Well, our new kitchen routine is working a treat - it is spic and span every night. Starting the day with a clean kitchen makes it so much easier to keep it tidy!

Over the past year, I've been trying to get more organised, and as I've gone on I've found resources and motivation to do so on a larger scale (got to love blogs!). Life is full (in a good way!) and I want to get routines and habits in place now for when it gets fuller (particularly when homeschooling officially starts). As I've moved to a monthly meal plan, I am now setting myself up to try doing monthly grocery shopping (fruit and veg every week still). I've drawn up a list of everything I can think of that we buy and stuck it in my pantry cupboard. I've added forgotten items along the way, so it should almost be exhaustive. As I plan my next menu (I've gone through each of my recipes books and have noted down the recipes, page number, and key ingredients of the dishes that interest me), I'll note what recipes call for, and make sure I have all I need. So come March, I hope to give it a go (it will be a big shop!); the aim being to save time (less time at the shops) and money (can't spend it if you're not at the shops!).

A book I have started reading, and recommend to mum's of any number of kids, is Large Family Logistics. One of the things it has encouraged me to do is resume training Abigail (and Sarah) in helping me at home (starting to establish a good work ethic - something I greatly appreciate from my childhood). I've gotten lax in this area, and so have restarted efforts here with her - getting her to help fold laundry items (she likes to do underwear and washers) and put things away; picking up the blocks and books in her bedroom before naps/night (we always sing the Barney 'Clean Up' song doing this). Will teach her to put away the cutlery, and to help set the table. Little things that she can do.

I sing a lot with the girls and Abigail is always asking me to sing this song or that. We have different songs for different occasions - we sing the Ronald McDonald seatbelt song ('Make it Click!') when I buckle them into their seats; rain songs when it rains (naturally); and so on. Recently, we've started memory verse songs - so far we've done Psalm 119:1 (Abigail can sing it herself with the actions) and we're working on Psalm 56:3. It's also a good way to practice our Auslan words (we've started to learn Australian Sign Language).

This morning I got my hair cut. It feels heaps short but my hair was in pretty bad condition so it was needed. Looking forward to it growing long again! (No front shot sorry, I couldn't bring myself to smile about it at the time!)

Yesterday evening, before dinner, I was bouncing on the trampoline with Sarah when a handsome hunk jumped over our back wall with a bunch of flowers for me for Valentines Day! (Jon bought them for me early so that I have time to enjoy them before our upcoming NZ trip.)

3 Roses - red for romance, orange for passion, and yellow for friendship. 3 Roses - a triple stranded cord. 3 Roses - our third married Valentines Day. They reminded me of our first Valentines Day four years ago when a similar romantic delivery arrived on my doorstep (3 roses - red, orange, and white for purity):

(L) 2012, (R) 2008

Another happening at our place is we have started hosting a Connect Group on Monday nights. Our group is small (5 of us), but we are looking forward to getting to know people in our church and establish relationships there. We are studying 1 Samuel, and after the first two chapters I have been reminded of God's Sovereignty. He is in control of the circumstances of our lives. I am not to fight against them or be discontent, but to trust Him and give Him thanks whatever comes my way. This reminder has brought such peace.

And to end with Jesus' words - Peace be with you.