Christmas and New years have come along in a whirl of activity and trying to keep everything down to a dull roar is getting trickier- I have just dropped into survival mode.
It is the busiest time of year for our little business and the wonderful community daycare my two boys go to closes for ten days over the Holidays.
Trying to juggle such a busy business with two VERY active toddlers in the heat is proving challenging to say the least!
I am amazed at how dirty the little ones get when they play out in the backyard all the time but having to do more washing seems to be an ok trade for healthy active kidlets (says me who doesn't do the washing for our house).
Christmas was subdued and I made a lemon meringue pie which I was delighted with and the little ones didn't want to touch as they were too busy playing in cardboard boxes their christmas presents had come in... Master Three spent several days sleeping in the box (just at the appropriate times, ie nap time and night time.. not the whole days!) and eventually we had to recycle the sad and sorry limp container!

The weather has been HOT and DRY so watering the vege garden has been high on the agenda.
My tomatoes are revving along and have long out grown their stakes.. I suspect the soil to be too rich in nitrogen from some ill fated pea plants who previously occupied their bed but the fruit is coming along merrily so we shall see...
The remains of an old apricot tree has determinedly survived the main trunk falling over about 18 months ago and I am bringing in almost ripe apricots everyday which the baby boy loves, those left on the tree are pecked at by birds but there seems to be enough for us all and the birds seems to keep the insecty pests down.. I have seen a few grasshoppers but they don't seem to be damaging so I can only suppose the well fed birdies around here are snacking on them.
I am working on a repertoire of "redeeming feature" snacks which the children will eat but have at least one redeeming feature such as whole grains, vegetables etc and am having success with a prototype of a carrot biscuit... when it is complete I will post the recipe. I know there are others out there but Master Three cares not for spices and I don't like a lot of them because the fat and sugar content is ridiculous....
The kitchen floor is filthy but at least we are all together and healthy...the floor can wait until things settle down again!