Enjoying what we do...

For all moms, life is busy. This is a season in life where we have to ask more of ourselves than we did before kids or in our later years. I love so much about this time in our lives and I have from the time our children were babies. Each season brings it's own challenges and blessings but it is all good when we keep the focus on our family and homes.

 During term time when we are busy with schooling the demands increase even more but we are just finishing up the second week of our school break and I am thinking ahead to next week when we have the last 10 week burn beofre the summer holidays.

Part of the break has been getting through my elephant of a to do list but it has also been a time for me to learn new skills, plant up the garden and more.

I made some more soap for gifts to go with the knitted face clothes. I just love knowing what is in my soap and what will eventually be on our skins. I love knowing it is simple basic products that do the job well.

 I am getting myself into the routine of always having kefir on the go. We use it in smoothies, in porridge, bread or with fruit and honey. It really is a super food for the gut.

My plant is still quite little, but it turns just under 1liter of milk in 24hrs. So as we use up one bottle there is always another on the brew.

I find adding thing into my routine much easier to do in the school holidays as then I am in the flow of the habit before we hit the books again.

My son and I scrounged out all our old containers and started placing them in the back yard to see what we can grow in them and if I need to buy any more.

These are going to be herbs, mainly, but in the larger barrels I will grow cucumbers and tomatoes and beans.

I think I only need 1 more barrel and we will be sorted.

 The broccoli that we are harvesting is phenomenal and the heads well formed, dense and delicious. The first broad bean plants are still yielding and our herbs are prolific.

I figure that in herbs alone we save, but am yet to say to people that we save money growing vegetables as it cost so much to set up.

The set up IS however done and soon we will have broken even.

Spinach and aspargus are the other big producers and I am so delighted that our red onions and chives are now ready for use.

 Our favourite treat of lemon curd was made en masse as my son had someone cancel their 3 doz egg order and we needed to use it all up.

We are not complaining as we have enough now to give away and enjoy plentifully.

Lastly, in between exam runs and life, I was able to take my family for a special afternoon in the forest with some friends.

Inspired by frequent walks there and seeing what other children had made - stick teepees - they decided to build a mansion of a hut!

They did such a great job and so far, a week later, it still stands. How wonderful to just be kids and find pleasure in the simple things.