I don’t know what the weather’s been like around your parts, but it’s been a bit crazy in Canberra over the last few weeks. Wet and cold one moment, sunny and warm the next. Rinse and repeat. Lots of people seem to be battling colds, and I’m afraid we’re no exception. Elena and I both came down with a bug over the weekend and it’s been all sniffles around here. She seems to have bounced back, as only children can, but I’m still craving naps and quiet time.

I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve given a proper update and we’ve had a busy week and a bit so it seems fitting. All of the rain has kept me out of the garden and encouraged me to tick some things off my ‘to do’ list.

Firstly – me. I’ve been either pregnant or breastfeeding (and sometimes both simultaneously) since November 2010. Three years have passed, and now that Hugo has weaned himself it’s time to focus on sorting myself out – and buying some new clothes so I don’t always look like I’ve been dragged through a bush backwards. Last week I went clothes shopping (yikes!), underwear and swimmers shopping (double yikes!), and got a massage (bliss). I think I was in a colourful mood that day..

Friday was a great day for catching up with friends. Some friends and I, and our kids (seven children under 3, between four couples) caught up at Questacon (our national science museum). I topped off the day by going out for dinner with a girlfriend I haven’t seen properly in yonks. So lucky.

In house related news, we’ve been getting quotes for evaporative cooling (just have to work out how to/if we can afford it) and had a visit from an interior decorator to choose colours for the house painting we’re having done in January (we’re going with Dulux Whisper White). It’s amazing how someone can walk through your house and instantly know what colour you should paint it. Such a talent – one I wish I had. Normally we’d DIY the painting but I really can’t see us a) doing a professional job on some pretty banged up walls and b) finding the time to actually finish the project.

We had a low key weekend on account of the sniffles, but the children still managed to keep us on our toes. Hugo’s increasingly mobile and loving it.

Elena’s language is coming along in leaps and bounds (my favourite is her saying ‘you’re welcome’ when you thank her for something). She’s Little Miss Independent and has started doing her own hair. She also refused to come to breakfast the other morning until she’d finished reading her book (thank goodness we weren’t in a rush, or there would have been words). Hilarious.

I feel like we spent a lot of the weekend convincing Elena she should use the toilet, and the rest of our time keeping Hugo away from it. What is it about crawling babies and toilets? Hugo’s drawn to ours like a moth to a flame. My most frequent refrain this weekend, as Hugo yet again headed up our hall, was ‘is the bathroom door shut?’ – usually followed by mad dashes by Alex.

We washed the car too. For the first time since we moved house, over seven months ago. Whoops. To be fair, it did get detailed by the smash repairers after I got rear-ended so it hadn’t been a full seven months between cleans…

I do have another in threes on my needles (size 2T), this time in (the unfortunately discontinued and incredibly difficult to photograph) Bendigo Woollen Mills Cameo in Plum. Cameo is a super soft wool/angora blend. I kind of wish I’d kept the ball to myself for a cozy winter cowl or similar.

I’ve been dyeing again too. One more skein added to the Etsy store. I’ll get it fully stocked one day….probably in 2020!

Agh. I’m exhausted just reading all of that.

I spent today cooking pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup). It was so very, very good. I started with noble intentions to photograph the process and the finished product but got sidetracked somewhere along the line.

I did have a fleeting thought to grab the camera before I dug into my bowl, but there was no way I was waiting!

I followed the fantastically comprehensive directions and recipe over at meat loves salt. If you love Asian food (as much as I hate that term), you need to check out this blog. Written by two sisters, it’s full of great looking recipes – and beautiful photographs. My menu planning for the next little while just got a whole lot easier.

For Canberra readers – if you’re stuck on where to find (super, haven’t even been in the fridge-fresh) fresh pho noodles (and all other types of fresh rice noodles), you can buy them at Asian Provisions (54 Colbee Court, Philip; (02) 6281 1227). I can’t believe I haven’t found this Asian grocer before. They get a delivery of fresh vegetables, herbs and rice noodles (and Indonesian snack goodies) from Sydney a few times a week. One lovely staff member even sent me a text to let me know the delivery had arrived. So sweet.

And, somewhere in the middle of that whirlwind of a week, ruth plus two had it’s first birthday. Thanks for sticking with me for the year.

I hope your week has been great. I can’t believe it’s Monday again!