Our inaugural visit to holiday house

Our lovely abode in the mountains is now official, and we took the girls on Sunday for an adventure to look at the house again.

I quickly made some banana bread in the morning as well as some hot chocolate because it is COLD up there!

Our first stop - Bunnings. This is a loved Aussie tradition, complete with the morning sausage sizzle outside the store. By 10.30, we were in Bunnings, eating our sausages, white bread and ketchup. Yum. We bought our gumboots in anticipation of some serious mud, and a little while later the girls were gleefully jumping in the muddiest puddle they had ever come close to. They loved it.

We were joined by a kookaburra landing right next to us, some ducks grazing on grass, some rozellas, peered at some funny looking alpacas (belonging to the neighbours), and watched the cockatoos soaring in the sky. I do love it up there.

The girls were SUPER excited in the house. It's spacious, well laid out but needs a little facelift. They literally played for about 30 minutes tackling, wrestling, laughing and rolling on the floor. I couldn't believe they could entertain themselves for so long in an empty house while we discussed ideas, layouts and such, but as my insightful husband commented, 'they have nothing to fight over.'

It's been busy organising all the things needed to renovate a house - tiles, cabinet makers, carpets, furniture etc, but what an exciting project. I can't wait for it to be ready. Here are some gorgeous bits I found (from Simply Seleta) that have inspired me.

Weekend wrap

A little of this....

a little of that....

and a little of this.

Mix together....lovely.

Tomorrow is a student free day at school so I am taking my two older girls to see this exhibition, Amazing Bodies at the Docklands. I think we saw this in London years ago pre kids and it was a little gross but so captivating. My kids are fascinated by blood, wounds and all that stuff so I'm sure they'll enjoy it.

Hope you had a gorgeous weekend too.

xxx

Weekend Wrap

What much better weekend we had! Might have something to do with me stealing some time for myself, a little winter sunshine, some company with other kids, a party, a ballet show (Yasmin saw Swan Lake) and some fresh air and outside play.

 Yesterday I went to a beginner's sewing workshop I found through Notebook magazine. It was a great way to get my sewing up and running again. And I even made a little skirt for Zahara. OK, the hem was a little crooked, my stitching a little slanted, but Zahara was delighted with it.

Alas, I will always remain what my husband has dubbed, a 'rough chopper.' I can't cut, draw or chop a straight line. I have to admit I find sewing very difficult, it doesn't come naturally at all but it's something I've always wanted to learn, so I can make little cute things for my girls.

I also finally got started on my fabric wreath which is also a little bit of trial and error. I started on a heart shaped frame and I'm not sure how this will look...

The girls played happily this morning for about an hour together, making up games and using lots of imaginative play. This continued in the evening too. Even little Zahara joined in a game of mums and sisters (because no girl ever wants to be the dad).

Zahara and I played at the park this morning, and even better, this tired her sufficiently to have a super nap later on. The older girls were at a bowling party, came home for lunch, and then went off with their daddy for a long bike ride and play at the park.

Dinner tonight was homemade pizza accompanied with rocket (from our garden), sliced pear and parmesan salad. The girls were a little confused to the presence of pear in the salad, but all three loved it. The balsamic vinegar, pear and cheese offset the 'spicy' taste of rocket. I found a quick and easy recipe to make pizza dough (no rising needed) which was a thinner and much better base for our pizza maker. Simply topped with pasta sauce and grated cheese - yum.

Hope you had a lovely weekend. 

xx

Some fun

Image from Made by Joel

Here's something so fun and simple you could do with your kids - and best of all, you only need to click and print and your own little paper city is ready to colour in and make. It's from Made by Joel's blog and it's a gorgeous little paper city he created. I've never seen a dad quite like him! What a blog (bordering on depressing) - full of the MOST creative things this dad makes for his twin toddlers.

Thanks Meri for the link to Made by Joel's. My lovely friend Meri has a great blog too, called Meri Cherry, full of fun crafty stuff to do with kids.

Hope your weekend is fun and relaxing (ish).
xx

Weekend wrap

Where possible, we try to create fun, new but wholesome experiences for our girls. We try to impart an appreciation of 'the simple things' in life. And so, a trip to local hardware chain Bunnings several months ago produced....

the outdoor firepit!

Around $60, it's basically a steel bowl on legs that you put in your garden and make a little bonfire in. Now that it's winter, we light it some weekends in the late afternoon while the kids play outside. Then dinner is eaten outside in a bowl. Always followed by toasted marshmallows.

The fire is soothing, warming and is a real novelty for kids. They scurried in the garden and down the street to collect fallen branches and twigs to throw in the fire. It looks beautiful too. Although admittedly, my heart is in my stomach for most of the time watching three kids walking, stumbling and moving constantly around it.

