Our Ten Step Tree Change

We had two important reasons for moving to rural Victoria at the end of December. The first was my health, and the second was that we wanted to live the rural lifestyle. It was our dream. It was also our challenge, because, let’s face it, if it were easy, we’d already be doing it instead of dreaming about it.

The Move!

Before I post about the initial challenges we faced when we moved to rural Victoria, I’d like to post about something that made me cry during the move.

We're Moving!

Blog posts have been few and far between because we're finally moving closer to our dream. We've been busy throwing, selling and donating our stuff as we pack boxes and prepare for our tree change! 

From the end of December we will live in a house in the middle of nowhere – a place where we rely on tank water and constantly curse the woeful internet connection. To some this sounds like we're making our life harder, but it's not just about growing our own produce and collecting eggs from our own chickens. 

It's also about simplifying life, even if that sometimes means we have to work harder on the weekends or suffer a little hardship. 

Take a look around your house and ask yourself if you really need all that stuff you have? 

When was the last time you played a board game with your kids/grandkids?

This will be our new backyard, where we can fly kites and converse with the livestock when they wander up our way. 

Not only is the rural lifestyle our dream, but my allergist has agreed it's the best thing I can do for my health. We've since discovered that no matter what we try (both conventional and natural therapies), my allergies continue to plague me, but one night in the country and my sinuses clear up, the pain disappears and I feel alive again. 

So goodbye Melbourne air pollution, hello hard work, bushfire alerts, and a new way of life!

Gluten-free Cherry and White Choc Coconut Muffins

As much as I enjoy making Kamut Choc-Chip Cookies for the kids, I wanted something that I could eat too, so I've been busy experimenting with coconut flour. 

You can find the recipe for these yummy coconut muffins at the end of this post or on the recipe page. 

Here are some pics from when I was making them. They are even more delicious than they look.

Mixing the batter

Ready to go in the oven

Fresh out of the oven and ready to eat!

Gluten-free Cherry & White Choc Coconut Muffins Recipe

From Grief to Dream

When I first discovered that I couldn’t eat gluten, I was devastated; even more so when I realised how many products contain gluten. You can read about my coming to terms with gluten grief in an older post – The 7 Stages of My Gluten Grief. 

Gluten-free Breakfasts – Easy, Tasty and Healthy

(I apologise for the delay between posts. Illness, allergy injections, parental duties and pursuing our dream have taken their toll this year.) 

Breakfast was the hardest meal for me to turn into an enjoyable gluten-free experience. The majority of breakfasts that we eat contain gluten – toast, cereal, porridge – even those liquid Up & Go Breakfast drinks contain gluten! 

Introducing Prince Harry

When people hear the name Prince Harry, they think of a cheeky, redheaded young man who constantly pushes the boundaries, while continuing to retain the adoration of many. He’s really not much different to our new family member.

Boost Your Immune System – Eat Boogers

Miss Flora is always picking her nose and eating it. At first I thought it was just a bad habit, but recently discovered it quelled her cravings for snacks. The following is a conversation Junior Accountant had with Miss Flora last week.

The Definition of Christmas Spirit

Christmas means different things to many people. For some, it’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus. For others, it’s just another day they have to close their shop and lose profits.

The First Steps To Changing Your Lifestyle

Changing Your Lifestyle is NOT the Same as Dieting

My lifestyle change related to food because of my food intolerances, but whether your lifestyle change is a choice or a necessity, it has the potential to be one of the greatest challenges you ever face. The most important lesson I learned when I had to remove gluten and wheat from my diet was that I was guaranteed to fail if I didn’t do it one step at a time.

Timeline Updated

I've finally gotten around to updating the Timeline again!

Too Long Between Posts!

It’s been a while between posts, but every now and then drama in my children’s lives reminds me that I’m also a full-time mother, so blog, study, and anything else that consumes me gets put on hold while I don my ‘Mum/Mummy/Mother’ hat.

The Importance of Communication

Even after eight years of marriage, omitting a word or two from a conversation can result in an injury. It’s never safe to assume that your partner knows you so well that they know what you’re thinking, even when (in my opinion) it’s obvious.

The 7 Stages of My Gluten Grief

I think that loss is one of the hardest things in life to deal with. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a limb, or a lifestyle enjoyed for decades, one is faced with an array of emotions as they adjust to the changes in their life. 

Save The Great Barrier Reef From Greed

I despise greed and it saddens me when I see how often we're driven by greed. 

What's Your PB?

One of the wonderful things about raising kids is that I’m often enlightened as much as they are – sometimes more than they are (especially since we started this journey).

Mixed-up Words

We all have days where our brain doesn’t quite process words the way it should. Some recent examples of our brain mix-ups for your enjoyment: 

Testing My Gluten Tolerance

Elimination dieting to see if a particular food or food group is upsetting your body is simple. It’s not conclusive, but it can set you and your doctor on the right path to a correct diagnosis. 

The Definition of Jewels

Ever since Miss Flora decided that Tomboy’s middle name (Rose) was prettier than hers, she adopted it as her own. After many futile attempts to get her to accept and like her own middle name (Jade), I decided to show her how beautiful Jade can be.

One Big Switch or One Big Con?

As a mother of five children in a family with one breadwinner, I am a huge fan of people banding together to get a better deal. I’ve enjoyed the benefits of group buying through organisations like Scoopon, so I thought it was fantastic when I saw that thousands of people were getting cheaper gas and electricity prices by banding together as part of One Big Switch.