aging backwards

Family Moments

2011-11-21T08:21:00.000+10:00

Lacking time or energy for the last month (being quite sick while juggling work, house construction, and more), today I finally feel as if I'm returning to the land of the living... and blogging! A quick post this time - just to capture some moments and stories. Anya and Callum have been playing together more and more and are becoming really good friends. I am so glad because when I was

Short, Tasty Chicken Recipe

2011-09-03T22:35:00.001+10:00

What to cook with a minimum of ingredients. Of course you will probably be tempted to dress this up with ginger, curry paste, etc. Feel free! (Though it definitely tastes good the "basic" way.) I improvised this recipe tonight -- I wanted to make Hainan chicken, but with a browned finish. 6 chicken marylands 2 cups chicken broth 400 ml coconut milk 1 tablespoon soy sauce and/or fish sauce 1

Callum's Report Card

2011-08-08T12:32:00.000+10:00

Callum Ree sleeping exlent playing exlent criing ned enpruevement herting ned enpruevment Anya Ree

About Time

2011-08-08T09:08:00.000+10:00

I’ve been untrue. To myself, that is. All my life I’ve been a writer, reader and artist, and lately I have been none of those things. Why? I’ve been knitting. It’s not like I think that knitting is so much more fabulous than writing, reading or drawing. It’s just that the knitting grows slowly, too slowly to finish in an afternoon, but just fast enough that I can see how it’s going to be so

Bapping Woman

2011-06-18T11:39:00.000+10:00

Picture this: Anya and Callum are settled in for another viewing of Justice League. This is probably their fourth or fifth episode so they've become familiar with the roster of heroes. (Also, David reads comic books, so they know some characters because of that.) As the show opens, they call out each hero's name as they appear: "Superman!" "Green Lantern!" "Wonderwoman!" "Green guy!" (some

David's Birthday Duck

2011-06-13T18:51:00.000+10:00

David's favorite meal being duck, I bought two duck breasts on impulse last week and stashed them in the freezer without an actual meal plan. Some research found me the following recipe: http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/12162/spiced-duck-breasts.aspx which I liked for being spicy and NOT sweet. It is tedious how many duck recipes involve fruit sauce. Not that I dislike duck with fruit sauce,

Photo Roundup

2011-06-11T16:06:00.001+10:00

Just catching up on uploading some photos from the last few months. This is from April when we lucked into a local fair while we were staying up the coast. This is from a day when my old rollerblades disintegrated, so I walked up Kedron Brook (in the water, wearing thongs) while David took the kids for a bike ride: This is from a few weeks ago when we were out for a walk in the

Pose in Boots

2011-06-06T21:33:00.000+10:00

Anya's birthday boots got their first outing today. I decided to take a photo to show Helen, who has nominated herself "the Shoe Auntie" and gives Anya shoes every year. (This year she even gave Anya two pairs, as she couldn't decide which ones to get. Anya loves them both.) This is the first photo: Then I asked Callum to let me take one of Anya by herself. She thought this a worthy pose:

Dinnertime Challenges

2011-06-01T19:43:00.000+10:00

Anya and Callum sometimes get very restless sitting and eating dinner. Rather than enforce a "bottoms on seats" rule, we help them finish dinner by setting physical challenges. In between the challenges they have to come back and eat some more. Originally the challenges were fairly easy, such as "run over to Grandma and give her a kiss." Next was "run as fast as you can down the hall." More

the Storry of Biaes

2011-05-29T20:09:00.000+10:00

the Storry of Biaes By Anya Won day som biaes went for a work and a big hyooj storm came! Bam! Thai had to go home. And they did. Thai had a nise waum showa and tee. Ten thai were warm then. the EnD. [One day some bears went for a walk and a big huge storm came! Bam! They had to go home. And they did. They had a nice warm shower and tea. They were warm then. The End.] Anya made this book

Anya Turns Six

2011-05-07T20:00:00.001+10:00

Anya had a small party in the park to celebrate her birthday. The theme was "hula girl" and we had face painting, ten pin bowling, and pizza. The peak moment for me was when she and her best friend put on their hula skirts and hula danced in unison, swaying their skirts and waving their arms. It was also pretty cute to see them all bowling in hula skirts. David also got in on the bowling

Miss Gump

2011-03-09T22:19:00.000+10:00

Our family nickname for Anya is "gump" or sometimes "Miss Gump." Imagine our delight when we actually came across a storybook featuring a little girl (Nellie Lou) doing various imaginative hair styles on a customer (Miss Gump) who keeps asking for something different. There are lots of extraordinary 'dos, such as shaping into an umbrella, a large piece of swiss cheese, an island with a palm

