Archive for Darling Daughters

Cairns Week 6 – The Final Week

January 21, 2012 / Molly / No comments

I was all too aware that this last week was our last in the run up to getting on a plane and returning home so we made the most of it. Somehow we managed to fit in a few more trips to places around the area and a whole lot of swimming in my parent’s pool. We managed to spend a lot of time (and snapshots) on capturing still shots above the water, that was so much fun!!


My brother driving on water.

Another thing that we all did together in the last week was go back to the Botanical Gardens and see the world’s largest (and stinkiest) flower. By the time we got there it was dying but you can still see how big it is (and thankfully it had lost its stink!):


My sister in law next to the flower.


Rainforest walk canopy


Can you spot the building? This is the Botanical Gardens Visitors Centre

The girls enjoyed some special time tinkling on the piano with Nanna:

As well as a day of doll’s clothes washing in the backyard:

We also went for a visit to the Crystal Cascades. We went there last year but it was pouring with rain so this visit was quite different. The cascades are really pretty and we even saw an eel and turtle in the water as we walked along.


Miss K spotted this very interesting caterpillar which my brother told me will become a moth.

On our last day there (last Thursday) we managed to squeeze in a visit to the Cairns Contemporary Arts Centre and see some interesting artwork. There was this huge sculpture by Ron Mueck called ‘In Bed’. He really is an amazing artist, this lady is so retrospective and realistic. I was sure she was going to move her eyeball and look at me any second!


The girls outside the art gallery.

After that we had lunch together with all of us (there are ten of us when we all are together). My brother and hubby managed to get the same coke names, great way to finish together:


I wonder if coke cans from the US have ‘buddy on them.

Finally it was off to the airport with all our luggage. There was a lot of luggage and we did make it within our limits but only just! Our flight home was uneventful and the girls slept. Thank you to Michael’s Dad who picked us up.

Now we are back in the land of heat and dry. The grass is a bit brown but our house sitter did an amazing job keeping our animals fed and our garden producing tomatoes and cucumbers! I can’t believe that our mango tree here is actually growing decent mangoes. I’ll share a garden up date post a little later. Now I’m up to labeling school supplies and sorting the house! Happy Perth Summer everyone!

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Family / Tags: , , , ,

Croup

November 18, 2011 / Molly / 3 comments

Last night around 11pm Little L let out a great big seal bark in her sleep. My first thought was ‘oh, its not a cold she has its croup!’. That usually means I’m in for a long night starting with the thing I always do first, sitting with her in a steamed up bathroom to get her breathing back to a reasonably normal rise and fall.

When I was a kid I had croup, I grew up with it so when my girls started getting it I wasn’t that surprised. It didn’t shock me or scare me and I knew what to do……or I thought I did. I have memories of my Dad holding my head over a big puff of steam as the bath hot tap ran at full speed to get my airways to open up again. This was basically the only solution when I was a kid and it worked for me. I must have gotten croup right up to my teenage years because I remember this happening in our second house which we moved into when I was 12. The funny thing is, I don’t remember the horrible feeling of the croupy cough too much, just that my Dad looked after me and steamed up the bathroom.

Back to Little L. Last nights episode was probably the worst I’ve seen her get so far and I did all the things I could think of until I was satisfied she was breathing well enough to sleep (and for me to sleep!). These included:

- steaming up the bathroom and sitting in there with her saying ‘big deep breaths’.
- giving her the steroid medicine I save to use only when its this bad (once or twice a year).
- sitting her in the cold night air all rugged up, some Doctors say this helps. We sang twinkle twinkle little star at midnight together.
- rubbing vicks vaporub on her chest and back and putting a dollop of it on the soles of her feet for good measure (old wives tale that actually does work).
- dragging out the vaporisor and setting it up at 12.30am (it so happened to be in the most awkward spot in their wardrobe seeing as I haven’t had to use it in quite a while).

Once the vaporisor was bubbling away and I felt satisfied that it was doing its job I kept checking on her and went to bed around 1am. Got up again at 4am to check her and see if the vaporisor was still going. Unfortunately because there was a strange light and noise in their room, both girls woke up at 5am!! My hubby was wonderful and got up with them and left me in bed.

Do you deal with croup? It doesn’t scare me at all, I’ve never had a situation where I couldn’t get their breathing back to a reasonable state. Oh and when I said I thought I knew what to do I meant that things have changed since I was a kid. I didn’t know about the steroid medicine until I asked a Doctor friend at our church whether I was meant to heat the room with an oil heater or use a vaporisor. He replied saying that these days its neither if its bad, they have the steroid medicine instead. It is however only for when they have croup very badly. I figured I’d cover all the bases and the result this morning? Little L is breathing better and as a bonus, her already curly hair was super ringlets from the humidity (see above pic)!

