The Rhythm Of Our Days: Freo Fridays

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved Fridays - the closing of a week, a simple low key dinner, the anticipation of everyone in our household being home together for a few days and the promise of the weekend ahead and its break from routine. And while I still love Fridays for all of these reasons, there is a new part of this day of the week that brings me much joy...

Our Saturday morning market run has been a thing of the past for some time now.  When Grace began full time school and was visibly tired at the end of her fifth day, heading out the door early on the first day of the weekend was not good for anyone. Instead, Sophie and I began collecting our fruit and vegetables on a Friday morning and so began a new end of the week tradition.

Over the past year, these end of the week visits to Fremantle have become so much more.  They are our 'treat', our 'Sophie and Mummy morning' after a full week dictated largely by the school bell and endless 'to dos'. They are our chance to explore and browse in little shops and stores together because we want to, not because we have to.  Most importantly, they are our special one on one time and something I look forward to tremendously.

After dropping Grace off at school on a Friday, we often make our way to Fremantle. We run errands on the way, stopping here and there and then begin our favourite part of the week.  Purposely parking on the outskirts of South Fremantle, we begin a long slow wander down to South Terrace, Sophie's chubby hand clutching mine tightly, her endless chatter breaking the quietness of the streets as we walk. We stop to admire sweet features on quaint cottages - white picket fences, ivy trailing along limestone walls, trickling garden fountains, prayer flags strung across verandahs and mosaic lined driveways and paths. There are our 'must-sees' like the teacup path, goldfish pond and friendly backyard chickens and new discoveries are made on every stroll.  Taking time to slow down and notice the small details we pass has become a highlight for us both and seeing the enjoyment on my little one's face as we point out these interesting finds is priceless.

At South Terrace, we make our way to what has become affectionately referred to by Sophie as 'The Zebra Cafe', a quirky but trendy spot where we religiously order our three C's - a chai, 'cino and choc chip cookie. I have become somewhat of a chai snob and after one too many sickly syrupy versions, a skinny chai latte from this cafe is the only one I will now drink (other than home brewed chai).  My Friday pot of deliciousness is the perfect blend of spices and I always enjoy several cups. Sophie and I sit at one of the tables outside or in cooler months, try and score window seats where we can watch the traffic and passers-by.  We play 'I Spy' or draw together without interruption and free from distraction and after morning tea, sneak in a fossick in the Op Shop several doors down or Manna Wholefoods before heading home for lunch and a slow relaxing afternoon. This unhurried, free from time restraints part of our Friday has become such a precious way to end our week and definitely sets the tone for the weekend ahead.

I am so thankful that Sophie's kindy days this year are Monday and Tuesday and that this tradition of ours can be savoured for another year. I hope that one day in the future, she will look back on these 'Freo Fridays' we currently share with the same affection and appreciation as I have for them...

2016 Portraits: January

"Monthly portraits of my girls in 2015"


Sophie: The thought of my baby girl starting kindergarten brought a roller-coaster of emotions for me in January. In readiness for her first day, I'd been taping a five minute show each morning at the end of the holidays about a little bear preparing for his first time at school, hoping it would help Sophie... I ended up in tears myself after hearing the song in the first episode... "All you have to do is be brave little bear. It's all so new.  Just one little step, for me and you... All your friends are ready to explore with you, just turn and save a wave for me. There's things you have to figure out on your own. But you're never alone, we're always there. Little things can seem so big... take lots of little steps and suddenly you're there. Such a big adventure little bear."

Grace: She would spend hours pottering about on the shoreline if we let her... always content to use her imagination and invent her own games. It makes me so happy to see her enjoy nature and being outdoors.

Joining in with Jodi

A Snapshot Of Our 2015

With so many highlights of the past year yet to be documented here on my blog and with a fresh new one having already begun, I figured the best way to get back into writing was with a re-cap of our family's past twelve months...

For us, 2015 began with a summer that was all about water.  Days were punctuated with endless trips to the river, swims at the beach and dips in our neighbours' pool. A final trip to the family holiday house south of Perth over the Australia Day long weekend was the perfect end to our relaxed holiday break. When school returned for Grace, she settled in well and without the anxiety of years gone by. There were no tears and fewer worries and soon home readers, spelling lists and times tables made their way into our afternoon routine.

