Count It All Joy

coasters

2012-01-26T22:21:00.000+11:00

I'm inbetween sets of the Federer/Nadal match, so I'll be snappy.

Some of you were wondering about the coasters.

Here you go....

Talk about cheap craft!

Each tile was 65c.

The mod-podge is expensive, but the craft mothership Pinterest, has a recipe here to make your own mod-podge. {click}

I haven't done that yet, but as I was using it I was thinking....

"You use it like glue.

It smells like glue.

It MUST BE glue....

But it costs five times the price of glue....

I'm looking up that sucker on Pinterest."

Or for the Temple Run addict in your life....

This craft works on so many levels.

I'll take proper step-by-step photos next time.

I've got a whole box full of tiles and a recipe for mod-podge and I'm not afraid to use them.

Love you more than my nail file,

Meredy xo

thinking out loud..

2012-01-24T23:14:00.001+11:00

Bugsy insisted I twist his hair into a towel so we could be ninja's together.
Cause that's how we roll when it's raining outside and it's week 8 of the school holidays.
Everyone else was glued to screens.
The simple things that put a smile on his dial.

During a temper tantrum during the week {mine, not theirs} I realised that actually parenting is really, really hard.
I keep forgetting and it surprises me every time.
Sometimes I forget that six children is a large number too.
I was having an internal temper tantrum.
Grrrr. Wet towels on the floor. Dirty dishes left on the kitchen bench. Lychee skins and stones left ALL over the house. And they were just the things for which Dave and I were responsible.
You don't want to know what I found in a school bag last week. Blech.

I've been a parent for 15 years.

Surely, you can get good at ANYTHING after 15 years??

If I spent 15 years learning to tap dance, I'm sure I'd be freakin' awesome.

How can I sometimes still be so incredibly inept at parenting?

I'm not the worst mother in the world, but truly.....I can't help but be disappointed in how I handle some aspects.

No false modesty here.

Not fishing for compliments.

Just being honest.

If you were a fly on the wall, you'd understand.

Do you know what I did the other day?

I put my fingers in my ears and starting saying "Lalalalalalalalala" to show them that I wasn't listening.

Seriously.

Can't believe I'm telling you this.

This journal is fab.

I'm doing a daily{ish}journal through scripture which is really helping my heart understand some truths that I struggle with.

I'm particularly encouraged by the people that God uses.

He discounts talent, position, ability, wealth.

God was truly the first equal opportunity employer.

My friend Cathy was at a Christian teacher's conference today and she shared with me this great story from one of the speakers:

"I didn't used to let my children help wash my car. But in my old age, I've learnt to lighten up and now let my young granddaughter help. She does a terrible, terrible job, but I praise her and tell her how amazing she is anyway, while I do the lion's share of the work. Each time, she will walk into the house and announce to her Grandmother and parents "Yes!! I washed the car! I did a fantastic job!!" little fists pumping the air in celebration and victory. This is what we do with God's ministry. We pump the air with our fists, slap ourselves on the back "Yes! Look what I did! My ministry! I was amazing!" God must just shake his head at our ability to conveniently discount his handiwork when it suits us."

*gulp*

I put together my schedule for my home bible study group for the term.

I love those girls.

They are my sisters from other misters.

We're going to study Crazy Love later on this term which I'm super excited about.

We're also going to drink lots of coffee and try to stick to fruit platters whilst sneaking Lindt balls.

Mimi's back from camp.

Yay!

All my little birds are back in the nest.

Her faith inspires me.

Someone at her school saw a scripture quote on her laptop wallpaper and said to her "Are you a Jesus freak or something?" {this is at a Christian school}

She said, "Um, I don't know. I just think what He taught is really amazing."

"Oh. Okay then. No worries." they said.

Cool as a cucumber.

I would have been a blubbering, hot mess of insecurities if someone had challenged me that way at her age.

The Goofballs and I made these drink coasters a couple of weeks ago.

Very easy craft.

Thank you Pinterest.

Then they made one especially for Daddy:

He loves it 150%.

Love you more than my bottle of mod-podge,

Meredy xo

what the washi?

2012-01-23T15:36:00.001+11:00

This stuff is everywhere.
I think it's single-handedly holding the internet together.
I don't get it.
What is it?
What does it do?

Enquiring minds need to know

So my friends if you, like me, have been spending far too much time on Pinterest and ended up wondering what washi tape is, here's the down low {courtesy of here}:

A Short History of Washi Tape

The whole washi tape phenomenon started in 2006. A group of artists approached a Japanese masking tape manufacturer - Kamoi Kakoshi - and presented them with a book of art they had created using the company's industrial masking tapes. The artists requested that Kamoi Kakoshi manufacture colourful masking tapes for artists.

This was the start of mt masking tape. In the beginning, there were 20 colours, colours designed to bring out the beauty of the rice paper (or washi) used to make the tape. The tapes were a hit - with artists, crafters, and design lovers - both in Japan and, gradually, internationally. With success came new colours, patterns and sizes.

It IS pretty.

A Very Washi Christmas

This one is not for amateurs.

Although, it has given me the perverse idea of doing a crime scene chalk body outline in washi tape on our dining room floor.

That would be awesome!

You can just see new friends to our home looking at it and wondering if it would be impolite to comment.

This is going straight to the top of my "to do" list!

I have to admit, this is way cool.

If this didn't involve about $3,000 worth of washi tape, I'd be doing it right now instead of the laundry.

I'm sorry, but this is just redonkulous*.

Although, I can type without looking at the keyboard {Thank you Mrs Hanlon,Williams Business College circa 1991}which would mean that the Goofballs would finally be snookered.

Dag nabbit! I think this washi tape stuff is semi-transparent, so they could see the letters underneath.

Turns out, other than creating a body outline on my floor, I have no need for this stuff at all.

I am nothing if not resourceful and determined.

Therefore, I shall be found on Pinterest for the next couple of ~~hours~~ minutes until I have developed a five point washi tape usage strategy.

If you care to join me, you can click here.

Love you more than my wi-fi,

Meredy xo

* current favourite word of Goofballs. It is irritatingly catchy.

home made laundry powder....the epiphany

2012-01-21T14:46:00.000+11:00

I came across The Laundress, New York products a while ago whilst shopping in the Donna Hay General Store. Make no mistake, these products are the Jo Malone of laundry. Swoon.

Sadly, at three loads of laundry a day....not.going.to.happen.

This is the way I'd do my laundry if I was a single girl in the city.

Not a beleaguered mother of six in the suburbs.

THE GOOD NEWS!

In keeping with this year being brought to Chez Joy by the letter "E"....

I have experienced a laundry epiphany of epic economical proportions.

Thanks to the home of domestic dark arts and witchery {AKA Pinterest} I have developed a fixation on all things home made.

Out of interest/desperation I tried a recipe for laundry powder.

This is the business:

2 cups soap flakes

{I used Lux, because I'm lazy and didn't want to hand grate it, but in truth you can use any normal soap bar and grate it up using a cheese grater or food processor.}

1 cup washing soda

1 cup borax

20 drops essential oil

{I've used a blend of lavender, lemon and lime. Fresh and zingy!}

Use 1 - 2 tablespoons per wash.

Seriously.

That's all. It's concentrated.

You know, like the way the super expensive supermarket brands advertise?

This is concentrated up the ying-yang.

Mix it up baby.

Here's the thing.

I don't feel like I'm using a lesser product.

It's the opposite.

This is the most beautiful, amazing, fragrant mixture.

Because of the washing soda, which is used as a water softener in hard water areas, our clothes feel AMAZING when they are dried. Even Dave and The Goofballs can't get over how great their clothes feel.

If The Laundress is the gold standard:

Then, this is the new Platinum Standard.

Your laundry may not look like the one above, but it'll just feel like it.

Love you more than my cheese grater,

Meredy xo

what we're reading now

2012-01-19T22:38:00.000+11:00

Rebecca Cool is one of my favourite painters.

You can read about my adoration here

You can imagine my delight when I discovered that my thoughtful Mum had given this to Mr Magoo in his Christmas Stocking.

It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Her pictures immediately draw you in.

Glenda Millard's writing keeps you in...

I'm telling you...this beats the Buzz Lightyear Treasury hands-down James Brown.

It's been hilarious trying to explain to the extremely literal Mr Magoo why the animals are named the way they are.

While we're on the subject, these are his two latest questions which I'm hoping the Blog Village can answer for me:

"Why are people bigger than dogs"

and

"Why does a brook babble? That's just weird. What does that even mean?"

Crickets.

That's all I can hear.

I've got nuthin'

This is currently being read EVERY night.

I'll let you in on a secret.

I don't even care that we read it every night.

It's short.

You get to do voices.

It's funny and poignant.

It's short.

Love you more than my bowl of mango yoghurt,

Meredy xo

mediterranean quiche

2012-01-18T00:12:00.001+11:00

I love it when friends and family come over.

It gives me the perfect excuse to ditch the low fat, low carb lifestyle for an evening and embrace the magnificence that is full fat cream and butter.

Not one to waste an opportunity I tried to think of the best recipe which would hold as much buttery, creamy goodness as possible and then turn it into dinner.

Quiche is the word.

My standard week-day quiche calls for eggs and low fat cottage cheese...no flour, no oil, no butter. Actually, it tastes pretty good, but it's not really in the spirit of things is it? Let's talk no more of this.

To maximise the butter per square centimetre ratio, I even went so far as to make my own pastry.

I'm telling you peoples, I was high-fiving myself all over the kitchen.

Every time someone walked into the kitchen I'd say "Look at me! Look what I'm doing!! I.AM. AMAZING. Can I get an amen!".

Here's how you can share in the fun: {recipe at the end of the post}

If you don't have a food processor....hmmm..don't know what to tell you.

Make your neighbour a quiche in exchange for theirs?

Baking paper is the secret.

I didn't know about this until recently.

I would have been making pastry a long time ago had I known about this and not been carrying the battle scars of many pastry-stuck-to-the-bench scenarios from my youth.

Okay. Don't judge.

Yours will turn out much smoother.

Because I'm lazy and impatient.

And you're not.

But if you are.

This is absolutely how it is supposed to look.

We all good?

I wasn't holding back on the filling.

That's sun-dried tomatoes, roasted capsicum, feta and caramelised onion.

You caramelise the onion by sauteing it with olive oil on a low flame for 20 minutes.

Then add a splash of balsamic and a sprinkle of brown sugar and saute for another five minutes.

I used Spanish onion for a milder taste.

But if you only have brown onions, it's no biggie.

When decorating and baking collide.

I didn't have pie weights, so I dug out some decorative stones from the bottom of a vase and hoped that they didn't explode in the oven.

I love living on the edge.

Stylishly.

They didn't explode and have once again been returned to their home in a lovely vignette in the family room.

Good and faithful stones.

Oh yes.

Golden, buttery goodness.

Can you smell it?

Now go and make it for someone you love.

Unless they have a heart condition.

Then I'll send you the cottage cheese and no oil version. Boo.

Happily, because it packs such a flavoursome punch, this one quiche can easily feed 6 - 8 people.

You only need a smallish slice.

We had it with a green crunchy salad and a Moroccan couscous salad which I'll have to share with you later.

It was also rocking our world that night. But in a slightly healthier, less myocardial infarction-inducing way.

