tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26010101878674111162024-03-05T16:41:45.213+11:00Clare's Creative CornerClarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-30210565324804375422013-12-11T22:51:00.000+11:002013-12-11T22:51:50.936+11:002013 in 2013 UpdateAs I undertook this challenge six months ago I didn't realise the amount of stress all the clutter in my house caused me. Clearing out and getting rid of things has been liberating. I feel lighter and life seems easier. Having less stuff means I have less to keep tidy and an easier house to clean. It has also revolutionised the way I think about stuff. I feel as if I have been freed from my possessions. They no longer have such a hold over me. I want less around me which means I ultimately need less also. This way of thinking stops me from buying useless things that I think I need but really don't, and makes me more thoughtful about the things I do buy. <div>
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Trying to live a more simple life is a positive step forward but this simplicity is difficult to put into practice during special times of the year like Christmas. I enjoy buying my family and others presents. I don't think I'm particularly great at it, but I do enjoy it. I love seeing the surprise and joy on their faces from opening gifts. </div>
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So this year, to make it all a bit easier, I have followed the four presents rule. </div>
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<i>Something to read</i></div>
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<i>Something to wear</i></div>
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<i>Something they need</i></div>
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<i>Something they want</i></div>
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I used these four rules but there are others that I noticed around the web during recent searches, such as '<i>Something to do</i>', '<i>Something spiritual', </i>'<i>Something to listen to</i>', etc. I took a few liberties this year and changed 'need' to 'toy' for my little ones, and also combined the gift to make it easier still. I assume that as my kids get older and their needs change so will the list, but it is a good guiding principle I feel. </div>
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Anyway, the point is, I just want to keep it simple. I don't want to be adding copious amounts of things back into the house after working so hard to get rid of things. Especially, as to date I have been able to get rid of over 2013 items. In fact, during the summer break when Daniel is at home I am going to go through everything again and get rid of items that have not been used in the last 4-6 months. By about June/July next year (this is when I started this year) I will total up the items and see how I have done. I'll let you know the outcome :).</div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-57798260735763579372013-10-08T22:34:00.003+11:002013-10-08T22:34:54.235+11:00Spring!Every year I seem to write about Spring finally arriving. I think it is because it definitely has to be my favourite time of the year. I love the promise of all the wonderful things to come - home grown raspberries, apricots and pears, and this year hopefully some cherries, days at beach, BBQs with family and friends, and the promise of late nights where the light still shines. Plus, this year I won't be heavily pregnant throughout the whole thing so it will be wonderful.<br />
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I know some people don't like day-light savings but I am a huge fun. I'm always disappointed when it ends and feel sentimental when we have picked the last pieces of fruit off the trees, as it's a reminder of the cold weather to come. So, for now, I am going to focus on the lovely weather we are getting at the moment.<br />
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Nicholas and I spent a day outside recently putting sheep manure and straw under all of the fruit trees. Only a few months and the fruit will be ready to eat :).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is Nicholas working hard :).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The apricot tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I need to make sure we cover the cherry tree before the birds get to them like last year.</td></tr>
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-12060244827282505872013-09-24T15:01:00.000+10:002013-09-27T23:11:45.887+10:00Upcycling! My first attempt.As I have been cleaning out my wardrobe and getting rid of clothes I no longer wear for the '2013 things in 2013' de-cluttering challenge, I thought I would take on my own challenge and do some up-cycling for the first time.<br />
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Using this easy <a href="http://mypoppet.com.au/2013/04/easy-cable-knit-skirt-a-wardrobe-refashion.html" target="_blank">online tutorial</a> I turned this jumper into a nice warm winter skirt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEs7KS9HxlrLmi5SzC4ZBhhfXO8n0Bf_MScov352kIUHCio0w8-T7BQRq9H_YEhxVaEecI_UASCrdY4z_dRNwXPPSLqFJf2Tkdcji2kIAijMAzEr8TLmgT6QVpJIsSABtKLaI4xgkQW4/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEs7KS9HxlrLmi5SzC4ZBhhfXO8n0Bf_MScov352kIUHCio0w8-T7BQRq9H_YEhxVaEecI_UASCrdY4z_dRNwXPPSLqFJf2Tkdcji2kIAijMAzEr8TLmgT6QVpJIsSABtKLaI4xgkQW4/s200/IMG_0061.JPG" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2n4v-N77HqYJ6f4qgwuT3_J8EV2ObH1kqCYn5AqVyZZthd5dD-p5-4KHY1_jzlGmlUXNK3I-B7JMJEbsC6TokCXuStjXJAgj-FLNWN-GlN2MccIQiVL6lRTNCNMOzJUamrj1SWG8o80I/s1600/upcycled+skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2n4v-N77HqYJ6f4qgwuT3_J8EV2ObH1kqCYn5AqVyZZthd5dD-p5-4KHY1_jzlGmlUXNK3I-B7JMJEbsC6TokCXuStjXJAgj-FLNWN-GlN2MccIQiVL6lRTNCNMOzJUamrj1SWG8o80I/s200/upcycled+skirt.jpg" width="187" /></a><br />
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I then turned a top I made for myself a few years ago into a little hoodie for Beth using a wonderful <a href="http://www.peekaboopatternshop.com/product/hangout-hoodie-6-mos-10-years" target="_blank">Peek-a-boo pattern</a>.<br />
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Lastly, I resized this jumper for Nicholas. Sadly he was unwilling to get a photo in it for me.<br />
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I must admit, cutting into that first jumper was a bit of a nerve-wracking experience. I thought I would definitely stuff it up. Thankfully, that wasn't the case, and I am actually a little bit excited to see what new creations I can make for Nicholas and Beth of my old clothes.Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-18852064955462574782013-08-04T09:05:00.001+10:002013-08-04T09:05:34.845+10:00It's cold outside...<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hate to admit it but I am a bit of a home body. I'm not very adventurous, nor am I very brave. When life is going smoothly, I love staying at home. I have a few friends whose houses I feel very much at home in and when there, feel no urgency to return to my own. Daniel is a bit of a home body also, so on weekends if we don't make a concerted effort we could very well end up spending the weekend inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nicholas on the other hand is your typical adventurous toddler and loves to be outside exploring. He would very happily go outside on rainy days and doesn't seem to notice too much if it is freezing cold. He gets upset when we have to leave the park or the beach and I struggle to get him to come inside from the backyard most times. For Nicholas the outside world is full of exciting new things to see and experience. For me, its cold and I have to use energy I don't have walking around and being active (I'm also innately lazy). It's a real challenge for me, but I feel I have been kindly rebuked about my attitude towards being outside after reading this post: <a href="http://www.flightsofwhimsy-ece.com/2013/07/outdoor-play-in-autralia-why-has-it-become-such-a-challenge-to-early-childhood-educators/" target="_blank">Outdoor Play in Australia: Why has it become such a challenge to early childhood educators</a>?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a kid, growing up in the Western Australia, my sisters and I spent most of our time outside. We walked or rode our bikes everywhere we could. We spent hours in our backyard and in the bush. We were free. Free to roam around as we pleased. Free to explore without parents watching over our shoulders making sure we are ok.