owlet

{this moment}

2013-05-24T22:22:00.001+10:00

Joining in with SouleMama tonight while Tiny has a moment with the music... Slipper (there is only one) optional.

Happy weekend, peeps. xx

seasonal delight :: rocking our world right now...

2013-05-22T22:25:00.001+10:00

Apples... As a treat, or breakfast, or a snack... Anytime... Fresh from the Huon Valley.
Peeled and cored on the "spinny thing"...

Sauteed with butter...

Lots of butter...

Served with farm fresh milk. Delivered to our door, by the farmer himself...

Candlelight. Time spent together. Snuggling by the fire. Sunlight through windows...

And lashings of fresh cream...

Remembering quiet days as winter approaches and finding space for each other, within our nest... That gentle in-breath, settling into a rhythm after a long, wild Summer and early Autumn. Finding abundance and luxury in small things, simple things.

What's rocking your world right now?
How do you find simple abundance in your nest?

xx

The Tooth Faerie :: marketing and magic

2013-05-17T22:38:00.000+10:00

There's been a bit of excitement in our house... Wobbly teeth all over and Little Owlet has finally been visited for the first time. The owlets have decided that instead of just one universal tooth faerie, each of them has their own dedicated personal tooth faerie, who happens to be a millionaire (or at least have enough money for a gold coin for each tooth - gosh!). You'll be pleased to know that Little Owlet's tooth faerie is named Marigold and she wears a dress spun from spider's silk. There's much talk of silvery moons, dew drops and faerie magic!

Just as we're watching Little Owlet's teeth with anticipation, we're watching Tiny's with a degree of trepidation and making sure the products we use for her and for her teeth are of the purest and gentlest, most nurturing form. Regular fluoride toothpaste bit the dust long ago. We look for products that support and truly clean her teeth with their antibacterial qualities, and we don't mind that we are ingesting them because they are so pure.

With little changes have come some occasional resistance from the owlets. Switching to homemade toothpaste brought doubts from all of us, but I decided it was all in the magic and the marketing...

So I whipped this up:

2 x heaped tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
10 drops peppermint oil

Mix it around in a small bowl, then pop in a jar and label appropriately. Use as you would regular toothpaste...

They loved it. At first the saltiness of the bi-carb shone through. You could tweak that if you fancied, adding as much coconut oil and peppermint as suits, and I believe you could add a natural sweetener like stevia, if sweetness was your thing. It doesn't bother us now.

Our teeth are cleaner than they've ever been before. And we're quietly surprised and pleased that we're saving money on expensive fluoride-free toothpastes that owlets eat like lollies.

There's also a buzz about having super shiny teeth ready for the tooth faerie's next visit. Yep. It's all in the marketing and in the magic. xx

dreams :: {part one}

2013-05-06T22:51:00.001+10:00

When I was growing up, just a little older than Big Owlet is now, I'd visit Jeffrey's Bookshop with my pocket money and I'd look at art supplies. I'd walk past the shelves full of books to the dark back corner full of little shelves and glass display cases. I'd pore over all the paint boxes, tools, pencils and paintbrushes... I'd wonder at what things might be used for. I'd delegate a portion towards buying something small and some to save for a tin of Derwent pencils. I loved the smells and the colours. All that wood and pigment just waiting to be put to paper... The potential. The colour. I decided that one day I'd learn to use those tools. And one day I'd have my own art supplies shop.

About a year ago Huz and I sat down after a long day and we decided to make that tiny glimmer of a far-off dream a reality. The dream looks a tiny bit different now, but the chest of drawers in my hallway is home to a growing range of beautiful, colourful art supplies. Childhood fantasy realised.

I'm a bit of a dreamer, as my year 10 maths teacher can attest... "You're very vague and dreamy, aren't you...?" She sighed in exasperation over what, I don't remember, although the words have stuck. Vague perhaps, but dreamy indeed, and unashamedly so. Dreams are what propel us along and I've got lots of dreams to work my way through. Part two is a doozie. Stay tuned...

Do you have any childhood dreams that have been realised?
Are you a dreamer?
Are art shops your favourite thing too? xx

While the cat's away...

