5/3/12: Matthew woke up bright and early. After making his bed (without prompting), he offered to help get things ready for school lunches. After doing that, he got his breakfast ready (milo cereal, Cheerios and nutri grain mixed up, with milk). What an awesome dude. Love love love.

6/3/12: my children are recognizing the importance I place on keeping photographic evidence of everything. Whilst preparing vegetables for another minestrone after our dinner tonight, I had the pleasure of watching and listening to Matthew playing with these ‘little people,’ which I bought for Elora today. He was also taking photos and he made a video/movie as well. He’s such a creative little guy and technology really facilitates his creativity.

7/3/12: beauty, blessing and bliss

8/3/12: the simple act of motherhood. Baby Elora and I watched this mother cow lovingly attend to her baby calf.

9/3/12: a family effort to move Nina into a different paddock. Just call me cowgirl.

I’m such a dag it’s almost cool.

10/3/12: I took myself off, all by myself, with d’Art and Matthew (neither of whom did any picking) to pick blackberries on this sunny, warm autumn afternoon. I picked at least a kilo. My hands and legs are scratched from thorns and my fingernails are dyed a deep purple from the berries. It is the end of the season but I’ve got enough berries to make a decent batch of jam. Georgia packed a picnic afternoon tea and she and Ella joined matthew and me.

We went out for dinner and Elora wore a pigtail for the first time. Awwww!

11/3/12: this little girl is awesome.

We’re having the best weekend so far. We’ve done a lot, with jobs inside and outside being done, and plans being made. Tomorrow is a big day for Fangorn Farm.