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hate to put it out there but this century feels different. Everyone is hyper vigilant. There are predators at every corner, and we are expected to be with our children 24/7. You hear of children who are 9, 10 or 11 years old being allowed to walk to school by themselves, or playing at the park by themselves and people are outraged and shocked. I remember <a href="http://www.nysun.com/opinion/why-i-let-my-9-year-old-ride-subway-alone/73976/" target="_blank">this news story</a> from a few years ago about a mum in New York letting her 9-year-old son go on the subway by himself. There was a huge fuss about it. 'How could a parent be so irresponsible?' Are they irresponsible? When I was nine I rode my bike to school and home again without parental supervision on a daily basis. Was my mum being irresponsible or was she just showing her trust in me? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We worry about the future effects of the Internet and technology on our children, and yet we limit their time and potential freedom spent in the outside world. We expect our children to develop responsibility for themselves, but we don't give them the freedom to do so. For myself, it is just easier to have Nicholas inside where everything is controlled and relatively safe. It is also warmer and flat (our yard has a bit of a slope, and I have to be out there as we don't have a fence yet). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For Nicholas' sake (and in the future Beth's too) though, for his health and well-being, for his cognitive and creative development I am going to work on spending more time outside. It's really not that cold in winter compared to other parts of the world, so what am I complaining about. I have warm clothes, wet weather gear, gloves, socks and gumboots. I just need to suck it up and deal with it. For Nicholas' sake I am going to work hard at being an outdoors type person. We will go on walks in the bush, we will go park and get our feet wet on freezing cold days. We will stay up late and look at the stars. We will walk up steep mountains and sleep outdoors. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We will explore the world around us, not just from the window in our lounge room or in front of the TV. And when he's ready, he will go off and explore it for himself. It is only through our experiences with the natural world around us that we can develop a real appreciation for it, and an environmental conscience that makes us want to take care of it for generations to come. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to from only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I can to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As longs as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” -Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl. </span></span></span><br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-64558561682054574132013-07-13T18:31:00.000+10:002013-07-13T18:31:19.558+10:00Feed me I'm growing!Having a baby who sleeps well and is otherwise content makes weeks like the ones we've just experienced really difficult. These past few weeks have seen Beth developing enormously. She is attempting to roll over, grabbing at everything she can, really focusing on things and starting to interact more with us everyday. She has also been growing.<br />
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I honestly forgot how difficult it is, for parents and babies alike, to go through a growth spurt or developmental leap where they discover new things. Although this is a period of exploration for them, it is also a time of uncertainty as they begin to interact more with the environment around them. To feel secure they latch onto the parent (literally at times) and don't let go, and a clingy baby is never easy. The crying and lack of sleep wears you down and the whole period seems as if it will never end.<br />
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These last few weeks for me have been a time of humility and training. A time to ask others for help, or to just say 'yes' when it is offered. Too often I say no to offers of help because I don't want to look like I can't do it on my own. This is wrong. I shouldn't be putting so much pressure on myself, and I should be grateful for the kindness I am shown by others.<br />
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It is also a time for patience. A time to hold my baby and carry her around all day if necessary, because that is simply what she needs to get through this. I need to wade through the difficult waters so we can make it through the other side stronger and more tightly bonded together. Some days are harder than others, and it doesn't take long before that feeling of weakness starts to take over. Thankfully, God is my Rock and I can lean on him during these difficult times where I feel exceptionally lonely and overwhelmed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 11:28-30</a><br />
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is east and my burden is light."<br />
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This is such a great verse to remember during difficult times like these, especially when I struggle to make it through the first few hours in the morning, let alone the day. The only way I can make it through is by God's grace, strength, guidance and wisdom.Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-13194375820809147382013-06-09T23:40:00.000+10:002013-06-10T09:05:35.722+10:0020 years in music<br />
There is a temptation in music polls to vote for songs you like which you know are likely to rate well, rather than honestly voting for your absolute favourites. Unfortunately, whatever you do, The Verve will still somehow make it into the top 10. I'm the sort of person who listens to a whole CD at a time, so picking out individual songs is frustrating. Anyway, all of this is to explain why nothing I voted for made it into the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/alltime/20years" target="_blank">Hottest 100 of the last 20 years</a>. The good news is that unlike democracy in the real world, nobody dies because of music polls.<br />
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Here's what I put down...<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPO7e5iuMbc" target="_blank">A Perfect Circle - The Hollow </a><br />
The genius of Billy Howerdel's composition is a kind of instrumental minimalism and carefully engineered texture.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztQaGB3aZck" target="_blank">Pearl Jam - Thin Air</a><br />
I spent highschool listening to Ten, but this may be one of their best.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7JRTV4iEXk" target="_blank">Powderfinger - D.A.F</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5nJcfB0f30" target="_blank">Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock</a><br />
So many late nights working on uni projects, listening to Siamese Dream and Pisces Iscariot.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjjc59FgUpg" target="_blank">The Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home</a><br />
Reprising the D A E motif again in 'That Home' brackets Ma Fleur into an album that wants to be played end-to-end. It's a beautifully understated record.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMCO4VD8nLM" target="_blank">Modest Mouse - 3rd Planet</a><br />
I'm trying to limit myself to one song per band, but choosing a favourite Modest Mouse song is like being asked to choose a favourite child.<br />
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<a href="http://midnightfuneral.bandcamp.com/track/happiness-authority" target="_blank">Mid Youth Crisis - Happiness and Authority</a><br />
I guess it was either this or <a href="http://midnightfuneral.bandcamp.com/track/between-the-lies" target="_blank">Between The Lies</a> for the Network sample. My mum used to call MYC 'that shouty band'.<br />
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<a href="http://chriscornell.com/video/audioslave_-_cochise/" target="_blank">Audioslave - Cochise</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Ty3YnWN80" target="_blank">Godspeed You Black Emperor - East Hasting</a><br />
I know, this is more of a movement than a song. What a chilling build-up.<br />
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<a href="http://therealdavemac.bandcamp.com/track/stupid-people" target="_blank">David McEldowney - Stupid People</a><br />