The face paint was from an African festival the girls went to on Sunday. They watched African singing and dancing, ate African food, and even got an awful red braid put in their hair. Zahara didn't speak for the three hours she was there.

By the way, these books (A School Like Mine, A Life Like Mine , Children Just Like Me) by DK Publishing are also great to expose your kids to other cultures, nationalities and lifestyles. (I've put some in the sidebar linked to Amazon.) We have a few in the series and they are probably one of their most frequent requests for reading at bedtime. Layla and Yasmin really enjoy them and talk about that some of the kids have no shoes or toys but big smiles on their faces. And the ones that do housework and cleaning and cooking at home. Here's to hoping it may rub off on them...

Weekend wrap

It was a lovely end to a long weekend (today is a public holiday in Victoria). For the first time in months, Zahara napped yesterday....for 3.5 hours! What a lovely treat that was. While she slept, we watched Mr Bean on Holiday with our two older girls. We lit the fire, ate popcorn, drank tea and snuggled together. Heavenly. Then, the older two went to a playcentre while Zahara continued to sleep. I continued to snuggle (alone) on the couch with the paper. Double heaven.

Today, Zahara went to creche and Daddy took the girls to Werribee Zoo with their cousins. The girls are always excited when Zahara is not there, as much as they love her, a 2 year old is tiring on everyone sometimes! And as you may recall, some adventures are just not made for little ones. They had a great time, played, walked and saw some animals. You know, just some lions, zebras and giraffes.

In the mean time, I tackled our study. A mess of papers, bills and crap...all gone thanks to some serious filing and a visit to Kikki K. A great shop filled with gorgeous desk organising stuff, pens and labels - especially motivating when you are organising your study! Perfect timing. I also bought this recipe journal as my old one is getting tattered from all the clippings I cut out or print online.

But the quiet, the peace, was amazing. I think it was the first time in years I have had the day ALL TO MYSELF, even if I was tidying up for most of it. And just before I started to enjoy my aloneness a little too much, a little reading of my book, The Gift of an Ordinary Day, reminded me that these years are indeed precious. As draining as it can sometimes be to be needed by little people constantly, one day we will miss it terribly. And when that day comes, we will have to let go as our little people go out into the world making their own plans, choices and judgements. And suddenly, I ached for my three little people. For their warm, chubby bodies that snuggle perfectly into mine. For their funny little teeth, little fingers and soft kisses on my lips. For their little faces, wide eyes, smatterings of freckles and squishy bums.

Once everyone regrouped at home, we actually enjoyed a lovely afternoon together(and you know I tell it like it is!). We had BBQ'd lamb cutlets for dinner, brown rice and peas, corn on the cob, salad, asparagus, artichokes and orange for dessert. We chatted. We talked. We joked. We really enjoyed our meal and most importantly, our time together as a family.

At shower/bath time, the older girls sang for Zahara while she sat back in her laundry tub that she now loves to bathe in. She joined in happily. Layla brushed Yasmin's hair while they continued singing. Am I making you sick yet? Because I was amazed at the peace, contentment and simple happiness in my kids. Thank the lord for public holidays! Here's hoping you had some peace and happy times in your weekend. 'Cause I know we used up our lot...

Weekend wrap

It was a nice, fun weekend. Our highlights:
- Taking Yasmin to see Rock the Ballet. Fun, great music and high energy dancing. This is time just for Yasmin without younger siblings in tow. I tend to do something one on one with Yasmin every weekend so she can feel special doing something the little ones can't.
- Going out for yummy dinner at Chez Olivier in Greville Street. Highly recommended. Seriously delicious steak and fries followed by chocolate mousse. Heaven.
- Filling our empty Play do container with homemade playdough.
- All the girls in bed by 6.30pm. Sharp. Asleep within 5-10minutes. And now, silence.
- Seeing Gill get tired and grumpy after staying home with two tired and grumpy girls today. Kidding.
- Counting down to a nice, warm holiday in less than three weeks to Bali and Singapore.
- Replacing our melamine and plastic kids ware with this , this and this. No more plastic. Yech.
- Shopping online at Minifashionista's sale with some great kids clothes on SALE people. I love Polka, I am proud to say they are Australian kids clothes and sooooooo cool.
- Waiting for my takeaway Japanese to be enjoyed in peace and quiet.
- Watching Underbelly. Addicted.

Hope you had a lovely weekend.
xxx

Weekend wrap

It was a lovely weekend, despite some members of the family (including me) still rundown. I went to my trusted naturopath on Friday, and armed with an array of supplements, am hopeful my exhaustion will lift soon.

