:: The Everyday Mum ::

Dining room project - COMPLETE!

2012-01-29T16:39:00.000+10:00

There's really nothing like acting on a bit of 'spur of the moment' inspiration, is there? On Friday we had a light bulb moment regarding our tired looking dining room. My favourite magazine is Real Living, and one page in the latest edition got us thinking. Before we changed our minds we were straight up to Masters to get what we needed.

This was our blank canvas -

Red was to be the feature colour. Big, bold, sassy red! We also decided that one wall would be a black board - part children's entertainment centre, and part adult reminder centre. It was raining outside (again!) so it was the perfect day to pull out all stops and create something flashy to brighten everything up. We started by cleaning the walls down with sugar soap, and then cut in around the edges with the paint. We then added the blackboard paint on our chosen wall.

We had lots of little hands wanting to help, so we had to barricade the area with stools and chairs, although we did let Jai have a turn with the roller. One roll up and down and he was satisfied!

It took us two full days to finish the project but it was so much fun watching it all come together. It cost us just a little over $100 to transform the space and we love it to bits. We finished the blackboard off with some faux timber skirting boards, and we re-arranged our family photos on the opposite wall.

What do you think of it? As for us, well, we can't stop looking at it. In fact, we may just move the lounge suite in there tonight and watch the wall instead of the TV!

Next up (aside from the still on-going garden project!), is the restoration of a piece kitchen hutch into an awesome shelf. Renovation projects galore in this house!

Betty Crocker eat your heart out!

2012-01-28T18:40:00.000+10:00

My daughter is obsessed with cake decorating. She watches YouTube videos constantly and has taught me what an offset spatula is, what a crumb coating is, and that icing is really called 'frosting'!

This one is her favourite -

I swear she has watched this one a hundred times! And she's asked me just as many times if she can make her own. So I indulged her today and we made one. I had to admit defeat when it came to making a princess cake, so I bought a chocolate fudge cake packet mix, raided the chook pen for eggs and while the rain poured down outside, we baked.

Seeing as though she couldn't make a princess, she decided that the cake absolutely had to have chocolate 'frosting', and that it would be covered in pink flowers and butterflies.

This is the end result. Frosted and decorated all by my own little pâtissier.

Yes, I know there are no flowers and butterflies. Girls are allowed to change their minds, you know! It's our prerogative. And whoever said that having older brothers won't make a tomboy out of a girl is lying!

On the mountain

2012-01-22T21:03:00.000+10:00

My man and I just spent a gorgeous weekend at Binna Burra. It was the weekend we've been craving for a long time, and it was just what the doctor ordered. We arrived late on Friday afternoon, but with still enough light to set up the tent. We felt a bit like hillbillies with our set up - a 15 year old tent, no gas stove, no blow up mattress and our outdoor coffee table from home! But we had everything we needed for two nights, and we were child-free!

Binna Burra is a perfect campsite. Lovely clean facilities, including washing machines and dryers if needed, and such a pretty setting in the rainforest. On our first night, our neighbours camp was invaded by a possum right after they'd finished cooking. Cheeky little thing!

We slept cosy in our itty-bitty tent and woke up to a brisk morning. We decided to walk to Kweebani Cave, which has been naturally formed by wind and rain over thousands of years. The Yugambeh people used the cave to shelter in during stormy, rainy weather. We met a lovely German couple there, who stopped for a chat and a Tim Tam. It's a great walk and is the perfect for little legs. We plan on taking the kids back there one day soon.

The Yugambeh tribe lived on the Gold Coast and it's surrounds, for thousands of years and their ancestors are still here today. I know some of them, and it's an honour to be able to walk a path that has been trodden by so many before us.

We chilled out at the lodge for a little bit after our walk, and on the way back to the camp site, David spotted a koala in a gum tree. Can you believe it's the first time I've ever seen a koala in the wild? I think I was more excited than my resident tourist!

For dinner, we had steak cooked over the camp fire coals. While we watched our neighbours heat their canned dinners on propane burners, we feasted on rump and vegies and it was delicious! It took longer to prepare than to eat, but it was worth every mouthful.

Aside from the crows waking us at 5am, we slept soundly again, soothed by the sound of the wind whooshing through the tops of the trees. There's something really special about sleeping outside, even if covered by canvas. It's soothing to listen to the sounds Mother Nature provides, and the peace of being under a rainforest canopy is like none other. It's medicine for the soul, and it's something we plan on doing over and over again. We may even splurge and get ourselves a new tent one of these days. For now though, we are more than content with what we have.

Facebook

2012-01-17T14:13:00.000+10:00

I've done it - finally. I've set up a Facebook page for The Everyday Mum. I'll be sharing each of my posts from this blog, and also My Year of Living Gratefully. I'll be sharing articles that inspire me, pictures that make go 'aaaahhh', stories that touch me, and anything else I think you'll all enjoy.

Come on over and click 'LIKE'! I'd love to have you join me.

Felted Play Mats

2012-01-16T20:33:00.003+10:00

My friend Amber has a blog to be envious of. It's called MamaMoontime, and it's wonderful! It's full of fantastic ideas for play, parenting and craft and it's always inspiring.

Amber has just released her first ever e-book. How exciting! This e-book is a tutorial on how to make felted play-mats. I've made a few of these over the years, thanks to Amber's guidance, and they are still played with even now. Here is a picture of the pirate treasure map that I made for my son. He loves to roll it up, tie it with ribbon and stick it in his belt. Every so often he pull is out, refers to it's instructions and continues on with his adventure.

It didn't take me long to make at all, and comes complete with waves in the ocean, a compass showing all the directions, and of course, X marks the spot. I added a little pocket under the X which he uses to store his gold bounty.

Felted mats are simple and durable. They offer so many open ended play opportunities and require no more than a few hours of your time. They make perfect gifts too!

If you're interested in making one for yourself, take a look at Amber's e-book. You can find the details here on her blog. Tell her I sent you!

Apple, Date and Pecan Tea Bread

2012-01-15T14:15:00.000+10:00

Those that follow my Year of Living Gratefully, would know that I promised to share this recipe. It's raining today and I don't feel like doing anything but writing. Perfect time to blog, huh?

So here it is -

300 g organic plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
125g organic raw sugar
1 green apple cored and sliced
150g pitted dates, chopped
100g pecans, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
60ml olive oil
60ml organic honey
1 tsp vanilla essence

* Don't let the 'organic' put you off making this! I prefer organic where possible, but I'm sure it would taste just as good with non-organic produce.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius and lightly grease a 22cm x 11cm loaf tin. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl and add the sugar. Fold the apple, dates and pecans into the dry ingredients. Combine the eggs, olive oil, honey and vanilla, and slowly stir into the dry ingredients. Place the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until cooked. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled, spread thickly with butter - yum! - and eat.

Paw Paw's Proud Pickin's

2012-01-07T11:14:00.000+10:00

This is my sweetheart's Grand-daddy.

He has the BEST vegetable patch I have ever seen! Take a look at the size of those cauliflowers and turnips!

Aside from giant cauliflowers and turnips, he grows just about anything you can think of - eggplant, okra, tomato, snap beans, carrots, potatoes, corn, onions and plenty more. It's winter there now, but this is what it looked like in spring. Isn't it pretty? There is another patch a little smaller than this one too. They grow everything they need, and any extras are snap frozen or preserved for use later on. I'd love to have the space, the time and the skill to grow them the way Paw Paw does. One day...

A herd of deer live on the property too. Paw Paw feeds them every afternoon. He calls them, sprinkles their corn on the ground and waits. They soon come, wandering out of the woods to nibble up their dinner. It's one of Maw Maw and Paw Paw's favourite times of day as they sit and watch them from a distance - skittish little creatures that deer are! I managed this picture of them through the window of the trailer right before I had a stare off with a large doe, who stomped her hoof at me as though challenging me to come closer.

Paw Paw, Maw Maw, and my parents-in-law to be, opened their home and their hearts to me when I was there, and they made me feel so much a part of their beautiful family. I experienced true Southern hospitality! It's always sad to leave, and I know my sweetheart really misses his family. These days though, we are blessed with such incredible technology, and the ten thousand miles between us seems so much smaller. With Skype and Facebook we are never more than a phone call or instant message away from them!

The Mirror

2012-01-06T19:50:00.000+10:00

My daughter and I decorated this mirror together the other day. The boys wanted to help too, but they weren't allowed. When they asked, my daughter, unprompted, piped up with, "they're not Goddesses like us, Mummy". Apparently decorating mirrors is women's work.

It's no coincidence she said that though. The mirror has long been associated with the Goddess. Particularly Aphrodite. She was almost always depicted with a mirror in her hand. It was her tool. Her truth-teller. Over the years though, her words were mistaken for vanity, and the mirror became the woman's enemy. Is it any wonder eating disorders are rife among young women these days, when they can't look in the mirror and love and accept themselves for who they truly are? When we are constantly bombarded by pictures of what we 'should' look like, it's very hard to look in the mirror and feel that it's being honest with you. We want to believe that what we are seeing is beautiful, but we're just not sure any more.

I've become better friends with my mirror lately though. We still have our off days when I just can't believe what I see -the lines, the marks and the bags are just way too obvious. Then there are the days when I don't get such a fright. I like the youthfulness I still see in my face. I look fresh. Thankfully the good days are starting to outnumber the not so good days! I feel like I'm really starting to see myself from the inside out. It's a great feeling to look in the mirror and know that you are seeing yourself from your heart-space. To me it comes from really looking in my own eyes. Not at the stray eyebrows that need plucking, or the smudged mascara, but right into them. It's meditative.

We're going to be best friends again soon, my mirror and I. I'm starting to really believe her.

On the eve of a new year...

2011-12-31T13:38:00.001+10:00

I've been thinking lately about the last twelve months, and the changes my life has seen. Some were unexpected and others were long awaited. Mostly though these changes have brought about a new perspective and a longing for simplicity - again.

Today I bought a cork board. It's going to become my 2012 vision board and on it, I plan to pin pictures, articles, ideas, motivations.... anything really. Anything that will help me stick to my plan and stay focused to achieve what I want to achieve!

This year I am going to return back to basics again. I kind of veered off that roundabout a little this year with so much going on in my personal life, but now that that part has stabilised to some extent, it's time to simplify. I want to avoid purchasing unnecessary items (money is still very tight), and I want to return to my goal of hand-making as many gifts as I can in my limited free time. I'm starting soon to prepare for next Christmas! I want to cook from scratch as much as possible, and along with that, I am going to avoid too many packaged food products. I've been a bit slack with this! Nothing I have set for myself is difficult, but it is going to take a bit of time to re-integrate these ideas back into my daily routine. Bit by bit though, I say...

Our family goal is to be able to afford to spend Christmas and New Year in Louisiana in 2012. I'm sure we'll get there if we can all stick to our guns. The kids are on board, my sweet man has said he'll do what he can, and I'm ready and rearing to go!

Stay tuned for our progress... oh, and if anyone has any suggestions for blogs or websites that might help me in my planning (food preparation, shopping ideas, handmade gifts etc), then please shoot them my way!

Some days are hard...

2011-12-27T15:24:00.004+10:00

Really hard. So hard that I can't even talk about them. To anyone. Other days are not so bad. I get by and I get on. Some days are wonderful and I thank the universe that I live the life that I live. It's on those days that I'm grateful for everything and everyone who is a part of my existence.

Today is one of those not so good days. The kind that makes you want to retreat and hide from everything. The kind that makes you wonder how you'll get through until tomorrow. The kind that you really just want to forget about.

I remind myself though that it takes the bad to be able to appreciate the good, and that eventually I will be able to lay my head down and wake up to a new day. And who knows what tomorrow will want to share with me?

It might just be the best day of my life.

How the Big W Grinch stole Christmas...

2011-12-20T18:54:00.001+10:00

Visit here to express your opinion!

I'm a single, working mother. The idea of ordering my children's Christmas presents online and paying them off over a period of time, was extremely appealing. I could budget and I could rest assured that Christmas was going to be relatively sorted.

I ordered in July and dutifully paid off my lay-buy every fortnight, making my final payment on the 28 October as was required. Delivery was supposed to be completed by the 16th of December. I went online last week to check the progress of my order as I was getting a little worried. It just didn't feel like Christmas without toys hidden all over the house! On the Big W online tracker, it told me that my order had been sitting in a warehouse in Brisbane since the 1st of December - 11 days! I called Big W to query this and was told that my tracking number was incorrect, and that I would receive a call within 24hrs advising me of the correct number. 48hrs later, I still hadn't received a call, so I called again. This time, I was told that the tracking number was indeed correct, but they were unable to assist me. I was given the number of the courier company, but this number was wrong! I had to call back. Again. I finally got the number and got through to a lovely lady who advised that the order was indeed in the warehouse and she would call me back within 24hrs to advise me of the status of my order. 24hrs later and still no call. I called again. I spoke to another helpful girl who told me that in fact, the order was now with their local shipping company and she would call me back within 24hrs to advise of a delivery time.

Can you see the pattern here?

In the meantime, I had sent two emails to Big W, as I refused to spend 2 to 3 hours of my precious time sitting on hold. Neither of those emails were answered, until today when they emailed quoting the wrong order number, and advising me of the delay! Well, duh! I called the delivery company again this morning and they told me that my four items would be 'probably' be delivered on Thursday. My four items? There were twelve items on my order! And 'probably'? What does that mean? Will I get my items, or won't I? Will my children get to have Christmas or not?

In fairness, I did receive a call today from Big W who told me exactly the same thing as the courier company. This was after I sent them another email advising them I had contacted the media. And boy, did I contact the media! Every local radio station, local news stations and A Current Affair! Big W made no offer of compensation, no apology, no offer of a refund or credit voucher, and certainly no guarantee that I would receive my order on Thursday. I'm certainly not the only one experiencing this though. Check out the link underneath the picture above. Some families have had their orders cancelled without their knowledge, and without promise of a refund in time to go shopping again!

I don't know what to do at this point. I can only wait and see what happens on Thursday. I chose this method to avoid the mad Christmas crowds, and who knows if there will be anything decent left on the shelves anyway?? I've been a dedicated Big W and Woolworths shopper for years. I'm not anymore.

I know that Christmas is not really about the presents but the point is that a multi-million dollar company has made empty promises to hundreds of families. People that have done their darndest to try to provide their families with the best Christmas they could, and who now may not have anything under the Christmas tree come Christmas morning.

Shame on you, Big W!

My year of living gratefully

2011-12-04T14:48:00.002+10:00

I've started a new blog. I certainly won't be ignoring this little baby, but I've decided to try something a little different. One picture for everyday. Each picture will be of something that I'm grateful for - be it big or small.

I hope you'll have a look, and I hope you'll be inspired to count your blessings too.

You can find it here - My Year of Living Gratefully

The Fire of Friendship by Paulo Coelho

2011-11-22T13:05:00.003+10:00

“A man called Ali is in need of money and asks his boss to help him out. His boss sets him a challenge: if he can spend all night on the top of a mountain, he will receive a great reward; if he fails, he will have to work for free. When he left the shop, Ali noticed that an icy wind was blowing. He felt afraid and decided to ask his best friend, Aydi, if he thought he was mad to accept the wager.

