Mining in the backyard

People have been asking me how I am coping with the school holidays. The truth is I am really enjoying them (so far!) I love not having to rush in the mornings. Not rushing in the mornings leads to late breakfasts, which create afternoon lunches which throw dinner way out of whack. It doesn't worry us though, its nice not to have to follow a schedule. It's closer to my nature and personality just doing what we want to, when we want to. Having the whole day ahead of me with nothing planned feels like having a blank canvas with which the kids and I can paint a big beautiful mess on. The last few days we have been trying to get to the skate park but the weather hasn't been so friendly.
I allow my kids to watch TV and or play their ipods in the mornings during the school holidays. It helps keep the early birds quiet while the others are still sleeping. Unfortunately for me, Tanky is the earliest bird in the family and he generally wakes and least two of his siblings up with his noise. He sleeps next to me in bed and when he's awake for the day (usually at 6am) he likes to let us all know with very loud goo-ing and ga-ing plus some banging on the walls! He is so noisy that as soon as he wakes, I quickly pick him up and whisk him out to the loungeroom before he wakes his sisters (who also sleep in my room)
The kids help me clean up the house each day before we get going. This is another quirk for me, I have helpers now in the morning. Although they help clean they also help mess it all again, and they usually do so at lightning speed! My kids love to play outside and will usually spend half the day out there. Today was cold and rainy. The weather never deters Benny. He plays outside as soon as he is dressed. Some mornings he is scooting up and down the driveway at 6.30am. Never mind the early hour - its always freezing at that time of the day. I always know when he is outside because he leaves the back door open and the rest of us freeze!
This morning he was outside early again. He whinged outside of the kitchen window waiting for one of his siblings to play with him. Explaining that it was too cold out there for the rest of us only made him more grumpy. Lani and JJ played board games together until the Sun came out. Benny waited patiently in the backyard for Lani and when she finally went outside, he sent her back in to put on a pair of his army shorts. He likes to dress up and has made matching outfits to Lani and Sisi to wear.
So once they were dressed appropriately, they set to work building a mine. The other three kids came inside when it rained.....but not Ben. He did eventually come in when it poured though :)

I watched them on and off from the kitchen window as they dug a big hole and collected rocks. I went and had a closer look just before I called them in for dinner. Benny insisted on being the one to explain to me what everyones' Jobs were. Lani looked for rocks (gold) and handed them to Benny who washed and dried them. JJ was in charge of breaking the bigger pieces of Gold into smaller ones.

It wasnt until Benny was explaining how the mine worked that I noticed the towels - and not just one towel. There were about 6 of our towels.....in the mud. He said "It's okay mum, they were already dirty, they're the old ones." We have old towels for cleaning etc but I knew they weren't dirty as I had just washed and folded a whole heap of them. JJ picked one up to show me that it was old and holey.

That one might have been but there were a whole heap more - not to mention the brand new teatowel he is using to dry his rocks. Mum bought us that one last time she visited, lol - at least its black I guess.

                      That red towel is definitely one of our good towels that belongs in the bathroom

And so is that blue one....... and white one laying in the dirt! I love Bennys big imagination but sometimes I wish it didn't include making quite so much mess!

      Every day of the holidays is a new adventure for Benny - and a new load of washing or cleaning for me!