Yamilainspire

breakfast and bats

2012-01-29T09:44:00.001+11:00

We are visiting J's family in the upper hunter.
I love the mornings and having breakfast, toast and newly open blackberry jam. This morning we are having fresh eggs from the chooks for breakfast yumo.

There are a few bats here and mostly dead ones. I am taking this one back to Sydney to a colleague who studies bats.

Driving north

2012-01-27T16:30:00.000+11:00

We got up 7.30am this morning and left home at 10.10am. J wanted us to be out the door by 10, but we were ten minutes late.
It is fun going for a drive north in the new car, at least we have air conditioner and it has the new car smell.
Joaquin loves going under the tunnels and he wanted to go on the harbour bridge. It also is a fun ride since the bridge has just been resurfaced.

We stopped at Tuggerah Westfields for lunch. We had yummy salad and cheese sandwiches on fresh brown bread, they are so big and have two slices of cheese and so much salad. We even had a lovely cup of coffee.
Joaquin and Zalia had ham subway roll.
I bumped into a lady I met a few weeks ago at Randwick children's hospital when I took Joaquin there as he had 40.3 degrees temp. She was there at the hospital with two sons, she was loud, had a pram full of bags and told me she was on her own and seemed to be fighting with an abusive partner and had caught a cab from the central coast to the hospital.
She asked me if she could stay at our place as I had started to speak to her, I had to say no as I was worried about Joaquin and his temperature. In the end Joaquin had a virus and I think that lady's sons were ok, with a bit of fever and vomiting.
So it was a surprise to see her in the Tuggerah shopping centre, she looked much better, not so tired and frazzled At first she did not remember me, then she remembered me and was with her kids and her grandmother and other family members. She said that night she ended up staying with her cousin. I really felt bad that night that I did not let her stay at our place.

Anyway we are here now at J's parents place and will have salmon and salad for dinner. The kids are having oven baked salmon and pasta with parmassen cheese. They get smarties for a treat if they eat all their dinner.
Thankfully it is not raining, but did rain on the drive up here.

Australia day in Coogee

2012-01-26T21:30:00.000+11:00

Australia day (the day Captian James Cook and the first fleet officially arrived in Sydney Cove) of with me being grumpy and waking up at 6.30. We kind off all wake up between 6.30 and 7.30 in our household. Joaquin is usually in bed with us lying in the middle of the bed. Legs and arms everywhere.
Anyway I decided to go for a run, it was not raining. I have been angry at J a lot lately. I have been angry at myself I don't know why. I should be happy, I have achieved so much.
In the end, we all got up, I played with Z and J and watched some tv. Jas got up at around 7.30 and he got breakfast ready. I had a small breakfast, a small bowl of muesli and yoghurt and J made coffee so I had a cup. I got myself ready, my mind ready and went for a run to Coogee. It started raining 4 min into my run but I still ran, got soaked and finally made it to Coogee. I was in the north end near the children's playground and waited under the gazebo in the park with other people and their wet shaggy dogs. There were a lot of people out and about running, walking, getting wet, and already in Coogee for Australia day celebrations. When it stopped raining I continued running and then it poured again and I went in search of another gazebo to wait under, there was a family there already with a mat and eating and celebrating. I think they were malaysians and they were eating fusion Australian food, a plate of sausages (snags) and white rice and fried onion. The mother from this family, very patriotic in small shorts with the Australian flag. I think they were very enthusiastic, I mean come on.. it is 9.30am, pouring rain and there the whole family is under the gazebo having snags and rice. There was a french man and his two kids waiting under the gazebo with this family, I overheard the little spectacled boy say "J'ai faim" saying he was hungry. All that yummy sausage smell.
In the end I ran 6km and then walked back home 2km. I felt good with my run.
Well i convinced J and the kids to drive back down to Coogee and we went to the playground, Joaquin met up with his preschool friend and the kids played in the park. Then we were all hungry. We took the kids to have fish and chips down by the beach. For once the chips were very fresh and cooked in new oil. By now it was not raining but starting to rain again.

After their little sourjourn and lunch we decided we grownup wanted sushi for lunch so we headed for the main drag and had sushi. We stuffed our faces and it was really nice. By the time we had finished it was so hot outside and humid, we did not know what to do so decided to go down to Coogee for a swim. Jas raced home to get the swimmers, Z was asleep in the pram and I hanged out with Joaquin in the shade on the promenade waiting for J.
In the end we spent most of the day at the beach, playing in the sand, swimming. The water was gorgeous but there was a lot of seaweed. We bumped into Joaquin's other friends at the beach and we all had so much fun. Zalia was just running around everywhere on the beach and loving the waves and being washed over at the shore.
At about 4pm, a dark cloud and light rain came rolling out from the sea, we packed up, headed for the showers and got dressed. We walked to the car and drove to Randwick where Jas bought items for pizza. We got home, Jas got ready for a run and made a tomato sauce. I bathed the kids and they were still full of energy even after being at the beach all afternoon. We had pizza and they had chicken skewers with pasta sitting outside, no rain and a lovely evening.

Banana Bread and cafe time

2012-01-25T21:30:00.000+11:00

I made Banana bread this morning, at the same time as getting Joaquin ready for preschool. I am a sucker, i just had ripe bananas and did not want them to end up in the compost. I used this recipe but added chocolate chips, a cup of coco powder and extra milk.

I took Joaquin to preschool, we walked there, it did not rain, we stopped at a cafe and I bought him milk as he wanted milk, It came in a nice red take away coffee cup and Joaquin asked me to keep it for him. After dropping him off I walked back to the cafe with Zalia and ordered coffee and a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich. So good, Zalia was having fun smiling and saying hello to everyone in the cafe.

Zalia at the cafe eating banana

When we finished it was raining out, I got wet. I had an appointment at the hairdressers down the road for a half leg wax. They have a creche there and I took Zalia out the back to the creche. She cried but then was fine. The lady there is lovely and thinks Zalia is so sweet and even told me she is intelligent as she has very good fine motor skills. Thats nice to hear.
Then after my wax, the rain had stopped and we walked home. I saw a friend in another cafe on the way home, stopped to chat, I breastfed Zalia and of course she fell asleep and I put her in pram and walked home. Once at home, Zalia still asleep and i had some banana bread and a tea. In the end I did not do much and later at 4pm went back to pick up Joaquin at preschool and we caught the bus home (two stops from where we get on). Joaquin was happy as he knows tomorrow is Australia's birthday and it is a holiday".
Jas came home, i did not go for a run as I was tired. Jas made dinner, crumbed lamb cutlets with baked veggies and I mad a red cabbage salad which was not that nice. We are all in bed now it is 9.30pm. Good night!

January update

2012-01-10T09:25:00.000+11:00

Christmas and festivities are now over and we are way into January.
I have not written for a while, have been very busy and Jason had a few weeks off from work which have been great but obviously not enough.
Yesterday we got a new car, a new shiny dark grey car, with power windows and a little switch that turns the light on inside. Thats all he wanted a light switch so he can turn the light on and off.

Here is a recap of things that have happened in last week:

THINGS WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR THIS YEAR (2012)

a- made a vege box
b-planted lettuce, beetroot and more lettuce
c-looked for a new car and finally bought one.
d- Cleaned the house quite thoroughly
e- Met up with my cousin and went to see Manu Chao in concert
f- Weaning Zalia so she is not feeding on demand like a new born
G- Painted the outdoor table and chairs
h- finished a paper but have not sent it yet
i- organised to go camping in a few weeks time
j- had a family day ate yum cha and visited powerhouse museum
k- I have started driving on my Ls around the eastern suburbs with the old car
l- Cleaned up the back yard

THINGS I NEED TO ACHIEVE BEFORE END OF JANUARY
1) Go to dentist
2) go camping
3) go to doctors for check up
4) organise clothes and get rid of unwanted clothes
5) get hair cut and coloured
6) get a pedicure
7) keep running at least 3 times a week and/or join the gym
8) finish tweaking figures for paper and send it
9) email uni and get visiting fellow renewed
10) get organised with dinner especially mondays and tuesday nights
11) go swimming at least once a week and increase swimming to reach 1.5km in 40 min
12) wean Zalia so she does not feed on demand but only 2 or 3 times a day.
13) drive the new car and get confidence in driving
14) clean the garage/shed
15) remove more weeds from the back yard

Saturday 7 January 2012

2012-01-07T10:33:00.000+11:00

Saturday Jas and I spent cleaning the house thoroughly. He did the kitchen, scrubbed down everything, even on top of the cupboards and under the microwave. The only thing I have left to do is clean the fridge eventually. I did the rooms and the floors, and washed and made the beds. Jas also did the toilets which was nice. We have the showers left to do.
But the house was looking good.

After cleaning the house, I managed to have a shower and get ready to go out. I went to See Manu Chao at the Domain on Saturday night as part of the Sydney Festival. There was a lot of people. I met up with my cousin who is 6 months older than me and who we have recently reunited after a family fall out. It was a bit weird but nice to hang out without kids and do something cultural. We went to see my other cousin sing in her band at the Art Gallery of NSW as part of the Picasso Exhibition and Sydney festival. That was nice too. I said hello to my auntie and uncle who I had not seen in a long time. Before Manu Chao came on we sat in the domain like the 1000s of others, on a pink mat, and ate soft camembert cheese, biscuits, chips drank some wine and we caught up. I felt old at the concert, I do not know why I have been feeling this way, everyone is so young so much energy. I think the situation of being there with my cousin was like a flashback to old times, going out, feeling on top of the world as you do when you are young and free. Tonight I just felt weird. I knew all the words to Manu's song but we had to go closer to the stage to hear him well as the sound was quite bad at the back. Anyway it was nice, I had fun and it was good to see so many people there supporting Manu and loving his music.
I wanted Joaquin and Zalia to have seen the children's activities at the Domain that were on earlier but Joaquin being sick and all we thought it was best he stayed at home. Jas had them bathed and fed by 7pm and had them asleep by 8.30pm.

Thankfully i got a lift home and was home by 11.30pm. Jas was in bed watching Dexter season 6.

Friday 6 January 2012

2012-01-06T23:00:00.000+11:00

Friday 6 Jan

I met up with friends and colleagues at the pub in the Spot and had lunch and talked work. It was nice to catch up and have children-free time. Jas then picked me up at 3.30pm in the car with the kids and went to see a new car. Joaquin was not feeling too good and vomited in the car. But at the car show room he played with the toys in the kids section and played with another kid. We decided to buy the car. When we got home and began to get things ready for dinner (Jas had made chicken schnitzels and veges for lunch while I was out), Joaquin started having a higher temperature. Thats when his temperature reached 40.3 using an ear thermometer.
Before rushing out to the hospital, I decided to ring the health line. The nurse on the phone told me after a lot of explaining and questions, that I probably should get Joaquin to see a doctor in the next four hours. So i ended up taking him to the Children's emergency down the road and after he was seen by a doctor, I was told he just had a virus. A virus and temperature should last 2-5 days and if the temperature was going to continue we could begin with tests to see why he had a high temperature. Thankfully by Saturday it had gone down to 37.7 and then Sunday it was not there. Thankfully as a temperature so high in a child is scary. Joaquin was fine though, he still ate and drank throughout the temperature, and when it got very high would sit quietly and watch tv, if he talked he was say normal things but someone what in a fast high voice. Poor little baby.

5 January 2012

2012-01-05T10:23:00.000+11:00

Thursday 5 Jan
I spent the whole day at the University finishing a paper on fossil bandicoots with another colleague. We got a lot done and have to finish a few figures and then try to send the paper next week. Jas looked after the kids and ended up having an afternoon siesta with all 3 sleeping 2 hours!!1 WOW WOW BLOODY WOOW!!!1 I walked home and on the way stopped at the shops and bought some supplies, chicken and some veggies. Jason made chicken soup and veggies for dinner while I played with Joaquin and Zalia and then bathed them. It was a cold raining night.

4th January 2012

2012-01-04T10:21:00.000+11:00

Wednesday 4 January

We spent the day with the family (our family, the four of us) and went down to Coogee for a lovely swim, later stopped at Randwick and bought prawns and had prawn rolls.
The beach was beautiful, the water quite cool but nice. Zalia ended up having a little sleep in the pram in the little sun shade tent.

Later in the afternoon we started with a few days of high temperatures for Joaquin, 38, 39, 39.9 cumulating with 40.3 on Friday night (6th Jan).

3rd January 2012

2012-01-03T23:00:00.000+11:00

Tuesday 3rd January

On Tuesday Jas spent the day looking for cars. He went with Joaquin to Mascot Bunnings to get supplies to build a vegetable box. I went to Bondi Junction to return a shirt I had bought Jas for christmas. We then met and had lunch at Bondi Junction. We drove home and after some deliberation I decided to go for a run.
I went for a run 5km, took me over 40 min, down to the beach and back. Was quite nice but very hot and I was tired. When I got home, I had a quick shower and we went off to see a car to test drive in Granville. On the way back we stopped at the new Ikea, had sweedish meatballs for dinner, bought two kitchen stoops, a step stool and some candles and bits and pieces. We left Ikea by 8.45pm and stopped back at Bunnings and Jason ran in and got another bag of dirt for the veggie box.
We will see how the veggies go.
We were all in bed by 10pm. It was a long long day.

Christmas feel

2011-12-23T06:42:00.000+11:00

Here are some photos I have taken recently on my phone.

