Tuesday 9 February 2016

A day at home and Caitlin's solo trip

I woke up a bit earlier yesterday than I had been - around 7 instead of around 8 - and I think it makes a huge difference to my energy levels throughout the day, I feel so much better if I've woken earlier.

Yesterday was a quiet day at home, sandwiched in amongst lots of busy days. Millie and I played Hungry Babies on the iPad, and Caitlin helped for a while. Millie and LiAM played Toy Story 3 on the playstation (Mil asked me if she could play by spelling out Toy with her fingers) while Caitlin did sudokus on the computer, then LiAM and I played Halo for a while. I wasn't much help to him, unless I just stood around and acted as a re-spawn point for when he died - I was happy to do that. I have been amazed at the graphics in Halo ever since I first saw LiAM play it, and I was even more impressed when I was playing myself, they are so realistic, and beautifully created.

In the afternoon Caitlin caught the bus into Yarra Glen by herself, to get the library books and return the ones that were due. She also went over to the IGA to buy milk, then caught the bus home again. I walked her to the bus stop and sat across the road while she waited for the bus, and she texted me from her iPad when she arrived, and I sent her a reminder text when it was time for her to go back to the bus stop in town - we spent a lot of time planning the trip so that we were both comfortable with it, and it all worked seamlessly. She was very excited to successfully manage her first solo trip and I was impressed with how well she managed it. I knew she was capable of it, I think I was most pleased with the way she let me discuss the plan with her in so much detail, instead of brushing me off and saying 'I'll be fine.'

When she got back the kids watched one of the Tinkerbell movies we'd borrowed, and I continued clearing the kitchen table - and I got it all clear and put the new filing shelves on it and it looks fantastic! And we have a complete table to use, we could easily fit 5 people there for dinner, or more if we were happy to be a bit squished. Hoping I can keep it that way. I also made some spiced vinegar and prepared some parsnips for pickling - I usually end up giving parsnips to the chickens, so I am hoping that by pickling them I will eat them in time and they won't go to waste. It's my first attempt at pickling so a bit exciting.

LiAM played several maths and strategy games on the computer in the afternoon, and then spent a long time playing with the characters from Titan, lining them up and really examining the drawings and looking at differences between them.

In the evening we watched Australia's Got Talent and Farmer Wants a Wife. At the same time LiAM played Minecraft, Caitlin explored more on Pottermore and Amelie continued her My Little Pony game. She's made tables and cakes out of lids and bits of foil and the ponies all stood at their little tables and chatted and ate.

Amelie helped me put the chickens to bed - she's really taken this on as one of her tasks for the day; the night before she even went up there herself to put them to bed but had forgotten to take a torch so couldn't do it all. She also feeds Winky most nights.

Amelie moved into the bedroom while we were watching TV and watched another Tinkerbell movie, and I joined her there once I'd tidied everything up for the night. Tony was home from baseball by then and helped the other kids get ready for bed once they'd finished watching TV.

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