We took the girls ice skating yesterday, where I quickly learnt some valuable lessons:
1. Some activities are not suitable for 2 and 4 year olds.
2. Ice skating is one of them.
3. Trying to hold on to a 2 year old on ice skates while you balance precariously on your ice skates is frightening stuff.
4. Trying to hold on to a 2 year old on ice skates who is crying, demanding you pick her up and both tired and hungry, while you continue to balance precariously on your ice skates is TERRIFYING!

The up side - Yasmin loved trying ice skating. She is adventurous and loves to try new things. Zahara had about 1 minute of happiness ice skating till she decided she didn't want us to hold her on the ice rink. Luckily I managed to capture that moment on film before things went pear shaped.

Layla, on the other hand, is not interested in trying new things with the same spirit as Yasmin, she is a homebody and creature of comfort who was happy to go to the cafe after 10 minutes of skating for lunch (like me). Layla's take? "Mummy, you, me and Zahara are NEVER going ice skating again." Ice skating is hard enough without trying to hold on to your child. Recommended for 5-6 years and above!

Today I took Yasmin to see Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang which we both loved. We cried and laughed together (I never knew kids could cry from movies!). Also recommended for 6 years and above.

Hope you had a lovely weekend
xxx

Happy Sunday

I'm never sure which is more tiring, the Monday to Friday school, pick ups and afternoons routine, or the relentless, intense family time together on the weekends. The weekends are definitely less lonely of course, with a partner to share the load, but still nonstop. I tend to spend more time with my older girls and let my toddler spend some fun time with her Daddy.

Here are a few things we try to do on the weekends:
1. Stay home. Let the girls stay in their pyjamas and draw, paint, play Uno or whatever. They seem to love doing this Sunday mornings.
2. Make french toast Sunday morning with left over Challah from Friday night dinner. Yum.
3. Compare milk moustaches and crazy hair during breakfast.
4. Eat nice, homecooked food together. Today I used my Thermomix to whip up some homemade dips. Tzatziki, beetroot dip and smoked trout dip were served with cut up vegies and crackers. Yum. And definitely going on an upcoming family brunch menu.
5. Play in the garden for hours. Play in the sandpit, water the plants and let the girls be as free as they like.
6. Get pizza home delivered on Sunday afternoons and eat in the garden. Enjoy the unseasonal warm autumn weather.
7. And after all that, put the girls to bed by 6.30. I'm pooped!

Hope you had a lovely weekend.

Back from the brink....I mean, Daylesford

We came home from Daylesford one day early. We had a nice time, but Zahara had fever for days and was thus attached to me like a koala (she is finally better today). We were a little limited in what we could do as we were caring for one sick child, and trying to keep the other two occupied and out of mischief.

Highlights for the girls were definitely visiting the Chocolate Mill (Layla actually told me this before we even went), stumbling on a local market and having a ride on a vintage train, finding a couple of vintage treasures (I will post tomorrow), making it to Lark and a couple of yummy but super quick meals at Cliffy's.

Our accomodation was great, very unique, spacious and practical. Daylesford is a gorgeous town - not too small to feel too remote, and has lots of upmarket vintage stores, great cafes and stores. I would say not exactly designed for kids, but pretty nice all the less. I love the focus on healthy living, fresh farm food, and an apppreciation for lovely vintage objects.

Hope you had a lovely Easter. We are so happy to be home. And for this week....finishing off some invitations for a little girl's fourth birthday party next month. Can you guess what sort of party she has asked for?

xx

Whew

I am sooo drained. Boy oh boy I forgot how intense school holidays are. On top of that, all three girls have been sick with fevers and coughing so we have had lots of naps, cuddles, tea with honey and panadol. (Although Yasmin is actually a pleasure when she is unwell. Her sometimes over exuberance becomes slightly subdued making her much easier when one of three little ones.)

Amidst this sickness, what has been lovely is seeing a certain 23month old basking in the attention and presence of her two big sisters. All three girls have been getting on so much better and Yasmin especially is showing renewed patience to play with Zahara.

We had a lovely Seder with all our family. The kids had a great time and were so well behaved. They also went to bed at 10pm and the next day were very, very tired and grumpy.

This weekend we are going to Daylesford and staying at a gorgeous looking guesthouse called The Barn. I can't wait for some fresh air and sunshine. We haven't been to Daylesford in years, since before we had kids in fact. The Barn is actually a converted barn, which I think the girls will love. It's also next door to Cliffy's, a locally wellknown food emporium, which I think I will love.

So what's on the agenda?
Trout fishing
Chocolate mill
A visit to Lark . I have my eyes on this, this, and this gorgeous apple vinyl tablecloth. Might need to take a child with me to distract me from buying too much.
We are also paying a visit to the Daylesford Makers Market which is on this Saturday. Lots of handmade gorgeous crafted things.

