Advent

Bedtime Reading

A new book to read to the little duyvkens before bed. The Secret of Blue Glass by Tomiko Inui.

Bright Lights

Driving home over the bridge after an evening in the city with all the kids. We are getting the summer holidays feeling started early. 2 more weeks of school and we are counting the days.

Stitching

I am back to working on the AG2R quilt. I have finally worked out how to make the blocks neatly and (relatively) quickly. Hopefully, this won't take too long to finish.

Love Tokens

C drew a snoozing dog in her sketch book. I love it. I love it so much she gifted it to me, holding it out with both hands and with a mix of pride and nervousness. She ran off after a thank you kiss leaving me holding this treasure. I have a little collection of drawings that the little ones have given me over the years, I need to figure out a way to display them so that I can enjoy them all the time.

At the Playground

Shadows on the Wall

As we walked out the door this morning the sunshine threw beautiful shadows through the glass and across the wall catching the children's silhouettes.

Llamas for Billy in Bristol

120cm square, liberated star blocks, backed in minkee and bound in the same fabric I used to bind the quilt I gave his big sister. I hope you enjoy your quilt, little one.
This quilt, although intended as a baby quilt took me ages to finish and the months kept going past like those scenes in old movies where a strong wind turns the calendar pages over. Swoosh! Before I knew it I had even missed his first birthday. His FIRST birthday! Oh my. So it's late but it's made with love and I hope he likes snuggling underneath it and worrying the tags and the prairie points with his fingers as he drifts off to sleep. Or maybe he will drag it around, dripping food on it and draping it over things to make hiding places. That is also a very good way to use a quilt.
The link to his big sister's quilt is here.

November is Beautiful

What are the chances of finding a purple umbrella abandoned amongst the jacaranda blossoms? I am pretty sure this will be a once in a lifetime event so I don't mind that the other people in the car park probably thought I was crazy. I had to take a picture to share it with the little duyvkens at home. My fellow jacaranda lovers and supporters of craziness.

From Aunty S

JW's middle name is Willa. It is a beautiful name but, more than that, it is the name of one of my favourite writers so we were proud to give it to our little girl. Aunty S, who lives books, had this page in her calendar this year. The page for April no less, which is JW's birthday month. She gave it to us for JW to keep. It is a very special piece of ephemera for our very special little girl.

Vale Blue Fairy Wren

I love it when I check my podcast app and see a new episode of Chat 10 Looks 3. I grab my headphones, ignore the children and chuckle my way through dinner prep. If you haven't listened to any yet you should get onto it straight away and you have a 12 month back catalogue to work your way through, you lucky things.
Happy first anniversary, Sales and Crabb! As an anniversary present I have put the Chat10looks3 link in my sidebar. This is one of those 'it's the thought that counts' type of gifts because this blog is like the reading room in your website photo - readers are few and far between.
I look forward to another year of excellent book suggestions, recipe tips and giggles. Keep up the good work! You know, in all your spare time.

Hiding Sink

There are two children hiding there. One has slightly more advanced stealth skills than the other.

These are a few of my favourite things...

Making

A phone case and a minkee backed pocket quilt. I think that pocket will be the perfect spot to keep a little note from mum.. I used this tutorial, for the phone case, it is beautifully written and very easy to follow. Thank you Fairy Face Designs.

Swinging

Higher and higher into the green.
***
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Heart full.
***

On the Campaign Trail

The little duyvkens, like so many children before them, would love to get a dog. Well, C would like a tiger cub which makes a dog seem very reasonable. We see this sweet old pup a few times a week and the littlest duckling loves giving her a pat and having a chat.
She's obviously been charged with winning hearts and minds.
I think it might be working.

The Boy and the Sea

Dipping our toes and clearing our heads before the storm rolls in.

The Llamas are Home

Just a quick visit before heading off again. I should have signed these guys up for a frequent flyer programme. Fingers crossed they make it this time!

Vinnies

Mum spotted them at Vinnies and thought they would be well used at our place. No more paper plates for birthday cake for us!

From the Garden

Our blueberry bush produced it's first fruit. One blueberry. I ate it without sharing. It was delicious.

Yours, Mine and Ours.

Did you all read the article about Bridie Nolan in the Sydney Morning Herald last week?
Outsourcing
Surely the childcare and cleaning should be considered joint costs with her partner or is he smiling so broadly in that photo because he has figured out how to have 5 children, two incomes and a zero dollar childcare bill?
Sigh.

And Let it Ring

G and I went to see The All-Leunig Song Almanac today. 12 pieces by Australian composers for the 12 months of the year. It was so good to sit with my girl and to hear these beautiful, moving, evocative and funny pieces performed. The Song Company is amazing.
A couple of my favourites from the programme are above but it is a pity I can't share the songs with you. They were breathtaking.