2013-04-25T20:58:00.000+10:00

I've been away from our nest all week long. It's been amazing and a time of huge learning and expansion for all of us. More on that later, but for now, a little update on what the owlets have been up to with their lovely Papa. Photographer, owlet wrangler and my greatest supporter. Love him.

All photos by Huz. Find him on Instagram @berondi

Late Night Yum :: Chocolate Mug Cake

2013-04-16T21:58:00.000+10:00

We work and play hard most days and end up on the couch in a comfortable but tired little pile most nights, watching episodes of Community, doing Spiral Garden work, stitching and nibbling treats with a warm drink... Huz and I really super look forward to this end of the day - quiet time together while the owlets snore... Sometimes we'll be stuck without a treat to nibble and it'll all end in tears. Either that, or we get inventive.

So with a little help from google and a little tweaking, thanks to ingredients on hand, we gave a primal version of the Chocolate Mug Cake a go. I wasn't a huge fan of the original, but this is actually pretty delish. And the bigger owlets rather fancy it too and can't believe that much awesome can happen in two minutes. Tiny isn't in on the secret right now as almond meal is pretty much the worst thing for severe tooth decay, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have that going on, although soaking the almonds first would help... And the microwave probably kills the goodness in the awesome real food ingredients, but sometimes a little lazy indulgence is called for...

Chocolate Mug Cake

1 mug or cup sized ramekin

3 tbsp cacao powder

2 tbsp almond meal

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 egg

Melt butter in the microwave, in your mug.

Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined - little lumps are ok.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook it on high for 2 minutes.

Eat with lashings of cream if so desired. Feel smug. And enjoy. xx

creative space

2013-04-14T21:14:00.001+10:00

It's been too long. Mum and Dad have missed my blog, so I know it's been too long. Right now I can spy Huz checking the computer for a new post... The one I've been trying to write as my posts grow further and further apart. Not to worry... all is ok. I'm just a little burnt out.

This week I'm a year older. I'm feeling loved and understood by this little owlet family more than ever, and that's such a wonderful feeling.

But I'm tired. Ten years of interrupted sleep have caught up. And despite the decluttering, the planning and the hard work, I'm creatively, emotionally and physically spent. Fortunately, I can identify what's going on, take notice, live with, sit with and understand it. I'm learning more about myself and my limits and that when I'm stretched, there's a limit to what I can share with those outside my nest. Sometimes there's not enough of me to go around and I'm learning to be ok with that. And generally I know what I need to do next to dig that hole out of the little trench I'm in. But it takes time...

It takes nourishment. And rest. And space to daydream. I've been missing that. And so I suppose in the times when I'm not blogging and doing the day-to-day stuff I do... I'm daydreaming. Processing and learning and moving through it. Finding some creative space, in every sense, so that I can let some of that creativity free and I can share a bit of myself again.

It takes grounding in nature. And talking and cuddling and loving... and a whole lot of learning and of growth. There's plenty of that to come and I suspect that breaking this small writing drought, ripping that bandaid off, will lead to a string of catch up posts as I fill you in on what we've done between daydreaming...

Have you had time for daydreaming lately?
Have you felt burnt out?
What did you do to get your creativity flowing again?

Have a gorgeous week. xx

Today and tomorrow...

2013-03-21T23:54:00.001+11:00

Today was one of those special kind of good days... There was a certain calm that I haven't felt in a long time... even though I was outnumbered three owlets to one, today we found balance. And it was good. I'm recounting it so I can work out how to make that happen always.

I woke after not much sleep, feeling awful, and cancelled all plans for a stay at home day. Owlets happily obliged and we went about making breakfast. We ate at the table this morning - perhaps that was it? The bigger owlets then moved onto their morning work - animal husbandry, followed by scaling the dizzy heights of mount foldmore. Then they began the formal part of their day - Minecraft.

Tiny and I pottered, washing and tidying... The house was pretty clean to begin with (that might have been it), as it is in our always-decluttering home... Tiny forgot the screens (ooh, maybe it was that?), and I remembered the bigger owlets' toddler days with fondness as we pottered and chatted together... Then we nibbled on our morning tea platter made from what was left in our empty fridge... And then Tiny napped.

