We have just been told that we can't live on our farm anymore. Danny only took care of the farm part-time and they are looking for a full-time manager. That news has just shaken everything in our world. We got married on this farm and were looking forward to raising our children here. So this news is devastating.
I am upset because we have to leave but I am also upset for my husband. I know that he feels that he has let us down and this has just completely knocked the wind out of his sails.
So this is the first real test of our marraige. I have to stay strong and support my husband and we have to both work together to get to the silver lining of this cloud. I guess that is buying a farm of our own. We have always wanted to set up our own farm and I guess this has just forced us to move that plan forward. As scary as all that sounds - lots and lots of money that we don't have to be spent - it is also a little exciting. I have never lived in a house that I owned before. I have never been able to paint a wall or put up picture hooks.
So maybe this might just work out for the better....
Ra Ra and Lucy
My two favourite girls are coming to stay for the weekend. Ra Ra (Sarah) is our wonderful god daughter and Lucy is her beautiful sister. They were asked where they wanted to go for the weekend and they said to Natty and Danny's (that's us). We are so excited. There is something so therapeutic about having children around. It makes you stop obsessing over little things and start getting back to basics.
After reading lots of blogs it has changed my view on childrens play. When the girls used to come and stay we would shove a bag of toys in front of them and expect them to play on their own. That used to last for a short time and then they would be looking for something else (They would normally end up in my shoe closest trying on and parading around in my shoes. It's really quite funny).
Now I have gotten some ideas from other people and I think I am going to show them to Ra Ra and Lucy this weekend. Things like getting together a craft box and a dress up box. Maybe do a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt. Try and get them (and me) walking around the farm and looking at everything it has to offer. Rather than sitting inside with some pretty boring toys.
So today is filled with setting those things up from scratch - our house is pretty much like the house you used to go to as kids where there was nothing to do. The child-free friends of your parents where you were expected to come up with something out of thin air to play with. I don't want to be that house for the girls anymore. I want them to have experiences when they come to Natty and Danny's. That is really important for me now and I can't wait to spend the day setting it all up. I will let you know how it goes....
After reading lots of blogs it has changed my view on childrens play. When the girls used to come and stay we would shove a bag of toys in front of them and expect them to play on their own. That used to last for a short time and then they would be looking for something else (They would normally end up in my shoe closest trying on and parading around in my shoes. It's really quite funny).
Now I have gotten some ideas from other people and I think I am going to show them to Ra Ra and Lucy this weekend. Things like getting together a craft box and a dress up box. Maybe do a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt. Try and get them (and me) walking around the farm and looking at everything it has to offer. Rather than sitting inside with some pretty boring toys.
So today is filled with setting those things up from scratch - our house is pretty much like the house you used to go to as kids where there was nothing to do. The child-free friends of your parents where you were expected to come up with something out of thin air to play with. I don't want to be that house for the girls anymore. I want them to have experiences when they come to Natty and Danny's. That is really important for me now and I can't wait to spend the day setting it all up. I will let you know how it goes....
Decluttering
This one is not on the list and I can't believe I missed it. It should have been top of the list! One of the ideas I have gotten from other people's blogs that absolutely makes sense to me is the idea of decluttering the home. Getting rid of all the things that you lug around with you from house to house over years. I am the worst at saying "let's keep that, I'm sure one day we will use it".
So my mission yesterday was to start decluttering my home my kitchen. Here is the before shot of our pantry....
We had our wedding on our farm at the end of February and I haven't touched the pantry since that crazy weekend. Things were starting to pile up on the floor!
So after some organisation this was the end result....
It's amazing how much better this makes you feel! I went on to do the cupboard under the sink (which really needed it!) and the fridge. This really had a great impact on me. I looked around and felt a great sense of achievement. Something before my journey that I would never admit to but now am proud to say it.
I still have a lot of food that I have to get rid of before I can start on my new journey of eating REAL food. Like stocks and pasta and cans of tomatoes. But I will slowly get rid of those things and move onto making my own stock and pasta and growing my tomatoes. That is definitely something to look forward to.
Yesterday I put on a stew in the slow cooker and made pies for the State of Origin - a bit of a tradition in my family. That was followed up with a banana cake for dessert. Danny was very happy! In between all that I was finishing crocheting a pram blanket for my new neice. She lives in Canberra so I want to get it to her as soon as possible. Poor thing must be freezing!