I don't know how many times I heard this song before he recorded it. All that time, this song wanted to be slightly more reggae.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Euj9f3gdyM" target="_blank">Arcade Fire - The Suburbs</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQZfGa5t4e8" target="_blank">A Silver Mount Zion - 13 Angels Standing Guard 'Round the Side of Your Bed</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-fjyEIgWik" target="_blank">Neutral Milk Hotel - Oh Comely</a><br />
When François described music as 'really important', he didn't mean it in the hollow, critical post-modern sense, but the personally meaningful thing-that-describes-life sense. This song was important to him; I couldn't listen to it for about two years after he died.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTsS0ZeDFs8" target="_blank">Matthew Dewey - Orchestral Suite No. 1</a><br />
This was a triumph. The English language is missing a word which means "the vicarious pride one feels when a friend achieves something great".<br />
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<a href="http://youtu.be/9IgNZfe2trk" target="_blank">Ben Harper - Forgiven</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwhjlNvF-4Q" target="_blank">Muse - Hysteria</a><br />
Took me ages to transcribe this into my ancient Nokia brick as a monophonic ringtone.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO28CudHUtE" target="_blank">Apocalyptica - Faraway</a><br />
Not bad for a Metallica cover band.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUpGgGq5cXQ" target="_blank">Michael Franti and Spearhead - We Don't Stop</a><br />
I didn't really know Michael Franti's work at all (well, other than <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky4uYnsF3kc" target="_blank">Television the Drug of the Nation</a>) before seeing him with Spearhead at Falls Festival 2003. Clare and I listened to 'Everyone Deserves Music' a lot when we started going out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfFtIcQlpQk" target="_blank">Radiohead - Like Spinning Plates</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAHgMxkdIz4" target="_blank">The Beautiful Girls - Let's Take the Long Way Home</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-28198693571384856632013-06-08T09:04:00.000+10:002013-06-08T09:04:20.305+10:00Challenges!I love setting myself a good challenge. However, seeing the challenge all the way through is another challenge in itself. I am eager at the beginning but start to crumble a few weeks in when I lose a bit of the enthusiasm. For instance, I was super keen when I started my sewing 'to-do-list' challenge but now that I have made a few things, I have unconsciously decided to take a little rest for a while. One reason for my sudden lack of enthusiasm is the fact that my sewing room is so messy at the moment I can barely walk to the sewing table, let alone move the chair to sit in front of it. Which is why this next challenge is so necessary.<div>
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The challenge I am going to set myself till December is to tidy-up and declutter my house. '2013 in 2013' is the challenge set and designed by <a href="http://www.slowyourhome.com/2013-in-2013/">Slow Your Home</a> blogger, Brooke. So in 2013 I am going to simplify my life by getting rid of 2013 items in my house. These will be items that are unused, and that take up valuable space in my life and weigh me down. I am super excited that I found this website as I wouldn't have been able to do it myself. </div>
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Recently, I have been finding our house difficult to live in. I am constantly tidying up but it is never clean. Our house is small, so it quickly becomes messy and cluttered. The clutter makes the house feel smaller, and the smaller it seems the more stress I feel. </div>
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I have come to recognise in the last few weeks that the state of house is very often linked to my mood. When it is messy the whole place feels chaotic and it feels like I am control of nothing. By removing 2013 items from the house in 2013 I am hoping that the house will easier to manage and maintain, and that it will begin feel lighter. By simplifying my house, I am hoping to feel less stressed. And the less stress I have, the better I am to be around.</div>
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As I am starting the challenge a bit late, I am not following the challenge solely month by month. Instead, I have printed off the check-lists for the last six months and will clean up areas and keep a tally for the items I get rid of as I feel inspired. For instance, these last few days have seen me cleaning up in the hallway, which include areas from both January (the entry way) and June (the linen closet). By breaking down the tasks like this and not seeing it as something I have to complete quickly (which I would find super stressful), I am hoping I won't lose my enthusiasm and my mind will stay focused on task. Hopefully, it will lead to good outcomes and by the end of 2013 I will have gotten rid of 2013 items that create stress in this house. </div>
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Wish me luck. I will keep you updated :). </div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-91136293688673156002013-05-25T21:01:00.000+10:002013-06-09T23:45:58.590+10:00Hottest 20 of 2000!Running every year since 1993, Triple J's Hottest 100 is Australia's biggest music popularity poll. I really enjoy spending my Australia Day listening to the countdown, but I only attended my first Hottest 100 party in 2003 after I had been in Tassie for a year. Before this I had not had much, if any, exposure to Triple J. The town I grew up in was so rural it didn't get reception. Instead, I grew up on a diet of radio-friendly pop and mainstream music. My taste in music has improved dramatically, although I'm not sure my Dad would agree.<br />
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Anyway, this year marks 20 years since Triple J started the annual Hottest 100, hence the out-of-season 20 year retrospective Hottest 100. Having to choose 20 songs from 2000 has been a hard task*. It has been also quite time consuming. I choose songs that 1.) left an impression, 2.) I had listened to over and over again, and can repeat all the lyrics, and 3). brought back some kind of memory, be it happy or sad.<br />
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Based around the above criteria, I ended up with 60 songs on my list. So came the difficult job of cutting the list down by 40 songs. With great thought and consideration, I am now going to share with you my top 20 songs of the last 20 years. I hope people don't judge me too harshly on my decisions. Daniel is+ also going to share with you his top 20 with you. I wonder if our lists will have any common songs?<br />
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*I know the rules said that you where able to vote for <u>any</u> song within the time frame of 1993 to 2013, but to make it simpler, I only choose songs from the Triple J's hottest 100 lists from the last 20 years. If I was to make a list with any song in this time frame I think the list would probably look quite different but that's a post for another day.<br />
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2010 Birds of Tokyo: Plans<br />
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2008 Children Collide: Farewell Rocketship<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8QZOLxRhKA4" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Regina Spektor: Real Love 2007<br />
I found it really hard to choose just one Regina Spektor song as I am a fan of all her songs.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hVq7fm1oyok" width="420"></iframe><br />
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2007 Feist: 1234<br />
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2005 Xavier Rudd: Messages<br />
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2005 Clare Bowditch: Divorcee by 23<br />
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2005 The Beautiful Girls: Lets Take The Long Way Home<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZAHgMxkdIz4" width="420"></iframe><br />
Daniel mixed this song and Pearl Jam's ... and proposed to me by getting down on one knee, playing his guitar and singing this to me...how can it not be a favourite :)<br />
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2005 Emiliana Torrini: Sunny Road<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MyuL1z2tejs" width="420"></iframe><br />
Such a beautiful song of longing.<br />
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2003 Hilltop Hoods: Nosebleed Section<br />