I’m glad she’s all better my poor little munchkin.

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Family / Tags: , ,

You Know There’s Been Lots of Playing When….

October 19, 2011 / Molly / No comments

When the dressups take up nearly a whole line on the washing line you know theres been a lot of playing going on! These school holidays have been full to the brim with outings, playing at home and getting some big things marked off the task list. Miss K has been busy in-between everything else making things using her Fairy creations book that Little L gave her for her birthday. Little L has been happy for the most part that her sister is around, they play well together most of the time.

School holidays are over now and we are launching into term 4. Here are some stats:

1. There are 68 days until Christmas
2. There are 9 weeks in this school term (Tuesday 18 October – Wednesday 14 December)
3. That equals 45 days of school
4. That also equals 8 weekends
5. There are 74 days left in the year

Time to do a few of (what has become) my usual list of things to start the term off well including:

Baking our massive pile of bikkies
Bleaching socks (although this term she’s likely to need sandals)
Soaking any bags, lunchboxes and drink bottles
Getting out the uniform for this term

Better get moving!

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Family / Tags: , , ,

The week of Madness and Fun

October 8, 2011 / Molly / No comments

Hello! I’m still here although I’m a bit worn out at this end of the week. The main reason I haven’t blogged is the same as lot of busy Aussie Mums at this time of year, its the school holidays, well in WA it is anyway, many other states are finished their break and are already into term 4. We still have one week of holidays and can I tell you, we need it!! Here’s what we did this week, madness I tell you!

Sun – church (am), Hubby and I attended the opening of the Metrochurch Art Awards where I have entered my painting. I had zero expectations to win anything as it was my first exhibition entry in a very long time. The awards were very well done and the winner was very deserving. My only disappointment was where my painting was hung. It was as if the curator just didn’t know where to put mine so it was up the back, in a corner which isn’t ideal for a portrait. I also think it was placed amongst a lot of student work.

Mon - knowing the crazy week ahead we stayed home but the first half of the morning was all about painting and playdough. Not just any painting though, Miss K wanted to paint on canvas so I gave her a few to try out, one bigger one and two little ones. I’ll share the finished products a little later but here she is hard at work:

We then did a fair bit of cooking knowning we’d need snacks for the car and train trips we were going to take later in the week:


We made choccy bikkies, cheese sticks and pumpkin soup.

Tues – We all got in the car and drove about two hours to a town called Williams where my hubby’s Chaplaincy mentor lives. I’ll share pics from that later. Its wildflower season here in Western Australia so it was a very pretty ride:

Wed - The girls went to their Grandparents, I worked on a polymer clay order and hubby had Chaplaincy meetings and work to do! Then, later in the arvo, once the girls were back my cousin came around and took some photos of the girls. He runs a fantastic wedding and portrait photography business.

Thurs - Off we went to the Royal Show. Originally we weren’t going at all and then I won an adult ticket through our local paper. When we went to pick it up the lady gave us a second ticket so we all got in for free! Yay! Again, will blog properly later but heres a couple of pics:


The girls on their first ever show ride.



Fri - The final day of rushing and madness, we went to a Colin Buchanan concert at Koorong. The concert was great but getting there was not so great. I decided to take the stroller even though little L is already 3 because she tends to be a bit of a runner. I decided I needed a way to restrain her, especially seeing as it was just myself and the girls. Pushing a 3 yr old in a stroller up and down ramps and hills is no fun I tell you.

Our bus was late so we missed the first train and then I couldn’t work out how to get to Koorong from the train station. By the time we got to Koorong I was puffing and hot and so were the girls and then they told me I had to go all the way around the other side of the building. Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling all that ‘godly’ by the time we sat down (right up the back of course due to being late) but it didn’t take long for Colin’s songs to penetrate and I was relaxed.

The girls had fun and really enjoyed the songs. Miss K wanted the CD but we’ve put that down for a Christmas present. My major disappointment was that Colin didn’t hang around afterwards to have photos or sign anything, he just disappeared from the stage and that was it. Here’s some pics:


One of Colin’s characters

After that we trained back to the city and I grabbed some lunch and some ice cream for the girls. We had a bit of a wander while waiting for hubby to pick us up (he was working in the city for the day). We went and had a look at the new cactus sculpture in Forrest Place:

The girls were so good for me in the city!

