Bungendore Olive Pick

We always enjoy a trip to Bungendore. We get to see our favourite people and do our favourite things and we always come away reminded of how special the five years we lived there were and how grateful we are for them. It's really nice to not live too far away that it's possible to do a weekend here and there. This time we were invited to the Pappas Annual Olive Pick. A incredible weekend of picking, food and friends. It was wonderful and such a joy to be part of their family tradition. 

Easter + Parade

Easter is a favourite in the Catton household. Bunnies, chocolates, easter hats! What's not to love. And Easter at Avonlea is very fun, with lots of hiding places and real life bunnies and chickens to share in the search. This was also Lily's first year in the Easter Hat parade and designing and making her hat was a family affair with much planning and consideration. The motif of 'Maypole' was decided upon and our imaginations did the rest. Levi was called in for engineering expertise, Primrose for creative guidance and Lily and I set about bringing the vision to reality. And what a wonderland was created. It makes me want a real maypole. Miss Lily paraded with great pride and many comments at what a marvellous hat she had created. It may become a family heirloom. 

Show Time { Maitland Show 2026 }

Another very fun show year with lots of entries, excitement, big wins and lots of ribbons! As is tradition we had a ride on the dodgem cars and the kids chose a great fun ride flying up in the air. We saw the animas and the cutest bunnies, which we would take taken home but we have reached bunny capacity. The poultry was impressive, we saw a few breeds we liked the looked of and took notes for future reference. Our favourite of course is racing to the pavilions to see who has taken out the most wins! 

School's Back

Big milestone for us this year. All four of the Catton children are in school! Lily is the most excited of course. She has been waiting patiently to start Kindergarten for the past two years. Literally counting down. Everyone else is well and truly in the swing of things. Finley entered Year 8, Primrose Year 5 and Quill Year 2. They were all as ready as they could be. Squeaky clean, new shoes, pencil cases and bags packed. We are excited for everything ahead of them this year. Finley has his debut musical performance in Mamma Mia coming up in June. Primrose has Virtual Academy at school and leadership opportunities. Quill begins karate and is working hard on his reading and Lily has started dance and is starting to learn to read too. We are proud of the little people they are and are looking forward to the the year ahead.

Lily Takes on Big School

 

Well the day finally arrived! Lily is in Kindergarten. She has patiently waited for literal YEARS for this day to come and here it is. She is ready and thrilled it's her turn to back her bag, get on the bus and learn, learn, learn. Every morning she has jumped out of a bed with a 'is it a school day?' There were no tears on her end saying goodbye, but I had a little moment in the car after leaving her. Just so grateful for the years I've had her at home and what a joy she's been. A beautiful way to finish 13 years of my little ones at home in the week. 

Summer Holidays

What a summer! Probably the best in memory. We had the Ryan cousins come and stay at Avonlea for a full two weeks and it was one big, long, fun sleepover. The days were warm and many adventures were had. The project of the summer was making a movie - written and directed by Tristan Ryan, cast - the cousins. I caught snippets of the action as it was filmed at the river and the dam and helped them acquire a cow skull as a prop but truly have absolutely no idea what it is about. We eagerly await the release! 

Miss Lily { 2025 }

This has been a really special year for Lily and for mummy. It's Lily's last at home before starting Kindergarten and my last child at home after 13 years. I've been keenly aware of all the lasts, while Lily has lived her best life with preschool (club), nature club and dance and lots of special time with mum at parks and cafe's, going on adventures and having time together baking and crafting at home. She has been very excited all year about school approaching. She can't wait to catch the bus with the other kids, wear her uniform and special shoes and get right into learning and life with her friends at big school. 

Master Quill { 2025 }

Our beautiful boy has grown so much this year, in his height (he is almost as tall as Primrose), in his reading and writing and especially in his swimming and bike riding skills. This year Quill really got the hang of riding his bike and there was no stopping him once he got going. We are so proud of all his efforts to give new and hard things a go.

Miss Prim { 2025 }

Fun, adventure, learning, horses, horses, bunnies, bunnies, bunnies, Primrose has had a lovely year full of all of her favourite things. Lots of fun with the usual - school, netball, pony club.. Lots of determination, courage and effort. And lots of memorable adventures along the way too. 

Mr Finley { 2025 }

This is the year Finley has been waiting for. 2025 meant the start of High School at Hunter Valley Grammar School with all of the possibilities and wonder of the future that comes with new beginnings. It's also been a big year with with soccer, drama, Air League, his first concert, an epic 13th birthday party, a motorbike camp in QLD and lots of camping and fun on the farm with friends. 