Big Owlet and I figured out some Big and Important Minecraft Stuff, while Little Owlet asked me how to spell every word that came to mind... I sewed two stitches and finished one hair clip for an order I'm working on. And I had a cup of tea - sign of a good day right there.

Tiny woke, played with playdough, painted nude, bathed (as one does immediately after painting)... and we spent the afternoon trampolining, then lolling, reading and boobing and waiting for Huz to come home.

There were tears and bruises and bumps today. There was frustration and tiredness. But today I remembered to respond with empathy. I remembered to keep communication open and flowing. I remembered to slow down. And wait. And hug them all. To give them my time, and take some for me (just a snippet). And to just enjoy it for what it was... Yes, that was it.

How have your days been lately?
Do you manage many home days?
Do you like to slow down?

Here's to a peaceful Friday. xx

mini milestones :: the big owlet edition

2013-03-14T23:03:00.000+11:00

Her first solo plane ride. Her first time away from home for three nights. Her first time out in the big wide world on her own. She couldn't have been more excited...

A few nights in Melbourne with much loved and missed family. She would be taken to all her favourite places, taken to lunch and dinner... treated to new clothes and shopping trips. She would be reminded of the people outside our nest who love her deeply. She would return taller, wiser, more worldly, exhausted and homesick. She couldn't wait.

We were excited for her too. And we held it together brilliantly... Until she got to the top step, before entering the plane, and she turned, like the superstar she is, and she waved to us on the other side of the glass. Suddenly we felt small and far away, and we glimpsed our future and how quickly it all speeds by... And we were thankful for the reminder and glad for our dark glasses and spare owlets to cuddle as we waited for her return.

(Long) Weekending :: Redefining

2013-03-11T23:10:00.000+11:00

We're back to earth after another weekend clearing our space. We seem to do this pretty much every six months (at least) and always on a long weekend. I'm not sure why it happens like that... But it's always in response to growing and changing needs and the need to freshen and clear our little nest. It's the best way I know to clear away the stress and overwhelm, while inspiring creativity. By the end of it we're usually sitting in a newly reshuffled home, full of plans and ideas. Every room has been looked at, sorted through and like a giant jigsaw puzzle, furniture has been moved around until it finds the right spot to suit where we're at. It's like moving house, without boxes, or any kind of plan...

Saturday usually ends in some sort of emotional mayhem and no-one's quite sure where they belong. We've removed a couple of carloads of clutter from around the place (much to our combined shock, embarrassment and pride), revelling in the feeling of freedom as we pull away from Vinnies, feeling much lighter.

Sunday sees the beginning of the rebuilding phase after all the chaos and deconstruction. Furniture is put in place and things are tweaked until our new spaces begin to take shape. Monday is all about nesting and paying attention to those corners and piles that are just a bit fiddlier. How we keep finding all the stuff to keep having huge decluttering days is beyond me. But then, we are five very different people with many skills and interests... and toys and clothes we grow out of and craft activities we admit we'll never get to (ahem).

By Monday things are looking up and we're about to begin the short week with a new, refreshed outlook on life and what defines us and our nest. And we swear this time will be the last. Surely. It must be. But then we go growing, changing, learning... And redefining is necessary all over again.

{this moment}

2013-03-08T20:37:00.000+11:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama.

unschool monday :: back to co-op

2013-03-04T11:13:00.001+11:00

The past month has seen us back to building our community around us, the owlets and me. It's been a difficult, long learning journey. We've had lots of ups and downs with it in previous years, but managed to get through with some supportive, genuine mates who make the days and weeks full of colour and fun at our little homeschool co-op.

We look forward to the time to relax, play and share conversation and food among friends... nourishing in so many ways.

Tiny loves having the time to wander among the big kids, following their play and getting involved when she can. And the way they accept her as part of the gang... Actually, she doesn't give them much choice - haha!