Zalia reindeer head gear at Nanny and Poppys home

Christmas bus to Bondi Junction

More christmas bus to Bondi Junction

Zalia asleep before I leave to BJ for last minute things

Sleeping baby girl

2011-12-20T23:52:00.001+11:00

Today I was feeling very blah!
I try not to eat too much but i end up eating more. Seriously what crazy person does this so close to the silly season. Well in the silly season?
I managed to compensate with a walk to Coogee with a large pram and two kids, baby bag, lunch for 3, 3 drink bottles, one milk bottle, rain coats, rain cover for pram, hand bag. I went to visit a friend and her child and left my children there and ran to the beach (coincidentally they live 5 houses from Coogee) and ran towards Maroubra and then back down to Coogee then up towards Clovelly then back approx 5 km in 35 min a bit slow but who cares.
Then i walked back to friends house, hang out with other mums and kids, ate my lunch (red lentils, basmatti rice and organic snake beans). It truly was delish. Also snacked on some gingerbread house (naughty naught), had my nearly 20 month old daughter sleep on my lap, fed my children linch, decided at about 3pm to get out of the house. We cleaned up toys and went to beach. Joaquin wanted to play by waves. Zalia too scared to touch sand. In the end Joaquin and his friend played on sand and then the beach. Zalia woke up at about 4p, and we went down to beach and Joaquin played for a long time with his friend in the waves. We watched and at 5.30pm Dad came to pick us up at the beach and we walked to shop to buy fish for dinner. When we got home i had a quick shower, got carrots ready and potato and went appointment at hair salon I had wax and nails done. Felt so goo. good night

organic fruit and vege box

2011-12-14T22:11:00.000+11:00

More organic fruit and vege goodness! and Organic maple syrup from Canada still have not opened the bottle.

13/12/11

2011-12-13T09:27:00.000+11:00

Today is the 13th of December 2011.
What have I done today:

1) Cleaned the house in the morning for a little while
2) Kids slept in till 8am, yehaaa-grandma but Z was up at 4am and did not get back to 5am in my bed, bf and finally getting to sleep.
3) Had a play date at our house with Joaquin's friends
4) house looked like a bomb hit it with toys everywhere
5) Ate muesli for breakfast and yoghurt
6) two hours later ate some toast with brie, tomato, avocado and spanish onion
7) my 19 month old Z loves Brie but not Australian Gold @ $3.99, no the good stuff Jindi brie that costs $7 a pop.
8) 11.00am-->Left the house as it is and headed for the park
9)11.20am--> met another mum and Joaquin's friend at park
10) 2.30pm-->played for about 2 hours
11)2.40pm--> came home, saw the house in a mess tried to clean up
12) 3.00pm-->ate more toast at 3pm and fed kids left over pasta and home made tomato sauce for a late lunch. Had tv on and watched play school and bf Z a few times
(mind you they had eaten already, breakfast, banana, biscuits, toast, cupcakes)
13) 4.50pm--> Cleaned the house and by 4.50pm had Joaquin ready for swimming and myself too
14) 5.10pm -- out the door for swimming
15) 5.30--> Joaquin swimming class and payed for his term next year, contemplating classes for Zalia
16) 6.00-- finally got in the pool, swam only 30 laps as I was late in
17) 6.35pm out of the pool in car
18) 6.45pm dropped of at randwick, hit Coles, bought more brie, bread, cheese for tomorrow's christmas playmate party at friends house
19) 7.00--> walked home stopped by the new Hungarian cake shop bought small slices of cake for $14
20) Jas made dinner yummy oven baked lamb chops (with home made breadcrumbs) with organic potato mash, steamed carrots, peas, and a yummy salad with avocado, feta, spanish onions, cucumber, tomato (all organic).
21) Joaquin ate all his dinner and got 20 smarties, Zalia ate most but does not like smarties
22) 8.45-9.15pm Jas put kids to bed, I cleaned, washed clothes hanged clothes on line, got clothes off line due to rain and mopped floors
23) 9.45pm Finally relaxed with camomile tea and cake
24) 10.00pm bed and lights out

Opp shop finds

2011-12-12T09:57:00.000+11:00

Today I hit the op shops (opportunity shops):
Here is my loot ( I spent $115 total):
1) some clothes for me (more than 6 pieces including witchery striped jumper and maxamara bolero jumper)
2) some clothes for Zalia (blue and white stripes Zara dress and bottoms sailor style), country road blouse for Zalia
3) some board games for christmas and play dough hairdresser game
4) coffee jug and egg cup

Blue top shop top ($8.00), white singlet ($7.00), black dress ($12.00), black gypsie top ($8.00)

Details of dress

Blue WISH top/dress ($15.00) and white Zara shirt for the beach ($7.00)

Hello Kitty tin for Zalia ($1.50)

Jug ($8.00) like my mother has and spotty black/white egg cup ($1.50)

baby clothes Zalia

2011-12-10T10:12:00.000+11:00

Yesterday I bought some clothes for Zalia and Joaquin at the consignment store. It was half price sale. So i think I did well.
Here are some of Zalia's clothes:

red and white flowers Bebe dress (half price; $9.00)

Pure baby pyjamas pink half price ($7.50)

New oshkosh b"gosh skirt $15

plum sister red pants half price ($2.50)

Country road top new $19.50, jacaudi paris white tutu skirt half price $9.00

at home

2011-12-08T09:32:00.000+11:00

At home, on the bed, clothes need to be put away, Joaquin in triceratops outfit, Zalia on bed playing. There has been nothing much to do, the weather has been grey and raining and COLD For december in Sydney.

Christmas tree

2011-12-05T14:07:00.001+11:00

We put up the christmas tree and lights last weekend.

Zalia loves taking the baubles from the tree. I do not really like the over the top look. Just a few lights and a small tree.
I also would like to introduce some hanukah traditions, being somewhat jewish and all.

my son the triceratops

2011-12-01T08:46:00.000+11:00

We bought this triceratops costume at the Australian museum after a little accident and no suitable clothes were available!

today at home

2011-11-30T18:30:00.001+11:00

Breastfeeding 19 month old baby

2011-11-30T16:44:00.001+11:00

Yes this is me still breastfeeding Zalia.
She is 19 months.
She breastfeeds as many times as she wants. Even though this can be annoying and gets tiring.
If she sees me sitting on the lounge or chair she wants a breastfeed. She gets so upset when i say no!
It is a bit tiring for me, but does not feed through night, though.
She sleeps from 8.30pm to 6.30-7.00am.
She sometimes falls asleep breastfeeding.
She does not like cows milk bottles but loves brie cheese.
Will try to breastfeed till she is 2 years old.
But am trying to wean.
There are 5 other mums from my mum's group with 19month olds also still breastfeeding.
She has just fallen asleep as i type with one hand!

messy kitchen and mini banana muffins

2011-11-22T12:17:00.001+11:00

Today is Tuesday. I can not believe November has gone so quickly.
We have done so much, there have been some nice some days and grey and wet the others.

Joaquin has been sick with temperature all weekend. It got to 40.1 degrees C on Sunday right after I took him to the hospital to see what was wrong. It is just a virus. He just has had panadol every 4-6 hours and fluids. He has a sore throat but there is no infection, just swollen glands. However the doctors are cautious at the hospital and have to write a letter so we can go home. The letter states everything they think that is wrong with the patient and what the outcome is. This is new at the children's hospital. I think it is because of all the stuff ups they have had in other hospitals and unnecessary fatal outcomes, sending patients home when they needed more care.

Anyway so we are home today.

This is what my kitchen looks like. I still have to put all our organic fruit and veges away and decide what to do for lunch and dinner.

These are the mini banana muffins that Joaquin and Zalia helped me make. I also managed to make 12 larger muffins they are still in the oven and are ready.

I think I want to make this recipe, It has kale (tick), pumpkin (do not have), almonds (tick), quinoa (tick), cabbage (tick). Something healthy!

Saturday at Clovelly Beach

2011-11-19T11:04:00.000+11:00

Today it was really hot and such a beautiful day.
We ended up going to the beach before lunch down to Clovelly.
We all had a little swim, the tide was coming up at 12am and so just after lunch the water was clear.
Thankfully we had the little sun-shade tent that my parents had bought for us last year when they came to visit from Bunnings.
For lunch I bought Z and J a toastie with ham and cheese and some fries from the cafe at the south end of Clovelly, Jas and I did not eat lunch just picked at the chips as we had a big breakfast, eggs, mushrooms and bacon.

Then we went and played at the little park by the beach. Zalia just wanted to walk up and down the stairs and was oblivious to the little magpie that was sunning itself on the grass nearby.

Cracked screen macbook Air

2011-11-16T08:20:00.000+11:00

My computer, my lovely new macbook air is down for the count (has a cracked screen and I do not really know how it got there- woke up last Saturday morning (12th November) after using it in bed and found the crack on the bottom of the right hand of the screen). I took it to the Apple shop in Bondi Junction on Tuesday 15th November and it is still there and worst of all, the apple care warranty does not cover cracks in the screen so it will cost approx $500 clams to fix it. So much money so much money...
Thanks Apple for not covering cracked screens in your apple care warranty. Why did I pay an extra $300 for apple care? WHo knows!

SO really I can not work or blog! rally

Not much has happened

2011-11-09T22:46:00.000+11:00

Have not done much blogging or writing lately. ME BAD.
Today, however we had a playmate with Joaquin's friend and mum and little 11 month old brother who came to visit. It was stinking hot. Zalia had a little sleep. She was clumsy yesterday fell twice out of bed (once after coughing and waking up from a sleep on my bed). Joaquin said "Don't put her near the edge of the bed mummy as that is why she fell", a second time she fell while putting Joaquin's tshirt on her head and mucking around on my bed and I was staying very close to her putting laundry away but did not see her do it, just heard her cry for one second, and thirdly while walking down the corridor yesterday she slipped and hurt her leg.
I made a quick dash to the library to get some books and drop of books. Zalia came with me, it was very hot, I was very rushed I left Joaquin at his friends place and ended up buying Zalia a banana smoothie to calm her down. She was so upset in the pram she banged her head on the side. She also has been scratching on her legs due to the heat but I got a very good anti-chafting cream that seems to work.
So it is Thursday, another week has flown past. I do not seem to do much but hang out with the kids, cook do some cleaning, finish a few papers here and there. Tomorrow I will go to the uni and do some work and make phone calls etc.
Last night after dinner (pasta with smoked salmon, baby spinach wilted in oil, zucchini fried with oil and garlic, and cauliflower fritters (from Stephanie Alexander) we we went to sit outside waiting for the storm.
Here are some photos:

Tuesday 1st of November 2011

2011-11-01T22:36:00.001+11:00

Today stayed at home. We were away in the Upper Hunter for the weekend to visit Jas's family.
The weather was lovely, Joaquin and Zalia hung out with their cousins, Joaquin went on the motorbike and even wants to ride it himself. We had some yummy dinners full of veges (many different types) and meat.
Today I stayed at home with the kiddies, we walked to the post office and picked up a parcel from ebay. I got a country road blouse and also a top/dress size 2 for Zalia in the mail.

Zalia's new top

new apple container

my new country road blouse (vintage)

We also stopped by the new cafe close by and I had a coffee and Joaquin and Zalia some home made small croissants. Joaquin also went for the horse with the yellow jockey in the Melbourne Cup and it came first. Zalia picked a horse that came third!
In the afternoon Joaquin went to the uni pool for his swim lesson and I had a swim. I swam 30 laps not the usual 40 laps (1km) as I am not feeling 100%.

Organic hair care and skin products (part 1)

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000+11:00

Apart from trying to eat healthy and eating organic fruit and veges, I have also started to eliminate chemicals from our life and home and started using products with organic ingredients and less chemicals. I am trying to buy things also made in Australian without being tested on animals, without sodium laurel sulphate or petrochemicals

These are the things we use:

1) Ecostore Body lotion This is quite lovely and Jas bought it home for me from Woolies (they were giving it away as a promotion) and I do like it. It is not greasy and smells fresh with a touch of lemon. I just love lathering it on and it is not greasy, leaves my hands and legs feeling soft and smelling nice.
These are the ingredients:

▪ Aqua (Water)

▪ Simmondsia Chinensis Oil (Jojoba Oil)

▪ Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Coconut Oil)

▪ Cetearyl Olivate (and) Sorbitan Olivate (Olive Oil Surfactants)

▪ Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)

▪ Panthenol (Vitamin B5)

▪ Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl Glycol (Preservative)

▪ Cetearyl Alcohol (Plant-based Surfactant)

▪ Xanthan Gum

▪ Parfum (Essential Oil Fragrance)

▪ Citronellol*

▪ D-Limonene*

▪ Geraniol*

▪ Linalool*

▪ *Components of natural essential oils

Ecostore are a “are a leading New Zealand manufacturer wholesale distributor and

retailer of sustainable household and body care products. We promote the use of safer

healthier plant and mineral based products with no unnecessary chemicals.” They sell
many other products such as laundry liquids and body products.

2) I have also been using Sukin organic products for many years. At the moment I am using a shampoo and body wash.

Sukin are Australian, they do not test on animals or use sodium laurel sulphate or petrochemicals. They are "an environmentally conscious, natural personal care company from Australia. We offer over 50 products carefully crafted using ingredients that are the best nature has to offer.
Our aim is to offer luxurious, natural products that are not only effective but are affordable allowing even the budget conscious consumer the opportunity to purchase high quality, natural skin, hair and body care.
Sukin is dedicated to offering the ultimate in natural personal care, free from the myriad of harsh chemicals used in many products on the market today. Sukin products do not contain Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Sodium Laureth Sulphate, synthetic fragrances, animal derivatives, harsh detergents, petro-chemicals, artificial colours, triethanolamine, mineral oils, EDTA, PABA or parabens.
Instead the growing Sukin range offers formulas containing active botanicals and essential oils carefully selected to restore the natural vitality and radiance of the skin."

