Nourish is the way for 2015.

The word for my life in 2015

It's the thing to find direction as each new year begins, don't you think?

I've seen in New Year's past with a resolution list, a bettering-myself list, the what I hope to achieve list and just plain ignored the whole thing.

But this year, I've found direction in just one word.

NOURISH

We've had a big few months here, and I'm really embracing everyone's health with a renewed passion.

And by health- I mean happiness, emotional wellbeing, diet, environment and  everything in between.

I think as mother's we watch out for our families in every way possible.
We cover everything we can, whilst encouraging our children to learn, grow and then to make wise and wonderful decisions for themselves.

As partner's we do the same, but we do it on a more even playing field.
As we parent together, we grow as a family.
Nourishing all of this is my aim for 2015.

Nourishing our hearts, our souls, our beliefs and our bodies.

Nourishing a true sense of our individual selves and truly embracing that.

I know this word will guide me through 2015, and remind me of my true role in our family- to be present and to nourish us all.

Do you have a word for 2015?

Happy Monday by the Coast- Summer vibes here! {smile}

Good morning from the gorgeous winter we are having here by the beaches!

It's hard to spend a moment inside when the *cold* months are this flipping good!

It always amazes me how much the weather influences all our moods. 

I don't know why it amazes me- as it's a well known fact that a good dose of vitamin D gives you untold energy and puts that extra skip in your step.

I've been bouncing around this beach house, and particularly our garden, all weekend!

We spent the weekend cooking- and thanks to some Instagram friends the menu plans for the week are sorted.

Baked chicken, and asian curry, on the agenda regardless of what the weather this week.

We started early with the sports run to the other side of Sydney on Saturday morning.
The time to cross a big city like Sydney, or London, is definately very very early in the morning.
A dream run, and a large coffee kept us all focused on an amazing soccer match and a little car looking.

More on this later! ;)

We gardened for hours in the sunshine...feeling happily exhausted- and with a few high fives and much oohing and ahhing on our part to ourselves- hmmmmm...sure this is not quite right!

My studio space downstairs- really a corner of the kids *playroom* is coming along at last.

We hung two IKEA shelves this weekend, and I'm attempting to sort years of collected fabrics.

Tomorrow I'll show some photos of the space so far.

I managed to cut a huge basket load of flags for bunting.

Spring, Summer and Christmas bunting- and to make some for a party for a sweet five year old.

I also started thinking all things Summer-wardrobe like!

I live in alot of throw-on-easy dresses and kaftan-like tops in the Summer months.

Easy to throw over a bikini ,and easy to throw in my beach bag with the ga-zillion things we seem to lug to the beach for the kids...

OK- here's two I tried over the weekend.

I think I love them both. I'm not sure?

Excuse the white legs and the ballet flats!

Orange is so becoming a fave new colour- but I know I'll get so much wear out of the black!?

Hmmm...maybe I'm starting my Summer shopping just a little to early!?

Anyhow...

now you've seen the winter legs, and my jeans hanging up there in the change room, I guess I'll just
get back to my washing and all things Monday!

Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Melissa x

PS- Excuse the i-phone images (yep all of them)...my camera is having a moment- she's thrown in the towel for the last week- but I'm onto it as I miss having her in my bag!!

Beach Living {smile}

Bonjour from the beaches y'all.

It's been a rough week here, as I have been so so poorly with the flu, and many a side complication!

Health is something I try not to take for granted.

But I have to admit, after I've had a week *outa action*, I really do realise how much I actually just expect to feel good.

I've a born again crazy need for being really healthy. For practising good health.

Simple. Healthy. Happy.

Sunday morning I felt better- after D.A.Y.S on the sofa!

I raced to the markets- brought mountains of fresh produce and cooked up a feast.

I forced my kids to ear KALE. I rejoiced in all the greens. Loved the baked beetroot and greek lamb.

The weather was so so warm and Spring was in the car.

It was possibly the best post-flu remedy I could have asked for.

Melissa x

A Good Ol' Fashioned Blessing {smile}

Today I am feeling that good old fashioned notion of B.L.E.S.S.E.D

Birthday's are lovely- some years better than others...

This year, I'm feeling crazy special.

It's not a BIG one- but as I get older I am thankful for what I have...like REALLY thankful.

This here is how I started my day- with one of my babes, watching our beach...

Life is good.

beach living & warm Autumn rain...

morning from the Ark!


it's raining again on the beaches of Sydney today...which i have to say part of me loves...























i had a *Make-it-Monday* project to share with you, but as it's the last day of school holidays
with the kiddo...i thought i'd share our morning...

rain or shine- having this on our doorstep allows everyone to get some space when we need it...

there is something wild & beautiful about the ocean in the rain...fresh water & salt water...

nature in a different light- the elements flying into your face, the wind, the rain, the warm air...perfect for a puppy & kids...

perfect for a mama who's again at the last day of school holidays for a while- a mama who loves having her house full of kiddos & noise...

pounding through water- with a crew in tow, when you could be snuggled up on the sofa with a cup of something hot & a movie reminds me of my childhood....

the fresh air, & the exercise, in the warm rain makes coming home all the lovelier...a hot shower to wash off the sand & salt water...a sleeping puppy at ones feet...kiddos in snuggling clothes...

i love that we can live in this moment with our kids, after living on the other side of the globe...after falling in love with the English countryside & the wonderful lifestyle of lakes & farmland that brought to our days...

this photo below- Sol with Miss.Lola- will forever make me smile...

a boy & his dog...

a rainy day on the beaches...

sandy salty skin & fresh air...

how blessed are they to spend their school holidays doing what others only dream about...

whatever nature throws at us- we will never take this for granted...

the Lucky Country...

happy monday whatever nature is throwing at you....

melissa

xoxox

ps- thanks for all your comments & emails- i've been having problems returning messages- i'll be sorting that tomorrow when the house is *kiddo-free* again...xx

a little beach house on the Coast...beach eye-candy from the weekend...

so-gooodmorning from the beaches of Oz...

i have a house full of short people here this morning...lovely cousins, bestie friends...kids in tents...mattresses on floors...


a weekend that we love even more since being away in the English countryside...

i haven't had a moment to sit & create or think or write...but i love seeing them all mooching around here together...

we've been home an entire school term now...though at times it feels like we got off the plane yesterday...

as i watch our kids thriving here on the gorgeous beaches...in all this sunshine- i think of Autumns back in England...in the countryside...

i feel so blessed to have had both- the countryside & the coast...on both sides of the globe...

i'm still unpacking boxes here- has anyone else moved across the world & taken their time with their unpacking- pleeease let me know...i need some support for my *time out*...

each box brings such warmth & wonderful memories- especially as the months are rolling on *Down* here on the beaches...

we're filling our little beach house with our collected, chippy, old wares from the other side of the globe- as we settle into our life here again...

i'm loving mixing the two- the European & the Australian...the country & the coast...

we're still balancing it all- the move, the unpacking, the sorting, the changes we're wanting to make in our little *spot* on the beaches...

it's been wonderful to record it all...to take the time to share it all with the kids again & again, as another box is unpacked & lugged up the stairs...

it's made for erratic blogging at times...

& i love you for returning to share my days...

my thoughts...

& my photos of life here in our little beach house on the Australian coast after our four years in the beautiful English countryside...

this week is about kids home for holidays

days of nothing & everything

&

squashing in a little *us* time

you & me here together

blogging

~~~~~

happy monday sweet blogging gals

xoxox

*virtual coffee* early on the beaches...

morning all from an *early start* on the coast today...

virtual coffee with Autumn sunshine...

i was up making coffee's & dropping the hubster off at the ferry earlier than i usually rise on the first day of school hols this morning...

{that's what Easter & all those eggs do for you...or don't do for you}

he was taking his coffee & paper on the morning ferry run from the beaches into the city...

i was doing the beaches only- coffee & iphone in hand to capture the early morning sunshine...

this is 7:45 on an Autumnal morning at ours...

not bad at all...although the air had a crispness to it this morning i'd not felt in Oz for a long time...

the last 4 years has seen all our Autumns being VERY crisp in the English countryside...

the Autumn salt air has been lovely- small moments like this keep surprising me...& i love it!

so...an after Easter coffee together, in the warmth of my beach mobile...sitting watching the early morning beach goers...i'm hoping you're feeling a little warmer wherever you are...

now...back home gals & lime collecting...

our tree is laden- to the point that one of it's branches snapped off & the puppy discovered her nonstop barking hatred dislike of rolling green fruit...

we managed another basket full this morning- which is proving to be a great *bag of loveliness* to take

with us to friends houses with a bottle of wine...or up to the neighbours to thank them for eggs!

i love having fruit trees in our back garden- & yep... i will be doing a little tour of our garden for those that have asked...

not today- as today is coffee & kids- school holiday extra's...& box unpacking...

we did manage to start the *vege garden*...we pulled down the cubby & sorted the timber hoping to up-cycle pieces for the sweet peas...garden peas, tomatoes & passionfruit vines...

it's been lovely reading up with the kiddos on the seasons in Australia- it's not all endless hot, perfect days of sunshine here...no matter what some people may lead you to think...

and it's been brilliant planning *what seeds* we're actually going to plant...

vege patch *guru's*~all tips sooo welcome..!

before you head off, fresh coffee in hand made with a bit of beach loving warmth from me...

i thought i's show you how little Miss.Audrey & i spent a gorgeous Autumn day in our big old 

country house, in the English countryside, last year...

i love that we've had seasons on both sides of the globe...

memories last forever...

happy day sweet gals

thanks for stopping by for a *virtual coffee*

love taking you down the beaches for an *early*

~~~~~

&

remember today is 10 on 10

ten photos for ten consecutive hours of one's day

on the tenth day of the month

see the low-down for it {here}

~~~~~

melissa 

xoxox

coastal views...life by the beach...

afternoon from the coast of Oz gals...


it's been the most gorgeous morning here...

i was going to show you Miss.Audrey's room but i'm thinking a little beach loving before the weekend...


we can continue the little beach house tour next week...today, as the clouds are starting to roll overhead let's just get some last rays of sunshine...

these pickies of endless blue were snapped, puppy & coffee in tow, on the iphone...


keeping it real gals...

& yep the beach is pretty empty mid-morning the week before Easter hols begin...jut the way i like it! :)

as you can see...there are mucho footsteps on the sand...


Australians are by nature verrrry early risers...by 6am this stretch of beach is almost at it's busiest!

after our 4 years in the English countyside...this took a little getting used to i have to admit...

i'd forgotten that our first two bambinos were always up at 5am & we spend many a morning watching
the sun rise over this very spot....!

our little miss.6 is a bit of an English lass when it comes to sleeping...let's just say she's been trained in
the countryside to sleep waaay past sunrise...bless her cotton socks...we got one!!

if you're blessed enough to work close by- this is pretty much what your morning tea break looks like...


surfboard in tow...

i'm thinking i need to talk to Apple about a zoom lens on the iphone...


don't know if i could walk, tow puppy & coffee, & zoom all at once though...!

~~~~
the weather on our beaches is a little rubbish on some days erratic at the moment...


so, i thought i'd head round to the Harbour side of our gorgeous coastline, whilst the sun is out & give you a little glimpse of what the local yachty's enjoy whilst working on their boats...

not exactly a bad spot to earn your dollars, working away on boats with views to die for...

this is our puppy beach spot...i'll do almost anything to stand in salt water & gaze out to sea...

so...

hope you got a little beach fix...

i'll take you out on a rainy day soon...it's equally lovely but wilder...

have a good one wherever you are...

love fridays...!

melissa

xoxox

~~~~

PS- welcome to all the new coastal loving friends who are popping by

i've got a giveaway coming up soon

as 

i've found the box that's brought my sewing machine across the waters!

stay tuned

xx

a coastal weekend- Aussie style...

happy monday to y'all...it's a gorgeous one here on the beaches...


stunning autumn weather- crisp sunshine...clouds crossing a bright blue sky...

almost my fave time of year...i love the change of seasons- although to be fair- it's still swimming,

surfing...total beach weather here in Sydney!

thought you'd like to head up the coast with me this morning...

i'm unpacking this morning from a weekend of sunshine & surfboards...bbq's & sandy feet

up the coast...

i get many an email & comment about sharing more photos of the Australian coast line...

it's a beautiful coast line in even the worst of weathers...here it sits in all it's Autumnal glory...!

the beauty of getting out of Sydney is endless white beaches...turquoise waters & no crowds...

no crowds is the one that grabs me every time...heaven is an empty perfect beach...

although it's officially Autumn...we seem to be having endless days of sunshine amongst the rain...

the bush is lush...the air warm...& the ocean warmer...

it's moments like this, after 4 years in the English countryside, that still make me smile big...


i can't help it...a kiddo asleep in the sunshine is right up there as one of my sweetest images...

~~~~~~

Australia has many small holiday towns up & down it's coast line...

they're steeped in simple traditions where fishing...surfing...& cooking on the beach is a big as it

gets over a weekend...

luxuries in a big city these days...these coastal towns are sleepy, calm reminders of the way life can be...

we did the good ol' Aussie thing...& stayed in a coastal caravan park (albeit, in pretty sweet little 


cabins overlooking the bush leading to the beach)...


we slapped on sunscreen & walked the beaches...our kiddos were dry with surf salt...we smiled at how

much they seem to have grown in the few months we've been back home on the beaches...

it's all that sunshine & fresh air...

yep...someone was blessing us with perfect days...even at 7am we were bathed in light...


the simplest of weekends...family...ocean...nature...a stunning coast line...

this gals idea of heaven...

let me know what you think of our little hideaway...


if you come visit us *Down Under* we may just show you where it's hidden...maybe...

hope you enjoyed a little coastal fix...seagull & all...

off to plant some more herbs...lots to show you on the gardening front soon...

happy monday lovelies...

we'll be back to *Make it Mondays* next week

just had to show you some coastal heaven first!

melissa

xoxox