Mediterranean Quiche

Basic Shortcrust Pastry {Courtesy the smartypants Donna Hay}
(Makes 350g pastry to line a 25cm pie dish)

2 cups flour
145g (5oz) butter
2-3 tablespoons iced water

Process the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
While the motor is running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough.
Knead very lightly, them wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30minutes. When ready to use, roll out between baking paper until 3mm (1/8in) thick.

To bake blind, top the pastry lined pie dish with a piece of non-stick baking paper, and weigh down with beans or rice {or decorative stones:)}. Bake in an oven preheated at 180C for ten minutes. Remove the weights and paper, and bake for another 5 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Filling:

1-1 1/2 cups of whatever you can dream up {think antipasto platters and go wild}
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream or half cream/half milk
3/4 tsp salt
you can also add any herbs or spices you think will compliment your filling.

Method:
Place vegetable ingredients in the pie crust.
Whisk together eggs, cream and salt in a medium size mixing bowl on medium speed.
Carefully pour cream on top of veggies, etc.
Bake at 180oC {350oF} for 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Serve with a crisp green salad and a glass of your favourite wine.

Love you more than my nail polish remover,

Meredy xo

embrace

2012-01-15T01:10:00.002+11:00

it's one of the "E" words that keeps popping into my head at the moment.

I'm dead impressed that so many bloggers have been able to encapsulate their 2012 goals into one word.

Always been a blatherer.

Why use one word when you could use ten?

Again with the greed.

Anyhoo, embrace is one of my favourites.

It nearly won word of the year until my greed reflex kicked in and I decided I simply Could Not Do Without the full list

This week has brought the embrace of God's word.

This embrace is so readily available.

Luckily, I live in a country where I am allowed to express my faith without fear.

I can physically access a bible so easily.

We're all familiar with the stories of Christians in some countries needing to memorise entire tracts of the bible for fear of being caught with one on their person and being prosecuted for treason.

Every person in our house has at least one bible...usually two.

I have four.

Greed again.

Actually, in fairness, they are all different versions. But still...an embarrasment of riches.

God's word is always there, ready to

Embrace

Encourage

Empower

Educate

How flippantly I walk past and ignore it.

Pick it up, flick through it casually and put it down again.

I can be a boofhead* like that.

This Sunday I can't wait to embrace all that the day holds.

Good or bad.

Messy or tidy.

Cranky kids or content kids.

Rainy day or blue sky.

Bad hair day or good hair day.

{This Proverbs 31 verse really comes in handy doesn't it?}

As we go about our business at Chez Joy, we shall be embracing musical stylings of all persuasions to keep us in good spirits. This song will fo' shizzle be on high rotation tomorrow.... our song of the summer 2011-2012:

* don't know if this translates, but in our household it means you're being a bit slow on the uptake.

friday joy....randomness {and a winner}

2012-01-13T13:28:00.001+11:00

Here's what my camera divulged when I downloaded it this morning.

The Golden Trinity: iPad, Pinterest, Coffee.

These are the moments that are like lilypads of refuge above the crocodile infested waters of my household.

Sorry....it's coming up to five weeks of school holidays and I've developed a slight twitch along with an inability to filter my thoughts. Attractive.

But I'm still better looking that this guy.

Just.

Hmm, looking at his moustache reminds me......must book appointment.

Christmas in a box!

I packed up all the Chrissie bling into this portable draw/cabinet scenario and can hardly stand myself I'm so smug with organisational glee.

Now all I need to do is gaffer tape it shut to ensure it isn't raided by the Goofballs when they're playing "shops".

I was so proud I took a photo.

As proof.

This makes me happy. If only I could translate this level of organisation into all areas of my life.

{I'd probably be unbearable though wouldn't I?}

Bugsy. Master Chef.

Whip it Bugsy. Whip it good!

The kids love it when we run out of food towards the end of the week.

We usually always at the very least have ingredients for pancakes.

They were living the dream yesterday morning.

"Can we have pancakes Mum?"

"Why yes my precious petals. Of course you can!"

I basked in the reflective glow of butter and their appreciation.

It's true.

There is an app for everything.

Lost dice?

No problem.

Oh look.

A paper product!

Loving, loving, loving my new bible journal.

You can get one here

REAP stands for

R - Read

E - Explore

A - Apply

P - Pray

Sometimes I find the bible hard to penetrate...my thoughts get muddled and I feel like yelling "What are you trying to tell me here??? I don't get it!"

I know some people can discern scripture without too much struggle.

I'm not one of those people.

This journal has helped massively.

As has my bible which is an NIV Study bible...half the page is scripture, the bottom half gives the scripture historical context and explanations.

Would you know what a teraphim is off the top of your head?

That's why I love that bible.

You can get that here also.

Yes.

They needed it in writing.

For those who can't read, I just said to them that when they see this picture, they need to wash their hands.

Sometimes they actually do it.

Watermelon makes my heart sing and summer days luscious.

This bowl is always under attack.

Some comedian thought my artfully arranged sea shells were missing a vital element and added the spade.

One can't take oneself too seriously at Chez Joy.

I am being called to read a Richard Scarry book to the littlest Goofballs.

Mr Magoo starts school in two weeks.

I can't believe it.

I'm happy/sad.

For the first time in 15 years, I will only have one little person at home.

Good Lord, Bugsy is going to be smothered to bits and pieces isn't he?

Five children at school.

Amazing.

That's a whole lot of school lunches.

Time to start a roster.

Love you more than my Hungry Caterpillar mug,

Meredy xo

***************UPDATE******************

We have a winner of the copy of "The Happiness Project":

Comment No. 18: Rebecca from Life on the Farm and Other War Stories

Congratulations Rebecca - a copy will be winging its way to you shortly!

the sleeping prince, creativity, games and becoming a screen queen

2012-01-10T12:43:00.000+11:00

This sweet face.

This sweet, sleeping face.

After approximately 2 hrs sleep last night, this is now my favourite photo of Bugsy.

Perhaps I should frame it and print it on a t-shirt for him to look at to remind him that this is his night job.

It is not his job to demand a strawberry milkshake in a red spotty mug at 2 am.

It is not his job to wake up every 30 minutes demanding that I rub his back.

It is not his job to send me into a sleep deprived hysteria at 4:30 that has me reading US political blogs on my iPad. {Proceed with caution there my friends...I think these frightened me more and gave me night terrors worse than anything Bugsy was experiencing. Why can't it just be like in The West Wing?? Better script writers I suppose.}

Speaking of tv and screens etc....
I'm a little bit more in love with my iPad than is reasonable considering it is an inanimate object.
The apps are amazing. I am in the process of downloading all my recipes into a menu planner that then sorts itself into a calendar with shopping lists etc. This is a dream come true when you have as many dietary restrictions as our household.
I can see I will do most of my reading via iBooks from now on.
Bliss! My deep love of independant book shops will see me continue to buy children's books and gifts from my local favourite bookstores, but the everyday novel or autobiography, I'm sure iBooks will be my preferred method of delivery.

My other screen.

I'm trialling something new these holidays.

It's called....wait for it....."Kids Really Can Do Their Own Laundry!"

Well, they're always banging on about how grown up they are and their need for independence.

Alrighty then!

You'll not be shocked to hear that this is being met with a certain degree of reluctance.

In fact, JD stared at me for a full two minutes, slack-jawed in disbelief when I suggested that now that the clothes were washed, he would need to actually hang them on the line. I thought he might even cry.

In more exciting and blog-friendly news....

The girls and I are embarking on a stationery buying trip to Target and K-Mart today.

We will also be doing the obligatory whistle stops at Kikki.K and Smiggle.

I'm also on the hunt for a couple of boardgames to reinvigorate our family games nights.

The kids are getting far too adept at poker and I'm afraid they'll want to join the World Poker Tour instead of going to university.

I have heard so many people obsessed with this game, it must be good.

Easy to learn and filled with strategy. Tick!

And for the younger set....Hungry Hippos!

As part of The Happiness Project, I have been reading more extensively on the importance of creativity.
It's been quite eye opening.
Do you know that anyone can draw?
Doesn't matter if it's only stick figures....it's still an important task to undertake in order to access that side of your brain and to assist you in problem solving. There's a great book called "Back of the Napkin" which looks at this more deeply, if you're interested.

I just included this picture because it looks like someone has been furiously creative and I can't help but be curious about what they painted.

2012 will include more creativity.

For all of us.

The kids, Dave, me.

Our accountant....{um, just kidding}

I don't know about you, but I'm finding Pinterest is actually a treasure trove of ACHIEVABLE projects. Because I'm a visual learner {I was appalling at school}, Pinterest is genuinely helpful with access to all the step-by-step tutorials. It takes all the intimidation out of the equation.

Anyway my lovelies, hope you're having a great day filled with creativity, the right balance of screens and maybe a few awesome board games.

Love you more than a bouquet of sharpened pencils,

Meredy xo

dreamhouse or echoes of alexander the great?

2012-01-09T18:40:00.000+11:00

It was said of Alexander the Great that he wanted to conquer the world and he nearly did before the age of 32. Legend says that when his army had conquered their last foe he sat down and wept because there were no others to conquer.

I wonder when I look at this amazingly, perfect, breathtaking home if the homeowners sat down on their perfectly fluffed pillows and wept because there were no other interior design summits to mount.

Look at this place!

The pillows....the lamp....the stripes...even the books on the divine coffee table...check out the detailing on the bi-fold glass doors...

The table...the chairs...the hardwood floors in the perfect tone....make sure you take note of the gorgeous sideboard with all the drawers in the background....the hydrangeas...the cloche pendant lights...the Chinese ginger jars....the shutters....did I miss anything??

the slightly retro cane...the ticking pillows...the nautical striped pillows...the sandstone detail...even the blessed dog.

I don't need to say it.

This is the parents retreat upstairs off the master bedroom.

It is, of course, perfect.

Here is where I would be quite content to sit and do my weeping into my cashmere throw.

Phew...lucky for me I don't think I'll ever suffer from Alexander the Great syndrome.

I'm currently going with an IKEA/chippy paint/rescued furniture motif which seems to be in perfect harmony with our household.

Why worry about the pedals of the bike dragging along the blanket box coffee table when it's already chipped?

{yes...the Goofballs ride their trikes inside. Don't judge me....at least I draw the line at skateboards. Pick your battles right?}

Why worry about jam fingers or OJ spilled on the white couch when you can readily throw a $5 IKEA throw over the arm and make the couch look all cozy and decorative.

Gosh, at this rate I'll be crying into my favourite pancake-batter splattered apron {as all aprons should be} as I will have reached domestic bliss and there will be no more worlds to conquer.

Love you more than a chevron throw pillow,

Meredy xo

************GIVEAWAY************

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a copy of The Happiness Project book.

It's open until this Friday.

Details in the sidebar.

The happiness project GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-06T10:19:00.000+11:00

I kept hearing wonderful reviews about this book, but had dismissed it out of hand, thinking to myself "But I'm already happy. Aren't I?".

As luck would have it, I spied its colourful cover on a prominent display at our local library and on a whim decided to borrow. It is with a rueful smile on my face and a huge wedge of humble pie before me that I am posting about it now.

It is inspiration, delight and encouragement in a nutshell.

I simply adore it.

