38/52

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: Her joy is contagious. Her smile melts my heart. Her beauty astounds me.

Orlando: After having a vomiting bug all week, he is finally starting to feel better. Still slow and gentle but his strength is returning.

Both: On a visit to Floriade and we discovered 'The Great Hunt'. He read the clues and searched for the answers. She followed him and explored writing it all down, watching and learning from the mentor she admires so much. She has missed him this week while he has been sick and was so pleased he was ready to play again.

37/52

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: He has become a Joey Scout! So proud of his uniform he is too (first uniform as he doesn't have one for School) He has loved every week and is becoming a part of a wonderful team of kids, developing a new community for himself.

Matilda: She is in love with the flowers that herald the start of Spring. The garden is bursting and she is dancing from one flower to the next declaring and showcasing it's beauty to the world.

Pair:  The iPhone has created a new relationship. He is the film-er, recorder, choreographer. She is the performer, the presenter and the actress. We have to download the data weekly to keep up with the storage.

36/52

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: Inspired by older peers at school he requested to learn how to knit. YES!!! I would LOVE to pass this knowledge on to you!

Matilda: The first signs of Spring in Canberra is the wattle. It's buds burst and bring sunshine to the naked trees. Tilly has been on a wattle hunt for a week. All of her car trips consist of "Wattle! Wattle! Wattle More Wattle Wattle!" I love how in-tune with her world she is.

Pair: We brought some garden beds, Orlando said "these look easy to put together" and so I set them the task. Work together to build all 6 new garden beds. What a team they are!!

35/52

We love a good dress up at our place! 

So when the party invite came saying 

"Dress up as your favourite character from a book" 

That's exactly what we did!

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: As Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third (How to Train your Dragon)

Matilda: Sleeping Beauty (or any other Disney Princess she feels like at the time)

34/52

 We are feeling Spring warming the garden and beckoning us out.

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: His garden space continues, at the markets he found some pansy plants. This one he has called Tiger Flower. (Photo by Nathan Davies)

Matilda: We have adopted two beautiful new chickens to add to our brood. They have grown up in the hands of children and are very happy to be held. Today was the first time Tilly held one. She was very keen, learnt how to do it properly and was full of joy. Then she got a great shock when it flew out of her arms. Didn't deter her from having a second hold though. (Photos by Nathan Davies)

Pair: We are reading "The Little Fairy Sister" as a family novel at the moment. Tilly started constructing a beautiful little fairy garden, Ollie joined in. Now it sits under the flowers ready and waiting for the fairies to visit. I love the mini potato they found in the garden exclaiming "It might be tiny like a pea to us but to the fairies it's gi-normous!"

Joining with Jodi

33/52 - Gardens

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: She is creating a garden of her own to make the cubby look beautiful. Chook dirt added, some 'huge' worms lovingly found, fondled and hidden back beneath the soil. The flowers are the important bit, along with the worms, maybe we will throw a few bulbs in somewhere too.

Orlando: He is creating a garden of his own, to have control over what is planted. Plants are chosen with great care, tags read, depth measured to perfection, spacing even and ordered. Worms are noted, observed and left to their devices. There is much anticipation as to what will be and how big things will grow.

Pair: Playing music is a big thing in our house hold at the moment. These two have always been drawn to the piano - at the moment there is a lot of collaboration in their masterpieces.

Joining with Jodi

32/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando and Matilda: It is getting harder and harder to take photos of these two un-noticed. My presence is changing the play. They are so busy playing together or independently at the moment that my camera approaching is stopping the play in it's tracks. All I'm getting is 'funny faces'. So this week we are embracing the faces and going with that :)

Joining with Jodi

31/52 - Better late than never :)

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: A real life geological treasure! Ollie was using a magnet to test the back garden and discovered a magnetic rock!! He thinks it must be some sort of Ironstone.

Matilda: Tilly has been inspired by Ollie's Lego creations and has been joining in the fun. Her 'crafts' are getting much more detailed and are being re-visited Lego session after Lego session.

Joining with Jodi

30/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: She has decided that it is time to learn how to read and write. I thought we would wait until she started Kindy next year, but the questions are coming thick and fast. So I guess now is the time. We are answering her questions and supporting her with information when she requests it. Orlando is LOVING being her one-on-one tutor. She is soaking it all in like a sponge that has been waiting for the good stuff. Round 2... here we come!

Orlando: His physical confidence is taking leaps and bounds. He is challenging himself to go places he would have previously shied away from. Rocks and trees are his climbing frame of choice. He declares "I think my boots would let me climb anything, they are great!" I reminded him that although his boots are great it is HIM doing the climbing, not his boots :)

Pair: Taking in the grand-ness of the beautiful rock we chose for our morning tea. Nothing makes you feel quite as tiny, than the giant-ness of the natural world.

Joining with Jodi

29/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: The beanie Nan knitted him has FINALLY been accepted as 'wearable'. I think it is just beautiful. He is really wanting to be photographed at the moment, which is a lovely change.

Matilda: I love the head tilted in consideration. Is that REALLY snow I can see up on the hill? Did people REALLY live in a house as old as this one?

Pair: School holidays provide the perfect time for re-connection. These two are really enjoying each others company at the moment and playing for hours at a time. Enough to make a Mumma's heart sing :)

Joining with Jodi

28/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: At home in the great-ness of a tree.

Orlando: Contemplating the ocean, so nice to be near the sea again. 

Pair: Venturing into the sea together, on an adventure. Our Canberra bodies thought the warmth of the Gold Coast winter was great for swimming in!

Joining with Jodi

27/52 - Wigging IT!

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda and Orlando: I needed to dress up for Orlando's Disco and we all had a lot of fun with my wig. I love how much it changes your 'look' and showcases personality.

Pair: Orlando all dressed up for the Disco and Matilda wishing she could go too... Next year they can go together.

Joining with Jodi

26/52 - Eyes

It is hard to believe that we are half way though the year already!!

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Both: Eyes are so expressive, they communicate so much about a person. They tell a story all by themselves.

Joining with Jodi

25/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: Happiest when with people that he loves.

Matilda: She's a pie 'n' sauce gal... always has been.

Pair: "How did you get up there! Teach me how!"

Joining with Jodi

24/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: Carefully sipping a cup of warm lemon, ginger and honey. Trying to make his razor blade throat feel better.

Matilda: Beautiful folk fairy.Her hair has become her own, as has her clothing choices. She spends her days entertaining herself with her imagination.

Pair: BandaLooms have taken over the house! I laugh to see that Ollie has inherited my need for order... sorting each random bag into its colours.

Joining with Jodi

23/52 - Attitudes

With bodies and brains growing we are observing many different phases. When they are so small the changes are more physical, but now that they are bigger it is their personalities that go through phases. We know they are all phases that will pass, but at the moment our house is full of attitudes... I look forward to this one shifting :)

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: A new sulk has begun, she is going all quiet and refusing to talk. I guess it is a very different way of getting attention, when her brother tries to get it from being loud and in your face.

Orlando: Now that he is 7, he seems to think the world should serve him... we're working on shifting this perception, but in the process we are seeing this look... a lot!

Pair: Nan's garden in the afternoon sun is a great place to explore and play :)

Joining with Jodi