Toothy Tales

2011-03-02T20:37:00.000+10:00

I'm sure the world needs more help persuading children to behave when their teeth are getting brushed. Lately we've been constructing more and more elaborate tales to help Callum open his mouth properly for teeth time. It all started innocently enough with "open your mouth wider, wide enough for a truck to drive in." This progressed to "here comes the train, choo choo, chugga chugga, it's

2011-02-24T22:27:00.000+10:00

I found some old photos on a memory card we think was from David's previous phone. Awww... At the Ekka, 2008 Eating strawberries, 2008 Trying on a suit, 2008 Darwin, 2010

Art Therapy

2011-02-24T21:37:00.000+10:00

I recently spent the day at the Gallery of Modern Art and the Queensland Art Gallery. It was wonderful to be immersed in so many amazing images and ideas. (Click on the photos to go through to the entire set on flickr.)

The Baby Elves Help Santa

2011-02-23T21:39:00.000+10:00

This story was composed by Annike, Anya, Bhavya & Niko just before Christmas. (They were the four prep kids in Mrs G's composite prep/year 1 class in 2010.) Once upon a time it was Christmas Eve in Australia. All the kids were asleep and Santa was at the North Pole packing the presents into the sleigh. They were for all the kids in the world. When it was time to go, Santa waved to Mrs Claus

2011-01-31T16:14:00.000+10:00

This year as usual Anya and Callum met Santa at the Myer department store in our local shopping centre. I love that it's relatively low key and the kids didn't have to wait ages. In any case they were almost more interested in looking at all the toys on the shelves than the Santa moment! Callum's most repeated phrase these days is "Sometime will you buy me... ?" We had Christmas Eve with the

Fa-fa the Dog and Fluffy Cat

2010-12-21T10:51:00.002+10:00

Home, with No House

2010-12-20T15:52:00.000+10:00

I've had a few requests for a photo of our demolished house. How does one photograph something that's not there? Here is a shot of the cleared land -- we've visited it a few times to marvel at the emptiness. David took some photos while it was disappearing in the week of demolition, but I was out of town and missed the whole thing. On a different note, I created something recently -- a

Half on Holiday

2010-12-20T12:28:00.000+10:00

This weekend we had holiday fever mixed with Christmas colds (three of us have sore throats and coughs to varying degrees, with more to succumb, I'm sure). I also made an absurd attempt to finish off some project work before Monday, futile since not much time is left in the working year. Anya and Callum were hanging around me while I worked, so I now have a piece of scratch paper with a mixture

School's Out, Summer's In

2010-12-16T11:33:00.000+10:00

This week is the first week of holidays -- Anya has finished her first year of school. Anya and Callum have still been going off each day, Anya to vacation care (a whole day at the pool! another day at the movies!) and Callum to his daycare (same old same old, but with tinsel on top). This being Thursday, it's "Grandma Day," when my mother-in-law looks after Callum. It's been a long time since

Edible (Almost) T-shirt

2010-10-02T11:04:00.000+10:00

Anya and I made this the T-shirt yesterday, combining my ideas and Anya's concept drawing. Below is Anya's original drawing. I asked her for it, when I was thinking about making an ice cream cone T-shirt. I'm glad she did this because it changed my concept of how the scoops should look, and also intrigued me with the heart-shaped cone. I really loved her heart-shaped cone but wanted a

Gallery of Modern Art

2010-09-25T21:38:00.002+10:00

I went to the Gallery of Modern Art to see the Douglas Kirkland exhibit with my good friend Mel. It was also a chance to catch up and see how much her daughter Jessie has grown. Raema and the kids came along as well, and Mel's husband Craig joined us at lunchtime. I tried in vain to capture a good candid shot of the kids wandering around the Takashi Murakami exhibit. I have no idea

Tripping Through VA, WA & LA

2010-09-19T22:26:00.007+10:00

So I went to the US to visit my mom in Staunton, Virginia. Then to Seattle, to visit my dad. I also caught up with some old high school friends, including my best friend from literally forever, Jill, and hung out with her kids (who are not shy at all). It was really great to see everyone -- it felt like we just picked right up where we left off. On the last day of my trip, I had a long

Bird Frenzy, and Balloon Crazy

2010-09-01T23:39:00.000+10:00

Some photos of notable moments in the last few months. We went to the Samford Show on July 18th, enjoyed a tethered hot air balloon ride, and treated the kids to a few amusement rides. After waiting for holidays to be over, then getting over the whooping cough, we finally finally had a play date mid-August with Anya's best friend from kindy, Amelia, and her best friend from school, Annika.

