in my kitchen...

Huz has been demolishing. We had a little low bench around the windows. It was too small, too low to be practical (unless you are an owlet), so Huz took to it with a drill and hammer and there was room for dancing! Then we looked at the old kitchen table. The one that was the kitchen table my sister and I grew up with. The one I've been wanting to have as a kitchen table since forever. It fits perfectly, and has a new comfy home in the kitchen. We use it for cooking, eating breakfast, working and looking out at the garden. I love having company in the kitchen when I'm cooking and there's something about this table that's so homely and inviting... The chairs have finally found a comfy place too. They were found on the side of the road one hard waste collection weekend and they could do with a bit of sprucing up one day, but for now they are fine. As for the garden, well a lot of sprucing up needed there. We're thinking we may just start again with some raised beds. The weeds have won this round.



In my kitchen we've been whipping up sugar free treats. Last year we did the same thing, but I dropped out when morning sickness and cravings got the better of me. I was a bad influence on Huz too, so he fell off the wagon not long after. So with a new year and healthier habits in mind, we are finding joy in natural, fresh foods. No refined cane sugar and much less wheat. Its surprising that it has been much easier this time. Fave treats are berry or banana and maple syrup muffins, baked honey custard, smoothies galore and Sarah's 'troffles', a real treat for the chocolate lovers among us. The owlets have taken a fancy to the jar of mountain lilac raw honey on the table and run past with a teaspoon from time to time. Its too strong for us with Victorian honey palettes, but their tasmanian tongues seem to love a strong flavoured honey. We've been enjoying jugs of water with a slice of lime, fresh herbs and all the gorgeous fruit. We're eyeing off the apricots on the tree for when they'll be ready. Also, wandering the neighborhood, foraging for this delicious bowl of cherry plums! I wondered why there were so many on the tree, so sweet and ripe and perfect. Then the woman that lived in the house behind the tree came and told me they were inedible. The council had warned her they were not good for eating. She prunes the tree as high as she can reach to stop passing children from an unknown, terrible fate. Forty years she has lived there and never tasted one. Its the same tree we had in our garden as kids. The one we used to climb up to guzzle fruit. I think I might make her a jar of cherry plum jam to thank her ;)

What's been happening in your kitchen? If you happen to be in Queensland, and you are fortunate, like we are, to have a kitchen above water, perhaps you might like to bake something for the SES volunteers? I know I'd like to, but we'll be cooking up other ways to help. There's a great list over at Pip's if you need a place to start. x

hands full

When the number of children in your family jumps from two to three, everyone makes the same observation... "You must have your hands full", they say, looking over at my older two girls and the baby in my arms. Well, erm, yes, I do rather! Its just not the fact that it now seems like I have a football team every time we go out anywhere, big and little owlet are rather easy kids to have around actually. Its the armful of baby I'm carrying. She's a lovely thing. Smiles whenever you look into her beautiful blue eyes. She is most definitely an *in arms* baby. She must be held for most of her waking hours - and there are a lot of those! But not only that, she must be moving. So we do laps of the hallway, the kitchen, the garden. Often while breast feeding as she refuses to do that sitting down. The world is just too interesting. And so my hands are full.

The things that my hands used to do are temporarily on hold. Like sewing. And knitting. And reading, catching up on blogs, cooking, gardening... often cleaning and washing are out too unless Huz is around to help out. But I do love it so, this mothering thing, especially when that tiny hand grabs mine. During late pregnancy I longed for my hands to be massaged. In labour, I wanted them to be held. And then gently touched in the days after her arrival. Hands are such an important part of this motherhood caper - oh what I wouldn't give for an extra set most days!!

I often wonder what I'll be doing with my hands when they are no longer full of owlets. I'm always drawn to activities that require the skillful use of my hands, yet I've always had some battle with them, from the eczema that plagued them for 25yrs (and has mysteriously vanished now I'm all grown up), to the shakes... I have a tremor, passed on from my Dad, and his father before, that I feel in my whole body, but appears most visibly in my hands. My left hand is hard to control, as are my thumbs and occasionally my wrists. It gets worse with age. It is getting worse now. I can feel it and I know what is coming... The shaking has always defined my style of drawing and creating and I've learned to love the imperfections. I can get my hands to do what I want most of the time, it just takes concentration and patience, just like my grandfather had when he worked, ironically, as a handyman. I know that one day it may take too long to thread a needle for sewing to be worth my while. Knitting is already getting harder. I make a lousy waitress, so I don't think a career in the food industry is in my future. Hmmm... might read up on gardening some more...

