Tuesday, February 10, 2015

2015, let's do this thing!




The year never really starts for me until the children start the new school year, which was last Wednesday for us in Tasmania. They've all settled in well into Years 1, 3, and 5 with the only difference this year being that we put the Twins into separate classes. We did this purely as we had the option to do so and we thought it would be awesome for them to be able to be identified without everyone having to look at the colour of their shoes first. So far they are loving having their 'own' classes and, well, they are pretty much joined at the hip for the other 20 hours a day that they are not in class so it's really no hardship. 

The beginning of the school term is also the time I feel a tremendous urge to get the house in order after the school holiday chaos but I usually give myself a week or two to get my head into gear before the cleaning frenzy commences. To that end, I decided to make another of Alicia Paulson’s Miss Maggie Rabbits. These Rabbit's are so cute with their knitted capelets, boots and rosy cheeks that I just want to sit and make them all day long. It’s the same one I made two years ago for Eleanor but this time I bought my own materials and used a vintage apron from my stash for her frock (see, I knew those 40 vintage aprons would come in handy one day!).  I finished her in record time – 3 evenings and 3 nap times - so that Daniel could take her up to Sydney with him yesterday and deliver it personally to our new baby niece, Frankie. 

In other news, our building application was approved last Friday, yippee!!!!! This means the builders can finally get on with building the project. 2014 was a very frustrating year with all the delays, amendments to applications and then whole new applications needing to be submitted and I didn't cope so well with all of the stress. I finally feel that things are moving ahead and feel all the more lighter for it. We’re told it will be 16 weeks until we are open and after waiting for what seems like an eternity to get this show on the road suddenly the prospect of opening a business in just 16 weeks fills me with total fear and excitement in equal measures. Breath. A lot of the ground preparation was done over the Summer and the kids have loved living in a real life Tonka world, watching all the machinery in action and using the site as a playground when the machines weren’t in use.

We had a lovely visit from Dad and Diane. I’ve seen them a lot these past few months with my trips to Sydney for the School Reunion, Ballet Weekend and the funeral last month but it was great to have them here to show them all of the work that has been going on around the farm. It was also nice to have the extra pair of hands on deck with the kids, the markets (we are doing 2-3 every weekend) and to have someone go through the house fixing things, thanks Dad! On one of our walks I just happened to have my camera with me and was able to capture Rocket chasing a Hare. It’s always thrilling to see a Whippet racing at full stretch and I think we all held our breath wondering what he’d do if he actually caught the Hare. Luckily for the Hare, Rocket lost him in the apple orchard.


And so, with the Kids settled into the new school year, a building application approved and a completely finished Rabbit, I’m feeling refreshed and positive and ready for whatever 2015 has in store for me, just as soon as I make a dent in Mt Washmore. How are you feeling about 2015?

30 comments :

  1. Love, love your photo of the kids on their first day so much
    I'm absolutely convinced your business is going to be a huge success - those strawberries were the best I've ever tasted!!
    (is it wrong to be glad Rocket missed the hare?)
    xx

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    1. Aw thank you so much Ally, for the compliment on the Strawberries and the photo of the Kids. And yes, we were all very happy that Rocket missed the Hare, although we are now also worried about the fate of all the fruit and vegetables in the ground given that the Hare in roaming INSIDE of the animal-proof fencing!...x

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  2. Love the shot of your kids, they just look full of happiness!! Glad you have some time for yourself before the big transition. The hares, both stitched and racing(!) are adorable. You take the bast photos Mel, and it was nice to have a little update. Wendy

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  3. Those rabbits are really gorgeous. Nearly makes me consider sewing. Nearly.