This is an odd one for as I am not a massive fan of hip hop but I choose it because it brings back great memories from the many Falls Festivals I've attended where they have played, especially the first in 2006.<br />
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2004 Lior: This Old Love<br />
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2004 The Waifs: Bridal Train<br />
I first heard this song while I was doing the washing up in 2006. I cried.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3k7OncTVHkI" width="420"></iframe><br />
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2004 The Polyphonic Spree: Hold Me Now<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/--rWZTfWRkE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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2002 The Waifs: London Still<br />
Love the Waifs. This was the first song of their's that I ever heard, and it's still an old favourite of mine.<br />
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2001 Augie March: There Is No Such Place<br />
Usually One Crowded Hour is the favourite Augie March song. This one is much more beautiful and whimsical.<br />
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2001 Muse: New Born<br />
Saw these guys live in 2010. It was awesome!<br />
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1999 Powderfinger: These Days<br />
You can't not have a Powderfinger song in your list. They are a truely great and talented Australian band.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7XaSm9-r_4U" width="560"></iframe><br />
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1999 Red Hot Chilli Peppers: Around The World<br />
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1997 The Living End: Prisoner of Society<br />
Great for all those angsty teenage years :).<br />
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1997 Radiohead: Karma Police<br />
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1996 Bush: Glycerine<br />
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Did you vote? If not, what are your favourite songs from the last 20 years.<br />
<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-51220811697177840122013-05-07T22:48:00.000+10:002013-05-07T22:48:44.975+10:0012 weeks already!Well, the first 12 weeks are almost over. I can't believe how quickly it has just passed by. I know everyone makes this comment, but it's true. In some ways I can't believe it has only been 12 weeks because it feels as if Beth has always been here with us. I certainly can't imagine a life without her in it now.<br />
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People say the first 12 weeks/3 months are the most difficult. It's a time of transition in which you and your baby are getting to know each other, the sleep deprivation is extreme, trying to get into some sort of routine can be difficult, and getting your head around how much life has changed can take a while. This was certainly the case with Nicholas, and it took me a long time to adjust from having no children to having one, but surprisingly going from one child to two has been quite simple. This time round I didn't get to have the same amount of time to adjust. As soon as I got home from the hospital, life just continued on as previously, and Beth just had to fit in. This meant attending all our previous activities, such as Mainly Music, swimming, kindergym etc, but this time with a baby in tow. Thankfully, Beth is such a relaxed child that taking her out doesn't really present itself with any issues. As long as she has milk on hand, she is fine.<br />
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The most difficult thing I have found about this whole transition has been Nicholas. He has been super rough with Beth at times. The first eight weeks were the most difficult, with pinching and hitting being his main forms of expressing his anger at Beth being around. I didn't really expect this kind of behaviour. He has always been such a gentle boy, so I was unprepared for it. The most helpful parenting resource I have found throughout this time has been Janet Lansbury's blog<a href="http://www.janetlansbury.com/"> Evaluating Child Care</a>, especially this blog post: <a href="http://www.janetlansbury.com/2010/04/no-bad-kids-toddler-discipline-without-shame-9-guidelines/">No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame</a>, and there are many others that have been helpful too. This post in particular has provided me with insight and clarity in dealing with Nicholas' rough behaviour. Most of all, I appreciate how gentle and yet firm one can be while setting boundaries, and all without using spankings, manipulation, punishments and timeouts. This way of disciplining my toddler really resonates with me, as I know I could easily become angry instead. It challenges those first reactions, and requires me to have a calm and respectful attitude. Daniel and I have been consistent in applying these principles and I feel that in these last few weeks Nicholas has really developed an understanding of what we want from him. He is more gentle with Beth, and even interacting with her more (like placing little toys in her lap). I see their relationship developing and it is beautiful. I am very grateful for Janet Lansbury's posts and the way they are helping me become the parent I want to be. <br />
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I can't believe that next week I am going to have a two-year-old and a 12-week-old. I never imagined I would be in this position.<br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-69373063747437555732013-05-04T21:12:00.000+10:002013-05-23T21:13:09.301+10:00It's going to be a warm winter!This winter will be a cosy winter for both Nicholas and Beth alike, especially when they wear these lovely soft hoodies I made them.<br />
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That's two more garments to cross off on my to-do-list :).</div>
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<ul style="background-color: #fffffc; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><strike>Rain coat</strike></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><strike>A hooded jumper for both Nicholas and Beth (have pattern and material)</strike></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">A hat for Nicholas (have pattern and material)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Two long sleeve shirts for me (have pattern and material)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Two dresses for me (have pattern and material)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">A shirt for me (have pattern and material), and I bought some nursing shirt patterns which I would like to make up (need to buy material)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">A winter skirt for me (have material, need to find a pattern)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">A pillow for Nicholas (have material and pattern)</li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Finish the very first quilt I attempted (have the quilt top but need to buy the rest).</li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">And I'm going to add a more things to the list:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Curtains for the lounge room (I have material for them)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Finish off the binding on the quilt I made for Daniel and I, and make some matching pillows with the left over material. </span></span></li>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-72408419394588990112013-04-23T22:48:00.000+10:002013-04-23T22:48:29.596+10:00Let it rain!I finally finished the first of my to-do projects, a rain jacket for Nicholas. I bought the pattern from Peek-a-Boo patterns which I originally found on<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PeekabooPatternShop?ref=seller_info"> Etsy</a>. Since then though I have liked them on Facebook and also visited their <a href="http://www.peekaboopatternshop.com/">website</a>. They have heaps of patterns. There are at least 5 or 6 that I really want to buy to make both for Nicholas and Beth. However, before I am able to do this I need to finish all my other projects.<br />
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This is the<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/126953586/puddle-jumper-rain-coat-rain-coat-pdf?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=raincoat+pdf+pattern&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=AU&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=raincoat+pdf+pattern"> rain jacket pattern</a> I bought. The pattern had a great tutorial that was super easy to follow, with both a written explanation and a picture beside it showing what to do. It was very easy to put together and makes a great finished product.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/126953586/puddle-jumper-rain-coat-rain-coat-pdf?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=raincoat+pdf+pattern&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=AU&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=raincoat+pdf+pattern" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKVK1MuLtrUnZXOutPDGsp47pHqt_gk7ZGKbx8LhHKko3t9aWavE9R2TuGWEiqq75_JkoncaNFv0Mq4B83GDbNHJBy9p6WwRL4JpBCJqmuK1JmbU29ozHqdqskvy6Xb10IfebKmM-VpI/s320/peekaboo+pattern+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/126953586/puddle-jumper-rain-coat-rain-coat-pdf?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=raincoat+pdf+pattern&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=AU&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=raincoat+pdf+pattern">Rain Jacket</a></td></tr>
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So when the first wet day presented itself we set off outside and to take some photos. I love these photos, the Autumn leaves everywhere are just so pretty, and Nicholas is rather cute too in his little blue rain coat. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpRAChI3XzhEDirTq5avNePpgSTd7KpCRMzHH6awoB-aJw_BljnHtX02GG9v357EQ4L74nsaoJkCgHrINfzlOYOEChVg0A_nUCWou1qsdqleEjGRXjkW4ETvhX6PG6M1P5RhrP1vlGBY/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpRAChI3XzhEDirTq5avNePpgSTd7KpCRMzHH6awoB-aJw_BljnHtX02GG9v357EQ4L74nsaoJkCgHrINfzlOYOEChVg0A_nUCWou1qsdqleEjGRXjkW4ETvhX6PG6M1P5RhrP1vlGBY/s400/IMG_0377.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z7B9gHZKkNhzPa29KiFGGbcN9jLM7ES27vYgzVrnhjhZz6RzvFukAFq61zXfRndGNDwt9r7AODFEzEL789vCANog-moXoCPCyE5bseGb1RgBv7fBUBSZrKz-lghLzqAlbqH88Ay1Q9k/s1600/IMG_0374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z7B9gHZKkNhzPa29KiFGGbcN9jLM7ES27vYgzVrnhjhZz6RzvFukAFq61zXfRndGNDwt9r7AODFEzEL789vCANog-moXoCPCyE5bseGb1RgBv7fBUBSZrKz-lghLzqAlbqH88Ay1Q9k/s400/IMG_0374.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18mTVnqdYWvU_cz9gvgyDMzUTCpLpBgZj8Hi9EtSZYlZjRQT3fVmuIV8n4O1bDj5_3mYGY_bdzB7ZzrPAh_4n01-6iIramLEyJVfCYbG9P4F22lUnAFMYjiH0dJFKomUh15fTab152qI/s1600/IMG_0391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18mTVnqdYWvU_cz9gvgyDMzUTCpLpBgZj8Hi9EtSZYlZjRQT3fVmuIV8n4O1bDj5_3mYGY_bdzB7ZzrPAh_4n01-6iIramLEyJVfCYbG9P4F22lUnAFMYjiH0dJFKomUh15fTab152qI/s400/IMG_0391.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aww...so happy :).</td></tr>
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And here is my list of things to finish (I think it might take me a while):</div>
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<ul>
<li><strike>Rain coat</strike></li>
<li>A hooded jumper for both Nicholas and Beth (have pattern and material)</li>
<li>A hat for Nicholas (have pattern and material)</li>
<li>Two long sleeve shirts for me (have pattern and material)</li>
<li>Two dresses for me (have pattern and material)</li>
<li>A shirt for me (have pattern and material), and I bought some nursing shirt patterns which I would like to make up (need to buy material)</li>
<li>A winter skirt for me (have material, need to find a pattern)</li>
<li>A pillow for Nicholas (have material and pattern)</li>
<li>Finish the very first quilt I attempted (have the quilt top but need to buy the rest). </li>
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Hopefully I will get it all done before the end of the year, because there is a bunch of other stuff I also want to make. </div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-39681671573296842712013-04-13T18:00:00.000+10:002013-04-13T18:00:15.805+10:00Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2013The Tasmanian parliament will soon have to decide on a <a href="http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/pophealth/womens_health" target="_blank">Bill</a> which would radically change abortion law in Tasmania. Public consultation on the first draft closed last week, and amendments are already being made. So far, DHHS has published 88 of the 140 <a href="http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/pophealth/womens_health/proposed_changes_to_pregnancy_termination_laws_in_tasmania_-_submissions" target="_blank">submissions</a> from organisations. Since it is not clear that the Department will actually publish the approximately 1910 individual submissions, Clare and I decided to publish ours in full here. <br />
--Dan.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<hr />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Regarding the Draft Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill, Invitation to Comment.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">We write to express strong objection to the proposed Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2013, as we believe that the Bill's provisions: </span><br />
<ol><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">
<li>are not founded on a philosophically defensible system of ethics, </li>
<li>are incompatible with long-standing principles which are foundational to international human rights law, </li>
<li>disproportionately criminalise conscientious objection, and </li>
<li>will not reduce the demand for termination services. <span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></li>
</span></ol>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">These objections can be further explained as follows (n.b. we use 'termination' and 'abortion' interchangeably, as does the Criminal Code Act)...</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Objection 1: The Bill is not founded on a philosophically defensible system of ethics. </span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">In section 4, the Bill makes no stipulations as to circumstance surrounding a termination, and thereby tacitly grants Tasmanian women a right to termination by a doctor, for any reason, up to 24 weeks. In section 5, the terms of subsection (3) substantially expand subsection (2)(a)(i) by including 'economic and social circumstances', and in so doing effectively extend that same right to termination beyond 24 weeks with medical assent. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">This Bill effectively enshrines a new right that did not previously exist in Tasmanian law. Indeed, section 134 of the Criminal Code Act, entitled "Abortion", explicitly denied that abortion was a right at all. So, the Bill must now be viewed not simply within the narrow context of medical ethics, but within a much broader philosophy of human rights.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Anybody who attempts to devise an ontology of rights must surely come to the conclusion that a living human being's right to continue living is the most fundamental right, and is the right to which all other rights must be subordinate. If that is the case, a situation where two human beings appear to have conflicting rights (e.g. a right to life versus a right to abortion) requires adequate resolution. To avoid resolution by simply legislating that a right to termination is superior to the right to life without any further consideration is philosophically indefensible, and the Information Paper which justifies the Bill does not even attempt to resolve this conflict of rights. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">By making different provisions for termination before and after 24 weeks, the Bill implicitly admits that carte blanche access to termination must eventually warrant some degree of further safeguard -- in this case, at some date around viability. If it is lawful to terminate an unborn child who is already viable, then an ethicist such as Peter Singer would understandably ask why it should be unlawful or unacceptable to 'terminate' a child who has already been born, provided the medical justifications are consistent. Thus, by arbitrarily determining the legality of terminating a viable infant only on the basis of whether it is presently in utero or ex utero, the Bill demonstrates that it is not actually based on a consistent system of ethics. So, in all seriousness, if Tasmania chooses to allow termination past 24 weeks for such weak justification as economic circumstances, by what logic should Tasmania not also legalise infant euthanasia with the consent of two doctors and take infanticide out of the Criminal Code Act? </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Objection 2: The bill is incompatible with long-standing principles which are foundational to international human rights law. </span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Since the Bill in effect creates a legal right to termination, the correct context for discussing the Bill must be human rights, not merely medical ethics, as mentioned above. This requires deference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). These documents give special priority to the right to life, and recognise all children (including those in utero) as human beings who deserve the State's protection. </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">The preamble to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1959, explicitly stated that "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth". In 1990, that same sentence was quoted verbatim again in the preamble to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. International law thus recognises unborn children as human beings who are worthy of special protection. When ratifying the UNCRC, Australia's only stated reservation concerned the practicalities of segregation of children and adults in custody (Article 37.c). These documents themselves follow on the UDHR, ratified 65 years ago. UDHR Article 3 simply states that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person", and Article 2 recognises that "everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Consequently, Australian lawmakers must protect the welfare of the child "before as well as after birth" when considering any legislation. Above all, legislators must consider Article 6 of the UNCRC: "States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child." However, the proposed Bill is unbalanced as it only requires doctors to consider the mother's welfare, and not that of her unborn child; there are, in fact, two patients involved. </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">The Bill's quiet removal of Criminal Code Act section 165 ("Causing death of child before birth") is a backward step for Tasmania, and is inconsistent with our obligations under the UDHR and UNCRC. If anything, section 165 of the Criminal Code should instead be re-worded to recognise the fact that a 'child before birth' is indeed a 'human being' in every sense of the term. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Objection 3: The Bill will disproportionately criminalise conscientious objection. </span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">The purported intention of the Bill described in the Information Paper is to remove termination from criminal law and place it within "a health based Act". Ironically, the Bill introduces new criminal law into health-related law. This betrays the fact that the Bill is ideologically driven, as conscientious dissenting voices are singled out for special sanction.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">The first new sanction in section 7 -- penalising a practitioner or counsellor who, for the sake of conscience, will not refer a woman to a non-objecting provider -- constitutes an unnecessary and disproportionate overreach of the law into the work of healthcare providers. It is unnecessary because anybody can open the Yellow Pages or Google to find a provider that advertises termination services. It is disproportionate because the Bill gives doctors a wide scope of factors to consider in conscientiously offering a termination after 24 weeks, but no scope at all to conscientiously object to participation by referral. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">The second new sanction of section 9 is also unnecessary and disproportionate. It is unnecessary because assault and intimidating behaviour would already constitute an offence under the Criminal Code Act sections 182, 184, 184A and 192. It is excessive, because quiet and peaceful protest against abortion within large areas of our cities would become an offence punishable by imprisonment. This is contrary to customary liberty of free speech, and again betrays the ideological origins of the Bill. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Objection 4: The Bill will not reduce the demand for termination services. </span></h4>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">The Information Paper accompanying the Bill needs consideration, because the Bill is defective if it fails to meet the objectives and intentions of the Bill's proponents. With that in mind, we note that on page 8 of the Information Paper are listed reasons why "despite best (and early) efforts, a woman may not be able to see a provider" and may be "faced with continuing an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy" if they cannot afford to travel elsewhere. The intention of the Bill is to increase access to termination providers to individuals who might otherwise miss out, which (in the absence of any additional measures to mitigate unwanted pregnancy) can only mean that a greater number of terminations will occur. This means that the Information Paper is being disingenuous when it asserts "the revised framework proposed for Tasmania will not increase the overall incidence of Tasmanian women having a termination". </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">Further, the Bill grants social and economic factors as valid considerations for termination even after 24 weeks. A humane society, rather than aborting children of the disadvantaged at any stage of gestation, should instead offer every possible assistance and service to parents and their children so that such desperate measures need not be contemplated. </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif';">In conclusion, we urge our elected representatives to reject this Bill and instead take measures that will empower parents and protect children, before as well as after birth. We thank the private members and the Department for inviting public comment on the draft Bill. </span><br />
<hr />
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-7521244329423862862013-04-13T09:57:00.000+10:002013-04-13T09:57:24.698+10:00Toddler Busy Bag SwapI attended my first toddler busy bag swap yesterday. If you haven't participated in a busy bag swap, you should. All you need to do is get a few friends together (we had 10), and have everyone create an age appropriate activity (there are heaps of ideas on <a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>. Just type 'busy bag swap' in their search engine), and replicate it 10 times. Then on the set date, meet up with the other 9 people and swap bags. At the end you get to take home 10 bags, each with a different activity. This is a great idea, especially with winter setting in and the days getting colder.<br />
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My activity was based around<a href="http://tinkerlab.com/art-dice/"> Tinkerlab's Art Dice</a> concept. My Dad cut the cubes for me, I sanded and drew on them, added some more ideas for the using the die, and presto, I had a busy bag activity. It really was as easy as that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g-tRWgPOfXPrgJPej4FoDR1HaKqveaoOOs4SlLa5r7YU57p-MIMeS-MF9-jndxZ7lbgzmdRR4pjF7UTiUyBXb5zaX4E3oPDK30itRg3VOydaeOF0GjdVNbheb1qBQCUEeC0dtkOkHa4/s1600/IMG_0273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g-tRWgPOfXPrgJPej4FoDR1HaKqveaoOOs4SlLa5r7YU57p-MIMeS-MF9-jndxZ7lbgzmdRR4pjF7UTiUyBXb5zaX4E3oPDK30itRg3VOydaeOF0GjdVNbheb1qBQCUEeC0dtkOkHa4/s320/IMG_0273.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN1RaHWF14z6aWj7G0LFMMUMrDlvCYfhJmVemBHZBmlEzi4gXMQaMUceqbQkf_8eecAWynC0iHvjTBL2N7pj_iYO8OXHq5vdTR3GnkaeNjRsdGfsbBA2GT8R03TAufD1zE3YRFcxiy58/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN1RaHWF14z6aWj7G0LFMMUMrDlvCYfhJmVemBHZBmlEzi4gXMQaMUceqbQkf_8eecAWynC0iHvjTBL2N7pj_iYO8OXHq5vdTR3GnkaeNjRsdGfsbBA2GT8R03TAufD1zE3YRFcxiy58/s320/IMG_0274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitURH3oGmFFS_VlIUtz6Ke-A85j6wPsoI8f9b44ViYyADJc6zFrcdcIavW_-6M3RTMvxhfdRLtFC04_Ghc5EUvTQ16oGRbhuBM_TOMX2xswlyXCUnUYl2ZyIuBGYVUnHbxOt0IFXjCxKs/s1600/IMG_0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitURH3oGmFFS_VlIUtz6Ke-A85j6wPsoI8f9b44ViYyADJc6zFrcdcIavW_-6M3RTMvxhfdRLtFC04_Ghc5EUvTQ16oGRbhuBM_TOMX2xswlyXCUnUYl2ZyIuBGYVUnHbxOt0IFXjCxKs/s320/IMG_0275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And this is what I returned with:</div>
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Two threading activities</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dijeKGPJ2AoJIecDCxLZN39v81g-Fd0FUWZVU_GZ6IAKhmEX2-HxVVNN_HKI_dGGy33bkpjfRYuYKjJU3hHrII59rOKiHpqrPbOsK81CBGCiKtIeFRyYh0IZscTYg1SkR3_B086V3Ok/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dijeKGPJ2AoJIecDCxLZN39v81g-Fd0FUWZVU_GZ6IAKhmEX2-HxVVNN_HKI_dGGy33bkpjfRYuYKjJU3hHrII59rOKiHpqrPbOsK81CBGCiKtIeFRyYh0IZscTYg1SkR3_B086V3Ok/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7CWDHfAvSVZXqp61TY3ThVW7AbsU1nDYDmFRn0kf005uS6JgR-Ohbb7R0QwcJycliUZfejZjdXCBtXmi6h83HFajJN0hGTJduLOcy3dPm7bJEJ_XaVltawScBnh2Y57o-cfIt-M6Hcw/s1600/IMG_0285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7CWDHfAvSVZXqp61TY3ThVW7AbsU1nDYDmFRn0kf005uS6JgR-Ohbb7R0QwcJycliUZfejZjdXCBtXmi6h83HFajJN0hGTJduLOcy3dPm7bJEJ_XaVltawScBnh2Y57o-cfIt-M6Hcw/s320/IMG_0285.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A colour matching activity</div>
