ten on ten: april

April Days

Autumn afternoons at the beach

Cool mornings at the park, nature spotting, fun playing

The days are shorter, the rain is coming.

School holidays, cubby creating...pallet up cycling.

more ten on ten here

Nic Nurtures

My kind of Sunday...weekend stills

1. baby wearing selfie. thats a sculpture behind me of a woman breastfeeding a baby whale

2. rock pools between surfers point and the river mouth

3. climbing rocks, hot underfoot

4. exploring rock pools, looking for crabs, trying to catch little fish with hands

5. thunderous waves breaking on the rocks

6. the best place to chill

Is there anything better than natures playground? As a kid I loved exploring and playing at the beach. Rock climbing and hunting for crabs was a favourite past time, and my boys love it too. Baby P happily snoozed in the Ergo as we clambered over hot rocks on the first real hot day of Spring. We saw plenty of crabs scurrying in and out of rock formations and lots of little fish swimming in the rock pools. It was a truly magic day.

Nic Nurtures

Taking Stock...October

Making : cacao rough, by Well Nourished
Cooking : chicken broth
Drinking : my coffee with soy milk
Reading: Granny Squares...I'm determined to learn to crochet
Wanting: a new juicer, one that extracts all the juice
Looking: at the wind blowing the trees and washing outside
Playing: bubble mania on my smart phone, sad I know, but it's addictive!
Deciding: what to make for Christmas feast
Wishing: that I had my mum or MIL just around the corner
Enjoying: discovering old favourite board books with Baby P, like 'Peepo'
Waiting: for November 28, Aunty Kiki arrives from Melbourne
Liking: connecting with people on Instagram
Wondering: how to afford a house cleaner
Loving: my $10 satchel bag from the opshop, it holds so much stuff
Pondering: a holiday, where, when, how much
Considering: buying a new juicer
Watching: The Code on Iview
Hoping: my herb garden thrives
Marvelling:at how much Baby P is changing everyday
Needing: to reorganise my pantry again
Smelling: the lingering aroma of our green chicken curry
Wearing: pj's and a top knot
Following: Nikki fisher @ Wholefood Mama
Noticing: that I procrastinate the laundry A LOT
Knowing: that I have always procrastinated the laundry...I'll wash it, bring it in, but dang it, I just can't seems to put it away!
Thinking: about a homemade Christmas - food gifts, photo gifts, craft gifts to make and do
Admiring: Two Mad Rabbits
Sorting: Lego, we have so much and have now moved it into Turbos room in anticipation of Baby P moving about
Buying:mason jars of all sizes to make chutneys and jams for Christmas gifts
Getting:excited for summer and the festive season
Bookmarking: raising children network - great resources for parenting all three of my kids
Disliking: baby p biting me during feeds...ouch!
Opening: packages, my instagram shop purchases are arriving, yay!
Giggling: with Turbo making up silly songs
Feeling: a bit tired, but getting used to broken sleep as being the norm
Snacking: on indian spiced almonds
Helping: Turbo learn to tie his shoe laces
Hearing: birds singing

We had so much going on in October, this is a nice way to reflect on the month that was. And how cool is this photo of the family and I at the beach? You can just see the outline of Baby P's head above my shoulder, peeking out from the Ergo...fun!

Nic Nurtures x

Weekend Stills, Show Time

1. Riding the mechanical cow

2. Getting a cuddle from the GWN 7 dog 

3. Freestyle BMX, totally rad!

4. Watching the cow tamer judging

5. This guy carved a crocodile out of wood with a chainsaw.

It's that time of the year again, Show time in our neck of the woods. The boys were lucky enough to go to the Perth Royal Show in the school holidays. My big boy had his first game of Under 12's cricket this morning, so I took the Turbo and Baby P along to check it out. It was a very overcast and windy morning, but we had such fun checking everything out and bumping into friends.

How did you spend your Saturday?

Nic Nurtures

Community Garden Stills

1. Community veggie plots

2. mosaic art on the garden path

3. high vis scarecrow next to the potato mound

4. veggies grow next to the chook pen

5. no waste, large compost recycling station

6. rainbow windmill

7. earl grey tea, banana smoothies and chocolate cake

8. the boys sharing a book

We a took a trip to Busselton to pick up a delivery from a local courier company and discovered the Busselton Community Garden across the street. This place is an eco green thumbs haven. And to top it off, the sweet vintage inspired Pepi Cafe complete with mini op shop inside provided us with the perfect morning tea! In the middle of the light industrial area, this place is a community treasure.

Nic Nurtures

Peanut Butter Cookies

Term three school holidays have arrived....ahhh. A time for routine and structure to stop. Sleep ins, staying in pjs till midday, adventures, the royal show time, trips to the city. Two weeks of no homework or school lunches. Fantastic. School holidays also mean the kids and I bake stuff they can't normally eat at school, like peanut butter cookies. And peanut butter sandwiches on fresh baked bread. And just nuts in general. I think it's fantastic that our school is a nut free zone, but I do like to make healthy nutty treats for the kids.