Very much a slow easy day for me and I loved it!!! I really think I could get used to this....
Being Back In Control = Control Freak?
Yesterday was the first day I have been back in control of my whole day for at least 2 weeks.
A quick run down.... I finally got my position at our business set up so I could work from home. I did that for 1 week and it was absolute bliss. I could have washing going while I did reports and put dinner on in between answering emails. I felt completely happy.
Then I decided to fire the manager at our other business which meant that I was the person to take over there and have been working there every day straight for the last 2 weeks. My day was dictated by a roster and that I had to be there to open the store and stay until it closed. It was nothing short of horrible.
Now I have hired another person and yesterday was able to get back to working from home.
So it got me thinking.... now that I have had a taste of working from home I don't think I could do it any other way. Does me not being happy unless I am in control of my day make me a control freak?
I think the realisation that I will never work FOR someone again has just hit me. I will never have to answer to a manager, I will never have "work hours" where I need to be at work between 9 and 5 and I will never have my day determined for me again. How great is that!
My concern is that with me getting comfortable with this lifestyle will I turn into a control freak who can't have any demands put on me? Will I get cranky when my husband or my brother want me to be a work by a certain time? I guess I need to be really conscious of that control freak that lurks inside me (I know it's in there....) and make sure it doesn't become a selfish person who only works for herself. I guess babies will change all of this but in this small window I have to just be with me I think I am going to make the most of it.
A quick run down.... I finally got my position at our business set up so I could work from home. I did that for 1 week and it was absolute bliss. I could have washing going while I did reports and put dinner on in between answering emails. I felt completely happy.
Then I decided to fire the manager at our other business which meant that I was the person to take over there and have been working there every day straight for the last 2 weeks. My day was dictated by a roster and that I had to be there to open the store and stay until it closed. It was nothing short of horrible.
Now I have hired another person and yesterday was able to get back to working from home.
So it got me thinking.... now that I have had a taste of working from home I don't think I could do it any other way. Does me not being happy unless I am in control of my day make me a control freak?
I think the realisation that I will never work FOR someone again has just hit me. I will never have to answer to a manager, I will never have "work hours" where I need to be at work between 9 and 5 and I will never have my day determined for me again. How great is that!
My concern is that with me getting comfortable with this lifestyle will I turn into a control freak who can't have any demands put on me? Will I get cranky when my husband or my brother want me to be a work by a certain time? I guess I need to be really conscious of that control freak that lurks inside me (I know it's in there....) and make sure it doesn't become a selfish person who only works for herself. I guess babies will change all of this but in this small window I have to just be with me I think I am going to make the most of it.
The first step..."The List"
I never thought I would be a person that would do this. I have been a fan of other blogs for only a few months now and never entertained the idea of starting my own. But today I made a decision to start my own blog. Why? Even writing this I can't understand why all of a sudden, on this day, I had to start this blog. But here we are...
I am the queen of lists - I am constantly making lists of what I should do but when it comes to actually getting things done on those lists it never ever happens. I have lists for my work, for my home, of hobbies I want to take up and for all the little things other people have inspired me to do. Have I started on any of those lists - NO! Maybe this is another procrastination or another form of writing a list, I don't know. But my thought is that maybe if I am accountable to you all (that is if anyone ever reads this...) then I might achieve some of the things I really want to do.
Another reason for making this decision is because I would love to have a record of my life for my children. No I don't have any children yet but my husband and I are newlyweds of nearly 4 months and we are ridiculously happy. I thought that I would love our children to read about our lives someday and for me to have an avenue to share it with them.
So I guess the first step is to uncover "the list" so you can see me make my way through it, hopefully with great success.
In no particular order
Why do I need achieve these things? I really really want to simplify our lives. Not only for us but so when we start our family there is a good base to work from. I am in awe of others that live simply everyday and the intention for me is definitely there, I just need some help along the way.
So hopefully you as readers can help me get there through stories of your own lives, or handy hints on achieving the things on my list, or just through good old fashioned encouragement. If nobody ever reads this, then at least I have a journal of my journey in achieving this life for our family....
