Goodness, where to begin…?!
As I’ve shared on Instagram – we are home. Safe and sound, right where we need to be, albeit a whole lot earlier and more rushed than intended (4500km over five days will make you feel alive – ai yi ai), but that is perhaps a story for another day. I am, as always, learning and adapting to whatever curve balls are thrown at us, and there’s been a few of late.
But, how good is it to be home!
Home to my garden, bursting in Spring which I thought I would miss entirely – now kicking myself for not planting all those annual seeds in Winter, I thought I would miss them flowering so didn’t even both this year. Ah well, always next year…
I have been doing a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to Melbourne, still living out of a bag and staying at my mum’s apartment, visiting her in hospital, whilst Matt has had the girls at home. What a strange turn of events – a complete role reversal with him suddenly taking the reins of primary care giver. Of course, he has excelled as ‘home dad’. The house is spotless, the children well behaved, it’s really quite annoying! The grass is always – always – greener on the other side. When Matt was working ridiculous hours and never home, all I wanted was some Daddy time for the girls and an extra pair of hands…but it turns out there still really is only one Mummy. Funny that.
So, we are in this peculiar limbo land – before Matt starts his new role (more on that soon too) and when we were meant to be still travelling. Of course it’s nice having time at home together just the four of us, but it’s also got me all twitchy and feeling akimbo. We have no routine, no rhythm, we’re a bit out of whack. Travelling, having mimimal plans or places to be, no commitments, is liberating…but also strangely unsettling. Eleanor has gone back to kinder (praise be! God bless kinder) so that’s some normality reinstated. Much needed.
She is so, so ready for the step up to three (half) days a week next year. Bring. It. On! Because she is so big (physically), so many people are asking me about school next year – gulp! One more year. But, I can just see that the second half of next year is going to drag on and on, with a very ready eager-beaver little Blossom. The next question is schools…I can not believe we are almost at this point already. School! What-the-what?! Hold me.
With the unemployed ‘home dad’ husband around (and childless time sitting in hospitals/on trams/of an evening by myself in Melbourne…) I have been doing a lot of crocheting and tinkering in my sewing room. I’m not sure if it’s the added parenting help, or the age the girls have reached where I can somewhat get some projects half finished without them destroying/hurting themselves/setting the house on fire…but I am going to re-open my Little Miss Emma Etsy shop. Dipping my toe in is what I’d call it, a few crocheted baby bonnets (which to be honest, I’m not expecting to sell that well going into Summer!), some baby bibs and perhaps minky blankets or simple skirts and shorts for Summer. Thoughts? Discuss… Would love to know of any other handmaiden’s doing the full time mum-handmade-biz juggle. Just this week Harriet has completely decided to not sleep of an afternoon, which is when I get all of my sewing done – so stay tuned, this could all go awfully pear shaped! Best laid plans and all that. I have really enjoyed doing something creative again though, I don’t endeavour to make any money out of Little Miss Emma, but sewing and crocheting brings me a whole lot of pleasure and isn’t behind a screen – such a good thing.
December is looming, and with it the ‘C’ word. Another reason I am glad to be home earlier than intended, as I know I would be feeling completely unorganised and frazzled about the silly season had we not been home until December. Weekends are booking up with Christmas events and engagements, it’s such a busy time of year, but everyone is in the same boat. On the recommendation of Beth, we (my group of school girlfriends) have booked a weekend away to this glorious looking place for the first weekend we were all available…in March. Of course. Eleven children under five between us, two very, very newborns, will do that.
I’m contemplating getting out the Christmas decorations this weekend, getting my festive on, or is it too early? We get a real tree so it’s definitely too early for that – it’ll be dead by Christmas! I did a spot of Christmas shopping this morning at The 3 Cheeky Monkeys (oops!) and will be sharing my gift guide, as usual, for what Santa will be shoving down the Brindabella chimney this year – coming soon…
What’s cracking in your neck of the woods?
Hay and harvest season upon you farming folk?
Much rain about? We had 25mm on Tuesday!
Christmas shopping yet?
Booked up until March?