This year our natural learners' co-op has moved from meeting fortnightly to weekly, meaning regular, familiar play and what feels like family building around us. The older children in the group tend to dictate the direction of play and what activities we participate in, while families bring along things that might be of interest... strewing their path, if you will ;)

Our group has gone from huge to tiny, and occasionally big, depending on whether we provide a workshop or not. People like the certainty of a planned activity and in those weeks, our numbers grow exponentially and people come and go at other times, keeping it interesting. For the most part, we plan not to plan too much, following the energy of the group and relying on members to suggest and organise things if the inspiration strikes. What we've learnt is that it requires effort to maintain a constant organised enthusiasm and regular organised workshops for the sake of attendance... It becomes overwhelming, for everyone, and unsustainable. Somehow it doesn't feel co-operative.

It also takes a bit to let go and get over the feeling that your type of community is not what everyone is after, when for you it is the best thing! Throwing your heart out there and welcoming people, friends and strangers, who then decide whether they fit, hoping they do... Somehow organised activities, entertainment and educational workshops take the pressure off people needing to examine whether your community is for them. It removes the responsibility of active participation and co-operation. Whether they want to muck in and be part of it all.

In groups, people assess whether there are enough children of the right age and sex, whether they'll be bored or shy, or challenged. The concept of a co-operative collective is challenging and people often miss the point that there's an opportunity, by contribution, to bring what they want to the group. That the group is as fulfilling, exciting and enriching as they want it to be.

Sometimes I've wondered if one of our teething issues might be because the concept of community and unschooling is not for everyone, and an unschooling co-op might be what this thing actually is... Sometimes I think this has been a de-schooling process for me. Learning to let go and relax. Sometimes I think that others might view the social structure of schools and same-age grouping as important for them - a valid choice, but not so important for us... Sometimes I wonder if people persisted, the others they are looking for might join in too. Community grows from participation... Sometimes we've just scratched our heads and wondered at it... But right now, this easy go-with-the-flow attitude seems to be working and there's a strong growing bond among families who come weekly, or just when it feels right.

For us, the important part is the time spent together, getting to know one another. Mucking in and growing something slowly, organically, with hope and fun and enjoyment in mind.

Sometimes the weeks where nothing is planned at all, where we trust in the spontaneity and dynamics of a group of kids to dictate the days and the direction they follow, are the best. The easiest. The most organic and the ones where we all learn together. Discoveries are made, social structures are worked through, problems are solved and experiences are shared just by sharing a space and sharing our interests... Those days set the direction for the weeks to come and by trusting in the group that we are growing together, this learning journey, these unschooling days, become so full and nourishing. I'm excited for what's to come for our tiny group and hopeful that it continues to grow and flourish.

Are you part of a homeschooling/unschooling co-op?
Do you help run a group of people? Have you found it challenging?
Is community important to you?
How have you made it work?

Add your link below if you'd like to join in and linkup with unschool monday and reflect on your unschooling journey, or week or anything you fancy! xx

milk teeth

2013-02-28T20:53:00.000+11:00

Can you believe it? This tooth-remineralizing lark... it's working! *touch wood*

If you've not followed Tiny Owlet's journey with her teeth so far, here's a quick re-cap...

Her teeth were decaying and crumbling away as they erupted from the gum. She was in occasional, but increasingly frequent pain. The dentist took one look at them and announced that a GA would be needed to pull the worst and fill the others and there's nothing we could do about it... but it wasn't urgent until her pain was constant. So there was time...

So we looked at Ramiel Nagel's book Cure Tooth Decay with a renewed sense of urgency and removed all grains, sugars and most fruits from her diet, while upping good fats, meat, seafood and green leafy veggies. Our daily use of fermented cod liver oil and butter oil blend stepped up a notch to include skate liver oil. And we drank lots more water. And broth. Our house smells like soup.

A couple of months down the track and Tiny's teeth are completely pain-free. But better still, the decay is starting to go. On close inspection, her chipped front tooth, with brown at the back, has an increasing line of white dots appearing as the enamel grows and hardens. The skeptic in me is completely surprised. But the evidence is there before our eyes.

So it looks like this primal/WAPF/tooth decay diet thing really works. And it is here to stay... at least until those brown-turning-white milk teeth fall out on their own, in their own time. And the tooth fairy will most definitely celebrate.

