Busy Gnomes

Advent

2009-12-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

This year I decided that I would make an German Advent calender for each child, everyday they would receive a little gift, to mark the day.

I should have known that it is nearly impossible for me to make the same thing twice, let alone fours times.

So one between four. they are very good a sharing. They have to be!

It sounded like a good idea until I did the maths, um, 28 pressies x four, gulp, oh my, wayyyyy to much brain power for this little treat.

So the list of little pressies included:
beautiful stones
out for tea
Lyra crayons and pencils
out for tea
matchbox cars
stamps
out for tea
chocolate
I think you get the picture.

Our nativety table, For the first week of advent, the mineral kingdom is honoured, beautiful stones placed around the stable.

The second week, the plant kingdom, fresh roses from the garden are gathered.

The third week, the animal kingdom, the fences are made and straw is brought in.

The fourth week, Mary, Joseph and the donkey, make their way to the stable, their journey starts at the top of our stairs, and the angel, so beautifully made by Cadi, slowly drops down day by day to the stable bringing baby Jesus.

What dreams are made of

2009-12-12T04:41:00.000-08:00

Our garden in all her glory,
10 years ago, Our dream was to turn this bare paddock into our garden of eden, and like every gardener, it's still not there yet. But as I look around and see the tall manor gums soaring to the sky, Joey building makeshift cubbies in the hedges, Jim catching frogs and lizards, the orchard bursting with fruit and baby blue wrens in the lavender.

I realise how lucky we really are, to see with my very own eyes, what I had dreamed for, for my children.

The party dress

2009-11-29T00:36:00.000-08:00

Besides, socks, jocks and shoes, I've never bought clothes for my children, I've either being given hand-me-downs or it's the clothes I've made for them, I feel really good about that fact.
But for a bit of indulgents, I figure every girl, whatever age, should have one good dress just for party's, whenever the occasion arises.

This is Alice's party dress, beautiful pink dupioni silk complete with angels wings.

I smocked the yoke, bishop style, it is, perhaps, my favourite syle of smocking, dainty glass beads and silk leaves, vines and knots compliment the smocking.

Yes, Alice really does believe she can fly.

The birthday cake

2009-11-22T04:38:00.000-08:00

What is with boy's and hammers?

When I asked Jim what cake he would like, straight away he said a soccer cake mum, one that I can smash and it's full of lollies.

This is the third time I've made this sort of cake, I wonder who will ask for it next year?

It better not be Alice!

Jim's Birthday Party

2009-11-22T05:13:00.000-08:00

This year Jim decided he wanted a fishing birthday party, I tried my darnest to talk him out of it, I was so not ready to give up the birthday party at home thingy.

Well he was, he said 'I don't want girls at my party and I don't want to get dressed up', this comming from my boy who's best friend in prep and grade one was a girl, a gorgeous girl too boot, I'm picking her as my future daughter-in-law, I think arranged marriages are not such a bad idea,( no I haven't had too much to drink!) I mean, you know, DNA is important, and I'm thinking about my future grandchildren.

Okay, I better stop, or my free thinking Steiner friends will tie me up.

So we went to Tuki trout farm, with 9 of his friends, and it was fun.

Secretly, I'll admit that it was nice not having to stay up half the night before, making costumes and party food.
We had a bbq for lunch and the chicken schnitzel burgers went down a treat.

And for a lolly bag?
The boy's got to take their 'catch' home for tea, they were grinning from ear to ear, all that hunter/gatherer stuff , you know.

True happiness is in giving

2009-11-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

Joseph's beautiful basket.
His prep teacher Jacinta is leaving, so he wanted to give this to her, which crushed me, because I wanted to keep it, who knows when he'll do another one!
Well I guess I should focus on the positive, and be gratful that I have generous children.

The tulips have been and gone now, I planted them the year Alice was born, The packet said colourful mix. About a week before Alice was due the first tulip pop out it's head, and it was pink, and I wondered then, wondered if that was a sign.

This reminds me that a need to post two more birthdays partys, they are well over but if I don't post them, well, you'll think I'm playing favourites.

Basket weaving

2009-11-12T03:31:00.000-08:00

I'm sure the troubles of the world could solved by following this recipe:

Gather a group of like-minded woman, with the purpose of crafting together,

share a lovely morning tea together,

order a day of sunshine, and let the children run outside...free....

I know I felt good feelings.

This little one, decided that he wanted to make a basket too, and so resisted the urge to run with the other children and sat and weaved and watched and listened, for the whole day.

I'll show you his basket tomorrow.

Paradise

2009-11-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

We had lunch at Paradise Falls, the children all filled their water bottles with fresh mountain water, this walk is great with little ones, there are ten crossings over the stream usually stepping stones sometimes logs (argh!) .

There's a sense of accomplishment for the children, everytime we cross the stream, their faces glowing.

Skimming stones

If I could live anywhere it would be on Paradise road, Appollo Bay.
5minutes to the sea, 5mins to the mountains, and this stream running through your property.

