A late Christmas lunch

Last weekend we held a family Christmas lunch for my Mum.  She had spent a month in hosptial over the Christmas and New Year period, meaning she missed out on time with grandkids and more importantly, a decent feed.   Corin came up with the idea of us all getting together once she was out and recovered, so he and his family came up from Sydney.  Mum was also due to go back in for another operation, so it was a good time to come together.  And wouldn't you know it.  The weather was a typical coastal NSW Christmas day...... humid, muggy, with scatters of rain and drizzle.

 

Post lunch we took the kids to the nearby park and playground and the cousins all had a great time playing together.

 

 

 

Blue house

Boom a lacka, boom a lacka
Who are we?
Blue house, blue house
Can't you see
Just count the score
We're the best by far
Shout away, shout away
Yar, yar, yar

Henry had his first swimming carnival this week and Michael, Buster and I went along to cheer him on.  His school is walking distance to the pool, so they all marched in house colours and sang house chants all they way there.

Guess who wanted to be in Blue House too?

Before the official races began every student had to prove they could swim 25m or 50m.  Henry wanted to try for 50m and managed to swim the distance, but it was a bit of a struggle.  He was given a coloured wrist band saying he could compete in the 50m races.  Once the carnival races began he started to get a bit anxious and upset, so we had his wrist band changed to the 25m colour band. 

A medium sized pool was used for the 25m races and the school also had games for the non swimmers, so everyone had a chance to get in the water and have some fun.

Henry swam a 25m freestyle race and came first.  He also swam a 25m breaststroke and came fourth.

Now that he knows what to expect from a swimming carnival, we don't think the next one will be so daunting for him.  He was certainly excited to have had a swim and won a race.

 

 

Buster also enjoyed the swimming carnival and was kept amused in the water playground most of the day.

 



Against animal cruelty

I'm an animal loving gal but right now I want to kill the damn possum who ate the kids' sunflower seedlings and my beetroot leaves.  Not happy Jan.

Things Milly says #9

I feel I need to preface this post with a "I love my daughter.  Truly I do." because I truly, truly do.  She is many things and I probably talk more about her in the negative than I do in the positive, and not acknowledge all her wonderful achievements and sweet moments.  However, this whole week her behaviour has been hostile and there have been plenty of displays of ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). 

Take this following statement as an example.  She was playing with the boys when she looked across the room at me and just randomly said out loud.

Milly:  Mum, when I'm a parent I'm going to set you on fire.

Or what about this exchange with Henry.  They were playing together and she was dominating and wanting to control the game.

Henry:  Stop bossing me around Milly.  You're not my mum.
Milly:  Well, I'm going to get a knife and stab you.
(at which point I sent her to her room for threatening violence)

I know it's been a big week for her.  Her first full week of being back at school, a new teacher, a new classroom, some new classmates - lots of changes for her to adjust to.  So I'm willing to forgive and forget.  But I'm still sleeping with one eye open and Henry might just be doing the same.

Getting our dig on

With the vege patch up and running again the kids were keen to grow something of their own. 

 

 

They were each given a plot in the garden to dig and plant their own seeds.

Less than a week later and little seedlings have started to emerge.

Dirt girl world

My poor vegetable garden has been very neglected.  Very neglected.  So with some spare time on my hands during the school holidays, and an eager young helper on hand, we managed to make a start on bringing it back to life.  Michael helped with the brick work to reestablish the beds.  We added plenty of worm poo from our worm farm, compost, fresh dirt and mulch.  Then Milly and I planted basil, chives, tomatoes, snow peas, beetroots and marigolds.