I use Sukin purifying shampoo and it smells very fresh and full of citrus tones. I do not use the conditioner as I still have a large bottle of non-organic conditioner so I am trying to finish that and then find a conditioner.

I also use Sukin Botanical body wash. It also smells very fresh, like mandarin and has a very easy to use pump to make it more efficient in the shower.

It is a "sulphate free cleanser, enriched with aromatic botanicals to revive your senses in the morning or stimulate and refresh a tired body. And also has won "Winner Best Selling Cleanser Award at Watson’s Health and Beauty Awards, Singapore 2008 & 2010".

Sukin also have a new kids range but I have not found them yet in the stores.

3) For my hair I use Mop Shampoo. I just bought the Lemongrass volume shampoo. It has not much of a smell and I bought it from a shop in Randwick that stocked all hair products. It was cheaper by a few dollars than buying it online. But I really wanted to smell it before I bought. I have read about MOP products elsewhere. They are not 100% organic so I will have to see after using it more often what my hair feels like.

Mop is a “modern organic products was created to provide hair stylists and their entire range of clientele with the best possible line of natural hair and skin products made with organic ingredients where possible. MOP was designed to provide a simple solution for maintaining healthy hair and skin for every member of the family.”

A new hair cut

2011-10-27T22:30:00.000+11:00

Today I had my hair done at the hairdressers. They have a creche so there is a lovely lady that looks after the children while their mothers get pampered and get their hair cut. I think I like how it looks. The colour is nice and it feels healthier.

Anyway it has been a long week.
This weekend (well tomorrow) I have to pack and we are going to the Upper Hunter to spend time with Jason's family and the cousins. Hope the weather is nice, but nevertheless I have to pack and take into account rain, or sun or cold. You never know.

Messy play and fun

2011-10-26T22:30:00.000+11:00

Joaquin and his friend with playdoh

Zalia painting

making play doh with the owner of the shop

Today I took the kids to the Messy Spot so they could paint and draw and make a mess to their heart's content. It is a little bit expensive but there are crafts to do and play doh to make and painting to do. Zalia also painted on the wall. She was very good.
It was a grey miserable day so it was nice to get out and stay busy. I caught the bus to Maroubra and I talked to a lovely man on the bus who told me about his two boys who are twins and autistic who will be starting school next year. They are both 5.
Joaquin had fun at the Messy spot playing with his friend and making play doh. He made an echidna out of yellow play doh. Zalia loves to hold the paintbrush and has a lot of concentration for an 18 month old. I also took some videos and met a lady from Chile and her 8 year old daughter who I recognised as being someone i bought things from ebay. The world is so small.

First beach day in Spring

2011-10-23T10:38:00.000+11:00

The weather was beautiful on Sunday so we decided to head to the beach. I made a lovely breakfast for everyone first thing in the morning, scrambled eggs for us and dippy eggs for Joaquin. Zalia just grazed on toast and wheet-bix. Then after breakfast I decided to bite the bullet and clean the floors and house. I did some washing and we got ready to walk down to the beach. We walked down to Coogee and arrived after 11am. Zalia fell asleep on the way down. I waited with the pram on the promenade and there were other people doing the same thing, having lunch, drying off. I waited while Zalia slept and Jas and Joaquin went for a splash in the ocean. Jas said the water was gorgeous, it was about 17 degrees, no stingers and very clean.
I took some photos of Zalia after she woke up. Then we went to have lunch, subway sandwiches, and we sat down on the grass by the beach to have our lunch. Then we stopped by the shops to buy some items for dinner. Jas said he was going to make some fresh pasta. We walked home up hill and stopped at the petrol station to fill the pram's tyres. Joaquin fell asleep on the way home. Jas made fresh pasta, he made a lovely tomato sauce with some fresh organic tomatoes and a can of organic tomatoes (whole), he ironed his shirts while I had a little sleep on the bed with Zalia and she opened my bag and got all my cosmetics outs. At 5.00 we all got ready to go to Queens park for a run, I also made some banana smoothies with organic bananas and strawberries before the run.
I ran 5km in 32 min and Jas ran 5km in 25 min. We ran from queens park to Centennial and once around Centennial. Once home we really enjoyed Jas's home made pasta and sauce and pesto. So delish.

Zalia and Jas at Coogee park

At Queens Park playground

Telar: Traditional Argentinian weaving

2011-10-22T09:58:00.000+11:00

This is a bag my mum made for me in 2007 using traditional Argentinian, it is called telar in spanish and is a traditional weaving from the mapuche people of southern Chile and Argentina. It is made from wool spun by hand and dyed by hand.
My mother is doing another course in telar and practically taught herself. I miss her very much.

Busy busy wednesday

2011-10-19T08:28:00.000+11:00

7.00am
It started in bed, playing and taking photos and Zalia thankfully feeling better. She is on antibiotics as the Dr. (the one I go to when there is no other on Sunday down at Coogee) gave her antibiotics, said her ears were red, she had a croupy cough and high temperature. She really fights the dr looking in her ears. Then it is a big fight to take in any medicine at all, panadol and antibiotics. Thankfully four days into taking antibiotics her fever has come down to no fever at all and she actually opens her mouth and swallows the antibiotics when I syringe it in. Good girl.

9.30am
After the photo session, it was breakfast, then cleaning up for me, a play date when Joaquin's friends till 10.15am. Zalia slept a little in her cot from 9.50-10.30.

11.00am
Then I made lunch, cleaned some more, administered medicine, then got ready and took the pram and the two kids for a walk. Walked down to beach, went to visit another friend of Joaquin's and had a playmate. Joaquin got upset at his friend's place as another friend was visiting and Joaquin's friend was telling him that Joaquin was not his best friend anymore. Joaquin is sensitive and this upsets him. He is also very bright. He told me what streets I needed to take to get to his friend's place as I forgot which street we had taken when we walked a new way last time. He knew. So there was lunch eating, play doe playing, crying, block building, block demolishing, Zalia ate something, some apple, some sandwich, and still breastfed a lot, nappy changing.

1.30pm-4.50pm
Then at 1.30 we left as his friend and the other little girl went to a swim class. Joaquin felt left out. He was sad. We walked down to beach, I had a coffee, take away which was my saviour. Then walked to the shops in the middle of the beach and got some take away banana smoothies ( Joaquin loves it when they write a B for banana on his smoothie cup). Then I bought Joaquin some havianna thongs with sharks on them, Zalia upset in the pram and spilt her smoothie in the shop, I cleaned it up, was a bit frazzled. Then walked back to the park. Joaquin played with a little boy he met, Zalia went on the swing, she loved it, then fell asleep breastfeeding and I put her in her pram, she slept for about an hour and a half. Joaquin's other friend from the morning came to the park to play, Zalia's two little friends from the mums group came to the park to play but Zalia still asleep in the pram. Finally she woke, she was happy. So i stayed in the park till about 4.50pm.

5.00-6.00pm
Then took bus home. On the way home i bought some baked cheese cake and chocolate biscuits and two mini croissants for Joaquin and Zalia at a beautiful new artisan cafe opened around the corner. The cake was for J and I after dinner.
Then at home, I got ready to go running. Jas arrived at 5.30pm, we did not get out the door till after 6pm and then back to the beach.

6.00-7.30pm
I ran 33 min and ran 5.17km in that time. I saw whales out to sea, a lot of them, their spurts and Jas stayed playing on the sand at coogee Beach with Joaquin and Zalia. Then it was Jas turn to run, he also saw whales. I walked back to the shops, bought hot chips for dinner and sliced bread. Then walked back to the playground (Had zalia in one hand and the bags in the other and Joaquin walking by my side). Finally got back to the park, met Jas there after his run it was already 7.30pm. Got home made dinner (organic salad, fetta, and organic tomato), steak and some hot chips- for us, pasta peas, carrots, steak, chips for them.

8.00-10.30pm
Bath, then dinner. Then bed time (jas put them to bed). I cleaned up. Then rubbish taken out, scraps emptied in compost. Shower and finally RELAX time- Had some chamomile tea, cake and watched a little tv. Jas played with his new iPhone. Then 10.30pm bed.

funkis clogs

2011-10-17T08:44:00.000+11:00

I bought these clogs from Funkis online on Thursday for $50 as they are limited stock. Made in Sweden, designed in Australia, Patent and purple with wooden base.
They arrived today and I love them. I think they will be great for summer and quite comfortable too. I love the natural tan ones too and red ones, but they are more expensive so I bought the purple patent ones first to check out the size and comfort before spending the bigger bucks. I have been wanting a pair for years and finally succumbed and bought them in size 38, I am a size 7.5-8 and these fit me well. I know Jas is probably reading this and cringing, but I love shoes. I do not have that many that is foe sure. Just a few boots, one or two going out shoes and sneakers and thongs. I am always getting round in thongs in summer or boots in winter, so i needed something a bit more snazzy to get me going.

Making mulberry jam (red and pink)

2011-10-16T12:20:00.001+11:00

Yesterday we went outside and picked mulberries from the tree on the footpath. There was another lady picking them too, from Lebanon who had 6 children, whose sister lived in Santa Fe Argentina and whose mother was born in Mexico and father had lived in Cuba. All her children have french names. She picks the mulberries and eats them fresh on yoghurt. Our mulberries came courtesy from the tree planted by our next door neighbours who are Greek. The next door neighbour Basil tells me he picks them, cooks them, then eats them with cold vanilla ice-cream.
So i decided to boil them with water and sugar. I did not have raw sugar so I used brown sugar.
I followed Stephanie Alexander who writes about mulberries but does not give a recipe on how to cook them. Just how to cook berries overall.

photo of Zalia and I. She is still sick with fever. It was 39.6 this morning. She has had panadol and is feeling better but not eating much. Just breastfeeding constantly.

Red apple container I got from ebay.

Updating photos from iPhone onto the cloud

2011-10-15T12:16:00.000+11:00

Its really easy to upload photos from iPhone to my mac and then put them on the blog. On Thursday I changed all our mac products iPhones, iPads, my MacBook Air and Jas MacBook with the new operating machine. The mac book air is the coolest machine in the blogasphere as Jason puts it. He also ordered the coolest new phone in the blogasphere the new iPhone 4S.
Well it is Saturday morning and Zalia has temperature 38.6 degrees C. She does not let us take her temperature (she cries and goes on as if it is the end of the world), she does not allow us to give her panadol so in the end we use the dog method.
The dog method is as follows: holding the baby down and stuffing the panadol down her throat with her putting up a big fight.
However even with her overall grumpiness she is managing to eat, she has had dried nutrigrain for breakfast, a gazillion breast feeds courtesy of moi, and half an orange. I was lucky to get freshly made pancakes for breakfast made with love from JASON and coffee while Za had a little morning siesta.

Zalia eating nutrigrain for breakfast

Pancakes for breakfast

Setting up all the new operating systems

Zalia sick

Oranges for a sick little bub

Yesterday after Uni and my last teaching lab for the year (Yayyy and sad at the same time) I ventured solo into St Vincents de Paul in Randwick and saw 20 something men buying colourful dress up clothes and I remembered those good old days buying second hand clothes for parties. In the end I bought a few goodies:
- blue children's guitar
-blue and white summer top for Zalia
-plastic pokka-dot bracelet for me
-thomas the tank engine egg cup (not shown)
I think I scored!

Guitar from St Vincents

$2 spotty bracelet from St Vinnies

Top for Zalia from St Vinnies

home made pasta

2011-10-03T23:09:00.000+11:00

Jas made us a lovely dinner. He made fresh pasta and Joaquin helped and meatballs in tomato sauce ala Jamie Oliver. It was really good and the spaghetti fresh pasta some of the yummiest I have eaten. Joaquin loved to help and Zalia loved to eat it. I am so lucky to have Jas who is so patient and loves to cook. Halfway through the cooking I took the kids for a walk to the bottle shop to buy some red wine. On the way back Joaquin fell over and scraped his hand and nose. It bled and I thought he may have hurt his teeth but he cried for a little while and then was back to his usual happy self.

Zalia waiting for dinner

Dinner's ready

Joaquin twirling his pasta

Zalia enjoying her and ate all her dinner

Darling harbour water playground

2011-10-03T10:05:00.003+11:00

Today is Monday, a long weekend here in Australia. We have woken up at about 8.30am and thanks to daylight savings we sleep in a bit. Last night we (Jas and I) stayed up late watching tv, Underbelly Razor, about Sydney crime scene, set in Sydney approximately between 1927-1946. I fell asleep by the heater but Jas watched the episodes we have recorded and now we are up to date. In the last weeks we have spent watching Dexter and now are ready for episode 6. We love Dexter at our house and call him D.

Yesterday we went to Darling Harbour and had soup at Paddys market. We had been there a few weeks ago when we went to see Mary Poppins at the Capitol Theatre. This time I had a seafood wonton noodle soup. Mine was ok, did not finish it and the noodles (yellow noodles) had a very strong smell like some chemical or strange bleach. yuck. Jas's soup was ok, he had rice noodles and his did not smell. Joaquin had sushi-salmon and prawns and Zalia did not eat just breasted. After lunch we walked over to the Pearl tea shop near the elevators and we had a pearl tea and Zalia loves holding the drink bottle. Mine was almond milk nice but I forgot the pearl jelly balls. Its nice to suck them up the straws. We then walked over to Darling Harbour to the South American Festival and to check out the new playground. It is really good playground, like a water playground but good for kids over 4 I think. They can climb, move water, pump water and play on a flying fox.

