"Well, What's Been Happening With The Roberts?"...

...I hear you say. Actually, you're probably not saying or thinking it but it was a catchy line to begin this post (even though I do say so myself).

Not much is the answer, other than normal sort of busyness that comes with a household of fourteen people. Though with the Christmas/end of year season coming up life will be busier. On the 21st our family is organising a sports day for the homeschoolers in our area. It was Lachlan's and my idea so we are the main organisers, as such. It's Erin's family night tomorrow so some people are decorating little cake houses for dessert. I don't think they really look like the little houses in the recipe book, though.

Since Mum bought some new Charlotte Yonge books a couple of months back I went through a stage of reading her books. The stage went for a couple of months though I only read two books. Both "Daisy Chain" and The Trial" were very good. "The Trial" is the sequel to the "Daisy Chain," and the two books follow the May family over approximately sixteen years. I liked these books for many reasons. 1. Since they are secondhand and about one hundred years old they were lovely, hard-covered, old looking books. 2. The family had 11 children. Any book about a large family has got to be good. 3. Ethel-the-unready was a character I thought was a bit like myself, only much, much better. I can't stress how much I liked Etheldred May. I don't want to say anything else in case I ruin the story, but she was brilliant. 4. Since the story spanned sixteen years I felt like I had watched the children grow up. I liked watching their characters develop and change over those sixteen years. Even though I liked both these books very much, I don't think either of them were as good as "The Heir of Redclyffe." I think that will always stand as Charlotte Yonge's greatest work in my mind.

I love good BBC miniseries. Especially Cranford which the older members of our family finished watching on the weekend. We'd been going through it for a number of weeks and finally finished it. I think it is brilliant because there is nothing that would naturally catch people's attention (besides romance), yet it is a captivating film. No action, no mystery, no violence (only operating scenes which we fast forward because some of us can't handle it), and nothing really questionable. Just some old ladies, mixed in with a few young ones, one or two men, and an old town.

I don't know whether you have heard any of Chris Tomlin's music or whether you like it or not, but he just recently produced a Christmas album and I have to say that it is the best Christmas album I have ever heard. Most of the songs are traditional Christmas carols and most of them are to the original tunes. There are one or two which are a bit rocky but most of them are very slow, calming, and beautiful. His rendition of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "O Holy Night" are beautiful and his new song "Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) is beautiful as well. And, yes, I know it's strange to be listening to Christmas carols in mid November but I think the words are so good to some of the carols that we should sing them all year long.

So is there anything particularly good that you have been reading? Any music that you have really enjoyed? Or anything else that has been challenging you? Please tell me. I love hearing from you.

Let's Go To The Races

One of our family traditions is on Melbourne Cup day to watch the race, eat special food (usually chips, chocolate, and frozen food), and draw out of a hat the name of a horse for each person. The Buttsworths come and join us as well. This year some of us decided to make hats to wear. Lachlan made most of them, but Angus made Erin's and his and Tegan and Dad made their own. I was feeling very uninspired so Lachlan made mine. He also made parasols for those who didn't want to wear hats.

I said that my hat made me look like Lady Dedlock but nobody agreed with me.

Bart Cummings biggest fan.

And Bart Cummings himself.

Gentlemen in top hats were there. I have no idea what the significance of the balloons were.

Viewed and his jockey. Most people in our house wanted Viewed to win.

And to prove that Lady Dedlock and I do look very similar here's this. I wanted a picture of Lady Dedlock in a veil but since I couldn't find one in the right shape this will have to do.

Two Cutie Pies

I know It's Sad....

but I fell in love with this new listing of mine, so I thought I would share it with you. :)

The First Rose Of Summer

Happy last day of October, everyone!

Church Family Picnic

Last Saturday a family from church organized a church family picnic. They organized one last year but the day set for the picnic was very hot (high 30 degrees if I remember correctly). This year rain and thunderstorms were forecast for the day set for the picnic. Thankfully closer to the time the weather forecast changed and we ended up with a lovely sunny day with the temperature in the mid 20's.

Here's Sebastian enjoying his time out in the sun.

