I had a really fascinating day yesterday.

A couple of weeks ago I signed up to go and do a workshop on sustainable land use or organic gardening on a lifestyle block.

I'm trying to get ready for moving out to our 10 acres next year, and I've been inspired by many people to give serious vegetable gardening a go. I am not a gardening person. I was raised in the town and city and am basically a city gal, but this is something I really want to try my hand at. Christina, the instructor, pretty much had to explain everything to me from scratch.

When I arrived she was milking the goats, which I tried later on at lunchtime. Unpasteurized fresh goats milk - and I actually liked it! It didn't have any goat smell, and it actually tasted really good - a bit like cow's milk, only not as fatty. After reading in the Old Testament (Proverbs, I think) about giving 'goats milk for the maintenance of thy maidens," I've always thought it sounded like a good idea.

The rest of the day was spent in the vegetable garden, or 'the allotment' as Christina called it (she is from the UK). She basically uses chicken and goat manure to fertilize the garden and grows just about every vegetable possible. The amazing thing is that she said she only has to buy vegetables from the store for about 2 weeks of the year! What a saving that would be! And so much more healthier and tastier. The beds are planted in their families and she uses small bushes and trees to shelter and add protection from birds. The garden is on a five year rotation, so she divided it up into 5 sections, planted in the vegetable families and moves it one section on, every year.

By the end of the day she had drawn up a plan for me to use, and in the meantime she told me to note down every day for a month what vegetables we use, eg, 4 carrots a day, 1 lettuce, etc, and at the end of the month I'll be able to figure out how many vegetables I'll need in a year.

Christina and her husband also eat their own chickens and they grow fruit as well. It was an amazing place and so well set up - orderly and neat and tidy - very inspiring! Here's a link to her website:

http://inscape.orcon.net.nz/ogrod/index.html

Don't you just love those little moments that sometimes occur during the day that make you glad you're homeschooling your children.

This morning my son said something that made me laugh out loud - not at him; but because, in a way, he was right in what he said, and it made me realize that his old Playcentre teacher was right about him! It also made me think how glad I am that he's not at school, and someone else who doesn't love him as much as me, is enjoying these funny little things he sometimes comes out with, that makes life memorable.

When we lived in a small town community for several years, I used to take him along to a little country Playcentre. It's kind of like kindergarten, but the parents are required to be there most of the time, and there is a main teacher who structures the session around something. I'm not sure if all Playcentres are like that, but we had a wonderful teacher who was of the 'old school' type and very passionate about what she did.

She did seem to take a special interest in my son Hugh, and when she knew that we were going to be homeschooling, was very supportive and helpful in passing along interesting hints and information she received. She has always told me that Hugh is an 'abstract' thinker and could be frustrating to teach at home because he thinks differently to other kids.

She said to me recently that when a 2 year old boy (she was talking about Hugh) draws parallel lines on a piece of paper and calls them railway tracks, then she knows he's got an interesting brain! (Those were her words)! After her 30-odd years of experience teaching, she said she can usually pick what area the child is going to go into later in life, but with Hugh she can't pick it!

Anyway, all that just to say that I had an ... ahem... shall I say, interesting day of schooling with Hugh today. I could say that it was frustrating, but I don't want to be negative! However, earlier this morning we were learning about opposites in his Abeka exercise book following some time reading. After a few minutes of running through the obvious list of opposites, like night/day, new/old, hot/cold etc, I asked him to tell me the opposite of 'short'.

As quick as a flash, and quite seriously, he replied with, 'trousers'!

So, you see, how could I not help but laugh out loud! I've been chuckling over it all day. I couldn't really say it was wrong, either!

We love our Sonlight Science. It is my son's favourite subject, so we mostly leave it until the afternoon, after he has done reading, math etc, which he's not as fond of! He still enjoys those subjects, but he's not passionate about them, as he is with messing around with things and trying out experiments.

We spent a good hour today playing with magnets. He has been learning about the pull of the sun and moon on the ocean tides in his science, and then he had to work out which of his set of magnets was the strongest.

After doing that he made a little 'dog' magnet with a little red magnet 'tail' and had fun under the table moving it all around, and 'wagging' the 'tail'.

Meanwhile, after Hugh had watched the mad scientist on the Sonlight DVD demonstrating the experiment, Meredith asked to keep watching it! My kids love it, and it's an instruction DVD!

I can't believe today is over. It has been busy from the moment I woke up this morning. Hugh had his tennis club day this morning, so while he was there, I had to get Meredith ready for a full dress rehearsal, which went off really well.

My sister-in-law babysat Theodore tonight and we 4 went off to the Reportory Theatre where the ballet was performing. Meredith was very calm about the whole thing and not nervous at all, although she later told me that her "brains made her tummy flutter".

It was such a lovely performance, and of course the little ones stole the show. We felt very proud of her on her first big night. Hugh seemed to enjoy it too, though he has told us he definitely does not want to be a boy ballerina! (I think his Dad is relieved)! He was sweet after the show - telling Meredith he was very proud of her. That made her smile.

I am having a lovely hot cup of tea as I write this, and I'm ready for bed. A quiet day tomorrow, I think.

The finale on the stage at the Reportory Theatre (Christchurch). Meredith is third from left in the front in the gold costume.

A close up of Meredith on stage.

Meredith had her first big ballet rehearsal today. She's only been doing ballet for two terms, and she's the youngest one in the primary class.

I was more nervous about the rehearsal than she was - making sure I had the makeup right, and the hair right. We stocked up on hairspray and gel. She had to wear it in a bun at the back, but since she took to her hair with scissors a few months ago (from what I hear most 4 year old girls do that) it has been a challenge to tie her hair up into anything! When the ballet lady rang last night she sounded very serious about me trying my best to get it all right - made me feel like a school kid facing a big test with a grumpy teacher!

Well, we managed it, and she looked beautiful, and she did well at the rehearsal too - there was a room full of noisy young people, but she wasn't bothered by it at all, and followed through with her dancing steps really well.

She was absolutely astonished to find that there were three boy ballet dancers there, and couldn't wait to get home and tell her brother. She thought that was hillarious!

Her big night is Saturday night, and we have two more full dress rehearsals to get through before then. But it is fun!

This is Meredith all ready for the dress rehearsal this afternoon.

Meredith's Saturday morning ballet class in part of their costumes for the performance on Saturday night. Meredith is fourth from left.

Even after only a few months of ballet, I am encouraged to see she is developing a better posture which is what I was hoping it would do for her.

This is my first entry on homeschoolblogger. I love the internet and thought this would be an interesting and fun way to record our own homeschooling adventure.

We are into our second year of homeschooling and I still consider that we are new to it, but I'm also not new to homeschooling.... and I know that doesn't make sense!But before I was married I worked for a homeschooling organization and used to help homeschooling families as part of my job description. I was also involved in writing a history curriculum for New Zealand homeschoolers.

But even after those years of working among homeschoolers, I still find that the theory of homeschooling and the actual day to day reality of homeschooling your own children is very different... and I find it a lot more challenging than I used to think it was back when I was single. Oh the wisdom of youth!

But I truly wouldn't have it any other way, even though I've questioned our decision to homeschool many times. I think I've gotten through that doubting period and am ready to dive in with enthusiasm and drive and energy. My children love it and it is so encouraging to see them developing and learning and excelling. So we're in this journey for the long haul, and we can't wait to see what it brings for our family.