A little house loving

 

Jay made me some flower boxes and a climber for my rose out the front of the house. It was really needing a splash of colour! The rose is looking happier already too. Our budget is minimal at the moment so it is always good to manage a little DIY with scrap materials.

Merry reverbs.

I have been busy enjoying a magical Christmas over the last 3 days. I actually had an interview on Christmas eve for my old workplace. I braved the shops after that, completed a mad gift wrapping session and then baked with my girls. We watched carols and got the girls all tucked into bed. We had a ball unwrapping pressies in the morning, my fave gift was my ereader! Then we went to mums for lunch and a swim in the pool. Today we went to the movies and watched 'Wreck it Ralph'. Now we are enjoying all our new gear and I thought I could manage a little reverb:-

24. What is the single most important habit you intend to cultivate in 2013?

My most important personal habit is probably my knitting. It is a close race with reading. these are the two me time things I do to find my inner calm. I know when I take time doing what makes me happy I am much more able to take on whatever else comes my way. Both habits I will cultivate in 2013. Eeek I can't believe we are so close to the end of 2012!!!

25. How will you be vulnerable?

I will be vulnerable by expressing my thoughts and interpretations. I am planning to say when I feel hurt or unsupported. I feel I have been holding on to my thoughts a little too much and letting them build up. Its a risk expressing what you really think.

26. How do you intend to carve out more time for the things that are the most important to you in 2013?
I am reducing my work hours to make more time. While it has been great working normal hours I have still felt quite exhausted working full time. So next year I am returning to part time to fit in crafting, reading and exercise while still making family my priority.

Another reverb catch up.

15. What was the most extraordinary dish you sampled in 2012? What made it so magical?

For my birthday dinner my lovely husband went to my favourite vego food place 'The happy frog' and got some take away. I love their risotto balls, salads and treats. It was magical because it was with so much thoughtfulness, it was especially for me. I am vegetarian and he isn't.

16. Who inspired you in 2012? And why? What gifts did they give you? And how will you carry these forward in to 2013?

I am inspired by many people. My beautiful family inspire me daily. The students I have worked with over the last 6 months have inspired me. My good friend Emma I talked about in my previous post has inspired me. The gifts are the value of life, the things you can achieve and my ongoing theme for 2012 gratitude. I will appreciate what I have, strive for my goals and take time to stop and smell the roses.

17. Think of one person whose life you made a difference to in 2012.What did you gain from this?How will you continue to make a difference in 2013?

I am bound by confidentiality with my job as a midwife but I know I made a difference particularly to one woman. I gained strength and understanding.

18. What colour best represents the year you had in 2012? And why?What colour would you like to invite into your life in 2013?

2012 was probably purple, its my favourite colour. Its vibrant and strong. That I think was my year generally. I invite in a whole rainbow for 2012. I am happy to experience life, whatever colour that is...................................

19. How did you nourish your beautiful body in 2012?What self-care practices will you take with you into 2013?

OK, this one is hard. I think I gave up on my body this year. I have put weight back on and generally feeling frumpy. I have been trying to repair a solar keratosis on my  ankle and have managed my eczema pretty well with lotions and potions. That I will continue into 2013.

20. What was lost in 2012? What do you intend to find in 2013?

Following the above prompt, probably my commitment to a healthy body, So I intend to find that.

21. What items did you tick off your dream list in 2012? What other, unexpected, dreams came to fruition? What are the top three items on your dream list for 2013?

As previously mentioned we paid off one credit card. Spending weekends with my family for the last 6 months after 13 years of shift work. An unexpected dream was the position with the uni for the last 6 months.

Top 3 dreams for 2013:
* Spending as much time with my husband and daughters as I can.
* Feeling healthier.
* Clearing our other credit card.

22.What was the greatest gift you received in 2012? What was the greatest gift you gave?What do you intend to give yourself in 2013?

I love the home made gifts from my girls. They make my heart dance. My husband is a true romantic and I am always gifted with flowers and little notes. I got some lovely earrings for my anniversary and perfume for my birthday. My workmates got me a beautiful wallet when I left to work at the uni.
I got my husband a really cool wrap wrist band for our anniversary. He also got a cool clock for his birthday. I got my mum a Sweet little teapot Pandora charm. I have made a heap of knitted gifts too, as seen here on my blog.
For 2013 I would like to get an ipad.

23. What will you let go of? Name three excuses -- stories you tell yourself that are holding you back -- that you are going to let go of in 2013.

