Since it's been the school holidays we've spent quite a bit of time over the past week and a half socialising and catching up with friends who we haven't seen for a while. It's been great fun, but I also look forward to more days at home.

Nathan's been right into wanting to light matches again lately. After his fire lighting from a few months back, he lost interest. But I think with the cooler weather and darker evenings, he's enjoyed the ritual of lighting candles at dinner time and has even set up and lit a few fires in the woodburner. Danielle likes to blow hers out as soon as it's been lit.

A few nights back as we sat down for a family meal, each of the kids wandered off at some point and I'd look over and first Danielle was sitting on the couch next to us reading a story to one of the soft toys (which she then put to bed under the cushions and the chair on top lol).

Nathan then a few minutes later was over there reading to himself.

I went to the library over the weekend while Simon took the kids down to pick a DVD out. I love roaming around the library by myself. So chose some books for me and then picked a stack for the kids. One of them was of Levers and Pulleys which I thought might interest Nathan - and yep, right away he was into it and wants to create a few of the things in it (once we find some time at home we'll scout around the house and garage for bits and pieces to use).

We've had a lot of rain over the past few days and during the non-rainy times we get down and let the chickens out for a run around. Nathan's been keen on digging up some of the garden beds and all the weeds and has made some interesting observations about the difference in the soil. He's also enjoyed having the chickens come right up next to him as he's been turning the soil over and they've been helping themselves to tasty bits he's exposing.

A comment Nathan made the other day after having tidied up the house before dinner (at the dinner table) "well, that was heaps of fun" LOL - and yes, said genuinely.

Nathan's been watching me cut up onions for ages now, and tonight wanted to give them a go himself. He didn't last long enough to get the stingy eye thing though.

Danielle's been right into playing with the Duplo again lately and integrating it with her dollshouse play.