Thursday 28 November 2013

A Return to Civilisation


Our first trip out of the red dirt of the North, and back to the big city lights. Our first in almost six months. My husband will be on a work course for the whole of next week, and we're tagging along. Leaving myself and the girls, free to roam and explore. By that I mean shop. Catch up with old friends that I've missed dearly. Enjoy the sites of green luscious parks. Playgrounds on the riverside. Good cafes. Sushi. My favourite pattiserie. The David Jones foodhall. The Christmas trees and lights in all the department stores. Bookshops. I could go on.

Packing for the non red dirt world, heralds quite a few things. It means, the bringing out of all your white clothes, your good clothes, your cooler climate clothes and your non-pilbarised shoes. For me, that means leaving the one pair of thongs that I have been willing and able to bring myself to sacrifice to the elements up here. And I'll leave them behind gladly. I'm sick of wearing them on a day to day basis. There are a couple of other pairs of sandals that I have worn up here at times. But only when the occasion has involved nothing more than a fast dash from airconditioned house to airconditioned car, into airconditioned  house or shopping venue (of which there are few).

While my shoes aren't necessarily expensive, or that fancy, they are all shoes that I really like. A collection I've added to slowly over time, as I'm just not a big shoe shopper. I don't want the red dust staining them in the hot months, or the red mud staining them in the cool months. So, it looks like I need to go shopping for shoes while I'm in Perth. One's I'm willing to let get a little dirty, and that are a little more stylish than my ugly shoes.



Yes, we will be leaving these grubby dirt stained shoes behind at home. If they look a little red here, sitting on red stained concrete, then they certainly will once we arrive back on city soil.

Best get packing!

Wednesday 27 November 2013

The Winner of our Handmade Christmas Stockings

Well the winner is.......Indeah Taylor. Congratulations!!!

Please contact me by email at cfdacosta9@gmail.com, or through my facebook, to let me know the two names that you'd like personalised on the stockings, as well as your postal address.

Thankyou to everyone for entering. And remember, if you are still interested in owning one of these stockings, that they can be purchased by contacting Love Roy and requesting a custom order.

 
 
Here are your stockings Indeah, waiting for their personalised cuff to be stitched on.
Hope you enjoy and love them, as much as we do ours x

Snake Season

 
 

The spade. Now a permanent fixture in our backyard. And not for digging. If you're of a Buddhist persuasion, you should maybe stop reading now.

Our backyard, has turned into a bit of worry war zone for me. The increasing heat, has also brought with it, the higher risk of Snakes and seemingly other insects. Within the week, we have had two baby snakes slither around our yard and then exit under our fence, one of which was "caught" by our next door neighbour. Several red back spiders have been squashed, and two gigantic wasps that like to sit around our backdoor have continued to attempt to enter the house everytime we open the door.

It really feels like a jungle out there.

I'm left feeling a little bit out of my depth. And reluctant to go outside. It's just not a relaxing place anymore. Instead I feel on guard all the time. Glancing over every nook and possible cranny where a snake or spider could have found a place, before I let the girls go near there. It's just not fun. I keep the spade nearby me as wander I through the yard. There are just as many venomous as non-venomous snakes in this part. All quite similar looking. Any snake, to cross our path, and not move away from us very quickly, will be treated as venomous. And the foam cricket bat. Well that is kept next to the back door for the wasps, which have currently still evaded my heavy handed swipes at them (I've tried spraying them, but nothing seems to kill these two).

Over the weekend, we did another backyard clean up. Removed any food source or crumb that could attract. Or water source. A clean up and tidy of all spots where something could be hiding. Though still no discovery of the elusive wasps nest.

I realise, that worrying over such things is practically futile. There are going to be snakes and insects everywhere, closer than I will ever probably realise, or want to realise in these parts, and that most hopefully won't bother us. But it's the possibility of all that could go wrong, that continues to unsettle me. Especially since the idea of being so close to and having to possibly kill something like a snake (and be close enough to do so), leaves me feeling a little nervous.

Have you seen or killed a snake yourself?
Used a spade to do it?!!

Monday 25 November 2013

Imaginary Play

There is nothing more delightful, than listening to your child talk and play out their imagination. And there has been a lot of that this week, as it's just too hot to go outside. Quiet natterings and conversations to farm animals, little dolls, big dolls and Peppa pigs.

Dolls have been read stories to, and then tucked into bed. They've said their goodbyes as they drove off in Grandpa Pig's miniature locomotive to the shops and the cafĂ©. Mummy animals have been reunited with their baby animals, and copious cups of tea have been served to all. Sounds almost like my life really. Minus the miniature locomotive.

Listening to my eldest talk, and reenact our daily life through her play, has really made me aware of just how much the girls take in, of everything we say and do. Soon she'll be counting to 3 in a firm, last ditch effort type voice, after having asked her dolls a few too many times, to please go to the toilet and then put on your shoes so we can leave NOW.

 


 
 
 

Sunday 24 November 2013

Happy Sunny Sunflower Sunday

There is something about this sunny flower. They have lit up the small corner of our backyard, that previously, we hadn't even noticed. And brought with it, a new first word for Miss J, "flower". While I am starting to wilt in the daily 40 degree temperatures, our sunflowers, and vegetable garden in general, are continuing to grow and thrive in this environment.

