Intro to our ordinary family

I'll start with an intro of my family, as this blog is a diary of sorts of the day-to-day life of my family.

DH, R, has just left for work...later than usual as he's working locally..only 5mins away. Usually he leaves by 7.15 as he has to travel across the city through rush hour traffic. He is a carpenter, or chippie, as it's known locally. Used to do all sorts, mainly alterations but now is fitting double glazed windows.

Our oldest blessing is J.R. & he is married to a lovely young woman A.They have a beautiful wee girl Miss O who turned 1 a month ago. They live close by so we get to see them often. J.R. works full time & A cares for little O at home...though she has many other interests to keep her busy as well, one being her own blog Little O Sunshine

Next is our eldest daughter & blessing, C, who is a busy young lass working hard at caring for children, helping run the local Girls' Brigade company and volunteering at RDA (Riding for the Disabled) every weekend. C lives nearby us as well.

Our 2nd son T is our 3rd born blessing. T has a lovely partner, B, and they have a handsome wee lad, Master D, who turned 1 last week. They live "over the hill" in the Wairarapa so still close by as they are only an hour away and we get to see them often. T & B are both home caring for Master D at the moment, though both are looking for work...T  may be able to pick up some seasonal work. I'm praying that he will. B has sent her CV to several places via WINZ...but the job market is pretty hard at the moment.

Our 2nd daughter, S, is our 4th born blessing. S has a lovely partner, J, and they are expecting their first baby in 5 1/2 weeks! So exciting! S is still working for another few weeks at a shampoo and more products retail shop at the local mall. J, her partner, is out of work at the moment but hoping to pick some up. They live close by as well.

Our 3rd son and 5th blessing, J.L. learns at home as did the older children. J.L is 15, a great reader and full of information. He has a mind like a sponge for information and comes out with all sorts of facts he's picked up. It'll be interesting to see what he chooses to do when he becomes older. For the present he is working through his math book, reading a lot...The latest being A History Of Europe, a very dry looking 700 page tome! He has finished that and wants to read the rest of the series. This year he has also read a couple of William Shakespeare's plays and last year a couple of Charles Dickens' works...I'll have to ask him again which ones they were as I'm beginning to keep a record of what he does for future reference and as a transcript should he want to go to university before he is 20. J.L  has danced since he was 4, following on after his older siblings. I thought he might enjoy the pre-school dance class and he did. 14 years on he is studying RAD Advanced 1 ballet and also contemporary at L Dance Studio and Hip-Hop, which he does at another studio Pump Dance You can also find Pump Dance on Facebook 

Our 6th blessing is Miss L, our 3rd daughter. Miss L is an engaging young lady who is growing up very quickly. She is 12 and looking forward to celebrating her 13th birthday soon. Like our oldest daughter, C, Miss L has found it hard to learn to read and as I suspected has the gift of dyslexia. Last week Miss L had a week long 1-on-1 intensive programme with Glenys from Clarity Dyslexia Solutions. Glenys uses the Davis Dyslexia Association approach to helping with dyslexia. The image of the book to the left is by Ron Davis who desigined the programme. I found it really interesting. It is a totally different approach to other methods and I thought it would be a good fit for Miss L. It was :) More on it later. Miss L also learns at home and at the moment is chewing through the last few pages of her math book keen to move on to the next level. Miss L is interested in design and sewing and for her 12th birthday we bought her a sewing machine. Miss L also does ballet and is studying RAD Intermediate and Grade 7, plus contemporary and also does Hip Hop at the same studio as J.L.

Then there is....me! I am essentially a SAHM (Stay-At-Home-Mum) my most important ministry being my family. I believe with all my heart, mind and soul in my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am the business manager for L Dance Studio and also have a small sewing business, which gets squeezed into whatever time I can find. I have a blog for the sewing/craft things I do Alyz Creations I do a variety of things...the latest being a pro-wrestling outfit for a female! Interesting! As usual it was a challenge and I learnt a lot. I'll be putting it up on Alyz Creations in a while...when I've updated the blog to present day. One of my favourite things to do is read so I'll put some images up of the books I'm reading when I can find them, and titles if I can't. Don't expect an analysis though! I know what I like, think about what I read but I don't like dissecting books as it tends to kill the enjoyment for me. I'm of the breed that HAS to read before I go to sleep, unless I'm really tired or unwell. It's my way of unwinding and relaxing.

At the moment I'm referring to members of the family by initals...that's because I like to ask permission before I put their full names or photos and I haven't mentioned this blog to them yet! We also have a few camera shy people in the family...myself included! :)

I think that will do for today. I need to get on with the day's doings...though I'm thinking we'll have a Mellow Monday to some extent. I'll feeling a bit tired after a full weekend and I think J.L and Miss L are too. They are both night owls and although Miss L said to wake her at 8, which I did, she rolled over and went back to sleep! It was a full on week for her last week and she is also recovering from an injury to her neck which happened last weekend. I wonder how many ACC incidents are attched to our family's name now? Quite a few I think!

I'm going to load some photo's onto the computer and then I'll update my Alyz Creations blog....after I've put on a load of washing. It's a fine day so I can get it out on the line for a few hours.

I also need to get some sewing done..or preparation to sew. Our youth Pastor, D, asked me to do a small job altering a jacket for the upcoming BYM Easter Camp starting this Thursday and also I need to make leotards for J.L and for L a boy in Miss L's class. Plus the other items on my growing list! Still it keeps me out of mischief And what is life if one doesn't live it abundantly & to the full? You never know when your time on earth is up or circumstances will change.