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    1. The sewing bit for the dress is very basic Claire with very simple instructions and the bunny is hand sewn also with excellent instructions to follow, if I can do it you definitely can x

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  4. Hey Mel,
    What wonderful photos. I can hear your energy in the words you've written here today. There are such exciting times ahead for you and your family. I love the chair assortment around the table; it's like that here when our family gathers for Christmas or Easter. I look forward to reading about more tales from Coal Valley Farm in 2015.
    Leanne xx

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    1. It's dinner for 7 every night with often a few extra thrown in, we've now kept the final table extension piece in the table! x

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  5. Yay!! What great news about your building work! How wonderful is that. I hope that it all goes really well. I love both the Miss Maggies! xx

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    1. Thanks Amy, the Miss Maggie pattern is gorgeous isn't it? x

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  6. Love all of your photos my kids started back at the end of January and I started back myself on Monday this week. I finally feel that the year has finally started. Xxxx

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    1. It must be an Australian thing, I know many people feel the same way about the year starting when school goes back :-)

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  7. Hello Mel,

    Your children positively make a 'Rhapsody in Blue' in their school uniforms! What a beautiful, jolly bunch they look and how lucky they are to have such appetising lunch boxes prepared for them. They certainly look keen to return to school and they all have an intelligent energy about them. They look destined for success.

    And, 2015 is clearly a green light for you with respect to the building projects. How exciting that is going to be.

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    1. Thank you Jane and Lance, and yes the lunch boxes are greatly improved with the addition of Strawberry patch x

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  8. As always Mel, you're pictures are gorgeous, as is your family! I had to read the sentence twice where you said you finished a Maggie Rabbit in just three days. As a fellow Maggie Rabbit maker, I'm in awe, truly I am.

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    1. I think it was a bit misleading of me to write 3 days as it doesn't really indicate the number of hours actually spent making the bunny which was a lot! There were 3 extremely late evenings and also Flynn's nap times (another 10 hours right there!) and any other moments snatched over the weekend....x

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  9. Wow having your business up and running in 16 weeks sounds very close...love the back to school pics too and the lunch box treats look great too. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane

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  10. It's awesome that you captured the rabbit chase on film! Those are some HUGE earth movers - I can imagine how thrilled your boys were! The rabbit dolls are amazingly adorable. I have seen several of them around blog land and am envious every time!

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    1. Part of the appeal of the Miss Maggie's is how different they all look being handmade and then with their different outfit options. I love seeing all the different ones around blogland too x

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  11. Your 2015 sounds amazingly exiting! I am really looking forward to reading about all your adventures this year. Your school bag hooks are cool, very organised! x

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    1. It's the first year I've been organised after years and years of stumbling over bags and shoes dumped at the front door. It's amazing how such a small thing can make such a big difference. If only the rest of the house was this organised!

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  12. Such gorgeous pictures, even your school lunches look pretty! x

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    1. Oh Mel, it's lovely to hear from you, thanks for popping in x

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  13. Loved this catch up of all your beautiful photos and description of happenings over your way Mel. I always have a beginning of the year clean/sort out too, although I've been a bit slower to start than usual. You must be busy with all the building progress now and market stalls xx

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    1. It is quite busy, especially weekends now, but there's still some down time during the week when the kids are at school and Flynn is napping, which I'm making the most of since you never know when that daytime nap comes to an abrupt end! x

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  14. I was scrolling down wondering whether the hare was going to be caught! So good having that moment captured :-)
    2015? nervous, calm, excited, thoughts....lots of thoughts. I think that's how my 2015 is looking so far. And relief, two kids are settled in to classes- awesome teachers, great class mates...phew!
    As for 16 weeks Mel....OH that's exciting!!!

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    1. Methinks you're going to have a great year Brydie! Glad to hear the kids have settled in well, so just you and your little one at home now, that'll be lovely x

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  15. Lovely photos Mel, always enjoy reading what is happening down there in beautiful Richmond! This has probably been the busiest start to the year for us with my eldest starting four year old kinder two full days a week, bush kinder with both girls, playgroup, swimming lessons and lots of catch ups with friends and family. Ruby has settled in well to kinder and it's really nice to have some one on one time with Evie. We are all tired but so far enjoying the busy!

    On another note I remember one of the first posts of yours that I ever read had a photo of your kids on the first day of school. Crazy how time flies and how quickly kids grow! x Dre

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  16. So pleased for you guys that you're in the home stretch.

    And yes, whippets at full throttle are awesome things ... you can imagine what it looks like when all five of ours take off together. If we are on the beach with them people's jaws drop!

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