So, before Miss J removes as many petals as she can reach, with her little, inquisitive fingers, some photos, to appreciate them by, in all their sunny glory.








Thursday 21 November 2013

A Handmade Christmas Giveaway { Closed }

It's funny how the older you get, the more appealing handmade things become to you. I remember childhoods of asking Mum to buy us tomato sauce, biscuits, bread and cakes from the supermarket. All the packet foods were way more appealing than all of our homemade stuff. And nobody ever wanted to swap recess with me at school. But, looking back, I realise how lucky I was, in so many ways, to have that diet while growing up.

Now, I love all the homemade things. Food, jams, sauces, craft. Watch out church markets and the old ladies in the back selling all their best recipes. I will make a beeline for your stall and buy up big. But now that I have my own children, I truly appreciate the value and importance of homemade things. Especially, for family occasions such as Christmas.

Growing up, both my Mum and Nanna sewed, cross-stitched, quilted. And in the process, created many special items throughout our childhood, that are still just as special, and still used today. Our Christmas stockings being one of them. All handmade, and hung by the fire every year. Whether we're at home for Christmas or not. First filled with lollies, small toys and gold chocolate coins when we were younger. Then as we were that bit older, filled with a small envelope containing a little bit of money. 

Nowadays, with the big department stores selling items for $4 and other ridiculously low prices, it's easy to go overboard with all things Christmas. You could have a different stocking or Santa bag every year if you wanted. And you might just need to, as low prices tend to come hand in hand with poor quality. But I can't help but wonder, where's the family tradition and sentimentality in that. While my stocking might be a little daggy in comparison to some of the new styles selling now, it is more special to me, then anything I could replace it with.

This year, my daughters, were lucky enough to be gifted a beautiful Christmas stocking each. From a lovely friend of mine at Love Roy. Handmade and personalised, just for them. To celebrate the start of all things Christmas, she has kindly made me two more to offer as a giveaway today.




Made with the same material as the stockings above, but personalised with your own choice of names. Each stocking is worth $40.

To enter, you can either 
1 } comment here on my blog, or,
2 } like my page on Facebook and also comment below the image, so that I know you have entered.
3 } Or do both, and double your chances at winning.
The winner to be drawn on the evening of Wednesday 27th November.

If you live outside of Australia, I'm more than happy to still post to you. And if you are unlucky enough not to win, but are still interested in owning one, than you can ask very nicely here. The stockings are made to order at this stage only, due to the time, effort and material involved.

Good luck!


Monday 18 November 2013

The Best-friend


This little face.

Such her own little person now. With every step, she strives to be more independent. She talks more. Starts conversations with others outside of her family, introducing her sister to anybody who stops to talk to us, "hello, this is baby J."

But, with every big girl step, comes the little girl. The increased emotions and needs. For more cuddles and reassurances. A reminder to us. That no matter how big a girl she seems now, that inside she is still a little girl. That needs the snuggles. All our love. And as much patience as we can muster as she grows and matures into the person that she will become.

For the first time, Miss A has found herself a friend. A self elected "best-friend" (her words). Someone who she talks of often. Wants to visit. Have play dates with. Be liked by. As a parent, it has been an interesting experience to watch. This entry into a social world of girls, that I'm just not familiar with.

There is a two year age gap between Miss A and her best-friend. What would seem like a small age gap, has often felt like such a large age gap on the odd occasions that they have seen one another. That has made me slightly wary and nervous at times. The differences in play, of language, of independence and understanding.

Today, the social differences felt too large a gap. So large, that we left a social catch-up with a group of friends early. What started as two girls playing happily together for over an hour, quickly changed when another girl arrived. Turning in to a situation where Miss A was tossed aside with a "I don't want to play with you anymore, I want to play with my real friend." Followed by a "Is your name ....?", when Miss A tried to follow them. To which she responded, "no, my name is......" The innocence of her response, upset me. It pained me to watch this rather brutal first encounter with a social clique, that she wasn't welcome in. I could see, that she was hurt, but that she couldn't quite understand why. She just wanted to play with them. For her, it was just that simple.

This is the first situation, where we have decided to step in. And pause a friendship. And hopefully attempt to wean Miss A from her, at least for a little while . The positives, while definetly there, seem to be outweighed by the negatives at this stage. My fear, that she will take such rejection personally, be too young to understand such emotions and situations, think that this is normal treatment from a friend to be spoken too in such a way, or even, start behaving and treating others like it herself.

To me, it was confirmed when she quietly told me, as I tucked her into bed, that her friend "had upset her today". Hearing this, from my nearly three year old, broke my heart. Too young, too innocent, to be able to understand or deal with such emotions.

I know, that I can't shield her forever, from less than ideal social encounters or friends, that she might meet. And I certainly don't want to be the sort of moddy coddling type Mother, who can't let their children make their own mistakes, friends or choices.

The decision that we've come to as parents. That Miss A isn't ready for this kind of more grown up friendship, and nor are we prepared for it. All children, behave and say the wrong thing at times, we're not denying that. Our girls do too. But I don't think it will hurt, to return to the more innocent play of playgroup, and children her own age for now.

Have you ever felt like you needed to involve yourself in any of your children's friendships?
and put a stop to it in anyway?
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