364 + 260 Weeks

Here is another week with hardly any photos to share!  We didn't get out much this week, beyond the swimming lessons, Scouts, and Japanese class.  We were too busy getting our house ready to be photographed for the realtor so it can be put on the market.  We have had tons of help from Lolo and Dida - they came over and did our gardens for us.  The front and back yard look so much better!  Jeff hauled truckloads of greenery to the tip.  The kids went to Lolo and Dida's on Tuesday night for a sleepover too, so that Jeff and I could get the house ready for the photo shoot on Wednesday.  We are very grateful, and our house has never looked better!  And tonight the kids and I are sleeping at Lolo and Dida's because we are getting the carpets changed tomorrow morning, and I thought it would be easier to sleep here than wake up in the morning and rush out of the house.  I think I was wrong, as the kids' behaviour has been pretty dreadful, particularly Carmie's (all because she has to share a double bed with her brother).  It just went on and on and on, and I think I am shellshocked now!  It is their birthday on Monday, and I keep thinking things will get easier as they get older, but tonight I am not so sure!!

Arley picked his first home-grown tomato (in winter!!)

 Carmie loves her elephant poster, and is working very hard on it, much to my surprise!

363 + 259 Weeks

Well, I don't have many photos of the kids this week, because Jeffrey and I took a rather spontaneous trip seven hours north of here, to Port Macquarie, and we left the kids with Lolo and Dida.  We went up to Port, because for the last few weeks we have been researching like mad and thinking that we wanted to move up there.  We have never felt truly settled in Ulladulla, and every four months or so we have been chatting about where we should move to.  Well, this time we chatted we actually got serious, settled on Port Macquarie, and then planned a trip there to be sure.  We stayed with Dad and Colleen on Sunday night so we didn't have to drive as far, and we finally got to see their place at Lemon Tree Passage.  On Monday we drove through (the rain) to Port Macquarie.  It was fairly cold and blustery that afternoon, but even so we had a lovely lunch at a restaurant right on the water.  We stayed in a great villa at Flynns Beach, and it was really nice to be somewhere new.  On the Tuesday we had organised to look at six houses, in six different locations in Port and surrounds, and we found one that we love.  That night we talked all night and realised we would be really sad if we didn't get the house.  So, the next day, on our seven hour journey home, we made an offer on the house, and after a bit of negotiating, our offer was accepted!  We got a four month settlement, and so it seems we are moving to Port Macquarie in October!  We are so excited!!  And really scared too, as we have so much to do now, as well as get our house sold.  I am also frantically trying to work and racking my brain on how I am going to get my paintings moved up there (they will still be wet), and how to get all this house selling and moving work done while I paint so that I actually have paintings to worry about!  Carmie and Arley are both sad and excited - they are really sad to lose their friends, some of whom they have known all of their lives, but excited to be living somewhere where there is a lot to do, and with warmer weather and water.  And Mum and Geoff expect to be moving up there in February.  It's all a bit of a whirlwind, but this is how we seem to make all of our decisions, and our method hasn't led us astray yet :)

Here is a cute video of Arley showing his maths skills:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlX7-UhH7U8

Morning tea

 My silly husband in Port Macquarie :)

 Flynns Beach, near where we stayed

 The only pic I have of Carmie all week!

362 + 258 Weeks

We have been such homebodies this week!  I make sure the kids get outside every day, but really they would prefer to be indoors with me, reading, cooking, painting, playing games...it must be because of the cold weather.  Winter is definitely upon us.  Mornings and nights are really cold, but during the day it is nice when the sun is out.  We had a few days of rain, and we felt so housebound that I bundled the kids into their gumboots and raincoats and forced them under threat of no more games ever to come to the beach with me.  We haven't experienced the beach in the rain, and they were pretty mad that I made them go...until we got there!  Then they loved it!  They played forever in the run-off into the ocean and climbed the rocks and splashed in the rock pools.  It was cold and wet, but so worth it!

For the beginning of this week, Arley was a tough cookie.  He has been getting very angry lately, mostly after playing Roblox or Minecraft.  So, we took away Roblox and Minecraft (just a break for now, not for good), and guess what?  He has been a much nicer boy!  We are onto something here.  He has asked for the computer games back for his birthday, so I think we will acquiesce, but with conditions!

Carmie has been cooking us all breakfast, she is a pro now!  She has been painting a lot, but is still really resistant to doing any writing, except for making me treasure hunts.  I'm hoping she will find the urge one day soon.  Somehow she is a sponge for maths and just retains the info, so is well ahead of her peers.  We have her homeschool registrar coming out next month to check on us, but I am sure he will be pleased with her progress :)

A funny story from this week.  I sent a message to my buddy about some bad news.  He didn't respond.  I left my phone on the breakfast counter.  The kids then sat up there to eat their lunch.  I was in the study when I heard my phone chime that I had a message.  Here's how our conversation went:
Me: Hey Carmie, can you read the message on my phone?
Carmie: Fuck!
Me: Huh???
Carmie: Yep, that's what it says - f...u...c...k.

Ummmm, that's the last time I have her read me my phone messages!!

Carmie feeling the softness :)

 Cooking the family breakfast

361 + 257 Weeks

I have hardly any photos to show for this week, and because of that, it's so hard to remember what we got up to!  I guess if I don't photograph it, it's like it never really happened!  I do remember the weather being very rainy, which is why we didn't get out too much.  We had the kids' friend Hannah over on Sunday, and we took her to the kids' friend Delphi's house, for a Montessori meet-up.  Delphi has a very large farming property, and it's really nice there for the kids to explore.  There was a bunch of kids at the meet-up, and it all went very smoothly, with no eruptions from Arley.  Carmie and Hannah and their friend Aska went exploring by themselves for an hour or so, and somehow Arley didn't even notice that they were gone :)  After the meet-up, Hannah came back to our house, and the kids chose to play a bit of Minecraft, and then they joined me in the studio for a paint session.

On Tuesday I took the kids to Funland, as it was raining and I have been promising them a trip there. We pretty much had the place all to ourselves, which is nice because then the kids get to play whatever games they want without having to wait.  And that's pretty much all we did this week, besides our regular activities like swimming and Japanese class.

Arley was a little sick yesterday, with an upset tummy.  After a rotten week last week, he had a few easy-tempered days this week, and then yesterday he was a breeze!  Being sick took away all of his energy and he was so mellow, a pleasure to be around.  I almost feel guilty that I enjoyed his sickness so much!  But it's biting me in the butt now, because today he has his fighting spirit back!!

I have been painting every chance I get.  The kids are getting used to it, but Arley is wondering why I like to be in my studio so much.  He has been spending time up there with me, reading and sometimes painting.  Carmie is so independent these days, I don't think she could care less whether I am up there painting or not!  She has been quite sweet to her brother lately, and has even enjoyed playing board games with him, which I used to have to coerce her to do.

See, not much news this week!

The kids with Hannah

 At Funland

 Reading in my studio