Crossing another off the list

I have this mad ambitious plan: to make, do, experience and try out 212 things this year - some as a family, some on my own, most with the kids, and a few random and slightly adventurous ones thrown in for good measure.

You know how much I love lists; but I have to admit, it wasn’t my idea at all. Our young cousin started it all when he began an ambitious bucket list; then Kim decided to make a list of things she wanted to do this year; and what else could I do? As if I’d ever pass up an opportunity to jump on the make-a-list bandwagon!

I’ve loved creating and crossing things off slowly as the weeks tumble on by; and it’s given us an opportunity to be very organised, sometimes quite spontaneous, and definitely more motivated to get more out of the time we spend together.

They’re not all complicated or expensive experiences – some are actually things that we should or would like to do, like give blood, or cull our un-played-with toys, or to bake delicious things for our neighbours.

Examples?

#24: Read the Magic Pudding to Judah every night before bed

#29: Send postcards, drawings, and letters to the people we love

#58: Make a loaf of bread and eat it straight from the oven

#79: Host a dinner party

#91: Brew our own beer

#97: Make a time capsule and bury it in the garden

#107: Make a collection of things every day for a week, and display them somewhere in the house

Today, we crossed another one off the list – #41 - taking the kids to Yum Cha for lunch. We stuffed ourselves with delicious pork buns, dumplings, moreish rice, and warm custard-y tarts, and drove home lazy and full-bellied, smiling at how good it is to (sometimes) be so indulgent.

I do love this list; and I love that it’s making us slightly more adventurous as a family.

What new things have you tried so far this year?

Nat

Baking and making the day away...

There are definitely Christmas-related smells.

For me, it’s spices: ginger, mixed spice, cinnamon and ground cloves. Sometimes even nutmeg. It was heady in my kitchen over the weekend, as I baked the most beautiful pumpkin pies; and it made me smile today, as I introduced the kids to their first Christmas baking experience – a tradition that I’m hoping to encourage within our small family, complete with all the smells, mixing, taste testing and patient waiting that goes along with it.

Our lovely Aunt and cousin have a yearly baking tradition that we were keen to get involved with; and this morning we smelled and mixed, and measured and tasted our way through Grandma’s boiled fruit cake recipe (laden with rum-soaked fruit, nuts, stewed prunes and piles of zesty peel), and a big batch of sticky, moreish rum balls.

I watched the kids mix at the table, standing up on their chairs – absolutely engrossed in the step-by-step process going on around them; best-loved carols played on in the background, spices measured out teaspoon by teaspoon, and once the lid was lifted, the strong smell of the soaked fruit filled the air. It warmed my heart – sharing this with family, and introducing it to Judah and Lou. Coming from a family of the most amazing cooks, the love of cooking and of food is something I’m so keen to weave into their young lives.

The weather turned cool and windy this afternoon, and as I tidied up, I eyed an ice-cream tub full of cherry tomatoes from the garden, which we can’t seem to eat through fast enough. And after a full, sweet day of happy cooking and comfortable chatter, I felt ready (and inspired) to do just a little more.

Relish, perhaps?

Thank goodness for Steph from Mon Petit Poppet, who luckily had posted a recipe not too long ago. The tomatoes were cut up in a flash, generously salted and peppered, and are, as I type, roasting beautifully in the oven.

Don’t you just love productive cooking days?

How was your day today?

Holiday Eve...

So, we’re off on a Boeing 747 early in the morning, and I’ve packed, written lists, double checked, and talked to Judah for hours and hours about flying on a plane; done a last minute holiday clothes dash at the shops, bought us all new shoes (woot!), talked to lots of parents about flying with active kids, and wallowed in the deliciousness of anticipation, as we wait for this lovely long day to come to a close.

Oh goodness: I do love holiday eve.

Hoping that you have a wonderful week, wherever you are in the world…

Nat

B is for Barossa

In nearly seven weeks, we’re going on a girly family holiday (kids included, of course) to South Australia. It’s the first time that Mum, Kim and I will have taken a holiday together, the first time the kids will brave a plane flight, and the first time visiting our beautiful southern cousins for a wedding in the iconic Barossa Valley.

We’ve been talking about what we can do when we’re there – and first on the list (aside from spending lots of time with our family), is a visit to Maggie Beer’s Farm shop in the Barossa Valley. I’m already mentally writing a long list of purchases, including fig and spiced pear paste, some amazing ice cream (burnt fig, caramel and honeycomb!), and some delish pheasant pate. I can’t wait to bring them home to share!