These are the comments about the playground:

Does your local playground have a 21-metre flying fox? Didn't think so!

How about a water play area with pumps and water buckets? Thought not!

Darling Quarter's new playground is one of Australia's best. Water games, climbing ropes, swings, slides and flying foxes will keep toddlers and teens entertained for hours. It's fun, thrilling and best of all FREE!

Here are photos of the playground on Flickr

We checked out the South American music, had a choripan (chorizo in bread roll) and some churros. Zalia ate churros and some bread and Joaquin had a chori-pan.

Joaquin eating a chorizo

However last night after getting ready for bed there was a big spew and Joaquin really spewed all his food and said "I spewed brown fire". He was ok after his spew and went back to sleep. Jas had to clean everything up and I have not seen the bathroom look so messy with spew ever. I am quite cautious of the kids eating sausages and mince meat when we are out. I hope he does not have a tummy bug from this.
Have a nice weekend xx

Sat night with cupcakes

2011-10-01T21:55:00.000+10:00

Today I spent the day with a friend whose baby is due in 10 weeks. It was her baby shower and there was a lot of food from Uruguay. I have eaten so much.
When I came home I was greeted with Joaquin covered in flour on his clothes and all these cupcakes.
Jas spent the afternoon making cupcakes with Joaquin and Zalia. So cute, he is such a domestic god!

Now the kids are asleep. I feel so full and using my MacBook Air that I love so much and watching Bridesmade!

Pancakes and a day at Coogee beach

2011-09-29T17:08:00.000+10:00

This morning I made pancakes for the two little ones. Joaquin helped me! I use a Stephanie Alexander recipe. The secret is not adding the egg whites with the flour, butter, yolks but mixing them separately until they are soft peaks, adding them to the mixture at the end and then cooking them. It makes the pancakes light and fluffy.

A pancake for mummy with jam

Later we went to Coogee to play at a friend's house and the weather was quite horrible. It rained we had cheese toasted sandwiches. Later in the afternoon it was sunny. We walked down to the beach, bought some banana smoothies at MelonHead. Joaquin got upset his friend finished his smoothie before him.
Then when Joaquin was feeling happier we walked down to the beach from the shops and headed north past the statue to commiserate the people from the Eastern Suburbs who lost their lives from the Bali Bombing, towards Clovelly. The boys had fun playing in the puddles, investigating the rocks, luckily they had rain boots on. Zalia finally fell asleep in the pram. It was very windy. After we walked down to the beach and the boys played in the sand. Joaquin found a sliver spoon and a 10 cent piece. We then caught the bus home. It was a nice day considering how horrible the weather was earlier on.

Joaquin at the north side of Coogee beach playing in puddles with a friend

Joaquin and his friend

Joaquin looking out to Wedding cake island

A day at home with the little ones

2011-09-28T09:40:00.001+10:00

I stayed at home all day today. I really do not know what got into me, one of those days. Very tired from teaching all day MOnday and tired from staying up late on Sunday night due to effects of having coffee too late on Sunday afternoon.
Really did not do much. Fed Joaquin and Zalia breakfast, wheetbix, toast, thomas pasta and orange juice.
Had an instant coffee which overall was quite nice.
Joaquin made a cubby house out of his table and chairs and a blanket and mat in his play room.

I made chicken soup as well with some chicken carcass and organic celery, garlic, spring onion, carrot, ginger.
I had a sleep in bed with Joaquin and Zalia who were both just playing in bed. Zalia did manage 2 sleeps but they were small.
In the afternoon I finally got cabin fever and had to get out and got ready and walked to the park. I was there till 5.45pm when Jas arrived and picked us up.
It was nice hanging at the park late afternoon as other types of families are around, not those that get their children fed and in bed by 5,45pm but those that are still doing things at that time.
In the end I am glad we got out if it was just for a little while even though Joaquin said we did not get out of the house all day mummy!

organic fruit and vegetables in Sydney

2011-09-26T21:55:00.000+10:00

Every Monday we pick up a box of fresh organic fruit and veges. It costs us $35 and we look forward to this every week.
This week for $35 we got
-2 heads of lettuce
-brocoli
-spring onion
-4 zucchini
-strawberries
-a bunch of carrots
-apples
-oranges
-5 pears
-lemons
-potatoes
-pumpkin
-a bag of mushrooms
- ginger
-parsley
Now i just have to think of yummy things to cook

lemon cake on a wet saturday

2011-09-24T22:18:00.001+10:00

Today it has been cool in Sydney. Not really Spring weather. So we have just stayed at home, and also ventured out for a walk to the local shops to get supplies for dinner.
We also all had a long afternoon siesta, from 1.30 to 4pm. It was wonderful and we did not feel tired even after waking up. I think we all needed it.
Then Jas got dinner ready, Ossobucco and veges with mash. Zalia and Joaquin ate everything. Zalia is very much into peas and corn and just loves nibbling the corn cob.
I was also inspired to make a cake and I made a lemon cake and followed Beth's recipe. It turned out to be so delis and I was very happy with the result.

a cup of flour

organic lemons zested and squeezed

eggs from cousins chickens

icing sugar

mix all ingredients

Zalia laughing with her daddy

Zalia helping squeeze lemons

Pour into baking dish that is lined with baking paper and greased

Finished cake

Zalia her dolly and her pram

Joaquin happy after we cleaned the play room

Joaquin and his toys

the finished lemon cake so yummy

Around the home flowers and fruit and children

2011-09-20T10:22:00.001+10:00

Its Tuesday again

2011-09-20T10:05:00.000+10:00

Its Tuesday AGAIN!
The weeks go so fast.
Yesterday Monday I taught practically all day.

My day was like this:
5.15am--- Zalia got up and I breastfed her in bed practically all morning till 7.30am
7.30-8.30am--- Got everyone ready and walked to preschool. Zalia had her first food breakfast in over a week, half a wheetbix and some crumpet with butter and vegemite. Joaquin also had wheetbix and crumpet and was in a good mood.
8.45--- Dropped Joaquin at preschool.
9.10am-- Walked back home and got ready to go to Uni
9.30am--- Said goodbye to Zalia and left her with Nanny and Luca and walked to uni
9.50am--- Arrived at uni, went to get the trolley with skulls and specimens from another lab.
10.00am--- Grabbed a Coffee from Uni coffee cart
10.20am-12.00am--- Read through notes and got ready for teaching, ate some of a salad before class.
12-2pm----- Geology Lab doing palaeontology work for first year geology students
2-5pm---- First year Biology Lab doing plant dissections looking at the inner architecture of plants, roots and leaves. I was so hungry all day and did not have time to eat my lunch. :(

But beautiful weather yesterday and so inspired by spring to do things, to get fit, to be organised.
Zalia is feeling so much better and was good for the nanny yesterday. They played in the park, she ate well, had a sleep and played outside with bubbles and chalk on the cement.
Joaquin had show and tell at his preschool and took Thomas the Train and Percy his friend.
5.30pm-- Got home after Jas picked me up form Uni
5.30-6.15pm--- Breastfed Zalia again and made dinner (Vegetable soup with organic vegetables) and basmatti rice and a lettuce and avocado salad.
Then at 6.15pm we went to pick up the organic fruit and vegetable box. There was bananas, avocados, apples, lemons, beetroot, carrots, chard, celery, garlic and a few other things I can't now remember.
The kids were fed, bathed and in bed by 8.30pm. I stayed up cleaned and watched tv. I think I was asleep by 11pm.
Today was better, Joaquin got up at 8am and Zalia at 7.00am. I got up with Jas at 5.50am and the kids slept through the night and there was no one in our bed this morning. So nice to know they are in their bed sleeping.
I think I will just stay at home, clean, make dinner and just organise my life. I may have left over soup for lunch. The kids already had wheetbix, crumpets, toast and thomas the tank engine pasta for breakfast!

Wednesday 14th Sept my Day with my two

2011-09-14T22:00:00.000+10:00

Wednesday was a beautiful hot spring day here in Sydney.
I got up Early with Jas (his alarm goes off sometime at 5am) and Zalia was up crying a bit, she has not been 100% not eating as much as before. She fell from the lounge on Saturday and hit her collarbone and may have fractured it.
Did not take her to Drs. till Monday afternoon and the dr said it may be fractured but will heal by it self and no need for an X-ray. She moved around a lot at the drs and the Dr. said she had a very determined look in her eye. Yes she has.

Well I left Z in bed, as she is not really crying just making noises and I had breakfast with Jas. I am feeling quite rotten with myself and it is that time of month that makes me so. Well the day before that time of the month. After breakfast Jas left in a hurry as he slept in past his alarm clock, well he was in with Zalia settling her when she woke up at 5am and then did not here his alarm go off. I did here it but turned it off and went back to sleep (naughty me).
In the end I got Z in bed with us (as Joaquin comes into our bed quite early at around 4am) and then I gave her a breastfed and knew she had done a poo in her nappy, It was a monstrous one and got everywhere so after her feed I changed her and put her pjs (onsies from Coles at $2) and her sleep sack to soak and dressed her and gave her a bottle and she laid in bed with Joaquin while he was on the iPad. I got breakfast ready for Joaquin. Joaquin ended up having 2 wheebix, 3 crumpets with honey, 1 toast with vegemite, a glass of milk and a small cup of apple juice. All before 10am. Zalia had breakfast for the first time in days (half a wheetbix and baby porridge with honey and milk). She was stealing Joaquin's wheetbix so I knew she was hungry. The last few days she has been off food, maybe the pain in her clavicle (collarbone).
Anyway I left home finally at 10.30 after 3 load of washing, heaps of breakfast preparing and speaking to my parents on the phone and I made lunch to take with us sandwiches, biscuits and left over pumpkin risotto for me. I ended up washing my sheets too as I had changed Zalia on our bed and believe me it was a mess.
We walked to the park in Randwick, met a mum and her 4 year old from Joaquin's mums group (Joaquin's best friend). I had a nice day talking to my friends, met a new lady with 2 kids who knows my other friend from soccer. She does hypnotising and told me she can make a tape for me to lose weight. I think it is a good idea to maybe try?
Well the kids had a good time in the playground, Zalia walked but did not attempt to go down the slide with her sore arm. I met a lady and her two kids from Colombia. Zalia played with her little girl. I met a lady who I had met before who is in her 60s and looks after a little boy called Sebastian. She remember Zalia and said she is petite but has grown a lot taller and said she has the most beautiful smile. Oh that makes my heart melt. Little Zazu.
Anyway Zalia loves her brother's friend and always annoys him and goes up to him to try to cuddle or tickle him. She is very cute. I spoke to my friend about her trying for another but it was not happening. It must be hard. She has given up hope a bit I think.

Then at around 2pm Zalia fell asleep, I rocked her a bit while I sat on the swing and then put her in the pram, the boys had their biscuits and we left at 2.30 and I walked to the library with Joaquin and Z sleeping. However on the way an ambulance went past and woke her up. She was very cranky. We went to the toy store, i bought a present for a three year old who's birthday party is on Sunday and then went to the library. I also bought some water colour paints for Joaquin to use at home that are not messy and have a great range of colours.

Zalia was still quite upset. and then went to the library to return books and get more out but could not find my card as per usual. Then i bought banana smoothies for them both. Then I bought some spinach for 0.99cents and then walked home. On the way stopped by Joaquin's friends house. We went inside then I agreed to take his friend home for a play. We only live a street away. At home everyone played, Zalia was ok, I swept and put laundry away. They painted outside. Zalia was getting clingy and upset and I breastfed her and then Jas arrived home and the mum of the little boy. We talked and I tried to get Zalia to sleep but did not happen. Jas got ready to go for a run and left. In end Jas came back from running, Zalia was happy again but did not really want a bottle of milk and I got dinner ready. Joaquin's friend and mum left and I made Dinner (red organic lentils, spinach Indian style and basmatti rice with friend onions and fetta cheese on top- a mixed recipe from Stephanie Alexander and Cooking 101 a similar recipe something like this) and the kids had sausages from Scone Butcher and pasta. The lentils were so yummy and I really enjoyed them, so did Jas. Zalia had some pasta and just sat there feeding herself with a fork, very civilised. Joaquin had 2 sausages and two pieces of bread. Then I cleaned up and washed up and Jas got the kids to bed. It was 9pm when we finished and then Jas had a magnum ice-cream and tea and I made the bed and got into bed and surfed the web a bit. Now sleep time. Good night.

2am awake

2011-09-11T02:07:00.001+10:00

It's 2am blogging from iPhone. Zalia has been waking up crying and hard for her to get back to sleep. She has a bit of a cold, stuffed up nose and today fell of the lounge ( I was at table using laptop and Jas was with her on lounge but did not see her) and fell face first with a thud on wooden floors. Her face is ok and head but she may have tried using arms to stop herself and they may be bruised. She has not been herself and I am slightly worried. She cried a lot did not sleep much wanted breastfeed and bottle feed. She was ok later in afternoon walking around and playing but still clingy and nit her usual happy little self. Poor munchnut. She is asleep now in cot, I lay in bed with Joaquin (who is asleep) next to her in joaquin's small ikea bed! I hope she has a deeper sleep this really upsets me and affects us all. Oh zalia also said "dinosaur train" on Sat night!

children's playroom

2011-09-08T15:01:00.000+10:00

Here are some photos I took a while back when it was colder.
i have fixed up the room a bit since then so will post them.

not much happening in Sydney town

2011-09-08T11:44:00.002+10:00

At home, the weather is quite bleak in Sydney town. Joaquin has not been feeling 100% and he is playing dinosaur train on the other laptop while I type. He has had an upset tummy and felt sick last night and today.

