Ohhh such a backlog. So as you can see from the title, the school holidays are over and school has been back for 3 days. Fraser started year 3 at a new school this year and so we had a few tears on Monday. After being introduced to a few other year 3 boys, by another mother who was there on Monday morning, he has been playing with them and seems to have settled in ok.

The week of camping we had planned to go up until the day before school went back ended up being a bit of a disaster. Except for the first day, it rained non-stop. There were some good things: Fraser enjoyed riding his bike around and playing cricket with some other kids and Lincoln enjoyed playing with the younger ones; Lincoln and I had a nice time at Seven Mile Beach; and the boys had plenty of swimming time in the pool at the camping ground. But overall, it wasn’t that much fun. The rain started pooling on the top of the tent and things were getting damp. So, we packed up and came home on Australia Day.

Let’s just face it; we’re cabin people.

Before I get started, I just wanted to point you back to this post. Amanda asked me for a how-to for making the shell curtain, so I’ve added some commentary in the comments.

So, what have you been doing the past week? I’ve had the whole week off, thanks to our parents taking the kids since last Sunday. Each kid went to one set of grandparents and they swapped over half way through. They enjoyed their full-time attention, though Lincoln did say how much he missed his big brother. It was lovely seeing them reunite today. Fraser ran up and gave Lincoln a great big hug.

Anyway, they both had a nice break. Fraser went fishing, enjoyed the company of my uncle’s dogs, saw The Muppets again, played mini-golf  and went bowling. Lincoln had a couple of play dates, played mini-golf, went to the park, and played “army men” and watched some new DVDs.

As for me, I enjoyed the blissful silence. Matt left for nerd camp last Tuesday so it’s been just me, on my own, for six whole days. SIX! I crafted, I rearranged Lincoln’s room, I went to Sydney for a meeting and a TV show taping, I went to the gym a couple of times, and I worked on preparing a presentation for a seminar that’s coming up in March. I stayed up really late, slept in a little bit, and watched West Wing eps. I went to the Bowral markets and the Old Pot Factory at Braemar. I bought this kangaroo that was on sale.

It was heaven. The quiet obviously did my brain some good because it kept trying to work when I was ready for sleep.

But tomorrow we’re all back on deck. The boys are back today but tomorrow Matt comes home. Fraser has swimming lessons this week, Lincoln goes back to pre-school on Wednesday and next week we’re off camping.

I just time travelled back to January 2011 and my first post for last year was about jettisoning the stuff we don’t need—literally and mentally.

It seems appropriate to continue the theme by joining in on Debra’s 52 Weeks to Simplify Your Life. This is week 1′s post, which I should have posted last week but am a bit late.

Week #1 Challenge: Create a list of everything that went “right” in 2011

So, yeah, there was a bunch of stuff. And 2012 is going to be even BETTER. (But more on that later.)

• We sold the farm, which we’d been trying to sell for ages. I was disappointed at the price we sold for but…
• We bought our current house for a bargain price. It’s the worst house in the best street, but it’s got the most fabulous yard and is so quiet and private.
• I had the opportunity to travel solo to Perth to attend a conference.
• I won an award at the conference.
• I’ve found myself with new career options as a result, which I’m really excited about.
• I got a new car, finally.
• The boys are both flourishing, socially, and Fraser is still doing well at school.
• We had a fabulous European holiday, thanks to my parents and my Nana’s inheritance. (Thank you, Nana!)
• Matt and I reached our ten year anniversary, and to borrow a lyric from The Beatles, it’s getting better all the time.
• I got a tattoo.

If you feel you could simplify your life, click on the badge over there –> and join in. I’m not finding life messy or complicated, but January is always a great time to take stock of where things are at.

You’ve missed out on my captivating memoirs the last couple of days, sorry about that. We had a social couple of days there, so it was nice for the kids. On Thursday, a Sydney friend and his kids came for the afternoon. We caught up on the goss, ate party pies, spring rolls, the kids played in the yard, then we went to the park and had Paddle Pops.

On Friday, the boys and I went up the road to my friend’s house and hung out with her kids, while she was at work. It wasn’t the warmest of days, but they all braved the pop-up swimming pool, which was finally out for our late-arriving Summer. Then last night, we went down to Moss Vale and had cheese-and-crackers-dinner with newish friends. Their youngest daughter has been going to preschool with Lincoln, so he had a great time catching up with her.

And today, we went to a preview showing of The Muppets. So awesome! Written by and starring Jason Segal, one of my favourite actors, there are a bunch of cameos and of course all the usual muppets. There were tears of nostalgia from people on the audience. I heard one kid say “are you crying mum?!” I think it comes out next week. Go see it.

Summer’s getting hot hot hot. We had a birthday party for Lincoln to attend today, in the park at Mittagong. There were a few preschool mothers there to talk to, including one who is also a teacher at the public school where Fraser will be going this year. We talked a bit about school, while Fraser hung around being mopey about the heat and refusing to play in the playground or ride his scooter. Meanwhile, Lincoln had a lovely time, as we always seems to. Then we came home and ate ice-blocks, before having an indoors afternoon of Wii (the boys) and WordPress hacking (me).

A not-very productive day was capped off with a not-cheap, but very tasty dinner down in Robbo at Pizzas in the Mist. Just as the mist began rolling in. Poetic.