Another busy week went by….and it got a little colder…there was lots of family fun time this week though which was nice. I have at times lately been feeling a little lost …a little unsure of my role….a little concerned i was stuck in a rut and not making a difference or ‘providing'.
Sometimes it is the unplanned family moments though that can remind me of my rhythm and purpose within the home and give me a little reminder that the job i am doing is worthwhile….even though exhausting and not at all well paid 😉
This regular weekly reflection of moments gone by is proving a good tonic for the soul…little reminders that it really wasn't ‘Groundhog Day' everyday (as sometimes it seems!) and a reminder that there are always glimpses to cherish and be grateful for even if i couldn't always feel that way at the time!! It's also good to remember the difficult days too (i know we all have them…it's just reality!)and know that i got through them ok and was able to welcome another sunrise and the start of a new day!
We had more rain this week…but the vegetable patch (and i) welcomed it as i had been too busy to water!
The driveway did become washed out again though……
We now have red mud in everything again…i really wish i could get Ruby to wear more than one pair of shoes! She will not wear anything but her little joggers and they are constantly damp and muddy at the moment! Anyone else had this problem with toddlers?
There's a university down there somewhere!
There was a 16th Birthday to celebrate….
With my worst cake ever! I may just write a post about this one…what a failure it was…..it was yummy but i'm not sure what was worse….the slip with the food colouring causing that awful pink icing, the cakes sticking to the baking paper and half being peeled off with the paper causing a lopsided sagging cake, or the ‘red velvet' looking pretty much like a normal chocolate cake! Was my first try at a red velvet cake and although quite nice in taste i don't think i will go there again…goodness, the novelty cakes made from the Women's Weekly Kids Birthday Books in her younger years were so much easier!
Beautiful girl loved it though and made me feel better about it. I still can't believe she is 16…so not going to post about that…just yet! Hanging onto Mummy denial just a little longer…it's my right!!!
We discovered a box of Miss teen's old favourite toys i could never part with and Tara was fascinted with the Mr Potato Heads….of course we had to assign certain potatoes to each twin…let's just say Tara was quite insistent about that.
I had forgotten how much fun they can have with these though…fantastic for those fine motor skills and was actually very helpful for working on Ruby's language skills…..lots of parts and items to label!
Miss Teen made a few more meals for her Food tech subject…Chicken Cashew Stirfry….
and Ratatouille (with chickpeas….we seem to add legumes to everything here!)
The best part of the week was spending time with Daddy and wandering out to the block which he had spent the day clearing of weeds, brush rocks and rubbish that has probably been there for at least 50 yrs!
As usual i forgot to take a before photo but this area has been awfully overgrown and dense since we moved in and has been on our list of things to do for at least 3 yrs! I think people have been throwing their rubbish over back fences for many years before we began to clear….there was a lot of junk which we will have to remove slowly to the dump by trailer.
We can now finally see from one end of the block to the other and hopfully in time will be able to mow or slash this area also. The only trouble is we can now see into a lot of very untidy backyards and fences so not the best view out our back door….but hopefully it will keep the neighbours happy and i guess it is better than all the weeds and other stuff that was there…i think!
The toddler twosome loved getting out there for a run around and it was a beautiful winter afternoon to just stomp in some mud, roll on some grass and climb on some big unearthed bush rocks….
which Tara was determined to ‘push' …her new word for the week!
The fence on the left starts a row of back fences that goes the length of this end of our property so we have a lot of neighbours to keep happy….but this is the reality of owning acreage in town!
Eventually this area will be able to be mowed and we plan to plant some nice trees…not sure what yet as this is the wallabies home turf and there are a lot of trees they like to eat…trust me!!
Ruby had a lot of fun on Dad's shoulders (her favourite spot i think!)….if you look closely you can see kookaburras in the background…they were loving all the unearthed dirt!
And they had fun picking lemons hanging over the fence which had previously been hidden by weeds and thorny bushes!
Daddy couldn't reach this one so Ruby kept trying until she got it!
The toddler twosome do love weekends spending time with Daddy…
and Big Sis….no one gets Ruby's lemon though…note she is still holding it and actually still carting it around the lounge today! What's not to love about a lemon!!
I hope you can find some happy moments from the week just past…..i know it can take a little searching some weeks but when you find them i think your soul sings a little…i know mine does anyway and i found a little bit of my lost self last week, now ….greetings to the week ahead!
