Beauty

Today the girls and I took a drive to one of my most favourite places in the world (not that I have the whole world to compare to), Umina Beach. Now I know I know, the Peninsula has quite the bad reputation. In fact it's known as "Mount Druitt by the Sea" by our Sydney neighbours. However, as one that grew up there it is not that at all.
We met a dear friend and her little boy, who is one of Inda's besties, and took a stroll along the beach. It made my heart swell to watch these two prancing about the beach in their undies (on a winter's day mind you), running all the way up to their ankles in water, screaming and then bolting back to the beach. Laughing and running the whole way, I was struck by the insane beauty of creation. What an amazing God we have. If our broken world can look so breath takingly beautiful it makes me smile to think about the new creation to come.

The Bond of Sisterhood

I adore both of my little sisters. They are beautiful, smart, funny, hard working, wise, mature (well one of them is only 11) and they are two of the best aunties out. I am so grateful for the tight bond we have as a result of growing up in the same family. I can completely be myself and they totally get it and me. I dont ever have to pretend around them.

I pray for the same love between my girls. What a good gift God has given them in each other.

Retro Red

I have two of the most remarkable sister in laws around. Amongst their amazing cooking, sewing and parenting skills, is their keen eye for cute and adorable kids clothes.
These retro red overalls were a gift from 'Unkie' Bec for Inda's first Christmas. I adored them and Inda wore them until they were no longer over-alls but over-somes (c'mon guys it was funny).
Little did I know that I would be using them again so soon. With the rate that Noa is growing, she is now sporting the gorgeous overalls a good six months earlier than Inda and I will be milking them for every last wear before putting them back in the cupboard again...

Here is Inda in the retro reds

And now Noa...

Op Shop Score

On Saturday morning, my big one and I went to check out an op shop a bit out of the way for us, as a few friends of mine had made positive mention of it. And they were not wrong...

My stash included two beautiful Country Road tops for Inda (one being an awesome pink washed denim jacket), alphabet cards by May Gibbs, loads of kids books, a wooden ABC toy and the Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing, which is on its way to my lovely sister in law.

Happy days!

Life in Fast Forward

The last few years have been full of many changes. Getting married, finishing uni, getting a beautiful puppy (to practise our parenting haha) and then becoming a mama to two beautiful girls. It blows my mind to think that I am now a 26 year old mother of two.. crazy! Inside I guess I still feel 18, until I wander around our local shopping mecca and realise that I get all mum like (in thought) about the teenagers roaming around in their baggy pant, face painted, undie showing get up, thinking, "Inda and Noa will never leave the house looking like that!"... uh oh there it is. I have aged and become a parent (gulp).

Here is a quick review of the last five years...

A Mother's Prayer

I first found this hilarious prayer written by actor/comedian Tina Fey for her daughter, Alice on this lovely blog. Hilarious because it is just so honest and well.. true. I look at my girls now and am saddened by the thought of their eyes rolling instead of lighting up when I ask for a 'smoochey cuddle.' Of becoming 'uncool' in their eyes and being told I 'just don't understand' what it is like to grow up in this day and age. But I am looking forward to the day, if they are indeed blessed with their own little ones, they realise there is no instruction manual and the love they have for the alien like creature they hold is the same love we have had for them from that moment on.

A Mother's Prayer for her daughter by Tina Fey, from Bossypants (2011)

“First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.



May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.


When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.


Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.


Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.


May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.


Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.


O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.


And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.


And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,”she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.


Amen.”


-Tina Fey

Harris Happenings

Book Envy

One day I want a room in my house just like this....

Picture found here

Sick Little One

The last two days have been rather worrying and stressful as we took our little Noa Maeve into emergency on Wednesday night after a week of worsening shortness of breath and a cough that would rival any old man smokers cough. Unfortunately our little chicken had caught the common winter bug, bronchiolitis and had to be admitted to the children's ward to improve her breathing.

So, on went the oxygen and the monitor and with that, many many tears. Our normally ridiculously smiley girl had been replaced by a red eyed, blocked nose, wheezing mess.

Tonight we are home safe and warm but extremely weary. At this moment I am thanking God for health and being able to come home in a relatively short period of time.

Blog Goodness

I have recently been inspired by the words, pictures and general style of the lovely blog one claire day 

This beautiful blog is written by Claire as she takes us through her 'mundane' and ordinary days as a new mum. However her mundane and ordinary are extraordinarily lovely and delicate. And as I now have two little girls who are tipping this once tomboy towards the more feminine end of the spectrum (apart from the hairstyle thing. Have never really been into hair, hence my past dreadlock phase, and still struggle to make it look half decent), I am inspired by this charming little corner of the blog world. So go check it out... but dont say i didnt warn you, it is addictive.

Story Stones

How good are these? I think we might have to try this at home...



Find them here

It's raining it's pouring

Well today it was... raining. Again. And with a sick little one and another busy big one I was worried about us all losing it. So, after getting dressed, we played an array of dress ups, weddings, families (where Inda had triplets, 'popping' them out of her belly) and dancing, we went on an excursion to... you guessed it, the shops. Shame Shame, I know. We met my mum for lunch and then went home for some tv time and an afternoon of baking.

Rain rain go away... please.