live the little things
BY KATE EATS, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
They say you only get the chance to raise your children once, so I’m making a conscious effort to live the little things. Going with the flow, letting the housework slide and squeezing in some fun activities. The dishes can wait and the girls are willing to do a quick tidy up, if it means they get out the door quicker!
live the little things
I’ve been on a mission lately to spend as much time as possible outside. Letting them be little, going on treasure hunts, flying kites and drinking in the spring air.
Escaping to the paddocks filled with canola, focusing on the present moment, listening to the bees as they buzz from yellow flower to yellow flower, watching the sun poke out from the clouds; it beams down on the canola, making it so bright I squint.
I’m enjoying the slower pace and the privilege of watching them grow up in the country. Picnics under our favourite blossom tree and spending time with my little family.
The dog is never far away, hoping for some scraps! Next year my oldest will be off to School and picnics will be a novelty.
The girls beg me to dust off the old picnic basket and use the fancy glasses - plastic wine glasses from a music festival, but precious in their eyes!
The menu is simple, sandwiches with fruit for dessert. Sometimes we step it up a notch with some baking, like Nanny’s jam drop biscuits.
Some days are hard, I feel exhausted, trapped and isolated. This is when I try to slow down and appreciate what is around me. One of the upsides of living in the country is the wide-open spaces and the freedom that comes with it. The days are long, but the years are going by so fast. When I look back, I will be glad we took the time to live the little things.
What works for you when you feel overwhelmed? What did you love doing as a child? We’d love you to let us know - drop us a note to share!
Kate Eats is one of our incredibly talented Rural Room Media Stringers. Kate didn’t always live in a small community, in fact until a few years ago you could have found her living in the city, working long hours at a University. Kate thought she had her dream job and lifestyle, but realised she wasn’t working towards anything she really wanted.
After getting married and starting a family, she moved to her husband’s family farm located in the Grampians, Victoria. Life gets crazy, especially around harvest time, so Kate embraces the chaos and rolls with it.