I am the queen of lists - I am constantly making lists of what I should do but when it comes to actually getting things done on those lists it never ever happens. I have lists for my work, for my home, of hobbies I want to take up and for all the little things other people have inspired me to do. Have I started on any of those lists - NO! Maybe this is another procrastination or another form of writing a list, I don't know. But my thought is that maybe if I am accountable to you all (that is if anyone ever reads this...) then I might achieve some of the things I really want to do.
Another reason for making this decision is because I would love to have a record of my life for my children. No I don't have any children yet but my husband and I are newlyweds of nearly 4 months and we are ridiculously happy. I thought that I would love our children to read about our lives someday and for me to have an avenue to share it with them.
So I guess the first step is to uncover "the list" so you can see me make my way through it, hopefully with great success.
In no particular order
(1) Knit dishcloths
(2) Make rags out of old clothes
(3) Make bread - that means every day
(4) Learn to sew
(5) Photography course
(6) Make household cleaners
(7) Make our own wine
(8) Have surviving indoor pot plants
(9) Plant sunflowers
(10) Make sweets at the start of every week
(11) Make my own pasta
(12) Start composting
(13) Make baby quilts
(14) Knit socks
(15) Make yoghurt
(16) Have a successful vegetable garden
(17) Make soap
(18) Crochet blankets
(19) Give handmade gifts
(20) Always use homemade stocks
(21) Sew bags
(22) Reduce power usage
(23) Make jams and chutneys
(24) Recycle
(25) Make mayonnaise
Why do I need achieve these things? I really really want to simplify our lives. Not only for us but so when we start our family there is a good base to work from. I am in awe of others that live simply everyday and the intention for me is definitely there, I just need some help along the way.
So hopefully you as readers can help me get there through stories of your own lives, or handy hints on achieving the things on my list, or just through good old fashioned encouragement. If nobody ever reads this, then at least I have a journal of my journey in achieving this life for our family....
Monday, June 29, 2009
Kicked out!
We have just been told that we can't live on our farm anymore. Danny only took care of the farm part-time and they are looking for a full-time manager. That news has just shaken everything in our world. We got married on this farm and were looking forward to raising our children here. So this news is devastating.
I am upset because we have to leave but I am also upset for my husband. I know that he feels that he has let us down and this has just completely knocked the wind out of his sails.
So this is the first real test of our marraige. I have to stay strong and support my husband and we have to both work together to get to the silver lining of this cloud. I guess that is buying a farm of our own. We have always wanted to set up our own farm and I guess this has just forced us to move that plan forward. As scary as all that sounds - lots and lots of money that we don't have to be spent - it is also a little exciting. I have never lived in a house that I owned before. I have never been able to paint a wall or put up picture hooks.
So maybe this might just work out for the better....
I am upset because we have to leave but I am also upset for my husband. I know that he feels that he has let us down and this has just completely knocked the wind out of his sails.
So this is the first real test of our marraige. I have to stay strong and support my husband and we have to both work together to get to the silver lining of this cloud. I guess that is buying a farm of our own. We have always wanted to set up our own farm and I guess this has just forced us to move that plan forward. As scary as all that sounds - lots and lots of money that we don't have to be spent - it is also a little exciting. I have never lived in a house that I owned before. I have never been able to paint a wall or put up picture hooks.
So maybe this might just work out for the better....
Friday, June 26, 2009
Ra Ra and Lucy
My two favourite girls are coming to stay for the weekend. Ra Ra (Sarah) is our wonderful god daughter and Lucy is her beautiful sister. They were asked where they wanted to go for the weekend and they said to Natty and Danny's (that's us). We are so excited. There is something so therapeutic about having children around. It makes you stop obsessing over little things and start getting back to basics.
After reading lots of blogs it has changed my view on childrens play. When the girls used to come and stay we would shove a bag of toys in front of them and expect them to play on their own. That used to last for a short time and then they would be looking for something else (They would normally end up in my shoe closest trying on and parading around in my shoes. It's really quite funny).
Now I have gotten some ideas from other people and I think I am going to show them to Ra Ra and Lucy this weekend. Things like getting together a craft box and a dress up box. Maybe do a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt. Try and get them (and me) walking around the farm and looking at everything it has to offer. Rather than sitting inside with some pretty boring toys.