Callum Turns Three

2010-08-11T23:17:00.002+10:00

Sibling Solidarity

2010-08-09T13:57:00.000+10:00

"You don't do that to my sister!" Callum bellows at a boy on the playground, who'd just made Anya cry. (To be fair, she was going slowly down a tubular slide, and he'd had no idea she was there when he started sliding down.) "He didn't do anything!" Anya protests, saving Callum from unjust punishment, even while blubbering about an upset that we thought Callum was responsible for. "And one for

Breaking My Heart Already

2010-08-03T10:21:00.001+10:00

Callum's latest trick: he says, "Kiss?" – then puckers his lips up to me, saying, "Mmmm..." – and just as I get to kissing range, he turns away quickly saying, "Too late!" and cackles.Anya, thrilled by a movie moment, re-enacts it for me at bedtime: "Her breasts went like this!" and jiggles her bottom at me.Callum saunters off, "I'm going to cuddle Grandma, and then I'm going to cuddle you." As

Top Thoughts

2010-08-01T23:17:00.004+10:00

After going to Melbourne & Bendigo for work, then Darwin & Litchfield & Kakadu for school holidays, I felt like there was a lot I could blog about, but so much that I spent way too much time thinking about what to write. At the same time, I spent several weeks fighting off the whooping cough and the horrible effects of megadosing myself with antibiotics (my first antibiotics since 1991), so I

Life in the Single Lane

2010-07-28T10:20:00.003+10:00

This week, David is away in Canberra, so I've slogging it alone since Sunday afternoon. He's been calling just before bedtime each night, to say good night to Anya and Callum, so it's been relatively painless for them. It wasn't until this morning, when Callum was romping on the bed with me before breakfast, that his absence was really noticed. Callum looked at David's empty pillow and said, "

Our Top End Tour

2010-07-13T23:02:00.001+10:00

I love maps, so here is a map showing everywhere we stopped on last week's holiday. I will progressively link some photos to each map marker - just click and you'll see! Alternatively follow this link to view the map in full screen: NT Top End 4WD Holiday

Anya, You Have the Power

2010-06-30T11:32:00.001+10:00

From the back files of my mind... The set-up: Anya has just had a fight with Callum because he was being naughty and physically pestering her. The usual answer: I force Callum to say sorry to Anya, and I force Anya to gracefully accept his apology and hug (not what she wants at all!) Theory: Making them say sorry and hug should either (1) teach them manners and/or (2) avoid annoying each other

Ten Useful Uses for One's Children

2010-06-16T21:37:00.000+10:00

Someone to... 10. Fetch and carry when my grown up legs are feeling lazy. 9. Give me cuddles on my birthday. 8. Eat the random mouthfuls of leftovers lurking in the nooks and crannies of the fridge. 7. Walk over my back to give me a massage. 6. Say out loud what we're all really thinking. 5. Need me to bake some cake. 4. Render my alarm clock useless. 3. Give me practice at folding multitudes of

David's birthday weekend

2010-06-14T22:14:00.001+10:00

David's birthday was this weekend. I think he had a good time. The weekend started with a big day, driving down the coast to visit a new baby, fitted in between gymnastics, picking up an eBay purchase, and a birthday party for Anya's school friend. We were home by mid afternoon, but completely exhausted. The eBay purchase, by the way, was David's birthday present to himself -- a Triton

The Super Life

2010-05-26T19:13:00.003+10:00

Superkids can fight crime with anything, even teapots. Superkids have their own special seating. Superkids wear goggles in the bath. Superkids don't have to worry about safety barriers. Superkids have Superdads.

Arty Partying

2010-05-25T22:38:00.001+10:00

So much to tell, so little time. Do I give a ginormous report, or throw together a tossed salad of amusing anecdotes? It's very daunting to think of trying to catch up to where we are now, but for you, my loyal readers (I know there are at least two of you), it's my duty to try. Anya turned five this month. We hosted a small party in the park, inviting a handful of schoolfriends and family.

Guest Post: Good morning, cars!