But we’re looking for suggestions – what else should we check out while we’re there? Is there anything, aside from all the lovely wineries, that is too deliciously good to pass up?

Nat

Image from here.

Georgie Porgie Puddin’ and Pie…

I was pretty excited to find out this week that it’s the year of the homemade pie. Yeah, I know – with eight months already gone, celebrations on the virtues of the humble pie are a little late; but I’m all about embracing delicious things, so today I’m appreciating the goodness and loveliness that is all things pie-like.

Our pie maker gets a decent workout in our kitchen – almost on a weekly basis. Do you have one?

Our regular pie fillings include:

-         Leftover bolognaise with fluffy mashed potato and freshly grated parmesan

-         Basil pesto, chicken, bacon, pine nuts, fresh cherry tomatoes and roasted mushroom

-         Roasted vegetables (pumpkin, potato, red capsicum, mushroom, and zucchini), Danish feta and sweet chilli sauce

-         Leftover chicken curry

But my absolute melt-in-the-mouth all time favourite pie filling definitely has to be chicken and tarragon. So far, it’s the only recipe that sees Judah and Lou licking their plates clean and asking for more… which can be a rarity with toddlers!

Nat’s deliciously good chicken

and tarragon pie

Ingredients:

About 40g of butter

2 tbs plain flour

1 leek, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

1 ½ cups of chicken stock

½ cup of thickened cream

1 ½ tsp dried tarragon

Pepper

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

4-6 large-ish mushrooms, thinly sliced

Olive oil

1 egg, whisked (if making a big pie)

And for the cheating bit:

Store-bought shortcrust and puff pastry, thawed just a little

What to do:

Add a splash of oil to a frying pan, and cook the mushrooms until soft. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, and return the pan to the heat. Cook the chicken pieces in batches until cooked through. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat until bubby and foaming. Add the leek and cook for five minutes, or until the leek softens. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for five minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and gradually add in the stock, whisking until smooth.

Whisk in the cream, tarragon and pepper to the flour mix, and season with salt. Stir through the chicken and mushrooms. Set aside to cool completely.

If you’ve got a pie maker: Line the pie shell with store bought shortcrust pastry when just warming up. Spoon in the pie filling, and top with a circle of puff pastry. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes, or until the base of  the pie is golden.

If you’re going for a more traditional pie: Line a 22cm springform pan with the shortcrust pastry and gently press to mould to pan. Spoon the chicken mixture in, and place another sheet of puff pastry over the pie filling, trimming the edges to fit. Pinch to close, and cut three small slits in the centre of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Brush the pie with the whisked egg before placing in the oven (at 180°C). Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crisp and golden on the top. Set aside to cool slightly before eating.

Oh goodness, I do love pies. They’re just made to be shared, aren’t they?

Do you have a favourite pie recipe?

Nat

Ps. And my favourite pie movie? Waitress, with the gorgeous Keri Russell. ‘Bad Baby Pie’ still gets me giggling…

Image from here.

Grateful #18 – What are you thankful for today?

I would, you know; I'm just that kinda girl. Image from here.

Anyone that knows us, knows that Kim and I are food lovin’ gals. We talk about food a lot, bake weekly, try out and share new recipes, dream about banoffie pies, mellow pear filled tarts, and heart-starting curries. Our beautiful extended family are foodies too, thank goodness! – and they share our love of delicious things, and talk, bake and swap recipes just as enthusiastically.

And have you noticed? There’s a joy that comes with cooking and sharing food with people you love – it wraps the whole experience up in warmth and togetherness.

So because food plays such an important part of our lives, this week I’m very grateful for:

A full fridge. Pretty simple, I know; but how lucky are we to always have a full fridge, stuffed with lots of fresh food? It’s something I take for granted a lot – being able to buy what I need, to feed my children, to cook whatever I like for my family – but it’s given me a reason to pause this week and appreciate the fact that we have everything we need. So very grateful.

Family recipes. We have a small collection of recipes, handwritten by my Grandma, who was the most amazing cook. I can still remember the curry-spice smell of her small kitchen, the way that she would hum made-up songs while cooking, and the instinctive way that she added ingredients to her cooking. She cooked with love and with a generous heart.

