32/52

32/52 - A portrait of my children, once a week, every week for a year

J - Watching in anticipation as his sister receives her gifts

M - The Birthday Girl in all her splendour

Linking in with Jodi @ Che & Fidel

xx

Don't forget to enter this giveaway! 

change

Change.  It's good at times to change things up.  What they say is right...A change is as good as a holiday, and when that Change is a Holiday...Even better.  Last week we did the road trip to Sydney, stopping off for an overnight at our soon to be new residence to break up the drive, and check our progress.  Change Change is everywhere....by the time we got back from Sydney with another stop off at the building site, windows had arrived and I'm busy scheduling in appointments for interiors!  Eeek!  Exciting times!

1. Under the harbour bridge..,.and just as amazing really
2. My two doing the double decker tourist bus trip and loving every minute
3. Snack time at The Rocks
4. View from the Sydney Tower...I'm just a sucker for old buildings.
5. Sunset view from our room.
6. A stop on the way home at Bowral  to see the Sir Don Bradman oval.
7. The builders and the windows....

Hoping your week was splendid!

Linking up with Em @ The Shack 

xx

31/52

31/52 - A portrait of my children once a week, every week for a year 

J - Getting his feet wet at Bondi Beach 

M - Drawing faces in the sand

Linking up with Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

xx

30/52

30/52 - A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, for a year

J - His "angry/happy" eyes 

M - "mum, I just want to watch the water" 

Linking up with Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

xx

29/52

A Portrait of my children once a week, every week, for a year

J - Still a little pensive when the camera comes out...

M - And this one tends to light up at the opportunity of a photo! 

Linking up with Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

xx

Sydney bound....

Yep...we're off on a family road trip next week.  Melbourne to Sydney....and we cannot wait! 

I'm busy planning how we can fill our days, what sights to see and also the usual organisation that goes with travelling with kids.  My kids are familiar with time on the road, however this will be our longest stint, although I do plan to break it up, stopping off and allowing the holiday begin before we reach our final destination.   I'll take the kids to Gundagai for the Dog on a Tuckerbox experience, and also the Big Marino somewhere on the way to Goulburn.   On the way home I hope to detour off the freeway and do the Grand Pacific Drive...Oh there is just so much I'm finding it's all to hard to choose! 

It's been over twenty years since I've been to sydney, so technically the last time I went I was the child being taken care of.  What to see and do?  I've got the classic opera house visit, harbour cruise (weather permitting) and a trip to a market planned but tell me...what should we do??  Where should we go??  Or better still, what should we avoid???  

Sydney here we come! 

xx

this week

Oh the school holidays....what fun!  No school lunches or remembering what happens on what day.  No surprise we spent most of our time near our soon to be abode, but all too soon it was over and the school term has resumed. ...

:: this week in photos ::

1.  House progress...the roof is on, and I may have just had one (or more) colour-bond moments like on the ad where I just stood and stared, marvelling in all that roof glory!
2. We enjoyed Salami Making Day over the school holidays....
3. Give a kid a go-cart and let them play...
4. Wet concrete...a small hand = lasting memory
5. Playing chasey with Nonno
6. Feeling right at home on the ride-on.

Hope you all enjoyed the school holidays....

Joining in with the lovely Em @ The Shack. 
xx

28/52

28/52 - a portrait of my children once a week every week for a year 

J - Oh dear...their is that teenage you again...and you're in the divers seat! 

M - Having some fun with dad in our soon to be backyard! 

Joining in with Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

xx

three / fifty-two

Project 52 

three favourite portraits so far 

J 

 6/52 intense younger you are 

15/52  playing with snails 

20/52 asking me questions whilst a plane flew overhead

M

2/52  the joker always making me laugh

19/52 such a sweet gaze 

20/52 yes, that is what we do with figs 

It was harder than I imagined selecting my favourite three.  Of course any parent would love each image of their own children.  I tried to select images I'm also happy with from a photographic perspective as well.  Images that I can appreciate the light, moment, composition and colour.  

Half way!  A wonderful project thanks to a wonderful host.  Thanks Jodi 

xx

26/52

A portrait of my children once a week, every week for a year 

26/52

J - Not very cooperative for a photo this week...I might have to try a more covert style 

M - Always time for a quick stroll in the Winter sun dressed as a fairy...even a cranky fairy 

A gorgeous image from last week (envious of that Summer weather)!!  