2010-05-10T21:39:00.001+10:00

[this post was written by David] My son usually gets up early each morning to go to the toilet. He always wants his mum to take him, but Elaine and I alternate. It's always a struggle to stop him from crying, "I want Mama!" and waking everyone up when it's my turn with him. I jolly him along as much as I can during the whole process - anything to avoid a meltdown. This morning, he calmed down

Three Great Cakes

2010-04-12T20:19:00.004+10:00

Lately I've been trying new cake recipes and lucked across a few really good ones. So, I thought I'd share. Warning: I tend to prefer cakes that are intensely flavored and moist. If your favorite cake is angelfood, these recipes are not for you.CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE (from Brisbane News)150 g plain flour25 g cocoa powder1 tsp baking soda¼ tsp salt115 g unsalted butter200 g caster sugar2 eggs1

Easter Week

2010-04-11T20:55:00.000+10:00

Once again, we spent our week of holidays “up the coast,” as we say – that is, at the family units at Peregian Beach. Usually, we share our beach holidays with Don’s family, who have two girls and a boy; this time we were with Rob’s family, who have two boys, much to Callum’s delight. It’s been a bit frustrating for Anya as the only girl, while the boys rough-house and say naughty things, but

The Wow Moment

2010-03-31T11:23:00.007+10:00

I made a new friend at the annual Artforce awards where she was nominated for one of the award categories. (I wasn't -- just attended out of interest to see the leading designs.) We decided to collaborate on a new traffic signal box (TSB) design. This is really exciting and fun as I've never collaborated with someone before. It's a different way to work, bouncing ideas off each other and changing

APT6

2010-03-11T12:29:00.005+10:00

Liminal Air – descend – 2007-09 by Shinji OhmakiI was lucky enough to have a spare hour yesterday and spent it speed-walking through the 6th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT6). I love the APT, as there are always stunning and exciting works, although this time around I have really struggled to find time. At the 2002 APT, I was thrilled to discover Yayoi Kusama (originally one of

Acrobalance

2010-02-23T15:17:00.003+10:00

Yesterday, I learned to do this:Someday, I dream that I'll be able to do this:

Queen of the Ziploc Bag

2010-02-23T14:35:00.001+10:00

I'm feeling like such a MOM lately. My parents used Ziploc bags a lot, but with my green tendencies, I was trying to avoid them. You know, less plastic, save the planet, etc. However, as a parent, I now find that these bags are just the thing. (And to salve my green conscience, we wash and reuse them until they are totally worn out.) I started off using them only for food -- an easy way to

Rolling Along

2010-02-11T10:04:00.002+10:00

I spied Callum rolling this giant ball around as I came into kindy totake him home. He told me gleefully, "I was getting in and out of it!"

The Ultimate Abs Workout

2010-02-08T22:32:00.001+10:00

So forget your Wii Fit Plus; forget your pilates devotions; forget your fit ball. THIS IS IT: hula hoops. After doing this for just 20 minutes in circus class tonight, I swear I can feel washboard ridges forming already.

The Next Learning Curve

2010-02-02T17:20:00.002+10:00

Now that Anya is attending school, I have been introduced to a whole new level of bewilderment. After living here for over ten years, I generally have the hang of how things are done in Australia, as opposed to the US, but now I am hitting another learning curve.Kids here don’t catch school buses – their parents usually drive them in, although they are encouraged to take public transport. I

Photo Theme: Liking Brisbane

2010-02-02T11:23:00.004+10:00

What do I like around Brisbane today? Art on the Streets Architectural Juxtapositions

Drawing from Life

2010-01-30T16:24:00.001+10:00

Anya loves to draw – this week even her new teacher remarked on it, after knowing Anya for just three days. Lately she has begun drawing "real" pictures – sometimes from memory, sometimes by looking at what she’s drawing. I find this so exciting – that she doesn’t just draw a figure and call it a girl, or a particular shape and call it a box -- but rather, really observes what the features are,

Everton Park Hotel

2010-01-29T13:58:00.002+10:00

One of the mothers' group's favorite hangouts -- coffee & cake, an enclosed playground, and attractions on special days like a bouncy castle and a merry-go-round.

Anya's First Day of School

2010-01-27T15:12:00.000+10:00

Bat-crazy

2010-01-21T12:38:00.002+10:00

The evolution of a fad in our household can sometimes take some strange turns. Our kids are already, for some strange reason, enamoured of bats (see the post about the Baby Bat game). Combine this with a memory for that nutty song, Banana Phone, and what do you get?First David showed them a YouTube video of Banana Phone, and they begged for repeat viewings. Why this video is so appealing, I'm not

Seashell Sounds

2010-01-20T00:00:00.000+10:00

Photo Theme: Curves

2010-01-14T11:32:00.004+10:00

More experimentation with my little camera phone. It is terrible at long shots but fun for close up work.