Kim and I decoded* her recipes a couple of years ago and incorporated them into a family recipe book, along with nearly one hundred of the best-loved and most delicious recipes from all the girls (and some of the cooking lads) in our family. It’s a lovely treasury – filled with deliciously good and patiently tried and tested recipes, some passed down over generations, others picked up along the way and turned into family favourites. Because I cook from this recipe book a lot, it reminds me often of what a legacy cooking can sometimes be; flavours and tastes transcending time and country, recipes followed to the letter decades before, now passed down to a new generation of family cooks, eager to taste the life that their great aunts and grandparents lived before. Our recipe book is an eclectic mix of traditional Indian and modern day everything; and this week I’m trying out my Aunty Jean’s lamb garam masala, because I’m craving a wee bit of spice in my life.

The loveliness of eating good food with loved friends. I made an Italian beef ragu and invited some of our dear friends around during the week to try it out. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best dish I’d ever made, and could have done with another couple of hours in the slow cooker, but the company was lovely, wine glasses and bottles littered the table (on a school night!), the beef tender, and saucy plates were mopped up with good garlicky bread. The kids stayed up until they were delirious with sleeplessness, and we laughed, chatted and ate in front of a roaring fire. I love the way that food draws people together, don’t you?

What are you thankful for this week?

Nat

Ps. Grateful’s are being hosted this week by the lovely Beth at BabyMac – you should join in too! Link your list to her Grateful post here, or write your Grateful list in the comments section below.

* If you’ve got recipes that have been passed down to you, you may know what I mean. Spidery handwriting, abbreviations, measurements like, ‘a dash,’ or ‘a vis’ and sometimes no measurements at all, trusting that the reader will know by heart how much to add in.

Grateful #16 – What are you thankful for today?

I’m a bit late with my grateful post this week – we’ve been out and about enjoying the wonderful weather and the company of much-loved family and friends. I do love a busy, fun weekend; but I’m so looking forward to a quiet afternoon at home with the wee ones. I’ve got a date with the couch, the Sunday papers, and a hot cup of tea…

This week I’m grateful for:

Confidence. I admit it: I still find it tricky getting out of the house on time. And there are also many, many days where simplest tasks take so long to do, days where nothing seems to work, weeks where tantrums rule, and rare days which see me as a super-mama, with absolutely everything under control.

I’ve thought a lot about parenting this week; perhaps it’s a nostalgic thing with my eldest turning three soon, but I’ve been remembering me as a brand new mama, so unsure of what I was doing, wandering through this amazing new experience with my heart in my mouth, hoping and praying that I was doing a good job.

I look at where I am now - such a short space of time! and I’m so, so grateful for all the confidence I’ve gathered up along the way; how I’ve somehow managed to become so much better at multi-tasking and making everything work together harmoniously, and how much fun we’ve had just giving things a go – whether they be fraught with temper tantrums or not. Thank goodness for confidence.

The loveliness of the winter sun. Yesterday, the kids and I spent the morning at the beach with our cousins and my lovely sister, Kim. The wind had an icy chill that whipped at our hair and smarted our noses and cheeks, but when warmer semi-sheltered spot was found, bliss! We sipped at steaming takeaway cups of coffee, and laughed at the determination of the kids, who ignored the bitey cold and played like it was the middle of summer. I couldn’t help but be grateful for small moments spent with people we love so much, and the spontaneity of an early morning winter play in the sun.

Spaghetti faces and cheesy grins. Is there anything better?

What are you grateful for this week?

Nat

Ps. Want to play? Link your grateful post back to the lovely Maxabella, or write your grateful list in the comments section below.

Grateful #14 - What are you thankful for today?

Happy weekend, lovely readers!

I’ve always been a big fan of getting things done around the house. We’ve got a list as long as my arm of things that we’re keen to do to our airy, light-filled home, but we’re realistic – some of our must-haves may never happen; others may take ten years to complete. I’m ok with that.

I’ve wished big wishes for a studio space here, and quite frequently lapse into crazy daydreams about building something wonderful in our leafy backyard. And even while my imagination goes haywire, I’m aware that my musings are not really about a fancy-shmancy space; it’s more about having a room that belongs to me - where my books are safe (from babes who have taken to sneakily ripping random pages), and where I can work on and leave out whatever project I happen to be doing, without the threat of inquisitive sticky fingers wanting a look too. A place where carefully cut material will stay exactly where I left it, bobbins won’t disappear, and pins don’t have to be monitored. A quiet place, with a door to close, and lots of light.

