And, Sunday.

We decided to skip church service this morning (again...) and enjoy some togetherness and the peace of home instead. Time at home when we're all together is rare and precious and we've all been a bit down with *something* this week so the extra rest did us all good.

My day began with my tea and my bible.

And cuddles and stories with the little ones. Playtime and general pottering. Making Dinosaur Land with the Mega-blocks was on the agenda for some of the family.

I found this little green gingham bag in a drawer and decided it would make a perfect egg-collecting bag, now that the chickens are laying such quantities of eggs! It can be hard for little hands to carry 5 (or more) eggs successfully at once.

Hoping that hanging it by the door here will remind Saraya to grab it as she heads outside.

Lunch was pumpkin soup. Naptime followed.

I don't normally do such work on a Sunday, but enthusiasm to attack my long-neglected and shameful laundry came from somewhere...... so I seized it!!

Just an hour or so later, some help from Stuart and Saraya, and jackpot! It's a nice place to be once more. Delightfully clean and tidy, and smelling sweetly of lavender and lemon oils. Peeling paint off the concrete floor means it doesn't exactly look clean, but it is.

Half-way through cleaning the windows Saraya said, "It's looking marvellous Mama! Can I please do the sweeping bit yet? And the mopping?" Really, she did! This girl has inherited my love of getting dirty areas clean again.

Old-fashioned nightie for Saraya courtesy of Mum. :) She LOVES to wear this nightdress!

And Elijah loves to wear this medievil piece from the dress-up basket. And pretend to be an Animal Warrior, saving the koalas in our backyard.

Left-over pizza from last night with scrambled eggs and tomato slices for tea. And custard with bananas. :) Oh, we also put a pineapple, some ginger, a grapefruit and about 10 oranges through the juicer to make some juice to have with our tea. Anything to keep us healthy through these final weeks of winter. It's the second time we've used the juicer this week.

Stuart and I are about to finish watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", then it's off to bed for me and into a brand new week tomorrow.

Another birthday weekend!

We've just finished a full, happy weekend.

After picking up my girl and hubby yesterday morning, and discovering how exhausted they were (Saraya had 4 HOURS SLEEP at the camp, from 1am until 5am- I couldn't believe it!!!!!), I decided showers and naps were on the agenda.  Saraya ended up falling asleep at lunchtime and slept for 3 hours, until I woke her at 3pm!  Amazing.  Stu napped for awhile as well. 

My Mum and Ray (who couldn't make it up for the party last week due to Will's chicken pox) arrived soon after she woke, and were with us until this afternoon.  We had such a great time together.

Yesterday was...........

"Happy hour" at 4pm :)

A game of boules in the backyard

Dinner at 6:30pm - Meat and vegetable pie (my 3rd pie attempt; I'm enjoying experimenting and they've all turned out so far!), new potatoes, and salad.

Bed at 8pm for the little ones

A spin around the block in our new car for Mum and I, then a spin through the McDonalds drive-through for Stu and Ray.......... and sundaes back home for us all. :)

"Ironman" for entertainment.......... and a little napping on the side.......

Bed too late to remember when it was, but boy sleep was good.

Today we all headed up to Hervey Bay so Stuart and Ray could enjoy their combined birthday present.  Mum and I sent them up for a 25 minute helicopter flight, something Stu has been dreaming of doing since he was a little boy.

Isn't it a gorgeous little one?

They flew over the bay and out to Fraser Island.  

Mum and the children and I sat at the airport and watched them take off ( a few prayers whispered!), and watched them land again soon after.

This is a picture of Fraser from the air- not one Stu took, but one I found on the net!

I'll try to put one or two on the blog in the next few days...

Elijah was adamant that he really wanted to go up for a flight too.  I talked through it with him and explained that it's something Stu has had to wait for for a long time.  This prompted much discussion, and eventually both children decided they would like to have a flight for their 21st birthdays respectively. :)   This gave us all a laugh!  Nothing like planning ahead!

A picnic by the beach followed.............. ham and cheese breadrolls, and the nicest rockmelon I've had all season.

A walk out along Urangon Pier (nearly 2km all up), and an icecream before saying our goodbyes. I always find it hard saying goodbye to them.  Hopefully we'll be together again in about 4 weeks, providing Stu can afford to take a weekend away in the madness of 4th term!  Only 6 weeks to go until the summer holidays, and loads to achieve in that time.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a quiet home day tomorrow.  We've all had a fair share of sunshine today, so I'm thinking spending a few hours in the kitchen tomorrow is in order.  No doubt Eljiah will be right there to assist - he really is a champion spoon licker. ;)

Happy Sunday everyone.  I pray your week ahead will be filled with special moments.  I pray that peace will be upon your homes and within your hearts.  

Oh, and a Psalm for today....

"The precepts of the Lord are right, 

       giving joy to the heart. 

       The commands of the Lord are radiant, 

       giving light to the eyes."  Psalm 19:8

Sundays when sick.............

are relaxing.

A slow, easy start......................

Eggs for breakfast, stories on the rug, colouring in, listening to the psalms on CD.

A long morning nap for William.

Another cup of tea for me.

Sandpit play for the children.

And, for the first time since Will's birth..... I sat and played my piano. My fingers remembered what to do and soon it was as though no time had past since I last played. I was so happy I nearly cried! Will seemed perplexed as his little eyes watched me. Elijah was quick to appear at my side and ask what I was playing.

A walk in the park this afternoon.

Homemade pizza for tea.

Things are looking up. :)