Wish us luck. xx

unschool monday :: numeracy learning happens here

2013-02-25T07:40:00.000+11:00

One of the unexpected benefits of owning a home business... There's a room full of gorgeous things to save up for. And multiple things to count and sort into colour groups and divide and subtract. There are parcels to weigh and dates and times to ship and receive things... There are numbers everywhere, hidden behind the colours. Empty boxes pile up and owlets count them and measure and work out which shapes will work for their newest construction. And when they've saved all their money and counted it out, that doll they so desperately wanted is theirs. And the learning happens naturally, constantly, always.

If you feel like linking up with unschool monday this week, pop a link in the comments below. xx

sunday snippets

2013-02-24T22:51:00.000+11:00

this moment...

2013-02-22T23:17:00.001+11:00

unschool monday :: sunshine & lollipops

2013-02-18T11:59:00.000+11:00

It's not, you know. All sunshine and lollipops. Some days in this unschooling life are downright difficult. Like they are for any family working, learning, playing and just getting on with life. Some days, some weeks, some months, some years are just hard. Sometimes there's no clear reason why. Sometimes it's because we're trying to do something outside of the norm and there's not much support for that. Sometimes it's because the only support you have is each other and that's not always enough... Sometimes it's because no-one slept or someone's sick or we're all a bit more fragile than normal... maybe it's the moon? Let's call it that.

But it's something that is hard to talk about here. Perhaps because it seems we've chosen a different path to the norm in a society that doesn't generally support the notion of kids at home all day and five people individually doing what they need in order to be happy and learn cool stuff. There's a certain need to keep our chins up to defend the choices we've made. So as not to be encouraged away from them and towards a mainstream path which didn't seem right in the first instance... It's not that it isn't perfectly right for others, it just isn't for us. The hardest part is trying to find support to make that balance happen and to lessen the expectation society has that we are all self-reliant beings all of the time.

We expect lots from the time we have and the freedom that we have and we strive for it... We keep a modest home in a lovely place and fill it with quirky second-hand finds and things that bring us colour and joy. We run a business and Huz holds down a full-time job and we provide all the tools our children need to learn. We think about what our children are interested in and research opportunities for it, which we love doing, truly. And we squeeze every last spare minute of the day for a quiet moment to exercise, rest or ponder... But we do it all without the benefit of the childcare or financial support that school provides, or the second income many families are afforded. Extended family are living full and wonderful lives in far off places, as are we, so we learn to become self-sufficient. Sometimes it carries us through beautifully... Other times we just need a breather. There are as many sacrifices as there are benefits in this unschooling life.

Community can provide support, but establishing solid community around you takes time and patience. The community around you when you choose something outside the mainstream becomes somewhat smaller, which can be a lovely thing... but it can also mean that you are actively involved in your children's social lives, as they are yours. You have to make things happen with and for them. Which can complicate things somewhat, as we've found in recent years. Your time is family time. And true, solid, dependable friendships can be few and far between.

In the scheme of things, in a lifetime, the difficult days, the hard stuff... The needing to clear your head and breathe, and be alone... it is merely a blip. As the years roll on by, the time we spend in this family zone, learning together and watching our owlets grow... Supporting them to find what makes their hearts sing their loudest... That's the most important work; the most rewarding thing we can do. And that is why we choose this. Because in the end, like the blog posts I feel happiest recording here, or the photo albums I look back over, those are the ones we want to remember. And thankfully, those sunshine and lollipop days make up the majority of our time and make it all worthwhile.

There was a blog post last year that was doing the rounds of my facebook feed recently and sparked a huge, rather venomous backlash against unschooling mama and blogger, Soulemama, recently. She tends not to blog the hard stuff, leaning more towards the sunshine and lollipops. She doesn't do it to hurt readers, or provide judgement on their lives. She does it, I suspect, as many of us have done, in order to look back and see that it was worthwhile. There were more sunshine and lollipops than dull, dark cabbage soup days after-all. That choice they made, the sacrifices and compromises that were made in order to make other days brighter... it was worth it.