In April, the four of us had our first ever interstate holiday to northern New South Wales. It was the perfect balance of sightseeing, family time and relaxation.  We based ourselves in Kingscliff, a quiet little town with a laid back holiday vibe and lots to explore within close driving distance. Our accommodation was perfect for our needs and the ability to hop in the car and be in Byron Bay in only thirty minutes suited us really well.

Days were spent out and about exploring, taking in new sights and then come the afternoon, we would head back to our accommodation for a swim in the pool followed by a warm bath and some quiet time. At night, it was just a short walk across to one of the restaurants in the Salt Village for tea (such a convenience for us with the girls) and the novelty of room service was also a treat on a few occasions (especially the delicious chocolate fondant dessert!)

Our girls loved the whole hotel experience with the novelty of sharing a room together where they would watch in-house movies and chat and giggle way past their usual bedtime.  I too loved the luxury of staying in a resort... no beds to make, rooms to tidy, washing to do or meals to prepare!

Autumn brought with it a birthday each for Paul and I, as well as our tenth wedding anniversary. With much excitement, Grace lost her first tooth just before her sixth birthday. Her ice cream themed party with five friends and three cousins was lots of fun, despite us having to scrap our plans of an outdoor celebration in the backyard when heavy rain arrived.  Instead, little ones were entertained with indoor games like 'pin the cherry on the ice cream', musical bobs and ice cream bingo.

As the temperatures dropped and the cooler weather set in with the onset of winter, gum boots were donned for outdoor adventures between the showers. Visits to the river and play-dates on the shoreline were replaced with catch-ups with cousins at the Fremantle Arts Centre.  Sophie and I also began regular trips to Fremantle where after dodging puddles and running along footpaths under umbrellas, we would seek refugee from the stormy weather and sit at one of the window seats with our chai and babycino at Ootong and Lincoln.

In Spring, we escaped to Denmark for our annual getaway.  Days were spent exploring in the crisp country air - highlights being the natural playground, our long river-side walk down a peaceful track through the bush (where a snake slithered across our path), Elephant Rocks and the ever-popular animal farm. Afternoons were spent enjoying the gorgeous gardens next to our chalet while Paul mountain biked.  The girls pottered about in the fairy garden (complete with a real life 'Faraway Tree') and played hide and seek in the beautiful surroundings.

October arrived and with it came Sophie's 4th birthday and a simple gathering with just three of her cousins, perfect for a little one often overwhelmed by crowds.  It was a 'girls only event' (as back when we were planning her party Sophie had declared, "I don't want any boys because I don't want any silly!')

The wind-down to the year and lead-up to Christmas meant a busy calendar and lots of social events. Shopping for presents became a priority (often meaning housework was ignored whilst doing so). With the onset of warmer weather, we regularly found ourselves back at our riverside spot for morning tea picnics and sandcastle building. I also had a fantastic evening in Perth one Saturday with my sister and cousin attending the Florence and the Machine concert... such a mesmerizing performance and such a magical voice.

Class parties, kindy orientation, a school concert, extended family Christmas parties and the usual Advent activities like visits to Santa and drives to see Christmas lights all saw the year end on a fun note... and after a wonderful year, brought with them a readiness for the slow-paced, unplanned days of the new year and summer holidays ahead...

2015 Portraits: September

"Monthly portraits of my girls in 2015"


Sophie: Only four months until this little one begins kindergarten... I am holding onto every little part of this 'home-full-time' phase...

Grace: Finding myself catching more and more glimpses lately of  'young lady' as opposed to 'little girl'...

Joining in with Jodi

Snippets Of Our Week

1. A bunch of daffodils made their way into our trolley earlier in the week as a 'must buy' for Daffodil Day. Our entryway was much cheerier with their presence.

2.  The annual school Book Week dress-up day provided lots of excitement as Grace made accessories for her Ruby Red Shoes costume (the obligatory red shoes she wore are unfortunately out of shot in this photo!)

3. In between the rain, we had a plenty of winter sunshine and spent a lot of time pottering about in the garden, tending to our new seedlings and setting up beer traps for the snails.

