Happy Autumn!! - family news!

Monday, March 2, 2009


(Zai needed a family photo for class & so we positioned the camera on the top of the car & set it on auto - we tried countless, but all cut the top of Dave's head off - this one was my favourite though as most of us are smiling!)

I cannot believe that March is here already. Where do my days go? It seems that every year goes a little bit faster & this year is flying by. Last week was particularly busy with not enough time to get everything done (well that's how it felt anyway). Oh & I have another baby - well actually I had 3, but as is the way with poddy lambs - 2 didn't make it. It is expected & that's why I try to not get attached for the first month (it's awfully hard though as they are just SO CUTE!!). So far this one is thriving, although you never hold onto them too much as they can look perfectly healthy one day & the next be gone.


(I'm sorry for the blurriness- I could only get a moving picture because as soon as he saw me he came running!)


You can tell it's autumn in our household because yesterday Zai pulled out his Auskick video, put on his guernsey, shorts, socks & boots & started dreaming about the coming Auskick season. (Auskick is the children's version of AFL - Aussie footy) Ellie decided last night that she wanted to play Auskick as well - I told her that she had chosen ballet for her sport, but she said she'd stop doing it. We quietly informed her that we consider Auskick much too rough for our daughter to play - we are big believers in treating different genders differently. (I don't even like it when Zai's getting tackled, let alone our girl!)


(This pic is from last year when he first got the outfit in July - he looks so much bigger now!)

As for me it's the time of year to start thinking about my winter vege garden. I'm hoping a winter one will be more successful than my summer one that was a dismal failure due to lack of water. Dave borrowed a ripper (that attaches to the tractor) & has dug a pipeline from one of the dams so we can pump water directly from that so finally we should be able to have water for a true garden (our home is on tank water & this year we didn't have enough to supply the garden - but we are very thankful that so far we haven't had to cart water for our own needs- God's provisions are perfect!) I'm dying for some green grass though!!!! I've also been making jam & canning peaches (I'm not too good at that though - does anyone know how to get them with no air in? - I can get them vacuumed sealed really well after the water bath, so I'm assuming it's when I'm packing them.)


(Here is the results of a busy, but fun day!)

We finally got a referral for Ellie to the specialist - the closest pediatric urologist is in Canberra, so in 2 1/2 weeks we will be traveling there (it's almost 3 hours away) & hopefully they can do more than just prescribe dose after dose of antibiotics. (She has been on & off antibiotics since she was 3). Ellie also has a birthday coming up in March - can't believe she's almost 5!!!


The twins had their last speech therapy appointment the other week - the speechy has stopped them as she now says they are ahead of their age - which is wonderful considering how far behind the pediatrician placed them mid last year!!! They are certainly coming out of their skin lately & will chat for ages (in fact sometimes it's difficult to get a word in edgewise). It is so cute to hear them discuss different things.

(I just took this pic of Eli before - how cute is he??)

Dave is starting to think planting - this happens generally in June,but as soon as the weather starts to cool the planning begins - however before he does that he has to sell our triticale from last year that's sitting in our silo - we've been watching the grain prices very closely waiting for them to rise which they are finally starting to do! Dave's thinking to try experimenting with different types of fertilisers - & to plant 110 acres this time! - these plans could change depending on the rain etc. He's still going to plant trit though! He also has some big days coming up at work although he still LOVES it!

(Just a random pic of our cows from today- Whitey is on the right!)

So that is all the family news for now!
Hope you all are doing well. What does the change of season make you think about?





** Bad mother alert.... the picture above is actually Jud, not Eli - since he woke up an hour ago I've been calling him Eli - last night I cut their hairs & now I've mixed them up - something I haven't done for a couple of years... OOPS!!!**

15 comments:

SF said...

Great post, Renata!! Such a great catch-up on the goings on of your family! :) LOve that you got the twins mixed up :) And yes, he is adorable!

Mummy McTavish said...

Oh, he's cute no matter which one he is:)

Love your little lamby.

debi9kids said...

Great update of the family! (and fantastic photos!)Lots going on with your whole, beautiful family.

