Chores

I am trying to teach my kids, all of them not just the older two that we are a family, not just in the sense of Mum & Dad looking after you etc...

that we are a team, a unit and that we work together to make a whole.

Which of course means chores, they each struggle with one of their chores more then the other, showing the weaknesses and strengths in their characters.

Chores do include Cai, he has to bring in a piece of wood when the other two bring their arm loads, he unloads the cutlery with whoever has to unload the dishwasher. He knows to take his plate to the bench when his meal is finished or to put his rubbish in the bin. (Even if he has been known to retrieve food again later on when he thinks he's hungry!!)

This paticular day was no exception and I know they wanted to be watching cartoons, but we had dog tucker to do. Not a job for the squemish, one thing my kids do know is the reality of life. 

Cody got a lesson in skining the sheep after Shane killed it, he had to do one leg while Shane did the other three. Then together they had to drag the carcass to the dead sheep hole.

I figure thats got to be way better then brain numbing cartoons.

We all like food on our table and to be able to help provide it has got to make them proud. 

Gypsy waiting patiently, hoping she is going to get a bit....

not just yet girl.

A weekend of Pauas

Saturday saw us heading  out to get pauas in the low tide, it was drizzly/misty weather but not cold. We had run out of pauas and were in need of a good feed. This spot is a little bit difficult for Cai to enjoy as it is all big rocks, no sandy beach to roam. His siblings kept him entertained though. Cody had built some contraption for fishing, his theory was great but not ideal in water with a ton of rocks, but he was happy catching crabs for bait and giving it a go.

Cai playing peek-a-boo with an old paua shell and only Cai would let his sister pour stones on his head and think it was funny. This lasted a long time believe me.

Cheyenne must of been craving paua real bad as she was into it raw with her father as soon as he was out of the water. Cai wasn't so keen on it raw but loved it later on all cooked up. He'll get there though ;)

Time to think

Today was one of those days, it started off good, turned sour and ended on a high again.

I had two photo bookings for the morning, one cancelled last bit so after I had done the first one we had time to go for a wander through the bush track. The last couple of times I have stopped pushing Cai in the pram but letting him run and walk at his pace. He scrambles over trees roots, walks into the most awkward places, climbs little banks so he can jump off, then when you think this is going to take all day he takes off at a run.

We stopped and enjoyed the sunny spots alongside the river, watching the ducks and the water run past.

After this is where it turned sour :(

My eldest son decided he would test my parenting!! He decided to explore his independance I guess, needless to say when we got home I sent him to the bathroom. I then went and hung washing on the line and gave myself 15mins to calm down and think my side of it all through, instead of barraging him with my madness at him!!

While I was hanging the washing on the line Cai got some carrots and fed the horse, which saw me run back inside for my camera again. He had an armful, well about 5 carrots, an armful for a gnome anyway! He put them all down for 'neigh', then decided he wanted one too, then so did Gypsy, so the 3 of them shared carrots. It was rather cute I thought.

Then the high, it was much later on in the day I got online to check my emails etc

I had a wonderful letter from a very dear sister inlaw waiting for me. She is an amazing person and has an incredible story to her life that I find is so inspiring and always brings me right back down to earth and puts everything back into perspective for me. Whenever I ring her to see how she is doing, I find she is the one that encourages me, I miss her like crazy and am so thankful for the relationship we have as it has been a long haul to get where we are but it is amazing. So thank you so much for the fabulous and very timely letter xx

Its the last weekend of the holidays so enjoy it

I for one love the freedom of the holidays

Loving it

We didn't even need to light the fire today, it is just gorgeous, for the middle of winter a day where you can get round in a t shirt is so good for the spirits. As soon as breakfast was over the 3 C's were outside until lunch time. I hung out three loads of washing even, its going to be so nice to have that dried in the sun smell about them.

After lunch we took off for the beach at Monkey Island. We climbed the top of Monkey Island, searched for crabs, got water in our boots and flew kites with friends.

about where Cai's head is in this photo, just behind it like, is where our property is, it is a huge bay and we are probably not even half way around it.

