~ snippets from a week(end) in June ~

 

 

 

1.  Camellias brightening a corner of our bedroom.

2.  Master-cheffing with playdough - this was the start of spaghetti and meatballs.  I have to judge each dish on presentation and taste (!!)

3.  4 is a very interesting mix of independence and sooky mummy's boy.  This was all his own work

4.  All Jack wanted to do this weekend was go to the beach and collect shells.  We walked for ages ... dreaming, chatting, gathering... 

5.  My favourites of our gathered treasures.

6.  Choc fudge slice from the good old AWW biscuit book.  Rainbow sprinkles instead of coconut - because its more fun.

7.  I'm very reluctant to prune our roses when, even if dying, they look as pretty as this.

Another busy week - I don't think I had the camera out at all until yesterday - we've had school swimming, extra work for me and a quick trip to Canberra for the Doc. 

We're relishing this long weekend at home - date night (so nice), cooking, gardening and a long walk along an almost deserted beach searching for shells.  We've got no plans tomorrow - always the best kind of day.

I'm linking up with  tinniegirl and Em to share some snippets of our life this week

♥

~ grateful for ... a break in routine ~

We played hooky last weekend
Skipped the soccer games, ran away from our usual weekend stuff.
We headed north and east. 
To the coast.
 

We breathed ocean air and it ruffled our hair (and our stale thoughts).
We watched some proud new GPs receive their fellowships (and the children laughed at us in our  "Hogwarts" academic gowns).
We ate delicious local seafood and went hunting for fairy penguins (in the dark).
We looked for baby lambs, blossom trees and new vineyards (and then put the DVD on when the road got too long).

It wasn't long but it was long enough (to jolt us out of routine and bring us together again).

I'm very grateful for our little break (and to live in this beautiful state).

Linking up (most) weeks with Bron and the grateful gang here


♥

~grateful for...this day~

Our mornings have been startlingly cold this week.

Ice-cream headache kind of cold (as soon as you inhale).

Still can't fell your toes at 10am (after the school run and a quick coffee) kind of cold.

Needing a sign to put on the children who refuse to put on anything other than a t-shirt saying "I did offer them a jacket, I am not a negligent parent" kind of cold.

Today I felt brave.

I wrapped up well and headed to the beach.

The breeze was cruel.

The sun shone but there was precious little warmth in it.

Slowly, but surely, the magical effects of being near the sea were with me.

My legs were tingling (and loving the chance to stretch and move)

My brain unravelled, untangled, unwound and my thoughts slowed.

I felt my shoulders ease down from beside my ears ... back  to where they belong

The sea rippled and sparkled. 

Garlands of blossom were slung across the sky.. 

The brilliant blues of sky and sea washed over and through me.

I felt nothing but grateful.

 ♥

{I'm linking up with Bron and others over  at Village Voices}.

~ seizing the day ~

Whilst I embrace the whole 4 seasons thing that Hobart does so well, it does seem, at times, that autumn and, particularly, winter take a bit more than their fair share of the year.

Last week I was feeling the grey.  Ready to dig out the long boots.  We even had a fire.

Not today.

Today was golden.  Hobart sparkled.  

We raced from school to the beach.

We ate ice-creams and swam and had amazing handstand competitions.

We soaked up that vitamin D and loved it.

How is your week looking?


♥

~ endless summer ~

We're back.

We've been at the shack for 3 glorious weeks.

3 whole fabulous weeks.  I'm still smiling when I think about it. 

3 weeks of no plans, no appointments, nothing that has to be done (but so much to do).

       {It felt like running away from the real world}.

3 weeks of amazing weather  - like the "olden/golden days" of childhood summers.

      {We've actually been at the beach I spent my childhood summers at - its like my children are

          drinking in my memories - I love it}.

3 weeks of sunshine, sand, swimming and sports.  Of reading and sewing and lounging and "doing nothing".

       {we only had 2 ambitions for the holidays - to toilet train the youngest and get the middle one

         riding her bike - huge milestones - both achieved - yay!}

All of us being a bit slower, a bit more in the moment, a bit calmer, a lot more content

        {it's a lot to do with the 3 holiday rules - a swim, an icecream and a nap/rest every day}

We'll try to hang to those feelings as long as we can.

How was your holiday?

Any milestone achievements?








♥

~ student free and fancy free ~

It was a student-free day today

(I am philosophically opposed to these so if you're a teacher stop reading now.  I really think that teachers should be able to complete their professional learning in a dedicated week either before school starts or in one of their other holiday times. Do I need to point out now just how many weeks of paid holidays teachers get??!!  This may well be pure jealousy - my paid job was one with no paid holidays, no sick pay and we had to do all our professional learning in our own time.  Or it may just be that I believe they are paid to teach and we only get 40 weeks or so of school term and that my children benefit from routine at school)

Anyway....

We went to the beach.  In the sunshine.  On a wintry day.  We collected shells.  We wandered.

We shared icecreams, laughs and made some lovely memories.

 

Maybe I am in favour of student-free days after all.

♥