Holidays

We have shared an amazing 2 week holiday with our relatives. We travelled to Tasmania with one of B's brothers, his wife and 2 kids.

The first week was rewarding but gruelling. My sister-in-law and I stayed at a farmstay in the Tamar Valley with our 5 children (under 5!). The kids loved jumping in the hay on the back of the truck to feed the cows, and, sitting on the beautiful horse. Funnily enough they enjoyed feeding someone elses chickens each morning more than feeding our own at home. Why doesnt it provide the same excitement ? A couple of days of wild weather meant indoors and frayed tempers - but what does one expect of loving cousins all close in age! All while the guys enjoyed 6 days of nature, peace and tranquility walking the Overland Trek.

Week 2, with us altogether, was more relaxing. Unfortunately the night before picking up the guys I got sick and so did the 2 little bubbas. But a couple of days at the Bay of Fires and relaxation helped our recovery.

Hobart was great for catching up with a dear old friend and his beautiful family. It meant new friends for the day for my kids and they had a fantastic time. If only we could all be as unassuming and open as children are when we meet new people.

We are Back - and with 3

Our love and play has returned to blog. I have missed updating this record for some time but havent been able to get myself back to the routine. I hope I have now.
It seemed so difficult to start again as I felt I needed to give an explanation for the absence. But I am not going to. I am just going to start otherwise I could procrastinate forever deliberating on how to catch up and then never return. BUT I will say we are now 5 - we have been blessed with the arrival of L in our lives - who is now 3 months old and she is absolutely gorgeous!!
...
Kindergarten has started well for P. The choice to attend the local public school was painstaking and ohh so difficult. I felt satisfied in the end for its many virtues. As the first term has come to a close I have realised I am not dissatisfied but I do have to make a conscious and concerted effort to live our family values. It seems easy to get pulled into the mass - to get pulled into the competition, the commericalism, the unrelenting (yes even in term 1 kindergarten!) academic focus! The Easter Hat Parade allowed me to come to this realisation!

P and I researched Easter hats. P came up with her design. I mostly did the leg work in putting in together - P did the glueing. We both loved it! Most importantly, P was very pleased with her Easter hat - and remains that way. The parade was clearly a competition of the biggest and best - lots of feathers and height! Momentarily tempted, I suddenly realised it was important not to get pulled in. P's hat was modest but beautiful because she designed it, we made it together and she loved it. The Easter bonnet as we called it when I went to school holds vivid and fond memories for me - memories of making my Easter bonnet with my mum, that I was so proud of. So I realised that was important - not to get pulled into next year having to be bigger and better but to make sure that again we put something together that is handmade by us!

Springtime

Looking forward to 2 weeks holiday heading north and some more beautiful spring time!

Fathers Day

Fathers Day was spent at a National Park in NSW called Muogamarra. Its only open a couple of times a year and, as we did, everyone else must have become aware of the secret just this year. It was very popular!

Despite that it was very beautiful. We were not able to keep up with the rest of our party on the walk as we decided it was much better to look slowly and intently at everything we passed - well at least that was Z's decision and there was no persuading him otherwise. You have to accept that sometimes - and what is bad about it anyway?!

We did make a 2km loop walk and enjoyed the beautiful wildflowers. The waratahs were amazing and the kids especially enjoyed seeing the many scribbly gums. They are lucky to have a Daddy that can tell them all about the Australian bush!

Crazy Saturday

What a crazy day - trying to squeeze in the morning walk to the beach, the local church fair (didnt make that one ! - shame because it's only once a year and the only place I know that still has stick-jaw toffee), the local artisan market and swimming classes. We really wanted to make the local market because it is held at P's big school that she will attend next year and we needed to show Daddy the kindy playarea.

'Big school' - I cant believe it! I perplexed and perplexed! We visited every nearby public school except our zoned school because I was convinced it wasnt right for so many reasons. Finally I knew I had to visit the zoned school and each of my fears and concerns were alleviated one by one! Whoever would have thought ???? Not me..but I am happy and relieved! I still worry that its big and its not a Steiner education but it will be great! (Steiner just could not be justified for me with a 40minute drive each way each day - I will continue to be sad about that but that travel just doesnt fit with my perspective on life).

After a pleasing visit to big school and swimming lessons - all finished by 11.30am - we went onto P and Z's cousins 1st birthday party. It was a magnificent day and time spent in the park with family was a fantastic way to spend it. Sugar and no sleeps meant for a one book night and early to bed!

Cross Back Dress

It makes a difference to put this dress together for pleasure!

It is a present for my niece on her 1 year old birthday.

I have made so many of these dresses for the markets and a shop in Newtown, Sydney, that they lost their charm for me. Now that it has been some time since the last one I made, I really enjoyed choicing the tablecloth and making the dress. I guess that was helped by it being a special one!

Breadmaking

Always a favourite pasttime in our house. I love to see those little hands kneading away. Its great relaxation for me too. We all enjoy reaping the fruits of our labour at the end of the long process.