In other news, I have continued my obsession with decluttering. Have donated more toys and even sorted through variously themed party supplies and decorations. Much better.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

A glimpse of today

French toast, painting, pictionary, drawing, pasting, playing in the garden, twirling our ribbon sticks outside, memory game, new outfits for Pesach, trying on almost the entire store (Layla), playdate, supermarket, trampolines, snakes and ladders, swim, dinner, eating left over pretzels found in Layla's room, shower, books and thank goodness, 7pm BED!

These holidays feel so much more relaxed than the summer break. And that alone feels good. Here's to enjoying (and not just surviving) the next two weeks.

Hope you had a lovely weekend too.
xxx

Stuff in the Garden

Our little garden is growing and coming along nicely. Yasmin is taking note of the little green sprouts making their way up through the soil. I regularly cook with the herbs in our garden (parsley for tabouli, chives for my egg dip, mint for Moroccan mint tea on Friday nights) and occasionally and very politely request from my children that they bring in some herbs to help me. They tell me, Mummy, I don't know which one is rosemary/parsley/chives. So, finally, after a brainwave one day, and with the help of my new best friend, the home laminating machine, Yasmin and I have created garden markers.

It was simple. I cut squares of white cardstock and wrote the name of the herb or vegie with a Sharpie. Then, I explained to Yasmin what the plant look liked, and we both had a practice draw on some scrap paper. When she felt confident, Yasmin drew and coloured her little illustration. The next step was laminating the squares, trimming the plastic to create a pointy end and using a glue gun to stick an ice cream stick on the back. Today, they finally made their way into the garden. Easy, cute, practical and weather proof.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - a healthy(ish) treat

Great for lunchboxes and easy to make with kids, here is a great recipe I came across online one day. It uses 3 cups of traditional rolled oats, which is a great compromise for a healthy treat. We make it every once in a while and normally make enough to make a little treat box for someone too.

Here is our adapted recipe.
Ingredients:
225 grams butter
2 eggs
1.5 cups brown sugar
1.5 cups plain flour
1/2 ts baking powder
1.5 cups dark chocolate chips
3 cups rolled oats

1. Heat oven to 175 degrees.
2. Cream butter until creamy in electric mixer
3. Add sugars, beat until fluffy, 3 mins. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Mix all dry ingredients together.
5. Combine with butter and sugar mixture by gently folding with rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
6. Line 3 oven trays with baking paper.
7. Form dough into small balls. Allow generous space between balls as the cookies will spread and flatten while baking.
8. Bake 22-25 minutes on middle and lower trays in oven until cookie edges turn golden brown.
9. Cool on baking paper on racks. Allow 30minutes before gobbling.
10. Enjoy. xx

A lovely weekend

It's 8.15, the kids have been asleep for hours already, and it's been a lovely and satisfyingly tiring weekend. We spent much of today in our lovely garden with our lovely (fake) green grass, making bubbles, playing and digging up old plants to make room for new ones. Out with the dead sunflowers and corn. The coming weeks we will plant more parsley, rocket, potatoes, new sunflowers, carrots, spinach and broad beans. All this abundance turns our little burgeoning vegie patch into an instant buffet for our girls whenever we are outdoors. They resemble mice, crouching in the patch, nibbling on strawberries, carrots, green beans or mint.

We also had a visit from a gorgeous, adorable little Sharpei...a little afternoon 'trial' while we deliberate adding to our family with a canine baby. The girls are desperate for a dog, and our voice of reason (husband) is weighing up how much 'extra work' and 'things to do' we will gain. Pros - the giving and receiving of love between the girls and the lucky little pooch, the extra unconditional love my eldest daughter will enjoy, the impetus to maintain and step up an active, outdoor lifestyle. A little someone to play with and fill in afternoons after school. Cons - work work work. Walks, vets, vaccinatons, feeding, scooping the poop....but can you just see that hopeful look in Yasmin's eyes? 'Please Daddy, please can we get one?'

Warriors of Toorak...oops Brazil

Today we took the older girls to see Warriors of Brazil. A-mazing. Truly incredible. A showcase of Brazilian music, dance and capoiera. It was full of energy and great music and acrobatics. The girls were captivated (except when Layla complained 'it's too loud for me!') and even had a chance to join the performers on stage with other kids in the audience.

While not strictly a children's show, I do love to take Yasmin to see different performances, she is always mesmerised. I always tell her after, 'you could do that, if you trained like they did.' I have no idea where she gets it, but she is incredibly agile, flexible and confidence physically. She has restarted her classes at the National Institute of Circus Arts, and I'm hoping she will continue with it. I have also taken her to see Cirque de Soleil and Circus Oz which she loved. We have Mary Poppins and Burn the Floor booked too.

The show was followed by a serious play in the garden (time to let off some steam) and pizza delivered to our door. Love it - no cooking and dishes to clean up.

Hope your weekend was full of (mostly) fun too.