Blueberries, Bliss, and the Boys*

So here's a little of what we have been up to of late... Thursday my darling boy and I went Blueberry picking with my Mama, Flower, and her kiddlies. It was fricken AWESOME! I grew up a seven minute walk from this blueberry patch in Pohangina, but I never made quite as good use of it as I could have- but now- WOAH! Try and stop me! 3.5 kg's on this particular day, and more next week- my freezer is going to be crammed with these wee beauties! 

 Blueberry sourdough pancakes. Yes that is real maple, my boy barely knows the meaning of the word sugar! One must prioritise such things, you see ;-).

Er, that would be a blueberry and apple smoothie! As my wee ratbag would like to think he can survive on Mama milk, weetbix (no, not MY choice!!) cheese and banana, I find smoothies are the way to get him having more fruit. Sometimes I use rice milk, if I have one open, to try and keep the dairy intake down a bit, but other wise we have raw organic milk, and raw organic cream! (Hell yes!!) 

 And this evening, something rather unheard of happened! I feel I must share, as it truly is a blissful miracle! My beautiful boy, who rarely is in bed before 9:30 (yes, that doesn't leave me with much time to myself does it- lucky I love him to pieces and know that one day he will be a teenager and possibly less inclined to hang out with me..).. was all curled up in bed at 8:18- and the Papa was out, so I had a candle lit bath, and read some totally indulgent trashy crafting goodness (this)!! CORR!! I'm feeling rather renewed..

My favorite grown man, and my favorite small one, hanging out in the sandpit. As it is summer around here, and my lil' fellow spends the vast majority of his time pants-less, it is becoming rather tricky to take/find usable photos... if you get my drift! Do it while you still can I say (the bare bum I mean! Lucky lil' ratbag!)

And while you may be thinking 'Ah, thats the life'- and though it is! And we are all damn near as happy and healthy as we can be, and feeling aware of how lucky we are, and much gratitude for it; here are some of the erm... less than beautiful/wonderful things... to remind y'all that we're keeping it real ;-).

*There is sand on EVERY surface of our house. Every. Sand is SO good, when it's outside.

*I cleaned a blueberry poo off the carpet the other day! Quite funny actually- toddler poo still doesn't gross me out! (I would like to point out that poo on the carpet is a very rare occurrence! Or any surface for that matter).

*The Papa and I rent, and though we love our house, we DREEEEEAM of living in Pohangina, or somewhere rural and beautiful, with gardens and an orchard and chickens and pigs and a cow... (ok, I know... but you've got to dream big right?!). It is a constant act of balance to remember not to be placing all our 'dreams of future happiness' into that basket, but to remember that what we have right now is worth celebrating, and the only real happiness is the present moment!

*Our vege garden has been taken over  by a rogue Punkin! Cheeky bugger! Lucky I like Punkin. And lucky my darling man is an ingenious  bloke, and has converted the 'ornamental grass and stones' gardens into prime vegey growing real estate!

And last but not least, here is a photo I like to call 'Potty and Pinny'!

Arohanui, Tink*