It's Time

It's been a good year so far, dare I say it's been kind of great? There's been a shift, a little enlightenment of sorts where I've been able to smell the roses once more. Following the bushfires I looked at my surroundings and realised it's time to make the very most of what I've got. And so I have re-fallen in love with all the boys in my life, I've shed some weight, on the inside and out, and feel grateful for so very much.
Tomorrow my parents arrive after an epic two day non stop journey from Dublin to be with us here in Tasmania. The boys are SO excited and I'm so full of family emotion. SO much to share, talk, discuss, listen and learn together with a lot of laughs in between. I hope to gather together as many memories as this old head can hold and treasure the precious times ahead.
Things are a changing...with my roles in Dish Pig, the bookshop and at MoMa taking up such a huge chunk of my life, it's time to shed some skin and shine on. It's time to hang up my Brothers Trimm boots for now, maybe not forever, maybe for a long time. Who knows. I'll still be on Instagram and Pinterest, but the Facebook page, tweets and blog posts will be quiet as I dedicate that time to my more important role as a Mum. If I can give the time I spend online to my kids I think it will be the smartest move I've made in a long time.

So thanks everyone, thanks for being around, thanks for liking what I do. Thanks for connecting and becoming my friends. It's bittersweet but true, for now it's adieu. It's time.....

Tasmanian Bush Fires

Our little island state has been ravaged by bushfires over the weekend. As I type, a huge firewall continues to wreak havoc on small communities on the southern peninsula. On Friday Hobart recorded the hottest temperatures on record and those 42 degrees kicked off a huge battle against nature.
One town, which we passed through only last week has been decimated. Their local primary school, bakery, RSL club, homes, livelihoods...gone.
We're all devastated and desperate to lend a hand. The show of support, generosity, kindness and bravery from fire fighters, emergency crew and regular people has brought me close to tears and so I felt it necessary to lend a hand.
So, my small contribution is this -
At the gorgeous bookstore where I work we're collecting donations of kids books - good quality second hand or those perhaps you bought for the present stockpile. You can also donate a voucher over the phone if you don't want to spend on postage. Fullers Bookshop can be contacted on 03 6294 6300
Secondly, we'll be selling home made lemonade on Saturday at the MoMa Minors tent at MONA. All profits will go towards raising money for the kids at Dunalley Primary. We'll continue to raise funds right through til the end of March, so if you're coming along it would be so fantastic to receive a gold coin or two.
The official bushfire appeal is being run by the Red Cross.  You can donate HERE
To lose your home, your animals, your livelihoods is incomprehensible. Compassion and geneous support will hopefully help these people rebuild their lives.

Ace Apparel Test Drive - Havoc Denim

Over the holidays we have had the pleasure of testing out some great new threads. The super skater Hudson shorts from Havoc Denim have been a huge hit since they arrived and have been well and truly 'boy' tested at the playground, skate park and beach. I love the colour (we have aquamarine), love how they wash and most importantly, Charlie, who suffers from mild eczema, finds them really cosy - a big winner when he rarely looks at denim as it's too 'scratchy' for him.
So in the spirit of the party atmosphere tonight, we're celebrating this terrific Melbourne brand and hope you like them as much as we do!

Oh Brother...

A couple of weeks ago I was feeling pretty despondent and needed a comforting shoulder. So I wrote to a dear friend, (one whom I've never physically met but who I admire and trust implicitly) and asked her what I should do. Her husband read the email and said "she's a great writer, she should turn this into a post". So guess what, I've decided to (finally) take their advice and share with you what I wrote to them. It's a little raw for me to expose so much, but I think if I send this out to the universe something is bound to stir...
So on the eve of the end of 2012, I'm sharing perhaps for the last time..

"It's 7am, I've been awake for 2 hours but struggling to get out of bed. I'm tired, jaded in fact and I'm looking at the clothes on the floor that make me reeeeeeel with domestic horror.

Its the weekend and its sunny so I need to rise and shine instead of wallowing in self pity. But first, a few words on why...

