cake

not much to report over the last week or so but we have had a few birthdays. well mine yesterday and O's today. i cant believe my little baby is no longer so little.

i am more than disappointed with myself as far as party planning because i have nothing planned. we are having our little family celebration, just the three of us tonight and then tomorrow something with a few more friends and family. i have stuck to my promise which was making O his birthday cake every year. it is nothing like the rocket ship wonder that i did last year but none the less i think it is special because i am taking the time to make it for him. i will excuse myself this year from having a real party for him but will have to make it up next year with a neat theme and all the fun to go with it.

image: chakrapennywhistle

shop {greenware design}

i feel so inspired to have some plant life in our home. i have attempted houseplants in the past with not much luck. i think the solution to that is low maintenance plants to start and along with the moss terrariums i believe succulents would be just as easy to keep alive. greenware designs on etsy do such cute arrangements in sweet little pots.

i dont imagine these could be shipped to australia as they are in the us but i think i might be able to manage giving an arrangement a go myself.

images: greenware design

rediscovering

another wonderful part of finally being together is that i get to cook for more than just myself and o. it helps that m like to eat and seems to very much appreciate the meals i put together. last night i made a sweet corn and chicken soup recipes from the newest real living and it was a huge hit. and yes i said chicken, the once vegetarian lifestyle is no longer. i have not switched over to eating huge quantities of meat but it has crept back into my diet over the past few months as i wasnt feel it as much of a health benefit as i once thought. i am finding a new balance with this addition but i still love my veggie food so i cannot guarantee non-veg in every meal. the ideal that i want to focus on and make sure o understands is more about being conscious of what we eat and where it comes from. i am really enjoying some of the new discoveries here in oz even at the super market. i pick up an organic yogurt that i thought looked wonderful and upon using it last night as a garnish to the soup realized that is actually not only organic but also made by a biodynamic farm in the adelaide hills.

the nicest part of some of these discoveries is having the time to explore them further and cooking is definitely on the top of the list. i used to get stuck making the same old things but now having a little bit more time for it i am really getting back into it. tonight i am making tacos but not just any tacos. some years ago on a trip to california we stopped at a little beach side taco stand and they made the simplest but most wonderful pulled pork tacos so you guessed it, thats what i am making. i dont follow recipes well because i would rather improvise but the general idea is create something similar to the ones i had back in the day. pulled pork topped with shredded red cabbage and a few fresh made salsas. i will probably throw together a guacamole as well just to make it a little more interesting.

image: real simple

to do's

we can officially check off one of our biggies on the to do list. we got the house!

we will take possession in about 4 weeks and then the renovating, decorating and such begins. but thats all the fun stuff so i am very happy.

it is amazing to me that when you really want something to happen by planting that seeding and really believing that it will grow it will come to be reality. everything is truly falling into place, one thing after another is happening rather seamlessly with just the odd bump or two. i have always been a dreamer and if i visualize things over and over as i do they happen. at times it can be very hard to stay positive when things stand it the way but keeping the dream at the forefront is so important to get through those times. right now i am only seeing the clearest of paths without a single obstacle in sight and i am going to enjoy this moment and all the wonderful things that are in the making right now.

images: every eskimo

real house hunting

we are five days into our lives today and accomplished a fair bit already. this morning we put an offer in on a house that we both love and obviously very much hope to get. so in anticipation of being able to decorate our new home i am going through the pile of fabulous australia design magazines real living and inside out that m got for me including a heap of back issues! i think most of the excitement is because i have no idea where to go to get the things that i want and it somewhat relieving to have some help from these magazines.

now i just have to patiently wait to hear back from the real estate agent about the result of the offer. the process is quite different here so that doesnt make this any easier. hopefully i will have good news by the end of the day.

images: inside out

cusp

i am just taking a moment amongst all the unpacking to breathe and catch up on some blogs. lisa at parallel botany posted about a site i hadnt seen before ofifteen magazine which is full of great posts with the addition of articles by other bloggers which i love as well.

i like to read my horoscope from time to time because it can be great insight into whats to come or just give you a second to reflect on the current situation. i am on the cusp so i tend to read both cancer and leo and find a balance somewhere in the middle. it amazes me how true they can seem.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Happy Birthday lovely Cancer! This month, you will be spending extra time with yourself, ignoring some of the past energies (or individuals) that haven't been very useful in the past weeks. A certain someone from your past, re-enters your life, and you won't be so sure as to how you should feel about this. You might actually find comfort that your emotions are in better control since then, and it's just not that important to you anymore. This could definitely be in your favor as you are looking forward to having some serious summer fun this year! Grab plenty of colors in 'cherry red' to scream excitement! You're ready for a new makeover and you'll be sprucing up your summer fashion, but whatever you'll be doing, you will definitely be splurging some of this extra time and money on you! There is a shift in the air in the next few weeks, and you should start to feel your life changing directions, and getting back to the REAL you. Reconnecting with your own belief system or having a chat with someone who really knows you, could do you a world of good. With your head so full of intriguing ideas - you will need to share some of these personal thoughts with someone close to you - so new thoughts can keep coming to you! Your intuition is extremely strong this month Cancer, and with all that will be keeping you busy - you might not want to take the time to listen to it. Save some quiet time to listen to your own heart, and keep a dream journal by your bedside. Writing down your dream experiences can help add some comfort to the changing weeks ahead, as your inner beauty begins to glow, to match the new and improved you!

Leo (July 23-August 22)

You'll be reorganizing your lifestyle and your work desk this month Leo. You've been off in many directions lately, where everyone seems to want a little piece of you, which has kept you quite scattered for the typically 'in control' pussycat that you are. Now you are determined to make sense of who you are, where you are headed, and how you are going to get there. During this process, you'll be cleaning out closets, drawers, and filing cabinets, in order to make room for some of these new motivations that you have been thing of! During this domestic clean-up, rather than throwing out items that lost their sparkle - try having a garage sale or advertising on ebay, to make yourself some extra cash for that new piece of emerald jewelry you've had your eye on! You'll also be cleaning up your 'own act' in some way, by either freshening up your beautiful home or redesigning your 'personal style' in order to attract the right opportunities and/or individuals your way. Seriously, if you're going to be treated like royalty, you definitely need to look the part! This royal movement to improve yourself will help bring out your natural shine! It will also help you to grab attention and turn some heads in the work place, if looking for an advancement, new clientele, or a new job. Keep an eye on your spending this month Leo, as you may have a lot more money being with-drawled from your checking account than you planned, with all your 'over the top' enhancements. Use that smart head of yours and try to prioritize, and you will be a lot farther ahead than you originally gave yourself credit for!

hello oz

so we arrived a few days ago and are recovering from jetlag. we had a very good trip, O did so well and i couldnt be more pleased by that. M is already back to work today so i am at home for the first day by myself. there is a fairly long to do list so i dont feel too lost but sometimes a little bit of fear about what i need to do to keep me busy creeps in. all in all i am glad to be back here and relieved that the trip portion is over. looking forward to all the fun stuff to come in the next few weeks. so the journey continues.

my first little project that i am excited about is creating a few terrariums. they seem to be all the rage on etsy right now and was so excited to find some moss hanging around here that insisted on being dug up for my little gardens. these are some of the cute terrariums and accessories that i found.

i think this is just the type of gardening that i should start with as well because they only need to be watered every few weeks.

images: made by mavis, the oak leaves, weeds and wild things, mudpuppy