31 January 2011

wrapping up January & we're still on school holidays . . .

Greetings all,
January is over, pow, that was quick!!  I've been reading blogs where mummies aren't really enjoying their school holidays . . . i think it's the best time of your life!!  I blasted into motherhood with 4 children in 4.5 years - back then it was a non stop 24/7 children's holiday dotted with preschool & i loved it!!  Motherhood suits my personality & i didn't try to fight it or keep up my old life.  I resigned/ changed my thinking to the fact i'm a full time mummy with a husband away, it's ALL up to me - cooking, cleaning, gardening, bins, mowing, family gifts, parties, in-laws . . . no one else is going to do it so i'll do it well & enjoy it!!  I could see the happy stay at home mummy light & devote my days to family fun (yes i was running a small business on the side, that just fitted in nicely sewing as a hobby & business at nighttime).  Now my eldest is starting high school next week, school holidays are the same blast of fun, action, craft, activities & happy memories, just with older children & it has a time limit - they go back to school.  Enjoy school holidays, your children grow up so quickly!!    
I'm a homebody, i love being at home & we embrace the free entertainment.  We don't have the cash to go shopping or buying sushi, Boost juices, ice creams, movies (times 6) just for something to do, so we go on bushwalks, swimming free at the military pool & enjoy all the wonderful tax deductible craft activities at home.  Plus my children have awesome bedrooms to hang out in & we have play dates too.  Every other day as a quiet home day, they get to . . . rest!!  They are allowed to get to the brink of boredom & find something else to do - use their imagination, play games & with each other.  I'll just make you all hate me now, my children rarely fight, they are easy to love.  If the sun is shining, there is no television either, yep, it's the 1950s at our place!!
Early in January we took a short trip to Sydney & visited family who were house sitting in Balmoral . . . eating & laughing from this balcony watching children & their cousins play.
 My niece had a little family birthday party with a pinata.  All was going well until my 3rd daughter smashed the broom.  My trauma surgeon brother was on stand by, there were some near misses i can assure you with all those big teenagers. 
 I possibly overstayed my welcome, i didn't want to leave this view & return to landlocked Canberra.
 The gardening in Summer has been a blast, the lettuce has grown like wildfire.
 We caught up with Corrie from RetroMummy & her family, my son is pretty keen on Keira!!
 Ever passing through Goulburn??  Stop at the multi award winning Trapper's Bakery, reference the big concrete Merino out the window.  It's clean, fresh & fantastic!!  Don't go the extra 20m to McDonalds drive through, stretch your legs & enjoy real food.
 Don't be fooled by the Australiana, they do amazing French patisseries.
 Up & down the Hume & Barton Highways we drove. 
 I planted sugar snaps (Donna Hay uses these in recipes), pumpkins, onions & celery.  Pumpkin seeds have already germinated, so i'm relocating them to a large box to grow in Autumn!!
 We finally took all the children to Poacher's Pantry for lunch on the weekend.  Yes 'we', my husband's surprise trip home was just wonderful.
 They chased butterflies & took photos while we waited for lunch.
 The grounds are glorious, perfect for a wedding.
 Gorgeous scented flowers . . .
 & we brought home some giant cookies for afternoon tea.
 So enjoy your school terms mummies out there . . . we still don't go back until next week, so we're maintaining the fun & games, fresh & ready for a new school year.  Yes, i'm the family cheer leader, i have to be!! 
Thanks for all the love on the weekend about my husband coming home, it was so fantastic yet bittersweet with a time limit of like 40 hours, ahhhh, holding my breath for the next visit in 3 weeks.  He's out bush training until then, so he'll enjoy the comforts of home even more.  Love Posie

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the past few weeks have been a very happy whirlwind for you. I have loved having the offspring at home for the holidays and enjoyed all the great things we've done together. All the same I have really neglected my work and it will be nice to get back into a new swing of things.

Tammy said...

From one home body to another, I wish I lived at your house T. x

Mon Alisa Design said...

I sent Amelia off to school today for the first time and already long to have her back home! I'm now looking forward to April when I'll have her back to do cool things together every day :)

Sue H @ Astrachic Studio said...

Hi Jeannie,
Yes you have the right attitude
to enjoy those things that are
free. Family time will get more
hectic as they get older!!!!
Impossible I know! But you make
the time and enjoy every minute.
Just think how lucky you and I
are to have such a great family
life. Enjoy some me time next
week also!
Sue xOxOx

CHD said...

Looks like a great time. I like and am inspired by your Mummy attitude! cx

Lindy in Brisbane said...

How fabulous your school holidays sound. And still another week! Maybe yours started after ours. We have already been back at school for a week, and my eldest is a high-school newbie too. I love school holidays too. Not that they sound as lovely as yours, but I do love spending time with the kids and just being able to relax without the hustle and bustle of "normal". We signed up for netball at the weekend, and footy next weekend. It's all on again, and it's all good, and we love being involved with all the kids activities, but with work as well, it really does all get a bit hectic. I just wish there were more hours in the day!

The Moerks said...

I love the school holidays too. I love having the kids around and love the lack of routine. I am psyching myself up for the busy start to the year with a bit of baking and some of the never ending back to school labelling!

Anonymous said...

I too adore the holidays and not having a routine to follow, it's sad that my older two are back at school on Wednesday...but I get to keep one at home to homeschool, what an amazing journey that will be.
Sounds like your holidays have been wonderful :)
x

Jacinta said...

Sounds like you've got it all covered and the attitude just right. I am a home body too and don't see the point of "entertaining" the children. They entertain each other. I am definitely enjoying having the freedom of not being anywhere at any time while the girls are not even close to being at school. I'll hate the days where we'll be frantically racing to school by 830am! xoxoxo

Photography said...

Delightful read again, I am so happy for you about your hubby's visit too! xx