Kitchen notes

 
Lately, in the kitchen...
...I've been brewing leaf tea every morning, and including a few sprigs of mint (reminds me of my best friend)
...Summer fruits are arranged in bowls or ceramic punnets on the breakfast bar, where they stay in sight and I remember snack on them throughout the day (I'm terrible at eating fruit)
...We're aiming to try a different 15 Minute Jamie recipe each week to move beyond the rather tired meals that have been on rotation
...I've been converted to knitted wash cloths for a while now (I bought mine from here)
...Used lemon halves are tossed in the sink with the washing up to add a little natural disinfectant to the dish water
...I've taken to hiding vegetables (sigh)...this is a delicious little banana loaf full of goodness which freezes well - and these healthy muffins are always a hit with the little one (I also add a heap of frozen spinach to the mix)
...Batches of biscotti were made for thank you presents - and I found some sweet japanese glass jars in the goldmine that is Top Dollar (gift tags were inspired by this crafty lady)
...I've stocked up on ingredients for the Great Christmas Bake-off (gingerbread men, pinolates, and dark chocolate rum balls)

What's been happening in your kitchen?

9/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Head bowed, concentrating. This time it's a harmonica, usually it's a book. The majority of my photos of her look like this.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

The Christmas branch and a little advent

Our Christmas branch went up yesterday. I added a few more ornaments to the collection, and keeping with the tradition I started last year, there was a new decoration for Saskia (the Paper Boat Press bird pictured), one for me (a small photo frame with a picture of my Granny), and this year, as it will be the first without K's father, I bought him a ceramic 'remember' star (also from Paper Boat Press). We're going to light 3 little tea lights underneath the branch every night until Christmas Eve, and there are a few strands of solar powered fairy lights strung up along the balcony and around our tree sculpture (a bare cherry blossom) in the back courtyard. It's as simple as that.

...

In mid November Kelly and I sent a special package across the seas. This year will be the first time that our dearest friend (and my cousin) will be overseas for Christmas, away from family and friends...and she's carrying a little baby. We gathered, thrifted and crafted 24 little gifts (for her and the little one), wrapped them in brown paper and twine, and attached cards with 4-letter hints for each present. We had so much fun planning the advent gift and bundling up the package, but the real joy is in knowing that our friend will feel loved (and missed) every day. 

(J, if you are reading, stop now! Spoiler alert!)...

Things which make for a swell family holiday

A sleepy coastal town with oodles of character, a cabin on the hillside with views of the ocean (and just a few steps down to a great beachfront cafe), lazy birthday breakfasts, a rainy day movie date in an art deco cinema, a calm inlet beach dotted with children in floppy hats, a (play) shop window with built in calculator buttons at the local park, a little one with ringlets gone wild, doting grandparents who make killer sandcastles, and a misty coastline.

*We stayed on the South Coast at Narooma - a sweet little town to take young children. Even the public toilets are bound to be a hit with the little ones (see my instagram feed).
**On Saturday we celebrated K's 32nd birthday. He was given Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, 1001 Movies to See Before You Die, a seafood lunch, a steering wheel cover from the USA and a jar of notes (32 reasons why we love you, as told to Mama by Saskia). Meu Amor, happy birthday. You carry my heart x

8/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Ooo. Dirdies...She watches the birds and I watch her.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

7/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Pink cheeks from exploring the Sculpture Garden at a cracking pace on a balmy, colour saturated evening.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

13 (and a bit) months

13 (and a bit) months and the Little One...
...no longer walks, she runs
...has settled into a blissful daytime nap routine (for now!)
...sings along to 5 Little Ducks (wack, wack, wack, wack), 10 in the Bed (wol o wa, wol o wa), Fish and Mice (barks out little sounds when the children repeat the words Holly sings)
...is right into lids (on, off, on, off), her new tea set, the yellow Fisher Price bus, Teddy Oswald (teddor), the hose or watering can, listening to her two cds (this and this), and of course, the camera
...dances, oh she dances (every time Dada walks through the door we've started doing a little jig)
...loves scrambled eggs, happy cow cheese, yakult (sugar and mini bottle = what a combo!), and steamed broccoli (finally, a win)
...met her Uncle Rich for the first time and charmed the pants off him

...thinks jumping is the funniest. thing. ever.
...delights and amuses her parents every day

*I hope you can see the little animated photo at the bottom? I just love the look she gives in the third photo of the sequence...I'm not a technical person at all, but that was super easy to do. Watch out! I'm addicted!
**The perfectionist in me wants to point out that a (retrospective) 12 month post is coming soon!