Category: 366 days of novice motherhood

Place: dunsborough

Poison: water

Favourite things: family holidays

We updated our iPods, packed our cars, filled our car with petrol and headed down south.

There is nothing like a long drive, there is nothing like getting away from the city and driving through the country, there is nothing like a mini break in your own backyard.

Our backyard is a place locals call ‘down south’. A plethora of wineries, art galleries, restaurants and breweries. Dark green trees, with bright red dust, rough and wild beaches.

There is something so beautiful about the south west of western Australia and nothing says rest to me more than clicking through the wild forest along the highway and coming into winery country.

It doesn’t take much to plan a little mini break. Many people say that finances restrict them from taking a break, but you can get away on a budget, there are so many options for every situation.

I know of a place you can stay for ten dollars a night, up to thousands of dollars a night. It’s not about the cost, it’s about just packing up getting away and making your family a priority,

It’s about reading, playing games, cooking together, afternoon naps, long conversations, wine tasting, latte sipping, art perusing, little shop looking, long and late breakfast consuming.

When was the last time you took a short mini break?

When was the last time you just took off and drove for hours at a time and felt the stress of the city roll behind you?

When are you planning your next break?

Deep breath in, then out!

Love it…

Place: bed

Poison: cordial

Favourite things: old pjs

Today was such a great day with family. They are so in love with our new little package and he is being such a delight.

We meandered through today, not much to do…

A little shopping, a little eating, a little music on the side, a little walking on the beach, a little fishing, a little nap…a little bit of this and that…a little day of meandering was had.

The afternoon delight included all adults jumping in the spa pool at the cottage we have hired.

There is something about hanging around in hot water that brings about conversation!

Conversation of where couples first met, conversations about generations gone by, conversations about hopes for the future…dreaming, talking, listening…

Spa pools have a great reputation for long conversations.

In our family we had one in the middle of the house and it was such a great place of conversation.

Where do you create a space of conversation for those closest in your world?

Do you shut down conversation?

Are you open to deep conversation?

A life of shallow interactions I believe will be a life wanting more.

We were all created for deep communication and when humans don’t get it, they crave the connection and will do anything to find it.

Do you watch people melt down on social media? Often they are craving conversation and attention.

Do you notice children melting down and acting out? Often they are craving attention and parental contact.

Are you melting down and acting out? Are you perhaps craving deep connection and attention from people?

You may not have a spa pool available, you may not even be that good at conversation, but what relaxed place can you start to open this place of contact and communication?

Late night as people are going to sleep? A regular coffee date? Skype? Letters? A counsellor? Lunch?

Create space for communication.

It will unlock amazing security in your world and those you care about.

A

Place: holiday home

Poison: lamb salad

Favourite things: family

What an amazing day, cloudy wintery blue, afternoon sun, family, long lunches, boys drinking brandy, girls cups of tea, spa pool bubbling, cashew nuts in abundance, music crooning and I am in love.

Having our extended family here celebrating Max’s arrival is so heartening. To see him responding to the generation that’s gone before is really exciting.

We have hired a beautiful cottage together and have walked the beach, had long conversations and enjoyed being with one another.

I know family can be stretching, often my family tend to bring out my worst. They know me well and can press my buttons. My reactions can be sharp and short because I know they will always love me and forgive quickly.

Finding new and interesting ways to interact with family is not just a good idea it’s imperative.

Finding ways to let go of deep past hurts and believing the best is not easy but so important.

Finding life in the midst of crazy conversations is heartening.

The bible has story after story of families that have not traversed history well. Times when love is deeply lost and heartache is heavily carried.

Is there someone in your family today that you need to forgive?

Is there something you need to arrange to make family another priority in your today?

Is there a new tradition you can begin to breathe fresh life into your extended relationships?

Family is not always easy, but it is necessary.

Find ways to embrace diversity in your extended family today.

You never know what you are sowing into your future!

A

Place: in bed at 7pm

Poison: diet cordial

Favourite things: our friends and family gathered

Cakes were made, cheese platters set, wine uncorked, booklets collated, roses picked, candles lit and friends gathered.

Today we celebrate Maximus Viviers baby dedication. In a little old chapel built by my uncle we sang. We read scripture and we celebrated a little moment.

I love ritual.

Not for rituals sake, but I love it because it marks a moment, it defines a beginning and most importantly for me it gathers people.

To raise a glass and toast, to chat and share a story, to eat good cake and smile.

These things are important and they make life long memories.

What memories have you missed by not including little rituals in your life?

What effort have you forgone that could have made something a little special?

Celebrate family rituals today. Start new traditions.

Life is colored by the moments that are denoted as special.

Today was one of them for us.

Forever blessed by my little man.

A

Place: home

Poison: diet cordial

Favourite things: max meeting his Ouma and Opa for the first time tonight.

Charls mum and dad flew in from New Zealand tonight to meet max for the first time.

We were both so excited and so expectant for this momentous occasion. I can’t imagine how exciting it would be to meet your grandchild for the first time.

So I was on my best behavior and so wanted the night to be super special.

And it most definitely was. We had dinner, have hired the most beautiful holiday home close by the shack and it is a memory to be treasured.

I was cooking up a storm ready for some inlaw love…

I made macaroons for the first time and they were a Epic fail. I couldn’t find a hand mixer so I was trying to beat the egg whites by hand, I left some of them in the oven too long. They were all odd shapes, nowhere even like the delightful delicacies from Zumbo in Sydney.

Although I failed at my first attempt, I had an absolute ball trying something new. I put the music up loud, I lit some candles and I had a go.

Everything in me wanted to have the news in the background and watch tv, but I never gave in.

Although the macaroons didn’t look perfect, they tasted amazing.

Although I would never win masterchef with them, our little family created a simple memory tonight.

If I was a perfectionist, I would have thrown them away and not presented them out of fear of rejection.

No, we laughed and then ate them.

The epic fail turned to an epic win, just because I had a go.

What are you stopping yourself from doing because you are afraid to fail?

What have you stopped your family from making a special memory because of perfection?

Epic fails can always be turned into epic wins it just takes a sense of humor and a massive dose of humility.

Failure is not embarrassing.

I believe never trying anything new because of fear is an embarrassment.

Live scared today.

Try something new.

Keep it real.

A