313 + 209 Weeks

The kids' birthday was on Sunday - six and four years old.  They were so excited for their day, starting with opening a mountain of presents (a big thank you to anyone I haven't yet thanked personally for presents given to the kids - they are so happy with their spoils!).  Lolo and Dida came over for the present unwrapping, and then to help out with getting ready for the kids' party.  We chose to have the party at the duck park at Burrill, because there were just too many kids invited to fit into our house (us unsociable homeschoolers!).  There were 21 kids in all, (six kids were unable to make it, which was kind of lucky as far as numbers!), and the party ended up being four hours long, which I take to mean that everyone had a good time!  We organised a couple of games - human piñata was my favourite, where Jeffrey ran around with a bag of candy, and all of the kids had to chase him for it.  We also did a friendly treasure hunt prize game, and had the kids eating donuts off strings without using their hands.  Even the cake turned out to be a success, which was lucky considering the kids insisted on helping me make it and they chose one large cake that had to have orange and lilac coloured icing.  The weather was great, and the kids have such a lovely group of friends (and it helps that I like all the parents too!), so it turned out to be a really fun day.

This week we have also done lots of crafting.  We have had some really lovely home days which were really needed.  We tend to hibernate during school holidays - I just don't like all those extra people around!  I have been playing a writing game with Carmie which she loves, and Arley has suddenly gotten into tracing letters.  He is such a perfectionist, his letters are coming out so well, much neater than Carmie's!  The poor little guy still can't figure out how to hold a pen though - I have to put it in his hand, he just has no clue.  Today we went to Carmie's friend Ness's house.  Ness's mum had bought matching dresses for the girls, as well as an extra dress so they could cut it up to make a matching doll's dress.  Sarah showed Carmie how to use a sewing machine (one skill I would really love to master), and the results are so cute.  Even little Arley tried his hand at sewing.

Arley thinks he is such a big boy now that he has turned four.  He was wondering why he still sounds like a three year old though.  And he thinks he can do all these different activities now, and is very disappointed that he can't join Carmie in yoga class next week.  Carmie is still my sweet little girl, reading for hours a day, patient with her brother, a total mess when she eats, and a complete slob in her bedroom, but getting used to doing little jobs around the house (about time!).  We were playing 20 questions tonight, and she told me all about mammals, and the difference between a moth and a butterfly.  It's so nice to have her learning about the things she is truly interested in and then surprising me with her knowledge :)

Tons of photos this week!

Arley writing his favourite word.

 Mound o' presents

 The donut game

 Yes, Carmie has makeup on :)

 Explaining their coloured rocks gift to Lolo

 Cutting out their dolls' dress patterns

 Matching dresses :)