Here's the premise from The Book Depository:

Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany. One rainy afternoon on a city bus, she realized that she wasn't as happy as she could be. In danger of wasting her days - always yearning for something more, waiting for problems to miraculously solve themselves - she realized her life wasn't going to change unless she did something about it. On January 1, she embarked on her Happiness Project, and each month she pursued a different set of resolutions: to get more sleep, quit nagging her husband, sing in the morning to her two young daughters, start a blog, imitate a spiritual master, keep a one-sentence journal. She immersed herself in everything from classical philosophy to contemporary psychology to see what worked for her-and what didn't. Illuminating yet entertaining, profound yet compulsively readable, "The Happiness Project" is one of the most thoughtful and prescriptive works on happiness to have emerged from the recent explosion of interest in the subject. Filled with practical advice, sharp insight, charm, and humour, her story will inspire readers to navigate their own paths to happiness.

I know. It sounds excruciating doesnt it? Another contrived, woe-is-me, middle-aged angst journal of self-discovery....... I can assure you, it is none of those things.

Gretchen Rubin writes so warmly and candidly that you can't help but like her. She's not self-deprecating....she is aware of her strengths and is happy to acknowledge them. Which I found both refreshing and liberating. She works from the premise that she is already pretty happy and acknowledges that she has every reason to be. Her project is more about being as happy as possible, while being as grateful as possible and taking her husband and daughters along for the ride.

Run people, don't walk and get yourself a copy.

In fact, I'm going to give one away. That's how much I love this book.

Just leave a comment below and I'll do that random generator thingamie next Friday 13th {The Irony!}.

I love a giveaway. I tend to only do them with things I'm passionate about, so you know I mean business with this book.

Love you more than my new Goofball-proof acrylic tumblers,

Meredy xo

***********UPDATE**********

Don't just take my word for it....I popped over to my pal Simone's blog The Bottom of the Ironing Basket to check out her latest post and she's also given it the thumbs up. She's our Go To Girl for all things fabulous, so you know it must be good:)

love map....how to make one

2012-01-04T22:10:00.000+11:00

So here's the original from Pinterest:

I'd love to show you ours in its entirety, but it's probably not a completely fantastic idea to provide a map of our house on the internet. Shame.

So here's what you need to do:

Print out a page with three love hearts on it.

I used MS Publisher which has a little shape thingamie so all you have to do is click and drag to the desired size.

Then type in the text.

Here I used the "Jane Austen" font {I know. It works on so many levels.}

You can download that font from dafont.com

Then print it out and grab yourself a Stanley knife and carefully cut out the heart shape.

This is probably the hardest part.

Actually the hardest part was doing this while the two little boys played super-hero wars around me while I was expected to defend my planet without a force field as they had destroyed it with their light sabers and machine guns. Apparently.

I grabbed an old street directory and ripped the pages out that I needed.

Handily, Dave and I did all our meeting, marrying and now living in the one street directory.

Woo-hoo! Let's hear it for the suburbs!

Next you tape the corresponding maps on to the back of the sheet with Scotch tape and then pop it into a frame.

And there you have it.

Tell you what....if you get stuck on the paper print out thingamie, I'll just email it to you.

Just let me know:)

Gosh, really struggling to post this tonight.

It was 38oC today in Sydney town.

Blech.

Even with a pool and air-conditioning it was enervating.

I feel all clammy and blah.

Maybe a slice of watermelon will help.

Watermelon makes my heart sing.

Love you more than my polka-dot swimming cossie,

Meredy xo

my pot of white enamel and me....

2012-01-02T12:24:00.001+11:00

If any piece of furniture in our home is looking a little worn my go-to product right off the bat is a coat of white enamel.

It's right up there with YSL Touche-Eclat in terms of one of the best makeover ingredients in the world.

My scary yellow pine table which previously was covered with calico.

This looked lovely and rustic, except for the fact that it's a high traffic area and the Goofballs thought it a lovely spot to rest all manner of food products, drinks and textas with lids off. I had to wash it every other week.

Enough already. We know I'm far too lazy for that palaver.

Time for a coat of happy.

It really was that orange.

But it was being thrown out by someone in our street and the Goofballs saw the potential.

I know! I'm so proud...they spotted it and brought it home for me.

If they never win another sporting or academic award I will not be bothered.

It was a proud moment.

My friend Beck cheekily described a trip to the dump as what she thinks I would call a swap meet.

Scarily true.

Hey presto!

It took me about three coats and two Mark Driscoll podcasts to complete.

I was a happy camper.

Best thing is that this enamel is water soluble, so even though I had little helpers who naturally got covered in it, it was easy enough to clean up.

I've learned that this is how you paint with children.

Just make sure it can wash off and don't stress about it.

I love that it also gives me a great place to display my new picture.

It's a triple love heart thingamie which has road maps showing where Dave and I met, married and live.

I saw it on Pinterest and defying all expectations, actually made it.

I'll show you how tomorrow if you're interested.

Off to the beach today.

There is not a cloud in the gorgeous Sydney sky.

It's a perfect 26oC with an whisper of a breeze.

Perfect!

No enamelling today.

Just basking in sunshine, sand, surf and trying to ignore the squabbling from the kids.

Everyone's so out of sorts after too many late nights surrounding Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Snappy, snappy, snappy.

Grrr. Think I best go a make myself a fresh coffee before we head off.

Love you more than a fresh paintbrush,

Meredy xo

2012 will be brought to us by the letter....E

2012-01-01T16:09:00.001+11:00

For the last couple of days I've been thinking about what the coming year will bring.

What are my hopes?

Realistically.

What will I want to look back on in twelve months time?

Words starting with the letter "E" kept popping up.

Whether it pertained to a feeling, a topic that beguiled me or an action.

2011 was clearly an "R" year. It was spent recuperating, repairing and reacting post-2010 which was an absolute shocker of a year which left us emotionally and physically reeling and languishing with lost confidence.

This year, I'd like to choose the letter intentionally.

With purpose and decisiveness.

In no particular order:

My accompanying pins:

What the word of God can do.

Keep the romance alive.

Dave and I have a great relationship.

I want to not take it for granted...ever.

We've been together for 20 years and still love holding hands.

Now that's sexy.

Happy New Year everyone!

I can't wait to share this year with you.

Already have lots of photos, projects and funnies to share with you all.

Big hugs,

Love you more than champagne at midnight,

Meredy xo

...breath of heaven on earth...

2011-12-25T00:03:00.001+11:00

The presents are wrapped.
The ham is prepared.
The brioche is reading for toasting first thing in the morning.
A tray of mangoes sits on our kitchen bench, filling the air with sweet, summery scent.
The nativity candles are all lit.
Santa's cookies & milk sit expectantly on the front steps...along with a looooong letter asking to explain how he gets in without a chimney.

So many preparations.
But have I prepared my heart properly?
I've tried. I've fallen short on many times, worrying too much about presents, presentation, not being present.
Tonight, I sit here and flick through my Pinterest board trying to gain an insight to my focus.
Here's some things that have inspired me this Christmas:

Joy....always.

Red. White. Candles.

Cup of Coffee = Cup of Good Cheer & a Happy Mama

As directed.

The reason for the season.

Fairy lights make everything better.

Good tidings to all.

Bells ringing out the good news...

Wreaths representing the never ending love of our Saviour....

And, of course, our favourite video at Christmas time:

May your Christmas be filled with the love and hope of the season and celebrated with those whom you love so dearly.

Love you more than a packet of batteries on Christmas morning:)

Joyeux Noel!

Meredy xo

guess what we made?

2011-12-22T12:02:00.000+11:00

We celebrated Missy Moo's birthday yesterday.

Her birthday was actually in April...um, but better late than never?

It was a rainbow/pizza/pool/glow-in-the-dark/disco party.

We covered all the bases.

Lord help me, but I let Missy Moo write out the invitations and didn't check them properly....

She'd written "From 1pm - 5pm!"

Four.Hours.

Sixteen 9 year olds.

The week before Christmas.

You should have seen the smile on all the mother's faces when dropping off their children.

"This is great!"

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Are you really sure that FOUR HOURS is okay??"

Then Dave had to attend a distant relatives funeral, two hours away.

So I was sad for him....but a little panicked for me.

Selfish one that I am.

Luckily, JD was an amazing help.

If you were a 13 year old boy, can you imagine anything worse than helping out at your 9 year old sister's birthday party? He got major brownie points yesterday. We've decided to keep him after all.

So I made them a big urn of this:

Gremlin juice.

Then sent them downstairs to the mirror ball disco room (our converted garage/games room)

They went ballistic for about an hour there until they worked up a sweat and all jumped in the pool.

They danced.

They swam.

They ate pizza.

They drank more gremlin juice.

Then danced.

Then swam.

Then played murder in the dark with glow sticks.

Which allowed me to do this at the half-way mark:

Collapse on the lounge and watch "Giant".

Rock Hudson...James Dean...Elizabeth Taylor.

Love it. Love it. Love it.

Birthday cake time.

Love this cake.

Told the kids it was a plain vanilla cake....sorry, but you know, in a hurry etc.

Their faces were priceless when they saw inside. Love those moments.

A happy day.

Finishing in a happy way.

Loving this book, this cake and this coffee.

Hope you're having a great week leading up to Christmas.

Love you more than my coffee machine,

Meredy xo

i need a silent night....a little midnight clear

2011-12-19T21:45:00.000+11:00

image via Pinterest

Flagging....

My bells aren't jingling quite so merrily tonight and my reindeer antlers have a definite droop.

I love Christmas!

This is my favourite season of the year!

I am cranky that I'm cranky.

What I really want to do is to curl up in the foetal position and listen to worship music about the birth of baby Jesus and play scrabble and make Christmas craft with the Goofballs and stir my coffee with peppermint candy canes.

I heard this song yesterday whilst sitting in traffic on the Spit Bridge while the bridge was elevated, allowing all the beautiful boats to pass underneath. I was cursing the delay. There I was sitting on the harbour foreshore in one of the prettiest spots in Sydney, watching beautiful sailing boats and their masts pass by and wasn't "seeing" it. This song came on and reminded me of what is really important.

You need to click here as it won't allow me to show it on my site. Small inconvenience for a beautiful song, I promise:)

If you get a chance I really hope you listen to it and it encourages you as greatly as it did me.

Love you more than my pistachio shortbread,

Meredy xo

book picks for christmas

2011-12-16T07:42:00.000+11:00

There is something so satisfying in giving the right book to the right person.

In these days of social networking, blogging, tweeting, texting and email, I hope the idea of books never go out of fashion.

Here are some of my top picks for Christmas 2011....a few of them have been around for a while, but are perennial favourites.

Books for your tween children/nieces/nephews:

Have you read "The Invention of Hugo Cabret"? This is a similar style book from the same author and probably on the wish list of every tween.

Lauren Child is a genius. Ruby Redfort is a fictional character from another series "Clarice Bean". Clarice Bean is obsessed with her fictional heroine, Ruby Redfort, a tweenage secret agent. Lauren Child has obviously had so much interest in this character than she's decided to turn Ruby Redfort into an actual book series.

For the mid-teenager:

From Amazon to Goodreads, this book is lauded on high. Four and five star ratings as far as the eye can see. I'm buying this for one of my teenagers.

Mimi has just finished reading this and she loved it with a passion. If you've heard of Percy Jackson, this is the follow-on. The only criticism that Mimi had is that it ended and now she has to wait for the next one!

