inner pickle

ode to three

Three years old, that is. 

My Mum, who now has eight grandchildren, has a lovely rule that she must have a three year old photo of each of them.

Before three, they're toddlers, after that, they are really turning into  little people (and can go through a cheesy photo stage.) So three it is. And it's a lovely, lovely age, right?

We have never had professional photos taken of our family, something I'd love to change but we've never found a photographer at the right time or in the right state (would love love love this amazing person to take a set of family shots for us - sadly I discovered her after we'd left Brisbane!)

Anyway, I was thinking of Mum's 'three' photo when flicking through these ones of Tilly at Pyrmont Park this week (thanks to reader Renee for the park tip! What a great park!)

Tilly is right at delightful three-and-a-half... still little but not big.

You know what I mean.

Soloist.

Girl in nature.

Treasure. (The stick.)   

Treasure. (The Tilly.)

Here's to treasuring precious days with smallies or whatever it is you're doing today.

xxx 

 

notes from cockatoo island

1. It wouldn't be a Walmsley family outing if we didn't eat lunch on the way there. (At morning tea time.) Vegemite sandwich anyone? On the ferry from Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island.

2. It's the Biennale of Sydney. Installation art all over the island. A jumping castle that is art? that you can't jump on? Whose bright idea was that? *stomp stomp stomp*

3. Some of the installations are really quite fabulous (a.k.a alarming).

4. A roomful of tin roofs. Pussy cat in her element.

5. Bit of alfresco breastfeeding. La la la. 

6. Does anything bother this little person? Ah, no. 

7. All kinds of fabulous industrial spaces. Adam-heaven. (He dreams of our family moving to an enormous re-fitted old warehouse one day. In fact, I have the ripped out real estate pages in front of me to prove it.)

 8. Home again, home again, jiggedy jig. Ivy in her little chair in the corner of the kitchen. Making trouble, as usual.

9. Favourite unphotographed moment of the day: Henry licking Adam's face, seeing if olive skin tasted like olives. 

xxx
      

 

school holidays

Turns out I've carried my love of school holidays into adulthood, now that I have a school-aged person in the house.

There's something about the rhythm of term-time receding into a break that is good for everyone. Gives us a sense of re-charging. 

It has been totally wonderful having Adam off work for these holidays, because if my energy flags, he's all go go go - let's get out and do stuff! And so we are. 

The kids fall into bed at night and Ivy is still only waking up every three or four hours so our eyes aren't falling out of our heads as those of parents of newborns often are. Very grateful for this break.

Sydney Park today, one of the coolest parks in Sydney (and damn you've got to love a park that has a kiosk making good coffee!!) 

xxx  
 

weekend moments

Favourite takeaway, lunchtime Saturday:

Favourite almost-six-year-old:

Favourite three-and-a-half-year-old in her favourite photo-pose:

New favourite picnic spot:

 With this view:

Favourite cardigan:

And thievery of his Dad's favourite accessories:

(Frisking him for the iPhone.)

Hope you had a lovely weekend. 

xxx 

    

zooland(er)

So while we're on the subject of zoo-land (weren't we?) guess where we went this weekend?

Taronga. It has to be the best zoo in the world, surely.  

So much fun. So many amazing things to see and talk about. 

And because I am a Class A Dork (as you know)  I was probably less excited about seeing Pathi Harn, the very little, very cute new baby elephant than the big eco demo house and garden. In fact, no photos of Pathi but about 8 of the vegie and herb gardens. Dork. Told you. 

And this is an un-enhanced picture of the view from right near the pygmy hippo's enclosure:

Those pygmy hippos. View and a pool. Awesome real estate. 

And one more of Tilly sleeping through a walking excursion (only the end bit as we were leaving.) Tuckered out little person. The only time she stopped talking about the giraffes. 

xxx

  

bushwalk

Tomorrow is Australia Day (or, perhaps, Invasion Day) and what is more Australian than going for a bushwalk? 

We are lucky to have Adam with us for an extended weekend (4 days!) so the four of us (plus our wee carry-on) ventured out into nearby bush.

Gorgeous.

And interesting. I look at this rock wall and think rock wall, shame about the graffiti; Adam looks at it and says "LOOK kids, a climbing wall! See the anchors embedded in the rock? Cool, hey!"

  

Henry busily collected sticks which he called 'camping sticks'. 

 Tilly collected rocks.

(The violent yellow t-shirt meant we couldn't lose her: a new favourite from Ad's Auntie Mit.)

I remember feeling up trees as a kid too...

And the perfect bushwalking morning tea (at the very first picnic area we came to):

Speaking of food, I will post a day 6 and 7 this week for 'kids food'. I'm just not posting them sequentially! (Dinner tonight was roast chicken in fresh bread rolls by the beach with friends!)

And in other news, Tilly has discovered the joy of sleep again and so have we. 

Bet I just jinxed it.

xxx

 
 

old friends and new little ones

So another really sucky mid winter weekend in Sydney:

Clareville. Horribleness galore.

I have this lovely old friend Tamsin (who used to be Tammy when I knew her, but we were five), who lives in Avalon, a stones throw from Clareville Beach, in Sydney's northern beaches.

How's this for coincidence: when Adam and I were first dating (thirteen years ago), in fact, I think it was actually our first date (a party at his house), Tamsin arrived and saw me and was totally surprised, about as surprised as I was, and we were all: how do you fit into this picture?? We were a long way from Gerringong or Tamworth, where Tams family moved when we were in high school.

Turns out Ad shared a house with Tams and two others in Canberra for their last year of uni. They grilled a lot of eggplant together. Cool, hey! 

Now Tams has gorgeous twins:

Saskia

and Imogen. Gorgeous northern beaches babes with sand in their toes and curls in their hair. Divine.

So we hung out here:

and played in the sand and caught up on a few years worth of news.

Tams fed us AMAZING Apricot and Lemon Cake and Carrot Cookie Sandwiches. For both of which I begged the recipes and will re-make and blog soon! 

I did make the Thai Fish Curry again that I talked of here, but although it tasted divine, it partially split (perils of coconut milk and lemon and lime). I fixed it, but want to make again before I blog it. It's the most delicious thing, I want it to be easy for you to make!!

Meanwhile, we'll settle for beaches and friends and sun hats in August.

xxx