For now though, I'm grateful that my hands are full of owlets and we are healthy, safe and dry. Maybe you'd like to follow Handmade Kids and their Flood Appeal Auction and if you have a hand free, perhaps you could buy something beautiful and hand made. Or if you have two hands free, perhaps make something to contribute. I'll be lending a hand where I can and sending love to all those affected by the Queensland floods.

*photo taken by big owlet*

unschool monday :: big owlet and the vlog

Quick one today because we're off for a walk... Big owlet loves performing, loves a stage, loves being in front of or behind the camera... Remember, she wants to make movies one day... Here's her third vlog and her first go at editing. Its just a round up of her week (the days where she remembers to take the camera). She's having fun playing with it. I like it too because it gives me a look at life through her eyes and reminds of me what it's like to be seven.

decade :: building the owlet nest

I've read a few friends' posts during the last week that reflected on the events, ups and downs of the previous decade. One sleepless hour or two during the week led me to do the same in my head, so I thought I'd share our decade with you for a bit of fun. It was all about building and finding home...

2000
I turned 25.
We lived in Newport in the weatherboard house with a dog, a cat and a garden. Our first proper house together.
I worked. Hard. I went from junior designer to only designer as workmates left to have babies.
O proposed over fish & chips in the car, in the rain. I said yes. The rain stopped and a rainbow appeared.
Went on a camping holiday to Narooma. Discovered we weren't cut out for camping. Relaxed.



2001
Was made design manager. Worked hard.
Katherine threw us a surprise engagement party. Discovered O doesn't like surprise parties.
O got his first full time ecology job.
Travelled overseas for the first time. On my own. For work.
Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Was in a hotel room in Seoul when the twin towers collapsed.
Felt quite alone with US airforce planes circling the city as I watched the TV.
Married Huz.
Honeymooned in Tasmania. Loved it, wanted to live there.



2002
Worked hard.
Did a brief stint as brand manager. Decided I really didn't want to work in sales.
Got tired of commuting for hours. Moved to Heidelberg.
Met Cammo (uncle Cam).
Travelled to Asia again.
Decided to have a baby. Saved and planned. Became pregnant.
Huz went diving in Cairns. He nearly drowned.
Visited Nanna for her birthday. Told her about the baby.
Went on holidays to Narooma.
Nanna died. Came home.



2003
Worked hard.
Enjoyed pregnancy.
Finished work. Relaxed.
Gave birth to big owlet.
Enjoyed life.
Began working from home. Decided full time work was overrated.



2004
Watched big owlet grow.
Huz applied for a job in Hobart. Didn't get the job... came close though.
Bought a house in Heidelberg West. Decided it was a dodgy suburb that might come good.
Renovated the kitchen, polished the floors, painted the walls, landscaped the garden.
Adopted a beagle puppy.
Continued working from home and freelancing.



2005
Went back to work in the office part time.
Big owlet went to Nanny's for one day each week and Huz and I juggled work on the other days.
Worked hard.
Missed big owlet dreadfully.
Felt a tad unsafe in new neighbourhood.
Huz applied for a job in Hobart. Got the job.
Finished renovating and packed up the house.
Moved to Hobart. Lived in a huge house on the water.
Rainbows everyday.
Felt like we were on holidays.
Went back to working from home.
Became pregnant.



2006
I turned 30.
Worked from home. Lots.
Commuted to Melbourne for work every month.
Felt tired.
Huz got really sick with salmonella poisoning. Took a ride in an ambulance.
Found some new friends.
Huz started writing music more serioulsy.
Gave birth to little owlet. At home.



2007
Big owlet started kindergarten.
Went for a drive. Bought a house.
Stressed out about owning two houses and paying enormous mortgage.
Huz developed a twitch.
Sold house in Melbourne.
Started a blog.
Moved into new house, with help from new friends.
Planted trees and little owlet's placenta in the garden.
Worked from home. Lots.



2008
Big owlet went to big kinder, three days per week.
Missed her.
Found a new home for our unhappy beagle.
Adopted guinea pigs and chooks.
Renovated the bathroom.
Huz released his first album.
Made some kids clothes and sold them at a market.
Quit job. Finally.
Decided to home educate after reading about unschooling.



