End of Year Catch Up

I have had less time to sit and write than ever before,so I am now going to try and remember all that I have missed and write a compact version of it.
Bear with me....
We have hada lot to do with the LVSN Free Shop, and community garden. This has opened a door for new friendship with another family's children and ours.
Malachi and Isaac have found a kindred spirit in each other,and have bonded over Halo. But their activities together are not limited to computer games, and they race around outside madly as well. But they do not get to see each other too often,as it is only LVSN that our families have in common,and so aside from meetings and working bees, any play dates have to b organized.
The bunnies we gave to LVSN have gone rather ferrel,but are looking alright otherwise. There were two babies surviving and then the long awaited for Makers Market happened, they were sold.
The Makers Market was a mixed success.
While it was another drizzly day, it was not raining like it was last time we tried this, so the stall holders showed up this time, and we had around twenty or so in total?And people came though to look,talk, and buy,so that was great too.
It was at this market my family bought me my Christmas presents! Two Pekin ducks (hopefully male and female) and a Cohen Partridge.

The partridge was simply a guilty pleasure, but the ducklings, as soon as they are big enough (like they stop peeping) are going to live out in thefront yard.
We theorize that the yard is big enough to stop them smelling fowl (haha!) and Michael has already fenced off the hedge on the garden so they cannot scoot through and onto the driveway. We have put a pond in,however have decided not to let the ducks use it as it will be too hared to clean out. intead we are going to put chicken wire across the top to limit ther access and give the a clam pool to swim in, which will be ever so much easier to clean out.
The children were told they were notgoing to have school holidays till they had given me their school tests,so they all working very hard,and managed t get them in before the D-day,even Phebe!
Dassah finished the day before her birthday, and so got tospend the day (and the next two nights) with her friend Chartity. On these days away I heard she worked very hard, as LVSN was having a couple of BBQ's at Bunnings,and she was out there with them, selling sausages and taking money. This I amimpressed about because she is so shy that even going around the shops with me is a trial,lol!
I have two broody chooks. The Silkies have decided they are goingto  hatch some eggs if it kills them, so they sat. and they stayed satted! Michael and I took pity n them and have given them a dozen Pekin Bantam eggs between them, and we shall see if they manage to hatch them.
A week before Christmas we hopped up the Mum and Dads for a visit and to exchange presents. We only went up for a night,because we have babies everu where here! Rabbit babies, guinea pig babies, ducky babies! But a night was all we needed to catch up with our loved ones.

We left really early on Sunday morning, and arrived in time for church! Amazing! after the morning service we all exchanged presents. The afternoon I spent at Miriam's house with Eli, giving Mum and Micaela break from smallest persons shenanigan, and it turned out I was so thankful we did, because there was a massive thunder storm jumped over us and knocked out the power, and since we were at Miriam's house Eli was fine,as her house is pretty interesting for small people,while being child proof at the same time, Nanna's isn't.
That evening we had a massive family dinner, and there was lots of talking and laughter and fellowship. That night we slept in the caravan, and the following morning we left before lunch.
Instead of going straight home we followed Miriam and Ryan to their new block of land, and we all gloated over it!
They have big plans for building a house and what they are going to grow and do, its all so exciting! We had hot chips and sandwiches at the block before we went our separate ways.
Malachi's birthday fell on a Sunday this year, and we had organized for him and Dassag to havea shared McDonalds party!
At church the whole congregation sand them Happy Birthday, and then after the service we went to Macca's,where there were twelve children all up attending.
It was so NOISY! The room echoed and the boys took full advantage of this. But we survived! The children had presents, a few games,food,  and an icecream cake, and everyone came home with a party bag.
We had an LVSN end of year break up party at a members home, a lovely lady called Michelle whos house had a pool. Naturally this was where the children spent the whole afternoon, lol!

 Christmas Eve we all went on a bushwalk in the bush  off the Strezleki Highway. This seems to be turning into a Christmas tradition,as we have done it three years in a row now. This was the firts time Eli was old enough to walk himself. We walking three  kilometres, and then stopped for a picnic lunch. Every one carried their own food and water in a ack on their backs, even Eli. And then we walked back to the van. Eli was pretty tired by this time, so I carried him back half way,and Michael the other half. All in all,a six kilometre walk! Not bad.
Christmas morning we were all up early, and presents were opened happily! Among the best presents were Malachi's hand painted Doctor Who picture, Hadassah's Lego, Phebe's talking dog, Eli's bicycle, Michael's cinema voucher,and my Garth Nix book.
That afternoon we met our new neighbours for the first time, and Hadassah found a new bosum buddy as we were all over their house having a cuppa.
Boxing day was spent quietly, as   for most of the day three older children were over next doors again playing, and that arvo two of them were over here with us! Fun fun fun :)
I hope that the New Year holds safety and contentment for us, new learning experiences and peace.