THESE DAYS (POPPIES + PEEKABOO)

Poppies from the farmers market - bright oranges and yellows, then later in the week new blooms appeared in peach and pink /
Dining table scene /
A fallen Autumn leaf collected on our day out at the Botanic Gardens /
Full fruit bowl - we have been devouring new season apples and pears /
Delicious, crusty no-knead spelt bread using this recipe /
Peekaboo! /
Everly's latest 'game': pulling the shoelaces out of her shoes (fun for Everly but not fun for Mum, especially when we're running late for playgroup!) /
Autumn leaves collected and taped to the playroom wall /
A single bloom on the bathroom windowsill in lovely late afternoon light. Whenever I buy a bunch of flowers I like to scatter single blooms about the house - the bathroom, the lounge, on the bedside table. Flowers make me happy! /

Joining Emily from The Beetle Shack in a weekly collection of snaps. 

26/52 + RAW CHOCOLATE RECIPE

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, for 2013. 

Evidence of a lazy day at home in pyjamas and dressing gowns, snacking on homemade raw chocolate. 

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

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Raw chocolate

130 g (2/3 cup) organic coconut oil

80 g (1/4 cup) organic maple syrup (or raw honey)

60 g (1/2 cup) cacao powder

40 g (1/2 cup) organic shredded coconut

150 g (1 cup) whole organic almonds, chopped

Place coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl and stand in warm water until melted. (Alternatively, place in a saucepan or bain marie over very low heat.) Add cacao, shredded coconut and chopped almonds and stir to combine. Pour evenly into a dish lined with baking paper, and set in the fridge for 15 minutes (or for 5 minutes in the freezer if you can't wait that long!). Slice into squares and enjoy! 

THESE DAYS

These are the only photos I managed to snap at the farmer's market on Sunday before my camera battery went flat. Devouring apple rings (despite Everly's intense frowning face, they are a favourite treat of hers!) and then pistachio nuts, it appears the only way I can get a decent photo of this girl at the moment is while she's eating!

There is not much variety in my collection this week I'm afraid, but I didn't pick up the camera until Sunday, and silly me didn't check the battery life before we left home. We had a busy week of playgroup, collecting our organic co-op order, catch-ups with friends, and getting caught out in a storm (hello soggy shoes!) with a flat car battery. (Hmmm, there seems to be a flat battery theme this week...)

Joining Emily from The Beetle Shack in a weekly collection of snaps. 

25/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, for 2013.

At the farmer's market on this chilly Sunday morning, snacking on one of her favourite treats: sulphur-free sun-dried apple rings from our favourite local organic apple farm.

I didn't have much time last week to browse through blogs, but I did enjoy this cute shot of little Penny and her camera!

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

24/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, for 2013. 

At Willunga Farmer's Market on a chilly and wet Saturday morning. We devoured coffee and spelt bread, Everly played with Mark while I rummaged through the local op-shop (I found two lovely dresses for Everly and a crocheted blanket), and we ran through the grass and threw pebbles in the creek. We drove through the streets of Willunga and then on further through the surrounding countryside, pausing at blocks with For Sale signs, admiring the rolling hills, wide green pastures, cows and horses. Then we turned back for the long drive home with a snoozing little one in her carseat, while in hushed voices Mark and I talked about our hopes and dreams for our little family.

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

23/52 {THE BIRTHDAY PARTY EDITION}

This photo pretty much sums up how Everly felt about her second birthday party!

(In case you can't tell, she had an absolute ball!)

We celebrated with close family and friends at a little community centre for a casual morning tea (which turned into lunch!), serving up yummy vegetarian sausage rolls (using this spelt puff pastry recipe), mini quiches, sandwiches, veggies with hummus and dukkah (Thanks Abby!), and a big bowl of popcorn cooked in coconut oil and sea salt. We finished up with blowing out two candles on chocolate cupcakes (vegan using this delicious recipe, with spelt flour, rapadura sugar and coconut oil substitutes). (I was pretty proud of myself for managing to serve up 'healthy' party food to suit Everly's dietary requirements, and many of our friends also eat the same way or are vegetarian/vegan). There were no games or party bags (I will leave that stress to future years!). The kids played, and the adults talked. The sun shone and the weather was perfect. It truly was a beautiful and memorable day. Everly is so blessed to have so many amazing and loving people in her life!

