While the cat's away...

I've been away from our nest all week long. It's been amazing and a time of huge learning and expansion for all of us. More on that later, but for now, a little update on what the owlets have been up to with their lovely Papa. Photographer, owlet wrangler and my greatest supporter. Love him.













All photos by Huz. Find him on Instagram @berondi

Late Night Yum :: Chocolate Mug Cake

We work and play hard most days and end up on the couch in a comfortable but tired little pile most nights, watching episodes of Community, doing Spiral Garden work, stitching and nibbling treats with a warm drink... Huz and I really super look forward to this end of the day - quiet time together while the owlets snore... Sometimes we'll be stuck without a treat to nibble and it'll all end in tears. Either that, or we get inventive. 

So with a little help from google and a little tweaking, thanks to ingredients on hand, we gave a primal version of the Chocolate Mug Cake a go. I wasn't a huge fan of the original, but this is actually pretty delish. And the bigger owlets rather fancy it too and can't believe that much awesome can happen in two minutes. Tiny isn't in on the secret right now as almond meal is pretty much the worst thing for severe tooth decay, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have that going on, although soaking the almonds first would help... And the microwave probably  kills the goodness in the awesome real food ingredients, but sometimes a little lazy indulgence is called for...

Chocolate Mug Cake

1 mug or cup sized ramekin

3 tbsp cacao powder 

2 tbsp almond meal

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 egg

Melt butter in the microwave, in your mug. 

Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined - little lumps are ok.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook it on high for 2 minutes. 

Eat with lashings of cream if so desired. Feel smug. And enjoy. xx

creative space

It's been too long. Mum and Dad have missed my blog, so I know it's been too long. Right now I can spy Huz checking the computer for a new post... The one I've been trying to write as my posts grow further and further apart. Not to worry... all is ok. I'm just a little burnt out.



This week I'm a year older. I'm feeling loved and understood by this little owlet family more than ever, and that's such a wonderful feeling.

But I'm tired. Ten years of interrupted sleep have caught up. And despite the decluttering, the planning and the hard work, I'm creatively, emotionally and physically spent. Fortunately, I can identify what's going on, take notice, live with, sit with and understand it. I'm learning more about myself and my limits and that when I'm stretched, there's a limit to what I can share with those outside my nest. Sometimes there's not enough of me to go around and I'm learning to be ok with that. And generally I know what I need to do next to dig that hole out of the little trench I'm in. But it takes time...



It takes  nourishment. And rest. And space to daydream. I've been missing that. And so I suppose in the times when I'm not blogging and doing the day-to-day stuff I do... I'm daydreaming. Processing and learning and moving through it. Finding some creative space, in every sense, so that I can let some of that creativity free and I can share a bit of myself again.



It takes grounding in nature. And talking and cuddling and loving... and a whole lot of learning and of growth. There's plenty of that to come and I suspect that breaking this small writing drought, ripping that bandaid off, will lead to a string of catch up posts as I fill you in on what we've done between daydreaming...

Have you had time for daydreaming lately?
Have you felt burnt out?
What did you do to get your creativity flowing again?

Have a gorgeous week. xx

Today and tomorrow...

Today was one of those special kind of good days... There was a certain calm that I haven't felt in a long time... even though I was outnumbered three owlets to one, today we found balance. And it was good. I'm recounting it so I can work out how to make that happen always.

I woke after not much sleep, feeling awful, and cancelled all plans for a stay at home day. Owlets happily obliged and we went about making breakfast. We ate at the table this morning - perhaps that was it? The bigger owlets then moved onto their morning work - animal husbandry, followed by scaling the dizzy heights of mount foldmore. Then they began the formal part of their day - Minecraft.

Tiny and I pottered, washing and tidying... The house was pretty clean to begin with (that might have been it), as it is in our always-decluttering home... Tiny forgot the screens (ooh, maybe it was that?), and I remembered the bigger owlets' toddler days with fondness as we pottered and chatted together... Then we nibbled on our morning tea platter made from what was left in our empty fridge... And then  Tiny napped.



Big Owlet and I figured out some Big and Important Minecraft Stuff, while Little Owlet asked me how to spell every word that came to mind... I sewed two stitches and finished one hair clip for an order I'm working on. And I had a cup of tea - sign of a good day right there.



Tiny woke, played with playdough, painted nude, bathed (as one does immediately after painting)... and we spent the afternoon trampolining, then lolling, reading and boobing and waiting for Huz to come home.




There were tears and bruises and bumps today. There was frustration and tiredness. But today I remembered to respond with empathy. I remembered to keep communication open and flowing. I remembered to slow down. And wait. And hug them all. To give them my time, and take some for me (just a snippet). And to just enjoy it for what it was... Yes, that was it.

How have your days been lately? 
Do you manage many home days?
Do you like to slow down? 

Here's to a peaceful Friday. xx

mini milestones :: the big owlet edition

Her first solo plane ride. Her first time away from home for three nights. Her first time out in the big wide world on her own. She couldn't have been more excited...



A few nights in Melbourne with much loved and missed family. She would be taken to all her favourite places, taken to lunch and dinner... treated to new clothes and shopping trips. She would be reminded of the people outside our nest who love her deeply. She would return taller, wiser, more worldly, exhausted and homesick. She couldn't wait.



We were excited for her too. And we held it together brilliantly... Until she got to the top step, before entering the plane, and she turned, like the superstar she is, and she waved to us on the other side of the glass. Suddenly we felt small and far away, and we glimpsed our future and how quickly it all speeds by... And we were thankful for the reminder and glad for our dark glasses and spare owlets to cuddle as we waited for her return.

(Long) Weekending :: Redefining

We're back to earth after another weekend clearing our space. We seem to do this pretty much every six months (at least) and always on a long weekend. I'm not sure why it happens like that... But it's always in response to growing and changing needs and the need to freshen and clear our little nest. It's the best way I know to clear away the stress and overwhelm, while inspiring creativity. By the end of it we're usually sitting in a newly reshuffled home, full of plans and ideas. Every room has been looked at, sorted through and like a giant jigsaw puzzle, furniture has been moved around until it finds the right spot to suit where we're at. It's like moving house, without boxes, or any kind of plan...

Saturday usually ends in some sort of emotional mayhem and no-one's quite sure where they belong. We've removed a couple of carloads of clutter from around the place (much to our combined shock, embarrassment and pride), revelling in the feeling of freedom as we pull away from Vinnies, feeling much lighter.

Sunday sees the beginning of the rebuilding phase after all the chaos and deconstruction. Furniture is put in place and things are tweaked until our new spaces begin to take shape. Monday is all about nesting and paying attention to those corners and piles that are just a bit fiddlier. How we keep finding all the stuff to keep having huge decluttering days is beyond me. But then, we are five very different people with many skills and interests... and toys and clothes we grow out of and craft activities we admit we'll never get to (ahem).



By Monday things are looking up and we're about to begin the short week with a new, refreshed outlook on life and what defines us and our nest. And we swear this time will be the last. Surely. It must be. But then we go growing, changing, learning... And redefining is necessary all over again.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama.