Family reunion

There have been so many milestones as the pandemic restrictions start to ease. There was our overnight trip to Sydney to witness a small wedding, having our first guests round for dinner and being able to meet up with friends again. Last Saturday, it was my family's turn to be together for the first time since Christmas 2018. With my brother back from New York, my parents, youngest brother and his wife making the trip from Sydney, the 12 of us were able to gather in Canberra for lunch.

It was Tony and my first time hosting a big family event and I'm so glad we did it! Space-wise, with a little reconfiguring of our apartment it just worked. My brother brought a trestle table, we used every chair we owned (from dining chairs, IKEA stools, outdoor chairs and our sofa), along with every plate, fork, cup and glass. I was super proud that we could do it - especially without buying anything specific for it other than food and napkins (I almost panic-bought paper plates).

I was a little bit nervous about cooking for a crowd, mainly because we have so little bench space. In the end I made a double batch of Julia Turshen's lasagne (with beef) because I'd made it before and it's magically simple and delicious. I cooked the sauce during my lunch break on Friday, mixed and rolled the pasta on Saturday morning, bought pre-grated cheese to make assembly easier and had everything ready to bake by 11.30am.

My family brought drinks, fresh bread and a big salad, which helped so much. I've only just realised that it makes a lot of sense to choose a main and a dessert from the same cookbook. It was the best excuse to try Julia's 'Happy wife, happy life' chocolate cake, with raspberry jam and sour cream chocolate icing. Not wanting to stress, I baked it the weekend before and froze the cake layers, icing it the night before. After making a wedding cake, icing a two-layer cake that doesn't need to be transported anywhere is a breeze!

The house was so full of life that afternoon and I felt extremely proud that we were able to host. I'm happy to report that my tiny bag of toys is still going strong, with Frozen snap being one of the best $5 additions.

It was a busy weekend - we had my brother Zac and his wife Hannah over for dinner on Thursday night, invited a friend round for coffee on Sunday and then we went out to dinner with my parents on the last night of their stay. Before lockdown, I preferred to do one social thing each weekend - two max. But I've noticed that I have a lot more energy and enthusiasm for any kind of hang out since I've been working at home. I think it's because I'm not tiring myself out commuting to work, packing my lunch, trying to get up early for yoga. It's made so much more brain space for the best stuff.

After everyone went home, we tidied up and ended up eating leftovers by candlelight and Ferrero Rochers on the couch - a gift from my sister. We just happened to have two slices of chocolate cake left over 😉 and I'm so looking forward to tucking into them tonight. This year has had so many emotional highs and lows, but this was one of the really good days.

Aunt life: A little bag of fun

Did you read The Baby-sitters Club as a teen? I collected the junior version and then got stuck into my sister's collection when I was in high school. I loved that each babysitter had her own 'kid kit', which was filled with fun items and activities to keep her charges busy.

Over the holidays, I made a similar kit to entertain small visitors but mainly with my niece and nephew in mind. I figure they'll be coming over a lot more now that we live in the same city, and I plan to take it with me when I go over to babysit.

I bought one small item for each of the kids - Frozen-themed snap cards for my niece (who says she likes to 'win, win, win!'), and a Thomas the Tank Engine board book for my nephew that's about kindness and being yourself. I've also added a few things from around the house, like some animal babushka dolls (they're especially popular), Shaun Tan's beautiful book Tales from Outer Suburbia, some stickers... and some bubble wrap!

It's a big improvement from what we used to offer kids to play with (a tennis ball!) and I hope it'll be a novelty for the kids in our life. Plus, it fits neatly on a bookshelf where little hands can reach it :)

Plum cake + an exciting new podcast

I've been thinking about family rituals this week, since my sister moved to Canberra. Maybe we'll have a standing Friday night dinner somewhere local, like the family in The Squid and the Whale. We've already promised my niece a girls' day out, including "a meal at a restaurant" at her request (four year olds!).

I have the best memories of going to my grandparent's house for dinner as a kid. They used to own a Chinese restaurant in Sydney and had a servery built into their home - a little hatch that connected the kitchen to the dining room. With dinner covered, my parents, aunts and uncle took turns bringing dessert.

A summer plum cake is becoming a new family ritual. I made one last year, using fruit that a friend brought into the office to share. My extended family divvied it up on a balmy afternoon, after my grandfather's wake. When the plums appeared in the office again this week I realised we were nearing the anniversary of his death.