4. With several birthday gifts to buy, we stopped at the Fremantle Arts Centre gift shop for some lovely locally handcrafted pieces. This building is one of my favourites in all of Fremantle and gloomy, overcast days only add to its beauty.

5. The girls' gumboots have been a wardrobe staple over the past few months. It won't be long before the weather warms up and they're replaced with sandals...

Returning To This Space...

I never intended to stay away from this space of mine for quite so long, but before I knew it, the single month I intended to have 'blog-free' rolled into the next and between the bustle of daily life with little ones and managing a household, the time and motivation to write simply weren't there.

Three months on though and I am feeling the need to document our days once again. I have our first interstate family holiday and Grace's 6th birthday party to share (albeit belatedly), as well as other less significant day to day happenings. I miss recording snippets of our family life and of my thoughts, of connecting with the handful of lovely souls who continue to visit this space and in particular, I miss having a reason to pull out the 'big' camera.

While my posts won't be as frequent as they once were, it definitely won't be such a long silence between the occasions where I do pop in here to write...

2015 Portraits: March

"Monthly portraits of my girls in 2015"


I had a selection of cute photos of the girls by themselves for this month to choose from. However, in the end, I decided it had to be this photo of the two of them together as my March pick.  I have tried over and over to get a decent photo where they are both looking at the camera at the same time. Finally, I captured this one a few weeks back as I sat in the backyard at dusk snapping away while they played together.  Unprompted, this is how they stood with their arms around each other when I said I wanted them both in the shot. Despite Sophie squinting, I love the sisterly friendship it portrays (which thankfully we're witnessing more of lately among the sisterly squabbles)...

Joining in with Jodi

2015 Portraits: February

"Monthly portraits of my girls in 2015"


Sophie: My little fairy, in a dress-up piece ten sizes too big, enjoying our back yard at dusk.

Grace: Well and truly settled into the rhythm of first term and ever so enthusiastic about school and learning (such a welcome change from the beginning of the year nerves in years gone by). Home reading and spelling words have become a regular part of our afternoon/evening routine.

Joining in with Jodi

Snippets Of Our Week

1.  When there is an unusual silence during post lunch 'quiet time', Sophie is usually up to no good. However on this particular day when I poked my head in to check, I found she had set herself up comfortably reading.

2.  My happy little cherub and I have shared the same hair woes in this summer humidity... frizzy curls and fly-aways locks. She carries the look much better than I do though...

3.  Once we're finished our current bedtime read, we cannot wait to get stuck into Grace's new book (bought on the weekend with the voucher she won for an award at school last year).

4.  Our new toadstool house in the fairy garden has seen two little girls regularly leaving notes and other offerings for the pixie-folk.  It has kept this 'mama-fairy' busy and often seen me creep outside in the dark to retrieve bits and pieces that have been left.  Last night, at 10.40, I remembered I'd not removed the thank you note Grace had written...  However, I said a quiet thank you to those fairies myself, as when I went to fetch it, I discovered I'd gone to bed having left the back door open and unlocked...

5.  After doing a bit of house-cleaning last Tuesday, I was wondering which activity to sit and do with Sophie when nature provided us with the perfect one.  We were so surprised to discover a wayward ibis in our front garden as we do not live in particularly close distance to a lake or wetland area. We spent the next forty minutes tip-toeing between the bedroom and lounge room windows watching this friendly fellow scratching about in the leaf litter and pecking at the spiderwebs on our window frames before he flew across the road and disappeared into the neighbourhood...

Printed Photos + Family Memories

Ever since my post last year where I discussed my saddness at our lack of printed photos, I have made documenting our family life a priority.  Happily, I can report that I have compiled around twelve or so double-page spreads that together, give an overview of our 2014. I've found this project (which is on-going and will be added to over the coming years) to be so rewarding and very manageable and wanted to write about my approach to encourage others who haven't printed out any photos for some time to perhaps give something similar a go...

For my album, I have used Project Life page protectors.  However, my approach to using them is SUPER SIMPLE.  Unlike others who use such resources to complete weekly spreads (which for me personally would be too time consuming and feel like too much of a chore), I document several weeks or even several months in the same space. Every now and then, I download all of the images from our phones and camera and save my favourites into a folder.  When I have enough to put together a layout, I do. Sometimes a layout will cover a month or a season.  Other times it will document a special occasion such as a birthday or family holiday where a larger number of snapshots have been taken. No pressure. No rules.  No fancy embellishments or patterned papers. Just a simple collection of photos with a simple bullet-point list of memories.