This is a red-hot series from an Australian author. Thirteen year olds everywhere are obsessed with this series, running from January through to December. Quite a slim volume, would be wonderful if you're wanting to encourage someone who doesn't read happily.

Keri Smith....her books are in a class of their own. If you're wanting to develop a child's imagination, creativity and sense of achievement....her books are for you. They are interactive, challenging and utterly engaging.

For adults and children alike:

Celebrating the illustrator and author Eric Carle.

From Amazon:

"Every child has an artist inside them, and this vibrant new picture book from Eric Carle will help let it out. The artist in this book paints the world as he sees it, just like a child. There's a red crocodile, an orange elephant, a purple fox and a polka-dotted donkey. More than anything, there's imagination. Filled with some of the most magnificently colorful animals of Eric Carle's career, this tribute to the creative life celebrates the power of art."

I want.

For the Foodie:

I have to admit to being a bit "over" cook books at the moment. I know. I didn't think that would ever happen either. But if there is one that I would give to someone, it would be this. Bill is rock solid, shy of unrealistic expectations and his books are always beautifully photographed with easy to follow recipes.

Okay, make that two books I would give.

Ottolenghi is on the top of most foodies cook book wish list at the moment. A friend who rarely engages in the culinary dark arts, raved about this book. Worth a look.

For those in a book club:

Seriously, Austen and James. I can not WAIT to read this or to give it to others.

It could have been disastrous, but by all accounts it works amazingly well.

Read this before you see the movie. No doubt this will be selling like hot cakes all over again once the movie is released.

For the photography and travel book lover:

The author and photographer behind Italian Joy and Paris Tango has released a stunning new book filled with photos from her travels. Carla is also the photographer behind Vicki Archer's My French Life, French Essence and Amanda Tabberer's My Amalfi Coast. Carla's books are where I turn to when I need to escape....IMMEDIATELY. Blissful.

Botanical Eye Candy:

Don't let the dull title fool you. This book is divine. If you have a green-thumbed friend or relative , run - don't walk and get them this stunning book.

This is an oldie, but a goodie. Seriously beautiful. I could give a copy away every year. Problem is, I can't remember who I've already given this to!

For the fashion-forward:

So you already gave them The Satorialist last Christmas. Cement your reputation as a book giver par excellence by giving them this.

From Amazon:

"The Selby Is in Your Place was conceived when fashion and interiors photographer Todd Selby began taking portraits of dynamic and creative people—authors, musicians, artists, and designers—in their home environments and posting them on his web site. Nosy by nature, he wanted to see how personal style was reflected in private spaces. Lucky for us, he found his answer in the color-rich and eclectic quarters of a diverse group of subjects, including Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler, Faris Rotter, Andre Walker, and Olivier Zahm, in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, and London. Each profile is accompanied by Selby’s watercolor portraits of the subjects and objects from their homes, and illustrated questionnaires, which Selby asks each sitter to fill out. This book consists of over thirty profiles, many of which have never-before-seen, selected exclusively for the book. The result is a collection of unique spaces bursting with energy and personality that together create a colorful hodgepodge of inspirational interiors."

For the stylish and elegant

Dreamy perfection. 'Nuff said.

For the aspiring interior designer

{or for those with a slight homewares/design/shelter mag addiction}:

It's from Assouline publishing so you know it's going to be amazing. Andree Putman is almost single handedly responsible for the rise of the boutique hotel. Her work is incredibly beautiful. This book would provide a lovely counter-balance for the DIY home decorators. There's only so much Ikea that one can take right?

On the other hand.....this is a must. An incredibly well thought-out, beautifully presented book. I read this audibly oohing and aahing. Like a living, breathing mood board of ideas.

They probably already have this, so be sure to check. But if they don't. Get it. They will love you forever.

Sibella Court's book are jam-packed with beauty. Beautifully produced and stylishly directed.

This could also be for the green-thumb in your life, however, it is less a how-to than a "look at this!" tome. Saskia Havekes is a floral genius. Breathtaking.

For those in need of nurture:

The sub-heading "For everyone having a doona day" says it all. Perfect to give to someone about to embark on some time off and finds it hard to relax. Delightfully whimsical.

The Crafter:

From the author/blogger of "Meet me at Mikes". Another quirky, delicious craft outing. A joy to behold.

Not all of us can experience a self-sustainable lifestyle, but you'll want to once you envelope yourself in Amanda Blake Soule's household and lifestyle. It reads like a big, warm, hand-knitted blanket made from wool from your own sheep and infused with hand-crushed lavender from your fields. Is that my bread I can smell baking?

If you are even just vaguely acquainted with a sewing machine, this will get you motivated to try some small, achievable projects. There are also some more advanced projects.....however that could be my intimidation talking....perhaps they're easy too, I can't tell. Sewing bamboozles me utterly.

From the same author. Visually stunning and if you're a vintage vixen, you will adore her suggestions and encouragement. I'd love to buy it just for the vintage vibe. I'm shallow like that.

If all else fails, Paris is always a good idea:

All these are perfect. Give them. Receive them. It's all gold.

Happy Book Hunting!

Love you more than my wedges,

Meredy xo

lemon sugar scrub, christmas craft and stuff

2011-12-12T15:38:00.001+11:00

Who says Pinterest is a waste of time?!

I actually made something from it....who'd have thunk it?

Turns out making lemon sugar hand scrub was super easy.

I included it a gift bag for each of the women from church who came to an event I was hosting last Saturday called "Having a Mary Christmas in a Martha World".

We drank Christmas punch, ate Christmas food and laughed heaps as we shared ways to keep the spirit of Christmas alive and flourishing in our families without suffering a nervous breakdown.

The kids and I had so much fun putting these bags together for the ladies.

I included the scrub, thinking that it would be provide a moment of calm during a busy season for women.

A few moments where we pampered our hard-working hands and closed our eyes and relaxed for a second.

It feels A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!

It was a family affair.

Despite this, it still got done:)

I can't begin to tell you the arguments over who would get to squeeze the lemons with our new lemon squeezing gadget.
The spirit of Christmas was NOT in evidence so much. Grrr.

You just mix:

2 1/2 cups of sugar,

1/2 cup of olive oil with

4 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the

zest of all the lemons you squeeze.

Then we spooned it all into the jars and bing-bang-pop!

*********************

Here's the window display at my favourite homewares shop Alfresco Emporium.

{sigh}

Just had to share it with you:)

******************

The boys made these Christmas crackers together at play group.
Just about the only craft they've made all year.
They'd much prefer to run around and jump on things.

You take:

toilet paper rolls

lollies

random bric-a-brac to put inside the "cracker"

Christmas wrapping paper

ribbon

Wrap the toilet roll and tie off at one end.

Put the lollies and crafty stuff in and then tie off the other end.

I think you can buy the actual cracker "snap" things at craft stores if you want to include them.

The boys are determined to make them for everyone for Christmas day.

Have you seen how expensive bon-bons are?

I'm loving their upcycling bonhomie.

This is JD's idea of sweeping the family room floor for me....

With Mimi timing him and taking photos.

Can you see what I'm working with???

Love you more than my Michael Buble Christmas album,

Meredy xo

this week...

2011-12-09T11:17:00.002+11:00

We made HUGE batches of lemon sugar handscrub for friends.

I'll do a crafty post tomorrow with the details:)

Got our Christmas books out ready for reading....

Decorated the tree...

Had a bit of a decorating disaster as all our glass, lovingly collected baubles "somehow" got smashed whilst in storage. I was a bit sad, but then like Barney Stinson, decided to have an awesome decorating session anyway:)

Some Christmas vignette action...

Folding hit Defcon 4 and had to be thrown on top of our bed for strategic actioning.

This was just the first layer.....

JD & Bugsy....peas in a pod.

They just get each other.

Scattegories has been the game of the week.

I love it when the screens go off and the games begin.

Everyone plays....even the littlies.

This looks like Mimi's in pain, but she and JD are actually evil co-conspiritors.

I think this was the round where the letter was "B" and they answered every single question with "Boobs".

They crack themselves up.

Can there be too much sparkle at Christmas?

'Tis the season to bedazzle.

Hmm, my anaemically decorated Christmas tree.

Not nearly enough bling baby!

I'll need to build up the bauble stores at the sales after Chrissie.

Poor Joseph & Mary are still under glass in a witness protection programme.

Baby Jesus keeps being kidnapped by "not me".

Do you have a "Not Me" in your house?

You know..."Who ate all the crackers?"

"Not me!"

"Who knows where the sticky tape is?"

"Not me!"

This book collection made me laugh.

I braved the library with the two youngest urban terrorists and grabbed whatever caught my eye first.

It was sort of like running the gauntlet.

At the end of it, this is what I had:

A "worthy" book which I always hope to find more accessible than it actually is and therefore convince myself that I am not a complete dullard. The jury's still out.

A schmaltzy, shamelessly romantic novel....have never read Nicholas Sparks before, but I'm assuming that the man who wrote The Notebook, can deliver the goods in this season of schmaltz.

A bloggy, home design book that I wasn't sure I could afford to buy sight unseen.

A voyeuristic, photographic book on one of my most lusted after places on the planet - The Amalfi Coast.

I've borrowed this book before, so I know that no matter what chaos descends upon my household, I can sneak away and in 3 minutes be in Italy, sipping limoncello and working on my tan.....metaphorically speaking.

I think I did good.

Schools has ended for half of the Goofballs.

I am so happy.

Now that they're older, it's a pleasure to have them on holidays.

Except when it's not.

But I'm hoping that with the advent of Pinterest, I will have plenty of projects to keep them occupied.

Hope you've had a good week too.

I haven't had a chance to blog-hop this week, but I'm sure you're all up to something amazing.

Just want to leave you with this re-worked version of "Come all Ye Faithful"

Say what you will about Hillsong, but they know how to arrange music like nobodies business.

Mimi said to me "I just love this version Mum. This is my favourite all-time Christmas carol. It makes me feel like all the faithful are joined together in a worshipful procession, you know, like, just lovin' on the King".

Yeah, I don't know how she turned out like this either.

She's 15 and so much nicer than I was at her age.
She's a Christmas miracle all by herself.

The first 1:20 is standard.....then it changes to AWESOMENESS.
After what Mimi said, I keep imagining the faithful making a slow, deliberate, worshipful procession to bow before a baby saviour. It make me want to cry big, fat, happy tears.

Love you more than my Kleenex,
For you, I would let my mascara run unbidden.

Meredy xo.

get your cheer on

2011-12-01T10:19:00.000+11:00

My gift to you.
Forget the lists, ignore your laundry, who cares about the dishes in the sink?
Take a few minutes to get your Christmas cheer on!

Listen to this and dance....wherever you are, whatever you're doing.
This is Far More Important.

Love you more than my Christmas snowglobe,

Meredy xo

tuesday

2011-11-29T12:49:00.000+11:00

Planning Christmas.
Writing lists....checking them twice:)
Drinking coffee out of a new mug given to me by Cathy.
It'll be my motto for the month ahead.

On the countdown until school finishes. Yipee!

Planning holiday activities that will be fun, cheap and cheerful.....

craft,
painting the cubby house,
pool parties,
outdoor movie nights,
chalk paint drawings on the driveway,
a few museums,
making fruit granitas

Love you more than a mango smoothie,

Meredy xo

the wool classing table

2011-11-27T22:31:00.000+11:00

Every May school holidays from the time I was in primary school, until I left home, we spent at a farm.