Since moving down to Hobart I've found myself looking for work that will facilitate my role as mum, creative hopeful and easily bored type. My husband's work keeps him away from home alot and so if I was to find employment it needed to be really flexible. With the economy down here nothing like on mainland Australia I quickly discovered the need to become a little entrepreneurial if I was to succeed.

And so Brothers Trimm was born and along came an incredible introduction to the world of blogging and creative thinkers. If it wasn't for BT I wouldnt have 'met' some TRULY inspiring women OR had the opportunity to contribute to the various blogs and magazines I've been invited to write for. Amazing stuff.

I made the decision to keep the blog non commercial and with that decision I landed my job at a terrific local indie bookshop from the blog, a chance to write for the great Australian kids blog Kidstylefile, my role at MONA's summer market from my blog, my amazing Pinterest following from my blog....

But now, I'm reconsidering 2013 and looking at how I can get the most out of my situation. My plate is full but for all the wrong reasons.

Last year I began a small homewares business called Dish Pig. It focusses on celebrating the places we love to live. It is starting to really kick off now and I'm enjoying the chance to utilise my creative grown up skills once again. I've also started to help 40-something business women with social media. Along with my role as children's curator at the MoMa market, things are really busy, lots of little jobs that leave me a jack of all trades but king of none.

Our eldest will be full time at school come February, with his brother still three days at pre kinder. What's important is the need to enjoy some QT with him for the first time and be mindful of Jack's energy levels as he makes the jump to five days at school.

Currently I have the boys in after school care the days I work, which means we don't get home til 5.45pm. Rushing, squabbling, ughhhh what to cook for dinner. Tired kids, tired mum = volcano. I just can't do that next year again...

I work almost every night as I can't work on my projects during the day. Daddy works most weekends so I rarely get to steal some time then either. It's just all getting too much. 

I portray this facade of a wonderful mum on the blog when really its kind of pretend. I dont have time to do the stuff I dream about, so many ideas.... NO TIME. SO something's got to give....

I guess the crux of it is that I can't do stuff for free anymore. I can't do lots of little projects because it's so hard to keep track of it all! We're trying to find a house to buy (don't get me started on that test of endurance) and so I need to be earning a proper income to support and be comfortable. Ya hearing me?!!

My goal, my resolution, my hope is that I can improve my organisational skills, declutter my life and start to pull away from the stuff that just takes up my time with no financial benefit. I need to be brave with my choices of what's right for me and the kids right now. And yes, I've put ME first in that sentence.

On the list of priorities and what needs to go, what do you think is on top? I'm tearing up now thinking of The Brothers Trimm. Does this mean this bird needs to flee its nest? I feel like a bad mother. This is a blog named after my boys...am I leaving it alone to fend for itself with no further nurture and love?

Do I HAVE to call it quits...is there another way to feed my habit?!

Look my following isn't huge and there are WAYYYYY better boys blogs out there doing a tremendous job. When I started there were so few, perhaps I'll leave it to those who can do better...

I had dreams of creating a book, dreams of collaborating more. 

Do I give it all up? Do I lose my slot, my rating, my network, my 'position' in blog land? Does it matter. Does anyone read blogs anymore anyway? Oh brother...

Happy Holidays

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas, wherever your are; whether under the sun or cosy together by the fire

Love Jen and the boys x

Sharing Christmas #3 Cathy

To complete our Christmas series, I thought you might like this one to finish. I'm so pleased that Cathy from Anorak magazine had the time to answer a few of our questions before she headed off on her Christmas holiday.  It's been so gorgeous to learn of everyone's traditions don't you think? So please, take a break from the wrapping and enjoy what Cathy has to say....

1. Were you a very traditional family growing up? Tell us what it was like where you grew up?

We were traditional in the sense that we were a close-knit family made of three kids. What was not so traditional about us is that we didn't grow up in one place as we moved around every two years. Some Christmases were spent in different parts of France, others in Switzerland and others in Morocco. It was chaotic and varied but never boring. I love the memories associated with all the different Christmases we have.