After considering the matter for a moment, Aydi answered: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll help you. Tomorrow night, when you’re sitting on top of the mountain, look straight ahead. I’ll be on the top of the mountain opposite, where I’ll keep a fire burning all night for you. Look at the fire and think of our friendship; and that will keep you warm. You’ll make it through the night, and afterwards, I’ll ask you for something in return.’”

Ali won the wager, got the money, and went to his friend’s house. ‘You said you wanted some sort of payment in return.’ Aydi said, ‘Yes, but it isn’t money. Promise that if ever a cold wind blows through my life, you will light the fire of friendship for me.’”

- Paulo Coelho

The Vegetable Patch

2011-11-12T15:37:00.009+10:00

What do you do when you have an ugly spot like this in the yard? You make a vegie patch!

After a trip to trusty Bunnings, we came home well equipped and ready to go!

We edged the area and then added cow manure and organic soil. This was the chicken's last foray before they were banned from the area for good!

We planted lettuce, strawberries, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, capsicum, tomatoes, basil, thyme and chives.

The last step was to add some trusty chicken wire to keep those curious chooks out!

Now we can just sit back and watch it grow....

How much fun can you have with $300?

2011-10-30T18:23:00.010+10:00

Heaps!!

So we went and bought ourselves a little old caravan on eBay. For $152.50! We had all sorts of hopes and dreams for her too. You saw the pictures. I was off in Gypsy Land. I go there sometimes, and it's a wonderful place. Freedom... With nowhere particular to go, and no schedules or deadlines. Just a whim. A fancy. I have no doubts I'll end up there for good one day. Just me and my man wandering the countryside, making our own little discoveries.

Not this time though.

We bought the 'old girl' on eBay, with the hopes that she'd be a keeper. A vintage beauty that we could restore, and turn into our own little home on wheels. We bought her one weekend and on the following one, we headed north to check her out. And that's where the fun started.

You see, there's not too many places to stay in Childers. A couple of dodgy little motels is about all I could find online. Wotif.com wasn't really much help either. So I hit up our trusty old search engine, Google, and found a pub to stay in. For $60 we could have a balcony room at The Grand Hotel. Sounded pretty cool to me. I'd never stayed in a pub before, and this one was haunted to boot! There had been several sightings over the years, and then there was the interesting phenomenon of the lightning strikes. Once in October 1997, and again in October 2004.... Would it happen again while we were there? How could we not stay there? It was a given.

We rolled up at about 4pm and paid our nightly board at the bar, and were told it was quite safe to park the car on the street, because 'you know, it's Childers and all'... Our room was on one side of the balcony and on the other, there lived an old man. You could tell he'd been there for a while too. He had his recliner, his radio, his esky (full of Bundy Rum and coke) and his newspapers. He was set, well and truly. We decided to settle in too. We unpacked a little, pulled up a stool and sat on that balcony and watched life in Childers pass us by.

We never did see any ghosts that night though, and even when Mother Nature opened the heavens in one almighty storm in the early hours, we weren't struck by lightning. We did however wake up to grey skies and howling winds, and wondered how we would get the photos we wanted to take of our little retro princess. Especially with no freshly brewed coffee under our belts! We found a bakery, ate a sausage roll and a pastie, had some bad coffee and headed out to Apple Tree Creek, to see our lovely little van.

In the middle of nowhere, we found her. First though, we were greeted by her previous owners who immediately conjured visions of the Soggy Bottom Boys.

We were in Australian red neck country. Well and truly. The van was in the back of the yard and from the outside she was beautiful. All my gypsy visions came rolling in.... On the inside though, she was rotten. Through and through.

The years she'd spent sitting in the pasture hadn't been kind, and it didn't take us long to realise that she wasn't going to make a trip home to the Gold Coast. We chatted to our country friends for a while and after coffee and biscuits, we headed home. Not dejected, but full of enthusiasm.

We were going to put her back on eBay! We were armed with photos and information, and decided that the only thing we could do, was to try and sell her for more than what we'd bought her for. We took our time coming home though, stopping off at Woodgate Beach for a paddle, and some shell collecting. We stopped and bought a tray of mangoes, and we browsed through an antique shop in Gympie. For dinner we ate red emperor and coconut prawns on the banks of the Noosa River, and we drove home through one hell of a thunder storm.

Over the next couple of days we gathered our thoughts, and then armed with a barrage of arsenal, we put the old girl back on eBay. Within hours we had 15 watchers, and our first bid came in on the second day. Just before the auction ended, we had 79 watchers! We sold our little van for $305, and literally doubled our money.

Our little risk paid for our weekend, and gave us memories that will last us a lifetime. I'm sure some thought we were mad. I guess we are a little, but that's what makes life so worth living. We still don't have our little, longed-for holiday home, but nothing will replace the fun we had on $300!

Controversy

2011-10-08T18:25:00.005+10:00

Don't you just love it?

I love stirring up the pot and getting people to think, to feel and to express. I've had a bit of criticism about my blog recently and despite what people may think, I love it! It means people are reading what I write.

I must admit, I did get a little upset by the mysterious comment from 'anon' a few weeks ago though. I'm all for free speech, and I'm definitely one who endorses freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be a blogger! What did upset me though was the lack of courage that 'anon' displayed. After all, if you have something to say, don't be afraid to say it. More importantly though, don't be afraid to own your words.

If you feel strongly enough about something, then say it. Tell everyone. But screw what they might think! What they think doesn't matter in the slightest. It's true. What matters most is that you've been strong enough and confident enough in yourself to be able to express what is important to you.

Controversy is good. Debate is good. Difference of opinion is good. Being able to express everything that is important to you, AND put your name to it, is even better! Be true to who you are. Don't be afraid to rock the boat. Don't be afraid to create a little bit of upheaval or a bit of controversy. And don't be afraid to be the one that starts it.

To me that's the most exciting part!

Bring it on!

It's that gypsy blood again...

2011-10-08T10:56:00.005+10:00

The gypsy in me has gone and made me buy a caravan. Not just any caravan either. Nope... This little beauty is about four hours north of here, is about 50 years old, and is in dire need of some TLC!

Don't you think she's cute though?

I'm already imagining what we'll be able to do with her. Obviously we need to work out a way to get her home first, but when we do, I think she's going to become a beautiful labour of love. The other half of this little gypsy duo wants to do her up and sell her, but I have a feeling I might become a little attached during her make-over and want to keep her.

I've been scouring vintage caravan websites and my mind is over-flowing with decorating ideas. Do we go retro? Do I try and sneak in a little bit of shabby chic? Do we stick with keeping her original? Or do we go totally modern?

I love this look, but I think Mr Gypsy might find it a bit too girly.

Then again, I love this too. Maybe this might be more his style?

One thing I do know for sure though.... This is going to be fun!!!

The ribbon

2011-09-01T15:16:00.004+10:00

So when you find that other end of your silvery soul ribbon and you've tied them back together, what do do you do when they come undone? Do you leave them, and let those two souls float apart, never to be reunited? Or do you go to the ends of the earth to find that other wispy, lonely ribbon, and tie them back together again?

What would life be like if you left it? If you didn't chase it, and both ribbons were just left floating around, lost and alone. What if others told you to just forget it? That you'll never find it. Would life be the same? Could you feel whole? Could you get through life knowing that one day, just one day, you might find each other again? Maybe this lifetime, maybe not?

And what if you did find it, and tied that knot back together? Tighter this time. Could you ever risk them coming undone again? And what do you do to make sure the knot stays firm?

You have faith. You have hope. And you have love. The greatest of those is love.

It's the only thing that will keep those ribbons tied.

Letter to 'Anon'...

2011-08-26T13:27:00.005+10:00

In response to this comment left on last night's post -

Anon said...

"I am a friend, who offers support and love whenever possible." Glad you included whenever possible, but it should say whenever you could be bothered.

Dear Anon

I said, 'whenever possible', because it isn't always possible to offer the love and support that everyone needs, all the time. Quite often we need to learn to love and support ourselves before we are capable of giving it out. If our own tanks are empty, we have nothing to give. It's as simple as that.

You are obviously someone who I have hurt or disappointed in the past. If this is the case, then I am sorry. You must know me to some extent, but how much of me do you really understand? Do you understand on an intimate level, what pains and heartaches I have been through? Are you aware of the amount of inner strength I've needed to call upon to get through the last 8 months, or even the last 8 days? Sometimes we all need to turn inside and work through the darkness on our own, and sometimes this means that we need to shut others out. Turn our backs on the distractions, and deal with our own demons. Maybe you've misread my indifference to you?

If my blog upsets you, then you have the choice not to read it. I don't always share what I write for the benefit of others. I write it for myself. It's a way for me to clear my mind, put things in perspective, and make sense of the everyday. And it doesn't always make sense!

Like I said in last nights post - I'm not perfect.

I just do the best I can.

Sending you love,

The Everyday Mum

I am amazing!

2011-08-25T19:39:00.003+10:00

I am a mother, who would do anything for her children.

I am a friend, who offers support and love whenever possible.

I am a lover, who gives and receives affection with all my heart and soul.

I am a daughter, who strives to be what my parents dreamed I'd grow up to be.

I am a sister, who will always believe that my brother is capable of anything he puts his mind to.

I am an ex-wife, who credits so much of my growth to a wonderful man.
I am a worker, who tries to achieve what is expected of me.

I am a woman, who has accepted my ‘womanliness’ with everything it deserves.

I am a human being, who treats all others with the respect and dignity they are entitled to.

I'm not perfect. But I am me. And I'm amazing!

Say it to yourself... "I am amazing!"

Feels good, doesn't it?

Star-gazing

2011-08-14T17:34:00.004+10:00

We sit outside on the porch everynight. It's our favourite time of day. We sit on our broken down old couch and light a fire to crackle in front of us . We face north and at a certain time in the evening, a bright star moves her way up over the roof top in front of us. We have watched her move through the sky, and she's been appearing earlier and earlier each night. We always comment when we see her - 'our star'.

Thanks to the magic of the internet and the iPhone, we found out a little more about our star. I used my Pocket Universe app and we tracked the night sky above us, then we googled and found her story. It's beautiful, and her name is Vega.

She is the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra, and will be the North Star in about 12,000 years. Vega was also the first star other than the Sun, to be photographed and the first to have her spectrum recorded. All interesting facts, if you're into astronomy. But I'm not quite so easily pleased. I wanted to know about her mythology. I found several versions, but the one that seemed to draw me in more was her Chinese love story. In this version, Vega is separated from her lover, Altair, and their children, and can only be reunited once a year in mid-summer. On this day each year the magpies build them a bridge, and across this, they meet each other through the Milky Way.

We've ruminated on Vega's story for a while now, and we look forward to seeing her each night and reminding ourselves of the power of destiny. Just the other night though, as we realised our visits from Vega were going to soon end, we noticed another brighter star appearing below her, rising in almost the same place. This star is Deneb. He is the brightest star in the constellation of Cygnus, and he is 60,000 times more luminous than our Sun. More significantly though, Deneb is the star that marks the magpie bridge that allows Vega and Altair to be reunited on that one night a year! The story was coming to life right in front of us.

So tonight, on the eve of my beloved's departure, as we watch the full moon rise in it's golden glory, and await the arrival of Vega and Deneb, we ponder on where he will find them in his part of the sky - 10,000 miles away from here. I know how Vega feels when she is separated from Altair, and I'm getting sad realising that I need to feel that way again for a little while.

I just need to remember his perfect words to me last night...

"Baby, it doesn't matter where we are, we can find each other in the stars".

Foolproof choc chip cookies

2011-08-08T19:30:00.003+10:00

My friend Kelley shared this recipe with me a little while ago and I've since made them 3 or 4 times. It's a winner in this household and makes enough cookies to last almost a week. They're not something you'd choose if you're on a health kick, but at least I know what's in them, and a little bit of butter and sugar isn't going to hurt anyone if eaten in moderation. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway...

Let me share the recipe with you -

Kelley's Choc Chip Cookies

500 grams of butter

1.5 cups of sugar

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

4 cups self raising flour

1 whole packet of choc bits

Cream the butter, sugar and condensed milk together in a large bowl. Fold in the flour cup by cup and then add the choc bits. You'll need to get your hands in toward the end to form a nice cookie dough. Measure out walnut sized balls and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Using a floured fork, press them down lightly. Cook in a 170-180 degree oven for about 12 minutes. My oven is a little unpredictable so I keep an eye on them after 10 minutes so that they don't over cook. You want them a little golden but not too brown. Let them cool a little on the tray before moving them to a rack to cool. Or, if you're like me and can't resist, let them cool enough so you don't burn your fingers, and then sample them while the chocolate is still all melty! This recipe makes about 60 decent sized cookies, and they'll keep in an air-tight container for up to a week - if they last that long!

I Love You

2011-08-04T19:58:00.004+10:00

There's so much that I love.

Right now I love this band.

The Benjy Davis Project.

Check them out -

Ebay gold!

2011-08-02T20:28:00.012+10:00

This is my son. He is holding a rock that he found at school. He was doing something he shouldn't have been doing, in a place that he wasn't supposed to be. Typical. He was pretty pleased with his find though, and came home full of questions.

'What is it, Mum? Could it be fool's gold? Maybe a piece of moon rock? Or do you think it just might be scrap metal?'... We tested it's magnetic capabilities, pondered over it's make-up, and wondered where on earth (or space!) it came from. It certainly looked as though it could be any of those things.

He's a strange and curious soul, this little man, and his lifelong ambition is to be another Bear Grylls. When you ask him what he wants to do when he finishes school, he will tell you that he wants to be an explorer. He dreams of discovery and can't wait until he is 18 and will be 'allowed' to travel the world.

In an effort to keep those dreams of his alive, we decided to do a little experiment and see if he could make some money to start his travel fund. So we put the rock on ebay. People sell all sorts of stuff on there right? Why not a rock?

We watched the auction day and night, and while we all fantasised about it making thousands of dollars, or trading it for a house (remember the Red Paper Clip guy?), realistically we thought it might only reach our starting bid of 99c. Well, the rock sold for $26, and we had one very happy little boy. It was bought by a man in Central Queensland.

This was his eBay feed back -

"thanks item received as pictured good luck exploring to the young fella"

Who knows why he bought it? Maybe he collects moon rocks, or is a metal expert? Or maybe he just wanted to make a little boy's dreams come to life? It really doesn't matter though. What matters is that we did it. We tried something a little bit 'out there', and it worked. At the same time, we also showed our future world explorer, that if you want to succeed at something, you first need to give it a go!

Ever feel like this?

2011-07-30T13:49:00.002+10:00

A little bit of crazy is good for you. It's so liberating!

Is it holy water?

2011-07-29T20:12:00.006+10:00

Has it been blessed by the Pope? Or is it tinged with gold?

It must be, because water now costs more than land. I'm sure I'm not the only one in my city to cry when they received their latest water bill, and I'm sure I'm not the only who, quite simply, cannot afford to pay it.

I received my first water bill six months ago and baulked at the $800 I was told I needed to pay in less than four weeks. But I paid it. On time and in full. I guess I figured they knew what they were doing, and even though it was expensive, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and assumed they'd gotten it right.

