My focus this weekend has been on our family. I've noticed lately that the kids have been quite ratty, one in particular, and it's been quite exhausting and draining. We seem to all be a bit out of whack. Part of this has been since daylight savings started. But there is a definite link between the general mayhem and emotional disorder and me being so busy with studies, market, garlic etc. It has had a big impact on the general tone (and messiness) of the house too. I just haven't been as available as I normally am.
We sat around the table last night and talked about our family & how we can make things better and run more smoothly. Everyone contributed something to the list of Our Family Rules. I think it helped and the children were really enthusiastic and sweet. We talked about loving each other and how important it is to treat each other with respect and care.
Sunday suggested another list, 'things to do on school mornings'. Hopefully this will reduce the stress of getting ready for schoool and out the door. The kids also have jobs to do so we discussed why this was important and that we all need to contribute to the upkeep of the house, and our lives. Do your kids do jobs and help out?
One of our family projects is our new vegie patch. Like a lovely lasagne our no dig patch has come up looking fantastic, after many layers of soil, mulch, newspaper & compost.
Yesterday we finally started putting the seedlings in. Yay!! I'm hoping that we can reduce our supermarket shopping and eat lots from the garden. We have quite a bit of tank water from all the recent rain so that should help. Especially during this hot week and what is looking like a long, hot summer. It's exciting too as the old patch, that was really a herb and flower bed, can return to it's former glory.
One of the highlights of this weekend has been reading the Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, with Lucy.
We read from the much loved copy that my brother & I read a million times as kids. The pen marks and stains on the pages tell a story of their own. Ben & I really loved those books and they provided some sort of joyful sanctuary to us as children.
To share these books with Lucy, as I did with Charlotte, is so special. We have just come to the part where the family cross the Mississippi River & Laura thinks Jack, their faithful dog, has been left behind. It is such a touching story and so good for children, and adults, of today to see how people lived long ago. The pace of their lives, the challenges and hardships, the quiet moments of happiness - all so inspiring. They had so little and were grateful for so much.
As the dancers finished the adoring audience threw lilac blossom to the sound of Bravo!! Brava!!
I love watching them dance, it's so blissful and free.
So another busy but productive and happy weekend has flown by. It feels good that we are meeting the challenges of parenting in a positive way and that the children are learning and loving so well together. I'm also enjoying the change of season and being out in our garden with Mark, the kids, plants, chooks, dogs and the tiny birds that dart in and out of the hedges, chirping the day away. Hope you and yours had a lovely weekend, see you soon xo