Photo Theme: Red Light Green Light

2010-01-12T13:46:00.004+10:00

This morning I decided to experiment and took a photo every time I was stopped at a red light on my route to work. The images below are cropped from the originals. Not sure if the result is interesting but it was fun fooling around.

Holiday Recipes

2010-01-12T12:56:00.004+10:00

I know, the holiday season is over. This post is more about simple recipes we prepared while away at the beach house -- in other words, when we didn't have a lot of ingredients handy.Herb Infused Roast ChickenThis recipe idea originally came from a cookbook and I have tried lots of variations. This version is the result of about 10 years of experimentation. It is simple and delicious!(1) Finely

Xmas 2009

2010-01-11T16:19:00.004+10:00

Massive piles of presents, first at home then at the bigger family shindig. (Click on the photo to browse through my flickr album!) I won't bore with the whole gift list, but the ViewMasters were a surprise favorite.We had a great Xmas day, opening presents, feasting on a potluck meal, and even got to go swimming. Neighbours have been kind to us this year, first on Xmas day when we swam at the

Woodford 2009

2010-01-11T15:17:00.004+10:00

I was lucky to go along to the Woodford Folk Festival again this year and enjoyed it very much, only wishing that there were some way that Anya and Callum and David could also come and enjoy it. Unfortunately the cost (almost $100) means that it's not worth going for only part of the day.Some cool moments/events were: Men Wot Sing conducting an a capella singing workshop; Circus Cabaret (I also

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T11:59:00.001+10:00

To all my friends and family out there, I miss you and hope to see you again soon.

Christmas Wonder

2009-12-22T14:04:00.001+10:00

Much has been made in other blogs, tweets, and articles about kids and Christmas over-anticipation, hype, and excess sugar consumption... in our house so far, the Christmas fuss has been pretty low key. We're not grinches; it's more that we have been a bit slow to gear up. So far the moments of Christmas wonder this season have been:Anya turning out the lights, pulling a chair to the middle of

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way

2009-12-07T11:48:00.005+10:00

I have a very delightful recording of Callum singing his own version of Jingle Bells. But, I had to convert it to a video in order to upload it, and decided to use some photos of Callum from babyhood to toddler. If you don't feel like watching, here is a partial transcription of the recording...Callum: Jingle tiger - Jingle tiger - Jingle on the tigerElaine: On the tiger?!Callum: /laughs/ Yeah!

Guest Post: Daddy Bat

2009-11-30T10:49:00.002+10:00

For about the last six weeks, first thing in the morning we have been playing the Baby Bat game at our house. I think this began one day when Anya crawled into bed with me and (maybe – I can’t actually remember what started it all) I was explaining about the fruit bats that fly around our house at night. They make a lot of raucous squawking noises as they eat nectar and fruit off the

The Non-Socratic Dialogues

2009-11-29T15:12:00.002+10:00

Counting by Callum (9-Oct-09)One, two, fwee, four, five, six, sebben, eight, nine, ten, ‘leven, twelve, thirteen.... fzz-teen... fffteen?Conversation a lá Dora (22-Oct-09)Anya: Can you say, “Arriba”?Callum: Reeba!Anya: Can you say, “Gracias”?Callum: Rassia!Elaine: Do you know what gracias means?Anya: No.Elaine: It means thank you.Anya: [silent indifference]Pleasing Conversation (28-Oct-09)Anya:

Today, a Non Sequitur

2009-11-25T12:03:00.003+10:00

I accidentally spied this item on eBay while looking for Christmas presents. How cool is this? Now if I could only think of a reason that I need a 4GB USB that can transform into a jaguar...

Parental Tricks

2009-11-24T15:05:00.002+10:00

I was thinking about writing out the daily routine we have, but realised that most people are not as list-oriented as I am. Therefore, instead I am sketching out a few time management skills (yes, in a list... I couldn’t help myself...) that David and I have developed for getting through each day. Hopefully, they are entertaining...We take turns getting to sleep in (every other day). This was

Two Days in the Sun

2009-11-23T15:30:00.004+10:00

To everyone living on the "top side" of the globe: yes, it is glorious summer here! Example: this weekend. Saturday was spent hanging about (literally) at Kangaroo Point, where locals like to rock climb, bike and rollerblade. We managed to do two out of three, and also fit in a barbecue breakfast with friends, as they had organised a 40th birthday celebration. I haven't been up a cliff face

Beach Time!