All out of whack with no rhythm to your days? Me too, me too…
Emma - a simple living journey says
I’m contemplating selling Waldorf dolls on Etsy again after a hiatus. But the market seems packed and I’m feeling like my few dolls will get absolutely lost among the vast array of dolls available.
And I deleted my shop entirely, which means I would have to start again. Best of luck with your new venture, may your days be blessed with naps and time to sew!
xx
Emma says
Oh I would love a Waldorf doll! Such a special craft. My Etsy store hasn’t been open for years and years (I did sell on madeit previously too) and the sales that I did make I haven’t marked as shipped and now years later I can’t do that, so they’re sitting there saying they haven’t been shipped?! Gah.
Anne@gritandgiggles says
You must be a combination of sad your trip ended early and happy to be home.
I hope your Mum is doing okay.
I swear our days are mostly out of whack but I guess toddlers are like that. There is always the relief of sleep time though but often I have nap time too. I am in this doing nothing I really enjoy limbo because every time I try someone tries to help. I guess I’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel at some stage in regards to being able to be creative or I’ll just have to bite the bullet and make it work. I’d say if sewing and crocheting makes you happy, you’ll make it work. Hopefully Harriet will decide she still needs rest time.
Your garden looks amazing, even if it doesn’t have all the spring colour you would love it to. Ours is clinging on because we water regularly. Without that I am pretty sure we’d be living in a desert. Bring on wet season so we don’t have to fight with the sun for green grass.
We have started Christmas-ying and have put up the tree (very poorly decorated) as well as some decorations. We were actually all home last weekend so that is when it happened (in a rush before I headed to work on Monday night, hence the poorly decorated tree). I guess I should finish the tree, possibly would work well as toddler entertainment although he just pulls the decorations straight back off.
Enjoy your family time.
Emma says
Toddlers are tricky beasts aren’t they. Yesterday in my sewing room Harriet changed all the dials and knobs on both my overlocker and sewing machine and then cut into some fabric and tried to eat some pins! Not having an afternoon sleep is a real b!#@h – waaaaa! Eleanor can be somewhat entertained whilst I sew, she loves to sort buttons and ribbons so if I set her up with an activity she’s pretty good, so yes there is light at the end of the tunnel! Liam and Harriet’s of the world are not conducive to productivity though.
Phoebe says
Always lovely to visit the blog away from the socials to read a long-er lover-ly ramble by you sweet Emma.
Eff the big C. Enjoy the new normal. Time is fleeting. Hands kept busy creating is good for the mind and the soul. Selling to finance a crafty obsession, do it! My favourite crafty mama Maggie Whitley or ‘gussy sews’ she has a creative bus e book. Worth a look-see.
Emma says
The big C can indeed eff right off.
I am basically just hoping to fund my fabric obsession – ha! Thanks for the heads up, I’m off to look her up…
Sandra says
I am finally NOT feeling out of whack… it’s been a big year adjusting to having no little people at home with me. First time in 10 years! Not sad or upset, not bored – always so much to do – but just not right. But now it feels like its clicked… but I am still counting down until the Christmas holidays. Can not wait!
Christmas shopping complete! Christmas menu is sorted!
I have still never spent a night on my own in 12 years.. and I can’t see it happening anytime soon haha! I get out about 2 nights in a year for tea – I’ll take it.
Onions are growing well, carrots are all planted and already popping up – thank you rain! Spuds are nearly all planted – we leave our cert seed till late.
Hay cutting will commence soon…
Shearing and crutching nearly finished.
Guess I might run into you at the lamb sale?!
Emma says
Having all your ducks at school will now make the holidays all the more sweet, I’m sure. Adjusting to the new normal is hard, it hasn’t been much of an adjustment this year with Eleanor starting kinder, but it’s still the first time we’ve really had to be somewhere, had a lunch box to pack etc. That’s new, and next year will be more so, and then the next… It’s a good thing this is a gradual process! I had a few woe is me moments earlier this year that those snuggly newborn days at home with nowhere to be are behind me, even if/when we have another one I’ll always have kinder or school drop off and pick up to scurry to. I totally didn’t appreciate that with my babies first (and second) time around, I guess nobody does though.
Yes we’ll be at the lamb sales (obviously!) This year with Daddy! You might take out tops again 😉