Player of the Match.

I've been feeling a little stretched of late; organising the home and keeping everyone fed seems to be taking more out of me than usual. Perhaps it's the growing appetites or the activities we have taken on. 

Our little lady now does gymnastics on a Tuesday morning and a Mainly Music session on Wednesday. She often likes to catch up with a good friend on Mondays, which makes for fairly busy mornings! 

Our big boy played a football game this morning and did some solid defending. His team lost, but he was Player of the Match and we couldn't be happier for him. 

It took him awhile to discover how much he enjoys playing football, but he's embracing it fully now. He has practice on Tuesday evenings, and on Friday he goes for a warmup jog with me and does football drills with Papa. It's been paying off, it seems!

Three is sometimes a crowd, but thankfully not in this moment, when I spotted the three older ones enjoying a graphic novel together tonight.

Mother's Day and a Sprain.

Mother's Day was a mixed bag. The children made lovely cards and the husband bought Korean Fried Chicken after mass... One of my favourite foods, and we all enjoyed that at home. I also managed to sprain my ankle for the first time while out on a run that afternoon. It was impossible to continue running after (not for lack of trying), but I made it home eventually. 

After the requisite cold pack, elevation and compression, I found that staying mobile and gently using the injured foot helped the healing process. I'm glad to say that it's almost fully healed and I just might be able to run or go for a walk tomorrow as is my routine. 

While navigating the sore ankle, I came to realise how much moving around being mum requires; up and down stairs, to and from the kitchen constantly. Sitting down and not using a foot is simply not an option.

The little lady and I went to the aquarium with a few friends on Monday, and we spent 3 hours exploring and playing. It was a good way to stay mobile without having to rush about. 

Our children were curious and concerned to see me with an injury. It wasn't a lot of fun and I'm quite glad it's almost all better now. I certainly have a greater appreciation of how important it is to be healthy and functioning well.

Birthday Boy is 11!

Our big boy turned 11 today. Four days after his sister's birthday, it is always a busy season with two birthdays in quick succession.

No party this year, we spent the day doing his favourite things and enjoying his favourite foods. 

It's been a blessed 11 years of parenthood, and we're grateful for our strong-willed, food-loving big boy who is a gift to our family.

Indoor Fun.

A windy autumn day meant that a walk to the playground was quickly shortened in favour of a hot chocolate at home. We made playdough and stayed warm at home for the rest of the morning.

Our big boy turns 11 tomorrow.. everyone is looking forward!

Chilly Autumn Mornings.

It was a chilly but beautiful autumn morning, and a perfect day to go playground hopping. 

We went in search of a zipline/Flying Fox. The little lady and I cycled 15 minutes to one near our home, but found it was broken. Later in the afternoon, we paid a visit to another one, by car this time. We visited a grand total of 3 playgrounds today!

She was elated to have found a Flying Fox. 

We've had some cold mornings this week. Tonight's expected to be an especially cold night, dropping to 4°C. Power companies are already expecting a surge in power usage and advising consumers to reduce usage tomorrow morning to minimise risks for a power outage. It's times like these that I'm grateful for a warm and dry home, so we don't need to switch on heaters to stay comfortable.

Nine.

Our big girl turns 9 today. She was up at 6.30am, opening her presents. She received a loom and was eager to get started weaving.

We had crêpes for breakfast, her current favourite breakfast.

As it happens, her best friend came home with us as her mother had to work late today. The girls enjoyed a special afternoon tea together and got to spend a bit of time building the Lego set our big girl got. 

We had BBQ ribs and tater tots for dinner. 

And an apple pie birthday cake. She loved the lattice top most of all, and it reminded her of her loom birthday gift too. 

She's not one to ask for things, so it took a bit of effort to think about what to cook/make for her. Happy birthday, dear girl. 

A Walking Family.

Our big boy didn't win his first game, but he had a great time. He came home in good spirits and said he'd enjoyed himself even though they didn't win. Papa came home with his voice hoarse from supporting our big boy. Our big boy realised today that he likes playing for a team. I'm happy for him! 

It was a restful day at home. 

We went for an hour-long walk to our local Mount and back. I thought the children would be daunted by the uphill journey from our home, but they surprised us. Our big boy began jogging uphill and the littlies followed suit. At that pace, we made it to Mount Taylor in no time at all. 

We stopped by the local dairy for a treat on the way home, which the children enjoyed very much.

I'm not sure when it happened, but I think we've become a walking family. 

Spanish Not-Buns.

Spanish not-buns. A twist on a Filipino sweet breadcrumb-filled bun, because I realised I lack the time and energy to fill and roll each bun individually. As the children grow, so do their appetites and they're ravenous come the end of the school day. I often like to have something homemade ready so they don't raid the snack cupboard for crisps or the like. They're currently crazy about chai lattes, our older ones, since I discovered how to make them myself at home. 

It was pizza tonight, and our little lady helped with rolling out and pre-baking the bases so dinner would be a easier. 

After school, the husband and I engaged our big boy in a bit of fitness training: a short run and football drills. 

Our big girl opened a games station, camping tables set up with our one-player games. These kept our younger two busy until it was time to make their pizzas. She's got a gift for keeping our young ones busy, this one.