2009-11-11T13:08:00.005+10:00

We went to beach this weekend, and by happy coincidence, so did our in-laws. They have two sons, aged 5 and 10, and Anya and Callum both had a great time hanging out with their cousins. It was really interesting to see Callum in a different light as he did "boy" things with his cousins like throwing a ball back and forth. We also enjoyed a family dinner all together which felt cosy and

Visiting Sodor

2009-11-02T12:04:00.002+10:00

Not being a boy, I can't understand the fascination of Thomas the Tank Engine, but Callum totally loves him. This weekend we made it to a free event (provided by a local councillor) featuring life-sized Thomas, the Fat Controller telling stories, a bouncy castle, and mini train rides, hosted at Anzac Park in Toowong, which has some pretty nifty attractions in its own right such as the longest

Schmap Fame

2009-10-27T12:12:00.002+10:00

Last year I was surprised to be contacted about a photo I took at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – Schmap, an online travel guide, wanted permission to use it on their site. You can see it here: http://www.schmap.com/brisbane/toppicks_attractions/p=131702/i=131702_48.jpgRecently another photo, from Luna Park in Sydney, was also selected for inclusion. You can see it here:

Best Ribs Ever

2009-10-26T11:33:00.004+10:00

We have tried lots of different ways to cook ribs over the last few years. I finally managed to cook some tender, melting, more-ish ribs yesterday and it was really easy! No more worrying about marinating for hours, parboiling, pre-browning, arranging them on a rack over a pan of water, etc! In a nutshell, all I did was:Put the ribs in a bag with some sauce (more

Tanglemania

2009-10-06T14:59:00.001+10:00

I have to admit, I have been extremely geeky today. The number of portable devices that I carry around on a daily basis is not that huge: just a laptop and a phone. (I don't have an mp3 player, since my phone can play music, although I haven't even gotten around to buying a microSD card for it.) However, it drives me crazy that I have so many accessories for these two items. Headphones for each,

How to Grow Up

2009-10-05T11:50:00.002+10:00

Poor little Callum. First, at the start of last week, we decreed that dummies (pacifiers) would only be for sleep time. He coped quite well with that change, to my pleasant surprise. Anya told me she does think he is hitting her more often because "he's frustrated about his dummy." I'm not sure if that's true or if he's just being more aggressive generally.Next, we cut his hair ourselves.

Hungry?

2009-10-01T10:37:00.001+10:00

If you know me at all, you know that I love food. Unlike most people who love food, I don't even have a love-hate relationship with food, just love (and mutual respect). There was a time when having lunch out was an essential part of my day, and I also loved having dinner out when I could swing it. I like to think that some of my reviews got into the LA Zagat Guide.However, I am finding that

Farewell, Clouds of Kisses

2009-09-30T12:25:00.001+10:00

Before I knew it, they were gone. I used to receive kisses in generous amounts from Callum when he first learned the right way to kiss (he used to think that kissing involved making a clucking sound with his tongue). Once mastered, his kisses were usually bestowed in a profuse display of technique: first one cheek, then the other, then lips, nose, and even my forehead, and sometimes a second

School Lunch Mix-n-Match

2009-09-29T14:39:00.000+10:00

As I was contemplating the upcoming "Lunch Box Days" which Kindercraft has scheduled to introduce the older kids to the idea of packed lunches (since Anya and her friends will all be starting school next year), I stumbled across this excellent article: What Do Other Countries Eat For School LunchThis article, too, was quite interesting: What Chef's Kids EatI was very inspired by another site

Let's Go Swimming!

2009-09-28T13:06:00.001+10:00

Swimming weather is definitely upon us. This weekend we went swimming at Don's (the family was actually away so we just went to the back yard) and both kids loved getting a dip after a hot and dusty day, even though the water was so cold. I encouraged them to swim around but they mainly enjoyed jumping in over and over. They also were too tempted by the inflatable boat I'd brought along, so we

Tales from the B Side

2009-09-28T11:39:00.002+10:00

(or, "Further Evidence of a Y Chromosome")My sweet little boy climbed into bed with me for our customary morning snuggle. He had his Wags the Dog and Anthony toys -- it has always surprised me how much more he likes stuffed toys than his sister. We nestled in together, and then he clashed his toys against each other, and yelled, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Freaky Weather in Brisbane

2009-09-23T14:39:00.003+10:00

I've been tapping away at my computer since arriving at work this morning, and had no idea this was going on outside:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/dust-storm-covers-brisbane-in-haze-20090923-g0wm.htmlAnd here is my own contribution to the pool of photos:

