Building a new 'outdoor' lifestyle

We are lucky for so many reasons, but there are a few things we are most fortunate for having in our lives.One thing is a home of our own. That we may not pay off until we're old(er) and grey(er), but that we have for ourselves. The other thing is a family full of helpers. We have the best tradesmen, labourers, babysitters, chefs and washer-uper'ers in the country. And they are always available when we need them, and they are as excited as we are at the space we are creating in our backyard.

The work "out the back" began back in July 09. And while I always thought renovating would be fun, and exciting - it's been way more compromise, lost weekends and sweaty hard work than I ever expected. And I'll admit it's been frustrating too. I've felt a lot like I'd 'lost' my husband to the back yard - and at times I wished I could have been working outside with him - rather than working on life inside inside the house. But through it all, Si has worked with the expert staff of family on hand, and has made landscaping and design decisions that I never thought he had in him. And he's tolerated my inability to understand 'concepts' (I need to see it before I can tell whether I like something?) and my nagging to come inside and play with us.

And all the hard work has really come together in the past week - the backyard is looking fabulous. There's still a lot of work to go (building bbq area, fencing, planting vegetable patch and setting up AV to name just a few) but I thought it was time to post some photo's and take the time to thank family for their help and time spent working. We appreciate you so very much.

So here's a photo of the area before we started demolishing :) We have lovely memories of Christmas's and our wedding party in this very yard! But it was looking a bit tired, and needed to be redesigned for our family:


And here's the new patio (there is a massive amount of space under that roof, and we have great plans for it :))

And here's Lola showing Daddy how much she appreciates him (actions totally speak louder than words)

And here's where we're up to at the end of today.. New lawn is laid and we are tired but happy :)

I will continue to post on how we progress in the backyard, and I look forward to sharing many special times our little family spend out in this new space.

Spearman Family Soda Bread

Today I made my first ever batch of Soda Bread.

Lily (my mother in law) taught us last year how to make it the way her Mama made it. She did a demonstration (we told her to pretend she had her own cooking show), and we filmed the whole thing. It was really fun watching it back today. Lola was so young!! (she was 4 months old at the time) - she was sitting in her bumbo chair on the benchtop and she kept kicking (or 'kneading' according to Simon) the dough. This time when I made it she was standing at my feet and grabbing my legs so I'd pick her up and give her a cuddle (or a look at what was going on?).

Lily's instructions on the video were near perfect - if not a "little Irish".. (particularly the part when Simon asked her how hot the fry pan should be - and she said "it needs to be at the temperature where it's just at the right heat'... which made me laugh today)

Anyway, I think it turned out really well. We enjoyed it anyway! And my husband thinks I'm eligible for Wife of the year, so I'm happy.

Mid way through the cooking:
The end result... Served best hot with butter and cheese!

New year, new plans..

So, we've been in our home now for a couple of years, and there are still many things we own which have not yet found a space to live.. There are lots of reasons for this, but mostly they are just excuses.. we've had a baby, we've been renovating, we went overseas etc.. So this year I have decided it's time to work out a way to live in this house, with all our 'things' and not feel overwhelmed by all the clutter.

My wonderful neighbout kat asked me if I'd heard of flylady - an online resource to help you bring order to your home and life. I like the way her 'Beginner babysteps' give you somewhere to start, which in my case, is always the hardest part.

So, I made the most of day one of 2010 - and I shined my sink. Flylady says it's "the" place to start. I even got out the Shannon Lush books and used bicarb soda and vinegar to get the job done.

So I am starting this year optimistically. I took a good hard look at myself today, in my shiny sink - and I vowed that this year I would do my best to make our home feel organised and happy for our family. I will cook healthier meals and I will cook more often, I will wash up at least once a day, I will take care to wipe - at least once - every corner of this home, and I will spend more time just enjoying our house with my family.