Holiday

Today we are having our 1 Day Holiday :)
Each one of us today are relaxing, and doing whatever we feel like doing.
And it's been wonderful :)
Everyone is so relaxed. DH been hardware shopping. Just getting bits and pieces, but having no kids or real work to do, its been a break for him. DS13 is out spending his pocket money. DS12 is playing games with friends, same as DD10. DS7 has loved having time on the PlayStation without others having their say. Me well I have been working on the chicken tractor, just bits here and there.
We will all be back to work tomorrow, but for today PEACE :)

My Camera Is Broken, and My Garden is Blooming

Would love to share the happenings of my garden. Even though it is cold and wet, so much has been growing. Our mandarins are still coming, sweet with a few seeds. Our garlic is planted :) We have more herbs in pots like Lemon Balm, Parsley and Coriander. More fruit plants like Crab apple tree, Tamarilo, and Blueberry. We have Pak Choy growing, can't wait to use for our stirfry dinners. Pea plants are away, climbing up their framing. We will be able to use our colourful Swiss Chard soon.

I made a windfall fruit juice, after a stormy day knocked fruit off the trees. Added some honey and sugar with the juice and water. It has been a good pick me up drink. Also made a Waste Not Want Not Soup, with leftover veggies from other dinners. With some garlic, and rosemary YUM! Have also been making cupcakes for Birthdays, and a batch of mini cupcakes for DS12 shared lunch today.

Now the next challege is to stay out of the shops during School Holidays. The temptation to have takeaways, and ready-made snacks is so much stronger in Winter School Holiday time (well for our family). But not this time! Firstly it's time for a clean up, and declutter. The problem with a little home and 4 children is how easy it is to fill with stuff. It's felt more overwelming lately due to not been able to go outside as often.

OUR PLAN OF ATTACK!

• This coming week my DH is also home for a week long holiday, so this is going to be a TOTAL family working bee.
• We will be doing a room a day, till it is all done. There are 7 rooms in the house, we have 9 days. But with 2 of those days being Sunday - Day of Rest, means we will have 7 days to do 7 rooms.
• Motavtion is we work in the morning together, so we can have the afternoon or evening to do something fun. Ideas are MOTAT, Libaray, Park, Family Games Night, Visit Grandparents, Op shops, and Friends.
• We will be declutting items we don't need. By giving them to those who can use them, clothing bins, or selling online.
• We will have some homemade snacks ready, baking, sandwiches, popcorn etc.

Hopefully with the home clean and sorted we can all enjoy our home again :)

Free Family Fun

Couple of the kids walking in front of me having a conversation.

It doesn't have to cost much to have fun together as a family. Some of our best times together is getting out of the house and going for a walk. Even having a board game night is alot of fun, or home movies (our family made) with freshly popped corn. School holidays don't have to mean spending lots of money.
We got a shock going to Kelly Taltons these school holidays. DS6 had been wanting to go for a long time, so we went with only 3 children. And had the shock of our lives $103 for 2 adults and 3 children. We have decided that's the last we are going for a long time. Would rather go to the museum for free, as there is more to see and do. The zoo is also off at the moment, would cost us $78 to go as a family. Though with a little drive we can go to a cheaper zoo for $49 and bring our own picnic. Or even better go to the Botanical Gardens for free and have a picnic near the pond with ducks to watch.

Looking at the sun through the tree leaves.

Photo doesn't capture all the twinkles that we could see.