(Oh dear. Even as I’m writing this, I feel horribly selfish for all the mine, mine, mine! connotations in the previous paragraphs… but, creatively minded or not, I’m sure you know what I mean)

So, with all of that in mind, this week, I’m very, very grateful for:

My lovely new sewing space.  It started with a fold-up table I found in the shed, and the realisation that we actually had space in our bedroom for a sewing nook. Oh happy day! I eagerly scrubbed down the table, moved all of my bits and pieces into the bedroom, and set up right in front of the bright bay window, overlooking the vege garden and the street. I’ve been sewing in there daily, and it’s such a treat! A closed door to keep everything safe, and a cheerfully lit corner with a lovely, leafy view.

And then, Dave, partner-carpenter extraordinaire, found a bench top in the magic shed that he’d saved from a dismantled kitchen, and he spent an afternoon sanding it back to brand new honey-coloured wood. It’s going to be stained, sealed, legged and fitted to my bay window spot to make a semi-permanent sewing space.

I’m so happy; can you tell? And so grateful for a small space that’s all my own in the busyness and bustle of our family home. It’s my little, neat, organised piece of handmade heaven.

What are you grateful for this week?

Nat

Ps. Linking up with the wonderful Maxabella Loves – and you can too! Link your grateful post here, or write your grateful list in the comments section below.

Grateful #4: What are you thankful for this week?

This week, we were fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with family – enjoying the ease, comfort and reassurance that comes with being with others who know us and love us the best. The kids and I have been wrapped up in a cocoon of warmth and love all week, and it’s made me truly thankful for the wonderful family we have.

But, in particular, this week I’m grateful for:

Cousins. They were our first childhood playmates, and now our most beloved friends as adults – both Kim and I are so fortunate to have such a wonderful group of talented, kind-hearted, ambitious, and beautiful cousins, who we both admire and respect so much.

Hugs. Don’t they just make things seem more manageable and easier to bear? Hugs encourage, congratulate, welcome, comfort, and hearten; they cheer, calm, reassure, and delight. Hugs say, ‘you belong here: you belong with me.’

Image from We Heart It

Sweets. I am currently in possession of the sweetest tooth ever created. Give me a tart, cookie, pie, slice, muffin, or something caramel, custard or chocolate filled, and I’m yours.  But this week I learnt that Banoffie pie and/or raspberry almond tart can be so much more delicious when shared with someone you care about (and even better when it’s eaten in place of lunch).

What are you grateful for this week?

Nat

Ps. Want to play too? You can join in by linking your Grateful post back to the gorgeous Maxabella Loves, or feel free to write your list in the comments section below.

Point and Shoot: We begin and end with family...

This weekend we were fortunate enough to spend time with the people we love most in the world – family and friends. But our favourite? A drive to the country to look for cows (Judah's new obsession), which we found on the narrow laneways leading out to the Mt Mee state forest…

Just us, all four, exploring...

Finding new favourites, little feet on well worn paths, faces turned up to the forest canopy – can you still see the sky?

And the discovery of a waterfall and a cascading nest of rock pools framed by twisted roots, the water and banks stained with tannin...

What did you do this weekend?

Nat

Want to play too? Point and Shoot is now being hosted by the lovely Lou from Sunny+Scout – for more information on how to join in, go here.

What are you thankful for today?

We have so much to be grateful for.

I’ve been following the lovely Maxabella for a little while now, and I love her Grateful Saturdays – it always makes me reflect on all the wonderful things in my own life, and helps me to see how I can be a greater blessing in the lives of others.

And because it’s always nicer to focus on the best and brightest bits of our lives, I thought we’d start playing along too.

So today, I’m grateful for:

1. Yellow Roses. They were my darling grandmothers’ favourite flower, and I can’t help but think and remember her whenever I see them. She was truly one of the most beautiful, kind-hearted, gentle-spirited people I’ve ever known, and seeing fresh cut yellow roses in my home reminds me of her, and the things she held dearest – faith, family and love.

2. Lists. I’m a compulsive list maker. I love the orderly-ness of a long list, and the feeling of accomplishment when lots of small things are consistently crossed off. Because I often agree to do too many things and love to procrastinate, lists help me stay organised, focused and on-task. And, if I manage to get through a whole list in one day, there’s always a delicious reward!

3.  A quiet cup of tea. With two very active, loud toddlers constantly on the go, I love the stillness of nap-time, a dainty cup of strong loose-leaf tea, and an opportunity to collect my thoughts.

What are you grateful for today?

Ps. Want to join in too? Grateful is being hosted today by the wonderful MultipleMum at And then there were four (Or you can leave your grateful list below in the comments section).



Nat

I'll remember you...

