The Month of January 2013 - picture less

Saw: (in no particular order)

# Bell family settling into the giant-ness of a new home

# Isaiah do a two week stint in level 3 swimming lessons

# Amalia do a two week stint in level 2 swimming lessons

# Isaiah go to the pontoon for the first time... ever

# Amalia go to the pontoon for the first time... ever

# Take nature walks through the bush at the back of our new home

# Deliver junk mail

# Categorizing a gazillion photos for 2012

# Amy work and bring home HEAPS of food. So blessed!!

# A tighter financial month, paying two lots of rent + moving expenses

# Increase of independence in all FOUR children

# Dr’s visit, all is going well. Week 25-29.

# Planning and preparation in progress for the fifth addition to the family

# Receiving of a multitude of new toys and equipment from a friend

# Purchasing a years supply of girls dresses on clearance

# Shopping buddy in a 5 year old. She’s so independent given the groceries! Pushes trolley, decides what (healthy) foods we need to buy, looks at the shelves for the stuff we need to buy and when I tell her what we are looking for she happily finds it

# Gardening, pulling out of trashy plants, planting lovlies

# My first home grown cucumber. So healthy, fat and fresh! Juicy! Yum

# A daily cleaner, catching me up on all my washing

# Not having to be out running errands and such as much as usual, or seemingly usual

# Home days and lots of them

# Relaxing & Chilling at home

# Showing children how to cook different foods without the annoyances of a tiny kitchen. So much freedom

# Finding a patch of garlic growing in the bush :D

# Consistently clean and tidy home :) (with the exception of the learning room - which needs some organisation & furniture)

# Purchase of a giant desk (Thanks Hubby) for $10

# Isaiah (7) decides to start washing dishes, and does a great job at it too!

# Kids can now independently wash their hands by standing on an upside down crate

# Introduction of ‘bath crayons’ I wrote notes on the shower wall to the hubby

# Watering the front garden and grass - daily. Its getting greener :)

# Being given a huge bountiful of chocolate :)

# Enrolled 3 kids into dancing

# Bruising easily and needing blood tested for low platellete levels and dealing with first possible pregnancy and labour complications.

# Connection to the internet for the first time in 3 years!! We usually use only mobile devices

# A snake being stood on in our backyard -- thankfully it was dead

# growing up of children. All four children. Suddenly seem so much older
# Avigail toilet training, easily. 
# Avigail choosing to be in a 'big girl bed' rather than in her usual cot. Wasn't planned and I wasn't ready for it! But she was!!
# Discovery of Answers in Genesis having a Video Download of certain DVDs I've wanted to purchase *yay*
# Early start back at school :) (teaching two official kids is actually quite fun!)
# Amalia being only 4 months ahead in Maths... Only *rolls eyes* (I promise I will just have to add to her work)
# Library visits
# Sudden interests in Fire Engines
# Abundant toys and other stuff being given, that fit into our home. So Blessed.
# Playing Maths games with TWO children
# regular tea drinking with one or more children

A lot of changes in so very very many ways. I've been busy at home mostly, and loving it. 
I forgot how much of a home body I really am. 

The Blog
In other ways I have been thinking about my blog, what I want it for and where I want it to go. I have a few ideas banging around in my head, I am just trying to figure out the logistics of it all. And whether it is God's Will for my life. 
I have a ton of blog posts banging around in my head, written on notes and note books and sitting in my feed awaiting publishing. Some I may just get published so the memory is recorded for the purpose of my children. 

 Jarah Josiah (3 1/2yrs) peels his OWN orange. Even *I* don't peel oranges! So glad he has this skill and is developing it more and more.

 Isaiah experiencing a range of birds at the local markets, they even climbed on his shoulder :) Avigail likes animals too so she had a good look too, without touching :)

 The children turned my front yard into a private water fun park complete with slide, and then the 'jumping jetty' and used the water to water my grass. Bonus!

 Allowing children to choose activities freely results in indirect homeschooling. Known as unschooling or natural learning.

 Avigail chose to be OUT of the cot and into a 'new big girl bed'. She kept climbing out and not being happy in the cot. I suggested to hubby giving it a try with the mattress on the floor and she was and has been immediately happy ever since. My guess is she's been 'trapped' in the cot for so long she now wants freedom. It is going well.

I often say to the children 'let me take your picture' which results in them putting the object near their face. This time Miss Avigail (21 months) put the honey jar she had been trying to break into near her face as I took the picture. Hubby has it as his screen shot ;)


Disclaimer: I often blog with no/limited photos because I know if I don't click publish it will never be published and the memories lost in cyberspace. So no apologies for doing what I am able in the spare time I have stolen. 
P.S. I just uploaded these pics via the laptop (Im blogging properly this time) and it was so fast and so easy. Shows how long Ive been away from the computer and real internet!! 

and just because a lots of little kids post is barely a post without 5 things to be thankful for here they are:


5 Things to be Thankful for:
1. Peace of being in His Will
2. That He has given me EVERYTHING I NEED
3. Blessings that have been bestowed upon our family
4. Our new and improved much larger home
5. God's Grace, that carries us through everything