Warm Wishes
My middle m used to become attached to a certain ‘thing’ and would keep it for days…funny..you certainly have a great block there and your garden with vegies looks lovely….sometimes we all have days that blend into weeks, and then all of sudden your mood shifts, the sun shines and all is well again………..love the potato people, I have our families original ones, much smaller pieces, but my kids STILL love to use them in real potatoes and carrots…hilarious..they will be antiques one day…
Love the thought of antique potato people…that is just classic! What a great idea to use them in real ones too lol!You are right that the mood can shift all of a sudden, i try to remember that…thanks so much for dropping by x
Oh gosh Jode your vegetable patch looks fantastic.
I totally get what you mean about groundhog day. At the moment I feel like I just survive each day (hence lack of posts and comments). If I make it to the evening without Ginger having an absolute meltdown (avoiding them at the moment is exhausting work and I must admit to resorting to TV bribes to gain compliance as sometimes I just can’t face another lot of screaming because I won’t let her do what she wants….particularly when baby boy is also crying for a feed or is trying to sleep) I feel like I have had a good day – even if there is not much to show for it. It is 9:35pm here (Mr Provincial is still at work…) and I have just finished cleaning up from the day, and I know tomorrow afternoon/ evening will be just the same. Not quite what I pictured homemaking as when I dreamed about it in my former office job:) In that vision there was a lot of time for the nicieties of homemaking and my craft projects!
It’s funny…i was just thinking of you the other night when blog hopping and wondering how you were getting on! Hope you see this reply as you have ‘noreply’ set on your comments so couldn’t email you personally sorry!
Don’t worry, i am using tv a bit at the moment to distract too as we have the meltdowns too…although i must say i am learning a lot from Dora!
I can’t even imagine having a bub to cope with as well as a toddler!Gosh i can so relate to what you said about the cleaning up and starting all over again feelings…it is tough isn’t it? I envisioned a lot moe time for homemaking and crafts etc too…but it never seems to unfold….everything has to be in bits and pieces and gets done over 6 months instead of 1 week now lol!
If ever you want someone to chat to who is often feeling the same…just drop me an email at [email protected] I hope the week is going ok…so glad you stopped by xxx
Your girls both look delightful and good friends. I love the way your toddler mucks in with your grounds and yes my children still have favorites they wear all the time which need prizing off them to wash! Thank you for linking up to Country Kids, your garden looks like a full time project but a labor of love!
Love your vegetable patch Jode, I can’t wait till I am competent enough to have something similar. Your block is such a magical place for your little girls to explore and learn in.
Kaizer went through a phase of only wearing a certain pair of shoes so I went and bought another pair exactly the same. He didn’t seem to notice there were two pair.
Happy 16th to your gorgeous girl.
x
I think we hang out in all the same places looking at your blog list! That cake looks delicious and your dumplings look divine. xx
Hey Jode! Good ole Groundhog Day ay 😉 Chook is totally into Mr Potato Head now, so cool to see your girls enjoying a classic toy! I spotted the Kookaburras! Were there 3 of them? We are too far East to get Kookaburras here but they are one of my favourite birds. It’s great your weekly write-up is giving you a positive pep-up, I feel that way about my How Far We’ve Come posts 🙂 I thought your cake was awesome and reminded me of Pretty in Pink (remember that old movie!) if I remember rightly that movie was about being 16! Happy B’day to a sweet 16! xox
I know exactly how you feel Jode 🙂 As much as I love staying at home with my girls, there are days which seem to drag on, when I’m exhuasted and uninspiredand when they are cranky and grizzly. And then we go through a patch of happy fun days and everything rights itself again 🙂 Taking time to reflect on your week is a good strategy for keeping yourself enthused and positive. How lovely to have a block like yours where your girls can explore like that. I think that’s what children like best, being free to just be children 🙂 Happy birthday to Miss 16 xx
I love how there are so many likeminded souls in our little community and i don’t need to hide the realities of motherhood here!!
That is the first time i have let them onto the block to explore…am a bit of a fraidy cat with snakes!! Thanks for stopping by xx
I’m so glad that you are feeling more like yourself and that you were able to see all of the happy good moments that have been happening in your life. It often takes just sitting back and reflecting to realise that there are many things to smile about. Happy 16th birthday to your daughter, what a sweet girl you have and that cake does look very tasty. I know what you mean about not really wanting to talk about the big birthday number, my oldest is 13 in September:( How does that happen so quickly? Have a wonderful week Jode I hope that there is lots of happy moments for you to enjoy this week too. xx