These were not the organic, free-range, every one wearing Hunter gumboots type of farms.

They were hard core.

We stayed in shearer's quarters.

With huge wood-heated Aga stoves, sometimes wood-chip water heaters and long drop toilets.

Let me tell you, you haven't lived until you need to go to the bathroom at 3am and it's 50 metres between your bed and the spider-infested long drop toilet.

I would share a bedroom with two of my boy cousins.

I remember one year we sang "Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode for the entire holiday and drove everyone bonkers. We eventually worked our way through the entire compilation of "1982 With A Bullet". Gotta give credit to an album that features Depeche Mode, Barry Manilow and Toni Basil.

Anyhoo, they were the best holidays EVER!

Such great memories.

Of course, somehow I had the presence of mind even at that young age to clock that the wool-classing table in the shearing shed was an object of beauty.

Usually made from timber, sometimes metal, this is the table where the rouseabout throws the pelt from a sheep after it's been shorn, cleans up the edges and from there it is identified as a certain class of wool.

As you can imagine, the timber is soaked in lanolin from years and years of wool being thrown upon it which gives it an amazing patina.

Isn't it gorgeous? The table, I mean;)

Imagine this magnificent table, topped with glass to be used as a huge banquet table.

Wouldn't it be amazing??

I don't know why this popped up into my head tonight.

But there you have it.

Random.

Love you more than lanolin,

Meredy xo

friday joy....christmas links

2011-11-25T14:20:00.001+11:00

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year.
It just ticks all my boxes....celebrating Jesus, giving, cooking, family, singing {at the top of my lungs, rather inadvisedly}, gathering together, crafting.

Here are some fun links which I've found this week as I've been preparing a women's ministry event as well as trying to minister to the needs in my own home:)

This is just so wonderful.

I'm already planning this with the Goofballs.

Plastic tubs, ribbon, cut-out wood letters from Bunnings.

Here's how the professionals do it: {click}

I'm super-duper excited about his one particularly.

It's a free devotional from the amazing Ann Voskamp's blog - A Holy Experience.

{here's the link for the Jesse Tree devotional}

So incredibly generous of her and coincidently, just what I needed for this upcoming event.

Can't wait! I might actually look like I know what I'm doing - woo-hoo! That hardly EVER happens.

If you love a bit of free Christmas printable action - look no further!

Heaps of printable fun to be had! {click}

Epsom salt as glittery snow!

Who'd have thunk it.

Melissa from The Inspired Room is our sort of woman.

She's fun, she's resourceful and she loves a bit upcycling.

White paper packages tied up with string!

Is this not ease and perfection personified?

L.O.V.E.

{for 50 gift wrapping ideas - click here}

How cute it this?

So purty.

I don't have a link for this...but I guess you just cut out the shape and stick it in there.

{that's my approach to most craft...with varied results...you are warned}

***************

What a week!

It has rained and rained and rained in Sydney.

The poor Danish royals have not been treated to Sydney at its shiniest best. Blech.

It has, however, given me the perfect excuse to use my clothes dryer all week.

I usually avoid it due to eco-guilt.

I can't believe how much laundry I've been able to slam through.

On top of which, being the benevolent dictator that I am, I have told the four eldest Goofballs that as far as folding their clothes goes.....it is now UP TO THEM.

I am mother, hear me roar!

I now throw it into four separate baskets and put it on the end of their beds.

JD said to me "Um, wow Mum, that only took like, 5 minutes".

I'm such a bonehead, why did I not do this earlier??

I feel like I've been through a re-birthing experience.

If a re-birthing experience means you feel as you've left a claustrophobic, cramped, moist space and can breathe fresh air and taste freedom:)

Love you more than my hair straightener,

Meredy xo

wednesday

2011-11-23T11:14:00.001+11:00

It is a deliciously miserable Wednesday

No reason to go out.

Lots of reasons to stay home and nest.

I'm going to start from the bottom {the frat house where the three youngest sleep}, then work my way up.

Bugsy loves these.
If you're looking for a stocking filler or a fun gift under $20, this is fab.
You roll the dice and then make up a story to go along with the images.
You can use one die or all nine.
So good for the littlies who can't read.
Their imagination is wild! There is usually a grizzly death involved at the end or a major busting where someone gets into BIG trouble.

I'm also planning a Christmas event for church called "How to have a Mary Christmas {in a Martha World}". It relates back to the story in Luke about Mary and Martha. In truth, we're called on to be both. Just trying to encourage a balance I suppose. It's really interesting researching some of the fun things you can do at Christmas time which help celebrate the true spirit of Christmas. If you have any fun things to add - I'd love to hear!

I coloured my hair at home yesterday. For $15! No more greys - woo-hoo!! I'm now feeling more equipped to face the world. I might even go all out and shave my legs next:)

Playlist for the day:

Naive - The Kooks
Buy My Love - Wynter Gordon {possibly predatory song about swapping love for money....oops}
Paradise - Coldplay
Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes with Adam Levine
Moves like Jagger - Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera

That should get me through the worst of the cleaning.

Hope you have a great day too,
Love you more than my essential oils,

Meredy xo

p.s. had a GREAT cup of coffee this morning. It really does make all the difference to the day. For me at least. If I was more disciplined I'd start with warm water with a slice of lemon, but I keep forgetting!

i'm at the bottom of the ironing basket...

2011-11-21T20:29:00.001+11:00

In a manner of speaking.

My beautiful bloggy friend Simone from Bottom of the Ironing Basket asked me to contribute to a series she's been running this month on health and wellness. It's been very interesting to read how different people define wellbeing. You'll not be surprised to hear that mine involves coffee and magazines.

If you want to read the whole article, just click here.

I'm surprised how shy Iam about it and when I read my post on her blog I went BRIGHT RED!!

I'm such a weirdo.

Love you more than my lip gloss,

Meredy xo

christmas crafternoon no.1

2011-11-20T15:55:00.000+11:00

This would have to be the easiest Christmas craft we've ever done.

All you need is:

Styrofoam balls

Christmas cards of your choice -
Perhaps a lovely way to recycle Christmas cards each year.

You could make one at the end of Christmas out of all the cards you've been sent.

Short pins

Ribbon - for hanging decoration

Craft punch - we used a Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

Basically the only craft punch I have, so I flogged the "new life" analogy to convince them that is was, like, totally, Christmas-y. They got on board with that. Phew.

We punched out HEAPS of butterflies.

Then stuck them in to the styrofoam balls with the short pins.

Ta-Dah!!

Easiest Christmas craft ever.

Love you more than all of Martha Stewarts craft punches put together,

Meredy xo

friday joy...road trip to costco

2011-11-18T19:00:00.000+11:00

I know.

The glamour.

Can you stand it?!

This is what we did last Sunday.

It was {unbelievably} awesome.

The kids kept on saying "Wow, it's like totally American!"

Which is why they LOVE it!

There were litre bottles of Hershey chocolate syrup, 2 kg bags of Hershey kisses, and Dave completely caved and bought a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

They are kryptonite to me.

I've told him to keep them away.

They are the spawn of the devil!

Sorry friends, this time I have no sordid pick-up line to share with you as I did last time I was at Costco.

I tried not to resent Dave coming along and cramping my style.

This is the part I loved the most.

My completely, utterly FULL pantry.

The relief.

This represents hours and hours of shopping that I now don't have to do with the two urban terrorists.

It's better than Christmas.

It's been so easy to have this ginormous box of mesclun lettuce mix to just reach in and grab handfuls every night for dinner or in the mornings to put on wraps for the kids lunches.

Gives me more time to work through this pile.

I'm really having to wear my glasses more often now.

Grr.

This salad with cottage cheese and toasted sesame seeds has been rockin' my world this week.

As has this Missoni-esque kaftan to wear over my swimmers.

Target...currently on special if you're interested:)

Wedges are my heels of choice {because we know that I'm far too lazy for spike heels}

So, so happy that these type of shoes are everywhere.

I got these the other day.

You'll be shocked and amazed to hear that I got them from Target.

I promise, I do go to other stores, I just don't get that excited about them I suppose.

Love you more than my industrial size Skippy peanut butter,

Meredy xo

push it...

2011-11-15T13:35:00.001+11:00

Remember the 80's?
I used to LOVE Salt n' Pepper.
Push It was THE song to dance to in high school.

After watching Something Borrowed a couple of nights ago with Mimi, she's decided we need to perform this dance together.
Um, right.
Who am I to say no to my 15 year old daughter?

So, we started last night.
I was super, super lame.
And embarrassed beyond belief.
{Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate, wibble, wobble jelly on a plate}
I reminded myself of the oldies I used to pity when I was a teenager.
Ugh.
If we get good, we'll perform it to the whole fam on Christmas Day!
Woo-hoo!

I'm tragically bad.
I used to be a good dancer.
What happened?
Time to get my groove back

My friends and I used to know all the moves to this one:

I still LOVE this song.
Ah, memories.
Mama used to groove.

Love you more than house music,

Meredy xo

comfort and luxury

2011-11-13T21:45:00.000+11:00

image

Yipee - tomorrow is a home day!

I love being in the thrum and steady {if futile} progress of domestic industry.

The fridge and pantry are FULL.

Can I get an amen?!

No need to dash to the mothership.

Tomorrow I'm going to clean my floors, fold my laundry mountain, read some new books with the littlest two Goofballs and have dinner cooked by 2pm.

These are sitting on my bedside table at the moment:

I've only had time for tantalising glimpses thus far.

Can't wait to crack this open and drink in the decor loveliness.

Hmm, probably my favourite Australian author.

No doubt I'll think of someone else, but at the moment, he's at the tippy top.

For some reason I've never been a Peter Carey or Tim Winton reader. Perhaps because I'm a lazy reader whose favourite authors until I was in my late twenties were Jilly Cooper, Jane Green and Marian Keyes.

{still love them, don't tell my book club!}.

Luxury in this season of my life is a full day at home which results in clean floors and a sparkling sink.

Luxury is half an hour with a hot tea or coffee and a fresh book.

Luxury is a bed with clean sheets.....forget the thread count.

Luxury is an uninterrupted phone call with a kindred spirit.

Luxury is time to answer emails and blog hop.

Luxury is......elusive:)

Love you more than a hot bath free of impaling plastic toys,

Meredy xo

Eye Spy

2011-11-12T16:19:00.000+11:00

Some happy links:

Just what I need.

Superhero Converse shoes!

If I could just bedazzle the wings, they'd be perfect:)

Supposedly the best cupcake recipe ever!

I'll be back to report:)

My rainbow Pinterest page.

It makes me happy.

Isn't God awesome?

I can't believe He gifted us with so many colours.

This Orla Kiely radio.

She also makes board books for babies.

Too much?

Has she "jumped the shark"?

Perhaps. Please discuss.

Love Erin Condren.

Bit on the expensive side, but as far as stationery candy goes....it's AMAZING.

If you happen to live in Sydney, this practically perfect in every way stationery shop is situated in Mona Vale on the Northern Beaches. Very, very cute website.

Above and below from Ornamenta

These little gems keep your coffee hot for HOURS people!

Run, don't walk.

Perfect gift for new parents:)

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Love your funny comments and quick wit...trust me - they're the best thing about my morning routine:)

I'm attempting to answer emails tomorrow....woo-hoo!