But now he is better, I made some vege soup with organic vegetables -carrot, celery, leek, garlic, ginger all organic and I added non-organic onion and some soup stock. I made some basmati rice and it was really nice. He even had soup and rice and said "nice, crunchy rice".

Today we will just stay at home and not do much. Maybe clean, maybe a friend may come over later. I can not believe it is not even midday, I have cooked soup, put Zalia down for a sleep, had lunch with Joaquin and played with them this morning and still not midday.

Tomorrow I have uni but no class so I will work on finishing corrections for my paper that should have been down last year.

Zalia is waking up, she always does when I am blogging!

un beso xxx

Fathers day (smothers day) in Sydney

2011-09-04T23:00:00.000+10:00

Fathers dat=y consisted of
a) grumpy four year old who was upset making cards in the morning and waking up daddy at 7am with screams
b) card making and some toast for said kid
c) getting ready to go for breakfast after some tantrums at home
d) walking out the door at 9.30am for breakfast at local cafe
e) breakfast at local cafe, coffee, toast and eggs, mushrooms, avocados and bacon
f) bus into city
e) walking through Hyde park
f) going to Australian Museum
g) seeing dinosaurs, being scared of dinosaurs (even though we saw them last wednesday at the dinosaur hunt), patting a stick insect and collecting their eggs not confusing them with poo, looking at bugs under the microscope, going into skeleton room, buying small australian animal models in shop. Talking to lady working in museum about her dino dig experience and mine as a Paleontologist.
h) having asian soups at pitt st food court and chicken and chips for them
i)stopping at Zara
j) phonecall at Zara from Jas asking me if i was ready as this is father's day not mother's day
k) leaving Zara walking down to harbour and buying chocolate covered macadamia nuts form chocolate store at the Strand Arcade
l) walking to Opera house and taking phones
m) catching bus and having two sleeping children on the bus
n) Jas walking home carrying a sleeping 20kg 4 year old in his arms
o)making dinner, baths, bed ready for Monday!

Giganotosaurus from Argentina

a day in the life Thursday 1st September 2011

2011-09-01T11:32:00.002+10:00

Zalia is asleep now. It is 11.10am. Joaquin has been playing making pictures on the iPad with virtual stickers. I can not believe it is September already. Where o where has this year gone. Is that the same for everyone? The feeling life is flying past, no contact with today, no remembrance of yesterday?

I think Zalia was tired this morning as kids are, especially kids that are not yet one and a half and are teething. She has swollen gums where her premolars should be and no incisors present. She is very cute but becomes so clingy and cries and wants to be held when she is tired or hungry. She went to bed late last night 9.30pm and I had gotten her to sleep late in the afternoon at 5pm after we came back from the park yesterday. Well I finally got her to sleep at 10am and I am sure she will wake up soon. I am still in my pjs as usual so is Joaquin and I have just put a load of washing on. It is sunny outside, I know as i just ventured out to take the clothes horse out with the clothes I washed from last night and to check the compost bin. The compost bin is doing ok, I need to add a layer of wet paper and dry leaves and twigs for at the moment it is just a monumental organic mess with egg shells and green leafy vegetables bits. I get very frustrated with my kids, and find it hard just to do a little bit for myself, like look at blogs, and do bobs and bits online. But thankfully Zalia has now slept an hour and I could do some catch up. Not educational catch up but online browsing, and stuff. Paying for things.

I have to make lunch soon and probably will feed them -the little ones- left over Bolognese sauce with pasta. I will blend the sauce so Joaquin does not see the large onion bits and find the mushroom and not know what it is. He hates to find onion in his food but he eats it if he does not see it. So tricky mummy blends it up and hey presto a hungry child eats his nutritious dinner/lunch. I made it with organic carrots, organic garlic, not organic small tomatoes (from fruit and vege shop), not-organic onion (woolies bought), a can of tomatoes, water and stock, red wine (cab merlot) that is very cheap from the local bottle shop (clear skin) and some mince meat I bought in Bondi Junction at the fair from a lady who has her own farm so it is kind of organic I think. Anyway it was a successful dinner and Jas enjoyed it immensely even after his run to the beach and back.

Maybe after lunch I will venture down to the local park and hang out and I should venture over to the fish shop in Randwick and buy some salmon for dinner tonight. So many choices and decisions, life sometimes seems so hard and so complicated. It would be easier if I drove I know. She is up now, better go and get her up and make some lunch. chau chicos xxx

Zalia and the organic apples

2011-08-30T16:30:00.000+10:00

This is Zalia and the box of fruit and veges we pick up every Monday afternoon. She loves grabbing apples and taking a bite and then putting them back. All my apples have a bite mark and even a tomato she mistook for an apple. Lucky the mandarines, carrots, broccoli, bok choy, garlic, survived her jaws!

the large yellowfin tuna and sydney fish market

2011-08-28T17:38:00.000+10:00

We had a busy Sunday. The morning we went to a school boot sale at the local school.
I bought some little people toys and a castle for $10, a Thomas train set for $10, another Fisher Price train for $10, some baby clothes for Zalia for $20 including some Bonds dress and some other dresses and a Marimekko onsie. After this we walked home and then drove to the Sydney Fish Market. The place was packed and it was such a warm afternoon, even Joaquin said "Everyone has the same idea" in relation to everyone wanting fish for Lunch on a warm late winter afternoon.

What we ate:
sushimi (salmon and tuna) $20 worth
Oysters (Sydney rock oysters) $10
Large king prawns $10
Joaquin and Zalia shared a plate of grilled salmon and chips $15
We also had a beer, and a soft drink.
It was really really good and so yummy.
Then afterwards we walked to the wharf, Joaquin and Zalia shared a chocolate ice-cream and Jas and I had a Pat and Stick's home made ice-cream sandwich (Double choc for Jas, and Caramel Pecan for me). DELISH!

The two of them (children's furniture by Ikea)

2011-08-26T16:21:00.000+10:00

thursday morning and I think my back is sore again

2011-08-25T20:37:00.001+10:00

Later in the morning I took the kids outside to play and the sun was out and the kids played in the yard with water in a bucket and some toys while I sat down and watched them. It was lovely, the only problem is when I sit on the outside Ikea chairs my back really hurts afterwards. May have to go and see if I can get the sports masseuse lady can see me on Saturday in the morning. Bl##dy sciatica!!!!

Later at midday a friend of Joaquin's came over and his mum, we had some lunch, then they played a bit of soccer and we walked to the new park. I saw other mums from Zalia's mums group and finally left at around 4pm and put Zalia down for a sleep while I made part of dinner. Red cabbage (organic) salad with garlic and anchovies (adapted from Stephanie Alexander) and carrot salad with feta and chicken schnitzel. Yummy

Spring is in the air

2011-08-25T08:58:00.005+10:00

I had a lovely day Wednesday at the beach with Zalia and Joaquin.
Even though Joaquin and Zalia managed to get another small cold and have snotty runny noses the day was beautiful. I packed some sandwiches and snacks in the morning and cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast and did a load of washing in the morning.

I am a bit silly in that I want things a certain way before leaving the house, I hate leaving the house in a messy state (even though I am no longer obsessed in having the beds made before leaving home). I also hate having dirty clothes piling up in the laundry. I love having no clothes, and clothes hanging on the line drying. So i always manage to do a load or two every day. I am trying not to use harmful chemicals when I wash so I have found a lovely smelling eco detergent from the supermarket but I am also using bicarbonate soda. On the weekend at the compost and worm farming course that I attended the lady who ran the course also runs a course (free) on Living with less chemicals and she mentioned she had not washed her hair with shampoo in 15 years and uses Bicarboate soda to wash and I ended up trying it on Zalias clothes and it is fine. I still use non-disposable nappies on her but when out and about I use disposable.

I feel I am gradually getting a little more control on my life. Zalia is not constantly wanting me or wanting the breast, she is more independent and walking better each day. She loves her brother and they get on well. I am getting more organised working 2 days a week, I do not feel as guilty leaving Z with the nanny on those two days as she enjoys herself with her little friend L who is turning one next month and has started to kiss and hug him every time she sees him.
I am also trying to look after my health, swimming once a week and trying to eat healthier. I do need to get a check up on my thyroid and other things, I will do that for next week I think. No more putting that off.

I am also trying out organic fruit and veges and trying to eat less junk stuff and would love to incorporate the mantra of using less chemicals around the home. This weekend we will get the free compost bin up and running, I am going to a car boot sale at the local school and see if I can find any outside toys.
Also maybe going to paint some chairs and do some spring cleaning around the home. Its Thursday yeah two more days to the weekend.

Have a nice day!

A lovely day at the park by the beach

2011-08-24T21:13:00.002+10:00

So today was a gorgeous day and I hit the parks.
We got ready and headed out at 9am to catch a bus down to the beach. I could have walked but I walked to the bus stop and then caught the bus and Joaquin had a lovely time chatting to the bus driver. It was a long double bus and the driver said he felt at times like a train driver as the bus was big like a train.
We met some mums from Zalia's mums group down at the park at the beach. They get there early and leave early. Then after 10am I met up with a dad and his two little ones, T and S, S is 4 like Joaquin and we have known her since she was 6 weeks old. Their dad looks after them and their mum works hard in an office, travels a lot and at times feels she is missing out on family time.
However Joaquin mentioned yesterday he saw a lot of dads in the park, I did see that too. Times are changing and men realise they also need to spend more time with their brood. Joaquin loves going to the park with his dad and spending daddy time. Zalia's face lights up when she sees her daddy when he comes home from work after not seeing him all day. They do not get to see him in the morning as he leaves early but he does spend time with them in the afternoon at 5.30pm when he gets home, he baths them, they have special milo and milk time while watching Blinky Bill and he reads to them and puts them to bed while I clean the kitchen.

I think I wore them out today at the park and beach. Zalia had a sleep after lunch at 12ish in the pram (well I breastfed her while we were having lunch fish and chips with my friend and his two little ones). She slept in the pram for about an hour and Joaquin and I walked back to the park to play while his other friends had to go home as little T had to have his sleep. Sometimes I wonder am I a bad mother staying out and Z sleeping in her pram instead of her cot. she has a short morning sleep and then a longer afternoon sleep in her cot usually and this works for us, she sleeps through the night with this set up so I do not want to change a thing yet.

Joaquin gets upset though when his friends leave, he wants to play with his friends, so he cried and was upset but I managed to convince him to get back on his scooter and go back to the park as we saw another mom walk that way with a pram and a little boy in the pram and an older boy on a scooter.
I talked to that mum at the park, her older son is 4 turning 5 in December starting school next year and the younger one nearly 2. She said she did not know what school her son will go to, they are renting an apartment in Rose Bay but want to buy a home in there northern beaches. Anyway Joaquin went up to this boy to see if he could play with him, the little boy was busy chasing another boy and said no I am already playing. There was another group of kids (2 boys and a girl) and Joaquin wanted to play with them as they searched for a lost toy in the bushes, in the end they found a small plastic toy and one boy with curly blond hair thew the toy down a hole and Joaquin got upset. I think that boy was a bully as later he called Joaquin a cry baby. In the end Joaquin played with another boy Lachlan he asked him his name, they played well even though that boy was turning 3 soon and he had a younger sister who was Zalia's age but seemed older.
Later I talked to that first mom, she was surprise Joaquin was 4 because she said when they are ready for school one thing they look for is if the child is socially ready i.e. does he ask people their names and she said she overheard Joaquin ask another boy his name. The thing is Joaquin has been doing this since he was 2. He used to ask stranger "Whats your name?".
After another episode with the bully blond boy and a stick we left the park, Joaquin played on his scooter along the beach and we went to a shop and I bought them banana smoothies and had a look around at the shops. I bought some dried banana chips (Joaquin saw them in the shop and he had tasted one that Lauchlan had given to him in the park). We also spoke to some other people who Joaquin saw they were drinking smoothies as they walked and he screamed out "I also just had a banana smoothie". He is very sociable when he wants to be, I do not know why he is always wanting to make friends, I think he has the knack of it.
Anyway we finally got home before 4pm and I did a bit around the home and found Joaquin asleep by himself on the lounge. I put Zalia down at 4.30 she slept till 6.30 and Jas came home at 5.30 and Joaquin was still sleeping. I really had a lovely day.
I made some snacks for Jas and Joaquin, before dinner, crackers with pate and some brie cheese, nuts and dried apricots. We had a nice time snacking on them before dinner, Jas made dinner left over corned beef, white sauce and yummy vegetables and pasta for them.

