I really must must put Ella to bed earlier. Oh but it's such a gorgeous sight. Sleep peacefully my little one.

Ruby mucking around with a pair of sunnies she found!

On the run

Today I've hardly stopped. Well that's what it feels like anyway. Up at 5:30am and out to the garden, in at 6:30am and made spiced apple muffins. Girls up and fed, stripped beds and got washing machine going. Ironed uniforms as I was too tired last night. Made Kate's lunch and packed her swimming gear for the start of swimming lessons. Dropped her to school and shots around to a friends house to pick up two roses she had dug up from her garden for me. Home again and a few chores got done. Raced off at 10:30am to watch Kate's lesson, home at 12:15pm. Took Ella to Kindy at 12:45pm and raced to do a bit of shopping! Picked girls up at 3pm, then home for afternoon tea. Took Kate to tap dancing at 4pm and I went to the library. Home (again!) at 5:15pm. Dinner was ready, thanks Amie! Then we pottered around outside for a bit, watering the plants etc. Back inside, Amie bathed the girls while I cleaned up the kitchen. Picked some lavender for the table, smells so lovely! Amie went out and I listened to Kate's reading and spelling and then put the girls to bed. They were all so tired they went straight to sleep. Bliss!

A few things to finish off then I'll hit the hay too. :)

There is nothing more wonderful than watching your child sleep

Our Garden

Kate, Ella and I have been having a
lovely time getting our gardens out the back established. We've made two vege gardens planting lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, silverbeet, celery, tomatoes, capsicum and radishes. We also put in some watermelon. And of course strawberries. Yum!
Plus of course lots of flowers for colour!

Small Change

Saving all your small change in a tin (that can't be opened until you need it) or a jar is a good way to save for an emergency or extra savings. I personally save all our gold coins in this tin and when it's full (nearly is for the third time) I whack it all on the mortgage. This size tins usually holds between $350 and $500 depending on whether you have more one or two dollar coins. :) As a rule I don't spend gold coins so that at the end of each day if I've spent cash I check to see if I have any gold for my tin.

When you keep a change jar, never take from it, just keep addding adding adding. Half the fun is the surprise at the end when you open it and count. Only count it when you are ready to transfer it to a bank account or to pay off a debt.

You can also add to your savings by adding notes here and there. I occasionally add a $5 note or a ten, I've even added the odd $20 before.

If you are debt-free, add it to your savings account or use it towards a holiday.

For those of you earning a good weekly wage, you may think saving small change is a bit trivial. But living frugally whether by choice or need is all about small steps.

So think about starting a change jar. If you give up a few things and save all your small change, you'll be able to pay off your mortgage faster or take a family holiday without using the credit card.

Family Day Out

Seeing as it was Phil's last day at home today, I asked for the day off work so we could take the girls out for some much needed family time. We decided to go to Whiteman Park as we hadn't been there for so long. Kate & Ella had a ride in some new cars that Kate had recently seen on telly. They loved them! Lots of play on the playground, a ride on the steam train, lunch at the cafe and a paddle in the pool. WE didn't take their bathers (next time!) so they just paddled their feet!

Ruby & Gordon = Best Friends!

And a few more of our boy that like to sleep in funny places!

Kate's Artwork!

Kate loves nothing better than to muck around on Paint on the computer!

Keep up the good work Kate!

What's been happening with us?

Life is flat out, I hardly get time to blog these days. It's school holidays here right now, it's a quiet one really though seeing as we've just had a holiday. So on the days I'm not working we are visiting friends, going to different parks and a bit of shopping!

1. We've planted a new vege garden, the girls love being outside pottering around. They have even got their own little pots happening with pansies in and mushrooms stolen from the fairy garden.

The green pot is Ella, Kate has the yellow one!

2. Ella is starting to stress about school next year. We had the same thing happening this time last year with her anticipation about Kindy this year. Now she loves Kindy and doesn't want to leave!

3. Kate might be asthmatic. She's currently on a 2wk course of ventolin to see if this is indeed the case.

4. Ruby is a real little chatterbox, her and Ella are great buddies ~ well most of the time!

5. Phil is working away still - getting a bit sick of it, but it's our life for now! Can't complain.

6. Amie is still busy minding lots of kids!