museum...someone has been begging

chicken pot pie...going to try this recipe

and many large pots of stew

if you have some good ones from your winter list please do tell.

tuesday, may 31

2011-05-31T19:56:00.002+10:00

every tuesday the neighbor kids come over for a play, that is tate running home after walking them back. the light was so beautiful, i run inside for the camera hoping to catch them on their way back.

i like this new fascination with tiny paper airplanes. i have seen my fair share of folded paper lately, but these are actually cute.

monday, may 30

2011-05-30T20:46:00.000+10:00

he builds worlds...this one.
the floor in his room is a town created by wooden tracks.
he is thirsty lately for good quiet concentrated play.
how lucky am i?

sunday, may 29

2011-05-29T20:59:00.000+10:00

i forgot the bread...sigh.

at the end of it all the only thing i could remember was quinn asking,

"is winter almost over?" oh my sweet child it is going to be a long one.

friday, may 27

2011-05-27T20:16:00.000+10:00

i spent the morning with a box of photos. mostly mine of the boys and our lives on maui. i stumbled upon this shot of tate in the kitchen of our maui home. i can't stop looking at it, all blurry and imperfect sort of like my days then. the kitchen rug i still have in our kitchen now and i wonder if the boys will one day look at the photo and remember it. that thought alone makes me want to keep it on the kitchen floor forever. i used to leave tate by that door while i grabbed the laundry, i would rush and upon my return he would be standing there just like that waiting and watching. watching the grapefruit tree you can see through the door window which rested next to the peach tree that bloomed the sweetest pink flowers. i don't remember taking this photo or what i made for dinner that night (i am guessing something good as i can see the slow cooker on the counter). i do remember that in that home we became a family of four. i also remember after we first went to look at it and telling michael, "i could bring home a baby to that house." i did several months later. that is still the criteria i use when we look at spaces. i nested deeply into that tiny home. it is funny how one photo can bring forth so many emotions. i placed it on my fridge so i can reminisce a little while longer.

monday, may 23

2011-05-23T14:43:00.000+10:00

that's us barefoot and ignoring the fact that winter is upon us,
and this was most likely the last time our toes will touch sand until spring.

that's me just returning from a much needed walk down the beach...alone,
and ignoring the fact that michael is snapping these lovely photos.
i love them, the photos and those littles.

saturday, may 21

2011-05-21T18:48:00.000+10:00

saturday cafe.

i think today was the last time we venture to this sweet little cafe with it's rickety old chairs, as they only serve pancakes till noon, and we just can't make it in time with soccer season under way. two goals today deserved some pancakes, aussie style, topped with vanilla ice cream.

friday, may 20

2011-05-20T14:48:00.000+10:00

autumn in our hood.

wednesday, may 18

2011-05-18T12:55:00.000+10:00

they look, act, and are so different...my boys.
yet their brothers and more like each other then anyone else.
i am going to find a lovely frame and enlarge that last one.

monday, may 16

2011-05-16T21:17:00.000+10:00

were adjusting to cold days at the beaches again. as much as we dislike being stuck in doors while the storms pass day after day, there is something about the calm moments in between.

pretend train tracks...he's obsessed. you can't see his arm but trust me it is in the air tugging and he is letting out some boisterous choos. that leg says it all, he is quite animated that one.

we got a little creative with our pancake molds and made giant gingerbread instead, and since you can actually tell what they are unlike our pancakes...they loved them.

sunday, may 15

2011-05-15T19:19:00.001+10:00

we took the dirt road instead of the paved version and were delighted to stumble upon these lovelies. he's taking them to school so he and his classmates can discover their real name. that's that montessori kickin' in. i am apparentely wrong by calling them magic mushrooms and thinking that they only existed in fairy tales. although he did decide to tell tate they were filled with chocolate. ah see...magic indeed.

wednesday, may 11

2011-05-11T21:46:00.000+10:00

our collection...we've been gathering up autumn since the very first bit of brown was spotted.

saturday, may 7

2011-05-07T20:45:00.000+10:00

an autumn date.
our first babysitter in australia...ever.
happy happy boys farewelling their parents.
a trip into the vineyards.
a glass of red.
a discussion. a disagreement. a disappointment.
a trip home to happy boys engaged in a good old game of hide-n-seek.
i am certain they had a better time then we did.
real life. sigh.

friday, may 6

2011-05-06T14:13:00.000+10:00

little man tate.

friday's are usually our library day, just the two of us, cause geez it is so enjoyable with just one. today we took a little detour before hand to stroll and slurp up some milkshakes. i got to snap some photos which hasn't been a daily thing for me lately. i have been feeling like i lost something special when it comes to my photos. i find myself getting frustrated, wanting to do more with my camera but just not having the knowledge. i try to work things out with the manual but i'm thinking i may need a class. we'll see. it is hard with no family around to help take the littles for a few hours or help with pick-up/drop-off to make it even possible to take a class. has anyone taken any of the online courses i have seen floating around blogland?

ps. thanks for quinny's birthday wishes. i don't think a stranger has passed without being told he's SIX.

monday, may 2

2011-05-02T12:55:00.000+10:00

hello six.

saturday, april 30

2011-04-30T21:16:00.001+10:00

preparations.

ps. can you see me in the balloon?

tuesday, april 26

2011-04-26T18:48:00.000+10:00

these past two weeks we've been bowling, the indoor pool park, puffing billy train ride, into the city, the beach, and several trips to the park down the road. to say the least the littles have been having a great time. michael has had five days off due to easter and anzac day (veteran's day), and while chasing after tate he managed to break his toe on good friday. so we have been staying close to home and i slipped into my usual domestic role of cooking and cleaning. i'm actually looking forward to tomorrow when my three leave for work and school. i'm in need of a deep breath.

sunday, april 24

2011-04-24T18:28:00.000+10:00

preparing the table for four.

thursday, april 21

2011-04-21T19:58:00.005+10:00

no pics from the city. oh i wanted to you have no idea. between the raindrops, trains to trams, michael rushing us around to make our booking/reservation, and little hands in each of mine...well there was no time for clicking. i do have an egg for you though. we also dyed a dozen in berry tea that came out a beautiful plum (no white eggs in australia so dyeing brown eggs can be tricky). it may seem like i'm really pushing easter, i'm really not, it is just the last fun celebration (for littles) here until christmas. no halloween. no thanksgiving. thank goodness for birthdays, right? happy easter if i don't make it back.

tuesday, april 19

2011-04-19T18:45:00.000+10:00

new snack bags for our train ride tomorrow.
were meeting michael for lunch in the big city.

monday, april 18

2011-04-18T17:36:00.003+10:00

rabbit masks by abigail brown.

wednesday, april 13

2011-04-13T20:56:00.000+10:00

totem figurines...

living all over our home, in the teepee, on top of window sells,

even on the fridge.

we stepped into a thrift shop quickly to get out of the rain and to scope out the book section. we collected oodles of chapter books. a few roald dahl, little house on the prairie, the big book of tashi (which were half way through already), and blinky bill which i am most excited about since everyone says it is such an australian classic. it will be sweet to read it while were living here. thanks again for all your suggestions.

ps. has anyone been to bright here in victoria? i've read it is beautiful this time of year, although not many people i ask have been. so if you have, is it worth a long drive?

monday, april 11

2011-04-11T20:05:00.000+10:00

autumn break.

when i opened the door the post/mailman just laughed and said, "oh...and it's only the first day." let me just say tate even had flour in his underwear. sigh.