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Two cars and a city map</div>
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Laminated shape recognition cards</div>
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And some craft activities</div>
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And already Nicholas is loving the threading activity.</div>
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I am so glad I participated in this busy bag swap, and have signed up for a pre-school age swap in June. I'm already looking forward to all the different ideas and activities that people will come up with.Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-53344004335820744802013-04-01T18:46:00.000+11:002013-04-01T18:46:03.548+11:00Elizabeth's QuiltHere is evidence of the making of Beth's quilt (sorry about the poor photo quality they were taken on my phone):<br />
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This was on my to-do-list of things before Beth was born. Surprisingly, I got it finished and even took it to hospital with me. I am really pleased with my efforts, especially as the last quilt took me two years to finish. </div>
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Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-66127429064222081962013-03-27T17:37:00.001+11:002013-03-27T17:37:21.313+11:00Baby doll carrierAlthough my free time at the moment is a bit limited, I have been trying to keep myself busy during the rare moments of silence. In the past this time would have been filled with study, but having graduated in December this is no longer the case. Instead, for the next few weeks at least, I am going to focus on finishing all the sewing projects I have sitting in my sewing room. I am not going to buy anymore new material, or be tempted to buy more patterns off <a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy</a>. Rather, I am going to go through the material and patterns I have and clear out my 'to do' draws. It used to only be one draw but it recently spread into another. And when I finish all that I can go back to doing some quilting, as I have one that I made ages ago, without a pattern or any idea how to make quilts, that needs finishing. <br />
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To start off this project, I made this <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/88851432/baby-doll-carrier-pdf-pattern?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=baby+doll+carrier+pattern&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=AU&ga_ref=auto2&ga_explicit_scope=1&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmadebaby+doll+carrier+pattern">baby doll carrier</a> on the weekend for a little person's birthday. I bought the pattern back in Feb with the intention of making and finishing it for Nicholas before Beth arrived, but as always, this didn't happen. As you can see from the photos Nicholas just loved carrying around the teddy in the carrier, so hopefully in the next few days I will finish Nicholas' carrier off and a few more I have on the go for other people.<br />
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In the next day or so I will take stock of all the projects I have to start/finish and will write a list here. Do you have projects that need doing? Maybe you could join me :).</div>
Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-55391814314102584392013-03-18T13:58:00.002+11:002013-03-18T16:16:34.831+11:00A new addition :)Since my mammoth month of posting in December I have been a bit lazy. This laziness arose from hot weather, a long list of things I needed to finish before the baby arrived, and being heavily pregnant. I certainly found those last few months of pregnancy quite difficult. It didn't help that this summer was unusually warm which meant Nicholas and I spent many a day inside, under the air-con, trying to keep cool. Plus, not being able to sleep at night didn't help with my energy levels. It is usually after you have the baby that people offer to help out but it was during that last week of pregnancy when I felt I needed the most help. At the end I was begging Daniel to stay home because I just wasn't coping and I needed help just to make it through the day.<br />
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Here is the last pregnancy photo taken of me at 39 weeks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalIGnWmgxKmwapuBP53MfAu1XvyNTPHHY9me-NuLfe76F5v3M3gn_kpserM38y6WP_tF1gl5kQCuivnZqku-tPpi-3wEUJ2Dp5fu8QYpnqgjOhLC9fjkB_qLOQrMCRTcOTROL2I4WJdg/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalIGnWmgxKmwapuBP53MfAu1XvyNTPHHY9me-NuLfe76F5v3M3gn_kpserM38y6WP_tF1gl5kQCuivnZqku-tPpi-3wEUJ2Dp5fu8QYpnqgjOhLC9fjkB_qLOQrMCRTcOTROL2I4WJdg/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Despite the sleep deprivation that comes hand-in-hand with having a newborn, I have a lot more energy now that I am not pregnant. I can even last the whole day without having a rest. Although, if I can sneak one in, I'll take it.<br />
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Life with two children is busy. There are more nappies to change, more mouths to feed, more washing to do and more cleaning, but I love it because there is also double to joy, double the laughter and double the hugs. Life feels more complete with two, although I don't feel like our family is finished just yet.<br />
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Here is our new addition, Elizabeth Anne. Isn't she just lovely! Nicholas thinks very highly of her and can be very gentle and loving, giving her lots of kisses and hugs. Although, I do think the transition from only child has been a bit difficult for him at times (I'll discuss this more later).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBtgTdQLrF1yPEJk1RqPKrgqcUNhy7iF6eMkJ2VvuMCk0hWsrvABTeL-xpKxMkGL8PcSRhi17whEhdZvBTqqveBEP5QzvMXw39IuyKKXEorUCExYzml9snX-wBN6cT7fSS0QigopPTGk/s1600/IMG_0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBtgTdQLrF1yPEJk1RqPKrgqcUNhy7iF6eMkJ2VvuMCk0hWsrvABTeL-xpKxMkGL8PcSRhi17whEhdZvBTqqveBEP5QzvMXw39IuyKKXEorUCExYzml9snX-wBN6cT7fSS0QigopPTGk/s320/IMG_0271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth only an hour or so old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTFMt7AQDDSq4CXH4_jWXmQmgS_MGyb4PgV0qWoiXKRPZA-yu-lWLYDfv5nJH79UvszwhkHKdXPKLwdrRwWS4d-jYWQnx94nzycQmrPSlzHeVuD74tdggZdjpCeeP_L8iqBtx0qO3oj0/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTFMt7AQDDSq4CXH4_jWXmQmgS_MGyb4PgV0qWoiXKRPZA-yu-lWLYDfv5nJH79UvszwhkHKdXPKLwdrRwWS4d-jYWQnx94nzycQmrPSlzHeVuD74tdggZdjpCeeP_L8iqBtx0qO3oj0/s320/IMG_0308.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First family photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ev9chmCZUuuhB39h0ZlzbFwbGo2EwaPREZ-i2HOrR4-MQO1yoHzl_qo7n9rjtmX4VWA4sCoqyY4g_bc-EQkCqNiBVZ_doOLbCUn4CUuMs4sojKiqel89QFrTlQul0Pk552WPupfLBv8/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ev9chmCZUuuhB39h0ZlzbFwbGo2EwaPREZ-i2HOrR4-MQO1yoHzl_qo7n9rjtmX4VWA4sCoqyY4g_bc-EQkCqNiBVZ_doOLbCUn4CUuMs4sojKiqel89QFrTlQul0Pk552WPupfLBv8/s320/IMG_0327.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A month old</td></tr>
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I will try to post more often from now on, and get back into this blogging thing...again :).<br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-41769371050194953392012-12-26T23:32:00.000+11:002012-12-27T23:33:07.196+11:00Z is for Ze End :)I surprisingly made it to the end of the 'amonthof'. I almost wrote everyday. Some days have been catch ups, but still, everyday is accounted for. I have enjoyed this challenge, although I did find the letters at the beginning of the alphabet a lot easier to blog about than the last few at the end. I also found I was a little more enthusiastic at the beginning. <br />
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Completing this whole month makes me think about other challenges I could undertake later in the year. A crafty challenge, a music challenge, a fitness challenge... there are so many options. I'm sure I could find something around the internet to take up, or I could make up something myself. For now though, I might take a little rest and just post about the things that have been happening in life. For instance, I have been working a lot on my next two quilts recently (and taking a few unfocused photos), so I will post these in the next few days. <br />
