Friday, December 14, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Happy Birthday to You.........
13th November, 2012
There is nothing like getting together with family and what better reason than to celebrate being blessed with surviving another year of life.
Still recovering from a knee operation, we all gathered around in the lounge for the traditional spitting on the cake, sorry, blowing out of fire.
Taking the photo's, I got the normal shots.
But being patient is a virtue.........(and maybe good timing)
Gotcha.... Love you Dad.
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Times They Are A Changin
12th November, 2012
Well I feel like the last stand should be playing quietly in the background as I write this.My homeschooling days are numbered. That's right. My cherubs are going to be attending the local schools next year.
It started with Miss E wanting to know if she could go to the school now that we had moved. I took her for a look at the school and her eyes lit up, so many kids to play with. Back home she said maybe she would stay at home. It went back and forth between wanting to go and wanting to stay at home. I finally said enough and sent in the enrollment papers.
I have nothing against the schooling system and I would rather she try out primary school than wait to get to highschool age and then want to try it out. Who knows maybe she will come back home at some stage.
Then I decided that Miss Z needs to go to school to help prepare her a bit more for what she wants to do in 2014. We are trying to get her into a local TAFE, but that is still being worked on. It also has a bit to do with money. After doing some research into it I am not 100% sure that Centrelink are going to accept homeschooling when Miss Z turns 16. Some home educators have said they havn't had a problem, but others say they have been cut off dry. Each Centrelink office seem to be a law unto themselves, so I guess I am taking the wimps way out. However Centrelink and money put aside, I think it would be the best thing to help prepare her for the following year.
Master J has also decided that he wants to be a historian. This will require a bit more english study than I feel I can give. I have also stated that if my children wanted to go to university and do more academic type studies they would be better in the school system. So while he is on a bent to do more study we took him in to have a chat at the local highschool. His enrollment papers have also been handed in.
So we only have 4 weeks left of school work and then its summer holidays. Then it will be time to relax and enjoy the last of our freedom routine.
We have been homeschooling for 4 years. Catching a bus and having things ready for the day by a set time is something we are going to have to adjust to.
Anyway all good books come to an end, so I shall enjoy this last chapter before we commence our new story.
Well I feel like the last stand should be playing quietly in the background as I write this.My homeschooling days are numbered. That's right. My cherubs are going to be attending the local schools next year.
It started with Miss E wanting to know if she could go to the school now that we had moved. I took her for a look at the school and her eyes lit up, so many kids to play with. Back home she said maybe she would stay at home. It went back and forth between wanting to go and wanting to stay at home. I finally said enough and sent in the enrollment papers.
I have nothing against the schooling system and I would rather she try out primary school than wait to get to highschool age and then want to try it out. Who knows maybe she will come back home at some stage.
Then I decided that Miss Z needs to go to school to help prepare her a bit more for what she wants to do in 2014. We are trying to get her into a local TAFE, but that is still being worked on. It also has a bit to do with money. After doing some research into it I am not 100% sure that Centrelink are going to accept homeschooling when Miss Z turns 16. Some home educators have said they havn't had a problem, but others say they have been cut off dry. Each Centrelink office seem to be a law unto themselves, so I guess I am taking the wimps way out. However Centrelink and money put aside, I think it would be the best thing to help prepare her for the following year.
Master J has also decided that he wants to be a historian. This will require a bit more english study than I feel I can give. I have also stated that if my children wanted to go to university and do more academic type studies they would be better in the school system. So while he is on a bent to do more study we took him in to have a chat at the local highschool. His enrollment papers have also been handed in.
So we only have 4 weeks left of school work and then its summer holidays. Then it will be time to relax and enjoy the last of our freedom routine.
We have been homeschooling for 4 years. Catching a bus and having things ready for the day by a set time is something we are going to have to adjust to.
Anyway all good books come to an end, so I shall enjoy this last chapter before we commence our new story.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Just another day homeschooling
Monday 22nd October 2012
I love looking online for blogs where people share what their day looks like. I think one of the most common questions ever asked is, " Am I doing it right?"
Well I had the revelation that there is no right or wrong way, as every blog I have ever read, reads differently. And no two days will ever be the same either.
I woke up this morning and actually went for a 41 minute walk before the kids got out of bed. It was a great time to just get my thoughts together and do some mental planning of how my day was to go. Arriving back at the house the kids had surfaced and were busy eating breakfast.
We started our day with worship, something we try to do every day. We generally try to read a chapter of the bible and then have a discussion about what we have read, make comments or ask questions, then each take turns in saying a prayer. Some days its just the prayer if time is a bit short. Well at the moment we are reading through Daniel, so today was Chapter 5 and the writing on the wall.
After that we progressed into Maths. Miss E did a quiz and scored 86 out of 100 and then did another lesson with the focus on telling time. Miss Z is doing some revision of geometry facts and formulas, while Master J was trying to get out of doing long division and converting fractions to decimals.
With all the lessons fully completed and corrected, we decided to move outside and do some work on health and nutrition and physical education.
We had found some "test your fitness" activities and thought that we would do them and then formulate an exercise plan and retest in four and eight weeks to see if there was any improvement. Miss Z made up some record sheets for us to record our data. Miss E had her skipping rope and Master J was in the garage getting out the dumb bells........ and thats about how far my planned day got.
"Hey mum, theres a Kingfisher in the garage". Everyone runs into the garage to find this tiny bird flapping around on the ground. Its leg is damaged and I am thinking that its wing might have been broken as well, as it couldn't get off the ground. Well what to do?
Grabbing an older towel we gentled grabbed the bird from under the bikes and took him inside.
A quick internet seach and we had a contact number for WIRES ( Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service). A phone call was made and then it was a waiting game for someone to ring us back. Not knowing exactly how long we would have to wait for the local person to contact us we found a shoe box and placed the bird inside.
While waiting, out came the bird book for the kids to try and work out what type of kingfisher this little fellow was. It was decided that he looked most like a Sacred Kingfisher. They also decided that my he was a she.
The phone rings after about 5-10 mintues and we are asked if we could met the carer half way, so it was into the car for a drive to Gerogery. About a 15-20 minute drive. She had made arrangments to take the bird to the vet. Should the kingfisher survive and be able to be released we shall get a phone call as they will release the bird back here, where she came from.
So by now my tummy is rumbling, not to mention the kids, so its a drive home to make some lunch. Miss Z made Macoroni Cheese for everyone. While that was being made I had some time to work on Go For the Code Book C with Miss E. It threw her a bit today as it has moved on to listening and identifying end sounds. Once she got over not trying to find the first sound she did really well and the book is just about finished. Only about 5 pages to go and then we shall be up to Explode the code book 1.
After lunch, Master J worked on his science. Miss Z and E did some more exercise outside with the skipping ropes and trampoline. Miss Z then came inside and worked on writing a drama script for the next kids church drama. Miss E then settled in to braiding. We had seen some really lovely friendship bands on the weekend which inspired her to have a go at making her own and not just the ordinary straight one either. She came up with her own design using 2 colours, knotting them and then every so oftern she would join the 2 colours making a chain type thing.
I then got a very pleasent surprise with my Aunty calling in for a cuppa late this afternoon. A very nice relaxing event. After she had left, it was time to get the 3 loads of washing of the clothes line, folded and put away. Wonderful hubby stepped up and offered to cook dinner, which I will never say no to, so here I sit typing up a blog entry.
Well dinner was yummy and the day is done. Not exactly how I had planned it in my early morning walk, but things were learnt and sometimes it is in those unexpected things that we learn the most.
Should you want more information about WIRES you can go to http://www.wires.org.au/
I love looking online for blogs where people share what their day looks like. I think one of the most common questions ever asked is, " Am I doing it right?"
Well I had the revelation that there is no right or wrong way, as every blog I have ever read, reads differently. And no two days will ever be the same either.
I woke up this morning and actually went for a 41 minute walk before the kids got out of bed. It was a great time to just get my thoughts together and do some mental planning of how my day was to go. Arriving back at the house the kids had surfaced and were busy eating breakfast.
We started our day with worship, something we try to do every day. We generally try to read a chapter of the bible and then have a discussion about what we have read, make comments or ask questions, then each take turns in saying a prayer. Some days its just the prayer if time is a bit short. Well at the moment we are reading through Daniel, so today was Chapter 5 and the writing on the wall.
After that we progressed into Maths. Miss E did a quiz and scored 86 out of 100 and then did another lesson with the focus on telling time. Miss Z is doing some revision of geometry facts and formulas, while Master J was trying to get out of doing long division and converting fractions to decimals.
With all the lessons fully completed and corrected, we decided to move outside and do some work on health and nutrition and physical education.
We had found some "test your fitness" activities and thought that we would do them and then formulate an exercise plan and retest in four and eight weeks to see if there was any improvement. Miss Z made up some record sheets for us to record our data. Miss E had her skipping rope and Master J was in the garage getting out the dumb bells........ and thats about how far my planned day got.
"Hey mum, theres a Kingfisher in the garage". Everyone runs into the garage to find this tiny bird flapping around on the ground. Its leg is damaged and I am thinking that its wing might have been broken as well, as it couldn't get off the ground. Well what to do?
Grabbing an older towel we gentled grabbed the bird from under the bikes and took him inside.
A quick internet seach and we had a contact number for WIRES ( Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service). A phone call was made and then it was a waiting game for someone to ring us back. Not knowing exactly how long we would have to wait for the local person to contact us we found a shoe box and placed the bird inside.
The phone rings after about 5-10 mintues and we are asked if we could met the carer half way, so it was into the car for a drive to Gerogery. About a 15-20 minute drive. She had made arrangments to take the bird to the vet. Should the kingfisher survive and be able to be released we shall get a phone call as they will release the bird back here, where she came from.
So by now my tummy is rumbling, not to mention the kids, so its a drive home to make some lunch. Miss Z made Macoroni Cheese for everyone. While that was being made I had some time to work on Go For the Code Book C with Miss E. It threw her a bit today as it has moved on to listening and identifying end sounds. Once she got over not trying to find the first sound she did really well and the book is just about finished. Only about 5 pages to go and then we shall be up to Explode the code book 1.