I baked this dimply plum cake (it's jewel-toned and jammy) to share with my family who are in town to help with my sister's move. We managed to demolish the whole thing on an equally hot day, this time in my sister's new lounge room. It's a simple tradition that makes me think of my grandfather, and our ever-growing family.

On a very different note, I am so excited about the Making Obama podcast, which comes out next month. Making Oprah was such a joyous and fascinating podcast series, and I am sure this next series will be just as good. I heard the reporter, Jenn White, speak at a podcast conference in Sydney last year and was blown away by her ideas and humanity (I even plucked up the courage to ask a question). You can listen to a preview of the new series here :)

Real Girl Kitchens: Carla Gee

I love finding out what people are having for dinner, so I thought I'd give the Real Girl Wardrobes series a twist, and spend some time asking women I admire about their favourite things to make and eat.

First up is my sister Carla. She's a writer, podcaster, illustrator and an amazing mum. She shares her thoughts on cooking for kids, what podcasts she listens to in the kitchen, and the recipe for an impressive no-bake birthday cake.

A change of pace

Last week marked a huge break in routine. I spent it in Sydney, seeing a family member through an operation, which thankfully went really well. I'm glad I made the trip, even though it was nerve-wracking and unpredictable in parts. Here are a few snaps of some of the brighter moments:

Tony couldn't join me until the weekend, so I caught the bus down on Sunday and stayed with my parents. We went out for pho and checked out two new cafes in our neighbourhood. There were also afternoons spent sitting in the sun, drinking tea and catching up.

In between hospital visits, I kept myself busy making pies. They came in handy later in the week, when my sister came for lunch with her two kids. My brother Zac picked up my grandmother and the eight of us shared a meat pie and an apple pie for dessert.

By Wednesday things were starting to settle down, which meant I had some time to see friends. I did yoga with my friend Irini in a studio that used to be an old warehouse. It was right by the harbour so after class we walked down the street to a cafe with a view of the bridge.

That night we had dinner with Angie, who always asks if there's anywhere new I want to try when I'm in Sydney :) We went to Continental Deli in Newtown and sat upstairs in the bistro. We ended up ordering all of the desserts, including an old-school crepe suzette. Seeing old friends (the three of us met when we were 12!) made a daunting week manageable and fun.

The weekend felt more like a holiday. Tony drove down from Canberra and we stayed in a cute Airbnb near the city. We read books on the deck and walked to Newtown for eggplant burgers and excellent sides. We also checked out an exhibition called The National at Carriageworks. It's spread across three different galleries but Carriageworks was easily my favourite, especially for the video works.

One excellent discovery from this trip - there's now a Cornersmith cafe in Annandale. We went two days in a row because it's such a relaxing space and the food was surprising and delicious.

Now that I'm back at home and back at work I realise how unusual the week was. I am often rushing between things but last week was all about family. It felt good to just focus on one thing and it's given me a good jolt of energy (not to mention gratefulness) right before winter hits.

Super quick Sydney trip

We've just come back from a lightning fast trip to Sydney. We stayed for one night and managed to see the Frida Kahlo exhibition, meet my friend's new baby and celebrate my cousin's 21st birthday. Here's a look at what we ate and did:

Aunt life: Moving in

Next week I'm catching the bus to Sydney and moving in with my sister and her family for a week. It'll be the first time I meet my nephew, who is two weeks old today. The plan is to help out around the house and mind my two-year-old niece as my brother-in-law heads back to work.

I'll be bringing a big jar of cookies (these ones feel extra special) and so many little gifts for my niece - a miniature bed for her favourite toy, pink pug socks from my friend Sally, a new book (most likely this one) and Peppa Pig cookie mix.

We were living in Wagga Wagga when my niece was born, and this time round I'm feeling lucky to be living just that little bit closer. I'm looking forward to holding my nephew for the first time, chatting to my sister and cooking for the family when I get the chance.

P.S The last time I stayed at my sister's place was for my hen's party, and I bought my sister, niece and I matching pyjamas for the occasion :)

A father's sweet photography project

Ever since his daughter Iris was a baby, graphic designer Paul Andrews has been snapping photos from her perspective and posting them on Instagram with the caption 'Iris’s view'. Paul’s partner Ana and I are friends from work, and I’ve loved seeing their daughter grow up via the series. Today, Paul shares how he started posting the photos and how long he plans to keep it up:

Alison's gorgeous family photos

My friend Alison has the most beautiful professional photos of her growing family. Today, the make-up artist and mother-of-two shares her tips for feeling confident and natural in front of a camera, even if you've just had a baby.