Annaliese wasn't very happy (she's been sick since Saturday evening and has been VERY unhappy) so she wouldn't smile for me. The photo turned out nicely anyway, I think.

We played lots of great games. Like egg and spoon races...

and sack races.

We also played the gumboot throw. It was quite scary to watch as some of the men's boots came flying toward the spectating women and one actually landed on Cassandra's hand.

There were also some lovely people there to make the day a success. (The picture of Victoria, Emily and Karen should have been with this group of photos, but I can't move it. You'll have to imagine it's there)

Quilts, Bags, And All Things Related

Craftycrackpot has a couple of new items such as this bag..... and this quilt which is made out of scraps....

I have the top of a pink scrap quilt completed now too. All I need to do is quilt and back it, but I may not have it ready until after Christmas. I'm quite pleased with the way these scrap quilts have turned out especially as they were made out of scraps! :) They are something I hope to continue making once I have accrued more material scraps. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you have any feedback - positive or negative. I'm prety sure I can handle it! :)

Oh and a bit of exciting news - well it was exciting for me anyway. I sold my first clothing item on Etsy a week or so ago. Yay! I was starting to worry that maybe clothes weren't the "thing" I should be making! But that has boosted my confidence. I hope the buyer loves it!

That's all the crackpot-related news for the moment....

10 Reasons To Eat Chocolate

1. It’s a vegetable! Chocolate is made from cocoa beans and sugar cane which are both vegetables. It must be healthy.

2. Milk chocolate contains a dairy food so it has the calcium you need to keep bones strong and healthy.

3. It’s readily available, it’s fresh and has no preservatives.

4. You can get a whole day’s calories in one handy package.

5. No one will ever guess you are on a diet.

6. If you eat it after your meal you don’t need to eat the cheesecake and the ice cream.

7. It can help as part of a balanced diet – equal amounts of fat and sugar, and one sensible reason.

8. A little too much chocolate is just about right.

9.Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals like chocolate.

10. Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

Oh, and if you are interested over at The Nut House there's a little girls' hair tie giveaway. It is drawn on the 25th so you had better get in quick if you're interested.

Sebastian's 3 Month Old Photo Shoot

A family tradition is to have the current Roberts' baby 3 month portrait taken and then framed and hung on our hallway wall. We are currently 3 children behind in the wall hanging part but that doesn't matter, their pictures have been taken. We are actually running out of wall space. This family tradition lives on since Sean and Cassandra had Emma's 3 month portrait taken and it hangs on their lounge room wall. Due to finances Mum and Dad asked me to give Annaliese's photo a go and since they were all right I did Sebastian's as well. He turned 3 months old on Thursday but I didn't take the photos until Friday and Saturday. I photographed over two days as I wasn't overly fussed with the first lot of photos. I was very happy with the second lot of photos. Though, since Sebastian is such a beautiful baby it would be hard to take unattractive photos of him.

This photo was taken to send to my great-aunt.

I tried some singlet black and white shots. These first three photos are from his day 1 session.

I'm not fussed on this one but it is one of Tegan's favourites.

Aren't we great?! We've taught him to pray already.

Day 2

I think we'll frame this one. :)

One of my favourites.

William likes this one.

Caught in the act. Sebastian's favourite past time.

Another favourite.

Oh, my! I have so many favourites.

And some gorgeous feet to finish.

Do you have a favourite? Let me know.

Caitlin

We're celebrating again and this time the cause is Caitlin. She turned the big 20 years today (for some reason the number 20 looks so much older than 19). Birthdays are a good time to think and remember to be thankful for certain people. That's why I like them. They remind me to be thankful for those certain people. Thinking over Caitlin today I came to this conclusion:

I'm so glad I still have an older sister at home. Not only is she a selfless person but I rely on her judgement. It's so comfortable if Mum is out and the little children are mucking up to go to Caitlin and ask her opinion instead of having to solely rely on my own judgement, which so often isn't the best one. Judgement isn't my strongest point, but Caitlin certainly is stronger in that point than I am.

Well Caitlin, Happy Birthday

"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," Philippians 3:10