What I ate today

pyjamas and porridge, by various brennemans.

8.15

I have switched to traditional oats instead of quick oats. They are creamier, I feel like I'm eating rice pudding. Today I add a little brown sugar and cinnamon. I also have my tea.

10.30, After mowing the lawn
The girls and I share a plate of apple, nuts and home-made apricot and date slice,some lemon shortbreads Eliza and Bea made on Saturday, another cup of tea. We kick back out on a blanket in the sun, I swear it feels like Spring.
We read Mog the Forgetful Cat, Hop on Pop, Spot's Busy Days, Curious George Opposites, and The Solar System. Circe paints, Eliza draws in the studio, I hang out laundry, and wash more laundry. And then wash more laundry, there is really too much laundry. The mound of dry clothes is building, building...

12.30
We eat pasta with spinach and bacon a sort of carbonara. A bowl of fennel, carrot, cucumber with humus. Strawberries and kiwifruit

2.00
I eat another slice of apricot date with some nuts and another cup of tea.

4.15
We eat some peanut butter toast, we finish off the lemon shortbreads with a cup of tea. Aaron is home early. He plays carcassonne with Beatrix, Phoenix plays Lego, Eliza draws and Circe watches, plays with a puzzle, spills water, clings onto my leg as I cook.

5.30
The kids and Aaron have gone to the park with the neighbour. It's quiet. I finish off cooking dinner and bake an orange cake, in bliss.

6.15
We eat pan-fried Hoki fillets, hasselback potatoes, a roast beetroot, pumpkin, carrot salad with spinach leaves and feta. The kids also have some leftover carbonara.

7.10
The orange cake is ready, Phoenix and I sneak a piece hot as the others put on their Pjs. We chat about a new kid he played with at school today. As the cake cools slightly we ice it, into the fridge for fiteen minutes and then another smaller piece.

Later the others get theirs too.

some finds

Aluminium vintage tumblers, by various brennemans.

Another episode of flea market finds. Earlier in the week I found these great aluminium tumblers, they remind me of a friend of mine, her parents had these and she would always get them out, I'd never seen such cups they were fascinating to me even then as a teenager.

I also picked up these duck egg blue Johnson plates for 99 cents each, a steal. This cute yellow daisy plate was also found at the same time. Look at that cute mushroom 70's enamel tin, this tin now holds Eliza's favourite pecans.

A plaster of Paris bandages tin in green now houses my husband's wallet, mobile security pass and loose change, he used to drive us all mad not being able to find any of these things, now they are in this tin.

Today I picked up these Sunshine English plates at the tip shop, these were a little more than I'd normally spend but I needed a treat. I am someone who just loves toast, I could live on toast and tea and be happy as, with this set of bread plates I will be would be happier still.

I hope you too had some finds that made your day.

one floral tea towel reloved

tea towel drawing, by various brennemans.

This tea towel inspired some earlier drawings when I first picked it up at on op shop back in May.

This week I thought it was time to cut it up and use it, believe me that was hard. I could easily have used it for tea parties however, I'd rather see it everyday, that's the beauty in re purposing, you give it a renewed love and refashion it in whatever way suits you.

Well the tea towel was used in a patchwork cushion for Miss Eliza 4, I am referring to her as Eliza 4 so as you know how old she is and to let you know that she now signs off as Eliza 4, since turning 4.

Eliza, helped choose the colours and fabrics, I think together we did an ok job. On a day when she was out and about I whipped it up to surprise her. She gave me so much love for the effort I'd gone to. I love mixing linens with vintage fabrics, mixing old with modern.

This tea towel also inspired the new and only skirt Miss Circe now owns, I need to crank out a few more for Spring. I kept this one dark with the denim and light with the floral, so as it is still a little wintery, I am happy with it.

again with the kids in the kitchen

Untitled, by various brennemans.

Whenever I begin to cook, even get out a pot, in will come at least one child wanting to help. Even if I try to make no noise.

I used to think ohh, I could have gotten this done in five minutes. I have tried to learn some patience and to give over my kitchen a bit. They are keen, really keen, and who am I to squash down their little spirits. Before I would try not to complain but maybe make a sigh, I realised that was not helping me feel like I could let them help. I have relaxed, even to the point that I kept it together when four eggs rolled off the counter last week. I didn't even have anything to clean it up with, and I still smiled. Teeth gritted slightly, but smiling!

My 22 month old also loves to stir the pot. I give her bowls to place chopped veggies in whist I continue to chop. At the moment I have to keep it interesting and fun we even sing as she sorts, otherwise it all ends up on the floor, she's a bit of a surface-clearer-when-bored. On to the floor with all the things! I am learning to allow her to but still keep it safe. She loves to whisk eggs and beat batter.

The littlest have always loved stirring. Eliza age four, completely stirs risottos till she feels like her arm is going to drop off. She likes to push down the button on the rice cooker, and loves squeezing lemons and oranges.

Phoenix age eight has always loved cracking eggs, he can now make his own fried for breakfast. I realise that of late we are nagging him a little too, focusing on all the stuff he does wrong. In cooking however he gets positive feedback and loads of praise. Plus he's in charge of licking.

My ten year old never knew where anything was in the kitchen, well that has changed since she has begun taking an interest and since I have allowed her to make whatever her dear heart fancies. I let her chop with the Global knife, I taught her good technique and she loves it.

I have learnt that in the kitchen with kids you have to allow them to

make mistakes
take their time
enjoy the process
get their hands mucky in dough
feel relaxed and know that cooking is fun, Mum's not going to freak out.

And

you've got to give over the stirring of everything
you've got to taste it, smell it
you've got to eat it with them no matter how bad it tastes
most importantly, tell them how proud you are of them.

Cooking is empowering, it means you will never have to wait for someone else to cook for you or wait for take out,or spent tonnes of money. Cooking gives you a sense of pride and an understanding of where and how things are made. It will even better your math skills and allow you to share something you've made with others.

It's worth the extra clean up, no questions asked.

My flea market find - Swish blue dress

I love an excuse to op-shop, so I love "flea market finds" at Her Library Adventures.
Whilst I could rummage without children the other day, I found some great vintage dresses. Today I attempted photographing myself in them, well I managed one successfully. It's really hard to photograph yourself.

I love the print on this dress.

I shall post the others soon.

ten on ten

I saw a lovely idea, "ten on ten" over at a bit of sunshine, where you take ten photos over ten hours on the tenth day of the month.

So, without further word-smog, here's my day.

flea market finds and an op shop lesson.

fresh fluffed pillow and op-shop tray, by various brennemans.

My op shop venture this morning was at first a major dissapointment.

I missed out on the dolls house I have been looking for, it walked out the door just as I was heading from crockery to furniture, darn it. Note for next time start in furniture then do crockery.

I did however pick up 2 children's 70's vinyl chairs in orange, I love these. And as my kids are calling it a tv dinner's tray table alla Matilda, in floral orange, for $2.99. My trolley was already brimming when I eyed this wonderful children's rocking chair for $6.99, I had to have it and I had to make it fit into our trolley.

The plan is to strip this back and paint it red orange or yellow. The kids are loving this chair, I wonder whether they'll part with it for a while. After all this shopping and furniture juggling the little girls and I had to stop for our French bakery babycino's and Mum's coffee and croissants. So nice.