Time doesn't tick by...

...it bloody well zooms past before you can even catch a breath. Life with a toddler is getting busy, being back at work is even busier. Our poor poor blog has been so terribly neglected.

Mothers day has been and gone. I had a brilliant day this year (last year with a very upset sick newborn was not the best first mothers day), we are prepared for events like birthdays, mothers/fathers day, easter, Christmas and the like to be non-events this year as we continue with this challenge, but what has made it fun is the challenge to show as much appreciation as you would usually do without having to buy a ton of gifts! This year I woke up to coffee in bed (a necessity to my day), and Luke had written me the most beautiful letter which beats all the gifts in the world he could have bought me. I did received one bought gift from him, a lovely jacket that he found in an op-shop. It was perfect, just the right size and colour on me and I think it cost him all of a couple of bucks.

The jacket

As well as gifts from my family I also received a beautiful package from a dear friend over east. I have never met this woman but we have talked online for over 2 years now and are two peas in a pod with our lifestyle choices and taste. I was lucky enough to receive some fair trade chocolate (I had been craving chocolate something chronic) a book titled 'Choosing Eden' which is all about sustainability and the Peak Oil Crisis, a lovely home-made diary, an assortment of seeds for various veges for our own vege garden, and a beautiful handmade baking apron. The gifts were just beautiful, I feel so thankful for the generosity and thought behind such gifts.

My stash

The awesome apron

Our dear Lila has gotten to the point where there was a need for more sleep space. As much as I would love to have her in bed with me it just isn't viable. I'm a play thing for her, and as much as that is awesome, it really sucks at 3am. We made the decision to get a toddler bed and started trawling the papers for second hand beds. We thought this was going to be tricky as we are pretty particular with our tastes in furniture for Lila's room. You would never pick that we have created her space for just under $300.00, including everything, even the painting. It was then I remembered this old looking bed in an op-shop I had been in recently. I couldn't remember whether it was decent, in fact I wasn't even sure it wasn't broken or missing pieces, but I never second guessed it after I mentioned it to Luke, as I knew he would be able to turn it into something awesome... he did just that!

All the tools he could need (all second-hand, just the way he likes it). Acorn finials salvaged from an old shelving unit.

How it looked before - an old plain wooden bed

Luke making a rail to match the bed - he used scrap wood from a previous bed we had

Adapter to connect the recycled turned posts to the old bed's side rail.

Painted with old paint and partly assembled

Assembling the masterpiece

Final product! - Total cost  = $10.00

Wow, I have just realised how much more there is to write now that I am actually writing. Things such as our compost bin, our dietary changes. How we coped with our bankcards being hacked and thus out of use. I really will do my best to get back into the swing of blogging, and trying to find some time to share our news with everyone.