Jikana Damaru: 10/04/10

Our sandpit....

The sandpit boat was put together

by very eager parents last Thursday night.

Daddy was up until late, very late!

Friday morning we woke to rain, we had assembled it in the lounge room so

it quickly became a book corner filled with soft pillows and our favorite pirate books.

Sunday it was still raining....daddy decided to move it under the carport and paint it.

(we needed the lounge room back)!

Monday afternoon daddy did a second coat and purchased the sand.....

10.30pm after the second coat had dried....daddy was outside in the dark lining the base.

I was praying for sun.... we could not wait to move it into the back garden, set sail and build sandy forts......

6.30am the sandpit was filled, the sail was floating in a light breeze and he played......

Thank you daddy....you truly are so loving and kind x

Football Sunday

In the Fall Sunday's are dedicated to a quick clean of the house, some laundry, dishes, cooking, and football. But mainly cooking & football. This past Sunday we had friends over for hot dogs off the grill, buffalo chicken dip, and Halloween decorated cookies.

Lori & I also worked on getting my camera's motion settings right...

Poor Roxy was the test subject :)

We now have figured it out for the most part, I just need real situations to test in!

And we watched the Skins smash the Eagles! A big upset!

Which makes the win even greater.

Ahh it's so nice to relax on Sundays and get a win!

Hoping the weekend gets here soon!

& welcome those from Tuesday hops

Eat Pray Love

While holidaying in Bali a few years ago I got to read the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I know the book has had mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it and was excited to see if had been made into a movie.

I am sure everyone has times in their life where they need to escape to re-evaluate. I had this time in my life back in 1997 when after a not so nice divorce I decided it was time to escape - time for my Eat Pray Love moment - I did just that by escaping to Italy. I spent two weeks in Florence participating in an Italian Language course and living in one of those little family apartments just like Elizabeth did. After this I spent an incredible week in Umbria at an amazing cooking school learning and further immersing myself in Italian culture. I then headed to Positano for a wonderful week by the water before heading to New York to shop like a crazy woman. Not quite the indulgent year that Elizabeth took but still enough for me to reassess and come home with a new outlook.

I was fortunate to receive free tickets to see the movie two weeks ago and while I did not find the movie as enjoyable as the book I did enjoy the reminder of so many things that the movie explores. Seeing that lovely big door at the entrance to Elizabeth's apartment in Rome reminds me of my time staying in that little apartment in Florence. The food - oh the food. The carefree lifestyle of not having to be anywhere in particular at any one time. The beautiful Italian language which I am now surrounded by having married into an Italian family. Being able to rediscover what it is that is important in your life. Bali, wonderful Bali. The one place in the world I can truly switch off and escape - I do love it so.

As I am not a great book reader I wonder if I did not enjoy the movie as I would have because there was a lot more to the book that they did not cover. I am sure this happens in most movies that start with a book - Have you seen the movie yet? I would love to know what you thought or if you have had your Eat Pray Love moment in life.

photo of the day : tutus & toes

Fat Mum Slim: Motherhood & Me

I thought I had motherhood sorted. I'd been a nanny for ten years. I knew kids. I knew mothers. So naturally, I knew motherhood, right? Wrong.

From the moment my daughter was born, I was vulnerable. I was fragile. I was a mama, forever.

They nurse placed her on my chest, and I cried. She was my daughter. Everything I'd ever dreamed of, hoped for, wanted... was here. In my arms.

I look up at my husband and for the first time ever, I saw him cry too. We didn't need to say anything... we knew each other's thoughts. We were parents. We were in love. We were vulnerable.

Each day my daughter grew, and so did my heart and my vulnerability. What I thought I knew about motherhood, what I expected and what I had planned, were very different to the reality. Not better, not worse... just different.

My little girl has taught me love. I loved my husband with all my heart, but this love I have for her is very different. She has taught me patience. Just when I think I can take no more, she smiles or makes me laugh... and I come undone. She has taught me pure joy. The kinda joy that makes your face ache, your heart sing and your soul dance. She's taught me strength.

It still amazes me that such a little person can teach me so much about the world. To see things through her little eyes. To get down and see the world from a little person's eye view. To love, to live, to really laugh. My life is better for having her in my life. She makes me want to be better, to love more and to smile.

♥

Thank you so much for guest posting, Chantelle. Patience, joy, laugh, love, live, dance... you have a gift for drawing out the essence of what it is to be a mother.

If you haven't visited Fat Mum Slim before (and if you haven't where on earth have you been?!) I suggest you race flat out over there right now. You're in for a real treat!

The Outdoor Room Magazine

Not long ago, I was approached by a writer working on the launch issue of a new monthly magazine entitled The Outdoor Room. She'd seen my backyard blitz (check it out here and here and here) on my blog and wondered if I'd be interested in appearing on the letters page of the magazine with a pic of my makeover. I figured, why not?!

The magazine launched last week, and wow! In truth, it kinda had me from the cover image which features Kartell Ghost chairs suspended in water, and it only gets better inside.

The magazine is gorgeously laid out, and the matt recycled page stock is a refreshing change from the standard glossies. And there is plenty of outdoor eye-candy to whet any avid or aspiring gardener's appetite! Plus, there's styling ideas, recipes, new products and real-life gardens. I've never been a huge fan of Jamie Durie per se, but I am really impressed with this magazine! If you happen to buy a copy, check out the little happy snap of my backyard on page 18! Here's a little peek inside:

Nice, huh? I'm pretty motivated out there in my garden at the moment and I am soaking up all the inspiration I can get! Now that it is Spring, it really makes my day to look outside each morning and see what has grown -- literally overnight. We planted some herbs, lettuces and tomatoes only a few weeks ago and are already picking leaves for our salads! Just waiting on the tomatoes now.

Do you grow your own herbs or vegetables? Does Springtime motivate you to get out there and tame your jungle into a Jamie-esque blissful backyard? Do tell!

Halloween candy table

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Image by Liam McCormick

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Yippee! It's October which means it's time for all things Halloween. Well, almost! Last Halloween I put together a pink, silver, black and white candy table and decorations. So, I thought I'd share with you some of the new treats I have found, as well as some old favorites!

Unfortunately this year I will be away for Halloween traveling with work so I am going to use my decorations from last year to get me in the mood. I will also be doing some baking for friends and family before I go so look out for more later in the month!

Have a sweet day!