Thursday – This afternoon Jessica has invited her friends over for a  craft afternoon.  Not just any craft afternoon but an afternoon where her friends can make a Christmas present for their mums without their mums knowing what it is.  Mums seem to know everything that goes on in a house so it is very hard to make something as a surprise.  My girls are going up to a friends place later in the month so we thought it would be nice to offer the same opportunity to these other girls.  Each girl bought their own project and I was available if anyone needed help.

Our morning was spent getting ready for this.  The family room had to be cleaned up – mainly the desks had to be totally clear.  We then headed to town to buy the last few little bits and pieces needed.  Any of the girls who couldn’t go shopping without mum knowing sent us their shopping list and we bought everything they needed for them.

It was a great afternoon – the girls were very creative (and of course I can’t tell you what they all made as some of the mums may read this blog!)  It was nice to hear them all chatting and laughing – the next generation of quilting bees!

 

Friday – A nice simple day – we went to the library.  While the kids were at the library I did some business calls around town.  They love being left at the library.  I left them with some tasks – Jess was to read Daniel a story.  Josh was to help Nomi with any searches if she needed help.  Josh was to find a book on Giraffes since that is our “Character trait” animal this month, and Jess was to find a book for Daniel on horses since that is a subject in his current FIAR studies.

Friday night we had a church potluck.  It was a great time of fellowship.  The kids had a ball – playing with all the kids, playing with Uncle P who always is in for a tumble and then after dessert we quietened them all down and they watched a movie.  It was great to see the kids encourage each other to do the right thing, to sit and be quiet and to respect each other as we left them in the room by themselves.

 

Saturday – A family day.  We turned the phones off, had morning tea, watched a video, had lunch, had a rest, pottered around the house doing things.  Just having the whole family home, living together is a great family day for us.  For dinner we had a nice meal together – Daniel set the table and celebrated with hot pink serviettes! 

Just before dinner a big storm came over – I actually cooked the dinner by candlelight so I could see the storm coming across the paddock towards us.  The family gathered out on the veranda with Peter to enjoy the cool breeze and the rain a storm brings.

 

Sunday – Today we had a combined church service.  It is always an encouraging thing to have a church full of people singing God’s praise.  It is nice to be able to catch up with people from different churches that we don’t see that often as well.

Sunday afternoon our friends had a thanksgiving celebration for their daughter out at our place.  It was a great time of fellowship, sharing God’s word and prayer.

Just as we were about all packed up the last to leave phoned us and said there was a buffalo on our road.  It had apparently come out of the Sandalwood plantation, across the irrigation channel and though a bit freaked was heading up our fence line towards the house block.    We all jumped in the car and tried to find it.  The kids were all excited about this adventure.

Unfortunately we didn’t find it.  We roamed up and down, we headed to the bush block next door and scanned the area with out headlights but no buffalo to be found.  It was all a bit disappointing but an adventure none the less! 

Not sure what we would have done had we found a buffalo but it really shouldn’t be grazing in the Sandalwood!