Linking in with Jodie @ Che and Fidel 

xx

don't forget a giveaway here 

growing up

  

Before my eyes they have blossomed, fleeting moments of nostalgia already infiltrating my mind, casting memories back when they were smaller, acknowledging that I am no longer a mother of wee babes.  Independence increases, their demands alter, what they need from me is constantly changing and so to is what they can provide for the family.

Some reflections on the past few weeks fuelled by tension, repetition, un-attempted tasks and job just not completed had me in a spin.  I needed to re-collabrate this family, to assess my children's abilities and just what they were capable of.  My children have always been requested to help around the house and be responsible for various aspects of themselves and their belongings.  Yet, with the addition of school, kinder and mornings that are no longer fluid and lasting, it was time to formalise my expectation and create something tangible and visual.

A formal "jobs chart" has been created.  Each child has their set of tasks expected of them for each day, which takes into account where they are going and any extra activities they may have on.  Tasks differ between my children, taking into account their age and jobs which include learning and development prompt me to remember it will take time to learn a new skill.

Making beds, setting the table, collecting the mail, unstacking the dishwasher and putting away toys are common jobs feature prominently on their jobs chart.  More intricate tasks like meal preparation, sweeping and sorting a marvel at assisting with fine motor development.  We potter along, doing our jobs, in tandem, conversation flowing.   A small packet of stickers near by for immediate reward, and a tally at the end of each week to determine if any other congratulatory signifiant offering is required.  Pride on their faces evident of a good days work.

The effects have been profound, noticeable and rewarding for the entire family.  Seeing my chidden growing up, but also being an active part of the family and helping in small but signifiant moments of the day is just a joy to watch.

How do you incorporate jobs and tasks into your children's day?

wintery-ness

Dang.  It's cold.  The heater is broken and it hasn't really stopped raining all week.  All. Week.  It's not fun trying to dry washing in this sort of weather without relying on the old tumble dryer.  But as it happens Winter has it's ok moments...like an excuse for endless hot drinks, and slow sunday roasts.  Staying in winter pj's is just a little more luxurious when it's cold than in warmer months and snuggling on the couch is oh so cozy.....here's what we got up to this week. 

1. Props...gorgeous citrus, eucalyptus, geraniums, lavender and rosemary...all used for a photo shoot for some wonderful products, which I'll reveal soon. 

2. Ladder time - At the end of each footy round the ladder gets updated.  Very happy people at the moment with their team in top position. 

3. My old antique wardrobe...photos taken of her because it's time to sell her (sob!) 

4. Shenanigans on the couch

5. Hiding under the quilt

6. Letting me take photos of her down the lane way. 

Linking up with Em @ The Shack 

24/52

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week for a year 

J - Always thinking, calculating with such intensity...this morning you at least got to enjoy a snippet of sunshine

M - After I showed you the scrappy owl wings I made you, you've enjoyed moments of owl madness

Linking up with Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

I loved the cute little smiles on these faces from last week

the weekend {& cake}

Oh the weekend is here...Hooray!  I love the approach of Friday afternoon, the cheerfulness that only Friday afternoon school pick up in imminent rain cannot diminish because it's that time that the weekend truely begins.  Two little days that bring so much joy, and the night before that is even considered part of the weekend for the hair gets let down, the kids are allowed to stay up a little later having learnt the term "not a school night"....

...Not much is planned for the weekend, we'll do a lazy Saturday breakfast, head out and about! Oh we have tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar Spectacular and I'm kinda excited about a night out sans kids with my man.  Sunday is free as a bird and that's how I like it.

What are you up to this weekend?

Oh here's a fabulous cake recipe...I never thought of mixing carrots with lime.  Turns out to be quite the surprise combination!  It's a winner in my book.

What you need....


200 g butter, softened
240 g caster sugar
4 eggs
180 g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
200 g carrot, grated (that’s 2 medium carrots)
60 g coconut, shredded
60 g walnuts, crushed
zest and juice of one orange (or lemon)

Icing:
200g cream cheese
100g icing sugar
juice one lime (more if your icing needs more liquid)

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Sift in flour and baking powder then mix to combine. Add carrots, coconut, zest, walnuts and orange juice. Mix to combine and pour into cake pan. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes then move to a rack. Let the cake cool completely

To make the icing combine the softened cream cheese, icing sugar and lime juice and spread over cake.

Enjoy
xx

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