Right now

Ok, this is the fourth attempt to write this post in as many weeks. Firstly, before I forget (and I reminded myself with this photo) THANK YOU all for your wonderful, kind, inspirational and nagging comments on my last post. They have most definitely helped me to get back here again ( I respond well to nagging but we'll ignore the fact that it has taken over eight weeks).

My last attempt at a " Right now" post dragged on over about four weeks and became completely confusing so it is sitting in drafts while I pretend it does not exist. This attempt is going to be done tonight and I am absolutely not going to fall asleep doing it.

Right now it has been almost a year since we moved back home after the renovation. There was a flurry of renovating activity back in Summer and then after Easter it stalled pretty much through all of winter. Now that we are coming out the other side of months of winter illness the motivation is coming back. Right now there are six completed rooms in the house, four that are half finished (undercoated) and another four that are untouched.

Right now, for the first time in as long as anybody can remember, my house is no longer blue. Yep, just yesterday, after seven long weeks of scaffolding and drop sheets and sanding and dust, a lovely painter finished giving Betsy her long awaited new frock. Here is a sneak peek, with some mulberries from my garden.

Right now we are all enjoying the beautiful spring weather and spring blooms.

Right now I am enjoying popping back to a few op shops ( there has been a bit of a hiatus there too) and finding some colour.

I love this pin case as it reminds me of the one my mum used when I was a little girl ( I think hers was the same but pale blue)

Right now these two curbside finds are lining up to get painted. The big one is a boot rack for the laundry, the small is going to transform into a stove for the sandpit.

Right now my girl is super excited to have won the prep prize for most bling'd up scooter on walk or ride to school day. We obviously know how to do good bling in this house.

Right now the kitchen art wall looks like this.

Well, look at that, an entire post written and I am still awake.  I very much hope to share some befores and afters of the last year but for now I am just thankful to be back, even if it is just in the moment of right now.

And so this is Christmas

I thought this was a fitting title given that another year is over and a new one has just begun and I am only just getting this Christmas post finished. My excuse? It's a good one - lots of white paint. Yep, the long painting hiatus is over and there are some rooms getting finished over here, but that is a whole other post.

This Christmas was kind of compressed into a whirlwind few days as we arrived back from Wooli the night before the night before Christmas and needed to fit a lot in. We squeezed the suburban lights in on Christmas eve. This house  had an alternating light show every 15 minutes with a matching musical soundtrack.

We went to the winning street for our side of town which was good but just quietly we think probably not as good as last years winner. There were still some amazing displays and the kids loved the fake snow bubble machines mounted on the roof that would  start intermittently and cover their heads.

Inspired by the map pavlova in the Aldi Christmas catalogue I decided to make my own version. I took progress shots as I suspected the chance of actually pulling this one off without a collapse were slim.

We dug out the Christmas books including this vintage masterpiece I found at the oppie last year but packed away until this year.

Even big kids love pop up books, I just love the vintage colours and pictures.

Liongirl set herself up a cosy chair to peruse the whole pile but this was her telling me she is a big girl now and can read chapter books. She looks convincing for someone faking it until she makes it.

Incredible that after making annual pavlovas for about a decade, this is the first one that did not collapse on removal from the oven. Unsure if that is due to finally having a decent oven or the structural integrity of our glorious continent. There was a dash of continental drift as Tasmania merged back with the mainland but that was easily fixed.

 Despite being up past nine the night before, the kids were up at five, beyond excited to unwrap their presents. It seems that sending Santa a letter requesting not just lego, but the specific numeric lego code for the galaxy squad set that you want, does pay off.

Liongirl was just beside herself with the arrival of that light up pillow pet and the Sylvanian families caravan. We virtually didn't see her for the rest of the day.

Of course given that it was Christmas day and we had both a roast pork and a pavlova in the oven it was the hottest day we have had since we moved home. It's never a proper Christmas until the togs and water pistols come out.

Meanwhile I got to play with my presents,

which were highly coveted by others I might add,

and set the table.

 The new paints were put to good use to create  a painting for Grammy who has her birthday on Christmas day.

Christmas baking was light on this year but we pulled out a last minute effort.

 And finally, we sat down and gobbled that pavlova. I might just have to pop out another one for Australia day I think.

 And that is how you compress a month long ritual into just two days. Happy New Year!

Two weeks of sunshine and colour

As the Christmas break beckons, the end of kindy is finally wrapped up and all I can see is so much seasonal colour all around. The summer sun beats down and all the world is more vibrant. My fox pillow, finished just in time for Liongirl's birthday.

Colourful gifts lovingly unpacked from  the kindy bag.

Oh how I love kindy art work, although that black background did throw me as the only other black thing in this house is the TV.

Shafts of rainbow light striking perfectly placed milk glass.

Rainbow bunting glowing in the morning sun and when the poincianas are in flower, Christmas is just around the corner.

Striking pink peonies thankfully still in season in December, weeks after the wedding anniversary we both forgot.

All that remains of the poor ravaged piñata.

The treasure we will be mowing up for months or even years.

Stumbling across happy play scenes in Liongirl's room.

 Gorgeous bowls for the kindy teachers, to be filled with chocolates and wrapped in cellophane.

One of them could possibly turn up in my Santa sack, no guessing which colour.

More kindy Christmas craft, even more spectacular than the first.

I think this self portrait needs a frame, it certainly won't be used for drying the dishes.

And lastly it appear that the mermaid grotto has a squatter. This cheeky possum had sauntered in one evening through the open deck doors and had no doubt been sniffing around for treats.

Now we can bring on Christmas, I'm almost ready.

Rainbows and thunderstorms

Oh it is a good feeling to be able to walk. Roboboy brought home this timely artwork from school and it is reminding me to count my rainbows.  Last week I was finally up and about and on the receiving end of lots of friends popping over with cake and sharing cups of tea and school news out on the deck.

Meanwhile the thunderstorms have been plentiful too. Real ones, with thunder and lightning and pelting rainfall at school pick up that reminds me of my childhood. This particular afternoon the sky was the most eery green colour as the storm rolled in, I was sure there would be hail, but not at our place.

I am back into doing kindy drop offs again, always nice to see Liongirl's new artwork on the walls,

and even better to unpack the paint- a-plate masterpiece that finally came home in the kindy bag. Our family- that's me with the liberal application of blue lipstick.

Possibly inspired by the arrival of the blue tutu for the upcoming ballet concert. There was much twirling and taking of bows in this outfit the minute it came home.

 A brief foray to the oppies provided just what I needed. A pile of vintage crepe paper for a rainbow fish piñata. I even love the paper parrot label.

A quick dash to the new pop up shop for Everingham and Watson for a special present. So much colour to swoon over.

It seems the humble prawn maybe the next decorating icon.

 And then finally on the weekend, some serious unpacking of boxes in a desperate search for household order, personal sanity and the missing camera charger. While none of these were actually located, at least we found the stash of Peppa Pig toys. Priorities.

Lastly, I managed to eradicate two years of small child filth out of my Eames replica chairs. The specimen on the right is the reason why there is a market for replica chairs.  The specimen on the left is the result of some serious elbow grease and gumption paste.

It is strangely very satisfying to make your white plastic chairs look like they have never, ever had the misfortune of meeting a small child. And perhaps an indication that I am ready to go back to work.

After two weeks of doing not much and altogether too much web browsing, can I suggest you check out this very catchy song What does the fox say? (especially if you have a fox mad child like mine) and if you have small children at all, send them over to Triple Zero to play this free game and learn how to call emergency services. It gives me peace of mind to know that if Mama or Dada fell down and would not wake up that both my kids would know what to do.