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

EVERLY IS TWO

She woke early and we called out 'Happy birthday!' as we opened her door and smothered her with birthday kisses. She ran through streamers strung from her door frame, into the kitchen where her birthday ring* and gifts were waiting on the table. She listened intently as I told her birthday story, lighting the candles as I spoke - the star candle to celebrate her birth and the day we became parents, and then another two candles for her first and second birthdays.

She opened the card all by herself ("No, my do it!"), tearing the envelope at the corner and ripping it open with her finger, just like Mama (I am constantly amazed by how much she observes and mimics). In a little felt bag hid four tiny gnomes, lovingly handmade by the dear Steph from This Brown Wren**. Wrapped in playcloths (handmade by our playgroup leader - Thanks Lila!) were a butterfly puzzle and two books: The Terrible Plop (a little too long for her at the moment, so we'll revisit in a couple of months) and A Bit Lost (quickly a crowd favourite).

Hiding in the loungeroom was her final birthday surprise - a play farm we set up the night before on a green playcloth, with handcrafted wooden animals from local woodmaker Heinz Huxholl, felt trees I made the night before (nothing like the last minute!), and a little pond and mud patch simply cut from wool felt. I will always remember the look on Everly's face as she walked into the lounge. How magical it would be to be a child again!

She enjoyed pancakes for breakfast, a visit from Oma (who came bearing gifts of art supplies and new shoes), a play at the park, chasing balloons around the house, and her favourite for dinner (chicken schnitzels, mashed potato and fennel salad).

Happy birthday to my Everly, my caring, clever, independent and funny little girl who thinks farts are hilarious (they are!), talks all day long, and is a constant source of delight and wonder. I still can't quite believe you are TWO! I love you so much.

*Originally a German tradition, the birthday ring is now also commonly used in Waldorf-inspired families. Typically, the ring is filled with candles as well as ornaments that hold a particular meaning for the child. We chose the rocking horse to symbolise Everly's first birthday as she loved anything to do with horses (she still does!) and she received a large wooden rocking horse as her gift from Mark and I. The dog ornament is for her second birthday as she adores our dog Billy, points to every dog we see when out n' about, and imitates all the dogs in her Hairy Maclary books. I filled the rest of the ring with rocks, shells and leaves we have collected together from our trips to the beach and neighbourhood walks, as well as the crystal she received at playgroup when the story of the Rainbow Bridge was told. 

**Steph, Everly was absolutely delighted by the gnomes! They have been on many cartrips already, clutched tightly in her hand. I'm sure they will continue to be treasured for many years. Thank you again!

THESE DAYS

A friend of Everly's from playgroup, Adelaide, turned three on Monday, and so Everly experienced her first 'big kid' birthday party. I have a terrible habit of hanging around the food table at parties, and it appears my daughter has the same affliction, as I observed her slowly working her way through the popcorn supplies! She was obsessed with the trampoline, but was too frightened to go on with the big kids - you can see her in the last photo above, gripping the edge and peering in. There were a couple of moments when the trampoline was free, so Everly took her opportunity to quickly have a turn - a blur of jumping and giggles and so much happiness! Abby, Adelaide's Mum, did an amazing job with the birthday cake (vegan and gluten free, to suit everybody's food intolerances). I always love to watch children flock around a birthday cake to 'help' remove the candles for cutting, whilst sneakily enjoying fingertips of icing.

Everly had such a great time, joining in with the other children on the treasure hunt and the egg and spoon balancing. I saw glimpses of the little girl she is becoming. Everly will be two on Thursday. My little baby is growing up!