We have a big old wooden table outside on our deck which is a lovely spot to sit at when friends come round but I find it hard to lay a pretty table. I had envisioned a container of succulents and had two perfect terracotta wide open bowls in mind but I lacked the enthusiasm […]
I had actually managed to forget about one of the very worst side-effects of saying goodbye to my parents after each visit. Somehow I have been able to completely block out the desperateness that is two small children who miss their Gogga and Packet. Phew, its exhausting. Stella had another EPIC tantrum this morning after […]
While my Mum was here last week we celebrated Amy’s fifth birthday and carried on a tradition my Mum started when Amy was born. You might remember Amy’s plates from this post a few years ago? Since then Mum has added a gorgeous Christmas bowl to Amy’s collection and now she received her fifth plate, […]
True happiness can be achieved in simple ways. A cup of coffee and a birthday kiss, a special gift. Time spent with someone loved. Today has been a special birthday indeed…. Cake suprise for breakfast! Presents! The girls playing with Gogga and the teeny, tiny furniture she found at Granny Grace’s flat in Cardiff. A […]
One of the very hardest things about living in Australia, is living so far away from my Mum. I should be used to it now, I went off to boarding school when I was 11 and have lived away from home pretty much ever since. Gosh that sounds harsh. The truth is that I decided […]
We had a busy day today, the whole family came with me to boxing and the children played in the park while I died a few horrible exercise deaths on the basketball court. I really have to stop taking such long breaks between classes. Exhausting. Back home after coffees in the park we got busy […]
I am going to post this over here and on my food blog because I am starting to forget things in my old age and need constant reminders. As I wrote about in this post when I last made marmalade, I have made jams, pickles, chutneys and marmalade both on my own and with my […]
Before we left for Perth I asked some friends for recommendations on fun things to do with children while we were there. Thanks to a suggestion from Missy Boo we ended up at the Caversham Wildlife Park which is just north of the city near Swan Valley. This was such a fun day out, we […]
I am back. In case you missed me. A whole lot of stuff happened including our wireless router exploding which meant everytime I wanted to check my email I had to come into the bedroom which meant Stella would then wedge herself behind the fridge or attempt to scale the dustbin or climb up onto […]
By sheer coincidence my Aunt and Uncle were in Perth at the same time that we were and we met them for a slap up fish & chip lunch in Fremantle. Mum, Ron, the girls and I had gone for coffee in Fremantle on our second day in Perth but we didn’t really see much of […]
I have to start blogging more regularily again, I miss it. So here is our family holiday in recaps. I bet you are wondering if I am ever going to go on holiday and then COMPLETE a recap in posts on the blog. I don’t think I have done it yet, let it be a […]
Ron is taking Amy out for the afternoon, Stella is going to have a sleep and I am going to get on top of the clutter, mess and unpacking in this house. I know I will feel better when its done but the job just feels so daunting right now. I wish I was back […]
I am still trying to catch up to real life since getting back from Perth. We had the best time away, truly special memories made with my Mum and Dad, close family time, restful, relaxing and rejuvenating! But its hard being home, washing to be done, meals to be made and children to wrestle, cuddle […]
We are having the best time in Perth. We have been staying in a gorgeous house right on the beach in Cottesloe, or Cott as the locals call it. Fish and chip suppers, lazy afternoons, chilled wine while watching the sun set. Its so good being here and so special sharing it with my Mum […]
Our holiday so far, in pictures. Amy slept a few hours on the flight then went to bed at 8pm and woke a few hours later at 12.30am. She was awake all the way through until 11am that morning when we finally convinced her to have a nap. Getting her to sleep was a problem, […]
The last bit of video for a while, this is Amy talking to her Gogga on Skype and kindly sharing her marshmallows! I love that Amy can talk to Gogga and Packet and Tannie Liv so often and see them on the computer, its a wonderful way to ensure their ongoing relationships. Amy will often […]
Photos in this post are from the party we had for Mum’s 60th, my reason for travelling back to South Africa. It was a painting party held at a boutique hotel just outside of Johannesburg followed by a gourmet picnic in the hotel grounds! I was going to include this in Stella’s four month update […]
When I was home in South Africa I took the chance to take some photos of Stella with her Gogga, Packet and Tannie Liv. Somehow we managed to align our timings so Stella was up and awake and we had a little fun with the camera. For such a smiley baby, its very difficult to […]
Since I last went home for a visit, Mum and Dad have extended and built the best bathroom IN THE WORLD. Seriously, its got all the best bits of every bathroom they have ever loved in one room. The biggest bath I have ever had the pleasure of immersing myself in. The best shower, a […]
and no, it wasn’t sleep training. Sorry for the little white lie, rumour travels fast in cyberspace so I got Ron to publish a post on the day I was travelling! I think that this last week is the longest I have gone without updating the blog. I had good reason. For three weeks my […]
My Mum is an incredibly talented woman. Apart from being the best mum/grandmother around, she can hand tie flys for fishing, hand bind books from scratch, sew almost anything, cook delicious meals and recently she took up painting. Anything she turns her hand to she is good at although she will still tell anyone that […]
A happy White family at the rugby yesterday. It was great fun showing off Stella in her sling, people were amazed I was wearing her, most of the other new Mums had the prams with all the STUFF and hadn’t really considered wearing their babies. Amy was in her element running around and playing with […]
41 weeks and 1 day Its very restful having my Mum here, we are spending a lot of time starting conversations and not finishing them, knowing that we have weeks to complete them. We are all being very considerate of how trying the waiting is and being gentle with each other. Hopefully we will have […]
40 weeks and 6 days We had a fantastic day yesterday. It was wonderful to wake up with purpose for the first time in ages. I am sleeping so well that it almost seems sinful! I remember this from late last pregnancy. Its as though my body just gives into the discomfort and my subconcious […]