This time though, I'm not quite so forgiving. My bill is $1015. You know that feeling you get when you're heart skips a beat and you, just for split second, lose consciousness? Well, that's how I felt when I opened the envelope and saw the amount. Gobsmacked. How could my water bill have gone up $200 when during the peak of the consumption period, we had torrential rain and flooding!? Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, watered their gardens, topped up their tanks, filled up their pools or hosed the driveway for nearly 2 months! Excess water usage? I doubt it. It's just plain ludicrous.

So what is the answer? What do you do when you have a bill that you can't afford, and feel has been unjustly charged? Well, I'm going to fight it. I'm not sure how yet, but I will. Anyone want to join me?

Watch this space...

Your children are not your children...

2011-06-06T05:30:00.010+10:00

Caleb, Jai and Isla.... Lovingly designed by Argnesh of Give Them Wings.

"Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit,
not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth."

~ Excerpt from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

The right place

2011-05-30T16:33:00.010+10:00

I'm right where I'm meant to be.

It might not be perfect. It might not be ideal. But it's exactly where I am supposed to be. And I am ever so grateful.

I was given the opportunity to seal my own fate and forge my own path. So I did. No second guessing, no listening to doubters, no worry for the 'what ifs'. I listened to my gut, trusted that it was right, and let my intuition guide me.

I made a choice that affected not only me, but my children, their father, my family, my lover and his family. Not once though, did I doubt that I was doing the right thing. I certainly had moments of lesser clarity, but they were more than outweighed by the feeling of 'rightness' that I felt through every cell.

If there is such a thing as a 'miracle of love', then I'm in the middle of it.

It surrounds me with such joy and brightness.

I've met a man who has turned his life upside down to be with me, and whose devotion is overwhelming. We found each other and our unexpected connection has tied those silvery soul ribbons back together again. It's simply the most beautiful experience.

I have three beautiful, unique and vibrant children, who despite the change their little lives have undergone, are still blossoming. They are full of love for me, and they are so accepting of what life is offering them now. Their eyes are bright and their hearts are open. I'm so proud to be their mother.

I have an 'ex' husband, who in most people eyes should be devastated and bitter. But he has embraced this change as much as I have and is excitedly moving on with his own new journey. We can, and do, talk openly about everything, and we share our feelings and emotions better than we ever have. For this I am incredibly thankful.

I have a wonderful family who I have thrown into a level of chaos, but who have in their own time, shown me support and love and understanding. It's been tough for them to comprehend my choices, but their concerns are only borne out of love. This is perfectly ok.

In fact, everything is ok. Actually, it's more than ok. It's just wonderful.

I'm right where I'm meant to be.

The curve ball...

2011-04-08T06:01:00.005+10:00

Ever had one of these thrown at you? I have. A big one was lobbed at me about three months ago, and I'm still reeling. Right when you think life is rolling along just fine, the universe decides to rock the boat. Don't you hate that?

I guess you're all wondering where I've been and why I haven't been posting. If I told you everything though, I'd be writing a novel. Or maybe a screen play of Day's of Our Lives proportions. Seriously.

Life has always been kind to me, and I've never been one to wallow. I know that change is good, and things definitely don't happen just by chance as there is always a higher purpose. Sometimes it's hard understanding just what that purpose is, but the finding out certainly makes for interesting times!

When things seemingly come out of nowhere, you have to sit back and take them all in. Embrace them and just roll. So that's what I did. My husband and I have separated. We are still best friends and always will be, but there comes a point sometimes when it's best to move on. It's nobody's fault. It's just one of those things. One of those curve balls again, and while it was something that had been simmering away in the background for a while, neither of us really saw that ball flying through the window.

It's going to take time to adjust to this new life, but I'm ready. I have so much love from friends and family and the support I've been offered has been quite overwhelming at times. I have a wonderful network of people and I want to thank you all. On top of all of this, I've also been blessed with the love of someone special, but that's a whole other episode!

So there you have it... This Everyday Mum might not be so 'everyday' after all!

Points for trying

2011-01-24T18:00:00.003+10:00

Here is my oldest son. His hero is Bear Grylls. He lives and breaths adventure at the moment, and is literally counting down the days until he is 18 and can go and discover the big, wide world. The entire schools holidays were spent pouring over his survival guides, watching Man vs Wild, packing, and re-packing his backpack. He has drawn maps, written lists and planned every adventure down to the last detail. He even made a raft out of old pieces of wood from the yard, and plans to use it to sail to England. Oh yes... he is THAT keen!

This particular night he decided that he was no longer satisfied with sleeping in his tent on the back deck, so he rigged himself up a hammock out of an old bed sheet. He tied the knots, tested them for strength, and kitted himself out with torches, books, pillows and blankets. When night fell, he couldn't wait to get in it and sleep.

We humoured him of course, and made a bid deal out of how clever he was, and how proud of him Bear Grylls would be. He read by torch light for a little and then prepared for sleep. He lasted about 30 minutes. Apparently the mosquitos were bothering him too much. We gave him plenty points for trying though, and off to bed he went to dream of far off places.

A gluten-free experiment

2010-12-06T19:21:00.004+10:00

My new naturopath-enforced diet says that I can't have any bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and obvious sugars. The first four are proving to be ok, but my sweet tooth is starving!

I decided today to make a banana cake that is as close to what I'm allowed to have as possible. I combined a couple of recipes and tweaked it a bit due to ingredient availability. I'll need to use an different loaf tin next time because the one I used today made it a very flat loaf! Taste wise though, it was really, really good! And the kids like it too - WIN/WIN!

Sliced and served with butter, it is going to satisfy my night-time lolly pangs quite well, I think.

Here's the recipe -

Gluten and Sugar Free Banana Loaf

90 grams butter
1/3 cup honey (or sugar, if you'd prefer, but then of course it couldn't be called 'sugar free')
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 large banana
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ¼ cups of gluten free self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup plain yoghurt (I only had a tub of Vaalia French Vanilla, so I used that)
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (I didn't have them, but they would be a great addition)

Beat the butter and honey together until light and fluffy. Add lightly beaten eggs, the peeled, mashed banana and the lemon juice. Fold in dry ingredients and yoghurt. Stir in half the chopped walnuts, mix until smooth. Spoon mixture into greased and greased paper lined 25 cm x 8 cm (10in x 3 in) bar tin, sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Bake in a 180 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Enjoy!

The Grateful List

2010-11-23T20:14:00.003+10:00

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie

There's a lot to be said for gratitude, and it's a virtue that's getting a really good wrap lately. Earlier this year I caught the tail end of a radio interview where the announcers were discussing Oprah's gratitude journal. I filed it away as something to look into later on, but I didn't think of it again until I was playing around on my iPhone and came across a gratitude diary application. Curiously I downloaded it, and quickly got into the habit of listing at least five things I was grateful for each day. It wasn't always easy though. It took me a while to change my mindset from searching for the big things - the 'meaningful' parts of my day. However each evening as I broke down my activities, it became clear that it was the little things that made it memorable. Things like getting all the green lights on the way to work, or the extra hug from my son after I'd already started walking through the school gate. It's those little things that create the big memories. They keep us humble and they open our hearts to receive love.

When we are grateful for something, we instantly change our energy into a positive vibration, and as we increase our acknowledgement of things to be grateful for, we automatically start to see and create more of the same. We experience more happiness, more abundance, more prosperity, more well-being, more love, more joy and everything else you have chosen to be grateful for. It all boils down to something I'm utterly passionate about - The Law of Attraction. What we focus on, expands...

Recently my co-worker decided to post only positive status updates on her Facebook profile, and so begun her daily dose of gratitude. It caught on, and pretty soon her friends - me included - joined in on the act. On the weekend Mandy took it a step further and has now created The Grateful List as a community page on Facebook. Now we have a wondeful place to share gratitude, and to admire and inspire each other.

Gratitude is my heart's response to something that has moved me, and the act of being grateful has now become an intentional ritual in my life. It has transformed the way I live, the way I think, and the way in which I respond to others - for that I am thankful.

What are you grateful for today?

Real food....

2010-10-28T19:48:00.003+10:00

As my husband just pointed out, the term 'real food' means different things to everyone. To us it means food in it's most purest state. Dr Tickell often talks about the HI factor of food, and recommends that we eat food that has the lowest HI factor possible. HI meaning 'human influence'. For example, food with a low HI would be organically grown fruits and vegetables, and on the flip side, food with a high HI would be something completely processed such as soft drink, or a fast food burger. This kind of food is not appetising to me at all these days! Especially not after watching Food Inc the other night.

Tonight I collected my first Food Connect box, and I am impressed! I opened it and laid it all out on the kitchen bench, and my kids went crazy! Cherry tomatoes, strawberries and pecan nuts disappeared before my eyes, and my oldest son told me that we needed to make sure we bought this 'farm stuff' every week! I tell you, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing your children get excited over such wonderful things. This is 'real food', and just as importantly, this 'real food' comes from farms within a five hour radius of Brisbane. This means that not only are we supporting local business, but we are able to eat food that is FRESH! If you care about what goes into your mouth, and into the mouths of your children, you really should check out their website. They don't just supply fruits and veg either. You can buy raw milk (I can't wait to get some of this!), organic sour dough breads, cheeses and an array of other delicious things.

Check out what was in my box tonight. All this for $48. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty certain that you would not get this for the same price in a supermarket!

Awesome, hey?

Together for Humanity

2010-10-26T20:38:00.002+10:00

I just watched 7.30 Report on ABC, and feel really hopeful.

The story that warmed my heart was about a not-for-profit organisation called Together for Humanity. They are a group made up primarily of Christians, Muslims, Jews and Indigenous Australians, and their mission is to "teach children and adults to replace prejudice, largely religious and cultural, with mutual respect and cooperation".

They travel throughout the country running school workshops about religious and cultural tolerance, and together they openly answer questions about their beliefs, their faith and their lifestyles. Despite their obvious differences, the workshops focus on the similarities they each share as part of their common humanity, and they have had huge success in reducing things such as bullying and racial conflict. Their aim is to reduce fear, and to replace discrimination with understanding.

How wonderful! And how refreshing it would be to be able to bring up a generation of children whose internal moral compasses have been tuned to tolerance and acceptance!

This is the kind of program I would love to see implemented by all schools, as this, to me, is education of the utmost importance.

What do you think?

A Monday moment....

2010-10-25T08:15:00.004+10:00

The concentration and dedication to task, followed by the
satisfaction of doing it 'all by herself'.

Nothing tastes better, does it?

Kahlil Gibran on Friendship

2010-10-24T09:52:00.002+10:00

I love Kahlil Gibran. I've used his words in my wedding vows and in the namings of all my children, but today I came to him for his words on friendship.

Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind,

nor do you withhold the "ay."
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence,

as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

How much food do you waste?

2010-10-04T11:48:00.003+10:00

Did you know that Australian's waste about $5.2 billion worth of food in a year? That's more than we spend on electronic equipment such as our much loved flat screen tv's! Aside from the obvious environmental impact this has, think how much fuller our hip pockets would be if we ate what we grew and purchased! Of course, there is also the third world to consider. I've grown up with my grandmother telling me to, 'think of all the starving children in Kampuchea', as I refused to eat what was given to me. Funnily enough, I also remind my own kids of the plight of Africa's children when won't eat their dinner! I've always felt guilty throwing food away.

However, these days I can safely say that my family wastes very, very little when it comes to food. I know this because we use a bokashi bin, and our food waste is in my face on a daily basis. A bokashi bin is the perfect solution for those that want to compost but have no idea where to start. I've been using mine for about three years and can't sing it's praises highly enough.

For me it has a three-fold effect. The first is that I can monitor our food waste. I have a plastic lidded container on the sink and all food waste, including tea bags, egg shells, citrus and meat, go into it. My container is roughly the size of a large loaf of bread and takes about two days, give or take, for me to fill. Once it's full, it gets tipped into the bokashi, sprinkled with the special bokashi mix, and left to ferment.

The second of the three-fold effect is that it has reduced our household waste in general. Our green bin is only ever half full. This makes me feel good! Actually, on that thought, isn't it interesting that the recycling bin is only emptied once a fortnight, and the rubbish bins are emptied once a week? I wonder if we'll ever get to a point where it's the other way round? Hmmmm...

Lastly, the bokashi gives me the best fertiliser! The bokashi mix ferments the food waste rather than breaks it down, and the result of this is some rather smelly liquor, that we like to call 'liquid gold'. We 'juice' our unit at least twice a week and always have an ample supply of fertiliser, that is quite simply mixed one part to a hundred with water, and poured over the garden. When the bokashi is full, it needs to sit for a couple of weeks to ferment entirely (this is where two bins are ideal - one to use, and one to ferment) and then the contents are buried in the garden, where it eventually breaks down into beautiful compost.

There was a point in time where local councils were offering rebates for bokashi bins and other compost containers. If you are interested in purchasing one - and they are now available at Bunnings - keep your receipt and contact your local council. You never know, they might just give you back some money!

One last year in the stars...

2010-09-27T17:00:00.004+10:00

You're six now.

Your little mind and body are slowly becoming your own.

Bit by bit you are finding your place on Mother Earth, and learning what it is that makes you who you are - what makes you different, and what makes you perfect.

The silvery ribbon that binds our souls together will soon loosen, but I will always be there to guide you and, of course, to love you.

Soon it will be time to make your own discoveries, your own plans and have your own adventures. But right now, you still have one last year in the stars.

Enjoy it, my darling, and I wish you the happiest of birthdays.

Love Mummy x

Yum cha!

2010-09-17T14:45:00.008+10:00

There's not much we love more than a massive yum cha feast!

Especially when it is shared with family.

There are always some unusual delicacies for us to taste, and we get so much enjoyment watching the kids tuck into things that most people would just gape at. Our middle son is incredibly game when it comes to trying new things - his Asian genes must be in his stomach! He was so excited to be having yum cha, that he piled his plate up with at least one of everything. He then looked at me and with such sincerity, declared, "Mum, I have NO idea where to start!" But start he did, and he didn't stop until his plate was clean!

Our oldest son is not quite so keen, but won't say no to some siu mai or ma lai goh. Translated, these are pork dumplings and steamed cake, and they are divine! Little Miss loves her dumplings too, but is also a bit partial to her Daddy's childhood favourite,
char siu bao, or steamed pork buns.

I dare say we could quite easily eat yum cha everyday of the week!

Enjoy the photos!

His anticipation was palpable!

Daddy and daughter's favourite, steamed pork buns.

Yep, it's a chicken's foot! There was nothing left of this one bar a couple of knuckle bones!

Aunty proudly watching the chopstick action!

Siu mai, or steamed pork dumplings.

Ma lai goh. A delicious steamed cake that is supposed to be dessert.
It never lasts that long on our table!

The feast!

Lentil & brown rice chicken soup

2010-09-06T16:50:00.002+10:00

Thanks for sharing this recipe, Kel!

I made this delicious soup on one of the last days of winter - a perfect soup day! It was absolutely divine, and made so much that we have enough for another two meals. It's tasty and extremely healthy. Could there be a better combination?

Enjoy...