When I look over all the photos we've taken of our outings or activities done at home... of our creations and general day-to-day stuff, I often think "Wow, I want that life! I wish we could fit that much awesome into our days!" Have you ever thought that when looking over family photos? When you read a blog, you are getting a snippet of a life. When you read about someone saying how happy and wonderful everything is, you are reading a snippet of someone expressing their joy. This doesn't equate to a judgement on you and your chosen lifestyle. It is just their life, as they choose to see it. Sometimes they choose to see the sunshine and lollipops. We do, for the most part. But there's always, always room for a helping hand, a supportive ear, lots of compassion, and and understanding that we are all human, all doing our best, and all hoping for sunshine and lollipops each day.

***********************

I'm of two minds whether to continue along with unschool mondays... maybe it's a this time of year thing... maybe it's because I forget that we're unschooling most days, because we just don't really think of school much anymore. It's hard to be un-something if it doesn't really fit into your life at all. Perhaps unschool monday's time has passed? Let me know what you think and if you feel like leaving an unschool monday link, please do in the comments below. xx

unschool monday :: holidaying

2013-02-04T23:06:00.001+11:00

So the year is well and truly in full swing and today school went back for many of our friends... Some went excitedly for the first time. The owlets felt a slight sadness that their friends were moving on from what, to them, is normal life. Long holiday days where so much is crammed in that a tiny snippet is a blog post in itself, even if the rest of it was spent, seemingly, lounging in the garden...

When Big Owlet is asked if she's excited to return to school, her line is "I don't do school. Everyday is holidays". She means it. She understands the freedom and space this lifestyle affords her, and how fortunate it is for us that it works for our family. Most of the time. Conversely, I suppose, it is never holidays here (some days it feels like it) - ha!

Right now, the owlets find it hard to understand why anyone would choose differently. When you live as if school isn't a thing, it's a bit of a shock to see the girl across the road thinking it is... however they whole heartedly feel excited for their friends embarking on new adventures and they can't wait to hear all about them.

We're eternally grateful that we live in a place where our choice to live and learn as we please is supported and encouraged and that there are enough options to support almost any lifestyle and any family. School, or unschool, or anywhere in between, we have choices and support for what works best. We're pretty blessed.

So on this "first day back", in lieu of a "first day" picture (because I neglected to take one as we headed of to homeschool gym), here's a snippet and a catch-up of what we've been doing while everyone's been on holidays... much the same as school holidayers, I expect. Nothing amazingly special. Just everyday magical moments of learning and living and life that will continue in the months to come, as they do for every family... Like turning "lets move the furniture around" into an architectural design project...

Or when Tiny Owlet wanting to paint in the garden became an afternoon of plein air painting for all.

Little Owlet discovered her inner fashion designer...

And spontaneous dance parties happened on a regular basis.

Tiny discovered crayon rocks "treasure" as a form of mathematical learning...

There was playing...

And playing...

And playing...

We all got an i-thing, thanks to the school kids bonus, meaning there are now multiplayer games happening all over the nest and Big Owlet is improving her communication and photography skills via iMessage and instagram*.

And we discovered Tiny's fearlessness anew, on the big slide, as she hurtled down it face first, in the same way she approaches everything. With gusto. Safe in the knowledge she is supported by us and her adoring sisters.

And this afternoon's late-afternoon paddle at the beach, as we attempt to stretch this summer as far as it will go...

It's going to continue to be another brilliant, lovely, exciting and wonderful year of living and learning at ours.

Wishing you all the best for your year. I bet it'll be marvellous! xx

If you'd feel inspired to join in with Unschool Monday, or maybe share a pic of your back to school owlet, please pop a link in the comments below.

*If you're on instagram, Big Owlet is @treehouseme. Go follow her. She'll be chuffed. xx

planning my beautiful year...

2013-02-03T20:29:00.000+11:00

I'm writing this tonight in the lounge room, under fairy lights which are still draped from the ceiling in our vague attempt to ignore the fact that it's February and this year has already begun to fly by. I'm still in the planning phase of my year... It takes time, you see. And time is what I don't have very much of. Yet. For the longest time, I've suspected that putting it all down on paper - writing lists, setting dates - would be the thing that tips me into feeling organised again. Organisation is most definitely what I lack. What our nest lacks. And when you live in a state of, as Big Owlet puts is, "everyday is holidays", it's easy to see why organisation falls off the list, so to speak.