Now while the older 2 C's are outside still, the grommy C is sleeping along with the dog, both worn out. Love days like this and am so thankful we have it at our doorstep. Also thankful it was during the holidays. It was very timely to be honest, as this time every other year for the last 5 we have already left NZ and its been a depressing thought at times that, that part of our yearly migration is over. A day like this makes staying worthwhile ;)

Mid Holidays

"Come on Puppy"

We have hit the middle of the two week school holidays, the first week ended up being way more adventful then I had planned! After the first weekend away, Cody ended up staying there another few days til Wednesday. I was thrilled for this to happen, boy time for him and one less kid for me (sorry Lou). Lou was at work anyways so it was real boy time as Mark had all three boys. Cody had an absolute blast though, he went possum hunting, which Mark told me, he had Cody pulling possums out of spots by the tail and banging them on the head ( Mark obviously was a bad shot!) Cody also got to drive the digger, which so happen saw him dumping Mark out of the digger bucket into the river!! Cody also fell into the river himself, after the branch in the tree that he was on broke! Is it a male thing because I hear more of what happened through over hearing his stories to others then what he let on to me, haha!

So while Cody was over the way, Cheyenne had a friend here Monday/Tuesday, they painted rocks, played mermaids and dress ups, rode her horse, ate lots of sweets and had a photo shoot on the beach as little angels/fairies. They even braved putting their feet in the waves, far too cold for me! Was sure they were both going to come down with a cold after that!

Wednesday we meet back up with Cody and all went to Kid Zone, a program run in the school holidays with so much fun activities. Because Chey was going to be going back again on the Thursday with her friend I told her she had to do everything the boys wanted to do today & do the girly stuff with Jay. They rode some funky bikes, raced go carts, made slime and bouncey balls. Played lego, did science experiments and had theatre make up done. The boys all got gash's with nails through them on their hands, Chey had to go one step further and asked the guy to do it on her face. Therefore totally forgetting about it and was unaware of all the stares she was getting at the movies after that. Was quite funny.

Like I said Thursday Cheyenne got to go back to Kid Zone, she got to sew a bag, make a cushion, have her hair styled (complete with bizarre colors), make up put on, made clay flowers and another bouncey ball! Cody's thrill for that day was a visit to the pet shop and to look at some baby turtles.

Friday, the day these pic's were taken was a home day, a catch up day, a relax day!! The three of them hung out again as the three of them for the first time in a week. Was fun to watch and hear all the laughter as they raced each other and chased Cai and Gypsy chased them.

Have nothing at all planned for this last week so lets see where it takes us.

Time at Poloville

Like I said in Saturdays post that plans changed after a call from Polo (Shanes best mate). We packed up and left after lunch and headed to their place, about an hour and half from ours, with the plan to go for a pig hunt early Sunday morning. Well this is the frost that greeted them, poor kids, we had them so rugged up, knowing that if they got too cold they would whine the ears of their fathers and that in turn would make grumpy Dad's! We packed a truck load of food, because apart from being cold, hunger would be their next topic of moaning.

We had no water running at the house, so no showers or dishes could get done, so Lou and I decided to head into town and shout ourselves to the movies, kidfree, well I had Cai of course but he handled it ok.

The end result of the pig hunt, the dogs lost the pig they got onto and they all came home barehanded but fill of big adventures to tell. They had had a snow ball fight up in the snow they found. There were 8 pairs of wet socks hanging in front of the fire, we had two pairs on each kids feet!! All very happy to retire to bed last night needless to say, love a day like that.

Family time

The first Saturday we woke to another fresh and crisp day, we all went for a walk along the top of the farm, Chey rode Gordy so I guess she got out of walking. We stood at the end taking in the view and solving the issues of the world!! More like trying to decide on what really needed done for the day in order of importance. (Which of course all changed after a phone call of hubby's best mate but thats another story in itself) 

 The tractor came out of the shed to go pick up some old posts I had been wanting and to remove a dead mutton! Cai waiting impatiently for the tractor, made his day to go for a ride on the old girl.

 Cheyenne watching the goings on after her ride and brushing her fat little 'neigh' down