6 chicken drumsticks (skin on or off - I don't think it really matters)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (I'd use less if cooking for children, as mine found it a little too spicy)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (I think this is my favourite ingredient of all time - so fresh and zingy!)
4 cups of chicken stock
800 g can diced tomatoes
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
1 can borlotti beans, drained
1/3 cup brown rice
Juice of one lemon
fresh coriander leaves to serve

Add all ingredients except borlotti beans, lemon juice and coriander leaves into the slow cooker. Cook on low about 7 - 9 hours. Add the drained borlotti beans about an hour before serving to allow them to heat through. Remove the chicken skin (if you used skin-on chicken pieces) and bones. Shred the chicken into the soup, stir through the lemon juice and serve sprinkled with coriander leaves.

Your body will thank you!

Name this blossom!

2010-09-06T16:06:00.003+10:00

This pretty little white flower is currently filling my home with it's heady scent.

Do you know what it is?

It's on a large bush that would probably be 5 metres high,
and about the same size in width.

Could it be a Murraya?

Don't hold back

2010-09-02T12:54:00.005+10:00

My friend lost her husband a couple of days ago. Tragic and unexpected. They have three children, including a new born baby girl. I cannot begin to understand what she may be experiencing, but I can offer her my prayers, and hope that they may be surrounded by a cocoon of love and support for as long as it takes to ease the pain.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about them all, and it has made me realise just how transient this life is. We often forget that someone can be taken away from us at any moment, and quite often we put off doing or saying things because we think the time isn't right, or we are afraid of the reactions or the consequences.

But if you have something to tell someone, say it ...

If you have argued with someone, apologise ...

If you have something to give someone - a hug, a gift, a phone call, a smile - give it to them ...

If you have somewhere you want to visit, plan that trip ...

If you have always wanted to study something, enrol and start now ...

If you have always wanted to change something about yourself, begin your metamorphosis ...

If you're passionate about a cause, start a revolution ...

There's no time like the present, and none of us know what tomorrow will bring. Please don't hold back .

Slow Cooked Creamy Lentil & Tomato Soup

2010-08-23T17:31:00.002+10:00

This is possibly one of the most delicious soups you will ever eat! It's rich, creamy, a little (or a lot!!) spicy, and is the best winter warmer I know of. My Mum introduced us to this one, and we eat it every winter without fail.

This recipe is perfect for a big 5.5L slow cooker, but you could easily halve it if you have a smaller one, or don't want to make so much. It's perfect to freeze too, so is a great meal for busy mothers like me.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2tbls olive oil
2 medium onions
4 cloves garlic crushed
chilli powder or fresh chilli to taste
6 cups beef or chicken stock (I use chicken)
6 cups tomato passata
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 1/2 cups cream
salt and pepper if desired

Fry onions in olive oil until golden brown, add garlic and chilli and cook for a minute.

Put them in the slow cooker and add all other ingredients.

Cover and cook for 6-7 hours on low.

About 30 minutes, to one hour before serving, stir in cream and replace cover.

Allow it to heat through and serve with crusty bread!

Taking a risk

2010-08-14T16:13:00.007+10:00

Some of you may remember that we had our house on the market a little while ago. It was for sale for 60 days and we had a total of 7 people come through! The real estate market in our area is DEAD! So we took it off and decided that we would make do here for a little while longer. That decision lasted about six weeks, and we now have itchy feet again. Really itchy feet!

Maybe it's the gypsy blood, or maybe it's just this niggling little dream that we've both had forever. You see, we see ourselves in the mountains living as self-sustainably as possible. We've tried many times to get up there, but the timing just hasn't been right, and there's always been something that's gotten in our way. Yesterday though we decided that we are way too conservative, and that it's time to take a few risks. Safe risks, but nevertheless, out of our usual comfort zone. We talked all afternoon about ways we could make our dream attainable without having to rely on the sale of the home we are in.

Then last night, this aired on tv, and it sealed the deal for us.

How cool is that!?!? So we are now going to investigate the possibility of renting out our house, and we are going to search for our perfect block of land. We will build a yurt! We love them! They are quirky and a little eccentric. A bit like us really! And the design options they present are endless! It's not something we plan on rushing into though. We still have a bit of renovating to do on our house to get it rentable, and then there is the exciting prospect of researching how to actually build the house!

The dream is to start with a central yurt and gradually add more on to create enough space for everyone and everything. My ultimate dream is to be completely self sufficient in the way we power the home - complete solar for electricity, gas for hot water and cooking, and of course big tanks of gorgeous rain water! How amazing would it be to never receive an electricity bill!

This is a dream that is entirely 'do-able' for us. It is going to take some dedication, some huge leaps of faith and a lot of hard work. But I think we may have finally found a way to have our cake and eat it too.

NB. Edited to add - Sorry about the way the video doesn't quite fit on the page! I can't work out how to fix it!

My little getaway...

2010-08-08T16:06:00.005+10:00

Here are some photos....

Birthday cake before I left.

My sweet little cabin.

Stunning view of O'Reilly's

The Lodge - overlooking O'Reilly's

The front of the Lodge

What a sunset!

Sunset over Beechmont

The obligatory self-portrait!

Fairy caverns in the rainforest. The Fae were everywhere!

The enveloping canopy. Heavenly!

Birthday Bliss!

2010-08-06T15:35:00.004+10:00

Tomorrow is my birthday. I'm going to be 37. Hard to fathom really, being so close to 40. Not that 40 is old these days, but it's a figure that strikes terror into the hearts of some. I don't think I'm afraid of getting old. It's a part of life that we all must face, and truth be told, this next phase is quite exciting. I know who I am now, and while I'm sure the odd demon will need to be slain at some stage, I'm pretty happy with the way my life is plodding along.

Tonight my two best friends are coming over for an Indian feast. It's something we've been meaning to do for some time, and what better reason to do it than to celebrate my birthday! We've got four curries and all the trimmings, a fire pit to toast marshmallows on later in the night, and plenty of music!

Tomorrow though, will be a different kind of celebrating. I decided this year that I wanted to spend my actual birthday away from everyone. Twenty four hours by myself. You wouldn't believe how excited I am about it! I've never spent time 'away' from my family. I've had the odd night at home by myself, but I've never taken myself away to somewhere special. So tomorrow I'm heading up to Binna Burra Lodge . I plan on not doing much at all really. Some reading, some listening to music, some writing, some photography, maybe a bush walk. But mostly I just want to be by myself. To listen to my thoughts and to really feel like me - with no external chatter! I think it's something that everyone should do at some point in their life. It's important to be comfortable with your own company.

I'm really feeling the birthday vibe this year, and maybe it's because I'm only thinking of myself at the moment. Sounds selfish, but if you can't be selfish on your birthday, when can you??

Secret Women's Business - Part 2

2010-07-29T19:43:00.004+10:00

I recently wrote about the benefits of cloth menstrual pads in one of my previous posts, Secret Women's Business.

Today I received my latest stash in the mail, and I wanted to show them to you. Aren't they pretty?

We have some fabulous Australian made pads, but for those of us on a tight budget, they can be a little bit expensive. My two super pads, three regular pads and four liners were only USD55.00. Not expensive when you consider that they will last me for years! These gorgeous little things come from Punky's Pads, a US seller on www.etsy.com. They are beautifully made and the service was second to none. I ordered and paid for them only 8 days ago, and I couldn't believe it when they arrived this morning.

It's always so exciting to get things in the mail!

Full moon antics...

2010-07-25T15:50:00.004+10:00

By now I should know better than to let my 7 year old out when it's a full moon. The last three months should have taught me well enough. So what was I thinking this morning when I let him compete in his Joey Scout billy cart derby!?!?!

His run of full moon bad luck started with a broken arm, was followed the next month with swallowed magnets, and then last month in Malaysia he was almost hit by a motorcycle and then a bus! We were really tempting fate this morning, and true to his nature, the morning ended with a strained ankle after he lost control on the home run. It turned out that his pride was more wounded than his ankle though. His head is still drooping with the thoughts of his lost trophy, but thankfully this time he got off relatively lightly! Who knows what next month will bring....

It was a fun morning, even if cut short, and here are some photos. Hope you like them! Oh, and a special thanks goes to the St John's Ambulance crew who not only wiped away a few tears, but administered ice in a most professional manner!

Let me paint you a picture....

2010-07-22T19:29:00.005+10:00

"You are a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and a sister. You only want what is best for your family, yet you struggle to provide even adequate shelter from the harsh weather. There's no shade during the hot days, and thread-bare blankets do little to keep you warm at night. Every day is a struggle as you search for food. The packages delivered by the allied forces are scarcely enough to fill those aching bellies, but you are grateful nevertheless. The wells are drying up, and clean drinking water will soon be just a memory. Each night is a hell like no other as you listen to mortar fire and bombs dropping in the distance, never knowing where the next one may fall. You feel blessed for the moment because your children are still alive, and guilty relief washes over you as someone else's child is found to be the next landmine victim. You envy those allied troops as they come through your village, and wonder what life is like for them, wherever it is they may be from. You are happy for their presence though, as it means that the bandits are kept at bay and the knife you keep under your pillow leaves less of an impression on your cheek each morning. You wonder why this is all happening. Why is your government persecuting it's own people? Why is there so much death? You have no radio, no tv and no way of knowing if this will ever end.

Then one day a stranger comes into your village, bringing with him great promises. Promises of escape. You wonder if this is really possible? Could selling all your possessions, leaving everything you have ever known, and travelling across wild oceans really mean that you may be able to find a new life? A life in a peaceful land? The idea hardly seems real, but you decide that the risk is worth taking. Your children deserve to live free from oppression and war, and you are willing to make this journey. The stranger has promised you Australia. Your knowledge of this country is small, but he tells you that it is a great land. A free land. The stranger tells you that you can seek asylum there, and in good time, it can be your new home."

Imagine living like this. And then imagine the courage and desperation it takes to put your life, and the lives of your children, into the hands of complete strangers. Imagine the fear and helplessness you would experience when faced with the rickety boat that is supposed to carry you to a new land. I find it hard to picture myself in that situation, and thankfully I will NEVER need to experience it.

So what is an asylum seeker? Many people believe that they are illegal immigrants, but that is incorrect. They will only become an illegal immigrant when and if they overstay any visa they may be granted. An asylum seeker is quite simply someone who has fled their own country, generally escaping war, violence and persecution. On arrival in another country, they then apply to the government for protection as a refugee. The are not breaking any rules and should not be punished with remote or indefinite detention. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 14 that "everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries, asylum from persecution".

I don't have the answer to Australia's immigration issue, but I do know that we accept far fewer immigrants and asylum seekers than many other first-world nations. We have signed treaties that assume we will take in our fair share. It is only fair that we do. I agree that arriving by boat puts many lives at risk, but in most cases this is the only chance these people have to be able to live the life we all take for granted. To turn those boats around and to send them back to their troubled countries, is no different than sentencing these unfortunate people to death. The idea of that is horrifying to me. Nor should we be sentencing them to lengthy terms of detention. They are not queue jumpers. They are still required to undergo the same immigration application as anyone else, and while that is being processed, they are entitled to asylum.

Australia needs to come up with a plan that is both humane, quick and the best for everyone. Whoever comes to power in the next election needs to find a solution that has 'human rights' as it's first priority.

A moment in time....

2010-07-14T13:57:00.002+10:00

Jennifer's Lemon Curd

2010-07-13T12:59:00.003+10:00

Here is a recipe shared with me by Jennifer, an old 'new' friend - ain't Facebook grand!? I made it today and couldn't even wait until it had cooled to try it out on some toast. Absolutely scrumptious! It used up another two of my excess lemons but I still have plenty left. When I get the time I think I'll whip up another batch or two for friends and family. Just need to get my hands on some jars....

LEMON CURD

2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup butter
zest and juice of 2 lemons

Whisk whole eggs, yolks and sugar in a saucepan until smooth.
Place pan over low heat, and add butter, juice and zest. Whisk continuously until thick. Strain through a sieve into sterilised jar. (I gave up on the straining halfway through as my sieve is ready to go sieve heaven, and besides I don't mind a little bit of rind!).

As Jenny says, "its meant to keep in the fridge for 2 weeks, but I've had some over a month and it's still yummy". I doubt mine will last that long...

While we are still on the topic of lemons, here is a picture of my fermenting Lemon Ginger Ale. I posted the recipe on yesterday's blog. I had to tweak the recipe slightly as I didn't have rapadura or organic, unrefined sugar! I used half a cup of brown sugar and half a cup of white sugar instead. I didn't get quite the half cup of whey that was needed, but hopefully what I did get will suffice. Now to wait the 10 days before I can drink it...

When life hands you lemons....

2010-07-12T17:41:00.004+10:00

... make lemonade!

We have a beautiful lemon tree in our backyard, and this citrus season has proved to be extremely bountiful! We have literally had dozens. I've given some away and I've had to throw away a few that didn't make it. Yesterday the boys came inside with shirts filled to the brim of more bright, juicy lemons. They must have collected at least 30!

This morning I juiced 12 of them and got almost 800ml of juice! They really are delicious lemons - full of juice and not particularly tart. I made a simple sugar syrup, added the juice and then diluted it with filtered water. It is super yummy, but super sweet too! Definitely an adults drink, and I plan to have some tonight over ice with fresh chopped mint. I found the recipe here.

I have another recipe that I am going to try too. It was shared with me by a friend who also has a plethora of lemons to deal with! This one has ginger in it. One of my favourite ingredients. It's made with a slightly different method though and is probably much healthier! You can find the recipe here.

Here is my fruit basket AFTER the 12 lemons were juiced, and the tree still has some left on it. Looks like some lemon curd and lemon tea cake might be on the menu this week too!

For Lena....

2010-07-08T12:54:00.005+10:00

I've been thinking a lot today about friendships, and the reasons different people come into our lives. Some come for a long time, others for a short time, but each one brings us a gift to be cherished. Sometimes friendships wither, and I know now that this is ok. It's part of the transient nature of humanity, and proof that with growth, comes change. Sometimes a friendship is eternal, regardless of how often we see one another. Some of my best friendships are like this, and I believe that these people are written into my life, to both teach me and to learn from me. True friendship is about give and take, in the least greedy sense.

Tonight I am going out for dinner with some of my dearest friends. Most of them I have only been friends with for a short time, but we have shared some incredible moments including the birth of children, the loss of loved ones, sick babies, our children's educational achievements, personal awakenings, the discovery of our creative pulses and of course, plenty of laughter. We are going out to celebrate tonight, as one of us is leaving. Lena is taking a very brave, but adventurous step, and is moving north with her family.

I say brave, because that's just what it is. It's no easy feat to move - to pack up everything you have, to leave friends and family, and to start again in a new town. I know. I've done it. It's hard, it's emotionally draining and it's very stressful! But Lena knows that it is a challenge they are all ready for, and I have no doubt she will love every minute. Life isn't meant to be mundane, and an opportunity like this needs to be grasped by the reins and ridden for the exciting thing that it is! I'm proud to have friends who recognise this.

Thankfully in this day and age of technology, none of us will ever be far away from her. We can chat daily, swap photos and enjoy Lena's escapades from the comfort of our own lounge rooms! I'm sure I don't speak only for myself though, when I say that I will miss seeing her smiling face at school in the afternoons. I'll also miss the craft evenings, where undoubtedly more wine was consumed than craft was made! I'll miss our dinners out, our True Blood swaps, our sneaky cigarettes when we both should know better, and our book chats. These are things that are always much nicer to share face to face, and I look forward to catching up on lost time when she comes back to visit us all.