Love you more than a frappucino on a hot Sydney day,

Meredy xo

chevron

2011-11-10T12:24:00.002+11:00

I know.

It's everywhere, all at once.

Too much of it can be dizzying.

But just the right touch can be.....

PERFECTION.

This would fall into the too much category methinks.

You couldn't live with it, but it is sort of like decor Prozac.

This is fabulous and oh so understated.

When I grow up and Vegemite is no longer a staple ingredient in our house and on our hands, I would love a scene like this.

I'm wondering where to sit to drink my tea however.

Ah, the perfect amount.

Also loving the tear-drop printed pillow.

It's a chevron Christmas!

A delightful chevron vignette perhaps?

As long as one isn't given to a touch of wine flu in the mornings, this is just beautiful.

Okay, now we're talking.

Vignette tray - tick!

Coffee table books - tick!

Simple, elegant floral arrangement - tick!

Happy colours - tick!

Chevron - tick!

Love you more than the latest Ikea catalogue,

Meredy xo

*****************************

UPDATE:

I just couldn't get that orange chevron tray out of my mind as I went about my domestic witchery today. Wouldn't you know it, it's a DIY project from none other than that omnipresent Martha Stewart.
I have resolved to avoid Martha due to her lack of irony but she is, it would seem, decidedly Unavoidable.
Nixed again!

Here's the link if you want to see for yourself.
{click here....but be strong....remember, she's Not One Of Us...you ARE worthy}

so...

2011-11-05T10:11:00.000+11:00

Where were we?
How was your week?
Did you have some wins? Did you have a really great cup of coffee or a fabulous cupcake?
I hope you had some great belly laughs.

I've had a great week.
Too busy and far too disorganised.
But full of belly laughs {wibble, wobble jelly on a plate} and lots of encouragement.

Caught up with my bible study girls.
I'm pretty sure we solved the problems of the world over chocolate scones and coffee.

So excited to tell you that I got chatted up at Costco.
I know. The Glamour.
Sadly, it turned out he was only after me for my industrial size packets of pantry goods.
Striped Tie {as he shall henceforth be known} belonged to a group of business consultant types who were standing around looking important at Costco and he said "Oh my gawd, look at that trolley!"
Nice.
Embarrassed, I said "Um, I have a large family so you know..um.".
Then Striped Tie said, "How many children do you have?"
Me: *Gulp*..."Six"
Striped Tie: "Gawd blimey - can I be the seventh?"
Awkward.
I went bright red and found the nearest box of 300 rolls of toilet paper to hide behind.

**************

On a brighter note, a couple of girlfriends and I have decided to do a weekly weigh-in to keep each other accountable and encouraged.
This is so one doesn't disolve into tears of frustration and despair and eat a packet of Tim Tam's as one is wont to do after weighing oneself.
I'm super-duper excited.
I can not stress enough the act of trust that this is....this is the equivalent of the person standing at the bottom of the cliff holding the rope while you're trying to abseil down it with a massive wedgie......and THEN giving you pat on the back and refraining from telling you how they thought there had been a solar eclipse.
I hope you are blessed with similar friends....even if they are not called upon in exactly this manner.

No more of these....my favourite meat pie in the world.

Or these....at The Garage at Leura.

Don't you just love the presentation??

Do you think I could present salad bites in the same manner?

The challenge is ON!

Thanks darling.

I SO appreciate you taking a photo of me stuffing my face and licking my fingers.

This is for the fridge....when I go to reach for the cheese drawer at Arsenic Hour.

{you know...the hours between end of school and beginning of kids bedtime?}

Other overfed things in our house.
The goldfish...not the boys.
Promise, I didn't mean to dress them in matching clothes.
Way weird though.
I have to admit that last week, the three girls went out in various horizontal striped shirts and when we got to the shops, I looked down and realised I was wearing a black and white vertical striped shirt.
We looked like a walking eye test....people were overcome with giddiness as they saw us coming.

I'll have to incorporate a low-fat version of this into my eating plan.

It's wonderful.

The Pioneer Woman's Ranch Dressing.

Finger lickin' good.

However messy it may be.

************************

The Goofballs are all over Sydney today.
One at cricket {go team!}
Two at dance rehearsals {go spirit fingers!}
Three at home with me {go make yourself scarce!}
Dave is at a rowing regatta providing physio for about 100 fit, lithe teenage girl rowers. {go middle-aged man fantasy!}
Am I insecure?
Absolutely not.
I got chatted up at Costco this week.
My self-esteem is rock solid.
I've still got it.

Love you more than my Spanx,

Meredy xo

sunday nesting and a vignette

2011-10-30T19:22:00.001+11:00

Woo-hoo! A full day at home on a Sunday!

I've been feeling the desire to rearrange, re-order and generally calm my immediate environment.

Here's a vignette I thought you'd enjoy:

I could have shown you a vignette of all my folded laundry, but that would just alienate you and make you not want to be my friend any more.

A good friend knows to keep her folded laundry to herself.

It's just smug otherwise, innit?

Not smug exactly, but very happy with my fabric covered books.

The books in the middle with the bookmarks are the two bibles I use for our bible study on a Thursday.

Wouldn't you know it....their covers clashed, and I just can't be doing with clashing colours at my morning tea tablescape.

It would kill the vibe entirely.

My big girl.

She turned 15 (!) this week.

We promptly informed her that while it was lovely that she was 15, it really was more about us, her parents.

After all, it was our 15 year parenting anniversary.

Nice girl she is, she just gave us each a pat on the head.

I was hoping for something a bit more substantial, so I'll have to word her up for next year's parenting anniversary. Strange. She's normally so thoughtful.

*******************

Missy Moo's latest line that she's singing at every opportunity:

"I love you like old people love chicken"

She's got a future that one.

As what, remains unclear, but it'll be interesting.

Love you more than chicken,

Meredy xo

******************

Also: Been nesting online....I've added more to my EYE SPY column to the right.

Less than two months to Christmas my friends....don't get scared now.

friday joy...cars movie party

2011-10-28T12:49:00.002+11:00

I've been meaning to do this post for a couple of weeks, but obviously, other events took over. In celebration of life returning to normal, I'd love to share this really ~~exhausting~~ fun day with you.

Mr Magoo turned 5.
{Seriously, how can he possibly be 5 already??}
All he wanted was this:

And this:

These were my all time favourite things to make:

{Validating all the time I've spent on Pinterest}

This was a great ice-breaker for some of the shy boys:

Ready, set......

GO!!!!!

Mr Magoo said it was "wicked awesome".

At this point, every other Cars party you can look up on Google shows amazing "car" obstacle courses, "tyre" changing stations, etc.
I'm sorry to say that these boys were having none of it.
They spent the next two hours running around the backyard screaming, jumping on top of each other, shouting "kill!" or "I'm gonna getcha!".....repeat.
It was actually quite relaxing.
All I had to do was sit back and make sure no one was permanently maimed.

Then my amazing sister-in-law arrived with these:

They were the highlight of the party!

Mater Cupcakes!

Talk about an act of love....there is no way I would have been patient enough to make these.
She rocks.

He absolutely loved them.

It was the only time any of them sat down.

Bugsy...if there's mischief afoot....he's in amongst it.

****************

The reason why we mums keep putting on these parties for our kids....

That smile.

He's looking up at me just before blowing his candles out.

Be still my heart!

I love this boy.

My gentle, loud, car-loving, cuddle-hungry boy.

***************

Thanks for all your lovely comments that have been so incredibly encouraging this past week.

You'll never know how much they have meant.

Hope you have a great weekend ahead....

I'm planning on being asphyxiated by hairspray and diva tantrums all day tomorrow at the girls dance concert dress rehearsal. The drama!

This will be followed by a 40th where we all stand around discussing the merits of various John Hughes movies.....and where did all our teenage angst go?

Oh yes, that's right, we're too exhausted to be angsty.

But we still like to listen to The Smith's on occasion to reminisce.

Love you more than my puff ball skirt,

Meredy xo

organisation inspiration

2011-10-26T14:16:00.000+11:00

I'm focusing on small victories this week.

I've cleaned my pantry.

It looks amazing.

Once I charge my camera battery I'll take a photo.

Not to boast, but because I'd like to celebrate the 3.5 nano seconds it will stay that way:)

Pinterest really helps get me get my creative juices going when I'm feeling a wee bit domestically defeated.

From that Pottery Barn place again.

Grrr.

Come to Australia....please??

Freedom, IKEA and Howard's Storage World needs some competition.

I'm keeping an eagle eye on the side of the road council pick-ups for a yellow pine 80's cabinet which I can upcycle into this:)

Love.

You can get those ceramic basket hanging thingimies from Ikea.

So there.

Don't ever tell me that I don't tell you anything useful.

These remind me of bouquets. Ones that will actually last.

Perhaps I shall convince Dave that this is what I'd prefer?

Not for our house...not hardy enough to stand up to six goofballs in the bathroom

...but maybe for yours?

I SO want to do this.

Ridiculous, I know.

But I just love it.

This is what I really need to do instead:)

For you lucky people in the US, this is a utility bucket from US Target for about $15, painted with chalkboard paint.

Seriously. I'm thinking I might have to organise a homewares shopping visit to the US, just to get some of these things....and Mason jars for a reasonable price.

Oh, and Hobby Lobby. You know that pom-pom fringing for cushions? Seriously expensive here.

Domestic therapy is a joy to behold.

Who knew?

After getting inspired with some of these images, I've started from the top and worked down.

Brushed spiders from their webs, scrubbed bathrooms, wiped fingerprints from walls {seriously....how scary was that? I so hadn't noticed them until now. Embarrassing.}

My floors have been swept and scrubbed and washed with lemon and lavender water.
{Hands up if you wash your floors with a butter knife handy because you need to chip stuff off the floor? Anyone? Anyone?}

I even changed the water and scrubbed the fish tank. Slippery little suckers.

I bought some new candles to help uplift the energy in the house.

{Any excuse to buy candles will do, right?}

I love them.

You can get them here . I got the Cotton Flower and Freesia. So purty.

I also stumbled upon this AMAZING organisation blog.
It's not for the faint of heart.

I couldn't ever hope to reach her giddy heights of organisation perfection, but she has some great ideas which I'm sure even I, with my inherent laziness, could implement.

Did I tell you I've got a hot date at Costco next week?
It's opened in Sydney a few months ago and I've been clearing shelves and storage areas in preparation for the 3,000 toilet rolls and pallets of diced tomatoes I'm going to buy.
I'm not kidding. I'm really excited!

Small victories.

Love you more than a 40 gallon drum of washing powder,

Meredy xo

p.s. just discovered Mumford & Sons....they are rocking my world right now.

onwards and upwards

2011-10-24T10:53:00.000+11:00

It's a new week and I'm bringing a new attitude.

I've been overwhelmed with kindness and feel wrapped in a cocoon of support and friendship.

My heart is still heavy, but not as burdened as it was.

I heard the most amazing message in church yesterday from 1 Peter 1:13 - 2 something or other.

Basically, how to live in a strange world when you're surrounded by heartache and difficult choices.

One of the instructions was to "crave spiritual milk".

Such pertinent advice....whatever season I'm in.

I fear I rely too much on my own understanding and strength.