Make loving memories wherever you can - That’s what I think every time I look into the sweet little faces of my niece Lou and nephew Judah.  Often, all Lou says to me is ‘no,’ and  I’ll watch Judah bite his lower lip when he’s about to crash tackle me out of frustration, but it’s all those little things and a million more that I don’t want to ever forget. 

    

It’s also one of the reasons why I started a memory book – so that all those quirky things they do wouldn’t be lost in the daily hustle and bustle of our lives; so that we’ll be able to look back in the years to come and remember the funny little people they once were.

The old cliché of ‘time flying’ really is true. After Lou came along, I began to see how many funny, heart-warming little moments with Judah I’d already forgotten; so, to make amends, every time I saw them, I began to write down short anecdotes – something that made my heart melt, something silly we’d had a conversation about, or something that made us all laugh out loud. It’s a record of the memory, of the day, of their age and their very distinctive personalities, and a way to keep it all close to my heart.

(Like this: I remember the day I held Judah in my arms for the first time; I was stunned firstly that he was a boy (as we had all convinced ourselves that a little girl was on her way), and then completely amazed that this little person had in an instant become such a huge part of my life - and I knew absolutely nothing about him yet)

These two little souls (and hopefully some more in the future) have taught me how important it is that we smile, giggle, and love each other, growing closer all the time - and my little memory book helps me document that journey.

How do you remember and celebrate family?  

Kim

The Sentimental Relatives

I love the art of collecting, don’t you?

I’m a bit of a fair-weather collector, only adding to the pile once every few months; but I love that thrill of discovery, of finding something that perhaps no one else has seen in decades.   

I collect old portraits, both posed and informal, from the turn of the century. I have quite a sentimental reason in doing so – as daft as it sounds, I often feel bad that their images have been left behind, whether through a deceased estate, or by distant relatives who have no idea who they are, and who then pass them on to antique stores with other semi-precious things. They sit in dusty boxes, hundreds crammed together, without a place to belong. So, I find out the portraits that are hidden amongst hundreds of others, the small one of a freckled-faced girl or a faded mother and child, and add them to my box of sentimental relatives.

Old photographs definitely have their own breed of charm. I love the posed sepia toned family portraits, the children (especially little boys) donned in ribbons, lace and buttoned leather shoes; the stern, wide-eyed faces of bearded men, sitting straight-backed in fancy parlours; and the daguerreotype miniatures of black clad bonneted grandmothers, curled, ribboned, and often stony-faced. I imagine that I can see hope on the faces of the young couples - the stylish young women standing at a noticeable distance from their formally seated husbands.

The photographs I save speak to me about the idea of family, heritage and history; I like that these unknown people loved, laughed, lived and died somewhere in the world, and now, by being added to my own small collection (and even though I don’t know a thing about them) they won’t be forgotten.

Are you a collector?

Nat

Putting love into every stitch...

My mum, Nanette, made my youngest, Lou, a beautiful handmade cot quilt for her first birthday. To me, it’s a little work of art, in peaches and pinks, hand-stitched hearts, and small floral prints. And even though I helped Mum pick out the fabric, the first time I saw it all made up and beautiful, I couldn’t help but be emotional. I just loved the time and the care that had gone into it, and I could see her love for Lou in every stitch.

What I didn’t expect was how much Lou would love it too. She holds one corner in her small hand as she falls asleep – the corner that Mum had sweetly hand-stitched “Love Mama” onto. When she feels unwell or needs comfort, she will pull the quilt through the bars of her cot, and tuck it up under her arm, the rest trailing behind her on the floor. It’s been a constant companion for the first few uncertain weeks at day care, goes with us on long car trips, and needs to be checked-up-upon while drying on the line after a wash.

There’s just something so lovely about a handmade quilt. They’re soft, warm, traditional, and comforting, yes - but they also speak to me of rest, of a safe place, of family.

I also love the quilts that take pride of place in the home. You know the ones – draped over the arm of a couch, like an old companion; the more intricate ones, with months and months of work, hung with delight on a lonely wall.

A friend of mine has a beautiful marriage quilt hanging in her home – it’s a mismatched collection of decorated squares (each family had their own square to adorn), all sewn together. Nothing matches, and the individual styles are so varied - but it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen; it shows the devotion of an entire family and their shared marriage blessings of longevity, lifelong happiness, and the sweetest of love for the newly wedded couple.

Do you have a favourite / comforting quilting story? 

Nat

Ps. Nanette’s beautiful handmade cot quilts will be available at our stall at Mathilda’s market on Saturday, 12th March.