Hopefully the weight, laziness and undue stress. Three excuses are: I am tired, I can't afford it and I don't have any time. 

Emma's Tiny Tea Leaves cardi.

 

17 years ago I met my friend Emma. We did our nursing together and just clicked. I moved away after uni, we kept in touch for a while. She visited after my eldest daughter was born. then there were a few Christmas cards and then we just lost contact. I often wondered about her, anyway last year our paths crossed again when she moved here and we bumped into each other at work. She too had done her midwifery. She had married her boyfriend and now has 3 young daughters. How similar our paths had run. It is so good to have her back in my life, we just picked up where we left off. You know a true and life long friend that you can just be you around you know? Anyway Emma convinced me to come and work with her in July this year. It was such an exciting time, after all the years we were finally working together. Sadly it didn't last long as my dear friend was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. She stopped working and began chemo and radio. I started this Tiny tea Leaves Cardi for her feeling useless and unsure what else I could possibly do. She loves cardi's and her favourite colour is blue. Last week she had her surgery and just in time for Christmas has had the best possible surgical outcome with the cancer retained in the bowel wall. We had feared it had spread and she would need a hysterectomy as well. She loved her cardi especially the cool buttons from Tangled Yarns. Best of all she went home today for some rest and recovery before Christmas and her next run with chemo. She is an amazing and inspirational woman. Sometimes people come back into your lives when you need them or when they need you!

The path to here.

what was the most important thing you learned in 2012?

To be thankful for what I have. I know this is a recurrent theme but gratitude has been a big one for me this year. I have felt overwhelmed and burdened often and on reflection I realise how fortunate I truly am. I live in a beautiful part of the world and have a loving husband and 4 healthy children.

 

 

reverb 13 self love

 

Please post your favourite picture of yourself from 2012, self-portrait or otherwise!

 

Reverb catch up

Time for a little reverb catch up. I celebrated my 35th birthday on the 6th and have been out of blog world this week, so here goes:-

6.What did you learn? Compare the “you” from the beginning of 2012 to the “you” that you are now. What new skills or talents have you learned or discovered this year?

I did actually look at this one on the 6th and it really stumped me. Skills or talents, I can't think of a big deal one. I am still working on figuring out crochet. I have learned to be more grateful for what I have. I am learning what it is to parent older children.

7.What will you take with you? What's the one thing you want to take with you into 2013?

I aim to continue to be grateful for all that I have.

8.Your most important relationship? Considering the idea that nothing lasts forever: what was the most important relationship that you fostered in 2012? How will you continue to nurture it in 2013?

My relationship with my husband, and equally important to me is my relationships with my daughters. I try to find time to spend with my family, tell them I love them and provide for them. I do hope these relationships will last for my forever.

9.Your favourite book? What was the best book you read in 2012, and why? (And by "Why?" I mean: Why did you read it? And why was it your favourite? Although these answers could be one and the same...!)

My favourite book(s) were The Hunger Games trilogy. I read it because there was so much hype and I had to know why. It was my favourite because I couldn't put it down. It had been such a long time since I read a book that I got so involved I found myself wondering what the characters were up to when I wasn't reading, LOL!

10.Your greatest risk? What was the greatest risk you took in 2012? What was the outcome?

Leaving my job. I wanted to find a better work/family balance and felt I needed some time out from shift work. It has been nice to have all my weekends free and to be in bed every night. I have been working for the uni with undergraduate nursing students and have enjoyed that but I don't want to work full time anymore.

11.What was music to your ears in 2012, literally or metaphorically?

My children's laughter, hearing them play, knowing they are happy and healthy. I have a lot of music literally playing through the house as well: Adele, Birdy, Pink, Bruno Mars.

12.Your most intense emotions? What made you dance in 2012? What made you weep?I danced with new jobs, making new friends and catching up with old ones, Imogen getting in the opportunity class for next year, spending time with family, paying off one of our credit cards, wooly mail, flowers from Jay and many other things.

I cried hard when my dear friend was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer, I cried over work, I cried when I thought of things that made me cry as a little girl, I cried when I was so tired I didn't know what else to do, I cry watching the news sometimes, I cried when I felt I wasn't good enough - which unfortunately was more than once.


 

Prompts 4 and 5.

How are you going to celebrate your self this festive season?