So I've begun with my gorgeous diary (yes, skipping a month to Feb), and this. After a long time on Leonie Dawson's email list, nodding my head along to certain posts and things I needed to hear, I invested just under $10 and bought her workbook planner. So far I'm about halfway through and it's fab. Just what I needed. A little hippy and goddess-y, but gorgeous and nurturing and full of all sorts of exercises that make me pause and think about me for a sec. Not something I've done for a very, very long time. What is it that I actually want to do this year? For me? Now I have some semblance of an idea and that helps immensely. Things that were bothering me, and I couldn't quite work out why? They're now turned around into positive, actionable things - or let go of, which is hugely cathartic and feels just right for the decluttering path Huz and I have been on for the last 6 months.

During the process, I've had wild, vivid dreams about situations that were upsetting or bothering me and I hadn't given much attention to and expressed anger, fear, sadness... All the things that came up and were making those instances negative for me. Woah did I express myself?! And then woke up, able to make a clear decision and move on. Stopping and thinking, putting things on paper... Amazing, simple and very important stuff.

Huz and I also bought the business yearbook and we've been using it for mini-conferences in the kitchen, over cheese platters and cups of tea, as we sort out a direction for our business. It helped us to identify the negatives, work on the positives and work towards a business that only brings us, and others, happiness. Yay for that! Joy and abundance seem to go hand in hand and this year we are welcoming big piles of each into our lives. It's going to be so fab.

Now to just work my way through to the end... And sort out some time. That will come, right? Yes, it will. It's in the plan.

How about you? Are you a planning type?
Or do you fly by the seat of your pants while everything falls into place?
Are you dreaming up a beautiful year too?
I hope so. xx

primal nest

2013-01-26T21:41:00.002+11:00

We seem to be finding some kind of rhythm in our nest with our meals most days. We're eating a smaller range of foods than ever, but we're feeling happier about our choices and healthier and stronger for them. Most days we are finding abundance within our smaller range of options. Nowadays, a visit to a supermarket means a quick tour around the perimeter and then home. The majority of aisles hold almost nothing for us... Smaller local shops and the farmers market are where we shop now and we're happy for the time saved, although our food bill has almost doubled. Our morning tea platters are looking a bit different...

Earlier in the month we woke daily with Tiny pointing to her chipped front tooth and saying "teeth hurting" with a pained expression. Big gulp and off to the dentist we went... where our suspicions and worst fears were confirmed. The dentist recommended a general anaesthetic to remove Tiny's tooth and fillings in 6 of her 8 top teeth. However, she did give us a glimmer of hope that as Tiny's pain wasn't constant, we could work on reducing its sensitivity and managing pain for as long as possible. Because Tiny is only 2yo, we're much more comfortable holding off any intervention for as long as we can... So we do this. Right now, thanks to our current diet, her pain has stopped and we are getting on with things as they are.

I'll save going into our regular meals and what we actually eat for another time, but I can tell you we are not eating any grains, sugars (refined or otherwise), legumes, nuts and most fruit. Dairy, meat/fish, vegetables, the occasional berry, eggs and fats are where it's at, for us. Most days are great! Some days are hard. Today was hard. We woke with extra hungry bellies and not much in the fridge. The owlets were missing comfort foods and baking them with me. So we made crackers. They lasted 10 minutes.

Primal Cheddar & Herb Crackers

3 heaped tbsp coconut flour
1 large egg
1 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese - organic and not ultra-pasteurised, if possible.
2tbsp butter - organic, grass fed if possible. Softened, unless you are using a food processor.
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tbsp sized bunch of fresh herbs
generous pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180 deg.
Mix together in food processor or by hand, with a fork, until it comes together in a nice ball. Add more cheese if the dough feels too sticky.
Roll to about 2mm, between two sheets of baking paper, remove top sheet, and place on baking tray.
Score rolled dough into squares & mark all over with a fork.
Bake for about 12 mins until slightly golden and the house smells yummy.
Cool on a rack before devouring.

henna time...