Where is your dream place to live?

View from up here

2009-11-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

Glorious Mountain Ash.

Babe

2009-11-08T05:07:00.000-08:00

Now that's one big pig!
The children spied this pig in a backyard on our way to the Otway's

Jim trying his hand at catching fish.

Spring

2009-10-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful spring it has been so far, rain, glorious rain every few days, it feels like the wettest spring for a long time.

Everyone say's that plants are more drought tolerant than you might think, and they would be right, but I can tell you when it rains day after day and the ground soaks it up, and the dams and water tanks are overflowing, the plants, I tell you, are jumping out of the ground, my roses have never look that lush before, the foliage as you look around, is so alive and to breathe in that sweet sweet air.

Oh how we love spring.

My vegetable patch is overflowing with our winter crop, all sorts of lettuce, spring onions, cauliflowers, spinach, silverbeet, cabbage, garlic,brocolli, broad beans.
Tonight we made brocolli soup, I think I cooked up ten heads!
extra went into the freezer.

Heading to the beautiful Otways for the weekend to do some much needed tree hugging.
Have a wonderful weekendxx

Good weather for dyeing

2009-10-25T01:37:00.000-07:00

I'm making a indoor cubby for Joseph's prep class at school.

My intention is to hem and gather the top onto a wooden ring, very free flowing looking!.

In prep at our school (steiner) the prep year so very magical, their play really takes on a different role compared to kinder.

I still fondly think of Jim's year in prep.

Friendships are built, plane's from upturn tables and chairs are built, dolls are lovingly cared for.

Their day starts with a veil painting 'wet on wet' painting, the children are given one maybe two paints to choose from, I get such a kick out of seeing what they can paint with just one colour, the light and dark of the shade, beautiful.

Then there is circle time, songs, verses, dance happen, usually seasonal.

Then outdoor play

A warm lavender foot bath when the children come in, each child has their own tub, apparently you can tell a lot about the child by their feet, or so say's their teacher.

Sitting down to a blessing of our meal then a cooked morning tea, rice pudding or apple crumble.

Then indoor play

Story time, usually a fairytale by Grimm's brother's. A candle is lit, The story is told not read, and with simple props, The story is retold for three days, and alway with reverence.

indoor play usually with dress-up's and usually about the story they have just heard.

Lunch time, the children bring their own lunch which is placed on a plate and they sit around a table.

Play outside.

Craft, at the moment they are making god's eyes

Rest time, the teacher is a world renowned Harpist, so they get to rest to beautiful music playing.

Hometime.

This is our cubby in our playroom.

Now for a bit of a laugh, these are the pants I made today, for me, the pattern said that I'll be good to go in a couple of hours, I wonder where they had in mind? I'm thinking the circus!

So clearly it will take a week to fix them, I'll keep you posted:)

Birthday Boy

2009-10-06T04:56:00.000-07:00

Ahh, my sweet baby boy is four, he wishes that he was as big as his brothers, I wish he was just a newborn again.

He is our 'pocket rocket', I know, it looks like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

When Flynn was born, like all babies he cried, the walls shook and my quietly spoken husband just looked at me, what did I care, I was in love, and I guess you see what you want to see or hear. Sometimes I worry, like when he is at school, he'll alway's be in trouble because it will be his voice that you will hear first.

Flynn is our comedian, laugh, he can make anyone laugh, He has such a fun, open way.

Thankyou Flynn for choosing us to be your family,
thankyou for the roses everyday,
thankyou for being you, my heart bursts with love for you.
Happy 'birth' day Flynn.

When I have said my evening prayer,
and folded my clothes upon the chair,
and mother switches off the light,
I'll still be 3 years old tonight,
but by the very breack of day,
before the children rise and play,
before the greeness turns to gold,
I'll be four years old today,
four kisses when I wake,
four candles on my cake.

mama xxx

birthday second part

2009-10-06T02:33:00.000-07:00

The story was Flynn's favourite, Three billy goats gruff.

He absolutely love's the end bit;

Sniff, snap, snout,

this tales told out.

Flynn wanted the same cake as he had last year, a hard hat that he get's to crack with a hammer, and lollies spill out everwhere.

Flynn's Fourth Birthday

2009-10-06T03:13:00.000-07:00

Flynn's Birthday theme was "come dressed as your favourite animal", there were frogs, dingo's crocodiles, rabbits and of course Flynn went as "Steve Irwin" our beloved crocodile hunter(saver).

Auntie Col, made this wonderful lion's dress-up, mane is to be added.

Dan led the way with song's, five fat sausages, Hokey pokey, farmer in the dell and more,

Lunch

A Day Out

2009-09-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Sovereign Hill, right here in our town, is a leading tourist attraction. It depicts the Gold rush era of this area in 1851. We are reading The Night We Made the Flag at the moment, it is a beautiful, beautiful book.

Over winter they try to turn it into a winter wonderland, This is Sovereign Hill's idea of snow, foaming bubbles! It's a laugh.