I looked at this yesterday and ponderred over it for quite a while. I came up with nothing really. My birthday is December, so I have a me day then. Christmas is mostly about the kids. Spending time with them and seeing their joy with the magic is very good for my soul. I do enjoy a little too much food and relax a little, even when I am still working.

What was your dream destination in 2012 and why?

It can be a town, city, country or region -- real or imaginary -- and doesn't matter if you actually got there or not!

I have many a dream destination : Journey around Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, France, Ireland, Canada, Vietnam, Fiji. Sadly they are all just dreams, but hopefully one day my dreams will come true.

Prompt three.

What is one thing that you really wish to do that you just haven't had the chance to accomplish yet?
What steps could you take (however small) to ensure that you accomplish this thing in 2013?

Its hard to come up with one specific, I have a few:-

*Find a balance between work and family commitments.
*Achieve a little more comfort financially.
*Travel overseas (I went to America for 2 weeks when I was 8).

These are all things revolving around money so for 2013 I plan to organise a budget and savings plan.

My biggest wish is to forgive the past, its harder to put into words than the above and I have no idea really how to accomplish this thing.................................................

Prompt two.

What was your most significant expenditure in 2012?

It doesn't have to be necessarily the biggest expenditure, just the one with the most impact.

What difference has it made to your life?
The most significant purchase this year for us was little Miss Polly, our Foxton Terrier.

She certainly isn't big, she did have a decent price tag on her though and she has definitely made an impact.

Polly has made a big difference to our lives. To start with we had the joys and chaos of having a puppy again. She keeps our Jack Russel Sunny company when we are not home, that is when he is not trying to escape! She entertains the girls and they can actually manage her on the lead for walks. She make me smile and laugh. We now have to juggle 2 dogs when we want to go away, people often offer to take her though.

Reverb12 prompt one.

How are you starting this last month of 2012?

Take a moment, close your eyes, take a deep breath and ask yourself the question: how do you feel...

... in your body? in your mind? in your day job? in your creative life? in your heart?

The first day of December has been spent cleaning, shopping,  putting up the xmas tree, cooking and later a family movie and some crafting.

*In my body I feel frumpy and tired but ready to change that!
*In my mind I feel a little stressed............
*In my job I am working too much.
*In my creative life I feel happy and at peace.
*In my heart I feel loved and I love dearly.

#reverb12

The lovely Kat from I saw you dancing blog has invited me to join in on another blog challenge for the month of December. Each day participants are prompted for reflection, eg.celebrating successes of 2012. I am really looking forward to the challenge and look forward to reading everyone Else's responses. There is a cool giveaway too, so hop on over and check out the details.

Yay mail!

I orderred some cascade ultra pima for Immy's birthday cardi for February. I so love wooly mail! I also got myself a clover soft touch crochet hook from Yay for Yarn. I am trying to encourage my crochet skills, I have yet to finish crochet school. I have been so busy with work I haven't been back to work out granny squares. This weekend we are having Laura's 8th birthday party and Monday Jay turns 40! Don't think I will get around to much crochet this weekend either................................

Waterslides

Last weekend our physi club had their end of year party at a little local slide park. It was nice and hot and the girls had so much fun. Now they are really keen to go back up to the Gold Coast to try out the big water parks; Maybe after Christmas!! This weekend we are back in rainy cold weather, crazy isn't it? I made sticky date pudding, am enjoying lots of tea, movies, knitting and blogs of course.

I knew I could

TaDa!! I have managed a post a day for all of October, my first Blogtoberfest! I aim now to blog a little more often, I know it won't be daily but maybe weekly. Time for a cuppa and a spot of knitting now though, My tea leaves cardi is coming along nicely.

Little Red

 

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Just one more day for blogtoberfest to go and I have actually managed a post a day! This really is an achievement for me, who barely manages a post a month most of the time. Some posts have been very minimal but it has shown me how quick and easy it can be to blog. So hopefully I will post a little more often now I have my mojo on. It has been a great opportunity to discover some really good blogs along the way.            

Call the midwife

The series has recently aired on TV, I wanted to watch it but missed the first episode. So I bought a copy on the weekend. Looking forward to sitting down with some knitting and working my way through the episodes. It has received good feedback so I hope I enjoy it!