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I'm glad I made it to Ze End :).<br />
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End of Ze World<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZMwKPmsbWE" width="560"></iframe>Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-63893481738373615402012-12-25T23:03:00.000+11:002012-12-27T23:04:29.569+11:00Y is for ...I couldn't think of anything original for the letter 'Y'. So here are the top 10 sites found when I typed 'y is for' into Google.<br />
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Y is for:<br />
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1. Y is for yearbook<br />
2. Y is for yogini <br />
3. Y is for yorick<br />
4. Y is for yoga<br />
5. Y is for yellowhammer<br />
6. Y is for yoyo<br />
7. Y is for yak<br />
8. Y is for yowl<br />
9. Y is for young buck<br />
10. Y is for yoda<br />
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And unsurprisingly, if you just type 'Y' into Google the first thing to come up is YouTube, the source of much entertainment and information these days.<br />
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And here is a link to some <a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Yisfor.shtml">'y is for'</a> words and their related pictures.<br />
<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-46688234940105458272012-12-24T22:34:00.000+11:002012-12-27T22:43:13.707+11:00X is for Xmas EveOnly one day until Christmas :). We are having Mum and Dad over for dinner tonight and I am trying <a href="http://www.cookrepublic.com/recipe-archive/christmas-honeycomb-cannelloni/">Honeycomb Cannelloni recipe</a> for the very first time. I am excited and apprehensive. I hope it works out. I don't think I would have been game enough to try it without the Thermomix here to help me cut up all the vegies though. It would need a lot of prep work otherwise. Best thing is, in order to make it I had to buy a lovely new cast iron pot to fit it all in. I have been wanting one for years and now I have a lovely blue one. <br />
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Doesn't the dinner just look delicious! Hopefully mine will look just as nice. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Christmas Honeycomb Cannelloni" height="320" src="http://www.cookrepublic.com/images/blog/archive/christmas_honeycomb_cannelloni5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cookrepublic.com/recipe-archive/christmas-honeycomb-cannelloni/">Honeycomb Cannelloni</a></td></tr>
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-87152215685881761932012-12-23T22:29:00.000+11:002012-12-27T23:15:37.778+11:00W is for Tom Waits and The White StripesThis is the first Tom Waits song I ever heard. I driving to Margate at the time and I was just taken by Tom Waits' deep gravely and yet compelling voice, his passion and the darkness of the song. I was just left with an overpowering feeling of needing to listen to more of his work. <br />
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Often not a lot of big bands make their way to Tassie when touring around Australia. There is definitely a market for it and the bands would certainly get an audience but sadly we still miss out. Many years ago though, The White Stripe came to Tassie and Daniel bought us tickets. We got to the gig early and stood up the front, often holding onto the bars, so as not to be dragged back into the crowd. It was an amazing night. So much energy and passion. I certainly wouldn't have the energy to stand for hours at a gig anymore. <br />
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Seven Nation Army:<br />
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And a cool version of it done by C. W. Stoneking.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sGwi8j0lb-4" width="420"></iframe><br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-26609203455778049922012-12-22T22:16:00.000+11:002012-12-27T22:17:22.332+11:00V is for VisitorsThis past week has been extremely busy. I usually try to fit in at least one home day, just for some down time, but so far we have not been able to achieve this. Despite life being so busy we had some lovely visitors this week. My sister and her kids came down and Nicholas was rapt. He kept hugging Ryan every opportunity he had and was very sad when he had to say goodbye. It is always too long between visits. <br />
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Here are the kids enjoying themselves at the beach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit39g7rPRl7Z2gI1cAfjdV_dCefNGJWQm5nH2eoiaJ_G6pq_0RB10KYHUpVjjYlZs3HbhiuTel0UoEJTi8hdZSh0Dg4-7N26BQ6TdFQ82GtBiYcRl9Vq82WghLvkb1_WhCo9X7x-ahwsI/s1600/IMG_20121221_114851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit39g7rPRl7Z2gI1cAfjdV_dCefNGJWQm5nH2eoiaJ_G6pq_0RB10KYHUpVjjYlZs3HbhiuTel0UoEJTi8hdZSh0Dg4-7N26BQ6TdFQ82GtBiYcRl9Vq82WghLvkb1_WhCo9X7x-ahwsI/s400/IMG_20121221_114851.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-45282615977086065462012-12-21T22:55:00.000+11:002012-12-22T23:22:23.134+11:00U is for UnfinishedWith only a few days left till Christmas I still have a heap of things that may go left unfinished. Sadly, Nicholas' quilt will be left unfinished (for now). No matter how fast I try to hand embroider the trees and birds and leaves, I am just not fast enough to get it done before Christmas. I honestly didn't think it would be so time consuming. I will definitely be giving it to him for Christmas, and every now and then will just take it back to do a bit more work on it. Eventually, it will be competently done...one day :).<br />
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As well as that, I have two other gifts for Nicholas that are not quite finished yet (when I do finish them I will post photos). And then there is the present for mine and Daniel's parents that are also only half done. Arrrgghhh! I really need to learn some time management skills, and also not to put so much pressure on myself to do so many things at once.<br />
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I also just feel like the weeks are slipping by too quickly before number 2 arrives, and with that my freedom. As Nicholas has grown and now sleeps ok most days I have been able to start some little projects again, but when number 2 arrives all that will be taken away. Life will be filled up with feedings, cleaning, washing, and more house work. This change of life is starting to make me feel a bit uneasy. I am excited and yet apprehensive. I have to accept that the things I don't finish before I have baby girl probably won't be finished for a while because life will just be far too busy. Ultimately, I know that these sacrifices are worth it but it's often difficult to see it at the time.Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-39856610928487664882012-12-20T21:51:00.001+11:002012-12-20T21:51:06.345+11:00T is for ToothacheThis is a super boring post about the fact that I have a sore tooth. It has been aching the last few days but today has been the worst. I think I might need a filling. I'm wondering if this is my punishment for eating too much sweet food of late? Sadly, I couldn't get a dentist appointment till Monday. I have a feeling it is going to be a long weekend, especially considering I can now only eat on the right side of my mouth. Oh dear! Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-72785246643377384902012-12-19T21:45:00.000+11:002012-12-19T21:45:39.835+11:00S is for Sweet Smelling StrawberriesI picked these straight from the garden today. Nicholas is going to be very happy when he sees this bowl tomorrow...he just loves strawberries :).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOqV11xYuMOZBzPI1gf1uKszFzz3CwZefvUQYTXzdth1CtSMMeh162AljOdZbSVUCdtsEJp9MC8w8fRWCbqxXMgObW4LqAiG_arVkkYkScdv2VIN3tGJx-SV1D92YHpYcpLWgJaNeIYc/s1600/strawberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOqV11xYuMOZBzPI1gf1uKszFzz3CwZefvUQYTXzdth1CtSMMeh162AljOdZbSVUCdtsEJp9MC8w8fRWCbqxXMgObW4LqAiG_arVkkYkScdv2VIN3tGJx-SV1D92YHpYcpLWgJaNeIYc/s400/strawberry.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2601010187867411116.post-28656798191179831392012-12-18T21:02:00.001+11:002012-12-18T21:03:18.245+11:00R is for RestI finally graduated today! After five years of study I will now take some time to rest before having our second child. <br />
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<br />Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18377264794181297608noreply@blogger.com0