Today we are recuperating from our mad week and I’m catching up on a weeks washing, more than usual seeing as Miss K wore normal clothes this week instead of a uniform. The following week will be full of playing with new toys from the show and Miss K’s recent birthday, working outside, clearing out the shed and other bits n pieces.

How’s your school holidays going?

Category: All Sorts of Things, Art, Darling Daughters, Family / Tags: , , , , ,

An Apron for Miss K

October 2, 2011 / Molly / No comments

On Miss K’s birthday this year, while she was in school I decided that I wanted to make her something extra. I dug through my patterns and fabric and found this one. The pattern is an adult size but I made a few adjustments and this can easily be adjusted as she grows.

Got to add ric rac! I love the old fashioned feel of it and it finished off the pockets nicely.

Instead of changing the length of the neck strap I added a press stud so it can be let out later on.

And of course, being the girly girl she is I had to add frills! I love that I bought this frill trim when we were in Cairns one time. Nice to have a link to family.

Overall I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I’m such a slow sewer that this took me the good part of a day! Having said that, I was sewing with Little L in tow so lots of interruptions. Miss K loves the apron and she looks very sweet wearing it.

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Sewing / Tags: , , ,

Miss K Turns 6

September 27, 2011 / Molly / One comment

I am amazed to say that my biggest little girl turned six last week. How time flies! She had a bit of a birthday ‘week’ with a few presents spread throughout, celebrations at school and on the day as well as a bit of a washed out beach birthday BBQ with her grandparents and ourselves. She’s getting so tall now and with swimming lessons happening over these last couple of weeks I can see potential for her as a swimmer (although not sure about those early morning starts!). She’s sweet, bright and bubbly and gorgeous. Here’s a couple of shots from her birthday celebrations:


Birthday cake


She wanted a beach cake. Boy that palm tree was hard to get right.


Cupcakes for school


Breakfast table set up ready for her the night before.

She got some lovely presents and all the things she asked for! She had just enough requests to spread them around the family. Last year you might remember that we had a girly robot party, this year it was family only as we alternate parties. I don’t think I actually blogged about Little L’s party this year (which was a music theme). I’ll have to see about that!

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Family / Tags: , ,

Miss K’s Artwork

September 1, 2011 / Molly / One comment

I’m so proud of Miss K, she is getting so great at drawing and putting her ideas on paper. These are some of the pictures she’s brought home from school lately. She’s nearly 6 and I think these are just fantastic! (I could be a little biased though):

Category: Art, Darling Daughters / Tags: , ,

Tupperware Cookie Cutters

August 29, 2011 / Molly / No comments

A few months ago I was in an op shop and came across these. I’m fairly sure that my Mum had these when I was a kid although I think these are cutters with US holidays on them. They are still great and nostalgic and funky so I got them for the girls to use. Its been over six months and I forgot they were there until the other day. I rolled out this very crumbly chocolate ginger bread dough and Little L and I got to work.

After making a heap of these we got on to making tiny gingerbread men, lots of them!

Little L enjoyed pressing out the shapes but also eating the dough when I wasn’t looking! Tis a messy business this cooking!

The end result was a big pile of tupperware shaped bikkies ready to ice later and a nice top up of the small bikkie jar:

I did like the tupperware shapes but I had to make sure I floured them well each time or else they stuck to the dough. Did you have these as a kid?

Category: All Sorts of Things, Cooking, Darling Daughters / Tags: , , , ,

A Simple Cubby House

August 27, 2011 / Molly / No comments

In-between the rain showers there have been more and more slightly sunny days as we hurtle towards spring. Little L and I have been taking advantage of the sunshine as much as we can although the wind is still a bit cold. To combat the wind the other day I set up this little cubby house for her to shelter her. She loved it of course.

This is nothing more than some sheets, pegs, two chairs, some bath mats and two crates. She ran inside to get her baby doll and I got her some books. She played happily under there for a while before getting another crate and making it into a row boat. I love their imagination at this age!

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, play /

A Dolls High Chair Made Over

August 18, 2011 / Molly / One comment

I just love using freecycle. We’ve picked up quite a few great items using it (which I’ll share on another post). This is our latest acquisition, a doll’s high chair. I love that its hand made and wood and big enough for any of her dolls. This one was originally a matte baby blue with stickers stuck all over it. I bought a couple of cans of high gloss enamel white paint and set to work. Took a bit of covering but the result is gorgeous! Little L loves it as it was part of her birthday present which she had a short while ago (which I still haven’t blogged about!!). Do you use freecycle? What have been some of your best pickups?

Category: All Sorts of Things, Darling Daughters, Family, Thrift/Op Shopping / Tags: , ,
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