The Positions One Finds Oneself In

2009-09-21T21:35:00.004+10:00

Tonight I looked after the kids on my own -- David went rock climbing after work -- and they just went NUTS. Driving home: OK. Dinner (during the drive): OK. Checking the mailbox (a ritual they love): OK. Anya was thrilled to receive a letter from me and we duly headed inside to open it. It was after this that the trouble began. Or maybe slightly before this, because I noticed it was about to

the zen of parenting

2009-09-15T22:12:00.001+10:00

just a short thought for today. realised today that when I am with Anya or Callum, I make a conscious effort to be "in the now." focussing purely on how it feels to be with them. funny, because at the same time, at this age it is crucial to be aware at all times of the clock so that they get to eat, sleep, etc at the right times.

Circus Stuff

2009-09-14T14:04:00.002+10:00

I can do an Amazon, Mermaid, Monkey Roll, Gazelle and Shoulder Stand, among other things. Don't know what I'm talking about? Check out my latest obsession at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaguarish/tags/circa/You can also check out the training centre at:http://www.rocknrollcircus.com/

Queen of the Non Sequitur

2009-09-01T11:57:00.002+10:00

Here are two recent conversations with Anya, both of which made me think, "What the?!"First, in the car as we all were starting the day (kids going to Kindercraft, us going to work)...Anya: Dad, why do you have a purple shirt?David: Does this look purple to you? It looks blue to me.(I look over. Yep, baby blue with yellow pinstripes.)Anya: DAD, why do you have a purple shirt?David: I don't have a

Six Days Without Dad

2009-08-18T12:02:00.003+10:00

Last Tuesday, David left for a fishing trip with his brothers and some other guys. We had a pretty busy time of it at home, as well, since Wednesday was a public holiday – for Brisbane-ites to attend the "Ekka" (Royal Exhibition, like a State Fair). Thursday I worked, then Friday is my usual day off, followed by the weekend, of course. Raema (David's mum) stayed with us for a lot of the time,

Eating Well

2009-08-14T22:39:00.003+10:00

Tonight I made Hainan Chicken and veggie stir fry. Delicious. I am still so in love with the simplicity and intense but subtle flavour of Hainan Chicken. If you have never tried this dish, here is a short version of the recipe (but please do look up "proper" recipes on the internet which will include fancier directions for the rice and sauces!)Half fill a stockpot with water (or chicken stock)

Potty Season

2009-08-14T20:34:00.001+10:00

I have been rather slack about potty training the second time around. Anya was placed on a potty repeatedly from 18 months of age (months and months of extra work and stress!) but didn't become fully trained until one day I decided to try the "no nappy" technique (requires an easy-cleaning house or staying outside). From there it only took TWO DAYS and she was trained. With Callum, I have been

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

2009-08-14T16:02:00.001+10:00

Callum just turned two this week and it seems like he is maturing faster every day. (I will laugh the day that he starts properly arguing with Anya... she *really* has all the answers!)The actual birthday was a Tuesday, so I brought cupcakes and balloons into Kindercraft and stayed with Callum for about two hours. As well, in the morning he opened one of his presents which he immediately played

A Big Serve of Yuck

2009-07-29T21:03:00.001+10:00

I’ve been out of commission recently due to a revolting stomach bug. I never realised how much of my time I spend thinking about food, anticipating what to buy, cook and eat next, until I was limited to “plain food” which I hate and which was making me sick anyway. I was thrilled tonight to sit down with a proper serving of pasta with Bolognese sauce (although I put on much less sauce, butter

Broccoli Souffle with Tapenade Sauce

2009-07-20T12:44:00.000+10:00

This wonderful recipe from one of my favourite cookbooks, The Impoverished Gastronome by David Chater, was our dinner last night. I’m pretty sure I’ve made this before, as broccoli is one of my favourite foods, but I think I made the mistake of leaving out the sauce last time. The soufflé is very mild tasting on its own (milk, butter, eggs, flour, cheese, almonds), so the tapenade really

Baby Banana

2009-07-13T12:51:00.002+10:00

Mysteriously, Callum’s latest thing is to get a drink or piece of food, and just hold it for an hour or more without actually drinking or eating it, while steadfastly refusing to give up the item. His appetite has been very small lately compared to usual, because of colds and teething, but normally before now he would have just been uninterested in having anything. This magpie-like behaviour is

Ouch! My feelings!

