316 + 212 Weeks

The kids have had a lovely week, full of friends, visits with the grandparents, and a few doctors appointments for Arley.  We had to go up to Nowra and see his paediatrician, while Carmie went to her friends Winter and Yenje's house so they could have a major Minecraft session to teach Carmie how to play.  Carmie loves it, of course.  She went back to their house on Wednesday while Arley and I went to his OT session.  Arley's session was really good, and we have some homework to do this week, but he seems to be in a good place, when he's not too overwhelmed.  Carmie and her friends had another big Minecraft session, and we discovered that too much screen time really does her head in!

The weather has been really amazing for winter.  On Tuesday the kids even got their swimmers on to have fun with the hose.  Our neighbours' little girl Gemma is six months younger than Arley, and they adore each other.  Whenever Gemma hears us outside, she races out her front door calling for Arley.  It is quite handy having her next door, because she keeps him occupied and they never fight!  Today we met some homeschool friends and went on a nature walk down at Narrawallee.  It is an absolutely  beautiful walk, but it wasn't as peaceful as I had envisioned, with our kids being very rowdy and Arley shouting at everyone!  I think we definitely work better in small groups!

Arley and Gemma, neighbour besties...they like to climb into their boat, and steal the fishing net, and this time, the boat key!  Scallywags!

 Climbing the giant fig tree

 Carmie's homeschool buddies teaching her the Minecraft ropes

 The most beautiful winter day!  Watering the plants, in their swimmers, shoes and goggles :)

 Arley, chilling in his outdoor box bedroom

On our nature walk

315 + 211 Weeks

Another busy week has just passed - a week with not much drama and lots of fun :)  The kids had their final bike ride on the tennis court at the farm.  We will miss the farm - it is the best place to ride bikes safely, and the kids have never known not having the farm to go to.  Over the weekend I took the kids to my friend Mark's house to pick his lemons, and then we picked a whole stack of oranges from our tree.  Then on Monday we set up a makeshift fruit stand on the side of the road, and the kids sold their oranges and lemons to people.  It was really cute, and they were pretty chuffed to make some money for the first time.  The kids had a play at the beach with their homeschool friends on Tuesday.  All of the school kids went back for Term 3 this week, so our kids pretty much had Mollymook Beach to themselves.  It was the most beautiful warm winter day, and they had such a good play.  Afterwards, Carmie and Arley had me take them to the toy store so they could spend their hard-earned money from their fruit stand.  Arley of course wanted three different things and got very cross when I made him choose.  But they were happy with their purchases, and hopefully we've ignited some entrepreneurial spirit.  Arley started OT on Wednesday, and he will be going every Wednesday until we get some of his issues sorted out.  It is a relief to be getting some help, and I'm looking forward to being able to put the strategies into practice. And then today, we had some more friends come over to build with cardboard in the back yard.  I have been stashing large pieces of cardboard and moving boxes, so we gave them some scissors and tape, and they built themselves a 'castle'.  It was really cute, with different rooms and little tunnels, as well as a 'sewer'!  They played knights and princesses.  When they needed a break from that, they joined us mums on the patio where my friend Deb was teaching us how to make felted soap, which is awesome!  It was such a great project, and all the kids left with these beautiful felted soaps.  It was such a great day :)

So, it was a week full of lovely friends, beach play, saying goodbye to the farm, and getting little Arley the help he needs.  It feels like we're on the right track :)

 Making ginger bread men.  Carmie is dubious!

 Last bike ride

 Little entrepreneurs :)

 Amazing Mollymook beach with our homeschool friends

 Outside the toy shop with their purchases.  This is what I get when I ask them to smile!

 Felting soap

 The kids playing with their cardboard constructions :)

314 + 210 Weeks

This week started badly with a really horrible incident for Carmie.  It was the kids' buddy Winter's birthday picnic, and it was being held at the NAIDOC festival downtown at the civic centre.  There were tents and animals and a jumping castle and merry-go-round and people everywhere, and the kids were really excited to be there. We had just arrived and were walking through the grounds on our way to the picnic, when suddenly poor Carmie was attacked by a mentally disabled man.  She had just walked past him when he pushed her with his arm, then he swung around and grabbed her by the back and hurled her about four or five feet, and she landed on her face.  It was really violent, and so frightening, and happened so fast, there was nothing I could do.  The carer with the man was visibly shaken, and took the man away, while I sat with Carmie, who naturally was hysterical.  She couldn't stop shaking and was so frightened.  The carer never came back to check on us, but luckily I was with my good friend Tanya who is connected in a roundabout way to the house looking after this man, and she contacted them for me.  They have since followed up to get a better system in place so this doesn't happen again, but that didn't make me feel much better at the time.  Carmie's face was a bit scuffed up, and it took her about 15 minutes to recover, but afterwards she was able to enjoy the party and the festival.  And the festival was really great; rides for the kids, beautiful Australian animals for the kids to pet, aboriginal activities for them to do.  It really was awesome.  Poor Carmie though, she didn't deserve that :(

This weekend Lolo and Dida moved house to a townhouse in Ulladulla.  Mum's been pretty stressed over the move.  My cousin Beau came down to help, and Jeff got in on the moving action too.  Then we had a birthday dinner over here for Lolo.  The kids helped make her cake, with very blue icing.  We are going to miss the farm, but the townhouse is much more convenient for them and for us!

This week Carmie learned to play chess, checkers and backgammon with her dad.  She loves all three.  She did a brilliant job of explaining all the chess pieces and moves to me last night.  She's going to be able to kick my butt at it in no time.  She has been staying up late reading at night time, but sleeps in a little in the mornings to compensate.  We have had quite a few playdates this week too.  The kids' new friends Willow and Finn came over for a play.  They got along really well, it was lovely.  Then our little neighbour Gemma came over yesterday.  It was a half hour play that turned into several hours.  Somehow Gemma and Arley get along like a house on fire - there is never any fighting, Gemma just bosses him around and he does her bidding, and they laugh and laugh and laugh.  We're going to have to watch out for those two!  Then today we went to story and craft time at the library, met some friends there, and then we went and had a picnic lunch at the harbour.  The kids climbed the rock wall and Carmie dug clay out of the sand and made little clay mountains.  When we packed up to leave and go back to our car, the kids saw that the markets had started and there was a jumping castle - and that was it, we spent the afternoon at the markets.  Arley is sitting with me now totally pooped out - exactly what he needs!

So, a busy week, with lots of fun things to do, and one shocking incident that hopefully I can put behind me and stop dreaming about!

Driving the firetruck at the NAIDOC festival

 Lolo's birthday dinner

 Willow and Carmie putting a curse on Arley

 The kids with Gemma - they raided Carmie's makeup :)

 Picnic lunch at the harbour