Garage sale finds

2011-08-18T10:41:00.004+10:00

Garage sale finds

Silver tray made in England
Silver smaller round trays to add condiments at the table or other things
Vase made in Italy blue and white
Jar made in China
Sun umbrella not shown
Lawnmower not shown
Trex skeleton from here Save the children online shop

Why am I so stressed

2011-08-18T08:51:00.006+10:00

Its Thursday again, Its seems to be the only day I can post. As Monday I am at Uni teaching doing toad and rat dissections to first year students or looking at organs or fossils. Tuesday I am at home or like this tuesday I hit the parks.
Wednesday I also hit the parks and the library and today Thursday I think I will just stay at home.
I have felt a bit stressed out lately. It is the time of the month so that may have explained the reason why I have been so off, physically and mentally just not feeling myself. I don't know how people write about their periods or things like that, It seems a bit hard for me, maybe because I am scared that someone I may teach may read this. Oh well it is all natural part of this life, part of being a mammal.
Well before that time of the month I have been feeling off, and I have had a sore right side for the last week. I was contemplating to go to see a dr about it but in the end I knew my periods were coming. They are exactly 28 days apart. Anyway I just feel so old lately, 37 is old I think. Maybe it has to do with me teaching young people at university, I feel I have lost my youth and my body is just feeling tired. Swimmming makes me feel better and so does eating healthy. Anyway we will see.
I have made a mental note I want to lose some weight, and I want to do a 9km fun run in October.
I also enjoying buying second hand clothes and vintage items.
I bought some second hand items at a local garage sale on Saturday, a really cool sun umbrella for the outside table (photos to come later) and a hand lawnmower. Jas dad already cut the lawn on Saturday after I purchased it and Jas brought it home.
Bought baby clothes from a garage sale in Double bay and some other bits and pieces.

Another thing that I am stressed about is Zalia has started walking and is getting up to mischief. But i am happy she is walking and seems happier. We are all finally over our sickness but now Z and Joaquin have a bit of a cold but are acting ok and happy.

Anyway talking about stress, I can relate to BabyMac's post from last night " I did not have sex last night". It is hard being a woman, trying to keep competitive, worrying about growing old, trying to look good and do healthy things, raising a family, trying hard to raise a family in a healthy way, keeping a home, keeping a home neat and tidy, laundry, making dinner, being creative, keeping children amused, taking them out to the parks, trying to be successful and do what I my profession has taught me. All so hard. I could go on and on, but I won't bore you or act so childish as the truth of the matter is we are very very lucky to have what we have. I am so lucky and happy. The sun is shinning and it is a beautiful day.

Tuesday at the park

2011-08-16T09:24:00.000+10:00

Tuesday I am usually at home but today i spent the day out and I hit the parks and met up with two mums I know one who's son is Joaquin's age and at his preschool and the other who is Argentinian and has three kids a little girl that is at school at kindergarden and two boys one who is turning 4 in December and one that turned 2 a few months ago. There were a few other mothers at the park with three kids, how do they do it? Beats me!
Anyway I made sandwiches and managed to get out of the home and walk to the park about 900mt away and be there by 9.30am. Pretty good. That was Tuesday then later in the afternoon the friend of Joaquins came to play and they played and played. I did not watch them for a moment and then Joaquin can running from outside the house (I do not know how they opened the back sliding door and got out and went down the side of the house) and said his friend A had fallen down some steps and was bleeding. I freaked out but it was ok just a graze. Joaquin normally would not go outside without me but when he is with friends he is adventurous. I managed Zalia to have two sleeps that day, one after a breastfeed which by the way I am trying to cut down during the day. Then I put her in her cot and she slept an hour. I do not know what I did in that time, washed and hung out the clothes, watched some reality crappy tv and had a tea and biscuit or three.
She then got up and we played some more, I washed some more, I made everyone afternoon tea, then the falling over the steps incidents occurred and then at around 4pm I finally got Z to have another sleep I was in the room on Joaquins bed waiting for her to sleep, then A's mum rang the doorbell and I left her to cry a little in the room and she slept and I falled the laundry while she slept and I talked to A's mum and the two boys watched Octonauts.
At 5pm Jas came home and we had to get to swimming and I got Z up and we went and I even swam 1km in half an hour.
Then I made some chicken shintzel for dinner with veges and left over ravioli. I think it was a success as we all ate well.

Thursday morning

2011-08-11T06:28:00.002+10:00

Its Thursday and I am so exhausted already.
The week goes flying past but I have had a big week and yesterday a big day.
Because I do not drive when I go out to the local parks I stay out.
Today I want to clean up the remained pots and pans I did not clean last night after making dinner for the three of us. I made salmon in the oven, some twice cooked chips using one organic potato and some fresh cheese and spinach ravolii. Joaquin asked where his vegetables were and said he loved this food. He had two servings of pasta and fish and most of the chips. I served up Z a bowl of food and she ate most of it too.
Jas went out with a friend last night so I just hang out with the kids, he bathed them before he left and I got dinner ready. Then we ate, I gave everyone some chocolate and I had a chocolate (first time in a long time). Then we plunked ourselves in front of the heater and tv and watched Octonauts, Gaspar and Lisa, and Play school. Then Joaquin played on the iPad and I watched some trashy tv playing with Z and falling asleep. Every time I fell asleep Z would come over to me and climb on me and try to wake me up. I hate sleeping in front of the heater I feel very toasty and warm and even too hot when I wake up. Zalia is walking a lot more, she loves putting a children's key set around her neck and we call her Dr. Za. She also still loves her doll and I catch her kissing it so much.
Joaquin is such a little boy, runs to the toilet when he needs to go, he ate all his dinner and I gave him a treat. He has favourite shows and yesterday he told me when we heard Jetlag the song blaring from someone's truck that that was his favourite song. We also walked past a section of Randwick where they seemed to have cut down some trees and painted the tree stumps bright orange. Joaquin was upset, he said who cut down the trees, that is naughty, without trees we won't be able to breath. If everyone cut down trees on the earth we would not be able to breath as trees give us air. Very cute. He is so sweet, gentle and loves his sister so much. I love them both.

Today i want to achieve this:
1) clean the house a bit
2) clear up the kitchen
3) do some puzzles and draw with Joaquin
4) take them to the park
5) get dinner items ready (we are making stir fry with organic veges-bock choy, spring onions, ginger, coriander).
6) Get the spare room ready as Jas's parents are coming to stay till Sunday.
7) I was invited out by a friend tonight but I feel a bit tired and have so much to do.
8) Prepare for tomorrow's class

Taking photos with Zalia

2011-08-10T07:42:00.002+10:00

Joaquin is still Sleeping, I get Z out of her cot and she is making noises. She immediately stands up in her cot with her stripy sleep bag and waits patiently for me. Then i pick her up and hug her and smell her and fall in love with her all over again. She wants the ikea lamp that is green and I hand it to her so she can hold. She grabs on to me tightly and we walk back to my bed, plonk down on the bed and she has her morning breast feed. I will miss these times. she is growing too fast. Joaquin is still asleep in our bed, he comes into the bed in the middle of the night and tells us later that daddy comes and gets him and brings him in. sometimes i find his teddies and toys in our bed too. After her feed Z wants to wake Joaquin up and tries so hard to get him up, to disturb him, to poke him and pull his hair. I try to stop her, but eventually he gets up and has a big smile on his face to see his sister.
These are photos I took with the iPhone this morning after I got Z up.

organic fruit and veges

2011-08-08T07:18:00.000+10:00

I have been inspired thanks to Louise at Table Tonic to try eating organic, especially my fruit and veges. I might even get Organic milk for my children.
I joined the Randwick Organic fruit and vege group and payed my money and picked up my box of goodies on Monday night at 6.15pm from the aRandwick school One of the girls who is in the organisation I know from when I went to high school.
Jas waited outside with Z and Joaquin and I went inside the school, there is a bit of helping to do putting fruit and veges in each box or basket to divvy out for each person. I had bananas and I ended up putting about 5 bananas in each box. So here is what I got for $35
-5 bananas
-2 avacados
-3 pears
- 3 apples
-4 potatos
-1 beetroot round and big
- a florette of broccoli
- some oranges
-some lemons
-a bunch of coriander
- ginder
-a bunch of spring onion
-a head of purple cabbage
2 large cucumbers
a large bunch of bok choy
-a brown paper bags with peas
-one large leek

The only things missing we use a lot of in our cooking is:
lettuce, tomatos, carrots, zuchhini, pumpkin, onion, garlic

Update Thursday 11th of August: So far I have only made some orange juice, made chips with the potato, had the cucumber. We will make stir fry with ginger, chicken free range, box choy, spring onion, peas, broccoli tonight for dinner

At Coogee Beach

2011-08-05T06:50:00.000+10:00

A taste of summer in Sydney in August

2011-08-04T07:01:00.003+10:00

Its Thursday Morning, 7am, and I am sure its going to be a beautiful day.
Since I got up at 6.30am I have
a) hung a load of washing on the line
b) put another load on
c) emptied the dishwasher
d) about to have some breakfast before the little ones get up.

Well I can hear Zalia in her room making some noises but I will keep her there until I finish break. Joaquin just came to our bed for a little cuddle at 6am and he is asleep there and J has left for work. The garbage trucks have been and gone.
Today I have a hair appointment at the local hairdresser and they have a creche so I am taking both and hoping all goes well.

Yesterday started off grey, the sky and my mood.
But at 10am i left the house, pram, scooter, snacks, jumpers in case of cold and J and Z. We went to the park and met up with Z's mums group. We also met up with a dad from J's mums group and his two children.
After some play, by 12 everyone had left I went across the road bought some sandwiches and then had lunch with them in the park, my friend who is Argentinian was there with her 14 month old boy and she is also currently 20 weeks pregnant.

Then i loaded up the pram, convinced J to get in the pram and walked down to the beach so meet some other mums and J's friends at the park at the beach. They both fell asleep on the walk down there can you believe it? Joaquin was still asleep when I got there, Z was awake. When i got her out of the pram she had a play and a little wander and is walking so much more. Even the other mothers noticed how much she is walking from last week. She is in such a better mood, after all the colds and temps from the last two weeks. So is Joaquin. He slept 30 m in more and his friends were coming over to see if he was awake. They ended up playing well all together (the four of them) with J's trains, and in the sandpit at the park. I also bumped into another mum I know and her 15 month old son and they spotted a whale at Coogee Beach. I did not get to see it though.
At 4pm we left, bought some chocolate milk for J and ice-cream for his friend and walked half a block to his friends house for an afternoon play date. They played well, Zalia just stayed with me, admiring the cat they have in a cage with a special collar to stop it licking its wound on it s leg. Zalia was quite happy just to hang out, she is such a girl. So different with Joaquin playing with his friend in the other room, with trains, and dinosaurs and blocks.
At 5pm the tv came on and we watched Tom and Jerry. It was Joaquin's first time watching it, I think he liked it, his friend really likes it and laughs a lot.
15 min later Jas came to pick us up and we went home. I made dinner, left over burritos, pasta and veges for them, and a zucchini tart from Stephanie Alexander and from Fat Mum slim.
Very yummy. Jas got them bathed and in bed by 8.30. I stayed up cleaning up the kitchen and the floors and watched a bit of tv, then got to bed at 10pm. A long day.

August

2011-08-02T11:15:00.005+10:00

We have been sick and it really is horrible.
For the past two weeks, snotty noses, coughs, fevers, grumpiness and a 15 month old that is so clingy and just wants to be held all the time. Since Sunday she has been happier. She is now in my arms sleeping as i type. Still breastfeeds, and she breastfed so much while she was sick. Anyway the sun is out and its beautiful morning in sydney. I have to get lunch ready and have a large to do list to do for today.
1) Wash and hang clothes in the sun
2) make lunch
3) answer emails'
4) make beds
5) write ideas and memories down (things that Joaquin says as a 4 year old)
6) write about Zalia

In other news
I got a new computer MacBook Air. I love it. So lucky, so cool, so small compact and light.
I started teaching at uni and love it. Zalia stays with the shared nanny and Joaquin goes to preschool.

Things I want to do this month
I want to really start buying organic produce and cooking lovely foods like Louise.
Enroll in composting/worm farming course at local council (DONE)
I want get organised
I need and want to get a drivers licence.
Do exercise and eat less
organise my health
Take more photos.
Need to get a tv cabinet

children chairs and table ikea

2011-07-21T06:06:00.001+10:00

I love the Vogue spread on Sarah Jessica Parker's home that she shares with her three children, twins Tabitha and Loretta and older son James Wilkie and husband.
I love this shot of her kitchen with her adorable twin girls. I noticed the little white table and realised I had a similar one in my kitchen. Ikea of course for me, table and chairs! I went cheapo at Ikea and used the white lack side table at $9.99 and 2 kritter children's chairs @ $25 a pop. A bit expensive but I saved on the table.

raining cold wet day in Sydney

2011-07-19T22:54:00.004+10:00

It is raining so much in Sydney town and we are lying in bed Tuesday night nearly 11pm and four year old Joaquin is in the middle of the bed with the ipad (he needs to sleep),daddy bear is asleep and Zazu is in her cot in her room asleep. She has croup and Joaquin has the same virus. I took them to the medical center this afternoon and Joaquin had 38.5 degrees C and Zalia had 37.8 but both were acting ok. Jas picked us up and we went to get food for dinner at the local shops. On the way home they both fell asleep and we had to get them out of the car without getting wet. We managed to keep them asleep and I began to prepare things for dinner.

Jas made some crumbed lamb cutlets and I made boiled veges. Joaquin and Zalia both ate their dinner well. Not like the night before where it was winging and crying all night so Joaquin could eat his dinner. Now I KNOW WHY HE DID NOT EAT IT AND CRIED AND CARRIED ON, HE WAS SICK.

