It's SPRING and change is in the air...

Although the last few days have been mercilessly dragging us kicking and screaming, into a Wintery abyss, complete with hail and heater-hugging evenings... I am still convinced that Spring is most definitely here. The sun has been shining, our home is slightly cleaner than usual with the Spring-clean bug that comes with the fresh air and I had my first swim of the season last week! If I could I would hibernate all Winter. I am NOT a fan of the cold, especially with little people who need to get out during the day. It feels like we have been let off slightly easier this year with a shorter bout of really cold weather, thankfully as my carpets have had just about as much mud tracked through them as they can take! Slowly the Winter jackets are going on sale and shopping racks are being filled with swimwear.  And I kid you not, I have spotted my first Christmas tree of the warmer season which is utterly ridiculous but in some ways a beacon of hope that SUMMER IS ON IT'S WAY PEOPLE!!!

I have recently been inspired after I've started following a Vlog about a family in the USA with 5 kids. My initial curiosity was mostly about how they do life, the day-to-day things. Strategies, plans and ideas for running a home with that many kids (including a new born and they're all home schooled) seemed intriguing and I figured I'd learn a thing or two from a pro. One thing I am inspired about is making big memories or bonding activities out of small things. So often we wait until Christmas (well I do), to bring out a craft or fun activity in theme with the season. As that mum is a home-schooling mum, she does this on another level. But every opportunity they can, they get creative with the food they have that day, the activities they do and the outfits they wear; just all round creativity. One example was the solar eclipse day recently. With a little bit of planning, from breakfast to dinner, everything was a solar eclipse learning experience. Such fun! I love that my kids are young enough to try these things with still.

Being newly inspired, I decided to start celebrations early and got into the swing of Spring with some hat making with the kids. Abigail had a Spring hat competition at school and of course the boys wanted in on the action. A trip to the $2 shop later, laden with crafty supplies, we were hard at work at the dining room table watching marvelous creations come to life. Abby won her competition which was fun! I love that she spent so much time on a truly unique creation and reaped the rewards of hard work. 

We have a few changes in our home and it is timely that it is Spring! The season for change.

1. I have started going to the gym. This may seem like a trivial or meanial, almost expected activity for many mums but not for me. I prided myself on being super fit as a fairly active teenager. There is nothing like demotivating you in terms of fitness than having a kid...or two... or three!! I always started running or something after a baby and gave up with the looming knowledge that we would be having another baby and I would have to start from scratch...AGAIN! In-between my breathless stair climbing and jumping on trampolines that leave you so stiff the next day, as well as the realisation that after baby number 3 (5 if you count the little ones I've had early), my body was not going to co-operate as it did after Abby and Noah's birth's and just shrink back magically by itself (cue violin music here...) So I've committed to going 3 times a week and so far so good! Looking froward to doing one of those corny before and after pics ;)

2. Rapunzel lost her locks! I would love to say Miss Abigail had her hair cut to be able to express her

individuality but in reality, upon advice (from one of our Gurus) and further contemplation, it was decided between Gavin and I that bumpy hair would no longer be the World War 3 event each morning. We have come to terms with the resolution that when Abby is old enough, mature enough and has a big enough capacity to deal with long hair, she will have short hair. I think I was sadder than her as my image of my long haired Princess disappeared and a more mature-looking 8 year old emerged from the hair-dresser's chair....but there's no turning back now. And I console myself with the fact that it will grow back. Thank God!

3. We're one step closer to fostering children! This is definitely our biggest, most exciting family step after a rough couple of years for many reasons. We are finally, after waiting for the right timing, getting our ducks in a row to be able to open our home to other children. We have finally completed all the home visits (as of last Wednesday) and now just have to do the two training mornings coming up this month! This has been a dream on the shelf for many years and we are so excited to be able to move our family into this new way of life. With our 'baby' 3 in November (yes 3!!!!), we felt that next year would be a good time to start fostering. So watch this space, exciting things to come! Hard? yes, worth it? Absolutely! 

I am looking forward to warmer weather, longer days (yay, daylight savings!!) and all round brighter moods as we ditch the mud and gumboots. I have in fact enoyed this Winter and wonder how much of that is not having the challenge of a newborn this Winter with toddlers to entertain. With Jed 2 and a half and no babies this Winter, we have been able to have a much more relaxed time doing outdoors activities and things that are either cut short or not as fun for mum with a baby, when it's rainy and cold. Part of me misses those baby years already and then the part of me that is tired and lethargic during pregnancy reminds me of the full picture of what those 9 months look like. That other part of me is also now completely satisfied with the thought of rocking other peoples babies to sleep and just as content as filling our home with other kids as I would my own. So it's a win-win!

Happy Spring everyone and lets hope it's one filled with positive changes for ourselves (come on mums, we need to look after ourselves here too) as well as our awesome families! Spring is such a good opportunity to harness that feeling of change in the air and make some positive changes in our homes and lives. 2017 is not over yet and even with the first sighting of Christmas trees in the shops, don't forget we have only recently just passed half way. This last part of the year goes so fast but we can totally be deliberate and strategic and finish strong!