 

Description

Based on the best-selling memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth Call the Midwife is a moving, intimate, funny and, above all, true-to-life look at the stories and friendships of midwifery and family in 1950's East End London.
New comer Jessica Raine is supported in the lead role by a stellar cast including Jenny Agutter (The Railway Children, Spooks), Pam Ferris (Little Dorrit, Darling Buds of May), Miranda Hart (Miranda) in her first dramatic role, plus Judy Parfitt (Little Dorrit, Girl with a Pearl Earring), Helen George (Hollyoaks, Doctors) Bryony Hannah (Cemetery Junction) and Laura Main (Monarch of the Glen).
When Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine) first arrives in London's East End, she knows nothing about hardship, poverty or indeed, life itself. Raised in the wealthy English countryside, she's previously spent time in Paris and could have been anything but she chose to become a nurse and now, as a newly qualified midwife, Jenny has come to work in the poorest area of the city. Attached to an order of nursing nuns at Nonnatus House, Jenny is part of a team of midwives who visit the expectant mothers of Poplar, providing the poorest women with the best possible care.
The life that greets Jenny Lee is a world away from what she's used to – either at home or in the hospitals where she was trained. The streets teem with children, and families of between six and ten kids are commonplace. With just one eight-bed maternity ward to serve the whole district, most deliveries take place at home where few have indoor sanitation and none have hot running water.
Call the Midwife is a fascinating portrayal of birth, life, death and a community on the brink of huge social change and offers a gripping insight into a world that is so drastically different from how we live now.

Tea party

 

 

We went to the foreshore markets for lunch today. Its one of our favourite weekend things to do. Good food and some music, a little walk by the sea. I happened upon a store I haven't noticed before - Shelli Morse Design  and found a skirt I couldn't help buying : Tea party, perfect for my little miss 6 Scarlett.

 

 

Woohoo!

 

 

We have been looking around for some old armchairs or something to give us more seating and fit into our small lounge room. Anyway Jay came across this cute little retro style 2 seater in a chuck out pile. You have got to love a freebie! Speaking of freebies we went down to our local market this morning and one of the stall holders had a box full of stuff for free. Jay found this cool old holiday knitting bag. I did spend some money and got some lovely homemade blueberry jam and marmalade. Yummo!

 

 

Thank goodness

 

I am completely pooped! Thank goodness its the weekend.

 

 

A local craft group!

I am so excited! I have met a kindred spirit, yep another knitter who lives nearby. When we moved back up the coast I looked up our local area for a knitting guild or some such group but couldn't really find anything. We don't really have a decent LYS either, thank goodness for Ravelry and online yarn shops! Anyway we are going to make our own local group, and who knows maybe one day our own LYS! Well I can dream can't I? My new friend has started us off with a Ravelry group, now we just need to organise the when and where for official group meets.

Music to my ears

Imogen tried out for an opportunity class for year 5 and 6 and has been made an offer. We are all very proud of her and wanted to get her something to congratulate her and make her feel special. With four daughters it is hard to make sure each individual gets a little special appreciation from time to time, but we do try. We took Imogen to the local music store to pick out 2 Cd's as she has been more and more interested in music lately. The bonus for me came when she chose Birdy and got Pink's new album for me.

Little Miss Busy

I have been crazy busy this afternoon, no time for craft, and barely anytime for this post, see you all tomorrow!

Almost half way

I spent the afternoon working my way through crafty minx:crochet school and have completed a swatch with single, half-double, double, treble and double-treble. One of the biggest problems with my crochet is I had no real idea which was what. I have been losing stitches in the past as well and wasn't working into the chain at the end of each row; that is all so much clearer now. I am looking forward to the second half of the course especially granny squares and how to read patterns. Its still a little confusing with the UK and US different names for the stitches. Anyway here is my swatch please note I am up to lesson 11 which covers weaving in the ends.

Crochet School

My crochet skills are very basic. I really want to figure out patterns and am happy to have discovered craftyminx crochet school. I really love granny square blankets and have been keeping all my left over wool from recent projects so I can make a very colourful scrappy crochet blanket.

Stinking Hot

It was a bit of a scorcher today here on the mid north coast of N.S.W. We are lucky to live around the corner from some of Australia's best swimming beaches and bays so we had a picnic lunch and cooled down in the ocean.

Little ditties

                 A little inspiration and good sense found on pinterest.               

Missing Middy

I chose to take some time out from midwifery this year. This was a huge decision because it has been a big passion of mine. I am missing it terribly!! I am currently doing some clinical teaching with general nursing students which is a nice change, the normal hours have been a dream. It has been much better for my family, knowing when I will be home and planning things for weekends. I am finding full time too much though.