so much of every thing

That's how I feel right now.

There is an abundance of things, of living and doing and planning and packing (still) and playing and asking and knowing and challenging.

Exhausting but so.much.fun.

There was the dinosaur workshop, where Lb managed to shine in a truly unexpected way. The organiser, a real-life paleontologist asked the children to raise their hand if they knew the name of a dinosaur. Most kids put their hand up, including Lb. In the end, after asking every child, he couldn't ignore the waving little hand in the front row. He asked, and not in a tone that expected an answer.

"Parasaurolophus!" Shouted Lb with misty eyes. I knew he was thinking of the book he looks at with his brothers, where he knows each dinosaur on the page before you turn it.

The perplexed look on the lecturers face still makes me smile.

Then there was a very messy but no less delightful monoprinting workshop using ink, which awakened Mb's mind and heart to the endless printing possibilities. He made four and would happily have been left at the workshop for the rest of the day.

I've also been quietly working on a new rug, for which the inspiration came from here. It's probably taking longer than it should, because I don't have a large enough crochet hook, but I see this as a practice rug...the next one I will invest in a new hook. Incidentally, I am not a great crafter - I still can't follow a knitting pattern, sewing anything that isn't in a straight line frightens me. I am telling this to you because honestly, this rag rug is the simplest thing to make. If I am managing to do it, then I am sure any one can.

Of course, I can only do this at night time, when all children are asleep in their beds because if I try during the day...this happens:


I am all for woodwork, but not unsupervised, and not on the kitchen table.

It's been sunny and cold, which makes for interesting "mixed" wardrobes:


Yes, woolly hats, gloves and t-shirts. And bubbles.

The cogs have been found. One of the good things about moving is the rediscovering of old toys that have been in storage.


Then there has been the playing of cards. I am not sure what the game is. I know it involves magic cards...but although I have paid close attention I still don't understand what is going on.

See? A whole lot of every thing going on here.