2013-01-17T22:52:00.002+11:00

Big Owlet decided it was time for a change... she spied two packets of henna in the drawer - one for each of us - then convinced me it was time I dyed my hair with it... and wouldn't it be nice if we matched? I suppose these days she is relating so much to Huz. They are so similar in so many ways and she knows it. He is most definitely her favourite, as she's often told me... But now, as she grows, she's looking for ways that she might be like me too. We're working to reconnect and spend more time together, just the two of us... And although we weren't alone on that day, it was rather lovely to share the experience, towels on heads, mud down the drain... As I used to with my mother... And we walked away with more than a shared experience in common. Now we are on the same team, apparently. The red team! And what a lovely team mate she is too.

How do you spend time connecting with your kids? Do you feel ok with them dying their hair? Are you on the red team too? xx

A skirt for Tiny

2013-01-16T22:39:00.000+11:00

There will be more things made for the owlets this year - there will! I made this quick garden skirt for Tiny for a Christmas gift and alongside her Peppa Pig t-shirt, it's her favourite wardrobe item of choice. It's been about four years since I made the first Garden skirt for Little Owlet. Since then I've made lots and lots for friends, family and peeps all over the world! How amazing is that? And how wonderful is this online bloggy world we live in that allows me to do that?! My favourite thing though, is to sit at the machine and make something for one of my owlets and then watch them admire it when I hand it to them to wear or play with... There's nothing quite like it. And I hope to have lots of that going on this year. How about you? xx

sunday snippets

2013-01-13T21:57:00.000+11:00

Playing along with {tinniegirl}

summer

2013-01-09T22:20:00.000+11:00

Hello! How's your summer going? It's been a bit of a mixed bag here with extreme weather, bushfires and the like. We are all safe in our nest though and grateful for it and finding ways to help. We've also had some gorgeous days lounging around, listening to music, playing at the beach and in the garden... and although Huz is back at work, there's more of the same to come.

I've been quietly contemplating my year. The one behind us and the one before us. I've been laying down marvellous plans, hatching ideas and finding resolution and clarity. It is excellent stuff and has meant I've not had much time for writing and documenting our days... but I will get back to it with regularity soon.... Stay cool and safe. xx

Merry Goosecheese!

2012-12-26T16:09:00.000+11:00

This owlet. At bedtime, she dubbed it the best day ever, despite predicting earlier that it was probably going to be "the second best Christmas ever", beaten only by Tiny's first Christmas when family were here with us. She gave a little, received everything she could possibly want, ate what she liked and did her favourite things all day... This second-hand Jar Jar Binks figurine made her day and made her so happy she cried. She's possibly the only child in the world who's ever loved Jar Jar Binks that much...

This owlet, although she didn't receive everything on her (rather extensive) list of wants and needs, made the most of it and flittered around, making herself busy and getting swept away by the spirit of things...

She cleaned up everything on her plate, which took a very. long. time....

This owlet woke up and whispered "Mama. Goosecheese. Day!" in her cutest of toddlery voices... Then she just thundered along with her usual gusto and thoroughly enjoyed the play dough we made her. As usual, the simplest, least expensive gift was loved the best... and she'd been itching to test out her sisters' playdough equipment ever since the our last batch went in the bin. She ate, drank, slept, stripped off nude, cuddled her new teddy and was merry all day.

There was lots to feel merry about. Pandoro and fruit for breakky - most definitely not grain free, but we make concessions at Christmas time for special indulgences... Honey roast chook stuffed with quinoa, dates, cranberries, apricots and almonds... Roast vegies... Watermelon, fetta and mint salad and lettuce, mango, snowpea and pecan salad... With fresh local berries and home made vanilla bean ice cream for post-nap dessert. Our quiet day at home turned out to be quite lovely and special.

I was thoroughly spoiled with gorgeous gifts from Huz and my family... All very thoughtful and lovely. An insulated cup with a lid - no more cold tea! The diary and wallet I'd hoped for, some organic mascara and some reading should I have a spare moment next year (I hope so!). Then beautiful handmade gifts from Siz and her fam - a necklace, pretty spoons and a screen printed tea towel! And everything's colour co-ordinated! Excellent!

Next year is shaping up to be pretty spesh already for me. I have lots of reflections and plans going on and I'm so glad for this week for that.

How about you? Did you have a good Tuesday? Or a merry Goosecheese?
Do you have big plans for next year?

Hope you're surrounded with love.
Wishing you all good things. xx