Saturday, April 18, 2009

I walked out...

I walked out of the laundry this morning to see this... at 10 weeks old (new) after a week or so of trying (Mummy thought he was still too little for it haha!), and of touching/knocking the toy, Quinn has finally grabbed the toy on his wooden playgym! (ours from US before Zeke was born but are places apparently that stock in Aus now). He's also been rolling from back to side for the last week or so and trying his utmost to get to his tummy - scrunching his mucles and in the exertion sometimes squishing out a fluff! LOL Amazing that a little person can have such determination and ideas already on where he wants to go and what he wants to do.







Also today, Brooke made glazed cinnamon scrolls - we intend to put stewed diced apple and soaked sultanas in next time. We've made two focaccia this week, scones and I have a home made chicken noodle soup on the stove atm (Michael got a bbq chook from the shop, markdown end of the day and that's done us for lunch/dinner, and the carcass etc I've started the soup from).







I've sewn up the 'softy' shoulder rest things on Quinn's carseat that came unsewn (rolls eyes, seat barely a couple of months old!) - since it's the second time already since he was born that we've had to move the shoulder straps themselves up I thought I'd do them at the same time. Also Brooke and I started the 'Jackie French' weed potato patch as she describes in her Backyard Sustainability book, that we intend to 'bandicoot' rather than pull the whole crop. Here's hoping I can post the pics this time properly - couldn't figure out why they were all over the blog last time... then I'll see about adding links where required!

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Zeke's 4th Birthday Cake...


Had to be a simpler one this year so I thought I'd BC frost it, then just make some little critters for the top. Well the frosting, due to the warm weather, was the harder bit lol the critters were fun, as always. Info what's used in the cakes/how to is here.

Was going to be forest animals but I changed my mind. So here's some pics of the cake. There are quite a few flaws in it... so don't look too close!
We had a huge fruit platter and fruit kebabs for the kids, and a biiiig thing of water on tap ;) (the Blogger thing is playing up so I can't edit the pics properly... just click to make 'em bigger)
If anyone knows why when I try and edit this post, I can't 'see' the pics (which is usually where you can click and drag them so they fit neatly in a post) rather I can see the computer-speak instead, please let me know :) then I can fix them up so they are tidy on the page!
especially the octopus... his pic I can't 'click and drag' to the right size...

In the meantime, I've just put some text in to 'fill out' the gaps. Thanks for reading!

philosphically contented.... (?)

Where the pravailing mood and mind is one of philosophical contentedness... I was trying to sum up the feeling that was blissing me out today, in an understated way, as I made my way to collect Zeke from Kindergarten... you know when it occurs to you that you're feeling [.....what word captures it?]... but you can't quite sus out (a) exactly what you're feeling and (b) how to describe it... so I think philosophically contented kinda gets there - you still have a way to go but you're kinda happy with where you are and that you're on your way 'there' in the first place... (?)

it's that 'place'... the house is calm, you've gotten a reasonable amount done, you've been gazing at a sleeping baby in your arms. Use reusable nappies, recycle as much as possible, freecycle, do FTGH [free to good home], go fresh food where you can and minimise the nasties, baby-wearing (most of the time), gentle parenting and PET as often as you can...enjoying Steiner schooling for our kids, have a husband and children who love me and I them, somewhere to shelter and food to eat... enjoying baking and cooking... FLY with FLYlady, use a Diva cup, sew our own nappies, try and get back to basics where you can - aiming for a happy and positive mix of current society + 'old ways'... dream of, and continually revise plans for, our own self sufficient life...
maybe it's just that you've bought a book that thoroughly 'fits' you and inspires you - that was enough to 'PC' (philosophically content) me the other day in what was quite a hectic day.

That even though we still use energy, we're making a start with solar. Even though we can't afford a Christiania Bike, we're going to get a bike trailer like this [will add link] so we can ride more. Even though we can't sustain ourselves from just our garden, we're making a start... that kind of thing... even though we don't have the water tanks I'd like, we're quite clever I think (sometimes) with what we do use. That even tho we couldn't do xyz 'in the old days' or 'out bush' we are making a start... trying to find that happy medium. You know, that place.

coz I was thinking the other day - how do you decide? It would use less fuel to live closer to school but we'd have to move and that would cost money and we like where we are and then time, money and energy reestablishing both us, house and garden and... that yes we'd be better off with just a Christiania bike but society and the way it's set up doesn't currently support that - most things are too far to just ride to easily in a day... that kinda thing... so you kinda have to wander your way zigzagging as you go and seeing what you can and can't do, what just requires a little bit extra effort, and what overall/end of the day just can't be done... for now.

So there's this 'view' through our eyes and hearts sometimes, that yes, gutters need replacing and what will we do for highschool, remembering Brenna and wishing I had the chance to gaze at her beautiful fully formed face, as I now gaze at Quinn, that we still have some products that come from the supermarket in plastic despite not having Glad Wrap and using reusable bags, that the house nad various projects (and thoughts) are in a constant state of 'nearly/not finished'... and all those things, thoughts and issues day to day and long term but I think when you begin your day and thoughts starting from this 'philosophically contented place', you almost always come to a 'better' conclusion... if you know what I mean. It's not a bad spot to be really. Which is not to say life is perfect 24/7 because it isn't, of course... and there are days where 'content' is definately not the world I'd use!... maybe it's as simple as 'I have a direction in life and I'm heading there'...
?

Cheers frome me...

[links to add]
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...