After dinner we had a treat (left over greek cakes from the Saweet spot cafe)and baths and watched tv with the new stereo. Joaquin loves watching blinky bill, the Octonaughts and Bananas in Pyjamas. Iget to watch other tv shows and record what I want to watch later.
Zalia likes to annoy and cause mischief. She is 14 months, starting walking last week and eats well. She weighs less than 10 kg and the dr asked me if Joaquin was also a light weight. Well at his 4 year vaccination and checkup last month Joaquin weighed 20 kg (90% for weight) and 97% for height.
Zalia also says
Hola, Mama, Dada, Laura (the nanny), nana for banana. She says na when she wants something. She sticks her tongue out and blows rasberries when she does not want something. she kisses on cue. she waves goodbye. She also shakes her head for no. She understands a lot, more than I give her credit. She loves her brother and her father so much. Tonight she walked around me while i was on the ground and stopped to give me kisses each time she came around to my face. very sweet.

our old apartment is now up for rent

2011-07-18T23:07:00.005+10:00

These our photos I found online of our old apartment in coogee we rented out. We payed $445 a week and now it on offer for $600. It has been renovated. The walls have been painted a lovely white. It looks much fresher. The old clear but stained carpet was removed and it looks 100 times better with the original floor boards.
We have lived there since June 2006 and had our two children there. It was a lovely place and full of memories but time to move on to better places. We finally moved on the 15th June 2011 to a house. We rent too, but it is so lovely and big, 4 bedrooms and a front and back garden and a sunroom, laundry and 2 bathrooms. A big difference.

Spanish style building
Deck with lovely views to Coogee beach
Kitchen lino floor removed and floor boards were kept
Living room, good size but we had a dining table there too
Main bedroom we also had Z's cot in there with the bed
Another shot of main bedroom
Sunroom, they kept the carpet. This was Joaquin's room and a bit small. Brings back many memories

Weekend July in the Hunter

2011-07-17T23:48:00.001+10:00

We went up to visit Jas's family and Nanny and Poppy on the weekend. We left Friday night and returned 8.45pm Sunday night and ordered Thai food home delivery. It takes about 4 hours to drive and Joaquin and Zalia usually have a sleep in the car. Joaquin was not too crash hot when we picked him up from preschool just after 4pm on Friday. The preschool teacher said he had some apple and vomited. He did not want to go to preschool that morning and was upset, I think he was already coming down with something, poor little thing.

In Scone we had fun, everyone had a go on the motorbike even little Zalia who is 14 months, she is a bit of a daredevil. Joaquin also enjoys it so much, in his Thomas the tank boots. He loves to play with his cousins and wanted to play Lego with his older 8 year old cousin.
We had a lovely dinner on Saturday night to celebrate the birthdays during the last few months. Jas mother made roast pork and chicken with vegetables and there was a freddo the frog ice cream cake for desert that everyone loves. Joaquin received a lot of presents for his birthday (he turned 4 in June). I think he was happy to spend time with his grandparents and cousins.
He says he wants to have a gold fish as a pet.

Friday afternoon

2011-07-15T12:39:00.000+10:00

It is sunny today. I have been at home getting ready, packing to go to visit Jas's family.
Zalia was with the share nanny this afternoon from 12-4. In the morning I took Joaquin to preschool with Zalia in the pram, he was not feeling that good. I think he may be getting sick or just is very tired.

This is a photo i took with the iphone of the lovely orange flowers from our backyard that grow on our neighbours garage roof.

Have a lovely weekend!!!!

getting old and cranky

2011-07-14T08:17:00.004+10:00

Its always a bit tricky in the morning trying to juggle things and trying so hard to get up in a good mood. I think it is lack of sleep as Z still gets up (she got up at 3am and then I find it hard to get back to sleep after I feed her and get her back in bed).
But like BabyMac I too am feeling old.

1) I get easily upset over little things my partner says (i.e. he got angry at me as I forgot to wash his shirts, he only has a few as he threw the others out and we have not been able to replace them yet due to being time poor). This makes me bite, it is not my responsibility to have his shirts washed or is it? Just because I do not work full time at an 8-5 job. Anyway

2)Getting old as I get a headache with the new gas heater.

3) Get old as I should run and train for city to surf but have been lazy and find excuses.

4) I feel old as I would rather wash clothes than run.

5) Get cranky at my children

6) Get annoyed at my children if they throw things too hard on the wooden floors.

I think the solution to these problems are a) make coffee and drink a cup in the morning, b) go to sleep earlier and when Z wakes up and then goes back to sleep 20 min later, get to sleep no blogs no iphones; c) be grateful for my children, family, home, health, food and water.

Zalia14 months

2011-07-13T08:55:00.002+10:00

2011-07-06T18:30:00.005+10:00

It has been around two months since we came back from Argentina and today my mum left to go back to Argentina. I miss her so much already. She did so much to help me and was with me just by my side. She is such a great mother. I will miss having lunch with her, having her mind Z or hold Z while I do something. Just being here when I needed her. I love you mama.

Last night we went for coffee and a cake just my mum and I. I have not done that in such a long time and we had a nice talk and time, just mother and daughter.

New Kitchen

2011-07-05T21:54:00.001+10:00

I love our new kitchen in the new house we have rented.
It is big and white and has large cupboards and lovely reconstituted stone bench and splashback and a lot of bench space and two sinks and a large window with a lot of light, as well as wooden floors.

May is finished here comes June 2011

2011-05-31T22:27:00.001+10:00

Have not written for over a month.
Here we are back in Australia. Zalia is now 13 months, Joaquin will soon be 4 next week. I love my little ones so much and yet at times feel I need to be a better mother. Joaquin has started new swimming lessons at UNSW swim pool and he is doing well. I miss my dad who is in Argentina, he says it is quite cold. I also miss my brother who has been observing in Chile.
Zalia had her 12 months vaccinations and all went well, she did not have fever but we all have had bad colds. Zalia is now standing up and in the last few days has started to stand for a few seconds without holding on. She is not walking, crawls very fast, loves her doll and loves asking for things. She says Hola when she sees someone. I love her so much, she is a little munchkin with so much personality. We are trying to get her to sleep more at night and I have to breastfeed less throughout the night.
We are looking to move out of our little flat, there are things I dislike and not happy about this flat. The carpet, the small kitchen, the lack of bath in the bathroom, the lack of laundry, the scaffolding outside our building, the lack of room, the steep stairs outside the building. I would like to move to a new house but it is so expensive here in the eastern suburbs. My mother is here with us and it has been so good. She helps so much and at times I feel I do not do enough.
There is so much for me to do.
I want to paint with my son and draw with him. He loves to draw and he draws trains and monsters, monsters that come out during the day. He also drew a crocodile eating a bird at preschool. I want to read more books to Zalia and spend more wonderful time with her. I want to learn to drive and get my drivers licence. i want to finish my paper. I want to apply for a new job at the Museum. I want to be happier and not to stress so much as I have everything.

Pink room for Baby Girl

2011-05-02T17:56:00.000+10:00

I would love to have a pink room for Zalia or have some pink in her room.
I love the combination of pink and aqua as seen in Peppermint Bliss nursery for her new bub.

http://www.peppermintbliss.com/2011/04/before-after-clifford-guest-bedroom-bath/

Even if it is a little bit of pink like Laura and Diego Garcia's baby room for their little girl Georgina.

Chau esquel te voy a extraniar mucho

2011-04-28T23:09:00.000+10:00

I have been very busy, so stressed too. I have a talk to give tomorrow on fossil marsupials, I have to pack my bags and we are leaving Esquel Saturday. My dad is staying and my mum is coming with us. I will miss my dad so much and I will miss Esquel. The days have been lovely, today it was icy all morning and ice everywhere on the grass on the fences on the roof, but the day turned beautiful and the sky was so blue.
I went to listen to some talks as part of the conference, I had lunch at home and then back to the talks. Joaquin went to preschool, his friends said they will miss him so much. Nico, Jeronimo, Giovanni, Sophia, Maika, Maia, Francisco.
Tomorrow is animal day and the kids have to come dressed as their favourite animals. My mum took Joaquin and Zalia to pick a costume, he chose a green frog and it was 30 pesos. He also played at Dante's in the afternoon while Zalia slept.
My talks finished at 6pm and my parents picked me up with the car with Joaquin and Z in the back. It was so cute to see them sitting there patiently. In the end we went to pick up medical supplies for my mum, we went to see Elena who is in the nursing home, she looks good and I miss her. She was happy to see my mum and said she was pretty which made my mum's day. She loves to play with the cat there and looks very good for her age. It is sad to see so many old people there (not too many about 6) sitting around, but it is warm and safe and better than being at hospital.
Then we went to the bread shop bought some bread then the supermarket Anonima and I bought a cake to take tomorrow so Joaquin can take it for his friends. Also bought a kinder surprise as I give them to Joaquin went he goes to the toilet. It has been hard but today he supprised me and just went easily by himself. He also is sleeping through the night and doing well. He has a pull up nappy but it is dry.
I will miss Esquel and the people and the mountains. i will miss Bondi the dog, my parents home, this little cabin, the trees with the golden leaves, hearing the rain, seeing the snow on the mountain, having lunch with my parents and my kids, sitting around watching the fire. I will miss my dad so much, even though I fight with him as daughters too, I think I have learnt a lot this time in Argentina. That I can do it, that I should not be lazy and take the reins of my life.

Zalia is one in Australia

2011-04-20T22:49:00.001+10:00

Me 40 weeks pregnant (a year ago)

Zalia is officially one years of Age in Australia, What a little munchnut, what a little miracle what a gorgeous little girl. I love her so much. I can not believe this time last year I had already had her, I was probably having a blood transfusion (5 units of blood) as when she came out fast and furious my placenta got stuck and did not want to get out. While this was happening I was bleeding and my heart beat was very very fast and I was weak even though I just craved Greek baklava cake from the Spot Greek Cafe. I did not get to have her in my arms to many many hours later after she was born at 10.25am. She is a little Taurus baby born in the year of the Tiger was going to be a little Aries should have been born on the 9th of April but was very overdue and on the 20th when I went to the hospital for a check up I was 5 cm dilate and she was going to come any day. So they asked me to stay overnight and in the morning I woke up, went for a little walk down the corridor, made a cup of tea. Spoke to a man who was in the tea room with the mornings paper. He talked to me about the pay increase doctors or nursing staff were going to get and wondered where this money came from. I read all the posters on the walls, saw other mums who were ready to pop and also saw a dad with a newborn in the corridor. Then i quietly walked down the corridor to our room, Jas was still asleep and I told him I thought the contractions were coming. I wanted to put the topometer on as I heard the baby heartbeats and felt when I was going to contract. Then they started at around 9am. I was able to walk but not read magazines as I had been doing. The pain made me stop in my tracks and they were intense but not that intense. Then the midwife came in, I told her I thought I was officially in labour and then after 9.30am I went to the toilet and my waters broke. That freaked me out a bit as I knew there was no turning back and about 20 more min of contractions (harder and more painful) and I told the midwife I needed to lay down, that I did not think I could go on that the baby needed to come out soon. Well I laid down on the bed, they told me to start pushing amazingly I did and things began to happen. I pushed a while then they noticed a head, I had to have an epistemology due to the tear from Joaquin's birth and then I pushed 2 more times and the baby was born. We did not know the sex and were very surprised it was a little girl. Then after that she was bathed and cleaned and I was rushed away for an epidural to get the placenta out (it did not come out after an hour).

We stayed in hospital a few days. more than we wanted but it was all worth it. She was breastfed and It was a bit difficult ( not as much as with Joaquin) as well but all worth it. One year later she still likes to be breastfed and wakes up twice a night for a feed. I am very exhausted. I love her to bits. We love our little Zalia Ines. La princessa de nuestro corazon. It is still the 20th here. So my little one is still 11 months old, she will soon be 1. We are having a birthday party for her on Saturday and I have been planning it. Feliz cumple mi amorcito!

Zalia is nearly 1

2011-04-19T23:20:00.000+10:00

I am very tired and it is 10.21pm and should go to bed. I went swimming today and swam 1.5km which is pretty good since I started swimming last month I had not swam for about 3 years.
Anyway while I swim Joaquin has swimming classes. He is a bit scared and does not jump in the water and plays a lot getting used to the water. I just swim, other mums watch their kids while I swim, am I a bad mum? Also got my eyebrows waxed today which was a good feeling, and half leg, it hurt a lot the wax was hot and she really scrubbed my legs and exfoliated before I had them waxed.

Also went to the doctors this morning for Zalia, she has a bit of a cold so I have been worried and since my dad had bronchitis on the weekend we were worried. Poor dad. But he is getting better. Zalia also has just a small cold. She cries bloody murder though when she is being checked out by the doctor, when she has to get her clothes taken off or when she is weighed. She weighed 8.65kg and 73cm so she is 50% but I still think she is a bit longer and was not stretched as much. Anyway she used to eat well but now is fussy and wants to feed herself and put the spoon or fork in her mouth. Anyway my little girl is turning 1 in a few days. I will miss her being a little baby and welcome her with all my heart to toddlehood. She is a little munchkin and knows what she wants. She is sweet and loves her dolls and loves her brother to bit and laughs a lot. She hates getting any clothes on or off, hates going to the doctors, hates going to sleep by herself, hates being left alone on the floor for too long. A bit of a mummy's girl but quite friendly and sociable too. Very quick to look at things, very quick to do things. I can not believe it is almost a year since I went into hospital for a midwives appointment, ended up being 5cm dilated and told to stay the night and had her the next morning very easily but lost a lot of blood and had to have a blood transfusion. I had a great pregnancy with her, just went for too long, and got very emotional and erratic at the end, and could not sleep and always had bad thoughts. Anyway I am so glad that she came to us and is here with us. I love her to bit. Te quiero mi amorcito Zalia Ines.
I also love my little boy, he is better this week, not so mischievous, listens a bit more, learned to write his name, learned his aeiou, speaking Spanish quite well. Even at his preschool his teacher Lily told me that (as he is in a class with all children that are 5 year olds when he is only 3 going on 4) that he is very bright and intelligent and is very good at doing the tasks set out for the 5 year old kids. Just that his attention span is not as long as the other kids. He is also still emotionally young and gets upset and cries a bit. He is a good little boy, loves animals and nature and very sweet.