On a hiding to nothing there, as I've learnt time and time again:)

The flowers above were delivered by my gorgeous friend Karyn along with a beautiful card. They brightened a very dark day. As have your messages. Such overwhelming kindness! I can't quite get my head around it.

I am blessed indeed.

My house on the other hand, needs some energy put back into it.

I'm going to be scrubbing bathrooms, floors, doors and children until they gleam and generally practicing some domestic therapy.

I might even scare myself and do some folding.

This is on my playlist for today.

I love, love, love it.

It makes me happier than a bird with a french fry.

Love you more than favourite mop and bucket,

Meredy xo

this saturday.....

2011-10-22T18:30:00.000+11:00

Still here.
Still sad....grateful for the gift of sister-friends {I only have brothers, so I picked my own sisters...it worked out a treat}, an amazing husband and the best bloggie friends EVER.

My friend took her own life.
Not because she wanted to.
Her mind tricked her into thinking it was the only way to ease her pain.
I can tell you that now because it's public knowledge.
So, so desperately sad.

Everybody tried to help her, but it was a sudden, frightening and unexpectedly volatile episode that not even she could grasp.
I had to go to the police station on Wednesday and collect her belongings.
Her wedding ring, the necklace she always wore, her handbag full of the mundane detritus that us women all seem to carry around with us.
It was all just so matter-of-fact.
I thought I could just walk in and grab the package, but they actually make you inspect and sign for every single item. Ugh.
It was okay....just incredibly surreal.

She was beautiful.
She counselled girls with eating disorders with great success but was heartbroken over the ones who could never recover.
She loved her family passionately.
She loved her friends generously.
She loved Jesus with all her heart.

But she was stolen from us.
That's how it feels.

I have a big Liz shaped hole in my heart at the moment. I know it will get smaller and I'll cherish it in time instead of resent it.
I've been here before, when my darling Dad died unexpectedly.
It diminishes, but never entirely disappears.
Which is as it should be.

I'm listening to lots of praise and worship music.
And some scary 80's music.
From the mouths of babes: Missy Moo said to me a couple of days ago "Do you think perhaps sometimes older people's minds get broken because of all that weird 80's music?". Classic.

Looking forward to posting about normal, silly stuff again.
Next week.
Thanks for being you.

Meredy xo

the saddest week

2011-10-18T16:26:00.000+11:00

I lost a beautiful friend on Saturday.
Under the most tragic and saddest of circumstances.
A beautiful, generous, loving soul who had the voice of an angel.

Her children were with me when her husband phoned me to tell me the news.
I drove them home and we sat down together and told them that mummy had gone home to Jesus.
That she wouldn't be coming home to them.
That it wasn't their fault.
It wasn't anyone's fault.
The hardest conversation I have ever had.

My heart is breaking for them.
And for her.

But I know she is in heaven. Finally reunited with her beloved father.

No doubt she is introducing heaven to Adele's repertoire - she loved singing Adele's songs!

I feel so small right now, but so confident in my huge, mighty and sovereign God whose heart is breaking right along with all of ours.

Will talk soon,

Love you more than ever,

Meredy xo

p.s. her favourite colour was purple and their home has masses and masses of lavender. I think she would have loved the image at the start of this post.

friday book joy

2011-10-14T12:28:00.000+11:00

{courtesy Pinterest...of course:)}

Nothing makes me happier than a stack of new books waiting to be cracked open and greedily, happily digested.....fresh cup of coffee in hand, pillow at my back, children vaguely in the background safe and occupied with activities.

If I had a bottomless book budget, this would be my top 10 for this weekend:

You had me at "Hey"

Here's a great review from Lark

Queen of Floral Arrangements, Saskia Havekes, latest glossy tome.

To be classified under "Botanical Lust" .

Do you ever read Amanda's blog? It's incredibly uplifting. She just makes you want to celebrate nature, your family, handmade crafts, home-cooking and all those lovely, cosy soul-warming activities.

I've just started reading this.

So far, so divine.

Pittwater, colourful, flawed yet endearing characters.

You can smell the sea-breeze and hear rigging pinging off the yacht masts.

How much do we love Liz Lemon?

Eleventy-Hundred percent.

Love to know more about the genius behind her.

Could be good, could be excruciatingly self-involved and navel-gazing??

Everyone's talking about Prairie Style - even the Brits and they don't even have Prairies, so there must be something to it.

After listening to a radio interview with Jo Frost, "Super Nanny" yesterday, I'm feeling very convicted about my need to connect more meaningfully with the Goofballs.

She was distinguishing between being home with the kids versus actually connecting, interacting and building memories with them. Ughhh.
If I'm honest, I know there are many days when we're just orbiting around each other and not having enough eye and heart contact.

I get so easily distracted by urgent needs such as laundry and cooking and the important needs fall by the wayside.

So many times I hear them say "Play with me mummy, play with me!".

"In a minute" I reply.... a minute that sometimes turns into 30 minutes while I cook, clean, tidy etc.

Hmm, not beating myself up about it, but just taking it as a warning shot across the bow.

Guilt....the gift that keeps on giving.

I know. Can you believe it?

I've been reduced to searching out pre-historic dinner plans because of the eating plan protocol required for Miss Lucy and Dave's epilepsy.

Pterodactyl steak with a side of spinifex noodles, anyone?

Grrr.

Hearing lots of good things about this book.

Maybe one for book club?

*******************************************

Blogging Help!

I want to respond to your lovely comments, but when I try I get the address "no reply blogger".

What am I doing wrong?

I feel incredibly rude.

Know that I love your comments, want to have more of a two-way conversation, but can't quite work out how.

Should I perhaps respond in the comments at the end of each post?

This dilemma is not sitting well with me.

Love you more than my french press coffee plunger,

Meredy xo

some things

2011-10-12T06:56:00.001+11:00

I've put all the recipes I've posted on the bloglet here if you're interested.
You can just click on the "recipes" page and hey presto....domestic witchery at your fingertips.
Speaking of which, here's Mr Magoo's birthday cake from the weekend:

He had told all his friends at preschool that he was having a cake with cars that move on it.

Thanks son. No pressure or anything.

Technically, he has a cake with cars that move.

Thank you Pinterest for this idea

{I'm not ashamed to admit that I have fallen in "you had me at hello" love with Pinterest. It completes me.}

This is what my kitchen looked like while we made the cake.

It normally looks like this actually.

I tidy up about three times a day, but this is my kitchen's default position.

Library books, complete with half-sucked Chupa-chup courtesy of Bugsy.

I'm working my way through Caldecott Medal children's books. The Hello, Goodbye Window was one of them.

Graeme Base, Lauren Child and Leigh Hobbs are three of our favourites.

Planning with Kids is based on the blog of the same name. I was all inspired to read it and it is very helpful....if you are not lazy, love routine and details are your thing.

Unfortunately for my family I am none of the above.

This is a terrific book, but sadly only served to highlight my glaring inadequacies so I returned it to the library quick-smart.
The Anita Shreve audio book is for The Wardrobe Room, while I'm folding. Gosh, she's wordy isn't she? I'm up to CD 4 and there's been more action with my folding than in her plot.

This is what popped out of the flour container the other day when I emptied it.

What the what?

Goofballed again.

Missy Moo writes elaborate plays and then performs them for us.

They usually involve high drama, some death and tragedy and a Very Harsh Lesson.

But then they all live happily ever after. Slightly traumatised and in need of therapy, but happily it would seem.

JD got a tent for his birthday.

It would appear he's turning into a Survivalist.

His birthday wishlist included a K-Bar knife, a flint, a tent, army surplus clothing, an Everest-climb worthy sleeping bag and something called a "hoochie" which is a camouflage covering for "low profile sleeping" so the enemy can't detect you.

He got the tent.

I'm fearful that he's going to run through the house one day yelling "You drew first blood, not me!"

Mr Magoo is following in his footsteps. He insisted on setting up his own little tent, complete with sleeping bag next to JD's. He was very excited that they should have a sleepover together. JD was so touched. "How cute is he Mum?"

Do you think camo gear comes in child sizes?

Love to stay and chat, but the house is waking and the natives will be restless.

Love you more than ironed school uniforms,

Meredy xo

arm candy

2011-10-09T21:03:00.001+11:00

Arm candy....apparently it's the new black.
Everywhere you look there seems to be a new Michael Kors watch teamed with all manner of beading, bracelets and wrist-inalia.

Love this natural, cool, fresh look.

Orange and green should always be seen

Uptown girl arm candy.

Happy, happy arm candy

Autumn tone arm candy

Casual, pretty arm candy

It would appear that Michael Kors is THE go-to guy when it comes to candying one's arm.

I tell you, that Chanel, she's always getting in on the action.

I do love a square faced watch.

It balances my own round, moon face.

Dave...it you're reading this, I just want you to know that I have included this purely for research purposes. This shot conclusively proves that arm candy need not be gender specific.

In fact, I'll best do some more research for photos showing ~~Matt Damon~~ males exemplifying this trend.

Just to be ultra, super, sure.

Mono-chromatic arm candy.

If Michael Kors be the candy man, these are the two I love the most.

I don't even wear a watch.

I had a beautiful square faced gold watch with a thick black leather band which I loved until I lost it.
The thought of replacing it hadn't occurred to me.

Until now.

How many days until Christmas?

I want to be jingling all the way

Meredy xo

p.s. survived Mr Magoo's birthday party.

Not in foetal postion.

Possibly in sugar coma after eating sugar for the first time in ages.

Have had 6 cups of coffee today......

School's back tomorrow and I'm absolutely not ready.
Love you more than my folding. M xo

friday joy

2011-10-07T11:12:00.001+11:00

This arriving in the mail yesterday:

{I love you Book Depository...you complete me}

The rainbow binding, the wallpaper map, a book about children's rooms.....how much happiness can be found in one place, I ask you??

My new official Tea Towel for morning tea styling scenarios.

Okay??

This reminds me of my childhood.

Mum left it here the other day after making a fab pav.

She has never made pavlovas on any other plate.

This is as old as me......let's call it retro rather than antique, alrighty?

Some tidying up that I didn't have to do.

Woo-hoo!

Kurt our lawnmower man is the best.

He dodges kids toys, washing on the line, pool toys and has been doing our lawns for nearly 15 years without complaining ONCE about the kid-detritus about the place.

He's single ladies.

The kids cubby looking particularly attractive this morning.

Loving the wisteria in the background and the faux flowers at the roof apex.

Hmm, probably need to Bloke It Up for Mr Magoo's b'day party tomorrow.

Our orange trees.

My new red flower cushion from Target.....ON SALE!!

{We pronounce it Tar-zhay at Chez Joy. 'Cause that's how shallow we are}

This doesn't especially bring me joy.

Just keeping it real.

Baby powder all over the crayons...apparently Bugsy wanted to recreate a snowstorm in the family room.

Prolly the awesomest story game for like, ever.

Wearing Ms Jo Malone's new cologne, Wild Bluebell.

Beck bought it for me because:

1. She's awesome.

2. She has excellent taste.

3. To console me after having a house full of gastro patients.

4. She's classy like that.

5. She's awesome.

Mr Magoo's description of what Daddy Does.

Making goulash.

{Vegetarians look away}

Feeling very cavewoman while cutting up this ginormous hunk of beef. Grrr.

Missy Moo and Lucy spontaneously playing cards together...

Let's get an amen for a non-screen related activity.

Planning Mr Magoo's 5th birthday party.