Mind you, these cookies are a little more indulgent than healthy. It is the holidays after all...

Peanut Butter Cookies

125 grams of softend butter

250 grams of crunchy peanut butter

200 grams firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup unsalted peanuts roughly chopped

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees and line a couple of baking trays with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until creamy. Then add the brown sugar and beat until pale. Add the egg and beat until well combined.

Next, grab a wooden spoon and mix in the dry ingredients and chopped peanuts. Lightly flour your hands and roll tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Place on the baking trays, about 4cm apart. Flatten each ball to about 5cm diameter and 1cm thick. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, bandstand on tray for 5 minutes before devouring with a cup of coffee.

Nic Nurtures

Weekend Stills

1. Show your colours. The strip down the middle of down town Fremantle.

2. Green smoothie, flat white, the start to any good Saturday.

3. Love this place - Ootong and Linton, South Fremantle. 

4. Spring magic down at the Youth Plaza at the Esplanade. 

5. Round 2 coffees, courtesy of awesome Barista Tom of Studio 37.

6. Go Freo! Dockers love everywhere.

7. Freo heave ho!

8. South Fremantle - Turbo getting into Parkour, flipping and climbing all over town. 

A glorious weekend had in Fremantle, our old stomping ground, fueled with food, coffee, football and fun. Sometimes it's nice to get out of town.

Linking up to twins plus one

Nic Nurtures x

Taking Stock

Making : a fairy garden with Turbo
Cooking : dhal in bulk for lunches and easy dinners with rice and raita and chapati
Drinking : kpl - kale, pear and lemon juice
Reading: sbs feast magazine
Wanting: a housekeeper like Alice from the Brady Bunch
Looking: at Pinterest for my doll house renovation
Playing: catch up on the laundry now that the sun is shining
Deciding: whether to keep my business or sell it
Wishing: family lived nearer
Enjoying: reruns of Offspring at 2pm - the perfect do nothing for an hour before the kids get home from school
Waiting: for my new Imac to arrive
Liking: the warmer weather
Wondering: where does the 6 hours go in a school day
Loving: quiet time with Baby P
Pondering: should I cut my hair pixie short
Considering: increasing my credit card limit - I just keep finding things i want to buy
Watching: the wildflowers coming out at the start of Spring 
Hoping: to meet up with my good girlfriend in Freo on the weekend
Marvelling: at how much time flies when you have a new baby in the house
Needing: to clean out the fridge - so many mystery bowls and jars and leftovers
Smelling: lemon, lavender and peppermint essential oils in the oil burner
Wearing: green ballet flats and a 60's style hair tie head band
Following: Tinkerlab - love love love the creative craft inspiration
Noticing: the daisies are out
Knowing: this too shall pass
Thinking: what to make for dinner
Sorting: my wardrobe
Buying: a yellow chair for my computer desk
Getting: fed up with people who don't use manners
Disliking: Facebook for personal use. 
Opening:a new bag of Di Bella coffee beans
Giggling: with Turbo
Feeling: a bit tight and stiff through the shoulder, time for a massage I say!
Snacking: vegetable slice
Wishing: I could fly to Melbourne soon to meet my sister in laws new love
Helping: at the school Fun Run on Friday
Hearing: lots of birds chirping in the garden


I'm a bit late joining in on the 'taking stock' link from Meet me at Mikes for August, but I really liked the idea, so I'm taking stock right here, right now.

What are you taking stock of?
Nic Nurtures x

Project Doll House

Last weekend I had the first real moment of what it means to have a daughter. I purchased a Doll House on a whim. I saw the house for $10 and thought what a bargain as my mind flashed forward to four years and a chubby cheeked girl happily plays. The house is tall and solid with 'good bones' and in need of a major interior renovation. It will be years before Baby P will get to appreciate and play with her Doll House. But I don't mind...it gives me time to research and plan for Project Doll House.

The more I look and read and search the net, the more excited I become. Etsy, Made it, Blogs, Pinterest, Instagram...they are all filled with amazing tutorials and inspiration. you can follow my Doll House Renovation Pinterest board here.

For now, I'm off to the local hardware store to get me some paint swatches.

Nic Nurtures x

Sunday morning adventures

1. Rock climbing at Redgate Beach.

2. Climbing down.

3.The river mouth is flowing out to sea.

4. The boys and mr Man want to cross the river mouth.

5. Driftwood.

6. Clouds in the sky.

7. Baby wearing selfie.

8. Loot found whilst beach combing.

31st of August, the last day of Winter, also happens to be the wedding anniversary of Mr Man and I. Twelve years ago we said "I do". Funnily enough, the day had both slipped our minds. We remembered late last night and decided to hit the beach with kids early to explore and head out to lunch to celebrate.

It was a cool and breezy morning, with lots of weed and treasures. The boys and Mr Man waded through the water to cross the River Mouth and collected a bunch of stuff.

These are the best Sundays.

Nic Nurtures x