I'm someone who suffers from the odd case of over expectations. I'm quite bad at it, I suspect I have been this way for most of my life - disappointed by a Birthday or Christmas along the way, definitely with men through the years…demanding that they know what I MUST be thinking at any given time … [Read more...]

Yesterday I started on my annual photo book. I started doing these on my Mac 3 years ago now - we had a family Christmas away with all of my family and as I was official photographer I decided to make each family a book of photos from the week away. Everyone adored and cherished these and my girls … [Read more...]

My husband gave me the kindest compliment this morning in ages. It wasn't about how I look, or what I'd cooked or made, but it was about how I handled myself in the middle of the night. You see, we are currently sleep training our 4-year-old for the, oh I don't know, 678th time. And I generally do … [Read more...]

And so we are done with another Christmas. Ours was pretty much perfect - time with people that we love. A continual moving feast over a few days. Champagne flowing, ham consumed and (mostly) happy children. While the sun hasn't been shining as much as we'd like, that's the perfect excuse to stay … [Read more...]

Yesterday afternoon I hot footed it up the highway to head into the city for the night. I had an extra spring in my step: I was seeing my Brother who lives in Melbourne who I hadn't seen in months, and of course my little sis who I hasn't seen since, oh, Sunday. But the real thing that had me … [Read more...]

There is nothing I love more to do as a family than the day we get to put the Christmas decorations up. It's just a beautiful thing - doing the same things again - remembering what happens, what decorations go where, unrolling the advent calendar, getting the tree, putting up the wreaths on the … [Read more...]

The sun is hot and shining and it feels like the beginning of summer. You can smell the heady jasmine dripping in flowers and scent on the verandah. The garden is getting greener before your eyes with all this rain, the soil is dark and hot, the air humid. The washing is drying crisply in the sun, … [Read more...]

On Saturday Rob and I spent the latter part of the day on 'no speakies'. It was over a stupid thing - I got cranky at him, then he in turn got cranky at me and then I was cranky at him being cranky at me! I mean HOW DARE HE! I eventually decided to be indignant, because we had no plans and were home … [Read more...]

This morning I got a sleep in. Rare as hen's teeth for a happily early riser like myself who is up with the girls each morning. But a couple of days ago I put in a request and this morning I got to hear little people wake and trot off with Rob as the bedroom door was closed behind them and I got a … [Read more...]

This morning I let the chooks out and checked to see if they had laid yet. Like I have every day for the past 8 weeks or so. This morning? Pay day! Eggs! We quickly cooked them up for breakfast and went and thanked the ladies for their hard work. This afternoon the girls went and pulled some … [Read more...]

Yesterday I had an email from an old friend who was looking to whip up a home made Advent Calendar and remembered this post that was originally posted on the blog in November 2010. Thought it may give some inspiration for those that way inclined (the sewing and the crafty kind that is). For those of … [Read more...]

This weekend we headed up the coast a few hours to a rented beach house for the weekend with Rob's family. It was his brother's 40th and we spent the weekend with his family, soaking up time together, sitting around laughing and chatting and eating and drinking in that sea salty air which we were … [Read more...]

On Saturday night I put a very tired and emotional 3-year-old to bed. She was teary so I asked her what she was upset about - I mean it was the night before her birthday! The only thing she should have been sad about was the fact that she had to STILL wait a few hours until it was the big day. She … [Read more...]

Each and every morning my long-suffering husband brings me a cup of a coffee while I sit at the table and check my emails/read comments/check stuff online. I ADORE those 20 minutes or so when I sit and read and sip and look forward to them when I drag myself out of bed each morning while a … [Read more...]

During the school holidays my Mum came down here for a few days to spend with the kids. With her she bought puzzles and bits and pieces and my very least favourite thing: craft. Craft packs. A sew-a-bear thingy and this terrible mini pom pom thing that had bits of fucking pom poms and teeny tiny … [Read more...]

YOU GUYS! Can you see her? CAN YOU? CAN YOU?! I didn't think that any of my tulip bulbs were going to come up. I planted them on the very last day that was possible, and it seems I have got a flower on the very last day possible (32 degrees and a hot westerly blowing today). But she is here. … [Read more...]

So we are back into the 'normal' swing of things here now that our extra visitors have left. The girls miss their cousins though and have had to get into the Facetime action to catch up. I know that they would have made some great memories though...and those are the best memories I have of my own … [Read more...]

I used to be so scared of the night-time. When I had a first time new-born baby in the shape of Daisy living in our little terrace house in Newtown I used to physically feel sick when it started to get dark. It meant that the night was coming. That sleeplessness was coming. Unpredictability. Stress. … [Read more...]