it's good to be a boy!

When we were gardening on Saturday we found a treasure in the bush. It didn't have a handle, but that didn't take long to fix!




We've also been making shanghais after reading "A Dangerous Book for Boys" (thanks Jonathan for telling us about it!). The postie has been giving us a pile of rubber bands if we're ever outside when she goes past. Mama thought shanghais were illegal in New Zealand - but she hasn't managed to find anything to prove this yet, so we are allowed to continue!

mandarin madness

It's a year since we harvested K8's first madarins. The second crop is NEARLY READY...we're checking every day!

spotty dotty

There's a reason you look subdued in this photo

...you were about to come down with measles. You've been thoroughly miserable all week....but we have snuggled you and loved you lots and lots. Everyone has taken turns at holding you and carrying you round. You have just wanted to lie on someone's shoulder and whimper.
Yesterday you slept for four hours in the afternoon and today you seem to be feeling much better.

are you really busting?

By Mama

If you're not, you're requested to not use the bathroom.
A reasonable request by J11 as he's in charge of bathrooms this week.


But I do wish he'd learn to spell correctly!

it's hard....

...to get a photo in which we're all looking at the camera and smiling.
It's even harder to get us all jumping at the same time






but it was a lot of fun!

happy birthday ER

you are one!

look what you can do

it's the kids' mother...

....writing today.

Popping in to say there will be no posts this week. I'm not turning the computer on...and so the kids won't be able to use it either!

I'm sure the children will have lots of adventures that they'll be able to write about next week.

we have the tools

Our church is taking part in "Self-Denial" at the moment to raise funds for the poor around the world. Each family has a little toolbox to put the money in.
They didn't all come with wax seals;-)


This week we had vegetarian dinners so we will be able to donate our *meat money* and today we are eating rice. Rice for breakfast, rice with soy sauce for lunch and rice with veges for dinner. We will be able to give today's food money too.

While we waited for the rice to cook for breakfast, we talked about and prayed for the people who have to collect their firewood from the forest and water from a well or river before they can even start to cook.


We are doing our dishes in a bowl outside to help us remember them more.

We have done other things too - but Mama said we have written enough - when you give, you should not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing! We didn't know that.

boys will be boys

K9 you are usually ALL BOY! For such a long time you've not really been interested in anything much apart from bats-and-balls and making money!! But recently you've been awfully productive - I just love the boy-doll you made yourself - I can understand how important it is to have a boy-doll and not a girl-doll when you're a boy! He's very handsome - and I hope he doesn't make too much noise when you're spying out in the bush.

Love,
Mama

fluffyFEET

Inspired by Mama knitting slippers for the little boys, I (J12) got my needles clacking for myself. My ones took much longer - not only because I'm a slower knitter - but also because my feet are soooo looooong! They may have taken a wee while, but they were actually one of the easiest thing I have knit. They are also my first felting project.

Mama said to say THANK YOU to *dodgums* for the wool!

they fit in a small box

We've been keeping our clothes in one box each in preparation for travelling.
This week we're preparing by playing with only the toys we expect to take with us.....they fit in a small box.
So tidy-up is easy!!!!
We have two tennis balls, a pack of cards, half a dozen travel games, pens-n-paper-n-watercolours (and we want to make a mini flower press and get a compass too).
Yesterday L6 and M4 played with the balls for hours on end...they commandeered a broom to be a bat for a while!
Usually the neighbourhood kids play cricket with us afer they've been to school, but today we didn't have cricket gear so we all rediscovered the joys of "Go Home Stay Home". We're planning on climbing trees, spying in the bush and making obstacle courses another day.