Avonlea { Chapter Two }

Chapter 2

We had our first floods this year and it was as great as everyone told us it would be. It had a covid like feel to it, the rushing to get food, preparing for who knows how long at home, the kids anticipation of getting to miss school. Then there was watching the water rise across the road and the quiet after the rain has finished but the flood waters are still high and we have the run of the roads to ride and be our own little community. There were nightly drinks down at the flood water, a visit from the SES flood vehicle, time just to be, because there was no going anywhere. I learnt quite a bit, like that if we are flooded in so are a lot of people all across the hunter so many things grind to a halt like sport and travel. So the best thing to do is just go with the flow and enjoy it while it lasts. It wasn't all fun and games though. The sheer amount of rain basically swept our driveway into the Flower Paddock. We also had water seeping in downstairs and spent many an hour with the wet vac trying to manage it. It's been a wet year, the dams are full to overflowing which is a site to behold. 

Making our Mark { 2025 }

There's no small or quiet years around here anymore, if there ever was. With six of us, there's always a lot on the go and we've expanded the scope of life substantially with our 26 acres, 3 rabbits, four horse and 12 chickens. It's the life we dreamed of, and the reality is a whole lot of work but a whole lot of love. We love where we live and the rhythm of country life and wouldn't have it any other way. 

The Most Wonderful Time

This was a lovely year of celebration leading up to Christmas and a beautiful traditional Ryan family day, all facilitated by mum's huge efforts. It was inclusive of naps for all and much reading and laying as the weather was unexpectedly rainy and grey and other adventuring was put on hold. Next year is the much anticipated 'Ryan Family Cruise' - where we have all opted for a no present Christmas and to instead enjoy the cruise as our gift. The kids are on board and excited with the plan. With that in mind, knowing Christmas will look different next year, I threw myself into all the Christmasy things I love with the plan to have a little breather from those next year too. It made for an epic and beautiful Christmas season. 

The Moment

In September we had a beautiful experience having a family photoshoot home at Avonlea. The pictures came back more beautiful than I could have imagined. I had really wanted to capture this moment in our lives, at our forever home, with all our children still children. I'm very conscious of how fast they are all growing up. That it won't always be like this. Our life feels like we are at this heightened stage, it takes all that Levi and I have to make it work, like all the best and hardest things are happening to us all at once. We are truly living the long held dreams we've dreamed - owning this beautiful place and raising four wonderful children here, and also trying to manage life and all the things that come our way. What I do know is that I want to hold on and not speed through it too fast. Look at my children's little hands, the freckles on their noses. Breathe in the country air, take in the joys that surround us. I'm so grateful these pictures capture us, just as we are, living the beautiful life we've created. 

S E V E N T E E N

Seventeen years together. Levi and I have lived so many different iterations of life in that time, and grown and changed as people that in many ways it feels like we're just getting our bearings for the rest of forever. I feel very lucky to have Levi by my side as we do life together. We both feel like we are at the absolute limits of  our capacity right now, four young children, a property and animals to care for and manage and very busy work lives, especially for Levi. But through it all we really are as we have always been - each others favourite people, building a life together that we love and still loving each other all along the way. 

Family + Fun

We have had such a fun, full, school holidays. We've barely sat down but loved every minute of having family visit, creating fun and going on all sorts of adventures. We had the Ryan's spend a lovely 5 days with us, a quick trip to Sydney in the middle and then Courtney with us for the end. We love sharing our home and surrounds with our family and love that they come to visit. 

7th Heaven

Our little superstar has waiting patiently through three siblings birthdays to FINALLY arrive at his time to shine. Quill turned 7 in a blaze of Pokémon glory. He had all the bells and whistles on the actual day at home with us, plus a birthday badge and lollipops to take into his class. Then on the weekend it was party time!

'Book an Adventure' { Book Week 2026 }

We had another very fun and creative Book Week this year. Lots of back and forth about what books and characters, ideas for how to put together outfits and general excitement for a fun day. Finley went with last years Keefe from 'Keepers of the Lost Cities' and was joined by Primrose as Sophie from the same book. Primrose did a great job hand making her brooch for her cloak. Quill went as the Boy from 'How to Catch a Star'. Sadly his seagull didn't arrive in time for the day but we made an beautiful big star which completed his outfit. Lily had three days in a row of Book Week dress up's at preschool. She went as Willa and the Fairy Princess from Spellbound. 

Little's Snow Day

With our two bigs up in QLD having the time of their lives with the Ryan's, we wanted to do something special with the little two for the holidays and a snow day fit the bill. The Hunter Valley Gardens set up a special winter wonderland with ice skating, tobogganing and snow play. We came prepared with hats, jackets and gloves and even a carrot and buttons to make a real snowman. 

Picnics and Ponies

Lily has been excited for her birthday party since the day after her birthday last year. She dreamed up a picnic from one of her favourite 'Anne' books that depicts an amazing picnic scene, three legged races, picnic rugs and cake. She had her new dress on, her best friends around her and the party dream come to life just for her. She was so happy and floating on a cloud for days after.