THE TABLES TURN

Our nature/celebration/festival table has changed often of late. First there was Easter, then Winter Solstice, then Canada Day and now its furnished with just 'plain-ole' Winter stuff. Elsa loves to help make things for the table and change it over and we look forward to the time when Rafa can join in too.

WE LOVE FOOD

What a busy baking day, thanks to inspiration from this book, a gift on Mothers Day. I love having a freezer full of lunch options, plus a sweet afternoon treat.

A PRECIOUS PURCHASE

I've been looking for a special dolls house for over two years now. I was originally searching with Elsa in mind but now I'm hoping to find a house that they can enjoy together. I have "my" childhood dolls house, which was originally purchased by my parents in the 60s and given to my eldest sister and, sometime in the 70s, passed on to my other sister. It would've been the early 80s before I got my hands on it so it's truly been enjoyed through the decades. If the walls of that little dolls house could talk! I still love it, especially for the pleasure it's brought not only us three sisters but some of the grandkids too (it's passed through the hands of some of the nephews and nieces too). Still, it's not completely practical and is a little precious in terms of durability and general resistence to the hard-play that's sure to come its way; parts of it have been re-nailed, re-glued, re-inforced and I'm not sure how much longer it can hold up. Still, I am happy for it to be used until we find that perfect dolls house I have in mind.

For her birthday Elsa received an All-In-House which we imagined she'd use in her / my old dolls house but, the dolls house hasn't even come down from up high on the shelf because this works so wonderfully not only as furniture but as a house on its very own. So, while I'll continue to look out for that perfect house (a bigger version!), for now she's more than happy to enjoy the furniture-as-house (and sometimes just as furniture) combined with my ole house from time to time. She also received some dolls for her birthday. I so love seeing the variety of homes she constructs for her new little friends, the love and care and thoughtfulness she applies to creating a comfortable and warm surrounding for each one, it's so special. I hope that at some level she's arrived at this approach to her play through feeling the same love and care applied by her Mama and Dada.

DAD

More reflecting as I look through my photos from the past few months and am reminded of Dad's birthday. Wish he has been around to try the meat pie we made in his honour but perhaps he critiqued it from above; no doubt we didn't get the amount of tomato right and the meat was too chewy - he would've reminded us of it's failings but showed approval by eating more than his share!

REFLECTING

It's been around three months since our Easter getaway still, I can't help but reflect on it as we plan to get away again. We had the loveliest Easter centred around a trip to Wilsons Promontory National Park. For some much better shots than I've provided here, look here. We holidayed with two of my siblings and their families and had a great four days. All this despite a few hours of rain, some cool nights and a little sleeplessness as the kids adjusted to life in a tent and the general excitement of knowing that four fun cousins were sleeping nearby (let me rephrase that...were supposed to be sleeping nearby!).

Easter was chocolate-packed but on the gift front, we tried to balance it out with some home-made gifts. I spent the car ride down stitching this little critter (read, Bilby) and trying to hide my work from Elsa, who thankfully slept most of the way down to the Prom.

I also made Elsa some pyjama pants out of some very 'Eastery-coloured' striped flannalette and filled the pockets with Easter treats.

I know I use too many photos to 'illustrate' my point but, who can resist when the natural and human scenery is so lovely?! We'll be back again next Easter.

DOWN THE LANE

Rugging up and going for a walk in 'our' village. We tell so many tales about this lane as we make our way between our favourite park and the shops at its other end. On this day, 'Bli-bli' and 'Phillip', two of Elsa's favourite imaginary friends (there are 5 regulars in total) were leading us down the lane to a 'chocolate picnic' at the other end. Thankfully Mama had some food packed so we could bring to life at least part of the fantasy, albeit void of sugary treats.

LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD FLY AWAY HOME

As I finally pop Elsa's birthday crown away for another year, thought I'd show you this year's addition. Each birthday (three so far!) I've added a little more sewing, something significant to the year gone by. This year it was a lady-bird as she was a 'little' taken by them in the months leading up to her birthday and it also reflects the celebration itself - a lady-bug cake and treasure hunt with a few special friends.

WINTER DAYS

Always time for a lake-side stroll

And a big walk with Dada...

Some of the other things I especially love about winter include the fact we have lots of family birthdays and get to help decorate the birthday cakes (and generally just celebrate and have lots of fun) - the second "snake-cake" was decorated by Elsa for her Dada's birthday - her first solo attempt at cake decorating and I think she did a fine job!

There's also plenty of time for indoor crafts without feeling guilty that we're missing out on the sunshine and warmth. These are the beginnings of party invites and thank you cards painted by Elsa. She's really enjoying her water-colour paints again, which makes me happy because I love to see how the colours blend and make beautiful shapes.

And then there's the actual sunny days when an outing to the park is perfect...

And there's always time for some sewing...she's getting more and more patient and enjoying the finer detailed hand-crafts, which is just so much fun for this knitting, sewing and stitching obsessed Mama. Obsessed, yes, productive, no - not so much at present but there is that beach holiday coming up! I must remember to pack her sewing things too...