The boys dressed up, they are reinacting the convicts aboard the ship from England.

Sweet Alice ready for the voyage.

We come here often as we have a yearly pass, it's fun for the children, they get to make candles, ride the clydedales and or course pan for gold- it's very addictive, you can almost feel the gold fever comming on!

February lady cardi

2009-09-07T02:48:00.000-07:00

Well I've finally finished what's been on my needles since march.

Everytime I visit 'A friend to knit with' in blog world, she has a new jumper knitted every week, I swear EVERY WEEK.

Can you tell I'm jealous?

So this pattern is February Lady
I knitted it in 5ply alpaca yarn, it's beautifully soft and light perfect for the weather we're having right now.

And in case your wondering, I am going to knit a pint size one for my little girl......I just can't help myself!

Fathers Day

2009-09-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day Dan,
Thankyou for still smiling when I didn't wake up till 9.00am this morning.
Thankyou for not expecting breakfast in bed (that was the plan).
Thankyou for letting Alice eat most of your fish tonight. Next time I will order her own plate of food.
You were born to be a Dad, and everyday, everyday I am grateful that you are beside me, on this journey, because you are the strength of this family, and I couldn't do it without you.

Spring has sprung

2009-09-01T03:05:00.000-07:00

The first of the lambs, born the day before, doesn't he look healthy

This clever Mama had twins!. Jim got to come and watch one of the sheep giving birth, His words were 'wow".

Oxtail Soup with basil pesto. This is my favourite winter soup, don't be put off by the name, it really is delicous.
1.5 kg ox tail
2 leek
4 rasher bacon
2 carrots
2 parsnip
2 potato
beef stock.
2 celery sticks
brown the oxtail peices, set aside.
saute the leek and bacon together and the veges all chopped finely, add oxtails back to the pan. add enough stock to cover, simmer for 2 hours till meat falls off the bone.
remove the ox tails and pull the meat from the bones add back to pan, add some parsley.
pesto:
small buch of basil
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/4 olive oil (I think, maybe more)
3 garlic
1/4 parmason cheese
whizz together in food processor
swirl a dollop through the soup when serving.
The pesto is a must, it really lifts the soup adding zing to a slow cooked soup.
ENJOY

Clothes for the first born

2009-08-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

Well I can't believe I'm admitting this.....I own a knitting machine. There I said it.
It was my Mum's, I used to give her such a hard time about using it, I'd sit there handknitting ( my barbies had the most amazing wardrobe) in my Holier than thou voice, and say "I just doesn't look or feel right, it's cheating mum".
Well, I was wrong, 10year olds don't know everything.
I can knit a jumper like this in about an hour on the machine, come to think of it, Jim knitted most of it.
It takes longer to sew it together:)
My dear friend Sue, colour combination extraordinare over at Hawthorne Cottage dyed it for me.
The wool is a new wool from CSIRO, called optim wool, so it's soft merino wool that they somehow stretch so it behaves more like longwool, which makes it have a beautiful lustre, so the best of both worlds, lustre and softness, no prickle factor at all.

I love these pants, how long do you think I can keep Jim in plaid?
The pattern is in this years Ottobre for kids.
I've got some lovely wool denim fabric, I might do another pair.

The other side of Miss Alice

2009-05-06T03:43:00.000-07:00

All my friends know that I love to cook, and I have always encouraged the children to help, every day whether baking a cake or chopping vegges for tea, there is always a child helping me.

This child, is, by far the messiest, even by my standards. I cringe at the thought of cooking with her and contemplate cooking when she is having her lunchtime nap...... but I don't, ultimately I know how important the sense of touch, taste and smell are to a child. Squishing the cake batter through the hands, I know, is important, but it's hard sometimes, and I nearly take the easy way out.

Luckily cakes are cooked at 200 degrees!

Holiday

2009-06-26T02:56:00.000-07:00

Far North Queensland is so beautiful, plants are so lush and green and there is an abundant of birds and animals.

This beach, Ellis beach, is the beach we visited every morning, the water was a tropical 24c, just like a bath.

Alice was unsure to begin with.

This little mountain stream met the sea, the children had so much fun here, damming the stream, trying to catch fish and tadpoles,
everyday was around 27c.

It felt like we had the beach to ourselves, so very peaceful and spoilt.

We really are the land of the Sun and the Sea.

Holidays

2009-06-26T03:09:00.000-07:00

Breakfast with the birds.

Mossman Gorge, popular place with the locals to swim as the mountain water is too cold for the crocodiles.

Mango smoothie to share.
A very important first lesson to learn when there is four of them.

Holidays

2009-06-26T03:16:00.000-07:00

Train ride up in the mountains.

Gondala ride, over the trees back.

Holidays

2009-06-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

The highlight was the Aboriginal Cultural Park, the children got to play the didgeridoo, do paintings on boomerangs, throw spears and boomerangs.

We enjoyed their dance and song and learning about their way of life.

They truly are an amazing race.