Back to "normal"

What is normal, really??? Rather a rhetorical question I know ...

Well, firstly I'm so excited to tell you that harvest is FINALLY finished. It dragged on and on for some 3 months, with rain interruptions and subsequent downgrading of the grain quality becoming the bain of our existence. But it's done, over, finished, complete!!! The header is just awaiting a wash down before being retired to the machinery shed until November.

I think "normal" is also getting back to a daily routine and now that school and preschool is back I'm feeling more organised already. The holidays were great in many ways, some sleep ins, chance to do what you want, when you want, go here and there, but they soon wore out their welcome I can tell you. The kids played together great one minute, then were fighting the next and I hate that.

Here's Caitlin's first day of year 1 yesterday ... happy and ready to go.

Ciaran was more than happy to be at preschool this morning and headed straight to the sandpit. He will do 2 days a week this year but is so funny trying to explain that to people - he has absolutely no concept of time in days/weeks/months/years so everyone is left completely confused when he tries to tell them when he'll be at preschool each week and that he's only got this year before going to "big school" LOL. Such a funny kid.

I will have 2 days a week to myself (can you hear me cheering LOL) and will be focussing on Red Earth Scrapping work, some farm office work, and SCRAPPING!!! I'm excited and hope to achieve lots on my kid-free, peaceful days at home. Can even catch up with a girlfriend for coffee sometimes, do some shopping without little people tagging along, annoying me. Oh the joys ... although maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, after all it is only 2 days out of 7 ... sigh ...

Anyhoos, I'd best share some pics and some scrapping before I go on too much longer.

The kids got special chopsticks for Christmas from Aunty Dan and they just love them. The pull them out every opportunity they get. When we were at Batemans Bay in mid January we had Chinese one night and Ciaran asked for "chinese sticks" and promptly started eating with them - holding them correctly and successfully getting food into his mouth! Not bad for a 4&1/2 year old.

We had a morning horse riding out at Aunty Nese's and Uncle Ken's just recently - Caitlin had a little ride some weeks ago and loved it so this time we made a morning of it with Ken's grandchildren who were staying. Such fun and a great experience for the kids.
Caitlin rode both "Blue" and "Willow" and Ciaran rode "Blue".
I also rode both horses and despite having not been on a horse for some 16 years, and only ever doing some trail riding when I was a teenager, it felt really good.
No, we are not getting horses any time soon though LOL. Way too much work. We'll just visit the rellies and ride theirs I think.

Lastly some creating to share ... firstly a "Prima overload" effort LOL and the second one is using the January 123 Challenge criteria plus some of our RES swap goodies from last year.

Thanks for dropping by. Til next time ... xxxxx