So today is filled with setting those things up from scratch - our house is pretty much like the house you used to go to as kids where there was nothing to do. The child-free friends of your parents where you were expected to come up with something out of thin air to play with. I don't want to be that house for the girls anymore. I want them to have experiences when they come to Natty and Danny's. That is really important for me now and I can't wait to spend the day setting it all up. I will let you know how it goes....
After reading lots of blogs it has changed my view on childrens play. When the girls used to come and stay we would shove a bag of toys in front of them and expect them to play on their own. That used to last for a short time and then they would be looking for something else (They would normally end up in my shoe closest trying on and parading around in my shoes. It's really quite funny).
Now I have gotten some ideas from other people and I think I am going to show them to Ra Ra and Lucy this weekend. Things like getting together a craft box and a dress up box. Maybe do a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt. Try and get them (and me) walking around the farm and looking at everything it has to offer. Rather than sitting inside with some pretty boring toys.
So today is filled with setting those things up from scratch - our house is pretty much like the house you used to go to as kids where there was nothing to do. The child-free friends of your parents where you were expected to come up with something out of thin air to play with. I don't want to be that house for the girls anymore. I want them to have experiences when they come to Natty and Danny's. That is really important for me now and I can't wait to spend the day setting it all up. I will let you know how it goes....
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Decluttering
This one is not on the list and I can't believe I missed it. It should have been top of the list! One of the ideas I have gotten from other people's blogs that absolutely makes sense to me is the idea of decluttering the home. Getting rid of all the things that you lug around with you from house to house over years. I am the worst at saying "let's keep that, I'm sure one day we will use it".
So my mission yesterday was to start decluttering my home my kitchen. Here is the before shot of our pantry....
We had our wedding on our farm at the end of February and I haven't touched the pantry since that crazy weekend. Things were starting to pile up on the floor!
So after some organisation this was the end result....
It's amazing how much better this makes you feel! I went on to do the cupboard under the sink (which really needed it!) and the fridge. This really had a great impact on me. I looked around and felt a great sense of achievement. Something before my journey that I would never admit to but now am proud to say it.
I still have a lot of food that I have to get rid of before I can start on my new journey of eating REAL food. Like stocks and pasta and cans of tomatoes. But I will slowly get rid of those things and move onto making my own stock and pasta and growing my tomatoes. That is definitely something to look forward to.
Yesterday I put on a stew in the slow cooker and made pies for the State of Origin - a bit of a tradition in my family. That was followed up with a banana cake for dessert. Danny was very happy! In between all that I was finishing crocheting a pram blanket for my new neice. She lives in Canberra so I want to get it to her as soon as possible. Poor thing must be freezing!
Very much a slow easy day for me and I loved it!!! I really think I could get used to this....
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Being Back In Control = Control Freak?
Yesterday was the first day I have been back in control of my whole day for at least 2 weeks.
A quick run down.... I finally got my position at our business set up so I could work from home. I did that for 1 week and it was absolute bliss. I could have washing going while I did reports and put dinner on in between answering emails. I felt completely happy.
Then I decided to fire the manager at our other business which meant that I was the person to take over there and have been working there every day straight for the last 2 weeks. My day was dictated by a roster and that I had to be there to open the store and stay until it closed. It was nothing short of horrible.
Now I have hired another person and yesterday was able to get back to working from home.
So it got me thinking.... now that I have had a taste of working from home I don't think I could do it any other way. Does me not being happy unless I am in control of my day make me a control freak?
I think the realisation that I will never work FOR someone again has just hit me. I will never have to answer to a manager, I will never have "work hours" where I need to be at work between 9 and 5 and I will never have my day determined for me again. How great is that!
My concern is that with me getting comfortable with this lifestyle will I turn into a control freak who can't have any demands put on me? Will I get cranky when my husband or my brother want me to be a work by a certain time? I guess I need to be really conscious of that control freak that lurks inside me (I know it's in there....) and make sure it doesn't become a selfish person who only works for herself. I guess babies will change all of this but in this small window I have to just be with me I think I am going to make the most of it.
A quick run down.... I finally got my position at our business set up so I could work from home. I did that for 1 week and it was absolute bliss. I could have washing going while I did reports and put dinner on in between answering emails. I felt completely happy.
Then I decided to fire the manager at our other business which meant that I was the person to take over there and have been working there every day straight for the last 2 weeks. My day was dictated by a roster and that I had to be there to open the store and stay until it closed. It was nothing short of horrible.