2. What traditions of your childhood do you share with your kids now?

Food, food and more food! We followed the 13 desserts tradition when I was a kid and we still do now. As a family, last year was the first year we spent Christmas in London! So the travelling bug has definitely been passed on! 

3. With so much emphasis on buying and less on the traditional values of Christmas, how do you make this time of year special for your family?

By having plenty of snuggles on the sofa and watching Elf the movie. 

4. I was always terrified of 'meeting Santa' at local shopping centres. Did you ever have a Christmas phobia?

Not that I can remember of. Unless there is such a thing as a Christmas-birthday phobia, as I was born on Christmas day! We usually celebrated my birthday the day after or at the same time as my Dad's birthday, which is on the 27th. I still get presents from my parents which are clearly labeled BIRTHDAY and CHRISTMAS so I don't feel short-changed!

5. If you could bring your kids anywhere in the world for Christmas, where would you go?

We are off to Tivoli in Copenhagen this year and that has been on top of my list for a while, so I feel grateful we are able to do that. I would love to go to the North Pole and help the elves packing one day! 

6. Where were you when you found out the truth about Santa?!

I don't actually remember ever stopping believing. When I turned 8, we moved to Morocco and I recall that we were worried about whether Santa would be able to find us in this new country. So my Dad conducted an interview with him on his tape recorder and that was so convincing that I have never doubted him since then! 

Sharing Christmas #2 Melissa

In the second edition of our Sharing Christmas series, I'd like to introduce Mel. We first met in Sydney when the boys were really tiny at a gorgeous Mum's group, and have thankfully continued our friendship following her departure to New Zealand and ours to Tasmania. Mel is a beautiful mum to three and has just begun a salivating blog called Armoire, Pegs and Casserole. This girl has an incredible eye and now generously shares her love of home decor, flea market finds and food online.
Mel kindly had a chat with us about her memories of Christmas...

1.    Were you a very traditional family growing up? 

Traditional no, but I certainly had a quintessential Australian upbringing. I grew up by the beach an hour south of Sydney. I spent my childhood running around barefoot, exploring the bush and playing on the street with the neighbourhood children. My school was opposite the beach so most of the mothers would collect their kids after school and we’d spend the afternoons splashing around in the water. It was wonderful.

2.    What Christmas traditions from your childhood do you share with your kids now?

My father is a storyteller and used to make up these fantastic stories for my sister and me with us usually as the main characters. We didn’t need any pictures, just his colourful language and our imagination. I do this often for my boys and they really respond to it. The one Christmas tradition that we did was visit a nativity scene each Christmas Eve, it was magical and something that I like to do with my children now.

3.    With so much emphasis on buying and less on the traditional values of Christmas, how do you make this time of year special for your family?

In the week leading up to Christmas we sit around the lit tree before the kids go to bed and sing carols. We also bake and decorate Christmas cookies together and gift them to our neighbours and this year we will start a new tradition where the children will choose some of their toys to give to other children less fortunate. On the day we all set a beautiful table for Christmas lunch and enjoy a special meal together.

4.    I must admit, I was always pretty scared of 'shopping centre Santa's. Did you ever have a Christmas phobia?

I was completely into Christmas and everything that went with it so it was positive other than the fear of Santa’s helper catching me being naughty and reporting back to him.

5.    If you could bring your kids anywhere in the world for Christmas, where would you go?

I’d love for us to all go to Bad Gastein, a beautiful ski village and spa in the Gastein region not far from Salzburg. I spent a winter there in ’97 and its beauty left such an impression on me, especially when the village was blanketed in snow, it was like something out of a fairytale for an Australian girl. It is also because of a number of events that led me to that village, and meeting a friend who in turn took me to France where I met Guillaume my husband. I guess we can thank Bad Gastein for our beautiful family.

6.    Where were you when you found out the truth about Santa?!

I was embarrassingly old; I think I might have been eleven. I didn’t believe the kids at school that told me he wasn’t true. Finally we were sitting around the dinner table and my parents broke it to me. I found out that the tooth fairy wasn’t true that same evening, I was crushed!

Our first Sharing Christmas post with Jillian can be found here