I stick to a fairly basic layout and use only one style of page protectors.  I keep my journalling cards the same.  Polaroid-style smaller photos (thanks to the free Collect App) break things up and provide some blank space (as well as useful date records).  Some photos are printed with a white border to provide definition, others are printed to the edge of the photo paper. I try to balance colours and will convert certain images to black and white if they are too visually distracting.






Our album doesn't necessarily contain my best photography but I select the photos that best tell our story. Milestones, snippets of daily life, new additions to our home as well as the occasional portrait all combine together to showcase memories I want us to recall in the future.

If you (like me last year) are in the position of not having printed out any photos for a LONG time, I encourage you to try something similar. My girls love being able to flick through our pages of family memories and I'm so grateful I've stopped procrastinating and have begun creating a tangible record for us all to enjoy and look back over...

A special shout-out to Ronnie whose pared back Project Life style is what encouraged me to try something similar in the first place.

Also, thank you to Claire for your advice and inspiration which I've appreciated too.

2015 Portraits: January

"Monthly portraits of my girls in 2015"


Sophie: Messy curls, sunkissed skin and chubby little hands... exactly what I want to remember from this photo in years to come...

Grace: Pottering about in the fairy garden under the shade of our frangipani tree.  Last week, Paul said to me, "Do you realise that after this year, Grace will have completed almost forty per cent of her primary school education?" A heartbreaking thought.  If only I could slow down time... the years are passing too quickly for my liking...

Joining in with Jodi

A Mini Getaway

Over the weekend, we escaped to Paul's Uncle's holiday house for one last family getaway before the school holidays end... a lovely relaxing break nestled among the treetops overlooking the estuary.

Usually we don't venture too far from the water, with the boat and shoreline to keep little ones occupied. However with blustery winds, it was not ideal crabbing weather and we took a drive to the Mandurah foreshore instead.  Grace declared our morning visiting the King Carnival 'the best day ever', braving the scarily high water slide with Paul (while Sophie and I watched and took photos from below).  The merry-go-round, spinning tea-cups and mini golf were also highlights.

My highlight of the long weekend was definitely the sweet kookaburra who visited us at home one afternoon, allowing me to click away on my DSLR from nearby, unfazed by my camera.  That evening on dusk, he returned for a second time.  We sat in the bush beside the tree where he was perched and scattered left-over quiche around, amazed when he flew right beside us, barely a metre away. So tame, he only flew off when Grace discovered a huge bull ant crawling over her foot and her screams frightened him away.

Now, back home again, among the endless piles of holiday washing which have amounted after only a few days, the reality is beginning to sink in that Grace's return to school is just around the corner. There are school supplies yet to label, a library bag yet to be sewn and a pantry yet to be re-stocked. Next week we will be back into the routine of early mornings, lunchboxes and school bells dictating our days...

The Lingering Summer Holiday Vibe

 

The end of 2014 seemed to disappear in a flash and while we were not ridiculously busy, blogging fell by the wayside for me for a little spell.  I dedicated November to gift buying and December to end of year functions and Christmas preparations, consciously keeping our activities as relaxing and low stress as possible.

And then after a wonderful day on the 25th, just like that, the busy season was over for another year and we fell into true holiday mode - days filled with lazy, slow-paced mornings, swims in our neighbours' pool and quiet time pottering around home for all.

Now, with Paul having returned to work a few weeks ago, we've tried to let the summer holiday rhythm linger. Days where we've caught up with friends or spent time outdoors by the water have alternated with ones where we have stayed close to home, the girls happy to pull out the paint set for a morning of art while I've tackled my latest decluttering project.  Housework has been done on an as-needed basis, the clock not watched as strictly and there has been a carefree feel in the air.

As for blogging, I am looking forward this year to getting back into my photography and to capturing more precious snippets of family life.  With 2014 zooming by much too quickly for my liking and our girls growing so fast, documenting this chapter in our lives has never felt more important...

