Today was HARD! Oh what I would have given to just collapse in my chair with my laptop, put a movie on for the kids and just not move. This, all by lunchtime! But I didn't I persevered.
My day started with my usual walk with the dog. If I don't walk the dog by 8:20am he whimpers at me and eventually barks from the front door whilst looking longingly at his harness. He wins, every time, he wins. Then when he gets home he jumps around me until he gets his treat. It's a ritual, and if we don't comply we are harassed, but we love him.
When I got home I called the landscaping company to order my soil for the vegetable and herb gardens. I was completely shocked that the could deliver today! In fact it took them about 30 minutes from phone call to soil dump. Brilliant! I was so excited, I've been wanting this vegetable patch done for a long time and I was finally biting the bullet and not putting it off. This brought up a couple of problems though. Miss 13 was "too tired" and tried very hard to refuse moving from her bed, but I always win out these arguments and considering the 4 days she's already endured without her beloved facebook, she wasn't going to risk anymore time. Ahh mummy negotiations how I love thee. The other problem was that no matter how many times I'd tried to get the motivation to prepare the plots we had picked for the garden ready for the soil, I hadn't done it! So it was a mad house to get them all dug up. I wanted all the soil moved before the day was through because I did not want creepy people sifting through it and stealing it in my sleep. And yes, I had vivid images of just how said people would accomplish this. First plot was done, we laid the weed mat, we ran out of weed mat (oops!). So I left my kids and husband to shovel dirt while I ran for more. By the time I got home with more it was time for my husband to get himself ready for work, which just let myself and my 4 darling daughters to do the job. I just loved how many times I was told "c'mon mum, you've done enough for one day, why don't you take a break?" This was their way of saying "please stop working us so hard, we just want to sit down". But I wasn't giving in, I was finishing this! I had 3 tone of soil delivered, by husband got maybe 1/2 a tonne moved by the time he left, that left me with 2 1/2 tonne to move! It seemed so simple.
My mum suggested kid size containers so they could help move it. I didn't have anything, well at least I thought I didn't. Behold the potties we no longer need! I swear a light shone down on them and drew me in. Yes! The opportunity to get my kids running from the front of the house to the back sporting a potty! Excellent ;) They weren't too impressed, but they rolled with it. Gosh, I love my children.
It was 6pm before we finished, but we did it. Every last bit of soil moved to it's new home. we left my husband with a little bit of leveling to do, but not much, we got most of that done too. Our biggest challenge in moving the soil was Miss 3. She thought it was the best thing EVER! Oh My God, mum has said I can actually PLAY in the dirt and I'm not being told to come inside and wash up! You could have mistaken my house for a Christmas morning. She climbed to the top of the pile and slip down it head first, time and time and time again. At the same time though, she was very determined to help too! "No mummy, I can push the wheel barrow, no mummy I can shovel the dirt, no mummy I'M using this one I don't need your help, I'll do it, go away!" Awesome little girl she is and I appreciated so much how she wanted to help, but I'd still be outside with 2 tonne of soil if we'd done it her way.
Today was a day from my childhood. I remember doing these things with my parents, the pain it inflicted and then the joy from the end product. I loved it and you know what ? With only one or two complaints, my kids loved it too! When I went out with the last load of soil and said "that's it we're done", they sighed with relief and then took a look around them and said "wow! Did we really do this, just today?!" Best feeling ever!
Tomorrow I will be off working, Miss 3 will be in daycare and the other girls have the choice of coming with me or staying home. Then Thursday I am taking them ALL out to pick their very own vegetable, fruit or herb to plant. We will also be getting some wooden stakes and painting and labeling our veggies :)
This technology ban has been the best decision I've made for my family in a long time. I couldn't be more proud of how we all worked together
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