423 + 319 Weeks

It's been a good week, with a little drama here and there but nothing we can't manage.  The kids went up to Bowral on Sunday with Lolo and Dida, for a visit with Georgia and Zach and Baz, as well as Sting who came down from Sydney.  They had a lovely time, fell in love with Aunty Georgia's new cat, and had their fill of birthday cake.  I stayed home to get some work done.  I have been painting like crazy lately, but it is never enough.  The kids have really been feeling my absence, saying they wish I didn't have to work so much, so we have decided to revamp my studio to a place they can share with me.  It is going to take a bit of work, and some time and muscle from Jeffrey building shelves, but once it is done, I think it will be great.  We have bought some desks for the kids that will go up there, and they will have access to all of my art supplies.  They are really excited about it - I'm just dreading clearing and organising my studio, it is a mess up there!

It was ridiculously windy this week too, but we had to get the kids out, so one morning we braved the playground at Conjola.  The kids love the bouncy pillow and like to scare the life out of me by climbing the rope pyramid.  It is good exercise, and it was enough to get all their crankies out.

The kids had their two horse riding lessons this week.  Arley is off and running with his cantering, and looks so good up on Rocky.  He doesn't realise it, but horse riding keeps him so level.  Carmie is doing brilliantly too, and is saying she wants to be a jockey.

The highlight of our week was going to the Shoalhaven zoo up in Nowra.  Jeffrey was supposed to take the kids on his own, but they have been begging for my attention lately, and were practically crying to get me to go too. I'm so glad I did, because it was such a lovely family day.  The zoo is so interactive, and really beautiful too.  We all have our favourite animals, and Jeffrey has a least favourite - a goose that was attacking him in the farmyard.  It would have been funny but for the goose's incredibly hard beak!  The kids got to pet a deer, goats and sheep, as well as a wombat, koala, baby crocodile and bearded dragon.  They loved it.

I have just come inside from playing with the kids.  We have taken the training wheels off Arley's bike, and he is learning to ride, and hating every second of it.  He has serious anxiety about it and the thought of me letting go of his bike, so I spent half the afternoon running along beside him, until the pedal just about ripped my ankle off.  We are going to try every day that Jeff is at work, so we can surprise him.

This week Carmie has been a little emotional.  We are working on her coming to tell us that she is upset instead of wailing throughout the house to get our attention.  It's hard going though!  Today she has just decided to start writing short stories.  They are really short (like one paragraph), but this is a first for her, and I'm really happy about it.  I don't force school work on them, so it is really affirming to see her do it herself.  She is also working on a comic, and has put SO much work into it.  Arley would still rather be learning on a screen than any other way, but he also likes to draw.  This week we were talking and he asked me what infected means, because whenever he hears it, all he thinks about is zombies.  It's so funny what they come out with sometimes!

A video of Arley cantering like a champ!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtG9lR9pSZw

At Conjola

Silliness with Bella

At the zoo.