After lunch, Master J worked on his science. Miss Z and E did some more exercise outside with the skipping ropes and trampoline. Miss Z then came inside and worked on writing a drama script for the next kids church drama. Miss E then settled in to braiding. We had seen some really lovely friendship bands on the weekend which inspired her to have a go at making her own and not just the ordinary straight one either. She came up with her own design using 2 colours, knotting them and then every so oftern she would join the 2 colours making a chain type thing.
Well dinner was yummy and the day is done. Not exactly how I had planned it in my early morning walk, but things were learnt and sometimes it is in those unexpected things that we learn the most.
Should you want more information about WIRES you can go to http://www.wires.org.au/
Friday, September 28, 2012
Jigsaw Mania
Some jigsaws complete by Miss E that she wanted to show everyone.
All puzzles are 100 pieces and completed by Miss E by herself.
What a way to be working on her cognitive and fine motor skills, concentration and hand-eye co-ordination.
Life Skills
28th September, 2012
Well if your life was anything like mine, you would move alot. Along with moving there would be repairing, as most cheap furniture does not like being moved from house to house to house to house. And so it was for one of my bookshelves. No longer did it stand square and rigid, but instead swayed rather alot. Something that did not promise to hold my books very well at all.
Now being the cheap person that I am, I didn't want to go buy another bookshelf just to replace one that I already had. Hey I've still got books in boxes due to a lack of bookshelves, so it was a much cheaper option to buy some wood and do some repairing.
Figuring that if my kids turn out anything like me, they too will have the gypsy blood in them, so they will need to know how to fix things as well.
So out in the garage, Hubby watching the use of his tools, told the kids what the aim was and set them to work.
Well if your life was anything like mine, you would move alot. Along with moving there would be repairing, as most cheap furniture does not like being moved from house to house to house to house. And so it was for one of my bookshelves. No longer did it stand square and rigid, but instead swayed rather alot. Something that did not promise to hold my books very well at all.
Now being the cheap person that I am, I didn't want to go buy another bookshelf just to replace one that I already had. Hey I've still got books in boxes due to a lack of bookshelves, so it was a much cheaper option to buy some wood and do some repairing.
Figuring that if my kids turn out anything like me, they too will have the gypsy blood in them, so they will need to know how to fix things as well.
So out in the garage, Hubby watching the use of his tools, told the kids what the aim was and set them to work.
The end result..............
No more swaying and the shelves stay in place. Now my cook books have a home.
Thanks Master J and Miss Z.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Welcome to my home
27th August, 2012
Standing at the door way you can see that it is one room, but in 2 sections. So at least we know who's mess is who's.
the back room as the wardrobes, though Miss E who is in the front half wants to use some of the hall way cupboards for her clothes. Probably that's what we will do. We are also thinking of getting on of those screens to put across the arch way so Miss Z can have a bit more privacy.
Just standing at the arch way now you can see a door to your right, well that leads into my .......
If you were to visit me to day, this is what you would see.
Welcome to my new home.
Coming in through the front door you come into a hallway.
Please remember that we still have unpacking to do. We have only been in the house for 4 nights.
The first room to the right is our room.
The wall on your left is all wardrobe space, 3 sliding doors with the 3rd being the mirror. Opposite the mirror is the doorway to the ensuit. The ensuit is nearly as big as our last bathroom. THe best part is the view you get while sitting on the toilet. I just had to share.
Back in the hall the 2nd door on the right is the girls room.
Standing at the door way you can see that it is one room, but in 2 sections. So at least we know who's mess is who's.
the back room as the wardrobes, though Miss E who is in the front half wants to use some of the hall way cupboards for her clothes. Probably that's what we will do. We are also thinking of getting on of those screens to put across the arch way so Miss Z can have a bit more privacy.
This is the view from the bed room window.
Back into the hall we go through the door to the left into the dinning room.
Now turn to your left again.
This is our lounge room. It has the heating and cooling. The only thing it doesn't have is an antenna jack for the tv, so we are back to just watching dvd's again. But its also nice to just sit in the chairs and enjoy the view.
Turning around from looking out the window you can see back into the dinning room and beyond that Hubby's work space.
The fridge has to live in the dinning room as the spot in the kitchen for it is just not tall enough. Lets just check that view from Hubby's work space shall we....
OK. So near the fridge in the dinning room was a small arch way that leads into the kitchen and play room.
Walk in pantry.
So this would be the kitchen and play room.
Yes the model trains have finally made their way inside the house.
And you can't forget the views.
Going back out into the dinning room, opposite the doorway that came in from the front door hall way, is another hallway.
To the right we have the bathroom.
To the left we have Master J's room.
Around the corner at the end of the hall is the huge laundry. The door that was at the end of the laundry and to my very right as I take this picture is the toilet and the door over near the washing machine, takes you out into the big double garage.
Well the tour only leaves the back yard now.
As you might have guessed, I am in love with the view's and why would you be, when you can wake up to this.......
Thanks for visiting. Hopefully one day you will stop by for a visit and enjoy my views in person.
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