As women we are all inextricably bound by the same thread. We all want what is best for ourselves and our family. Sometimes this means that other parts of our lives need to change, that we need to move on and create new truths for ourselves. Lena has gifted me with a wonderful friendship, and we have both grown immensely from the experience. We've learned new things together, and these things have shaped our friendship into what it is today. I have no doubt that Lena's friendship will be one of the eternal kind.

Thank you Lena. I want to wish you all the luck, love and light you will need on this journey. This is definitely NOT goodbye!

Calling all Wonder Women!!

2010-07-06T19:41:00.004+10:00

I got the job. Not sure how I really feel about it - bitter sweet, I guess. I'm looking forward to the independence it will bring, but at the same time, I'm a little nervous about the trials and tribulations that are ahead of me as a working mother. That said, I'm pretty proud of the fact that my employment hit rate was 100%! Two interviews and two job offers - not bad considering I've been seven and a half years out of the workforce! I turned the first job down because the hours were just not going to fit in with family life and it involved a rather lengthy full time training period. Some judged and told me that beggars can't be choosers, but I knew the right job would turn up, and it did.

So now I'm calling on all the other Wonder Women out there - all those fantastically brave and busy working mums - and asking for your advice. What tips do you have for me? How can I keep life running relatively smoothly, whilst still maintaining my sanity? Do you have a routine that helps you to get things done? Any easy meal ideas, or school lunch tips?

I'm new to this game and would really appreciate any advice you might want to share. Drop me a line and help me out. Please??

Gingered Beef with Bay

2010-07-04T16:12:00.003+10:00

Recipe time! It's been a while since I've posted something food related. This one won't disappoint! I cooked this casserole yesterday and it was mouth wateringly delicious. The only problem I had was that there wasn't enough! I'm about to make another batch tonight and will freeze it for the week I start working.

Hope you like it!

Gingered Beef with Bay

2 tblspns olive oil
750g lean braising beef, cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 tblspns plain flour
450 ml beef stock
1 tblspn tomato puree (I used tomato paste instead)
1 tblspn balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark muscovado sugar (I used plain old brown sugar)
3 bay leaves
4cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
salt and pepper

1. Preheat slow cooker on low. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the beef a few pieces at a time, until all the meat has been added. Fry over a high heat, stirring, until it is evenly browned. Lift out of the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.

2. Add the onion to the pan and fry, stirring for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the flour, then mix in the stock, tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

3. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker pot, pour over the hot stock, cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with mashed potato and steamed baby carrots tossed with a little butter.

Enjoy!

A Malaysian Adventure...

2010-07-01T17:04:00.008+10:00

We've just returned from a wonderful family holiday in Malaysia, and while we enjoyed the adventure of a different culture, ate the most delicious food, and saw some wondrous sites, we are really glad to be back in our cosy little Australian home.

Travelling with three children under the age of eight is no easy feat! And it most certainly is not relaxing! Trying to keep them occupied on four flights, and in tiny hotel rooms was completely overwhelming, and at times we wondered why on earth we had decided to put ourselves through the experience. Looking through our hundreds of photos though, I realised that while it might not have been the lazy, do-nothing kind of holiday we imagined, it certainly left our children with some experiences that other's may only dream about.

During this week away, our children experienced long haul flights and had to learn a hell of a lot about patience; they enjoyed discovering new 'favourites' in the hawker food bizarres we frequented; they learned the value of money as they bargained for their souvenirs in the night markets; they made friends with children from lands and backgrounds so completely different to our own (the ability to communicate in ways other than words, comes so naturally to children); and they experienced a culture full of religious tolerance.

Having our kids experience the beauty and diversity of the world we live in, is so very important to us, and despite our superficial hardships, we enjoyed a truly educational, enriching and heart warming experience together as a family. We are already planning the next one, but perhaps this time we'll choose somewhere that doesn't require overnight flights!

The Winter Spiral

2010-06-21T12:44:00.007+10:00

Happy Yule everyone! Last night we celebrated the winter solstice with a beautiful ceremony, lovingly created by Mama Moontime for all her Moondew babies.

For those not in the know, the winter solstice marks the longest night of the year. In the northern hemisphere this is celebrated in December, very close to Christmas. Of course, this is probably no coincidence, as Pagan cultures had been celebrating Yule for thousands of years prior to the coming of Jesus Christ, and to them it marked the rebirth of the sun. The winter solstice is celebrated with the giving of gifts and the sharing of food, and is a time to welcome the light back into the world as the days start to grow longer.

We celebrated with a shared feast of soup, bread and delicious desserts!

The feasting was followed by a hauntingly beautiful spiral walk. Each family took it in turns to enter the darkened spiral with their unlit apple candles. This part of the walk symbolises the exit of the dark, or the end of the long nights. On reaching the centre we lit our candles and started the walk out of the spiral, leaving our candles at a chosen spot, to light the way for others. Walking in the lit spiral symbolises the return of the sun, or the beginning of the longer days. It is always a magical experience.

After the solemn walk, the children were itching to light their very own lanterns. These were created both at home and at playgroup, and have been sitting patiently on the bench, just waiting for the winter festival. The lanterns lit the way back to the car, and journeyed home with us. One has even been taken to school for show and tell today, along with some of these photos to help explain the celebration. Such a wonderful experience for little children!

If you would like to read about my more personal solstice experience, click here.

The Lost Generation by Jonathon Reed

2010-06-16T11:34:00.005+10:00

This poem has been around for a little while, but I only discovered it a couple of days ago.

It is really quite profound, and very, very clever.

Hi ho, hi ho....

2010-06-09T19:42:00.006+10:00

... it's off to work I go!

Returning to work has always been inevitable. I did have hopes of being able to wait until all my babies had started school, but unfortunately that isn't going to happen. My job hunting has started, I've had a couple of interviews, recieved one unsuitable job offer, and I'm now waiting to hear if I've been successful for a position that I think I'd be perfect for. I should be happy, and I should be thankful that I have a skill set that allows me to apply for great jobs. And I am. But I also have incredibly mixed feelings about it all.

A large part of me is really excited about this next phase. The opportunity to be able to prove myself outside of my home, is a challenge that I am ready for. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and learning new skills, and it will be a relief to only have myself to think about for those 8 hours a day. Another part of me though, is a little sad. My two oldest babies had me at home everyday until they started school. I was the constant in their tiny worlds, and I was here for them until they took those first steps through the school gate. My daughter doesn't start school for a little while yet, and now that good old 'mother guilt' is kicking in. Such a useless emotion, and one that is completely self inflicted!

I've always felt really strongly about the importance of children having someone at home with them during their early, most formative years. This isn't going to be possible for everyone, but up until now, it has been a reality for us. Being a stay at home mum has been the hardest job I've ever had, and it has taken every part of me to make it work. I certainly haven't perfected it, but after seven years of practice we've now got a good little system happening here and I guess part of the sadness I'm feeling is caused by the upset that 'working' will have on our routines. The upheaval, while temporary, is really daunting!

I am only planning on working part time at this stage, but I wonder how I will cope considering my responsibilities as a mother and wife won't change. It's not like I will start a new job, and halve what I do at home! In effect I am adding to my workload by at least a third, or maybe even more. How will I fit everything in? How will I manage to get children to school and daycare, and still get myself to work on time? How will I find the time to get myself ready for work, and what the hell will I wear? How will I find the energy and the time to cook dinner each night, and when on earth will I get the washing done? Will I be up until all hours cleaning bathrooms and cutting lunches?

I guess balance is the answer, isn't it? Some things will need to give and I'm going to need to lower my standards a little. I'm going to have to ask for a little more help and routines will need to become stricter. On the upside, we'll have some money again and the financial pinch we've been experiencing will be lessened. That's got to make this whole hullabaloo a little easier, hasn't it? It is after all, the only reason I'm doing it!

EDITED TO ADD - I just read this to my husband, and while he liked the post, he was upset that I didn't mention how wonderful he is, and how much more he will help when I am back at work. He's right. It's going to be a group effort, and there isn't anyone I'd rather have on my team!

Do it anyway....

2010-05-31T17:05:00.002+10:00

by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, some could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and the Universe;
It was never between you and them anyway.

These beautiful words were shared with me today via the Wild Women page I frequent on Facebook. Amazing stuff...

The Invitation

2010-05-20T12:27:00.003+10:00

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, 'Yes.'

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

- Oriah Mountain Dreamer

I need a little creative input...

2010-05-19T12:57:00.004+10:00

I've been mucking around with my fabric and ribbon scraps and have made something that I love! I saw one first at a good friend's house and decided to give them a go myself. What do you think of these little hair clip boards?

I'm sorry about the quality of the photos. I really, really need a new camera! I'm thinking of making some more and selling them. Do you think they would be something you would buy for a little girl? I think they are gorgeous and ever so practical. You can't see from the pictures, but I have attached a little hook at the back so they can be hung on the wall. I'm still nutting out a cost and trying to figure out what ribbons are best to use etc, but I'm thinking they could sell for around $10 to $12? Perhaps $10 without clips and $12 with? Would you spend that on a handmade gift, or am I short changing myself or over charging? Hmmm... lots of food for thought.

These three already have homes with some special little girls, but I'd love to make some more.

I'd really appreciate your feedback! What do you think?

Secret Women's Business

2010-05-12T12:44:00.001+10:00

Wow! Post number 100! Have I really written that much? Hope you've all enjoyed them...

This 100th post is a special one, and one that is very close to my heart. Today I received my copy of Clean Food Organic in the mail (a very thoughtful gift subscription from a beautiful friend), and found that it contained just the very article I had been searching for for a long time.

It is titled, 'Secret Women's Business - your way to a healthy and sustainable menstrual cycle'. The article sheds a really bright light on something that is an integral part of our lives as women, and looks at the possible health risks that are associated with conventional menstrual products.

A lot of us make conscious decisions about our health and the environment everyday, but the items we use monthly probably don't get much of a second thought. Most conventional pads and tampons are made using synthetic materials such as polypropylene and plastic, and most use a super absorbent material that is petroleum based. They are also bleached with chlorine, and some may even use dyes (usually an azo dye which is made with heavy metals), to colour either the tampon string or the absorbent liner in pads. These chemicals and plastics can act as xenoestrogens (man-made chemicals which mimic the action of the hormone estrogen in the body), and therefore have the potential to affect your hormonal health. Chlorine is also a known carcinogen, so the long term affects of its usage could be catastrophic.

There is also the issue of fibre loss in tampons. Some of the most popular brands of tampons use bleached cotton and rayon, both of which are made up of loose fibres that shed with both the insertion and removal of the tampon. Many medical practioners have had to first remove residual tampon fibres from around the cervix before being able to collect clear samples when doing routine pap smears. These fibres could possibly be the cause of many conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovaries and cancer. They can also change the bacterial conditions internally and cause many vaginal infections such as thrush. Toxic shock syndrome is another well known side effect from tampon usage. It is rare, but can be fatal.

But body health aside, there is also the issue of the environment. Along with disposable nappies, every year we throw away billions of plastic and chemical laden pads, liners and tampons. This ends up as landfill, and will never break down. A very scary thought.

So what are our options then if we choose to abandon these modern day so-called conveniences? There are many. My product of choice is cloth pads. I have used them now for several years and will never look back! Aside from being kinder to me and the environment, they are also kinder to my hip pocket. Well made cloth pads will last for years and are extremely comfortable. They need no special care either. I simply soak them in clean water, then rinse in the washing machine and wash the same way as any other load of clothes. Many work-at-home mothers create them, and there are lots of websites supplying them. Their popularity is fastly growing! My favourites all come from www.etsy.com. Just jump on and search for 'cloth menstrual pads'. You will be astounded at the variety! And believe it or not, since using cloth pads, my cycle is shorter, less painful and far more enjoyable. Yes, enjoyable. It's no longer the most dreaded part of my month.

I also sometimes use a Diva Cup, but that is a whole other blog post! Stay tuned for that episode....

But for those of you that are not ready to make the cloth jump, there are other disposable options made from organic cotton which has not been processed with chemicals and other additives. Both pads and tampons are available in organic cotton, and both are also biodegradable. Most good health food shops will supply these products.

So who else is ready to join the cloth revolution? If anyone has any questions regarding anything I've written above, including where to get cloth pads, or information on brands of organic cotton products, please leave a comment and I will endeavour to point you in the right direction!!

Dessert time!

2010-05-12T10:59:00.002+10:00

I've been absent from the bloggy world for a little longer than I had anticipated. With children's broken arms, a house up for sale and the everyday hummings of life, I haven't had the spare time to sit and write. Blog posts are swirling in my head and I've missed you all! So with a few minutes spare now before I head into bill paying mode, I decided it was time to share with you a scrumptious dessert.

We ate this delicious apple crumble at Moondew quite a few weeks ago, but I only decided the night before last to make it myself. Why I waited so long, is anyone's guess! It was so easy and my goodness, soooo yummy! If you are anything like me, this cooler weather will have you craving piping hot puddings, and this one will not disappoint.

You can find Amber's recipe here, on her Mama Moontime blog.

As there was only two of us eating dessert, I divided the recipe into thirds and it was the perfect amount. I also added a handful of shredded coconut and sultanas. It was the night before grocery shopping day, so I used a tin of pie apples I had in the pantry, which made the preparation extremely easy! For those readers in Australia who may be close to an Aldi supermarket, they have on special for $1.99, 550g tins of pie apple, and also apple with either blackberries or raspberries. I bought a couple of tins today. With a recipe so simple and relatively nutritious (well, maybe not so much for me as I LOVE cream!), I will certainly be making this one over and over again this winter.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think of it when you make it!

Remembrance & Reverence

2010-04-25T12:24:00.004+10:00

My little Joey Scout marched in today's Anzac Parade, proudly displaying his great Grandfather's war medals. Watching the dear old Diggers wave to the spectators never fails to stir some tender emotion in me, and today I was doubly tearful as I watched my oldest boy stepping in time to the drum beat. Anzac Day is a bitter-sweet day for Australians, but always one that makes us proud.

Muddy puddles

2010-04-20T18:06:00.004+10:00

... an afternoon of mud! In the shower afterwards, I was told that it was the best fun they have ever had. The simple pleasures are always the best.

A birthday blessing

2010-04-16T12:24:00.004+10:00

My baby girl is three today. It's hard for me to remember where those last three years have gone, but I know they have been filled with complete joy and satisfaction. After my second son was born, I never imagined I would be the mother of a daughter. We only wanted two children, and I always maintained that I would only have a third child if the universe would grant me a little girl. I guess she must have been listening!

We've been blessed with a true Arian (both her sun and moon are in Aries), and her fiestiness and determination will take have her taking the bull (or should that be ram?) by the horns in this life. She's full of zest and spirit, and is the most affectionate of us all, with cuddles and kisses bestowed upon us regularly! Her brothers are doting, and she has them well and truly wrapped around her little finger. They will do anything for her, including taking the blame for many of her 'toddler' moments! They are her teachers, her playmates, her friends. And as for Daddy, well, he just melts in her presence. She is Daddy's fairy princess.