2009
Became pregnant.
Unschooling everyday. Freedom.
Opened the owlet shop and sold at lots of markets.
Miscarried Pippin. Buried him in the garden.
Went to Canberra to rally for homebirth.
Miscarried again.
Painted part of the house.
Went camping on the east coast.
Decided we like camping after all.
Worked on feeling healthy.



2010
Became pregnant.
Felt well.
Floated through the days.
Huz recorded his second album.
Gave birth to tiny owlet. In my own house.
Made it a home.

natural life

So aside from growing gorgeous babies last year, Huz had another creative project bubbling away... His second album to date and certainly his best so far. He collaborated with a talented friend this time, tinkering away in their studio down south. There are different sounds happening, different instruments, backing vocals with lovely friends singing along. Its been a creative process for both of them, with lots of heart. They are both so very proud of the work and I think Huz may have that feeling like he got the sound he was after on many of the tracks - a rare thing I think. For me its like the surprise when a picture I've made matches the one in my head... The songs are about a bunch of things including birth and family life. The title track in particular is all about us pre-Tiny Owlet ;)

Pop over to bandcamp to have a listen and buy the album if you like what you hear. It's a bargain at $6 or only $1 per song. All proceeds go to future musical merriment and happy owlet memories :)

lunch

I didn't manage to eat lunch today. Lunch yesterday left a bit to be desired too... That magical time when the baby drops off to sleep. I pop her in the hammock, run to the kitchen to make lunch, pop a plate in front of the bigger owlets and tiny owlet stirs... maybe I have to be faster about it.

Today big owlet offered to make me lunch while the baby dream fed in my arms. She ran to the kitchen with enthusiasm and emerged five minutes later, carefully placing my lunch in front of me... on today's menu was mouldy, stale bread, spread with a tiny blob of peanut butter and served with a glass of milk. Cute huh? I thought so too until she charged me $5 for the effort! She was rather miffed when I refused to pay. We had an interesting discussion on food hygiene, family, generosity and brainstormed some other ways she might like to earn some money... But I still didn't get any lunch...

As mothers we often think of everyone else first. We spend so much time caring for others without expecting anything in return. Eventually they will recognise the love and effort that goes into nurturing them. They might even return the favour one day. Ultimately though, self nurture really is so important. Particularly when they are small and your love and attention are expected. If we don't make an effort for ourselves, who else will? I've been working on ways to fit a little self nurture into my day. I'm hatching a plan so that lunch tomorrow hits the spot :)

PS. I did get a bite to eat in the end. We went out and I had to pay for it, but at least it wasn't mouldy ;)

unschool monday :: story

When big owlet was about eight weeks old, I began reading to her. The sound of my voice calmed her and she would try to reach the pictures, or just gaze up at me. We read a number of books each day and it is still an important time of the day for her. She still can't sleep without a story... Little owlet has only recently enjoyed sitting and being read to. She loves books, but not so much their content as the look, feel and function of them. She loves books "but not with pictures, just words". Small leather bound books with a bit of gold on them somewhere are her favourite. She loves to "read" them to me. Unless she is very tired, she would rather climb and leap around her bed while I read, than sit and listen. She would rather sing. Her vocabulary development seemed to happen through song rather than books. She would stop and listen and then sing along when she knew the words. She loves acting out her stories too and spends hours doing so.

Fortunately big owlet loves this also and they spend all day telling each other stories. Their play has a strong narrative, as they pretend to be cats and superheroes and princesses and doctors and mummies... It often amazes me when I see them playing and then I her one of them say "and then, she whirled around the room..." or, "the little cat was hungry and she cried out... mew!" I have to really persist if I want to get their attention or talk to them when they are in the thick of it, although I do hate to interrupt a good story. I often wonder if one day soon their stories will make it to paper. They learn so much about language through their play. They are currently learning about tense and rhyming and humour, asking questions as they go. Their creativity gets a workout too and perhaps this is why they can make up poems, jokes or songs on the spot and without hesitation...



What I'm loving at the moment is watching big owlet read to tiny owlet, almost seven weeks old. Watching tiny owlet gaze at big owlet as the story falls from her lips, or watching the bigger owlets surround tiny owlet with their stories. I look forward to seeing how she will join in and what she will bring to the story.