Domestic Bliss - or something like that....

Remeber that day not so long ago that was the down side of the roller coaster? I think today must be the flip side then. Although I didn't sleep well (I'm dreaming alot lately and not in a good way!!) I found these when I opened the front door this morning... What a nice way to start the day! and considering they were accompanied by some mint chocolates I'd say it was an awesome way to start a Sunday. A few hours on and they are sitting on my kitchen bench making me smile ;-) I'm cooking dinner for the neighbours tonight and thought I'd go out on a limb and try something new (see I am getting there with my goals!!) so we are having twice cooked pork belly which smells divine and looks like this at the moment (excuse the dirty oven door!)....

The two little people of the house and playing together quietly upstairs which, is itself, a miracle. Had to get a sneeky shot of them - if they see me they immediately turn on each other and then to me! They are delightful little ones at the moment - this week saw Izaak turn nine. We had a nice, small, family gathering and quite a low key birthday after last years big party it was nice. Charley is Charley as always ;-)

I'm spending quite a bit of time reading and re-reading parts of my book for this month and am really getting alot out of it. Strategies which I have started to use and slowly but slowly I'm feeling like I'm turning a corner. I'm not sure how much of it is the strategies, how much of it is thanks to my newly found homeopath and how much of it is time or a combination of all three but in any case I am learning alot.

I'm learning that it's okay for me to feel angry. It's okay to feel sad and hurt and upset. It's how I choose to deal with these feelings that is really the test of my character - I'm learning to take time to spend just with myself and my inner feelings. I'm *trying* to learn to meditate. Previously I started a gratitude journal (and even blogged about it!) but as usual life got in the way and it fell by the wayside. My book talks about the value of gratitude and I've re-started my journal - I'm sitting here right now feeling thankful for the beautiful flowers I recieved today, the peace of my children playing together, the love of my family, my skills in the kitchen and the lovely smells around me. On a recent trip to Civic my Mum bought me an electric oil burner and I'm loving it! Today I've got 'strawberries & cream' in there and it smells divine ;-)

There is alot to be thankful for - it just takes the time and mindset to find them and recognise them, a path that I hope I'm on!!

I'm a duck

I feel like a duck sometimes - above the surface it all looks good but underneath the surface I'm paddling like crazy to keep my head above water!! This week I'm determined to keep my head held high, think positive and be kind to myself.

We set off at 5pm for a quick ride/scoot/walk around the block and I was really taken by the blossom trees in our street. I love driving home in the mornings and afternoons and watching them bloom - they have been a crafting project for Charlotte at preschool as well so she is always on the lookout for them. They make me smile and realise that there is always another day.

Baking away the blues

I'm trying hard not to let myself go down the slippery slope into a big black hole so I've been keeping busy and doing a fair amount of baking. The family decided to have a morning tea get together for fathers day with each of us bringing something to share. I decided against the fool-proof one-bowl chocolate cake that I take EVERYWHERE and thought I would try something new.

I spotted these Portugese Custard Tarts over at Not Quite Nigella and I had all the ingredients in the house so thought I'd give them a try. I had never had one of these tarts until a friends daughters birthday morning tea and I fell in love with them straight away but tales of pastry woes and oven issues had put me off them.

This recipe uses puff pastry and they turned out beautifully!! I made a batch of 12 on Sunday for Fathers Day and then another one Sunday night for neighbours/lunches/desserts. It's now 12pm on Monday and I have none left!! Clearly they are a hit and definitely something I'll be including in the repertoire more often now ;-)

Bleugh

I'm feeling bleugh. Really bleugh at the moment.

There is alot from my past that has been reignited lately and I really am struggling to come to grips with things right now. It's hard to be objective and to think of what's best for my daughter as opposed to what is what I want.

I'm trying hard. I'm trying to be that smiling little yellow chickie but unfortunately the days lately seem to be more blue than anything else ;-(