Now I have hired another person and yesterday was able to get back to working from home.
So it got me thinking.... now that I have had a taste of working from home I don't think I could do it any other way. Does me not being happy unless I am in control of my day make me a control freak?
I think the realisation that I will never work FOR someone again has just hit me. I will never have to answer to a manager, I will never have "work hours" where I need to be at work between 9 and 5 and I will never have my day determined for me again. How great is that!
My concern is that with me getting comfortable with this lifestyle will I turn into a control freak who can't have any demands put on me? Will I get cranky when my husband or my brother want me to be a work by a certain time? I guess I need to be really conscious of that control freak that lurks inside me (I know it's in there....) and make sure it doesn't become a selfish person who only works for herself. I guess babies will change all of this but in this small window I have to just be with me I think I am going to make the most of it.
Monday, June 22, 2009
The first step..."The List"
I never thought I would be a person that would do this. I have been a fan of other blogs for only a few months now and never entertained the idea of starting my own. But today I made a decision to start my own blog. Why? Even writing this I can't understand why all of a sudden, on this day, I had to start this blog. But here we are...
I am the queen of lists - I am constantly making lists of what I should do but when it comes to actually getting things done on those lists it never ever happens. I have lists for my work, for my home, of hobbies I want to take up and for all the little things other people have inspired me to do. Have I started on any of those lists - NO! Maybe this is another procrastination or another form of writing a list, I don't know. But my thought is that maybe if I am accountable to you all (that is if anyone ever reads this...) then I might achieve some of the things I really want to do.
Another reason for making this decision is because I would love to have a record of my life for my children. No I don't have any children yet but my husband and I are newlyweds of nearly 4 months and we are ridiculously happy. I thought that I would love our children to read about our lives someday and for me to have an avenue to share it with them.
So I guess the first step is to uncover "the list" so you can see me make my way through it, hopefully with great success.
In no particular order
Why do I need achieve these things? I really really want to simplify our lives. Not only for us but so when we start our family there is a good base to work from. I am in awe of others that live simply everyday and the intention for me is definitely there, I just need some help along the way.
So hopefully you as readers can help me get there through stories of your own lives, or handy hints on achieving the things on my list, or just through good old fashioned encouragement. If nobody ever reads this, then at least I have a journal of my journey in achieving this life for our family....
I am the queen of lists - I am constantly making lists of what I should do but when it comes to actually getting things done on those lists it never ever happens. I have lists for my work, for my home, of hobbies I want to take up and for all the little things other people have inspired me to do. Have I started on any of those lists - NO! Maybe this is another procrastination or another form of writing a list, I don't know. But my thought is that maybe if I am accountable to you all (that is if anyone ever reads this...) then I might achieve some of the things I really want to do.
Another reason for making this decision is because I would love to have a record of my life for my children. No I don't have any children yet but my husband and I are newlyweds of nearly 4 months and we are ridiculously happy. I thought that I would love our children to read about our lives someday and for me to have an avenue to share it with them.
So I guess the first step is to uncover "the list" so you can see me make my way through it, hopefully with great success.
In no particular order
(1) Knit dishcloths
(2) Make rags out of old clothes
(3) Make bread - that means every day
(4) Learn to sew
(5) Photography course
(6) Make household cleaners
(7) Make our own wine
(8) Have surviving indoor pot plants
(9) Plant sunflowers
(10) Make sweets at the start of every week
(11) Make my own pasta
(12) Start composting
(13) Make baby quilts
(14) Knit socks
(15) Make yoghurt
(16) Have a successful vegetable garden
(17) Make soap
(18) Crochet blankets
(19) Give handmade gifts
(20) Always use homemade stocks
(21) Sew bags
(22) Reduce power usage
(23) Make jams and chutneys
(24) Recycle
(25) Make mayonnaise
Why do I need achieve these things? I really really want to simplify our lives. Not only for us but so when we start our family there is a good base to work from. I am in awe of others that live simply everyday and the intention for me is definitely there, I just need some help along the way.
So hopefully you as readers can help me get there through stories of your own lives, or handy hints on achieving the things on my list, or just through good old fashioned encouragement. If nobody ever reads this, then at least I have a journal of my journey in achieving this life for our family....
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