I'm afraid.

It's scheduled to rain.

There are LOTS of 5 year olds coming.

He wants a car cake....with moving parts.

It's scheduled to rain.

My house is a humongous MESS.

My folding is not done.

The floor is sticky.

No amount of Pinterest is going to clean it up.

It's scheduled to rain.

This time tomorrow I could well be in the foetal position sucking the cinnamon sugar off a carton full of doughnuts.

{Note to self: No listening to The Pogues or The Smiths this weekend.}

Love you more than my industrial strength disinfectant,

Meredy xo

coffee, sand castles and garlic aioli

2011-10-06T00:04:00.000+11:00

School holidays are rolling on for another week.

The Goofballs have been pretty awesome really despite some gale force winds {what is it about wind that make children go bananas??} and an unfortunate incident with some Sharpie pens and some white furniture. {breathe deeply with me and help me let it go....}

Anyroadup, we all deserved a road trip with some of our favourite people to one of our favourite places. Palm Beach.

Cathy introduced me to this place:

{these two photos above courtesy of here ...so much better than my hurried, taken on the sly shots}

Honestly Peoples, tablescaping inspiration at every turn!

Let's put our heads together and think of what we can do with crabpots.

Lightshades?

Bread roll baskets?

Impromptu coffee tables?

Dave suggests actually using them for intended purpose...but, like duh.

Lemony, lemons. My faves.

Then there were the two Urban Terrorists to bring some balance to the outrageously perfectly styled scenario.

Cathy.

Friend extraordinaire and harbinger of all things lovely and delightful.

Best tea-styling EVER.

The cast iron tea pot stayed hot for ages.....great for us mamas who talk a lot.

Top right hand of picture - double-fried, hand cut chips with garlic aioli.

Have been flirting with aioli for a while....have now committed to a deep and heartfelt love.

Having looked up Stephanie Alexander's recipe {of course} I see that it alarmingly has 3 cups of olive oil.

But olive oil is totally fabulous for you right?

As is garlic - cleansing, good for immune system etc

I'm all about the health.

Hello lover.

My daily grind.

I kept on thinking how romantic it would be for Dave and I to have a dusk/evening dinner here until these lights came on. This is about as strong as I like my overhead lighting to get these days.

This is the view from outside the toilets while I waited for the parade of Goofballs to powder their noses.

I spend a LOT of time doing this.

Yep, still waiting.

This is how real I can be with you...

This is what happens when you let yourself go.

But you won't judge me.

You know I've been fraught with nursing responsibilities.

Can you BELIEVE I went out in public with this chipped pedi?

I'm amazed they let me sit down at this place.

Living on the edge.

It's how I roll.

Our view, ~~ignoring~~ watching the kids while we ate the best hot chips with garlic aioli.

How I love thee....

JD (on your right) and his partner in crime, SD.

Friends since they were both the size of a meatloaf.

Mad Goofballs that they are, they all insisted on a swim in the "big" waves.

Pity there wasn't much in the way of waves.

Cathy and I have 10 children between us and we brought along one of Lucy's friends, so it was 2 vs 11.

See those kids in the water?

All ours.

They were so, so good.

It looks lovely, but it was COLD.

Just about every other person at the beach had a wetsuit on.

Can you tell we're from the 'burbs?

Happily, we only had to tell them to get out of a rip once.

Woo hoo. Not too shabby.

'Twas sartorially encouraging to see our Lifesaver with his ugg boots on.

Although, if I'd known it was Allowed, I would have worn them instead of my shiny sandals and hidden my shameful pedi.

Mr Magoo.

Mr Magoo and Bugsy.

This was fun.

Until it wasn't.

Cathy rightly predicted that everyone would get cold, chaffed, itchy and tired all of a sudden and all at once.

She's clever that Cathy.

Right when it was all about to go pear-shaped, she commanded the troops to the cars for apples, drinks and a drive to here:

The Bible Garden {click}

Awesome story.

Worth reading.

This view would have to be one of the most powerful sermons ever.

It's actually fenced off at the moment while they re-landscape the garden to make it even more beautiful and user friendly. It'll open again sometime next year.

But the view!

I'll post a garlic aioli recipe as soon as I've got it sorted.

Love you more than decorative crabpots,

Meredy xo

make way for ducklings

2011-10-01T14:58:00.000+10:00

A little corner of Pittwater.

I've got a thing for dingy's...especially all stacked up like this.

Imagine a soft, sweet sea breeze....

Now add the sound of rigging slapping and pinging against steel masts.....one of my favourite sounds in the world.

Water lapping at the shoreline.

this view.....

looking down to see a perfect flush of ducklings {don't you just love collective nouns} being shepherded by Mama Duck

and Papa Duck in the lead looking so proud and in charge....

Reminiscent of Dave and I out shopping with the Goofballs.

Speaking of which...

happy.

bossy.

about the speed we were moving that lazy Sunday afternoon.

I love lazy Sunday afternoons.

Getting a head start as today is only Saturday.

Still got sickies in the house.

The fridge and pantry are full - yay online shopping!

The storm clouds are rolling in as I look out my study window.

Mimi and one of her BFF's are huddled in her bed watching Downton Abbey on her laptop

{please tell me you're watching Downton Abbey too?}

Dave is reading the latest Lee Child book so he's a happy camper.

Bugsy is lying across my lap.

Mr Magoo is playing cars.

Missy Moo is planning a sleepover party for her friends.

JD is currently somewhere on the Six Foot Track with 20 other grubby, smelly 12 year old boys on the third day of his Survival Camp.

Lucy is playing tea parties at a friend's house.

I'm listening to a very weird mix on iTunes:

Hey Mama - Matt Kearney

My Favourite Mistake - Sheryl Crow

Moves like Jagger - Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera

The Ballad of Mona Lisa - Panic at the Disco

Don't Ask me Why - Billy Joel.

Weird but fun.

I'm off now, in search of 70% cocoa chocolate.

There's some in the pantry I'm sure of it......

Love you more than peanut butter Lindt balls,

Meredy xo

p.s. the sky is rumbling with thunder and Mr Magoo just asked me "What is thunder for?"

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

random vignettes from chez joy

2011-09-28T14:25:00.000+10:00

The Goofballs are on holidays and it has been BLISS.

No uniforms to find, wash/fumigate,dry and iron.

No lunchboxes to find, wash/fumigate and fill.

I didn't get out of bed until 9am this morning.

Yay me!

I've even had time to tidy my desk and move some things around a wee bit.

This is my new command central.

Stationery, school files, recipe books, menu planners.

The white basket on the floor is for our library books.

I love to sit here with everything so close and be able to look out the window and people watch.

Also handy to see if I've had any escapee's from the backyard.

This is one of the first things you see when you walk in our front door.

It cheers me.

I love its nautical aspirations.

These sea shells were collected on Palm Beach and Snapperman's Beach by Missy Moo.

It was a particularly special day for absolutely no reason at all.

Just one of those magical days when you are just bonding beautifully with your child and you can literally stand still and count your blessings up to 1,000.

That's why I love to have it as one of the first things I see when I come home.

This is at the top of the stairs that lead down to the kids bunk room.

It holds some of our favourite stories, easy for me to grab on my way down to tuck them in.

That's my new print from Ikea in the black frame.

I mentioned it here.

It's a visual delight for sleepy heads on their way to bed.

These are some of my favourites for when I'm tucking myself in:)

It's raining, it's pouring and I'm about to lose my voice.

Parenting disaster! How on earth am I going to parent with no sinister or menacing voice to assist?

My eyebrows are going to be working overtime:)

Meredy xo

white

2011-09-23T20:27:00.000+10:00

WHITE.

All things white.

White is clean.

You can bleach it.

It feels crisp, fresh and bright.

All the things my house is not at present, thanks to Mr Magoo and Bugsy having a tummy bug.

Gastro - the gift that keeps on giving.

I have even had to postpone Mr Magoo's 5th birthday party.

Poor little guy.

Anyroadup, I've taken off my disposable gloves and relinquished my arsenal of anti-bacterial paraphenalia in order to soothe my weary soul with the magic of white.

Quite the random assortment of objects.

Clearly I've been sniffing too much hospital grade disinfectant, as I think it's all just lovely.

Off-white - a more realistic colour for us mere mortals.
That is, if mere mortals lived in a castle with flagstone floors and chandeliers.

How divine are those flowers with the striped cushions?

So purrty.

However, those white upholstered chairs make me want to break out in hives. This family clearly never eats spaghetti bolognese.

This is more like it.

Crisp and clean, but wipe-downable.

Just how I like my men.

I'm thinking about my 40th birthday/20th Wedding Anniversary/Mother's 70th B'day/Mimi's 16th B'day party having a white theme.

The thought of having one full evening of white perfection is very attractive.

Who's with me?

Maybe we'll make it a girls only event and we can all just sit and admire each other and our surroundings whilst listening to the soundtrack from Something's Gotta Give.

"Oh Barry, I just love the celebration of white industrial chic from the last two centuries. I think those Amish might really be onto something."

Is that an integrated bar fridge under the towel cabinet?

I would never need to leave.

I don't know what's happened, but I never thought I'd see the day where hobnailed milk glass would speak to me in this way.

Am I turning into my mother?

I just love it.

Sweet perfection:)

Love this idea.

You just write on it every time you think of something you're grateful for.

Great way to form a habit.

I just love everything about this outfit.

From the accessories to the hair.

I bet she's never been woken up at 2am by being vomited on like I was this morning.

{I had a shirt on without buttons, so I had to pull it up and over my head. Oh the glamour of motherhood.}

I just can't get enough of these random vignettes.

Let's make up a little story about the person that lives here.

Anouk was strolling around her Swedish style house in her Egyptian linen bathrobe, eating her homemade organic granola. She strolled past her front door coat rack, admiring her cotton, free trade, recyclable shopping bag holding her latest homewares purchase. Anouk thought to herself "I really should have my own homewares line. That faux fur cushion is perfection. I shall place it in front of my eco-smart fire where upon I can lie upon it becomingly to best highlight my perfect complexion next time Jasper visits." At this point, Anouk puts down her cereal bowl on her Mark Tuckey milking stool and impulsively shrugs off her bathrobe, hangs up her Toast necklace and reaches for the cushion to hold against her, just to confirm in the hallway mirror, that she is right about how amazing she will look.

Just as she reaches for the cushion, her front door bell rings.

In horror, Anouk freezes as she realises she is standing in full view of her front door, which is very chic and very transparent, with nothing but passion-killer underpants, a grey bra and a pair of ugg boots standing between her and her visitor's line of vision.

What happens next???

{This is like a choose your own adventure story - I love them!}

The windows, the wood.....actually, everything.

Linen loveliness.

I'm going to dig through my mum's linen closet to find some of this.

She wears white so amazingly.

Is it a bit "Abba - Arrival" though?

You know, the one with the helicopter on the front?

I'm not so inflexible that I won't allow some pastel delicacies to compliment my white ideals.

Warm white.

Fabric, quilting white.

How welcoming is this?

It says "Come in, join us for lunch.....stay awhile. Pour us both a glass of wine while you're at it".

A room of one's own.

A bike of one's own:)

I think this foyer {in this instance pronounced for-yay} is bigger than our whole house.

I'm loving those dark, stain resistant wooden floors.

Amen.

Love you more than my disposable gloves,

Meredy xo