Sophie's 3rd Birthday Party

Last Friday night, while I was at the kitchen bench, surrounded by blue icing, trying to create Sophie's birthday cake, Paul walked past and remarked, "Why are you going to all this trouble for just six kids?"

I muttered something about him being a party pooper, that small simple gatherings were the best ones and that I wasn't going overboard anyway...  I had no reservations whatsoever that what we had planned would turn out perfectly...

Sophie's party was a lovely little celebration of close family and friends. There were decorations which the birthday girl herself helped make, old-style games (a treasure hunt, pass the parcel and musical statues), party bags for the children (Sophie potato stamped a fish design onto each one and helped choose treats like notepads and pens and stickers to fill them with) and of course, cake... crucial elements of a successful birthday party from a little one's perspective.

Come Sunday night, we all in agreed that keeping things low key had been easier to run and much more enjoyable and most importantly, our little three year old definitely loved her special day.

I've never been one for huge, over-the-top parties (and judging by the way Sophie gets overwhelmed by big crowds, I think she will take after her mama).  Less elaborate, more intimate get-togethers, celebrating the one day of the year that is purely about our loved ones, is in my eyes truly what counts...

An Interview At Mum's Closet

Today I'm being featured over at the blog Mum's Closet, belonging to a good friend and one of my favourite bloggers, Claire. In her 'Fabulous Females' series, Claire interviews a different lady each week about a variety of topics and I must say, I was very humbled when she asked me to participate.

Claire and I became friends around four years ago through our blogs and both being primary school teachers, with children close in age and sharing many similar views on life, we seemed to 'click' right away. She is such a gem and I appreciate her support, admire her passion for celebrating the positive things in our days and am constantly inspired by her style-filled yet down-to earth posts.

Pop on over to Claire's blog here to read what I have to say about motherhood, blogging, decorating and daily life in our home...

Accepting Imperfection

Last year, as we were passing through Mt Barker on the return journey of our Denmark trip, I called into a few second hand stores for a quick browse and came away with a handful of treasures, including two tiny glasses, perfect for little ones to grasp in chubby hands. At 20c a piece, and reminding me of the glass I always claimed as my own on visits to my grandparent’s house as a little girl, they were even more perfect.

Days later, as the girls were sitting at their little table setting having some lunch, one of them accidentally knocked their glass off the table. It fell to the floor and broke into pieces and I was immediately devastated… devastated that my ‘perfect pair’ of glasses was no more. As I wiped the juice off the floorboards, unfairly chastised the clumsy culprit and swept away the shards of glass, I suddenly realised the ridiculousness of my mindset and my behaviour. Why was having two identical glasses so important to me? Why could I not see the beauty in a collection of mis-matched drinking glasses? What message was I subconsciously portraying?... I vowed then and there to work on being more accepting of imperfection, not only for my sake, but for my girls.

While I constantly let my girls know that ‘things don’t have to be perfect’ and ‘it’s okay to be wrong’, it is the example I am unknowingly setting that has got me thinking. It’s part of my personality to like things ’just so’and to focus on small details. But I am slowly learning to lower my standards, direct my energy towards what really matters and to accept that some things are out of my control (and that often it is best to step back and simply ‘see what happens’). Knowing that nothing is perfect, that mistakes happen, that there are ups and downs and dents and blemishes and that this is more than okay, is a lesson I desperately want my little girls to learn and a way of life I hope they embrace. I don’t want them to be striving for unrealistic standards. I want them to become confident, compassionate, accepting individuals who see the beauty in the imperfect... just as I am slowly beginning to do…

Snippets Of Our Week

Week one of school holidays for us was spent in the country, down south in Denmark. It was such a relaxing week that left me sad (as always) when the time came to head back to the city...

1.  I've often seen female Blue Wrens (the symbol of Denmark) but have only managed to catch glimpses of the showy, blue feathered male... until last Sunday

2.  Grace in a field of dainty flowers (onion weed I think), wearing her 'new' hand-me-down gum boots 

3.  Sweet little seaside daisies appeared everywhere... so very spring-like

4. Sophie absolutely loved the Animal Farm... she was devastated when the time came to leave

5.  Each afternoon while Paul went mountain bike riding, the girls and I would rug up in jackets and boots and explore the 'secret garden' where we were staying... it became a daily ritual and was my most loved part of our time away