172 + 68 Weeks

What a week this has been!  We were given the gut-wrenching news that we have to move out of our (rental) house, due to no fault of our own.  We love this house, it has the perfect layout for the kids, great location, safe back yard, etc etc.  Carmie cried when we told her.  So, we had two days of severe stress, until our realtor called and said they had found us a new house to look at.  It is pretty great!  It's a little over budget, but we are going to make it work.  It has 4 bedrooms, and the biggest playroom you have ever seen.  It sits on an acre of land on a hill, and has sweeping country views over Milton.  There is this very weird Stone Henge replica, complete with people milling around, in the front yard.  And it has a fantastic garage where Jeff can do his side of our business (making frames) without disturbing anyone (our neighbours aren't very close).  I think we will love living there.

So, apart from that, it was also a very busy week.  We had trips to the park, to play cafe, to the beach for little Nippers (the surf-life saving for kids), and Carmie went to her friend Cassie's birthday party.  We made it to Narrawallee Inlet, and Arley had his first real splash and paddle.  He also had his first swimming lesson on Monday, and it was awful!!  He is not like his fish sister at all!  He hated it, and cried the whole time, and wrestled with me, squirming this way and that.  He is such a chunker too, I was exhausted.  Trying to hoist him out of the water for the singing and swishing was no easy feat.  It didn't help that Carmie spent the second half of the lesson crying for me by the side of the pool.  And in the change rooms, Arley screamed and cried for a full 15 minutes.  Ugh, I have to take him again tomorrow.  Dreading it!

As far as work goes, it has been a bit slow, but things are in the works, and we are working on a big project this week.  Terrible timing, because we are moving in 12 days, and I have so much to pack!  My studio is a disaster, and the thought of trying to pack it up is a nightmare!

Arley's first drive

 Carmie likes to make a bed and rest on the trampoline

 At Cassie's party

 At Mollymook Beach for Nippers

 Carmie and Hannah running in the races

 At Narrawallee Inlet

 Picking 'roses' for Mum