2009-06-30T21:33:00.002+10:00

Lately when I drop Anya and Callum off at daycare, Anya is quite happy to immediately start playing with her friends, and barely shows any interest in me. There is a fun little thing she likes when I leave, though (after handing a loudly protesting Callum over to one of the extremely kind staff). I close the gate to her room, then she comes over and gets a kiss through the bars.If her friend

Cooking the Chef

2009-06-29T10:43:00.004+10:00

David had the brilliant idea for a dinner party where each guest would bring a dish from The Cook and The Chef. We decided his birthday was the perfect excuse, and invited everyone over this Saturday evening. The eclectic, but tasty, menu included:Beetroot, Cannellini & Pear Dip with Rosemary Chickpea CrispbreadBitter Green SaladTreasure's Lamb and Pickled Quince PiesThai Chicken Stir FryBuffalo

Visit to Sydney + Roadtrip

2009-06-21T21:00:00.007+10:00

Thanks to the lingering vestiges of royal government, Australia celebrated the Queen's birthday on June 8th, so we took advantage and went to Sydney to hang out with Paul, Teresa and Heather for the week (Paul wrote an excellent blog entry about our visit, and so did Teresa). At first we thought about flying -- then taking the train -- but in the end, I'm not sure how, we decided to drive. So

New, and Slightly Mad

2009-06-02T14:49:00.001+10:00

So the big news of the day is: we have a new car! Why? Because we are planning to drive to Sydney (departing this Friday), and only found out last Friday that our old car’s transmission is on its last legs. Talk about putting the pressure on… To fix the transmission would have cost as much as the value of the car, and we’ve been talking about getting a new car for a while now, so luckily we

Kangaroo Fillet with Basil Garlic Paste

2009-06-01T16:19:00.003+10:00

I was doubtful whether to post this recipe but a quick search of available kangaroo recipes revealed a theme to me: kangaroo is imagined to be tough and/or gamey, and recipes tend to focus on making it super spicy (eg. curry) or stewing it for a long time or both. Horrors! I just don't see the point of having a lovely, exotic meat, and burying the flavor.My recipe does the complete opposite: you

Let Us Count the Ways to Say... NO!

2009-05-26T15:51:00.004+10:00

1. When mama is changing the TV channels, and goes past the ABC Kids program, shout, "NO!" until she changes back. (Then you might say, quietly in relief, "There you go.")2. In the middle of the night. Darn it! Why did we wake up? (Oh, there's that dummy.)3. For about twenty or thirty minutes, over and over, and for no particular reason.4. When your big sister picks up something that you had

Green Curry

2009-05-19T15:15:00.002+10:00

We make Thai curry quite often, but this one turned out especially well, so I thought I'd share the recipe, since it was fairly simple with not too many ingredients:Fry one sliced onion on medium-high heat until starting to brown.Add meat of your choice (I used pork mince; chicken would taste similar), tossing to ensure even cooking, until surfaces look cooked (the meat will continue to saute or

Me = Callum

2009-05-19T13:46:00.004+10:00

I noticed this week that when I asked Callum, "Can you say Callum? Who are you?" He says, "Me!" I told David about this, and we have been trying to get him to say his name ever since, with no luck so far.We tried to illustrate the concept this way, on our drive into town yesterday:"Who's this?" -- "Daddy!" -- "Yes! Who's this?" -- "Mama!"-- "Very good! And who's this?" -- "Ah-wa!" (smiles

Nothing Fancy

2009-05-07T21:51:00.003+10:00

This was tonight's dinner, and although simple, it all tasted good together and I received more compliments for this than for many other fancy meals.PORK - SCOTCH CUT: sprinked with salt, freshly ground pepper, and liberally applied olive oil, baked until done through (juices running clear)APPLES AND ONIONS: slice 2 onions and 4 apples, saute the onions until soft but not brown, place apple

Anya Turns Four

2009-05-07T21:25:00.005+10:00

Yes, our little girl turned four yesterday and I DIDN"T TAKE ANY PICTURES. David is mighty disappointed, but I was too busy being in it! First, the night before, I made THIRTY cupcakes (staying up late, since I had to do it after circus class). Then, in the morning, we brought the cupcakes in, plus chocolate frosting and mini marshmallows. Anya carried the cake holder and was very proud to do

I Got Dem Blues

2009-05-05T11:37:00.001+10:00

Callum plays the blues... the tough way.

Jack in the Box

2009-05-01T16:36:00.002+10:00

"What was that about -blblskljdlbhhh- Jack in the Box?" David demanded.I turned my head and looked at him in complete bewilderment. "What?""Never mind, I fell asleep for a minute."Yes, we are becoming those oldies who drowse in front of the TV and wake up shouting nonsense.