Having a daughter has meant so much more to me than just being able to buy pretty clothes. It means that I now have someone with whom I can truly share this journey of womanhood. Someone who will one day be a mother herself. Her birth and the months after it, taught me so much about my body and its ability to heal and nurture, and without wishing away the years, I am so looking forward to sharing her life with her. A friend of mine wrote in her blog recently that when we give birth to daughters, we are in effect giving birth to our grandchildren as well. Little girls are born with all of their eggs, and therefore half the genes of our future grandchildren. Incredible thought, isn't it? Quite mind boggling, but so beautiful at the same time.

I wish her the happiest of birthdays today, and I love her with all my heart. I love her little pixie face and her deep dark eyes, and I could kiss her little ears until the end of days. She has brought us so much happiness, so much love, so many blessings, and we couldn't imagine even a day without her.

Sharing the love...

2010-04-13T18:44:00.002+10:00

This is a picture of my boys taken yesterday at the local pool. The same pool I used to swim in during the hot summer days of my childhood. How could I not buy them a chocolate paddle-pop after hours of play in the water? They deserved it.

Loosening the apron strings

2010-04-09T15:46:00.002+10:00

I like to think of myself as a 'trainee free range parent' . I believe whole heartedly in the concept, but my kids are still too young to be given total free range. Except for my oldest son. He is just beginning his journey of independence.

Tonight he has his first slumber birthday party at a friend's house. It is at the home of his joey scout leader, so we are confident he is in responsible hands. However, this afternoon as I was driving him to the party, we saw all his fellow party goers riding down the street on their bikes (sans helmets) and nowhere near home. Alarm bells shrilled in my head! Would he be joining them after I'd left!? How did I feel about this? Living on a fairly busy and narrow road, he isn't used to being allowed to ride unaccompanied by one of us, and bike rides are usually in the park near home, not on the road. He is afterall, only seven years old.

While my brain was in its familiar 'divert panic' mode, I quickly used the opportunity to remind my son about making safe choices. Thankfully, he is switched on and mature enough to understand what I was suggesting. I reminded him that he wasn't allowed on his bike without his helmet (this is afterall, a legal requirement), and that he needed to make sure that he was comfortable with what was happening around him. If he wasn't, then he needed to tell someone, and to stop whatever the activity might be. I trust him, and I know that he has a good head on his shoulders.

Thankfully when we arrived at the party house, the boys had all returned from their jaunt, and were happy just to be together to play. I'm not sure what will happen this afternoon, and I was in two minds on the way home. Worried that he would be doing something I might not necessarily have let him done, and if that was the case, would he be ok? But also satisfied that I have raised a boy who is smart enough to know right from wrong.

There comes a time in a child's life when it is necessary to let them choose their destiny. I know that I am definitely not a 'helicopter parent' , but am I as free range as I want to be? This afternoon is a test for both of us. Can I loosen those apron strings enough to allow him the opportunity to put those safe choices into action? Can I be comfortable with my choice to let him go to this party? And will he rise to the challenge of being the responsible and smart little boy I have raised? My gut feeling is, yes.

Amma, the 'hugging saint'

2010-04-05T10:45:00.006+10:00

If someone told me I'd be spending the night of the resurrection being blessed by a living saint, I'd have been hard pressed to believe them. But that is exactly what happened.

Easter Sunday started as any other. Awoken at 5am by the children's discoveries, and pulled out of bed with the promise of an Easter egg! We spent the early morning at home, and then packed our picnic things for a lunch with our extended family. It was here that Mum handed my cousin's wife a piece of paper that would change the course of my day.

Lana had lent Mum and I a book to read last year. It was called Ammachi. It is the biography of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. We all read the book, loved it and marvelled at this incredible woman. A woman who defies all human logic, and who permeates unconditional and extreme love from every cell in her body. She is known simply as Amma, and she is considered a living saint - the Mother of All. She is revered throughout the world as one of the most outstanding humanitarian and spiritual leaders of our time. Amma subscribes to no formal religion, but rather says that her religion is love. A love that shows no limitation of caste, religion, race or nationality.

The piece of paper that Mum handed to Lana was cut from the weekend's newspaper, and it was an invitation to be a part of an evening with Amma. Unbeknownst to us, Amma is on her Australian tour and this weekend she held a retreat on the Gold Coast. Sunday evening was a free event open to the public. A chance for everyone to hear her speak and to receive darshan. Darshan is quite literally a 'vision' or 'to see'.

Amma's darshan is unique. Most guru's or masters are traditionally only to be seen and not touched. Amma does quite the opposite. She embraces you. Not just a quick hug, but a loving, motherly embrace. She has been known to bless as many as 50,000 people in one sitting, and on one occasion in Spain, she hugged continually for three days. Without once taking a break for food or sleep. We had to line up for a token in order to receive darshan. Thankfully we had called earlier to find out what the evening entailed, so we knew to arrive early. Aside from the retreat participants, we were almost first in line to receive our tokens. There would have been close to two thousand arriving later in the night, and we were told that darshan would continue until everyone had received theirs - most likely until dawn.

The evening was called Devi Bhava, which is translated as 'the mood of the Divine Mother'. It is an incredibly special even that celebrates the feminine aspect of God, and God's unconditional love and compassion for all humanity. We were first handed some holy water that had been blessed in front of us by Amma, and told to take it home to share with our loved ones. Amma then spoke for an hour or so (translated by one of her followers) about the beauty of dispassion. There was music, singing, meditation and the chanting of the names of the Divine Mother. After this, darshan began.

Lana and I waited for about an hour to receive our hugs, Mum even longer. It went very quickly though as the whole place was a feast for the eyes. So many different people, from all walks of life! We had to approach Amma on our knees, and we were guided to her lap by her helpers. I didn't realise that we weren't meant to hug her back (I found out later from Mum, that she had been told to place her hands on either side of Amma's chair), and I wrapped my arms around her. She pulled me in tight, with my head on her bosom, and whispered into my ear, 'my daughter...my daughter...my daughter'. I felt safe and incredibly emotional. Her body was pulsating. Not like she was moving, and not like the vibrations some of us may feel when we touch crystals etc, but a deep, heart-beat like pulsation coming from her core. It was probably the most amazing thing (aside from having my children) that I have ever felt in my life. The darshan lasted maybe 5 seconds, but felt like minutes. Amma handed me a sweet and a rose petal, and I left the stage. Almost in a daze.

I can only imagine a world where love is given as freely as it is from Amma. To experience it like we did last night, was truly a gift. Amma tours Australia every two years, and I know I will be first in line to receive her again.

"Motherhood, in its ultimate sense, has nothing to do with bearing a child, but with love, compassion and selflessness. It lies in totally giving to others." - Amma

Indigo Children

2010-03-25T12:04:00.003+10:00

I've got one, and chances are, you may have one too.

A lot has been written about Indigo children, and many believe they have been coming since the dawning of time. Most agree though, that Indigos have been arriving in massively increasing numbers since the 1980's. It is also thought that many older Indigos (those in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even their 50s) are now awakening to their purpose as the Indigo message becomes clearer and more compelling. The state of our world and its population needs to alter, and those that study the Indigo phenomenon believe that these people are the change agents it needs.

I found a wonderful list of the attributes of Indigo Children here. The suspicions I had about my oldest son were certainly confirmed after reading through it.

Meg Blackburn describes the Indigo Children in her book, The Children of Now, this way, "The Children of Now bring possibilities of remarkable evolutionary change to our world. They have a mission and an immense purpose, and they need our help. Their giftedness brings enlightenment to us, and their wisdom offers reminders of times and worlds we have forgotten. They are not only on a mission to teach us about greater reality from within their innocence and their clarity of truth; they are also the future of our world. In fact, if we pay attention to the Children of Now, the future of humanity can change direction from the destructive way it is currently in to a much enhanced, much more positive reality - one that is more globally oriented and offers the highest benefit for everyone."

Other well known Indigo writers, Chapman and Flynn (their book is The Complete Idiots Guide to Indigo Children), state that, "Indigos are going to change the world, and they already have. They will challenge us with out-of-the-box thinking. They will inspire us because of their wise souls. Indigos will create a world in which everybody wins."

I find this incredibly exciting! I think it's time I invested in some of these books and learnt some more!

It's all about the water...

2010-03-24T19:07:00.004+10:00

Well, it is at my place anyway.

Last week, higher than acceptable levels of E Coli were found in my suburb's water supply. They discovered them on Wednesday. The media were notified on Friday. We received a letter from a council worker - hand delivered - on Sunday. Something just doesn't add up, does it? Why weren't we advised on Wednesday? Two and a half thousand people's homes were affected. Not too many to warrant a phone call or sms advising us to boil our water until further notice. Sure, they put it on the news and over the radio, but what about those that don't listen or watch? E Coli infections cause severe cramping, fevers, painful bloody diarrhoea and vomiting. It can have serious complications in children and older people, or those with compromised immune systems. Surely, the council has a duty of care to uphold? We should have been advised earlier.

Also on the topic of water, my husband and I have been educating ourselves on the cons (there are no pros!) of water fluoridation. Those of us in Queensland had our freedom of choice taken away last year, when the Queensland government decided it was in every ones best interests for them to pump fluoride into our water systems. To save our teeth, they told us. Pfft...what a load of poppy cock! The mass fluoridation of water is the most expensive way to provide fluoride to the population, and also takes away our most precious of liberties - freedom of choice. Surely, a better idea would be to provide free fluoride tablets to those individuals who felt they required them?

Fluoride is a hazardous waste by-product of aluminium manufacturing. It is a common ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, anesthetics, hypnotics, psychiatric drugs, and military nerve gas. Independent scientific evidence over the past 50 years reveals that this nasty substance allegedly shortens our life span, promotes cancer and various mental disturbances, and accelerates osteoporosis and broken hips in the elderly. Mass water fluoridation was also used as a tool by Hitler during the second world war, to control the masses, cause sterility in women and to keep the people docile. Nasty, nasty stuff!

Einstein's nephew, Dr E H Bronner who was a prominent chemist and prisoner of war, has been noted as saying, "Even in small quantities, sodium fluoride is a deadly poison to which no effective antidote has been found. Every exterminator knows that it is the most efficient rat-killer. ... Sodium fluoride is entirely different from organic calcium-fluoro-phosphate needed by our bodies and provided by nature, in God's great providence and love, to build and strengthen our bones and our teeth. This organic calcium-fluoro-phosphate, derived from proper foods, is an edible organic salt, insoluble in water and assimilable by the human body, whereas the non-organic sodium fluoride used in fluoridating water is instant poison to the body and fully water soluble. The body refuses to assimilate it."

There is no concrete proof that sodium fluoride reduces tooth decay. In fact, it is so toxic that it can actual cause it. The first sign of fluoride poisoning, or fluorosis, is the chalky white mottling of teeth. They can also fracture or become dark brown. This is irreversible damage, and will happen to 10% of our children. Dentists should be happy about this though as it costs, on average, $900 per tooth to hide this mottling!

So, on reflection of all this (and so much more - too much to blog about this time) we have decided to purchase a water purifier. The $350 outlay is piffle when we are talking about the health of our family. We were already considering it after our exploration into fluoride (the purifier we are looking at will remove 48% of fluoride), but the recent E Coli scare has nailed it for us. You can't put a price on health, can you?

The Law of Attraction

2010-03-22T12:59:00.003+10:00

So who has read The Secret? I confess, I did. Yes, I know it was a marketing ploy and no doubt it received the squillions of dollars that it set out to make. That aside though, it is also very true.

As Abraham Hicks (an earlier writer on this topic) has quoted, "That which is like unto itself is drawn." Basically this means that whatever you focus on, consciously and/or sub-consciously, will multiply or be reinforced - seemingly like magic.

The universe, the higher power, the collective unconscious, the God or Goddess - whatever you choose to call it - has only one motive. That is, to ensure that we are living 'our truth'. Every thought we have, and every word or action we convey is processed, and becomes 'our truth' or the story of our lives.

We all know people who always have things going wrong in their lives - they get sick often, and will tell you, 'I always get colds in winter'; or they may never have any money, 'We're always broke'; they may always have problems with people, 'Oh, these electrical/phone/tv companies are so unhelpful!'; they may have trouble being happy, 'life is so dull/boring/busy/stressful' etc, etc. Of course these things happen - the universe will always make sure you are true to your word!

On the other hand, every positive thought or word we utter, can also become our truth. Like the negative people, we all know people who seem to always have luck on their side. The universe doesn't distinguise between positive and negative, it only wants to make sure that we are living our truth.

Positive affirmations are a starting point, however, it's not enough just to lay in bed and night and say, as an example, 'I will be wealthy', over and over again. You need to already be wealthy in your mind, and be living life as though you are. This might mean changing your actions and not searching out the weekly specials because they are all you can afford, or going ahead and booking that holiday you really want. By searching out the specials etc, you are only reinforcing your truth - that you aren't wealthy. Only when you start to believe in your own wealth, will the universe realise that reality is not being reflected in 'your truth'. Believe you already are wealthy and the universe will make that happen in one way or another, and probably without you even realising it. This is of course is only one fairly superficial example of how the Law of Attraction works. We can use it for all things, not only the material objects of our desires.

Try it for yourself! Read The Secret if you need to. It's a great place to begin the journey, but to really enjoy the journey you need to live it! Each and every day.

I found this quote today, again from Abraham Hicks, and I really liked what it says. It's definitely some food for thought for me.

The child is thinking, and receiving vibrational thought from you on the day that he enters your environment. That is the reason that beliefs are transmitted so easily from parent to child, from parent to child, from parent to child. The child is vibrationally receiving your fears, your beliefs, even without your spoken word... If you want to do that which is of greatest value for your child, give thought only to that which you want, and your child will receive only those wanted thoughts.
--- Abraham

The Gift

2010-03-21T16:10:00.005+10:00

Emotional and spiritual growth is an incredible thing. Even more so when you are standing tall after something happens that would normally find you as an unravelled mess on the floor. It's the amazing moment when that light bulb pulsates above your head and you realise that you've won that inner battle. The one you've been sparring with for months and trying hopelessly to make sense of.

This happened to me yesterday. Letting go of the old me, and completely embracing the new me has been confronting and upsetting, but at the same time, wonderful. I can move on now, and I feel so incredibly blessed.

Thank you from the bottom of my bottomless heart....

Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "Lady Lilith"

The Patience of Ordinary Things

2010-03-16T12:51:00.001+10:00

It is a kind of love, is it not?
How the cup holds the tea,
How the chair stands sturdy and foursquare,
How the floor receives the bottoms of shoes
Or toes. How soles of feet know
Where they're supposed to be.
I've been thinking about the patience
Of ordinary things, how clothes
Wait respectfully in closets
And soap dries quietly in the dish,
And towels drink the wet
From the skin of the back.
And the lovely repetition of stairs.
And what is more generous than a window?

By Pat Schneider

Introducing.....

2010-03-10T20:16:00.004+10:00

.... Cheeky Face!

I know she is still naked but I couldn't wait to share her with you all. To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about making her some clothes. I'm not the best seamstress, and I'm procrastinating.

Isn't she gorgeous? She even has a belly button and bottom! She is very cuddly and the perfect size for snuggling with. I wanted to call her Hope or Star, or something else pretty and girly, but my daughter (and mother-to-be) had other ideas, and so she is Cheeky Face. Cheeky for short.

Cheeky is being hidden away now until my daughter's birthday, and hopefully by then she will be fully clothed!

I'm so proud of myself.

