This moment

It's Friday again. Here's a moment I caught this week.

Housewife...

I'm not in the habit of using my blog to complain, but this morning I just can't help it! It's only 8.16 am and this is what I have done so far:

1. Got up at 6.00 am despite Charlie waking me about 7 times in the night;
2. Discovered I'd forgotten to make bread last night had to think of something for 5 lunchboxes.Hmmm....Bacon and cheese wholemeal muffins for lunch and chocolate muffins for morning tea.A bit carb heavy, but it'll have to do;
3. Made Charlie's breakfast, which he promptly spread all over the table, highchair and floor;
4. Cleaned up Charlie's breakfast;
5. Argued with the eldest son about his life choices (really too early in the day for that!);
   
6. Packed Callum (18 years old!) lunch;
7. Packed Mike's lunch (49 years old!);
8. Ironed Mike's workshirt;
9. Sent the 4 oldest off with a sigh...Peace at last;
   
10. Dressed a wriggling, squirming 19 month old;
11. Put the nappies in the dryer;
12. Brought the laundry up from the dryer;
13. Drove Freya to the bus stop.
    

I feel like I've done a day's work, but have hardly begun. There's so much laundry banking up, I MUST,MUST,MUST endeavour to fold and put it away.

You know, I mostly love my job.People marvel at the fact that I have five children, but honestly I don't feel it is a big deal, and I truly love it.I feel priveliged and fulfilled being a mum. But the housework...I could give that a big miss!

Any advice on how to lessen the load in terms of housework, I'll take it!

This Moment {Thanks Soule Mama}

Here's a moment that is seen quite often around here.
Thankyou for the inspiration Soule Mama:
http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/03/this-moment-1.html

One Small Change;March

February's small change is going really well. I only use one disposible nappy a day, at night. The new nappies,Baby Beehinds [http://www.babybeehinds.com.au/store/pc/Cloth-Nappies-c2.htm] are the best I have used to date.I really wish I'd bought them from the start, but I have to admit that I found the price a bit too high.Now I see why it would have been worth spending a little more, the nappies are such high quality, fit so well, and are a pleasure to use.

No, the company isn't paying me! It's just so nice to have found a product that is worth the cost, and does the job so well!

So now that I have the February change licked, what's next ( a little late I know!March is almost half way through)? The change isn't really a change, but rather something I've been trying to do for a while.And it is a kind of reusing, recycling.

I thought it might be a good idea to use up the fabric scraps and lovely shirts/clothing I no longer wear to make a quilt for my bed.

So, I gathered all my linen and cotton clothing I no longer wear(my tastes and needs have changed) and started cutting them into squares, using an envelope as my template! I have started to sew the patches together, but it is a long way from finished. I'll post a couple of pictures to show the progress.

My new Yoga bag

Look at this lovely bag I made yesterday, to carry my yoga mat in. Isn't it pretty? I bought the fabrics from Etsy[ http://www.etsy.com/] on line. I buy it from a lovely little etsy shop called "fabricworm".It's a mixture of Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks fabric and Amy Butler fabric. I got the pattern from Amy Butler's site - it was free - and so easy to make.I added a drawstring to the top. [http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/free_patterns.php] Amy Butler's patterns and fabrics are beautiful.Very addictive!

I just ordered some more fabric from them to add to my scrap quilt(more on that another day).I can't wait for the parcel to arrive!

It's got me fired up to do more sewing.

Tasty Tomatoes

Oh my goodness, the hard work and netting has paid off! We have had a great harvest of tomatoes, and are still picking them every couple of days. We've had enough to eat them fresh whenever we want, and I was able to roast a tray of them, with garlic cloves to make a wonderful Spanish rice for dinner a couple of days ago.

I started by frying a chopped red onion, along with a small red capsicum and green capsicum(also chopped).I also added a teaspoon of sweet paprika and chopped basil. Then I added 2 cups of long grain rice, stirred that in to coat with oil. Then I put the beautiful roasted tomatoes in (or you can use 2 cups of pasta sauce or tinned tomatoes), I also added the roasted garlic (I roasted a whole head of garlic, in the skin, then squeezed out the lovely soft flesh into the rice). Add 2 cups of hot chicken stock and stir. Let it cook on the stove, stirring occasionally, and adding more stock if necessary. I did this til the rice was cooked, then I added some cooked chicken (but chorizo,prawns or other meat would be fine) and the corn kernels from 2 cobs. Heat through and "ta-dah", yummy dinner. The whole family loved it, even the wee one.

I think those fresh roasted tomatoes made all the difference.

We also had an amazing crop of beans, picked them daily, but they are finished now and I have collected seed for next year.

The little self sown broccoli plants have come up, but I am not sure if they'll survive. We are having dry day after dry day, and I'm still not very good at regular watering! Hopefully some will survive.

Yoga Bliss

Last night I went to my second yoga class for the year.I am so glad I have made the commitment to go to the class, as I found it so hard to go regularly last year. I made it a resolution for this year, and it is one I want to continue. I come out of the class feeling inches taller, feeling totally relaxed and energised.

My teacher, Tarsha, is amazing. She is gentle and gives very clear explanations about the poses, the health benefits, and the alternative poses. I learn so much from her, and I love the slow pace of the class. Other classes I have attended didn't feel as gentle and healing.

She has been teaching us about the "chakras". Here is a brief description:

The spine and the human energy field contain chakras, or energy centers, that vibrate at different frequencies. Each chakra presents us with the opportunity to establish a root relationship and to satisfy a deep soul desire. Each frequency holds the gift of a certain power, which enhances our human experience on Planet Earth. As we tune into this power, we are internally empowered to deal with the specific life challenges of that energy center or chakra and as a consequence to live more whole, meaningful and fulfilling lives.(from http://www.kundaliniyoga.org/chakramain.html)

So far we have concentrated on the Root Chakra and the Sacral Chakra.
The Base or Root Chakra located at the very bottom of the spine, the Root Chakra governs issues around physical self-preservation. These issues include survival, security and safety, as well as primal erotic and procreational urges.

This chakra is the grounding force that allows us to connect to the earth energies and empower our being.

The tasks of the second chakra include allowing for emotional and sensual movement in our life, opening to pleasure, and learning how to "go with the flow." Associated with the hips, sacrum, lower back, genitals, womb, bladder, and kidneys, this chakra is involved with sensuality, sexuality, emotions, intimacy, and desire. All watery things about us have to do with this chakra: circulation, urination, menstruation, orgasm, tears. Water flows, moves, and changes, and a healthy second chakra allows us to do so too.

I find it all very interesting and I loved doing the colour visualisations during the meditation. We had a whole 20 minutes of relaxation/meditation. Bliss!

I cannot tell you how wonderful yoga is.Honestly, it really is that good! So if you want to relax,strengthen your body, feel bliss, give it a go....