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A portrait of each of my kids, once a week, every week in 2013

Muddy Organiser - Now on gate duty, jumping out so quickly to get the gate
Muddy Pixie - Stacking up her own fire and packing it down, just like Dad
Muddy Boy - Dirt, Dust and Old Machinery = Happy Boy
Muddy Puzzler - Glamorous in her party dress while holding a sheep skull - and showing off her new haircut.

Joining in the lovely link up over at Che and Fidel for 52 - A Portrait a Week.

Toasted Marshmallows

My Muddy Pixie and I have had a whirlwind trip to Sydney and back this week, I've squeezed in a day of work a little bit of washing, some trips up the paddock and taken the Muddy Puzzler to a birthday party, it's been go, go, go and it's nice to know tomorrow is Sunday. In all the busyness I have made sure to stop and reflect on what I'm grateful for this week.

Toasted marshmallows with the Muddy Kids up the paddock.

Family Drives around the farm.

A flexible work place.

Specialist Doctors who keep you calm and know what they're talking about.

Good Friends who can answer techy questions about which I have no idea.

New ugg boots that keep my feet toasty warm.

My Muddy Hubby who has stepped up when I am sick and in bed by 8:30.

Lots of things to be grateful for on the Muddy Farm this week. Check out the other lovely grateful posts over at Octavia and Vicky where Kylie hosts 52 Weeks of Grateful.

Lets Do The Bus Stop

Last week Muddy Hubby and I made a very important purchase, one we had been thinking about for ages and finally bit the bullet and did - A Bus Stop Car. I had been scanning the local buy, swap and sell pages for ages and nothing seemed quite right, then the perfect vehicle appeared and we jumped in and bought it.

It definitely didn't break the bank, but it will do the job we need it to do, going back and forth to the bus stop on our road each morning and afternoon. The bloke who owned it before us had put his own personal touches on it (including an over sized muffler) and had loved and cared for it. The Muddy Kids think it is fabulous, they've explored every nook and cranny and worked out what works and what doesn't. What I like most is that they're not climbing all over our vehicles and trashing them while we wait for the bus.

29/52

 

 

A Portrait of each of my Muddy Kids Once a Week, Every Week in 2013

 

Muddy Organiser - Thoughtful

Muddy Pixie - Determined to get over the ramp

Muddy Puzzler - In action on the last day of shearing on the wool table

Muddy Boy - Peeling potatoes, lets hope it continues!

 

Linking up over at Che and Fidel for 52 - A Portrait a Week

A Haircut

Yesterday it was raining, it was also a pupil free day for my Muddy Organiser and all 4 of my Muddy Kids were home, by 9am they had gone stir crazy, we channelled their energy to tidy the toy verandah, that got them through to 9:30, then there was a board game, and then they were planning their own masquerade ball, decorations and all. By 3:30 things had really gone pear shaped and my Muddy Puzzler had given herself a new hairstyle by chopping lots of locks off her beautiful hair.

On the bright side though there is lots to be grateful for:
- The self-styled haircut could have looked a lot worse than it does
- The Muddy Organiser and Pixie had a lovely sleepover with 2 friends coming to stay with us
- I have a gorgeous new niece who I cannot wait to meet
- My car is at a smash repairer and I should only have to try and manage without a family car for a couple more weeks as opposed to the couple of months with all the other smash repairers
- My Muddy Puzzler had a wonderful time playing with friends at a birthday party, it is so lovely for her to step out of the shadow of her siblings
- My Muddy Boy is on the mend after being sick and his smiles are getting more and more
- It is a fabulous drying day today, lots of wind and sunshine
- Dress Ups, whether it be full on princess outfits, my shoes or Muddy Hubby's beanie dress ups always bring a smile to my face

Linking up over at Octavia and Vicky for 52 Weeks of Grateful. Make sure you check out all the lovely Gratefuls at their new home.

28/52

A portrait of each of my kids, every week in 2013

 

Another week in and out of the shearing shed this week.

Muddy Organiser - Checking the wool so she can tell Muddy Hubby exactly which bin she thinks the wool should go in
Muddy Pixie - I will climb onto the wool table - and she did
Muddy Puzzler - Overseeing it all, making sure the shearers do a good job
Muddy Boy - I'm having trouble managing all three brooms Mum - do you think you could give me a hand?

Linking up over at Che and Fidel where Jodi hosts the wonderful 52 - A Portrait a Week.

A Return to Gratefuls

I know the value of finding the Grateful in the everyday, to boost your spirit and your mood. For the last few weeks I have struggled to find the time for grateful, and it's been quite evident, I've been tired and snappy and often too busy to stop and find the grateful to focus on. This week though I'm making a conscious effort to make time for gratefuls. I have stopped trying to clean and move the fish tank and do my footy tips and instead am taking time to post my gratefuls.

So this week I am grateful for:
- Being outside in the nice fresh winter air
- Bicycles and scooters and little trikes
- A fabulous OT service right here in town that is going to help me support my Muddy Pixie
- My coffee machine which gives me fuel to keep going
- Special moments in the shearing shed with my wonderful Muddy Family
- A new home for grateful at one of my favourite blogs to stop by and that grateful is keeping going
- An unexpected dinner with friends
- My Mum and Dad and the time they have spent with us and helped keep my household running
- My Muddy Hubby for boosting me when I'm down

Now that 52 Weeks of Grateful is at a new home make sure you go and check it our here. It's always so lovely to read what people are grateful for.

July School Holidays

Around here July School Holidays mean only one thing - it's shearing time. Every year, the first 2 weeks of July (normally coinciding with school holidays) we do our Main shearing, where we get all our ewes, lambs and rams in and shear them. We do it across 2 sheds, with 3 shearers and a team of rouseabouts - mainly family. It's busy and exciting and exhausting. This year as the Muddy Kids are getting older they are wanting to be in the shed more, help more and learn how it all works.

 

It has been 2 weeks of juggling whose turn it is in the shed and who gets to have either the battons or the broom, and who helps in the yards and who scoops up the locks. Lots of time with Muddy Hubby, lots of negotiation, lots of team work, lots of lovely family time.

 

27/52

 

A Portrait of each of my children, once a week, every week in 2013

 

Muddy Children in the Shearing Shed and the Sheep Yards for our Main Shearing.

 

Linking up with Jodi at Che and Fidel for 52 - A Portrait a Week