A Moondew Morning

2010-03-09T13:33:00.004+10:00

Tuesdays are Moondew day for us. Today was beautiful - hot, but at least it wasn't raining! We love to visit our playgroup friends! Thanks again to Mama Moontime for sharing her wonderful home, her delicious cooking, and her friendship!

Craft time...

Inside play...

What a fantastic mushroom cubby house!

Making dinner in the sandpit...

Time to dry hands on our 'owl' towel embroidered by Mummy...

Autumn nature table...

Shoes on for hometime...

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

2010-03-02T12:12:00.002+10:00

Isn't it amazing how a few little things can totally change your frame of mind? Today is rainy (really, really rainy!) and cool. Despite my yard resembling a swamp, complete with toads, worms and other native wildlife, I am oh, so happy. The heat has gone, for now anyway, and my mood has changed from lacklustre and lazy, to full of energy and hopeful. Maybe the full moon has something to do with it too?

Or perhaps it is the incredibly cute doll I am making for my daughter? I can't stop looking at her. She has no arms, face or hair yet, but even so, she is beautiful. This morning I bought some gorgeous fabric from Spotlight to make her some clothes. I can't wait to see her finished! I need to name her too. I have picked a couple of names but they are all a bit to hard for my little one to pronounce!! I want something pretty, unusual and easy to say. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I'm also nearly finished my mother in law's shawl. I'm making it on my butterfly loom. I thought I was finished on the weekend but after I had finished sewing the squares together I realised it was too short. I have a few more days to get the rest done, and I'm pretty speedy at the looming game now, so that's another reason not to be stressed! Once the shawl is done, I will be onto the next project which will be something different for someone very special.

Crafting has become so much a part of my day lately, and I treasure those few minutes, or sometimes hours, when I can sit, think, create and listen to Sacred Earth. It's my time, and I love it. Giving myself some time-out from day to day activities not only helps break up those thankless home-duties, but it lets me escape into myself - into my heart space - and I'm pretty happy with what I am finding in there lately....

Beauty Pageants

2010-03-01T12:09:00.002+10:00

I sat down last week while the children were out, to watch a bit of TV. Without Austar anymore, daytime tv is pretty slim pickings, so I settled for Dr Phil. Not a bad choice, I suppose. He's a bit arrogant, but generally the advice he hands out is spot on.

The episode I watched was called 'Biggest mistakes you don't know you're making'. The segment that caught my attention was about beauty pageants. I'm not a fan of them at all for so many reasons! The story started with a letter from a grandmother who was extremely concerned for her grand-daughter who, at two years of age, was a beauty pageant queen. She felt that the mother was exposing her daughter to something that was incredibly inappropriate for someone so young. Little Mary, the two year old, is dressed like an adult, complete with hair pieces, full make-up, fake nails, spray tans, and revealing outfits. Her photos are all re-touched, because as her mother said, 'her complexion isn't perfect, so we need to cover those imperfections'! What the!?!?!? Mary's mother has also considered getting her a set of perfectly white 'pageant teeth' to be worn while she is performing! All this has come at a cost so far, of USD$30,000!

I can't begin to explain how angry I was while watching this. It is so wrong on so many levels. Aside from the obvious dangers of exposing her to paedophiles, and the ever present bitching and cat-fighting (usually by the mothers!) that goes on within the pageant arena, what is Mary's mother setting her up for in the future? What kind of self image will this little girl have? This need for superficial perfection at such a young age will have horrendous ramifications when she hits puberty. What will she expect of herself when her hormones are running rampant and she is trying to make sense of the world? Not to mention when she is an adult attempting to make her way in our harsh, judgemental society.

I don't doubt that Mary's mother loves her. I'm sure she does, but is this the kind of love a mother should shower on a child? She is reinforcing on a daily basis, that Mary isn't good enough as she is. That she isn't 'perfect' - her hair isn't long enough, her teeth aren't white enough, her skin isn't brown enough, her complexion is flawed.

Mary is learning that to be 'pretty' is the most important thing in life, and we all know what a load of bollocks that is! As women, and mothers of daughters, it is our responsibility to teach them just the opposite. We need to make them believe that true beauty and strength comes from our character, and this character is developed by our flaws, our imperfections and our differences. Our ability to embrace them and accept them, is the first step to true perfection. We are all equal, and we are all beautiful.

I truly hope that Mary's mother heeds Dr Phil's advice. Her little girl is a gift, and not one that needs any fixing.

I know, I know...

2010-02-23T16:44:00.004+10:00

....I'm practically old enough to be his mother (well, a really, really young mother), but honestly, how could you not have a monstrous crush on this beautiful man...

I am suffering a little with vampire withdrawals at the moment. Quite pathetic coming from a mother of three, but I know I'm not alone. Right, girls??

We are only a few months away from the release of Eclipse - I am SO Team Edward! - and at around the same time, we'll have the release of the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel, and series 3 of True Blood!

Eric Northman.... mmmm, I could just spread him on a cracker....

Strength

2010-02-23T13:12:00.002+10:00

I picked a card from my tarot deck this morning. I don't know how to read tarot cards, but have gotten in the habit of shuffling and pulling a card every now and then. I figure that if there is a message in there for me, it will show itself when the need arises.

This morning's card was strength.

I don't know what the official tarot explanation for this card is, but to me, it is all about discipline, and strength of mind. The card shows a woman looking calmly, but strongly, into the open jaws of a lion. In my own interpretation, the woman is the flesh me, and the lion is my emotions, my ego and my conscious thoughts.

The card is telling me to forget the torments of the mind, and it's external influences, and to take control through the heart. It is telling me that it's time to meditate, and with strength of will, to let go of the old and welcome in the new.

I'm ready.

Simone's Magic Muffins

2010-02-19T16:56:00.002+10:00

This recipe was passed on to me by my friend. Thank you, Simone!

What wonderful, tasty little morsels they are too! My boys love them, and think they taste like gingerbread. Simone gave me the recipe to try as they helped one of her boys with his 'number two' problems and thought that they might help my daughter, who at the time had held on for five days (she has since gone - thank goodness!). Unfortunately Miss Fusspot doesn't like them, but I'm hoping, like other foods, that a continual offering of them might change her mind. This little girl won't eat fresh fruit or vegies unless they are hidden, so any kind of fibre I can get into her is of the utmost importance!

They are so good and so healthy and I wanted to share the recipe with you all here. They are the perfect lunch box addition. I have just baked another batch (with an added handful of frozen raspberries) to take with me to my gathering on the mountain tomorrow.

Enjoy, and remember to let me know what you think of them when you make them!

Simone's Magic Muffins

1 cup All Bran cereal (I used the Coles brand, as it is cheaper and just the same)
3/4 cup milk
25g butter
1 cup wholemeal self raising flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 pear, grated (I used an apple for my second batch)
generous handful of L.S.A. mix (linseed, sunflower seeds and almond meal - this stuff is magic and very yummy)

Combine cereal and milk and stand 10 minutes.

Rub butter into combined flour, sugar and spice.

Add eggs, pear, bran mixture and L.S.A. mix, and stir until just combined. Mixture will be slightly lumpy.

Spoon mixture into muffin tins. Bake at 200〫C for 20 minutes or until cooked when tested with skewer.

Ode to my slow cooker

2010-02-18T12:30:00.003+10:00

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways
I love thee to ends of the earth
My sweet slow cooking friend
You fill my world with delicious fragrance
Mouth-watering, tantalizing scents
My life is oh, so simpler now
Let all thanks be to you
No frying, no browning
No time consuming baking
Blending and thickening are gone
My time is mine all over again
And cooking is no longer a chore
I will lament over the evening feast
Not a single minute more
Your always nutritious bounty
Never fails to please
I love you like a well cooked casserole
A curry cooked all day
And I love you for the food you bring us
Each and every day

Virtue 2 - Caring

2010-02-17T13:03:00.004+10:00

"Pay homage to God... and be good to your parents and relatives, the orphans and the needy and the neighbours who are your relatives, and the neighbours who are strangers, and the friend by your side" - Al-Qur'an, 4:36

What lessons we have learned this week!

This virtue is a great one for children, in so many ways. It has helped us with sibling bickering and teasing. It has helped us with our chores. It has helped us to remember our manners, and it has helped us to look after our belongings. So much, and from only one little word!

We began by talking about what caring is. We decided together that caring is about looking after ourselves, other people and our possessions. That caring is a sign of respect and love, and that we care for our belongings and other people to let them know that they are valued.

The lessons learned so far -

1. Treating our siblings with care, and speaking nicely to each other, means that there are no fights. It also means that we learn to share our toys more! This lesson is ongoing.... ;)

2. Caring for our home means that we all need to do our chores to keep it clean and tidy. Taking the rubbish out, scraping down the dinner plates, wiping the bathroom bench, keeping our rooms tidy, throwing rubbish in the bin (and not on the floor!!) are all ways that we can care for our home. This lesson has worked in well this week, as we have started our pocket money scheme! So far, so good!

3. Using our manners shows that we care how we speak to each other. It is respectful, and is always the best way to make a point, or to ask for something you need.

4. Since school started we have been on a spate of lost hats and drink bottles. All have been found, thankfully, but this morning we have misplaced our school hats again! A perfect time for me to remind them about caring for our possessions. Particularly as losing them again means that they will go without, and therefore have no outside play time at school! We also learned that it is important to place items that we care for in secure positions in our bedroom, out of the reach of baby sisters! Lesson well learned...

5. Lastly, we spoke briefly about caring for ourselves through the food we eat. Everyday food... sometimes food... special treat food - and why our body needs everyday food to be the most important. I re-iterated the need to care for our bodies this morning, when I applied sunscreen to the boys before school.

This virtue has been relatively easy to pass on, as it is something that I have tried to instil in them from a very early age. Having the word written on red cardboard on the fridge has been a great help in getting them to return to the virtue when the need has arisen. For the most part, I think they've gotten the hang of this one!

Next week - Virtue 3 Cleanliness

I've had enough...

2010-02-16T12:49:00.002+10:00

... of this stinking, hot summer! I can't take another day of these sweltering temperatures and this ridiculously high humidity. It's just too much. It's making me grumpy, short tempered and lazy, and I'm not enjoying it one bit! The kids are tired and cranky, I don't feel like cooking anything, and the thought of doing any outdoor activity sends me running for cover!

Don't get me wrong, I do love the warm weather, and by the end of winter I am usually longing for balmy days and stormy nights. This summer though, is just unbearable. Seriously, who can honestly say summer is their favourite season?? It is currently 39 degrees (celsius) under my back pergola and I'm pretty sure it didn't get below 25 degrees last night. Who can sleep comfortably in that? Not me, and not my kids. Waking up sweating at 4am is a joke!

I'm ok if I don't have to leave the house, and I'm happy to potter around inside doing what needs to be done in the 24 degree sanctuary of my air conditioned home. That said though, I'm certainly not looking forward to my next power bill, and I get the eco-guilts every time I switch the damn thing on!

So join me in saying goodbye to summer. We've all had enough, and it's time for Autumn to poke it's head out and relieve us of our misery. I'm ready for cooler mornings, beautiful days and comfortable nights.

Come on Earth, get that rotation into gear and get us out of here!

My latest creation

2010-02-14T13:56:00.003+10:00

I had some odds and sods of fleece left over in a my craft box, and the other day I developed a bit of an urge to do some felting. So with what I had left, I managed to create a little story mat for my daughter.

A typical little girl, she loves fairies, so this mat is designed for fairy play. It has a golden path that leads from the flowery forest to a river dotted with stepping stones. The golden path then leads from the river to the silvery, purple fairy pond surrounded by pixie toadstools and more pretty flowers. Perfect for open ended play!

I'm really happy with the way it turned out, particularly as it was made using leftovers! I really need to get some more fleece now. I have two little boys who are brimming with ideas for story mats of their own!

Letting go

2010-02-12T15:51:00.003+10:00

There comes a time when the energy we expend on someone, expires. Gone. Nothing left. The energy well has been entirely zapped. When this happens, we have two choices - to keep fighting a losing battle and hope that our energy will be somehow replenished, or to let go.

Today I chose to let go. My energy well was emptied by this exploit sometime ago, but going against my gut instinct, I kept fighting and continued to try to help. I like to give the benefit of the doubt, to try to see the good side and to keep my proverbial cup 'half full'. I prefer to live my life knowing that I have given something my all, and that I have done my best. I'm pretty sure in this instance, I did just that.

I learnt today that no matter how hard you try to fix someone who is lost, or how hard you try to reach out to someone who is silently pleading for help, you will never be successful, unless that person really knows which part of them is broken. Today I became the punching bag for the insecurities, depression, and sadness suffered by one individual, as the hurt and rage kept so tightly wound inside them, erupted in a tirade of abuse. The part that saddens me the most though is not the harsh words and battle of emotions that I suffered, but the sad realisation that this person may never be happy. With anything. Or anyone. This is tragic.

I have come out of this relatively unscathed, and I feel better that my choice to let go was somehow almost made for me. The divine works in many, many ways.

Virtue 1 - Assertiveness

2010-02-11T12:49:00.003+10:00

So we've been working with this virtue since Monday. It's not an easy one for kids to grasp, but I think the boys have a basic understanding of it's meaning.

Being assertive means to be positive, to be confident and to know that you are worthy of respect. It's about asking for what you need or want, and it is about expressing your opinions, ideas and thoughts with strength and surety.

We talked about why assertiveness is important and we discussed examples of when they might need to call on this virtue. The Family Virtues Guide says it nicely, "When you are assertive, others respect you. You are offering your true ideas and feelings as well as protecting yourself from things that can cause you harm.... Just as each instrument in an orchestra is needed to make beautiful music, your part is needed in the song of life."

As children, the need to be assertive comes at a fairly superficial level, as opposed to the complexities of life as an adult. The boys and I talked in detail about how assertiveness could help them at school, and they came up with the following -

- They could be assertive if they were being bullied. Instead of fighting back, they could tell the bully that they didn't like the way they were being treated, and that it should stop.

- If their teacher asks a question, putting their hand up without feeling shy, would be an assertive way to give their answer. On this topic, we also talked about the importance of patience, and not yelling out the answer without being first asked.

- We also talked about peer pressure, and the need to be assertive if a friend tries to talk them into doing something they feel is wrong.

This is a virtue that usually gets lost somewhere in between passivity and aggression, and not too many adults do it well. It's an odd virtue to teach children, but definitely one that is important, and one that will grow with the child each day. The day after we talked about it, my youngest son came home quite disappointed. When I asked him why he was feeling sad, he told me it was because he hadn't had a chance to be assertive as no one had bullied him! It took me a while to make him understand that this was a good thing! So, this virtue will be one that we will continue to talk about in general chatter for a little while yet.

Next week: Virtue 2 - Caring

Happy birthday, big boy!

2010-02-10T12:15:00.003+10:00

At 12.15pm, seven years ago, I was in hospital. I'd just had my waters broken and had been labouring slowly for about 6 hours. I was convinced my baby would be born very soon! I was wrong. Very wrong. After several unsuccessful attempts at an epidural (which left me numb on only one side of my body, therefore bed bound), and another 9 hours of labour I was still only 5cm dilated. Devastated and exhausted, we decided that a caesarean was the best option. This was bitter sweet news. My dreams of a completely natural, drug free birth were shattered. I was too tired to argue, and so after another 2 hours of waiting, we were wheeled in. Finally at 11.42pm, my baby boy finally arrived earthside. He was happy, healthy and the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. He was born with his eyes wide open, taking in everything his new world had to offer. He was so alert.

