Four Days OUT THERE

Wishing that the school holidays haven't come to an end Kd stayed home from school today - he was tired and a little run down - we all needed a little bit more jammie time together. We really did pack in a lot of activity over the school holidays and having Easter in the middle of it made it even busier.

It was bliss to spend four days in the bush with The Colonial Way, camping and grandly moving from site to site with a Clydesdale horse - a very new and slowing down experience for all of us. I REALLY needed to get out of town and get into the landscape and this trip did exactly that. I had planned for a six night adventure - but right before we left we inherited gastro and in lots of ways I am glad it was only three nights as travelling with young kids and a dog in a new camping setting can prove more challenging that relaxing. J and I have started making plans for regular camping trips around our home - having lots of new free, isolated camp locations revealed to us.


This is our darling Murdoch who hauled our caravan around and all of our stuff - about a tonne in all!!!

Inside the van - very tight but manageable - can't imagine what it would be like with 3 kids in their or 5 adults as it sleeps 5.

The view from outside the caravan while on the road - we were travelling slow enough to jump in and out of the van - I spent a great deal of time walking - maybe up to 12ks a day as our dog misbehaved dreadfully around Murdoch.


Caring for Murdoch included lots of stops for rests, eating and drinking water - he just loved munching on apples.


Camp fires were a hit - revealing the inner fire bug of a certain someone


How is this for beauty?
Yep lots of fun and games

The trip for me was also about growing the love of the out doors and isolation in my children - an experience that just doesnt happen in suburbia. Kd was first afraid of the thought of camping as we would be the only ones there - (while I really can't think of anything better than having no-one around!) They both really enjoyed the trip and agree that more camping is on the agenda.

Easter

Easter has ended abruptly for us with a good smattering of gastro... all of us except Hj
Always special to have lots of family days all together in a row - we filled them with house frantic cleaning, gardening dreaming, friends to stay and family get togethers.

Here are some pics of our family Easter egg hunt in Mum and Dad's lovely garden.


Above is my Easter sewing - not sure if I will use this pattern again - it isn't really an egg or a chicken (doesn't have any wings!)





Although it could be classed as terrible videoing - I do like the sounds - really captures the hunt!

We visited the place where the sky is everywhere

Where I grew up the sky was large and endless and I have an ongoing romantic longing to return there.

This week during the school holidays, thanks to the magic of facebook and the generosity of a farming family we visited a diary farm not far from the land were I grew up. It was lovely to reconnect with an old school friend and enjoy her family and farming achievements with her husband. They most certainly have a farm to be admired. Although in the following shots there aren't any cows (don't ask me why!) their cows are so gentle, quiet and happy milkers.

What's been going on? MUMMA???

Here are some snap shots of what has been happening in our funny little home since the last post, see life goes on despite a festival taking over a Mummy's life. (not to mention some really trashy Scottish historical diary novels!)

An illegal restaurant

The glittering effects of love


Making do


Cleaning

Skate board art & forts





Some relaxed driving