Photos 16th April 2011

2011-04-16T12:40:00.000+10:00

Joaquin can write his name

2011-04-15T12:51:00.002+10:00

Went for a walk today near the arroyo, the sky was so blue but it was very cold.

Joaquin is 3 and 8 months and has started writing his name. He holds the pen really well, concentrates and copies very well. I am very proud. This is a small note he wrote to his daddy!

Thursday morning walk

2011-04-15T00:49:00.004+10:00

Went for a little walk (40min) with Zalia in the Ergo after dropping off Joaquin at preschool. Today is a special sports day and we had to bring a plate of something to eat. I brought some sandwiches de miga (jamon y queso) little sandwiches without crust with ham and cheese. Joaquin was quite happy to join in the fun and is friends with a little boy called Nico.
I also bought 3 sandwiches de miga (pan negro-brown bread) for us for breakfast. We toasted them (mum, dad and I) and had them with a lovely cup of coffee and milk. Zalia ate nearly half a sandwich and she has been very active today wanting to stand and walk. She is very cute. She fell asleep during the walk, there was a lot of wind and there is snow on the mountains from the previous nights rain but we were both very rugged up.

The mountains(with snow)The Arroyo Esquel (Esquel Creek)
Nueva Pasarella
Zalia and I
Where I walked
The statue to commemorate a missing 24 year old Soilder
Eduardo Alberto Colella disappeared 12-12-1976 (was tortured and killed by the military while he was based in Esquel, aged 24)

Around the house Esquel Saturday

2011-04-09T23:19:00.002+10:00

ZALIA WITH LA ABUELA

THE KITCHEN

THE VEGES FROM MY MUMS GREEN HOUSE
POTATOTURNIP WITH SPINACH
DAD CUTTING BRANCH OF THE WEEPING WILLOW
JOAQUIN PLAYING

ZALIA PLAYING

A touch of pink

2011-04-08T12:48:00.000+10:00

Inspiration bedrooms.
I think when we get back to Sydney the two kiddies will be sleeping in the same room.
I would love Z to have her own room and I love the pink touches in these rooms.

Photos by Peppermintbliss

Diego and Laura Garcia by Vouge

I also love the way these rooms have been designed with twin beds for two kids.

Twin room by Lisa Maher This is Eli and Mile's room they are twins.

Saturday Asado en Abril

2011-04-03T06:26:00.000+10:00

We decided to have a small asado today. We had some 100% beef chorizos home made from the butcher in town and some asado. The chorizos were very good, not so fatty at all. We had my mum's home made bread rolls and some tomatos. It was all very yummy. Joaquin loves his chori pan and Zalia loves her meat.

Zalia 11 months

2011-04-02T12:09:00.001+11:00

Zalia is 11 months. She is growing too fast. She points when she wants things, she screaches when she wants things and does not get them, she moves her hand when i sing "Que linda manito que tengo yo, que linda manito que mami me dio", she understands so much more, she is standing up but leaning and holding on by herself, she crawls up stairs, she is very quick if a ball comes to her and pushes it away.
She eats everything I give her and has 3 big meals a day, plus yoghurt and fruit and biscuits as snacks, and breastfeeds and has a bottle at night (80mls after he last feed), she is waking up still once at 1am and then 5.30am or 6am but then going back to sleep after a feed. It is still exhausting but it is much better then her constant feeds as a new born.

1st April 2011

2011-04-01T21:02:00.000+11:00

March has gone, Autumn is here in the Southern Hemisphere. Here in Patagonia it has been still warmish for this time of the year. Some of my mum's plants are still blooming with bright flowers.
Today Joaquin went to preschool and was allowed to bring some toys, he of course bought some Thomas trains and tracks and was really happy to go to preschool. It was also his turn to bring something yummy to eat for his class. I was going to make some banana muffins but had no time as I was really tired Thursday night. In the end we stopped at the local Panederia and bought some muffins with dulce de leche in side. I bought 10 and they were 1.25 peso each. I think the children enjoyed them.
Here is Zalia and Joaquin on the lounge hanging out.

La trochita

2011-03-27T02:12:00.000+11:00

Saturday morning, my dad made fresh bread and we got ready to go to ride the steam train La Trochita. Joaquin loves trains and is in awe of La trochita. It was a very cold morning so we knew it would be cold at Nahuel Pan station where the train stops.

Esquel in the background

Casitas Nahuel Pan Station

The four of them Nahuel Pan Station

He sat with his Abuelo and I sat with Mum and Zalia.

The scenery is beautiful, it changes so much, from being flat in Esquel, then crossing el Arroyo Esquel near where my parents live, then riding up the big hill, and the scenery changes again with big mountains everywhere, the majestic Nahuel Pan and the snow-peaked cordilleras in the west. Then as it leaves Esquel behind it travels along the plain and I love this bit the best, the Patagonian steppe with its beautiful dry vegetation and expanse. The colours are gorgeous and I love it. It looks almost velvety to touch.

Zalia was well behaved on the train, she wanted to look out the window and so did Joaquin. Joaquin really adapts well and knows where he is going and where he has been. He knows there are bridges to cross and mountains to pass, he remembers when he was a little one 17 months old and we took him walking on La Trochita Track.

paintings, illustrations

2011-03-25T23:04:00.000+11:00

I do not know why I am blogging about this. Just something that has caught my eye, made me think, made me feel, made me cry.

I was mesmerized by this drawing from Illustrator Tomer Hanuka recently made this beautifully tragic piece for Newsweek.

"As Japan reels from the tsunami, archeologists claim to have discovered the lost city of Atlantis, a fabled place built--like much of the world--in the cross-hairs of nature," Newsweek says.

"The idea was to keep the focus on the human peril aspect of this primal threat looming above civilization since the dawn of time," Hanuka says of his illustration.

He also has this beautiful illustration.

It reminds me of Frida Kahlo and her haunting and tragic painting titled "Henry Ford Hospital" or "The flying bed"
In 1932 Frida suffered a miscarriage and was in the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and paints herself lying on the bed after her loss.
Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907-1954). Henry Ford Hospital, 1932. Oil on metal. 12 13/16 x 15 13/16 in. (32.5 x 40.2 cm). Collection Museo Dolores Olmedo Patiño, Mexico City.
© 2007 Banco de México Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust

More about that painting here

Dia de la Memoria 24 de Marzo

2011-03-24T23:25:00.001+11:00

Today is a public holiday in Argentina, el Día Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia.
It is 35 years since the beginning of the Dictatorship. I still do not really know what it means, all I know is that it is a public holiday, a day to remember. To remember those who were innocent and removed from their homes, the children who never saw their parents, the parents who never again saw their children. My brother and I were lucky, my parents were lucky, we survived, we escaped, we left the country. Many were not so lucky, 30 000 people were killed and are missing.
We went to hear a talk in Esquel, at a little plaza, there were a few people who talked, and a plaque was reveled to remember a 22 year old Medicine student from Esquel who studied in La Plata and went missing. He went missing in April 1977. His family were there to remember him. I had Zalia in the ergo asleep.

El día 24 de Marzo se conmemora en nuestro país el Día Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia. Esta fecha fue establecida en el año 2002 por Ley de la Nación N° 25.633, cuyo artículo 1º establece: “Institúyese el 24 de marzo como Día Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia en conmemoración de quienes resultaron víctimas del proceso iniciado en esa fecha del año 1976″.

El Día Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia es el día en el que se conmemora a las víctimas producidas por la última dictadura militar que gobernó el país, autoproclamada como “Proceso de Reorganización Nacional”. Se conmemora anualmente el 24 de marzo en recuerdo del mismo día de 1976, fecha en la que se produjo el golpe de Estado que depuso al gobierno constitucional de María Estela Martínez de Perón, dando inicio a la dictadura militar.

Por Ley de la Nación Nro. 26.085, sancionada en marzo de 2006, el día 24 de marzo fue instituido como feriado nacional en la República Argentina.

Hoy, en las vísperas de cumplirse 35 años de aquél trágico episodio, se están ultimando los detalles de los actos que son organizados en las distintas provincias por diversas organizaciones de Derechos Humanos. El acto central tendrá lugar en Santa Fe.

Fuente: Telam
Imprimir

Autor/es: Derechos Humanos, Día Nacional de la Memoria, feriados nacionales

24 de marzo de 1976
El Golpe Militar

Todo terminó a la una de la madrugada del 24 de marzo de 1976 cuando el general José Rogelio Villarreal le dijo a Isabel Martínez de Perón: “Señora, las Fuerzas Armadas han decidido tomar el control político del país y usted queda arrestada”. O todo comenzaba. Es cierto: el país no estaba bien. Había inflación, crisis sindical, violencia y una sensación de ingobernabilidad absolutamente real. Pero lo que se iniciaba esa fatídica madrugada sería peor. Asumía el control del país una Junta de Comandantes en Jefe integrada por el teniente general Jorge Rafael Videla, el almirante Emilio Eduardo Massera y el brigadier Orlando Agosti. “Control del país” significó, entre otras cosas, disolución de los partidos políticos y del Congreso, anulación de la libertad de prensa y expresión, reemplazo de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, supresión de toda actividad política y sindical, entrega económica. Y, fundamentalmente, muerte. Una pena de muerte disfrazada para “quienes causaren daño a medios de transporte, de comunicaciones, usinas, instalaciones de gas o agua y otros servicios públicos; para los que contaminaren el agua, los alimentos y las medicinas; para los que causaren daños con explosiones o incendios; para los que sean sorprendidos infraganti y no acaten las intimaciones, o se enfrenten con las fuerzas de seguridad", pero en realidad significaba para todo el país que no acatara las órdenes, por más irracionales que fueran.

Comenzaba el mayor genocidio de la historia nacional. El terrorismo de Estado ocupaba los sillones. El plan de exterminio estaba en marcha. La Argentina, los argentinos, nunca más serían los mismos.

Entrega económica
El golpe de marzo del 76 puso en marcha un proceso económico liberal de redistribución del poder y la riqueza. De la mano del Ministro de Economía José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz, proveniente de la más rancia aristocracia porteña y hombre de confianza de la banca internacional, se implantó la reducción del déficit en base a las privatizaciones y la transferencia de los gastos a las provincias. La economía se “modernizó” abriendo las puertas a la importación, lo que obligó a la industria nacional a competir en un plano de absoluta desigualdad. El modelo de Estado benefactor, que propugnaba el Justicialismo, y las propuestas nacionales y populares cedieron por la fuerza ante la imposición del antecedente inmediato del neo-liberalismo.

La prensa muda
Comunicado N° 19 del 24/03/76
“Se comunica a la población que la Junta de Comandantes Generales ha resuelto que sea reprimido con la pena de reclusión por tiempo indeterminado el que por cualquier medio difundiere, divulgare o propagare comunicados o imágenes provenientes o atribuidas a asociaciones ilícitas o personas o grupos notoriamente dedicados a actividades subversivas o al terrorismo. Será reprimido con reclusión de hasta diez años, el que por cualquier medio difundiere, divulgare o propagare noticias, comunicados o imágenes, con el propósito de perturbar, perjudicar o desprestigiar las actividades de las Fuerzas Armadas, de Seguridad o Policiales”.

At home in Patagonia

2011-03-22T09:48:00.000+11:00

It has been raining today. Joaquin went to preschool early (He starts at 8am and gets up at 7.30am). He always is tired, he had a late night last night, watching the wiggles on the ipad.
I am trying to get someone to look after J and Z while I do work on the computer. A sort of Nanny. There are a few adverts in the local newspaper but I find the girls who advertise do not really have experience, are not professional and are a bit young. I called two girls who could not come over to meet me or talk about the job as (These are the excuses) a) it was raining and b) one came over but could not find the address even though I gave her the address so many times over the phone. She sent me a txt message that she got lost and then when we called back she was talking about a bridge (don't need to cross a bridge to get here). In the end she was 19 and a bit young.
A finally called another girl (she is 31 and she showed up later in the evening, even though it was raining and even though I wanted to make it the next day. She has experience, she has a 15 year old daughter, and seems to be very with it.
So we will see how this goes.

I have been inspired by many blogs and I have put them on my blog list.
Also found this kids edition magazine.
Sweet Paul Magazine online Kids edition

Photos around the house (my house in Patagonia)
Bedroom

Joaquin and Zalia's wardrobe

Kitchen

Sunday

2011-03-21T11:59:00.002+11:00

It rained early this morning. So the ground was a bit wet when we got up.
We woke up and my dad went and bought us some facturas. I had them with a nice hot cup of cafe con leche. We had to go to vote today for the new Governor of Chubut and intendente of the city of Esquel, I could not vote, even though I have my new DNI.

Joaquin ate two (he loves the ones with Dulce de Leche).

After voting, (the females vote in one school, the males in another). My dad went home early and made a tomato pasta sauce and bought some chicken ravoili and we had them for lunch. This is Seb's last day, he is going back to Cordoba tomorrow. I will miss him so. I am sure Joaquin will miss him a lot especially since he has taught him a how to play soccer. Zalia too will miss him.

New shoes

2011-03-21T11:54:00.002+11:00

My new shoes came in a nice pink box.

ta daaa

Another new pair

Zalias new pair