And he still is. He is one of the greatest people I know, and is destined for huge things. A typical Aquarian, he is eccentric and a bit of an odd bod, compared to other kids his age. But that's one of the things I love about him the most - his uniqueness is overwhelming sometimes. He is compassionate and caring, and his thirst for knowledge is almost insatiable - always questioning everything and everyone. His need to 'know' keeps him awake some nights as his little brain ticks over and over. Sometimes I get a glimpse of the normal seven year old when he picks on his siblings, or won't help with the chores, but this isn't too often. Mostly he is great fun to be around, and an awesome kid to know. Conversation is certainly never dull!

I am so proud to be his Mum, and I love him more than words can describe. I can't wait to see what life has in store for him.

Happy birthday, darling one!

There's a star shining bright
and an angel with its light
just for you
just for you
on this day of your birth
on this day you came to earth
a special day too,
for all who know you.

For you're special like laughter
Like a star in the sky
Like a seed of light
Like the sparkle in your eye
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!

To you ....

- Atillio Dona

The Family Virtues Guide - Linda Kavelin Popov

2010-02-08T13:02:00.003+10:00

"Virtue is the muscle tone that develops from daily and hourly training of a spiritual warrior." - Tolbert McCarroll

I've had this book for a few years now and I often look at it on the bookshelf and think that I really should pick it up again. Last week I did just that, and decided it was time to make proper use of it.

The Family Virtues Guide was written by Linda Kavelin Popov, the founder of the Virtues Project, whose aim is to empower adults and children to live by their highest values. There have been many books written to help parents understand the best ways to develop their children's physical bodies, emotions and psychological health, but this is the first I have found that endeavours to help parents develop the spiritual needs of their children. It has been used in schools, prisons, corporations, child-care centres, indigenous communities and diverse faith communities in many countries across the globe. It was also honoured by the United Nations Secretariat during the International Year of the Family.

So what is a virtue? The book itself gives the best explanation -

" The Family Virtues Guide is not about family values. Values are culture specific. it is about virtues, which are universally valued by all faiths and cultures in the world. Virtues are the silver thread running through all of humanity's sacred literature as well as the oral traditions of the world's indigenous peoples. Virtues are described as the qualities of the soul and the attributes of God."

Some examples of virtues are - caring, courage, determination, faithfulness, generosity, humility, justice, love, patience, reliability, self-discipline and trust.

The book is based on four key principles:

1. The parent is the primary educator of the child.
2. Children are born in potential: their natural qualities can develop into positive or negative traits depending on how they are educated in the early years.
3. Character develops as children learn to make responsible, moral choices.
4. Self-esteem is a natural outcome of living by spiritual principles.

The first few chapters of the book give us the theory behind the importance of virtues, and how to use the book effectively. It also explains the spiritual nature of children, and gives us in depth guidelines on applications of the principles and practices. The last chapters are about the virtues themselves - one chapter per virtue, with practical exercises and advice.

The first virtue we will experience is assertiveness. I won't be following the book in its entirety, but will use it as a reference to my own teaching. I have some coloured cardboard and will write the 'virtue of the week' on a piece of this and stick it on the fridge. I plan on using dinner time to discuss the meaning the virtue, and to talk to the children about how they can use it in their day to day life. I want it to be fun as well as enlightening for them, and I'm hoping to be able use their own behaviour as examples of the virtues at work. Now is a great time to start, particularly as both the boys are now at school, and at the perfect age to understand. My daughter will learn from watching her brothers at home - they're never too young to begin!

I will be blogging each week about the virtues, so stay tuned!

Confessions

2010-02-04T16:23:00.003+10:00

My name is Rebecca and I am not a perfect mother.

There, I've said it. I'm sorry if I've burst any bubbles you may have had me floating in, ladies, but it's time to set the records straight.

My kids are sometimes naughty, and I usually yell at them to behave. Sometimes they're cheeky, and when they are I send them to their rooms to think about their words. When they fight with each other, I want to walk out the front door and keep going. Sometimes the meals I make are pushed around on the plate rather than eaten. This disappoints, frustrates and annoys me, and I wonder why I bother to create a healthy meal at all. Some days I feel as though I am a robot, programmed to pick up, wipe up, mop up, tidy up, sweep up, clean up, wash up...... And that's just all the stuff on the surface.

What about all those internal battles? Have I done the right thing? Should I have reacted differently to that? Am I giving them enough/too much/not enough attention? Am I providing them with all that they need to grow physically / emotionally / spiritually? Am I setting a good example? Then there's the comparisons I mentally make of my parenting skills and those of my friends and acquaintances. Why does her child eat so well, and mine doesn't? Why does her child go to bed so easily and mine doesn't? Why is her child smarter than mine? Should I have my child in extra-curricular activities too? Constant questioning....

So I'm not perfect, and I never will be. I'm a good mother, and I strive to be a better mother each and every day. With each day comes a new experience and a new lesson that ultimately becomes part of this wondrous journey of parenting. Some days I wonder if I'll ever see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I struggle to keep my mind on the big picture. It's not an easy task.

But the light is there. I see it every night in their beautiful eyes when I lay them down to sleep. I hear it in their sweet voices as they tell me they love me. And I feel it in my heart as I wish them the sweetest of dreams.

Gratitude...

2010-02-03T16:53:00.002+10:00

I'm grateful for the cool change in the weather.

I'm grateful for food in my cupboard, the clothes upon my back, and the roof over my head.

I'm grateful for three healthy and vibrant children.

I'm grateful for a husband who is not only my soul mate, but my best friend and confidante.

I'm grateful for intelligent conversation, and inspiring friends.

I'm grateful for all the opportunities I've had along the way, and I'm grateful for the ones I've missed.

I'm grateful for the gift of words, and the ability to share them.

I'm grateful for an eccentric, funny, unique family and wonderful, caring parents.

I'm grateful that I have the ability to choose my faith without fear of persecution.

I'm grateful for today.

Falun Dafa

2010-01-28T13:11:00.005+10:00

My husband is a Falun Dafa practitioner.

In a nutshell, Falun Dafa is a high-level cultivation practise that is guided by the universal characteristics of Truth, Compassion and Tolerance. It's a spiritual practise governed by teachings similar to Buddhism and comprises five exercises, not unlike Qi Gong. It's classes are free (always), and are practised in almost every nation. With one exception - China. In China, people are banned from practising Falun Dafa, and it has been made illegal. At this moment there are thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners imprisoned in hard labour camps, and many have died for their beliefs. Hardly something you'd expect in today's day and age, is it? It is lauded in nations such as Australia, Canada, the USA and the United Kingdom, yet outlawed in it's nation of conception. Why? The answer is simple. Fear. The Chinese Communist Party was unable to 'contain' the practice when it first became popular and for fear of it 'taking over', decided to declare it illegal. Practitioners are unable to express their beliefs, practise their exercises or read their books. To the CCP it is an evil cult, and they have done, and continue to do, anything in their power to stop it in its tracks, despite pleas from other nation's governments, Amnesty International and other protesters. Could you imagine if our government decided that yoga, or Christianity was illegal, and that those who practised them were to be arrested? The CCP's behaviour is abominable.

Falun Dafa is good. It is upright and highly moral, with practitioners only striving to improve their lives both physically and spiritually. I have seen it first hand for the last 11 years.

Last weekend we went to the Health Harmony Soul expo, where our local Falun Dafa group had a stand. My son was chosen to take part in the stage demonstration of the exercises. We were very, very proud, but not as proud as he was!

NB. To my family in Hong Kong, I hope that you will still be able to read my blog. It's likely that it will now be placed on the banned list!

School's back...

2010-01-27T12:07:00.007+10:00

So my boys have flown the coop. Just one little baby chick left at home with Mummy now. Finally some girl time!

I was so proud this morning. My big boy has started Grade 2, and has a wonderful teacher, so I know he will continue to excel and be happy. He will be a little outnumbered by girls this year though - it's about 2:1! He only has two friends from last year in his class, but he has never been one to be shy. I guarantee that by the end of the day he will have already made a couple of new 'best friends'. Despite a dream breakfast, teeth and getting dressed run, the morning didn't start as smoothly as it should have. Leaving all your books at home isn't a great way to begin! All's well that ends well though, and 'responsibility' has become the key word for the day.

My baby boy started prep today too. Such a big year for a little one, and a monumental day for all of us. The first true day of independence. He has to grow up now. I'm not sure I'm completely at ease with that, but like the last time I experienced it, I'm sure I'll grow from it too. He was a little anxious to start, although he didn't admit it. His quietness was the telltale sign for me. However when he saw that several of his kindy pals would be joining him in class, his excitement was almost palpable. He had no problems waving me goodbye!

So now it's time to get some plans into action. This week we'll take it easy and just ease on into the first term. Next week though I need get my act together and sort out birthday presents, swimming lessons, Scouts, home renovations, finish booking our holiday, and give the house a good once over! So many cupboards need sorting, and my blinds are hideous! For now though.... it's time for a cuppa and a rest. This school gig is hard work!

Perspective

2010-01-26T09:04:00.002+10:00

This video is just incredible. It puts everything into perspective.

Watch it here.

Let me know what you think....

How we spent our morning

2010-01-20T13:22:00.006+10:00

A trip to the mountains for a beautiful nature walk...

We discovered fairy trees, found cicada shells, wondered at the smells of the earth, watched bats in flight, searched for glow worms, listened to the water fall, and found dinosaur footprints in the rocks...

We played hopscotch on the rocky stairs...

We picniced under the ancient canopy...

One the way home we swam and skimmed rocks in the babbling creek...

What a wonderful part of the world we live in! And we are going to do it all over again tomorrow - just because we can...

In the summertime

2010-01-19T19:12:00.001+10:00

A lesson well learned

2010-01-19T11:15:00.002+10:00

Last week I participated in a very basic and brief CPR Awareness course. When I arrived I laughed to myself and wondered what on earth I was getting myself into. I was the youngest there by about 40 years! It had obviously been well advertised in the local nursing home. I sat down, trying to be oblivious to the stares coming from all sets of eyes, and prepared myself to learn. I think in the end, most were grateful for a young mind in the room as I was the only one who asked questions, and tried to clarify what we were being taught. I even received a second round of applause at certificate time for being the youngest!

Having never taken this kind of course, I was amazed at how simple CPR really is. I think in the past I was put off with having to remember so much information. Without going into it all, we simply learnt - DR ABC.

D - Danger (check for danger to us, bystanders and the patient)
R - Response (does the patient respond to talking, touching etc)

A - Airways (are airways obstructed)
B - Breathing (look, listen and feel for breath)
C - CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. This was the interesting part for me. I always thought the point of this was to restart the heart, when in fact it is used to keep the oxygen flowing through the body until paramedic help arrives.)

We practised on dummies until we had DR ABC down pat. I left feeling confident that should the need arise, I would be able to administer basic care for a patient, and today I almost had to do just that.

Whilst shopping in the dairy aisle at Coles, an elderly lady collapsed next to me. From the moaning and groaning, I knew she wasn't unconscious, but she was in pain and couldn't move. Before I realised what I was doing, I had her rolled onto her side, and was asking her the questions we'd been taught to ask. 'Can you hear me?', 'Can you squeeze my fingers?', etc. By that stage some Coles staff members had begun to crowd around, and I asked one to call an ambulance, and asked others to get a pillow and a blanket. It was very cold on the floor in the dairy aisle! Someone had managed to find the nurse who was travelling with the old lady and her nursing home friends, and by this stage my job was done. My kids sat quietly, open mouthed during the ordeal, but my oldest son spoke up when we were asked what had happened. He had seen her reach for some yoghurt. She then dropped it and attempted to pick it up when she lost her balance. She was a heavy lady using a walking frame, and she dropped with a mighty thump. I was very proud of him for speaking up so confidently. The poor soul was taken off on the ambulance stretcher, and we left to finish our shopping.

The children have been full of questions since then. 'How do they strap her into the stretcher?', 'Does the stretcher roll around in the ambulance?', 'Where will they take her?', 'Will she be ok?'.... I've done my best to assure them she will be fine, but have also taken the opportunity to educate them a little about looking after someone who is hurt.

I guess the moral of this story is that we should all have a basic understanding of CPR, and the handling of sick or injured people. As mothers this is especially important. Whilst we wish and hope that we'll never need to use it, there is always the possibility that we might. I feel proud that I was able to assist today, even in the small way that I did, and I'm ever so grateful to my Mum for making do the CPR course. Thanks Mum!

NB. Please do not take the above information as CPR instructions. These are merely to illustrate my story. CPR training needs to be performed by a professional, and I suggest you contact your local ambulance station for information on courses.

Solitude - How can we get some?

2010-01-18T13:04:00.003+10:00

When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death - ourselves. ~Eda LeShan

Being alone may be frightening for some, or seemingly impossible to obtain for others. But solitude is to me, one of the most important elements of personal growth. I love the company of others - friends, family, companions - but I like my own company just as much, if not better. I enjoy not needing to talk, not needing to explain, and not needing to be concerned about the welfare of anyone but myself. It gives me time to think and to feel, to create or do nothing, if I so choose.

As women we often feel that having time on our own is selfish, or not the right thing to do. Without it though, we risk becoming nothing but a machine, programmed to churn out everything for everyone else, leaving us no energy or no will to become one with ourselves. No time to just sit and question, 'Who am I?', or 'What do I want to become?'.

Our ancestors had the answer. Many of you may have heard of 'menstruation huts', 'red tents' or 'moon lodges'. In ancient times, women were honoured and revered when it was their time to bleed, and during this part of the month, many retreated to their huts or lodges. Food was brought to them, and they were given time off from homely duties, thus giving them time to turn inward. Time for solitude. Most women cycled together (as some women who live together today do), bleeding on the new moon and ovulating at the full moon. This meant that their chores and duties were left to the men and to the children who were old enough to take on these responsibilities. This was part of life. Menstruation wasn't a curse, or an inconvenience. Women were considered magical beings who could bleed for days without dying, when warriors would fall with a single wound! Ancient women had days alone, in solitude, and it was expected of them. It was healing. It gave them the rejuvenation they needed to be able to work hard for the other 3 weeks of the month.

I can't always get time alone. Sometimes I rarely get time to think! Life is busy, and life as a mother of three is hectic! It's not practical these days to expect that we can shut ourselves off for 4 to 5 days a month. We work, we raise families and we run our homes. Today we don't live in communally, and mainstream thought processes are different. We are expected to just 'get on with it'! I wonder how many of our pre-menstrual symptoms, and things like cramping would be eliminated if we were allowed the time our ancestors had? Food for thought...

Anyway, from now on, I am giving myself permission to rest and rejuvenate when my cycle tells me to. The house won't run itself, but I will choose what gets done and what doesn't. What doesn't get done, will wait. I will use those days to reflect, to sit and read, to quietly let my body do what women's bodies have been doing since the beginning of time. I will harness the solitude in small pieces - 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there - and use them to carry me along peacefully.

Blossoming

2010-01-16T14:43:00.002+10:00

"The day came when the risk to stay in a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin