Our week

Everly and I spent the last week living at my Mum and Dad's while Mark painted our kitchen/dining, laundry and toilet. Ceilings, walls, skirtings, window frames, door frames. My amazing husband used the Anzac Day public holiday, two days of annual leave and his entire weekend to get it finished in time, only stopping for a quick lunch break. He is truly awesome! The walls were a horrible dirty grey, now they are a crisp white to suit the rest of the house (which we painted before Everly was born). We also (finally!) had our vintage industrial light shade installed, after it had been sitting in storage for two years. It sits directly above our dining table (which isn't in the picture as we hadn't moved the furniture back in yet). I'm in love!

Everly loved looking out the windows at her Oma and Nonno's. Our house was built in the 50s so the windows are all adult waist height, so she was loving the fact she could see outside into the garden from every room of their house!

We recently signed up to a CSA (community supported agriculture) with Jupiter Creek Farm and we received our first box of organic fruit and veg on Thursday. Our usual shopping routine is Sunday mornings as a family to the farmers market for fruit, veg, eggs and bread, then Everly and I take a solo trip to the central market on Tuesdays to buy meat, dried goods and gluten free/dairy free things, and fruit and veg we can't get on Sundays, like bananas. But with our weekends full for the next month or so (birthdays, baby showers, weddings), it will be impossible for us to get to the farmers market. So I decided to give Jupiter Creek a go. It will be different menu planning after instead of before, and I'm really going to miss our Sunday morning adventures, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Even if we do it for a couple of months until our weekends quieten down.

Especially if we get delicious organic produce like this every week - a pomegranate, shared in the backyard with Mark and Everly (and Billy).

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Chocolate coconut bliss balls recipe

I made a double batch of these yesterday as my 'treats' for the week (the problem is how to justify several 'treats' a day when these are in my fridge!) and I thought you might like the recipe. If you make them, please tell me what you think!

Chocolate coconut bliss balls
Makes approx 15 balls
These chocolate coconut balls are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, sugar free and vegan but, best of all, they are delicious! Sweetened naturally with dates, one of these easily satisfies my sweet tooth (well, for at least an hour!). The mixture should be quite clumpy when combined, and it shouldn't stick to your hands too much when rolling into balls. If you find the mixture is too sticky add a little more coconut and/or cocoa to taste. The chia seeds give them a lovely crunch but can easily be omitted. I recommend using a good quality European cocoa powder. Oh, and I challenge you to stop at just one!

1 cup dried dates, pitted
1/3 cup cocoa, sifted
1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
extra desiccated coconut for decoration

Place the dates in a food processor or blender, cover with half a cup of boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Process or blend into a paste. Transfer the date paste to a medium sized mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well until combined. Using your hands, roll a tablespoon of mixture at a time into balls, then roll in coconut until covered. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and enjoy!

Everly and Jimi

Mark gave me a Jimi Hendrix record for my birthday a couple of weeks ago - we put it on and Everly promptly crawled to the TV cabinet, pulled herself up, then started shaking her head back and forth while bouncing up and down and wobbling her leg to the beat. She'd never done this before so, as you can imagine, we were pretty excited (please excuse my giggling and terrible singing!) She now 'dances' whenever she hears music. Oh I love this girl to bits!

the small things

I'm not quite sure where to go with this blog. I have written about 10 posts in my head this past month, but in my head they have stayed. I am in a constant struggle between keeping this creative outlet alive but also feeling that, at this point in my life, I need to be present more than ever. Enjoying the moment, being in the now, creating memories. Rather than worrying about capturing them.

I have also changed as a person since Everly came into my life. I used to spend hours looking at design blogs, buying little pieces of art and handmade, spending days moving rooms, spring cleaning and redecorating. Having a little one has changed everything. Time, mainly. But my focus has shifted. Less clutter. More simplicity. Less cleaning. More happy mess. Less frantic and busy. More slowing down. Less possessions. More happiness.

Being on one income has a lot to do with it, too. I now spend most of my time menu planning to fit a tight budget. No quick takeaways. No eating out. We now have a little person's clothes and shoes to buy (and, oh my, do they grow out of everything so quickly!) And, of course, there's no extra money to buy those lovely things I see on blogs.

It has definitely made me look around and appreciate the small things in life. To prioritise love, family, health and happiness over a beautiful house, nice clothes and other less important things.  

Maybe I just need to change the focus of this blog to just that - the everyday.

Until I figure it out, I'm going to enjoy this unseasonably hot April weather by splashing about in a fluro pink pool in the backyard, playing and laughing with my girl.

Apologies if you have already seen these photos on instagram.