simplifying and a giveaway

Crazy town.

That's my official new name for my home and little family. For the past few weeks we have been painting and packing, moving rooms, furniture and gear. Not to a new home though, oh no, just around and around the same little place. Our abode of STUFF.

We are drowning in stuff and I am trying my darndest to say goodbye to doilies and dollies and dresses and other such doodads that are not completing a simple picture of what we want in our lives.

This is not the first nor the last time that we face the never ending piles that are life at it's grandest but perhaps the first that we are truly taking count of the things that are meant to be here and those that choke us. Have you heard the advice of needing to rid your home of those things that do not bring:

1. joy

2. beauty

3. purpose

and so the game begins.

To each thing old comes another new into our lives.

Garage sale glory this weekend...

pretty garden painting to bring the outdoors in.

sweet romper for p. $3.

Still finding time for the good things. Thank goodness they are every place I turn.

And how gorgeous are P's new hair pins. I love that Australia is filled with busy hands turning out new amazing things, like these clips by Haylee at PIN+LOVE.

Since the blog world is so filled with all you gorgeous+ loves, Haylee has very generously put up for offer the following 4 clips.

Big or small people look delightful sporting pretty in their hair.

To win, just leave a comment below. For an extra chance, pop over to PIN+LOVE, pick a favourite and come back to let me know. 2 chances, ain't life grand!

Will pick a winner at random next Sunday night. That's the 6th of November.

And my wrap up, the most joy a girl can find when she uploads her last round of snaps. My world.

Contest closed.

Congrats lovely Claire., xx

Happy weekend to all,

♡ ashley

large.

As the summer begins it's wonderful swoop into our lives we are not wasting a single moment to bask in her glory. The yard has quickly transformed into a hand-me-down haven for all things. Every toy is welcome for the next little while as we open our doors to stray toddlers and their tired mamas to come and sit in the shade and enjoy living large.

On the weekends coronas and limes and bubbly vino are the go-to treats as we savour the longer days.

Early mornings where the sun is up before we are and we can play in the shadows and make homemade granola to provide the nutrients to fuel our full days and lives. If you don't have Apples for Jam the granola recipe in it is AMAZING.

The garden is growing and flowers blooming everywhere. Goodbye old winter, hello you gorgeous sunshiney summer.

Cheers to the next few months of basking!

Hope you are doing the same.

♡ ashley

p.s. apologies for the snot shots. p has been fighting the evil runny nose for countless weeks and we avoid antibiotics, etc. here so it is hard to capture many close-ups without the added textures. eww indeedy.

the mighty toddler.

I have always thought I was a patient person. After all, I teach little people for a living, it requires patience. Then I was made into a mum and pushed to a few of my personal limits. Sleep deprivation and a whiny toddler are testing me.

Food flung at me, kung fu moves to avoid the high chair/ car seat/ pram. A keen interest in walking on the road wherever we may be. Hugging and kissing other little people before sinking in with her teethy whites. Giving me 2 seconds flat to pull my boob out at 5:30 in the morning or else suffer death curdling screams. Name it and she's doing it. The icing is that every single time she doesn't like what I am doing she storms through the house yelling, "DADA, DADA," clearly mama isn't cutting it...

So now more than ever I am learning what patience really is. How to keep my cool under crazy pressure. When I do, I can see the humour in so much of what is being learned. I am learning to pick my battles and BREATHE.

Some good things.

Springtime farmers markets mean an abundance of fresh goodies. Not long until our patch takes over in filling this fruit basket.

Being reminded that sand is indeed made to live outside the box too.

Ready for a whine, I mean wine.

Here's to a week of calm and compassionate mothering, deep breathing and making it to next Monday.

♡ ashley

a peek.

my most favourite thing to look at online is beautiful nooks in people's homes. inspirations founds and the way others manage to merge beauty between nappy changes and after school sport runs.
we have been working on our home, repainting and clearing out and started with the far back room. little piper's.
and now the last coat of paint is dry. everything is in it's place. exhale.
not a perfect kid's room in the magazine sense(or even in the amazing blogger mama sense!) but we all love it, including miss p and that was the point.

the amazing crochet rattle ball sailed across the seas to us from this lovely blogger (aren't we lucky!).

hooks hang at her reach, toys at the ready to play, pretty things to look at.

at least one nook in the house is complete.

wall stickers: here

bunting: here (thanks claire)

next stop, our room. time for the parents to make a wee palace.
happy hump day world,
♡ ashley

p.s. as i type this little pea is watching rasta mouse, has anyone seen this show,

HEE LARRY US! if your kid is going to watch tv might as well be about a rastafarian rodent, no?!