playing in mud puddles

Wishing you..

Oh... this is hard!

Golly - keeping up with pledges is hard work! 

Someone told me recently that the average stay at home mum is on social media 3 hours per day!!!

How is that possible?!! (it must be a lie?)

We are about to begin a manic whirlwind of crazy days which will last about ten days - this will include lots of driving children places, watching children participate in various events at various places, birthdays, holidays, work days,visiting special friends days, study days, school days, car days, train days, aeroplane days, taxi days... crazy days.... fun days.....

fortunate days....

Bless.

Walking around Brisbane

Have a nice day!

Froggie went a courtin'..

Hanging out with the chicken's straw...

Wishing you rainbows...

Happy Weekend!

Pre-school disco

 

Pre-school disco was tonight. Outfit chosen completely by pre-schooler...

 We went to the shops before. We had to walk slow "so I can save my legs for the disco, mum"...

(part 2) Family

We live continents away from our extended family. Among other things, this means we're raising our children without the support of family in the traditional sense (this also means that we've been out on about 2 dates in the past 12 years). This has it's positives and negatives. But, ultimately, it's all that we know. I've been fine with it until the past about 12 months - since then I get, occassionally, that longing... yearning for lineage.

And then, I have beautiful reminders.

Moments like this...

... afternoons surrounded by old friends.

Friends who have seen my highs and lows.. and love me in spite of it all.

Friends whose laughter and tears are all part of each other.

Intertwined and connected through time - simultaneously, where time is both finite and limitless. 

Friends. 

These are the moments I savour.

This too, is family.

Day 7 (!!!) - Sundays

Our driveway is shared with three houses. Once, this property was an old dairy on about 35 acres. About 15 years ago two 5 acre blocks were created at the back of the land. We've been lucky enough to move onto one of them.

I really love our driveway (as referenced before here). I love how it meanders and takes it's time getting us home. I love how it's dirt and bumpy and full of potholes, unevenness, rocks and sticks. It forces us to SLOW DOWN before we even get home. Take a breath before the onset of home jobs overtakes us.

We live next to a working dairy. The beginning of our driveway is often a home to calves from this dairy. The children think this is just the best thing. Often they ask to be let out of the car so they can go up and pat the calves and let them suck their fingers (sounds yuck to me, but I keep this to myself). Lucky the creek is a few steps away. Which means, the cow slobber requires a quick visit in order to rinse off slobbery fingers. It's always so cold and skin feels so soft after going in. Magic.

 

On another note...

I did it!!! 7 days!!! I'm beginning to taste  the beginnings of a new momentum. 

So, I'm going to try .... the 7 day pledge (part 2).

Also known as Days 8 - 14 (but that sounds like too much of a commitment and starts making my palms sweat). No. I can just taste failure in this... back to plan A...

Tomorrow will begin "THE 7 DAY PLEDGE (part 2)".

Very exciting...

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday...

Day 6 - Saturdays

9am - Basketball

10am - Basketball

11am - Ballet

11am - Soccer (aka Football)

Yes, I drive a people mover (aka mini-van).

Yes, I am a mum.

Orange slice anyone?

 

Day 5 - Eggs - cellent

Here's a little story....

We love chickens. Or, should I say, I love chickens.

I love little chicks, pullets, layers, retired layers, and roosters (until they start crowing at obscene hours).

I also love the idea of free range chooks. Chooks having access to bugs and grass and happiness and sunshine. We have free range ch ooks. About 30 of them (give or take a few losses when foxy loxy lurks about). Our chooks have a lovely life. They roam.

Problem.

They roam.

They poo.

Everywhere.

I started to dream. Dreams of walking to the washing line barefoot. Dreams of walking on our verandah in bare feet. Dreams of walking into our house (yes, I am serious) without any feathered friends hiding in baskets....

 

While their freedom was grand, it was taking it's toll...

Then came our clever friends...

After housesitting (and some nasty chicken lice), they too agreed, enough was enough.

But, here's the difference... they are CLEVER. They can use wood and nails and put them together in special ways (and they have no children and this amazing thing called TIME).

.

After lots of drawings and lots of clever moments , a new coop was made (upcycling old feed bags to waterproof the roof and floorboards... I told you they are clever).

And then, this amazing coop was carried into an amazing FENCED off paddock.

Now, we have about 30 free range chooks. These chooks have plenty of space. They're safe from foxy loxy (thanks to the deep trench that was dug and fence that was buried in - we won't mention the septic and phone lines which were severed  - but repaired nonetheless).

And, aside from being able to hang the laundry barefooted, another highlight is....

... and we don't even have to race the dog to find random nests  (the dog has lost a bit of weight as of late). 

Progress.

You know where to come if you need any eggs (that is until winter sets in ... but we won't talk about that either).

Also just discovered Leme Cam... fun.

See, I told you this was eggs-cellent....