As for canning.. I always fnd that letting the preserves settle a bit before putting the lid on helps and then running a warm knife slowly through the preserves can help as well.
Looking very yummy!

Peta said...

Great photo of all of you.
Soccer season is starting too so our boys have pulled out all their soccer gear ready to start.
I hope Ellie's appiontment goes aswell as Samuel's did.
Eli/Judd is cute no matter the name mix up..lol

Anonymous said...

Wow - they are all starting to get so big (except for you Narn - I don't think you've grown for as long as I can remember - oh wait maybe that's because your sold old [late 20s now according to your rules?????].
Anyway - have you taken Zai to the podiatrist yet - surely he is missing out on not having specialists appointments????? If he comes up here there is an awesome paediatric room in the clinic at UNI. We aren't starting on patients yet but we get to practice on each other (think scapels and high speed drills and sanders). Well i miss yous all heaps - give all the little ones big sloppy kisses from me. Tell elly the aunt J is jealous because elly is doing ballet and aunt J always wanted to do ballet but here mum never let her etc. etc. etc!!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah - and I have a present for her (I just remembered today that her birthday is coming up - the only great thing about a 5 and a half hour break)

lots of luv
the greatest and best aunt in the whole wide world

Kimmie said...

No wonder your time zips by...you sure are a busy girl.

That lamb is too cute...it does look very fragile still.

Love the family photo..!

Great that the twins have made such big improvements in so short a time.

Praying for your far away Dr. visit...

hug
Kimmie
mama to 7
one homemade and 6 adopted

Bobbie-Jo said...

Lots going on over there! I had to laugh at your "winter veg garden." How do you think one of those would fare over here under our beautiful, thick snow? lol

Anonymous said...

Hi Narn, Thanks for the lovely updated photos. Tell Zai I was hanging out for a Zai hug on Sunday at church (Was feeling jealous when Mitchell (about Zai's age) gave his visiting Grandma a nice hug))). Could do with an everybody hug!!!!!!!!!!! Just had aunt C doing strange things to my feet (the joys of having a podiatry student - lucky you're so far away!!!!!) - when she gets her tools she wants to attack one of my toes with a long, sharp pointy thing!!!!!) Hope your lamby's going well! I don't think mixing up the twins is that bad is it!!! Do they still call each other Jud???
Love you all heaps
Mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Hey Narn,
Beautiful photo's, it is lovely to see you all.
I am in T'v at moment, and really enjoying my course. It is all the kind of stuff I am interested in, and it is really nice to talk to people with similar work interests to me. However, it is keeping me very very busy, with lectures from 9 am to 4:30 and then heaps of reading and a massive group assignment to do as well (I'm about to learn a lot about hookworm....).
Love you all,
Aunty Sel

Anonymous said...

Lovely family picture!! You are a busy family!!
The lamb looks so cute and loved.
I enjoyed hearing the "farm talk" as we are about to start up with that here way too soon again!!!
So how did you know you had the twins mixed up? Do they tell you? Or by some characteristic?

Anonymous said...

Forgot to mention - in the family photo,is Dav's boy (okay I can't tell the difference) holding his tongue in a Granny position????? Looks awfully like it to me (lol). Fancy getting that from his great- granny!!!!!!
Lots of love
Mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grannysaurus said...

I hope the lamb is still doing okay :) I love the photos. You do seem to have cute subjects though.

Mum-me said...

The family photo was lovely. It's so hard to get everyone to smile and look the right direction! But I've seen 'professional' portraits that weren't as good as that.

The photo of Ellie - she is so pretty! And by the way, please contact me if you need any help when you come in to Canberra for her appointment. (I do mean it.)

jazzy cat said...

Great post Renata! Loved your mix-up story - very amusing! No permanent scars I'm sure ;-) That lamb is adorable - I'd be terrible if I had to raise them and they died. Not strong when it comes to animals, who seem so helpless and dependent on our generosity, so wouldn't be able to hold back the emotions!

Deanna said...

Your family photo is soooooo cute!!!

I love the photo of the lamb as well...

Great post!

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