21/52

We're not quite halfway through the year and winter is not yet upon us, but in the last week the temperatures have dropped and the winds have picked up. I arrived home late from work the other night to find the girls bursting with excitement and a cosy glow from the lounge. The fire was on, our first fire of the year, and warming away merrily on the top were little foil wraps of banana and chocolate.  Packets of marshmallows and a bottle of red wine greeted me in the kitchen.

A perfect homecoming, methinks...

Stella: she built the fire herself and it was awesome. She's been watching PK's teepee technique and she was spot on. After some toasty marshmallows she sat gazing into the fire.

Ruby: gosh, how she loves sweet things. The facial expressions associated with devouring treats are something to behold. Here she is pictured relishing the last of the marshmallows. Pure joy.

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Joining in with Jodi at che and fidel

this week via iphoto

This is the wool I picked up while op shopping with my Mum.

It's become a spiral scarf for my lovely friend, who had a birthday last week.

Our hut is primed and ready for a mini ensuite..

A skip to remove rubbish from above mini reno..

choc chip and pistachio cookies from Greer's blog this week (no cardamom, but delicious, just the same)

Planting carrot seeds, above and below...

toasty marshmallows by the open fire

Wondering why the tomatoes growing out of the guinea pig poo by the back step are doing so much better than the ones we're lovingly tending in our veggie beds..(see below)

Watching the spinach put out it's  new leaves...

Having coffee and an afghan with lovely friend..

Making rock pets for our garden beds...

Stella's caramel cookies..

And Ruby's green cupcakes with mixed berries ( a recipe of her own invention...)

They were ok!

Enjoy Sunday. A day of rest is planned...

20/52

Stella: 

She stayed with me this weekend when her Dad and sister headed to the city for a fun weekend with family. She wanted to help on our stall at the Million Paws Walk. We borrowed a lovely little terrier cross called Millie from the adoption centre at the RSPCA (pictured with Stella, above). Stella worked really hard on our free "brush and shine" corner, spraying dogs with coconut oil and brushing them until they glowed. And every dog got a treat. She was amazing and I was incredibly proud of her.

Millie was sprayed, brushed, fed treats and walked. Her water bowl was continuously replenished. She sat with us and put her head in Stella's lap. She was an absolutely delightful little dog. When we had to return Millie to the RSPCA van there were tears. (I felt terrible. I would love to get her a dog but I know the majority of the work would fall on me. And I am just not ready/too busy/ on a main road/not properly fenced/have enough pets already/making excuses?).

Ruby:

Every night after her shower, she puts on her Dad's old T-shirt for bed. And then she will spend as much time as we will let her playing "teachers", an imaginary world where she teaches her class of students. Her roll is called and marked, her whiteboard lists the day's activities; her wall is covered in charts and diagrams. As I watch her teach, I focus on the nape of her neck and the curve of her shoulder blade and I just love her to bits.

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Joining in with Jodi at che and fidel

An update on Millie: today she found a new home with a lovely family on 20 acres. It will be perfect for her. I will tell Stella in the morning...

twig and grace

 Not long after moving to the Coast, my mother expressed a wish to spend a day op shopping with me. She knows it's one of my favourite pastimes. Most of my furniture and household goods generally have been sourced from op shops, garage sales or kerbside clean-ups. It's a mishmash of colour and oddities. But it works and I love it.

So last week, I took her for a trawl.

Before we op-shopped I took her for a coffee at one of my favourite haunts, Twig and Grace.

It's an eclectic mix of flowers, home-wares and food.

My friend wrote a beautiful review here. She does it more justice than I could do.

So we stopped and fuelled before embarking on our hunt.

I think I spent about twenty dollars all up. I got some pretty wool, some books for the girls and some second hand clothes I will repurpose. My Mum found a few small treasures.. jewellery, books, kitchen paraphernalia.

It was great fun. We covered a bit of ground. I think I wore her out!

What's happening in your world?

mother's day spoiling

Each year, these lovely teachers of Ruby's class host a Mother's Day Spa on the preceding Friday.

Treatments on offer included nail painting, hand and shoulder massage and a chance to read a book or play a game with my daughter.

Refreshments were provided in the form of decorated biscuits and iced tea, hand-delivered.

It was a precious chance to spend an hour with my daughter in her classroom. Of late I've been absent from school more than I would like.

I got to sit and chat with other mums, share laughter over the colour and state of our nail polish, smile at the children's excitement and enjoy the beautiful song performed at the end.

Love.

this weekend...

Started with some secret Mother's Day business..

A heart-felt mobile for my mum...

dress ups and roof exploring...

Cubby houses in closets...

Sowing seedlings (and fingers crossed they're strong enough...)

The jiffy pots.. a 0 % success rate..is it me or the pots? I kept them damp, followed the instructions, but no go. We'll try the capsicums again in seed-raising mix in the mini greenhouses..

Celery going in..

A worm farm diversion...

Lunch with parents. This remarkably sweet, albeit fake posy..

Apricot pud!

And some Mother's Day shenanigans.

Hi ho hi ho...